Humor: Girls that Play Videogames

"Girls that Play Videogames" by Matt Melvin

Source: Cyanide & Happiness

Humor: Mushrooms

Mario's Magic Mushrooms

Source: The Argyle Sweater

Link Round-Up: January 27, 2014

"It’s Vault Hunting Time!" by Lou Victor Karnas

An Adventure Time / Borderlands 2 Mash-Up

"I have no idea why i mixed those together, I just thought that Finn and Jake would be awesome in Borderlands!"

Event: Explore Westeros with Game of Thrones: The Exhibition

News: Tatecraft Wants To Bring The Tate Into Minecraft

Apple Uses Whitman Poem to Sell iPads: is it raising the bar for marketing campaigns, or reducing one of America's greatest poets to a mere shill?  Tomato, tomato.

Comic Round-Up: January 25, 2014

"Steampunk Justice League" by Dan Panosian

"Another cover for February's Steampunk Alternate covers."

Event: Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK (2 May 2014 – 19 August 2014) will explore the full potential of the medium, demystifying the process of creating comics while presenting work that is challenging to the status quo. Its materials unflinchingly examine issues around gender, violence, sexuality, drug-taking and politics.

Interview: Artist Mike S. Miller talks about his work on the two George R.R. Martin adaptations, The Hedge Knight and The Sworn Sword, which are being republished by Amazon’s Jet City comics imprint.

Crafts: Geek Alphabet Blocks

Alphabet Blocks for a Geek Baby by Jonathan M. Guberman

Amateur engineer Jonathan M. Guberman made his newborn son a set of custom engraved wooden alphabet blocks, with things he and his wife were looking forward to sharing with him as he grew up.  Thanks to the fact that he's shared his designs and explained his methods, you can now make your future progeny a set of blocks, as well.  Personally, I'd be inclined to throw a little math and science into the mix - maybe a diagram of an atom or Euler's identity.

"Shortly before my son was born I decided to make a set of alphabet blocks decorated with things that his mother and I were looking forward to sharing with him. I started work, and then he was born. Now, coming up on his first birthday, I’ve finally finished. (Apparently, shop time is hard to come by when you’re caring for an infant. Who knew?)

There are 36 blocks — the English alphabet and ten digits — showing 134 images of people, animals, monsters, robots, vehicles, organizations, devices, tools, and objects from some of our favourite movies, TV shows, books, comics, video games, poems, and sculptures, as well as a few from the real world for good measure (and a couple not-so-favourites for comic relief/alphabetical exigency; I’m looking at you, Zardoz). The only real rule I followed in choosing subjects was trying to maintain an even gender balance."

Project: Virtual Middle Earth

Middle Earth modelled in Outerra

Source: Imgur via Reddit

Someone has decided to demonstrate the astonishing potential of the Outerra game engine by recreating Middle-Earth on a 1:1 scale.  The results are impressive to say the least.  They blow the graphic environment of Lord of the Rings Online out of the water.  To really get a feel for the scope of this project, check out the video tour at the bottom of this post.

Outerra is a 3D planetary engine for seamless planet rendering from space down to the surface.  Every detail is refined to full resolution right down to the centimeter using fractal algorithms, thereby offering unlimited visibility, progressive downloads, and procedural content generation.  What's more Outerra offers integrated physics engines for vehicles, making an ideal platform for game designers.  Download the tech demo and play around with some simulations for yourself.


Here's the best part.  Outerra has Oculus Rift support. So, you could conceivably pair the Rift with something like the omnidirectional treadmill and actually retrace Frodo's journey for yourself.  You know, if you needed something to do in your spare time for a year.

Kickstarter: 3D Tabletop Miniatures

Customizable 3D Printed Tabletop Miniatures by Hero Forge

This Kickstarter run by three dudes and four ladies is looking to start a company that produces incredibly detailed, versatile custom 3D printed gaming miniatures for your tabletop characters. If you have ever spent hours combing through a bin of Reaper Minis trying to find a statue that even remotely resembles your Player Character, then you'll definitely appreciate this project.

"Hero Forge is a service that lets you design custom tabletop minis, have them 3D printed, and delivered right to your doorstep. By using a sophisticated parts system and web UI, we're bringing the flexibility, ease, and control of a robust video game character creator to the tabletop.

Choose your race, your gender, your build, and your facial expression. Select and swap individual armor pieces, weapons, adventuring equipment, hairstyles, and faces. Choose your pose and watch all of the dynamically rigged parts and attributes conform to fit your selection. Choose the scale of your mini, and even the material it's printed in. We're bringing a high-tech update to a classic analog hobby and giving you the opportunity to breathe your vision and creativity into your miniature."