City Life: RCN Goes All Digital ... Trouble
Begins Already...

post from Cathode Tan on 13 February 2008 12:24:00 PM. © Cathode Tan

For RCN users in Chicago, soon you'll be able to have any kind of television you want ... as long as it is digital. Our condo association sent out notices about the change so we went ahead and ordered a couple converter boxes. One for the TV, one for the Mac Mini.

The last time I had digital cable was with Comcast and it was an absolute disaster. Channels would disappear, the quality was inconsistent and Comcast's final technical solution was "well, you could always just use the analog." At the time, it kinda annoyed me, but honestly didn't seem like that bad of a scenario when we got this place and couldn't get DirectTV.

Thing is, I'm an engineer and there's something about digital TV that bugs me. OK, there's something about converter boxes that bug, really, but here in the US that is one and the same. The converter box offers me nothing I really need. It solves no real problem that I had. Sure, it's nice to have a better looking picture ... but I wasn't really putting that in the "problem" category. Same goes for all the other features digital offers - VOD, channel guide, etc.

The problems it has already added, however, are pretty annoying. As I type this, for instance, I have no channels. I have a channel browser bar, which is sure nifty, but there's no actual corresponding image to go with that channel. Now an optimist would say that it is an impressively clear black, at least. I would say it just kind of sucks. My suspicion is that RCN, in their usual folksy low budget kind of way, has underestimated the level of demand that taking a major metro area into digital would have and that instead of taking the advertised ten minutes to download the needed feed - it might be a couple hours.

My other suspicion is that something went wacky with the activation. Can't really do anything about either one except look at a perfectly black screen and wait for. Six. Teen. Minutes.

The second annoyance is that the Mac Mini's main function lately is to serve as a DVR via Elgato's fine EyeTV product. Digital cable pretty much annihilates that because you can't change channels anymore without point the special remote control to the special converter box. That's the future for you - television in any room, stuck in a little box and let out when you ask it nicely. Perhaps in the far, far future we will have technology that will free television and allow a TV to access it easily. Perhaps we could call this space aged technology an antenna.

With crap like this, it is simply no wonder why people torrent stuff. Why wouldn't you? The only real downside is not getting to watch something when it airs. If you're willing to wait a day or so, though, you get a perfectly clear version of your show without commercial interruption. These days you can even grab in HD without much fuss except the extra time to download it.

And unlike digital cable ... torrents would actually fix a problem for me. That being my digital cable of course.

Now on the line with them. Apparently FCC rules forces them to use a security scenario more restrictive - and I do not exaggerate here - than my bank. Plus I had to spend about ten minutes reviewing my account information with them before even getting that point. This woman has an accent which is hard to place, but I would put it at something like southern screeching ... but it might be an eastern dialect.

I think Chicago offers a decent selection of over the air HD. That plasma is looking sweet yet.

OK, after reviewing my address (even though I'm calling about the cable box they just sent me) and asking if my cables were hooked up cables correctly (I asked her politely that if I had not hooked them up correctly if I could see the little channel bar ... ) and asking about my info channel (oh no, you said input channel) ... she finally just re-activated the converter and it mysteriously spurred to life minutes later.

This was exactly how my support calls with Comcast went. Deja vu all over again.

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http://cathodetan.blogspot.com/2008/02/city-life-rcn-goes-all-digital-trouble.htm
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ZOMG: From the makers of Velociraptor Safari
comes Jetpack Brontosaurus

post from Destructoid - Hardcore video game blog on 13 February 2008 12:12:06 PM. © Destructoid - Hardcore video game blog

There isn't really a damn thing to say here except that the folks at Flashbang Studios are f*cking geniuses. The only thing we know about Jetpack Brontosaurus is that you're a Brontosaurus that flies around with a Jetpack. The premise and the concept art has me sold already.

Seriously, these guys need to start making games for XBLA, WiiWare and PSN. Off-Road Velocirapter Safari is still fun and some of their other games are great too. We shall of course let you all know when this game is out.

Hopefully, the next game they make is something based on GuitarAtomik's Cyborg T-Rex clothesline. That would be the bee's knees.

[Word up, PrinceofCannedPeaches.]

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http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Destructoid/~3/234633051/zomg-from-the-makers-of-v
elociraptor-safari-comes-jetpack-brontosaurus-70125.phtml

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Is the PSN Network really that bad

post from bits bytes pixels & sprites on 13 February 2008 12:04:15 PM. © bits bytes pixels & sprites

I may be alone in my opinion on this, but I really think the PSN Network has gotten a bad rap. I picked up a PS3 a few months ago and honestly didn’t see the reason for all of the complaints. Online gaming hasn’t failed me, the friends list isn’t that bad, and [...]

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Designing Games That Are Accessible To Everyone

post from Gamasutra Feature Articles on 13 February 2008 12:00:00 PM. © Gamasutra Feature Articles

In this Gamasutra feature, AudiOdyssey co-developer Glinert explains why usability and accessibility are vital for creating tomorrow's hits, focusing on design principles for targeting and satisfying the disabled gamer.

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mes_that_are_.php

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WTF: American Lost Odyssey packaging is extremely
ghetto

post from Destructoid - Hardcore video game blog on 13 February 2008 11:55:47 AM. © Destructoid - Hardcore video game blog

The American version of the Lost Odyssey packaging sucks. Period. On the left hand side of the above image is the American packaging. It shoves three discs onto one spot and leaves the fourth disc in a little sleeve on the booklet portion. The right hand side of the image is the International packaging. The case is bigger and was designed to contain all four discs properly.

Who in their right mind thought this was a good idea? JRPGs are known for their amazing cases (look at all the PS1 JRPGs). It's bad enough that the Xbox has next to no RPGs as it is, and when they do, it seems like they half ass everything. Sure, there are people who probably don't give a shit and just want to play the game. But in most cases, the people that buy these types of games are the hardcore collectors that try to keep everything nice and pristine.

None of this compares to Jared from GameTap review copy though. Now that's awesome.

[NeoGAF and CronosBlade's C-Blog.]

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-packaging-is-extremely-ghetto-70121.phtml

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2K Games licenses Unreal Engine 3 for mysterious
'unannounced games'

post from Destructoid - Hardcore video game blog on 13 February 2008 11:38:06 AM. © Destructoid - Hardcore video game blog

Yesterday, Epic Games has revealed that their quest for videogame engine domination is almost complete. The Cary, North Carolina-based company announced that 2K Games has licensed the Unreal Engine 3 technology and tools for two unnanounced games currently in development.

"2K had a very positive experience working with Epic's Unreal Engine 3 since it enables games to perform exceptionally well on both console and PC," said president of 2K Games, Christoph Hartman.

Epic's vice president Mark Rein chimes in saying that Epic has "no doubt that the Unreal Engine 3 will continue to assist 2K in producing the industry's most amazing and original games."

BioShock 2: BioShock in Space? BioShock 3: Rapture in 3D? These are both excellent ideas, but we'll just have to wait and see. With GDC right around the corner, we may be hearing something sooner rather than later.