Wonderland

Hemp and twine Wiimote

I have no idea why; art, it is.

(via NotCot)

Nintendo DS Browser & DS ebooks

Harper Collins is bringing out ebooks for the DS. Will books be readable in this way, on such a small screen? Guess it's a cheap and easy way to find out. It's a bit odd in that they've gone for public domain books, so no Twilight or Harry Potter here kids, better hope you like Hamlet. The price point is crazy too - £20 for the cart (£15 for preorder on Amazon UK ). Sorry, no - it's project gutenberg texts, it should be £5 max.

Which got me wondering why texts and the like aren't already on the DS. Because there's no browser, is the short answer, if you're not the type to muck about with pirate carts. There is now (and possibly has been for ages): The Official Nintendo DS Lite Browser . Yours for a rather startling £30.

Papercraft Link hat

I think this wins the all-time Papercraft Championship (or at least ties with Ceiling Cat, whaddayareckon).

It's wearable! It's perfect. I wish I had small hair so I could make and wear this for xmas day.

(Via Offworld, who got it from Geekologie, but it lives permanently at Nintendo Papercraft. O boy is that getting bookmarked.)

Old folks listen up: playing strategy games is good for your brain

The University of Illinois psych department has just published the results of a study into the improvement of cognitive functions via "training" on a videogame:

Specifically, the researchers wondered whether interactive video games might benefit those cognitive functions that decline most with age.
 
"Older people tend to fare less well on things that are called executive control processes," Kramer said. "These include things like scheduling, planning, working memory, multitasking and dealing with ambiguity."

And it works: after nearly 24 hours of "training" on Rise of Nations, the 40 over-60 test subjects (yes, there was a control group) all showed significant brain power improvement.

The researchers found that training on the video game did improve the participants' performance on a number of these tests. As a group, the gamers became significantly better – and faster – at switching between tasks as compared to the comparison group.

Their working memory, as reflected in the tests, was also significantly improved. Their reasoning ability was enhanced. To a lesser extent, their short-term memory of visual cues was better than that of their peers, as was their ability to identify rotated objects.

My bolds. Doesn't say whether the results were long-lasting or not, and the researchers are careful to point out that other factors improve long-term brain health, such as diet and exercise.

Warcraft restaurant

Only in China: the Warcraft restaurant, complete with terrible wall art, gaming stations and themed food.

Oh and the Burning Crusade portal painted around the front door. Win!

(via WoWInsider)

NYU launches degrees in videogames

NYU announced Tuesday that it has launched the NYU Game Center, which will offer long-term undergraduate and graduate degrees in the research, design and development of digital games. NYU will become the first New York City college to offer a degree in video games.

Phwoar. Maybe it's time to go back to college.

“The mission of the NYU Game Center will be to produce the next generation of game designers, entrepreneurs and researchers, “ said David McLaughlin, provost of NYU, in a statement. “We also look to this new center as a laboratory for innovation, intellectual risk-taking, and cross-disciplinary collaborations.”

NYU also has the Games for Learning Institute.

NYU Launches Video Game Degree (thanks Souris!)

Victorian error message

It probably needs a cup of tea and a lie down.

VoidWalker plushie

My voidy is called Helthang, which is the greatest game-assigned name. I'm tempted to get him this for xmas.

Cuddlesome.

(Thanks Anno!)

Greetings from Gaming

That's Gaming, Austria.

Image (c) ntendaj on Flickr.

Northrend

Licky King is fully underway (and full of level 80s already).

Yes, that about sums it up. As, of course, does this.

Level 70.6 and counting.