The issue of “cloning” in video game production has garnered a lot of attention lately, even surfacing in the New York Times a few days ago. On a basic level, “cloning” describes a situation where the core gameplay mechanics of an original game are copied, repackaged, and sold as a different game with distinct graphics, [...]
Critical Perspectives Category
Innovation or Renovation? Video Games and Cloning
Friday, March 16th, 2012Police vs. para-military, online and in meatspace
Monday, December 19th, 2011In my ethics course we talk extensively about professional ethics, and in particular the moral ideals served by particular professions. With both #SOPA and #Occupy on everyone’s minds, I’ve been thinking about the moral ideals, and moral differences, between our society’s two approaches to law enforcement.
Trick or Treat? Death by Powerpoint….
Monday, October 31st, 2011I wanted to have some fun at work and in my class, so here’s my ode to bad meetings!
The Grim PPTer
And here’s what is says on my scythe and the handouts. Today I have a meeting with our IT Strategic Advisory council, which includes our Provost, CFO, other VPs and several deans. Funny thing is [...]
5 Steps Towards Creating an Innovation Culture at a University
Friday, October 28th, 2011Our president here at Miami University, David Hodge, gave his annual address titled “A Culture of Entrepreneurial Spirit” on September 29th this year. It was a good speech, balancing an honest view of the challenges we face with a positive attitude that we will overcome them and be better for it, and how we’re going [...]
Criticism for Computer Scientists
Thursday, September 8th, 2011Here is a partial list of the books that have most shaped my practice, as a computer scientist, over the past five years:
Homo Ludens, by Johan Huizinga. (Protip: Read the whole thing, not just chapter 1.)
Discipline and Punish, by Michel Foucault. (“Panopticism,” in particular)
More Work for Mother, by Ruth Schwartz Cowan.
Understanding Media, Laws of Media, and [...]
So What Is It About Tron?
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010This weekend Tron: Legacy opens amid much marketing hype. I have to admit, I am pretty excited about it. I recently pulled out my DVD copy for a showing of the original Tron with some friends and we reminisced about the movie, the game, and our memories of seeing it in the theater. So what [...]
The Supreme Court, Video Game Violence, and the Ethics of Interaction
Thursday, November 4th, 2010On the morning of November 2nd—while the intense game of politics began to play out during the mid-term elections—the politics of games witnessed a landmark event when the Supreme Court heard arguments concerning Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Association, a case concerning a California law from 2005 that would criminalize the sale of “deviant, violent video [...]
“Pink is Complicated” (or, What I did on my Summer Vacation)
Monday, August 30th, 2010Hello! As one of the newer members of the AIMS affiliate faculty, I would like to
begin by telling everyone how thrilled I am to be a part of this. I met
many of you while interviewing last spring, but let me give a brief run-down on
my research area for those who I have not met: I [...]
Opening Government with Media Studies Research
Thursday, July 8th, 2010AIMS Senior Research Fellow, Ted Smith, was recently invited to a meeting at the White House Conference Center to discuss the measurement of Open Government plan implementations. This work stems from his voluntary effort with the transparency watchdog group Openthegovernment.org. The Obama administration issued an executive directive last year asking most federal agencies to submit [...]
con-nect
Saturday, November 21st, 2009You know how things always seem to come in waves. I’ve had several experiences lately that have caused me to pause and think about connections and relationships, both professionally and personally. I’ve been pondering why we organize our culture and systems the way we do, and thinking about the various choices that we make and [...]