Useful Links For Video Game Lovers

I am also one of the hobbyist who love to play specific catagory video games. I have a good selection of board, puzzle and adventure games. But you know we need to search the video games market, before buying a game and to make this search easy I have collected few useful resources for you. My suggestion is to go for 'review' sites where you can read video games news, reviews and ranking information.

The electronic systems used to play video games are known as platforms; examples of these are personal computers and video game consoles. These platforms are broad in range, from large computers to small handheld devices. Specialized video games such as arcade games, while previously common, have gradually declined in use.

As a form of multimedia entertainment, modern video games contain a unique synthesis of 3D art, CG effects, architecture, artificial intelligence, sound effects, dramatic performances, music, storytelling, and, most importantly, interactivity. This interactivity enables the player to explore environments that range from simulated reality to stylized, artistic expressions (something no other form of entertainment can allow) where the actions of the player operating as a single, irreducible variable. In this respect, every game scenario will play out a slightly different way every time. Even if the game is highly scripted, this can still feel like a large amount of freedom to the person who is playing the game.

Video games and console review sites:

* 'ConsumerSearch', is like a search engine to find product reviews and information. As site provides true and to the point reviews about any products without influence of advertising media, you can rely on their suggestions or reviews.

What ConsumerSearch.com offers:
For each product category, ConsumerSearch offers:

- All The Reviews Reviewed: Ranking and descriptions of all the top reviews, complete with links.
- Full Story: Our complete analysis of who the experts are and what they say.
- Fast Answers: Our listing of the top-rated products, according to the experts.
Where to Buy: Prices and links to retailers that offer the recommended products

You can find reviews about video games consoles "here"

* 'allaboutgames.co.uk' is a multi-format gaming site with news, previews, cheats, charts and an active discussion board. It was formed in 1999 and today averages around 24,000 unique visitors per month.

* 'Game Daily' offers news, reviews, and related stuff.

* 'Computer and video games' provides news, reviews, previews, cheats and tips.

* You can find all details on how to play and beat nearly 60,000 games on www.GameFAQs.com. Since 1995, GameFAQs has provided tip-seeking gamers with the world's most in-depth gameplay information, including more than 44,200 FAQs and guides, 224,400 codes and cheats, 418 million forum postings, and more.


* 'GamesTracker' tracks gaming news, prices, reviews and previews around the web.

* 'Epinions.com' helps people make informed buying decisions. It is a premier consumer reviews platform on the Web and a reliable source for valuable consumer insight, unbiased advice, in-depth product evaluations and personalized recommendations.
Epinions is a service of Shopping.com, Inc., a leading provider of comparison shopping services. Shopping.com's mission is to help consumers anywhere use the power of information to find, compare and buy anything.

Buying resources

* 'Game Spider' is an online resource for cheap games, videogame price comparison, and gamers to share information on videogame deals and bargains. GameSpider does not only compare prices, but provides registered users with a 'heads-up' on ongoing bargains, promotions and other money-saving methods.

* Used-game-prices.com is a free online video game price guide. Find the best video game deals and check out the price people pay for used video games and consoles. They provide offers from 'eBay games'

* Video Game Stores helps you find stores that sell your favorite video games online.

Benefits of Children's Video Game Play

Video games are a favourite pastime or hobby among our children. It is one of the hobbies which children enjoy the most, and in most of the cases it has become an addiction. But are there any benefits of video game play?

This post would help you understand the popularity, effects, and benefits of children's video game play. At the bottom of the post I have compiled some more article links which would be interesting and useful to read.

I like to play board or puzzle games at my pc, but "Syberia" was the first and only video game, which I was really addicted to. I played both parts within about 3 months, as I didn't have internet access and could not get 'walk through' to finish it earlier. I still look for the video game which are from the same adventure and puzzle catagory.

But the fact is that I don't want my son to be an addict of video games. Like many parents I always thought that addiction of video games is not good for children, until I read some articles about benefits of video games play.

But remember that there are some negative effects of few catagory of video games and as a parents or teachers, it is our duty to check and suggest proper video games for our kids. Moreover as an educator I think we should ask our teens or kids to limit video games playing to some extent where it could not effect their physical or educational activities.


Few fact about Video Games

Video games have been incorporated into the daily routines of 65% of all U.S. households, and 85% of those with male children. When figures for game systems are measured against recent Statistics Canada estimates that PC's have penetrated just 40% of Canadian households and the internet only about 20%, the video game appears to be by far the more important children's communication medium.

video gaming became the fastest growing and most profitable children's cultural industry which is expected to garner an estimated $30 billion in 1998 for the corporations that manufacture, design and sell them.

Just as parents were becoming accustomed to the fact that their kids were spending close to three hours a day with television, the video game came along and began changing children's leisure.

The video game industry has not only been selling our kids on digital technology, but also a unique entertainment experience which has already dramatically affected the way kids allocate and spend their leisure time.

Douglas Rushkoff, in his book Playing the Future, says "While their parents may condemn Nintendo as mindless and masterbatory, kids who have mastered video gaming early on stand a better chance of exploiting the real but mediated inter-activity that will make itself available to them by the time they hit techno-puberty in their teens." He goes on to quote Timothy Leary to support his optimism about the impact of kids interactive entertainment: "The importance of the Nintendo phenomenon is about equal to that of the Gutenberg Printing press. Here you had a new generation of kids who grew up knowing that they could change whats on the screen."

Video Game Culture

More articles and studies:

* 'The creativity of players may be enhanced by their involvement with video games. Players often create their own games with computer technology that allows them to use their own music and visual patterns (7). This may allow players to stimulate their brains and thought processes in order to create the often elaborate scenarios involved in complex video games. Furthermore, video games often allow players to use their imaginations in order to transport themselves into scenarios completely different from real world situations. While there are certainly creative benefits to playing video games, it is important to remember that players must be actively interested in these types of games and must be invested in them in order to gain these benefits.'
Full artilce: Video Games: A Source of Benefits or Addiction?

* The Many Benefits of VIDEO GAMES

* 'Mark Griffiths, professor of gambling studies at Nottingham Trent University, says they can be a distraction for children undergoing painful treatment.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, he added that games can also help children with attention deficit disorders gain social skills.'

Read more: 'Computer games 'do have benefits' at BBC world

* Reading and video games

* "To understand why games might be good for the mind, begin by shedding the cliché that they are about improving hand-eye coordination and firing virtual weapons. The majority of video games on the best-seller list contain no more bloodshed than a game of Risk. The most popular games are not simply difficult in the sense of challenging manual dexterity; they challenge mental dexterity as well. The best-selling game of all time, The Sims, involves almost no hand-eye coordination or quick reflexes. One manages a household of characters, each endowed with distinct drives and personality traits, each cycling through an endless series of short-term needs (companionship, say, or food), each enmeshed in a network of relationships with other characters. Playing the game is a nonstop balancing act: sending one character off to work, cleaning the kitchen with another, searching through the classifieds for work with another. Even a violent game like Grand Theft Auto involves networks of characters that the player must navigate and master, picking up clues and detecting patterns. The text walk-through for Grand Theft Auto III—a document that describes all the variables involved in playing the game through to the finish—is 53,000 words long, the length of a short novel. But despite the complexity of these environments, most gamers eschew reading manuals or walk-throughs altogether, preferring to feel their way through the game space."

Read this informative article at "Discover magazine": Your Brain on Video Games

* Video games that contain high levels of action, such as Unreal Tournament, can actually improve your vision, according to a group of Researchers at the University of Rochester.

"Action video game play changes the way our brains process visual information," Daphne Bavelier, professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester, said. "After just 30 hours, players showed a substantial increase in the spatial resolution of their vision, meaning they could see figures like those on an eye chart more clearly, even when other symbols crowded in."

Read more: "Action video games make your eyesight better"

* "The educational benefits of video games"

Or download pdf version:
Click here

Collecting hobby - World Paper Money

My paper money collection hobby started at the same time with coins collection. I was lucky to collect the stuff for these hobbies as one of my uncle was working at a ship and during their cruise around many  countries, my uncle collected currency notes and coins for me.

I feel that collecting world paper money or coins increases your knowledge about the world without leaving your home exploring all the different cultures, countries, continents. You get chance to know world's famous people, learn about fauna, flora, rivers, mountains and more.

Bank note collecting is an exciting hobby which millions of collectors around the world enjoy.

The paper money collecting hobby has been very well established for decades and there are many thousands of collectors worldwide. Paper money collectors are not as common as coin collectors, but they are still very active and have extensively developed the hobby.

What kind of paper money do people collect?

1) large-size US type notes
2) US national bank notes (issued by local banks chartered by the US)
3) US fractional currency (notes from the 1800s of less than 1 dollar)
4) pre-US colonial currency
5a) US obsolete notes (from private banks of the 1880s)
5b) Confederate States of America notes
6) small-size US type notes (the size we're familiar with now)
7a) recent and general world paper money
7b) older and rare world paper money
8) error notes, including printing, paper and cutting errors
9) Souvenir Cards


You can see the obvious slant toward US currency. Unfortunately, much of the really interesting US paper money is now very expensive. The very striking notes of the 1800s and early 1900s are now out of the price range of most casual collectors. Some people collect travelers' checks, and stocks and bonds, which might not be considered as paper money. Souvenir Cards are a good way to see the beauty of currency.

There is large group of people who collect world paper money. Some people focus on specific countries of interest and even specific time periods in specific countries. Often interest in paper money follows an interest in the general history as well. Some collectors focus on things ranging from notes with portaits of Queen Elizibeth to notes with pictures of boats to notes with specific serial numbers (all the same digit or very low serial numbers).

A very common type of world paper collection is to collect notes from "every country". The definition of every country can vary greatly, but this type of collection is relatively inexpensive.

One thing to keep in mind is that the quality of books on paper money is very high and they play a major role for collectors. Lots of people have dedicated their lives to researching and compiling information on paper money. It just makes sense to utilize and build on what they've already done.

What's the best way to get started collecting?

Probably the best way to start is to subscribe to Bank Note Reporter. It's a sort of monthly newspaper for paper money collectors and not only does it carry all the latest news about new issues, currency changes, etc., it also has advertising from a very large number of dealers and it lists paper money shows in the US and around the world. BNR offers free samples to anyone (not just in the USA). Subscriptions run about 30 dollars for 1 year (around 40 dollars outside the US). It's a very good
source of information. The address is...

http://www.tias.com/krause/BankNoteReporter/

The most effective way to get paper money is not through general circulation, but through dealers, collectors, auctions, and shows.
The International Bank Note Society's quarterly journal carries free advertising "of a non-commercial nature" for people wanting to update their personal collections. Bank Note Reporter also has a lot of small cheap ads for this. These are good places to look for people to trade notes.

How should I store my banknotes?

To keep them in the best possible condition you should use Mylar holders. Common household products such as plastic wrap, plastic bags, window envelopes, etc. should not be used for storing paper money. Most plastics contain PVC, which deteriorates with time and heat, releasing acids and gases which will migrate into the paper, resulting in the notes appearing to have been soaked in oil, or so brittle they shatter at a touch. Use only those products (such as Mylar and other inert plastics)
which have been tested and approved for long term paper money storage.

Notes should be stored or displayed away from direct sunlight, to avoid fading. Repairs should be made only with products that are stable. "Magic" tape and other plastic tapes will leave permanent stains on notes.

There are individual Mylar holders which look like plastic envelopes and cost about 30 cents each, usually in packs of 50 or 100. You can also keep notes in regular paper envelopes as well, although they're more liable to get damaged in handling.


source link

- Resources and links to paper money related sites from dmoz directory

- Organizations

Coin Supplies for Collectors at Magically Low Prices!

I started coin collecting at a very young age, about 20 years ago, and at that time I didn't have much stuff to take care of my coins. I just wrapped my coins with plastic bags and often clean them with some oily cloth. But I am excited to see that coin collectors have a wide variety of coin collecting accessories. Online shopping has made this task more easy.

Coin collectors need to maintain coin cases, coin holders, coin price guide and other coin supplies. You need to read related books, and learn about the care of your collection. "Wizard Coin Supply" can help you in this regard.

WizardCoinSupply.com is a leading supplier of name brand coin supplies and accessories for coin collectors. They have large selection of coin collection supplies and materials at magically low prices.

They help their customers find the correct and most cost effective coin accessories for their needs.

Site offers a series of articles to educate collectors about proper coin care so that they can keep the value of their collections as high as possible. You can find currency and stamps collecting supplies at the site.

"Wizard Coin Supply" suggests these coin protection products:

- Flat Clinch Stapler - One big category of coin damage is from staple scratches. Normal staplers leave a curl of the staple rising above the surface. This piece of staple can easily scratch adjacent coins as the coin shifts in a box or is removed or inserted from the box.
- Gloves - A second big category of damage type we see on coins is fingerprints. The oils and acids present on one’s hands can damage coins if left on the surface of the coin for an extended time. Using a pair of soft cotton gloves when handling raw coins helps protect all three surfaces of the coins.
- Silica gel - Many collectors do not realize that even the moisture present in the air (humidity) can be enough to cause damage. Silica gel absorbs moisture that makes its way inside your safe deposit box, safe or other storage area preventing it from reaching your coins and causing damage.
- Koinsolv - Koinsolv is a neutral coin solvent that removes PVC, oil, tape residue, light fingerprints, and grease from the surfaces of the coins.
- Supersafe Archival Coin and Currency Pages - Supersafe’s archival grade pages are made from a polyester material that is free from the softeners and additives that can damage coins and currency. These hard, rigid holders provide maximum long term protection.
- Intercept Shield Albums - These albums are another fabulous innovation from the team at Intercept Shield in turning a popular storage and display item into a coin preservation tool. The album is made with only acid-free archival components so that coins will not be harmed or toned by the album components themselves.

For the full article and more stuff: Best coin protection products

'Student Credit Card Management' -Tips

Students are in need of money for many purposes despite paying for their education. During this periods they tend to carry many credit cards, as they are not aware of the fact that they have to repay a big amount of money after some time. It is the best tips for them to spend according to their budget. From this struggling age they should learn how to manage money and finances. These few tips would definitely help them in this regard:

Tips

- The lack of financial skills is always associated with higher borrowing costs. Learn about credit cards, and terms carefully.
- Use your plastic money in the most appropriate and responsible manner.

- Get the most suitable plastic. Keep in mind that student credit cards are not created equal. They come with different interest rates, annual fees, spending limits and billing policies. So make a careful research to find a plastic that provides most benefits and freebies. If you think you will carry a balance from month to month, look for a low APR credit card. Even though a rewards plastic may seem cooler, the higher APR and possible annual fee can eat away all your rebates.

- Use your credit card: make small purchases that you can repay at the end of your billing cycle. If there are no borrowing-payment data, there is nothing to report to the credit bureaus.

- Pay all bills on time: Unpaid utility payments, taxes, parking tickets and library fines can appear on your credit report as a collection account and seriously damage your FICO score.

- Don't apply for multiple credit cards at one time: A lot of recent credit inquiries will hurt your credit score. One or two plastics are enough for most students.

- Plan a budget: Live within your means and avoid frivolous purchases. Keep in mind that people who have a lot of things are not rich. They just spend a lot of money.
Student credit card management

The New Look Of 'Hobbies and Hobbies"

Regular readers of this blog would note that since the start of this blog I am trying to update the theme and look of it. Now with the help of "Our Blog Templates" and I have made changes to the original 'columus' template. I love to learn and 'play' with my blogs as every time I make a change at my blogs, I feel the joy of satisfaction and creativity inside me.

I was not much interested in taking part in their Showcasing blogs at 'Our blog templates' CENTEST, until I downloaded a template and realized that the templates offered by this site are really creative, as you are free to modify the look of your blog.

The Changes I made to my blog:

- I picked header picture from other site, recommended by the "Our blog templates'.
- Changed the theme and colours at side bars and links.

Site provides full instruction based tutorial, so the bloggers who are not familiar with technical knowledge can easily update their blogs. And note that templates offered by the site are FREE of cost, and for the blogs using 'Blogger'. There are around 100 free templates, and to my knowledge upto now, nobody has offered so many quality and upgradable templates so far.