5 Sun Safety Tips for Your Dog This Summer

  

By: Laurie Brzostowski

With the warmer weather approaching, it is important to be considerate regarding sun safety when out and about with your four legged friend.  Here are 5 tips for keeping your dog safe from the sun this summer:

1.  Limit sun exposure

Lazy days and naps in the sun are great, but don’t overdo it!  When spending time outdoors, be sure that your dog takes regular breaks away from direct sun exposure.  Most dogs will naturally seek shade when they get too hot, so be sure that shade is readily available.  Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight will make your dog at risk for sunburn and heat stroke.

2.  Always bring fresh water on outings

Dogs perspire and lose water by panting.  In the warm weather this can quickly lead to dehydration.  In the heat dogs require more water in order to regulate their body temperature.  Make sure your dog always has access to clean, fresh water and don’t forget to bring water on outings.  Dogs who do not have fresh water provided will often seek out puddles of standing water that contain unwanted bacteria.

3.  Protect your dog’s skin from sunburn

Just like humans, dogs are prone to sunburn and harmful UV rays.  Sunburn can be prevented with a specially formulated veterinary sunscreen.  Look for one with soothing ingredients such as vitamin E and Shea butter.  Do not use a human sunscreen as these often contain zinc oxide which is toxic to dogs.

4.  Nourish the paws

Concrete pavement and natural surfaces can absorb heat from the sun and cause burns when touched.  Humans wear shoes to protect their feet, but dogs do not.  Before walking your dog, check the temperature of the pavement - if it’s too hot for you to hold your hand on, then it’s too hot for your dog.  For dry or cracked paws, ‘Musher’s wax’ or vaseline can be used for rehydration.

5.  Be aware of heat stroke

Heat stroke is a serious concern during the summer months.  Signs of heat stroke include difficulty breathing, heavy panting, fever, glazed eyes, excessive salivation, rapid heartbeat, and vomiting.  If you suspect your dog is suffering from heat stroke, move them to a shaded and air-conditioned area, apply ice packs, wet down the fur with cool water, offer water to drink, and seek veterinary attention as soon as possible.

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Context and intertextuality in games

A game, as any media in the contemporary times, needs a context to happen. One important thing in this scenario is to understand the player as the co-author of the narrative. Different players with different motivations will experience one game in different ways, and so it is in the movies, books, theater, comics etc. It’s very naïve to suppose that one game will be interpreted and reinterpreted in an equal way for different people.

On the other hand, one powerful tool to contextualize a game for an audience (or many audiences) is the intertext. Sometimes, the using of specific references from other fields like literature, cinema or even other games could be very useful to create a dialogue with the players.

This way, if we want “to make sense of digital games, we must determine in which context they are supposed to make sense and in what way this meaning changes if they are removed from this context. For example, many games manufactured today are meant to make sense within the cultural context of Western society. Games such as America’s Army or Conflict: Desert Storm is likely to be understood differently when played by an American or an Iraqi, respectively. From the perspective of literary studies, however, it is more interesting to focus on a game’s contexts in a more literal sense, that is, the texts that the game in question refers to explicitly or implicitly. These contexts, often called intertexts, are not limited to literary texts, but might also include legal, scholarly and journalistic texts as well as films, song lyrics, urban legends and myths”. (RUTTER; BRYCE, 2006, p.105)

To talk about context and intertext, I want to present three excellent and distinct examples from different fields: one small tale, one short comics strip and one mobile game.

1) The first example comes from literature and it’s the short tale “A Woman Alone with Her Soul”* by Thomas Bailey Aldrich:

“A woman is sitting alone in a house. She knows she is alone in the whole world: every other living thing is dead. The doorbell rings”.

This is an incredible exercise of imagination, context and references/intertexts. Are we talking about a nuclear holocaust? Is it a futuristic tale in a distant future or is it a story about the dead knocking on the woman’s door? The brilliant thing in this example is: there’s no right answer. Each person, with his or her references, will find one different explanation for this situation.

2) The second example is this very clever comic strip by J.C. Duffy . Starting from the same idea from “A Woman Alone with Her Soul”, Duffy presents us an absurd and comical situation where the character Jim receives a letter from someone (or something) inside his closet.



Once more, we are confronted with the exercise of context and intertext. Who sent this letter? Is it a creature? Is the closet a portal to another dimension? Is someone from the future trying to contact Jim in the present and the closet is the link between them? Every single person, with his or her knowledge, will tell a different theory for this funny situation.

3) The third example for this post is the mobile game DEVICE 6. We’ve already talked about this awesome game, but it fits perfectly in this discussion. Check the trailer below:



The game explains little or nothing about what is happening to the character you command. You wake up in a strange room full of enigmas and your mission is to solve them. But, as in Aldrich’s tale and Duffy’s comics, the player is called to use his or her imagination. Each enigma solved presents only little information and – strategically – the game authors invite the players to fill in the blanks and explore the references behind the narrative. Once again: the context will generate different experiences and some players could search for references from other fields embedded in the gaming narrative.

The intertwining of games and literary theory is a thought-provoking subject. We will discuss more about this theme in a near future.

#GoGamers 

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References:

RUTTER, Jason; BRYCE, Jo. Understanding digital games. London: Sage, 2006.

*Reproduced from the entry in The Book of Fantasy, which reproduces it from Aldrich's Works, Vol. 9, which was published in 1912.

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Boating With Your Dog? 6 Safety Tips !

By:  Laurie Brzostowski, President, Snaggle Foot Dog Walks and Pet Care-Round Lake, IL

Summer is finally upon us.  We, here in Northern Illinois, are very excited since we had a very harsh, cold winter and spring.  

I live in Lake County.  This means we have tons of lakes where I live which flow into the Fox River and of course we have the Des Plaines river.

Boating is huge up here in Lake County and a lot of people bring their pets with them.  However, it is important that safety for your pets is the #1 priority.

Here are the top 6 safety tips for boating with your dog !

1. Develop a plan in case your dog goes overboard. Create a game plan before you even bring your dog on a boat. Talk about what everyone would do if your dog goes overboard.
2. Invest in a life jacket. It’s important for your dog to have a life jacket before you take him out onto the water. You may think your dog is a strong swimmer, but depending on the conditions, including weather and currents, he could face problems. Also, if you do need to pull your dog out of the water, life jackets have handles you can grab onto to help him onto the boat.  Make sure you get your dog used to wearing the jacket before you get out on the water.
3. Bring a first-aid kit. Make sure you have a stocked first aid kit on your boat. For a boat-specific kit, bring antibiotic ointment for minor scrapes, and of course making sure you have a good supply of any medications your dog may be on.
4. Visit the boat with your pet prior to your trip. Let your dog get acquainted with your boat before taking him out on the water. If this is his first time on the boat bringing him to visit it while it’s on a trailer or at the dock so he can get used to his surroundings in a safe, secure environment.
5. Check local laws about dogs and boats. Double-check your local laws and regulations regarding having dogs on a boat.  Also, if you plan to enter international waters, look for foreign laws regarding dogs on boats. 
6. Keep your dog’s first outing short. Your dog’s first boat outing brief so he can adjust to the ship’s movement. Your dog may develop seasickness. If seasickness becomes severe, ask your veterinarian about possible medication for future outings.

I hope everyone enjoys their summer boating trips but please make sure you keep everyone on your boat safe and secure !

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Punky Skunk (PSX)

Developer:

Ukiyotei

|

Release Date:

1998 (96 in Japan)

|

Systems:

PlayStation

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This week on Super Adventures, I'm playing another mascot platformer! Because they take less time than trying to figure out a strategy game or get anywhere in an RPG and I'm trying to keep these posts coming out weekly.

Punky Skunk's been on my 'to play' list for a long while now, so long that I can't even remember if I ever knew what it is. I do know that the internet hates it though, as poor Punky's turned up on Game Informer's 'Worst Character Names' list, EGM's worst mascot list and IGN's 'Great Games With Silly Names' article... as an example of a game that really does suck as badly as its title suggests.

To be fair you know you've hit the bottom of the mascot barrel when you've reached 'skunk'. No one wants to play as a skunk, punky or otherwise (that's why Pepé Le Pew never got a game). Also the title screen isn't exactly giving the best first impression. All the dithering and scruffy lines makes it look like they scanned it in but didn't have time to clean it up afterwards. It's basically the same as the box art though so I suppose Punky's face is meant to look like it's been scribbled in a notebook.

Okay I'm going to keep playing until I've beaten the first boss, or died trying, or gnawed my own hands off, whichever happens first.
Read on »

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SHARING THE GOOD NEWS

Cengage Learning has just launched my new book in Brazil, today. GAME CULTURA: COMUNICAÇÃO, ENTRETENIMENTO E EDUCAÇÃO (GAMING CULTURE: COMMUNICATION, ENTERTAINMENT AND EDUCATION) is a study addressing educational aspects, narratives, questions and marketing strategies involving games. The final words were written by Uruguayan game designer and researcher Gonzalo Frasca (¡Gracias!, @frascafrasca!).



CLICK HERE TO BUY!

#GoGamers

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3 Tips for Road Trips with Your Dog

BY: Laurie Brzostowski 

Planning a road trip with your dog this summer?  Here are 3 tips to help it go smoothly:

1. Planning and logistics

Before leaving, make sure your dog’s vaccines and parasite prevention is up to date.  Find out whether additional vaccinations or parasite treatments are necessary for your destination.  If your dog has previously experienced anxiety or carsickness during travel, speak to your veterinarian about medications available to help keep them comfortable during the drive.  Obtain an updated copy of your dog’s medical records and extra medications so that you have enough for the entire trip.

Identification tags should be updated with a current cell phone number and an emergency contact.  Consider microchipping your dog as a form of permanent identification that can be scanned by professionals at animal shelters or veterinary clinics to trace your contact details in case your dog is lost.

2. Preparing your dog for car travel

Before diving into a longer trip with your dog, it’s a good idea to go on practice runs or ‘mini-trips’ to get them comfortable with being in the car.  If you are planning on using a dog crate, give them an opportunity to get used to this as well.

On the day of travel, feed your dog lightly.  Dogs that consume a large amount of food or water prior to car travel are more likely to experience car sickness.  A full meal should be reserved for when you have reached your destination for the day.  Dogs should also be taken for a short-walk prior to driving to give them a chance to eliminate.

3. During the drive

It can be dangerous to have your dog roam free while you are driving.  Instead, they should be secured in a crate or using a canine car harness that attaches to the seat belt.

Try to drive as smoothly as possible as erratic driving can be dangerous and stressful for your dog.  Talk to your dog in a calm manner and make sure ambient music is not too loud.  If you need to make any stops, your dog should not be left unattended in the car.

During the trip, try to maintain a consistent routine.  Make rest stops at regular intervals and carry water with a collapsible bowl for your dog.  Stay aware of your dog’s general mood and behaviour to make sure they are comfortable and stress free.

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Missile Command: a game design class in Atari platform

I have played many Atari games in the last weeks. From time to time, I have this nostalgic feeling and I start to remember the good old classics from my childhood. In these “archeological sessions”, I once again played this masterpiece: Missile Command. Well, this one has special importance for me because it’s the very first game that I have ever played in Atari and I can perfectly remember the experience.



Missile Command is a class in game design. Seriously. Everybody that is developing or researching games must, at least one time, play this Atari title. The interface is very simple, but the idea is elegant and instigating: you are in the control of a defense tower and must destroy waves of missiles to protect six cities. The game goes like this: you need to move a crosshair across the screen to launch a counter-missile from the appropriate battery. Before continue the reading, take some minutes to watch the gameplay below and play the game in this online version (click here).



Missile Command offers some excellent points to discuss the game designing process. Let’s put them in a short list to dwell over:

1) Minimalistic design: with a few pixels is possible to create an instigating gameplay (the game’s cover tells the narrative to the player).

2) Procedural information: stage after stage the missiles become faster. It’s important to understand the patterns of the game to launch the counter-missile in the right place.

3) Elegant game mechanics: point, click and destroy. As simple as that. Missile Command has one interesting and inspiring mechanism. We can reimagine this process in lots of other situations (specially for mobile platforms).

4) Infinite gameplay: Missile Command has no end. You play it until all cities are destroyed. It’s a test for higher rankings, a very common logic in mobile games.

The simplicity from Atari is one point to be highlighted nowadays. In times of extreme complexity in many games, it’s good to look back and find inspiration to create objective, simple and rich new experiences.

#GoGamers

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Dungeon Siege (PC)

Developer:

Gas Powered Games

|

Release Date:

2002

|

Systems:

Windows, Mac

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This week on Super Adventures I went and did that thing I wasn't supposed to do and played another RPG! I've got nothing against the genre, they just take so much time and so many words.

Dungeon Siege has gotten a bit of a reputation for being a game that basically plays itself, but I've got fond memories of it. Well, I've got a vague memory of being fond of it at least. I've beaten the game, but the only thing I can recall after 14 years is that the steampunk goblins were cool. So I plan to keep going in the game at least long enough to run into those guys.

You know I still get surprised when I'm reminded this got an movie adaptation, though I can very much believe it was nega-director Uwe Boll who made it happen. 'In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale' came out five years after the game, in actual cinemas, with folks like Jason Statham, Ron Perlman, Ray Liotta and Burt Reynolds collecting paychecks for their participation. Boll really was on a mission to ruin the chances of us ever getting a decent video game movie back then, releasing three of them in 2007 alone ('Dungeon Siege', 'Postal' and 'BloodRayne 2'). He's slowed down a bit since then, but that hasn't saved us from 'In the Name of the King 3: The Last Mission'.

(Click any image to see the original sized screenshot. The game can apparently support more modern resolutions, but I’ll be playing at 800x600 because I want to give you a fighting chance to read the on screen text.)
Read on »

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For PC gamers

#GoGamers

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3 Tips for Preparing your Dog for Baby’s Arrival

BY: Laurie Brzostowski

A new addition to the family is an exciting event, but sometimes dogs don’t exactly understand what is going on which can cause stress and anxiety.  Here are 3 tips for preparing your dog for baby’s arrival:

1.  Enforce new rules and boundaries

Decide on the new rules and boundaries that your dog will need to adhere to with the baby around.  It is a good idea to get started on a new schedule several weeks before the baby is due.  The new schedule for your dog will likely involve varied feeding times, quiet time in their crate, an unpredictable exercise routine, and a higher enforcement of obedience.

Obedience training should be revisited with an extra focus on commands such as “drop”, “corner” or “bed”, “stay”, and “quiet”.  Your dog should be comfortable responding to verbal cues as your ability to give visual cues or hand signals may be diminished when you are holding your baby.

2.  Introduce them to baby’s household objects

Set up the baby’s room early to give your dog sufficient time to adjust to the new objects.  Introduce your dog to baby equipment gradually with lots of praise and treats as positive reinforcement.  Baby gates should also be installed if you plan to use them and the car seat placed in the car.  Aim to have everything set up so prominent furniture is not a sudden addition once the baby arrives.

Introduce your dog to baby products such as lotion, powder, and diapers.  Let them sniff these products in their own time so they can become familiarised with the new smells.

3.  Allow them to interact with other babies

If your dog has never been around other babies or small children, it is a good idea to introduce them.  Friends with babies should be encouraged to visit so that your dog can see you holding their baby.  Another useful tactic is playing a CD with baby noises for your dog.  It should be played at a quiet level to begin with, which can be gradually increased once your dog becomes comfortable with the noises.

Your dog should also be introduced to the idea that they will receive less attention when there are babies around.  Discourage your dog from attention seeking behaviour so that your dog doesn’t associate less attention with your new baby.  Do not let your dog directly interact with a baby, and never leave them unattended.

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What do players want?

The exercise of game designing is not an easy challenge. Behind the gameplay, beta test sessions, prototypes, interviews with beta testers, meetings, information architecture and gaming art lies a player filled with emotions, wishes, wills and a great desire to experience something unique in their life.

Game Expo Bratislava 2016 - foto by @vincevader

So, this post’s question is: what does a player want when are experiencing a game (and here we are talking about any kind of game: blockbusters and indies)? It's a pretty broad question and, in my humble opinion, impossible to be answered in a simple blog post. However, we can find great insights from gaming theory.

Rose III (2001, p.2-18) in his book “Game design: theory & practice” elaborated a very interesting list trying to answer some questions from the player’s side. About the theme “what players want and expect”, the author has some good points that I’ll reproduce and comment below:

1. Players want a challenge
2. Players want to socialize
3. Players want a dynamic solitaire experience
4. Players want bragging rights
5. Players want an emotional experience
6. Players want to fantasize
7. Players expect a consistent world
8. Players expect to understand the game-world’s bounds
9. Players expect reasonable solutions to work
10. Players expect direction
11. Players expect to accomplish a task incrementally
12. Players expect to be immersed
13. Players expect to fail (this point creates good dialogue with the first one)
14. Players expect a fair chance
15. Players expect to not need to repeat themselves
16. Players expect to not get hopelessly stuck
17. Players expect to do, not to watch

Let’s take Star Wars Battlefront (EA DICE, 2015) as an example. Players want challenges to play online or the possibility to play alone if the Internet fails. In this gaming ecosystem, to achieve better rankings works as a very important symbolic currency. The Star Wars universe offers a consistent world and the game has clear rules about how you can up your level, buy equipment, kill an enemy etc. There are tutorials to teach each new movement in the game. From time to time, EA DICE launches new maps, new characters and new challenges to keep the community engaged and immersed in the experience. A player can play in a professional level or just for fun. The Star Wars brand surely helps a lot in the marketing success, but the details and the strategic game thinking behind the production is the point to highlight in this discussion.



With good humor, Rose III (2001, p.18) ends this chapter from his book with the following thinking: “Players do not know what they want, but they know it when they see it”.

This list is a brief example of a universe of possibilities. So, the games studies need to be more and more interdisciplinary. Different views on the same subject could generate good ways to research and develop.

#GoGamers

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Reference:

ROUSE III, Richard. Game design: theory & practice. Texas: Wordware Publishing, 2001.

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