12 Seconds in Heaven 09/02/2010: PAX Prime

Welcome to our weekly feature on @GamingAngels! “12 Seconds in Heaven” wherein several GA staffers will answer a question about anything going on at that moment in geek culture.

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Washington PhD student awarded 2010 Penny Arcade Scholarship

University of Washington PhD student Jeffery Lin has been awarded the 2010 Penny Arcade Scholarship. His plans for the prize include using vision science to solve problems in game design. Lin knows that the experience vision scientists could bring to a game development team could be vital in the future. “Vision scientists have the tools and skills to help developers tackle problems from how to reduce motion sickness some experience in FPS titles to how to make games more accessible to the color blind,” said Lin.  “My goal is to eventually prove to game developers that vision scientists would be a valuable member of any developer’s team.” Combining these disciplines is what impressed the scholarship selection committee in the first place. The winner is chosen based on leadership, service, character, potential to have a positive impact and financial need. “Lin represents an intriguing future where an interdisciplinary approach to game

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Penny Arcade Scholarship Applications Now Available

Penny Arcade is offering a scholarship for students who intend to enter the game industry in “some capacity” for the fourth time. Current students at accredited U.S. colleges and universities are eligible (as long as they meet the above game industry stipulation and have a GPA above 3.3) for the $10,000 scholarship. If interested, you’ll need to submit a letter about your current studies and how you can benefit the gaming industry, as well as solicit two letters of recommendation from professors/advisors/bosses/etc. Not only that, but they’ll need a school transcript (for verifying GPA) and a photograph (to be used if you actually win). The scholarship only lasts for a year, but $10,000 is a lot of money! If you want to apply, the application is here (PDF), and it needs to be postmarked May 30 or earlier.

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Pax East announces Boston Indie Showcase

You’ll be able to get your indie game fix at Pax East coming up on March 26- 28 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. Pax East is concentrating on the Boston indie scene showcasing games from Fire Hose Games, Dejobaan Games, MIT’s Gambit game lab and more. The idea is to showcase companies that may not get to be shown at the larger indie festivals. “Boston welcomed us with open arms and we wanted to give a little of the love back. We knew there are some great companies in Boston that can’t normally take booth space, so the Showcase was born,” said Robert Khoo of Penny Arcade. “Our winners have put together a selection of titles that are fun and original; but most importantly they show what gamers with passion and dedication can do.” The winning entries are: · Slam Bolt Scrappers – Fire Hose Games – A

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And the 2010 GDC Ambassador Award Goes To…

The Penny Arcade guys! Writer Jerry Holkins, artist Mike Krahulik and business guru Robert Khoo have been given the award for creating a gamer-friendly empire that epitomized the positive aspects of “gamer culture.” They’ve used their powers only for good, creating a charity (Child’s Play) and the Penny Arcade Expo, which brings gamers together to celebrate the culture of gaming. They may have gotten a slow start in 1998, but now Penny Arcade is almost a household name (well, in gamer households, anyway). “The Penny Arcade crew might be some of the most flippant, adorable game fans out there,” said Meggan Scavio, Event Director for GDC. “So obviously, we’re delighted to recognize their efforts in providing a genuine voice and event for gamers, and working with both fans and developers in the Child’s Play Charity to raise millions of dollars for a great cause.” The award will be presented during

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Lit. Angels Podcast #16 – 2010

Last week, Stealthyslyth and I finally brought back the Lit. Angels podcast after a two month hiatus for NaNoWriMo and the December Holidays.  We chatted about our experience with NaNoWriMo in 2009, about books we finished at the end of the year, and what we’re looking forward to for 2010. We also teased some of the ideas we have for this year’s podcasts.  Also, tune in next week (January 28th, 8pm CST) to listen to us talk about our favorite young adult mystery and horror authors and series. We’re very excited to re-read some of our favorite books, and hope you’ll join us when we talk about them next week. You can listen to last week’s podcast below: Below are some of the books we mentioned that we’re looking forward to this year so you can learn more about them. Stealthyslyth’s picks: Jim Butcher’s Changes (Book #12 in The Dresden

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Bayonetta fans can win exclusive items

Bayonetta has just come out and SEGA is already starting to challenge their fans. The first 500 people that finish Bayonetta on the “Hard” setting will win an exclusive limited edition Bayonetta t-shirt from the guys at Penny Arcade. To enter, after you’ve beaten the game, take a photo of the end screen and send it and your gamertag or PSN ID to bayonettacontest@gmail.com. You have to have the Umbra Elder achievement/trophy to qualify for a shirt. Sorry this contest is only open to gamers in the US. The shirt is in a large. Good luck!

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Penny Arcade Expo 2009 Overview

The Great! There are rumors of this year’s PAX reaching 60,000+ nerds and nerdettes in attendance this year, which is a far cry from the 3,300 at the first PAX. Bethesda has a new game coming out! To anyone who showed up last year, you’ll remember the gigantic spectacle that was Fallout 3. Unfortunately, Brink is still far from release so there wasn’t anything near that grand this year (maybe next year?). Although a word for developers: if you want people to see your game and be interested in it, don’t surround the demo area in frosted glass that people are unable to look through. Bioshock had it’s own little stage area set up… These clues must mean something, but my PAX Pox-riddled brain can’t seem to put the pieces together. However, anyone who has followed the Bioshock 2 story thus far will truly appreciate what they’ve done here. The

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Dragon Age: Origins goes to Penny Arcade for comic

Bioware has asked Gabe & Tycho from Penny Arcade to create a new 8-part web comic based on Dragon Age: Origins which starts today. The web comic will go over an encounter of a party of mage-hunting Templar knights and the “Witch of the Wilds” Flemeth and her daughter Morrigan. Basically showing what the world of Dragon Age: Origins is like. The first page of the series is up at www.dragonage.com. A new page will be revealed every week. Dragon Age: Origins comes out on November 3.

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Nexon reveals PAX plans

Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, Washington is coming up next week! Nexon has revealed what games, contest giveaways, and exciting events are happening at their booth (No. 122). Gamers can get a hands-on with two new titles, Dungeon Fighter Online and Dragon Nest. Players can also check out the Quarantine Mode in Combat Arms. Every day, Nexon will be giving away new Alienware TactX brand keyboard and mouse and Dungeon Fighter Online Merchandise. Our friends, Robert Welkner and Hailey Bright, the hosts of Coin-op TV Live, will be doing daily presentations at 11am and 4pm. At each presentation, they will be showing gamers details about Dungeon Fighter Online and giving away free t-shirts at the end of each presentation. Nexon’s Min Kim will be sharing That Arcade Feeling with PAX attendees at 1:30pm on Saturday in the Wolfman Theater. Kim will also be discussing how they used traditional arcade-style gaming

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