Ok, I only have half an hour until I have to give up the internetz, so I have to write this quickly.
Everyone knows Wikipedia; it's awesome, democratic, easy to navigate, moderated and contributed to by consumers. Wikipedia rocks, and there are several other Wikis that are based off more specific subjects. Wiki leaks is a pretty well known example.
What I really want to talk about is the WoW Wiki and some impressive facts and figures about it. I could paraphrase the information, but instead I will copy and past because I want to go to bed.
WoWWiki has:
1,974,110 registered users.
80,959 content pages.
43,596 images.
Impressive, eh? It's the second biggest Wiki in the world!!!! (second to wikipedia).
There is a guild wars wiki and Chrono compendium. It's pretty awesome, and Wiki's are a great example of New new media changing the way we play games.
I love you all, Good night.
<3
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Saturday, April 3, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The gaming equivalent of paying for phone sex
This is just bizarre, but I suppose that there is a market for everything. A site called gamecrush allows gamers to pay for "play dates." These play dates are online gaming sessions with a game-sex operator. The user can choose for the girl to be flirty or to talk dirty to them. GameCrush charges $ 6.60 for a 10-minute session. In my personal opinion, this is just sad, and what's worse is that their servers are already full; 10,000 people signed up for the service within the first ten minutes of it being available.
The fact that this service is so successful only reinforces the worst gamer stereotypes, but on the plus side, girls who are willing to degrade themselves in this manner can make 30 bucks an hour, so I guess this will stimulate the economy somewhat.
I can't wait to see what the rest of the gaming blogosphere makes of this. That will probably be the subject of my next post.
The fact that this service is so successful only reinforces the worst gamer stereotypes, but on the plus side, girls who are willing to degrade themselves in this manner can make 30 bucks an hour, so I guess this will stimulate the economy somewhat.
I can't wait to see what the rest of the gaming blogosphere makes of this. That will probably be the subject of my next post.
Anti-gamer attorney journal resigns
One of the biggest proponents of the ban on mature games in Australia is resigning. Michael Atkinson has been the South Australia attorney general for twenty years, and he feels that it is time for a renewal in the government. He stated that another reason for his resignation is so that he could spend more time with his family. H didn't mention anything about the video game ban, but he did admit that he was wrong in proposing a law that would censor the internet, and there's an interesting video of him acknowledging the influence of bloggers on this site.
My brain is leaking out of my ears; this semester has really taken its toll. Pray for me.
My brain is leaking out of my ears; this semester has really taken its toll. Pray for me.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Facebook bans and Zombie marches
Things are pretty crazy in Australia. My last post discussed a political party that was formed by gamers, and they were running for elections. Since then, The ban on mature games has passed, and gamers are scrambling to change this. Some gamers formed a group named "Grow Up Australia" on Facebook. It seems that some members of the group were posting hateful comments about the South Australian Attorney General. As a result, Facebook removed the group page because the comments went against facebook's policies.
source
On a related note, Australian gamers are dressing up as zombies and marching in protest of the mature game ban. The protest is happening next week ( the site didn't give me a date), so that'll be pretty cool. It may or may not have happened already because there's a picture gallery up (maybe this is from a different zombie parade?) Anyway, the march is happening in Sydney, Australia.
peep game on the pics
P.S. Spring Break is killing me =\ so many papers to write.
source
On a related note, Australian gamers are dressing up as zombies and marching in protest of the mature game ban. The protest is happening next week ( the site didn't give me a date), so that'll be pretty cool. It may or may not have happened already because there's a picture gallery up (maybe this is from a different zombie parade?) Anyway, the march is happening in Sydney, Australia.
peep game on the pics
P.S. Spring Break is killing me =\ so many papers to write.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
The audience as editor.
While digging through my overwhelming Google-reader feed, I came across this little gem. It's called swords and sworcery (odd spelling), and it's absolutely beautiful. The video is just a demo, but there is something truly enchanting about this pixelated piece.
However, that's not what this post is about. What's really interesting here is the first comment left on the site.
However, that's not what this post is about. What's really interesting here is the first comment left on the site.
Gamer specific social networking sites.
I'm in the middle of midterm madness and barely have any time/energy to blog, but the show must go on.
Today's post is about GatheringofGamers.com and GamerDNA.com These sites are weird, not because they are gamer specific social networking sites, but because they're just unpleasant/overwhelming to look at.
Before I start bashing them, I should give you guys a little background. Gathering of Gamers works like a Myspace; you make a profile, upload pics, and add friends zZzZzZz. It seems that the purpose of this site is to help members find local gaming tournaments, but with only 5,346 members spread out around the country, I doubt this site has achieved much of that.The biggest problem with this site is that it's an eyesore. The colors, the layout, the stupid little mascot, yuck! Whoever designed this website needs to get fired. Aside from that, it's a young website and their goal is worthwhile I suppose. Hopefully, they can get organized, make their site prettier, and start attracting a decent number of people, but for now they are dead in the water. ( I'm a little cranky today)
Gamerdna.com is actually pretty cool, but it can be a little overwhelming. The design/color scheme is sweet and the site is much more polished. This site kind of works like Twitter, but there's a little more to it. When you first join, you are prompted to take this personality quiz based on the games you play. Your results determine the first 20 people that you will "follow". Following on Gamerdna is just like following on Twitter, and after you take the personality quiz you are free to follow any other gamer. Each person does get their own profile, but most of the action takes place in your homepage where all your "friends tweets" are displayed. This site boasts over 376,000 members and it seems to be growing daily, so it's actually worth checking out.
KK back to writing papers. Wish me luck =\
Today's post is about GatheringofGamers.com and GamerDNA.com These sites are weird, not because they are gamer specific social networking sites, but because they're just unpleasant/overwhelming to look at.
Before I start bashing them, I should give you guys a little background. Gathering of Gamers works like a Myspace; you make a profile, upload pics, and add friends zZzZzZz. It seems that the purpose of this site is to help members find local gaming tournaments, but with only 5,346 members spread out around the country, I doubt this site has achieved much of that.The biggest problem with this site is that it's an eyesore. The colors, the layout, the stupid little mascot, yuck! Whoever designed this website needs to get fired. Aside from that, it's a young website and their goal is worthwhile I suppose. Hopefully, they can get organized, make their site prettier, and start attracting a decent number of people, but for now they are dead in the water. ( I'm a little cranky today)
Gamerdna.com is actually pretty cool, but it can be a little overwhelming. The design/color scheme is sweet and the site is much more polished. This site kind of works like Twitter, but there's a little more to it. When you first join, you are prompted to take this personality quiz based on the games you play. Your results determine the first 20 people that you will "follow". Following on Gamerdna is just like following on Twitter, and after you take the personality quiz you are free to follow any other gamer. Each person does get their own profile, but most of the action takes place in your homepage where all your "friends tweets" are displayed. This site boasts over 376,000 members and it seems to be growing daily, so it's actually worth checking out.
KK back to writing papers. Wish me luck =\
Monday, March 8, 2010
Interview with Tim Troppoli from extralives.org!
For those of you who don't know, Tim is the mastermind behind extralives.org. This website hosts charitable video game marathons, and the work Tim and his team are doing is nothing short of ground-breaking. If you read my post on zeldathon, then you know that Tim is nothing short of heroic in my eyes, which is kind of odd since he's in higschool, and I'm a senior in college. Anyway, he was gracious enough to answer some questions.
In this interview, Tim shares his favorite games, what he wants to be when he grows up, his opinion on the mildly controversial "The only thing that I know video" (link below), and what marathons he has in mind for the future. Can you say 64 hours of Nintendo 64?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bold- Alphabet 1. Plain text- Tim Troppoli
What kind of potential do you see the use of video games to reach goals?
The sky’s the limit, really! I think video gaming marathons are very much like telethons, except the format caters to its medium. It’s safe to say that most people online have at least a slight interest in gaming, so it’s appropriate to have these marathons online.
Did you ever think you’d be a philanthropist?
Nope! I always tried to make a point to donate a little bit to charity or volunteer at soup kitchens every so often, but I never thought it’d develop into something like ExtraLives.org. It has been extremely rewarding and more entertaining (and likely more effective) than most of the community service projects I’ve taken part in.
Do you realize that you are a pretty successful one at that?
I’m still surprised that people take time out of their days to watch us play some video games! As long as a handful of people watch and donate, I consider a broadcast a success.
Aside from the popularity of the Zelda franchise, why do you think
Zeldathon was so successful?
Aside from the massive amount of support from Reddit (thanks again, guys!), I think some of it had to do with it being around the holidays and the charity we selected. Free the Children was very supportive of the Marathon and told me exactly what the money raised could support. I think it’s nice to know that the money is going to a specific project rather than just being thrown in a large pot to be used as the charity pleases.
What do you plan to do for the next one as far as ensuring success?
Well… I really don’t know! Almost all of our broadcasts have been more or less the same, format-wise (aside from the single-screened, two-screened alternations). We’re going to be raffling off another prize this time and stick with the dual-screened racing format. The next Marathon is entitled “64 Hours of the Nintendo 64” and we’ll be playing through our top 10 N64 games. The list of these, however, won’t be revealed before the Marathon, so hopefully that’ll keep people interested in watching.
Plus, I’m working on getting a very special guest to call in during the Marathon. One can’t think of the N64 without thinking of a certain kid from a certain home video…
What new goals are on the horizon?
I’ve just been raising the goals in $500 intervals (the first Marathon’s goal was $500, the second’s was $1,000, etc). Keeping with that tradition, the next goal will be $2,500 and we’ll raise it if the need arises.
What do you want to study?
I’m looking to major in biology in some way, shape or form.
What field do you see yourself working in?
I’m looking to do something in the field of biomedical research. Haven’t pinned down any specifics yet.
How has Zeldathon changed you? How has it changed the way you see
fellow gamers, or the gamer community in general?
I definitely appreciate the time and effort that goes into making a video game more after having spent many dozens of hours staring at them. There’s a lot to be said about something that can keep one’s interest for that long.
As for the gamer community, I was really blown away by everyone’s kind words and generosity. I never doubted gamers’ generosity in general, but I was pretty amazed that so many people watched a Zelda Marathon put on by a bunch of high school kids. That’s the power of the internet!
Are you a hometown hero? Do you feel as awesome as you are?
Hometown hero? Hah, not really. A lot of my classmates were surprised that hundreds of thousands of people on the internet tuned in to watch us play Zelda, though. I’m still trying to get over that myself—I never expected we’d be as successful as we were!
Do you have any other ideas for events involving video games and
charity?
Aside from the Marathons, nothing right now. I’m really pretty pleased with how our Marathons have worked out, so I haven’t been really trying to find an alternative to them quite yet. I’m always looking for ways to improve the broadcasts though, so there may one day be a change in the Marathon format.
What are your favorite games?
Up until our Legend of Zelda Marathon, I’d probably say the Legend of Zelda series… I’m a big fan of the Genesis-era Sonic games and the Metal Gear Solid series. Honestly, I’ll play nearly anything (even Superman 64, which I still regret).
Do you follow any other innovators who are taking gaming into new
directions/ fields? For example, the game overthinker.
Although I’ve never read any of the material from The Game Overthinker (or similar analytical editorials), I tend to read a lot of video gaming blogs and news sites so I can follow new games and general trends in video gaming. I’m always interested in seeing how people are pushing the envelope in terms of interactivity and gameplay!
The influence of games grows with every generation. Have you ever
considered what implications this might have for our society? What are
your thoughts on this subject?
I think entertainment as a whole may start moving toward something a bit more interactive. Take Heavy Rain, for example. It’s a game, but it’s also essentially an interactive movie. It tells a story, but lets the player decide how he wants to continue. While I don’t expect all of the elements of the game to be carried over into modern cinema (like the clunky exploring sections), I think the ability to make key decisions in the plot may be incorporated into other forms of entertainment. It gives the viewer more of a connection to the character and the plot as a whole.
Certain elements of MMORPGs will likely carry over into online social networking. The ability to create and customize a character based on one’s self will make online conversation more personal. It’s one thing to see a little picture depicting a person, but it’s completely another to see a model of them completely fleshed out in 3D.
Of course, video games can be applied to other uses outside of entertainment. Certain types of surgery, for example, rely on very precise machinery and robotics that are controlled via mechanisms similar to video game controllers. I also recall seeing an article a few years back saying that surgeons who played a certain video game before a surgery tended to perform better than those who did not play. Pretty neat!
Again, these are just a few things that I thought of on the top of my head. Technology is advancing so rapidly these days that it’s almost impossible to predict what will become the next big thing.
Have you seen the The Only Thing That I know video? What’s your take on
it?
Well, I guess I’d better pack up all of my consoles and stop broadcasting gaming Marathons!
In all seriousness, I think he’s really stretching the point a bit. I’ve played video games for many years and I don’t let them dominate my life. The author of that video seems to think that everyone who picks up a controller will immediately begin wasting away their lives (and increasing their waistlines) in front of a television screen. Perhaps that may have happened to him, perhaps he couldn’t control his video gaming addiction, but I’m certain most people have their priorities straight.
Video games are just another form of entertainment available to us. Some people watch television, some people amass large collections of DVDs, some people read books—I choose to play video games. Who’s he to say that one form of entertainment is superior to another?
I also laughed when he made a comment along the lines of “don’t let video games take away the best years of your life at the expense of all the greatness you can achieve.” Personally, I feel creating ExtraLives.org was one of the most fulfilling things I’ve done in my life so far and I only have video games to thank for it.
I have to say, he did make one good point: He was completely correct when, at the beginning, he stated that this video likely won’t change your ways. It certainly hasn’t.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Thanks for writing an article on us! I truly do appreciate it (and hope that sending the answers to all the questions off didn’t come too late).
Thanks for your time and keep doing your thing; you’re an inspiration =]
No problem— I appreciate it!
In this interview, Tim shares his favorite games, what he wants to be when he grows up, his opinion on the mildly controversial "The only thing that I know video" (link below), and what marathons he has in mind for the future. Can you say 64 hours of Nintendo 64?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bold- Alphabet 1. Plain text- Tim Troppoli
What kind of potential do you see the use of video games to reach goals?
The sky’s the limit, really! I think video gaming marathons are very much like telethons, except the format caters to its medium. It’s safe to say that most people online have at least a slight interest in gaming, so it’s appropriate to have these marathons online.
Did you ever think you’d be a philanthropist?
Nope! I always tried to make a point to donate a little bit to charity or volunteer at soup kitchens every so often, but I never thought it’d develop into something like ExtraLives.org. It has been extremely rewarding and more entertaining (and likely more effective) than most of the community service projects I’ve taken part in.
Do you realize that you are a pretty successful one at that?
I’m still surprised that people take time out of their days to watch us play some video games! As long as a handful of people watch and donate, I consider a broadcast a success.
Aside from the popularity of the Zelda franchise, why do you think
Zeldathon was so successful?
Aside from the massive amount of support from Reddit (thanks again, guys!), I think some of it had to do with it being around the holidays and the charity we selected. Free the Children was very supportive of the Marathon and told me exactly what the money raised could support. I think it’s nice to know that the money is going to a specific project rather than just being thrown in a large pot to be used as the charity pleases.
What do you plan to do for the next one as far as ensuring success?
Well… I really don’t know! Almost all of our broadcasts have been more or less the same, format-wise (aside from the single-screened, two-screened alternations). We’re going to be raffling off another prize this time and stick with the dual-screened racing format. The next Marathon is entitled “64 Hours of the Nintendo 64” and we’ll be playing through our top 10 N64 games. The list of these, however, won’t be revealed before the Marathon, so hopefully that’ll keep people interested in watching.
Plus, I’m working on getting a very special guest to call in during the Marathon. One can’t think of the N64 without thinking of a certain kid from a certain home video…
What new goals are on the horizon?
I’ve just been raising the goals in $500 intervals (the first Marathon’s goal was $500, the second’s was $1,000, etc). Keeping with that tradition, the next goal will be $2,500 and we’ll raise it if the need arises.
What do you want to study?
I’m looking to major in biology in some way, shape or form.
What field do you see yourself working in?
I’m looking to do something in the field of biomedical research. Haven’t pinned down any specifics yet.
How has Zeldathon changed you? How has it changed the way you see
fellow gamers, or the gamer community in general?
I definitely appreciate the time and effort that goes into making a video game more after having spent many dozens of hours staring at them. There’s a lot to be said about something that can keep one’s interest for that long.
As for the gamer community, I was really blown away by everyone’s kind words and generosity. I never doubted gamers’ generosity in general, but I was pretty amazed that so many people watched a Zelda Marathon put on by a bunch of high school kids. That’s the power of the internet!
Are you a hometown hero? Do you feel as awesome as you are?
Hometown hero? Hah, not really. A lot of my classmates were surprised that hundreds of thousands of people on the internet tuned in to watch us play Zelda, though. I’m still trying to get over that myself—I never expected we’d be as successful as we were!
Do you have any other ideas for events involving video games and
charity?
Aside from the Marathons, nothing right now. I’m really pretty pleased with how our Marathons have worked out, so I haven’t been really trying to find an alternative to them quite yet. I’m always looking for ways to improve the broadcasts though, so there may one day be a change in the Marathon format.
What are your favorite games?
Up until our Legend of Zelda Marathon, I’d probably say the Legend of Zelda series… I’m a big fan of the Genesis-era Sonic games and the Metal Gear Solid series. Honestly, I’ll play nearly anything (even Superman 64, which I still regret).
Do you follow any other innovators who are taking gaming into new
directions/ fields? For example, the game overthinker.
Although I’ve never read any of the material from The Game Overthinker (or similar analytical editorials), I tend to read a lot of video gaming blogs and news sites so I can follow new games and general trends in video gaming. I’m always interested in seeing how people are pushing the envelope in terms of interactivity and gameplay!
The influence of games grows with every generation. Have you ever
considered what implications this might have for our society? What are
your thoughts on this subject?
I think entertainment as a whole may start moving toward something a bit more interactive. Take Heavy Rain, for example. It’s a game, but it’s also essentially an interactive movie. It tells a story, but lets the player decide how he wants to continue. While I don’t expect all of the elements of the game to be carried over into modern cinema (like the clunky exploring sections), I think the ability to make key decisions in the plot may be incorporated into other forms of entertainment. It gives the viewer more of a connection to the character and the plot as a whole.
Certain elements of MMORPGs will likely carry over into online social networking. The ability to create and customize a character based on one’s self will make online conversation more personal. It’s one thing to see a little picture depicting a person, but it’s completely another to see a model of them completely fleshed out in 3D.
Of course, video games can be applied to other uses outside of entertainment. Certain types of surgery, for example, rely on very precise machinery and robotics that are controlled via mechanisms similar to video game controllers. I also recall seeing an article a few years back saying that surgeons who played a certain video game before a surgery tended to perform better than those who did not play. Pretty neat!
Again, these are just a few things that I thought of on the top of my head. Technology is advancing so rapidly these days that it’s almost impossible to predict what will become the next big thing.
Have you seen the The Only Thing That I know video? What’s your take on
it?
Well, I guess I’d better pack up all of my consoles and stop broadcasting gaming Marathons!
In all seriousness, I think he’s really stretching the point a bit. I’ve played video games for many years and I don’t let them dominate my life. The author of that video seems to think that everyone who picks up a controller will immediately begin wasting away their lives (and increasing their waistlines) in front of a television screen. Perhaps that may have happened to him, perhaps he couldn’t control his video gaming addiction, but I’m certain most people have their priorities straight.
Video games are just another form of entertainment available to us. Some people watch television, some people amass large collections of DVDs, some people read books—I choose to play video games. Who’s he to say that one form of entertainment is superior to another?
I also laughed when he made a comment along the lines of “don’t let video games take away the best years of your life at the expense of all the greatness you can achieve.” Personally, I feel creating ExtraLives.org was one of the most fulfilling things I’ve done in my life so far and I only have video games to thank for it.
I have to say, he did make one good point: He was completely correct when, at the beginning, he stated that this video likely won’t change your ways. It certainly hasn’t.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Thanks for writing an article on us! I truly do appreciate it (and hope that sending the answers to all the questions off didn’t come too late).
Thanks for your time and keep doing your thing; you’re an inspiration =]
No problem— I appreciate it!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Blogosphere immersion
Yeah, I'm in. I'm in the blogosphere. I finally understand what it means to be part of this restless network. It's a tumultuous sea of information that continues to rise, fall, crash, and ebb whether you are part of it or not. It's extremely satisfying to know that writing a post can make ripples on the surface of this sea, but what really feels great is seeing these ripples turn to waves that bounce back to you.
3 simple yet profound events that represent this rebound of influence happened recently. The first one is self explanatory; my blog inspired someone else to start a blog. Actually, "motivated" might be a more accurate word to use, but it doesn't sound as cool.
The person I'm talking about mentioned that he had been wanting to start a blog for a while and finally got around to it after seeing one of my links on Reddit. What's really cool is that I've never met this person, and we would probably never have any kind of influence on each other if it wasn't for blogging.
Basically, my minor disturbance of the blogosphere got someone else to start making their own bit of turbulance, and this person will probably influence someone else to do the same. It reminds me of brain synapses firing and stimulating each other, which leads me to my next "simple yet profound" event.
My last post was about the popularity of video game music. In that post, I raised the question, "should video game music be considered a genre?" The response to this question was varied, but I have to admit that the blogosphere proved me wrong, and I don't mind that at all. The exchange of opinions that occurred as a result of my blog post was stimulating, fun, and edifying. See for yourselves
The third event is also related to my last blog post. it was a simple comment, but it really represents how conducive blogging is to the spreading and sharing of news and ideas. My reader wrote,
"I love video game music. Music can really make or break any kind of media. Came across this right after reading your post...
http://kotaku.com/5484422/rumor-square-enixs-music-division-shuttered
Pretty sad, Final Fantasy music is top notch."
I think the comment explains what I'm getting at. This post is long enough as it is, so I'll just wrap it up here. Blogging is cool.
3 simple yet profound events that represent this rebound of influence happened recently. The first one is self explanatory; my blog inspired someone else to start a blog. Actually, "motivated" might be a more accurate word to use, but it doesn't sound as cool.
The person I'm talking about mentioned that he had been wanting to start a blog for a while and finally got around to it after seeing one of my links on Reddit. What's really cool is that I've never met this person, and we would probably never have any kind of influence on each other if it wasn't for blogging.
Basically, my minor disturbance of the blogosphere got someone else to start making their own bit of turbulance, and this person will probably influence someone else to do the same. It reminds me of brain synapses firing and stimulating each other, which leads me to my next "simple yet profound" event.
My last post was about the popularity of video game music. In that post, I raised the question, "should video game music be considered a genre?" The response to this question was varied, but I have to admit that the blogosphere proved me wrong, and I don't mind that at all. The exchange of opinions that occurred as a result of my blog post was stimulating, fun, and edifying. See for yourselves
The third event is also related to my last blog post. it was a simple comment, but it really represents how conducive blogging is to the spreading and sharing of news and ideas. My reader wrote,
"I love video game music. Music can really make or break any kind of media. Came across this right after reading your post...
http://kotaku.com/5484422/rumor-square-enixs-music-division-shuttered
Pretty sad, Final Fantasy music is top notch."
I think the comment explains what I'm getting at. This post is long enough as it is, so I'll just wrap it up here. Blogging is cool.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Is Video game music a genre?
Has anyone described video game music as their favorite genre? I’m sure some people have, but the idea of video game music even being a genre is probably inconceivable to anyone who isn’t an avid gamer. However, this genre is skyrocketing in popularity.
If you want proof, you wont find it in the sales record for game soundtracks, so how can we gauge video game music’s popularity?
Well, one quick search on Youtube should be enough to convince you. You can look for the oldest, most obscure game, and I promise that an obsessive fan has uploaded every song from that game. Have you ever heard of Kid Icarus? Neither have I, and with good reason; this game is 2 years older than I am. In spite of that, the music to this game has attracted over 20,000 views, 64 comments, and 1 video response.
Let’s compare that to a popular game. The Halo theme song has 1.2 million views, over 3,000 comments, and 5 video responses.
Youtube also has the nifty feature of letting you create and share play lists; this has allowed gamers to compile their favorite songs. Ranked play lists are pretty common, and they are usually sorted into categories. These categories can be as broad as “top 100 video game songs ever” or as specific as “top 5 video game songs that made me cry once.”
The popularity of this music can easily be attributed to the skill of the composers, but we cannot ignore the feeling of nostalgia evoked by the tracks. The fact that gamers heard these songs for hours on end while experiencing memorable virtual events definitely helps their popularity.
My personal play list has 171 of my favorite video game tracks. Video game composers replaced my favorite bands a while ago.
Although this phenomenon is not widely recognized, the time will come when video game music will be considered a legitimate genre
If you're into music (all kinds), social media and short, insightful, and informative posts, then you should check out Post-Record.
If you want proof, you wont find it in the sales record for game soundtracks, so how can we gauge video game music’s popularity?
Well, one quick search on Youtube should be enough to convince you. You can look for the oldest, most obscure game, and I promise that an obsessive fan has uploaded every song from that game. Have you ever heard of Kid Icarus? Neither have I, and with good reason; this game is 2 years older than I am. In spite of that, the music to this game has attracted over 20,000 views, 64 comments, and 1 video response.
Let’s compare that to a popular game. The Halo theme song has 1.2 million views, over 3,000 comments, and 5 video responses.
Youtube also has the nifty feature of letting you create and share play lists; this has allowed gamers to compile their favorite songs. Ranked play lists are pretty common, and they are usually sorted into categories. These categories can be as broad as “top 100 video game songs ever” or as specific as “top 5 video game songs that made me cry once.”
The popularity of this music can easily be attributed to the skill of the composers, but we cannot ignore the feeling of nostalgia evoked by the tracks. The fact that gamers heard these songs for hours on end while experiencing memorable virtual events definitely helps their popularity.
My personal play list has 171 of my favorite video game tracks. Video game composers replaced my favorite bands a while ago.
Although this phenomenon is not widely recognized, the time will come when video game music will be considered a legitimate genre
If you're into music (all kinds), social media and short, insightful, and informative posts, then you should check out Post-Record.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Interview with Josh Harmon from Quarterdown.com
A few months ago, a Redditor by the username of Jorsh started a thread inviting fellow Redditors to join him in creating a gaming website that would challenge the conventions of current gaming sites. Jorsh's real name is Josh Harmon, and this thread was the seed from which Quarterdown.com has sprouted.
Josh emphasized that he wanted the content of his site to not only be different and innovative, but substantial as well. To reach this goal, he would need the help of capable and inspired writers. I, for one, doubted that Quarterdown would ever come into fruition, but what I've seen this site accomplish during its short existence has surpassed my expectations, and will hopefully continue to do so.
I wanted to know how Josh accomplished this, so I asked =]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bold=Alphabet 1. Plain text= Josh Harmel
How hard was it to find the right people?
Fairly difficult, honestly. Soliciting volunteer work for a site that doesn't exist yet may sound glamorous, but it's really a lot of trudging through writing samples and trying to pick out people with potential, even hidden potential. There's a difference between having good ideas and being able to express them coherently, and there's also a difference between being a talented writer and having anything new to say about games. Finding people who had both wasn't easy.
Do any of you guys know each other in RL?
No, but some of the writers are already building a great rapport. I think you'll be seeing a podcast sometime in the near future. We're either going to go for something that's super entertaining and humorously analytical or a 6 hour weekly discussion of pixel shaders.
What characteristics were you looking for in your team members?
Well, I think I already covered that above, but again: I wanted someone who had a unique perspective on games and a talented writer. A good sense of humor helped, as well.
Do all of you have writing backgrounds, or is there an editor that makes sure every post is comprehensible?
Some of us have writing backgrounds, though none of us in an overtly professional sense. My background's in academic writing, but I have some training in political journalism as well. We've got a few people who work in the industry, and other people who come from a purely enthusiast standpoint.
I edit all the posts myself to ensure that they're presentable from a punctuation and grammar standpoint, and I'll occasionally solicit some further changes from the writer to improve flow and readability.
What is the biggest challenge of working with people over the internet?
Deadlines. I don't have the hard-edge 1970s journalism advantage of calling employees into my office, shouting about deadlines, and then sexually harassing my secretary. Times are changing.
Seriously, though, organizing everything over the internet across 6 or 7 different time zones can be a bit of a challenge, especially because I can't always get a hold of my writers when I need them.
Do you have any specific goals for this site?
Well, ideally, I'd like us to develop into a sort of side-dish to the bigger, news oriented sites. The signal to noise ratio there is so high that I think it drowns out a lot of genuine discussion. In terms of concrete things we're going to work on in the near future, we're going to be doing everything we can to empashize community and produce a wider variety of content. We're adding a forum as soon as we can implement it, which will be a good place for the sorts of discussions that don't fit well into comments.
What was your inspiration?
Just a general distaste for how rare original, thoughtful content was on the bigger gaming sites. Though if the night before launch was any indication, I also owe a great deal the fine people at Red Bull.
Who designed the site's layout? It rocks.
I mocked something up along these lines Photoshop, with a general sort of palette and layout, and then I sent it off to Ibrahim, one of our developers, who did some sort of voodoo that made it actually work and look better. It was really a collaborative process for how things developed from there.
Clearly, this site shows how much potential the gamer community has. Have you had any other ideas for way of harnessing this potential?
Well, they're top secret at the moment, but I'll tell you that one of them has something to do with man-sized hamster balls.
Thanks for your time and humor, Josh. I wish you and the rest of the staff at Quarterdown.com the best.
Josh emphasized that he wanted the content of his site to not only be different and innovative, but substantial as well. To reach this goal, he would need the help of capable and inspired writers. I, for one, doubted that Quarterdown would ever come into fruition, but what I've seen this site accomplish during its short existence has surpassed my expectations, and will hopefully continue to do so.
I wanted to know how Josh accomplished this, so I asked =]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bold=Alphabet 1. Plain text= Josh Harmel
How hard was it to find the right people?
Fairly difficult, honestly. Soliciting volunteer work for a site that doesn't exist yet may sound glamorous, but it's really a lot of trudging through writing samples and trying to pick out people with potential, even hidden potential. There's a difference between having good ideas and being able to express them coherently, and there's also a difference between being a talented writer and having anything new to say about games. Finding people who had both wasn't easy.
Do any of you guys know each other in RL?
No, but some of the writers are already building a great rapport. I think you'll be seeing a podcast sometime in the near future. We're either going to go for something that's super entertaining and humorously analytical or a 6 hour weekly discussion of pixel shaders.
What characteristics were you looking for in your team members?
Well, I think I already covered that above, but again: I wanted someone who had a unique perspective on games and a talented writer. A good sense of humor helped, as well.
Do all of you have writing backgrounds, or is there an editor that makes sure every post is comprehensible?
Some of us have writing backgrounds, though none of us in an overtly professional sense. My background's in academic writing, but I have some training in political journalism as well. We've got a few people who work in the industry, and other people who come from a purely enthusiast standpoint.
I edit all the posts myself to ensure that they're presentable from a punctuation and grammar standpoint, and I'll occasionally solicit some further changes from the writer to improve flow and readability.
What is the biggest challenge of working with people over the internet?
Deadlines. I don't have the hard-edge 1970s journalism advantage of calling employees into my office, shouting about deadlines, and then sexually harassing my secretary. Times are changing.
Seriously, though, organizing everything over the internet across 6 or 7 different time zones can be a bit of a challenge, especially because I can't always get a hold of my writers when I need them.
Do you have any specific goals for this site?
Well, ideally, I'd like us to develop into a sort of side-dish to the bigger, news oriented sites. The signal to noise ratio there is so high that I think it drowns out a lot of genuine discussion. In terms of concrete things we're going to work on in the near future, we're going to be doing everything we can to empashize community and produce a wider variety of content. We're adding a forum as soon as we can implement it, which will be a good place for the sorts of discussions that don't fit well into comments.
What was your inspiration?
Just a general distaste for how rare original, thoughtful content was on the bigger gaming sites. Though if the night before launch was any indication, I also owe a great deal the fine people at Red Bull.
Who designed the site's layout? It rocks.
I mocked something up along these lines Photoshop, with a general sort of palette and layout, and then I sent it off to Ibrahim, one of our developers, who did some sort of voodoo that made it actually work and look better. It was really a collaborative process for how things developed from there.
Clearly, this site shows how much potential the gamer community has. Have you had any other ideas for way of harnessing this potential?
Well, they're top secret at the moment, but I'll tell you that one of them has something to do with man-sized hamster balls.
Thanks for your time and humor, Josh. I wish you and the rest of the staff at Quarterdown.com the best.
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Dying Dream.
I came across something this weekend that nearly made me cry. This website pulled my heart strings like Slash standing outside a chapel in the desert. The content of this site is a video game theory concerning one of the monuments of my childhood memories, Final Fantasy VIII. My heart string of fond memories quivers at the thought of this game.
The theory itself is an interpretation of the events, dialogue, and imagery of the game. It takes the characters' motives and personalities into consideration, and it provides a logical conclusion to a game with an abstract ending. I think video games are our generation's literature, and as the medium progresses, so will the intricacy of the stories. Naturally, seeing FFVIII being treated like literature made my heart string of hope and optimism resonate passionately. Ok, I'll stop with the cheesy metaphors.
In a nutshell, the fantastic events after the first disc actually take place in Squall's mind during his dying moments. The events are a projections of his hopes, desires, and of questions he wants answered. Rahul Choudhury and Diedra Rater, the people who came up with this theory offer a lot of evidence to uphold their views. Even if you disagree, it is worth checking out.
Another aspect of this that I find really exciting is the comments section. Currently, there are 459 comments on the page. The conversations taking place are pretty intense, and both sides (those that agree and those that disagree) offer logical arguments. There are a few trolls, but that is to be expected. Overall, this theory is stimulating intellectual discussion in the gaming community, and it is fostering the critical analysis of video games.
in case you missed the hyper link, http://squallsdead.com/
The theory itself is an interpretation of the events, dialogue, and imagery of the game. It takes the characters' motives and personalities into consideration, and it provides a logical conclusion to a game with an abstract ending. I think video games are our generation's literature, and as the medium progresses, so will the intricacy of the stories. Naturally, seeing FFVIII being treated like literature made my heart string of hope and optimism resonate passionately. Ok, I'll stop with the cheesy metaphors.
In a nutshell, the fantastic events after the first disc actually take place in Squall's mind during his dying moments. The events are a projections of his hopes, desires, and of questions he wants answered. Rahul Choudhury and Diedra Rater, the people who came up with this theory offer a lot of evidence to uphold their views. Even if you disagree, it is worth checking out.
Another aspect of this that I find really exciting is the comments section. Currently, there are 459 comments on the page. The conversations taking place are pretty intense, and both sides (those that agree and those that disagree) offer logical arguments. There are a few trolls, but that is to be expected. Overall, this theory is stimulating intellectual discussion in the gaming community, and it is fostering the critical analysis of video games.
in case you missed the hyper link, http://squallsdead.com/
Sunday, February 21, 2010
UK Gamers' Plot To Stick It To The Man
April 13th will soon be as notorious as the 5th of November. Ok, I'm exaggerating again, but hear me out.
In case you don't know, DRM (digital rights management) is a term used to described technologies that impose limitations on the use of digital goods, such as games, music, and movies. DRMs are meant to prevent or curb the piracy of these goods, but the DRMs that are being used in games are a nuisance to most gamers since they interfere with game play.
Ubisoft, a large game development company, is the target for most of the complaints concerning DRMs. The gaming blogosphere takes a strong stance against DRM's, and a clever plan to get their point across is underway. As proposed by SavyGamer, the plan is for UK gamers to order Assassin's Creed 2, leave it in the shrink-wrap when it arrives, and return it on April 13th, citing the DRM as the reason for the return. Ubisoft may not listen to us as individuals, but it will listen to the complaints of the game retailers when they receive a bunch of returns because of DRMs.
This plan can be adapted for any country, but only the UK seems to be involved in the April 13th DRM Assasination.
For more info, check Savygamer and Negative gamer.
In case you don't know, DRM (digital rights management) is a term used to described technologies that impose limitations on the use of digital goods, such as games, music, and movies. DRMs are meant to prevent or curb the piracy of these goods, but the DRMs that are being used in games are a nuisance to most gamers since they interfere with game play.
Ubisoft, a large game development company, is the target for most of the complaints concerning DRMs. The gaming blogosphere takes a strong stance against DRM's, and a clever plan to get their point across is underway. As proposed by SavyGamer, the plan is for UK gamers to order Assassin's Creed 2, leave it in the shrink-wrap when it arrives, and return it on April 13th, citing the DRM as the reason for the return. Ubisoft may not listen to us as individuals, but it will listen to the complaints of the game retailers when they receive a bunch of returns because of DRMs.
This plan can be adapted for any country, but only the UK seems to be involved in the April 13th DRM Assasination.
For more info, check Savygamer and Negative gamer.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Bayonetta, or A reminder That Sex Sells.
For once, a game is being made into a controversy, not by mainstream media (yet), but by gamers themselves. All the buzz about Bayonetta focuses on the extreme sexuality of the game. I can't remember the last time that sex and games were discussed with such fervor; it seems as if everyone with a gaming blog has devoted as least one post to this game.
Some of the opinions out there are really interesting.
Yahtzee from Zero punctuation thought the sexuality was "shameless" and criticized the ridiculous anatomy of Bayonetta. He described her as " a pencil stuck through two grapes."
Landry from elder-geek saw it as a form of "Sexcapism", and he makes an interesting observation about glasses-wearing protagonists.
Movie Bob, the game overthinker, spends over 9 minutes discussing the history of sexuality in games and comes to the conclusion that Bayonetta is the first female character to pull of the "sexuality as a means of empowerment" angle.
Gamegirl seems to agree with Movie Bob, praises Bayonetta femininity, and says the game is beautifully made.
I think the outlandish sexuality of this game is a crude, but effective marketing strategy. Games like GTA have shown that even negative press will help promote sales, and the makers of Bayonetta definitely picked up on that. I highly doubt that this game was designed this way to fit some artistic vision, or to empower women; it was made this way because controversial themes get people talking, and word of mouth is still the best kind of advertising there is.
I know I'm contradicting the title of this post, but, in the long run, controversy will out sell sex every time.
Some of the opinions out there are really interesting.
Yahtzee from Zero punctuation thought the sexuality was "shameless" and criticized the ridiculous anatomy of Bayonetta. He described her as " a pencil stuck through two grapes."
Landry from elder-geek saw it as a form of "Sexcapism", and he makes an interesting observation about glasses-wearing protagonists.
Movie Bob, the game overthinker, spends over 9 minutes discussing the history of sexuality in games and comes to the conclusion that Bayonetta is the first female character to pull of the "sexuality as a means of empowerment" angle.
Gamegirl seems to agree with Movie Bob, praises Bayonetta femininity, and says the game is beautifully made.
I think the outlandish sexuality of this game is a crude, but effective marketing strategy. Games like GTA have shown that even negative press will help promote sales, and the makers of Bayonetta definitely picked up on that. I highly doubt that this game was designed this way to fit some artistic vision, or to empower women; it was made this way because controversial themes get people talking, and word of mouth is still the best kind of advertising there is.
I know I'm contradicting the title of this post, but, in the long run, controversy will out sell sex every time.
Swedish army team building game
Wow, this is super addictive/ hard/ cool. I just had to share this with you guys.
http://team.forsvarsmakten.se/english/
http://team.forsvarsmakten.se/english/
Confessions of a Bummed-out Gamer.
" I was alone, overweight, and divorced."
This is the story that CirrusEpix shares in his video The Only thing That I know. The video was posted on Youtube a few weeks ago, and it has caused quite a stir. Apparently, the only things CirrusEpix knows is that video games ruined his life.
He blames video games for the thousands of dollars he wasted on them, and the countless hours and experiences he will never get back. He claims that gamers are fine giving up their real lives for simulated ones that are full of depression and loneliness.
There is some truth to what he says, but he is also making a gross generalization. I would argue that most gamers aren't depressed and lonely, but there are extreme cases, such as that of CirrusEpix, where people lose control of their lives and suffer the consequences.
The ultimate flaw of this video is that he blames games for his own lack of self control. Can you imagine an obese person making a video that blames food for his condition? Well, this video is pretty much the same thing. Although video games are particularly awesome and engaging, to let them take over your life and essentially ruin it shows that you have some mental weakness, or even a disorder.
For some people, this message might be exactly what they needed to hear, and who knows how many compulsive gamers were impacted by this video in a positive way. It just bugs me that we are all thrown under the umbrella of " lonely and full of depression." Also, he claims that video game experiences are "not real." He is just downright wrong in this aspect. See my experience post.
CirrusEpix does amend his message by saying that "healthy gamers don't dwell on the games, but embrace the community." So, at least he realizes that there is a difference between a compulsive video game addict and a person who loves video games.
here's the link to the video.
This is the story that CirrusEpix shares in his video The Only thing That I know. The video was posted on Youtube a few weeks ago, and it has caused quite a stir. Apparently, the only things CirrusEpix knows is that video games ruined his life.
He blames video games for the thousands of dollars he wasted on them, and the countless hours and experiences he will never get back. He claims that gamers are fine giving up their real lives for simulated ones that are full of depression and loneliness.
There is some truth to what he says, but he is also making a gross generalization. I would argue that most gamers aren't depressed and lonely, but there are extreme cases, such as that of CirrusEpix, where people lose control of their lives and suffer the consequences.
The ultimate flaw of this video is that he blames games for his own lack of self control. Can you imagine an obese person making a video that blames food for his condition? Well, this video is pretty much the same thing. Although video games are particularly awesome and engaging, to let them take over your life and essentially ruin it shows that you have some mental weakness, or even a disorder.
For some people, this message might be exactly what they needed to hear, and who knows how many compulsive gamers were impacted by this video in a positive way. It just bugs me that we are all thrown under the umbrella of " lonely and full of depression." Also, he claims that video game experiences are "not real." He is just downright wrong in this aspect. See my experience post.
CirrusEpix does amend his message by saying that "healthy gamers don't dwell on the games, but embrace the community." So, at least he realizes that there is a difference between a compulsive video game addict and a person who loves video games.
here's the link to the video.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Back to Communication
If you've read my post on communication, you should already be well versed with my theories explaining why we love to discuss games so much.
I ran into an example of this on Reddit the other day, and I wanted to share it with you guys. This instance of gamer communication isn't extravagant or eye opening, but it is solid, and the subject matter hits close to home.
The title of the thread is " I just started playing FF Tactics, and it's kicking my ass..." As soon as I read this, I smiled to myself. FFT is a notoriously difficult game, and I remember many bittersweet nights that provided me with entertainment and glory as well as grief and frustration. The fact that over 70 comments were made on this thread shows that this experience was shared by many fellow gamers.
The inspired and passionate discussion that followed was full of tricks and techniques that the original poster could use. The complexity of these strategies showed that some of these gamers spent a little too much time on this game, but it also shows how engaging this game was.
This discussion sparked many others. People started sharing links to mods, they discussed other worthy games, they ranted and reminisced about their own unique experiences, and they expressed their love for this game.
The thread was full with amorous quotes such as:
"I have utterly destroyed this game about half a dozen times, and this thread is making me crave playing it again."
"I WOULD KILL for a good browser-based multiplayer focused version of this game." [LOL]
"Oh my god do I love Final Fantasy Tactics. It may be my favorite game of all time."
This thread was posted on sunday (valentines day/ coincidence?). The game in question came out in January, 1998. For most of us, 1998 seems like yesterday, but it was 12 years ago.
Gamers truly hold their gaming experiences close to heart, and their passion for games can be quickly re-sparked by something as simple as a thread titled " I just started playing FF Tactics, and it's kicking my ass..."
I ran into an example of this on Reddit the other day, and I wanted to share it with you guys. This instance of gamer communication isn't extravagant or eye opening, but it is solid, and the subject matter hits close to home.
The title of the thread is " I just started playing FF Tactics, and it's kicking my ass..." As soon as I read this, I smiled to myself. FFT is a notoriously difficult game, and I remember many bittersweet nights that provided me with entertainment and glory as well as grief and frustration. The fact that over 70 comments were made on this thread shows that this experience was shared by many fellow gamers.
The inspired and passionate discussion that followed was full of tricks and techniques that the original poster could use. The complexity of these strategies showed that some of these gamers spent a little too much time on this game, but it also shows how engaging this game was.
This discussion sparked many others. People started sharing links to mods, they discussed other worthy games, they ranted and reminisced about their own unique experiences, and they expressed their love for this game.
The thread was full with amorous quotes such as:
"I have utterly destroyed this game about half a dozen times, and this thread is making me crave playing it again."
"I WOULD KILL for a good browser-based multiplayer focused version of this game." [LOL]
"Oh my god do I love Final Fantasy Tactics. It may be my favorite game of all time."
This thread was posted on sunday (valentines day/ coincidence?). The game in question came out in January, 1998. For most of us, 1998 seems like yesterday, but it was 12 years ago.
Gamers truly hold their gaming experiences close to heart, and their passion for games can be quickly re-sparked by something as simple as a thread titled " I just started playing FF Tactics, and it's kicking my ass..."
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Update on foiled shooting
In my last blog I shared the story of the school shooting that was being planned, but was luckily prevented thanks to Xbox live. I found another article that had a little more information about it.
Monday, February 15, 2010
School shooting plot foiled by online gamer
The details are a little fuzzy right now, but there is some buzz on the web about a Canadian gamer who reported a gamer from San Antonio because he was sharing his plans to shoot up his school and kill several classmates, which he mentioned by name. This all happened while the two were playing an "unspecified team-based game online" on x-box live.
Canadian authorities worked together with Microsoft to track down the gamer from San Antonio ( that's in Texas), and he has been arrested.
That's all the info that has been released for now, but I will definitely try to follow up on this story. As always, I'm fascinated to see some event in the virtual world have quantifiable effects on meat world. In this case, the effect can be measure in human lives.
Although this bit of news should be regarded as positive, I can't help but feel a little sick to my stomach when I think about kids that are so depressed and so damaged inside that they have no qualms about taking a human life.
These gamers were probably playing Call of Duty, or some other first person shooter, and while I would never blame a game for some for turning people into desensitized murderers, I would not say they are blameless either...but I'm going to save that for another post.
Source
Canadian authorities worked together with Microsoft to track down the gamer from San Antonio ( that's in Texas), and he has been arrested.
That's all the info that has been released for now, but I will definitely try to follow up on this story. As always, I'm fascinated to see some event in the virtual world have quantifiable effects on meat world. In this case, the effect can be measure in human lives.
Although this bit of news should be regarded as positive, I can't help but feel a little sick to my stomach when I think about kids that are so depressed and so damaged inside that they have no qualms about taking a human life.
These gamers were probably playing Call of Duty, or some other first person shooter, and while I would never blame a game for some for turning people into desensitized murderers, I would not say they are blameless either...but I'm going to save that for another post.
Source
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
We should have seen this one coming...
It seems like common sense now, but I'm still surprised at the news that Wii-fit related injuries are becoming so common that they have their own nicknames.
Wii-itis (LOL) started withe the use of the Wii-mote; doctors describe it as something similar to tennis elbow. Some cases have even led to stretched or torn ligaments, but these injuries aren't as serious as the ones that have been related to the Wii balance board.
Wii- knee, the least serious of balance board related injuries, is caused by erratic bending of the knees while playing games. I don't know at what difficulty these people are playing at, or how old they are, but dislocated knee caps have occurred during gameplay.
Falling off the balance board has led to head injuries, dislocated bones, and one case of traumatic hemothorax (bleeding around the lungs). As serious as this sounds, it's also hilarious. I'm surprised that there isn't a report for the number of injuries cause by accidentally wacking your friends over the head during a heated match of DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 3. (click this link if you want to laugh)
Will this lead to diminishing sales for the Wii? maybe you'll think twice before giving grandma a balance board for her birthday, but I highly doubt that people stop playing the Wii because they might catch "Wii-itis." Any kind of physical activity has the potential to injure you, so this shouldn't be a shocker. In fact, people love to take risks, so this might actually boost Wii sales.
I actually see this as further proof that virtual world and meat world are becoming more integrated. I'll expand on the possibilities on another post =]
Oh yeah, got to share my sources. Check the original article.
Wii-itis (LOL) started withe the use of the Wii-mote; doctors describe it as something similar to tennis elbow. Some cases have even led to stretched or torn ligaments, but these injuries aren't as serious as the ones that have been related to the Wii balance board.
Wii- knee, the least serious of balance board related injuries, is caused by erratic bending of the knees while playing games. I don't know at what difficulty these people are playing at, or how old they are, but dislocated knee caps have occurred during gameplay.
Falling off the balance board has led to head injuries, dislocated bones, and one case of traumatic hemothorax (bleeding around the lungs). As serious as this sounds, it's also hilarious. I'm surprised that there isn't a report for the number of injuries cause by accidentally wacking your friends over the head during a heated match of DBZ Budokai Tenkaichi 3. (click this link if you want to laugh)
Will this lead to diminishing sales for the Wii? maybe you'll think twice before giving grandma a balance board for her birthday, but I highly doubt that people stop playing the Wii because they might catch "Wii-itis." Any kind of physical activity has the potential to injure you, so this shouldn't be a shocker. In fact, people love to take risks, so this might actually boost Wii sales.
I actually see this as further proof that virtual world and meat world are becoming more integrated. I'll expand on the possibilities on another post =]
Oh yeah, got to share my sources. Check the original article.
Monday, February 8, 2010
The american response to "Hand-egg".
Disclaimer: this post has nothing to do with the topic of this blog, but it is so worth sharing.
A while ago, someone put up a picture that shows why American football should be called "hand-egg," and it's actually pretty funny.
Recently, someone posted a comeback to this pic on Reddit. I give you "WTF bizarre stick-ball."
enjoy!
A while ago, someone put up a picture that shows why American football should be called "hand-egg," and it's actually pretty funny.
Recently, someone posted a comeback to this pic on Reddit. I give you "WTF bizarre stick-ball."
enjoy!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
My Heroes =]
What do the words “extra lives” mean to you?
Most gamers would think of a green 1-up mushroom or a similar life-giving icon. Even if you’re not a gamer, the meaning of the words “extra” and “lives” implies something very positive.
Most gamers would think of a green 1-up mushroom or a similar life-giving icon. Even if you’re not a gamer, the meaning of the words “extra” and “lives” implies something very positive.
I’m sure that Tim Troppoli had this in mind when he decided to name his organization Extra Lives.
“WTF* is Extra Lives?” I asked myself as I clicked on a link that was advertising a The Legend of Zelda marathon.
Around new years, a group of gamers began broadcasting themselves playing through various Zelda titles. The marathon was to last 80 hours.
Like most people, I found this endeavor amusing, but, ultimately, it seemed like a ridiculous waste of time; it was something I would never do.
There was one redeeming factor, though. These guys were accepting donations for a charity called Free the Children. The initial goal was $2,000.00 and, at this point, they were just over $500.00.
The fact that they’d raised $500.00 by playing video games was impressive enough, but I doubted that they would be able to reach their goal. However, even during this initial state of skepticism, I noticed that the chat room of the site was buzzing with people encouraging, reminiscing, making jokes, and giving advice to the players; they were also donating. I knew I’d stumbled unto something worth following up on.
When I checked the site later that night, I was shocked to see that they had almost reached their goal. The chat room was pushing for the goal to be increased, and I couldn’t comprehend what the hell was going on.
Why were so many people so eager to give their money to this website that was essentially just broadcasting a group of friends playing video games?
The best answer I can come up with is that the combination of nostalgia brought on by the game, the sense of community that was fostered in the chat room, and the benevolence of the goal over-powered the hearts of the viewers and turned them into frenzied philanthropists.
I watched in awe as goal after goal was met, and finally they passed the $12,000.00 mark, enough for Free The Children to build and furnish a school in a developing nation.
It’s been over a month now, and I’m still dumb struck with admiration. Extralives.org is an amazing organization. They not only inspired this blog post, they inspired my whole blog and my passion for analyzing the gamer community. Did I mention that these guys are in high school?
I can’t wait for the opportunity to start my own game marathon for a charitable cause, and I can’t wait to see what the gamer community will do next.
Extra Lives
Extra Lives
WTF= what the fudge (I try not to curse)
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Fair Game, by Michael Bywater.
I just came across an excellent article that was published in "The New Humanist" and submitted to eurozine. It's pretty much my first two blog posts in one, but I honestly think my posts are written better. Still, it's worth checking out.
I'm glad that established writers are addressing these issues, and that I'm not the only one that thinks of games this way.
I'm glad that established writers are addressing these issues, and that I'm not the only one that thinks of games this way.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Update on Australia
Thanks to Reddit, word about a new petition regarding the rating of games is quickly spreading. EB games, the country's largest video game retailer, started the petition when they realized that there was so much support for changing the censorship laws.
I suspect that EB games became aware of this movement through the many social media outlets that gamers use. ( my blog being one example =])
Over 50,000 people have responded to the petition, and an overwhelming 84% want the law changed. The Australian government is actually accepting submissions to a discussion paper on their site, and it seems like change is inevitable.
Hopefully, this case of censorship will soon be a thing of the past.
If you'd like to see the news article, click here.
To see the discussion on Reddit, click here.
For the Australian governments discussion page, click here.
Have a great weekend everyone!
I suspect that EB games became aware of this movement through the many social media outlets that gamers use. ( my blog being one example =])
Over 50,000 people have responded to the petition, and an overwhelming 84% want the law changed. The Australian government is actually accepting submissions to a discussion paper on their site, and it seems like change is inevitable.
Hopefully, this case of censorship will soon be a thing of the past.
If you'd like to see the news article, click here.
To see the discussion on Reddit, click here.
For the Australian governments discussion page, click here.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Interview With Raidon04, the Shenmue 3 Facebook campaign starter.
SEGA has expressed a willingness to resurrect the Shenmue series, but only if they can get an exclusivity deal. Although Shenmue 1 and 2 are highly praised, the games didn’t sell as well as SEGA hoped.
I couldn’t agree more with Raidon’s responses, and his campaign is a shining example of what the gamer community can be/achieve.
What’s interesting about the Shenmue franchise is how passionately the fans have been campaigning to let SEGA know that they demand a third installment. There are several campaigns out there, but one of the more dynamic ones is the Shenmue III Facebook campaign.
These 3,681 fans have made their own trailers, promos, and have done a few hilarious stunts to get SEGA’s attention. The group has been around for over 4 years. (I need a fact check on that >.>)
I got a chance to ask Raidon04, the founder, a few questions regarding the latest tease from SEGA.
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GamerBabel: Ok, so Sega has just announced that it would make a Shenmue III. Naturally, fans everywhere are rejoicing with renewed hope.
How do you feel about the big news of SEGA actively trying to find funds for a new Shenmue installment?
Raidon04: Well having actively campaigned for the release for quite some time, I have become rather skeptical of any indefinite news coming from SEGA. Over the past few years SEGA has commented on Shenmue on the possibility of a new sequel a few times. The campaign has been rigorous and non-conceding with many members contacting SEGA to enquire directly. Any news from SEGA has always been of obscurity with no definite response. This news can be taken with optimism or indeed it can be received like a Red Herring, I try and retain the former.
GamerBabel: With over 3,600 members and a bunch of different initiatives taken over the years, how much influence do you think your specific group had in this turnaround? Does SEGA know the name of Raidon04?
Raidon04: I think the group has been rather effective in spreading a reminiscence, thus rekindling peoples' minds of the pleasures of the game. Both this group and a few other smaller Shenmue campaigns have been proactive in taking different initiatives to pressure Sega to look back on the Shenmue saga. Some of the campaigns have been rather comedic and fun such as the 'show sega the money' scheme which asked fans to photograph themselves composed in Shenmue-like character outfits with their money showing willingness of purchase. Whilst other schemes ranged from toy-capsule mailing to SEGA as well as emails. We have heard responses from SEGA, with as always; obscurity. The group continues to grow and creates further popularity upon the net thus ever increasing the probability of that golden question being brought upon in SEGA interviews. So I do believe in the group's effectiveness. SEGA has received contact from me and have returned the favour. Other prominent former and current employees of SEGA have also been contacted and returned the gesture including famously the voice actors of Shenmue but no definite answer has been answered in any queries from myself. What has been clear although is the willingness of the voice actors to reprise their roles.
GamerBabel: When you started this campaign, did you expect the kind of response you have gotten from people?
Raidon04: I had faith in the group’s effectiveness of course. Although skepticism was an occasional issue due to financial failings of the games but I did not let that perturb me in establishing the group and advertising the campaign accordingly. The online petition, which has been in circulation for the last few years, was testament to the popularity of the game due to the copious amount of signatures, which at the time had a total of around 20,000.
GamerBabel: In general, are you impressed with the gamer community's ability to mobilize and bring about change in the world?
Raidon04: (laughs) Yes I do believe that the gaming community has a very influential amount of control. The video game industry has opened many new avenues within education, employment and has affected culture, journalism and the Entertainment Industry as a whole. I think the amount of opportunities and pleasure that such has established is indeed a good thing, but like most things in life; 'Too much of a good thing can be bad'. As long as the industry does not become too excessive, as the larger it will become the more regulation will be incorporated.
GamerBabel: Any extra thoughts you'd like to share with us?
Raidon04: I have always viewed games not merely as an engrossing entertainment, but as an aesthetic creation. Many games in the industry are beautiful creations of art with resplendent graphics, exquisite music and effulgent story lines. I think too many people play games merely for the enjoyment of the self whilst overlooking the aptitude of artistry put in the game. I think recognizing and appreciating the game forms even more captivation, and its something we should all do more as gamers.
GamerBabel: Thanks, for your time Raidon, and best of luck with the campaign.
I couldn’t agree more with Raidon’s responses, and his campaign is a shining example of what the gamer community can be/achieve.
Sadly, SEGA’s wavering stance on Shenmue has led to many fans becoming skeptical, but all of us still hope to take on the role of Ryo Hazuki and continue the adventure!
For the original article, click here.
That’s all for this post. Keep an eye out for the next one ;D
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
WoW more important in China than Google
Going off of my last blog post, which highlighted the political activism that gamers were demonstrating in Australia, I would like to bring up the recent conflict that Google faces in China.
Basically, Google threatened to pull out of China because it has been the target of many cyber attacks. 384 million people use Google in china, but there were no complaints from them; nobody cared.
To them, Google is just a search engine, and it is just as good as the other ones available.
What’s really interesting is how this quarrel compares to the WoW fiasco of last year. Sometime around June 2009, WoW went off-line because of some shady government bureaucracy that I don’t really understand, but the important thing is that close to 40,000 gamers were actively protesting until WoW was finally brought back.
Although some may see this behavior as obsessive, Gamers are passionate about their games, and they have learned that working together makes them a force to be reckoned with (pardon the cliché).
If you want to know more about Google’s situation in China, click here.
To catch up on what happened last year with WoW, click here.
=]
Saving the world without confronting the final boss.
Classics like Double Dragon and Contra introduced the world to co-op gaming. These intense games emphasized teamwork, and showed gamers everywhere that there is strength in numbers.
The satisfaction derived from clearing a level, beating a boss, or completing a game is usually exhilarating, and being able to experience this with your friends made victory that much sweeter.
Whether we realize it or not, these games were teaching us a valuable skill. As I’ve said before, the ability to work with others in pursuit of a common goal defines the influence of a community, and gamers practice teamwork quite often.
It’s no wonder then that we see the gaming community making its mark in the fields of philanthropy, policy making, and economics. For the sake of brevity, I’ll stick to one recent example of gamers influencing Australian policy.
The Australian government received a lot of criticism a few months back when its plans to censor the Internet were announced. Citizens protested in various ways, but nothing really came of it. Now the Australian government is attempting to prevent games with adult ratings from being sold.
What ever is a gamer to do? Well, if forming your own political party and preparing to run in elections against established politicians seems ludicrous, then you are not an Australian gamer.
The gaming community formed the Games 4 Croydon party, and they are preparing for elections that will be held March 20. How is that for teamwork? Of course, we still don’t know if they will be successful, but if we look at gamer statistics, such as the average age of the Australian gamer (30), we can get an idea of how strong their voting power is.
I’ll certainly be blogging about the results as soon as they I know them. Keep an eye out for that post ;D
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The importance of "gamer-talk"
Communication is key. How may time have you heard that cliché? Well, that’s because it’s true. It’s common knowledge that communication is vital to community; they even share the same etymological lineage.
The importance of communication is so obvious, that we often take it for granted. Hopefully, by the end of this blog I will have articulated something worthwhile about communication and its relation to video games.
So, the purpose of communication is to transfer info from one entity to another. I use the word “entity” instead of “person” because the number of people sending or receiving the information can vary. I’m sure I don’t have to describe the different possible scenarios.
Most humans love to transfer information from one entity to another; People love to communicate, and we have created many innovative ways to do so, but we’ll get to that on another post. The question I want to address is what do people love to “communicate” about? (Even though it’s doesn’t accurately encompass the meaning, I will now be using “talk” interchangeably with “communicate”.)
Common topics of conversation include the weather, work, politics, sports, and movies. Out of these examples, I would say that some people get genuinely excited when discussing sports, movies, or even celebrity gossip.
A good political discussion can be very stimulating, but most of these are negative in nature, revolve around complaints or disagreements about an administration, party, or politician, and usually create a divide between people. Politics are a necessary evil; video games exist out of their own merit.
Arguably, conversations about video games are the most exciting, passionate, and engaging kinds of conversation. Just yesterday, some co-workers and I were in a conference room waiting for a meeting to start, and the subject of video games came up. We discussed everything from FPS’ to RPG’s, we reminisced on the days of Street Fighter II, and we lamented the fact that our busy lives hindered the amount of time we could spend with our favorite games.
I’m reminded of the Pringles slogan whenever video games come up in conversation. (Once you pop, you can’t stop)
I was browsing Reddit after work, and I was surprised to see that the very same Street Fighter match we talked about before the staff meeting had been posted on the site and was sitting pretty on the front page. This was a huge coincidence, but another thing that was huge was the amount of communication that this one link was generating.
Over 1,500 people voted on the submission, and 447 comments were posted at the time of this writing. This video is 3 years old. Man, people really do LOVE talking about video games.
A good example of what most video game conversations look like can be seen here. (notice the twinkle in their eyes as they speak fondly of their favorite past time)
IN CONCLUSION, the strength of the gaming community relies heavily on the fact that gamers love to talk about games.
IN CONCLUSION, the strength of the gaming community relies heavily on the fact that gamers love to talk about games.
In my next blog, I’ll make a list of the different topics that gamers talk about, and the different ways they do so. J/K, I forgot I needed to talk about common goals first ;D
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
What sets gamers apart?
The word community gets thrown around a lot, and has been defined and redefined so many times that it has almost lost its meaning. According to Wikipedia, there were 94 definitions of "community" by the 1950's.
Just so we're all on the same page, I'm going to list the most important facets of the gaming community.
-Mutually Shared experiences
- Communication
- Common Goals
For now, I will focus on mutually shared experiences.
When sociologist defined "mutually shared experiences," I doubt they had the simulated experiences of video games in mind, but the events that take place in the kingdom of Hyrule, on Shadow Moses island, and after the crash of The Pillar of Autumn are more than simple simulations; they are memorable and engaging adventures that have a lasting impact on gamers.
When you come across someone who has had the same gaming experiences, a bond is formed and nostalgic conversation is sure to follow. I'm sure that all the readers who recognize the references in the previous paragraph feel some level of affinity towards me as a direct consequence of having played, and maybe even loved, the same games.
Most people in our society have seen the same movies, watched the same TV shows, or heard the same songs, and it is true that people can relate to each other through these experiences, but video games are on another level. (pun intended =])
The biggest difference between video games and other forms of entertainment is the amount of personal investment involved in playing and completing a game.
For starters, movies, music, and shows are transient and partly independent of the audience; they require only minimal input from the user. A game, on the other hand, will not play itself. Games require cognitive and physical involvement from the audience. Many late nights were spent trying to beat "free bird" on expert, and a sore wrist was usually the consequence thereof.
Games also require more financial investment. TV shows, music, and movies are cheap compared to video games, which now cost an average of $60.00 a game and over $300.00 a console . Even in terms of illegal downloading, video games are much harder to find, download, and operate than other types of media.
Finally, games require much more temporal investment. Games can take anything from 20 to 120 hours of game-play to complete, and good games are usually played more than once. I've lost count of how many times I've played my favorite game, Star Ocean: the second story.
So, even though other forms of entertainment can be considered mutually shared experiences, and they can create a sense of community, they cannot compare to video games in terms of personal investment; therefore, the bonds formed by video games are much stronger, and this is evident in the camaraderie of the gaming community.
A good example of the power of video game experiences is the recent release of New Super Mario Brothers. Consider that in this age of cinematic graphics, jaw dropping visuals, and complex yet intuitive games, this fairly simple 2d side-scroller is close to being the fastest selling game of all time.
I've played the game, and it is downright awesome, but I suspect that the real reason the game is selling so well is its nostalgic factor. The original Mario games were amazing for their time, and the chance to relive and updated version of these experiences is what is driving consumers to buy New Super Mario Brothers in record numbers.
Super Mario Bro's games were some of the first to gain worldwide success. I remember playing Super Mario as a kid in Colombia. Playing this game is a common experience for kids in the U.S, Japan, and other parts of the world. If you've played Super Mario games, you have taken part in a mutually shared experience with people all around the globe.
This experience was so influential that, 25 years later, we are forking out 50 bucks for a chance to save the princess all over again, and this remake is strengthening the ties of the gaming community by providing another mutually shared experience that bridges the gap between first generation gamers and younger gamers who missed out on the original.
For more on New Super Mario Bro's, check out wirebot.com
My next blog will examine communication and video games, or how gamer-talk unites and defines us.
Just so we're all on the same page, I'm going to list the most important facets of the gaming community.
-Mutually Shared experiences
- Communication
- Common Goals
For now, I will focus on mutually shared experiences.
When sociologist defined "mutually shared experiences," I doubt they had the simulated experiences of video games in mind, but the events that take place in the kingdom of Hyrule, on Shadow Moses island, and after the crash of The Pillar of Autumn are more than simple simulations; they are memorable and engaging adventures that have a lasting impact on gamers.
When you come across someone who has had the same gaming experiences, a bond is formed and nostalgic conversation is sure to follow. I'm sure that all the readers who recognize the references in the previous paragraph feel some level of affinity towards me as a direct consequence of having played, and maybe even loved, the same games.
Most people in our society have seen the same movies, watched the same TV shows, or heard the same songs, and it is true that people can relate to each other through these experiences, but video games are on another level. (pun intended =])
The biggest difference between video games and other forms of entertainment is the amount of personal investment involved in playing and completing a game.
For starters, movies, music, and shows are transient and partly independent of the audience; they require only minimal input from the user. A game, on the other hand, will not play itself. Games require cognitive and physical involvement from the audience. Many late nights were spent trying to beat "free bird" on expert, and a sore wrist was usually the consequence thereof.
Games also require more financial investment. TV shows, music, and movies are cheap compared to video games, which now cost an average of $60.00 a game and over $300.00 a console . Even in terms of illegal downloading, video games are much harder to find, download, and operate than other types of media.
Finally, games require much more temporal investment. Games can take anything from 20 to 120 hours of game-play to complete, and good games are usually played more than once. I've lost count of how many times I've played my favorite game, Star Ocean: the second story.
So, even though other forms of entertainment can be considered mutually shared experiences, and they can create a sense of community, they cannot compare to video games in terms of personal investment; therefore, the bonds formed by video games are much stronger, and this is evident in the camaraderie of the gaming community.
A good example of the power of video game experiences is the recent release of New Super Mario Brothers. Consider that in this age of cinematic graphics, jaw dropping visuals, and complex yet intuitive games, this fairly simple 2d side-scroller is close to being the fastest selling game of all time.
I've played the game, and it is downright awesome, but I suspect that the real reason the game is selling so well is its nostalgic factor. The original Mario games were amazing for their time, and the chance to relive and updated version of these experiences is what is driving consumers to buy New Super Mario Brothers in record numbers.
Super Mario Bro's games were some of the first to gain worldwide success. I remember playing Super Mario as a kid in Colombia. Playing this game is a common experience for kids in the U.S, Japan, and other parts of the world. If you've played Super Mario games, you have taken part in a mutually shared experience with people all around the globe.
This experience was so influential that, 25 years later, we are forking out 50 bucks for a chance to save the princess all over again, and this remake is strengthening the ties of the gaming community by providing another mutually shared experience that bridges the gap between first generation gamers and younger gamers who missed out on the original.
For more on New Super Mario Bro's, check out wirebot.com
My next blog will examine communication and video games, or how gamer-talk unites and defines us.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Redefining Gamer.
Video games have been around for a few decades, and their popularity increases every year in spite of their negative portrayal in the news and the stereotypes that they're associated with. Fortunately,these stereotypes are disappearing as the industry becomes more mainstream.
Video games are the fastest growing entertainment industry, and statistics show that 60% of Americans play video games, while 95% of teenage boys and 90% of teenage girls partake in some type of gaming. (Source arstechnica and Grabtstats.)
The term “gamer” cannot be limited to any demographic, and to refer to someone as a gamer would be akin to labeling them a movie watcher, or a music listener. Yes, I’m exaggerating, but gamers are quickly becoming the vast majority of the population, and the impact that this relatively young sub-culture has on our society becomes more palpable by the day. However, numbers alone do not give a group any substantial authority. It is the ability to form a strong and cooperative community that truly determines a group’s influence in society.
Gamers have formed vast online communities and are adept at utilizing all types of media to communicate and coordinate their actions. A group with these characteristics can significantly influence the world around them. When gamers mobilize in support of a cause, the outcome is usually impressive, if not record breaking. These causes can be entrepreneurial, charitable, political, or just for the sake of entertainment.
The purpose of Gamer Babel is to report, analyze, and explore the gaming community’s remarkable ability to make a difference in a range of fields, to promote the growth of this community, and to increase the participation of gamers by informing them of the many worthy causes that the community has taken up.
In my next blog, I will break down the aspects of an effective community, and how they apply to gamers.
Some recent examples of the gaming community in action can be seen at Kotaku.com
Video games are the fastest growing entertainment industry, and statistics show that 60% of Americans play video games, while 95% of teenage boys and 90% of teenage girls partake in some type of gaming. (Source arstechnica and Grabtstats.)
The term “gamer” cannot be limited to any demographic, and to refer to someone as a gamer would be akin to labeling them a movie watcher, or a music listener. Yes, I’m exaggerating, but gamers are quickly becoming the vast majority of the population, and the impact that this relatively young sub-culture has on our society becomes more palpable by the day. However, numbers alone do not give a group any substantial authority. It is the ability to form a strong and cooperative community that truly determines a group’s influence in society.
Gamers have formed vast online communities and are adept at utilizing all types of media to communicate and coordinate their actions. A group with these characteristics can significantly influence the world around them. When gamers mobilize in support of a cause, the outcome is usually impressive, if not record breaking. These causes can be entrepreneurial, charitable, political, or just for the sake of entertainment.
The purpose of Gamer Babel is to report, analyze, and explore the gaming community’s remarkable ability to make a difference in a range of fields, to promote the growth of this community, and to increase the participation of gamers by informing them of the many worthy causes that the community has taken up.
In my next blog, I will break down the aspects of an effective community, and how they apply to gamers.
Some recent examples of the gaming community in action can be seen at Kotaku.com
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Looks amazing. The pixel art is fantastic."