Why We Play Games, Part 3
In part 2 of this series we took a look at Creative Expression and Escapism, two significant motivators of the common gamer. The week before that, we covered Challenge and Competition. This week we have a look at Socialization and try to tie it all together. Social interaction is a subject on which we gamers take a fair bit of static from our non-gaming peers. Sometimes this is because they mistake...
October 28th, 2009 by mr.know it all
Why We Play Games, Part 1
There exists some ephemeral quality that separates gamers from the rest of humanity, some thing that makes us, us and them, not us. I’ve never been able to quite put my finger on it, but it is inescapably there. Today, in hopes of moving closer to that essential quality of gamerosity, we examine part of what makes us tick. In particular, we take a look at what draws different types of gamers...
October 28th, 2009 by mr.know it all
Why We Play Games, Part 2
Last week we started to get into the motivation of the gamer. We discussed challenge and its ugly stepsister competition, two of the most common motivators. Today, we look at two more on the way to forming an overall model for what moves us. Perhaps less common than the first two motivators, creativity is nonetheless an important driving force in the gamer psyche. Though at first gaming doesn’t...
October 28th, 2009 by mr.know it all
The Pros And Cons Of Online Video Game Rental Companies
Many other review websites may tell you that the online rental game clubs are anything but inadequate, just like any other company or system ever concieved, there are a few drawbacks. Although online rentals are a huge step in the right direction for video game rentals and storefront rentals, the drawbacks are few and far between. Let us take a look at them below: Pros: 1. Online video rentals offer...
October 26th, 2009 by mr.know it all
Whats Going To Be The Video Game News For 08?
Even if the PS3 came out with a bit of a slow start in 2007 don’t let that fool you… the PS3 is just gearing up for a great year with some expected hot releases. Here’s a rundown of three games coming out in ’08.. EA’s NFL Tour, Free Radical Design’s HAZE, and Konami’s Coded Arms Assault. NFL Tour Coming from EA Sport’s BIG division is what can be considered...
October 26th, 2009 by mr.know it all
The Top 10 Sports Video Games Of All Time
There have been hundreds of sports video games throughout the years. In less than forty years we’ve gone from Pong to MLB 2K6 for the Xbox 360. But the evolution of games hasn’t always meant better games. Just because a game has flashier interfaces and better graphics, it doesn’t necessarily make for good gameplay. That’s the reason that many PS2 and Xbox games are doomed to linger in discount...
October 25th, 2009 by mr.know it all
Choosing A Video Game System: Which One Is Best For Kids?
In the old days, choosing a video game system for children wasn’t all that hard. After all, parents didn’t have to worry about games carried by systems like Atari (there was nothing threatening about Pac-Man or Space Invaders). Today, however, with the proliferation of games with mature content available on games supported by the major system manufacturers, parents want to know which...
October 24th, 2009 by mr.know it all