We Like to MOVE It (Move It!)

Last week we added the new PlayStation Move to the archive. The Move is the motion control system for the PS3, basically their answer to the Nintendo Wii, along with the bundled launch game Sports Champions (more Move-compatible games are on the way...)

My initial reactions are mixed. The Move controllers offer a great degree of accuracy and realism in the motion games, but sometimes at the expense of playability. Whereas with the Wii it is very easy to pick up and start playing, the Move requires a lot more practice to use. Of course, the real test of the Move will come as more games become available and developers get used to the new control system.

Welcome Back to the CVGA!

The fall semester is back upon us, and so we return to our regular hours: Mon Noon- 9pm; Tue - Fri 10am - 9pm; Sat 1pm - 9pm (closed Sunday). Actually that's an expansion on our Saturday hours from last year, as we're now opening on Saturdays two hours earlier.

A new(-ish) face in the archive: Joe Dresch, who some of you may remember as our intern during hte summer of ’09, is now back with us to fill in for the departed Sarah. Joe will be the 'adult in charge' in the archive for a few hours every day, along with the returning Doug and Val. I may pop in from time to time, and you may see Ben filling in occasionally as well. Be kind to your helpful CVGA monitors!

We added many new games over the summer, so be sure to stop by and check them out. Remember that you can keep up on all of the games we add by following the RSS feed at http://www.lib.umich.edu/aael/feeds/aaelgames.xml

A lot of great new games will be arriving over the next few weeks/months, including Halo Reach, FIFA 11; Dead Rising 2; Call of Duty: Black Ops; Fable III; Fallout: New Vegas; LitteBigPlanet 2; Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II; Kirby's Epic Yarn; Epic Mickey; Rock Band 3; Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock; and more.

Speaking of Rock Band, we have another big-screen event planned: Tuesday Sept 14, during Northfest, in the Duderstadt Center Gallery. Drop on in and rock on!

Also coming up are the new motion systems for the PS3 (PlayStation Move) and the X-Box 360 (Kinect).

We have even more big plans in the works for the archive that I can't talk about quite yet, but believe me when I say they are exciting...!

Game Controller History

Interface design librarian extraordinaire Suz sent me a link to this awesome Game Console Controller Family Tree, where you can see how controlelrs for game consoles have evolved over the years.

We Want Your Videogames!

One of the ways we plan on growing the video game archive is through in-kind donations. How many people have old game consoles taking up space in the basement, looking for a good home? Quite a few, we think, and we can offer that good home to them!

I have a page up on our Website with details on what we're looking for and who to contact.

Here are a few of the things we've received so far:


PlayStation (One) and assorted games, anonymously donated in a large paper bag.


A PlayStation 2 and assorted games. The box underneath has another PS1 & games. Off to the right is a bag full of old Macintosh games.


A Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer, ca. 1981. This is the box...


...and here's the computer. Ooooo. Originally shipped with 4K of memory, but the previous owner upgraded it to a whopping 16K!


An original MicroSoft force-feedback joystick controller. With it's very own power source!

More to come as we get more in...