Create Video Games As Your Fun Career

Do you like video games? Do you beat video games after playing once? Do you feel like the games are too easy? Well, it sounds like you have a passion for these things then you should go where your heart leads you.

If you at the point where you are thinking about your career, I suggest that you do what you love to do. You should consider a different course of action: majoring in something you TRULY enjoy... something you could do hours on end without feeling like you are working at all. And if you are like many people, this 'something' would be playing video games.

That's right! You can actually get a job creating and/or playing video games. Below is a list of some of the careers available for those with a video game degree.

1) Video Game Programmer

Gameinformer Magazine mentions that, video game programmers are the "heart and soul" of the industry. They are the ones responsible for creating the code necessary for getting video games to function. And contrary to popular belief, their jobs aren't always easy. Video game programming often involves creating complex functions and algorithms often times more challenging than programs created in Corporate America.

Indeed, game programming may not be the appropriate course for everyone seeking a video game career, but if you were deciding to go into the computer field anyway, which job would be more enjoyable... coding the next Halo, or working on a boring, hum-drum piece of no-name software?

2) Video Game Tester

As a video game tester it is a position in which you truly would get paid for playing video games. According to current game tester Doug D. from Electronic Arts, he say's as a game tester you would "go over different components of a game and look for things that just don't make sense." You would also "break the game," meaning you would "do things a normal user would do and accidentally see something go wrong."

Doug Powell further adds that video game testing is a good place to start for young people who want to "break into the industry." To get such a position in it is best to have a "passion for gaming" and some educational background. Doug recommends a degree, or some form of higher-level education.

3) Video Game Animator

Animators are in charge for coordinating the movement of video game characters. Accomplishing requires more than drawing something on a piece of paper, which according to Alex Jones, an established game animator, occurs after a lot of "brainstorming, chilling, playing, planning and testing" with the programmer. But when the busy work is done, the video game animator will finally get a chance to do what he or she does best... animate. Alex Drouin says the thing he liked best about his job was "being able to come there late in the morning, sit behind his computer, put on a great CD, and then create crazy animation that will end up in a game that will be seen all around the world by gamers." With a video game degree it is certainly possible!

4) Sound Designer

Sound designers are responsible for creating the music and sound effects of video games. Video game music is created either from digital sources or real-life stimulation. As video game consoles become more advanced, many sound designers favor the latter when deciding on what type of music they want in the games they are working on. Creating appropriate sound effects, on the other hand, sometimes requires more creative experimentation.

To be successful at designing video game sounds it is best to: 1) have an interest in both music and sound, 2) possess knowledge of recording equipment and 3) be familiar with the types of music and sound used in today's most popular video games. A video game degree will help develop these talents and skills.

5) Game Designer

Video game designers are responsible for creating the 'experience' of a particular game. Charles Perry, a video game designer, sums it up by saying "the main tasks of the designer is to make sure the game is fun."

Wells further adds that game designers are responsible for macro and micro level design. Macro level design involves "figuring out the core mechanics of the game; the variety of level looks, power-ups, etc." Micro-design involves creating the "actual levels and the moment-to-moment gameplay within those levels... the enemies, the objects, and the particular way you encounter those enemies and objects."

Good game designers should obviously have an interest in video games along with some drawing and programming skills.

Please visit my website at: http://www.video-game-directory.com. Where I review the hottest new video games and cheat sheets for your gaming pleasure! My name is Charles Edwin and I'm looking forward to you joining our newsletters valued a $24.97 for free!!

Don't Waste Your Time On Runescape Cheats

Secret No 1: Do Not Use Runescape Cheats

100 Runescape players were surveyed about what they want most for their account. The top 3 answers were "Runescape Cheats", "more gold" and "higher stats".

If you told a Runescape player that there was a way to make 120 million gp magically appear in their bank by typing in a code, which is Runescape Cheats, most gamers would probably be thrilled. If you told them that you could make all their stats jump to 99 by typing in "nowayjose," which again is a Runescape Cheat, all of them would happily do it.

Guess what? Thatรขโ�ฌโ�ขs impossible! So donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt waste your time focusing on Runescape Cheats .Thereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs no way in the world Runescape cheats can suddenly make gold coins appear out of nowhere. And no Runescape Cheats will get you to level 126 overnight. If youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve been trying Runescape Cheats, donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt freak out because Iรขโ�ฌโ�ขve got some really great news for you.

What is it? Give up Runescape Cheats and see your scores go sky high. (bank account explode?)

Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt make your goals getting stats and gold. Just decide what you want, work to get it, and ignore everything else.

This is the biggest Secret to getting what you want in Runescape. Figure out the one thing you want and work to get it while ignoring everything else.

This means that when youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre working to improve your mining skill, you donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt worry about the ore. Drop it all on the ground right there for the newbies.

This means that when you are training prayer, your goal is to collect bones rather than fight. If you see a bone and you see a fight, you should automatically go for the bone. Again, donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt think about Runescape Cheats.

This means that if you want to get lobsters for your PKer, you BUY IT ALL. Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt waste your time trying to fish.

Get it? Whatever you want to do at that particular moment should be the only thing that you do.

Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt divide your time. Focus on one thing and give up Runescape Cheats. Runescape Cheats kills your game.

This simple rule has had Runescape millionaires and level 95+ players laughing for years because they know everyone else simply doesnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt get it. The truth is, Runescape millionaires are playing a totally different game.

Want my advice? Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt be like most รขโ�ฌห�noobsรขโ�ฌโ�ข still focusing on Runescape Cheats. Start to implement this strategy into your game, and youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll immediately notice how much quicker youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll improve both your stats and your bankroll.

I think by now you can clearly see that I do not believe in Runescape Cheats. They will get you banned by Jagex Ltd and destroy your game. Stay focused. Go for one goal at a time. Ignore everything else.

Copyright 2006 Roy Phay

Roy Phay is the Author of "Top 101 Secrets of RuneScapeรขโ��ยข". It is THE most valuable content rich e-book ever written on Runescape. Royรขโ�ฌโ�ขs book reveals the Fastest, Easiest Strategy Guaranteed to Create Millions and Achieve a Level 85+ Character in RuneScape in Less than 7 Days without using Runescape Cheats. To get your FREE 7 Runescape Secrets, go to http://www.RunescapeTopSecrets.com NOW!

How to Purchase a World of Warcraft Account on eBay, and Not Get Ripped Off

Anyone playing World of Warcraft knows that in comparison to other MMOs the leveling time is vastly reduced. While getting a character to 60 is not nearly as hard, getting the high-end gear can be just as time consuming as any other game on the market. Even the PvP route now takes a time investment that most players canรขโ�ฌโ�ขt dedicate. The solution for players who want the nice gear, but donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt have the time, is to buy an account. Unfortunately, any time money is involved in an online transaction, so are the fraudsters. This guide will show you how to protect yourself against people whose sole intention is to rip you off.

Account buying is a multi-million dollar business. Regardless of the grief the top level players give to those in game they believe have purchased an account, thereรขโ�ฌโ�ขs nothing they can do to stop it. Some guilds will prevent people with purchased accounts from joining, but in reality, most of the high-end accounts already have the best gear you could get anyway. For every guild who would block a player from joining, there are ten who would take them just for the sheer advantage of having an end-game geared player.

If youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve already decided to take the shortcut of buying an account, there are several factors you need to consider before you hit buy it now, or enter a bid. Is the server active, are there long lines for log in, and for battle grounds? Does the gear on the character equate to the price the seller wants? Is the class in high demand for the type of playing you want to engage in? How far ahead of the playing curve is the players gear (tier 2 vs tier 1)?

Once youรขโ�ฌโ�ขve found an account you want to purchase, you need to run down the following checklist to protect yourself from fraud. Does the account for sale provide any screen shots to backup their character and item claims? Was the sellers account created a few days before the listing? Does the account come with the discs or the answer to the secret question? Does the seller only accept money orders, cashierรขโ�ฌโ�ขs checks, or wire transfer? Is the seller located in the United States? Has the seller marked the auction as a private? Will the seller provide you a phone number if you ask?

The final process in buying an account you want, is to put as many safeguards as you can in place. Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs very easy for a seller to take back an account from a buyer. There is not a whole lot you can do in a situation like this, as the seller has intended to rip you off from the start, and has planed accordingly. If you prepare yourself to get ripped off from the start, the odds are against the seller getting away with it.

Pay with Paypal. Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt use a casherรขโ�ฌโ�ขs check, money order, or wire transfer. Once those have been sent, your money is gone. Paypal offers some level of protection for you as a buyer.

Use a credit card in conjunction with your paypal account. On top of the protection from paypal, your credit card company can help you reverse the charges in the case of fraud. If you donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt have a credit card, open a bank account with a visa, or mastercard debit card. These offer the same protections as a credit card. Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt use a balance funded paypal account. Move the money down to your back account, and force paypal to use your credit card.

Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt even bother threatening the seller. Just file with paypal, and the credit card company. Emailed threats are of no use, just get your money back the second you try to log on and the password has been changed. You wonรขโ�ฌโ�ขt get your money back instantly, but you will get it back.

Turn on the flamethrowers and burn the seller in every way possible. Paypal and your credit card company will both open investigations into the transaction. You can also get your stateรขโ�ฌโ�ขs Attorney General, local police, and the FBI involved. It takes you virtually no time, costs you nothing, and everything can be done via email or online forms. While nothing may come of this, in many cases, sellers do get caught and prosecuted.

Keep in mind, if you try to use this guide in reverse and scam a seller, youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll be committing some pretty serious felonies. Being underage is not going to save you. Credit card companies come down on fraudsters like a ton of bricks. When you move cash around on the internet, it always comes from, and goes to someplace. Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs easier to track than you think it is. Donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt risk it.

Most of the time there is no problem with buying or selling accounts, but there are people out there whoรขโ�ฌโ�ขs plan was to rip you off from the start. If you follow this guide, you will get your money back. Between paypalรขโ�ฌโ�ขs protection, and the protection the credit card companies offer, it is almost 100%.

Chris Yarbrough writes for Ebay Guides, a free resource site with hundreds of articles and guides. You can view all his guides at http://www.ebay-guides.com

Turn Your Computer Into An Entertainment System With Downloaded Card Games

Almost every computer these days comes with some free games preloaded on them. These games can provide plenty of entertainment and ways to kill some time or even slack at work. Often these games are card games, and we've all seen the ubiquitous solitaire computer card game. Who hasn't wiled away an hour clicking through game after game of solitaire? Despite the addictive nature of the game, it can get old after a while, and you might want to start looking around for new games to play.

There are innumerable card games available on the internet. Most of the games are ones you're probably already familiar with. This would include favorites such as blackjack, poker (which has become hugely popular), hearts, spades, gin, cribbage, bridge, etc. There are also more than a few different versions of solitaire available. You can also find countless original card games on the internet. These are games which this or that person invented and shared with the world. They may use conventional card sets or they may rely on totally new sets you've never seen before. The limit, of course, is the human imagination.

You can download games for free or you can buy them. The difference between free games and ones that cost money are getting relatively small. You can find all sorts of great games for free. Usually the ones that cost money have better graphics and more features, but basically there aren't a lot of differences. Pretty much any card game you want to play can be downloaded for free.

You may wonder why you'd want to download a game instead of just playing it online. Downloading games allows you to play them whether you're connected to the internet or not. If you connect to the internet via dial up, then downloading games is a good idea because theyรขโ�ฌโ�ขre usually fairly small files, and since you're playing on your own computer the gameplay will be faster due to not having to worry about your connection speed. And if you're on a limited data plan, playing online can burn valuable bandwidth. Again, you're better off relying on your computer's processor speed than the speed of your internet connection.

Having said that, if you have broadband access and/or aren't concerned about being able to play anywhere you want, you can find all sorts of free online games. The advantage to playing online is that you can play against other people who can be anywhere in the world.

Next time you're clicking through another boring game of solitaire, switch to your web browser and start searching for new card games. You'll be amazed by the sheer number of games out there. Whether you're looking for Texas Hold 'em, blackjack, hearts, or an interesting new version of solitaire, you'll be sure to find something fun to download from the internet.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as favorite toys at http://www.favoritetoysforall.com

How to Put Downloaded Games on Your PSP

How to Put Downloaded Games on Your PSP If you want to know how to put downloaded games on your PSP, you’ve got the right idea. You can use your PSP for all sorts of gaming, listening to music, watching movies. Why not use your PSP for to play downloaded games, too? Learn how to put downloaded games on your PSP, and the fun will never stop.

You can download almost any game for play on your PSP. And, on the Internet, most games are available for download in freeware or demo versions. If you’ve been thinking about how to put downloaded games on your PSP, then you already have the heart of a true gamer. With your PSP, you can play all the games you desire.

Want to know how to put downloaded games on your PSP, so you can play all the downloaded games you want, whenever you want? If you get the Memory Stick Duo, you can have all kinds of downloaded games on your PSP. Simply choose the games you want to download from the Internet, and download your files into a folder you want to transfer to your PSP. Install the game, following all the instructions carefully, and transfer it to your PSP Memory Stick Duo.

PSP supports all kind of file types. Make sure that the games you download can be played on PSP, and you should never have a problem. Once you know how to put downloaded games on your PSP, you can play all your favorite games whenever you want. Get your game on easier than ever before with your PSP.

When you know how to put downloaded games on your PSP, you can play almost any game you want. PSP games can be expensive, and after the large expense of purchasing a PSP who has more money for games? You can play game downloaded for free if you know how to put downloaded games on your PSP, and you can find many games on the Internet that you can download and play for free. Knowing how to put downloaded games on your PSP means that you can play any game, any time. How cool is that?

http://www.PSPdownloadheaven.com - For more info About PSP downloads

What Are Indie Games?

Overview of Indie Games

For those individuals who love to play various games in their free time and are also avid computer users, the two concepts can easily be combined to produce a wonderful result. Playing games via a computer is a common occurrence these days. Although there are a number of popular games one can play on the computer, one genre of game that is gaining in popularity is that of Indie games.

Defining Indie Games

Indie games can be defined as those games that are created independently of any large financially backed company. Indie games are ones which often come from a relatively low budget base and many of these games are ones that are only available online. These types of games can be video games, strategy games or puzzles, for example. The wide range of categories which various Indie games fall into is quite impressive.

How Indie Games Were First Developed

Indie games developed in reaction to an already established type of gaming industry. Those who create Indie games develop games which fall into a certain category yet do not have a large financially sound company which develops them. In order for Indie games to exist, there must already be a similar genre of game in existence. For example, Indie games which fall into the category of video games were developed in the 1970s shortly after the larger companies developed the mainstream video games. The Indie games which resulted from that category came into existence after games such as Pong and Asteroids hit the market.

Reasons for Online Popularity

Indie games are mainly available via online means. There are a few different reasons for this. First, those who develop various Indie games do so at minimal costs. Since it is much less expensive to provide online accessibility to these games as opposed to marketing them and selling these games in stores, one who develops Indie games makes them largely available online. Secondly, individuals who create various Indie games make them available online since it is an easy way to get the games out to the general public and enable individuals to start playing them as quickly as possible.

Size of the Indie Game Industry

The Indie game industry is one which is growing in size. As more and more individuals begin using the Internet, there are more people who gain access to Indie games. Online accessibility to games of this type is a primary reason for the growing popularity of Indie games. Indie games are developed all over the world and it is hard to pinpoint exactly how many Indie games are currently in existence at this time.

Future of the Indie Game Industry

The Indie game industry is one which will continue to grow in the future. Due to the fact that the number of Internet users continues to grow, so will the number of people who like to play Indie games online. Therefore, the future of the Indie game industry looks quite bright.

Summary

Indie games are the result of creative and innovative minds. For those who may not have the financial backing to get their games on the consumer market, developing Indie games and making them accessible via the World Wide Web is a great way for the developer to let others see and utilize their vision.

Steve is a writer for the GrandMatrix website. GrandMatrix provides hundreds of free game downloads and online games. Play and rate the latest PC games and play thousands of puzzles, word games and online arcade games with other members.

How to Get a Video Game Tester Job

It's true the video game testing industry generates billions of dollars each year. A video game to produce and make takes a lot of time and energy to fully get it complete and live. Programmers consistently work and develop the coding behind the game level by level. During this process, there needs to be people who actually go through each program or module and test to make sure everything is working properly.

This is where the game tester job comes in. Companies eagerly seek people who will diligently test thoroughly new games while they are in the work in progress stage. Being a video game tester is not as easy as many people think. You can't just go to work and play the video games you want all day. Basically you make have to play the same game, same level, and same area of the game for days or weeks straight making sure that every step, move, etc. works properly.

Video game testing can be a tedious job, but the pay is definitely beneficial. Top video game testers make up to $80 per hour which is equivalent to around $200,000 per year. Starting wages for a video game tester can range from around $10 per hour, but that will go up quickly as you begin your video game tester job. Finding out how to get these video game tester jobs is not that easy because of the demand in the industry. You won't find these jobs available on Monster or HotJobs. There are certain websites that provide all the information to access many companies that are looking to hire video game testers.

To find out more information and how to get a video game tester job visit: http://www.ZoomReviews.com/gametester

Nick DeStefano is an author for http://www.ZoomReviews.com providing quality reviews for individuals.

The Future of Submarine Games

In the last six months, the demise of sims has been pronounced in abundance. Print mags and sim webzines have been telling you sims are being cancelled left and right Jane's A-10: Cancelled. Wolfpack II: Cancelled. Silent Steel II: MIA. M1Tank Platoon 3: Cancelled. Fighting Steel Deluxe: Cancelled. Jane's Attack Squadron: MIA. Thunder Over Europe: MIA. The list goes on.

We all know that this is a down cycle for sims and we believe there is hope that in a couple of years, things will turn around and sims will be hot stuff again. Hey, I remember in 1973 when the EPA and OPEC throttled the life out of the muscle car scene. I had a 1970 Cobra Torino that had 450 hp and ran the quarter in the high 13s. In less than three years every car out of Detroit was a smog controlled, gas economizing slug. They even started making them as ugly as they were slow! It was heartbreaking.

But over time, things change. Now you can get a high performance machine that handles and has luxuries like front/rear AC. My '99 Riviera has a supercharged V-6 that would make my old Torino proud.

So, keep the faith. Things will improve, even if no one knows when. Silent Hunter II and Destroyer Command are showing signs of life. Harpoon 4 is still under development. There are stirrings from the Sonalysts camp.

When a new subsim does hit the shore, try to remember, the developers and game producers are our friends. They make the kind of games we like because they like them too. Why would they labor over armor thickness tables, ship model physics, and torpedo trajectories for a niche market? I know a few developers and they all love the genre.

Try to keep your criticism balanced. Should you blast a sim you had trouble with or didn't enjoy with all the invective and animosity you would normally reserve for someone who stole your car or used your toothbrush? I was told by one producer that high-level executives frequently ask him about hard-core negative postings on newsgroups and forums. The industry sees us as demanding, unappreciative, and impossible to satisfy. It's much easier and more lucrative to crank out Deer Hunter and Barbie games and their users rarely flame the game company to a crisp.

I work with a CPA accountant who likes computer games and is pretty good at them. He can play a mean Age of Empires warrior. I tried to interest him in learning Jane's 688(I) for some multiplay. He took one look at the hefty manual and waved it off. He assumed he would need to learn all the material to play competitive. The blessing and the curse of a good sim is its complexity. You want to command a battle fleet or do TMA on a Los Angeles class submarine? You need to learn skills and study. And this restricts the popularity of the sim. Mass market games generally do not carry the steep learning curve a sim does. So while we hard core sim players are delighting in the minutia of seven different stations and all their controls, casual gamers are passing up the sim at a 20 to 1 ratio. Sims truly are a niche market.

Niche market games have limited budgets. This mean a small number of programmers and artists must concentrate on the basics. Don't expect to see everything you want and imagine in a sim. Oh yeah, I'm with you--I wish a subsim could have full motion crews and other fun stuff. But as one producer told me, "We don't have the money to design and integrate these features into the product. I wish we could, too."

We should be finding out the status of Silent Hunter II soon. Either Mattel Interactive is going to sign someone to complete it or it will be canned. I went through the "we are planning to do this" stage with the fabled Jane's Ice Pack add-on for 688(I), Crusader Studios' Akula: Red Hunter, Silent Steel 2, and the interoperability between Jane's Fleet Command and 688(I). I'm not passing judgment here, just stating that when the momentum dies, so does the objective. For whatever reasons, the product champions behind those sims were unable to secure the financing to start work. To get a better feel for the whole process, read my friend John Sponauer's analysis of the life and death of a sim, M1 Tank Platoon 2, from its early development as an upgrade all the way through its last couple of weeks.

Despite my previous experiences with other sim companies, I am optimistic that Carl Norman and Rick Martinez mean what they say and SSI will continue to raise the banner of the Digital Combat Series while the Jane's, NovaLogics, and Microproses around them fall like unfortunate tin soldiers. This is not to say SH2 is a done deal--that moment will come when you hold the box in your hand. We look to the next rumored subsim as our best hope for advanced underwater warfare. All we can do is stay positive, supportive, and if it's decent, buy four copies when it comes out.

About The Author

Neal Stevens is the editor of Subsim.com and contributing author of the coffee table book United States Submarines.

Rent Video Games? Online Rentals vs Storefront Rentals

Storefront rentals had been to be the only dominating market for 12+ years now when you wanted to rent video games, ever since the conception of the VCR. Many businesses have taken their company online due to the fact that startup costs are remarkably lower compared to storefront costs and they can virtually expand their business to an entire nation or worldwide within a few short months. Why not expand the same concept for movies and game rentals? It was only a matter of time.

Depending on where you live and the geographics of that area, I can definately say that this will cause a great influence on where you choose to rent video games. Many rental companies can be found within a few miles of your home, but others are found at distances that you may not want to particularly travel everytime you need to return a game.

Fast and reliable service is a huge factor for most people living in the information age. Everything has to be now and fast these days. So lets look at a few factors that will help you make your decision a little easier. Convienance, games in stock, game formats, availability , pricing, and customer service are the general factors we take into consideration for any movie or game rental company. Lets look at each one:

CONVIENANCE- If you live in a rural location, then, online game rentals is without a doubt your best bet. To travel anymore than 8 miles out of your way to rent anything is more than most people have time for. Being able to recieve your rentals at your doorstep, in the country, is a huge benefit to online game rentals.

If you live in more a a urban or suburban neighborhood, then locations of your nearest branch will determine this for you, but you can never truly beat games delivered to your front door everyday, even if you have one mile to travel. Being able to pickup your game in your pajamas or bath robe without getting dressed to go to your local store is laziness and convienance at its best. WINNER: ONLINE RENTALS!

GAMES IN STOCK - This can vary from store to store, but for the most part they are all about the same. Most larger stores (Hollywood Video and Blockbuster) can carry a stock of 50-100 games at a time. This number doesnt even come close to the stock of games that are carried by online rental clubs. We are looking at 2000 games at the very lowest on up to 3500 + games at the high end of the table. You are also more likely to find more older and newer games available to rent at anytime. WINNER: ONLINE RENTALS!

AVAILABILITY- I've never really felt like i've had too much of a choice when it comes to renting at stores. It was more of a deduction of what was left to choose from at the time you made it there. When it comes to online rentals, you can practically play any game that you ever wanted to play at anytime. There, of coarse are a few games from time to time that you may have a short wait attached, but during those times, you will easily be able to choose another game from the thousands listed. Once that particular sought after game is available, you will know about it whenever you log into your account, instantly. WINNER: ONLINE RENTALS!

GAMES FORMATS- Even though I have always thought that having PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube games available was quite a selection at the local rental stores, I didnt even know how good it could get until online rentals introduced their selection. Not only does online rentals contain the 3 major consoles, but they also have such portable game rentals as Gameboy Advance, PSP, and Nintendo DS. Many of the larger online stores are offering XBOX 360 and PS3 games as well for the next generation as soon as the consoles come out. WINNER: ONLINE RENTALS!

PRICING- Renting games has always been somewhat cheap ($5-$8), but it can definately add up depending on your rental frequency. If you are renting more than 5-6 a month, on top of late fees, which is bound to happen from time to time, then you may be out-of-pocket sooner than expected. Online rentals make it easy for you. Rent X amount of games and keep them as long as you want for only X amount. Game prices fluctuate from game plan to plan, but these prices are still far more lower than you'll ever find at your local store. Check out the pricing here. WINNER: ONLINE RENTALS!

CUSTOMER SERVICE- Waiting in lines and dealing with crowds and irritable employees to rent video games is enough to drive anyone mad. This in itself can make you not want to deal with your local rental store at any cost. On the other hand, online rentals do not have lines, crowded stores, or irritable employees to deal with, so that experience is elminated altogether! Just select a movie from your browser and wait 1-3 business days for delivery and thats it. If you ever have troubles or problems with recieving or returning games, email customer service and your inquiry will be returned within 24 hours. Some of these online rental companies even have phone support! WINNER: ONLINE RENTALS!

For Expert Reviews on Video Game Rental Clubs located all over the US, visit us at http://www.GameRentalGuide.com/reviews.htm

Action Games - The Thrill Is Addictive

When you watch live action on movie screens, you get excited. Combined with sound effects the action can be a real thrill. Some actions that we watch takes the breath away. How about Action games on computers?

Some of the makers of action games make great animations and may include a story line. Stories always attract us. Tell a story and everybody will listen. The action games on computers use this very well to produce games that can take your breath away thinking of the imagination and artistry applied by the maker.

Adventures, space fights, planes colliding in mid air, think of any action and you will find it used in a game. Most of these games are free online. Action games give great thrill and despite called for teenagers they are for the family to enjoy them together. Action games test the response of the player and sharpen the judgment. Such games are not pure fun. They can help as training tools if used properly.

Other free online games that are currently becoming very popular are- Arcade Games, Board Games, Card Games, Casino Games, Strategy Games, Sports Games, Shooting Games and, Puzzle Games. Most of the online games are free. Look for a good website and play the games. They are a fabulous way of enjoyment. As I said in the heading these games can become addictive. Take small doses and life will be a joy.

The author, C.D.Mohatta writes for http://www.ecarduniverse.com/ which has free ecards on holidays, birthday, love, friendship, family, expressions, celebrations and all events and occasions. He also writes fun quizzes and fun tests at http://www.funquizcards.com/ on topics like love, personality, dating, relationships, friendship, movies, tv, music, business, etc. One more site associated with the author is http://www.yourfungames.com/ - it has lots of free flash games which anyone can play online.

Aerial Blimp Refueling of UAVs

Aerial refueling from blimps might be easier than we think. Currently we use C-130s to fuel Boeing Attack helicopters and Large Cargo Type helicopters, which can be a dangerous operation. The C-130 must slow down to very slow speeds and the helicopters are flying at high rates of speed. The problems occur when there is turbulence and the fully loaded with fuel C-130 is in the middle of a transfer of fuel. There are ways to slow down a C-130 and reduce itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs turbulent airflows:

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?showtopic=325

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?showtopic=328

But when we are taking about refueling a swarm of UAVs it maybe very difficult to do so by use of a large aircraft. Small UAVs or MAVs will be quite adversely affected by even the slightest vortex or turbulence. Our solution is to provide a lighter than air slow moving craft with very mild and predictive induced airflows, slower speeds and a way to block wind while refueling a fleet or swarm of UAVs or MAVs without loss of aircraft or failure to complete refueling.

Using a large foamy mattress like mesh with cone shaped pores it maybe possible to refuel large swarms of UAVs using a lighter than air blimp or airship. The large airship would have itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs population system on top, while underneath on the bottom skin would be this foamy mesh which would drop down and unfold. The bottom of the foamy mesh would be Kevlar to prevent small arm strikes, which might ignite the fuel being used. On the foam side would be cone shaped receptors, which would only activate when and if a small UAV came in contact with them, once it pulled away that nozzle would disengage. Only those cone receptacles, which have UAVs on the other end would dispense the fuel. This process would work well for small UAVs in a swarm or even MAVs. In the event of use with MAVs each cone much closer together. As the UAV or MAV approached it would not need a perfect lock on the receptacle as is now needed for in-flight refueling of fighter aircraft or the larger Predator UAVs. Imagine a gigantic cupcake pan.

only made of foam with each hole coming to a point, which would match the exact shape of the UAV or MAV as the hole got smaller. These large foam meshes for refueling could be up to several hundred square feet or as small as many square meters. If a UAV fails to attach to the mesh it would simply fly back around and try again. Once attached itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs forward propulsion would insure it stays connected as it presses against the mesh. The foam mesh devise would drop and extend downward at an angle as the air pressure caused by the relative wind against it will push it slightly towards the rear of the aircraft, therefore each cone would be slightly angled downward, so it will be level during refueling. Most UAVs have large proportional fuselages and the front ends stick forward for stability. In this concept it would be best for the UAV to be a pusher-propelled craft;

http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2002/p...2/dvd-171-1.jpg

although would also work well for a craft which has motors as much as 6 or more inches from the front farthest forward point. If most or all of the front fuselage embeds itself in the receptacle made to match, the aircraft will remain in place, with even the smallest amount of forward pressure from the thrust of the motor or power plant. If a UAV or MAV is unable to be refueled or itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs sensors are showing damage in anyway, it can then be secured within the mesh and upon retraction into the airship remain in the mesh. Once within the Blimp its tail will be secured by a series of hanging hooks, then brought back with the airship. This methodology may also be used to collect UAVs or MAVs upon completion of mission, without the damage incurred by nets. Such a system can launch and retrieve UAVs or MAVs without the need for landing gear thus saving the weight for additional sensors or mission components.

Lance Winslow

Free Mobile Games

After mobile phones hit the market, it wasnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt long before phones started to come equipped with games.

Among the famous mobile games available for free online are the following:

W Corporations: Easy to control, complete with game-save feature mobile; includes deadly weapons such as the uzi, mini gun, and rocket launcher. There are different types of enemies to defeat at certain levels. It has a complex plot, stunning graphics, and the use of cars is possible. W corporationsรขโ�ฌโ�ข game contains secret bonuses and comes with wav sound effects.

Karate Master: In this game you are Chen, the beginner in Martial Arts. Help him gain the desired black belt by earning the approval of the old master. Chen also has to earn the title "The Best Under the Sun" by winning all fights.

Conflict Global Storm: A game about global terrorism. Two men try to battle terrorists in techniques such as information retrieval, capture, rescue, and escort missions and sabotages that you have to play out. Conflict Global Storm is the third of its series.

FIFA 2005 Mobile Edition: In its newest isometric viewpoint, it allows the player to play realistically. Its features include action replays so you can review your best shots. The ability to pre-empt your opponentรขโ�ฌโ�ขs movements will give you a better shot at winning the game.

Colin McRae Rally 2005: Racing will never be the same once it hits your mobile phone. With its 3D graphics, youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll definitely enjoy hours on your phone.

Mobile Instant Messaging: With the simultaneous connection to all selected systems, you can exchange messages with your friends through Yahoo, ICQ, AOL, MSN, and Jabber.

3D Pool: This 3D game will allow you to make your best shots. It will test your skills on strategy and will improve the way you take shots.

Jackpot: A casino game that gives you 100 dollars for play and an unlimited amount of cash in your pocket. A typical slots game. The goal is to get the most money. If you lose the money, you lose the game. Money is stored in the memory and can be checked in the menu.

Free Games provides detailed information on Free Games, Free Online Games, Free Mobile Games, Free Kids' Games and more. Free Games is affiliated with Free Online Kid Games.

Devil May Cry 3 Review

Developed by Capcom, which is famous for such Titles as Resident Evil, Street Fighter and my personal favourite Megaman. The first Devil May Cry was released in 2001 and ever since has gained a huge reputation as the sword & gun kick ass bloodlust demon slaying death defying game.

Now that the third in the DMC series is out the game has had time to be fine tuned and ways have been found to take out the annoying bits for example the camera angle has been fixed, a wider selection of moves has been put in and your demon slaying arsenal has been upgraded. Unlike the second DMC this game was hugely successful as you only have one character and the awesome story line has been told from before the begging, thatรขโ�ฌโ�ขs right this game is the prequel to them all, but is also the best of them all.

At the start you see the infamous Dante sitting in his chair eating pizza when he his visited by some bald guy who delivers a message from Danteรขโ�ฌโ�ขs brother Vergil, next thing you know Danteรขโ�ฌโ�ขs attack by demons and starts to kick some serious ass in a cut scene before letting you have a try at it. If you didnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt already know Dante is a half human half demon person, at first he looks like an ordinary guy but when you see him fight he aint so ordinary any more. About half way through the game youรขโ�ฌโ�ขll get to see Dante turn into a demon for a short time and also use this ability in battle.

The battles in the game are virtually tireless as just as you think your getting bored another weapon is handed to you and you can unleash yet another devastating combo. The storyline is pretty unbelievable as well what could be better than Dante wanting to stop his Evil twin brother Vergil from opening the gate into the demon world and absorbing their fathers demon powers?

Boydies Overall Score - 10/10

Matthew Boyd - Geekazoid Writer

For More Games Reviews And Online Games Visit http://www.geekazoid.co.uk

Integrate Fun and Learning with Online Games

With online games becoming the new well-liked hobby, it is no wonder why educators are taking learning to a different level. Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs always been a frustrating job for parents to con their children into playing educational games. The last thing anyone wants to do is push their kids farther away from learning. Luckily, computer game creators have found a new way to open minds, without having to beg and bribe.

Currently, there are hundreds of free online games. From cards to learning ABCรขโ�ฌโ�ขs รขโ�ฌโ�� there are many opportunities to learn while you play. No matter how old you or your children are, there are dozens of different online games to help you learn more about a particular subject. For example, if you have young children and want them to get excited about learning, you can easily download online games. Most of the time you are able to download games for free, although a simple registration may be required. However, the easiest way to find a legit site is to search on Google for "free online games."

The coolest part about this new form of educational entertainment is that there are specific games for different age groups. For instance, some websites such as Funschool.com break down the games into sections. If you are a preschooler, there are cartoon builders and rhyming games. There are also other sections for kindergarten and elementary school. This will hone your childรขโ�ฌโ�ขs skills and allow them to have fun while they are doing it. The most important thing about this new form of education is that it teachers your child that learning should always be fun. This not only will stay in their headรขโ�ฌโ�ขs as they get older, but they may also acquire a new love for a subject they wouldnรขโ�ฌโ�ขt normally be interested in.

Luckily, even if you are older than a struggling preteen, there are also games for you to play. It is not uncommon for teenagers to have trouble grasping certain subjects in school. After all, we all struggle with Mathematics or History. It is impossible to be perfect at everything; therefore a free online game turns everything into smooth sailing. If you are preparing for the SATS, or just want to do better on a chemistry exam, Funbrain.com will help you out. This website allows you to download hundreds of games depending on what you need to learn. It is a great way to learn those chemistry equations, without having to sit down and study from the book. Nevertheless, it will be an easier way to force yourself to learn what you need.

No matter what happens in the internet world, the ability to play free online games will be here to stay. Everyone has always wanted to discover a new idea that will help children understand difficult concepts. Luckily, the breakthrough is finally taking a stand and as a result, more children are feeling confident about their abilities. Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs a great feeling to know that computer games can actually integrate fun and learning into everyoneรขโ�ฌโ�ขs lives.

Natalie Aranda writes on computer games and learning. With online games becoming the new well-liked hobby, it is no wonder why educators are taking learning to a different level. Itรขโ�ฌโ�ขs always been a frustrating job for parents to con their children into playing educational games. Currently, there are hundreds of free online games. From cards to learning ABCรขโ�ฌโ�ขs รขโ�ฌโ�� there are many opportunities to learn while you play. No matter how old you or your children are, there are dozens of different online games to help you learn more about a particular subject.

Graphic Tablets and Why They are Becoming so Popular

Graphic Tablets are the hottest trend hitting the computer technology world!

Grahpic Tablets are available in a number of different sizes. Ours come in both a 8" x 6" and a 5.5" x 4". The smaller has a built in holder for your wireless pen mouse, and the larger has a separate unit for holding your wireless pen mouse.

Wireless pen and mouse is usually included, and most graphic tablets are connected via USB ports for ease of use. The stylus (wireless pen mouse) usually features as much as 1,024 levels of pressure. With it, you can quickly and easily edit, draw, and write. Most Graphic Tablets support Microsoft Handwriting Recognition. Ours also feature hotkeys for launching applications and other functions. Compatible with windows 98/ 2000/ XP.

Use your graphics tablets to create a signature for your emails, or to write a letter to friends and family. Here is an example of a hand written letter you could send to family: http://www.tca-inc.net/graphicstablet. Graphic Tablets, be it Manhattan brand, Wacom, or some other typically feature a number of different applications to help you put your wireless pen mouse to good use. Another popular use is art. Imagine being able to draw in your favorite windows based application using a pen rather than a mouse. The opportunities are endless!

Dustin Twiggs writes articles for one purpose, to help share with others anything he has learned. he does this to repay the wealth of knowledge he has found from others.

Custom Designed Playing Cards

Playing cards are not just for playing cards any more. The backs of the decks are no longer just designs or pictures. People have figured out that they can use them for getting messages across or sales pitches. There is a variety of uses for the space on the back of playing cards.

Custom designs are used to personalize the cards on a variety of occasions. There are photo decks that are created for birthdays, weddings (small decks make great wedding favors), and holiday scenes. You can put a picture of your child, your pet, your parents, your spouse. You can send pictures of your new car, new home, or retirement on the cards as well.

Announcements of births, a move to a new home, or any other special event that you want to let people know about can be added to the backs of the cards. You can use your own graphics, business logos (with written consent from your company), and geometric designs. There is no limit to what you can do.

There are various uses for custom designed playing cards. They can be used as wedding or party favors, greeting cards, and announcements of special events. They can be as advertising using company logos. They can be used in corporate training providing positive statements for employees. They can be used as business cards, as souvenirs for a family reunion or a bazaar. They can be personalized for individuals creating a unique way to give them your best wishes.

Jerry Smith can help you. Find out how thousands of people have been helped with the advice and information. Visit this link for details: Novelty Playing Cards

Keywords Group's Participation in the Austin Game Conference Leads to New Partnerships

The Austin Game Conference (AGC), which was held last September in the Texan city, is one of the main events for the industry worldwide. By participating in the last edition of that conference, Keywords International (to which Keywords Italia belongs) was able to present its linguistic localization, testing, and quality control services to major videogame publishers and developers that attended the event.

Giacomo Duranti, an engineer who is the Localization Manager at Keywords Italia, commented on the Austin Game Conference: รขโ�ฌห�As in the Game Developers Conference held in San Jose, California, in March, 2006, the AGC gave Keywordsรขโ�ฌโ�ข managers the opportunity to meet with many clients and international partners. It was also an excellent opportunity to exchange views with other companies in our field in a stimulating environment, where initiatives were plentiful.

In addition to managers and technicians, Duranti added, รขโ�ฌห�we also had the chance to talk to many young people and attendees who visited our stand and were interested in finding out more about the short video-films we produced in order to show the actual differences between an amateur localization job and a professional one. For this event, we used different versions of videogames that are widely known amongst the general public.

The objective of this initiative was to show that the work of localization and language quality tests are essential steps for a productรขโ�ฌโ�ขs success, including its technical design, the writing of captivating story-lines and the creation of heroic characters. It is this mix of components that makes a game appealing and exciting. Given the feedback we received from attendees and the number of requests for more detailed information, the initiative was a great success.

Here are some of the conclusions we reached and the results we obtained: At Austin we made contact with some of the major videogame developers รขโ�ฌโ�� especially from the U.S.A. and Japan รขโ�ฌโ�� with whom we are planning to establish new short- and long-term partnerships for the localization of new videogames that will soon be launched or are now in a development phase. Altogether, our experience at Austin allowed us to confirm once again that the efforts we have made to improve our services and the quality of all aspects of our work have paved the way of the future for Keywords International and Keywords Italia. Our secret, if I may call it so, is that we consistently aim to personalise services even more and integrate our processes with the production cycles of our partners and clients. The advantages are measurable, and not only in budget terms.

About the Keywords Group: With offices in Dublin and Rome and ten years of experience, the Keywords Group is now a major player in the international market of linguistic services.

The main services we offer are: localization of software, videogames and manuals; technical translations, linguistic and functional testing, quality control and consultancy on internationalisation projects.

These are some of the titles on which Keywords has worked: Halo 1 and 2, Rise of Nations, Age of Empires, Guitar Hero 1 and 2, Project Gotham Racing 1, 2 and 3, Perfect Dark Zero, Dead or Alive 3 and 4, Flight Simulator (several versions), Zoo Tycoon 1 and 2, Grand Theft Auto, and many more.

Keywords International is the sole provider of linguistic quality control services for all games produced by Microsoft.

For further information, please visit us at: www.keywordsintl.it Or write to us at: marketing@keywordsintl.it

Giordano De Sanctis Resp. Progetti Multilingua KEYWORDS ITALIA Viale delle Province, 2 - 00162 Roma - ITALIA tel. +39 06 4420 2521 fax +39 06 4411 9217 http://www.keywordsintl.it

Free Games

Last year, the video game industry had made a whopping ten billion dollars selling their products to "gaming fanatics." Prices of popular titles going for forty dollars or more, so to find out if buying a new title is worth it, try downloading free demos or reading reviews written about it. The majority of game developers provide the public with websites about their new games. These websites provide consumers free demos on the latest games, updates on their latest games, and sneak peaks on upcoming games.

Have you ever found yourself longing to play that favorite computer game that you lost? It's possible that you can still find and relive those moments. Do a search on any popular search engine, and you just might find the same game or a variation of your favorite game.

Another great way of enjoying free games is by visiting MSN, Yahoo!, and other popular web portals. These web portals often offer single player 2D puzzle and action games. Some provide multiplayer games for those who enjoy playing these kinds of games with their friends. By simply typing keywords such as "free games," "games," or "free online games," you can enjoy playing a wide variety of games online.

All of these are just variations or simulations of the games that you want to play. If you really want to enjoy the games that you once played, the best thing to do is look for emulators. An emulator is software that lets you play games in their original coding. This means that you can enjoy every bit of the game you once loved playing without any modifications. Looking for the games that you want to play in your emulator is easy. By using search engines and the title of the game, you should be able to find a version that is compatible with your emulator.

Free Games provides detailed information on Free Games, Free Online Games, Free Mobile Games, Free Kids' Games and more. Free Games is affiliated with Free Online Kid Games.

Pogo Game Cheat

Play Buddy offers a program which will allow you to get pogo game cheats. This will give players an edge in the games they play. Programs like Tripeak are designed to keep track of every card which is played during a game of Solitaire.

If you are a player who has a difficult time keeping track or would prefer not to because you lose concentration, Tripeak will keep track of the cards for you. Tools like this make the game of Solitaire and other games much more rewarding to play.

Pogo Buddy is a tool which covers a wide variety of games. This includes Chess, Checkers, Freecell, and Spades. Chess Buddy is a software tool which is indispensable to those who play Chess. If you are apprehensive about the game of Chess, you won't be after using this software.

Chess Buddy provides you with hints, and will automatically make moves for you. It generates the best series of moves, and is very reliable. It cannot be detected, and can be used in tournaments against more advanced players.

You will also be able to make periodic upgrades after purchasing the game. If you need help, technical support can be contacted online and they will assist you. If you want to become a skilled player with any game without spending hours learning it the pogo game cheat will be perfect for you.

There are some system requirements you will need. You will need to be using Internet Explorer 6 or higher and will also need to have Java installed on your computer. These are minor system requirements that anyone one can get easily.

Pogo game cheat is the tool that will make you a better player. It will electronically show you the types of moves you need to make in a variety of different games in order to become a winner. Online games are becoming more and more popular everyday.

Some people are discouraged when faced with strong opponents they are not able to beat. Pogo game cheat is able to level the playing field, giving you the tools necessary to increase your odds of beating anyone. Because technology is constantly advancing, you will need to upgrade your software often.

Upgrading your game software will keep you up to date and ready to challenge anyone in any game. If you have difficulty with any game, but want to learn and become better, pogo game cheat is for you.

The writer of this article is the owner of the http://www.totalgamecheats.com Total Game Cheats Website. On this website you will be able to find a great viriety of cheat software for the most popular online games. You can try free most of the software before you decide if you want to buy.

Review: Samurai Jack -- Code of the Samurai

Fans of Genndy Tartakovsky's "Samurai Jack," which wrapped last year on the Cartoon Network, enjoy the quirky storytelling and stunning visuals, also the martial arts sequences. Naturally, it was only a matter of time before the online gaming industry turned the time-traveling samurai's adventures into video games.

I haven't tried any of the games available for gaming console systems, confining my efforts instead to Cartoon Network's own Web Site. Its Games section features six games based on "Samurai Jack," including "The Way of the Warrior," in which the young samurai trains through several simulations for his eventual battle with the shape-shifting evil sorcerer Aku (deliciously voiced by veteran actor Mako in the series and console games).

The other games invariably feature Jack battling Aku's minions--robots, beetle insects, and the like. Two of the games feature a final showdown with Aku.

"Code of the Samurai" was a tie-in with a Samurai Jack marathon, so when you access the game, the interface asks you "Enter Code or Play." I advise pushing Play since the original marathon was two years ago.

Once you get into the game, you have to fight through three treacherous levels before you even get to Aku.

The first level features crumbling ledges, motorized spikes, machine-gun fire as you ride rock lifts up mountains, and of course, the inevitable baddies waiting to attack you. Tip: When riding the rock lifts, duck and jump to avoid the machine gun fire. Seize the opportunity when the second lift descends or ascends close to the lift you're on, otherwise you'll have to avoid the gunfire until the lift comes back within reach. The level features two lift challenges, all with a computerized attacker waiting at the top of the cliff.

The creatures on all three levels are adversaries that fans of "Samurai Jack" will recognize: zombie warriors, Terminator-style robots who look like they have baskets on their heads, and Aku's minions that turn into vapor when you attack them.

Tip: Try whenever possible to hit the targets with a good quick thrust of Jack's katana. The game says other weapons are available to Jack, but for some reason you only see him use his katana. Go slow and time your attacks so that the targets can't hit you first.

Jack gets five "lives," and you can see the red meter slowly shrink as he is bombarded with digital mayhem. Try to at least hold on to the fourth "life" when getting to the second level. After you clear each level the "life" you're currently on is replenished (Jack must have been drinking his trademark green tea.) When you get to the third level, try to keep at least three "lives," although you can get away with two. You need at least two to have a chance during the final skirmish with Aku.

At the end of the first two levels you do battle with a giant adversary more powerful than the others: a skeleton warrior on the first, a basket-head warrior on the second. The good news is you can watch its "life" meter and track your progress on defeating it.

The second level is filled with gears running amuck to mow you down, blades slashing at you, and on all three levels you run the risk of falling in slime or on sharp spikes, which make you lose a life. Tip: Time your jumps to avoid the gears, but don't get too jumpy, otherwise you fall into the slime.

The third level features spikes, moving platforms and even wider jumps, if that's possible. Tip: The vapor demons can appear anywhere and are more poweerful than the adversaries in the first two levels. But this workout is just practice, flexing your muscles for the clash with Aku.

The final stage features ledges that sink into lava--you have to jump fast before you fall in. The computerized Aku is quite impressive, and just as in the series, flies off several times before Jack can deliver the final blow. But be brave, be steadfast, be victorious, and you, gamer, will defeat the evil scourge! The conclusion to the game is satisfying and delivers the anticipated emotional payoff.

Play your destiny now at http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/games/adventure/samjack/codeofsamurai/index.html

Movie reviewer/screenwriter Kristin Johnson composes personalized poems, speeches, toasts, vows, and family memories. Visit http://www.poemsforyou.com to order your personalized memories. She is also co-author of the Midwest Book Review "enthusiastically recommended" pick Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadablemedia kit is available at our Web site, http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com

Your Playstation Guide

First there was just Playstation. Now there is PS 2, PS 3, and the PSP, which is the portable version. Video games are being updated, enhanced, improved, and revolutionized just as quickly and often as computers are. Well, considering they both do go hand-in-hand in todayรขโ�ฌโ�ขs hi-tech world, it makes perfect sense. The PSP actually makes it possible for a person to access the Internet as well as play games, watch movies, and listen to music, all from its convenient, fit-in-your-pocket, portable game system. Though, with the way and at the pace that technology and electronics are moving, todayรขโ�ฌโ�ขs newest and coolest could be tomorrowรขโ�ฌโ�ขs old news.

Playstation is just one of the few most popular video game systems available. If you are a video game fan, and in this particular case, a PS fan, then you probably share in the idea that it is important to stay on top of the newest or soon to be newest system models and games. You also probably already know that the easiest way to do that is by getting online and checking out the PS websites. On these websites you will be able to find all the latest productions of game systems, new game releases, and all other game products manufactured and distributed by Sony. Other updated information you can obtain on these websites would be game tips and secrets, the best games available, events and promotions coming in your area or other areas, and you can learn about ways to win, or acquire somehow, free PS items.

Most video game fans arenรขโ�ฌโ�ขt just "kind of" fans; they are "all the way" fans. Therefore, if you are a fan, you know how important it is to stay in the know of all the latest PS hype. Check out the websites, consult with your buddies who are also die-hard fans, talk to guys that work in the game department of electronics stores, or whichever electronic store you like to frequent, read the magazines that feature all the latest news on video games, including Playstation, and get playing! Besides, you want to make sure youรขโ�ฌโ�ขre better than all the rest of the video game junkies out there, donรขโ�ฌโ�ขt you?

For more articles and information on Playstation, go to http://www.bestplaystationgames.info.

Arcade Games

Arcade games are typically coin-operated games found in restaurants, pubs, video arcades, and other public spaces. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines or redemption (rewarding the player per their score) games. These machines are programmed and equipped for a specific game, and consist of a video display, a set of controls (joystick, buttons, light guns or pressure-sensitive pads on the ground), and the coin slot.

Arcade games usually have very short levels, simple controllers, iconic characters, and increasing levels of complexity. They are designed as short adrenaline-driven thrillers compared to most console games, which have more complex play and stronger storylines. One reason for this is that since the game is coin-operated, the player rents the game for as long as their game avatar survives on the field. Any game on a console or a PC can be referred to as รขโ�ฌห�arcade gameรขโ�ฌโ�ข if it has these attributes.

The history of arcade games dates back to the early 20th century amusement park games like shooting galleries, mechanical fortune-tellers or jukeboxes.

Today, there are 4,926 known arcade games, and these modern avatars are based on pure electronics and integrated circuits. The modern arcade games were developed in the 1970s, and one of the most famous of these early games is Pong, a simple game simulating Ping Pong.

Ralph Baer, who is now known as the creator of video games, created the first known home video game consoles in the 1970s. Improvements were brought to home consoles from late 1970s to early 1980s, the time during which Atari 2600, Intellivision and Colecovision were released. The video game slump of 1983 was not filled until the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) reached North America in 1985. This was when games like Mario Bros. and many others of today's popular Nintendo games were launched.

The last two decades of gaming history have witnessed the creation of separate markets for games on video game consoles, home PCs and handheld devices.

The latest generation of arcade video games also has interactivity as part of the game design, making the game player feel more involved in the game. A radical form of interactivity, virtual reality, has not really taken off in the arcade game genre, but this is due to the technical limitations of truly being able to achieve real virtual reality by any means.

Arcade Games provides detailed information on Arcade Games, Free Arcade Games, Online Arcade Games, Real Arcade Games and more. Arcade Games is affiliated with Online Computer Games.

Sony Delays PlayStation 3

As a result of problems related to the mass production of a key component of its Blu-ray DVD player, Sony (SNE) will delay the European launch of its next generation video game console, the PlayStation 3 (PS3). Sony will also reduce the number of PS3 units immediately available in both the U.S. and Japan.

In the U.S., the PS3 will launch on November 17th, with approximately 400,000 consoles available for sale. The U.S. launch will come almost a week after the Japanese launch which will consist of merely 100,000 units.

Sony's PlayStation 3 is the successor to the PlayStation 2, the world's most popular (and as recently as July, the world's best selling) video game console.

The Number That Really Matters

The fact that there will only be 400,000 PS3 units available for sale in the United States on November 17th is totally unimportant. The launch date itself is unimportant. What matters is how many units will be available for sale in mid to late December.

Sony claims it will have 1 million to 1.2 million consoles available for sale by December 31st. So, let's assume there will be at least a million PS3 consoles available for sale in the U.S. by Christmas.

Will that be enough to put a PlayStation in the living room of every household that wants one?

No. There will almost certainly be many people who have to go without a PS3 for Christmas, despite being willing to pay the very high price Sony is asking. But, that's nothing new. Other consoles (including the Xbox 360) have been launched without an adequate number of units immediately available for sale.

A delay is much worse than a mere shortage. There's a promise (and a tangible product) behind a console that has already launched. So, very few people in the U.S. or Japan who planned to buy a PS3 are likely to change their minds because of a Christmas shortage รขโ�ฌโ�� no matter how severe.

The Things That Really Matter

The success of any gaming platform is largely based on five factors:

Available Titles

Relative Launch Date

Price

Predecessor's Installed Base

Technology

Of these five, technology is by far the least important factor. The four most important factors (available titles, relative launch date, price, and predecessor's installed base) are difficult to separate. Clearly, having a predecessor with a large installed base (such as the PS2) can be tremendously beneficial, if you get satisfactory marks in the other three areas (titles, launch date, and price).

Predecessor's Installed Base

The PlayStation 3 dominates when it comes to having a predecessor with a large installed base. So, how does it score in the other three areas?

In terms of available titles, the PS3 scores as well as any of its competitors, if not better. However, none of the three consoles (Xbox 360, PS3, or Wii) does very well in this regard. Unfortunately, the titles are likely to be somewhat segregated by console. There will be quality games on each system; but, almost no one will buy all three. Simply put, there will be some games exclusive to each console that a lot of people would really love to play รขโ�ฌโ�� but can't.

Relative Launch Date

Returning to the list of factors that determine a console's success, let's consider the launch date issue. Sony clearly has a bit of a problem in Europe, because it will have one less Christmas season than both the Xbox 360 and the Wii. Some analysts think Sony will lose no more than a few hundred thousand console sales to substitutions. If that's true, lost revenue might be in the hundreds of millions rather than the billions.

Three Separate Markets

The U.S., Japan, and Europe are really three very different markets. It's quite possible you could have a console that is very successful in one market and yet unable to get any real momentum in another.

Before this delay, I felt strongly that Europe was the market where the PS3 could come closest to duplicating the performance of the PS2 in terms of market share. There's a long-term danger that Microsoft will gain market share in the U.S. and Nintendo will gain market share in both the U.S. and Japan.

Obviously, Europe isn't as well defined a market as either the U.S. or Japan. So, it's much harder to predict how a certain type of console or a certain type of game will go over there. The U.S. and Japan are very clearly defined game markets, largely because they have very clearly defined consumer cultures in general and entertainment cultures in particular.

So, what does the PS3 delay mean for Sony's future in Europe? It's hard to say. I'm more interested in seeing what the installed base of each next generation console will look like in the American and Japanese markets after Christmas 2007, when we'll have the first real chance to predict how this round of the console wars will play out.

Although I do think Sony is doing serious harm to its PlayStation line by insisting upon including Blu-ray and charging a ridiculous price, I don't think any amount of managerial ineptitude is likely to cause the catastrophic failure of a successor to such a dominant console as the PS2.

Price

If price isn't the elephant in the room, it should be. Most of the articles I read about the recently announced PS3 delay / production scale-down didn't say much about the pricing of the PS3. That's a mistake รขโ�ฌโ�� especially, because several articles mentioned the laptop battery recall, which has nothing to do with the PS3 and very little to do with Sony (it has everything to do with lithium-ion batteries irrespective of their manufacturer).

The PS3's price is a big problem. One that might have manifested itself in poor Christmas sales, if the number of units available for sale had approached the expected demand. For now, Sony is planning on having so few units available in the U.S. by Christmas that the launch will go well even if the PS3 is ultimately a failure. Sony claims it will have 6 million units by the end of its fiscal year. A few analysts are skeptical, but Sony is sticking to that line.

In the weeks ahead, expect Sony to make a big deal about the fact that it will actually make more PS3 units available by the end of December than the number of Xbox 360s Microsoft had made available by the same time the year before. It's a valid point. But, it omits two key facts. The PS3 is launching after the Xbox 360 and there are more PS2 owners out there who will want to trade up for the new system.

Since the PS3 is launching after the Xbox 360, no one is waiting around to see what the alternative will look like. They already know what the Xbox 360 is, what it can do, and what (some of) the games available for it are. As soon as the PS3 launches, the comparisons can begin. That wasn't possible when the Xbox 360 launched and everybody knew the PS3 was on its way.

The second reason why no parallel exists between the demand for Xbox 360s at launch and the demand for PS3s at launch is simply that there are more PS2s out there. As a result, Sony having as many units available by Christmas as Microsoft had the year before would be a lot like Gillette having as many new razors available as Schick had produced the year before. The difference in market share obliterates any possible comparison.

So, even though I think the PS3 is far too expensive going into the Christmas season, I'm quite sure that fact won't be evident in the sales numbers, because there will be a severe PS3 shortage throughout 2006. Even if the PlayStation 3 is too expensive, it will look like it's selling well, because there simply won't be enough of them produced in 2006.

Why am I so convinced the PS3 is priced too high?

The PS3 is too expensive to be a Christmas gift. Around Christmas, a lot of these consoles are bought by parents as gifts for their kids. Parents are willing to pay a lot for them, because they're a huge one-time item for the kid (and the parents have been hearing about it since well before the launch). But, the prices likely to be charged in 2006 for the PS3 are simply beyond what parents are willing to spend.

It's not an issue of how much consumers have to spend versus the value they're getting. It's an issue of being psychologically unprepared for paying this kind of price for any gift.

It may be a price older gamers are willing to pay to get a PS3 for themselves. But, it's not a price parents will be willing to spend on their kids.

Copyright 2006 Geoff Gannon

Geoff Gannon writes a daily value investing blog and produces a twice weekly (half hour) value investing podcast at: http://www.gannononinvesting.com