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EVE Online posts training session schedule
Are you a terrible EVE Online player? Shh, it's all right, there's no shaming here. Everyone starts somewhere. That's why the development team is hosting a series of new player training sessions, designed to help novices or clueless veterans figure out how to play in the sprawling spaceship spreadsheet sandbox. The newest schedule has just been posted for several exploration-themed training sessions in anticipation of the game's next expansion, starting with "How to Scan" on May 28th. Data, Relic, and Ghost Sites are covered on May 31st, Ore, Gas, and Ice get the spotlight on June 4th, and Combat Sites and Escalation are getting covered on June 7th. From there it's a tour through wormholes on June 11th and a conclusion with the developer-led exploration fleet on June 14th. For more details on how to join in on training sessions, there's a handy guide available; if you want the exact times for these sessions to check your own schedule, check out the full posting.
The Nexus Telegraph: Preparing for WildStar's launch
When you read this, dear reader, you will be less than two weeks away from early access to WildStar. Unless you've come here just to let everyone know you don't want to play the game, in which case you might want to find slightly more joyous hobbies? Just a thought. The obvious thing to do pre-launch, of course, is to reserve your name, but that didn't work out for everyone so well, and I'm betting that if you were going to do that by now, you would have done it. (Still have a little time if you haven't, though.) What else can you do? Open beta is over. It's just getting into the meat of the game and maybe taking a day or two off of work first, right? Obviously not; there's more stuff you can do to prep yourself for the launch psychologically and otherwise. So step into my metaphorical office, and I'll give you some suggestions about things to do before the game starts and once early access kicks off.
Warren Spector gets a new job: Director of UT Austin's Gaming Academy
Deus Ex creator Warren Spector has been named director of The University of Texas at Austin's Denius-Sams Gaming Academy, a development-focused post-baccalaureate program that will launch in the fall of next year. Spector was one of the first industry veterans who signed on as part of the Academy, joining Blizzard COO Paul Sams, Ultima creator Richard Garriott, EA CCO Richard Hilleman, and BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk. Only 20 candidates will be selected for the program's first semester, and the first batch of incoming students will receive a tuition waiver and a $10,000 housing stipend. Spector's career shift follows up on the recent shuttering of Disney Interactive Studios subsidiary Junction Point Studios, a team that Spector co-founded. Prior to its closure, Junction Point developed the 2010 Wii release Epic Mickey and last year's Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two.
EVE Online starts up new player training sessions
Starting new in EVE Online is like learning to swim in the deep end of the pool when there are alligators in the water. It's not that you can't do it, just that it requires equal measures of dedication and luck. And in such a player-driven game, there's only so much that tutorials can teach you. What you really need are lessons from veteran players who can teach you exactly what to do... which, not coincidentally, are being offered starting October 15th. Why help train others to be better players? Simply put, according to the official post, it's because educated players are more likely to keep playing the game and actually expand the universe. You might get an easy kill by sniping someone who doesn't know how to fit a ship, but that player isn't going to stick around to provide you anything of use. So if you'd like to learn or help some new players up, take a look at the schedule and consider taking the time to make EVE Online more welcoming for new players... and then blow them up.
Captain's Log: More Star Trek Online new user tips - bridge officers
Before I dive into the next installment of my new player tips, I'd like to let everyone know that the Star Trek Online site has issued a few new dev blogs hinting at some of the cool news about the upcoming Season Eight: The Sphere. There are some great new blogs featuring the concept art of the new Dyson Sphere space adventure zone, too. But back to the original topic. Last week's column that provided a basic outline to the Star Trek Online user interface proved to be surprisingly popular and generated far more emails from readers than I had anticipated. Many of the readers have asked that I continue on with the new user tips and I think it's a great idea. So if you've always wondered about the very basics of STO Bridge Officers, join me past the jump to learn more!
The Art of Wushu: Being a master or an apprentice
Fun facts for fans of the Art of Wushu: I wrote three articles about Age of Wushu for this week. I started off writing something lame, but I scrapped it because I didn't like the topic. The second is one about reaction times, perception, and brain chemistry. However, I realized somewhere in the middle of writing it that I used terms about "skill levels" that I have never really defined, and I figured it would be a good thing to do that before I went any further. So this time, we're going to talk about skill levels and what they mean. All of them are fairly discrete, and they are pretty universal, whether you practice swordsmanship or carpentry (or do either in a video game). I have probably used the term "expert player" over 9000 times while writing for Massively, and I've held an opinion on what an intermediate player is since long before I was blogging. This is a good way to identify where you and others stand, which is how you'll know what kind of advice you need to get to the next level.
Unreal Engine 3 licensed to contractor for US Army training sims
Epic Games' Unreal Engine 3 is now in the hands of Intelligent Decisions, a company that creates virtual training simulations for the US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command. Intelligent Decisions wants to use UE3 to polish the movements of autonomous avatars in its Dismounted Soldier Training System, and add haptic feedback from incoming fire, full skeletal controls and environmental variation, VP of Simulation and Training Clarence Pape says. Intelligent Decisions secured the license from Applied Research Associates, Virtual Heroes and Epic via the Unreal Government Network, a program that handles government contracts for the Unreal engine. Insert your own "gears of war" joke here.
RunKeeper for iOS now motivates you with real-world training programs
It's easy to find running apps that offer goals -- it's harder to find one that inspires you to run in the first place. RunKeeper wants to be that motivator, and it just overhauled the training section of its iOS app to match. The refresh takes broad, skill-based programs from sites like Greatist and breaks them down into more realistic daily objectives, such as running a little bit further or taking a break. There's also a steady stream of tips for staying healthy between sessions. RunKeeper hasn't said when Android-bound athletes will get the new training routines, but their iPhone-owning counterparts can grab the update at the source link.
EVE University public classes begin next week
Are you interested in checking out EVE Online, but don't feel like being thrown to the dogs on day one? Luckily there's a training corp in game called EVE University and classes are starting up on July 15th. This is the first time EVE U's classes will be open to the public, and with courses such as Trading 101, Aggression and Engagement, and Drones 101, you know why they say internet spaceships are serious business. And if you're an old hat at the game and feel like donning an ascot and pipe and lecturing to a bunch of noobs, EVE U is also looking for teachers and lecturers.
FitStar launches first app with NFL star Tony Gonzalez, creates customized exercise videos on the fly
Exercise apps are a dime a dozen and the fitness training video market is even more saturated. New comer FitStar sees an opportunity to blend the two forms with an application platform that's part video CMS, with a special twist. The first app being offered, FitStar: Tony Gonzalez, creates a customized workout routine on your iPad, pieced together from 80 different exercises that the star tight end guides you through. The end product isn't terribly dissimilar from your average workout DVD, but the route it takes to get there is dramatically different. When you first launch the app you'll be asked to create an account and fill out some basic information about yourself including your level of fitness. A brief assessment program helps establish a baseline, then a routine is generated dynamically just for you using special algorithms. In fact, every time you fire it up, a new routine is created to keep you from getting bored with a repetitive workout plan. %Gallery-190512%
Warren Spector, Blizzard COO to lead University of Texas game program
Developer Warren Spector and Blizzard Entertainment COO Paul Sams will help oversee a new gaming academy being put into place at the University of Texas at Austin. The Denius-Sams Gaming Academy, named after co-founders Wofford Denius, Sams and his wife, will begin in 2014 with only 20 spots for students, and will award a postbaccalaureate certificate rather than a graduate degree, which the school says will help it remain industry-focused. Spector, the creator of Deus Ex and the Disney Epic Mickey series, will put together the curriculum, which will include a 12-month intensive program where students will make a game themselves. Students selected for admission will also get a tuition waiver and a $10,000 stipend for fees and housing expenses. The program will begin next fall.
Why is Facebook's app so much better lately? Ask Big Nerd Ranch
Facebook's official iOS app has been improving by leaps and bounds lately. First it went native, and then added a series of great new features and redesigned elements piece by piece. In fact, if you were a conspiracy theorist, you might think that Facebook was getting a little help -- and in this case, you'd be right. AllThingsD reports that Facebook has made a deal with the popular iOS dev camp Big Nerd Ranch to provide a weeklong, 40-hour crash course on iOS development to any interested employees. More than 450 of Facebook's employees have gone through the course (mostly software engineers, but not exclusively), and about two-thirds of them have focused on Android rather than iOS. But in general, the deal shows just how important mobile platforms are to Facebook, and if you've been watching the official app lately, you can see just what a great effect it's had. It's worth noting, too, that this is a testament to Big Nerd Ranch and its ability to teach this stuff. I've enjoyed talks from Aaron Hillegass at a few conferences, and our own Brett Terpstra is a huge fan of The Ranch's courses. If you're an iOS developer (or just an aspiring one), it's worth looking into the available programs. For the rest of us, we'll just enjoy the results their teachings, and this vastly superior Facebook iOS experience.
Facebook's move to mobile powered by intensive internal training
Facebook's made no bones about the fact that its focus has shifted from a desktop web- to a mobile-focused company. Today, Director of Mobile Engineering, Mike Shaver informed us exactly how the company is making the change. It turns out, the company started an intensive training program last July in order to bring people up to speed on coding native apps for iOS and Android. How intensive? The program, run by Big Nerd Ranch, is five straight days of training for eight hours each day -- after which, those who make it through can "start writing code for apps the very next Monday." While roughly 80 percent of employees who take the training are engineers, it's important to note that any Facebook employee can take the course. Thus far, designers, product managers, engineering managers and even a recruiter are among the 450 who have completed the training. It's all a part of the Social Network's plan to build "mobile empathy" among all of its employees, and getting everyone thinking mobile first. Facebook's able to go this route because it keeps the bar high when hiring new employees, seeks generalists to fill engineering slots, and folks are expected to get up to speed as needed once they've joined Zuckerberg's flock. So, if you thought building that slick new game for Android or iOS was going to give you a leg up on the coding competition when seeking work at Facebook HQ... think again.
Gold Capped: Leveling blacksmithing just got easier
WoW Insider brings you Gold Capped, in which Basil "Euripides" Berntsen aims to show you how to make gold on the Auction House. Check out Basil's gold making podcast, Call To Auction, and email Basil with your questions, comments, or hate mail! The PTR for patch 5.2 has a real treat in store for people who want to powerlevel Blacksmithing: you will now be able to get to 500 skill without having to wait for those rare old-world materials to show up on the Auction House! If you are level 85 and up, all you have to do is visit your Blacksmithing trainer in your faction's shrine (the same one that sells recipes for Spirits of Harmony), and they will offer you a fast-track path straight to 500 skill. The way it works is that you will be able to train patterns that take only Ghost Iron Bars to make grey items, and once you get up to 500 skill, there's a quest to make a Ghostly Skeleton Key. At the time this article was written, the data-mined recipes on the Wowhead.com PTR site seem to indicate that it will take a lot of ghost iron to complete. Of course, this might receive a rework before it hits live.
CES Unveiled: The HAPIfork aims to help you track your eating habits with Bluetooth
CES Unveiled was held last night in the Mandalay Bay conference center in Las Vegas, and served as the unofficial kickoff of one of the biggest gadget shows in the world. The Unveiled room was crowded with new product demos, but one product stood out: The HAPIfork. The HAPIfork, as you might guess from looking at it above, is a Bluetooth-enabled fork. Yes, really. The fork (and there's also a spoon version) uses a combination of sensors to measure just how much you're eating and how quickly, and then will translate those metrics to either an iOS or web app. The fork won't actually measure what you're eating (so it won't measure caloric content or fat content), but it will measure each "fork serving" you take, and it can even be set up to give you an alarm when you're eating too much or too quickly. And each app comes with a "coaching program" to help you eat more healthily (though, of course, actually listening to that coach is up to you). There are also a number of achievements to earn, so HAPIlabs has added a light gaming layer on the whole thing. It definitely seems like a interesting idea, and if you have a real issue controlling portion sizes, this might be worth a try. HAPIlabs is bringing out a USB-based version in the second quarter of this year that will cost $99, and then the Bluetooth fork isn't due until 2014. The HAPIfork definitely turned heads at CES Unveiled, but we'll have to wait just a little while to see how much the finished version actually helps fast eaters tame their habits.
Sprint to increase in-store service for iPhone customers
A Sprint training doc leaked by iSource and confirmed to be authentic by Engadget suggests Sprint is increasing its support options for iPhone owners. According to the document, dealers and preferred retailers will offer improved in-store service for iPhone customers starting on October 15. The training starts on September 6 and covers iTunes, iCloud, hardware troubleshooting and software options for iPhone owners. It's required for a range of employees, including managers, sales reps and technicians. The document claims that by the end of the training, Sprint sales reps and techs should be proficient in handling almost any issue Sprint iPhone customers may have. Though many are using this document to claim Sprint will delay the launch of the next iPhone, I don't see any evidence that this document applies to the new iPhone. It's likely a separate program meant to improve customer service, which is an area that Sprint has been focusing on for the past few years.
How to be an Apple Genius: A look inside the manual
Gizmodo has gotten its hands on an Apple internal training manual for its retail Geniuses, and it's just as Apple-like as you'd expect it to be, complete with very structured, high level how-tos for creating and pushing the always unique Apple brand. It all makes sense, really: Apple is now the most valuable brand in the world, and Apple's Geniuses are the (lowest-paid) ambassadors of that brand, so this manual is an attempt to codify just what it is that's so special about this company. To that end, Apple's made use of strategies like empathizing with customers almost to a fault, and even using special acronyms (Approach, Probe, Present, Listen, End for "Apple," or the three Fs: Feel, Felt, Found, for how a customer's feelings should be adjusted while chatting about discovering new tech options in the store) to smooth out the whole experience. Apple's Geniuses are asked never to use words like "crash" or "hot" -- instead, computers may "stop responding" or iOS devices may be "warm" at best. Perhaps most interesting, Apple Geniuses are encouraged to "surprise" customers instead of correct them. Using the phrase "turns out" (as in, "it turns out the iPad has up to 64 GB of memory") is specifically mentioned as a way to surprise customers with Apple quality. The manual sounds like a fascinating read. At times, it can get a little robotic, especially when Apple talks about Geniuses giving feedback to each other. But it's interesting to see Apple try and codify all of the "secret sauce" it's put into its very popular brand over the years.
Abvio Runmeter 5K enters Couch to 5K arena
I've been using Runmeter GPS for years as my primary walking and biking tracking tool. Today, Abvio announced its new 5K to Marathon Runmeter GPS (US$2.99), which adds run/walk training to this popular app. Training options include 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and full-marathon plans. The app is a build-on to the existing Runmeter GPS app, and will offer all the same features shipped in the original Runmeter. Your three dollars buys you all that plus the 5K training on top. The 5K version installs as a new app. Will data transfer? An Abvio spokesperson stated, "You could transfer your database between apps, it's not a limitation, it's just that you don't need to. Once you have one of our apps, you don't need another." Runmeter stores all your workout data, plus it can interface with biometric sensors. Audio alerts and announcements help you pace yourself; sharing options let you send your workout info to friends, and import tools allow you to bring in routes. If you're looking to get off the couch and get on the track, give the new Runmeter a go.
Blood Pact: Leveling is much better in Mists of Pandaria
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Blood Pact for affliction, demonology, and destruction warlocks. This week, Megan O'Neill delayed downloading the new beta build in favor of getting her witch doctor to 60. Priorities! With the overhaul to the warlock class coming in Mists of Pandaria, guildmates and friends have been wondering whether to revive old warlocks or not. Those without warlocks on their character screens have been asking the age-old question: Should I level one now or wait until the expansion hits? Unless you're particularly masochistic about your leveling, my advice is to wait. Here's why.
WWDC session videos now available
For those who couldn't get out to Cupertino for this year's WWDC, Apple has made the session videos available for registered developers. Other videos going back to WWDC 2010 are available as well. There's more than 100 session videos available from WWDC 2012, so there's plenty of material to check out.