Mugshots aren't just for criminals anymore. In the world of competitive Scrabble, no one's safe from the lens of photojournalist Roger Cullman. For the last couple years, Cullman has been hitting up the Scrabble circuit with hopes of immortalizing some of the world's best Scrabble players in headshot pictures of them holding racks with their surnames spelled out in Scrabble tiles.
Last weekend the 2011 World Scrabble Championship was held at the Hilton Hotel in Warsaw, Poland. There were 106 players competing from 44 countries for the $20,000 first place prize and title of World Scrabble Champion.
ZUGZWANG n pl. -S a situation in chess that forces a disadvantageous move 81 points (31 points without the bingo)
One of the main reasons I was held back from fully switching over to Linux was the fact that media streaming is nearly impossible. You have two choices in Windows: either you use file sharing with Windows Media Player, or you can just use the Windows Media Center. But both of these softwares are not for Linux or Mac. Microsoft doesn't like to make open source software because they believe in making a profit, instead of allowing others to innovate it.
A phoney word in a game of Scrabble is basically a non-valid word, either played or considered being played. Why? To fool the other player and go from losing to winning. It's perfectly acceptable in Scrabble play, but only if you don't get caught. If the other player challenges your play, then you'll be forced to remove it and your turn will be skipped. That right there—not fun.
Foldit is definitely a niche game. The sole gameplay mechanic is attempting to fold complex proteins into smaller and more efficient shapes following the rules of molecular physics and biology. Points are awarded based on how small one can make the protein. Online leaderboards track players' relative progress and allows them to view and manipulate other players' completed designs. It's original, certainly, but no developer is going to ship a million units of a game about molecular-level prote...
Let's face it, not every logophile is addicted to Scrabble. Without the use of a timer, Scrabble can be a pretty slow game. Even in clubs and tournaments where the standard time limit is 25 minutes per person for a two-player game. Now, take away time restrictions and add two other players and you've got a game that could take up to 2 hours! It all really depends on who the competition is.
Giveaway Tuesdays has officially ended! But don't sweat it, WonderHowTo has another World that's taken its place. Every Tuesday, Phone Snap! invites you to show off your cell phone photography skills.
Shadows of the Dammed (360/PS3) is a polarizing game. It's not shy of being crass and crude. Go ahead and judge the game by the following examples (click to enlarge):
Stuck in a relationship that is going nowhere? Do you wake up and it's nine years later and nothing has changed? Do you also dream of sheep? You know, in the non erotic sense? Well welcome to Catherine, a puzzle game of non-commitment and text messaging.
As advanced gaming systems continue to evolve, older classics like the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) are one step closer to extinction. They're rotting in the basements of gamers. They're gathering dust at the local pawn shop. Or worse... being thrown out in the trash like a used up condom. But not everybody is getting rid of their NES—or more specifically, their NES controllers.
Video games have been a purely digital medium for some decades now. They exist in the electronic nether, embedded on discs and projected on screens. Since digital distribution has gained popularity, even the physical manifestation of the game disc is going away, leaving games (especially digitally distributed indie games) more ethereal than ever before. It is unclear whether this slightly unsettling fact was on the minds of the three people who made Receipt Racer, but regardless, it stands as...
Are you familiar with Studio Ghibli? It's the dreamy Japanese animation studio responsible for anime classics Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Howl's Moving Castle. Regarded as highly inventive, serene, and spooky, Studio Ghibli puts out internationally renown films, loaded with magic, monsters and lovable creatures, such as Totoro (pictured to the right, and above).
Great controls are the most important and difficult part of game design. Games with vector graphics and non-existent stories are classics because their creators managed to create a system where using buttons to control a shape on a screen was intuitive and fun. This is the tradition that Pac-Man has left us with, a gaming world in which controlling the character onscreen in an engaging way is the crux of the game's enjoyment.
Animation Training:
This are my tips for fifa 11. The following are purely my opinion and what has worked well for me, it is not my fault if the same things do not work for you.
In every nerd, there is a 12-year-old boy just dying to get out. This week, we bring you the ultimate in indulging your inner kid.
DYVOUR n pl. -S one who is bankrupt Nigel Richards played this word in his very first game in the 2010 National SCRABBLE Championship (NSC) held in Texas, which ended today. Richards won that first game against Lucas Freeman with a 462 to 392 score, but "DYVOUR" was no forewarning for Richards — not at all.
If you're a believer in the power of logic, may as well skip the game tomorrow. Two math professors at the University of London have supposedly determined who will win the World Cup, and have displayed their findings as a sophisticated infographic:
By Cal Ripken Jr. Let the players play and the coaches coach !
The 2010 World Cup is upon us and there isn't much that hasn't been said already. All the leagues around the world are finished and champions have been crowned. The media has covered every angle imaginable. Or have they? Or should they? Is this about the sport anymore? What will we remember about this World Cup? A great goal, a new venue, a great comeback, injured players who never made it, a bad call by a referee, a new star rising, overlooked players, 4-4-2, 3-4-1-2, 3-4-3, bad subs, FIFA 2...
It's been a long time.
There are no spoilers in this writing, read without worry. Finished Episode 3 of Alan Wake yesterday, impressed by different reasons. I originally bought the game for the possibility of great story, dialogue, and voice acting. That part of the game has been disappointing. What has stood out from playing episodes 1 to 3 is the level design and game play.
Flash video. It's what all smartphone users have been waiting for. Why has it taken sooo long? And why is Apple still resistant?
If you've checked out my SCRABBLE World, you may have read "How Controversy Changed SCRABBLE". In that case, you know that the word JEW is not allowed in regular play, because it was deemed an offensive and obscene word.
If you've read my blog "How Controversy Changed SCRABBLE", then you know that the word JEW is not allowed in regular play, because it was deemed an offensive and obscene word.
The X-Ray Vision-aries Blog has compiled a list of YouTube's 100 Coolest Science Experiments. I particularly enjoy their introduction to the selection:
With the release date of its round-faced smartwatch drawing near, Motorola is calling on the public to help design clock faces for its new Android Wear device.
Now might be as good a time as any to change over from the 'Uncarrier' to Ma Bell. For a limited time only, AT&T is offering T-Mobile customers 450 bucks in credit to change to their team. Folks jumping ship from the Big Magenta could earn up to $250 in credit for trading in their smartphone and another $200 credit for transferring service. AT&T sure is working hard to snag up new subscribers, and if you've been looking for a change in carrier and to save some money to boot, you might just wa...
A small group of students studying Game development at Stockholm University just released their first game.
WESPA, the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association, has released its first major overhaul of the ratings system since inception,. Several known issues faced by the old system have been remedied, with the new system available online through Aardvark. The changes make ratings fairer, particularly for new players in the system.
This clip offers a quick tip on using Photoshop’s Fill command. Learn how to use blend mode options to fill an object with a new color while retaining shading and texture of the object. For more information, including detailed instructions, and to get started taking full advantage of the Adobe Photoshop fill command yourself, watch this free video software tutorial. Use the Fill command in Adobe Photoshop CS5.
Writing a love letter be scary and intimidating when you try to get started. Finding a way to put all your emotions into words on a piece of paper can trouble even the greatest of minds. This video will offer some helpful and insightful tips to make sure you write a letter that truly expresses all of the feelings you've got inside you for that special someone. Write a heartfelt love letter.
Chris Beardshaw demonstrates how to plant a rambling rose, offering tips on how to select the perfect rose, pruning and training.
Monty Don demonstrates how to plant out leeks without damaging their roots, offering advice on planting depths and watering frequency.
Monty Don offers video guidance on repotting a star jasmine, with advice on retaining moisture and limiting root disturbance.
Sarah Raven offers advice on which tomato varieties to grow, and demonstrates how to sow tomato seeds in coir pellets.
Wonderhing how to get started writing C# applications? This video offers a tour of the various features in Microsoft Visual C# 2005 Express Edition, and will help you become familiar with the tool, and get started writing -- and understanding -- your first application. To get started writing C#, take a look! Write your first C# application in Visual C#.
Want defined cheekbones, a narrower nose, or a shorter forehead? This how-to video offers some tips for making the most out of what nature gave you. Kendra Richards, makeup artist, uses brown eyeshadow (bronzer works just as well) to contour the face. Learn how to enhance facial features by watching this video makeup lesson. Enhance your features with makeup.
Learn some helpful hints from this how-to video to ensure every shot is a great one. The Picture Perfect Video Series offers digital photography tips to make the most of a Panasonic camera. Learn how to take better pictures by watching this video digital camera tutorial. Take better pictures with a Panasonic digital camera.
