Extras

Here is a page for a bunch of things our Cool Hunters found on the subject of Game Studies, Game-Based Learning (GBL) and Gamification (and just some things to help solicit deeper discussions and more thought-provoking ideas). Most of these are free and/or can be acquired rather through free trials or are rather cheap to begin with. These are extras meaning these will not affect the final point totals but are meant to help further your understanding of Game Studies, GBL and/or Gamification. If you would like to submit something to our cool list, please visit this form and you might see it on the page: Link

Books:

• Blue's Game Design Amazon Book List: Link - A collection of hand-selected books all about the topics of Game Studies, GBL, Gamification and Game Design as well. Some of these books in addition to an array of others books and articles can be found on: http://www.scribd.com/ .

Blogs:

• Putting the spotlight on a very influential educator and director, Gridjumper's work and films in the areas of games for education and an advocate of virtual worlds in the classrooms has been a great area of influence for many that peruse her posts: http://gridjumper.net/

• A little more on the lighthearted side of comedy, but border-lining satirical comics on current events and hidden agendas of gaming worlds, Penny Arcade takes us back to our glory days while trying to brave the new worlds of games: http://www.penny-arcade.com/

Videos:

• (available on Netflix) Avalon (2001) Director: Mamoru Oshii - A Foreign Japanese/Polish film follows a woman as she searches for a higher level of game play in her illegal virtual-reality first-person shooting game. This game is very artsy in the beginning but as the film progresses it mixes action, drama and mystery like an expensive coffee from a barista.

• If something more contemporary and feelgood is what you are after, take a look at Video Game High School. Take a step into what the future of education could look like if kids delved headfirst in games without any questions, very interesting things to think about while giving us amazing graphics and visuals. Though Season 1 is on Youtube, the other seasons are on Netflix and can be almost as addicting as "Game of Thrones", well almost...

Music:

• AdrianvonZiegler film quailty, game-themed instrumentals should get you in the mood while you read your FTW book, we hope you enjoy; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WufAUf2X_oU&index=3&list=PLtQtDkpNHslROSdol5lxQi9kZ-Z5z5toF

Deals:

• (for the next 12 days only as of 7/11/14) Storybundle.com is having a special on 6 game/virtual worlds-based books similar to "For the Win" by Cory Doctorow. Just ten bucks can get you some amazing books available on practically any device: http://storybundle.com/games

• This wouldn't be a proper extras page without this season's, all-the-rage, geeky-gamers-buzzed about: https://www.lootcrate.com/ Fifteen bucks gets you a crate filled with Gamer/Geek gear and swag, simple and sweet.