I just downloaded the GameAnalytics Unity Package and plan to spend some of my summer break digging deeper into Unity. I have been experimenting with Xcode stuff and Leap Motion. I want to make the most of my 5 weeks "Summer of Code". Unity fits the bill. It has offers a wealth of wonderful online learning resources. I've explored Unity in the past and loved it, and am very impressed with how it has evolved over the past few years. I'll add more to this post later!
Pixel Press is an early stage video design platform that supports the creation of DIY video games, without requiring coding skills. The project was recently approved by Kickstarter, with an initial funding goal of $100,000.00. The first version targets the iPad.
Robin Rath, the creator of Pixel Press, was inspired by his memories of creating his own drawings for games when he was a kid in the 1980's, and it shows. Pixel Press might appeal to gamers across generations, and looks suitable for use in school settings.
According to the Pixel Press website, there are just a few things to learn in order to create a basic video game within the Pixel Press environment, making it an ideal activity for kids and others aspiring game designers:
"You are designing five floors of a video game level. Your hero will start at the bottom and attempt to overcome the obstacles you create to reach the elevator at the end of each floor to advance up to the next floor. Your objective is to create a five floor level that is progressively more challenging from top to bottom."
Pixel Press: Draw your own video game Pixel Press: Draw Your Own Video Game from Robin Rath on Vimeo.
The video below provides an overview/tutorial of how it works:
Spencer Halpin's documentary, Mortal Kombat, discusses the debate surrounding about the content of video games, as well as issues such as the video game industry's drive for profit, artistic freedom, "pushing the envelope", and the impact of video games on society. The video is about 85 minutes, but worth watching if you are a gamer, parent, teacher, game designer/ developer, or academician.
One of the reasons I think the discussion in the video is important is that in 2010, more people are playing games on large high-definition displays, providing an enhanced sense of immersion. I'm not sure what the consequences of this trend might be.
Caution: There are some scenes in this video that might be offensive/violent, and others that would not be appropriate for children.
Here is the description of this video from the Babelgum website:
"Moral Kombat takes a look into the controversial subject of violence in video games. Director Spencer Halpin shows the constant conflict between the game creators' first amendment right to make a violent game and the eminent threat that violence poses on the next generation. In addition, the film is full of the latest green screen and high-definition technology that allow watchers to actually envision the world of gaming. Filled with interviews from lead game designers, politicians, parents, and psychologists, this film provides a candid take on the influence games have on youth today."
From the HelpYouPlay IDPedia (Interaction Design Patterns for Games Library) website:
"Design patterns are ways to describe best practices, explain good designs, and capture experience so that other people can reuse these solutions. The idea of a pattern was introduced by the architect Christopher Alexander for use in urban planning and building architecture, but since then a pattern community has emerged that specifies patterns for all sorts of problems. Interaction design patterns aim to capture optimal solutions to common usability or accessibility problems in a specific context. Typically best practices concerning interaction design are described as guidelines or heuristics. We consider interaction design patterns to be more descriptive than guidelines as it tells a designer exactly when, how and why the solution can be applied."
SOMEWHAT RELATED Game Usability and Accessibility
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The funds will support the work of the AbleGamers Foundation, and donations are tax-deductible.
"The AbleGamers Foundation's mission is to empower the disabled population to enjoy the digital revolution that is taking place in gaming... We believe in harnessing the power of many people's voices to solve the problems of the not so few. The AbleGamers Foundation strives to bring together individuals from every lifestyle with a common goal of improving the lives of the disabled. Everyone has the right to enjoy the world, and together, we can make that possible. Together, we can make it possible for everyone to enjoy the rich content of digital entertainment with his or her friends and family regardless of disability."
Spencer Riley, of TeacherLED, sent me a link to a presentation by Danc, of Lostgarden.com that I thought I'd share. The target audience for this presentation is interaction designers and beginning game designers. It is worth looking at if you are interested in developing/purchasing/using interactive applications, engaging educational software, edutainment, or even web-based business apps. Mixing Games and Applications: Building a Princess Saving App (pdf) "This talk is about building learning and fun into your applications. If you've ever wondered how games work and how they can help you build better apps, this is the talk for you. Along the way, we'll discuss a new philosophy of interaction design that is already creating a major competitive advantage for innovative application developers" RELATED LostGarden's Resources/Links Blog: http://www.lostgarden.com Chemistry of Game Design: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1524/the_chemistry_of_game_design.php What activities can be turned into a game? "Techniques for designing consumer scales" ShuffleBrain: Putting the Fun in Functional: Applying Game Mechanics to Functional Software(originally from eTech 06, Amy Jo Kim, ShuffleBrain)
