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So, the Haystacks of Assassin's Creed II - Are They Any Bigger?
Bringing A Little MMO To The Real World
AI Convention Features StarCraft Competition
Libraries Declare National Gaming Day
Study Finds Wii Fit Produces "Underwhelming Results"
Wonder At The Guitar Hero Muscle Controller
Gamer Kid Leads Study Showing Connection to Joint Pain
How The Wii Can Help Fight Terrorism
Study: Gamer Aggression Mimics That of Warfare
Measuring The Time It Takes Between A Button Press And On-Screen Action

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Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.
08:08 AM

In reply to Talk Amongst Yourselves
Did you know that drinking a hot drink on a hot day is in fact NOT a good idea?

The problem lies within the laws of thermodynamics, in that the hot drink will make you sweat more and your body will try harder to cool itself down but the heat lost by sweating and evaporation will never exceed the amount of heat gained by the hot drink you've consumed.

Just thought I'd share that with my fellow Kotakuites.
I don't take my title lightly ;D

#science
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Edited by Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science. at 11/20/09 8:09 AM

(Starman) Starman
08:09 AM

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: That's like saying don't wear just an undershirt on cold days, dude. :P

But yeah, I kinda already knew about this from past experience, sadly. ;_;
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rymas1
08:11 AM

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: 60% of the time, this works everytime... Its Science...
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Rampage
08:15 AM

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: Did you also know that taking a bath with a plugged in toaster was NOT a good idea?

The problem lies within the laws of electric conduction however water in its purest form is not conductive. Instead, it is the impurities in the water—salts, dust, and so on—that enables it to conduct electricity resulting in fried Kotakuite!

;)
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kearneybobs
08:15 AM

@rymas1: Pish Posh.
Statistics can be used to prove anything.
80% of people know this to be partly true.
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Showmeyomoves! promoted this comment Edited by kearneybobs at 11/20/09 8:15 AM kearneybobs was starred kearneybobs was unstarred

Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.
08:18 AM

@(Starman) Starman: You would be surprised how many people believe this theory has any merit to it. Not that I can blame them completely, but if you actually look into it like I have. You'd know.

Also this was brought on specifically by a cousin of mine's "helpful" suggestion some months ago.
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Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.
08:24 AM

@Rampage: I always found that to be interesting about how its the impurities more than anything else.
However I don't think its accurate to say it simply doesn't conduct electricity so much as it is simply a poor conductor.

For example, one would say Wood is a poor conductor and a good insulator.
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rymas1
08:31 AM

@kearneybobs: I have a friend who truly believes that winning the lottery is a 50/50 chance...either you win or you dont...

#speakup
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-MasterDex-
08:32 AM

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: You learn something new everyday!
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WhatTheFrag
08:38 AM

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: You should also avoid drinking pineapple juice and eating pineapples too on a hot day. :)
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Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.
08:47 AM

@WhatTheFrag: Really? Whys that?
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WhatTheFrag
08:51 AM

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: it overheats your body because it's harder to digest and some say it helps break down fat (that part I'm not sure of). Mostly it increases your metabolism because it's harder to digest and therefore your body's working extra hard.
It's a fine way to work a sweat in summer, in winter it's great to avoid putting on excess calories, provided you take it in moderation and don't expect miracles :P.

I think these days they recommend it to people on certain diets (I'm not sure about that part).
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Edited by WhatTheFrag at 11/20/09 8:51 AM WhatTheFrag was starred WhatTheFrag was unstarred

Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.
09:11 AM

@WhatTheFrag: Huh, thats interesting.
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ThursdayNext
09:12 AM

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: Now, I'm pretty sure that drinking hot drinks actually tricks your body into over cooling. The hot liquid warms your hypothalamus (the body's thermostat) and causes you to vaso-dilate, directs more blood from internal to surface areas, makes you sweat, reduces the heat output from your internal organs and stops you "burning" glucose to provide heat. The small quantity of the hot drink is not enough to heat the body up over its increased efforts to cool itself.
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Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.
09:30 AM

@ThursdayNext: Hot drinks will make you sweat more, and increase your cooling. But the amount of extra cooling won't be enough to offset the heating-up from the drink.

Thermodynamics, Thermodynamics
Also
Thermodynamics.
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Edited by Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science. at 11/20/09 9:30 AM

ThursdayNext
09:49 AM

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: Hmmm...not sure I agree with you. Are you taking into account the time it takes for the heat in the liquid to warm you versus how quickly you are able to dissipate that heat? What about surface to volume ratios of your body dissipating heat versus the liquid heating you up?

#speakup
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fuchikoma
11:02 AM

@ThursdayNext: I'd wonder things like - maybe the drink is 80C - so is the calculation done as if you'd drank it all at that temperature, or does it take into account cooling it off so you don't burn your mouth?

Also, regardless of heat exchanged, does it make you FEEL cooler?

You could always just eat spicy hot foods and sweat it out with no heat added to you externally...
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jaronimo
11:52 AM

@ThursdayNext: I heard that it is not a good ideo to drink extra cool stuff to cool down your body when it's hot, because the body will have to heat the cool liquid in your stomach so that it reaches body-temperature (36°) therefore generating the opposite of the desired effect.

Beduines (nomads in the desert) only drink hot tea most of the time, regardless of the temperature outside.
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Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.
12:41 PM

@fuchikoma: That is one of the issues. Drinking the hot beverage would make your blood vessles constrict in order to cool off and you would become flushed and feel hot even if it did cool you down.
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Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.
12:42 PM

@jaronimo: A room temperature/lukewarm beverage would likely be your best bet.
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Boom-Chicka-Ah: Here to Create a Star Commenter Empire
11/19/09

In reply to So, the Haystacks of Assassin's Creed II - Are They Any Bigger?
Aren't video games made to escape the real world?
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Trey
11/19/09

@Boom-Chicka-Ah: Here to Create a Star Commenter Empire: AC2 is still a game that is grounded in reality more or less (gravity and such).
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Legion329
11/19/09

@Trey: You're an assassin who sits in a machine that lets him relive the memories of past assassins! This game is not grounded in reality AT ALL.
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Trey
11/19/09

@Legion329: Well, when Ezio jumps up and comes back down, it's because of physics. Same thing as jumping into a small haystack from twenty stories up and not crashing right though it.

It's a small thing anyways, but Assassin's Creed does have realistic attributes to it, however fictitious and spectacular it may be.
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Boom-Chicka-Ah: Here to Create a Star Commenter Empire
11/19/09

@Trey: SCREW THAT! I want ezio to have a gun that shoot shurikens and lightning! SHURIKENS AND LIGHTNING!!
...
SHURIKENS ON FIRE!!

#speakup
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Legion329
11/19/09

@Trey: In the context of the game, when Ezio jumps up and comes back down it's because that's what the Animus is coded to do.

I do see what you're saying, though; I just don't think it's that big of a deal.

#speakup
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Trey
06:48 AM

@Legion329: Oh, you're right, it's no big deal of course. Not at all.

#speakup
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Trey
06:48 AM

@Boom-Chicka-Ah: Here to Create a Star Commenter Empire: That is completely reasonable.

#speakup
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QualityJeverage
11/19/09

In reply to So, the Haystacks of Assassin's Creed II - Are They Any Bigger?
AC2 is still more physically plausible than the original, in that hanging platforms now, you know, actually hang and move around.

Either way, I'd rather they fix the weird animation bug when jumping from high places into haystacks: Where Ezio appears to be a few feet off target, but then snaps back and lands cleanly at the last second. It happened in the last game too...
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Malfunktion v2
09:29 AM

@QualityJeverage: I found it funny that those things swing around, but the ropes connecting some buildings are perfectly static. I had no idea woven steel was invented in the 1400s.
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(Zombie) D Mitsuki, Gotta have guts kid!
11/19/09

In reply to So, the Haystacks of Assassin's Creed II - Are They Any Bigger?
It's a good thing physics was his first kill.
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Evdor
11/19/09

In reply to So, the Haystacks of Assassin's Creed II - Are They Any Bigger?
You know, I'm also pretty sure it's physically impossible for an artifact to possess the power to control people's thoughts or whatever the Macguffin was for the first game too, while we're discussing implausibilities.

Plus, it ignores how implausible it is that he blends in with anything. "Hey Bob, what's with that Monk decked out in harnesses and combat gear?" "Maybe he's new." "Oh well, stop looking for that guy that killed our Lord."
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Liptons
11/19/09

In reply to So, the Haystacks of Assassin's Creed II - Are They Any Bigger?
Logic is for pussies.
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PapaBear434
11/19/09

@Liptons:

Mrs. Palin, please refrain from using profanities. Your children are present.
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new_pornographer
11/17/09

In reply to Bringing A Little MMO To The Real World
Nice pic of Southbank in the background! <3 #cosplay
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Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do...
11/17/09

In reply to Bringing A Little MMO To The Real World
It was all fun and games until he went to central park and started farming for leather. #cosplay
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Koztah
11/17/09

@Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do...: Hyde. Hyde Park. #cosplay
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Hiero
11/17/09

@Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do...: Is it even profitable? who much is a hobo leather worth at the AH? #cosplay
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Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do...
11/17/09

@Hiero: Depends on how well you tan the skin. #cosplay
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denki
11/17/09

In reply to Bringing A Little MMO To The Real World
Is he the same guy that some Japanese rockabillies tried to beat up because he was walking around their turf being an ass? I know the idea sounds cool, but in practice, while you may want to interact with the world in that fashion, nobody else wants to interact with you. #cosplay
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-MasterDex-
11/17/09

In reply to Bringing A Little MMO To The Real World
That's awesome, pity about the low triangle count though, seems like the real world needs a new graphics card. #cosplay
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That mop mutant from NES.
11/17/09

@-MasterDex-: Click on the jump. This column will make sense then. #cosplay
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Cptn.PaxtonAstypalaea(Corsair) promoted this comment

Cptn.PaxtonAstypalaea(Corsair)
11/17/09

@That mop mutant from NES.: I'm impressed he has fingers... #cosplay
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-MasterDex-
11/17/09

@That mop mutant from NES.: I did. I was talking about how the style of the suit uses a low triangle count to make it look like something from a game.
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Edited by -MasterDex- at 11/17/09 3:39 AM -MasterDex- was starred -MasterDex- was unstarred

Cptn.PaxtonAstypalaea(Corsair)
11/17/09

@-MasterDex-: Ummm Dex? I think he's telling other people how to understand your joke, not actually addressing you... at least, that's how I read it... #cosplay
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-MasterDex-
11/17/09

@Cptn.PaxtonAstypalaea(Corsair): Aha! My bad! lol #cosplay
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Cptn.PaxtonAstypalaea(Corsair)
11/17/09

In reply to Bringing A Little MMO To The Real World
.... Why does the image on the front page look higher res. than the one in the article? I don't think it is size, as other than being cropped, the images look about the same size?

Ah there's much better pictures at the link... You can actually see the details there... Love the one showing the hand.

Heh, that's pretty cool, but why does he have a bike lamp on a pole sticking out of his back? Is that the Camera? If so, shouldn't it be higher like someone else suggested? He can't sit, can he? Bringing that camera up a lot will slove the problems of sitting and seeing where the damn heck he is going... Even in PSO you could sit... though only if you had a keyboard or something?

He's also missing his name, class and level floating above his head, in neon letters.

Maybe he'll do that in a Patch?

Also, is that some kind of one way window for the visor, or is he going around blind? Wait, that's a camera on his back and he's seeing himself third person? Heh, reminds me of a bit from an early DiscWorld Novel...
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Edited by Cptn.PaxtonAstypalaea(Corsair) at 11/17/09 3:26 AM

Helba
11/17/09

@Cptn.PaxtonAstypalaea(Corsair): I think it's a head mounted display screen, so I reckon without that camera he's pretty much blind.

But yeah, what he really needs is like 5 cameras, not one; the one-camera setup is like a car accident waiting to happen. #cosplay
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Cptn.PaxtonAstypalaea(Corsair)
11/17/09

@Helba: There was a bit in one of the first few DiscWorld novels where Rincewing found a Helmet that gave him a Third Person View...

He commented on how useless that was, as it meant someone could fall down a hole right in front of them...

I think he needs to add a collar attatched to the helmet, with a camera attatched that is held behind and above his head, that will turn when he turns his head. He could perhaps make it somewhat elastic, so clipping it in place would mean he could turn his head and keep the camera static, if that was what he wanted, but he still needs to be able to see round corners.

My guess he won't be wearing this anywhere near traffic, or jocks, or etcs... #cosplay
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Helba
11/17/09

@Cptn.PaxtonAstypalaea(Corsair): If this thing were mass marketed, it'd be like Neuromancer meets .HACK//.....

Pure Awesome. #cosplay
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Scottaholic
11/17/09

@Cptn.PaxtonAstypalaea(Corsair): It was one of the later novels, Interesting Times. Spoiler alert, but he uses the armor to control a golem army in RTS style. I didn't realize until now, but it's almost as if he's playing a game of ancient golem Pikmin--only he never figures out the controls. #cosplay
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Atomsk88
11/17/09

In reply to Bringing A Little MMO To The Real World
It's cool and all when he stands still, but when he's walking, the environment looks abstract and the whole visual effect simply appears as though he's using a fisheye lens to record himself.

Kinda made me feel a bit sick in the stomach watching the constant shifting and pulling of the sky... #cosplay
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-MasterDex-
11/17/09

@Atomsk88: Imagine how he felt walking around while seeing that! #cosplay
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Alvarez
11/17/09

In reply to Bringing A Little MMO To The Real World
Cool but I'm wondering why the camera isn't just a little bit higher so he can see in front of himself. That's a problem I always have while driving in the GTA games, constantly pressing up on the camera so I can see where the hell I'm going. #cosplay
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Cptn.PaxtonAstypalaea(Corsair)
11/13/09

In reply to AI Convention Features StarCraft Competition
So Bots against Bots with no Human interference.... actually sounds really interesting...

I can't remember much from my Uni days, but I have always been interested in AI... I wonder if there will be a way to watch these battles?

It can't be any worse than watching people online play Smash Bros...

"We'll bet on Kirby! Kirby is supposed to be a good character.

....

....

...Why are they just standing in the corner taunting?" #starcraft
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ThisCharmingMan
11/12/09

In reply to AI Convention Features StarCraft Competition
It's crazy how relevant this game still is 10 years later. I guess that's why they're taking sooo much time with the sequel...they've got a lot to live up to. #starcraft
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WhiteSkyRising
11/12/09

@ThisCharmingMan: Starcraft is one of the greatest games of all time for many people.

Gameplay wasn't the only thing driving the game, but just the basic concepts of the three races, the Zerg, controlled by the demonic sounding Overmind, the humans, constantly being raped by everything, including themselves, and the Protoss, an advanced race comprised of arrogance that have lost their way.

Not to mention the sounds! Who has played Starcraft that can't remember the sounds?

Goliath online!
You want a piece of me boy?
Vector, locked in!

I am wretched... but I am STRONG!
Sacrifice me...
*Hydralisk spitting acid*

You could no more evade my wrath... than you could your own shadow.
It is a good day to die.
The merging is complete.

No doubt within the next hour at least a hundred people will be able to name each and every unit I've quoted. #starcraft
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ThisCharmingMan
11/12/09

@WhiteSkyRising: You're right man, totally a timeless game. I used to have my PC play the sound of a zergling burrowing when i minimized my windows :) #starcraft
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Leanid
11/13/09

@WhiteSkyRising: You didn't even mention the advisors.

"Spawn more Overlords."

"We require more vespene gas."

"You must construct additional pylons." #starcraft
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WhiteSkyRising
11/14/09

@Leanid: LMAO fo sho! My dad's been playing for about 10 years (IDK, whenever I was in the third grade, I'm a junior in college now), and I still live at home. He plays every other night or so for a good 2-3 hours, and sometimes I'll stop and watch him and mock him:

"Dad. Dad. Dad. SPAWN MORE OVERLORDS." #starcraft
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