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illuusio

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Week 30, 2012
Wels, Austria

On July13 th and 14 th I was at the event called ILLUSIO. As far as I understand this was the second year the event was organized. ILLUSIO’s objective is to bring together people of the digital entertainment and game industry in Joensuu.

The team who organized ILLUSIO this years did a good job transforming the network Oasis facilities and creating a nice atmosphere for the event. I know network Oasis, and by default is an attractive location, but there is always space for improvement. Unfortunately, I did not take photos of the entire place, but here is one screenshot to give an idea of the transformation for those who know the location. This is on the orange room:

Orange room at Illusio event

Orange room at Illusio event

  (photo from the illusio’s facebook page)

In addition to the atmosphere, the organizers really took care of us. Networking, food and drinks were not in shortage. Actually the number of participants was good. In huge events it is harder to meet people than when the group is a bit smaller.

This might sound strange, but without any question the game industry and also game researchers have its hallmark, i.e. its personality. It is hard to describe in here, but in brief I can say they are passionate and fast minds, but there is something that intrigues me too, as it had happened in DiGRA, IGDA and Salmokohta or any other game event I had been. One day I will find out and write a post about it 🙂

The topic of the event: audio. It was refreshing for me. I know about the power of sounds and audio, but without a question I learned something, for example, now I have a clearer understanding of what a sound designer do.  Also I got inspire and revive some ideas for games 🙂 .

The talks were not academic. The speakers share some of their experience and facts of the game industry in Finland, which in itself is interesting. I prefer the presentations that shared ideas about budgets, assets list, and visions. Nevertheless, as it happens always in these events, the most important part was: the experience and the networking.

Thank you to the organizers!

Presentation at Illusio

Presentation at Illusio

 

Run un den Kalendar

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Week 27, 2012
München, Germany

Yesterday I played Run un den Kalendar. We were 2 adults and one 4 years old.  In theory this game helps the children to learn the days of the week, the months and the four seasons.  I have my doubts if the game helps the children to learn about the days of the week and the months.  However in reference of the four seasons the game is well done, in my opinion.

The game mechanics involve some elements of chance and strategy. For example, depending which number one gets after spinning a wheel, one can move either right or left to the corresponding spot on the board. Then, the player takes the card and describes the picture connect to a season that is in that specific spot. The cards are placed randomly, so one has to pay attention. The game’s aim is to get a card of each season. So, the player has to think carefully which direction to take, to actually collect at cards of the four seasons. 😉

The game also pays special attention to fine motor skills, at least in one “mini-game”. Let me explain. The spinning wheel can indicate the number the player has to move in the board, or if the player has to play a mini-game which allows to get a seasonal card without moving the tile from the board. Ideally this card is from the season the player is missing.  The mini-game is about dropping a bar, which has all the seasons, between a player’s fingers. The player has to close her or his hand fast when the bar is passing by. Ideally  the player stops the bar in the season s/he needs. It is a fast mini-game within the game, where the children have to learn to practice their coordination skills  when dropping the bar and also to close their hands fast.

Run um den Kalendar

Run um den Kalendar

Designing games for small children is challenging. It increases the difficulty level when we aim to design games for a family with small children.  The constant question is:  how can  we design a game interesting for the small ones as well as for the adults?  mmmm…  interesting challenge to solve!  And you have to notice that I even didn’t even mention in my question the game’s learning aspect, because that increases the challenge. 🙂

If  I have to rate this game, I think I will put it 2 of 3 stars.   I confess, I have an enjoyable game experience of describing the seasons with the little one 🙂

first HCG journal paper & I must be careful with my last name

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After a LONG journey doing research and learning to write research articles, the time to draw a BIG smile arrived.  Yes! First journal is out: Designing Hypercontextualized Games: A Case Study with LieksaMyst. Additionally, the article is special for several reasons, to mention two:

  • LieksaMyst is an exemplar case study showing how an idea turns to be a research project, and later re-transforms itself from a research project to a sustainable product
  • LieskaMyst makes evident the importance of non-digital objects and the on-site knowledge for the creation of digital games
  • and the list can continues but more in this publication and in a forthcoming dissertation 😛

I feel very honor and lucky to have the opportunity to work with a wonderful team all these years in order to achieve LieksaMyst. It has been a team work, without any question. In this moment I want to thank and congratulate specially to Mikko, Teemu, Liisa and Marketta for so many hours working together on this project. 🙂 Remember adding hours = days and later months and so on.

The article is also the result of an intense learning curve of doing research and acquiring the skill on academic writing (ask to my official and unofficial supervisors about this 🙂 oh boy! ).  Estee has been a outstanding English teacher for me, her quality control of my official writings is a blessing. She has assured that my spanish-english transforms to english-english.

So, this is the first step. We should remember the sky is the limit and there is much to do and share! 🙂

Ahhhhh! but this publication teaches me even at the very final stage something.  I was not careful enough and I did not stress on time that my last name is ISLAS SEDANO, and the article was left as Sedano as my last name. *sight*.

I am trying to get it fix, but let’s see if it works, it is not so simple. I should have know this already and be more careful. However, the lesson is very well learn right now. So, for those of us who use two last names: remember to be EXTRA careful while mentioning one’s last name.

first HCG journal article

first HCG journal article

times change: mobile phone and my personal data

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Week 24, 2012
Joensuu, Finland

When I was at the serious game workshop at Nordic DiGRA I realized I lost my mobile phone. I wanted to record something from the workshop and I could not to do it because I did not find my phone. Then, I started to think when and where I used my phone the last time and I realized:  I left my phone on the train. Auch!

My brain then started to spin in reference of what I have lost. Firstly came to my mind a couple of interviews I haven’t backed up, some new photos. The rest of the information I could recover (notes, phone numbers and most of the photos) because I had backed up, but still I feel uncomfortable thinking that an unknown person will have access to my personal data. Finally came the idea of the money, an expense not planned to have.

In the first workshop’s break I ran to the VR office and asked for help.  They offered me a phone number for lost items  (löytötavaratoimisto) but remember in Finland there are not public phones…..  Another approach was that a friend call to my mobile phone and if someone answers maybe I could recover it. However, since I have my friends’ phone numbers recorded in my mobile phone, I have no idea of their phone numbers by heart and I do not have a phone book with me neither. Of course digital backup of my phone is not traveling with me.

My solution: email. I still have my laptop with me. So, next was to get Internet access and I emailed Mikko and he helped me. Later I got an email from Eeva, because the personnel from the VR called her about my phone. Apparently, I will recover my phone!!! I am impressed about it!!! 🙂 and I am looking forward to have it back 😉

However the event let me thinking about my personal data. I have hear – read – discuss about security issues of personal data in reference to social networks. But now my thoughts go to a more simple device, just my mobile phone.  I do not connect to internet and social networks on my phone then that part is “safe” but still there is certain data exposure on my phone just because I use a  smartphone  beyond calling and sending SMS.

Things are changing fast. In the late 90’s I wouldn’t have imagine myself looking for my mobile phone via email. Still public phone boxes were surround me. I could call friends easily, with or without mobile phones because I had a physical agenda and some numbers I knew them by heart. My mobile phone did not have much extra information about myself.

Now the situation has changed and I haven’t though thoughtfully on this. I start to wonder if actually I am letting myself to be vulnerable by depending blindly on my mobile phone. Perhaps as times change it might be wise to think a bit about this and also change. The main question is how  and what do I want to change about this topic?

change

change

 

Photo source here

 

digra 2012

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Week 23, 2012
Tampere, Finland

Last time I was in Tampere was for the role-playing seminar. Right after the seminar, I went to the Salmokohta. I want and need to post about those events, and I will but somehow I am still digesting them.

Now, I am back in Tampere for the Nordic DiGRA conference. The community is special, and I learning to know them. Well, I start to join the community since late 2005, so little by little I have gotten to know them. This community approaches research from a different perspective than how we do in my research group at EdTech. In here the stress is more on culture. So, for someone like me who studied a “technical” degree and somehow is practical, it takes me a time to tune in. I assume this is because I was taught to  see and analyze our world differently. However, that offers me an opportunity to learn a lot too. It takes personal energy, but to be able to understand the discourse of others interested in the same artifact of study is a rich experience. At the end our world is made from different persons who have different views.

From this morning, I realized I need to reflect more in:

  • Utopias
  • Perceptions
  • Believes
  • Habitus
  • Authentic
  • Aspirations
  • As we notice concepts related to identity, the key issue!
Opening of Nordic DiGRA 2012

Opening of Nordic DiGRA 2012