News of The Day 11/4/2010

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Slow news day, with some mixed news in science, Hulu Plus going forward, and the Kinect in motion!

Comics:
Wizard acquires New Orleans Comic Con. Just noting – since these conventions are big deals promotions and media-relations wise.

Science/Cleantech:
Is Cleantech investment going more downstream as opposed to focusing on generation? A potential trend to follow.

Panasonic sinks $30 million into Tesla Motors. That's interesting and makes me wonder what their future plans are. Might be worth following if you're into CleanTech and related technology.

Technology:
Clearwire cuts 15% of employees. Sounds like this may not be over yet, so caution if you'relooking at them or working there.

Video:
Hulu Plus invites are now open. So go and check it out . . . and it's expanding on devices.

Video Games:
And of course Kinect goes on sale. What I'm hearing so far is pretty decent – my cynicism may not be justified. So now let's see how this goes . . .

QUESTION OF THE DAY: How do you think Kinect will do?

– Steven Savage

Go Farther: Fantasy Game Economics

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Some time ago I wrote, wistfully, that writers of fictions and worldbuilders of all kinds could do better – and have interesting ideas if they focused on economics.  Economics helps you build a world, create plots, and of course, make a story more relatable since we deal with economic issues all the times.

I'd like to return to that issue by noting a specific area of fantasy fiction and gaming – especially gaming – that I'd like to addressed further.  Those of you writing, those of you building games, and so on, keep this in mind.  It will help you create better.

(And this issue really bugs me).

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Media, Literatue, And How Things Stand Out

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I can get books fast.   I can find tons of books online, from new ones to classics.  I can find them fast I can find them cheap.  I can find a lot of physical books fast, from cheap POD to used book stores.  If I want literature, from classics to trash, I've got a lot of ways to get it fast and cheap.

Iv'e wondered if this affects the value of literature – and other media -  but not necessarily in the way we may expect.

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