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The Daily Grind: Do you wish there was more player-GM interaction?
There's something about gamesmasters which seems to fascinate us players. They are near mythical creatures with awesome powers and this is probably because, whatever game you play or official forum you explore, they are fleeting creatures. Often heard but seldom seen, you might spend ten minutes chatting to one after submitting a ticket but they rarely materialize. Sometimes though, they let their hair down and have some fun - usually on PTRs or as part of anniversary celebrations. I'm curious, readers, do you wish GMs would step down from their lofty seats and interact with us more? I mean on a day-to-day basis rather than once in a blue moon and not just for special occasions. Would you like to talk to one in the flesh rather than conversing with a disembodied chat box? Do you think they need a bigger presence in forums?
Lesley Smith06.02.2009GM says bankruptcy won't affect the Volt, but how much say does it have?
As General Motors finally caved this morning, waved the white flag and filed for bankruptcy, those following electric cars immediately wondered what this all would mean for the long-awaited Volt. For years now, GM has steadfastly affirmed that it was moving forward with production regardless of what else was going on within the company and the economy at large. According to Technology Review, a GM spokesperson confirmed again this morning that "the filing will have no impact on the company's plans to start selling the Volt at the end of next year." That said, we have to wonder how much such a statement really means; reports have stated that the US government may up holding as much as 60 percent of the company, and if the primary goal is to bring the outfit back to profitability as soon as possible, Obama and Company may not feel that pouring even more into the high-priced Volt is a good idea. In related news, we hear Tesla is still taking orders...Update: GM has pushed out an official statement that (in a few words) also suggests that the Volt is still on track.
Darren Murph06.01.2009Chevy Volt coasts closer to reality, first bona fide model now in production
General Motors has just cut the ribbon, metaphorically at least, on the production of the first genuine Chevy Volt integration vehicle. Unlike previous versions, which have been "developments mules" made using parts from the Malibu / Cruze lines, this will look (and hopefully feel) 100 percent like what the company plans to start pimping out this November. The pre-production model will be put through the paces in case the design needs to be refined and tweaked before going full steam ahead. GM is sticking pretty close to its original plan of building at a rate of ten a week by mid-July, with "several hundred more" going into production early next year, and with any luck, it'll be packing some standardized EV plug by then.
Ross Miller05.27.2009From our readers: Guild Retention
We get lots of email from our readers trying to find their way though WoW. I'd like to take a moment to answer a question about membership retention. This also builds on a previous response regarding the trials and tribulations of starting a guild.Hi I been reading your posts and listening to the podcast and you recently made a new guild. I have a guild with around 140 members and we do some raiding weekly but every time I log off, it seems that people start arguing, and drama just starts building up. I went away for a couple days and when I come back from my vacation, Alot of people have left the guild. Maybe 10-15 people. Now they are stealing my members and have made a new guild. Do you have tips on member retaining and stuff like that, would be cool if you can do a post on that kind of stuff and how you work that out, thanksHello reader,Thank you for the email. One of the hardest things I've noticed about a guild is dealing with a certain amount of churn. Acceptance is the first step. People leave for all kinds of reasons. There will be those that come and go. The stronger you make your core, the stronger you make your guild.
Amanda Dean05.27.2009GM touts new crash severity-predicting OnStar technology
OnStar has been working with the CDC for a few years now in an effort to deliver real-time crash information to first responders, and it looks like it has now finally come up with something that's ready to be put to use. That comes in the form of OnStar's new Injury Severity Prediction technology, which apparently takes some recent CDC findings into account, and uses a whole range of sensors in the vehicle (along with other crash data) to predict whether a crash is likely to have caused severe injury to the people in the vehicle. That information can then be relayed to first responders with a simple severity prediction of "normal" or "high," which OnStar says should be especially helpful in cases where crash victims cannot speak for themselves. While there's no exact date for a rollout just yet, OnStar says it should be available to OnStar advisors "early next year," and that it'll be available on all vehicles equipped with OnStar's Automatic Crash Response system.[Via GM FastLane]
Donald Melanson05.22.2009Guildwatch: When GMs go bad
Ah yes, the sinking feeling you get when you see that someone has ninja'ed your guild bank... and it's your guildmaster. Never a good thing, for the guildies, the GM, or the guild. Actually, it's a great thing for the GM -- they get to walk away with thousands of gold (and most of them, through some twisted logic, even think they deserve it). That's why I recommend you do what I do: pack all of your ingame stuff in a virtual mattress somewhere. Sure, your guild might not appreciate a lack of bank contributions, but at least it'll be safe, right?The story of the picture above and much more drama, downed and recruiting news all in this week's GW. Click the link below to read on, and if you've got news for us (everything but recruiting, please -- we are uber full on that one lately), hit us up at guildwatch@wow.com.
Mike Schramm05.13.2009Chevy Camaro evidently nabs Microsoft Zune support
You've heard of Chevrolet, right? You know -- that struggling automaker underneath the General Motors umbrella? For those who've long given up their ties to muscle cars in favor of the kid-friendly minivan or Earth-friendly hybrid, you may not even know that a revitalized Camaro is just around the bend. Based on some hands-on time with a production vehicle at an undisclosed dealer, Microsoft's Zune integrates perfectly into the sound system, and said integration is supposedly a standard feature on the car. What's more is that we're told some 27 other GM models will also include Zune support from the factory as they launch in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia through 2011, though details beyond that are scant. Hope they cooked in support for the Zune HD, ya dig?[Via Zune Insider]
Darren Murph05.11.2009GM item scandal rocks WoW
As epic scandals go, WoW has had its fair share and the latest -- centred around a rather boring looking shirt called Martin Fury -- has had everyone talking over at our sister site WoW Insider.So it goes like this. One of the guild members of The Marvel Family on US-Vek'nilash, a fellow named Leroyspeltz, discovered a mysterious GM-only item has been sent to one of his alts when Blizzard were restoring items after his account had been hacked. So he gives this unassuming shirt to his Guild Leader, Karatechop, who decided to take it for a spin -- in Ulduar. He didn't file a ticket but rather assumed it was okay for them to have it because it came from Blizzard. They used it fourteen times in various instances as well as Malgyos and 25-man Obsidian Sanctum.
Lesley Smith05.03.2009Breakfast Topic: If you could be a real GM what would you do?
Gamesmasters have been in WoW news a lot recently. We've had reports that a GM mistakenly sent Martin's Fury out to a player leading to pwnage in Ulduar. For the last twenty four hours, my inbox and those of the rest of the team seem to be full of screenshots showing a weird new bug where player characters suddenly become GMs, if only cosmetically (they get the little Blizzard logo next to their names, but none of the power).Since I started playing back in 2006, I've been fascinated by the Blues. Players speak their names with reverence. They exist unseen throughout Azeroth and have amazing abilities. Like many other players, I've opened tickets and engaged them in-game. I've even met a few in real life as well at the Darkmoon Faire and last year's WWI.Now I know the life of a GM is not all roses, that their powers are kept in check by rules and regulations, but if you had the chance to be a real GM for five minutes, what would you do? Personally I'd go hang out on GM Island or walk into the hardest instance and smote everything before me. So come on, readers, if you had the chance and the power, what would you do?
Lesley Smith04.30.2009Video: Taxpayer takes Chevy Volt's powertrain for a ride
See that? This dowdy looking sedan is the very symbol of hope for GM and perhaps the US auto industry as a whole. Although this Volt prototype is technically a mule -- an engineering hybrid that crosses the body of a Chevy Cruze with the Volt's Voltec powertrain -- it still gives "an 80-plus percent representation" of what the Volt's electric driving experience will be like. Or so says GM exec, Tony Posawatz. Our greasy sisters over at Autoblog took the Volt-mule for a spin. Their take? Overall, the electric drive system in the mules performed as advertised and GM appears to be well on its way to meeting a November 2010 Job 1 date.Too bad hope doesn't pay the bills. Hit the read link for the full story including a novice's guide to prototyping automobiles. Video overview after the break
Thomas Ricker04.29.2009Tasos addresses Darkfall's GM corruption charges
Darkfall dev Tasos Flambouras posted on the official forums regarding player accusations that GMs have been crashing servers, refunding money and items. As players are often unsure of what awesome powers the average Games Master possesses but Tasos is keen to reassure players such reports are completely bogus.He says: "First of all GMs cannot crash the server, or cause a client to crash. They cannot create items or money. All their actions and communications are monitored and logged. We re-checked all chat logs and GM activity for every report mentioned in the forums or reported to us at the help desk, over the time periods that the questionable conduct was supposed to have taken place and found absolutely nothing. Because of this, any public accusations on the forums accusing GMs or the company of any such activities will be removed, and everyone contributing in the thread will be banned from the forums. GM activity is always monitored by us. If you would like to report GM conduct, then you should use support.darkfallonline.com to do so if you have proof of misconduct."We're not quite sure why players have been accusing the GMs but crashing servers is certainly above their powers. That's more likely to do with technical problems with the game client or overpopulation on the servers. Tasos is also keen to remind anyone that if they've been banned from the game or the forums, a message will appear when they try to log in.
Lesley Smith04.23.2009Standardized EV plug could be adopted within months, says GM
Here's a more reassuring timeline for that proposed standardized plug for electric vehicles. The SAE J1772 Task Force-developed charging system, based on an initial design by supplier Yazaki, is now at Underwriters Labs for certification. That's scheduled to be done by the end of May and, if all things go according to plan, it can be adopted for use in the next few months. Speaking to Autoblog Green, General Motors' Gery Kissel listed his company, Chrysler, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Tesla among those participating or supporting the standard. He also said the we-swear-it's-coming-this-year Chevy Volt should be equipped with the new plug, and Tesla's reportedly pledged to adopt it for current plans and retrofit its older models. Things are starting to look up for the EV industry.
Ross Miller04.21.2009Automakers agree on common plug to recharge electric vehicles
Just hours after General Motors put forth a proposal for a standardized plug for electric vehicles, in flies this. German energy firm RWE has stated that a cadre of respected automakers and energy firms have all come together in agreement on a three-point, 400-volt plug that will enable electric cars the world over to be recharged anywhere, regardless of which recharging station they stop at. Caroline Reichert, an RWE spokeswoman, noted that the idea here is to ensure that "a car can be recharged in Italy in exactly the same way as in Denmark, Germany or France." We're told that the agreement includes nods of acceptance from the likes of Volkswagen, BMW, Ford, General Motors, Fiat, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Eon, Vattenfall, EDF, Npower, Endesa and Enel, and while there's no time frame for when it'll be introduced, we're pretty stoked to hear that at least something has been decided upon.
Darren Murph04.19.2009GM proposes standardized plug for electric vehicles
Say what you will about General Motors (okay, so maybe you should say it under your breath), but there's no denying the brilliance of this idea. On the company's FastLane blog, one Gery Kissel explains that engineers and suits will be meeting up next week to discuss the standardization of common components that will hopefully be installed in forthcoming electric vehicles. Notably, the SAE J1772 Task Force will be responsible for designing a plug that links each plug-in vehicle to an "ecosystem," ensuring that drivers can pull into any charging station from Key West to Neah Bay and see a socket that fits their ride. Specifically, the group is being charged with defining a "common electric vehicle conductive charging system architecture for all major automakers in North America," but it remains to be seen if said standard can be hammered out before the Volt's not-to-be-missed 2010 introduction.
Darren Murph04.17.2009GM's request for Energy Department funds on hold, Volt looks really afraid
Despite General Motors' problems, the company has affirmed, reaffirmed and swore on its life that the Volt would hit the highway in 2010 come hell, high water or insolvency. That said, we reckon coming through on that vow is going to get a lot tougher without a few more billion from the United States Energy Department. You see, GM had applied for $10.3 from the entity, and $2.6 billion of that was to be set aside for building the all-electric sedan and two derivatives of it (as well as a third hybrid model, we're told). Unfortunately for it, all that cheddar is being held up due to its inability to pass a "financial viability test in order to simply survive." Not surprisingly, GM is assuring the world that the government's final decision won't stop the Volt from going on sale this November, but it also said that bankruptcy wouldn't be needed just a few months ago. Ahem. [Warning: read link requires subscription]
Darren Murph04.13.2009Engadget Podcast 141 - 04.10.2009
That's right everyone -- it's the Engadget Podcast. If you're down with gadgets, chatting, and just kicking it ill, you're in the right place. Hear your friends Josh, Paul, and Nilay discuss the week in technology, and expound on their belief that the P.U.M.A. is a dangerous rickshaw, Acer has stepped up to the netbook plate in a big way, and Microsoft might not be totally on the level with its new ads. Ready to get the blood boiling? Dip your toes into the jacuzzi of chat that is the podcast, and enjoy! Note: There appears to be some very weird timing issues going on with our audio in this installment. If it seems like we're talking over each other more than normal, don't be too alarmed. We're looking into it now. Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Nilay Patel, Paul Miller Producer: Trent Wolbe Song: Back In Black 01:40 - Engadget's wild ride in the P.U.M.A. 15:35 - Peapod the friendly Neighborhood Electric Vehicle in the flesh 24:40 - Acer launches first NVIDIA Ion-based nettop: AspireRevo 35:15 - Acer announces Aspire Timeline thin'n'lights -- $699 to $899 46:15 - Microsoft's second Laptop Hunters commercial: Giampaulo buys an HP HDX Subscribe to the podcast [iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (enhanced AAC). [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. [RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator. [Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace Download the podcast LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) LISTEN (OGG) Contact the podcast 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com.
Trent Wolbe04.10.2009Aeria Games: "If you don't have fun playing, we'll give you a refund"
There aren't many MMO publishers out there who would actually offer refunds for gamers who don't have fun in their titles, but this is exactly what Aeria Games is doing. We did a double take when hearing about this but it's legit. Superman0X is a USA Gamemaster for Aeria Games, and has declared "April is Fun Month at Aeria... GUARANTEED". That's a bold statement. But what does it mean for players of the various Aeria Games MMOs? Superman0X writes, "We are so sure you will have fun we are going to put our AP [Aeria Points] where our mouth is. If any player does not have fun we will refund all their AP purchases for the entire month up to 5000AP." Players who didn't enjoy themselves in April will have a window of opportunity to request a refund from May 1st to May 10th . You can check out the full details in the announcement but we're guessing Aeria has a lot of faith in their titles if they'd even consider making such an offer.
James Egan04.07.2009Engadget's wild ride in the P.U.M.A.
Against all odds, GM and Segway let us inside their precious P.U.M.A. prototype, and we went for a quick jaunt down 18th St. We couldn't drive it, unfortunately, but there was plenty of action to be had from the passenger side. Starting from a rest on four wheels -- the main powered wheels and the front two "safety" wheels; we never touched the back two to the ground -- the contraption shoves itself up onto two wheels quite gracefully, with the passenger compartment moving slightly independently from the wheelbase and floor. It was a bit odd, but not at all unpleasant, and we were soon zipping down the road. Since the P.U.M.A. is self-balancing, we felt way less force when accelerating and decelerating than we would in a car, since our body was being "leaned" into it instead of pulled along. Turning on a dime is quite fun as well, and we could see this thing making itself quite at home on city streets. While it remains to be seen if GM and Segway can commercialize this in time, and for the right price, we're fairly enamored -- at least it's something different, and it's already twice as interesting as Segway ever managed to be. Camera work and moral support courtesy of Autoblog Green's Sebastian Blanco.
Paul Miller04.07.2009GM and Segway's P.U.M.A. makes its stage debut (with video!)
We just lived, breathed and experienced GM and Segway's joint press conference, where they "unveiled" the P.U.M.A. one more time for effect. Larry Burns and Jim Norrod from GM and Segway, respectively, talked up what they each brought to the table, and described the vehicle's inception as a partnership. Segway obviously brought the two-wheel mojo, and seems responsible for most of what's being shown at the moment. As opposed to the Segway's tilt-and-cringe system of navigation, the P.U.M.A. has a more regular steering wheel, but while they're currently demonstrating it with Segway-style acceleration, they plan on swapping that for "Nintendo-style" buttons behind the wheel for acceleration and braking. For GM's part, they plan to integrate its "connected vehicles" technologies to improve safety and efficiency -- and we might not see P.U.M.A. on the road until they can pull it off. The car will not only communicate with other cars and with GPS, but will sense and stop for pedestrians. They plan to show a connected version that will be available for test drives by Real Actual Humans this coming fall, and then next year will come the scariest of all unveilings: GM styling. Right now this is just a chassis, GM plans on slapping on all sorts of "fashionable" candy shells, and if the incredibly unrealistic and "futuristic" renders we saw are any indication (see the gallery below), we'd really rather do without. The biggest obstacle to commercialization, however, is the lack of infrastructure: P.U.M.A. in its current incarnation is designed for for bike lanes, and the first cities to get it will be ones with existing, comprehensive bike lanes -- not as much of an obstacle in Europe, but quite the stretch for most American cities. Still, the mathematics are quite alluring, with a 35 mile range at 35 mph for a 35 cent charge -- even us mouth-breathing Statesiders can understand that. Update: We added a video after the break, along with a couple outdoor shots in the gallery. The thing really does look and operate like a two-person, sit-down, Woz-free Segway. You have been warned.
Paul Miller04.07.2009GM and Segway's P.U.M.A. unveiled and no, this isn't a joke
GM and Segway's joint venture is probably best described as a rickshaw without all the charm. The self-balancing Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project (P.U.M.A.) can reach top speeds of 35 MPH, has a lithium battery that lasts up to 35 miles with a single charge, and features vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication for potentially reducing the number of accidents. No word on when or if this'll actually go into production but it's expected to be priced at just 25% that of a regular automobile. Hit up the read link for more pics, including a concept model that's just a teensy bit more reasonable. We'll be at the launch event tomorrow to see it for ourselves and make sure it's not all some bizarre dream.
Ross Miller04.07.2009