| Vicious Engine Powers New Job Training Software for IBM
Vicious Engine has been selected by Center Line, a full service digital, creative, design and production agency, for the development of a revolutionary new game used not merely for entertainment, but for business research and job training at IBM. Created with Vicious Engine, INNOV8: A BPM (business process management) Simulator is used by IBM in certification and education programs worldwide. A top creative agency with in-house production capabilities for film/video, animation, and web, Center Line developed this new entry in serious gaming using the same tools and technology actively being utilized by the interactive entertainment industry.
INNOV8 represents the latest entry in a growing list of diverse, genre-crossing titles that have been created using the Vicious Engine. The adaptable, easy-to-learn middleware has been used to design games of every style, including adventure/platformer games like the best-selling Flushed Away and upcoming Dead Head Fred, casual puzzle games like Puzzle Quest, and even instructional/educational titles like Discover Babylon and INNOV8.
Webkinz toys the must-have toy of the summer
Or you could say they're the Tamagotchis of the new millennium. Here in the Cedar Valley, though, kids have one word to describe the Ganz line of Webkinz pets --- fun!The cuddly creatures have become the must-have toy of the summer, and retailers are trying to keep pace with demand."When I get a shipment in, let me tell you they are gone," says Penny Franke, owner of Bead Happy in Waterloo. "It's just nuts. A little girl came in and when she saw we were sold out of the black lab, her eyes welled up with tears."Webkinz typically retail for about $13 and come in a variety of plush animals, ranging from the hard-to-find pink pony to panda bears and pigs. The toys also come in a miniature version, Lil'Kinz, which go for about $10.While kids have always gone for the cuddle factor of a stuffed animal, it's the Webkinz' cyber gadget factor that has them going gaga.Webkinz pets come with a unique code that gains their owners access to the online Webkinz World.
Concert posters jam UAA student union
School is out for most students, but the collegiate vibe continues this month with an exhibit of concert posters at the Student Union Gallery at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The "Post No Bills" show by Craig Updegrove of Bethel puts music in the spotlight. The graduate from the Art Institute of Seattle does film and design of all kinds and has created work for outfits like Sub Pop Records and the Sasquatch Music Festival. The exhibit includes a few dozen pieces and opened Thursday. The show continues until July 19 with a First Friday reception from 4 to 6 p.m. July 6. Gallery hours are noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday during the summer exhibits. Find out more by contacting the gallery's staff at 786-1052 or gallery@uaa. alaska.edu, or visit www.uaa.alaska .edu/campuslife/activities/gallery.cfm.
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