tonygoodson

The Future is not in 2.5 dimensions!

I have seen the future.  The future is Wii and Virtual Reality.

Pssst, Microsoft, if you want to kick Google's ass, then you better give up on this 2 dimensional PC screen and mouse and mobile handset and move yourself to 3 dimensions before someone else does.  Give it up!  Let Google have the 2 dimensional world.  Take a risk and move into the real world!

Vista Pah!  Office 2007 Pah!  Get yourself a Nintendo Wii, have a bit of 3D fun and then have a think about where to take us for the next decade.  Bloody Office 2007 is not the answer. Yeh it will keep Microsoft in business for a while, but to do what afterwards?  If you think that ribbon is impressive then you're narrowing your horizons.

I'm telling you, that Nintendo Wii handset, married with some simple Virtual Reality, will give you a view of technology which will set us free from the screen and mouse.  We as humans do not think or work in 14" or 15" or 19 inches, let alone two and a half inches.  Jeez, I'm telling you, it is not that difficult to do if you set your mind to it and focus on it.

Ok, you need to work out a way to give a wall size view of a spreadsheet with perspective, or a MindMap (are you listening MindJet), and enable a glove, or Wii type handset to move the data around.  Sure if you can allow that two handed expanding type interface, even better, but keep it simple to start with.  I've been trying out a few old games, Space Invaders and JetPac, and it's their simplicity that made them great.

Talking of which, the kids and me, finally have a game console.  Our Wii friends in Sydney gave us their Nintendo GameCube and MarioKart-Double Dash, so we're only 10 years behind everyone else now!  But looking over the shoulders of kids playing on the Sony Playstation 3, I don't see that much difference between a Mario GameCube and two generations on. There is only so much you can do to make two dimensions look like three dimensions, which ends up as 2.5 dimensions!

Which Video Game Console for kids?

Jay (aged 3) is beginning to dominate my laptop by playing Elmo and associated Sesame Street things online.  Georgia (aged 5) then takes over and shows him how it's really done!

This has set me thinking.....time for a Video Game Console?

I'm a Video Game Console virgin.  Never owned or used a game console, except for the original Pong type thing in the 70s, and a ZX Spectrum with JetPac! Yeh sure, addicted to Space Invaders, and Tetris, but never on my own console.

So is it time for the kids to become addicted?  And which is it?  Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, or a previous generation console, or build a PC!!  I won't use it much other than to beat them at their own games!!  And by the time they're a bit older, it will be time for the next generation anyway.

My gut feel tells me Nintendo Wii.  All the classic games, plus a bit of movement.  Can I get the classic games?  Super Mario Kart  No desire for media friendly discs and HD.  Probably attach to their TV.  So nothing fancy.

 

Or shall I put off the day and not get them addicted before their time?

Cuboro

Given that I've been playing with my Lego for the last 3 weeks, I think it's time to upgrade.
Cuboro seems to be the answer for me and the kids.
Well me actually.
I want I want I want.

Set - Addiction

Aaaaaarrrrggghhhh.  I'm hooked on "Set" (via Boing Boing).
I don't usually play any computer games, but once in a blue moon I get hooked on something.
This is a card game where you have to identify sets of 3 cards from a group of 12.
Sounds easy.  It completely does your brain in trying to find the Set.
You can play it with dealt cards, or there are some online versions to play with yourself.
I warn you, it's very very addictive.
Set Game Online.

Christmas Presents for all of you

Happy Christmas, here's your Christmas present, take your pick!
It will take you as long to read through the list as actually having presents, opening them, and playing with them.  Enjoy.
My personal choices are the Johnnie 7, Subbeteo, and of course a Raleigh Chopper.
And there are two missing from the list.  Scalextric and Secret Sam(yes, your own assassination kit for a 6 year old)!!

Technology and Chess day!

The geek has come out to play big time today.
Bought Annie a video camera (with free DVD player) for our wedding anniversary yesterday!!
Of course I'm the one who has been playing with it.  Had to go buy a Memory Stick so I could get the still photo bit working, and the MPEG short video.  Got it working but the quality is crap.  I'll have to fiddle a bit.
Also installed a wireless network, at home, finally, so I'm tapping away in the lounge.
I'd better secure this network down in a few minutes!!

And finally, unbeknown to that punk Cameron, I'm a closet chess player, but I haven't been out of the closet for decades, so I'd better get some practise in before I put in the challenge.
Fascinating reading about Bobby Fischer again, having a look at the game Cameron linked to, and finding another game Fischer played.  Amazing.  He seems to be able to see over 10 moves ahead with several variations.  I suspect that some players can see a theme in a position and use instinct, and others are calculating every option 5+ moves ahead.

Damn it, I'm getting addicted again.  If I were on a Desert Island it would be a PC with a chess programme for me.  If I had nothing left, and lost everything, going into deep depression, I'd go to Central Park, New York, and bum around, playing chess there!! That's how deep my chess cuts.

More Chess and Stuff

I've been playing a few more chess games against the software (FreeChess), and actually done very well, on my return. It's not that strong a programme, but it's free!! When I say not strong, I was quite good years ago, so it's easy for me to work out how to beat it, (provided I don't make simple errors).
The programme gets a bit stuck at times, and repeats moves, or does a non-move of no significance. It's doesn't seem to look that far ahead and at all the options.
And like most early chess programmes, it doesn't like end-games. So the best thing to do is keeping swapping down the pieces. You'd think with less pieces on the board, chess computers would like that, but they usually don't.

As for my style of chess. When I was younger, I used to be able to look at most options, and calculate 3-4 moves ahead, and sometimes more. I'd also check for anything unusual going on, maybe even sacrifices, and double check that there's not a piece covering a long diagonal that I haven't noticed. But now, with my aging fading brain, I look at a few options 2-3 moves ahead, don't double check things, play more intuitively, and hope for the best! That's what age (and maybe a lack of patience) does to you!!

Chess

It's many years since I played chess, either against a computer or a real human being.
Just downloaded a freeware chess programme, to have a bit of a practise.
Some of my child prodigy is still there, but I get impatient and make rash moves, especially against a computer.
I could burn up hours playing chess. And for what!
My Desert Island luxury item would be a fully loaded PC with a chess programme on it.
The worst that can happen to me is that I end up a down and out, playing chess in New York Central Park!!