5 Educational Video Games You Can Play With The Entire Family

Video games don't have to be mindless entertainment. It's now possible to play video games for learning on your TV or on your PC or laptop with the kids. Below are some of the truly cool educational video games on the market today:

1. Tropical Fish Shop - This game lets players be the owner of a tropical aquarium shop. You're tasked with rescuing fish from polluted waters and providing them a good home until someone comes along to adopt them. This game teaches children some of the responsibilities of pet ownership as well as a little bit about taking care of the environment and even some financial sense with the business game aspect.

2. Roads of Rome 3 - This is a real time strategy type game that plays a lot like the Civilization series of games which puts you in the role of a Roman emperor trying to defend your culture from being invaded. Even though it's not historically accurate in all details, this game gives kids insights into how cities used to be constructed and defended and, sometimes, even destroyed.

3. The Three Musketeers - This is a fun game which gets kids into the world of classical literature. This game is packed with fun, combining sword fighting, puzzles, card games, exploration and mystery gaming elements into one expansive package that has you racing up and down the countryside to complete your quest.

4. Secrets of the Vatican - While firmly rooted in the same sort of fantasy as The Da Vinci Code, Secrets of the Vatican also plays off the same actual historical facts as that book and movie, sending players all over the world to pick up pieces of the Holy Lance. You'll be going all over the world to pick up clues and pieces of what's called the Holy Lance and teaches players about geography, world history and actually about the arts as well. Definitely a fun way to kick-start a child's interest in fine culture.

5. Macabre Mysteries- Although it may seem like this game is mere shallow entertainment, it actually pushes those playing to use some critical thinking skills. By challenging you to solve a series of murder mysteries, this game pushes you into a corner that you can only get out of by using your brain. While not educational in the traditional sense of teaching kids facts you will want them to know like other video games for learning, Macabre Mysteries teaches vital learning habits that will come in handy later in life.

These educational video games should serve as evidence enough that video games can be challenging to the brain as well as to the thumbs and the reflexes. This is actually gaming at its best providing real mental challenges as well as being educational on many levels.

With all of the game options available with Blockbuster game channels, Wilbert Haands knows there's something for everyone. Now that DISH has teamed up with Blockbuster video, everyone can enjoy games and online movies.

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The Real Effects Of Shooting Games And Other Violent Video Games

Violent-laden video games, which include those that belong to the ego-shooter or first-person shooter genre - are always under close scrutiny by parents and advocacy groups who are worried about the ill-effects of such games on growing kids and teenagers. Majority of the researches and studies about this phenomenon indicate the need for us to focus more on the personality of the player instead on the general content of these video games.

Ego-Shooters and other Shooting Games and Violent Traits

There is no reason to worry that your kid would turn into a sociopath or a serial killer when he or she gets hooked on video games, particularly those with extremely violent and gory content. However, psychologists suggest that parents be on their toes and observe any palpable changes in their kid's behavior, and if they become impulsive, moody and anti-social, then they may have to take necessary action and reduce the time spent by their kids playing their favorite shooting game.

The psychological impact of video games is a complex issue, and there are simply a lot of misconceptions and confusion about the real effects of video games with violent themes on the psychological and mental disposition of growing kids and teenagers. We cannot simply label an ego shooting or first person shooting game as either good or bad. There are several variables that need to be taken into account when assessing the real impact of such violent-laden games on the personality and behavior of an individual. For instance, a person with a specific disposition may exhibit ill-effects when playing this type of games.

Hostile Tendencies of Video Game Addicts

A team of psychologists recently noted a slight increase in the hostile tendencies of their study group and such hostile tendencies were linked to specific personality traits. The experiment showed that video players who tend to manifest hostile behavior were those who have abnormally high levels of neuroticism and excessively low levels of conscientiousness and agreeableness. The research divided the participants into 2 groups - one group played video games with violent theme and the other group played games with non-violent theme.

According to the proponents of the research, the hostile tendencies are largely influenced by the level of competition of the game and not by its violent content. Irrespective of the theme of the game, highly competitive games tend to trigger aggressive responses from the players.

Video gaming has continually grown by leaps and bounds. Some sectors are raising the red flag and insisting on the potential link between aggression and the level of violent content of games. However, there are also studies that disprove this claim. Amid these conflicting positions, parents and advocacy groups should be more vigilant in monitoring and guiding kids about the potential ill-effects of video games with extremely violent content.

Check out the wide array of Shooting Games that your kids can play and find out what makes Online Games a safe medium of entertainment and a tool in promoting a healthy level of competitiveness of growing kids and young teenagers.

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Make Money As A Video Game Tester

Major video game companies are always looking for people who can put in the time to test their games. The primary role of a playability tester is to try and discover all of the bugs in a particular game.

Although many people think that becoming a video game tester sounds like a lot of fun, it's actually hard work and is just like any other career choice.

A videogame tester is required to have good communication skills and the position is taken seriously. Average pay for entry level playability testers or "QAs" as they are called is around $9 - $15 an hour.

The difference is that you don't just get to sit around and play video games and report back on what you think, which is the common myth about this job. Instead, many times you are required to play a game that is only 50% developed, which means that the work is not always glamorous.

Video game testers typically work your usual 9 - 5, but in some cases when there is a major deadline will be asked to put in longer hours to get the job done. You also must be able to test many different types of genres of games. RPGs, first person shooters, sports games, you name it.

Learning how to become a video game tester is one thing, but fulfilling the tasks is another. Picture this, you are asked to test a new racing game, and are given a specific track to focus on. You will probably be asked to play that track to the point where it becomes monotonous. This involves hitting other cars, going in forward and reverse in different locations, bashing into walls, testing speeds and mainly events within the games response.

In the video game industry they refer to this as "trying to break a game". The sole purpose is to assume that there is a glitch somewhere and then try and decipher exactly where and what it is.

There is also data entry work involved. You will be asked to be as specific as possible at noting anything that could be problematic for future players. You must log in details, communicate with a higher-up and help them locate and fix the problem.

Although a lot of people can't imagine this as being fun, the truth is that the folks who are video game testers love what they do. They are prepared for this kind of work and get paid fairly handsomely for their efforts. The other perk is that no college experience is needed, you can typically get increased pay with the more experience that you have and it's a possible foot in the door scenario if you want to break in to the gaming industry.

Essentially, there are several key things that game companies look for before hiring playability testers. The of course want someone with a good work ethic and good communication skills, but they also are looking for someone who "knows the ropes". This means someone who has experience playing all sorts of video games, knows the ins and outs of different systems, and can predict the common bugs that come with certain gaming platforms ahead of time so that they can go and hunt them down.

Stop! don't waste your time playing games just for fun. Get paid to do it instead. Videogame testers make good money - here's how you can get involved.

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Curing Video Game Addiction

Are you a Video Game Addict?

Do you find yourself lounging in your comfy chair and playing your favorite video game for hours? But you think it is not really that bad, as long as your Human Paladin levels up. Then you realize you haven't taken a bath for quite a few days and your clothes started to stink. But then again, you think that an Orc Berserker smells worse than you. Then you stole a quick glimpse around your pad and noticed how messy and littered it has been. Again you shrugged it off and think there can still be worst places like the dreaded Frozen Undead Realms. Finally, your friends dumped you for not spending time with them. With this final straw of annoyance, you proudly yell, "I don't need friends, I have my Undead Legions!"

Surely this might be an exaggerated sign of Video Game Addiction, but sadly some video game addicts do exhibit such exaggerated reactions, to some extent that some commits suicide when something happens untoward to their game.

Video game addiction is simply defined as an excessive or compulsive use of computers and video games that interferes with daily life. Despite displaying symptoms that are characteristic of other addictions, video game addiction has not been given a diagnostic status by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). These behaviors include failure to stop playing games, difficulties in work and school, lying to loved ones, decreased attention to personal hygiene, decreased attention to family and friends, and disturbances in the sleep cycle.

But, hey, let's be hopeful. Having a video game addiction doesn't mean it's the end of the world. There's still a way out of it but it would need a large amount of work and willpower.

Steps in "Curing" Video Gaming Addiction

Since there is no formal diagnosis for video gaming addiction, there is still no approved therapy or method of curing video gaming addiction. But there are some ways a video game addict can do to help in alleviating video game addiction. Here are some of those suggested means:

Limit your GAME TIME.

Set a specific time and duration for playing on your gaming system. Limit your game time to at most 1-2 hours per day. It will be hard at first, but when your body has adapted to it, it will be easy as a normal daily activity. In other for you too easily adapt to it, try thinking about your game time as a reward for doing your other activities.

Make sure that you tell your friends, parents, or siblings about your plan to limit your gaming time. Provide them with a specific timetable of the gaming schedule you have in mind. In that way they can easily check-up on you and monitor if you are following your desired gaming time schedules.

Limiting your game time not only frees a large amount of time for you to pursue other activities besides playing games, it also corrects your biological clock (which is attuned to gaming over long period of hours) slowly.

Dispose of your GAME MACHINES.

If you are really so determined to cure your video game addiction and would do anything to achieve such a feat, then there's only one thing to do-dispose your GAME MACHINES. These game machines can range from video game consoles, mobile game machines, PCs, among others. But whatever it may be if you have really decided to dispose of them then do it, as soon as possible so that you won't be tempted to use it.

You can sell these game consoles for a price at your local stores or to your friends who have been eyeing it for ages. You can try to hide it in the attic or somewhere which is not easily accessible to you. You can also try to give it away as presents to your friends or family members, like your nieces and nephews. If you are giving it away, try to give it to someone who is far from you.

Dispose only game machines that you own. Ask or explain to your parents and friends that you are disposing your game machines and started to turn a new leaf.

Try other activities.

Whether you try the first or second suggestion, you will observe that you will now have an activity vacuum with the result of limiting you gaming time or disposing your gaming consoles. Lots of spare times to try new activities like the ones before:

Study - Now you have enough time to catch up with your failing grades and unattended studies. You can start reviewing over your notes or prepare for your big quizzes and tests. Start opening those school books and don't let the bookworms get the most out of it. A good education is better than a good game.

Read - As long as it is not an FAQ or strategy guide to your favorite game, then reading could be another great and fun way to pursue. Try reading the latest news on the newspaper; you will be shock at how much happenings you have missed. You can also try reading books in the library, you might know more about the Greek Gods than the game narrator in your game console.

Hang-out - Hang-out with your friends and family members. I guess it's about time you patched up with them after a long time of isolating yourself with your game console. Engage and chat with them, ask them how they have been and what they are up to now. Finally, be humble enough to ask forgiveness for taking them for granted.

No matter what the suggestions or methods are of riding or curing video gaming addiction, it will never work unless the person is dedicated to change himself/herself. DEDICATION and MOTIVATION are the key for these suggestions to be successful.

As one saying goes, "The power to overcome addiction lies in the belief that it is possible combined with a consistent strength of spirit."

A long time gamer and writer for http://www.gamingclimax.com/.

I love MMORPG's, and everything gaming industry related.

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Teenagers and Video Games: A Love Story

It is a common scene in most households with teenagers that parents will observe their adolescents glued to the latest video game for hours on end, at the detriment of chores, homework or social interaction. Many parents assume that video games are unproductive and that their kids spend too much time playing them and not on other things. It seems that digital entertainment may have some effects on teenagers that are not bad at all. In fact, research shows that digital games might help teenagers develop great skills that will come handy on day to day life. This is a subject definitely worth looking more into.

Society has even gone so far in its controversial view of video games as to suggest that games are responsible for violent behavior in young people. No matter what your stance on this type of entertainment is, there is little data to substantiate the claims that video games are responsible for violent youth. If anything youth who were already violent to begin with are attracted to violent materials, TV, media, or other violent activities.

For many parents it is hard to see the appeal or the benefits of their kids playing digital games. But research shows that certain kinds of games may be educational and actually stimulate the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain responsible for what is called executive function. Executive function refers to the ability to integrate multiple stimuli, organize and analyze them, and determine an appropriate response or course of action, taking into account the probable consequences of the action taken. Most parents would be ecstatic if their teenager possessed those seemingly rare abilities. And parents are correct in assuming that this behavior does not happen as frequently in adolescents as in adults, because the adolescent brain has not fully developed this region yet.

Not all video games offer the benefits of prefrontal cortex development, and there certainly are video games that offer little to no benefits whatsoever. But, if you have a teen who is a gamer, and you want to determine if his games are worthwhile or not, ask to play with him. Have him teach you how the game works and what is involved. You might even find it challenging and engaging yourself. If certain video games can actually enhance brain development, maybe then parents will be more accepting of the hours glued to the "Executive Function Machine".

Matt Keck, MFT, is the Clinical Director at Cielo House located in Belmont and San Jose, California. Cielo House offers intensive, professional eating disorder treatment in a comfortable home-like setting. Cielo House is a special kind of treatment program, offering a unique combination of professional treatment delivery in a welcoming, personal environment. http://www.cielohouse.com/

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Video Game Programming and Development: An Explanation of the Process

The entire development process starts from the initial conceptualization of a game, analyzing consumer responses, and gamers offering solutions and ideas to the bugs they detect on the game. The world's latest innovations have indeed advanced the modern gaming industry.

The Development Process. The development of a successful video game is something which needs the input of more than thirty people, with each individual working on a special assignment. Nowadays, the great variety of gaming consoles and platforms have greatly increased the public's expectations. Every detail of a video game may take weeks or even months of hard work to create, making the entire game development process difficult, but lucrative. The elevation of video games to a much more realistic and futuristic dimension is what makes gaming an elite industry in the world today.

Development consists of a huge network of professionals divided into different slates to work on specialized aspects of the game. Each team focuses entirely on its task. The whole programming team is led by an executive producer and project manager to make sure that all departments are working in a coordinated and harmonious manner. In conjunction with the basic programming teams, there are equally important teams that deal with auxiliary tasks such as the tools department, engine department and audio department.

The Game Concept. Each game is born from an idea that needs to be realized. This idea serves as the inspirational blueprint for the game design team. The concept selected by game designers could be original, licensed-based or a sequel. Licensed-based titles can come from movies, books or other people. As soon as a concept is formulated, a 'concept plan' is then required and submitted to the project's main decision makers. In addition, licensed-based titles need authorization from the original makers. Pre-production Stage. During this point, a more detailed design of the video game is crafted and this is done primarily by the game designer. The document should specify and establish the main goals of the game. During this stage, the developers not only work on the software but also produce a detailed report on what type of technology is used in the game and the type of engine it should work on. Production. This is probably the most important part of the development process. Tool programmers, interface programmers, artificial intelligence experts and engine professionals work together in developing the game. The audio department takes care of background music, interface music and character voices.

Post production. Here comes the video game testing stage. The graphics are polished. Marketing the software also takes place at the final stage. Once the game is released, the development process is completed.

Gina Kraft wrote the article for Game Shastra. Gina is a supporter of Game Shastra specially, their Game Development, Game Design, and Game Testers.

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Please Dumb Down My Video Games for Me, Thanks

Raging on the internet about how games are being "dumbed" down and simplified is all the... erm.. rage these days.

Hordes of "hardcore" gamers flock to gaming forums and mourn the death of games that don't hold the players hand and cannot be completed in 7-10 hours of playing.

They say that the "console kids" of today, with their aversion for anything challenging has ruined game design and turned most modern games into;
"click this button to win. No, not that button, over here. Look, this button he... Never mind, I'll do it for you *click*".

I am going to confess something to you. I *like* that games have become more casual friendly and that they do a better job of introducing the player to game mechanics and how everything works in the game.

I am almost 30 years old and have been playing games since I was 5 (that was on a C64, talk about a non-user friendly machine).

I have a full time job and a girl friend and I have lots of real life obligations that means I cannot spend anywhere close to the amount of time playing video games that I could (and did) when I was a kid or teenager.

Conversely, I have a lot more money to spend than I did as a kid, so buying/renting new games is much less of an issue for me, than it was 15-20 years ago.

If I am lucky I will have maybe an hour or two in the evening on weekdays and maybe two or three hours in the weekend that I can use for playing games.

That gives me somewhere around maybe 10-12 hours of gaming a week on average.

Having been a video game aficionado since before I could read, I really love video games and I generally want to try out many different games, even if they are not exactly in my normal wheelhouse genre.

During a week I can easily play at least 3-4 different games, especially during a "high" season of releases like Q4 that we have just entered now.

Back in the early 90's your game would be considered short if it could be completed in less than maybe 20-25 hours.

I remember the outcry from the gaming community when "Max Payne" launched as one of the first "Triple A" games with a sub 10 hour long campaign.
Gamers simply did not feel that they were getting enough bang for their buck.

I also remember playing X-Com: UFO defense (Which *is* a great game, no argument) and spending at least 10-15 hours messing around before I got enough of a grasp of the game mechanics to not get my butt kicked immediately by the first alien invaders that dropped by.

With my time (and, I am sure, this is the situation for many "older" gamers that have grown up and find their calendars booked with grocery shopping, business meetings and dinner with the in-laws) now being such a scarce resource, I can simply no longer persuade myself to devote time into a game that keeps knowledge of how to play it properly, a well kept secret.

I don't want to play "National Treasure" with the game controls and look for obscure clues that make me go "oh, maybe I need to do this then?" *splat* "No, guess not".

This goes doubly if the game is also one that promises (threatens?) to use up 20+ hours of my time to complete.

If I'm playing a game with a story (and those are usually the games I prefer) then I really want to see that story through to the end, and knowing it's going to take me several months of gaming to do that is actually a daunting proposition to me.

So I am perfectly happy with a campaign that I can complete in 6-8 hours.

I like a game that checkpoints my progress every 10 minutes, so I don't have to replay a one hour section of the game because I screwed up (potentially multiple times, depending on how tough the save system is on you).

Most of all, I like that I can *relax* when I'm playing a game and not stress out in frustration or thinking that I just want to get it done so I can move on to the next game.

And my feeling of self loathing, but that's another article

To the people that feels that this is the largest gaming disaster since the Nintendo Wii, I can only say; Don't worry guys, there will always be a segment of the market that enjoys hugely complex and long games.

Certain people will make time in their lives for a game that *demands* the full and utter attention of the gamer for the duration of its 50+ hours of gameplay.

And some will be satisfied with simply picking up a single game every 6-8 months and just play that religiously, never so much as glancing at what else is out there for them to play.

The success of games like Dark Souls is a testament to this.

As for me, I am looking forward to playing (and completing) several great games in the next few months, such as Gears of War 3, Battlefield 3 and Driver: San Francisco.

And you know what?

I may even set the difficulty to easy for some of them!

Passionate gamer and science fiction lover.

With more than 25 years spent playing video games and reading and watching Sci-fi, these are subjects that are very close to my heart.

I write reviews, opinion pieces and stuff that is just meant to put a smile on your face.

If you like this article, then you will probably like my site:

http://www.lightspeed-gaming.com/

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Call of Duty: History of the War-Based Video Game

Any player who is a fan of FPS (First Person Shooter, or FPS games with first person view) may surely have tried at least once a title linked to the most famous brands published by Activision Blizzard. This article will deepen the story that led to prevail Call of Duty as an icon of the games of its kind.

Birth of the brand and game mechanics

Call of Duty, better known among fans by the acronym COD, was founded back in 2003 as a war game set during the Second World War. It saw its gameplay divided into different campaigns: initially in the role of paratrooper soldier Martin who must undertake a series of missions that will provide a substantial contribution to the defeat of the German army. So much for the single-player mode: in the first chapters of the brand, it also adds the ability to undertake multi-player games, such as offering deathmach challenges (fighting to the death), search and destroy, material recovery and defense of headquarters. Present from the outset is a wide selection of maps, a game that is offered by custom.

Evolution at the height of success

Given the success of the first chapter, it was not long before Activision decided to publish a successor in 2005 out of Call of Duty 2, which brings some improvements and innovations such as the replacement of the bar that shows the residual energy of the player, favor of a system of damage that disrupts the gameplay (reduced visibility from the blood, slowed movements, impaired accuracy and so on).

The return of the multiplayer, much admired in the first chapter, is back stronger than a server capable to accommodate up to 8 players and new maps, items. Besides the consent of the fans, the game did get positive reviews from many trade publications. The history of COD is still going up to the height of success with the fourth chapter, Modern Warfare, and the next fifth chapter called World at War. With the success of the fourth, it created the successor, Modern Warfare 2 which resumes gameplay and features, and BlackOps which attained the record of best-selling game of all time in 2010.

Spin-offs and future projects

The positive reaction of the masses has led to the creation of numerous spin-off titles that do not closely link to the events narrated in the official titles of the series, but still making full use of the established system of play. It is also planned for November of 2011, the third output of Modern Warfare, which will add to the chapters already released, bringing the number of Call of Duty products to a total of twelve titles.

Tonja Singh is an expert on Xbox 360 games and writes various game reviews on his blog at DownloadXboxGames.com

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Video Games As A Form Of Expression

In this day and age, where more people than ever opt to stay in and play video games, it is easy for critics to blindly state that the joyful freedom of expression that we gain from activities such as soccer, music, or perhaps painting for example, has been lost. However, due to the advancement in technology, the very video games that have been slammed by many, now have the power to allow the user to create and express themselves in the company of an unprecedented number of people.

Gone are the days of "Pong" and "Donkey Kong" where you were limited to simplistic actions. These have been replaced instead by sophisticated games which allow the user to act in such a way that the possibilities of what you can do are almost endless. Popular games such as the "FIFA" series allow the player to pull off a multitude of complex moves with undetermined end results, meaning that the scope of what you can do is truly enormous. The joy of planting the ball in to the top corner after a superb flowing move is an incredible sensation, something beautiful that your skill and expertise has created. Artistry is not normally a term you would have associated with video games in the past, but nowadays it is very much a relevant term when describing aspects of the gaming world.

It is the incredibly complex programming and powerful machines which have allowed computer games to provide such unpredictable gaming patterns, and therefore scope for a wide range of results. The subtleties of a video game are so hard to pick up on now, that when you do it is an incredibly satisfying feeling when you do perfect these techniques to improve your skill levels that much further. As it is for a gymnast when they finally land that front flip, it is great to be able to demonstrate your skill on a video game when you have finally overcome a certain challenge. It is a way of expressing and exhibiting a difficult ability you have managed to perfect.

Another way in which the video game can allow for excellent levels of expression for the user, is that it can delve into the realms of fantasy. Of course, games don't have to be realistic, which means all forms of unthinkable things can be achieved. Where else can you summon dragons, leap at lightning speed from building to building, or transform yourself into beast form? Certainly not in real life, which gives video gaming even greater scope for the expression of imaginative, creative ideas.

Probably the greatest advancement for video game players in terms of expression, though, must be the implementation of online gaming. In most walks of life, it is only the people at the top of their profession who get to show off their skills to a large audience. For instance, it is only really the multi platinum selling musicians that get to play their music to packed stadiums, or the brightest artistic talents who get their work into the most famous of galleries. Those who still love their professions but aren't at the top of their game yet will find it very difficult to express their talents to a large audience.

This is very different for gamers, thanks to the phenomenon of online gaming. Now gamers can upload their best clips, play against people from all over the world, and also chat and socialise with them. There are very few other activities where this can be done. Now, that top corner goal you scored on FIFA after that superb flowing move can be seen by millions. You may have achieved this sitting in a friends lounge, but this expression of skill can be viewed by almost anyone. It is a powerfully emotive feeling knowing that what you have just produced can bring joy to such a large number of people.

The combination of almost limitless boundaries, the perfection of skills, and the ability to share this with all corners of this world, means that video games now offer the most incredible way in which to express yourself. Traditional activities for displaying artistry and skill still remain, and stay very important in today's world, but they now have a virtual rival that is looking to sweep them to one side.

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How To Make Money Online By Writing Video Game Reviews

The internet provides you with various new and exciting ways to earn money every day. It does not matter if you are currently working a part time job or a full time one, there are plenty of ways to make quick, extra money on the internet. Writing video game reviews is one of the things that you can do. Nowadays, there are many websites you can use to publish your reviews and earn money from them. Yes, it is possible to get extra income from writing and many people have tried their luck in this kind of job.

If you are a video game enthusiast, and you always keep up to date with the latest games in the market, then this job is perfect for you. If you're unfamiliar with the concept of writing reviews, you might want to know the tricks to do it right. Below are some tips worth trying:

1. Publish your reviews on different websites. If you expect a good earning, then you should post your reviews on at least 4 websites or even more. There are revenue share sites where you can get a percentage of the advertising revenue from your articles. You also have the option to start a blog but it may take a bit more time to generate money. The revenue share sites offer a quicker way to earn money than a blog. If you choose to have a blog, you will have to spend more time and put in more effort to make sure that it gets a good ranking on search engines.

2. Don't just stop on one review, you should publish as many as you can. It is important to publish more articles so you can earn more money. It is also important for you to maintain your articles so that you can still earn money from them in years to come. This enables you to build up readership, link your work to get higher rank on the search engine, and learn more about your trade.

3. In order to write good reviews, you have to play many different video games. However, video games are not exactly cheap and you may not have the time to play all the latest games in the market. A good solution to overcome this problem is by rewriting your reviews and posting them at the websites that you write for. You can talk about the different aspects of a game in several articles.

4. Don't forget to expand your topic. Besides game reviews, you can also write game tips, list of top 10 best action games, cheat codes, and many more.

It takes time before you can earn a steady income, but with perseverance and creativity, you can succeed. In the first month, you may only earn few cents per article but don't take it as an obstacle. Your earning will increase as long as you keep writing and publishing the reviews on the internet.

Get a broader insight about the latest games with our best game review and the best game news.

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Video Game Testing 101

As a subset of 'game development', testing is a software testing process that is used in the quality control and regulation of video games. The main purpose of game testing is to uncover and document software defects that may have slipped past the programming process. A game needs to be tried and tested before it is launched in the market in order to win customer satisfaction and maintain a high quality gaming experience for its audience.

During the earlier stages of design and development, the developer was usually the one who did all the testing. A maximum of 2 testers were allowed for every game and there were also cases where programmers did all the testing.

Quality assurance has always been an integral part of every programming process. As video games became more sophisticated, quality assurance became a necessity and this is where "on- the-spot" game testers came in.

Game testing usually begins as soon as the initial code is created and goes on until the game reaches completion. The primary QA team usually monitors the fame starting from its initial submission to the establishment of a test plan. The testing team usually focuses on new codes at the early stage of game development.

Alpha Testing. This form of game testing is done to make sure that the initial foundations of the game actually work. Alpha testing is the initial testing performed during the game's earliest stages, and the procedure is usually executed by staff in the development studio or individuals hired directly by the publishers. These alpha testers are usually required to work in the game development studio and are asked to go through the entire course of the game until it is fully operational.

Beta Game Design. Beta testing can be performed at home or by other outsourcers. In special cases, it can also be done by unpaid volunteers just like in online games where basic technology and stress tests between servers is done. Paid Game Testers are much more involved in this stage because of all the necessary details needed to determine how well the game is functioning.

Quality Assurance. When a video game reaches its finished state, testers are integral in quality assurance. This is where many testers obtain their initial jobs and run the same levels over and over again to check for even the most minute bugs and glitches of the game.

Console Hardware. Console testing is usually done on a consumer system and a special test facility is often provided for publishers and developers. Among the most popular tools being used includes "devkits" (software development kits) and debug/test kits. Devkits are commonly used by programmers for lower level game testing, and usually display higher hardware specs and increased memory. This allows programmers to estimate a game's performance without focusing too much on optimizations.

Test kits frequently have similar hardware specs and an appearance similar to that of a consumer unit but with added connectors and ports for testing.

Gina Kraft wrote the article for Game Shastra. Gina is a supporter of Game Shastra especially, their Game Design, game programming, and game development areas.

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Looking for Flexible Options to Enhance Your Video Gaming Experience?

For many gamers, renting video games from their local video or movie store was once the best and only way to rent games. This old-fashioned method of both renting and buying games is really a thing of the past. Online shopping has truly changed the way that we do just about everything in our everyday lives, especially when it comes to video gaming. The recent shift in our society toward doing most of our business online means that many of the stores that previously carried video games have gone out of business or closed their doors for good. This means hard times for those businesses, but also hard times for the gamers who used those stores for purchasing games. When doing your online shopping for other important items, consider searching for the latest and greatest in video games as well. Here are some tips to get you started.

1- Consider your Current Collection

It seems that so often, we buy the same types of games over and over again. Or, we purchase a new video game and stop playing our old and outdated games and they just lie on a shelf and gather dust. If you have a large collection of video games at your home and rarely or never use any of them, consider selling them for money. Look through your entire collection with a critical eye and weed out the games that you do not like or no longer play. Selling these items online is a great way to make extra money that can be used towards buying the next great new game right as it is release from the video gaming companies.

2- Search for the Best Websites

There are hundreds of websites on the internet dedicated to games and gaming needs. Do a general search for information and products and then narrow down the best and brightest in the industry. Doing your online shopping is easy and it is much more convenient than having to get in your car and drive to the local store. You can now buy all these games from the comfort of your home and have them delivered right to your doorstep. It's just that easy. A lot of websites let you sign up for an account and pay a small fee to actually rent games either one at a time or four at a time, depending on your needs. With these services, you can rent a game, send it back and then receive a new one a few days later. There really is something for everyone when it comes to these video gaming websites and services.

3- Use Technology to your Advantage

If you have a full-time job or other major obligations, it can often be very hard to find the time to search through the racks at your local video game or electronics store to find the latest games. Or, you do not have the time to search through rack after rack of games for the best deal or your new favorite game. This is where online shopping saves you the time and hassle of having to go through this process. It's just that easy!

Learn about the latest in video games and purchasing options for your favorite hobby. Search for the best pieces and deals at MyReviewsNow.

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Tutorial & Walkthrough for the Video Switcher in a Sony DFS-500

The Sony DFS-500 is a video switcher with built-in special effects that is ideal for live broadcasting or analog editing functions. It features four video inputs and each input has three different input options. The video switcher is compatible with Sony camcorders, live video cameras and any other cameras with S-Video, composite or component inputs.

Difficulty:Moderately Easy1

Insert the appropriate cable into each input on the back of the main video processing device. The Sony DFS-500 has two components, the video input device and the video switcher with special-effect controls. A main plug runs from the video input device to the switcher controls. On the back of the input device are four labeled sections for video input. Go in order of inputs so it will be easier to keep track of them later. If you run S-Video cable into the device, you must use the XLR input to get audio, too.

2

Run your viewing monitor cable from the monitor to the "PGM Out" section of the video switcher. Run the cord from your preview monitor to the "Key Out" section of the video switcher. Set up the monitors so that the "Key Out" monitor is on the left and the "PGM Out" is on the right.

3

Use the serial cord to connect the video switcher to the control panel. Connect it into the "Control Panel" input on the lower right of the device.

4

Power on the control panel of the video switcher. Set yourself center of the video switcher so you have access to all the controls.

5

Select the "Video Input" that you want for the main broadcast. This is the "Foreground" section. Pull down on the fader lever to keep it on this. Select the "Background" video input. This is the video that the production will fade in to if you pull the fade lever.

6

Set the "Internal Video" for the switcher. This is pre-rendered video that you can use instead of live video. Press the "Select" button to highlight the colored background, color bars or a grid screen. Activate this video on the "Background" or "Foreground" with the "INT. Video" button.

7

Set the fade pattern using the icon keypads on the right side of the screen. The icon shows the type of fade. When you select it, slowly move the fader up and down to see how the fade looks when transitioning.

8

Select the "PIP" option to use the picture-in-picture function. On the top of the control panel, select the shape you want to use the picture-in-picture for. Move the location joystick to set the position on the screen. Click on the "Edge" icon to apply an edge to the picture-in-picture videos.

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Video Games As a Tool for Development for Adolescents

Based on Erik Erikson's theory on social development, there are eight stages that an individual goes through and should pass from infancy to late adulthood. In each of these stages, the individual is presented with challenges that can make or break his/her character and over all self. Success in meeting and overcoming these challenges in one stage is very important to succeed in the next.

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Children Simply Love Video Game Education

Video game education is known as the fun way of educating your child in the modern age. The whole point of it is to teach your child with the help of a video activity. The goal is for the child to enjoy what he is doing, but still learn the necessary skills it has to offer.
Children's games are often less complicated. The video game design in Adult online simulations tend to focus on teaching multiple principles and skills while children's ones focus on one skill at a time. Some games are designed to elevate a child's reading skills, while others help a child advance in math.

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