Tag Archives: video games

June 23, 2013 · 2:43 pm

The Smart Way to Work?

Video Game Work - Doing the DishesYour Couch and a Controller

You play video games to have fun. But why do you put up with work in video games?

By work, I mean actions you do for a living or as household chores. By contrast, hobbies are something you do after work for fun. For most people, they may race or play sports as a hobby.

Lots of games let you race, shoot, fly and jump, but Animal Crossing somewhat blurs the line between hobbies and work. I mean you could work as landscaper by day. Then you could come home and relax as you pull weeds and plant flowers in that game.

I mean, one can pull weeds and plant flowers in life for relaxation. Or they could try one of the many other video games out there.

My friend got me thinking about Animal Crossing, so blame him. The other day he told me about his GameCube. Yes, he is a little behind the times. Anyway, he praised Animal Crossing and loved to plant and fish in that game.

I had to interrupt him.

“What’s so fun about that game?”

He paused, furrowed his brow, and gave me a quizzical stare.

Then he said, “You mean about doing work in video games? I don’t know why, but I love to fish and do errands in Animal Crossing.”

I’m still not satisfied with his answer.

Video Game Work: Three Silly Theories

So, I’ve come up with some silly reasons why gamers might like to do work in video games.

1. Work is always fun in a fantasy world. Just think of what you do in Animal Crossing. “Sure, Mr. anthropomorphic Cat with a corncob pipe, I’ll help take out your trash.”

2. People are so bored out of their minds that they’ll play anything. Hopscotch and solitaire aren’t cutting it anymore.

3. People like to run errands from their couch. I suppose a comfy couch with enough pillows to break an elephant’s fall is hard to resist.

A Revolution or Never-ending Work?

There is a spectre haunting all video games: it is work. Gamers of the world must decide tonight. We must lop off the head of work with an iron sickle or revel in digital chores.

Oh, wait, my virtual sink’s full, and I like my dishes sparkling clean. See you later.

***

Why is it so much fun to do work or chores in games?

6 Comments

Filed under Video Game Misc.

Tagged as , , ,

June 16, 2013 · 9:06 pm

“Mark It Zero!”: The Game That Should Have Been at E3

Big Lebowski video gameWe saw a deluge of new games this week at E3, but I think we’re still missing one. That, my friends, is a Big Lebowski game.

What would a Big Lebowski video game play like? Tuck your mind into it’s warm bed and let me handle this perplexing problem for you, man. I’ve come up with three far out games that should appeal to all you Little Lebowskis.

Game idea # 1. The platformer that leaps over all the others

You find yourself in a strange, dark mansion wading through a maze of cob-web covered hallways. You fumble for a light switch and come across a picture of Nancy Reagan. You’re in a 8 bit version of The Big Lebowski’s mansion! Only it’s more like a haunted mansion.

Suddenly a man in black leather charges toward you with his sword. Watch out! He’s a nihilist.

“Don’t worry, Donny, these men are cowards.” That’s right: you only need to hurl yourself into the air and drop down like a brick to turn them into pancakes.

Then a group of golden coins shines so brilliantly that you can’t you ignore them. As you pocket the gold, you find bowling balls; lift them up and you’ll see that they’re 1 ups.

Now you’ve got to find Bunny Lebowski. She’s gone missing and The Big Lebowski fears the worst, but “she probably kidnapped herself.”

You don’t have much time to chew over theories because things get crazy. The Big Lebowski himself charges at you, in his flying chair, and you have to dodge his attacks.

After you do all that, you find out Bunny was hiding in another castle. Go on and keep looking.

…

You can play as these fine characters:

• Maude – She can jump so high that she practically disappears off the screen. Plus she zips along levels faster than you can do up your jacket zipper.

• Walter – He’s a tank on legs: his armor absorbs attacks and he deals significant damage. But he’s slow and can’t jump high.

• The Dude – A lazy man but also a “hero.” He’s your all round best bet with average jumping, speed and armor. But, hey, that’s just like my opinion, man.

Game idea # 2. Lebowski Bowling

Do you think this calls for Kinect or other motion controls? I hope not.

Anyway, you Donny and Walter have a lot of work to do if you want to roll into the finals. That’s where you have to strike out Jesus Quintana and O’Brien. Just watch out for the Jesus because he doesn’t let anyone mess with him. That guy is also a crazy pervert.

Walter’s a bit of a problem on your own team, too. If he gets incensed, his rage meter boils, and he pulls out his gun. Whatever you do, just don’t go over the line with Walter. Otherwise, he’ll “mark it zero!”

Game idea # 3. The Dude in a mystery adventure game (the title itself is still a bit of a mystery to me)

Super sleuth Jeff Lebowski, known as the dude, is on a mission. He’s sniffing around town for a Bunny Lebowski and starts his search in an old mansion. While searching face down on the ground, he finds a severed toe. Where did it come from?

The Dude turns to Da Fino, a Brother Seamus, for help. They embark on a hardboiled journey through the seedy side of L.A. to find the victim and the perp.

That’s all that I’ve got. Note: this blog post was mostly a lazy excuse to talk about my love for the Big Lebowski.

What do you think a good Lebowski game would look like?

Leave a comment

Filed under Video Games I Want

Tagged as , , ,

June 9, 2013 · 4:31 pm

Does The Sight of a Video Game Make You Shake in Your Shoes?

Silly Billy Pills

Silly Billy Pills

You could suffer from “crippling video game fear.” It’s an uninspired name – hey, I didn’t invent it – but it’s tragic for victims.

Watch out for these symptoms when you near a video game:

  • Sweaty palms
  • Scratchy throat
  • Your heart pounds in your chest as if a worker was hammering a railway spike into it

Common Causes of This Condition

  • Playing while inebriated

Do I really need to explain this one? If you’re drinking too much, you probably won’t be able to hold a controller or mouse, much less beat a game.

  • Playing against a veteran gamer

They taunt, tease and beat you mercilessly. By beat, I mean both with their fists and in the game. You and your avatar need to keep ice handy for that.

  • Traumatic event where your avatar died in a game

You swore never to play a game again after it happened. You try to forget, but it keeps playing back in your head, like your brain was a theatre.

It all started at the arcade on a crisp autumn day. You fed the machine quarters until it burped so you could drive in Daytona USA. But you did more than drive. You lived through a nightmare.

It seemed like an innocuous turn around the corner. Then, the next thing you knew, another driver rammed your call against a wall. Sparks flew as high into the sky as you can imagine. The car called it quits. It flew into the air, landed on the road and exploded, killing the driver.

Everyone at the arcade pointed and laughed at you. They laughed loud enough to wake a video game zombie from the digital cemetery. Worse, the boy or girl of your dreams left you after your car exploded.

The nightmares still wake you up in the middle of night. An ice-cold sweat soaks your face and sports car shaped bed.

But the good news is that you don’t have to suffer. You can get help.

Treatment

Try the following:

  • Silly Billy Pills

Read the (fake) ad for these pills:

“Save the princess and impress a real girl with your skills. Try our pill! (*Note: We cannot guarantee this will impress her. In fact, the odds are against you.)”

Let’s Get Serious for A Moment (I know it’s Hard)

Take time to help others when they’re stuck in a game. Don’t call them a noob and laugh. Well, at least not all the time.

This is one small step toward improving the public’s perception of gamers. If we seem decent enough, it might encourage people to play video games for the first time. After all, don’t you like to try new hobbies with polite and patient people? I do.

4 Comments

Filed under Video Game Misc.

Tagged as ,

May 29, 2013 · 11:30 pm

I Like My Awards Sunny Side Up, Please!

sunshine awardIt’s been cloudy, dreary and wet for two days now. There was little time for sunshine or dry clothes outside.

But I got an email yesterday that brightened my day and made me feel better, despite the wet weather. No, it wasn’t a Vitamin D pill; it was a nomination for the Sunshine Blogger Award!

Here are the rules that I got from Little Sister Gaming:

• Use the award logo in this post.

• Link to the person who nominated you. Thank you Little Sister Gaming and thanks for your glowing comments!

• Write ten “pieces of information about myself.”

• Nominate ten fellow bloggers ‘who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.’

• Leave a comment on the nominees’ blogs to tell them about the award.

10 Things About Me

Looks like these are ten random facts:

1. I try not to take myself too seriously. That should shine through on this blog and these facts.

2. Favourite color: blue

3. I love to both cook and cook up weekly blog posts.

4. I plan to play Guacameele! while I eat guacamole.

5. Favourite number: 4

6. My passion: writing, editing, volunteering, spending time with family and friends, and squeezing in game time somewhere

7. Favourite animal: Cheetah

8. I’m in my 20’s, but some have said I look like a twelve-year-old boy. I guess I’ll never rapidly age like the bad guy in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. That’s a bonus.

9. I’m from Canada and they think I’m slow, eh?

10. Favourite day of the week: everyday

Ten Blog Nominees

Read them to find out more.

1. A Most Agreeable Pastime

2. The (Re)Emergent Gamer

3. Stay-At-Home Gaming

4. Planet Zombo

5. United We Game

6. Geeky’n Girly

7. Jack Flacco

8. Trista DiGiuseppi

9. Oracle of film

10. Super Important Reviews

I highly recommend checking out these blogs. They’re worth your time.

3 Comments

Filed under Video Game Blog

Tagged as , ,

May 26, 2013 · 12:24 pm

It’s Just a Box

video game boxesThe sizzling sound on the pan meant breakfast was coming. It was time for scrambled eggs, but I didn’t know that something would scramble my brains that day as well.

I plopped myself down in a warm, fuzzy couch. My gaming couch was an impenetrable fortress that no one could scale to stop me from playing.

I stared at the black box in front of me. It was time to turn it on. Then a thousand different characters would leap out and introduce me to their worlds.

It was time to play some video games.

The game box served up fun, food and wine. Tick, tock the clock hands swerved. My next glance at the clock was at four o’clock.

Was there any need to see friends now? The box had all the social media you could want. You could share anything.

I found out, though, that sharing everything was not a great idea. I didn’t want to share my pathetic drunken game session. Well, maybe not this time.

All this social stuff clouded my interest in fun games. It would be nice, I thought, to have these social options, but I don’t want them plastered over everything.

Sometimes I just want to play alone to relax. Is that really so strange?

I decided on a change of scenery. When I stepped outside, the sun lit up my ghostly pale, pasty face, and I had to fight to open my light atrophied eyes.

I knew something was wrong when I tried to adjust the brightness outside. The rock in front of me should have been barely visible.

I swiped at the air to bring up an options menu. I could always adjust brightness with motion controls on the box. Alas, it didn’t work! My eyes still felt the searing pain of the sun.

Maybe I just needed to play a different game. My finger extended as if I could open the disc tray, but nothing happened. I stood there with a quizzical expression on my face. My mouth shifted to the left so that it almost formed a question mark shape, and my chin looked like the dot.

That’s when I saw a huge open field in front of me. The shiny sun, which illuminated every single blade of grass, punctuated the bright blue sky. People ran around, jumped up and down, sang and laughed. I had almost forgotten this stuff.

You know, the box had changed: it offered more options, noise and made mundane tasks exciting. It was shiny, sleek, sexy and seemed to have everything just for me.

But it was still only a box, and it was only one of many in life.

4 Comments

Filed under Video Game Technology

Tagged as , , , ,

May 19, 2013 · 9:44 pm

Interview with A Crotchety, Crusty and Old Console

Interview with a video game consoleSoon the next-gen consoles will rot your brains with the latest mind bending games. You’ll forget all about the current consoles. For posterity’s sake, I sat down and asked the older generation for their views on life and games.

Read on for my exclusive interview with a last gen console. We get up close and personal. I ask the hard questions and probe the dark corners of its psyche.

All of my questions are bold, and the console’s appear below in normal text.

Me: (Cough) Could you put out your cigarette, please?

A: Sheeesh what a picky person you are. Alright, boss, you got it, but I’m not dumping my Scotch just yet.

Me: So how are you?

A: I’m exhausted. My owners busted my disc tray all day. Before that, I was outta commission for a week when a baby shoved peanut butter inside of me. Talk about a sticky situation!

I wish my owners would stop putting their sticky paws all over my controllers. I wish they would stop playing late at night and leaving me on all day. I need rest too! Sometimes I want to zap them with my power cord.

But, to answer your question, I’m alright.

Me: What are you most proud of as a console from the last generation?

A: I haven’t yet taken a dirt nap. I haven’t fallen prey to a high failure rate.

Me: Yes, failure rates have been in the news this generation. From a console’s perspective, can you explain what it feels like to fail?

A:Well, it’s like this: there comes a time in every console’s life when we have to leave the living room. That’s a sad fact.

But that’s just the nature of a console. We start as a loose collection of chips and circuits, and we return to that loose collection in the end.

When we die off, sometimes we land in the dump. Some of us get crippling injuries and need repair. We languish in a sweaty customer service shop and hope for the best while phones ring all day.

We all have to go one day, but we get to play and bring a lot of joy to people along the way. It’s an honour to live, work and play as a console.

Me: That’s very deep. From a console’s perspective, what do you think about used games and preventing people from playing used games?

A: I have no real opinion about used games. But I hope more people pick up games because that means more playing with me. It gets awfully lonely to sit there and collect dust all month. Trust me, some of my friends who are Wiis have told me all about the horrors of dust.

Me: So are you looking forward to downloadable games replacing physical games?

A: Meh, I’ll believe it when I see it, Mac.

Me: Are video games art?

A: Well, feast your eyes on this beast (points toward itself). If nothing else, I am a work of art. At least that’s what your mother says all the time.

Me: Now that’s just uncalled for and rude. Moving on, what’s the future of video games?

A: We’ll take over the world! There will be better graphics, more immersion, better access to games, more great independent games, and world peace. That’s just a start, though that last one might take a long time.

***

There you have it: my interview with a crotchety old console. What questions would you ask? I might be able to ask it a couple more and publish an update.

Leave a comment

Filed under Video Game Technology

Tagged as , ,

May 11, 2013 · 10:59 pm

Cannonball Back Into The Ocean

underwater video games

Cannonball!

I hope you’re not drenched from all the water I talked about last week. Brace yourself! You’ll feel water-logged today because you and I will dive back into the ocean.

I’m going tell you what I think a good underwater game should have. Then you will see why thatgamecompany is the best option to make the game.

Last week, I flooded you with talk about Endless Ocean and why I liked it. Go play Endless Ocean on Wii before you judge my taste in games. You’ll find it is like a refreshing fizzy drink in your otherwise stale gaming diet.

Now, I’d like to see a AAA ocean exploration game on the other consoles and PC. I’d want this game two have two feature.

1. An endless free-roaming mode like Endless Ocean

That means you can swim around the ocean in any direction and at any time. You could turn off damage mode too. That means no fear of shark bites or third degree sunburns.

You could call it grand theft auto under water, but, you know, without the prostitutes and drug dealers. Though I suppose you could get into some bloody shark battles.

2. A co-op story mode

It might be cool to swim through the ocean with a friend. You could explore the wonders of the ocean in the free roam mode. Or you could dive into a cool story together.

Why Them?

Sign me up for a thatgamecompany ocean game that has these features. They know how to dazzle us with a desolate desert. Why not try the same thing with an ocean? I’d like to see how they handle all the fish interactions; this could cause the game to sink or swim.

They could also copy the multiplayer from Journey. I can picture it now. You swim around an ocean and strangers jump into your game with splash, like a cannonball at the pool. Sounds like fun to me.

But could thatgamecompany make a great underwater game?

I think so.

• their games have a great art style

• their games are original

• Journey has exceptional multiplayer and music

How could you resist a non-existent game this good?

Leave a comment

Filed under Video Games I Want

Tagged as ,

May 5, 2013 · 4:30 pm

Staring at an Endless Ocean

underwater video games

The antidote for too much FPS action?

“This game,” I thought, “could either put me to sleep or relax me.”

Then someone started talking to me. I looked down to see a Best Buy cashier who questioned  my game choice.

“Are you really going to play this?” The cashier cocked her head and furrowed her brow as she looked at me.

No, I didn’t pick up a Teletubbies game.

That day, I bought Endless Ocean for my dust covered Wii. The surprised cashier doubted that a twenty something guy would play a game like that. I mean, there are no guns, blood or gore on the cover. What, you may ask, gives?

At first, I thought it looked like a dull video game. I thought I’d find something better to do with my time. But Endless Ocean promised to let me play under the sea!

So, yes, I bought the game.

Then the cashier smiled and said, “Hey, I might have to check this out too.” I didn’t twist her arm. I swear.

Relaxing Video Games: Part of a Balanced Diet

I like games with big explosions as much as the next gamer, but sometimes I need a change of pace. Sometimes I don’t want to blow away endless waves of bad guys with a machine gun. I want to relax in an Endless Ocean. I want variety.

Endless Ocean is great because you don’t need to do anything. You can float around a huge body of water without a care in the world. You can just relax, like a summer vacation.

So you like to do stuff in games? Do you like goals and missions? You can always take clients for a dive or search for sunken treasure in Endless Ocean. And don’t forget you can meet all the friendly – and deadly – animals under the sea. Did someone say sea pig?

But I mostly like the game because I can swim anywhere I want. It helps that the soundtrack matches the relaxing vibe of the game. The music seems heavenly at some points, which is not a word used to describe most games. I’m thankful, though, that some games let us experience these feelings.

An Endless Ocean for All

I wish there were more diving games like Endless Ocean. In fact, I wish some developer – maybe thatgamecompany – would do an underwater exploration game. Then they could put it on XBLA, PSN and Steam.

You know a huge ocean would look beautiful on the other consoles and PC.

Don’t you want to swim in an ocean every day of the year?

Leave a comment

Filed under Video Games I Want

Tagged as , , ,

April 28, 2013 · 6:33 pm

The Dream Team That Fell From The Sky

video game dream teamOne morning I woke up thanks to the sounds of screams. They were screams of joy and laughter coming from my kitchen. As I sprang out of bed and ran into hallway, I peered below and stood amazed.

There, in my kitchen, were some of the best video game developers in the world. The light coming from that room was so bright that I couldn’t make out anyone’s faces.

“Hello, Adam,” one of them said. “Wait ‘til you see what we’ve cooked up for you.”

It wasn’t a towering skyscraper of flap jacks smothered with maple syrup. Instead, with beaming smiles, they pointed towards a TV. It was a new game. They made it just for me.

Here’s what that dream team looked like and what they brought to the table:

1. A BioWare tale

The Mass Effect series draws you in with an amazing story and doesn’t let go of you. You’ll feel like you’re flying on an interstellar journey on your couch. They’ll pen a tale for my game that would overflow with great characters.

2. Crytek and EA’s destructible environments

I want to smash everything in a game. Hey, I call that realism and it immerses me in the action, so don’t judge. However, the destruction shouldn`t be the focus of the game; I don’t want to play a destruction tech demo with a paper-thin story.

3. A Bethesda world

How would you like to live in a world with nuclear war, irradiated food, mutants and giant crabs? That world is fun to inhabit in Fallout 3.

How would you like to explore Skryim’s snowy mountain peaks, flowing rivers and leafy green trees? That’s what I thought.

Bethesda is the obvious choice to make a world worth getting to know.

4. A Naughty Dog production

The Uncharted games offer the same kinds of thrills that you find in blockbuster movies. Games don’t have to compete with movies, but it’s nice when they do it well. I’d like to see what Naughty Dog could bring to a game for me.

5. Overall game design by Valve

I chose Valve because I think Portal is the most creative game I’ve played in the last six years. Valve has a proven track record. Need I say more?

6. Something unexpected from thatgamecompany

Who knew that I’d want a game like Journey? Thatgamecompany can add anything they want because I trust they’ll make it good.

7. Vehicles and music by Bungie

Halo games have tons of fun and cool vehicles. Bungie always did a good job breaking up on-foot missions with vehicle segments on land and air. True bliss is driving one of these cars while the music of Halo blasts through your speakers.

Bungie and Marty O’Donnell will get the job done on my game.

***

Alas, I woke up in the kitchen with my face in a plate of pancakes. The dream team was only a drowsy dream. My sudden snap back to reality was depressing. I guess licking this plate of flapjacks clean will console me.

2 Comments

Filed under Video Games I Want

Tagged as ,

April 21, 2013 · 6:22 pm

To Turn the Page or Play the Game? That Is the Question.

reading vs. video gamesWhen you think about books, what image pops into your head? Dry and dusty tomes covered with cobwebs. Librarians, with fingers on their lips, shush you.

However, adrenaline surges through your veins and your heart pounds at the thought of games. The amazing graphics knock you off your feet. The HD visuals fan your hair back like your couch was sitting on a roller coaster. You can’t turn a page in an atmosphere like that.

But get off that roller coaster sometimes. You should always find time to both read and play. After all, you don’t want to become a mindless zombie from staring at a screen all day.

  • A lot of people see gamers as zombies who lack social skills and a life.
  • A lot of people like to take pot shots at video games. We gamers don’t need to give these haters more ammo.
  • A lot of people don’t know what they’re babbling about.

Tips for Reading Books and Playing Video Games

We can prove that we’re well-read – maybe by starting a blog like me! – and remind others that gamers are just like them.

Here’s some things to keep in mind about balancing these two activities:

1. My Blog Doesn’t Count

Look, I’m flattered that you like it, but it just doesn’t cut it. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should stop showering me with praise.

2. Dialogue and Subtitles Don’t Count as Reading

Yeah, not even really wordy games. That includes old-fashioned text games too.

3. The Best of Both Worlds

You can start reading books based on video games. Check out the Halo Books if you’re into sci-fi.

4. Gateway Drugs

You know, those books based on video games could be like a gateway drug. Start with these and then you can go on to real literature and war stories, like the The Red Badge of Courage.

5. Books Aren’t Saints Either

Are you a teen? Still not convinced you should read? Well, teen novels have more swearing than video games, according to one study. You can get your fill of profanity in book form.

6. Balanced Diet

Don’t get too much of video games or books. Aim for the golden mean.

7. Now get out there and read, zombie!

Leave a comment

Filed under Video Game Misc.

Tagged as , ,