Shahryar Rizvi’s blog
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Respect my authority. I played as cop in the summer of police killings.
This summer, I started playing the game Arma 3, the military combat simulator for PC. One of the most popular game modes in Arma 3 is the Cops and Robbers mode called Altis Life. My experience seems more relevant now given the global attention around Michael Brown, who was killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri […]
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John Oliver skit on a peace negotiation game World of Peacecraft
The first season of John Oliver’ s new HBO show Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is becoming a game-changing news entertainment show. John Oliver is certainly less smug, creepy and bigoted than Bill Maher, the host of a similar news entertainment show also on HBO. John Oliver’s show is also employing social media to […]
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Facebook plans to aquire Oculus VR. The gibs will be monetized.
Yesterday, Facebook announced its plan to acquire start up Virtual-Reality hardware developer Oculus VR for $2 billion. Last year, I wrote a short post for Dallas Observer’s Mixmaster about id software John Carmack joining Oculus VR in producing its flagship product, the Rift. I was fascinated by the dream of an immerse virtual reality environment […]
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The Wind Rises: Art and Carnage
I was excited to learn that The Wind Rises, Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film, and possibly his last director credit, tries to deal with aviation in his signature animated grandeur. His fantastic and optimistic portrayal of flight, as seen in Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Porco Rosso is probably the reason I gaze […]
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2013 in Pictures
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My Siberian husky enjoying the Texas storm
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"The Seven Norwegian Bands" for Dallas Observer
This week, I wrote a post about Norwegian bands to listen to after the viral success if Ylvis’ song. “The Fox” (What does the fox say?). Growing up in the Minneapolis/St.Paul metro area, with its established Norwegian-American community, I learned a bit about Norwegian culture in school including their cuisine, folk tales, and the Danish vowels […]
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Interview with singer Katie Stelmanis of Austra
As the founder of the Canadian synth-pop band Austra, Katie Stelmanis has toured with few breaks since 2011. “When I’m home, I scramble to do all the normal things people do, go the doctor, get my hair cut” Katie said from her Tornoto apartment a day before starting her current North American tour. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODyWKkDBb4U&w=560&h=315] Katie […]
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John Carmack joins Oculus VR.
John Carmack joins Oculus VR. A few weeks ago I posted news on id Software’s John Carmack joining Oculus VR and opening a Dallas office for Dallas Obesrver’s Mixmaster blog. Below is a video by the Verge demonstrating the Oculus with the Virtuix Omni. This is a fascinating project that may keep PC gaming relevant […]
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Gearbox releasing updated versions of Homeworld PC games
My lastest post as seen on Dallas Observer’s Mixmaster The Plano-based game developer behind Borderlands 2 and Aliens: Colonial Marinesannounced that they will release a high-definition refit of the classic space strategy gamesHomeworld 1 and 2. Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford and CCO Brian Martel announced their plans at Penny Arcade Expo Australia last weekend. The company bought […]
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