Google Wave Being Used for Pen-and-Paper RPGs

Google Wave role playing

Google Wave is being positioned as a revolutionary collaborative messaging tool with the potential to change how people communicate for business. It still has a long ways to get there, but for now it’s a fantastic geek toy. In addition to being a fine tool to make hilarious YouTube videos, Google Wave is being used for pen-and-paper role-playing games. Ars Tehnica’s Jon Stokes reported:

I wasn’t the least bit surprised to quickly discover a handful of Wave-based roleplaying games already in progress, and many more in various stages of planning. In the past few days, I’ve watched games from the sideline and talked to some Game Masters and gamers—there seems to be an emerging consensus that Google Wave has as much RPG potential as any platform since the venerable and proverbial tabletop.

This is just awesome, awesome stuff. I’m pretty sure that Google didn’t have epic Dungeons & Dragons sessions in mind when it came up with the idea for Google Wave. While I still think it has great potential as a business tool, I’m loving that it’s being used for things like D&D and recreating Pulp Fiction. Whenever you get your Google Wave invite, be sure to bust out your D20!

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Insomniac Says it’s 2 to 3 Years Until PS3 is Maxed Out

Ratchet and Clank Future

While some people believe that we’re already past the midpoint of this console generation, others think that we still have a ways to go. Developer Insomniac Games (Resistance, Ratchet & Clank) is part of the latter group. The company believes that it will be two to three years until the power of the PlayStation 3 is fully realized. In a recent interview with CVG community manager James Stevenson said:

The first couple of years are all about developers getting games up and working. You see what Naughty Dog has had the chance to do in the past two years. You’ve seen what we’ve been able to do in that time. This is where it gets exciting.

I still think you’re not going to see the PS3 really maxed out for another two to three years. We’re using all of the PS3 right now, but you can always be more efficient in the way you use it.

While I do think there are still ways for developers to exploit the power of the PS3, three years seems too long. With games like Uncharted 2, God of War III, and Heavy Rain, it seems like developers are pretty close to maxing out the PS3. While I like and respect Stevenson, his words would have been more powerful coming from someone on the development team.

Still, I could be wrong. What do you guys and dolls think? Will it be three years until the PS3 is pushed to the limits? Or are developers close to that point now?

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PSA: Amazon Having Buy $80, Get $40 in Credit Promo

Amazon logo

Amazon.com is having a great promo that gives you $40 in credit if you buy $80 on select titles. There are lots of great games in the mix, so you’re bound to find something that tickles your dual analogs. Purchases have to be made by October 31. The code will be sent to you within seven days of the items shipping.

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Coffee Talk #12: Grieving 2.0

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the brilliance of Chris Jericho, Mark McGwire’s return to baseball, or how important it is to cherish your loved ones while you still have time, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Twitter logo boxToday’s Coffee Talk is going to be a little different — it’s not going to be on gaming and it’s going to be a little more personal than usual. You see, on Sunday, I lost a dear friend to cancer. This is one of the most heartbreaking experiences of my life. I’m so sad that I won’t be able to talk to her, hear her laugh, travel with her, go to the boxing gym with her, or share a drink at our favorite coffeehouse. I’m trying to focus on all the wonderful things she brought to my life and remember all the excellent times we had. Two of the things that are helping me do this are Facebook and Twitter.

I know a lot of you hate one or both of these social networking services. That just seems silly to me. They’re tools. They’re as useful (or not) as you let them be. Facebook and Twitter have been amazing for helping me deal with the loss of Rannie. I’m happy to read people’s stories about her, see photos they’ve snapped of her over the years, and see people celebrating her life. Friends from all over America, Japan, Thailand, and several other countries have shared their thoughts on Rannie. These people have been using Facebook and Twitter in a beautiful way.

Facebook logo boxSure, a lot of everyday tweets and status updates consist of people telling you what they had for lunch, someone claiming they have a brilliant article to share with you when it’s really a Rick roll, and other nonsense. That’s just people using these tools for frivolity, which is totally fine, but they can also be used for much more. You can use the same hammer to hilariously stub your friend’s toe or help build a house for a homeless family. Like Eric Clapton said, “It’s in the way that you use it.”

So I guess I’m asking and telling you a few things today. What are some useful ways that you use Facebook and Twitter? What do you think is missing from today’s social networking services? Most importantly, try to remember who and what is important to you, and cherish all of it, because life is short.

Barnes & Noble Not Leveraging Stores for Nook E-Reader

Barnes and Noble Nook

Inexplicably, Barnes & Noble will not be leveraging its 700+ stores to sell its upcoming Nook e-Reader. This negates a huge advantage it has over Amazon and its competing Kindle products. According to paidContent, the book store giant will have demo units at all its stores, but only select outlets will be selling them. The site reported:

Its 700-plus U.S. stores should give Barnes & Noble an edge in the contest for e-reader dollars but many won’t be selling the actual Nook on site. Instead, I was told as a customer, the booksellers will order a device for in-store customers from the BN.com website to be shipped to their home, much as the buyer could do online from home. Only certain stores will carry the Nook for on-the-spot sale.

The only reason Barnes & Noble should restrict sales to certain stores is if it has a severe supply problem with the Nook. Otherwise it’s just wasting a huge opportunity. The device is expected to come out at the end of November — right in the middle of the busiest shopping period of the year. It just seems flat-out dumb not to take advantage of all those shoppers. Hopefully, for B&N’s sake, this was just a case of a foolish salesperson giving out poor information.

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Gamers Buying Digital Add-ons, Full Games…Not so Much

Digital Distribution study

A recent study on digital distribution by Today’s Gamers produced some interesting numbers on gamers’ purchasing habits. While around 40 percent of American gamers buy levels or add-ons, only 22 percent buy full games. Here are some other tidibits found by Gamasutra:

58 percent of the U.S. population plays games on consoles, and 41 percent plays PC games; 43 percent of those console players download either levels or complete games.

But for Xbox and PlayStation 3 alone, the figures jump to 73 percent and 68 percent, respectively. The download figure for Wii users is 46 percent.

While I expected the number of people that buy full games via digital distribution to be lower, I didn’t think it would half the number of people that buy levels. A lot of you have mentioned that you still prefer having a box and physical copy, while a few of you have stated that you don’t like that you can’t resell a digital copy. I wonder what’s stopping most people.

Either way, if similar studies produce these kinds of results, it might make publishers think twice about digital distribution. Even publishers that equate it to probable death.

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PSA: Vote for Epic Games’ Mike Capps!!!

Mike CappsMy friend, colleague, and hero Mike “Busta” Capps, president of Epic Games, needs your support. He’s in the running for the North Carolina Technology Association’s tech executive of the year. With your help, he can win this prestigious award.

There are several reasons why Capps is the obvious choice. As a gamer, you should be thankful for Epic titles like Unreal and Gears of War, not to mention the hundreds of games powered by Epic’s Unreal Engine. Secondly, Mike is just an excellent person and lots of fun to hang out with. Lastly, he actually tolerates being called “Busta” Capps (just don’t call him Mikey C — Cliff already owns that gimmick).

Voting closes on October 31, so vote for Mike (a lot). Let’s show North Cackalacky that gamers look out for their own!

Google Voice Lets You Use Voicemail Features with Your Number

Google has updated its Google Voice service to allow you to use your current mobile number with the service’s useful voicemail features. In addition to allowing you to manage your voicemail online, the service also transcribes voice messages. The transcription quality can be off (sometimes leading to unintentional comedy), but I find it to be very useful. I love not having to go through the customary (and archaic) voicemail systems to listen to messages. Anyway, here’s a little video that describes the new feature.

Are any of you using Google Voice? If so, let me know what you like and don’t like about it. If not, go sign up! I highly recommend it.

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New Nintendo DSi with Larger Screens on the Way

According to Japanese newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Nintendo is readying a new DSi model with larger screens. The company is targeting the new model towards older consumers that have problems reading text on the DS and DSi, as well as people looking for a portable console that’s suited for watching movies and reading digital books. Andriasang reported:

The Tuesday morning edition of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports that Nintendo will be attempting to spur sales of its DS line of portable systems. Domestically, the company will be releasing a DSi hardware revision within the calendar year. By the end of the fiscal year, it aims to release the current DSi in Korean and Chinese markets.

The new domestic DSi, which goes unnamed in the paper, is the current DSi with a larger screen. The new screen size is over four inches, well above the current model’s 3.25 inch size.

Nintendo DSi

I’m curious to see if the upcoming model will be snatched up as quickly as its predecessors. With the DS and DSi doing way better than I expected, I’m not going to question Nintendo on this. Still, I have to wonder if older consumers are clamoring for a larger screen and if people want to use a handheld gaming system to read books. Perhaps that’s the case in Japan, but in North America and Europe? I’m doubting Nintendo on the need for this model, but the company has made me eat crow too many times in the past so….

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Raymond’s Rant on WWE Monday Night Raw 10/16/09

Chris JerichoAfter a mixed PPV in Bragging Rights, WWE Monday Night Raw followed up with a show in Buffalo, NY hosted by two NASCAR studs — Kyle Busch and Joey Logano. These two were, by far, the least interesting guest hosts to me, but I completely understand that NASCAR has a huge following. Anyway, here are some random thoughts on tonight’s Raw.

– Chris Jericho is just amazing. Like Hammer, he’s magic on the mic. I loved how he smiled proudly, holding up the Bragging Rights trophy, and I love how he cleared out when the cards were stacked against Big Show. One of the most impressive things about Jericho’s current run is that he can lose and still remain strong. Tonight was another example of that. He lost, still maintained his spot on the totem poll, and was able to give Kofi Kingston the rub.

– Speaking of Kofi, it’s awesome that he finally dropped the goofy Jamaican accent. His promo on Orton was very good — way better than I thought he was capable of at this stage. It’s funny, I didn’t know that Kofi’s accent was a work until I was eating with him at Summer Slam ’09. He just started speaking in a neutral American accent and it totally froze me.

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