Cool Tidbits From the Kinect Revolution

If you own a Kinect, then you know that it's far  more than just a kid's gaming gimmick.  While most games for it are child-centric, the device offers many functionalities that take it well beyond gaming hardware.  I feel cheated when I can't tell my living room TV to pause a video, or change the channel.  Once you get used to controlling an entire echo system with your voice, it feels as if you are living in the future and it's hard to go back to using your hands.  Here are some really cool Kinect stories I've seen floating around the web that show some of the future possibilities powered by Kinect:

The Holodeck is closer to being a reality than ever imagined.  Engandget has been reporting some really cool holagraphic technologies.  How about controlling your Android smartphone on a projection on the wall?  Or creating full 3D renderings with your Windows Phone?  Or even a complete virtual theme park in Korea?  All these things are real and could be closer to becoming available to the masses than you may think.

Check out programming4fun's cool video:

Or this video posted by DDRBoxman controlling an Android phone via Kinect and a projector:


How about integrating your Windows Phone with playing Kinect games on the 360:


Click the image below for the Engadget article about the Korean Kinect theme park:

This SOPA thing is scary...

I don't know about you, but I find this whole SOPA thing frightening...

As I've tried to browse the internet today, I found many of the sites that I frequent blocked by the US government, and many more blacked out in protest.  I felt as if I was being robbed...how can a source of infinite knowledge and sharing, a wild west with no boundaries, suddenly be silenced in a way that makes it feel so barren and cold?

If this is what big dollars are paying the government to do, then this is not a future I want.  I was already banned in the US and Germany for posting my best friend's bachelor party on Youtube because of the soundtrack.  A soundtrack spliced together of music from a show we paid for and went to.  To think not being able to use anything you didn't create yourself in such a public forum is unfathomable.  Just thought I'd post my opinion on this whole thing.  This is a free country, after all.  The web should be kept free as well.  Coming from a family that fled Cuba from communism, and moving from Venezuela to miss it there myself, a government controlled internet is a future I would like to escape again.

As an artist, I view the internet as a way to get my work out to the masses, and encourage anyone to use any of the work I've crafted.  In the end, "pirates" are just fans and probably line the pockets of the man trying to block them far more than those who don't share their passions online.  The man should begin to consider the "pirate" as free advertising and let those of us who love what we love continue sharing and perhaps creating new fans to line their greedy pockets.

Snake! Snaaaaaake!!!

Hideo Kojima released a very awesome picture of a Snakeskin 3DS that will launch with the Special Edition of the Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D remake for that system when it launches in Japan.  No official word on this until January 20th, and no word whether this will be available in the US for it's Q1 release, but I am already frothing for this one!

The Gaming Journal Has Moved

Hey guys, just wanted to let you know the Gaming Journal can be found here: http://e0dgamingjournal.blogspot.com/

Thanks :)

The Gaming Journal 1/2/2012

Another slow day in gaming today.  Did manage to score most of the achievements on uDraw: Instant Artist, and got to get greedy with Wario on my lunch break.  Here is how it broke down...

Game Played uDraw: Instant Artist=Xbox360: Time logged: Around 2 Hours

Unlocked the following achievements:

• COLOR CRAZY-30GS
• JUST A WARM UP-20GS
• GET INSPIRED!-20GS
• SIT BACK AND RELAX-20GS
• CANVAS COUNTRY-50GS
• ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST-20GS
• LOOK, NO MESS!-10GS
• FANCY PANTS-10GS
• SPLAT SUCCESS-10GS
• STROKE OF LUCK-10GS
• IT'S CUSTOMARY-20GS
• ANIMATED ARTIST-20GS
• MY PERSONAL EFFECTS-10GS
• LOCKDOWN!-10GS
• PLACE YOUR MARK-30GS
• TILTING HERO-30GS
• LOST IN PAINT-20GS
• ART CAMP CRAZY-50GS
• DOTS TERRIFIC!-5GS
• I'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER-5GS
• COLOR FILL CRAZED-5GS
• ARTIST IN TRAINING-10GS
• COLOR CONUNDRUM-50GS
• REMMY'S APPRENTICE-50GS
• INTERMEDIATE ARTIST-30GS
• BEGINNER ARTIST-30GS
• ADVANCED ARTIST-30GS
• GREAT START!-20GS
• PICTURE THIS-50GS
• PERSONAL MASTERPIECE-5GS

Tried for the minigame ones, but found the tilt controls too frustrating, and the alien splat game almost painful.  uDraw is a neat concept, but you have to push down on the stylus too hard to make it fun to draw, and the tilt controls are too awful to have fun playing.  Strangely enough, I enjoyed painting by colors the best and found it slightly relaxing.  Unlocked 30/39 for 680/1000GS bringing my Gamerscore to 104,607.

Game Played Warioland 4=3DS Virtual Console: Time logged about 8 minutes

Got through the intro cinematic and the first level while on my lunch break.  I never beat this on the GBA, so I'm going to try to go all the way this time around.

Game Played Mario Kart 7-3DS: Time logged about 5 minutes

Further customized my Mii and attempted to get three stars on my last 50cc circuit.  Only had time for one race though.  Nothing unlocked today.

Game Played Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword-Wii: Time logged about 40 minutes

Started a couple of side quests, expanded my wallet to now hold 900 Rupees.  I can now carry one more item in my pouch.  Caught a few bugs today and generally ran around delivering Pumpkin Soup and trying to find a missing child.  Still loving the game :)

That was it for 1/2/2012.  I'm off work tomorrow, so hopefully there will be more gaming activity :)

The Gaming Journal 1/1/2012

This new year brings a fresh idea.  Starting today, I will document gaming activity and achievements within games to track progress and maybe lend a hand to those stuck somewhere that I have been able to complete.  So here goes my first journal entry on the first day of 2012:

Game played Mario Kart 7: Time logged 1:11

Today I finished all cups in 50cc with 1st place and unlocked the ability to use my Mii as a racer.

Also unlocked were the following racing mods by coin collecting:

• Cloud 9 Body
• Egg 1 Body
• Slick Wheels
• Mushroom Wheels
• Paraglider

Attempted 150cc races, but only got silver on the Mushroom Cup.  This is going to be a tough go as it seems the computer teams up to crush you at 150cc.

Game Played BlayzBloo-3DS: Time Logged about two minutes

Downloaded it from the eShop for $4.99 and just gave it a whirl for a sec.  Seems fun so far, I'm hoping you can unlock more characters.  The game play is really shallow.  I was hoping for more of a Smash Bros. experience.  I recommend waiting on a price drop on this title.

Slow gaming day as I worked most of it.  I'm about to try the UDraw tablet on the 360 for the first time.  I'm pretty excited about this one :)

Tech Predictions Sure to be Wrong for 2012

Happy 2012 everyone!  I hope 2011 was good to you and the new year brings many amazing things!  With all the news and innovations in 2011, it made me wonder what's to come...I submit to you my list of Seven tech predictions for the last year on earth according to the Mayans.  If we make it as a species, it will be fun to look back on this and see how wrong some of these might be.  Join the time capsule and post your predictions, tech or not, in the comments and let's see if we have Nostradamus in our midst.

1. RIM will stop production of Tablets and Smart phones and become a software only provider and begin to regain profits.
2. Windows Phone will gain HUGE market share with the introduction of Windows 8 tablets, which will raise demand by creating a better environment with PC, XBOX, tablet and phone.
3. Sony and Microsoft will announce a new console, probably at the E3 conference in June.
4. 3D TV's, as they are now, will become passe and will only be invigorated by an affordable glasses-free tech, that's available on a big screen.
5. Nintendo will release six new colors of 3DS systems by year's end to add to the four already available.
6. Shigeru Miyamoto will officially announce retirement, thus crushing many fanboys souls.
7. I will finally catch all 649 Pokemon, just in time for the announcement of a NEW game in the series.

Well, that's it for this installment, I hope to get some good replies!  This will be a fun one to look back on...