e381 – Cut to the Chase

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saw cutting to the chase
Photo by Karan Bhatia on Unsplash

In this week’s @GamesAtWork_biz episode, Andy, Michael and Michael examine the nurbleflurbiness of a multitude of metaverse articles.  Starting with the the 2022 edition of the Gartner Emerging Tech Hype Cycle, the co-hosts explore various items on the cycle.  It is interesting to note that the metaverse is on the start of the curve, and with a greater than 10 year estimate to the plateau.  Sticking with the metaverse concept, the trio discuss the iHeartRadio Fortnite concert venue sponsored by State Farm.  This spins up a discussion on advertising and influence in the metaverse, and Michael M brings in the example of Vans on Snapchat and that company’s recent popularity resurgence.  

Moving along to Settlers of Catan, Michael, Andy and Michael explore the augmented reality gaming experience from Tilt Five.  They also take a look at Ian Hughes’ tweet using the glasses and wand from earlier in August.  Such well loved games could become the ‘killer app’ for AR.  Tilt Five is well positioned with Catan, D&D and, as the article references, Embracer Group who have the Lord of the Rings gaming franchise.  Definitely a space to watch!  There’s more to look forward to as well – such as the Amazon television series premier of the Rings of Power, due to launch 1 September.  And the new Meta Oculus 3, coming in October.  But wait, there’s more – Apple has an event on 7 September.  So many things to check out in the near future! 

The team wraps up this week’s episode with two micro builds, each intriguing in their own way.  Let’s cut to the chase.  First up, an arduino-powered toy saw that is appropriately used as a Fortnite controller.  And last, an amazing build of a micro micro computer display in the form of a LEGO brick that you just have to see to believe.  

What would you like to see an arduino power?  What would make the best AR game?  Drop us a line at @gamesatwork_biz and let us know! 

Selected Article Links

SkarredGhost blog: The metaverse enters the Gartner hype cycle (but with a 10+ years outlook)

The Verge article: iHeartRadio is trying out a Fortnite ‘metaverse’ concert arena 

Snapchat

Snapchat sponsored avatar clothing options
Snapchat brand name avatar clothing options

The Verge article: The Settlers of Catan will become a holographic AR board game in early 2023

Games at Work e130 The Final Countdown (Catan reference)

Tilt Five

Embracer Group

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

PCGames article: Oculus Quest 3 release date, price, specs rumors of the Meta Quest

Ars Technica article: Meta’s next VR headset will launch in October

Kickstarter: Project Ironside | A $399 Extendable Board Game Table

Cult of Mac article: Kooky interactive site lets you design your own Franken-iPhone 

Michael R’s creation

hackster.io article: A Toy Saw with an Arduino Makes a Great Fortnite Controller

The Verge article: Please, Lego, let this engineer bring your computer brick to life

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:12 — 40.4MB) | Embed

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e380 – Meta Tractors

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Building the Metaverse by Jon Radoff

Michael & Michael talk tractors, #righttorepair, & an @chatwithcharles article on defining the that spurs an in-depth discussion, unpacking @jradoff ’s seven layers.  

In this week’s @GamesAtWork_biz episode, Michael and Michael take things to Defcon – well, just Defcon.  Starting with the right to repair topic, the pair discuss the ownership and security implications for John Deere tractors’ Linux & Windows CE hardware.  According to the current Wikipedia entry, the CE did not stand for anything in particular, and extended support will end in 2023.  Sticking with Defcon, one of the most entertaining talks according to Cory Doctorow was how a high school senior rickrolled the entirety of his school district.  The details of this are included in the Twitter thread in the show notes below.  Give it a look – it is pure genius on the part of the prankster and done in an appropriate manner to help the school district tighten up their security.  

Then, Michael and Michael muse on the meaning of the metaverse.  Is it a place?  Not according to the O’Reilly article.  Launching from Jon Radoff’s Seven Layers of the Metaverse, the Michaels delve right in to the topic that spurred the creation of this podcast many years ago.

The co-hosts wrap things up with an AI prompt follow up from last week that created a steampunk astronaut suit, an Elvish keyboard from Drop (Dwarvish available too!) and a tabletop D&D experience being developed in Unreal shared by Andy in real time! 

Do you want an Entish keyboard?  Are there more platforms or layers to your construct of the Metaverse?  Who would you like to rickroll?  Drop us a line at @gamesatwork_biz and let us know! 

Selected Article Links

Wired article: A New Jailbreak for John Deere Tractors Rides the Right-to-Repair Wave

Wikipedia article: Windows CE 

Games at Work e346 – Skittish Repairs

O’Reilly article: The Metaverse is Not a Place

Hackernoon article: Defining the Metaverse: The New Internet Experience Built By Gamers

Ars Technica article: Lord of the Rings mechanical keyboards are perfect for people who speak Elvish

PC Gamer article: An official D&D virtual tabletop system is being developed in Unreal Engine 5

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:29 — 46.5MB) | Embed

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e379 – Jedi Patents

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Photo by Eric & Niklas on Unsplash

In this week’s @GamesAtWork_biz episode, the complete set of co-hosts (Michael, Andy & Michael) get back together to talk games, technology and more.  Starting things off with an iOS 16 enhancement to show sports scores on the iPhone lock screen spins up a discussion about UX, and of course, not wanting to know live scores of a game that you intend to watch on delay later.  

Then the team turns to a massively multiminifig version of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant built entirely out of LEGO in just nine days. Check out the show notes below for the article, and the video of this amazing build.  Check out the illuminated light sabers.  Andy notes that the London LEGO store has reclaimed the title for being the largest LEGO store on this planet.

Next up, is a story about VR representations of universities in the metaverse, and the co-hosts have a good conversation about the meaning of a digital twin.  Then, following up on a continuing story about AI, a US federal circuit court confirms that an AI cannot be a patent author.  Michael R remembers Accelerando by Charles Stross, and how patents feature in this sci-fi story.  Sticking with the AI subject matter, the team then reflects on DALL-E2 with it’s basketball playing llamas, touches on search engines and wraps up with a squirrel robbing an avatar.

What metaversity might you want to apply to? Would you get a minifig with a “metauniversity” top?  Drop us a line at @gamesatwork_biz and let us know! 

Selected Article Links

MacRumors article: iOS 16 Will Show Live Scores from NBA, MLB, and Premier League Games on iPhone Lock Screen

Nerdist article: Watch LEGO Builders Create a Massive Star Wars Jedi Temple Diorama

Brick Fanatics article: LEGO Store Leicester Square reopens today as world’s biggest store

DigitalTrends article: ‘Metaversities’ let you attend digital twins of real-world college campuses in VR

Rolls Royce article: How Digital Twin technology can enhance Aviation

The Verge article: AI systems can’t patent inventions, US federal circuit court confirms

Games at Work e359 – Speak Friend & Enter (for AI copyright discussion)

Accelerando by Charles Stross

Towards AI blog post: I spent $15 in DALL-E2 credits creating this AI image, and here’s what I learned

LEGO Wall-e 

Fast Company article: Is Reddit a better search engine than Google?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:00 — 47.1MB) | Embed

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e378 – Lionesses Win!

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Photo by Alexander Grigoryev on Unsplash

Congratulations on England’s Lionesses win, mapping trains (unless your GPS is jammed), who is really building the Metaverse? and, happy 40 years to the Commodore 64. Plenty of discussions between Andy and Michael R this week!

Follow-ups and travels

Michael admits that his prediction of which team would win the Women’s EURO 2022 was wrong, and congratulates England’s women footballers! Moving swiftly along, we thank Alexis for his contribution of how far you can travel by train in 5 hours in Europe; and then look at another Tweet, showing maps of where GPS is being jammed or restricted.

Metaversal musings

We take our regular look into all things Metaverse and consider the lovely Ellisland Farm, home of Scots poet Robert Burns, recreated in Minecraft; talk about how the US Military are contributing to the development of a global-scale digital twin for the Metaverse; and wonder whether the VMA’s “Best Metaverse Performance” has anything to do with the Metaverse at all…

Scientific breakthroughs, and a look back in time

In a short segment dedicated to the absent Michael M, the team stop to talk about a story about researchers using spider-based technology for some pretty cool micro-hydraulics!

To wrap up, there’s a look at teeny tiny emulations of 8-bit computers in the browser, and a shout-out to the mighty Commodore 64 on its 40th anniversary. There’s an Itch bundle to pick up, if you feel like celebrating with us!

Finally: will you be watching the new LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation on Disney+? Make sure to Tweet, and tell the good folks at Disney about our podcast!

Selected Article Links

England win UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 (Wikipedia)

How far can you go by train in 5h in Europe (via @Lxs on Twitter)

GPS Jamming

Ellisland Farm in Minecraft

VentureBeat: The U.S. Army, not Meta, is building the metaverse

VMAs Best Metaverse Performance (via Whatleydude on LinkedIn)

  • 1999 – David Bowie’s virtual world

CBS on Twitter – Researchers have turned dead spiders into necrobotic grippers

Tiny 8-bit Emulators

40 Years of C64 Bundle (via @C64Month on Twitter)

Disney+: Star Wars Summer Vacation

Bonus link: Retrotastic

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:42 — 35.3MB) | Embed

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