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MDA is a modem
I have my phone acting as a high-speed modem for my laptop via USB. Neat… I never tried this before, but this hotel had no Internet, so it was worth the frustration. Of course, I had to use the phone to Google the instructions, then keep switching back and forth.
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Metaplace update
I realized that it has been a while since I posted anything about how it is going — so here’s a bit about recent happenings.
The big thing first — yes, more alpha testers are getting in this week. 🙂 So if you’re not in yet, well, time to start calculating the odds again. Remember, there were 10,000 people in line alongside you.
Naturally enough, we are paying close attention to participation on the forums — lots of great discussions there, and a great pool of potential folks to let in early. Of course, the gang there is near and dear to my heart because they have embraced the sqronk (you’ll just have to visit to find out what that means…!)
We’ve also been doing a weekly blog post with info — the latest one just went up. These are pretty detailed posts, too, sometimes with code samples. Among the topics covered:
- An architectural overview
- A discussion of our philosophy on scripting (relevant given recent discussions!)
- Plenty of info on our business model
- A guide to creating art for the platform (inlcuding some wallpaper downloads)
- An explanation of modules and stylesheets (these are the bits that let non-techie people create games and worlds easily)
- And just yesterday, a bit on the event system, which ties into the whole “how we make this platform agnostic” bit, since it covers commands and keymappings and all that jazz.
For example:
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The definition of misery
Is flying cross-country all stuffed up with a head cold. I can’t hear out of one ear now.
Unfortunately, I have several more days of travel. I’ll be doing a panel at MIT’s Futures of Entertainment on Friday over in Boston.
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Numb3rs on MMO-ARGs
Just finished watching the recorded episode of Numb3rs I had on the DVR. It was about an MMO crossed with an ARG.
Two thoughts:
- Why is the design of the fake MMO-ARG so much more intriguing than the real ones? (Except for the world design, which really sucked).
- Why does there always have to be one helpless, pathetic nerd? I mean, this is a show about nerds. The show’s stars aren’t stereotypes like the kid in this episode was…
Anyway, it got surprisingly more right than it got wrong — the distinction between MMORPG and ARG for example, proper use of the term “PvP,” and even a clear distinction between fantasy violence and real life violence. And it did show the huge diversity of game players: a cute old grandma, a biker dude, a day trader, a district attorney.
Most importantly though, it said that the head of the game company making the game was named Binky. Yes, as in Chris “Binky” Launius. Possibly a scribe or consultant knows whereof they speak?