Category Archives: hcg

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

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

the power of the mind

Opportunities for learning something are always present. Each single moment of our existence can be a learning experience.  Interesting enough it seems it is up to us to make the best out of each opportunity.

As time pass by, I get the impression that most of the learning possibilities that one has are not utilized.  One can be “educated” or trained for something in specific. Actually our economical-social system has built educational institutions, that as far as I understand, offer to individuals the information and training needed to create the “proper” skills to function in our society.

Through the diversity of projects I am right now actively working with besides my own PhD focus (LieksaMyst, SciMyst 2009, Biosphere project,  CS students, etc.) I see and sense continually: we need to learn to listen constantly without loosing our self-confidence. Each one of us is so important, and has an incredible richness inside. When one can exteriorize this richness and connected with others, the results go beyond any expectation.

Then, while listening and putting a bit more of attention in the self, it is possible to realize the importance of the power of the mind.  Actually that is the core of everything we do, as its influence is more relevant and decisive than all the information and training that each one of us can have. Our mind is just incredibly powerful.

What your mind says is the truth and each one of us will act and experience according to it, because that is the truth.  If you mind says you can, you will do it, independently if you have many resources or none, you just know you can do it and you will. If you mind says forget about it, you will give up even if you have all what it is needed to achieve that goal.  Furthermore, our interpretations of our activities and relationships are closely related to what our mind believes.

It is just fascinating, how my mind affects me. As it happens to me, I wouldn’t be surprise it happens to others as well.  What I/you truly believe, it is what it is, but not necessary is what it really is. One needs to be open enough and listen carefully to realize there are different options, nothing is static.

 The power of the mind is unlimited, and I attempt to say personally under-use. In several cases it is controlled by external individuals  (e.g. “brain washing”) or habits. But it does not mean we can’t have access to it and shape it to our will. At the end our mind is ours.

each flame is unique and powerful

 

pielisen museo

In here I only can write: dreams do come true! .

On one hand, since a child I had been wondering what the walls could tell us if they could talk. On the other hand, I am a believer that we should enjoy more our life in this planet, why everything should be so serious all the time? . Reason why I am interested in games, I am a BAD student because it is serious boring the rest.

This month,  the walls of the Virsuvaara home at the museum of Lieksa start “talking”  🙂  Furthermore,  people of different ages and backgrounds are able to connect through the objects and walls of this house, and beyond it, learn something from the Finnish culture 🙂

I am amazed about all this! 🙂

Let me make the story of this brief. After the first SciMyst, Erkki introduced us with the people of the Pielisen Museum. In the summer 2007 we started to gather information from the visitors’ opinions about the museum and seek for some funding. At the beginning of this year 2008, we were awarded on our application to the National Board of Antiquities and the real work started. Of course we want to respond properly to the trust of the funding.

 

Along this time, also our team has been consolidating. We are getting robust little by little in the applications we are developing. Mikko and Teemu are just incredible and I learn a lot from them. Actually Mikko should have a medal for his patience, specially from the time when Teemu was in Korea because he should deal with me all the time by himself. No a simple issue I can say.

The result of good energy, good people and a lot of work is a mobile game application that people starts to enjoy as our tests shown (test 1, test 2) . Still is a lot of work to do, however each time I am able to see the shiny smile of any player using one of our application, all the effort pays off.

And today finally the blog of this project is almost 100% update. There you can have a briefly view of what has been and is happening. It is amazing HOW fast time pass by.

TekMyst: the magical ants will survive this winter!!!!

The score results of TekMyst, conducted on week 35 are:  (players + ants ) won by 855 points above the (laziness + jealousy).

Hip hip HURRAY!!!

I must say: “Phew!” . On the last weekend of August, I had my doubts about the final result. Nevertheless, human kind definitely is more playful than we believe.

Thanks to all the players that made this success possible, and special thanks to the incredible team that work together to make this a reality.

Now some days off to recharge energy, before the analysis of these data! 🙂