My Linux seems to communicate with the camera using gphoto2 library with no problems. I only had to change permissions a bit so that I don't have to be root to mount the camera.
Friday, September 30, 2005
Canon EOS 350D is already here!
...and the resolution seems to be great. This is Chucky:
My Linux seems to communicate with the camera using gphoto2 library with no problems. I only had to change permissions a bit so that I don't have to be root to mount the camera.
My Linux seems to communicate with the camera using gphoto2 library with no problems. I only had to change permissions a bit so that I don't have to be root to mount the camera.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
They are already here!!!
If you look at the live satellite pictures of Czech Republic you can see immense Death Ray being focused to a point southwest of Prague. I hope you know what this means.
Where is Tom Cruise when we need him?
UPDATE: "Bob" notes that this is not satellite but radar image. Of course that makes the whole thing even more sinister!!!
Where is Tom Cruise when we need him?
UPDATE: "Bob" notes that this is not satellite but radar image. Of course that makes the whole thing even more sinister!!!
Moving, Canon, Kirby
Sorry for not updating very often, we are in the process of packing everythin in preparation to moving, while at the same time, plumbing in the whole house is being reconstructed. Some choice photos of all this are here.
Also, we bought Canon EOS 350D semi-pro digital camera online, which should arrive any day now. Karolina says she'd like to go to forest at dawn and take pictures of wild animals (presumably deer, zebras, hippos etc.). And I am rather fed up that the results from my current pocket camera are rather random. E.g. you shoot the same scene 5 times and maybe one of the stills will look nice:
And Kirby: Canvas Curse for Nintendo DS is really nice, with great ideas, innovative control (100% stylus touch), cute graphics, instantly accessible for everyone and "innocent", reminding me of the greatest games 20 years ago.
Also, we bought Canon EOS 350D semi-pro digital camera online, which should arrive any day now. Karolina says she'd like to go to forest at dawn and take pictures of wild animals (presumably deer, zebras, hippos etc.). And I am rather fed up that the results from my current pocket camera are rather random. E.g. you shoot the same scene 5 times and maybe one of the stills will look nice:
And Kirby: Canvas Curse for Nintendo DS is really nice, with great ideas, innovative control (100% stylus touch), cute graphics, instantly accessible for everyone and "innocent", reminding me of the greatest games 20 years ago.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Back to the future
Click here to see the two clocktowers on Namesti Miru getting ahead of themselves.
Friday, September 23, 2005
God is cruel
These unfortunate people have the dubious distinction of being the first to burn to death while fleeing from hurricane.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
9999 levels
The problem I have with most of today's games is that they are SHORT. They usually have some sort of plot that unravels through several levels and after you finish the game, you usually don't have many incentives to come back revisit those levels. Although designers are doing what they can (e.g. allowing you to play through those levels again, with different characters or weapons), the fact is that level design takes time. How to make the game longer?
The first solution would be to generate the levels dynamically. I'm fairly surprised nobody yet came up with algorithm that would generate weird playable levels for example for Quake 3, Half-Life 2 or whatever FPS is currently fashionable (at least i don't know about it). Using this approach, you could have whole planets that you could run through in 3D! Of course the problem is creating the algorithm but I'm surprised no one even tried in the current-generation games (except some basic puzzle games).
The second solution is to make the game worlds so simple levels can be generated very quickly, either by person or by rather simple algorithm. Remember Sentinel with 9999 levels? See also Angband with its dynamically-generated RPG levels ("Champions of Norrath" for PS2 recently attempted something similar, with average success).
Enter Nippon Ichi, Japanese authors of turn-based RPG games for Playstation 2.
As you can see from the screenshot of their "Phantom Brave", they are certainly brave to use such a shitty graphics in Playstation 2 game. However, their games are not about graphics. They are strategy combat games for hardcore gamers who enjoy leveling their characters up to level 9999. Yes, I wrote "9999". After 10 hours of "Phantom Brave", my main character is somewhere around level 15.
To create strong characters in their "Phantom Brave" and "Disgaea" games (and probably also in the others), player has to revisit old (pre-designed) levels he already conquered, preferably with secondary characters so that they can also level up accordingly.
Their games also contain billions and billions of randomly generated levels you can enter to level up and get rare equipment (even levels hidden inside your equipment). It doesn't hurt that their games have weird plot and bizarre sense of humor ("Disgaea" is about cute little Satan's son), but you really don't play them because of the plot.
This might seem pointless to some people but it brings us back to the beginning: Why do we play games? Try telling "World of Warcraft" player that his levelling up is pointless. Nippon Ichi games just help you to realize that - even today - it can be perfectly satisfying experience just to see some numbers increase on the screen.
"Phantom Brave" is currently available in European stores, "Disgaea" (older and slightly better) is hard to get but you could find it in some bargain bin somewhere. (Their "Makai Kingdom" should be released in Europe soon.) Visit DoubleJump forums to get free downloads of strategy guides for both games. Those are REQUIRED if you want to grasp basic concepts.
The first solution would be to generate the levels dynamically. I'm fairly surprised nobody yet came up with algorithm that would generate weird playable levels for example for Quake 3, Half-Life 2 or whatever FPS is currently fashionable (at least i don't know about it). Using this approach, you could have whole planets that you could run through in 3D! Of course the problem is creating the algorithm but I'm surprised no one even tried in the current-generation games (except some basic puzzle games).
The second solution is to make the game worlds so simple levels can be generated very quickly, either by person or by rather simple algorithm. Remember Sentinel with 9999 levels? See also Angband with its dynamically-generated RPG levels ("Champions of Norrath" for PS2 recently attempted something similar, with average success).
Enter Nippon Ichi, Japanese authors of turn-based RPG games for Playstation 2.
As you can see from the screenshot of their "Phantom Brave", they are certainly brave to use such a shitty graphics in Playstation 2 game. However, their games are not about graphics. They are strategy combat games for hardcore gamers who enjoy leveling their characters up to level 9999. Yes, I wrote "9999". After 10 hours of "Phantom Brave", my main character is somewhere around level 15.
To create strong characters in their "Phantom Brave" and "Disgaea" games (and probably also in the others), player has to revisit old (pre-designed) levels he already conquered, preferably with secondary characters so that they can also level up accordingly.
This might seem pointless to some people but it brings us back to the beginning: Why do we play games? Try telling "World of Warcraft" player that his levelling up is pointless. Nippon Ichi games just help you to realize that - even today - it can be perfectly satisfying experience just to see some numbers increase on the screen.
"Phantom Brave" is currently available in European stores, "Disgaea" (older and slightly better) is hard to get but you could find it in some bargain bin somewhere. (Their "Makai Kingdom" should be released in Europe soon.) Visit DoubleJump forums to get free downloads of strategy guides for both games. Those are REQUIRED if you want to grasp basic concepts.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Moving stories
We are in the process of packing everything up before moving to the new flat. The most important story yet: I accidentally found out Karolina scheduled my Pikachu T-shirt to be given to Salvation Army (or whatever). Good thing I noticed that. No, I didn't wear it for many years. So what? This shirt will yet come handy.
Also, Kryspin doesn't want me to pack my soundtracks. He is ALWAYS sitting there!
Also, Kryspin doesn't want me to pack my soundtracks. He is ALWAYS sitting there!
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Grow me some more!
If you liked GROW and GROW RPG, you'll also enjoy GROW: CUBE.
HINT 1: The ball goes last.
HINT 2: The ball needs LONG tube to be completed.
HINT 3: The little people have to do lots of work, they have to go first.
HINT 4: Everything needs to grow - water goes second, right after the people.
HINT 5: No more hints. :)
UPDATE: WTF? You can switch the last two items (i.e. the ball goes second-to-last) and you also get "perfect ending", the same as I did (see talkbacks). This shouldn't be right...???
HINT 1: The ball goes last.
HINT 2: The ball needs LONG tube to be completed.
HINT 3: The little people have to do lots of work, they have to go first.
HINT 4: Everything needs to grow - water goes second, right after the people.
HINT 5: No more hints. :)
UPDATE: WTF? You can switch the last two items (i.e. the ball goes second-to-last) and you also get "perfect ending", the same as I did (see talkbacks). This shouldn't be right...???
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