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Video game-inspired remote labs could prevent scientific fraud
Scientific error doesn't always come from botched equations or faulty theories but bad behavior, too -- sometimes scientists crack under pressure and contaminate their results by crafting fraudulent, retrospective hypotheses or cherry-picking data to verify a bias. It's a constant problem within the scientific community, but researchers from Carnegie Mellon and Stanford Universities may have stumbled upon an unconventional solution: video games. Specifically, EteRNA, an educational game that teaches players to design RNA molecules online.
This weekend's Destiny event goes 3-vs-3 in the Crucible
Bungie's freshly-launched Destiny is more than just a first-person shooter, it's an MMO-like game with planned community events for players to pepper with bullets. The developer unveiled the next set of missions in a blog today, starting with the 3-vs-3 Crucible event, Salvage. The playlist spans this weekend and has players fighting to "claim and salvage relics on small to medium sized maps." Players earn Crucible reputation, marks and gear by taking other teams of three on in the mode. Then starting on September 16, the Vault of Glass level 26 raid opens. Set in a mysterious area beneath Venus, players take on "your greatest challenge yet," which happens to be long division for us. Vault of Glass champions receive raid set gear and ascendant materials. The last three sets of challenges are without description at the moment. Two of them, Combined Arms and Queen's Wrath, are planned for September, with the Iron Banner event set for October. These online events are playable as long as Destiny's servers are stable, which are in good shape as of our initial State of Service update. [Image: Bungie]
Flick Knights is flicktastic fun
Flick Knights is a turn-based strategy game where you play against others online or in local play. The goal of Flick Knights is to flick your characters into the opposing team's characters to cause enough damage to flick them out of the arena and clear a path to their target button which you can flick one of your characters into to score a point. The first team to drain the other team's vat of liquid at their base wins. Flick Knights is compatible with iOS devices running iOS 6.0 or later. In Flick Knights, players create their own team by giving it a name, team uniform, characters, and team colors. Flick Knights features an array of different characters to include in your team, each with their own unique attack, strengths, and weaknesses. You can upgrade each character using coins received in the game. You can even buy new characters to include in your team using coins or gems. This helps keep the game feeling customizable and adds to the fun of building a custom team. There is a short registration process at the beginning of the game which requires an email address before you can make your team and play online. This is a minor annoyance but it is a very short process done in a rather unobtrusive way and makes sense for the online nature of the game. After registering and making a team, players can choose to either play an asynchronous match, live match, or a local match. The asynchronous matches are turn based with other online players and have a 48 hour turn limit which means players may be waiting awhile for the other player to make their move before they can continue playing. I was not able to do any of the live matches because the server did not find anyone for me to play against after numerous times of trying to connect which is a little disappointing as I was really looking forward to this type of gameplay. It is inteded to be a match against a live opponent with timed turns. The local matches are a lot of fun as you can play against someone next to you on the same device. My suggestion for the matches is that it would be really nice if there was a bot mode that you could practice in. It can be hard to keep playing this game if you can't find someone to play with and I ended up playing local matches against myself which is fun to a point but it takes away the random nature of the game. The human element of the gameplay, waiting to see where the other player puts their team members, what strategy they employ, is really cool and it is reminiscent of a chess match. Like in chess, you have to balance defending your base, the queen, and attacking the opponent's base, their queen. There is a lot of room for trying out new strategies and you have to keep on your toes because an opponent could get past your team and score easily if you don't consider what their next moves may be. Another feature that would help in the matches would be if in local play you got to pick your own team to play as and customize the members of that team. Currently, the teams are blue vs. red and the team members are randomized. It would be interesting if each player got to choose a certain character to play as that they might not have yet to test out if they want to get that character later. Flick Knights is a exceptionally fun turn-based strategy game that incorporates a lot of interesting characters, team customization options, and a strong reliance on being agile in strategies which creates an enjoyable experience that keeps players coming back. Flick Knights is free on the App Store and definitely recommended for those who love online multiplayer games.
Hyrule Warriors has couch co-op, no online campaign
Nintendo's upcoming Zelda-themed brawler Hyrule Warriors will not support online co-op campaign gameplay, a Japanese-language promotional Twitter account revealed this week. A local team of players can still play through Hyrule Warriors' campaign in an offline co-op multiplayer mode, which assigns one player to the Wii U GamePad's screen while the television displays their partner's character and viewpoint. Hyrule Warriors will feature online play in some capacity, but its core campaign is strictly offline-only. News of Hyrule Warriors' lack of online play comes shortly after publishing partner Koei Tecmo confirmed that the upcoming Samurai Warriors 4 will feature cross-platform online multiplayer gameplay for the PlayStation 4, PS3 and PS Vita. Online play has been a standard feature for Koei Tecmo's Warriors series and its spinoffs since 2011's Dynasty Warriors 7. Hyrule Warriors launches in North America on September 26. [Image: Nintendo / Koei Tecmo]
'NFL Sunday Ticket without satellite' sounds too good to be true, and for many it is
Today AppleInsider uncovered a promotion page for DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket package that proudly promises what many cord-cutting football fans have been waiting to hear: "Stream NFL Sunday Ticket live online. No satellite required!" Sounds simple, sign up for the exorbitantly-priced package, sit back and wait for all the out-of-market football games you can handle, right? Not so fast -- as it turns out, this package is set up the same way NFL Sunday Ticket has worked online since DirecTV started offering it that way back in 2010. While the bold text promises football without a DirecTV account, digging into the FAQ reveals it's only for people in "select areas, residence types, and enrolled in select universities."
Russia's new anti-extremism law targets online communications
What is "extremism"? That's up to Russian president Vladimir Putin to decide, according to a new amendment to Russian law announced this week by the Kremlin. The law gives Putin more flexibility to punish what he deems as "extremist" behavior -- on par with terrorism, legally -- and it works hand-in-hand with a redefinition of online activity. Previously, Russia defined such activity as "international computer communications"; that definition was amended to also include, "information telecommunication through the internet." This distinction is important, because it means not just websites, but also any form of online communication can be considered under Russia's "extremist" label.
Therapists are turning to the web to help revolutionize mental health treatments
We all know how effective the talking cure can be, but for many people, carving the time out of their schedule to meet a psychotherapist can be impossible, not to mention daunting. Services like Pretty Padded Room have sprung up to provide a solution to these problems, offering secure video chats with mental health professionals as an on-demand service. In a report by NPR, a 24-year-old entrepreneur reveals that, rather than the confrontational setting we imagine, a spot of online therapy is more akin to "Skyping with a friend."
eBay's Valet app will sell your junk for a 30% cut
That dusty old iPod on your nightstand hasn't been used in ages, but it's still probably worth some cash. But who can take the time to manage an eBay listing? Taking photos, answering any questions that pop up, and then shipping the loot to your buyer can be a stressful experience (not really, but work with me here). eBay wants to help you sell your outdated junk with the help of its new iOS app, eBay Valet. Here's how it works: You get an estimate of your item's value from the app. eBay sends you a box and a prepaid shipping label and you send your stuff out into the wild blue. eBay's "valet" workers take care of prettying up your item, snapping photos, and listing it on the site. When your item sells, you get 70% of the sale price, and eBay keeps its 30% cut. Selling stuff on eBay isn't actually all that complicated, but the service seems like a solid option for anyone who simply can't be bothered to poke around on the site and learn its ins and outs. The 30% cut seems reasonable, especially considering you're not paying to ship the item or do any of the legwork, and any complaints are handled directly by eBay. The app just launched, but eBay has been running its "Sell For Me" service for a while now, so the company definitely has experience getting its clients the most money for whatever junk they have lying around the house. [via TechCrunch]
'Just Dance Now' lets anyone with a smartphone and internet connection join in to... dance
Ubisoft's just kicked off its E3 presser with a look at Just Dance 2015 which is -- let's be honest -- expected and not all that exciting. But the company also has a trick up its sleeve for this new edition of the motion-controlled dancing game: online multiplayer from any connected device. The service, called Just Dance Now, lets any player with a smartphone, tablet (Android or iOS), smart TV or PC join in the game using the accelerometer on their phone. And, according to Ubisoft, there's no upper limit on how many players can connect at once using the Just Dance Now app, which the company demoed using a song by 'ol Lady Gaga.
Watch Dogs mobile griefing app out today
Ubisoft's mobile companion app for Watch Dogs is now available on Android and iOS, and gives players the opportunity to interact with others in the game's online sections. Though the word "companion" doesn't have the same ring to it in the "ctOS Mobile" app, as players use it to mess with others' surroundings in an attempt to thwart their attempts to reach the finish line in both race and free ride modes. For instance, players within the ctOS Mobile app can control a Chicago PD helicopter and go on the hunt for their rivals, controlling ctOS devices within the helicopter's range like road blockers and traffic lights to halt other players. Mobile players will also dispatch Chicago police units like squad cars and SWAT teams and upgrade their effectiveness. As app users complete challenges, they earn experience and skill points, with which they can enhance their police arsenal as well as their own abilities. The app is free to download and doesn't require that players own the console game. Ubisoft has a list of its compatible devices on its blog. Our review of Watch Dogs, now available today, notes that the game is "a more fluid and modern power fantasy than we're used to," likening players in the game to being a wizard. [Image: Ubisoft]
Wii and DS online play lives on through homebrew server
Pro-tip for life: Don't tell the Internet it can't do something. Case in point, Nintendo shut down its official servers for Wii and DS online play just three days ago, and already there's a community running their own service in its stead. While it may take some extra work and tweaking on your end to configure a DS or Wii system to be compatible with the unofficial server, it is theoretically possible to still get in a race or two of Mario Kart. We say "theoretically" because, being unofficial and all, the server isn't as stable or reliable as Nintendo's was. Not every game with online play has been tested for compatibility, and even those that have been tested could crash under server stress. Still, the project's wiki page notes that it is being actively developed, so it's possible things will improve. In the meantime, wear a hard hat and watch for falling goombas. [Image: Nintendo]
Crytek's 'Arena of Fate' pits Robin Hood against Joan of Arc
Crytek announced a new MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) game for PC and consoles today, Arena of Fate. The game gives players the chance to jump into 5-vs-5 battles using iconic characters from popular folklore and history like Robin Hood, Joan of Arc, Little Red Riding Hood, Frankenstein and Norse beast Fenrir. Arena of Fate is free to play and scheduled to enter its beta phase on PC this summer, with no word on which consoles the CryEngine-based game will eventually arrive on. Those interested in joining the game's beta can sign up on its official website. [Image: Crytek]
EA Sports FIFA World plays footsie with PC in open beta
EA Sports has kicked off the open beta of EA Sports FIFA World, the publisher's free-to-play soccer game for PC. The PC version of the popular sports brand went through four closed beta phases and one limited open beta before launching globally. The game includes familiar Seasons and Ultimate Team modes as well as 600 clubs from 30 licensed leagues. EA Sports FIFA World uses three different methods of control: keyboard, mouse and gamepad. It also offers access to the Football Club social hub, in-game rewards for gameplay accomplishments and weekly featured tournaments for Ultimate Team, erm, teams. It requires a persistent Internet connection and an Origin account to play, though EA claims the game was "built to be enjoyed on average spec laptop computer or desktop personal computers." [Image: EA Sports]
PSA: Wii and DS online play shutdown imminent
As it was foretold, the end is upon us - or at least, it's upon those of us using a Wii or DS to play online games. Nintendo announced back in March that May 20, 2014 would signal the end of online service for games on the Wii and DS systems, and that day has come. Or, depending on when you read this, is rapidly approaching. If you want to get in one last match or download any DLC for the games affected by the blackout, this is your last chance. Not sure if your favorite game is affected? Check Nintendo's full list. Note that this is not your last chance to watch Netflix or Hulu using your Wii. Those services will continue, at least for the prophesied foreseeable future. [Image: Nintendo]
Halo: Combat Evolved multiplayer lives on with GameRanger
The PC versions of Halo: Combat Evolved, its demo and Halo: Custom Edition are now playable through the third-party matchmaking and online gaming program GameRanger. Halo was slated to suffer loss of online functionality when GameSpy's matchmaking services go dark on May 31. GameRanger began in 1999 and supports nearly 700 PC games and just under 200 for Mac. Prior to the news of GameSpy's impending shutdown, which also affects games like Crysis and Crysis 2, the Australia-based company announced that it achieved five million registered PC users in March. GameRanger picked up other games whose servers got the ax, such as 2005's Need for Speed: Most Wanted in August 2011. Grand Theft Auto 4 and Red Dead Redemption will remain mostly unaffected by the closure of GameSpy's online services, though other Rockstar games will suffer. EA announced last month that it was working to transition its older Battlefield games to its own Origin service. [Image: Microsoft]
Yahoo gives up on Do Not Track, thinks privacy should be 'personalized'
The Do Not Track initiative sounds like a great idea in theory -- you as a user can basically tell the websites you visit that you don't want your behavior monitored or shared with third parties. Alas, major players like Google and Facebook have said they ignore those sort of requests from users, and now Yahoo is giving up on Do Not Track too. What does that mean for you? Well, the resurgent web company is once again watching what you do... unless you specifically tell it otherwise. You as an individual can still manage your Yahoo privacy settings for things like targeted ads that appear based on your search habits, but you can no longer opt-out of everything en masse. Yahoo points out in a blog post that it was "the first major tech company to implement Do Not Track," but its stance on DNT hasn't always seemed like the most forward-thinking. Let's flash back to 2012 -- when Microsoft made Do Not Track the default behavior for Internet Explorer 10, Yahoo basically decided to ignore it, claiming that the move sullied its users' experiences because they didn't enable it themselves. In a move that'll shock absolutely no one, Yahoo is playing the user card again. The privacy team made it a point to present the brighter side of its decision, affirming their strong belief that "the best web is a personalized one." We wonder about that.
GTA 4, Red Dead multiplayer gameplay unaffected by GameSpy closure
Rockstar's collection of games are some of the many to be affected by GameSpy's closure next month, although for the most part the studio's latest releases won't suffer. Rockstar plans to transition out of GameSpy's matchmaking service when it closes on May 31, and for some of the studio's older games, that will signal the end for their online features. The closure means Rockstar is removing all the online features from Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition and Dub Edition Remix, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars on DS and PSP, and Beaterator. The racers are losing all online multiplayer as a result, while Chinatown Wars and Beaterator are dropping their Social Club features. The music mixing game is also ditching track uploading and downloading. No surprises: Grand Theft Auto 5 is totally unaffected, and online multiplayer gameplay remains intact in GTA 4, too. However, GTA 4 is dropping multiplayer leaderboards on PS3, while all platforms are parting with Social Club stat tracking and leaderboards. By the by, all of that also goes for the Complete version of GTA 4 and the Episodes from Liberty City.
Crysis and Crysis 2 to lose PC multiplayer with GameSpy shutdown
The PC versions of Crysis and Crysis 2 will lose multiplayer functionality when GameSpy's matchmaking services go dark on May 31. The single-player campaigns as well as the multiplayer modes for the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of both games will remain playable. "As of May 31 this year, the multiplayer modes in Crysis and Crysis 2 for PC will no longer be playable," Crytek wrote on its forums. "The conclusion of online multiplayer support comes as a result of GameSpy Technology shutting down all their hosting services. GameSpy have been providing multiplayer functionality for Crysis and Crysis 2 since they launched." GameSpy announced plans to shut down its middleware servers earlier this month, over a year after it ceased editorial production. The service began as a Quake server search program in 1996 before hosting online multiplayer for hundreds of games. EA said it will shift multiplayer for its older Battlefield games from GameSpy to Origin last week. [Image: Crytek]
Stronghold Kingdoms attracts more than 3 million would-be conquerers
While self-funding a massively multiplayer real-time strategy game such as Stronghold Kingdoms was a risky move for a developer like Firefly Studios, it seems to be paying off as the castle building game has attracted over three million players since its debut on February 27. Firefly cites a passionate player base for the game's success, and notes that the game draws 200,000 users from 100 countries each month. Of course, it helps that Stronghold Kingdoms is free to download and play, and is supported by optional microtransactions, but given the number of other online games available to players with the same "free to play" price of entry, that three million player figure is still an impressive achievement. Those interested in joining the fight can find all the information they need to get up and running on the game's official website or by visiting its page on Steam. [Image: Firefly Studios]
Respawn: Titanfall's server stability is in Microsoft's azure hands
Titanfall will be propped up by dedicated servers. As much was made known last June, but what may not be so clear to players is that post-launch hiccups are primarily Microsoft's responsibility. Respawn engineer Jon Shiring recently explained to Engadget how Respawn used Microsoft's "Azure" cloud computing technology to handle elements of Titanfall like AI hosting and physics calculations. "One of the really nice things about it is that it isn't my problem, right?" Shiring said of potential server issues at the game's launch. "We just say [to Microsoft], here are our estimates, aim for more than that, plan for problems and make sure there are more than enough servers available -- they'll know the whole time that they need to bring more servers online." Shiring said that during the game's lengthy beta program, the game's European servers filled up, and players were quietly transitioned to East Coast US data centers, indicating the developer's contingency plans in the event its launch is wildly popular tomorrow. Titanfall, a multiplayer-only game, is so reliant on the Azure servers that Respawn opted to not launch the game in some regions, such as South Africa. Shiring also noted in late January that server-side updates for the game won't cause downtime for players. Our review of Titanfall will be supplemented with our first of many State of Service reviews, so expect to hear more about how the game's online play holds up after it launches. [Image: Electronic Arts]
