Author: Aimee LaBrie
Since Penn has announced the fall 2011-12 Penn Reading Project text, Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal, we’ve been trying to brainstorm here in Alumni Relations about how we might use this idea for programming for Homecoming Weekend featuring arts and culture (save the date if you haven’t already: November 4-6, 2011).Ā Obviously, there’s the natural tie-in with the football game, Quakers vs. the Princeton Tigers, but we want to think of other programming/ideas/games that we could integrate into the weekend that centers around games. It could be cerebral stuff, like discussions about game theory and the gaming culture.Ā Lisa V.. who is the director of alumni education at Penn Alumni, has already come up with a few topic possibilities for classes: robotics, sports in history, sports and the economy, gender and equality in athletics–just to name a few of her initial thoughts. But we could also maybe do something with actual games–a human checkerboard, an interactive treasure hunt across campus, flag football between alumni classes…Anyway, I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about what you’d like to see or do for Homecoming Weekend that’s related to the idea of games. Also, take a look at the new website for Year of Games. It’s really awesome.
Frankly Penn 
I was a DMD major, so “games” immediately makes me think of computer games and game consoles. Things like a DDR tournament spring to mind, but I would also be a bit worried over gaming (in this sense) being a niche-culture thing.
I think human chess would be awesome – if people have the patience! š