The Spootnic’s blog : The online games events - games

New Research Program involved game platforms

UserAdmin — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:36:00 +0100

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) today launched Health Games Research, a new national program to support research to enhance the quality and effectiveness of interactive games that are used to improve health. The $8.25 million grant builds on RWJF ongoing work to understand the potential for games to improve health and health care, and to forge connections between the games and health fields. Health Games Research will be located at the University of California, Santa Barbara and directed by Debra Lieberman, Ph.D., communication researcher in the university Institute for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research.

Research has shown that games can help increase players physical activity levels, reinforce anti-smoking attitudes or improve young cancer patients adherence to their treatment plans. They also provide simulation environments that health care professionals use to hone their skills, and help policy-makers and public health leaders plan for natural disasters and infectious disease outbreaks. Growth in this field has underscored the need for more research to understand how games and game technologies can be designed to benefit people health and health care.

Health Games Research focuses on interactive games that are delivered or supported by digital technology. Game platforms and formats of interest to the program range from traditional video games on game consoles, handheld game players, arcade machines, computers, Web sites and multiplayer online worlds, to new kinds of games delivered, for example, by mobile networked computing, exertion interfaces (dance pads, cameras pointed at players, motion-detecting remote controllers), robots, interactive television, virtual environments, electronic toys, context-sensitive programs (using sensors, physiological and health monitors, global positioning systems), or other emerging technologies that are becoming more affordable and accessible.

New iPod games

UserAdmin — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:50:00 +0200

Apple is acting very fast. The first casual games are here. The games on offer are Tetris, Ms. PAC-MAN, and Sudoku. They are all new from the titles that come with new iPod nanos and classics. (iQuiz, Vortex, Klondike).

There is no offer for these games on the iPhone or the iPod touch fro now.

I think that Apple is not really creative on this one. They release new games but no one of them is really exclusive and have a multiplayer device. (iPod Touch ?) They are a kind of expensive because you need to buy them on Itunes i you have already purchased them for an older iPod ($4.99).

Time to play and flush away !

UserAdmin — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:52:00 +0200

According to Yahoo news, Sony found a new way to target the gamers : follow them everywhere !

In fact, Sony has build a special stand during the Games Convention in Leipzig : restrooms for gamers.

Do you think that Sony try to reach a new public for its PSP (bad sales results) ?

Like for example the people who dont give a s..t for console games ?

The adventure goes Lego !

UserAdmin — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:40:00 +0200

Do you remember, in case you do not play anymore, the unlimited afternoon in building stories and cities. Today, the Lego's adventure rocks again for our own satisfaction. Guess who makes this :

16th World Puzzle Championship, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

UserAdmin — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 14:35:00 +0200

The 16th World Puzzle Championship will take place October 6 - 11 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Anyone can try to qualify. Read more here...