MMORPG Gaming Versus Console Gaming

MMORPG gaming and console gaming have traditionally been thought of as completely separate and different playstyles. As the video game industry progresses however one can see that there are reasons to play both, rather than one sub-genre exclusively. This essay will go over the vast differences, as well as the universal traits that make both these forms of gaming complementary rather than contradictory.One powerful trait both mmorpg gaming and console gaming share is that of escapism. Research has shown a strong connection between pain and anxiety. In fact, Nationwide Children’s Hospital has put this into practice by helping burn victims. The children play in this virtual reality to distract them from the painful process of healing from burn wounds. Although most would assume a virtual world such as World of Warcraft would be more immersive there are also console games such as Fable which would beg to differ. Here we see a powerful tool of video games, escapism, which unchecked can lead to an unhealthy obsession with the virtual worlds.A driving force of the mmorpg gaming industry is progression. Progression via game is slightly diffferent but most deal with ones virtual character leveling up skills, stats, and equipment referred to as gear. This progression leads to a deeper immersion associated with most console games that can usually be played for a day, turned off, and turned on a month later. With mmorpg games however, the world around you continues whether or not you are progressing. If you aren’t progressing you are natually falling behind. This is a similar trait to a game we all play, life. An mmorpg is the highest form of capitalism and hard work pays off, whereas console games can be seen as a quicker escape with less progression goals. Console games have had single player forms of progression without the online aspect, also known as roleplaying games. Games such as Final Fantasy, Zelda, and even Super Mario. We see the ability for console games to have progression in the form of both virtual characters as seen in final fantasy and zelda, but only map progression in games like Mario wherein the character doesn’t progress, just the maps do. The inability for console gamers to personify there virtual characters has led to the explosive growth of the online pc mmorpg industry. With the advent of online play however, console worlds are now becoming closer to their cousin PC or Mac. One can look at the success of Halo and John Madden football on the console systems. It is the ability for quick fun but also combined with an everchanging leaderboard system to progress, to become the best player. It is this hybridization that gives console games the appeal of casual gamers which the mmorpg industry scares away. If one wants to load up a game of Madden for an hour they can do so and turn it off without fear of Brian Urlacher losing 5 tackling. If one does the same in Warhammer they may find themselves logged in with inferior gear and guildless.Guild Pressure! Guild pressure is just like peer pressure only it’s intensified by players you mostly play with in your virtual world. In the past console gamers did not have to worry about letting someone down if they turned off final fantasy. Perhaps Cloud was secretly angry but he could never let you know. Today, not being able to attend a raid in World of Warcraft, or a PK run in Ultima Online can have social consequences within these heavily socially based virtual worlds. Turning down your guildmates can be difficult and even against your interest in the guild. In real life, if your boss asks you to do something because they rely on you, you would most likely help him/her out. The virtual worlds are no different. One’s guild leader may ask you to help camp a spawn or partake in a hunt; if the answer is no all the time you will inevitably lose standing with the guild leader, if not the entire guild. Before the onset of online console play, you made all the decisions and had no one, except maybe your brother/sister nagging you to turn on the game and play. Now even Console gamers have this social dynamic seen with Clans. Clans are synonymous with guilds but the term is used for most console guilds. If you are a member of a Clan that is hardcore you better be sure to make the big clan matches. Let your clan down, you let everyone down. It is this mentality that is changing casual games to a more serious, hardcore feel that PC games had exclusively for the past decade. You are now a part of something larger than yourself. It can be incredbily satisfying to be in a guild or clan and help those you care about, but it can be equally as hard to say no to those very same friends.Both mmorpg gamers and console gamers have considered themselves separate. The reality is both gamers enjoy aspects of progression, escapism, friendships, and of course FUN! We forget at times the games are for fun. As a human species we are naturally hedonisitic so why not enjoy all forms of the video game industry? I’ll see you in World of Warcraft and a game of Tetris later.

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The Evolution of Fine Art

Sculptures, rock paintings and cave paintings are proof that the history of Art goes back around 10,000 to 1,000 B.C. In the old days, art would normally resemble human or animal-like forms or outline a man fully equipped with spears and arrows. Art was made in this form because during this time, hunting was the primary source of food and was needed in order to survive. In the paragraphs below, we are going to take a closer look at the evolution of fine art, so pay close attention to what we have to tell you.Art is no longer like it was thousands of years ago. It has now moved forward from the primitive period and into something that is more sophisticated. Mind you, the work from the Renaissance days is still popular, but artistic styles like Byzantine, Early Christian, Gothic, Rococo, Baroque and Baroque are responsible for making the modern art we know and love in today’s world.Mid-19th Century to the Early 20th CenturyModern Art was born during the search for endless possibilities and new standards. This was Art’s way of coping with the ever so changing world. Concepts like Cubism, Impressionism, Dadaism, Expressionism, Surrealism and Fauvism became more popular than ever before. Not to mention the fact that artists during those times were highly regarded. Take Pablo Picasso as an example – today Picasso is considered one of the co-founders of the Cubist movement.The Last Part of the 20th CenturyRelativism was introduced during the latter half of the 20th century. This form of art involves the point of view that there is only relative value and no absolute truth which is skewed to the differences in perception. This is where the period of Contemporary Art first started. This form of art developed into a more stylish form, normally known as fine art.Fine arts were mainly created for aesthetic purposes. Before, there were five greater art areas – sculpture, painting, architecture, music and poetry. Today, fine arts can be categorized into performing art and visual art. Visual art, in today’s world, may refer to print making, design, ceramics and crafting. Performing arts involves using the body and/or voice to express something. Dance and theatre arts are two of the oldest forms of performing arts. Modern technology plays a major role in fine arts advancing to the next level.Today, “artists” can make use of video, cameras and editing devices in order to develop a modern form of visual arts. High resolution lenses help the artist achieve a more compelling image. With the introduction of 3D technology, one could only wonder where art as we know it is going to go. One thing is for sure – the art of tomorrow will improve, just as it has been for centuries.There are modern gadgets available that bring out the best of quality in fine art. In fact, those modern gadgets have captured a lot of attention. Art as we know it today may end up changing in the future, but art is obviously able to adapt to any circumstances and that makes art relevant to the world forever.

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A Guide To Touchscreen Technologies

A touchscreen is a visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch to its surface, either from a finger or an object such as a stylus. A number of different technologies are in use on touchscreens, with the technology to a large extent determining suitability for use in particular environments and on what type of device.Resistive TechnologyTwo thin conductive layers are separated by a narrow gap. When the outer coversheet layer is touched, it comes into contact with the inner layer – typically a coating on the glass panel. The contact between the two conductive layers is detected and processed to determine the exact location and type of touch (e.g. quick ‘mouse-click’ or prolonged hold). Resistive technology is highly resistant to liquids but the surface layer is vulnerable to damage by sharp objects. Best used with a finger, gloved hand or stylus.Surface Wave / Surface Acoustic Wave Technology Ultrasonic waves pass across the surface of the touchscreen panel, with a portion of the wave being absorbed when the screen surface is touched. The change in the ultrasonic waves is registered and the position determined. Not suited to wet environments, since drops of liquid can give false reads. Best used with a finger, gloved hand or soft stylus.Capacitive Technology The glass touchscreen panel is coated with a conductive layer. The screen’s electrostatic field is distorted when touched by a finger (since the body is an electrical conductor), allowing the location of the touch to be determined. Various technologies can be used for detection, but they are beyond the scope of this article (e.g. surface capacitance, projected capacitance, self-capacitance, mutual capacitance). Since dependent on the conductivity of the human body, this technology does not work if wearing gloves. This technology is used in many tablet PCs and smartphones, such as the iPad and iPhone.Acoustic Pulse Recognition Technology A recent technology, a unique sound is generated based on the position touched on the screen. The sound is picked up by transducers at the corners of the screen and processed to determine the position, by comparison with a pre-recorded sound profile. Background noise does not cause disruption, since it doesn’t match the pre-recorded profiles. The touchscreen surface is glass, so it is durable and is not usually disrupted by scratches or objects such as dust on the screen.Optical Imaging TechnologyWith this fairly modern technology, image sensors around the screen detect touching objects and then calculate the position based on readings from multiple sensors. This technology is relatively cheap and works well with larger screens.Infrared Technology A frame around the screen contains LEDs with light receptors opposite, with the LEDs being pulsed sequentially to create a scanning grid of infrared light beams. Touching the screen obscures one or more beams, enabling a position to be calculated. Suitable for use with finger, gloved hand or stylus. Dispersive Signal Technology Complex algorithms interpret information from sensors that detect piezoelectricity in the glass panel resulting from a touch of the screen. Since detection is based on pressure, this technology is suitable for use with finger, gloved hand or stylus.

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