Computer Software

World of Warcraft stands as the greatest game in the popular Warcraft series

World of Warcraft has been an extraordinary success since its launch in November 2004. It has impressed game critics and has captivated millions of players, who adore the world that the game has created. It is no longer just a game but is now a genuine phenomenon, and one that shows no signs of abating. It is one of the key games of recent times, and stands as a landmark title for online gaming.

World of Warcraft’s appeal lies in that it has created a truly engaging online world. This massively multiplayer online role-playing game is set in the world of Azeroth, a fantastic land that is filled with heroes and monsters and many other creatures. The game’s strength is that it functions as an experience, as a world that exists on its own terms that you may visit and explore as you please.

World of Warcraft is the 4th title in the series of Warcraft games, which have been entertaining people for over a decade. The series began in 1994 with the game Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, a real time strategy game set in Azeroth. This was a fine title, and a good introduction to the series, but in truth the franchise was just getting started. The best was still to come.

Indeed, it wasn’t until 1995 and the release of the second game, Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness, that the series really found its voice. Warcraft 2 was a masterpiece, and it improved on the original in every sense. The game had beautiful graphics, epic storytelling and fascinating, absorbing gameplay. The high standards of the series continued in 2002, with the release of Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos. This was another classic and a remarkable game in its own right. The predecessors of World of Warcraft were all superb.

Blizzard Entertainment published all of the Warcraft titles, and the games attracted a huge following. When Blizzard announced that there was going to be a 4th game in the series, it was natural that people were interested. This interest intensified when it emerged that the new Warcraft title was going to be an online multiplayer game. World of Warcraft would make Azeroth more interactive and redefine it as an experience.

The fans of the series had high expectations for World of Warcraft, as it promised to be a terrific and innovative new title. Blizzard held a beta test for the game in March 2004, and gave selected players a preview. Those who played it were very impressed and it received great reviews. The anticipation for the game’s release grew stronger as 2004 went on.

World of Warcraft was officially launched in North America on Tuesday the 23rd of November 2004. It was well received by critics. The launch was a major success, and it achieved huge sales on its first day of release. Blizzard estimated that 240,000 copies were sold in the first day alone. These were record numbers for a game of this genre and so World of Warcraft became the fastest-selling online game in history. It was a smash hit.

World of Warcraft sustained this success; in fact, the popularity of the game began to snowball. It really took off and caught the public imagination, with more and more people becoming enthralled with it. 2005 saw the game explode into a global obsession. In February it was launched in Europe and in June it was launched in China, with other countries following suit. It proved hugely popular everywhere it was released, and by 2005’s close it had more than five million subscribers worldwide.

World of Warcraft has evolved since its initial release. There have been a number of updates for the game, and the universe of Azeroth has grown. Blizzard have made improvements, fixed any problems, and have worked to make the game user-friendly. They have also expanded the game, by adding sections like Blackwing Lair, for example, the dungeon lair of Nefarion, one of the villains in the game.

In June 2005, Blizzard added major player versus player content in the form of two special battlegrounds, Alterac Valley and Warsong Gulch. Alterac Valley allows players to engage in battles of 40 on 40 people, while Warsong Gulch offers new challenges, like stealing your opponent’s flag from their camp. These battlegrounds are the most substantial update to World of Warcraft since it was released.

Now, in 2006, World of Warcraft is as popular as ever. An expansion, titled The Burning Crusade, is set for release this year, and should expand the world of Azeroth even further. World of Warcraft has become the pinnacle of the Warcraft series, and is a magnificent and distinctive game.

For the ones of you that don’t know RPG stands for Role Playing Game, and is one of the most played type of game nowadays.
You are the main hero, and you interact with other characters also called NPC-s ( or Non Playable Characters if you’re playing single player). They will give you quests to do, and you have to do them, in order to get experience and advance to higher levels.
The story has the main quest, that will end the game when finished, and usually a lot of side quests, that will help you develop your character. The side quests are not necessary, but will get you deeper into the story and sometimes that is really worth it!
Most RPG games allow you to choose your type of character at the beginning. Usually there are several types of characters, all with different attributes, but there are three main categories to choose from: wizard, fighter and archer. These will take different names and attributes and will be further more differentiated into subcategories, depending on the game. For example, the wizard can become specialized on different categories of spells, like earth, water, dark magic, white magic, fire, lightning, nature.
How do you grow your character? Well this depends from game to game, but basically you have :
-life, called life points in many games representing your health
-mana, or mana points representing the wizardry point you have left( these point allow you to do spells, if you don’t have them you won’t be able to cast spells)
-stamina, also found by other names, depending on the game, this represents how much time you can run, of do special moves.
Besides these three there are a few other primary attributes like:
-strength – representing the strength of your character, you’ll have to put points here if your character is a fighter.
-dexterity –representing the dexterity of your character, usually important for archers
- intelligence – representing the intelligence of your character, usually important for wizards.
There may appear some more primary attributes depending on the game but don’t worry they are usually explained!
Experience – this is heart of the game, and this (along with the story) will keep you in front of the computer for days! Basically, when you kill monsters you get experience, you also get experience when you do the quests. This experience is used to grow in level, making you stronger and able to battle with more and more monsters. Take care how you spend your experience, because in the later part of the game it’s important to be strong so you can finish the game. Usually it’s best to choose a line of evolution at the beginning and keep it until the end of the game !
Ok, we’ve reached the end of part one, hope I was able to enlighten you a little concerning the mysteries of RPG games. See you in part two!

If you miss some of your favorite classic arcade games, don’t worry. You may be able to still find one. First, however, you should be patient in doing research. It can be quite hard to find one and patience will be needed. Your first option would be from the operators. Operators are the people who present the games that you see in the arcades. You can find a list of operators in the yellow pages in the “Amusement Section”. This is where you can find the best operators in town. Most operators often place stickers with their name and contact information on their machines so that you can contact them anytime.

You can also ask the people who have worked for the local arcades. You can ask them if the classic arcade games you have been looking for are still available. Usually, you can find operators in the “Home Sales” of the Yellow Pages. But the prices are usually higher than those of the original operators so it would be better to shop and look around first.

In looking for your arcade games, remember to keep a cool head. If you have found the classic arcade games that you are looking for, don’t show the operator or the seller that you are too eager to buy it. In fact, ask for a discount!

Another option is from auctions. Auctions are occasionally held around the country. This is where the operators sell their classic arcade surplus games. The ones most interested in buying these games are the operators and collectors. You can find out about auctions in your area by asking those who usually attend them. Some auctions are posted in magazines and bulletins. You may also find fairly constant discussions that relate to future auctions by checking out “Miscellaneous Games” in your local paper. The best resource is to ask an operator directly. If you are in the USA, you have more chances of getting updated because you can obtain a copy of a magazine that contains all the lists and information.

Sometimes, newspapers and local papers are overlooked but the classifieds section is the perfect page to find the games you want. The prices may seem high due to the competition because most of their customers are first time buyers. But even if you are a first time buyer, you can negotiate and have the prices lowered.

The last and easiest option is through the Internet. You can search different sites. You can also register and join the forums where people post their classic arcade games for sale. If you happen to find one, it’s as easy as ordering on line. The waiting for it to arrive is the hard part. Consider these options and find one that fits your circumstance. Remember, don’t pay too much!

Gaming is popular with teenagers, women, children, as well as men. Older people say they play games as it alleviates loneliness and puts them in contact with others. Statistics reveal that 41% of gamers are women and more than 43 % gamers are aged 25-49. And, research predicts that the games market in 2005 will be US$ 29 billion.

Players can choose between stored games and online games. Stored games are played on consoles while online games are played on a computer using either a broadband or dial up Internet connection. The growth in online gaming according to IDC, a research firm, is set to touch 256 million users by 2008. And, that gaming is serious business is conformed by the hosting of international conferences devoted to gaming and the formation of “Casual Games Special Interest Group.”

Gaming captures the imagination of the players and uses the senses: sight, sound, as well as touch. Many need the use of intelligence as well as strategy. Complex graphics, colors, high quality virtual realities are all set to grab as well as hold the attention of players. Multi-player gaming takes the interest to the next level –offers challenges as well as new horizons to be conquered.

Games played on the Internet are such that clever participants find ways to push the game beyond its visible limits, one can even device cheats to circumvent problems posed by the game. Games test the skills, intelligence, concentration ability as well as techie know how.

Online gaming architecture has six business aspects: the subscriber; the advertiser; the gaming platform provider; the broadband service provider; the network service provider; and the gaming content provider. It is big business—hardware revenues in 2005 are expected to be: US$ 9.4 billion with software and content revenue touching US$16.9 billion.

However, there is a downside, gaming can become addicted and affect normal life—kids stop studying, housewives neglect their daily routine, and people are tempted to play games even at work. It can lead to suicides, mental imbalance as well as destroy marriages and careers. Gamers become recluses and rarely make social contact outside their gaming groups.

Addiction studies indicate that gaming can result in: obsession, neglect, lying, socially unacceptable behaviors, carpal tunnel syndrome, dry eyes, neglect of personal hygiene, as well as sleep disorders.

Popular gaming sites include: MSN games which has 3.4 million monthly registered users ; Pogo which has 8.6 million monthly registered users; and Yahoo games which has 10.1 million registered monthly users.

Analysts predict that by 2007 online gaming will be at least 285 petabits a month, the revenue generated by online subscriptions for gaming is expected to reach US$ 650 million annually.

The future according to Peter Molyneux, is in developing games that “reward a player for “out of the box” thinking and creativity. Games must encourage players to be interactive and decide the direction the game will take.

Gamers from all walks of life train intensely to become virtual world champions, winning brings fame, money, as well as recognition. And, since 2001 The World Cyber Games are held in a different country each year. The prize in 2004 was worth US$ 400, 000 and competitors played: FIFA Soccer 2004, Need for Speed, Underground, Star-Craft, Brood War, Unreal Tournament 2004, Dawn of war, Dead or Alive Ultimate, and Halo 2.

Gaming is serious; it is about quick thinking, intense practice, team work, interaction with other players, and understanding technology at its best. Gamers have to be on their toes, keep abreast with new launches, changes, patches, cheats, and more.

According to online gaming expert Psychologist Professor Mark Griffiths, “online gaming addiction for a small minority is a real phenomenon and people suffer the same symptoms as traditional addictions. They are the types of games that completely engross the player. They are not games that you can play for 20 minutes and stop. If you are going to take it seriously, you have to spend time doing it”

That gaming is taken seriously is confirmed, many major colleges are offering minor as well as major courses in game design, animation, cognition and gaming, computer music, psychology of play and more. RPI, the Pratt Institute, University of Colorado, the Art Institute of Phoenix, the University of Washington, and the University of Pennsylvania are among those that have programs in computer graphics and game technology. They are set to become a feeder system for the US$ 10 billion a year game industry.Sites which promote such activities are: www.worldwinner.com and www.arkadium.com

Gaming leagues are becoming professional and organize competitions where cash prizes are worth over US$ 100,000 in cash. These events are seen as business and marketing development opportunities. Hardware manufacturing giants like Intel sponsor gaming clans and see gaming world-wide as a profitable avenue for promoting their products. High-stake gaming competitions are popular, but the real fights occur behind the scenes, where companies spend millions trying to get their technology directly into the hands of gamers

Professional gaming has taken the world by storm and, LAN competitions are high-stake tournaments with a few gamers earning a living just competing. A professional gamer with a sponsorship plan in place can earn up to US$ 500,000 per year. Cyberathlete, Professional League, Gamecaster, Global gaming League, are some of the organizations that host competitions. The first professional gaming league was set up in 1997 and today the competitions are not just televised but covered by major publications and newspapers. MTV, CNN,ESPN, USA Network, ABC World News Today, FOX, WB and others telecast the events live.

Gamers from all walks of life train intensely to become virtual world champions, winning brings fame, money, as well as recognition. And, since 2001 The World Cyber Games are held in a different country each year. The prize in 2004 was worth US$ 400, 000 and competitors played: FIFA Soccer 2004, Need for Speed, Underground, Star-Craft, Brood War, Unreal Tournament 2004, Dawn of war, Dead or Alive Ultimate, and Halo 2.

Gaming is serious; it is about quick thinking, intense practice, team work, interaction with other players, and understanding technology at its best. Gamers have to be on their toes, keep abreast with new launches, changes, patches, cheats, and more.

According to online gaming expert Psychologist Professor Mark Griffiths, “online gaming addiction for a small minority is a real phenomenon and people suffer the same symptoms as traditional addictions. They are the types of games that completely engross the player. They are not games that you can play for 20 minutes and stop. If you are going to take it seriously, you have to spend time doing it”

That gaming is taken seriously is confirmed, many major colleges are offering minor as well as major courses in game design, animation, cognition and gaming, computer music, psychology of play and more. RPI, the Pratt Institute, University of Colorado, the Art Institute of Phoenix, the University of Washington, and the University of Pennsylvania are among those that have programs in computer graphics and game technology. They are set to become a feeder system for the US$ 10 billion a year game industry.