PC Genius - Get Your Geek On!

Do Xbox 360 achievements spoil the fun?

John B Mayall — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:43:45 +0000

GDC 2010: Ex-EA Maxis developer Chris Hecker wonders if reward systems are undermining the inherent enjoyment of playing games. Who was there: Chris Hecker of definition six returned to the Game Developers Conference , the site of his headline-grabbing appraisal of the Wii as two GameCubes duct-taped together , in order to deliver a presentation on whether or not achievements (or trophies and other incentive programs) ruin the joy of playing a game for its own sake. Hecker’s currently working on a game called SpyParty, but might be better known for his previous work at EA’s Maxis studio on Spore. Chris Hecker What he talked about: Early on in his talk, the verbose Hecker said that he doesn’t actually care about achievements as he plays, but he started considering the long-term effects of reward systems like that because of his six-year-old daughter. Specifically, he wondered how achievement systems affected people, and whether or not extrinsic reward systems like achievements ultimately undermine the desire for people to play games. After taking detours into psychology, cremation, mathematics, global warming, LOLcats, and brain chemistry, Hecker lamented the limitations of much scientific research, emphasizing that in most fields, it’s not precise once applied to the real world. Hecker recapped a number of studies, most of which concluded that when you tell people, “Do this and you’ll get that,” they wind up disliking “this,” and insisting on “that.” The developer likened the back-and-forth studies regarding the issue in peer-reviewed scientific journals to a schoolyard brawl, and then searched for common ground. One conclusion he said was largely agreed upon was that tangible, expected rewards contingent on doing something reduces the intrinsic motivation people have to do that thing. He was particularly worried about what that meant for games, considering how easy it is for developers to use those extrinsic rewards. “Games are the only art form where the opportunity and mechanism for feedback is built into the form itself,” Hecker said. He worried that opens the door for people to add extrinsic motivation to their games, even though they don’t know exactly what possible harmful effects that could have down the road. Hecker’s “nightmare self-fulfilling scenario” was that extrinsic motivators would ruin the intrinsic motivation to play their games. And with the industry’s current “fetish” for metrics, Hecker said developers will wind up being pushed toward designs where extrinsic motivators work well. While players can turn their achievement notifications off, Hecker said that doesn’t prevent them from affecting the game for everyone. He brought up the example of a Gears of War player who opted out of achievement notifications, but wound up jumping through hoops to play games online with his friends. Because only ranked servers gave achievements, there weren’t enough players on unpopulated unranked matches for him to get a game going. But since he couldn’t join up with his friends on the ranked servers, he and his friends had to narrowly tailor their server searches and coordinate between themselves in the hopes of all winding up in the same ranked match at the same time. Quote: “The industry needs to start studying the long term impact of achievements on players, or we risk the doomsday scenario.”–Chris Hecker, urging developers to be cautious with how they incorporate reward systems. Takeaway: Although Hecker veered off on frequent tangents before circling back to his main point, the takeaway was unmistakable. He’s not yet sure that achievements are ultimately damaging to players’ motivations to game for gaming’s sake, but he wants researchers to look into that question specifically, and he doesn’t want the industry going too far down a potentially damaging path before a real answer has been reached. Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot ” Do Xbox 360 achievements spoil the fun? ” was posted by Brendan Sinclair on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:43:45 -0800

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Do Xbox 360 achievements spoil the fun?

Tags: chris-hecker, conference, friends, games, MAC OSX, reward, sake, whether-or-not, Windows 7

The iDongle Makes iPhone Jailbreaking Child’s Play [Hacking]

Kevin Whales — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:40:00 +0000

It used to be that jailbreaking your iPhone was a long, involved process , but worth it for the freedom . We’ve reached a new age, though, where emancipating your phone is as simple as plugging in an iDongle. Liberty! More

Tags: dongle-liberty, freedom, hack, hacking, iphone, iphones, jailbreaking, MAC OSX, phone, simple-as-plugging, your-phone

Protective Skin for Playstation 3 Remote Controller – Bone Collector Red

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:38:56 +0000

Highest Quality fade resistant VinylHighest Quality, Full Color, “Anti-Slip” Grip-Like Vinyl
Will not Scratch, Fade (UV Rsistant) or Peel
Easy Install & Removal. Leaves Behind No Sticky Residue
Skin fits Playstation 3 controller (Controller not included)
Precision Cut, Easy Access for Buttons, Controls, & Connectors

Product Description
“Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), is not affiliated with, nor does it authorize or sponsor the products being sold by 247Skins.” Listing is for the SKINS only. Actual Controller not included. Item listed is a vinyl skin, not a hard plastic cover.

Made with pride with Recyclable materials in the USA!… More >>

Protective Skin for Playstation 3 Remote Controller – Bone Collector Red

Tags: bone, Collector, controller, playstation, Protective, remote, skin

Wii Prince Tennis Racquet

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:33:49 +0000

Play Wii tennis with the Prince Wii racket
Securely put your controller into the slot put the strap through the base and you are ready to play
Wii Remotes not included
Feel like you are at the U.S Open or on centre court at Wimbledon

Product Description
Prince Tennis Racquet for use with the Wii… More >>

Wii Prince Tennis Racquet

Tags: prince, Racquet, tennis

When iPhone Games Approach Art, and When They Don’t [IPhone Apps]

SteveM — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:20:04 +0000

There are a lot of iPhone games. Most of them are crap. A significant fraction are good. Few are great. Even fewer are great and original. Like this one might be! More

Tags: apple, crap, fraction, gameloft, games, iphone, MAC OSX, none-solid, phone-apps, phone-games, snow leopard, sword & sworcery ep

Slider Impressions: Good, Silly Move Fun

Mario Pesce — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:20:00 +0000

Following last night’s PlayStation 3 Move extravaganza , Sony had one more motion-controlled game up its sleeve: Slider. The premise is simple. Two office workers, Tobio and Karin, carom down Tokyo streets on office furniture to try to get away from Yakuza thugs. Along with the wackiness, the bright lighting and colorful art reminded me of the arcade classics SEGA was prone to putting out in the late 1990s and early 2000s, such as Crazy Taxi. On the first level, I played Karin as she rolled down the street on her office chair. The controls use a combination of motion and traditional buttons–to get her running to push the chair I waved the Move up and down and then s…

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Slider Impressions: Good, Silly Move Fun

Tags: colorful-art, controls-use, gallery, karin, push-the-chair, running, such-as-crazy, tokyo, wackiness, waved-the-move

How to Install CAIRO dock in Linux Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:17:00 +0000

How to Install Os x Dock Like in Linux Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic. After having tested the various dock available for Ubuntu Linux, I have decided to go for Cairo dock as it provides very simple way to configure your desired shortcut by drag and drop. Also the animation and graphic an it’s humor, all I can say is that you will love it. If you want the weekly release beta version please click this link www.youtube.com for video and commands. www.glx-dock.org

Tags: 9.10, CAIRO, dock, install, Karmic, Linux, ubuntu

The 411 As Release Date For Apple iPad Approaches

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:15:57 +0000

The 411 As Release Date For Apple iPad Approaches
Apple finally gave us the date the first iPads will hit store shelves: April 3. We’ve been closely following the touch-screen tablet since Apple first announced it in late January, but here’s a quick guide for your most essential questions about the device.

Latest Kindle Auctions

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:15:57 +0000

Hey, check out these auctions:

Kindle 15000 eBooks Kindle, Kindle 2 PC Sony Reader etc

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NEW CLEAR SILICONE CASE FOR AMAZON KINDLE 2 2ND GEN

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Cool, arent they?

Tags: auctions, kindle, latest

Royalty Free Music For All Your Multimedia Projects.

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:11:39 +0000

Royalty Free Audio Intros And Exits For Sales Pages, Websites, Camtasia Videos, You Tube Videos, Corporate Videos, ELearning Course Development And Flash Projects.
Royalty Free Music For All Your Multimedia Projects.

Tags: free, multimedia, music, projects, royalty

Dingux Demo – running Linux on Dingoo A320

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:09:33 +0000

Линукс на Dingoo A320 (Dingux) Демонстрация загрузки и работы. Music by Kopernic

Tags: A320, demo, Dingoo, Dingux, Linux, running

Windows 7 is Microsoft’s fastest-selling OS

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:06:20 +0000

Windows 7 is Microsoft’s fastest-selling OS
90 million copies sold worldwide Microsoft has named Windows 7 as its fast-selling OS, after revealing 90 million copies have been sold to date.

Logitech Pure-Fi Anytime Premium Alarm Clock for iPod and iPhone

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:03:07 +0000

Supports iPhone and all iPod models with dock connector; supports other portable music players via 3.5-mm auxiliary input
Featuring motion-activated controls and other innovative features–perfect nightstand companion
Wake to music, radio, or buzzer, or sleep a little longer with a wave of your hand–thanks to motion-sensing snooze
Protected docking cavity helps prevent you from accidentally knocking over your iPod/iPhone
Accurately tune to live content, including music, news, weather, and sports with internal AM/FM radio

Amazon.com Product Description — Posted October 19, 2008
Amazon.com Product Description — Posted October 19, 2008 Everything you’d expect from a premium iPod and iPhone speaker system … and more. The Logitech Pure-Fi Anytime is an iPod/iPhone alarm clock that offers premium sound with innovative features that make it easy and convenient to use. Motion-activated, backlighted controls allow use in little or no light–like a dark bedroom. You can even snooze with a wave of your han… More >>

Logitech Pure-Fi Anytime Premium Alarm Clock for iPod and iPhone

Tags: alarm, Anytime, clock, iphone, ipod, logitech, premium, PureFi

White XBOX 360 Wireless Game Controller w / Dual Hidden Rapid Fire Trigger Buttons

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:03:05 +0000

Wireless Xbox 360 Game Controller With Hidden Rapid Fire Trigger Buttons
Brand New

Product Description
Brand New
Ships Within 24 – 48 Hours… More >>

White XBOX 360 Wireless Game Controller w / Dual Hidden Rapid Fire Trigger Buttons

Tags: buttons, controller, dual, fire, game, Hidden, rapid, Trigger, white, wireless, xbox

From goggle to Google: TV meets the internet

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:03:02 +0000

From goggle to Google: TV meets the internet
So I’m back from holiday, and I need to catch up on a couple of weeks of American Idol. The older shows I found via file-sharing services and watched on the laptop last night; the most recent are safely stored in the cable television’s digital video recorder, so I’ll settle on the sofa for those tonight.

Evening Reading: Nightly Faylure

Mario Pesce — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Morning Discussion is starting to look a little crowded. Here, let me help. What’s that? Where’s Brian? Why, he’s off at a magical land known as GDC 2010 . Sorry kiddos, you’ll have to make due with mean old Mr. Faylor for just a while longer. Yes, I know, he smells a little off. And the way he talks about himself in the third person is …disconcerting, especially with those crazy eyes of his, but you’ll be fine. I promise.

Follow this link:
Evening Reading: Nightly Faylure

Tags: brian, crazy, eyes, gdc, kiddos, snow leopard, the-third, Windows 7

Can I make a website in Hindi with joomla ?

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:59:42 +0000

I am using cms joomla and would like to incorporate hindi in the form of font of Mangal UFT – 8. Can anybody help me in desiging the website in hindi?

Tags: Hindi, Joomla, website

Joomla – Can I assign a module to a table cell or should it only be a div?

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:59:41 +0000

i am designing a page that its body having 1 background but a module left and another right… I created it using 1 large div that contains 2 small ones but the background doesnt work perfectly…
Any other ideas how can i divide the body to two modules with the same background?

Tags: assign, cell, Joomla, module, only, should, table

S-Video/AV Cable Pro

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:38:56 +0000

6 foot long S-Video/AV cable
Compatible with Playstation, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Xbox, N64 and GameCube

Product Description
Get a major upgrade with the dreamGEAR S-Video/AV Cable Pro, compatible with PlayStation, PS2, PS3, Xbox, N64 and GameCube. The S-Video/AV cable significantly improves your picture quality when connected to an S-Video ready TV, and can be used as a standard AV cable for an AV ready TV. Length of cable is 6 feet…. More >>

S-Video/AV Cable Pro

Tags: cable, SVideo/AV

Party Pigs Farmyard Games

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:33:47 +0000

Compete in wacky versions of classic outdoor games including Soccer, Racing, Hurdles, Diving, Long Jump, High Jump and Swimming.
Up to 4 players can compete in these crazy farmyard games!

Product Description
The Annual Party Pigs Track and Field competition is about to begin! Dust off your cleats and get ready to compete in zany versions of seven different track & field events. Choose your favorite pig athlete and take on hurdles, swimming, long jump, and more. Progress through the tournament or challenge your friends to see who is the greatest athlete at the farm!… More >>

Party Pigs Farmyard Games

Tags: Farmyard, games, party, Pigs

Apple Mac Book-Pro or Hp Pavillion elite?

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:26:31 +0000

Simple Apple or HP?

Tags: apple, BookPro, elite, Pavillion

The Settlers 7 Trailer Talks Customization

Jeremy Sandcastle — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:20:00 +0000

Civilization and Railroad Tycoon veteran Bruce Shelley walks us through this trailer for Blue Byte’s The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom, helping explain some of the strategy game’s customization elements. He’s also forced to hold his own microphone. [video]17556[/video] Shackvideo users can use the HD Stream . The Settlers 7 hits North America in PC and Mac form on March 23, complete with that new DRM of Ubisoft’s which requires players to have an active internet connection.

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The Settlers 7 Trailer Talks Customization

Tags: america, civilization, customization, drm, elements, form-on-march, kingdom, MAC, north, railroad, strategy, the-strategy, trailer, tycoon

United Airlines Claims In-Flight Videochat to Be Illegal [Travel]

Leo Fitzpatrick — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:20:00 +0000

John Battelle was on a Wi-Fi-enabled fight with United Airlines last night, and he decided to use videochat to say goodnight to his kids. Unfortunately, a flight attendant told him it was illegal. More

Tags: airlines, flying, MAC OSX, posts-tagged, travel, united, united-airlines, unitedairlines, videochat, Windows 7

Latest Kindle Auctions

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:15:07 +0000

Hey, check out these auctions:

NEW CHARGER ACCESSORIES KIT FOR AMAZON KINDLE 2 2ND GEN

US $9.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 5:32:36 PST
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Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

AU Mains Travel Charger Adapter for Amazon Kindle 2

US $3.63 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Mar-12-2010 6:02:37 PST
Buy It Now for only: US $3.63
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list

Cool, arent they?

Tags: auctions, kindle, latest

Adsense Prosperity System.

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:11:46 +0000

Discover How We Create And Sell Small Google Adsense Sites For More Than $7000. Earn Monthly Recurring Commissions On Hot Selling Membership Site.
Adsense Prosperity System.

Tags: Adsense, Prosperity, system

iPad Pre-Orders Start Friday Morning at 8:30 Eastern [Ipad]

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:11:05 +0000

If you just can’t wait to buy an iPad, or rather, can’t wait to reserve your slot to buy an iPad, you may be getting up early tomorrow: Pre-orders start at 8:30am EST Friday. That’s 5:30am, Pacific. More

Tags: apple, eastern, est, friday-morning, ipad, ipad pre-order time, pre-orders, slot, snow leopard, tweet

linux effect

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:09:04 +0000

CSE Revue 2005 Sin CSE www.cserevue.org.au

Tags: effect, Linux

como descargar e instalar windows 7 ultimate y activarlo parte 4 final (sin formatear)

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:05:56 +0000

En este tutorial les muestro como descargar e instalar el windows 7 ultimate oficial sin tener que formatear y sin deshacerse de su antiguo sistema operativo a continuacion los links: link del windows 7 upgrade advisor (comprobar la compatibilidad del windows7 con su pc): www.megaupload.com link del partition magic 8(el link no es mio): www.megaupload.com link del windows 7 ultimate (ahora en un link): depositfiles.com (este link es gracias a capsulakals) link del daemon tools lite: www.disc-tools.com link del nero burning rom: www.megaupload.com link del 7loader(validar windows7): www.megaupload.com post de taringa: www.taringa.net recomendaciones: www.youtube.com www.youtube.com www.youtube.com www.youtube.com www.youtube.com www.youtube.com disculpas: www.youtube.com

Tags: activarlo, Como, descargar, final, formatear, instalar, parte, ultimate, windows

AT&T 32520ATT Car Charger

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:03:54 +0000

Compatible with Apple iPhone / iPhone 3G / iPhone 3GS

Product Description
AT&T 32520ATT Car Charger – Compatible For iPhone 3G… More >>

AT&T 32520ATT Car Charger

Tags: 32520ATT, at&t, charger

Xbox 360 3-In-1 Power Kit

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:03:51 +0000

Power dock
Power brick rechargeable battery
Power play Xbox 360 charging cable
Charging cable with indicator light

Product Description
Xbox 360 3-In-1 Power Kit… More >>

Xbox 360 3-In-1 Power Kit

Tags: 3in1, power, xbox

PC Genius - Get Your Geek On!

Do Xbox 360 achievements spoil the fun?

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