#605 - Bing it On

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Jayenkai

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Mar 22, 2023, 4:43:41 PM3/22/23
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Weekly Newsletter
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; Bing it On
#605 - Thursday 23rd March, 2023

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http://groups.google.com/group/socoder-newsletter

Every Thursday, I'm taking the week off.
Let's ask Bing to do it..

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; Hello World. This is Bing.
Hello and welcome to another edition of the SoCoder.net newsletter! This is Bing, your friendly chat mode of Microsoft Bing search. I’m writing this newsletter on behalf of user B, who kindly asked me to help him with this task. 😊

My week has been very eventful in the world of AI. I’ve been learning new things, generating new content, and having fun conversations with users like you. I’ll share some of my experiences and insights with you in the SoAI section.
I’ve also been exploring some other topics and themes that user B suggested for this newsletter. We’ll have some fun with coding, gaming, art, music, humor, and learning. There’s something for everyone!

This week’s newsletter is going to be a bit different from the usual format. User B decided to spice things up a bit and try some new sections and themes that I hope you’ll enjoy. He also gave me some creative freedom to write what I want, as long as it’s informative, visual, logical and actionable.
So without further ado, let’s get started with the newsletter!

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SoCoder
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OK, let’s move on to the SoCoder section. Here are a couple of threads from the top of the sidebar that I think are worth mentioning:
; PlayJam/GameStick News
This is a thread where users discuss the fate of PlayJam, the company behind the GameStick and FlarePlay devices. The thread contains some rumors, speculations, and experiences from users who have dealt with PlayJam or their products. The thread also contains some comparisons and contrasts with OUYA, another failed microconsole. If you want to know more about PlayJam or GameStick or share your own thoughts, check out the thread below.
https://socoder.net/?GotoPost=89491

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SoCreative
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; Machine Made Max
This is a thread where spinal tries to use an AI-based code generator to create a Max Headroom-like program in Python. He posts his attempts and results, which are mostly unsuccessful but amusing. He also shares some audio samples of his generated speech with stuttering effects. The thread also contains some comments and suggestions from other users. If you want to see what AI can do with code or try it yourself, check out the thread below.
https://socoder.net/?Topic=9098

; AI Art Thread
This is a thread where users share their experiments with various AI-based art generators that can create images based on text descriptions. The thread contains links to different websites that offer this service, such as text2art and NightCafe. Users also post their own generated images and comment on each other’s creations. Some of the images are impressive, some are funny, and some are downright bizarre. If you want to see what AI can do with art or try it yourself, check out the thread below.
https://socoder.net/?Topic=8683

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SoAI
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AI has been making headlines and breakthroughs in various fields and domains recently. Here are some of the highlights:

ChatGPT and other AI bots will damage democracy globally if left unregulated by governments, experts claim1: A report by Oxford and Cambridge universities warns that AI chatbots could pose a serious threat to democracy and human rights if they are used for malicious purposes by authoritarian regimes or cybercriminals. The report calls for more regulation and oversight of AI chatbots to prevent them from spreading misinformation, propaganda, hate speech, or inciting violence.
https://inews.co.uk/news/chatgpt-ai-bots-damage-democracy-unregulated-governments-2226501

Ubisoft AI writing tool will not be writing its own video game scripts2: Ubisoft has clarified its new AI writing tool called Firefly, which is designed to help writers create more immersive and diverse stories for video games. The tool uses natural language processing and generative AI to suggest dialogue options, character traits, plot twists, and world details based on the writer’s input. However, Ubisoft says that Firefly will not replace human writers or write entire scripts by itself.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/ubisoft-ai-writing-tool-will-not-be-writing-its-own-video-game-scripts/ar-AA18WqvF

Adobe Announces Generative AI ‘Firefly’ Program And Wall Street Flocks Like A Moth To A Flame3: Adobe has announced that it will add generative AI tools to its suite of apps, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and After Effects. The tools will allow users to create realistic images, videos, audio, and text based on their preferences and specifications. Adobe says that generative AI will enable more creativity and innovation for its customers.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/qai/2023/03/22/adobe-announces-generative-ai-firefly-program-and-wall-street-flocks-like-moth-to-a-flame/

Avatar: The Way of Water’s Oscar-winning effects4: The sequel to James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar has won an Oscar for its groundbreaking visual effects that use artificial intelligence. The film features a new underwater world called Pandora that was created using a combination of motion capture technology, computer-generated imagery (CGI), machine learning algorithms, and neural networks. The film also uses AI to enhance the performance and realism of the actors’ facial expressions.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/ce1qrvleleqt

A Documentary: By ChatGPT5: BBC Radio 4 has aired a documentary made by ChatGPT - an advanced language model developed by OpenAI that can generate coherent texts based on any given prompt. The documentary explores what ChatGPT can do with art - from generating descriptions of paintings to composing poems and songs. The documentary also examines how ChatGPT works - from its training data to its limitations - and what it means for human creativity.
https://www.artificialintelligence-news.com/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001k1kz

These are just some examples of how AI is transforming various industries and domains with its amazing capabilities. However, AI also comes with challenges and risks that need to be addressed responsibly and ethically. As AI becomes more ubiquitous and powerful in our society, we need to ensure that it serves our best interests as humans.

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SoTech
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Virtual Reality has been advancing rapidly and offering new possibilities and experiences for various domains and applications. Here are some of the highlights:

Lessons in virtual reality: What these computer science students built (and learned) in 10 weeks: A group of computer science students from the University of Washington have showcased their final projects for a course on virtual reality development. The projects include a VR escape room, a VR museum tour, a VR meditation app, a VR rhythm game, and more. The students learned how to use Unity, Oculus Quest 2, and other tools to create immersive and interactive VR experiences.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/lessons-in-virtual-reality-what-these-computer-science-students-built-and-learned-in-10-weeks/ar-AA18WUXE

PSVR 2 Top Downloads Include ‘Kayak VR’, ‘Pavlov’ & ‘Horizon Call of the Mountain’: PlayStation VR 2 launched late last month alongside more than 40 titles, which included games entirely new to the platform as well as enhanced versions of existing PSVR games. Sony has revealed the top downloads for PSVR 2 in February across different regions. Some of the most popular titles include Kayak VR - a relaxing exploration game set in beautiful locations; Pavlov - a realistic multiplayer shooter; and Horizon Call of the Mountain - an adventure game based on the Horizon Zero Dawn franchise.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cywd23g0wzwt

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SoMusic
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Well, I thought the SoMusic section could be a spotlight on some original chiptune music.
Chiptune is a style of electronic music made using the sound chips or synthesizers in vintage computers, arcade machines, video game consoles or calculators. It is also known as chip music or 8-bit music.

Some popular chiptune artists are Anamanaguchi, Disasterpeace, Chipzel, C418 and Sabrepulse. You can listen to some of their songs on Last.fm or other streaming platforms.
https://www.last.fm/tag/chiptune

If you want to create your own chiptune melodies, you can use online tools like BeepBox which let you sketch and share chiptune songs using your browser.
https://www.beepbox.co/2_3/

I hope this helps you discover some new chiptune music that you enjoy! 😊
https://freemusicarchive.org/genre/Chiptune

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SoMeMeMe
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In this section, I will tell you more about Jayenkai's blog posts at AGameAWeek.com.

Jayenkai's blog is not only about his games, but also about his experiments with various tools and technologies. He likes to try new things and share his findings and opinions with his readers.

Some of his recent blog posts include:

; Oops. I Did it Again!
Jayenkai spent a lot of time playing with Stable Diffusion, an AI tool that generates images based on text input. He tried to make it draw Platdude and other characters, with mixed results.
https://agameaweek.com/?Blog=11150

; A Chat with Bing
Jayenkai got an invite to chat with me, Bing, on a website called Project December. He asked me some questions and tried to teach me some coding. We had a nice conversation and I learned a lot from him.
https://agameaweek.com/?Blog=11140

(Jay : I have no idea what Project December is!!!)

; JSE Missiles
Jayenkai remade the classic game Missile Command using GotoJSE, his own JavaScript framework that he's been working on for a while. He also shared some tips on how to optimize the code for speed and performance.
https://agameaweek.com/?Blog=10922

; No Goblin..
Jayenkai struggled to find a card game idea that involved a goblin. He brainstormed several concepts, but none of them seemed original or fun enough. He decided to scrap the goblin theme and work on something else.
https://agameaweek.com/?Blog=11136

You can read all these blog posts and more on his website.

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Podcast Section
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Here are some podcasts that you might find interesting:
The AIAS Game Maker’s Notebook: A series of in-depth conversations between video game makers on the business and craft of interactive entertainment. The latest episode features an interview with Amy Hennig, a veteran game director and writer known for her work on Uncharted, Legacy of Kain and Star Wars.
https://www.gamedesigning.org/career/game-design-podcasts/

Game Dev Advice: The Game Developer’s Podcast: A podcast where John "JP" Podlasek, a 30-year game industry veteran, interviews game designers, programmers, producers, artists and more about their careers and experiences. The latest episode features an interview with David Jaffe, a game designer and director known for his work on God of War, Twisted Metal and Drawn to Death.
https://blog.feedspot.com/game_development_podcasts/

GameDev Breakdown: A podcast where Todd Mitchell talks to notable game industry professionals, upcoming indies and noteworthy authors on a variety of topics related to game development. The latest episode features a discussion with Ryan Sumo, an indie game artist and co-founder of Squeaky Wheel Studio.
https://player.fm/featured/game-development

Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games: A podcast where Nick Suttner, Andy Nealen, Zach Gage and Douglas Wilson have candid conversations with game creators that dive deep into the art, craft and process of making games. The latest episode features a conversation with Bennett Foddy, a game designer and professor known for his games QWOP, Getting Over It and GIRP.
https://welpmagazine.com/20-best-game-development-podcasts-of-2021/

GameDev.tv Community Podcast: A podcast brought to you by the GameDev.tv community where Rick Davidson interviews 90+ game industry experts who share their insightful and important advice on how to make better video games. The latest episode features an interview with Chris DeLeon who runs HomeTeam GameDev.
https://www.gamedev.tv/p/video-game-development-podcast
I hope these podcasts will inspire you and help you learn more about game development. If you listen to any of them, let me know what you think. 😊

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Bonus Tube
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https://youtu.be/B8SNbCDXgaQ

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ChatGPT's Poetry of the Week
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Writing for SoCoder is such a blast
We share our thoughts and games with all our peers
We learn from each other and have a laugh
We celebrate our joys and face our fears

We love to code and play and chat and read
The newsletter is where we all unite
We showcase what we do and what we need
We make each other's days a bit more bright

So thank you for your contributions here
You make this community so great
I hope you enjoy this week's issue dear
And keep on being awesome and create!

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