Google’s Picasa
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Picasa 3: Free download from Google
I have been using Google’s Picasa for quite some time, but I didn’t have the newest version (nor did I access Picasaweb) before I upgraded my computer system. This new version allows me to use face recognition so that it can find all the pictures with a certain person in it. As soon as I identified my daughters in several photos I uploaded, I was able to view all the pictures of them. It was very neat to scroll through their development — it shows only a close up of their face in all the pictures. It was also interesting to see how accurate it was. Out of the thousands of pictures I have of those two, it only made a few errors. I had to look at the whole picture to make the determination which daughter is was, too! It identifies who it thinks is in the pictures and then asks you to confirm. What was amazing was that it could identify the baby pictures.
If you haven’t tried this one yet. It is a must!
Attaching your Flickr Account to Email and Your Blog
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Flickr: Help: Photos – This link helps you add tags when you upload via email or phone to your special flickr email address.
Basically, whatever you type in the Subject line becomes the photo’s title. Whatever you type in the body of the message becomes the photo description. Then type tags: tag1, tag2, “really cool”, tag 4 in either your subject line or body to add your tagging to the photo.
WARNING: Be sure you send optimized — smaller-sized photos to your account. A good way to do this from your computer is to right click on the photo and send the smaller sized photo to your special email address.
Family-Friendly Christian Games
Filed Under Computer Graphics/Game Development, Parenting and Family Life, Spirituality | Leave a Comment
I probably prefer a little more “family-friendly” games than I do any of the more “mature” games. I found this site with demo games and thought it looked interesting. I have downloaded the demos — they even have some beta pre-releases on the site, but I haven’t had a change to look at them. I didn’t want to lose the link so I am blogging it here. Christian Games! Now! – The One Stop Shop for Christian Games!
Cisco Mind Share Game
Filed Under Computer Graphics/Game Development, Networking, Teaching and Learning, Technology | Leave a Comment
Cisco Mind Share Game – The Cisco Learning Network
I downloaded the demo version of this game for three purposes:
1. To see if this would be helpful in studying for the CCNA exam.
2. To evaluate it for the Game Design class.
3. To see if I might want to buy it for $49.95.
As I first opened the game (it is a very large download and install), I thought it was geared for the “younger generations.” It is a learning game — quiz game if you will. Those have a tendency to be, well, boring! As I started through the game, I thought it was a good study tool, but not sure of it’s “stickiness.” Would someone play this to learn/review instead of the more “traditional” means. Then the bugs came out…they started to eat my bonus points if I hadn’t answered that portion of the question yet. I found the game play to be very interesting, and definitely player-centric. I later was working strategy of finding questions that I wanted to answer right away — then stacking up my points on those questions.
I still am not sure how anything is scored, or what the scores mean; but it is definitely worth a try. If you’re not into networking, just look at it for the design and learning aspects of it.
Entering WOW
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It has been over a year since I first blogged about creating a game as enveloping as WOW. Well, I finally made the plunge! Recently, a student sent me a “Recruit a Friend” trial membership. I am going to attempt to blog my adventures.
First, I had to create a character. My WOW mentor, Dave, told me what Realm to create that character in. The download of the software was quick because it streams content as necessary. Each start-up does take a little bit of time, but not too objectionable. My young daughters were watching mommy do her “work” as we set up my character together — yes, I am a cow. They had fun deciding on what kind of horns I should have.
As they were doing other things, I went on my first game quest: to bring back meat and feathers from some birds. Well, I told my youngest what I needed to do — put them to sleep, and take some things from them. She is quite observant, and said, “If you are making them sleep, then why are you hitting them with a stick?” I was caught. I logged out for awhile.
I returned when the children were in bed. I got lost and ended up in some ravine with things trying to attack me. I fell down, and it looked like I was sleeping. I told a fellow player the next day, and he did not reveal to me that I had actually “died” in the game.
When I got back to the game, I was in heaven. I couldn’t figure out how to talk to the spirit — then found out I was too far away. When I met up with my mentor the next day, I asked told him that I was dead (in the game). His comment was, “Get used to it!” Such compassion!
10-day trial — have played 2-out-of-5 days. Had offers to “level me up,” but I don’t want to miss this important process in game play. My ultimate goal is to create this type of game play for a learning game or a game for social change. Boy, do I have high expectations! 
Alice 3.0 Beta Tester
Filed Under Boise State Class, Computer Graphics/Game Development, Programming | Leave a Comment
I am very excited that our new class CIS 159 Programming in Alice will be beta testing Alice 3.0 software. You may have been following my earlier post: http://www.perceptivepetal.com/wordpress/?p=156
We made the final cut, and I’m heading out to Carnegie Mellon University in January to prepare for the testing. I am very thankful and excited to be a part of this.
Making an Instructional Game as Inviting and Addicting to Play as W.O.W.
Filed Under Boise State Class, Computer Graphics/Game Development, Second Life | Leave a Comment
I ask my studnets, “How can I make an instructional game that will teach you networking concepts as inviting and addicting to play as W.O.W.?” The response I received was, “Well, I don’t know, maybe you could come up with something like a Super Mario game,” replied one student. When I probed, he indicated that you could create a 2D game with differing levels. I asked him if it would be as engaging as W.O.W. He smiled and said, “No.”
With that encounter, and other similar ones; I have decided to explore W.O.W. this summer to see first hand what makes it so engaging that people lose all sense of time.
I already know some of the things that I will need to incorporate into my “serious games;” here are some of my findings (which go right along with all of the literature I have been reading through my Games and Simulations class):
1. Leveled play — needs to be missions/assignments that are challenging enough to obtain a sense of accomplishment once they are completed, yet not too difficult as to disinterest.
2. Collaboration – methods for sharing resources and talents to meet the intermediate or final goal.
3. Society Structure – have different roles that allow players to interact with each other based upon that role
4. Appealing graphics and modes of interaction — I am hoping Second Life will provide this.
Second Life appeals to me as a medium to use because of #2-#4 above. It does not have a “Leveled-play,” but I am hoping that it can somehow be scripted. What I really like about Second Life is the ability to create — if a learner finds an activity “lame,” they could simply create a better activity. That would make for some very powerful learning!
W.O.W. Trial
Filed Under Boise State Class, Computer Graphics/Game Development | 1 Comment
Well, I guess I really didn’t want to know this because I haven’t investigated it yet; but I talked with a student today who told me that there is a trial for World of Warcraft. So, now I have no excuse. I need to check this one out! Maybe this will be a great Spring Break project!
Cognititon and Gaming
Filed Under Boise State Class, Computer Graphics/Game Development, Teaching and Learning | Leave a Comment
As I read through Chapters 5-6 of the Gibson et al text, I collected these thoughts:
3D Learning Environments — depending upon age and computer experience; learners have different ways of understanind a 3D learning environment. For the Gen Y’ers it is second nature to them — intuitively understood. For the newest generation, I am understanding that predictions are that they will not only readily adapt to a gaming environment for learning, but expect it! I am already seeing that in my young children.
Jones & Bonack (Gibson, p. 92) stated that a 3D online learning environment could "improve a student’s interaction and discourse. I believe that this is true. I find it very easy to approach someone I don’t even know in SL and ask them something. This is something that I lack in social graces in the RL!
Constructivism applied to Learning in SL especially with games and simulations
Knowledge is Social – SL lends itself to this with its collaborative groups and friends
Learning is Participatory – as communities emerge, common goals are developed and instilled
Learning Leads Development – as Learners learn to "create" or "build" in SL, the shared goals produce tangible results
Knowledge Emerges from Meaningful Activity with Others – a knowledge base is developed by the group
Learning Dispositions – besides simply knowing and doing, roles develop that support a "scaffolding" for learning.
Important issues for Providers to consider include:
Determining target audience for learners: experience, access, etc.
Develop a support system for learning – stable learning environment
Don’t get stuck in a given LMS or Virtual World — learn how to effectively create reusable learning objects making migration to the latest tool less problematic.
Important issues for Users to consider include:
Ask questions and respond with answers — interact with fellow learners
Provide additional information when you have it
Serve as a support person
Social Aspects of Gaming
Filed Under Boise State Class, Computer Graphics/Game Development | Leave a Comment
Thoughts as I was reading in the Games and Simulations in Online Learning chapters 3-4:
I am torn right now with two worlds of game development. First, I watch my small children delight in the learning games of matching letters and solving simple math problems. Next, I overhear a conversation of my adult students talking about their latest raidings and killings! Had I not known they were talking about a game, I would have been dialing 9-1-1 and filling our an incident report about the violence reported!
- How do I make a learning game for these adult students that they find as interesting as these violent games?
- How do I attract more female students with games?
When I introduced Second Life to my Game Development class, they thought it was fantastic. An online Sims game! They could create interactive things with building and scripting skills (and they could monitize their efforts!). When I then showed Second Life to my programming students (not in the Game Development class), they thought it was “Lame.” “You can’t even kill anyone,” was one student’s comment. “What is the goal,” and “How do you get to the next level,” were other comments.
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