For a big part of my life, I’ve made and maintained friendships through violence. Not real violence, of course. But simulated weaponry and fantasy combat is the glue that binds my gang in Montreal. It’s also cementing the connections between members of the pick-up Halo team that I play with here in London. Playing together […]
Read more "Blow me away, my friend"Ever find yourself checking your Facebook feed absent-mindedly, on the off chance that there might be something new and interesting there? Ever follow an eBay auction obsessively, or get a burst of happiness when someone gives you a high seller rating? Ever spend a day in anticipation, wondering how many views your YouTube video will […]
Read more "Irresistible Online Journalism in One Diagram"Nifty. also – YouTube has gone to 16:9. Also nifty.
Read more "This is Immersion"There’s a new kid on the block. Meet the latest scion of the Molleindustria family, younger brother of the excellent McDonald’s Video Game and Faith Fighter. It’s Oiligarchy. Molleindustria is an Italian-based group of artists, programmers and designers who are making a habit of creating really interesting games. They describe their goal in stirring terms: […]
Read more "Oiligarchy"We must use games for good, or they will be used for evil. You think I’m joking? Not a bit. Read on. The release of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion set has sparked up the old ‘Are Video Games Addictive?’ debate again. Chris Vallance over at iPM sums it up succinctly. Millions of […]
Read more "Why we Must use Games for Good"Not gaming right now is essentially the same as being illiterate in the 16th Century. Imagine you couldn’t read. (Yes, I know, you’re actually reading at the moment, but work with me here.) Someone comes up to you with a bunch of paper tied together, in a leather backing. There are marks on the paper. […]
Read more "Illiterates. [Sigh.]"I hadn’t come across this before, until my good friend Rusty linked me to it. WoW Detox is a postboard for people who are quitting / have quit / are trying to quit World of Warcraft. It’s a simple site – just a place to tell the world why you left Azeroth. But some of […]
Read more "WoW Detox"I spent a big chunk of yesterday sitting in Sony’s living room talking about games with interesting people. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday. The occasion was GameCamp London – an unconference about games. As an event, it could have been the bastard mashup of a gaming conference and a private loft party […]
Read more "GameCamp ’08"Right, that’s it. I’m pissed off, honest to blog. Recently someone I was corresponding with warned in grave fashion that video games were eating their children, that they enhance addictive tendencies and unchecked will consume all spare time to the exclusion of any other form of play. Here’s a medium that’s arguably more powerful than […]
Read more "Rant: Oldtimers Unbellyfeel Gaming"National Public radio in the US has been running some interesting pieces on video games recently. Lately they’ve taken a stab at a question that becomes more and more important as gaming revenues continue to swell: Are video games art? Other media have a long history of relevant, moving social commentary. Movies and books lately […]
Read more "NPR Radio: Are Video Games Art?"
Philip Trippenbach 