Can Video Games Have a Positive Effect on Life?

[ad_1]

"Dude, I just got pwned by Kt, can you rez me so I do not have to run back from the graveyard?" Does this sentence make any sense to you? Perhaps not, but to millions of online gamers, it makes complete sense. Online games, also known as MMORPGs (Massive Multi-player Online Role-Playing Games), allow people to play together online from anywhere in the world. All you need is internet service, the game, and you are "g2g" (good to go).

There have been many articles over the past decade on the destructive effects of video games and especially MMORPGs. Parents and spouses of gamers complain about the negative effects of video games all the time. But what about the positive effects of online games? I know what you're thinking "how can there be anything positive about playing video games?" The online games are more than just players running around shooting things. Online games are actual communities where people connect with each other via in-game chat, or form guilds (like a cyber club within the community) and even hook up and fall in love. I have years of experience being involved in these online communities and I can tell you that these people do more than just shoot things. For many people, these online games are the only social network they have available to them due to disabilities of one kind or another. Many of these people can not leave the house without difficulty, if at all, and so the online gaming community is the closest thing they have to connecting with people outside of their family. One woman, "Sue", has cancer of the spine and plays from her hospital bed. Another player, "Joe", is on permanent life-long disability due to a serious work injury that limits his mobility. The online community helps these people stay connected with others and keeps them from living a life of solitude.

Not only is it an active communication network for individuals who have little or no access to other people, but it also can bring families together. I know husbands and wives in real life who "quest" together in games. I even know a family of four who play MMORPGs, with all of them on their own computer in the living room, and all playing together. Playing interactively together makes family time more meaningful than sitting around watching television or a DVD.

Another positive effect of MMORPGs is that the games are devised where you need to work together with other players to complete quests. This means that players have to interact with each other and learn to work together to get something accomplished.

Video games and MMORPGs are also good workouts for the brain, unlike watching television which is a passive activity and does not really engage the brain. Research shows that keeping the brain active is one of several factors in decreasing the chance of a person getting Alzheimer's-games like word teasers, cross-word puzzles, video games-anything that makes you think instead of being passively entertained.

Video games and MMORPGs are like most other activities in life. You need to have moderation when playing games, just like moderation in the amount of hours you watch television, or moderation in your food portions, or moderation in whatever habits and hobbies you might have. The MMORPG communities are a viable way to connect with people from all over the world, or even within your own back yard.

© 2010 Elizabeth Duvall

[ad_2]

Source by Lisa Duvall

Why Is Computer Gaming So Popular?

[ad_1]

People can do lots of things for fun, there are plenty of board games, sporting activities that individuals can play, but why is it that computer gaming is the most popular form of entertainment?

Especially for teenagers, computer gaming is their first choice when it comes to hobby and past times. Here are some lists of reason why there are lots of people are into playing these computer games:

* Challenge

Due to seeking for a great battle or challenge, teens found the best challenge not only a challenge for their body but a challenge for their minds. Computer gaming can help an individual to enhance their mental ability and to practice analyzing situations in order for them to win that specific battle game.

* Pleasure

Some individuals are playing PC games to have pleasure. A pleasure when they win a specific game and a pleasure to be recognize by other people that at some point of their life they are great on one matter and that is by playing computer games.

* Escape from reality (escapism)

Escaping from reality is one of the most popular and highly used defense mechanism of the individuals. Usually, a person who plays pc games are the one who has lots of problems deep inside them so they prefer to play this computer games in order for them to express what they really feel and for them to escape from reality.

* Keeping the relationship

Some of the gamers are usually influenced by their friends to play some online games, and due to peer pressure especially for teens they tend to follow what's the majority says. So, as time goes by they will play this specific computer games together with the people who influences them and later on they will get used in playing and will get attach to play this game with their friends. Playing computer games will be their bonding time with each other.

* Hobby or past time

Mostly people who gets addicted to gaming will make this computer gaming their hobby or past time. And as an expert of this game they will influenced other people to play this specific game also. Mostly people who treats gaming as their hobby are the one who loves to have challenge and wants to measure their ability to think and to analyze some situations in order for them to win the battle.

[ad_2]

Source by Wilhelmina Thomas

How to Play Video Games Responsibly

[ad_1]

First off, I will admit that I was once a video game addict. It first starts when you buy your first console. A person, especially children, will play their game systems for hours on end when they first acquire a gaming system. At first, this seems like no big deal, but this 'game binging' develops into something far worse.

As new gamers progress, they begin to make time for video games. An example of this would be setting a time to finish homework so that a game could be played. Tip number one is: NEVER make time to play a video game. Let down time be time to play video games. If you let the game create its own time in your life, you are in essence allowing it to take over.

MMORPGs are perhaps the most addictive of video games. You can spend hours playing WoW or Runescape, but never actually get to the level or place you wanted to. This leads to overplaying and in turn addictive behavior. Tip number two is: Set reasonable in-game goals in order to maintain a positive experience and also keep your time under control.

When you have everything under control with gaming, it will not feel like a job, but rather a pastime or hobby. You will feel no huge desire to play because it is no big deal to you.

When all is said and done, if you still have a feverish addiction to gaming, my solution is: just become a video game tester or get a job within the industry. Game testers are not considered addicts because they work within the industry. You do not even have to be a pro or master to become one. They get paid well as you progress through the gaming industry and gain experience. Why not try it out if you have an uncanny penchant for gaming. Work at Gamestop if you have a passion for gaming because others will be glad to listen to you for advice.

Video game addiction is becoming serious business as the numbers of gamers keeps growing worldwide. Do not lose your sense of reality and remember my two main tips to keeping it under control: never make time to play a game and set reasonable in-game goals. Play on gamers!

[ad_2]

Source by Ziggy Marks

A Quick Review of the Best Free, Fun, and Exciting Online Arcade Games

[ad_1]

Quarters have faded out but Arcade games have lasted in the modern times. No matter where you may be, online arcade games are perfect to pass the time, keep you entertained, and prevent boredom! Several years ago, coins would be necessary for playing arcade games, yet the world wide web offers no cost games with just a moues click. Out of numerous games available online some games do shine like stars.

Helicopter is a really high-scoring arcade game that lots of people play. This game is not just addictive – when you play with a pal it's quite a competition. The premise of the game is simple – you "fly" a helicopter, varying its altitude so that it does not collide with anything in its flight path. There are a few variations of this game, but they all have the same goal – keep your helicopter from hitting walls and obstacles, or it will explode!

Second-best among addictive arcade games is one called Fill It. Skill and intelligent preparation is needed, as each move becomes increasingly more difficult as you climb though the game's levels. The player must fill a space utilizing a boat whilst avoiding green birds which fly. In the later levels you will be required to trap the birds from wandering off and hitting your ship. It is very interesting, there is a Fill It version of Pac Man known as Pac-Xon which has a similar concept.

An enjoyable game with a straightforward premise is Max Dirt game. Although this game can be strange initially, it gains momentum and gets addictive. In arcade games, you control the dirt biker through a 2D layout by using the arrow keys. Once you get used to Max, which you will have to do, you could begin playing for hours.

Great no cost internet arcade games are bejeweled versions. You'll get an addiction no matter what form of Bejeweled you play. Classic and Time Attack are the two modes. You have to swap jewels to make a row or column of 2 or more of the same jewel; that's the logic for both modes. Classically, you continue to go from one step to the next step until there are no more steps. When there are no longer any moves left in Time Attack, the stage resets with jewels and the game continues. Time Attack mode forces players to think fast because of the limited amount of time they are given.

Battle Tanks will be coveted by fans of the shooting genre. Two features of this free online arcade game is that it is addicting and challenging. The logic is extremely simple, before they blast you blast the tanks away! Players possess radar, plus structures may provide a place to hide. Shooting a tank down may provide you with high impact explosions, making you like you're better than everybody else.

Games mentioned above are enjoyable yet highly addictive. They make an ideal way to pass time and chill with your pals. You'd probably have to pay to play these on a mall arcade machine or home console, but the Internet lets you play them for free!

[ad_2]

Source by Onofre Francisco

Construction Games Online and Offline

[ad_1]

There are plenty of fun games online, but some of the best and most popular games involve making things. The phenomenal success of FarmVille over the last year or so, is down to that creative urge. Growing crops and making a farm has a massive appeal. Some games that cater to the 'making' impulse in a very direct way are construction games.

There are many online games to play online for free and there are also games for PC and console.

Some games are pure construction, others have a big element of construction in the game play. Examples of the latter include the Tycoon games which in a sense are business games but where the player needs to build up assets to earn more money and proceed. There are also empire building games like Rise of Nations where cities must be constructed and managed so that income can flow to equip armies.

One of the purest building games is 'Bridge It'. The object is simple. You have limited funds to spend on materials to build a bridge. The challenge is to make a structure that is strong enough to withstand the passage of trucks or trains. The fun is partly the building- with its true-to-life rules of physics- and partly watching the trains as they crash into the abyss or bounce through to a triumphal conclusion!

Railroad Tycoon 2 was one of the most successful games of its era. The aim is to build railroads and get rich. It is getting old now but still provides plenty of fun and game play. It is also worth mentioning Zoo Tycoon. The 3D environment and the exhibits that you need to build in your Zoo make it a satisfying experience.

Tropico 3 has been very successful in the last few years. You are in charge of a tropical island and need to guide it to a bright and prosperous future. This is a fun game if you do not mind playing as a person of dubious morals As a Banana Republic Generalissimo you only have bribery or terror tactics to control your population. Upset the Americans and they will invade- which is almost as bad as the hurricanes that sometimes turn up.

The Age of Empire series involves getting your villagers to work well as your Empire expands. The Rise of Nations installment from that series is one of the best strategy games ever made. Also worth mentioning are 'Settlers' and 'Caesar'.

Sid Meir is a legend in the simulation games world. He was largely responsible for the Railroad Tycoon series as well as Civilization and Colonization.

This is the best of the many city building games. Sim City 4 offers the chance to construct and manage everything from mega cities to small towns with a satisfying degree of realism.

There are dozens of online games geared to satisfying the impulse to build. One of the nest pure building games is Cargo Bridge. You design a bridge in the blue print mode and then send out your little workers to fetch some supplies. As they cross the bridges you have built there is a satisfying amount of shaking and bouncing as the wood and steel structures react to the loads. A bad design means your workers plummet into the abyss as the bridge collapses!

There are also Lego like brick building games, electrical circuit games, plumbing games and physics based demolish games- for when the creative impulse gives way to the glee of destruction.

Younger children are catered for with games that are similar to dress up games in their format. Instead of make up and clothes to engage the interest, there are building styles to select and color schemes to explore. Daisy's Construction Crew is a good example of this kind of games.

It would be fun to know if any of theses games have sparked an interest in a career in architecture or the construction industry! There is probably a young Leonardo da Vinci out there right now!

[ad_2]

Source by Royce Cave

Free Romantic Games For Couples

[ad_1]

Have you ever tried free romantic games for couples and lovers to spice up your love life? Romantic games are one of the best and most fun ways to add more romance and passion to your relationship. When you search about romantic game ideas for couples, you will find so many suggestions and ideas that it's easy to get confused. That's why here you are going to discover the best types of romantic games you can play with your partner. Generally, here are the three most common types of games couples play …

1. Bedroom Games for Couples

Looking for creative ways to add more fun and passion to your bedroom and sex life? Then these bedroom games are the best choice for you. You can find all kinds of bedroom game ideas, from fantasy games, to naughty and dirty games, to many more ideas couples can play at night in the bedroom. Even though this type of lovers games happen to be the most popular type, but that is not all. There are more creative fun games you can play with your partner.

2. Couples Forum Question Games

Not only they help you find out more secrets about your partner that you did not know, but you will also have lots of fun playing it together and grow more intimate to each other. Some of the most common couples question game ideas are Truth or Dare, Guess a Secret, and more.

3. Free Online Games for Couples

Would you like to try as many fun games for lovers that you can for free? The good news is, you can find many online websites that let you play or download their romantic games for free. So you can play a brand new game with your partner every day and never ever have a lack of ideas about what to do on an evening together. Enjoy!

[ad_2]

Source by Julia Carter

History of Web Browser Games

[ad_1]

BBG is short for browser based games. In late 1990y browser games got first sign of light. They where based on DHTML (dynamical hypertext markup language) which is commonly used for drop down menus and simple image rollovers. A web browser game is a computer game that is played on a browser. It is distinct from other video and computer games in that it usually does not ask for any client-side software to be installed, apart from the web browser. Today we have a lot of web browser games, some of them require Plugin like adobe flash or java script. But all of these Plugin are easy to get and install. These games are generally costless, with additional, payable options occasionally available.

Oldest web browser game was Earth: 2025 developed by Mehul Patel in year 1996, it was strategy which was played on turn based system. But most popular older game was Utopia, developed in 1999 also strategy based on turn system. In year 1999 two games got developed which are today played by millions of people, Hattrick, real time soccer strategy developed by extraLives and Runescape, Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, real time game in fantasy world developed by JAGeX.

Newest browser based game that is played by millions is Evony. Evony is a browser-based multiplayer World Wide Web game, with significant similarities to Civilization. As with numerous real-time strategy games, one first has to develop resources by building up iron mines, quarries, farms and sawmills, and then begin building up their town and constructing an army.

There are many web browser games, especially flash games which are at present spread over the world wide web. There are over zillions of websites giving and developing simple flash games for adults and kids. If you check Evony then you know that in future we can only see special games which will attract many people who will spend days and days of gameplay.

[ad_2]

Source by Davor Puklek

Flash Games to Play

[ad_1]

Flash games are highly famous and have overpowered the internet world. When you are getting bored, simply switch online and play the flash plots. The fact is that the arcade games are not the perfect choice for all. Thus, the free flash games will work wonder for you.

The amusing 3D flash games blow away your stress completely. In order to search the best plots for your self, you have to filter these games by their genre. There are myriad genres available online but of course the famous are the arcade games which have specific objective associated with them.

Another popular genre includes the defense games. The reason is that these games are easy to follow and play. This genre is amazing. Many people love to play multi-player flash plots and most of these plots involve artificial intelligence. You can go for any sort of flash plots having 3D configuration such as action, puzzle, sports, educational and sonic games.

These are outshining the gaming world with high blow and power. You must be able to make a proper distinction between 2D and 3D flash plots in relation to quality. This is contrary on its part. These games offer high level of fun and frolic but if not played with correct steps can result in trouble. The flash gaming is the new craze in the online world.

People of all ages are engrossed and tasting the advantages of these games. You will love to explore them but you need skills in order to win and make name. You can play them free of cost. What you have to do is to find the right place. Some of the most popular flash plots are Run Jerry Run, Midnight Race, Toy Claw Machine, Mad Trucker, Curse Village, Alien Hominid and Diner Dash.

[ad_2]

Source by Shivani Joshi Sharma

Online Games – The Evolution

[ad_1]

Now we see thousands of people playing online games such as tetris, ping pong, mario bros, super mario etc for free but despite its history dating back to 1970s, for most people online gaming began with the explosion of Internet in 1993 and with the advent of Doom and Warcraft sometime in 1994 or 1995. This got further boost with publishers starting to add Internet connectivity to computer games in 1994-95.

The media, in fact, have themselves been ignorant about online games history. As far as they are concerned, online gaming just coincidentally happened when their advertisers started producing Internet-capable games. But it is not so …

Early Years of development

In early 1950's a college student created a game much like Tic-Tac-Toe for a class project to be played on dinosaur computers of those days complete with cathode ray tubes for the screen display. The 1960's had MIT students programming a game called "Space war" that could be played with two people over a primitive network. The late 1960's brought the first "real" video games like table tennis and shooter games.

The 70s – the game begins

Serious online gaming began with the first interactive online game called ADVENT. In fact networked gaming got conceptualized with ADVENT. Networked gaming had users playing against each other within an online fantasy world. The first networked game was called Mazewar, a game which involved networked players traveling through a maze and attempting to kill one another.

Next came the interpersonal interaction in a multi-player environment. The first such game was called DUNGEN. DUNGEN had players competing against one another to complete a series of quests. DUNGEN provided with new settings and players each time the user logged on.

The late 1970's saw the start of video game craze with more and more households getting computer savvy. As a natural corollary, people started writing their own games for the home computers. These programming hobbyists traded and sold these home-grown games in local markets.

Other changes in the 1970's were home gaming consoles which used game cartridges. That meant the people could collect games cartridges for one base unit instead of having bulky game console systems.

The 80s – some pause before the storm

1980's saw growing craze for the video and computer game craze, but online gaming was not on the horizon yet. New games with better sound and graphics were introduced and gained popularity. Pole Position and Pac-man were two that achieved big popularity. It was during 1980's when Nintendo introduced its first gaming system.

The 90s – revolution begins

The 1990's saw the phenomenal growth in both popularity and technology mostly because of the rise of 3-D and multimedia.

Myst, the intellectual adventure game introduced gaming on the CD-ROM format. Fancier 3-D graphics hardware made FPS (first person shooter) games such as Quake possible.

The late 1990's saw the exponential growth of the Internet, MUDs (multi-user dungeons) which made online games wildly popular. New and improved graphical interfaces had people all over the world playing against each other not only in FPS games but also in real time strategy games (RTS games) as well as third person games like Grand Theft Auto.

This was also the period when websites started offering online games such as tetris, ping pong, mario bros, super Mario, and other free online flash games and non-flash based games free for playing after registering with them. This really pushed online gaming into the popular psyche.

The 21st Century – world is just a playground

Early years of the 21st century were dominated by the DVD-CD-ROM. It has changed the way online games are played. The latest gaming systems such as Sony's play station and Microsoft's X-box have networking capabilities to enable people play with each other in real time from all over the world. Exponentially growing broadband internet services have made playing these online games possible in true sense of the word.

The only drawback to the constantly evolving technology for online games is that what you buy today might become obsolete by the next year. Luckily, for the serious gamers, the resale industry for these online games is huge. This resale industry is just another element to the ever-changing history of online game.

[ad_2]

Source by Susie Symonds

Play Poker Online

[ad_1]

The online version of poker games is definitely equally exciting. But, one should earn some helpful strategies and rules to beat his / her opponents. When it comes to play poker online, people usually believe that it is all about aggression. Well, aggressive play does help sometimes, but it is not the proper way to win at online poker games. You have to understand that there is a little difference between the situation that exists when playing poker at land based casinos and in an online poker room. In the latter case, players are not able to see each other, which can makes it a bit tough for you to analyze your opponents. For this reason, it is usually better to keep your aggressiveness in control.

First of all, after you have learned the basics of poker game and have tried your luck by playing few hands in the online world, you should try to know or understand about the main aspects of poker. Well, there are basically four to five aspects of online poker games. First of all, you should get familiar with the rules of various sorts of online poker games, such as Texas Hold'em poker rules, Omaha Hold'em poker rules, Seven Card Stud poker rules, and many more. The rules associated with every sort of poker games are quite different. For this reason, before you download and install poker apps in your computer system, make it very sure that you know the rules very well.

After you are done with the rules, it is the time for you to focus on the strategies of online poker games. However, one important thing you should always keep in mind that there is no such strategy which can help you to win each and every hand of poker game. Before exploring out the strategies, it is essential to know about poker betting terminology, such as Raise, Fold, Call, and Check. These four betting terminologies are the fundamental blocks of online poker games. Bluffing is considered as one of the essential skills to play poker online, and it is definitely counted among the advanced poker strategies.

Bluffing is all about acting and betting in a way which is completely unrelated to the actual position of condition of the player. For example, if a player has bad hand, but he still wager in a way as if he or she has a good one, then it means that he or she is bluffing. A player with strong hands pretending to be a weaker opponent is also a way to bluff. Being unpredictable is one of the best ways to beat your opponents in the game. The moment you let them you analyze your game play, your end would be near soon.

Apart from poker rules and poker strategies, you should also gain some idea about poker tips. When you play poker online, it is quite important to be patient and keep your cool. Along with, you should also know about your opponents by analyzing their game play. Once you master these things, you can certainly make yourself an expert of online poker games.

[ad_2]

Source by Pankaj Diya Gupta