action

ChaseCam HD: More resolution, smaller package

When racing teams want to record their vehicle's performance, they usually don't grab a GoPro Hero or ContourHD off of the shelf (although they surely could). Instead they use a system like ChaseCam's DIVA (Data Integrated Video Acquisition), which not only captures video from multiple cameras, but also records from an internal accelerometer, a GPS receiver, and a direct connection to the vehicle's brain via OBD-II/CAN bus. However, up until now and in spite of all of that functionality, the lipstick-size cameras in the ChaseCam system captured only SD video content. This year at the … Read more

Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner: TIE Fighter combat meets augmented reality

Think "Star Wars" games have been done to death? I guarantee you've never seen anything like Star Wars Arcade: Falcon Gunner. It's like the PC classic "TIE Fighter" mixed with the ingenious UFO on Tape mixed with the Layar Reality Browser.

Confused? This video might help:

Millennium Falcon AR Test from Josh Shabtai on Vimeo.

As you can see, the game overlays itself on whatever appears in your iPhone camera lens. Point it at the night sky and, presto, you're blasting TIE fighters in outer space. Point it at the dog and, um, … Read more

Kill all humans!

Super Mega Worm Lite is a free, five-level preview of Super Mega Worm, a retro-looking arcade game in which you control a giant bloodthirsty worm that's out to wreak some (cartoonishly) gory eco-vengeance.

Thanks to the addition of new directional-pad controls and the option to continue your game, Super Mega Worm has gotten much better (and easier) in recent updates--although the game also has a Hard difficulty setting (in addition to Normal) and the original tilt and touch slider controls for more hardcore gamers. You control your mega worm ("Wojira," in classic mega-monster-movie style), navigating back and … Read more

Draw lines to kill enemy invaders

Axe in Face--Defense of the Daffodils is a silly, yet challenging game that borrows elements from many classic iPhone games in the iTunes App Store to make for a fun time-waster. The object of the game is to defend a garden of daffodils from an approaching onslaught of baddies (think Plants vs. Zombies) by drawing a path from your viking warrior across the screen to throw your ax.

The ax will return to you like a boomerang, which comes in handy for hitting foes as the ax circles back around, but be careful not to draw complex paths because you … Read more

Get 13 Star Wars games (PC) for $49.99

Over the years, LucasArts has produced some truly memorable "Star Wars" games--and, let's face it, a few clunkers.

Thankfully, most of the titles in Steam's Star Wars Collection (PC) are in the former category. And the whole bundle's on sale for just $49.99.

That's half the regular price, and less than a third of what you'd pay if you purchased each game separately. Here's the playlist, in no particular order:

Star Wars Battlefront IIStar Wars Galaxies: The Complete Online AdventuresStar Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi OutcastStar Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces … Read more

Are action video gamers better decision makers?

We've already reported on findings that playing action video games may improve vision, and some studies indicate that video gamers even make better surgeons.

Now, researchers at the University of Rochester have found that first-person shooter players excel at probabilistic inference--that is, making fast, accurate decisions based on evidence extracted from their surroundings.

What's more, even those who don't normally play action video games improved their inference skills after being forced to play just 50 hours over those who don't play at all.

So are action video gamers better decision makers? The short answer appears … Read more

Web slinging on the iPhone

Spider-Man: Total Mayhem brings the famed comic-book web slinger to the touch screen with a high-action oriented game that's fun, though a bit mindless. The controls include a directional joypad on the left and buttons for jumping, attacking, and web skills on the right. You'll also be presented with extra buttons under specific circumstances, like when Spider-man uses his "Spidey sense" to get the jump on bad guys, for example. You also have a super move that can only be used once you fill up an action bar, dealing big damage using multiple hits and kicks. … Read more

iTunes Automator workflows no longer working after iTunes 10

If you regularly use Automator workflows with iTunes, you may want to hold off on upgrading to iTunes 10. MacWorld recently uncovered an issue with the new update in which automator workflows for iTunes are no longer functional after upgrading the program.

Normally Automator has the following workflow actions available for iTunes:

Add Songs to iPod Add Songs to Playlist Ask for Songs Change Case of Song Names Delete All iPod Notes Eject iPod Filter iTunes Items Find iTunes Items Get Selected iTunes Items Get Specified iTunes Items Get the Current Song Import Audio Files Import Files into iTunes New … Read more

Top Gun 2: The need for more speed

Movie sequels almost universally suck, but video game sequels? More often than not, they improve on the original.

So it is with Top Gun 2 ($2.99), the unexpected but very welcome follow-up to last year's widely praised Top Gun. It's essentially the same game, but just plain better in nearly every respect.

As before, you pilot your jet from a chase-plane view, tilting the iPhone for decidedly arcade-style steering. Top Gun 2 is more like a racing game than a flight simulator, as you're effectively on a straight-line track in the sky the entire time.

But … Read more