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Space Invaders used to encourage exercising, snag an A+ in EE316
For those of us who haven't moved our fundament in three days, we can definitely attest to the fact that finding motivation to exercise is amongst life's greatest challenges. Not to fear, as Allen, Matt and Doug have decided to provide all the encourage we nerds need with their final EE316 (Computer Engineering) project. By utilizing an Axis network camera, a Bluetooth heart rate sensor and a few intelligent lines of code, they concocted a Space Invaders exercise program that requires the player to physically move in order to stay alive. Talk about incentive. Check the vid and full description in the read link.[Via Hack-A-Day]
OC Register visits Blizzard Art Show
The Orange County Register has made the decision to switch their gaming blog from general coverage of games to strictly Blizzard news all the time (being in close proximity to Blizzard's HQ in Anaheim will help), and for their first feature, they've got a big writeup (and lots of pictures) from that Laguna College Art Show we mentioned the other day.Turns out it's an all-Blizzard art show, and there's art in there not just from Blizzard's past titles, but also from upcoming titles like Diablo III, Starcraft II, and our own Wrath of the Lich King. It all looks awesome, and the show lasts through the end of the month, so while that unfortunately means that these pieces won't be at BlizzCon (though there likely will be plenty of game art displays there anyway), it also means that if you can find the time to visit Laguna during the convention, you'll be able to check it out.The Register also has a couple of quick profiles of some student artists at the show, including a few samples of their work and why they enjoy Blizzard's art so much. It's very cool that Blizzard is giving back to their local community like this -- hopefully we'll get a chance to see even some student work at BlizzCon.
RCN bringing HDTV to student residence in New York City
We told you that kids these days had it made, didn't we? The latest episode of college students getting more than just ample amounts of study time comes courtesy of RCN, which is delivering triple-play services to student residence rooms at 1760 Third Avenue in Manhattan, New York. The agreement with Educational Housing Services will enable the carrier to offer high-speed internet, digital phone and HD programming to over 1,100 students representing "a variety of institutions of higher learning, including LIM (Laboratory Institute of Merchandising)." U-verse in a University of Houston dorm, RCN here -- what's next, FiOS TV in Corvallis?
Telus offers up Student Plan for heavy texters / surfers, light talkers
Telus clearly knows what's up. College kids aren't much on talking this day and age, but they sure love to text and surf. A pair of Student Plans (good 'til September 30th) have just emerged, one for phones ($35 per month) and the other for smartphones ($50 per month). Both rate plans offer up just 200 minutes of talk time but include nationwide unlimited talk, text, picture and video messaging with your Fave 10, unlimited nights and weekends starting at 6:00PM and unlimited web browsing. If you're hemming and hawing, maybe the $50 GAP gift card you get when purchasing the $35 plan with an LG KEYBO will be the deciding factor. No? Okay.[Via mobilesyrup]
DS is an excellent tool for teaching Japanese students English
Japanese students at Tokyo's Joshi Gakuen all-girls junior high school are getting DS handhelds for the classroom, but they're not playing New Super Mario Bros. on them. They're using them to learn a new language: English. What makes it such a great tool in aiding their studies? Perhaps it's familiarity ...The handheld system is incredibly popular in the country and many students have one they enjoy using to play games on a regular basis. It's a system they're comfortable with, has an easy interface, and mixes a bit of fun in with the learning. If we would've had the option when learning another language in our schooltime studies, we'd probably remember how to ask where the bathroom is in German.
A new habit for nuns
Looking for someone to play Wii Sports with? Get thee to a nunnery! We admit that this unofficial commercial is predictable and probably a bit corny, too -- just like our post title -- but at least it's 10 million times more entertaining than Sister Act.As for the origins of the clip, Youtube user Phil Strahl and several of his classmates at the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg shot the commercial for a Post Production course last year. Make sure you watch it 'til the end for some extra goofiness -- how were they able to knock down bowling pins while playing tennis?
Gamers on the Street: Break time (summer break, that is)
Gamers on the Street logs onto U.S. servers to get the word from the front on what's going on in and around the World of Warcraft.Summertime means big changes for many guilds. The kids are home, so players who are parents can get pulled into more family activities. As for the kids, many are looking for new things to get into while they have a little more free time. Gamers on the Street decided to duck onto the Cairne realm to see what high school- and college-aged players were planning for their short months of freedom. Alliance players seemed friendly enough but didn't have much to say about their summer plans. We did visit with several Cairne Hordies, however, who shared what's ahead for their summer and fall WoW time.
Student-made DS games can be downloaded from Japanese Wiis
Student-created DS games are nothing new in Japan, thanks to Nintendo's game seminars. When the students finish their games, Nintendo usually makes them available at DS Download Stations so that other people throughout Japan can play and enjoy them.The company has just one-upped itself, though, by allowing DS owners to download these games from their Wiis. From now until April 22nd, Wakeari no Heya Tsuzuki (a horror game that is played book style) will be available for download on the Minna no Nintendo Channel (Everybody's Nintendo Channel), with more student-made games likely to follow.While anyone outside of Japan (unless you've imported a Japanese Wii) can't do anything but look on jealously, we have to admit that this is a great move by Nintendo. Nintendo of Japan, that is. From what we hear, the students' games are actually pretty good, and offering them to millions of people benefits both the students who've created them and DS owners who want to play them. Even though the game seminar titles were made available to the public before via DS Download Stations, using DS/Wii connectivity to host them will only make them more accessible than ever.Still, seeing all the potential of the Everybody's Nintendo Channel with the DS and not actually having it is pure torture.
Student-developed DS games appear on Everybody's Nintendo Channel
Proof that Japan gets everything awesome -- including first dibs on new releases, Super Famicom Classic Controllers, and giant mechas piloted by bratty kids -- the island country's Minna no Nintendo Channel (Everybody's Nintendo Channel) has started to post student-developed games in its DS downloads section.For those of you unfamiliar with these titles, Nintendo hosts a 10-month seminar every year in which 40 students take courses on programming and game design, eventually working in teams to develop small DS games to be featured through download stations in Japan. This year's batch consisted of four different titles, including Wakerai no Heya Tsuzuki, a Hotel Dusk-styled horror adventure, and Nan de Momo Koko Yasan, a touchscreen coloring game.Wakerai no Heya Tsuzuki has already been posted on the Japan-only (for now) Minna no Nintendo Channel, available for free until April 22nd. Presumably, the other three student-developed titles will be set up with a similar arrangement in the coming weeks. Though we doubt Nintendo of America will bring these Japanese releases over when it finally releases Everybody's Nintendo Channel in the states, at this point, we would be happy just to have the dang channel! It has been almost five months since the channel debuted in Japan!
Kaplan SAT test prep coming to Nintendo DS
Kaplan, Inc. has teamed with Aspyr Media to create an SAT prep game for the Nintendo DS, according to Newsweek. Versions are also on their way to PC and Mac, where the test prep software is already fairly common. The project is early in development and does not yet have a name. Newsweek reports that it was Aspyr who pitched the idea to Kaplan. If this is a success, can we get a DS game to help us understand Special Relativity? Perhaps we can get Professor Layton or perhaps even Wario as our virtual teacher.
Nintendo Game Seminar 2008 means more student games for Japan
For the last two years, Nintendo's Game Seminar students have created neat DS games that have later been made available at Download Stations for free (before that, it was GBA games). Nintendo has just begun taking applications for the 2008 round of the free 10-month Seminar, which offers courses on programming, sound and graphic design, along with lectures from industry professionals.If you should happen to want to make games, if you live in Japan, and if you have time for some extra classes, why not apply? If you're one of the lucky 40 accepted students, you could have the opportunity to have your own tea table upended.[Via Famitsu]
Student-developed titles hit Japan's Download Stations
From late next week, every DS owner in Japan will have totally free access to the first of four student-developed titles. That's because the games in question were originally created under the watchful eye of Nintendo, which is now releasing these at DS Download Stations around Japan. Each game will be available for a fortnight, before sadly disappearing into the ether for ... well, ever.What's really striking about these is their apparent quality -- if you had told us the above shot was taken from a game developed at a professional studio, we'd have totally believed you (in actual fact, it's from Wakerai no Heya Tsuzuki, a touchscreen horror game)! Equally intriguing is Nan de Momo Koko Yasan, which equips players with a "magical paintbrush" with which to color objects. The other titles are Kiki Master and Watashi no Otochabako.It's almost a certainty that we'll never play these ourselves, but we'd love to see a similar initiative happening over here. Tap the youthful minds of the U.S., Nintendo![Via Siliconera]
School shooting "hero" confesses to Xbox theft
Stories about thieves stealing games and systems are a dime a dozen, but those thefts usually don't involve a culprit that was praised as a hero by President Bush. They do occasionally, though, as is proven by a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article about Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School student Lewis Bennett III.Bennett earned fame and a meeting with the president for thwarting a planned Columbine-style attack by classmate Dillon Cossey back in October. But even heroes have their flaws, and last week, Bennett confessed to authorities that he and two friends had repeatedly broken in to Cossey's house last month to steal a variety of items, including an Xbox 360 that Bennett later sold to a classmate for $20.Bennett's attorney said the media attention may have driven his client to the criminal act."How does a child, a young adult, deal with that situation, where all these cameras are put in his face and he's required to respond and he meets the president?" The answer to that rhetorical question, apparently, is 'by stealing an Xbox 360.'
Turner Broadcasting sponsors game design competition
Television and media conglomerate Turner Broadcasting is the latest sponsor of Dare to be Digital 2008, a student-centric game development competition based in Scotland. The media giant joins other sponsors such as EA, Microsoft, AMD, Disney Interactive, and many more.Since 2000, Dare to be Digital has encouraged teams of UK students to gather, developing games over a ten-week period to be premiered at the Edinburgh Interactive Festival at the end of the event. The competition features prizes for top games across several categories.Part of the Time Warner group, Turner Broadcasting owns a number of major networks, such as CNN, Cartoon Network, TBS, and TNT. Dare to be Digital is still a relatively small competition, and support from such a wide-reaching conglomerate will only help further promote the event.
IOGEAR's presentation mouse, 4GB wallet drive ready for class
We know, "back to school" isn't exactly a phrase that brings a smile to most students, but IOGEAR is hoping to get you a bit more jazzed up than usual about the fall semester with a new duo of products. Following the Digital Scribe, the firm has now unveiled a 4GB Flash Wallet Drive and 3-in-1 Wireless Phaser Presentation Mouse to presumably help you with your studies. The uber-thin wallet drive ($69.95) measures in at just 3-millimeters thick and ought to hold quite a few research papers, while the wireless mouse ($59.95) combines a laser pointer and track ball to aid you in making those presentations go as smoothly as possible. Both products should already be available at your campus store or nearby big box retailer.
WPI students create wireless 3D ring mouse
No doubt we've seen some snazzy takes on mousing instruments, but when Popular Science dubs your twist on the critter we couldn't do without an Invention of the Year, you've accomplished something. A team of WPI undergraduate students were able to win such an honor by crafting the MagicMouse, a "three-dimensional computer mouse" that allows users to "control and manipulate items on a computer screen just by pointing at the monitor." While we've seen similar ideas for helping disabled individuals interface with a computer, this wee iteration actually fits around one's finger and "uses an array of receivers to track the motion of a tiny ultrasonic transmitter." The cursor is moved by waving one's hand back and forth, while moving closer and backing away enables zooming functions to be utilized, which should make handling those CAD drawings a good bit easier. Perhaps most notable, however, is the relatively low cost of assembly, as the entire contraption (rechargeable Li-ion and all) cost just $155, and we're sure you know how far that could fall if a bulk buying manufacturer brought it to commercialization. A few more pictures after the jump.[Via Popular Science and Gizmag]
Cornell designer concocts garb that prevents colds, shuns pollution
We've seen sensor-laden, iPod-friendly, and electroluminescent garb in years past, but a crafty design student over at Cornell University wasn't satisfied with stopping there. Olivia Ong is hoping to get her career in fashion off to a very safe start, as her functional clothing lines include "a garment that can prevent colds and flu and never needs washing," and if that wasn't fresh enough, she's also conjured up another that "destroys harmful gases and protects the wearer from smog and air pollution." The prototype Glitterati garb was showcased at the school's Design League fashion show, and both articles contained "cotton fabrics coated with nanoparticles" that give them the unique qualities. No word on whether or not we can expect such protective (albeit stylish) threads to hit the strip anytime soon, but considering that "one square yard of nano-treated cotton would run you about $10,000," we doubt us common folk would be selling off assets to take it home anyway. [Via MedLaunches]
DigiPen student games released
DigiPen Institute of Technology has unveiled most of the student games created for the 2007 academic year. Nearly two dozen projects will available by the end of the month covering a wide range of styles -- from space shooters, to puzzlers and the popular "riding a motorcycle in medieval times" genre.Unfortunately the most interesting games are still unavailable, but with just a few days left in the month, the wait will be short: Bossinabox - a fast-paced arcade-style shooter based on the idea that boss fights are awesome. Your goal is to annihilate the boss as he splits into an army of minibosses. Empyreal Nocturne - a third-person aerial action game in which you combat enormous flying monsters by commanding a legion of birds. Gigoon - a 3D, third-person action game in which the player takes control of a giant monster rampaging through the tropical city of Rio De Janeiro PHLOP - a 3D physics-based puzzle game that asks the player to manipulate simple objects to create complex device in order to complete the puzzle. RydenStryke - a third person action game set in medieval times where the player gets to control a character from the future on a motorcycle. A well-respected school with game developers, DigiPen's student projects have turned more than a few heads over the years. The team behind Narbacular Drop was snatched up by Valve, and the group behind the block-tossing Toblo have gained a lot of attention for their project.
THQ, EA, others recruiting at GDC
The second floor of Moscone West, one of the three buildings housing GDC, holds many publishers and developers looking for doe-eyed talent. Armed with just a dream and a résumé, students try to launch their careers, and industry vets try to find the next opportunity. We checked in with a few of the companies to discuss their outlook and objectives at the show.An EA recruiter told us that the company is hiring developers for 11 different studios in nearly every position, including character animators, environmental artists, and software engineers. EA has a university relations department to entice students, but the company also helps schools develop programs to train future industry workers.Heidi Lese, Manager of Recruitment for THQ, discussed her company's role at the show. THQ is looking for both developers and publishers to fit into its 17 studios. With the addition of publishing roles, THQ is seeking nearly all kinds of talent. If a walk-in candidate fits an open position, THQ holds an immediate interview. Otherwise, THQ evaluates and contacts candidates over the next few months.Lese was more tentative about game schools, saying that some are great and can lead to roles at THQ, while some are still too young to offer a useful program. She didn't specify any school recommendations but said that students should attend one with a high placement rate in the industry. She also advised students get an internship -- whether interested in publishing or development.
Student Postmortem with DigiPen's Toblo
Walking the fine line between simple and just plain boring gameplay is a delicate issue, especially with independent game makers. How do you make a game appealing without stripping it of the elements that keep players coming back for more? GameCareerGuide's postmortem with the Toblo design answers just those questions, discussing the high and low points in the development process. "Light-hearted" and "easy to play" were two key phrases in the design of Toblo, a simple capture the flag game created by a group of DigiPen students. Played in a world of colored blocks, your only goal is to capture the other team's flag. Your weapons are the very blocks that surround you, simply walk up to anything and tear it down to load up on ammo, then dash into the enemy's fort and let 'em fly. Although Toblo isn't a full-fledged game, it's proof that a concept doesn't need to be elaborate to be interesting.
