Video Game Violence - What Do You Think About It? by Daniel Punch
Ever since video game designers were able to put red pixels on their imaginary characters that had recently deceased, there have been people crusading against their subversive ways. The outrage at video games seems to be cyclic, fading very briefly before exploding into the public eye once more... The only real stand out difference is that in a children's game the 'bad' characters will generally bounce backwards in a cute manner and explode with a humorous puff sound (or simply disappear) whereas in a game oriented towards older mature players, the characters are more likely to be...

Best Video Games or Best Example: Who's Your Mentor by Cheryl Hall
The violence in video games is an issue on a deeper level. Do you want your child to emulate these “ways” for a kid to make money? Grand Theft Auto has been banned from our home. I suppose in retrospect that a game whose title is also a felony should have been my first clue, but in an attempt to... When you combine this game and all the other video games promoting the same sentiment; and the music, TV shows and movies whose messages are screaming, blaring and drumming these ideas 24 hours a day in the media, it’s a powerful and almost hypnotic combination.

The Microsoft Xbox 360 Console: Powerful Gaming in a Box by Mark Robbins
Gone are the days of drab, underpowered gaming consoles with limited features. The Microsoft Xbox 360 is here! It doesn't matter if you are a serious gamer or a mere hobbyist, the Xbox 360 that Microsoft launched in November 2005 is suitable for all players. ... For some odd reasons, some games that run with excellent audio and video effects using the first version of Xbox don't run as well in the Xbox 360; these include "Madden NFL 06," "NBA Live 06." This must be given immediate attention by the Microsoft people because it is a source of great disappointment for hardcore gamers and, in...

Game Rating System Explained by Eriani Doyel
If you are a video or computer game purchaser or user, you may or may not be familiar with the rating system for this type of software. Whether you are buying for yourself or someone else, it is important that you understand how the system works and how the actual game rating is determined. ... But, in addition to the vastly improved technology, graphics and sound on the software, many game products are becoming increasingly more violent, and more “adult in their themes. ... The ESRB has also established the ARC (Advertising Review Council) which regulates “truth in advertising” for the...

Guns Don't Kill People - Videogames Do! by Daniel Robson
“Ban these evil games”, “Videogame violence corrupting our nation’s youth”, “video games stole my husband”. It seems everyday that the media are making more and more claims about the evils of videogames. But are these claims based on fact, or is it merely that there is a juicy new scapegoat out... How many parents explain to their child that the game is not real; that in real life you can’t do everything you can in the game? ... In fact even the U.S court of appeal wrote, “(the idea that) there is a strong likelihood that minors who play violent videogames will suffer a deleterious effect...

If Your Self Storage Facility Was A PlayStation 3 by Derek Naylor
Imagine showing up to your self-storage facility having thousands of eager tenants waiting through the cold night and fighting just to pay you money. In fact, several of these "tenants to be" are so eager to pay you money for your space that they've physically beaten a few people who were ahead... They were offering a video game console that sells for $500-$600. ... Now, I'm not suggesting that any self-storage facility in the world can create the same demand that Sony has. ... You guessed it, "DEFINITELY!" Not all aspiring PS3 owners were struck with violence.

Substitute the Internet for Your TV by Daniel Punch
I have fond memories of waking up early on Saturday mornings and softly tiptoeing out to the family room to watch early morning cartoons when I was in elementary school. Then in high school I became more interested in the action-oriented TV shows in the evening. ... It's been a long time since I've been awake and free early enough in the morning to watch some animated entertainment (and besides that, the cartoons on TV now are largely trash). ... These films all contain some violence and occasionally some coarse language, so you may want to screen them before showing them to younger children.

Creating the Nemesis for your Game by Steven Bradley
nem•e•sis ( P ) Pronunciation Key (nm-ss) n. pl. nem•e•ses (-sz) A source of harm or ruin: Uncritical trust is my nemesis. Retributive justice in its execution or outcome: To follow the proposed course of action is to invite nemesis. An opponent that cannot be beaten or overcome. ... For instance, if we have a world in which it is against the common ideology, also called truth, to kill for any reason but in our nemesis’ view, that is the only way to achieve his objective, which in his/her mind is logical and just; we have the start of a rational thought process.