Becker Video Game Design

the Library of Congress maintains a video game collection resulting from copyright registrations which accounts for about 10 percent of total video game releases

Discusses companies hiring artists for game design and development, lengths which artists go to achieve realism, and traditional art colleges and programs adding video game courses and majors.

An announcement from Convergence Technologies about a Kickstarter crowdfunding for "The Bridge, an all-in-one wireless keyboard, mouse and universal remote for computers, Smart TVs and home entertainment systems." Described as combining a smart phone keyboard with common video game controller.

Focus on MassDiGi's efforts to bring together game companies and aspiring students, a panel from the MIT Enterprise Forum will be held on December 1 and feature Becker's Timothy Loew among others.

Of the innovative science and technology school programs (with and without external funding,) the last mentioned here is an after school program Intro to Computer Programming and Intro to Video Game Design, sponsored by DeVry University, at the Tutorspree school in New York

First of a two part series on the console's tenth anniversary

Certificate program "aimed at professionals with a degree in computer science, information technology, or art who seek entre into the growing digital games industry."

IARPA contract to Raytheon, videogames developed for training, emphasis on cognitive bias in decision making

From the abstract: "This paper presents a framework for evaluating and designing game design patterns commonly called as "achievements". The results are based on empirical studies of a variety of popular achievement systems. The results, along with the framework for analyzing and designing achievements, present two definitions of game achievements. From the perspective of the achievement system, an achievement appears as a challenge consisting of a signifying element, rewards and completion logics whose fulfilment conditions are defined through events in other systems (usually games). From the perspective of a single game, an achievement appears as an optional challenge provided by a meta-game that is independent of a single game session and yields possible reward(s)." Presented at DiGRA 2011 Conference: Think Design Play.

Open for submissions through March 12, 2012

indiePub announces video game development competition. Deadline for entries is December 15, 2011. Awards to presented at SXSW, March 9-11, 2012

Cloud gaming on demand

Announcement featuring Keith Zizza, recently appointed professor of practice in interactive media and game development

Abstract: "The video game industry is a billion dollar industry with an ever-growing fan base. Massachusetts, along with other states, has begun to take an interest in further developing this dynamic industry. A problem facing many policy makers and economic developers is accurately defining the video game industry, determining the types of workers that form of human capital within its workforce and where these businesses are located. This study helps to solve this problem by converting video game credits, found in all video games, into Standard Occupational Codes to identify the types of workers who comprise the industry and by conducting spatial analysis using Public Use Microdata Samples (PUMS). It also uses the Occupational Information Network to evaluate what forms of human capital comprises the video game industry. The results show the video game workforce comprises both creative workers such as artists and musicians, but also computer programmers, engineers, and business management and marketing professionals. This workforce tends to be concentrated not only in larger U.S. metropolitan areas but also in regions with a significant high-technology workforce, college towns, and government laboratories. Also, as this diverse workforce contains a wide variety of skills and abilities, a common theme is being able to work together as a team to develop a product. This study is part of a growing body of research and initiatives to identify and to locate new, creative industries within metropolitan regions. This research will contribute to future research using occupational analysis to identify new and growing industries."

Founded by a Berklee School of Music graduate, plays orchestral arrangements of video game music

Tuniisan startup plans to develop several video games in the near future relying on the work of graduates from the country's only design program

From the introduction: "Three dimensional graphics hardware is fast becoming, not merely a staple of computer systems, but an indispensable component. Many operating systems directly use and even require some degree of 3D rendering hardware. Even in the increasingly relevant mobile computing space, 3D graphics hardware is a standard feature of all but the lowest power devices. Understanding how to make the most of that hardware is a difficult challenge, particularly for someone new to graphics and rendering."

Considers the gaming industry in Boston through the example of Harmonix, fallen on difficult times after its Guitar Hero success. Tim Loew is quoted as saying Massachusetts doesn't realize potential it has on its hands with game development.

Report from November 19 event at Game Design Building

Information on the Foundations of Digital Games conference to be held in Raleigh, NC, May 29 - June 1, 2012. "a focal point for academic efforts in all areas of research and education involving games, game technologies, gameplay, and game design. The goal of the conference is the advancement of the study of digital games, including new game technologies, capabilities, designs, applications, educational uses, and modes of play"