SCIENCE: Particle Generator

Science Officer Report: Lt. Aoi.

The alien machine appears to be relatively innocuous. Never the less I have taken the precaution of zeroing all gauges prior to operating the machine. Unsurprisingly, pressing the button when all gauges are set to zero produces no result.

I will now increase the Age, Burst Delay, Particle Count, Max Speed, and Min Speed dials to 10 each. I will set the Radius to 1, as I suspect this will create objects that will not burst the lab wide open.

This has led to no noticeable result. I will now turn all other gauges to 1. Note: I am unable to adjust the angle gauges on the bottom to increments of less than pi. I will leave these at 0 for now.

I nave either succeeded or I have destroyed the machine. It emitted a single puff of gray smoke that lingered in the lab for approximately 1 second before being scrubbed by the air filters.

A second attempt reproduced the results. I believe this is a deliberate effect and not a malfunction from my efforts.

I will now increase the Radius to 5.

The puff of smoke is now considerably larger.

I have now increased the particle count to 100. Contrary to my expectation, this has made the particle larger, rather than increase the quantity of puffs of smoke. I will increase the Burst delay to 100 to see if this modifies this result.

There is no appreciable change at this point. I shall adjust the age to 25.

Again, no change.

I shall make one last adjustment to the top row. Max speed shall be set to 50.

Adjusting the max speed to 50 while leaving the minimum speed at 10 has made a change. A puff of smoke emerged, rapidly becoming an entire stream.

I have adjusted the X access of the Acceleration gauge to 10. The smoke now disappears far more rapidly, and drifts almost straight back, rather than up and to the left as before. I will reset this to 0, then adjust the Y to 90.

As suspected, the new adjustment sent the stream to the left. Clearly the Acceleration maps to an X,Y,Z coordinate system for direction.

I hope the cleaning crew can get the smudge out of the wall.

Out of curiosity, I have dropped the minimum speed to 1.

After an initial hesitance, the puff of smoke repeated the previous result. The minimum speed seems to create a slight stall.

The smudge is getting larger. I suspect the cleaning crew will be a bit put out.

I have decided to increase the Radius to 25.

Curious, I think the size of the smoke has gotten smaller, rather than larger as I suspected.

I am going to make an adjustment to the End Scale. I will adjust both settings on it to 5.

This has produced no noticeable result.

I have adjusted the Omega settings to 10 each. This has resulted in the initial starting point of the smoke to be adjusted by 10 meters in each access. Omega clearly then is the origination coordinate. I will put these back to 0, as the second stain now on the wall might still be cleanable.

I have adjusted the Z factor of the End Color dial to 125. If, as I suspect, this is a color scale similar to that of our own use, this should cause a change in the coloration of the smoke over the course of its movement.

Contrary to expectation I did not see any change. This is curious.

I think we are going to have to replace the wall.

The smoke has gone to my head and given me a headache. I shall come back to this later, I think. For now it's time to visit sick bay.

Away Mission 1

I am feeling distinctly snubbed.

I went ahead and visited Neverwhere. After reading the (somewhat alarming) rules (DARK, aren't they?) I went ahead and grabbed a HUD to visit. It turned out I had to TP away to actually put on the HUD then come back. That was a bit of a design flaw, though one I can understand.

Initially I started out in my "Faun" body, thinking I could wander around, find people, and enjoy myself that way. After my 8th time falling into a pit or the water (and finding no one) I gave up, figured the water was my destiny, and switched to my mermaid.

The shark pictured to the left was the most meaningful interaction I was able to have. I encountered five people (two pairs of two and a singleton). My efforts to engage in conversation were ignored in every case. It wasn't that they were away from the keyboard, either. I could hear one mermaid discussing with another the question of if she had grown her scales herself or been hexed, and if she was comfortable with them.

All in all, frustrating, and I'm sure it was not very much what the lesson was calling me to learn. I'm unsure what I was doing wrong, but I am not likely to go back to Neverwhere.

The chatlog promised for 17 Febuary.

[2011/02/17 17:34] ZHAO-II kimono_AO: 9% memory free
[2011/02/17 17:34] Connecting to in-world Voice Chat...
[2011/02/17 17:34] Connected
[2011/02/17 17:35] Teleport completed from http://slurl.com/secondlife/Steelhead%20Shanghai/234/134/27
[2011/02/17 17:35] Connecting to in-world Voice Chat...
[2011/02/17 17:35] Connected
[2011/02/17 17:36] gosuroriAO-Sexy Walk-ZHAO-II: 9% memory free
[2011/02/17 17:41] Now playing: Slayer - Chemical Warfare
[2011/02/17 17:45] Now playing: David Lee Roth - Tobacco Road
[2011/02/17 17:48] Now playing: Sponsor - Ask Sherwin-Williams
[2011/02/17 17:48] Now playing: Sponsor - Signs Of Integrity
[2011/02/17 17:49] Now playing: Sponsor - State FarmÆ - 'Ficus'
[2011/02/17 17:49] jimmyray9 is Online
[2011/02/17 17:49] Now playing: Sparks - I Predict
[2011/02/17 17:50] andiwho is Online
[2011/02/17 17:50] Futcha Rhode is Online
[2011/02/17 17:52] Now playing: Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
[2011/02/17 17:53] douglasbushong is Online
[2011/02/17 17:53] jimmyray9: Has anyone here done the storyline yet?
[2011/02/17 17:53] jojobean100: What's that?
[2011/02/17 17:53] jimmyray9: for one of the quests
[2011/02/17 17:53] Russ Riegler: Hi guys !
[2011/02/17 17:53] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I've started somewhat.
[2011/02/17 17:53] jimmyray9: the one that is 250
[2011/02/17 17:53] jimmyray9: Hey russ
[2011/02/17 17:53] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I've done the basic idea and the toys part.
[2011/02/17 17:53] Russ Riegler: Hows everyone tonight ?
[2011/02/17 17:53] jojobean100: Is it a new one?
[2011/02/17 17:53] jimmyray9: No
[2011/02/17 17:54] Russ Riegler: Hi jimmy
[2011/02/17 17:54] jojobean100: I saw the puzzle toy one is that the same thing?
[2011/02/17 17:54] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Ooh, going EVA Douglas?
[2011/02/17 17:54] jimmyray9: I think it all works together kind of
[2011/02/17 17:54] douglasbushong: Ugh. Annoying....
[2011/02/17 17:54] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I think the whole story thing is a three parter?
[2011/02/17 17:54] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Story, then toys, then I can't remember what's next.
[2011/02/17 17:54] douglasbushong: Second life did a big update recently.
[2011/02/17 17:54] kimmy Francois is Online
[2011/02/17 17:54] jimmyray9: Yeah I think so
[2011/02/17 17:54] jojobean100: I see. I haven't because I wasn't sure if we were supposed to create a game using existing sims or if we were supposed to build our own.
[2011/02/17 17:54] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I've done the first two, there's reports on my class blog.
[2011/02/17 17:54] jimmyray9: Oh how long was it and how detailed?
[2011/02/17 17:55] andiwho: hey guys
[2011/02/17 17:55] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Mine wasn't that long or detailed?
[2011/02/17 17:55] jojobean100: I asked Dr. Haskell but I didn't get a clear answer.
[2011/02/17 17:55] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Here, let me grab the link.
[2011/02/17 17:55] Alexsis Kamala is Online
[2011/02/17 17:55] douglasbushong: This reset my keys back to the default, so I have to change the keybinding AGAIN. Only this time, they changed it so that the keys.ini file doesn't define it. Now it's Keys.xml.
[2011/02/17 17:55] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): http://aoisclasssoapbox.blogspot.com/2011/02/story-concept.html
[2011/02/17 17:55] douglasbushong: So I have to fix it in dreamweaver.
[2011/02/17 17:55] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): That's my story. I got credit, so it must have been alright.
[2011/02/17 17:55] jimmyray9: Thanks
[2011/02/17 17:56] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Of course. ^_^
[2011/02/17 17:56] jimmyray9: I want a more generic game
[2011/02/17 17:56] jimmyray9: so that I can pinclude new words somehow into the game
[2011/02/17 17:56] jojobean100: Thanks Aoi
[2011/02/17 17:56] jimmyray9: same game but new words.....
[2011/02/17 17:56] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): You're welcome. ^_^
[2011/02/17 17:56] jojobean100: We did a fun game last night in our Edtech 531 class
[2011/02/17 17:56] jimmyray9: so not sure how to make a more abstract storyline
[2011/02/17 17:56] jojobean100: Did you think it was fun Doug?
[2011/02/17 17:56] Mortimer Mavinelli is Online
[2011/02/17 17:56] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): What was that?
[2011/02/17 17:57] jojobean100: It was a mystery where you had to gather evidence and solve a crime.
[2011/02/17 17:57] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Commander, how are you?
[2011/02/17 17:57] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Oh! Was that the space ship one?
[2011/02/17 17:57] jojobean100: Yes.
[2011/02/17 17:57] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I remember that! That was a blast!
[2011/02/17 17:57] douglasbushong: Oof
[2011/02/17 17:57] Futcha Rhode: Hi
[2011/02/17 17:57] jojobean100: On the moon
[2011/02/17 17:57] douglasbushong: I enjoyed it.
[2011/02/17 17:57] jojobean100: Ooh Doug you are in your underwear:)
[2011/02/17 17:57] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): That was a really fun way to do things. I learned a lot from that one.
[2011/02/17 17:57] Aoi (alana.steamweaver) wolfwhistles at Douglas.
[2011/02/17 17:57] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): ^_^
[2011/02/17 17:57] Russ Riegler: Hi Alexsis!
[2011/02/17 17:58] Alexsis Kamala: Nice socks Douglas! hehe
[2011/02/17 17:58] Russ Riegler: How's it going !
[2011/02/17 17:58] douglasbushong: Actually, I think those are my shoes.
[2011/02/17 17:58] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): It looks like Mortimer is ready to go EVA too. ^_^
[2011/02/17 17:58] Alexsis Kamala: Hi Russ! Long time no see
[2011/02/17 17:58] Alexsis Kamala: Hey Mort! Good to see you. I like the space suit
[2011/02/17 17:58] jojobean100: Mortimer has a gun. Watch out everyone:)
[2011/02/17 17:58] Russ Riegler: hahah well I see you on Skype Alexsis yet didn't wwant to bother you !@!
[2011/02/17 17:59] GSX-401 Assult Rifle (le): 2
[2011/02/17 17:59] Alexsis Kamala: seems it has an antigravitational AO?
[2011/02/17 17:59] Futcha Rhode: wow
[2011/02/17 18:00] Alexsis Kamala: @Russ, Oh, for the most part it's ok. I am on Skype all day because that 's how my students contact me
[2011/02/17 18:00] GSX-401 Assult Rifle (le): 2
[2011/02/17 18:00] lenewayashley is Online
[2011/02/17 18:01] Russ Riegler: oh cool I'll say hello next time ...gtsy !
[2011/02/17 18:01] Alexsis Kamala: Does anyone have voice? I would like to try out my speakers before we begin. I changed my graphics card last week and experienced some strange things. I think I got it worked out
[2011/02/17 18:01] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I have mine on.
[2011/02/17 18:02] Alexsis Kamala: Can you hear me?
[2011/02/17 18:02] Alexsis Kamala: I can hear you guys -- LOUD
[2011/02/17 18:02] Alexsis Kamala: yep yep
[2011/02/17 18:02] douglasbushong: Sounds great, Futcha
[2011/02/17 18:02] kimmy Francois: yes
[2011/02/17 18:02] jt21: yep
[2011/02/17 18:02] kimmy Francois: russ you are low
[2011/02/17 18:02] jojobean100: I can hear you Russ
[2011/02/17 18:02] Alexsis Kamala: Yes Russ, can you hear me
[2011/02/17 18:02] jojobean100: I can hear you Alexsis
[2011/02/17 18:02] jojobean100: I can hear you Futcha
[2011/02/17 18:03] jojobean100: Your voice is like a chipmunk
[2011/02/17 18:03] Shely Seubert: hi ashley! sorry i left the room
[2011/02/17 18:03] Futcha Rhode is Offline
[2011/02/17 18:03] lenewayashley: Oh, that's okay.
[2011/02/17 18:03] Dalai Haskell: yes
[2011/02/17 18:03] kimmy Francois: loud
[2011/02/17 18:03] Dalai Haskell: can hear you loud and LOUD
[2011/02/17 18:03] Alexsis Kamala: I turned the volume down in the preferences
[2011/02/17 18:04] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): *chuckles*
[2011/02/17 18:04] Futcha Rhode is Online
[2011/02/17 18:04] Russ Riegler: ahhh easy fix
[2011/02/17 18:04] Alexsis Kamala: my graphics card must be working great! I got a new one that is FAST!!
[2011/02/17 18:04] lenewayashley: yay!
[2011/02/17 18:04] Alexsis Kamala: my other one melted. hehe
[2011/02/17 18:04] Russ Riegler: cool Alexsis ..what type did you get?
[2011/02/17 18:04] Russ Riegler: oh no
[2011/02/17 18:04] Mortimer Mavinelli: I really need to buy a new graphics card...I haven't bought one in about 7 years
[2011/02/17 18:05] Mortimer Mavinelli: or whenever the GeForce 6800s came out
[2011/02/17 18:05] Russ Riegler: what do you recommend Alexsis?
[2011/02/17 18:05] Alexsis Kamala: Graphics card: PNY GeForce GTX 470, XR8 Enthousiast Edition
[2011/02/17 18:05] Haru Menna is Online
[2011/02/17 18:05] Russ Riegler: oh wow is it pricey ? lol
[2011/02/17 18:05] douglasbushong: Crikey. They're up to the 470 now...
[2011/02/17 18:05] Alexsis Kamala: my school paid for it because this system belongs to them
[2011/02/17 18:05] Mortimer Mavinelli: I'm kind of waiting for Elder Scrolls; Skyrim to come out as an excuse to buy a new one
[2011/02/17 18:05] Alexsis Kamala: oh, there were ones higher than that
[2011/02/17 18:05] Alexsis Kamala: I got the mid range one
[2011/02/17 18:06] Mortimer Mavinelli: Not sure my wife will approve or not, but I'd like to buy a brand new gaming machine then
[2011/02/17 18:06] kimmy Francois: hello
[2011/02/17 18:06] douglasbushong: I have two 260's in SLI mode.
[2011/02/17 18:06] kimmy Francois: ha
[2011/02/17 18:06] Alexsis Kamala: haha
[2011/02/17 18:06] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): ^_^
[2011/02/17 18:06] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Yay Kimmy!
[2011/02/17 18:06] kimmy Francois: thanks
[2011/02/17 18:06] Mortimer Mavinelli: man, I gotta pick up the pace
[2011/02/17 18:07] douglasbushong: Same here, mortimer. I had a crazy week this week, but I am going to have a lot more time in the coming week.
[2011/02/17 18:07] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): For Science!
[2011/02/17 18:07] Mortimer Mavinelli: Yeah. I'm planning on finishing a quest every single day this week.
[2011/02/17 18:07] andiwho: Same here.
[2011/02/17 18:07] Aoi (alana.steamweaver) strikes a pose.
[2011/02/17 18:07] Russ Riegler: Congrats guys !
[2011/02/17 18:07] kimmy Francois: not sure
[2011/02/17 18:07] Alexsis Kamala: I am just 35 points short of Ensign!
[2011/02/17 18:08] jimmyray9: How many points for Ensign?
[2011/02/17 18:08] Rosie Halostar: where can we see how many points each stage is?
[2011/02/17 18:08] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): 1000, I think.
[2011/02/17 18:08] kimmy Francois: in the sylabus
[2011/02/17 18:08] Alexsis Kamala: http://edtech2.boisestate.edu/haskellc/532-Syllabus.html
[2011/02/17 18:09] jojobean100: I haven't started that. Can we talk about that a little bit
[2011/02/17 18:09] Rosie Halostar: thanks
[2011/02/17 18:09] jojobean100: I am not sure what you are looking for.
[2011/02/17 18:09] Dalai Haskell: Riffing
[2011/02/17 18:10] Aoi (alana.steamweaver) meeps.
[2011/02/17 18:11] jimmyray9: Can you explain the story quest a bit more in detail?
[2011/02/17 18:12] Alexsis Kamala: Story = structure of game
[2011/02/17 18:12] douglasbushong: Professor, how in-depth did you want our flesh out of the story to be?
[2011/02/17 18:13] douglasbushong: 6 words.
[2011/02/17 18:13] jojobean100: Our we using existing sims or are we expected to build our own?
[2011/02/17 18:13] douglasbushong: For sale. Baby shoes. Never worn.
[2011/02/17 18:13] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): "For sale: Engagement Ring, slightly tarnished."
[2011/02/17 18:13] Futcha Rhode: haha
[2011/02/17 18:13] Futcha Rhode: great stories
[2011/02/17 18:14] Futcha Rhode: How many For Sale" stories will fit in 6 words?
[2011/02/17 18:14] Alexsis Kamala: doesn't have to be SL based, right?
[2011/02/17 18:14] Futcha Rhode: right...does not have a limit
[2011/02/17 18:14] Futcha Rhode: See you in the game Matrix room
[2011/02/17 18:14] Mortimer Mavinelli: I don't think we're expected to actually build a playable end product, but just create a fleshed out design
[2011/02/17 18:14] Alexsis Kamala: kk
[2011/02/17 18:14] Futcha Rhode: WE CAN CONTINUE THIS THERE
[2011/02/17 18:14] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Don't write the great American novel. ^_^
[2011/02/17 18:14] Futcha Rhode: oops
[2011/02/17 18:14] Futcha Rhode: dang apple keyboards
[2011/02/17 18:15] Mortimer Mavinelli: I think Futcha means BUSINESS
[2011/02/17 18:15] Mortimer Mavinelli: ;)
[2011/02/17 18:15] Haru Menna is Offline
[2011/02/17 18:16] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): *chuckles* Following the crowd I am realizing we have GOT to get some new walks... ^_^
[2011/02/17 18:17] Alexsis Kamala: a teleport from the briefing room would be nice too lol
[2011/02/17 18:17] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): ^_^
[2011/02/17 18:20] douglasbushong: Ocarina of Time was 3D.
[2011/02/17 18:20] Dalai Haskell: right
[2011/02/17 18:22] jojobean100 is Online
[2011/02/17 18:22] Futcha Rhode: and sim?
[2011/02/17 18:23] Alexsis Kamala: Is Mort talking? I can't hear him.
[2011/02/17 18:23] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I think he's typing his response.
[2011/02/17 18:23] Alexsis Kamala: kk
[2011/02/17 18:23] Futcha Rhode: yep
[2011/02/17 18:23] Alexsis Kamala: that works :-)
[2011/02/17 18:23] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): ^_^
[2011/02/17 18:23] Russ Riegler: ~)
[2011/02/17 18:23] Futcha Rhode: I agree that its a sim of solving something with clues
[2011/02/17 18:23] Futcha Rhode: also teaches that cllues don't always add up to what's real
[2011/02/17 18:24] Vivienne SpiritWeaver is Offline
[2011/02/17 18:24] douglasbushong: I don't know. I would have placed it more under arbitrary.
[2011/02/17 18:24] Futcha Rhode: It has only one "solution" per round
[2011/02/17 18:24] Forcing Ground Sit
[2011/02/17 18:24] Futcha Rhode: so that is not too arbitrary
[2011/02/17 18:24] Alexsis Kamala: It's pretty goal driven
[2011/02/17 18:24] douglasbushong: Sorry, I meant abstraction instead of simulation.
[2011/02/17 18:25] douglasbushong: Not arbitrary. I meant abstraction.
[2011/02/17 18:25] Futcha Rhode: so while there is choice, its within the bounds of the clues, board, turn taking and the "right answer"
[2011/02/17 18:25] Futcha Rhode: Ah yes
[2011/02/17 18:25] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): *nods*
[2011/02/17 18:25] douglasbushong: I think the mechanics of the game "clue" could have been applied to virtually any problem solving game.
[2011/02/17 18:25] douglasbushong: It was placed in the setting of a crime, but it didn't have to be.
[2011/02/17 18:26] Futcha Rhode: it is abstract in the sense of many of those same things - turn-taking, for example
[2011/02/17 18:26] Mortimer Mavinelli: douglas: I agree with you, but I think it still simulates a(n admittedly simplified) process of mystery-solving
[2011/02/17 18:26] Futcha Rhode: yes that mechanic is the same as for Caremn San Diego
[2011/02/17 18:26] douglasbushong: When I play it, I see it as a puzzle or problem, not necessarily a simulation.
[2011/02/17 18:26] Futcha Rhode: and Clue Finders
[2011/02/17 18:26] Mortimer Mavinelli: hmmm
[2011/02/17 18:26] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Turn taking isn't as abstract as one might think. It's a huge practical issue in regular conversation.
[2011/02/17 18:26] Mortimer Mavinelli: I think part of the fun of the game is PRETENDING you're a detective
[2011/02/17 18:26] Alexsis Kamala: and moving from room to room
[2011/02/17 18:27] Rosie Halostar: but the game itlself doesn't really make you feel like you're there, and tht you're a real detective -it's imagination
[2011/02/17 18:27] Alexsis Kamala: There is also a real-life version played at parties
[2011/02/17 18:27] kimmy Francois: I guess it bols down to how you want to view the context
[2011/02/17 18:27] Mortimer Mavinelli: Fair enough. :)
[2011/02/17 18:27] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): "How to Host a Murder" games? Very fun. ^_^
[2011/02/17 18:27] Rosie Halostar: simulations are supposed to mimic reality as much as possible, games are farther from this
[2011/02/17 18:27] jt21: Is the real life version anyting like the board game?
[2011/02/17 18:27] kimmy Francois: I would approach it from the puzzle pov
[2011/02/17 18:28] Alexsis Kamala: My daughter hosted one and used all of the same names like White, Plum, etc. They said it was a lot of fun
[2011/02/17 18:28] Rosie Halostar: Sure-I think most things fall somewhere in between, but an ideal simulation would be exactly like reality (a flight simulator that actually flew in real time, real but boring)
[2011/02/17 18:28] douglasbushong: I think simulations emphasize accuracy over fun, while games tend to do the reverse.
[2011/02/17 18:28] Rosie Halostar: and an ideal game is lots of fun, whether or not it's realistic
[2011/02/17 18:28] Alexsis Kamala: she matched the personalities of the people attending to the characters.
[2011/02/17 18:28] jt21: I think simulations may fit into the overall grouping of games, but I agree that they are supposed to be realictic.
[2011/02/17 18:29] douglasbushong: Coudl you repeat the definition.
[2011/02/17 18:29] Mortimer Mavinelli: Rosie: Actually I think Clark Aldrich pretty much says the same thing in his book "Learning Online with Games, Simulations, and Virtual Worlds"
[2011/02/17 18:29] Rosie Halostar: sure - I would count MS flight simulator as a simulator, not a game - there's no conflict
[2011/02/17 18:29] Alexsis Kamala: I'm not sure there was a quantifiable outcome for her party
[2011/02/17 18:29] Mortimer Mavinelli: However, I think this may be a rather limited definition of "simulation"
[2011/02/17 18:29] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): By their definition? "Conflict". If you create a simulation where everyone is in harmony... But how often is there no conflict? People always bring their personalities...
[2011/02/17 18:29] Rosie Halostar: and I never found it really fun either :)
[2011/02/17 18:29] kimmy Francois: sure, if there are no points, no goals, just practice
[2011/02/17 18:29] Alexsis Kamala: no one really won, they just had fun being together and role playing
[2011/02/17 18:29] Mortimer Mavinelli: Perhaps I'm being too liberal, though
[2011/02/17 18:29] Birthday Cake whispers: Yummy Birthday Cake!
[2011/02/17 18:30] Rosie Halostar: I think these are useful characteristics, to help us conceptualize different games and simulations, none of which fall into the "ideal" version of either category
[2011/02/17 18:30] Mortimer Mavinelli: Yeah, I never found it fun either
[2011/02/17 18:30] kimmy Francois: those music simulations
[2011/02/17 18:30] Rosie Halostar: but mayt have charactreristics of both - it's a spectrum
[2011/02/17 18:30] Mortimer Mavinelli: I like good combat flight simulations, though
[2011/02/17 18:30] Shely Seubert: sometimes I think of simulations that are just experiences without outcomes like a motorcycle ride
[2011/02/17 18:30] douglasbushong: I've used that. It's pretty sweet.
[2011/02/17 18:30] Shely Seubert: the "player" doesn't have control in some simulations
[2011/02/17 18:31] Mortimer Mavinelli: Shely: Well, if it's a simulation, it probably simulations some real-life scenario, and outcomes happen in real life
[2011/02/17 18:31] Mortimer Mavinelli: *it probably simulates, I mean
[2011/02/17 18:31] Shely Seubert: I think I am thinking of simulations that are rides
[2011/02/17 18:31] jimmyray9: So is the ideal simulation one in which the participant doesn't know that it is a simulation or game?
[2011/02/17 18:31] Alexsis Kamala: I think in some simulations, the quantifiable outcome may be intrinsic
[2011/02/17 18:32] Mortimer Mavinelli: At the very least, a simulation is designed to enhance the real-world or perceived real-world understanding of an actual concept or procedure
[2011/02/17 18:32] jimmyray9: Like that movie titled "The Game"?
[2011/02/17 18:32] jojobean100: I think all games have some type of quantifiable outcome or goal in mind.
[2011/02/17 18:32] douglasbushong: Can you guys hear me on the microphone?
[2011/02/17 18:32] Rosie Halostar: I think for something to qualify as a game it has to have some sort of goal, even if there is a lot of freedom toe xplore while pursuing that goal
[2011/02/17 18:32] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I'm not hearing you, Douglas.
[2011/02/17 18:32] Rosie Halostar: and a simulation can either be a game, or a toy, depending
[2011/02/17 18:32] Alexsis Kamala: nope, Douglas can't hear you
[2011/02/17 18:32] douglasbushong: Aw fudge.
[2011/02/17 18:32] jimmyray9: No sound Douglas
[2011/02/17 18:32] douglasbushong: I've been speaking my answers.
[2011/02/17 18:32] Alexsis Kamala: no green bars overhead
[2011/02/17 18:32] jojobean100: The outcome can be quantified by talking about how much you have increased your knowledge about a certain topic.
[2011/02/17 18:32] Shely Seubert: I feel like the game I am designing is a simulation of running a hotel but turns into game because of the "conflict"
[2011/02/17 18:32] douglasbushong: My beef is with the "artificial conflict" part.
[2011/02/17 18:33] Russ Riegler: I don't agree about a goal Rosie unless its just to have fun
[2011/02/17 18:33] lenewayashley: I think that is interesting because I think of simulations like the flight simulator at a theme park and I don't know of any quant. outcomes or artificial conflict or rules...
[2011/02/17 18:33] douglasbushong: How does he define "conflict?"
[2011/02/17 18:33] Alexsis Kamala: increasing your knowledge is basically intrinsic
[2011/02/17 18:33] douglasbushong: Oooohhhhh. I loved playing Skip-bo!
[2011/02/17 18:33] Shely Seubert: ooh I love SkipBo
[2011/02/17 18:33] Futcha Rhode: A 'storm" scenario is an artifical conflict
[2011/02/17 18:33] lenewayashley: Me to!
[2011/02/17 18:33] jimmyray9: Yep
[2011/02/17 18:33] Mortimer Mavinelli: SkipBo is awesome
[2011/02/17 18:33] jojobean100: Very true, but it can be quanitified by using tests
[2011/02/17 18:33] Garth Goode is Online
[2011/02/17 18:34] douglasbushong: Yeah. Similar to Uno.
[2011/02/17 18:34] Futcha Rhode: it's important (I think) that we see a sim as a "model" of reality but not "trying to be reality in full."
[2011/02/17 18:34] jimmyray9: You might like 7 Ate (
[2011/02/17 18:34] jimmyray9: 7 Ate 9
[2011/02/17 18:34] jimmyray9: It is a similar math card game
[2011/02/17 18:34] Rosie Halostar: Agreed Futcha - it's always compromising in some way, otherwise we would jsut do it in reality
[2011/02/17 18:34] Alexsis Kamala: Thanks Mort! I really like Skipbo. We have altered the rules quite a bit to make it more challenging
[2011/02/17 18:35] Alexsis Kamala: I will have to look that up! 7 ate 9
[2011/02/17 18:35] Alexsis Kamala: thanks
[2011/02/17 18:35] Futcha Rhode: You might like to read Mimi Ito's work Shely
[2011/02/17 18:36] Alexsis Kamala: http://www.otb-games.com/7ate9/index.html
[2011/02/17 18:36] jimmyray9: Oh and Numbers League is great
[2011/02/17 18:36] douglasbushong: At least the monsters in Yu-Gi-Oh are directly tied to the cards. It's better than Pokemon.
[2011/02/17 18:36] douglasbushong: Pokemon is some serious Michael Vick stuff!
[2011/02/17 18:36] Alexsis Kamala: remember pogs?
[2011/02/17 18:36] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Iiiiiiiiiiinteresting.
[2011/02/17 18:36] lenewayashley: I loved pogs!
[2011/02/17 18:36] douglasbushong: The whole morality of Pokemon always got to me.
[2011/02/17 18:37] jimmyray9: Pogs! Awesome haha
[2011/02/17 18:37] Alexsis Kamala: precursor to Pokemon
[2011/02/17 18:37] Mortimer Mavinelli: I collected Garbage Pail Kids. That would've been cool if it were a game.
[2011/02/17 18:37] jojobean100: My brother did too Mort.
[2011/02/17 18:37] jojobean100: I loved looking at those.
[2011/02/17 18:37] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Oh lord, I remember those. x.x
[2011/02/17 18:37] Alexsis Kamala: we are aging ourselves
[2011/02/17 18:37] Mortimer Mavinelli: my parents hated them
[2011/02/17 18:38] jojobean100: I love that:)
[2011/02/17 18:38] jojobean100: I really like story based games.
[2011/02/17 18:38] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I remember that at the ride for the Star Wars thing when I was at Disneyland so long ago...
[2011/02/17 18:38] kimmy Francois: I loved space mountain line
[2011/02/17 18:38] lenewayashley: Interesting connection Shely
[2011/02/17 18:38] Alexsis Kamala: Yes, that is so true! I have witnessed kids missing the story and then don't know what to do and judge the game on that
[2011/02/17 18:39] jojobean100: I know I think it is the age. Most kids are too impatient.
[2011/02/17 18:39] Futcha Rhode: Mortimer - sometime the story is spread out
[2011/02/17 18:39] Shely Seubert: sometimes you are distracted by the splash and you miss the end of the story
[2011/02/17 18:39] lenewayashley: Ha!
[2011/02/17 18:39] Futcha Rhode: like over time and in several medias
[2011/02/17 18:39] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I really enjoy imersion in my games, I've never thought of it in regards to lines for rides... Interesting!
[2011/02/17 18:39] jojobean100: They live in an instant gratification world:)
[2011/02/17 18:39] lenewayashley: Yes. I don't have a working mic so I will type
[2011/02/17 18:39] Alexsis Kamala: I wonder if the story should show up throughout the game as just-in-time information?
[2011/02/17 18:39] lenewayashley: I played this game A LOT in middle school.
[2011/02/17 18:39] Futcha Rhode: "transmedia migration" is a phrase used to point to the skill developed by gamer gen
[2011/02/17 18:40] Futcha Rhode: for carrying sorty way beyond the game
[2011/02/17 18:40] lenewayashley: I put it in the goal driven side rather than arbitrary because the game does have goals, the main goal being that you get your dream guy to ask you to the prom
[2011/02/17 18:40] jojobean100: Wow, how did you accomplish that?
[2011/02/17 18:40] Shely Seubert: that is funny!!
[2011/02/17 18:40] Rosie Halostar: Alexsis - I think it makes the game more interesting if you uncover the story bit by bit, rhatehr than getting the whole thing and then just focusing on playing
[2011/02/17 18:40] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): *luaghs*
[2011/02/17 18:40] Dalai Haskell laughs
[2011/02/17 18:40] lenewayashley: you play the part of this character and you make decisions and choices along the way the influence the outcome of the game
[2011/02/17 18:40] Alexsis Kamala: which box?
[2011/02/17 18:40] jojobean100: Sounds like the Choose Your own Adventure books.
[2011/02/17 18:41] douglasbushong: It reminds me of the movie "License to Drive" with Corey Haim.
[2011/02/17 18:41] lenewayashley: goal driven simulation and narrative
[2011/02/17 18:41] Aoi (alana.steamweaver) listens to the sound of a dozen cameras zooming in.
[2011/02/17 18:41] lenewayashley: Yes!
[2011/02/17 18:41] lenewayashley: Ha
[2011/02/17 18:41] douglasbushong: Hehee.
[2011/02/17 18:41] Alexsis Kamala: @Rosie, yes, but the "bit by bit" could be revealed by "JIT" programming
[2011/02/17 18:41] lenewayashley: There were like 8 different discs you had to put in and take out 100 time throughout the course of a game...oldschool!
[2011/02/17 18:42] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I haven't, but I don't know that I could add anything new to the conversation.
[2011/02/17 18:42] Futcha Rhode: insert disc 9 now,,,
[2011/02/17 18:42] douglasbushong: Manipulating a gust of wind.
[2011/02/17 18:42] jojobean100: Me either.
[2011/02/17 18:42] douglasbushong: to make the flowers fly.
[2011/02/17 18:42] Russ Riegler: cool
[2011/02/17 18:42] Rosie Halostar: Wow, I feel like the fact that my parents waited so long to get a computer and nintendo at the house really puts me at a disadvantage here - I missed so much :)
[2011/02/17 18:42] douglasbushong: I tend to agree with that.
[2011/02/17 18:43] jimmyray9: @Rosie, me too
[2011/02/17 18:43] Futcha Rhode: right, surviving
[2011/02/17 18:43] jojobean100: You were forced to use your imagination Rosie. That couldn't of been too bad for you Rosie
[2011/02/17 18:43] douglasbushong: I think the problem is the use of "arbitrary" here...
[2011/02/17 18:43] Rosie Halostar: lol - you're right jojobean
[2011/02/17 18:43] douglasbushong: the idea that "arbitrary" was resting opposite "goal-driven" has bothered me all week.
[2011/02/17 18:43] douglasbushong: As I thought about it, I saw the grid on 3 dimensions:

Goal Driven vs Experience Driven
Simulation vs Abstraction
Twitch vs Contemplative.
[2011/02/17 18:44] Alexsis Kamala: Sim City - precursor to Cityville?
[2011/02/17 18:44] douglasbushong: Sim city seems more about the experience than the goal.
[2011/02/17 18:44] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Yes, very much douglas.
[2011/02/17 18:44] Russ Riegler: oh no
[2011/02/17 18:44] jojobean100: Wow talk about time consuming
[2011/02/17 18:44] Futcha Rhode: haha
[2011/02/17 18:44] Rosie Halostar: plus, they have this built in video recorder for making machinima, which is like the opposite of a game
[2011/02/17 18:44] Russ Riegler: yes very true Commander !
[2011/02/17 18:44] Rosie Halostar: I mean, ther eis a goal of maing a story but it's not the same
[2011/02/17 18:44] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Yes! Many people did that.
[2011/02/17 18:45] Alexsis Kamala: I used to play Sim City but it bothered me when the people became sad when I did something wrong. Had to stop playing it.
[2011/02/17 18:45] lenewayashley: I am really bad about that on Sims 3
[2011/02/17 18:45] douglasbushong: See? You changed the experience.
[2011/02/17 18:45] jojobean100: Wow, think about how that can relate to real life.
[2011/02/17 18:45] douglasbushong: It wasn't about the goal; it was about the experience.
[2011/02/17 18:46] Shely Seubert: i use walkthroughs after I go through once and it makes the game more satisfying
[2011/02/17 18:46] Anevka Kozlov is Online
[2011/02/17 18:46] Shely Seubert: I feel like I need to get 100%
[2011/02/17 18:46] jojobean100: One of the interesting uses of games is in training. For example, now for driver's ed they have students practice driving using a game.
[2011/02/17 18:46] kimmy Francois: interesting
[2011/02/17 18:46] douglasbushong: I complete a game once to experience the game, and then use the cheats if I want to get the "power gamer" experience.
[2011/02/17 18:46] jimmyray9: Do our quests have cheat codes?
[2011/02/17 18:46] jimmyray9: Haha
[2011/02/17 18:46] douglasbushong: It's like using Proxy cards in Y-u-Gi-Oh or Magic.
[2011/02/17 18:46] lenewayashley: ha
[2011/02/17 18:46] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): *chuckles*
[2011/02/17 18:46] jojobean100: I don't like the cheats. I want to earn it myself.
[2011/02/17 18:47] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Hey! I use proxies in Magic all the time. ^_^
[2011/02/17 18:47] jojobean100: It bothers me.
[2011/02/17 18:47] Futcha Rhode: ...we're now in the ethics of games...haha
[2011/02/17 18:47] kimmy Francois: yeah!
[2011/02/17 18:47] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Hee!
[2011/02/17 18:47] Rosie Halostar: I'm very interested in narrative, so more quests and resources on that is great
[2011/02/17 18:47] Shely Seubert: there used to be an 800 number my mom would call for Super Mario in the 80's. it was like your personal walkthrough
[2011/02/17 18:47] jojobean100: I think it all has to do with personality.
[2011/02/17 18:47] kimmy Francois: I have very little experience inplaying video games
[2011/02/17 18:47] jojobean100: I am stubborn that way.
[2011/02/17 18:48] Rosie Halostar: there was no way to get to the last level of super mario without cheats!!
[2011/02/17 18:48] lenewayashley: It really depends on what game I am playing and what my purpose is.
[2011/02/17 18:48] Rosie Halostar: did anyone ever do it?
[2011/02/17 18:48] Futcha Rhode: cheats enter into child's play as well - with "rule bending"
[2011/02/17 18:48] douglasbushong: I did it.
[2011/02/17 18:48] jojobean100: Are you talking about the old Super Mario?
[2011/02/17 18:48] Futcha Rhode: ususally by more powerful players to retain control
[2011/02/17 18:48] Rosie Halostar: wow, Doug, you're my new hero :)
[2011/02/17 18:48] jimmyray9: But there are cheats in real life too....
[2011/02/17 18:48] Rosie Halostar: yes - original Nintendo game
[2011/02/17 18:48] douglasbushong: Yeah.
[2011/02/17 18:48] jojobean100: Oh, I never did.
[2011/02/17 18:48] lenewayashley: For example, in SIMS, I personally just liked to build the house and not necessarily play through the narrative side of that game
[2011/02/17 18:48] jojobean100: I did however on the new one.
[2011/02/17 18:49] kimmy Francois: points for playing games super
[2011/02/17 18:49] Mortimer Mavinelli: There was a narrative in Sims?
[2011/02/17 18:49] douglasbushong: Super Mario Brothers 3 is my "Comfort game" I typically beat in about 14-15 minutes.
[2011/02/17 18:49] jojobean100: Not that I am proud of it. It was a waste of time:)
[2011/02/17 18:49] Futcha Rhode: haha
[2011/02/17 18:49] lenewayashley: Well you know like making the story of the character
[2011/02/17 18:49] douglasbushong: If I have some time to kill, I chew through a game of SMB3.
[2011/02/17 18:49] Alexsis Kamala: aahhh too sad
[2011/02/17 18:49] Russ Riegler: Alklright !
[2011/02/17 18:49] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Run away! Run away!
[2011/02/17 18:49] Futcha Rhode: I'll head to the Command Module
[2011/02/17 18:49] Futcha Rhode: yep
[2011/02/17 18:49] Alexsis Kamala: missed that, what are we doing?
[2011/02/17 18:50] kimmy Francois: sure
[2011/02/17 18:50] Anevka Kozlov is Offline
[2011/02/17 18:50] douglasbushong: Is there a restroom on the space station?
[2011/02/17 18:50] Futcha Rhode: questing - making teams if needed or talk with profs in the Command module
[2011/02/17 18:50] jimmyray9: 8:15?
[2011/02/17 18:50] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I was just wondering that myself, douglas!
[2011/02/17 18:50] Alexsis Kamala: 7:15 SL time
[2011/02/17 18:50] douglasbushong: Well, I'm going to use the restroom. Be back momentarily.
[2011/02/17 18:50] Russ Riegler: cool
[2011/02/17 18:50] douglasbushong: AFK BRB
[2011/02/17 18:50] lenewayashley: I do rosie
[2011/02/17 18:50] Ladle Ashmoot: i'll do the milk run
[2011/02/17 18:50] Anevka Kozlov is Online
[2011/02/17 18:53] Futcha Rhode: Hi
[2011/02/17 18:53] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Hello/ ^_^
[2011/02/17 18:53] jojobean100: Hi, are we talking about the quest that we are supposed to be working on?
[2011/02/17 18:53] jojobean100: the only one that I haven't attempted was the story toy puzzle quest
[2011/02/17 18:54] jojobean100: I did that one
[2011/02/17 18:54] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I'm mostly here to kibitz. ^_^ I've done the group activities already, so...
[2011/02/17 18:54] jojobean100: how people learn?
[2011/02/17 18:54] jojobean100: I put a theory together with Gardners multiple intelligences and cognitive theory.
[2011/02/17 18:55] jojobean100: Basically people learn in different ways and their environment, behavior affect their learning
[2011/02/17 18:55] kimmy Francois is Online
[2011/02/17 18:57] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Fantastic!
[2011/02/17 18:59] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Oooooooooooh.
[2011/02/17 19:01] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Hi Russ.
[2011/02/17 19:02] Futcha Rhode: www.globalchallengeaward.org
[2011/02/17 19:02] jojobean100: Thanks
[2011/02/17 19:02] Alexsis Kamala: Thank you!
[2011/02/17 19:02] jojobean100: Does our game need to incorporate our mash up learning theory that we developed?
[2011/02/17 19:03] jojobean100: That would be a cool Sim
[2011/02/17 19:03] Alexsis Kamala: This would be a good match up for a Science class :-)
[2011/02/17 19:03] lenewayashley is Online
[2011/02/17 19:04] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): It reminds me a bit of something two friends of mine and I did as teens. We assigned ourselves $5,000 each and "played the stock market". We had to pick investments, tell one another what they were, and track the actual fluctuations of the market using the new paper. We learned a lot about investing through that..
[2011/02/17 19:04] jojobean100: Oh cool
[2011/02/17 19:04] Mortimer Mavinelli is Online
[2011/02/17 19:05] Russ Riegler: neat
[2011/02/17 19:05] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Interesting!
[2011/02/17 19:05] jojobean100: math people?
[2011/02/17 19:05] jojobean100: Great ideas.
[2011/02/17 19:05] jojobean100: Thank you
[2011/02/17 19:06] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Oh wow. Now I'm going over that in my head...
[2011/02/17 19:06] Intruder Hud: Cannot use llRegionSay() on channel 0.
[2011/02/17 19:06] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Spore.
[2011/02/17 19:06] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I haven't played it, but I really am interested.
[2011/02/17 19:07] Anevka Kozlov is Offline
[2011/02/17 19:07] jojobean100: Oh, wasn't that in the video we watched in one of the quests?
[2011/02/17 19:07] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): It was. ^_^
[2011/02/17 19:07] Anevka Kozlov is Online
[2011/02/17 19:08] Futcha Rhode: welcome one and all the floor is open for anything
[2011/02/17 19:08] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Well, I'm mostly here to kibitz and possibly toss in ideas if people want, so no one wait on me! ^_^
[2011/02/17 19:08] Futcha Rhode: we were just exploring strating points for high schoo lsicnece thought games and a story
[2011/02/17 19:08] BobbiJo (bobbijo.jonson) is Offline
[2011/02/17 19:08] Futcha Rhode: thanks Alana
[2011/02/17 19:09] Alexsis Kamala: ideas seem to be why we are all here. :-)
[2011/02/17 19:09] Futcha Rhode: that role is vital in these spaces
[2011/02/17 19:09] Futcha Rhode: yep indeed
[2011/02/17 19:09] Alexsis Kamala: I started my story, but now I am rethinking it.
[2011/02/17 19:09] Futcha Rhode: if you toss one out, we'll elbaorate or think of new stuff
[2011/02/17 19:09] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Oh?
[2011/02/17 19:10] BobbiJo (bobbijo.jonson) is Online
[2011/02/17 19:10] Futcha Rhode: yep!
[2011/02/17 19:10] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): UGH. Yes... I'm not fond of math, and that approach would so chuck me under the wheels...
[2011/02/17 19:10] jojobean100: What a wonderful opportunity
[2011/02/17 19:11] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): *listnes*
[2011/02/17 19:11] Russ Riegler: ahh interesting
[2011/02/17 19:11] jojobean100: Maybe they are collecting blocks to build a house:)
[2011/02/17 19:12] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): That's what I was thinking, jojo.
[2011/02/17 19:12] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Or a wall for a castle.
[2011/02/17 19:12] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Or some such.
[2011/02/17 19:12] Alexsis Kamala: I have it written so they can build what they want, a building, a structure, a robot, etc, etc
[2011/02/17 19:12] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Especially if it's a community project?
[2011/02/17 19:12] Alexsis Kamala: but they will share their creations and it has to have a purpose
[2011/02/17 19:12] Alexsis Kamala: what game was that?
[2011/02/17 19:13] Russ Riegler: yes can you think of the game ?
[2011/02/17 19:13] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I just find myself thinking of the Great Wall of China. If the class have to collectively solve math issues in order to build a wall to protect their homes from the barbarian hordes, that might appeal to many.
[2011/02/17 19:14] Russ Riegler: inspiring and stimulating
[2011/02/17 19:14] Russ Riegler: Adults as well
[2011/02/17 19:14] douglasbushong: Lemonade Stand would be interesting for high school students if their task was to determine the equation behind the simulation.
[2011/02/17 19:14] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I hate math, and I'd probably enjoy that. ^_^
[2011/02/17 19:14] Russ Riegler: obesssive compulsive SL users AHHAH lol right ?
[2011/02/17 19:14] douglasbushong: Gather data by performing a monte carlo analysis of the game.
[2011/02/17 19:15] douglasbushong: Winnow the equation down from all the raw data.
[2011/02/17 19:15] Alexsis Kamala: I need help with a story that will cause the students want to collect building blocks, I like the Great Wall of China idea, it feeds some creativity deep down inside of me somewhere. hehe
[2011/02/17 19:15] Russ Riegler: great ides here this evening !
[2011/02/17 19:15] douglasbushong: Oof . I can hear Alexsis' keyboard.
[2011/02/17 19:15] jojobean100: I like your hair Russ. Is it new?
[2011/02/17 19:15] Russ Riegler: ideas*
[2011/02/17 19:15] Aoi (alana.steamweaver) whispers: Well, I'm just picturing as an example that they might have to figure out how many carts they need to transport a certain volume of blocks to build the wall. And if they are wrong they either spend too much "money"
[2011/02/17 19:15] Futcha Rhode: Here is a resource you might now know about for games an sims in math
[2011/02/17 19:15] Futcha Rhode: http://illuminations.nctm.org/
[2011/02/17 19:15] Futcha Rhode: do you use this already?
[2011/02/17 19:15] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): on carts or they don't get as many blocjks as they could.
[2011/02/17 19:16] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): ... Darned enter key.
[2011/02/17 19:16] jojobean100: Good ideas Aoi.
[2011/02/17 19:16] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I mean, that's one activity... Very math oriented.
[2011/02/17 19:16] Futcha Rhode: Here is another one I love
[2011/02/17 19:16] Futcha Rhode: http://www.wolframalpha.com/
[2011/02/17 19:16] Futcha Rhode: Type in your own name into that search and see what they do
[2011/02/17 19:16] Alexsis Kamala: I will have to use some sort of wiki for a foundation of the game so that has to be considered
[2011/02/17 19:16] Alexsis Kamala: I do use Illuminations
[2011/02/17 19:16] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Oop! Time to go!
[2011/02/17 19:17] jojobean100: The story could be that some one is coming to try and destroy their town and they need to build a wall to protect their town. They get the blocks by completing the math problems correctly.
[2011/02/17 19:17] Alexsis Kamala: but these are not full blown games really they are more like apps
[2011/02/17 19:17] Futcha Rhode: I found what I was looking for - for you:
[2011/02/17 19:17] Futcha Rhode: http://www.dimensionu.com/math/
[2011/02/17 19:17] Futcha Rhode: this is the game that is really, really god righ tnow
[2011/02/17 19:18] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Oooooh. Pretty airship.
[2011/02/17 19:18] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 12 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:18] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 12 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:19] Futcha Rhode: its all or nothing
[2011/02/17 19:19] Futcha Rhode: haha
[2011/02/17 19:19] jimmyray9: Haha
[2011/02/17 19:19] jojobean100: What about A's?
[2011/02/17 19:19] Futcha Rhode: Lots of those
[2011/02/17 19:19] andiwho: hahahaha
[2011/02/17 19:19] douglasbushong: Hehee.
[2011/02/17 19:19] Russ Riegler: wow great !
[2011/02/17 19:19] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 11 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:19] antasy airship demo': This is demo version of 3, Time Left: 11 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:19] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 11 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:20] Random Wezzog is Offline
[2011/02/17 19:20] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 10 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:20] antasy airship demo': This is demo version of 3, Time Left: 10 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:20] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 10 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:21] douglasbushong: Papers seem arbitrary....
[2011/02/17 19:21] jimmyray9: No I think it helps a lot
[2011/02/17 19:21] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): *chuckles*
[2011/02/17 19:21] Futcha Rhode: hehe
[2011/02/17 19:21] Futcha Rhode: I think they are getting the picture
[2011/02/17 19:21] kimmy Francois: that was just elusive enough!
[2011/02/17 19:21] jt21: sounded alright to me
[2011/02/17 19:21] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 9 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:21] antasy airship demo': This is demo version of 3, Time Left: 9 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:21] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 9 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:22] Futcha Rhode: The value of papers are the feedback from peers and us and the re-writing and re-thinking
[2011/02/17 19:22] Futcha Rhode: not "whether or not" they meet some standard
[2011/02/17 19:22] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 8 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:22] antasy airship demo': This is demo version of 3, Time Left: 8 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:22] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 8 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:23] Alexsis Kamala: that's hard to do without a platform
[2011/02/17 19:23] Alexsis Kamala: I think the medium limits or dictates what can be done by each of us
[2011/02/17 19:23] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 7 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:23] antasy airship demo': This is demo version of 3, Time Left: 7 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:23] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 7 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:24] Mortimer Mavinelli: who are the programmers?
[2011/02/17 19:24] Alexsis Kamala: I would love to create of WOW type game but that's just not feasible. Have to think more grounded.
[2011/02/17 19:24] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 6 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:24] antasy airship demo': This is demo version of 3, Time Left: 6 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:24] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 6 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:25] kimmy Francois: wow
[2011/02/17 19:25] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I have a WOW like idea, but I suspect it'll never happen. I left my spare millions in my other pants.
[2011/02/17 19:25] Alexsis Kamala: :-) yep yep
[2011/02/17 19:25] douglasbushong: I've already go my game fleshed out; I just lack the programming expertise to make it happen. Mine is a simple side scrolling platform game.
[2011/02/17 19:25] Rosie Halostar: I think the thought process of coming up with a thesis idea, and have to criAlana - check under the couch cushions, that usually works for me ;)
[2011/02/17 19:25] kimmy Francois: like we use assessment to drive instruction
[2011/02/17 19:25] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): ^_^
[2011/02/17 19:25] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 5 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:25] antasy airship demo': This is demo version of 3, Time Left: 5 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:25] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 5 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:25] Mortimer Mavinelli: one of the most common thing developers say in game dev forums is to start small...don't start out trying to make the next WOW.
[2011/02/17 19:25] douglasbushong: The thing that makes it work, though, is "the pinch."
[2011/02/17 19:26] Mortimer Mavinelli: Just do something simple to learn, then build up gradually
[2011/02/17 19:26] kimmy Francois: me
[2011/02/17 19:26] Rosie Halostar: I did
[2011/02/17 19:26] Alexsis Kamala: here
[2011/02/17 19:26] Aoi (alana.steamweaver) raises her hand.
[2011/02/17 19:26] Alexsis Kamala: yes
[2011/02/17 19:26] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 4 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:26] antasy airship demo': This is demo version of 3, Time Left: 4 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:26] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 4 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:26] Alexsis Kamala: that's just fine
[2011/02/17 19:27] Alexsis Kamala: I can just share the link to my google doc where I have started brainstorming
[2011/02/17 19:27] Shely Seubert: ye
[2011/02/17 19:27] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Yep.
[2011/02/17 19:27] Rosie Halostar: yep
[2011/02/17 19:27] lenewayashley: yes
[2011/02/17 19:27] andiwho: yep
[2011/02/17 19:27] Alexsis Kamala: y
[2011/02/17 19:27] antasy airship demo': This is demo version of 3, Time Left: 3 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:27] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 3 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:27] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 3 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:27] Futcha Rhode: haha
[2011/02/17 19:27] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): *chuckles*
[2011/02/17 19:28] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): oooooh. Interesting!
[2011/02/17 19:28] Futcha Rhode: a time traveler with alternative choices
[2011/02/17 19:28] douglasbushong: Ooohhhh. You need to play Braid!
[2011/02/17 19:28] andiwho: Dr. Who!
[2011/02/17 19:28] Futcha Rhode: give her the url
[2011/02/17 19:28] Futcha Rhode: give the url
[2011/02/17 19:28] Mortimer Mavinelli: haha douglas, I knew you'd plug that again. Though I don't blame you.
[2011/02/17 19:28] douglasbushong: It's all about time travel. Going back in time to reverse your mistakes.
[2011/02/17 19:28] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 2 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:28] antasy airship demo': This is demo version of 3, Time Left: 2 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:28] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 2 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:28] douglasbushong: http://www.braid-game.com/
[2011/02/17 19:29] douglasbushong: There
[2011/02/17 19:29] douglasbushong: Watch that little review.
[2011/02/17 19:29] Alexsis Kamala: http://bit.ly/fFtwa6
[2011/02/17 19:29] andiwho: http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/dw
[2011/02/17 19:29] Russ Riegler: 28:30] Russ Riegler: WOW excellent theme Kimmy
[19:28:50] Russ Riegler: sounds very unique and interesting
[2011/02/17 19:29] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): What basic subject are you attempting to teach in this? It would be fascinating as a means to teach history or problemsolving.
[2011/02/17 19:29] Mortimer Mavinelli: I can see how this would be very educational
[2011/02/17 19:29] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 1 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:29] antasy airship demo': This is demo version of 3, Time Left: 1 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:29] door: This is demo version of door, Time Left: 1 minutes
[2011/02/17 19:30] Shely Seubert: made me think of this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect
[2011/02/17 19:30] jojobean100: Like Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
[2011/02/17 19:30] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Me too, Shely.
[2011/02/17 19:30] Mortimer Mavinelli: What if there was an element of suspense in it? Like your character is in danger somehow.
[2011/02/17 19:30] jimmyray9: Haha I was thinking of Sliding Doors
[2011/02/17 19:30] lenewayashley: Shely, I was thinking the same thing, that movie was horrific
[2011/02/17 19:30] Darlingmonster Ember is Offline
[2011/02/17 19:30] Mortimer Mavinelli: Maybe some other entity is chasing him through time
[2011/02/17 19:30] Rosie Halostar: me too, jimmy
[2011/02/17 19:30] Shely Seubert: wasn't it!!!
[2011/02/17 19:30] douglasbushong: The idea behind Braid is simple: What if you could learn from your mistakes, but undo the consequences? What would you become?
[2011/02/17 19:30] lenewayashley: yes!
[2011/02/17 19:30] Vivienne SpiritWeaver is Online
[2011/02/17 19:30] Alexsis Kamala: sliding doors?
[2011/02/17 19:30] Ladle Ashmoot: A short story this reminds me of: http://www.abyssandapex.com/200710-wikihistory.html
[2011/02/17 19:30] door: Demo version time was end. Buy full version
[2011/02/17 19:30] antasy airship demo': Demo version time was end. Buy full version
[2011/02/17 19:30] door: Unable to give inventory: 'No item named ''.'.
[2011/02/17 19:30] antasy airship demo': Unable to give inventory: 'No item named ''.'.
[2011/02/17 19:30] door: Demo version time was end. Buy full version
[2011/02/17 19:30] door: Unable to give inventory: 'No item named ''.'.
[2011/02/17 19:30] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Or what if they actually, rather than changing, but had to restore history? That's a GREAT teaching tool for history.
[2011/02/17 19:31] Mortimer Mavinelli: I'd probably be a millionaire if I could do that
[2011/02/17 19:31] douglasbushong: Oooohhh.
[2011/02/17 19:31] Rosie Halostar: alana - can you elaborate? what do you mean restore?
[2011/02/17 19:31] jojobean100: have each student pick a significant figure and then discuss how life would be different now without them.
[2011/02/17 19:31] douglasbushong: In addition to Sliding Doors, you could watch "Run, Lola, Run."
[2011/02/17 19:31] Ladle Ashmoot: restoring history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyagers!
[2011/02/17 19:31] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Say someone was messing history up. For example they made the South won the Civil War... the students have to find how they changed history, go back, and fix it. They'd have to know what really happened to fix it.
[2011/02/17 19:31] andiwho: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130827/
[2011/02/17 19:32] jimmyray9: Is this an attempt to show how to happy with your own choices?
[2011/02/17 19:32] Rosie Halostar: oh, that;s cool!
[2011/02/17 19:32] douglasbushong: Run, Lola, Run.
[2011/02/17 19:32] Shely Seubert: also if a historic battle general had a different strategy
[2011/02/17 19:32] andiwho: yes its in German
[2011/02/17 19:32] Russ Riegler: Time Travelers Wife
[2011/02/17 19:32] Alexsis Kamala: I f you copy chat into a google doc when we are done, the links are still active
[2011/02/17 19:32] Futcha Rhode: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130827/
[2011/02/17 19:32] Futcha Rhode: that is the Lola movie
[2011/02/17 19:32] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): (Also, if you have the settings in preferences right, you can find a log of the conversation on your hard drive for later reference.)
[2011/02/17 19:32] jojobean100: This reminds me of the Choose Your own Adventure books.
[2011/02/17 19:33] jojobean100: I just love those books.
[2011/02/17 19:33] Russ Riegler: yes I agree jimmy
[2011/02/17 19:33] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I remember those from my youth. Very fun.
[2011/02/17 19:33] douglasbushong: In a sense, they are just like that. You get to learn from the game, and wipe away the consequences.
[2011/02/17 19:33] jimmyray9: But the Choose your own adventure stories are in the future
[2011/02/17 19:33] jimmyray9: She is talking about the past I think
[2011/02/17 19:34] jojobean100: I think it would be interesting to travel back in time to understand different perspectives at that time in history.
[2011/02/17 19:34] lenewayashley: I think of pay if forward, more if this then what...
[2011/02/17 19:34] douglasbushong: Also, check out the game "NationStates" by Max Barry.
[2011/02/17 19:34] jojobean100: Because history is all about perspective.
[2011/02/17 19:34] Russ Riegler: past or present /
[2011/02/17 19:34] Alexsis Kamala: in order for a student to think about changing history, they have to do some good research into the history in question and think about what did happen in order to think about how to change it
[2011/02/17 19:34] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Ooooooooh. *chuckles*
[2011/02/17 19:35] jimmyray9: What about taking small events and making them into bigger more influential ones
[2011/02/17 19:35] Alexsis Kamala: http://www.nationstates.net/
[2011/02/17 19:35] Rosie Halostar: i'll go next
[2011/02/17 19:35] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I did.
[2011/02/17 19:35] lenewayashley: I did too
[2011/02/17 19:35] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I'll let Rosie go, she spoke before me.
[2011/02/17 19:35] Rosie Halostar: ok, thanks
[2011/02/17 19:36] Rosie Halostar: ok, so the basic story has already started to change in my mind but here's the basic idea, maybe you guys can help out
[2011/02/17 19:36] Russ Riegler: sure
[2011/02/17 19:36] Russ Riegler: go for it Rosie
[2011/02/17 19:36] Futcha Rhode: we're all ears as th candidate from Texas used to say
[2011/02/17 19:36] Rosie Halostar: the topic is social skills for kids with asperger's, and the game idea involves cooperation and communication skills to succeed
[2011/02/17 19:36] Russ Riegler: AHhah
[2011/02/17 19:36] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Ooooooooh.
[2011/02/17 19:37] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): That's quite the challange!
[2011/02/17 19:37] lenewayashley: Parenthood had an excellent episode on Tuesday
[2011/02/17 19:37] andiwho: but very fitting
[2011/02/17 19:37] Futcha Rhode: and do you have a stroy idea?
[2011/02/17 19:37] Russ Riegler: lost Rosie ?
[2011/02/17 19:37] Rosie Halostar: my original idea was group cooperation to be able to go on a school trip, but now I'm rethinkning hta
[2011/02/17 19:37] Rosie Halostar: that
[2011/02/17 19:37] douglasbushong: It could start with a team project.
[2011/02/17 19:38] Futcha Rhode: group planning can be powerful'because kids like to get out of school
[2011/02/17 19:38] Futcha Rhode: and they like to control the refreshments etc
[2011/02/17 19:38] Futcha Rhode: hahs
[2011/02/17 19:38] Futcha Rhode: so there is def motivation there
[2011/02/17 19:38] Russ Riegler: oh wow great idea Rosie !
[2011/02/17 19:38] Rosie Halostar: maybe they go on a family vacation, and discover a cave or some artifact and have to befriend the lcoa klids in order to accomplish something
[2011/02/17 19:38] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Indeed. And maybe that's the thing of it. Perhaps they can plan the trip itself?
[2011/02/17 19:38] Futcha Rhode: love it
[2011/02/17 19:38] Futcha Rhode: keep the ideas coming
[2011/02/17 19:38] Alexsis Kamala: Think about how long you want this game to last. That will help flesh out what can be done in that time period
[2011/02/17 19:38] douglasbushong: What if you had a series of tasks? Bridge building out of popscicle sticks, for example.
[2011/02/17 19:38] andiwho: I was thinking Magical School Bus
[2011/02/17 19:38] douglasbushong: It could be a series of small, micro-games.
[2011/02/17 19:38] Futcha Rhode: what about ;planning an adventure quest to an unknown land
[2011/02/17 19:38] Rosie Halostar: oh andiwho, that's good
[2011/02/17 19:38] douglasbushong: All within a specific framework.
[2011/02/17 19:39] andiwho: http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/
[2011/02/17 19:39] Rosie Halostar: futcha - intriguing
[2011/02/17 19:39] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): oooh! I like that, Futcha. An adventure planning an exploration of a strange place!
[2011/02/17 19:39] Russ Riegler: yes are a special trip inside SL
[2011/02/17 19:39] Futcha Rhode: where do we go? what can we bring? does it have to fit in our backpack or do we have acanoe
[2011/02/17 19:39] Russ Riegler: excellent
[2011/02/17 19:39] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): They'd have to coordinate what they bring, how they're getting there, all that.
[2011/02/17 19:39] Rosie Halostar: I like the idea of advetnture, because I want the basic game idea to be soemthing kid swould choose to platy
[2011/02/17 19:39] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Neat!
[2011/02/17 19:39] Futcha Rhode: yeah the stragneness would mean a lot of questions
[2011/02/17 19:39] Russ Riegler: I have a few places in mind
[2011/02/17 19:39] Rosie Halostar: love to hear it Russ!
[2011/02/17 19:39] Futcha Rhode: where is this place? what will we need when we get there?
[2011/02/17 19:39] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): How old are these children?
[2011/02/17 19:39] Alexsis Kamala: will this game be played in face-to-face?
[2011/02/17 19:40] Kiba Tachikawa is Offline
[2011/02/17 19:40] Rosie Halostar: middle school
[2011/02/17 19:40] jt21: could it be done skype style?
[2011/02/17 19:40] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Peeeeeeerrrrrrrfect! That's the perfect age for this!
[2011/02/17 19:40] Futcha Rhode: what is a problem in communication for a middle school A. kid?
[2011/02/17 19:40] Russ Riegler: ahhh 6 graders? more or less?
[2011/02/17 19:40] Rosie Halostar: not face to face, the idea is that kids who don't like to socialize can spend time playing on the computer to get better at socializing in real life
[2011/02/17 19:40] Rosie Halostar: 6-8, yes
[2011/02/17 19:40] Futcha Rhode: ove it
[2011/02/17 19:40] Russ Riegler: ok great
[2011/02/17 19:40] Futcha Rhode: great concept
[2011/02/17 19:40] Mortimer Mavinelli: what if you go the opposite route? they're on a deserted island, and have to cooperate together to get back home.
[2011/02/17 19:40] Dalai Haskell: love it
[2011/02/17 19:40] Rosie Halostar: so kids are plyaing on their own against NPCs
[2011/02/17 19:40] jt21: would there be chat during the game if they don't want to sociliaze
[2011/02/17 19:40] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): You could do it with blogs. Have them create live journals or something, form a community, and then their journal entries are how they have the adventure.
[2011/02/17 19:40] Futcha Rhode: and the affordance of the "machine" can help build a commuinication bridge
[2011/02/17 19:41] Rosie Halostar: mortimer -= I like that!
[2011/02/17 19:41] Shely Seubert: yes I was thinking of the cooperation required in survivor at the beginning
[2011/02/17 19:41] Alexsis Kamala: so they will be playing with other live students but doing it virtually?
[2011/02/17 19:41] Futcha Rhode: blogs are a great idea!
[2011/02/17 19:41] Futcha Rhode: easy
[2011/02/17 19:41] Futcha Rhode: cheap
[2011/02/17 19:41] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Everyone would need to read one another's blogs to know who is doing what.
[2011/02/17 19:41] Futcha Rhode: not fancy graphics neede here
[2011/02/17 19:41] Futcha Rhode: yep
[2011/02/17 19:41] Rosie Halostar: wasn't thinking of playing against other kids, but maybe
[2011/02/17 19:41] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I actually used that mechanism for a research project on gender play online.
[2011/02/17 19:41] Futcha Rhode: (sort of like this class- haha)
[2011/02/17 19:41] Rosie Halostar: wow, this is great studd - keep it coming :)
[2011/02/17 19:41] lenewayashley: Here is a link for some virtual field trips, just for ideas
[2011/02/17 19:41] Rosie Halostar: stuff
[2011/02/17 19:41] Mortimer Mavinelli: I think you can have both competition and cooperation
[2011/02/17 19:41] lenewayashley: http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/trip.html
[2011/02/17 19:41] Mortimer Mavinelli: nothing wrong with that
[2011/02/17 19:42] Rosie Halostar: yes, mortimer, they should probably learn how to deal with competition, especially at this age
[2011/02/17 19:42] Rosie Halostar: thanks!
[2011/02/17 19:42] Dalai Haskell: Rainman
[2011/02/17 19:42] andiwho: Here's Magic School Bus again:
[2011/02/17 19:42] andiwho: http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/
[2011/02/17 19:42] Mortimer Mavinelli: More virtual field trips http://www.simplek12.com/virtualfieldtrips
[2011/02/17 19:42] Rosie Halostar: I LOVE magic shool bus
[2011/02/17 19:42] andiwho: me too!
[2011/02/17 19:42] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): This was the live journal group for my adventure based research study as an example: http://community.livejournal.com/polymagic_u/
[2011/02/17 19:42] andiwho: I still play that game to unwind from work sometimes
[2011/02/17 19:42] jojobean100: http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/lesson_plans/physical_ed/games/
[2011/02/17 19:43] Alexsis Kamala: many of these online games that are already out there can become resources used inside our own games we create.
[2011/02/17 19:43] Rosie Halostar: find long lost family member, a la Rainmane (just getting in chat so I can review later)
[2011/02/17 19:43] jojobean100: http://www.activities-for-kids.net/cooperation-activities-for-kids.html
[2011/02/17 19:43] Shely Seubert: this might be a little advanced for middle school but a site where people share ideas about planning their group trip http://www.triporama.com/
[2011/02/17 19:43] Futcha Rhode: cool idea to find trip planner sites!
[2011/02/17 19:44] Rosie Halostar: how can I check that my chats are being logged?
[2011/02/17 19:44] Aoi (alana.steamweaver) gets out her fireball deck.
[2011/02/17 19:44] Futcha Rhode: now you can get GIS maps, into the plnaning, put pictures on the maps
[2011/02/17 19:44] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Rosie, it's in preferences.
[2011/02/17 19:44] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Communication tab.
[2011/02/17 19:44] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Logging options.
[2011/02/17 19:44] Rosie Halostar: found it - wasn't checked :(
[2011/02/17 19:44] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Save "local chat"
[2011/02/17 19:45] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Maybe someone can send you a copy of theirs?
[2011/02/17 19:45] douglasbushong: Channel-Fireball deck...
[2011/02/17 19:45] Caladon Raethiel-Margrace (caladon.rae) is Offline
[2011/02/17 19:45] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Don't forget a Fork in there, douglas.
[2011/02/17 19:45] andiwho: Yeah Rosie I can send you mine after class
[2011/02/17 19:45] Rosie Halostar: oh, that would be great - Alana if you could do that afterwards it would really help
[2011/02/17 19:45] Rosie Halostar: thanks everyone for all the good ideas!
[2011/02/17 19:45] Futcha Rhode: haha
[2011/02/17 19:46] Shely Seubert: i read your blog and thought it was a great idea
[2011/02/17 19:46] Futcha Rhode: post holocaust soc to build a sustaining community - deciding
[2011/02/17 19:46] douglasbushong: Here are the Mark Rosewater Articles on game design.
[2011/02/17 19:46] douglasbushong: http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Archive.aspx?author=Mark%20Rosewater
[2011/02/17 19:47] jojobean100: Also, there will be a lot of learning on what it takes to build a successful society.
[2011/02/17 19:47] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Through communication. ^_^
[2011/02/17 19:47] Rosie Halostar: awesome idea!
[2011/02/17 19:47] jimmyray9: willl they be creating a new language? Such as they do not know each others language?
[2011/02/17 19:47] douglasbushong: Here is my favorite of the articles: Timmy, Johnny, and Spike
[2011/02/17 19:47] douglasbushong: http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr11b
[2011/02/17 19:47] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): No, not creating a new language. But they have to learn how to talk using the language they know in a way that makes good decisions.
[2011/02/17 19:47] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Avoiding distortions, uncovering truth and assumption, that sort of thing.
[2011/02/17 19:47] jojobean100: It would be neat if they all spoke different languages.
[2011/02/17 19:48] douglasbushong: Lord of the Flies
[2011/02/17 19:48] Ladle Ashmoot: lord of the flies
[2011/02/17 19:48] andiwho: Lord of the Flies
[2011/02/17 19:48] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I've never read that... *laughs*
[2011/02/17 19:48] Dalai Haskell: I get to be ralph
[2011/02/17 19:48] andiwho: A little bit like Oregon Trail? But in group setting
[2011/02/17 19:48] Kiba Tachikawa is Online
[2011/02/17 19:48] jojobean100: I love that game.
[2011/02/17 19:49] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Yes, that's a good analogy, Andi.
[2011/02/17 19:49] douglasbushong: I agree. Oregon Trail is a great example.
[2011/02/17 19:49] jimmyray9: Will you be the Game Master of sorts? LIke give them a new problem as soon as they finish the other one, or even including two at the same time?
[2011/02/17 19:49] andiwho: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056085/
[2011/02/17 19:49] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): You have died of dysintary.
[2011/02/17 19:49] andiwho: that's for how the west was won
[2011/02/17 19:49] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Yes, I'd be "game master"
[2011/02/17 19:49] Mortimer Mavinelli: even the single player Oregon Trail was often a multiplayer game
[2011/02/17 19:49] Dalai Haskell: Are there specific skills or strategies you want to employ.
[2011/02/17 19:49] Mortimer Mavinelli: students would just gather around the computer and shout orders
[2011/02/17 19:49] andiwho: That is KEY!
[2011/02/17 19:50] Dalai Haskell: Winter is the time constraint
[2011/02/17 19:50] Dalai Haskell: :)
[2011/02/17 19:50] jojobean100: This could be used in an ESL setting to help students to learn how to overcome language barriers by learning how to communicate in other ways.
[2011/02/17 19:50] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Well, I'd like them to use Habermas' Comunicative action theory... *chuckles*
[2011/02/17 19:50] douglasbushong: Actually, winter wasn't a constraint in Oregon trail.
[2011/02/17 19:50] jojobean100: I am thinking in teacher terms again:)
[2011/02/17 19:50] Rosie Halostar: so how will they discover this theory? what prompts can you provide?
[2011/02/17 19:51] andiwho: I'm thinking of those team builder "games" you play at camp
[2011/02/17 19:51] andiwho: where you have to help each other across a log
[2011/02/17 19:51] andiwho: but can't speak
[2011/02/17 19:51] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Rosie: the idea is that this would be more practice. They can have recieved a more traditional lesson on it, and this is the practical exercise.
[2011/02/17 19:51] andiwho: so it's got to be all non-verbal communication
[2011/02/17 19:51] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Hmm... That is problematic.
[2011/02/17 19:51] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Twitter1
[2011/02/17 19:51] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Very verbal, Andi.
[2011/02/17 19:51] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Hmm... That's an interesting thought.
[2011/02/17 19:51] Russ Riegler: great idea
[2011/02/17 19:52] andiwho: Twitter is the verbal way of doing that same thing
[2011/02/17 19:52] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Thank you, everyone!
[2011/02/17 19:52] Alexsis Kamala: Yes! That's what I was thinking, use what's out there as resources within our game idea
[2011/02/17 19:53] kimmy Francois: http://feature.mmosite.com/content/2008-10-11/20081011030507950.shtml
[2011/02/17 19:53] Russ Riegler: yvw Alana
[2011/02/17 19:54] jojobean100: ashely
[2011/02/17 19:54] jojobean100: ashley
[2011/02/17 19:54] jojobean100: sorry
[2011/02/17 19:54] lenewayashley: Sure.
[2011/02/17 19:55] lenewayashley: Here is the link to my blog entry
[2011/02/17 19:55] lenewayashley: http://ashleyleneway.blogspot.com/2011/02/story-toy-puzzle-game-my-game-idea.html
[2011/02/17 19:55] lenewayashley: But...the basic idea is I want to develop a game that helps kids look at the consequences of their actions
[2011/02/17 19:55] lenewayashley: to help them learn from thier mistakes
[2011/02/17 19:56] lenewayashley: Yes!
[2011/02/17 19:56] Mortimer Mavinelli: I like the idea. Games in general are pretty well-oriented toward this anyway, due to the ability to give prompt feedback during play
[2011/02/17 19:56] jojobean100: This sounds like the game lab idea.
[2011/02/17 19:57] kimmy Francois: I have a color chart
[2011/02/17 19:57] douglasbushong: Strange. My avatar shows "away" and is sleeping.
[2011/02/17 19:57] douglasbushong: Though I am here.
[2011/02/17 19:57] Rosie Halostar: does it makse sense for the game activities to mimic what they do in class? or be completely different to be more interesting but still teach consequences?
[2011/02/17 19:57] Mortimer Mavinelli: Right now, my 8 year-old daughter has studied things like human anatomy, and insects this year
[2011/02/17 19:57] jojobean100: It sounds like a Sim
[2011/02/17 19:57] jojobean100: Choose your adventure Sim
[2011/02/17 19:57] lenewayashley: Yes, their choices influence what happens next
[2011/02/17 19:57] Alexsis Kamala: Can Ashley put a link to her blog in this chat?
[2011/02/17 19:57] Mortimer Mavinelli: You could do things like have them do different things with insects, like feed them different foods...if they're correct, they advance...
[2011/02/17 19:57] Mortimer Mavinelli: *if they're the correct foods
[2011/02/17 19:58] andiwho: Mad Libs
[2011/02/17 19:58] lenewayashley: so if they learn from turning in their homework or not punching a bully, they get more options...
[2011/02/17 19:58] andiwho: very simplistic
[2011/02/17 19:58] jojobean100: That is a good idea Mortimer.
[2011/02/17 19:58] Mortimer Mavinelli: Since it's 2nd grade, keep it simple
[2011/02/17 19:58] jojobean100: Are you looking at seeing if they are gaining knowledge or skills?
[2011/02/17 19:58] jojobean100: or both?
[2011/02/17 19:58] lenewayashley: both jo jo
[2011/02/17 19:58] kimmy Francois: kind of like the teach to role play but virtual
[2011/02/17 19:58] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): It may be hard to find, but there's a board game called "Yellowstone". Each player takes charge of a herd of animals and has to move them from their winter grounds, to their summer grounds, then back. They have to make decisions on where to forage and for how long. If they move too fast they don't have enough food to survive. If they move too slow they wind up caught by winter storms in bad area. The consequences are survival for their herd animals.
[2011/02/17 19:59] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Oh. Okay.
[2011/02/17 19:59] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Hmm...
[2011/02/17 19:59] lenewayashley: that is correct
[2011/02/17 19:59] Rosie Halostar: knowledge of correct school behavior? or consequences in general?
[2011/02/17 19:59] lenewayashley: both rosie
[2011/02/17 19:59] Rosie Halostar: ok
[2011/02/17 19:59] Mortimer Mavinelli: oh, my kids love the Jumpstart games
[2011/02/17 20:00] Russ Riegler: haha
[2011/02/17 20:00] Russ Riegler: Jumped the Start!
[2011/02/17 20:00] andiwho: I built a training program at work that is kind of like this. As a trainee, you complete both hard-skills and soft-skills training, and earn points along the way
[2011/02/17 20:00] lenewayashley: Interesting idea...I like the group ida
[2011/02/17 20:00] lenewayashley: idea
[2011/02/17 20:00] andiwho: the points are then redeemed for company "swag"
[2011/02/17 20:00] douglasbushong: Dalai looks like my grandfather in church....
[2011/02/17 20:00] Alexsis Kamala: http://www.jumpstart.com/
[2011/02/17 20:01] kimmy Francois: ha doug
[2011/02/17 20:01] Futcha Rhode: the swag in this case is clothing, candy, recess time
[2011/02/17 20:01] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Trade points for which part of the play ground kids get to play in. Then they can have auctions for the equipment.
[2011/02/17 20:01] andiwho: right
[2011/02/17 20:01] Futcha Rhode: ah great idea==trade knowledge
[2011/02/17 20:01] Futcha Rhode: and earn points for trading and helping others
[2011/02/17 20:01] Futcha Rhode: while learning
[2011/02/17 20:01] Futcha Rhode: sort of a service-learning goal
[2011/02/17 20:01] Mortimer Mavinelli: like experts-exchange.com
[2011/02/17 20:01] Futcha Rhode: but the motivation is to get to a party or recess that your friends get to plan with all their swag
[2011/02/17 20:01] kimmy Francois: character building
[2011/02/17 20:02] Mortimer Mavinelli: or forrst.com
[2011/02/17 20:02] andiwho: or kind of like the weightloss community - SparkPeople.com
[2011/02/17 20:02] Futcha Rhode: first tea to the goal line determines the party theme
[2011/02/17 20:02] Futcha Rhode: second team to the goal chooses the music
[2011/02/17 20:02] Futcha Rhode: haha
[2011/02/17 20:02] andiwho: you gain points for all activities on the site, and more or less depending on the kind of activity
[2011/02/17 20:02] lenewayashley: Thank you everyone!
[2011/02/17 20:03] douglasbushong: What is the plan for this coming week?
[2011/02/17 20:03] kimmy Francois: thanks everyone
[2011/02/17 20:03] Russ Riegler: Great class session Dr. Futcha !
[2011/02/17 20:03] andiwho: Yeah, great class. Really glad to be back!
[2011/02/17 20:03] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): I'll toss today's chat log on my blog tonight or tomorrow for everyone who needs it, since I know some people didn't have that turned on and wanted that.
[2011/02/17 20:03] Russ Riegler: yvw kimmy ...thank you !!
[2011/02/17 20:05] andiwho: that raises a great question for me: can anyone share the URL for the Moodle Forum for this class?
[2011/02/17 20:05] kimmy Francois: if only I remember what I got!
[2011/02/17 20:05] Futcha Rhode: http://edtech.mrooms.org/login/index.php
[2011/02/17 20:05] Russ Riegler: oh COOL
[2011/02/17 20:05] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Hee!
[2011/02/17 20:05] jojobean100: It would be interesting if you didn't tell them how they I found lots of treasure:0
[2011/02/17 20:05] jt21: thanks
[2011/02/17 20:06] lenewayashley: Have a great weekend! Thank you
[2011/02/17 20:06] Russ Riegler: Great class session folks !
[2011/02/17 20:06] lenewayashley is Offline
[2011/02/17 20:06] Futcha Rhode: G'nite to all and thanks for a great class.
[2011/02/17 20:06] Aoi (alana.steamweaver): Gotta run! Late for a rezday party! See you next week!
[2011/02/17 20:06] jojobean100: Sorry. didn't finish my chat:(
[2011/02/17 20:06] Futcha Rhode is Offline
[2011/02/17 20:06] kimmy Francois: night Johnboy
[2011/02/17 20:06] Rosie Halostar: thanks everyone for the great ideas! Have a great weekend
[2011/02/17 20:06] andiwho: Thanks see you next week!

Toy

For this assignment our mission was to create a couple of toys that could be used within our story. Toys are objects that can be used many times, having great replay value.

For my story (a post apocalyptic situation to teach communication) I created a barrel and a pallet.

Here we can see a bunch of pallets and barrels littering a stream. Imagine our students coming across this scene. What might they do with this?

















Well, here's one possibility.






















I attempted to use them to build a bridge across the water but quickly discovered several problems. The water needs to be shallow (or you wind up needing so many barrels and pallets you run out of free prims) and the bottom needs to be relatively flat. I found the perfect spot to do so in Cove, but then my barrels and pallets kept being returned to me within two minutes. Ah, well.

Other things I did while playing was bowling (they're physical objects, and when they strike one another they can go flying!) No photos of that though.

There are two problems I've discovered with this though. The first is that these objects are really, REALLY heavy on the prim count. I may want to cut back. The second is that, while you can drag or roll them around easily without editing, you can't lift or control rotation without actually going into edit mode, and that can mess with the "physical" setting strangely on occasion.

Explore: CAVE Island

After class (and after time exploring freebee islands with Alexsis, Kimmie, and Douglas) I decided to take on the exploration of COVE mission. Let me start with by saying what an absolutely beautiful place this is. I'll admit I've been to lovelier sims in my two years, but not many. This one really had some amazing spots.

My first impression was not so glowing. I started my tour with the two buildings adjacent to the small sandbox area where we trained on building. These two buildings proved to be extremely simplistic builds with nothing inside (save for a table and some chairs upstairs in one). My thoughts upon seeing that were that this was going to be a quick mission.

After that, however, I began running into sight after sight that took my breath away:





Inside one of the cave networks. This is a gorgeous grotto. Having a class in here might be dangerous because it's so peaceful one's thoughts might drift away.




Outside of one of the caves. Again, this is such a peaceful spot...











This was a library and computer lab setup. All the amenities! Though it felt a bit meta to be staring at computer screens on my computer screen.









The first floor of the conference center. I have attended conferences at far less likable locations. (I was amused to discover I could identify all three royals. Victoria, Edward, and George V.) The accommodations upstairs were quite comfy.







There were a number of other locations throughout. While a few were a tad odd (such as the rocket ship next to the tropical beach hut) generally this place was very lovely to stroll about.

More important than the view, though, was the educational nature.

A number of locations were set up such that they could be used as class areas. (This is not surprising, it's an educational sim, after all.) While they certainly weren't the traditional classroom in their look, they seemed quite well suited to the task. The settings were well thought out, managing to simultaneously provide comfy seating and an inviting atmosphere while at the same time blocking long distance views that might prove disruptive if someone nearby is being a bit whacky.

Additionally, almost anywhere you looked you could find slide shows of previous lessons, presumably created by previous students. (You can see examples in the grotto and library pictures.) These weren't simply scattered about, but in fact carefully placed throughout the sim deliberately. These proved to be quite informative, and while wandering it was quite natural to click through them when they caught the eye. While one might expect them to be intrusive and jarring given the pleasantness of the "natural" surroundings, in fact they weren't at all, and in fact lent interest to the place. Honestly? It was like a very, VERY well thought out museum that used nature instead of sterile concrete and wallpaper.

Very pleasant sim!

Learning Theory Mashup

For this project I am mashing up the Communities of Practice theory of learning with the Learning Styles model.

Communities of Practice states that people learn as part of a societies. As people interact with one another, they become inculcated through social interactions, learning norms, values, and life lessons from one another to create the body of learning that allows them to get by. As such, learning comes about as an interactive practice in which fellow learners are just as much a part of the learning process as instructors.

The downside of the Communities of Practice theory is that it insists that learning cannot be done by any other means than direct experience. This fails to take into account certain types of personalities. This is where the Learning Styles theory steps in and takes over.

Learning Styles states that there are principally two types of learners with very different approaches. The first type is the Concrete Active learner. This person takes a hands on approach to learning, wanting to get hands dirty and directly learn through trial and error. The second type is the Abstract Reflective learner. This person prefers to sit back, observe, and then spend time theorizing about the observations.

Communities of Practice theory clearly speaks to the Concrete Active learner, but fails to address the Abstract Reflective learner. However, it recognizes the communal nature of learning. My mash-up theory combines these two. It states that a community of learning can be formed by utilizing the Concrete Active learner as a tool for instructing the Abstract Reflective learner.

It works like this. After providing the base learning (through readings, lecture, or demonstration) needed to give the minimum of instruction necessary, the lesson then moves into a hands on sort of learning directed toward the Concrete Active learner. However, this project is purely voluntary. Abstract Reflective learners do not have to actively participate. Instead they become observers of the Concrete Active learner, with a responsibility to explain why observed successes and failures occurred. This allows the Concrete Active learner to learn in the method best suited to their needs while simultaneously allowing the Abstract Reflective learner to learn through taking the time to think about what they saw and mentally figuring out how it fits together.

Thus one still has a Community of Learning that takes into account different Learning Styles.

Story Concept

As a communication specialist I am looking for a story background for games, puzzles, and toys which emphasis communication. One possible idea I have is to play off of Habermas' Communicative Action Theory.

In a FAR too oversimplified nutshell, the theory states that actions taken can only be rational if they are the result of understanding brought about through good communication. Good communication, in turn, is dependent on communication that has not been distorted.

Distortions occur when one simply accepts that certain things are true without examining them. For example, if someone tells you "This rock needs to be over there" and you move it unquestioningly, you have acted irrationally. Instead, to ensure no distortion, you should first determine if the statement meets three conditions: "Is it true?", "Is it right?", and "Is it truthful?".

The first of these, "Is it true?" addresses the realities of conditions. Does the statement actually reflect what is? Taking our rock example, is there really a rock, and can it really be placed over there? If the statement fails to meet the qualification of being true, then you and the person telling you the rock needs to be over there can then determine why it is not true, and discuss what to do about it until you are in agreement. Once you have agreed, then you can act rationally in response.

The second, "Is it right?" addresses the question of acceptability. Is the person making the statement one who can rightly make that statement? Do they have the authority? the knowledge? Is putting the rock over there the right thing to do? Again, with our rock example, by stating the rock should be over there, the individual is making the claim that they have the right to determine where a rock should be, and that it is acceptable for the rock to be over there. Do they? If you feel there is reason to doubt their authority in this, you and that person can engage in dialog about the issue until, again, you come to agreement as to what is right in this matter.

The third condition is "Is it truthful?". This gets to the question of sincerity on the part of the speaker. Do they really feel it is best for the rock to be over there? Or do they have some sort of ulterior motive and the statement is being made deceptively? Again, this can be discussed if there are doubts. Once everyone agrees that things are being truthfully done, their action is rational.

To help students learn Habermas' Communicative Action Theory, I propose the following game concept:

It is a post apocalyptic world. Civilization and the world as we know it is no more. The students are a group of survivors who have just come together in the ruins of a city, and now they must survive and begin rebuilding the world. While engaged in this, they have to learn about the conditions they now face and act accordingly. They will have to determine in all of their interactions whether their actions to survive are based on good communication, or distorted communication. This will be done both internally (discussions of situations faced by the classmates) and externally (interactions with neighboring survivors who may or may not be well intentioned) as they solve puzzles, use toys, and play games that determine if they can cause a rebirth of civilization or will simply become the latest victims of the end of the world as we know it.