Archive for the ‘Technology’ Category

God of War III Near Completion

Monday, March 8th, 2010

Source: CNN

Fans of the video action game God of War will be pleased to hear the sequel is near completion.

So says developer Stig Asmussen, who has just put the final touches on what has been called the most eagerly awaited video game of 2010: the fantastic action-adventure sequel “God of War III.”

The game, coming March 16 for Sony’s PlayStation 3 console, is the culmination of nine years of work for director Asmussen and the rest of Sony’s creative team for the “God of War” series. High-profile games rarely live up to massive hype, but early reports on “God of War III” — in which gamers battle gods from Greek mythology — have been glowing.

” ‘God of War III’ is expected to deliver the most bombastic, over-the-top action-adventure game ever,” said video game analyst Scott Steinberg, author of “Get Rich Playing Games.” “The demo was phenomenal. This has never been a series known for a light touch.”

A description of the forthcoming game on PlayStation’s site even promises “new heightened levels of brutality and gore.” Hollywood also is considering a movie adaptation of the series — which Sony says has sold over 8.7 million copies worldwide — although no project is imminent.

The “God of War” series debuted in 2005 and follows the exploits of a former Spartan warrior named Kratos as he seeks revenge against Ares, Zeus and other Greek gods who wronged him. The 2007 “God of War II” ends with Kratos enlisting the aid of the legendary Titans in his quest.

The popularity of the first two games (not counting two lesser “God of War” titles), plus the fact that that “GOW III” is expected to be the end of the series, has fans clamoring for this final chapter. At last year’s Spike Video Game Awards, “God of War III” was named Most Anticipated Game of 2010.

Some observers even wonder whether “GOW III” can top the all-time fastest-selling PS3 exclusive game, “Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots,” which sold a whopping 1.7 million units in its opening week in 2008.

MORE GORE FOR THE GLOW Critics of previous sequels say with all the efforts to replicate the previous versions’ intricate action sequencing, vivid graphics capability and interactive components, some sequels have failed so miserable to measure up that they may as well have run off pages on a color imagerunner and slapped them on a Web page. Without a streaming link to past episodes, they say, fans get bored with the product and then not to have much interest in the next version.

Demo and gameplay videos reveal that “GOW III” is expected to pick up where “GOW II” left off — with a massive assault on the gods’ stronghold of Mount Olympus. The ambitious scale shown in previews is what Asmussen had hoped to achieve when he took over the “God of War” franchise. Sony hired Asmussen away from Midway Games in 2001 to work as the lead environmental artist on the series.

“I built a number of the major levels of ‘God of War’ and worked on the early designs,” said Asmussen, who drew on his previous experiences to help him achieve his vision for “God of War III.”

Asmussen said they never originally intended to make a trilogy but realized they had a hot property on their hands after the original “God of War” won the Game of Show award at the E3 gaming conference. They immediately jumped into working on “God of War II.”

Working with director Cory Barlog on “God of War II” helped give Asmussen a greater understanding of all the skills needed to put together a blockbuster title — skills that would be put to the test after he was named game director for “God of War III,” he said.

He said work on “GOW III” began while developers at Sony’s studios in Santa Monica, California, were still working on “GOW II.” A small group of designers and developers began testing the limits of a new console: the PlayStation 3.

“First, it kind of scared the crap out of us,” Asmussen said of the PS3, which hit stores in 2006. “We knew the expectations were going to be high.”

When production on “GOW III” began in 2007, Asmussen was given a script outline with major points on characters and locations, but it was missing a true narrative to tie it all together. “I needed to really understand [the script], and the best way to do that is fashion it into something that fits my vision,” he said. “I created a new plot … [with] a lot of the locations and characters, but used them differently.”

Asmussen believes the PlayStation 3 system gave his team the opportunity to take the game to a more sophisticated level. He cited one particular sequence where Kratos is battling a horde of enemies on the back of a Titan, which is talking to him while climbing up a mountainside. It is something they could have never done on the PlayStation 2, he said.

“This is going to be a generational-defining game using this technology. Others are going to see what we did and realize they can use the PS3 like that as well,” he told CNN.

There are more weapons available to Kratos than in “GOW II,” and they are accessed on the fly instead of through a power-up menu.

Steinberg, the video game analyst, has demoed “God of War III” and said the gameplay is fast and furious. He described it as “heavy metal meets Greek tragedy.”

Steinberg believes games like “GOW III” and “BioShock 2″ raise the excitement level for hard-core gaming by making games that involve more than just bloody button-mashing.

“‘GOW III’ is as much about storytelling and atmosphere as it is whacking away until horns, tusks and arms go flying,” he said.

Asmussen said there will be no “God of War IV,” no matter how well the third chapter does. But the lessons learned with “GOW III” will be used to make other titles enjoyable for future players.

“We think about the fans all the time,” he said. “We have an enormous amount of pride here. We won’t accept failure.”

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My Take: Not a fan of the gore of the Greeks online. I’d frankly rather watch a remodel of a piece of Grandview real estate or shop for quotes to compare health insurance quotes with my current rates, than watch online battles between mythic epic warriors on my laptop. For the time it takes to get through those games you could have raised orchids under fluorescent grow lights on your Piermont real estate. They suck up your time and your computer’s graphics capability faster than you know it, and they don’t really have much entertainment value for anyone who isn’t male or between the ages of 11 and 33.

I have older friends who play video poker and other games online, and that’s bad enough if you ask me. It doesn’t take any big lightbulbs to go off in my head to figure out that a lot of problems with teen violence can be linked directly to these online war games. Forget TV. Kids aren’t watching that much of it these days anyway if they are old enough to handle a joy stick and slide in a DVD.

And, by the way: if you have teenagers getting ready to get behind the wheel, you need to do much more than compare insurance quotes options for young drivers. You now need to be prepared to show your kids report cards to potential insurers and if they have anything less than a B average, expect your rates to be astronomical. Teens are not only aggressive on video play, they also are among the riskiest drivers in the world to insure, thanks to texting and other online activities.

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Cost Benefits of CRM Solutions | Small Business CRM

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

What are the cost benefits of utilizing one of the available software programs for small business crm in an economy where your bottom line is being hammered by the day’s events on Wall Street and Main Street alike?

What are the keys to finding a cost-effective crm solution for your business.  Will a customized web based crm program send more customers your way and boost sales?

The answer, say the experts, is a resounding “YES.”  But there’s a catch.

So what exactly is crm?  In general, it’s the process a company uses to monitor and organize its contacts and all current and prospective customers, and its general purpose is to help you improve your service goals by streamlining the way you interact with a customer, invoice them for services you’ve provided, and sort out their future needs.

CRM software works by collecting demographic and behavioral data about your current and prospective customers and using the data to create sales opportunities for you and your employees.

Arthur Middleton Hughes from the Database Marketing Institute suggests that for CRM to pay for itself, a company must already be profitable and expect changes in revenue as a direct result of crm applications, to come in slowly developed increments, not all at once.

Here’s what he suggests you do if you are considering purchasing a crm software program but perhaps don’t have the money to spend on it, which can be upwards of $2 million for the software.

•    Consider the possibility of building a data mart, instead of a warehouse. Data marts can be built for $1 to $2 million, and can be maintained for a half million per year.

•    Communicating with customers is always a good idea, and almost always profitable, but attempt to do so using the communications equipment and software you have available before you think about expanding.

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IT Services Protect Your Business | IT Services

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

If you’re finding that you are spending more and more time managing your IT network than your company, you should consider the option of hiring an outside IT services firm.

An outside Fairfield, California managed IT services provider can help you boost your bottom line by reducing IT planning and management capital expenses.  From Fairfield, California network planning specialists out West, to the providers all the way across the country, these experts are trained to help you establish a network planning system that you can rely on for increased productivity.

With an outsourced provider, you typically need nothing more than an Internet connection to obtain the high-level IT support your business demands, which includes data storage, 24/7, year-round monitoring, daily backup services and security.

Your network can be set up so that home-based workers can obtain secure access to their desktop from any Internet connection available, and having your IT outsourced can make things much simpler in the event of a disaster because most providers offer some form of built-in disaster recovery plan.

To get a better sense of all of the potential components of a well-planned network, click here.

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Air Cargo Screening Changes Leave Some Handlers Up In The Air | Air Cargo

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

A massive overhaul of federal guidelines for the air cargo security and air cargo screening industries is now fully underway and many companies in the business are trying to grapple with how they will meet these new demands.

The new guidelines, expected to cost the cargo industry between $3 billion and $4 billion over the decade, appear to demand that cargo shippers purchase their own screening equipment—an expensive endeavor that many say will put them out of business.  essentially leaves shippers such as Flynn with two options: purchase costly screening equipment, or hope for the best.

“It’s absolutely tragic,” says Ross Flynn owner of Panmet Group Logistics Inc. in a recent article in Medill Reports.  Flynn said: “It will destroy the industry and put thousands of people out of work.”

The new guidelines, which were signed into law last August following the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, will require the screening of 50 percent of all cargo transported on passenger aircraft by February 2009. By August of 2010, 100 percent of the 6 billion pounds worth of cargo transported on passenger planes will have to be screened.

Unlike the 1.5 million pieces of luggage screened each day at the nation’s airports, however, the Transportation Security Administration will not perform the screening of cargo.

Instead, screening will largely be the responsibility of the more than 4,000 air cargo handling businesses that serve as the middlemen between manufacturers needing to ship cargo and the airlines that transport merchandise for them. That has left air fowarders wondering why they have been assigned a costly role that, for passenger luggage anyway, has historically been a government function.

Air forwarders are concerned that they will not have the funds to pay for the costs of the screening technology required to fill the mandates, which may cost upwards of into the low millions, according to the report.  Many companies will be seeking federal grants and other government assistance to help offset the costs, but there is widespread concern that many of the little guys will have to close down because, even with assistance, they won’t be able to afford to stay in business.

Stay tuned…

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Installing Network Cabling For Your Office | Network Cabling

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

If you’re in the process of establishing a business phone system for your home office, careful planning is the key to having a flexible, efficient and multipurpose telecommunications system.

What are the key elements of a network cabling system that will suit the home-based operator?  Inc. magazine recommends that if you are building your home office from scratch to “wire smartly.”

Consider installing telecom wiring using new hybrid telephone cable that meshes traditional copper lines, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic technology.  This system will allow you to expand with your company, provided you haven’t opted for a wireless set up.

Wireless phone systems for the home office are becoming increasingly more common and affordable.  LAN-TEL Communications sells phone systems in Fort Worth, for example, providing new and used phone systems, phone/internet access; voice, data, and fiber cabling installation services for inter-office wireless or hard wired networks.

NCC Dallas has been providing phone system solutions for businesses since 1988, including free initial consultations geared to provide you with a customized plan for installing communications equipment that will allow you to expand and support the growth of your bottom line.

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Company Profiles Shaken Up With Economic Woes | IT Sales Leads

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

With the economy in full on recession now, you can be that executives across the country are retooling their hiring strategies and, when it comes to their company profiles, thinking of ways to shape the future look and feel of their management line up.

IT sales leads are going to be tougher to obtain and track as these shakeups occur. Getting your ideas to the appropriate person, finding ways to infiltrate their in-house discussions and decisions on networking systems and upgrades, all of the corporate-level movements that you need to keep abreast of in order to sell, are going to require some fancy footwork and diligence.

If you are hoping to build up and fine-tune your current IT org charts, and want to know how to generate and nurture those leads, you’ll have to be prepared to not only make a strong case for your company and its services, but be able to show measurable marketing campaign performance.

What are the strategies?  For starters, do not forget that, with the economy in a backslide, corporate belt-tightening is the key goal this year.  You need to know how to have an appropriate conversation with a prospect that acknowledges their focus on costs.

With this in mind, know, too, that successful companies with visionary leaders also know that in order to make money, money has to be spent.  Many of your prospects will be willing to spend, but they will be zeroing in on expenditures for projects that will yield near-immediate cost savings.

When you meet with a client face, experts suggest, avoid focusing in on how the technology works and details of that nature, and, instead, ask questions related to your customers’ business plans and concerns.  This will let them know that you are there for the long-haul, not just to make the sale.

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Hard Drive Recovery Tips

Sunday, February 1st, 2009

You’ve probably been using an anti-virus program on your pc or laptop for some time now, thinking you’ve got full protection from those nasty worms and other viral monsters that can sneak in through the most unlikely of sources and knock you out of commission.

Does your homepage switch to another page without your command?  Are you hearing voices over you speakers or is your computer all of a sudden running slow, displaying pop-ups you don’t allow or sending you error messages about your “C” drive?

If you’ve answered “Yes” to any of these questions, it’s a good bet your computer has been infected with some form of virus, spyware or some other nasty security threat.

Not all viruses are the same.  Some can be easily removed without any further action needed.  Others can require you to spend a good chunk of change performing a data recovery expedition.

Here are the top-5 recommended suggestions for protecting yourself against computer viruses:

1.    Install a solid anti-virus software program, such as AVG, Norton Anti virus, or McAffee Anti Virus.  These and other companies often offer free versions.  They are typically easy to install and will provide the necessary bones for a good anti-viral protection program.  Be sure to run regular updates weekly in order to optimize your anti-virus program’s effectiveness.

2. Install a quality Firewall which will serve as a gatekeeper to protect your computer data from being threatened by network traffic.

3. Install an anti-spyware program to protect your computer from harmful spyware infections, which can re-direct and or permanently damage the functionality of your computer’s operating system.

4.  Scan all e-mail attachments and be particularly aware of e-mail zip attachments with .exe or .pif as file extensions, even if they appear to be coming from someone you know, including your own system administrator.

5. Make regular backups of all data on your operating system, such as a “read only” file, or a flash drive or portable memory drive.  This will make a complete hard drive recovery operation a little easier on you and your wallet.

6. If you are a regular visitor on any number of the social networking sites out there, such as Face Book or My Space, be careful who you accept files from, especially photos, and carefully check the ads that pop up before you click on them.

7.  If you have been infected but your computer manufacturer’s warranty on service has run out, check on line for resources to companies who provide data recovery forensics in your area, get the best quote possible, and have some one come to your home or office to help.

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