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Recreate the thrills of '90s PC admin in this browser game
Video games can be hard work. With all the grinding, stat chasing and repetition that defines many modern games, sometimes toiling away in a virtual world can feel like a second job. Well, it seems like for design professor Pippin Barr this hasn't gone unnoticed, as he's taken the concept of digital busy work one step further. In his latest game It Is As If You Were Doing Work, players find themselves logging in to a brilliantly realized Windows 95 backdrop as they're tasked with clicking boxes and doing completely pointless 'work'.
'Wolfenstein' parody explores whether hurting Nazis is OK
Game developer Ramsey Nasser put a timely spin on classic MS-DOS game Wolfenstein 3D. "People have been asking if punching fascists is OK, " he wrote on Twitter, "so I made a game exploring that question." The result of his little project is Dialogue 3D -- it's still Wolfenstein, but every time you're about to shoot a Nazi, a dialogue box pops up. Before you can pull the trigger, you'll have to answer questions like "Is it OK to shoot Nazis?" or "Is it okay to deny fascists a platform?" or "Wouldn't peaceful protest be more effective?"
Uber Seize parody is more 'Grand Theft Auto,' less ridesharing
People may rag on Uber for its tendency to play fast and loose with the law, but they don't have a patch on The Onion's parody version of the ridesharing outfit. The site just posted a video introducing "Uber Seize," a mock service tier that would let you swipe cars to get where you're going. Instead of simply hailing a ride, you'd pick a target vehicle and go all Grand Theft Auto on the hapless driver. No, this isn't going to show up in real life any time soon (we sure hope not), but it's funny to imagine Uber taking its vision of disruptive transportation to a logical extreme.
These videos prove that music and science can (usually) mix
Wondering how NASA could make a clever yet groan-inducing music video like "All About That Space?" Really, it's just carrying on a tradition of producing science-themed tunes. A lot of them are cheesy covers -- we've seen scientific riffs on Adele and Psy, among others -- while others remind you why biology, chemistry and physics are such wonderful things. We've rounded up ten noteworthy science music videos to show you how good (or at least, dorky) they can get. And if you've discovered any other cool or kitschy clips, be sure to share them in the comments.
Yup, NASA made an 'All About That Bass' parody
Because you know I'm all about that space 'Bout that space, space travel I'm all about that space, 'bout that space, space travel I'm all about that space, 'bout that space, space travel I'm all about that space, 'bout that space, space
Video: If Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 was released today
We've seen variations on this sort of thing before, but this mocked-up glimpse at our industry's terrifying future is more plausible than most. Something Awful founder Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka proposes what Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 might play like if it was released today in the video above. The slick pay-to-play hooks clash fantastically with Pac-Man's terrible audiovisual presentation on the 2600, and some of the features parodied here are already an unfortunate reality in modern games. Maybe it's for the best if this one stays buried in a New Mexico landfill. [Video: Rich Kyanka]
Throw the couch, there's a Fly In The House
A new trailer for Fly In The House shows just why lone developer Mykhail Konokh calls it an "exploration and destruction" game that parodies Fullbright Company's own exploration game, Gone Home. In Fly In The House, you become obsessed with a nagging, buzzing insect's presence and take up arms against the nuisance. Much like Coffee Stain Studio's Goat Simulator, Konokh's game rewards players with points and ranks when they toss any item in the house they find at the fly, trashing the place they call home. While not officially on Steam Greenlight yet, Fly In The House's concept page notes that players will also "search hidden objects" and "reveal the mysteries" of the main character across varying game modes. Check out the trailer after the break. [Image: Mykhail Konokh]
Conan's #bendgate parody is pretty much perfect
All the needless outrage over the iPhone 6's supposed tendency to bend when you sit on it with your entire weight has finally reached the late night talk show circuit courtesy of Conan. The comedian even went so far as to produce a parody of a Samsung ad that targets Apple's "flaccid" phones, and while it's probably SFW, you'll definitely want to watch it with headphones, or else expect some odd looks from your coworkers.
IKEA takes a jab at Apple in an ad for its latest catalog
The biggest target is typically the easiest to hit, and ahead of Apple's big event next week IKEA's taking a good-natured swing at Cupertino. To debut its new 2015 catalog, the Swedish furniture company crafted a video that bears more than a passing resemblance to a TV spot from the iPhone company. Among the highlights of the "bookbook" unveiling? Eternal battery life, no-lag page loads and multiuser support. It's all pretty well done if you ask us. Should you need help passing time until next Tuesday's conference, watching the clip (embedded below) will make the wait about two-and-a-half minutes shorter.
Making a parody will soon become legal in the UK
When it comes to the right to take the mickey out of famous songs, movies or books, the UK has always cast envious eyes toward the US. That's because a Brit couldn't parody something unless they'd been given direct permission from the creator or paid for a license. That meant for most people, making a parody was legally impossible, and saw several famous instances of works being pulled from YouTube. Thankfully, that's all set to change on October 1st, when the Copyright and Rights in Performances (Quotation and Parody) Regulations 2014 are set to come into force.
Jukebox Heroes: Dungeon Runners' soundtrack
Does anyone still remember Dungeon Runners? I do, at least. It was that quirky Diablo-style MMO from NCsoft that ran from 2007 to 2010, openly lampooning RPG and online gaming tropes while actually being pretty fun to play. I dipped in and out of it over the years, never being fully engrossed but appreciating its sense of humor -- and its soundtrack. As Composer Tracy W. Bush put it in his interview with us a while back, "The music was a mish-mosh of straightforward Diablo-style dungeon crawly stuff in the exploration bits, but when it came to the boss fights, each of them was a specific sub genre of music. I did country and western, black metal, klezmer, an oompa loompa song, disco... I can't even remember them all. I had a blast." I had a blast myself listening through the score, which lives on to this day, and have a selection of hand-picked tracks that I think nails the attitude that Dungeon Runners exuded.
OneNote team goes off-key with Les Mis parody
Sometimes, it's easy to get so excited that you spontaneously burst into song. After all, that's the logic behind most musicals, no? Microsoft's OneNote team took that idea and ran with it, cribbing from Les Miserables in the process. See, after setting its note-taking app free last month, the team had reason to celebrate. Naturally, it picked an upbeat song ("One Day More") from one of the saddest musicals of all time to do so. Video evidence of the team's "Weird Al" skills is after the break, but try not getting the track stuck in your head -- it's for the good of everyone, really.
Apple finally patches vulnerability that led to Jurassic Park fiasco
Following hot on the heels of the recent SSL connection update -- and in response to criticism that the company is too slow to fix critical software issues -- Apple today released an update to its vintage System 7 OS that corrects a crucial vulnerability which made it susceptible to attacks from portly hackers. The bug has long been held responsible for an incident in 1993 on the island of Isla Nublar in which the security systems of a clandestine zoo led to the release of several dangerous prehistoric creatures. The zoo, called Jurassic Park, had its systems hacked by Dennis Nedry, a systems administrator at the park who exploited a lax security protocol in Apple's System 7. Nedry's attack, which was orchestrated using a Macintosh Quadra 700, led to a series of unfortunate incidents resulting in the deaths of several park employees and scientists. An Apple spokesperson refused to confirm that today's software update was indeed a direct result of the Jurassic Park incident, saying only "There is no longer any reason to fear Whte_Rbt.obj." Jeanie Clarence, a spokesperson with Jurassic Park's parent company InGen, welcomed the news. "It's great that Apple is finally shutting the door that Nedry opened," she said. "We cherish the memory of those we lost, except for that one lawyer guy. He was kind of creepy anyway."
EVE Online, now in text adventure form
While it came out last July, EVE Online: The Text Adventure has only now come to our attention and so we bring it to yours. This satirical fan project attempts to "look at a day in the life of a grounded pod pilot, poking fun at CCP Games and some of their developmental missteps whilst celebrating the community and the people involved with EVE Online." The adventure takes a few spirited jabs at CCP's "walking in stations" concept while challenging players to explore and perhaps escape their officer's quarters. If you're a fan of the MMO or need a quick diversion from the mundanities of life, give it a whirl and see if you can't beat it.
Take out your Flappy Bird frustration with Squishy Bird
Flappy Bird, the came-out-of-nowhere flyaway hit on Android and iOS, has you guiding a little bird through a gauntlet of horrible pipes. If it's driving you up the wall, you might prefer Squishy Bird, a free-to-play online game where you control the pipes instead, and attempt to squash as many of the floppy fowl as possible. Like the game it parodies, Squishy Bird is simple and free-to-play. Creator Dong Nguyen revealed to The Verge that Flappy Bird is raking in $50,000 a day on in-app ad revenue. Flappy Bird is currently the top app on iTunes and the Google Play store, and has been downloaded more than 50 million times. [Image: Squishy Bird]
Apple's Christmas ad is great, but this parody shows the one aspect it got wrong
Apple recently released its latest Christmas-themed commercial, this time looking to give a little depth and humanity to your kid brother who won't pull his nose out of his phone. It's a tearjerker. It makes me get a little misty. The kid made such a beautiful video, and his family appreciates it so much. Merry Christmas. But there's one aspect of the video that didn't seem quite right. Check out Andy Nguyen's parody video below, and remind yourself to teach the younger family members how to properly hold a camera.
Apple Media Event Drinking Game
Tomorrow, Apple will hold a special media event during which it will likely introduce a slew of new products. From new iPads to OS X Mavericks, there will undoubtedly be a whole lot of new hardware and software to digest. Per usual, just what exactly Apple has in store remains a mystery. Will the fifth-generation iPad feature Touch ID? Maybe, maybe not. But why busy yourself with such troublesome questions when you can have much more fun playing a drinking game during the media event?
Microsoft laughs at Apple's new iPhones in 'fly on the wall in Cupertino' spoof
Microsoft today continued its ongoing effort to take jabs at Apple. While previous efforts have focused on the iPad, Microsoft today took aim at the iPhone. In two new videos, both dubbed "A fly on the wall in Cupertino," the folks up at Redmond spoof the development process behind the iPhone 5s and 5c. Here we have two "Apple employees" pitching Tim Cook (though it looks more like Steve Jobs) and Jony Ive on some new features. It's decently funny*, but it sure won't do anything to put a dent into what will assuredly be strong iPhone sales. There are actually a whole slew of videos -- seven to be exact -- in the "fly on the wall in Cupertino" series that you can check out over here. Though the videos end with a "#timetoswitch" slogan, something tells me that the slogan is more of an example of wishful thinking than anything else. Lastly, you'd expect a little bit more production value in a video published directly on the WindowsPhone YouTube channel. At the very least, give us another camera angle! And while these videos may be good for a laugh**, you'd assume that Microsoft would want to tread lightly since Steve Ballmer reserved a place in the "dopey tech prediction hall of fame" when he famously laughed at the original iPhone back in 2007. * A view not universally held among the TUAW staff, which counts among its own several semi-professional comedy professionals. - Ed. ** The production values are what we call here at TUAW, "amusingly casual," which is a nice way of saying "pretty low rent." We're really hoping that wasn't supposed to be Jobs in the video because wow. - Ed.
Daily Update for September 4, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Give me a break: The Kit Kat parody video
The fun news yesterday from Google World Dominance Headquarters was the announcement of Android 4.4 "KitKat." The new OS name follows in the footsteps of other sugary monikers like "Jelly Bean," "Donut" and the ever-popular "Ice Cream Sandwich." It's also the first sponsored OS name, blessed with the name of Nestlé's crunchy chocolate wafer bar confection. In keeping with the general tone of mockery between Google and arch-rival Apple, the Kit Kat (confection) team developed a video that parodies the general tone of Apple's product intro videos featuring Jony Ive. Take a break from your day and enjoy a crispy, crunchy video that's perfect with all liquid accessories:
