Some stats about Portugal, computers in education and videogames

2006/2007 @ Portugal 

(source: Ministry of Education)

(mainland only; Azores and Madeira not included)

(pre-school to secondary only; higher education – university and polytechnic – not included)

 

 Computers in private school: 34.190 (27.001 with Internet connection)

Computers in public schools : 116.936 (91.994 with Internet connection)

Computers in schools (total): 151.126 (118.995 with Internet connection)

Students in private schools: 308.907

Students in public schools: 1.360.563

Students (total): 1.669.470

 

Playstation or Playnation? The Sony country…

 

11/10/2007 – 30.000 PS3 sold in Portugal (source: Sandra Páscoa, PR manager from Sony Portugal)

22/3/2007 -  we have 720.000 PS2 in Portugal (source: Pedro Almeida, Country Manager from Sony)

 

Any comments?

cod4 uses mmorpg mechanics

Best part in COD4? The multiplayer actually, the “role-playing” dimension: costumization features based on a XP system. I guess some game mechanics are here to stay. The multiplayer reward system (the challenges) is also new. You have all the rush and fun from the multiplayer battlezones combined with  individual  achievements  and  XP progression which unlocks upgrades for weapons and special abilities. So, you can use premade classes (i.e. sniper, etc.) or create a class (actually, you can create several) and choose it’s weapons and special abilities. While playing online, you complete challenges and gain XP, you level up and unlock new weapons and abilities… seems familiar? But I want to choose my char face and gender!!!!!!!

Like this, no educational technology will help…

 

Last week, I went to a Symposium about computers and education. This is an advertisement pic I found there. It says “the technology that grabs the student’s attention” (the translation is not the best but you get the picture

So, the students work alone (a desk per student) and the teacher is still on the stage (instead of blackboard, he uses a  digital board).

We can use technology to update the classroom, make it “modern” and “prettier” but… is this the best we can do? I don’t want to update the classroom, I want to change them!!! This isn’t e-learning 2.0, this is “traditional classroom 2.0″… Or, as gamers would say: this isn’t remodelling, it’s just reskinning  arghhhh

Beowulf

Thurday night, after the oral presentation, to comemorate both presentations (me and maria) and the poster (rute), we went to see Beowulf And it was awesome!

This is maria with the 3D glasses kinda cool

During most of the time, while seeing the movie, I was “seeing” eye of the north. If you like GW don’t miss this movie, don’t miss the 3D!!!

Feeling sick an tired

Last week, I had to struggle against a cold (still fighting…) and do an oral presentation at CIANEI 2007. Meanwhile, I also went to SIIE2007 and took 2 posters there.

SIIE 2007 (ESE Porto)

 

Fórum da Maia – CIANEI 2007

Wednesday: all day at SIIE 2007

Thursday: all day at CIANEI 2007 (oral presentation…)

Friday: morning at SIIE and afternoon at CIANEI

I’m still tired and feeling sick…

Stats and number for MMO players

Besides the “always quoted” MMOchart (which is already old data… over 1 year old…), where can I get updated/good stats and numbers for MMOG players? Anyone? Please…

Family update

Just updated the GW family shots

Machinima test

Did a small machinima test… just to learn a little more about game movie making planning to improve!

Still userbars

Some days ago, I wrote a little post about userbars. Actually, I had some personal sigs, couple of years ago, but in the past 2 years I’ve been using 2 userbars only at Intervir.net:

Now, I’ve created a couple of userbars and I’m planning to create some more Meanwhile, I have a profile at Userbars.org and found out that there’s also Userbars.com.

Can check the GW userbars here and here

CoD 4 multiplayer

Fast, urban, fun, addictive… only tried TDM but enjoyed a lot (I was missing those TDM battles…). There’s an interesting unlocking system (xp for new weapons and soldier classes), online xp system, a “create a class” feature which allows you to create a costumized soldier profile and weapons/perk combo. Here’s a cinematic from the game

Userbar designer

Decided to create some usebars. Here’s my work have fun, hope you enjoy and please feel free to comment!

COD 4

 MoH:AA was one of my fav games. Finished it on the PC and PS2 (Frontline) and enjoyed every minute of it When some guys from 2015 left and founded Infinity Ward, I waited for CoD and played it on the PC. After that, I decided that was time for a change and was tired of WW2 games. That’s when I turned to Delta Force: Black Hawk Down and went for online gaming (2003/2004). Didn’t play CoD that much because I was a DF:BHD addict The Battlefield series never impressed me that much… (don’t like those huge battles that much…)

Anyway, time moved on and now I found myself waiting for CoD4. So, yesterday I found it on the supermaker shelf and… bought it with a HUGE baby smile (actually, my wife loves me a lot and bought it for me…). First opinions (only played for an hour)? It’s gonna be a fav! Awsome graphics, very good cinematics and movie-feeling, totally immersion, good storyline, easy to get the basics, lots of action and war chaos, urban close combat, very good movements… and MP will be as good, I’m sure! Still have to try that I’m going to play a lot of COD4!!!

For now, just want to tell you about the beginning of the game. You start with a quick boot camp and then you are sent to a mission. The “finale” is great with you and your team running for your life inside a sinking boat (it’s a strange but amusing feeling, running around in am inclined corridor… after that, the game initial credits, a car tour with the names showing up just like in some movies… just like in the John Carpenter’s movies, when the action already begun (and you think the movie/game started) you still have the initial credits and think “oh now it’s the beginning! this amazing action sequence was just an intro… wow! “. So… lock and load!