Apologies for being quiet and the “Closet Drive By” edition...

Image by kirainet via FlickrHope the Holidays are going well with everyone, time with family, friends and a little R&R. Life has been busy here, along with the Holidays I am the proud owner of new work hours. Naturally being thankful for being employed, but trying to adjust to the “Rabbit Hole”, I was hoping for the “Blue Pill”.

Image by FadderUri via Flickr

It's the overnight shift that I am trying to get used to and it's turned my world upside down. I have no doubt that I can adjust, millions of people have, it's just getting there. I miss my pod-casts and time on air and hope to be up and running again soon after all, new is just around the corner.

We are creeping up to the New Year and very soon the busy season will be behind us. I like new stuff because it's...well...it's new. The New Year is like a blank piece of paper, empty, unexplored newness to create whatever we are able to create.

The old piece of paper is marked with mistakes and corrections, our finest moments, accomplishments and the occasional “Oops”. The old paper is wrinkled from use and completely covered, no room for anything else, it's now old and used. It's what we do with the old that determines how we take care of the new.

Some will just toss the old paper away because after all, it's old. Others will smooth out the wrinkles, frame and hang it where they can use it for reference. I don't think there is a right or wrong way, only your way. Some are very confident on how the old piece of paper was used and shred it with the other unneeded documents on life. I fall into the paper hoarder crowd.

My file cabinet looks like someone eating with their mouth full, it's a small 2 door file cabinet with 3 decades of old paper. For me it has nothing to do with confidence, I just enjoy seeing where I have been. I can't wait for the New stuff, I cant wait to get used to the Rabbit Hole and I can't wait to see what my hobby, “Massive Multiplayer Online Games”, have coming in the new year.

Whatever your hobby, your get away, your R&R may be, I hope it's always fresh and new.

Happy New Year.

'tis the Season to be busy

Due to Scheduling issues with work, we are needing to put the Live shows with GNET Radio and Blade Radio on hold. Holidays are a busy time anyway but with the new work schedule it makes it difficult to produce a live show.

When the dust settles we will be back in full flavor, sugar and spice, salt and vinegar, Rum and Coke. As time permits I will continue with the usual blurbage here at the blogspot.

..peace out and good will toward your Alts

Show Cancellations...

Tonights scheduled show on GNET Radio will be MIA due to unforeseen circumstances. Unfortunately, Fridays scheduled show(12/10) at Blade Radio will be as well.

..my apologies, but next week all shows should be as scheduled.

Art's Closet Teaser for 12-8-10

Hey Closet'teers,

We are back this week with another live show and as always, a couple of "Topic Teasers" until then...

"Bigger is Better"

“On the evening of November 21st, 2010, online gaming scenes were suddenly shown on the sky screen of The Place, which's located in Beijing and themed by "Everyone in Beijing Looks up". At 8:40 p.m. on that day, a man drove his car under Asia's currently largest LED screen that's placed above The Place in Beijing, opened his notebook PC with an access to the wireless network, and played the online game lying in a prepared lounging chair.” - MMOsite

"Game Addictions"

"Panorama reporter Raphael Rowe meets a mother who cut off her internet connection at home because she was worried about the amount of time her 19-year-old son was spending playing computer games." - BBC News  (hit link for Video)



AC/DC our Artist Spotlight: Bon Scott or Brian Johnson
"AC/DC’s Brian Johnson joined the Greg Billings Band last month at the Irish Rover Pub in Sarasota, Florida to perform a few AC/DC classics." - hennemusic 

Cancelled Show on Friday 12-3-2010

There will not be an Art's Closet, Friday 12-3 on Blade Radio due to work related interference.

Image via Wikipedia

Depending on the extent of this interference, all live shows may need to be adjusted for more of a work convenient flexibility.

..huh?

Work hours are changing and live shows may need to change as well, stay tuned for more info as we get it.

Art's Closet Episode 10

Episode 10 aired live Dec 1st, 2010 on GNET Radio

Hello Closet'teers,

It was good to be back on air. Tonight we covered our normal chatter, weather, how fast this year is ending and we had a special surprise guest from my brother Steve.

...and the following.

Merchandising in and out of our games.

Giving in game gifts during the holiday season and the gift giving from our favorite MMO's

Pirates of the Burning Sea goes Free to Play and what I saw in game as improvements. 

Holiday Gifts - What not to get for your gamer this season, unless they collect Game Memorabilia. 

Matrix Online Game Card

Tabula Rasa

Nerd Blurb -  U.S. Air Force Creates Powerful Supercomputer Out Of PS3s

Anticipated games for the new year - Rift and DC Universe Online

Gods and Heroes - Update 

Chris “Binky” Launius is with Heatwave Interactive, working again on this project.

Gods and Heroes Dev Chat

Todd Bailey - Senior Content Designer

Phil Tittle – Producer

Tim - Lead Designer

Theta - Marketing

Donna Prior – Community Manager

“Is it Raining or Snowing in your MMO?”

Weather in MMO's

“There was no point in doing a weather system without also creating something cool related to weather.”

We discussed if weather is needed and how we would like to see weather mean something.

MUSIC TOPICS

“Mondegreen, Say What?”

a word or phrase that results from a mishearing of something said or sung <“very close veins” is a mondegreen for “varicose veins”>  

Wiki

“You hide, but don’t get high...?” .....Bob Dylan says to the Beatles?

“Revved up but not wrapped up”

“Where is the bathroom?”

15. Did I mishear the lyrics of "Bad Moon Rising"? "Bathroom on the
right?" I wasn't drunk.

People usually misheard the chorus "there's a bad moon on the rise"
as "there's a bathroom on the right". Today, Fogerty makes fun of it
and purposely slips the "wrong" lyrics into the end of the song.

“'Scuse me while I kiss..who?”

Happy birthday Jimi Hendrix 11-27-1942

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/spotlight-1127-2010/

Related articles

• Pirates Of The Burning Sea Now Free-To-Play (cinemablend.com)
• Gods and Heroes taking beta sign ups (news.bigdownload.com)

God's and Heroes:Rome Rising another revived IP

Hey Closet'teers,

Remember the game Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising? A game originally developed by Perpetual Entertainment? Yes, yes the same company that started to develop Star Trek Online, put Gods and Heroes on hold and then went bust. It's like an artist painting an emotionally beautiful landscape never to be seen or an author spinning tales that could capture your heart and soul but is never read.

Well in case you have not heard, Heatwave Interactive, a game development studio and online publisher located in Austin, Texas has obtained the rights to develop and release the property earlier this year.

I spent some time in the early beta under Perpetual and was excited where they were heading. My first impressions of the combat dynamics were 3 letters “OMG”. At the time of development, combat in our MMO verse was anti-climatic. We had decent enough combat animations which ranged from a particle flash to limited physics, the head bob, you know....Newtons Law or laws (To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction) there are actually three laws but I digress, this isn’t a physics lesson. Gods and Heroes had taken this to the next level for MMO's.

I had always thought that combat animations should be similar to the days of Tekken or Street Fighter, more excitement for the encounter. For me Gods and Heroes somewhat delivered that adrenaline rush.

See below for an early development example, courtesy of IGN

More Gods %26 Heroes: Rome Rising Videos

I realize there is more to any MMO than just combat animation or physics but I hope that Heatwave is adding and not subtracting as they continue to work on this property. I had the opportunity to participate in the “Gods and Heroes Dev Chats”

...below is the result




I will most definitely be keeping an eye on this as well as trying to participate in the Beta. Plus I will be covering this on Wednesday nights Show on GNET as well as my Friday show with Blade Radio

Related articles

• Speak live with Gods & Heroes developers on Ustream (massively.joystiq.com)
• GDCO 2010: Heatwave talks Gods and Heroes (massively.com)
• Gods and Heroes taking beta sign ups (news.bigdownload.com)