The Application of Light and Shadow in Splinter Cell: Conviction
Alen Chao | February 20, 2012
Warning: Contains Spoilers
Color and lighting are two devices often used in the media to convey certain messages or highlight important aspects of the story. Video games did not fully utilize these devices outside of providing relative realism to an otherwise monochromatic game. Perhaps, that is due to the lack of processing power in compiling how the game looks visually. Nowadays, they can be deployed to draw a theme in the game mechanics, and used as integral parts of the plot. Enter Splinter Cell: Conviction. Read more
Digital ECALC Deployed
Katelyn Procci | February 10, 2012
Almost exactly one year since we began, this past Tuesday we wrapped development on the Digital ECALC project. Developed by the UCF Substance Use Research Group (SURG), ECALC stands for “Expectancy Challenge Alcohol Literacy Curriculum.” Read more
Research Assistants Needed!
Katelyn Procci | February 4, 2012
Are you interested in seeing how a research lab works? Would you like to experience science first-hand? The RETRO lab needs you! Read more
Flash builder containers with SWF files…
Greg Pardo | January 27, 2012
Here at RETRO Lab we like to get things done right the first time. This post is for any programmers out there who struggle with flash containers.
First let me begin by saying that as a developer, you don’t always know how the client will be using what you’ve made. Many times we have to make decisions about whether to take a quick-and-dirty approach or build a more dynamic application that can be altered easily in the future. In these situations it’s important to probe the client for as much information as possible. Read more
New semester, new projects.
Katelyn Procci | January 13, 2012
It’s been an extremely productive winter break. We finished up some of our development projects, finished a paper reporting on a study from our Game-Based Training research effort, edited a few other potential publications, and wrote a few grants. We’ve also been updating the website with information. Now we’re gearing up to start a whole bunch of new studies and projects. Read more
Can opening cinematics enhance learning?
Shan Lakhmani | January 5, 2012
Like many others, I remember, years ago, watching the opening cinematic for Final Fantasy VII for the very first time and knowing that we had entered a brand new age. Since then, video games have been using more and more elaborate opening cinematics to entice people to play the game and to quickly establish a narrative. Read more
Garden Defense wins Best Student Game at 2011 SGS&C!
Katelyn Procci | December 3, 2011
It has been a busy, busy week. RETRO has been at I/ITSEC to show-off two of our minigames, Garden Defense and Devil’s Advocate, both of which were finalists in the 2011 Serious Games Showcase & Challenge. Read more
Developing Serious Games
Katelyn Procci | October 31, 2011
You should always be proud of your work, no matter what you do. Serious games research labs, such as my own, provide a unique opportunity with respect to this. Aside from being able to create a piece of art (yes, I’m one of those games-as-art types) that people enjoy playing, you also have the added benefit of truly helping people.
RETRO’s Devil’s Advocate awarded bronze at 2011 Serious Play conference
Katelyn Procci | August 29, 2011
In competition against international and large corporate software developers, UCF RETRO Lab landed a Bronze Medal for their student entry in the Government/Military category at the 2011 Serious Play Conference held earlier this month in Redmond, WA at the DigiPen Institute of Technology for their work on Devil’s Advocate. We are very proud, especially of our programmer Skyler’s excellent work. Read more
Modding Fallout 3′s Rivet City for Shipboard Navigation
James Bohnsack | August 25, 2011
As part of RETRO’s Game-Based Training research effort for the Office of Naval Research via Raytheon BBN Technologies, Fallout 3 a popular commercial off-the-shelf video game, was modified into a virtual environment used to test shipboard navigation skills. Read more
