Staying Vegetarian in a Video Game Can Be Harder Than You Think

We live in a glorious time where video games are bigger and more mainstream than ever, allowing us to live out elaborate fantasies and experience worlds never thought possible. But for all that games have done to allow us some sort of morality choice during play, very few actually celebrate, or even encourage, living a vegetarian lifestyle.

Have you sat down and thought about your favorite game characters for a bit and seen if they line up with your own beliefs? Sure, we all want to be the hero (and maybe the villain every now and again), but do we have any characters that are really cyphers for our own personalities and beliefs? Let's take Mario as a simple example. He's as harmless as they come in terms of family appeal, and while he does spend a lot of times eating mushrooms, leaves, flowers, and other mostly organic foods, he's known to love a good spaghetti and meatballs when he's not saving the princess. 

Link from The Legend of Zelda seems like a pretty gown to earth kind of character, but when you think about it has runs around slaughtering the native creatures around the area and stealing their hearts to regain health. It looks all cartoony and innocent, but bottom line, he feeds on the hearts of his enemies.

Things only get worse the further you look back, as the standard healing item in games tended to be meat. In Castlevania, Simon Belmot would regularly find whole roasted chickens inside of walls and somehow get healed from devouring them (vegetarian or not, eating random meat found in an old wall is not a wise decision).

How did we let things get so far out of our control? Games regularly send us off on adventures that require us to kill animals to proceed. How many Final Fantasy titles have you played where all forms of wildlife approach you, only to be blasted with Firaga? The game tasks you with tromping through obscure forests, their natural habitats, then rewards you with chump change for hacking them apart.

Oddly enough, some of the best examples of "vegetarian friendly" games tend to be ones where there either isn't a story at all, like Tetris, or ones that you wouldn't even think of as video games, such as Farmville. Somehow we've hit a point where Farmville is standing as a positive example of an animal-friendly world whereas Call of Duty regularly has you snapping dogs' necks. Things get even more complicated if you're vegan, leaving you with pretty much Pong or maybe Nintendogs. And Tetris. Thankfully we always have Tetris (that L block is totally vegan, as if it wasn't obvious).

Surprisingly, probably the most positive example of a game character living a vegetarian lifestyle is Super Meat Boy, a platformer considered "Nintendo Hard" by the best gamers where you run around as a chunk of meat trying to get his girlfriend back. Yes, you're playing as meat, but everything is out to destroy you, leaving meat the pitiable victim of this harsh world.

Is that the best we can do? A technicality? Are there no vegetarian game designers out there wanting to give us a high-quality game with a character that embodies our lifestyle? For now, it seems we are alone in this video game world.

Download Mobile Applications and Get Entertained!

Amazon Kindle 

Amazon's slogan for Kindle stands 'Buy once, read anywhere' and it stays true to the lines. Even without a Kindle, one can download multiple books from Amazon read them anywhere. These apps sync well with the Kindle and you can read them on the go.

BBC iPlayer 

The iPlayer has for long been a famous player which has incredible mobile experience but which needs a web browser. But these apps change it all! The iPlayer provides a superb and stable experience with great UI and navigation features. The iPlayer allows watching live TV and is Wi-fi only.

Spotify 

The best mobile music app which gives you unlimited access to an incredibly huge library of music! The music belongs to different genres too. You can save playlists in offline mode and play them when you have a bad internet reception via 3G or Wi-fi.

Sky+ 

This is a superb app which can help you record TV programs so that you can watch the programs later when you want to! Futuristic app for TV lovers!

Remote 

This app gives you a demo of what apps can do by accessing remotely your computer's iTunes library. Sit where you are and play or create new playlists through this app!

Jamie's Recipes 

Jamie's recipes is a free app which is chargeable only if you need more recipes. This is a dream app for a gourmet and a kitchen whizz. This mobile venture teaches the recipes to the users easily and succinctly with text, pictures and voice. Each individual recipe pack after the first one costs £1.79 each.

Malcolm Tucker - the Missing iPhone 

This app is a cool one which teaches multimedia lessons creatively and shows how books can be used with mobile handsets.

RBS Six Nations 

This is an ideal official sports app which will help you keep yourself updated with the latest scores (real-time). It also brings in live text commentary and video highlights of the game. There are some interesting statistics related to the game too.

Arsenal 

Fan of the Arsenal club? All premiership clubs have their own apps and nowadays they connect with their fans through the apps. Updated team news, stats, and commentary can be seen via the app in real time. There is everything including post-match interviews which a die-hard fan could need.

TuneIn Radio 

There are tens and thousands of radio stations for access through this incredible TuneIn Radio app anywhere in the world. This app makes for a seamless browsing experience and listening through it is superb!

Gaming Communities as a Simulation Tool to Fight Piracy on the High Seas

With all the 10s of millions of Americans playing online war games in gaming communities, it seems there is a tremendous amount of brain power being expended each and every day. These humans are learning to adapt, fight, strategize, and make decisions on the fly - with one goal in mind; to win, and, winning means scoring the most points, eliminating the most enemies, and surviving to fight another day, which does indeed sound a lot like the real thing - that is to say; war in the real world.

Training the military strike teams using simulation works and is a wise use of such technology. From logistical work to the tip of the sword simulation and online community gaming should be tapped to do this training. That makes sense right? Sure it does it makes sense on so many levels, and thus, I am pleased to say that it's now being done.

In fact, there was a very interesting article published not too long ago in Homeland Security News titled "New Anti-Piracy Tool: 1,000-Participant Internet Wargame" published on May 10, 2011" which stated; "The U.S. Navy is recruiting a community of more than 1,000 players from across the U.S. government to collaborate on solving real-world problems facing the U.S. Navy: high-seas piracy; the participants will be asked to suggest ways to combating piracy off the coast of Somalia."

In discussing this concept with a fellow think tanker, Troy Laclaire, we had considered who the participants are scheduled to be, and perhaps which groups were excluded, why, and even why they should have been included in this Massive Multiplayer Online War Game Leveraging the Internet or MMOWGLI. As you may well know, Troy is an expert on online gaming communities. Troy said he believed the idea was interesting yet also noted;

They will be pulling players from "academia, defense, and government and nongovernment organizations". Perhaps they need to setup such a system and allow for the average person to try it out. [This was they might] increase the talent pool, and perhaps get more solutions, [Also,] since they do say "nongovernment organizations" however, they should specify the type.

Troy has also suggested that perhaps these gaming simulations should be played by both gamers and non-gamers. And those expert gaming folks may indeed be able to add value to this strategy and come up with an array of realistic solutions as well. All great suggestions indeed and so, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

World of Warcraft Movie for WoW Followers

I have been playing games ever since I was a kid and I struggled for many years with people who thought online games were brainless and action games made you chaotic. I considered this an opportunity to present some knowledge into what gaming really can involve - passion, camaraderie and experiences you can't get in real life. ~ Ben Dressler

Let's face the facts, the gamer lifestyle is one thing that not a lot of people have an understanding of /AFK The Movie looks at the life of a video gamer asked to give up the one thing he's ever enjoyed: World of Warcraft.

To the people who don't play video games, that is called quitting. For hard-core gamers and MMORPG players around the world, that's referred to as "Euthanasia."

The film examines what life is like stepping away from the computer keyboard, to cut off the sole thing you adore doing, simply because you realize that it controls all that you do. But, what is the little difference between loving video games and being addicted with them? Does it make a difference and should we even care?

The subject matter of /AFK The Movie covers World of Warcraft and also online gaming. But you do not need to know the difference between Horde and Alliance to connect with the movie. We're all addicted to something, be it cell phones, websites, video games, or sweets (or even a dangerous combination of all 4). Step "away from your cellular phone" for 1 day and find out how you respond. Is a cellphone that much different than a video game? Exactly why is one an addiction and the other one is simply a habit?

I spoke with Ben Dressler, the moviemaker who made /AFK come to life.

What was the process like creating the movie, and from his point of view, what message was it wanting to relay to gamers and those telling so-called "addicts" they must stop:

JHS: What inspired you to make the script? Did you feel like you liked to write something which could speak "for all WOW players?"

2 things. First of all, the feeling that no person had ever done this in the past. I believe it is truly unusual that you have a concept that's kind of unique and not actually out there. When I first saw Memento I was so blown away that after a long time of filmmaking, someone could still come up with something so inventive. And even though we were not the first to combine real live action and video game video clips, I don't know of any movie who achieved it to the extent that we did.

Second, I wanted to have a stand for video gaming. I have been playing games since I was a child and I struggled for many years with individuals who thought online games were brainless and action games made you violent. I considered this an opportunity to show some insight into what gaming can really cover - passion, companionship and experiences you cannot get in real life.

JHS: In your own point of view, why do people desire to put down the "gamer" lifestyle?

I actually believe that they just don't know much better. The main character in /AFK says at some point: It is not just me sitting in front of a coloured window." But that is precisely what individuals see every time they see someone "game." They don't see what you think, feel or even experience while you play. I have had a lot of individuals that observed me play WoW and believed it was really boring. But when I let them play for an hour or more, they would buy the game themselves. Thankfully, people who have gaming experience will grow into important positions such as journalism or politics. So eventually that inclination to look down on gamers will diminish from society, I'm very optimistic on that.

JHS: You mentioned you basically had no budget because you could not make some money from the film, What kind of restrictions did that put on you as a moviemaker?

Since I knew there would not be a budget from the beginning, I could focus on writing a script that would deal with not many characters as well as locations. We had five days of shooting for a 25 minute film with a very small crew. And since I didn't want to rush the actors very much, there was short amount of time left for the camera and lighting unit. We also couldn't afford to buy plenty of props so we needed to work with everything we got in our homes. The room of the main character is actually made of geek stuff from ten people combined.

It basically came down to pulling lots of favors and utilizing to the very best what was already there. I do think if you choose to work with that restriction, it will easily lead to new, creative ways of telling your story. Although I recently read that German filmmakers particularly get into Hollywood mainly because they can make low-cost movies that look like expensive movies. Well, that is flattering, isn't it?

JHS: What would you tell individuals who deal with people asking them to "quit video games."

It's really hard to give a general answer to that one because it depends on the situations. Normally I would recommend to try and make those people know very well what gaming means to you. Determine why they believe games are stupid and show that you understand them also and take their concerns seriously. Do not just plunge to retaliation mode. When I was in college, I used to talk to my parents about the games I was looking forward to play and what I found enjoyable about them. Usually I could get them to relate to that in some way.

JHS: According to the insufficient success of a few major motion pictures, it seams very challenging to take the concept of a video game and turn it into a movie - with few films making an effort to "get into" the life of BEING a gamer. What was your experience in this regard?

I think there are two kinds of game movies... Adaptations and Sci-Fi movies. Adaptations are nearly always awful OR just solid action movies with the game's name in the title... And so yeah, there's hardly any films about real gamers - to be honest I cannot name a single one. And I am somewhat in wonder about that!

But it's hard, and I do think that the people who make it need to know video games as completely as films....My point is that to truly learn from Video Games as a medium, filmmakers have to understand how a game tells its story, what can be translated and what things can not.

JHS: What does WOW provide that hardly any other game on the face of the earth offers?

In all honesty - there are a couple of games on earth I have not played yet! However, I think that WoW did and does an incredible job at making hardcore gaming available to lots of individuals. Way back in EverQuest days, MMORPGs were a very exclusive genre that even most gamers did not know or care about. These days you will raid with people who wouldn't even look at themselves a genuine gamer. And yeah, maybe that is a bit of pioneer work that no other game can repeat again.

Gaming Community Software Systems and Strategies for Garmin Avionics Communication

Okay so, we living in a world that is constantly evolving on the technology front, and with all the internet communication going on, it's seems to be moving at a nice robust pace. Software and Systems engineers borrow ideas across industries and sectors, and why not. Speaking of which all these systems seem to be blending quite nicely, for instance take online gaming communities and consider how they've influenced the world of simulation, virtual reality, and augmented reality in the real world for training.

The other day, I was speaking to a computer hardware and expert gaming community think tanker, Troy Laclaire, about moving from using gaming community software for training simulators and applying this same software to the task of aircraft navigation, communication, and data information exploits. We noted that Garmin has sure come a long way with their recent GTN 650 and GTN 750 systems for private and corporate aviation. And, in considering ways to improve the uptime, constant flow of pertinent information, and increasing the rate of data transmission, well it seems appropriate to once again tap into the methodology of large gaming communities.

When using the GTN 650 or 750 it appears that the system is pulling in information all of the time, which would mean there really shouldn't be any delay in pulling it up, "however if its only pulling information for each "screen" as that screen is pulled up, then that could account for the delay," Troy noted. Okay, but only the information which is relevant, localized traffic, in that case, and weather radar information. Now then, Troy asks;

I do wonder, as the system gets into more use and the satellites have to transmit to more planes, if this might not eventually result in bottlenecks from the satellite system having to push more information, unless the satellites are just blanketing areas with information, which probably results in a lot of waste/3rd parties being able to receive information and tracking planes.

Now then, isn't this the exact same challenge that gaming communities have? Sure it is, data needs to get to each user, and the game cannot be delayed, or the action is stopped or slowed down, creating a nuisance, or challenges with continuity. In a game safety is not an issue, but in the real world it is, and the online gaming communities have figured out a way to make it all work even with the excessive bandwidth loads, and huge numbers of users.

Therefore, I ask the question; is the world of online gaming communities becoming one with the real world? If so which will survive or will they just blur into one. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Mobile Games Development: Its Latest Trends and Future Prospects

Mobile games and its development is now not a restricted territory. With the help of open source platforms, game developers are bringing in fantastic and interesting ones. Though the iPhone games rule the roost in terms of sheer classiness and operability, the Android and Symbian counterparts are not too far behind. 

One of the earliest games was the "Snake" which was launched in 1997. With the advent of sleeker platforms and consistent enhancements, the processing capabilities of today's average mobile phone are much better than the processing capabilities of the costliest phone launched a decade back.

Nowadays, smart phones include a wide range of games which can be played easily by any age group. Android is one of the most popular operating systems and platforms today. It has a Java based environment and most of the apps are developed using Java. Even amateur tech lovers can tweak their applications easily by referring to relevant gaming sites. 

Each and every mobile application platform has a software development kit which does have all the necessary ingredients needed to make a fantastic interactive app or a game. One can start on with Android app development using the Android SDK (software development kit).

Development of 3D apps and mobile games is very much in demand today, much like the demand for Xbox games and PlayStation games. Most analysts agree that in the near future, an average user would be able to have much more interactivity and fun within the mobile itself. Though the 3D gaming experience is at a nascent stage, do not be surprised if 3D games get found in most smart phones in the near future.

Some of the trends related to gaming include:

Java is the most popular gaming platform which is ruling the roost today. But with subsequent competition with other platforms, the trends might change rather drastically.

Multiplayer apps like chess and poker are preferred by the online audience, especially those who frequent on social media. The common gaming platform allows people of a group to compete with absolute strangers too.

Mobile games are also used in many promotional and advertising campaigns wherein the user can play games and even shop from their favorite merchandise.

The emergence of portals which are selling games is on the rise too. The games are quite affordable to the average user and the demand makes it a win-win situation for the buyer and the developer. Different mobile games based on different genres like action, adventure, racing, puzzles etc. are available online.

The Sweet Spot: Being a Gamer Parent

As a parent of young children, it is often tough to find time to game. Or energy. Gone are the carefree days of playing game after game after game. There's always something coming up... late bedtimes, going to the store for medicine, washing diapers (for cloth-diapering hippies like us!), cooking, cleaning random messes the kids leave... yeah, free time is at a premium. 

Every minute counts. So I have to shoot for getting the most out of my time when gaming. So what does that mean? How do I get the most out of my time gaming? Honestly, I'm still working it out. I have 5 years of practice, though, and I'll share what I've figured out. Here are some guidelines I use for finding the "sweet spot" in gaming.

1. Avoid games with complex or fiddly rules.

Some games are just elegant. Play progresses in an orderly fashion, there's an FAQ in the rulebook covering anything you need, and people just "get it" after a quick explanation. Play these games. And avoid games (especially teaching games!) that require a trip to boardgamegeek.com to arbitrate a rules question, use arcane iconography or just make things complex. 

A game that I really like that fits into this category is Race for the Galaxy. I love the game. I really do. The iconography makes it hard to teach, though, so it's not going to hit the table when new players are around. Especially with expansions. Complexity doesn't need to be there for depth, necessarily. So when a game delivers a comparable experience without the fiddliness, go for that one.

2. If the kids are around, figure in additional time... or get a babysitter.

I don't know how many games I've lost due to having to parent. In the scheme of things, it doesn't really matter. A game is a game. But gaming is a hobby, and meant to be relaxing. Socializing. Interacting with friends, or maybe just unwinding with the wife. And it really gets frustrating when I feel that I can't remember what I'm doing from one minute to the next due to constant interruptions. 

I'm not the best multitasker (just ask my wife!), and the kids usually get the priority in any situation where they're involved. A good thing to do is to make sure you "load 'em up" with attention beforehand. If they're going to be supervised less during play, set their expectations and try to meet all their needs (immediate and anticipated) before you sit down. Gaming with other parents helps. Often, kids will play together. Another option is a babysitter. Even having a babysitter over at the same time is a great thing, and well worth the investment.

3. Maximize the "Fun vs. Time Spent" ratio.

Some games are just long. I'm not averse to playing a long game; I enjoy the opportunity every now and then. But some games... are just long. As an example, I don't really feel that I get more out of Axis & Allies than I do out of Memoir '44. I'll definitely be playing it for five more hours, but I don't necessarily think that Axis is going to deliver six times the fun just because it takes six times the time to play. 

That means that it has a poor fun:time spent ratio. Look for games that deliver the essential experience. Some games are going to take longer to do that, so make sure that when you're selecting a game to pull off the shelf, that there isn't a game that delivers the same experience in a shorter time.

4. Read reviews of games before you get them.

This has become so important for my wife and me when buying games. In the past, we would drop loads and loads of money on games we had never heard of. Sometimes this would have positive results. For instance, we purchased Attika after a recommendation from a game store employee. Hadn't heard of it, or looked it up. Just bought it. And loved it. But sometimes... you end up with a game that doesn't fit your style, isn't what you expected or is just plain bad. I'm not going to point fingers at any games in particular, primarily because I try to stay positive. But there are definitely games out there with few redeeming qualities. Which is why game reviews are so important. Just as the reviews themselves are important, so are the reviewers. It's easy to look at a review uncritically and walk away thinking of the reviewer's opinion as the final word. 

My advice is to find a couple reviewers' blogs or podcasts and get familiar. My wife, for example, loves The Dice Tower, a podcast about games. She doesn't necessarily agree with all of Tom Vasel's opinions on games, but she knows where she stands in relation to him on things and can use that as a yardstick and gauge whether or not she thinks she might like something based on that. We've made some very informed decisions on games based on his reviews, and on the reviews of others. FYI, I know a blog that reviews games (hint, hint!)... ;)

So what is "the sweet spot"? The sweet spot is primarily about being cognizant of factors like time and parenting when purchasing games, choosing which games to play and playing games. How this is defined for each individual is definitely going to vary. Just think of this as a game itself! It's a very complex resource management game, and the resources are time, money and attention. Stay aware of this, and you'll find your sweet spot!

Post-Apocalyptic Fun: A Review of 51st State

One of our recent acquisitions is 51st State, a card game from Toy Vault based in the Neuroshima world (like Neuroshima Hex). There has been quite a bit of buzz about this one, often with it being compared to Race for the Galaxy. In fact, many claim it will effectively replace Race for the Galaxy in your collection. I want to share how we're feeling about the game after a handful of sessions under our belts. For those of you not familiar with the Neuroshima world, it is a post-apocalyptic North America with various factions vying for power. 

It was originally based on the Polish roleplaying game Neuroshima. The designer of 51st State, Ignacy Trzewiczek, is also one of the designers of both the Neuroshima roleplaying game and Neuroshima Hex. For those of you familiar with Fallout, what I've seen and read about it seems a lot like the world depicted in that series of videogames. It's an interesting setting, and the art of the cards does a great job of conveying the post-apocalyptic theme.

The rules of the game are not too complex, though I must indicate that the rulebook isn't that great. It meanders a bit, and some things are not referred to throughout but not explained until the very end. That being said, a couple reads and look at some online resources helped us get started. It starts with players selecting cards from several set out at the beginning of the turn. 

After card selection, players earn an income and then take turn executing actions. Actions can be playing a location (more on this later), using a production location with a worker, playing a leader, rebuilding a location or a couple other minor actions. Play continues until all players have passed. For the most part, gameplay is multiplayer solitaire, much like Race for the Galaxy, or even Dominion.

Most of the cards you'll see are locations, and locations are very interesting in this game. Each location may be played in one of three ways, each with a color associated with it. The most basic function is white, and that is putting the card in your play area as a location; doing this can derive one of several benefits, such as giving an income of a resource, or being able to produce victory points or having a trait that stays in effect. Some are production locations that you, or sometimes an opponent, may play a worker on to get its benefit. 

Another option is to make a deal, which is the blue action. This will give you a modest income of its resource (or sometimes a card or victory points) each turn. The final action, denoted as red, is to conquer the location. This will yield a one-time windfall of resources, cards or victory points. This is a definite strength of the game. Each time you look at a card, you have to decide how you want to play it. It's a very interesting tactical consideration, and very thematic to the world.

Each player takes on the role of one of the world's factions. There are four: Mutants, New York, Appalachian Federation and the Merchant's Guild. Each faction is trying top establish dominance by controlling areas. They each play a little different. The differences are not huge, but somewhat thematic. This is reflected in how they spend resources to accomplish the three basic actions for dealing with a location, and income they receive in the resources present in the game: scrap, building materials, weapons and fuel. As can be expected, each has an advantage towards one of the basic location actions.

I have to say I've been enjoying this game. Rulebook woes aside, it's a great game. There is certainly a bit of randomness with the limited card availability per turn, but the cards seem balanced enough that you won't have a situation where you need to fish for cards to implement your chosen strategy. It has enough complexity to be interesting, without dictating a dominant strategy.The stated playing time is 40-90 minutes, and is accurate. In an earlier blog post I talked about the "sweet spot" for games in regard to fun versus time spent, and I think this game does a good job hitting it. 51st State gets a solid recommendation from me. I encourage you to give it a try!

How to Create Your Own Avatar

Creating avatars can get difficult if you don't have the right tools. Find out how to create your own avatar with a click of a button!

Creating avatars can get challenging if you are not artistic or if you are not fond of using photo-editing tools such as Adobe Photoshop or Corel Draw. To create avatars that are vibrant, clear, and impressive, you need these programs as well as a good computer. You also need to know how to work your way around making graphics and decorating your avatar.

People use avatars to make their websites more visually entertaining while others use avatars to enhance their personal branding. Celebrities use avatars as well to leave an impact on people-- take Barack Obama's popular "HOPE" avatar which he used back in 2008. This simple avatar somehow managed to get him into office.

You don't need to be an artist to create your own avatar, but if you are well-versed in using the computer nonetheless, here's how to create your own avatar using a photo editor.

Know what you want to turn your realistic photo into. This part involves conceptualizing and thinking about what your avatar should wear or look like. You could get inspiration from your favorite TV shows and cartoons and other characters in pop culture. Most avatars today look like South Park characters while others have been inspired by Doctor Who. Ask yourself this question, "What inspires me?" Get ideas from your answers.

Get your tablet or any photo-editing program ready. Some of the most popular avatars were created using a photo-editing program and it is important to know how to use one if you want to succeed in creating memorable avatars. Photo-editing programs can also create animated avatars, although there are a few programs such as MS Paint which does not include this feature.

Make drafts of your avatar on your photo-editor. Now that you are ready to start creating your own avatar, you should start off by sketching or making a draft on your photo-editor. Get ideas from popular trends today or turn your avatar into a cartoon portrait of yourself.

Download effects and other textures online to enhance your avatar. If you intend to use Adobe Photoshop to help you create your avatar, you should try to download advanced graphics, textures, and actions from online libraries. Doing so will definitely help you enhance your avatar and turn it into something impressive to look at.

My Fun Experience of Yahoo Games

Gaming has always been a passion of mine, from the time my parents bought me my first Atari up until now, when I spend hours on Yahoo games. Some may call it an addiction. I, however, call it an appetite for competition. Additionally, I love being transported to another world and using skills, such as problem solving and critical thinking, while playing games. So while I may spend hours upon hours in front of my computer or television screen, my brain is truly being exercised.

What started out with personal gaming in the comfort of your own home (with one other buddy playing the cheats for Contra) has moved to a universal world wide experience. While buddies still play games together, they no longer have to be confined to the same room. Now we can play games of any style with people in other countries online or through our console system.

Getting games through Yahoo allows you to foster relationships with other people during the universal language of competition. With the world operating in various time zones, there is always someone online ready to play and engage in a game.

What I like best about Yahoo games is the ease of playing and purchasing online. Its seamless operation is safe and swift so I can purchase any new game at any time. What's even better, and easier on the pocketbook, is they offer coupon codes on specific games. These are generally limited time offers and are not on every game, but purchasing online games with coupon codes definitely makes the experience even better.

Yahoo offers a variety of games. Some of the most popular games are puzzles or role-playing. Gaming tends to get a bad rap for violence, but the most popular games on Yahoo revolve around women owning bakeries or breaking bricks by lining up the correct color series. These games are a tremendous escape from reality by taking on a fictional small business where the user is in charge and not forced to obey the rules of their superior, which is often the case in the real working world.

There is a game out there for everyone, and Yahoo makes it easy to play those games. You can play the games directly on a computer or netbook or game online through the Yahoo portal. This is where multiplayer action begins. Games of skill or chance are often the primary focus of these games, like Vegas style gambling or anything according to Hoyle. Whichever type of game you choose, though, you can expect to have some fun when you log into Yahoo games.

Taking Driving to New Heights With Racing Games and Driving Games

They say that the best things in life are free, this is a true statement. Free games are one of the those things! Racing games are quite the online entertainment these days. There are literally thousands of free online games on the Internet and games like driving games are becoming more popular every day. Imagine yourself driving your favorite sports car or even just your favorite car down San Francisco and through the white line. 

Games like this can even be a great way for kids to learn about driving and even sharpen their skills before driving in the real world. Maneuvering your car takes practice and skill. In order to pass any race, you must not crash your car. That is why games like these can even help children of all ages prepare for the real world. It will sharpen their driving skills. In games like these, if you crash, you lose. That is why games that involve driving or racing can be a big benefit to a children's perspective on how to drive, and drive efficiently.

Games are becoming more advanced every day. Even flash developers are trying to create games that intrigue both the adult and the child. Racing games are one of the most popular types of games available on the web. They have been around for ages! When games were first invented, driving games were born. 

Now days the graphic engines on these types of games have advanced more than you know or could possibly imagine. Imagine years on the clock passing by while these games are getting developed better than you ever imagined. So head on over to your computer or laptop and hit up your favorite search engine and search for your favorite type of games, you are sure to find them! There's nothing to lose and everything to gain. You will be gaining enjoyment and satisfaction to your craving for driving games.

Racing games are also exhilarating and interactive, they give you an adrenaline rush and they're great for learning new skills or even just passing time. You can race with your best friends and compete for high scores, or you can live out your fantasies and zip around the track in your most desired dream cars. There is no limit to the genre of online games can do for you. Whether you're old or young, you can draw upon these games and live out your online gaming fantasies.

If you have always had an imaginative side that likes to come to life, there is no better place to turn than the internet. Through free online games, you can embrace your desire to live out your fantasies, and you can essentially become anyone you want by taking on the roles of different characters. 

Maybe you have always dreamt of being a hero, like a knight in shining armor, or possibly it has always been a far fetched fantasy of yours to be a secret agent who takes on daring tasks and challenging obstacles to save the lives of innocent civilians. Regardless of who or what it is you want to become, free online RPG games are for you!

RPG games are evolving like crazy and they are becoming one of the hottest gaming genres for people to immerse themselves in on the internet. People love taking on realistic roles that put them in the shoes of someone, or something else. With improved graphics and thousands of games to play, for free, you can bring your wildest gaming fantasies to life with just a few clicks of the mouse! 

The 7 Deadly Sins Game will let you bring out your inner bad boy. The goal of this intriguing RPG game is to commit all of the seven deadly sins within a given time frame. In one fortnight, you must take on the role of Ed and challenge your skills to come out on top! If sinning isn't exactly up your alley, a game like A Smashing Day Out Game might just do the trick. In this game, you take the lead and make choices that will create an entire story for you. This game is simple, family friendly, and takes RPG to new heights.

If education is on your to do list, you might want to take a break from indulging in RPG games to play some fun, free, and educational typing games that will sharpen your skills. With tons of games online that embrace fun storylines that incorporate timed typing tests into the scheme of things, you can improve your keyboard skills while simultaneously having fun. 

This category of free games online is great for kids who are just learning computer skills, or adults who want to brush up on their key strokes. Games like the Alphattack Game make it easy to get lost for hours in typing games! Saving the world with timed typing skills is just another task in the every day life of an avid online gamer!

Cheat For CityVille Or Quit Playing?

All through the Cityville forums people are up in arms about the recent changes that Zynga has imposed on the players by putting caps on certain values which makes the game more difficult to play. Many people are deciding to quit playing Cityville even though they were previously enjoying the social game tremendously. Some folks are angry because Zynga is rewarding those who can play everyday with bonuses that cannot be achieved by the part-time players, unless they use a cheat for CityVille. Zynga's aim seems to be to reward player loyalty, so they spend more time and real money, adding to Zynga's bottom line.

Zynga's Unpopular Changes:

Previous energy inventories are unaffected, but future stockpiling of energy in your inventory is now capped at 15 per each type of battery, and a stipulation of when you cannot use your battery energy. Advanced players are affected the most and many have already quit playing the game for this reason. However, new players are always struggling for energy, and they should check out the cheat for CityVille that teaches how to obtain more energy.

Zoning permits are now capped at 60, while gold plating, marble, building grants, city seals and ribbons are all capped at 25. For any and all of these items, you cannot continue to stock additional inventory until you are under the cap. Again, it affects advanced players the most.

Zynga has made many changes along the way, yet still has not completely addressed some of the shortcomings of lags and crashes while playing.

Zynga's Good Changes:

Some recently welcomed changes include being able to rename your city and businesses, adding a non-secular wedding hall and updating the train system. Many people have argued over the non-secular part of this community building, but it appears that Zynga is trying to remain politically correct, and not reveal each players religious preference.

And some potential changes may include a Mall, big changes for Franchises, and the biggest of all: a bridge over the Southeast river for further expansion.

What is the next step?

Players love competition, and they want to be on top of the game, so these people will learn to apply the cheat for CityVille. Others will react just as they did previously to other Zynga games like Mafia Wars, FrontierVille, Cafe World and FarmVille; they will move on to the next latest and greatest game when they are no longer satisfied. Zynga's new RewardVille adds crime rings and poker games to the farms and cities. Or, maybe they will move away from Zynga altogether, and begin building on Emerald Isle in Ireland Town.

On the other hand, if you want to start or continue building your empire in CityVille, the following cheat for CityVille will help you get started in the right direction for accumulating coins, energy and XP:

1. In the very beginning, save at least 3 trees to cut down for bonuses when requested.

2. With the move tool, move the initial barn back away from the street to make room for more new houses or businesses.

3. Place sidewalks in the busy business district of your city.

4. Place your decorations near businesses to improve the business bonus payouts. The added secret is that you can move these decorations around to maximize your payout bonuses.

An Introduction to Forum Role Playing

As children we all played role playing games. Even if you weren't into the latest rpg on the Nintendo, you still engaged in role playing every time you play dress up or make believe. This playful practice was formalized into an actual game with rules when wizards of the coast introduced Dungeons and Dragons to the market. From there a variety of spin of card games, board games, and video games ensued. One of the most interesting incarnations is the creation of forum role playing games however.

A forum is a place where people can go online to have discussions with other people from around the world. The software lets them post answers and responses to one another in tandem, either using flat or threaded style formatting.

The role playing takes place when members of the forum each take on the identity of a fictional character. They then work together, responding back and forth in order to tell a story, which moves progressively forward as the various members respond to one another's inquiries.

As the story progresses the players can use either standard literary style to tell the story with quotation marks going around verbal responses from the character, while unenclosed text is used to indicate actions. In other forms, the text will be enclosed in some sort of literary marks, while the actual verbal responses are left unenclosed. The style you play will be determined by the specific site and its community guidelines.

In general other rules will apply to these games as well. Generally you won't be allowed to break character or go OOC (out of character) unless it's through private messaging. Sometimes there will also be a moderator that will direct the flow of the game. These people will often have their own thread specific rules which can be consulted on in private.

The interesting thing about forum role playing is that unlike in other forms, a forum allows the players to keep a record of their interactions, and the story that is created is almost a living book which is constantly growing and changing as more and more people participate.

This makes it as much an act of literary communion as it does a game. In the end the most important thing ends up being that the story you are telling is satisfying. This trumps the importance of keeping your own personal characters safe and out of trouble, or defeating other characters in tasks and challenges.

Dungeons and Dragons Online Resources

Living in Decatur presents a bit of a problem for the Dungeons and Dragons player. The only store in the city that carries D&D related material is our local Books-A-Million. Frankly, their D&D selection is not very expansive, being mostly comprised of fourth edition hardcover rulebooks and a few modules.

For a greater selection of D&D materials, Huntsville is the closest place to go, with it's numerous bookstores, hobby shops, and specialty stores. Yet, it's not always convenient to drive the thirty or so miles from Decatur to Huntsville. With current gas prices as they are, it's also not very economical for the most part.

Thankfully, a better solution can be found by using the Interwebs. Following are three great websites for fourth edition D&D resources, through which can be found character sheets, modules, maps and tiles, and even fully detailed campaigns, everything D&D players and Dungeon Masters will need for their own games. Oh, and much of it is free!

What You Need:

A working computer

A working Internet connection

A working printer

Dungeons and Dragons / Wizards of the Coast

This is the official D&D website, the go to site for current D&D news and info. The bulk of resource material here comes through having a subscription to the Dungeons and Dragons Insider, the ultimate online D&D toolbox. A DDI subscription grants access to both Dragon and Dungeon Magazines, where you can find articles, full adventures, new player characters and non-player characters, new races, magic items and spells, and a host of other stuff.

With subscription plans from about $6 to $10 a month, having access to these online mags alone is worth the price. However, a DDI subscription also comes with use of the D&D Character Builder, the D&D Compendium, the D&D Adventure Tools, and the vast Art and Map Galleries. The cost of a DDI subscription is easily the better choice compared to going through the hustle of a drive to Huntsville.

DriveThruRPG

DriveThruRPG is a wonderful resource for D&D players to have. Many hours can be spent perusing all the D&D and other RPG material available here, and it's a good bet you'll find something for yourself. Click on the By Price menu option on the left-hand side, then click on the Show Only Free Products option, and be amazed at all that's there. Bookmark DriveThruRPG, as you may be returning often.

Printable Graph Paper

Fourth edition D&D makes standard use of one inch squares for tactical encounters, and this site is a must have for when you need print outs quickly and easily. Print directly from the site, or save the graph page or pages you want on your computer and print from there.

These three top online D&D resources should do well for Decatur D&D players, or players in any other city. No need to spend a lot of time looking for gaming materials when you have them already at your fingertips, and that means more time for gaming.

How to Be Good at FarmVille: A Guide

Knowing How to be good at FarmVille is a question on most people's minds when they first start to play FarmVille. When you play FarmVille you can have several different approaches as you progress through the game. You can go for cash, leveling up fast, building a fancy farm, whatever you choose you have to do things at the right time at the right stage of the game. FarmVille has lots of fun things to do and you can be tempted to spend your money unwisely which can hinder your progress, especially at the start of the game.

At the start of the game you should concentrate on leveling up as fast as you can, so all your actions should be based on this approach. Whereas the majority of people start to accumulate coin or buy items to make their farm look great. The higher you level the more choices you will have of crops to grow and the larger your farm can grow. When you reach level 20 you can grow cash crops like tomato seeds. At the beginning you are best to exchange money for XP points. Avoid the temptation of spending money on things you don't need. For example farm equipment like tractors are expensive and they are not required until you have a large piece of land with crops.

Think neighbors, neighbors, neighbors, getting lots of FarmVille neighbors in the early stage of the game will greatly boost your game. It all about gift giving and receiving, visiting their farms for ideas and making extra cash for helping out, so invite all your Facebook friends to the FarmVille game. Each friend you invite who joins FarmVille will get you the 'Local Celebrity' ribbon. These give you cash and XP points. See which tasks will earn more ribbons.

Check what seeds bring the best cash returns and XP points this is how to be good at FarmVille you will find that it's a trade-off. It is rare that you will get high coins and XP points at the same time. Think about how often you will be playing and schedule your time around planting and harvesting crops. If you only have a limited time that you can log-in to FarmVille do not plant crops that will mature fast they will only wither before you have time to tend to them. Your maximum seed investment will be lost to a withered crop.

A word of caution, FarmVille uses a lot of decorations for your farm, do not spend your money on eye-candy. Only buy something if it increases you're opportunity to get a ribbon. Once the ribbon has been earned immediately sell the decoration and use the land space for crops. Make sure all the land space is used up. You can put animals and trees along the top left and right of your land, or any two edges where you can't cultivate. Expand your farm size as soon as you can, more land means more money you can earn.

Happy farming neighbor.

Pub Quiz Basics: How to Make A Pub Quiz Correctly

What are the most important things to remember when hosting a pub quiz?

Without a doubt the most important thing you must make sure of is that your answers are correct. There are many sources of free pub quiz questions out there but they may have incorrect answers with them. I have come across hundreds of questions with incorrect answers in the past and some of the problem lies with the age of the question. The world changes every day after all.

Be most aware of questions that contain the words biggest, longest, widest, oldest etc.

To double check an answer, to see if it is correct, you should visit a website that specialises in that topic. If a question is about planets then visit N.A.S.A, if a question is about football then visit the F.A.

You will find a lot of the answers to your questions on Wiki but be careful here. When you type a question into a search engine you will find that the top results returned are from Wiki, most of the time. Wiki is a community edited website, anybody can contribute and because of this there are mistakes.

Don't just rely on one source either. Get a consensus by looking at what other websites reckon the answer should be. If the answer seems elusive and a few websites disagree with each others answers then I would discard that question all together to avoid an argument with your pub quiz teams later.

The worse case scenario you can have during your pub quiz is when it comes to marking. If you read out an answer to a question and a team shouts out that it is incorrect, what do you do? Not only that, you will look like a fool in front of everyone if the answer you have is obviously wrong.

The way to avoid this happening is to thoroughly research each answer yourself. Not only does this virtually guarantee you will have no incorrect answers but if a team does challenge you then you will have good knowledge of that particular subject because you have read about it and studied it.

People do get pretty upset if they are convinced that they had the right answer and you tell them they are wrong. But no matter what, the golden rule to any quiz is that The Quiz Master Is Always Right! As long as you do your research then that statement should hold true.

Never the less, if you get more than 1 team convinced that your answer is incorrect then I find the best way to resolve the problem it is to have a vote, it is fair and democratic. Before you have a vote tell everyone that it must be a unanimous decision and that more than half of the teams must raise their hands for the vote to be passed. Nobody can argue with a majority vote and if they try they will most certainly lose.

Even if you have had a vote and the quiz is all over, some people just can't let it go and will still confront you about the so called incorrect answer. You should listen to them with a smile on your face and agree with their opinion. Tell them that you will make a note of it and do some more research on the subject and let them know at the next pub quiz what you found. If it turns out that they were in fact correct then announce this during the next pub quiz and award their team an extra point.

You are there to entertain them not to get their backs up. You want everyone to be happy all the time if your pub quiz is going to be a success. Remember to always have a smile on your face, never ever swear and keep your opinions to yourself. Above all, be polite and well mannered at all times and you are sure to have a successful pub quiz night.

Bringing Out Your Adventurous and Sporty Qualities With Online Games

Within each of us, there is an adventurous spark that loves to break free and make the most of the technologically savvy society we live in. There are a number of ways to take part in adventurous activities on the internet, and one of the most effective and enjoyable ways is to immerse yourself in adventure games. 

The thing about playing games online that stands alone, is the fact that you can be imaginative and you can easily escape reality without ever having to set foot outside your home. There are no restrictions in the world of online gaming, and as a matter of fact, just a few simple mouse clicks will have you face to face with thousands of free games to immerse yourself in.

Accessing adventure games on the web is actually quite simple. By searching online games websites, you will see that most of these databases have pre-categorized game selections. You can navigate easily through various genres, including the adventure games genre, and you can play a limitless amount of games without ever having to spend a cent. 

Age does not play a factor in the online gaming world because the old and young are embraced equally through a wide range of appealing games. Adventure games make great pastimes for people who want to take their minds off of stressful aspects of life, as well as addicting hobbies for people looking to satisfy their adventurous desires.

Another popular hobby is that of playing sports. People all over the world love taking part in various sporting games. Whether it's the adrenaline rush that draws you in, or the competitive edge that sports embrace, you can satisfy a number of different desires by immersing yourself in sports. When technology and people's worldwide love for sports combine, things really get taken up a notch. With sports games now flooding the web, people can get the same effect of physical sports from the convenience of their own homes. 

Sports games come in countless skill levels and genres. When you go online, you can search for specific sports games that you know will amuse you, or you can browse through different sports games on different online games sites to get more of a variety. Additionally, sports games make it easy for people who do not have enough time to embark on a real sporting adventure, or those who are not well enough to play actual sports, to get the same overall effect in a timely and cost effective manner. From sports games to adventure games, the internet is a playground for people of all ages.