monty python
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Tesla will let you customize your car's horn and movement sounds
Tesla isn't done with whimsical software updates just because Netflix and Cuphead have reached your car... in fact, there's a good chance people outside the car will notice. Elon Musk has revealed that Tesla cars will "soon" have the option to customize horn and low-speed movement sounds. The full selection of sounds isn't available, but Musk is teasing goat bleats, rushing wind and even the coconut horse clops from Monty Python and the Holy Grail -- just in case you want to roll up to the traffic lights Arthur-style.
The Ministry of Silly Walks is now an iOS game, and it's fantastically silly
Do you have a silly walk you'd like to develop with the help of the government? Of course you do! But before you go showing off your right leg's forward aerial half-turn in the hopes of receiving a grant, you should probably spend some time with the most absurd new iPhone app, Monty Python's The Ministry of Silly Walks. The game is an endless runner -- let's be honest, it's an endless silly walker -- that pits you and your goofy stride against a world filled with obstacles. You need to dodge birds, jaunt over park benches, and use your umbrella to glide over large tea spills (that Mrs. Two Lumps is so clumsy sometimes). Each attempt begins inside the Ministry and proceeds out onto the streets where randomly generated pitfalls await you. Each try is completely different, so you'll have no need to memorize where all the unfortunately placed hindrances await. As you make it farther along the route you'll gain a good bit of speed, which eventually makes the trip so difficult that you'll come to a crashing halt. But even when you fail you'll likely get a good laugh from the ragdoll physics that cause your character to flail about before crumpling to a heap. But it's not all about staying upright; You'll also need to collect coins as you silly walk about the city. These coins can be used in the in-game shop to purchase new outfits and power-ups. These performace boosts include things like a magnet to draw in coins from afar and a invincibility shield that lets you silly walk through any obstacles that stand in your way -- temporarily of course. The ministry doesn't have the funding it once did, after all. Voice clips and other sound effects are pulled straight from the source material, which adds a nice feeling of authenticity to the experience, though you don't really have to be a Monty Python fan to find enjoyment here. The game is US$0.99, and there are no in-app purchases to worry about. That would simply be far too silly.
... It's... ... ... ... Python Bytes (video)
When not wearing women's clothing and hanging around in bars, the crew at Engadget towers enjoys nothing better than chomping down on an albatross while watching Monty Python. Heuristic Media has released Python Bytes, the first of six apps that bring together the best clips from each of the four series, Holy Grail and Life of Brian*. You'll be able to watch (say no more, nudge, nudge) the back-story of each sketch and you'll even be able to create your own personalized playlists. It's available right now, costing £1.99 / $2.99. Now, let's all get back to learning how to identify trees from quite a long way away: there's an instructional video after the break. *All of which are also available unabridged from iTunes.
GDC 2012: The Tattered Notebook attends Brasse's community panel
What do dwarves and Monty Python have in common? They both feature prominently in Linda "The Brasse" Carlson's GDC 2012 talk about the front lines of the SOE community relations team. Given the recent roller coaster ride of the ProSiebenSat.1 deal and the turmoil on the forums that followed, I found it interesting to hear what it's like to be a member of the community management folks as they try to handle being in the middle of it all. While her talk was mainly aimed at community managers in other games, there were a few tidbits that players would probably find interesting and maybe even surprising. Read on for the highlights!
Leaderboard: Mining vs. woodcutting
Oh, don't you scoff at today's topic. I can hear you, harrumphing with seeming impatience at what you consider to be activities beneath your stature. Perhaps the idea of putting in an honest day's hard work in an MMO is abhorrent to you -- after all, that's why you have servants, right? But there are those of us who know the value of soil, stone, and wood. So today we turn our gaze away from manslaughter and onto gathering natural resources. In most MMOs, two harvesting professions come almost standard with any title: mining and woodcutting (or, if you're feeling Monty Pythonish, lumberjacking). Which is more noble and more worthwhile to pursue? Mining has the appeal of precious metals and the near-universal utility of these resources in a wide range of crafting recipes, but one must not underestimate how essential wood is. After all, can you imagine swords without hilts, ships without hulls, or campfires that had to resort to burning dung every night in lieu of a better fuel source? Inconceivable! Get your hands dirty today and vote on the better career path for the burly outdoorsman or woman!
Play this Kinect game and some may call you Tim
You have to love this Monty Python and the Holy Grail Kinect game, even though we all know that Tim the Enchanter had nothing to do with destroying the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog. Maybe someone will add the Holy Hand Grenade as DLC.You can learn more about the game's creation here.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail comes to Blu-ray March 6th, brings an iPad app
Even in 2012 there are a number of classic films that have yet to be released on Blu-ray, but we can knock one off that list March 6th when Monty Python and the Holy Grail comes home from Sony Pictures. Beyond being remastered in HD and featuring a 5.1 DTS-HD MA soundtrack, the release will also bring exclusive Lost Animations, extended scenes and outtakes features running for over 30 minutes. iPad owners will also be able to snag a companion Second Screen app called The Holy Book of Days that includes special background content from each of the 28 days of the movie's filming. It will cost $4.99 on its own, but for a "limited time" there's a $5 rebate available for those who purchase both disc and app. The disc comes with an Ultraviolet Digital Copy and has an MSRP of $19.99, but Amazon's preorder pricing is already down to $12.99. Check out the full list of extras in details in the press release after the break, and if you're not already familiar with the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow (African or European) we've included the old DVD trailer from a few years ago as well.
Talking to Siri: the Wolfram Alpha search tricks video
On Friday, I posted a list of ten nifty Wolfram Alpha tricks you could use with Siri. They were inspired from an ebook that Steve Sande and I collaborated on. After the post was published, we received several emails and comments saying "every time I say Wolfram, Siri hears 'Wolf Ram.' Siri must be broken." On top of that, Mike Rose said he was having issues too. So I made a video to show that everything on that list could actually be said. I was going to call this the "proof that Mike Rose can't enunciate" video because Mike claims that he can't handle the "say a color hex sequence out loud." Instead, it turned into the "watch Erica butcher classic Monty Python" (because, frankly, airspeed velocity doesn't exactly roll off the tongue -- but on the bright side, I can do a lot of the argument clinic from memory). Anyway, for those of you (I'm looking at you, Mike) who swore up and down that some of the Wolfram Alpha / Siri examples I posted weren't humanly possible to articulate, well, here's proof. As for "Wolfram", it's Wolfrum, not Wolf Ram. That should help your recognition rate. Brought to you by the universally recognized "most irritating voice in the universe." If Siri doesn't mind me, hey, that's validation.
The Daily Grind: How important is uniqueness to you?
When it comes to clinging to one's uniqueness, I'm reminded of that classic line from Monty Python's Life of Brian in which huge crowd shouts in unison "We are all different!" and a tiny voice follows that up with "I'm not... ." The truth is that while we as people are unique, there are more similarities between us than we'd often like to admit. This is even more true when you get into MMOs, where character creation options are usually limited to a handful of races, classes and faces, and where everyone is a hero just like you doing all the same quests and activities and world-saving. Because of this, there's a tendency to rebel and forge a unique voice in the crowd, even if it's just a different look, a bizarre name, an odd personality or a piece of loot that's so extraordinarily rare that you're most likely the only one possessing it. We want to be known and remembered for something other than "being the same as everyone else," a feeling that manifests itself in a variety of ways. So how important is in-game uniqueness to you -- and how do you go about demonstrating it? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
SpaceX Dragon's secret payload revealed: Le Brouere cheese (video)
It looks like the Air Force isn't the only organization with its secrets. While we still don't know the exact nature of the testing the X-37B space plane underwent during its seven months in orbit, we have learned what, exactly, the SpaceX Dragon was carrying during its time spent in low-earth orbit. That's right: a wheel of Le Brouere, a French variant of the Swiss Gruyere, a hard yellow cheese made from cow's milk. It's also a reference to a Monty Python sketch -- but you probably knew that already. You've seen the launch, so how about checking out the sketch that so amused Elon Musk? Well, you're in luck -- it's after the break.
Monty Python to open Ministry of Silly Games on Facebook
If you've never experienced any of Monty Python's PC games, you missed out on King Arthur's adventures, the meaning of life and (quite literally) a complete waste of time. Now the troupe is returning to the computer box courtesy of a new Facebook game entitled The Ministry of Silly Games. Developed by Zattikka, the game is essentially a collection of mini-games bound together in a simple RPG structure. Players are given quests that lead to mini-games, which Rock, Paper, Shotgun describes as unabashed clones of popular games like Angry Birds, Galaga and match-three puzzlers. And, of course, there are opportunities to spend real cash on in-game stuff, should you decide to do so. Still, the game is packed with Monty Python references and even includes lots of original art work by Terry Gilliam himself. The Ministry of Silly Games is currently in closed beta. Interested Python fans can sign up to participate right here.
Hyperspace Beacon: We hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but, knowing our luck, it probably will
The Hyperspace Beacon is a weekly guide and discussion by Larry Everett about the yet-to-be-released game Star Wars: The Old Republic. In a world where speculation runs rampant, it seems everyone has his own ideas of what is going to be in Star Wars: The Old Republic. From swoop races to appearance tabs, we have heard them all, but, to be quite frank, it is very unlikely that most of these speculated items will ever make it into the final release of this highly anticipated game. Also, some of the ideas are so far removed from anything that would make sense in the game, that I have a hard time wrapping my wee-little brain around them. I won't name any here because I still want people to read the column, but if your friend's head twitches when you tell him your wicked-cool idea, then it probably will not make it in the game. In this week's column, I want to go the other direction. Sometimes producers, writers, and game designers will pitch ideas that cause uncontrollable ticks for the listeners, but, for some unknown reason, the design launches anyway. Every once in a while, I would like to turn our attention to some of these kooky concepts in series I like to call: We hope this never makes it into SWTOR, but, knowing our luck, it probably will -- or WHTNMIISWTORBKOLIPW, for short. Click "Read more" to read about the first couple of things I am praying do not find their way into the game.
Travel to Europe in Wonderland Online's new expansion
Would you love to plan a trip to Paris or London this summer but your budget is too tight and you're on the no-fly list? Wonderland Online has the next best thing: a new expansion featuring scenic European locales and historic characters. The upcoming Clash of Champions expansion-slash-content update is unveiling new maps for Paris and London, where players can team up with Joan of Arc, King Arthur and Lancelot for mind-bending new adventures. If that doesn't have you humming "Knights of the Round Table" from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, I don't know what will. Clash of Champions' namesake comes from the expansion's PvP focus across all the servers. They're even launching a new PvP-specific server for those who want to focus on player killing above all else. The update will also introduce two new characters to play for those bored of the current options. The isometric free-to-play title recently celebrated its second anniversary, and is home to a surprisingly large population. If you want to get in on the action in preparation for Wonderland Online's next expansion, head over to the official site and try out the game for free!
Breakfast Topic: They just don't get it...
Geekdom is much like any other group of people. There are movies, music, and literature which are considered classics and are generally accepted as having been seen, heard, or read by everyone at one point or another. Some of these are so accepted as classics that the idea someone is unfamiliar with them is simply "inconceivable" and we are left shocked when this occurs. Unfortunately, one of our own staff seems uninitiated in such classics.While discussing some of the quests coming up in patch 3.3, we'd made a joke referencing the Knights who say "Ni!" from Monty Python's Holy Grail. Our own Matt Low mentioned that he didn't get whatever inside joke we were making. Much to our dismay, he had never seen the movie or any Monty Python for that matter. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords for daily quests wouldn't get a chuckle from him. Terry Palin in Elwynn Forest quoting the lumberjack song is also lost on him. He wouldn't even be that concerned about eating the Crunchy Frog available from Darkmoon Faire because he wouldn't know that it contained crunchy, raw, unboned, real, dead frog instead of an almond whirl.With the vast number of pop culture references scattered in World of Warcraft, it's sad when any are lost on its players. What obscure references have you found in the game that you've enjoyed or other people have completely missed?
Shirt Fight offers 'Knights who play Nii' shirt
... or, as we like to call it, "the world's only 100% cotton chastity belt."
Cinemassively: How Not to be Seen
It's not like I haven't proven a few times that I'm an absolute freak for all things Monty Python. That's why when I saw this video re-make of the classic skit How Not to be Seen a while back, I added it to my favorites for sharing on a future rainy day. (With Moo out for SXSW, that rainy day would be today!) True, it's not the best video ever, and the "effects" aren't anything stunning. (It is two years old, after all...) It also won't likely land on the extras DVD like the Lego Camelot video did, but it's certainly worth a giggle if you like Monty Python or World of Warcraft.
The Daily Grind: Comedy MMOs?
One of the things that came up last night in a round of "what would you like to see" was the concept for a "comedy" MMO. Now I have to admit, I've never really considered that at all, but there are certainly elements of the silly or absurd in some of the games that we already play -- so why not a "comedy" mmo? If you run around in WoW, you'll find many many truly silly things. By way of example, think of the Winterspring Yeti quest, wherein you release a wee tiny mechanical yeti that goes chasing people hither and yon. You can almost hear the Benny Hill music in the background. If you look at different bios in CoX, you'll find many have written some awfully funny (and fun) ones to go with their character concepts. Also, there are things like Lego Universe and even Cartoon Network's FusionFall coming out that really would lend themselves to funny-business. Now, all that said -- our favorite concept we came up with through throwing names around was a Monty Python MMO. You could have PvP/RvR castle sieges involving French Taunting, catapulting cows, and the witty usage of wooden trojan badgers. (The rabbit, after all, not being a so-witty usage.) Epic battles? Take on the Killer Rabbit, or go head-to-head with the motorcycle grannies. If you feel like soloing, you can level up your skills in How Not to be Seen, or practice your Silly Walks! With all that silliness aside, we'd like to ask you -- do you think comedy would work as a major "plot element" beyond just the one-off quest? Would you play an MMO that spent most of the time with tongue firmly in cheek? Are there any other wickedly funny properties that you think might make for a good MMO to play with friends? (Even if just in a java-based browser game like Runescape.)
Halo meets Monty Python
There's something to be said for minimalist British humor. When you combine Monty Python with Halo, you actually get something pretty darned funny. Now if someone would just take Benny Hill and combine it with a video game, we'd really be onto something.Just for future aspiring You-Tubing gamers, here's a list of some things we'd love to see: Fawlty Towers meets Resistance: Fall of Man Are You Being Served? plus Dead Rising The Office (the original UK version) mashed up with Rayman: Raving Rabbids Go on, surprise us (and yes, we know it's ancient, but great humor is timeless!)
Halo + Monty Python = Teh Awesome
Halo is awesome. We know that. Monty Python is also awesome. Put them together and you get some of the awesomest awesome to ever awesome. Thus, we present to you this YouTube video found by VideoGamesBlogger. It's Monty Python's "How Not to Be Seen" as performed within Halo: Combat Evolved. Rather than spoil the fun, we'd suggest you click play and enjoy. For those unfamiliar with the source material, we have also included the original skit after the break. As an added bonus, we dug up another old favorite as well.
