Create Video Games As Your Fun Career

Do you like video games? Do you beat video games after playing once? Do you feel like the games are too easy? Well, it sounds like you have a passion for these things then you should go where your heart leads you.

If you at the point where you are thinking about your career, I suggest that you do what you love to do. You should consider a different course of action: majoring in something you TRULY enjoy... something you could do hours on end without feeling like you are w...

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Do you like video games? Do you beat video games after playing once? Do you feel like the games are too easy? Well, it sounds like you have a passion for these things then you should go where your heart leads you.

If you at the point where you are thinking about your career, I suggest that you do what you love to do. You should consider a different course of action: majoring in something you TRULY enjoy... something you could do hours on end without feeling like you are working at all. And if you are like many people, this 'something' would be playing video games.

That's right! You can actually get a job creating and/or playing video games. Below is a list of some of the careers available for those with a video game degree.

1) Video Game Programmer

Gameinformer Magazine mentions that, video game programmers are the "heart and soul" of the industry. They are the ones responsible for creating the code necessary for getting video games to function. And contrary to popular belief, their jobs aren't always easy. Video game programming often involves creating complex functions and algorithms often times more challenging than programs created in Corporate America.

Indeed, game programming may not be the appropriate course for everyone seeking a video game career, but if you were deciding to go into the computer field anyway, which job would be more enjoyable... coding the next Halo, or working on a boring, hum-drum piece of no-name software?

2) Video Game Tester

As a video game tester it is a position in which you truly would get paid for playing video games. According to current game tester Doug D. from Electronic Arts, he say's as a game tester you would "go over different components of a game and look for things that just don't make sense." You would also "break the game," meaning you would "do things a normal user would do and accidentally see something go wrong."

Doug Powell further adds that video game testing is a good place to start for young people who want to "break into the industry." To get such a position in it is best to have a "passion for gaming" and some educational background. Doug recommends a degree, or some form of higher-level education.

3) Video Game Animator

Animators are in charge for coordinating the movement of video game characters. Accomplishing requires more than drawing something on a piece of paper, which according to Alex Jones, an established game animator, occurs after a lot of "brainstorming, chilling, playing, planning and testing" with the programmer. But when the busy work is done, the video game animator will finally get a chance to do what he or she does best... animate. Alex Drouin says the thing he liked best about his job was "being able to come there late in the morning, sit behind his computer, put on a great CD, and then create crazy animation that will end up in a game that will be seen all around the world by gamers." With a video game degree it is certainly possible!

4) Sound Designer

Sound designers are responsible for creating the music and sound effects of video games. Video game music is created either from digital sources or real-life stimulation. As video game consoles become more advanced, many sound designers favor the latter when deciding on what type of music they want in the games they are working on. Creating appropriate sound effects, on the other hand, sometimes requires more creative experimentation.

To be successful at designing video game sounds it is best to: 1) have an interest in both music and sound, 2) possess knowledge of recording equipment and 3) be familiar with the types of music and sound used in today's most popular video games. A video game degree will help develop these talents and skills.

5) Game Designer

Video game designers are responsible for creating the 'experience' of a particular game. Charles Perry, a video game designer, sums it up by saying "the main tasks of the designer is to make sure the game is fun."

Wells further adds that game designers are responsible for macro and micro level design. Macro level design involves "figuring out the core mechanics of the game; the variety of level looks, power-ups, etc." Micro-design involves creating the "actual levels and the moment-to-moment gameplay within those levels... the enemies, the objects, and the particular way you encounter those enemies and objects."

Good game designers should obviously have an interest in video games along with some drawing and programming skills.

Easy Games to Play for Fun

Change the how and why you play a game online and also make some good cash by doing it. We offer you practical advice on how to do this.

Keywords:

games,gaming,computer games,gambling,casino,casinos,poker,sports,recreation,sports

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Get acquainted with a practical guide on the easiest games that you can play online. And once you read this article, you will find that you have at least stopped losing all your money. If you follow the advice well and to the dot, you will also learn how to start winning cash from other players or by beating the casino. Sounds interesting? It is.

Note that the games you must look out for are those where the house edge is very low. If these are hard to find at the casino you have entered, look for those games that depend more on skill than on luck. Some of these include blackjack and poker. The games to avoid because they depend solely on luck are any of the slot machine games such as Caribbean Stud or the regular or progressive slot jackpots. These rely only on luck and the house edge there is against you.

What is a House Edge?

Since the casinos and betting establishments are in it for making money, they have created an artificial method to gain leverage over the players. This is what they have termed house edge. What it means is that over and above what you win, the casinos deduct a certain amount for themselves. It is something like insurance but only for them and not for you. But the casinos do not actually do this. Instead, they have inserted these odds into the game winnings so that you do not notice it. When you win, you are paid according to the newly calculated odds and you are no wiser.

For instance, if you walk over to a casino and place a bet of ten dollars on a roulette table. (For arguments sake, let us also suppose it was an American roulette table.) If you win, you should be given three hundred and seventy dollars because the true odds is thirty-seven to one. Instead, you will only get three hundred and fifty dollars according to the odds of thirty-five to one. This is what I was referring to in the previous paragraph. What has happened is that you have lost twenty dollars to the casino as part of the house edge.

Playing Poker:

Pick and play this exceptional game because ,here, you are not competing against the house at all. It is other players like you who you are up against. Do battle against them and defeat them for cash. No house edge comes in the way here, but you do pay a small part of the money you win to the casino as a commission. This winning commission is called rake, and its so minute that you do not feel it pinch your pocket.

In addition, this is one of the best games to play if you are good at it and if you have razor-sharp skills. You will be able to mint money like crazy if you can read other expressions and count the cards well. You can also pick from a variety of game variations such as Red Dog Poker and Texas Holdem.

Playing Blackjack:

This is one of those games that the casino does not like you playing. If it was up to the betting establishments, they would remove these tables altogether. Why? Because the edge for them is only a half percent! Thus, is you play well by remembering that you have to beat the dealer and not reach 21, you stand a big chance of accumulating a large sum. I also suggest you brush up on your mathematical skills.

If you wish, learn how to count cards, but be careful. Because card counting works, casinos have banned it. All you have to do is count the colored cards (the cards that are ten and above). Then, it will be easier to decide which bet to make and which not to make. Practice again and again at home because you not only have to master this skill but you also have to learn to do it silently so that the casinos do not catch on.

Video Poker:

This is a game very much like one of the many regular and progressive slot machines games you will run into at a casino, but it is different. Unlike slots, skill plays a big part in the results, and thus you have a bigger chance of winning than at one of the slot machines.

But, before you begin, glance at the payment structure pasted on the machine. You should make your gaming decisions based on the house odds and payment structures of the machine.

First Film, Games and Mobile Business Network starts in Germany

The International business network gafimo.net -

the mobile, film, games network launches today in

germany. Matthias Pieper, 23, CEO of gafimo.net

is on the move to find as many professionals from

the mobile content, film and games-development

branches as possible to bring them together.

Keywords:

mobile, mobile content, content, film, game, games, developer, business network, germany

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The International business network gafimo.net -

the mobile, film, games network launches today in

germany. Matthias Pieper, 23, CEO of gafimo.net

is on the move to find as many professionals from

the mobile content, film and games-development

branches as possible to bring them together. "It

is clear that these industries have to work

together in the future" Pieper says. He knows,

what he´s talking about: after years of working

on the games workforce (giga, etc.) he has

studied film production and often finds himself

between the branches. "Those people are working

on the same topics, using similiar software,

storytellingtools, and so on" he says, "but

hardly know each other and therefore can´t be of

help to one another". Also Pieper believes that

since the devices of games, mobile and film are

merging (playstations, PCs, etc) there has to be

a business-network to combine these industries.

More info´s and free registrations (restricted to

pros) at www.gafimo.net

Chinese Gambling Games: Casino Games with Chinese Origins

Here you can read about some of the most popular casino games and gambling games that were imported to the US from China.

Keywords:

Chinese gambling games, popular casino games, American gambling, American casinos, Pai Gow poker, American poker, Sic Bo, land based casinos, Fan Tan, Mahjong,gambling,entertainment,games,online gaming

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The Chinese culture has a significant influence on the American gambling industry. Many of todays popular casino games were introduced to American casinos by Chinese immigrants. In this review, you can read about some of the most popular Chinese gambling games that had a successful immigration to the West.

Pai Gow Poker

Pai Gow Poker is a hybrid of American poker and traditional Chinese tiles game called Pai Gow. The original tile game Pai Gow, which means Make 9, is one of the most ancient gambling games that are still available in cotemporary casinos. Pai Gow Poker is played with playing cards instead of tiles and it uses the traditional poker hand ranking. It is one of the most popular casino games worldwide and it can be found in almost every major casino in the US. Its online version can be played at most casinos on the internet.

The object of the Pai Gow Poker is to form the highest possible two poker hands, one five card hand and a two card hand, out of the seven cards dealt to each player. Each player competes against the banker that can be either the casino dealer or one of the players who can afford paying the players winnings.

Sic Bo

Sic Bo is yet another popular casino game with roots that go back to ancient China. The chance game came to the States around the beginning of the 20th century by Chinese immigrants. It can be played in most land based casinos in Macau, the US and the UK. Sic Bo has an online version as well.

The meaning of Sic Bo is Dice Pair. It is played with three standard dice on a special table. Each player places any number of bets on the table and then tosses the dice. The outcome is determined by the combinations of the three dice. Each combination has a different payoff according to a payoff schedule, which vary from one casino to the other.

Fan Tan

Fan Tan used to be the most popular gambling game among Chinese gamblers but the glory days of Fan Tan have already passed. During the 1890s, Chinese immigrants brought the game to the United States. At that time, every Chinatown in American City had several Fan Tan houses that were always full of enthusiastic gamblers. Nowadays, you can find Fan Tan in some casinos in Macau as well as in some online gaming sites.

Traditional Fan Tan, not to be confused with the card game of the same name, used to be played with any objects such as coins, dried beans or small buttons on a table with a square marked on it. Fan Tan. The object of the game is pretty simple and odds are 1: 4.

The play begins with the banker puts on the table a pile of objects then covers them with a bowl. Each player has to bet on one of the numbers that mark the four sides of the square, or on one of the corners of the square. After the bowl is removed, the croupier removes four of the objects each time until the last group remains. If 1 object is left, then the player who placed a bet on 1 wins the pot, and so on.

Mahjong

Mahjong is probably the biggest inherit of Chinese culture to the gaming world. The ancient Chinese tile game has many variants worldwide including variety of online games. According to the myth, Mahjong was developed by Confucius around the 500 BC. The game was brought to the United States during the 1920s and soon was very popular especially among women. The game was played in Chinese style decorated rooms with waiters wearing traditional customs.

The American version of Mahjong was developed during the 1930s and it is played in America until today. At the same time, the National Mahjong league was founded. In addition to American Mahjong, there are Japanese, Vietnamese, Cantonese and other variations of the game, which vary from one to the other by their scoring structure, number of tiles and rules variants. In 1998, the China State Sports Commission had set a standard set of rules that will differentiate the illegal gambling game from the skill game.

Mahjong Solitaire, the online version of Mahjong, gains wide popularity recently. The online version of the classic Chinese game is a matching game that uses the Mahjong tiles. Online Mahjong games can be found in many online gaming sites in variety of layouts and versions.

Games are a Reflection of Behavior as Told by John Satta

Games are an opening to our true natures. In games we can react immediately rather than with a careful response. Reactions often depend on your view of the game. If the game is seen as a one-time event, why not be brutal? But if this event is one in a series, then cooperation is clearly the better long-term strategy.

Keywords:

Business, respect, marketing, sales, PR, website, promotion, clients, professional, games, finite, infinite, behavior, personality, logical, logic, strategy

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You are standing on a small stage yelling, “What's the name of the game?!”
“Win as much as you can!!!” comes roaring back.
“Who's responsible for your score?!”
“I am!!”

The audience is composed of ninety men, all prisoners in a federal maximum security prison.
One more thing - you're a woman.

For three years, Alicia volunteered every Thursday at FCI (Federal Correctional Institute) in Bastrop, Texas-
“I used my skills as a corporate trainer to help these men learn to shift their perspective on themselves and the world.”
“Along the way the prisoners taught me as much, perhaps more, than I taught them.”
“In my training business, I use games as a way to break down barriers and shift perceptions. What I came to realize is that your behavior in a game is an exaggerated reflection of your behavior in real life.”

Games are an opening to behave true to our natures, to react immediately rather than with a careful response. Depending on the other players, we may monitor our behavior less in a game than in the real world, but we aren't acting differently. In a game there are no emotional holds barred.

In a game, we are allowed to be more right brained than logical. After all, “It's only a game.”

Saying something is only a game tends to trivialize its importance. Precisely because we view it as trivial, and of no importance, we can give ourselves permission to let our true natures out.

When we floated this idea before a number of colleagues, several of them told us stories of self-discovery. One woman, a very sweet and kind person in “real life”, was known as “the enforcer” when she played hockey in school. Another shared that, when she plays a game against total strangers she becomes “brutal” and highly competitive.

So if our true nature comes out in a game, what can we do with that information?

Can we transform situations so that we can be true to our nature? Can we make a game out of real world situations to allow our true nature to flourish? The obvious example is to view business as a game to be won. This implies competition and a winner take all attitude.

Yet Covey and others have told us about creating win-win situations. Is there such a thing as a win-win game - a game where everyone wins, where no one loses? Can you devise a game where you can put your competitive streak toward a larger goal? Can the proverbial pie be made larger? As someone said to me, to transform from “me winning” to “we winning”.

What's the name of the game? Win as much as you can!

Who's responsible for your score? I am!

The game Alicia played with the inmates was called “the handshake game”. She had them pair up by size, height and weight and explained the rules. “We'll play the game for 45 seconds. You get one point when your hand taps his hip; he gets one point when his hand taps your hip.”

The vast majority of the pairs had a combined score of 0 points. A few pairs scored in the 10 - 20 point range.

But one pair scored 260 points.

The high scorers had realized that the name of the game and scoring responsibility did not define a win-lose (or “zero-sum”) game. That is, one person did not win at the expense of the other.

Of course, the entire thing was a set-up. Alicia paired them up by size, height and weight to set the expectation that it was an evenly matched contest. She got them chanting to get their excitement up.

And she neglected to tell them that the pair was a team and the team members' scores would be combined.

“Deliberately I didn't tell them they were supposed to cooperate with their partner. I also never told them who the competitors were.”

We all know that a “formal” team must cooperate to win. The revelation here was that by cooperating they could maximize their individual scores.

What's the name of the game? Win as much as you can!

Who's responsible for your score? I am!

The rules say nothing about preventing the other person from getting a high score. The pair who “got it” quickly settled into a rhythm of “one for you and one for me”. And they could have kept that up for as long as the game ran. Meanwhile, the other teams were struggling and would have exhausted themselves long before the winners did. And, when the few teams who did spot the pair who “got it” there were charges of “cheating” leveled at them. “We saw what they were doing but thought they were cheating or didn't understand the rules.”

The cooperation - competition confusion is nicely summed up in the concept called “the prisoners' dilemma”. Two people are arrested for a crime and there is enough evidence to put them both in jail for 1 year.

The police keep them isolated from each other and offer each the same deal: “If one of you talks and the other does not, the snitch goes free and the other one gets 3 years. If you both talk, you both get 2 years.”

The partners can work together (by staying silent) and both get only a year in jail. By both defecting from the partnership to work with the police they will both get 2 years.

A single defector will go free while the one who cooperated gets 3 years.

The dilemma is formed by pitting trust against greed. The temptation of greed combined with a habit of competition blinds us to a different perspective.

But don't think that only prisoners are subject to this. When Alicia has had groups of corporate executives play this game, they fall into the same behavior pattern as the prisoners. In fact, in some corporate sessions nobody “gets it”.

There seems to be a dichotomy between competing and winning. The idea of cooperating to win seems odd. In fact, we see other players complain that the ones who “get it” are cheating!

What you do depends on your view of the game. If the game is seen as a one-time event, why not be brutal - there will be no consequences. But if this event is one in a series, then cooperation is clearly the better long-term strategy, if only because there will be a chance for the other to get even.

In studies of prisoners' dilemma style games (played for points and not reduced jail time) the players eventually settle into a strategy dubbed “tit for tat”. Their actions are saying, “If you cooperate last time, I'll cooperate next time. If you defected last time, I'll defect next time.”

Using the word “defect” helps us see the shift - the opposite of cooperating (working on the same side) is defecting to the other side.

The desire to compete and the desire to win are not the same.

Game terminology (strategies, tactics, moves, etc.) is often applied to “serious” parts of life. Because the word game has a connotation of triviality, we sometimes bristle at its use to describe the things that mean the most to us.

What if we kept in mind that 'it's all a game' - would we behave differently?

Philosopher James P. Carse writes in the first chapter of Finite and Infinite Games, “There are at least two kinds of games. One could be called finite, the other infinite. A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, and infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play.”

The book's subtitle is “A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility.” His premise is that a game is about the relationship between the player.

In the book he characterizes two types of players. Finite players play within the rules, infinite players play with the rules. Finite players play to end the game (with their victory), infinite players play to continue the game (by whatever means they see fit). Finite players play to win, infinite players play to keep playing.

The players who “get it” are playing with the rules looking to transform a finite game into an infinite one.

If this article has intrigued you we encourage you to look at the various “games” that you are “playing” and with whom. Who are your “teammates” and what kind of game are you playing? With increased awareness of our behavior, and the behavior of others, we are able to create a “win as much as WE can” mentality.


© Copyright 2004 Alicia Smith Consulting & Training. All Rights Reserved.

Guide on Hen Parties games for fun and games

If you are planning a hen party then ensuring the party goes with a bang has to be the priority of the hen or party organizer so having some party games are always a good idea.

Keywords:

hen parties, party, fancy dress costumes

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Why not consider these games after you have purchased some fancy dress and hen party gifts for your guests.

Hen party number 1- The cross your leg game

When everyone is seated for 'present opening time', hand out a clothes peg to each person (I prefer plastic pegs, as wood could snag and ruin delicate clothing).

Each guest must clip the clothes peg to their skirt or pants, then sit back and let the party begin.

The aim is to not cross your legs. If you catch someone crossing their legs, you get to put your clothes peg on their skirt/pants. But the same goes for you... don't get caught crossing your legs.

This might sound really easy, but you wouldn't believe how we unconsciously cross our legs when seated! Guests get absorbed in chatting and watching the presents being opened and completely forget themselves, crossing their legs. Lots of laughs. At the end of present opening, the winners are those who have been able to keep the clothes pegs away.

Hen party number 2 - Mr. and Mrs. Game

Since the popular TV program has come on to our TV screens in the UK this is a popular game and so easy to play, the questions can also be easily be changed.

Where was your partner born?

What colour are his/her eyes?

Is your partner a tidy person?

Does he/she like cooking?

Does he/she like sport?

What is their favourite TV programme?

What was your partner's first job?

How much does your partner earn now?

What newspaper does he/she read?

What is his/her favourite place?

Hen Party number 3 - Naughty bananas

This is quite a fun game, and also it's easy to set up. All you need are two bananas, two pairs of handcuffs, and two volunteers.

Sit your volunteers on chairs, and put a banana in-between each of their legs, handcuff their hands behind the chair. The object of the game is to peel and eat the banana (without hands). The first one to finish is the winner.

Whatever you choose to play or venue selected hen parties are normally remembered for the right and wrong reasons!

Games: Which are the Easiest to Play

Transform your online gaming experience into a fortune. Here, we show you how to use games to make a profit.

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games,gaming,computer games,gambling,casino,casinos,poker,sports,recreation

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Here is a guide to the best online games. Find yourself winning, or at least not necessary losing in the long run. The best casino games are games that have a low house edge or games where by practicing your skill you can have an advantage over the casino. Those with the lowest house edge are blackjack and video poker. By improving the skill with which you play poker and blackjack, you gain an advantage over the other player or over the casino.

House Edge:

First, here is an explanation about the term house edge. The house edge is the way the casinos create an artificial advantage over the player to ensure their profits. The advantage is created by not paying the true odds. The house edge is the gap between the true odds and the odds the casino actually pays out for a winning.

Here is an example for clarification. The true odds in an American roulette game are 37:1. However, if you place a one dollar bet, you would be paid 35 dollars instead of 37 dollars, which are the true odds. The two dollars gap between the true odds and the actual payout is the casino house edge. You can calculate American roulette house edge by dividing 2 dollars by 38. The result is 5.26 percent.

Poker:

This is an exceptional casino game. It is the only casino game where you play against the other players instead of competing against the casino. There is not a house edge in poker. Instead, most casinos ensure their profits by collecting a rake, which is a certain percentage of the pot used to cover expenses. Other casinos charge each player by the hour.

Poker is the best casino game to play if you are a skilled player. A skilled player with experience, excellent knowledge in certain game rules, smart strategy and an ability to read facial expressions would have an advantage over the less skilled poker players, especially those who rely on their good fortune.

Blackjack:

This is the only casino game where the advantage can be shifted from the player to the dealer. When you are playing blackjack and using an optimal strategy, the house edge can be lower than 0.5 percent. You can increase your odds of winning and lower the house edge by learning the strategy based on the mathematics of the game.

Another way to lower the casino advantage in blackjack is by card counting. A skilled card counter can adjust his bets and his strategy according to the proportion between high cards and low cards. Mastering card counting requires skill and practice. In addition, since casinos are not especially welcoming card counters to their blackjack tables, you should also practice your hiding skills.

Video Poker:

The resemblance between video poker and slot machine sometimes causes confusion. Nevertheless, contrasting to slot machine, video poker is a game of skill. Playing video poker using an optimal strategy can lower its house edge to less than half percent. As opposed to slot machines, in video poker machine the pay table on the front of the machine enables you to determine the expected return of the game.

For example:

1) In a 9/6 Jacks or Better video poker machine, the expected return percentage can be as high as 99.5 percent.

2) In a 8/5 Jacks or Better machine the return percentage can be 97.3 percent and 95 percent in a 6/5 Jacks or Better video poker machine.

3) In a full paying Deuces Wild machine, the expected return percentage can be 100.17 percent.

Can You Really Get Paid To Test Video Games?

Among the flurry of get rich quick schemes and offers on the internet, you might find one telling you that you can "get paid to be a video game tester." Is it just a scam?

Keywords:

video games, test video games, video game tester, work at home, work from home

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Among the flurry of get rich quick schemes and offers on the internet, you might find one telling you that you can "get paid to be a video game tester." Although a first you might reject this offer, wondering how in the world it is possible to get paid for sitting around all day in playing video games. In the end, you probably end up close in web page in a second of unbelief.

I don't blame you for not believe in that you can get paid to play video games. After all, the vast majority of these supposedly "easy money" offers are scams. But this one isn't. Companies really do need you to play video games for them - and for good reasons too!

First of all, companies want to know that their game is exciting and fun to play. Video game companies know that a boring game will never sell well. They need some people that have played a few of before to analyze their game by playing it a couple times. That way, they can improve their game and avoid creating a boring game altogether by having people test it first before they release it.

Companies also want to get feedback on their new games. Being a video game tester doesn't mean only sitting around and playing games. You have to give the video game companies feedback on their new game that you have just tested. Usually, this will be in the form of a survey that you fill out after playing the game, with questions like how fun the game was, how exciting the game was, how you liked the graphics, etc.

How much do video game companies usually pay to have their games tested? It varies a lot depending on the company, the importance of the game to the company, how much time you spend on the game that you are testing, and how long the follow up survey is. Normally, however, companies usually pay between $9 and all the way up to $80 for a single game testing.

Now, who can apply to be a video game tester? The answer is anybody that is 15 years old and up. It's also good to have a little video game experience so that you will know the basics of playing before you start. You don't want to jump into the job cold.

This concludes this article. What now? You should go and learn more about video game testing so that you know how to start. There is an eBook on this that I highly recommend you check out. You can download it here: "The eBook Guide To Video Game Testing." http://www.kfzy.com/VideoGameTesting