www.net-games.biz
www.miniclip.com
www.free-games.com.au
www.download-free-games.com
www.playedonline.com
www.gamesfreak.net
www.freegames.com
www.freeonlinegames.com
www.mofunzone.com
www.dailygames.com
www.marapets.com/arcade.php
www.gamesoid.com
www.free-games-net.com
www.freearcade.com
www.oxigames.com
www.fileplanet.com/free-games
www.gamezhero.com
www.playgamesclub.com
www.actionflash.com
วันจันทร์ที่ 23 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2552
10 Reasons To Buy An Xbox 360
Gamers and techies have waited with bated breath for advancements and innovations in gaming. To set the pulse racing and the mind thinking one needs to be challenged. This has become possible by computer technology and the wonderful world of gaming. Just as adventures and wars would have done in yester years these days it is technology that offers to quench the thirst for adventure. Microsoft has created a challenge in the form of the Xbox 360-- a visionary, super powerful, multimedia console that brings to you the GenX gaming world. Of course, the markets being competitive present so many choices.If you need to be convinced here are a few reasons why you must buy the Xbox360.1. There are games galore for the thirsty. Kameo elements of power, Project Gotam 3, Perfect dark Zero, and many more. All unique, with great effects and gaming wizardry.2. The Xbox360 has wireless controllers as well as internet connectivity. The premium pack presents great delights offering freedom of movement and a superb range of over 30 feet. Ergonomically designed the controller has skip wires, tangles and boomerangs. 3. With an aim to please even the most discerning palate, the Xbox360 has an amazing variety of games. Some are exclusively designed for the box like Condemned, and Dead or Alive. Titles that have been widely acknowledge by expert gamers are: Call of Duty 2, Project Gotham Racing 3, Kameo, King Kong, and Condemned.4. Amazing and most welcome is the fact that over 200 Xbox games will be backwardly compatible with the Xbox360.5. Xbox 360 brings with it the arcade marketplace. Imagine free games, cheap games, and addictive non-stop games. The possibilities are endless and thrilling.6. The Graphics are stupendous and bring to life the games in virtual reality. Xbox360 has three 3.2 GH processors that run with a 500MhzATI graphics processor. Whew-let's bow to power.7. Endless possibilities with the Xbox360. Games, CDs, movies and customized music. It even connects to the Microsoft media center for a complete media sensation. You can let your creativity and innovativeness take wing.8. The Xbox 360 is more than an everyday console. It is interactive and you can buy many things like bonus levels, episodic content, gamer specials, and gamer tag images. You can download demos, and bonus packs from game developers. A live platform with no limits marketplace for developers and publishers.9. The Xbox360 is a keeper of records. It creates history. The gamer card becomes your identity with name, image, scores, games you like, and your aims and mottos. This takes online fraternities a step closer to one another.10. Fulfils many dreams and fantasies. The games are the best, interesting, mind stimulating, and exciting. The Xbox 360 takes the gaming world forwards and offers options like downloads, online plays, movies, as well as a touch button marketplace for games. The Xbox360 is a must for serious gamers. It indicates your dedication as a gamer and reflects your tastes and reputation in the cyber gaming universe. Opens up endless possibilities and takes you to the next generation gaming delights.
Nintendo Wii Hardware Reviewed and Explained
Nintendos seventh generation gaming console was code named Revolution. It sought to becoming futuristic and including all conveniences like a wireless controller and Wii remote which has three dimensional functions. The Nintendo Wii also has Wii Connect 24 which can receive messages from the World Wide Web. Slated for release in the US in mid Nov 2006, the Ninetendo Wii won the Game Critics Award for Best of Show and Best Hardware at the E3 2006. The hardware of the gaming console is state-of-art with the unit being the smallest measuring just 157 mm in height :• The loading slot is in the front and accepts 12cm optical discs and 8 cms discs from Nintendo's older console.• The console will have two USB ports and one SD card slot.• In Japan the console will have DVD -Video capabilities. A Sonic Solutions Cine Player CE DVD Navigator software engine will be used in consoles to be released in 2007 with DVD-Video functions.• The Wii remote has accelerometers and infrared detection that enables positioning in 3D space. This means gamers can participate in the game using hand gestures as well as buttons. The controller connects to the Wii console through Bluetooth technology. There are umpteen functions like connectivity to other devices, 4KB non volatile memory and an accelerometer, analog stick and trigger buttons.• The Wii has a sensor bar that can be positioned such that the Wii remote can be used as an accurate pointing device from a distance of 5 meters. However the sensor bar is sensitive to halogen lights and sunlight affecting its functions.• The Wii CPU has a processor known as Broadway with a 90nm SOI CMOS process. The Memory of the Wii is 1T-SRAM.• The Nintendo Wii has 512 MB built-in flash memory that can be expanded using an SD card.• The Wii has four remote controller slots; one SD memory slot; two USB ports; one sensor bar port ;four Nintendo game cube controller ports; two Nintendo game cube memory card ports; WiFi 802.11.b/g wireless built in ports.• The Wii can connect to the World Wide Web through the WiFi and USB to Ethernet adaptor. The CNET editors have rated the Nintendo Wii as an 8 /10. According to experts at CNET the positive is the futuristic controller design with motion-sensitive gameplay options and the Wi-Fi is all set to extend free online services and game play. The Nintendo Wii is the most affordable of all GenX gaming systems. The negative in the Wii is short battery life, no advanced HD graphics or surround sound and inability to play CDs or DVDs. What Nintendo Wii brings to gaming is an affordable console with motion sensitive controllers and a focus on fun filled gaming.The PS3: What is Sony Thinking?
A statement was issued this morning stating that the much anticipated PS3 will be delayed, AGAIN. The new release date for the PS3 in Europe will now be somewhere around March of 2007 for Europe, Russia, and the Middle East. It has also been confirmed that the production of the console has been scaled back by a considerable amount. There will be only 100,000 consoles released in Japan when it goes on sale for them on November 11th. On top of that, North America will only be receiving roughly 400,000 units for launch on November 17th. Sony had originally announced that the first launch would be around 2 million, and now they are falling quite short of that.What is going on here? Does Sony not realize they could be taking themselves out of the console race with these delays? They are already starting to see slipping profits, and so are some of their game creators. And all we keep hearing are excuses, excuses, and more excuses. By the time they start releasing their precious console, most of the world is going to own a 360. The prices are already dropping for the 360, and parents will not be willing to shell out money for both consoles. Sony was already taking some chances when they priced their console much higher than the 360 and the Wii. But, if you make them wait too long, they will purchase the best product that they can get their hands on. With all of these delays and unit cutbacks, Sony seems to want to keep pushing people towards the 360.I think the best thing for Sony to do at the moment would be to step up and admit they tried to take on too much at once. Sony has stated more than once that the PS3 will be on the market at least 10 before they consider making a replacement. So, they are trying to jam every new technology into this one, and it seems it's too much to juggle. There are many gamers that have expressed the feeling of being lied to by Sony, and they just want to hear the truth. If you deceive your customers, they will know it, and Sony has too much competition to risk that. It's like trying to play a video game with a broken controller: you can barely get through, you usually end up dying, and all your efforts were a waste of time. Wake up Sony!วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 12 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2552
Next Generation Games Consoles - Separating Fact from Fiction
Over the next 18 months the 3 giants of the Games Console world will be battling it out in stores and homes across Europe, America and Asia for the title of the world greatest Games Console. The stakes are high in this multi billion dollar business, not just for the console sales but for the games sales that go along side it. Since the launch announcements of all 3 consoles in May at the E3 conference in LA. The 3 combatants have been vying for the millions of column inches that have been written about the Next Generation Consoles. Each Press release has been hotly followed by another press release from a rival company so much so that extracting the facts from all the hype has been nearly impossible. At the launch press conferences Microsoft boasted that the Xbox 360 could do 9-billion-dot-product-operations per second. Sony then came out and said that the PS3 could do 51-billion-dot-product-operations per second however Sony had combined the CPU and GPU performance numbers whilst Microsoft only reported its CPU performance number. When the consumer is up against this sort of publicity blizzard it is best not to believe a thing until you can check the facts for yourself.So what do we know?Well for the Xbox 360 and the Sony Playstation 3 we have lots of lists of hardware and specifications which actually don't mean very much in isolation. The main thing that need concern us are the processor speeds and they are both stated as being 3.2 GHz The only time that the hardware will mean anything is when we get to run them side by side and then if experience is anything to go by the difference in real life performance won't be noticeable and will just be used by the press departments to battle it out.Despite all the press releases and information that has been spewing out of the headquarters of Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo we actually know very few facts. We know that in all likelihood the Xbox 360 will be on the shelves in time for Christmas, Amazon are currently taking pre-delivery orders and are quoting a release date of November 28th. The prices have been set at $299 for the Core System and $399 for the Xbox 360, the difference being that the Core system doesn't have the external hard drive required to save games and download new content or the headset required to play online on Xbox Live! Why 2 prices? and why a version that hasn't got everything included? This looks very much like a product of the marketing department trying to get a product at the historically important sub $300 level more than anything and this may backfire on them in the long run. Next to hit the Shelves will be Sony's Playstation 3 supposedly in spring next year once again we have very few facts to go on, Sony are continually releasing press releases and mentioning in public that the price will be high and the figure of $500 has been mentioned but many industry experts suspect that this is a ploy so that when they release it at $300 or $350 it will look like a bargain. The final console to hit the shelves will be the Nintendo Revolution some time late in 2006 and 2007. Since the "launch" at E3 this year very little has been said about it by Nintendo. It seems at this time the "Launch" was just a way to deflect some of the publicity away from Microsoft and Sony. One fact is certain, If Microsoft do get the Xbox 360 onto the shelves before Christmas it will be this year's biggest selling Christmas gift. So until you get your hands on one of the consoles?.Question everything!
Games To Encourage Thinking Skills
There is no doubt about it, using computer games is a great way to encourage children to expand their realm of thinking. Your options for entertaining your child may seem numbered. Many people allow their children to spend quite a bit of time in front of the television. But, what good does that do? If you want them to learn something while they are zoned out, you are completely lost. But, if you flip on the computer, download a great game, you may actually be able to encourage them to learn more and you will encourage good thinking skills as well.
Thinking is not something that everyone can do well. Now, we are referring here to the thought process that goes along with solving problems. For many children, this is something they struggle with. Mom or Dad always takes care of the problems. If something isn't right, just call mom or dad. Even on the television, that is full of real life and imaginary "problems" that need to be solved, there is no encouragement for children to come up with the solution. What happens then? They just sit and watch and let someone else handle the problem.
But, what happens when they are older or in a situation where they have to solve the problem at hand? Do they know how to analyze their thoughts, ideas, and to find the right solution? Many don't. But, if you would like your child to be the one who does know how to flip the switch on and solve the problem, consider allowing them to sit in front of the computer as opposed to the television.
Okay, so too much time in front of the computer isn't much better, but there are ways to you make what time you do allow them to sit at the computer to be good times. This is you simply need to maximize what they are doing. There are several good games out there that can be used to stimulate thinking in children. For many people, this is the perfect way to go to encourage children to learn how to solve problems without letting them in on it! Yes, because games are fun, the child will not fight you on playing them. Much unlike a lesson plan, this way seems to encourage children to come back to the game time and time again, therefore getting the experiences they need to learn a thing or two.
But, what are these games? What are the options that are out there for your child? There are many games, and although we will only talk about a few here, find ones that will work well with your child. What are his or her likes and dislikes? Sports? Television characters? Perhaps they enjoy space or under water adventures. Search out those games that will intrigue them as well as encourage them to think.
Some to consider include Big Thinkers Kindergarten and the series of Freddi Fish Adventures as well as many other games specifically for children. These are mainly for younger children, but you'll find many more for older children as well. In fact, consider giving your older kids more puzzle related games to help them along this course as well.
When you give your child the gift of being a problem solver, they will work through the situations that happen to them, big and small, without fear of not knowing how to handle them. They will be more likely to do well in the real world then. What's more is that you can feel good about all that time they spend in front of the tube (even though it's the computer not the television!)
Thinking is not something that everyone can do well. Now, we are referring here to the thought process that goes along with solving problems. For many children, this is something they struggle with. Mom or Dad always takes care of the problems. If something isn't right, just call mom or dad. Even on the television, that is full of real life and imaginary "problems" that need to be solved, there is no encouragement for children to come up with the solution. What happens then? They just sit and watch and let someone else handle the problem.
But, what happens when they are older or in a situation where they have to solve the problem at hand? Do they know how to analyze their thoughts, ideas, and to find the right solution? Many don't. But, if you would like your child to be the one who does know how to flip the switch on and solve the problem, consider allowing them to sit in front of the computer as opposed to the television.
Okay, so too much time in front of the computer isn't much better, but there are ways to you make what time you do allow them to sit at the computer to be good times. This is you simply need to maximize what they are doing. There are several good games out there that can be used to stimulate thinking in children. For many people, this is the perfect way to go to encourage children to learn how to solve problems without letting them in on it! Yes, because games are fun, the child will not fight you on playing them. Much unlike a lesson plan, this way seems to encourage children to come back to the game time and time again, therefore getting the experiences they need to learn a thing or two.
But, what are these games? What are the options that are out there for your child? There are many games, and although we will only talk about a few here, find ones that will work well with your child. What are his or her likes and dislikes? Sports? Television characters? Perhaps they enjoy space or under water adventures. Search out those games that will intrigue them as well as encourage them to think.
Some to consider include Big Thinkers Kindergarten and the series of Freddi Fish Adventures as well as many other games specifically for children. These are mainly for younger children, but you'll find many more for older children as well. In fact, consider giving your older kids more puzzle related games to help them along this course as well.
When you give your child the gift of being a problem solver, they will work through the situations that happen to them, big and small, without fear of not knowing how to handle them. They will be more likely to do well in the real world then. What's more is that you can feel good about all that time they spend in front of the tube (even though it's the computer not the television!)
วันอังคารที่ 10 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2552
Free Games For Your Pocket PC
Admit It-You're Often Bored
A pocket pc has about a million uses. But one of the most popular uses of a pocket pc is to play games on it. Nearly everyone plays games on their pda, whether they will admit it or not. Of course, die-hard game enthusiasts prefer full versions of pocket pc games. A definite added bonus is if these full versions pocket pc games are free.
To find full versions of pocket pc games free is not actually very difficult. Free game downloads for your pda are available on tons of freeware sites, or as shareware for very little money. Palm pilot games are very affordable. These freeware games also work with any operating system, so you can download any kind of game your heart desires for your pda.
Casino games, arcade games, action games, strategy games, and sports games-you can find them all for free online just by searching the Internet. These full versions generally have good graphics and plenty of levels to keep your interested. In fact, why pay for games for your pda when you can get them as freeware instead?
Enterprising companies like Compaq and HP are including fun games for free with their palm pilots, and so are other companies that sell pdas. Playing palm pilot games is one of the top uses for a pda. Gaming is a great way to pass the time, so why feel guilty about using your pda for games? Entertain yourself when you are bored, no matter where you are.
Dan Ayala is webmaster and publisher of PDA-Review-Online.com, offering reviews on PDAs, Palm Pilots, Pocket PC's, software and accessories. PDA Review Online provides free information and recommendations for your online resources that you can download anytime or anywhere.
Rent Games Online for the Kids
It's risky business allowing your children to play games online. I know that may sound funny but I have a good argument to back up my opinion. If you continue reading I will share it with you.
I work from home on my computer; my computer is my livelihood and it is how I make my money. Allowing my kids to play on my computer also makes my computer susceptible to ad aware, spam and the like. For someone that works from home, this can be a very big problem if my computer ends up infected with a virus! Every single time I go to a cheat code site for my son, I have to go remove the entire ad aware I just picked up. Not to mention that due to my working, I can't always let him sit and play his games and we were both frustrated.
We than saw an ad to rent games online, we have been happy ever since! I have the games shipped to my house, there are no late fees and the monthly fee is a flat rate for unlimited rentals. As you can see, this a win/win situation for us! He gets to play all games he wants and I get to keep my computer.
Rent games online will also save you time and money! No longer will you have to go wait in line to rent a game, you can now have them sent to your door ? I have to tell you, this is my favorite part. Along with saving money of course!
Jay Coleby is a writer that specializes in informational articles on various topics. His most recent projects include articles on cell phone batteries, rent games and noni juice. Jay can be contacted if you need an article written on a specific topic.
The Game Tester
It's not easy to be a hardcore gamer. It's hard. Wouldn't it be easier if you had a job in the videogames business? Think about it: working for a software company, being able to play games during office hours, with people who share your passion. Free games, industry parties, lots of fun and good money.
Well, think again; working in the PC Games business is nothing like that. Chances are you'll end up dealing with people who just care about the financial success of the company, with marketing executives who don't give adamn whether the game is good or not because "We'll put two-million bucks behind it and it'll sell like donuts", with programmers who cannot understand why an arcade-style racing game cannot have the intricacies of a complex simulator. Still, you'll get some free games plus a decent salary.Still interested? Good.
The easiest way to get a chance to work in the videogames industry is to start as a game tester. Mind you - the job is actually tougher and less exciting than you think. While it is true that you'll spend most of your day playing games, you must bear in mind that this means testing to death the same game again and again, since the earliest days of development until it's finished, and this can get really boring.
The game tester starts working as soon as either the graphic engine or some of the AI routines are ready (and even earlier in some occasions: sometimes testers have to check the game design documents in order to make sure that there aren't weaknesses in the game structure.) It means checking the graphics and the control system or testing the AI routines, moving around coloured dots (it's often the case with sports games) or extremely unappealing chunks of graphics around the screen to check how the code reacts.
Reporting bugs is not an easy or exciting task either. You need to assess the exact circumstances (if any) of a bug taking place and its consequences on the game. More often than not this means playing the same bit of the game again and again and again until you are able to repeat the same bug whenever you want to (or better: whenever the programmers ask you to) or until you're sure that it was a one-off bug, something which happens in situations which cannot be repeated.
If you don't like PCs, you'll probably find an absolute nightmare having to cope with all the compatibility issues (does the game work fine with all the graphic accelerator cards? And what about the sound cards? And the joypads/joysticks?) but you'll get used to it in a matter of weeks. Other downsides of the job is that office hours can range from your usual 9-5 to a very stressful round-the-clock when you're under deadlines and you don't have any guarantee that you'll be mentioned in the credits unless you're one of the lead testers. (Let's face it; you want your friends to know that YOU were part of the team who made that brilliant game, don't you?) Put in the frustration coming from dealing with programmers and/or artists who don't know what does make a good game (the industry has many such people...) and you'll get an even worse picture of the job.
Being a game tester is not all that bad, though. It's the perfect way to get into the biz for many different reasons: the first one and more obvious being that you'll be constantly in touch with both the programmers and artists. In a few weeks' time you'll understand problems concerning polygons (polys, for friends...), frame-rate and its relationships with the responsiveness and precision of the control system, how to address RAM-related problems and much, much more. Hold on - let me make myself clear: you will NOT become a programmer but you will understand which compromises you must have in the game in order to have it work in its best possible form, given the capabilities of the system it is working on and the skills and talents of the developers.
Another obvious plus of the job is the money. In Europe, an internal tester is usually paid somewhere between US$15,000 to US$23,000, assuming he's employed full-time. However, some companies have part-time testing jobs, so that you don't have to leave school to be a tester.
The real highlight of being a game tester is that in many occasions you'll be required to play an active role in the making of the game: rather than limiting your task to just testing existing code, sometimes testers are asked to suggest alternative solutions to problems in either playability or game structure. It often happens that, during the development stages, the game feels and plays differently from what it should according to the game design document. It could be the control system which is too complex, the physics model, the AI or any other element of the game which doesn't work as well as it should. The testers' main task is to flag any problems arising but they are often asked to give their precious input in order to improve the game.
It sometimes happens that the most critic and capable testers move onto design positions, which is a much more rewarding (both in terms of financial success and self-fulfilment) job with many more responsabilities. Another way to climb the ranks of the company is to become Quality Assurance Manager, supervising and directing the work of several testers for one or more titles. Therefore, starting as a game tester can take you to higher floors while making many interesting contacts in the industry. The perfect game tester can express himself quite well in both written and oral form, knows how to work in a team and know games inside out - both new and classic titles. Needless to say, to do this you must play a lot: explore all the possibilities of a title, do things the developers couldn't think you would do (such as killing a friendly character, throwing away a useful item, going out of the track in a racing game or standing in particular areas where you're not supposed to stay) and see what happens. Be curious while playing, and be critic.
If you have what it takes ring the bell; this industry needs you. Don't let the first negative replies write the word END to your career in this industry. Keep trying until a door opens, then put your foot in. Start writing your cover letter now (keep it short, nobody likes lengthy cover letters)) and be ready for the interview. Sooner or later you'll have your chance, so don't waste it.
Mary works in US for a media company, occasionally writing for the biggest PC Games Reviews portal, and drinking too much coffee.
XBOX 360 vs. PS3: an in Depth Look
All gamers are awaiting the release of the Xbox 360 and the PS3. This article takes an in depth look at how the two systems compare.
Graphics:
Everyone has seen an Xbox and a PS2 in action and we are all waiting to see which of the two next generation consoles for the two systems will have the edge when it comes to graphics. We have all seen the screenshots of the games on the two systems but what about actual gameplay graphics. Despite the hot debate, when you look at the numbers the two systems use a different but equally effective method of delivering graphics processing power. The XBOX uses a custom ATI processor with 48 graphics pipelines and the PS2 has a custom NVIDA graphics processor with an estimated 24 pipelines. The numbers are misleading because the PS2 piplines are more powerful than the XBOX pipelines. In the end the two different graphics processors will deliver about the same amount of power, we can expect to see impressive results from both sides.
Games:
Both systems have several franchise titles such as Halo2 for the XBOX and Gran Tourismo for the PS2 that you will see in the next generation systems, but what other games can you expect to see. If you are a fan of genres such as role playing that are dominated by Japanese and other foreign developers such as Square, you should look forward to the PS3. There is no indication that the XBOX 360 is going to gain much more support from foreign developers and buyers than the original XBOX. An article on GameSpot.com reports that only two percent of Japanese gamers are interested in buying an XBOX 360, with sixty percent looking forward to the PS3 and eight percent to the Nintendo Revolution. Overall you can expect to see more games on the PS3 than the XBOX 360, reflecting the selection for the current generation systems. Only time will which console will have the quality of games which all of us are been expecting
Media Type:
Will the media storage type be a factor in the quality of the games? Since PS3 is owned by Sony and BLUray is Sony's next high definition storage medium, the PS3 games will be stored on the BLUray discs which hold approximately 54 gigs. The Xbox 360 games will be stored on Double Layer DVDs which store 9 gigs. Obviously the BLUray discs can store a lot more data, but at the current stage of game development, any game developed will fit just as well on the 9 gig DVDs, so this is not a major factor but one that may come into play later on.
Processing Power:
How do the two systems compare when looking at brute processing power? The PS3 uses a Cell processor with a PowerPC-based core with seven synergistic processing units while the Xbox comes with a Custom IBM PowerPC CPU with three dual-threaded cores that can handle six total threads at a time. An important comparison to look at is the number of dot product calculations per second the systems can perform. The reason this number is important is because it is used extensively during gameplay in 3d math to calculate various things such as vector lengths, projections, transformations, and more. Both systems are clocked at 3.2 Ghz. The PS3 can handle 51-billion dot product operations per second and the Xbox can handle 33.6. There is a debate over which system has more brute processing power and these numbers can be confusing to the average person, but overall it seems that the PS3 has an edge over the Xbox when it comes to overall processing power.
Media Type:
Since PS3 is owned by Sony and BLUray is Sony's next high definition storage medium, the PS3 games will be stored on the BLUray discs which hold approximately 54 gigs. The Xbox 360 games will be stored on Double Layer DVDs which store 9 gigs. Obviously the BLUray discs can store a lot more data, but at the current stage of game development, any game developed will fit just as well on the 9 gig DVDs, so this is not a major factor but one that may come into play later on.
Games:
When considering games, you have to look at the XBOX and the PS2. The XBOX is very popular in the US and has a few great franchise games such as Halo, but the PS2 has an international reach and several popular game franchises such as Gran Tourismo that the XBOX has yet to beat. The XBOX 360 will need to appeal to foreign game developers and consumers to compete with the PS3. Only time will which console will have the quality of games which all of us are been expecting
Controllers:
The controllers on the two systems retain the basic shape from the original systems with some modifications. The PS3 controller has the most dramatic change; it has a streamline shape that looks more like a stealth airplane than a game controller. The XBOX controller is basically the same shape as the previous system with a different color scheme. From the pictures released, it seems the XBOX controller will be more comfortable and natural to use. The PS3 controller looks like it would just slip out of your hand but we will not know how the controllers feel during actual gameplay until we get our hands on them.
Tony James is an author and webmaster. He currently runs the website Freeware Games.net
Play a Cool Jeep Game Online
If there were anything that could excite a Jeep enthusiast more than a 4x4 trail run, it would have to be a Jeep game! Jeep games are as close to the real thing as you can possibly get without actually being in a Jeep. The best part about Jeep games online are they are completely free, so play away to your heart's content.
Some of the more popular Jeep games online are:
Mountain Madness
This Jeep game revolves around a quiet mountain town that faces grave danger. You have to tame the elements and save the town from an impending avalanche in your new 2005 Trail Rated Jeep Liberty Renegade. You can drive up to the edge of the mountain in several Jeep vehicles, any one of which you can choose, and Ski Bike down. On your trip down you can set explosions along the way to divert the path of the avalanche. If this Jeep game sounds really exciting, that's because it is!
Jeep 4x4 Adventure
If dense jungles and eerie sounds are your thing, this Jeep game is going to be right up your alley. You get to race a Jeep Grand Cherokee, Liberty or Wrangler through urban jungles and treacherous trails.
Jeep Rescue Patrol
This Jeep game is perfect for those of you who fancy yourselves as rescue rangers. The objective of this Jeep game is to find all stranded SUVs in the Jeep game and lead them to safety within a given time period. Obstacles along the way like boulders, mud bogs, streams and trees don't make the task any easier. You get 4 lives in this Jeep game and you can pick up bonuses also along the way.
Jeep Trail Of Life
If you like off-roading, you will love this Jeep game. The objective of the Jeep game is to take the Jeep Wrangler out on the trail to help save the world from impending doom.
Mark Neustedt is a life long off road enthusiast and jeep owner. He is the owner and web master of http://www.best-jeep-guide.com
Evolution of Gaming : Graphics vs Gameplay
If you are old enough to remember the early days of computer gaming you know there were a lot of great games that were fun because of the exceptional gameplay and not just the graphics. Gaming started to become a little more popular in the 90s once people started buying computers. In the early 90s games like Maniac Mansion, X-com 1, and Civilization were extremely hot because of their addictive unique gameplay. Today gaming is mainstream and marketed towards a mass audience. In order to market to everyone, many games these days focus on the graphics and special effects rather than unique gameplay. You see many games that seem to be carbon copies of each other with slightly different twists.
These days, a lot of games try to be as realistic as possible and have the most textures and polygons jammed in to wow your eyes. In order to market to everyone, many games these days focus on the graphics and special effects rather than unique gameplay. Although there is nothing wrong with a game with beautiful graphics, once the novelty of the graphics runs out, the gameplay is what keeps you playing. You see many games that seem to be carbon copies of each other with slightly different twists. There are a few games like Halo 2 where the developers obviously spent a lot of time fine tuning to make sure the gameplay was as enjoyable as possible. With Halo 2, the two things that give it an edge in my opinion is the fact that the movement of players is slower than most games and the weapons are highly balanced. Also, rather than throwing tons of multiplayer maps at the player, the developers focused on making a limited number of quality maps.
Freeware games are an option for people on a small budget who value gameplay over graphics. A freeware game is simply a game that is completely free with no fees attached. Freeware developers usually don't have the million dollar 3d engines to run their games so they must make the games as fun as they can without all the bells and whistles of retail games. These developers make games simply for the love of making them and sometimes come up with some unique and quality games that are definitely worth a look. Especially considering that these games are completely free. These games span all the categories of retail games from Massively Multiplayer to 3d First Person Shooter. Some companies also release production quality games as freeware because they decide not to put the game into production or as promotion.
Tony James is a supporter of freeware games and runs (Freewaregames.net-free fullversion games) a well known freeware resource with the hottest free games.
How To Save Time, Energy, and Money by Renting Your DVDs and Games Online
As a bit of a movie buff I recently discovered that the best way to rent movies and games these days is online using one of the Online DVD and Game Rental Services.
If you're into renting movies or games these services simply can't be beat for their time saving convenience and value.
The two biggest and probably most well known services are Netflix and Blockbuster.
Though they both work essentially the same way Netflix seems to be the largest of the online DVD rental services. Currently boasting over 3 million members.
For a very reasonable monthly fee I believe either one of these services will more than meet your DVD and Game Renting needs.
Some of the great benefits offered include:
- No late fees. Just do the math on this one alone and I think you'll see the value of using either one of these online services.
- Over 40,000 Movie Titles to choose from. Everything from the newest of the new releases to all of the classics.
- Free shipping both ways. To you and also on the return.
- Speaking of shipping, how about very fast delivery directly to your door. I get my movies within 1 or 2 business days.
- No long term contracts required. You'll like this one because you're free to cancel your membership anytime you choose.
- You get to keep each DVD or Game as long as you like. This is good because you have the freedom to watch your movies at your own pace. No more feeling like you have to watch it because it's due back on a certain date.
- For a very reasonable monthly fee you can rent up to 3 DVDs at a time as often as you like.
Both of these top tier service providers have done a great job of keeping the process simple. You simply sign up providing very basic information and make a list of the movies you want to see. Your movies will then begin to arrive postage paid in your mailbox in one or two business days. Like I said, crazy simple!
Once your movies arrive you have the opportunity to watch them at your leisure.
I don't know about you but too often I would end up paying more in late fees than I did for the actual movie. And when renting from my local store there just never seemed to be a good time to take them back.
These two major issues are completely gone when renting online.
Neither Netflix or Blockbuster charges a late fee of any kind. For me that alone makes renting online superior to the old way.
It gets even better though. When you're ready to send your DVDs and/or Games back you simply drop them into the pre-paid envelope you received with your delivery and mail them back.
As you may have gathered I'm sold on Online DVD Rental.
As long as the rental service providers keep things simple, as they certainly have so far, if you rent movies or games at all I don't see where there is anything not to like about this new way of renting them online.
Sony PSP
The period of the greatest portable console has finally arrived. Brace yourself for astonishing, gaming quality on a gaming device which is poised to change the way you think about portable devices.
Having wireless on-line connection, dVD and 4.3-inch LCD screen, and intense data storage and uSB-based peripherals options, the Playstaion Portable is a perfect answer for the mobile digital way of life. Sony production has hit the spot by merging both horsepower and groundbreaking device characteristic* into a product that only weighs precisely a hair more than half a pound. From a controls perspective, the PSP is made for gaming.
If you're familiar with a PlayStation controller, you'll be a pro at the PSP's controls in no time. Directional buttons, as well as an analog stick are provided. Meanwhile, the familiar left and right shoulder buttons, as well as triangle, circle, cross and square buttons are integrated into the device's slim case.
Finally, home, select, and start buttons give you quick access and control over the PSP's important functions. The PSP will universally remind everyone of the Sony Playstation 2.
To have the Playstation label is great itself, though what is much much more remarkable is thrashing the great deal higher Play Station Two in almost every role. The size held within such a tiny handheld console is just astonishing.
From a controls position, the Playstation PSP is produced for gaming. If you're used to a Platstation 2 controller, you'll be a natural at the PSP controls in minutes. By having a lot of these amazing media roles a value price of $249.99 in which different handheld devices calculating as much as the 500 and beyond, and exhilarating program specifications it appears to be significantly changing the computer game trade for the greater good.
You Dont Have To Be Rich To Be A PC Gamer
There is a common misconception that you have to take out a second mortgage on your house if you want to get a computer that will run all of the latest and greatest games. I don't know who started the rumor that you need to spend $3000 to get a gaming computer. The truth is, if you are smart about it, you can easily afford to get a high-end gaming computer. Here are a few simple rules to follow to put a gaming computer within reach.
Rule 1. Never buy the newest technology.
I know we all want to be the guy or girl with the newest toy, but you will never be able to keep up with technology. That top-of-the-line graphics card that came out today will be old news in just a couple of months and a new one will be released that is "so much better". Guess what happens to the price of the new graphics card you just broke the bank on? It dropped by about 50%. If you would have just been patient you could have purchased it for a fraction of the cost.
Rule 2. You only have to keep up with the software.
Rule 2 closely correlates to Rule 1. It usually takes software companies two years, give or take, to develop a new game. During this time there are new technology breakthroughs. If they went back and re-engineered the game every time a new processor or a new graphics card came out, the game would never be released. Another important factor is that they want the game to be available to the largest number of consumers. For this reason they do their best to make sure the game can be played on a wide variety of systems. Check out the system requirements for some of the more popular games. A 1.8GHz processor and a Direct X 9 compatible graphics card will run just about everything out there. Granted you might have to turn some of the settings down but it will run it.
Once you reach a certain point the added performance of the new technology is noticeable. For example, the Athlon 64 chip has been out for more than a year, yet there are very few applications that require a 64 bit processor. If you check out benchmarks on the new PCI Express graphics cards you will see that they are running games at 300+ frames per second. When you watch a movie it runs at roughly 60 frames per second. A game will still run relatively smoothly at 20 frames per second. Basically anything over 60 frames per second likely will not be perceived while playing the game. You will only see the difference in your benchmark programs.
Rule 3. Build Your Own Computer
This is important for two reasons. First, you can be assured of better quality components when you pick everything out on your own. When you buy an off-the-shelf system, chances are you are getting a big name CPU and everything else is most likely generic. Do you know what motherboard, power supply, or type of RAM you are getting? This of course, is my personal opinion, I'm not saying every manufacturer builds sub standard machines, but from experience I've had greater longevity from the computers I've built myself. I've also noticed that you will often get little system memory, unless you pay a great deal more for it. You will often get 256MB of RAM with these base system. Windows XP will run, but likely with problems, on 256MB of RAM. It seems to be the most stable with 512MB or more. Other areas they cut costs is by using integrated graphics chips. This saves them having to put in a graphics card, but you will pay the price for it when you try to play a game.
The second reason to build your own computer is that you can cut your costs by stealing parts from your old computer. You can save hundreds of dollars by reusing the drives, case, monitor, keyboard and mouse. Plus, you don't have to worry about calling a technician to install RAM or a new graphics card because you'll already know how to do it.
How Much Can You Build A Computer For?
I just checked out some pricing and you can build a very nice midrange gaming computer for around $600-$700 using an AMD Athlon 64 3000+. If you can steal a DVD drive from your old computer and maybe the case, you can bring the cost down even more. You can build a high-end machine for under $1000. The internet is full of useful websites about how to build computers. Look around and you'll find all the information you need. There are several books published about the topic as well. If you follow these simple rules and do a little research you can enjoy all of the best computer games even if you are on a shoestring budget.
Nathan Holsing is the editor of Gaming-Computers.net, a website that provides information on building computers, hardware buying guides, and product reviews.
Top 10 Dumbest Game Titles
You may not agree with the order in which they are in, that's personal preference.
But you have to agree that these are some pretty stupid game names.
1. "This Is Football"
Trust me, it is. Really.
2. "The Thing"
Where you shoot at the what-sits with the um stuff.
3. "Sweet 16 Licensed To Drive"
Unfortunately Mary-Kate and Ashley miss the true legal significance of this birthday
4. "Go Go Golf"
This is like calling Gran Turismo 3 ''Zoom Zoom Cars'.
5. "WWE Shut Your Mouth"
They should have included 'You Lycra Wearing Macho Meathead Freak' on the end but they forgot.
6. "Rugby"
It surrrrrre is.
7. "F1 Championship Season 2000"
Has a championship in which you race the 2000 season, in F1.
8. "Speed Freaks"
A game full of freaks that are on speed. Don't bother playing this game, just go downtown and you'll find the guys who inspired this game. Both kinds that is...
9. "Gitaroo Man"
Maybe the Japanese guys who made this game invest in a slightly higher quality English translator, as obversely it wasn't working too good.
10. "Z"
Zed ... or Zee? The most basic game name ever and most people will say it wrong!
10-2. "Final Fantasy X-2"
Sorry, couldn't miss this one out. For making a mockery of Roman Numerals. Look out for the sequel 'Super Final Fantasy X-2-7-4 Turbo Ultimate Gold Limited Edition.
Hamster hangs out: http://www.faultystudios.com, where the cool guys do flash movies, and um, talk jack on the forum.
Are You A PC Gamer And Want The Best Out Of Your Graphics Card?
Introduction
In this article you will learn how to get the most out of your graphics card by installing new drivers and tweaking Windows. The guide is based around Windows XP Professional Edition but you can use the same guide to tweak other Windows operating systems.
Step 1.
The first thing you need to know what graphics card you are using. The most popular graphics card companies are nVidia and ATi. Both these companies have an excellent range of products and offer excellent service. Once you know what graphics card you are using, then head over to the companies website where you can download the latest drivers.
Drivers are software that runs your graphics card, printer or scanner correctly. Being up to date with drivers will help solve issues that may arise with modern PC games. Just recently I had to update my drivers to fix a problem I had with a game I recently purchased, and this solved my problem.
OK once you have downloaded your drivers for your graphics card make sure you create a restore point using the utility System Restore. This can be done my click Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools and then System Restore. Then follow the on screen instructions to create the restore point. By doing this it makes sure that if a problem occurs after you installed the new drivers, you can return to the restore point to see if the problem is the drivers you installed.
Once you've finished creating your restore point, you need to install your drivers. This can done by double clicking on the file you downloaded and then you follow the on screen instructions. After you've installed your drivers you will have to restart Windows so the changes can take effect.
If everything goes according to plan you should see an increase in performance in your games and you will not need to go back to your restore point. If you do have problems, use your restore point to go back and fix the problems. If the problem persists, then contact the company that made your graphics card.
Step 2.
Make sure you have the latest version of DirectX. This can be done by going onto the Microsoft website http://www.microsoft.com and searching DirectX. Once you've downloaded the latest version, you will need to create another restore point. One person I know installed the latest version of DirectX and then had problems afterwards, and because they didn't create a restore point they couldn't fix the problem and so they needed to reformat their computer to solve the problem. Again to create a restore point, go to Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools and then System Restore.
Once you've created the restore point install the latest version of DirectX by double clicking on the file you just downloaded. Follow the on screen instructions and once you've finished you will have to restart your Windows.
Step 3.
In this step I will guide you through tweaking Windows XP. The first step will be changing the performance of Windows, to do this right-click on My Computer and then Properties->Advanced->Performance->Settings and select 'Adjust for best Performance'.
The next step is to change your Themes, so right-click on your desktop and select Properties. Under the Themes tab set your theme to Windows Classic.
About The Author
I run a small PC gaming website called Gaming Archive. I'm currently a student in England studying ICT. steve.hames@gaming-archive.com
The Future of Video Games
I've recently been thinking about where video games could be going in the future. I'm hoping to work in the game industry one day after I've finished university study and I've been wondering about it a lot. What do I want to see happen in the future? Well I may not have too many answers right now, but I have come up with a few ideas that I think may come into 'play' in the not too distant future.
Firstly forget Virtual Reality, as we know it. They've tried VR goggles and they made a lot of people sick in doing so. It's probably never going to work very well in its current form. They're still around and you can still buy them but they really don't seem to be taking off. It will probably take a lot to get people totally immersed and involved in a new form of game play. It's threatening to lose touch with the outside world and the people around you aren't going to appreciate it much either. The Sci-fi neural implants are also both a long way off and not likely to be accepted by a majority of the general populace without some severe marketing and luck. I for one am not planning on going through brain surgery just to have a computer attached to my head. In fact I never want anyone to able to plug into my brain.
A technology that was brought to my attention by a zealous presenter at the local 'Science and Technology Centre' (a sort of science museum aimed at making science fun for children and juvenile adults such as yours truly) is that of 'Augmented Reality'. Augmented Reality is essentially the overlaying of virtual elements onto the real world, such as a pair of transparent glasses that can display certain elements over the top of what is actually there. I agree with the presenter in that this could indeed have some awesome potential. Forget all the socially beneficial applications such as workmen being able to view underground pipes before digging, think about it from a games point of view. This technology could provide gamers with the ability to run around looking like complete idiots shooting at things that aren't actually there and that no one else can see, kind of like in the film 'They Live!' The upside to this is that it would be a lot of fun. A group of people from the University of South Australia created the 'ARQuake' project, http://wearables.unisa.edu.au/projects/ARQuake/www/, merging the classic shooter Quake with this Augmented Reality technology. Again, this technology may not ever become overly popular, but it would be entertaining to play with.
Technology has driven the games industry for a long time with new games always trying to keep one step ahead of the competition. It started way back at the dawn of technology and it continues to this day. 2D graphics gave way to 3D and 3D is becoming ever better. Graphics are starting to lose the ability to impress like they once did. The step between Quake 2 and 3 was amazing, but DOOM 3 while being visually very impressive isn't leaps and bounds ahead of its competitors in the same way new games used to be. 2D graphics encountered a similar problem; there comes a point where you just can't do much more with graphics technology. It is this that turns graphics from striving for technological achievement to becoming art. It is my hope that we will start turning away from tech demos and return to game play and making great entertainment. Games such as Zelda: The Wind Waker or The Sims that strive to show greater depth of character through simplifying the game enough to portray emotions will hopefully become more common (and more fun? but that's just one person's view?). Technology plays a certain part in the conveying of emotions and story but it's quite hard to focus on everything at once. When technology is easier and less essential to game sales we'll hopefully see an increase in games that cast a lasting impression.
Somewhat unfortunately the rise of the 'Casual Gamer' will probably lead to more simplistic games being released. While personally I would love to see depth of story and characters, there are a significant number of players out there who want to pick up a game for twenty minutes or so, have a bit of fun, and then put it down until another time. These gamers are generally less interested in the latest greatest technology and more interested in a 'fast food' kind of entertainment that satisfies the moment, despite the lack of quality or the lasting effects. Hopefully the two game types can co-exist peacefully although recently it has been seen that some developers are cutting down on some of the planned depth of a title in order to accommodate the more casual gamer.
As technology pushes forwards boundaries are slowly being broken down between systems. We saw the Bleemcast a few years back enabling the running of Playstation games on the Dreamcast, and the PC is able to run almost anything given the right emulation software. Consoles are able to emulate other consoles and new consoles are being announced that promise the ability to play PC games. The Xbox 2 is reported to have a model in planning that comes in a PC case and with the ability to run both PC software and Xbox software. Macs can emulate Windows software and vice-versa. We'll probably start seeing less of a distinction between consoles and PCs as the price of technology continues to drop and consoles continue to become more and more powerful and able to compete with the more expensive computers. Ideally we'll see a single platform come into prominence so that everything can be run without purchasing a copious number of different machines, although that does have a downside in that it can establish a monopoly for one particular company.
The technology price drop and increase in power has also lead to more powerful hand-held machines than before. Real games, not just simple toys are now available for the portable market. The advent of PDAs and mobile phones with the ability to play games raises awareness of portable gaming and new competitors are starting to get in on the field that was once primarily dominated by Nintendo's GameBoy. There is a new product, the gp32, that can run many different emulators and hence, many different system's games (including some PC games).
I can't say for sure what's going to happen but these are just a few ideas that I've had recently. Hopefully the games industry will continue to strive towards new heights with new and interesting game play, stories, characters and ideas. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the next few years.
Guns Dont Kill People - Videogames Do!
"Ban these evil games", "Videogame violence corrupting our nation's youth", "video games stole my husband". It seems everyday that the media are making more and more claims about the evils of videogames. But are these claims based on fact, or is it merely that there is a juicy new scapegoat out there that the woes of the world can be pinned on?
Many people will be aware of the Daily Mail's 'Manhunt' story by now. The paper ran with the first page headline of 'Ban these evil games', claiming that 17 year old Warren LeBlanc's obsession with the ultra-violent Rockstar game 'Manhunt' drove him to beat his 14 year old friend, Stefan Pakeerah, over 50 times with both a claw hammer and knife. The tabloid then proceeded to assert "the hammer-and-knife killing mirrored scenes in the ultra-violent game". The paper also ran a quote from the mother of the victim, saying that, despite the fact the game had an 18 certificate, "it's no good saying this game is marketed at adults. Everyone knows that young children get their hands on them."
But what was the real motive behind the murder, and the follow up story? It's easy to see where the motive for the Daily Mail's story came from. In the words of the panel of the IGDA (International Games Developers Association) "it was a slow news day". And what better to liven it up than blood, violence and a convenient scapegoat?
There are two other important facts to remember about this awful murder. Firstly, what do the police say? After the headline in the Daily Mail you may think that they came to the conclusion that it was the game that set Warren off on his murderous way. However the conclusion that the police arrived at is that the motive was robbery. It turns out that Warren Leblanc had, in actual fact, a £75 drugs fuelled debt to a local gang when he lured his erstwhile friend into the park that night, and originally intended merely to rob him. The police report makes no mention of 'Manhunt' whatsoever. This may be because the game was discovered in Stefan's room, rather than that of the killer. Both of these pertinent facts were absent from the Mail's front page the day this story ran.
And one must ask, how was it that Mrs. Pakeerah missed the fact her own 14 year old son owned this ultra-violent game, which he could only have acquired if an adult had purchased it for him.
"But is the game any good?" I hear you cry. Quite simply, no. 'Manhunt' is one of those games that are the key stumbling blocks in the path of truly adult games. Computer games are now reaching the point where mature themes, meaning detailed, involving stories that can deal with events in the real world, and portray realistic reactions to them, are becoming possible. Yet some developers insist on pouring out games that are aimed only at fuelling the testosterone driven adolescent fantasies of teenage sadists. When you consider tack like 'Manhunt' in the light of games like 'Half-Life 2', with its compelling narrative interwoven through beautiful, breathtaking scenery, you realise just how tawdry 'Manhunt' really is.
The consensus at the IGDA meeting this year was that the game was merely "a rubbish game with a layer of crunchy ultra-violence slapped on top". No doubt the loss of such a young child as Stefan Pakeerah was a tragedy in its own right, but the true tragedy here is twofold. Almost overnight the game, whose sales had been a mere trickle before, started flying off the shelves of those few shops who hadn't banned it, the concept of censorship lending the game a certain cachet. Even worse, in the words of Rob Fahey of the IGDA, is the way in which "the games industry 'close ranks' to defend it [Manhunt] when its an aberration compared to most games - do you see Stephen Spielberg defending hardcore porn films?"
There are many well-documented stories of the media blaming video games for the world's woes. They blame the twin-towers terrorist attack on Microsoft, who trained the pilots with their flight simulator software. They blame Doom for the shootings at Columbine High School, because the game where you openly flaunt weapons helped the boys secretively plan their murderous rampage. There is often claimed to be a direct link between the American sniper incident and videogames, because the target shooting skills of the sniper were developed from videogames, and nothing to do with the comprehensive rifle training he received from the US army. The simple truth is that it takes more than just games to transform ordinary people into murderers.
According to the tabloids we should currently be inundated by hordes of slavering, violence obsessed gamers. However as this plague has yet to develop maybe we should take what they are saying with a pinch of salt. When a game player unglues him (or her) self from the computer monitor and doesn't find a machine gun lying at their feet, the suspension of disbelief is broken. It takes planning and training to carry out acts like these. Saying that violent games turn people into killers is the same as saying that people exposed to Islam will become terrorists. There is no more violence in most games than there is in movies, or horror books. In fact even the U.S court of appeal wrote, "(the idea that) there is a strong likelihood that minors who play violent videogames will suffer a deleterious effect on their psychological health is simply not supported in record." In other words, videogames are not the cause of violence.
What this really comes down to is the parents, and the worldview that they impart onto their children. If the parents don't take the time to talk to their children explain to them right and wrong, then how will the child know what he or she should do? How many parents explain to their child that the game is not real; that in real life you can't do everything you can in the game? While violence sells it does not educate, and unfortunately in this day and age 'upbringing by Playstation' is becoming a more and more common phenomenon as parents' time constraints get the better of them.
All games have a strict rating system in place, called ESBN. This system is designed to prevent games from falling into the hands of minors, and yet often when a child is refused a game by the management the parent, even after the rating system has been explained to them, buys the game anyway. Parents need to be educated more about what they are buying, instead of buying whatever game the kids ask for; maybe they need to consider what they want their children to be seeing. Would you let a child of 12-14, or even younger, watch hardcore porn or an 18 rated movie? Then maybe you shouldn't let them play an 18 rated game. The stereotype that games are just for kids is badly out of date, and maybe it's time parents started to take more responsibility for what their children play on.
In every group there are a few who don't fit in with the social norm. Is it true that these people can be influenced by violent videogames? No doubt. But is this the root cause of their affliction? No. Books, movies, rough and tumble play; all of these blend reality and fiction. What people need to accept is that they must take responsibility for their own actions, and that maybe societies ills are rooted in larger problems than a small animated character shooting another small animated character.
Daniel Robson runs http://www.shock-therapy.org where he offers his own freeware, as well hosting freeware for Symbian UIQ 7.0 phones, especially the Sony Ericsson PX00 series.
Great Games Youve Never Played
Do you know what you're missing?
Some of the best computer games ever made are likely games you've never heard of. Created by individuals and small companies working in relative obscurity. They don't have million dollar budgets, some don't even have hundred dollar budgets. They don't have dedicated marketing departments, research analysts, sales teams, fancy offices, and cutting edge tools. They scrape together whatever tools they can, often discarded by the ultra rich game designers of big shiny game studios.
Making Miracles.
In spite of these deplorable working conditions, they create some of the most amazing games around. How do these game gems get created, and who are the miracle workers creating them. They're independent game designers. Sometimes called Indies for short. Working out of their bedrooms, garages, spare offices, and basements. They have a passion for what they do. They love games, they love the act of creation, and are relentlessly committed to their vision of what a game should be. They often build games they themselves would love to play. Simply because no one else will. These kind of games you won't find at the big box electronics store casting it's shadow over your end of town. These passionate Indies could care less what the marketing boys up on the 26th floor have to say about the latest game trends. Probably because their garages don't have 26 floors. They just know their love of games, and how much they enjoy playing.
Where do Indies come from?
Indie game developers come from all different areas. They're often former artists, programmers, or designers of some big name software companies. Maybe that quiet little programmer in that tiny corner cubicle dreams of being an Indie one day. Tired of the corporate rat race, and looking to express themselves creatively they become Indies. Some of been lucky enough to avoid the corporate avenue altogether and make a living doing what they love from the beginning. Regardless of their origins, they all have the passion and desire to create. To be able to put their name on something really great. They want to be recognized for their abilities and worth. But more than that, they want you to play their games, and have fun doing so.
Why are Indie games so good?
Indie games are good first and foremost, because they're fun. It's a game after all, and if it's not fun from the get go, then what's the point. They're also highly original, sometimes mainstream funny, sometimes just weird funny, sometimes morbid, sometimes creepy, and sometimes just downright gross. But, thats OK. Games should be a departure from the everyday. They should make you think in different, fantastic ways. So many big name games are just rehashed ideas done a thousand times before. Another sequel of the same old games from last year. Indie games are adventurous and risky. Indies take chances and devote their time to making something unique. So, take a look around, and try a few, till you discover the one that matches your own bizarre and fantastic interests.
About the author
Chris Campbell, is that quiet little programmer in the tiny corner cubicle harbouring dreams of an Indie life. He likes to surround himself with his gaming masterpiece and those of other Indies at his website http://www.SunAndGames.com
Computer Traumas
It has happened! Computer games have started to control my life on and off the screen. No complicated games like Age of Empires, just the simple one of Tetris. You know the one, where different shaped and colored bricks fall out of the sky and you have to arrange them in nice lines at the bottom? Hopefully with the end result of all colors matching in straight lines so that they can be removed and point gained.
Crazy really, it first happened many years ago when I had this stupid bet that I could get more points than the next guy. What that really means is that, "I am going to be up all night playing this game and will be totally incapable of staying awake in the office tomorrow, unless of course I play the game in the office as well". That's what computer games do to us. We become machines where food and sleep are secondary items to all else. Just keep on playing.............till you drop.
I managed to get through that episode with only a slight increase in my weight and a damaged back from not having moved anything else except my two fingers for a sustained period of time. The latest episode though has created havoc with my life in more ways than one and I am getting seriously worried about it.
I had been playing that game in the evening for around three hours and had then gone to bed early for a dreamless and normal sleep. All okay and expected you say? Well, the sleep was but when I drove to the office the next day things started to happen that rapidly woke me up to the danger that I was in. There I was in my blue car approaching the traffic lights when all of a sudden I swerved into the other lane thus ending up stopped neatly behind this other blue car. Behind me, confused and irritated drivers with green and red cars tooted their horns angrily wandering what this maniac was doing. But I? I was happy in that I had managed to get the colors arranged and all I needed was another blue car and then we could have a full line................oh, no, what is happening to me? I sat there for a while shivering as it dawned on me that I had entered the game itself, it had taken me over.........I was a brick!
Yeah, and that was not all. I found myself one afternoon staring inanely at a house wall and following the line of bricks along trying to sort out in my mind which pattern was best and which was not. And at my desk I found that I had arranged all files and papers in a neat pattern according to color and size having totally disregarded any format associated with the importance of in-going, outgoing, urgency, etc. Extremely worrying to say the least!
I have withdrawn from playing Tetris and other games of that sort hoping that I will stop having these off the screen episodes in real life. In the hope that I can return to a normal existence without having off-the-screen battles. Do other people suffer from this or is it just me?
The other game that I played to have a break from Tetris was "Prairie Dog". One of those annoying games where you have a choice of guns and dogs keep on appearing on the screen. Aim and fire being the next step. Bang, Bang, Bang, another dog bites the dust. Yes, I know, pathetic really, but great fun. Volume up full, there I would be furiously firing at any movement, reloading and starting again and the dogs would make a strangled sound as I hit them. But once again I one day realized that all was not well with me, as I used to sit on my balcony and take imaginary potshots at cars as they appeared on the road. Or in a busy street I would say "bang, bang" and pretend that I had cleared a path for myself through the crowds.
I played that other game Age of Empires many times to. Love that game as it takes s kill and thought as well as two fingers and rapid movement and I became extremely proficient at it as time went by. My computer often struggled to cope with the size of my army and the enemies that I faced. I would sit there for hours on end, maneuvering, shifting, attacking and withdrawing till the sun started to come up on the horizon. It would be then that I would force myself away and climb into bed only to resurface two hours later, make a large urn of coffee and re-attack with a vengeance. Although this game never caused me to start charging at other cars on the highways or lobbing screwed up notes at others in the office it did cause me to take a good look at myself.
What would happen if suddenly I started to do this sort of thing in real life? If I started to make deals with my neighbors to attack next door offices or ping elastic bands at the mail delivery boy? I've stopped playing games now and have become a serious and boring "been there, done that and cured myself" type of person. I do have long and empty hours where I feel the urge to take up where I left off and I get extremely jealous when others talk about games or I see others playing them but I resist. I think it must be like smoking where one never loses the urge to light up and take a draw ? just the one! No, No, I cannot! I now sit there and lecture others on the dangers of playing games and that they should stop before it is too late. And they? They just nod politely and then disappear to talk amongst themselves............."must be and ex-player", whisper, whisper, whisper.
About The Author
Author and Webmaster of Seamania. As a Chief Engineer in the Merchant Navy Ieuan Dolby has sailed the world for fifteen years. Now living in Taiwan he writes about cultures across the globe and life as he sees it.
Counter Strike, The Beginner of Broad Band PC Gaming
This is the world of 21st century, the century of technologies. Every thing is fast now a days and as far as the Computers and games are concerned, they are at the top of all. Every one these days like playing games and some of them love it. Well few years ago PC gaming was not so advance and usually was single user based and if any one wanted to play with any other player then one must have an extra input or any compatible playing device .
An era of new technology began after the entrance of Network gaming or Multiplayer gaming which revolutionized the PC gaming world.
The term of multiplayer gaming was that from now on if a person wants to play a certain game with any other person the he can easily connect to the other person's computer using broad band internet connection .
Usually before the arrival of Broad Band, games were played thorough Modem. This was perfect in those days as the games were not too heavy and only few packets of data are sent and received. However over the years this scene has changed greatly.
SWITCHING TO BROADBAND:
Now a days multiplayer games send and receive more data and therefore need faster protocol for sending and receiving data items. Amongst those of course is COUNTER STRIKE.
Few years ago when there was no concept of Broad Band, one would really be able to get anything faster than the ISDN connection. But today as compared to the past we have much greater availability and much greater broad band technology like DSL and Cable Modem as compare to normal dialup modem. So PC gaming has become very much advance and high quality games can be played at a very high speeds. Counter Strike is the most popular multiplayer game using Broad Band Connection. THE GAME :
Without any doubt it is the most popular game played over the years and is the modification of half life developed by Valve. It is FPS (First Person Shooter) type game and is totally action packed. The game is divided into two teams The Terrorist Forces and The Counter Terrorist Forces. The game is played on some Maps which have different locations and objectives. According to these Maps the Counter Terrorists and the Terrorist Forces assassinate/ Escapes, Hostages/ Rescues and diffuse bomb etc..
WEAPONS AND OTHER EQUIPMENTS:
Weapons armors and other equipment are very important parts of the game. There is a wide variety of different equipments like night vision, hand grenades and other pistols and guns. The player have to buy those stuff. In order to buy ammos and other equipments, player must be in a shopping cart area and more importantly have funds in his account.
There are a lot of small and big, simple and advance equipments available in Counter Strike pistols and sub machine guns are the main features of the game. Each Weapon is different from other. Thus all the Weapons and equipment gives a realistic touch to the game. Money management is one of the most important part of the game. Therefore by buying a particular equipment or weapon and using at the time when it is needed will take the player at the top of the game without any involvement of difficulty.
PLAYING THE GAME:
As there are two teams i-e Counter Terrorists and Terrorists. The player has option of either joining either of the team. A server is created by any player usually by the host and every player must join that server in order to play the game.
The Counter Terrorist look to eliminate the Terrorists completely or fulfill the map objectives while the Terrorist forces look to completely destroy the Counter Terrorists. Thus different Map have different challenges and strategies for each team.
When a player dies he is unable to continue playing until the whole round ends until the ending of the round the player enters a spectator mode which they are free to roam around throughout the map and check out all the remaining actions.
CONCLUSION:
It can be concluded in a way that Counter Strike will always have this privilege that it is the starter of the prefect broad band PC gaming which will lead to revolutionize the PC gaming world.
Hello
I m Fahad Ahmed Bashir the student of Software Engineering in department of computer science karachi university.
Mind Boggling Information About The Popular Bingo Game!
Have you ever considered mind boggling statistics of a BINGO GAME?
The bingo game is the most popular online game in the world! Bing Crosby's nickname as a child was "Bingo" Screeno, a form of the bingo game, was played in movie theaters during the Great Depression The casino game, Keno, is based on the bingo game Most online bingo players also like to play online slot machines A majority of bingo game players have a pet, most notably a cat In 1929, the bingo game reached North America, and became known as "Beano" The bingo game became popular in Australia in the early 20th century. It was known as Housie The bingo game's origin can be traced back to 1530, to an Italian lottery called "Lo Giuoco del Lotto D'Italia". It is still played every Saturday in Italy In the 1800s a Lotto game similar to the bingo game was used as an educational tool to teach German children multiplication tables Physical exercise will tone up the body, but a bingo game enhances the player's mental speed, observation skills and memory. Research shows that a bingo game keeps you in peak mental form. It provides an enjoyable social experience, too!
No one could live long enough to print every possible BINGO card? How is this possible?
In the BINGO game there are seventy-five numbers broken up into five groups of fifteen numbers each; B-1 thru 15, I-16 thru 30, N-31 thru 45, G-46 thru 60, and O-61 thru 75. The BINGO game card has five columns corresponding to the letters B-I-N-G-O. The bingo game player's card has twenty four numbers; five numbers pre-printed in four of the columns under the B-I-G-O and four numbers under the N. Calculating the total number of possible combinations yields the result that there exists 552,446,474,061,129,000,000,000,000. (That's 552-million-billion-billion or 0.5 quadrillion) possible BINGO game cards. There would be 111,007,923,832,371,000 sets of bingo game cards with 4,976,640,000 cards (almost 55 billion) in each set. Every card in each set would have the same twenty four numbers, but in a different arrangement on each card. If we presume that there are six billion people in the world today, it means that there are 92,074,412,343,521,400 bingo game cards for each and every person in the world. If you could print a million bingo game cards per second, it would take 17,505,972,382,599.7 years to print every possible BINGO game card. If you put four BINGO game cards on a standard 8-1/2 X 11 sheet of paper, and if you spread all of the BINGO game cards out over the surface of the earth, they would cover the earth to a depth of over 800 miles. If there were one million bingo game cards per inch of height, and all of the possible cards were put in one stack, the stack would extend for 1485 light-years. (A light year is 6-trillion miles.) Alpha Centuri, our nearest star beyond the Sun, is only 4 light-years away.
Here's some more proof.
You can have 120 different arrangements of five numbers under each of the four columns under the B, I, G, and O. You can have 24 different arrangements of the four numbers under the N. So, 120 times, 120 times, times 24, times 120, times 120 equals 4,976,640,000. That's the number of bingo game cards that could exist, all with the same twenty-four numbers, but just in a different arrangement on each card.
Doing the arithmetic then, there are 111,007,923,832,371,000 possible unique BINGO combinations where no two cards would have the same twenty four numbers. (That's 111-million-million.)
Ouch! All those numbers?Now my head hurts!
Contact: Nimal Shapathiar
support@bingofiles.com
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