tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63791812008-07-24T13:55:01.528-07:00Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comBlogger163125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-25181802539251205042008-07-24T13:49:00.000-07:002008-07-24T13:54:56.877-07:00

I don't have time to read my stack this week OR comment on my stack from last week, so we're aiming for sometime next week. However, "Ambush Bug: Year None" is a heckuva comic.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-63324889894653009422008-07-22T09:23:00.001-07:002008-07-22T09:25:49.501-07:00

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-40515587101807212972008-07-22T09:20:00.000-07:002008-07-22T09:22:49.701-07:00

"The way PGG work is that each individual pays a certain amount to play (defectors play but do not pay/cooperate) and in the end profit, which is the total amount gathered in a game, is divided by all players. The reason why diversity increased cooperation had to with the fact that those few individuals with more connections and playing more games (the cooperators) would also have much higher “

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-13277909977005467002008-07-18T21:06:00.000-07:002008-07-18T21:20:11.234-07:00

Apparently, E3 is dead. Or it is for game journalists, who miss the free swag, extra advertising dollars on their sites, free booze, feeling like they're closer to actually being in the game biz, and the free booze. Untold is how much better life is for developers, and how much better games are. Last year was the first year that there was no E3, and it was a *stellar* year for games. Think

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-26693012716426953612008-07-13T11:38:00.000-07:002008-07-13T12:14:53.330-07:00

So, this week, I'm going to forgo the usual best comic post and talk specifically about Final Crisis: Requiem. This issue is basically a eulogy for the Martian Manhunter, who was killed in the latest "Crisis" series. For a couple of years now, rumor has had it that the Martian Manhunter has barely escaped death several times as DC editorial had put him on the "acceptable to sacrifice for

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-33210267748281490552008-07-07T08:37:00.000-07:002008-07-07T08:40:30.394-07:00

Cool linguistics study shows that, no matter what language you speak, if you are asked to relate a sentence in gestures, everyone uses the same format, even if the format of your native language is different. This is good to know if you ever make an animated instruction video that is to be localized to many different countries.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-60697693049863231802008-07-03T17:35:00.000-07:002008-07-03T19:44:24.178-07:00

Two-and-a-half weeks of comics. Ugh. You guys are SO demanding. Wait, no your not. I only write these things to make my friends who don't update their blogs regularly feel inadequate. ;-) Here's the list: Astonishing X-Men #25: Really good start for Warren Ellis' run. The group dynamics are really good. Also, Cyclops gets told he's the world's best superhero, which I used to agree with a long

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-58814141161632752692008-06-29T14:33:00.000-07:002008-06-29T14:42:33.062-07:00

Another Sciencedaily article. Here's the upshot: Trees rot in water slower than in air. This means that the carbon they are storing doesn't get released into the environment as fast. What's the suggestion here? That we fill our rivers with dead trees? Seems to me that dead trees that rot and "release their carbon into the environment" are basically becoming plant food for other trees at a

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-17170150617003968852008-06-27T08:25:00.000-07:002008-06-27T08:37:49.517-07:00

Another study, this time saying that independent thinkers (which are the type you find a greater percentage of in the Western World) are less able to judge spatial distances than the interdependent types of thinkers (which are mostly found in the East). I think, by reading this article, that neither thinker has too much problem with dead reckoning a straight line. Western thinkers, however,

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-56829891430114783132008-06-27T08:17:00.000-07:002008-06-27T08:25:02.723-07:00

I have a monumental stack of comics and very little time to read them. I got through Final Crisis #2, though. Definitely a step up from #1. Loved the Japanese heroes (I wonder if the Chinese guys will show up?) However, knowing how godlike Batman is in a Morrison comic, I feel sorry for the bad guys, who just brought him back to their lair.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-53994337262998984332008-06-25T12:02:00.000-07:002008-06-25T12:08:18.637-07:00

Apparently, seeking out unusual experiences can release dopamine into the brain. This dovetails into game design nicely, in that new experiences: new places to see, new things to do, new weapons to experiment with, can make a game more enjoyable. Unfortunately, this goes straight into the face of game development, where you only have time to create a certain amount of assets to be placed in the

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-46553884994377568922008-06-23T14:43:00.001-07:002008-06-23T14:51:49.917-07:00

This is an interesting study that explains a lot of things. Apparently, a minority of people, when experiencing grief, have the reward centers of their brain stimulated. This causes, over time, an actual addiction to feeling grief. The grief, being a dehabilitating emotion, causes depression which can cause all sorts of life problems. The other week, my wife and I were watching a History of

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-64493262666407662862008-06-22T11:09:00.000-07:002008-06-22T11:27:35.712-07:00

Wow! I have 2.5 weeks of comics to go through. Here's the list: Booster Gold #10: Is Blue Beetle dead again? Did it have to be an homage to Wrath of Kahn? Fantastic Four Secret Invasion #2: A great issue if you wanted to be brought up to speed on Johnny Storm's love life. Nice art. Guardians of the Galaxy #2: The team is gelling, and Vance Astro (the elder) comes back around again. This

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-47139705356889603142008-06-19T08:21:00.000-07:002008-06-19T08:33:07.412-07:00

The book I contributed to, "Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing" was reviewed on Slashdot yesterday. I got a whole paragraph for myself! I will now begin construction of a 10 foot wall around my house to keep out the paparazzi. Unfortunately, since fame != wealth, this wall will be made of the free newspapers that collect on my driveway. Speaking of which, someone should pass a law

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-47300870064506557022008-06-19T08:07:00.000-07:002008-06-19T08:08:25.667-07:00

Stem Cell Researchers Give Old Muscle New Pep

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-59009177803047110182008-06-15T08:20:00.000-07:002008-06-15T08:24:21.406-07:00

Scientists have experimented with using nanoparticles to help grow denser bone. Now all we need is vat-grown muscle replacements and wired reflexes and we'll be set to take down Aztechnology.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-49672810194956574752008-06-13T07:06:00.000-07:002008-06-13T07:12:36.838-07:00

Wow, lots of science news today to blog about. This study shows that students are smarter when they get more sleep. A scientist studied 8th graders in a two week test and proved that, if you get an extra hour's sleep in the morning, you are cognitively sharper. I'm sure this guy impressed all his friends with this one. This does fly in the face of the earlier article I blogged about where "

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-7404151028088252802008-06-13T07:00:00.000-07:002008-06-13T07:04:51.585-07:00

Another useless science article, a scientist has *designed* a flying saucer that uses ionized plasma to fly. Quoting the article: "But Roy is confident that the unique nature of his design will allow it to clear the technological hurdles and take to the skies, and he’s not deterred by the risk of failure." It's a cool idea, and I'm interested in the mechanism of the device, but this article is

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-37011865560967021842008-06-10T14:36:00.000-07:002008-06-10T14:47:51.264-07:00

I hate science news sometimes. Here's an example: Morningness Is A Predictor Of Better Grades In College This article states that researchers found that students who are "morning people" get better grades than "evening people". My problems with this: 1) This test was only taken by kids in psychology courses. This means that "morning psychology students" get better grades in psychology than

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-37602543039382797652008-06-09T08:09:00.000-07:002008-06-09T08:20:55.801-07:00

Scientists shoved people into an MRI machine and took pictures of their brain as they watched movies. I'm pretty sure this won't transfer well to games, in that they tracked the similarity of the viewer's responses to the linear format of films. Games, being notoriously non-linear, (except for some well known Japanese cutscene-fests)probably won't be able to measure up quite as well. However,

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-29022233797963871832008-06-06T20:10:00.000-07:002008-06-06T20:30:47.213-07:00

Here's the weekly list! Atom #24 -- I think I'm going to 25 and then stop. This book is just not doing it for me anymore. It was a lot better when it was a story about a college professor who happened to have a shrinking belt. Now, it's a superhero book about a guy with a shrinking belt who happens to be a professor. Brit #6 -- Lots of mayhem. Like the art. Story has a lot to be desired, I

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-21995759920761483022008-06-05T09:15:00.001-07:002008-06-05T09:20:46.244-07:00

An interesting study showed that proximity, rather than shared interest, better promotes friendship. Basically, you are more likely to become friends with the people your are stuck sharing a space with, like neighbors and workplaces, than you are with people you aren't forced to be around all the time, but share many more similar interests. This is interesting in creating friendships in online

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-48207381066848940982008-06-03T08:54:00.000-07:002008-06-03T09:02:38.105-07:00

Ok, maybe that's not really what the study found. Basically, they found out that a sad mood can boost attention to detail in kids. As a father, I'm not too surprised: when my daughter is happy, she tends to get silly, which, if you've ever tried to teach a kid in a silly mood anything, you'll know it's practically impossible. Unless it's doing something they aren't supposed to do, like making

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-80991971762213538632008-06-02T19:17:00.000-07:002008-06-02T19:27:41.033-07:00

Work is getting a bit crazy, my brain is slowly melting, so this might be a little short. Lots of comics last week. Here's the list: All-Star Superman #11 - Best comic. This will go down as Morrison's finest achievement. Batman #676: aaaannnnd... I'm bored again. The Black Glove, somehow, became less crazy and fresh and just became whiny and petulant. Blue Beetle #27: Kind of a mediocre

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6379181.post-48446320913605197672008-05-29T12:10:00.000-07:002008-05-29T12:13:31.417-07:00

Caltech is looking in to the fact that your sense of fairness is apparently hardwired into your brain. Knowing this, game makers could possibly leverage this to promote certain emotional responses in players. Hmm.

Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01310108261072524244noreply@blogger.com