SAGE (game engine)

SAGE (Strategy Action Game Engine) is a game engine used by Westwood Studios and Electronic Arts for real-time strategy games.

History

The first version of the engine was known as W3D (Westwood 3D) was highly modified version of SurRender 3D engine, developed by Hybrid Graphics Ltd.

Westwood used W3D for Emperor: Battle for Dune and updated for Command & Conquer: Renegade.

After Westwood was dissolved by Electronic Arts the engine was further updated for Command & Conquer: Generals, and renamed to SAGE. The rendering part remains nearly identical to the W3D engine, but most other elements have been redesigned from the ground up.

The SAGE engine allows for dynamic lighting that casts realistic shadows and realistic reflections on most objects. High quality visual effects are now possible with the SAGE engine powering games. One example of a unique effect is the stop-motion camera. Blow up a gas station, for example, and the action will freeze in mid-explosion, and the camera will quickly pan around the environment, revealing pieces of debris and shrapnel suspended in the air, before the action promptly resumes. The SAGE engine also allows games to take place during different times of the day, with realistic lighting and shadow changes, etc.

LISA (organization)

LISA is the USENIX special interest group for system administrators. LISA was known officially as the System Administrators Guild until November 2003; from 2003 to 2010, it was known as SAGE.

Major activities

Proposed spinoff

In June 2004, SAGE was dissolved as a Special Technical Group to prepare for a spin-off from its parent organization, USENIX. On October 27, 2005, the USENIX Board, by a 4-4 vote, failed to approve a motion to progress the separation of SAGE from USENIX, declaring instead that SAGE is better as a suborganization. This contributed to the formation of LOPSA by individuals involved in the aborted spinoff.

1985–86 South Pacific cyclone season

Seasonal summary

During November and December no significant tropical cyclones developed in or moved into the basin in the region,

Storms

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ima

Severe Tropical Cyclone Ima existed from February 5 to February 16.

Ima affected French Polynesia's Austral, Society and Tubuai Islands, from February 9-14 and caused extensive damage to Rimatara.

Tropical Cyclone June

On February 5, TCWC Nadi (a.k.a. Fiji Meteorological Service) reported that a tropical depression had developed early on February 10. About 24 hours later, the system intensified into a Category 1 cyclone on the Australian intensity scale. Around that same time, the Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center followed suit by upgrading the system into a tropical storm. Gradually intensifying, Nadi estimated that June had peaked in intensity with winds of 65 mph (105 km/h) late on February 7. Meanwhile, the JTWC reported that Tropical Cyclone June had also peaked in intensity. By February 9, June had weakened into a tropical depression. June was no longer a tropical cyclone by the morning.

Martín (hache)

Martín (hache) is a 1997 Spanish and Argentine film directed by Adolfo Aristarain and starring Federico Luppi, Juan Diego Botto, Cecilia Roth and Eusebio Poncela.

It was nominated for four Goya Awards in 1998, and Cecilia Roth won one for lead actress.

It was filmed in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Madrid, and Almería, Spain.

Plot summary

Martín, known as Hache, is a 19-year-old Argentinian boy who after his girlfriend leaves him has a nearly fatal drug overdose, thought by many to be an attempted suicide. Afterwards, his mother sends him to Madrid to live with his father, Martin.

Martin, a successful film-maker, doesn't want to take care of his son because he likes living alone and being able to socialize with his two friends, Alicia and Dante, without influencing his son in any negative way since both Alicia and Dante are experienced drug users. Regardless, he brings him into his home, hoping to ward off any evil influences that might cause his son to have a relapse and commit suicide.

San Carlo (Val Poschiavo)

San Carlo is a town in Val Poschiavo, Grisons, Switzerland. It is one of the biggest areas in the Poschiavo valley. It is located to the north of Poschiavo.

External links

Coordinates: 46°20′34″N 10°03′39″E / 46.3429°N 10.0609°E / 46.3429; 10.0609