by Stone Marshall | Mar 17, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
BY MADELINE BODIN
The video game Minecraft has become a new tool for community engagement.
In Anaheim, California, the children couldn’t wait to show Pamela Galera, ASLA, the zip lines and tree houses in their parks. As she visited their creations, Galera, a landscape architect and planner for the City of Anaheim, saw the road on one side of the site and the river on the other, just as they are in real life. The landscapes, created by the kids using the video game Minecraft, were blocky by nature, but three dimensional, and from their laptops, they could explore the park designs from all directions.
Galera had no experience with Minecraft until recently, when Mojang, the company that created Minecraft, asked the City of Anaheim to use the game to help design a park. The design project would be featured at a Minecraft convention held in the city. “I am not a video game player,” she says, “so I had my concerns.” Mojang (now owned by Microsoft) had worlds of experience. In 2012, Mojang partnered with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to launch an initiative called Block by Block, which employs Minecraft to help communities reconceive public spaces.
Block by Block’s first project was a playground in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2012. “Young people are a big part of the population in much of the world,” says Pontus Westerberg, the program officer for UN-Habitat’s urban planning and design branch. Yet it’s rare for young people to attend public planning meetings. Block by Block brings city officials and design professionals together with residents, especially children. The group is presented with an accurate and scaled Minecraft model of the existing space. These models are created for Block by Block by two third-party organizations, Minecraft Mexico and BlockWorks. Small groups of stakeholders then build their vision for the site using Minecraft.
A traditional design concept drawing of the play area after the children’s input. Image courtesy MIG, Inc.
“It can be hard to communicate the constraints of a project,” Galera says. Reading plans and elevations and being able to imagine a three-dimensional design from a two-dimensional drawing are skills that take time to learn. Most people, but particularly children, pick up the conventions of Minecraft more quickly. Just about everyone intuitively understands Minecraft’s three-dimensional models. “That’s why Minecraft is valuable,” Galera says. “We can share ideas in a way that’s understandable to everyone.”
The Block by Block program quickly expanded beyond playground design to all kinds of public spaces, and now is responsible for 50 projects around the globe, Westerberg says. Anaheim was a pilot for a U.S. expansion of the project that will train local professionals in the Minecraft-based community engagement method. After just a few weeks of working with Minecraft, Galera felt confident using it. So did the children who had never used Minecraft. “They just took off,” she says. “In a long career, it was a fulfilling moment.”
LANDSCAPE GAMES
by Stone Marshall | Mar 16, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
While we’re not shy in admitting to never going big on Minecraft, a game that has such a huge following but one that just didn’t grab us, the idea of merging Dragon Quest with some building mechanics piqued our interest when it first launched back in 2016Some years later and with the launch of Nintendo’s Switch, what better platform to port this RPG-Builder to and explore it for the first time. Especially as Dragon Quest is one JRPG that holds a bright candle in our hearts.Set after the events of the original Dragon Quest, Builders takes us through an alternate timeline in the long since destroyed Alefgard in which the few left no longer have the ability to build or create.
A simple enough premise giving you enough of a jumping off point to begin your immersion into the world but one which requires essentially no prior knowledge of the previous entries to understand or even fall in love with the games style, enemies and overall shot of nostalgia with its classic Zelda feels.
After a fairly thorough tutorial, giving you all the know how you need to get building, from full on structures to surviving in the harsh wilderness of Alefgard (hot tip, don’t stray too far from a light source when the night falls) Dragon Quest Builders takes the training wheels off and leaves you to build as you see fit.
Dragon Quest Builders Screenshots
In DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS, players are tasked to construct a wide variety of structures as they receive ever-more extravagant requests from expectant citizens eager to find a new home. Explore with the freedom of sandbox gameplay, combined with an immersive and charming DRAGON QUEST story – battling with iconic DRAGON QUEST monsters and interacting with gorgeously designed 3D characters along the way.
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There are story-based mission of course, as towns folk will need a hand from time to time building anything from simple bedrooms to bathhouses and even wandering the more dangerous parts of the world in search of precious materials and possible new towns-folk.
Simplicity is at the games core though as combat is just as easy to adopt as the main building mechanic, opting for a classic Zelda-esque real-time combat system which is much pacier than the series turn based combat and fits extremely well with the over feel of this iteration.
And while the world here may seem a little different for experienced Dragon Quest fans there are plenty of familiar monsters to deal with; from metal-slime to golems, which appear the further, you delve into the wilderness. Each dropping crucial building materials.
Exploring while treacherous is seldom a waste of time, as all areas of the world from it’s deserts to it’s forests have plenty of secrets to distract you and give you yet another reason to stray from your quest and sink some more time into.
£34.99 £34.99
Perhaps the most interesting aspect we found, however, was the many sieges you’ll encounter once you’ve progressed a little further into your adventure.As an array of the games nasty’s tear towards all four walls of your towns, you’ll need to prepare barriers and automated defences to survive the onslaught.These miniaturised tower defence moments are fun and challenging without entering into hair pulling territory.
When you factor in the games free build mode, allowing you to simply create to your hearts content minus the enemy onslaughts and limited supplies, then it shows how
Dragon Quest Builders is a big game disguised in a simple package, and one that fits perfectly with the Switch.
We found ourselves constantly dipping in and out on train journeys before docking at home for longer sessions, delightfully hooked on the games world and that niggling need to spend 5 more minutes building the next addition to our towns.
Whether you’re new to Dragon Quest or this style of creation based game, you’re sure to be fully enthralled.
THE VERDICT – 4/5
THE GOOD
• Simple but addictive building system
• Great soundtrack
• Familiar Monsters
• Nostalgic feel and aesthetic
THE BAD
• No multiplayer
Dragon Quest Builders Nintendo Switch REVIEW: Minecraft meets Zelda RPG is no bad thing
by Stone Marshall | Mar 16, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
OMAHA — Patrick Burkholder isn’t exactly a video game aficionado.
But from his hospital bed on Monday, the 18-year-old picked up an Xbox controller and sent his avatar zipping through the blocky world of “Minecraft.”
“It’s been a while,” Burkholder said of the last time he played the game.
The Omaha teen was one of the first patients at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center to try out one of five new gaming carts donated by local video gamers.
The gaming kiosks, called GO Karts, were added to the Omaha hospital’s existing fleet of video game systems. The carts, constructed by the Michigan-based nonprofit Gamers Outreach, carry Xbox One S devices that are loaded with nine games.
Two of the carts were donated by LanFest Netwar, a volunteer group that hosts video game events for charity. The other three carts were donated by local gamer James Gittins, who raised money at a Michigan gaming event. Each cart cost about $3,500.
Video games are in demand at the hospital, particularly for patients who are in isolation and can’t visit the activity rooms on each floor, said Terry Patterson, manager for family resources at the hospital.
“This is about normalization for kids,” Patterson said. “It’s not only about good health care. We want to continue to provide the same social and recreational outlets as home.”
It’s been something different for Burkholder to do while cooped up in his hospital room. He’s been in and out of the hospital since January for a series of digestive issues.
“It’s an amazing thing because it takes his mind off it,” said Tisha Burkholder, Patrick’s mother. “It’s a normal activity, even if it’s only for an hour.”
Each cart has a game console tucked under a desk with all cords out of sight. A monitor and two controllers sit on top. After being wheeled into patient rooms, the height of the carts can be adjusted. The medical-grade kiosks are wiped down after each use.
LanFest Netwar will host another fundraising event on March 16. Proceeds will go toward purchasing three additional carts for the hospital, said Travis Kreikemeier, founder of the group.
Gittins was looking for a way to give back to others and drew off his own hospital experience as a child. He spent four days hospitalized after a severe case of pneumonia.
“I remember waking up and seeing a Super Nintendo there for me to play,” Gittins said. “It made me feel less like I was in a hospital and more like I was with my family playing games.”
Gaming carts donated by gamers provide sense of normalcy to hospitalized kids
by Stone Marshall | Mar 15, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
The Pawling Library & Front Street Gallery present
Open Call for Entries: “A New Chapter” a group show
Extended Deadline: March 26
Opening: April 28
Alexander Graham Bell said, “When one door closes another door opens.” Opportunities abound and what many fail to realize is that we make our own opportunities. We are not required to follow a preordained map. Our story can go in any direction. The unfolding is unending, as our soul searches for what brings us the greatest joy: the fulfillment of experiencing who we truly are. In the journey there is freedom to explore, and always a desire for more. One chapter ends and a new chapter begins.
Important Dates
March 26: Deadline–submissions must be emailed or received by 12am.
March 21: Notification of accepted work sent to artists
April 13-15: Delivery of accepted work to gallery
April 28 Opening Reception at Front Street Gallery
Artwork in all mediums will be considered. We prefer that some of the work be created for this show, keeping in mind the theme.
Up to four images may be submitted. Email images to submit.frontstreet@gmail.com. Image files jpegs, at least 6 inches on the longest side. Please label image files clearly: Artist name, title, medium, dimensions of work and price of each item submitted. Links may be submitted as long as all of the above information is included.
Hanging fee: $25 for each accepted work. Fees due upon delivery to gallery. An artist statement reflecting the body of work represented is optional. Curated by Jeanette Rodriguez. If you have any questions feel free to email us at info@frontstreetgallery.org. Or call 917 880 5307.
Eligibility: Hangable artwork including prints, drawings, photographs, paintings, and mixed media, plus sculpture. Works may not exceed 48″ in any dimension. All works must be suitably prepared to hang and include wire or fixed hardware. No sawtooth hangers. All work must be for sale. A 40% commission will be charged by the gallery, and must be included in artist’s set price. Hanging fees are non-refundable. Every care will be taken to provide for the safety of all artwork. FSG its officers and agents will not be responsible for any loss or damage. FSG does not insure entries and exhibits. Works will be handled and exhibited at artist’s own risk. Front Street Gallery reserves the right to reject or replace any work that it deems substantially different from the work as represented in digital form and description. All packaging material must be removed by the artist at the time of drop off. Packing material WILL NOT be stored or provided at time of drop off and pick up. Reasonable requests will be considered.
Open Call for Entries: “A New Chapter” a group show Extended to March 26
by Stone Marshall | Mar 15, 2018 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
Minecraft at the Kent Public Library in March. Minecraft sessions will be Mondays March 12th, and 26th 5:00-5:45. Program is for those ages 7-12. Registration is required for each session. First registration opens at 10:00 am on Monday, March 1st, and the second registration for the 26th opens on Thursday, March 15th at 10:00 am. You may register for the program by going to www.kentlibrary.org or calling the Kent Public Library at 845-225-8585. The library is located at 17 Sybil’s Crossing, Kent Lakes, NY 10512.
Minecraft at Kent Library March 12 & 26
