March 2008

Aspyr have announced that Sims Castaway - the standalone Sims "episode" - has been released for the Mac:

This time your Sims have washed up on a tropical island!

Help them make a new life in an unexplored paradise in this easy-to-play, laptop-friendly version of The Sims. The Sims Castaway Stories features two great ways to play. In the new and engaging directed Story mode, fulfill goals as you explore the island, build a shelter, learn to find food, and make your Sims’ lives as fun and comfortable as possible. You even unlock rewards along the way as you achieve set goals.

In open-ended Free play mode, you create your Sims and determine how they’ll evolve on their new island home. In an environment where anything-or anyone-can wash up on the beach, you decide how their stories unfold.

German Trains have released their second add-on for Rail Simulator. Based on the first add-on including the Series 143, the new add-on has it as the City-Train version. But not only the grey-orange colour combination of the City-Train from the 80´s is included, but also a complete train in modern DB-traffic-red. Additionally, the add-on contains numerous new scenarios and activities where other locos and rolling stock from the route, like the BR294, have been assigned. Altogether with local, freight and city traffic there’s a lot going on.

I recently stumbled upon this neat looking browser based Solar System Simulator from NASA’s JPL.

Okay, it might not be Google Sky, but it’s certainly useful if you want a quick image generated straight from your browser.

The application is very quick. The following image came back in less than a second.

I’m trying hard not to think that this looks a lot like the virtuality reality simulation from Red Dwarf!

Break through into immersive Virtual Reality with VirtuSphere™ - the unique simulation platform that allows lifelike movements in cyberspace.

6 degrees of freedom – move in any direction. Walk, crawl, run over virtually unlimited distances.

VirtuSphere can be compatible with all computer based simulations. It is versatile. Need to change the purpose of use? Just reload the software.

With the creation of the VirtuSphere™, Virtual Reality technology has developed sufficiently to permit users to leave behind the keyboard or mouse and immerse in this exciting new medium. The VirtuSphere is currently the only technology in the world, which permits the user to move about in virtual space through the most natural movement of all – by walking.

The device consists of a large hollow sphere, which is placed on a special platform that allows the sphere to rotate in any direction as the user walks within the sphere.

The user enters the sphere with a head mounted display, which permits virtual vision in any direction. As the user moves, the sensors under the sphere transmit information about the users speed and direction to the computer. The user looks at the head mounted display and sees a virtual three dimensional space which is generated by the computer in response to his-or-her movements. The user can interact with objects in virtual space with the help of a special manipulator.

You can find out more over on the VirtuSphere web site, where you can also find a load if promotional videos of the unit in action.

This is just a concept at the moment, and I can see there being problems of copyright here, but it’s a fun idea nonetheless. play/nyc has released a flash demo of a virtual Lego game, which you can interact with on their web site.

If it ever makes to a real iPhone, I can see many a dull train journey/meeting being passed away with it.