May 2013
1 post
Portfolio
John M. Quick is a game designer, researcher, writer, and educator. This website presents a brief portfolio of his creative and scholarly achievements. Use the icon buttons at the top of this site to see information on his games, publications, and related works.
Note: This website previously hosted a blog. No new posts are being made here, although the archive can still be accessed....
April 2013
3 posts
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Nintendo's 2013 Game Release Announcements
On April 17, 2013, Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) shared information on several upcoming game releases. Nintendo appears to have a power-packed lineup for this year. This post briefly organizes the announcements and provides my initial reactions. The official announcement can be found in this 30+ minute Nintendo Direct video.
April 21: LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins (3DS)
LEGO...
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Monetization: Ultimate Collector for iPhone
My new iPhone app, Monetization: Ultimate Collector, has been released. If you dare, you can download Monetization from the Apple App Store. However, this is an occasion when you might want to read up on the background of the app before diving in.
Description
In Monetization: Ultimate Collector, your dreams for amassing intangible wealth and achieving effortless progress can finally come true....
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After a Rocky Start, SimCity is Rocking!
While it looked as if SimCity was off to a rocky start after its March 5 launch debacle, Maxis released a statement today declaring that the game’s server and non-essential feature difficulties are “at least, completely, 62%, entirely fixed.” This news comes as a relief to fans worldwide who have been waiting in long server queues or unable to verify the authenticity of their...
February 2013
1 post
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Publication: The Gameplay Enjoyment Model
An article describing the revised and expanded version of my empirical Gameplay Enjoyment Model (GEM) has been published in the International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations (IJGCMS). This article also discusses educational game design and research opportunities related to the GEM components of Challenge, Companionship, Competition, Exploration, Fantasy, and Fidelity.
Citation...
January 2013
2 posts
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Global Game Jam 2013: Pulse Reader for iPad
From January 25-27, 2013, I participated in my first Global Game Jam (GGJ), an event that challenges people to create a game in just 48 hours. My wife and I joined forces for the first time as a game production team and ended up making Pulse Reader in the process.Pulse Reader
Pulse Reader is random memory puzzle game created during the Global Game Jam 2013 event by John and Zarraz Quick. In Pulse...
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An iPad Game Project Template for Global Game Jam...
1/27/2013 Update: The game jam was a success! Our Pulse Reader game is available from the official Global Game Jam website.
The 2013 Global Game Jam is coming up on January 25-27. To prepare for my first attempt at producing a video game in just 48 hours, I took a look at Christer Kaitila’s book, The Game Jam Survival Guide. Among the many tips that I picked up from the book were these...
December 2012
1 post
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A Thought on Serious Games and Entertainment
Entertainment, usually in terms of enjoyment or fun, is widely considered the primary purpose of games and other media. Logically, players of entertainment games should exhibit a goal of seeking some form of entertainment.
Some scholars of serious games, which have non-entertainment goals like education, argue that their games are distinct in terms of entertainment. That is, the entertainment...
November 2012
1 post
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GLS 8.0 Proceedings and GLS 9.0 Call
The proceedings from the 2012 Games + Learning + Society (GLS) 8.0 conference are now available from ETC press as a free download. My paper about confirming the Gameplay Enjoyment Model can be found on pages 257-260 of the proceedings. The call for GLS 9.0 is open. Submissions are already being accepted with a deadline of January 31, 2013.
October 2012
4 posts
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Meaningful Play 2012: Empirical Game Design for...
On October 20, 2012, I presented about how my research work on the Gameplay Enjoyment Model (GEM) was leveraged in the design of the Pathfinders Way iPad game. In addition, the presentation focused on the enjoyment of Exploration in games and mapping features to match the preferences of players. The slides from my presentation and proceedings paper are available for download as PDF files.
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Meaningful Play 2012 Online Conference Proceedings →
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University Geo Projects Revived
I recently cleared out and reopened my Flickr account. My first order of business was to make the hundreds of photos from my 2009 Geo Projects publicly available once again.
History
In May of 2009, I ventured all over the Michigan State University (MSU) in an attempt to photograph every building on campus. Then in August of 2009, I did the same on the campus of Arizona State University (ASU)....
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Building a Computer: The Basic Parts
I have now successfully built my first computer from start to finish. Before beginning, I looked for all kinds of information on the internet regarding parts, prices, performance, procedures, and similar matters. Along the way, I found tons of information from experienced builders and countless posts by others who were similarly building computers for the first time and seeking help.
However,...
September 2012
1 post
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Publication: Embodied Perspective on Mobile...
One of last year’s blog posts, What is Mobile Learning?, has developed into a recently published journal article in the International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology, and Learning.Citation Denham, A. R., Quick, J.M., & Atkinson, R.K. (2012). mLearning: An embodied perspective. International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology, and Learning 2(3), p. 1-14.Abstract Rapid advances in...
August 2012
2 posts
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Publication: Empirical Taxonomies of Gameplay...
The first academic journal article from my research on the Gameplay Enjoyment Model (GEM; see related posts) has been published in the International Journal of Game-Based Learning.Citation Quick, J.M., Atkinson, R.K., & Lin, L. (2012). Empirical taxonomies of gameplay enjoyment: Personality and video game preference. International Journal of Game-Based Learning, 2(3), p. 11-31.Description This...
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Pathfinders Way for iPad
Pathfinders Way is my latest game to be released on the iPad. You can download Pathfinders Way from the Apple App Store.
Description
In Pathfinders Way, you are setting out on an expedition to explore unknown lands. On your adventure, you will map the natural terrain, collect ancient artifacts, and discover hidden items that will assist you in your journey. Each map in Pathfinders Way is...
June 2012
2 posts
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GLS 8.0 Conference Resources →
This is an excellent collection of resources from the Games + Learning + Society 8.0 conference, which took place from June 13-15, 2012 in Madison, WI.
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GLS 8.0: Confirming the Gameplay Enjoyment Model
Note: The GLS 8.0 proceedings are available for download. The paper that relates to this post can be found on pages 257-260.
On June 14, 2012, I presented the results of my latest research on video games and enjoyment. This presentation provided an overview of the Gameplay Enjoyment Model (GEM) that was confirmed using data from a spring 2011 survey of over 300 undergraduate students. In...
May 2012
2 posts
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Because We May App Sale May 24 - June 1, 2012
A number of game developers are holding a simultaneous sale across several platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows/Mac/Linux, and Steam. The sale is organized by Because We May and runs from May 24 to June 1, 2012. The Because We May website includes a listing of all participating games across the various platforms, for example, iOS. I decided to join in on the sale and have discounted the...
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Genuine User Experience
There’s something magical about three simple words in Apple’s Mac OS X. On the rare occasion that I need to retrieve an archived file from my backup disk, I am called on an adventure. Or perhaps I’m mysteriously beckoned to follow along on a journey. Or maybe the time has come for me to fulfill my destiny. The feeling lasts for just a moment and is spurred on by merely three...
April 2012
8 posts
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Unplug: Personal Relaxation Assistant for iPhone
My latest iPhone app, Unplug: Personal Relaxation Assistant, has been released and you can download Unplug from the Apple App Store.
Description
Unplug is your Personal Relaxation Assistant. It is designed to help you improve your relaxation and meditation skills while you work towards your goals of stress relief, improved health and fitness, enhanced mental health, and inner peace. Unplug is...
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The Complete Guide to Quitting Instagram
Amidst the Facebook-Instagram disaster, I have written a series of tutorials for to help former Instagram users transition away from the social network. In this post, I have compiled these tutorials into one complete guide.
Exporting your photos
Deleting your photos
Deleting your account
Continuing to share your photos on Tadaa
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Instafail: Tonight we Tadaa!
Now that you’re thoroughly disgusted with Instagram and Facebook, it’s time to move on and look into other options. After all, the point was never to pledge allegiance to a particular company or service, but to share and discuss photos with others. We owe it to each other to use services that will best allow us thrive the right way, on our own terms.
And for my next trick, I will make...
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How to Delete Your Instagram Account
If you’re planning to quit Instagram amidst the recent takeover by Facebook, here is a step-by-step guide on how to make it official by deleting your Instagram account.
Using your web browser, navigate to https://instagram.com/accounts/remove/request/. Note that you may need to login with your Instagram username and password first.
Select a reason for deleting your account. In this case,...
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How to Delete Your Instagram Photos
If you’re planning to quit Instagram amidst the recent takeover by Facebook, I strongly encourage you to delete each and every one of your photos, even if you also plan to delete your entire account. Deleting all of the photos puts you in a better position to protect your personal privacy and intellectual property. Below are the steps you need to take to delete a photo on Instagram.
From...
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How to Save Your Instagram Photos
If you’re planning to quit Instagram amidst the recent takeover by Facebook, you may want to export and save all of your photos prior to deleting your photos and deleting your account. Below are the steps you need to take to export and save your Instagram photos.
Using your web browser, navigate to http://instaport.me.
Click on the Sign in with Instagram button.
You will be transferred...
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Facebook Shatters Instagram
Some horrible tech news just hit today: Facebook has purchased Instagram. I’m not sure what this means for the future of the network or my participation in it, but neither can be positive. Facebook has a long history of stealing and selling its users’ personal information and intellectual property without permission. There is no reason to believe Facebook will behave differently once...
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Unlock Hidden Siri on the New iPad
Much to the chagrin of consumers, the New iPad was announced last month lacking an essential feature. That’s right, the magical, revolutionary, incredible, useless Siri was conspicuously absent from the New iPad models. However, thanks to a little techno-chicanery, it has been discovered that Siri lies dormant within the New iPad. She need only be awakened to be at your every command. Here...
March 2012
1 post
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R Tutorial Series: Centering and Standardizing... →
I have added an article on centering and standardizing variables with the scale() function to my R Tutorial Series blog.
February 2012
1 post
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Oregontrailification
I posted some Tweets lately that I would like to summarize into a more cohesive point here. Amidst the gamification craze of the past year or two, it has become common to add the suffix -ification to almost any word. I did so jokingly when I heinously morphed the classic computer game, Oregon Trail, into the hashtag #oregontrailificaton. However, this got me to thinking about what...
January 2012
2 posts
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Instagram Tip: How to Create Planet Panoramas
On Instagram, I often get asked how I create my planet panoramas. It takes just a few steps to create the image below, provided you have a panorama handy.
Steps
Start with a panorama, such as the one shown below. This is a 360 panorama, meaning that it captured an entire 360 degree view of the scene. Thus, the left and right ends of the image match up perfectly. This is the best type of panorama...
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R Tutorial Series: Citing R with EndNote →
I have added an article on Citing R with EndNote to my R Tutorial Series blog.
December 2011
1 post
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App Updates for iOS 5
Apple broke ‘em and I fixed ‘em. I have updated several of my apps for iOS 5. If you already own any of these, please be sure to update to the latest version. If you’re seeing these for the first time, take a look in the App Store.Potions & Poisons for iPhone
Minor updates and improvements for iOS 5 have been made.
Play Potions & Poisons.
Photo Explorer for iPhone
...
November 2011
1 post
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GLS 7.0 Proceedings and GLS 8.0 Call
The proceedings from the 2011 Games + Learning + Society (GLS) 7.0 conference are now available from ETC press. This is the first year that GLS has published its proceedings and the download is free. The first formal publication about my taxonomy of video game enjoyment can be found on pages 185-190 of the proceedings. The call for GLS 8.0 is now available as well. Be aware that the submission...
October 2011
4 posts
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R Tutorial Series: Exploratory Factor Analysis →
I have added an article on Exploratory Factor Analysis to my R Tutorial Series blog.
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Lytro Introduces Compact Light Field Camera
Lytro, a newly formed camera company, announced its first consumer light field camera today. Unlike traditional cameras that have to be focused prior to taking a photo, light field cameras produce images that can be focused and refocused at will after they are taken. To date, such cameras have been confined to research labs, but Lytro is attempting to make them a consumer electronic.
Light Field...
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What is Mobile Learning?
Mobile learning is an emerging field of education and research that has been ignited by recent technological innovations, such as smartphones and touchscreen tablets. However, to date the term mobile learning is little more than an empty, ill-defined, and trendy catchphrase. In dissecting the term itself, I do not see any problem with the learning portion, since that is fundamental to any form of...
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Revisiting the Monty Hall Problem
Just a few months ago, I became aware of the classic Monty Hall problem as I was reading about it in the context of Bayesian statistics. Over the years, the problem has stirred up much controversy amongst statisticians, game theorists, puzzle players, and general audiences alike. The Monty Hall name originates from grounding the problem in the historical context of the Let’s Make a Deal TV...
September 2011
4 posts
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Second Impressions: Sifteo Cubes
Back in April, I participated in the Sifteo Early Access beta program and provided my first impressions of the Sifteo cubes gaming platforms. Five months later, the cubes have launched publicly and I have returned to share my second impressions.
Hardware
Little appears to have changed with the Sifteo cubes hardware since my first experience with them back in April. Quality assurance was a...
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First Look: Sifteo Cubes SDK
In mid September, Sifteo began shipping its first publicly available interactive cubes. I took a look at the newly released and long awaited Sifteo cubes SDK and wanted to share my initial observations. The SDK [was, but is no longer as of this writing] available for download from My Account > Developer Zone on the Sifteo website.
Status
The SDK appears to be in an early stage of development....
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Google Scholar My Citations
Over the summer, Google Scholar released a new feature called My Citations. In My Citations, researchers can set up a profile to collect all of their publications, such as journal articles and conference presentations. The system will link to each item (if available through Google Scholar) and also track its number of citations.
To date, it appears that little has been done with My Citations and...
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EARLI 2011: Personality and Game Design for...
On August 30, 2011, I presented the results of my recent research on video games and personality. This presentation provided an overview of the game design and player type framework that originated from a fall 2010 survey of nearly 300 undergraduate students. The slides from my presentation are available for download as a PDF file.
The discussed framework is composed of six game design features...
August 2011
1 post
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Potions & Poisons for iPhone
My latest iPhone game, Potions & Poisons, has been released. You can download Potions & Poisons from the Apple App Store. Continue reading for more information about the game.
Description
Potions & Poisons (P&P) is a challenging puzzle game that will put your wits and memory to the test as you save the Great Yellow Wizard from the cauldron of despair. In P&P, you are an...
July 2011
2 posts
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Phoenix Sunset Photo Comparison
Below is a comparison of two sunset photos from Phoenix, Arizona. The first was taken on Sunday, July 17. The second was taken around the same time on Monday, July 18, after a dust storm took over the city.
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R Tutorial Series: The R Programming Wikibook →
I have added an article about the R Programming wikibook project to my R Tutorial Series blog.
June 2011
4 posts
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Nintendo 3DS Slip Case by Waterfield Designs
After carrying my Nintendo 3DS around for nearly a month in the fragile slip from its original packaging, I finally came across a nice sleeve case made by Waterfield Designs.
Nintendo 3DS Suede Jacket by Waterfield Designs
Since I like to carry the 3DS in my pocket, I have been looking for a thin slip case. Unfortunately, most 3DS cases are large, bulky, and tend to range in resemblance from a...
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GLS 7.0: A Taxonomy of Video Game Enjoyment
Note: The GLS 7.0 proceedings are available for download. The paper that relates to this post can be found on pages 185-190.
My primary research focus over the past year has involved identifying how college students’ game preferences, play habits, and personality traits relate to their enjoyment of video games. I am just getting started in this line of research, but I am happy to share that...
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Coordination for iPad v1.0 Released
My latest iPad game, Coordination, has been released in the Apple App Store. Below is the official description of the game.
In Coordination, you’re a farmer who is trying to collect milk from your cows. The trick is that your buckets are moving all over the farm, making it difficult for you to avoid spilling milk. To be successful, you must move your arms, hands, and fingers in complex...
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Apple Kills MobileMe: Will There Be Refunds?
Apple Customer Service Fail
Today’s announcement of iCloud and the phasing out of Apple’s MobileMe service at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference has sent current MobileMe users into a frenzy. Apple’s vague support pages on the topic, as well as its total lack of communication to existing customers, have only made the situation worse.
Being in literally the worst...
May 2011
3 posts
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Nintendo 3DS Augmented Reality Custom Card Design
After experimenting with the Nintendo 3DS augmented reality (AR) system on my computer monitor, I looked into designing my own AR cards. Subsequently, I created my own poster, business card, and t-shirt designs that can be used with the Nintendo 3DS. In addition, I tested the 3DS’ ability to perceive AR cards and concluded on a few major design principles.
Design Principles
Based on my...
