Until recently I was basically unaware of this sort of thing:

A parametric component that contains Power Features will react automatically as it is placed into an assembly, adding all the necessary fit-features to the connecting components. For example, if a designer adds an ejector pin to the mold assembly, the software will automatically create the corresponding hole features in the plates through which it passes. Tolerances are also defined automatically.

That bit comes from an entry over on Desktop Engineering (Link) concerning Delcam’s mold design package, PS-Moldmaker. They’re not the only one’s doing that sort of thing.

A couple weeks ago I was speaking with someone about something related to this. The example used was hands; as in human hands created using Features (ala Pro/ENGINEER‘s feature-based CAD) that attached to an avatar’s body (ala Spore‘s cut-n-paste parts). The beauty of feature-based geometry is partly in the compact file size (I can email a complete Pro/E part file weighing in at 100kb, but once exported the resulting triangle mesh can balloon to 20meg, depending on level of detail). Now imagine having that kind of power available in a virtual world client (which is what I assume is already built into some top-of-the-line PLMware). Imagine being able to create content that has the kind of interactivity as described above (the “Power Features” in PS-Moldmaker). Imagine a client that simply streams these files, regenerates the geometry on the fly and tesselates for rendering as necessary. Automatic LOD. Amazing detail. Files that can go anywhere – from videogames to rapid-prototyping machines. One format. A big piece of what could be a kind of Unified Field Theory for virtual worlds.

I wanna break into a rendition of Lennon’s “Imagine“. Excuse me while I get a kleenex.

Well this is interesting. Bill Buxton is joining Microsoft to work on HCI (human-computer interfaces). From the C|Net article (Link) comes this intriguing quote:

My sense is that Microsoft is in transition from an engineering-led company to…a design-led company,” he said. “There are more designers at Microsoft on any single team as there were, not too long ago, in the entire company. It’s a wonderful change.

Bill Buxton at Microsoft. That just plain sounds foreign. I’m going to have to give some thought to what that really means.

{Update: Looks like I caught the tip of what was to come: C|Net has now posted an interview with Buxton. Read it at this Link.}

Once upon a time, extortionists went after big companies like, you know, Travellers, or investment houses like Schwab. How times have changed. C|Net tells it all in the top of their article (Link):

A maker of popular role-playing games was forced to shut down its online store for four days after hackers pilfered e-mail addresses, user names and encrypted passwords.

These people could be anywhere in the world (and I can guess a few likely countries). Time to put the money you can’t afford to lose under a mattress, folks.

Videogame advertising giant Massive Incorporated has recently released a couple of press releases (Link to 1, Link to 2) announcing strategic partnerships and network “inclusions”; these most recent ones being mentioned over on Blue’s News. One interesting comment in these most recent releases is a quote from THQ’s executive vice president of worldwide publishing, Kelly Flock:

We are excited to team with Massive because we believe their network strategy and sensitivity to game play will deliver value to publishers, advertisers and gamers.

Sensitivity to game play? Who do they think they’re kidding here? Oh wait. Maybe forcing gamers to watch things like ads for feminine hygiene products will make both them and the game play more sensitive. I know that if I were camping near a billboard displaying that stuff, I’d reconsider my actions and log off.

Aleks, over on the Guardian Unlimited’s Gamesblog, has posted a “Best of” for the year (Link) and somewhat (though not entirely) surprisingly, has included “Second Life“. It’s a short list – only three titles long – which also includes “Sprung” and “The Movies” (used to create “The French Democracy” about which I’ve written). Aleks had this to say about Second Life:

It’s been out since 2003, but this is the year they went from 18,000 subscribers to 90,000 subscribers, which has changed things immensely. It’s not really a game; it’s whatever you make it.

I suspect this endorsement will help grow the population. Good thing there’s no mention the basic account is free, or developer Linden Lab would have their hands full keeping up.