The first week was truly an amazing experience. A dream come true.
Last Monday, against the odds some might say, we opened the doors on time.
The team came together.
This past week all the students at Flashpoint Academy have been deeply involved in their first Flashpoint experience. Here's what it boils down to: we are awakening their senses. We are awakening their ability to communicate and articulate these important details about what they observe around them. We are also taking them back to the fundamental beginnings of human storytelling. And finally, we are giving them a first-class overview of a professional media production. This intense cross-department experience prepares them for launching into the next sequence in the program at the end of Week Two.
I have been working in multiple classes co-teaching with John Murray and Bernie Mack. They are outstanding; it has been thrilling working with them as we go through the material so essential to the core of our school's mission.
See you in class!
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Flashpoint Academy and The Hero's Journey
Well...TEMPUS FUGIT.
School opens within a few short days at Flashpoint Academy in Chicago. Flashpoint is a new digital media arts school featuring a brand new curriculum centered on the production and development of game, film, animation, and recording arts projects.
At Flashpoint, we are about to embark on The Hero's Journey. The Hero's Journey, as described by Joseph Campbell, is a pattern that has followed humans throughout history. We live it now and we will continue living this journey for the rest of our lives. Every situation that confronts us with something new or that forces us to re-evaluate our thinking or behavior--this is part of the journey. It is a process of self-discovery, and it can be difficult. Through this difficult passage of time in this portion of our journey we can survive to develop a new perspective on this world. "Leveling up" is what I like to call it.
The Hero's Journey has many steps. Separation. The Call. Initiation and Transformation. The Challenges. The Abyss. The Transformation. The Revelation. The Atonement. The Return.
Once you step into Flashpoint on Monday, September 17th, 2007, you in fact are entering into this new journey in this new chapter in your life. There are many things you must do before you can reach The Return. You must break free of your old habits and preconceptions. You must adopt new ways of viewing the world and modify your methods of communication. You have to stand up. Or sit down. Or both. At the same time. You WILL do the impossible. Because you can.
On your Hero's Journey, times will get rough. It is inevitable. If you start to feel discouraged, please keep in mind that we are all on this journey together. You are not alone. We, all of us, are in this journey together for this incredible moment in history. If you are attending this school, please know that you are not just "going to Flashpoint" but that in fact...you ARE Flashpoint. WE ARE FLASHPOINT.
I can't wait to see everyone there on Monday!
School opens within a few short days at Flashpoint Academy in Chicago. Flashpoint is a new digital media arts school featuring a brand new curriculum centered on the production and development of game, film, animation, and recording arts projects.
At Flashpoint, we are about to embark on The Hero's Journey. The Hero's Journey, as described by Joseph Campbell, is a pattern that has followed humans throughout history. We live it now and we will continue living this journey for the rest of our lives. Every situation that confronts us with something new or that forces us to re-evaluate our thinking or behavior--this is part of the journey. It is a process of self-discovery, and it can be difficult. Through this difficult passage of time in this portion of our journey we can survive to develop a new perspective on this world. "Leveling up" is what I like to call it.
The Hero's Journey has many steps. Separation. The Call. Initiation and Transformation. The Challenges. The Abyss. The Transformation. The Revelation. The Atonement. The Return.
Once you step into Flashpoint on Monday, September 17th, 2007, you in fact are entering into this new journey in this new chapter in your life. There are many things you must do before you can reach The Return. You must break free of your old habits and preconceptions. You must adopt new ways of viewing the world and modify your methods of communication. You have to stand up. Or sit down. Or both. At the same time. You WILL do the impossible. Because you can.
On your Hero's Journey, times will get rough. It is inevitable. If you start to feel discouraged, please keep in mind that we are all on this journey together. You are not alone. We, all of us, are in this journey together for this incredible moment in history. If you are attending this school, please know that you are not just "going to Flashpoint" but that in fact...you ARE Flashpoint. WE ARE FLASHPOINT.
I can't wait to see everyone there on Monday!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
How to get your game on XBOX Live Arcade...
In Austin GDC 07, Microsoft explained to developers in detail what they are looking for in game submissions for their XBOX Live service --
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6178367.html
I found this interesting:
"...cooperative play of any kind is underrepresented on Live Arcade, and noted that games with cooperative modes tend to sell better. Two especially important forms of coop for Microsoft are local play ("couch play," as Pallister called it), and asymmetric cooperative play (as in Guitar Hero II, where two players of different skill levels can fare equally well). Pallister also wants to see more focus on kids play in Live Arcade games, "sandbox" modes where players can explore with no timer and no punishment for poor performance. However, independent developers may have trouble filling that gap for Microsoft, as Pallister noted that as with other child-oriented products, having a big-name license attached is a definite bonus."
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6178367.html
I found this interesting:
"...cooperative play of any kind is underrepresented on Live Arcade, and noted that games with cooperative modes tend to sell better. Two especially important forms of coop for Microsoft are local play ("couch play," as Pallister called it), and asymmetric cooperative play (as in Guitar Hero II, where two players of different skill levels can fare equally well). Pallister also wants to see more focus on kids play in Live Arcade games, "sandbox" modes where players can explore with no timer and no punishment for poor performance. However, independent developers may have trouble filling that gap for Microsoft, as Pallister noted that as with other child-oriented products, having a big-name license attached is a definite bonus."
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