Video Games / en Serious Play: Video game studies conference to draw global scholars to 老司机直播 Mississauga /news/serious-play-video-game-studies-conference-draw-global-scholars-u-t-mississauga <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Serious Play: Video game studies conference to draw global scholars to 老司机直播 Mississauga</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-08/GettyImages-1388894384-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=a3BHP3_X 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2024-08/GettyImages-1388894384-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=NbR43Qdv 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2024-08/GettyImages-1388894384-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=rKEUl8LH 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2024-08/GettyImages-1388894384-crop.jpg?h=81d682ee&amp;itok=a3BHP3_X" alt="Woman uses a VR system in a darkened room"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2024-08-09T15:12:17-04:00" title="Friday, August 9, 2024 - 15:12" class="datetime">Fri, 08/09/2024 - 15:12</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>(photo by&nbsp;NoSystem images/Getty Images)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/john-lorinc" hreflang="en">John Lorinc</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">老司机直播 Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/video-games" hreflang="en">Video Games</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">The 18th annual Serious Play conference will focus on themes such as game development, the use of games in education and the socio-cultural role of games</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>More than 300 scholars from around the world are set to converge at the University of Toronto Mississauga to dig into to the multi-faceted world of video games.</p> <p>The 18th annual <a href="https://seriousplayconf.com">Serious Play conference</a>, scheduled for Aug. 12 to 14, will focus on themes such as game development, the use of games in education and the socio-cultural role of games in a world that increasingly reflects this discipline's choose-your-own adventure ethos.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>"Games are uniquely relevant to our moment in history 鈥&nbsp;and it has nothing to do with their economic impact or the popularity of video games," says Serious Play executive director&nbsp;<strong>Paul Darvasi</strong>,&nbsp;who lectures at 老司机直播鈥檚 Ontario Institute for Studies in Education&nbsp;on the topics of games and learning.&nbsp;</p> <p>"[It has] more to do with us living in a participatory dynamic culture. [Games] are arguably the art form of the 21st century."&nbsp;</p> <p>A long-time attendee, Darvasi and his business partner <strong>Elisa Navarro </strong>took over the conference late last year. They decided to bring the conference to Greater Toronto to take advantage of 老司机直播 Mississauga's <a href="/news/u-t-mississauga-launches-game-studies-program">new&nbsp;game studies program</a>, the campus's extensive&nbsp;<a href="/news/14000-titles-u-t-mississauga-s-syd-bolton-collection-takes-video-game-studies-next-level">Syd Bolton video game collection</a>&nbsp;and the energy emanating from the region's lively game development community.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Alexandra Gillespie</strong>, 老司机直播 vice-president and principal of 老司机直播 Mississauga, will deliver opening remarks as well as host a welcome reception for conference participants, including several 老司机直播 experts.&nbsp;</p> <p>While the global gaming industry grosses more than the music and film sectors combined, the Serious Play participants will be discussing other facets of gaming 鈥 namely the many ways it can be used to improve education, training and other types of learning.&nbsp;</p> <p>"Play is merely the way that nature incentivizes our species to learn," Darvasi says. "Children learn through play. It's a hyper-motivated way for them to engage in practices that are going to prepare them for participation in society."&nbsp;</p> <p>Culturally, he adds, games encompass virtually all the other art forms, including writing, dance, theatre, photography, film, sculpture and painting. Darvasi, who co-owns developer&nbsp;Gold Bug Interactive, describes video games as "this grand opera of human endeavour, which is weird to think about because it gets a bad name that's obscuring its more potent cultural value."&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Lawrence Switzky</strong>,&nbsp;an associate professor in 老司机直播 Mississauga鈥檚 department of English and drama who has been a driving force behind the <a href="https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/english-drama/programs/game-studies">games studies program</a>, uses game development as a way of teaching students about narrative and character, among other themes.&nbsp;</p> <p>"This conference is a great fit for us," Switzky says. "The largest games and learning conference on the continent belongs at UTM because we have the talent and resources to accommodate it, and because we're establishing ourselves as a leader in the field with the Syd Bolton and <a href="https://collections.utm.utoronto.ca/collections/ep-media-ltd.-fonds">Electric Playground </a>collections, our game studies minor and all our programming."&nbsp;</p> <p>The conference will include sessions on games and history education 鈥 including a session on 鈥減laying the past鈥 with 老司机直播 doctoral candidate&nbsp;<strong>Ariana Ellis</strong>, who helped organize <a href="https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/main-news/utm-transforms-all-day-play-zone-launch-new-game-studies-program">老司机直播 Mississauga鈥檚 Day of Play event last year</a> 鈥&nbsp;along with virtual reality development, cybersecurity and gamification of climate action for K-12 students.&nbsp;Other sessions will tackle topics ranging from higher education to health care and culture and society.</p> <p>Darvasi notes that Girls Who Game, a non-profit focused on gender and gaming backed by Dell, Microsoft and Intel, will collaborate on a session on esports competitive gaming, which he says has a reputation for being a very male-centric environment.&nbsp;</p> <p>"We're really highlighting the positive participation of women in esports, and we're going to be demonstrating that," he says.&nbsp;</p> <p>Some game development sessions will focus on buzzy technologies like generative AI and large-language models. For example,&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 1rem;">some developers are using ChatGPT to build highly complex scenario-based games in which the players participate through prompts to navigate the story. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Darvasi says it's only a matter of time before those games acquire visual elements also generated by algorithmic and user prompts.</span></p> <p>"That's the next step for sure."&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 09 Aug 2024 19:12:17 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 308940 at New online resource puts a literary spin on studying video games /news/new-u-of-t-resource-helps-with-study-of-video-games <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">New online resource puts a literary spin on studying video games</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-07/IMG_0175.jpeg?h=2fe880c3&amp;itok=JvylmSU5 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-07/IMG_0175.jpeg?h=2fe880c3&amp;itok=SWhsRiwy 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-07/IMG_0175.jpeg?h=2fe880c3&amp;itok=9x28siXk 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-07/IMG_0175.jpeg?h=2fe880c3&amp;itok=JvylmSU5" alt="youth playing video game"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>siddiq22</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2023-07-27T11:21:32-04:00" title="Thursday, July 27, 2023 - 11:21" class="datetime">Thu, 07/27/2023 - 11:21</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p><em>(photo by Envato)</em></p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/alexa-battler" hreflang="en">Alexa Battler</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/digital-media" hreflang="en">Digital Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-toronto-mississauga" hreflang="en">University of Toronto Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-toronto-scarborough" hreflang="en">University of Toronto Scarborough</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/video-games" hreflang="en">Video Games</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">A new e-book written as part of 老司机直播's Scholars in Residence program shows how video games can be studied and critiqued the same way as classic literature</div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>As digital gaming has become an integral part of today's pop culture, the study of video games has become more commonplace at universities around the world through courses and a growing number of specialized degrees (such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/english-drama/news-events/game-time-utm-will-begin-offering-minor-game-studies-fall">a new minor program</a>&nbsp;at 老司机直播 Mississauga) But amid the increased interest in learning about the various aspects of video games, resources to help professors teach the subject are lagging behind.</p> <p>鈥淰ideo games studies is a very multidisciplinary field.&nbsp;It doesn鈥檛 have the same depth of focus or publication history as a single scholarly trajectory,鈥 says&nbsp;<a href="https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/engdept/person/sonja-nikkila"><strong>Sonja Nikkila</strong></a>, assistant professor, teaching stream, in the department of English at the University of Toronto Scarborough.</p> <p>鈥淔or someone already working in a different discipline and wanting to [add] video games to their own teaching, there aren't a lot of textbooks and syllabi out there.鈥</p> <figure role="group" class="caption caption-drupal-media align-left"> <div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/styles/scale_image_250_width_/public/2023-07/Nikkila%20Headshot%202017.jpeg?itok=_r6qlV3A" width="250" height="250" alt="Sonya Nikkila" class="image-style-scale-image-250-width-"> </div> </div> <figcaption><em>Sonja Nikkila (supplied photo)</em></figcaption> </figure> <p>Nikkila, who teaches the course&nbsp;鈥<a href="https://utsc.calendar.utoronto.ca/course/engc41h3">Video Games: Exploring the Virtual Narrative</a>,鈥 says it makes sense to study video games like pieces of literature&nbsp;鈥&nbsp;many games also have rich characters, settings, plots and messages. Unlike static texts, however, there are different endings, side quests and optional plot points that make students鈥 play-throughs a completely different experience.</p> <p>Some landmark games can鈥檛 be assigned as homework, either&nbsp;鈥 they may take dozens of hours to finish or need to be played on expensive systems.</p> <p>Yet Nikkila isn鈥檛 deterred. 鈥淚 wanted to create a resource to show lots of ways you can approach games critically&nbsp;鈥 and how even if you haven鈥檛 finished a game or got a different ending than somebody else, that experience is still critically valuable,鈥 she says.</p> <p>Nikkila&nbsp;recently teamed up with a group of students for one of six 老司机直播 Scarborough projects funded by the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/vpdean/jackman-scholars-residence-sir-2023-u-t-scarborough">Jackman Scholars-in-Residence program</a>, which gives students across 老司机直播 paid four-week research opportunities. Her team's quest was to create something to help students and teachers apply narrative theory&nbsp;鈥 a classic approach to studying literature&nbsp;鈥 to video games.</p> <p>They came up with an e-book titled <em>Critical Inventory of Video Game Analysis</em>, which offers a series of frameworks that each make sense on their own but also link to one another, allowing readers to choose their own adventure.</p> <p>Some cover core game elements such as plot and setting, while others delve into Marxism, disability studies and other areas of literary analysis. The frameworks include an overview of each topic鈥檚 relationship to video games, a case for the unique insights games can offer, essay prompts and lists of related topics and links.&nbsp;</p> <p>They also include a section called "demonstrations of literary criticism," or DLC&nbsp;鈥 a play on the ubiquitous acronym in the gaming world for downloadable content. In the e-book, DLCs are a series of sample essays looking critically at games, such as one by student&nbsp;<strong>Brennen Penney</strong>&nbsp;on the eco-feminist messaging in the <em>Star Wars</em> game&nbsp;<em>The Force Unleashed</em>, alongside other pieces by students&nbsp;<strong>Luna Chen</strong>, <strong>Jesse June-Jack</strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Lucas McGee</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>Toey Saralamba</strong>.&nbsp;</p> <p>The DLCs are one of several clever nods to video-game lingo throughout, including the title ("inventory" is a standard video-game term). Another section titled "Lore" covers the context behind games that can help inform an analysis, from their creators to cultural impact. The introduction is followed by a section called 鈥淚ntroduction Redux鈥&nbsp;鈥 redux is a term for a remastered game, but in the book it signifies space saved for the new introduction the nascent resource will eventually have.</p> <p>Nikkila plans to use the e-book in her video games course and to regularly update the DLC section with additions from students. She鈥檚 hoping to publish the resource within the next year and make it publicly accessible for students to read and also contribute.</p> <p>In August, the students who participated in creating the resource will present at a conference held in collaboration with the University of Waterloo鈥檚 <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/digital-pedagogy-institute/about">Digital Pedagogy Institute</a>, discussing how they produced the e-book and how it can be used to analyze video games.</p> <p>鈥淲e want to think of this as a library of resources and perspectives that will constantly grow and evolve,鈥 Nikkila says. 鈥淚t might even be a document that preserves a little bit of how scholarship moves across [several] years.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-add-new-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Add new story tags</div> <div class="field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/jackman-scholars-residence" hreflang="en">Jackman Scholars-in-Residence</a></div> </div> </div> Thu, 27 Jul 2023 15:21:32 +0000 siddiq22 302375 at 老司机直播 Mississauga鈥檚 massive video game collection a game-changer for research, education: CBC News /news/u-t-mississauga-s-massive-video-game-collection-game-changer-research-education-cbc-news <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">老司机直播 Mississauga鈥檚 massive video game collection a game-changer for research, education: CBC News</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/0826BoltonCollection010-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=OBWYSIA5 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/0826BoltonCollection010-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=YyF-_K_G 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/0826BoltonCollection010-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=OZIHOIfy 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/0826BoltonCollection010-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=OBWYSIA5" alt> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-08-02T10:48:01-04:00" title="Tuesday, August 2, 2022 - 10:48" class="datetime">Tue, 08/02/2022 - 10:48</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">(Photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">老司机直播 Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/video-games" hreflang="en">Video Games</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The University of Toronto Mississauga has acquired a mammoth collection of video games 鈥 ranging from vintage Atari titles&nbsp;to modern PlayStation and Xbox games 鈥 that will open up exciting new avenues for academic research, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/massive-video-game-collection-at-u-of-t-mississauga-gamechanger-1.6525285">CBC News reports</a>.</p> <p>The collection, which includes over 14,000 games, around 5,000 magazines and dozens of consoles and systems, was compiled by late programmer Syd Bolton. CBC News reported Bolton鈥檚 wife reached out to 老司机直播 Mississauga to ensure the collection is preserved for public use.鈥淚n terms of academic study, it's really important to look at the history of something that has such a pervasive impact on everyday life,鈥 said <b>Chris Young</b>, head of collections and digital scholarship at 老司机直播 Mississauga Library, whose team is working to organize and catalogue the collection.</p> <p><b>Stephanie Fisher</b>, research officer at 老司机直播, said she hopes the collection will help foster more involvement in gaming from groups that are under-represented in the industry, while&nbsp;<b>Siobhan O鈥橣lynn</b>, an assistant professor, teaching stream,&nbsp;in the department of English and drama at 老司机直播 Mississauga, said the collection represents an 鈥渆xtraordinary鈥 scholarly resource.</p> <p>鈥淭o be able to go back and play these titles with perspective from 2022, and to think about the impact of these games in their own moment and their cultural moment and in the context of design but also how we perceive this today, is going to be incredibly enlightening,鈥 O鈥橣lynn told CBC News.</p> <h3><a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/massive-video-game-collection-at-u-of-t-mississauga-gamechanger-1.6525285">Read the story on CBC News</a></h3> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:48:01 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 175846 at With 14,000 titles, 老司机直播 Mississauga's Syd Bolton Collection takes video game studies to the next level /news/14000-titles-u-t-mississauga-s-syd-bolton-collection-takes-video-game-studies-next-level <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">With 14,000 titles, 老司机直播 Mississauga's Syd Bolton Collection takes video game studies to the next level</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2022-07/about-strategic-priorities-city-building.jpg?h=4c6af902&amp;itok=rweOpqYG 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2022-07/about-strategic-priorities-city-building.jpg?h=4c6af902&amp;itok=mEE_kfzE 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2022-07/about-strategic-priorities-city-building.jpg?h=4c6af902&amp;itok=eGuZEty6 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2022-07/about-strategic-priorities-city-building.jpg?h=4c6af902&amp;itok=rweOpqYG" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-07-11T09:23:50-04:00" title="Monday, July 11, 2022 - 09:23" class="datetime">Mon, 07/11/2022 - 09:23</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">老司机直播 Mississauga's Syd Bolton Collection contains more than 14,000 games and 5,000 magazines as well as other related items such as consoles and a handful of arcades (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-libraries" hreflang="en">老司机直播 Libraries</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">老司机直播 Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/video-games" hreflang="en">Video Games</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From Space Invaders to Super Mario, video games are one of the most influential forms of media on the planet.</p> <p>They鈥檝e enchanted gamers around the world for nearly a half century and influenced mass culture with their pioneering inventions in aesthetics, storytelling, music and graphics.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淭hey鈥檙e arguably the largest entertainment industry in the world 鈥 with a huge impact on everyday life,鈥 says <strong>Christopher Young</strong>, the head of collections and digital scholarship at the University of Toronto Mississauga Library. 鈥淰ideo games were the canary in the coal mine for digital life.</p> <p>鈥淓verything we鈥檙e doing today, using phones and interactive technology 鈥 games paved the way.鈥&nbsp;</p> <p>Yet, video games have been difficult for academics to study. Scholars trying to research a 25-year-old game were often out&nbsp;of luck since video games were almost never collected by libraries. That鈥檚 because many viewed games as&nbsp;disposable consumer products as opposed to crucial pieces of art and culture.&nbsp;</p> <p>At 老司机直播 Mississauga, that all changed in 2020 when it acquired its Syd Bolton collection,&nbsp;one of the largest, most comprehensive academic video-game collections&nbsp;with over 14,000 titles.&nbsp;The collection was put together by its namesake&nbsp;鈥&nbsp;a computer programmer in Brantford, Ont. who spent decades filling his home with long shelves jammed full of games before his death in 2018.</p> <p>鈥淭here are&nbsp;only a few places in the world, let alone North America, that have a collection of this size,鈥 says Young, who is serving as the collection鈥檚 first curator. By contrast, the U.S. Library of Congress boasts&nbsp;only 7,000 games.</p> <p>Furthermore, 老司机直播 Mississauga now has games ranging from iconic, famous titles 鈥 like the Atari 2600鈥檚 Space Invaders or Super Mario 64 鈥 to rare, deep cuts that sold only handfuls of copies.&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt src="/sites/default/files/0826BoltonCollection010-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>Christopher Young works on a game cartridge from the Syd Bolton Collection&nbsp;(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>老司机直播 Mississauga鈥檚 collection also includes dozens of different video-game consoles required&nbsp;to play the games, including every version of the PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo consoles issued up to 2018. There are also several rare consoles, including the Panasonic 3DO.&nbsp;</p> <p>The academic study of video games is now booming&nbsp;as generations of students and scholars who grew up playing the games are eager to explore everything from the history of game-interface design to gender representation in marketing materials and the business side of gaming. 老司机直播 Mississauga&nbsp;is even considering launching its own game studies program, Young notes.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淭his collection would be the foundation on which all those activities would be built,鈥 he says.&nbsp;</p> <p>老司机直播 academics are already envisioning ways they鈥檒l use the collection. <strong>Siobhan O鈥橣lynn</strong>, an assistant professor, teaching stream, in 老司机直播 Mississauga鈥檚 department of English and drama who specializes in game studies, teaches a class in which students learn about game history and game ethics while designing their own games. She says the Syd Bolton collection will let her students actually experience the gameplay of old titles they might otherwise only have seen on YouTube or read about on Wikipedia.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淥bsolescence is such a tragedy in digital media,鈥 she says. 鈥淗aving been in this space now for 20 years, I can look back at all kinds of absolutely landmark, influential works&nbsp;of which there is now no trace.鈥</p> <p>Crucially, the Syd Bolton collection also includes all the manuals that came with the games, which can be equally as interesting for scholars鈥 research.&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="Christopher Young plays Tetris on a vintage Nintendo Entertainment System" src="/sites/default/files/0826BoltonCollection015-crop.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;"></p> <p><em>The 老司机直播 Mississauga Library has set up a space for anyone who wishes to make an appointment to play a game from the Syd Bolton Collection&nbsp;(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</em></p> <p>There are also 5,000 video-game magazines, including full runs of famous gaming titles like <em>Nintendo Power</em> and <em>Electronic Gaming Month</em>. This aspect of the collection, Young says, is both rare and critical since it allows&nbsp;academics to see how a game was marketed and discussed. 鈥淵ou can gauge just what was going on in the industry at that point in time,鈥 he says.&nbsp;</p> <p>老司机直播 research officer <strong>Stephanie Fisher</strong> wants to use the collection to kickstart the next generation of video game development. She鈥檚 co-director of&nbsp;Pixelles, a non-profit that supports women in the gaming industry through programs and events such as 鈥済ame jams鈥 that encourage women&nbsp;to design games. Fisher plans to use the Syd Bolton collection as an artistic resource that inspires creators by letting them experience rare old games first-hand.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淚t鈥檚 going to really help game developers, particularly indie game developers who do really cool kind of avant-garde stuff,鈥 she says. 鈥淵ou think of filmmakers 鈥 they go and get the film to learn from it. But it鈥檚 been so hard to do that with games.鈥&nbsp;</p> <p>The 老司机直播 Mississauga&nbsp;Library has even set up video monitors in its reading room so that any student, professor, or community member can make an appointment to examine a game and play it.&nbsp;</p> <p>Meanwhile, Young and his team are currently hard at work cataloging the enormous collection of games and consoles, and doing light repairs so they鈥檙e all in working order.</p> <p>It鈥檚 a curious form of preservation work.&nbsp;Young, who used to work for 老司机直播鈥檚 Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, does a digital-age version of the work done at Fisher on works that are hundreds of years old. For example,&nbsp;he鈥檚 spent the last few weeks opening Nintendo cartridges and carefully cleaning them so their electrical contacts work perfectly.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淭hese things were meant to be used,鈥 he says of the games. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e meant to be played.鈥&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Mon, 11 Jul 2022 13:23:50 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 175605 at Game on: English prof delves into art of indie video game creation /news/game-english-prof-delves-art-indie-video-game-creation <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Game on: English prof delves into art of indie video game creation</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-04/adam-hammond2-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=HimRvBih 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/2023-04/adam-hammond2-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=q4gzM7ID 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/2023-04/adam-hammond2-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=QDxgqTNQ 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/2023-04/adam-hammond2-crop.jpeg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=HimRvBih" alt="Adam Hammond"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2022-01-06T11:20:37-05:00" title="Thursday, January 6, 2022 - 11:20" class="datetime">Thu, 01/06/2022 - 11:20</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item"><p>Adam Hammond, of the department of English in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science, explores the art of making video games by documenting the creation of the indie game, JETT: The Far Shore (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/sean-mcneely" hreflang="en">Sean McNeely</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/video-games" hreflang="en">Video Games</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When you play a video game, do you ever stop to think about the work, time and energy that went into creating it? In some cases, a game takes years of imagining, creating, developing and fine-tuning.</p> <p><strong>Adam Hammond</strong>, an associate professor in the University of Toronto's Faculty of Arts &amp; Science鈥檚 department of English&nbsp;sees the beauty of artistic creation in video games and believes it鈥檚 one of the most demanding and challenging art forms today.</p> <p>Exploring that passion, he鈥檚 written a new book where he shadows the creator of an independent video game called&nbsp;<em><a href="https://www.jett.fyi/">JETT: The Far Shore</a>,&nbsp;</em>following the path from its inception to launch.</p> <p>In addition to recounting the at-times tortuous 10-year development of the game,&nbsp;<a href="https://chbooks.com/Books/T/The-Far-Shore"><em>The Far Shore: Indie Games, Superbrothers, and the Making of JETT</em>&nbsp;</a>also delves into the history of independent video games and how they relate to other forms of independent art, such as music and literature.</p> <p>鈥淚t's not a 鈥榟ow to design a video game鈥 book,鈥 says Hammond. 鈥淚t's more about the people and what they go through, and how the act of creating a video game is similar to the act of making any other form of art.鈥</p> <p>Created by designer Craig Adams (a.k.a. Superbrothers) and programmer Patrick McAllister (a.k.a. Pine Scented), JETT was released in October. In the game, you鈥檙e tasked with scouting a new home for a humanoid people after they鈥檝e destroyed their native planet. However, once on that new world, players must plan their survival while contending with the consequences of environmental destruction.</p> <p>The inspiration for the book comes in two parts. The first is Hammond鈥檚 love of all things indie.</p> <div class="image-with-caption left"> <div><img alt src="/sites/default/files/2023-04/Book%20cover.jpeg" style="width: 300px; height: 486px;"><em><span style="font-size:12px;">The Far Shore: Indie Games, Superbrothers, and the Making of Jett by Adam Hammond</span></em></div> </div> <p>鈥淚'm a lifelong fan of independent music,鈥 he says. 鈥淲hen I was a teenager, I was in a punk band. We believed that you have to do things yourself for them to be as ideologically pure as possible, and that any other form of creation is compromised. I never fully abandoned that thinking.鈥</p> <p>The second source was an indie game called <em>Sword &amp; Sorcery</em>, released in 2011 by Superbrothers. This music-inspired cosmic adventure game was at the forefront of a new era of indie games, and Adams was called a visionary.</p> <p>鈥淚 had heard about indie games, but I hadn't played one that I liked,鈥 says Hammond. 鈥淏ut I got obsessed with <em>Sword &amp; Sorcery</em>. I don't think I鈥檝e ever liked a video game as much. There's something magical about it.鈥</p> <p>That adoration led Hammond to invite Adams to speak at one of his classes, which sparked the idea for the book.</p> <p>鈥淚t was a mind-boggling experience to meet someone who I consider to be a major artist of a new form,鈥 says Hammond. 鈥淗e was telling me everything about his next project 鈥 which at the time was mostly ideas 鈥 but it was extremely interesting. I got totally sucked in.鈥</p> <p>That was in 2013. And then for years, the game鈥檚 progress slowed to a crawl. In fact, it took another eight years of development before the game was released. Over that time, Hammond only spoke with Adams and McAllister occasionally, sometimes just once a year. There were plenty of highs and lows.</p> <p>鈥淚ncreasingly, the narrative was not one of, 鈥楬ere are my amazing ideas鈥 but one of, 鈥榃e don't know how we鈥檙e ever going to finish this game,鈥欌 says Hammond.</p> <p>During this long stretch, Hammond learned about the complex intricacies of video game design.</p> <p>鈥淵ou have to have music, visual art, moving pictures, you have to have text and you need a story,鈥 he says.</p> <p>He recalls one discussion about some of the game鈥檚 sounds, in particular sounds for 鈥済round control鈥 鈥&nbsp;the headquarters for people on their new planet.</p> <p>鈥淭hey had a spreadsheet of all the sounds they needed for ground control,鈥 says Hammond. 鈥淔or just the sound of a footstep, you have to create the sound of one person's footstep versus another person's because they should be different. And then you have to do the programming to make sure the right sound is triggered at the exact right time. It's just crazy how hard it is to make a game.鈥</p> <p>Visually, it was just as demanding.</p> <p>鈥淚magine a space outpost where a character is walking down the hall,鈥 says Hammond. 鈥淚f the person turns around, what does it look like from that perspective? If it's at night, how much light is coming in? What if they turn on the light? These are the things that took them years to figure out.鈥</p> <p>Eventually, Adams and McAllister realized they needed help. They conceded they needed more people and money, so they worked with Sony and Epic Games to bring the game to fruition. At one point, Hammond guessed there were as many as 30 people working on JETT.</p> <p>鈥淭hat's what it took to finish the game,鈥 says Hammond, noting both Adams and McAllister were a little disappointed that the game took a 鈥渂ig business鈥&nbsp;turn and strayed somewhat from its independent roots.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="media_embed" height="422px" width="750px"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="422px" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vVJYSe_OYDU" title="YouTube video player" width="750px"></iframe></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>JETT has had mixed reviews since its launch, which Hammond believes speaks to its independent origins 鈥&nbsp;because, like any piece of independent art, it鈥檚 not for everyone.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淏ut I think it's amazing,鈥 says Hammond. 鈥淎 lot of people are still not sure about the game, and I get that. I mean, it takes on about the heaviest themes imaginable 鈥&nbsp;it's about colonialism and environmental destruction. It鈥檚 not straightforward entertainment. But for me it couldn鈥檛 be more satisfying or timely. And I think it will find its audience eventually.鈥</p> <p>In the meantime, Hammond feels we鈥檙e embarking on an exciting time in independent video game creation, 鈥渨here new artistic possibilities are opening.鈥</p> <p>鈥淣ow, small groups of talented people can make games just because they have something they want to express,鈥 says Hammond.</p> <p>鈥淎nd I think in the next five or 10 years, we're going to start seeing people use the form of the video game for new purposes and that's going to be amazing.鈥</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Thu, 06 Jan 2022 16:20:37 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 301126 at 鈥嬂纤净辈 startup draws on AI, linguistics to power facial animation in video games /news/u-t-startup-draws-ai-linguistics-power-facial-animation-video-games <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">鈥嬂纤净辈 startup draws on AI, linguistics to power facial animation in video games</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/ezgif-1-4cf0d6202833-75.gif?h=508231ee&amp;itok=5G9wcnek 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/ezgif-1-4cf0d6202833-75.gif?h=508231ee&amp;itok=4hgVZZpc 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/ezgif-1-4cf0d6202833-75.gif?h=508231ee&amp;itok=J5NEOrRV 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/ezgif-1-4cf0d6202833-75.gif?h=508231ee&amp;itok=5G9wcnek" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>rahul.kalvapalle</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2021-04-30T12:53:22-04:00" title="Friday, April 30, 2021 - 12:53" class="datetime">Fri, 04/30/2021 - 12:53</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">JALI Research, which grew out of research in 老司机直播's department of computer science, has developed a suite of tools that power hyper-realistic facial animations for video game characters (image by JALI Research)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/rahul-kalvapalle" hreflang="en">Rahul Kalvapalle</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/alumni" hreflang="en">老司机直播</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/computer-science" hreflang="en">Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/entrepreneurship" hreflang="en">Entrepreneurship</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-arts-science" hreflang="en">Faculty of Arts &amp; Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/startups" hreflang="en">Startups</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/thisistheplace" hreflang="en">ThisIsThePlace</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/utest" hreflang="en">UTEST</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/video-games" hreflang="en">Video Games</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>A University of Toronto startup is spurring the success of one of the best-selling video games of the past year 鈥 the dystopian action role-playing game <i>Cyberpunk 2077</i>.</p> <p>Growing out of research in the department of computer science, JALI Research has developed a suite of tools that power the game鈥檚 hyper-realistic facial animations, allowing characters to convincingly deliver dialogue in different languages.</p> <p>Multi-language animation capacity was touted as a novel feature of Cyberpunk 2077, which sold over 13.7 million copies globally in its first month, <a href="https://www.cdprojekt.com/en/wp-content/uploads-en/2021/04/press-release-2020-results.pdf">according to game developer CD Projekt Red</a>. &nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淗aving brand new animation that responds to recorded dialogue from voiceover actors across 10 languages 鈥 and not just dubbing over English animation 鈥 means you鈥檙e watching animation that matches up to what you hear,鈥 said Sarah Watling, the startup鈥檚 CEO.</p> <p>鈥淭hat was one of the things that CD Projekt Red believed would have a huge impact. They were going to be able to grow new retail markets by giving a localized experience to players.鈥</p> <div class="image-with-caption left"> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/Sarah%20Watling-2-crop_0.jpg" alt><em>Sarah Watling</em></p> </div> <p>Founded in 2016, JALI Research uses AI to accurately map phonemes 鈥 the smallest elements of sound that can be isolated 鈥 to visemes, the corresponding mouth shapes that we see on a person鈥檚 face as they鈥檙e making those sounds.</p> <p>Watling says JALI鈥檚 technology helps bridge the gap between actual gameplay and the more cinematic, pre-constructed scenes that are used to tell the game鈥檚 story. 鈥淭he person who鈥檚 playing the game is spending most of their time in gameplay. So, the improvements we鈥檙e able to deliver improve that aspect of the game as well,鈥 she says.</p> <p>The company鈥檚 roots can be traced to research by Chief Technology Officer <b>Pif Edwards</b> while he was a PhD student in the department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts &amp; Science. Edwards noticed that existing automated dialogue systems weren鈥檛 matching the nuance and complexity of human speech 鈥 so he set about developing an alternative.</p> <p>Edwards was the lead author of <a href="http://www.dgp.toronto.edu/~elf/JALISIG16.pdf">a 2016 paper that introduced an 鈥渁nimator-centric viseme model for expressive lip synchronization.鈥</a> The paper鈥檚 co-authors included <a href="/news/u-t-experts-use-deep-learning-ai-predictive-animation"><b>Chris Landreth</b>, an Academy Award-winning animator</a> who has served as distinguished research artist-in-residence at 老司机直播鈥檚 Dynamic Graphics Project; <b>Eugene Fiume</b>, professor of computer science and dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences at Simon Fraser University, who earned his graduate and doctoral degrees at 老司机直播; and <b>Karan Singh</b>, professor in 老司机直播鈥檚 department of computer science.</p> <p>The resulting software, which makes use of a facial animation rig to help map phonemes to visemes, was dubbed 鈥淛ALI鈥 鈥 a combination of 鈥渏aw鈥 and 鈥渓ip,鈥 the two anatomical features the paper said account for most variation in visual speech.</p> <p>Watling joined the startup as CEO in 2020, the year the company announced that its software would be powering <i>Cyberpunk 2077鈥檚</i> facial animations.</p> <p>She says a key advantage of JALI鈥檚 technology is it enables studios to scale up facial animation at a relatively low cost. That鈥檚 in contrast to more expensive approaches such as keyframe and motion-capture animation, which are only financially viable for the biggest studios.</p> <p>鈥淰ideo-game worlds are becoming more and more expansive and immersive,鈥 she says. 鈥淎t the same time, gamers are pretty indiscriminate about the scale of the company. So, the expectation for greater immersion, more realism and higher production values still gets applied 鈥 regardless of whether you鈥檙e a two-person studio or a massive multinational studio.</p> <p>鈥淥ur technology really provides the ability to capture ideal quality at scale so that the return on investment increases over time, enabling smaller studios to punch above their weight.鈥</p> <p>She credits 老司机直播鈥檚 expansive innovation ecosystem 鈥 particularly the <a href="http://utest.to/">UTEST program</a>, which is currently <a href="http://utest.to/apply/">taking applications for its next cohort</a>&nbsp;鈥 for helping the company take its research from lab to market.</p> <p>鈥淭he UTEST program is a great hybrid of courses 鈥 some of them through MaRS and others through partnerships with various mentors who support businesses in the startup life cycle, including IP law firms,鈥 she said. 鈥淵ou get to work closely with the leadership of UTEST on various aspects, whether it鈥檚 thinking through your problem space or value proposition, or improving your pitch.</p> <p>鈥淎s well, the Innovations &amp; Partnerships Office is so good at helping startups progress from that initial process of ideation and invention to a viable commercial path, navigating bureaucracy, legal obstacles and incorporation.</p> <p>鈥淲e鈥檝e found the experience has been incredibly supportive.鈥</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="media_embed" height="422px" width="750px"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="422px" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UNGvHkGv5Qk" title="YouTube video player" width="750px"></iframe></div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:53:22 +0000 rahul.kalvapalle 169171 at Gaming for everyone: 老司机直播鈥檚 Faculty of Information makes video games more accessible /news/gaming-everyone-u-t-s-faculty-information-makes-video-games-more-accessible <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Gaming for everyone: 老司机直播鈥檚 Faculty of Information makes video games more accessible</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Adrian%20Petterson.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=4jfcAG26 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/Adrian%20Petterson.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=_Tz1A_0J 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/Adrian%20Petterson.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=mMnON9Xu 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/Adrian%20Petterson.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=4jfcAG26" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-12-11T11:20:35-05:00" title="Friday, December 11, 2020 - 11:20" class="datetime">Fri, 12/11/2020 - 11:20</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Adrian Petterson, a Master of Information student, helped create the Accessibility Arcade, where designers, developers and researchers can create video games that take into account players' accessibility needs (photo courtesy of Adrian Petterson)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/rekha-morbia" hreflang="en">Rekha Morbia</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/city-culture" hreflang="en">City &amp; Culture</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/accessibility" hreflang="en">Accessibility</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/faculty-information" hreflang="en">Faculty of Information</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/graduate-students" hreflang="en">Graduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/ischool" hreflang="en">iSchool</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/video-games" hreflang="en">Video Games</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>To create more accessible video games, researchers at the University of Toronto are partnering with major studios, non-profit organizations and influential gamers with disabilities through 老司机直播鈥檚 new Accessibility Arcade 鈥 as well as an inclusive online gaming hub.</p> <p>The Accessibility Arcade, part of the <a href="http://kmdi.utoronto.ca/">Knowledge Media and Design Institute</a> (KMDI) in the 老司机直播鈥檚 Faculty of Information, provides a space for designers, developers, researchers and gamers to put their heads together to design more inclusive games.&nbsp;It鈥檚 based in the KMDI Makerspace, an area in the Bissell Building off Robarts Library where students are encouraged to get creative with technology like 3D printers, Arduinos and Raspberry Pis 鈥 open source prototyping platforms and simple computers, respectively.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淭he Makerspace is much more than a room with fancy new technology,鈥 said <strong>Adrian Petterson</strong>, a research assistant at KMDI and the project lead on the accessibility arcade. 鈥淭his space builds a community of support and innovation where gamers and industry members can connect and learn from each other.鈥&nbsp;</p> <p>Petterson is also the chair of the faculty鈥檚 accessibility interest working group and a Master of Information student who specializes in design ethics and video game accessibility under the academic supervision of Associate Professor <strong>Sara Grimes</strong>, director of KMDI and an expert in critical theories of technology.</p> <p>There has been a recent push in the rapidly expanding video game industry 鈥 from large studios and indie developers alike 鈥 to design games that are accessible to players with disabilities.<br> While game designers are used to taking on complex challenges, it is by no means simple to design games that take into account the vast diversity of accessibility needs.</p> <p>The Accessibility Arcade provides a space for designers and developers to imagine new game possibilities by allowing them to take their software on a test run before launch.&nbsp;</p> <p>They can also create games or game features that appeal to a wider, mainstream audience. Copilot mode on Xbox One, for example, allows two players to manipulate a single character using two controllers. It was originally intended for players who couldn鈥檛 use their whole controller and needed the support of another player. But Copilot has since become a function that players use to create unique shared gaming experiences.&nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淕amers with disabilities have been modifying games to suit their needs for decades and connecting industry members to see potential new forms of games which can appeal to new, wider audiences,鈥 Petterson said.&nbsp;</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/two-controllers.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>The Accessibility Arcade is equipped with adaptive gaming equipment, such as a one-handed keyboard, adaptive Xbox controller and a Logitech Adaptive Gaming Kit (photo courtesy of Adrian Petterson)</em></p> <p>The Accessibility Arcade features the most up-to-date hardware in inclusive gaming and accessible titles. Gamers with disabilities can try out equipment and explore what options might be right for them. Game designers can learn about accessible gaming and try out equipment to ensure their games are compatible with the latest technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>The Makerspace inventory includes a one-handed keyboard, an Xbox adaptive controller for individuals who are unable to use their hands and a Logitech Adaptive Gaming Kit with buttons and switches.</p> <p>Adaptive gaming equipment is often extremely expensive and difficult to acquire. At the arcade, gamers with disabilities and designers can use adaptive equipment without having to buy it. Petterson is compiling a list of video games that have features for a variety of disabilities.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>鈥淭wenty per cent of gamers have disabilities,鈥 Petterson said, adding that game designers can tap into new markets by adapting their products. 鈥淎lso, it helps designers and developers think about new ways of creating, which is a boon for any industry.鈥</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/computer%20with%20controllers.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Adaptive gaming equipment is often expensive and difficult to acquire, but visitors can try out&nbsp;these tools at no cost at the Accessibility Arcade (photo courtesy of Adrian Petterson)</em></p> <p>As a part of the Accessibility Arcade, Petterson has been building an inclusive gaming hub to create game innovation on an online platform. Digital platforms make it easier for individuals in different parts of the world or people with mobility challenges to join. Community members, industry leaders and gamers can gain access to this collaborative network and apply what they learn to their own projects and communities. The inclusive gaming hub will be among the first digital space dedicated entirely to project sharing and collaboration in inclusive gaming.</p> <p>鈥淥ur society is so focused on digital platforms that it is vital digital spaces are created to foster innovation in general and be accessible to everyone,鈥 Petterson said. 鈥淪ome of the most powerful innovators are individuals with disabilities.鈥</p> <p>To help the Accessibility Arcade become a vibrant community space, Petterson has partnered with major studios, non-profit organizations and influential gamers with disabilities.&nbsp;</p> <p>LittleNavi, a popular Twitch affiliate with multiple sclerosis, said she enjoyed working with Steve Saylor, who goes by the 鈥淏lind Gamer鈥 on his YouTube channel, on the Accessibility Arcade.&nbsp;<br> Several years ago, LittleNavi suffered a massive ischemic stroke causing paralysis in half her body. On her Twitch profile, she writes: 鈥淥ver time, I re-learned how to walk, how to talk, how to read, how to write, and how to game!鈥 The experience led her to discover her calling for making games accessible for people with disabilities, she said.&nbsp;</p> <p>Saylor found his passion for advocating for more accessible video games through YouTube, where he shares reviews and his first reactions to games. The Toronto-based gamer was born with nystagmus, a condition that causes rapid involuntary movement of the eyes making it hard to see (in one YouTube clip, he uses Fortnite to demonstrate what he sees when he plays a game).</p> <p>Saylor, LittleNavi and Petterson created a list of essential equipment for the space and collaborated on access policies. Other consultants on the project include representatives from Makers Making Change, Toronto Media Arts Centre, and AAA Games Studios.</p> <p>鈥淭he KMDI Accessibility Arcade fosters industry creations, a strong diverse community working together and that an inclusive society makes us all stronger,鈥 Petterson said.&nbsp;</p> <div class="media_embed" height="500px" width="750px"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" height="500px" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c-vrKFmz1pY" width="750px"></iframe></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 11 Dec 2020 16:20:35 +0000 geoff.vendeville 167789 at 老司机直播 student draws on art history, English classes to reach finals of video game design competition /news/u-t-student-draws-art-history-english-classes-reach-finals-video-game-design-competition <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">老司机直播 student draws on art history, English classes to reach finals of video game design competition</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/0601ReynoldTsui005_weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=gr6k2zxM 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/0601ReynoldTsui005_weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=ZWhvuXMe 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/0601ReynoldTsui005_weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=dRUxxanx 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/0601ReynoldTsui005_weblead.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=gr6k2zxM" alt="&quot;&quot;"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2020-06-23T09:39:09-04:00" title="Tuesday, June 23, 2020 - 09:39" class="datetime">Tue, 06/23/2020 - 09:39</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Reynold Tsui, a fourth-year student at 老司机直播 Mississauga, was named a finalist in a recent video game design competition 鈥 the first one he has ever entered (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/blake-eligh" hreflang="en">Blake Eligh</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/art-history" hreflang="en">Art History</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/english" hreflang="en">English</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/humanities" hreflang="en">Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/u-t-mississauga" hreflang="en">老司机直播 Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/video-games" hreflang="en">Video Games</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><strong>Reynold Tsui</strong>,&nbsp;a student at the University of Toronto Mississauga, recently won top honours in an international video game design competition, despite having little actual experience in the field 鈥 and he credits his English and art history classes for providing the necessary inspiration.&nbsp;</p> <p>The fourth-year student was named a finalist in the inaugural&nbsp;<a href="https://terrorarium.games/contest">Intergalactic Murder Gardening Contest,</a> a video game design competition from Toronto-based interactive media company Stitch Media.&nbsp;Tsui, who studies art, art history and English, was inspired to enter the competition after spotting a YouTube ad about designing a level for&nbsp;<em>Terrorarium</em>, a 3D video game developed by Stitch. Contestants were asked to build upon the basic foundation of the game, adding unique landscape features and devising challenges for players to solve.</p> <p>It was Tsui鈥檚 first-ever foray into competitive video game design.</p> <p>鈥淚 really wanted to accomplish something before I graduate and take that next step,鈥 he says. 鈥淲hen I saw the advertisement, I thought, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 I give it a shot?鈥欌</p> <p>The competition for students and new graduates drew more than 260 entries from across Canada, the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Top prizes included a cash scholarship, Nintendo game gear, as well as design credit and inclusion of the winning levels in the final version of the game, which is set to launch later this summer.</p> <p><img class="migrated-asset" src="/sites/default/files/UTM_Reynold_Tsui_game_embed.jpg" alt></p> <p><em>Tsui says he took inspiration for his entry, 鈥淎bandoned Castle,鈥&nbsp;from the ruins of Italian and French castles that he studied in his art history classes at 老司机直播 Mississauga (image courtesy of&nbsp;Reynold Tsui)&nbsp;</em></p> <p>Taking the form of a&nbsp;grandmotherly humanoid bug accompanied by an army of tiny, blobby creatures, players of <em>Terrorarium</em> must navigate different levels to solve puzzles and ultimately win 鈥渢he blue ribbon from the Intergalactic Horrorcultural Society.鈥</p> <p>Tsui鈥檚 entry, 鈥淎bandoned Castle,鈥 challenges players to navigate through a stacked maze of crumbling&nbsp;buildings and overgrown garden paths peppered with carnivorous plants, terrifying insects, fire-breathing monsters and other traps. The budding designer says he took inspiration for the game鈥檚 landscape design from ruins of Italian and French castles that he studied in his art history classes at 老司机直播 Mississauga.&nbsp;</p> <p>Tsui also drew upon his experience with an English course on&nbsp;video game design, taught by&nbsp;<strong>Siobahn O鈥橣lynn&nbsp;</strong>in&nbsp;the department of English and drama. In the course, <a href="/news/video-games-deconstructed-u-t-english-course-takes-critical-look-game-narratives-designs">students learn about plot development and critical game theory</a> and create a story-based digital word game.</p> <p>鈥淭hat class established a fundamental understanding of games for me,鈥 Tsui says, noting that the game he created for the course was designed to trick and confuse players.</p> <p>His&nbsp;<em>Terrorarium</em>&nbsp;entry takes a similar tactic. As players move through Tsui鈥檚 maze of ruins, they are faced with choices that may lead them down the wrong path 鈥 sometimes to their doom if they fall for the tricks Tsui included to keep players on their toes. 鈥淚t might seem straightforward, but the player might get a reward or they might be sent back to the beginning,鈥 Tsui says.</p> <p>鈥淕ames are supposed to be fun,鈥 Tsui adds, noting that he played the entire level five times to ensure players could solve it. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a tricky course, but I didn鈥檛 want to make it unbeatable. When I play it, I walk into every trap to see what will happen. I really put myself in the player鈥檚 shoes.鈥&nbsp;</p> <p>In a recent online showcase of the winning entries, Stitch鈥檚 designers lauded Tsui for his maze design, noting that his entry helped them better understand the possibilities and challenges of creating a multi-level maze within the game. 鈥淚t shows a lot of patience and dexterity,鈥 said one of the panellists. 鈥淲e referenced your level a lot when we were trying to improve visibility of the Gardener.鈥</p> <p>Encouraged by his competition result, Tsui plans to spend more time learning about programming and working on game design. 鈥淚 would like to make contributions in authentic reality and virtual reality,鈥 he says. 鈥淕ames really inspire me. I want to learn more and apply my knowledge.鈥</p> <p>Tsui says his personal credo, both in the virtual worlds and real life, is all about stepping into the unknown:&nbsp;鈥淚t鈥檚 about having the courage to make that step forward and take a risk.鈥&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Tue, 23 Jun 2020 13:39:09 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 165115 at Video games deconstructed: 老司机直播 English course takes a critical look at game narratives, designs /news/video-games-deconstructed-u-t-english-course-takes-critical-look-game-narratives-designs <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Video games deconstructed: 老司机直播 English course takes a critical look at game narratives, designs</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/video-games-course%20%281%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=sSE7mGXe 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/video-games-course%20%281%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=zJEp37t0 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/video-games-course%20%281%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=K8jXBxtJ 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/video-games-course%20%281%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=sSE7mGXe" alt="Photo of person playing a video game"> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>Christopher.Sorensen</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2018-12-21T12:22:45-05:00" title="Friday, December 21, 2018 - 12:22" class="datetime">Fri, 12/21/2018 - 12:22</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">In this photo illustration a gamer plays the video game 鈥淩ed Dead Redemption 2,鈥 which raked in US$725 million in sales during the first three days following its launch (photo by Chesnot/Getty Images)</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/elaine-smith" hreflang="en">Elaine Smith</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/department-english" hreflang="en">Department of English</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/humanities" hreflang="en">Humanities</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/university-toronto-mississauga" hreflang="en">University of Toronto Mississauga</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/video-games" hreflang="en">Video Games</a></div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>On Fridays around 3 p.m., when many University of Toronto Mississauga students are daydreaming about the weekend, <strong>Siobhan O鈥橣lynn </strong>can look around her classroom and see almost a full house of unusually attentive undergraduates.</p> <p>O鈥橣lynn, an assistant professor, teaching stream, leads an English course called 鈥淰ideo Games鈥, and she鈥檚 working with a generation whose lives are steeped in digital media.</p> <p>鈥淲ith the uptake of social media, there鈥檚 a massive online community playing games and, with smartphones nearly ubiquitous, the number of mobile games players is growing,鈥 says O鈥橣lynn.</p> <p>Her students do play games as part of the course syllabus, but the class goes far beyond gaming for pure pleasure. Students explore the narrative structure of games in terms of plot, characters, design and how games differ from novels; they learn about the evolution of games, the existing genres and various gaming platforms.&nbsp;They also consider the gaming experience&nbsp;and they explore the emergence of game studies as a critical practice. The students top it all off by creating their own story-based games.</p> <p>鈥淪tudents learn about mental models and experience design, which are key in game design,鈥 says O鈥橣lynn. 鈥淭hey learn how play-testing, game mechanics and user-experience design mesh with literary analysis so they can design really awesome games.</p> <p>鈥淗ow you play a game and what you see is much more variable than what happens in a literary text.鈥</p> <p><strong>Alexis Cochrane</strong>, a fourth-year double major in English and communication, culture and information technology, says she has become critical of video games since taking the course. 鈥淭he course has taught me to consider video games as both a designer and as a literary scholar,鈥 she says.</p> <p>As with literature, there can be a contrast between the creation itself and its messages or experiences. The video game design can be gorgeous and&nbsp;full of stunning images, but the story can lead the player through war and destruction.</p> <p>鈥淭hey can be beautiful esthetically, but gory and violent things can happen. Games are systems designed to make us feel things.鈥</p> <p>The course also addresses the evolution of video games.</p> <p>鈥淲e look at arcade games and early computer games and see the continuing increase in processing power,鈥&nbsp;says O鈥橣lynn. 鈥淭oday鈥檚 games are much more complex and visually stunning.鈥</p> <p>O鈥橣lynn also teaches students about the gaming industry and she ensures that they understand how games are designed to addict players.</p> <p>鈥淕ames generate more revenue than films or literary texts,鈥 she says. 鈥淪tudents need digital literacy skills to understand how the creators do what they do and how it affects us. This opens up a whole different layer of critical inquiry because other media aren鈥檛 designed in the same way to get us to do things.</p> <p>鈥淚t鈥檚 very important to have this understanding because children are playing games starting at a very young age.鈥</p> <p>O鈥橣lynn adds that students' affinity for video games means 鈥淭hey love to get into discussions that analyze various games and they enjoy creating and testing each other鈥檚 creations and offering suggestions.鈥</p> <p>Cochrane agrees. She says being taught how to make game was 鈥渢ransformative鈥 for a writer like herself who wasn't familiar with&nbsp;video game design before taking the course.</p> <p>鈥淧rofessor O鈥橣lynn taught us how to be critical of games as literature and then recreate these aspects into our own games,鈥 she says.&nbsp;鈥淚t gave students the ability to take our new-found understanding and knowledge of the games and create our own.</p> <p>鈥淚t is an essential hands-on portion of the course that offers a new layer of contextual understanding.鈥</p> <p>Thanks to courses such as this, game designers will need to prepare for a new group of consumers who are critical, sophisticated and demand high quality from their gaming experience and for scholars who will be analyzing their output on many levels.</p> <p>鈥淎s our ability to create evolves, so should the way we study and understand those creations鈥&nbsp;Cochrane says.&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Fri, 21 Dec 2018 17:22:45 +0000 Christopher.Sorensen 149555 at These video games trick elementary and high school students into learning STEM /news/these-video-games-trick-elementary-and-high-school-students-learning-stem <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">These video games trick elementary and high school students into learning STEM</span> <div class="field field--name-field-featured-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="eager" srcset="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/20170814%20-%20Playtesting%20%28web%20lead%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=vyu7Y20t 370w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_740/public/20170814%20-%20Playtesting%20%28web%20lead%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=3wKNU0or 740w, /sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_1110/public/20170814%20-%20Playtesting%20%28web%20lead%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=axqXrlhy 1110w" sizes="(min-width:1200px) 1110px, (max-width: 1199px) 80vw, (max-width: 767px) 90vw, (max-width: 575px) 95vw" width="740" height="494" src="/sites/default/files/styles/news_banner_370/public/20170814%20-%20Playtesting%20%28web%20lead%29.jpg?h=afdc3185&amp;itok=vyu7Y20t" alt="Playtesting crowd photo "> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><span>geoff.vendeville</span></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2017-08-16T12:06:09-04:00" title="Wednesday, August 16, 2017 - 12:06" class="datetime">Wed, 08/16/2017 - 12:06</time> </span> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-field-cutline-long field--type-text-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Cutline</div> <div class="field__item">Computer science students in Steve Engel's class developed educational video games and play-tested them with elementary and high school students from summer camps (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville) </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-reporters field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/authors-reporters/geoffrey-vendeville" hreflang="en">Geoffrey Vendeville</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-author-legacy field--type-string field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Author legacy</div> <div class="field__item">Geoffrey Vendeville </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Topic</div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/topics/our-community" hreflang="en">Our Community</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-story-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/undergraduate-students" hreflang="en">Undergraduate Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/computer-science" hreflang="en">Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/community" hreflang="en">Community</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news/tags/video-games" hreflang="en">Video Games</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-subheadline field--type-string-long field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">Subheadline</div> <div class="field__item">老司机直播 computer science students develop educational games on immunology, optics and more </div> </div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>It鈥檚 every high school student鈥檚 dream: playing video games instead of doing homework.</p> <p><strong>Steve Engels</strong>, an associate professor of computer science, teaching stream, predicts&nbsp;that one day&nbsp;games will not only replace traditional tests and assignments, but will do a better job teaching a range of subjects.</p> <p>Games offer a number of advantages over paper assignments and tests, including immediate feedback, he says.</p> <p>鈥淚f you have a lesson in game form, it tells you how well you鈥檝e done,&nbsp;it allows you to retry it, which you maybe can鈥檛 do with assignments or tests,&nbsp;and you can do it again until you master it,鈥 he says.</p> <p>This summer, he's testing the concept with University of Toronto students who have been asked to develop games that trick students into learning some of the hard-to-teach topics on elementary and high school curricula: subjects related to science, technology, engineering and math.</p> <p>The games by computer science students cover the basics of immunology, coding, optics and mitosis.&nbsp;Engels invited video game industry experts, teachers and grade school students, including groups from 老司机直播鈥檚&nbsp;<a href="https://scienceunlimited.physics.utoronto.ca/">Science Unlimited Summer Camp</a>, to try out the games and provide feedback.</p> <p>Here are four examples of the games that were developed:&nbsp;</p> <p><img alt="Photo of Steve Engels" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__5516 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/20170814%20-%20Steve%20Engels%20%28embed%29.jpg" style="width: 750px; height: 500px;" typeof="foaf:Image"><br> Steve Engels&nbsp;teaches a class on developing educational video games. (photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)</p> <hr> <p><strong>1. Central Immune System</strong></p> <p><img alt="Central Immune System" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__5519 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/Central%20Immune%20System%20%28web%20embed%29.jpg" style="width: 320px; height: 200px; margin: 10px; float: left;" typeof="foaf:Image">This game by computer science major and biology buff <strong>Alexander Chum</strong> puts bacteria and wounds in the players鈥 crosshairs.<br> As users move from one level to the next, they learn about the roles of platelets, macrophages and leukocytes (white blood cells). 鈥淲hat鈥檚 fun about this game is that you actually get to see things get destroyed,鈥 he says. 鈥淚n this case, the enemies are everything that make you sick.鈥</p> <p><strong>2. Crevice</strong><br> <br> <img alt="Crevice" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__5520 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/Crevice%20%28web%20embed%29.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 197px; margin: 10px; float: left;" typeof="foaf:Image">In this unusual game, the player takes on the persona of an old glass maker trapped in a cave who must find a way to redirect a sunbeam&nbsp;to shine on his plants using reflectors. 鈥淎 lot of times, at least when I was in high school in my (physics) class, a lot of people didn鈥檛 know how to make ray diagrams,鈥 creator and computer science major&nbsp;<strong>Karl Cui</strong>&nbsp;says.&nbsp;鈥淗ere the players are able to move mirrors around and experiment without the pretense that it鈥檚 for a science lab.鈥</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>3. Clean City, Green City&nbsp;</strong></p> <p><img alt="Clean City" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__5518 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/Clean%20City%20%28web%20embed%29.jpg" style="width: 320px; height: 200px; float: left; margin: 10px;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p>It's 鈥淐lean-Up Day!鈥&nbsp;Players test their knowledge of what gets recycled, composted and sent to the landfill in this game. Each wrong answer floods the landfill until it鈥檚 game over.&nbsp;<br> Even adults sometimes put things in the wrong waste receptacle, says&nbsp;<strong>Monica Iqbal</strong>, a fourth-year computer science student. 鈥淚 feel like this game isn鈥檛 just for kids. It鈥檚 for anyone, really.鈥</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>4. Deadlock</strong></p> <p><img alt="Deadlock game" class="media-image attr__typeof__foaf:Image img__fid__5577 img__view_mode__media_original attr__format__media_original" src="/sites/default/files/Hacking%20game%20%28web%20embed%29_0.jpg" style="width: 320px; height: 200px; margin: 10px; float: left;" typeof="foaf:Image"></p> <p>Learning to code isn鈥檛 always fun 鈥 unless the point is to hack one鈥檚 way out of a prison cell. The players use a block interface, which tells them which lines of code they can or can鈥檛 write, to open doors and control jail-busting drones. 鈥淲hen you unlock a door with the code we provided, the door will light up green and open in front of you,鈥 says&nbsp;<strong>Raymond Gao</strong>, a third-year computer science student. 鈥淲atching your code have an effect in real time isn鈥檛 something you get in other learning environments in programming.鈥</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-home-page-banner field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field__label">News home page banner</div> <div class="field__item">Off</div> </div> Wed, 16 Aug 2017 16:06:09 +0000 geoff.vendeville 112436 at