A piece up at Mashable explores how some schools and universities are finding success at integrating social gaming into their education curriculum. Various game-related programs are getting assistance these days from sources like the government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
"For the less well-to-do educator, the Federation of American Scientists has developed a first-person shooter-inspired cellular biology curriculum. Gamers explore the fully-interactive 3D world of an ill patient and assist the immune system in fighting back a bacterial infection. Dr. Melanie Ann Stegman has been evaluating the educational impacts of the game and is optimistic about her preliminary findings. 'The amount of detail about proteins, chemical signals and gene regulation that these 15-year-olds were devouring was amazing. Their questions were insightful. I felt like I was having a discussion with scientist colleagues,' said Stegman. Perhaps more importantly, the video game excites students about science. Motivating more youngsters to adopt a science-related career track has became a major education initiative of the Obama administration. So desperate to find a solution that motivates students to become scientists, the government has even enlisted Darpa, the Department of Defense’s 'mad scientist' research organization, to figure out a solution."
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An anonymous reader writes "Many games developers have been pursuing agile development, and we are now beginning to witness the debris and chaos it has caused. While there have been some successes, there have also been many casualties. As the industry at large is moving away from the phantasmagoria of Agile, Gwaredd Mountain, Technical Director at Climax Studios, looks at Post-Agile and what this might mean for the games industry."
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Check out what's new on Nintendo Week!
A new report by Game Developer Research reveals that the number of developers working on games for the iPhone continues to rise, roughly doubling in number from last year. At the same time, the amount of work done on games for Nintendo's Wii dropped significantly:
"Just over 70 percent of developers said they were developing at least one game for PC or Mac (including browser and social games), rising slightly from last year; 41 percent reported working on console games. Within that latter group, Xbox 360 was the most popular system with 69 percent of console developers targeting it, followed by 61 percent for PlayStation 3. While those console figures stayed within a few percent of last year's results, the change in Wii adoption was much more significant: reported developer support for the system dropped from 42 percent to 30 percent of console developers, supporting numerous publishers' claims of a recent softening of the Wii market."
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itwbennett writes "Giving no explanation beyond that it 'will provide the greatest benefit to the Xbox LIVE community,' Microsoft's General Manager for Xbox Live, Mark Whitten, announced that as of April 15th, Microsoft will be shutting down its Xbox Live service for the original Xbox and its games. 'Cold comfort for those of you who still enjoy playing Xbox titles like Halo 2 with your friends,' writes blogger Peter Smith. But Smith notes that Whitten's announcement does hint at some form of restitution for those affected, encouraging users to check their LIVE messages for more details and opportunities."
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New York State's Attorney General, Andrew Cuomo, has subpoenaed a number of online retailers, including GameStop, Barnes & Noble, Ticketmaster and Staples, over the way they pass information to marketing firms while processing transactions. MSNBC explains the scenario thus: "You're on the site of a well-known retailer and you make a purchase. As soon as you complete the transaction a pop-up window appears. It offers a discount on your next purchase. Click on the ad and you are automatically redirected to another company's site where you are signed up for a buying club, travel club or credit card protection service. The yearly cost is usually $100 to $145. Here's where things really get smarmy. Even though you did not give that second company any account information, they will bill the credit or debit card number you used to make the original purchase. You didn't have to provide your account number because the 'trusted' retailer gave it to them for a cut of the action." While there is no law preventing this sort of behavior, Cuomo hopes the investigation will pressure these companies to change their ways, or at least inform customers when their information might be shared.
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Bethesda announced today that Fallout: New Vegas is scheduled for release sometime this fall, and they released a trailer as well. Details are scant yet on the official site, but they had this to say:
"Experience all the sights and sounds of fabulous New Vegas, brought to you by Vault-Tec, America's First Choice in Post Nuclear Simulation. Explore the treacherous wastes of the Great Southwest from the safety and comfort of your very own vault: Meet new people, confront terrifying creatures, and arm yourself with the latest high-tech weaponry as you make a name for yourself on a thrilling new journey across the Mojave wasteland. A word of warning, however — while Vault-Tec engineers have prepared for every contingency,* in Vegas, fortunes can change in an instant. Enjoy your stay. (* Should not be construed as a legally-binding claim.)"
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From the critically acclaimed RPG developer of the Dark Cloud series and Rogue Galaxy, Level-5 once again delivers an unparalleled role-playing game experience with the introduction of the first true online-enabled Role-Playing Game (RPG) experience on the PS3. With its highly anticipated North American release, White Knight Chronicles provides RPG fans with visually stunning backdrops, a unique battle system, and robust online gameplay rooted in an unforgettable adventure.
White Knight Chronicles is an epic fantasy tale about two kingdoms in midst of a longstanding war. The King of Balandor, wishing to put an end to the war, invites the duke of Faria to his castle to celebrate his daughter's coming of age. But this celebration is sabotaged by the Magi, a rogue sect seeking to steal the White Knight, an ancient weapon of war sealed beneath Balandor castle, in order to take over the world. During the ensuing chaos, a young man named Leonard accidentally unlocks the power of the White Knight as he attempts to save the princess. With this power, Leonard manages to fend off the Magi attack, but not before they escape with the princess.
With the kingdoms in chaos, Leonard is entrusted with the mission to find the Magi and rescue the princess. With the help of his trusted companions, they travel throughout Balandor and beyond on a quest to save the princess before the Magi unlock the other knights. The journey is fraught with danger, with Magi warriors at every turn, mythical beasts and monsters to battle, and forbidden powers revealed. As Leonard learns more about the power of the Knight, he realizes that unsealing all of them could trigger a calamity that could end the world.
Key Features
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Become the White Knight - During battle, transform into the giant White Knight, gaining the ability to challenge large enemies as well as troops of soldiers throughout the adventure.
- Full Character Customization - Using a wide array of sliders and customization options, create a unique character in White Knight Chronicles. This customized character will also represent you in your online experiences in the game.
- Combo Battle System - Engage in an easily accessible, active turn-based battle system that caters to players of all levels. Execute straightforward attacks or utilize the deeper combo system that allows players to customize their attacks.
- A True Online-Enabled RPG - Experience the first true RPG action game on PS3 that incorporates a variety of online gameplay elements and the GeoNet, where players have the ability to write their own blogs and communicate with other players.
Rack 'em up and hustle your way to the top of the leaderboards with Hustle Kings™, the newest and first-ever billiards simulator made exclusively for the PlayStation®3. Set in contemporary and stylish pool bars, Hustle Kings™ allows players of every skill level to immerse themselves in one of the most realistic billiards experiences ever realized through true to life physics and stunning, photo-realistic lighting and graphics.
Key Features
- Stunning HD Graphics - Photo-realistic, 3D graphics with real physical properties gives players the actual feeling of being in stylish and modern pool bar settings without
leaving the comfort of their own home.
- Accessible Controls - Using the DualShock3 controller, Hustle Kings™ pick-up-and-play controls allow for immediate fun for both casual and hard-core gamers.
- Hustle Mode - Using their Hustle Kings Credits earned while playing in the various game modes, players can hustle others for their credit to spend in the Hustle Kings Shop.
- Play Your Favorite Variation of Pool - Supports US 8-Ball, UK 8-Ball (Black-Ball), 9-Ball, Killer, Cut-Throat, 3-Ball, Time Trial, 14.1 Continuous, Trick-Shots, and more.
- Local Versus Modes - Supports up to 16 players locally . Players can either battle against the computer or test their skills against a friend.
- On-line Versus Modes - On-line Hustle Mode supports rooms of up to 32 players
- Personalized Experience with Your Music - Players can access the XMB during gameplay to customize the background music played during games.
- YouTube Uploading - Record your game, share your strategy, or just show off your best shots with the rest of the world using Hustle Kings™ YouTube upload functionality.
- Online Rankings and Trophy Support - Leaderboards, Stats, and Trophies will motivate players to aspire to both single player and multiplayer high scores!
