Video games have become a billion dollar industry. They represent both a pastime and a hobby for both adults and children. Retailers have exploited the popularity of video games and now clubs, magazines, conventions and other social events are all offered with a video game theme. T-shirts, backpacks, lunchboxes, and sweatshirts all come printed with video game logos. These are mostly unnecessary, since video game players have uncanny, radar like ability to find each other at parties and turn the conversation into a discussion of video game techniques, graphics, and sound effects.

But it's good to know origins just as a film devotee needs to understand what made Citizen Kane so special, avid video game players may want to know what games were popular in the past.

Many video game authorities (don't you wonder what they're like?) cite Spaceman as being the first video game. It appeared in 1964 and was developed by a lone student programmer. Spaceman was a comparatively simple game that pitted two players against each other and armed them with a pair of classic sci-fi rocket ships complete with tiny missiles. The computer mouse controls were limited to thrust, rotate right and rotate left. The game featured an unpredictable hyperspace panic button for emergency situations, but the use of this panic button could have all sorts of effects, some desirable and some not. All action took place on a single screen that featured a sun that exerted a powerful gravitation pull on the combatants. Most players steered clear of this but some intrepid players were able to use the sun's attraction as an asset.

Although it came along in 1972, most people believe that Pong was the first video game developed. Pong' was composed of simple black-and-white visuals, and play consisted of simple back-and-forth table tennis like movements.

Pac Man is probably the most widely known and popular video game of all time. Japanese designed in 1980 in an attempt at a game that would interest girls.

Evidently they decided that eating was something girls enjoyed because they designed a character that looked like a circle with a chomping, wedge-shaped mouth. Pac man was simply a hungry yellow creature who lived in a maze that it proceeded to eat its way through. However, foes 4 colorful globby ghosts lived in this maze as well who existed solely to end Pac Man's career as an eating machine.

Doom came along in 1994 and engaged the game player in an ultra-violent, blood-soaked battle against the forces of Hell. The game has a sort of amorphic quality since it did nothing to define or represent a hero. The player takes the active role and he is thrown into the middle of the action, with a health indicator at the screen bottom to indicate the games' progression.

Since then, many video games have been developed to follow this course of blood spilling games with increasing levels of violence. But in 2000, video games turn a surprise u-turn when The Sims came out. Here the game consisted of a sort of Lego virtual reality where the player could build and furnish his or her home. It appealed to the nesting instinct and players created ongoing sagas that revolved around decorating their virtual homes and raising children. The Sims is a wish fulfillment vehicle where the player can create an ideal life and forget his own. It is rumoured that a second version of the game is planned wherein the Sims and their neighborhood cope with falling real estate values when the characters from Desperate Housewives move in.

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There are video games that can be played on multimedia consoles in the home, or on a home personal computer system. The formats of these video games may be rated for an entire family to view, or the video games may be labeled strictly for play by people over the age of 21. These Mature rated video games contain graphic violence, and may contain lewd language and graphic content.

Before a parent invests more than $30 on any given video games collection, they may choose to rent several video games for their child to play to see which ones are a true delight, and which video games will be ignored after just a short time. Some video games are offered in collector's series in decorative tins, and are cherished by all children who view them as a status symbol.

Many children think that their popularity at school is based on the number of video games that are in their collection, and the number of multimedia entertainment consoles they have in their home. There are several handheld models that are viewed as very desirable for youngsters because of their portability and compact features.

Many of the video games for the handheld game consoles require daily interaction with pets, and failure to participate on a day-to-day basis might cause people to move out of town because nobody is interested in them. This form of game play teaches children to keep appointments and remind them that there are people in the world that do count on them on a day-to-day basis.

The imaginary friends that some video games feature can make up for friends and pals that a child does not have in their real life. Children learn to repair their own self-esteem by making contributions to the games that are truly unique for their character. A gift of a fish is a big thing in some hand held games, and the gift of a new dresser can brighten a young girl day better than blue sky and rays of sunshine could ever hope to accomplish.

The competitive spirit of children learning to adapt in the real world, can be safely contained within the small cubicles of visual space provided in many handheld game console models. Children can use video games to teach themselves how to play basketball, football, and learn what it takes to be a competitor in a World Series Playoff.

As a child progresses through many experience levels in video games, their characters are not the only ones that grow strong. Children learn to make quick decisions, and manipulate screen data to make shots that are typical of a seasoned football or basketball player at a college or university level school.

These athletic achievements might seem quite small and insignificant to an adult, and generally are. Until the parents take the time to try and maneuver through course after course, they do not actually realize how hard some of those movements are, and think that many of the moves are unattainable. Savvy game players will quickly add salt to the wound. Parents must sit back quietly while their children beat them soundly with very few moves required in the entire game process.

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If there is one area that technology has enhanced by leaps and bounds it is the world of video game design. With stunning effects and graphics, video games are more popular than ever. Just when it seems they can't get any better, something comes along that allows them to continue to amaze and astonish many with lifelike detail and captivating features.

Those who enter this field not only love video games but also have a great respect for all that goes into creating them. Behind every great game there are a number of elements that work together to create a mind-blowing end product. A lacking in any one of these elements can mean the difference between a game that flies off the shelves and a game that barely makes it off the clearance rack.

More than anything, video game design consists of teamwork. From concept to finished product, individuals trained in graphic design, computer animation, marketing and public relations are only a few of the job titles associated with this type of career. Each has their own various skills that are not only beneficial but also crucial to the production of video games.

As the popularity of technology and video games skyrocket with no end in sight, many educational institutions have begun offering courses in video game design and animation. Students can learn how to create games, develop software, use animation mathematics and master coding languages. These state of the art skills provide a well-rounded education in order to prepare one for a career in the real world of video games.

The amount of high tech skills in this field is likely to require a Bachelor's degree in order to be considered for basic entry-level positions. A Bachelor's degree will give the fundamental knowledge of the field and can require as little as three years to obtain. With time and experience, one can then move up and branch out on their career path with further education.

With a Master's degree one will not only have high-level software programming and design under their belt but the ability to oversee the coordination of large productions. While the head of a division faces large responsibilities and challenges, their training gives them all the skills they need to effectively handle the development process from start to finish. It is a career that is highly challenging but just as satisfying and rewarding.

Those with degrees in video game design can count on a good starting salary that only gets stronger with time and experience. The more skills under one's belt, the better their income will be. Employers in the video game industry are always looking to be the best and can only do so by hiring those with the top skills.

As technology constantly evolves this field in and out of different phases, one must have a flexible personality that can roll with the inevitable changes. It is also a field that is competitive, requiring individuals to have a winning attitude. Because of the amount of computer programming that is involved, a person interested in this field can expect to update and learn new skills on a regular basis.

Those interested in video game design have the benefit of knowing theirs is a career choice that shows no sign of slowing down. As new technologies combine, individuals in this vocation have the very opportunity to be at the forefront of shaping part of a population's culture. Despite the fact that video games have become a billion dollar industry, elements of video game history have managed to become a unique reflection of the times and the world we live in.

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Yes, its 100% true, You can get paid to test video games. But, the questions is: do you need a degree? are there special qualifications? Or, do you need to meet any other certain guidelines in order to achieve this? In this article, I will answer all these questions and more so that you can get an idea of who has the best chances of becoming a video game tester.

First of all, you do not need a degree from college or any special training to become a video game tester. While you can likely benefit from having a degree, developing contacts and such, it is not required. And in the absence of a degree, large amounts of ambition and persistence must take its place. Either that or an insider who can show you the ropes.

The "insider approach" can either be done by befriending somebody in the gaming industry, preferably a well known tester, or by buying an in-depth book or guide on how to become a video game tester.

Basically, there are two easy-to-meet requirements that need to be met in order for video game developers and programmers to be interested in hiring you. The first: you must have a high level of skill & experience when it comes to playing video games and you have to have an excellent attention to detail. Remember, you're job is to test games thoroughly; it's not to try to beat them quickly. As a video game tester, you'll be looking for glitches, problematic issues, and other factors that detract from the overall gameplay.

The second requirement step is being able to document glitches and bugs properly. You have to make it very simple for the developer/programmer to understand what is happening during the glitch. This way, when it comes time to fix the problem, they won't have trouble locating it.

If you have a good attention for detail, and can document bugs/glitches properly and clearly, then you're exactly what many companies are looking for in a video game tester.

If you're unsure about your abilities, I urge you to test your abilities by playing more video games. However, don't just play it for fun. I want you to play it like a video game tester would. Expand the horizon of your vision so that you notice all of the elements on the screen as you play the game. This may feel somewhat different than you normally play, but it is necessary to get the practice you need.

Once you have relaxed and have become "one" with the screen, be aware of all the things that are going on on-screen. See how things relate to each other and how one thing can cause another thing to happen. If you spot something peculiar, write it down and document it asap. Write down what happened to cause that abnormality and explain what you deem as problematic.

If you have no problem with these requirements, then you should definitely consider becoming a paid video game tester.

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Selling video games on eBay is one of the greatest way to make huge profits from your wholesale video games business. Many in the international market place called eBay, a gateway in making green bucks in no time. One of the first things you have to do before setting up your online store is to find suitable video game suppliers who can provide you with the products you need.

You should take into consideration the quality, price, and credibility of each video game you are about to sell online because these factors either affect your business rating or actually benefit you both in the short term and long term from the relationship from actual customers. The more popular and valuable you become, the more customers you will have.

We do know that customers are always looking for bargain prices online. Through eBay you can attract them with your huge discount deals and promotions. Some go from 10% up to 60% off the retail price of regular video games. Many of these power sellers are pioneers in the video games business and if you want to enter such market or simply outshine them, you have to keep updated with the ever changing rules of such market.

Rule number one, you got to have the right tools for the business. The basic tool you will need is a catchy online store that attracts customers to certainly make their first purchase as well as encourage them to come back for more of your products in the future. Before setting up your store, you have to jot down some of the most important factors you wanted to highlight such as discount deals, promotions, payment options, best buys, product categories, customer feedbacks, and so much more. When you have the right tools, you will surely gain top notch position in the wholesale video games business and these will surely help you outshine your competitors.

Rule number two, you have to know the trend. Selling video games on eBay requires you to know the gaming trend as well as the different genres of games that will appeal to certain age groups. You can check out online game reviews about the video games you are selling and make recommendations to your customers. This will enable you to up sell your products to the age group with the appropriate gaming target market.

Say for example you have encountered an adult who wanted to play human simulation games and asked you for some suggestions. You can provide them with a wide array of choices, tell them the uniqueness of each product, and give them some of your personal insights about each video game. Start with, Well, product A can be played by anyone of any age since it has lesser adult content. But if you are looking for more passion and excitement, product B will surely be the fitting choice.

From my personal experience, both games are great because they will provide you with unlimited game play as well as different gaming satisfaction. This kind gesture allows you to create a personal connection between you and your customer as well as build up on the trust factor. It is like a live feedback feature but by providing a review.

Rule number three, always remember that your wholesale video games business should create a home for gamers. Just like befriending a total stranger, you have to gain their trust for them to regard you as their true friend. When you do this, it does not really matter whether your online store has the biggest discount deals or not.

Customers will always come back to the store they feel is trustworthy and safe. Selling video games on eBay is easy. All you have to do is establish friendship with your customers.

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Many people seem to think that video games are bad for children to play. This is not an entirely true statement. There is a proper time and place for all activities. As with every other activity, video games and gaming, when played in balance, can be both fun and healthy for children.

However, many activities have both positive and negative contributing factors, and video games are no exception to the rule. Let us discuss some of those factors. If we can acquire or maintain a healthy and balanced view of video games, perhaps a compromise can be made from both child and parent concerning this subject.

Monitor The Type Of Video Game Being Played

Action video games may contain a good amount of violence that may not be suitable for children. However, not all video games contain violence. Some video games are actually quite educational and can be very healthy as it could quite possibly stimulate a good amount of mental activity in the brain of your child.

Monitoring and screening the video games that are being played by your children could help solve this dilemma. You may even want to sit down with your children and play the video games with them so that you can get more involved in what games your children are playing.

Set A Time Limit

If you are worried about your child playing too much video games, setting a time limit or an allotted time each day that he are she is allowed to play could help. As children do need limits and boundaries, this could assist you in getting your child to realize what healthy time amounts of gaming are. When he or she is allowed to play video games for only a certain amount of time, they will get used to to this schedule and will eventually come up with other things to do after.

Use Video Game Playing As A Reward

You can use time for video games as a reward for either good behavior, the completion of tasks and chores, or whatever you please. By using video games as a reward, you can teach your child, or children if you have more than one, the value of time and purchased objects. You will also be able to teach them that recreation or entertainment is a privilege that can be attained by hard work. You will, in effect, be preparing them for what is to come later on in life.

So, do not so easily cross off video games as a terrible method of entertainment for kids. Be balanced, and teach your child how to be balanced also.

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Many people think that video games are not a healthy recreational hobby for children, or anyone for that matter. Video games are associated with television binging and being a couch potato. Being sedentary is not a healthy lifestyle. However, the gaming and video game console scene is changing and incorporating a much larger measure of physical activity and exertion more than ever before. Let us consider some gaming examples that support the statement that video gaming is not a couch potato sport anymore. Yes, there is an uprising in the making. The twenty first century has spawned a new wave of gaming concepts. Physical activity and video games are merging, thus making it a bit more appealing to those who are aware and conscious of their health.

Movement and Video Games

There exists certain video games that require more than sitting down and pressing buttons with your hands while your eyes are fastened tight to the television screen. It is becoming a trend these days for children to become couch potatoes. These children stay at home a lot and sit for hours in front of the television or computer. However, because of the stressing of the importance of physical exercise, gaming has been slowly being reinvented with exercise in mind.

For instance, take the video game Dance Dance Revolution. This video game requires a complimenting dance pad where players are required to jump and move and land on certain parts of the dance pad according to what the directions are on the screen to get points to win. This game requires constant motion and movement, so players are not sitting down but rather they are getting some physical activity.

To add to this, the Nintendo Wii uses sensory technology and incorporates it into their new concept of video gaming. All video games require motion and reenactment on the part of the players, and therefore these players are also constantly in motion.

Although just playing video games that require physical movement is not enough to keep a person healthy, it is a great step towards making exercise fun, and curing the debilitating couch potato disease. In a way, video games that require movement is a really great disguise for physical exertion and a great way to get your kids to be a little more active than usual. And it is not just for kids, because although many adults will not admit it, they enjoy video games just as much, if not more, than kids. So take a small but focused step towards getting yourself healthy and substitute your traditional couch potato gaming for video games that require movement.

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Atari, SEGA, Nintendo, and Sony Play Station, are just a few of the many video game systems that have been popular over the last few decades. Baby boomers have watched the progression of video game systems while raising their children, and now while watching their grandchildren.

The first home video game system was available in 1972. It was called Odyssey by Magnavox. The main games featured were a tennis game and a light gun game. There were no new systems available until 1976, when Fairchild Camera and Instruments released their system simply called the Video Entertainment System. This was the first system to have cartridges; the player swapped out a cartridge to change the game. In 1977, Atari starting placing coin operated arcade games inside restaurants. These arcade games were such a success, that Atari decided to create their own home video game system, which used cartridges, called the Atari 2600. Some of the games available for the Atari 2600, were Space Invaders, Battlezone, and the still popular Pac-Man. As the world enters the 1980s, a company called Nintendo created a game called Donkey Kong, which was also played on the Atari 2600. The game was based on a plumber who was trying to save his girlfriend from a crazed ape, named Donkey Kong. The plumber was later named, Mario.

Things remained fairly quiet in the video game industry until around 1985, when Nintendo created the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System). Around the same time, SEGA created a SEGA Master System to compete with the NES.

In 1989, video games became portable. Nintendo Gameboy and SEGA Genesis. These were basically small hand held versions of these companies larger systems. They also had smaller cartridges that were swapped out to change games.

In 1995, Sony joined with Phillips, to create the first home video game system that would use CDs instead of cartridges for their games. This was when the Sony Play Station was first introduced. Nintendo and SEGA also created similar systems, but in the end Sony Play station came out on top.

More than a decade later, the big hits now are, Nintendo WII (pronounced WE) , Sony XBOX 360, and for handheld systems, probably the Sony PSP. The Nintendo WII, allows a player to use a wireless hand held remote and their own body movement to control how their on-screen character moves. This is great for adding activity and exercise to video game playing as previously, all that was required was sitting in front of the television, as the game controls were directly connected to the systems with wires or cables. Additionally, Sony XBOX 360 has a Live feature, which allows players to watch other people around the world play simultaneously. And, the Sony PSP, the portable, hand-held version of the Sony Play Station, is said to have the best graphics and most realistic feel and look to the game characters.

Baby and Echo Boomers have witnessed a lot of growth in the video game industry; a growth that is certain to continue to evolve.

Do you have a favorite system that you played as a child, or watched your child play? Do you feel that the video game industry has finally went as far as they can with these systems, or will new technology allow for bigger and better features and newer systems in the future? Why not come on over to www.boomeryearbook.com and let us know your thoughts on this very popular form of home entertainment.

www.boomeryearbook.com is a social networking site connecting the Baby Boomer generation. Share your thoughts, rediscover old friends, or expand your mind with brain games provided by clinical psychologist Dr. Karen Turner. Join today to discover the many ways we are helping Boomers connect for fun and profit.

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Over the past few decades video games have become one of the best forms of entertainment and its popularity is continuously on the increase not only among children but also among the youth. It is regarded as the best means for spending your time with your family and friends. The nature of video games has changed much. Conventional ones were very much unattractive in their design and styles and had less entertainment value and scientific merit.

It will be a very good idea if you would like to go for used video games instead of a brand new one. It will help you save money and along with that provide you with entertainment and fun. Usually, used video games are more focused on using the interactive visuals and are complemented with the game responses.

It will be a good idea to go back to your childhood days and find the used video game systems. Although it will be very difficult to track down the old and used system, but still it is possible to find the one that you might have been searching for. If you are about to purchase a used video game, then you will have to check out all the local stores near your place. There are very few stores where you will find those used video game systems.

You can check out the Internet to get hold of the sites where they sell the old and the used video games. Since it will not be possible to get the one that you might be searching for, the best way to find it will be to go online. You can even find them at the garage sale and the flea market where you will definitely find a store where they might be selling the used video game. It totally depends on you whether you want to buy the used video game online or in person. So according to that you can start searching for it.

Once you get to know a store where you will find used video games, do not forget to test it first before buying it. There are various sites where you will find very limited collections of used video games today. The prices are also very affordable compared to that of new video games.

You will even come across many discounts if you search properly. And the other important thing is to know about the history of the used video game, so that you can know how it was maintained before and also for how long you can use it without any hassles or troubles. Perhaps the most visible benefit that the video game has provided to human beings is the artistic and the entertainment contributions.

There are numerous types of video games that are available today, and frequent changes are introduced in the video game and also in the system that plays a video game. So it won't be a bad idea to get the used video game so that in any case you have to dispose it later on and you won't regret since they didn't cost you a fortune.

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It’s 2008 and the gaming world has never looked better. Technological advancements are rapidly changing the way video games are played and experienced. With bold innovation, game developers are channeling the best in hi-tech electronics to deliver mind-blowing video game titles. In addition to the games, video game consoles are now a platform for entertainment in its many forms. Social networking and home theater technology has changed gaming consoles. As a result, video game consoles also come with a host of video game accessories that are not only important for chatting, watching movies or viewing photographs but also enhance game play.

Home theater entertainment is about hi-def and nothing less. HDMI is the new video game cable standard, set by Sony’s Play Station 3 and the Microsoft Xbox 360. Characterized by astounding picture quality, high definition games truly introduce virtual reality. Systems using older technology, like the Wii cables, aren’t really able to match the quality of a high definition signal. Nevertheless S-video cables, component cables and composite cables, which have all been used in the past, are integral to many video game consoles.

With the advent of multiplayer gaming through Xbox Live and, more recently, the Play Station Network, the need for gamer communication was heightened. A good gaming headset is essential for a hardcore gamer when battling through a multiplayer environment. Keeping in touch with team-mates scattered across the globe is made much easier with a Bluetooth headset. The wireless advantage is obvious - clutter-free convenience. Handheld systems have long relied on headsets to provide the audio output to gamers. The Nintendo DS headsets and PSP headsets are sleek earphones with a microphone for social networking.

As games become longer and infinitely more complex, the need for a storage medium, that is, video game memory, has been felt. The early 8 MB memory cards for the Sony Play Station One have been replaced by 80 GB hard drives that use high speed SATA 2 technology. Multiple flash card readers that support a variety of formats are now the standard for video game consoles. The advantage of a built-in card reader is that the gamer can choose the best memory card, rather than be forced to use a proprietary one. Another advantage of removable storage is the expanded ability of the console to handle videos, photos and music. A memory card can be quickly and easily loaded from a computer, and the multimedia accessed anytime, anywhere. A variety of memory cards for various consoles e.g. GameCube memory card, PSP memory etc. are readily available in the market now-a-days.

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