Mid-Manhattan Library

Starting on 3/25, please join us for a five week NYPLarcade game series at Mid-Manhattan Library featuring a critical, chapter-by-chapter playthrough of Spec Ops: The Line. All events are FREE and will be held in the first floor corner room. Doors open at 6:00 p.m.

March 25, 2013
The Evacuation, The Dune, Underneath (Ch. 1 - 3)

April 1, 2013
The Refugees, The Edge, The Pit (Ch. 4 - 6)

April 8, 2013
The Battle, The Gate, The Road (Ch. 7 - 9)

April 15, 2013
Riggs, Alone, The Rooftops (Ch. 10 - 12)

April 22, 2013
Adams, The Bridge, Welcome (Ch. 13 - 15)

At each of the sessions listed above, participants will have the opportunity to play and/or watch three chapters of the game, followed by a guided discussion beginning at 8:00 p.m.

For more information, visit: bit.ly/nyplarcade-specops2013

Over the next several weeks, NYPLarcade will be showcasing six video game titles from 2012 as part of our new game series. What is a game series? Think of it as a film series, but for video games.

Participants play the selected title from 6:30-8:00 p.m. and discuss the game from 8:00-8:30 p.m. All events are FREE and and take place in Room 101 of Mid-Manhattan Library.

Dec 10, 2012
Papo & Yo (Minority Media)

Dec 17, 2012
Super Hexagon (Terry Cavanagh)
McPixel (Sos)
Dys4ia (Anna Anthropy)

Jan 7, 2013
Sound Shapes (Queasy Games)

Jan 14, 2013
Hotline Miami (Dennaton Games)

Jan 28, 2013
FTL: Faster Than Light (Subset Games)

Feb 4, 2013
Proteus (Ed Key & David Kanaga)

For more information, please visit: bit.ly/nyplarcade-showcase2012

On Saturday, 11/3 libraries all over the world will celebrate International Games Day by playing games.

This year, at Mid-Manhattan Library, we’ll have a variety of board games as well as a special line up of music video games from 2012 in Room 101 from 1-5 p.m.

Hand-selected by NYPLarcade, we will be playing a different game each hour. Come play, watch, and talk about these unique music titles. No prior gaming experience necessary!

1 - 2 p.m.
Rock Band Blitz (Harmonix)

2 - 3 p.m.
Sound Shapes (Queasy Games)

3 - 4 p.m.
Dyad (Left Bracket Right Bracket Inc.)

4 - 5 p.m.
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP (Caybara Games)

All branches of the New York Public Library will be closed May 26-28.

Over the long weekend, I’ll be playing some Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition, Waking Mars (iOS) when I’m out and about, and perhaps some Hack, Slash, Loot if its 8-bit zombies don’t immediately bludgeon me to death.  

I’m also planning to revisit Flower in anticipation of our NYPLarcade Game Club on Tuesday: bit.ly/jenovachen-nypl.

What games are you playing this Memorial Day weekend? Read and share here.

Don’t forget! Tomorrow is our first NYPLarcade Game Club, at which we’ll be playing and discussing Jenova Chen’s Journey. To get ready, here’s some recommended reading.

For more information or to RSVP (optional), please visit: bit.ly/jenovachen-nypl

ESSENTIAL READING

In an interview with Simon Parkins, Jenova Chen discusses St. Augustine, his childhood in Shanghai, and the potential for emotion within the medium of games. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-04-02-jenova-chen-journeyman

Professor Ian Bogost (Georgia Tech) critically evaluates how Jenova Chen’s approach to design has evolved from Cloud to Journey. http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/03/a-portrait-of-the-artist-as-a-game-studio/254494/

In “Journey as Flow” Michael Abbott examines Journey and the development of thatgamecompany’s aesthetic, in the context of Mihály Csíkszentmihályi’s concept of flow and Jenova Chen’s MFA thesis at USC. http://www.brainygamer.com/the_brainy_gamer/2012/04/journey-flow.html

ALSO RECOMMENDED

Jason Killingsworth speculates on the connection of Journey’s jumping mechanic to players’ emotional responses to the game.
http://www.edge-online.com/opinion/opinion-designing-rapture%E2%80%A8%E2%80%A8?page=show#.T7ftsxrLDJ4.email

Thatgamecompany’s “Journey Apologies” Forum http://www.thatgamecompany.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1897&sid=31307ffb39f44fed09843b2cbe46b48f