EdGamer, Podcast

An Open Letter to STEAM: If You Build It, ED Will Come

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To Whom it May Concern:

I am looking for an easy gaming platform to use in my classroom.  I would like it handle single, coop, and multiplayer versions of educational games.  I would like it to connect my classroom and other classrooms so interactions can take place between students.  As a Steam user, my thoughts came quickly to your platform and how easy it is to connect to other players.  I have been using games to educate for many years.  The most popular game I use is Civilization IV.
Steam looks like a viable choice, but there are couple of issues using your current platform in a middle school.– Inappropriate content is easily seen– I am needing administrator control of accounts or some type of parental control.
What about….– Creating a Steam educational platform that would allow classrooms to connect and it would only contain educationally approved games.  call it “SteamED” I think this has a lot of potential because there is really nothing like this within the educational field.
STEAM Website

Definition from Wikipedia- Steam (Software)

Steam is a digital distribution, digital rights management, multiplayer and communications platform developed by Valve Corporation. It is used to distribute games and related media online, from small independent developers to larger software houses. Other than the Mac App Store, it is one of the largest Macintosh-based gaming websites on the Internet. Steam also has community features, automated game updates, and in-game voice and chat functionality.

As of March 2011, there are over 1,250 games available through Steam[4] and over 30 million “active” (logged into in last 30 days) user accounts.[5] Although Valve never releases sales figures, Steam is estimated to have a 70% share of the digital distribution market for video games.[6]

Many major publishers have catalogues on Steam, including id Software, Bethesda Softworks, Electronic Arts, Activision, 2K Games, Ubisoft, THQ, Sega, Codemasters, LucasArts, Capcom, Rockstar Games, Firaxis and Square Enix.

Here is a list of EDvantages for using Steam

  1. Texting and audio chat
  2. No CDs
  3. Install games on multiple computers
  4. Mac and PC
  5. Auto updates games
  6. Great deals on purchases
  7. Connections for multiplayer
  8. DRM friendly
  9. Never lose game can always download

Software Development- Source SDK (Wikipedia)

iPad 2 (Better Gaming?)

  • Faster CPU
  • Better graphics
  • 3 axis gyro
  • Front and back camera
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