If you visit most online arcades, one of the first things you’ll notice is that many of them don’t have much content. Many of the webmasters who own these sites simply add games, and they feel that this is sufficient. However, content is one of the best ways to promote your site. When you have a site that is rich in content, you will begin receiving traffic from the search engines for various keywords. While many of the people who visit your site will simply want to play games, others will be interested in reading the content you have to offer. Another way you can promote your arcade site with content is through the use of article directories.

You can write articles which are related to various games or the gaming industry, and then you can take these articles, add hyperlinks to them, and submit them to the article directory sites. Once you do this, webmasters who like your work will begin publishing your articles on their sites. Once their visitors read your articles, all they need to do is click on the hyperlink to be taken to your homepage. Article directories are excellent because they promote your site, increase your link popularity, and they increase your traffic. By using article directories, you will avoid the fierce competitions that is often necessary to reach the top of the search engines for competitive keywords.

The next thing you will need to decide is the type of games you want to add on your site. The arcade games that you put on your site will basically fall under two categories, and these are custom games and non-custom games. Custom games are games that are unique to your site. They are often designed by you or a programmer that you hire. The advantage to creating custom games is that your site will have unique content, and people will have to come to your site to play the games. However, creating custom games will require you to either have programming experience, or the resources to hire a programmer.

Non-custom games are typically games that other webmasters allow you to use on your site. Generally, you will simply paste the HTML code on your site, and then you will publish. It is a fast way of adding games of content to your site. However, these games are being used by other webmasters as well, so your site won’t be unique. Also, you are limited to the control you have over the games. You can’t sell the rights of these games to anyone else, because you are not the creator.

Promoting Arcade Websites is a post from: Games Review

The 32X came about at a time when Sega, after living upon a tower of extreme complacency for the past few years, found the Megadrive’s 16 bit rule was coming to an end with frightening announcements of Playstations, Jaguars and other 32 bit powered hardware.

A department of Sega Japan, in conjunction with Sega of America, were ordered to design a 32 bit add-on for the Megadrive, and this would become the 32X. Bizarrely, however, another section of Sega Japan were also working on what would eventually become the Saturn – a superior 32-bit CD format. Interestingly, this was done in secret, completely unbeknownst to Sega of America while they beavered away on the 32X. This famously weird manoeuvre was completed in style by Sega’s somewhat suicidal decision to release both consoles at roughly the very same time.

The result? The 32X, with its old-fashioned cartridge format, rather laughable operating procedure (two power supplies, an extra video cable, and even some wacky anti-magnetic clips to keep it held snugly in the Megadrive cartridge slot) and poor software support from the get go, was dead before it started – losing to the Saturn, which in turn was obliterated by the Playstation and Nintendo 64. A sad tale at the time, but an excellent proposition for retro collectors with failing cash supplies; fairly cheap to pick up, and only about six good games before you can call your collection “complete”!

Chaotix, then. The only existing 32 bit, two-dimensional Sonic game. But a Sonic game without Sonic. And a Sonic game sold on a gimmick. Initially panned at release – generally because Sonic fans wanted more Sonic, and less Knuckles – the game fell into quick obscurity helped in no small part by the short shelf life of the 32X. This is a shame because, once you look beyond its flaws, a tricky and intelligent platform adventure with a unique twist lies within.

Imagine a world in which you’re permanently attached to a companion by a mysterious elastic-like band of energy. When you move, they have to follow, when you jump, they jump. A nightmarish proposition and, indeed, the very core of Chaotix’s gameplay. So does it work? Hmm…sort of. When you get the hang of it, Chaotix is actually quite a wild ride.

Controlling the two characters simultaneously, bound together by one of Dr. Robotnik’s evil experiments, the player must learn to use this disaster to their advantage, namely by creating tension in the link to supply momentum to run faster, clear obstacles, and progress up platforms.

The physics engine that supplies this unique style of movement was a brave endeavour by Sega, and admittedly isn’t always one that pays off. The structure of the game’s levels is rather different to standard Sonic fare, with everything having to be far more spaced out to allow the bouncing, spinning (often out of control) twosome to rebound around the levels. Frustration will often come by becoming stuck either above or below where you want to be, mashing the buttons desperately to make the characters gain the movement necessary to progress. Then there’s the constant risk of smashing clumsily into enemies (of which there are, wisely, also a lot less than usual) and losing a large amount of rings unfairly. Careening around randomly is something you’ll be spending a lot of time doing, and it’s fun at first, until you actually become bent on getting somewhere and trying to collect all the Chaos Rings (this instalment’s replacement for the classic Chaos Emeralds). Progress can become slow and frustrating, but after a while, when perhaps no longer judged simply as a “Sonic game”, Chaotix starts to get under your skin, and makes its subtleties known. I’d never promise you that true mastery of the crazy system is possible, but you’ll certainly begin to smile the first time you send your mammals speeding off in the right direction, clear a loop, kill an enemy, spin hectically through space and then make a neat, balletic landing at the level exit sign. That’s Sonic to the power of two, and then some!

And then, gameplay considerations put aside, as a 32X showcase title, Chaotix is a must for any collector. The 32X’s new range of colours is shown off fully, with every new level – chosen at random – taking place at a different time of day, resulting effectively in around four different colour palettes per stage (and there are about 30 of them!). This gives the game a real feeling of uniqueness on every play through. Sprite scaling is also used to hilarious effect – new powerups allow characters to shrink to a tiny size or grow into an enormous pixellated monstrosity. Then there’s the bonus stage…

Placed inside a fully 3D world, your character must collect blue spheres (a la Sonic 3), but this time, running up the walls causes the tunnel to rotate with the player, creating an immensely challenging, gravity-defying experience that often ends in falling – swearing and throwing your controller across the room – out of the bottom of the tunnel. Never has a Sonic special stage required such a devilish combination of planning and reflexes.

At the end of the day, Chaotix was a brave new idea, almost well executed but just missing that extra round of playtesting (probably due to being rushed out for the console’s ironically untimely release!) needed to make it a bona fide masterpiece. In addition to this failing, there were never enough people in possession of the hardware to play it, anyway.

Sega – release Chaotix on the next Sonic Compilation so the whole world can enjoy the elasticated eccentricities of this flawed, forgotten classic!

Originally posted on Retro 247 Games at http://www.retro247.co.uk

Copyright © 2006 Peter Michael Gothard

Retro Revisited: Chaotix is a post from: Games Review

There is no doubt going to be a number of people that come out and say that children are spending far too much time in front of the computer. They may end up telling us that their eyes will go back or something. Regardless of what they will say, we know now that it is important to limit the amount of time children use the computer. We know this because we know that it just makes sense that children who play on the computer too much loose the physical aspects of life along with the elements of pretend play that actually teach them quite a bit.

As parents, it is up to us to limit what the child is doing. It is up to us to provide for them something worthwhile to do while they are on the web as well. In this, we mean that you, Mom or Dad, need to commit to knowing which games they are playing and which websites they plan to visit. Here’s a great way to limit what they are actually doing.

Instead of allowing them to surf and end up on some bad website out there, go ahead and download a game or two for them. Games that are available on the web are fun, but when the parent gets to do the picking, they can be fun and educational at the same time. Does your child need math help? Then go ahead and give them a fun math game that teaches what they need in an easy to get along with manner. This can be done for a number of subjects like spelling, science, history and language. By giving them a computer game like these, they can make their computer time, well, worth it in your eyes.

You would be surprised by how many parents simply say, “Yes, you can play on the internet.” Many of them do not know what their child is doing let alone know that he or she is playing an educational game! Yeah right! Most kids are going to find and play a game that interests them with flashing colors and graphics. That doesn’t mean that they won’t like games that don’t provide this element. But, the websites they tend to visit are full of advertisements that lure them in. Your job is to point them in the right direction.

So, back to our question; how much is the right amount of time for computer time for your child? Well, inside that question is the word, “your” and that means that it is at your discretion that you should consider their need. Balance their day with physical, emotional, pretend and all those other important educational elements then add in a little time for computer play. Believe it or not, they are building skills that they will need later in life too.

The Right Amount Of Computer Time is a post from: Games Review

A quick look at Assassin’s Creed might remind you of other recent and top rating PS3 Games. For, this game boasts of an incredibly controllable hero and an almost lifelike animation just like the Prince of Persia. Moreover, the game has an astounding medieval setting, a visually stunning lifelike cityscapes, and an open-ended game play that is very similar to that of Oblivion. The ps3 game also reminds us of the Thief series for its resourceful, independent, and inconspicuous hero as well as the anti-medieval-establishment background. Then, the open-ended sandbox world of Assassin’s Creed is also comparably with Grand Theft Auto. Amidst certain similarities with other games, Assassin’s Creed is still a standout with its surprising twists and it’s creative and beautifully designed visual style. All these features add to the uniqueness of the game.

“Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.” And so goes the creed of the assassin. These words suggest that anything is possible during the entire game. This exciting and action-packed adventure is set in the late 12th century during the Third Crusade under the leadership of Richard Lionheart. Here, you play as Altair, the fearless and powerful assassin armed with a sword, a wrist blade, and crossbows. The hero is surrounded by aggressive threats in all places and yet he can destroy them all instantly with his fast and cunning counterattacks to his enemies. Assassin’s Creed, indeed, is one of the PS3 Games worth playing.

The people’s reaction to Altair is another thing, which sets apart Assassin’s Creed from the rest of the PS3 Games. While the hero is busy fighting or demonstrating his skills and tactics, you could see the people around visibly frowning or raising their eyebrows as they watch him. A perfect example for this is the scene where Altair attacks a random civilian. As the victim drops to the ground, the villagers stand in shock while others run away from the place screaming.

You might be wondering where the hero’s name comes from. Altair is an Arabic word, which means “the flying eagle.” Indeed, the developers of the game made sure that the character would really live up to his name. If you want to find out why, just watch Altair’s rapid and swift movements each time he faces his opponents. He projects a cool attitude even in the middle of a big fight. Altair is distinct from other heroes in PS3 games with the fact that his movements look so real and good to the players. The game’s animation is simply visually stunning and lifelike. Assassin’s Creed is truly one of the best PS3 Games ever created by Ubisoft. The whole adventure is worth checking out.

Top Rated PS3 Games: Assassin’s Creed is a post from: Games Review

Another reason for their popularity deals with the notion of meeting new people and having the opportunity to play games with other people who are interested in doing so as well. If one has ever wanted to play a game with friends and family members who were not in the mood to do so, those individuals can relate to having other gamers accessible with a click or two of the mouse. Playing in tournament games online is a great way to gain access to other individuals who share the same gaming desire.

Lastly, the wide range of tournament games which are readily available to computer users these days gives individuals an option when it comes to which game they would like to play. An individual can play in a solitaire tournament one day and then switch to a poker tournament the next. The variety of tournament games which are available to Internet users is amazing and greatly appreciated by those playing the games.

Conclusion

It is easy to see why online tournament games are so popular these days. Not only is there a wide variety of options when it comes to the games themselves but individuals have opposing players ready and waiting to join in on the game. Tournament games allow individuals to come together to play games online which provides fun for all the players involved.

Why Play Tournament Games? is a post from: Games Review

• First switch off your PSP. Connect to the computer using an USB cord or cable . Switch on the PSP once you have connected it to your computer.
• Enter the “Settings” menu then press X , this would link your PAP to your computer. Go to “My Computer” and you would find the PSP listed there indicating that your computer has recognized this external device.
• Go to your PSP next. Access your memory card and open your folder titled “PSP”. Here you have to create two more folders “MP_ROT” and “100mnv01”.
• Now the next step is your movies . If you have the MP4s saved on your computer then all you have to do is move these movies into your “100mnv01” folder that you created. Once you have put all your movie files onto the folder in the PSP then all you have to do to watch movie on PSP is to click the movie that you want to see and here you are already watching your favourite movies.

This is all you need to do to watch movie on PSP. In case your movies are not saved on your computer then you have to find a software that would help to take the DVD put it on your system and also convert it into the PSP compatible MP4 format.

Watch Movie on PSP is a post from: Games Review

Lower level mining skill of course wouldn’t make you as much as being on top of the chart and we know it may be a little difficult or frustrating to level. It may take about 1 hour to get to tin level so its not too bad. However tin is a little more aggravating. Near ashenvale there is a place with harpies that has a few nice spots. From there stick to the wall and go south, head over to South Barrens. go around Scorpid, Bristleback and Razormane and you should be able to level your tin in no time.

Mithril is the key to making the most World of Warcraft gold. Engineering and Blacksmiths both need massive amounts to produce the items with their skills. Mithril usually sells off extremely fast a nice price in the auction house.

In southern Kalimdor you’ll find Tanaris, a level 40-50 zone. There are many mineral ores that will make you filthy rich. You can start at Gadgetzan and cut across the desert to start. Be sure to check all the rocks and croppings along the way. The place is dangerous with alot of spawns. Travel along the edge, and then back along the outter boundary circling the map. Thistleshrub valley also has a few hot spots along with Un’Goro crater, Zul’Farrak and the areas close to Gadgetzan. Mining mithril may be a bit hard at low level, but the having the copper and tin will help you get some extra gold to spare until higher level. If you’re level 50 you should be able to farm mithril fine.

This is a simple tip on how to make money at low level. Would be easier if you were an Orc or Troll because of their starting location. Orcs and Troll starts in durotar, for other races you will need to travel a bit further but it should all work pretty well.

You will need to become a Journeyman miner to begin. Durotar has the highest number of copper veins so would be the most ideal place. Once you’ve collected a good amount of copper ore, return to the forge and smelt them. Once your copper ore is turned in bars, follow the path from Razor Hill north to Ogrimmar and then head to the auction house. Talk to one of the auctioneers and set price to 40 silver for buyout and make the price 45-60 silver per 20 copper bars. I’ve seen stacks of copper bars go for 4 gold but average seems more around 80 silver pieces to 1 gold piece. Be sure to check the prices in the auction house first before listing. This is an ideal way to make money at low level.

World of Warcraft Mining Profession is a post from: Games Review

Facebook made flesh

So what is Avatarbook? Well, the clue is in the name. What is one of the largest social networking websites on the planet at the moment? That’s right -– Facebook. With over 58 million users, Facebook is the primary reason that many of us log on in the morning. But, as we all know, it has its limitations. As do online games.

One problem with online games is that they can be too divorced from reality -– you have your online friends, and your real-world friends, and the two remain firmly divided. Ditto Facebook -– your user-circle is limited by who you already know, and it’s hard to get to know people outside of that circle on a one-to-one basis without sharing all your private data or being introduced by a friend of a friend.

All that is set to change, with a new application that could change our networking community forever. When Linden Labs made Linden Dollars (the currency of the hugely popular game Second Life) exchangeable for real-world currency, they opened up the world of online gaming by bringing it into the real world. Now EA want to do the same thing, by allowing users of the Sims Online to link their Avatars’ accounts to their Facebook profiles.

Sharing Information

Avatarbook has two faces — the in-game version and the Facebook version. In-game you can use it much like Facebook, in that you can find other Avatars and view their limited profiles. For friends the full profiles are visible, with walls for people to write on and updatable status. Your profile will also show if your lot is open or not, and the application an be used to quickly make your way around EA Land as you jump from friend to friend.

In Facebook, the application shows your Avatar’s details (unless you have chosen a private setting) and picture, and whether or not you are logged on to the game. This is a useful way for players to find out who is online without having to log in themselves. You can also invite other users of Facebook who are not already Sims Online players to download the application and see your Avatar profile — a move that EA hopes will attract more people to the game.

For the time being, then, the bulk of information that can be shared is Avatar-related. Their skills, properties and friends can all be viewed, and their Wall. The identity of the real-life person behind the Avatar is kept private, at least for now.

Privacy

Privacy is a major issue as far as EA are concerned, so at the moment Avatarbook is fairly limited in how much information can be shared. In the Sims game you can add people to your friends list, which will provide them with a link to your Facebook profile rather than making a direct link, though that is set to change as the application grows. Also, nobody in EA Land (the Sims Online world where the application will be available) will have access to your real name – you will be searchable only by your Avatar’s name. EA have stated that they intend to allow players to lower their privacy settings so that more information can be shared, but at the moment they’re playing it safe.

The Future

This application obviously shows great potential, and it is something that EA are going to continue to develop as they gain feedback from users. The Sims Online game is going through a revolution at the moment, with their free trial set to become permanent free play in the very near future (with limited gameplay for non-payers, much like in Second Life). For years now Second Life has been leading the pack in terms of innovation and social interactivity, but if EA keeps this up then we could be looking at a new contender for the crown. After all, they did come up with the two most popular games of all time (Sims and Sims 2), so some would say that this is less of a surprise than a belated homecoming. Certainly one to watch, at any rate.

Avatarbook – Facebook Meets Online Gaming. is a post from: Games Review

The actual name for backgammon comes from a Welsh term meaning “wee battle.” However, the history of backgammon reflects many different names and versions. The aristocracy and slave population of Egypt and Greece played a similar game called, “senat.” The Romans changed the number of dice from two to three and called it “bac gamen” or “back game.” From the Roman civilization, backgammon moved to Persia, where it was again played with two dice in a game called “Takhteh Nard” or “Battle on Wood.” During the time of the Crusades, the Anglo Saxon soldiers and traders played yet another version called “Tables” or “Tabula.”

Throughout the history of backgammon, the Church attempted several times to ban the game, but always failed. Cardinal Woolsey, in the 16th century, ordered all the boards burned, calling the game “the devil’s folly.” Burning the boards was useless, however, since any type of board could be drawn in dirt or sand and played with small pebbles. Dice were often handmade and were small enough to be easily concealed on a person or hidden in someone’s home. Furthermore, the English were very clever and decided to disguise the backgammon board as a folding book. Their innovative craftsmanship is still evident in the board we use today.

Edmund Hoyle, the famous writer and gamesman, documented the rules and the history of backgammon in the mid 1700’s. Colonists from England brought backgammon to their homes in America, along with chess and other board games of the times. Although the game of backgammon lost some popularity in the Victorian era, it quickly reappeared and gained strength in the 20th century. At this time, an unknown inventor devised the doubling cube, which offers players the opportunity to multiply their initial wager by the amount on the doubling cube. Of course, some strategy and experience is needed before using the doubling cube.

Tournaments, books, magazines, and clubs are now a part of the history of backgammon. The introduction of the game on the Internet has increased its popularity to an even greater extent. Backgammon is a fast-paced, challenging, and entertaining game of skill and luck.

Backgammon Online is a post from: Games Review

<b>The early game targets</b>

<b>1. Make points in the homeboard</b>
There are two reasons why this is important. First, it will mess your upponent’s game by limiting his chances to enter from the bar if you hit his checker. If you make to additional points his chances are much worse to get back to the game than if you would have only the six-point. Second, by making points in your home board also means that you those checkers are already ready for bearing off when the time comes.

Please remember that some points are more important than others. If you maneuver your checkers to the edge of the board or very close to it you limit yourself as to which checkers you can move. On your home board the most important points are the 5-point, then 6 and 4-point and then the 3-point in this order.

If you are unable to make points in your homeboard, make points as near to the homeboard as possible. If you manage to block points 7 through 12 you’ll see how difficult it is for your opponent to escape his back checkers. In addition, making any points between 7 and 12 are excellent storage points for bringing the checkers in to your home board.

<b>2. Escape your back men</b>
While you are attacking and building points in and near your home board you shouldn’t forget about your back men. If you do, a few turns later they might’ve got blocked or the distance to the rest of your checkers could be very long and therefore the escape can become a very risky one and could easily cost you the game. Therefore, from the beginning, move your back checkers up slowly towards your home board. Try to keep them in relative proximity to the rest of the checkers.

Doubles are very good for bringing the back men towards your home board. Use half of the roll for that purpose and use the other half making points somewhere else. Sometimes you will be rolling combinations that doesn’t allow you to move both of your checkers well. In that case split your back men. This can be a little risky but if you play safe you’ll never be a real backgammon winner. As soon as you can, bring your back men again together.

<b>Conculsion</b>
You are doing yourself a big favour if you maintain your focus and work hard towards your early game goals. If you don’t you’ll soon find yourself firefighting problems after one another and that’s the type of game you most certainly will lose. So stay calm, and don’t let things distract you from what matters in the early phases of the game.

Backgammon early game strategy is a post from: Games Review