‘Don’t freak out!’ and other tips for surviving layoffs as a video game developer
The game industry is capable of building incredible worlds, engrossing us with believable characters, and empowering us to destroy (or create!) both. The unfortunate side of all that enchantment is the shaky business models that much of the industry are built on, which leads to cyclical, annualized layoffs that affect even the most successful franchises. Just look at the recent history of Joystiq‘s layoffs tag: it’s ridiculous. Why is this the case? Kotaku‘s Jason Schreier did an excellent job reporting that last year, right here, so we’re not going to duplicate efforts. This piece is about what you can do, should you find yourself being put through the wringer this holiday.
Oh, and yes, the annualized layoffs tend to happen around the holidays (which coincides with many companies’ financial quarters ending). Sucks, right?
Seattle-based animator Floyd Bishop took to his website, GameDevTalk, and laid out a list of best practices should you encounter the ever-swinging scythe of layoffs. First and foremost? Make sure you actually listen when human resources is walking you through the proceedings.
“There will be lots of information, and you’re still reeling from the initial shock. Try to write things down, if you can. If you didn’t hear something, or have a question, ask it now. They may also have some hand outs ready for you that tell you what happens next. Be nice! This is not a fun day to work in human resources.”
Okay, okay — that’s pretty general “I got laid off” advice. Fair enough. If you’re of the game developer variety, though, Bishop’s got targeted advice too. For instance, get your work online immediately, and sign up for job newsletters from the biggies. “Sites like Gamasutra, Creative Heads, and even Indeed have both job listings and job alert email lists,” Bishop points out.
Despite video games going mainstream, the industry that creates those games remains surprisingly small. As such, Bishop recommends, “Do not instantly talk trash about the studio you were just let go from.” Is it tempting? Sure is! These are the bastards who just fired you, right? Yes, they are, and they may also be the people who hire you for a new project in five years.
Bishop of course has far more detail than we’ve put in here, so we suggest heading over and reading the full piece if you’re in the regrettable position of being laid off as a game dev this holiday.
[Image credit: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson]
Filed under: Gaming, Software, HD, Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo
Source: GameDevTalk
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is shooting a 4K film with Samsung’s NX1
In an effort to make a push for its recently unveiled Samsung NX1, the South Korean company is now recruiting celebrities to help along the way. As part of this, Samsung has revealed that Joseph Gordon-Levitt, known for roles in movies like 10 Things I hate About You and The Dark Knight Rises, is set to shoot a 4K UHD film entirely on the NX1 flagship camera. The production, titled In a City, will see Gordon-Levitt travel across the world to explore the daily lives of people and capture what makes every place unique. Samsung’s partnership with the actor is also going to include working with the community from hitRECord, a production company founded by Gordon-Levitt which focuses on creating different categories of online videos. In a City is expected to be released on December 11th, and it’ll be available to watch on the Samsung Camera Facebook and YouTube pages.
[Lead image credit: John Sciulli/Getty Images]
Filed under: Cameras, Misc, Peripherals, HD, Samsung
The London Science Museum’s ‘Information Age’ exhibit catalogs 200 years of communication technology
Her Majesty the Queen took to Twitter for the first time today, but not to complain about the amount of ice in her post-brunch frappé. Instead, Liz was announcing the opening of a new permanent gallery at London’s Science Museum that takes visitors on a journey through more than two centuries of information and communication technologies. “Information Age: Six Networks That Changed Our World” delves into the history of electric telegraphy, telephone and broadcast networks, as well as exploring the later development of satellite communications, mobile networks and the web: all the technology we take for granted today. Among over 800 exhibits are gems including Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s NeXT computer, which hosted the first web server, the BBC’s first radio transmitter, a piece of the first transatlantic cable connecting the UK to the US, and a replica of the first computer mouse. Taking pride of place at the heart of the gallery is the Rugby Tuning Coil (pictured above), a vast contraption that, in its day, was the most powerful radio transmitter in the world.
[Image credit: Science Museum]
Filed under: Wireless, Internet
Source: Science Museum
Rockstar Games puts all Grand Theft Auto Trilogy on sale for San Andreas 10th Anniversary
Rockstar Games is celebrating Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 10 year anniversary right now and that means it is sale time. It is hard to believe that GTA: San Andreas is 10 years old already. I remember standing in line the night before release at a GameStop, pretty sure it was a Gamestop, to pick it up for my Playstation 2. Time certainly does fly, doesn’t it? In celebration for the title Rockstar games is having a sale on the entire trilogy that is available for Android and iOS. Yes, there are more GTA games, Rockstar is calling it the trilogy because these are the only three GTA titles available for mobile.
The first two in the list are normally priced at $4.99, so you are saving $2.00 per title. San Andreas on the other hand is usually $6.99, so you are saving $3.00. I am sure some of you have some Google Opinion Rewards credit saved up for a rainy day purchase. It is raining here, so feel free to use that as an excuse. All three titles are discounted on iOS as well as in the Amazon app store for Kindle devices. It might also be important to note that all three also work with game controllers. ie. the Moga line Hit the links below after the video refresher trailer for San Adreas.
Play Store –
Amazon –
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MetroPCS launches Alcatel OneTouch Pop 7 as carrier’s first tablet
T-Mobile and MetroPCS on Friday announced that the pre-paid brand is launching its first tablet, the $150 Alcatel OneTouch Pop 7. Available immediately, the tablet can be paired with one of three new rate plans designed for data users. Pricing begins as low as $10 per month for existing customers; a $5 monthly discount is applied when adding to an existing rate plan.
- $10 / month: Unlimited data with first 1GB of high-speed data at up to 4G speeds
- $20 / month: Unlimited data with first 3GB of high-speed data at up to 4G speeds
- $30 / month: Unlimited data with first 5GB of high-speed data at up to 4G speeds
Powered by Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the tablet features a 7-inch display, and a 1.3GHz dual-core processor. Internal storage is listed at “up to 5.6GB” but a microSD card can add in another 32GB. Other details include a 2-megapixel rear camera, Bluetooth, and a 3240mAh battery.
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DJI Phantom FC40: Top-rated drone 23% off + promo code [Deal of the Day]
Here’s a fun one! You’ve seen videos of people flying these quadcopters around, having a blast and capturing stunning footage. Now, the price is right to grab one of your own.
The DJI Phantom FC40 is capable of climbing hundreds of feet in the air and transmitting HD (720p/30fps) video via Wi-Fi to your Android device with the built-in Smart Camera. This drone requires minimal setup and is ready-to-fly with a fail-safe autopilot to prevent any accidental plummeting.
On-sale for $499 (free shipping), AndroidGuys readers can take an additional $35 off with Coupon Code PHANTOM35. I can’t wait to shoot our Labor Day cook-out with this little guy.
Check this deal out, and many others at deals.androidguys.com!
The post DJI Phantom FC40: Top-rated drone 23% off + promo code [Deal of the Day] appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Montblanc introduces premium accessories for the Note 4
While the Note 4 is being heralded as a premium device with a new premium design, one of the things that hasn’t been upgraded to a new premium feel is the S-pen. It still feels like the Samsung of old with its plastic base and its fake metal accents. Well, International, watch, jewelry, and writing instruments maker Montblanc has those wishing to take the S-pen to the next level covered.
Montblanc, in conjunction with Samsung, are introducing a new line of writing instruments and leather covers for the new Note. Two of the new instruments, the Pix and e-StarWalker, are a pen/S-pen combination that has an e-refill concept. On top of that, the company is releasing leather covers that are enhanced with digital content and exclusive writing features.
Montblanc has the two S-pen replacements and its leather covers available on its web site. If you’re interested in seeing each accessory in action we have a video for you below. Enjoy!
Click here to view the embedded video.
Come comment on this article: Montblanc introduces premium accessories for the Note 4
NFC-Equipped iPad Air 2 Sparks Speculation of Future Apple Pay Registers for Small Businesses
Earlier this week, a teardown analysis of the iPad Air 2 by iFixit surprisingly revealed the presence of a near field communications (NFC) controller chip that is identical to the one inside the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Apple never advertised the Air 2 as having NFC, and the tablet doesn’t support contactless Apple Pay payments, so the inclusion of this chip is somewhat puzzling.
In a new article, Gigaom examines the reasons why Apple might include but not activate this hardware in its tablet device, speculating that the chip may eventually serve to help small businesses process payments.
Portion of iPad Air 2 logic board showing NFC chip boxed in red (Source: iFixit)
In this scenario, the iPad Air 2 would serve as a cash register, potentially using the onboard NFC chip to process wireless Apple Pay payments without any additional hardware. The iPad already is gaining traction with small retailers for use as a mobile register, often in conjunction with a credit card reader and processing service such as Square. But with Apple Pay rolling out as an NFC system for payments, Apple could be eventually be looking to help retailers accept such payments with its hardware.
The key to NFC in the iPad Air 2 is that it affords the possibility of becoming an Apple Pay cash register with no dongle needed. Conceivably, it could expand the number of outlets that take Apple Pay from around 40 to anyone selling stuff who owns the latest iPad. It brings Apple Pay out from the big box store and into farmers’ markets and boutiques.
Such a system would appear to complement rather than replace existing credit card implementations used by small businesses, as Apple Pay currently has only limited distribution through the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and retailers would still need to accept traditional credit and debit cards. Businesses also still require credit card processing arrangements through either a bank or a separate payment service such as Square.
Apple Pay launched earlier this week with only a few hiccups in an otherwise smooth release. Early reports were favorable with most users noting that transactions were processed quickly and easily. Its biggest limitation is distribution, with only large chain launch partners officially accepting the payment service. But as Apple Pay evolves, it will be interesting to see whether the NFC-equipped iPad Air 2 and small businesses will play a bigger role in Apple’s mobile payment plans.
Procter & Gamble plans to spin-off Duracell
Consumer product megacorp Proctor & Gamble has just announced that it’ll spin-off Duracell into its own separate company. The announcement comes as part of a move to pare down brands and focus on the 70 to 80 most profitable. Though P&G said that the Duracell has “attractive operating profit margins… and cash generation,” it saw its growth prospects as limited. While Duracell will most likely be spun off as a new company, it could be divested or sold off, depending on which option brings the largest return. Anyway, you know your company might be too big when the world’s most famous battery brand just ain’t cutting it.
[Image credit: Getty Images]
Filed under: Peripherals
Via: Fortune
Source: Procter & Gamble
Scientist trumps his own work three weeks after winning the Nobel Prize
If you’d just won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, no-one would blame you if you took a quick trip to Disneyland, or at least a few days to catch up on Orange is the New Black. Eric Betzig, however, had other plans, since shortly after he was told he was receiving the accolade for revolutionizing the world of microscopy, he was ready to do it all over again. Put (very) simply, his first achievement, PALM, was a microscope capable of observing cellular interactions in unprecedented detail. The downside to the technique, however, was that it couldn’t take shots of fast-moving cells, produced images with a halo around them and the light used to take the pictures was toxic to the cells being studied.
That’s why this new technology is so exciting, at least if you’re a molecular biologist. The new lattice sheet microscope shoots high-res pictures of biological processes so quickly that fast-moving cells can be seen in 3D for the first time. The hardware is even able to produce video clips of biological processes, like the growth of a HeLa cell that you can catch in the footage embedded below. If you’re a scientist with an interest in such processes, Betzig has already built a second device at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute that you can use, free of charge, and will even share the design with you if you want to build one of your very own. Gosh, will someone just give him a second Nobel Prize already?
[Image / Video Credit: Betzig Lab, HHMI/Janelia Research Campus, Mimori-Kiyosue Lab, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology]
Filed under: Science
Via: Washington Post
Source: Science, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
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