expressions
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Roblox will offer layered clothing and facial gestures for more realistic avatars
Roblox wants to make its avatars look less blocky and more realistic.
Sony takes SOEmote live for EverQuest II, lets gamers show their true CG selves (video)
We had a fun time trying Sony's SOEmote expression capture tech at E3; now everyone can try it. As of today, most EverQuest II players with a webcam can map their facial behavior to their virtual personas while they play, whether it's to catch the nuances of conversation or drive home an exaggerated game face. Voice masking also lets RPG fans stay as much in (or out of) character as they'd like. About the only question left for those willing to brave the uncanny valley is when other games will get the SOEmote treatment. Catch our video look after the break if you need a refresher.
Einstein robot learns to smile, teaches us how to feel
By now, you're no doubt well acquainted with the Albert Hubo Einstein robot developed by the mad scientists at KAIST, but some researchers at the University of California, San Diego has also been working on their own Einstein bot for the past little while, and they've now managed to teach it some new tricks. While the bot has previously been able to display a full range of expressions through some pre-programmed facial movements, it's now able to teach itself how to smile or display other emotions thanks to a new trial-and-error technique dubbed "body babble." That apparently works by comparing Einstein's attempts at an expression with some facial recognition software, which provides Al with some positive feedback each time he manages an actual expression. Did we mention there's a video? Check it out after the break.[Via Switched]Update: The folks at UC, San Diego have kindly pointed us towards a bit more background on their Einstein robot, including a video of its pre-self-teaching days, and a couple of behind-the-scenes pics. Head on past the break for one we like to call "Einstein: Behind the Face."
TUAW Tip: Regular Expressions for Beginners
Sometimes I think Regular Expressions are like the tax code: if someone professes to know everything about them, they're probably not telling the truth. In reality, Regular Expressions (or RegEx) is a syntax to help you construct very precise search terms to find and replace bits of text in a variety of applications. In applications like Coda, BBEdit, and TextMate, you can search for a "string" -- meaning just any old collection of letters next to each other -- using a Regular Expression. For example, I could search for the string "laugh" and it would show up in laughter, slaughter, and Laughlin. While I can't show you everything about Regular Expressions, I can at least start you off. Keep reading for more about how you can integrate Regular Expressions into your workflow.
Mannerisms in Hotel Dusk and other games
The New Gamer might not have enjoyed their stay at Hotel Dusk: Room 215, but they appreciate the work put into creating its memorable characters. Adding onto the unique visual style, each individual has a rich set of expressions and postures to communicate with. When one of the hotel guests describes a mannerism of the game's protagonist, you know exactly what he means by "that serious look in [Kyle's] eyes." Sonic's toe-tapping idle animation and King Hippo's falling shorts were also cited as great examples of unforgettable character details. Simple idiosyncrasies like that stay with you long after you've finished playing a game. What unique traits have you seen give a collection of pixels an identity? Was it Midna's sigh? Or Dry Bones' skeletal chuckle as he passed you in Mario Kart DS?
GmailUI Extension for Thunderbird
If Gmail's UI floats your boat but you prefer using a desktop email client for 'no waiting for a refresh' feel, Ken Mixter has developed a Thunderbird extension just for you. The GmailUI extension brings many of the shortcuts and search expressions of Gmail to Mozilla's Thunderbird client. Keyboard shortcuts like J and K for moving up and down through messages, as well as search expressions such as 'subject:' and 'from:' can now be a part of your Thunderbird experience. Ken even went so far as to include Gmail's 'archive' functionality and (oddly) a quick calculation function, right from within Thunderbird's search box.The extension appears to be completely free, and Ken is accepting feedback and suggestions at his site. Head over to Mozilla's addons site to grab the extension, or check out Ken's site for a lot more details of everything GmailUI is capable of.[via Gmail.pro]
