A couple of weeks ago I was one of just a few girls to attend a very busy midnight launch of GTA IV at a local store, queuing up to purchase a copy of the game seconds after release. (Or in my case, keeping someone who wanted to buy a copy company!)  It truly was a glimpse into the world of the ‘Gamer’ – a world to which I’m something of a stranger.  

 

The knowledge that only a precious few copies of this highly anticipated game were available at the launch really got the adrenalin going, and for someone who didn’t particularly care or have an opinion on the game a week before, I ended up more tense and anxious about the possibility of my companion coming away empty handed than he did!!!

 

Could it be compared to the latest Next Sale or similar? - for which my flatmate, bless her, will quite happily queue up and wait hours just to get one particular item? Maybe not, but I really did get caught up in the moment…. I can’t imagine a guy getting quite as anxious over losing a bargain at the Next Sale! But you never know!

 

(I would post a link to GTA IV or possibly Next, but let’s face it, the die hard fans of either will already know where to find them!)

 

Jo

It's rare that I get this excited about a computer game launch... but on Tuesday the 29th April, Rockstar Games launched Grand Theft Auto IV onthe Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

Now I know I'm a geek. I've know that for a while, but even I was shocked at how far into the realm of the Geek I have gone: 23:59 in Tescos at the back of a 50 geek queue waiting for the release!!

Of course after all that excitement I got home and my Xbox broke, but I can still say I was there!!

At least I wasn't stabbed!!

Al

It’s funny how often this happens in my team: one of us hits a brick wall with a coding problem. All avenues lead to errors and it feels like you’ve forgotten the basics of programming.

Calling a colleague over to discuss the issues leads to finding the answer while trying to explain the problem. Does this happen in other industries? Do doctors do the same thing when stumped with some unknown medial complaint?

Al

I am, and always will be, a Director user.

It's the API I used to learn how to code. It's where I cut my teeth in the world of MultiMedia. Then Flash turned up and everyone seem to jump ship... well not me!

So when Adobe released Director 11 I was so happy! Ok, it's version 11 and still only has one level of undo, and the Xtra manufactures haven't kept up (come on INM - Where's secureNet?? I could have really done with that this week!!) but it works properly on Vista and OSX 10.5.

So, why doesn't any one care? Even Adobe forgot to mention it on their homepage when they released it! The first Director release in 4 years and you have to hunt for it on the website...

Anyway, it has a reworked 3D/physics engine and I hope to be doing some fun stuff with it soon! All of you thousands of readers be patient!

Al

We've all seen the Excel easter egg's in the past, but this is something home made using some maths and some macro script.



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Looks like after so many years at the top (13 or so) poor Bill (Gates) has been finally ousted at world's richest man as he finds himself 3rd. He's also unlikely to get back to the top as he stepping down from Microsoft in June this year as well.

Well, can't feel to bad with that much surely?

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- Scott

Yes. It's true; You really can make money by doing nothing!

This guy is staying in bed until he is rich. And he's well on his way having made nearly £4K in under 3 weeks!

Check him out and give him some more cash (he earns money through advertising hits!)

www.slapendrijk.nl

Al

 

I just notice that no-one blogged here on the 29th of Feb...

Only 4 years to wait for the next chance!!

Al

Finally getting back to thinking about my Wii project, I saw this article and wonder if the two technologies could be combined:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2008/02/the_next_3d_revolution.html

Head tracking & true 3D with very light-weight glasses... how cool would that be? Total immersion here we come!

Al

In the past we used to produce hundreds, if not thousands, of CD-ROMs every year.

Then one day we stopped... not our choice, but all of the projects we did on CD moved to the web. Our duplicator is now gathering dust.

So why no more disc based projects? Is it just our client base moving online or is there a general movement away from duplicated media?

With Toshiba (finally) backing out of the newest format war will we find ourselves using 50GB Blu-ray discs for future projects?

And how long would that take to burn?!

Alastair

P.S. the wii project has been put on hold for the last week due to new technology distracting me! Will be back up and running next week! J