http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/ 2010-03-21T14:11:46Z http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/article/2214/gaming-isn-t-a-waste-of-time.html The popular consensus on gaming is that it's an unproductive waste of time, with little productive or human value.<br><br>Jane McGonigal has a great argument that provides lots of evidence to the contrary suggesting that gaming is already make huge strides in helping to solve real human issues, to bring sociability to the world and to solve giant problems. <br><br>It seems to suggest the people who are engaged in creating traditionally popular gaming experiences could put their skills to use in new and potentially more interesting ways.<br><div style="width:425px;text-align:left" id="__ss_1178684"><a style="font:14px Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;display:block;margin:12px 0 3px 0;text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/avantgame/learning-to-make-your-own-reality-igda-education-keynote-2009?type=presentation" title="Learning to Make Your Own Reality - IGDA Education Keynote 2009">Learning to Make Your Own Reality - IGDA Education Keynote 2009</a><object style="margin:0px" width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=mcgonigaligdaeducationkeynotegdc2009-090321162002-phpapp01&stripped_title=learning-to-make-your-own-reality-igda-education-keynote-2009" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><embed src="http://static.slidesharecdn.com/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=mcgonigaligdaeducationkeynotegdc2009-090321162002-phpapp01&stripped_title=learning-to-make-your-own-reality-igda-education-keynote-2009" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><div style="font-size:11px;font-family:tahoma,arial;height:26px;padding-top:2px;">View more <a style="text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a style="text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/avantgame">avantgame</a>.</div></div><br><br>Posted by Ed Cotton Influx Insights 2009-03-25T10:15:20Z http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/article/2051/video-games-are-now-serious-play.html For years video games and their makers have been dismissed by many as irrelevant, child's play. <br><br>The industry has carved out an impressive place in the entertainment space, but never seems to get the love or respect it feels it deserves. <br><br>With computing power advancing at a rapid rate and consoles being at the forefront of this, we are now starting to see games and the gaming industry being taken seriously. <br><br>One of the first examples was <a target="_blank" href="http://folding.typepad.com/">Folding@Home</a> on the PS3, which allows console owners to band together to help medical science. <br><br>The latest manifestation is the amazing collaboration between Citroen and Polyphony Digital, the makers of the hit driving simulation game, Gran Turismo. <br><a target="_blank" href="http://www.carbodydesign.com/archive/2008/10/04-citroen-gt-concept/"><br>The Citroen GT</a> unveiled at last week's Paris Auto Show was created in Polyphony's computers and then rendered into a live concept at Citroen. <br><br><a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/edcotton/2920831450/" title="Citroen GT by ed100, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/2920831450_b5346f6c3d.jpg" alt="Citroen GT" height="229" width="500"></a><br><br>The car therefore has been designed to perfection for both the real and virtual/digital worlds. <br><br><br><br><br>Posted by Ed Cotton Influx Insights 2008-10-06T23:21:11Z http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/article/1609/world-cyber-games--the-challenges-of-the-athlete.html In case you weren't aware, the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.worldcybergames.com/6th/main.asp">World Cyber Games </a>in Seattle just finished this Sunday, it's basically the Olympics of video games with competitions in Warcraft, Gears of War, Project Gotham Racing and more. In these games, contestants represent their countries. The tournament ended with USA on top of the medals table, followed by Brazil and South Korea.&nbsp; <br><br>Here's a great interview with Geoff Robinson, a Team USA cyber athlete, who plays Starcraft for his country and claims his biggest challenges are getting his roomate to pay the internet bill and finding six hours a day to practice. <br><br>Sadly, the interview is cut a little early, just when Geoff starts to explain how he managed to take advantage of his dad's business trip to travel to a tournament.<br><br><object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ysDee2FQHvA"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ysDee2FQHvA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br><br><br>Posted by Ed Cotton Influx Insights 2007-10-08T11:32:19Z http://www.influxinsights.com/blog/article/1385/the-first-video-game--1969.html <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1LsRGUODHlQ"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1LsRGUODHlQ" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> Influx Insights 2007-05-31T00:24:03Z