In this week’s @GamesAtWork_biz episode, Michael & Michael show their space geekery & awe for the initial @NASA #JWST images, discuss time travel with maps, future of gaming, automotive microtransactions
Michael and Michael start out this episode with some serious space geekery and outright awe for the first images coming back from the James Webb Space Telescope this week. These initial images are incredibly detailed and the co-hosts agree that it is extremely exciting to think about what discoveries will be made now that the JWST is online and scanning the sky. Conscious of the fact that the light that the JWST is seeing is from billions of years ago, prompts another form of time travel, but on a much shorter scale.
You can use maps of the same place over the years to do some time traveling as well, to see what a place looked like based on old cartography. Old Maps Online and World Imagery Wayback are two such web services included in the Wired article that prompted this discussion. An interesting wrinkle to consider regarding old maps is the concept of a ‘trap street’, which is a fake street or details like incorrect names, elevations, etc designed to trap someone copying another’s map without permission. A terrific Doctor Who makes use of this idea (see show notes below).
The co-hosts enthusiastically note that Magic Leap is rolling out a second generation of their headset in September. Then they consider the talk Mark Venturelli gave at the BIG Festival 2022 in Brazil regarding the future of game design that morphed into a talk on NFTs, and why they are bad for games and gaming. Next up is a story about automotive microtransactions from BMW for services such as heated seats.
Michael R wraps up this week’s episode with a discussion on LG’s rollable phone, and sets up for next week’s conversation with the local game designer from Flying Fish Games.
What would you pay a subscription fee for in your car? Drop us a line at @gamesatwork_biz and let us know!
Selected Article Links
The Verge article: Marvel at the first batch of full color images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
NASA post: NASA’s Webb Delivers Deepest Infrared Image of Universe Yet
NPR article: Scientists have picked up a radio signal ‘heartbeat’ billions of light-years away
Wired article: Travel Back in Time With Street View and Map Archives
OldMapsOnline.org State of North Carolina map from 1796
World Imagery Wayback map of New York City
Doctor Who season 9 episode 10: Face the Raven
Wikipedia: Trap Street
Cnet article: Magic Leap 2 AR Headset Arrives Sept 30, Starting at $3,299
PC Gamer article: Developer turns ‘future of gaming’ talk into a surprise attack on convention’s NFT and blockchain sponsors
The Future of Game Design slides on Google Docs (English version)
The Verge article: BMW starts selling heated seat subscriptions for $18 a month
Games at Work Episode 279: Subscriptions
The Verge article: This video finally proves LG’s Rollable phone was real
Flying Fish Games’ Corporate Sharks
and extra links we didn’t get to
Ars Technica article: High-fives, colorful hearts, and a horrible goose top a short list of new emoji
The Roman 'Vettweiss-Froitzheim Dice Tower'. Dated to the 4th century CE. Intended to be used in dice games to produce a trustworthy throw of one or more dice. Discovered in Germany in 1985. 📷 Rheinisches Landes museum of Bonn. pic.twitter.com/qOqEg1Ii8T
— Angela O'Brien (@GrecianGirly) July 10, 2022
Hackaday article: Even Doom Can Now Run Doom!
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Such a fun episode, Michael & Andy! Loved your discussion on Life by You.