Rise of the Videogame

This Wednesday, Nov. 21 starts the first of the five part series by the Discovery Channel on The Rise of the Videogame


Level one:
The video game started not with a bang, but with a ping. Where did simple games like Pong and PacMan come from? And how did these global phenomenons usher in the videogame revolution?

Level two:
In the late '70s, early '80s, video games gained their face. Game creators became more liberated to create more complex video games and icons like Mario and Zelda began to give way to grittier characters. Learn how video game technology has evolved.

Level three:
Video games go 3-D, but the details they capture in the new virtual worlds are both awe-inspiring and disturbingly realistic. Critics begin to question if games are becoming too real, too violent, too addictive. Game designers begin wrestling with ethics.

Level four:
"God Games" begin simulating entire worlds and allow players to experiment with sometimes troubling cause and effect. Artificial intelligence creates lifelike characters and opens up opportunities for new learning tools and for artistic expression.

Level five:
Can a computer game make you cry? Games gain an emotional dimension, interpersonal connection, and Hollywood worthy story lines as they evolve and move onto the Web. What do these virtual world games tell us about the way we live in the 21st century?

How Violent Video Games are Exemplary Agression Teachers

11/14/07, Science Daily
"Students who played multiple violent video games actually learned through those games to produce greater hostile actions and aggressive behaviors over a span of six months, researchers have found."

Girl Gaming by Ubisoft

Ubisoft, the developers of Prince of Persia, Rayman, and Beyond Good and Evil, have a new line of games for the DS designed specifically for girls. Each game lets girls explore the things they like to do, and focuses on a related career. You can choose from babysitting, fashion designer, animal doctor, or chef. I've not been able to play these games yet, but I'm curious about your opinions about this.

Do you think that girl gamers will like these games? Would you have played one when you were younger?

If you have a chance ask you teen girls what they think of these games I'm really curious about the reaction girls will have to this.

A new issue of The Daedalus Project is now available

FORWARDED FROM NICK YEE:

A new issue of The Daedalus Project is now available at:
http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/

Also, several new surveys are available for current MMORPG players. You can participate at: http://www.nickyee.com/mmorpg/

As the number of MMOs and MMO portals increase, your help in publicizing the link to the current surveys goes a long ways in sustaining this line of research. Any help is much appreciated.

Also, if you run into any errors, typos, or are confused by anything in the surveys, please email me to let me know.

Nick Yee

A quick guide to Gaming and Libraries

iLibrarian
"Here’s a quick guide to some of the resources available related to the gaming in libraries meme."

Library of Congress to Preserve Virtual Worlds

by Guy Lamolinara, Library of Congress, 8/3/07
"The Preserving Virtual Worlds project will explore methods for preserving digital games and interactive fiction. Major activities will include developing basic standards for metadata and content representation and conducting a series of archiving case studies for early video games, electronic literature and Second Life, an interactive multiplayer game. Second Life content participants include Life to the Second Power, Democracy Island and the International Spaceflight Museum."

Cinema Gamr

Check out this site whose goal is to collect video game cinematics (basically "the in-game generated movie that is used in video games to help tell a story, further a plot, guide a user to view or do something or a way to show of in-game features").

Halo 3

c|net 9/24/07
Halo 3 goes on sale Tuesday, September 25.

Guild Cafe

Social networking outside of the game. Sign up on this Cambridge, MA based site to socialize with other gamers!

The Game of Life

by Constance Steinkuehler, Ottawa Citizen, 09/03/07
"Online gaming is far from the anti-intellectual, anti-social time waster it is commonly thought to be."
Constance writes about how virtual worlds and online games are significant in teaching 21st century skills such as, "collaboration, inquiry, argumentation, media literacy (not just critical consumption but also production), and the ability to productively participate in the negotiation of shared meaning and values with folks that don't always look or live or view the world just like you." She has some good things to say about librarians too!

de blob

Another exclusive from the Penny Arcade Expo. Coming in 2008, THQ is going to release a new game called de blob.

The game involves painting buildings, in a city that has lost all its color. Players are a paint blob, that can bounce onto buildings thus adding color. Starting with a primary color, you can add other paints to alter your coloring.

The demo I played had balanced wii mote controls, and was easy to learn. I didn't see much of a plot to the game, or goal, but I''m assuming this will be a fun game once completed.

Recently there was a independent PC game titled de Blob created by students to showcase a region of the Netherlands. I believe this is a remake of this title. See the video below created by Joystiq

Rock Band

Its singstar meets guitar hero + drums

Coming November 20th, Harmonix and MTV Games are releasing a new music/rhythm game that involves karaoke, lead and bass guitar, and drums.

It should be avaliable for PS2, PS3, Xbox360, and possibly Wii

This would make a great library program. For more information check out the wikipedia page about the game, or dig around on the official site.

Get Money for Gaming at your Library!

The MacArthur Foundation has announced a public competition for a piece of $2 million in funding to emerging leaders, communicators, and innovators shaping the field of digital media and learning. The competition is part of MacArthur's $50 million digital media and learning initiative that aims to help determine how digital technologies are changing the way young people learn, play, socialize, and participate in civic life . . .

Awards will be issued in two categories: Knowledge-Networking Awards (of between $30,000-$75,000) and Innovation Awards ($100,000 and $250,000). Read the details about the competition at the website at:
http://www.dmlcompetition.net

Thanks to Brian Myers, Wilmette Public Library for the heads up!

The Future of Gaming

What does the future of gaming look like? Handheld devices? Immersive PC games like Civ VI on consoles at last? Playing Wii Sports in real time against a friend halfway around the world? Nah, says the Escapist: the future is casual.

Check out the take in issue #110: The Future of Gaming, at:
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_110

Fashion Giants Enter Virtual Worlds

H&M clothing now in Sims 2!

Penny Arcade is a fan of libraries

Check out their comic from Friday August 3rd and accompanying blog post.

State of Play Revived!

And, it's happening in a little over 2 weeks! It's not too late to register:

http://www.nyls.edu/stateofplay

LibCamp in Boston, Saturday July 28

What is LibCamp Boston?

It's a FREE unconference Barcamp-style...focused on web 2.0, new media, and libraries... Anyone with something to contribute or with the desire to learn is welcome and invited to come!

Come, share your stuff, and learn in an open environment.

Help plan a larger unconference in the Boston area in the coming months and/or help develop a local library 2.0 group where those focusing on new media and libraries can meet up, share their stuff, and answer the question: What are you doing in your library...?

We hope this will be an intense day filled with discussions, demos, presentations, and spirited interactions among all who attend.

When & Where?

July 28th, 10 am- 4pm : the McKim Conference Room, Boston Public Library, Boston, MA

Cost: FREE.

How to get started:

• Register for FREE. There is no cost to attend.
• Promote - tell friends, colleagues, and associates- spread the word
• Sessions - anyone is free to participate & present. Sign up for/Suggest a session now!

Elizabeth Lane Lawley, RIT Lab for Social Computing "Games Without Borders: Gaming Beyond Consoles and Screens

Lots of technical difficulties. Elizabeth was good humored if frustrated and showed non computer games

• Reverse Scavenger Hunt
• Cruel 2 B Kind
• Passively Multiplayer Online Games
• Yu-Gi-Oh & Pokemon tournaments

Games create opportunities for discussion and encourage creativity.

We need to take a leadership role in making sure that gaming horror stories are not at the top of the Google search results list.

She left us with a very empowering message: help other people understand that games are not bad. Tell them stories, don't cite statistics.

Everyone Loves the Wii!

Everyone Loves the Wii!
Originally uploaded by gizwomack

For those not at Gaming Learning and Libraries Symposium you missed a fun night of opening gaming. Eli brought DDR, Mario Kart, Guitar Hero, and the Wii. There was a tennis tournament, as well as a pokemon battle, and a Smooth Moves challenge. On the other side of the room we also had the very lovely Scott from Board Games with Scott, Donald Dennis from Syracuse University School of Information Studies (Scott is from there as well) and other table top enthusiasts who were promoting some great games reviewed on Board Game Geek.

If you weren't able to make it you now have the assignment to play the Wii!!!! :D