Many of you asked about this semester's final projects from CTIN 484/489 after seeing them during seminar two weeks ago. They have just been added to the projects page, and Tracy and I are very proud. Direct link here:
http://interactive.usc.edu/projects/games/20080514-intermedia.php
I guess it’s not surprising now that the war has been unpopular for a couple of years, that Marvel releases Iron Man as a film, instead of say, Spiderman (2002). The franchise is about an arms manufacturer tycoon, Tony Stark, who has a change of heart after nearly dying himself. I was always fond of the comic as a kid, but never gave the premise much thought. (If you consider just how predictable the film is, it is surprising how entertaining it turns out to be).
By the end of the film, it is truly not controversial as the message is essentially, “It’s better to kill only the bad guys than to kill bystanders as well.”
In modern war, the problem with missiles is that they never really are accurate enough to spare innocents. We don’t see the results so much, but the first gulf war made us think such warfare is completely humane.
It is consistent that most people consider the victims of suicide bombers to be tragic, while those dead from our bombs, are an unfortunate consequence of war.
Does the film Iron Man confront this? I’m not sure.
It also gives all of us the chance to exclude ourselves from its moral questions. None of us own a weapons manufacturing enterprise, so we need not face this dilemma.
Perhaps the film can be read as a change of heart for the whole country, concerning our consistent war-waging. But I think it really is just an inevitable theme for a film that comes out now that it’s cool to be against the current war.
I don’t expect a blockbuster to confront viewers really in any way, but maybe the sequel will ask more questions.
In celebration of the end of the year and to those graduating in May, I would like to loosen the blog etiquette for this one post. I’m sure we’re all often tempted to post a favorite (non-relevant) online video on the IMD blog from time to time, but know it's not appropriate to post non-IM content.
But for this ONE post, please reply with a comment ONCE which includes ONE link to a video involving animals that you want to share.
The winner will receive this shirt (in a couple of weeks).
Rules:
- Submissions will be closed on Wednesday, April 30 at noon.
- At that point everyone can email me their vote for favorite video.
- If you don’t vote (exactly once for someone else), you can’t win.
- Don’t embed the video in your comment. Just link to it.
- The winner will be announced at seminar Wed evening.
- In your post, please include your name and the video title next to it like I have below
*Maybe at the end of next year another faculty member can pick a different theme.
The Cat and the Coup is my most recent game and it’s ready for its first playtest…of the core mechanic. This Friday, April 4 at 12:15, in the IML, I’ll be playtesting the prototype to anyone and everyone who comes by. Pizza and soda will be served at 12:15 at the loading dock picnic tables. Soon after we’ll do a group playtest in the IML and then around 1pm, I’ll give a 5 minute presentation of the broader design plan. We have to be done before 2pm. This is your chance to turn the critique back at me.
Bring headphones.
Matt posted his gamasutra postmortem as a side post this afternoon, and after reading the whole thing, I want to highlight it by reposting it here.
http://interactive.usc.edu/members/mkorba/2008/03/what_went_wrong.html
Whether designed to entertain or for more "serious" purposes, games have the potential to impact players’ beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, emotions, cognitive abilities, and behavior.
Meaningful Play 2008 is an interdisciplinary academic conference that explores the potential of games to entertain, inform, educate, and persuade. The conference includes thought-provoking keynotes from leaders in academia and industry, peer-reviewed paper presentations, panel sessions (including academic and industry discussions), innovative workshops, roundtable discussions, and exhibitions of games.
Submissions are sought from both researchers and practitioners in academia and industry. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students are also encouraged to submit either jointly with an academic/member of industry or alone.
I can't believe no one told me that it has happened. The game, the experience I always wanted. Coming soon...I think.
http://www.wolfquest.org/preview_video.php
After a quick signup you can try out some Torque games in a browser . (Mac support coming in the future). The potential here is exciting for all of us with Torque games. They promote it as more than a plugin, but a platform – a place to go for online gaming.
This is exciting for developers who want the quick distribution of browser games, but also want to take advantage of 3D acceleration, for example.
So far, there are specific games you can play at the one site. So the potential is there, but I don’t know when we can get our hands on the technology.
I found this article on Ian’s blog about the difficulties in conceptualizing independent games as an alternative practice. Jahn-Sudmann does so by comparing the possibility to independent film, which now has been functional, profitable, and distinct for years. Are mainstream games still seen too much as a viable alternative to media culture in general to warrant a separate indie movement? He uses both Escape from Woomera and flOw as examples that provide alternative forms or topics.
I do see how since bad behavior is often associated with mainstream games, movements like games for change and serious games aim to find ostensibly altruistic approaches rather than subversive expression as a defining quality of the alternative. Both have a place I hope.
Oh, and Eludamos seems like a journal worth checking out.
Peter Preuss's recent post is just on the right of the page there and not on the main page. I think it deserves full attention.
With a quick 'Save As...' I've now blocked internet ads for my browsers with no apparent downsides.
http://interactive.usc.edu/members/ppreuss/2008/01/how_to_block_internet_ads_via.html
Loading times seem a little faster and I hate ads.