Global Kids' Playing 4 Keeps

last p4k 2006

2006-06-13T15:59:00.000-04:00

This is the last blog entry from me. I will miss everyone and i will keep in touch. In p4k 2006 I am proud of all the accomplishments that we made in this class I am glad that everyone learned something new and different and had a chance to experience new and different things.I am thankful of all the achievements and chances that I have had. All I would like to say is THANK YOU to all the trainers for giving me the chance for these experiences. THANK YOU!

Learn and having fun.

2006-06-13T15:47:00.000-04:00

What I learned is that I can make difference in the world by helping others and get to learn more about the issue that is in the games.

what i have learned

2006-06-13T15:46:00.001-04:00

I have learned this year how to make a video game with the help from my global kids, after school class and Gamelab. I have learned about poverty, education, haiti, etc. I've met alot of people this year and made a lot of friends. Sorry to say that this will be my last year, as a senior.

I will miss u guys

2006-06-13T15:46:00.000-04:00

This my last blogg that I will be posting. I really have fun the past year I've spent with eveyone of you and I am going to miss you all alot. So please keep up the good work and hold your head up high. Good luck. Love Raniece

p4k - good time

2006-06-13T15:45:00.000-04:00

I had a good time at p4k this year, with the podcast, and the panel. Also just being in the program in general. Cant wait to see u next year.

G-man; word life

2006-06-13T15:44:00.000-04:00

During my conversations with the lovely girls next to me, I learned a lot from them, such as that they like many things about P4K, how this progam allowed them to grow as people and learn other computer skills, and about the complications of game playing.

schandy

2006-06-13T15:42:00.002-04:00

one of the thing i will like to see diffrent next year is mostly what we talk about - more people to be more active and say what's on their mind (and the food should change). global kids should have more trips

wats good

2006-06-13T15:42:00.001-04:00

My Favorite Highlight is going to the museum. It been a very good experience. I like the program a lot now that i'm graduating. I will miss the program.

2006-06-13T15:42:00.000-04:00

i learned a lot from global kids this year and i met a lot of new people.im glad that i decided to dedicate my time to p4k.

WHAT I AM PROUD OF ?

2006-06-13T15:40:00.000-04:00

the thing i learned is that we can make a game with a certain amount of money. i am proud that i became the summer intern. i hope i can do very good at the job for global kids

The P4K Podcast

2006-05-23T11:24:00.000-04:00

You can listen to the first P4K podcast, featured in the upcoming Global Kids' Digital Media Initiative podcast series.
Barry

Are cheat codes cheating?

2006-04-26T15:28:00.000-04:00

In yesterday's program, we talked about the possibility of adding cheat codes into the game. A cheat code is something you can do as a player to immediately advance - such as raising your level, or ability, or changing your location.

Many students liked the idea of having some cheat codes. DeWayne disagreed, saying a game with cheat codes is not a game. It is cheating.

Many of the GK Leaders, playing the Alpha, were frustrated by getting deep into debt. The idea was raised to have a cheat code to get oneself out of debt.

DeWayne responded, "The question is, in Haiti can you use a cheat code to get out of poverty?"

That settled that.

The Alpha is Ready

2006-04-25T12:04:00.000-04:00

The Alpha can now be viewed.

Download the latest Flash Player here.

Download the .exe version if the Flash version won't work.

Some visual references gameLab shared with us

2006-04-11T15:28:00.000-04:00

direction reference: http://www.loworks.org/
direction reference: http://www.iheartswitch.com/index.html
direction reference: http://www.carolinehwang.net/

Early character backstories

2006-04-11T12:11:00.000-04:00

Last week, gameLab worked with the GK Leaders to use the rough visual sketches created by gameLab to develop backstories for each of the game's family members.

Character Backstory

For your team’s character, please answer the following, in any way you choose:

Family Role: girl child

Name of character: Rebecca

Personality of character:

Shy Generous Introverted
Kind Thoughtful Smart
Sweet Creative

Character’s relationships with others?

Has a best friend avoids people who bother her or talk about her
Has lots of cousins Favorite Aunt Loves her parents
Gets along with her siblings

Character’s relationship with the world?

Likes
Mints Ginger Candy Fried Foods Rice
Listening to sweet micky an zen

Dreams
Actor Dentist Doctor Singer Dancer

Some things the character might have written about in his or her journal in the last few years

She met a guy named Raymond that she likes. They go to the same school but one thing she aims for is an education so that she can have a better like and nice job.

Character Backstory 2

Family Role: male child

Name of character: Marcugero (Marc)

Personality of character:

Adventurous, Curious, Handy, Introverted of his little shyness, very intelligent

Character’s relationships with others?

Friendly with others he knows, like friends and family when he tries to take time with them because he likes to be by himself on his own adventure.

Character’s relationship with the world?

- Dreams to be like his father/older brother
- Likes to travel
- Like to read if he is not being disturbed with family problems
- Dislike is missing school because he loves education

Some things the character might have written about in his or her journal in the last few years

Very high grades on report card
Fears are not being able to finish school to have an education to support his family to live better.
He has a puppy but is afraid of not being able to feed and take care of it.

Character Backstory 3

Family Role: male child

Name of character: Theodore

Personality of character:

Athletic, creative, outgoing, funny, thoughtful, generous

Character’s relationships with others?

Has a lot of friends that he loves to play with & family (Likes: Sis, Mom. Dislikes: Dad, Aunt)
And some of his neighbor’s he doesn’t like.

Character’s relationship with the world?

His dream is to become rich and help his family and his country.
To become a basketball player
He also likes to play baseball.

Some things the character might have written about in his or her journal in the last few years

- He has a job that pays minimum wage (collecting bottles and selling them with soda and other juice)
- He is trying to get a girlfriend
- He just graduated from junior high school
- His sister is really smart in technology

Character Backstory 4

Family Role: Mother

Name of character: Rebecca Edward

Personality of character:

28 years old Merchant
Like to own a merchant business

Krochet, listen watch movies

Character’s relationships with others?

- Krochet
- Listen to music
- Watch movies
- She always friendly to people
- Always generous
- And thoughtful

Character’s relationship with the world?

Dream is to make Haiti healthy.

Some things the character might have written about in his or her journal in the last few years

Wish life was easy in Haiti.

Character Backstory 5

Family Role: Father

Name of character: Pierre Edward

Personality of character:

- Smart on farming abilities
- 30 years
- He likes to cook and craftsmanship

Character’s relationships with others?

- Meet for the first time; marketplace
- Love teen around friends and family
- Hit his best friend Steve for stealing a pineapple

Character’s relationship with the world?

- Environment (care)
- Leaders (decision)
- Music such as Jazz
- Dream of performing

Some things the character might have written about in his or her journal in the last few years

- Life without his wife isn’t worth living
- I must always provide for my family
- My childrens is the hold on my soul

Today's P4K: Child Alert Haiti and Character Design

2006-04-04T16:38:00.000-04:00

In today's program, we used games to familiarize ourselves with the new UNICEF report,Child Alert: Haiti, which only came out last week. We also discussed why UNICEF chose this approach to educate people about issues in Haiti and how that was similar and different from our approach, using P4K.

We then explored Character Development, looking at sketches of our game's five family members, created by gameLab, and developed backstories for the different members.

Some Haitian Names for the Game

2006-04-04T16:33:00.000-04:00

Today we brainstormed some Haitian names we might use in the game.

Some names we came up with are:
Sweet Mickey
Jean
Marck
Chantal
Maria
Darren
Theodore
Nadine
Edwin
Rebecca
Antonio
Preval
Marie
Edward
Claude
Pierre
Francois
Evelyn
Dominique
Lovita
Miriam
Mildred
Stania
Sonia/Sonya
John

Three Site's Recommended for News on Haiti

2006-04-03T14:30:00.000-04:00

These are three sites our educational consultant (Kiran) recommends we use for checking on the latest news in Haiti:

1. http://www.haitiradio.com
2. http://www.haiti-info.com
3. http://www.haitinews.net

Speaking with Microsoft and Reviewing the Content Critique

2006-03-30T12:30:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, March 28th, all were disappointed when a planned trip to the Microsoft offices in NYC was unexpectedly cancelled that very morning. However, we were able to have a nice conference call amongst all of the players.

Instead, we spent time during the program reviewing the content critique developed by Kiran, our content expert at Columbia's Teachers College, and did a scavenger hunt within the prototype looking for the errors or places of improvement.

For example, we learned that girls are unlikely to work as a mechanic, men are unlikely to work in the market (unless assisting a woman), and children are paid less than adults when working in a rum factory. However, none of this is yet reflected in the prototype. We learned about how the role of health care and education in the game could be improved, specific touches that would make it reflect Haitian culture more, and how gameLab will incorporate these specifics of Haitian culture into the next game build.

Haitian Towns and People

2006-03-21T16:56:00.000-05:00

The photography that accompanied the piece was taken by Cameron Davidson, who is known for his commercial, editorial, and aerial work, as well as his documentation of the plight of the Haitian people in the town of Pignon, Haiti.

g-man colors

2006-03-21T16:43:00.000-05:00

Such is what the world needs, the color of black and white coming together to make music, and purify the spirit of the people living within our world, for music is a stepping stone toward happiness.

FOOD SHIP LEAVES FOR CAP HAITIEN

2006-03-21T16:36:00.001-05:00

Port-au-Prince, 25 March 2004 - The first shipment of urgently needed food aid has departed the Haitian capital today, destined for the northern city of Cap Haitien where it will be distributed to 181,000 vulnerable people in the north of the country.

TO READ THE REST OF THE STORY, CLICK ON THE URL........

Haitian Voting

2006-03-21T16:36:00.000-05:00

Presidential candidate and former Haitian president Lesly Manigat, 75,during a rally in the town of Croix des Bouquets, 20 km east of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti Saturday Oct. 8, 2005. Oct. 8 is the official beginning of the electoral campaign in Haiti.[AP]

g-man love

2006-03-21T16:29:00.000-05:00

Such is the unity of love for the community of the Haitian culture to come together in a single bond, and as they wave their flag the color of the sky rains gold upon their soul for such is proof of devotion.

bus trans

2006-03-21T16:25:00.000-05:00

this image is from :
http://www.exploitz.com/People-Standing-On-Roof-Of-Crowded-Intercity-Bus-PortAuPrince-Ouest-Haiti-picture.php

I chose this because I felt it represents haiti when people are happy.
When I see this picture I feel happy, and inspired.