I know the site hasn’t been updated in a while. Classic lines for a crappy blog, but I have a good excuse. Unfortunately I was in this freak accident (long story) but I’m getting better. I was in the hospital for a bit and now my leg is in a cast and I’m riding around in a wheelchair for the time being. It sucks, I know, but I could have died so I thank God for sparing my life. Now I am slowly recovering and I have to spend my time on real-life stuff these days. My site will be back in action soon enough, but I need some time to recover. Will post soon, stay tuned.

George Lucus has finally gave confirmation that the entire Star Wars Trilogy will be released in 3D. I’ve been preaching about this for ages, but its nice to get an official word. Word has it that the first film, A New Hope will be coming in late 2009. Although I wasn’t there, Lucus was “rumored” to have showcased one scene from the Star Wars trilogy a few years back behind closed doors. Its nice to see news like this finally getting some headlines. Gawker media had this to say:

DreamWorks Animations CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg confirmed the details in a recent interview with Comingsoon.net saying “Lucas is excited about it” and “He isn’t going to put a product out, I think, that isn’t anything other than first rate.”

Stay tuned for more details, this is certainly one to check in theaters. If you are itching to catch a 3D flick, go check out Journey to the Center of the Earth. I’d say that movie has got some of the best 3D film-making to date. I’ve been totally swamped with work and had my computer crash for a minute (still needing to get more parts), so don’t expect too many updates but I’ll be back soon enough. Note to self: Crucial Ballistix RAM is teh suck!

link: Confirmed: All 6 Star Wars Movies to be Released in 3D [via Gizmodo.com]

Now this here demo has got some of the slickest graphics I have seen in a while. Its not quite even a game yet, its just a small tech demo I found on the internet. However it displays some amazing use of next-gen shaders with weather effects that are damn near photo-real. Much of the awe is due to advanced blurring and other animation techniques that can only be appreciated when seen in motion. If you have a nice high-end video card, this is one demo that is worth checking out.

Keep in mind this was produced by just one programmer in his spare time and honestly looks better than any previous attempts I’ve seen at simulating a storm. Theres not much of a game (yet), but you can at least walk around and drool and the pretty graphics. As a fun little bonus, the demo supports native stereoscopic rendering so it can be viewed on a variety of 3D displays (or even with anaglyph glasses if you’re still using 2D ).

link: Le Cauchemar [ProgrammerArt]

Many attempts have been made at creating interactive comic books, but largely they have failed. Some stick too close to the comic book formula and their idea of “interaction” consists of pressing a button to read another canned response. Others drift more into pure gaming experiences and neglect the story. I am not sure where META4ORCE falls, but it is an interesting blend of narrative and interactivity.

META4ORCE is interactive series done in Flash and playable on any browser. Its very reminiscent of stuff you might find on NewGrounds, but with a professional edge and some semi-decent voice-acting. Between the animated episodes there are short interactive sequences which are surprisingly high-caliber for a browser based title. Its like an animated rip-off of Heroes, but in the future. I’m also a sucker for anything set in the future so this hooked me right away. Its nothing amazing really, but not bad if you have some time to kill.

link: META4ORCE [BBC]

Microsoft takes a lot of flak from the community for not innovating enough, but that is simply not true. Since the very beginning, MS has been no stranger to innovation, and the mouse shown above is proof. I have to say, I’m impressed. The piece on the bottom flips up to give the device and 180 degree arc, perfect for ergonomics. Seriously, Apple just found out that mice can have more than one button (imagine that!), while MS is bringing us into the future. Ok, maybe not exactly. But still, that is one sexy peripheral. Especially at the MSRP of $59.95. Should arrive on store shelves before the years end.

link: Microsoft Announces Futuristic Mouse For Holiday Season [DailyTech]

Intel has partnered with Dreamworks, providing technology capable of meeting the needs of stereoscopic 3D rendering. Dreamwork’s latest 3D film, Monsters vs. Aliens, is said to be powered by Intel’s next-generation chipsets. The Larrabee architecture houses multiple cores (16 or more) and, if Intel is right, could be a revolution in computer graphics. By using the latest in Intel technology, Dreamworks hopes to get an edge in the market. The CEO of DreamWorks Animation, Jeffrey Katzenberg, is an avid proponent of 3D film-making:

“Technology plays a significant role in enabling our artists to tell great stories. By utilizing Intel’s industry-leading computing products, we will create a new and innovative way for moviegoers to experience our films in 3-D.”

This new Larrabee technology should be available publicly in late ‘08, early ‘09. Intel has plans to use stereo 3d not only for digital cinema, but also home theater, PC gaming, and beyond. There’s a very real possibility that Intel could use this to gain support from a market AMD and ATI seem to be ignoring. I had some initial doubts about Intel’s foray into the GPU market, but this news clearly shows that Intel means business.

link: DreamWorks To Create 3D Movies With Intel’s ‘Larrabee’ [TomsHardware]

Vuzix, makers of a variety of head mounted displays, are bringing a new tactical heads-up display to the market. The Tac-Eye LT houses a 852×600 SVGA+ AMOLED display, which offers a number of advantages over LCD technology including more natural colors, smoother motion and unlimited viewing angles. The Tac-Eye LT can be attached to standard ballistic sunglasses such as those from Revision, ESS (shown above), and Oakley. Used in conjunction with an UMPC, you have yourself one very light and sporty wearable-computer.

Clearly targeting military applications, the unit is designed to withstand the harsh conditions of warfare with Vuzix also offering a ruggedized mouse, battery pack and in-line controller to boot. However the price also matches its military specs. At $2,495 for the VGA model, I find it hard to see any applications for the consumer market. However, Vuzix does have a number of mass-market product lines so hopefully this AMOLED display technology will trickle down into more affordable models. The Tac-Eye LT is available for pre-order now, and ships the beginning of next month.

link: Vuzix Tac-Eye LT [pre-order]

SpectreVR is a title every old-school PC gamer should remember. The original game in the series, simply called Spectre, landed in 1991 and was one of the first computer games to offer an online multiplayer 3d environment. It first shipped on the Macintosh platform but later made it to DOS, Windows and even SNES. I have many fond memories of sneaking into the school computer lab and “hacking” an AppleIIgs with the principal’s password just to play this game. It was a pretty big deal back then since that was the only computer in the lab with a color-display (16 colors FTW!). Man, those were the days.

So seeing as how fond I was of the game, I decided to pick up a copy online. No, I don’t mean a bootleg copy. I buy the real stuff to support the industry. Anyway, I was able to find a copy online new-in-box for around $20. Not a bad deal, I thought it might be cool for collector’s value. And if I can find a brand new copy of a PC game from 15 years ago, well then there’s really no excuse to pirate. A few days later a package arrives. But when I open it I’m a bit surprised, this wasn’t the box art I remember. Not that crazy triangle shaped box I wanted, but a blast from the past never-the-less.

Unboxing images, video and rant below…

I pause, staring at the screenshots on the packaging; this doesn’t even look like the same game! WTF!?!? Confused I look closer at the box and the system specs. Then I finally realized that I bought the wrong version. This is the CD-ROM version, for 16-bit Windows, no less. I wanted the original SpectreVR for DOS! After looking online it seems I wasn’t the only one that got confused. This was back when CD-ROM was all the rage and everyone was eager to make a quick port and cash in on the action. Very well, I might was well install it. After all I did actually pay for it. First thing I did was check out the “readme” and boy, have things changed. Look at the system requirements, just amazing:

Requirements
o An IBM or 100% compatible computer with a 486DX or Pentium
processor
o A hard disk drive with 13 MB free space
o Microsoft Windows 3.1
o 8 MB RAM
o A 100% VGA compatible graphics card and monitor
o Double-speed CD ROM drive

I continue reading, just for nostalgic value, and it gets much better. In the middle of describing some of the game’s features it just randomly goes into this cyberpunk dialog like a page from a William Gibson novel. Not just a page either, practically an entire chapter. Here is just one excerpt:

The system slowly rerouted his nerve impulses, and he felt a
buzz descending over his consciousness. Behind his closed
eyes, it dimmed slowly, and suddenly it flared with bright
light. For an instant he felt his body, and the terror of
hypnagogic paralysis passed through him. Fortunately,
awareness of his body dissolved and a distant light coalesced
slowly into the familiar purple horizon of the net. It sure beat
the pain of the old direct connect electrodes.
Welcome to CyberNet.

I was quite impressed with the level of detail that went into writing a novella to put in the readme of a game. They really don’t do stuff like that anymore. But even as surprising as that little story was, I don’t think anything could prepare me for the intro to the game. This sequel came out when CD-ROM drives just blew up and it shows. Seriously, its on the SegaCD level but its great. Check out what is quite possibly the best game intro ever:

Talk about LOL!!!!

However, the game was running pretty slow under Vista 32-bit and wouldn’t go full-screen (although it did install fine, and run, which was a surprise). I decided the just install Windows 3.11 on my new machine! I found this guide that will let you install Windows 3.11 inside of DOSBox. You can see shots of the installation below. Don’t worry, the irony of spending a small fortune on a gaming rig to run a 16-bit Windows title from ‘93 is not lost on me.

Although the intro was very entertaining, as were the rest of the FMV segments, the game itself was sub-par. Clearly this was a quick port and didn’t have the gameplay from the original. Its sad because the graphics were technically better, but it was in the weird period when texture-mapping was a huge deal. So after all the effort the game just sucked! So I bit the bullet and ended up downloading the DOS version from some random ROM site. I figured since that was the version I thought I was paying for, its only fair. No worries, the game runs great in DOSBox and plays a whole lot better to. Here are some shots from the *real* SpectreVR:

Surely those shots don’t hold a candle to some 3D games of today, but back then this was state-of-the-art in computer graphics. Its really amazing how far we have come since that time. But even with the low-fi graphics, the game is still fun. Plus the music has that classic midi synth vibe going on, good stuff. Definitely one of my favorite games and a great addition to the cyberpunk genre.

Also, this is totally random but I just realized how much of a rip-off my LCD monitor is. The monitor I’ve got is a Sceptre 22″ widescreen display. When I bought it I thought the name sounded familiar, but I didn’t think much of it. Now, upon further review, its pretty obvious the company just straight stole the logo from this game. They swapped 2 letters, but even the font is suspiciously similar. Coincidence… or the ChinaTown special? You decide:

Thank you for connecting to the CyberChannel!!!

The Tech Report has posted their review of the OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator (NIA), a device which allows you to control your PC with your mind. Don’t worry, you won’t have to stick any plugs in your head (at least not yet). The NIA is a non-intrusive headband integrated not only with an EEG, but also EMG and EOG technology. What this means is that not only can this device read some basic mental states, it can also sense various muscle movements, like of the jaw, or the eyes. The small plastic sensors on the band are embedded with conductive nanofibers, so you won’t have to shave your head or lube yourself up either.

The Neural Impulse Actuator is included with software drivers that allow you to map particular thoughts or actions to different keystrokes as well as view a real-time feed from your head. Potentially it could support any and every game out there, but you can’t map it to the mouse. Only keymapping is possible at the moment, so you will still need a mouse to look around. Even so, this could make for some interesting DIY experiments. The NIA retails for about $150, and is probably worth buying for bragging rights alone. I know I sure want one, and its nice to see OCZ releasing this product at a modest price point.

The reviewer over at The Tech Report didn’t necessarily give OCZ’s product the most glowing review, but surely an honest account. I do feel that it is somewhat incomplete, specifically that the EEG functionality was not tested at any length. That is arguably the main feature of the device; allowing the user to control a PC with thought alone. To me, the mouth and eye tracking seem like secondary features, although the review is a pretty good read otherwise.

link: OCZ’s Neural Impulse Actuator [TheTechReport]

It appears that 3D technology wasn’t the only thing on display over at Computex 2008. I just stumbled upon the most smashing gallery of booth-babes, many in futuristic attire. Although some of the designs are a bit over the top, it gives me some hope we won’t still be wearing t-shirts and jeans for the next 50 years. Seriously, what happened to all those wicked designs from the movies? Back when the year 2000 was some science-fiction fantasy. Even though we are kind of in the future, it seems strange that people carry their iPhones in the same pair of Wranglers the cowboys in the old west wore as they rode their horses into the sunset. Well that and kill a bunch of Indians. I’m just saying.

link: Computex 2008 Booth Babes [TechARP]