class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/gaming.jpg?323f2c" alt="video game antagonists" /> href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-favorite-video-game-protagonists-time-muo-gaming/">Last week on MUO Gaming, I talked about my favorite video game protagonists. After all, everyone loves the guy. Still, there is something to be said for a great villain in a game. They give the good guy a reason to be good. A well done villain can make you hate them so much that it gives you a reason to want to keep playing the game. Sometime you don’t hate the villain, but their character is so well portrayed that you want to find out what happens to them just as much as the protagonist.

Some games have an antagonist that is so good that it actually overshadows the protagonist. Some are so powerful they rival the villains in any movie out there today. A good villain is so important in a game. Games can be hard, and as gamers, sometimes we need a little motivation to push us through and make us want to beat the game. A strong antagonist can do just that. These are, in my opinion, the three best bad guys from any video (if you have not played these games, there will most likely be spoilers ahead).

The Joker From Arkham Asylum

The Joker is crazy. I think at this point that is well-known, and I can say that without spoiling anything. Joker has been played by all kinds of people including Heath Ledger and Jack Nicholson. In this game, Mark Hamill, who you may know as Luke Skywalker and the voice of The Joker in Batman the animated series absolutely kills this role.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Joker1-e1323966062999.jpg?323f2c" alt="video game antagonists" width="580" height="325" />

While playing through Arkham Asylum there is a real sense of insanity that The Joker emits. Throughout the whole game, you get the feeling that this man is absolutely sick. The scenes with The Joker and Harley Quinn are truly something to behold.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/joker2-e1323966091629.jpg?323f2c" alt="best video game antagonists" width="580" height="348" />

Honestly, it is hard to say that Joker is not one of the best villains ever, regardless of medium. I will go on record here and say that the portrayal of The Joker in this game is the second best Joker in history, right behind Heath Ledger’s in The Dark Knight. If you have not played Arkham Asylum, than you need to. Seriously, go play it right this minute.

GlaDOS from Portal

GlaDOS is without question one of the best villains in video games. She may only be an artificial intelligence, but that does not stop her from being positively awesome as an antagonist. In Portal, GlaDOS is the only thing with which you interact. There are no supporting characters, so she literally has to carry the entire narrative of the game herself. That is no small feat, and she handles it masterfully.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/glados1-e1323966245312.jpg?323f2c" alt="best video game antagonists" width="580" height="361" />

She starts the game as your friendly AI companion, but as the game progresses, you start to realize that something a little more malicious is taking place here. It starts to seem that your cheery companion might be up to something, and obviously, this is a correct assumption.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Glados2-e1323966292104.jpg?323f2c" alt="best video game antagonists" width="580" height="464" />

The song at the end of the Portal is one of the best songs ever recorded in video games. Honestly, if you played through Portal, there is no way you could ever forget just how amazing GlaDOS is.

Saren from Mass Effect

This might seem like an odd choice, with characters like Bowser, Revolver Ocelot and Gannon out there, but Saren feels downright evil. The very first encounter with Saren in Mass Effect has him shooting his old friend in the back of the head, awakening an ancient Prothean power, trying to blow up an entire colony of people and flying off in one of the most evil-looking spaceships I have ever seen. If that is not the early makings of a bad person, then I do not know what is.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/saren2.jpg?323f2c" alt="game antagonist" width="500" height="281" />

As the game progresses, we come to find that the ship Saren is using is not actually a ship at all. It is actually a Reaper, an alien being with the power to destroy the universe. Saren takes a twist at this point. The Reaper has actually taken control of Saren’s mind. This gives gamers the impression that Saren might not be that bad a person. This is what makes him such a solid character. His actions in the game are positively reprehensible. However, if he isn’t in control of his actions, can we really blame him?

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/saren1-e1323966373706.jpeg?323f2c" alt="video game antagonists" width="580" height="326" />

Saren brings Mass Effect to a higher level. His evilness is something to behold, and when we find out that he is not in control of himself, it elevates the plot of Mass Effect higher than it already was. He is a great villain, and one of the reasons Mass Effect is such a highly regarded franchise.

Conclusion

I realize these villains are all in newer games. Simply, if you compare apples to apples, it’s really impossible for villains in older games to have the same depth as one in a new game. I’m not looking at what is best for their time. I’m looking for which villains had the greatest effect on me.

As you can see from these villains, they are bad, and I want to hate them, but it is hard to. The characters are so well acted and written that it is impossible to hate them, no matter how many terrible things they do.

Without bad guys, there would be no reason to have good guys. Without good guys, there would be no reason to have video games. Therefore, I nominate today Villain Appreciation Day. Your job is to let us know in the comments what video game villains you love to hate.

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href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-free-scifi-strategy-games-pc-gaming/" rel="bookmark"> width="125" height="125" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/battleshipthumb-150x150.jpg?323f2c" class="with-border wp-post-image" alt="battleshipthumb" title="battleshipthumb" style="width:125px;height:125px;" /> class="title">3 Free Sci-Fi Strategy Games For PC [Gaming]

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/intro_megaman_8bit.jpg" alt="video game music" />Chiptune is a fairly broad term used to describe music that has been programmed to play on old, often 8bit sound chips from days of yore. The term can also refer to modern examples of video game music, with artists like Anamanaguchi rocketing to fame complete with href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/visual-boy-advance-game-boy-advance-emulator-multiple-platforms-windows-mac-linux/">Game Boys in hand.

Much like MIDI files, chiptune tracks are often just sets of instructions that tell the chip what to do and when to do it. Purists will always tell you to listen to the track on original hardware, though it’s unlikely everyone has a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-great-crossplatform-emulators-5-classic-computer-platforms/">Commodore 64 or Amiga 1200 just lying around (guilty parties, raise your hands).

Here are some of the very best tools, resources and other websites to immerse yourself in the bleep-boop world of chiptune.

Chips ‘n’ Dip

In order to enjoy the unbelievable amount of chiptune music that has made it onto the world wide web over the years you’ll either be needing the original hardware and programs required for playback (for the seriously dedicated) or some href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/emulation/">emulation software to do the job for you.

style="text-align: center;" dir="ltr"> width="500" height="375" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SAnFLgThTgo?fs=1&feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

Many mainstream media players such as href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/itunes">iTunes and Windows Media Player are not suitable for chiptune files as there are many exotic filetypes associated with this kind of music. href="http://support.xmplay.com/index.php">XMPlay is probably one of the finest examples for Windows users, and even users running Linux should have some href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-about-some-wine-with-your-linux/">success using Wine.

It supports a large number of formats including various chiptune filetypes, and more plugins (for greater compatibility) and skins are available at href="http://www.un4seen.com/">Un4seen Developments. Users who fancy an alternative can also turn to href="http://www.chipamp.org/">Chipamp which is a chiptune plugin pack for Winamp, again suitable for Windows users.

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Mac OS X and Linux (also Windows) users will have some success with href="http://www.bannister.org/software/ao.htm">Audio Overload, a tool designed specifically to emulate vintage sound chips from old computers. Whilst it doesn’t play everything it certainly covers a lot of the bases. If you’re interested in playing music from href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/play-arcade-games-pc">old arcade ROMs then the same author has produced a tool for the job href="http://www.bannister.org/software/m1.htm">called M1. For that all-important .XM file support on Mac or UNIX based systems then href="http://mikmod.raphnet.net/">MikMod does the job too.

The Music

Some of the songs featured on the websites below are in MP3 or streamable Flash form, so even if you don’t fancy grabbing specialist software you’ll at least be able to enjoy a few bleeps and boops!

href="http://www.chiptune.com/">Chiptune.com

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/chiptune_com.png" alt="video game music" width="580" height="440" />

Not only is Chiptune.com one of the greatest resources for all manner of retro sounds, but the website has been designed to imitate Workbench, the original AmigaOS. The result is a faithful and nostalgic interface that boots and behaves like a real Amiga.

The music is stored within the Chipbench 1.3 folder, and by far the most efficient way of browsing or downloading whole collections is via the FTP link (unless you’re a fan of closing a lot of windows all of the time).

Even if you don’t download anything this website is worth a poke around for old time’s sake.

href="https://8bc.org/">8bitcollective

style="text-align: center;">  class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/8bitcollective.png" alt="free video game music" width="580" height="430" />

Who said chiptune was dead? Not me, for I have seen 8bitcollective – a site dedicated to creating, discussing and sharing electronic noises. The music provided on this site appears to be MP3 only, so you can stream each song before deciding whether you want the free download or not.

It may disappoint some that original filetypes are not available, though don’t despair – there’s a lot of music available and all of it is completely free. I’d hazard a guess that much of the music found on 8bitcollective is fairly recent, though that’s not to say retro equipment or samples haven’t been used.

href="http://www.8bitpeoples.com/">8bitpeoples

style="text-align: center;">  class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/8bitpeoples.jpg" alt="free video game music" width="580" height="337" />

This collective formed in 1999 through their shared passion for video game music and an urge to bring chiptune to the masses, for free. The href="http://www.8bitpeoples.com/discography">discography page is where the treasure can be found and features music from various artists still producing this type of music today.

The website is regularly updated with news and new material, so check it out for 8bit happenings where you are in the world. The group are responsible for gigs and events around the globe and are currently preparing for the Australian Blip Festival in February 2012.

href="http://modarchive.org/index.php?query=54&request=search&search_type=genre">The MOD Archive – Chiptune

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/modarchive_chiptune.png" alt="free video game music" width="568" height="446" />

Nearly 2,000 separate entries make up this rather untidy list of chiptune downloads that mostly come in .XM format. There are also thousands of other files that make up The MOD Archive’s swelling archive of downloadable music, so check it out and see what you can find.

One thing that’s particularly nice about this site is that each download page offers up suggested software for listening to your chosen tune.

href="http://chiptunes.back2roots.org/">chiptunes.back2roots.org

style="text-align: center;">  class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/back2roots_chiptune.png" alt="video game music" width="577" height="294" />

Another fairly old website that features thousands of files to peruse and download. Alternatively you can simply download the lot in a click (the entire MOD archive comes in at 76.5MB, with an additional 5.5MB of Adlib files and 6.3MB of the YM variety).

Other Resources

The following sites aren’t repositories of files or chiptune-dedicated sites but might aid you in your search for warm fuzzy noises.

href="http://www.kohina.com/">Kohina (Radio)

Kohina is a simple radio station that serves up retro video game music 24/7. Prepare to play spot-the-tune as you encounter genuine sounds from some very old games!

href="http://www.di.fm/chiptunes/index.php">Digitally Imported – Chiptunes (Radio)

Digitally Imported, or DI.fm as it is more commonly known, is easily one of the best online radio services on the web. Now you can chiptune whenever you want, simply by tuning in to their “Chiptunes” radio station. If you really love the service you can go premium for higher bitrates.

href="http://soundcloud.com/tags/chiptune">SoundCloud – tags/chiptune

SoundCloud is a fantastic resource for streaming video game music from a wealth of devices. Why not stumble around the chiptune tag to see if there’s anyone worth following?

Conclusion

There are literally thousands of files here for your perusal – some tagged, some just arbitrary strings of numbers and letters, so I’m not exaggerating when I say if you like chiptune you’ve struck gold with these websites. If you do discover any awesome tunes then don’t hesitate in sharing them with us, below.

Do you like chiptune? Any favourite websites? Any favourite artists or songs? Have an 8bit party in the comments!

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/transformice.jpg" alt="transformice" />It took nearly two months for a friend to convince me to give href="http://www.transformice.com/">Transformice a shot. The game looked too childish, uninteresting, and casual. After finally giving the game a fair chance, I’ve been disappointed that I didn’t listen two months sooner. This is one of the most unique browser games that you’re going to find.

It’s hard to put Transformice into a genre. It’s a strategy game, but it’s something more than that. Transformice is the most individual team-based game I’ve played. That’s weird, I know. It’s also the only game that I can think of where trolling is almost integrated within the gameplay.

On any given school night, Transformice touches over 10,000 players online. I say school night because this game is targeted more towards a younger audience. The objective of Transformice is to proceed through each map and collect the cheese. After collecting the cheese, you must bring it back to the mouse hole. By collecting cheese, you gather points towards becoming the next Shaman. The Shaman is the designated mouse who builds and casts objects so that their fellow mice can more easily get to the cheese. Shamans are rewarded for the number of mice they are able to save and help bring back the cheese.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/500x_transformice_Transformice-s500x285-116489-580.jpg" alt="transformice" />

Gameplay

As a Mouse, Transformice can be played using only one hand. You’re a mouse, but you don’t need your mouse! The left and right directional keys move you across the map. Up jumps, and down ducks.

As a Shaman, things begin to get tricky. You can click on your list of objects (using your cursor) and drag them to the screen. Using the mousewheel will allow you to rotate your object. To place them, left click and hold. That’s not all though: there is object anchoring. To anchor an object, you press a certain key after clicking the object.

B creates a solid base anchor, primarily used for planks. This anchor will make the object completely solid and basically unmovable. C creates a connector anchor, which will allow you to chain together planks and other objects to each other. V will create a solid teal anchor, in which N can be attached to and make objects motorized. It is a little bit confusing, but you’re able to get used to it pretty quickly. It’s a nice variety that makes for fun building. You have objects like planks, boxes, balls, and balloons at your disposal.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/transformice_game.png" alt="transformice review" />

Being a Shaman actually requires a lot of practice and strategy. This video can help you with the basics:

src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vE9oMFUhI_I" frameborder="0" width="570" height="320">

Achievements

Transformice is chock-full of achievements and unlockable goodies. There’s a sort of a prestige system, depending mostly on the amount of cheese you’ve acquired and mice you’ve saved. These are called Titles and displays, like ranks, beneath your username. There is also the Shop, where you can buy hats and other accessories to customize your mouse and stand out from the rest.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/transformice_shop.png" alt="transformice" />

After saving 1,000 mice, you’re given a Totem. Your Totem allows you to create a huge chain of objects all at once in any shape that you desire. Your Totem can be incredibly useful or very damaging in getting the mice to the cheese. It all depends on how you create it.

Tips & Tricks

Transformice is the type of game that you learn from as you go along. The longer you play, the better you’ll become. It’s that simple.

As a Shaman, there are dozens of little things that even I haven’t managed to grasp yet. As a Mouse, there is one extremely important skill for you to learn: walljumping.

src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/AGqMaXfA0-g" frameborder="0" width="570" height="320">Walljumping is basically an essential skill if you ever plan to play Transformice at a higher level or plan to ever get your little mouse into the hole first. It’s a trick, but it’s an integral part of this game.

Transformice can be played by href="http://www.transformice.com/">browser or standalone client ( href="http://exe.transformice.com/Transformice.exe">Windows or href="http://exe.transformice.com/Transformice.zip">Mac). This makes it easy to play at home, work, on the go, or wherever else you shouldn’t be playing it.

This game is fun for both kids and adults. I’m an adult and I’m not even ashamed to admit that I enjoy it, right? If you have kids, the in-game community is moderated and very friendly. Play it with your kids, even. We’ve got more articles on href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-cool-games-to-get-your-kids-interested-in-mathematics/">kid-friendly games also, if Transformice isn’t your thing. Let me know what you guys think of the game in the comments!

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/haxball.png" alt="play soccer online" /> href="http://www.haxball.com/">HaxBall is both one of the most simple games I’ve ever played, in regards to gameplay and visuals, and one of the most addictive. I’m not even a big soccer (football, for our Europeans) fan, either. If you have even the slightest interest in sports, team-based gaming, or games that manage to be both casual and competitive in nature then you should give HaxBall a chance.

Registration is not required and you can begin playing soccer online at HaxBall in about 15 seconds after landing on their website. After selecting a username to play as, you’re presented with a list of rooms. Join a room and you’re ready to play.

HaxBall’s Start

HaxBall is an indie game developed by Mario Carbajal, known as Basro in-game and on href="http://www.reddit.com/r/haxball">Reddit. He and his brother, Pilaf, created HaxBall as a bit of a personal project and just for fun. It has since fleshed out to a thriving community of players that can reach up to 5,000 online at once during peak hours.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/haxball_big.png" alt="play soccer online" width="580" height="168" />

HaxBall utilizes Flash’s P2P (peer-to-peer) technology. There are no dedicated servers. It makes for a very unique experience that calls on all players to help contribute as pillars to the game.

The Gameplay

HaxBall’s gameplay consists of two functions – the arrow keys to move your player and the X key to kick the ball. If you’d rather switch hands, you can use the WASD keys as directional keys and the spacebar as your kick button. It’s a matter of preference, but both are very primitive and simple. You need no other keys or mouse gestures to play this game.

The objective is to score goals in the opposing team’s net. The maximum number of players, time limit, score limit, and stadium type (the field, basically) are all variables that you can modify by creating your own room. These variables create unique and exciting gameplay scenarios if you’re bored of standardized 3-on-3 games. Up to 22 players can join a room, which includes spectators.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/haxballroom.png" alt="play soccer online free" width="401" height="300" />

On the following screen, you’re able to choose your stadium. Here is what the more popular Classic stadium looks like:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/haxball_classic.png" alt="play soccer online free" width="580" height="287" />

Here is what the less-popular Hockey stadium looks like:

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/haxball_hockey.png" alt="play soccer online" width="580" height="273" />

Stadiums come in various sizes, big and small, with a choice of corner styles, rounded or standard.

Here is the official HaxBall promotional trailer:

width="580" height="326" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OTv7xd8PTpg?version=3&hl=en_US&hd=1" /> name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> width="580" height="326" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OTv7xd8PTpg?version=3&hl=en_US&hd=1" allowFullScreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" />

Competition & Leagues

For a game so simple, you’d expect competitive play to behave the same. Not entirely. HaxBall has a thriving elitist community who show a huge skill gap between your first-week beginner. Here’s a little montage of higher-skilled players you might like to see:

width="560" height="315" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hqhzp5dJ0uo?version=3&hl=en_US" /> name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> width="560" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hqhzp5dJ0uo?version=3&hl=en_US" allowFullScreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" />After gaining attention from one of the largest sports imageboards on the internet, href="http://www.sphaxball.com/">SPHB was founded and stands today as HaxBall’s premiere league. With both a minor and major division, SPHB gives every player the opportunity to compete. Currently in season five, the league is as organized as it is fun, with teams like the Boston Crabs, Huntington Beach Hipsters, and Robot Bears.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/haxball_teams.png" alt="" width="580" height="97" />

Personal friends of mine have participated in the league and can’t really say enough about how well everything is handled. Games are streamed to the masses, results are posted on their forums, and they really handle this entire thing as if they’re getting paid for it. Check out some of the top plays from one of their most recent weeks:

width="560" height="315" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/k2nILniGMrw?version=3&hl=en_US" /> name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> width="560" height="315" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/k2nILniGMrw?version=3&hl=en_US" allowFullScreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" />

The HaxBall Community

HaxBall has players from every continent in the world. It doesn’t matter what nook or cranny you’re living in, there should be a server hosted within 1,000km of your location so that you can maintain a solid ping to play competitively.

href="http://www.haxballtube.com/">HaxballTube

HBT is a YouTube clone filled with awesome HaxBall videos.

href="http://haxballaus.theforum.name/">HaxBall Australia/NZ

Your hub for all things HaxBall for Australia and New Zealand.

href="http://haxball.de/">HaxBall.de

HaxBall’s German community, filled with awesome tips and tricks for new and old players.

href="http://hbaleague.xaa.pl/">HaxBall Amateur League

The HaxBall Amateur League is the premiere league for players in Poland.

href="http://www.haxballtr.com/">HaxBall Türkiye

Turkish HaxBall players can organize their leagues and discussions here.

There are many more community sites that you can check out href="http://www.haxball.com/community.html">here.

Give HaxBall a try. It doesn’t matter if you’re a casual player or a player looking for a new and interesting, competitive game that can be played from any location. HaxBall has a lot to offer for a game that is so simple. My username in-game is Crayder and maybe you’ll see me around!

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/gaming.jpg" alt="video game consoles" />The current generation of video game consoles is the longest in recent memory. The Xbox 360 came out over 6 years ago, and the PlayStation 3 came out shortly after that. Typically, a video game console lasts for around 5 years before phasing out in favor of some new, more powerful hardware. However, with this generation, Microsoft and Sony seem to be in no hurry to get their latest consoles to market. Nintendo, who has seen serious decline in the sales of the Wii, is brining the Wii U along rather quickly. However, for this article, I will be talking about what I would like to see from the true “next gen” consoles.

Video game consoles have reached a point where the changes between systems can only do so much, at least in terms of hardware. Most of the big changes can come on the software side. Obviously, there are improvements that can be made to the hardware, but the graphics have reached a point where any change is going to be incremental, and less ground breaking. Still, there is plenty to improve, and that is exactly what I am looking at today.

All Games Can Be Purchased Digitally

Before you shoot me for this comment, I do not mean no discs; I just mean I would like to have the option to buy every video game digitally from the day it launches. I still expect them to have discs; I just want the option to buy a game without ever leaving the comfort of my home.

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Realistically, they have to keep discs around for the sake of retailers. It will be hard to convince a place like GameStop to carry and promote a console when they cannot have a continued revenue stream from software. For spur of the moment purchases, it would be great to just click a couple of buttons and have my new game.

Improved Graphics & Framerate

With current generation hardware, it is very hard for developers to make a top end graphical game that can still run at 60 frames per second. It is not impossible, but it certainly is taxing on the hardware, and requires a huge team to optimize the game to run in such a way. The teams behind Call of Duty have consistently put out games at 60 fps that still look beautiful, but they are not nearly as visually attractive as a game like Battlefield 3. However, because BF3 looks so good, and has destructible environments, they have to run at 30 fps. I would like the see this rectified with new hardware.

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I really don’t care if a game looks lifelike, after all, it is a game. If I want to see the real world then I will go outside. I just do not want developers to feel like they have to choose between a silky smooth framerate and beautiful graphics. The hardware for this exists, because PC games like Crysis 2 have no problem pushing 60 frames, while having the smoothest textures, and best looking graphics of any game on the market.

No Motion Controls

This is just dreaming on my part, but in all honestly I hate motion controls. I had a Wii, and I hated it. I have played Kinect at E3 and it seems like a gimmick, and the PS3 Move, realistically, that’s just a better version of the Wii. I’m hoping it is a fad that dies by the end of this generation and, like the Virtual Boy, is never heard from again.

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Sadly, I do not think this is going to happen. I think there will be motion controls in both major consoles, and if this is the case, I just hope they are well implemented and they are optional in major games. If they want to stick them in there for people to play EA Sports Active and UFC Trainer, then fine, but please do not shove them down my throat when I am playing Call of Duty and Deus Ex.

Cross Platform Play

Here I go dreaming again, but I would love to be able to play a multiplayer game with people regardless of the platform. Shadowrun made it happen with Xbox to PC, and while that game was trash, it still let gave me a glimmer of hope.

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I would prefer to see it from Xbox to PlayStation though. The mouse and keyboard advantage compared to controller in a shooter is large, but there is no advantage between a PlayStation controller and an Xbox controller, so it would be fair.  It is technically possible; it is just a matter of making it happen.

Better Build Quality

For this console generation Microsoft faced an absolute PR nightmare due to the dreaded red ring of death. Consoles were breaking at an alarming rate, and they have since rectified the situation, for the most part. I am hoping that the next generation of consoles is built with some quality and attention to detail that will prevent this catastrophe from happening again.

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I am about to go buy my third Xbox 360 in the next week or so, and I can safely assume that not many of you out there are still on your first Xbox. It’s a little ridiculous, and it is something that needs to be addressed for the next run of video game consoles.

Conclusion

As I said before, there is only so much that can change in terms of hardware. However, there is so much more that can be improved besides prettier graphics. These changes I mentioned could make for an overall better gaming experience for all of us.

What do you want from the next generation consoles? Let us know in the comments!

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/featured-onlive.png" alt="cloud gaming"/> href="http://onlive.com">OnLive is a cloud gaming service that presents a truly unique way to access your favorite games. No longer are you forced to constantly upgrade – instead, you run the games in the cloud, and stream them to your PC, Mac, iPad, Android or TV. It’s truly incredible technology, and well worth a download and giving it a go.

Even if you don’t decide to purchase anything, you can still play trial periods of the games, so it’s a great way to instantly demo games you’re thinking of buying. The cross-platform and mobile capabilities also have to be seen to be believed.

Cloud Gaming

Just like you can stream Netflix movies without downloading them, or stream music from your Google storage, you can also stream games with OnLive. Their servers contain an entire catalog of games, so all you need to do is choose which one to play. If you need a more technical comparison, it’s a little like renting computing time from Amazon’s cloud computing platform, and playing games on that – only OnLive gives you much better performance. It’s a virtual games machine that can be accessed from pretty much any device you own.

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Sign Up and Download

Head on over to the href="http://www.onlive.com/go/signup/">OnLive signup form. You needn’t provide credit card details unless you’re actually going to make a purchase.

Hit login. From the PC or Mac, it’ll auto detect that you haven’t installed the app yet and will prompt you to do so. If it is installed, you’ll see a play button which will launch the client.

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Now what?

Here’s what you’ll see in the main interface.

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The arena is a spectator area and such great fun, as you can watch all the various games being played right now, live. It’s a fantastic way to discover new games that you might otherwise have missed. Find one you like, and jump right in. You can even engage in voice chat if  parties playing the game want to.

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Move the mouse around to bring up the menu, and if you like the look of the game, you can even jump right into a session yourself using the Play Now button. How amazing is that?

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A free trial is 30 minutes of full playing time, which is rather on the generous side if you ask me. If you choose to save, you can then resume once you’ve purchased the full game!

Hit ALT-O while playing to bring up the OnLive dashboard/hub, which will also tell you the amount of trial time you have left.

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Frame Rates and Lag

I’ve tried a few games now of various genres. Darksiders, a FPS type Demon – vs – Angels affair felt as if the frame rate was a little choppy, but certainly not to the point of being unplayable; Dirt 3 played really well with no noticeable lag in graphics or controls (at least to me, but I’m not a huge racing game player anyway); Tropico ran great; another Hack-n-Slash game (something quest?) felt like it had a very small delay on the mouse control. Overall though, it was fantastic. My upload speed is pretty poor too, but I’d say as long as you have at least 10mb down and 1mb up, you should be fine. If you’re worried, then the best way to test would be to download and jump into a trial session.

Note: Not all games have a trial available – like Homefront multiplayer. This is understandable given that a trial would either mean you get to play a full round of a 30 minute game, or would be booted out half way through and thereby ruining the game for other players. You can still watch current games in the Arena though.

Your First Full Game for £1 (UK only)

To celebrate the launch of the OnLive service in the UK, they’re offering a full playpass on your first game for only £1. Just sign up, download the client, add payment details and choose your game. This applies to any game in the current catalog – so if there’s something you have been meaning to play but couldn’t afford to, then you simply have no excuse now.

Don’t forget, there’s still the limited time demo on every game too, so you can be sure to buy something awesome.

Also, if you do purchase a game, it will then be available to you across all your devices – there’s no fancy DRM like “you can only play on PC”.

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The Console:

Uniquely, OnLive also offers a very low cost physical device, like a console, for around £70. This hooks into your internet, comes with a controller, and let’s you play all the latest games at amazing frame rates without shelling out for costly hardware. It’s a full OnLive client, in hardware form, and therefore doesn’t need a PC or Mac to play – it connects directly to the TV.

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Playpack Bundle

For unlimited play from a selection of games (not the full catalog), you can pay £6.99 a month. There’s a good number of games in the selection, but you also get 30% off the retail price of newer games that aren’t yet available in the unlimited package, as well as 30% off the physical device if you’d prefer to play on the TV.

Truly, OnLive is a revolution in gaming. Even ignoring the incredible technology that means you can play on a remote server, without needing expensive hardware locally – just the arena browser with the ability to watch and voice chat with others as they play, and the ability to immediately jump into a trial of the game yourself – is mind blowing. The pricing seems spot on to me – the newest games are similarly priced to retail, as you’d expect, and the unlimited play bundle seems like much better value to me than my current href="http://lovefilm.co.uk">LoveFilm DVD+Games subscription, which I basically just use for Xbox games.

Anyway, I’m off to play Tropico 4 which I just bought for the handsome price of £1. Finally, I can live out out my evil dictator tendencies… (Boss, I’m kidding, seriously I’m working very hard!)

If you’re a current full playpack subscriber or you’ve had experiences with OnLive please let us know how it’s going for you in the comments. Do you experience any lag? Are you against the idea of cloud gaming completely, or are you convinced this is the future of gaming?

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/onlive-cloud-gaming-revolution-arrives/">The OnLive Cloud Gaming Revolution – A Faster, Easier Way To Game is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Glitch-300x300.jpg" alt="" />Just when you thought it was impossible for the Internet to get any more distracting, some clever coder comes along and creates something fun and truly addictive like href="http://www.glitch.com/">Glitch. Glitch is basically what happens when MUDs grow up and marry artists. It’s an intricate world full of silly puns and crazy quests, but it’s also gorgeously presented and full of great music. If you’ve ever enjoyed any aspect of multiplayer online games, try Glitch. You’ll love it. Glitch has just launched out of beta and MakeUseOf has 50 invites for you to grab!

I do need to stress that you should NOT try this at work, lest you lose the rest of your day to Glitch – and possibly your job! Once you get started you’ll lose track of time and the hours will just fly by. Watch out!

Get Your Invite

Although Glitch has launched, they’re still only allowing a few people in at a time. MakeUseOf has href="http://www.glitch.com/magic-invites/BQHNo/">50 fast-track invites for you here and once you’re in you can fast-track a handful of your friends via Facebook. If you miss out on the fast-track invites, you can join in the regular queue href="http://www.glitch.com/join/">here. If you’re really lucky one of your Facebook friends might fast-track you.

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Get Playing

Sign up via email or Facebook, then dress up your avatar and get Glitching! The Glitch introduction is pretty self-explanatory and ensures you know all the basics for getting around the game and interacting with the things around you. Within a few minutes, you’ll be exploring and learning more about this weird world.

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What’s The Point?

Well, whatever you want it to be. You might choose to make money through gardening skills or alchemy. You might want to buy a fancy house, try all the quests you can or you might decide you want to help build new streets for people to use.

The game will evolve for you as you play, with the aim being to provide infinite game-play for everyone. It’s a non-violent, somewhat co-operative and imaginative game.

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It’s all fun and games, really. That is, until we work out what the Giants have in store for us.

A Glitch Tour

There’s so many great things to see and do in Glitch that it’s perhaps best if I just show you around a little. Throughout this article are some screenshots of some of the more interesting situations and various locations.

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Extras

The Glitch API has been open during beta testing and has resulted in some great add-ons and applications for players outside the Glitch game itself. For instance, there is a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/glitch-hq/id453420240?mt=8">Glitch HQ iOS application which lets players chat and gain new skills while they’re not currently playing the game.

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Premium Features

Glitch is free for all players, but if you want some fancy premium features you can certainly pay for the privilege. Buying href="https://www.glitch.com/credits/">credits or href="https://www.glitch.com/subscribe/">subscribing will give you credits for neat clothing, teleportation tokens and other cool stuff.

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Similar Games

You might be thinking this sounds a little like WOW, Minecraft or even Second Life. In some ways, you’d be right. All of these are massively multi-player online games which strive for infinite game-play. But, at the heart of each of these is a slightly different focus and a very different game. If you’ve enjoyed any of these other games, you should definitely give Glitch a go.

What do you love about href="http://www.glitch.com/">Glitch?

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/0_decide.jpg" alt="iphone game recommendations" />Do you play a lot of href="http://www.makeuseof.com/service/games/">games? Are you a gamer? If you are, then you probably like playing new games. You might even be the person that everyone else comes to for recommendations, because let’s face it, as much as we’d all like to be able to keep up with the gaming industry, it’s a near impossibility. Aside from the commercials I see on TV and random comments I read on href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/twitter/">Twitter and href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/facebook/">Facebook, I don’t have much of a chance when it comes to keeping up with the latest games. Since deciding on a game to spend your time (and money) on can take a long time, a good recommendation can go a long way.

What if there was an easy way to get personalized game recommendations not unlike what Netflix does for movies? Better yet, what if it was fun? In this article, I’m going to show you an iPhone app that you can use to get game recommendations for all your favorite consoles and devices. It’s called Decide-o-Tron and it’s pretty entertaining, not to mention useful.

What Is Decide-o-Tron?

href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/decide-o-tron/id456494777?mt=8">Decide-o-Tron ( href="http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/decideotron-which-game-to-play/">directory app) might be the most fun way for you to discover new games you’d be interested in playing. It is “game discovery for the 22nd century“. Essentially, it’s an iOS app that recommends games for you based on a variety of criteria that you set. Get recommendations by Genre (e.g. Sports), Platform (PS3), ESRB Rating, Review Score, Release Date, and based on your game Library and Wishlist.

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Decide-o-Tron guides you through all of its options, customization processes, and other features via a very creative and easy to follow tutorial that helps familiarize you with the app and its capabilities.

After your introduction tutorial, the app will ask you about the gaming platforms you currently use or own. All of the popular consoles are listed here as well, including PSP, Wii, Xbox 360, Xbox Live Marketplace, Windows PC, etc. Then, if you elect to search for games for a particular platform you can do so.

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Searching for a game with Decide-o-Tron is pretty cool. By adding games you’ve owned to your library and games you enjoyed playing to your wishlist they will be taken into account when generating future results. You can also search for a game by scanning a barcode, which is especially helpful if you’re at the store looking for a game you might like to buy.

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Criteria fields for generating game recommendations include filters regarding genre, platform, rating, review score, and timeline. Decide-o-Tron also connects with Ultramind’s massive library of 45 million regularly updated data points from more than 10,000 games to help find titles you would like to play, so no, it doesn’t run on magic alone (in case you were wondering).

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You’ll also get regular recommendations from gaming greats along with updates on new game releases with this app.

Conclusion

I feel like this app makes good use of both creativity and functionality. The dialog you get from the Decide-o-Tron robot is pretty funny and the game recommendations are pretty thorough. If you’re used to reading reviews on games or searching for them with your phone’s browser while you’re at the store you need this app. Hell, even if you aren’t that kind of person you should find it useful, or at least know of someone who would.

If you’re on the lookout for game recommendations, also don’t forget to read Dave’s MUO Gaming column every week.  The next one will be out soon!

How do you find gaming recommendations?

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/creeper.png" alt="minecraft forums" />For a long time, I was quite skeptical about purchasing the game href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/find-play-minecraft-multiplayer-server-gaming/">Minecraft. Supposedly, it is a game that serves as an portal to an endless world, one in which anyone can create anything, and to be honest, it sounded a little too good to be true.

Hesitantly, I purchased the game, and I’ve ultimately discovered that it is one of the best games I’ve ever played, and yes, that is even with the Creepers and the skeletons. However, there are several ways to enhance your Mojang-sponsored experience, so you should take a glance at a few of these online Minecraft href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/community/">communities.

href="http://www.minecraftforums.net">Minecraft Forums

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It’s a forum, and it’s Minecraft. That’s about as simply as the href="http://www.minecraftforums.net">Minecraft Forums can be explained, and here, you will find a vast pool of user-generated knowledge that relates completely to the voxel-fueled game. Seeing that this is an official game resource, one of the cool features about the forums is that Notch himself (the creator) reads up on them.

href="http://www.reddit.com/r/minecraft">r/Minecraft

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href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/reddit/">Reddit seems to have a little something for everybody, and yes, that includes Minecraft lovers. Reddit’s href="http://www.reddit.com/r/minecraft">r/Minecraft serves as a basic place to discuss all things Minecraft and whatever else Mojang has going on. Another Notch-related feature is that readers can be updated on his tweets even if href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/twitter">Twitter is blocked at their location (like at work). The moderators of the reddit simply keep people updated on them through text posts.

href="http://www.planetminecraft.com">Planet Minecraft

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The world of Minecraft is as large as a planet itself, so the name of href="http://www.planetminecraft.com">Planet Minecraft is incredibly fitting. At this fan site, you will find pretty much the coolest stuff that pertains to the block-building game. From the moment that you hit the landing page, you will be introduced to new textures for your worlds, skins for characters, and even mods for the game itself.

One thing you might like – that is, if you are into href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/mmo">MMOs – is the list of servers that Planet Minecraft provides for multiplayer action. Furthermore, the site displays a great deal of Minecraft artwork.

href="http://www.minecraftwb.com">Minecraft Workbench

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Workbench.png" alt="minecraft community" width="580" height="330" />

The href="http://www.minecraftwb.com">Minecraft Workbench is a lot like Planet Minecraft in that it provides an excellent assortment of texture packs, mods, and skins (as stated on the Minecraft website itself). Unlike Planet Minecraft, it focuses more on the elements of playing the game rather than the creations within it, but it does still provide a community aspect and a Minecraft server.

In addition to all of this, the site produces href="http://www.youtube.com/user/minecraftwb">a YouTube channel and also includes a database of all the elements within the game.

href="http://www.crafthub.net">CraftHub

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/CraftHub.png" alt="minecraft community servers" width="580" height="330" />

href="http://www.crafthub.net">CraftHub is without a doubt one of the bravest things I’ve seen in a while – an entire publication devoted to Minecraft? Come on. Well, these guys took the risk and created a blog that highlights everything in the world relating to Minecraft, and they do it incredibly well. Check out the blog for some really cool Minecraft news and creations, and if you can, be sure to visit their own server.

href="http://www.theshaftpodcast.com">The Shaft

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Much like CraftHub, I was surprised at how someone could produce a podcast only about Minecraft, but sure enough, it has been done. href="http://www.theshaftpodcast.com">The Shaft updates weekly every Sunday at 3pm CST with “tips, stories, and the latest news and updates” about the Mojang creation. Besides the href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/podcast/">podcast, The Shaft is home to a dedicated 45-slot Minecraft server.

href="http://www.minecraftopia.com">Minecraftopia

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Minecraftopia.png" alt="minecraft community servers" width="580" height="330" />

href="http://www.minecraftopia.com">Minecraftopia is a cleanly displayed manual recommended by Notch himself that provides detailed information on every single thing relating to Minecraft. Furthermore, like most of these communities, the site also includes an area to download mods, skins, and textures for the game. Using the provided servers, you will discover many other users to play with, and the site also offers several how-to articles.

href="http://www.worldofminecraft.com">World of Minecraft

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/WOM.png" alt="" width="580" height="330" />

When I first saw href="http://www.worldofminecraft.com">World of Minecraft, I was a little prejudiced. The site didn’t have any fancy Creeper-themed artwork, there were no Minecraft logos on the site, and all in all, it looked like just a basic forum that anyone could have made. However, I was very surprised when I saw how active this community was. One of the great things about this community is that anyone can start their own realm (their own designated area) on the WOM-hosted server for free with options to upgrade as time goes on.

href="http://www.minecraftmuseum.net">The Minecraft Museum

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Museum.png" alt="minecraft forums" width="580" height="330" />

The href="http://www.minecraftmuseum.net">Minecraft Museum provides a great deal of similar material to CraftHub in that it provides block artwork provided by users.  The website originally started out as a manually-published blog, but now, everything is run on a automatic system. One of the cool things about the Minecraft Museum is that its early days coordinated with the early days of Minecraft itself, so you will be privileged to see some pictures of what the game used to look like.

As a final note, keep in mind that the Minecraft Museum only accepts images captured on a licensed version of Minecraft.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you’ll find at least something with these nine websites to enhance your Minecraft experience. If anything, you’ll be able to find other people to play with or some great ideas to try out.

What other Minecraft communities do you use? Have you found anything cool using the ones mentioned?

Image Credit: href="http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Minecraft_Wiki" rel="nofollow">Minecraft Wiki

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/deals.jpg?54167" />Walmart has the FIFA Soccer 2012 Game for pre-order for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game is only due to be released on the 30th of September. You’ll also get a bonus $20 Walmart eGift Card.

For more fresh hot deals, visit our href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/hot-tech-deals/">Hot Tech Deals page, which is constantly updated.

1. href="http://www.techbargains.com/jump.cfm?clkSubId=ZZ0AT9A99262925A0&afsrc=1&id=511&arg=DNCWV49&source=makeuseof">Dell Inspiron 15R Intel Core i5-2410M 2.3GHz Sandy Bridge 15.6in Laptop Blu-Ray $579 via code DQST?Q2$6W61BK (7/25)
2. href="http://www.techbargains.com/jump.cfm?clkSubId=ZZ0AT6A99262988A0&afsrc=1&id=164&arg=17129014&source=makeuseof">Pre-Order FIFA Soccer 12 Game (Xbox 360, PS3) w/ $20 Walmart Gift Card $59.96
3. href="http://www.techbargains.com/jump.cfm?clkSubId=ZZ0AT4A99262990A0&afsrc=1&id=5401&arg=171898&source=makeuseof">Samsung MODUS 3500 Premium Bluetooth Headset $4.97AR via href="http://static.highspeedbackbone.net/rebates/HM3500-MIR30-TDCUSACC-WEB.pdf">rebate
4. href="http://www.techbargains.com/jump.cfm?clkSubId=ZZ0AT3A99262991A0&afsrc=1&id=488&arg=N82E16882115279&source=makeuseof">EXPIRING Yamaha TSX-70DBU Desktop Audio Speaker System for iPod/iPhone $79.95
5. href="http://www.techbargains.com/jump.cfm?clkSubId=ZZ0AT2A99262992A0&afsrc=1&id=488&arg=N82E16830998795&source=makeuseof">Fujifilm Black J Series Fitted Case for Digital Cameras $1.99 Free Shipping
6. href="http://www.techbargains.com/jump.cfm?clkSubId=ZZ0AT1A99262993A0&afsrc=1&id=4960&arg=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.buy.com%2Fprod%2Flogitech-harmony-700-universal-remote-control-black%2Fq%2Floc%2F111%2Flistingid%2F135220620%2F212122061.html&source=makeuseof">Logitech Harmony 700 Advanced Universal Remote Control (REFURB) $59.49

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href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hot-tech-deals-preorder-fifa-soccer-12-game-xbox-360-ps3/">Hot Tech Deals – Pre-Order FIFA Soccer 12 Game (Xbox 360, PS3) + more is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/intro14.jpg?54167" alt="" />Vaporware is a term commonly used to refer to hardware or software that is confirmed yet never actually released, and much of the time never cancelled either. The curse of vaporware has hit numerous, big name projects over the years, with famed franchises and development teams often slipping by the wayside.

Some of these projects were simply too ambitious, promising technology that even the developers hadn’t embraced yet. Others simply run out of money, experienced repeated set-backs (Duke Nukem Forever, anyone?) or simply didn’t exist in the first place. If you’re thinking of a career class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/five-free-game-development-tools-make-your-own-games/">programming games or developing hardware then maybe you could learn a thing or two from some of these entries.

Consoles

Phantom ( class="vt-p" href="http://www.phantom.net/">Phantom Entertainment)

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Phantom-Console.jpg?54167" alt="" width="520" height="400" />

In 2002 the Phantom was announced as a games console capable of playing PC games, which at the time meant head-to-head competition with class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/service/windows/">Windows as a gaming platform. Whilst this sounds far-fetched (especially for 2002) the team behind Phantom actually had some pretty good ideas, including content delivery.

The Phantom was never meant to have an optical drive – instead games were to be delivered via a revolutionary new on-demand download service. Had it worked and been released then the Phantom would have enjoyed a huge library of existing games.

A working prototype was seen at E3 in 2004, with a release date tipped for November. As the team had yet to develop the online content delivery system, this date slipped as did others and in 2006 the Phantom was removed from the company’s website. Phantom Entertainment now make the Phantom Lapboard, an all-in-one keyboard and mouse, as their sole product.

Action GameMaster (Active Enterprises)

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/gamemaster.jpg?54167" alt="" width="580" height="383" />

Not as famous as the Phantom but in many ways equally as ambitious, the Action GameMaster was announced at CES 1994 as a device with a truckload of compatibility. At the time Active Enterprises were a small company that solely manufactured unlicensed video games, though they had some pretty big plans for the GameMaster.

The console was to be a handheld portable device, capable of playing NES, class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-emulators-play-oldschool-16-32-bit-consoles-pc-19871993/">SEGA Genesis and Super Nintendo cartridges via additional adapters to be sold seperately. Also planned was CD-ROM support and a TV tuner for peering into its 3.2″ colour LCD screen for hours on end.

With a projected retail price of $500 (at the time!) the GameMaster disappeared along with Active’s other video gaming ventures later in ’94.

Games

Shenmue III ( class="vt-p" href="http://www.shenmue.com">SEGA/AM2)

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/shenmue.jpg?54167" alt="" width="480" height="360" />

The perfect example of epic storytelling and thoroughly engrossing gameplay suffering at the hands of poor sales – Shenmue III is still in limbo. The original two games received critical acclaim, with the first selling 1.3 million copies, and Shenmue II a disappointing 400,000. Japanese games gurus Famitsu have tipped Shenmue III as the second most-wanted sequel to a video game franchise, and there is an army of dedicated fans online rallying Yu Suzuki (the legendary designer) to finally bring his finished story to the interactive screen.

The truth is that despite SEGA’s willingness to work on Shenmue III, funding is still an issue. Speaking at the Games Developers Conference in 2011 Yu Suzuki said “I think SEGA will let me make it…it’s a matter of budget…we have to make it in an affordable way.”

Fans still hoping for the sequel might want to hit up fan site class="vt-p" href="http://www.shenmuedojo.net/">Shenmue Dojo which features an active forum community that’s continually pining for Shenmue III.

Elite 4 ( class="vt-p" href="http://frontier.co.uk/">Frontier Developments)

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/elite.jpg?54167" alt="" width="580" height="464" />

The original Elite was written by David Braben and Ian Bell for the BBC Micro and released in 1984. The first game to use wire-frame 3D graphics and featuring an open-ended game model, Elite shot to success on each subsequent system it was released on. Two sequels exist, Frontier: Elite II and Frontier: First Encounters, with the latter released in 1995.

Since then fans of the series have waited patiently for the release of Elite 4, with David Braben claiming in 2006 that the game will be made once his team had finished another game, class="vt-p" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outsider_(video_game)">The Outsider. Since then development on The Outsider has also ceased, though the game hasn’t been cancelled (uh-oh, sounds like more vaporware to me).

As recently as 2011 Braben said that “it would be a tragedy” for Elite 4 not to be on the drawing board, though I suspect that drawing board has gathered quite a lot of dust. You can class="vt-p" href="http://www.play-roms-online.net/online-spectrum-games/elite">play the original Elite in your browser using an Java emulator, and find out how to reach the fabled “Elite” ranking in class="vt-p" href="http://www.stairwaytohell.com/gamehelp/GUIDE-Elite-MU.html">this guide.

Project Milo ( class="vt-p" href="http://www.lionhead.com/">Lionhead Studios)

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/projectmilo.jpg?54167" alt="" width="550" height="323" />

Here’s an interesting one – there are conflicting reports over whether Project Milo was ever a game at all, despite being shown at E3 2009 to demonstrate the (then unreleased) class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/kinect">Kinect. Milo was said to have an AI system that learns and responds to human actions, such as waving or speaking, and this was demonstrated at the show.

A year later, and Project Milo was nowhere to be seen at E3 2010. A month later and a Microsoft employee claimed that the game wasn’t a game at all, and was never planned for release. After further conflicting reports from Lionhead’s Peter Molyneux, the game’s existence was heavily disputed in November 2010 by both a Eurogamer report and another Microsoft representative.

Apparently Molyneux is using much of the technology developed for Project Milo in his upcoming Fable: The Journey Xbox 360 title, which features class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/control-windows-pc-kinect/">Kinect support.

Conclusion

So what have we learned? Well, if you’re going to go into the interactive entertainment business the first thing to remember is not to make promises you can’t keep – both the Phantom and Gamesmaster are proof of this. class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/shoot-promotional-marketing-video-start-finish/">Better marketing (especially outside of Japan) might have saved Shenmue II and spurred the development of the third game, whereas Microsoft and Lionhead Studios probably should have confirmed Milo’s existence as a mere tech demo from the get-go.

Do you remember any of these titles? Do you still believe in Shenmue III? Do you have any favourite instances of vaporware? Let us know in the comments!

Images: class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&search_source=search_form&version=llv1&anyorall=all&safesearch=1&searchterm=disappear&search_group=&orient=&search_cat=&searchtermx=&photographer_name=&people_gender=&people_age=&people_ethnicity=&people_number=&commercial_ok=&color=&show_color_wheel=1#id=14163169&src=a13c014f978e475d4a5c0100384e38f9-1-17">Shutterstock,  class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phantom-Console.jpg">Phantom

href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/video-game-vaporware-5-ambitious-gaming-projects-retail/">Video Game Vaporware: 5 Ambitious Gaming Projects That Never Made It To Retail is a post from: href="http://www.makeuseof.com">MakeUseOf

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/shutterstock_69991255.jpg" alt="youtube video game reviewers" />If you are developing an addiction to video gaming, there are several popular YouTube video game reviewers who will help feed your hunger for hours and hours. I’m a novice gamer, so I interviewed my 10 year-old son, the resident expert about PS3 and online gaming, who helped me locate YouTube reviewers that provide some of the best game previews and reviews, game playing strategies, and sheer video watching enjoyment.

The video reviewers on these channels use both hands-on demonstrations and provide detailed evaluations of the games they review. I’m sure there are many MUO-reading gamer enthusiasts and hardcore players out there that can chime in with their recommendations for other good YouTube reviewers, so please let us know your picks in the comments section below.

href="http://www.youtube.com/user/xplay#p/u">X-Play’s Channel

Part of the  href="http://www.youtube.com/user/G4TV#g/u">G4TV’s Channel network, hosts Adam Sessler and Morgan Webb, of the X-Play Channel, claim to cover the entire gaming industry. Their reviews include hands-on demos, breaking news, game previews, behind-the-scenes developer interviews and much more.

width="580" height="430"> name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uaEhMldQqLc?fs=1&hl=en_US" /> name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="580" height="430" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uaEhMldQqLc?fs=1&hl=en_US" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always">

X-Play started on YouTube back in 2006, and it now has over 400,000 channel reviews, with nearly 50,000 subscribers. Their recent uploads include reviews of  href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVfusBBPPYo">Thor: God of Thunder, href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjCU6J8BeSE">Sonic Generations First-Look, and href="http://www.youtube.com/user/xplay#p/u">Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception.

href="http://www.youtube.com/user/IGNentertainment#p/a">IGN Channel

IGN Entertainment’s YouTube channel includes over 6,700 uploads, which is a small taste of their larger collection over at href="http://www.ign.com">IGN. IGN joined YouTube back in 2006, and it now has 918,603 subscribers.

width="580" height="430"> name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oszw0JD7yx4?fs=1&hl=en_US&hd=1" /> name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="580" height="430" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oszw0JD7yx4?fs=1&hl=en_US&hd=1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always">

Among its current reviews are href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt9UcT52Tqo">Prince of Persia Trilogy HD Video, href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TjvKoKi0dk">Fast Five: Top 5 Things to Know, and href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_BMsjBcwOU">Game of Thornes: Season 1: Episode 2.

href="http://gamesweasel.com/">Gamesweasel

My son’s favorite and most humorous reviewer is Matt Cuttie, who hosts Gamesweasel. His YouTube videos are a part of the Mevio Networks. Cuttie’s reviews also include news and reviews of the latest console and handheld games. His reviews are for young and old, casual gamers and hardcore enthusiasts.

width="580" height="430"> name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pzQJbERN_UA?fs=1&hl=en_US" /> name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="580" height="430" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pzQJbERN_UA?fs=1&hl=en_US" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always">

His channel has over 28,000 subscribers, with over 318 uploaded videos. Recent reviews include href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzQJbERN_UA">Shift 2 Unleashed, href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTHkgeMyRjc">Homefront, and href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ea4VAi3SMk">Crysis 2.

href="http://www.youtube.com/user/gamespot#p/a">Gamespot

Gamespot has well over 100,000 subscribers, and its recent uploads include an href="http://www.youtube.com/user/gamespot#p/u/0/Eu-CXehtHDM">interview with Daniel Erickson, lead writer for Star Wars: the Old Republic, a critical review of href="http://www.youtube.com/user/gamespot#p/u/2/1ZG36In7IJQ">Cargo: The Quest for Gravity, and a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/gamespot#p/u/3/dUVMMqp4h5M">news update about Sony PSN, Xbox Live Phishing, Call of Duty: Black Ops-Escalation, and more.

width="580" height="430"> name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1ZG36In7IJQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&hd=1" /> name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="580" height="430" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1ZG36In7IJQ?fs=1&hl=en_US&hd=1" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always">

href="http://www.youtube.com/user/machinima">Machinima’s Channel

Machinima seems to have the largest subscriber YouTube following, with over two million subscribers. It describes itself as the “online entertainment network showing trailers, game plays, montages and original series created in video games“.

width="580" height="430"> name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FxXhHqAFtdE?fs=1&hl=en_US" /> name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="580" height="430" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FxXhHqAFtdE?fs=1&hl=en_US" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always">

Its recent uploads include exclusive episodes 1-3 of Mortal Kombat Legacy series, a review of href="http://www.youtube.com/user/machinima#p/c/6656FE6D5A4D6973/2/9hnp_9SqjIk">Call of Duty Black Ops Trailer, and an  href="http://www.youtube.com/user/machinima#p/c/6656FE6D5A4D6973/9/fo9beCjX1Ko">IGDaily news segment about the recent href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/playstation-network-hacked-personal-information-compromised-news/">PSN outage/hacker attack and a walkthrough of Shogun 2: Multiplayer.

These are only a taste, of course, of YouTube video game reviewers. Let us know some of your favorites and what makes them unique.

For some other articles about video gaming, check out our,  href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-sites-to-watch-download-video-game-cutscenes-online/">4 Sites To Watch & Download Video Game Cutscenes Online,  href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-nostalgic-emulators-vintage-video-gaming-enthusiasts-19721980/">6+ Nostalgic Emulators For Vintage Video Gaming Enthusiasts,  href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-5-sites-video-game-deals-bargains/">Top 5 Sites For Video Game Deals & Bargains.

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class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/intro5.jpg" alt="free online browser game" />Children’s games often try to both educate and entertain but sometimes can miss the mark completely. Console games aren’t exactly cheap, and you’re not always guaranteed a playable demo before you commit to purchase.

href="http://www.binweevils.com">Bin Weevils is a free, somewhat href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/mmo/">massively multiplayer children’s game that uses Adobe Flash to run a virtual world in your web browser. The option to pay a subscription for extra perks exists, though there’s so much to do you might never need to. As with any online children’s service, online safety is paramount and the developers have provided href="http://www.binweevils.com/parents-overview/">a guide for parents, with frequently asked questions, subscription information and a safety page.

Concepts & Ideas

As with most children’s games, parents are often more interested in the game’s underlying concepts and ideas than gameplay and graphics. Bin Weevils seems to have got it right, encouraging all manner of green, healthy and social interactions.

In order to satiate the three demands of your Bin Weevil – hunger, fitness and happiness – you must explore the world, meet new people, visit specific areas and expand your influence. In addition to this Sims-like chart of demands, there is a levelling system and currency called “Mulch”.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/levelup.jpg" alt="free online browser game" width="580" height="350" />

XP is earned with everything you do, from harvesting plants in the garden to beating other Weevils at href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/multiplayer-games/">multiplayer games. The levelling system is essentially there to maintain the game’s steady pace, with higher levels enabling the purchase of other seeds and goods.

As your Weevil levels up he will learn new special moves, which you can show off to other inhabitants. These special moves are used to build up fitness, and essentially count as exercise.

As a Bin Weevil you must keep fit, socialise and eat whilst developing your character and ultimately a circle of friends. href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/children/">Child friendly? Check.

Home Sweet Home

Being a kids game, Bin Weevils doesn’t require an email address to sign up and get started. You are given the option once you’ve customized your Weevil to register a parent’s email address which credits the account with 2000 mulch (in addition to the 1000 you start with). Creating your first character is as easy as clicking Play then Get Started, entering a username and href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/create-strong-password-forget/">password then clicking Play Now.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/getstarted.jpg" alt="browser based game" width="580" height="399" />

Your character will appear before you in a small area known as your nest. From here you can access your initial room (on the left) exit to your garden (through the tube) or using the Map button visit anywhere you please.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/nestmainroom.jpg" alt="browser based game" width="580" height="375" />

The garden is a fairly standard affair and you’re given one “speedy” seed to begin with. This seed will grow in 15 minutes, after which you’re able to harvest the goods for money and XP. Seeds can take days to grow (Bin Weevil days, not real-time), and once the player has reached a high enough level a watering can is available to keep certain plants alive indefinitely.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/buyseeds.jpg" alt="browser based game" width="545" height="368" />

From the garden screen you can click Buy Seeds and choose from a selection of seeds, bulbs and other items. As well as the aforementioned watering can, items such as fencing and solar panelling can be purchased once your Bin Weevil has reached the required level. The nest itself consumes power, and additional fuel can be purchased by clicking on the generator in the main room.

The main room also allows access to your room. This is a room that you can decorate and use any way you’d like, with furniture and other items available for sale throughout the Weevil world. To start you off you’re given a shelf and a birthday egg, which marks the date your created your character.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/room.jpg" alt="online browser game" width="580" height="350" />

Beyond The Nest

Clicking on Map will give you a brief view of the activities available to you, including shopping, href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-websites-print-word-search-puzzles/">word puzzles and a meet and greet area known as Ink’s Orange Peel. Here players can chat using the text area at the bottom of the screen and leave messages on the message board.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/map.jpg" alt="online browser game" width="580" height="347" />

You can start customizing and then activate your Bin Weevil by clicking Change Your Bin Weevil on this screen. There are plenty of options to choose from to make your character unique, and when you’re done you can exit through the door on the right to activate your Weevil.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/customize.jpg" alt="online browser game" width="580" height="349" />

One of the more interestingly implemented features is streaming video. The game itself is based on a series of Nickelodeon shorts, and these are viewable from the cinema. As a free member you’ll only get one screen but this struck me as a novel way to present streaming video; especially given the target audience.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/cinema.jpg" alt="free online browser game" width="580" height="348" />

Games like Weevil Racing, a fully 3D online multiplayer kart racer, allow you to compete against other Bin Weevils for money and XP. Other games include crosswords and wordsearches, brain teasers, whack-a-Weevil and a variant of pool. This is only the tip of the iceberg, there are plenty of other areas including a park, mall, a club and the subscribers-only Tycoon Island.

Subscribing provides access to href="http://www.binweevils.com/membership/weevils/welcome">extra features including pets, access to new areas, additional screens in the cinema and a big deposit of mulch (20,000). The free option here is certainly substantial enough to encourage repeat playings, however.

Conclusion

I’m 24 and I enjoyed playing around with Bin Weevils, trust me – your kids are going to love it. The brightly coloured characters, worlds and 3D elements are a treat to look at and there’s loads to do, even without paying.

Mixing elements from games like Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing with instant online gaming results in a feature-packed timewaster that might even href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-interactive-games-teach-kids-alphabets-numbers/">teach your little sprogs a thing or two.

Have you or your children tried Bin Weevils? Any other similar games out there? Let us know in the comments below. />
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class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/SpringIconmkII.png" alt="strategy game engine" width="175" height="175" />Spawned off the back of popular real-time class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/strategy-games/">strategy (RTS) game Total Annihilation, Spring is an open source freeware strategy game engine designed to run on class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/service/windows">Windows and class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/getting-started-guide-linux">Linux, with a Mac version still under development.

Developers can take the engine and use it as they please, without having to pay the creators any money for the licence. This has helped the Spring engine build up a class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/8-awesome-free-opensource-games-enjoy-windows-mac-linux/">roster of games that will please even the most seasoned RTS fan.

There are also a selection of commercial projects, but it’s the free ones I’ll be focusing on in this article.

id="more-62244">

The Engine

Licensed under the class="vt-p" href="http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html">GNU GPL, the engine is free to download, use and adapt upon. The development team comprises of community members who have surpassed the project’s initial aims of bringing Total Annihilation into 3D, with support for all the mods and third-party extras the original could handle.

Spring is a desirable platform for developers as it has evolved to support some fairly advanced features and is limited solely by the hardware you have available. Within one arena there is support for up to 30,000 units with 250 players taking part with deformable maps, realistic weapon trajectories and varied units, economy and maps.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/spring.jpg" alt="strategy game engine" width="580" height="359" />

In order to play games that make use of the Spring RTS engine, you’ll need a minimum of: 1GHz single core CPU, 512MB of RAM and a graphics card with 64MB of VRAM. The minimum install is 200MB, and this depends on what else you’re after (be it extra maps, units or add-ons).

If you really want to get the most out of the engine then these requirements shoot up to a 2GHz processor, 1GB or more RAM and a 256MB GeForce 6600 or better. Your install directory can also reach several gigabytes if you’re determined to try the lot, so class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-analyze-your-disk-usage-pattern-in-linux/">make sure you’ve got space.

Installing Games

For Windows the install process is fairly straightforward. You simply need to class="vt-p" href="http://springrts.com/wiki/Download">download the Spring installer executable, run it and you’ll be able to choose from a selection of games to install as optional components during the install procedure.

You are also able to download maps and mods from a link within the Spring client. This community-made video explains the ins and outs of getting to grips with the Windows setup procedure and the client in general:

classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="580" height="460" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ll58N26aDgU" /> type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="580" height="460" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ll58N26aDgU">

For Linux users there is a class="vt-p" href="http://springrts.com/wiki/SetupGuide">setup guide to follow, and if you’re using Ubuntu or a package that uses Synaptic then you only need to punch a couple of lines into the console before you’ll be playing.

Note: Linux users will need to add the class="vt-p" href="https://launchpad.net/~spring/+archive/ppa?field.series_filter=maverick">Spring repository and install (or update) from there to use the latest versions.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/repositories-package-management-ubuntu/">Ubuntu users can open Terminal and use:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:spring/ppa /> sudo apt-get update /> sudo apt-get upgrade

Some games have their own individual installers, but for most you’ll simply need to place the main game files in your Spring “mods” folder and maps into the “maps” folder.

Whilst many of the games are focused on pure class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/multiplayer-war-games-fps-assaultcube/">multiplayer mayhem, some have single player campaigns and full support for bots so you can play on your own if you feel like it.

The Games

Here’s a selection of four of my favourite Spring derivatives. Some of these are stable and popular titles whereas others show promise and demonstrate what the Spring engine is really capable of. You can download more at class="vt-p" href="http://www.springfiles.com/">SpringFiles, or check out the official Spring  class="vt-p" href="http://springrts.com/wiki/Games">games page.

class="vt-p" href="http://springrts.com/wiki/Balanced_Annihilation">Balanced Annihilation

Currently the most popular game utilising the Spring strategy game engine, Balance Annihilation provides players with a very in-depth, tactical and competitive online battlefield. The game is home to many refugees from the original Total Annihilation and new players are encouraged to read class="vt-p" href="http://springrts.com/wiki/Balanced_Annihilation:Starting_With_TA">this guide before jumping in.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ba.jpg" alt="spring strategy game" width="580" height="348" />

Regarded as a mature and well-developed game, updates now only include minor tweaks as opposed to big upgrades. Tactical options open to each player invariably shape the way each game is played out, with strategies focusing on map control, air superiority and aggression amongst others.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.spring1944.org/">Spring: 1944

Still under development, the only World War II themed Spring game to date has a keen following thanks to the aspirations of the development team. Eventually the team would like to create four playable sides (Britain, the US, Germany and the USSR) with historically accurate units and attributes.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/1944.jpg" alt="spring strategy game" width="580" height="423" />

At present you can play with German and British troops, which is good enough for a very tactical game of toy soldiers. Like many of the other Spring games, 1944 strives for realism so you might benefit from reading class="vt-p" href="http://www.spring1944.org/wiki/doku.php?id=guide">the documentation first.

class="vt-p" href="http://zero-k.info/">Zero-K

Once known as Complete Annihilation, Zero-K is another dynamic and action packed RTS that promises to provide hassle-free tactical gameplay. Perhaps the most impressive aspect are the hundreds of available units that shape your tactical choices, and the game’s eventual outcome.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/zerok.jpg" alt="spring strategy game" width="580" height="435" />

Whilst continuing to be a very in-depth game, aspects are simplified like the streamlined economy which requires careful monitoring of resources but little in the way of micromanagement. Zero-K makes for a very balanced and approachable game in an often over-complicated genre. As always, if it’s your first game you’ll probably benefit from class="vt-p" href="http://zero-k.info/guide-newbie.php">reading the guide.

class="vt-p" href="http://www.imperialwinter.com/">Star Wars: Imperial Winter

Completely free and unofficial, this non-Lucas Arts RTS is set in the politically unstable post-Return of the Jedi universe and should keep even the most dedicated Star Wars fans happy.

style="text-align: center;"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-62248" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/starwars.jpg" alt="strategy game engine" width="580" height="464" />

With more than a hundred units available for either the Rebel Alliance or Galactic Empire, this free community-driven project attempts to provide more units than any game released under the Star Wars guise yet.

Currently in beta, this one’s worth keeping an eye on if you’re a strategy-obsessed fan of the Force.

Conclusion

Whilst many of the games on the Spring strategy game engine are still in need of time, developers and refinement – some are ready for you to play right now. If you are an class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/dyson-ambient-real-time-strategy-game/">avid RTS fan, longing for a decent multiplayer effort to latch onto then there’s bound to be something using this engine that ticks the box. Hopefully the Mac version will be stable enough for a proper release soon.

Do RTS games do it for you? Have you got any favourite Spring based games and maps? Let us know in the comments. />
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style="border: 0px none;margin-left:20px;float:right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Shutterstock-Xmas.jpg" alt="play scrabble online"/>When a board game is found in one out of three American households, it’s a sure bestseller. SCRABBLE is probably found in the same numbers around the world as it is played in 121 countries. If you never owned a Scrabble board, then you must have been an outdoors type while growing up or on Mars.

Mattel’s official SCRABBLE site has a href="http://www.mattelscrabble.com/en/adults/history/index.html">interesting history behind the game. Before you start getting confused who the game belongs too, here’s the data – href="http://www.hasbro.com/scrabble/en_US/">Hasbro controls the copyright for North America, while the copyright for the rest of the world belongs to Mattel.

Online SCRABBLE is not rampant as other games. There are actually very few places on the web where you can play SCRABBLE online for free. Here’s a small list of five, with some on the list offering versions that are similar to SCRABBLE. Pick your tiles and let the fun begin.

id="more-61610">

href="http://www.facebook.com/Theofficialscrabble">SCRABBLE on Facebook

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Scrabble01.jpg" alt="play scrabble online"/>

Next to buying the game from the official torchbearers of the game for North America (Hasbro), the ‘official’ free way is to use the Facebook application. But again, SCRABBLE can only be played on the Facebook app if you are in the U.S or Canada. As I am not, I can only direct you there; not play out a round with you. With 411,000+ SCRABBLE buffs on the Like list, the online game has got good things going for it.

The application info page says:

This new version of the original board game includes built-in chat and dictionary, multiple word lists, dynamic animations, and multiple speed settings for public games. An easy-to-use interface lets you play with anyone who loves the game!

You can connect to a free online site for SCRABBLE via href="http://www.hasbro.com/scrabble/en_US/">Hasbro.com. From there, if you are in the U.S or Canada, you can play a round of free online SCRABBLE at Pogo.com.

href="http://www.worldwinner.com/cgi/tournament/list_single.pl?game_id=35">SCRABBLE Cubes (WorldWinner)

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Scrabble02.jpg" alt="play scrabble online for free"/>

Go 3D in this online version of SCRABBLE. The game is free to join and on WorldWinner.com you can enter competitions for the thrill of winning cash and prizes. SCRABBLE Cubes is just one of the 35 games you can play. To play this game, you have to install a tiny game player file. SCRABBLE Cubes is like Rubik’s Cube for words. You have to connect adjacent letters by rearranging some with a right click. The value of the letters is the same as the traditional game. The game is really challenging, because you have to think in three dimensions.

href="http://isc.ro/">Internet Scrabble Club

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This is the online meeting ground for SCRABBLE devotes. The free site attracts some of the best names in this board game. Playing here involves installation of a desktop client (Wordbiz) that connects to the ISC server. The free client is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. There is also a limited access Java application. Gameplay is about seeking out an online opponent and challenging them. One unique aspect of ISC is that you can also observe other games. ISC is completely free but paying voluntary subscriptions opens up a few benefits like a place at the head of the queue when playing against a computer opponent. There are 35 bots that you can play with. For certain functions, you can use a command line. Inspite of registering, I couldn’t log-in. Perhaps from your part of the world, you will have better luck.

href="http://www.lexulous.com/">Lexulous

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Scrabble04.jpg" alt="play scrabble online for free"/>

Okay, Lexulous ain’t SCRABBLE. In fact, it tried to be and it even outstripped the official game in the popularity stakes before a legal choke forced them to shut shop. Reborn as Lexulous, it takes a lot from the rules and ways of SCRABBLE with minor alterations. In its present avatar, you can play Lexulous in real time with others around the world in game rooms; there’s the turn based Email Lexulous for friends in different time zones; and apps for Nokia, Blackberry, and iPhone. There’s the href="http://apps.facebook.com/lexulous/">Facebook app too which started the frenzy. There’s also LEX the robot who can take you through the paces. You can change themes, pick a layout, and even chat with your fellow players.

There are lots of variations you can try (like the Lexulous Blitz) if you feel that you have conquered all. Lexulous is not an official SCRABBLE game but it deserves a mention for its sheer fan following. It’s probably the best free online SCRABBLE like game presently.

href="http://wordsquared.com/">WordSquared

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Scrabble05.jpg" alt="play scrabble online"/>

WordSquared is a massively multiplayer online SCRABBLE inspired game. The game is beautifully constructed thanks to HTML5. The game board is large with lots of players playing on it in real time. The goal is to build as large a chain of words as possible before others start occupying the squares next to you. Unlike SCRABBLE, you have to use your own words to build your chain and garner points.

My hunt for places to play Scrabble online for free proved that Hasbro and Mattel have a tight grip on their trademark. There are lots of variants in the form of word games, but pure free forms of SCRABBLE are sorely lacking. Do you know of any that can be added to the list? Let us know.

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style="border: 0px none;margin-left:20px;float:right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Shutterstock-Spelling.jpg" alt="spelling bee games"/>Unfortunately, we don’t have an in-built spell checker. The brain has to stand in and it only manages to do that after long hours of reading, study and practice.

You would think that getting the right spelling wouldn’t be important enough to warrant competitions that are fought tooth and nail. In fact, Spelling Bee contests are not only keenly fought in many English speaking countries but also broadcasted live in some just like a regular sports event.

That proves something as simple as getting the spelling right has enough of crowd pulling power. Though children form the main focus group, a lot of the competitions are open for adults too. Think of spelling tests as a necessary requirement to get the language right. Or think of them as brain exercises. Either way, they are an important part of our vocabulary training.

id="more-59945"> /> The next href="http://www.spellingbee.com/">Scripps National Spelling Bee is still a few months away in the United States. Other countries also will begin their own. Let these ten spelling bee game sites help to hone your child’s spelling skills.

href="http://www.visualthesaurus.com/bee/">Visual Thesaurus Spelling Bee

style="text-align: center;"> style="border: 0pt none;" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-59954" title="Spelling02" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Spelling02.jpg" alt="spelling bee games" width="580" height="380" />

The well known online word app throws two challenges – a Tournament Spelling Bee and the Community Spelling Bees. In the former, your goal is to get as many right spellings you can to move up the leaderboard. It is challenging because the words also adapt to your performance. You will hear the recording of the word and see its definition before you guess the right spelling. As the test is adaptive, it is suitable for all age groups and skill levels. In the Community Spelling Bee challenge, you can do the same thing but on word lists created by subscribed members.

href="http://www.timesspellingbee.co.uk/">The Times Spelling Bee

style="text-align: center;"> style="border: 0pt none;" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-59956" title="Spelling03" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Spelling03.jpg" alt="spelling bee quizzes" width="580" height="290" />

You can have a feel of a real world Spelling Bee competition on this U.K. based site. The Times also hosts the U.K. edition of Spelling Bee (The Times Spelling Bee). The Spelling Bee Training Area is a bit unforgiving as one mistake gets you the boot. If you do well here, try out the Spelling Challenge and any of its three levels. Then in Head to Head you can invite a friend and have a face-off. Round it off with more word workouts available on the website.

href="http://word-games.pogo.com/games/tumble-bees">Tumble Bees

style="text-align: center;"> style="border: 0pt none;" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-59959" title="Spelling05" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Spelling05.jpg" alt="spelling bee" width="580" height="361" />

The Pogo.com word game takes your help to build a honeycomb for the bees with the rightly spelled words. Each word you make correctly will fill the honey pot with honey.  You can sign up for free or play it as a guest. As a reward you get tokens.

href="http://www.bigiqkids.com/">BigIQKids

style="text-align: center;"> style="border: 0pt none;" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-59958" title="Spelling04" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Spelling04.jpg" alt="spelling bee words" width="570" height="549" />

The free spelling game gives your child a bit of spelling practice. The Spelling Program uses word lists to simulate a live word test and to help the child practice. You can also create your own word lists. Then for a spot of fun, you and the whole family can take part in the Spelling Game Contests on the site which is playable by grade level (with one for adults).

href="http://www.manythings.org/cts/">Catch the Spelling

style="text-align: center;"> style="border: 0pt none;" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-59960" title="Spelling06" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Spelling06.jpg" alt="spelling bee" width="580" height="279" />

Hone your spelling and vocabulary skills on the lineup of word tests. It is fun too as you have to catch the letters to spell the word given on top of the screen. Other catching exercises like Voice of America (VOA) Special English Nouns or the ones that cover other word categories.

href="http://www.spinandspell.com/">Spin and Spell

style="text-align: center;"> style="border: 0pt none;" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-59961" title="Spelling07" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Spelling07.jpg" alt="spelling bee" width="580" height="436" />

This is a simple enough Flash game where a word has to be spelt correctly by looking at a picture. You have to spell it out by ‘dialing’ a wheel and selecting the right letter. This game can be played alone or with a friend. The simplicity of this game makes it just right for the very early graders.

href="http://www.tvokids.com/games/spellingbee">Spelling Bee Games (TVO Kids)

style="text-align: center;"> style="border: 0pt none;" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-59962" title="Spelling08" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Spelling08.jpg" alt="spelling bee words" width="580" height="412" />

The bee makes a return and claps along as you go through 25 words. It’s just ‘buzzerific’ if you manage to get them right. For a few pointers on how to play the game with your child, read the instructions for parents.

href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDNjweAX_wI">YouTube Interactive Spelling Bee

style="text-align: center;"> classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="580" height="351" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yDNjweAX_wI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" /> name="allowfullscreen" value="true" />

type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="580" height="351" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yDNjweAX_wI?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true">