Browsed by
Category: Interesting or Cool

Preserving and releasing old games

Preserving and releasing old games

Comments 0 Comment

Nightdive Studios is on a mission to bring back lost and forgotten games. They have released some very true to the original updates of games like Quake, System Shock, Turok, and Dark Forces.

They also act as kind of preservationists. They contact the original studios to archive and include a lot of extras with the games. Quake 2 includes behind-the-scenes making of the game with concept art, discarded enemies, videos, etc. The PC source code for the original System Shock was found in a subfolder on a Mac. The most recently did this with a re-release of one of my favorites: System Shock 2.

I hope they keep digging up these old classics and making them available for generations to come.

Small Modular Reactors: Still Too Expensive, Too Slow, and Too Risky.

Small Modular Reactors: Still Too Expensive, Too Slow, and Too Risky.

Comments 0 Comment

Small modular nuclear reactors (SMR) are generally defined as nuclear plants that top out at about 300 megawatts. That’s enough to run about 30,000 US homes. Advocates have been excited and spreading lots of hype. They claim the new designs are safer, cheaper, and faster to build. There are nearly 80 SMR projects currently in various stages of development around the world. SMR advocates have said these new designs are the answer to our future power needs.

The most recent IEEFA report looked at all these projects brought those aspirations back to a crashing reality. In fact, these SMR efforts have been shockingly similar to large, classical big nuclear projects. Many have massive 200-700% cost overruns and experiencing delays of 3-4 times longer than originally planned. Worse, they even have more financial and security risks than classical designs simply due to unknowns. Since these designs contain lots of newer and relatively untested ideas – there’s lots of risk of issues nobody thought of. These risks are especially true for long-term cost of operations/maintenance and end-of-life decommissioning.

Read more here

Funky computer cases

Funky computer cases

Comments 0 Comment

Jonsbo Mod5, DeepCool Quadstellar Infinity, Azza Pyramid. There’s some funky computer cases out there. Some even approach looking like modernist works of art. But there’s lots of oddball misses like pyramids and Ottomans. Even Apple has had a fair amount of duds for each of their design successes.

I’d love to see some artists really think about computer aesthetics. Some of the designs from the 1950’s or Kubrick’s 2001 look better than what we have today.

90’s computing nightmares – as a game

90’s computing nightmares – as a game

Comments 0 Comment

Do you miss computing from the 90’s? Innocuous little programs that turn out to install hordes of malware?

Odd Games has released a nifty little game called Malware that lets you relive those glory days with rogue software and malicious installers – can you spot them all and keep your computer clean? (Review)

It does raise the interesting question: would it be worth making a modern version of this as an educational aid for people and kids learning to use computers. It could teach them about common scams, malware, bitcoin theft, and many other interesting topics. Could it be as interesting as the Oregon Trail?

Ferrofluid Speakers

Ferrofluid Speakers

Comments 0 Comment

A few ferrofluid speakers have hit the market. Beyond just your simple bluetooth speaker, these put on a little show at the same time. They contain a blob of ferrofluid suspended in clear liquid. As the music plays, it pulses magnetic fields through the medium and make the fluid dance. These two speakers seem to be the most interesting. Sovenomund Dancing Ferrofluid Speaker and the CAULO Wireless Ferrofluid Speaker.

Conjured Architecture at Walt Disney

Conjured Architecture at Walt Disney

Comments 0 Comment

Disney Imagineering are using the term ‘conjured architecture’ to describe the magical, fluid, and organic appearance of the animated villians and their lairs. A look they are trying to capture in upcoming villain-themed land in their theme parks.

In looking at their inspiration media, it seems they’re utilizing organic flowing patterns found in art nouveau styles. Read more here or on the Disney Parks blog.

Winter in Riisitunturi National Park, Finland

Winter in Riisitunturi National Park, Finland

Comments 0 Comment

Riisitunturi National Park, in Finnish Lapland, is well known for its iconic, snow-laden forests, where trees become “sculptures” under the immense weight of accumulated snow and ice. The phenomenon is known as tykky.

Links: