Let the World Changing Games Begin

I just watched this TED Talk by Jane McGonigal called “Gaming can make a better world.” McGonigal outlines how Gaming (and Gamers) can save the world. You should watch this TED Talk in it's entirety but I have taken the liberty to aggregate McGonigal's points for you:

Urgent Optimism: Gamers always believe an epic win is possible;

Social Fabric: Gaming builds strong social relationships;

Blissful Productivity: Gamers are willing to work hard all the time if they are given the right work; and

Epic Meaning: Gamer's love to be attached to awe inspiring missions and epic stories.

McGonigal says this adds up to Gamers being super empowered hopeful individuals who believe that they are individually capable of changing the world. To harness this power of thought, we just have to convince them to look past the virtual world to the real life problems of this world.

But I think the challenge would also be to change the opinions of the old school people who would be hard pressed to understand why they should value or empower this type of behaviour. While I believe Gamers (like McGonigal suggests) would happily rise to a global challenge, the virtual world remains the most comfortable place to turn when a person finds little value or satisfaction in mundane workplaces were employers will never value their skills (or recognize their potential). When people are only cogs in a money making machine why would they bother to innovate at work - especially when the rewards from gaming are so much more enjoyable and readily available.

I do think McGonigal is onto something here... but I wonder how will we convince the grown ups that they should let us play?

I Can Haz Geek Pedigree?

Tonight I attended the inaugural Edmonton Girl Geek Dinner. It was a wonderful gathering of like minded women from the Edmonton area and I am very much looking forward to being a part of this new community.

At the dinner we were asked to introduce ourselves and part of that introduction was to describe what makes you a geek. This got me thinking about my geek "credentials" and as I listened to everyone list off theirs I realized, with some shock, that EVERYTHING I do makes me a geek. More so, I've pretty much been a geek forever - even back when it wasn't cool to be one.

I'm not sure if people still hold stereo types of the traditional "geek" but for all intents and purposes I look/act fairly normal (or so I think). So, what makes me a geek under the hood?

1. I love the internet. Twenty years ago I was using the "internet" in the army before it was even the internet. Two years later I was Co-Sysoping a 10 line STS Chat system, using new technology called "dial up" from a computer in my own home - a snazzy new 486 that I don't even want to think about how much I paid for. The internet has come a long way since those times. I grew up in, and live in, the Internet Age.

2. I work in the Technology Industry. I work at a local software company called Yardstick Software Inc. and we offer a proprietary software that allows our business partners to offer training, testing and certification - online, of course. I'm not a programmer but I work with some real uber geeks so that's got to count for extra, or something.

3. I'm a Gamer. I spent many childhood hours in a place called an "arcade" plunking quarters into games like Pac Man and Space Invaders, but my life changed forever around the age of 10 when my Dad brought home our first home game console - the ColecoVision. Sometimes I would wake up in the night actually hearing the sounds of Frogger even though everyone was asleep. By 1985 Nintendo ruled in our house and gaming was an entrenched part of life. I once actually got tendinitis from playing too much Super Mario/Duck Hunt and had to wear a wrist brace for 6 months! I'm nearing 40 (no, not really) and I still game - Diablo2, Civilization, Dragon Age, HALO, etc. I can't imagine a time in life when I won't want to game. Actually I like to imagine a time in life where I am inside the game itself... holodecks, virtual reality, the matrix - here I come!

4. I love all things SPACE. From the first time I stayed up all night just to watch the stars move across the sky, to the first planet I ever saw, the first time the Space Shuttle flew over me to actually knowing someone who was on the International Space Station... my dreams have always been somewhere in outer space. When I was a child I wanted to be an astronaut more than anything else and even though today that is highly unlikely I now live in an age where space is perhaps more accessible to me than it ever could have been then. If I wanted I could even be buried in space!

5. I love technology and the gadgets that come with it. I remember taking a course 20 years ago to learn something called DOS so that I could use the new "laptop" computer we had in the army. While I was fairly impressed with that piece of kit back in the late 80's/early 90's I still would not have guessed (and if you had told me I probably wouldn't have believed you) that I would one day carry around a small tablet like device that could access the entire world via the internet, satellite and telecommunication systems - in my pocket. Today I can't imagine not using a tool like my iPhone.

6. I love the geekdom of popular culture. Before I was even 7 years old there was Star Wars, Battle Star Galactica and then Star Trek to cement a life long obsession with Science Fiction (I recall having quite the crush on Starbuck - then fast forward to 2004 to find I once again had a crush on Starbuck). I later developed a love affair with fantasy (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter), anything that offered some form of societal critique and the the early internet meme's like HI BINGO, All Your Base, Weeeee and Badger, Badger).

7. I live in a Social Media world. Given my relationship with the internet, online social networking makes a lot of sense to me and my web presence grows accordingly: I've been blogging since 2003; Flickring since 2003; Facebooking since 2005; Twittering since 2007; and, starting this year trading on Empire Avenue. I have, and will continue to, used social media to meet people in places I travel too and to converse with celebrities whom I previously would not have had access too.

8. I have Geeky hobbies and interests. This is where it is hard to nail everything down. I collect things (like hockey and Pokemon cards, rocks and shells); I love firearms, explosions, jet fighter planes and am awed by weapons technology; I appreciate a good car (a Lamborghini will make my heart skip); I am interested in both politics and religion and LOVE to mix them whenever I get the chance; I adore "end time prophecy" and know more ways for the world to "end" than most people dream up in their nightmares; I am fascinated by things like UFO's, crop circles, ghosts, theoretical physics and afterlife studies. Oh, and Terry David Mulligan signed my grade 12 yearbook at my graduation. Now that's geeky.

Technology is propelling us into the future by leaps and bounds but to me it seems like a logical flow. The events of my grandfather's lifetime must have seemed more abrupt - he went from horse and buggy to man on the moon, what a whirlwind of excitement that must have been. I'm not sure I can imagine the kind of world my children will raise their families in but I sure am game to get my geek on!

Basement FINALLY Reclaimed!

It's been a project months in the making (from first conception through actually cleaning out six years of household accumulation) but we have basically reclaimed the basement, just in time for the winter months where we are all confined inside!

The Warhammer Space

This space was previously occupied territory: bikes, boxes of Christmas decorations, and some stuff that was so important it hadn't even been unpacked from our move almost six years ago! Now the boys have a 4 x 6 Gaming table for their shared Warhammer habit and I get my kitchen table back. The table and the area around this will continue to be developed over the next few months, but they are down there right now playing - success!

The Art Studio!

My daughter is an artist and art needs a space all of it's own. Space can be at a premium in a 3 bedroom home that houses 4 people but I was more than happy to allot this space just for her. It is also a developing project - she still needs a large easel, a chair (apparently) and many more types of materials available for creativity and production.

As for me... I guess my space is the laundry part or the Food Pantry! Hmmm, that doesn't sound like much fun... I think I deserve a wine cellar!

Going to Ground

I've got the Flu. I feel awful - even too awful to save Vegas.

Sleep tight Tangos, I'm going to bed.

PS. Is there really a YouTube reference for everything in my life?

PPS. "Owww, my all of me!"

As if ...

Read all directions carefully!

Our friend Deven is here for the weekend and brought some wii goodness with him. We've have been playing Super Smash Bros Brawl - loads of fun, lots of laughter, good times!

A cursory glance at the game manual brought more laughs. It says Flicking, afterall.

This one is for my Son

I've spent my fair share of hanging with Master Chief... but nothing quite like this!

I am a bomb technician...

Make Your Time
All your base are belong to us.

Coach's Cornered in Tyranny



So, he managed to will the game into existence alright, to the detriment of my expense account! But those green eyes of his... gets me everytime! Regardless, Wes and I enjoyed an afternoon of shopping pleasure while Raven and Duncan stayed home to play video games (beach volley ball and DOA3). We managed to come home witha gift for everyone!

Cathy came by today for coffee and the kids played while we talked the morning away. We have made plans for an adventure tomorrow, but the details aren't all planned out so I will likely fill you in after the fact!

In my limited amount of time spent on the internet today, I stumbled upon a little news site with no real current events, like an oasis within a media torrent. It's nice, because the war is starting to grate on me... I enjoyed the stories about the psycho cat and the lost beaver.

Well, we have taken a short break between watching movies (Back to the Future 2&3) - while two pokemon trainers furiously play pokemon - and I thought I would grab the opportunity to blog. Oh yeah, and BOO Don Cherry. Bad boy.

Anyone looking for some ideas on Creative Resistance to the war?



"IN ORDER to achieve the final aim - which is one world, and not two hostile worlds - such a partial world Government must never act as an alliance against the rest of the world. The only real step toward world government is world Government itself…. The United Nations now and world Government eventually must serve one single goal the guarantee of the security, tranquility, and the welfare of all mankind." written October 1947, in an open letter to the UN, from Albert Einstein

For Duncan, and all those gamers out there - check out this old onion archived article I found!

Game Diva: Critical Hit

We got DOA 3 Today!!!!!!



Are video games too sexy? Is there any such thing as too sexy??? The girls are pretty sweet (not quite as hot as DOA Xtreme beach volleyball, but good enough!), and who can ask for more when you have it coupled with two player smashingly good fighting fun?!?! The graphics are amazing, scenery enticing and there are 16 characters to choose from.

Was checking out my site tracking stats today - it is interesting to see where everyone come from and how they found our site(s). Mostly peeps have visited from Canada and the United States, but also Korea, United Kingdom and India. I am sure the novelty will wear off soon-ish, but since my website and blog are relatively young, I am still amused.