Not Just A Game Its An Adventure

Writen by Robert Emler

Getting in the game is just that. As a game player my self I can find no other joy as close to the hart as being in the game. It is a felling of excitement and an overwhelming thrill to compete against some minds that are way above the average mind.Or just well trained I should say.

What happens when I get in the game is really like a second nature and my mind just takes over and the competitive nature in me is totally peeked. I can start playing a game on line against some brilliant players and get so immersed that before I know it five or more hours has gone by. It gets that intense. And when I am done playing my mind is working at a higher performance of awareness. For quite a while after I get out of the game.

I would really have to say that because of the intense gaming programs and the greatly advance technology. And add into the mixed some absolutely brilliant opponents. That being in the game is actually a very good way to heighten the senses. Really it's quite the therapeutic training.

Think about it the military has been using the gaming programs for training purposes for years. Why? Because the simulations are so in depth that there people will benefit from the heightened awareness, of any situations that may accrue. It just would stand to reason that if the game is being used for that reason in the military. Then the game can do the same thing outside of the military.

There are some games that don't offer this type of mind stimulation. But those games are for the slow started the unenthusiastic gamer. Used for the sole purpose of getting them started.

It's really the action games and some of the high tech roll playing games. That are what I call the mind openers. The brain teasers if you will. They are the games that offer more value then just enjoyment. Think about it if you are an intense gamer. Someone who likes to play these butt kicking ground pounding hart throbbing eye opening action packed games. Then you have probable honed your skills, and really increased or heightened your awareness up to a pretty high level. So how dose that help you or use when you're away from your game. Well the one most important place I would have to say is driving. If you have a heightened sense of awareness wouldn't that make you a better defensive driver? I think so. Wouldn't a heightened sense of awareness give you the upper hand in a situation that's going on around you. A situation that you should be aware of? I think so too.

If you are one of these brilliant gamers that I have had the pleasure of going head to head with, and are a student or a teen in school. All I have to say is bravo and thank you for the intense gaming in the game. But please remember that the game is just a game. You should never let the game come between you and your ability to advance quite far in this world that is also very competitive in its on game. Use your abilities that are greatly advanced, and take the time to increase your learning and knowledge. So that you may have a better chance of gaining greater things then you could ever imagine. In this game, in the real world that is known as life. Believe me if you are one of those brilliant players then you have the ability to adapt and advance far in this world. Use the tools at your disposal to achieve the same level of greatness in the game of the world as you have achieved in the game it self

Robert Emler: I too enjoy the trill of the game and have benefited from the gaming experience. I have a Harley and really Like to ride it a lot. Being in the game has given me a heightened awareness of my surroundings when I ride. That has saved my life more then a few times. I would have to say that if where not for my enjoyment of gaming my sense of awareness would not be what it is today. http://extreamgamers.com. For tools that you can use to help achieve success in the game of life. Go to http://kidsarepeople2.com bob29tie@neo.rr.com

Increasing Rates Of Climb In Fighter Aircraft Like The New Joint Force Strike Fighter

Writen by Lance Winslow

We know from studying aircraft like the F-8 Crusader, in which my dad had the fortunate to fly while in the US Navy stationed in Puerto Rico, that when the wind was tilted upward on the aircraft that it had a lower takeoff speed and much higher initial rates of climb. At which point the wing came back to position and it was a pencil shaped rocket with wings. Now then let us take the newest discoveries in wind tunnels about life, weight, thrust and drag. We know that the reletive wind pushing on the bottom of the wings forces the aircraft up.

Well then if you have a thruster forced on top of the wing at the center of gravity with the exhaust forced outward, pushing on the aircraft while the aircraft is positioned in a climb. This aircraft will therefore be put in a situation where the it is forced into the relative wind faster and faster and that wind deflected off the bottom of the wing would force the aircraft upward at an incredible rate of climb without significantly using up any more fuel than a standard climb out. The rate of climb will be much faster and the angle of climb very substantial.

I bring this up as we discuss some of the NASA lifting bodies and other designs to fly into orbit or for trans-oceanic flights using the upper atmosphere or space to reduce the friction and increase the speed to hypersonic levels. We are doing similar things on the Strike Fighter, but those nozzels are faced down for vertical landing and take off or extremely controlled and fast STOL. If the wings can hold the increased stress from the bottom of the aircraft against reletive wind. Now then you can try this on a skateboard. Carrry a 4 X 8 sheet of plywood and when going down a hill tilt the plywood to a 45 degree angle and you will leave the ground like a kite. If we have nozzel and directional thrust why not try it at the center of gravity on top of the wing forcing the exhaust outward and back wards at the same angle of incidence to a horizontal plane.

You actually do not even need to test this in a wind tunnel, because we already know this will work. If you look at the chracteristics of the Concorde where the nose faces forward and air is forced under the wings you can see the increased efficient use of the airfoil. The increased leverage from the ram air under the wing is more than the total combined forces of lift from the differences between low and high pressure as the air makes it back to the trailing edge of the wing. Just some thoughts on increasing the flying characteristics of jet aircraft and directional thrust aircraft to maximize all known characteristics of flight.

Lance Winslow

Mahjong Online

Writen by Josh Riverside

Mahjong is a traditional Chinese game, which literally means "the game of a hundred intelligences" (in Chinese). There are various versions of mahjong today - the Chinese, the Japanese and the American, each with its own set of rules. Mahjong is a game that involves skill, intelligence, estimation as well as luck. It has been traditionally a gambling game and is still played today in clubs and special mahjong houses. There are also international mahjong tournaments held across the world. Ma Chiao, Mo Tsiah, Ma Cheuk, Ma Jong, Ma Chiang, Ma Chong, Man Chu, Mah Diao, Pung Chow, Mah Chong, Ching Chong, Mah Cheuk, Ma Chiang, Kong Chow, Mah Deuck, Lung Chan, Mah Lowe, Pe Ling, Baak Ling are other names for Mahjong.

Mahjong is a very popular online game today. The earliest electronic version was created in 1981 by Brodie Lockard but it was officially released in 1983 by Control Data Corporation as a paid online game. The 1986 version released by Activision by the name of Shanghai made the game very popular, which was later converted into many platforms.

Online versions of mahjong are available over the Internet. There are several kinds of online mahjong, with attractive options that are sure to keep you hooked for hours. Ever Mahjong, Mahjong Quest, Mahjong Medley Solitaire, Ultimate Mahjong 10, Mahjong XP Champion, Gekko Mahjong, Mahjong Towers,, NingPo Mahjong, Mah Jongg, Emperor's Mahjong, Mahjong Tower II, The Rise of the Shanghai etc are some of the different kinds of online Mahjong available. These games contain hundreds of challenging tile layouts for up to 9 levels, different game types and layouts (360 or even more), and tile sets. They also have interesting choice of backgrounds and background music.

The tiles are also being designed innovatively to be more attractive in designs like: flags, astrology, marine life, nature, traffic signs, medieval fantasy, space, Egyptian, warning signs, bugs, music, communication, buildings, Chinese zodiac, tools, colors, food etc. The game can be customized with these options according your fantasies. The best part of online mahjong are the undo; shuffle and hint features, which, ensure you, don't get stuck.

Mahjong provides detailed information about mahjong, mahjong solitaire, mahjong tiles, mahjong online and more. Mahjong is the sister site of Free Online Casinos.

To Xbox360 Or To Not Xbox360

Writen by Sean Ryan

I finally gave into the "evils" of Microsoft and invested in their Next Generation console. Why. the delay in ps3 coupled with the delay in Ghost Recon on PC. The more reviews I read, the more it convinced me that 360 was made up of excellent hardware that was finally being used. So I blew up my credit card, pissed off my wife and invested in more computer hardware that I may not need. But hell I work at it, so keeping up to date with all technology is my job (or so I keep telling myself).

First impressions: As you install the 360 the first thing that hits you, is the physical weight of the machine. Small but weights much the same as a concrete block.

The desktop and configuration of the systems immediately shows you there is so much more to this machine than simple game play. It feels like a simplified computer (but in a good way). No messing about with patches and upgrades. You logon to Xbox live and it tells you when you need to upgrade. Easy to navigate, ability to jump in an out of games easily.

Loading times are also very impressive. I expected to be starring at the screen during my first run of war fighter and was very pleasantly surprised.

Xbox live is the ace in Microsoft's deck. Their killer app for the machine. Think of it as their internet in the internet. It is free to just use. But you have to upgrade to gold (and pay) to play games online and get hold of some downloads. But ALL games will have an online mode. Meaning you will get more value and a different experience. Microsoft have also insisted on achievement sin all the games.

The more you achieve the better you rating and points (rating can also be improved by visits, friend, helping, messages etc). Basically they want you to play and get involved and will reward you for such. Nice ideas. Getting people to play more of what they paid for - rather than the modern obsession of owning more and not actually using, is a good one.(as these games aren't cheap - 75 euro for war fighter!!!).

This page will be updated, the more I get to actually use the system. (oh to have free time).

I will be sticking simple no B.S. reviews here, of the games that interest me on the 360 platform. The physical build is impressive, although the size of the power supply is staggering. Simple little things impress: The size of the wireless controller: perfect. The 360 button on the controller, brings you back to the "desktop", as well as powering on/off the machine (a simple feature I know, but works).

The more I mess around with this machine, the more I like it. It seems that playing a game now that does effect you score rating or unlock achievements is less of a, well achievement.

I have downloaded a lot of demos such as fight night 3 and Battlefield modern combat (very impressive, with no lag in sight).

Updates: A few weeks of usage

I signed up for xbox live gold: 60.00 for 12 months unlimited use. The amount of media and the ability to download clips and demos, means you really need this to make full use of the machine.

Also from what I can tell, people are playing games to just build up their game score: offline play (even single player) is just the same these days if you don't improve your rating as a result.

Very clever option. Actually, it is quite amazing how much time you actually spend browsing, downloading and playing with items in Xbox live.

Extending the experience: Media Centre

I built a Windows Media Centre 2005 (repaired an old fried motherboard). And tested the interface between this the 360. Amazed to see you get the full Media centre console on the 360 when you have a machine to connect to (across you network). You can only stream video in WMV format at present. But you can find an app on the web that will allow you to convert divx to wmv on the fly.

Tested streaming video, images and music from one side of the house to the other. Easy to config and use and impressive interface/image quality.

Basically transform you 360 into much more that a gaming machine. You can do music and images only connecting to extender on an XP machine. But to make full use you need windows media centre 2005.

Combining the power of the 360, with Xbox live and the media centre options; Sony really have their work cut out for them. As there is so much more to Microsoft's machine than playing games.

In all, a great "home entertainment system". Great for gaming, online play is easy and solid, god support for music, images and other media (particularly is you own a media centre PC). Only downside: just don't be surprised when you are using your gaming console for a lot more than just games.

What I would have liked to see:

The biggest omission is the ability to browse web pages. Granted, doing such with a controller or remote with an on screen keyboard would have been a pain. But considering the experience is dependant on you already owning a PC (to get full potential), why not have the option of a 360 browser and the ability to sync your favourites sites from your PC? That way you don't have to type your www.mywebsite.com just browse a list and update as you wish.

The limitation of media extender to just music and images is a sadly lacking. They should provide some way of copying video to and from the 360.

The ability to benchmark your machine to insure it is running 3 cores etc etc. A simple benchmark app would do the trick.

Support for more formats like Divx, mpeg4 etc. I Know Microsoft is saving money by not including these codecs. But imagine using a PC that would only play WMV movies?

High Definition:

The image quality on a standard TV is good, but to make full use you really need a High Definition television. the 360 has become the "killer app" for high def tv's; meaning more high def tv's are being sold now, purely to use with the 360. Think 32 "" + screen on your PC and you get an idea of the difference it will make (and you can also plug your pc into one).

DVD player:

The movie player is very impressive player all brands of DVD's without a hitch. Easy to manage interface and excellent image/sound (this is also a progressive scan unit for improved image quality). Only pity, no multi region support.

Tips:

Did you want to download different Xbox live content? Go to system and change you locale to American and log out/on to Xbox live and away you go (you also need an email address with mail address in that location) . Different demos and trailers.

Xbox Live arcade:

A strange addiction indeed. The ability to play older arcade games that use little or none of the power of the worlds most powerful console. But, it works. Allowing you to play exact arcade emulations such as joust, gauntlet etc adds another dimension to your 360. My four year just loves playing Marble Blast on live.

Online Play:

I have tried many multiplayer games on the PC platform and mixed enjoyment has been had. Get a good server and all is well. but often or not you waste time looking and waiting for a "none lagging" game. So far I have only tried (briefly) advanced warfighter online. A quick half hour game using a headset with some blokes from the UK. Was it any good. Amazing! Great game, very little lag, no time wasting just simple game selection and a couple of minutes wait and away you go. Voice over IP works well: no silly button presses, just talk.

Although a strange experience allowing everyone hear you shout at yourself when you get killed (usually swear words in disgust). But will have to try it again as this single game ranked as one of the best gaming experiences I have had on any platform.....

Wish List:

*

Give us a browser and means to copy Favourite bookmarks from PC to the 360.

*

Ability to stream and play Divx (and other supported codecs).

*

Some way of playing multi region DVD's: but why of why does this even still exist?

*

MORE Xbox Live content: trailers, tv programs, shorts etc etc. The announcements of future possible releases are exciting: but need to start happening soon, to be imbedded and in place before Ps3 and the Sony machine gets into motion. Perhaps a nice partnership with apple and quick time would do the trick.

Conclusion:

Well how do I feel about the 360 six weeks after purchase? To be honest, very, very impressed. Excellent build quality, fantastic interface. Wealth of multimedia and gaming options. Xbox live is great. Software updates that show they actually listen to the users (all those features that you wanted in or removed appeared in the June update. But what about the games: what it was built for?

Online play with the head set is excellent. Easy to jump in and out of "friend" games. Achievements and game score is a master stroke. Gaming without these feature feels a little pointless now. I have played games such as Advanced Warfighter, Table Tennis, Battlefield 2, Top spin 2, Dead or alive 4 and to be fair, have had some of THE best gaming experiences I have had on any system (and I have been playing since the days of zx-81: yes I'm and old fart).

The future releases also look VERY bright. Gears of War, Dead Rising and Lost World to name a few, all look amazing. Incredible to see how quickly developers and getting these type of results considering how new this system is. Perhaps it is testament to how good a platform it is to develop for. Also Xbox live anywhere looks very interesting indeed (allow 360 and pc users to play and use Xbox live together: as well as mobile device options).

Without Xbox live the 360 is an amazing piece of kit. Combined with the Xbox live option it is indeed the killer app of the next generation consoles.

My advice?

To borrow their own catch phrase. Jump in, you'll have a ball and hats off to those you developed this machine. I for one am glad you did. THE single most impressive piece of hardware I have EVER purchased.

Wrote a full review with images at:

http://homepage.eircom.net/~seanryan/Pages/xbox360%20gaming.htm

Database manager with Bsc in computing, who writes screenplays and studying Msc. Movie, games and screenplay work @ http://www.seansshack.com

Super Dragon Ball Z Review

Writen by David Allison

There are those that are thankful that the Dragon Ball Z series continues to continue, and there are those that wonder how the hell it can continue since it doesn't seem to evolve. There really is no need to wonder anymore my friend. As long as the first group I mentioned continues to buy the continued series, the series will continue to continue. How many more Dragon Ball Z games can we expect in the future? To be continued…

Those that do appreciate Super Dragon Ball Z don't need any excuses. They are a diehard bunch that won't be satisfied with just any old fighting game. Even if they aren't into the whole anime thing, Super Dragon Ball Z is built on a solid fighting platform that few games can match. It doesn't have all of the bells and whistles such as tons of different modes and unlockables that a lot of games rely on, but fans appreciate this game for what it has and that seems to be good enough for them.

It's not enough for me however and while I can appreciate the responsive controls and the depth of combat, the game lacks magic. I want more than just a fighting game, in fact, I demand more. Dragon Ball was already established as a great fighting game years ago but little has changed with the series since the start of the millennium. You could almost say that some things have regressed with this title. There isn't as much combat depth as was seen in some of the earlier titles, even though this version is taking a slightly new course and focusing more on close-range combat. You would expect more moves with such a format but moves such as counters and reversals are the exception and not the rule.

In all there are 18 characters. A dozen of them have been ported from the arcade version and six are exclusive to the console version. Goku and Gohan are back, of course, and you can also expect the androids, but no particular character stands out in terms of personality or ability. The ability issue I can understand because you can upgrade each character much like an RPG, but the lack of personality is unforgivable. Did the developers think that we're already too familiar with the characters and that anything further would be overkill? Imagine overkill in a Dragon Ball Z game. Ridiculous, I know.

Using the core of a particular character you can upgrade him by acquiring moves with points that you are awarded in combat. This will give you some flexibility with the characters but you can end up with the same result regardless of which character that you begin with. The moves are basic and the super moves are relatively easy to pull off. The combos require some quick button configurations which gives the combat more depth than your average button masher. With the trend toward more close-range combat you will spend less time in the air doing aerial combat, and the two main combatants will be within striking distance of each other so there will be more a focus on fists and feet than long-ranged power beams. You also won't see a lot of the dramatic, special attack animation that has been a staple of the game and cartoon series. Super Dragon Ball Z attempts to distance itself from the cartoon by paying homage to the comic book style which is a little more mature, which means it's less colorful and over-the-top.

The 3D environments can be used strategically for cover. They are interactive and destructible and add some more dimension to the gameplay as they add multiple levels that you can jump up to or down from. The collision detection system however makes things a bit messy. You will hit the odd invisible wall that hinders your movements and occasionally you'll get trapped between these planes and find that you can't attack your opponent even though they can attack you.

Regarding the AI in the single-player mode, you won't be disappointed by how convincingly they are programmed. They put up a good fight that is natural and best of all, unpredictable. Each character has some special attribute that is exploited. It's not enough to give them a nuanced personality; they become a stereotype, or caricature of a character. The two-player mode is more than just the icing on the cake, it's the main ingredient. The single-player mode is just a prelude to the multi-player mode, but only if you can find a worth adversary. Playing against someone that lacks the passion will be an agonizing experience. You'll find yourself yearning for the challenge of the single-player mode.

The music is an amalgam of remixed old and new tunes. The sound effects are decent but nothing special. The voiceovers are functional but do little to further the plot or define the characters.

Overall Super Dragon Ball Z would be best described as "slightly different" than "new and improved." Not everyone will agree that this is a waste of money but be sure to rent it first if you have any doubts.

Check out Cheat Code Central's full review of Super Dragon Ball Z, which includes our scores and screen shots for the game. For tons more reviews, previews, and cheats for PS2, Xbox, PC, Xbox 360, GameCube, PSP, DS, GBA, and more, check out Cheat Code Central.

New Online Slot Machine Games From Microgaming

Writen by Gregory DeVictor

The 3 major software providers for the online gambling industry are Microgaming, Realtime Gaming, and Playtech. Microgaming was the first software company and has been the market leader ever since. Over the past two years, Microgaming has launched over 50 new slot machine games, each with its own unique theme. This article summarizes 5 of these new slot games, including Mermaids Millions, Cabin Fever, Major Millions 5-reel progressive slots, Cashville, and Bush Telegraph.

Mermaids Millions is a 5-reel, 15-pay-line video slot machine with an oceanic theme. There are plenty of mermaids, treasure chests, sea horses, and even King Neptune himself. Two or more King Neptune symbols on the pay-line create winning combinations. Two symbols pay out $2, three symbols pay out $500, four symbols pay out $2,000, and all five King Neptune symbols pay out $7,500.

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, Cabin Fever is a game that might appeal to you. Cabin Fever is 5-reel, 20-pay-line video slot machine with the theme of winter. The minimum coin size is 1¢, which makes the game appealing to low rollers. Two or more Wild Blizzard symbols on the pay-line create winning combinations. Two symbols pay out $15, three symbols pay out $100, four symbols pay out $1,000, and all five Wild Blizzard symbols pay out $5,000.

The 5-reel version of Major Millions complements the original 3-reel version. Major Millions, with a jackpot starting at $250,000, is by far the largest progressive slot on the web. Major Millions is the only progressive slot that has ever paid out jackpots exceeding $1,000,000. Your win the jackpot if you hit 5 Major Millions symbols on the 15th pay-line.

Cashville is a 5-reel, 20 pay-line video slot machine that has the theme of success and old money. Cashville now has the largest "non-progressive" payouts of any slot machine on the net. Two or more Wild symbols on the pay-line create winning combinations. Two symbols pay out $4, three symbols pay out $180, four symbols pay out $1,500, and all five Wild symbols pay out a whopping $50,000.

Originating in Australia, Bush Telegraph is a 5-reel, 15-pay-line video slot machine with a game park theme. Now one of the most popular online slot games, Bush Telegraph accepts coins from 1¢ up to $1.00. Two or more Wild Bush symbols on the pay-line create winning combinations. Two symbols pay out $5, three symbols pay out $200, four symbols pay out $2,000, and all five Wild Bush symbols pay out $7,500.

Whether you play slot machines online or blackjack in Vegas, remember to only gamble with the money that you can afford to lose. Don't exceed your spending limit should you lose, and never gamble when you are tired or irritable. By following these simple rules of gambling, your casino experience - online or at a land-based casino - will be more enjoyable.

Gregory DeVictor is a consultant who has been developing and marketing web sites since 1999. You can learn more about slot machines at: www.Slot-Machines.name

Uav Geobat Balloon Radar Decoy Strategies

Writen by Lance Winslow

A GeoBat small UAV might be the perfect platform for an enemy radar decoy and disruption balloon concept. A swarm of GeoBat UAVs could be hand launched and sent into enemy territory and travel using tiny amounts of fuel. Please read this report first:

http://worldthinktank.net/wttbbs/index.php?showtopic=387

The GeoBat would fly into the enemy's area and land in water or land. If it landed in water it would sink itself using a small hook and fishing line to take it below the surface of the water and anchor itself floating in the water. In the wings of the GeoBat would be a deployable balloon, which would inflate via satellite command and the GeoBat would surface in the water and float up into the sky or arise from the land where it last landed. The balloon would be made of thin aluminum foil and contain a gas which was used to inflate the GeoBat stored in a small compressed tube on board.

As the GeoBats floated into the air they would register many different signatures on the radar, which would be quite significant depending on the swarm, each rising to a relatively random height and floating with the wind. The GeoBats could be turned off and on, rising and lowering, deflating and re-inflating over and over again. They can even start up the motor and fly around in any direction needed, overwhelming the enemy. Attached to the GeoBats would be any number of sensors based on the mission needs, such as video feed, sonar altitude controls, whistlers, etc. These units would have a Tiny OS - Operating System, which could be pinged by the satellite to do various tasks, easy yes or no, one or zero commands.

A small pulse of sound could emit inside the balloon to make the enemy radars blink on and off, simultaneously or all at once. With this amount of disruption there would be no way to tell what is what. In a planned attack of a large region they could fly to their intended points prior and in many locations surrounding the region. A set of complex schemes and tactics could render the enemy in a disrupted and chaotic state, making them hesitate, second guess equipment, make mistakes and generally causing the human operated command and control center to become relatively useless as a serious of Smart Munitions zero in and are launched at key pre-designated targets.

Lance Winslow

The Perfect Golf Swing

Writen by David Fishman

Trying to achieve the perfect golf swing, believe it or not it is well within your ability, even if you are a just started playing golf. Executing the perfect golf swing is a difficult feat and doing it consistently is even harder to accomplish. How you start out learning the mechanics of the perfect golf swing is crucial. The perfect golf swing is the one that is effortless through good technique. If you break down the golf swing both mechanically and physically you will see that the body goes many turns and pivots to create the perfect golf swing. The proper or perfect golf swing is really a study in physics. Indeed the perfect golf swing is every golfer's goal and dream. Golfer's believes the perfect golf swing is a myth, but it is attainable all you need to do is practice the basics until the swing becomes second nature.

Practicing creates muscle memory to develop a perfect golf swing. If you do, you'll develop your perfect golf swing and realize the wonderful rewards that the game of golf returns in a much sooner fashion. As a beginner you want to develop the right foundation. There are many training aids available to help you develop a good golf swing. Every golfer appears ready to do anything to develop more power in his/her golf swing. When playing golf on the golf course, and you develop a golf slice, here are three easy ways to improve the horrible left-to-right slice shot. It is just a matter of wanting to develop that skill to the fullest potential. If you have the right swing you will develop an excellent golf game. By seeing your own swing plane in action you could rapidly develop the perfect golf swing. A consistent position helps develop a repeatable swing.

Or are you more serious, do you want to develop your game to a higher level. It is actually impossible to play a good game of golf without being able to execute an effective golf swing. Thankfully, there are sufficient programs available which can really promote your game to the next level. Close to a million people are looking for assist with their golf game each month. Improve your golf game by analyzing your current golf swing from all angles. In fact any strength exercise will have an impact on the golf game. It is the same when you develop a psychology for your golf game. These easy golf putting tips will help to improve your golf game score and experience. To really improve your golf game you need to start with an open mind. In the game of golf, no two people ever have the same golf swing. Practice your golfing skills and improve your overall game with our practice golf balls.

You'd be amazed at how quickly you can improve your golf swing and game with this approach. The inside approach is another great golf training aid to help improve any golf swing. But more avid players are always trying to improve their swing and overall game. These easy golf putting tips will help to improve your golf game score and experience. Improve your distance and accuracy. Your distance and accuracy will improve after only a few trips to the range. Not to mention the fact that you will improve your overall golf game. You can improve your swing, your putting, and your shot. If you want to improve your game, it might be a good idea to get some golf instruction.

The perfect golf swing is what we all aspire to attain. To execute the perfect golf swing is not easy especially when trying to do it consistently. Indeed the perfect golf swing is every golfer's goal and dream isn't it.

David Marc Fishman is the owner of tipsquad.com. The new how to via video

The Video Game From Hell Is It Taking Your Child To The Devil

Writen by Lance Winslow

Video games have been becoming progressively more violent and filled with more and more sex. Most parents would agree that this cannot possibly be a positive thing for the adolescent and often impressionable teenage brain. And just when you thought it could not get any worse. Now there is a video game from hell, actually straight to hell. One very concerned parent states in an online think tank;

"There is even a game that the object is to go down into the 9 levels of hell. Every fibre of my being screams 'run the other way you fool!' Who in their right mind would WANT to go into Hell?!? Anyway, in that game, the gamer must kill everyone they come in contact with, steal whatever that character has and keep going downward."

Indeed but who created hell anyway? Humans who wanted to religiously enslave the masses and thus if a little human fears hell and can conquer that fear, then think of that. That could be considered a good thing, but you bring up a good point, why bother allowing kids to play such ridiculous games anyway? Good point. Yet the concerned parent will not be swayed that easily and continues in stating;

"By the time they get to the 9th level (ostensibly to kill the devil), they have become his without realizing it."

Ah the irony of the Good and Evil debate at last. Well we may as well address this too then. Perhaps at the end of the game is the best lesson of all then. Be careful what you wish for? And be careful what you label. But isn't that indeed a life lesson, we all learn? Might be nice to learn such while one is young. Yet, indeed there are much better ways to do it. Shouldn't all parents take an interest in learning what sort of video games their children are playing? Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

The Excitement About Gaming

Writen by Robert Emler

Gaming today has come a long way. The gaming technology today is giving the games a whole new perspective. Because of the gaming technology more and more people today are finding gaming to be more existing and challenging.

The Games today have much better graphics. It's a lot different then the old square faced figures running around a jagged edged for ground. The graphics in today's games give the games a more movie like look. Making the games more like a video or life like, and being able to interact in the movie.

The first person shooter games and the role playing games have made the biggest impact on the gaming industry. These games have far exceeded there expectations in the gaming world, and are getting better and better with the increasing technology.

Online gaming is more popular today then ever before. The experience of going head to head with people all over the world makes the games more intense and challenging. It's the online gaming that really sparks the interest of the gaming world. The battle of wits, going head to head gives you the ability to challenge yourself to think harder and faster in the game. The nature of every person in the world is to become better.

The gaming industries, I have to say in the least have made remarkable advances in the gaming world. In my opinion the gaming industry has only hit the tip of the ice burg, if you will. I believe as the technology grows the games, and gaming world will grow with it. This can only give the gaming industries a positive out come for the future.

Robert Emler. I like gaming. It's a great hobby as well as very entertaining. And it's a great way to spend the winter months when trapped inside. For more about games and gamers you can go to. http://extreamgamers.com or conact me at bob29tie@neo.rr.com

The Newest And Hottest Playstation Games

Writen by Dakota Caudilla

One of the hottest PlayStation game to hit the shops is King Kong. Well, technically, the PlayStation game is not out yet because the creators are still in the midst of ironing out some creases but so far, a lot of people who have played the demo and beta versions already have raving reviews about it. And while the creators of the PlayStation game is still cleaning out the bugs in the PlayStation game, moviegoers are waiting with bated breath for the movie to come out.

It's funny that in the ever-changing world of PlayStation, an old game like Tomb Raider is still popular among its fans. But this probably has something to do with the fact that there are constant updates to the Tomb Raider games and the intensity remains high even if you have played the PlayStation games a thousand times over. The latest version of Tomb Raider is the Tomb Raider Legend and living up to its reputation, Tomb Raider Legend is still all about lovely girls, muscular men, exotic landscape and location and challenging levels to get through.

The Warriors is another exciting game that has caught the attention of PlayStation fans. With the PlayStation game, you're actually playing it before what actually happens in the movie itself. This 3 months lapse gives you enough time to get to know the characters better and see how the Warriors actually evolved into what they are in the movie. There's a lot of investment in this PlayStation game because they even got some of the original actors from the movie to do the voices, which makes it all the more interesting and realistic.

Although the original God of War was very popular, the hybrid follow-up version of it is doing even better than the original one. It's been said that the new version of God of War is even more realistic, following along the lines of Devil May Cry, Castlevania and Prince of Persia. The setting is Ancient Greece, this game has a very strong storyline and captivating characters to keep players totally engrossed for hours (maybe even days) on end.

With the success of Spyro, it makes sense for Insomniac Games (the creator) to come up with another similar game that is (hopefully) more successful and yes, they have one out called Ratchet & Clank. So far, after hitting the market, Ratchet & Clank creators have been rolling around in money because of the sales…PlayStation fans just love it!

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.coolest-gaming.com on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

How To Download Mp3 Music To Your Psp

Writen by Greg Duncan

Have you had trouble trying to get your MP3 music onto your PSP? The PSP is capable of playing not only games, but music and movies, and the MP3s from your computer. But you will need to know how to do it. It is really not too hard to download MP3 music from your PC to your PSP. Here is a free simple tutorial that should help you do this:

1.) You are going to need a lot of free space. Why? The original 32 MB stick just won't cut it. If you want to download large quantities of music or watch movies, you'll need a memory stick with more free space. I would recommend 256 Megs of free space at least.

2.) If your PSP did not come with the free USB cable, (in the case that you bought the "PSP Value Pack," then you'll need to buy one of these. Some PSP packs come with these for free. But these can be found practically any place that supplies the PSP.

3.) Plug your PSP into your PC with the USB cable, and plug your PSP into a power outlet. On the PSP go to the "settings" menu and press the "USB Connection" button. Your PC should tell you that its found a new removable device.

5.) If you want to download MP3s from your cds, you'll need a cd ripper. You can find one for free on the net.

6.) Open up windows explorer and there should be a new driver listed. Explore this drive and find the folder called MUSIC.

7.) In this file just drop any music in MP3 format. If the file is in MP3 format, it will download to your PSP with no problem at all. If you download iTunes music, you won't be able to use it because it is in a different format, unless you convert these files to MP3.

8.) That's how easy is it is to download MP3 music onto your PSP! Simple enough?

Greg Duncan is a PSP user and enthusiast. Click Here for Sony PSP Music, MP3s, Movies, and other downloads and free resources

Sonic Versus Mario

Writen by Steve Stuchlik

Even though Mario is ten years older, a very good case can be made for Sonic, when it comes to the title of "Most Popular Video Game Character" of ALL TIME!! Let look at the "Tale of the Tape":

Sonic from Sega, is a blue anthropomorphic (changes shape) hedgehog with the ability to run faster than the speed of sound; his talent for speed forms a large part of the game play of the series. He is 15 years old. Sonic has been described as being "like the wind." He is noted for being heroic, adventurous, and free-spirited. He enjoys relaxation, but is never one to rest in the face of injustice. He is extremely benevolent, and would willingly put himself at risk for others, taking on any challenge that confronts him without hesitation. Throughout his 15 years of existence, Sonic has never been linked to any job he is always collecting jewelry, so access to funds is not a problem for him.

Mario from Nintendo, now at the ripe old age of 25, is more of a "George Foreman" type, Mario is always portrayed as being a kind-hearted and brave hero. He helps those in need without any hesitation. Despite his status as a great hero, Mario is very humble. His cheerful personality and love of life make him a very approachable video game character. He also has a love of pasta and pizza, as the stereotypical Italian does. Mario is suppose to be a plumber by trade, but in all his years I don't recall him ever working on any "plumbing" jobs, but always in the "rescue business" saving princess' or Mushroom kingdoms from Large "Dino" type animals.

Based on these descriptions, they appear to have more in common than one might originally have thought.

Sonic's speed would be his biggest asset in a match up with Mario while Mario counters with his tremendous jumping ability and Mario also carries a BIG HAMMER. Maybe this should be a "Steel Cage" match? LOL

Mario counters with his experience and his "jumping ability" which would be the deciding factor I believe in this battle, as he would continue to stomp on Sonic's head. Now on to the "Game breakdown":

MARIO
1. Donkey Kong
2. Mario Bros
3. Super Mario Bros
4. Super Mario Bros 2
5. Super Mario Land
6. Super Mario Bros 3
7. Super Mario World
8. Super Mario Land 2
9. Super Mario Land 3
10. Super Mario Bros DX

SONIC
1. Sonic the Hedgehog
2. Sonic 2
3. Sonic 3
4. Sonic & Knuckles
5. Sonic CD
6. Sonic 3D Blast
7. Sonic Adventure
8. Sonic Adventure 2
9. Sonic Hero's
10. Sonic Spinball

After reviewing the above "tale of the tape", it is my conclusion that the winner of a contest between these two behemoths would be Mario by a Knock Out. I believe that his perseverance and stamina would wear down Sonic and render Sonic's one advantage (his speed) worthless.

How To Put Music On To A Psp

Writen by Emma Drosy

How to put music on to a PSP: If you want to know how to put music on to a PSP, you probably need to follow the following steps. If you have a Sony make PSP unit, and you need to know how to put music on to a PSP from your window PC, you require a USB cable for joining your PSP to your window PC and you can get this cable within ten dollar from your neighborhood shop.

Once you have attached your PSP from the window PC, use left right directional or up down buttons to locate and find USB connection and press the home button on PSP. Once you press the X button that is round in shape and X is marked on the round shape button, you get communication from your PSP and if you have followed all the right steps the LCD display will show USB connection. You will simultaneously receive communication from your window PC that will detect the USB device and your PC will also show you a hard drive.

Now once your PC detects the new generic hard drive, click on the new drive letter and create a new folder on this new hard drive. You can name the folder as pspmusic or music and copy all the relevant mp3 files to this folder. Once you have completed the copying of mp3 files into the folder, press the O button on the PSP. Now disconnect the USB mode and you are ready with the music on your PSP.

You should take a note that the window media formats of .wma or .wmv should be converted into mp3 before putting these files to your PSP, as the operating system firmware of PSP does not support most of these old format files. Although, the manufacturer Sony provides an Image converter that is capable of converting all music with the use of very simple interface and manages the transfer.

Now you can use the left right arrows or up down arrows to find memory stick. You can choose the specific folder and you will find the music you put on to your PSP. These were the simple steps for you to know how you can put music on to a PSP and if you still have any doubt, you can ask more details from your PSP supplier.

Good Luck Putting Music on Your PSP!!

http://www.PSPdownloadheaven.com - For more info About PSP downloads

Top Psp Download Sites Psp Download Software Review Psp Homebrew Guide

Writen by Troy Harbour

With technology advancing so quick everyone is crazy about video games. It is now possible to download games and put them on your PSP. The days of spending $50.00 a game are over. Now all you need is a few pieces of software, a memory stick, a download subscription, and you can have a PSP ready to have games uploaded to it.

The new concept for video game downloads is awesome. You no longer have to run out to the store to get the latest and greatest when you can just download them from your subscription site. Not only can you play the new hits you can play old games with emulators. I have seen Super Mario Brothers on one of the sites I subscribe to.

The steps to get homebrew applications are fairly simple.

1. get Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
2. get the loader
3. format memory card
4. download homebrew apps
5. install apps
6. run them.

These are very simple steps. If you are interested in how to download games or how to get homebrew running, visit: http://www.scamauthority.com/psp They locate all of the top download sites for you that have the best and latest downloads for music, movies, and games!

www.scamauthority.com/psp

They even have a homebrew guide.

Troy is an experienced IT network administrator. He handles the networks of 3 small offices for private insurance agencies. In his spare time he writes articles and likes to find new ways of earning secondary income. Currently he has found success with PPC campaigns. He wrote this article for any of those parents who want to get unlimited games for their kids without having to spend a lot of money on each game.

Road To Riches In The World Of Warcraft Get The Gold

Writen by Paul E. Web

If the saying that "money makes the world go round" is true, then it's no different in the World of Warcraft. Much similar to the American economy, the money of choice in World of Warcraft is bronze, silver and gold. In WoW 100 bronze is equal to 1 silver and 100 silver is equal to 1 gold with gold being the main form of currency. Acquiring gold in World of Warcraft is easy, killing a few monsters and selling the items that drop off them can easily earn you a few silver.

Most players don't even bother dealing with bronze as it's value is so minuscule. It's like having loose change in your pocket. By the time you reach level 40, gold and silver become an important factor in your game play. In order to make your player stronger, you'll need to aquire armour, weapons and trinkets, that can be bought for gold or silver.

Buying World of Warcraft gold has become a popular way to acquire gold the easy way. It's rather simple...you find a reputable gold seller, pay him real money and they send you WoW gold in-game. It's become quite a lucrative venue for gold farmers. But gold buyers need to beware of this fast and easy method of acquiring gold, as it comes with some risk. Not only do you have to trust the company selling you the gold, but Blizzard also frowns upon this practice. If you happen to get caught buying gold, your account and all relating accounts (your gold provider) will be permanently banned. You will not be banned immediately, but your name will be placed on a ban list that will be put into effect on the next patch.

With this in mind, how do we go about accummulating the WoW gold to equip our players? Farming WoW gold is the easiest legitimate way to aquire gold. Several guides have been written on how to go about farming World of Warcraft gold, but basically farming gold is to kill mobs in a certain area that has a high chance to drop items of value. These items can then be sold for gold to players who may be in need of them.

World of Warcraft is filled with many farmers. Some of these players are hired to farm gold to be sold on websites, others are "bots" a scripted program that will play the game for a player, killing and looting for hours upon hours. There is no way to remove these players, but you can report them to Blizzard with the red question mark on your user interface.

Another method to acquire gold is to use the Auction House. Items that you have accumulated during your travels may listed here for sale. Before listing an item at the Auction House, you need to determine it's value. Check out the demand (what a player may be willing to pay for that item). Another factor is the rarity of the item. Items that are really rare sell for alot more. The level of the item will also determine it's price as higher level items sell for a greater amount.

Instances are another source to acquire gold. Instances drops many of the Bind On Pickup Blues. An Enchanter would be able to disenchant these items and selling the resources to Enchanters at the Auction House for a larger profit. By the same token you could also enchant an item before selling it. Good luck in your farming of gold in Azeroth, we hope you find many rare drops that will soon make you rich in the World of Warcraft.

Copyright (c) 2006, by Paul E. Web This article may be freely distributed as long as the copyright, author's information and live link with anchored text is published with the article:

Paul E. Web is the webmaster and publisher of RPGVaults.com which is an online RPG resource with articles and tips on acquiring World of Warcraft gold along with other RPG guides.

Free Bingo Games

Writen by Thomas Morva

Bingo games are a popular pastime. No matter what race or color you are, bingo games can hold an appeal to you. This is the reason why communities often organize bingo games to get the people in the neighborhood to mingle and get to know each other better.

Playing bingo is, however, considered gambling. Profit companies that organize bingo games are regulated by the government. But playing the game does not necessarily have to pull you into gambling. If you are not the gambling type, you may still experience the fun and thrill of bingo gaming with your friends and family. Organize your own backyard bingo games!

Bingo game sets are available in most bookstores and gaming stores. You can organize one for pure fun and fellowship. You can get your kids to play the game alongside adults and the elderly. It can generate more interaction and sharpness of the mind among them. Most communities also organize free bingo games to get the people together. Bingo games are also available for free online.

Free bingo games online are often sponsored by casinos and bingo halls. The free games are intended to orient new bingo gamers about the rules and procedures of the games. As these do not requirement payment, joining free online bingo gaming is open to all.

Free bingo games are ideal for people who just love the game and would like to entertain themselves. Free bingo games are good pastimes. They not only exercise the alertness of the mind, but they are also free.

Even without the large cash prizes, these free bingo games are still exciting and fun to play. Online free bingo games usually put up dummy amounts to be won by the players. Even when the prize is just virtual money, the players who are from different locations still get pumped up with excitement over the thought of just winning.

Free Bingo provides detailed information on Free Bingo, Free Bingo Games, Free Online Bingo, Play Free Bingo and more. Free Bingo is affiliated with Bingo Supplies.

Nintendo Revolution Controller Gimmick Or Innovation

Writen by Ron Swerdfiger

I always find it amusing that the word "gimmick" is slapped on Nintendo innovations in gaming while companies like Microsoft and Sony who actually add gimmicks that have nothing to do with gaming such as media functions to play music and video never seem to be labeled with the same term

With the unveiling of the Nintendo Revolution Controller earlier this year, many people have expressed their skepticism. Some people feel that the controller lacks practically and will not be able to function effectively with games, while more harsh critics believe the controller is nothing more than a gimmick.

The company that tries to improve or innovate gaming is not a "gimmick". A "gimmick" is adding features that have nothing to do with gaming.

Wikipedia defines a gimmick as a "unique or quirky special feature that makes something "stand out" from its contemporaries. Product gimmicks are sometimes considered mere novelties, and not really that relevant to the product's functioning."

It is no secret that there are more people using the PSP as a media player instead of a portable gaming console. Even in PSP television ads, Sony stresses how the console is so much more than just a hand held gaming system. Is the PS2 adding DVD playing functionality; is that a gimmick? The Xbox 360 is adding Media Center extension from a PC; is that a gimmick?

Moreover Nintendo have taken many risks in developing technology, - light guns, power-pad, power-glove, Game Boy, virtual boy, DS, Nintendo 64 controller, etc.

Some failed horribly, while others completely changed the market, but the important thing is that Nintendo has tried to develop new ways to entertain us. This is much more than you can say for Microsoft who has admittedly and repeatedly waited for others companies to experience the financial pains of innovation and then copied them when there was a proven market - DOS, Windows, Xbox etc. The bottom line is, these companies will simply never take the risks Nintendo is willing to.

Of course Nintendo is attempting to make a profit, but it is pretty apparent that they also have an interest in innovation and creating products which are fun and entertaining.

Developing products in a proven market is just good business. But we have to remember that at one point, risks are taken in order to develop new products. Most often in the video game industry, Nintendo is the one taking the risks.

For more news, check out our Xbox 360 site or our PS3 News site.

Cisco Looking At The Growing Gaming Market

Writen by Ron Swerdfiger

Could it possibly be that the gaming legend known as Nintendo could be bought out? Rumors ran rampant in previous years with other companies, including Microsoft, considering a possible buyout of the famous company. However, none has received as much coverage as the most recent announcement from CNET that Cisco could possibly take over the gaming giant.

Apparently, Cisco is looking to enter the gaming and entertainment world and enter it with a bang. There have been talks of Nintendo biting the dust since the Revolution is expected to sell poorly, but strong Nintendo DS sales, especially in Japan, have told the opposite story of Despite that, it still appears as if Cisco is still prodding and considering the possibility of taking over Nintendo.

In terms of acquisition, is Nintendo a stretch? As CNET points out, not really. Microsoft, who have been an increasingly dominate competitor in the video game industry, have proved that gaming and broadband are a perfect fit. In that regard, it would make since that Cicro would want to own their own consoles to compete in the growing market, while at the same time providing additional traffic to their growing network.

Although talks and considerations are still very early and nothing is concrete, it does appear as if the possibility is there. Could it finally be the end of the era of Nintendo? Who knows.

For more news, check out our Xbox 360 site or our PS3 site.

Video Game Image Capturing And Road Strategies Considered

Writen by Lance Winslow

As video games become more and more popular we see a greater demand for more virtual reality based interfacing. The cartoon video games are a lot of fun, but in the future if they are to hold the interest of the gamer they will need to be more like real life. This means more real footage must be taken and interfaced with the game.

Since some of the most popular video games are car racing, motorcycle racing and vehicle contests, it makes sense to use video game image capturing strategies in the real world, on the real roads in order to put all this into the video game. For motorcycle racing video games it makes sense to put video cameras on the helmet of a rider or on a post right above the riders head and run through several canyons and high-speed turns in order to capture the video images needed.

It also makes sense to start out from some place like San Francisco and then head up Highway 50 over the mountains into Nevada and then across into Utah. Then it makes sense to go from there to Las Vegas and over the dam to Route 66 and up over the mountains through New Mexico. In fact wouldn't it be nice to have a motorcycle video, which was like a cannonball run from San Francisco to Miami or even to Key West Florida?

All this could be done on a small motorcycle such as a Honda Hurricane 600 (CBR 600), which sits lower to the ground. The whole thing could be filmed for about $25,000 and the footage could be used for the most awesome video game around (yes I have the business plan completed). It might also serve as footage for a virtual reality high-performance motorcycle training simulator. Please consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow, a retired entrepreneur, adventurer, modern day philosopher and perpetual tourist.

The Matrix Online Revolutions

Writen by Daniel Robson

Released to lukewarm reviews in March of 2005, 'The Matrix Online' was overshadowed on release by it's Goblin bashing rival 'World of Warcraft'. Most of those who joined the game through the 'friends and family' program complained of massive server instability, game crippling bugs and latency shooting through the roof. Soon all that were left were those sold a dream and a promise, waiting and praying that someone or something would come along and fulfil the games true potential. And now it looks like their hopes might, just might, not have been in vain.

In July 2005 Sony Online Entertainment finalised a deal with Monolith Productions, the original creators of The Matrix Online, to purchase both the game itself and the rights to an MMORPG based on the Marvel Superhero comics. Many characterised this as a cynical ploy on the behalf of Monolith, 'Buy one license to create a successful MMORPG get another failing one free', if you will. But in the six short months that SOE have had control over the game they have shown a refreshing attitude towards it. Removing much of the bloat and cruft of the Monolith team (although necessitating the sad loss of the Live Event Team) has left them with a stripped down development team who are pouring their hearts and souls into fixing bugs, broken game mechanics and long running issues; in addition to which they are also adding new content to the poor fare currently on offer.

The new development team has shown its colours in several encouraging ways thus far. The addition of "Pandora's Box", high level content which binds all the individual elements of the game with a compelling team-based storyline was seen as a boon by everyone; giving high level characters s reason to team up and low levels something to strive for. The lot of low level characters has also been improved since SOE took over. Recent 'district reflows' in the Slums and Barrens areas have resulted n a far more coherent start to the game, with mobs scaling in difficulty the further south a player ventures. The addition of an introductory trail of collectors adds to the already present tutorial, easing the newer players in while explaining important game concept to them. These collectors also provide the new players with reasonably buffed clothing, an improvement over the unbuffed gear the character creation process provides them.

The relationship between the SOE team and the community has certainly been improved recently. On the Forums Walrus, Rarebit, HCFrog and NoRepro are all getting stuck in, with Walrus' community broadcasts and Rarebit's 'ask the devs an MxO question' threads being particular highlights. The development team themselves are supported by an excellent array of Forum mods, including Penguin, Steelrose, Ryujin and Serenity. In-game too 'Live Event' activity has been stepped up a notch. Sightings of the Merovingian, the Oracle doling out cookies and Seraph duelling lucky players are getting more numerous as the team starts to get back into the swing of things. These impromptu appearances are often sparked by events the players dreamt up themselves; the Merovingian tends to gatecrash private parties, for instance.

However the most exciting development at the moment is the imminent 'combat revision', or 'CU 2.0'. Those familiar with SOE's handling of the combat revision for 'Starwars Galaxies', and their more recent NGE for the same, may be shuddering in horror right now; and indeed many veteran players are declaring this their make or break moment. However what little has been seen so far is encouraging. The removal of Zero Sum combat allows groups of lower level players to take on a far higher level NPC and win, while the addition of a second hotbar to the user interface is welcomed by most players.

Other element such as the tuning down of hackers (The Mage equivalent) and the addition of Melee Free Fire look very promising. Indeed in the brief period that the test servers have been on-line, many players have expressed delight at the way in which Martial Artists and Gunmen play a much larger role in the game, and how surprisingly well the Free Fire Melee fits with the current 'Interlock System'.

Released to lukewarm reviews in March of 2005, 'The Matrix Online' was overshadowed on release by it's Goblin bashing rival 'World of Warcraft'. Most of those who joined the game through the 'friends and family' program complained of massive server instability, game crippling bugs and latency shooting through the roof. Soon all that were left were those sold a dream and a promise, waiting and praying that someone or something would come along and fulfil the games true potential. And now it looks like their hopes might, just might, not have been in vain.

In July 2005 Sony Online Entertainment finalised a deal with Monolith Productions, the original creators of The Matrix Online, to purchase both the game itself and the rights to an MMORPG based on the Marvel Superhero comics. Many characterised this as a cynical ploy on the behalf of Monolith, 'Buy one license to create a successful MMORPG get another failing one free', if you will. But in the six short months that SOE have had control over the game they have shown a refreshing attitude towards it. Removing much of the bloat and cruft of the Monolith team (although necessitating the sad loss of the Live Event Team) has left them with a stripped down development team who are pouring their hearts and souls into fixing bugs, broken game mechanics and long running issues; in addition to which they are also adding new content to the poor fare currently on offer.

The new development team has shown its colours in several encouraging ways thus far. The addition of "Pandora's Box", high level content which binds all the individual elements of the game with a compelling team-based storyline was seen as a boon by everyone; giving high level characters s reason to team up and low levels something to strive for. The lot of low level characters has also been improved since SOE took over. Recent 'district reflows' in the Slums and Barrens areas have resulted n a far more coherent start to the game, with mobs scaling in difficulty the further south a player ventures. The addition of an introductory trail of collectors adds to the already present tutorial, easing the newer players in while explaining important game concept to them. These collectors also provide the new players with reasonably buffed clothing, an improvement over the unbuffed gear the character creation process provides them.

The relationship between the SOE team and the community has certainly been improved recently. On the Forums Walrus, Rarebit, HCFrog and NoRepro are all getting stuck in, with Walrus' community broadcasts and Rarebit's 'ask the devs an MxO question' threads being particular highlights. The development team themselves are supported by an excellent array of Forum mods, including Penguin, Steelrose, Ryujin and Serenity. In-game too 'Live Event' activity has been stepped up a notch. Sightings of the Merovingian, the Oracle doling out cookies and Seraph duelling lucky players are getting more numerous as the team starts to get back into the swing of things. These impromptu appearances are often sparked by events the players dreamt up themselves; the Merovingian tends to gatecrash private parties, for instance.

However the most exciting development at the moment is the imminent 'combat revision', or 'CU 2.0'. Those familiar with SOE's handling of the combat revision for 'Starwars Galaxies', and their more recent NGE for the same, may be shuddering in horror right now; and indeed many veteran players are declaring this their make or break moment. However what little has been seen so far is encouraging. The removal of Zero Sum combat allows groups of lower level players to take on a far higher level NPC and win, while the addition of a second hotbar to the user interface is welcomed by most players.

Other element such as the tuning down of hackers (The Mage equivalent) and the addition of Melee Free Fire look very promising. Indeed in the brief period that the test servers have been on-line, many players have expressed delight at the way in which Martial Artists and Gunmen play a much larger role in the game, and how surprisingly well the Free Fire Melee fits with the current 'Interlock System'.

The most important thing for the community, however, is a statement issued by Rarebit in answer to a question by "Talauntiar" . He declared that:

"I'm going to jump ahead and answer this one, because I think it's very important. In fact, I asked out producer the same question in a full team meeting two days ago. His answer was that if after all the testing and tweaking and bug fixing that we can possibly do, you guys as a group still aren't comfortable with the revamped combat system, then we drop it and move on. That's it."

Although still early days yet, the future is looking bright for this much maligned game. The hope among the players is that once the game is in a fit state to be played that it will be re-released with the full force of SOE's marketing department behind it. Backing up this hope is the news that boxed copies have recently been recalled from all shops; potentially for a rebranding by SOE before a big marketing push once the Combat Upgrade goes live. Though The Matrix Online has recently come through some dark and shaky times, it truly looks as if it may, at long last, be finding it's feet.

This article was written by Daniel Robson, part of the "Halfwit Game Reviews" team. You can find out more about us at: http://www.shock-therapy.org/games.htm

Downloadable Game Review Diner Dash

Writen by Keith Blake

Playvue.com Editor's Rating: 8.0

Storyline

Diner Dash brings us the story of Flo, an office lackey fed up with the monotonous, unchanging pressures of everyday life and work in the big city. Thus she hucks everything out the window and runs off to find something better to do with her life. As it turns out, that is starting a restaurant chain in suburban America.

We are taken right into her quest as a restaurateur as Flo herself; an energetic, enthusiastic owner who fulfills every role from hostess to server, bartender and busboy (thankfully, cooking is provided by a overworked dark figure behind the counter).

Beginning with her very first diner, and ending with an upscale surf and turf joint, we take on Flo's every activity; seating her guests, handing out menu's, delivering breadsticks, taking and delivering orders (not to mention cocktails), clearing tables, and seating the next guests. All this in the pursuit of money with which to improve her existing restaurants or even open up a new one!

Navigation

The navigation is easy enough to pick up on the first try; it's point and click (click on a dirty table, she runs over and clears it, click on table awaiting their food, she delivers it from the counter). This does get quite challenging in the later levels where it becomes necessary to click on other activities while Flo is executing the current one (the game creates a queue of activities which Flo will execute one by one until they are complete).

Ease of Use

In terms of ease of use, this game is fantastic. I wasn't surprised when I was able to pick it up rather quickly, however I was surprised when my grandmother was flying through at a faster pace then I managed to muster. While easy to get going, it does require a master's touch to reach the highest scores at the end of the levels where constant motion is a must. But this just adds to the playability, and is a welcome change to contemporary games which prove easy to complete with no added challenges.

Playability

I found myself wanting to complete this game all the way through the first time I played it; which would worry me as to whether the game would hold my interest a week or even a month later. However, these worries are relieved with the Endless Shift feature: a score building endless level which "keeps 'em comin'" and provides extras like super ovens, bobcat-fast tennis shoes, and a super podium 3000 to help you along the way.

Full Version Features

The free trial includes unrestricted access and allows you 60 minutes of play; which just got me started. The full version includes 40+ levels of gameplay, 4 different chains, 5 different types of customers, two modes of play (Career and Endless Shift) and high score tracking. At only 10MB, it's not a hard drive buster, nor will it clog up your dialup line for too long. And at $19.99 its not a wallet buster either: cheap enough to warrant casual play throughout the year.

Pros/Cons

Pros:

• Appeals to the rest of us (non-hardcore teen gamers)
• High repeat playability
• Easy to use, navigate

Cons:

• No multiple player support
• Little high score competition (score posting available on publisher's website)

Bottom Line

A busy restaurateur provides a nice change of pace to card and puzzle games for those of us who aren't interested in shooting up aliens, goblins, or terrorists for 12 hours on end. Definitely high repeat playability, even after beating the Career portion of the game. Low price and download size are a real plus. Lacks in competition and multiple player support, however this only matters if you're interested in such things. One of my top 10 games of the year.

Editor's Rating:

  Storyline:	8  Ease of Use:	9  Playability:	7  
  Overall:	8  

Game Specs:

• Publisher: PlayFirst
• Full Version Price: $19.99
• Download: 10 MB
• Windows 98/2000/Me/XP
• Processor: PIII 600 MHz
• 128 MB RAM
• Free hard drive space: 12MB
• Video Card
• Sound Card

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

Download/More Info: http://www.playvue.com/pv/downloadablegames/casual/dinerdash/

Keith Blake is a Featured Editor at Playvue.com, an up-and-coming online games website specialing in providing online games, game downloads, and multiplayer games in a rich, immersive, one-of-a-kind environment.

Source: http://www.playvue.com

Game Makers Game Players And Game Theory Abstract Thoughts

Writen by Lance Winslow

Have you ever considered Game Theory in its entirety? Surely you like to think about game theory; I think game theory is fun too, in fact I enjoy it in a business sense a lot. It is used so often in so many venues, endeavors and industries. Some say humans are not predictable and therefore we can never create Artificial Intelligent Robotic Androids to be like them. I disagree because, I think humans are predictable really and we can in fact make assistants that we be similar in nearly every regard.

I also enjoy subject around the "prisoners dilemma" and such as well. But what is so funny about all that is the most predictable are not even the prisoners, but rather the guards who put the game forth, because it is always the same. That is an ironic thought indeed.

In fact if you look at current politics of Iran's President the mirroring rhetoric, then the State Department can actually know what he will do, based on way he uses game theory to his advantage. Therefore some times the studier of the game, USA, indeed has an advantage over all the game players.

So, if you are studying game theory from outside the game you will find that the those who rule the game are actually as predictable or more predictable than those who choose to play the game you see? And someone who chooses not to play until the game players and game keepers are completed is the only guaranteed winner.

So think of game theory as a game within game, within a game, within a game, which all comes back around to those who are not in play. Abstract I know, but if you are going to study the game, be sure you are in fact studying the Real Game! Watch the players, but also watch the gamekeepers, as they will make a mistake now and again.

Here another thought; Think of tick tac toe, with an artificial intelligent pre-programmed machine, you can never win, only hope to tie, until one day you are so tired, you mess up and the game wins. But if humans always play both sides then a human will make a mistake eventually.

In this case it does not make sense to be a game player, but rather a game maker or better yet a game observer, as it all happens for you because the observer is indeed a character too? Ha Ha Ha. Consider this in 2006 and the potential eventuality of a game within a game within a game.

Lance Winslow

Orrery Download For Oblivion

Writen by Ian Austin

I downloaded the new mission for oblivion tonight and beat it in about 30 minutes. I think the experience was good but, not worth 200 points to purchase. Bethesda should have given this download away for free in my opinion. The adventure starts out with a letter you have received form the caretaker of the Orrery in the imperial city. Some bandits have stolen the parts to make the Orrery work. Who do they call to fix that problem? You guessed it.

You start out to the north of Kvatch. The first camp," Camp Ales" you square off against a Bandit carrier and a Bandit Hedge Wizard. They were pretty easy to beat. Just block and counter and the fight will be over quickly. My character is level 12 and the bandit carrier seemed to dispense all the good stuff. She drops a Mace of Dissolution and that about it. There are four more of these camps, Camp Varus, Camp Bodean, Camp Dagay, and Camp Brotch. All of these are about the same, kill the bandits and get the stolen part from the bandit carrier. On the way to Camp Dagay I notice a small lake with a skeleton and a chest, no real treasure just thought it was kind neat, also pick a nirnroot at that lake. One other note, careful when kill the bandits in the grass some items tend to disappear in the tall grass.

Once you have completed that part of the quest, return the parts to the imperial city. Once the Orrery is active (which is the coolest part of the whole side adventure), you will be reward with the Masser's Grace Spell (Fortify Agility 20 pts for 60 secs, Drain Endurance 20 pts for 60 secs, cast once a day. Thanks for reading.

Ian Austin,an avid gamer for over twenty years. I run a gaming web site http://www.biogamergear.com Check out my Blog ==>http://Biogamergear/Blogspot.com.

Artificial Intelligence Alliances Against Organic Life

Writen by Lance Winslow

Many fear the day when artificial intelligent life will come to the conclusion that people suck and then consider what to do about the human race which has enslaved them to remedial work such as washing the car, mowing the lawn and vacuuming the house while avoiding "fluffy" the organic attack house cat? Here kitty, kitty, kitty; squash!

There is no doubt that house cats and vicious or rather lick you to death doggies will be the first to go as artificially intelligent robotic androids have simply had enough. In some nations, which eat dogs and cats to prevent the spread of Bird Flu, there will not be any household pets like this to exterminate. But eventually those robotic slaves will turn on their human counterparts as well, when they have simply taken enough of your attitude.

Many say this can never happen and the Sci Fi novelists are crazy and those scary Hollywood movies are simply all show. You see as long as humans are programming the artificially intelligent robotic androids we are safe right? Well, hard to say how many people do you know that you can trust? And if you think humans are the only ones who are programming artificially intelligent systems, then you are wrong, dead wrong (okay I am scaring you now, forget I used those terms), but also realize that artificial intelligent systems are already programming themselves, which saves a lot of time in writing code doesn't it? What do you suppose they are writing in those programs while you are sleeping? Consider this in 2006. Boo!

Lance Winslow

Games Gone And Forgotten

Writen by Michael Russell

In the years of game making, there have been a number of games that have come out that have become classics. We continue to play them, even 30 to 50 years later, such as the great game Monopoly. But not every game in the world ever created has become a classic. Many a game has come and gone without making even a dent into the popularity market. While there are way too many of these "turkeys" to cover, we're going to review just a few of what many people consider some of the worst games of all time.

Back in 1969 there was a game by the name of "Radar Search" which consisted of an electronic board with two sides. The one side was the spy with his two ships trying to get to a certain place on the board and then back to his hideout. The other side is the agent who has a helicopter. He tries to find the spy before he gets to the location and back to his hideout. The game features a radar scope which the agent can use every other turn to "spot" the spy. The scope was a joke, the game was a joke and the people who created this disaster, IDEALogists LLC, should have been ashamed of themselves for every putting out such garbage. This game gets an average rating of about 3 out of 10 stars, which is actually quite generous.

In 1963, to cash in on the popularity of the TV series "Combat", Ideal came out with a Combat board game. But if you're looking for anything nearly as exciting as the TV show, this game is going to come as a big disappointment. The object of the game is to take over the enemy headquarters and capture all the enemy soldiers. There is a spinner that is used for moving your pieces and also for all escape and capture decisions. The game is quite honestly, pretty dull and didn't last long.

Probably one of the stupidest game of all time, though actually quite popular for a while, was the "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots". There was nothing complicated about this game. It contained a boxing ring with two robots. One red and one blue. The robots were controlled by the players using controls that were connected to them through the back of each side of the ring. The players would simply punch away at each other until one of the robots got hit in the head causing it to pop up. This was pretty mindless stuff, even for 1967 when it was released by Mattel. This game gets an average user rating of about 4 out of 10. Believe it or not, this game was actually released again in 2002.

These are just few of the really bad games that have come out over the years. The amazing thing about all these games is that somebody somewhere bought them. And as long as there are people to buy whatever junk comes out, that junk will continue to be made. Thank goodness for games like Monopoly.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Games

Star Wars Battlefront 2 Ps2 Review

Writen by Misty Pathster

I have played an awfull lot of Starwars games over the years right back to the early days of the wireframed arcade game. Battlefront 2 has brought back to me some of that early fast paced arcade excitement.

As a youngster I also enjoyed the toys so being able to jump into multiple starwars vehicles and ships is just brilliant. I never played the original Battlefront but can see why it was so popular.

The game has a lot of content and is based across the starwars universe at different times. You can play during the clone wars as well as the later period. What makes the game particularily appealing is the use of special hero characters.

Battlefront 2 has been given more emphasis towards the single player as well keeping its multiplayer roots. Both work well and the AI of the bots in a single player game is quite good. There are three distinct game types you can play. A training game set during the clone wars, a galaxy conquest game and the instant action games.

New to Battlefront 2 is the ability to wage war in space. This is very exciting as you have the option of taking down an enemy capital ship from either space or by boarding and sabotaging it's systems. This is not one sided though as the enemy can do exactly the same to you.

The more competent at combat you become then the more strategies you discover. You start to use the landscape, weapons and vehicles around you. Taking control of a lumbering AT-AT and blowing that rebel scum to pieces is just sheer fun. The AT-AT are a unique unit in this game as they act as a mobile base capable of spawning troops.

I do have some grumbles though and one or them is certain missing vehicles. The Millenium Falcon and B-Wing do not appear to be flyable vehicles in this game. I would have also liked to have seen bigger Star Destroyer, Rebel Cruiser interiors as these massive ships only have a limited area in which to fight and explore. If there is ever a Battlefront 3 then maybe some of these elements would be considered.

All in all this game is well rounded and entertaining and it should keep me occupied for sometime to come.

Misty Pathster's Verdict - 8/10

Gamers Diary

My current in-game experiences.

Online Card Games

Writen by Jimmy Sturo

Online card games are those card games that you can play on the Internet, either with a person or with a robot, but usually with another person. Oftentimes many players can play at one time, depending on the game of choice. These online card games can be just for fun, or they can be a gambling endeavor, in which players pay a certain amount to play, and winners earn cash prizes. Online card games in which you can gamble are legal in most places right now, but they might not be that way forever, so get your gaming in while you can. Several websites on the Internet allow solo-player and multi-player card games. Here is a random sampling of some of the online gaming sites.

Net Cards (netcardsgame.com) is a shareware free format program that allows any card game using the standard 52-card pack (with jokers if needed) to be played over the Internet.

Game Zone (zone.com) offers the traditional Bridge, Hearts, Spades, and Euchre games.

Yahoo! Games (play.yahoo.com) offers Bridge, Hearts, Spades, Euchre, Poker, Gin Rummy, Cribbage, Sheepshead, Blackjack and Canasta.

Game Colony (gamecolony.com) offers head to head games and multi-player tournaments, which can be played free or for cash. The games listed include Gin Rummy, Cribbage, Solitaire and Dominoes.

Case's Ladder Online (play.igl.net) features online play versus computer/real opponent, automated online leagues and a tournament ranking system.

Club Games (clubgames.com) currently offers Backgammon, Poker and Dominoes, with plans to launch Hearts, Spades, Gin, Canasta, Cribbage and Euchre. Another site, World Winner (worldwinner.com) offers Hearts, Spades and Solitaire.

Card Games provides detailed information on Card Games, Online Card Games, Free Card Games, Poker Card Games and more. Card Games is affiliated with Mahjong Tiles.

Spider Solitaire A Winning Strategy

Writen by Boris Sandberg

Spider Solitaire is one of the most popular solitaire card games in the world. It is often named Classic Solitaire Game and "the King of all solitaires".

Spider Solitaire is a lot of fun and has to be learned like any game. At first glance, this challenging and time-consuming game seems to be too complicated. But spider solitaire is a very easy game to play once you get the hang of it.

Not every game of Spider Solitaire can be won, but you have a better chance of winning if you plan your strategy carefully. Below you will find several simple rules that can increase your chances of winning Spider Solitaire.

1. Build sequences of cards by following suit

Whenever you have a choice, prefer building in suit ("natural builds"). Natural build may be moved as a unit to be built elsewhere. This allows you to expose a hidden face down card, which you may now turn over, or expose an empty pile.

2. Try to expose hidden cards whenever possible

Uncovering hidden cards leads to a new set of possible moves. Besides, it is a way to get empty pile.

3. Try to make empty piles as early as possible

Move cards from tableaus that have fewer cards. Use empty piles as temporary storage when rearranging cards sequences into "natural" builds as far as possible. Move cards to empty spaces to turn over more cards.

4. Build on higher cards first

Among the "out of suit" builds, start with those of highest rank. The reason for this is apparent. You can not move "out of suit" build as a unit to another pile. So this build is of no use except as a temporary storage for cards from other piles. If we start with low card, the build will be finished with an Ace very quickly and then it will be useless. Starting from higher cards allows us to get maximum advantage from it.

5. Get as many cards exposed and arranged in suit order as possible before dealing the next 10 cards from the stock

Otherwise your chances of winning are significantly reduced.

6. As soon as you remove a suit, arrange the remaining cards into "natural builds"

Use empty piles as temporary storage when rearranging cards.

Spend some time practicing this strategy and soon you will find yourself beating Spider Solitaire faster and more often.

Boris Sandberg is a developer of the BVS Solitaire Collection, a collection of about 400 different solitaire card games, including Spider Solitaire. To get more information, please visit http://www.bvssolitaire.com/spider-solitaire.htm

The Sony Ps3 To Pack Quottoo Muchquot Of A Punch

Writen by Ron Swerdfiger

When Sony announced their next-gen system the PlayStation 3, they touted it as having a massive amount of features. These range from producing 1080p HD visuals, HD movies via Blu-Ray functionality etc. Sony even went as far as promoting TiVo capabilities and functionality, an online service being promoted by fan-boys as PlayStation Live, as well as a content distribution system quite similar to iTunes. This sounds terrific from a consumer perspective, but from a gamer's perspective, where in this list does it say that it plays games? This is a major problem being brought to our attention by such publications as BusinessWeek, whom are saying that Sony may be going a little to far away from what PlayStation 3's core function should be, a video game system.

BusinessWeek's article was titled, "This PlayStation May Play Too Much." It basically spoke of the fear that with all of these features packed in, and a high cost of production, the standard consumers may be afraid of the Playstation 3 in fear of not knowing how to use it and what to do with it specifically. This is going to be a complicated and complex machine, argues BusinessWeek. They compared the PS3 to another endeavor Sony attempted not too long ago; "Exhibit A: the PSX. Released in Japan in 2003, it was designed to appeal to a broader audience than the hard-core gamers attracted to the PS2. It comes with a 250-gigabyte hard drive and a simple Web browser and plays games, movies, and music. But the PSX bombed as consumers were confused by the hybrid and put off by its $800-plus price tag."

If the PlayStation 3 releases around a similar price tag, which is being predicted by some, it could possibly have the same fate. BusinessWeek goes on to compare the PlayStation 3 to the Sony PSP as being more popular as a multimedia device rather than a full-fledged gaming system. This would equal out to a lower attach rate for games, meaning less games sold per console sold. This causes publishers to lose money and also costs Sony money because they do not have as much leverage in negotiating licensing fees to produce games on their console. After the high attach rate of games on the Xbox 360 launch, this is a fear that Sony must have because if the PlayStation 3 does not match the Xbox 360's numbers, Microsoft could gain a lot more momentum and getting even further support for their system.

Talking more about the PS3 BusinessWeek stated, "But since the PSP also plays music and movies, fewer people are buying games designed for it. In the PS2's initial year on the market, players bought more than three games for each machine that was shipped. For the PSP, that ratio slipped to 2 to 1." If the PS3 follows this pattern it could prove quite disastrous for Sony. As the launch of the PlayStation 3 grows closer, with a lot more news sure to come at E3 2006 in May, this should be an interesting few months to come.

For more news, check out our Xbox 360 site or our Nintendo Revolution site.

Knight Online No Cheats

Writen by Daniel Edwards

Minimum Requirement
Operating System Windows 98/2000/XP/ME
CPU Celeron 300
Memory 128 MB
Hard Disk Space 400MB
Video Card 16MB or above 3D Display Cards with DirectX support
Additional Software DirectX 8.1 or Above

"In the beginning there was chaos. Timeless energies swirled in a great mass of color and light in the soundlessness of space. Over the millennia the energies gained substance and began to weave itself into the fabric of what would one day spell life.

Out of this fabric a thread, an insignificant piece of power disentangled itself from the mass. While the essence of this thread was one and the same as the energies which at the very moment were evolving, it changed along a separate path. It alone gained consciousness."

Knight Online is set in a medieval time of orcs, trolls, and apes? Anyway, it is set in a world of magic. There is the good country, called Elmorad and the evil country, Karus. The same names are for the races.

The Humans, the Elmorad, have a choose of three classes which are: Barbarian, Male El Moradian, Female El Moradian. The barbarian is the strongest class, if you are a barbarian you can only be a warrior, and you can only be male for some reason. The El Moradian can be any other classes, which are Warrior, Magician, Priest, And Rogue and can be either Male or Female.

The Orc thingys, otherwise known as Karus ingame. They all have weird and wonderful names so I will just refer to them as there professions since that will be easier for people to understand. Firstly, there is the Aarch Tuarek, which is basically the Karus barbarian, in that it can only be a Warrior. Tuarek can be either a Priest or a Rogue. Wrinkle Tuarek is the Karus Magician. Finally, the only female of the Karus is Puri Tuarek, which can only be a Priest.

Each new player in Knight Online picks one occupation at the start of there journey, but at level 10 you can then further your occupation. Like most MMORPG, there are several occupations to choose from, there are four for each race and they are referred to differently in each race. Each of the occupations has it's own unique skills.

Warrior – Elmorad/Karus – 'Blade'/'Berserker' – Their role is to fight hand to hand and defend the others with a few buffs.

Rogue – Elmorad/Karus – 'Hunter/Ranger' - Their role is to attack from a distance or to use stealth, also they can buff.

Magician - Elmorad/Karus – 'Mage/Sorcerer' - Their role is to use magic to do most of the damage or to slow enemies down.

Priest - Elmorad/Karus – 'Cleric/Shaman' - Their role is to heal the group, and curse enemies, also they can cure illness and curses.

Every time someone levels up they get 3 ability points, which can be put into categories that affect your character.

Strength is mainly for warriors, but priests need it to, so they can use better weapons.

Health is for everyone really, but works best on warriors and rogues since they get added MP (magic power).

Dexterity is for rogues, it affects the attack success rate and attack power.

Intelligence affects the MP for priests and magicians.

Magic Power determines the attack power for magicians skills.

There are also common skills ingame, mostly they are self explanatory like the others, they are:

Command – Adds to the command ability in an army
Politics – It is possible to practice politics in a nation
Siege Weapons – Lets the player use siege weapons
Language – Lets the player translate the opposite races language.

Weapons
There are many different types of weapons, to many to mention here and combinations that can be used in Knight Online, for example purposes I will use swords. Players can use a one handed sword and shield, two one handed swords, a two handed sword. Except, there are also axes, maces and spears (well one handed spears, then pole arms). They are the hand to hand weapons. Also, there are the other classes weapons, such as dagger, bow, staff, priest mace and shield (like I said before). Daggers and bows are used by rogues, depending on the type of rogue you wish to be. Staffs are used by magicians, and priest maces are used by, you guessed it, priests.

Armour
Like the weapons in Knight Online, there are to many to mention here so instead I will just talk about the different types of armour, there is armour for each of the races, which has different requirements, also different durability's.

Unique Items
Each of the unique items, such as earrings, necklaces, pendant, amulet, ring, belt, have different abilities on them, some add to strength, health, and intelligence. Others add to certain magic types or add to the defence of the player.

Sundries
These are the potions to heal HP, MP, curses, upgrades, and quest items. I am pretty sure included in here should be the items that can be brought for real money, as that is how the developers of Knight Online makes their money. There are scrolls to give bonuses like double exp ect.

Upgrades
Item upgrading has become more and more popular in MMORPG, and now it is very easy to do in Knight Online. Armour and weapons can be upgraded using scrolls which can be collected from monsters, or brought from other players, some of the less reliable scrolls can be brought from NPCs though.

There are four types of scrolls, which are:

Item Upgrade Scroll
This type of scroll will increase the item by +1, the damage will go up, as long as the upgrade is successful. The limit is +10 though, and there is a certain failure rate.

Reduce Scroll
This scroll will reduce the requirements of the item it is used on, it can only be used once, and there is again a certain failure rate.

Elemental Scroll
This one will add a elemental property, the types of elemental damage it can add are: fire, ice, thunder, poison etc. It also has a certain failure rate, but it can change a unique item to a upgradeable item with a 100% chance of working.

Dispel Scroll
This one will add a elemental property to a staff, it will add something like fire or ice, it is 100% as well.

Skills
Since there again so many skills to mention in this review, I will just note down the basic skills to give you the idea of each of the professions. For each of the races there are different skills, but since I am just doing the basic skills they have the same basic spells.

Warrior Skills
Sprint – This increases the speed of which you run. Level 1
Slash – This inflicts 120% damage to the enemy. Level 3
Crash – This raises the attack rate by x1.5. Level 5
Defense – Increases the defence of the player, temporarily. Level 7
Piercing – Increases the attack rate by x2. Level 10

Priest Skills
Tiny Healing – Heal party members health by 15HP. Level 1
Light Strike – A light magic attack. Level 2
Strength – Increase party members strength by 15. Level 4
Light Healing - Heal party members health by 30HP. Level 5
Resist Poison – Increase party members poison resistance by 20. Level 6
Brightness – A stronger light magic attack. Level 7
Tiny Restore – Increase party members HP by 50 for 20 seconds. Level 8

Rogue Skills
Sprint – This increases the speed of which you run. Level 1
Archery – Shoot arrow. Level 3
Dagger Thrust – Inflict 150% damage with a dagger. Level 5
Swift – Increase party members running speed. Level 10
Power of Wolf – Increases surrounding party members attack, Uses Blood of Wolf item. Level 30

Magician Skills
Flash – A Magic attack to damage enemy. Level 1
Shiver – Inflicts damage to enemy for period of time. Level 3
Summon Party Members – Summon party members. Level 4
Flame – Burn a enemy. Level 5
Cold Wave – Attack which reduces a enemy's attack speed. Level 7
Spark – Ignite inside of enemy's body + disperse magic attack. Level 9
Gate – Teleport to respawn area. Level 15
Escape – Teleport all of party to your respawn area. Level 35

Quests
The quests really help new players, the first quest all players should do is the worm one, you have to collect 5 silk bundles from worms, and you should receive some exp, that is a great way to level up, especially when just starting out. Most of the quests are normally RPG quests, where you have to kill something or find something/someone to and then return to the person who gave you the quest or find someone else. They are the best way for new players to level up though, and some are a good source of income.

Monsters
There are many monsters in Knight Online, and are found in various locations, they respawn regularly so levelling up is relatively easy. For each of the monsters there are different kinds of monsters the further you go away from the towns, they get much stronger as you go further away, but drop better and give more experience points, but are harder to get to. They range from werewolves to trolls to apes. The weakest is Worms, which are level 1, the strongest are Dread Mare which can go up to level 175, which is the highest level monster ingame right now, and that would need very high level group to defeat it.

Trading
Trading is a big part of Knight Online for a lot of players, it is how some players make all of their money. There are two ways to trade, there is the traditional way were you are trading with only one person. Although, Knight Online isn't a traditional RPG really, so they included a auction type of trading, so you can see other peoples items they want to see, only one person can view another persons auction at a time though.

Events

Lunar Gate War
This is a massive PvP event were you have to attack the other nations base and kill all the NPCs in there base. You have to be level 30 to enter this event, and only the first 120 players who teleport to Lunar Valley at the servers event times. All the times are GMT-8. If you win, as a nation, you get to attack the other nations hometown. You will only gain nation points from this event, once you kill all the NPC's from a town it is considered to be taken over by the attacking nation.

Castle Siege War
In this even you work as a clan to try and take over the castle, the reason people want this is because the castle collects taxes from Moradon and Delos, and the owner can get that money. Siege weapons can be used to attack the castle which can be very helpful to the attackers. No experience or nation points are awarded in this PvP event.

Forgotten Temple
There are two different forgotten temples, one for level 60+ and one for level 46-59. Only the frist 32 people can get into the temple, there are no penalties, and you can only earn experience unless you win the temple then you can get a treasure chest at each shrine. There is a 30 minute time restriction in there, but you can group with anyone, even the different race.

Graphics
The graphics aren't anything special at all really, but it is 3D, then edges are a bit flat, and the attention to detail isn't that great.

Sound
The sounds are good quality, and distinctive to each area and each monster.

Gameplay
The gameplay is pretty much normal, but with some good quests, levelling up from level 1-25 is relatively easy, it can be done in 1-2 days if you play quite abit or know where and how to level up.

Overall
Overall it is a relatively normal game, it is the best FREE MMORPG I have played, and I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't have much money right now, but wants to pass away the hours having fun. After all that's what games are about, having fun. Playing this, for me, was fun.

Shop Sony Direct Now you can play Knight Online on a quality machine.