Joystiq

The Joystiq Thanksgiving: 2007 edition

Ross Miller — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 23:59:00 EST

Aren't you glad you don't have to ford rivers and worry about death-prone oxen to make it home for a turkey feast? Check out the highlights for today:

Joystiquery
Joystiq Holidaze: explaining the PS3 SKUs
Joystiq Holidaze: explaining the Xbox 360 SKUs
Reminder: Win a $5K gaming PC from Falcon Northwest
Today's most Olympic video: Mario & Sonic at the Olympics review
X3F Week in Review: November 16, 2007 - November 22, 2007

News
Call of Duty 4 not HD: only 600p, claim pixel counters
Sin & Punishment's Saki cameos in Smash Bros. Brawl
Freeverse discusses porting Marathon 2 to XBLA
Popcap's Bookworm now available on mobile phones
AGEIA to give UT3 modders a physical with PhysX mod kit
Poor sales of Space Giraffe make Jeff Minter sad

Rumors & Speculation
Sony exec flirts with PlayStation phone ... again

Culture & Community
MapleStory holds in-game Black Friday sales
Yahtzee travels to America, visits Valve
1UP talks turkey games
Selfless crazies play Desert Bus for charity

The Joystiq Thanksgiving: 2007 edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Nov 2007 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Science classes look to Pokemon for answers

Jason Dobson — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:26:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Nintendo DS, Business

Growing up, we all had our share of classes in school that approached education from an odd angle in an effort to keep us from staring out the window while daydreaming of the game we left on pause before getting on the bus. Games seldom played a role in the classroom, though the times spent playing educational games like Oregon Trail in school still make up some of our most fond memories. We were too busy having fun to know -- or care -- that we were being educated.

Similarly, Nintendo, it seems, has latched onto the idea of tricking kids into having fun while learning. The company has partnered with the National Institute of Aerospace and Nortel LearniT for a set of downloadable lesson plans for science teachers that use characters and concepts from Pokemon, specifically Diamond and Pearl. Examples include learning how to tell time by the sun by studying the time-controlling Pokemon Dialga, or looking to Palkai's ability to control space as a window into the real universe.

It's a interesting concept, obviously, though this flirts a bit too close to in-school marketing for our tastes. Aimed at children in grades 3-8, it's a good bet that many of these kids already know and play Pokemon, but for those who are not already one of the Nintendo faithful this could be an effective, if questionable means to secure new followers. 'Gotta catch 'em all' indeed.

Science classes look to Pokemon for answers originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oregon attempts game bill because Timmy broke Mary's arm

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 08:55:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Politics

GamePolitics reports the Oregon House of Reps. is trying to blaze new trails by introducing a law making it unlawful to sell "ultra-violent" video games to people of the great state under 18 years of age. The bill was introduced by Rep. Arnie Roblan (D) and has no provision on what punishment would be given for those breaking the law, it also grants exception for parents who choose to purchase the game for their child. So, what's the point of this thing again?

Anyway, best part of the bill is the definition of "ultra-violent." The bill states, "'Ultra-violent video game' means a video game depicting serious injury to human beings in a manner that is especially heinous, atrocious or cruel." So, killing an alien, smearing its blood all over your avatar and then eating its entrails would be fine -- it's not a "human." That's quite speciesist, I hope the great state of Oregon has an excuse set up when the aliens arrive.

Oregon attempts game bill because Timmy broke Mary's arm originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Apr 2007 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Study: Educational software doesn't work

Tony Carnevale — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Business, Politics

The U.S. Department of Education issued a report yesterday that educational software of all types, from the video-game-like to the ultra-dry, "has no significant impact on student performance." And folks like Elliot Soloway, professor of educational tech at U. Michigan, are miffed. Says Soloway, "It is the poor kids who will suffer, because it is their schools who will not get technology because of this study."

That's one way to look at it. Here's another way: the study could help schools, both underfunded and not, because now their administrators might spend more money on good teachers and less on Oregon Trail. Shooting squirrels in a video game is fun, but it's no substitute for a real human showing you how to shoot squirrels.

[via GameLife]

Study: Educational software doesn't work originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Apr 2007 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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