The BBC has announced that it’ll be releasing four Doctor Who Adventure Games to tie in with the latest series of the hit sci-fi show. Mac and PC owners will be able to download each episode from the Doctor Who website, starting in June.

Following through we wandered our way into the BBC article “Doctor Who: The Adventure Games” and then, suddenly, amazement flooded.

Now this should catch our attention.

These four new adventures will take the form of free downloadable computer games available for PC and Mac, in which players assume control of the Doctor and Amy as they embark on new adventures which complement the new TV series.

Doctor Who: The Adventure Games has been produced by a team drawing on the very best talent from TV and gaming. The interactive episodes are executive produced by Steven Moffat, Piers Wenger, Beth Willis, along with Anwen Aspden (BBC Wales Interactive) and Charles Cecil – one of videogaming’s most revered creators.

The different episodes so far seem to list both the Daleks and the Cybermen! We will be looking forward to announcing direct links for people to access these games when they come out and possibly reviews of them as well. As all of the voces are avid Doctor Who fans—mostly the classics—but some of us do like the new ones as well. There’s no reason why this franchise should go without praise and cheer.

Link via the BBC (via guardian.co.uk.)

Stills from violent video game Grand Theft Auto are being used to teach primary school children about violence.

The 18-rated game is being used as part of a police-backed pilot scheme in primary schools in Merseyside to deter youngsters from aggressive behaviour.

Under the scheme, 10 and 11-year-olds are shown stills from the games, which allow players to beat up prostitutes.

These are used alongside real-life images to prompt a discussion on what is good, bad, real and unreal.

The article appears a bit terse in the department of child educational psychology (or totally lacking.) There’s certainly some commentary about children having short attention spans, but the quotes come from self-interested parties who feel the need for better education about video game violence rather than getting an education expert to weigh in.

The problem we see is that this could be a product of more FUD than actual assistance.

Link, via the BBC.

Socializing is a skill, and one that must be practiced. Kids and adults who avoid social activities, have few local friends, or have been bullied and picked on in realspace tend to turn toward video games as a life and experience away from the traumas and failure of the real world. With the advent of the internet, this phenomena is becoming more common. Hell, I know more people by their online handles than I do by real names, and I’m a beautiful social butterfly, flitting merrily between flowered gatherings and sipping of the nectar therein. What’s it like for someone who would rather crack their teeth out with a crowbar than spend time outside their cave?

Take a look at the full BBC article and decide where you stand. When is the last time you saw a sun that didn’t involve shaders and particle effects?