Friday Links: Shark Repellent Edition
Adam West provides heroic insight into the nature of video games. Also, if you doubt Adam West’s credentials for a moment, just remember he has done some crazy shit.
Keep reading for Design Outside the Box, Ozzie continuing to scare people even at his age, and Mayan Space Jam.
Videogame Links
Interesting
Design Outside the Box, a presentation from DICE 2010. This guy has some good points. I would like to subscribe to his newsletter. If you have 30 minutes, I recommend you spend it watching this.
The original pitch to Bioshock was nearly as incoherent as the game itself was. Goddamn this game was bad for having so much potential.
All videogames need an 80’s style movie poster version of themselves to really catch fan attention.
Why we play Mario. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I always wanted to be a plumber. It’s the closest I’m going to get.
Interesting development: the new Dragon Age machinima is canon. This is the first time I think a team has been sponsored by the developers to make something that is continuous with the story.
Suck it, CryEngine! The new 3DMark is the new hotness.
Stat simplification in WoW: Cataclysm, and why that’s a good thing for strategic decisions.
Left 4 Dead cake. I ordered one of these for my wedding. Shhh … don’t tell my fiancee, it’s a surprise!
Video game cakes have a long and storied tradition
Stop motion NES nostalgia video.
The horror of Half-Life zombies. I guess this sort of applies to all zombies though.
Funny
The Lion King + Guile’s Theme = Win. This is undeniable.
Guile ... I don't want to alarm you but there's something wrong with your face. Your theme is awesome, by the way
Valve always has some great commercials. I guess technically this one is an Apple commercial in some respect.
I have brought great shame to my family
The Navy is really going to start using Wii Fit to try to get people into shape for duty? Jesus, we’re all screwed. I hope nobody attacks by water.
Battle vs. Chess, a ripoff of Battle Chess from the 1990’s. I have to say, I don’t really think having a little fight minigame to decide whether your piece takes the other one is that bad. It could be a game ‘based on’ chess, not just animated chess, and that might be an interesting product for some people. If you’re really a chess purist, why are you playing a video game version anyway?
In the US they’re using Danica Patrick and her wafer thin knowledge of video games to sell Blur. In France? Check it out.
Non-Videogame Links
Interesting
Act from the new Cirque du Soleil show. This shit is off the hook. Just wait for it to get going – every time you think it has reached its crazy peak it steps it up another notch. I’m pretty sure these guys are in masks so that when they did once a week they can cover it up.
While this might be cool, your Cirque du Soleil act sucks because it doesn't have the CONSTANT RISK OF HORRIBLE DEATH
This might be an anti-nuclear power ad, but this video called Der Zonenplan is like a great prank combined with that shit film ‘The Happening.’ Respect.
Make any song swing with this Python code. Change the pace of the individual beats.
Cracklin’ Rosie played on a cell phone guitar. Good times … potato salad.
Skynet is upon us (again). Now even uneven rocks can’t stop the machines.
Rachel Maddow finds an interesting link between the current oil spill and one several decades ago. Although at the end it kind of devolves into bashing the oil industry. Also judging profitability on total income, not margins, is stupid. The oil exploration industry has 9.7% margins. We should be bashing breweries with 25% margins. They’re the ones really taking us to the cleaners.
Frazil Ice in Yosemite during the winter. It might look cool … but it will murder you as it does some 16,000 people per minute (back of the envelope).
Ice ice baby
Celebrating 35 years of ILM magic. I always forget that they’re responsible for some of my favorite films; they’ve been tainted in my mind by the new trilogy.
Funny
YES! Finally they are unveiled! The new potential taglines in NBA Jam. My favorites have to be ‘that man has some dunk in his trunk,’ ‘the third little piggie could have used that brick,’ ‘he cleaned him out with that stolenoscopy,’ and ‘uno, dos, calientres!’
He's heating up ... HE'S ON FIRE
Ozzy … he’s still got it.
The Big Caption; sister site to The Big Picture. I’m pretty sure this site isn’t actually that good but it had its moments.
Hypersonic flight: we’re up to 200 seconds from 10 seconds. At 3500mph they really only need a few more seconds to get me from London to New York conveniently.
The largest Kit-Kat bar in the world.
Chris Hardwick teaches us how to go about writing jokes. An underrated talent.
Space Jam’s links to ancient Mayan mythology. My god people … wasn’t this common knowledge? Especially after those rumors about Michael Jordan sacrificing humans to get his power.
Iron Baby. Fear it.
I have brought great shame to my family
I’m not deluded enough to believe this is a ‘typical’ day on Dubai highways. I want to believe it’s typical, however.
Rescue workers have finally met the most dangerous crash on earth: the bee truck crash. May we be spared from its terrible wrath.
Crazy Russian guy is building an underground metro with his own money, and has been since the 1980’s. I’m pretty sure insane hermits is Russia’s largest export. Most of them can do math.
Ok I take it back. Now that sharks can become invisible (sort of), they’ve taken back their title from the bee truck.
You think invisible sharks are bad?
Making cheetos. I always imagined the process was much more horrifying. Maybe that’s only after seeing how they make Chicken McNuggets.
Goddammit; kids these days don’t respect escalators to the degree that they should. That kid is back on the escalator!
That’s all for this week. Did I miss anything good? Hit up the comments!
