I love the a capella Pac Man theme music too!
UPDATE: This is part of Guillaume Reymonds “Game Over” project, where he does live human stop-motion videos of many other vintage games. (Thanks, Le Singe)
Presented without comment. 
So full of win! I am a huge Mario nerd. My dad saved the princess before me though, in SMB2. Gar! (S’alright, Dad! <3)
Jane McGonigal asks: Why doesn’t the real world work more like an online game? In the best-designed games, our human experience is optimized: We have important work to do, we’re surrounded by potential collaborators, and we learn quickly and in a low-risk environment. In her work as a game designer, she creates games that use mobile and digital technologies to turn everyday spaces into playing fields, and everyday people into teammates. Her game-world insights can explain — and improve — the way we learn, work, solve problems, and lead our real lives.
McGonigal directs game R&D at the Institute for the Future, a nonprofit forecasting firm where she developed Superstruct, a massively multiplayer game in which players organize society to solve for issues that will confront the world in 2019. She masterminded World Without Oil, which simulated the beginning of a global oil crisis and inspired players to change their daily energy habits. McGonigal also works with global companies to develop games that build on our collective-intelligence infrastructure — like The Lost Ring, a mystery game for McDonald’s that became the world’s biggest alternate reality game, played by more than 5 million people. (Not to mention the delightful Top Secret Dance-Off, which taps that space in our brains where embarrasment and joy mingle.) She’s working on book called Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Happy and How They Can Change the World.
Everything here is in-stock and will ship via First Class USPS mail if ordered by Dec. 20 in time for Christmas. Woot!
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1. Cat5 Bracelet - $15 Who would have thought that the guts of ethernet cable would make such a pretty multicolored bracelet? Anyone who rocks this multi-stranded wire bracelet sends a subtle signal to those in the know that the wearer is not just a geek, but one with style. http://www.fractalspin.com/x/product.php?productid=9&cat=0&page=1 |
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2. Video Game Candy Tins – $3 Unexpectedly cute Super Mario Bros. Mushrooms and Stars have the secret bonus of being filled with tasty sour candy, and replicas of a Nintendo Wiimote and NES controller contain gum and mints. Not only are they great stocking stuffers, the tins can be re-used to hold memory cards, games, paper clips, headache medicine or those teeny-tiny mystery screws that you find after you’ve re-assembled your laptop to swap out its hard drive (total bummer). http://www.fractalspin.com/x/home.php?cat=25 |
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3. Credit Card Organizer Wallets – $40-$60 The innovative, patented design of this aluminum wallet allows you to organize, protect and select up to either six or twelve of your favorite credit, ID and membership cards quickly and easily at the push of a switch. No complicated electronics or batteries needed. Never hold up a checkout line again! http://www.fractalspin.com/x/product.php?productid=119&cat=0&page=1 |
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4. Varistor Necklaces – $18 Varistors keep important circuits safe from damaging power surges (variable + resistor), but when worn as jewelry they become elegant geek jewelry. Two versions are available–one in a shorter, black cord for men, and a longer chain version for women. http://www.fractalspin.com/x/product.php?productid=133&cat=0&page=1 |
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5. IDE Belt – $16-$18 Check it out–here’s a belt made from genuine parallel cable for IDE hard drives. One size fits all–there are instructions in the package how to customize it to your size. And speaking of the packaging–just like working, sensitive electronics, it comes delivered to you in an anti-static bag. http://www.fractalspin.com/x/product.php?productid=4&cat=0&page=1 |
The Dance Pad Purse
My original dance pad broke, so I decided to cut it up to see what was inside. The top layer was actually pretty, so I thought it would make a cool purse. Literally. Hah!
Check out the photos documenting how I made it.
The first layer of the dance pad
Were you one of those kids who had a next door neighbor who had that sweet corvette PowerWheel and were too woefully poor to have one yourself? We were those kids, and we decided to do something about it….20 years later.
We decided to modify and race PowerWheels, We do it for the glory, for the daring dreamy dream of that tasty elixir known as childhood that we’ll never have again cause we have day jobs and don’t weigh 70 pounds anymore. (Fatty)
We also want to play Mario Kart in real life without all those pesky pixels.
The PowerWheel Racing Series (PPPWRS) presents to the world an event for the ages.
On August 15th 6 teams will gather to win the prized PowerWheel Cup an award so prestigious I just decided to make it up five minutes ago to sound impressive.
Four Events will take place:
1. Off Road Race
2. Mario Kart Round
3. PowerWheel Polo
4. The Endurance Demolition Derby
FREE ADMISSION
11:30am Gates Open
DJs: Liz Revision,
Bands:
Sacremento Park (next to it)
3506 N Sacrement
Chicago, IL
This Event brought to you by: Pumping Station: One (Chicago’s Only Hackerspace), Best Express Messenger Service, and Chief O’Neils Pub
Geeks, nerds, dorks — chances are, you didn’t attend your high school prom. During college, you were so focused on your engineering/math/science degree that other humans barely registered within your domain space. This is your chance to rectify your oversight without yielding to irrational forces of social pressure, and perhaps enrich your symbolic-semantic internodal linkages, as well! (okay, that was actually gibberish) Come to the GEEK PROM. There will be music, dancing, and some sort of contest based on physical appearance, but we promise that it won’t be excruciating or embarassing! Local tinkerers will bring their latest DIY and hacked gadgets — stuff that you WISH you had made for your High School Science Fair. To attend this fundraiser (see Meta) follow this simple instruction set:
» Obtain advance entry clearance for $15/couple or $10/single. $20/couple or $15/single at the door.
» Prior to GEEK PROM (but not too prior) enhance your physical appearance with
a. hygiene
b. cosmetic adjustment
c. optimized exolayer assembly
» On Saturday June 13th, Utilize a transport medium (non-virtual) to resolve this address:
Co-Prosperity Sphere
3219 S Morgan St.
Chicago, IL
» Entry clearance will be granted at the door for donations of $20/couple or $15/single, starting at 9 pm Central; unbonded pairs also welcome.
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Pac-Man Candy
Ah, Pac-Man, you were my gateway drug. When I was in preschool my mom would take me along to her bowling league meetings every week and plop me down on a bar stool in front of Pac-Man where I would obsessively guide him through the maze, chomping away at yummy dots. Next up it was Haunted Mansion on the C64 and Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy on the Apple IIe in my early school years, and then Super Mario Bros. and Who Framed Roger Rabbit? on NES in my junior high years. High school found me in front of a 486 playing games I downloaded from BBSs, namely Wolfenstein 3d and Doom. In college I would giggle at the Unix game Hunt the Wumpus and then promptly switch into graphics mode for Descent, Duke Nukem, and Quake 2 on the LAN. At some point I bought a Dreamcast to play Tony Hawk 2, Ecco the Dolphin, Soul Calibur, and Rez. Post-college I remember switching gears from freelance graphic design projects to play Hitman 2 and the Myst series. These days I’m busy with work, music and DJing, but I’ve occasionally been known to spend a bit of time in Kingdom of Loathing. So, Pac-Man started my game-association memories. Now you can fondly recall the 80s and your own game-based personal timeline with either Pac-Man lemon, Blue Ghost raspberry, or Red Ghost cherry candy.
More new stuff: New retro candy: Pac-Man, Zelda, SMB; Playstation Portable Sours