Do you love video games? Do you spend hours playing on your new X-Box 360, or PS-3? Do you believe you have a great idea, and can develop the best game to hit the industry till date? In that case, you should consider becoming a video game designer.

Video gaming has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry over the last two decades. And with a number of people buying games, even at $50 a game, apart from the consoles, this industry has seen tremendous growth. Coupled with the advancement in computing technology, games have evolved a lot from the black and white games of the 70’s and early 80’s.

Today, games are lot more interactive, and creative using all the latest graphics, and real looking images and scenes. So much so that certain games do not look animated anymore, but seem like an extension of real life. This has increased the demand for more creative games, based on highly interactive and creative plots. This has seen a surge in demand for video game designers with numerous opportunities within various game companies, and studios.

While there are various things that go into the making of a good game designer, the most basic thing is the love for video games. The most eligible candidate would be one who has a passion for games and plays every type of game. He or she should also be among the first to complete and follow the games religiously. The person should be able to recognize the game by just listening to its background track.

After all, with so many people being hard core fans of the games, the game publishing companies would hardly be excited by a candidate that hardly plays any games, and has no exposure, and doesn’t know the intricacies of the gaming industry. Such a candidate should also show aptitude for quick problem solving, and must be able to work under pressure, maintaining tight deadlines.

The reason being that though the quality is very important, the video game industry is very volatile with something or the other is releasing every other day. So to stay ahead of competition, one has to act very fast.

A video game designer is compared to the director of the movie. A person aiming to become a video game designer, should be creative, and have a flair for writing with loads of experience. Video game designers are often people who have studied in related fields like literature etc. To be able to write huge volumes that will define the game, covering every minute detail is a big task, and hence usually experienced people are preferred.

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Just as in every new technology or field of endeavor it is always a bit muddled as to who actually was first. Technology, in particular, is a field where small incremental changes come about and the field evolves. As to who make the first video game we will take a look at different stages of video games from the first game played on a cathode ray tube to the first mass produced arcade game and finally the first console game system that was sold to consumers. All three of these steps were important developments that brought video games to where they are now.

The absolute earliest and first game to be played on some type of a cathode ray tube, and use some type of computer, was a missile simulator type game played on circular screen that looked much like the old radar screens used during World War II. This game was created by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann in 1947. The creation of this game was significant because it marks the beginning of a new age of cathode ray tube and what they can be used for. Up until this point any display like this was simply used as something to be seen. With this game a player could look at it and make changes to what happened on it. It was interactive!

In 1952, what many consider to be the first graphical game was created by A.S.Douglas and it was a tic-tac-toe game called OXO. Over the course of the next two decades between the 1950’s and 1960’s a variety of other rudimentary games started to make appearances with the use of large computers that were tube based. One of the most notable was the game Tennis for two which was created by William Higinbotham in 1958. This game was played on an oscilloscope display.

Video games start to become more sophisticated and take on more realism in the 60’s and the first game to do this was a game called Space War. It was created for a Digital Equipment Corporation computer and it was two spaceships (players) that engaged in a shootout on a starry background. One of the significant things about this game was that the ships were in a gravity well that affected how they moved and how the player had to operate them. This game has been recreated and copied in many different arcade and home versions like Galaxy Wars and in variations like Asteroids.

The First Publicly Released Game

The first game released to the mass public was called Computer Space. It was based on the Space War game and it was a coin operated arcade style game created by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was released in 1971. And in 1972 they released the arcade game Pong which was a big success. These games were the beginnings of the Atari Company.

Video Games Move onto the home Television Set

The very first console video game system that could be played on a television set at home was the Magnavox Odyssey. It was designed by Ralph Baer and it was first released to the public in 1972 and It only met with limited success. In 1975 the real revolution in video games for the home began with the release of the home version of Pong by Atari. Atari landed an exclusive contract for 175,000 units with Sears who would market it and sell It in their stores. The game was a smash success for the 1975 Christmas season. One of little thought about revolutions about this game was that all the discrete wiring was designed into a single chip which was the most advanced consumer electronics chip ever made until then. This opened up a whole new world of computer games.

Video games have had an interesting history with a lot of different people contributing to their success. They have come a long way and there are no doubt many more interesting and exciting developments to come.

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It was more than a decade ago when both Sony and Nintendo dominated the video game industry. It used to be both Sega and Nintendo that dominated the industry, but that was before Sony entered the picture, and quite literally knocked out Sega as a video game hardware manufacturer, leaving them with creating software titles only.

It was because of that incident that led many to believe that the industry was only capable of holding just two major consoles, tops. That changed, however, when Microsoft entered the scene in 2001 with their Xbox. That just proved that the industry was capable of holding more than two gaming systems. This changed everything.

Once this happened, more video games were being created than ever before. So the options, in terms of software titles, had expanded for the consumers. So, the industry was starting to expand. More and more people started to play video games.

Fast forward to today, and we have three gaming consoles to choose from - the great thing is that each system has something different to offer. We have the Xbox 360, which has solid online gaming, with more and more people joining the online community. We have the PS3, which is a really powerful console, and has some really good exclusives. Then, we have the Nintendo Wii, which offers motion-based controls, and has many software titles that the whole family can enjoy.

Because the gap, in terms of hardware, between each new console release has decreased, this means that the consoles of previous generations will still be legit for many people. This means that there is still a lot of life left for those consoles. This is really good for consumers, because now, you can buy a system of interest for very cheap prices. On top of this, the software titles for those specific systems can also be found for very cheap prices. This doesn't even include the used game sections of your local gaming retailers.

So, what is the state of the video game industry? By the looks of it, it's looking really healthy. Also, if you look at the statistics for the past five years, it shows an industry growth, as more and more people are starting to play video games, and people that used to play and stopped, are now re-entering. It's not far from when video games will be looked at as a legit form of entertainment.

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If you have ever wondered why subscribing to a video game rental service online is a better choice rather than your local storefront, then wonder no more. In this article, I will present to you three major factors that will hopefully convince you which one is better. Specifically, I'm going to talk about convenience, games in stock, and customer service. These are important factors that need to be considered. After reading this article, you will now be able to make a good decision on which choice is better for you.

CONVENIENCE – What are your choices if you happen to live in a rural area? Have you ever tried hopping in your car and driving downtown just to rent a few games for the week? That's something that you won't have to endure again when you subscribe to an online video game rental service. The games you want to play are delivered straight to your door, so you don't have to drive to a local store yourself.

Even if you live in the city, it's more convenient to use an online video game rental service. What are the odds of you living next door to a video game rental shop? Let's not forget the fact that there's nothing to beat the pleasure of having your games delivered to you everyday. You won't ever have to go out and walk (or drive) to your local store just to rent some games, plus imagine the luxury of getting your games even while just being dressed in your bathrobe or pajamas.

GAMES IN STOCK – Have you tried renting video games in your local store? How many game titles did you see, around 50 or a hundred? Even the biggest stores like Blockbuster or Hollywood Video only carry stocks of 50 to 100 games at a time, on average. You might think that that's not bad, except when you hear that online video game rentals can offer you thousands of games to choose from.

The smallest online store in the industry carries an approximate 2,000 games, with the biggest companies carrying around 6,000 titles. These online stores are also stocked up better on both old and new games, so you are more likely to find the exact game you want, as compared to your local storefront.

CUSTOMER SERVICE – How about irritable employees, crowds, and long lines? Would you like to experience that? When you sign up for a subscription at an online video game rental store, you practically eliminate all of these nasty problems at once. There will be no more irritable employees to deal with. No crowds to jostle and fight, plus no more waiting in lines! You get to browse and order your favorite games in the comfort and privacy of your own home, without ever having to endure the experience mentioned above.

If ever you have a problem with your games or with deliveries, a quick email to their customer service department will fix that problem. And you know what? Some of the bigger sites in the industry are now offering phone support, too! Try to beat that with having to go out and travel to your local store to complain about a problem.

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I decided to write this article because i saw a question in a gaming forum asking if there are any video game tester schools around because of all the ads for "video game testers wanted"! Now i have been a pro video gamer for over a year now and i have never heard of any actual video game tester schools.

If you are serious about joining the gaming industry, which is getting bigger every year, you need to join a professional gaming community! Joining a pro game testing community is just like finding a bunch of  VIDEO GAME TESTER SCHOOLS! For example, in the pro gaming community i am a member of you are given step by step instructions on exactly how to succeed in the gaming industry, we have over 50 gaming companies on our books so we always have an over flow of work!

You of course work as a team each person helping the other at least until you become expert enough to take full control yourself. So, in that way you could say that video game tester schools do exist but it is more like on the job training!

There are a lot of myths surrounding the gaming industry like video game tester schools and how much money you can make, when you first start you will be making about $20-$50 an hour, when you become an expert video game tester you can get alot more, even as much as $150 an hour!

My advice to anyone looking for video game tester schools is to make sure you join a pro gaming community to make sure you get the support and guidance you need to start your new career!

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Video games have exploded in popularity, thanks to our high paced and pressurized world crunching down on individuals. People need a break from reality and video games provide that venue of escapism, and businesses have definitely gotten the message loud and clear. Developing new games is a fierce industry and companies need people who can always bring on better games that stimulate all the senses at once. But how can you get into this rising segment and turn your interests in computers into something that's a lucrative, fun career full of opportunity?

A degree in video game design is the training you need to break into a market where you can create fantastical worlds or develop settings that are so realistic, you can almost touch them. Individuals are demanding more and more from software companies, and only the top quality games will succeed in today's competitive world. Investing your talents in a solid education that will give you the skills and know how to create high tech video games is a wise choice. The job opportunities will never peter out or become saturated, thanks to new technology that's always being put into the market, and you can get into the gaming craze by getting the best training possible to send you into an amazing career.

You'll have the chance to use your own imagination to create great characters that become popular household names. Remember Mario and Luigi? Well, those two characters were created by people with video game design skills and they earned their makers millions of dollars. What about Yoshi? The little dinosaur is another character created by someone with video game design skills that has made someone rich and famous. Why can't that person who develops the next popular, fun character be you? Online gaming is another venue that has become a multi-million dollar industry and all you have to do is look up World of Warcraft to see how many people are hooked on video games, making the market a rich one for job opportunities.

So what's involved in video game design? Educational facilities will provide you with artistic training to help you create visual images that snag people's interest and keep them gaming, as well as the know how to apply that to animation and 3D modelling. Story development is a must, and you'll be able to think up new ways of challenging people with tricks and traps or enemies to battle to become heroes and earn glorious rewards and treasures. Not only that, those who offer degrees in video game design will help you to put together a profile that will make you an attractive asset to software companies looking for talented 3D artists and gaming developers.

One thing is for sure: Without a degree in video game design, the competition to break into the industry is so stiff that you'll never be able to get ahead. Great ideas and a creative imagination isn't all it takes to open fantastic opportunities and set you into an amazing career. Top quality skills and training that keep you on top of the game and get you that perfect job are the only way to go about finding your place in the lucrative industry of video games. You'll learn the practical side of design and animation to be able to develop games that bring in sales for businesses and earn the skills you need to be head hunted by companies. More than that, obtaining your degree in video game design won't just be an important investment and career choice, it'll also be a blast of fun as you expand your horizons and creativity, learning to think outside the box and come up with new, exciting worlds and characters.

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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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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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