by Patrick Altoft on April 30, 2007
Although its not the normal type of mobile phone game played by young people in the UK, a Portsmouth University academic (and former student) hopes that his new design has found a niche.
The game is designed to help foreign students make sense of the British university culture and help the students integrate and find their way around campus.
Designer Nipan Maniar wants to help people overcome the “culture shock” of moving to the UK.
The game follows an international student arriving in Britain for the first time. The aim is to reduce the character’s “culture shock” rating from a default of 100 to zero by performing a series of tasks that introduce new incidents and images.The game’s opening scenario is a student’s first day at university.
The student is shown a map of the campus and is given tasks to find specific locations. Clicking on images along the way warns the student about what to expect - for example, it is acceptable for students to drink alcohol and to display affection in public.
The game also includes important information such as emergency telephone numbers. Mr Maniar expects the idea to be adopted by other universities. He developed with prototype with Dr Emily Bennett, his research assistant, after consulting the University’s International Office and the British Council.
It is now in the final stages of development and is expected to be available for download from the University of Portsmouth website later this year.
by Patrick Altoft on February 9, 2007
Playing games on mobile phones is as popular as ever and with better screens offering high resolution the experience is getting much more like real gaming system all the time.
One feature that holds phones back as gaming devices is the fact that most are designed for sending text messages, rather than playing games.
The joystick design below pops out of the phone so you can control the game more easily. Not sure if this will appear on any of the major phones anytime soon. If would need to appear via one of the major manufacturers to become popular.
Via industrialdesign.ru
by Patrick Altoft on February 7, 2007
mobile phone” align=”right”>Nintendo has been granted a patent that was filed in 2001 for a gaming phone.
From the patent it appears that the phone will run two chips, one for games and one for other mobile functions. The official description is an “Electronic apparatus having game and telephone functions” but its clear that the main aim is games on a cell phone.
Abstract:
An electronic apparatus includes a phone CPU and a game CPU. When a * key is operated during execution of a game, the phone CPU sets a specified bit of a game key register to “1”. The phone CPU is set “1” into the specified bit when there is an incoming call of a phone during the execution of the game. The game CPU pauses the game being in execution when the specified bit is renewed to “1” and restores the specified bit from “1” to “0”. When the * key is operated in a state the game is interrupted, the phone CPU sets “1” into the specified bit. The game CPU restarts the game by canceling the pause.
Via engadget and Google Patents
