A Parent's Guide to Online Gaming, Part 2 by Steve Hall
In part 1 we talked about online gaming and your children, including FPS games and exposure to violent content. We wrap up this week by talking about RTS games, MMORPGs and the additional threats of addiction and social predators. RTS stands for Real Time Strategy. ... Due to the less graphic content, this type of game doesn't require as intense parental scrutiny as some others may, but it's a good idea at least to casually observe a game and possibly to learn what the loading screen looks like so you can tell when "Just a minute" means "I'm in the middle of something," and when it means...

The Nintendo Revolution May Need More Than Flash Memory by Ron Swerdfiger
Koei's Kenji Matsuhara, an executive in charge of the Dynasty Warrior shared his thoughts on next gen consoles during a speech at the Asia Online Game Conference 2006 in Tokyo. In his speech, Matsuhara offered his opinion on the Nintendo Revolution. Matsuhara seemed to express some... His biggest concern with this format is of course the lack of available space noting that "a full 3D MMORPG (massively multiplayer Online RPG) may not fit." In order to be successful in the next gen gaming, online features are becoming increasingly important.

The World of Warcraft In-Game Economy Comes Real by Nick Wong
It may sound incredible that video games can establish an effective economy, with its own currency and value. This is what it’s happening with World of Warcraft. This is a so called MMORPG, Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game. It is a virtual world in which various characters interact... Yes, there have been some cases of dearth (allegedly) caused by over-exposure to WoW, but what's even more disturbing is that people are beginning to spend important amounts of money for this game. ... Anyway, on the Internet there are many sellers of WoW gold, willing to give a player the...

Motorola Cell Phone Gaming One-Ups Pocket PC by Damian Julien
If your Pocket PC RPG game forays need to be buttressed by Motorola cell phone gaming, read on. TechNewsWorld broke the scoop on an exciting union that bodes well for Motorola cell phone gamers . Chinese gaming company Shanda Interactive and Motorola have just signed the ink on a partnership. ... I've tried steadfastly avoiding desktop PC MMORPG games (massively multiplayer online RPG) games featuring large numbers of online players interacting in virtual worlds due their extremely addictive nature.

Voice Changer Vivifies Role Playing Games by Chris Martin
Since early 1990's, Online game has become a spectacularly booming industry in the world. International Data Corporation’s 2004 statistic showed global Online game’s income was $ 8.2 billion and an estimated of $22.7 billion in 2009. In China, the biggest online game market, those numbers were... The newborn Online game has dislodged PC game and Console game from their firm positions as Online game is always available for updating, creating new functions and expanding game world’s map. ... If life cycle of a PC game or Console game is: Introduction – Growth – Upgrade – Decline, it is quite...

Making Money with MMORPGs by Aaron Crow
The new gold rush is in the virtual hills of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). A robust market in virtual items and character accounts forms around every popular online game, and people pay real money for in-game goods. This market has turned into a big business over the... People pay real money to gain in-game currency so they can buy important game items right away instead of slowly earning the in-game currency through hours of play. ... Nearly all MMORPGs operate with in-game currencies that players need to function in the game economies, and these currencies...

Game Design Software For Aspiring Video Game Designers by Hitoshi Jones
If you have a passion for video games and you already know you want a future job in the game design industry, right now is the best time to start developing your skills and getting some experience. If you're not yet in a position to take college level courses in programming or design, one of the... Crystal Space - 3D Game Design Engine This open source game engine is an excellent way to get your feet wet if you're interested in multi-platform game development. ... With this software, you can design your own FPS game world and learn to work with basic game design features such as lighting,...

The Modern MMORPG by Steve Hall
The massively multiplayer online genre is relatively new. Games such as World of Warcraft offer things that players could previously only dream of. The game's scope, complexity, and variety of options dwarf everything that has come before. The monthly fee based structure gives companies the... A player likely has a large amount of time and money invested in their game of choice and may have built up a significant social base within the game world. ... Players will progress through content at varying rates, depending on how much time they spend and what parts of the game they enjoy.

History of World of Warcraft by Hunter Crowell
World of Warcraft stands as the greatest game in the popular Warcraft series World of Warcraft has been an extraordinary success since its launch in November 2004. It has impressed game critics and has captivated millions of players, who adore the world that the game has created. ... This massively multiplayer online role-playing game is set in the world of Azeroth, a fantastic land that is filled with heroes and monsters and many other creatures. ... The series began in 1994 with the game Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, a real time strategy game set in Azeroth.

Gaming Worlds - A Look into MMORPGS by Michael Russell
Chances are you have heard the term MMORPG before. Most likely it was while passing by the IT guys while they're excitedly talking about their exploits in some fantasy world. Or maybe you overheard a conversation about some epic battle at the last party you were at. ... MMORPG stands for Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game. ... Players will constantly strive to improve their skills in the game, be it through working on specific skills, or through gaining experience in the world to gain levels and thus grow stronger.