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stevensavage · 4 years ago

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Creative Paths And Conspiracy

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com and Steve's Tumblr. Find out more at my newsletter.)

Last post, I stated that conspiracy theories are creative acts, even if they have malicious or pathological motivation. It's essential to realize this because seeing them as such helps us identify and counter them. In this post, I'd like to digress on a bit of history because this will let us look at a useful diagnostic tool.

I had followed conspiracy theories for decades, first out of an interest in the paranormal, then to understand politics and the human condition. From 2015 onward, it became necessary for sheer survival in chaotic times. Over the years, I began to see Conspiracy theories fit specific patterns, and in 2020 I realized the patterns fit my Five Forms of Creativity.

My Five Forms of creativity were a system I'd made to classify the different ways people create. The Five Forms were a tool derived from my work on Seventh Sanctum and had proven useful professionally. I wrote them up in their own book, The Power of Creative Paths, and they appear again in Chance's Muse.

Seeing conspiracy theories slot into this simple system confirmed to me that there was a vital element of creativity in conspiracy thinking. It also meant analyzing them as such might provide useful insights. This column is a dignified brain-dump of my attempts to do that.

I realize that this is dangerously close to me having a corkboard with random articles connected by red string. I am staying aware of that, and as I've noted, the Five Forms are just a tool for classifying messy reality. But any skepticism isn't merely acknowledged; it's appreciated.

So let's get to the theory.

THE FIVE FORMS OF CREATIVITY:

The five forms of creativity I identified are:

The Combiner – Combiners shuffle familiar ideas around in familiar patterns. This is "madlibs creativity" and the opposite of the Fuser.

The Fuser - Merges ideas, blurring lines and creating something new. Fuser creativity spawns stories of "Time-Travelling Art Thieves," and the opposite of the pattern-driven Combiner.

The Expander - Expanders pile ideas on top of each other in wild yet surprisingly stable structures. You'll see this in parodies and life sim games, and it's the opposite of The Reducer.

The Reducer - Reducers streamline ideas, strip them down, and even create new ideas by removing parts of others. Minimalist music like Devo or The White Stripes are good examples. The opposite of The Expander.

The Mapper - Mappers create by symbolism and metaphor, strange and profound-seeming connections and relations spun together. They are a unique form of creativity and have no opposite. Grant Morrison's run on The Doom Patrol is a good example.

Now, with a system for classifying creativity, I'd like to attempt to explore what forms of conspiracy theorization appear in each form. With that, we may spot such thinking better and analyze the source or whom the source is imitating.

On to the Brain-dump.

COMBINER

Combiner creativity is madlibs, shuffling words into common patterns to create meaning. It's both syntax and semantics, putting various "trigger" words in distinct orders that lead people to interpret things in certain ways.

In the conspiracy theory world, this is the world of headlines and pithy quotes. "Obama attacks heterosexuality with help of UN" is a joke headline where you could easily swap around a few words to have "Hillary attacks freedom with help of Dr. Fauci." Any time pursuing a trash conspiracy news site exposes you to these headlines, as will breathless tweets.

Combiner creativity usually only speaks to those likely to respond to the patterns and the words invoked. If you see Combiner Conspiracy talk, it's talking to the faithful - probably to manipulate them or show affinity. Except for clumsy efforts to fit in, when you see this kind of creativity used for conspiracy talk, it's by someone who knows what they're doing.

Where I've seen it: Years ago when I jokingly said I could make a conspiracy headline generator. That has haunted me since, as all it would take would be a simple Combiner generator.

FUSER

Fuser creativity is when you combine two ideas into one. It's the novelist that creates a book about "Legal Dramas And AI Lawyers." It's the cook that finds harmony between Indian and Mexican cuisine.

When it comes to conspiracy theories, Fuser creativity is the world of "everything is one." This is when UFOs are vehicles of the Illuminati, or every Lawyer is also part of the Church of Satan. Fuser creativity is a stock in trade of conspiracy thought, and you've probably seen it many times.

Fuser creativity with a conspiratorial bent is usually a good sign you're seeing conspiracy thought. Multiple unrelated elements are said to be the facets of one dark gem of evil. A sign of an active conspiracist - a grifter - is when The Latest Thing In The News gets incorporated into being a facet of the conspiracy theory.

This is similar to the Expander approach, but it's not a "pile on." Instead it's "this is one facet we haven't seen before." It's more nuanced in an area often lacking said nuance.

Where I've seen it: Propagandist news and bottom-feeding grifters, always working the story of the day into a larger theory - and not letting it go.

EXPANDER

Expander creativity is the big pile-on of ideas. This is where you start with "fantasy adventure" and soon have a road trip with two wizards, one of which has a drinking problem, going cross-country to . . . you get the idea. Expander creativity is about distinct ideas cramming together to make wild connections - but you can identify them still.

In conspiracy-land this is common, and more so in the internet age. It's what I've heard called "yes, and" conspiracy thought - where you hear a new idea and toss it into your pile of beliefs. Those giant flowcharts on the internet connecting everything are Expander creativity in action.

It's also the "starter" conspiracy style of belief - also easily witnessed on the internet where you can watch ideas get joined together on Twitter or message boards.

Expander creativity in use is usually the sign of someone either believing anything or trying to control a narrative and incorporate other ideas - to "win" or gain allies or avoid cognitive dissonance.

Where I've seen it: For decades, but I've seen a lot more in the internet age.

REDUCER

Reducer creativity is a rarer creative form, and it's often paired with other types to "reign them in." Reducer creatives can take ideas and remove parts or strip them down to their essence. Though it can seem dull, consider the joy of a precise film that's focused like "Versus" or minimalist music.

In the world of conspiracy, the Reducer approach simplifies ideas to justify conspiracy thought. Middlemen get cut out, inconvenient facts "forgotten," degrees of separation less separated. The messiness of the world gets refined outward for a simpler - and wrong- viewpoint.

Reducer creativity takes talent, and in the conspiracy world, it's used by people who know what they're doing. They ignore inconvenient facts and streamline beliefs. They can take complex headlines and create half-facts. When you see this, someone's probably good at this - and grifting.

Where I've seen it: In the time of Covid I'd watch conspiracists claim relations among people and groups that existed only if you ignored multiple steps. Seeing simplified worldviews - that were wrong - became obvious to me.

MAPPER

FInally, we get to Mappers. These are the creatives of metaphor and symbolism, and rethinking. It's "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" and the Odyssey, or characters who represent the Seven Deadly Sins, or a book loaded with iconography. It's unusual, mystical -and surprising.

In the conspiracy world, this is the symbol-hunters' creativity, always looking for hidden meanings. They'll become concerned about the color of a star's shoes or that the sign on a pizza restaurant looks Satanic. They'll see connections among the unrelated as they're able to bring symbols and metaphors together to explain the nonexistent.

Mapping creativity doesn't stand out one way or another because it is a standard part of conspiracy thought. I usually see it everywhere - it varies more by degree than anything else. Worries about the symbolism of gold fringe on a flag may seem simple, but it's not much different than finding Moloch in toy advertisements.

Where I've seen it: Well, everywhere.

CONCLUSIONS

That's my attempt to see if my Forms of Creativity provide a useful way to identify conspiracy theories and thoughts. And honestly, I think there's something there. It's easy to map them, the mappings are distinct, and there's some diagnostic advantage.

Because this maps so well, this strengthens my belief that conspiratorial thinking can be seen as a creative act. It's likely I'll explore this more in the future.

But next, I'd like to discuss motivations and creativity - taking the view that conspiracy thinking is a creative act, it what it means for common motivations.

Steven Savage

www.StevenSavage.com

www.InformoTron.com

#conspiracy #creative paths #the power of creative paths #conspiracy theories #conspiracy thinking #psychology #politics

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lechevaliermalfet · 6 years ago

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Pistols at Dawn: A Look at Doom and Marathon

In the mid-1990s, the first-person shooter genre was born with Doom. It wasn't the first game of its type. Games like Wolfenstein 3D and Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold preceded it. Catacomb 3D came before either of those. And you can trace the lineage further back if you like. But it was Doom that saw the kind of runaway success most development studios live and die without ever attaining. That success spawned imitators. It was the imitators and their imitations – some of them using the very same engine – that made it a genre. It's how genres are born.

It was interesting to watch that happen in real time.

But that's the PC side of history.

If you were a Macintosh user, you were probably sick to death of your PC-owning friends crowing about Doom, all the more because it wasn't available for your system of choice. Doom would eventually make its way Mac-ward... after its own sequel was eventually released for the system first. Absurd as this sounds, it didn’t really matter too much. Story, and the importance of continuity between games, wasn't exactly a big concern in Doom.

But Mac users had little reason to despair. Because although Doom was and is rightly remembered as a classic, Mac users were privy to a game nearly as good – probably even equal, maybe even better, depending on who you talk to.

That game was Marathon.

More below the cut.

It's hard trying to justify comparisons between Doom and Marathon, because despite their similarities, they aren't really in the same league. It's hard to compare any game that became the jumping-off point for a whole genre to its contemporaries. But as much as I lionize Doom, and as much as everyone else does the same, it's perhaps helpful to think that this is done with the benefit of hindsight. Today, in 2018, we've had nearly two-and-a-half decades of Doom being available for almost every single thing that could conceivably run it.

Remembering Doom in its time, it would have been hard to predict that it would go on to achieve quite the level of adulation it's garnered over the years. It's not that Doom doesn't deserve it. It's more that any game attaining this level of success both in its time and in the long term is basically impossible to predict. Doom was much talked about, it was wildly popular, you heard rumors of whole IT departments losing days of productivity to it in network games, but... Well, it was just one game. Later two. It was perfectly valid to suppose, in the mid-90s, that some developer would surely supplant it with something even better. That's just the way things worked. It's just that Doom was well-made enough, well-balanced enough, that "something even better" didn't come around for a long time.

Still, the Macintosh is not where I would have expected to look for real competition for Doom.

The Mac wasn't actually a barren wasteland, game-wise. It's just easy to remember it that way, especially if, like me, you grew up playing PC games. Most of the games we think of as being influential in the realm of computer gaming tended not to come from that direction. Mac users made up a smaller portion of overall computer users at that point. PCs (still often referred to as "IBM/PC compatibles" at the time) being the larger market and thus a source of larger potential profits, that was where the majority of developers focused their attention. The hassles of porting a game to Mac, whether handled by the original developer or farmed out to somebody else, were frequently judged not to be worth the potential profit. At times, it was determined not to be profitable in the first place.

There were a few games – Myst comes immediately to mind – that bucked this trend, but most Mac games only became influential once they crossed over to PCs, like... Well, like Myst did. The Mac ecosystem just wasn't big enough for anything that happened in it exclusively to influence the wider world of PC gaming.

Actually, let's go with that ecosystem analogy for a minute.

Mac gaming in the early 90s was sort of like Australia. It's a tiny system that only accounted for a small percentage of the biosphere. It had its own unique creatures, similar to animals occupying equivalent ecological niches elsewhere in the world. But on closer inspection, these turned out to all be very different from their counterparts, often in fundamental ways. And then you had some creatures with no real equivalents elsewhere. There was a lot of parallel evolution.

Case in point: Marathon.

Being released a scant eleven days after Doom, you definitely can't accuse it of being one of the imitators. It didn't happen in a vacuum, though.

Its creators, Bungie, were a sort of oddball company whose founders openly admitted that they started off in the Macintosh market not because of any fervent belief in the superiority of the platform, but because it was far less competitive than the PC market at the time.

They started off with Minotaur: The Labyrinths of Crete, a multiplayer-only (more or less) first-person maze game, and followed it up with Pathways Into Darkness.

Pathways was meant to be a sequel to Minotaur at first, until it morphed into its own thing over the course of its development. In genre terms, it's most like a first-person shooter. Except there are heavy adventure game elements, nonlinearity, and multiple endings depending on decisions you make during the game, which are pretty foreign to the genre. It also features a level of resource scarcity that wouldn't be at all out of place in a survival horror game.

Incidentally, I would love to see a source port of Pathways Into Darkness. It is its own weird, awkward beast of a game, and I would dearly love to be able to play it, after having seen only maybe ten minutes of gameplay at a friend's house one time when I was about twelve.

They followed this up with the original Marathon.

Doom is largely iterative. It follows on from a tradition of older FPS games made by its developer, like Wolfenstein 3D and Catacombs 3D. Like those predecessors, it relegates the little apparent story to pre-game and post-game text, and features a very video game-y structure that relies on discrete levels and fast, reflex-oriented play. It adds complexity and sophistication to these elements as seen in previous games, introducing more enemies, more weapons, and more complex and varied environments, then layers all of this on top of an already proven, solid gameplay core.

Marathon, by contrast, simplified and distilled the elements of previous games by its developer. It opts to be more clearly an FPS (as we understand it in modern terms) than any of its predecessors, shedding Pathways' adventure elements and non-linearity while increasing the player's arsenal. However, it's still less straightforward than Doom's pure level-by-level structure. Marathon presents itself as a series of objectives given to the player character (the Security Officer) by various other characters to be achieved within the level. These can range from scouting out particular areas, to ferrying items around the level, to clearing out enemies, to rescuing friendly characters, and so on.

Marathon's story, unlike Doom's, is front and center. Where Doom leaves the player to satisfy themselves that they are slowly progressing toward some ultimate enemy with every stage, Marathon gives the player concrete goals each step of the way, framing each objective as either a way to gain advantage over the enemy, or to recover from setbacks inflicted by them. Doom's story is focused on the player character and their direct actions. For narrative purposes, anything happening beyond your ability to observe is irrelevant. Marathon instead opts to give the player a feeling that although they are the one making crucial things happen in the story, they are not directing the action themselves.

Which brings me to something interesting about Marathon's story.

The player character, the Security Officer, has surprisingly little agency within the narrative. At a guess, I'd say that's because it would be almost impossible to express his own thoughts and emotions with the way the plot is relayed. It's true that most games -- especially in the FPS genre -- tell you what to do. Rescue the princess. Save the world. Prevent nuclear catastrophe. Etc. Etc. But this is normally done in an abstract sense, by presenting you a clear goal and some means to achieve it. Even open-world games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim have an overarching goal that you're meant to be slowly working your way toward.

But while your actions in a given game are generally understood to be working toward the stated goal, the player is usually presented in the narrative as having a choice – or perhaps more accurately as having chosen prior to the beginning of the game proper – regarding whatever path the game puts them on. Mario has chosen to go save Princess Toadstool. Link has chosen to go find the pieces of the Triforce and save Princess Zelda. Sonic has chosen to confront Doctor Robotnik. Even the Doom Guy has chosen to fight the demons infesting the moons of Mars on his own rather than saying "fuck it" and running. The reasons for these choices may in some cases be left up to the player to sort out or to apply their imagination, but the point remains. These characters have chosen their destinies.

The Security Officer from the Marathon trilogy, by contrast, does not. Throughout the games, he is presented as following orders. "Install these three circuits in such-and-such locations". "Scout out this area". "Clear the hostile aliens out of this section of the ship". And so on, and so forth. Even in the backstory, found in the manual, the character is just doing his job, responding to a distress call before he fully realizes the sheer scale of the problem. The player, as the Security Officer, is always moving from one objective to the next on the orders of different AI constructs who happen to be in control of him – more or less – at a given time. The Security Officer is clearly a participant in events, but he lacks true agency.

In fairness, it must have been hard to figure out how to tell a compelling story within the context of a first-person shooter back in the early 90s, which is why so few people did it.

I'm not enough of a programmer to be able to explain it well (understatement; I'm not any kind of programmer), but the basic gist of it is that games like Doom weren't technically in 3D. The environments were rendered in such a way that they appeared in three dimensions from the player's perspective, but as earlier versions of source ports like ZDoom made clear, this was an illusion, one that was shattered the moment you enabled mouse aiming and observed the environments from any angle other than dead-ahead. The enemies, meanwhile, were 2D sprites, which was common in video games of any type for the day.

This was how Marathon was set up as well. It's how basically every first-person shooter worked until the release of Quake – and some after it.

The problem is that this doesn't lend itself very well to more cinematic storytelling. Sprites tended not to be very expressive given the lower resolutions of the day. At least, not sprites drawn to relatively realistic proportions like the ones in Doom and Marathon. So you couldn't really do cinematic storytelling sequences with them, and that left only a handful of other options for getting your story across.

You could do what I tend to think of as Dynamic Stills, a la Ninja Gaiden on the NES. At its best, it enables comic book-style storytelling, but that's about as far as it goes.

You can do FMV cutscenes, which at the time basically involved bad actors in cheap costumes filmed against green screens or really low-budget sets. CG was relatively uncommon (and likely prohibitivesly expensive) even in the mid-90s.

You can do mostly text, interspersed throughout your game.

You can just not have much story at all.

Doom opted for option four. John Carmack has been quoted as saying that story in video games is like story in porn. Everybody expects it to be there, but nobody really cares about it.

I disagree with this sentiment pretty vehemently, as it happens. There are some games that aren't well served by a large amount of plot, and Doom is definitely one of them. But to state that this is or should be true for the medium as a whole is frankly ridiculous.

There's something refreshing, almost freeing, about a game that has less a story than a premise. Doom starts off on Phobos, one of the moons of Mars, which has been invaded by demons from hell. They've gained access by virtue of human scientists' experimentation with teleportation technology gone horribly, horribly wrong. The second episode sees you teleported to Deimos, which as been entirely swallowed up by Hell, and which segues from the purely technological/military environments of Doom to more supernatural environs. Episode 3 has you assaulting Hell proper. Doom II's subtitle, Hell on Earth, tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the setting and premise of the game.

That's it. There are no characters to develop or worry about. It's just you as the lone surviving marine, your improbably large arsenal, and all the demons Hell can throw at you. Go nuts.

Bungie, meanwhile, took a different approach. I can't seem to find out which of their founders said it, but they have been on record as basically being diametrically opposed to Id Software in their attitude about story. "The purpose of games is to tell stories." I wish I knew who at Bungie said that.

Marathon is very much a story-oriented game. Of the aforementioned methods of storytelling, they opted for option three: text, and lots of it.

Marathon's story is complex and labyrinthine, especially as it continues through the sequels (Marathon 2: Durandal and Marathon Infinity), and is open to interpretation at various points. Much is left for the player to piece together themselves. Aside from the player character, the story mainly centers on the actions of three AI constructs: Leela (briefly), Durandal, and Tycho. Their actions, in the face of an invasion by a race of alien slavers called the Pfohr, drive the story.

Their words and actions are relayed to the player by way of text at terminals scattered throughout the game's environments. Some of these take the form of orders and objectives given by the AI to the player character, the Security Officer. Some of these are more musings or rants (two out of the three AIs you work for over the course of the Marathon trilogy are not exactly all there), which serve to flesh out events happening beyond the player's observations, and help build the world. Some of these are seemingly random bits of background information, presented as if they were being accessed by someone else (often an enemy) before they were distracted by something – usually you, shooting everything in sight.

Design-wise, there are some interesting differences.

Doom is old-school from a time when that was the only school, with levels that strike a nice balance between video game-y and still giving at least a vague sense that they were built to be something other than deathtrap mazes. But what makes them old-school, at this point, is the fact that they're levels, with discrete starting and ending points, where your goal is to move from the former to the latter and hit the button or throw the lever to end it and begin the next one.

There's no plot to lose the thread of, no series of objectives for you to lose track of if you put the game down for a week, or a month, or longer still. It's extremely pick-up-and-play, equally well suited to killing twenty minutes or a whole afternoon, as you like.

The appeal (aesthetics aside) of Doom is also at least in part its accessibility. It has a decently high skill ceiling (which is to say, the level of skill required to play at an expert level), but a surprisingly low skill floor (the level of skill required to play with basic proficiency), which has lent it a certain evergreen quality. And Id Software has been keen to capitalize on this. Doom is one of a small number of PC games (Diablo II is the only other one I can think of off the top of my head; what is it with games that have you fighting demons from Hell?) that have been commercially viable and available basically from the day they were released. In addition to DOS on PCs, Doom was rejiggered for Windows 95, and also (eventually) saw release for Mac. Also, it's been sold for multiple consoles: the Super NES, the Sega 32X (regrettably), the Atari Jaguar (also regrettably), the PlayStation, the N64, the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, and the Xbox One (the 360 version again, via backward compatibility). And source ports have kept the PC version alive and kicking, adding now-standard features like mouse aiming, particle effects, and support for widescreen displays.

The result is a game that, if you don't mind pixelated graphics, is as ferociously playable today as it was twenty-four years ago (as of this writing), and has enjoyed a kind of longevity usually not seen outside the realm of first-party Nintendo classics.

Marathon by contrast is somewhat less inviting.

From a technical standpoint, Marathon is more or less the equal of Doom. The environments throughout the series are rendered at a somewhat higher resolution, but the enemies are less well animated. Marathon also introduced the idea of mouse aiming to the FPS genre, and allowed the player to use that to look (and aim) vertically, which hadn't been done before either. Even Doom, though it also introduced more vertical gameplay, locked the player's movement to the strictly horizontal; vertical aiming was accounted for automatically, although source ports have modernized this. Marathon leans into its verticality a little more as a result, and level layouts are more complex, bordering on the impossiblely convoluted without the aid of your automap.

While I wouldn't go so far as to say that Marathon would classify as a survival horror game, there are some elements of that genre in it. This is almost certainly unintentional, and I'm identifying them as such retroactively (the genre hadn’t really arrived yet). Still, they exist. Ammunition is more scarce than in Doom, forcing the player to lean on the lower end of their arsenal far later into the game than Doom does. Some weapons also feature alternate fire modes, which was a genre first.

Health packs are nonexistent; instead, the player can recharge their health at terminals designed for this purpose, usually placed very sparingly. Saving is also handled at dedicated terminals – a decision better befitting a console game, and somewhat curious here. In addition to health, there is also an air gauge, which depletes gradually whenever the player is in vacuum or underwater, and which can be difficult to find refills for.

Marathon also marks the early appearance of weapon magazines in the first-person shooter genre. Doom held to the old design established by Wolfenstein and older games that the player fires their weapons straight from the ammo reserves. If you have a hundred shotgun rounds, then you can fire a hundred times, no reload necessary. The reloading mechanic as we would most readily recognize it seems to have been added for the genre with Half-Life, for reasons of greater realism and introducing tension to the game.

Marathon's version of this, as you might expect for a pioneering effort, is pretty rough. There is no way to manually reload your weapons when you want. Rather, the game will automatically cycle through the reload animation once you empty the magazine. It does helpfully display how many rounds remain in the magazine at all times so you know how many you have left before a reload, and can plan accordingly. But it still exerts the familiar reload pressure, just in a different way. Rather than asking yourself whether you have the spare seconds for a reload to top off your magazine, now you have to ask yourself whether it's wiser to just fire the last few rounds of the magazine to trigger the reload now, when it's safe, so that you have a full magazine ready to go for the next encounter. Marathon's tendency to leave you feeling a little more ammo-starved than Doom makes this decision an agonizing one at times.

Id's game is pretty sparing with the way it doles out rockets and energy cells for the most high-powered weapons, true. But the real workhorse weapons, the shotgun and the chaingun, have ammo lying around in plenty. Past a certain early point in any given episode of Doom or Doom II, as long as you diligently grab whatever ammo you come across and your aim is even halfway decent, you never have to worry about running out. Marathon, by contrast, sees you relying on your pistol for a good long while. Compared to other weapons you find, it has a good balance of accuracy and availability of ammunition.

The overall pacing and difficulty of both games is also somewhat different.

Both games are hard, but in different ways. Doom has enemies scattered throughout a level in ones and twos, but most of the major encounters feature combinations and larger numbers. But the plentiful ammo drops and health packs mean the danger of these encounters tends to be relatively isolated, and encourages fast maneuvering and some risk-taking. If you can make it through a given encounter, you usually have the opportunity to heal up and re-arm before the next one. Doom is centered around its action. It gives you the shotgun – which you’ll be using for most of the game, thanks to its power – as early as the first level if you’re on the lookout for secrets, and by the second level, you really can’t miss it.

Marathon, by contrast, paces itself (and the player) differently. Ammo gets doled out more sparingly, and health recharge stations are likewise placed few and far between (rarely more than one or two in a stage, at least so far as I’ve played, and small enough that they can be easily overlooked). Save points are likewise not always conveniently placed, and the fact that the game has save points means that you can’t savescum, and dying can result in a fair amount of lost progress. The result is that, unless you’re closer to the skill ceiling, you tend to play more carefully and conservatively. You learn to kite enemies, stringing them along to let you take on as few at a time as possible.

The tactics I developed to play games like Doom and later Quake didn’t always serve me very well when I first started playing Marathon. The main danger in Bungie’s game is the death of a thousand cuts. Where Doom attempts in most cases to destroy you in a single fell swoop, Marathon seeks to wear you down bit by bit until you have nothing left, and you’re jumping at shadows, knowing that the next blow to fall may be your last. It encourages more long-term thinking. Similar to a survival horror game, every clip spent and every hit taken has meaning, and can alter your approach to the scenario you find yoruself in.

In short, if Doom is paced like a series of sprints, Marathon is, well... a marathon.

Another interesting difference is how both games deal with their inherent violence.

As games which feature future military men mowing down whole legions of enemies by the time the credits roll, violence is a matter of course. It becomes casual. But both games confront it in different ways.

Doom was one of the games that helped stir up a moral panic in the U.S. in the early to mid-90s (alongside Mortal Kombat, most notably). While I don't agree with it, it was hardly surprising. Doom gloried in its violence. Every enemy went down covered in blood (some of them came at you that way), some of them straight-up liquefying if caught too near an explosion. This is to say nothing of all the hearts on altars or dead marines littering the landscape to provide the proper ambiance.

The idea was simple: You were surrounded by violent monsters, and the only way to overcome them was to become equally violent. The game's fast pace and adrenaline-rushing gameplay only served to emphasize this. Doom isn't a stupid game by any means – it requires a certain amount of cleverness and a good sense of direction in addition to good reflexes and decent aim to safely navigate its levels -- but the primary direction it makes you think in is how? How do I get through this barrier, how do I best navigate through these dark halls, how do I approach this room full of enemies that haven't seen me yet?

Marathon asks those questions as well, because any decent game is constantly asking you those questions, because they are all variations on the same basic question any game of any kind (video games, board games, whatever) is asking you: How do you overcome the challenges the game throws at you using the tools and abilities the game gives you?

The difference (well, the narrative difference, distinct from all the rest) is that Marathon also talks about the violence seemingly inherent in human nature as one of a variety of things in its narrative.

To be fair, Marathon brings it up pretty briefly in its terminal text. But one of the terminals highlights Durandal's musings on the Security Officer, and humankind in general.

Organic beings are constantly fighting for life. Every breath, every motion brings you one instant closer to your death. With that kind of heritage and destiny, how can you deny yourself? How can you expect yourself to give up violence?

Indeed, it may be seen as not just useful, but a necessary and essential component of humanity. Certainly it's vital to the Security Officer's survival and ultimate victory in the story of the games.

And yet, on the whole, Marathon is a less violent game. Or at least, it glories in its violence less. Enemies still go down in a welter of their own blood, because that happens when you shoot a living creature full of bullet holes. But it's less gory on the whole – bloody like a military movie, bloody as a matter of fact, in contrast to Doom's cartoonishly overwrought slasher-flick excess.

And yet it's Marathon that feels compelled to grapple with its violence, to ask what motivates it, not just in the moment, but wherever it appears in the nature and history of humankind.

On the whole, I think I come down on the side of Marathon, personally. Its themes, its aesthetic, and its characters are more to my liking. True, part of this is simply because Marathon has characters. Doom has the player character and a horde of enemies. Even the final boss of each installment has no narrative impact to speak of. They simply appear in order to be shot down. They're presented as the forces behind the demonic invasion, but aside from being bigger and stronger than all the other demons you face, there's no real sense of presence, narratively. And that's fine. But on the balance, I tend to prefer story in my games, and Marathon delivers, even as it's sometimes a bit janky, even as I get the feeling that Bungie's reach exceeded their grasp with it.

I can recognize Doom as the game that's more accessible, and probably put together a little better, and of course infinitely more recognizable. Id still sells it, and generally speaking, it's worth the five whole dollars (ten if you want Doom II as well) it'll cost you on PSN, or Xbox Live, or Steam.

Bungie, meanwhile, gave the Marathon trilogy away for free in the early 2000s. It's how I finally managed to play it, despite never owning a Mac. There are source ports that allow it to be played on PCs (or Linux, even). About the only new development in the franchise was an HD remaster of Marathon 2: Durandal for the Xbox 360. In the same vein as the remasters for Halo or Halo 2, this version changes nothing about the original except to update the graphics and adapt the control scheme for a 360 controller.

I'd love to see a remake of Marathon with modern technology, even though I know it's extraordinarily unlikely to happen. Bungie's occupied with Destiny for the foreseeable future. The most we've gotten in ages is a few Easter eggs. 343 Guilty Spark in the original Halo featured Durandal's symbol prominently on his mechanical eye, which fueled speculation for a little while that perhaps Halo took place in the same continuity. There's another Easter egg in Destiny 2 that suggests two of its weapons, the MIDA Multi-tool and the MIDA Mini-tool, fell out of an alternate universe where Marathon's events occurred instead of Destiny's. But that's been it.

The tragedy of Marathon is that it wasn't in a position for its innovations to be felt industry-wide.

Doom had the better overall playability and greater accessibility. If you were to ask where a lot of FPS genre innovations came from, the average gamer would probably not point to Marathon as the progenitor of those things. Quake would probably get credit for adding mouse aiming (even though it wasn't a standard menu option, and had to be enabled with a console command), or else maybe Duke Nukem 3D. Unreal would most likely get credited as the genesis of alternate firing modes, while Half-Life is probably the one most people remember for introducing the notion of reloading weapons. I'm not totally sure which other FPS would get the nod for mainstreaming the greater presence of story in the genre – probably Half-Life again.

But since it's free, I would strongly recommend giving the Marathon trilogy a spin. It's a little rough around the edges even judged by the standards of its time, but still eminently playable, with a strong story told well. And if it seems at times like the FPS That History Forgot, well, that's because History was mostly looking the other way at the time. It's part of the appeal for me, too. It feels at times like a "lost" game.

Let that add to its mystique.

#doom #marathon #retro games #retro gaming #first person shooter #fps #id softward #bungie

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disprzblogs · 3 years ago

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What is learning agility and why businesses should start focusing on it

As a result of covid -19, companies have realized it’s time to redefine the strategy to become more resilient, proactive, and adaptive. Companies bring in a better learning program that imparts the skills mentioned above.

In recent times, Learning agility has gained more popularity and is valued more in this ever-changing world. Learning agility is a set of complex skills that makes the employee more adaptive, proactive, and resilient. So an agile employee has a mindset that can navigate through disruptions in a better manner. If you are an HR or L&D manager, it’s time we start focusing on imparting these learning agility skills to our employees.

So before we plan on how to achieve enterprise agility, let’s understand the term and its advantages and how we can imbibe it in our existing learning process.

Learning agility is a set of multiple skills: mental, people, change, results, and self-awareness. Each skill considers the uncontrolled external factors and defines how we react to them successfully without affecting the people around us. Learning agility looks too fictional, but statistics have proved that agile employees create a better impact than regular skilled employees.

It has been researched that 25% higher profit margins were found where there were highly agile employees. (Source)

Below are the few advantages of having a highly agile workforce.

1. Assist in better decision making

Managers are solely responsible for the decision-making process, but times have changed. Companies require active employees who take strategic actions in their regular work and be more productive. Taking small decisions in their day-to-day work that would impact the process positively are few ways agile employees can be part of better decision making.

2. Change Agents

So many companies are innovating and bringing new solutions. It’s time we have executives along with CEOs and top managers become part of this innovation table. Having agile executives will help management innovate on solutions that matter the most and create a win-win situation for both organizations and customers.

3. Handle disruptions with ease

Robotics and other innovations are being built to face future uncertainties. Companies today require risk-takers who can handle disruptions and use the uncertainty to the company’s advantage. Agile workers are the risk-takers who can survive as well as thrive with a clear vision.

4. Creating better leaders

Agile workers are great leaders who motivate and handle the emotional and mental pressures of the team better. They are team players as well as leaders who can manage the team well.

5. Deal well with critics

Agile workers are emotionally equipped; stats have proved that high emotional IQ can be an excellent skill for handling disruptions.

Building a learning agility program can look impossible, thanks to multiple learning tools provided by enterprise learning solutions providers. We see many MNCs adopting these programs with ease.

a. Develop better training programs

To impart any skills, it’s essential to build a training program, but HRs and managers miss out on making it highly engaging and interactive.

Below are methods that can ensure we impart an active learning agility program.

Customize skill program

Learning agility focuses on multiple skills that vary from person to person. It makes sense that L&D managers and HR concentrate on a personalized learning tool like LXP, where employees can develop their learning pathways based on their current skills.

LXP’s AI-based recommendation and blended learning concepts are great ways for employees to build an active learning program. It has been observed in many companies that post-LXP program, employees are more engaged and enjoying their learning program.

Developing brainstorming sessions

One of the main aspects of learning agility is people agility which concentrates on handling critics, being open to ideas, understanding other people's perspectives, and communicating with one another to develop innovative ideas.

These skills can be addressed if we have regular connections with team members. With tools like social learning, employees can connect through online open discussions and knowledge-sharing sessions by colleagues. These tools serve a great purpose in developing teamwork and collaboration to develop better ideas and solutions for the company.

Develop rewarding methods on completion of training programs

To ensure active participation, companies can develop rewards and recognitions programs. With gamified learning tools available in LXP, employees get a chance to be recognized and be more active and motivated in training. For example, Disprz Gamified has multiple features such as breakout rooms, live leaderboards, live polls, and roulette wheel, which have been great engagement-based tools to ensure active participation and collaborative learning methods.

b. Assessment

Learning is not complete without assessment, and learning agility requires better and accurate assessment methods. Hence it’s essential to use advanced tools to ensure such results.

More than the regular general assessment

We are developing an agile workforce that requires regular tests. Still, unlike traditional assessment, we need feedback-based tests, risk assessments, and real-time comparisons, which are difficult to develop if we consider the age-old tools.

But with LXP, companies can develop engaging questionnaires, speed tests and collaborate with managers on learning issues. For instance, we can build a stress test through LXP’s mock calls feature involving managers who will assess the training and impact in real-time.

One of the added advantages of LXP is its AI-based evaluation which can gather data points such as measuring the soft skills, stress levels, speed analysis on completion of the training program, and assessment. It can also recognize employees' role-based skills as well as general skills required for the organization.

c. Monitor of training programs

Training programs such as these are continuous and require to be updated regularly with LXP analytical reports. We can develop overall employees’ performance and compare them with future roles. With LXP, managers can stay one step ahead and ensure learning agility programs are successfully implemented.

If we need to develop learning agility, it is crucial to provide intense training that matches the current technological advances that point towards AI-based LXP. LXP is an advanced tool that helps your employees be active learners and create a collaborative learning environment through its social learning and gamified tools. It also helps companies monitor and assess more accurately and ensure a successful learning program.

#learning agility

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architectnews · 3 years ago

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London Southbank University spotlights 18 student architecture projects

A concrete playground for children and a bankers' hub where the public can learn about the financial world are included in Deezen's latest school show by students at London Southbank University.

Also included are a working, living and teaching space for local Camden artists and a redesign of Piccadilly Circus to encourage strangers to meet after Covid-19.

London Southbank University

School: London Southbank University, The School of the Built Environment and Architecture Course: Architecture Tutors: Luke Murray, Bandele Olubodun, Angela Vanezi and Todor Demirov

School statement:

"Architecture at LSBU supports an agenda of opportunity for all those that wish to be an architect. To be an architect requires us to be professional, ethical, and responsible for our environment and every individual in society.

"We do not simply wish to serve society, but we have a duty to make it better. BA(Hons)Architecture Undergraduate architecture at LSBU celebrates an eclectic mix of design studios to allow students to choose their studios in their second and third year. Our course ensures that all students develop a strong skills base from their first degree, preparing them for professional employment.

"This is enhanced by our extra learning activities such as the architecture lecture series, engagement in international exhibitions – such as the Venice Biennale – and our Professional Advisory Board. Design is the most intensive aspect of our course and is supported by our excellent digital architecture workshop facilities that present our dynamic teaching spaces and the great diversity of our students.

"Master of Architecture Postgraduate study at LSBU focuses on design innovation, poetics, and critical thinking. Design is underpinned by technology, history and theory and professional practice. Postgraduate architecture is an essential step in an architect's progression, allowing one to establish a position in the profession and challenge the complexities that the 21st century affords. Constructive critique is imperative for us to be able to interpret the world and change it."

The Glass Works by Lillian Bartella

"The proposed venue is situated in the proximity of the national studio, an area of rich history, namely the Old and New Vic Theatres with insets of retail and residential properties.

"Lillian looked at precedence such as MVRDV to combine old and new brickwork to create an original inside/outside space of layered entertainment while befitting the community's atmosphere.

"The Glass Works followed the brief of visualising leisure and entertainment facilities in the aftermath of the pandemic – incorporating restaurant spaces into performance spaces, immersing the restauranters into willing participants.

"From the ground to the roof terrace, each level captivates an audience of play and performance via the elaborate atrium, coupled by the fixed performance areas for social distancing that promenades to the rooftop terrace and breaks out into the open air, allowing the enjoyment and entertainment to continue throughout."

Student: Lillian Bartella Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Carlos Fenick-Sanchez, Carlene Prince, Jun Hyunbai, Jones Luke, Yasar Shah, Andrea Tiberi, Solomon Adewumi and Tony Okoluko Email: [email protected]

Concrete Playground by Jonah Howley

"In its urban setting, the root of the proposal 'to play' combines learning, socialising and experimentation for children and adults alike, constructing a space for all ages and abilities within the community. Here the contemporary timber structure conceals a concrete playground.

"The ground floor is a combined skatepark and children's playground where the concrete rises and falls to allow for experimentation for both sectors using the space.

"Inside the building, there is an art studio and theatre workshop while the archive space sits on the first floor. Alongside the offices sits the gardens and play areas while the skatepark meanders to the roof.

"Jonah believes the building will create a space where community members can enjoy being expressive and creative through performance utilising the diverse avenues provided. The proposal has been designed with several uses in mind to ensure a sustainable future and continued use by varied demographics, and to unite the community again after this period of lockdown."

Student: Jonah Howley Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Email: [email protected] Tutors: Carlos Fenick-Sanchez, Carlene Prince, Jun Hyunbai, Jones Luke, Yasar Shah, Andrea Tiberi, Solomon Adewumi,and Tony Okoluko

The People's Parliament by Alba Ajazaj

"In a society where free speech is praised, we repeatedly see it only applying to 'filtered speech'. With new governance regulations consistently being pressed, practically removing the ability to protest – a space for people to be unequivocally unfiltered – has long been required.

"This proposal would therefore act as a space for speech, a safe zone for protest. By broadcasting the protest from within the proposed intervention, people would be united in sharing and debating their thoughts.

"By implementing the fundamentals of classicism and institutional architecture, the proposal consists of private and public zones in a hierarchal manner, integrating the use of viewports allowing the spaces to still feel interconnected."

Student: Alba Ajazaj Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Angela Vanezi and Olivier Jauniaux Email: [email protected]

The Cathedral of Trade by Desislava Dobrinova Cholakova

"The project introduces the design of a civic centre which has the potential to adapt and accommodate an emergency situation. The student proposes a bankers' hub, where financiers express and experience their personal values and beliefs.

"The building incorporates the key principle of religious buildings that make them civic – open to all while revealing the financial world to the public. The proposed civic space allows a variety of people to participate within its function and engage with the city as an entity while celebrating London, its society, culture and diversity."

Student: Desislava Dobrinova Cholakova Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Angela Vanezi and Olivier Jauniaux Email: [email protected]

Arts and Crafts School and Artist-in-Residence Complex, Elephant Park, London by Jennifer Page

"The Elephant Park Arts and Crafts School and Artist-in-Residence Complex host multiple functions related to the teaching and practising of arts and crafts, as well as local and international artistic activity. It can be perceived as a Corbusian 'box of miracles' entrusted with the task of encouraging creativity.

"The student started by making a scale model of her room then produced a set of exploratory drawings to help her engage in the final design. Thus, before actively engaging with the given site, the student managed to engage with the making process, handcrafting an object that connects to the site in a 'non-linear' manner."

Student: Jennifer Page Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Spyridon Kaprinis and Natascha Madeiski Email: [email protected]

Arts and Crafts School & Artist-in-Residence Complex, Elephant Park, London by Reece Harrison

"The building hosts multiple functions related to the teaching and practising of arts and crafts, as well as local and international artistic activity.

"The goal is to link novel formal and conceptual ideas of spatial multiplicities; intertwining geometries; curvilinear and irregular forms; and playful atmospheres with the school and residential programme. The student started the project by engaging in a series of casting and form-finding experiments, trying to become the artist for whom he was designing the school and residential complex."

Student: Reece Harrison Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Spyridon Kaprinis and Natascha Madeiski Email: [email protected]

The People Show by Nicholas Hasbani

"The People show theatre has a deep dissatisfaction with traditional theatres, both as a building and as a form. To them, it is absurd to have special places for plays, where the audience is separated arbitrarily from the action by the convention of the stage area. As a result, The People Show will set up and perform in alleys, phone boxes, and even bookshop basements in leftover or interstitial space.

"My strategy is focused on everyday, site-specific performances. I have created a space not bounded by our traditional theatre experience but by a vision of what theatre can mean. I aim to change people's perspectives on theatre and ultimately blur the lines between performers and the audience."

Student: Nicholas Hasbani Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Steve Bowkett and Margarita Germanos Email: [email protected]

The Jellerine by Loema Shati

"The Jellerine is an architectural vision based on AI and a city's future in a global warming driven apocalypse. Scientist Tom Aschumen has predicted the world will be flooded by 48 per cent in the not too distant future. Granary Square, like so many other significant sites in London, will be immersed underwater. So how will my design survive in the future? My answer is jellyfish!

"Jellyfish are unique, they have survived over 500 million years. They are immortal. After human extinction, the jellyfish will still live and continue to infest the ocean. When exploring the jellyfish, I analysed its organic systems as a model for a biomimetic structure.

"The definition of biomimetic structures in design attempts to translate biological principles into engineered systems, replacing more classical engineering solutions to achieve a function observed in the natural world."

Student: Loema Shati Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Steve Bowkett & Margarita Germanos Email: [email protected]

The Artistry of Camden by Petra Boreta

"Graffiti and nature are brought together in this design. The Artistry of Camden reflects the borough's most prominent feature, its art scene that creates a good working, living and teaching environment for local artists. The problem of polluted vegetation was addressed in this concept. A solution was created by providing large green areas high above the dirty streets that are available for the public to use.

"With secret gardens concealed throughout the programme and some only accessible via the outer routes, the structure delivers an interesting experience. The Artistry is seamlessly merging with Camden Highline's railway traffic, with trains being able to circulate through a tunnel integrated within the structure."

Student: Petra Boreta Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Monika Jociute and Teoman Ayas Email: [email protected]

Art of exhibiting local artist by Luis Ceita

"Art has been losing ground to new businesses due to the scarcity of space for exhibiting works and also a significant increase in the value of home rentals. This has forced many of Camden Town's local artists to abandon their dreams and move on venture elsewhere to keep their careers alive.

"The architectural approach will provide spaces for art exhibitions to create conditions for the local identity to be preserved and valued, which will help the gears of the local economy to generate more income for the community.

"The creation of secondary paths served as mitigators and will bring fluidity of circulation for both residents and tourists to the site."

Student: Luis Ceita Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Monika Jociute and Teoman Ayas Email: [email protected]

London City Airport – Differentiated programmes of future logistics by Al Shaan Issa Annut

"This project explores the inevitable developments in the future transport industry by looking at both the aviation industry and its existing logistical operation. The project is based at London City Airport, currently running with low capacity due to Covid-19. The project aims to understand how the site can be used for further developments by creating economic and social impacts in East London.

"The project also explores emerging trends in structural engineering and machine learning technologies to use extremely lightweight material systems for environmental benefits."

Student: Al Shaan Issa Annut Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Bandele Olubodun and Onur Ozkaya Email: [email protected]

New Environmental Zones for Royal Docks by Niks Piliens

"This project studies the natural habitats and environmental issues at Royal Docks, concerning industrial facilities and transport. By establishing several structural interventions in the site, the project provides a new airport facility with timber structures that can also benefit both natural habitat and local users to create a more suitable environment for the future."

Student: Niks Piliens Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Bandele Olubodun and Onur Ozkaya Email: [email protected]

Symbiosis: The valley of Art and Nature by Emanuele Lala

"Research shows us that art has the power to bring people together. Whether it is a song or a painting, it can impact people in different ways. Tottenham has grown into a densely populated place for over two hundred years due to the high demands of working in the capital city.

"As the urban contexts continued to rise, the natural and organic aspects of London and the River Lee Valley began to diminish. It is imperative that as architects we respond to communities by creating new ambients that can draw a bond between art, nature and the people. Symbiosis aims to bring these elements together in a mutually beneficial manner to coexist."

Student: Emanuele Lala Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Israel Hurtado Cola and Larry Allison Email: [email protected]

Makers Place: The Promise of Performance by Samuel Nicholls

"In a post-pandemic society, the industry of live performance, music and theatre has been compromised, and the spectacle and connection between performer and audience diminished. Makers Place challenges traditional spaces of performance by exploring the meaning, emotion and symbolism within the orders of live and digital performance.

"Architectural and city spaces are seen, heard and felt through all our human senses. Our impressions of space are influenced through form, scale, material and textures – and each part must be carefully considered.

"Inspired by performance and creative theatrical industry, this proposal will enable and enhance the varying scales of both live and digital performance from the local to the global scale."

Student: Samuel Nicholls Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Israel Hurtado Cola and Larry Allison Email: [email protected]

Architecture of Perspective – Studio Docks by Oluwaseun Aiyenuro

"The studio docks aim to reconstruct the materiality available around the Thames dry docks into art sculptures used and observed by those in the new design district development. Each studio provides facilities that allow the transformation of raw materials transported into art, encouraging the synthesis of ideas from amongst the community, sculptors and professionals in the dry dock industry.

"The aim is to create art by the people and for the people. This would further enhance community engagement, beautifying the local district and strengthening the public's interest in art within their community."

Student: Oluwaseun Aiyenuro Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Todor Demirov and Daniel Tang Email: [email protected]

Trees by Tamunoibi Darego

"Traditional buildings aim to protect against the elements; however, their evolution remains constant throughout the world. Additionally, freshwater constitutes three per cent of the hydrosphere. Hence the birth of this design encompassing sustainability through a relationship with the environment by permeability.

"Trees is a residential project with over 70 per cent of its structure made of timber and a water collection system creating an entirely self-sustaining cycle for water use by its users."

Student: Tamunoibi Darego Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Todor Demirov and Daniel Tang Email: [email protected]

Affinity by Raveesha Nishamini Fernando

"Affinity, located in the heart of Piccadilly Circus, is a project that aims to encourage meaningful interaction between people once society recovers from the impact of Covid-19.

"Combining this with the historical elements of Piccadilly Circus associated with love, such as the Eros statue, I decided to construct a new building referencing the theme of love where we can encourage nuanced interconnections.

"Focusing on this theme, we can redesign Piccadilly Circus to encourage organic meeting-cutes where two strangers can meet, wander and form new connections in the heart of London."

Student: Nishamini Fernando Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Yianna Moustaka, Piotr Smiechowicz, Ibrahim Rajah and Luke Murray Email: [email protected]

Musica Universalis by Theodosia Tsikkou

"Musica Universalis stands for the music of the spheres. It is an ancient philosophical concept that regards proportions in the movements of celestial bodies.

"The project focuses on how we can protect our bodies and buildings from noise pollution through sound masking. This would be a technological utopia where the sound globes would attract noise and turn it into positive energy.

"This manifesto aims to raise environmental awareness and promote the plant-based diet by encouraging the healthy diet. The four elements of Greek cosmology are used – fire, earth, water, and air – in order to connect with nature."

Student: Theodosia Tsikkou Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors:Yianna Moustaka, Piotr Smiechowicz, Ibrahim Rajah and Luke Murray Email: [email protected]

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and The London Southbank University. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

The post London Southbank University spotlights 18 student architecture projects appeared first on Dezeen.

#Architecture – Dezeen

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michaeldempsey · 4 years ago

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Persistence & Gaming

If the next wave of social is built around gaming, then the lessons we pull from these formerly more distinct categories will likely lead to a game dynamic which pushes forward the tensions of social networks, with the expressiveness of digital worlds. This dynamic is persistence.

Over the past two years the games that have brought social + gaming thinking to the mainstream have been a combination of Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft, and most recently, Animal Crossing. Each of these games have served a slightly different user base, with varying levels of social mechanics baked into the product that enabled weak to strong communication and expression across the platform.

The core thesis though of captive, synchronous experience has bled into many of these game-turned-social products over the years, as well as more traditional social products such as Houseparty (now part of Epic Games) and more recently Clubhouse. This dynamic has only further been amplified now that our synchronicity and schedules are all effectively the same while sheltering in place.

With Fortnite, the social dynamic is encouraged in ~20 minute sprints (or more if in the UGC-driven Creative mode) that often is filled with fairly monotonous activity (traversing the island) and broken up by spurts of action (battles).

With Animal Crossing, we see a continually monotonous core game mechanic of building out your island that puts the idea of self-expression (and the importance of sharing this expression with your friends) within a video game on steroids. Although Animal Crossing does have very strong social dynamics in the game today, it has poor social infrastructure, in that the execution of social play is quite cumbersome due to technology choices.

What Animal Crossing does have however is a feeling of a form of persistence, an illusion created by being greeted by Tom Nook giving his daily update each time you return, as well as game mechanics that require you to pass time in order to allow work to be done on your island. In addition the island boasts an asynchronous social experience that results in your real and digital world friends and family leaving you various notes and gifts while you’re away. They specifically hack the persistence + social dynamic by isolating each world into an "island", something that allows for individual instancing of these expression mechanisms.

This feeling of persistence creates an incentive to come back daily (along with other core game loops like bonuses for accessing the store, and the stalk market). But while AC is generally lauded for its mainstream success, I'd argue that we perhaps it was an exercise in a missed opportunity that has led to seemingly lower retention (a fine dynamic based on the business model of a $59.99 purchase). AC is a case study or precursor to the future of social and gaming due to it merely scratching the surface on many of the social dynamics that lead to multi-year usage of successful social networks or games.

DEFINING PERSISTENCE

Gaming in general right now is at an impasse where we have monolithic platforms and studios like Unity, Epic Games, Riot, and Rockstar (a subsidiary of Take Two), benefitting from years of R&D investment, paired with changing business models. As a result, companies across the entire ecosystem are investing billions to try to build the next game-turned-IP-turned-platform as they recognize the massive TAM expansion happening within their industry.

Because of these competitive dynamics, we should instead think of new behaviors or game dynamics that could create new types of experiences that play into each of these separate industry's strengths. We last saw the rise of Battle Royale as a gaming format take hold, birthing multiple major game successes. Persistence could birth the next wave of social + gaming networks.

But what does Persistence mean?

The familiar metaphor is that the modern MMO is a theme park. Players encounter each other in the concourses and queuing for the rides, but fundamentally experience every roller coaster alone, one at a time. And the ride always resets for the next rider

- Thinking spatially: persistent worlds, Improbable

It is important to properly define "persistence" as it is an overused term within gaming. When building a game universe to take advantage of the social dynamics within 2021 and on, I mean world persistence. Specifically, I don't mean a given server where people go on the same quests, nor do I mean leveling up your character over time and building that identity. Just as our world does, the digital worlds that encompass a game universe, live and die, survive and thrive, at the whims of its players and agents, aided by the game/network developer. The world in which each user plays their role constantly changes, and thus, can effectively move on without any given user.

This isn't a novel concept. There have been examples of this in the past with open-world game such as EVE Online, special modded servers for games like Neverwinter Nights 2, as well as more quest driven games like World of Warcraft, however there is still much to be desired, including a lack of truly persistent world.

Various subreddits (I mean a ton) and other online forums have requested a similar game dynamic over the years, of which many center on the joke that what we’re all asking for is found in r/outside, which is fair.

So, why hasn't this continually requested future arrived? First, let’s talk about technology.

The ask today feels more materially important as we've seen a confluence of factors on the technical infrastructure side make this type of scale and depth more achievable than even just a few years ago. In addition, in a world where our persistent world was in some way abruptly taken from us, it is only natural to want to recreate a dynamic that is similar, but with faster feedback loops and more vastness, from the comfort of our homes.

It is non-trivial to instance tens, let alone hundreds of players into an environment, with low-latency. Even today, Fortnite builds game mechanics in order to whittle down their players in a given game over time. The game starts with 100 players, creating material numbers of assets (builds) across a large, not fully-rendered at once environment, and then progresses to a smaller circle with far fewer players, all rendered at once. When game behavior doesn't naturally kill off as many players as Epic thought, they see considerable lag (mostly in competitive/pro formats).

The closest game in which I’ve seen progress on this is GTA Online due to some core innovations on both the RAGE engine by Rockstar, as well as their ability to build vast worlds and economies that have interactions across all players and NPC categories. With that said, GTA Online creates peer to peer instances with between 16-30 players max depending on console.

The cost and R&D required to build infrastructure to support these types of environments and interactions is incredibly high, which is a great argument as to why no startup will be the company that figures out this problem of persistence, but instead it will be born from the studios that own a proprietary engine (like Rockstar, Blizzard, Epic, and others), modifying it and making sacrifices first in order to break through the historical technical limitations. We have views at Compound as to why this may not be true, surrounding the impending modularity of back-end infrastructure for games.

At a high level, we are seeing technology that can enable this specific use-case, ranging from cloud technologies to reach scalable instancing of a given world to breakthroughs in AI-driven Non Playable Characters (NPCs) or Agents, to more compelling ability to procedurally generate worlds, all the way to ML-driven asset creation.

Outside of pure technical limitations, the idea of building a truly persistent world is materially complex from a creative side too, and pulls on various tensions within game and world development broadly.

SOCIAL NETWORKS & PERSISTENT WORLDS: A SHIFT OF METRICS AND SYSTEMS CREATION

Instead of constantly working on new content, developers can focus on creating engaging, rich systems for players to interact with, creating their own emergent fun and meaning.

Thinking spatially: persistent worlds, Improbable

Improbable, with its SpatialOS, is one of the most well-funded players taking aim at these tensions (coherence.io is another player) and sums it up perfectly in the post above. While persistent worlds historically have enabled shared common space and continuous playing, they have underwhelmed on long-term creation of shared experiences.

Often game developers have a strong creative view on how to build stories, quests, and other creative dynamics within a game so that the player has a meaningful and enjoyable experience. This leads to a multitude of constraints that are put on these developers to create content. As games have moved into Games as a Service models, this tension is only more intensely felt as development shifts towards continuous deployment, and expectations continue to rise over time.

Social networks on the other hand have long understood that as your network reaches escape velocity, the only way to properly scale is to enable some form of UGC so that the network does the work for you. Thus, instead you must massage the loops around these various stakeholders of a network to enable more creation and reward for created content. The novelty problem is well understood as social networks have become more advanced in understanding their metrics to related to active users & retention, as well as usage, among other engagement metrics.

These metrics are partially driven by business model differences with games, where Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) could often sit at a singular chunk of a purchase that would function much more similar to the film industry today (which is undergoing its own business model shifts thanks to OTT platforms bringing a similar Entertainment as a Service model).

However, due to the notable shifts in continuous spending that has infiltrated games, and ARPU scaling up to instead mirror lifetime value (LTV) equations versus a one-time purchase equation, game developers too need to converge on metrics and thus, game dynamics, to optimize those behaviors and metrics that social networks have long-well understood.

Network effects is an interesting vector to think about related to this. What all networks understand at their core is the power of network effects as a core moat. While network effects have always been true for online games, very few games have material network effects that create the similar unbounded upside that social networks do. Rather, the network effects within games, i would argue, sit within micro-communities (do some of your friends play this game?) as well as outside of the game (is there a robust competitive ecosystem? Do streamers play this game?).

I'd still argue that these effects are far less material, as is shown in the replacement rate that games have versus social networks. All of this again, is a problem of scale and instancing but the concept of persistence introduces a new kind of scale of network effect.

With regards to social networks, we also can start thinking about retention within games. Specifically, re-engagement mechanisms are tried and true across both mobile games and social networks. As the world continues to change over time without you, there is a natural pull to return (this is where you begin to differentiate from Animal Crossing), out of FOMO. Due to the cross-platform nature of games today, as well as the connectivity we have relative to prior years when games like Neverwinter Nights were doing this on a small scale, we can re-engage users across multiple touch points and devices who opt-in to tracking what is going on in their worlds. Notably, IBM envisioned this with a patent they filed back in 2006, that was granted eight years later in 2014.

Because of this confluence of factors, it's likely that within a persistent world you must think about scale and how to enable large UGC to truly let the world rise and fall on its own. Many complain about persistence in this regard, but Improbable (not surprisingly) takes a view that meaningful persistence benefits the studios as your job shifts from content creation to system creation (Improbable has since largely become a studio on its own).

Roblox has hit on this in some regards and clearly understands the need to juice not only this model, but also the incentive mechanisms surrounding this model. As the company has risen over the past few years, the comms team at Roblox has been very careful to continue to tout not their revenue numbers, but instead the amount they've made for Roblox Creators.

While there are countless other examples to walk through related to this concept of where UGC can extend within the broader game ecosystem (GTA Online's UGC of role-playing is a fascinating corner of the internet) the core insight here is that game developers must be willing to take the gamble that many have made and been disappointed by in the past; allowing humans to utilize your system to in a relatively unconstrained way, build in your sandbox. The difference this time, is that those changes are permanent and send reverberations across the entire user base in a given world.

Related Reading:

Online games: crafting persistent-state worlds

Towards Adaptive Quest Narrative in Shared, Persistent Virtual Worlds

Introducing intelligent agents into massively multi-user persistent worlds

#gaming #persistence #startups #unity #epic games #fortnite #animal crossing #fall guys #roblox

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shmosnet2 · 5 years ago

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Neuralink: Can We Control A Computer Through Our Thoughts?

Computers have become the new backbone of humanity. Our economies, businesses, infrastructure, and markets are dependent on the paradigm of global interconnectedness. This isn’t seen on the macro level alone; it is also true for individuals. How often do you find yourself mindlessly scrolling through your Instagram feed? How often do you negotiate extra time with yourself so you can read one final Reddit thread? Personally, I find myself using my phone on and off for the better part of the day; it has truly become a critical part of our lived experience. Computers of varying sizes have become the extension through which we offload much of our cognitive function and they have enabled us to extend far beyond our biological limitations. In a sense, we have already become cyborgs.

Our phones and computers act as a tertiary layer to our brain (the limbic system and neocortex being the primary and secondary layers, respectively). It is only a matter of time before these devices become invisible and are integrated into our biology. Elon Musk’s company Neuralink aims to bridge this gap, providing the ability to interface with computers without physically interacting with them. This has been tried before, but most of the devices don’t offer high bandwidth (i.e., they have a slow rate of data transfer). Before jumping into the details of this burgeoning technology, we first need to ask, is the ability to control computers with our brain actually required? Why do we need to control computers with our brain? At first glance, this may seem like an unnecessary venture, just another feature in our ever-upgrading technological dependence. However, this piece of tech could have a life-changing effect, as the potential benefits outlined below clearly show. Computer control for people with severe motor impairment Being a paraplegic and needing assistance to work with a computer leads to even more frustration and feelings of isolation. A direct cognitive interface with computers would be a godsend for patients suffering from partial or total paralysis, making them increasingly independent (almost every household chore/errand can be done online these days) and giving them an extended community through the internet. This is not just a boon for communication; these chips could eventually help patients with spine-related injuries by restoring their movement! It could even assist in the treatment of debilitating neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Understanding the Brain Our brain is probably the most complex machine we have encountered in this universe. It is a 3-pound piece of matter sitting inside our skull that is simultaneously managing thousands of biological functions. Given that complexity, there remain several unanswered questions about the brain, such as how are memories stored and retrieved? What is consciousness? These interfaces could shed light on several age-old questions. Combating the looming Artificial Intelligence (AI) threat to humanity How Artificial Intelligence develops in the coming century will determine the ultimate state of humanity, and our chances of survival. If the premise of the Singularity is to be believed and computers reach the intelligence level of an average human (known as Artificial General Intelligence), then it is only a matter of time before computers surpass us and become Artificial Super Intelligent. We could then be at the mercy of a super-intelligent overlord; for whom we would be what ants presently are to us. The future could be a grim dystopia or an era of unfathomable prosperity, depending on our ability to tame this tech. One way to do this would be to somehow create a symbiosis with AI through brain-machine interfaces. Neuralink’s leap As you may know, the brain forms a large network of neurons through synapses. Neurons communicate at these junction points using chemical signals called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are released as a response from a neuron when it receives an electrical signal called an ‘action potential’. A chain reaction is triggered, causing an action potential to fire when a cell receives the right kind of neurotransmitter input; this makes the neurons relay messages to the synapses.

Neurons communicating through synapses (Photo Credit : VectorMine/Shutterstock) Action potentials produce an electric field that spreads out from a neuron and can be detected by placing electrodes near the site. This allows for the recording of the information represented by a neuron. Neuralink’s first prototype N1 uses arrays of electrodes to communicate with the neuron. A single group contains 96 threads, and 3096 electrodes are distributed across them. A USB-C connector is provided for power and data transference. A single electrode group is encased inside a small implantable device that contains a custom wireless chip (4mm X 4mm in size). Attached to the case is a USB-C connector for power and data transfer.

A packaged sensor device. A. individual neural processing ASIC capable of processing 256 channels of data. This particular packaged device contains 12 of these chips for a total of 3,072 channels. B. Polymer threads C. Titanium enclosure D. Digital USB-C connector for power and data. (Photo Credit : biorxiv.org) The threads are minuscule, at about 1/10th the size of a human hair strand, and contain about 192 electrodes each. It isn’t humanly possible to insert these in the brain, so the company had to design a customized robot to perform this task. The threads are individually inserted into the brain with micron precision by a tiny needle at the end of the robot. This needle measures approximately 24 microns in diameter.

Needle pincher cartridge (NPC) compared with a penny for scale. A. Needle. B. Pincher. C. Cartridge. (Photo Credit : biorxiv.org) The robot is capable of inserting six threads per minute. The company’s goal is to make this procedure as safe and painless as possible. They aim to make this surgery as hassle-free as LASIK.

A. Loaded needle pincher cartridge. B. Low-force contact brain position sensor. C. Light modules with multiple independent wavelengths. D. Needle motor. E. One of four cameras focused on the needle during insertion. F. Camera with a wide angle view of the surgical field. G. Stereoscopic cameras. (Photo Credit : biorxiv.org) As many as 10 implants can be inserted into a brain hemisphere. These implants connect through very small wires under the scalp to a conductive coil behind the ear. This coil connects wirelessly through the skin to a wearable device that the company calls the Link, which contains a Bluetooth radio and battery. A single USB-C cable provides full-bandwidth data streaming from the device to a phone or computer, simultaneously recording all chip channels. The Link is controlled by a smartphone app and can be used to make software updates and fix bugs via Bluetooth, avoiding the need to tamper with the chip. When the link is offline, the device shuts down.

The chip’s encased electrodes connect to the Link, which can be used to control devices. (Photo Credit : skvalval/ Shutterstock) The device can enable at least 10,000 neurons in the brain to read the action potentials. The closest FDA approved device in the market today is a Parkinson Deep Brain Simulator, which contains just 10 electrodes. The N1 outpaces this older tech by an order of magnitude of 1000! Key takeaways This new technology could prove to be a massive boon for patients who have been diagnosed with neurological diseases and could even help in totally restoring movement in people with spinal cord injuries. This device could further enhance our relationship with computers and usher in completely new ways of interacting, not just with computers, but also with other people! The question is…. will Neuralink be able to achieve this? Only time will tell.

https://ift.tt/2pV7WsQ . Foreign Articles October 25, 2019 at 02:08PM

#. Foreign Articles Neuralink: Can We Control A Computer Through Our Thoughts?

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enterinit · 5 years ago

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Truck Driver and other games coming to Xbox One this week

Truck Driver and other games coming to Xbox One this week. We Were Here (September 16, 2019) Lost in a frozen wasteland and split up from your partner inside an abandoned castle, the only possession you have left is a walkie-talkie with a familiar voice on the other end. Can the two of you find your way out in time in this unique co-op puzzle adventure? Bus Simulator (September 17, 2019) Whether in the industrial or harbour zone, downtown, in the surrounding villages or the business park, in Bus Simulator, you experience up-close the exciting everyday life of a bus driver in a vast and freely drivable urban area. Get behind the wheel of your 8 original licensed city buses from the great brands of Mercedes-Benz, Setra, MAN, and IVECO and transport your passengers safely and punctually to their destinations, either solo in single player mode, or with friends in real-time multiplayer mode. As a bus driver in the 12 different districts, you’ll face the challenges of the traffic in a big city and everything that entails. Don’t be deterred by freak weather conditions, potholes, traffic jams, fare evaders, accidents, construction sites, night driving and specific passenger requests. On the contrary, take full control of your bus, earn money, gain a good reputation owing to your safe and punctual driving style and enjoy almost limitless driving pleasure in the authentic urban locations. Use the thousands of miles of virtual roads and streets to gain new districts, new buses and new customisation options. But drive carefully with the buses you build! Don’t cause any damage or accidents and watch out for the speed cameras located around the city, or it could have a negative effect on your reputation, not to mention your wallet. So, what are you waiting for? Your shift has already started! 8 buses from 4 leading manufacturers are faithfully reproduced in meticulous detail, including the Mercedes-Benz Citaro K, Mercedes-Benz Citaro G, MAN Lion’s City bus, MAN Lion’s City CNG articulated bus, SETRA S 418 LE business, SETRA S 416 LE business, IVECO BUS Urbanway and the IVECO BUS Urbanway CNG articulated bus.In real-time multiplayer mode you can drive around the 12 districts and over 5.8mi² of routes in the freely drivable urban area with up to 3 friends and therefore promote your bus service.The updated progression system and the comprehensive management element, including route planning, the purchase and sale of buses, staff planning and numerous statistics will guarantee long-term game motivation.For novices and pros: you can play in a simplified or a realistic mode.Authentic bus sounds, extensive tutorial and passenger voiceovers in English and German to provide even more atmosphere.Control your bus in different weather conditions, both day and night.Customisation: fully customise your buses with different colours, patterns and advertising panels.Authentically reproduced cockpits of the 4 manufacturers, equipped with numerous individual functions.Smart traffic AI and a range of challenging traffic situations await you (bus station, night driving, construction sites, diversions, long-distance journeys, potholes, traffic jams, accidents and speed bumps, etc.).For a complete gaming experience, a variety of incidents in the bus, e.g. interior soiling and debris, special passenger requests, fare dodgers, loud music and cars parked in designated bus bays.Modern technology: The Unreal® Engine 4 provides a high level of graphic detail and stunning simulation quality. Rebel Cops (September 17, 2019) Lead a rag-tag squad of cops in rebellion against their town's new criminal power, and see how long you can hold out when you're constantly short on supplies, and a single shot can cost a cop his life in this spin-off from This Is the Police featuring the series' turn-based tactical gameplay. Stela (September 17, 2019) Stela is a cinematic, atmospheric platformer about a young woman witnessing the final days of a mysterious ancient world. Overcome daunting challenges, treacherous terrain, and gargantuan beasts while traversing a decaying land. Manipulate the environment to solve elaborate puzzles and creep past dangerous creatures under cover of muted landscapes, all set to an original soundtrack. Survive sweeping environments including mysterious towns, haunting forests, and massive subterranean ruins brought to life in an atmospheric experience. Mable & The Wood (September 18, 2019) Mable & The Wood is a Metroidvania where you can take the form of the bosses that you kill, changing how you're able to explore the interconnected world. It's also a Metroidvania where you don't have to kill anyone. The strange cult that resurrected you speak of an ancient prophecy that says you will hunt down the great beasts, take their shape, and use their powers to save this dying world. But what if they're wrong? The prophecy is old, and words lose their meaning with time... When the world is falling apart around you, what will you do? In Mable & The Wood, it's up to you to make that choice. You don't have to kill anyone, but you might kill everyone. Will you banish the darkness, or will you become it? COMBAT IS MOVEMENT The way you move is deadly. Dragging a sword that is too heavy to lift, Mable shape-shifts into a fairy and leaves it where she stood. Recall the sword to your hand once again to slice through any enemies in your path. You can only maintain your non-human form for a limited time, but killing creatures extends your power. HUNT THE GREAT BEASTS AND TAKE THEIR SHAPE Defeat the great beasts to take their shape and transform into a mole, medusa, spider and more... Find and defeat the other bosses to unlock even more shapes! EXPLORE A DYING WORLD The game takes place in a dark fantasy world, with each area making up part of a large, complex map that's packed full of all kinds of secrets for you to discover. Uncover secrets that you can use to find alternative, non-combat routes through the world and discover a different side to the story (and multiple endings!) DISCOVER WHO YOU REALLY ARE Discover a rich story and define your own role in it. Will you become the saviour everyone's trying to convince you to be, or will your actions lead to the world literally tearing itself apart? Features: Your choices matter - The cult wants you to kill everything, but it's up to you whether or not you listen to them or find your own path and unlock the multiple endingsA rich story with a diverse cast of characters who have their own take on this whole 'end of the world' thingCombat is movement and movement is combat - Mable can't lift her magical sword, so she has to use it in unique ways to move through the worldA large and varied fantasy world brought to life with state-of-the-art pixel technology and a beautiful original soundtrackMultiple endings, different routes to take through the world and secrets to discover Scheming Through The Zombie Apocalypse: The Beginning (September 18, 2019) Join retired salesman rabbit, Hank, and his canine pal, Larry, in part one of this story-driven game series as they use their knowledge of influence and persuasion to make their way through the apocalypse. With a mixture of dark comedy and the use of real-life influence tactics, this story-driven game puts you behind the wheel of the characters’ choices. Sally’s Law (September 18, 2019) This is a story about a father and a daughter. The story about Sally, "the girl loved by the goddess of fortune", and her father. Sally, who left her home to become a picture book writer, hears that her father has become ill and heads toward her beloved home. The clumsy father and Sally who is trying hard to make her dream come true. On her path to meet her father, the two feel a change of heart. The players will control the 2 characters and help them reunite at their beloved home in the game. Sally is always at her own pace. She will jump through the stairs, cliffs and valleys. Any dangerous-looking branches or fences would never stop her! Her father will remove anything that comes in her way. He will follow Sally's route and make sure nothing would harm her. There will be numerous gimmicks along the way. Help Sally using the time stop and warp holes. Sally's Law on XBox has multiplayer mode and also prologue and epilogue videos that were not included in the smartphone version. In addition, players can obtain Sally and her father's unique avatars! Play the touching game which shed every players to tears on Xbox! Features: Sally's Law is an action game with a storyline. Players will play as the daughter and father alternately.

Truck Driver (September 19, 2019)

When you inherit a truck from your father, you take your chances and move to a new city. Here, it’s up to you to make a name for yourself and earn the respect of the local community. Drive through a seamless open world, work with all kinds of people ranging from a constructor to a lumberjack and honor your father by making it as a Truck Driver! Enjoy a trucking experience focused on your career as a truck driver Build stronger relationships with the local community with each job Customize your truck with tons of parts and tune it to your liking Explore a vast open world and watch it progress with you Navigate through diverse landscapes and interesting locations. Compatible Steering Wheels: Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider Racing WheelTX Servo Base Force FeedbackTX Ferrari 458 Italia Force FeedbackTX Leather Edition Force FeedbackThrustmaster TMX Force FeedbackThrustmaster TMX Pro Force FeedbackThrustmaster TS-XW racer SPARCO P310 (competition mod)Logitech G920 (driving force) The Sojourn (September 20, 2019) A tale of light, darkness, and the nature of reality. Traverse a thought-provoking puzzle game and its immersive colour-drenched world of light and shadow. In The Sojourn you arrive in a mysterious land, where lights guide you forward. It’s not long until the world reveals itself to be full of challenges. Now, you must overcome these intricate and ever more demanding obstacles to uncover the nature of reality. Features: Dozens-upon-dozens of challenging puzzlesDelve into four beautifully crafted chapters, each with their own distinct style and atmosphereBanish the darkness in order to reveal the obstacles The Sojourn has prepared for youUnravel a captivating tale of light, darkness, and the nature of reality Rebound Dodgeball Evolved (September 20, 2019) Rebound is a fast, competitive, multiplayer Sci-fi themed dodgeball game. The top down camera and twin stick shooter controls makes it easy to just pick up and play however the fast-paced nature of the game gives it a high skill ceiling. Players can team up and play against each other both online and offline with any combination of maps, Mutators, and gamemodes. Mutators greatly change up the rules of Rebound by changing the behaviour of the dodgeballs or through adding new abilities. Instead of slowing down over time, Nitro Ball speed the ball up with each collision resulting in a hectic game that only gets more dangerous over time. Time Glitch throws a spanner in the works by throwing everyone back in time to where they were shortly before, pay attention and you can save your past self from a dodgeball! With over 15 unique maps you must adapt quickly to take advantage of the new geometry and stage hazards to ensure the win. Watch out for portals! Rebound can be played both locally and online with up to 4 players. Team up with your friends or play free-for-all to see who truly is the dodgeball champion. Create a playlist with any combination of maps and Mutators for the ultimate customised experience or play one of the pre-made recommended a hemed playlists. Niffelheim (September 20, 2019) Your avatar is a brave warrior who has fallen in battle. But instead of finding well-deserved peace in Asgard, his soul is trapped in the harsh world of Niffelheim. Survive in this hostile world, ransack the neighboring lands, explore dangerous dungeons and find your way to Valhalla. Survive in the Underworld Warriors remain warriors even after death. Set out on the path to the last challenge and prove yourself to the Gods. In life you were never frightened by the cold, darkness and death, and you won't fear now. make sure you have enough provision, defend yourself and unravel the mysteries of these lands. Do not become forgotten Crush anyone who dares to attack your lands. Each fallen enemy brings you closer to Asgard! Bones, teeth, fur - use all of that as your weapons and armor. Build a fortress that will cover you from enemy attacks as well as help you destroy the attackers. The Death Priests will issue ultimatums. Will you comply or reject their orders and join the fight of their dead minions? Find a way out Collect all the pieces of the portal to Asgard. But be careful - these are fiercely guarded by mighty giants, undead and deadly spiders. Craft Brew various potions from mushrooms and slayed beats to become stronger. Cook the best dishes to feed all you friends. Brew poison that will kill the most powerful troll. Explore ancient caves Reach the very heart of the world to find powerful artefacts that will help you win the final battle. Find out what is hidden in the darkness. Read the full article

#Games #XboxOne

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waynekelton · 5 years ago

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Excellent Two Player Games on iPhone, iPad and Android

Some of the greatest things in life are better shared. Two player games offer the most direct chances for head-to-head competition or connection. No misty-eyed sentiment there, just a fact. One mind probing the ingenuity and exiguity of another through games.

Maybe you like to play in person on the same screen, or even on different devices via local multiplayer, or instead online with asynchronous multiplayer. A test of reflexes or planning? The games below run the gamut, with variety enough for all kinds of people and situations. Give them a try the next time with a fellow gamer. You won’t be disappointed.

What are the best two player apps for iOS & Android?

Santorini

Fort Sumter

Tides of Time

Morels

Uniwar

Words with Friends 2

Burgle Bros

Onitama

Neuroshima Hex

Glow Hockey 2

Ready Steady Bang

Patchwork

Santorini

Developer: Roxley Platforms: iOS & Android Price: $4.99

The problem with many 'dedicated' two-player games is that sometimes the game can only entertain you for so long - playing with the same person constantly means that you end up learning their ways and instead of tense, drawn out affairs it can be easy to see who's winning quite quick;y. Santorini, an excellent port of a board game of the same name, side-steps most of these problems by not only offering a tactically engaging base game (where you won't know who's won until they've won), but also near-infinite replay-ability in the form of powers.

Your goal in the game is to try and build up a tower to its third level and then place one of your two pawns on that tower, but your opponent is doing the same. Each pawn HAS to move and build every turn, and three-story towers can be capped by an opponent, denying you your winning move. It becomes an intricate dance and a contest of tactical prowess as you try and manoeuvre yourself and your opponent exactly where you want them. The inclusion of game-altering special abilities only serves to make things more intense- you're unlikely to tire of this one anytime soon.

Fort Sumter

Developer: Playdek Platforms: iOS & Android Price: $6.99

Playdek's Fort Sumter: Secession Crisis tackles the introductory moves to the American Civil War in a quick, 15-minute hand of cards between two players. Your job is to position yourself for the most political influence possible as you prepare for the inevitable outbreak of the war. But Fort Sumter manages all this in an elegant little game that takes the card-based intrigue of Twilight Struggle and streamlines them, and the result is a two-player experience that's easy to learn and allows for a lot of nuance in every game.

Morels

Developer: Mossbark Games Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

The physical version of Morels (also known as Fungi) was a very casual and fun card game for two people. It's only drawback was that it took up a fair amount of room, but thanks to Mossbark's excellent digital adaptation, that's no longer a concern. If Pass & Play and even online multiplayer modes, all of the best traits of Morels have survived into the mobile port.

Especially good for couples, Morels is very laid back, but also paced and easy to play. You won't need to remember anything too complex, and it's an excellent time-waster if you're travelling together or are just looking for some quick and easy post-dinner entertainment at home.

Uniwar

Developer: Spooky House Studios Platforms: iOS, Android Price: Free with non-invasive IAP

Uniwar is an ambitious turn-based strategy game which proudly wears its influences on its sleeve. It has the conquer-the-map tension of Advance Wars as well as the creative asymmetry of different player races: the fleshy Terrans, chitinous Insectoids and metallic...Robots. The abilities and interactions across these units are rather lively and varied, walking the fine edge between ‘interesting’ and ‘unbalanced’. Hotseat play is simple as can be, with quite a few maps offered, and there’s also online play.

Words with Friends 2

Developer: Zygna Platforms: iOS, Android Price: Free

Words with Friends has been around almost as long as smartphones themselves, and it’s still a golden way to spend the better part of a day or longer. Yes, it’s like that other classic board game, and there’s a delicious subtext of who-spells-what-when. (Words score points but also...score points, making associations, repartee, even a kind of conversation). It just works on multiple levels, from a pure gameplay perspective but also in terms of social pay-out and connection. Oh, and on the gameplay front, it’s worth noting that advanced play involves so much more than just scoring the most impressive single word on a given turn. It also means thinking about positioning, letter draws and pacing, bonuses: basically long-con strategy stuff. Words with Friends is an oldie but a goodie, and a surprisingly handy way to keep in touch with friends.

Burgle Bros.

Developer: Fowers Games Inc. Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $4.99

Co-op games are great, but even the greats tend to be best either purely solo or with the max player count. Burgle Bros, however, is unique in that it shines especially with two. With two, the joint is cased twice as fast, but hiding is much harder. To quickly reprise the game for those unfamiliar: players explore each floor’s tiles till they discover the safe, crack the combination, retrieve the and advance to the next level.

Patrolling guards and alarms will make things difficult, and if any player runs out of stealth points they risk getting caught and getting sent to the slammer. Some of the game’s more advanced tactics and interactions really only come into their own with a dynamic duo. Yes, gadgets and treasures along with character abilities combine but the real clincher is the pathing and alert system. Guards can be re-routed by tripping alarms, so the best teams take heat for each other. Two-player stealth doesn’t get much better than this.

Onitama

Developer: Asmodee Digital Platforms: iOS, Android Price: Free (with expansions, content packs as optional DLC)

Onitama is a game primarily about not losing. Sounds like weak, roundabout praise, I know, but what this means in practice is thinking many steps in advance, reasoning recursively to move from point B to point A, something surprisingly difficult. Woah there, let's back up a little and actually talk about the game. Onitama is a two-player abstract game played on a two-dimensional square grid, much like chess. Players win by either capturing their opponent's 'King' piece or alternatively by moving their own respective King onto the other player's start space. The twist is how movement patterns work, for they are dictated by cards which can be used once, then eventually become playable by the opponent. There are only five given movement pattern cards (of a larger set) in a specific game, and this larger flow between good positioning and a good hand of cards makes the game quite intense. The app is free and as well-polished as any of Asmodee's releases.

Neuroshima Hex

Developer: Portal Games Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $4.99, 2.99

This one features asymmetrical factions trying to control the board by selecting two of three tiles (six-sided hexes, that is) each turn. The post-apocalyptic setting and wildly divergent playstyles of the groups make it an unusually colorful strategy game, but these flourishes of variety do nothing to detract from the game’s balance. The base game only includes four races, but that alone is plenty to start with and the rest are available as paid DLC. Tile-laying madcap fun.

Glow Hockey 2

Developer: Natenai Ariyatrakool Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $0.99, Free.

Arcade- or action-style two player games are the epitome of beer-and-pretzel fun. Crystal clear consequences, nothing to overthink or overanalyze just quick wrists instead of quick wits. Pure impulse and reaction make for some reliable fun, and Glow Hockey is a passable digital dupe for Air Hockey, minus the constant click-clack of the pucks. The physics are satisfying, the controls responsive. It works well in an understated and way that is impossible to hype, but it still entirely worth recognizing.

Ready Steady Bang

Developer: Cowboy Games Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $0.99, Free.

A western showdown at sundown. Quick-draw, one-shot, one-kill. Ready, Steady, Bang is this experience, over and over, with variable countdown timing and a variety of death animations. Technically there’s also a short ‘campaign’ mode vs. AI with ironclad timing thresholds, but the meat of the game can be reduced to a single perfectly timed gesture. Dead simple, quick and satisfying. Just don’t be the other guy.

Patchwork

Developer: DIGIDICED Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $2.99

Patchwork may be pint-sized compared to some of its juggernaut neighbors on this list, but what it lacks in player count or time commitment it makes up in charm and crystal-clear, razor sharp strategy. (Those two make for quite the odd couple) Patchwork is a variable-setup perfect information abstract for two players. Players work to fill up their empty boards by adding patches to them, of various polyomino sizing, with the ultimate goal of filling the whole swath and collecting as many covetous buttons along the way. It is almost instantly intuitive yet perplexing and sophisticated even after dozens of plays, with turns chained together or telegraphed from miles away. A sweet game that can also be a hardcore match of wits.

Other Top Two Player Mobile Game Recommendations

Tides of Time

Ticket to Ride

Potion Explosion

Lords of Waterdeep

Splendor

Istanbul

Through the Ages

Indian Summer

AntiHero

Twilight Struggle

What are your favourite games to play between two people? Let us know in the comments!

Excellent Two Player Games on iPhone, iPad and Android published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

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architectnews · 3 years ago

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London Southbank University spotlights 18 student architecture projects

A concrete playground for children and a bankers' hub where the public can learn about the financial world are included in Deezen's latest school show by students at London Southbank University.

Also included are a working, living and teaching space for local Camden artists and a redesign of Piccadilly Circus to encourage strangers to meet after Covid-19.

London Southbank University

School: London Southbank University, The School of the Built Environment and Architecture Course: Architecture Tutors: Luke Murray, Bandele Olubodun, Angela Vanezi and Todor Demirov

School statement:

The Glass Works by Lillian Bartella

"The proposed venue is situated in the proximity of the national studio, an area of rich history, namely the Old and New Vic Theatres with insets of retail and residential properties.

"Lillian looked at precedence such as MVRDV to combine old and new brickwork to create an original inside/outside space of layered entertainment while befitting the community's atmosphere.

Concrete Playground by Jonah Howley

"The ground floor is a combined skatepark and children's playground where the concrete rises and falls to allow for experimentation for both sectors using the space.

The People's Parliament by Alba Ajazaj

Student: Alba Ajazaj Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Angela Vanezi and Olivier Jauniaux Email: [email protected]

The Cathedral of Trade by Desislava Dobrinova Cholakova

Student: Desislava Dobrinova Cholakova Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Angela Vanezi and Olivier Jauniaux Email: [email protected]

Arts and Crafts School and Artist-in-Residence Complex, Elephant Park, London by Jennifer Page

Student: Jennifer Page Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Spyridon Kaprinis and Natascha Madeiski Email: [email protected]

Arts and Crafts School & Artist-in-Residence Complex, Elephant Park, London by Reece Harrison

"The building hosts multiple functions related to the teaching and practising of arts and crafts, as well as local and international artistic activity.

Student: Reece Harrison Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Spyridon Kaprinis and Natascha Madeiski Email: [email protected]

The People Show by Nicholas Hasbani

Student: Nicholas Hasbani Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Steve Bowkett and Margarita Germanos Email: [email protected]

The Jellerine by Loema Shati

Student: Loema Shati Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Steve Bowkett & Margarita Germanos Email: [email protected]

The Artistry of Camden by Petra Boreta

Student: Petra Boreta Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Monika Jociute and Teoman Ayas Email: [email protected]

Art of exhibiting local artist by Luis Ceita

"The creation of secondary paths served as mitigators and will bring fluidity of circulation for both residents and tourists to the site."

Student: Luis Ceita Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Monika Jociute and Teoman Ayas Email: [email protected]

London City Airport – Differentiated programmes of future logistics by Al Shaan Issa Annut

"The project also explores emerging trends in structural engineering and machine learning technologies to use extremely lightweight material systems for environmental benefits."

Student: Al Shaan Issa Annut Course: BA (Hons) Architecture Tutors: Bandele Olubodun and Onur Ozkaya Email: [email protected]

New Environmental Zones for Royal Docks by Niks Piliens

Student: Niks Piliens Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Bandele Olubodun and Onur Ozkaya Email: [email protected]

Symbiosis: The valley of Art and Nature by Emanuele Lala

Student: Emanuele Lala Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Israel Hurtado Cola and Larry Allison Email: [email protected]

Makers Place: The Promise of Performance by Samuel Nicholls

"Inspired by performance and creative theatrical industry, this proposal will enable and enhance the varying scales of both live and digital performance from the local to the global scale."

Student: Samuel Nicholls Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Israel Hurtado Cola and Larry Allison Email: [email protected]

Architecture of Perspective – Studio Docks by Oluwaseun Aiyenuro

Student: Oluwaseun Aiyenuro Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Todor Demirov and Daniel Tang Email: [email protected]

Trees by Tamunoibi Darego

"Trees is a residential project with over 70 per cent of its structure made of timber and a water collection system creating an entirely self-sustaining cycle for water use by its users."

Student: Tamunoibi Darego Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Todor Demirov and Daniel Tang Email: [email protected]

Affinity by Raveesha Nishamini Fernando

"Affinity, located in the heart of Piccadilly Circus, is a project that aims to encourage meaningful interaction between people once society recovers from the impact of Covid-19.

"Focusing on this theme, we can redesign Piccadilly Circus to encourage organic meeting-cutes where two strangers can meet, wander and form new connections in the heart of London."

Student: Nishamini Fernando Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors: Yianna Moustaka, Piotr Smiechowicz, Ibrahim Rajah and Luke Murray Email: [email protected]

Musica Universalis by Theodosia Tsikkou

"Musica Universalis stands for the music of the spheres. It is an ancient philosophical concept that regards proportions in the movements of celestial bodies.

Student: Theodosia Tsikkou Course: MArch: Master of Architecture Tutors:Yianna Moustaka, Piotr Smiechowicz, Ibrahim Rajah and Luke Murray Email: [email protected]

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and The London Southbank University. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.

The post London Southbank University spotlights 18 student architecture projects appeared first on Dezeen.

#Architecture – Dezeen

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sad-ch1ld · 6 years ago

Link

via RSI Comm-Link

Q&A: Anvil Arrow

Following the launch of the Arrow from Anvil, we took your community-voted questions to our designers to give you more information on the recently unveiled light fighter.

Special thanks to John Crewe and Stephen Hosmer for answering our questions.

What gives it the designation “Stealth” on the ship page?

This is an error on the webstore due to a mix up on the internal design page and it should say Light Fighter and has been corrected. However the Stealth part is still valid, in reference to the class of components with which the Arrow can be fitted. Utilizing stealth components could allow the Arrow to be used as a patrol craft without being seen, or in an ambush to surprise one’s enemies.

The commercial states that this ship is one of the fastest and most agile in its class. However, once you try it in game, it handles like a turtle. Is this a bug?

It is intended to have agile handling as described. The current handling is a result of a bug in the current IFCS system that affects all ships randomly. The Arrow seems particularly prone to this bug, but cycling the landing gear often fixes it. We’re working towards making the Arrow true to its intent.

How does the Arrow compare to Aegis’ Gladius and Anvil’s own Hawk in the light fighter role?

The Arrow is more maneuverable than the Gladius, but isn’t as fast. The Hawk is slightly harder to compare, as it is intended to have above-average maneuverability and speed but not in an extreme capacity. Therefore, the Hawk will also be faster than the Arrow (to chase down its bounties), but not as maneuverable.

Given Anvil’s boast that the Arrow is the “most agile fighter in its class”, and that it is smaller and cheaper than the Gladius, with identical maximum hardpoints and components, why would I want a Gladius instead?

Anvil Aerospace built the Arrow to compete with the Gladius for a lucrative military contract. Anvil’s marketing team would have you believe it outperforms the competition in every way, but that isn’t exactly the case. The Gladius has superior missile hardpoints and its dual engines should out-accelerate the Arrow in a straight line. To get the price that low, Anvil included a cheaper turret mount with Size-1 weapons, and users may want to purchase larger weapons to get the most from the Arrow’s hardpoints. As always, balance is still being worked on and is subject to change.

Which ships will the Arrow fit in and how many could each ship carry (Carrack/Idris/Javelin/ Bengal-carrier)?

The Arrow was designed to have a small form factor and folding wings to accommodate fitting them in a carrier. Any ship that is built to be a dedicated carrier, such as the Idris, Kraken, or Bengal, will be able to fit an Arrow. Many other ships will be able to carry at least one such as the Javelin, Endeavor (with Hangar module), 890 Jump, and Polaris. The folding wings prevent it from being stored in a Carrack as that bay is designed specifically for the Pisces. As always, until the parent ship has been completed it is always tricky to confirm/deny some of the older options.

Is the Arrow tuned with the new FM in mind?

The Arrow was tuned and built in the IFCS 1.0 system and will need to be converted to the new IFCS flight model when it is released to the public, as such its current handling (bugs aside) is not fully representative of the finished product.

Will the Arrow have storage space for personal items such as a survival kit, weapons and armor?

In the future, we would like for each ship to be able to store a personal weapon for the player. Currently, the Arrow does not allow for these items, but may include a slot for a personal weapon or emergency kit in the future.

How do you plan to create meaningful balance for light fighters considering the class now has 9 ships: Arrow, Gladius, Hawk, Aurora LN, Reliant Tana, Mustang Delta, 125A, Blade and Khartu-al?

The Arrow, Gladius, Mustang Delta, and Blade are all dedicated fighters and their flight characteristics and loadouts differ. The Aurora LN and 125A can both carry cargo while having combat capabilities. The Hawk can carry a prisoner and packs an EMP, making it ideal for bounty hunting. The Reliant Tana is meant for long range combat and features multi-crew gameplay. The Khartu-al is a scout ship meant to get in and out and use its agility rather than firepower. The light fighter category encompasses many ships, but the role and capabilities of each of these ships vary. We hope each one will fill a niche for different play styles.

What options will we see from the turret? Will there be utility options such as stor-all?

The top turret mount was designed to only accommodate weapons. Currently the attached turret can hold two Size-1 weapons, but it can also be removed to add either a single fixed Size-3 weapon or a gimballed Size-2 weapon. The mount was designed to be flexible in this aspect. There are no plans to allow other utility options.

The ship matrix indicates that the Arrow has 8 joint maneuvering thrusters, against the Gladius 8 gimballed thrusters. The shipyard post on thrusters, however, only discuses gimballed and fixed maneuvering. What are Joint thrusters?

A gimballed thruster has multiple vectors of thrust whereas a fixed thruster has a single vector of thrust. A joint thruster is a subset of gimballed thrusters and refers to the range of movement. A few examples of gimballed thrusters we use are joint, roll, and flex. The Arrow uses joint thrusters, which means the thrusters can change their pitch in a 90-degree arc. The Aurora uses roll thrusters, which pitch in a 180-degree arc. The Hornet uses flex thrusters, which pitch and yaw in 90-degree arcs. There are more configurations of thrusters, but these are the most common. The more vectors a thruster can hit, the more complexity it adds, and generally reduces maneuverability.

Please state which of the component lines (civilian, industrial, stealth, performance, military) the Arrow can equip and what it comes equipped with stock. Are certain components limited to X line while others are limited to Y line (example being: powerplant can be industrial or civilian but the rest of the systems can only be civilian).

The Arrow can use Military, Stealth and Civilian components and comes stock with Military components.

Can we blade the turret for pds?

Yes you can use a Computer Blade to turn the turret into a AI Controlled Turret akin to a Point Defense System, however on such a small ship you may be using up all (or more than 50%) of the blade slots to do this leaving you with no other options to upgrade.

Is the very limited fuel capacity something actively being looked into, or is this the dev team’s intent?

The Arrow was built to be a short-range fighter and mainly to act as a ship deployed from a carrier where it can refuel and restock.

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#RSI Comm-Link #star citizen #roberts space industries

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inexcon · 6 years ago

Text

RSI Comm-Link: Q&A: Anvil Arrow

Q&A: Anvil Arrow

Following the launch of the Arrow from Anvil, we took your community-voted questions to our designers to give you more information on the recently unveiled light fighter.

Special thanks to John Crewe and Stephen Hosmer for answering our questions.

What gives it the designation “Stealth” on the ship page?

The commercial states that this ship is one of the fastest and most agile in its class. However, once you try it in game, it handles like a turtle. Is this a bug?

How does the Arrow compare to Aegis’ Gladius and Anvil’s own Hawk in the light fighter role?

Which ships will the Arrow fit in and how many could each ship carry (Carrack/Idris/Javelin/ Bengal-carrier)?

Is the Arrow tuned with the new FM in mind?

Will the Arrow have storage space for personal items such as a survival kit, weapons and armor?

How do you plan to create meaningful balance for light fighters considering the class now has 9 ships: Arrow, Gladius, Hawk, Aurora LN, Reliant Tana, Mustang Delta, 125A, Blade and Khartu-al?

What options will we see from the turret? Will there be utility options such as stor-all?

The Arrow can use Military, Stealth and Civilian components and comes stock with Military components.

Can we blade the turret for pds?

Is the very limited fuel capacity something actively being looked into, or is this the dev team’s intent?

The Arrow was built to be a short-range fighter and mainly to act as a ship deployed from a carrier where it can refuel and restock.

$(function() { Page.init(); window.Page = new RSI.Game.About(); }); http://bit.ly/2P9PHXH

#RSI.CommLink.Repost

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starcitizenprivateer · 6 years ago

Text

Q&A: Anvil Arrow

Following the launch of the Arrow from Anvil, we took your community-voted questions to our designers to give you more information on the recently unveiled light fighter.

Special thanks to John Crewe and Stephen Hosmer for answering our questions.

What gives it the designation “Stealth” on the ship page?

The commercial states that this ship is one of the fastest and most agile in its class. However, once you try it in game, it handles like a turtle. Is this a bug?

How does the Arrow compare to Aegis’ Gladius and Anvil’s own Hawk in the light fighter role?

Which ships will the Arrow fit in and how many could each ship carry (Carrack/Idris/Javelin/ Bengal-carrier)?

Is the Arrow tuned with the new FM in mind?

Will the Arrow have storage space for personal items such as a survival kit, weapons and armor?

How do you plan to create meaningful balance for light fighters considering the class now has 9 ships: Arrow, Gladius, Hawk, Aurora LN, Reliant Tana, Mustang Delta, 125A, Blade and Khartu-al?

What options will we see from the turret? Will there be utility options such as stor-all?

The Arrow can use Military, Stealth and Civilian components and comes stock with Military components.

Can we blade the turret for pds?

Is the very limited fuel capacity something actively being looked into, or is this the dev team’s intent?

The Arrow was built to be a short-range fighter and mainly to act as a ship deployed from a carrier where it can refuel and restock.

$(function() { Page.init(); window.Page = new RSI.Game.About(); });

#star citizen #squadron 42

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qubemagazine · 6 years ago

Text

New Post has been published on Business Manager News

New Post has been published on https://www.business-manager.news/bmnews/drowned-in-data-or-the-path-to-productivity/

Drowned in data or the path to productivity?

NEWS FEATURES SECURITY SUBMISSIONS RESOURCES

Digitisation isn’t always the path to greater productivity, but Winter Gritting and Grounds Maintenance specialists GRITIT argue that keeping things human-centric is the key to successful evolution.

Evolution teaches us that all businesses need to adapt to survive. This is considered a self-evident truth, but it’s easy to forget that evolution is also the story of many, many failed attempts. Another article of faith is that investments in technology will help drive greater productivity. Like past industrial revolutions, surely digitisation will revolutionise how we live and work?

Yet despite undeniable advances in efficiency and the convenience delivered by digital technology, a troubling fact has started to emerge. Productivity has actually started to stagnate across the developed world, and increasingly questions are being asked as to whether technology is actually the cause. According to Harvard Business Review, today’s executives receive over 30,000 communications a year – a staggering rise since the 1970s when the number stood at around 1,000. At the same time it has been noted that the downside of disruptive technology in the workplace is disruption of the worst kind – a slowing effect as your workers adapt to new systems and new technology. Rather than AI and robots making human labour obsolete, we are now realising that digitalisation can create additional work rather than eliminating it. Ultimately, the key to successful evolution isn’t technology, but technology that is appropriately applied.

In the FM world, we’re actually well placed to consider these lessons from the corporate sphere given that our industry is really only at the start of what is touted as a major digital transformation. Ushered in by sophisticated yet affordable data and analytics tools and the wide ecosystem of connected sensors and devices known as the Internet of Things (IoT), new practices such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) are starting to gain traction. BIM promises to provide data for more efficient management and also help FM provide its stakeholders with a better experience. Combined with the rapid evolution of sensor technologies and robotics, it is anticipated that more services will be automated, and delivered efficiently on a just in time basis. The challenge lies in ensuring that these services truly add value and reduce cost rather than just providing alternatives that fail to deliver significant improvements while increasing complexity.

And despite the hype, vast amounts of the FM industry remain as yet relatively untouched by technology – especially when you step outside. There are diverse challenges in FM and hence it is understandable that the main focus has to be those areas where there is greatest strategic need. And while outdoor FM is important, it often falls lower down the list of priorities, and hence can be managed less carefully. The exception has always been where risk management or health and safety come into play.

Managing Risk in Winter Gritting and Grounds Maintenance

At GRITIT, we offer services in two areas – Winter Gritting and Grounds Maintenance – and these are both, to varying degrees, still markets dominated by traditional processes and manual labour. As a result, there is still a significant scope to be gained from exploiting technology. The key is to understand how and where investments can truly add value.

While outdoor FM is often lagging behind in its adoption of technology, safety critical areas are an important exception. In winter maintenance, the potential liabilities arising from trips and falls on ice have proved a significant driver for the adoption of digital technologies. Today, the entire process of when and how to grit has become far more efficient thanks to the ability to offer proactive real-time service delivery on the basis of highly accurate real-time weather data.

For example, the sector has adopted technology and location intelligence to automate service activation and scheduling whenever zero road surface temperatures are forecast. This ensures a consistent and accurate response to unexpected bad weather, as well as better scheduling and vehicle route planning (i.e. to avoid gritting sites just before heavy precipitation). This also reduces wasteful gritting on days when it isn’t needed – a real-world example of technology delivering cost savings.

As conditions become more extreme this level of flexibility really proves its value. Indeed, the incredibly harsh winter we have just experienced was an important test for our own investments in technology, and the ability to manage and automate the operational aspects of scheduling and communication enabled us to continue to deliver a very efficient and effective service even when demand soared. As climate change forces more unpredictable weather events, the agility provided by technology will matter more and more.

These considerations are also supporting investments in the Internet of Things. For example, GRITIT is developing a next generation service that uses sensors to provide a live feed of actual road surface temperatures for even better accuracy. In safety critical contexts, we also see a clear role for robotics and are developing and piloting self-driving Winter Gritting machines that can work to support and enhance the productivity of human operators.

Enhancing visibility

Across FM, technology can help to increasing accountability and this is true in both winter maintenance and landscaping. Our teams use PDAs to log activity in real time, which makes reporting and tracking activity simpler – cutting admin rather than adding layers of extra work. This adds value to managers or clients – particularly those managing multiple properties – as they can draw on the information they need more quickly and conveniently, whether through desktop software or on the move via smartphone apps. This also simplifies tracking delivery against agreed service levels.

This sort of data could prove to be a micro-manager’s paradise but if used appropriately, automated reporting can help cut out middlemen and actually empower your operatives. Indeed, with grounds maintenance we see technology as being the key to helping our clients place more trust in teams on the ground so they can build better relationships and work more collaboratively.

In winter maintenance, accountability also goes hand in hand with risk management. For example, employers have a Duty of Care to provide a safe working environment and to document the reasonable steps taken to ensure this. With snow and ice clearance, technology has made it possible to build in this requirement for evidence at every stage – from vehicle tracking to logging service delivery by scanning onsite QR codes.

Keeping it human centric

The use of technology can solve the productivity conundrum. It is already reducing needless labour through data-driven decision making and service delivery and cutting down on admin to track and monitor deliverables. Just like in manufacturing, robotics will soon be used a force multiplier to let fewer employees achieve more when working on site. Ultimately, technology will prove invaluable in delivering productivity gains across FM, but only where care is taken to build services that closely align to human needs.

For more info on managing your grounds call GRITIT on 0800 0432 911 or visit www.gritit.com

Drowned in data or the path to productivity?

NEWS FEATURES SECURITY SUBMISSIONS RESOURCES

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