Pickle Jar Communications

http://news.glam.ac.uk/news/en/2007/oct/03/cyber-world-induction-students/

The University of Glamorgan has taken the unprecedented step this autumn of using online gaming to introduce their new student intake to life as a University student. Interesting idea. I like the notion of online gaming being used almost as a communications tool, or as an educational tool, but I am beginning to question whether gaming still needs to grow up a little before it can really work for an adult audience. I hadn’t played video games since the age of 10 or so (many a day spent playing Sonic the Hedgehog on the Sega Master System) until the Wii arrived in my front room this Spring. It’s good, fun gaming for grown-ups (and not-so-grown-ups, I guess), and everytime I see the empty boxes on the Wii Menu I can’t help thinking of all the educational applications that could feature there – and probably will do. However, reading about GlamStart both excited and also worried me a little. The concept is excellent, but the visuals used in their press release reminded me a little of Habbo Hotel – the online interactive gaming site used primarily by younger teenagers – and the tasks listed sounded as though they erred a little on the patronising side for someone old enough to be moving away from home and bright enough to be studying at degree level. Maybe I’m just old, and this is exactly what 18 year olds want to be “playing” with, but I can’t help thinking that for online gaming to really work for adults, it needs to grow up a little.