My Gamer History

Here is a little introduction to my gamer history - from my view of being in this cult group. This post lists my video gaming levels, from Noob to Pro to Old-School. In other words... from a little girl with the Atari, to a PC hard-core gamer, and now to a casual multi-console lover: what I have played and want to play.
Noob
For me, the groups began early. I would spot my mom points in Atari. My sister and I actually wore out controllers. Mario and Tetris later ruled the scene. Then, we finished our friends in basements with the still popular franchise, Mortal Combat.


Pro
Then my husband introduced me to Blizzard (sounds of angels singing). My husband played online, but the best groups were when we had LAN (Local Area Network) parties. 6+ geeks packed up their computers. By god the monitors were heavy. Noone used a laptop to game. They didn't have the video acceleration, the fabulous speakers, or the power. We separated, a couple of people per room. Hooking up (literally wires and hubs), upgrading versions, patches, pizza, and LOTS of caffeine. Best game: Starcraft. Although we dabbled with any Real Time Strategy (RTS) we could get our hands on.

Once a month, we headed to Gammathon, the Greater Albuquerque Massively Multiplayer Alliance (GAMMA). Now extinct, we hooked our computers up with large groups of geeks in tournament competitions for prizes. RTS, First-Person Shooters (FPS), and lots of music trading. Again, pizza and soda accompaniment. We had small LANS still with our friends.

I could now afford DSL (first) and later Cable (there go those damn angels again). We turned more online: Diablo 2, random Role-Playing Games (RPGs) like Darkstone. Then the game that is TOO good: World of Warcraft (WOW).

After 2 years of hard-core gaming in WOW, my hubby and I decided we needed to focus on Real Life (RL). The game became a job. This was compounded by being officers in the guild, and I, the the main force of our guild website. We quit right as the expansion was coming out (*sniff *sniff).

Old-School
Switch to more consoles. Cheap PS2, Wii, and Xbox 360. We had always had consoles, but they were something to play when the servers were down. The online interactivities in this genre are just beginning to form communities, In My Humble Opinion (IMHO).

Now, I play Culdcept Saga with my hubby. I am an evil chickie, complete with horns, in Fable 2. I have split personalities, though. I am also so good I dawn a halo. I'm a drummer in Rock Band, of course. Spore didn't hold my interest. I rent alot, looking for that next big game to pwn. Every now and again, we have a Magic: the Gathering draft. We play the basics like Scrabble and cards, too.

Don't get me wrong. There were many MANY more games mixed in all of these levels. I didn't even touch on The Sims or Podracer. Which, hands down, was the best racing game ever. Especially at Gameworks.

Coming Soon
And there are many more on the works. I want to see if Halo Wars can keep my attention after Starcraft. Can the console really pull-off the RTS so popular in PC games? Of course, Final Fantasy XIII will have me spellbound. Starcraft 2 may get me divorced.

Let's face it - the family that kills zombies together, stays together! Left 4 Dead tops my short list of next games to rent. Resident Evil 5 is out very soon. My hubby wants to travel back to time - Street Fighter 4. Angry about the dishes? Screw couples counseling...a few punches in a fighting game really does make it all better :)

Read More......

Zero Punctuation: Wednesdays

So, Zero Punctuation are little Flash animations set to the ravings of a Brit living in Australia. They are game reviews, mostly. Every Wednesday he puts one out, for the Escapist. His little bio is under the animations. Very, very funny. Below, is the latest. Go to the site to see more choices.

Read More......

Why Wii Rocks

My hubby waited for months for the Wii to be released. He waited in line. He waited in the cold. He was SO a Cartman about it. Was it worth it hype?

Oh, yeah. Every annoying text-message about it. We had played highly interactive games at Gameworks. We knew this was the future of gaming. This was the next step of the console revolution.

You ARE the Character
Video games place you in a role. Think of the language you use. "No, No, No, No!....damn, I died." Really? You? Yes, of course. Character customization let's you BE your character in many games. Always want to be a tall? Want to get rid of your bald spot? Want your name to be Thor the Magnificent?

And Beyond
The Wii now takes this immersion to the next level. Wii's even calls your avatar a Mii. Now the game mimics your actions. You wield the sword, swing the racket, and spin that hoola hoop. You interact with the game on a whole new level. Although there are extra accessories for the Wii. The balance board is the best one so far. The Wii-mote's versatility across all game genres rocks.

Console Wars
Xbox 360 charged ahead with the HDDVD player, pretty graphics, earlier release, and online gaming ($50/yr). PS3 has the Blue-Ray, is beautiful, but....it has a hefty price-tag. While Xbox and PS3 fought over the current "gamer," the Wii expanded the "gamer" definition. You can say the Wii won, but in fact, there was no competition. The sales have been enormous - it has outsold and won this generation of "console wars."The Wii focused on a different market.

Who Plays Wii?
Who can play these games? Ev-er-y-one. Ev-er-y-one? Ev-er-y-one. My mother-in-law and I were playing Wii Sports. My hubby came home, and was amazed. "I have never seen mom play a video game." That's what this console has achieved. So to Nintendo, I bow. You gave me fun, while the other consoles gave me beauty.

Play It, Buy It, Love It
Go play the Wii. Try it at Best Buy or Gamestop. Hell, just buy it. It's cheap and it's fun. You can play it for minutes or hours. You can play it with your mom and your kids. Don't believe me? Watch this Granny do a little samba in the video below.

Read More......

Pro at Cooking: Episode 6 - Eggplant Parmesan

Let's face it, we can't all be Martha Stuart and....well....Emeril's BAM! makes you jump like a cat in a cartoon. How do you get chocolate pudding off the ceiling? We need someone mellow. We need ingredients we don't have to google. And, could you make him hotter than the food?

Yes, you can watch a sexy man cook. They can cook? Well, this one can. Dave, from Pure Pwnage, now has his own cooking show: Pro at Cooking. Great recipes with humor, only the way Dave can cook it.

*Note: This episode may be offensive to vegetarians and kitten lovers.

Read More......

Pure Pwnage (Ownage): Watch It

IMHO, Pure Pwnage is a fabulous example of the gamer community. It's an internet show - free. Started by 2 guys in Canada. Well, they came up with this idea...the Jeremy character emerged....and they ran with it.

I recommend watching the Welcome Video. Sequentially makes the most sense, but you can bounce around episodes. They have huge release parties, now. They sell DVDs and T-shirts. *Note: Don't wear the boom headshot shirt to the airport.

Pure Pwnage shows the variety of gamers. There is FPS Doug, MMORPG girl, and of course -- Kyle is the Noob. They often have short intros of video from games with sound overlaid. Know what I mean? If not, watch Season 1 Episode 4.

The show is so popular, it actually has a spin-off. Watch it in the next post!

Read More......

Code Monkey Video

We all need some Saturday morning cartoon. This song is hilarious. My husband uses a portion of it for his cell phone - for when his boss calls. After all, he is a Code Monkey

Read More......

Gamer Defined

What is a gamer? I like The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary definition the best:

Gamer: (ˈgā-mər) n - an avid game player.

And....that's us.
This word brings different pics to mind. It may be a pimple-faced geek, dressed with a cardboard sword as he plays D&D. Or is it the nerd on the computer in a dark basement, surrounded by soda cans and pizzas? Maybe guys clicking controller buttons as they yell at their 152 inch TV, and set on their Goodwill sofa pop into your brain. Let me expand your definition.

Me?
a thirtysomething gamer. a girl. a college student (again and forever). a former WOW addict. I play Scrabble for death. I've won the last 4 Magic: the Gathering drafts my hubby and I have played. Oh, yeah, wife...I'm a wife. I pay my bills. I attend the family gatherings, but as I talk to you about the weather... I'm really thinking about a Battle-End Combo for Culdcept Saga.

You!
U pwn the little nooblets. You played games before they were born. You ate dots with circles. Your modems spoke crrrrshhhhhhharrrrrrrrrrr. Your internet had wires.

So this blog will give u gamer information. I'll post the rules for my favorite playing card game - Rummy 5000. I'll tell you how to play a draft. I'll tell you about the newest game, the one that didn't have commercials. It is SO SO fun, and usually CHEAP CHEAP. We will explore consoles, PCs, and table games. I'll show you my favorite geeky stores and geeky shows.

Join me old friends.
Grab some time every day.
Remember your Atari.
Dust off the games
and Let's Play.

Read More......