The simulation must have been based on last year's cars. Since Sam Hornish is driving a Chevy, which are conservatively down 40-50 hp on the Honda and Toyota-powered entries, and considering that no Chevy qualfied within 5 miles of the pole speed, the only sure bet on Sam Hornish for this weekend's race is how long it take for him to be lapped.
But then again, it is virtual reality. As evidenced by the stands packed full of fans in the video game.
They might not have chosen XServes, but I'm wondering what flavor of open-source OS they are running? It's Linux-based, but there didn't seem to be much said beyond that.
The article also insinuates again that a possible Intel/Apple connection may happen in the near future. Perhaps the servers are going to be running a customized OS, maybe even the mythical Marklar (the Intel-compatible version of OS X that has been rumored for some time).
But still, it would have been nice to see the XServe's get a little more press.
He wrote several short stories that dealt with the effects of technology on mobs. Although in his universe, it was teleportation that created the problem, it's certainly relevent with today's technology (just look at the/. effect)
I know that they are included in several collections, the titles are...
- Flash Crowd
- The Last Days Of The Permanent Floating Riot Club
Actually, some of his best writing is that which deals with the psychology of new technologies, such as teleportation. So I would highly recommend that those interested check his work out.
As some have already pointed out, one of the issues would be in maintaining some semblence of story or plot throughout the experience, even though there wouldn't be a hard-coded 'storyline' to work through.
A group of us in college tossed around this idea a while back, considering what it would take to create a CRPG based in the 'Ringworld' or 'Metamorphis Alpha' setting (ie: gameplay space which could almost be termed infinity).
In the end, it all came down to three issues.
1) Storage: When dealing with a game which would essentially have a non-finite playtime, variety is going to be the spice of life. However, even the largest gameplay arenas feel small over time (I know Ultima like the back of my hand). In order to create a world or environment of this scale, you are going to need to seed randomly-created towns, landscape, characters, and quests over a large area. That's going to take massive amounts of storage space.
2) Things To Do: It's going to be hard to continually generate new stories or things for the players to do. If you're running this as a MMORPG, then you could have an infrastructure to seed new stories or quests (but back then we were dealing with single-player issues). You also want to get away from the Fedex Quest storylines of most RPG's (Elder Scrolls)
3) AI: This was the main issue. To keep it interesting, you have to have good AI. If you have a good enough AI, and can seed goals, then the NPC characters could actually generate interesting stories/quests. In fact, we developed a good model of a fame system that would work with both the NPC and PC's, where their actions would influence choices made by other characters.
Nearly 10 years ago, this was all out of reach. However, today it appears that it could soon be a reality. Now if we can just get an Ultima Underworld/System Shock game with full-immersion capabilities, I'll be ready to quit my job and become a game potato.
I honestly don't pay much attention to side-by-side comparisons, unless the systems themselves are significantly similar. To me, comparing an Apple to a PC is akin to doing a comparison between an Xbox and a PS2. Both systems will outperform the other when using certain tests, while in other cases they will be similar.
It all comes down to a combination of hardware and software, and it's relatively easy to skew the results either way using these factors. So getting an unbiased test is going to be very unlikely, even in the best of conditions.
And I've been programming since the Pet/Apple ][/Atari days.
I wanted to make some changes to my website last year to take advantage of a MySQL database. While the O'Reilly Reference at the time got the database configured fine, it was more of an issue of getting the database tied into the website.
I picked up this book and within four hours it was up and running, and coded near-perfectly on the first run (there were some minor tweaks that need to be made for format).
While I agree that there are some great resources for PHP and MYSQL on the web, it doesn't exactly lend itself to armchair (or bathroom) reading. The other problem with the web is that I've found it hard to find step-by-step tutorials, versus code that focuses on a specific command or feature. Once you're familiar with a language, those resources are excellent. But when you're just starting to dabble, it's good to have a reference that takes you step-by-step through the process (even if you end up only skimming 75% of it).
I think the best testimony I can give for this book, is that after using it to get my site up, I lent it to one of the web programmers at the office (and let's just say that my company is a well-recognized name in the computer industry).
Why do I have the feeling that this decade is going to be known as the "Mine! Mine!" decade.
The genie is out of the bottle, and no law, technology, or ad campaign is ever going to put it back in. Copyrights have been violated since the first artist in history signed their name (or stamped their mark) on their work.
(and as a descendent of one of the artists in Altamira, I would like my cut of the souvenir profits)
Why the recording industry (and others) now feel threatened enough to start raising a fuss, is because it's just become much easier. Although, overall, I don't see how it can really hurt their bottom line. They are making many times the profit on their product than they did in the 70's, 80's, and 90's (am I the only one who's noticed how $1 and $2 paperbacks are now selling for $9 - $12. Was there a sudden paper shortage that I never heard about?). Don't even get me started on CD's, do you really expect me to believe that the bottom line cost of a CD is twice as much as a cassette tape (considering the markup).
If the industry would get smart and offer their products at a decent price, it would help to insure that the run-of-the mill consumer is not tempted to use other means to acquire the product. But if they expect that a few words in a lawbook is going to stop what has already started, they are dreaming.
Dr. Wu
PS: If the music industry is so perfect themselves, then why are they settling the lawsuits against them for illegal price fixing.
The only drawback to this idea is that it sounds pricey...
I've had a DirecTivo for nearly two years, and bought a second one a few months back. If you have DirecTV, this will allow you to record two shows at once (which is a godsend). Even better, is that it's recording an already compressed stream, so you don't have to worry about losing any signal quality (other than the already heavily compressed streams of some DTV channels).
The unit will set you back about $350 and do about 35 hours of video. The good news is that on the Sony models that I've bought, I've already been able to add a 80 gig drive vs the original 40 (and it even has an extra power plug and bracket if you just want to double your drives).
I've also talked to some people who have networked these machines, and I'm personally going to investigate installing either a removeable HD or perhaps even a DVD-R.
Great resource for things like this is the TivoCommunity
I think that this a good move, and I for one would like the option to Opt-In to have my viewing habits tracked. Especially since most of my favorite shows could use the ratings boost:D
One question, and I don't know if anyone has the answer. How will Nielson handle information gathered from the DirecTV units, which have the ability to record two shows at the same time. Barely a day goes by that I'm not taping two prime-time shows at the same time.
In a similar vein, what about shows that the viewer doesn't select for recording, but are recorded as 'Tivo Suggestions'. Since the unit is actively watching that channel, wouldn't this skew the results as well?
The desire to be part of the 'in-group' or 'keep up with the Jones', which likely is something which is hard-wired as well...
The downside is that just like 'flash crowds', the quality cannot always be judged by the quantity. For every quality story posted here, there are a million sites promoting the latest flash movie, silly photo, 'I am quizes' and the like. With cell-phone networks, you're more likely to see the 'flash crowd' effect revolve around a police stand-off, celebrity sighting, or breaking news story.
The sad thing is that it's only going to get worse, as I've noticed an increase in the 'idiot on his cell-phone waving to his friend at home' during a live broadcast.
Dr. Wu
Re: Why not a partnership?
on
Borrowing ROMs
·
· Score: 1
This is exactly what I was thinking when Microsoft put the kibosh on the Xbox-MAME emulator a few weeks ago.
Why, with all of their resources, don't they grab the rights to MAME (or create their own), then go out and purchase the rights to all of the 'original' arcade ROM's (but not the actual rights to the game concepts). It should cost them next to nothing, and it could truly be a blockbuster hit.
While it's unlikely they'll be able to get the rights to NES ROM's, I'm sure that the current owners of Coleco, Intellivision, and perhaps Atari would be more than happy to sell them for a price (or develop their own emulators).
I think one of the root causes behind the decline, at least in terms of gaming magazines, is that they can't keep up with the instant-review, demos and walkthru's available on the internet.
If you are a hardcore gamer, you've usually purchased, hacked, and beaten the game weeks before the review appears in a magazine. With the ability to access demos, previews, reviews, and walkthru's with just a few clicks (and usually avoiding having to wade through pages and pages of ads), I just don't see how the print medium can keep up.
I seem to recall that in the early-80's, HeathKit was marketing a robot with similar capabilities. You would think that in the intervening two decades, this entire concept would have been improved a bit.
Actually, the old Mattel Big Trak's also were shown in the commercials as being able to do this (and I'm sure that I'm not the only young child to discover that the amazing ability to sense the presence of stairs and stop, was something that only worked in the commercials). Now I'm actually wondering if the bot will actually open the fridge and get the beer, or if you still need someone in the kitchen to service the bot.
Although many people I know hate the Tasmin Archer song, 'Sleeping Satellite', because they think it's against space travel. I think it sums up where we went wrong, by abandoning the moon.
For a really great read, albeit a fictional one, I really enjoyed Dan Simmons, 'Phases of Gravity'. It's the story of what happened to a fictional crew of three in the Apollo program, years after they returned to Earth. Kind of like the 'American Beauty' of the Space Race.
Sleeping Satellite
Tasmin Archer
I blame you for the moonlit sky
and the dream that died
with the eagles flight
I blame you for the moonlit nights
when I wonder why
are the seas still dry?
don't blame this sleeping satellite
Did we fly to the moon too soon?
did we squander the chance?
in the rush of the race
the reason we chase is lost romance
and still we try
to justify the waste
for a taste of mans greatest adventure
I blame you for the moonlit sky
and the dream that died
with the eagles flight
I blame you for the moonlit nights
when I wonder why
are the seas still dry?
don't blame this sleeping satellite
Have we got what it takes to advance?
did we peak too soon
if the world is so green
then why does it scream under a blue moon?
we wonder why
the earth's sacrificed
for the price of its greatest treasure
I blame you for the moonlit sky
and the dream that died
with the eagles flight
I blame you for the moonlit nights
when I wonder why
are the seas still dry?
don't blame this sleeping satellite
And when we shoot for the stars
what a giant step
have we got what it takes
to carry the weight of this concept?
Or pass it by
like a shot in the dark
miss the mark with a sense of adventure
I blame you for the moonlit sky
and the dream that died
with the eagles flight
I blame you for the moonlit nights
when I wonder why
are the seas still dry?
don't blame this sleeping satellite
Slashdot Mirror
Hmm,
The simulation must have been based on last year's cars. Since Sam Hornish is driving a Chevy, which are conservatively down 40-50 hp on the Honda and Toyota-powered entries, and considering that no Chevy qualfied within 5 miles of the pole speed, the only sure bet on Sam Hornish for this weekend's race is how long it take for him to be lapped.
But then again, it is virtual reality. As evidenced by the stands packed full of fans in the video game.
Dr. Wu
They might not have chosen XServes, but I'm wondering what flavor of open-source OS they are running? It's Linux-based, but there didn't seem to be much said beyond that.
The article also insinuates again that a possible Intel/Apple connection may happen in the near future. Perhaps the servers are going to be running a customized OS, maybe even the mythical Marklar (the Intel-compatible version of OS X that has been rumored for some time).
But still, it would have been nice to see the XServe's get a little more press.
Dr. Wu
He wrote several short stories that dealt with the effects of technology on mobs. Although in his universe, it was teleportation that created the problem, it's certainly relevent with today's technology (just look at the /. effect)
I know that they are included in several collections, the titles are...
- Flash Crowd
- The Last Days Of The Permanent Floating Riot Club
Actually, some of his best writing is that which deals with the psychology of new technologies, such as teleportation. So I would highly recommend that those interested check his work out.
As some have already pointed out, one of the issues would be in maintaining some semblence of story or plot throughout the experience, even though there wouldn't be a hard-coded 'storyline' to work through.
A group of us in college tossed around this idea a while back, considering what it would take to create a CRPG based in the 'Ringworld' or 'Metamorphis Alpha' setting (ie: gameplay space which could almost be termed infinity).
In the end, it all came down to three issues.
1) Storage: When dealing with a game which would essentially have a non-finite playtime, variety is going to be the spice of life. However, even the largest gameplay arenas feel small over time (I know Ultima like the back of my hand). In order to create a world or environment of this scale, you are going to need to seed randomly-created towns, landscape, characters, and quests over a large area. That's going to take massive amounts of storage space.
2) Things To Do: It's going to be hard to continually generate new stories or things for the players to do. If you're running this as a MMORPG, then you could have an infrastructure to seed new stories or quests (but back then we were dealing with single-player issues). You also want to get away from the Fedex Quest storylines of most RPG's (Elder Scrolls)
3) AI: This was the main issue. To keep it interesting, you have to have good AI. If you have a good enough AI, and can seed goals, then the NPC characters could actually generate interesting stories/quests. In fact, we developed a good model of a fame system that would work with both the NPC and PC's, where their actions would influence choices made by other characters.
Nearly 10 years ago, this was all out of reach. However, today it appears that it could soon be a reality. Now if we can just get an Ultima Underworld/System Shock game with full-immersion capabilities, I'll be ready to quit my job and become a game potato.
Dr. Wu
I honestly don't pay much attention to side-by-side comparisons, unless the systems themselves are significantly similar. To me, comparing an Apple to a PC is akin to doing a comparison between an Xbox and a PS2. Both systems will outperform the other when using certain tests, while in other cases they will be similar.
It all comes down to a combination of hardware and software, and it's relatively easy to skew the results either way using these factors. So getting an unbiased test is going to be very unlikely, even in the best of conditions.
My motto is, if it works for you, go with it.
Dr. Wu
And I've been programming since the Pet/Apple ][/Atari days.
I wanted to make some changes to my website last year to take advantage of a MySQL database. While the O'Reilly Reference at the time got the database configured fine, it was more of an issue of getting the database tied into the website.
I picked up this book and within four hours it was up and running, and coded near-perfectly on the first run (there were some minor tweaks that need to be made for format).
While I agree that there are some great resources for PHP and MYSQL on the web, it doesn't exactly lend itself to armchair (or bathroom) reading. The other problem with the web is that I've found it hard to find step-by-step tutorials, versus code that focuses on a specific command or feature. Once you're familiar with a language, those resources are excellent. But when you're just starting to dabble, it's good to have a reference that takes you step-by-step through the process (even if you end up only skimming 75% of it).
I think the best testimony I can give for this book, is that after using it to get my site up, I lent it to one of the web programmers at the office (and let's just say that my company is a well-recognized name in the computer industry).
I haven't seen the book for six months.
Dr. Wu
Why do I have the feeling that this decade is going to be known as the "Mine! Mine!" decade.
The genie is out of the bottle, and no law, technology, or ad campaign is ever going to put it back in. Copyrights have been violated since the first artist in history signed their name (or stamped their mark) on their work.
(and as a descendent of one of the artists in Altamira, I would like my cut of the souvenir profits)
Why the recording industry (and others) now feel threatened enough to start raising a fuss, is because it's just become much easier. Although, overall, I don't see how it can really hurt their bottom line. They are making many times the profit on their product than they did in the 70's, 80's, and 90's (am I the only one who's noticed how $1 and $2 paperbacks are now selling for $9 - $12. Was there a sudden paper shortage that I never heard about?). Don't even get me started on CD's, do you really expect me to believe that the bottom line cost of a CD is twice as much as a cassette tape (considering the markup).
If the industry would get smart and offer their products at a decent price, it would help to insure that the run-of-the mill consumer is not tempted to use other means to acquire the product. But if they expect that a few words in a lawbook is going to stop what has already started, they are dreaming.
Dr. Wu
PS: If the music industry is so perfect themselves, then why are they settling the lawsuits against them for illegal price fixing.
Music CD Settlement
The only drawback to this idea is that it sounds pricey...
I've had a DirecTivo for nearly two years, and bought a second one a few months back. If you have DirecTV, this will allow you to record two shows at once (which is a godsend). Even better, is that it's recording an already compressed stream, so you don't have to worry about losing any signal quality (other than the already heavily compressed streams of some DTV channels).
The unit will set you back about $350 and do about 35 hours of video. The good news is that on the Sony models that I've bought, I've already been able to add a 80 gig drive vs the original 40 (and it even has an extra power plug and bracket if you just want to double your drives).
I've also talked to some people who have networked these machines, and I'm personally going to investigate installing either a removeable HD or perhaps even a DVD-R.
Great resource for things like this is the TivoCommunity
Dr. Wu
If he takes the part, that will be the third actor named Reeve(s) playing the role of Superman. Kind of bizarre...
George Reeves (TV Series)
Christopher Reeve (Movie)
Keanu Reeve (Movie)
Heck, if you're going for the original 'Superman', you could probably tie in Steve Reeves as Hercules.
That's a whole lotta Reeve's
I think that this a good move, and I for one would like the option to Opt-In to have my viewing habits tracked. Especially since most of my favorite shows could use the ratings boost :D
One question, and I don't know if anyone has the answer. How will Nielson handle information gathered from the DirecTV units, which have the ability to record two shows at the same time. Barely a day goes by that I'm not taping two prime-time shows at the same time.
In a similar vein, what about shows that the viewer doesn't select for recording, but are recorded as 'Tivo Suggestions'. Since the unit is actively watching that channel, wouldn't this skew the results as well?
Dr. Wu
The desire to be part of the 'in-group' or 'keep up with the Jones', which likely is something which is hard-wired as well...
The downside is that just like 'flash crowds', the quality cannot always be judged by the quantity. For every quality story posted here, there are a million sites promoting the latest flash movie, silly photo, 'I am quizes' and the like. With cell-phone networks, you're more likely to see the 'flash crowd' effect revolve around a police stand-off, celebrity sighting, or breaking news story.
The sad thing is that it's only going to get worse, as I've noticed an increase in the 'idiot on his cell-phone waving to his friend at home' during a live broadcast.
Dr. Wu
This is exactly what I was thinking when Microsoft put the kibosh on the Xbox-MAME emulator a few weeks ago.
Why, with all of their resources, don't they grab the rights to MAME (or create their own), then go out and purchase the rights to all of the 'original' arcade ROM's (but not the actual rights to the game concepts). It should cost them next to nothing, and it could truly be a blockbuster hit.
While it's unlikely they'll be able to get the rights to NES ROM's, I'm sure that the current owners of Coleco, Intellivision, and perhaps Atari would be more than happy to sell them for a price (or develop their own emulators).
Dr. Wu
I think one of the root causes behind the decline, at least in terms of gaming magazines, is that they can't keep up with the instant-review, demos and walkthru's available on the internet.
If you are a hardcore gamer, you've usually purchased, hacked, and beaten the game weeks before the review appears in a magazine. With the ability to access demos, previews, reviews, and walkthru's with just a few clicks (and usually avoiding having to wade through pages and pages of ads), I just don't see how the print medium can keep up.
Dr. Wu
I seem to recall that in the early-80's, HeathKit was marketing a robot with similar capabilities. You would think that in the intervening two decades, this entire concept would have been improved a bit.
Actually, the old Mattel Big Trak's also were shown in the commercials as being able to do this (and I'm sure that I'm not the only young child to discover that the amazing ability to sense the presence of stairs and stop, was something that only worked in the commercials). Now I'm actually wondering if the bot will actually open the fridge and get the beer, or if you still need someone in the kitchen to service the bot.
-Tensai
Although many people I know hate the Tasmin Archer song, 'Sleeping Satellite', because they think it's against space travel. I think it sums up where we went wrong, by abandoning the moon.
For a really great read, albeit a fictional one, I really enjoyed Dan Simmons, 'Phases of Gravity'. It's the story of what happened to a fictional crew of three in the Apollo program, years after they returned to Earth. Kind of like the 'American Beauty' of the Space Race.
Sleeping Satellite
Tasmin Archer
I blame you for the moonlit sky
and the dream that died
with the eagles flight
I blame you for the moonlit nights
when I wonder why
are the seas still dry?
don't blame this sleeping satellite
Did we fly to the moon too soon?
did we squander the chance?
in the rush of the race
the reason we chase is lost romance
and still we try
to justify the waste
for a taste of mans greatest adventure
I blame you for the moonlit sky
and the dream that died
with the eagles flight
I blame you for the moonlit nights
when I wonder why
are the seas still dry?
don't blame this sleeping satellite
Have we got what it takes to advance?
did we peak too soon
if the world is so green
then why does it scream under a blue moon?
we wonder why
the earth's sacrificed
for the price of its greatest treasure
I blame you for the moonlit sky
and the dream that died
with the eagles flight
I blame you for the moonlit nights
when I wonder why
are the seas still dry?
don't blame this sleeping satellite
And when we shoot for the stars
what a giant step
have we got what it takes
to carry the weight of this concept?
Or pass it by
like a shot in the dark
miss the mark with a sense of adventure
I blame you for the moonlit sky
and the dream that died
with the eagles flight
I blame you for the moonlit nights
when I wonder why
are the seas still dry?
don't blame this sleeping satellite
-Dr. Wu