Gamers: Protect your identity!

One of the almost inevitable downsides of online gaming - and Internet usage in general - is that the more you expose yourself to the Internet, the greater the chance that your information will be compromised. It's not an absolute dead certainty that you'll be at risk, but if you're a fan of popular online multiplayer games, then it's highly likely that there are hackers working on stealing member information.

OK, so he's sat in front of a computer, but you can almost hear that
"tip-toe" music they use in cartoons.

So what you can you do? Well, you'd be doing yourself a massive favor by heading across to GameSpy's article Trust No One: How To Protect Your Personal Info From Leaky Game Companies. Alex Castle's clear, comprehensive guide will arm you with some useful information to ensure that you stand a much better chance of keeping your personal data secret.

Oh, one thing that the article doesn't mention: the recommended password manager, Keepass, is available for Windows, Mac and Linux.

(Image source: FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Bend your brain with Perspective

The students of the DigiPen Institute of Technology have a knack for turning out amazing, challenging games. Valve Software's a fan - they hired the creators of Narbacular Drop to turn their game into Portal, and pulled in the makers of Tag to join the dev team for Portal 2... What's more, when students release their projects, DigiPen makes them available as full, free and legal downloads.


Well, browsing through TheCHIVE resulted in coming across Perspective, a mind-blowing puzzler which combines 2D and 3D action. Like The Fourth Wall, another project by DigiPen students*, a click of a button changes the game mechanics. In The Fourth Wall, the screen is frozen to stop the level from scrolling and change it to a wrap-around system... if you don't get my drift, download the game for free and see for yourself. Anyway, in Perspective, a click changes the world from 3D to 2D, and back again...


Can't make a jump across a long pit of lava? Move in 3D until the pit looks small, change to 2D, and just jump across... Here, look, just watch this video and see what I'm blathering about:





As yet, the game isn't available for download, but for goodness' sake, bookmark the game page for when it is! The site presently says Fall 2012, so keep an eye out.


(Thanks to TheCHIVE for highlighting this one!)


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* Both projects, incidentally, have a common link: Logan Fieth.

War. War Never Changes.

I love the Fallout series, and courtesy of The CHIVE, here is your perfect desktop background!

Open your Vault Dweller's Survival Guide to page 1, please.

Can't you just feel yourself in the Vault right now, in your classroom ready to take the G.O.A.T.?  For the desktop appropriate size, and more excellent wallpapers, hit THIS.

All I Want Is Some SPACE, Man...

I don't know about you, but growing up, I thought when I hit this age (and I'm not telling, don't you know you shouldn't ask a lady her age?) that I would be living in a colony on the moon. Since the moon colony obviously hasn't happened, here are three places to help you (and me) get our space fixes.

1.   Kerbal Space Program: A game/space program simulator that allows you to assemble your own ships, attempt missions, and fly to the Mun (yes, MUN) and back. A work in progress, but cheap at 15 bucks.

Of course, watching the failures is also great fun.

2.   Orbiter Space Flight Simulator: Realistic and TOUGH, fly the space shuttle and rendezvous with the space station, perform Apollo and other historic missions, build your own craft. HOURS of fun here...and free!

3.   The Stardome: Courtesy of astronomy.com, the Stardome lets you explore the night sky that you can see from your actual location. This one is also at the bargain price of...well, FREE. Make sure you have the latest and greatest version of Java installed in order to use the Stardome.

Ain't that the truth...

(Source: https://plus.google.com/100801061924982065053/posts/K7Dts5zuuoD)