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Bastl’s Outsidify app lets you capture and transform sounds via a smartphone
Audio gadget manufacturer Bastl just released an iOS app that uses the phone’s microphone and speakers to capture audio from the outside. You can then transform this audio via feedback, resonance manipulation, filters and custom impulse responses.
Social media companies are better managing hate speech, EU says
An average of 90 percent of flagged content is now assessed within 24 hours, compared to just 40 percent in 2016.
LinkedIn has an AI to help make you better at job interviews
If you’re searching for a job during these challenging times, LinkedIn might be able to help. Microsoft’s social network has unveiled AI-powered tools that can help you both meet potential employers and prepare for any tricky interview questions.
New prosthetic legs let amputees feel their foot and knee in real-time
There's been a lot of research into how to give robots and prosthesis wearers a sense of touch, but it has focused largely on the hands. Now, researchers led by ETH Zurich want to restore sensory feedback for leg amputees, too. In a paper published in Nature Medicine today, the team describes how they modified an off-the-shelf prosthetic leg with sensors and electrodes to give wearers a sense of knee movement and feedback from the sole of the foot on the ground. While their initial sample size was small -- just two users -- the results are promising.
Early version of the new 'Plants vs. Zombies' is available today for $30
As we get closer to the October 18th launch of Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, PopCap Games is ready to share a Founder's Edition. Today, fans can play the digital-only version of the game. New features and content will be added weekly over the next six-weeks, as PopCap polishes the title for its official launch.
Revamped Xbox feedback program asks you to vote on ideas
Microsoft is shaking up the way it asks for your input on the future of gaming. The company has replaced Xbox Feedback with Xbox Ideas, a program with a narrower focus but (hopefully) more impact. It revolves around the concept of one- to three-month "Idea Drives" where Microsoft collects suggestions, picks the concepts it likes the most, and then asks you to vote and comment on your favorites. victors will end up on the Xbox Insider blog. Microsoft will even have a suggestion box for the Idea Drives themselves, in case you'd rather suggest a general area of interest.
Airbnb helps you tell everyone why you left that dive early
Airbnb is changing its online reviews system so it's easier to leave feedback for a property you vacate before your stay is complete. Previously, the only way to do this was through Airbnb's customer service department, which is something most people probably can't be bothered to do. Now, if you leave the property early, you'll be able to leave a review as you normally would with a completed stay. This means you can give other Airbnb users a heads up if the property turns out to be a dump or the host is unnervingly creepy.
Fan requests didn't change 'Nioh' too much
In an age where developers seemingly bend over backwards to accommodate fan requests (cough, the Mass Effect 3 ending, cough), Team Ninja decided to buck that for its latest game, Nioh. That's not to say that the developer didn't take feedback to heart for its samurai action title, just not all of it according to a post on the PlayStation Blog.
Car screens are getting force touch tech
Large touchscreen infotainment systems have become an important feature in modern cars, but they can also be a huge distraction for drivers. Synaptics thinks it would help if you could "feel" the screen, so it teamed with auto accessory supplier Valeo to create a new type of automotive display. It will be equipped with the company's ClearForce tech that provides force sensing and haptic feedback. The idea is to provide a safer interface that supports single finger, multi- and variable haptic touch, so that drivers or passengers can use the interface without looking at it.
Firefox wants your feedback on upcoming browser features
Typically, you have to jump in with both feet if you want to shape web browser features -- you have to use early (read: buggy) releases and leap into the developer community. But what if you're happy with a stable version and just want to offer a bit of constructive criticism? Mozilla will soon have you covered. It's launching Idea Town, an opt-in program that lets you try upcoming features and offer feedback. You won't have to ditch a regular copy of Firefox, and these will only be features that are likely to show up. While this means that you won't get strictly experimental features (think Chrome's flags), it should put more of the development process in your hands.
Elder Scrolls Online tweaks champion points conversion rate
The new endgame champion system coming to Elder Scrolls Online in Update 6 is the talk of Tamriel, and ZeniMax is evaluating feedback carefully to make sure that it launches without a hitch. The studio announced on Friday that it will be making a change to how it will convert veteran ranks to champion points. Originally, the studio was going to give a blanket 30 champion points to any player who had at least one veteran rank on a character. Based on feedback, ZeniMax will now be converting veteran ranks to champion points at the rate of 200,000 XP per point at the moment of Update 6's release, for a maximum of 70 potential champion points for one's entire account. The studio made it clear that champion points will not cost 200,000 XP after Update 6; this conversion rate is specifically for veteran ranks pre-release.
EVE Online solicits feedback for UI revamp
That there above is the new user interface for EVE Online, so what do you think? Well, you can tell us, but CCP really wants you to tell it, as the studio is asking for feedback on the upcoming UI overhaul. "For the look itself, we want EVE's UI to look and feel more like something fitting a science fiction universe, and a bit less like an operating system," CCP posted today. The team posted its goals for the overhaul, including making it feel more intuitive, allowing for semi-transparent windows, using colors "in a sensible way," and tweaking the icons to fit thematically within a group. Currently, the UI changes are on the test server for any and all to try out.
BioWare delays Shadow Realms' alpha
The planned closed alpha test for Shadow Realms, the not-so-massive BioWare OARPG announced back in August, is being delayed, says a new producer letter on the official site. Senior Producer Dallas Dickinson says the devs just "need a bit more time" to gather and process player feedback: One of the most important things to us on Shadow Realms is listening to – and making changes based on – that player feedback. Having fans play the game at Gamescom and PAX Prime gave us incredible insight. [...] The thing is, feedback was so good it made us want to do more, to get a bit further down the road, before opening Shadow Realms up again. We got so many excellent questions about what the game will be, beyond just the multiplayer piece that we've revealed, and we'd like to be able to show you some answers rather than just telling you what the answers will one day be. But we need a bit more time. We've taken a deep look at the state of the game – what it is now, what we intend it to be, and most importantly what it could be – and realized this is an opportunity to take a great game and make it even better before bringing it back for more feedback from you. Dickinson promises regular producer letters in the coming months. Interested gamers can still sign up for alpha on the official site.
EVE Vegas 2014: Getting players involved in EVE's development
Back in 2011, EVE Online developer CCP Games was rocked by controversy when players outraged over the Incarna expansion's microtransactions and CCP's indifference to player feedback spoke with their wallets and quit the game. In what became known as the monoclegate scandal, an estimated 8% of players quit, and CCP eventually laid off 20% of its staff worldwide. Some tough lessons were learned about keeping players looped into the development process, and CCP began involving players more closely in the development process. At EVE Vegas 2014 today, developer CCP Fozzie looked at the ways that CCP gathers ideas and feedback from the community. As a sandbox MMO with a very dedicated community, EVE is in the interesting position that many of the players know more about the game than the developers themselves and can identify problems with ideas very early in the development process. Plans are now announced earlier in development to gather feedback, some new features are now made optional on release to gauge usage, and failed ideas will even be rolled back if necessary. During the talk, Fozzie confirmed that each SCRUM team within CCP focuses on one particular area of gameplay and that player ideas are often brought into internal meetings for discussion. A new rig named the Higgs Anchor is even being introduced based on player suggestions; it will decrease movement speed by 75% but increase agility to make it easier to align to warp out if hostiles approach the player's location. If this level of player participation keeps up, hopefully disasters like monoclegate will never happen again.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Why I'm a fan of Guild Wars 2's new player experience
Guild Wars 2's second feature pack dropped last week, bringing balance changes, new collection achievements, a rework of the trading post, and upgrades to the new player experience. Reactions to the last have been mixed, to say the least: Some of us like them, some of us are neutral on the subject, and some of us think ArenaNet made a terrible mistake. For my own part, I'm really enjoying the changes. If you happen to be in the "terrible mistake" camp, hold on to your assorted fruit-based projectiles until the end of the article and I'll explain why.
Applause for Google Hangouts lets you give live broadcasts a thumbs up
Google+ Hangouts On Air lets you ask your favorite broadcasters questions, but what if you want to give them feedback without littering the Q&A feed with snarky, off-topic judgments? Well, now you can. Google just updated its live broadcasting service with Applause: a simple feature that allows viewers to give live streams a thumbs up or thumbs down in real time. Feedback is instantly charted below the video, offering broadcasters and viewers alike an at-a-glance view of how the stream is performing. That's all there is to it -- check out Google's short announcement at the source link below.
Microsoft gives gamers more ways to help shape future Xbox One updates
With the amount of updates that Microsoft is pushing out for the Xbox One (and its controller), it makes sense that Redmond would want to give those in the preview program a better way of testing new features before the general public. The update, as spotted by NeoGAF's unblinking eyes, allows for different ways of providing feedback for each new bit of functionality, be it a survey, a star rating or a single-question poll -- all without putting down your controller. Perhaps most interesting is the quest system, which at the moment gamifies test-driving tweaks to the console's live-TV viewing setup and achievement snapping. Apparently, the feedback you give will serve some greater purpose in the future -- all of your stats are tracked, naturally -- but it's anyone's guess what that means in the present. There's an option to invite friends too, so should you be one of the select few in this program, maybe spread the love a little so you and your Titanfall crew can solve this quandry together?
TUG team releases behind-the-scenes video for Playtest Fridays
Ahh, making video games. It's all about just playing games all day, right? Well, actually, for Nerd Kingdom, that is true for Playtest Fridays. A brand-new video was released by the TUG developer today showing off a bit of light-hearted behind-the-scenes fun during the sandbox MMO's development. The indie dev team dedicates every Friday to playtesting the game to squash bugs and focus on player feedback. The video shows a glimpse inside the studio during meetings, play sessions, and more. So if you're into secret whiteboard scratchings and hidden codes on colored sticky notes, check out the video after the cut in slow-mo. [Source: Kickstarter]
Microsoft's now letting developers respond to app store critics
If a Windows Phone app disappoints you, it's probably right that you call out its failings and warn others to steer clear. Don't be surprised, however, if the minds behind the software start responding to your gripes directly. Microsoft is slowly rolling out a program whereby developers can comment on your reviews of their handiwork. Fortunately for you, however, the devs won't get access to your personal details, and, if they overstep the mark, you can report them for poor conduct. Still, the notion that coders will now get the chance to openly gain feedback from users seems like a step in the right direction -- just as long as everyone remains civil.
On developer interaction and behind-the-scenes info
There's an interesting thread going on right now on the official forums, concerning the possibility of an ongoing series of interviews or video content exploring the behind-the-scenes at Blizzard. CM Zarhym chimed in with a mention of the A Day in the Life series that was released during Blizzard's 20 year anniversary celebration. But more importantly, he noted that it takes a lot of resources to put that kind of feature together, which is why Blizzard tries to pair things like interviews and behind-the-scenes info with big announcements. And that's completely understandable. It takes time, effort and resources to put together a feature -- time and resources that could be spent on better things, like improving and working on that game we love to play. But after many other inquires and suggestions on the subject, Zarhym shared another, longer post that made everything just a little more clear -- and raised some good points about developer interaction in general.
