The dark side of gaming
Addiction to video games can be a serious problem. It is bad enough if you are single as only messing with your own life, but when you are a mother of six, things can deteriorate rapidly. That is what happened to a woman in Pennsylvania. She became so addiction to online games that we did not feed or clean her kids. They slept on mattresses with no sheets or covers and they were filthy. You can read the story by clicking here.
In my younger years, I played Everquest every single night for hours at a time. While I would not say that I was addicted to it, it was a major part of my life for four years. Most nights I would rather play the game than do anything else. My attitude towards gaming has changed drastically since then. I now play at a very casual pace.
Gaming addiction can be as powerful as any other. Just like with drug or alcohol abuse, it can lead to a person putting others in harms way. This story is a reminder that we must be careful with how attached we become to video games. Real life must come first.
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Discovering Rift
Rift is a new MMO that is scheduled to release in early March of this year. It has mostly flown below the radar, not getting huge amounts of press or interest from the major gaming sites. I did not pay too much attention to it, either, but I looked at it recently and it looks to be a very interesting game.
Rift takes place in a world known as Telara. The character you play is an Ascended, which is a slain Telaran who has been resurrected to fight in the battle against the evil dragon Regulos. As an Ascendant, you gain special powers from “soul attunement,” which is the ability to commune with the souls of ancient Telaran heroes.
Rift gets its name from the rifts that randomly open up, tearing a hole in reality itself. Rifts damage the world around it while coughing up evil minions that try to ravage the land and kill its inhabitants.
Rift is in beta test which is currently by invitation only. You get automatic access to the beta if you pre-order the game. They have been holding beta tests a weekend at a time.
Rift has caught my eye. I will jump into the next beta test and see how it plays. The next test is scheduled for January 25th. I believe it is under NDA right now, but if it’s not, I will post what I find.
SW:TOR – Music Of The Old Republic
A couple of new updates have been posted on the official Star Wars: The Old Republic website. These updates deal with the subject of music and sound and how they affect the way players perceives the world around them. The blog post has this to say:
It’s our job to create an audio experience that enhances the emotional experience of the game and reaches the quality level expected of the Star Wars franchise. As fans and as game makers, we’re excited and privileged to breathe life into every planet, every weapon, and every creature that beeps, squawks, or just plain talks…and it’s not as easy as it, er, sounds.
I agree that music and sound can greatly influence how a game world is perceived. I know that many people play games with the sound turned off, but that is something I am unable to do. It adds so much to the experience. I can’t wait to see what they have created.
An official video dealing with this subject has also been posted. You can view it over on the official site, or watch it below.
–Wolfen
Read MoreBlizzard Backtracks on Real ID
The huge backlash against Blizzard’s plan to have players of World of Warcraft post on the official forums with their real name has caused them to change their minds about this dubious change.
Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime posted on the forums to announce that they have changed their mind and that posting with your real name will not be required. A huge cheer was voiced by many in the community.
Personally, I wish they had kept the plan in place. I think it would have resulted in a much more civil and productive discourse about the game and I think that was what Blizzard was trying to accomplish.
Read MoreWorld of Warcraft and Real ID
The internet has exploded with the news out of Blizzard that their forums will begin using a system called Real ID. What this means is that anyone who posts on the official forums will do so with their real names. Posters will not be able to hide behind their character names any longer. The massive thread on the WoW forums about this subject is monumental.
Naturally, people are up in arms over this for a variety of reasons. The biggest reason is player privacy. If another player does not like what you did in-game, or did not agree with what you said in a forum post, they are now armed with your real name and the potential for harassment is greatly increased.
My biggest worry is for female players. We all know what female players go through with the crude remarks, verbal sexual abuse, and general idiotic in-game stalking. Now imagine those idiots having that woman’s real name. In theory, the potential of some crazy love-struck guy could track her down in real life is very possible.
I am not sure what Blizzard’s real motivations are for this change. Are they tired of the official forums being a repository of the lowest common denominator? Do they think a more civil discourse will ensue once people are required to use their real name? I don’t know, but it sure is going to be fun to watch the outcome of this one. The Real ID system gets turned on just before the upcoming Cataclysm expansion.
As a side note, parents can opt their children out of using RealID. You can find instructions on how to do that right here.
Read MoreEQ Nostalgia Picture
Every now and then I post a nostalgic screenshot from my gaming days of old. Here’s one from 1999 in the South Karana zone.
