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Necessary Complexity in Virtual Gaming and Games Within Games

Posted by Nelson Williams (Who am I?) | January 4, 2009

The good folks over at Massively.com are running a great article about necessary complexity in games, using the failure of Google’s Lively MMO as an example. Short order, games that are too complex might offer players a wealth of options and free cookies, but no one’s going to run that kind of rat maze when they could be playing World of Warcraft. A game that’s too simple, like Lively, risks boring players out of their skulls with a lack of options and sending them back to playing World of Warcraft. Or, to use the jargon of the day, boring games suck. You can read the article here.

Now, I’ve been a part of the pen-and-paper gaming world for aeons long past remembering, and our shrouded guild of fiends and ghouls has been wrestling with the same problem. Why is the most popular role-playing game in …

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TED.com — Will Video Games Become Better Than Life?

Posted by Nelson Williams (Who am I?) | November 3, 2008

It’s my belief that the future of humanity will be something like the Matrix with friendly AIs, save points, and porn. The reason why I think this will come to pass is I’m a gamer. So many people are playing games these days that the old media standbys — TV and movies — are strangling, starving for new viewers. There are enough people banging about in World of Warcraft that, if they voted together, would not only decide the presidential election but politics for decades to come. We are moving to an online world.

In this video from the TED Conference, David Perry discusses the implications of gaming and what the future may hold for those generations that grew up attached to online, social games.

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Upcoming Games - August 2008 edition

Posted by Spyral (Who am I?) | August 28, 2008

A little late in the month, but here’s our Upcoming Games - August 2008 edition!

For release this month:
Shepherd’s Crossing (PS2) - August 19, 2008
Also known as: Welcome to Sheep Village, Youkoso Hitsuji-Mura (JPN)
Check out a preview of the game. Could be a the start of a “new” farming series here in North America.

Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness (DS) - August 26, 2008
(See our recent post for more info on Harvest Moon releases)

September:
Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility (Wii) - September 16, 2008
(See above for more info on Harvest Moon releases)

Spore (PC, Mac, DS, more) - September 7, 2008
Battle Fantasia (XBox 360) - September 16th, 2008
Lost in Blue: Shipwrecked (Wii) - September 23, 2008
Samba de Amigo (Wii) - September 23, 2008
Disgea (DS) - September 23, 2008
Hamtaro Ham-Ham Challenge (DS) - September 23, 2008

October:
Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon (DS) - October 16, 2008
Little Big Planet (PS3) - October …

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