It's the end of the first year... already???

I can’t believe how quickly the first year has gone. I’ve learnt so much and I’m looking forward to challenging myself further.

What I probably found most challenging was using 3Ds Max Studio although now I think I’m beginning to understand it a lot better now, especially over the last few weeks. Reading that we are hopefully going to have more non-computer work next year is a relief.

Drawing classes were the most enjoyable for me. I used many techniques that I had never used before. I did enjoy life drawing although I would have liked to have drawn more than one life model. Other than that, I feel much more confident about my drawing skills.

I think it would be really good if we discussed the films we watched more. It would be beneficial to us to study and understand many different brands of media.

Looking at more digital and traditional art sounds like good idea so we can develop our perception of past and future arts.

I’m excited about starting the second year and I hope that these changes will be made in one form or another to offer us a broader reflection of learning.

AKOHA?!?

It took me a while to find a topic that I found appealing on the GDC link but then I came across the “Serious Games Summit”. This essentially led me to “Designing the First Social Reality Game to Motivate Change” which is a talk on the development of a game called Akoha.

It is basically an online game that allows you to participate in real-life missions. These missions can vary wildly from “Invite a friend for coffee” to “Give someone a book”. However, you need the appropriate cards for the mission. You receive some of these cards when you sign up. You then play the card forward onto the next person and then they play-it-forward to one of their friends who will then possibly join in. It just keeps going like that. Simple.

The purpose of this is to allow people to be part of an online community and still get out there and make new friends. In this respect I think it’s a very good idea and could be quite effective but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that at first I thought it was a little bit odd.

http://akoha.com/

Creativity... revisited!

I have yet again researched the definition of creativity and I have found that it means something different to each individual. Well actually, I knew this anyway but now I have a more versatile concept of creativity.

One of the articles I read said that half of creativity is thinking and the other half is producing or well... creating! Something else I read said that if you have ideas, but don’t act on them, you are imaginative, not creative. I do agree with this and I said in my previous post about creativity that part of the meaning is the execution of an idea. Another thing I read is that creativity is original, not predictable. I’m not sure how much I agree with this. I think it depends on the person in question.

Some people believe that you can only be creative if you’re artistic. This is far from the truth. Creativity is part of everything. Sports, cuisine, science, everything.

It is said that we are naturally creative and as we grow up, we learn to be uncreative. That is why children are probably the most creative people on the planet. When a child is being creative, I think that their process of creativity is more important than the final product because it allows them to use their minds in a mature way. This could essentially help to prepare them for the world they live in and characterize the people they grow up to be.

All of these views are very different but in my opinion, in some form, they all define creativity. There is no right or wrong answer. Creativity is whatever it means to you.

My Inspiration

For the post I have chosen to discuss my new found curiosity in digital painting and which digital artists inspire me.

I’ve only been using Photoshop for a couple of months but I seem to be getting used to it quite rapidly. My techniques still need some work and I have to learn to blend my tones and colours but so far so good. I should probably take some time to explore it a bit and see what everything does and also to learn more about how I can use layers because so far I’m pretty clueless.

I’ve got into the habit of buying the monthly, “Imagine FX” magazine. This is where I have discovered some of my favourite digital artists. The first of my top muses is Marta Dahlig and the painting that made me a fan is “Umbrella Sky”.

I love this piece. In her work she uses a brilliant quality of realism that is both powerful and beautiful. In “Umbrella Sky” the background is amazing and the colours are phenomenal. Even though she isn’t my favourite artist, I’m still a great fan and I hope she produces some more pieces soon.

The next of my muses is Jason Chan. He opts for a more cartoon like approach with fresh concepts on characters. I’m currently looking through his work as I write this and his work is really cool. I like all of them but the one that stood out to me the most was “Zombie Playground”.

I think this is a brilliant concept and I love the techniques he’s used. I remember playing games like this with my friends when I was a kid although I’m not sure if the painting is conveying a child’s game where you can see the projections of their imaginations or an actual scene where they are fighting for their lives. This is still quite a humorous image either way. What is also appealing is the use of bright colours. Typical zombie films usually use dark colours to set an atmosphere of hopelessness but “Zombie Playground” works in an opposite way. This makes it unique.

Marc Brunet is my next source of inspiration and the painting that added him to my collection is “The Shipwreck”.

He likes to use warm colours in his work and this is a prime example of this feature. The application of light is stunning and I really like the soft textures in the background and the water. Her laid-back pose and the way she gazes into the distance, despite the fact that she’s crashed her ship, really allows you to see the kind of character she is.

Now comes Kekai Kotaki. He uses a much sharper, edgy kind of style in his paintings and unlike Marc Brunet, he uses colder colours. Another thing is how most of his work portrays dark, mysterious figures coated in armour. I looked at his website and the painting that attracted my eye was “Lady in White”.

I found this image on Kotaki’s blog which I have now become a follower of. The top image is the original version and the lower two are altered versions. I probably prefer the original but I think the red splattered on the lower one makes it incredibly powerful.

Finally is Raymond Swanland and the painting that made me a fan of his is a piece that he developed for an issue of the Imagine FX magazine. I don’t know what its name is but I think it could possibly be my favourite of my chosen five.

Here is a scan of the issue cover which it made its first appearance. It looks like some kind of dragon but whatever it is, it’s dominating, almost god-like manifestation aside, it has a peaceful feel about it. It has a warm glow which makes it appear luminous. Raymond Swanland assures his dragon is the centre of attention with neutral colours in the background. What makes it what it is for me is the strange ring surrounding its head. Hopefully you can see why I have chosen this to be my favourite.

My future...

What do I want from University?
Like pretty much all students, I want a career in the profession I’m studying. I guess to get a job in gaming would be a dream come true. I would love to be a concept artist. I don’t really mind yet what company I would do that job for but in the future I’ll have a better idea about what specifics I would search for in a career. The idea of me doing what I love to do for a living is so exciting but just because I love it, it doesn’t mean I’ll expect it to be easy. In fact, I hope it is sometimes quite challenging where I have to push myself to the limit to draw out the best of my abilities. I’ll do whatever it takes to become the artist I aim to become.

I, like all the first years so far, have a long way to go until we are ready to play a role in the industry. My skills are slowly improving and I’m beginning to discover and understand things I never thought I could. I’ve learnt to value art in all its forms and what qualities you observe in order to develop a mature and professional opinion. My drawing has vastly improved and I’ve learnt a wide variety of techniques that I employ to make my artwork more authentic. The 3D work has definitely been the most arduous, especially the computer work, but like I hoped the knowledge is starting to sink in.

These are just a few of the many things I have learnt and I state them because in order to pursue my dream career, I’ll need to hone all of my capabilities. This is what my future counts on.

Specialized education Vs. Liberal arts

Before I did a bit of research for this week’s task, I didn’t actually have any idea at all what a liberal arts education consisted of but now having a good idea, the thought really does appeal. It definitely sounds like an improvement from a regular education, especially from my personal experiences. But of course, it does have some disadvantages. I would say the main drawback is that it’s much more expensive than your usual education.

I think another problem this day in age is that a lot of career paths would consider a traditional, liberal arts education a little dated and opt for a more modern one when thinking of employment. I believe that the game industry for instance would choose to employ a university graduate specifically trained to do that job.

My actual question for this entry is how can education convene these differing outlooks and make learning a wholesome experience for the students? A particular issue that I and most others had through school was that a much greater student-to-teacher ratio. In a liberal arts college they put fewer students in one class to allow a more personal learning system between the teacher and the student. I think this is definitely a more beneficial way of learning and if you are struggling with your studies, the teachers are more likely to notice. These are some ideas that I would have preferred to have witnessed back when I was at school.

I don’t know if this could be applied in some way to regular schools or colleges but if it was, it would make learning a more calming concept for kids these days.

The Sound of Gaming

In games, sound is utilized to form an atmosphere. For instance, in a survival horror such as Resident Evil, audio is used to create moments of tension. Sometimes they use it to trick you. The dramatic music begins and you wonder what could be lurking behind the corner only it turns out that you’re in a zombie-free zone.

Now, I don’t completely know who the key composer’s are today but I can say whose work I appreciate the most. Firstly, Nobuo Uematsu composed music in the Final Fantasy series which is one of my favourite series. Another composer I have a high regard for is Troels Brun Folmann who composed the music for the three most recent additions of the Tomb Raider collection.

Key sonic moments in my gaming history include the big battle against Sephiroth in Final Fantasy VII. The song for this encounter is called “One Winged Angel” and it’s a truly awesome piece of music and probably one of the most popular of the Final Fantasy series. I also really like how in Tomb Raider when you enter a new chamber, dramatic orchestral music kicks-in, creating an impression of epic discovery.

For my final question, I don’t know if “Good Times” was one of the most influential recordings in the 20th century. But I do know that its creators, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards are two of the most influential names in contemporary music. I also know that “Good Times” was the birth of modern hip-hop.

Game Engine Technology

A game engine is a software system intended for the design of computer games. The centre function of a game engine consists of a rendering and physics engine, animation, AI, sound, scripting and networking on top of other minor purposes.

Additive and subtractive are terms used to depict the method in which a level is made within the game engine. Some engines use the subtractive creation where you begin with solid masses and use brushes to shape them. But this can cause some complications such as crashing. The additive creation works in the opposite way where you begin with a bare space and build up from there.

Some developers buy into proprietary game engines. This can have its advantages and disadvantages. If they produced their own game engine, they could be praised for building the technology that makes their games original. Also, other developers may want to invest in the engines they make, giving them a hefty profit. The downside could be that it takes a lot of time and money to generate.

The key issues for “next-gen” game engines are that because games are becoming more complex and require every little detail to be perfect to make it work. So it’s pretty clear that there is a lot of demand for new technology that is both effective and reliable to use.

Gaming Culture

When it comes to gaming, I’m more of a casual gamer. I’m not really part of any culture. I’ve never attended a launch party, a LAN party or a gaming conference. Neither have I ever played online. I have to be honest, I don’t play on games all that often but I do enjoy a quick round once in a while. Although there are some games that can keep me glued for hours.

How much of my life does it occupy? Recently with all the work and the projects we’ve been assigned, not a lot, but I try and find some time. Gaming definitely isn’t the biggest part of my life. I think it once was when I was in school. Now however, I’ve found interest in many different things and computer games are just a part of who I am.

Now I’ve been asked if I have friends who I only know through MSN. I’m not sure how this is relevant to game culture. Maybe I’m just being stupid but it wouldn’t be the first time. But the answer to the question is, yes I do. Some random people, from all over the world have friend requested me on Facebook purely because I have the same surname.

This has trailed off a little from game cultures but I have hardly any experience in this topic. I apologize for being a bit useless. Hopefully I’ll have a lot more to say in future posts.

The Industry

Currently the industry, like everything else, has fallen victim to the credit-crunch and where this will leave some casualties, there will be some smart minded individuals will be there to turn this around and create some brilliant games. It’s surprising how well some people can work having been put under some pressure.

Employees in the industry know the level of commitment you need to make it in the world of gaming which is why it is unfortunate that there will be so many layoffs from multiple of the big companies. Where this is a shame, it makes space for some fresh minds with fresh ideas.

It must always be a challenge to constantly be in demand to make new games but with the current situation in the economy and all the job cuts, it is probably the hardest thing some of the employee’s have had to deal with.

I think that the challenges at the moment, with all the layoffs, are to be able to release the games by their designated release date. I think the industry itself will make it through the storm nearly completely unscathed and when it is over the industry will be screaming for new talent and so the hunt for exceptional artists, programmers and so on, will begin once again.

Creativity Defined

What is creativity? Creativity is the ability to formulate new and original ideas. It is applied in nearly everything we do and it is represented not by itself but by the people who utilize it. Nor is it a skill. The real skill is how you convey your creativity.

Is creativity hindered or enhanced by technical constraints? Some may believe that technology can only hinder creativity but in some respects I think it’s a good thing. It gives you the chance to create something with a barrier, making the most of what you have to use. In cases like this it is a serious enhancement.

Who uses creativity in the game development industry? The truth is everyone. The whole team uses creativity. That is the basis of making a computer game. Using innovative ideas to produce a new gaming experience. If it weren’t for the creative minds of these individuals, would gaming even exist today?

What does creativity look like? You can easily look at something and call it original but then creativity’s face comes in infinite forms, so the answer to this question is, it is whatever you imagine it to be or whatever inspires you the most. In games, creativity is pretty much the whole experience of play.

How do games manifest creativity? Every game is different in one way or another and its creativity is what shows this. There are current games like Mirrors Edge, which have taken on a completely new level of creativity in style and concept. It is a first person perspective game but unlike a lot of games with the same quality you can see the arms and legs when as you make death defying leaps from one skyscraper to another. It uses realism to make the player feel more involved. This gives gaming an entirely new idea of creativity.

The graphics in games pretty much manifest themselves. You can see for yourself if the graphics of a game are good or not. Some games rely on graphics to make a new creative venture where other games depend on other things like storyline etc.

The AI of a game is manifested through the capabilities of the role you play as a gamer. An intelligent game would allow you to make many interactions. Let’s go back to Mirrors Edge. You are capable of walking, running, jumping, sliding, wall-running, and shimmying and these are only the basics. A game like Mirrors Edge which presents you with freedom in movement is one I would consider to be intelligent.

Gameplay is manifested by all of the qualities a game boasts. I have discussed gameplay frequently in my blog and like some of my previous posts suggest, gameplay is the overall experience of a game you play. I suppose the creativity of gameplay is the originality of the game, or maybe that is just my opinion.

If I had to choose anyone, in terms of individual or company, who I think are particularly creative, I would definitely say that Square Enix is one of my favourite for designing games that are unique and imaginative. With games like Final Fantasy under their belts, they are easily one of the most well known game companies in the world and that all comes down to their innovative ideas.

As an artist I like to show my creativity by fabricating distinctive concepts but I take inspiration from traditional ideas too. I don’t know how I would expect to be seen but that is the kind of artist I would like to be seen as.

I would like to end this entry by wishing everyone a Happy New Year. It’s a little bit I’ve been deprived of internet access over the Christmas break. Thank you for reading.

The Element of Gameplay

Ok, so this seems pretty similar to one of previous posts but I guess this gives me an opportunity to understand the true definition of gameplay. Its meaning still seems to be shrouded in obscurity. I still see it as the general experience of a game you play. The aspect of gameplay is important because it allows you to decide whether you enjoyed the game.

When I judge a game, I look at the storyline, the characters and the visuals, not necessarily meaning graphics but the concepts and ideas. I like to know that what I’m playing is new and unlike anything I’ve played before. That is why some of my all time favourites are RPG’s, especially the brilliant Final Fantasy series. But that’s just me and every gamer will have a different perception. I don’t think the word gameplay has a set meaning. The gamer makes their own meaning and judges a game on their own laws of gameplay.

The element of gameplay isn’t something you can choose to put into a game. It’s manufactured with the game, no matter what kind of game it is. The only thing that can be formulated in gameplay is which characteristics are stronger than others.

The Importance of Character

Characters are an essential ingredient to the plot of any novel, film, TV programme or game, whether they are real or fictional. I find that I can’t really connect with a character in a film or a TV show because I’m always aware that they are just actors, although that doesn’t necessarily mean I don’t enjoy what I’m watching.

When it comes to novels however, when I get into it, I can become emotionally attached to the characters. They aren’t being played. They are the imagination or the memories of the writer. The personalities could in fact be real and it is this aspect which draws me in. Excellent characters and a powerful plot are what make a winning novel in my eyes.

Ok, so now I think about it there are maybe a couple of TV shows which I like because of the characters. One of them is “Heroes”. It has a fantastic script, brilliant actors and a great plot. Presumably, these are the core effects that a film or programme depend on to make it a success.

The kind of stories I love the most are fictional. For instance, I love “His Dark Materials” by Phillip Pullman. A childish choice maybe, but it offers everything I look for in a story.

The Technology

Its noticeable how gaming technology has changed over the past couple of decades. I still remember the simplicity of interacting with a console like the Gameboy or the original Playstation. It was clear that technology was truly advancing with the release of the PS2 and Gamecube. Despite this evolution, the consoles were still very simple to use. Next came the huge leap to the more current Xbox 360 and the PS3. Now, I don’t think that gaming is very simple anymore. I find the “next-gen” consoles very complex. I still don’t know the full capabilities of my own PS3.

In appearance, I believe that games consoles have really improved. I love the sleek, cool design of the PS3 and I also like the PSP for its external design. The design for the 360 is ok too. It’s how I would imagine the stereotypical concept of a console to look if you see what I mean.

Some say that the game control pad and the joystick are a dying trend although I really hope that this isn’t the case. I see these elements of gaming to be important to the identity of the platform and the games you play. After all, the original design for the PS3 game pad was ridiculed for being rather unconventional in appearance. However, the design was specifically designed for conventionality. So this said, appearance is important even when it comes to games consoles.

Once upon a time...

There are a number of assets that can make a game strong. One of these is the story the game tells. It is particularly important for me that the games I play have a meaning. I love it when you can become involved in the characters lives and feelings. This is why my favourite games are the likes of Final Fantasy and Disgaea. It works the same way when you read a novel. I can’t enjoy the experience if I don’t have any emotional attachment. In that sense I suppose the story happens to me.

Not every game however has a set story which you are simply led through from start to finish. The story in Second Life is whatever you make it. The clue is pretty much in the title. You create your character and wander around this virtual world. That’s all I really know about it. I’m guessing that WoW has the same principal but I can’t honestly say for sure. I can’t honestly say that I’ve played on Call of Duty either but I do know that it has grown massively over the years from a single player war game to one of the most popular online action games in the world.

I guess this means that computer games are becoming more versatile in content and character. They rely less on a set story and allows the player more freedom of choice to create a story of their own.

Art direction...

The job of an art director is of dire importance in skilled game art department. They are responsible for the style, visual tenor and quality of a game. And they are also partly responsible for the games contents such as textures, objects, levels, characters and effects that are shown in the game.

The art director is responsible to the game producer, who is way at the top. It’s unquestionably a creative role. Being the lead artist for the art team, it requires a high amount of imagination and willpower to fabricate new ideas.

I don’t think that there is a lot of difference between the art direction of a game and that of a film. Their goals are really the same. The one main difference I’m aware of is that in a game you have control over what direction you go in to unravel the story.

If I wanted to become an art director in the future I would obviously need to be a very talented artist and maintain a creative mind but what is also imperative is that you are a leader. You would need to be ready to give guidance to the team you are responsible for.

Game Design

It’s obvious that a great deal of thought needs to go into a game during its creation. For example, Gameplay. It’s an integral feature of game design and it pretty much entails the overall gaming experience not including sound and graphics.

I think one of my favourite game companies is definitely EA. They produce some of the most popular and successful games ever. They are most certainly one of the most crucial developers in the industry.

My next question is to say where game design takes place in the modern Developer. I’m a little confused about what this means. If it means, where they stand in the company, they’re quite far up the chain. Nearly at the top actually. They stand just under the producer who administers the whole development of a game. A game designer hones key aspects such as concept, layout and gameplay. Below game designers are artists, programmers, level designers, sound engineers and testers, all of who create the team that produce the games we play. It can’t all be one person’s responsibility.

In some ways I think that some game genres require a certain design principal. A survival horror game always seems to be designed in a more realistic way. A game like Ratchet and Clank uses a more cartoon like design. But fantasy RPG games can use variety of realism and cartoon designs.

I’ve looked through my collection of games and it’s evident that I prefer a game that is more real with the likes of Assassins Creed and Grand Theft Auto 4.
I’ll keep working on my blog with the next topic soon. Thanks for reading.

A recap... the good and the bad.

Hi again. Ok, so, right now my blog feels more formal than I like, therefore I feel now I should show some of the work I have done so far. I'll apologize for a few errors in some of my entries before I start. I'm just the biggest newb ever, hehehe.

So, our first project, "Paper Scissors". It was quite interesting coming up with a good idea. I was running out of time and I needed inspiration. I decided that I should brainstorm some possible designs. Basically this is where I chose an old western theme... with a twist.

So this is it. I decided to use a simple cut and fold technique using the cut outs as shadows. The twist is that it depicts a duel between a cowboy and get this... an astronaut. Well Heather did say to use our imagination. Although I still like the idea, the execution could have been better. Luckily I took this photo straight after I finished and before I destroyed it with coffee.

Next I'm going to show the two biggest disasters of all time. I was too embarrassed to present them in the assessment, where now they just make me laugh, so i'll share the joy. "The Wire Project" started off well and I didn't have much left to do but then, the day before it had to be presented to Heather, my flatmate killed it. It was meant to be a horse but now it really doesn't resemble anything.

Hopefully seeing this, you will sypathise for me. I forgot to incorporate nature in it when I made the basic shape so I ran outside, grabbed some twigs and used them for legs. I prayed that it would have some stability but again, I failed.

The next one is even worse. Its the "Self-portrait". This is the other project I couldn't bear to present to the whole group in the assessment but it is pretty shocking.

It started out fine with the neck and the jaw but when I began modelling the face, the clay began to dry and thus became really resiliant. Thats not the only humiliating part though. I then realised I had no clay left for my hair. I would give it another go but as a student, I'm not exactly in a position to be throwing my money around.I'll move on now anyway.

Now for the drawing work I've done. Firstly, "The Canal Project". Unfortunately, I haven't got much experience with drawing environments but I hope I'm getting the hang of it.

I was walking up and down the canal thinking of a good viewpoint. I eventually decided on this one. I think its alright but there is definitely room for improvement. Next is the "The Archway Project".

I feel, again, I could have done better. It looks rushed but I think its all in my line of improvement. Next is "The Fossil Project". I was actually proud of this one.

This is where I see a change in my rendering skills. I don't know why one side appears darker than the other. Perhaps it was merely due to the scanning process but I can't say for sure. I did a number of sketches which I was proud of but I think this is my favourite.

Soon I will need to add some more of my work so stay tuned!

Game Writing

I myself once considered a possible career of writing for a computer game magazine, or more specifically a Playstation magazine. I was maybe about ten or eleven and I would take great interest in what reviewers had to say about my favourite games. However, even now I feel a little insulted when I read a bad review of a game I like, and I’m privately thinking, “Absolute bollocks. What do they know?” But now I’m mature enough to realise that everyone is entitled to an opinion and that no one’s opinion is right or wrong, just different.

Opinions are maybe the most prevalent issue that a games writer faces. If one reviewer writes that a particular game is a good purchase and another writes that it would be a waste of your money, who should the reader believe. I for one don’t hold much faith in what a reviewer says because I think I can only really trust my own opinion.

Games reviewers are paid by the magazine they write for... I think.
What you will find in basically every computer game magazine you read is the objective ranking system, giving a game a score based on its content and characteristics. Again, this is only based on opinions. I quickly browsed through this month’s issue of PSM3. Most of the points they made to rate the game in question was based on opinion. This really isn’t necessary. All the reader wants to know is what is in the game so they can form their own judgment. At the end of the day, reviewers are just gamers, like us.

New Games Journalism has been used by game reviewers since 2004 and was created by Kieron Gillen. NGJ is pretty much a collection of subjective experiences gathered from both real life and computer games, forged to fabricate a unique story. I don’t often read the articles unless it about a game I love. The examples of what I have read in the past though are okay I suppose. I don’t have any particular feelings about it. I’ve tried to look up different styles of game writing but I couldn’t find any that I could say have definitely been used in game reviewing. I did find a technique called gonzo journalism however, which I found interesting.

When it comes to my own writing, I feel quite confident. I like the simple style I apply because using is never a challenge. I would say that I write objectively but at the same time I’m somewhat subjective. I like to think I use a healthy combination of the two.

The Future of Gaming

I have to admit, I haven’t considered this question much but now I’m beginning to wonder, how can gaming change more than it already has? What direction can the industry go in next?

More recent changes consist of the very obvious, so called “next-generation” of gaming which is both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The title speaks for itself. This change in technology is still something I am in awe of and the way it is used also seems to be improving continuously.

I began to search the web for some ideas of where the gaming industry is headed and I came across some interesting results. The first theory I discovered was the concept of never-ending games. This plan has already taken form with the hugely successful “Spore”. The key idea of this game is that you start at the core and develop. Initially, you are a single-celled organism. You then evolve into a creature which you design. Then you move on to generate entire planets but it doesn’t stop there. You can then expand throughout the entire universe of Spore. So you see the possibilities are infinite.

Even though gaming is moving forward, the handheld is predicted to remain. I read a short article that envisaged the rise of the handheld PS3 or at least a handheld with the power of a PS3 . This is said to be possible by the year 2013.

Next, by the year 2018, the same website predicted the end of game consoles. However, they foretold the design of a device that projects images directly into your eyeball, causing the new generation of gaming. In the even further future, I’ve read that you will be playing games that actually learn. Beyond that, a computer package could exist that is a thousandth of the size they are now. It doesn’t stop there. In the not so far away future, the real-life matrix may be in action and also you’ll be able to download your mind into a computer. Your body dies but you live in a virtual world forever.

The evolutionary stages that the world of gaming undertakes are indeed beyond impressive but will this ever be enough? What else can they think about that can make your gaming experience more real, even if it is potentially dangerous? I respect the developers though because it must be a huge pressure being part of a group who are responsible for keeping the world of gaming from falling apart.

Now, I should add a little more detail into my personal gaming profile. This time I’m going to write about my future of gaming and what I’m looking forward to. In the future I like the idea of never-ending games. I think it would be better for people like me perhaps who don’t get addicted to games easily. I don’t like to spend a lot of time playing games. I also like the thought of owning a handheld with the power of the current “next-gen” systems. The rest I’m not completely sure about.

In terms of games I’m looking forward to playing, well there are quite a few. First off, I’m so excited about the release of “Tomb Raider Underworld” which I think is November 21st. Good times. I’m also waiting for “Final Fantasy XIII” and “Final Fantasy Versus XIII”, “Disgaea 3”, “Resident Evil 5” and “Bioshock”. There are more but these are my particular favourites at the moment.




Right now there are a lot of exciting things to look forward to but there are some that are more enthusing than others. Here is where I stop. Thank you for reading.