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Playstation 3 Release Date Schedules

Sonys Playstation 3, the successor to the first Playstation and Playstation 2, will compete alongside Xbox 360 of Microsoft and Wii of Nintendo.

The Playstation 3 is planned for release in Japan on November 11, 2006. Meanwhile, in Canada and the United States, game enthusiasts can have their PS3 on November 17, 2006. On the other hand, those in Europe and Australia will have to wait until March 2007 for the release of the game consoles. Reports state that this has been the case because of the shortage of Blu-ray disc diodes. Authorities from Sony have announced that they are ready to file legal actions against anybody who would sell imported game units to consumers in Europe.

The Playstation 3, in its initial release, will be retailed in two configurations. The first is a Basic configuration. In this package, the PS3 will be sold with a 20 GB hard disk drive, Blu-ray drive, HDMI port, and wireless SIXAXIS controllers. The second package is a Premium configuration. Instead of a 20 GB hard disk, the Premiums hard disk will have a capacity of 60 GB. Additional supports are also installed, including Wi-Fi feature and memory card readers. The hard disks in the two configurations can be upgraded. In addition, the Basic configuration can also enjoy the memory card reader feature by using supplementary adapters.

The Playstation 3 console is designed with elegant features. Its exterior is outlined with exquisite curves. Its sides are shaped to appear that it is expanding outward. In addition, the Playstation 3 is developed with a modern cooling system. This is to cope with the consoles heat output due to its Cell processors operation and its system power supply. Many would think that because the Playstation 3 is a high power consumer, it would make significant noise while being used. But because of Sonys innovations, the PS3 is developed to operate amazingly quiet.

The first models of the game consoles include silver, black, and white. But in the initial release, the Playstation 3 would only be available in black. Based on some official design previews, the exterior of the console appeared to be solid and silky black. However, the system casing looked to be semi-transparent black. Moreover, the PS3 is 11 pounds in weight and measures 12.8 x 3.8 x 10.8.

Playstation 3 games under development and may be available within the next few months after the release of the console are listed below:

* Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII
* College of Duty 3
* Fatal Inertia
* Fight Night: Round 3
* Full Auto 2: Battlelnes
* Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
* NBA 2k7
* NBA 07
* Need for Speed: Carbon
* Sonic the Hedgehog
* The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblvion
* Tom Clancys Rainbow Six: Vegas
* Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom
* Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
* Mercenaries 2: World in Flames
* Battlefield: Bad Company
* Enchanted Arms
* White Knight Story
* Final Fantasy XIII
* Tekken 6
* Heavenly Sword
* Grand Theft Auto IV

The price listing of the Playstation 3 differs by region. In Japan, the 20 GB PS3 will be sold for JP 49,980 or US$ 420. The price of the 60 GB model, meanwhile, will be up to the Japanese retailers to set. In the US, the 20 GB units will be sold for $ 499, while the 60 GB version is set at $ 699.

PS3: The New Innovation from Sony Play Station

The desire of many gamers around the world to play with an efficient and technologically advanced console moved every manufacturer to create their own version using never before utilized gaming technology. Major gaming console manufacturers are on the peak of formulating their own versions of consoles that offers individual quality.

Among the many console manufacturers is Sony. Ever since, Sony had been creating plenty of gaming console, each considered a stepping-stone to create another better. There have been a number of consoles that Sony has already produced and manufactured. All made its own way to reach the summit.

In the late 90s, the console Sony released the first Playstation that made huge waves with the gaming market. According to surveys, Playstation 1 was so renowned in the whole world that every household would have one. In the US alone, millions of households have Sony Playstation for their family.

Sony never stopped innovating. During the new millennium, Sony introduced their second console and the Playstation 2 was introduced in the world. PS2 has different hardware desigs as compared to the PS1. Originally, PS2 is black while PS1 is light gray.

Not so many years after, Sony is again ready to introduce the new console they have made; The Playstation 3 or PS3. The PS3 is the third of the playstation series and the seventh in the consoles made by Sony.

PS3 was first unveiled to the world on May 16, 2005 during the E3 conference. Other major makers like Nintendo and Microsoft are always on their watch to think of their possible console to equate with the PS3. Months after, these two major manufacturer unveiled their own version comparable to the PS3.

PS3 is scheduled to be released strategically to different major markets around the world. The release dates differs according to the place. PS3 will be first released in the Japan on November 11, 2006. This will be followed in the US on November 17, 2006. The release date for Canada is the same as in the US. The new console is expected to be out in the market of Australia and Europe by March next year.

The PS3 was first exhibited at a Tokyo Game Show in Japan last September 2006. Sony displayed 27 playable PS3’s and games just for the opening of the said event.

The world is preparing for the waited launching of PS3. Many gaming enthusiasts asked about the said gadget and are on the way to actually acquiring one. Sony expects to sell plenty of PS3 not just in Japan but also around the world. The great appreciation of enthusiasts in the US will prove that PS3 will be highly acclaimed by the Americans despite the close competition with Nintendo and Microsoft.

PS3 has an upgradable hard drive, Blu-ray drive, HDMI port, Bluetooth controller, built in Wi-Fi and flash card readers. The basic version will not have a built in Wi-Fi and flash card readers.

The PS3 has a Blu-ray disc or known as the BD. PS3 can playback BD software in a considerable high rate. This platform has a 50 GB storage capacity. This can also play movies and games in a very high image quality.

Truly, PS3 still have plenty of surprises that will leave gamers stunned. PS3 has the most modern specifications in terms of gaming gadgets and has the most advance quality that is incomparable.

Be Careful When Placing Playstation 3 Pre Orders

Playstation fanatics will not have to wait much as Sony has announced the release of Playstation 3. The PS3, successor of PS and PS2, is due for release this November in United States, Japan, and Canada. However, the release in Europe and Australia has been postponed reportedly because of the limited production of Blu-ray disc diodes. These diodes are key components of the PS3. The people in Europe and Australia would then have to wait until March 2007.

In the initial release, Playstation 3 will be offered in two configurations: 1) Basic, and 2) Premium. In the Basic, the PS3 will come with a 20 GB hard drive, wireless controllers, Blu-ray drive, and HDMI port. The premium version has a 60 GB hard drive and has additional features that include built-in Wi-Fi and flash card readers. The hard drives of both configurations are upgradeable. Flash card readers can be installed in the Basic version by using extra adapters.

As to its physical features, the Playstation 3 weighs about 5 kg and measures 9.8 cm x 32.5 cm x 27.4 cm. Moreover, the PS3 is designed with heat pipes to control the heat output. The PS3, as Sony claims, is developed to operate quietly.

Sony has also listed titles of PS3 games that are under development and may be available upon release, or within a few months after the release of the game console. The game list includes: Call of Duty 3, Fatal Inertia, Genji: Days of the Blade, F.E.A.R., Madden NFL 07, Resistance: Fall of Man, Need for Speed: Carbon, NBA 07, NBA 2K7, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire, Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Sonic the Hedgehog, Full Auto: Battlelines, Call of Duty, and Blazing Angels: Squadron of WWII. Other main titles consist of Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, Resident Evil 5, Armored Core 4, Battlefield: Bad Company, Unreal Tournament 2007, Killzone PS3, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XIII, White Knight Story, and many others.

In the United States, the 20 GB PS3 will be retailed for $499 while the 60 GB will be sold for $599 on the release date. In Japan, the 20 GB will be set at US$420. Meanwhile, Sony has adopted an open pricing strategy for the 60 GB version; that is, Japanese sellers are free to name their price. In Canada, the 20 GB and 60 GB models will be sold for US$480 and US$480, respectively. On the other hand, Australian retailers will sell the PS3 units for US$570 (20 GB) and US$680 (60 GB).

Based on some statements by the President of Sony Computer Entertainment, the cost of the PS3 games is suggested to set at US$60 up to US$100.

So what are you waiting for? Pre orders are now being offered by various websites. Sign up now to have your own seventh generation era game console.

But practice caution. Sony Corporation has confirmed the issue of rampant misleading offers. A lot of internet sites have been posting pre orders on bulk or discounted deliveries of the game units without the authorization from Sony.

Although Sony chose not to name the websites who are engaged in such scams, the consumers are advised to buy the Playstation systems only from legitimate retailers. This is to avoid scams and other unwanted consequences.

PlayStation 3 Launch Dates you Should Not Miss

Video game consoles are on the loose. Since the Magnavox Odyssey era, video gaming systems are evolving to become one of the most powerful machines in the entertainment industry that ever existed. From the simple animation and mono background game music during the Atari years, video game consoles nowadays will make you feel that you are the one fighting monsters, racing with other cars, or shooting the ball to the hoop right in front of your opponent because of advanced three-dimensional animation technology, thanks to game software developers.

Thus, do not be surprised if video game consoles are now on the transition to the so-called “seventh generation”. Despite of the video game crash in 1977 wherein many game manufacturers abandoned the game console manufacturing industry due to unpopularity, gaming firms who have left in the battlefield tried to win the hearts of the gaming public, especially the younger generation, by producing high-quality games compatible to their consoles. And with the success of these gaming firms, video game consoles stand to its popularity among gamers of varying age groups, which eventually paved the way to the birth of the seventh generation of video game consoles.

The seventh generation began by the introduction of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 in November 2005, following the huge success of its predecessor, the Xbox. Since then, rival game console manufacturers began producing new genres of video game consoles, each one having unique characteristic from its rival consoles or predecessors alike. Thus, the generation is branded to be a “console war” in the history of interactive entertainment.

Following the success of Sony Corporation’s PlayStation 1 and 2, they are determined to maintain their dominance in the game console market. Thus, in May 16, 2005 at the E3 Conference, Japan’s leading electronic company, under its computer entertainment subsidiary, formally unveiled to the public the latest member of the PlayStation 3 seriesthe PlayStation 3 (PS3). It is expected to compete with its two rival game consoles, which are the Nintendo’s Wii and the Xbox 360.

PlayStation 3 is scheduled to be released on the following launch dates:

The first release is scheduled in November 11, 2006 at Japan.
Six days after the Japan debut, PS3’s launch date in Canada and United States would be on November 17 of the same year.
On the other hand, the launch date of PS3 on Australasia and Europe is scheduled to be on March 2007, with the definite date pending on the decision of Sony Corporation.

On these launch dates, Sony has plans of releasing two different configurations for the PlayStation 3. The first one is known as the “premium version”, where the video game console will come with a 60 GB internal hard drive with multiple flash memory card readers and Wi-Fi or wireless internet connectivity. The other is known as the “alternate configuration” in which the video game console will come in lower internal hard drive (20 GB to be exact) and without Wi-Fi connectivity and memory card reader features, though the hard drive of the alternate configuration can be upgraded and memory card support can be added through the use of adapters.

Despite of the different launch dates of PlayStation 3, it is expected to be a hit for countries where it would be initially released. Watch out for the launch dates mentioned above and experience the interactive entertainment courtesy of PlayStation 3.

Info on Play Station 3: A Preview

Playstation 3 is the video game console of the seventh generation era and the third in the series of the Playstation. PS3 is Sonys response against Nintendos Wii and Microsofts Xbox 360.

The launch will be done on November 2006 in the United States and Japan. In Australasia and Europe, the PS3 will be available in the market on March 2007. The delayed date of release in the Australasian and European regions has been charged to the shortage of blue-ray drive diodes.

Sony announced that the Playstation 3 will be released in two configurations. The first one is the premium version. Units with this configuration come with Blu-ray disc drive, USB ports, Wi-Fi connectivity, memory card readers, and an internal 60-Gb hard drive. The alternate version, on the other hand, has only a 20-GB internal hard drive and does not come with Wi-Fi features and memory card readers. However, the user has the option to upgrade the hard drive and connect memory card readers via adapters. The Wi-Fi feature, however, cannot be installed.

With the blu-ray drive, PS3 users can play movies and game discs. Because a blu-ray disc has a capacity of holding up 54 GB of data, users will not have to want for additional media space.

The portable hard disks provide the system with the required storage space needed for Playstation Network applications, downloads, and other files. For the games, the hard drive will also be used for saving game points.

In the United States, the expected pricing release of the 20-GB is $499 and $599 for the 60-GB. In Japan, the price lists about $430 for the 20-GB. Sony has chosen to set an open price for the Japanese retailers for the 60-GB model. Meanwhile, for the European release, the 20-GB and the 60-GB versions cost $550 ad $660, respectively. In Australian regions, the premium model will retail for $680 while the 20-GB will retail for $570.

The PS3 console is elegantly designed to feature pleasing lines and curves. The sides of the PS3 appear to expand outward, hardly enclosing the hardware in it. Moreover, the PS3 case is outlined with a highly developed cooling system to deal with the heat output released from the system power supply and the Cell processor. Many would expect that because PS3 consumes much power, the system would sound significantly noisy. But actually, the PS3 operation is remarkably quiet.

Early models of the Playstation 3 consoles were in silver, white, and black. However, the initial release will only include black. To add an extra touch of sophistication to the design, Sony made use of quality material choices. In official previews of the design, the exterior of the PS3 console looked to be opaque and glossy black. The system casing, however, appeared to be dark and partially transparent black. And with the curved shape of the console top, users will have to stack the PS3 at the topmost layer of their equipment. The PS3 console weighs 11 pounds and its dimensions measures 12.8 x 3.8 x 10.8.

The PS3, just like the other consoles, can sit horizontally or placed vertically on common AV racks. Users of the PS3 do not have to worry about unintentionally damaging their movie or game discs while changing the position of the console.

PlayStation 3 and Its Technologically Advanced Controllers

It is a fact that playing with game consoles is much more fun than playing the same games on your PC. Maybe it’s because the games load faster on gaming consoles, or maybe because the reason why playing games on game consoles is much more fun than playing it on your PC is because of the controller.

No matter what your reason is, playing games on gaming consoles is definitely a different experience than playing it on your PC. First of all, game consoles are designed to function primarily to play your favorite game console games. This makes the games faster to load than on your conventional PC, because your PC has a lot of processes and programs that it needs to run in order for it to function properly.

In gaming consoles, the processor primarily processes the proper performance of the game itself. It doesnt need to worry about the different programs installed like on your conventional PC.

Another reason why playing games on gaming consoles are much more fun is because of the controllers. Gaming console controllers like those of PlayStation 3 game controllers are designed to function for the games itself. Unlike on PC, you still have to purchase a joystick or a game controller in order for the game to be more enjoyable to play with. If you dont purchase a game controller or joystick for your PC, you will be forced to use the keyboard which is too big and too inconvenient.

PlayStation 3 game controllers are small in size and it has an easy to hold feature that allows your hand to comfortably handle the game console controller.

Firstly, the PlayStation 3 is the most fervently anticipated game console this year. This game console will be officially released on November 2006 Japan, United States and Canada and on March 2007 on Europe and Australasia. The PlayStation 3 has so many features that can benefit gamers. It is integrated with a very powerful 3.2 Gigahertz CPU and is also integrated with a separate and also very powerful graphics processor unit or GPU.

The new PlayStation 3 controller will allow you to have a more enjoyable experience when you play with PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 games. Although the controllers look very similar to those of the previous PlayStation 2 controllers, it offers a lot more benefits for the gamer.

With Bluetooth capability, PlayStation 3 controllers are wireless. Bluetooth enables you to play with PlayStation 3 with maximum comfort because you won’t be confined to one area anymore. There will be no wires to restrict you from going as far away from the TV as the Bluetooth range will allow. For example, if you set up your PlayStation 3 in your bedroom, you can now play with your favorite PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 games even if you lie down on your bed, which can be too far away from the PlayStation 3 game console if it has wired controllers.

Another great thing about PlayStation 3 game controllers is that it is integrated with the multi-axis motion sensing system. This PlayStation 3 game controller feature will allow you to interact more with the game. The controllers will not only be a medium for you to control the characters on screen but it will act as a natural extension of your body with high precision and all in real time.

PlayStation 3 will also be able to support up to 7 controllers via the Bluetooth technology integrated in the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 3 controllers.

With PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 3 game controllers, you will be able to maximize fun and comfort while you play with your favorite PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation 3 games.

Playing Old Games on a New Computer

It’s a Hoot!

Admit it - you still crave a good game of scrolling Super Mario or Dig Dug just like you did “back in the day.” We all do because playing them brings back some of the fondest memories. But it isn’t easy to play these games the way we used to. Unless we’ve kept the systems and cartridges of the past in good working condition, our only trip down this jagged pixel lane is through a little known gem called emulation.

Through emulation, you can play some of your favorite games from the past including games made for Commodore, Atari, and Nintendo. Emulation refers to the ability of a program or device to imitate another program or device and it tricks the software into believing that a device is really some other device. It is also possible for a computer to emulate another type of computer. For example, there are programs that enable an Apple Macintosh to emulate a PC. 1

All that gobbledy gook doesn’t really mean too much until you discover that with the right emulator, your computer can play all your old favorite games. And the news gets even better. You can download emulators from the Internet - free. You can download Amiga, Commodore, GameBoy, Playstation 1, and Nintendo emulators plus you can download the games (ROMs) that these machines play.

Our favorite emulator is the ZSNES Emulator. This particular program emulates the old Super Nintendo console and you can learn more about it yourself by visiting http://www.zsnes.com. This program comes with an extensive help file and walks you through the process of setting up a copy on your own PC. At the very least, your system needs a 486/100 processor, 14.5MB of RAM, a VGA card, and a Sound Blaster or 100% compatible sound card. However a system with a fast P200 or higher Pentium processor, 32MB of RAM, VGA card, and Sound Blaster 16 or 100% compatible sound card yields the most realistic results.

But don’t think that just because a console is on the computer - you can’t enjoy your favorite gaming accessories. The ZSNES Emulator let’s users maneuver around games with the keyboard and a joystick. But enough about the emulator - You probably want to know what kind of games you can play, right?

Called ROMs, you can play any game on your PC that you played on the Super Nintendo System including:

* Bomberman 5
* Super Battleship
* Beavis n’ Butthead
* Bustamove
* Clue
* Dragonballz
* DreamTV
* Final Fantasy 4
* Frogger
* The Great Waldo Search
* Inspector Gadget
* Jeopardy Deluxee
* John Madden Football
* Mariokart
* Marvel Superheroes
* Megamans Soccer
* Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
* Monopoly
* Mortal Kombat 2
* Pinocchio
* Power Rangers
* Race Driving
* Carmen San Diego
* SimAnt
* SimCity
* SimCity 2000
* Super Mario RPG
* Sonic
* Space Football
* Starfox
* Streetfighter 2
* Super Black Bass
* Super Ninja Boy
* Super Punch-Out!!
* Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
* Themepark
* Troddlers
* Utopia
* Vortex
* Wacky Race
* Wheel of Fortune
* Wings 2
* Wordtris
* World Soccer 94
* Yoshis Island
* Zelda 3
* … and tons more.

Be aware that there’s an issue with downloading these games and it’s a legal one. Basically, you’re not allowed to download and play any game that you don’t already own on a cartridge. If can abide by this law, you can revisit the past, in the present, on your brand new PC.

Playing Online Games Pro-Style

Even if you don’t know what you’re doing…

One of the most intimidating parts of getting started with online gaming is getting over the fear of screwing things up for other players. It’s one thing to play a game and make mistakes at home, but it’s an entirely different thing to play a game and make mistakes that can cause failure in the game plays of others. But there’s no reason to let this fear stop you or another gaming newbie from having fun. This article will give you the in’s and out’s of online gaming so that you can start with the confidence you need to continue on.

The first step anyone new to online gaming should take is to first, learn how to play offline. You can read the game’s manual and save yourself from seeing the infamous acronym, “RTFM” scroll across your screen. Know what that acronym stands for? It stands for “Read The Fu**ing Manual” and its spewed by serious gamers to vulnerable newbies who interrupt a game with questions like, “What is this place?” or “What am I supposed to do?”

You could search the web for game related discussion groups, FAQ’s, and walkthroughs. And you could learn more from game specific Usenet newsgroups. In other words, you could do your “homework.” Some of the kind of information you want to learn includes how to play, how to create characters, how to gather equipment, and how to implement some smart strategies. Trust us when we say your gaming comrades will appreciate it!

In addition to reading how to play an online game, you can familiarize yourself with the game’s interface. Just as you searched the net for a game’s textual instruction, you can additionally search the net for a game’s screenshot (or series of screenshots). Having a graphical representation (.gif or .jpg image) of a game on your screen gives you a chance to memorize where all the game’s controls are. Knowing where everything is on a game before you play will speed things up not only for yourself, but also for everyone else. No one wants to wait for you to search for an inventory panel or message screen in a game when the location of these items is obvious to everyone else.

Once you start with a game, don’t let the pressure of staying in the game prevent you from doing the unthinkable: dying. A character dying in a game is inevitable at certain points, and unless you willingly let go of a lose-lose situation, you’ll run the risk of holding the game up for everyone else. It’s like a game of chess. If it’s checkmate - it’s checkmate. Call it a day and start anew. Whatever you do, don’t hang around waiting for some magical fairy to come to your rescue. Please let your character die with dignity.

On the same token, you don’t want to take dying personally. Remember that online gaming is still just a game. A character that dies in a game is not representative of your character as a person. Turn a death into learning experience. At the very least, you’ll learn your way around an online game by learning all the things that you aren’t supposed to do!

Above all else, ensure that your computer has what it takes to maintain the current pace of an online game. Don’t try to play an online game with a slow computer or slow Internet connection. In fact, if you’re still using dial up, find another hobby. A slow processor and connection will ensure instant death because other players aren’t going to politely wait for their own defeat. They’re going to squash you like a bug.

Hunt around for a computer that was built for online gaming and get a DSL or ISDN Internet connection. You’ll need a fast processor, a high quality graphics card, and a sound machine to match.

By following these simple suggestions, you will have passed the “newbie” test and earned respect as a serious gamer much more quickly than if you stumbled your way through what others pride as “the ultimate hobby.”

Playing Nice

A Few Suggestions for Gaming Etiquette

No, it isn’t Ms. Manners to the rescue, nor is it Polite Polly knocking at your noggin. We just know how easy it is to get frustrated or even angry while playing a difficult game, but if we’re not careful, that anger and frustration could lead to some butt-ugly moments during a time that’s supposed to be amusing. The following is offered in an effort to keep everything fun and entertaining during a session of group play.

1. Encourage each other. Even if you’re competing with each other in a boxing match or car race, take time out to congratulate another player for making a smooth or cunning move. There’s no need to be a kiss-up, but when tensions are high, and the desire to impress is high, you can help relax any stress just by throwing out a few compliments here and there.

2. Be patient. Your gaming comrades may not be as fast, as coordinated, or as smart as you. So when you notice your regular game pace slowing down, don’t criticize. You could quietly plan your next move or you could offer to help if you notice that your buddies seem lost. This will encourage cooperation and relive some of the stress involved with playing a difficult game.

3. Take some breaks. Permitting that your group finds appropriate places in a game to pause, take advantage and get up to stretch, snack, use the john, talk about school, or catch a few silly commercials on television. A long stretch of game play is tiring and stressful at the same time.

4. Play an inclusive game. By that we mean to make efforts to ensure everyone in the group contributes to the game’s completion. You never want to make another person feel left out or just hanging around to fill the space. Create opportunities for everyone involved to participate and help play.

5. Listen to others. You may think that you know all the answers about a game or game system, but listen to what others in the group have to say. You just might learn something new.

6. Invite the “weird guy.” This bit of advice of course comes after the horrid Virginia Tech massacre. Tales circulating this news event indicate that the young man responsible was a loner and the victim of bullying during his teenage years as well. Sometimes, all it takes to prevent things like this is a simple effort to reach out to someone. We’re not suggesting that an invitation to a gaming party would have saved the lives of 33+ college students, but we are suggesting that making an effort to make others feel welcome and wanted is a huge step towards eliminating the isolation known to cause these kinds of senseless acts.

7. Vow to keep the voice level and cursing to a minimum. That almost goes without saying, but to prevent arguments, agree beforehand to not cross the line when it comes to debating about a particular strategy or selecting a game to play. Some of the most serious fights stem from the silliest arguments. But you can prevent a flare up within your group just by maintaining a cool composure during the entire session.

Now see? That’s not too bad a list. All the things that we suggested are certainly “do-able” and they really do work to create a calm and enjoyable environment.

Online Gaming

For Mom and Dad…

Have you ever wondered what your child was rambling on about at the dinner table when he or she started saying things like “VR” or “RPG”? If so, you’re not alone. “VR” and “RPG” aren’t new text messaging acronyms - they’re acronyms for gaming and this article is going to introduce you to some of the more common forms.

If you at least thought of the Internet when you heard “VR” or “RPG” however, you’re on the right track. Exclusive to the online environment, “VR” or “RPG” - which consequently stands for virtual reality gaming and role playing games - are just two aspects of a gaming world gone wild. The days of playing scrabble in front of the fireplace are over in today’s generation, but we don’t believe you’ll hear too many people complaining about it. Today’s generation is fascinated with online gaming - an opportunity to play games over the Internet with hundreds of people at a time.

Available to anyone with a computer and fast Internet connection, there are thousands of online games available to play by anyone… sometimes free and sometimes for a fee. They range from the familiar family board games to strange and more complicated games which require a hundred page manual to understand. One thing that they all have in common however is that they’re fun to play.

The most common type of online game you’ll probably run into is the Flash game - usually located on educational sites or Yahoo! for Kids for example. These games may or may not involve other players, but they’re always full of color, they’re fast to download, and they’re fun to play. Since they run inside the web browser, no special equipment is needed. These are the simple games - more intriguing than checkers, but no more difficult to play than chess.

Another type of online gaming is more violent than the ones we described above and it’s similar to the “shoot-em-up” type games found on the first Nintendo and Playstation systems. Designed from the first person’s point of view, the player typically maneuvers around the screen as a weapon-clad hand - periodically changing weapons as the game’s scenario permits. The violence in these games vary from mild to offensive, and as a parent, you’re cautioned to monitor your children’s access to them - especially since these games are played online with other people.

Next, in terms of complication or violence, comes the virtual reality gaming and role playing games that we introduced earlier. These types of games require an extensive amount of time spent online since players assume the role of a game character in play. Players work hard to build up an inventory of weapons or skills - none of which can be accomplished in a period of thirty minutes or less. They then go on to interact with other characters which extends game time even longer (if it even stops). Both virtual reality gaming and role playing games require and encourage strategic thinking, but as parents, you may not be comfortable with the violence that’s prominent in some of these games. Nor may you be comfortable with the amount of time that playing these kinds of games can consume. Depending on the complexity of the game, any one person could spend at least six months at a game and having access to thousands of other players simultaneously doesn’t exactly make them easy to walk away from.

Our best advice is to learn about these games right along with your child and make the decision to play them (or not play them) together. You can find some helpful advice about making computer decisions with children in our article entitled, “Protecting Children Online.”