LinkedIn adding word games so you can procrastinate at work
LinkedIn may exist to help professionals look for new job opportunities and network with others in the same field, but it could soon become the place for a bit of down time, too.
Research News
Commonwealth ships sail into World of Warships
It's not often I get the option to field Australian forces in a wargame—apart from Emu War! I guess—but the new Commonwealth tech tree in World of Warships adds Australian ships like the Cerberus alongside cruisers from various Commonwealth nations, including the New Zealand cruiser Auckland and India's Delhi.
As the creator of RuneScape tells me about his new MMO, it sounds like a dream game for folks who want a "nice, relaxing escape" – especially RuneScape fans
RuneScape creator and Jagex founder Andrew Gower recently revealed his next MMO, Brighter Shores, which has been in the works at his new studio, Fen Research, for about 10 years. That said, it's technically seven years if you separate engine time, prototyping, and "earnest" game development.
The Rise of the Ronin team used Ghost of Tsushima as a "reference," but hopes the open-world RPG's "Japanese-ness" stands out more
Ghost of Tsushima's success encouraged developers at Team Ninja to create the upcoming open-world game Rise of the Ronin.
RimWorld's new expansion is introducing 'IEDs that resurrect the dead,' fleshbeasts, and a 'beautiful golden cube' that you will love, or else
Horrible things are afoot in RimWorld. More horrible than usual, I mean, and RimWorld can already get pretty horrible. What with the cannibalism and all.
Got a laptop plugged in 24/7? You could be ruining your battery life, so prepare to do the charger dance
There are few things more nerve-wracking than a dying battery. Ok, there are quite a few things more nerve-wracking than a dying battery, like getting chased by a bear or receiving a missed phone call from your bank. Still, those of you who like to keep your laptops plugged in all the time to avert such anxiety—and I count myself among you—are in for a nasty shock, as it might be the worst thing you could do for your battery life.
Fuel cell technology can be made much more efficient thanks to immersion in caffeine, much like myself and the rest of the planet
Fuel cells are one of those technological developments, a bit like nuclear fusion, that occasionally show promise but always seem at least a few major steps away from becoming a reality in day-to-day life. However, Japanese researchers seem to have made some major developments in the efficiency of the tech, thanks to that wonderful, magical substance, caffeine.
Google develops an AI that will actually play games with you
Google is developing a DeepMind based AI that could end up being the ultimate virtual co-op buddy. It's not some play-to-win opponent or super-bot, but a general, instructible game-playing AI agent.