Gaming Captures the Hearts of Gamers

By: Paul Wilson

Gaming is popular with teenagers, women, children, as well as men. Older people say they play games as it alleviates loneliness and puts them in contact with others. Statistics reveal that 41% of gamers are women and more than 43 % gamers are aged 25-49. And, research predicts that the games market in 2005 will be US$ 29 billion.

Players can choose between stored games and online games. Stored games are played on consoles while online games are played on a computer using either a broadband or dial up Internet connection. The growth in online gaming according to IDC, a research firm, is set to touch 256 million users by 2008. And, that gaming is serious business is conformed by the hosting of international conferences devoted to gaming and the formation of "Casual Games Special Interest Group."

Gaming captures the imagination of the players and uses the senses: sight, sound, as well as touch. Many need the use of intelligence as well as strategy. Complex graphics, colors, high quality virtual realities are all set to grab as well as hold the attention of players. Multi-player gaming takes the interest to the next level -offers challenges as well as new horizons to be conquered.

Games played on the Internet are such that clever participants find ways to push the game beyond its visible limits, one can even device cheats to circumvent problems posed by the game. Games test the skills, intelligence, concentration ability as well as techie know how.

Online gaming architecture has six business aspects: the subscriber; the advertiser; the gaming platform provider; the broadband service provider; the network service provider; and the gaming content provider. It is big business-hardware revenues in 2005 are expected to be: US$ 9.4 billion with software and content revenue touching US$16.9 billion.

However, there is a downside, gaming can become addicted and affect normal life-kids stop studying, housewives neglect their daily routine, and people are tempted to play games even at work. It can lead to suicides, mental imbalance as well as destroy marriages and careers. Gamers become recluses and rarely make social contact outside their gaming groups.

Addiction studies indicate that gaming can result in: obsession, neglect, lying, socially unacceptable behaviors, carpal tunnel syndrome, dry eyes, neglect of personal hygiene, as well as sleep disorders.

Popular gaming sites include: MSN games which has 3.4 million monthly registered users ; Pogo which has 8.6 million monthly registered users; and Yahoo games which has 10.1 million registered monthly users.

Analysts predict that by 2007 online gaming will be at least 285 petabits a month, the revenue generated by online subscriptions for gaming is expected to reach US$ 650 million annually.

The future according to Peter Molyneux, is in developing games that "reward a player for "out of the box" thinking and creativity. Games must encourage players to be interactive and decide the direction the game will take.
Author Bio
Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for www.1888FreeOnlineGames.com, the premier website to play thousands of free online games including arcade games, action games, card games, flash games, strategy games, puzzle games and more. He also freelances for www.1888SoftwareDownloads.com.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

Play Flight Simulation Games Online Using Real Flight Simulator Games

Play Flight Simulation Games Online Using Real Flight Simulator Games

If you are dead keen to play simulation games online you might also be wanting real flight simulator games because without the reality, the game is not really worth it anyway. It all starts with research and comparing the various features that the flight simulator providers offer. It might seem like quite a mission at first but once you get to know a few popular flight simulators you will start to notice the main features. It's also helpful to notice what the public are saying about the airplane games online. Especially look out for comments about the simulator being real.

In terms of features to look out for, there should be the option to switch between aircrafts, adjust weather, wind and environment, and choose the country you wish to fly in. What really will make a flight SIM realistic is the fact that the control panel models that of a real airplane. You will then have to learn what each of these controls do if you want to get the plane into the air. In essence the features should be making the game that much more challenging but still user friendly, and especially realistic.

PC flight simulator providers, therefore, have to keep on top of the changes in the aviation industry and with their competitors in order to keep their customers happy. In fact, a couple of really good flight simulator games are actually used by the aviation industry to train their pilots. So if these games were not almost exactly like the real thing, there would be no point in using them.

My advice is that you really take the time to find out what there is out there. Read the fine print, read reviews and most importantly compare your final list of flight SIMs to each other. Some features might not be necessary for you, while others might be exactly what you are looking for.

Before you buy flight simulator games make sure you also know what your operating system is capable of handling.

Also look out for the feature of being able to insert flight simulator hardware into a USB point, if you want to do this at a later stage. Of course the flight SIM download won't come with the joystick, pedals or a switch board, and that is something you might want to get at a later stage. But if you have the option of being able to add them to the game, your online pc flight simulator experience will become that much more realistic.

The final point to look out for is the fact that the provider will give you access to unlimited free updates as well as the option of buying extra add-ons for aircrafts, scenery and airports.

So, once you have a good idea of what to expect from a real flight simulator, you should then compare and narrow down your choice and ultimately choose the most ideal flight SIM within your budget range.

This site, http://proflightsimulator would be a good place to start to read a review on a popular flight SIM game.

The beauty of this game is that you just have to download it to your PC in order to play flight simulation games online. No shipping, no waiting and no hassles. But read the review and information about it first and remember to compare with other products out there.

What Is The Best Flight Simulator Game?

Want to know the best flight sim?

It is not a new finding that there are numerous flight simulator games in the market, but most of them will leave you with a fallen face and a curse on your lips. However, you can still enjoy the best flight simulators in the market if you are careful and analytical enough. All you need to know is what quality must a good flight game possesses. You need to get a flight simulator that does not kill your dream of becoming a pilot. Horrible flight Sims can do this.

Get a simulator that suits your needs. The best simulator will first of all have beautiful graphics. Some of such programs come with horrible visual abilities that do not motivate you to fly. These are graphical features that are basic for a good flight simulator. The graphics for your flight sim should be able to capture the real environmental features and sceneries. This adds the feel of real life into your game. Playing it can make it feel like it is real. Avoid games that make if feel like you are flying in a virtual world.

Look for a flight simulator that:

    * Allows environment change without distorting its graphics
    * Has clear graphics to save your eyes
    * Incorporates beauty and attractiveness

The flight simulator should allow you to improve your skills and have a taste of various equipment and abilities. The flight mechanism should, for instance, be sophisticated with a variety for you to choose from. Since the PC game is supposed to keep your heart racing, and your urge demanding for more, choose the flight simulator that provides you with many different aircrafts such as combat jets, helicopters and even passenger aircrafts. It is important for the flight sim to capture some reality for your own personal development in flight skills. For instance, the basis of the software used for controlling the equipment, and the equipment itself should capture the reality in the aviation field.

Finding the best flight simulator may mean getting the one with the greatest advantage for you over the other programs in the market. Checking some features can help you a great deal in finding the best flight simulator you need. Comprehensively checking the market is very helpful for you. You should be able to check whether

    * The program allows for add-ons.
    * It will require online support.
    * It has real time appliances built in, and.
    * Whether the add-ons are chargeable.

Add-ons are the updates needed to keep on improving your computer game. For the best flight sims, this is provided for. Some vendors will even allow you add-ons and onlin

ProFlight Simulator - Get Ready for the Ride of Your Life... - Funny bloopers R us

e support for free.

Finally, the best flight simulator come with a set of inbuilt demos and manuals. This should be able to jam-start your world of PC gaming into a whole lot of new experiences. So whatever the deal, it is important to find the best flight sims for your computer.

Flight Simulation Software Game Review

Flight Simulation Software Game Review

Let's understand what a Flight Simulation Software is then we will get to know what exactly has been on the minds of flight fanatics for years.

Flight simulator reviews is a comprehensive analysis of various software systems that are used to express a false generation of air plane flight and numerous features of the flying setting. Flight Pro Sim has been well thought out to be one of the best flight simulators accessible to people for a long time. This is because a wide range of aircrafts are now using it be it Military jets, helicopters or even the Cessna. Also the flight crew in different aero planes can converse over the long flight.

This Flight Simulation Software has the ability to create and totally describe the atmosphere and help you practice what to do in a crisis for instance if you are flying through mucky weather as is the case with the military it can automatically detect the next airport and enable you to land safely without any hitches. This is because it mathematically detects the amount of pressure, moist, wind and temperatures amongst other hush weather conditions before adjusting the plane's resistance strength.

The ProFlightSimulator game is of help to aircraft crew who are out in the sky almost their entire life on earth and thus need to have their minds adjusted to what is taking place on planet earth and at what time of the year. This particularly goes to pilots and those involved in controlling military jet fighters particularly during a time of war. There are those involved in research in the US army and NASA and so are to be busy for years some journeys may involve going through over twenty thousand airports this is not fun.

The RC Flight Simulator is another kind of flight simulator that is used by technicians to enable one to fly big jets but as a matter of fact it can't match the Flight Pro Sim in its prowess. The virtual procedure trainer is also another kind of flight simulator meant for training pilots and flight crew so that they can be adapted to flying conditions before they get to the actual flying itself but still the Flight Pro Sim is far much better than this one too.

The ProFlightSimulator has a sure hour of day display that puts the universe on exact time as that on your desk top machine. If it's evening in Canada its evening on your Flight Simulation Software as we speak that's if you are in Canada at this moment in time. The natural time dictated by the sun follows its right path through the heavens. Interestingly the display on the game accommodates geographical and climatic changes that are experienced in different locations world wide.

Since ProFlightSimulator is designed to meet all your need sand this includes even landscape and Aircraft responses to earth configurations and rotations. The computer generated gear shifts are founded on actual life arenas in a nut shell ProFlightSimulator remains to be the best flight simulator as observed in this Flight simulator review.

 

New to the Gaming World?

New to Gaming - Flash Gaming Sites

By: Paul Wilson

Whew! According to Computer Gaming World, there are 80 gazillion free Flash games sites in the cyber world.

Popular sites are:

• www.games.yahoo.com - this has card games, word games, arcade games, as well as puzzles. The number of violent games is limited so the site appeals to the "old-young" -those who are young at heart.
• www.shockwave.com - a popular site with original games as well as PopCap ones. One can do a jigsaw here everyday.
• www.addictinggames.com - has free games that are updated every week-Friday. The site has action, arcade, puzzle, as well as sports games.
• www.arcadetown.com - has Flash games, java games, downloads and more.

Since Flash offers many advantages to developers as well as players, many games are designed using Macromedia Flash. It is by far the best game platform and has incredible features.

In an industry that's evincing exponential growth, Flash has become the universal and popular choice for multimedia intensive web sites. Flash, singly crosses most barriers-

• It supports complicated and wonderful graphics.
• Allows download of files via the Internet.
• And is compatible with playback devices.

In the world of Flash enabled games the hosting system is the web server itself. Flash enables web sites to host animated as well as interactive movies and games. There is no paraphernalia required. All that is needed is to download the game itself. The costs are minimal and not recurring.

To play on the web all that is required is: a web browser, a Flash player, and the Internet. Flash is the universal plug in needed to play games. It is installed on every PC with Windows XP and Mac.

Playing online can be fun and most games can now be played by many players from all round the world. Just keep in mind:

• That there are players who cheat at games. Look for PunkBuster software on the server, this detects cheats who try and gain unfair advantages.
• Play with others who have credibility and are accountable for their actions. Many online sites need verified log ins, they are actively managed gaming environments. This is a better choice for safe gaming.
• Create a select group of friends and use the broadband server to host a private gaming server.
• Do your research thoroughly. Seek safe and high quality gaming sites.

Gaming is in its golden phase and is set to reach new heights. Innovation, new business models, and unprecedented growth is expected to open new avenues in gaming.Author Bio
Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for www.1888FreeOnlineGames.com, the premier website to play thousands of free online games including arcade games, action games, card games, flash games, strategy games, puzzle games and more. He also freelances for www.1888SoftwareDownloads.com.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

Role of The Druid WOW

By: Hunter Crowell

Of the many different character classes in WOW, each having a different accepted role, there is one lauded as superior by those who play them, and scoffed at by those around them. There are a few responsibilities that must be filled for a group of adventurers to succeed in a dungeon. There must be a "tank," someone who gets the attention of the monsters they are attempting to kill. A healer is important to keep the group alive. There are damage dealers who are primarily responsible for slaying the monsters in melee or from a distance. Characters in charge of crowd control stall certain targets to make taking down others easier.

Each class generally fills one role with ease and can switch to another if it is needed. The Warrior, for example, is first and foremost a tank. Warriors are given the most abilities to generate and maintain the focus of the foe. But in a group with two warriors, or if another class wants to try their hand at tanking, the warrior can be used as a damage dealer. The WOW Paladin, normally used in instances as a healer and support character, can generate cause enough threat to hold the targets attention.

The Druids of Azeroth, made up of the Night Elf and Tauren populations, have an interesting mix of abilities. To WOW, they are the shape shifting Jack of all Trades. They can heal the party, with efficiency topped only by the Priest. In Cat Form they can deal melee damage and sneak around their enemies with the guile of a Rogue. If shifted into Bear Form, they are capable of performing tanking roll of a Warrior. While in Moonkin Form, they can dole out massive damage by raining down arcane and nature spells on the target. This wide range of abilities makes the druid the ideal member of any party, if one person fails, the druid can switch over to the vacated role and pick up the slack.

This is not often how the party views the situation, however. In small instance groups of five people, the druid is often taken only if they are willing to be a healer, despite their versatility. A druid desiring to fill another role, especially the popular role of damage dealing, is shunned. The WOW developers gave druids certain abilities, such as moon fire or faerie fire, which are very visible spells. These spells have beneficial effects for the group, but a druid casting them on a target will often be ridiculed from the party for 'wasting mana' that should be reserved for healing.

The issue stems from two major problems in WOW. The first is the lack of healer classes. There is only one class out of eight on each faction that is a dedicated healer, the Priest. There are two other classes on each side that are capable of healing, the Paladin for Alliance and Shaman for Horde, then the Druid. The low amount of available healers leads to less players playing them, which feeds right into the next dilemma. The second problem being that most players are too shortsighted to see beyond the Druids healing ability. There are many people with the immutable mindset that if a druid can heal, he should heal. While they are an effective healer, they are quite effective at every other role they can fill as well.

No one would ever accuse Blizzard entertainment of being hasty with their decisions. WOW and their other games have had their release dates pushed back many times. In the past hardcore fans of Blizzard's work know that this delay is for the best, the company labors to produce the finest quality product. The Druid went through months of internal testing and balancing before the concept became a reality. By giving the druid all the basic abilities of a rogue, a warrior, a mage and a priest, it is quite clear they had a greater intention for the class than staple healer.
Author Bio
Read more about WOW at WOW Gold Price List.
Hunter Crowell is a researcher, avid online gamer, and creator of www.wow-gold-price-list.com, helping players find the cheapest place to buy their gold.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

Best Practices For A Warrior In World Of Warcraft

By: Hunter Crowell

The Job of the Warrior is to get relentlessly beat upon. While there are a handful of classes in World of Warcraft that have the capability to tank, the Warrior stands above them all with more talents, abilities and equipment geared for the role. In a group setting, if the warrior dies first, they died knowing they did their job to the best of their abilities. Some players are better at holding the agro from the monsters than others, but it's a common adage that effective tanking is 10% gear, 10% talent build and 80% skill.

A large part of effective tanking is outside the hands of the warrior. One common fallacy held by the players of World of Warcraft is that if a tank loses control of a monster, he's a bad tank. While this very well could be true, the case could actually be quite the opposite. There is a limited number of things a Warrior can do to generate threat on a creature. Assuming that the skill, talents build are in place and the gear collected, he can build a lot of threat. There is an upper limit to the threat obtainable. When a character is assigned to tank, he will not be generating the majority of his threat from dealing damage to a target. Outside of the Warrior class, dealing damage is the best way to increase threat on a monster. Over a period of time, the threat from damage caused by another character can overcome the threat generated by the tank. In such a situation, as long as the warrior was using all his abilities to their maximum effectiveness, there's nothing else he could have done to keep the focus of the enemy. A party who knows this, and can manage their own threat makes the tanks life that much easier. At lower levels, the group tends to blame the tank if he loses control of the monster. In the end game forty man instances, the smart groups tend to blame the player who pulled the target for not managing his own threat.

Warriors are very dependant on the sort of gear they use. If the goal is to play the higher intensity raid instances, a lot of time will be spent gathering up the equipment. For a tank, there are three main things to look at while gathering gear: Stamina, Armor Rating, and Defense. Stamina gives the character ten hit points per point. That may not seem like a lot, but just like pennies in a piggy back, it starts adding up. Armor Rating lowers the incoming damage percentage. Defense ups the skill of the same name, and lowers the chance that enemies will critically hit the tank by a percentage point for every twenty five points of defense. Thankfully, World of Warcraft offers many different dungeons to crawl in order to gather equipment with all of these perks. On epic pieces of armor, players will find bonuses to blocking skill or dodge percentages, and those are nice too, but those will only come after time spent tanking. There will be a long time when the characters will be relying on uncommon and rare equipment that is much easier to obtain.

Of the 51 talent points World of Warcraft offers its players, eighteen of those should be dedicated to the protection tree. For a tank to excel at his job, it is in his best interest to send points on the talents Defiance, Toughness and Last Stand. Neither five point talent on the first tier of talents a warrior can access truly outdoes the other, one raises the chance to block with a shield, the other raises the characters natural defense. Both are good options, yet not required for optimum tanking. On the second tier, five points in Toughness gives you ten percent more armor contribution, and at the high armor ratings a warrior can achieve this talent can decrease all incoming damage by up to five percent. Also on tier two is the Improved Bloodrage talent. This two point talent is useful, but not required to tank. It is required to gain access to the tier three talent Last Stand. Last stand increases the warriors current and maximum hit points by thirty percent for twenty seconds, great for the times when that heal is coming just a second too late. Lastly, the Defiance talent raises the threat generated by the warrior by fifteen percent. Without all these talents, the warrior is not able to tank to the best of the class's ability.

The gear is in place, the talent build is good, but the most important thing to tank effectively is the skill. Its not hard to tank. It just takes knowledge. Sunder Armor is the staple of every tanks retinue. It is the most efficient way to gather rage early in a fight, and it makes the enemy easier to kill by lowering its armor rating. Another ability widely used is Heroic Strike. Some tanks use these two abilities and they manage to control the monster. In a prolonged fight, this will not be enough. There are three abilities other than sunder armor that allow the tank to gain as much agro as possible. Shield block, while not an threat generating ability in itself, it guarantees a block, which in turn allows the tank to use the Revenge ability. Revenge is the lowest cost and highest threat generating ability in the game. Finally, Shield Bash, a high threat producing ability used primarily to stop a spell caster from casting can be used liberally on non-magical foes to generate high amounts of threat. Each of these abilities should be used when they are cooled down and available. Once the basics of tanking are understood, each individual player can add their own flavor to the game and improve on their own abilities.
Author Bio
Hunter Crowell is a researcher, avid online gamer, and creator of Buy WOW Gold A site that helps players find the cheapest place to buy their gold.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

History of World of Warcraft

By: Hunter Crowell

World of Warcraft stands as the greatest game in the popular Warcraft series

World of Warcraft has been an extraordinary success since its launch in November 2004. It has impressed game critics and has captivated millions of players, who adore the world that the game has created. It is no longer just a game but is now a genuine phenomenon, and one that shows no signs of abating. It is one of the key games of recent times, and stands as a landmark title for online gaming.

World of Warcraft's appeal lies in that it has created a truly engaging online world. This massively multiplayer online role-playing game is set in the world of Azeroth, a fantastic land that is filled with heroes and monsters and many other creatures. The game's strength is that it functions as an experience, as a world that exists on its own terms that you may visit and explore as you please.

World of Warcraft is the 4th title in the series of Warcraft games, which have been entertaining people for over a decade. The series began in 1994 with the game Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, a real time strategy game set in Azeroth. This was a fine title, and a good introduction to the series, but in truth the franchise was just getting started. The best was still to come.

Indeed, it wasn't until 1995 and the release of the second game, Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness, that the series really found its voice. Warcraft 2 was a masterpiece, and it improved on the original in every sense. The game had beautiful graphics, epic storytelling and fascinating, absorbing gameplay. The high standards of the series continued in 2002, with the release of Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos. This was another classic and a remarkable game in its own right. The predecessors of World of Warcraft were all superb.

Blizzard Entertainment published all of the Warcraft titles, and the games attracted a huge following. When Blizzard announced that there was going to be a 4th game in the series, it was natural that people were interested. This interest intensified when it emerged that the new Warcraft title was going to be an online multiplayer game. World of Warcraft would make Azeroth more interactive and redefine it as an experience.

The fans of the series had high expectations for World of Warcraft, as it promised to be a terrific and innovative new title. Blizzard held a beta test for the game in March 2004, and gave selected players a preview. Those who played it were very impressed and it received great reviews. The anticipation for the game's release grew stronger as 2004 went on.

World of Warcraft was officially launched in North America on Tuesday the 23rd of November 2004. It was well received by critics. The launch was a major success, and it achieved huge sales on its first day of release. Blizzard estimated that 240,000 copies were sold in the first day alone. These were record numbers for a game of this genre and so World of Warcraft became the fastest-selling online game in history. It was a smash hit.

World of Warcraft sustained this success; in fact, the popularity of the game began to snowball. It really took off and caught the public imagination, with more and more people becoming enthralled with it. 2005 saw the game explode into a global obsession. In February it was launched in Europe and in June it was launched in China, with other countries following suit. It proved hugely popular everywhere it was released, and by 2005's close it had more than five million subscribers worldwide.

World of Warcraft has evolved since its initial release. There have been a number of updates for the game, and the universe of Azeroth has grown. Blizzard have made improvements, fixed any problems, and have worked to make the game user-friendly. They have also expanded the game, by adding sections like Blackwing Lair, for example, the dungeon lair of Nefarion, one of the villains in the game.

In June 2005, Blizzard added major player versus player content in the form of two special battlegrounds, Alterac Valley and Warsong Gulch. Alterac Valley allows players to engage in battles of 40 on 40 people, while Warsong Gulch offers new challenges, like stealing your opponent's flag from their camp. These battlegrounds are the most substantial update to World of Warcraft since it was released.

Now, in 2006, World of Warcraft is as popular as ever. An expansion, titled The Burning Crusade, is set for release this year, and should expand the world of Azeroth even further. World of Warcraft has become the pinnacle of the Warcraft series, and is a magnificent and distinctive game.
Author Bio
Read more about the game at World of Warcraft Gold Price List Guide.
Hunter Crowell is a researcher and creator of www.world-of-warcraft-gold.com, showing players the best place to buy gold.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

Who Plays World Of Warcraft

By: Hunter Crowell

World of Warcraft has developed an enormous following since its release in November 2004. It has built upon its initial success to become an enduring and hugely popular title. The demand for the game has been stronger than its creators might have expected, and it is now a fully-fledged social phenomenon, attracting all kinds of people to its world.

World of Warcraft has enjoyed global success and acclaim. It seemed natural that it would do well in America, where there was anticipation for a new Warcraft title. The truth though is that it has taken off everywhere it has been released. It has been a massive hit in Asia, Australia, Canada, and Europe, and has many international fans and subscribers. The game has a simple, universal appeal that transcends language barriers and geography.

One of World of Warcraft's strengths is that it appeals to both casual gamers and more experienced players. The game has made the online multiplayer genre more accessible to people who might not normally play it. A lot of people who try the game may have regarded the genre as too complex or may not have played a role-playing game before. It is the quality of World of Warcraft and the buzz surrounding it that has drawn people's attention towards it.

World of Warcraft has a huge following on the Internet. There is an official site that is busy and informative and contains forums for the game's subscribers. There are many other fan sites as well. It has a keen fan base made up of a broad cross section of society. People enjoy the game for all sorts of reasons, with fans citing the gorgeous graphics, addictive gameplay and unique characters as elements they find appealing.

Although World of Warcraft has the visual style of a cartoon, it is a game that people of any age can enjoy. All age groups play it, from children to seniors. This leads to an interesting online environment, as younger players interact with older gamers. It is a real mix of people, as children and teenagers share the game's world with twenty year olds and more mature, middle-aged players and older. It is a friendly, lively environment and tends to be good-natured and welcoming.

The World of Warcraft universe is a happy, thriving community. There is a strong social aspect to it and players can become friends with each other. The game's world of Azeroth follows the real world's calendar and so they mark holidays and seasonal events in the game. On New Year's Eve in 2005 there were parties and celebrations in Azeroth that all players could attend. It is features like this that make its world much more vivid, colourful and convincing.

There is a fan convention for World of Warcraft. The game's developer Blizzard held an event in October 2005 named BlizzCon, for fans of Warcraft and their other titles. World of Warcraft was a major part of this event, and one of the main attractions was a preview of the game's expansion, The Burning Crusade. Some 8,000 people attended the event, which is expected to become an annual occurrence. Families went together and fans dressed up in costume as their favourite characters from the game.

World of Warcraft has caught people's imagination and this has led to a variety of creative offshoots. One key sign of the game's popularity is the existence of Warcraft fan fiction. Players like to write fictional stories about the characters and events of the game. Fan art is also popular. People draw and paint images inspired by the game and post them in galleries online. Blizzard run their own Fan Art Program that fans can submit their art to for display. There is great creativity and beauty there.

The broad appeal of World of Warcraft is such that it has infiltrated popular culture. The game has been used as an answer on the quiz show Jeopardy. It also has celebrity admirers. The comedian Dave Chappelle is a fan. Chappelle talked about the game during a stand-up performance in San Francisco in 2005. "You know what I've been playing a lot of?" the comedian reportedly asked the audience, "World of Warcraft!" He praised the game and expressed his delight with it.

World of Warcraft then is a game that has broken new ground to appeal to a great number of people in society. With more than five million subscribers, it is now the most popular online role-playing game and has grown far beyond its cult origins. Its wide appeal speaks of the brilliance of the game itself.
Author Bio
Hunter Crowell is a researcher, avid online gamer, and creator of Buy World of Warcraft Gold A site helping players find the cheapest place to buy their gold.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

Internet Gaming Tips for Newbies

By: Paul Wilson

Internet games use the cyber world technology for playing. Games are extremely popular and constantly evolving.

There are:

• Games played using e-mail.
• Games played on a browser window by using a web address.
• Games played using Internet Relay Chat, Telenet, MUD client, or a Web based forum.
• Games that are graphic need stand-alone software that permits players to play with or against one another using an Internet connection.

The first game, MUD, was developed in 1978, and the market has burgeoned since then.

To play, one needs:

• A reliable Internet connection.
• A personal computer or game console.
• Selected software required by specific games.

One can play simple board games like scrabble, or bingo, or games like poker, mahjong, and pool. Another popular category is simulation games-these imitate real-life situations and cover aspects like combat, city planning, strategies, as well as flight simulation.

For serious gaming the computer performance must be optimized. This can be done by:

• Running the disk defragmenter and organizing the computer files. This should ideally be done once a month at least.
• Correct folder and file errors by using scandisk---use once a week and the computer will give trouble free performance.
• Clean your hard drives-get rid of Internet files, temporary files, as well as files in the trash/recycle bin. Clear the cache and uninstall programs that are not in everyday use.
• Update the operating system software. Download any new security patches. Keep video drivers updated.
• Clear space on the hard drive---store files on a back up system.
• Clear any spyware you have inherited from websites.
• Minimize number of programs running-when playing a graphic intensive game if there are too many programs running simultaneously the graphics will become choppy and game will be slow.
• Delete add on game files-wall papers and other paraphernalia will just clutter the computer.
• Run an anti-virus program regularly but disable it when you are loading/playing games. Antivirus programs slow down games.
• Always shut down the computer properly.

The Internet allows gamers to compete with people across oceans, on the other side of the world and anywhere in the universe. Some use PCs while others use consoles. What you use is a personal choice and depends on issues like costs and so on.

Before you buy a game you must:

• Consider "system requirements" - some games can run on systems that are not exact others need specific hardware.
• Find out if the game is single player or multi-player. Many games need the Internet-and, the broadband connection is more efficient than the dial-up connection. Many like Xbox Live only work on a broadband connection.
• Find out if the game can be played using a mouse/keyboard or whether it will need a full-featured joy stick.

Be wise and try a demo before making an actual purchase. Playing a demo benefits the player as well as game developer. Many online games offer free trial periods - beta testing is a great opportunity to find out if the game suits your taste as well as pockets.

Do your research thoroughly-usually there are several games competing for players within a genre. Read game reviews before taking the final step.Author Bio
Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for www.1888FreeOnlineGames.com, the premier website to play thousands of free online games including arcade games, action games, card games, flash games, strategy games, puzzle games and more. He also freelances for the premier Computer Article Submission Directory Site www.1888Articles.com/computer-articles-11.html
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

ProFlight Simulator - Get ready for the ride of your life...

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ProFlightSimulator Review - Pros and Cons

ProFlightSimulator Review - Pros and Cons

ProFlightSimulator is one of the most popular flight simulator games online today. In this ProFlightSImulator review we will take a look at this product and see what are the pros and cons of this package. 

ProFlightSimulator Review - What Exactly Is This Package? 

Before I go into details, lets take a look at the impressive stats. ProFlightSimulator comes complete with a fully realized and modelled world, with landmarks and accurate scenery for every part of the globe, powered by Google Maps.

The game even accurately maps the solar system, and weather patterns are accessed in real-time to deliver true-to-life weather in every area of the globe. It truly does feel like you're traversing the planet in the plane of your choice.

Speaking of planes, there is a massive collection of aircraft at your disposal, all accurately modelled. Nearly 120 planes were available at the time of this ProFlightSimulator review, and more are being added all the time, thanks to the game's dedicated team of developers.

However, with so many flight sims out on the market and on the internet today, Is ProFlightSimulator really worth the money?

To answer this question and to find if this package is really for you lets talk about some of the pros and cons of this flight sim

ProFlightSimulator Review - The Pros And Cons 

The Pros 

Extremely Realistic Flying

This ProFlightSimulator software is more realistic than any other simulation software available. It has been built to be as close to real life as possible. Everything from terrain, aircraft reactions, to planetary alignments & movements.

After playing dozens of other flight sims online I noticed the most about ProFlightSImulator is the attention to detail.

Extensive Selection of aircraft and Maps

I was impressed with the most was the professional, fully detailed, Real Life flight sim with support for over 20,000 of the worlds airports, extensive scenery packs as well as120 different planes from Concords, F16s, Migs, airliners and more.

From the 1903 Wright Flyer piloted by the Wright Brothers, to the Boeing 747 and even the latest military fighter jet, ProFlightSimlator give you the opportunity to experience a huge number of aircraft first hand.

Accurate World Mapping

The game even goes to the extent of including accurate mapping of the solar system and real time weather. So if it’s raining in Florida in real life it will be raining in Florida in the game!

Very Useful Bonuses That Beats Other Package:

When you order ProFlightSimulator you will also receive these 3 bonuses which no other flight sim package offers:

1. Interactive Scenery Designer

2. Kelpie Flight Planner

3. Free Combat Flight Simulator Game

Great MultiPlayer Options

ProFlightSimulator has an online component has been expertly implemented. Two that stood out in the online mode were formation flying and chatting, which to be honest I thought were put together brilliantly.

Money Back Guarantee

The product comes with 60 days money back guarantee and if you are not completely satisfied with what you get, you will receive your money back.

Free Updates For Life

Whats more, included in the ProFlightSimulator package are free updates which ensures that there is a constant stream of content which compliments the package more.

The Cons 

It May Take Time To Download The Package

The size of this download package is not small and if you have slow internet connection it may take you a couple of hours to download all the blueprints.

In this case it may be a good idea to upgrade to the DVD edition (you can do it at the members' area). 

May Be A Little Overwhelming At First

Just because there are so many different aircraft and maps, the members' area can be a little overwhelming at first. However the downloads are organized by category and once you get started, you will find it is not difficult to find what you are looking for.

A Simulation - Not an Arcade Game

This is a benefit in my opinion but I need to get this out because some folks may prefer an "arcade" version of a flight simulator. Before you can fully appreciate real flight simulator games you have to learn the controls. If instant gratification is more your preference (arcade style flying), ProFlightSimulator may not be for you. However, if you have the time and patience to devote to learning, many hours of hugely enjoyable REALISTIC gaming await you.

The Bottom Line 

Overall, there is no doubt that ProFlightSimulator one of the best value flight simulators available on the market.

We went into this review somewhat sceptical of the high praise it has received from others, but walked away happily converted. The game looks, sounds, and plays better than any other flight sim on the market, and has more planes, locations, and options available to boot. It will keep even the most devoted gamer busy for months, exploring the beautiful planet we call home.

All in all, this is a great game that will appeal to new and veteran flight simulation fans alike.