LTGR Ep. #80: “Designing for the Future”
In this episode, Susan and Dan (who openly covet the iPad) interview the owner of a game development company making games for the iPad.
Show Notes:
In this episode, Susan and Dan (who openly covet the iPad) interview Rett Crocker, owner of ZapGun, a game development company. Having started out in educational games, Rett has developed games for the iPad and helps the hosts understand the significance of where we’re headed with computing.
First Rett chronicles his dizzying career over 20 years, which leads Susan to ask how educational games have changed in that time.
Gaming has become more lifelike, we can integrate all kinds of media, and now educators are involved (for better or worse).
The iPad is a major change in how people interact with computers. Rett unpacks that idea by talking about the challenges of some users. Touch and physicality redefine how we interact with computers.
The demographics for iPad owners: older than iphone owners, early adopters with an interest in technology. In other words, middle age men with discretionary money. (Dan is middle age but has no discretionary money.)
Because of the audience, Rett has to consider whether he can make a game’s buttons obvious or build in hidden interactions. Older users want directness.
Side note: Links to two of Rett’s iPad games:
How might the iPad change the way we learn. It’s small, portable, can carry huge amounts of data. And you can have fairly complex interactions on it. In other words, educational games work on the iPad, especially considering the rich and compelling 3D environment.
Skype cut out just as we got into a discussion about game and story…
“Compelling” comes back to our vocabulary.
Listeners, dream up what kinds of applications you’d like to see people like Rett develop for our collective future! What games do you need for what you teach?
Continue the discussion by posting at ltgreenroom.org or talk to us in LearningTimes! We facilitate discussion in LearningTimes.org or call us at 1-800-609-9006 x8055 (US and Canada) or 678-255-2174 x8055 (outside US and Canada). You can also find us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ltgreenroom.
