Video Poker: Why Do People Like It

Yesterday, I was having coffee at my local cafe with a few friends when I noticed a small guy in a sitting to the far-right corner of the cafe and away from all of us, this short man was crouched over a glowing video poker screen. Huh?

It was just a few months back that casinos all over the world and especially in Las Vegas were removing poker, baccarat and blackjack tables and adding more and more slot machines instead. But then something peculiar took place. Casino owners and employees noticed that one corner of the machines was more crowded than the rest. A short examination revealed that the games allocated to the slot section was none other than video poker. So why are so many interested players preferring video poker?

Here, I will try and answer some of the more practical reasons why this has happened and will happen even more and more:

1) The Odds: While slot machines offer odds that are pretty difficult to win on (and by that I mean the real big bucks), video poker machines are much easier when it comes to accumulating a large sum because it is somewhat based (even though loosely) on poker. This makes each player think that it is based on his skill more than just on luck.

2) More Choice: By this I am not referring to the pick of different slot machines, but rather to the fact that you have the choice of selecting the row to play with it whereas in slots, you have no real control after you press the button or pull the lever. It is not a secret that the principle of both these two games is to try and hit the money jackpot whether it is by getting the appropriate numbers or symbols aligned or whether it is by getting a royal poker flush. To do this in video poker, you have to pick from a number of five-hand cards.

3) Sitting Out: When playing at a slot machine, you have to play each and every time. If you want to stop, you have to clear the machine so that someone else can get a try. But this is not the case when playing video poker. This game allows you to simply sit out a round or two and then continue whenever you feel like.

4) Higher Money Ratio: Because of the chance that you can sit out any round where your cards are not any good. You have a bigger chance making an overall profit out of the time you spent playing at the casino whether it is an online casino or a land one or even whether it is just a small machine in the local diner or bar or regional gas station.

5) It is also said in many video poker circles and plenty of other articles around the web that the statistics of hitting higher paying options while playing video poker are higher in comparison to playing video slot machines.

Conclusion:
Not withstanding all of the above reasons, the fact that poker is very popular and slot machines too only leads me to assume that a game combining the two will be greatly appreciated by any player of either of the two games but more so by those who enjoy the drone of the machine.

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Video Games - Tune In To What's In!

The eternal quest for entertainment leads us to the virtual world of video games, and mind you it's a huge world out there. With companies coming out with newer, revolutionary games, that are even more challenging, have enhanced graphics, integrated realism, and other awesome effects in their games practically every fortnight, it's difficult to see which ones made the cut.

There's a huge gaming community out there and it’s fair to say that what’s popular with them is probably worthy of a mention. However, scrubbing through the popular games to determine which one ranks top most is no easy feat.

While the top positions are constantly shifting around, some of the games that have made it to the top this year are:

Halo 3

This game is simply brilliant; it incorporates all that worked well in the previous "Halo" games and has mush more to offer. One of the key points that makes this game refreshing is the fact that the enemies in the game are perhaps as smart as the player itself so its all the more challenging and fun. The makers have also suped-up the multiplayer options and the feature of "Saved film" incorporates a PC idea with console like accessibility.

Super Mario Galaxy

An all time favourite and a legend in its self the Mario games have yet again made it to the top with Super Mario returning and a space adventure riddled with action that has enhanced gameplays and moves away from the dull and common routines making way for some really interesting variety. Packed with surprises the game feel fresh and new despite the fact that it probably a rehash of its predecessors. The graphics are great and sparkle, while the controls prove nicely tight. Is it any surprise then that Super Mario has made it to the top again?

Rock Band

It looks like the purchase of Harmonix by MTV is finally paying off. This game is lets four players, a guitarist, bass guitarist, Drummer and Vocalist have a blast on or offline through the revolutionary rock band rhythms game. It features loads of tunes licensed from several big record labels. Although it’s not completely perfect in the sense that it really lacks the “world tour” bit to give it that touch of making it big, Yet it give people a chance to explore a perhaps unfulfilled ambition as a musician in a rock band and it works out great as a substitute for those who just won’t be able to ever play onstage with real music instruments.

BioShock

Designed for play on the Xbox and PC its setting is based in an alternative reality that’s an underwater battleground. There’s a lot of strategy and thinking involved in this first person shooter game. Attacks from mutants and mechanical drones that roam across this underwater world make for a very interesting game. An intriguing game it captivates the players right from the beginning where the primary player “Jack” ends up on the scene thanks to a plane crash over the Atlantic Ocean. From then on Jack makes his way through the game advised by different charters, he learns his of his origins and the purpose he is there. It’s a real thrilling game and definitely worth trying out.

Portal

Part of the 5 games constituting 'The Orange Box', 'Portal' turns out to be a pleasant surprise this year. This unique and innovative game is a puzzle of sorts with an excellent story line. The puzzle game is based on the concept of a special gum which is used to shoot portals and create worm holes to enter and exit them from time to time as well as to zap objects. The gun can be operated on almost all of the flat surfaces in the puzzle. What makes this game special are the excellent number of loops, comic narratives and excellent graphics and audio. The theme song of this game which you can hear towards the end is a work of genius.

Call of Duty - 4

Fourth release in the series of the same name, Call of Duty - 4 is a master piece from X-Box. This latest entry gives a powerful and dramatic sense of realism and a sense of immediacy to the player. The game offers you a choice of playing a US Marine as well as a British S.A.S. This gives the game a unique global appeal as players are drawn to it with a sense of loyalty and patriotism. Drawn from the latest experiences of war, this game will take the player across the globe, from one extreme battleground to another, be it the Middle East or Russia. Rendering images from the worst offerings of modern warfare, you will be enthralled by the reality of war and its effects in the real world. All said and done, this game will surely keep you on your toes.

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Sony Playstation Portable Versus Nintendo DS

Both the PSP and DS have been vying for the top spot in the handheld console genre ever since, with recent releases of slim and lite models for each brand.

The PSP is a sensational handheld gaming console owing to its wide screen and graphics engine. The graphics on its gorgeous 4.3 inch LCD screen displays about 16.77 million colors with a screen resolution of 480 by 272 pixels. The graphical clarity of its games comes close to the Playstation 2 caliber. The PSP is capable of displaying stunning graphics and animations as well as DVD quality movies. No handheld gaming console ever comes close to the visual quality of the PSP.

The DS is by all means unique in terms of its graphical interface and gaming style. Amusingly, the DS has two 3 inch LCD screens capable of displaying 260,000 colors with a resolution of 256 by 192 pixels. The DS is inferior in terms of graphical quality, so you might say. But get this, with dual screens and with the touch-sensitive bottom screen, the DS revolutionized the world of gaming as we know it.

If you have previously tried Sony gaming consoles, you will be very familiar with the control scheme of the PSP. The PSP lives up to the Playstation name by inheriting its renowned button layout. Much like the original Playstation and Playstation 2 controller, the PSP offers comfortable and effective gaming controls as the company was known for. Probably a major setback was the exclusion of the two shoulder buttons and the right analog stick, which played a vital role in many games especially in First-Person Shooters. But hey, it’s a portable console and it’s supposed to be handy and not bulky. So it is acceptable for the PSP to have some limitations in controls compared to the much flexible Playstation controller. Nonetheless, the PSP’s control scheme brings the gaming feel to whoever wants to have some hardcore gaming fun.

The touch screen feature is arguably the most amazing feature of the DS. In terms of control flexibility and style, the DS can’t be beat. With the included stylus, you can play a number of games by touching the bottom screen. What’s even more impressive is the handwriting recognition of some DS games. There are puzzle and math games which require you to write onto the screen the correct answers to win. Many other platform and interactive games require you to perform certain strokes using the stylus to perform feats such as jumping, swinging the sword, and others. Another surprising feature of the DS is voice command using the unit’s integrated microphone. Some DS games require you to speak words or phrases. With its uniqueness, the DS brings fun in gaming in the quirkiest and most amusing way.
With regards to the game library, the PSP is flooded with games compared to the DS. This is because the PSP is capable of receiving ports or mellowed down versions of games from the major consoles due to its powerful graphics engine. With this, one might notice that most of the PSP’s games are portable versions of console games. The DS on the other hand, has its own unique and exclusive game library composing of famous Nintendo franchise games and the like. Although lacking in epic games such as those in the PSP, the DS makes up by having its own share of short but fun games. Therefore, the common connotation for many is that the PSP is for hardcore gamers while the DS entertains both casual gamers and fans of the Nintendo franchises.




Handheld gaming consoles are meant to give the fun gaming experience expected of these devices. However, since the development of special firmware for the PSP, the ability to play games is just one of its many functions. The PSP is capable of viewing pictures and playing music and video files. The PSP also has an internet browser for surfing the net using wireless LAN. There are even custom firmware or homebrew applications to enable the PSP to play games from previous generations of consoles. Having special firmware is the huge advantage of the PSP over the DS. The DS is sadly not capable of any of these, except being able to play Game Boy Advance games and running Pictochat, an embedded messaging application that wirelessly connects all DS units within range.

Both the PSP and DS can play multiplayer games through their wireless connection capabilities. PSPs can connect with other PSPs via Ad Hoc, which is a small range wireless frequency for exclusive PSP use. The DS can also do the same, having its own exclusive frequency only detected by DS units.

Being portable gaming consoles, the battery life is one of the user’s major concerns. With a CPU clock running at a tremendous 333 MHz equaling a Pentium III’s power, the PSP can only last up to 4 to 6 hours when in use. The DS takes one big leap as it can surprisingly last for up to 10 hours even while supporting its brightly lighted dual screens.

In the end, it is really up to you to determine which portable gaming console suits your preferences. The visual prowess, multimedia perks, and wide array of games may draw you to the PSP, but you have to consider the unique gaming style and exclusive games of the DS. The PSP is sold generally at a higher price, which makes the DS more affordable among the two. Whatever your choice, you are certain to experience the gaming pleasure anytime and anywhere with the Sony PSP and the Nintendo DS.

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Playstation 3 Review

It’s black, it’s shiny, it’s a dust magnet and it is a console gaming system that offers so much more than merely the ability to play the state-of-the-art games.

Sony’s catchphrase for the PlayStation 3 is PLAY B3YOND (aka Beyond) – and what the PS3 offers is a device that is capable of playing the latest PS 1080p games, surfing the Web, play blu-ray videos and so much more.

PlayStation 3 80GB
But first things first …

The local phone company tech showed up at the door to install DSL. Cool. Problem was the wireless modem was connected to the wall outlet upstairs and the PS3 was in the master bedroom (hooked up to the HDTV) downstairs. Look in the manual … Select Network Settings … Select Internet Connection Settings … Select “Wireless” and then press the X button. A firmware download later, the machine was surfing the Web, using a Logitech USB keyboard.

There were a couple of retail games included in the box – Genji: Days of the Blade and Resistance: Fall of Man. Genji was tried – nope, need to upgrade the firmware to the next iteration (from 1.00 to 1.02). Again, not a problem. Resistance comes packaged with the firmware upgrade and other games down the line will do the same thing (think PC and getting the latest iteration of DirectX with the game).

Sony ushers in its version of the next-gen console system with the launch of the PS3 on November 17. Pre-sales indicate the machine will sell out. The first 500,000 units shipped carried the blu-ray release of Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby. Sony wants those who buy the console to see what blu-ray can do. Words don’t do a blu-ray justice. It could be mentioned that blu-ray disks hold much more information than DVDs (DVDs can hold nine gigs of information while blu-ray disks can hold 50 gigs), and in the case of movies come the closest yet to a visual experience that is amazing. Imagine all that on a disk.

PlayStation 3 80GB
What’s in the box …

The PS3 comes in two models, the lower-priced ($499) 20-gigabyte playstation 3 hard drive and the ($599) 60-gig playstation 3 hard drive. There are differences, aside from the hard-drive size between the two.

The 60-gig machine uses a Cell Broadband Engine and the main memory is 256-meg XDR RAM with 256-megs of GDDR3 VRAM. The hard drive is a 2.5” Serial ATA and the main input/output devices include a memory stick, SD and CompactFlash disks as well as four USB 2.0 ports. The 20-gig machine only has the USB ports, not the other input/output device ports. The hard drive size and the input/output configurations are the differences between the two machines.

The machine will support screen sizes of 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p with the ability to connect either through HDMI cables (not included) or the composite analog cables (5 connections – three for video and two audio channels). Both machines have the digital audio capabilities and the Blu-ray/DVD/CD (read-only) disc drives.

Blu-ray and Cell Broadband Engine …

The Cell Broadband Engine was developed by IBM, Sony and Toshiba and is purported to deliver up to 10 times the processing speed of a typical home computer. The hype on the engine states that developers should be able to start approximating actual intelligence in games, rather than artificial intelligence, meaning the enemies should get a lot smarter. The engine is capable of performing 200 billion calculations per second and has a clock speed of 3.2 GHz.

The blu-ray disc offers next-gen media capabilities that can render high-definition graphical power to a receiver that is also HD. It can support 1080p, which is 1,080 lines of progressive scan – the highest resolution available. Blu-ray discs can carry more than five times the amount of data of a DVD. DVDs can hold up to 9 gigs of information but the blu-ray disc can hold 50 gigs – which translates, in gaming terms, into titles that will be much bigger in terms of detail or game scope. Blu-ray also supports 7.1 surround sound.



Sixaxis controller …

No more forced feedback from the controller – that has been replaced by gyroscopes in the peripheral that will enable players (if supported by the game) to use controller movement to affect the game. Let’s face it – we have all tried to take corners in a racing game by tilting the controller in the direction we wanted to turn. With the sixaxis controller, that will be possible. Menus will be able to be accessed by tilting the controller, or flight controls will rely on the angle that the controller is at. In every other way, this is the PS control device. However, only one sixaxis controller comes in the box.

PlayStation Network …

Signing up is fast and free. You can connect to the Internet via the CAT5 port or the wireless network card. Each account is broken into two parts – the Master account and the secondary account. On the network you can download demos, keep track of a friends, send messages, and chart game progress. There is an option to input billing information (credit card) so that you can buy games and such through the network and load them onto the hard drive of the machine.

Using the machine …

The PS3 has a crossbar menu on the boot screen. This is exactly the same as the PSP. You can store video, audio, downloads, browse the Internet, message friends, access the PlayStation store (where there are free downloads and downloads you would pay for as well), or launch a movie or game.

The disc simply slides into the front of the machine, a la a CD player in your car, and the buttons to eject it, or turn off the machine take only a whisper of a touch. Using the controller, which has a lithium battery in it and once charged can go wireless, the PS3 owner can quit the game by pressing the PS logo, holding it down and waiting for the prompts. The power supply is built into the casing, and while I puts out some heat, it does not feel as hot as the 360 external power supply.

Navigating the crossbar menus is a breeze and hooking up the PlayStation Network is also easy.

Anticipations and expectations ran high for the next-generation console systems and Sony has delivered. This machine is amazing.

Pros:
Blu-ray, Cell Broadband, storage, Web access, sixaxis controller and high-def graphical output all add up to a machine that is delicious to look at and delightful to play on, or just to watch movies on. The machine is easy to use, but the cover is a dust magnet and will need to be tended to (wait, isn’t that a ‘con?’ Nope, the sleek machine design is a definite ‘pro.’)

Cons:
There is a marked difference in storage and input/output between the 20-gig and 60-gig machine. Everything else is the same, but with only a price point difference of $100, it seems silly to not buy the bigger machine. Clever marketing is not entirely too friendly in asking consumers to cough up that extra $100 for more machine. Sony did tout this as backward compatible with all PSOne and PS2 titles, but – while not confirmed – there does seem to be some titles that will not run on the machine.

Verdict: 9.7
The games, both as launch titles and those coming in the next few months, will be amazing and will take console gaming into the next generation. The controls are easily accessed and used – both on the PS sixaxis controller and the crossbar navigational system. This machine has so much that using it merely as a gaming device seems rather silly. No, it won’t be a primary Web surfing tool (and it is recommended you get a USB keyboard for that anyway) but the PlayStation Network is a definite bonus. Blu-ray provides wondrous graphical output and the machine does play CDs as well as old PS titles (maybe not all, but still the majority). With online downloads, or games with the latest firmware support, this is a machine built to play, to use with entertainment media and to go online with.

Go ahead, spend the extra $100 for the bigger machine, you may be glad you did so – especially if you plan to store photos and such on the machine. About the only thing that would have made this better would be a R/W disc.

Sony has said that this is the foundation for the next 10 years. Maybe it is, maybe technology will outgrow it sooner, but one thing is certain – this machine fits today’s entertainment needs wonderfully.

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Why Online Role Playing Games Are In Demand

Online role playing games can trace its history back to the 1970s, where the earliest multi user games started to appear. Rogue, a very famous dungeon crawler, was released in1980. Monsters, items, and setting were represented by letters. This in turn, inspired a whole genre of similar clones.

Image by One lucky guy via Flickr

Dungeons and Dragons have long influenced the development of role playing games. Console playing games’, such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, success divided the genre into two: the console role playing games and the computer role playing games. This is because of the cultural differences where game consoles are produced primarily for personal computers in Japan and role playing games in the Western World.

Online Role Playing Games started as single player games when it was first introduced. However, with the advent of the internet, more and more improvements were made on role playing games. What started as a game for one now has all people coming from different countries playing together in one game. Multiplayer options have grown remarkably big that game companies find ways to improve it over and over again. With these improvements came massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs) that continued to make online gaming more popular each year.

Role playing games are games where the participants or players assume roles of certain fictional characters and follow stories as the game process continues.

These characters are usually called avatars and can be customized according to the player’s preferences. Participants determine their character’s actions whether it succeed or it fails. Like any other game, online role playing games also have guidelines and formal system of rules and mechanics that has to be met. Within this rules, the participant can improvise and shape the outcome and direction of the games.

Stories

The games are based around stories which are mostly adventure and fictional in type. Online role playing games centers around fantasy and mythological genre were the participant has to achieve a certain goal to advance further into the game. These goals are sometimes called "quests" or mission. They involve chasing of dragons from the city, saving a damsel in distress, or fighting evil masters and wizards. How one wins these fights depends on their character’s strength, characteristics, and skill.

More About the Characters

Players are given options on how they want to improve their character’s performance. They can modify this through enhancing their character’s skills,attributes, equipment, and special abilities. In most RPGs, these improvements are offered as rewards for accomplishing missions and overcoming certain challenges. These rewards have to be earned.

Status Bars

Unlike traditional video games where health or a character’s attributes are displayed on colored status bars and meters, online role playing games have a more complicated way in displaying status levels. Instead of the simpler abstract graphical representation, they make use of numeric values which are constantly updated each time the character scores or takes a hit. These numerical values are displayed on the status screen of each player.

Multiplayer Options

Originally, role playing games were offered only a single player experience.However, with the advent of the internet, multiplayer modes gained popularity and rose sharply during the middle of the 1990s. Diablo was among the first to come up with multiplayer games. And with that, these multiplayer games became into massively multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPGs). Everquest is an example of these.

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The Blue Print to 1 Million in WOW Gold !

Warcraft Millionaire is a guide created by Brad Johnson and it provides its readers with all the details that will enable them to accumulate large amounts of gold using legitimate and quick methods. Brad himself has been playing the game since its launch in 04 and has reached the gold cap on many and made almost a million in Gold in WoW.

The “1-60 Gold Guide” is the first main section of the Warcraft Millionaire. You will learn about the speed, at which you should be leveling, the items you should be purchasing and where you need to be in the game. You will be able to find great items and pay less than others for the items you require. You will also learn how to maximize your gold while leveling from 1 to 60. The guide accepts the fact that grinding is necessary for making gold. After reading Warcraft Millionaire you will learn how to grind more effectively, this combined with tips regarding getting the most out of your profession and taking advantage of the best daily quests, can really improve your game.

In the second guide called the “60-70 Gold Making Blueprint” you learn how to make gold in Outland and reveals all the methods you can use for doing this. In this guide also you will learn which items to buy and where to go in order to make maximum gold.

The third guide focuses on making a lot of gold in Northrend and it’s called the “70-80 Gold Making Blueprint” .This guide gives a lot of valuable tips on making gold in Northrend.

Warcraft Basics is the fourth guide included in the package and it’s a very good read for any newcomer ho wants to make a solid start in WOW. The fifth book is the Auction House Domination guide .It teaches you which tools will unlock the potential profit in everything you buy and which sure shot methods will earn you profits in the Auction House.

A very good addition to the game is the Daily Quests and the the guide teaches you how to earn up to 12 gold per quest completed! This method does not generate gold quickly but it’s still a fairly reasonable method for semi hardcore players. There are also three other items that you get - Limited Items Report, Grinding Guide and a Premium membership with upgrades and support.

The limited items guide is a great thing to have because it teach you how to get the vast supply of limited items in WOW and how to resell them at the Auction House to make great profits. The guide has all a list of all the limited items along with vendor names and their locations.

Warcraft Millionaire is a comprehensive gold making guide that shows you how to become really rich in the World of Warcraft. The course is result oriented and easy to understand. What’s more, if you don’t like the books you can return them within 60 days and get a full refund.

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