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Thursday, August 2, 2012
Medieval Cities of Europe: Click, Tweet, Map, and Present
Medieval Cities of Europe: Click, Tweet, Map, and Present
By Kathryn Reyerson, Kevin Mummey, and Jude Higdon
The History Teacher, Volume 44:3 (2011)
Introduction: During sping semester 2010, a long-standing upper-division lecture course, Medieval Cities of Europe, 500-1500 CE, underwent a course transformation. Our goal was to address specific challenges with student engagement that we had experienced in the course in the past; our overarching strategy was to introduce technology into the course to allow students additional opportunities to engage with the material and get feedback. This course had been taught since the late 1970s to student audiences of between 40 and 60, but in the last decade, the course began to attract greater numbers of students, over 80 in some cases. The course format was the traditional lecture without discussion sections or small group exercises, taught with an instructor and a reader/grader. Because of the numbers of students and the increased enthusiasm for alternative learning opportunities through technology in the classroom, the instructor applied for a Course Transformation Grant sponsored by the Offices of information Technology in the College of Liberal Arts and the Digital Media Center at the university of Minnesota. The instructor, along with a graduate student who would be the reader/grader, an undergraduate, and two educational technology consultants, worked as a team for nine months to produce a plan to transform the course. The course transformation included a small budget for technology support, but obviously precluded any major investment in software or “Hollywood-like” multimedia development. The course transformation team looked instead for simple, existing technologies to facilitate transformative learning experiences in the classroom.
The transformation was intended to create more opportunities for active learning, increasing student engagement in the course lectures and in the subject matter of medieval cities. A particular goal was to limit “lights out, heads down” disengagement and distraction during in-class films. One of our goals was to provide students with new ways to master the core course concepts, such as the reality of the negotiated topography of medieval spaces, and we were interested, to the degree possible, in increasing the efficiency of the course and reducing the administrative overhead.
Medieval Cities of Europe: Click, Tweet, Map, and Present
By Kathryn Reyerson, Kevin Mummey, and Jude Higdon
The History Teacher, Volume 44:3 (2011)
Introduction: During sping semester 2010, a long-standing upper-division lecture course, Medieval Cities of Europe, 500-1500 CE, underwent a course transformation. Our goal was to address specific challenges with student engagement that we had experienced in the course in the past; our overarching strategy was to introduce technology into the course to allow students additional opportunities to engage with the material and get feedback. This course had been taught since the late 1970s to student audiences of between 40 and 60, but in the last decade, the course began to attract greater numbers of students, over 80 in some cases. The course format was the traditional lecture without discussion sections or small group exercises, taught with an instructor and a reader/grader. Because of the numbers of students and the increased enthusiasm for alternative learning opportunities through technology in the classroom, the instructor applied for a Course Transformation Grant sponsored by the Offices of information Technology in the College of Liberal Arts and the Digital Media Center at the university of Minnesota. The instructor, along with a graduate student who would be the reader/grader, an undergraduate, and two educational technology consultants, worked as a team for nine months to produce a plan to transform the course. The course transformation included a small budget for technology support, but obviously precluded any major investment in software or “Hollywood-like” multimedia development. The course transformation team looked instead for simple, existing technologies to facilitate transformative learning experiences in the classroom.
The transformation was intended to create more opportunities for active learning, increasing student engagement in the course lectures and in the subject matter of medieval cities. A particular goal was to limit “lights out, heads down” disengagement and distraction during in-class films. One of our goals was to provide students with new ways to master the core course concepts, such as the reality of the negotiated topography of medieval spaces, and we were interested, to the degree possible, in increasing the efficiency of the course and reducing the administrative overhead.
Medieval Cities of Europe: Click, Tweet, Map, and Present
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Adam Savage’s Blade Runner Blaster Pistol : Discovery Channel
Adam Savage recording from his workshop/man cave with Will Smith of www.tested.com
Adam Savage’s Blade Runner Blaster Pistol : Discovery Channel
Adam Savage’s Blade Runner Blaster Pistol : Discovery Channel
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Peter Jackson speaks out about Trilogy
‘The Hobbit’ To Be A Trilogy!
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Pack your satchels full of cram and fill your tankards with miruvor, because we’re about to embark on a long journey. The rumors surrounding The Hobbit were yesterday confirmed; We’re going to get a trilogy.
Speaking on his Facebook page, Peter Jackson had this to say:
What material will Jackson use though to stretch it out over three movies? Well, while J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit was only about 300 pages long — compared with 1000 pages for The Lord of the Rings — there was a substantial amount of action that occurred off page, such as Gandalf’s tussle with the Necromancer. They may also try and bridge the gap between the end of The Hobbit and the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring, as Jackson also has his hands on 125 pages of notes that Tolkien made, expanding the Hobbit world.
However, if there’s one reservation I have about Jackson (and it’s only a small reservation, so don’t go crazy) it’s his propensity for long and bloated scenes. I thought King Kong was about 45 minutes too long and The Return of the King had about five different endings.
That being said, in Peter Jackson I trust and if he believes that there’s enough material for a trilogy, then I’m all for it.
Details for the third movie are still being ironed-out between Jackson and Warner Bros. but it’s believed a summer 2014 release has been tentatively penciled in. What’s also interesting is the possible name of the third movie. According to Fusible, the domain names The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and The Hobbit: Riddles in the Dark have both recently been registered. Intriguing.
What do you guys think? Are you happy about spending more time in Middle Earth or are two movies more than enough? Sound off in the comments below!
The trilogy begins when The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens on December 14th.
Pack your satchels full of cram and fill your tankards with miruvor, because we’re about to embark on a long journey. The rumors surrounding The Hobbit were yesterday confirmed; We’re going to get a trilogy.
Speaking on his Facebook page, Peter Jackson had this to say:
We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance. The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth…So, without further ado, I’d like to announce that two films will become three.Wow. We’d been hearing murmurs from the studio that Jackson was considering making the series into a trilogy — he even admitted as much himself at the recent San Diego Comic-con — but now it’s official.
What material will Jackson use though to stretch it out over three movies? Well, while J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit was only about 300 pages long — compared with 1000 pages for The Lord of the Rings — there was a substantial amount of action that occurred off page, such as Gandalf’s tussle with the Necromancer. They may also try and bridge the gap between the end of The Hobbit and the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring, as Jackson also has his hands on 125 pages of notes that Tolkien made, expanding the Hobbit world.
However, if there’s one reservation I have about Jackson (and it’s only a small reservation, so don’t go crazy) it’s his propensity for long and bloated scenes. I thought King Kong was about 45 minutes too long and The Return of the King had about five different endings.
That being said, in Peter Jackson I trust and if he believes that there’s enough material for a trilogy, then I’m all for it.
Details for the third movie are still being ironed-out between Jackson and Warner Bros. but it’s believed a summer 2014 release has been tentatively penciled in. What’s also interesting is the possible name of the third movie. According to Fusible, the domain names The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and The Hobbit: Riddles in the Dark have both recently been registered. Intriguing.
What do you guys think? Are you happy about spending more time in Middle Earth or are two movies more than enough? Sound off in the comments below!
The trilogy begins when The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens on December 14th.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Hobbit now a trilogy
Here’s Jackson’s full Facebook announcement:
It is only at the end of a shoot that you finally get the chance to sit down and have a look at the film you have made. Recently Fran, Phil and I did just this when we watched for the first time an early cut of the first movie – and a large chunk of the second. We were really pleased with the way the story was coming together, in particular, the strength of the characters and the cast who have brought them to life. All of which gave rise to a simple question: do we take this chance to tell more of the tale? And the answer from our perspective as the filmmakers, and as fans, was an unreserved ‘yes.’
We know how much of the story of Bilbo Baggins, the Wizard Gandalf, the Dwarves of Erebor, the rise of the Necromancer, and the Battle of Dol Guldur will remain untold if we do not take this chance. The richness of the story of The Hobbit, as well as some of the related material in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, allows us to tell the full story of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins and the part he played in the sometimes dangerous, but at all times exciting, history of Middle-earth.
So, without further ado and on behalf of New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Wingnut Films, and the entire cast and crew of “The Hobbit” films, I’d like to announce that two films will become three.
It has been an unexpected journey indeed, and in the words of Professor Tolkien himself, “a tale that grew in the telling.”
Cheers,
Peter J
Libor scandal is no match for its medieval precedent
Libor scandal is no match for its medieval precedent
Nice article that show the 16 member libor lunch mates was nothing new.
Nice article that show the 16 member libor lunch mates was nothing new.
A+ behavoir
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Taking the pledge to not be game negative in August. I will also attempt to play some new games.
Taking the pledge to not be game negative in August. I will also attempt to play some new games.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
RPGNow.com - Tattlebox #2: Better Adventuring Through Alchemy Reviews
Four star review of this Pathfinder product.
RPGNow.com - Tattlebox #2: Better Adventuring Through Alchemy Reviews
RPGNow.com - Tattlebox #2: Better Adventuring Through Alchemy Reviews
Amazon and the future of retail - Christopher S. Penn :
Interesting article concerning Amazon same day delivery in high volume areas and how it will affect gameshop.
Amazon and the future of retail - Christopher S. Penn : Awaken Your Superhero
Amazon and the future of retail - Christopher S. Penn : Awaken Your Superhero
Friday, July 27, 2012
Is Peter Jackson ruining the Hobbit movie.
‘The Hobbit’ Filmmakers In Serious Talks With Warner Bros For A Third Film
Director Peter Jackson comments about a third possible Hobbit film might not have been just a tease. The Comic-Con panel discussion comments might actually become a reality and The Hobbit could make it to the trilogy hall of fame after all.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that director Jackson has resolved to turn his upcoming two-film adaptation of the J.R.R. Tolkien epic into a trilogy. THR reveals (through a source close to the production) that Jackson wants to “to tell more of the incredible tale with the cast.”
The third installment would require additional footage that could be filmed next summer in New Zealand. Sources say that Warner Bros, Jackson, The Hobbit producers and writers have all been looking into the logistics of making a third film. The talks, which occurred over the last couple of days, show that the studio is on board “if the right financial arrangements can be achieved”, reports THR. This includes reaching new deals with actors as well as getting the necessary rights.
The move for a third film was fueled by Jackson. The THR source says:
The first in the soon-to-be trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, will be hitting theatres on December 14th, with the second film, The Hobbit: Part 2. There and Back Again, scheduled for release a year later on December 13, 2013. The third film will probably follow a year later, sometime in 2014.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that director Jackson has resolved to turn his upcoming two-film adaptation of the J.R.R. Tolkien epic into a trilogy. THR reveals (through a source close to the production) that Jackson wants to “to tell more of the incredible tale with the cast.”
Does The Hobbit need a trilogy?
- Yeah! It’s the only way!55 picked this
- No! Way too much!9 picked this
The move for a third film was fueled by Jackson. The THR source says:
[the move towards a trilogy is] strongly driven by the filmmakers’ desire to tell more of the story.”I love it when movie legends listen to their fans. It makes me feel appreciated. I now have even more respect for the creative legend and his amazing team. This Christmas season just got a whole lot sweeter!
The first in the soon-to-be trilogy, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, will be hitting theatres on December 14th, with the second film, The Hobbit: Part 2. There and Back Again, scheduled for release a year later on December 13, 2013. The third film will probably follow a year later, sometime in 2014.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Johnn Four has a new e-book available for free.
Hola!
I have a few admin items to take care of with you, including announcing a new ebook I whipped up last week you can get right now.
Download 7 Ways to Instantly Improve Your GMing
I just released a short ebook titled "7 Ways to Instantly Improve Your GMing" and it's free to you as a Roleplaying Tips subscriber.
It consists of a few articles from the archives updated and expanded for your GMing reference:
Download the ebook now!
I have a few admin items to take care of with you, including announcing a new ebook I whipped up last week you can get right now.
Download 7 Ways to Instantly Improve Your GMing
I just released a short ebook titled "7 Ways to Instantly Improve Your GMing" and it's free to you as a Roleplaying Tips subscriber.
It consists of a few articles from the archives updated and expanded for your GMing reference:
- How to Improve Your Voice
- Game Master as Public Speaker
- Top 5 Ways to More Compelling Encounters
- 5 Tips to a Truly Evil Villain
- 10 Ways to Surprise Your Players & Enjoy the Fun
- 8 NPC Parley Tricks
- 6 Devious Villain Tactics
Download the ebook now!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Gaming Paper Pirate Encyclopedia by Erik Bauer — Kickstarter
Pathfinder compatible sourcebook for players and GMs that reflects adventuring in a setting similar to the golden age of piracy
Welcome to adventure on the high seas! You are currently reading about Gaming Paper's first sourcebook, full of character options. Herein you will find a multitude of new feats,archetypes,spells,races,and equipment to more accurately reflect adventuring in a setting similar to the golden age of piracy on Earth, but with the fantasy twist common to Pathfinder games.
In Chapter1: Sirensand Saurins,players and gamemasters will meet new races such as the hekona,octopus-men with a penchant for exploration; the crocodilians, a newly-formed empire with expansion in mind; and the neirids, who inspired the legends of sea-nymphs. All three are presented as playable races, with two race-specific archetypes each.
Chapter 2: Heaving Sheets and Topping Bootsprovides players with the opportunity to peruse dozens of new character options for every character class, from alchemist to witch. Equipment, feats, spells, and archetypes not specific to races can be found here.
Intended for use by game masters,Chapter 3: Ten Fathoms Deep contains essays on the art of game mastery, with an eye towards how to meet and exceed player expectations for adventures with buried treasures and pirate curses. This chapter also includes some brief looks into the history and practices of cultures with strong sailing traditions. This section is intended to advise the gamemaster on how to make certain his adventures have an authentic feel for those with varying levels of familiarity with nautical fiction or history.
Please help us Kickstart this project!
In Chapter1: Sirensand Saurins,players and gamemasters will meet new races such as the hekona,octopus-men with a penchant for exploration; the crocodilians, a newly-formed empire with expansion in mind; and the neirids, who inspired the legends of sea-nymphs. All three are presented as playable races, with two race-specific archetypes each.
Chapter 2: Heaving Sheets and Topping Bootsprovides players with the opportunity to peruse dozens of new character options for every character class, from alchemist to witch. Equipment, feats, spells, and archetypes not specific to races can be found here.
Intended for use by game masters,Chapter 3: Ten Fathoms Deep contains essays on the art of game mastery, with an eye towards how to meet and exceed player expectations for adventures with buried treasures and pirate curses. This chapter also includes some brief looks into the history and practices of cultures with strong sailing traditions. This section is intended to advise the gamemaster on how to make certain his adventures have an authentic feel for those with varying levels of familiarity with nautical fiction or history.
Please help us Kickstart this project!
Gaming Paper Pirate Encyclopedia by Erik Bauer — Kickstarter
Obsidian Apocalypse Campaign Templates for Pathfinder RPG by Louis Porter Jr. — Kickstarter
The Obsidian Apocalypse is a post-apocalyptic survival horror table top RPG template campaign setting for the Pathfinder RPG.
The Obsidian Apocalypse campaign setting is a post-apocalyptic survival horror table top RPG campaign setting for the Pathfinder RPG. Obsidian Apocalypse is an updated and re-visioning of the original Obsidian Twilight campaign setting release during the summer of 2013. The Obsidian Apocalypse will serve as the premiere setting templates for post-apocalyptic survival horror genre for Pathfinder. The reason that we are having this kickstarter project is to generate the funds we need to pay for the cost of printing this sourcebook and getting out to the premiere retail gaming stores.
The Obsidian Apocalypse is written by:
Background:Since 2000, the d20 System gaming license and the Open Game License (OGL) have allowed publishers to share a common framework for creating roleplaying games using the System Reference Document (SRD), which contains the same core mechanics as those found in Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition. Under the OGL, third-party publishers use the SRD as the basis of many different games. Paizo Publishing expanded the concept of the OGL with their creation and development of the Pathfinder Resource Document (PRD) and in turn made a successful open gaming system.
Patronage and Funding:The fundraising goal we have for this project is $5,000 in a little under 40 days. (Starting July 28 thru September 3, 2012) We feel that amount will be enough to make the high level quality product that we have planned for Obsidian Apocalypse.
Process:To provide a starting framework of how this project will perform, I am drawing on my years of experience in the game design process, particularly the time spent developing, editing, and providing rules support for the over 500 RPG products I have done over the last decade. We will provide specific patrons with the ability to provide input and guidance on the Obsidian Apocalypse on what works, what doesn’t and (most importantly) what things we may not have yet thought of. Senior patrons will have particularly substantial influence, and we will experiment with different collaboration tools to find what works best for this project. Becoming a patron on this project is a great way to gain a design credit on the book, which in turn is a great way to gain experience and build a resume for those interested in pursuing a career in game publishing!
The Obsidian Apocalypse is written by:
- James ‘Grim’ Desborough (Obsidian Twilight)
- Robert “Bob” E Drouin (Paizo RPG Superstar contestant)
- Richard Pett (Pathfinder Adventure Path)
- Owen K.C. Stephens (D20 Star Wars, Gamma World, The Wheel of Time)
- Rich Redman (D20 Modern, Unearthed Arcana)
- Plus many more…
Background:Since 2000, the d20 System gaming license and the Open Game License (OGL) have allowed publishers to share a common framework for creating roleplaying games using the System Reference Document (SRD), which contains the same core mechanics as those found in Wizards of the Coast's Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition. Under the OGL, third-party publishers use the SRD as the basis of many different games. Paizo Publishing expanded the concept of the OGL with their creation and development of the Pathfinder Resource Document (PRD) and in turn made a successful open gaming system.
Patronage and Funding:The fundraising goal we have for this project is $5,000 in a little under 40 days. (Starting July 28 thru September 3, 2012) We feel that amount will be enough to make the high level quality product that we have planned for Obsidian Apocalypse.
Process:To provide a starting framework of how this project will perform, I am drawing on my years of experience in the game design process, particularly the time spent developing, editing, and providing rules support for the over 500 RPG products I have done over the last decade. We will provide specific patrons with the ability to provide input and guidance on the Obsidian Apocalypse on what works, what doesn’t and (most importantly) what things we may not have yet thought of. Senior patrons will have particularly substantial influence, and we will experiment with different collaboration tools to find what works best for this project. Becoming a patron on this project is a great way to gain a design credit on the book, which in turn is a great way to gain experience and build a resume for those interested in pursuing a career in game publishing!
Obsidian Apocalypse Campaign Templates for Pathfinder RPG by Louis Porter Jr. — Kickstarter
Monday, July 23, 2012
Red Dwarf New Series
The Boys are Back!
The first trailer for the new series of Red
Dwarf is out and by the looks of it the Boys from the Dwarf are on top form.
http://youtu.be/mQ7nAcn52Z0
http://youtu.be/mQ7nAcn52Z0
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