tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53910578889810826552024-02-22T03:15:02.151-05:00Eaten by a GrueA blog about video games and libraries.Dave Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12392905720500587211noreply@blogger.comBlogger386125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-38918381490344914982014-09-22T15:23:00.002-04:002014-09-22T15:23:39.060-04:00Our Blog is Moving to a New LocationHi everyone,<br />
<br />
Just wanted to report that this blog, run by the Computer & Video Game Archive at The University of Michigan, will now be posted through a more official university channel. All future blog posts for Eaten By a Grue may be found here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lib.umich.edu/blogs/eaten-grue">http://www.lib.umich.edu/blogs/eaten-grue</a><br />
<br />
We will also have a different RSS feed, which can be found here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.lib.umich.edu/blogs/eaten-grue/rss.xml">http://www.lib.umich.edu/blogs/eaten-grue/rss.xml</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks for reading!<br />
<br />
CVGA staff Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15845545143470791230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-91150454344759940662014-09-03T14:38:00.000-04:002014-09-03T14:38:57.741-04:00Top Games Played in the CVGA During the Month of AugustWelcome back, students! Here is our list of most popular games from last month. Quite a few newer games as well as a few fan favorites.<br />
<br />
1. NBA 2K13 (Xbox 360)<br />
2. FIFA 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
3. Super Paper Mario (Wii)<br />
4. Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)<br />
5. Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube)<br />
6. League of Legends (PC)<br />
7. (tie) Halo 4 (Xbox 360)<br />
7. (tie) Fallout: New Vegas (Xbox 360)<br />
7. (tie) Titanfall (Xbox One)<br />
7. (tie) Infamous: Second Sons (PS4)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-38897097792350381582014-08-25T11:49:00.000-04:002014-08-25T11:49:39.619-04:00The Rise of Mobile Games: Factors Contributing to their Success<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i>Today we have a post from our guest author, Amanda Cote. Since we recently added mobile gaming to our collections, it has been a topic of much discussion among us.</i></div>
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The past few years have seen the video game industry facing
some major changes in terms of products, prices and income.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically, the late 2000s and early 2010s
have been characterized by the rise of the mobile game. While early mobile
games were simplistic and difficult to access, modern games take full advantage
of portable technologies like smart phones and tablets. They have improved
dramatically in terms of graphics and mechanics, span many genres, and target
very broad audiences. As Polygon’s video game staff reported in their <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2012/10/1/3440638/the-state-of-games-state-of-mobile">State
of the Industry series</a>, “Just about anyone with a phone, be it Android, iOS
or BlackBerry, has played a game at one time or another. Mobile gaming is
undoubtedly on an upswing with every year bringing new trends and changes to
the marketplace”.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Mobile gaming has gone from a practically non-existent
market to a $17.5 billion dollar industry as of 2013, and revenue is <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2014/07/23/mobile-games-revenue-will-double-by-2017-as-growth-spreads-worldwide-exclusive/">expected
to double</a> again by 2017. So what factors have contributed to this dramatic
rise?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although changes in technology
have partially motivated mobile’s growth, these games have also been affected
by a variety of factors within the broader video game industry, including redefined
markets, changing costs and funding sources, and stagnation among large
developers.</div>
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<u>Early Mobility</u></div>
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<br /></div>
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The Entertainment Software Association (<a href="http://www.theesa.com/">ESA</a>), the video game industry’s governing
body, cites the popular calculator game <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snake</i>
as the <a href="http://www.theesa.com/games-improving-what-matters/mobile-games.asp">first
mobile game</a>. Introduced in the early 1990s, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snake</i> only existed on Texas Instruments graphing calculators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Players used the arrow keys to steer a small
snake around the screen and had to avoid obstacles, walls, and running back
into the snake itself. The goal was to eat numbers that appeared randomly
across the screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As they ate more,
however, the snake grew longer, making it harder for the player to avoid their
own tail. Although simplistic, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snake</i>
was very popular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, portable
games were held back by technology; graphing calculators were very expensive.
And while technology steadily improved, games mostly stayed limited to specific
portable systems like the Nintendo Gameboy or the PlayStation Portable. It
wasn’t until the 2000s that both technology and its entertainment potential
could be leveraged for game development purposes.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<u>Changing Technology</u></div>
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<br /></div>
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The 1990s saw massive improvements in cell phone technology,
developing mobile devices that were actually capable of handling games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the earliest models, such as
Blackberries and PDAs, were originally marketed as business tools rather than
toys, limiting their potential for game developers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apple’s introduction of the iPhone in 2007,
however, changed that perception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apple <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lZMr-ZfoE4">advertised</a> its phone as
an easy-to-use tool for everyone, highlighting its entertainment systems as
well as its capability as a phone. This redefined the technology in broader
terms, and the iPhone took off. Within a year, it <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/the-iphone-one-year-later/">sold over 6 million
units</a> despite being exclusive to the AT&T network.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With the changing perception of phones as a technology for
everyone, the rapid spread of the iPhone, and of course the development of its competitors,
a new possibility for game development emerged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>First, a whole new range of potential players were made available
through smart phones, and they quickly outnumbered traditional gamers. US <a href="http://readwrite.com/2013/03/04/game-consoles-already-dead-developers-know-it#feed=%2Fauthor%2Fmarkhachman">market
statistics</a> in 2013 showed over 200 million active iOS and Android devices,
but only 70 million PS3s. Through this dispersion, mobile games have dramatically
increased market size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than tying
small groups of interested parties into a living room TV set, mobile games
travel along on road trips or commutes, and fit into waiting rooms or the space
between meetings. This high level of accessibility and portability has helped
attract people who would not traditionally consider themselves to be gamers, broadening
potential audiences.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Second, smart phones offered new distribution mechanisms
that saved producers significant amounts of money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather than packaging games on CDs for
physical distribution, they could be downloaded easily via cellular or Wi-Fi
networks. When the Apple App Store opened in 2008, developers quickly realized
its potential. The ease of distribution led to an impressive surge in inexpensive,
simple to play games. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore,
mobile games are easier to <a href="http://mashable.com/2014/03/08/indie-developers-self-publishing/">self-publish</a>,
while physically distributed games cost money to copy and transport, and
digitally-distributed console or PC games often face tough restrictions from established
publishers. Therefore, distribution potential was a large draw for game
developers; they could obtain wider audiences than ever before, and they did so
at lower costs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Costs and Funding</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Production costs were also another reason for mobile game’s
rapid success. Not only are mobile games easier to distribute than more
traditional games, but they are also less expensive to develop overall. This is
another reason for their rapid success. Because mobile games do not have the
capacity for detailed cinematic graphics, they rely on other characteristics to
draw in audiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Innovative mechanics
or fun backstories are, for instance, commonly appealing traits. However, these
traits are easier to code than detailed graphics are, and therefore can be
developed by small teams. This means fewer people needed to run a company and
lower overhead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mobile games also
require less code overall, speeding up their production times. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They therefore represent an investment of only
a few hundred thousand dollars, while traditional console games <a href="http://kotaku.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-make-a-big-video-game-1501413649">can
top fifty million</a>. This made entry into the mobile sphere far more
attainable for small developers, allowing the market to grow rapidly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over the past few years, changing funding patterns have also
contributed to the continued growth of the mobile industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crowdfunding sources like <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/">Kickstarter</a>, where interested parties
can donate small amounts of money to projects they would like to support, have
helped ensure that innovative ideas continue to develop in mobile gaming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People who have a creative suggestion but
little funding can turn to crowdsourcing for help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because mobile games are not extraordinarily
expensive to produce, potential developers need obtain a relatively low level
of excitement about their product in order to bring it to market. Therefore,
although the market is flooded with titles, there are many opportunities
through which parties can still enter into it and potentially obtain success.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Stagnation in Traditional Games</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Low development costs and available funding have helped
ensure that the mobile industry remains fluid, changing in line with the
expectations of the audience. This has also proved to be an advantage as more
traditional games display difficulty in adapting. The spread of the smartphone
has coincided with the longest video game console lifecycle in the history of
gaming; the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, launched around the same
time as the App Store, are only starting to be replaced now. Therefore, mobile
technology has been able to make competitive strides in terms of its offerings.
Evaluating the state of the video game industry, TechCrunch writer <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/09/console-crisis/">Natasha Lomas</a>
stated, <span style="color: black;">“Another problem console makers are facing is
rival devices’ faster refresh cycles. Mobile devices typically get upgraded
with shiny new hardware every year.” This means that their capabilities are
constantly improving, leading to innovation and truly new products, while console
designers face the challenge of making decades-old graphics and mechanics look
cutting-edge.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;">Furthermore, the high cost of
traditional games has resulted in an industry that </span><a href="http://www.cinemablend.com/games/AAA-Games-Could-Lead-Mainstream-Crash-44200.html">limits
risk-taking</a><span style="color: black;">. Many large studios rely on a few popular
blockbuster titles as their primary source of income. Of these, almost all are
sequels or established franchises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Call of Duty</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assassin’s Creed</i> series, for instance, are consistent
best-sellers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while this approach
keeps their parent companies in business, it does mean that players looking for
new experiences may have to turn their attention elsewhere, to independent or
mobile games, where new innovations are still common.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><span style="color: black;">Here to Stay</span></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;">It is possible to argue mobile
games’ artistic and entertainment merit, it seems safe to say that this form of
gaming is here to stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
accessible, low cost, and innovative, making it appealing to many potential
gamers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, it is an impressive
source of revenue for developers, who will continue to create mobile games as
long as consumers demand them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However,
the rapid spread of the mobile game cannot be attributed to only one factor;
rather, it was a combination of a variety of forces, occurring in a fortunate
coincidence, that allows for such fast growth and which bodes well for future
success.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-48583602541818807242014-08-04T16:51:00.001-04:002014-08-04T16:51:16.105-04:00Most Popular Games During the Month of JulyHere is our list of games most played in the archive during the month of July. Both versions of FIFA 14 made the list, as well as a total of three copies of Smash.<br />
<br />
1. FIFA 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
2. Super Smash Bros. Brawl - 2 separate copies! (Wii)<br />
3. Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube)<br />
4. Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door (Gamecube)<br />
5. Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)<br />
6. NBA 2K13 (Xbox 360)<br />
7. Halo 4 (Xbox 360)<br />
8. FIFA 14 (Xbox One)<br />
9. (tie) League of Legends (PC)<br />
9. (tie) Grand Theft Auto V (PS3)<br />
<br />
Be sure to get your practice in before we have to restrict the Smash series to Fridays again during the Fall and Winter terms.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-43336916106798699392014-07-23T09:49:00.003-04:002014-07-23T11:14:21.699-04:00Mobile Gaming Comes to the CVGA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfjROO5OG_VNxIubAJl4tymawZPsOMziyk-uK7pxlWDL2zZJycrVQ77qsSt7cVsOXvjth_5LOsVWz_ga-FNM5W-VFyS8Om5py-VSmjExKkOmAb2umX4YJgdDdExxhwqiR50dSCh_njKk/s1600/screen480x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="2048 on the iPad" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPfjROO5OG_VNxIubAJl4tymawZPsOMziyk-uK7pxlWDL2zZJycrVQ77qsSt7cVsOXvjth_5LOsVWz_ga-FNM5W-VFyS8Om5py-VSmjExKkOmAb2umX4YJgdDdExxhwqiR50dSCh_njKk/s1600/screen480x480.jpg" height="200" title="" width="150" /></a></div>
The CVGA finally enters the world of mobile gaming this week with the addition of an iPad Air to our collection of gaming platforms. It's been loaded with a variety of games (see list below). You can use the iPad for gaming in the CVGA by asking for it at the service desk. All the usual rules for using handheld game systems in the CVGA apply to the iPad as well.<br />
<br />
Games loaded in in initial batch are:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>2048</li>
<li>2048 Snake</li>
<li>Angry Birds HD Free</li>
<li>Angry Birds Star Wars HD Free</li>
<li>Backgammon Free</li>
<li>Battleheart Legacy </li>
<li>Bejeweled Blitz</li>
<li>Breakout Hail in 8 Days: Hardest Breakout Ever </li>
<li>Candy Crush Saga</li>
<li>Candy Shoot HD</li>
<li>Checkers Free</li>
<li>Chess</li>
<li>Cut the Rope HD Free</li>
<li>Cut the Rope: Time Travel Free</li>
<li>Device 6</li>
<li>Don't Step on the White Tile</li>
<li>Don't Touch the Spikes</li>
<li>Dumb Ways to Die</li>
<li>Eufloria HD</li>
<li>Flight Control HD</li>
<li>Four in a Row: Pro</li>
<li>FreeCell</li>
<li>Geometry Dash Lite</li>
<li>Gin Rummy</li>
<li>Hangman</li>
<li>Incoboto</li>
<li>Jenga</li>
<li>Jumbline 2 Free for iPad</li>
<li>Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles</li>
<li>Letroca</li>
<li>LIMBO</li>
<li>Line, The</li>
<li>Mahjong Deluxe Free </li>
<li>Mahjong!!</li>
<li>Mancala</li>
<li>Monument Valley </li>
<li>New Red Ball</li>
<li>Ninja UP!</li>
<li>No Brakes</li>
<li>No One Dies Today!</li>
<li>Offroad Legends Sahara</li>
<li>Orbitum </li>
<li>Phase 10 Free</li>
<li>Pool</li>
<li>Puerto Rico HD</li>
<li>Red Bouncing Ball Spikes Free</li>
<li>The Room</li>
<li>SCRABBLE Free</li>
<li>Shadow Blade</li>
<li>Skip-Bo </li>
<li>Solitaire</li>
<li>Splice: Tree of Life</li>
<li>Star Mania </li>
<li>Stick Murder</li>
<li>Stone Age: The Board Game</li>
<li>Sudoku</li>
<li>Tap Tap Ninja: The Hardest Bouncy Challenge </li>
<li>Thomas Was Alone</li>
<li>Threes!</li>
<li>Tikal</li>
<li>Timberman</li>
<li>White Tiles 4</li>
<li>Word Jewels 2</li>
<li>Word Scramble</li>
<li>Word Search</li>
<li>World Craft HD</li>
<li>Zombie Commando</li>
</ul>
Please note that the CVGA iPad is for gaming only and cannot be used to check you email, work on a spreadsheet. etc. Also, in-app purchases have been disabled.Dave Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11047871639468943973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-46792015496041315302014-07-02T10:19:00.001-04:002014-07-02T10:19:50.293-04:00Combining Games and Libraries: Thoughts on the ALA Conference<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Guest author <a href="http://www.lsa.umich.edu/comm/graduate/currentstudents/ci.coteamanda_ci.detail">Amanda Cote</a> joins us again to share her thoughts on a popular topic at the recent <a href="http://ala14.ala.org/cognotes">ALA Conference</a>: Video Games in Library Collections.</i></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Combining Games and Libraries: Thoughts on the ALA Conference</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At this year’s American Library Association (ALA) conference, which wrapped up yesterday, game designer Jane McGonigal presented the opening keynote. For many people who are unfamiliar with the tech-savvy libraries of today, this may seem like an odd choice. After all, libraries are often seen as losing out to the powers of digitization and the e-book.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This perspective, however, ignores the many ways in which libraries fit into the modern age of information. The Institute of Museum and Library Services </span><a href="http://www.infodocket.com/2013/01/22/new-statistics-available-imls-releases-new-public-library-report-fy-2010/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reports</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that the number of public computers in libraries has more than doubled since 2003. This provides an essential service to individuals who lack home computing or Internet access, but who need computers to keep up with job or educational demands. The number of materials circulated by libraries per year in the US has also reached over 2.46 billion. Many of these materials are in digital forms such as </span><a href="http://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/americaslibraries/soal2012/new-focus-on-ebooks" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">e-books</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Libraries and librarians are very on top of the digital world. With that in mind, games and libraries make sense as partners in a number of ways. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">McGonigal’s keynote on games, for example, described a </span><a href="http://exhibitions.nypl.org/100/digital_fun/play_the_game" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">combined online/in-person</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> game that helped young people collaborate on a book. Five hundred young adults attended an overnight event at the New York Public Library, where they followed virtual clues through the library stacks and collected information for personal essays on how to make history. Organizers combined the essays into a book, which is now part of the library’s collections. This localized game helped attendees explore the library’s offerings and learn significant historical information while also having fun. Over 10,000 people originally applied to be part of the experience, demonstrating its widespread appeal. Although very few libraries have the resources of the NYPL, this is only one example of how libraries can use video games to achieve educational, cultural, and even entertainment goals.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Educational Reasons</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps the most obvious way in which games could be useful is from an education perspective, as providing informative learning opportunities is a major focus of libraries. But </span><a href="http://ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/what-is-ld/learning-styles-vs-learning-disabilities/page-2" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">research into learning</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> shows that people learn in different styles, and they can struggle extensively when forced to use a style that does not work naturally for them. Traditional book-learning may be effective for one student, but yield only frustration for another.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is one area where the addition of games to libraries can have a major impact. Many games have specific educational goals, such as learning math or practicing typing. While it is useful for libraries to stock these games, the diverse resources of a library also allow games to be used in more subtle ways. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For instance, games and learning researchers </span><a href="http://www.jamespaulgee.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">James Paul Gee</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="http://website.education.wisc.edu/kdsquire/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kurt Squire</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> both write about semi-historical strategy games like </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Age of Mythology</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Civilization</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> series. These games do not teach history itself, due to the players’ input and control. However, they can be used to motivate interest in a particular area; Gee writes eloquently about how seven-year-olds playing </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Age of Mythology</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in a field study then sought out books or webpages on mythology. Some even crafted their own myths, writing original stories based on mythical characters and creatures</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The introduction of a fun game led to broader topical interests and creative efforts.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In other cases, games offer new takes on historical narratives; Squire, for example, describes how in history classes, students are generally taught about European colonization from a political perspective. Through playing </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Civilization</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they can also explore the way in which geographical conditions, like easy access to resources, matter to a culture’s success</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. When this information is added to or compared with their class narrative, students can reach new levels of understanding.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Through careful programming, libraries offer a perfect place to take advantage of games’ educational potential. Featuring a new game or game series, such as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Age of Mythology</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, alongside a display of related materials will help library patrons make connections between games and real world history. Talks by authors or editors of associated books, like a collection of Greek myths, could also draw interest and expand on in-game learning.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another way to make educational use of patrons’ interest in games is to connect their playing to other relevant areas. Materials on computer programming or game design, for instance, may encourage interest in a technological career, demonstrating how gaming can connect to concrete jobs. Libraries with computer consultants can even offer software training classes to help jumpstart this process among interested patrons. Alternately, libraries that have fewer internal resources could partner with local community colleges or tech schools.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Libraries have the resources necessary to connect the fun aspect of games to their educational aspect. Doing so may require careful programming and collaboration with experts (teachers, game designers or topic specialists), but game-oriented programs can yield impressive results.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cultural Reasons</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Games and libraries are also a great match due to games’ cultural impacts. Not only have games become a major part of popular culture, referenced in film and television on a regular basis, but they have also achieved higher significance as well. Scenes from games have been put on display at museums as prestigious as the </span><a href="http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Smithsonian American Art Museum</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And they’ve even been the heart of important political debates, such as whether video games can be related to </span><a href="http://time.com/34075/how-violent-video-games-change-kids-attitudes-about-aggression/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">aggressive behavior</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or whether they deserve </span><a href="http://kotaku.com/5795472/video-games-defeat-california-in-supreme-court-battle-over-violent-video-games" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">free speech protections</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Libraries that want to provide their patrons with significant cultural and historical information should not overlook the importance of video games.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Books and the Internet may be enough to acquaint patrons with the history of games and computing. However, an archive of classic and modern games can bring that history to life, helping people visualize how graphics, mechanics and computing power have changed over time. For instance, our own CVGA has hosted retro video game nights in the past. Showcasing systems like the Atari or a Commodore 64 can help players develop more concrete knowledge about early games; younger generations of gamers may be astounded both by the limited graphics and by how fun many early games actually were. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Libraries can also collect game-related materials, such as advertisements or magazines. These materials can be extremely fun to explore, but they have great educational potential as well. From an academic perspective, I have been able to use the CVGA archive of gaming magazines to analyze how game marketing has changed over time with regard to gender. Game-related archives do more than preserve the history of games; they also showcase unique and important aspects of the past, demonstrating how society has changed over time with regard to its media use.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Entertainment Reasons</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last but not least, games have important entertainment value that can help libraries achieve success. Across the country, many libraries are facing </span><a href="http://www.ala.org/advocacy/libfunding/public" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">funding cuts</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Research on how libraries can more effectively </span><a href="http://oclc.org/en-ca/reports/funding.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">advocate for funding</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> demonstrates that providing information is not enough; libraries need to position themselves as a significant force in the community, bringing people together in a way that other local offerings do not. A video game collection and related programming could be one potential strategy for community building. In fact, libraries that already offer in-house gaming or game checkouts have </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/2013/08/11/209584333/at-libraries-across-america-its-game-on" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">seen many benefits</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, including greater circulation of non-game materials.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In terms of socializing, a game library has benefits. Many popular games such as the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mario Kart</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just Dance</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Smash Brothers</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> series are meant to be multiplayer; competing against other players who are in the same room offers a fun communal activity that cannot be completely imitated through online play. Although tempers may run high, and the selection of games for competitive play should be carefully chosen, events organized around gaming can make for unique community-building efforts.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even without specific programs planned, the entertainment value of games could even help draw in new visitors. Following the death of video stores like Blockbuster, many gamers have found themselves without access to rental games. For players who tend not to replay games or who don’t want to buy a game that they may not like, a library that allows patrons to checkout games would be a great resource (and </span><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/15/opinion/navarrette-library-video-games/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">15% of libraries</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> already have programs in place for this purpose).</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Further Suggestions</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ways in which games could be used to achieve a library’s goals are endless, and the suggestions provided by McGonigal at the ALA conference and within this post are only a starting point for librarians seriously interested in using games effectively. Further resources can be found at the </span><a href="http://www.ala.org/tools/atoz/gaming/gaming" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ALA site</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or through consultation with one of the </span><a href="http://libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Libraries_Circulating_Games" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">many libraries</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that currently have game offerings. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Developing a video game archive can be expensive; new games from major publishers average sixty dollars each, while console release prices have ranged from $250 (the Nintendo Wii) to $600 (the PlayStation3). However, libraries need not offer the newest, top-of-the-line equipment in order to program effectively, and many older games and systems can be bought cheaply. Interested librarians should also be careful to acquaint themselves with the Electronic Software Ratings Board (ESRB) </span><a href="http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ratings for video game content</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to ensure that purchased games are appropriate for the library’s audience.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-04295ce1-f76a-919f-f7b4-e3d65bf32637"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.0791666666666666; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Through careful game selection and well-developed programming, games and libraries can be a perfect match!</span></div>
Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-81139472296498230902014-07-01T09:19:00.001-04:002014-07-01T09:19:20.015-04:00Top Games Played in the CVGA in JuneHappy July, everyone. Here is our list of popular games played in the archive for the month of June. Soccer is unsurprisingly at the top, with our new Mario Kart 8 game quickly rising in the ranks. Two separate copies of Brawl made the list as well as a copy of Melee, so kudos to the Smash players out there. And Portal 2 was originally played for a class project, although now I think they're just continuing to play it for fun. It's always great when that happens.<br />
<br />
1. FIFA 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
2. Paper Mario (Gamecube)<br />
3. Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)<br />
4. (tie) Grand Theft Auto V (PlayStation 3)<br />
4. (tie) NCAA Football 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
6. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) - 2 copies<br />
7. Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube)<br />
8. (tie) Portal 2 (PlayStation 3)<br />
8. (tie) League of Legends (PC)<br />
10. Halo 4 (Xbox 360)Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-22314042426099904792014-06-25T13:51:00.000-04:002014-06-25T13:51:23.540-04:00Leaving Out the Ladies: Why Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Decision Matters<i>Guest author Amanda Cote joins us from the UM Communication Studies department, and is a student working on her Ph.D. in the area of games studies. Feel free to leave comments for her here on the blog.</i><br />
<br />
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<br />
<b><u>Leaving Out the Ladies: Why Ubisoft’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assassin’s Creed </i>Decision Matters</u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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During this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3),
popular game company Ubisoft announced that the newest release in their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assassin’s Creed</i> series <a href="http://time.com/2864372/assassins-creed-female-characters/">would not have
a female option</a> to use in multiplayer mode. Although many games lack
playable female characters, this decision has frustrated gamers, as it seems to
be step backwards both for Ubisoft and for gaming in general. Removing women
from a series that has been diverse in the past contributes to a long-standing
gender-based divide in gaming that has serious cultural implications.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assassin’s
Creed</i> Issue</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assassin’s Creed</i> has
included many strong women. In the very first game, secondary character Lucy
Stillman saves Desmond Miles from being killed, while his ancestor Altair both
fights and falls in love with Maria, a member of the Knights Templar. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assassin’s Creed II </i>sees Lucy saving
Desmond again. It also introduces tech genius Rebecca Crane, who created the Animus
2.0 that drives the main storyline. This trend of female assistance continues
throughout the series, even drawing on real historical figures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, real-life pirate Anne Bonny
mentors Edward, the main character in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assassin’s
Creed IV: Black Flag.</i> These characters are not controlled by the player,
but they are all essential parts of the storyline and game development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Because so many of these characters cannot be played, it may
not seem like Ubisoft’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Unity</i> decision
is a step back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the series has
always made clear that gender and race do not matter to the Assassin
Order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In every game where the player
can recruit assistants, both male and female options are available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, every multiplayer version of the
game, starting with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assassin’s Creed II:
Brotherhood</i> in 2010, has provided a female avatar. One installment of the series,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation,</i> even
featured a black female assassin as the main character. Although it is not the
most successful game in the series, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Liberation</i>
sold well enough as an exclusive PS Vita release for Ubisoft to re-release it
on PC, Xbox Live and PlayStation Network as a <a href="http://assassinscreed.ubi.com/en-us/games/assassins-creed-3-liberation.aspx">downloadable
game</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Removing playable female characters from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Unity</i> has angered fans who have come to
rely on Ubisoft for its diversity. But the decision also speaks to a problem
games have been facing since the mid-2000s, when the Nintendo Wii and casual
games started to reshape the market. The gaming industry now recognizes that
diverse groups of people play games; unfortunately, they’re not sure how to deal
with these changes, and have defaulted in many cases to marketing different
types of games according to gender.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Core vs. Casual</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assassin’s Creed</i> falls
into the arena of “hardcore” games, or PC and console games that are time- and
skill-intensive. Traditionally, these have been a male space-- created for and
marketed toward men. Companies that want to attract women to core games have to
fight to do so. Developer Naughty Dog, for example, struggled to get <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Last of Us</i> <a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/naughty-dog-demanded-the-last-of-us-be-focus-tested-with-women/#!3brMt">play-tested</a>
with women, as they were not expected to enjoy the survival horror genre. Naughty
Dog also faced strong industry pressure to remove their female character, Ellie,
from the <a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121064-Naughty-Dog-Flat-Out-Refused-to-Change-Last-of-Us-Cover">game’s
cover</a>, due to concerns that gamers would avoid a game that appeared to have
a female lead. </div>
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<br /></div>
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A lot of factors contribute to the continued marketing of
core games to men, such as tradition, the fear of driving away a key market,
and the high proportion of industry members who are male. On top of that, the
existence of casual games, played on mobile devices or easy-to-use Nintendo
systems, provides a convenient area that can be assigned to women. Because more
women play casual games than core games, this seems like it makes sense.
Gender-based advertising is an easy way to determine a market that likely has
similar interests. However, deciding that one form of gaming (core) is “male”
and another form (casual) is “female” has real consequences. The largest of
these is the tendency, when making such a divide, to then consider one side
more important than the other. Second, marketing based on gender indicates to
the many women who do play core games (about 40% of players) that they are
anomalies; core gaming is not meant for them even if they enjoy it.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Impact of Gendering Media</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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As media scholar John Vanderhoef points out in his work on
the association of casual games and women,<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"> “There has been a long history of linking mainstream or popular
culture with the feminine for the purpose of denigrating both.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5391057888981082655#_edn1" name="_ednref1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[i]</span></span></span></span></a> This
history spans many media forms. For instance, daytime television was created
specifically for female viewers, but is generally considered less substantial,
artistic and meaningful than more “masculine” shows airing at other times. Therefore,
shows are often defined as high-quality specifically when they avoid feminine
characteristics. To provide one example, this is why <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">X-Files </i>creator Chris Carter specifically tried to avoid having a
romantic relationship between his characters Mulder and Scully for that reason;
he and fans who declared themselves “NoRomos” wanted to avoid the feminized
world of romance narratives in order to remain a more culturally legitimate
series.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Following
the strong rise in casual gaming, the video game industry has faced a similar
struggle regarding legitimacy. Because of the ease of playing casual games and
their widespread popularity, players can dismiss them as non-serious; in
comparison, core games are then marked as more significant. However, the fact
that casual games are marketed towards women means that dismissing them also dismisses
the importance of women in gaming more generally. In fact, it can lead to an
active avoidance of anything remotely feminine, in order to ensure that one’s
game or gaming habits cannot be critiqued for “casualness.” Core gaming is
reaffirming itself as a male pursuit.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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This may not seem like a big problem, but it does allow
gaming culture to cultivate sexist behaviors and treat these as
acceptable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, multiplayer
gaming is dominated by trash-talking, particularly if the game pits players
against each other (although trash talking can also appear in cooperative
teams, especially if a member is seen as not holding up their end). This trash
talk is seen as a fun but ignorable aspect of competition; players are expected
to respond in kind, and those who seem to be reacting poorly to trash talk are
considered to be taking it too seriously. However, trash talk often takes on
particular forms or themes, tending towards racism, sexism and homophobia<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5391057888981082655#_edn2" name="_ednref2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[ii]</span></span></span></span></a>.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The forms of harassment directed at women differ from those
targeted to other groups, often being more personal, virulent, and physically
threatening due to the prominence of rape or assault-based threats<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5391057888981082655#_edn3" name="_ednref3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[iii]</span></span></span></span></a>.
These threats are casually stated, such as the use of “you just got raped!” to
stand in for “your character was just killed.” Even casually used, however,
comments about rape can be upsetting, especially to people who have dealt with
sexual assault in the real world or those who find physical assault to be a
more prominent threat in their daily lives.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Furthermore, some evidence suggests that many people who go
into broader technological fields, such as computer programming, are motivated
to do so because of video games<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5391057888981082655#_edn4" name="_ednref4" style="mso-endnote-id: edn4;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[iv]</span></span></span></span></a>.
A fun medium like a video game can help children become familiar with
technology from an early age. This is particularly true of core games, which
tend to require more specialized technology than their casual counterparts. Individuals
who are familiar with technology and see it as a tool, rather than a challenge,
are more likely to pursue tech-heavy careers. </div>
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<br /></div>
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A gender gap in gaming can affect future career
opportunities for those who lack access to or interest in games at an early
age. Specifically, telling female audiences that games are not for them is one
way of removing interest in technology. This is especially true because
children learn gender roles very early in life; some research shows that girls
are already falling behind boys in technology, math and science as early as <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alicia-chang/bridging-the-gender-gap-encouraging-girls-in-stem_b_4508787.html">kindergarten</a>.
While some manage to overcome the barriers they face, removing those barriers
will help many more girls and women enter technical careers.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ubisoft’s decision to remove female characters may seem like
a small set-back, justified by time concerns and their focus on presenting a detailed
main character. However, it is just one of the many forces helping to mark core
gaming as not-for-women. And in doing so, it indicates that technology more
generally is a space for men. This worsens gender gaps that already exist in
STEM fields and allows these areas to remain cultivators for <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/technology/technologys-man-problem.html?_r=0">sexism</a>.
Even if it is accidental, the cultural implications of dismissing female gamers
are serious.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Game designers need to recognize that being inclusive will
involve many changes, in marketing, characters and even storylines. But there
is cause for hope; many women are already involved in core gaming despite the
barriers they face. Furthermore, games such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Last of Us</i>, which have deliberately aimed for diversity, have
been phenomenally successful. Gaming can be for everyone in all its facets, not
just in the casual arena. Developers just need to recognize the impact of small
decisions and stand their ground on choices that go against traditional
industry logic. In doing so, they are likely to achieve both financial success
and beneficial cultural change.</div>
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<div id="edn1" style="mso-element: endnote;">
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5391057888981082655#_ednref1" name="_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[i]</span></span></span></span></a>
Vanderhoef 2014</div>
</div>
<div id="edn2" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5391057888981082655#_ednref2" name="_edn2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[ii]</span></span></span></span></a>
Nakamura 2012, Salter and Blodgett 2012</div>
</div>
<div id="edn3" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5391057888981082655#_ednref3" name="_edn3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[iii]</span></span></span></span></a> Nardi
2010, Salter and Blodgett 2012</div>
</div>
<div id="edn4" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5391057888981082655#_ednref4" name="_edn4" style="mso-endnote-id: edn4;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[iv]</span></span></span></span></a>
Cassell and Jenkins 1998, Beavis and Charles 2007, Stabiner 2003, Williams et
al. 2009, Johnson 2011</div>
</div>
</div>
Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-30509980829544784622014-06-04T16:57:00.003-04:002014-06-04T16:57:58.450-04:00Top Ten Games Played in the Archive During the Month of MayThe month of May proved to be quite a hit for soccer games as well as Smash, which is playable anytime we're open, but only during the Spring and Summer terms.<br />
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1. FIFA 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
2. (tie) Halo 4 (Xbox 360)<br />
2. (tie) Grand Theft Auto V (PS3)<br />
2. (tie) Paper Mario (Nintendo 64)<br />
5. FIFA Soccer 13 (Xbox 360)<br />
6. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360)<br />
7. Titanfall (Xbox One)<br />
8. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)<br />
9. 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil (Xbox 360)<br />
10. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (Xbox 360)<br />
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Which games will you pick to play over the course of the Summer?Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-56486505502525191462014-05-13T09:25:00.000-04:002014-05-13T09:26:32.553-04:00Work at the CVGA for the Spring/Summer Semester!Looking to pick up a few extra work hours during the Spring and Summer? Take a look at our student job opening below.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Computer & Video Game
Archive Assistant</b></span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Employer: Art, Architecture
& Engineering Library</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Job Description: Work at the Computer & Video Game Archive desk to
circulate games, answer questions, and enforce archive policies. Test donated games and equipment, help
install software/hardware, help restore older game systems, etc. Assist in running archive-related special
events and tournaments. Contribute to the archive blog and Twitter account.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Educational value of this job: Gain experience working in an academic
library, and gain knowledge of the inner workings of a library special
collection. Gain experience restoring newer & older computers/consoles.
Increase your knowledge of the video game and media industry.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Desired: At least 3 of the following: </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Previous customer service experience. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Previous experience working in a library or archive setting.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Knowledge of and experience playing a large number of old & new
video games. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Knowledge of and experience using software related to PC games (Steam,
DOSBox, etc.) </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Experience building/repairing PC computers and/or video game consoles. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Experience designing posters and informative displays. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Experience giving tours or coordinating special events.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Number of Available Openings: 1</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Hours: 10.0 to 12.0 hours per week
during Spring/Summer term</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Compensation: $9.00/hour, $0.25 raise after 300 & 600 hours worked</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Time Frame: Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Contact Person: Valerie Waldron</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Email Address: vwaldron@umich.edu</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Work Location: Computer & Video Game Archive, Art, Architecture &
Engineering Library, Duderstadt Center.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">To apply:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Send your resume, work availability for the
Spring/Summer semester, and answers to the questions below to <a href="mailto:vwaldron@umich.edu"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black;">vwaldron@umich.edu</span></a>.
Please send the times you are <b>available</b> weekly, NOT a copy of your class
schedule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Supplemental Questions<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Other than an enthusiasm for video/computer games, what interests you
in the position?<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This position involves a lot of self-initiated projects. Keeping in
mind that our main mission is to preserve and give people access to
computer and video games for the purpose of academic study, what types of
projects would you most like to work on during your employment here? Feel
free to use this job posting, our blog, your knowledge of past CVGA
events, etc. for inspiration.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Please note any experience you have through previous jobs, class
projects, personal hobbies, etc. involving the following skills: Building/repairing
computers or game consoles (especially older ones), or
installing/troubleshooting game software.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Please note any experience you have through previous jobs, class
projects, personal hobbies, etc. involving the following skills: Designing
posters/displays, giving tours, or contributing professional-level content
to blogs and other social media sources.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">How many semesters would you anticipate working at the CVGA? Please
give an estimated end date if possible.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Are you planning to be available to work during the Fall 2014
semester? If so, please note approximately how many hours you would like
to work.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-31298415210926082842014-05-01T15:06:00.001-04:002014-05-01T15:06:40.004-04:00Top Games Played During Winter SemesterHere is our list of games most-played in the archive over the course of the semester. Our soccer games were the clear winners, with a few old favorites making the list as well. FIFA 14 had over twice as many checkouts as anything else on the list.<br />
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1. FIFA Soccer 14 (Xbox 360)<br />2. FIFA Soccer 13 (Xbox 360)<br />3. Halo 4 (Xbox 360)<br />4. InFamous: Second Son (PlayStation 4)<br />5. Madden NFL 25 (Xbox 360)<br />6. Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)<br />7. Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox 360)<br />8. Mariokart Wii<br />9. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360)<br />10. PES 2012 (PlayStation 3)<br />
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And our most popular games during just the month of April:<br />
<br />
1. FIFA Soccer 14 (Xbox 360)<br />2. Titanfall (Xbox One)<br />3. Mariokart Wii<br />4. (tie) InFamous: Second Son (PlayStation 4)<br />4. (tie) FIFA Soccer 13 (Xbox 360)<br />6. (tie) Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360)<br />6. (tie) Halo 4 (Xbox 360)<br />8. PES 2012 (PlayStation 3)<br />9. (tie) Madden NFL 25 (Xbox 360)<br />9. (tie) NCAA Football 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
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The Spring and Summer semesters always bring some old classics onto the list, so we'll see what the favorites will be this year.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15845545143470791230noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-24318180154091808632014-04-15T17:17:00.001-04:002014-04-17T11:55:54.833-04:00Site visit: The Strong Museum of Play, Rochester, NY<div>
Hi! Dave recently gave me privileges to write posts for this blog, ostensibly to give readers an idea of what it is like to do technical support to CVGA. However, I'm taking this post to share a few images from another terrific gaming archive.</div>
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I just returned from a classic family road-trip during our local school district's spring break. We visited many museums and parks, from the Carl Sagan Planet Walk in Ithaca, NY, to A Christmas Story House and Museum in Cleveland, OH. My favorite museum we visited, though, was <a href="http://www.museumofplay.org/" target="_blank">The Strong National Museum of Play</a>, in Rochester, NY.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v1P3ttMZ2_o/U0wzCGVNMdI/AAAAAAAAAaw/y8z0snIX0lw/s1600/IMG_2913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v1P3ttMZ2_o/U0wzCGVNMdI/AAAAAAAAAaw/y8z0snIX0lw/s1600/IMG_2913.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a>The Strong blends museum-style exhibits with a soupçon of science education and a lot of straight-up playtime. We spent an afternoon there but could easily have spent all day and will probably return to Rochester in the not-too-distant future to spend some more time there.<br />
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When you first enter you are immediately confronted with a carousel, an old-timey dining car restaurant, and a gift shop of course. Pass them all on by and head for the admission desk, you can ride the horses later. Read the walls, though, those quotes are pretty cool.</div>
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There is a definite age progression to the exhibits. On the left when you come in is a Sesame Street exhibit, where you can sit on the stoop at 123 Sesame St., see some vintage Sesame memorabilia and watch some clips, do a green-screen skit with one of the Sesame Street Muppets, things like that.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KPt2XZmUis0/U0wzCBSwtiI/AAAAAAAAAa4/gO7jRM9-D04/s1600/IMG_2929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KPt2XZmUis0/U0wzCBSwtiI/AAAAAAAAAa4/gO7jRM9-D04/s1600/IMG_2929.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
Immediately adjacent is a section called "Kid 2 Kid," that is basically the little-kid playland I'd prefer Chuck E. Cheese to be. No ball-pit, no cargo-net rope climb, but many small-kid-sized sets and playhouses for kids to dress up and pretend, including a theater, a plane cockpit, a dig site, a post office, and a miniaturized supermarket with working cash registers -- scan the barcodes on each item and print a receipt. This was a little too close to real life for me, to be honest, but my kid had a blast shopping, restocking when she'd finished, and even putting on the Store Manager apron.</div>
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There is also a room made up like a house from 100 or so years ago. That's me on the right, sitting in the parlor, hugging a huge teddy bear, while my youngest prepares a pretend cup of tea for me.</div>
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The kids had so much fun playing in this pretend stuff on the first floor, that I barely had any time to check out most of the exhibits for bigger kids and grownups. So I spent most of what little time I did get taking photographs, and very little actually playing games. I really regret not spending much time in Reading Adventureland.<br />
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My other regret is that I didn't have time to track down any circulation personnel who could tell me more about the Strong's impressive integration with the Monroe County Library.</div>
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If you are a county resident, you can check books out from the museum, and return them there, or to your nearest branch. They can even issue you a library card at the museum! This photo is from the little alcove between the supermarket and the TV studio and shows the museum's collection of food and farming themed books. Each exhibit had at least a couple of shelves of books!</div>
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The first floor also has a handful of arcade games sprinkled throughout, themed to the exhibit. The Superheroes exhibit had a Batman themed whack-a-mole machine, a balance game where you chased a villain through a city, and this Captain America and the Avengers arcade machine. An active-sports themed exhibit features both a weird little Peyton Manning jack-in-the-box and a late-vintage DDR machine with something like 150 tracks, including my favorite, NPD3's "After the Game of Love." I learned that I'm not very good at DDR anymore. The games on the first floor are free play.</div>
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Upstairs you are immediately confronted with the Toy Hall of Fame. The upstairs exhibits are definitely more of a museum feel. Most are behind glass, but there are still quite a few things you can play.</div>
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My older daughter narrowly defeated me at giant checkers while another family played Atari games nearby. This was fairly popular and had some sort of mechanism to choose games without swapping cartridges -- I suspect it was one of the latter-day Atari Flashback consoles with the games built in, but I didn't get close enough to look.<br />
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Here are some of the video game inductees into the Toy Hall -- special variant-color Nintendo Game Boy hand-helds [above] and an Atari 2600 with games and original packaging [below]. Just a short walk down a hallway from here to Game Time and eGame Revolution, which is what you are probably reading this for.</div>
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Oh yeah.<br />
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I really haven't spent a lot of time in Rochester but I would wager this is the nicest arcade in town. Nice and dark like an arcade should be, but clean like a museum is.<br />
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The arcade games operate on tokens, I think they were five for a dollar. They have a decent selection of the past forty years of coin-op video and pinball games. I liked showing the 80s-era games to my older daughter: "Look, these are the games I played when I was your age."<br />
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They also have a few arcade games I hadn't yet seen, and which is not exactly what I imagined for the future of arcades. I mean, I can play Temple Run [left] for free on my telephone! It's a phenomenon, though, so it's worth a try, right?<br />
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Above is Sega's "Tetris Giant." Those green and red balls are joysticks, with rotate buttons on them. How does making the joystick bigger not make one anything but much, much worse at Tetris? But Fruit Ninja is always better with friends, so I imagine there are certain atmospheres where these games are a big hit.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UOvvT7Kbb68/U0wzGlgxj1I/AAAAAAAAAcE/YB0-pigcyL4/s1600/IMG_2967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UOvvT7Kbb68/U0wzGlgxj1I/AAAAAAAAAcE/YB0-pigcyL4/s1600/IMG_2967.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a>Left: a vintage Nintendo PlayChoice SuperSystem, a coin-op Super NES with game selector.</div>
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Right: That old chestnut Fix It Felix Jr. I can't count how many afternoons I whiled away as a youth, fixinWHAAAFIX IT FELIX JUNIOR? </div>
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For real, Disney commissioned retro Felix cabinets as a promotion for "Wreck-it Ralph." I'd previously seen them at Disneyland in the arcades, nestled among the real throwbacks, but I was happy to see one here.</div>
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Here are the playable consoles in the eGR exhibit. That's Pong in the foreground, not sure which flavor. The Genesis is playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the N64's representative game is Super Mario 64. Can't remember what the PlayStation was playing. You can, of course, visit us at CVGA and play all these games and many others on the original hardware.</div>
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The Xbox 360 is playing Disney's racing game SplitSecond. As far as I know, you can't change the games on these consoles, though I think there might have been another game to choose on the Xbox's hard drive. A generic Xbox Live user is preselected, the same way we do at CVGA.</div>
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There are many display cases of original consoles and original games, but I was particularly taken by the rarities. Above, see this case of Xbox 360 stuff: an Xbox 360 Dev Console on the left and a prototype Kinect on the right, both with Microsoft asset-tags. In the photo below, there's a PC Engine, the Japanese console that NEC eventually released here as the TurboGrafx-16, and a Hello Kitty game-and-watch hand held.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WEtHErWbwCA/U0wzOTTlAVI/AAAAAAAAAeA/A7Dsuoq4R7g/s1600/IMG_2998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WEtHErWbwCA/U0wzOTTlAVI/AAAAAAAAAeA/A7Dsuoq4R7g/s1600/IMG_2998.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a>They also have a nice selection of Sierra memorabilia from the King's Quest and Gabriel Knight era.<br />
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Finally, I wanted to give you a glimpse at Game Time, the archive of board and parlor games. Much like the Toy Hall of Fame, a lot of this is behind glass and not for visitors to play, but they have some neat tables set up to try a few things out. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kDQ2mNXjk2w/U0wzPq4AylI/AAAAAAAAAd4/gPeFxFyoiWw/s1600/IMG_3006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kDQ2mNXjk2w/U0wzPq4AylI/AAAAAAAAAd4/gPeFxFyoiWw/s1600/IMG_3006.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3_JsNPg2aLg/U0wzO2q-83I/AAAAAAAAAd8/0_da0VFm_l4/s1600/IMG_3002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3_JsNPg2aLg/U0wzO2q-83I/AAAAAAAAAd8/0_da0VFm_l4/s1600/IMG_3002.jpg" height="320" width="237" /></a><span style="text-align: center;">The ones I've included here are a "Four In A Row" board of touch-sensitive discs on the wall, a purpose-built Paper Football table with some kind of digital instructions and scoring, and a good old-fashioned Jenga table. I think I remember other museum visitors playing at a dedicated Sorry! table, too.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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My family is already talking about coming back to Rochester just to visit the Museum of Play again, so hopefully I'll be able to write a more in-depth piece sometime soon. I really never even got to look at the music section. I also can't wait to get dinner at Dinosaur BBQ again.</div>
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Until then, Peyton-in-the-Box says "bye for now."<br />
<br />(UPDATE 4/17: Corrected spacing errors and Captain America's name -bw)<br />
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-3_JsNPg2aLg%2FU0wzO2q-83I%2FAAAAAAAAAd8%2F0_da0VFm_l4%2Fs1600%2FIMG_3002.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3_JsNPg2aLg/U0wzO2q-83I/AAAAAAAAAd8/0_da0VFm_l4/s1600/IMG_3002.jpg" -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-48327403781202553352014-04-10T14:00:00.000-04:002014-04-10T14:00:00.568-04:00Video Game-Themed Pops Concert on CampusTHE MICHIGAN POPS ORCHESTRA PRESENTS “GAME OF POPS” on April 13, 2014 at<br />
7:00 P.M.<br />
<br />
(ANN ARBOR) - Led by Music Director Tristan Rais-Sherman, the Michigan Pops Orchestra presents Game of Pops on Sunday April 13th Michigan Theater. This April, the University of Michigan’s only student-run, student-directed orchestra will perform its annual spring concert!<br />
<br />
This semester, the Michigan Pops is putting on a show guaranteed to thrill audience-members of all ages, including the music of John Williams, Mario, Shostakovich, The Olympic Games, Hercules, Halo, Kingdom Hearts, Prokofiev and, of course, Game of Thrones. This concert is sure to defy any stereotypes of a typical “orchestra concert” by utilizing a unique combination of vocal performers, multimedia, stage antics, and special effects. This semester, we will be featuring the Michigan Pops Concerto Competition winner, Allen Chang. Once again, Game of Pops promises to be an epic, adventure-packed show!<br />
<br />
Pops appeals to the music-lover in everyone with its diverse repertoire, from classical pieces to video game themes to popular film scores! Working under the guidance of the University Activities Center, the Michigan Pops Orchestra’s members comprise a diverse group (undergraduate and graduate) from all disciplines, from English to Environmental Studies to Engineering! This 97-member, tightly-knit ensemble demonstrates commitment to and passion for musical collaboration each semester with an exhilarating performance! Join in on the games with the Michigan Pops in Game of Pops on Sunday, April 13th! Those who go…will be champions.<br />
<br />
Concert and Ticket Information:<br />
<br />
Sunday, April 13, 2014, 7:00 PM<br />
Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty<br />
$5 for Students, $8 for Adults<br />
Children/Students in Public Schools and Ann Arbor Day Cares are FREE at the door<br />
Seniors 65+ are also FREE at the door<br />
Tickets sold at TICKETMASTER.COM, AT THE DOOR (April 14) OR IN ADVANCE.<br />
<br />
Pick up a “Passport to the Arts” with an MCARD from April 1-15 at Office of New<br />
Student Programs in the LSA Building and redeem it at the door for a FREE TICKET!<br />
<br />
For more about the Michigan Pops Orchestra, please visit our website:<br />
http://www.michiganpops.com/<br />
<br />
Contact:<br />
Anitha Menon<br />
Michigan Pops Orchestra, External Publicity Director<br />
616.328.9893<br />
avmenon@umich.eduValhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-71856947831984665992014-04-03T09:49:00.001-04:002014-04-03T09:49:27.219-04:00Most Popular Games During the Month of March 2014Here is our list of most popular games played in the archive during March. Trigger Happy Havoc quickly rose in the ranks, and a variety of Nintendo games made a satisfying appearance as the semester continues. FIFA was so popular that we started getting requests for FIFA 13 and 12 again, also reflected in the list.<br />
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1. FIFA 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
2. Madden NFL 25 (Xbox 360)<br />
3. Halo 4 (Xbox 360)<br />
4. (tie) FIFA Soccer 13 (Xbox 360)<br />
4. (tie) Mariokart Wii<br />
6. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (PS Vita)<br />
7. Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)<br />
8. Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube)<br />
9. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)<br />
10. Mario Kart 64 (Nintendo 64)<br />
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Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-66427257915846098462014-03-31T09:06:00.001-04:002014-03-31T09:06:23.757-04:00Game Design Jam<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Just passing along an <a href="http://northquad.umich.edu/ai1ec_event/gamedesign-jam/?instance_id=">upcoming opportunity</a> for those who are interested in educational games and game design on campus.</div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Game Design Jam! Game Design Jam! Game Design Jam!</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_19388745" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Wednesday, April 2, 7:00pm-10:00pm</span></span> 2435 North Quad</span></span></div>
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<br />Gamers Wanted!!!</div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
Are you a video game addict? Game designer? Or both? Have you been frustrated by game play, poor plot points, or lack of action in educational games? Have you ever envisioned the perfect game? </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
The waiting is over! We intend to do exactly that and we want YOUR input on what the perfect game looks, plays, and feels like! </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<br />On <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_19388746" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">April 2nd</span></span> you can:</div>
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- Contribute to the creation of the ULTIMATE educational game!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
- Meet and talk with other gamers who share your passion </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
- Have fun playing games as they are played in different countries around the world.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
- Pig out on beverages and snack. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
All you have to bring is your IMAGINATION!!!<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
Sponsored by the Language Resource Center.</div>
Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-35580130702793735802014-03-27T09:11:00.000-04:002014-03-27T09:11:00.246-04:00MUSPERF 300: Video Game Music (Fall 2014)<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Just wanted to spread the word about a game-related music class being taught again in the Fall.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><u>MUSPERF 300: Video Game Music</u></b></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>This course charts the evolution of video game music from the first synthesized “bleeps” and “bloops” of early games, through the rise and fall of the video arcade, to the nearly ubiquitous games/consoles found in most households, and the latest craze-causing games on mobile devices. </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>In-class discussions will provide methods for simple analysis of game audio, consider the interactive nature of game audio, and examine the composers who create this music and how they do it. Class sessions will also include Skype Q&As with industry experts. In lieu of formal written papers, your contribution to a listening blog will create a vibrant online community. The course culminates with a creative final project: your composition of video game music. </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>Examined music includes games/series: Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Punch Out, Super Mario Bros, Final Fantasy, The Legend of Zelda, Myst, Diablo, BioShock, Red Dead Redemption, Farmville, Angry Birds, DDR, Guitar Hero, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and many others, as well as game music of class choice. </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>This course is designed for non-music majors, thus: the ability to read standard music notation is neither required nor advantageous. </i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><b>Special Note: This course qualifies as intellectual breadth credit for engineers.</b></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>Tues/Thurs. Central Campus: Chem 1300. 2 credits. </i></span><br />
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">For more information contact Matthew Thompson: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="mailto:mattthom@umich.edu" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">mattthom@umich.edu</a></span></i>Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-65675182473920326192014-03-14T11:35:00.000-04:002014-03-14T11:35:44.558-04:002014 NPHC Step Show: Game Over<br />
The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC's) Step Show fundraiser for this year will be entitled "Game Over" and will feature each of the
chapters in the NPHC performing their rendition of various video games.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguP51NOKBQAFYYqiZmOby07qbUaLDq4MNMYATs7enHBLiiGBmbSEURTNTWG0fZvAZ2Qu2lOUlg7omzoMS8L_1vrXAMnpIklxe8oSjHsAoCYLBzQ_maI-SVyUtwM1WLGPZQW6BnqIsNqBKc/s1600/Game+Over+Teaser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguP51NOKBQAFYYqiZmOby07qbUaLDq4MNMYATs7enHBLiiGBmbSEURTNTWG0fZvAZ2Qu2lOUlg7omzoMS8L_1vrXAMnpIklxe8oSjHsAoCYLBzQ_maI-SVyUtwM1WLGPZQW6BnqIsNqBKc/s1600/Game+Over+Teaser.jpg" height="320" width="247" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Each year, the NPHC Step Show is a highly anticipated event, in which
chapter's practice for months to participate in because it is the NPHC's
largest fund raiser. Tickets will be on sale in March. Check out "Game
Over" on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1454681221414007/">Facebook</a> and be on the lookout for more <a href="http://greeklife.umich.edu/article/2014-nphc-step-show-game-over">promotion</a> by the council! <br />
<br />
This year's show will take place on <strong>Friday, April 4, 2014</strong> at
the Power Center for Performing Arts. Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-65449395962676478762014-03-04T13:23:00.000-05:002014-03-04T13:23:13.608-05:00Top Games Played During the Month of February 2014Here are the most popular games for the month of February. Xbox One is still on the list, but the Playstation 4 hasn't quite gained the popularity to bring it to the top, probably because we just got it.<br />
<br />
It will be interesting to see how <a href="http://www.nintendo.com./whatsnew/detail/vyWpoM6CBIe6FjW8NIY7bvzOrgBURhzw">Nintendo's recent news about discontinuing online play for the Wii and DS</a> will affect the leaderboard, if at all.<br />
<br />
1. FIFA 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
2. Halo 4 (Xbox 360)<br />
3. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360)<br />
4. (tie) Call of Duty: Ghosts (Xbox One)<br />
4. (tie) FIFA Soccer 13 (Xbox 360)<br />
6. Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube)<br />
7. Grand Theft Auto V (PS3)<br />
8. (tie) Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)<br />
8. (tie) NCAA Football 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
10. Mario Kart WiiValhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-32738515733085938112014-02-03T11:35:00.001-05:002014-03-04T13:23:55.597-05:00Top Games During the Month of January 2014It's been a busy month. Even bad weather and classes being canceled couldn't keep people from hanging out in the archive and getting their gaming fix. Here are the games that were most popular over the course of last month.<br />
<br />
1. FIFA 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
2. Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)<br />
3. Ni no Kuni (PS3)<br />
4. NBA 2K13 (Xbox 360)<br />
5. (tie) FIFA Soccer 13 (Xbox 360)<br />
5. (tie) Grand Theft Auto V (PS3)<br />
7. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube)<br />
7. (tie) Madden NFL 25 (Xbox 360)<br />
9. Call of Duty: Ghosts (Xbox One)<br />
10. PES 2012 (PS3)<br />
<br />
There are also rumors that a Playstation 4 has been ordered, so stand by for the official announcement.<br />
<br />
<br />Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-88763048929334718592014-01-08T17:14:00.000-05:002014-01-08T17:14:14.565-05:00Top Games for the Month of December (and 2013)To top off the year, we have our list of most popular games played during the month of December. Our newer games and systems topped the list, with Mariokart claiming its stake for the Nintendo team.<br />
<br />
1. FIFA 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
2. Madden NFL 25 (Xbox 360)<br />
3. Call of Duty: Ghosts (Xbox One)<br />
4. Call of Duty: Ghosts (Xbox 360)<br />
5. FIFA Soccer 13 (Xbox 360)<br />
6. Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F (PS3)<br />
7. (tie) Mariokart Wii<br />
7. (tie) Assassin's Creed IV (PS3)<br />
9. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360)<br />
10. Grand Theft Auto V (PS3)<br />
<br />
And just for fun, here's our end of year list that encompasses the most popular games for all of 2013:<br />
<br />
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (Xbox 360)<br />
2. FIFA Soccer 13 (Xbox 360)<br />
3. NBA 2K13 (Xbox 360)<br />
4. FIFA 14 (Xbox 360)<br />
5. Mariokart Wii<br />
6. PES 2012 (PS3)<br />
7. (tie) League of Legends (PC)<br />
7. (tie) Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube)<br />
9. Call of Duty: Black Ops (Xbox 360)<br />
10. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii)<br />
<br />
Most of these are givens, but personally I'm proud of Mariokart.Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-14301963850607728662013-12-02T10:22:00.002-05:002014-03-04T13:24:27.577-05:00Top Games for the Month of NovemberHere are our most popular games for the month of November. Smash made it back into the top three, and a couple of our new games made the list. With the general popularity of the PS3 over the XBox 360 recently, I'm somewhat surprised there aren't more PS3 games on the list.<br />
<br />
1. FIFA 14 (XBox 360)<br />
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops II (XBox 360)<br />
3. Super Smash Bros. Melee (Gamecube)<br />
3. FIFA Soccer 13 (XBox 360)<br />
5. Hatsune Miku (PS3)<br />
6. Grand Theft Auto V (PS3)<br />
7. NBA 2K13 (XBox 360)<br />
8. Mario kart Wii<br />
9. Dynasty Warriors 8 (XBox 360)<br />
10. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Wii)Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-30782905136487869972013-11-19T15:35:00.000-05:002013-11-19T15:35:52.857-05:00Party and Tournament ResultsWe held a party and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Smash_Bros._(series)">Smash</a> tournament on Saturday to celebrate our <a href="http://www.lib.umich.edu/events/computer-and-video-game-archive-5th-anniversary-party">fifth anniversary</a> of being open, as well as to highlight <a href="http://igd.ala.org/">International Games Day @ Your Library</a>. Both were well-attended, and the cupcakes predictably disappeared pretty quickly.<br />
<br />
As promised, we'll post the winners of the Smash tournament here for official bragging rights. Congratulations to our top five winners, who won Amazon gift cards, and thanks to everyone who attended!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUDCyem6gzaEy2ono5FRLLYFwvbzZh9Uj35Yr7Mwn75lO5bTcYg8-5k8y0GdmRMGWE0FGTbrOWpNy9x14QnvYrYWtPZxk-OqxVzox2M1E-wReobG-QUO0QgVqurY4FNgAyEKrDHuXO0tS/s1600/Smash+leaderboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUDCyem6gzaEy2ono5FRLLYFwvbzZh9Uj35Yr7Mwn75lO5bTcYg8-5k8y0GdmRMGWE0FGTbrOWpNy9x14QnvYrYWtPZxk-OqxVzox2M1E-wReobG-QUO0QgVqurY4FNgAyEKrDHuXO0tS/s400/Smash+leaderboard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-91554029044665595932013-11-14T10:02:00.002-05:002013-11-14T10:02:43.513-05:00CVGA Disassembled<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4wg2ZofXiRqeGBJZycAGICLDdAz-2CDsjkKwC-URQeMMAxlALx7kzNgLWHbOpQ4G93VBipgU6Sgfdoom9sHJpNExW9J4CXm5nXPfO66DGONfIdKyeBjx4YFC7-GOpQAGygRA6NT6yIM/s1600/53fae3a0c7809ab0a4679e1dad5a4093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX4wg2ZofXiRqeGBJZycAGICLDdAz-2CDsjkKwC-URQeMMAxlALx7kzNgLWHbOpQ4G93VBipgU6Sgfdoom9sHJpNExW9J4CXm5nXPfO66DGONfIdKyeBjx4YFC7-GOpQAGygRA6NT6yIM/s1600/53fae3a0c7809ab0a4679e1dad5a4093.jpg" height="158" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside an <i>Intellivision</i> game console</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Get a real inside look at the gaming systems housed in the Computer
& Video Game Archive in "<a href="http://www.lib.umich.edu/online-exhibits/exhibits/show/cvga-disassembled">CVGA Disassembled</a>," a new online exhibit
created to help celebrate the CVGA's 5th Anniversary this week.<br />
<br />
We've opened
up some of our favorite game consoles of yesteryear to show off the
guts and inside circuitry, as well as loving shots of the exteriors. In
addition, visitors to the exhibit will learn about the history of these
gaming systems as they step through the different generations of video
games.<br />
<br />
The exhibit is curated by CVGA manager Val Waldron, and
was created with the assistance of current and former Learning &
Teaching University Library Associates Alex Purcell, Adam Jazairi, and
Maria Seiferle-Valencia.<br />
<br />
"CVGA Disassembled" can be viewed online as part of the MLibrary Online Exhibits at <a href="http://www.lib.umich.edu/online-exhibits/exhibits/show/cvga-disassembled">http://www.lib.umich.edu/online-exhibits/exhibits/show/cvga-disassembled</a><br />
<br />Dave Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11047871639468943973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-33690426123552378702013-11-11T13:45:00.002-05:002013-11-11T13:45:44.918-05:00CVGA Anniversary Week!It's the CVGA 5th Anniversary Week! We have many fun, celebratory and hopefully illuminating events and activities scheduled:<br />
<br />
<b>Monday (today!)</b>: We kick off our week-long <a href="http://bit.ly/cvga-classics2013">Classic Games Tournament</a>. Show your mastery of classic video games by playing <i>Dr. Mario</i>, <i>Sonic Blast</i>, <i>Double Dragon</i>, <i>Asteroids</i>, and <i>Paperboy</i>. Prizes!<br />
<br />
<b>Tuesday</b>: Join us at 4pm in the Hatcher Library Gallery for a panel discussion with U-M faculty in <a href="http://www.lib.umich.edu/gallery/events/game-on">"Game On! Video Game Research & Teaching at the University of Michigan."</a><br />
<br />
<b>Wednesday</b>: Our director Dave Carter will join AADL's <a href="https://twitter.com/ulotrichous">Eli Neiberger</a> in an appearance on the <a href="http://comicsaregreat.tv/">Comics Are Great podcast</a> with host Jerzy Drozd in a talk about the intersection of comics & gaming.<br />
<br />
<b>Thursday</b>: We debut our new online exhibition "CVGA Disassembled"<br />
<br />
<b>Saturday</b>: Our big <a href="http://www.lib.umich.edu/events/computer-and-video-game-archive-5th-anniversary-party">5th Anniversary Bash!</a> Join us at the CVGA from 1-5pm for food and fun and our <a href="http://bit.ly/cvga-smash2013">Smash Tournament</a>. Dave Carterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11047871639468943973noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391057888981082655.post-23717881927955423082013-11-01T09:39:00.004-04:002013-11-01T09:39:36.450-04:00Top Games Played During the Month of OctoberHere is our most popular games list for the month of October. Soccer games dominate the board, with first-person shooters coming in a close second. People are also putting our new games to good use - FIFA 14 and Grand Theft Auto V. And Mariokart makes the list once more.<br />
<br />
1. FIFA 14 (XBox 360)<br />
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (XBox 360)<br />
3. Grand Theft Auto V (PS3)<br />
4. (tie) Madden NFL 25 (XBox 360)<br />
4. (tie) FIFA Soccer 13 (XBox 360)<br />
6. NBA 2K13 (XBox 360)<br />
7. PES 2012 (PS3)<br />
8. Dark Souls (PS3)<br />
9. Mariokart Wii<br />
10. Halo 4 (XBox 360)Valhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14989249349181028614noreply@blogger.com0