Game Industry, Vol. 2
“Industry” is a new blog feature and opinion piece across MyMedia that will focus primarily on the video-game industry from a financial and political viewpoint. The feature will appear on MyMedia blogs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Brain Training Helps Kids' Math Skills, says Study, and Baby Boomers everywhere let out a cry!
Ah, evolution! It has been announced by the ELSPA (the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association) that video-games, and one game in particular, can help teach children the basic fundamentals of mathematics. I have no doubt that this study has caused many a furore within teaching circles, in particularly with those Baby Boomer teachers.
I point out the Baby Boomers because they’re the most prone to being unable to adapt to change, especially when it comes to technology. To be quite frank, I’m surprised such a study wasn’t conducted earlier. Look at all of the studies about children obesity and activity and their connection and comparison to video-game sales and how Gen-Y and Gen-X are the “tech” generations. Then, look at how in places like Australia, a developed nation, teaching standards are low, all the while video-games and technology thrives in the community.
Such a method of teaching was made available long ago, yet it wasn’t used because it broke the old-fashioned and rather obsolete method of teaching. This is why the children of the 50s and 60s are smarter than the children of today. Teachers were using the best possible resources. Teachers of today aren’t.
It’s really no surprise. What kid doesn’t love video-game, and what kid wouldn’t see fun out of a game based on Mathematics (I don’t know if I’m being sarcastic or not…). However, before you know it, this method won’t be available anymore, as children will look at it as they look at calculators now. I’m sure that 20 years ago when calculators were first being used in schools, kids were looking forward to Maths because they could use their shiny, brand new electronic number counters.
Jack Thompson Disbarred
The old fossil just keeps on coming. He’s like the little virgin that could. Today, the Supreme Court of Florida disbarred party-pooper and entertainment industry-hater Jack Thompson. It is set to become official in 30 days.
Thompson claims that the move is a retaliatory one for his book Out of Harm's Way, which is (supposedly) a detailed report on the Supreme Court’s “unlawful” attack on Thompson’s actions against the Entertainment industry.
I call hypocrisy!
Isn’t Thompson’s attack on the Entertainment industry somewhat “unlawful”? I mean, from a community point of view, what is Thompson’s basis of his attacks on the industry? His arguments have always been inaccurate, false and ridiculously stupid. What has he done to help the community? All he’s done is hurt an industry that provides the community with a form of pleasure, mostly in the form of virtual entertainment. Therefore, he is unlawfully attacking an aspect of society that community holds very highly.
Moore and his RARE’s comments
In an interview with the Guardian a few days ago (and boy was it a big interview), Peter Moore, President of EA Sports, made a comment that sent shock waves through the video-game industry. It also offended plenty of hardcore gamers who appreciate the trailer blazing games and developers from over time.
Moore stated, “video-games had passed RARE by”. I think such a statement would be like saying that Nintendo didn’t know anything about games. As a gamer with a sound knowledge of the industry over the past 15 or so years, I personally took offence to such a statement. That’s because, to me, RARE provided me with some of my most memorable gaming experiences over the past 12 years.
Firstly, it’s because of them that the FPS genre is what it is today. Goldeneye 007 is one of the greatest games of all time and one of the best ever FPS. It’s an ageless classic. So ageless, those die-hard XBOX owners still pray that it will one day appear on XBLA.
Secondly, it’s feasible to say that their 3D action-platformers on the Nintendo 64 pushed the genre. While Nintendo can claim the fame with Super Mario 64, RARE had Donkey Kong 64, Banjo-Kazooie and its sequel and Jet Force Gemini. These games propelled 3D action games. It’s unknown whether or not the genre could have survived with just Mario, but RARE definitely had an influence.
Thirdly, RARE rarely, if ever, make a bad game. Their dedication to their fan base is something very rarely seen from large game developers and their games have a passionate feel about them. They know when to stop with an IP (Killer Instinct is an example) and they know how to please their fans.
I don’t want to discredit Moore. He’s a great business man that knows the industry well, but, after such a memorable childhood with a RARE influence, I take mild offence to his comments. Perhaps some respect in the house is needed?
Submitted by Gaetano
1 days ago
8
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