Jake H.

History of Digital America (HIST 305)  // University of Nebraska - Lincoln

[jheiman96-blog]

“School’s Out” -- One Chance

[digizenk-deactivated20160727]

AScholarSaysWhat? Chapter 11, McGonigal

“If you’re not giving people the ‘I rock’ vibe, you’re not getting people to stick around (219).”

^My take:  If there’s nothing in it for the participants, don’t expect participation.

McGonigal quotes the mastermind behind the ‘Investigate Your MP’s Expenses’ games in detailing the reason this game succeeded: the reward for participating in this game was great–it gave players (acting simultaneously as investigate journalists) the power to dig into questionable actions via documents by their government representatives with the end-goal of making these corrupt MPs accountable for their wrongdoings.  Their reward for participating in this game was tangible: it resulted in “…resignations of dozens of parliament members and ultimately inspired sweeping political reform (219).” 

I’ve been dubious of some of McGonigal’s claims of game-playing translating to real-life change, but this example grabbed my attention.  In this instance she was absolutely correct.  This was human ingenuity at its best, an example of an ‘average Joe’ (well, the British equivalent of an Average Joe in this example) working to take down a system of corruption and holding those responsible for it accountable.  It’s simply a cool story:  an army of gamers unite to take on a system of corruption.  This isn’t what people think of when they think of gamers, instead the stereotype of a socially-awkward loner comes into mind.

When reading this I re-evaluated these questions: how much power do gamers really have?  In which situations and circumstances can they instigate change?  Does rewarding gameplay result in enhanced real-time experiences?  What do you think?

McGonigal, J. (2011) Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better And How They Can Change The World. 2nd edn. New York: Penguin Group (USA).

[jheiman96-blog]

In response to your questions, I also agree with you in that McGonigal brings up some excellent points regarding the “army of gamers” that united to take on a  system of corruption. I think gamers can be widely stereotyped as “nerdy” or “geeky” people that are very adequately familiar with technology as a whole. I think gamers have power to an extent, but I think McGonigal gives gamers a little bit more credit than they might deserve. Gamers aren’t “world changers” that advocate for the greater good of the well-being of others. Gamers are generally pretty smart and tech-savvy people that have the ability to instigate change technologically or possibly culturally in the world of gaming. I think they instigate change in the gaming world and their opinions and views directly impact the likes of companies like Sony, Microsoft, etc. that make popular gaming systems. PlayStation and Xbox play major roles in those huge companies and gamers are a huge part of that in determining the success of those companies. So, they have the economic power to demand changes and adaptations to the gaming industry. Rewards in gameplay are very important in engaging gamers into feeling accomplishment and I think that is a large part of keeping gamers playing those particular games. Feedback plays a major role and that’s what I lot of gamers look for in order to feel “fiero” and could be the difference that makes consumers choose one game over another.

[jheiman96-blog]

“School’s Out” - Cardline Globetrotter

[jheiman96-blog]

Critique It! (Grand Theft Auto V)

Grand Theft Auto V is obviously a very questionable game to some people, due to the violence and crime committed throughout the game. The fact of the matter is, that is the exact point of the game. When you start the game and come upon the loading screen, you have a choice whether to enter “Story Mode” or “Online”. Most of the time, I choose Story Mode. This is where you basically play against the computer and it’s pretty much going through your character’s daily life in a “story”. In our class reading of “Reality is Broken” by Jane McGonigal, she illustrates the terms “fiero” and “flow” as different feelings of emotion you may or may not experience during a game you play. Fiero is described as how we feel after a triumph over adversity. It comes as more of a surprise when you experience fiero because it was likely unexpected or you accomplished a task you didn’t know that you were even remotely capable of. I don't personally play Grand Theft Auto all that much, although I have played enough to know what it’s all about. But, even with all of the violence, killing, and crimes in the game, I think that players experience a large amount of fiero throughout Story Mode of this game because the concept of it is like a typical video game and is even somewhat similar to the layout of this class. As you go through Story Mode, you encounter a various number of “missions” that you must complete in order to earn money, experience, acquaintances, etc. to which you gradually embark on more difficult missions that get you more money  as you go on. When you complete a mission, especially with a “gold standard” if you perfected the mission, this is an example of the “fiero” effect that McGonigal talks about. Especially in the case of myself, someone who doesn't play a ton of video games (but have a good understanding and experience with video games), I most certainly shock myself when I complete missions that I didn’t think I would be able to complete. Not to get too into detail with some of the craziness of this game, but there is a “Jewelry Heist” mission that occurs later on in the game after you've completed a certain number of missions. I attempted it and actually passed it on my first try which I was extremely surprised about because hearing from a number of my friends who have also played Grand Theft Auto V before, it took them a couple of times to pass the mission. I think that in almost all video games there is a certain “fiero” effect that the player can experience at one point or another depending on the gamplay and level of difficulty it poses on the player. Grand Theft Auto V is definitely an “interesting” game but I think it is a pretty good example of experiencing fiero in the terms of completing missions and how there is an increased level of difficulty as you go on completing the various missions during the game.

[jheiman96-blog]

Mind The Gap -- From Counterculture to Cyberculture (Chapter 2)

For this “Mind the Gap” assignment, I chose to read and analyze Chapter 2 of “From Counterculture to Cyberculture”. I thought this chapter gave a very interesting perspective regarding Brand’s communal ideas and life background. It also included his individualistic ideas and what it was like growing up in the United States during the Cold War and how it impacted him and his family. Stewart Brand was born in 1938, in Rockford, Illinois. He grew up in a very middle-class family. He grew up in the late 1940′s and early 1950′s at a time where America’s technological advancements were at an all-time high. Bear in mind, this was also during the surge of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Brand would eventually go to college at Stanford University in 1957. While in college, Brand regularly feared that the United States would soon be attacked and invaded by the Soviet Union. During his freshman year, he began formulating ideas of anti-bureaucracy and individualism. In one of Brand’s journal entries, he explains that if he had to fight against the Soviets, he would be fighting for his individual freedom over fighting for America or for fighting for democracy, as a part of his approach of Individualism. He was determined to avoid the “hierarchy” of a typical American workforce. The fear of the Soviets attacking was a foreshadowing of Brand trying to break free from American bureaucracy. His indiviualistic ideology was one his main arguments throughout the chapter. Steward Brand’s biggest was inspired by and connected with John Cage and painter Robert Rauschenberg. Art was slowly gaining more and more popularity in the United States. Brand joined the art tribe USCO, where they began experimenting with ways to transform their audience’s experience. These gatherings called “happenings” were a type of psychedelic celebration, where they introduced many different types of drugs such as marijuana and LSD. Doing so, people could truly embrace the experience of togetherness. In the 1960′s and early 1970′s Stewart Brand and colleagues created The Whole Earth Catalog. For decades, it would migrate into debates around the social impact of digital technologies. The first catalog and its successors included a wide assortment of useful "tools" such as books, maps, garden implements, specialized clothing, carpenters' and masons' tools, forestry gear, tents, welding equipment, professional journals, early synthesizers, and personal computers. The World Earth Catalog also described where these things could be located or purchased. The catalog's publication implemented the "do it yourself" attitude associated with the counterculture. The influence of these Whole Earth Catalogs on the “rural back-to-the-land” movement of the 1970s and the communities' movement within many cities, was widespread throughout the United States and beyond. In 1985, Brand co-founded The WELL, a prototypical, wide-ranging online community for intelligent, informed participants the world over. This was also a beginning of the New Communalist Era. The WELL won the 1990 Best Online Publication Award from the Computer Press Association. Brand was acknowledged in "The Mother of All Demos" in 1968 when the computer mouse and video conferencing were introduced. I think that this chapter was very informative about Stewart Brand’s individualistic ideas that he stressed to the United States and the world. The fact that we learned about how he grew up during the Cold War and how it directly influenced him with his policies of individualism and the communal movements he led, directly helps us learn about his work in the future.

[hermionetargaryen]

Reality is Broken (3 & 4)

Quote:

Many of us do work that feels more surreal than real…What exactly have you accomplished at the end of any given day?  Where the chain of cause and effect is opaque and responsibility diffuse, the experience of individual agency can be elusive…Is there a more “real” alternative?

While is may not be the solution Crawford is referring to, games like World of Warcraft are just that:  a more “real” alternative to the insubstantiality of so much everyday work…they do give us real agency:  the opportunity to do something that feels concrete because it produces measurable results, and the power to act directly on the virtual world…games like WoW will fulfill a fundamental human need:  the need to feel productive.

Paraphrase:

This quote, I believe, argues that the combined result of multiple efforts is lost to individual workers.  Additionally, someone might question if a task is worth doing at all.  There is no instant, stimulating feedback to a job well done in a typical workplace.  Is there a way to make work feel more meaningful and concrete?  

McGonigal believes that video games, like WoW, give the “worker” a realization of their accomplishments, unlike reality.  In WoW, instant, exciting feedback is given after a mission is completed.  The player’s awareness of his/her accomplishments fuels the quest for more.    

Question:   

World of Warcraft gives its players a sense of productivity.  However, players’ accomplishments are virtual.  What is productive about virtual accomplishments?  

[jheiman96-blog]

I think that virtual accomplishments can be productive in the sense that it creates a stimulation of accomplishment for the player. If people feel that they’ve accomplished something, whether it is virtual or in reality, it can often come across the mind as being productive. If you set a goal for yourself to score ___ points or get to Level ___ in a video game and you reach that goal, I think that can be considered “productive” because you accomplished a task that you may or may not have thought you could have done beforehand. Many people might not see it this way because they find video games immature or even a waste of time. But, if you are being rewarded virtually, you are still accomplishing a task or goal that you set for yourself, even though you physically don't gain anything from it.

[jheiman96-blog]

Liveblog it! 2/22 (#3)

1:31 - Referee walks into the classroom, asks how everyone is doing.

1:35 - Referee talks about McGonigal, class has “switched gears” to her book

1:37 - Playing video games often can be considered “labor” but you don't get compensated for that “labor”

1:38 - TedTalk with McGonigal begins. I think I’ve seen this one before. Probably in HS.

1:41 - McGonigal talks about how many people become the “best version of ourselves” in video game worlds. But in reality, we usually don't feel that way. Often times feel overwhelmed and stressed instead.

1:42 - “What about games makes it impossible to feel that you can't achieve?”

1:44 - The average gamer that grows up in a “heavy video-gaming” country, will have spent 10,000 hours playing video games by the age of 21 (McGonigal)

1:53 - We play video games to escape the various problems we experience in our real lives.

2:00 - Class discussion about McGonigal’s TED Talk. Digizens believe McGonigal might be giving gamers too much credit for their accomplishments and contributions to society, but a lot of what she is saying is true.

2:14 - Digizens are forming mini-boss mission groups. Also assigning roles for each group member.

2:20 - Class dismissed.

[bigtencornhusker]

Reality is Broken

Quote

“We often think of immersive gameplay as ‘escapist,’ a kind of passive retreat from reality. But through the lens of Herodotus’ history, we can see how games could be a purposeful escape, a thoughtful and active escape, and most importantly an extremely helpful escape.” (McGonigal, Pg. 6)

Paraphrase

People often use videogames to get away from the real world. They focus on the alternate reality on the screen instead of the stresses of their everyday lives. They allow the players to briefly free their minds.

Question

Can videogames serve as a constructive therapeutic tool?

[jheiman96-blog]

I actually read an article from the American Psychological Association that talked about the various benefits of video games in adolescents and how it is used as a therapy treatment for certain cases. I found that to be very interesting. Of course, there are also many drawbacks to video games that are very obvious. Especially in violent video games such as (Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, etc.) when kids are beginning to play these games at a younger age. I would say video games can serve as constructive therapeutic tools in some cases, probably more on the extreme side. I just think there are better ways to psychologically heal someone that is dealing with problems emotionally and mentally. Video games are good for improving the strategy and decision-making part of your brain for sure. I don’t know that you could use video games as a pure therapy tool though, other than specific circumstances in which it makes the most sense.

[jheiman96-blog]

...Try, Try Again

http://digitalamericasp16.wikispaces.com/Nintendo+Gameboy

Nintendo Game Boy

[jheiman96-blog]

Maybe a Little Theory

http://digitalamericasp16.wikispaces.com/Jane+McGonigal

Jane McGonigal

[samtxu-blog]

Wait, What? | Portal

2/18

1. To people that have played Portal: Do you consider it art? If you do, is it because it matches the criteria we discussed last class, or because of the reasons given in today’s reading?

2. Why do video games need to be seen as art to be taken seriously? Why art and not another term?

3. If game theorists, enthusiasts etc. manufacture the things needed to catergorize video games an art form, such as “exhibition, award and critical analysis,” does this make it a true art? Or is this the exact same thing that happened with other, canon art forms?

[jheiman96-blog]

I have not played portable before. But, in response to your 2nd question, I think some people have a perception of video games as being “immature” and “child-like” in a way. I think that a lot of people see video games as only played by younger generations for the most part, so therefore, they aren't taken as seriously. My opinion is that there are aspects of video games that could be considered as “art” for sure, especially with how advanced graphics have become. I think that the term “art” can be considered in a lot of different perspectives. Anything in your imagination can be perceived as art if you believe that it classifies as a piece of art. I really believe that the age gap is the biggest factor when considering video games to be considered as “art” or not. Older generations think of art as masterpiece paintings and sculptures from hundreds of years ago. Younger generations today could see video games and gameplay graphics within video games as masterpieces of art in their own mind, and there is nothing wrong with that.

[jheiman96-blog]

Maybe A Little Theory

http://digitalamericasp16.wikispaces.com/Lawrence+Lessig

Lawrence Lessig

[jheiman96-blog]

Maybe a Little Theory

http://digitalamericasp16.wikispaces.com/David+Sarnoff

David Sarnoff

[jheiman96-blog]

Blogify the World - Judge Orders Apple to hack terrorist’s phone

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/16/us/san-bernardino-shooter-phone-apple/index.html

I’m sure most people heard about the shootings in San Bernardino, CA a little over 3 months ago. The two shooters responsible were a husband-and-wife terrorist duo connected to ISIS, ultimately killing 14 people, injuring 22 others. They were shot and killed in a police shootout.  Recently, a judge ordered Apple, everyone’s favorite technology brand, to hack into the shooters’ phones with the FBI in order to possibly get undisclosed information. Apple has publicly announced their opposition to the judge’s request, calling it “an overreach by the U.S. government.” Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, is very skeptical of hacking the terrorists’ phones because he, and Apple, believe that once this hack happens once, the software is out there for anyone to use and it could end up in the wrong hands. Cook also stated "The government suggests this tool could only be used once, on one phone. But that's simply not true. Once created, the technique could be used over and over again, on any number of devices.” 

I’m not really sure what to think about this. If Apple’s software has the ability to help the FBI uncover this case and prevent future terrorist attacks in the United States, then I think that this needs to be considered. But, I can definitely see why Apple is very skeptical about this. Especially, if their concern that the software could reach the wrong hands, even if they use it just once. I think that there are too many crazy-smart hackers out in the world that could find a way to get their hands on the software. Apple is definitely in a tough position. They stated in a letter that they have zero sympathy for terrorist groups but they don't want to risk the privacy and safety of their current customers. I completely understand both points. I think it might be slightly unfair that Apple is being ‘forced’ into this situation when I’m sure they really just want nothing to do with it. I don’t really think that a judge should be able to “order” a technology company, especially one with such a massive public image like Apple, to get involved with the FBI in solving a terrorist case in which they had zero involvement. I think it’s hard to say what this will do to Apple’s overall public image as well, depending on the decision they make. There are definitely enough crazy people out there to let this sway their consumer decision-making in the future. We’ll see how it all goes down, but Apple is in a really tough spot here and I don't know if there is a whole-lot they can do about it to be quite honest.

[jheiman96-blog]

Two Thumbs Up For One Ups - NCAA Football 14

NCAA Football 14 is a college football video game available on PS3 and Xbox 360. EA Sports has actually discontinued the “NCAA Football” series and NCAA Football 14 is the most recent version available on the market at this point. 

This is one of my favorite video games of all time. I really like the gameplay of this game and how you can play with any of the 128 FBS college football teams. They have realistic designs of each stadium, no matter how big or small the school. The creators did a really good job with the “little things” and making sure that the details about the graphics of the game really improved. I definitely think that if this game was still being made every year, the graphics would be on an entirely different level. But, for being released 2 years ago, the graphics are stellar and pretty realistic in my opinion.

Dynasty mode is my favorite aspect of NCAA Football 14 without a doubt. I really like how you can personalize a coach and take a team of your choice as far as you want in your career. You can take the bottom-feeders of a Power 5 conference to the national championship or play with your favorite school of your choice and establish dominance. Recruiting is another very cool aspect of dynasty mode because you can recruit high-caliber high school athletes to come to your school and sign Top recruiting classes. They don’t make it very difficult to land some of the top athletes, which is nice because recruiting can take up a lot of time if you put effort into it. Regardless, it’s a very fun aspect of dynasty mode and it makes the reality of NCAA Football 14 that much greater.This game can be compared to the Madden games of a few years ago. I think that the graphics are pretty similar to what they were in 2014. I find NCAA Football 14 to be a little bit easier when playing against the CPU, in comparison to Madden (even if on the same difficulty). I think that they make the CPU defenses a little bit more vulnerable especially in option packages and certain passing routes. If you play the game enough, you’ll be able to find all the plays that work just about every time.

I would very much like to see EA Sports bring the NCAA Football series back. I think it was a huge mistake to take it off the market and I think it’s great for the fans of college football and the players to be able to play as themselves in a video game. I hope a settlement comes to agreement between the NCAA and EA Sports in the future. Overall, this is a fantastic game that I would recommend to any college football fan, or sports fan in general.

[briansnodgrass-deactivated20160]

Yeah, I miss these games too.

The NCAA series by EA Sports went from the summer of 1993 - 2013, and it was sad to see it end.

There was a $60 million settlement between EA Sports and the NCAA, but there are a lot of hoops EA Sports will have to go through before they’re allowed to continue this series. I don’t see it possibly happening for another 3 or 4 years.

[jheiman96-blog]

Yeah I know, I think your timeframe for a comeback is pretty accurate. I wish it was sooner. That whole situation was unnecessary to me. I don't know if you saw, but a little over a month back, EA Sports posted on Facebook a “heartbeat” meter for the National Championship so a lot of people were speculating a possible comeback. But nothing has been announced, obviously.

[jheiman96-blog]

Two Thumbs Up For One Ups - NCAA Football 14

NCAA Football 14 is a college football video game available on PS3 and Xbox 360. EA Sports has actually discontinued the “NCAA Football” series and NCAA Football 14 is the most recent version available on the market at this point. 

This is one of my favorite video games of all time. I really like the gameplay of this game and how you can play with any of the 128 FBS college football teams. They have realistic designs of each stadium, no matter how big or small the school. The creators did a really good job with the “little things” and making sure that the details about the graphics of the game really improved. I definitely think that if this game was still being made every year, the graphics would be on an entirely different level. But, for being released 2 years ago, the graphics are stellar and pretty realistic in my opinion.

Dynasty mode is my favorite aspect of NCAA Football 14 without a doubt. I really like how you can personalize a coach and take a team of your choice as far as you want in your career. You can take the bottom-feeders of a Power 5 conference to the national championship or play with your favorite school of your choice and establish dominance. Recruiting is another very cool aspect of dynasty mode because you can recruit high-caliber high school athletes to come to your school and sign Top recruiting classes. They don't make it very difficult to land some of the top athletes, which is nice because recruiting can take up a lot of time if you put effort into it. Regardless, it’s a very fun aspect of dynasty mode and it makes the reality of NCAA Football 14 that much greater.This game can be compared to the Madden games of a few years ago. I think that the graphics are pretty similar to what they were in 2014. I find NCAA Football 14 to be a little bit easier when playing against the CPU, in comparison to Madden (even if on the same difficulty). I think that they make the CPU defenses a little bit more vulnerable especially in option packages and certain passing routes. If you play the game enough, you’ll be able to find all the plays that work just about every time.

I would very much like to see EA Sports bring the NCAA Football series back. I think it was a huge mistake to take it off the market and I think it’s great for the fans of college football and the players to be able to play as themselves in a video game. I hope a settlement comes to agreement between the NCAA and EA Sports in the future. Overall, this is a fantastic game that I would recommend to any college football fan, or sports fan in general.

[jheiman96-blog]

...Try, Try Again

http://digitalamericasp16.wikispaces.com/Manchester+Mark+1