Hello All! It’s been awhile, but Joe Motacek, Jeff Nehlsen, and I got together this weekend to work on updating our game that we made last semester for WDMD 365 called Nanobot Extreme!!!
Some improvements to the latest version include:
Also, for those who want to have a constant link to the latest version of our game, latest game builds will always be located at http://nanobotextreme.brettwidmann.com, which makes the game easier to share with others 
To play Nanobot Extreme!!! 0.4.5, click here!
It’s been awhile since Joe Motacek, Jeff Nehlsen, and I have gotten together to work on the video game. With a deadline for a contest we’d like to enter this weekend, we’ve spent a fair amount of time over the weekend (and we’re still working while I write this) to greatly improve the game, add more functionality, add more levels, and fix the UI and continuity. I’m pleased to bring you some new screen captures of what the game currently looks like.
I’ll have a working version up within the next 24 hours. We’re really excited to see how this game pans out whenever we finish up the whole thing. We still have A LOT of animation, functionality and gameplay to add in upcoming versions. I’ll keep all of you posted 
With the recent successes of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s Computing and New Media Technologies (CNMT) recognition by the Princeton Review as one of the Top 50 Game Design Programs in the US and Canada, I was recently interviewed for an article that was published in the latest edition of The Pointer, one of our campus newspapers.
Below is the article, written by Dan Neckar.
UWSP CNMT Gets National Game Design Recognition
Dan Neckar
The Pointer
This week, GamePro Magazine and The Princeton Review included the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s department of Computing and New Media Technologies in their first-ever list of the “Top 50 Undergraduate Game Design Programs” in the United States and Canada.
This week, GamePro Magazine and The Princeton Review included the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s department of Computing and New Media Technologies in their first-ever list of the “Top 50 Undergraduate Game Design Programs” in the United States and Canada.
The recognition comes from a joint project between the American video game magazine and The Princeton Review, a test-preparation company that is also known for its annual college rankings including “Best Value College,” “Best Professors,” “Best Dorms” and more. The list has already gained attention from news outlets such as USA Today and Marketwatch.com.
The review based its list on a survey conducted last semester researching several criteria from 500 schools including the quality of the curriculum, faculty, facilities and infrastructure, as well as scholarships, financial aid and career opportunities presented to students.
The UWSP Career Services office conducts their follow-up studies for UWSP graduates every year, offering a look at the number of graduates employed within and outside the field of their major within their first year of graduation.
The two programs offered by the CNMT, Web and Digital Media Development and Computer Information Systems both see over 70 percent of their graduates working in the field within one year of graduating, one of the highest rates across campus. While the CIS major has been at UWSP for over fifteen years, the WDMD program started only seven years ago. This recognition confirms that the young program is already making strides and creating industry buzz.
Assistant professor of multimedia and web development Anthony Ellertson said that he believes the program is garnering attention because it helps students become well-rounded with their skills, excelling in both visual design skills and the technical side of the process as well.
“Years ago, digital agencies who were creating games and Web sites would typically divide project staff into two categories: designers and developers. These agencies are now looking for people who can do both: people who are good with visual design, but also skilled with coding and programming and bringing the two principles together,” said Ellertson, who calls these dual-wielding developers “hybrids.”
Ellertson said that prospective students are interested in the department because it is a creative, fun and challenging industry to work in, with a high demand for employees. He also said that WDMD and CIS graduates have been able to work for some excellent agencies.
“Our alumni work with some of the most advanced companies on the Web today, including Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Target, Disney, Hasbro and more,” said Ellertson.
WDMD and CIS double-major Brett Widmann said he thought the major was deserving of the title, and attributed the success of the program to its ability to keep course material relevant and current.
“I really enjoy the fact that it’s a very progressive, and fittingly aggressive program where in some of the classes the course curriculum changes almost every semester. We’re keeping up to date to the best of our abilities, so it’s always good to know that we’re working with the latest technologies being used in the industry,” said Widmann.
Widmann said that the students work together often and have a faculty that comes from many backgrounds and disciplines.
“We’re actually a very tight-knit group of people because of the facilities available where we can all work. There’s a lot of teamwork involved and group interaction with different perspectives and ideas brought to the table, which helps drive the creative process and push the program to its maximum limits,” said Widmann.
GamePro magazine will include the list in their March 9 issue.
To view the original article, click here.
I really want to thank Dan for putting together this article, the faculty for crafting such a strong program, and the students for all of their successes to make our programs a success.
For all of you fine folks in the Central Wisconsin Area, I invite you to attend my presentation on Social Media and SEO, where I will be discussing some of my experiences while working with Planet Label and the Stevens Point Brewery. Along with my experiences, I’ll tie in some of the things I’ve learned along the way and provide information on how all of us in the computing field can benefit from Social Media and how it aids in Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Here’s the skinny on the event:
Date: March 16,2010
Time: 4:45pm-7:30pm
Location: Dreyfus University Center, Room 374
Additional Information: My presentation will last a little over an hour, and the rest of the time will be dedicated to the AITP Student Chapter Officer Elections. Chances are I might speak longer than this time frame, but assume roughly an hour to hour fifteen minutes.
I’d personally like to thank the UWSP CNMT Department and the UWSP AITP Chapter for giving me the opportunity to talk to my experiences.
I want to give another shout out to Amy Vitale for putting together an awesome poster for my presentation. Check out her other work!
As part of an experiment for Tim Krause‘s E-commerce and Online Marketing class, Amy Vitale has released a beautiful monochrome set of social media icons that are available for download on her site.
Amy Vitale's Social Icon Set
The collection was inspired by doodles that Amy would draw on notebooks or scratch paper. The set would look great on any minimalist or monochrome style site or blog.
To download the set, click on the image, or visit here.
The only thing Amy asks is that you use the icons for personal use. I ask that you credit the designer as well
