Tower of Straws

Last week in Game Design class, our assignment for the day was to team up with other classmates and build a tower out of straws. The team that build the tallest tower would be rewarded by our professor.

Each team was given the same amount of straws and some scotch tape to use for building their tower.

It was interesting to see how each of the teams went about constructing their towers. Straws were put together from end to end and held together with the tape and bent every way possible. Somehow every teams towers managed to stand on their own, even if only for a few seconds.

The tower of straws exercise is an example of meaningful play.

Player action began with everyone who was selected for a certain team, came together and formulated ideas and techniques for building their towers. Each team came up with different methods for putting their towers together. Everyone was competing to be the best in the class and also for the reward that was promised by our professor. The rules were made by her. Instead of making the tallest tower, she could have rewarded the person with the "best looking" tower.

I assume that as straws were put together to create a taller tower, this would be discernable action because students could see the tower get taller as more straws were placed upon it. Other straws were placed as support pieces to keep the tower from falling over.

Players knew if placing straws in certain places would help to create a taller tower. This could be both a disernable and integrated action. The player could perceive if by placing straws in certain places would hold it up or if would cause it to fall. It is an integrated action because the placing of the straws could hold it up the entire time or if they would have to be placed differently and strategically to hold the tower up.

I noticed that one group started out by making their tower by bending straws into the shape of triangles. They started with a wide base and quickly ran out of straws. In my opinion, if they were allowed to have straws, their tower would have been the best looking. Sometimes action that are carried out in the beginning can be detrimental in the end.

Overall, the tower of straws exercise was a fun experience. Even though my team did not win the challenge, it was still interesting to see how each team went about designing their tower. If I am ever faced with this task in my life again, I will be prepared.

Ad Campaigns

Considering we see advertising everywhere we look, I decided to pursue a career in that field. I don't have a favorite ad campaign in particular, but I do enjoy seeing different advertisements and determining what methods are used to attract consumers.

One advertisement that I do find funny is the Head and Shoulders ad featuring Troy Polamalu from the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the commercial, they claim that Head and Shoulders will give you thicker looking hair in just one week.
 

If I do say so myself, Polamalu has some nice hair. Head and Shoulders has insured his hair for one million dollars. The football star claims that he has not had a haircut in seven years.

Website Idea

As of now I am undecided on what I want my website to be about. I have considered doing something related to Shepherd or possibly a website explaining how I am new to working with HTML.

In the beginning, this is what I wanted to be the basis of my website. I have changed my mind and decided to do a website about different businesses and attractions in the area.

I will break them down into different categories including historic attractions, bars, shopping, etc.

I would like to have testimonials from others who have been to these places on my website and have them elaborate on their experiences at these places.

I think this would be a great way to promote local businesses. Even people who have lived in the area for some time can learn about new things to explore.

I would like for my target audience to be college students, but everyone is more than welcome to check out my website.

Topic for Game Research Assignment

For my game research assignment I plan on discussing the pros and cons of video games, how they affect those who play them, and many other aspects of them.

I will first research the advantages of playing video games and discuss how they have had positive effects on my life. I will then talk about how these games have negative effects on those who play them.

Most of research will be done using the internet and I will also interview someone who plays video games on a regular basis and someone who only plays on occasion. I think this may show the differences between those who are addicted and those who just play for a leisure activity.

I want to learn more about the lifestyle of those who design video games, those who are addicted to playing them, and those who are against them. I want to talk about different video game systems and why some people prefer a certain platform over another.

Another topic of interest is that video games have come a long way since the 1980's. I want to talk about the history of gaming and then give some information on what may be in store for the future of video gaming.

I used to play video games, but lost interest in them as I grew older. I still play them from time to time, usually in a social setting and not to be competitive.

Shepherd's Business Administration Program

Shepherd offers a Business Administration program with concentrations in General Business, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, Marketing, Human Resource Management, Management, Financial Planning, and Hospitality Management. Shepherd also offers a Master of Business Adminstration program. 

I am currently in the Business Admin. program at Shepherd and chose marketing as my concentration. I am required to complete general studies requirements, just like students in other programs at Shepherd. I will have to complete the Business Core Requirements, which include Accounting, Economics, Marketing, and Business Ethics. I have completed most of them, so I am pursuing courses in the Marketing concentration, like Retailing, Promotional Strategy, and Strategic Marketing.

Shepherd is trying to prepare students for the job market upon graduation. I have heard from alumni that the job market is competitive and it is best to get an internship prior to graduation. The program will prepare students who want to continue their education by going to graduate school, whether it be at Shepherd or another institution.

I feel most of the faculty members are concerned with their students progress. They realize that some students work for good grades and other students are just trying to get by. I have not met a professor in the program that I dislike. The program also gave students an opportunity to travel to Russia this spring to get some international experience.

Business Administration appealed to me because my dad owns his own business. This program will give me a jump start if I decide to open my own business in the future. A degree in business administration opens up a lot doors in the job market. I going by what I have been told by others. Some say there are opportunities after graduating, some say they had no luck at finding a "decent job". I chose marketing as a concentration, because I have taken an interest in advertising. Having this degree and a minor in Mass Communications will hopefully open up doors to jobs that require both fields of study.

Communication Interests: Radio and Television Broadcasting

The broadcasting industry consists of radio and television stations that create content or acquire the rights to broadcast certain programs. Programs include from news programs, movies, talk shows, and advertisements. News programs are typically produced in their own studios, but most other entertainment is produced separately from the broadcasting industry. Most of their revenue is made by selling time slots for advertising.

The stations signals are transmitted from their studios to local stations or cable distributors. Anyone with a radio of television can receive these signals in the area they are being transmitted.

People who work in this field work crazy hours. Employees usually specialize in certain fields, such as program production, news related, and technical, sales, and management occupations.

Prospects look good for this field of work, especially in larger cities.

VALS Survey

The VALS survey determinded that my primary type is an Experiencer and my secondary type was an Innovator.

Self-expression is what motivates an Experiencer. They get excited about new possibilites, but easily lose excitement. An Experiencer thrives on excitement and variety. They are known to channel their energy into activities such as exercising, outdoors activities, sports and social activities. They are known to spend a lot of money on fashion, entertainment, and socializing. Buying trendy things is and looking cool is a top priority of an Experiencer.

Innovators are known to be sophisitcated, successful and having high self-esteem. They are open to new ideas and inventions. The things they buy tend to be upscale products and services. Their image expresses their tastes and personality, rather than money and power. Leaders of business and government are known to be Innovators, but are always looking for a challenge. The things the own and do for fun show that they have an appreciation for the finer things in life.

I feel that the survery was somewhat accurate.