Mediatech Foundation

Mediatech will not be open on Monday, May 28. Regular hours resume on Tuesday. Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

We just received two Wii programs — Mario Party 8 and Shrek. At our next Serious Games Testers Club, we’ll demo and discuss the genre of “party games.” June 1.

Tonight’s at the Serious Games Testers Club, we’ll have a first look at the Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean video game. Just a reminder that you must be a registered member in order to test games, but anyone is welcome to come and observe. Also, parents are encouraged to come.

Tonight we’ll have a look at Scratch, the new programming language from MIT and I’ll demo Marble Drop on the Wii.

Current members are Matt (10), Frank (13), Caleb (9), Ethan (11) and Matt (12). Check out Ethan’s review of Diddy Kong Racer, as a video!

It was a day of mixed emotions last Saturday at Mediatech.

It was Sarah Klingler’s last day as a supervisor… a job she has had for over two years. While at HCRHS, Sarah started attending Mediatech the day it opened. Sarah is known for her ability to control rowdy middle schoolers as well as her high score in Guitar Hero. Her little brother, Matt, promises to keep us updated. To recognize her service to Mediatech and our community, the board awarded Sarah with a $500 scholarship. We’ll miss you Sarah!

Wilson, our current supervisor will be joined by Kyle Inglin, who will start this week, working Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Please make him feel welcome! Kyle is a high school Junior who races cars for a hobby. In addition, Andy Barnett has joined Mediatech as a technician and research coordinator. Andy is in his second year student at NYU in the dramatic writing program at Tisch. He has experience with networking and game design.

Dear Mediatech Members,

May 10 (Thursday Night) at 7PM will the the first meeting of the Serious Game Testers Club. This is an informal discussion of video games, software for Macs and PCs, Internet sites and technology toys for children. There will be new commercial products for all hardware platforms. Many of these products are in early release format, so members may be among the first to try a particular product. During this meeting, we’ll distribute the products to those who express an interest (and have the hardware). We’ll also share what we’ve learned from the previous week. Other CTR editors may attend to record your opinions.

WILL I LEARN ANYTHING? We’ll be covering some of the basics of interactive media design in the context of the new releases. If you’re interested in the business of video game publishing, for example, this may be a good way to expand your knowledge, in a social setting.

IS THERE A COST? No. All events at Mediatech are free and open to the public.

ARE PARENTS WELCOME? Absolutely. In fact, this is encouraged. This event is fine to come and observe.

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? I (Warren) test video games and software and I need tester feedback on the new products. I’m eager to learn what others think about these products with others. These reviews, in turn, help others make smart purchasing decisions.

WHAT’S THE CATCH? You may be asked to write (yikes) or at the very least, share your opinions about the product you choose to test.

PARENTAL PERMISSION REQUIRED All children under 18 will need to have a parental permission slip and media release form signed in order to participate. It is possible that these events may be posted as video on Mediatech’s web site (or others), plus there may be occasions when reporters attend to take pictures or to watch you demonstrate a game (as you may have seen, Mediatech was on NBC evening news last week — you never know who will drop in). So you can’t be camera shy, or be afraid to have your opinion recorded in a public format. You may also find yourself testing a game that is poorly designed or potentially frustrating. Not all products are well designed. Also, Mediatech or Children’s Technology Review can’t be held responsible for any damage to your game system or computer caused by testing new products.

DO I HAVE TO ATTEND EVERY WEEK? No. But if you take a new game, you have to bring it back with a week (just drop it off at Mediatech). Also, we may need to limit the group size, and we will reserve the right to assign products to certain families, due to hardware and/or tester attributes. You may not always get the game you want, although you are welcome to check out a game from Mediatech’s library.

DO I HAVE TO BE AN EXPERIENCED “GAMER”? Not at all. In fact, if you want to come and just watch if you like. There will usually be demonstrations of new products, and you can learn a lot about the world of interactive media.

CAN ANYONE COME? Yes, although children under 12 must be accompanied by parents. The meetings are accessible by wheelchair, thanks to the library elevator. Any visitors are welcome to drop in to informally observe.

WHEN IS IT? This will be a weekly, every Thursday, from 7 to 8:30 PM, at Mediatech, 2nd Floor of the Flemington Free Public Library (118 Main Street).

WHAT IS PLANNED FOR THE FIRST MEETING?
I’ll be passing out five free beta testing accounts to Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean Online — a new MMOG coming at the end of May. Information is below on a “stress test” for Disney that is often done on MMOGs. If you’re interested, drop by Mediatech for a code.
SIGN ME UP! The permission forms can be found at the Mediatech Front Desk starting May 3rd.

This fall, Mediatech will host Hunterdon County’s FAME competition: Film, Art and Multimedia Expo. If you have access to a video camera and some talent, we want to hear from you! Information on rules, prizes, judges and awards ceremony will be forthcoming, so stay tuned! In the meantime, contact Warren if you have questions.

Do you work well with people? Are you comfortable with technology (or are willing to learn?) We need volunteers to increase our hours and services to Hunterdon County. If you are interested in volunteering, call Mediatech at 908-284-2006 or send an e-mail to Warren Buckleitner. To be accepted, you will be subject to a police background check.