#Power Serve 3D Tennis

[betterbemeta]

I think something interesting about the star trek world is its combination of both replicator and holodeck technology. I understand these are literal 'plot devices' to explain the availability of food, materials, and the ability to visit locations for sci-fi premises that can't be found on an alien planet. However, they are worth thinking about in terms of how they change the world.

(Let's assume 'ideal' circumstances where we have a stable renewable non-polluting source of lots and lots of energy and aren't rationing it like on Voyager or something)

Replicators can use energy and raw materials to configure items, and presumably dis-configure items. While the potential for '3D printing' basically anything so long as its materials aren't too rare is really cool, it is also a near-perfect recycling machine. Beyond making sure your replicated dishes and cups don't infinitely pile up, that's SO IMPORTANT. Not only does that mean many items are 'temporary' that otherwise would be 'forever', you can instantly refresh the wear on many items without having to replace them and generate trash.

For example, tennis balls. It's currently really hard to recycle tennis balls, and serious players wear them out extremely quickly. Every serve you make after the first will be with a slightly worn, degraded tennis ball until you replace it, which generates trash. The production facilities to make all those tennis balls have to exist, they have to be shipped, the space to store them exists, the space to store their waste exists, the waste must be transported to a tennis ball recycling facility or a landfill...

but with replicators, you could play tennis without owning/paying a club to access a single tennis ball, without wasting a tennis ball.

And then there's the possibility of holodeck sports where you don't even need to make ANY material items. You could program the tennis ball to never run out. As long as you have the power to run it, maybe the most you'd need to 'own' is a tennis outfit. I am not sure if it's consistent that holodecks can 'dress you' or if you always must bring in costumes from the outside. And the costume itself could be replicated and then recycled!

There's a vast amount of stuff that we retain as personal property that just has to do with accessing activities or amenities. It's not really property that has emotional significance to us, but we still have attachments to it as its a facilitator of our active identity. Our dishes and cookware. Sports equipment. Certain kinds of clothing items. Some types of personal care items. Non-heirloom/generic holiday decorations. Stuff that is usually sacrificed first when we become homeless, when losing access to what they enable is more devastating than the items themselves.

If we could basically conjure and dismiss these things at-will, or access them on a temporary basis for free, we wouldn't need to own them or keep them around in our homes. No supply chain would be dedicated to them. Their waste would be completely eliminated. Ideas of 'what stuff I need to have as a person, to have a dignified life' would change completely.

It wouldn't surprise me if there were people in the star trek universe running around on earth with basically nothing we consider permanent physical property. Not because they're homeless and have no place to put them, and not because they're rich and their assets are liquid-- because the only reason to 'keep' mundane items, even something as complex as a communication device or computer, might be because they are emotionally important to you. And not everybody has 'stuff' like that at every time in their lives.

[spicykaraage]

Tenipuri Complete Character Profile - Ryoma Echizen

[PROFILE]

Birthday: December 24th (Capricorn)

Blood Type: O

Birthplace: Los Angeles

Relatives: Father (Nanjirou Echizen), Mother (Rinko Echizen), Cousin (Nanako Meino), Cat (Karupin)

Father’s Occupation: Temple Priest (local)

Elementary School: Los Angeles Saint Youth Elementary School

Middle School: Seishun Academy Junior High School

Grade & Class: First Year | Class 1-2 | Seat 3

Club: Tennis Club (Regular)

Committee: Library Committee

Strong Subjects: English, Chemistry

Weak Subjects: Science Experiments, Japanese

Frequently Visited Spot at School: Under the big tree behind the school building

World Cup Team: U-17 World Cup USA Representatives ➜ U-17 World Cup Japanese Representatives

Favorite Motto: “All or Nothing.”

Daily Routines: Playing with Karupin

Hobbies: Bathing with bath salts from Japan’s famous hot springs ➜ Clearing games he’s borrowed, watching cat videos [23.5]

Favorite Color: Silver

Favorite Music: J-Pop

Favorite Movie: Any kind of Hollywood film

Favorite Book: Monthly Pro Tennis ➜ TENNIS LIFE (an American tennis magazine) [23.5]

Favorite Food: Grilled fish (with little bones), chawanmushi, local confections [23.5], shrimp senbei (plum and kimchi flavor) [removed]

Favorite Anniversary: Any day he can play tennis

Preferred Type: A girl that looks good with a ponytail

Ideal Date Spot: Santa Montica Third Street Promenade ➜ Santa Monica Pier Pacific Park [23.5]

His Gift for a Special Person: “Just tell me what you want.”

Where He Wants to Travel: A snow-viewing hot spring

What He Wants Most Right Now: Nintendo DS ➜ Nintendo 3DS [10.5 II] ➜ A smart watch [23.5]

Dislikes: Waking up early, cleaning the temple floors [removed], paparazzi [23.5]

Skills Outside of Tennis: Animals take a liking to him for some reason, can cleanly peel fruit [23.5], horseback riding(?) [TP]

Spends Allowance On: Fanta/Ponta

Routine During the World Cup: Soaking in an open-air bath

[DATA]

Height: 151cm ➜ 152.5cm [23.5]

Weight: 50kg ➜ 47kg [23.5]

Shoe Size: 24cm

Dominant Arm: Left

Vision: 1.5 Left & Right

Play Style: All-Rounder

Signature Moves: Twist Serve, Drive A, Drive B, Drive C, Drive D, Cool Drive, Selfless State, Pinnacle of Perfection, Samurai Drive, Hope [23.5]

Number of Times His Friend’s Visited Him While Abroad: 7.8 times a month

Favorite Brands:

Hats: FILA

Clothing: FILA

Racket: BRIDGESTONE (DYNABEAM GRANDEA)

Shoes: FILA (Mark Philippoussis Mid)

Fitness Test Results:

Side Steps: 71

Shuttle Run: 119

Back Strength: 102kg

Grip Strength: 42.3kg (left)

Backbend: 59.5cm

Seated Forward Bend: 39cm

50m Run: 6.1 seconds

Standing Long Jump: 237cm

Handball Throw: 28m

Endurance Run (1500m): 4:46

Overall Rating: Speed: 4 / Power: 3 / Stamina: 4 / Mental: 5 / Technique: 5 / Total: 21

Kurobe Memo: “Even though many areas already have a high degree of perfection, I suspect it’s highly likely he’ll continue to grow and improve. I would like to see him work on building his body without sacrificing balance.” [RB]

[POSSESSIONS]

What’s in His Bedroom [10.5]:

Trophies from past competitions // They’re placed randomly since he doesn’t really care for them

Alarm clock on his bed // The alarm doesn’t necessarily wake him up…

TV and game consoles // He has several types of game consoles but keeps the one he uses the most (Nintendo 64) connected to the TV

Closet // Where his school uniforms are stored. His mother will put them away if they’re left out

His pajamas he’s left out // He’s always in a rush when he gets ready for school

Karupin’s favorite cat toy // A cat tail toy

What’s in His Bag [10.5]:

A beginner’s guide to doubles // He bought it after playing doubles with Momoshiro. He forgot it was in there

Notebook // His math notebook he forgot to take out

Photos of Karupin // He insists that he didn’t put them in there

Notepad // He’s written down emergency phone numbers since he’s always late

Pen case

Game Boy Advance // Bought for him as a starting school gift, he plays it during his free time

Senbei // He drinks Fanta/Ponta when eating senbei

What’s in His Locker at the U-17 Training Camp [10.5 II]

Game console // A PSP. He’s absorbed in video games when he’s not playing tennis and has recently been playing a tennis game

Photo of Karupin // It’s one of his favorites

Fanta/Ponta // Grape flavor

Senbei // Having Fanta and senbei together is a must

What’s in His Travel Bag [23.5]:

Shio senbei from Okinawa // Gifted to him by Tanishi to celebrate his return to team Japan

[TRIVIA]

The Prince of Tennis 10.5 Fanbook | Publication Date: 11/02/2001

Although he’s lived in the USA, he still prefers Japanese food and isn’t fond of Western food

People tend to be aggravated by him due to his abrasive personality, but he means no ill-intent by it

He gained his arrogant and abrasive personality from growing up in the USA

He will speak his mind regardless of how it sounds as he believes it’s a way of being kind

His first name is written in katakana rather than kanji. It’s alluded that it may be due to his mother being another nationality besides Japanese

Konomi had Ryoma wear a hat since he thought it was cool, and wanted people to associate his FILA hat with him

He is called “Shorty” by Kikumaru but does not mind it since he states height doesn’t matter in tennis

He likes grape-flavored Fanta/Ponta

He keeps everything he needs for school in his tennis bag, hence why he gets confused when some items are still in it

His personality is described as pessimistic, but shy, gentle and always striving for improvement

Konomi originally did not intend for him to be the protagonist. The role was originally going to be given to Kintarou, with Ryoma being his rival. He initially thought Ryoma would be difficult to portray as a protagonist, be better as a sub character and that making him the protagonist would dampen the mood of the series. He eventually decided on Ryoma and built the other characters around him

Konomi describes him as a “bad guy,” and that him defeating people who are even worse is a focal point of the series

The Prince of Tennis 20.5 Fanbook | Publication Date: 12/04/2003

He is described to easily get engaged in a single subject and then excel in that area

When he concentrates, he will become so absorbed in what he’s doing that he will not pay attention to his surroundings

He is described to be suited for professions that require special skills, such as a pilot or astronaut

He is very susceptible to change and has an insatiable desire to become stronger

One of his favorite subjects is chemistry since the science behind the substances changing, combining and gaining different properties reminds him of tennis

He does not remember when he started playing tennis, and states he thinks he’s been playing it since he was born

His secondary sport would be soccer

The Prince of Tennis 40.5 Fanbook | Publication Date: 12/04/2007

He is described to be sociable and lively, but doesn’t get too involved in his personal relationships and tends to be reserved

His friends and schoolmates often visited his house when he lived in the USA

He did not know what “Old Maid” was until he played it at the joint training camp with Rokkaku

In Genius 305, when he had won his match against Atobe and everyone huddled around him, someone had quietly handed him the shaver, but it’s a mystery on who it was

He considers Kintarou to be quite strong, and wouldn’t mind having an official match with him someday

He is the character Konomi states he has the least in common with, the second being Tezuka

The Prince of Tennis II Official Character Guide: PairPuri Vol. 2 | Publication Date: 12/04/2009

He takes naps around the training camp along with Jirou

The Prince of Tennis II Official Character Guide: PairPuri Vol. 4 | Publication Date: 02/04/2010

He had gotten his hat mixed up with Sanada’s

The Prince of Tennis II Official Character Guide: PairPuri Vol. 5 | Publication Date: 03/04/2010

He likes his grilled fish with not many bones and finds removing them to be annoying

The person he currently dislikes the most is his father

If he had a long vacation, he would go play tennis on the western side of Japan since he states they have strong opponents

He wants to win all four major world tennis championships

When asked what kind of plant or animal he is like, he replies with a cat since they’re free-spirited

When asked what his current goals are, he replies that he wants to fight more stronger opponents and win against them

He is named after Ooka Echizen, also known as Ooka Tadasuke

Konomi came up with his “Selfless State” technique since he wanted to write a story where the main character’s dormant power would awaken when faced against an unbeatable enemy. And since Ryoma was a returnee, he had him speak in English to surprise the audience and give his scenes a fantasy-like feel

Konomi corrects his statement that Ryoma didn’t win national USA junior tournaments four years in a row, he had meant that when Ryoma started tennis, he had competed and won in regular USA junior tournaments four times in a row

Konomi states he has tried drawing Ryoma more mature as the series progresses and draws Ryoma’s shoes and racket bigger to make him appear smaller

One of His School Days:

6:30am - Woken up by his cousin

6:45am - Eats breakfast while half-asleep, goes to school

7:30am - Late for morning practice, does 30 laps

8:40am - 1st Period: Math, half-asleep and dozing off

9:40am - 2nd Period: English, Grammar, half-asleep and dozing off

11:00am - 3rd Period: PE, bar exercises

12:00pm - 4th Period: Geography (quiz)

12:50pm - Lunch, buys bread at the school store after eating lunch

1:10pm - Gives in and buys and drinks milk

1:20pm - 5th Period: Science I (physics), is sleepy from eating

2:20pm - 6th Period: Japanese (classic literature), thinks of ideas for volleys

3:20pm - Library Committee meeting, wasn’t listening

4:00pm - Club activities, earnestly practices volleys

5:30pm - Stops by Momoshiro and a CD shop, then returns home

6:00pm - Dinner, bathes (with bath salts from Beppu Onsen)

6:30pm - Rallies with his father

10:30pm - Plays with Karupin while listening to music

11:00pm - Falls asleep while playing games on his bed

The Prince of Tennis II Official Character Guide: PairPuri Vol. 9 | Publication Date: 09/02/2011

Mifune’s eagles are shown to be fond and gentle towards him

The Prince of Tennis II 10.5 Fanbook | Publication Date: 09/04/2013

He texts his mother everyday asking her to send him pictures of Karupin

He quickly became friends with the dogs at the training camp

The Prince of Tennis II 23.5 Fanbook | Publication Date: 05/02/2018

When he and Ryoga were younger, they went out to play and had gotten lost for three days. They eventually managed to hitchhike home

Konomi had originally intended to show him being anxious about joining team USA, but then being helped by them to join team Japan again

Konomi states he may continue his and Fuji’s match in the rain

The items Horio had brought to the camp for him were Fanta/Ponta

The Prince of Tennis 20th Anniversary Book: Tenipuri Party | Publication Date: 08/02/2019

He did not mind playing for team USA and states the country doesn’t matter as long as he can play tennis

He did not care about being on the same team as Ryoga and had actually wanted to play against him

He states he felt some changes when viewing team Japan from an outside perspective

He returned to team Japan because he had thought of the people who made him stronger and wanted to fight alongside them

[seandwalsh]

How come Mario faced more legal consequences when Bowser Jr framed him for Vandalism in Sunshine than The Villains/antagonists do when they commit crimes?

The main difference is that Mario is a regular, law-abiding citizen. He faces legal consequences because he can actually be arrested, put on trial and given a sentence he must carry out lest he risk harsher penalties.

Bowser, who I assume is mainly who you’re asking about, is the King of his own country. He’s not just a petty criminal, he’s a terrorist and warmonger. He’s too powerful to be arrested, he wouldn’t show up or cooperate in a trial and he certainly wouldn’t care enough to carry out a sentence.

If you try to have him face more legal consequences, you just make him and his people mad. Even if you were successful in somehow capturing him, it won’t be long before his minions rally together and set him free. There have even been attempts to trap him before, such as when Hongo tried to capture him within the Forbidden Pop-Up Book during Yoshi Topsy-Turvy or the Sprixies tried to seal him in a Jar during Super Mario 3D World.

Both were short-lived, to say the least.

It’s also worth noting that Mario and Princess Peach are currently more aligned with restorative justice than punitive, and either way the best course of action for the Mushroom Kingdom is to try and make peace with Bowser, or find more positive outlets for his tendencies, such as allowing him to take part in Mario Kart Grand Prix or Mario Tennis Tournaments. Anything else would be a waste of time, energy and resources while only serving to further fuel Bowser’s drive for vengeance.

[jcmarchi]

TopSpin 2K25 Preview - Stepping Back Onto The Court - Game Informer

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/topspin-2k25-preview-stepping-back-onto-the-court-game-informer/

TopSpin 2K25 Preview - Stepping Back Onto The Court - Game Informer

In the early 2000s, tennis video games were everywhere. Whether you were talking mass-appeal titles like Virtua Tennis and Mario Tennis or more niche, lower-budget games like Smash Court Tennis Pro Tournament and Hard Hitter Tennis, the market was absolutely flooded with choices. One of the most beloved of this era was 2003’s Top Spin, which started as an Xbox exclusive before making the leap to PS2 and PC in subsequent years. Since that inaugural game, Top Spin has seen three more numbered entries, all receiving high review scores.

Unfortunately, like each of the aforementioned tennis series from the early 2000s – save for Mario Tennis – the Top Spin franchise has been dormant for over a decade. Thankfully, the series is finally poised to step up to the baseline once again with TopSpin 2K25. During a recent trip to Indian Wells, California, I had the chance to learn more about this first title in the franchise in more than 13 years. 

As with all sports, tennis has evolved since the last Top Spin game, and developer Hangar 13 is focusing on the idea of “bridging the gap” between the legends of yesteryear and the young guns of tomorrow. As such, the standard edition box art features two of the greatest ever to do it, Serena Williams and Roger Federer, while the deluxe edition includes some of the younger stars like Frances Tiafoe, Iga Świątek, and Carlos Alcaraz. But that philosophy also carries forward into the development team’s approach to the gameplay.

“Mostly, it’s become more physical,” game director Remi Ercolani says. “Rallies are really intense and longer. Players hit really, really hard. So that’s something we tried to transcribe with the updates we did to the gameplay. We started with the same core gameplay and core animations as Top Spin 4, then we added new animations, and we rebalanced a little bit, like the flow of the rallies; hitting hard shots can be more powerful than they were in Top Spin 4. But there’s also a chance of errors if you mistime it.”

To help balance the newly tuned shot types, this fifth entry introduces a timing meter on every shot. To this point, the series has provided feedback on whether you timed it too early or late, but now, you know exactly what happened. In my hands-on session, it took me a few matches to get the hang of the timing meter – I was incredibly distracted by it at first – but once I got used to it, it felt like second nature and went a long way to making sure I was fully informed on when I should make contact with an incoming ball. TopSpin 2K25 also adjusts to have fewer unforced errors occur and makes it easier to hit winners during rallies.

For those unfamiliar with the game of tennis or just want to familiarize themselves with the series following a 13-year break, TopSpin 2K25 includes TopSpin Academy, which features voiceover by the legendary player John McEnroe. Here, you learn the basics of tennis, can take more advanced lessons, and even learn how to play in different play styles, meaning you can develop your skills as a baseline offense player or a serve-and-volley savant. Perhaps most impressive is how McEnroe’s instruction reacts to your play in real time; on one occasion, I was taking too many shots from “no man’s land” (the space between the baseline and the service box). Even though that’s not what the lesson I was playing was focused on, he still corrected me.

TopSpin 2K25 features more than 24 tennis players to choose from, each with their own signature animations and play styles. Across several matches during my hands-on session, I could truly feel the difference between the various players. “For the look of the players, a lot of them, we scanned them, so we have the 3D data for their face, and we model them based on that data,” Ercolani says. “For the attributes, we watch a lot of tennis, so we try to understand, based on how the game works, the impact of each attribute. We know how Federer plays that his forehand is better than his backhand, so we tried to get the values where we think it makes sense and best represents their real playing styles.” 

Baseline players like Andre Agassi and Serena Williams kept me running back and forth during long rallies, while the serve-and-volley play style of John McEnroe gave me fits until I solved the puzzle of how to counter him. This is particularly true when I played as Frances Tiafoe against John McEnroe in a tense three-set match on hard difficulty, though that ultimately ended up being the most fun I had in my hours playing, especially since I was able to take home the win. In this early stage, I can’t even imagine how tricky the newly added Legend difficulty will be, but I plan on making that setting my home once I have more time with the game. I also loved playing in a mixed doubles match, which reactivated the positioning part of my brain that has remained dormant since my days playing tennis in high school and college.

Outside of TopSpin Academy and Exhibition, players can build a player from the ground up in MyPlayer. While this mode was not available in the demo build, the developers gave me an idea of what to expect from the create-a-player. Players can experiment with in-depth customization options, including hair, individual facial features, body type, accessories, animations, and even grunt types.

The developers also shared that Season Passes will play a part in this, but I’m hopeful that if those Season Passes do, in fact, involve microtransactions, the monetization in career mode will stop there. However, with 2K’s aggressive use of them in the NBA 2K series’ MyPlayer, as well as the mention of VC, the primary driver of NBA 2K’s microtransactions, as a “MyPlayer Boost” bonus for the deluxe edition of TopSpin 2K25, I worry that this hope is misplaced. 

Regardless of those monetization anxieties, I had a blast with my time playing TopSpin 2K25. The game looks good in motion and feels even better during those long rallies. Those eager to play a new tennis game don’t have long to wait. TopSpin 2K25 arrives on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on April 26.

[embedded content]

[anitosoul]

My Favorite Albums of 2020, 30-21

30. HEALTH, DISCO4 :: PART I

Favorite Tracks: POWER FANTASY | HATE YOU | DELICIOUS APE

HEALTH’s music is the definition of cyberpunk: a resumé that includes composing video game soundtracks and having a song called CYBERPUNK 2.0.2.0 seem like worthy criteria. However, the beauty of DISCO4 is its ability to show how extensive cyberpunk can get, with features ranging from Xiu Xiu to Soccer Mommy. The album’s moody glitched-out noise rock made my late night bike rides feel like a scene from Akira in the best way possible. I highly suggest the “POWER FANTASY” music video, where a bizarre heart-shaped monster runs through a Sonic the Hedgehog 2-inspired 3D half pipe, visits various deceased celebrities after getting a game over, and then takes a hit of DMT for an ultimate tripped out power-up. It’s just…the best.

29. Caribou, Suddenly

Favorite Tracks: Never Come Back | Ravi | Lime

It’s hard to define Suddenly, with its amalgam of pop, electronic, disco, techno, R&B, and experimental production serving as the basis for Daniel Snaith’s poignant songwriting. Having been released on February 28th, this swirl of emotional textures fittingly paralleled the surreal chaos of early March. After making the decision to return home to Oklahoma as it became clear that the virus was going to ravage NYC, I spent one last night with my best friends I had made in the city. It was a rainy night, and the bus I was supposed to take home never arrived (classic). I decided to walk home instead, listening to Suddenly as I passed the Harlem storefronts and streets I had become so familiar with. It was eerily quiet, like everyone had the sense that things were about to change: the calm before the storm. As I said a temporary goodbye to the life I had began just months ago so starry-eyed, Suddenly was evocative of an unpredictable rainstorm, washing away expectation and forewarning of the world’s caprice.

28. Rina Sawayama, SAWAYAMA

Favorite Tracks: XS | STFU! | Comme des Garçons

In November, I got really interested in the Y2K aesthetic for various reasons: nostalgia, for one, but mainly because of the interesting parallels it had to 2020. It seemed like the 20-year cultural cycle was in full force: the all-encompassing nature of technology that was present in the dot com boom of the late ‘90’s and the anxiety of the electrical grid shutdown at the turn of the millennium was an interesting parallel to the rapid rise of social media, the sudden shift of our entire lives onto Zoom, and their literal impacts on individual and societal mental health. The presence of catastrophe also played a factor, with the consequences of global and political crises changing culture permanently. Looking to music of the era was fascinating to me as I considered the rise of bubblegum pop like boy bands and Britney Spears and the simultaneous fall of rock into either weird nu-metal, pop-punk, or indie: what cultural lessons could be learned from such a transitionary period? This is where SAWAYAMA comes in: it’s like an audio scrapbook of everything I remember from my early 2000’s childhood, from the sumptuous aesthetics in fashion and media, the callow angst of pop-punk YouTube music videos, and even the Utada Hikaru-inspired J-pop that I was obsessed with from playing hours of Kingdom Hearts. Sawayama combines all of these ideas into a package undeniably contemporary and surprisingly refreshing, reviving the escapism and catharsis of the 2000’s that’s sorely needed in 2020.

27. Tennis, Swimmer

Favorite Tracks: Need Your Love | Runner | Swimmer

This album released at an interesting time of the year, as I mostly remember listening to it back in February pre-pandemic. Its schmaltzy, breezy, retro sound was great for mentally transporting away from the cold city and onto a yacht somewhere delightfully corny like Key West. The kitschy but sincere romance of the album was also fitting for the Valentine’s Day release, like a meaningful handwritten note in an overpriced Hallmark card. Perhaps it was this cheesiness that kept this album in rotation: the idealized romcom narrative of the band was like an alternate reality that I could cling to throughout the stresses of the year, reinforced by the fact that the dreamy pop production sounds so pleasant. Swimmer is an innocent daydream for better times, and it only serves to strengthen Tennis’ near decade-long indie pop legacy.

26. Dirty Projectors, 5EPs

Favorite Tracks: Lose Your Love | Overlord | Self Design

On 5EPs, Dirty Projectors has something for everyone: the collection is a compilation of EPs released throughout 2020, each representing different musical influences and featured vocalists of the current Dirty Projectors cast. With such a storied career and multiple changes in band lineup, 5EPs allowed me, as a relatively new fan, to get a taste of both the group’s previous sounds and hints at what their sound may be moving forward. Each new EP release was unexpected but welcome, and as a Time Crisis fan I was excited to see which Jake Longstreth painting would be featured on the new EP album cover. The project’s episodic release flowed along with my experiences in 2020, mostly soundtracking the crunchy eco-friendly ethos that got me through the year. Folksy-trippy songs like “Overlord” on EP1 Windows Open and “Lose Your Love” on EP2 Flight Tower were on constant repeat during my WFH backyard sunbathing sessions and summer camping trips. The chill bossa nova influence throughout EP3 Super João was perfect for camp sunrises and a damn fine cup of coffee. Listening to the modulated orchestral sounds throughout EP4 Earth Crisis while hiking through the Catskills forest instantly transported me to somewhere like Middle-earth, or an episode of Over the Garden Wall. The last EP, EP5 Ring Road, is where Dirty Projectors sound most at home, which is also where I spent the most time listening to this EP: the many autumn and winter nights spent in my room this year were warmer with Dirty Projectors’ signature art rock, and I can confidently say that this collection put a smile on my face all throughout the year.

25. Oneohtrix Point Never, Magic Oneohtrix Point Never

Favorite Tracks: Lost but Never Alone | Long Road Home | I Don’t Love Me Anymore

Magic Oneohtrix Point Never is an album we were never meant to hear; at least that’s how I felt when I first listened to this album. The distorted splices of old radio segments sound forbidden, like I was digging up the graves of these forgotten pieces of media and hearing their acoustic corpse. This album reminds me of the saying that you die twice, once when you stop breathing and the second when someone mentions your name for the last time. It’s evocative of abandoned event spaces or decrepit amusement park rides; places that used to bring people joy but are now simply spatial husks. In Magic OPN, Daniel Lopatin serves as the urban explorer capturing the dark beauty of these remnants, offering the voices of those sampled a temporary reanimation through his grungy classical electronica with eerie success.

24. The Avalanches, We Will Always Love You

Favorite Tracks: Interstellar Love | We Will Always Love You | Born to Lose

I listened to this for the first time as the snow fell outside my bedroom window, the December release date making it a late contender for this list. We Will Always Love You was already one of my favorite songs of the year and I had high expectations for these masters of sample notorious for taking their time with each release. Thankfully we only had to wait four years since The Avalanches’ last album, arriving a quarter of the time sooner than the 16-year gap between Wildflower and debut album Since I Left You. We Will Always Love You takes a noticeably different approach than the previous two, sounding much more personal: it’s in the quiet moments where the album really shines, evocative of deeply intimate conversations that only happen during late night drives. The samples are now more than just sonic ingredients; they serve as stories, vignettes of small moments of tenderness. The album is celestial; each song is as if an astronaut had the ability to pick a random spot on earth and hone in on exactly what one person was feeling in that moment: longing, joy, triumph, sorrow, nostalgia, pain, fear, and contentment are all here, and We Will Always Love You reassures us that allowing ourselves to feel it all is the purest act of humanity in an impossibly difficult year.

23. Empress Of, I’m Your Empress Of

Favorite Tracks: Bit of Rain | Maybe This Time | Give Me Another Chance

I’m Your Empress Of is strong because it focuses on identity: clips of Lorely Rodriguez’s chats with her mother about womanhood and her Honduran immigrant history reminded me so much of talks with my dad about what it means to be a man and anecdotes of his own experience coming to the United States from the Philippines. This context grounds Rodriguez’s own lived experience as a young American dealing with love and heartbreak to her storied heritage: it’s hard to explain, but any immigrant kid will know the difficulty of growing up and trying to live as a “normal” (aka: white) teenager/young adult while still honoring our family’s traditions, culture, and expectations. This incorporation of the first-generation American experience into relatable lyricism is Rodriguez’s form of radical reclamation: the songs are dancey and fun but never generic, with the electronic production serving as a vehicle for an American perspective often overlooked.

22. Tame Impala, The Slow Rush

Favorite Tracks: Posthumous Forgiveness | On Track | Breathe Deeper

The Slow Rush was another album a long time in the making, having been released five years after seminal 2010’s album Currents. Originally set to be released in the spring of 2019, I was admittedly a little disappointed when the only new songs I got to hear Tame Impala perform live that summer were “Patience” and “Borderline” (in 2020 hindsight, I’m thankful I was fortunate enough to go to a musical festival at all). It was finally released One More Year later: the fully-formed album The Slow Rush takes a bit of a turn, moving away from the wavy stoner break-up vibes of Currents into something more mature, incorporating throwback R&B, acid house, and aspects of prog rock into Tame Impala’s signature modern psychedelia. While the shift certainly left some longtime Tame fans lamenting the old Kevin Parker, the prospect of hearing a Tame Impala song in a mix at a Bushwick club was definitely exciting for me: the sonic influences on this album are genres that I have been increasingly interested in over the past year, and it’s great to see a major band unafraid to change up their sound. Tame Impala joins the ranks of contemporary indie stalwarts (Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend) that have completed an excellent four album cycle. Who knew my Spotify was going to look so similar seven years later?

21. Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia

Favorite Tracks: Don’t Start Now | Hallucinate | Break My Heart

This summer, I always looked forward to driving around and listening to the radio because I knew I was guaranteed to hear “Don’t Start Now” at least once, probably twice. Later in the summer, it turned into a guaranteed “Don’t Start Now” or “Break My Heart.” Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, even later in the year it turned into a guaranteed “Don’t Start Now,” “Break My Heart,” or “Levitating,” probably all three. Hearing Dua Lipa dominate the charts brought me so much joy! I’ve been a fan of Dua Lipa since One Kiss, and her music always puts a dumb smile on my face and gets me vibing: anything that instantly invites a groove is a welcome respite from the absurdity of 2020. The retro revival that Dua Lipa embraces is tasteful and fun, and her voice sounds right at home surrounded by the driving basslines and disco strings throughout the album. This is Top 40 at its peak.

[thebluejay1994]

TL;DR for Today’s Tournament!

MISSED THE TOURNAMENT? You can now find February 5th's stream on the ScreenPlay: LIVE YouTube channel! In this special, Bluejay hosts a tournament for his pals, “The Tennis Gang”, as they play the infamous “Power Serve 3D Tennis”.

In this stream, we listened to Propaganda's "P-Machinery", off of their 1985 album, "A Secret Wish". You can find it added to this week's playlist linked here!

After the stream…

...we raided @TheEvernetVO, who was streaming "Ghostrunner"! Continue the raid, and support their channel below!

https://twitch.tv/the_evernet

[demoban]

Release: DemoDemo PlayStation Volume 10, 1995 September (PCPX-96014)

Download Link

Buckle in, because this is the first of at least a dozen DemoDemo discs that I have to upload to this blog. As the naming convention might indicate, DemoDemo is something of a cousin to the PlayPlay series of demo discs I’ve released previously, which began life on the PS1. Like the PlayPlay discs, DemoDemo discs were demo compilation discs (albeit solely for the PS1), but given to retailers to use as kiosk content. New discs would arrive every month, bringing with it a new batch of demos to play and preview movies for customers to check out, among other things.

Volume 10 here is notable in that addition to containing the usual sort of content you’d expect from something like this, it also has a little in-progress game called Controller-kun no Tabi, a rudimentary polygonal forced scrolling shooter in the vein of something like Star Fox, but starring a PlayStation controller instead. While nothing to write home about gameplay-wise, it was actually meant to be developed further based on player feedback that was mailed in to the development team, something that I believe was also seen with PlayStation Underground in the West with a wholly separate game altogether. As far as I can tell, however, development never progressed past this disc, making it more a tangential historical curiosity than something you can actually track over time like the Western counterpart. Still, with very little information on it whatsoever even in Japanese, I’m glad I got to have it preserved so it didn’t disappear into complete obscurity. 

Beyond that, the most notable demo on here is arguably the one for Twilight Syndrome, which I believe might be a standalone story not present in the retail game, at least assuming it’s the same as the standalone demo disc for the game that also exists. The handful of commercials you can view are also worth checking out, especially this Darkstalkers one that’s musically going for something I can’t even begin to describe and needs to be seen to be believed.

Anyway, here’s the full breakdown of stuff you can expect to find on this disc:

DemoDemo PlayStation Volume 10, 1995 September PCPX-96014

Demo PlayStation:   Playable Demos (Silver disc icons, left to right, top to bottom):   -Hermie Hopperhead: Scrap Panic   -Shin Nihon Pro Wrestling: Toukon Retsuden   -Power Serve 3D Tennis   -King of Bowling   -Twilight Syndrome   -Puzzler Kanshuu: Oo-chan no Oekaki Logic   -Hyper Formation Soccer   -V-Tennis

  Movies (Green disc icons, left to right, top to bottom):   -Beyond the Beyond   -Street Fighter II Movie   -Gouketsuji Ichizoku 2: Chotto Dake Saikyou Densetsu/Power Instinct 2   -Dokiouki   -Moero! Pro Yakyuu '95: Double Header   -Team 47 Goman   -Universal Ki Kanzen Kaiseki: PachiSlo Simulator   -Tokimeki Memorial: Forever with You   -Detana Twinbee: Yahho! Deluxe Pack   -Suikoden   -Eisei Meijin   -Houma Hunter Lime Special Collection Vol. 2   -Hissatsu Pachinko Station

Request PlayStation:   -Playable in-progress version of Controller-kun no Tabi, a game that was intended to be developed based on player feedback but seemingly never progressed past this stage.

News PlayStation:   -Commercials for Arc the Lad, Mobile Suit Gundam, and Darkstalkers

Have fun!

-Pepsi

[gameappstudio]

Did you know PUBG has generated over $225.2 million in revenue till April 2020?

Since there are thousands of online gaming titles available for different genres, the competition in the gaming sector also rises rapidly. so 34% of global gamers also played 7+ hours and around 20% played 12 + hours every week.

Online gaming mechanisms make people with the following things perfect. 1. Multitasking 2. Focusing Power 3. Teamwork 4. Timepass 5. Connect with unknown People.

Game app studio is the leading Game app development company that basically focuses on the full scale of game design and development services. In our long journey as a Game development company, we have utilized the Top Notch Game development mechanism to Develop some of the best games.

We Serve you : Unity Game development Unreal engine game development Hyper casual game development Android game development Ios Game development Cross-Platform Game development Simulation game development Racing game development Arcade game development Puzzle game development Poker game development 3d Board game development Tennis game development Multiplayer game development 2d & 3d game development Flash mobile game development.

Our team of Prevenient game developers brings our clients' ideas into reality so that we give them unique and high-end game mobile games with the major focus on Spectacular graphics additional attributes like animated gaming solutions.

[tennisclashcheats-blog]

Tennis Clash Cheats

Tennis Clash Cheat

Tennis Clash Cheats is a tool for a famous new sport. Try this and you may be able to attend to your enhancements and pass better inside the excursions. Maintain an eye fixed for your opponent's stamina and yours, hard as it is able to be at times whilst you have your eyes on the ball and are seeking to balance your serves and function yourself at simply the right spot on the court docket. Low stamina (yellow to purple) approach a more danger of making a mistake — may additionally it be an out-of-bounds shot or an incapability to go back a serve — and both you and your opponent ought to take benefit of this if either of you are not cautious! But the most important part of the sport, which has its personal attraction and project, is the profession marketing campaign, where gamers can comply with the stage and end up a expert athlete from a novice tennis participant! Tennis Clash mod apk - loose multiplayer games you may also compete with other players in professional international tournaments and strive for better rank. The sport is well designed in phrases of sensible design. Tennis Clash is a very good simulator of tennis and thanks to its photograph and 3d design, you'll have a unique revel in of this recreation. So you will want to apply very own procedures to win the fits. The easy controls make it one of the smoothest pvp tennis game - all you want to do is swipe to hit the ball; fast, slow, strong pictures rely on how you swipe. The p2w element - you may play it without spending a dime - no doubt! However as you development through the leagues, you will want better stats (together with the tactics and strategies) to overcome the combatants. Those who spend real cash could make their man or woman appropriate - by way of shopping for best gear, their stats can without problems be progressed - stamina, agility, serve, and many others. In a healthy, the player who has executed 5 points earlier than, the player will win. However whilst each aspects benefit four factors, the player who leads the opponent by means of 2 points might be the winner, otherwise, the game will final forever. Players must be cautious in judging and controlling the power, then you will win each fit. At Tennis Clash, you may compete against each neighborhood and global gamers from sydney, big apple - your excursion will take you round the sector. To any extent further, you don't must invest in in-app purchases because you may get all of them without cost by using the usage of our Tennis Clash Cheats. Any other cool component approximately it's far that it's a hundred% secure to use. There's no danger that a person will know that you were cheating to get free Gems and Coins, and there may be no threat that you'll be banned out of your game because we've implemented strong anti-ban shield. Open Tennis Clash Cheats now and begin generating and including Gems and Coins right away! In this game, you can shape a monopoly group and control it professionally as a supervisor. This a laugh and pleasing recreation have an thrilling global ranking wherein you may try and get higher rankings and compete with others on a country wide or global scale. The captivating sport has been downloaded greater than 1 million times on google play and has a rating of 4.four out of 5.0. if you're looking for a fun, interesting and tennis-fashion sports activities sport, do not leave out Tennis Clash: 3-d sports activities - unfastened multiplayer video games and get the latest update proper from the bottom of this tale on Cheatsdl.

[redqueenmiku]

Why do you dislike Rosalina? Is it because of how she appears more often? If so, she has been a spin-off regular for quite some time now. I do think it was a bit odd for her to get into Smash and in a platformer before Daisy, but I like the character regardless. She is a unique and gorgeous addition to the cast. Before you ask, I adore all three of the Mario ladies equally!

Well, thankfully, I already had something typed up specifically for this occasion. It was going to be its own post, but I think an ask is a perfect segue into releasing this thing I’ve had lying around wondering whether I should post.

Now, DISCLAIMER: I’m not trying to tell anyone they shouldn’t like Rosalina. This is just the reason why I personally dislike the character. This is an opinion piece. Nothing more.

Also spoiler: I do dwell on her game appearances for a while, but that’s not the only thing I touch on.

If any of you read all that’s ahead, thank you so much for taking the time to hear me out and please excuse any pettiness I may display. Thank you.

Now, welcome to a rant I like to call…

DEATH BY OVER-HYPE: THE RISE AND FALL OF ROSALINA

Now, as we all know, Rosalina first appeared in 2007’s Super Mario Galaxy. In said game, she served as Mario’s guide, being the caretaker of the game’s spaceship hub world, the Comet Observatory, and its residents, the Lumas. She was regal, mysterious, and motherly with a stoic yet kind air to her. You really got the sense that she was unlike any character in the series beforehand. She was powerful and she was in a league of her own.

This same game also gave us Rosalina’s backstory in the form of her storybook. She was just a normal girl until she found a Luma and a broken spaceship. She helped the Luma repair the spaceship and set off into space with it to find its lost mother. Along the way, she took in more Lumas, who became her family as she traveled through space. There’s something about a dead mother in there that I thought was way better explained than it actually was and then the first Luma Rosalina met transformed into the Comet that became the Comet Observatory. It’s a touching story.

After that, Rosalina began appearing rather frequently. Of course, she regularly showed up in Mario Kart starting just a year after her debut, but she also stepped foot into Mario Party, Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, Mario Sports Superstars, the Mario and Sonic series, and even bit cameos like the Mario Mash-Up pack for Minecraft or as a sprite in the moon-themed areas of Super Mario Odyssey. I have no complaint about any of these appearances. They’re all either inevitable and open to all sorts of characters already or, in the case of Super Mario Odyssey, it fits her role.

Now allow me to complain about a select few appearances that really get on my nerves.

Now, games like Mario Kart and Mario Party and all that make sense. Those are games where all sorts of characters show up and it makes sense for the most distinct characters to make constant appearances. Rosalina was always going to be a regular for those.

What I can’t excuse is three very specific games.

The first is Puzzles and Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. Now, this might seem like a really weird game to be bringing up, but, when you really think about it, it’s really messed-up that Rosalina appears in this game. The only other non-enemy characters playable in this game are Mario, Luigi, Toad, Yoshi, and Peach. Rosalina has absolutely no reason to be in this game, yet here she is.

You know what other game Rosalina has absolutely no reason to be in? Super Mario 3D World.

Super Mario 3D World was Rosalina’s fifth appearance in the franchise and her very first playable appearance…in a game that takes place in another world, the Sprixie Kingdom, and whose only playable characters are franchise staples Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Toad in a throwback to the US version of Super Mario Bros 2. Rosalina has zero reason to be in this game, much less be a prominent playable character.

Then, there’s the biggest blow of them all, which came just one year after 3D World: Super Smash Bros.

If Rosalina hadn’t appeared in Super Mario 3D World, there would be absolutely zero merit to putting her in Smash Bros considering that, outside that single instance, she was made no more important than any other character in the Mario series and she had never done anything to merit a Smash appearance. Because Super Mario 3D World exists, though, she has to appear in Smash, right?

And then there’s a point that I’ve had yet to bring up: the existence of Baby Rosalina. Like, gee. Rosalina sure warrants a baby form that goes against her entire backstory, doesn’t she? Let’s just do that.

By now, my biggest problem with Rosalina should be readily apparent. Rosalina shot to favorite child status way too quickly and her most egregious appearances are nothing more than blatant fanservice.

There’s an old document I have where I try to talk about my distaste for Rosalina. The explanation was really poorly thought out and filled with a lot of salt that didn’t need to be there, but one particular section I can still get behind is one where I essentially compare Rosalina to Shadow the Hedgehog. I think the comparison is still rather relevant.

Once you really start thinking about it, Rosalina really has this kind of Shadow the Hedgehog syndrome, not in the personality itself, but in how her creators treat her. Both characters were created for a specific purpose in a specific game in already well-established franchises with a lot of characters already, but gained an explosion of popularity due to popular aspects in their characters along with their compelling backstories that shot them past the other characters into a place where they’re now used in just about every game including ones they have no place in and are touted by their fandoms as some of the best characters to ever exist.

One major difference between Shadow and Rosalina, though, is that Shadow is actually a really well-developed character that has developed even beyond where he first came from. This is the effect of being part of a largely story-driven franchise that has allowed Shadow to evolve and come into his own. He’s earned his place among the cast through meaningful interaction.

Rosalina is cursed with coming from a franchise that doesn’t even have well-established characters much less any kind of evolving story. Rosalina just…exists, meaning she can’t do anything to really make herself fit in being who she is. Her personality constantly fluctuates to the point where the most I can tell you about her personality is that “she’s nice”. The rest of the main characters in the franchise all come from the same world and regularly interact with each other. This has the negative effect of making Rosalina feel like an outsider. She doesn’t need to be there in any instance and any time she is it just feels like going out of her way to be there, which would be fine if Nintendo wasn’t trying to sell her as this mature, introverted character that’s supposed to contrast the rest of the cast. She’s constantly contradicting herself left and right and it doesn’t feel like Nintendo ever really knows what to do with her but shove her in everywhere they can because “she’s popular, right?”.

That would be the reason I don’t like Rosalina. She doesn’t fit in, but Nintendo keeps trying to shove her where she doesn’t belong. She doesn’t have a consistent identity outside of the one from Galaxy that she keeps contradicting all the time and she’s been in games she has absolutely no business being in for absolutely no justifiable reason.

Now, maybe I’m just being over-critical, but this is something I personally feel very strongly about. Rosalina is one of the most overrated characters in existence in my opinion and it’s gotten to the point where I don’t even want to see her anymore, even in places that she does belong. She’s been absolutely ruined for me by Nintendo’s practices concerning the Mario franchise and I can’t even stand her anymore.

Yes, it’s petty, but that’s just me.

At the end of the day, I know that this is just my opinion. I hope no one came to this rant expecting otherwise. I just wanted to make clear my emotions about this character. If you’ve made it to this point, thank you for hearing me out. Have a nice day.

(oh this is going to be sooooooo controversiallllll….)

[tonin-terets]

Sports »Title Sequence Winner - Ramon+Pedro - Roland Garros from Motionographer on Vimeo.

Ramon + Pedro’s opening sequence is a mesmerizing journey through Roland Garros’ core values —excellence in sports, amazing legacy, French elegance, and a unique passion for tennis. The art direction is inspired by graphical posters from the ’60s with minimalist design, strong perspectives, and a reduced color palette borrowed from the Roland Garros branding. An updated musical theme marries and enhances the visual with a powerful mix of cords and horns while an accordion punctuates the piece with a French touch.

Concept / Design: Ramon + Pedro Creative Directors: Antoine Tinguely / Laurent Fauchère Executive producer: Fanny Vuattoux

Shoot: Ramon + Pedro Directors : Antoine Tinguley / Valentin Graff Executive producer: Fanny Vuattoux Ass: Marine Brot / Lea Ducret DoP: Claudio Artieda Drone: Jérémie Carron DoP Assistants : Romain Chautems / Samy Guisolan / Louis Tacheron Actors Players : André Gruhl / Jessy Kalambay / Yasmine Mansouri Actors Spectators: Martine Allegro / Aimé Diouf/ Carolina Frias / Thomas Serve / Zoé Tinguely

Post Production 2D: Ramon + Pedro Lead animator/compositing: Felix Helfer Design/animation On Air : Alan Madiata Animator 3D: François Jaquier Storyboard : Nayon Kim

3D: Digital Asset Tailors Creative Director: Doca Mladenovic Executive Producer: Ivan Vasiljevic Production Coordinator: Sara Brkic Modeling Lead Artist: Aleksandar Misic Modeling Artist: Uros Filimonovic Compositing Artist: Slobodan Jankovic Matchmove artist : Milos Jovanovic

-Music adaptation: Shiverland Production Composer: Brian Bendahan

Client: Fédération Française de Tennis - Direction Média Production // French Tennis Federation – Media & Production Department

[automaticvr]

111 Dakota Dr White House TN 37188 | Steve Shrum Steve Shrum I have been a Realtor since 1990 serving the Middle Tennessee Area. I was the 2004 & 2018 President of the Sumner Association of Realtors. I was selected in 2006 & 2016 Sumner Association Realtor of the Year. I've wanted to be a Realtor since I was 13. I was a Volunteer School Teacher for 10 years and taught 8th grade economics. I have a 21 year old daughter "Savannah". I've been involved in leadership in many civic organizations locally. I am really involved in my church and asked to speak once a month to our congregation. I go to gym daily, play tennis, in a Bowling League and enjoy boating on Old Hickory Lake. I've SOLD an excess of 1,000 homes and I make buying and selling homes an easy and stress-free experience. I rarely take any days off due to "I love being at the office". You can go to www.steveshrum.com where my Resume' is posted. I was in the Air Force and Tennessee Air National Guard for 10 years, where I worked directly for a 2 Star General, and highly decorated. steve@steveshrum.com (615) 473-6633 (MOBILE) (615) 447-3900 (OFFICE) https://ift.tt/2jPtoNt https://ift.tt/2JxUB1m https://ift.tt/2jPtJQf 111 Dakota Dr White House TN 37188 | Steve Shrum Why Choose Real 3d space? When you power your business with interactive 3D media, the possibilities are endless. No matter what industry you're in, you can enable deeply immersive virtual exploration that can be delivered to anyone, anywhere with Matterport's technology. Via Real 3d space our Matterport Service Partners, it's quick and easy to add professional, quality, and complete 3D scanning services to any space you have in mind, for any industry. Real 3D Space | 615 243 2891 Real 3d Space - 360 Degree Virtual Tours | Video | Photography Phone: (615) 615-243-2891 Facebook: https://ift.tt/2V5AFFR 305160393246475/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/real3dspace Google+: https://ift.tt/2pLtkzK Pinterest: https://ift.tt/2qsDFwI Instagram: https://ift.tt/2pLmdY5 What is 3D Scanning & Interior Mapping In Nashville TN ? https://ift.tt/2qswVPp Virtual Reality https://ift.tt/1I3M8wD Restaurant 3d Photography Real Estate Photography Real Estate Photography Nashville TN Virtual Realty Virtual Realty Nashville TN 3d Room Scanning 3d Room Scanning Nashville TN This Video: https://ift.tt/2Segfu8 111 Dakota Dr White House TN 37188 | Steve Shrum Real 3D Space | 615 243 2891

[thebluejay1994]

TL;DR for Today’s ScreenPlay: LIVE Stream

On this stream, we collected PS3 era artifacts in "Astro's Playroom", as well as suffered through the 2nd game in our PS1 collection, "Power Serve 3D Tennis".

Above is the playlist of songs we listened to on today’s stream, featuring Toto, Collabro (requested by AlexrsGame), Shaggy feat. Rayvon, and Pearl Jam!

After the stream…

…we hosted @VarietyIsHOPE! The host was @theluigiguy, who was streaming "Touhou Project"! Support their channel below, and feel free to donate to their cause as well~ 💙

https://twitch.tv/varietyishope Donate: https://tinyurl.com/yxejwy7r

Missed the stream? Keep reading!

You can now find January 31st's stream on the ScreenPlay: LIVE YouTube channel! First, we started with our first PS5 venture, “Astro’s Playroom” as we explored Cooling Springs in search for PS3 artifacts...

...and after that, we suffered through the 2nd game in our PS1 Collection, “Power Serve 3D Tennis”! It may seem like a simple tennis game, but is it ever REALLY that simple? Catch ScreenPlay: LIVE again next Sunday, 10:30AM CST!

[allison-creekmore]

The Best High-Tech Athletic Equipment

High-tech athletic equipment is fast becoming mainstream. Modern technology enables the production of smart sports gear that can provide athletes with specific feedback to improve performance. 

High-Tech Balls

Athletes can use a smart basketball or soccer ball to track how they are training. The ball has a sensor inside, and it connects to an app on the athlete’s smartphone. Wilson has a basketball that tracks total time played, how many shots were taken, and how many points were scored. The soccer ball from Micoach can detect speed, spin, strike, and flight path data, and it will even provide tips for improvement.

High-Tech Racquets and Bats

Both tennis and baseball have equipment with smart technology that will help players improve their game. A tennis racket from French company Babolat is battery powered and tracks serve speed and the number of shots taken. In baseball, Zepp Labs has a mountable sensor that goes on the bat and connects to a player’s smartphone and tracks bat speed. It can even show the player’s swing in 3D on the app. They also make a sensor for golf clubs and tennis rackets

High-Tech Running

There is a wide variety of high-tech equipment for runners. Under Armour plans to release a pair of running shoes that tracks the distance traveled, stride length, and pace, and it will transmit the information to an app. Nike already has a clip-on sensor that serves the same purpose. Sony has a different approach. They use a wireless headset to track the run. In addition, it has a voice coach who will provide information on heart rate and distance traveled.

High-Tech Golf

As mentioned above, Zepp Labs has a mountable sensor that attached to a golf club. In addition, Game Golf offers a sensor that can be affixed to the player’s belt and provide feedback on the golf swing and fairway accuracy. 

Technology is advancing rapidly, and high-tech athletic equipment is growing in popularity. The ability to keep track of practices, analyze form and technique, and even receive tips is invaluable. 

from Allison Creekmore on Technology http://allisoncreekmore.net/the-best-high-tech-athletic-equipment/ via IFTTT

[ashishtriton]

GLOBAL SPORTS ANALYTICS MARKET 2019-2027

Triton Market Research predicts that the global sports analytics market is anticipated to rise with a CAGR of 21.40% during the forecast period 2019-2027. The market that was valued at $14.36 million in 2018 is expected to rise to a revenue of about $81.23 million by 2027.

Sports analytics is a type of software that helps sports organizations and professional teams increase their decision-making capabilities and improve the ability to make more data-driven and predictive decisions.

Triton Market Research’s report on the sports analytics market provides an in-depth insight of the market. The detailed analysis of the market includes key market insights, Porter’s five force analysis, and market attractiveness index. 

https://www.tritonmarketresearch.com/reports/sports-analytics-market#request-free-sample 

Factors such as the increase in the volume of on-field data, demand for real-time data access, and increasing demand for predictive insights in fan preferences are expected to foster the growth of the market during the forecast period. The need for real-time data access and predictive insights of fan preferences in sports are the factors that drive the growth of the market.

In addition, different sports analytics solutions provide live streaming in different areas of sports, which include stadiums and training fields to monitor the game of players. Furthermore, post-match discussions, the need for recorded videos, to understand and make various game strategies, provides lucrative opportunities for the market. Real-time data access helps in observing characteristics of a player as well the team such as distance covered, stamina, speed, team formations, and acceleration through the installation of sports analytics solutions.

Furthermore, the rise in demand for analytics for complex data streaming, availability of cost-effective and high-end computing solutions are expected to act as opportunities for the market. To enhance the decision-making capabilities and power the performance of teams and players, sports organizations are making use of sports analytics. Technology advancements play an important part in the sports analytics market. The adoption of different technologies like data analytics by sports organizations is expected to provide lucrative opportunities to the market in the future.

Moreover, the use of Big Data in the sports industry has helped in various factors such as recruiting, training, and managing careers of athletes and addressing tactical issues of trainers. Besides, the use of IoT in different sports helps in tracking and collecting relevant data used in various sports such as tennis and other individual sports. For instance, PlaySight in tennis has introduced a smart court that used IoT technology to measure the speed of the tennis serve done by the player. It also offers instant video replays & live video streaming, provides general statistics and conducts tactical 3D analysis.  

Sports analytics is evolving gradually and is being accepted into different sports. However, the lack of a skilled workforce is required to understand and execute the given data efficiently. This is one of the major challenges faced by the market. Furthermore, high investment, lack of understanding sports technology and analytics are some of the key restraining factors of the sports analytics market.

Key geographies covered in global sports analytics market are:

•         North America: the United States and Canada

•         Europe: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia and Rest of Europe

•         Asia-Pacific: China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, ASEAN Countries and Rest of Asia-Pacific

•         Latin America: Brazil, Mexico and Rest of Latin America

•         The Middle East and Africa: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Rest of Middle East & Africa

The segmentation analysis for the global sports analytics market is as follows:

•         Market by Component:

o        Solution

o        Service

•         Market by Deployment:

o        On-premise

o        Cloud

•         Market by Sports:

o        Football

o        Cricket

o        Hockey

o        Basketball

o        American Football

o        Other

•         Market by Application:

o        Marketing/Sales

o        Video Analysis

o        Fan engagement

o        Team performance and training

o        Player Analysis and Health Assessment

o        Others

The key companies profiled in the report include TABLEAU SOFTWARE LLC, Stats Perform, Oracle, SAS Institute Inc, International Business Machines Corporation, SAP SE, Opta, TruMedia Networks, Sportradar AG, Nielsen Sports, Catapult Group International Limited, and Synergy Sports Technology.

[topfygad]

13 Themed (& Slightly Weird) Cafe & Restaurant Experiences

I’ve made it no secret that Tokyo is one in all my favourite locations on this planet. It’s a Japanese metropolis that’s stuffed with the newest improvements, an timeless power and a wealthy tradition. Plus, there are such a lot of distinctive and enjoyable issues to do in Tokyo, and a whole lot of them are centered across the tasty (& barely bizarre) meals scene.

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1. Dine in a Jail Cell

Most folks would keep away from (in any respect prices) eating in a jail cell, however Alcatraz ER provides you with an offbeat eating expertise of a lifetime. This restaurant is designed as a jail and every cell or jail represents a eating space for a gaggle. Employees which are effectively wearing nurse uniforms are likely to the decision of the bang of a steel rod in opposition to the cells bars.

Courageous diners (like myself!) will nosh on issues like blue curry served in a urine tin or drink cocktails out of dummy’s head. Are you able to ever think about consuming sausage within the form of bowel motion; effectively this place has extra quirkiness to supply than you may think about. A will need to have expertise even you favor to not go to once more.

Learn Extra / / What You Have to Know About Tokyo’s Alcatraz ER Restaurant

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2. Go to Dinner at a Ninja Restaurant

At Ninja Shinjuku a small robotic within the nook begins to talk to you as a sliding door opens and leads you down a slender hallway. Shoji doorways open and lead you to a small room the place dinner is served. This isn’t the kitschy place the place spry ninjas pop down from the ceiling and serve mediocre meals, it’s extra of a molecular gastronomy expertise the place smoke billows out of a field to uncover a fantastically executed salad and Kobe beef is served with a trio of distinctive dipping sauces.

Dessert was served inside a basement room, together with a “ninja present” which actually was extra like a magic present—spectacular none the much less. However what was much more spectacular was the bonsai tree dessert whose branches wanted to be trimmed with scissors as a way to eaten and the bottom was a candy crumb that seemed similar to filth. Genius.

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3. Go to a Ping-Pong Restaurant

Tokyo is stuffed with quirky eating choices and The Rally Desk is one in all them. It’s ‘Sport On’  at this restaurant the place desk tennis is the centerpiece of the room. So pop on in, order your self a plate of the ping pong curry and play a recreation or two. FYI: It will get fairly energetic at evening, however throughout lunch it’s principally enterprise males so that you’ll have a greater probability at enjoying a recreation.

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4. Eat Grilled Salamander (and different scrumptious stuff) in Piss Alley

Piss Alley, also referred to as Omoide Yokocho (or Reminiscence Lane), is greatest described because the restaurant model of Golden Gai, a piece that squeezes in over 200 miniature bars right into a community of six slender alleys. Piss Alley is a small space stuffed with quaint yakitori eating places, and some consuming holes, most with only a handful of seats.

In case you are an adventurous eater head over to Asadachi, a reputation that interprets to Morning Wooden, the place you’ll get the privilege of tasting Grilled Salamander. Sure! Salamander! Possibly not the greatest meals on this planet, however guests who like to problem their consuming habits go to this restaurant for essentially the most weird meal. Right here you may as well strive pig testicles, frog shasimi, uncooked pig testicles and snake liquor. Yum!

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5. Eat Dinner with Robots

From the second you enter The Robotic Restaurant lounge to the time you depart, you’ll really feel like you might be diving into the colours of neon that bounce off the mirrors.  There are dramatic fights between bikini clad ladies driving atop robots, the sound of the solid enjoying the charismatic drums and guests are given a glow-stick to cheer throughout all of the motion.

This place is extra devoted to a flashy present than on meals, however you may order a sushi bento field or caramel popcorn to dine on while you’re entertained. Plus, flowing beer and some drinks can be found, however the core attraction is the charming chaos of the present. You may get a 15% low cost by reserving by means of Voyagin!

Learn Extra / / Japan’s Hottest Present: Tokyo’s Robotic Restaurant in Shinjuku

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6. Go to a Maid Cafe

Maid cafés are all the excitement in Japan! They’re enjoyable cosplay eating places the place waitresses are dressed up as working maids to serve the shoppers as a grasp in a personal residence reasonably than as a café patron. The important thing phrase is “iyashi” that interprets into “to be soothed”.

Your quintessential Victorian maid fantasy will come to life with spa like providers, delicious meals together with stress-free classical music while you’re enveloped by verdurous greenery! There are quite a few maid cafés in Tokyo (you may see a number of the high ones right here), every providing a singular service with the cutest undertones like chanting “moe moe kyun” to make your drinks style higher or writing over your meals with ketchup! It’s undoubtedly one thing to look out for.

In case you don’t wish to navigate a maid cafe by yourself, you may e-book one in all these excursions with Voyagin: Akihabara Tour with Your Personal Private Maid! or Take pleasure in Maid Cafe Maidreamin in Akihabara.

7. Get Your Meal From a Merchandising Machine

You heard proper — eat a meal from a merchandising machine! One in all Japan’s biggest innovations, undoubtedly not solely restricted to being present in Tokyo, are the merchandising machines at nearly each nook. You possibly can barely stroll a block in Tokyo with out passing by a half dozen merchandising machines. Although most are stuffed with an array of drinks, many may have meals merchandise that may simply make a meal. The checklist contains particular gadgets like flying fish soup, eggs, scorching canines, hamburgers, sushi, ramen and so forth. My afternoon lunch of heat corn soup was surprisingly tasty!

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8. Bask in a Huge Matcha Dessert

Offbeat meals in Tokyo will not be restricted to principal meals, however extends to candy desserts too, and a number of the hottest is constituted of matcha, a inexperienced tea. Desserts like ice-cream, mousse, cream, jelly and plenty of extra variations can be found. However, I say if you’ll do it go massive! I ordered this this quadruple layered matcha gateaux chocolate parfait that was topped with a whole piece of cake! Sure, I ate the entire thing! No disgrace.

The preferred scorching spots serving these delectable and divine tasting desserts are Kinozen, Marunouchi Café, Nana’s Inexperienced Tea (that’s the place I ate) and plenty of extra.

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9. Eat on the Kill Invoice Inspiration Restaurant

Gonpachi restaurant, within the Roppongi district of Tokyo, is called being the inspiration for the struggle scene from the Kill Invoice film and it’s simple to identify the similarities. Not solely are you able to benefit from the inside design, however you may as well take pleasure in a bowl of Soba.

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10. Drink a Cat Espresso at Oshiage Nyanko

Are you a cat one that loves espresso? This quaint little café boasts stuff goals are product of! Tucked away in a tiny pocket-sized treasure cove, this hidden gem is positioned close to the Tokyo Sky Tree. You’ll be amazed on the fantastic 3D latte artwork of “Oshiage Nyanko”. Though the café isn’t that distinguished, it’s so well-known which you can simply discover it.

11. Sip Espresso at a Cat Cafe

Tokyo is stuffed with bizarre issues to do and going to a cat cafe ranks actually excessive on that checklist. Calico Cat Cafe in Shinjuku is an attraction that provides you the chance to play with distinctive feline breeds whereas consuming a cup of espresso. So odd that it’s undoubtedly price a spot in your issues to do in Tokyo bucket checklist itinerary. In case you want, you may as well play with cute hedgehogs in Roppongi!

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12. Eat Chankonabe (Sumo Wrestlers Stew)

Chankonabe is the nutritious stew that sumo wrestlers eat every day as a part of their bulking up weight loss program. It’s a hearty dish that’s comparatively wholesome, low in fats, excessive in protein and stuffed with tons of veggies. There are various Chankonabe eating places in Tokyo, conveniently positioned near the sumo stables the place the wrestlers observe and stay. However, Yoshiba is essentially the most distinctive as a result of it’s positioned in an outdated sumo secure with a sumo dohyo (ring) proper within the heart of the eating room (that is the place I had my chankonabe expertise in Tokyo).

In case you’re keen on reserving a tour as a substitute of navigate someplace to every chankonabe listed below are a pair extremely price ones:

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13. Get Served Sushi on a Conveyor Belt

The menu at Uobei is widespread to see in lots of Tokyo eating places, however the speciality lies of their ordering and serving system. Being utterly devoted to hi-tech trendy period, clients are seated upon their place in an extended row and are made to make orders by means of buttons out there, then instantly a conveyor belt arrives and delivers the meals. The style and atmosphere is price paying the cash and the expertise guests acquire makes an eternal impression as no people are concerned in your complete restaurant course of!

These Tokyo meals experiences are a number of the most uncommon on this planet. Bon Appetit!

Extra Japan Articles

Japanese Tradition & Custom Details: 11 Etiquette Ideas Earlier than You Go Tokyo Bucket Listing: 44 High Issues To Do in Japan’s Coolest Metropolis Four of the Greatest Day Journeys from Tokyo Watch Wrestling Apply at a Sumo Steady in Japan Japan’s Hottest Present: Tokyo’s Robotic Restaurant in Shinjuku Go to Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market Shinjuku Nightlife: A Information to Tokyo’s Greatest Golden Gai Bars Greatest Quirky Café in Japan? Tokyo’s Calico Cat Café in Shinjuku Eat at a Themed Restaurant in Tokyo

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