Amazon is Seriously Cheap

I really love Amazon.com as far as e-retailers go. I think they are the best ones going right now, and in an obvious attempt to prove me right they have gone and done something wonderful for the Serious Games Community, or made a huge mistake. Either way, they priced the Nintendogs, Chihuahua version at $14.99 USD. It is amazing because both of the other versions are selling for $29.99 USD. Maybe the Chihuahuas have rabies. Nintendogs, is a virtual pet which has recently been in the news on GamesForHealth.org for being shown to improve emotional responsibility. It is the first US release in the more serious game like games coming from Nintendo. If you were thinking of picking this up, go buy a copy before they fix the pricing.

Quake III Source Release

If you missed this on Gamasutra the full text is below: - id Software, in keeping with tradition, has released the source code for the nearly six-year-old Quake III Arena. The source code can be compiled for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux; though it's a freely available download, the code is still protected under the GPL license. The code for the Q3Radiant map editor is also included, and is subject to the same terms as the Q3A source. It is hard not to just love these guys. Someone please start a timer for the release of the Doom III code. I think we are already down to five years already.

An Epiphany in Making Learning Fun

The Gamasutra Soapbox article Making Learning Fun by Clark N. Quinn, the author of "Engaging Learning: Designing e-Learning and Simulation Games" provides some great incites into developing serious games and making learning fun. the things that make an experience engaging are also those that make for effective learning! Learning can be hard fun! It is a relatively short read with some very good morsels.

"Touch Dic" by any other name is still a...

Apparently, in a move seldom seen in the U.S. a Korean company thought better of releasing a "game" product for the Nintendo DS, under the name of "Touch Dic." So, on September 9 in Korea, you cannot ask the salesman for "Touch Dic." You will need to ask him for the more aptly named "Touch Dictionary." This of course could have been a huge problem because of how much kids love dictionaries. I hope it is not to late to cancel my import order. You can read the whole story here: The Korea Times I think it is best if you ignore the part about the World Cyber Games randomly ending the otherwise concise article.

Sawyer Sighting: EIEF

In an appartent humble move Ben Sawyer quickly posted the transcript of Adam Singer's Edinburgh Keynote on the main page for seriousgames.org, but oddly forgot to mention his own Edinburgh appearance. Luckily the good people at the Guardian Unlimited Games Blog noticed and posted it on their site. My personal favorite quote to take out of context is "How will we cure Hillary Clinton?" Where were you going with this Ben? You will have to read the whole thing to find out. Check it out here: Go to your PlayStation and do your homework!

Why Buy the Cow? America's Army:Rise of the Soldier

Honestly when I saw that Ubisoft bought the rights to make a console version of America's Army I was skeptical. This interview with Tony Van, executive producer, sheds some light on the whole thing. Although you can download the PC version for free here: America's Army Van makes a good argument for the Secret Level developed project. With added single player career mode and over 35 missions, not to mention the great multiplayer game we have come to expect for America's Army, Ubisoft may have a hit on their hand here. Plus if you are worried about getting recruited and literally want to be an Army of One, the single player mode is for you. Check out the interview on Team XBox here: Rise of a Soldier Interview

Economist Magazine on Games

Economist Magazine's current issue concintrates on video games with four articles dedicated to the subject. It includes the graph to the left which shows the decrease in violent crime vs. the increase in game sales. You have to love stuff that like this. Read the online version here: Chasing the Dream

EA and Future Lab Do It for the Kids

Taken from the NESTA Futurelab press release:

EA launches computer games study with NESTA Futurelab
Electronic Arts, the world's leading interactive entertainment software company, and NESTA Futurelab, an organization dedicated to researching, developing and evaluating new technologies for learning, are teaming up to launch a European study into how computer games can be used in schools. The research project, named Teaching with Games, will begin in September 2005. It aims to explore the practical issues surrounding the use of interactive computer games in schools and the changes needed to better support learning in schools across Europe.

Full release available here: Press Release

God Save the Queen

Do your part in the war against terrorism, as long as that part is playing a kind of lame flash game based on the horrible and recent London bombings. You basically defuse bombs from a Big Ben and Union Jack powered satellite. However, it is interesting how fast something like this exists and a decent distraction as well. So if your ready go Mind the Bombs

Got to Get Tough, Yo Joe!

Game Daily Biz has an interview with Major Christopher Chambers, Deputy Project Director for America's Army. The game has become an absolute smash hit there is no question. Read all about it here: biz.gamedaily.com

People Like War Games

File this under duh (if you file these posts somewhere). The Battalion Online, a Texas A&M newspaper, has a interesting but overly obvious piece about Military games being popular with civilians. I honestly didn't realize how popular however. The interesting part is that it does not only mention violent military games. "In 'Full Spectrum Warrior' (a game originally issued by the U.S. military), you're just moving your team around. There's really not that much shooting," Read the article here: Military Video Games Popular with Civilians

Games for the Brain

I ran across a new website on my travels about the internet posted on Kotaku. There isn't really that much to say about it but the new, at least to me, site GamesfortheBrain.com has a list of rather interesting games that are designed to tax your brain, it seems like a website with the same premise as the Brain Training for Adults available in Japan on the Nintendo DS. Even with the brain improving context it is probably still best to avoid these games at work.

Innovate Journal Focused on Video Game Technology

The latest issue of Innovate: Journal of Online Education, specializes in video game technology. Many of the usual big hitters are there like Gee, Squire, and Aldrich. There are many other authors with some unique perspectives, and this issue is well worth your time. Thanks to Clark Aldrich for bringing this to my attention on the Serious Games Listserver. Check it out here: Innovate Journal

Drug-abuse Game Kills Gamers

The Houston Chronicle has an article about a drug abuse game that usually ends with the players dying. Unlike most drug based games where the player earns money from drugs or uses them with no ill affect Downward Spiral usually ends with the player dying. Designed at Texas Christian University, the game is used to council adicts to get off drugs before it is too late. Read more here: HoustonChronicle.com

Games are Reshaping Business and Learning in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Technology Network has a great article about a unique gaming seminar held by Accelerate Madison. University of Wisconsin-Madison Professors explain the how games are reshaping business and learning. In the webcast linked in the article, Jim Gee, Kurt Squire, and Constance Steinkuehler give their views on games and how they are affecting society. Thus proving more things happen in Wisconsin than eating cheese and watching the Packers. Check it out here: WTN

Playstation Thumb

A 13 year old girl just became the youngest author published in South Africa's main medical journal for a study she conducted on Playstation Thumb. I was totally into this article and thought this little girl was awesome she actually conducted this experiment and wrote a journal worthy article at 13. She was awesome right up until the very last sentence where she is quoted as saying she doesn't own a Playstation because they are a 'waste of time.' There goes her street cred. BBC News-Girl Probes Playstation Thumb

Video Game Teaches Kids Conflict Resolution

'It looks like an animated film, with chalk that talks and a worrisome worm' Cool School is either a new game that teaches children conflict resolution or some new phycodelic drug. It turns out that it is more and more frequently the game lately. So, our government is both funding them, in this case the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and passing legislation against them. This also seems like drugs. (Here is some rediline, and just say no!)http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/US/story?id=814220&page=1