Three reasons why the Dutch games industry doesn’t suck.

Next week I'm speaking at the Festival of Games in Amsterdam. It's a curious thing, really, considering how tiny Holland is, and yet how active its games industry is. There are only a handful of internationally known game companies, such as Guerrilla Games (Killzone!) and Spilgames. But there's a substantial number of small and medium-sized companies out there. So I figured I'd go and check it out. — read on

D&D a “threat” says Court of Appeals

A few days ago the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals decided that Dungeons & Dragons presented a "threat" to prison security. Kevin T. Singer, an inmate at Wisconsin's Waupun Correctional Institution, was so devoted that it raised concern among the guards. He wrote, by hand, "a ninety six page manuscript outlining the specific details of a "campaign setting" he developed for use in D&D gameplay." For well over two years, no one thought twice about Singer's regular incoming stream of D&D mailings. This changed when Bruce Muraski, Waupun's "Disruptive Group Coordinator," received an anonymous letter from an inmate expressing concern

"that Singer and three other inmates were forming a D&D gang and were trying to recruit others to join by passing around their D&D publications and touting the “rush” they got from playing the game." (3)

NYU Summer Course on Video Games

Looking to do something this summer? Then sign up for the class I'll be teaching. It runs from June 30th to August 6th and covers video games from both an academic and industry perspective. For an abbreviated draft version of the syllabus, go here. For questions, contact me at jv2108 [at] columbia [dot] edu — read on

Flying

Today I flew again for the first time in a year. It's not a cheap hobby but it puts even the snazziest flight sim to shame. We performed four landings and I held my own despite gusty winds. I'd go again tomorrow if I could. Here are some pictures. First thing on my to-do list is to get a pair of those ridiculous glasses. — read on

Stizzate of Plizzay 6

After nearly two hundred days of radio silence, I return to jot down a few words. Last week Dan Hunter asked me to run a grad student workshop at State of Play 6, which will be held this June at the New York Law School. A lot of familiar faces will no doubt make an acte de presence, not in the least the members of the meme that is Terra Nova. — read on

Casual Hamburger

Last month I visited the 2009 edition of Casual Connect in Hamburg, Germany. With our casual games report almost finished, I flew to Hamburg to meet the movers and shakers in Europe. The industry’s state of affairs amidst an economic downturn persuaded a wide selection of companies to make an act-de-presence and network with existing and new clients. So here's what's up.

Citizen-Elect Advances in Ancient Martial Art.

NEW YORK -- Today, in a colorful exposé of the human faculties, a local graduate student successfully passed both his green card interview and blue belt exam. After convincing an immigration officer of their undivided love for each other, as well as credible financial ties, the happy couple celebrated with capucino's and shrimp salad. With his paperwork now neatly underway, and having reached an unprecedented degree of administrative organization, the blushing husband set out to his weekly ninja class only hours later. Says the recently minted citizen-elect, "I had no idea my exam would be on the same day. But I did it and passed!" On his way home to his beautiful bride, the increasingly deadly young man picked up some Indian food and two dozen orange roses. Allegations that he was overheard saying to himself, "Man, I can't wait to get that first welfare check," are yet to be confirmed. — read on

Cancer update (woo hoo!)

Today I visited my doctors again and they're telling me all is well. W00t! After last week's CT scan, everything looks normal. Or, as they call it, "stable." Well anyway, it means that at the next scan in November, it will already have been a solid year since I finished that gruesome chemo. Ninjas:1, Cancer:0, indeed. Memorable pic after the jump. — read on