The annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco is a wonderfully outrageous, high tech fantasy land where corporations like Microsoft, Facebook, Sony and Google, hold court with their latest zombie-blasting simulators and VR headsets. But it has a secret.

Off in the back (technically in a whole separate building), away from the buzz and hustle of the main show floor, is a small cluster of 20 curated, one-of-a-kind games under a banner labeled “alt.ctrl”. Here, the creators of these games encourage people to come over and play their project. They call themselves Developers, but I see them as Makers like myself. People who take their fun from mixing equal parts Art and Engineering. 

This week on Maker Update, an electric micro boat, an M&M sorting robot, Tinkercad 3.9, measuring with your saw, and the Raspberry Jam Big Birthday Weekend. This week’s Cool tool is the Makita Impact Gold Ultra-Magnetic Bit Holder.

This week on Maker Update, a virtual rocket controller, a light organ dress, 3D printed detergent hack, and casting with Lego bricks. This week’s Cool Tool is a 5″ Sanding Mouse.

This week on Maker Update, an old fashioned electric go kart, diploma drama for Arduino, plastic razor blades, fingerprint sensors, sninges, Maker Faires and robot trading cards. This week’s Cool Tool is Scraperite Plastic Razors.