gewgaw

So it’s Saturday night and I’m home with a nice tall glass of water – and my taxes. It’s true – even though I’m just processing a refund, I put it off. So I’m cozy here with the TV, laptop, and mini-mountains of paperwork.

After the NBA playoff games ended (still a Bulls fan!), I turned to G4 and endured some XPlay. I feel compelled, somehow, to check in with shows like this (or to flip through “gaming magazines” at the book store) – just to see if we’re suddenly cultivating a culture of review and discussion which respects the intelligence of its audience. Once again, I found little to support this hope.

However – I did end up bumping into “Cinematech: Noctournal Emmisions” – a late-night edit-fest peppered with many of of gaming’s colorful (read: awful) attempts at sex appeal/erotic content/adult humor/gender commentary. It’s filled with painful jokes and cringe-inducing cut-scenes… the kind of thing that you pray no senator will bring to a hearing. But as a free-form exploration of the medium’s historical lack of actually erotic content,(not to mention grace or subtlety where attempted), it can’t be beat!

The show features a full-blown lesbian Sims woohoo scene, Japanese schoolgirls (duh!), a totally suggestive series of Drilldozer videos (must be seen to be believed) and many other choice tidbits from a variety of crufty old games. But the best game cited is definitely: The Daibijin – where you (from tanks and planes) battle a bikini-clad giantess (apparently so bad it can barely be played).

I found myself wondering what a *actually fun game* about a rampaging, giant pinup would be like. And why some game studies student isn’t coding it up right now!!!

Other highlights from this viewing experience: several Army commercials aimed at young men (just preposterous, mission-impossible type stuff), some bad TR commercials (”In stores now… I’m WAITING!”), and a Milky Way commercial where a sensitive guy quells self-doubt with candy (”Comfort in Every Bar”).

Obese – and growing! Go USA!

Clever ad, fun puzzle – or both?

Decide for yourself!

(posters from the UK here)

An interesting experience: games based entirely on stereo sound feedback!

Check it out!

In an interview with CNET.com.au, Shane Kim, the General Manager of Microsoft Game Studios, said that it’s imperative that Microsoft reach out to gamers beyond the hardcore group. Certainly if the video game industry is to “touch a billion gamers” as Microsoft has said in the past, then all three console makers will need to go beyond the core audience.

“The positioning of the platform is very different now. We were so paranoid that people knew the Xbox was a hardcore gaming machine in the first generation that we really alienated, or closed off, a lot of our opportunity. If you’ve seen the brand ads now for 360 it’s completely different — it’s much more approachable,” said Kim.

The key, however, is to attract more gamers to the system without alienating or forgetting about the hardcore audience that got Microsoft to where it is today with its Xbox/Xbox 360 business. “I don’t think we want to lose the relationship with hardcore gaming — I don’t think that will happen. I think we can do this without losing the hardcore gamer,” said Kim.

Keita disses the Revolution and generally promotes his image as game design grouch. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was running out of new and interesting ideas!

*grin*

You’re not fooling anyone, dear.

Very evocative. More of Greenberg’s work here.

Recent survey finds women gamers in the lead thanks to “casual” offerings online.

Steve Koenig, a senior analyst at the Consumer Electronics Association, said that the CEA study did not specifically ask women why they preferred casual games, but he explained that unlike traditional console video games, casual titles are generally “nonviolent, and are not necessarily supercompetitive against other players.”

Way to base fact on opinion! With friends like this…

I hear that casual games also feature fewer sidekicks, mushrooms, and pigeon-thwarting Robert Frost busts. Analysts – take note!

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PS: Hilarious XPLAY on X3 and the mysterious enemy race: the Kha’ak!!

“But… how can the Kha’ak be a menace when I’m left wishing they’d shoot more often?”

Brilliant!

So when I was in LA this past weekend, I walked along Venice beach with John Pham. We were talking comics and games, just going over the various and sundry, drinking fruit smoothies and watching teenaged skaters (and older b-ball players) be flexible and resiliant.

Passing by the head shops (which are numerous there), I noticed several flyers advertising Salvia – which I hadn’t really heard about. John didn’t know what it was, either – and I realized then that we’re both officially old – and that I am *way* too inactive. I got a blister just walking around!

*creak*

Anyhow, it turns out I am not the only person who recently heard about it – Charles (the poker-obsessed one, not the traveling-in-India one) posted this link to a Salvia FAQ, and Google news snags several articles on the substance, it’s consumption by high school kids seeking enlightenment, parents and legislators seeking bans, etc.

“He said he went to a different realm. He learned the secrets of life,” Chidester said.

“I just don’t think we want that legal in Delaware,” said State Sen. Karen Peterson.

This quote comes from a (sad) piece on a teenage kid who recently took his own life. Assumptions being made here are pretty common – and actually infuriating! Sure – he was on prescription drugs that are linked to depression, but *clearly* it was the spirit-elating drug he took that did him in. Saved from acne – but not visions.

Neo-Global-Pharma: 1, Mexican healers: 0.

Lula 3D proves to be yet another sad and boring game dressed up with… well, nothing (thanks Eric!).

Meanwhile – Tom Cruise gets dressed to impress! (thanks Alice!!!)

Discuss this and other hot topics here.

Awesome! Maybe enjoy alongside the portable version?

Rod’s article on Rules as Art is up in this month’s escapist – check it out!

PS: The hot guy on the last page is making eyes at my shoutout.

*giggle*

“Nobody wants a cookie-cutter burial anymore,” said Robert M. Fells, the external operating officer of the International Cemetery and Funeral Association, the industry’s leading trade group. At the group’s annual convention in March in Las Vegas, the resurgent interest in building private mausoleums was striking, Mr. Fells said.”

NYT article on the final (and potentially longest lasting) fashion decision you’ll ever make.

Ok, I lied about the electric boogaloo part.

John Tam talks up the much-anticipated sequel on IGN,

Kentai Hall #6521!!!

Dumped!

Today I started corresponding in ernest with a new hire who will be joining us over the summer – someone who is just finishing school. We traded reading and games lists, and it was clear from the conversation that the new hire is a sharp kid, whose interests will come in handy on the project. I know their advisor, respect the program, and am looking forward to helping the student transistion from academia to the world of work.

At GDC, several speakers coyly referred to the “top three game programs” here in the US – a list that was then gabbed and gossiped about precisely because it remained nameless. But I’m not afraid to say that the student I’m talking about is not from CMU, Georgia Tech, or USC. In fact, I’m kind of excited because they are different!

Why? I guess I see things through the eyes of a self-starter. I didn’t get to take classes with likeminded, aspiring designers. I didn’t do group game projects. Instead – I played games, read articles and wrote email. I got involved with the IGDA and GDC. Always watching, asking questions – in many ways, I educated myself. And now that I’m working – I find these skills *immeasurably* valuable.

At this year’s GDC tutorial I asked a simple question: What is the metacritic for game studies students? How are programs evaluating their output? If it’s placement-based, then I’m sure the bigger, more expensive schools will have pretty good luck on short-term metrics. But for longer-term retention, on-the-job performance, flexibility, soft skills and overall creativity… will they really corner the market?

As we move forward with games and education, programs will spring up and die all over the place. The big three (or five.. or ten) will keep chugging along – expanding, becoming larger pools with greater access to expertise, technology, and students. But I care about quality, not quantity.

Rest assured, while I’m excited to see bigger programs prosper, I’ll be rooting for the underdogs. Kids who realized they wanted to help make games *after* heading to college… sometimes at places where CS and games programs are slim-to-none. I’m interested in the dreamers with drive who *lacked* the means to join a larger, out-of-state program (let alone pursue a pay-to-play masters degree). Kids like… Andi.

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And on a related note – Michael has announced his plans to move out California way and join the faculty at Santa Cruz – where he will be helping start a little program of his own. I had my fingers crossed (just cause I’ve never actually lived within shouting distance of my friend!) and the news makes me very happy – even as I know others will feel the sting of his departure.

Congrats to Michael on these (and other, cuter) exciting plans – I look forward to meeting your little one… and eventually, your students!!

Stop what you’re doing and go listen to TALC.

Especially if you are a fan of Phoenix!

THANKS FOR THE TIP, JURIE!!!

I love my inbox!

“Quitting got easier after the chilly reception for my work on the non-lethal “pancake bomb” where we smother enemy combatants under a gigantic pancake. You launch them via a flipping action from enormous spring-powered skillets placed in friendly neighboring countries. You can eat your way out to avoid being smothered, but by the time you do, you become ineffectually bloated, and eventually grow too fat to prove threatening. Pancake-scarred warzones can also allay the food shortages that often follow in the wake of major military action, and preliminary studies suggest they are slightly safer than fallout. As an added bonus, it’s kind of hard to stay mad at a country that just keeps throwing big pancakes at you.”

Souris has written up the latest Game Developers Salary Survey over on HOC. Once again, we are reminded of why it’s important that you LOVE what you DO as a developer – because the benifits are usually pretty slim on the financial side.

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE MY JOB? :)

… or just plain bad taste?

Now, thanks to GamePro’s game advertising hall of shame – you can be the judge!

12 minutes of fun with physics… Japanese style!

Meanwhile, DS kicks some more ass.

“Enterbrain predicts that the DS will top the 10 million mark this year, as promised by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, and will go on to reach 14.5 million by the end of 2007″

Yow!

I love TLC. I know it sounds stupid but watching people get educated about everything from fashion to home improvement just makes me happy. I love to see people empowered to make smart/better/informed choices – even if it is within the context of huge amounts of product placement.

This week TLC is airing two new shows that I’m particularly interested in: Honey, We’re Killing the Kids and Shalom in the Home. Learning to feed your children a healthy diet doesn’t seem like it would merit a whole show, but based on current obesity rates – I guess it does. Even in Britian!

Check it out!