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Thursday, January 15th, 2009
| Time |
Event |
| 9:53a |
I'm ashamed we swallowed the games-as-pariah myth I'm still fuming at reports from last week - including one in the Guardian - about claims that the online game World of Warcraft ( Buy wow gold ) was "one of the top reasons for college dropouts in the US". After this 11 million-strong multiplayer game came under attack by a student adviser in Minnesota, the US Federal Communications Commission representative Deborah Taylor Tate took the bait and made it into an international story. To our discredit, we swallowed the line, and I'm utterly dismayed at the way it was handled. Stories such as this are so often based on supposition, no hard evidence and no contextual awareness. As I said on the Games blog, I don't think online games cause students to drop out any more than, say, binge-watching The Sopranos or hanging out at the local cafe making zines at four in the morning, wired on black coffee and spouting pretentious philosophical platitudes. Given the audience, it's unsurprising that many of our readers concur. pH101 argues: "Games may not be addictive, they may just be fun. And more fun than studying for exams." There is evidence that some people may lose track of their priorities when playing in games' problem-solving, social environments. Professor Mark Griffiths of Nottingham Trent University proposes that just under 7% of people in the UK are addicted to gaming. Not 7% of college students. Not 7% of gamers. Seven per cent of nearly 70 million people. Yet the Byron Review, the government's independent study of the potential dangers of digital entertainment, proposes that "there is a cultural judgment about excessive behaviour. In the context of video games, excess is looked upon as being a bad thing. In the context of, say, reading, it is conceived of as much more positive." This bias over-inflates the games-as-pariah myth, and thus they are unnecessarily charged in cases such as these. But what about the stories of kids playing themselves to death? Well, if someone had an aneurysm in front of the TV during Stars Compromising Their Credibility in Stupid Situations, you wouldn't blame reality TV for the unfortunate couch potato's untimely end (although in a just world you should). So why point the finger at computer games when a gamer pops his gasket? There are a similar number of people in the world who engage in gaming as watch brain-dead television. A percentage will meet their makers when they're enjoying their pastimes. For heaven's sake, sex has claimed its fair share of victims. Should we be decrying it? I refuse to live a life without gaming, television, coffee, cafes or sex. Haul me away, men in white coats. I've dropped out of society for good. | | 9:54a |
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Reaches 1 Billion in Sales In a record setting move, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock has become the first videogame to have sold more than 1 billion worth of units. Mike Griffith, who is the Chief Executive Officer at Activision Publishing, delivered the information at the Consumer Electronic Show, just one year after Activision told the gaming world that its Guitar Hero franchise had broken through the same monetary barrier.
The franchise was bought by Activision for 100 million in 2006. Harmonix originally worked on it but it quit at one point and launched the rival, MTV Games and Electronic Arts supported Rock Band series, which is giving Guitar Hero a run for its money.
Griffith also said that the games in its series generated more than 21 million song downloads, while the new feature in Guitar Hero World Tour, which allows players to create their own songs, was used to upload more than 140,000 songs that could be accessed by anyone. The Rock Band franchise, by comparison, has generated 9 million more song downloads in its shorter life span.
The success of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock has been attributed to the wide variety of platforms on which the game runs, on the very inspired choice of songs that can be played in the game and to the wide array of bundles that can be acquired, featuring the fake plastic instruments gamers have come to love so much.
Of course, MMOs like World of Warcraft ( Buy wow gold ), from Blizzard, have probably generated more than 1 billion in revenue through subscriptions, because of the 11.5 million people who play them constantly. But World of Warcraft and its two expansions, Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King, cannot compete with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in pure retail sales.
It's a chilling thought to see that with Guitar Hero and World of Warcraft, Activision Blizzard has both the biggest revenue creator in the gaming world and the best sold game at retail. | | 9:54a |
Taxing Virtual Worlds The IRS could start taxing virtual environments like Second Life and World of Warcraft to get a cut of the real dollars that are spent on potions, armor and weapons in the online gaming world. National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson suggested the IRS should proactively look into issuing guidance for taxpayers who are already concerned the taxman might one day audit these transactions. In her recently issued annual report to Congress, Olson noted that in 2005, about $1 billion in real money changed hands in virtual worlds, and that some businesses now accept virtual dollars, such as the Linden dollars used in Linden Lab's Second Life, in exchange for real property and services. In 2006, about 3,100 virtual residents of Second Life had average revenues of $20,000 in real dollars. "Economic activities with virtual worlds may present an emerging area of noncompliance, in part because the IRS has not issued guidance about whether and how taxpayers should report such activities," she wrote. While the IRS has not yet issued any specific guidance on the subject, Olson believes the time is ripe to answer some nagging questions. Among them is the perplexing matter of whether a person is subject to tax each time he or she acquires virtual property, or when a person exchanges one virtual property for another or for virtual currency. For example, what if you happened to slay a dragon and won its hoard of gold and jewels? Would you be required to pay taxes on it? The IRS might decide one day that the answer is yes. Indeed, accountants are already starting to set up shop in virtual worlds. For instance, the Maryland Association of CPAs set up CPA Island on Second Life in 2007 (see CPAs Find an Island on Second Life). While not too many firms have relocated to the island yet, CPA Island might one day become a sanctuary for Second Lifers seeking help on their taxes. The IRS told Olson that it recognizes the need to address the tax aspects of new e-business activities and in 2003 set up an E-Business and Emerging Issues policy group to address similar issues. The IRS pointed out that it has released guidance related to online auctions, bartering and electronic businesses. That guidance states that if taxpayers spend more money on an activity than they receive, they cannot claim a loss on their tax return. Conversely, if a taxpayer receives more money than is spent, then the taxpayer may be required to report taxable income. Olson said this kind of guidance is helpful, but she isn't letting the IRS off the hook. She still wants the IRS to issue specific guidance on transactions involving virtual items. Whether the guidance needs to be specifically about issues involving virtual swords and wands will have to wait for another day, and maybe for a virtual avatar of an IRS commissioner to decide. | | 9:55a |
The IRS could start taxing virtual environments like Second Life and World of Warcraft to get a cut IGG recently announced a new science fiction MMORPG going by the name of 2029 Online. As if I really need to say, the game is set in the future and is all about fast-paced, corridor crawling, monster blasting action.
The game sports the option for players to customize items, gear and vehicles, a level-up feature for fighting vehicles, and a three-quarter view for intense Diablo-esque action. What's better is that the game focuses a lot on cooperative quests and missions for quick leveling, much like World of Warcraft ( Buy wow gold) So players who enjoy grabbing up tons of items and weapons, customizing their player and staying engaged with hours of dungeon crawling quests, 2029 Online just might be your kind of game.
Supposedly, 2029 will sport quick in-game commands to keep the action tight and the player's hands away from multitasking all kinds of keyboard commands. Streamlined skills and weapons that range from close-combat to dual-wielding twin laser machine guns also fill out the game's feature list.
You can learn more about 2029 Online and other IGG MMORPGS by visiting the Official 2029 Online Forum Website. For more gaming news and updates, be sure to stay tuned in with Blend Games.
| | 9:56a |
$50,000 Reward Offered For Proof Worlds.Com Patent Lawsuit Is Bogus Virtual worlds -- or more broadly, 3D online spaces -- have been around for a long time. But last month, worlds.com hired lawyers to enforce a patent for the idea, claiming they invented the concept back in 1995. The first target for lawsuits: NCSoft, the Korean company behind games like World of Warcraft-wannabe "Guild Wars." But if some companies think there's free money in suing others for infringement, there are other companies who think there's money in trying to stop them. Enter self-described "patent research company" Article One Partners , which is offering a cool $50,000 to anyone who can offer proof in the way of "prior art" substantiating the virtual worlds idea existed prior to 1995. AOP's Cheryl Milone, a patent lawyer, explained to SAI how her two month-old company works: Article One crowdsources the research behind patent investigations to the entire Internet, and makes the reward big enough to motivate people. The company then turns around and sells the research to interested parties, like NCSoft. If NCSoft files AOP's findings with the court as part of the public record, so be it. But if a company can use AOP's research to settle the case out of court, there's nothing stopping Article One from selling the information again. Other outstanding cases with $50,000 bounties include research into Pfizer's (PFE) patent on Lipitor, and a patent case involving a claim by Konami against Guitar Hero creator Harmonix. It's an interesting idea, and a more proactive approach than rival anti-troll concepts like IBM-backed (IBM) Linux Defenders. But Milone does over one caveat: The reward is first-come, first-serve, so the first person to file convincing proof on the virtual worlds suit (or any other) gets the money. | | 9:57a |
Outdated, Not Useless: Five Things to Do with Your Old PC Gamers like shiny things. Especially PC gamers. From bloom effects to fancy computer cases, this breed of gamer wants their system to live fast and die young. Too young, if you ask me. Just look at the usefulness that last year’s gaming computer can yield:
1. Keep them around!: Sometimes SNES roms just won’t keep one satisfied. Many older PC titles, like the original Fallout series, Doom, Warcraft II, Space Hulk or even the classic Age of Empires are a real hassle to get working on newer versions of Windows. Often, you have to wade through a labyrinth of hacks and “solutions” on the interweb that further complicate the problem. Who wants to edit registry information for an hour just to re-live the nineties? I certainly don’t.
Hanging on to a decade of archaic, ass-backwards compatible operating systems may actually prove bountiful in the long run. Sure, companies like Gametap and GoG have made a commendable effort in trying to raise PC classics from their grave. Yet, why pay for a game that you already own — but simply cannot run? Ridiculous! Gamers should be able to trade in their copies for modern, functional versions. Though, this leads us to the slippery slope of DRM controversies, which I care not to start discussing. Despite technology’s incessant progression and abandonment, keeping an older system stowed away for when you crave a break from the modern world of games remains a viable alternative to trashing outdated hardware. 2. Scavenge for parts: It’s easy to look upon an ancient computer with scorn, its disproportionate, once-stylish features amounting to nothing more than a chassis full of useless junk. 56K dial-up ports? Ha! Don’t make me laugh. Surely with time it’s lost its all-knowing aura, but let’s not be so brash. Power cables, monitors, cd-drives, cases (albeit boring ones), power supplies, and hard drives are all components that can be used as foundational pieces for a modern gaming rig. Save money on parts the next time you feel the need for yet another system. Yes, dual processors and sparkling lights affixed to a case that resembles any one of the bosses from Mega Man are nice. But they certainly don’t add to the core game, create some magical advantage, or imbue you with 1337 skillz; once a noob, always a noob — technology will never make up for talent. 3. Host some stuff: Depending on the age of your banished, relic of a machine, you can host a dedicated server of your favorite PC game, or support a website through it. The next time you are afflicted with insomnia, don’t get locked into playing in a laggy server simply because it’s the only one with players at that time of the night. Own on Counter-Strike with single digit ping by hosting on your old system, and fragging on the new one! 4. Donate!: Though maybe outdated for the purposes of gaming, older systems make great donations to libraries, community centers, or those who can’t afford basic computing needs. If that isn’t your scene, setting up a younger gamer with something like Starcraft is simple enough, and has them on the track to becoming pro in no time. 5. Recycle the beast: If none of these options impressed, well, you can always recycle an old gaming PC properly at a specialty store. Often for little to no fee, you can recycle your computer parts without scoring a headshot on the environment. And who said gamers aren’t responsible?! Running games with max graphics is indeed a luxury, though arguably pretty important to most PC gamers. With each year, technology improves, challenging what games are capable of accomplishing, and expanding the potential for what people can experience through them. Regardless of when a game surfaces, it contains its own set of experiences. Older games are worth preserving, even if that means maintaining older systems. | | 9:58a |
Primary school teacher facing jail for sending lewd texts to schoolboy after grooming him on World o primary school teacher faces jail for sending lewd texts to a 14-year-old boy after grooming him over the internet game World of Warcraft ( Currency: wow gold ). Lynn Walls, 42, who has been sacked from her job, used the interactive computer game to befriend the teenager and get his mobile phone number while playing online. She then sent the boy, from London, a series of graphic texts in November 2007 which outlined what she intended to do with him if they met. She was caught out when his father read them. Today she returned to Newcastle Crown Court to be sentenced after admitting inciting a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity. Defence barrister Andrew Finlay told the court that Walls had been too ashamed to leave her house and therefore pre-sentence reports had not been prepared because she missed appointments with probation officers. 'There has been a fair degree of media interest in this case,' said Mr Finlay.
'She has been too ashamed and frightened to leave the house. 'She was suffering panic attacks, perhaps it is not surprising given that she is 42 and of good character and suddenly this storm breaks on her. 'She has had very little support. Most of her friends when they found out about this offence dropped her and obviously she has been dismissed from her work. 'She has had to deal with this on her own.' Judge Guy Whitburn QC branded the text messages 'disgusting' and said he had read a victim impact statement from the teenager's mother which showed the 'devastating impact' this offence has had. 'Frankly this is a case that is very much on the cusp. She is not helping herself,' the judge told Mr Finlay. The court heard an appointment has been fixed with probation officers, who will in this unusual case, attend her home for the interview. Judge Whitburn told Walls: 'Obviously the court needs to know about why you did the wicked things you did in texting this 14-year-old boy. 'It may well be that you need help. In asking for reports I give no indication of the sentence. I regard this as a serious matter and a custodial sentence cannot be ruled out.' Walls, of Penshaw, Sunderland, has been sacked from her job and is already on the on the sex offenders register for a period yet to be determined. She was granted conditional bail and told to return to court next month for sentencing. |
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