Overview
Online Role Playing Games, or sometimes refereed to as
Computer Role Playing Games, are a wide range of games
that requires the player to build a hero or a
character based on his preferences and fancy. These
are types of games where one interacts with other
players in the virtual world (usually in groups).
As the game advances, the player’s character should be
able to acquire experience as he or she will be
needing this in order to succeed with other rounds or
quests. The character must be able to become more
powerful and should be able to obtain new and advanced
abilities.
Electronic role playing games is a broad genre under
the video games category. These were the early
beginnings of inline role playing games. These games
were originally from Dungeons and Dragons, a
traditional role playing game which had been the basis
for advance online role playing games nowadays. The
game mechanics and the settings of the games were
formatted from this game.
Interactions in online role playing games are done in
the virtual world using the internet. These may be
done individually (single player games) or with a
group of friends or team mates (multiplayer games).
Computer role playing games offer almost identical
features with online role playing games.
Avatar
Online role playing games revolves on making or
building your own character. These characters are also
called avatars. More often, players find it fun and
put effort in choosing their avatars. There are
different abilities that your avatar can excel on.
However, the abilities and powers of the characters
depend on the progression of the game.
The characters represent the skills and abilities of
the player himself. It shows how he or she decide or
control the game outcomes. A status screen displays
the attributes of the player and his character. It
uses numerical values instead of meters, bars, and
other simple abstract graphical representation that
the usual video games utilize.
Fantasy Setting
A fictional and high fantasy setting is another
feature of online role playing games (and other RPGs
in general). These settings come from science fiction
or space opera themes. However, some online RPGs also
utilize historical settings and backgrounds.
Exceptions to these trends are online role playing
games such as Bloodlines (”gothic punk), Arcanum
(steam punk), Darklands (a combination of medieval
German legend and history), Fallout
(post-apocalyptic), and Mount and Blade (Medieval
Europe with no magic or fantasy).
Quests
Team members or a group of characters (usually called
a party) join forces to complete their missions
(usually called “quest”). However, a single player may
also do this by himself with the help of other
players. These quests are usually fantasy fiction
inspired. But classical mythology and science fictions
are also used as basis for the missions.
These missions comprise different adventures along the
way. Some challenges are defeating the evil boss,
rescuing a princess, or clearing a dungeon of
monsters. Some games require the character to talk to
a Non Player Character (NPC) to know and receive his
or her mission or quest.
Fetch quest, locational puzzles (such as opening
locked doors by means of a hidden lever or a key), or
engaging in dialogues are some of the requirements to
proceed to the next level or challenge.
Majority of the online role playing games are played
as a linear narrative. Meaning, one plays the game in
a predetermined sequence. They just have to comply
with the requirements for the next level to complete
the entire mission.
Hope
Hope is a feeling that a person can have for a particular outcome. It can be something very minor such as hoping it doesn’t rain or that tickets to the movie they want to see isn’t sold out. Other forms of hope are more serious in nature. For example you may be hoping that your dog makes it out of surgery without any complications so they can make a full recovery.
The hope that we have is something based on our personal believes. It is often tied into our own faith and religion as well. For example many people have family member’s right now in Iraq fighting the war. They hope and they pray each day for that person to return safely. They hold on to their faith as it is a way to get though difficult situations.
The benefit of having hope and a positive outlook for a situation is very important. Many people will tell you they just had a feeling that everything was going to work out alright. There has been plenty of research to indicate individuals who have hope recover from cancer and other types of illnesses faster and more often than those that don’t.
Some people keep their feelings of hope to themselves and they do engage in prayer. Some religions openly tell their congregation to engage in hope for themselves, those they know, and the world as a whole. Others give very emotional and motivational appeals about how to reach for hope and what it can offer you.
There are some great books out there that offer great information on how you can become more hopeful. Sometimes life throws us for a loop and we aren’t sure what to make of it. We can change our outlook though by finding things to hope for and to motivate us to keep striving for better things ahead.
Hope can provide a person with the strength they need to handle any situation regardless of what is taking place. Many professionals feel that hope is nothing more than a coping mechanism. Yet for many individuals it is a feeling that is much stronger and much deeper than that. What is agreed upon though is the hope a person has and the depth of it varies by individual.
Your Own Virtual World
Play God - Be God (Even If It's Only Electronically)
Part of the appeal of video games is the visual eye-candy that splashes across the television screen. But even the addictive imagery is only half of the equation. The remaining half is the magic bestowed upon our eyes when this imagery comes to life. Animation that's controlled by a gamer is all it takes to escape into a different time and place - a time and place brought to you by virtual reality.
As you can imagine, virtual reality is a hypothetical three-dimensional visual world created by a computer. Players can enter and move about in this world and interact with objects as if inside it.1 Some of the games that are already on the market give a pretty good idea of what virtual reality is and can do. Video games like Zelda, Halo, or Harry Potter allow players to enter into an environment and interact with objects, but they don't allow the player to create an environment and that's what virtual worlds are all about.
Without a single ounce of programming experience, anyone can create a virtual world and have loads of fun doing so. All one needs is an idea.
To begin, you'll want to construct a plan that maps your idea of the perfect world, the craziest world, or the oddest world that you can imagine. Some virtual world software will give you a template of sorts (a "starter" world) that lets you make additions and ultimately build a world that you've always dreamed of. A good example of template use is inside Maxis' SimCity or SimTown games. Both games provide pre-designed environments that provide plenty of space and opportunity to shape them into one that you prefer.
Of course, you could always start from scratch. The only problem with starting with scratch is that it takes more time and knowledge to add some of the features that virtual worlds provide. Either way (from scratch or from a template), most users build a world by adding objects and scenarios - even deleting some until they've reached the perfect balance.
A good place to find examples of what you could build in virtual world gaming is online. Every virtual world program available offers sample environments that players can download and install into their own system. Some manufacturers of these games even hold contests and award winners with free upgrades. Other suitable places to find ideas are from fiction books: -historical, -fantasy, -futuristic, you name it. Science fiction movies are a good resource for ideas as well.
Just understand that virtual gaming takes time. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will your virtual world. There's no rush and this is a relaxing hobby. Take your time and have fun. Don't fret over not knowing how to build an object or lay down a map - you can learn how to do these kinds of things in due time. Your goal is to create a world of enjoyment and it won't help if you find yourself frustrated all the time.
When ready, you can add characters with their own unique histories, habits, strengths and weaknesses. You can even give them goals or small tasks to perform throughout the game. Giving your characters goals and tasks will help you give the game a plot.
To get started, look for RAD (Rapid Application Development) Tools. RAD tools will help you bang a virtual reality game together in no time and with little difficulty.
Part of the appeal of video games is the visual eye-candy that splashes across the television screen. But even the addictive imagery is only half of the equation. The remaining half is the magic bestowed upon our eyes when this imagery comes to life. Animation that's controlled by a gamer is all it takes to escape into a different time and place - a time and place brought to you by virtual reality.
As you can imagine, virtual reality is a hypothetical three-dimensional visual world created by a computer. Players can enter and move about in this world and interact with objects as if inside it.1 Some of the games that are already on the market give a pretty good idea of what virtual reality is and can do. Video games like Zelda, Halo, or Harry Potter allow players to enter into an environment and interact with objects, but they don't allow the player to create an environment and that's what virtual worlds are all about.
Without a single ounce of programming experience, anyone can create a virtual world and have loads of fun doing so. All one needs is an idea.
To begin, you'll want to construct a plan that maps your idea of the perfect world, the craziest world, or the oddest world that you can imagine. Some virtual world software will give you a template of sorts (a "starter" world) that lets you make additions and ultimately build a world that you've always dreamed of. A good example of template use is inside Maxis' SimCity or SimTown games. Both games provide pre-designed environments that provide plenty of space and opportunity to shape them into one that you prefer.
Of course, you could always start from scratch. The only problem with starting with scratch is that it takes more time and knowledge to add some of the features that virtual worlds provide. Either way (from scratch or from a template), most users build a world by adding objects and scenarios - even deleting some until they've reached the perfect balance.
A good place to find examples of what you could build in virtual world gaming is online. Every virtual world program available offers sample environments that players can download and install into their own system. Some manufacturers of these games even hold contests and award winners with free upgrades. Other suitable places to find ideas are from fiction books: -historical, -fantasy, -futuristic, you name it. Science fiction movies are a good resource for ideas as well.
Just understand that virtual gaming takes time. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will your virtual world. There's no rush and this is a relaxing hobby. Take your time and have fun. Don't fret over not knowing how to build an object or lay down a map - you can learn how to do these kinds of things in due time. Your goal is to create a world of enjoyment and it won't help if you find yourself frustrated all the time.
When ready, you can add characters with their own unique histories, habits, strengths and weaknesses. You can even give them goals or small tasks to perform throughout the game. Giving your characters goals and tasks will help you give the game a plot.
To get started, look for RAD (Rapid Application Development) Tools. RAD tools will help you bang a virtual reality game together in no time and with little difficulty.
Living Your Passion
Living Your Passion
We all begin thinking about what we’re going to be
when we grow up at a very early age. As we grow and
learn more about ourselves and life, those career
ideas change and grow.
As we experience new relationships, hobbies and events
in our lives, we develop interests and ultimately we
become passionate about some of them. It’s these
passions that make the stressors of life dissipate.
What may have been a passion in our twenties may very
well change in our forties or fifties or beyond. We
may find that the career we chose in college no longer
satisfies our needs, once our basic needs have been
met.
While once our passion was making enough money to pay
the bills, our passion in our fifties may become a
desire to help others. As we’ve developed personal
skills, we may find that we are gifted in public
speaking; what could be better than talking about your
passion and making money at the same time?
Unfortunately, many people fail to live a life filled
with passion. Fearful of rejection or of success keeps
many people from pursuing their dreams; many people
simply don’t have enough faith in themselves to reach
for the stars.
What makes you happy? Do you have a hobby that you
just can’t get enough of? Take the step of writing
down any way that you could make money at doing your
favorite thing and try it in your spare time. You
might find a new career doing exactly what you are
passionate about!
What Makes A Great Game:
A Gentle Reminder for Programmers
It's easy to get lost in all the details of building a great video or computer game - so easy in fact, that we can forget the parts of a game that make them fun to play. The following serves as a gentle reminder of what prompts players to play games in the first place. Refer to this reminder in the event that you get bogged down or distracted with confusing C++ syntax, or lines and lines of Visual Basic statements and DLL structures.
1. Remember the player is the main character. Here's a secret between you and me: People play games to gain a sense of control. If you can manage to program your game in a way that puts the player in control, then you've already won half the battle. This doesn't mean to suggest that the game should be easy. It simply means that when a gamer runs home from school or drives home from work to play a video game, she wants to feel the control that she didn't have during the hours between nine and five. The outcome of a game - whether it's a win or a loss - should never be random, but the result of a good, controlled game play instead.
2. KISS. Remember that acronym? It stands for Keep It Simple Stupid. We all know that programming a game is hard business, but believe us when we say we don't want to be reminded of it. The difficulty of programming a game should never be part of the game play so when possible, make the game easy to start, easy to navigate, and of course, easy to play. We're not asking for pre-school strategy here, but on the other hand, we don't want to feel as dumb as a pre-schooler either. Forget the hundred page manual. Nobody except the truly obsessed is going to read it anyway. Build your game for the average Joe and everyone will be your fan.
3. Add plenty of action. And add lots of it too. The more action you add to your game, the more attention players will pay attention to it. And the more that players pay attention to your game, the more addictive your game gets. For every action that a player's character makes, have the game react and then prompt the player for more.
4. Make the story a good one. Nothing is worse than playing a game only to wonder what you're doing and why. Purpose is and always has been a human obsession. But without it, we're left wandering... in the darkness... wondering bizarre things like how the house would look in a coat of bright pink paint. Don't give your players the opportunity to waste time like that. Give them a mission and make sure your game reminds them what the mission is at opportune times and why they must complete it.
5. Give us eye candy. But make it relevant. The graphics in a game shouldn't be distracting, they should make our eyeballs glaze over with satisfaction upon seeing them, and then salivate for more. Graphics should contain clues and entice us further and further into the game until we've beaten the thing.
6. Make it real. Fantasy games are okay, but what makes them cool is the fact that they're realistic. It's hard to get into something that isn't familiar or that there's no way we could ever experience. But if you can implement some reality into your games, players will appreciate it and relate to it on a whole new respectable level.
It's easy to get lost in all the details of building a great video or computer game - so easy in fact, that we can forget the parts of a game that make them fun to play. The following serves as a gentle reminder of what prompts players to play games in the first place. Refer to this reminder in the event that you get bogged down or distracted with confusing C++ syntax, or lines and lines of Visual Basic statements and DLL structures.
1. Remember the player is the main character. Here's a secret between you and me: People play games to gain a sense of control. If you can manage to program your game in a way that puts the player in control, then you've already won half the battle. This doesn't mean to suggest that the game should be easy. It simply means that when a gamer runs home from school or drives home from work to play a video game, she wants to feel the control that she didn't have during the hours between nine and five. The outcome of a game - whether it's a win or a loss - should never be random, but the result of a good, controlled game play instead.
2. KISS. Remember that acronym? It stands for Keep It Simple Stupid. We all know that programming a game is hard business, but believe us when we say we don't want to be reminded of it. The difficulty of programming a game should never be part of the game play so when possible, make the game easy to start, easy to navigate, and of course, easy to play. We're not asking for pre-school strategy here, but on the other hand, we don't want to feel as dumb as a pre-schooler either. Forget the hundred page manual. Nobody except the truly obsessed is going to read it anyway. Build your game for the average Joe and everyone will be your fan.
3. Add plenty of action. And add lots of it too. The more action you add to your game, the more attention players will pay attention to it. And the more that players pay attention to your game, the more addictive your game gets. For every action that a player's character makes, have the game react and then prompt the player for more.
4. Make the story a good one. Nothing is worse than playing a game only to wonder what you're doing and why. Purpose is and always has been a human obsession. But without it, we're left wandering... in the darkness... wondering bizarre things like how the house would look in a coat of bright pink paint. Don't give your players the opportunity to waste time like that. Give them a mission and make sure your game reminds them what the mission is at opportune times and why they must complete it.
5. Give us eye candy. But make it relevant. The graphics in a game shouldn't be distracting, they should make our eyeballs glaze over with satisfaction upon seeing them, and then salivate for more. Graphics should contain clues and entice us further and further into the game until we've beaten the thing.
6. Make it real. Fantasy games are okay, but what makes them cool is the fact that they're realistic. It's hard to get into something that isn't familiar or that there's no way we could ever experience. But if you can implement some reality into your games, players will appreciate it and relate to it on a whole new respectable level.
Is Your Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
You miss so much if you look at life through the
half-empty glass. Taking the negative slant on life
leads to a life of negative thinking that never sees
the good things that life has to offer.
Take a moment and write down all the things that are
wrong with your life. Then, on a different piece of
paper, write down all of the blessings you have. For a
negative person, this can be hard. Did you wake up in
a warm bed this morning? Was your bed warm? Was there
someone on the other side of the bed? Did you have
breakfast? Did you go to a job? In a car? Did you have
clean, decent clothes to put on?
Each any every one of these things are blessings and
are a positive part of your life. It can be so easy to
think about the negative things: I don’t get paid
enough, my car is old, and the cereal wasn’t fresh -
come on! Half the world would love to have the things
you took for granted just this morning!
What do you ever get out of life by looking at the
negative aspects of your life? Are you a complainer?
Are you a complainer because of your circumstances or
do your circumstances make you complain? How much
worse could things be? When you really think about
your life, aren’t you truly blessed compared to others
around the planet?
Try thinking positively as a way of finding happiness
and satisfaction in your life. Complaining does
nothing except make others around you feel bad, and if
that’s your intention, you need to re-think your
relationship.
half-empty glass. Taking the negative slant on life
leads to a life of negative thinking that never sees
the good things that life has to offer.
Take a moment and write down all the things that are
wrong with your life. Then, on a different piece of
paper, write down all of the blessings you have. For a
negative person, this can be hard. Did you wake up in
a warm bed this morning? Was your bed warm? Was there
someone on the other side of the bed? Did you have
breakfast? Did you go to a job? In a car? Did you have
clean, decent clothes to put on?
Each any every one of these things are blessings and
are a positive part of your life. It can be so easy to
think about the negative things: I don’t get paid
enough, my car is old, and the cereal wasn’t fresh -
come on! Half the world would love to have the things
you took for granted just this morning!
What do you ever get out of life by looking at the
negative aspects of your life? Are you a complainer?
Are you a complainer because of your circumstances or
do your circumstances make you complain? How much
worse could things be? When you really think about
your life, aren’t you truly blessed compared to others
around the planet?
Try thinking positively as a way of finding happiness
and satisfaction in your life. Complaining does
nothing except make others around you feel bad, and if
that’s your intention, you need to re-think your
relationship.
Video Games in the Future
A Gamer's Plea
With video game technology advancing so fast and so far from where it started, one can't help but to entertain the idea of where it's going to go from here. After all, that is part of a larger creative process and we'd like to think that our writings contribute even in some small way. One of the earliest video games that we can remember is Commodore's "Pong." But never did we think the industry would have reached the point where it is today. One thing is for sure however, and that's the gaming is pushing full force ahead.
Today we did a little fantasizing to see where our imagination and desires would take us.
The following offers some suggestions of what could be done short of a little thing called, "impossible."
We're a little intrigued with the "Sun Game Glasses" idea. Wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and using the technology implemented by Nintendo's "Wii" system, we could literally watch a game take place right before our eyes and then interact with it using a device that's about the size of a pen. Since this isn't exactly a new idea, we're curious to watch what develops from University of South Australia's 'ARQuake' project1 - a springboard for this kind of gaming to develop in the near future for sure.
Another cool idea we'd like to see erupt within the gaming industry is the ability to talk to the characters inside a game. Some games allow players to textually speak to game characters already, but we'd like to see this pushed a little further. We'd like to be able to orally interact with characters: ask questions, joke around, warn and speak to them as if we were speaking to another human being. And we'd like to hear these characters talk back! It's the ultimate artificial intelligence opportunity and although it would probably be years before this technology would be available on a wide scale, we're sure it would be a hit.
Will we ever get to the point where we can play inside a simulated environment the way the characters in Star Trek: The Next Generation could play? Virtual reality is getting close, but the reality of the simulation is gone the moment we put on the silly-looking goggles and gloves. In order for simulation of this sort to work, there has to be as little a barrier between gamers and the game as possible. We don't what to just think we're inside a game, we want to feel that we're inside a game and to be honest, we don't want to have to go somewhere outside our home to do so.
The television or computer screen will suffice for now, but in the future, we're going to want to be surrounded with the elements that make gaming the wonder that it is today. We're going to want to transform our dens or bedrooms into a virtual alien ship or simulated jungle. In short, we want a new world.
One possible obstacle to bringing this fantasy into our living rooms is public acceptance. Would the public be ready for such a high level of entertainment? And could the public handle it? Immediately following Nintendo's Wii release, customers were ready to complain that they wanted their old controller back! So as with any new development, there will surely be unintended consequences and although we're gung-ho for these types of advances, we also share concerns about the impact it would have on an audience that isn't "virtually ready."
As a result, we can certainly envision a few laws introduced that restricted the use of our fantasy gaming. We already have some laws that attempt the same now and in our opinion, that's a good thing. The last thing we want to encounter in gaming is physical harm - especially when we're trying to enjoy virtual entertainment!
1 Source: http://wearables.unisa.edu.au/projects/ARQuake/www
With video game technology advancing so fast and so far from where it started, one can't help but to entertain the idea of where it's going to go from here. After all, that is part of a larger creative process and we'd like to think that our writings contribute even in some small way. One of the earliest video games that we can remember is Commodore's "Pong." But never did we think the industry would have reached the point where it is today. One thing is for sure however, and that's the gaming is pushing full force ahead.
Today we did a little fantasizing to see where our imagination and desires would take us.
The following offers some suggestions of what could be done short of a little thing called, "impossible."
We're a little intrigued with the "Sun Game Glasses" idea. Wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and using the technology implemented by Nintendo's "Wii" system, we could literally watch a game take place right before our eyes and then interact with it using a device that's about the size of a pen. Since this isn't exactly a new idea, we're curious to watch what develops from University of South Australia's 'ARQuake' project1 - a springboard for this kind of gaming to develop in the near future for sure.
Another cool idea we'd like to see erupt within the gaming industry is the ability to talk to the characters inside a game. Some games allow players to textually speak to game characters already, but we'd like to see this pushed a little further. We'd like to be able to orally interact with characters: ask questions, joke around, warn and speak to them as if we were speaking to another human being. And we'd like to hear these characters talk back! It's the ultimate artificial intelligence opportunity and although it would probably be years before this technology would be available on a wide scale, we're sure it would be a hit.
Will we ever get to the point where we can play inside a simulated environment the way the characters in Star Trek: The Next Generation could play? Virtual reality is getting close, but the reality of the simulation is gone the moment we put on the silly-looking goggles and gloves. In order for simulation of this sort to work, there has to be as little a barrier between gamers and the game as possible. We don't what to just think we're inside a game, we want to feel that we're inside a game and to be honest, we don't want to have to go somewhere outside our home to do so.
The television or computer screen will suffice for now, but in the future, we're going to want to be surrounded with the elements that make gaming the wonder that it is today. We're going to want to transform our dens or bedrooms into a virtual alien ship or simulated jungle. In short, we want a new world.
One possible obstacle to bringing this fantasy into our living rooms is public acceptance. Would the public be ready for such a high level of entertainment? And could the public handle it? Immediately following Nintendo's Wii release, customers were ready to complain that they wanted their old controller back! So as with any new development, there will surely be unintended consequences and although we're gung-ho for these types of advances, we also share concerns about the impact it would have on an audience that isn't "virtually ready."
As a result, we can certainly envision a few laws introduced that restricted the use of our fantasy gaming. We already have some laws that attempt the same now and in our opinion, that's a good thing. The last thing we want to encounter in gaming is physical harm - especially when we're trying to enjoy virtual entertainment!
1 Source: http://wearables.unisa.edu.au/projects/ARQuake/www
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