The Inside Scoop about The University of Winnipeg’s Konami Code

Easter eggs are fun!

What fun would the world be without Easter eggs? Well, I suppose we would survive, but they certainly can add a little fun and excitement to the regular routine. At least this is what we thought at the University of Winnipeg Division of Continuing Education. In case you hadn’t seen the buzz yet, we have created a secret page on our new website (DCE.UWinnipegCourses.ca) which can only be accessed by entering in a special code, known as the Konami Code. This classic Konami Code should stir up some nostalgia with much of the 30 something population, as it was made hugely popular during the original Nintendo days back in the 1980’s.

So what’s on the secret page?

Well, we don’t want to give away too much. However, keeping with the theme of classic video games, let’s just say that the quintessential classic game is there waiting for you to play, of course with our own little customization added in, courtesy of one of our Flash instructors, Brent Scott. And yes, there are high scores, so if you didn’t have your chops together back in 1986, now is your chance to show the world how you measure up.

What does this have to do with continuing education in Winnipeg?

If you like what you see on our Easter egg page, you might be interested in some of the technology behind it. If so, that is lucky for you because we offer courses in everything that is involved to create the Flash game, as well as the DCE.UWinnipegCourses.ca website itself. Our full-time program, the Internet Systems Specialist Diploma (ISSD), is an intense one-year program designed to cover a wide scope of topics and technologies which are all relevant in today’s World Wide Web. Topics such as:

• XHTML/CSS
• PHP
• MySQL
• Flash
• Javascript
• XML
• ASP.Net
• Java
• and more…

Can an ISSD graduate really create a Flash game like this after just one year?

A lot can be accomplished and learned in one year. The ISSD program covers a wide range of technologies and it is typical for students to end up specializing and going deeper in a few areas rather than being a jack of all trades. Our Flash video Easter egg game is slightly more involved and more detailed than what is taught in the ISSD Flash section. However, the fundamental principles are learned and it is only a matter of extra time and experience that is required to create a similar project. Anything in the Information Technology industry will always require you to be researching, learning, and keeping on top of the latest developments.

DCE.UWinnipegCourses.ca

Speaking of graduates, the University of Winnipeg Division of Continuing Education’s new website was designed and built by ISSD graduates. Bob Freeman designed the site, and I built it using the Drupal Content Management System (CMS). The Konami Code was implemented using one of the many open-source modules available for Drupal. The site has come a long way since its launch in June of 2009 and it’s always exciting to launch new features such as the Konami Code and the Flash game. The site was inspired by the feedback that past and present students were giving us about what kind of information they wanted to see online. The website was essentially built by students, for students. Content and features are continuing to improve all the time and it has really become an excellent resource for current and future students. I look forward to seeing the site grow even more in 2010.

Steve Gomori

More on the University of Winnipeg Konami Code and the Easter Egg on UWinnipegCourses.ca

So by now, many of you may have heard rumblings of the University of Winnipeg’s Division of Continuing Education placing an Easter Egg on their website.

The tips and hints talked about Konami Codes but didn’t directly tell you what they were. You were supposed to try to find out and then use the codes on the dce.UWinnipegCourses.ca website to find the hidden Easter Egg.

Let's start with Konami Codes. What are they? Where do they come from? What do they do?

According to wikipedia, the Konami cheat codes were embedded in video games as far back as the mid 1980s, allowing players to get extra powers, skills, or lives to make playing the game easier.

They started being found in other video games, and soon after, other software and media.

Today, you can find websites, software packages, DVD and Blu-ray discs, and many other places where there are cheat codes that will alter your experience, give you additional options, or even additional features.

The “classic” Konami Code is this sequence of keystrokes, but there are some variations out there:

Up arrow, Up arrow, Down arrow, Down arrow, Left arrow, Right arrow, Left arrow, Right arrow, B, A

What are Easter Eggs? Well, in this case, they are hidden features or options that are not normally exposed to the people using the system. You usually have to stumble on them or know where the secret door is.

So what happens if you put this all together?

Visit dce.UWinnipegCourses.ca and when you are on the front page, press these keys in order:

1. Up arrow
2. Up arrow
3. Down arrow
4. Down arrow
5. Left arrow
6. Right arrow
7. Left arrow
8. Right arrow
9. B
10. A

You should be whisked away to a hidden Easter Egg prize, in this case a game of Pacman with a University of Winnipeg spin.

We hope you enjoy the game; please tell others about it.

University of Winnipeg Konami Code

DCE-IT Man on
dce.UWinnipegCourses.ca

The University of Winnipeg Division of Continuing Education put an Easter Egg on the http://dce.UWinnipegCourses.ca website this month and placed teasers and hints on various places around the Internet.

More details as they happen!

Teaser 1:
Find the key; have some fun!
>> Door: http://dce.UWinnipegCourses.ca
>>Lock: Konami
>>Key:___ <–???

Teaser 2:
A hidden surprise awaits those of you who can find the key:
Google “University of Winnipeg Konami Code” and try it out on http://dce.UWinnipegCourses.ca!
Good luck 🙂

Teaser 3:
Sure, you’ve heard of the Da Vinci Code, but have you heard of the Konami Code?!
The University of Winnipeg has!

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Updates

Since this was quietly started a few days ago, the puzzle has been spreading over Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. Here are a few that have caught our eye:

• @ChrisDca blogs: U of W’s Secret Digital Easter Egg Hunt
• Brenelz Web Design (@brenelz) has a blog post called: University of Winnipeg Konami Code and a follow-up called University of Winnipeg Konami Code Revealed!
• Access Winnipeg (@AccessWinnipeg) says the University of Winnipeg Loves Contra
• @Lyndon_Reid gets into the University of Winnipeg Konami Code Easter Egg mood
• We have been added to the Wikipedia List of Konami Websites
• Academica Group Inc. – Marketing Insight for Higher Education says uWinnipeg’s CE department hides arcade game on website

We have had reports that the Konami Code is not letting people who are using some versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 into the game. It does work with IE7 and IE8. If you want to try the game out and can’t get in with IE, please consider trying out other browsers like Firefox, Safari, Chrome, Opera, or IE7/8, all of which work perfectly.

A Decade of Downtown Excitement in Winnipeg

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Manitoba Hydro Place
Originally uploaded by dz_knight2003

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University of Winnipeg – Restoration
Originally uploaded by TIPU

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Wesley Building 2009
Originally uploaded by
University of Winnipeg Continuing Education

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UWSA Daycare
Originally uploaded by mrchristian

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McFeetors Hall
Originally uploaded by mrchristian

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New UWinnipeg DCE Building Construction
Originally uploaded by mrchristian

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Downtown Winnipeg experienced exciting growth over the last decade. With the start of a new decade, we thought it might be nice to look at some of the projects started or completed in the past 10 years.

It’s hard to miss the opening of our new arena, the MTS Centre, at the end of 2004 as well as Manitoba Hydro Place that officially opened in the fall of 2009.

The construction of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights has started and it is due to open sometime in 2012.

The Esplanade Riel Pedestrian Bridge as well as the Provencher Bridge were completed in 2003, creating a new landmark that is seen on postcards and other related promotional material from Winnipeg. You can’t miss the Salisbury House restaurant!

The Winnipeg Millennium Library (previously known as the Centennial Library) re-opened on November 8, 2005 after extensive renovations to the popular library.

The Plaza Skatepark, located at The Forks, came to life for skateboarders young and old when Tony Hawk visited it in 2006 to film scenes for a movie.

While not exactly ‘construction’ in the traditional way, The Forks was recognized as the home of the longest skating rink in the world by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2008.

The Winnipeg International Airport is going through major renovations, including the addition of the new bus depot that opened in 2009. The University of Winnipeg purchased the former Greyhound Bus Depot at 491 Portage Avenue and will be developing that area in the future with a community bookstore and more classroom space.

The exterior restoration of the University’s flagship building, Wesley Hall, was completed and gave the area a fresh look and feel, generating excitement and attention again.

The McFeetors Hall (Great-West Life Student Residence) was built on the UWinnipeg western Furby-Langside Campus. Housing 176 students and 25 student families, it features geo-thermal heating and high-energy efficiency.

The new Science Complex and Richardson College for the Environment will include classrooms and research laboratories for biology, chemistry and environmental studies. Construction started in the summer of 2009 and should be completed in 2011.

The fall of 2009 saw the opening of the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association Day Care. Located next to the McFeetors Hall, it can serve more than 100 children.

The United Army Surplus may be gone, but construction has begun on the new University of Winnipeg Division of Continuing Education building at 460 Portage Avenue! A stone’s throw from main campus, this building will also house the Plug-In Institute of Contemporary Art.

There are probably many other downtown projects not mentioned here; feel free to add them in the comments!

References:

• The University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA) Day Care Fast Facts (http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/news-day-care-backgrounder)
• New Arts And Business Hub For Portage And Memorial (http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/uw-news-action/story.205/title.new-arts-and-business-hub-for-portage-and-memorial-)
• McFeetors Hall Fast Facts (http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/news-mcfeetors-backgrounder)
• The University of Winnipeg – Construction Update (http://www.uwinnipeg.ca/index/construction-update)
• Manitoba Hydro Place (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manitoba_Hydro_Place)
• MTS Centre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTS_Centre)
• Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnipeg_James_Armstrong_Richardson_International_Airport)
• Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Museum_for_Human_Rights)
• Esplanade Riel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esplanade_Riel)
• Salisbury House (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salisbury_House_%28restaurant%29)
• Millennium Library (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Library_%28Winnipeg%29)
• The Forks, Winnipeg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forks,_Winnipeg,_Manitoba)
• Downtown Winnipeg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Winnipeg)