Gaming Archives - Page 3 of 9 - Situated Research

This Video Game Knows When You’re Scared–And Gets Scarier

February 18, 2014

The director behind the innovative video game Nevermind tells us why biofeedback is the new frontier in gaming.

In the future, horror games will know when you’re scared. And then they’ll get scarier.

Proof: the currently-in-development horror-adventure game Nevermind, which just launched a Kickstarter campaign last week. The game pairs classic first-person exploration with biofeedback data from a heart rate monitor in order to tell when you’re scared and turn up the horror.

IBM Forecasts Major Advances in Cognitive Computing

December 27, 2013

IBM on Tuesday released its annual “5 in 5” list of predictions about technological innovations that will change the way we live in the next five years, with the theme this year being cognitive advances in computing that help machines “learn” how to better serve us.

A Football Fan’s Take on the Xbox One

November 24, 2013

If you love the PS4 and can’t stand Xbox stuff, enjoy your romance. While I will make some references to both machines, it is not meant to be derogatory but informative.

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) – The Xbox One is a great machine with a ton of potential. It will eventually realize said potential but for now it’s good and borderline annoying at times. That time will shrink considerably depending on the release dates of the games you want to play.

From Myst to GTA V: Rockstar Nails the Branching Narrative

September 30, 2013

What stands out about the latest release in the Grand Theft Auto series is the overwhelming size of the game’s map and storyline. However, after playing the game for a while, it becomes apparent that Rockstar Games has done an excellent job at balancing the game by utilizing multiple characters to provide just enough open-endedness for players to explore, while also constraining in-game activities with careful narrative design to keep engagement high during gameplay.

Crossing the UI Rift with Oculus

September 24, 2013

Virtual reality opens the doors to a new era for user interface design. Oculus VR speaks to Develop about its opportunities

Virtual reality doesn’t present user interface design with its first opportunity for transformation.

The dawn of 3D long ago afforded games makers the prospect of moving beyond flat heads-up-displays and conventional menus. And when mobile gaming finally realised its potential with the arrival of smartphones, those charged with implementing UI had a chance to establish the new standards of the virtual gamepad.

Serious Games and the Future of Education

September 18, 2013

Are serious games the classroom tool of the future? Is the future already here? The tablet classroom may have once been the stuff of science fiction, but modern developments in technology and brain science may have come together to create a massive change in the way we think about education.

Ohio State Doctor Shows Promise of Google Glass in Live Surgery

September 12, 2013

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is the first in the United States to consult with a distant colleague using live, point-of-view video from the operating room via Google Glass, a head-mounted computer and camera device.

Leap Motion Review: Is It Time to Replace the Mouse?

July 29, 2013

The Leap Motion releases today, promising to change the way we interact with the personal computer. It delivers on that promise, but change could mean for better or worse. On which side of the spectrum does the Leap land?

Xbox One and PS4 Are Filled with Missed Opportunities

July 22, 2013

Before we knew anything about the PS4 and Xbox One, our imaginations ran wild. When they were just ideas, the next-gen consoles held unlimited possibilities for every gamer. Of course, all of those hopes came crashing down when the infinite possibilities collapsed down into two actual real-life products. The PS4 won’t be shipping with a camera, we’re missing out on some really cool controller technology, and Microsoft bungled the move to an all-digital world. The PS4 and Xbox One could have been a huge leap forward, but instead we’re stuck with baby steps.

Xbox One: The Wobbly Third Leg of Microsoft’s Non-Desktop Trifecta

June 27, 2013

With the complete hardware, services, and pricing unveiled for the Xbox One at E3, we now have the totality of Microsoft’s “next-generation” consumer-oriented lineup: Windows 8 on the desktop, laptop, and tablet, Windows Phone 8 on the smartphone, and Xbox One in the living room.

On paper, this trifecta, seamlessly connected via Microsoft Account, SkyDrive, and Xbox Live, is almost perfect. In reality, though, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Where did it all go wrong for Microsoft?