Tag Archives: video games

January 27, 2013 · 5:44 pm

Move Over, Motion Control! Play Video Games with Your Thoughts

“These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.” I’m sure all Star Wars fans have longed to use Jedi mind tricks.

What if you could play as Obi-Wan Kenobi in a game and do those tricks? You wouldn’t need a joystick, Kinect or a Wii.

All you need is your brain.

So I know this is old news but it might have slipped past most gamers like a sneaky snake. I’m talking about a New York Times Magazine article from September 14, 2011 by Pagan Kennedy.

Kennedy writes that surgeons use head implants in epilepsy patients as part of their treatment. (Read the article to learn more.)

In the article, “The Cyborg in Us All,” one man with the implant played the classic shooter Galaga. So that sounds normal. Well, the patient used his thoughts to move the ship and a computer understood him.

“Hold it right there! What did you say?”

Yes, you are awake. You read that right.

You could dump all your old school joysticks and motion controllers into the garbage can.

Imagine if you could use your thoughts to play all games. I think most gamers already use their head when they play, except for that one person who’s always team killing. But, seriously, the idea of using thoughts to play a game sounds cool.

I mean, you were probably tired of waggling your Wii mote. You hit your friend so many times in the chest while playing “tennis” that he or she punched you in the face. You were also a little tired of your neighbour watching while you did karate chops in your living room.

What do you think about using your thoughts to control games? Does it sound like video games could rot your brain, or does it sound like next-gen fun?

(By the way, the Galaga thing was just a small part of the article. Read the article to learn more about mind and machine.)

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Filed under Video Game Technology

Tagged as brain, movies, New York Times, technology, video games

January 20, 2013 · 3:51 pm

The Never Ending Video Game? Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

Just to satisfy a craving, you rush to the nearest game store and nearly trip over your own feet.

That’s when you see Amalur.

Its shiny box beckons you closer and causes your eyes to light up. Unlike the other games, it shines forth like a beacon in the night.

You say to yourself, “wait, what’s Kingdoms of Amalur?”

Well, I want to tell those folks out there who are curious but know nothing about the game.

Amalur is an epic RPG made by Big Huge Games and 38 Studios. And, boy, has Big Huge Games lived up to their name. Did you know it may take 200 hours to finish everything in Amalur?

Here’s some silly things you should know before buying.

Kingdom’s of Amalur: Reckoning Checklist before You Buy

• Is lasting appeal important to you? You might find you have little time for other games.

• Do you like side quests? Hey, there’s also menial tasks to finish. Just like in life!

• Check it out if you hate the typical six hour FPS game and like Dungeons and Dragons. I know you’re out there; I’ve seen the Call of Duty Metacritic scores.

• Do you have an obsessive personality? Maybe sit this one out for the good of your family, friends and health. You’ll loaf for so long while playing this game that you could have baked 100 loaves of bread. Seriously, this game will devour your time.

• Play the demo. You’ll get a good sense of the gameplay, though there might be bugs. And you’ll get bonus Mass Effect 3 armor!

• Oh, I’ve got one more… Do you like games with colons in their titles? Amalur joins the distinguished ranks of games such as Halo: Reach.

I’m 50 hours in and won’t be finished anytime soon. It seems Amalur never ends, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

It’s just a shame we may never get a sequel. Or maybe we will get that sequel if enough people clamor for it. So, go out there, give Amalur a spin, and let the world know what you think about it.

But, please, turn off your oven and don’t let the bread burn when you play the whole game.

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Filed under Video Games I Play

Tagged as Kingdoms of Amalur, loafing, video games

January 6, 2013 · 2:41 pm

Amazing Games Aren’t Always Perfect and That’s O.K.

Every now and then you see goofy things in really good games.

That’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes those moments can cause you to spray pop through your nose as you laugh out loud – or not. Other times it just takes you out of the experience.

These two games have some odd moments.

1. In Skyrim, giants wander the land and drag along deadly clubs to beat things to death.

You’d think that club would flatten you into a pancake. But sometimes the clubs send creatures hurtling into the air and flying far across the world.

I have to wonder: was this giant club thing meant as a joke? Maybe Bethesda thought their game could use a bit more humour and threw this in for a laugh. Skyrim is a kind of serious sword and sandal game. I mean, it has it’s own dragon language!

Sounds a bit funny doesn’t it? Well, that’s just only one of the strange things in this otherwise excellent game.

2. Uncharted 3

Naughty Dog makes games that look like you could play them on the silver screen. They did it again with Uncharted 3. The camera angles and set-pieces are worthy of Hollywood. How could the game get any better?

Well, Drake’s death scenes could use a little work. When he dies, everything – surprise – gets somber, but Drake’s corpse tends to fly and his limbs flail wildly. This goofy sight doesn’t really fit a game that looks as good as a blockbuster action movie.

What other amazing games have weird problems that mar your good time?

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Filed under Video Game Technology

Tagged as amazing games, Skyrim, Uncharted, video games

December 30, 2012 · 10:19 pm

Three Video Games That Hated Me and Nearly Killed Consoles

Have you ever popped a game into your console only to watch the console spit it out? Well, I’ve kinda had that problem. Maybe you have too.

Calm down for a minute, stop seeing red, and read about three games that nearly killed consoles. Continue reading →

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Filed under Video Game Technology

Tagged as Bugs, Mass Effect 2, Skyrim, video games

December 20, 2012 · 9:48 pm

Skyrim Has Really Got a Hold on Me: I Got It Bad

On my 19^th birthday, I got a shiny new Xbox 360. But what on earth was I going to play? I embarked on a journey to find a fun game.

I thought The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion would rock my world. But my friend saw things a bit differently.“Don’t buy that game,” said Kevin. It takes hundreds of hours to play. It will eat up your life.” “Yeah, you’re probably right,” I replied.

Then The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim came out, and I tried to resist it. I thought Skyrim, a lengthy game, would just eat up my time too. No video game could be worth one hundred hours of my life, right? Well, I can’t stop thinking about Skyrim.

I looked past Skyrim’s nerdy frame and fell in love with its inner beauty. The game reached out, grabbed me and begged me to explore it. I mean, I just stood in awe at the majestic mammoths that moved across Skyrim at a snail’s pace.

It doesn’t matter if the game is nerdy. Skyrim is just too hard to resist!

Now, if only I had the time to waste more time.

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Filed under Video Games I Play

Tagged as Skyrim, time, video games

December 13, 2012 · 5:33 pm

5 Simple Rules for Gamers to Play Nice Together and Make the World Better

So many sports and games have rules to keep players in line. What do video games have?

Oh, sure, individual video games have rules like shoot or die or jump to survive. But how should gamers treat each other?

I started with an ambitious goal: I wanted to write a list of ten rules for gamers. I got a little lazy and my creativity dried up, so I capped this list off at five. Here’s my five rules.

Don’t steal any person’s consoles, PC, or game collection.
Don’t pirate games.
Don’t engage in friendly fire.
Stand up for gaming as a hobby and don’t let people mock it.
Whenever possible, introduce other people to video games and have some fun out there!

Can you come up with 5 more or some better rules? Share them in the comments below.

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Filed under Video Game Misc.

Tagged as gamer rules, gamers, video games

November 30, 2012 · 10:02 pm

How I Learned to Stop Moping About Skyrim and Love Amalur

Not long ago, I bought Skyrim for PS3 and a wave of excitement crashed over me as I brought it home. Then I found out that Skyrim on PS3 was a train wreck. I was heart broken.