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Coco Chanel said, “fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street. Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” I share Chanel’s sentiments. During the Roaring Twenties, women abandoned corsets and opted for bust-less, waist-less, knee-length dresses. Post-war culture of the 1940s embraced tiny waists, full skirts, and for that matter, full breasts. Punk culture in 1970s London responded to the economic crisis by filling the […]

Continue Reading about Haute Couture Popping Up in Video Games Published on:
May 20, 2010

It’s only natural that ICHEG be located in Rochester, a city with universities and colleges that attract students and academics from across the globe. One evening, while reminiscing with a few of them about childhood memories, a student from Portugal recalled the numerous occasions when he skipped religious studies to go to the arcade with change his mother had given him for an after-school snack. He would slip the coins into the slot of the Contra arcade game like he […]

Continue Reading about Video Game Sing Along, Anyone? Published on:
May 14, 2010

These familiar words have been used, in some form, through centuries of storytelling. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that the phrase dates to at least 1380, while Wikipedia states that “it seems to have become a widely accepted convention for opening oral narratives by around 1600.”
For a long, long time then, these four words have led us, usually first and most often as children, into a tale about a beautiful place far, far away. Many a fable or folktale has […]

Continue Reading about Once Upon a Time… Published on:
May 12, 2010

One of the most frequent questions I receive as a gamer is, “What kinds of games do you enjoy playing?” This question seems simplistic, but the answer is definitely not. I’ve given several different ones over the years, ranging from specific examples, such as Mario Bros., to broad genres, like puzzle games. As I get older, I realize my absolute favorite games are those that represent a connection to my personal life, especially games that take me back to a […]

Continue Reading about Who is Your Sailor Moon? Published on:
May 7, 2010

A century ago, the journalist, pastor, and social reformer Lyman Abbott wrote: “I frequently play solitaire as a brain rest, and I recommend the game to the brain-weary. In playing I have to study the relation of each card on the table to the other cards and take time to determine what my play shall be.”
Anyone who enjoys casual electronic games can identify with Abbott. Casual games engage us without overtaxing us. We line up stones in Bejeweled, help Flo […]

Continue Reading about Why are Casual Games so Compelling? Published on:
April 30, 2010

Strong recently acquired a very rare and important board game—“The Jolly Game of Goose.” The game is printed on paper with old, yellowed tape on its folds. It is a prime candidate for intensive conservation (restoration) treatment. But why is it so important to the museum?
The game of goose is an ancient children’s game, possibly tracing its roots all the way back to an ancient Egyptian game called “Mehen,” which was played in early Old Kingdom times (2686–2134 BC). Later, […]

Continue Reading about Which Came First, the Goose or the Egg? Published on:
April 27, 2010

Tactical Language & Culture Training System from Mike Elgan

Two American soldiers stand guard on a street corner in a remote village as a Black Hawk helicopter circles overhead. Onlookers, many of them armed, gather. Additional soldiers arrive, and the situation deteriorates rapidly. Something must be done—quickly. You hold your breath and step forward to address the man who appears in charge.  
Now, you might be speculating that I’m describing a scene from the hit game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. […]

Continue Reading about Serious Gaming is Serious Business Published on:
April 16, 2010

My earliest (and fondest) memories of play involve none other than the Fisher-Price Little People®. Countless hours of my preschool years were spent sprawled on the living room floor, completely immersed in a fictitious world that I created and maintained. My little hybrid wood/plastic friends could be found scattered across carpets, stairs, and countertops. They were small enough to fit in my pockets so they could easily be transported from one location to the next.
I don’t think I ever identified […]

Continue Reading about I’d Like to Thank All the Little People® Published on:
April 13, 2010

Three-dimensional games proved the hot topic at this year’s Game Developers Conference. Attendees experienced a plethora of 3-D technologies on the exhibit floor and participated in various  3-D related sessions. I’m not referring here to three-dimensional renderings of graphics in a two-dimensional display, the quality and prevalence of which have risen since 5th-generation console games ushered them in during the late 1990s; rather, I’m referring to stereoscopic technologies used most often for 3-D movies. My unofficial count at GDC revealed a dozen vendors […]

Continue Reading about 3-D or Not 3-D? Published on:
April 9, 2010