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Gamers documentary now available for streaming
Back in November of last year, we came across an interesting documentary on gaming and MMORPGs. In the 60-minute film "Gamers," filmmaker Ben Gonyo explores today's online gaming culture in an effort to make it more accessible and understandable to a wider audience. For two years, Gonyo immersed himself in World of Warcraft and the gaming subculture to find out what it's all about. Although it touches on controversial issues like a player's potential obsession with his or her virtual hobby, the documentary's aim is to heave a mostly light-hearted tone. It includes interviews with gamers, game designers, comedians, celebrities and psychologists. Although the film aired on several TV channels, only a brief trailer for the film was made publicly available online. The full 60-minute documentary has now been made publicly available for streaming via the internet. Head over to the video stream at SnagFilms to watch the film and leave your own comments on the issues covered. International viewers should be advised that the stream may be restricted only to US residents.
2 Player Productions working on Minecraft documentary
Independent documentary outfit 2 Player Productions is making quite a name for itself with it's gaming oriented films -- you've probably already seen one of their works; a list which includes Reformat the Planet, season one of Penny Arcade: The Series and short behind-the-scenes videos for Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch Productions. The group is adding another high-profile name to their list of subjects with their next film: Mojang Studios, the creators behind the indie blockbuster Minecraft. We'll have to wait until next month before we can lay eyes on the film, but 2 Player Productions uploaded a few production stills to get the ball rolling. It might be too soon to say, but we're pretty sure that we're going to ... dig it?
IBM looks back on 100 years of history, finds plenty to be proud of (video)
Want to know who the self-confessed "mother of the motherboard" is? Or why every piece of organically farmed, tenderly loved food at your local Trader Joe's has a barcode on it? Or perhaps you're curious to learn more about how millions of airline reservations can be made around the world with unfailing reliability? All those queries have their answers in IBM's self-congratulating videos after the break. Commissioned as a celebration of the company's upcoming 100th birthday, they chronicle some of its more notable moments in the global spotlight. Our favorite little nugget of discovery was finding out that testing for the IBM Personal Computer included the question, "would it run Pac-Man?" -- conclusively proving that the foremost reason for the PC's existence is, and has always been, gaming.
'Arduino The Documentary' now available for your streaming pleasure
Over the years we've seen loads of Arduino hacks and mods -- a DIY kit that lets plants tweet, a robotic iPhone, and even touchscreen GBA SP. All of these impressive, heartwarming and otherwise inspiring projects were made possible by the Arduino platform. Just in case you're unfamiliar with what Arduino actually is, let us remind you that it's an open source project geared toward students and other humans who wish to delve into the wild, wacky world of do-it-yourself electronics hardware and software coding. We'd encourage you to check out the documentary in full -- you know, to get the skinny on the company's inception and watch as the Arduino folks talk about their movement and its future -- but we doubt you need our elbowing. Check out all 28 minutes of footage after the break.
Chiptunes documentary "Reformat the Planet" now available to watch in its entirety on Hulu
You may or may not know that chiptunes have a very special place in our hearts. Regardless, the documentary about the people behind this intriguing genre, Reformat the Planet is an enthralling watch for music fans and nerds alike -- it's a film we seriously really enjoyed. Well, now you can watch it on the internet -- Hulu, to be specific -- where it belongs. In fact, we're so crazy, we've embedded it after the break. Woohoo!
Polar bears destroy robot spy cams, show no remorse (video)
Iceberg Cam, Snowball Cam, Blizzard Cam and Drift Cam were the arctic photographer's best friends -- high-tech spy robot cameras designed to resist cold and traverse sub-zero terrain. Then they got crushed to death by giant polar bears while attempting to make friends. Seriously, that's the basic gist of Polar Bear: Spy on the Ice, a new BBC documentary which began airing last week, and which just so happens to be narrated by David Tennant. Hope he's got a screwdriver handy, if you know what we mean. Watch the bears play a spirited match of robot football after the break, then see all the lovely mechanical carnage in a third video at our source link.
Waiting for Superman Blu-ray dated February 15th with HD special features & donation credit
Paramount has set February 15th as the date for the award-winning documentary Waiting for Superman to arrive on Blu-ray and DVD. For those inspired by the film's look at public schools, there's more than just the film and its special features (all in HD) in store, as buyers can go to DonorsChoose.org and select a program to receive a $25 donation credit unlocked by a code included with each copy. Just something to keep in mind when you're not opening tabs to provide immunizations and the like, check the press release after the break for more details.
Blizzard comments on video games addiction documentary
Video game addiction is hardly a new subject around these here parts, but it still remains a much-discussed and controversial topic even so. Today, BBC investigative journalism program Panorama will add to the conversation with an in-depth look into the causes of gaming addiction and the consequences of players who become a little too hooked. The episode, titled "Addicted to gaming?", is expected to come down harshly against the practices of video game studios. According to CVG, it's no surprise that the documentary is airing the very night that World of Warcraft: Cataclysm launches, as Panorama uses WoW as one of its key examples. One of the stories follows the tale of Chris Dandos, a teenager who stopped going to school to play WoW for up to 20 hours a day. In response to the episode's focus, Blizzard released the following comment: "Our games are designed to be fun... but like all forms of entertainment... day-to-day life should always take precedence. World of Warcraft contains practical tools that assist players and parents in monitoring playing time."
Reformat the Planet DVD arrives at (more) retailers December 7
The DVD version of Reformat the Planet, 2 Player Productions' chiptunes-centric documentary, has been available through some obscure online channels since this past summer. However, folks hoping to receive it as a gift from a not-so-tech-savvy relative should have better luck in a couple of weeks when select retailers, including Amazon, will begin carrying the film starting December 7 -- making it much easier for Uncle Grandma to find the movie, wrap it and place it beneath your chosen holiday's gift-hiding object. The DVD, which includes two discs' worth of bonus features, director's cuts and commentaries, will cost your beloved holiday shopper $25, which seems like a fairly reasonable price to pay for a movie capable of making you dance forever.
Documentary filmmaker takes on MMORPGs
As popular as World of Warcraft has become, we almost take it for granted that everyone on the planet is familiar with (or has at least heard of) MMORPGs. Despite the fact that gaming has become relatively mainstream over the last few years, MMORPGs remain mysteriously inaccessible to portions of the populace, and filmmaker Ben Gonyo aims to change all that with a new documentary called Gamers. Gamers sees Gonyo immerse himself in MMO subculture for the better part of two years, and features interviews with over 100 gamers, designers, critics, psychologists, comedians, and celebrities -- including Curt Schilling and R.A. Salvatore. The film is currently airing on the Documentary Channel on both DISH and DirectTV, and you can check out various previews and trailers at the film's official website, as well as after the cut. Finally, be on the lookout for a Massively review in the near future.
"The Raid" movie documentary examines WoW raiding
If there's anything I've learned over the years as a gamer, it's to approach films and TV shows about games or gaming with extreme caution. Be it cinematic game-to-film monstrosities like the Street Fighter movie or sensationalist "documentary" garbage like the fifth estate's Top Gun, there always seems to be a disconnect between the people operating the camera and the subjects they're trying to portray. World of Warcraft in particular has received plenty of positive and negative attention, but in recent years, there has been an increasing movement among geeky creatives to try their hand at explaining the game and the phenomenon of its popularity through all sorts of projects. The Raid is one of those projects. The Raid is a short, 20-minute documentary that sets out to understand not World of Warcraft itself but raiding in the game. What raiding is, how it's different than in other single- or multi-player games, and what makes it so compelling are all touched on by the documentary. Some of the topics might seem rudimentary to actual raiders, but that's because the target audience of the film isn't raiders but rather their friends, family, and any other outsiders who struggle to understand what it is that we're doing within the game. That doesn't mean actual players won't have a reason to watch the documentary, though; raiders will easily be able to connect with the narrative of the film and the players featured in it.
Free PBS iPad app allows streaming of the network's content
Like a few commercial television networks before it, PBS has launched an iPad app designed to stream the network's content to your iPad on demand. PBS for iPad is available for free right now on the App Store, and it has full streams of lots of classic shows. There's some new content as well -- Circus is a show that's been created just for the iPad app itself. But there's also some Masterpiece Theater and Julia Child in there, as well as other well-known standbys of the government run and donation-supported broadcasting network. The app also has schedule information about what's on TV, as well as a DVR-style feature that will let you resume shows when you pause them while watching. There's no iPhone or iPod touch version yet, but a (slightly different) version will arrive on those devices later this year. Looks like a great app, and you can't argue with the price of getting all that content on the iPad completely for free. At the risk of sounding like a pledge drive, we'll say that if you enjoy the app here in the US, maybe look into giving your local affiliate a nice donation in return.
New Making of Eorzea video sits down with Final Fantasy XIV's composer Uematsu
For many people, Nobuo Uematsu's name is inextricably linked to the Final Fantasy series. And with good cause -- he's one of the people most closely associated with the feel of the series, with several of his compositions having become ubiquitous even within games he didn't score. Having been the sole composer for Final Fantasy XIV, the newest Making of Eorzea video sits down with Uematsu and discusses the experience of composing the full score for the game. While Uematsu estimates it's been about ten years since he was in charge of a full score for a game, there's little argument to be had about his suitability for the job. He discusses both the scope of the project and his experiences in composing such memorable tracks as the theme song -- which, in his own words, was sung by Susan Calloway at his own insistence. See more about the music of Final Fantasy XIV in the video, embedded after the cut.
Canabalt creator Adam Atomic talks indie gaming, documentary on the way (video)
Adam Atomic's real name is Adam Saltsman, but regardless what you call him he's the man behind Canabalt, a killer parkour-inspired title in which you control a dude running across a rooftops with just a single button -- jump. Though it has simple mechanics and simple aesthetics the thinking behind it was anything but, a topic that Adam explores in the video clip embedded for you below. The footage is the product of James Swirsky and the team behind the upcoming documentary Indie Game: The Movie, due out next year and promising to explore the art and craft of the independent game movement. It's too early to tell whether the film might be able to knock The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters from the top of our documentary chart, but this segment (not actually a part of the movie) certainly makes things look promising.
Spencer Halpin's 'Moral Kombat' documentary now on Hulu
If you've been putting off watching Moral Kombat, Spencer Halpin's documentary on violence in video games, until you could view it with maximum possible convenience, here's your chance. The entire 85-minute film is now available to watch for free (albeit with commercial interruptions) on Hulu.
Third video diary for Going Rogue explores City of Heroes lore and powers
With only a short stretch of time left until the release of Going Rogue, Paragon Studios has released a new video documentary about the anticipated City of Heroes expansion. This time, the focus is split between the new characters and powers to be featured within the expansion, diving into the lore that surrounds Praetoria and the Emperor's entourage. Much like previous installments, the documentary both serves to preview some new material to existing fans and show off what's coming for new players or those long absent. Emperor Cole, naturally, gets to show off front and center, as does Calvin Scott of the Resistance. The designers stress that the intent is to create two sides of very different moral character in Praetoria, rather than a simple choice between good and evil. We also get a look at some of the Kinetic Melee and Electric Control powers in action, and of course, more of the cityscapes players can look forward to with the expansion. Check out the video embedded after the cut, which shows that City of Heroes isn't at risk of slowing down too soon.
15 Minutes of Fame: Film pros shoot raiding lifestyle documentary
Video has NSFW language near the beginning. 15 Minutes of Fame is WoW.com's look at World of Warcraft personalities of all shapes and sizes -- from the renowned to the relatively anonymous, from the remarkable to the player next door. Tip us off to players you'd like to hear more about. It used to be that any mainstream media coverage of gaming that didn't completely denigrate gamers rated rabid cheering and high-fives all around. Things have gotten better in recent years, but we're often left with a sense of lingering embarrassment when journalists miss the boat and ask all the wrong questions from all the wrong angles. It's with great relief, then, that we report on documentary project that's working hard to get it right. LFG Productions, the brainchild of two film industry vets who are also WoW players, is filming a behind-the-scenes look at the intersection of hardcore raiding and real life by following a top-ranked PvE guild through the post-ICC lull and into the coming expansion. (See a sample of some of the raw footage they've collected at last year's BlizzCon, above.) Documentary co-creator John Keating, aka Xod of <Royal Militia> on Bleeding Hollow (US-A), has been corresponding with us for months now about the LFG Productions team's efforts to put its finger on an accurate portrayal of the hardcore raiding lifestyle.
Be a big Hollywood producer by funding Indie Game: The Movie
What if we told you that you can join the ranks of the Hollywood Elite and knock out your positive karma requirement for the day in one fell swoop? It's true -- all you have to do is donate a bit of cash to help fund Indie Game: The Movie, a documentary from BlinkWorks Media about all the factors that go into making an independently developed video game. You probably pieced the premise together from the title. You can check out a clip from the film featuring Team Meat's Edmund McMillen on BlinkWorks' Kickstarter page before deciding whether it's worth supporting. A variety of gifts are available for contributors -- for instance, folks who donate $10 will get a mention in the Special Thanks portion of the film's credits. That's how one Mr. Bruckheimer got started, don't you know.
Rich Maloy's Big Crits web series makes its debut
WoW.com enhancement shaman columnist Rich Maloy (also known as Stoneybaby of Bighitbox) has been hard at work for months producing Big Crits, an unscripted web series that chronicles a new guild as they work through end-game raiding content. In Rich's own words: "I'm producing a new web series that will be the Real World (of Warcraft). The guild and the show are called Big Crits. It's a reality series about the interaction of people in an end-game raiding guild. The tagline is: Real people conquering a virtual world. The vision is simple: show how people from all walks of life work together to accomplish great things online." And now, at last, Big Crits has just released its premiere episode, with a second following closely behind later this week. Those who wish to follow the exploits of the Big Crits crew can check out the first episode above or on bigcrits.com, where new episodes should appear once a week.
Sid Meier's life, career and a 48-hour game design contest packed into documentary short
Regardless of whether or not you've played any of Sid Meier's games, or whether or not you find yourself curious as to how he became a gaming luminary, or whether or not you've got 24 minutes to kill -- you've got to watch Motherboard's latest documentary. Its focus is on the history of Meier's game development career, as well as his participation in the 7th Annual Wolverine Soft 48 Hour Game Design Contest held at his Alma Mater, the University of Michigan. More importantly, this short film contains all the requisite components of a gripping piece of cinema: hardship, confrontation, self-improvement, triumph, and the imbuing of a lingering desire to go back and play all of the Civilization games again. Seriously, go check it out.
