Comments on: Editorial: A Look at Calculator Gaming

By: Java

Java — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 01:27:49 +0000

I believe some schools in NYC are trying out programs where the kids get Chromebooks, which are hard to game on by default. I’ve got mixed feelings about this. I like gaming, but I like education, too, and darn it, kids need to pay more attention in class. And get off my lawn.

Balance in all things, I suppose. Know when it is time to game, and time to learn.

By: Mel

Mel — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 00:39:45 +0000

They offered that for kids who couldn’t buy their own when I was in school in the early 2000s, so maybe they still do. But, the last year I was in school they also gave each kid a laptop for school and at-home use. When I was there they used Sony Vaios which were nice looking, but shitty. Still, with Windows you could run just about anything, even if admins tried to stop you. Last I heard they’re using Apple laptops set up in such a way that the kids can’t just install Counterstrike and play that during class… Senior year was awesome, btw.

By: Java

Java — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 22:07:17 +0000

They were and are pricey. The 83 Plus still rings up at $100 or so, unless you find one at a yard sale or auction site. I’ve yet to see any serious contenders to make the market competitive, so that probably will never change, at this point. That and TI did make huge efforts in ensuring their calculators are the gold standards in schools through bulk sales so districts can loan them out to students. I have no idea if that still goes on, though.

By: Mel

Mel — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 21:25:29 +0000

I was required to get one in high school. Thankfully I had one already that my brother needed to buy seven years earlier for the same purpose.

By: Java

Java — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 20:46:27 +0000

Chirstmas is coming.

By: Lusipurr

Lusipurr — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 20:28:17 +0000

I didn’t have a graphing calculator.

By: Java

Java — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 16:17:03 +0000

That 92 was a slick behemoth. The only reason why I never picked one up is because my stylish cargo pants* lacked an adequate pocket. *note: cargo pants were never stylish, but more of a pragmatic solution to the much-needed accessories for a monochrome Game Boy, and later, Magic: The Gathering decks.

By: Dancing Matt

Dancing Matt — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 09:40:53 +0000

I was part of exactly what you described as well. Now I remember why I completely stopped paying attention in Pre-Calc! I never got that much into playing games on my TI-83 or 85 – though I certainly tried them on others’. The programming really sparked my imagination and I kept trying to make some Ultima I/Zork-esque RPG which never got anywhere but menus and a dot that moved around the screen. So when a programmer makes something like this, it’s very impressive considering their tools.

Boy, that TI-92 was a beauty, wasn’t she? I swore someday I’d make her mine… never happened. And then you felt sorry for the poor sap with a TI-82. Memories. Now I’m so f’n glad I found other things to get involved in besides calculators. What a dorkus malorkus.

By: SiliconNooB

SiliconNooB — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 06:42:02 +0000

The mind boggles.

By: Mel

Mel — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 21:36:57 +0000

A very fun debut article, Java! Maybe nobody noticed, but I’m a bit of a Smash fan… So I always enjoy info about the series. I’ve seen a few fan made “demakes” of Smash, usually in a 16 bit style for computer browsers. But a calculator version is nuts.

Also, if we’re talking about the official Smash games, in a match up between Falco and Fox, I always bet on Falco. He’s mah boy (in Melee).

By: Java

Java — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 21:05:38 +0000

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By: Lusipurr

Lusipurr — Fri, 28 Nov 2014 19:47:32 +0000

80085