Video Game Worlds

Introduction

This page profiles the video game projects undertaken by David Hutchison, the editor of Video Game Worlds.

David Hutchison, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at Brock University (Ontario, Canada) and a member of the Advisory Council for Brock's Interactive Arts and Sciences program.

David's video game articles have appeared in Electric Playground, GameInformer, GameSpot, Gamasutra/Serious Games Source, TeamXbox, and other publications. His academic work related to video games has also been profiled on television and radio.

PlayingtoLearn.org Website

PlayingtoLearn.org is the official website for the Playing to Learn book. The website features:

news and updates about the book
a complete list and summary of each of the activity ideas in the book
brief synopses of additional "Web exclusive" activity ideas
PDF downloads of the book's table of contents and sample pages
dozens of video game-related Web links

Video Game Articles

David Hutchison has contributed articles and interviews to leading video game websites and print publications. His articles and interviews include:

Bernhardt, Darren. (2008). Teachers tap into games. StarPhoenix. July 5. (Interview)
MacIsaac, Jason. (2008). David Hutchison: Playing to Learn. Electric Playground. June 19. (Interview)
Hutchison, David. (2007). Q&A: David Hutchison on Playing to Learn. GameSpot. November 9. (Interview)
Hutchison, David. (2007). Grand Theft Auto in the Classroom. Henry Jenkins Blog (Part one and two). October 22. (Interview)
Hutchison, David. (2007). Videogames in Schools? Some Practical Advice for Teachers and Students. GameInformer. #49. September. pp. 60-61.
Hutchison, David. (2007). Video Games and the Pedagogy of Place. The Social Studies. v. 98.1 January/February
Hutchison, David. (2006). Educational Game Development: Partnering with K-12 Schools. SeriousGamesSource.com. September 14.
Dillon, Beth A. (2006). Toronto Indie Games Conference to Hold Educator Session. Gamasutra.com. August 16. (News Release)
Hutchison, David. (2006). A Battlefield Analysis of Call of Duty 2's Beltot, France Capture the Flag Map. TeamXbox.com. March 13.
Hutchison, David. (2006). Presenting the Most Popular Xbox 360 Game Ever. TeamXbox.com. March 13.

Far Cry 2 Map Editing Book

Published by Charles River Media, in association with Ubisoft, From Gamer to Game Designer: The Official Far Cry 2 Map Editing Guide (2009) is among the first game design books to focus on the map making tools that ship with next generation console games. The book bridges the distance between playing and designing video games.

Drawing on a variety of disciplines, including game design theory, physical geography, military science, and urban planning, From Gamer to Game Designer provides PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 gamers with in depth advice on creating their own multiplayer maps for Far Cry 2, using the dedicated PC and console mapping tools that ship with the game.

Playing to Learn Book

Published by Teacher Ideas Press, Playing to Learn: Video Games in the Classroom (2007) is one of first practical resources that helps teachers integrate the study of video games into the classroom.

The book features over 100 video game activity ideas appropriate for Grades 4 to 12. Virtually every subject area is addressed, including language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, history, geography, health & physical education, drama, music, visual arts, computers, and business.

The book is augmented with several discussion articles contributed by scholars, journalists, and bloggers who routinely write about video games.

Also included are dozens of activity modification and extension ideas, Web links, data tables, and photos.

Battlefield 360 Website

Battlefield 360 is a dedicated fan site for Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, the first console Battlefield game. The website (now archived) features original in-game screenshots, coverage of every soldier, weapon, and vehicle class, plus several feature articles, including a battlefield analysis.