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ICYMI: Helmet with OnStar, NASA's 3D-printed engine and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-596786{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-596786, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-596786{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-596786").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A helmet cam for motorcyclists has an emergency alert system that kicks in when a crash is detected. NASA 3D-printed parts for an engine that has withstand 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit. And the White House wants people to share in the spirit with a new virtual reality tour of the annual Christmas display.
ICYMI: Smartphone picture printer, AR app for all and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-568631{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-568631, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-568631{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-568631").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A case designed to print the pictures that normally just stay on your smartphone is out, just in time for Christmas. Researchers at MIT are doing their best to connect all the smart appliances and gadgets within your home for easy control with a clever app called Reality Editor. And Tokyo's police are forming an anti-drone squad that will use large UAVs with nets to capture smaller drones.
ICYMI: Reading a fly's mind, real Minecraft phone and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-44671{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-44671, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-44671{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-44671").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Neuroscientists figured out what fruit flies are thinking with fluorescent molecules. Minecraft now has an internal smartphone that can be used to text and call people within the game. And this new smart flossing product that gives a strip of floss once the button is pushed also serves to shame your partner for not flossing with lights that come on if a daily cleaning is missed.
ICYMI: Seeing CO2 from space, best arena selfie and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-520649{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-520649, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-520649{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-520649").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: An app that syncs up with robotic cameras in sports arenas is up and running in a few locations in California. With it, attendees can get photos of themselves at the game after entering their seat number in the free app. NASA is beginning a long-term study into CO2 absorption on the earth, with the hopeful goal of better sequestering and controlling greenhouse gases. And a new report is out on the fluorescent eel discovery of 2011. While the same marine biologist has just discovered a fluorescent turtle, the eel report says the neon was likely selected to attract a mate.
ICYMI: Grippy robot hands, smarten up your dumb car and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-611028{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-611028, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-611028{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-611028").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: MIT developed robotic hands of pliable silicon that are also studded with pressure sensors so it knows how tightly to hold something. A small dashboard camera and advanced computer vision software are being tested in the San Francisco Bay Area to record potential roadway hazards and track the drivers eyes. And a robotic solar-powered mirror light is here to give Seasonal Affective Disorder sufferers another option for Vitamin D.
Choose My Adventure: A fond farewell
Well, ladies and gents, the time has come for the final edition of my run with Final Fantasy XIV on Choose My Adventure. After many travails, I was still unable to hunt down a leveling party, so I'm afraid that is one thing I'm not going to be able to provide my views on during this feature. It's been a good run with good ol' FFXIV, though, and I enjoyed the bite-size samples of each feature I inspected (well, mostly anyway). So after the cut, I'm just gonna recount my general impressions of the game, something of a tl;dr for the ADD folks in the audience. I do want to preface this with a disclaimer, however: This is by no means a comprehensive or complete review. This is my take on the game after playing it casually (about three to five hours per week) for the duration of this CMA. There are many features in Final Fantasy XIV that I didn't get to explore, such as the later levels of crafting, the later levels of combat (which apparently introduce some keen new features such as Battle Regimens), and so forth. That being said, follow on past the cut for my final opinion of my time in FFXIV.
The Perfect Ten: MMO forum terms beaten to death
If there's one aspect of MMO culture that I have difficulty saying anything positive about, it would have to be the official forum. No matter how well-moderated and well-intentioned studio forums may be, they're essentially giant signs broadcasting "COME WHINE HERE!" When you witness a 500-page thread that's responding to a badly spelled rant about a nerf we'll all forget about in a month's time, it's hard not to break down and weep at the time and energy lost to such trivial stupidity. And with the forums -- and to a lesser extent, comments on blogs, Twitter, and telegraphs -- comes a shocking array of linguistic conformity. You see, when people are upset or eager to prove a point, they have no time to sit down and calmly think of a way to fully communicate their perspectives. No time! Instead, they reach deep into the well of the same overused words and phrases, give them a hearty kick in the direction of their post, and feel as though they've conjured up a masterful work of literature. So today I'm going to exorcise 10 of the most overused, abused, and tired forum terms seen daily in your local MMO forum. Then I will move on with my life and suggest you do the same.
Guildwatch: It's our raid now
This is purely anecdotal, of course (everything is with this column), but it seems to us that there are fewer incidents of drama nowadays after Wrath (probably due to changes with the endgame and the loot), but the few incidents out there are much harsher. Take this pic as exhibit A -- it's an instance ninja, which happens occasionally, but it's a very unrepentant instance ninja. People aren't jerks to each other as much (because presumably they have less opportunity to do so), but people who are jerks... are really big jerks.That's what we've seen anyway -- if you've seen otherwise, let us know: send your drama, downed and recruiting news to wowguildwatch@gmail.com. This week's guild updates after the break, including some awesome TLDR drama, and lots and lots of new guild downs.
Illustrated boss strats FTW!
The name of the game in raiding is learning what makes a boss tick and using it against them. Since the beginning of PvE there have been people kind enough to figure out the fights and let the rest of us know what to do. You can find strat guides all over the interwebs, including sites like Bosskillers and WoWWiki, plus more. And while those are great resources that we've used time and time again to defeat our foes, the wall after wall of text has been hard to digest for some of our TLDR (Too Long Didn't Read) members. What if there was an easier and more entertaining way? Enter Akaineko (Bazlek) and Scorpio_Angel (Zhain) on WoW Ladies and their illustrated boss strats for Leotheras, Lady Vash (Phases 1, 2, and 3), and just out yesterday... dun dun DUN: Illidan 1, 2, and 3. I made Zhain pinky swear that someday they'll do Kael as well. Now, before you go ripping into their strat guides, be aware there are some language and adult concepts contained therein. These may not be ideal bedtime stories for your 3 yr old, kk? But they're seriously killer guides and the commentary/art takes learning boss strats to a whole new level. [Thanks to Jaxson_Bateman for pointing out the additional Illidan parts!]
