In the beginning, there was just television. No interactivity, no team work, no online connectivity, just television but with television came no taxes. Then Pong emerged that lead us to famous titles such as Geometry Wars (bias) to Gears of War to World of Warcraft. Now, the greedy politicians want to get their grubby hands on video games with a Video Game Tax.

Hillary Clinton, the leading Democratic Presidential Candidate, wants to impose a video game tax on all games purchased. Mentioned in 2006 while trying to gain support from parents and other dexterity lacking individuals, Clinton has been quiet in her recent campaign which means she is a sleeping giant ready to ruin the wallets and pocketbooks of 75.6 million head of Households or 63% who still play video and computer games. Based on the statistics from The ESA , 38 years is the average age of gamers purchasing video games. Will that mean a line item on my 1040 for my WOW and Hellgate subscriptions? Will I now have to pay an additional 5 to 15% of the monthly fees plus the CD keys? I truly think it is time the Video Gamers of the world unite such as the soccer moms did in Bill Clinton’s re-election campaign and pick a candidate that understands that targeting violent Video games, which account for only 15% of the games sold, doesn’t mean that all 85% of the good non-violent games should be taxed. Nor should Americans pay any more taxes to the greedy politicians and their gold plated toilets. Anything we give our attention, the government wants to tax it. Next will they tax staring at people. “Excuse me, you owe me 15% of your income for staring at my cuticles. Cash only please!” I hope not, I hope a group can rise amongst Americans and truly change this country one video game at a time. So The Unknown Gamer Dot Com is not announcing which candidate it wants you to vote for. Just don’t vote for Hillary Clinton!

Share This

I play World of Warcraft, and have been playing the game off and on for years. I recently acquired my own account, early this year around the time of my birthday. I really enjoy the game very much. There are so many places to explore, so many interesting quests, NPC’s, items, weapons, and ultimately players. The players are what this article is about. I have met so many fun people on the game, as well as play with my friends from my real life world. I also have met people that make me want to strangle them.

Now you say why would you feel that way Wolffie, well here’s some examples of what annoyances or “Virtual Rudeness”, I have encountered. So I’m on my Hunter checking my mail, you know seeing what sold in Auction House or AH as we call it on my game. I could also be questing, or talking to guild mates or other friends from the game, when out of nowhere I get a box popping on the screen, with someone I don’t know sending me a group invite.

Another time I’m on my Druid like yesterday and receiving repeated invites from people I don’t know. You have the options to accept or decline. So I decline and some people just can’t take the hint, and will send multiple invites even when I keep declining them. Now this entire time not once do they whisper me, or talk in private chat, and ask me if I would mind joining them for whatever reason they sent the invite. They sent these invites at the most inconvenient time also, like when I am in the middle of a fight. Most of the time I don’t even see who it is, because we have a way of tracking people using a social player finding option on the game. You can search for players by Zone, Guild, or one another way, so you don’t have to be near a person, to issue an invite.

I have also been in a situations in which someone has come up to me to initiate a duel. Now on WOW we have a PVP option, also known as Player(s) vs. Player(s). In that form you can take a player completely out in a one or one or group fight. In the duel option your not full PVP, and once your health falls into a certain range it will end the duel. Now I usually don’t duel because I’m trying to raise my characters as quickly as possible. You have the option to accept or decline the offer. I of course decline cause once again, the person doesn’t ask, but just initiates the duel. Then when you decline, they want to use emotes to mock you. Oh and by the way, many times the person is 10 or more levels higher then me. So what does that say about them, that they would fight someone weaker then them.

I’m sure I’m not the only person this has happened to on WOW, and since I’m not sure what systems are set on other MMO’s, I bet players has been in similar situations. These acts of sending unwanted group invites or duels is just plan old “Virtual Rudeness”. Now I know grouping is a good way to get quests done as well as meet new people, but if you don’t have the decency to ask me before you initiate these things, then I’m not going to accept. Even Blizzard (makers of the game) have placed tips on courtesy, when your character is going into game, on the loading screen. One of those pieces of advice is before initiate things like duels and group invites it’s polite to ask the player.

When it comes down to it, the way you treat other players in game, can reflect well, or badly, not only your characters reputation in game, your guild, and ultimately I think how people think you are in real life. Personally I feel if you don’t have the decency to ask me if I want to join up or duel, then your not worth my time. To me it seems if you lacked the politeness to do this, then what kind of experience will I have playing with you. Will you be a great quest partner, or one of the ones that will leave me in a bind, such as getting what you want, and when you get it leave. Will you help me with what I was doing before you sent me an invite. If you don’t then I basically wasted time that I could have spent to get my stuff done.

So people, if you want to make friends, get help on quests or work on your PVP skills, before you send out invites, take the time to ask. It’s not hard to do. If you take the time to be polite, people will remember it, and might be more inclined to accepting invites next time, if they don’t during the time you first ask. I know it would make me more likely to listen and want to help. If you don’t and I or another player(s) decline, now you know why.

>^,,^< WOLFFIE

Share This

Most companies don’t publish their public blunders but this one is kinda funny. We decided to host our second tournament at a bar in Raleigh, NC featuring Madden 2008 on PS2, you know since it’s football season and all. The idea wasn’t necessarily ours but a Madden tournament while Monday Night Football is playing over the speakers sounded pretty good. We already hosted a Guitar Hero 2 Tournament and it was a great success. So we decided to branch out to a new market.

We let the bar do the marketing since it was their idea. No comment on their performance but let’s say the end result was a bust. Only three people entered and they worked there. With it silent and everyone seeming bored watching three people play Madden, I decide to that it’s time to break out the Wii (thanks Boyd).

Instantly there was a line watching and waiting for their time to break a sweat. The first game, boxing. Being my first time experiencing the Wii in full, I fell in love with video games again. I actually got a physical workout trying to beat my staff and I tried hard. Even though the system works with slight movements, it’s better if you get into it. I found myself ducking and dodging. Had even more fun playing baseball. The Madden Tournament was a bust but the Wii Boxing Tournament between staff was awesome.

I know I am a little late on the Wii wagon (say that 5 times) but the Wii save the day.

Share This

So I read video games cost an average of $1,000,000 to $20,000,000 to make. Getting near the price of movie production. Why so much? Is it due to the complexity of the game or the nice cars the game developers drive. Or maybe they are paying off the 9 other bad games developed that never made it to publication.

Everything now a days can be made into a game. I have an idea for a MMO video game. It’s called “Mojo”. Mojo is an MMO video game where you learn the art of picking up women/men. You create your own loser, pick a job you just got fired from, pick a hot spouse who just divorced you, and maybe select create some bottom feeder shiftless kids. Your main purpose, get your Mojo back. You will learn “what people perceive of you” and that you shouldn’t care and have confidence in yourself to achieve whatever dreams you desire.

Share This

So I don’t play XBOX 360 as much as I played in the past. I decided to run to EB Games and try a snag the newest Halo 3 video game to write a review. Armed with two handful of quarters, I glance to see an available copy. Like a stealth Ninja, I managed to out maneuver a kick-boxing soccer mom, a dread head whom hasn’t bath in two years, and a nerd drolling over the game like it was his first kiss. Only to come back with a demo box….

A demo box…you know, those empty packages that look and feel just like the game. I thought I had hit the jackpot today on last weeks lottery. So, bling! It hits me, my XBOX 360 is broken anyways, I got the red ring of death. My staff tried putting it in the freezer to help the glue from the heat sink or fan glue back together. Didn’t work, well it worked for 5 minutes then back to the red death star.

I decide to go ahead and price out some PS2’s for our Madden Monday’s Tournament we host. The lady behind me, had a little dog that probably ate its on fecal matter, in her arms, read the back of my shirt,”The Unknown Gamer….MMO Accounts….TUG”, hey I have seen that shirt before. Some homeless guy asked me for change wearing one of those. Are you homeless?” Though I was dress down for the occasion of buying a video game. I didn’t look homeless. So I quickly replied, “No. I passed out this t-shirt to the homeless about several months ago.” “So you are a pan handler then?”, she asked in a clueless country tone. I just bought my game and left. Respect your hearless elders right?

Is there a difference between homeless and pan handling?. The Pan Handlers that tour of office street across from NC State make more money than the professors probably do. One chick even talks funny on purpose but if you catch her sometimes, she has a better voice than I do.

NC State had a “Shack-a-thon” on campus this month. They built shacks on the main brickyard area in front of the main library and panhandled, danced, and probably did whatever possible to get money out of people for 24 hours straight. They raised over $25,885 (Article Link).

See, if the pan handlers asked for change with a staged act involving dancing and shows, then the social benefit for the country is higher because we’re entertained. When I was in Seattle for PAX this year, there was a paint bucket drummer, off beat badly but great energy. Everything he did, he did it with intensity. If he was off but he was off with a smile. Gave him 10 bucks.

Maybe the difference between pan handling and homeless is like the game versus the demo box. Both look like each other on the outside but one has entertainment substance inside. Let’s teach the homeless how to play the paint bucket drums or live instruments. Then we could have live music everywhere.

Share This

So everyone is trying to fall for the right Presidential Candidate. It’s almost like dating, everyone puts up their nice front until they finally release their beast. I decided to be the Political Spirit Healer, maybe I will be that for Halloween. I want to resurrect some issues that gamers have forgotten. Let’s talk money. Did you know that Hillary Clinton wants to tax all video games. It’s bad enough Sony has pushed up the bar on the prices of video games to $60 for PS3. Mrs. Clinton wants to increase that even more.

For all those parents saying “good”, you are the ones that foot the bill. The average video game is purchased by someone 40 years old (Data). Sixty-nine percent of American Head of Households play video games. Is this a way to tax the American people without us knowing? No special taxes on movie tickets, no special taxes on music CD’s, then why the hell would they tax video games.

We gamers need to think about this major issue. Most things the President speaks about really don’t matter a hill of beans to the average person. But this hits everyone right where it hurts, their pocket book.

I say vote Mario for President and Luigi can be the Vice President. If we are lucky we could have a Nintendo cabinet with Zelda Secretary of Defense…At least then if there is a war, the most that can happen is we jump on our enemies heads and collect gold coins for extra men. Maybe try and get some Princess nookie….

Share This

Health care patients have an aid in learning how to take care of ones self. In “Video Games Aim to Hook Children on Better Health” , by Christopher Lee, we see the full potential for video games. The ability to help decrease urgent care visits by playing a cancer fighting agent is an awesome breakthrough. I have never had a major illness other than “Mono” that left me in the hospital for one week during my senior year Spring Break. But I can imagine any inspiration of hope is needed in a time of crisis.

I watched the trailer for the game developed by HopeLab, a not-for-profit video game developer/researcher, then checked out their site. I like this company and where they are going. They have a new contest, “Ruckus Nation” , where you can receive $75,000 for the winning idea for getting kids moving around. My idea is to put kids to work as soon as they talk back. Dad’s working, mom’s working, put little Jimmy to work.

Share This

After reading the article “Can Video Game Cheating Be Prevented?” by Brian Bergstein and Matt Slagle , I smiled sitting in my office chair. Am I a cheat? I really never cheated on exams in high school, didn’t cheat much in college, didn’t have a game genie or shark, never could remember codes for Grand Theft Auto, then why am I am CEO of The Unknown Gamer, a company that aids in the advancement of MMORPG’s?

I represent people whom have lives and can’t spend all day questing or stabbing mobs. They earn income to support a life style of eventual spare time and playing video games.

There is a balance of power here of those “with time” and those “without time”. Most of our customers don’t have the time because they are busy keeping your computer networks up or representing you in court due to your speeding ticket because you chose to speed home to play WOW or maybe the heart surgeon that tells you that exercise is good for your high-blood pressure.

I love the fact Intel is moving into the market, watch the decline of their chips decrease. Should have left the cheats alone. They’ll band with the hackers, disgruntle underpaid programmers, and under appreciated network engineers, recruit a couple engineers in the break room, meet next to the water coolers between breaks and next thing you know, a new chip is out. And guess what? It works with all games and doesn’t report. As for recruiting, if the cheats can help the programmers get laid, “game over, you lose”.

Share This

It appears that Google might be testing a new metaverse application based around their google map data.
Acording to an article over at TimesOnline, Google is giving Arizona State University students the opportunity to test a new
product “that will be publicly launched later this year”.

An announcement by the university, which already has significant ties with
Google, said that the project was being developed by a “major internet company”
and contained hints that it would include features related to 3D-modelling and
video gaming.

The rumor is said to have started by a blog
post this year from Michael Eisenberg, a partner at Benchmark Capital, the
technology-focused venture capital group, who said he had heard “through the PhD
grapevine … Google is working on turning Google Earth into a virtual world a
la Second Life.”

Share This