In 1909 an article appeared in Popular Mechanics by Nikola Tesla, inventor of the AC current, that predicted the availability of wireless SMS texting.
Tesla wrote in the magazine that one day it’d be possible to transmit “wireless messages” all over the world and imagined that such a hand-held device would be simple to use and one day everyone in the world would communicate to friends using it, Porges said.
This would usher in a new era of technology, Telsa wrote in the publication.
“Nikola Tesla was able to predict technology which is still in its nascent forms a hundred years later. He talked a lot about his other great passion, which was wireless power.
“It has taken a little longer to get off the ground, but work on fascinating wireless conductive transmission is going on right now in research centres at MIT and Intel and other places,” ‘The Daily Telegraph’ quoted Porges as saying.
Despite what Microsoft or Blizzard may lead to you believe, real life achievements existed long before the video game ones.
The most specific example that comes to mind is Boy Scouts. Where else, besides the military, will you get the chance to show off every challenge you have conquered, such as a rank advancement or a sports achievement, with a fancy addition to your clothing for everyone to see? It’s an even better way of saying, “Hey, look at me! I have more achievements than that guy!”
So really, we can see that Xbox Live and World of Warcraft just copied merit badges. Digital merit badges. It makes sense.
Need proof? The Cub Scouts (the younger version of the Boy Scouts) have just introduced a video games belt loop and pin for all aspiring scouts. These are the requirements for the belt loop:
1. Explain why it is important to have a rating system for video games. Check your video games to be sure they are right for your age.
2. With an adult, create a schedule for you to do things that includes your chores, homework, and video gaming. Do your best to follow this schedule.
3. Learn to play a new video game that is approved by your parent, guardian, or teacher.
For comparison’s sake, let’s take a look at some comparable Xbox 360 achievements – say, from Modern Warfare 2:
Look Ma Two Hands
- Kill 10 enemies in a row using akimbo weapons in Single Player or Special Ops.
Colonel Sanderson
- Kill 7 chickens in under 10 seconds in “The Hornet’s Nest.”
Back in the Saddle
- Help train the local militia.
As we can see, Microsoft and Blizzard blatantly ripped off the Boy Scouts and no one bothered to call them out on it. Killing seven chickens might as well be the cooking merit badge in video game form. And training your local militia? Hell, that’s a good deed for the day. Even better than helping an old lady cross the street.
Now, I just have one question: Where was this wonderful achievement when I was in the organization? Back in my day, the oh-so-long-ago early ’90s, we had to earn belt loops based on archaic physical activities such as archery, soccer and physical fitness – things modern day kids only experience in their most recent round of Wii Sports Resort.
If my NES-obsessed brain had been given the chance to earn a video games belt loop back then, I would have not only worn it on the front of my belt, but I would have ordered a second one and proudly glued it over the Cub Scouts logo on my hat.
Too little, too late I suppose. But at least this current generation of kids will have something more digital entertainment-based to help them connect Cub Scouts with their lives. Hopefully the Boy Scouts follow suit and offer a video games merit badge soon.
If you’re a fan of Doctor Who and have a soft spot in your heart for the writing of Neil Gaiman, then today is your lucky day as Mr. Gaiman has confirmed that he has indeed written a script for the popular British TV series.
The script is titled The House of Nothing and is slated to air in 2011.
During his acceptance speech for best comic at the SFX Awards, Gaiman said: “As anyone who’s read my blog knows, I’m a big fan of a certain long-running British TV series. One that I started watching – from behind the sofa – when I was three.
“And while I know it’s cruel to make you wait for things, in about 14 months from now – which is to say, not in the upcoming season but early in the one after that – it’s quite possible that I might have written an episode.
“And if I had, it would originally have been called ‘The House of Nothing’. But it definitely isn’t called that any more.”
A spokesman for Doctor Who would not confirm Gaiman’s announcement.
The next series of the show, starring Matt Smith as the 11th Time Lord, is due to air in the spring.
One of our writers posted a critique of the latest wildly-popular BioWare RPG, Mass Effect 2, on our sister site, InfoAddict, and it’s seriously stirred up the emotions of quite a few fanboys so we thought we’d reprint part of it here in case it was of interest to you too.
With an average score of 96 on Metacritic, one would be justified in believing Mass Effect 2 has little room for improvement. An overwhelming majority of so-called game critics have weighed-in, predictably showering Bioware’s latest RPG with roses and garlands.
Bioware is one of a select number of game companies that receives a +3 modifier in review scores. So take an average game that would normally receive a 7, add Bioware’s name to the box, and oila! Instant 10. While this may be great for Bioware’s bottom-line, it’s actually a grave disservice to the company and gamers, not to mention a glowing example of everything that is wrong in game journalism; criticism specifically.
Having played and finished Mass Effect 2, I can safely say, without reservation or hesitation, that Bioware’s latest RPG is a complete mess, from top-to-bottom and not a product worthy of Bioware’s heritage.
Before I launch my critiques, allow me to post a comment from Bioware’s very own Ray Muzyka that appeared in a recent interview given to Computer & Video Games:
Early feedback and reviews for Mass Effect 2 have been hugely positive. You must be delighted?
We look at it really practically. We’ve had a lot of 90-rated games right? Pretty much every game we’ve ever released has been 90-plus. So we take it in our stride. We kind of look at it that sometimes our teams are our worst critics in terms of the way they look at our past work.
While we’re really ecstatic about the feedback we also look at it and say ‘Where are the opportunities for improvement? How do we make the next installment in this trilogy better? How do we make the next installment of Dragon Age better? How do we make Star Wars: The Old Republic better?’ I look more to the future than to the past.
It’s interesting being at the EA meetings and receiving the launch congratulations. I appreciate it and it’s nice to receive nice words and congratulations, but I’m more interested in how we drive success in the future, how we make our next games even better than Mass Effect.
Well Ray, if you want to know how to improve your franchise then I highly recommend you don’t read any actual reviews, because my brethren in the journalism community are rabid fanboys who unfortunately have bylines. You also won’t find much at Metacritic because they de-list any site that has review scores that are not within some arbitrary average, which defeats the entire purpose of aggregate reviews when you remove low scores.
So Ray, that leaves you and me…and few lonely stragglers shouted down in forum posts. Besides, the public has spoken with their wallets: they love Mass Effect 2. Then again, people love the Transformers movies. There is no accounting for taste, but there is bookkeeping when it comes to quality.
That’s just author Jack DeVore getting started, and he doesn’t hold anything back. Follow this link to read the rest of it – or even just to browse through some of the surprising responses made in the comments below!
Over at our sister site, GameAlmighty, they’re having a giveaway featuring calendars filled with gun-toting pin-up girls sent to them by 2K Games to promote their upcoming game, MAFIA II. If you are interested you can find out more here.
Loading ...
Loading ...
