Computer Games
My colleague AMH and I are team-teaching a computer games course this term which is great fun. For implementation, we’re using a tool called GameMaker and students are generating a number of interesting games so far. (BTW, the online tutorials are very good.) I’ve also come across GameSalad which is a great tool for making games for the iPhone platform.
We’ve also had a number of good discussions regarding game design, trends in the field, and the social impact of computer gaming. Next week, we’ll be talking about ethical issues and MMORPGs and some of the cultural issues.I’d been slow to recognize the value of academic inquiry into the area of computer gaming, and now I see what a mis-step that’s been. In many ways, I think it would be dangerous for us NOT to think carefully about this, given how prevalent it is in our society. It would be analogous to not thinking carefully about the cultural implications of television!
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