Category: Video Games

There is plenty of money to be made in cyberspace, but more and more people are finding themselves able to trade success in a virtual game environment for very real dollars. From World of Warcraft to Second Life, gamers are increasingly finding that they can sell characters, equipment, or even space that they hold in the virtual worlds for real world cash. Even though only a small percentage of people make a living from their online play, at least one academic, Dr. Richard Bartle of Essex University, claims that gamers may soon be able to make more money than the game designers themselves. One company that specializes in trading virtual currencies estimates that the market for such transactions will hit $7 billion by 2009.

Virtual worlds, real money (CNN)

One of the most popular online hangouts for teens, Gaia Online, has recently announced a council of economic advisors that includes a chairman who is on the Board of Directors for Exxon/Mobil and Oracle and even advises sovereign governments on economic issues. This move has included a redesign of its virtual marketplace to make it more accessible and usable. In Second Life, its “Virtual Bernanke,” John Zdanowski, has implemented several measures similar to actions the Feds take in the real world to keep the virtual currency viable, even though the site recently prohibited gambling, which reduced the world’s economy by 50%.

Gaia Online Launches Council of Economic Advisors, Revamps Marketplace (PRWeb)

Economist explains move to virtual world (CNET’s News.com)

Virtual Bernanke Guides ‘Second Life’ (Forbes)

The virtual economy is interesting to me, not because it could allow me to play video games for a living, but as someone interested in the evolution of virtual worlds and seeing those worlds intertwine with the real world. I have been watching the evolution of the Internet since the early ’90s, and I truly enjoy seeing the creative ways people are coming up with to profit from this new medium.

Are you in a place to reap some of the real dollars people are paying for virtual constructs? Have you paid for some of these constructs yourself? What is your relationship to the virtual economy?

Yesterday, we announced here a Vista ‘performance and reliability ‘ patch from Microsoft , and that’s been quickly followed by a ‘compatibility and reliability‘ download. Both, as per Ars Technica, will require WGA validation and are designed to provide fixes for:

• Video driver blanks the screen
• A “Display driver stopped responding and has recovered” error message locks your PC. You can restart the computer only by pressing the computer’s power button
• Video games or desktop operations (?) stops the PC or it restarts unexpectedly
• Heavy workload or low memory availability makes the Diagnostic Policy Service (DPS) stop responding, which effectively prevents diagnostics from working
• Turning off external displays (including projectors) blanks the screen
• PCs with NVIDIA G80 series graphic drivers lock up
• Graphics-intensive games have visual appearance issues
• HD DVD disks or Blu-ray disks on a large monitor play back poorly
• Applications that load the Netcfgx.dll component exit unexpectedly
• Windows Calendar exits unexpectedly after you create a new appointment, create a new task, and then restart the computer
• Internet Connection Sharing stops after you upgrade an XP machine to Vista and then restart it
• The Printer Spooler service stops unexpectedly
• You receive a “Stop 0×0000009F” error when you put the computer to sleep while a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) connection is active

Ars Technica nicknamed this the “now you can play games with your computer” update. Is this of interest to you for non-gaming purposes?

After a billion-dollar chargeback for defective Xbox consoles with the ‘three flashing red lights of death’ defect, Microsoft has decided the Xbox 360 is worth less than before and slashed prices starting tomorrow by $20 to $50 on the gaming system.

The 20-Gbyte version will retail at $350, the basic Core system lists for $280, and the high-end 120GB 360 Elite system price tag drops to $450 in the United States, with price cuts twice as steep in Canada . A specially decorated Halo 3 edition will ship next month for $400 with the debut of that Xbox-only title, and the next edition of Madden NFL ‘08 is also due next week.

Major competitor Sony announced a $600 80GB version of the Playstation 3 today, after cutting price tags on the 60GB PS3 by $100 last month. Sales zoomed 113% at major U.S. retailers, perhaps due to the announcement that no more PS3s with 60GB will be made.

Will this price-slashing plan build quarterly sales of the Xbox, which fell 61% compared to the fiscal fourth quarter of 2006?

For those of you who missed the Game Developers Conference in the beginning of March, I have a juicy news story for you. However, if you're offended by material of a sexual nature, please be warned that you should stop reading here. For those of you who fit into the other category (I'm resisting nicknames!), you might want to check out the entire news story: "Developers aim to lure women to adult games." 

According to the article, "While the video game industry appears more ready than ever to take on adult content, it still is grappling with how to get women interested. And it's not just an altruistic or gender equality equation: marketers want women involved because women attract large numbers of male customers."

Unfortunately, the gaming industry hasn't quite figured out what makes women tick. "Despite some advances, it still seems that there is a long way to go, particularly because many sexually-oriented video games are geared to giving their male audience what they really want: a way to almost instantaneously have sex. And that doesn't go over well with some women."  

What exactly does go over well with women? In a previous blog, I asked a similar question: "Can men crack the female sexual code?" Brenda Brathwaite, chair of the International Game Developers Association sex special interest group, explains what works for her. "It's the thrill of the chase. When the animal just (lies) down dead and says take me, (it's not erotic). No, I have to kill you first. It's really important. Women want that degree (of erotic advancement), that chemical whatever that builds up over time… 'Make me think I'm hunting'–every woman I talk to, that's what they say."

Most of the rumors about the new version of the Xbox 360 were correct. It's called the Xbox 360 Elite, it is black, it has a 120 GB hard drive, and it has an HDMI port. Microsoft officially unveiled the details today, including the $479 price tag and a release date of April 29 (sooner than most expected). Microsoft has also indirectly stated that this new release addresses some of the quality issues that have plagued the Xbox 360 (e.g. overheating) and resulted in high numbers of returns and maintenance calls. 

For more details, take a look at these links: 

• Microsoft announces Xbox 360 Elite (News.com)
• Microsoft to Release Bulked Up Xbox 360 (Forbes/AP)
• Souped-up Xbox 360 set for April (Reuters)
• More on Xbox 360 Elite (GameSpot)
• Xbox 360 Elite: What You Need to Know (GameSpot)

So what does this mean for current Xbox 360 owners? TechRepublic's Shawn Morton has some interesting thoughts on that.

Here's a photo of the new Xbox 360 Elite:

Finally, someone has conducted a study that helps explain why I'm so risque. Wait a minute, I meant risky. Did you know that driving video games are linked with risky driving and getting in car accidents? At least that's what a group of German researchers concluded. Check out the news story: "Racing video games cause reckless driving: study." 

According to the researchers, "Driving actions in these games often include competitive and reckless driving, speeding, and crashing into other cars or pedestrians, or performing risky stunts with the vehicle. In short, most actions in racing games imply a very high risk of having an accident or severe crash in a highly realistic virtual road traffic environment."

I have to agree that my mind gets a little bent after playing racing games. Sure, I think about zooming in and out of traffic, taking out the little old lady who is walking her Shih Tzu (5 points for granny and 15 and the pooch), and having a total disregard for the rules of the road - but I don't act on those thoughts. Maybe someone who isn't as mature as I am would have a more difficult time keeping their impulse control in check, but I think a warning sticker on the game itself would suffice. Thoughts? 

How many video games do you think it would take to fill an entire year's educational curriculum? This is just one of the questions that would have to be addressed if video games superseded books as the learning medium of choice. Check out this news story: "More video games, fewer books at schools?" 

According to the article, "Of all of the proposals aimed at improving America's failing schools, there's one idea kids will really like: More video games and fewer books. At least a number of educators hope so, arguing that children would get more excited about school and that video games can present real-life problems to solve."

Indiana University associate professor Sasha Barab says, "I believe in digital media literacy. If we don't make changes in the way we educate our children, they will be left behind in world markets. Right now, I'm not that optimistic about where schools are headed."

Barab is helping develop video games that both teach and entertain. "In one game designed by Barab, the player assumes the role of an investigator seeking to find out why fish are dying in a virtual park. Various theories are offered such as excessive logging or farm fertilizers, and the players share data about water quality and compare hypotheses. If they recommend kicking out the loggers, the park may go bankrupt, giving students a real-world dilemma."  

I'm sure that there are quite a few people (parents) and organizations (book publishers) that pooh-pooh the idea of putting video games in the classroom. However, there are some people who take a middle-of-the-road stance, like Dr. Joshua Freedman, a neuropsychiatrist at the University of California. Freedman believes that video games are interactive and can help with spatial concepts, "but there's still a question about the value to the extent that most of the world is not a video game. They're not getting problems in real world situation."  

According to Freedman, "Video games engage children with continuous action, a concept known as 'enthrallment,' that raises the threshold for engagement. It's the equivalent of giving kids a lot of sweets and then wondering why they don't want to eat regular food."

And while studies have shown that video-game playing corresponds to an increase of ADD and aggressive behavior in kids, Freedman says that cause and effect are difficult to prove. "I wouldn't say that using more games in education shouldn't be done, I'm just saying that it should be done with our eyes open."

Do I think that video games belong in the classroom? To be honest, I have mixed feelings about this issue. From a parent's perspective - a parent of a child who absolutely LOVES gaming - I think that video games may possibly be the secret sauce to get some kids (mine included) to care about topics in school that they don't find very interesting. However, I also believe that even the best things (video games in this case) should be consumed in moderation.  

Where do you stand on this issue? Should video games replace books in the classroom? Will a combination of video games and books get kids the most excited about learning? Or is it best to leave video games at the arcade and home?

There's some good news for you fast-paced gaming junkies out there - action video games are actually good for your eyes! Check out this news story: "Study: Video games are good for eyes."

According to the article, "A study by the University of Rochester showed that people who played action video games for a few hours a day over the course of a month improved their vision by about 20 percent. … Test subjects were given an eye test similar to the one used at regular eye clinics and then divided into two groups–one played shoot-'em-up action games for an hour a day while the control group played a less visually complex game. Their vision was tested after the study, with those who played the action game scoring better in the eye test."

I've played a few games that affected my vision after hours of rigorous viewing. They enhanced my vision so well that I could even see the graphics after I shut down the gaming console! How's that for an improvement?

Sure, you'd expect to see critics bashing a new video game that contains sex and violence, but what about a video game that supposedly promotes prayer? Take a look at this news story: "Christian video game stokes controversy in U.S."

According to the story, "Left Behind: Eternal Forces is a teen-rated PC strategy game based on the wildly popular Left Behind Christian book series created by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. The game is set in New York City after millions of Christians have been transported to heaven. Players are charged with recruiting, and converting, an army that will engage in physical and spiritual warfare with the antichrist and his evil followers."

Critics claim that this game carries a message of violent religious intolerance - it's "a violent video game in which born-again Christians aim to convert or kill those who don't adhere to their extreme ideology." According to one critic, "After you kill somebody you need to recharge your soul points and to do that you need to bend down in prayer…I think the message is extremely clear."

Not having played this game, it's hard for me to make a judgment call. However, I question whether this "Christian" game is any better than any of the other violent killing games currently on the market. What happened to "love thy neighbor" and "do unto others as you would have them do unto you"? Oh wait, that game wouldn't sell. After all, no guts = no glory. 

No matter how busy my schedule is, I always make a little time each week to play a PlayStation 2 game. The disc that's currently in my son's video game console is Crash Bandicoot, Twinsanity. According to the load screen, I've only completely 27% of the game. No, that's not a lot, but I don't have a lot of time to spare - since these days (compared to when I was a few years younger) I actually do require a full night's rest. I've often though that it would be pretty sweet to be a professional video gamer, but this news article tells a different story: "Professional video gamer says it's not all fun."

According to the story, "The self-taught player [Tom Taylor, aka Tsquared], who has been playing competitively since aged 14 and turned pro at 16, dropped out of school to concentrate on building a career in gaming. Taylor, 19, now earns $120,000 to $150,000 a year between prize money reaped playing 'Halo 2' and Gaming-lessons.com, an online site he founded last year to teach people gaming skills–and he is about to almost double the hourly tutoring rate he charges."

Holy cow! $120,000 to $150,000 a year at age 19?! And this is bad how?? "But he says he has had to be disciplined to succeed, sometimes playing games for up to 12 hours a day ahead of competitions and sticking to an exercise regime and good diet to keep a mental and physical edge." Tsquared told Reuters, "A lot of people think playing video games isn't a lot of work. It doesn't leave a lot of time for vacation. In five years I've never had any personal downtime for myself."

I would happily exercise and eat healthier for that salary, even at age 37. Play games up to 12 hours a day? Ohhhh, the torture…. And as far as personal downtime, how much does anyone have of that these days? If you have a job, a mortgage, a spouse, and/or child(ren), you probably can't remember the last time you actually had a moment where there wasn't something that needed to be done or washed or cooked or fixed or cleaned… 

Become a professional video gamer? Where do I sign up?  :-)

Not everybody loves (or even likes) video games, but imagine how much more interesting they would be if you could create your own! Fortunately, Microsoft’s XNA Game Studio Express software will “let college students, hobbyists, and others create their own games for the Xbox 360 console, for a Windows PC, or both.” Check out the news story: “Play your own Xbox game.”

According to the article, “In the first incarnation, games developed using the free tools will be available only to like-minded hobbyists, not the Xbox community as a whole. Those who want to develop games will have to pay a $99 fee to be part of a “Creators’ Club,” a name that is likely to change. Games developed using XNA Game Studio Express will be playable only by others who are part of the club.”

“Next spring, Microsoft hopes to have a broader set of tools that will allow for games to be created that can then be sold online through Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade. Microsoft will still control which games get published, and it’ll get a cut of the revenue. Down the road, probably three to five years from now, Microsoft hopes to have an open approach, where anyone can publish games, and community response helps separate the hits from the flops.” (Hmmmm…. doesn’t Digg already have a Gaming tab?)

I definitely agree that XNA Game Studio Express will increase some peoples’ interest in game development. ”While people have long been able to create their own PC software, console game titles have historically been created by a far more limited set of developers.”

Do you have an idea for a video game? One idea that I have revolves around the workplace - “The Cube Zone.” In this game, you can choose where you and all of your coworkers sit, decorate cubes, decide who gets the limited executive office space, reorganize teams, and then have the teams compete against each other for merit increases, group outings, and free lunches. I think if you could personalize the characters and recreate your work environment, this game could actually be a lot of fun. Who wouldn’t want to get in there and mix things up a little?

As a parent, I’m very aware of the controversy that surrounds mature content that appears in video games. Does watching violence actually make people violent? This recently news story asks a similar question: ”Are violent video games really a problem?“

Jason Della Rocca, executive director of the International Game Developers Association, and a panelist [at Siggraph 2006] claims, “(The idea of violence caused by video games) is hype-based and not based on any actual statistical progression toward violence. It’s not supported by real-world data. It’s more a soapbox for politicians.”

Rocca also addresses the gaming addiction clinic that recently opened in Amsterdam: “If a little girl spent hours reading Nancy Drew books, no one would send her to a book addiction clinic, because people perceive books as nutritional.” The article continues, “Any isolated behavior is unhealthy, and parents should be looking into any addiction that could be a symptom of a bigger problem. But rather than focusing on video games, [Rocca] said, people should be focusing on the person with the addictive behavior.”

Some audience members at Siggraph 2006 shared their concern about the lack of diversity in gaming. However, perhaps the problem is not as much diversity as it is advertising. “Games like ‘Dance Dance Revolution,’ which is peaceful and gets kids up off the couch, don’t get the press or publicity of more violent games.” OMG, I finally was introduced to Dance Dance Revolution last summer at my brother’s house. It was his kids’ game, but he held the high score. Did I mention that my brother isn’t a small man? It wasn’t violent, per se, but I don’t think many people should ever move like that… (yes, I’m just jealous that he was better than me).

Personally, I think there’s a fine line somewhere in the middle, and there’s also something to be said about personality types and age-appropriateness. My son would LOVE to play mature video games and watch R-rated movies, and when I was single (read = when I didn’t have anyone to answer to but myself), I allowed him to watch quite a few movies that are no longer on his “can watch” list. He’s 10 right now, and so I wonder “when” is the magical age that it’s ok to watch those movies and play those forbidden games? I’m not sure that I agree with the “not under 17″ age guidelines, because some kids are mature way before that… and some adults appear to never reach a very high level of maturity.  

If you play video games, do you choose men or women avatars? Well, two-thirds of the 920 players who responded to an About.com poll last summer said that they play characters of the opposite sex in online role-playing games. Check out this news story, “Female impersonation tarts up online games.”

According to the article, “When men appear as buxom, scantily clad females in video games like ‘World of Warcraft,’ it is more about winning than finding an outlet for a real-world affinity for gender bending.”

In fact, ”Kathryn Wright, WomenGamers.com’s consulting psychologist, earlier this decade found that 60 percent of male players who don female avatars, or on-screen personas, do it to gain an advantage in game play… Being a pretty girl has its perks. Female avatars are often the center of attention and showered with gifts such as swords or armor by other characters… They also, however, get unsolicited and sometimes condescending game play advice from the thousands of mostly male players.”

Personally, when I play video games, if there’s a BAD female character (meaning really good, of course), I’ll pick her over a male character. Some female characters, however, lack the brawn and brains (thanks a lot, game developers) to complete certain missions and/or tasks. In those cases, just give me the strongest and smartest character available. I’m in touch with both my feminine and masculine side, and I’m not afraid to show it. And as far as looking good, the beauty of avatars is only pixels deep.    

I had a very stimulating conversation this past weekend about one of the worst things that women can say to men: ”Let’s talk about our feelings.” Ironically, the stereotypical belief that women are more emotional while men are more physical showed up in a news story that I ran across this morning: “Explaining disconnect between women, video games.”

According to the story, the reason why less than 10% of the gaming industry is made up of women is because video games aren’t pushing womens’ right buttons. Sheri Graner Ray (a game designer and keynote speaker at the first-ever Sex in Video Games conference) claims, “Most video games are like bad boyfriends–they’re too involved with their own male sexuality to even try to crack the female sexual code.”

“While it’s true that both male and female characters display the common heroic traits of being young, strong, virile, and fertile… only the female characters display physical traits humans get when they’re ready for sex: partially open mouths with large red lips, heavy eyelids (or ‘bedroom eyes’). The female characters are also dressed in sexually explicit clothing and placed in sexual poses, whereas the male characters aren’t.”

However, Ray says that beefing up and sexualizing more men in video games isn’t necessarily going to increase the appeal for women. “Don’t trivialize the importance of the emotional experience… Video games need to provide a way for women to have a deeper experience with the characters.”

Ray believes ”Video game companies that truly want to market to female gamers will provide a way for players to become acquainted with their characters, even allowing for an emotional attachment to develop… some games could feature an interview section in the tradition of magazines like Seventeen and Tiger Beat, which run photos of teen idols alongside short Q&A sections that reveal casual details: hobbies, tastes and quirks.”  

As a woman, and a lover of video games, I think this topic is very convoluted. I may not be the stereotypical female who cringes at the shoot ‘em and slash ‘em up games - although in real life, the sight of blood makes me both nauseated and faint. Sex in video games? That’s cool with me, but I probably won’t buy or rent any (call me a paranoid parent). However, if I did, I probably wouldn’t spend my entire weekend forming a relationship before I go in for the kill. I remember bragging about completing God of War in three days…. any video game would have to have a whole lot of action to keep my interest for that long.

What types of video games do you think would appeal to women? Don’t worry, no offense will be taken…