“Indie Game: The Movie” worldwide release date confirmed!!

Please allow me to reintroduce an image that appeared in my earlier blog entries., the heart of serious game design, only this time  with the focus on the bottom circle, game design.

After a prolonged wait, this movie title finally released its premier date and gamers are thrilled! We already have on the market movies based on video games (Resident Evil, Hulk, Batman, Tomb Raider etc.) and games rendered from movies (Jurrasic Park, Harry Potter, Spiderman etc.).       Yet we’ve never had a movie title that is about how digital games are made.

Designing a video game is no instant magic (though games provide us with an array of instant gratification) and game design requires consistent team effort and collaboration and the iterative design process, playtesting, to its final production follows intricate procedures.  Having had some background in serious game design, the intricacies of game design is heartfelt therefore my anticipation for “Indie Game: The Movie” had been high ever since its inception. June 12th it is! The day to mark on my calendar. The day a worldwide audience will be bestowed a chance to get a glimpse of how digital games come to be. Wait and behold ~~!

For more info related to the imminent release, please read the following article from Engadget.

“Indie Game: The Movie” worldwide release date

Witnessing How iPads are Made Firsthand

Photo Credit: 2dayblog.com

Ever wonder how iPads are being made firsthand in China when strolling down aisles of Apple products in the Apple Store? Well I have. Please refer to this video by America Public Radio to see how iPads are being made in the assembly line. Reporter Rob Schmitz has commented and blogged about the working environment and the vast number of  applicants yearning to be part of the workforce in the Foxcom factory in Shengzen.

Facebook profile and usage predict job performance ~

To the massive casual facebook users and employee-seeking employers, the answer is yes, at least in the following study report,  to the question if facebook profile can be used to predict future job performance.

The big 5 personality trait variables have been derived from analyzing interviewees’ facebook profile to predict future job performance. They are extroversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability, agreeableness and openness to new experiences. High scores on these 5 traits are deemed to augment future job performance by employers.

Another study done in 2011 revealed that over 90% of employers actually reviewed prospective employees’ facebook profile, without informing the employees’ that they have done so, to seek extra indicator for evaluation for employment decisions. Apparently more research needs to be done to further cement the assertions that facebook profile predicts future job performance. My take is that there could well be indication or reflection of a facebook user’s personal traits if you review his or her usage or profile or presentation of info in the threads. With the new version facebook functionality, chronology, employers have the luxury of ease to browse through employees’ past and present life experiences and posts which to some extent reflect personality, emotion management, and social media use which in turn can be used as indicators for job performance.

To seek more details, please read the full article at the following link in Los Angelos Times.