Video Games and Human Values Initiative Latest Thoughts Podcast

The podcast branches out, with a critical discussion of Bioshock recorded during a simultaneous play session! Let us know what you think of this new format.

VGHVI Latest Thoughts Podcast with Roger Travis and Mike Young, professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education and director of UConn’s educational technology program. Roger and Mike discuss the problem of fun as it relates to learning. When you co-opt a game for learning, is it possible to keep the fun? Produced by Randy Ma.

(Here's a direct link to the podcast.)

Mike Young’s information at UConn

Mike's thread on co-opting games for learning

Situated cognition on Wikipedia, as edited by one of Mike’s classes

Mihály Csíkszentmihályi on Wikipedia, and his concept “flow”

John Seely Brown on Wikipedia, and at his own very nice website; his piece on the potential of World of Warcraft.

VGHVI Latest Thoughts Podcast with Roger Travis and Jeff Howard, author of Quests: Design, Theory, and History in Games and Narratives. Roger and Jeff discuss the meaning of magic systems in games, and Jeff's work on his forthcoming game, Arcana Manor. Produced (heroically) by Randy Ma.

(Here's a direct link to the podcast.)

Jeff's Howard's Designing Quests site, with information on Arcana Manor here.

I'll try to have more detailed show notes up later this week, but I'm headed to Pittsburgh early tomorrow and I wanted to get the podcast up before I left. Enjoy!

VGHVI Latest Thoughts Podcast with Michael Abbott, the Brainy Gamer. Roger and Michael discuss the state of academic discourse about games in relation to the "middle circle" of game criticism, and the table we think VGHVI brings to the conversation. Features Roger Travis and Michael Abbott. Produced by Randy Ma.

(Here's a direct link to the podcast.)


Apologies for the lowness of my voice both in frequency and in volume. The former was a problem with a cold, now resolved, the latter a problem with my Skype settings, hopefully also now resolved.

As Michael and I discuss at the end of the podcast, stay tuned for information, probably towards the end of the summer, about Michael's first online course-offering!

Links to items Michael and I discuss:

The Video Games and Human Values Initiative: check out the events listing there for invitations to the VGHVI gaming sessions--Lord of the Rings Online on Sunday nights and rotating titles (usually on XBox Live) on Thursday nights

Michael Abbott's Brainy Gamer blog

Roger Travis' Living Epic blog

Dan Bruno's Cruise Elroy blog

Ben Abraham's SLRC and Critical Distance (founded by Ben and featuring him and many other incisive game critics)

Corvus Elrod's Man Bytes Blog

Justin Keverne's Groping the Elephant blog

Erik Hanson's VGHVI week-in-review

The Vintage Game Club

The Tempest

If you're interested in joining the initiative, please head over to the social network!