The new version of Google Earth (4.2) with ‘Sky’ explorer has been out now for sometime to fully play around with it and all it’s features!
I have, and I must say it is truly amazing! Anyone interested in stargazing, space exploration etc should, eh, no ..MUST check this amazing new feature out! Basically what it does it will let you see the earth as the center of the universe, almost as you have the ability to put a telescope anywhere on the planet, and from the zoom in to the far corners of the universe!
Google introduces 7 different awesome features with this new program;
Constellations – From Cassiopeia to Andromeda, the Constellations layer connects the points of constellations through space, labeling each with its given name. Users can learn about the stars that make up their favorite constellations. Backyard Astronomy – The Backyard Astronomy layer lets users click through a variety of placemarks and information on stars, galaxies, and nebulae visible to the eye, binoculars and small telescopes. This layer is useful for the amateur astronomer who may benefit from a comprehensive, organized way to reference fragments of the night sky. Hubble Space Telescope Imagery – The HST layer provides users with over 120 high-resolution images provided by the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA/ESA’s renowned orbiting telescope. Moon – The Moon layer displays animations of two months of both lunar positions and moon phases. Planets – The Planets layer illustrates the seven official planets and their positions in the sky two months into the future. Users Guide to Galaxies – The Users Guide to Galaxies layer enables users to go on virtual tours through different types of galaxies, from Ursa Minor Dwarf to the Milky Way. Life of a Star – The Life of a Star layer takes the user on a tour through the different stages of a star’s life cycle.
Great job Google team! You have outdone yourself once again
watch the following video while you are downloading the new Google Earth 4.2!
I know I have been talking and commenting on this upcoming game alot lately but I just can’t get over it how retarded it gets everytime. I’ll stop talking about it for awhile after this post
From GameSpy I read the following:
SimCity Societies allows players to create a variety of cities with the unique societies they desire. Players can choose from a variety of more than 350 building types, each of which allows them to combine, connect and re-arrange structures freely. Players can also challenge authority and experiment with what happens when citizens flagrantly disobey power in an unruly Orwellian society. Or if players are feeling happy, they can build a Fun City filled with Ferris Wheels, Gingerbread Houses and Chocolate Factories!
(not a joke, read http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/simcity-societies/)
Gingerbread houses and chocolate factories? Are you kidding me?!? That can’t be right.. how can a city simulation game all of a sudden be in the same category as dora the explorer (kiddies) I refuse to believe this.. hopefully this is all a big joke from EA and the actual game looks and plays way different. Hopefully all a big April’s fools day extended for the rest of the year and we can look forward to an awesome city simulator called SimCity 5.
Ever wondered how people created these 3D images and movies, such as “Ratatouille”, and some of the nice desktop wallpapers?
It’s really not as hard and expensive as it actually looks, well maybe if you want to be a pro and work for “Pixar Animation Studios”.
I’m talking about, eh, home entertainment? More basic
A few years ago I tried 3D art for the first time. Back then I used a program called “Bryce” and “Poser” and both were difficult to use in my opinion. Especially if you wanted to insert a 3D model from Poser in Bryce. There were so many options and selections and none of them really visualized their function.
Nowadays if you are planning to be a 3D artist, or just want to have a hobby on the side, there are plenty of different programs to choose from, and the good news is that it’s pretty easy and cheap too!
There are a couple of 3D rendering software programs that really stand out in their category, Bryce 6.1, Vue d’Esprit, 3D Studio, Carrara 5, and Poser 7.
All these programs basically enable you to create pretty much anything you want in a virtual 3D environment. And Bryce, shown below, is available for $99.95.
a visual interface shows you exactly what you are working on!
The image above was made with Bryce 3D! Some images are so realistic it’s hard to see if it’s a photograph or made with 3D software.
With Poser, adjust anything, from positioning the hands to facial features!
This image above was made with Poser and 3D Studio. Click for a bigger version! You’ll be amazed how much detail you’ll see.
a Carrara example
A great website that has many programs for sale is Daz3D! They pretty much have everything to get you started in your new hobby/career
Models, samples and software. And once in awhile they have a good sale going on too!
However there are many other 3D websites out there as well, such as 3D cafe and alot more. Do a Google search on 3D art and you’ll be amazed how many results will come up.
Finally, what are you able to do with your creations once it’s finished? Well, there are several things you can do. You can show them off on you website (wallpapers for desktop?) or even print them in poster format and hang them above your bed
I enjoyed making some of my own art although it is still very basic compared to some of the masterpieces out there. Working with some of these programs is a lot of fun. Experiment with features, if it doesn’t look right just undo and give it the look and feel you were aiming for. I’m sure once you start working with some of these applications within no time you have created a true work of art!
PC games are, unlike console games, much more customizable when it comes to the display of graphics. This is of course because everyone has a different PC configuration and everyone has different priorities. Some prefer nice water effects in 3D games, while others don’t mind turning of fancy water effects and turn up clipping (how far you can see in the distance). However what always bothered me were the minimum system requirements specified on software. In my opinion, if you have a PC that meets the given system requirements, the game should be playable, and I mean at least 15-20 fps (frames per second, the higher of course the better).
Reality shows this is a little different, because game creators and publishers want to make money. Nothing wrong with that, but printing minimum system requirements on the back of the box so people will buy it, come home, try to play it and finding out that indeed the game ‘runs ok’ with all graphical settings to low and 5fps, which is hardly playable in my opinion.
For example, I recently bought The Sims 2 expansion pack “The Sims 2 Seasons”, now this might not be the greatest example since it’s an expansion and I should’ve known how “The Sims 2″ ran on my computer, but still “Seasons” expansions uses a different rendering method to render weather aspects in the game. So technically ‘I don’t know’ how this game is going to run on my computer right? I assume the creators / publishers of the game (in this case EA) can inform me everything I need to know about how this game really is going to run. I don’t have the latest and greatest computer (is a few years old)
I flip the box to the side where the system requirements are shown and what do I see?
1300 MHz processor
no problem! I have 2.4 GhZ!
256 MB RAM (512 MB RAM is recommended for Windows Vista or if you are running with a few expansion packs installed)
nah,.. I don’t have Vista, I have XP! Not that much of a memory hogger compared to Vista, and besides I have 768 MB of RAM memory!
Windows(R) Vista, Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows 98 or Windows 2000 Operating System.
you got it! I have XP!
8x or faster CD/DVD drive
cake!
At least 1.5 GB of additional hard drive space (5.0 GB total is required if installing both The Sims 2 and The Sims 2 Seasons Expansion Pack at the same time.)
Great! I have still over 30GB left!
A T&L-capable video card with at least 32 MB of video RAM.
OMG! This game is going to run smoother then ever, because I have an Nvidia Geforce 128MB video card! That’s 4x more memory then they say!!
Installing The Sims 2 “Seasons” was no problem, just follow the instructions and off you go. Like I said before I don’t have new machine so I have most graphical settings on low or medium, but hey according to the system requirements I should have no problem right?
Well the game runs… on a small lot, with about 8 to 13 fps.. wait? 13 fps? Wasn’t I suppose to almost run this game like it was on a console so smooth? Well, I do still play the game occasionally, and I guess it’s playable in that way but sometimes the frame rate goes under 5 fps. And then I always start to wonder why the system requirements are always given out that low! This was one example.. but there are many many more..
World of Warcraft, Call of Duty 3, City Life, Doom 3… etc
I mean, I don’t mind that I can run a game a little slower then it originally was designed for but TELL ME THAT in the system requirements. And yes you’ve seen it right, this is one of my fewer posts that doesn’t contain a picture.
When I turned on the news this morning I saw Greece on fire! At time of this writing at least 57 people were killed in the blaze. Not only that but historical sites (nearly 2800 years old!) are destroyed or are in danger! So far the police has arrested 2 men involved with the fires, it could have been arson but nothing is for sure yet. In my opinion it’s arson! The Greek law prohibits construction in forest areas, so people burn in down in order to claim it’s not a forest anymore and say it’s clear for construction. However, the idiot that set this fire probably never thought of the consequences that came along with his ‘brilliant’ plan. Rescue and fire helicopters are trying to detain the site.
A prosecutor is currently investigating if the fire in the 64,000 acre Mount Parnitha National Park was in the plans for development after a dangerous device was found on the site. A big mess, all of it, but all the historical value that went up in flames just seems unreal to me! That’s an historic peace of humanity that can never be brought back, not by any amount of money. Hopefully the fire will be under control soon and they will catch the people responsible for this!
Posted by JohnnyC 
Posted by JohnnyC 
Posted by JohnnyC 
57 people were killed in the blaze. Not only that but historical sites (nearly 2800 years old!) are destroyed or are in danger! So far the police has arrested 2 men involved with the fires, it could have been arson but nothing is for sure yet. In my opinion it’s arson! The Greek law prohibits construction in forest areas, so people burn in down in order to claim it’s not a forest anymore and say it’s clear for construction. However, the idiot that set this fire probably never thought of the consequences that came along with his ‘brilliant’ plan. Rescue and fire helicopters are trying to detain the site.
