No longer writing here. I don’t have a use for this space anymore. It was a fun ride! Thanks for reading.
Edit: I’m still getting hits here and there, so take a peek at my about.me to see where I’m spending my time on the Internet.
111 days. That’s how long it’s been since the newest original post! Too long.
As I said in the about, this is a space I created for technology and games without a limit of 140 characters. I’ve been rethinking my approach to this website as social media tools get more varied, robust, and populated. Its creators are constantly iterating and with it, our habits. Google+ was a fantastic outlet that replaced this space for a period of time, but I’m now giving it a back seat as I watch Google’s next moves with the service. I still love it.
For the 14 months I’ve owned this domain I’ve played with many different structures and topics for posts as I developed my voice as an outspoken enthusiast. Being outspoken and critical about companies I’d love to work with while fresh out of college is also a tricky proposition. That balance is a responsibility I’d love to handle. Simply put, I need this space. I like to explore and challenge my own thoughts through writing, conversation, and making games. This place satisfies the first.
I’m still playing with different structures and always will be because we’re always iterating. One thing that will never change is its purpose: to explore. I’m not here to promote myself, but I do hope I’ll be able to share some of my own projects here at some point. Or, who knows, maybe I’ll move somewhere else again. I’ll let you know this time. Until then!
Originally published in the December 8th issue of The Berkeley Beacon
The hype train is departing from Silicon Valley with Path 2.0 — pitched as a mobile “smart journal” for iPhone and Android that functions like a private alternative to Facebook. I know what you’re thinking: Another social network? But what sets Path apart from the competition is its focus on a small, close-knit community — its 150 friend limit mandates an intimate experience. Read More »
This post was featured on Kotaku and Gizmodo
Apple needs Gaming as much as Gaming needs Apple. The games business at Apple currently is, as Steve Jobs said about the Apple TV, a “hobby”. Tim Cook agrees – you guys aren’t changing the world with this one. But you sure can! Steve Jobs famously said Apple strives to be at the intersection of technology and liberal arts – it is therefore Apple’s responsibility to contribute to the rise of video games in society as they too, are at the intersection of technology and liberal arts. Now that you’ve successfully stumbled into the games business with the app store, know that this was never a coincidence. It’s time to stop playing the amateur. Read More »
Originally published in the February 17th issue of The Berkeley Beacon. Photo credit: Andrew McMillen
After making the case for video games at Emerson College, I looked to other schools to find student leaders in established game programs and inquired about their experiences. Luckily, I didn’t need to look far, as Northeastern University was recently a site for Global Game Jam 2012, a game development initiative where students are placed in teams and crank out a game over a sleepless 48-hour Red Bull-induced weekend. Over 11,000 students across 48 countries registered for this event which produced over 2000 free games — the educational equivalent of making a Film I over the weekend. Sound familiar? This is exactly the kind of production Emerson College would be able to participate in if we had a competitive game program. I witnessed three teams of programmers, writers, audio designers, and visual artists produce and present three original games and spoke with them about their experiences.
Originally published in the January 17th issue of The Berkeley Beacon. UPDATE: Our voice has been heard.
Video games are the quintessential 21st century art form. Artists, actors, writers, designers, and programmers collaborate to produce an interactive story representative of the digital age. The Art Institute of Vancouver, Savannah College of Art and Design, and the University of Southern California are just a few schools with game design programs. So why don’t we study video games at Emerson College? Read More »
Originally published in the November 17th issue of The Berkeley Beacon.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg uttered these words last year in an on-stage interview with TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington: “The age of privacy is over.” He argues that Facebook is merely reflecting the norms of a changing society. This statement simply isn’t true — Facebook is shepherding these changes for its own self-interest.
The Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) hit that kickstarted a new era in video games was originally an easter egg in Bizarre Creations’ 2003 title Project Gotham Racing 2. In the game’s virtual car garage sits a classic arcade machine and if you’re curious enough to investigate, you are presented with the option to play Geometry Wars. Bizarre’s original arcade game was so popular the studio decided to sell Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved alongside the Xbox 360 (and Project Gotham Racing 3) launch on November 21, 2005 through XBLA. Little did we know this arcade gem set gaming trends 6 years later.
Originally published in the October 13th issue of The Berkeley Beacon
As of last Tuesday’s keynote address, Apple’s latest creation, the iPhone 4S, is now available for your tech-savvy fingers to smudge against. Apple boasts “the most amazing iPhone yet,” but anything they released would fit that title — It’s just sneaky marketing. With expectations set astronomically high, Apple disappointed. Just over a year after the iPhone 4, I expected Apple to leap ahead of its competitors yet again, but instead received a lukewarm update. My gut tells me an iPhone 5 was planned but wasn’t ready and Apple never shows unfinished products. And now the iPhone 5 has missed the holiday season.
Steve Jobs was more than a man who changed the world to me – he was a teacher and a role model. He was one of the greatest marketers and CEOs to ever live, but that’s not why I admire him. Steve wasn’t great because he knew how to sell. He was great because he was extremely passionate about his work and dedicated his life to it. He taught me that the only way to do great work is to love what you do.
