Gaming Blog

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Even Game-Addicts Need Sleep

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The thing about being too engaged in newly purchased game consoles such as the Playstation and Xbox consoles is that time flies when you are having fun. A game console aimed for all ages, people are too glued to their television playing their favorite games such as NBA Live, Tekken or even Gran Turismo that they end up lacking sleep from playing until the wee hours of the morning.

Sleep Disorder due to Gaming

Such produces a hypnotic type of a trance for gamers that simply want to complete a level or stage in storylines that these games have to offer. The game developers are not to be blamed since it is really their job to make the game as addicting as possible.

Self-discipline among the people who endorse and play this game should be done internally. It is their duty to ensure that they know when to stop even if they don’t want to. Besides, they can pull-it out anytime they wish to, when they have nothing else to do in real life.

[tags]playstation, xbox, games, sleep disorder[/tags]

Revisiting Burger Island

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If you are wondering what the heck I am talking about, Burger Island is one of those casual games that has a lot of replay value. I think Burger Island was released a year or so ago but I still remember playing it nonstop. So why am I writing about it now, a year or so later?

Well, I found myself out of new casual games to play the other day and I was browsing my computer when I saw the icon for Burger Island. I was instantly transported to the past, with the imagined aroma of cooking burgers and French fries and the creamy flavor of milkshakes. I couldn’t help it – I had to play the game again.

Burger Island is one of the more difficult casual games I have ever played. The concept itself is fairly easy. You have to prepare customers’ orders before the time runs out. You have three major products – burgers, fries, and milkshakes. Each of these products have different variations which you can purchase as you go along and amass enough money. At the beginning, the combinations are fairly easy but do not be fooled, they get very complicated soon enough and a single mistake will make your food forfeit. Indeed, the first time I played this game, I found myself getting mad a lot of times because I had problems keeping up with the pace.

The graphics are very cute – the food looks real. Then you have the music, a funky beat that keeps you on your toes. Of course, we cannot forget Pierre, your French boss who has this endearing yet irritating attitude. You’ll see what I mean – play the game!

Violent Video Games – The Other Side Of The Story

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GTA IV
We’ve all heard about how violent video games can bring harm to people who play them, especially the young people. More often than not, hardcore gamers get sick of these studies and proclamations of violence making players immune. That is why when I read this blog post on a study looking at the other side of the coin, I was pleasantly surprised. I was even more surprised that I haven’t heard more of this study, conducted by Dr. Cheryl K. Olson, which was actually started in 2004.

So what are the findings of the study? Dr. Olson states in an interview:

Many children in our survey, as well as our focus groups with boys who play violent games, said they played games to manage their feelings. This included playing games to “help get my anger out,” to forget problems, to relax, and to feel less lonely. Children who played at least one M-rated video game “a lot in the past six months” were significantly more likely to agree that getting anger out was one reason they played video games.

The bottom line is that adolescents who play video games are better able to manage their feelings – anger in particular. This is due to the fact that they are able to vent out violent emotions through video games. Another thing that I liked about the study is how they approached the issue – not using the premise that violent games cause aggressive behaviors. Instead, they focused on something more concrete – the reason behind adolescents playing these games.

Is PC Gaming Dead?

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gamingpcI have heard many PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 fanboys say this over and over. These relatively new video game consoles just keep getting better and better, and for some, you have not experienced gaming unless you have used these consoles. Indeed, I know some people who would not play on anything than their favorite gaming console.

But what about the good old personal computer? Back in the day, the PC was all I played on. From Minesweeper to Hearts to The Sims to Counterstrike – the PC also has continued to evolve as a mean gaming machine. If we were to believe some people though, it would seem as if the PC as a gaming machine is all but dead. But is it, really?

Apparently NOT. A recent study by Interpret shows that 23% of gamers use their PCs as the main means of gaming. Their reason? The computer provides a far better experience than the PS3, the Xbox 360, or even the Nintendo Wii.

This is because with the PC, you can use the keyboard and the mouse for more complex controls. These peripherals also provide better means of communication, which is quite vital for online MMOs and strategy games.

You may be wondering about the sales of PC games. It is true that PC games are selling less and less – that is why video game stores are devoting less shelf space to them. However, the sales of downloadable games continue to rise.

The bottom line? PC gaming is not dead, and I don’t think it will ever be

A Choice between Sword and Guns

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Most hardcore gamers today who are obviously after the best game play methodology would usually be left with either choosing a gun or a sword in his own role playing expedition in the usually created game worlds today. Such has been seen from the games that have been clamored to by millions such as Gunbound and Runescape. Both have their own style of game play, either medieval times or old western style shoot-around.

Guns versus Swords RPG

Depending on the theme of the developed game or the actual purpose of usual storylines that would guide the new player towards his journey, people are sure to be befuddled with what type of character they would want to create and develop. For medieval worlds, warriors and magicians would usually be the primary categories of choice. But if there is one thing that a hardcore gamer should be aware of, he must ultimately decide on one character creation first before moving on to choosing other character types with special skills. Patience in this type of game play is a rarity but can be an asset if used well.

[tags]gunbound, runescape, rpg, online games[/tags]

Urban Legends of Video Games

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Donkey Kong
I am sure that you have heard of some of these urban legends. I don’t know if you believe them (or used to believe them) but I thought it would be interesting to look at some of the biggest myths of video games.

Donkey Kong is a result of a wrong translation – it was really supposed to be Monkey Kong.
Funny isn’t it? Unfortunately, there is no truth to this. Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary Nintendo designer would be the first one to debunk this myth. He says that the name may sound funky but it was the choice at that time. It turned out to be a good choice – it is one of the most popular video games of all time.

PS2s – thousands of them – were purchased by Saddam Hussein to create a supercomputer for his military.
Not! Why would Saddam make use of PS2s to create a supercomputer? I am sure that a man of his means would have had access to more powerful processors. This hot piece of rumor didn’t stay alive for long – government officials officially debunked the myth soon after it circulated online.

A man has died playing video games.
Alright, this one has truth to it. I remember reading about it several years ago. This Korean man played for 50 hours straight and died of a heart attack. That was in 2005. Another Korean guy died of exhaustion after playing straight for 86 hours. The moral of the story is this – get some rest while playing video games!

Want more of these urban legends? Read Yahoo’s feature on them.

Do Video Game Story Lines Stink?

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video game controller
The answer would depend on who you are asking. Well, according to some game developers, they do. I ran across an article talking about this topic and I thought I’d share excerpts with you:

For years I’ve heard from gamers and game developers who relish the stories in “Final Fantasy” games or in the adventures made by Canadian developer BioWare. But at the Game Developers Conference last month, I heard something else. I heard game developers grump about the state of storytelling in video games.

I heard Dave Jones, president of development studio Real Time Worlds and one of the original architects of the “Grand Theft Auto” series, telling an audience: “I like to leave story to books and movies.”

I met with Denis Dyack, the ever-outspoken president of Silicon Knights to talk about the ambitious and heavily story-driven action game “Too Human,” which his company will be releasing on the Xbox 360 this year. And he trashed game stories too. He said the current quality of game stories is “just not acceptable.”

Here’s what he told GameFile (it’s classic Dyack, the kind of commentary that has won him legions of fans and detractors): “I think stories like [the ones in the books] ‘Hyperion’ or ‘Altered Carbon’ or very serious science fiction — we need to get stories to that level in the video game industry. … Bubblegum stories are OK, but there’s no reason we can’t aspire to do more for those who want to do more. Certainly there’s room for everything. If ‘Too Human’ can say anything, it’s that it can be done, and we should at least attempt to try.”

Author Stephen Totilo ends:

So what was the greatest story a video game ever told? A “GTA” game? “Mass Effect”? “Planescape: Torment”? Was the greatest gaming story ever told even a great one? Or should developers not bother trying to tell a great one? At GDC, the answer wasn’t clear. But the restlessness was evident. Games don’t tell great stories yet, the game makers told me, and maybe they never will.

Sad but true.

Games You’re Better At Drunk

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guitar hero
I have never played a video game while drunk – well, as far as I can remember. I ran across this funny post detailing the top 5 games you are better at when you’re drunk. I guess the effects of St. Patrick’s Day drinking had not worn off yet when Jenn Frank wrote this post. It’s an amusing read – here’s the list:

1. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – DS
While you might not think booze and detective work go together (although, come to think of it, there is a certain Sam Spade appeal there), the truth is, point-and-click adventure puzzles seem to go down a little easier with a glass of wine.

2. WarioWare: Smooth Moves – Wii
With alcohol, it’s easy to coerce your friends into doing things they would never ordinarily do. Turn that negative into a positive! Nothing feels quite so right as finding four of the burliest, manliest dudes you can, moving the Hummel figurines out of arm’s reach, and bringing out the Wii Remotes.

3. Guitar Hero – PS2, 360, Wii, Mac
With “beatmatching” rhythm games and alcohol, there’s a dramatic bell curve. You’re invincible after a beer, but after one too many, you’re so kicked out of the band. The reason you can play games after a whiskey is actually the same reason you don’t drive after a whiskey: Slightly impaired judgment means you’re more confident, more daring.

4. Rez HD – 360
Perhaps games like Breakout benefit from alcohol consumption because they do rely on visual abstraction. Modern shoot-em-ups like Rez also seem to benefit from beer buzz: The half-awake, primal brain focuses on nothing in particular, and yet, as if automagically, you manage to rack up a phenomenal score.

5. Breakout – Atari 2600
Breakout is a very twitchy game that requires fine, precise movements and astute snap decision-making. In that regard it’s practically a sobriety test.

What do you think? Want to try one of these out after a night of drinking?

Video Games: Possible Tension Reliever

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children playing video games
Another study gives much needed support to video games. According to Carmen Russoniello, a professor at East Carolina University, video games are potentially beneficial when it comes to relieving stress and tension. Here is more information from IT World Canada:

Carmen Russoniello, a professor at East Carolina University, recently finished a six-month study of people playing Bejeweled 2, Peggle and Bookworm adventures. The study concluded the games could have “potential therapeutic applications,” according to a press release issued by PopCap games, which by sheer coincidence happens to be the developer of these three games.

The school’s department of recreational and leisure studies observed the behaviour of video game players and measured their stress, psychological tension, anger, depression, vigour, fatigue and confusion. For example, people who played Peggle experienced a 66 per cent reduction in “psychological tension” while 43 per cent of those who played Bookworm Adventures experienced a reduction in depression. Rumour has it people who reached the fourth screen in Space Invaders also experienced confusion, though that game was not included in Russoniello’s study.

It is interesting to note, however, that only specific games were covered by the study. The GTA series, which could be the most popular game franchise ever, was not included in the study.

The East Carolina University study did not include Grand Theft Auto, a game where players can pretend to be criminals taking on rival gang members and robbing banks. The game’s developer, Rock Star North, also makes Bully and Manhunt.

Oh well, it is a start, isn’t it?

Consoles Of Old

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Gaming consoles have really come a long way since video games were first invented, don’t you think? I am relatively young but I still remember playing with some of the ancient consoles that kids of today would not recognize. That is why I was very much amused when I read the series of articles over at Games Radar which detailed the consoles of the different decades, starting from the 70s. Of particular interest to me were the consoles of the 80s. (Yeah, I think I just gave away my age range. Oh, well.)

This I remember oh so well:

Console: Game & Watch – Japan
Manufacturer: Nintendo
Discontinued: 1991
These LCD electronic games came in different models – all of which have resembled an iteration of the Game Boy or DS at one point. The Game & Watch pioneered left-handed directional control with the d-pad, seen on every console and handheld in the modern age.

I never had my own Game & Watch but my schoolmates who were fortunate enough to have on were of a sharing nature so we all got our turn.

And how about this?

Console: Atari 5200 Super System
Manufacturer: Atari
Discontinued: 1984
Created as a powerful successor to the 2600, the 5200 competed with the Intellivision and ColecoVision once it hit the market. Unfortunately, Atari spent more attention on the oversaturated (and far more popular) 2600 rather than their new console. Also, Atari underestimated the value of backwards compatibility – at least until they released an adapter the following year. Generally considered a failure, the newer controller also featured a pause button which has since been seen everywhere in the world of gaming.

Ahh, this one we were fortunate enough to have. Of course, with so many kids in the (extended) family, we had a heck of a time trying to get our gaming urges satisfied.

Photo courtesy of www.brianapps.net