-
-
Mini steam engines made from junk
California artist and animator I-Wei Huang, known as Crab Fu, has built a legion of remote-controlled steaming creatures out of scale-model tanks and boats, electronics kits, and “a bunch of junk parts I’ve collected.” The Steam Walker, one of his favorite creations, uses a Wilesco D14 miniature steam engine and a system of sprockets and chains to move its feet.
Check out more from his legion at the link. California artist and animator I-Wei Huang, known as Crab Fu, has built a legion of remote-controlled steaming creatures out of scale-... more -
Google to buy Valve
Rumours are flying around the blogosphere that Google is buying Half-Life makers Valve – and the 15 million registered gamers that use the Steam content delivery system.
Valve rose to prominence with Half-Life – one of the greatest PC games of all time – and the success of 'mod' Counter Strike.
Half Life 2 became another massive hit across several platforms, and also helped popularise the Steam delivery system, that allows patches and even full games to be bought on the internet, missing out the normal distribution chains.
Steam on
Steam is now far and away the most accepted online distribution method for the PC, and the company has a massive fanbase that is spilling over onto other platforms after releases of Valve games on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
It does indeed make an enticing package for other major companies, but the links to Google are likely to surprise many.
On the face of things both Valve and Google are young much-appreciated companies which have been massively successful in their sectors.
Google has not involved itself in gaming thus far in any major way, but Steam is something that would appear to offer the company something closer to its heart.
Plausible
"The rumours that Google will bid for Valve certainly sound plausible: Steam is the highest-profile digital delivery system that exists in the games world, and it's obvious that Google, in its eagerness to achieve even greater dominance of the Internet, would find that attractive," says freelance games journalist, Steve Boxer.
"Predicting what it might do to the development and engine technology side of Valve is somewhat trickier, though. Although Valve, as a developer, would surely love to have Google's financial muscle behind it."
Google was contacted about it and only responded that they don't comment on rumor or speculation. Rumours are flying around the blogosphere that Google is buying Half-Life makers Valve – and the 15 million registered gamers that use... more -
Check Out These Amazing Steampunk Watch Gear/Movement Cufflinks Cuff Links!!
There are surely 100's of undiscovered artists and craftsmen out there, and every time a new one is unsurfaced it's like finding buried treasure! I saw these Steampunk cufflinks and they blew me away, but the rings and necklaces, brooches, lapel pins and tie tacs are also incredible. Let's all pay our kadoos to these people and remember why Walmart sucks. There are surely 100's of undiscovered artists and craftsmen out there, and every time a new one is unsurfaced it's like fin... more
-
Honda Develops Steam Hybrid
Hyperbolae:
In an unforeseen power play Honda thermodynamicists and controls engineers bested their rival elecrical engineers with a textbook solution.
Reality:
Using a setup to use heat to power a Rankine cycle, they reported "that the use of the Rankine cycle improved the thermal efficiency of the engine by 3.8%."
Unfortunately with the cost and weight of the system I hardly think 3.8% warrants significant pause other than to commend these engineers with a well intentioned try at making the world a better place Hyperbolae: ... more -
Happy Holidays from Aperture Science
It is short sweet and to the point. It?s good to see our good friend the Companion Cube with a Santa hat on, as well as the Holiday (Fruit?) cake.
If you have any links to any other game related online greeting cards, feel free to link to them in the comments. It is short sweet and to the point. It?s good to see our good friend the Companion Cube with a Santa hat on, as well as the Holiday (... more -
Saving Private Ryan, Team Fortress 2 Style
Ever ask yourself what "Saving Private Ryan" would be like if WW2 was more like TF2? Wonder no more.
-
Still Alive
Aperture Science: We do what we must, because we can.
-
Team Fortress 2 design process
CGSociety have posted an in-depth look at Valve's design process for the Team Fortress 2 characters, and it's PACKED full of awesome screenshots and concept art like the one above. CGSociety have posted an in-depth look at Valve's design process for the Team Fortress 2 characters, and it's PACKED full of... more
-
Sam and Max Episode 201: Ice Station Santa
"He may be a mechanized engine of wanton destruction, but his taste in hideous middle-of-the-road pop music is impeccable!"-- Sam
Having just power-slammed the first season like a jalapeno jello-shooter, I was more than ready to take on the next case. Here's the scoop on Ice Station Santa, Freelance Police fans.
Santa has sends Max his Christmas present, but there are a couple of problems. For one thing, it's November. For another, it's a 3-story tall engine of destruction called Maimtron who is out to kill him and thrash the neighborhood. A flasback-inducing sequence of 80's pop references later, you put the poor thing out of your misery. Jump into the DeSoto and off to the North Pole to find out what the heck is going on. When you get there, things are definately not right. You are faced with the Soda Poppers and two bewildered elves trying to get Christmas off the ground after having most of their duties outsourced. But that's not the worst part. Their rotund boss has locked himself in his office howling, "The snow will turn red with the blood of the naughty!" while softening up the reception area with his Red-Ridder machine gun. Then it just gets weird. "He may be a mechanized engine of wanton destruction, but his taste in hideous middle-of-the-road pop music is impeccable!"-... more -
Half-Life 1 & 2 in 60 seconds
Obvious warning. Spoilers ahead.
For those who do not know about Half-Life and it's ilk, I suggest you go to the following link.
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/26398.html Obvious warning. Spoilers ahead. ... more -
Kinetic Steam Works
Zachary Rukstela of Kinetic Steam Works gives you the low down on the steam scene.
-
related topics
steam
Contributors (24)
steam
