History of Games Part 3

The history of games is here again and we are now just about up to date with our games and consoles. When i left you last i was talking about Final Fantasy which spans a huge part of the history of games and is one that i see continuing to do so for some time.
I also left you with thoughts of the playstation as i mentioned i first got into Final Fantasy through FFVII in a Downtown Oldrids.
I also spoke of the Horror games Resident Evil, Silent Hill. Which with horror games i can deffinately jump to the Ps2 for what i feel is the scariest game i have played the Project Zero trillogy. It seems to me these games have been passed by and it is a shame because it has a gripping story, great graphics, spine chilling moments that leave you button bashing for safty and it has to be one of the most original games of its genre. Pluss its cheap because no-one knows what it is.
I felt i had to say something about the handheld computers as i dont seem to of said anything at all. I will start with the first one i got which was the old Gameboy.
I still have it and would never part with it. Apart from the Snez and maybe the N64 it has to be Nintendo's greatest invention and was what saw the way to the DS which is selling faster and better than sonys PSP.(said to be a Ps2 in your pocket)
Their have been other additions of hand held consoles that have all failed in the console war between Nintendo and Playstation. This eing that they just have not got the money to advertise and market their product against such monster companys as Sony.
But the fear of competition has grown so much that it has a new competitor.
Microsoft!
It is them with there release of the XBox that left the Ps2 with an actual worthy threat, unlike the cartoony GameCube that did not have enough range in games to stand even the slightest chance in this console war. It was because the peope making the games wanted to sell to the highest bidder and the people behind the console want exclusive games. This does not help in our situation as gamers, as it forces us to make a choice.
When the XBox 360 was released minds were made up much quicker and left their beloved playstation roots behind.
I myself have not but i can tell you that i have most deffinatey been tempted. And i shall tell you why. I was first so amazed by the knowledge of Ps3 that i had to go out and get every mag that even had the slightest bit of news of its release. This was to be my undoing as the more i read the more dissapointed i became. They had began to back track on what they had said so clearly at the begginning and i had heard that one of the prototypes had even expoded when they were testing it out.
By now i felt that i could not include mysef in the console war and decided to go back to where it all began PC gaming.
PC Gaming has come along way since Space War in 1962 and Pong. These are games where you can now even interact with other gamers that you may never meet in your whole life.
A war between the games on PC just doesnt seem to exist and i believe this to be because they are using a range of different methods due to the many specs for PC's.
I had a long conversation with Sophie and she said that she feels that the one thing Nintendo has that no-one else seems to is an eye for the future. This is because if you look at the games for say the Nintendo DS, it is outselling its competitor the Psp, and it does not have even close to the power. Instead the sellng point of the DS mostly depends on its Gameplay and not its graphics. I had to agree she made a good point and the DS is fun and leaves me feeling slightly left out as i hear people talking about how good a certain game is. As if you had not just guessed i dont have a DS but i also dont have a Psp either. I just dont get included in any of it any more, i just play my PC.
Sophie went on to say how it is possible to predict the near future of games. I myself was quite puzzled as how she could do this but what she did say was this:"Graphics of games can only advance so far as their aim is to get as real as life. So when they get to it what will they look at to advance instead. The only thing they can advance is to create new ways of interfacing with games." Which sounds to me very much like virtual reality.
This would expain why she stands by Nintendo and too right they are great developers of games just not that good at thinking up names (Wii) sry another dig thats 2 now.
My idea of the future of games if my experiences are anything to go by. It does not matter if you have a megadrive, DS, Ps1, Ps2, Xbox, Xbox 360 or a gamecube just about all of the gamers out their play at least ONE online game wether it is free or has online fees. Runescape for instence as rubbish as it is it has a huge following.
Soon games will do full circle and consoles will become as powerful and probaby as useful as a PC.
They are already building consoles with huge built in memorys and removable hard drives. It just needs a few more alterations and advances and were there. Gaming online has increased more and more over the ast years due to simular reasons i have. Others i dare say have just realised its superiorty over the consoles. People have said to me that you can go online with a console as though i didnt know...DUR! But no way in hell is their even close to the choice of online games that their are on PC.
My dream for the future of games would deffinately be a Virtual RPG simluar to Baldurs Gate or Guild Wars. It would be completely online and would then allow you to actually interact with other people all over the world person to person. I think that it would be a completely original way of interacting with people as it could be used by anyone for anything such as meetings.
It would work in a simular way to the Jedi counsil in Star Wars where they appear as a hollowgram but instead you would be able to physically interact in a fully virtual world.
The only thing with my idea is that we are little way of making anything like that yet.
The only main concern on my mind and i would say on alot of people in my position is that where does that leave someone trying to get ito the industry of games. Well i think that it might work in our favour because it seems as though people are so sure of what they want from the industry they can make their choice of path fairly simply. And if the console war comes to an end i fear that could be worse as with no competion they wont seek any new talent. As the saying goes if it aint broke dont fix it.
All i need to know is whatever happens i have to get as best grade as possible because they wont imploy 2nd best. They want only the best. No pressure then. Gulp!
Im not worried, cya next time.

Went home for the weekend

I went home last weekend and havent had much time for anything because it was my dads birthday and i spent time with him. He showed me the new Tomb Raider Legends.
As usual Lara is fit and kicking ass. Im sure i just play it to see how they have improved her and made her more attractive. Well it always seems more entertaining to see her swan dive off cliffs only to fall to her death, and if it is high enough to hear the enourmous scream she gives out.
But then again i did enjoy actually playing it this time. Im still waiting for them to make another version of her house and that annoying butler that you end up locking in the freezer. So many happy memories.
I had to show my friend up as well, as he dared to challenge me to a game of Tekken Tag.
FOOL! I slaughted him.
In his difence he did kill me with Double Suicide, the name sort of gives it away.
On another note i have enjoyed just going home for some properly cooked meals amd have learnt to cook 3 new things. I wont say what they are because someone might think they are silly but im impressed. Now i can actually make decent meals for myself instead of Super Noodles or beans on toast. Im starting to think i have just been lazy when it came to cooking and that maybe it was about time to start doing it properly.
I have downloaded the new Battlefield 2142 demo and it is really good except because i only have the demo it only lets you play one map. After winning 20 dozen times on both Titan and conquest im slightly bored and need to get the game just to try a new map.
The most annoying part is that im not getting any medals or improving my charatcer but it is making me better at the game.
When the lab on floor nine gets it i will aready be the best payer their. Hee Hee.
Cya next time....

History of Games Part 2

Well here we are again writing another but i feel sightly longer blog.
When i finished in part one i was discussing or bitching about how pong was cleverly disguised as the first game when in reality games were being created some 10 even 15 years earlier.
I just so happened to click the link for the story of pong where it again says that it is infact the first game. I dont know about you but im starting to like the designers of pong for having the guts to say they were first when their is quite obviousy alot more evidence to say otherwise.
I thought it might be handy to show you how brave they are and how they feel they have the force as though we are all weak minded and will follow their every word. Here is the very first line from that Link.
"The video game history started in a strange and complicated way and it is important to avoid confusions with what happened in the 1950s and 1960s."
Yeah because we are all going to ignore 20 years of evidence that quite literally shits on their statements from a great height.
Well i ended the first with a bitch and opened the second with another. Now lets get serious.
We can now move on to maybe the most influential eras of games history the 1980's. This was the era that has paved the way to how we veiw the world of games now.
probably most suprisingly the 80's games all originate with war games and looking at the History Games may even of originated from old war radar machines if information from this is anything to go by:
"Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann. A patent application was filed on January 25th, 1947 and U.S. Patent #2 455 992 issued on Dec 14th, 1948.The game was probably designed earlier in 1946 but since we do not know this for a fact, we will rely on the filing date of 1947. The system used eight vacuum tubes (four 6Q5 triodes and four 6V6 tetrodes) and simulated a missile being fired at a target. The idea was obviously inspired by radar displays used during World War II. Several knobs allowed adjusting the curve and speed of the moving point representing the missile. Because graphics could not be drawn electronically at the time, small targets drawn on a simple overlay were placed on the CRT by the builder of this game."
Interesting to think although this is not classed as a video game it is still an interaction with a computer, like what is mentioned by A.S.Douglous.
This might suggest that their were games being created in this way as early as the first Radar. I could be being a bit optimistic but it just bares the thought how far back can you go before you find the true source of computer games.
The first thing the 80's did was start to see the development of actual companys specifically making games and consoles to play them on. One of these companys is Electronic Arts which have still survived until now.
In 1982 consoles such as the Commodore 64, Apple II and ZX Spectrum, were made and so started the very first console war.
I myself have played on a Commodore 64 but it is my dads and he wont let me touch it without him. Im starting to think he beleives it will combust or evaporate due to how old it is but he says it is because the games ware out very quickly.
The only game i have played that i can remember was a Submarine game where you had a little periscope and sunk ships. I really enjoyed that game because it was just loads of fun blowing things up, even if it was in like 1 bit lol.
1980 saw the arrival of Pacman, and what an arrival, he was the first character to achieve popularity in his own right. Pacman has to be the most addictive game in history along side the amazing space invaders which both of these games can now be played on your mobile. Or even downloaded as flash games. Showing that some games if they keep you entertained, no matter what the graphics a game can stand the will of time. So many different versions of Pacman so little time to write them all. But i will say this MS PACMAN SUCKS!
Dragon's Lair (1983) was the first laserdisc game, and introduced full-motion video to video games and is the most original game of its era in my oppinion.
Lucasarts text adventure Maniac Mansion built with its SCUMM system allowed a point-and-click interface. Maniac Mansion was made in 1987 and is then as old as me. This game should never be forgotton as it is what i would consider to be pure genious and it envolves so much freedom and random goings on that i have never tired of playing it.
Many people have complained at the fact that they get stuck and find it to hard to finish. Well i got news for them because i finished it and i did it without using any cheap walkthru's either.
I think that it was Maniac Mansion that got me into point and click games. I have played so many but here are a few of my favourites. All the Monkey Islands, Discworld 1, Discworld 2 and Discworld Noir. Broken Sword 1 + 2 are good and the new ps2 games are amazing but unfortunately the new ones are not point and cick but i mentioned them anyway because they are just great games. I have to say my very favourite point click for its humour alone is Feeble Files because never in a game have ever heard of getting killed for not smiling and having armed happy bots with poorly drawn on smiles checking to see if every one is smiling quite well enough, only to find at the end the creator of the world was asleep and left a game in charge.
I advise if you find that funny you should really play it because it has dozens of funny bits, and their all said in a sarcastic tone by Feeble himself who's voice is Robert Llewllyn from Red Dwarf.(Kryten)
The Nintendo Entertainment System was my first ever computer console and my first game was Mario Brothers. I just about played that game so much that i wore it out and the console along with it. I have tried to re-collect all the old games but prices vary so much now because of collectors as the more rare a game becomes the higher the price.
I think the most i ever spent on a game was £80. I bought Mystical Ninja for the Super Nintendo (snez). It came without a box but with a manual, i then discovered it had risen in value and should i of wanted to sell on it would of sold for no less than £150. Of course i kept it and play it as often as i can, the way a game should be i believe.
I like to think im a collector of games but i collect them to play not to leave in a display case.
I could leave them sealed or locked away because i have emulators with roms of all my games, but nothing can quite simulate the feeling of playing the real thing.
After searching for a bit about the creation of the playstation i came across a forum with this posted:
"Not many people know this, but Nintendo originally worked with Sony to develope the "PlayStation": the SNES add-on that provided CD-ROM gaming support.From what I have read, there were some politics between Nintendo and Sony, and Nintendo ended up stabbing Sony in the back by looking at the Phillips (?) CD-I machine. This is why the CD-I released 3 Zelda games.Nintendo created the monster that soon became their downfall...ironic isn't it? "
If this was true then it would expain a few things about why some Zelda games suck and the others are so amazing. As for the part about the playstation, i have heard simular stories with sight differences but nothing hard fact. But i think that all good things come to an end but not forgotton.
When the playstation was first released i was in ore of its magnificance. It had graphics of which had not been seen and this was enough to whirl me in. Now i realize that the majority of the games did not live up to your expectations. This was where the difference between the old and new consoles began. In the old games the graphics were unimportant, only the gameplay was what counted. The majority of newer games for the playstation were only interested in graphics and left the gameplay as second best.
Of course the really big blockbuster games were an exception to the rule as they found a healthy medium. Such as the Resident evils, silent hill, a big selection of RPG's just spring to mind.
I have to admit im very big on the RPG's and i love Final Fantasy.
I remember first seeing FFVII, it was being shown in a Downtown Oldrids as one of those machines that resemble arcade machines but allow you try before you buy.
I was stood playing it for about two hours before my mum had to rip me away, as she had walked round the shop twice. (she walks really slow, dont think the shop was even that big)
The Dragon Quest series made its debut in 1986 with Dragon Quest, and has created a phenomenon in Japanese culture ever since. Also at this time, SquareSoft was struggling and Hironobu Sakaguchi decided to make their final game, titled Final Fantasy (1987), a role-playing game (RPG) modelled after Dragon Quest, and the Final Fantasy series was born as a result. He called it Final Fantasy as a result of his retirement, unaware of its ongoing sucess. Final Fantasy saved Squaresoft from bankruptcy, and would later go on to become the most successful RPG franchise. It may be the most widely distributed video game franchise of all time, including standard console role-playing games, portable games, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, games for mobile phones, three anime productions, and two full length CGI films. Future installments have been announced to appear on future platforms such as the Wii, XBOX 360, and PlayStation 3 game systems. It is Square Enix's most successful franchise, and the third biggest selling video game franchise of all time, having sold over 63 million units worldwide to date.
Just before i continue i have to say no wonder nintendo have not been fairing well lately in the console war if they are creating consoles with names like Wii. I beleive their original name Revolution was most probably the most sane idea of the two.
Square first entered the Japanese video game industry in the mid 1980s, developing a variety of simple RPGs for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System, a disk-based peripheral for the Family Computer (also known as the "Famicom," and known internationally as the Nintendo Entertainment System). Alot of people beleive that the Famicom and the Nes are two seperate computers but they would be WRONG.
Following the success of the Final Fantasy, Square quickly began work on a second installment. As an installment, unlike a typical sequel, Final Fantasy II featured entirely different characters, with a setting and story bearing only some thematic similarities to its predecessor. Some of the gameplay elements, such as the character development system, were also completely changed. This approach to installments has continued throughout the series, with each major Final Fantasy game introducing a new world, and a new system of gameplay. Many elements and themes would recur throughout the series, but there would be no actual sequels until the release of Final Fantasy X-2, in 2003, after the merger with Enix.
Now we await the release of FFXII where we yet again will be emersed in Hironobu Sakaguchi imagination.

Cya nexct time for part 3.

LOTR ONLINE and that wierd song Powell has on his blog?

Im so excited to find out that that they are making a new Lord of the Rings game. Im pretty sure i have played just about every game made of LOTR but never did i expect them to make an online game. It sounds really good i will paste the part i found:
The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar will allow players to forge heroic legacies in the War for Middle-Earth. Gamers will experience an evolving persistent recreation of Tolkien's world-renowned fantasy realm where they can establish their unique reputations, and discover and wield legendary weapons in strategic battles, while adventuring solo or in Fellowships.This game spans legendary Eriador, including the pastoral Shire, the Elven enclave of Rivendell, rustic Bree, and more. As the lands of Middle-Earth fall under a growing threat from the dark realm of Angmar, only the mightiest of deeds and the stoutest of hearts can halt the advance of Sauron's minions. Features:
Be a hero: Show the world your mettle and risk your life to protect all the Free-peoples. Combine class, race, traits and experience to create your own unique character. Forge your Fellowship and struggle together against evil with other adventurers in your campaign across Eriador. Work as a team leveraging your diverse talents, skill-sets and classes to gain strategic advantage.
Evolving world: Unique instancing technology allows every player to make their mark within the world. Save a Hobbit village, clear a Dwarven mine, purify an Elven glade - the power is in your hands to change the fate of entire realms.
Choose your lineage: Follow in the footsteps of your favorite Tolkien hero. Choose one of Middle-earth's signature races of Human, Elves, Dwarves and Hobbits. Mark your own place in history.
Unlock the secrets of Middle-Earth: Working directly with Tolkien Enterprises, Turbine has crafted an experience directly from the literary works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Explore the pastoral Shire, roam the eerie Barrow Downs, visit elegant Rivendell, walk beneath the dark canopy of the Old Forest, adventure to the depths of Moria and discover many other locations fully realized from The Fellowship of the Ring.
Classic characters: The faithful recreation of Middle-earth is populated with familiar friends and corrupt foes. Join in the battle against Orcs, Trolls, Spiders, Barrow Wights and the Nazgûl. Meet Elrond, Tom Bombadil, Bilbo, the Dúnedain and even members of the Fellowship itself.
Intense combat: Combat in Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar grows in intensity as you master your skills and gain strategic advantage. Combine your efforts into devastating compound attacks. The game rewards those who join forces through an exciting combo system that amplifies the effectiveness of groups and fellowships.
I went on Powells log after looking at Blackboard ony to find he was posting about some random tune, Which actually was'nt all bad. I then thought about looking for some music for myself and found a few music Vids i had never seen but always wanted.
I suppose i coud of found them except i get too lazy and dont bother, that or i get on the internet and my mind goes blank ..... i just cant think of anything to search.
So i have devised a plan that will never fail. Sticky notes!!!!
Everytime i get an idea i write it down and stick it to my computer....
As long as i remember to write it down..... erm ?

Guild Wars

It has been along time since i have had the pleasure of saying this but im amazing at this game now.
I have been playing for 3 months none stop and im better than most who have played for 2 years.
My freind and i have both started a guild and have been working our butts off to make it good.
We called it The Reapers of the Underworld, this is because The Reapers are the servants of Grenth, the god of the underword. In the realm of the Underworld the reapers harvest the souls of the dead and shepherd them to their final resting place, which is to be decided by Grenth.
Sounds cool does'nt it!
Just a quick list of the reapers names:
The reaper of the labyrinth
The reaper of the forgotton veil
The reaper of the ice wastes
The reaper of the twin serpant mountains
The reaper of the bone pits
The reaper of the chaos plains
The reaper of the spawning pools
Not sure i have a favourite but at a push i would say that Chaos plains sounds the coolest.
The Guild Hall is the isle of the dead which i have spent about 30k on buying not only it but a storage and Priest of Balthazar. Unless you play Guild Wars you wont know what these are but lets just say i dont have any more money left.
I have been building up the guilds Reputation so much that we have suppassed the Leader Alliance.
Which means we may become the top guild, im well impressed cuz when we are im kicking the crap guilds and improving the Alliance.
To make sure we are taken seriously when recruting members i have made a website for the guild so that we have a forums for chats on Builds for your character and give away prizes as rewards for loyal members. If you have got guild wars and you are interested in joing this one, then go to http://www.thereapersoftheunderworld.tk/It is still in its trial state so excuse the way it's layed out, im trying my best with what time i have to put into it lol.
You can visit if you dont play and maybe you can leave a message on the guest book or post a comment in the general disscusion on our forums.
Also if you do wanna join then also visit the guest book and leave your online name so i or my freind can get back to you.
I have concidered starting a help service as well that i might post on the Guild war official site for peope just starting out and need showing the basics of the game. As we have been there and not known what to do next and beleive me the game wont help you. That sounds quite scary dont let that put you off getting it. There is lots to do it took me 3 months to start a guild, well properly.... i did have one when i just started but i only had 2 members and he was a lower level than me which is hard when your level 7. :0
But not to worry i have 2 max characters and 3 more on the way.
I have started a sales trade as well .... i can see you all seem puzzled i will expain.
I have found a way of making an item very cheap and making a profit on sales.
The trick is that i sell them at a price cheaper than the merchant but still making profit.
I wont tell you how but i will tell you what i sell Belt Pouches.
Not very amazing but the profit is good.

Call Of Duty

Love this on Foor 9. I used to not pay it at home because it got really anoying and was boring with to many restrictions set by people. Up their because we are all in the same room it makes it fun to know the reactions of the people you kill or in my case hearing them cheer when they kill me.
Today i was playing again but had not reallized how competitive people are especially when you make the silly mistake of killing your own team mate on capture the flag or you start your own mini sniper battle with someone on the other side of the map.
But it has to be said that my favourite is killing someone close range with a sniper rifle, just to see them squerm makes me wanna do it again again until im dead. which with about 8 or 9 aside doesnt take long.
I just wish i coud sit down and look at all the maps, so i can earn them and improve on them.
My plan is to find the number one sniper spot on a certain map that people tend to keep picking with a church. Problem is it keeps going to a sniper battle and its supposed to be capture the flag.
When this happens it turns to a stale mate and they are not fun it just means first to make a mistake. That is why if i get a great sniper point i can pick off those waiting in the church and give a couple from our team enough time to run in grab the flag and run there ass'es outa their.
The flaw to the plan is that they may have a few gaurding the flag from the side but i cant be expected to think of an answer for everything.
They will just have to take extra care thats all.
Not excellent advice i will grant you but its all we have.
Apparantly they are getting the new Call of Duty which should give the game an edge as some maps will vary, giving us all an even playing field.
I hope.......
News of The Day
I have a new flat mate move in today and he has aready bin given a warning
Gotta laugh
Thing is ive gotta live with him...... DAMN!
cya next time:p

Silent Hill Movie (May contain SPOILERS Read at your own risk)

I have only ever played the very first Silent Hill and found it to be a bit creepy and to be full of wierd creatures and scary monsters. But being a fan of all the Resident Evil games was totally unharmed by the harsh world that Silent Hill had created and to be quite honest found it to be far to slow in comparison to its cousin the Resident Evil saga.
So in turn it put me off carrying on with the series of Silent Hill and instead played Resi 3,4 code veronica, devil may crys, project Zero and the list goes on.
Then i got word of a film idea that was in the works of being made and that it would follow but not copy its game history.
That film was Resident Evil which was released exactly one year after i heard about it. It was what i expected them to do, which was to make more action than that of suspense. Although saying that it has its moments. And in normal Resi style they left it open for the sequel, where i think they really went to town. Resi 2 saw everyones worst but favourite baddy, apart from of course the very cool Wesker, Nemisis. Their he was on the big screen and he looked like he could with stand a moving train not alone blow it to smitherines with the huge 5000 shot chain gun and the massive rocket launcher he just happens to carry around with him.
What im trying to say is that Nemisis is wicked and no-one can change my mind.
So answer me this: Why in the world did he get beaten by a girl?!!!!!
So ok she is super fast and has extra strength but get real that is the Nemisis girlfriend and he can wup anything in his path.
Anyway i did like the they left you waiting for the third. In of course great hope that they include other great baddies such as Wesker or another Nemisis. OK so maybe im being a bit optimistic but with film developers its just about the only thing we can be.
Im safe in the knowledge that they cant mess up Resi 5 at least or can they hmmm
Well they had better not do cuz it is near damn impossible due to the fact that it is the original hero Chris Redfeild and it has zombies unlike four, the graphics should and i say should in a way that if they are not i will kick everyone's ass.... should be amazing!
The main reason i wrote this blog was to say that when i heard about the Silent Hill film i passed it by without another thought and did not even consider watching it.
The reason being was that when i played the first Silent Hill it made me wanna stop and play Resiendent Evil. Where as watching Resident Evil made me not watch Sient Hill.
My thought was that if a great game like Resi can ony make a half ass attempt at a film then what is a slow and ony reasonably scary game like Silent Hill gonna do.
It was not until i came hear i saw the making of Sient Hill 2 and it got me thinking that maybe i shoud give the games a second chance. So i went in search of some info about the second game only to find that to just get the good ending you would have to play it through four times.
That was it as far as i was concerned i had had enough.
When i got back to my halls, i was talking with one of my flat mates and he al of a sudden came out with "oh i have the film Silent Hill if you want to watch it".
Of course i said yes why not at east i can say i had watched it and to be honest i had seen the trailers of it and it looked quite good.
I could not believe it, i was glued to the screen from start to finish and then when i had watched it i watched it again. The film far suppassed the game in my oppinion. It was amost ment to be a film. I liked it so much i may even go out and buy the special Edition with all the extras and stuff.
If it is a film that all gamers and horror fans must watch!
I have even gone as far as to think that after a these years i have been completely wrong about the games and will force mysef to play them.
Till next time Cya

The Fire Drill

It was funny and annoying. I will explain ,we had been given about two weeks notice for this fire drill and still i went to bed at some ridiculous time. But beleive it or not it was from watching a film and not going out on the piss.(Silent Hill:Film to be mentioned in my next blog)
The thing is things sound different when you are asleep and this aounded just like my alarm so clicked the snooze button and thought nothing more, only to realize it was still going off and decided to give it a good wack this time. Instantly i remembered it was the drill this morning and grabed whatever clothes there were and ran out.
When i got outside i thought i was in the wrong place but no, no-one-else had got out yet i was one of the first. So i stood thinking of what to do, should i woke my flat mates up, dont be silly martin its not like they cant hear it and besides i think their all up.
Then like lightening it hit me in my rush to get out after mistaking it for my alarm i neither locked my room door or my flat door, now usually my flat door closes on its own and locks but the bin fell over on my way past and wedged it open.
The funny thing is as i was thinking all this i could see people starting to emerge from the halls. Ha ahahaha im already laughing! A lad came out in what only looked like a towel. And to everyones later knowledge his boxers. Poor lad it was cold outside and he was quivering.
Like i cared it was hilarious. 15minutes later people were still only just making their way out because you know they wouldnt of died in a real fire.
The best part is i was clever enough to put clothes on and so was able to wonder in to the neibouring building. Thus it being the building where my work is. So i got in the elevator to floor 9 and got the lads to let me in. Now im writing this in warmth while they all suffer.
Well what do you now i feel like a true news reporter even the papers cant get you news of inccidents like that as quickly as that lol
This is almost like a live feed. I will keep you in the know of any more weird goings on in my halls. And until then Cya

History of Games Part 1

Well who would of guest it?
Games originate to as far back as the 1950's.
Yeah you heard me right. I didnt beleive it either until i started to look it up, and found that a bloke called A.S.Douglous wrote PhD degree in Human-computer interraction (1952). I decided to look this up and found that it means that a person or (User) must control a machine or (Computer) through the use of an interface or (controller).
He also created the first graphical computer game - a version of tic-tac-toe.
To think he went from creating his own degree to making games. People of that era must of thought he had gone mad but good for us he did.
I would beleive him to of got slandered alot because if he had of done something similar now for instence he would surely of been ridiculed. Their are of course those people out there who still enjoy ridiculing, that of the Gamer. By making out that only spotty over weight teenagers play games. Well i think they should be punished in several but painful ways for even thinking that was true.
Woah! i may need to have a bit of call of duty to carm me down after that.
So if he was the nutter who first thought of it i would like to think i could relate to him in someway and be able to think that i would like to be able to create something that is fun and easy to do or within reason. I think that it was a visual and stimulating experience for me the first time i played a computer game.
My first game was Mario Brothers for the Nintendo. And it was the combernation between the visual and the sound combined with how i was in control of those things. This is almost how A.S.Douglous's Degree describes itself. He is discovering a connection between human and machine through use of interraction cuch as a console or computer. For example im interracting with this machine by using the keyboard which would be the terminal of which im the user of.
Did any one follow that even a little bit?
I found that hard to describe in writing, it sounds more like a manual. But the main thing is i get it.
"No great surprise that one of humankind's most powerful inventions would, within minutes of its potential being recognized, be used for entertainment purposes!"
It just had to go in somewhere because it is such a good line. It says exactly what games are and probably what was going through A.S.Douglas's head as he made that version of Tic-Tac-Toe.
He had fun with his invention as all good scientists do. Or should do, instead of making bombs.
Anyway where was i oh yeah the first Video Game was and oh yes you guest it, was made in the 1950's. To be fair late 1950's, it was 1958.
The game was created by William Higinbotham and it was called "Tennis for Two".
Although it was to be later beaten by a game called Space War in 1962 ehich was the first game to be intended for a computer use.
You just know you have made something brilliant when people start to imitate what you did.
Which is exactly what happened in 1971. Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney took the basis of Space War and made the first arcade game called computer space.
And if you think as weirdly as i do you may start to wonder why did it take nearly a decade for someone to do that.
My theory is, that evolution would only allow so many nut ball genious to be bornat one single time or maybe im just talking nonsense and it was just the usual case that people are just lazy.
How bad that i found out all that from this task and all along i had ed mysef to believe Pong was the very first game. Now i just feel silly, Would someone please leave a comment that they thought the same, so that i dont feel like the ony one.
The arcade game Pong was actually created by Nolan Bushnell in 1972 a whoe year after computer space.
Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney started Atari Computers that same year. So this would explain why Atari were aways ahead it was really because they were huge copy cats and the only reason that their company is not doing very well at the moment is because now we have copy right laws.
In 1975, Atari re-released Pong as a home video game. Larry Kerecman was one of the first first operators of video arcade games, including Computer Space. He writes that, "The brilliance of these machines was that Nolan Bushnell and company took what was computer programming (in Space War) and translated it into a simpler version of the game (no gravity) using hard-wired logic circuits."
What i beleive to be really great about the very retro games is their ability to still create what can be described as a person or as acurate as a cowboy. The shape of a rocket ship and flying saucers are even visible in a pattern of diodes on the PC board.
In 1972, the first commercial video game console that could be played in the home, the Odyssey was released by Magnavox and designed by Ralph Baer. The game machine was originally designed in 1966 but it was rejected.
The Odyssey came programmed with twelve games. Which sounds quite impressive even to me as no other consoe to my knowledge has even considered this. The ony thing we have are those games like The Sonic Collection, but that is a re-release it would be impressive to see a console such as the Playstation 3 release it with 12 games installed.
In reaity this is a dream and would never happen, even though it is quite capable of doing so. This has become one of the biggest problems with the games industry it has become to fixated with making money and has forgotten the fundamental side of games which is fun. I understand that they have to make money but if a company such as Atari were to make a game and it 12 on it. Pluss i think that it would sell.
Thats why i like online games because even if the first version is rubbish they can change it and improve it with no cost of your own. For instense im playing Guild Wars and their are old arenas that you once were able to fight in but players were complaining and the creaters made a new area with all of the neccessary alterations. Now they quite happily play away with no trouble at all. I dont think i can quite honestly say i have a favourite format but i have favourites of each.
Like i enjoy Mario and Zelda for the Nintendo but I like Streets of Rage and Sonic on the Mega drive. The list of games and consoles go on and i havnt got all year to write them out because i would rather be playing them. hee hee.
In today's world video games are often seen as a source for teenage violence which brings me back to giving out punishment, it's interesting to see that the first home console also had a light rifle as an optional peripheral.
The world of video games continues to evolve. By reading about the past, perhaps we can start to see a glimpse of the future or at east how games are heading towards. Looks to me like we should all study Star Wars and The Running Man a little closer.
Appoligies for not doing my blog sooner alot gone off and not much time for anything even games. My flat mate has come back from home with his PS2 and a bunch of games so im now off to play lol.
Till next time cya.

Antisapation?

I cant wait for this year to get well under way and have loads of cool projects to do.
I can hear you all now, "is he mad." But no im not mad i know the projects are cool and i will tell you why. The projects are about games and games are cool, its that simple.
Any one who does'nt enjoy at least 1 project does not belong on a course for Games.

Im also looking forward to the release of a few titles in the next couple of month.
Final Fantasy 12 and Guild Wars Nightfall for instence.
Post your comments for what games you are waiting to be released. Im not bothered even if it isnt released till christmas post it anyway. Also i want you to post your comments on something else for me as well.
I cant decide wether i like the new Kingdom Hearts or not so here's what im gonna do. Im going to leave it up to everyone else to tell me ONE good point about it and ONE bad point. You MUST have a good and bad point. And most importantly you have to of at least seen or played the game. Then in about a week or so i will collect up the good and bad points and tell you what i have decided along with a score out of 10.
I will call it the smartie score.
If it is successful i might pick a game each week and have it as an ongoing thing on my blog.

I went home for the weekend as i said on my last posts. Only to be given some devastating news about my freinds DAD, who, as of last Wednesday has died of cancer.
After putting that i cant really write any more so i will leave it their till tomorrow.

coming back today

Here we go again 2 hours in a car and i have to drive.
COOL!!!!

If you havent already guessed im writting this from a cyber cafe again and this time my freinds with me because my guild is almost fully functioning and we are doing dual runs.
For those non players of guild wars a run is where u get new players to pay you to take them to a new area they cant get to.
My freinds computer is still in flames so he is inactive alot of the time but the guild will go on in his memory. In the process of designing a web site for it and having team speak which will help with recruting tremendously.

Got to do some more drawing when i get back so as not to get behind and hopefully i can go outside. It has been raining heavy here for days.

Not much to say today so its going to be a short post but i will have more news tomorrow.
But before i go i would just like tpo say im still underfeated on mario kart double dash.
I tell a lie i can be beaten but im damn good at it lol
So if you wanna test your skills, come and get some!

gone home

yeah ive gone home for the weekend and you would think i visited the moon.
I get asked questions left right and center, i think they are keen to find out what lies beyond the bubble of my home town except now im staying in leicester everything hear seems so small.
But first things first had to visit my freinds to find out what is goin off in the streets.

The worst part is i have come back to find that my best freinds dad has just passed away with cancer and i have been comforting him a bit. I have always seen his family as part of mine and it has been a sad couple of days.

On a brighter note i have been telling all my family about the great stuff we are doing on my course and how much im looking forward to alot of it. Especially not doin essays and getting this awesome blog.
This is a great way of us getting to know more people and how they think. We will work better as a team and get along if we keep discussions and other things on the blackboard.
(That part was aimed at people on the Game Art Design Course)

I have been playing the new Kingdom Hearts, its good but i was slightly dissapionted on some points because in true Square Enix style the start of the game takes 3 hours to get goin and thats just to get the main character Sora.
But never mind im sure i will play it through anyway and try to understand the stupidly slow and complex storyline that in my heart of hearts know will not end. (did u get the pun)
Maybe not if you havent played it but for those of you havent played the first one, it is about creatures called the Heartless. OH and ......
GET IT !

Im at the local cyber cafe and im going to start playing some guild wars because i have just started a guild with my freind. But not many members at the moment so im spending my time recruting noobs. My plan is to create the largest guild member list ever. Once ive done that i can start to worry about all the other things like, who's worth taking to a guild battle what level are people or even a guild school for noobs lol no im serious!

Till tomorrow cya Smartie (martin)

Trying to complete the first task.

Hi im martin but for online only im smartie. Its an old nick name i was given at work and i quite like it because it is unusual and unusual is pretty much me in a word.
I try to act confident but beleive me im not, i listen to ranges of music and try to like RNB but i just dont think i get it. My favourite stuff to listen to is more rock and heavy metal, i also listen to some alternate rock like indie and emo.
What else can i say about me i like to enjoy everything that i do and im never satisfied with failing, so will continue to try again and again till i get it right.
I will play any games wether their on a console, arcade or PC, i will love it. (If only for 5 mins lol)
I think that i see blogging as almost personal because it allows you to discuss certain things in your life with people you probably wouldnt normally or even dont know. Which creates a broader understanding of peoples opinions.
Im setting my blog out as a newspaper report because it is like im telling the world the news of my life: For example when i talked about my freinds house getting hit by lightning and also about the monopoly game ( which by the way i won in 15mins and 6seconds)
I will try to keep posting once a day to get in a habit of it so as to keep the blog up to date, even if what i write is only a centence long. But im quite sure they will be longer than that.
I think that i will set out the blog so as to try and keep a few continuing stories going for that week or even for a month depending apon what it is im discussing. I want to feel i can get people to want to come back and read my blog because i think makes me feel my life is quite worth watching so that if it gets really good someone might base a film on me when im famous or even a game yay that would be so cool. Of course by that time it will be photo realistic and i might of designed the artwork myself as some kind of super genious. nah but what a fantasy!!!!
In a way it will seem spooky talking to an invisible audience but in some ways i will feel better for not looking what their reactions are and wont feel so bad only having to read there comments because it can start a interaction with another person on a subject that they might know more about and will in many ways be a bit of fun.

Ninja penguins

Thanks to Bens blog page i have found my talking point to start my blog.
As he had mentioned about ninja penguins, it got me thinkin of an old mega drive game that i have and used to play all the time. Quack Shot.

For those of you who are not familiar with the game it is about Donald Duck trying to be a kinda indiana jones which i find to be funny on its own.
The ice level has lots of what looks like suicidal penguins that throw themselves at you and well with that and the "cheesy inspirational music" (which i had as my ring tone)shhh! is absolutely hilarious.
Also a more up to date game with ninja penguins is Crash Tag Team Racing. Another funny game with strange little cut scenes of crash bandicoot finding another way of killing himself.

On other news my freinds house was struck by lightning and the funny part is that he was'nt bothered in the slightest. The only thing that actually upset him was the fact that it had fried his computer and he was'nt able to play games. lol what a lad!
He has been traveling about an hour everyday to the nearest cyber cafe to his house so he can play his games. I think because of his ego he believes that the game cant live without him, in fact i think he would agree.

Me and my flat mates are going to start a game of monopoly and are aiming for a record in the shortest game in history i will keep you informed as to how it goes, till tomorrow that is all from martin and the daily gamer.

Gotta start somewhere.

Not only have i just started a blog for the first time but im also finding more peole to associate with in and out of the university.
Most amazingly i have discovered people that play the same online games as me.
At the moment im playing Guild Wars Factions after i have almost finished Prophecies.
If you play then add Smartie Master to your friends list. Just whisper me who u are next time im on.

Martin