People Web International

By PWI Reporter Atlanta Metropolitan Area

USA - The Palm Prē WebOS® has now been drawn into the Zynga tornado. In the not too distant past it was only iPhones that could play a Zynga game on their PDA. With the release of the newest Zynga concept Rewardville is now functional on the Palm Prē. Most likely the simplicity of the interface presented by the Rewardville WebUI allows the game to operate on any PDA with a fully capable web browser. Unlike the layer and grafix intensive Frontierville (e.g) the Rewardville game interface is more like a menu screen. Rewardville is a 'support game' that exists purely to help the other Zynga titles. You don't need to be playing any of the Zynga Farm, Mafia, and Café Worlds to play Rewardville, but there is little point to installing the app onto your facebook if you don't know *at least* one person that plays the games.

Zynga has been making nothing but strides since their debut in 2007 with a poker app, Texas Hold'em. Zynga then spawnned about a dozen projects into the various realms of connect media applications. Mafia Wars, Farmville, and Café World are examples of the sim~like pastime games provided by Zynga. Some of Zynga's concepts, like Mafia Wars, are re-invisions of a whole genre of early Mys_Game Apps. There were dozens of similar concepts being produced using a 'wars' interface that Zynga outright outran in development and marketing. Not to mention outclassing most of their competition with phenomenal, compelling, and frequently updated art.

Zynga games are a Frisbee® of the Mybebobookut phenomena. The word itself means shoes or something in sanskrit. What Zynga has come to mean is a type of connect media experience that is inherently about playing with other people. Sure, you *can* poke around Treasure Island all day long without asking your friends for Banana's and Orange Gems, but 'connecting people through games' is the basic mentality of a company that started out with a virtual card game. I expect the future to bring the `Ville games line to Myspace and the other Connect Media Venues. I quite fondly look forward to opening my Café doors from Facebook to Myspace. I'll install a drive through for Bebo.. I even have a little marker placed to remind me of the plan I had one day during the first couple of weeks playing Café World! Zynga, and the other makers of zynga games such as Playdom, Kabam, and Rock You are going nowhere.

References:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=134726908
http://www.tgdaily.com/software-features/54815-zynga-implements-rewardville-to-further-addict-players
http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/2015568/zynga_tempts_online_social_gamers_with_rewards/
http://www.rewardville.com
http://www.zynga.com

By Mark Clemons, PWI Reporter Oklahoma

Oklahoma, USA - Take in two strangers from Uzbekistan who do not speak English? I was not prepared for that question when Bob Lieser from Tulsa Global Alliance called to ask me to do just that. My wife, Peggy, and I had hosted Germans, since I speak fluent German. And we had attended dinner parties with Russians and Nigerians. But they all spoke at least limited English. We have traveled widely throughout Europe, often in areas where no one spoke either English or German, and gotten along OK so after some thought and discussion we said yes.

The Community Connections Program, a Project of USAID, coordinated by World Learning and of Tulsa Global alliance is promoting good relations between people of different countries. My wife and I have enjoyed getting to know people from around the globe. So we agreed to host Mr. Abduakhat Djuraev, from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Chief Narcologist, who was part of a group of ten Uzbek doctors visiting the United States to study Health Care Management in Prisons.

At a dinner with the group, three interpreters, and other host families we got acquainted with our guest. At dinner another Uzbek guest from Tashkent, Abdurakhman Abdukadirov, Specialist on HIV/AIDS, announced that he and Dr. Djuraev, who were to stay together the first week, were good friends and would really like to stay together. Even after we explained that we only had one guest room with one queen sized bed they pleaded for us to take them both. They said that they really liked us and felt that we could work it out, saying that if necessary one would sleep on the floor.  Somewhat reluctantly we and TGA agreed to try it and see how things went.

After the first week with another host family we picked them up at the University of Tulsa each day.  They seemed friendly but communication was strained between people who did not understand each other’s language. Their Bios stated no smoking, no pork, and no alcohol but we learned that Abduakhat did smoke. So we arranged an area outside on the patio of our home as a smoking area. We got them settled into their room and they slept in the bed together that first night. 

Later the next day after we had dropped them off at TU we got a phone call relating that all was not so great. They had not slept well under the circumstances and wished to return to their host of the first week. After being told that he was out of town they agreed to try it another night. After offering them a pull out bed, a blow up mattress and other options Abdurakhman said to simply give him another blanket and he would sleep on the floor.  That sounded pretty inhospitable to us but after much discussion we agreed. And that is where he slept the rest of their stay; telling us that the carpet was quite comfortable. (To be continued)

Contact: oklahoma@peoplewebinternational.com

By Mark Clemons, PWI Reporter Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA, USA - Ten health care providers from Uzbekistan arrived in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday, March 31 for an eighteen day stay. They are in the United States to study Health Care Management in Prisons with the Focus on TB. The hallmark of the Community Connections program hosted in Tulsa by Tulsa Global Alliance is for visitors, in addition to their studies, to experience America through homestays and various cultural and community activities. 

Representatives of various health organizations, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, the Oklahoma State Department of Health, Tulsa University Professors, and other experts will be providing the delegates with an overview of the manner in which the United States and particularly Oklahoma deal with health care management in the criminal justice system. Visits have also been arranged to some of these institutions.

The delegation will participate in group outings and field trips, as well as sharing week nights and weekends with host families. Activity options include a welcome dinner with Tulsa Global Alliance Board Members, host families, and facilitators; outdoor festivals and activities; and Tulsa museums, such as the Philbrook Museum of Art, the Gilcrease Museum, and the Oklahoma Aquarium.

Delegates will also share with their host families in such activities as cookouts, fishing and boating at a local lake, playing golf, touring the sights around Tulsa, and walking the trails along the Arkansas River. Sharing with the daily activities of the host families including meals, watching television, playing games, and simply visiting about each other’s families and lifestyles will enhance the understanding between the people of the two countries.

--
Tulsa Global Alliance is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to increasing global
awareness, understanding and opportunities in Northeastern Oklahoma by hosting international visitors, facilitating Sister Cities (also called partner cities) activities, promoting global education, assisting with international trade development, cooperating with international organizations and serving as a resource for area governments, businesses, educational institutions, civic organizations and residents.

The Community Connections Visitor Exchange Plan is a project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), coordinated by World Learning.  World Learning provides education, exchange, and development programs that cultivate the global leadership and social innovation needed in a shrinking world.

-- by Mark Clemons - PWI Reporter Oklahoma - oklahoma@peoplewebinternational.com

By Mark Clemons, PWI Reporter Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA - Mary Fallin has signed her first piece of legislation into law as Oklahoma’s governor. 

Governor Mary Fallin signed into law Senate Bill 970 which will allow the Department of Corrections access to $5.25 million from a prison industries fund. Thanks to this bill the Department of Corrections will be able to avoid additional furloughs in the department.

Fallin made history in January when she was inaugurated as Oklahoma’s first-ever female governor.  Fallin served four years in the U. S. Congress and 12 years as lieutenant governor before being elected Oklahoma’s 27th governor.

Fallin pledged to lead a smaller, smarter and more cost efficient Oklahoma government.  “Oklahoma is ready and open for business”, Fallin said, as her focus is on creating a business climate that encourages the creation of new jobs and is a great business environment for all Oklahomans.

-- by Mark Clemons - PWI Reporter Oklahoma - oklahoma@peoplewebinternational.com

When Wizards of the Coast obtained the D&D brand the question was not will they turn it into a card game, but when. In a proverbial 4.5 update to the D&D Fourth Edition Rule set 'Fortune Cards' put the fun and profitability of Magic The Gathering into the D&D brand.

Two major brands have developed card based systems previously. Margret Wiess and Tracy Hickman's Dragonlance title had an entirely card driven system, and White Wolf's Changeling also used cards as an inherent system.

Like Changeling the new Fourth Ed Fortune Cards are not integral, but supportive to the base system. I would not be surprised at all if the Fortune Cards prove to be one of the most important additives brought to the D&D brand since action points.

The initial recommendations for the cards is to use them one at a time, however I know that the first thing I would do at my game table is develop a more complex card system, and use magic cards.

Fortune cards add an extra dimension to the game play, and do so in a tactile and fun way. Not only that, but they are gorgeous and also provide WotC with a D&D product they know how to sell.

-- by PWI Reporter Atlanta Metropolitan Area - atlanta.metropolitan.area@peoplewebinternational.com

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