Jane McGonigal is a game designer, researcher and ‘future forecaster’ at the Institute for the Future. She proclaims that games are the business of happiness, and that we can learn much from the new field of positive psychology.

About Jane McGonigal

Company: http://www.avantgame.com/
Blog : http://avantgame.blogspot.com/2007/12/how-i-spent-my-2007-year-in-review.html
Slideshows: Alternate Realities - A game designer's perspective on the future of happiness.
http://www.slideshare.net/avantgame/alternate-realities-jane-mcgonigal-keynote-sxsw-2008

Positive Psychology

“Positive Psychology is a new branch of psychology which focuses on the empirical study of such things as positive emotions, strengths-based character, and healthy institutions. His research has demonstrated that it is possible to be happier — to feel more satisfied, to be more engaged with life, find more meaning, have higher hopes, and probably even laugh and smile more, regardless of one’s circumstances. Positive psychology interventions can also lastingly decrease depression symptoms.”

LINKS

U Penn - Authentic Happiness (Check out the Questionnaires! Can we use that research?)
http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx

U Penn - Readings and Videos on Positive Psychology
http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/publications.htm

BBC - The science of happiness
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/happiness_formula/

Quoted: GamesIndustry.biz article: Activision and Vivendi Games are to merge, becoming the world's largest independent videogame publisher, in a deal valued at $18.9 billion

OOh, yummy interaction design reference.

New Nintendo site looks a lot like apple.com

Quoted: Nintendo.com has relaunched, and a view source shows you that it now sports Dojo, Mootools, and much more script.

Quoted: Crayon Physics Deluxe is a contender for the Independant Game Festival 2008 competition

Quoted: The casual games industry, for better or worse, is beholden to game distribution websites known as portals (or ‘evil portals,’ depending on who you are). Each of the portals carries a large catalog of games that is fairly unique, but regardless of this fact, casual surveyors of the industry find the portals to be about as dissimilar as the games they carry -- which is to say, not very.

This is where I work, and the picture shows part of my post-it mural. :)

Quoted: Big Fish, maker of casual video games, grew dramatically between 2003 and 2006, when revenues expanded from $1.2 million to $24 million.

Gleemax Alpha design Preview

Wizards is trying to use WOTC and Hasbro's audience and assets in a 'social networking' site for gamers of any kind. They claim to offer something for RPG, TCG, strategy, even board and casual gamers, but the design and marketing is aimed more towards a geekier crowd. The name "Gleemax" says it all.

Quoted: At Gen Con we are previewing the new Gleemax.com. We're aiming to create a gamer's social networking site.

click to play

Bask in the full glory its geekiness!

Quoted: This is the story of Hitlers Downfall, his final defeat against Microsoft has now pushed him over the edge.

Fully functional Guitar Hero controller made out of legos!!!