by ·0 Comments

http://www.survivetheoutbreak.com/

The Outbreak is billed as an interactive experience. It’s an online Choose Your Own Adventure novel and after playing it, I’d say it’s done perfectly.

You watch short clips of a film (this one is about a Zombie outbreak) and every 30-seconds to one-minute, you are presented with a choice. The interface is done very well and the breaks between choosing and playing the next scene are almost seamless.

If you’re like me and you make the wrong choice (lots of times), there is a tree-view that lets you see all the chapter points you’ve selected. It colors successful choices blue and failures as red. One successful choices can (and does) lead to multiple dead ends.

Again, it’s really well done. The visuals are professional looking (a bit graphic – it’s Zombies) and the web interface is perfect.

Check out http://www.survivetheoutbreak.com/ and try it your self.

by ·0 Comments

KOTA

Here’s the perfect toy to freak out your kid this Christmas. Kota the Triceratops from Playskool/Hasbro is a life-size baby dinosaur that’s made to interact with your kids.

Kindle your child’s curiosity for prehistoric creatures and make-believe adventures with his very own life-sized baby dinosaur. You may have seen “talking” and “moving” toys before, but chances are your dino-loving toddler has never seen a prehistoric “pet” that comes to “life” with realistic electronic sounds and motion. It’s fossil-sized fun standing just over 2.5 feet tall. A hidden handle helps kids hold on once they climb onto the dinosaur’s back. Realistic stomping sounds add to the make-believe fun as kids bounce in place on the spring seat. Talk to KOTA the Triceratops and he roars back with expressive tail, head, eye, mouth and horn movements. Touch his nose with your hand and KOTA “sniffs” it! In fact, it’s easy to trigger all of his sensitive spots – try tickling his belly or chin to make KOTA “laugh”. And when you think this pretend dinosaur has worked up an appetite, be sure to “feed” KOTA his leafy snack – it really sounds like he’s munching on it! Four different adventure-themed tunes set the mood for your child’s wild imagination as he embarks on a dino-filled rides. But don’t worry! A convenient volume control switch lets you adjust the level or turn it off. KOTA the Triceratops may look thick-skinned, but just one stroke on his scaly-like fabric “hide” will prove he’s really a soft and snuggable playmate who’s ready for all of your child’s dino-roarin’ escapades.

Is this the new wave in kid’s toys, a quick way to blow $300, or just another step toward the pending robot revolution? I’m not sure, but I would have dug that as a kid.

This – Not so much.

That’s at the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History. Imagine turning the corner and running into that as a kid. We saw something similar to this at the Walking with Dinosaurs Live show and it was very realistic looking. Thanks to Yewknee for that video.