We Make Magic

March 10th, 2010 | Posted by admin

For many, working as a video game programmer at a famous development studio sounds like a dream job. You get to design and build fun new games all day. Here are some tips for making this dream a reality.

Know what you’re getting into

Before you dive into becoming a video game programmer, spend a little time to research what working at a video game studio actually entails. You don’t want to spend time and effort becoming a video game programmer only to realize that it’s not what you were hoping for. Working as a video game programmer takes a lot of effort. The work hours and deadlines can get stressful, especially near the end of a project. Talk with people who are in the video game business, either in person or online, about any questions you may have about the business.

Create your own games

Try your hand at making your own games at home to see what it’s like. You can start with simple projects first, such as basic text games or simple shooters. Grab a book on video game programming at your local bookstore (there are many to choose from) and dive in. C and Java are good programming languages to start out with. Don’t try to create something too big or you’ll quickly get overwhelmed. The purpose of this is to learn what it’s like to make games and get a little experience, not to develop the next award winning MMORPG. Development studios will be more likely to hire you if you have a good project or two that you can include with your resume.  Read more...

March 8th, 2010 | Posted by admin

Online games refer to video games that are played over some form of computer network, most commonly the Internet. The expansion of online gaming has reflected the overall expansion of computer networks from small local networks to the Internet and the growth of Internet access itself. Online games can range from simple text based games to games incorporating complex graphics and virtual worlds populated by many players simultaneously. Many online games have associated online communities, making online games a form of social activity beyond single player games.

Early online games

Online games started in the 1980s with MUDs, simple multiplayer text-based games, often played on a BBS using a modem. These games were frequently based on fantasy settings, using rules similar to those in the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Other styles of games, such as chess, Scrabble clones, and other board games were available.

Browser games

As the World Wide Web developed and browsers became more sophisticated, people started creating browser games that used a web browser as a client. Simple single player games were made that could be played using a web browser via HTML and HTML scripting technologies (most commonly JavaScript, ASP, PHP, and MySQL). More complicated games would contact a web server to allow a multiplayer gaming environment.

March 8th, 2010 | Posted by admin

It really seems as if children have become obsessed with all the video games they have been playing. Each day children are engulfed with the excitement that these video games bring to their lives, but parents are becoming truly concerned.

Many children are becoming obsessed with video games. They spend all the money they get for an allowance or birthday gifts on video games, accessories, and video game magazines. They play hours of these video games every day while at night they dream about ways to get through the next level of their favorite video game.

It seems as if these children are turning into robots as their little fingers turn into tiny machines as they become quick and precise with each touch of the controller. Often times, you can see their little palms sweating when ever they are playing really difficult levels. They can get anxiety from their hearts racing and the knots that develop within their stomach as playing some video games are as suspenseful as watching an extremely scary movie.

Parents feel as if these video games have taken over the lives of their children as they stare at the television screen while playing these video games. Researchers have discovered that children that play video games are effected by the way they act, think, and feel. These types of changes have been subject to several intense debates and concerns. One of the biggest concerns is violence due to the special effects and the computerized graphics as they become more and more realistic.  Read more...

March 6th, 2010 | Posted by admin

Atari, SEGA, Nintendo, and Sony Play Station, are just a few of the many video game systems that have been popular over the last few decades. Baby boomers have watched the progression of video game systems while raising their children, and now while watching their grandchildren.

The first home video game system was available in 1972. It was called Odyssey by Magnavox. The main games featured were a tennis game and a light gun game. There were no new systems available until 1976, when Fairchild Camera and Instruments released their system simply called the Video Entertainment System. This was the first system to have cartridges; the player swapped out a cartridge to change the game. In 1977, Atari starting placing coin operated arcade games inside restaurants. These arcade games were such a success, that Atari decided to create their own home video game system, which used cartridges, called the Atari 2600. Some of the games available for the Atari 2600, were Space Invaders, Battlezone, and the still popular Pac-Man. As the world enters the 1980s, a company called Nintendo created a game called Donkey Kong, which was also played on the Atari 2600. The game was based on a plumber who was trying to save his girlfriend from a crazed ape, named Donkey Kong. The plumber was later named, Mario.

Things remained fairly quiet in the video game industry until around 1985, when Nintendo created the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System). Around the same time, SEGA created a SEGA Master System to compete with the NES.  Read more...

March 3rd, 2010 | Posted by admin

Four of every ten young-adult dropouts receive some government assistance. Dropouts are eight times more likely to be in jail, and half of all prison inmates are dropouts. (Milliken, 2008) Dropouts begin the dropping out process as early as fourth grade when it becomes quite apparent they cannot read well enough to keep pace with the curriculum. Or worse yet, when they can no longer handle the shame and embarrassment of special education.

These consequences translate into lost tax revenues and higher costs. We can only be economically vibrant when our residents are engaged in productive careers in this competitive global economy. Global competition begins with strong literacy skills.

Since the 1940s k-12 schools taught the whole language concept of reading- memorizing words, known as sight-reading. When we were a manufacturing society, sight-reading and memorization was the easy quick way to prepare people for the factory as basic reading skills were necessary. Unfortunately, whole language has virtually left generations of students functionally illiterate to struggle with reading every day in this highly complex world.

The saddest tragedy is that these students are naturally tech savvy and prefer self challenge skills that are necessary for today’s global society. Skills America needs to secure high demand businesses,” states Ida Byrd-Hill President of Uplift, Inc.

According to Claire Raines, author of Connecting Generations: The Sourcebook, Millennials, those ages 13 to 23 years of age, prefer to learn using teamwork, technology, structure, entertainment and experiential activities. These students are considered technical natives having been raised with cell phones, DVDs, and video game consoles since their birth. They are naturally technical savvy and prefer self challenge.  Read more...