| |
| |
|
Game Information |
|
|
|
Why We Play Games, Part 1
There exists some ephemeral quality that separates gamers from the rest of humanity, some thing that makes us, us and them, not us. I've never been able to quite put my finger on it, but it is inescapably there. Today, in hopes of moving closer to that essential quality of gamerosity, we examine part of what makes us tick. In particular, we take a look at what draws different types of gamers to the hobby. Every gamer plays for different reasons, but there are common threads that tie the experience together. Many gamers are motivated by the challenge a game can present. Success in a game may be governed by any of a wide variety of abilities. A First Person Shooter requires twitch reflexes, a steady hand and the ability to remain calm under pressure. A word puzzle game may require an extensive vocabulary and the ability to rethink the uses of old words, but no measure of speed. A sports simulation might well require an in-depth knowledge of the topic, in addition to arcade skill, but is unlikely to have terribly much concern for linguistic acumen. The common thread is that all of the games challenge some subset of a player's abilities. This challenge can be a powerful motivator. The Challenge Motivated gamer is drawn to a game that tests their skills, preferably one that tests them to their limits. The gamer may also be motivated by the natural improvement that comes from working at peak. They are driven then, not only to excel, but to improve. Challenge Motivated Gamers thrive whenever a game pushes their skill set of choice, but may be disinterested in games that fall too far away from the target. Competition is a close cousin of challenge. Many gamers are driven by the need to prove they are the best, to be pitted against their fellows and come out on top. Competition minded gamers range from those looking for a challenge in a fair fight to the sort of win-at-all cost leet speaking infants that give us all a bad name. Competition can be easy to take too far. There is nothing inherently wrong with being driven by competition. To some extent, competition is merely challenge taken to the extreme. It is only when it leads to mistreating your fellow player that it begins to become less a motivation and more an unfortunate personality quirk. Competition Motivated players thrive on those games where they are pitted against one another with the outcome dictated by skill at playing the game. They will often wane in those environments that either require cooperation, such as many MMORPGs, or in games where skill plays a much smaller role, such as in less sophisticated card or dice games. Next week we will take a look at some other common gamer motivations, including Creativity and Escapism. Steve is a member of the GrandMatrix team. They provide a broad range of games articles and reviews. Read more articles, download and play the latest PC games for free plus enjoy thousands of user submitted puzzles, quizzes and word games at GrandMatrix Free Game Downloads
MORE RESOURCES:
games - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Why We Play Games, Part 1 There exists some ephemeral quality that separates gamers from the rest of humanity, some thing that makes us, us and them, not us. I've never been able to quite put my finger on it, but it is inescapably there. The Story Behind OpenSimcity I've always liked to play SimCity since I was little. I used to play the version for Super Nintendo for hours then and then. The Game Tester It's not easy to be a hardcore gamer. It's hard. Virtual Wrapping Paper and E-Gifts- Is There Really An Online Santa? The internet has proven to be an amazing delivery conduit for words, information, music, pictures and generally anything that can be turned into little 1s and 0s. As we approach the end of the year the question is asked "Can the Internet deliver my Christmas presents?" Now thanks to a remarkable innovation at www. Why We Play Games, Part 2 Last week we started to get into the motivation of the gamer. We discussed challenge and its ugly stepsister competition, two of the most common motivators. Rent Games Online Renting video games online has exploded in recent months! I for one am thrilled to see this available to me and my family. Over the summer it was my sanity saver! Why you ask? Well simply because for an affordable price I can rent unlimited games online and have them sent to my door. Flying an MAV Through Fan Blades to Attain Target Flying an MAV Through Rotating Fan Blades - It maybe possible to write into the software code of a MAVs Optic Flow Sensor Network an algorithm, which would allow it to fly though a rotating set of fan blades. Now then as difficult as this may sound the idea might not be as complicated as you think. Directional Afterburners for Tighter Turns, Vertical Flight and Agility Directional Thrusters can increase the maneuverability of just about any modern jet fighter.http://www. Review: Samurai Jack -- Code of the Samurai Fans of Genndy Tartakovsky's "Samurai Jack," which wrapped last year on the Cartoon Network, enjoy the quirky storytelling and stunning visuals, also the martial arts sequences. Naturally, it was only a matter of time before the online gaming industry turned the time-traveling samurai's adventures into video games. Ten Things You Should Know in Video Games BloodRayne | It's Zero Hour | Midasplayer | The latest in online gaming | Computer GamesYou are not an hardcore person in playing video Games and if you want to know the facts which I set hereunder, there are many attraction in playing video which I may share an idea to those wish to play video games:1. Two giant video games company, that is ATARI and SEGA having its own unique historical. Review - Sony PSP I'm fairly certain there are folks at Nintendo feeling some serious self-loathing right about now. You see, back in the mid-90's Nintendo contracted Sony to develop a CD-ROM drive for the Super Nintendo. RPG: Table and Computer It's not a secret that table RPG games are not so popular as they used to be. However a certain number of amateurs are still fond of them. Rent Games Online for the Kids It's risky business allowing your children to play games online. I know that may sound funny but I have a good argument to back up my opinion. Full Version Pocket PC Games For Free Play Games InsteadDo you like your full version pocket pc games free? Most people do. The world of freeware downloads for your pda or pocket pc is wide and varied. The Future of Submarine Games In the last six months, the demise of sims has been pronounced in abundance. Print mags and sim webzines have been telling you sims are being cancelled left and right Jane's A-10: Cancelled. Playing Games Like Its 80s Do you miss the good old 80's Amiga and Commodore games? You are not the only one. In fact, creating remakes for popular eighties games is all the rage. How To Save Time, Energy, and Money by Renting Your DVDs and Games Online As a bit of a movie buff I recently discovered that the best way to rent movies and games these days is online using one of the Online DVD and Game Rental Services.If you're into renting movies or games these services simply can't be beat for their time saving convenience and value. Xbox vs. PS2 Game Consoles There has been a great deal of discussion regarding the two most popular gaming consoles currently on the market: Playstation 2 (PS2) and Xbox. PS2 is a Sony product, while Xbox is owned by the software giant Microsoft. UAV Swarm Reconfiguration for computer war games The modern battlespace is changing in the real world and in the very near future swarms of UAVs with be a tactic and weapon of choice. Is your computer game software ahead or behind the curve of inovation. New Helicopter Design for Your Video War Games Using Underbelly Cone with Slots Facing Up On a Helicopter to Increase Payload and Liftoff Force. Picture a helicopter model sitting on top of a funnel.
|
| Article List | Index | Site Map |
|
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved. |
