Photo by Michael Martine 2019

Games loom large in this episode of Games At Work, as they should!  With Google announcing the Stadia game streaming service, there is quite a buzz building about the ways how this might work, and what games could be served up in this environment.  Michael and Michael talk about the possibilities of converting viewers and spectators into participants in the gaming experience.

After a discussion on the new Oculus Rift S, the co-hosts discuss Rovio’s foray into AR with the Angry Birds franchise, due out in late spring.  Michael R compares it to the AR games he’s played and the pair is excited to give it a try.

Star Wars enters into the conversation, both from a game remake in Unreal as well as comparing the AI capabilities the US Air Force is employing to the famous astromech R2-D2.  AI is also being used by Volvo for their passenger cars to improve safety, and raises some intriguing privacy concerns.

Selected Links

TechCrunch article: The 9 biggest questions about Google’s Stadia game streaming service — https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/19/the-9-biggest-questions-about-googles-stadia-game-streaming-service/

CNet article: Google Stadia gaming at GDC 2019: Everything just announced — https://www.cnet.com/news/google-stadia-gaming-at-gdc-2019-everything-just-announced/ 

Kotaku article: Fan Is Remaking The First Level of Star Wars: Dark Forces In Unreal Engine 4 — https://kotaku.com/fans-are-remaking-star-wars-dark-forces-in-unreal-engi-1833335006 

Star Wars: Dark Forces — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_Dark_Forces 

TechCrunch article: The Oculus Rift S is real and arrives in spring for $399 — https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/20/the-oculus-rift-s-is-indeed-real-and-arrives-in-spring-for-399/ 

Patently Apple article: Angry Birds ‘Isle of Pigs’ will be Rovio’s First Augmented Reality Game coming to Apple’s Mobile Devices Late Spring — https://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2019/03/angry-birds-isle-of-pigs-will-be-rovios-first-augmented-reality-game-coming-to-apples-mobile-devices-late-spring.html 

Popular Mechanics article: The Air Force’s New AI Is Like R2-D2 for Fighter Jets — https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a26871027/air-force-ai-fighter-plane-skyborg/ 

Car and Driver article: Every Volvo Will Get In-Car Cameras to Combat Distraction and Drunk Driving — https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a26893035/volvo-interior-cameras-distraction-drunk-driving/ 

TechCrunch article: Apple announces new AirPods — https://techcrunch.com/2019/03/20/apple-announces-new-airpods/