Top 17 Highest Paying URL Shortener 2019: Best URL Shortener to Earn Money

1. BIT-URL

   It is a new URL shortener website.Its CPM rate is good.You can sign up for free and shorten your URL and that shortener URL can be paste on your websites, blogs or social media networking sites.bit-url.com pays $8.10 for 1000 views.
   You can withdraw your amount when it reaches $3.bit-url.com offers 20% commission for your referral link.Payment methods are PayPal, Payza, Payeer, and Flexy etc.
   
   • The payout for 1000 views-$8.10
   • Minimum payout-$3
   • Referral commission-20%
   • Payment methods- Paypal, Payza, and Payeer
   • Payment time-daily
   
   

2. Shrinkearn.com

   Shrinkearn.com is one of the best and most trusted sites from our 30 highest paying URL shortener list.It is also one of the old URL shortener sites.You just have to sign up in the shrinkearn.com website. Then you can shorten your URL and can put that URL to your website, blog or any other social networking sites.
   Whenever any visitor will click your shortener URL link you will get some amount for that click.The payout rates from Shrinkearn.com is very high.You can earn $20 for 1000 views.Visitor has to stay only for 5 seconds on the publisher site and then can click on skip button to go to the requesting site.
   
   • The payout for 1000 views- up to $20
   • Minimum payout-$1
   • Referral commission-25%
   • Payment methods-PayPal
   • Payment date-10th day of every month
   
   

3. Oke.io

   Oke.io provides you an opportunity to earn money online by shortening URLs. Oke.io is a very friendly URL Shortener Service as it enables you to earn money by shortening and sharing URLs easily.
   Oke.io can pay you anywhere from $5 to $10 for your US, UK, and Canada visitors, whereas for the rest of the world the CPM will not be less than $2. You can sign up by using your email. The minimum payout is $5, and the payment is made via PayPal.
   
   • The payout for 1000 views-$7
   • Minimum payout-$5
   • Referral commission-20%
   • Payout options-PayPal, Payza, Bitcoin and Skrill
   • Payment time-daily
   
   

4. Clk.sh

   Clk.sh is a newly launched trusted link shortener network, it is a sister site of shrinkearn.com. I like ClkSh because it accepts multiple views from same visitors. If any one searching for Top and best url shortener service then i recommend this url shortener to our users. Clk.sh accepts advertisers and publishers from all over the world. It offers an opportunity to all its publishers to earn money and advertisers will get their targeted audience for cheapest rate. While writing ClkSh was offering up to $8 per 1000 visits and its minimum cpm rate is $1.4. Like Shrinkearn, Shorte.st url shorteners Clk.sh also offers some best features to all its users, including Good customer support, multiple views counting, decent cpm rates, good referral rate, multiple tools, quick payments etc. ClkSh offers 30% referral commission to its publishers. It uses 6 payment methods to all its users.
   • Payout for 1000 Views: Upto $8
   • Minimum Withdrawal: $5
   • Referral Commission: 30%
   • Payment Methods: PayPal, Payza, Skrill etc.
   • Payment Time: Daily
   
   

5. Adf.ly

   Adf.ly is the oldest and one of the most trusted URL Shortener Service for making money by shrinking your links. Adf.ly provides you an opportunity to earn up to $5 per 1000 views. However, the earnings depend upon the demographics of users who go on to click the shortened link by Adf.ly.
   It offers a very comprehensive reporting system for tracking the performance of your each shortened URL. The minimum payout is kept low, and it is $5. It pays on 10th of every month. You can receive your earnings via PayPal, Payza, or AlertPay. Adf.ly also runs a referral program wherein you can earn a flat 20% commission for each referral for a lifetime.
   

6. Linkbucks

   Linkbucks is another best and one of the most popular sites for shortening URLs and earning money. It boasts of high Google Page Rank as well as very high Alexa rankings. Linkbucks is paying $0.5 to $7 per 1000 views, and it depends on country to country.
   The minimum payout is $10, and payment method is PayPal. It also provides the opportunity of referral earnings wherein you can earn 20% commission for a lifetime. Linkbucks runs advertising programs as well.
   
   • The payout for 1000 views-$3-9
   • Minimum payout-$10
   • Referral commission-20%
   • Payment options-PayPal,Payza,and Payoneer
   • Payment-on the daily basis
   
   

7. Ouo.io

   Ouo.io is one of the fastest growing URL Shortener Service. Its pretty domain name is helpful in generating more clicks than other URL Shortener Services, and so you get a good opportunity for earning more money out of your shortened link. Ouo.io comes with several advanced features as well as customization options.
   With Ouo.io you can earn up to $8 per 1000 views. It also counts multiple views from same IP or person. With Ouo.io is becomes easy to earn money using its URL Shortener Service. The minimum payout is $5. Your earnings are automatically credited to your PayPal or Payoneer account on 1st or 15th of the month.
   
   • Payout for every 1000 views-$5
   • Minimum payout-$5
   • Referral commission-20%
   • Payout time-1st and 15th date of the month
   • Payout options-PayPal and Payza
   
   

8. Bc.vc

   Bc.vc is another great URL Shortener Site. It provides you an opportunity to earn $4 to $10 per 1000 visits on your Shortened URL. The minimum withdrawal is $10, and the payment method used PayPal or Payoneer.
   Payments are made automatically on every seven days for earnings higher than $10.00. It also runs a referral system wherein the rate of referral earning is 10%.
   
   • The payout for 1000 views-$10
   • Minimum payout -$10
   • Referral commission-10%
   • Payment method -Paypal
   • Payment time-daily
   
   

9. Linkrex.net

   Linkrex.net is one of the new URL shortener sites.You can trust it.It is paying and is a legit site.It offers high CPM rate.You can earn money by sing up to linkrex and shorten your URL link and paste it anywhere.You can paste it in your website or blog.You can paste it into social media networking sites like facebook, twitter or google plus etc.
   You will be paid whenever anyone will click on that shorten a link.You can earn more than $15 for 1000 views.You can withdraw your amount when it reaches $5.Another way of earning from this site is to refer other people.You can earn 25% as a referral commission.
   
   • The payout for 1000 views-$14
   • Minimum payout-$5
   • Referral commission-25%
   • Payment Options-Paypal,Bitcoin,Skrill and Paytm,etc
   • Payment time-daily
   
   

10. Al.ly

    Al.ly is another very popular URL Shortening Service for earning money on short links without investing any single $. Al.ly will pay from $1 to $10 per 1000 views depending upon the different regions. Minimum withdrawal is only $1, and it pays through PayPal, Payoneer, or Payza. So, you have to earn only $1.00 to become eligible to get paid using Al.ly URL Shortening Service.
    Besides the short links, Al.ly also runs a referral program wherein you can earn 20% commission on referrals for a lifetime. The referral program is one of the best ways to earn even more money with your short links. Al.ly offers three different account subscriptions, including free option as well as premium options with advanced features.
    

11. LINK.TL

    LINK.TL is one of the best and highest URL shortener website.It pays up to $16 for every 1000 views.You just have to sign up for free.You can earn by shortening your long URL into short and you can paste that URL into your website, blogs or social media networking sites, like facebook, twitter, and google plus etc.
    One of the best thing about this site is its referral system.They offer 10% referral commission.You can withdraw your amount when it reaches $5.
    
    • Payout for 1000 views-$16
    • Minimum payout-$5
    • Referral commission-10%
    • Payout methods-Paypal, Payza, and Skrill
    • Payment time-daily basis
    
    

12. Wi.cr

    Wi.cr is also one of the 30 highest paying URL sites.You can earn through shortening links.When someone will click on your link.You will be paid.They offer $7 for 1000 views.Minimum payout is $5.
    You can earn through its referral program.When someone will open the account through your link you will get 10% commission.Payment option is PayPal.
    
    • Payout for 1000 views-$7
    • Minimum payout-$5
    • Referral commission-10%
    • Payout method-Paypal
    • Payout time-daily
    
    

13. Fas.li

    Although Fas.li is relatively new URL Shortener Service, it has made its name and is regarded as one of the most trusted URL Shortener Company. It provides a wonderful opportunity for earning money online without spending even a single $. You can expect to earn up to $15 per 1000 views through Fas.li.
    You can start by registering a free account on Fas.li, shrink your important URLs, and share it with your fans and friends in blogs, forums, social media, etc. The minimum payout is $5, and the payment is made through PayPal or Payza on 1st or 15th of each month.
    Fas.li also run a referral program wherein you can earn a flat commission of 20% by referring for a lifetime. Moreover, Fas.li is not banned in anywhere so you can earn from those places where other URL Shortening Services are banned.
    

14. Cut-win

    Cut-win is a new URL shortener website.It is paying at the time and you can trust it.You just have to sign up for an account and then you can shorten your URL and put that URL anywhere.You can paste it into your site, blog or even social media networking sites.It pays high CPM rate.
    You can earn $10 for 1000 views.You can earn 22% commission through the referral system.The most important thing is that you can withdraw your amount when it reaches $1.
    
    • The payout for 1000 views-$10
    • Minimum payout-$1
    • Referral commission-22%
    • Payment methods-PayPal, Payza, Bitcoin, Skrill, Western Union and Moneygram etc.
    • Payment time-daily
    
    

15. CPMlink

    CPMlink is one of the most legit URL shortener sites.You can sign up for free.It works like other shortener sites.You just have to shorten your link and paste that link into the internet.When someone will click on your link.
    You will get some amount of that click.It pays around $5 for every 1000 views.They offer 10% commission as the referral program.You can withdraw your amount when it reaches $5.The payment is then sent to your PayPal, Payza or Skrill account daily after requesting it.
    
    • The payout for 1000 views-$5
    • Minimum payout-$5
    • Referral commission-10%
    • Payment methods-Paypal, Payza, and Skrill
    • Payment time-daily
    
    

16. Short.pe

    Short.pe is one of the most trusted sites from our top 30 highest paying URL shorteners.It pays on time.intrusting thing is that same visitor can click on your shorten link multiple times.You can earn by sign up and shorten your long URL.You just have to paste that URL to somewhere.
    You can paste it into your website, blog, or social media networking sites.They offer $5 for every 1000 views.You can also earn 20% referral commission from this site.Their minimum payout amount is only $1.You can withdraw from Paypal, Payza, and Payoneer.
    
    • The payout for 1000 views-$5
    • Minimum payout-$1
    • Referral commission-20% for lifetime
    • Payment methods-Paypal, Payza, and Payoneer
    • Payment time-on daily basis
    
    

17. Short.am

    Short.am provides a big opportunity for earning money by shortening links. It is a rapidly growing URL Shortening Service. You simply need to sign up and start shrinking links. You can share the shortened links across the web, on your webpage, Twitter, Facebook, and more. Short.am provides detailed statistics and easy-to-use API.
    It even provides add-ons and plugins so that you can monetize your WordPress site. The minimum payout is $5 before you will be paid. It pays users via PayPal or Payoneer. It has the best market payout rates, offering unparalleled revenue. Short.am also run a referral program wherein you can earn 20% extra commission for life.
    

Virtual Reality Accelerating Its Merger With Education

"Feeling the Content"

Image credit: Mendel Grammar School in Opava City, Czech Republic

Virtual biology and anatomy lesson: students are transported to a virtual classroom - a skeletal model with interactive components, like bones and organs. Students can manipulate parts of the model at will, using just their hands.

As the technology behind virtual and augmented reality becomes more advanced, the possibilities of use expand in an exciting way. Now, virtual reality is becoming a realistic option for classrooms.

According to Cornell Chronicle, in a new study by Cornell University, scientists explore whether the compelling, immersive nature of virtual reality (VR) provides a better learning outcome than conventional hands-on activities.

For the study, scientists created a simulation called Learning Moon Phases in Virtual Reality. The simulation is a part of a multi-phase research study to determine whether the immersive quality of VR improves learning.

The researchers randomly assigned Cornell undergraduates to one of three methods: hands-on, computer simulation or VR. The instructions and quiz questions were as closely matched to each other as possible, with the activities modeled on common astronomy tutorials.

After completing their activity, each participant was shown the other two methods. The VR activity was preferred by 78 percent of the participants.

"The similarity in learning outcome is particularly interesting, given that the VR participants had to learn how to use new technology at the same time they were learning the moon phases," said lead author Jack Madden, doctoral candidate in the field of astronomy. "What would the outcome have been if they'd already been familiar with using VR to learn?"

Image credit: Virtual Embodiment Lab (VEL) at Cornell University

Jack Madden, doctoral candidate in the field of astronomy, watches as Andrea Stevenson Won, assistant professor of communication and director of the Virtual Embodiment Lab, uses a virtual reality simulator.

The study, was conducted in the Virtual Embodiment Lab (VEL) in collaboration with the Cornell Physics Department. Together they built a virtual environment in which students can learn about moon phases in an interactive space. The environment situates students above the North Pole or far above the earth as they grab the moon and move it around themselves while watching it change phases.

Image credit: Virtual Embodiment Lab (VEL) at Cornell University

Learning Moon Phases in Virtual Reality

Image credit: Virtual Embodiment Lab (VEL) at Cornell University

Established in 2016, the lab uses several different devices to research virtual reality, from 360 degree videos to full virtual reality systems that allow a user to pick up objects and interact with others. Students are essential to the lab's research and efficiency. They run experiments, create virtual worlds, and work with professors to answer research questions. The lab collaborates with people across Cornell, including faculty in the Department of Physics, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Cornell Cooperative Extension. 

At the University of Warwick, a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry, England, three groups of students were assigned to three different types of learning: fully immersive VR environment, traditional textbook-style materials, or 2-D video of the VR environment. They all learnt about the same subject (biology), and had their learning, emotional response, and learning experience measured.

Researchers found that positive emotions were rated higher for the group who experienced the VR learning method, followed by textbook, then video learning. VR students also performed better than students learning with video, showing that the active interaction with the VR environment helped improve learning.

This study shows that VR can replicate or complement traditional learning methods inside and outside a classroom setting. Such VR environments can also allow for learning that cannot be replicated in reality, or would be too costly to be accessible.

Last week, Columbia College Chicago Online and Santa Clara University announced a new partnership that will expand augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) education in the SCU community.

Starting this year, Santa Clara students enrolled through the partnership will have access to SCU's Imaginarium, a space that serves as a laboratory for hands-on AR/VR experimentation. This "sandbox" for virtual and augmented learning exposes students to VR systems including the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Microsoft HoloLens.

Students can choose between three 8-week courses (Producing Augmented and Virtual Reality Experiences, Developing Augmented and Virtual Reality Apps, and Sound Design and Music for Immersive Media) or enroll in all three to earn an Augmented and Virtual Reality Professional Certificate. The courses cover the process of AR/VR production, Unity software basics, and techniques for integrating the technology into mobile app development or other creative projects.

Image credit: Columbia College Chicago

According to Dan Roy, research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, researchers are looking into how to make VR a realistic and helpful option for students.

In an interview to EdTech Times, he reveals:

"We're exploring now what VR is good for, specifically in the context of education. And some initial thoughts about that: increased engagement, a better way of experiencing environments that rely on spatial sense, so something where size and scale are important," he says. 

"So like the very big, like outer space, or the very small like the microscopic things that you couldn't see very well in your day to day life, you might be able to experience in a way that makes it feel more real, more relatable, more compelling."

With VR's capabilities, students can learn subjects in an immersive way like never before. But aside from the cool experiences, Dan says utilizing VR to learn can help students develop school-related skills, as well as skills that could benefit them throughout their lives.

Image credit: Arlington Science Focus students

Related Post

China On-Track As The Leading Country In VR Classrooms

Happy New Year! Jump Rope Activities: Long Rope And Partner Tricks

Happy New Year!  
This month all of my students are learning how to jump rope.
Before Christmas,

Switching Handles is one of the partner tricks the students learned. 

the 1st-5th grade students learned about single rope jumping and partner tricks.  This month they are practicing with long ropes and Chinese jump ropes.  All of my 3rd-5th grade classes have been practicing a Group Jump Rope Routine as our fitness activity.  This is the same routine I will use for our jump rope assembly at the end of the month.  We will have Jump Rope for Heart on Valentine's Day again this year!  I hope to post a video of the group jump rope routine soon!  I choreographed it to the song "JUMP" by Van Halen.

Fellow P.E. teachers - to view all of my posts regarding jump rope activities, click on the link JUMP ROPE.

Long Rope Jumping Game:
Pre-K - 2nd grade students learned a game called "Snake in the Grass".  This game idea came from one of my favorite authors, Robert Pangrazi, in his book "Dynamic Physical Education".  I have included many videos of this game below.  Students move the "snake" side to side while the jumper jumps or leaps over it.  If the jumper successfully jumps OVER the snake without touching it 5 times, they "win" and the turn goes to the next person.  If they jump and land on top of the snake, the snake wins and they lose their turn.  They must also land on their feet and not fall down on the floor!

Twirling and jumping a long rope:
1st-5th grade students practiced twirling and jumping a long rope.  We used the cue words "rainbow-click" to remember how to have good form (rainbow at the top, hear the click on the floor).  They have a lot of fun jumping with long  ropes, and it's a great way to practice cooperation and teamwork!

Partner Tricks and Partner Routines: 
Check out the videos below.  I taught the students how to build a partner routine.  This includes a beginning, 3-5 tricks, and an ending.  They were also encouraged to build their own "freestyle" routine which consists of the same skills - beginning, tricks, and an ending.


Chinese Jump Ropes:  Click the link Chinese Jump Ropes for more info.
These work well with all age levels.  Some students have begun to learn a basic pattern, "Americans" pattern, and the Name Game.  I will continue to teach this to my students later this month.  Chinese ropes are a good option to have at our Jump Rope for Heart event because they involve no twirling!

Daily Dozen:
All Pre-K-5th graders do the Daily Dozen every day!  The students are becoming stronger!  Their form is getting better, and I am so impressed with their push-ups!  They are working on touching their nose to the floor. The student in the picture below had light up shoes.....so we turned the lights down and did the daily dozen so we could all see his shoes light up.  It was pretty cool!

Light up shoes with lights dimmed - looks pretty awesome!

Check out some videos!

Long Rope Videos

Designing For Competitions

Advantages of Entering Competitions

Game design competitions can be helpful in many ways, especially for the hobby designer (i.e. one that does not work for a publisher or does not depend on game design income).

First, it usually provides clear boundaries as to game materials and other factors, such as target group and even theme.  These outside limits help a designer immediately focus.  I've written before about the need of self-imposed limits, when one is designing on spec rather than on a contract basis.  A competition usually has many of these limits built-in.

Second, it provides a clear deadline.  Without deadlines, game design can go on forever.  I often tell publishers that delaying the release of my games is a dangerous thing, as I continue to find ways to tweak them if given more time. A deadline forces one to "finish" it.

Third, entering a competition guarantees that your prototype will be playtested by a number of diverse people.  Finding playtesters and asking/bribing/blackmailing them into testing your prototype is one of the most challenging phases of game design.  It is much easier for extroverted people like me to host game nights where testing can take place, but for introverts, entering competitions is another great option.

Fourth, the feedback you receive--both positive and negative--can help you improve your design submission and give you the confidence to pitch it to a publisher.

Fifth, winning a competition can get your game noticed by publishers.  Some competitions are organized by publishers offering contracts to the winners, and some include publisher representatives on their juries.

My Experience with Game Design Competitions

I neglected, in the list above, to mention one of the main reasons I enter competitions.  I do it for the same reason I play games: because exercising creativity in a competitive setting is fun.  There is something that draws me to a competition, no matter how prestigious it may be.  Perhaps it is the specific program and limits, or the fact that I will be able to get feedback from the public on a design before it's published.

Competitions have also been rewarding for me in that they have led either directly or indirectly to several publishing contracts:

Alea Iacta Est, for example, began as a simple entry into a game competition using dice and a standard deck of cards in 2006. The competition was canceled without ever informing the participants, but I enjoyed the game so much that I continued to expand and refine it with my friend, Bernd Eisenstein, and it eventually found a publisher.

The competition entry that became Alea Iacta Est.

That same competition inspired another design that I have been working on ever since.  The dice were eventually replaced with tiles, and the game transformed from a 2-player affair to accommodate up to 5 players in its current form, which has now been signed by a German publisher and is planned for an October release.

The competition entry that evolved greatly into a soon-to-be-released game. Hint: there are no longer any dice!

Both Wampum and Artifact, another game from Bernd and I, were not designed specifically for a competition, but it was only after being awarded by the Hippodice Competition that they received interest from publishers and, eventually, contracts.  The latter is also planned for an October release.

The Wampum prototype for the Hippodice competition.

The Artifact prototype for the Hippodice competition.

Just two months ago I found out about a local design competition from a "print on demand" publisher here in Berlin.  I found the material possibilities--and limits--intriguing. The entries were limited to using pawns in 6 different colors and 6-sided dice, along with light or dark Backgammon discs.  The game boards would also be printed on bendable, vinyl sheets.  The 3 finalists will be played and judged this weekend at Potsdam's 23. International Game Market, an annual event in the largest city on the outskirts of Berlin. The theme of the event, which is designed more for children and families than for gamers, is "fantasy" or "using your fantasy," and the competition encourages the games to incorporate that theme into their design.

The deadline was unusually short, but I was intrigued enough to enter, although there was not very much time to playtest before sending in my submission.  I just found out that my design was chosen as one of the 3 finalists, and I've already sent my improved version of the game board and rules, which I had continued to refine after the competition deadline.  I've also worked on a few other prototypes which have tried to take advantage of the unusual game board material.

My entry: Fantastic Stories as initially produced by Spieltz for the competition.

It will be fun to see the game being played at the event when I bring my family this Saturday, and the game will be available on the publishers print-and-play website sometime thereafter.  And, like some of the other games that began as a humble entry into a relatively unknown competition, perhaps this one will also evolve into something bigger in the future.

On Level Generation In General, And A New Competition

Procedural content generation has been a thing in games at least since Rogue and Elite in the early 80s. Plenty of games feature some kind of procedural generation, for example of levels, maps or dungeons. There's also lots of generation of more auxiliary things, such as skyboxes, trees and other kinds of vegetation, and patterns in general. While Spelunky relit the interest in PCG among indie game developers, AAA developers are increasingly looking at generating various parts of their games. There is also a very active research community on procedural content generation, with lots of papers published every year on new ways of generating things in games. We even wrote a book on this.

Anyway. You probably already knew this, given that you somehow found your way to this blog. What I'm going to say next is also rather obvious:

Essentially all PCG systems are limited to a single game. The level generator for Spelunky only generates Spelunky levels, and will not work with Civilization, or Diablo, or even Super Mario Bros. The Civilization map generator will not work with The Binding of Isaac, or Phoenix, or FTL, or... well, you get my point. In many cases the general algorithm (be it L-systems, binary space partition, diamond-square or something else) could be made to work on other games, but various amounts of game-specific engineering (hacking?) would be necessary; in other cases, the PCG method itself is mostly game-specific engineering and it's hard to discern a general algorithm.

Now, this is actually a problem. It is a problem because we want reusability. We don't want every game designer/developer to have to develop their own PCG method for each new game. Wouldn't it be great if there was software we could just grab, off the shelf to do level generation (or generation of some other kind) in your game? Even for those designers who see PCG as a canvas for creative expression, wouldn't it be great to have something to start with? Most game developers now use some kind of game engine, where physics, collision detection, rendering etc are available out of the box. Even some kinds of PCG is available this way, in particular vegetation through SpeedTree and similar packages. Why couldn't this be the case for level generation?

Let's make another analogy. In research on game-playing AI, there is a growing realization that working only on a single game has its limits. Trying to create champion-level players of Go, Poker, StarCraft or Unreal Tournament is in each case a worthy endeavor and the results are valuable and interesting, but at the same time the resulting solution tends be pretty domain-specific. The world's best Go AI is worthless at any other game than Go, and the same goes for all the other games in the list. There's simply a lot of game-specific engineering.

This is the problem that some recent competitions and frameworks are aiming to overcome. The General Game Playing Competition, the Arcade Learning Learning Environment and the General Video Game AI Competition (GVGAI) each focus on testing game-playing agents on multiple different games. There are many differences between their respective approaches, but also strong similarities.

Tying these threads together, what would it mean to create level generators (or other kinds of game content generators) that without modifications would create good content for a large number of different games? In other words, what would general level generation look like? This is not only a question of making game designers' lives easier (I am of course always interested in that; making game designers' lives easier, or replacing them), but also a very interesting AI and computational creativity problem in its own right.

In a new paper, General Video Game Level Generation, we explore this question. We design a framework based on the GVGAI framework, that allows level generators to connect to any game that is defined in the Video Game Description Language (the basis of GVGAI). The interface gives the level generator information about how the game works, and the level generator then returns a game level in a specified format. In the paper, we describe three different generators based on different approaches, and we test them using both computational means (which agents can play these levels) and through user studies with human players.

Better yet, we are not content with doing this ourselves. We want you to get involved too. That is why we are setting up a level generation track of the General Video Game AI Competition. The competition will run at the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence this year, and we have extensive documentation on how to participate. It is easy to get started, and given how important the question of general level generation is, participating in the first ever competition on general level generation could be a very good investment of your efforts.

Looking forward to seeing what you will do with our framework and competition!

New Shaman Card - Sludge Slurper - Hearthstone

New Shaman Card - Sludge Slurper

UCSC Launches The Country's First M.S. Program In Serious Games

UCSC Games & Playable Media and Serious Games MS Programs

As anticipated in my prior post, the Baskin School of Engineering at UC Santa Cruz is launching the first professional master's degree program in Serious Games offered in the United States, with an initial cohort of students starting in fall 2019. Applications for the M.S. in Serious Games were accepted until January 24, 2019.

Based at UCSC's Silicon Valley Campus in Santa Clara, the Serious Games program builds on existing expertise at UC Santa Cruz in assistive technologies, games and playable media, digital art and new media, psychology, and other related disciplines. The campus's professional degree programs are designed to replicate and accelerate the process of learning from experience.

Image credit: UCSC's Silicon Valley Campus in Santa Clara

The Silicon Valley Campus is home to the UCSC M.S. in Serious Games

"Our professional programs in games and playable media and Serious Games are project-oriented and emulations of professional environments," said Michael John, a teaching professor of computational media who has more than 25 years of industry experience with both Serious and Entertainment Games. "Each quarter you might make three or four games, and they won't all be good; actually most of them won't be good, but the process of building lots of little interactive toys and games is how you learn, and that turns out to be a key skill in the workplace."

The new program will train students over five academic quarters in six key areas: game design, game technology, eliciting and integrating subject matter knowledge, designing and conducting efficacy measures, effective teamwork, and career planning. It will culminate in a capstone project. The program's location in the heart of Silicon Valley and the close relationships of faculty with industry are expected to create ample opportunities for students.

There are opportunities to study Serious Games at other universities, but none offer the breadth and focus of the new program at UC Santa Cruz," said Noah Wardrip-Fruin, professor of computational media. "The professional degree in Serious Games will give students an entry into a rapidly growing industry," he added. 

Image credit: UCSC Baskin Engineering Website

Jim Egen dons a virtual reality helmet and paddles to test ASSIST lab's stroke rehabilitation game.

UC Santa Cruz already offers two of the most highly rated game degree programs in the country: a B.S. in computer game design and M.S. in games and playable media, both in the top 20 of Princeton Review's Top Game Design Schools.

Much of the credit for the early emphasis on games at UC Santa Cruz goes to Jim Whitehead, professor and chair of computational media. In 2004, he began developing a program for computer science students who wanted experience with game development. When the campus began offering a B.S. in computer game design in 2006, it was the first program of its kind in the UC system and one of the few in the country.

During the past decade, UCSC alumni have helped create the latest generation of games. Whitehead said he foresees the same thing happening with Serious Games. Some students currently enrolled in the games and playable media program are already planning to switch to Serious Games. "There's a lot of overlap between Serious Games and more entertainment platforms," he said. "They work with the same programming languages, but there are definitely divergence points."

Those divergence points provide the rationale for having two separate programs. "If you're doing a Serious Game, there's some sort of outcome expected, and it's really important to measure whether you're getting there or not. So there's an important assessment component," Whitehead said.

Designing games with assessment built in seems like a subtle distinction but often requires an entirely different design philosophy. Another reason for separate programs, according to Whitehead, is that the students interested in them are quite different.

Edward Melcer, assistant professor of computational media, teaches a required course on the fundamentals of Serious Games. "So many people see the potential of games to do something important, but shy away," Melcer said. "People think they have to have all this technical knowledge or be a hardcore gamer to do Serious Games, but we don't require that. We want people with passion, people who want to do something for their audience."

More information about the M.S. in Serious Games at UC Santa Cruz is available online at gpm.soe.ucsc.edu/admissions

Get Back To Nature With Forever Forest, Out Now Exclusively On Nintendo Switch

Fictive Studios and Mad About Pandas are excited to announce the result of their collaborative creative force, Forever Forest, will hit Nintendo Switch today.

Forever Forest is a journey of self discovery, casting light on what the developers pitch as 'the essential conflict between man and nature'. The game tells the tale of a world corrupted by magical, mysterious masks, with human beings wielding their power to conquer the Wyld Ore forest, unwittingly spreading darkness and decay, and consuming almost all of the woodland's nature in the process .

To the rescue comes a two legged, hairy protagonist - better known as the 'child of the forest' - who sets out to bring the light back to the world and restore balance to the forest once more.

Forever Forest features:

• A survival, action and role playing game that brings a heartfelt message and an experience you won't forget any time soon
• Delicate visuals that beautifully illustrate the forest's fragility
• Immerse yourself in a world of vibrant habitats and meditative melodies
• Use your wits to outsmart and hunt powerful creatures
• Absorb mysterious masks to permanently evolve and mold your character using unique abilities

"Forever Forest is the result of a collaboration of multicultural global talents, hence why we'll release this game with a multitude of languages, including Arabic, Turkish, English, German and several others more to target the global market," comment Fictive Studios and Patrick Rau, Creative Director at Mad About Pandas.

"When people play Forever Forest, we want them to be playing all over the world sharing our vision of mutual respect and understanding. We are so excited for Forever Forest's release. This really marks the beginning of Fictive's Studio's project portfolio and you can expect brand new launches in the near future."

Forever Forest draws inspiration from around the world and is available now, exclusively on Nintendo Switch for $14.99 / £12.99.

Video Game Backlog: The Enemy Of Gamers Everywhere

If you've been keeping track of me here, on Twitter or Tumblr, you know that I'll be a first-time dad by the middle part of June of this year.  My wife and I are having a baby girl, and we have decided to name her Clementine.  I'm not going to sit here and type that we named her after Telltale's video game Walking Dead character, but I will say that by playing through all 5 episodes of the game, hearing it over and over throughout the course of 10+ hours, and seeing a helpless little 7 year old girl deal with the un-dead, it did rub off on us. It really is a sweet little girl name.  Read from that what you will.  I also am obligated to say "I love you" to my wife after that, because my wife is totally on board with that name.  Not only is she on board, she loves it and thinks it's sweet.  There is no word yet on the middle name just yet, but we're working out the details on a short and sweet middle name. Any ideas? Send them my way.

My name is Justin and my wife's name is Jennifer.  Two of the most common 1980's names there are.  Some people want us to do a "J" name.  Other people are glad we DIDN'T do a "J" name.  Some people we tell aren't on board with Clementine (or Clem, or Clemmy).  And to all of those people I say:  1) She is my daughter.  2) She is Jen's daughter.  3) She will know how to use her biting words and will sling phrases around with the best of them on the playground.  I fully expect her to grow up to be a stand-up comedian.  And although stand-up comedians do sometimes get picked on (it fuels their material), they do eventually grow up and have their own HBO specials and make millions of dollars.

Despite all of the excitement, fear, and anticipation that goes along with bringing a kid into this world, I still want to talk about those vidya games.  Sure sure, call me crazy and tell me I have other more important things to worry about, but I still feel like I have something to say about them; to review them, to discuss the broad range of topics they cover, and to read up on all of the insight that goes into making those fun games along the way.  I don't have as much time as I used to, but I will be on here from time to time spilling the beans and getting as much of this stuff out as I can.  It all won't be logical.  Hell, it might not even make sense.  But I'll try, and it will help me scratch this interactive media itch I have.  So please indulge me. Plus, you'll occasionally get updates on Clem's status, so there's something to look forward to if you're into the whole baby thing.

Back to video games for the moment -

It feels like it was only yesterday when I shut down the mics (not permanently) on the podcast I co-created with my friend Dalyn called Twisted Gamer Radio.  Sadly, when I actually look back it was over a year now. 

So much has happened in that year.  What happened? I have no idea, but that's how life is, isn't it? We try to look back and grasp our memories or accomplishments, only to have them slowly slip through our fingers (thank you Princess Leia for help on that quote).  I'm not done with the whole podcasting thing.  I haven't sold off all of my gear.  I haven't quit paying Amazon to host all of my .mp3 files.  You can still access the RSS feed and download the episodes that are there.  All 13 of them.  But I need somewhere to vent.  Somewhere to release these words and tire me out, so I feel like I don't have anything left on this topic anymore.  Even with a kid and being eventually sleep-deprived, I feel like I will still be interested in and wanting more video game news from the internet. 

This brings me to my current state.

With Bioshock: Infinite coming out tomorrow, I set in motion a plan to get the game for "free".

I normally buy video games months, if not years after they're released (unless they are a highly anticipated title).  Games in the Mass Effect, Bioshock, Borderlands or any other game that piques my interest will be picked up on day one.  I will find a way to get those.  Others, I mostly wait on them because by the time I'm ready to play them, they're cheaper, but also because I'm too busy playing another past game in my backlog that I need to experience.  I almost said "get rid of", and that's wrong.  I don't mean it that way.  In the coming months, I probably won't have any time to game at all, so getting rid of as much backlog games as I can will ease me into parenthood and more importantly the next console generation.  Wait, reverse that. 

If you can't read in-between the lines, that pretty much means I'll be slaving away on previous generation games for about a year before I make the move (and have enough money socked away in diapers) to buy a new Xbox or PS4 console.

I've been on a tear recently, having picked out and completed over 10 games to trade-in for Bioshock: Infinite.  Most of the games are ones I've held onto, but realized I'm probably never going to play them.  Something inside me snapped, and that set in motion a massive picking of games out of my backlog cabinet. 

Some of the games I picked have been out so long they have sequels out already, but I kept them to experience the story and see the progression from the first game in the series to the second, or second to third, etc.  I've always said that I need to pick away at my backlog (even writing a post on Loot Ninja a long ass time ago about it and my problem), but I never stuck to that code of "beat a backlog game, purchase a new game" mentality. This brings me around to my current plan.

I want to go back into my video game backlog and beat games that I started but never finished, or beat games from years ago to help get me the ultimate prize of the perfect game:  Bioshock: Infinite*  (based on current review scores of all major blogs and Metacritic rating.)

Currently I'm making my way through Gears of War 1 with a friend (who needs the co-op achievement), and on the PS3 side of things I started the Killzone 3 single-player.  After that?  I've got to finish a date I started back in March of 2012 with Nathan Drake and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception.  Then it's on to the other 24 disc-based games I have in my catalog both on the Xbox 360 and PS3.  Thank god that this summer is upon us and the slow crawl to October is on, so I can do some catching up game-wise.

As for the blog, I plan on keeping you updated on my progress and I also plan on reviewing and sharing my thoughts on smaller, indie titles on all platforms that deserve the exposure (how little of it they do get from my blog).  This will give me the opportunity to still hack and slash away at my backlog, but keep you guys informed on all things indie games as they get picked up on my radar.  I'd love to say that I will promise to keep you guys updated on all of this, but you never know just what will happen.  I will try though, so there's that.

What about you readers?  Have you put a game so far back in your backlog, that it took you weeks, months or years to come back to it?

WWE 2K GAME ON ANDROID 2017! 500MB ONLY!

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DOWNLOAD THESE FILES USING UC BROWSER ONLY. BECAUSE IT IS FAST AND WILL OPEN ALL LINKS - KBIST

??Links To Download Using Google Drive

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??Links To Download Using MediaFire

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STEPS:

1. Download APK & OBB Files From The Above Links. You Can Choose Google Drive Or Direct MediaFire To Download.
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3. Now Copy The OBB File & Paste It To InternalStorage>Android>OBB Folder.
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Any Problem In Downloading Contact Me Via Comment Below.

Press Release: First Kickstarter Game To Hit $1M In 2019: Suburbia Collector’S Edition

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First Kickstarter game to hit $1M in 2019: Suburbia Collector's Edition 

Bezier Games' first Kickstarter of the year is the first game to hit $1 million dollars in pledges in 2019 - and there is still an entire week left! With over 7,000 backers and more than 20 stretch goals achieved, the Suburbia Collector's Edition campaign has left everyone in awe. 

In Suburbia, players build their own unique borough while trying to increase their income and population. They use strategic tile-placement to create residential, commercial, civic, and industrial areas, as well as special points of interest that provide benefits and take advantage of neighboring properties. Whoever's borough thrives the most will end up with the highest population, and win the game. 

Suburbia Collector's Edition is being released with beautiful new artwork by Brett Stebbins and a ton of upgrades! Oversized tiles, new player colors, and city-specific borough boards are only the beginning; this edition also features several Game TrayzTM organizers, a giant tower to disperse tiles, recessed borough boards, redesigned population board, unique landmarks for each player color, and all existing expansions as well as a brand new one: Nightlife, which has buildings and locations that are more active in the evening hours and dramatic night time artwork. 

Those who back the project on Kickstarter will receive even MORE upgrades such as metal coins, upgraded player pieces, wooden interactivity markers, an LED lit start player marker, and much more! The most unique part of the Kickstarter is you have 20 choices to pick your unique 5 player colors, each designed with a different city! Not only will you receive all of these extra goodies, but you will receive it at a discounted price and before it hits retailers! There is only a week left in this campaign, you will want to jump on this one fast!

Did you like this press release?  Show your support: Support me on Patreon!Also, click the heart at Board Game Links , like GJJ Games on Facebook , or follow on Twitter .  And be sure to check out my games on  Tabletop Generation.