
Visit with Prof. Aki Nakamura at Ritsumeikan University
On Nov. 11th, 2014, I had the pleasure of visiting Ritsumeikan University (Kinugasa Campus) in Kyoto to meet with Professor Aki Nakamura to discuss potential research collaboration opportunities, and to get a copy of the book which he co-authored with Professor Shuji Watanabe entitled,「なぜ人はゲームにハマるのか:開発現場から得た『ゲーム生』の本質」("Why are people crazy about games? The essence of 'Game-ness' from the frontlines of development"). Since Prof. Nakamura and I are both working on Narrative phe

International Conference on Japan Game Studies 2013 Recap
May 24th~26th, 2013 This was a joint conference between Ritsumeikan University RCGS and University of Alberta, Edmonton, and a wonderful, insightful experience as a whole. 1) During the lunch break, we went to check out the "Super Mario Experiment" which was a room filled with a bunch of old consoles from the 80s and 90s. This seems to be a common activity that has been present at every conference I have attended so far. In this photo, Shuo Xiong, my fellow game researcher fr

The Creator of the Original NES!
Probably the biggest thing to happen to me at the International Conference on Japan Game Studies 2013 (and my life). With Professor Masayuki Uemura, the creator of the original Nintendo Entertainment System, at the International Conference of Japan Game Studies 2013. The Johannes Gutenberg of my field. 任天堂ファミコンの発明者、Prof. 上村雅之です。 #conference #digrajapan #japangamestudies #trip #ritsumeikanuniversity

First time to DiGRA Japan
Just got back from the Digra Conference at Ritsumeikan University:
http://www.digrajapan.org/modules/piCal/index.php?smode=Monthly&action=View&event_id=0000000973&caldate=2012-2-25 Got a feel for the sorts of topics that are being researched currently in Japan for video games at the academic level. In particular, I was impressed at the first presentation, where a Masters student from Tokyo University had developed an action game JUST SO THAT SHE COULD CONDUCT HER RESEARCH. T

Ritsumeikan Center for Game Studies
Just got done talking video game research with a professor at Ritsumeikan University. There wasn't enough time today, but next time I come down he will introduce me to the creator of the original Nintendo Entertainment System, who is also a professor there. #rcgs #japangamestudies #ritsumeikanuniversity #institution #masters