The Cost of Piracy

Games these days are expensive.  Most console games start with a retail price of $60 and PC games at $50, and that isn't counting all the costs of add-ons and DLC.

With the barrage of games released every year, and the uncertainty as to whether gamers will actually enjoy a game enough to pay retail price, it is no wonder that people have resorted to pirating games.

Mind-Boggling Questions

So here are two things I have been contemplating lately.  They are mind-boggling questions that may forever be unanswered, but I will raise them nonetheless.


[SPOILER ALERT]  For those of you who haven't read the Harry Potter series, please skip this post or just don't read the second half (SORRY!)

PREDATORS

So yesterday I came across a great article: CLICK HERE 

For some reason, the media really likes to bash on video games.  I've already discussed violence and video games and hopefully successfully demonstrated that there is little correlation between the two.  But in addition, the media loves to criticize XBox Live or PlayStation Home for encouraging children to use profane language and accusing these online forums of providing a medium for predators to find helpless victims.

Marrying a Doctor?

*Disclaimer:  This post is a product of my overactive imagination.  Except for the stalking med students part.

Parents are SO WEIRD about dating.  They yelled at me for dating in high school, and throughout college they didn't want me to date because I was supposed to focus on school and get good grades.  However, now that I'm almost done with law school, the question is WHY DON'T I HAVE A BOYFRIEND?  WHERE WILL I MEET SOMEONE AFTER I GRADUATE?! I don't understand how my parents expect me to not date at all and then BOOM! have a boyfriend the next day.

Recently, my mom has been getting a little worried that I'm going to be an old maid and never find a suitable husband.  Of course, he has to be a doctor.  No, not a lawyer.  A doctor.

Week of Epic Fail

Most of you know that I am a vampire. I stay up all night and sleep in until the afternoon. This semester, I specifically arranged my classes so the earliest I would ever have to get up is 1:00. The weird thing is that I'm always sleepy when I wake up, even though I get around 9 hours of sleep a night. My friend says it's because of a lack of vitamin D from the sun - but vampires don't ever see sunlight and they are never sleepy, so it must be something else.

Anyway, so Monday night I'm all.. yes! I'm going to sleep so early tonight so I can wake up at 7 and be ready for my FIRST EXAM. I was all pumped to go to bed early. But since Boston is SO historic, my apartment is also historic - meaning no AC. So I opened my windows because I was frying to death, only to hear the undergrads outside partying and threatening to get into fights. I eventually tossed and turned and screamed at them to shut up until I fell asleep at 3:30 and woke up at 8:00. Not bad.

Microsoft's Project FATAL!

Motion-sensored controllers are the new big thing in the gaming industry.


First, the Wii introduced the Wiimote, a controller which can be used either by pressing buttons like a traditional controller or by interacting with the game through motion sensor technology.    Sony also came out with a motion control wand, which also provides the option of using buttons on the controller.

Last year at E3, Microsoft unveiled Project Natal. It is revolutionary in that there is no controller that needs to be held - unlike the Wiimote and Sony's wand, the only thing Project Natal requires is the human body, which acts as the controller.

Natal wowed everyone at E3.  It was ground-breaking, the first of its kind!  Imagine, people playing games without a controller!  THEY are the controller! 

Check out this awesome demo:  CLICK HERE

Video Games on Trial

What you are about to read may seem ridiculous, ludicrous, and even fake.  But let me assure you, the witnesses and cases cited are all real.  Don't believe me?  Click the links!  And no, I'm not joking.  I'm being serious.  Honestly.  Seriously - click the links.  No way could I fake all that!

The State v. Video Games

Transcript of case against Video Games - accomplice liability for crimes of violence.