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A game centered on being a rancher gives the player a firsthand experience of raising cattle, goats and other livestock. The game starts off with the usual, make a character, and do the tutorial. The tutorial gives a little backstory, as you break down the old ranch you inherited. After you finished or skipped the tutorial. You can start building the ranch you want. You start off with a mule, a little utility vehicle. This is where you get logs and cut them into planks. Darious Cutting Logs For this you will need a jerry can (Gas can) and a portable saw table. You can buy planks at the hardware store. However, they cost $32 for a stack of 8 and with the saw, you can cut 160 logs per 1 gas can that cost 30 dollars to fill up. This gives you 40 stacks for the same price as the 1 stack at the hardware store. The downside is you can only cut the trees on your ranch, but there are plenty for a modest building. So now that you have the planks you need, what to build? Darious Stacked the Planks :) There's a lot to do on the ranch, from managing cattle, goats, chickens, and bees. This is where it's important to figure out your focus, as taking on too much will quickly get out of hand. There's just not enough daylight to manage a large ranch solo. Get too busy and forget to feed the animals, and you're gonna need to get out your meat grinder. The day goes by quick, and before you know it you've spent all day milking your cows, gathering eggs from the chickens, running down to the store for mold all to make cheese. Just sell the milk, you say? Sure you can do that. 1 Jug of milk sells for $126, 1 egg sells for $6. it’s easy to just run down and sell for a fast buck. Nothing wrong with it really, especially in the beginning. However, there's a far greater payout for processed items over raw items. Therefore, it's necessary to focus on one or two areas or you will get overwhelmed. A friend or two can also join your ranch and help as hands. The ranch sim falls under the Gaming Genre of Job simulators and somewhat base building. The Building aspect is lacking in a few areas, one is the snap to grid function is quirky at best, and there's no pillar for more complex builds. Still, with some imagination, you can build some pleasant areas. The D&K Milk Labwhere cheese is born. Dairy Cows on the back porch for easy milking. Kola’s goats over here You can certainly use the prefab barns and homes, but the real action is in custom builds. The Ranch sim offers a solid, but still bare bones experience. the game has hunting, some quests (mostly for starter money), and a small town with limited interaction. There's a hardware store, a Burger joint ,and a General Store, and a car shop. The burger joint offers deals for certain items at a higher payout rate. I've seen up to 2x the price on some items. These specials change daily. The local wildlife enjoys a peaceful stroll through town. A recent update added pets, but I found the dog following you 2 inches from your face to be very annoying. The dog is supposed to be an aid to hunting, but the dangers just aren't there. The bears drops in two shots with the rifle and 4 with the pistol. The Annoyances and BugsYour weapon has to be reloaded each time you draw it. This can get you killed when a bear drops in on you. As mentioned earlier, the Dog follows always( bugged I believe) and stays too close. The economy needs work. Vehicles are too cheap, and there's no money sinks or hobbies to spend that money. After a while, you're just working to produce more products when you have too much money and nothing to spend it on. The Vehicles could use some more fine tuning. It's certainly playable with some experience, but there is a learning curve. The game uses a control wheel to select different modes of play. There's no option to use a key bind. Press TAB to bring up the wheel and select the mode. This is slow and unnecessary on PC. 6. It rains way too much. 7. There's no dedicated servers. There argument against it has been there's no pause in the game for when no one's online, and the animals will starve. A fix for this would be to add a pause for when no one's online and give us Hired NPC hands to help with managing the ranch. The game is fun, but playing with your friends means waiting till their online to join their ranch.

Crime Boss Rockay City is a Heist game mixed with city domination. The game plays out in both single player and multi player. In single player you take on the city as Travis Baker, a crime boss. The goal is simple, but not so easy. Take over the city before the sheriff comes a knocking. During each day you have the option to conduct heist on a variety of targets, defend your territories or attack territories to gain more. As each day passes the Sherriff's investigation increases, and once it hits 100 Percent he will come for you. Win or lose, your game will begin a new in a roguelike fashion. You will level up your boss, and unlock abilities from other characters. The story will progress with each "restart" giving a new insight to the characters within the city. Sounds simple enough. :) but rest assured chuck Norris "the Sheriff" is coming to thwart your plans. Cast and Characters of Crime Boss: Rockay City (2023) INGAME STUDIOS & 505 Games Crime Boss Rockay city carries a notable cast of characters played by a variety of superstars. The Game carries a not so serious 4th wall breaking atmosphere, that rings of eighties nostalgia. The game is a Rock N Roller Coaster between pulling off a fast heist, Taken over new turfs, and defending your own. All with the looming threat of "The sheriff" breathing down your neck. The game carries over into multiplayer where you and any mixture of up to 3 friends or bots can embark on a variety of dangerous heists. Successfully completing any of these missions will grant XP towards your Boss level, and cash for buying more team members (Bots) and weapon upgrades. Team Members, in both single player and Multiplayer come with a range of skills, and weapon selections. Gear up and grab your little friend for a heart pounding slaughter fest of gold hungry mobsters. Crime Boss Rockay city delivers that comedic gore fest I didn't know I needed. Next time chuck, Next time.

City of Heroes Homecoming is an officially licensed server that invites users to adorn their caps and embark on a journey of of unimaged tales . A Return to One's Home as the Rhythmic Core of the City In the thriving world of City of Heroes, where friendship and adventure abound, Homecoming serves as the Hub of the new community. A rallying cry for bravery resounds, inviting gamers to re-enter a vibrant world teeming with adventure and camaraderie. Becoming a Member of the Community Going to the Getting Started page and jumping onto the active City of Heroes Discord server (discord.gg/cityofheroes) is all it takes to become a hero. The central FAQ is a reliable resource for those with questions. The scene is set, and the cry for bravery echoes through the air; are you prepared to step up? Strength Unleashed: The Weapons of the Hero Homecoming ensures an effortless ascension into the fantastic, whether one is armed with supernatural powers or the raging flames of justice. A plethora of options for personalizing each hero's identity are made available by the reinvigorated game mechanics, which give fresh vitality to character skills. What Lies Ahead for Homecoming A fresh leadership team takes over alongside the City Council, an influential group guiding Homecoming's trajectory. At the head of the pack is Cipher, the unfaltering project manager. To keep the digital realm of City of Heroes evolving, it needs new viewpoints that bring stability and novel gameplay features. Taking Action: Become a Member of the Development Team There is a resounding appeal for those who are willing to contribute. Developers and Game Masters are sought after by Homecoming, who extends an invitation to them to mold the mechanisms that support this remarkable realm. Get ready for a fresh start in the City of Heroes! Learn the ropes, become an expert hero, and make your mark on the digital heroic fabric. The city is teeming with opportunities; are you prepared to take flight? And Be on the Look out for this Dastardly Vagrant,

So, I am 30 hours into Myth of Empires, and oh my god, it's a monster of a game. In the years I have played open-world and building/crafting games, I don't think I have come across anything so deep as Myth of Empires. It's a big statement for me, given some of the games I have played. I found that Myth of Empires took me by surprise. When it comes to player management, NPC control and crafting, it blew my mind. While many may comment, the game is still incomplete, even in this second release of V1.0. I find the game intriguing and mind-bending with the levels of thought and customization that have gone into the game. It's very playable. Oh, you mean you didn't know you have to train your horse so it's a higher skill, and you can mate it with other horses to get even better ponies? What game am I playing again? Let's start with the usual stuff and I will circle back to the horses! Myth of Empires was an early access game on Steam in Nov 2021. According to the reviews on Steam, it was a fair game when it was released. Unfortunately, a lawsuit alleging code theft a month later caused the game to be removed from Steam. Fast forward to Feb 2024, the lawsuit was resolved, and the game was released on Steam…and I bought a copy a few days after not knowing any of the pretext. I read a few reviews, watched some gameplay as I do, and decided the game was likely worth the $58.50AUD I had to pay. When I buy a game of this style, I look for multi and solo play options, crafting and economy management and Myth was touting all three plus a guild management system. The best way I can describe Myth of Empires is; If Icarus & Sengoku Dynasty had a baby, it would be Myth of Empires. I mention Icarus because I found the game to be very freeing, similar to the gameplay I felt in Icarus. You can run around and do whatever you want and build your house, village and monster city wherever you want…except on sloping land. A friend of mine built on top of a mountain going for the monastery look, only to realize you soon run out of land as you can't build on slopes. Starting a Base - Myth of Empires There are a lot of comments out there that it's a lot like Conan. I put 100 hours into Conan Exiles back in 2019. There are some similarities, but I think Myth of Empires is a far more enjoyable game with many more player options. Reviews on Steam now seem mixed, and the haters hate etc. The question you may be asking is, was it worth the money? The short answer for me is yes, and here's why. Initial Game Play Thoughts Crafting Like Sengoku Dynasty, Conan, Icarus and most other games of this calibre, you start out with nothing. Start grabbing rocks and wood and progress through the usual tools of Axes, Spears, Bows, etc, working your way through the base tools and weapons. Don't forget to eat! There was a negative review on Steam about chewing through food. I found it's not really a negative of the game, more that you must spend time grinding on food occasionally. With the basic tools in hand, it's time to think about shelter, which makes no difference from a weather perspective. Unlike Icarus, where storms can mess you up, the weather in Myth of Empires is very calm. The weather had no effect on my character, which was great, given what you need to do in the game. I found the rivers, mountains, and grassy plain views relaxing throughout the game and the mountaintop scenery was great. Myth of Empires - Scenary Gathering is a constant: gather food, gather wood, gather stone and just about any other mineral you can think of. This is where the game starts to get deep, and I haven't touched on the guild stuff yet… oh my god! So, in most games, you have 3 or 4 base foods, and it's pretty easygoing. The crafting recipe levels in Myth of Empires are massive. Just when you think you have a handle on things, there is always another level of things to make. Crafting recipes are opened in the Recipe and Skills tabs. Once open, start scrolling right, and right and right. There are so many things to learn and add-ons to things that, at times, you get lost in it, particularly when you smash a few levels quickly…or someone plays with the admin XP bonuses you 20 levels in an afternoon. Thank you, Darious Madoc! Crafting is enjoyable, I did find myself constantly working to the next tool/upgrade, and the game seems to push on this. It's subtle at times and sometimes a little confusing; a few trips to YouTube to see how others do it make it easier of course. Overall, the crafting side of the game is excellent, and I thoroughly enjoy it. Sure, like most games I could give a list of improvements, but it has a depth you will love if you like games with a great crafting menu. Hunting and Combat Combat is straightforward and still needs some work I think. It's very hack and slash. It could use some improvement, although I was playing on classic mode and yes, that means more choices. Killing things with a bow on horseback was great, and I found myself regularly practising this to improve my actual gameplay and skill. However, I found the reticule for the bow to be a little frustrating at times. Not all arrows fly straight; seems legit right? In the 47th level I now sit at, there is an array of weapons to choose from. Bows, swords, spears, throwing knives etc. Add to that different armours and then add colours and you will wonder if you are having a WOW flashback for the choices. Group combat is good, although we sometimes find it a little unbalanced. A word to the wise: Leave your horse well away from the battle if you intend to dismount. While it's fun to ride in and hassle people with a sword on horseback, the NPCs will kill your horse if you dismount during combat. This can make for a long-run home at times. Enemies are everywhere, but most can be avoided until you hit higher levels. Not all villages and NPCs are friendly; my advice is to creep in and check. You will find yourself out running enemies on horseback to survive, only to get an arrow in the back as you ride away. Guilds While I have not yet spent any time on the full-on guild servers. We decided it best to run our own server (Gaming Hounds) with a few guilds to get a better feel for the game. Guild management is interesting and the Devs have thought this through even with lockable containers. Something missing from Sunken Land which was the last game I was playing; you can read that review here. As the guild progresses, so does the need for materials. To help solve this, you can recruit NPCs to your guild. Yep, add another thing to think about. NPC's Many games have creatures to assist you in combat, and Myth of Empires is no different. What is helpful is having mineral mines for resources that NPCs can use. They can also craft, hunt, ride on horses and carts, patrol, and protect your lands. This makes building in the game somewhat quicker; you can also train your NPCs to improve. Shout out to Jimmy, my first NPC, who has been an awesome salt miner, which is needed for food. You can get your first NPC for a simple 25 meat. You will need to keep feeding them of course, so get onto that early. More troops, more food, an army runs on its stomach as they say. So do horses, so don't forget to feed them too. NPC Jimmy - Myth of Empires Summary I intend to come back and write a second part to this review once I have a handle on the guild stuff; there is so much to do. I have left a lot out of this review so you can discover this game's full in and outs on your own. If you are cashed up and have some time to spare, this game is for you. PS… The pigs mob on attack, and Crocs are super super dangerous!

SUNKENLAND – Dive, Build, Survive Sunkenland is an exciting survival game that will have you gasping for air on the edge of your seat at times. Let's face it: running out of air underwater can be stressful! Sunkenland Game Overview In Sunkenland, you are dropped randomly into a Water World survival game almost naked, as you would expect if you woke up on a deserted island. The plus part is that you can swim and dive for nearly everything you need. The game's premise is to build a base and survive the first night and then days. Oh, and I recommend killing the crabs at every opportunity until you get your food under control. Like most survival games, you pick up a few bits of food at the start, along with some timber and essential foods (strawberries & mushrooms), and then it's time for a dive. I did mention Water World. Sunkenland Game Play Even though the game is still in early access, it is available on Steam. Sunkenland is very playable, and I found myself diving deeper and deeper as I spent more hours (45 hours at the time of writing) in the game. Survival – Food and Water are the key; clothes are irrelevant to your immediate survival, although they have an Armor value that will become apparent as you progress through the game. Food can be found in the form of meat from various sea creatures and fish; this progression is quite good as you play through the game. For those vegetarians out there, there are many alternatives, from chocolate bars to growing different vegetables and upgrading cooking stations that give you buffs for soups and salads. Base Building Base building is relatively easy; the game has a true mad max / apocalyptic theme that is quite immersive. I sometimes found myself wishing for comforts that come in the later stages. The building system is very "snap to grid", which makes it easy to manage how and where structures get built. I found placement for windows and doors relatively easy, and overall, you can knock up a building very quickly once you have the mats. Combat Like most survival games, you start with the basics. In Sunkenland, it's a spear, and then you begin upgrading as you build the base and research better tools and weapons. Gun parts are good, and you eventually end up with something you can do real damage with. Tip: Take lots of food and meds on an incursion to other islands. Some steel will also not go astray. Mutants will show up, hammer them, plant a flag, and take their island. Also, explore the waters for the vendor straight up! Vehicles Did I mention post-apocalyptic, transport options in the game include sea scooters, peddle boats, sailboats, power boats and jet skis. I found the sailboat the best when getting started; timber and cloth are readily available. You will have one in no time… just go dive some more! Powered vehicles look cool but chew gas, which again can be addressed when you hit stage 4…currently the furthest science progression in the game. Multiplayer If you don't like playing alone on an island of death waiting for mutants and pirates, sure, invite a few friends to the end of the world; why not? Sunkenland does offer multiplayer on player-created servers. As an early access game, there are still some bugs to work through, but the game is most enjoyable with a few friends. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, there are no locks on your storage chests, so anyone can help themselves, which is disappointing when you want to share your game with random players. Likes and Dislikes I like the early experience in the game's first few hours. It feels like a cross between 7 Days to Die and Icarus. The game brings a sense of loneliness and an actual want for survival. The first time 4 mutants showed up, I kicked their ass, just like the first zombie in 7 days! I dislike being unable to open up the server to the general public due to not being able to lock chests. I think this function will reduce the interaction opportunity to build community within the game because no one likes to log in and find all their loot missing. Overall It's a fun game to kill some hours when you have the time; it's worth playing now that it's into 2.0, and it's very fair for money, I think. Sure, some improvements are still to come, but that's early access for you. I give it 7.5 / 10

Back in my earlier piece “PvP Skill is a Myth”, I argued that online competitive gaming has strayed far from its original promise of a true skill vs skill competition. From Cheats, hardware disparities, lag, and even performance enhancers have eroded the idea that skill exists online. If that felt bold at the time, the recent Battlefield 6 cheating statistics make the point undeniable. The Battlefield 6 Epidemic In Battlefield 6’s open beta, EA’s transparency reports revealed staggering numbers. On day one alone, 44,000 players were banned for cheating. By day two, the number had climbed past 60,000. Add in the 330,000 attempts blocked before cheaters even entered the game, and the math becomes brutal: 434,000 cheaters vs ~520,000 concurrent players → nearly half the player base. Across 5 million unique accounts, that still averages 10% of all players cheating. Think about that. In a typical 64 player match, there could be six cheaters, maybe more. If PvP was already shaky, this is the final nail. Bans Don’t Work.. Currently Current systems rely on account bans or, at best, hardware bans. But let’s be honest, neither is effective. Disposable accounts are cheap. VPNs and spoofers bypass hardware checks. And every new release brings a fresh market for hacks. Cheaters simply recycle themselves into the ecosystem. The result is the same players ruining matches again and again, just behind a different name. Enter the Gamer ID for Ranked Play. The UK Online Safety Act recently pushed for stronger ID verification online, primarily to protect children so they say. But maybe it’s time we extend that principle into gaming, not for censorship, but for accountability. Imagine an online Gamer ID system: Not tied to government IDs (like a driver’s license or passport), so no private data exposure. Provided instead by approved agencies or trusted companies, verified only for gaming or internet access. Unique to each individual, making it impossible to recycle accounts once banned. With such a system, bans wouldn’t just hit a disposable accounts, they would follow the player across all platforms, all titles, and all devices. A true deterrent to not cheat. The End of Anonymity? Some will say anonymity is essential to online freedom. And yes, it once helped foster creativity, identity exploration, and community. But today? Anonymity too often shelters cheaters, trolls, and child predators. Just as society learned to require licenses for driving or permits for broadcasting, maybe gaming now a global industry worth more than film and music combined has reached the stage where accountability must replace anonymity. Cheaters causes real Losses When players abandon PvP focused titles out of frustration, it doesn’t just hurt the community. It hits publishers and developers in the wallet. Every banned cheater might purchase another account, but every legitimate player who quits in disgust is a permanent loss, not just for that game but for games to come. Over time, that translates into millions in lost revenue from game sales, subscriptions, skins, and expansions. This isn’t far removed from the financial impact of corporate espionage. Just as stealing trade secrets undermines a company’s competitiveness and profits, widespread cheating undermines a game studio’s ability to sustain its product. The very act of bypassing a games encryption violates the The DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) violators could face up to five years imprisonment and fines of up to $250,000 dollars. Rarely do we hear of action being taken though. Further still, I feel it's akin to a serious offense called espionage, both in the corporate world and in national security law. The Economic Espionage Act of 1996 (18 U.S.C. §§ 1831–1839), for example, makes the theft or misappropriation of trade secrets a federal crime because it damages not just one company but entire industries. Shouldn’t game developers have similar protections? After all, when cheat developers inject unauthorized code, reverse engineer mechanics, or profit by destabilizing competitive play, they are effectively sabotaging a company's profits, and destroying a fan base. The damage to trust, community health, and long term revenue is no less real than the impact of espionage. I myself lost confidence in online pvp back in the day around the late 90's due to all the cheating, and its only gotten worse. Why play ranked when it's become a joke, but At least back then you had to be a little tech savvy, now all you need is a credit card. Cheat Developers Punishing players only tackles one side of the problem. The real industry behind online cheating lies with the developers and sellers of cheating software. Many cheating programs today are sold as professional services, complete with subscription plans, customer support, and regular updates to bypass anti cheat systems. (I wont name any here, I'm not going to advertise them.) Some cheat developers make millions annually by selling hacks for titles like Call of Duty or Counter Strike. Cheats are often distributed across global networks, from small underground groups to polished storefronts. Many operate openly, betting on weak enforcement and the anonymity of the internet. If we're going to take cheating seriously, legal and financial pressure must target the source. Developers, publishers, and regulators should work together to: Criminalize cheat development and distribution. Seize profits from cheat software sellers, just as with piracy sites. Pursue civil lawsuits, as some publishers like Riot and Activision have done in the past. If nearly half of Battlefield 6’s beta player base can be caught cheating in a matter of days, then the current system is broken beyond repair. Anti cheat software fights the symptoms, but the disease is structural: no accountability in online gaming. A Gamer ID system won’t be perfect, but it could be the first real step toward restoring fairness, protecting communities, and maybe just maybe giving PvP skill a fighting chance again. Because right now, “It’s all skill, baby!” has never sounded more hollow.

The term PVP originated in MUDs, such as 1988 GemStone IV or 1989 Avalon: The Legend Lives. This was Pre-Internet as we know it today, but not for long. Avalon joined the Internet in 1994, along with another game that would rock the gaming world with it’s fast paced player vs player arena style combat. 1994 Doom 2 Cover art by Brom, depicting the Doomguy firing a shotgun at a Cyberdemon A first person shooter game with built in multi-player support over the Internet. Prior to this point multiplayer games were playable only on the same machine, local networks or peer-to-peer. Online pvp means playing against other players within a game on separate devices that’s connected through the Internet. This is a distinction that’s relevant to what we experience as PVP today. PVP for me growing up was very different. Prior to 1994 when modern pvp games began to emerge, There were two forms of gaming that offered player vs player experience. The first was the arcade, where teenagers could go challenge anyone and everyone alike on the latest Mortal Kombat, or Street Fighter games. Killer instinct would arrive in 1994 on the cusp of the end of an era. There's nothing quite like stepping up to an arcade machine glancing over to your opponent and inserting a quarter to challenge them. The second was couch battles, slapping in the newest fighting game on your Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis. These in my opinion, are the greatest forms of pvp. The odds are far more in your favor to be free of cheating or advantages. Between 1994 and 2004 there was an online boom in the gaming industry. Several games were released in two of the most popular gaming category’s, First person shooters, and Massively multiplayer online role playing games. FPS and MMORPG games would dominate the online space and revolutionize how we play games today. During the rise of the online gaming community’s, came another community that would lurk in the shadows behind every new game release. Starting with the front runner Doom 2. https://www.doom2.net/doom2/autoaim.html Doom 2 released May 5 1994 followed by one of, if not the worlds first Aimbot, The auto aim cheat for Doom 2 in Mid 1995. Quake released in 1996 and was followed by its own cheat known as the Stoogebot, created by students at the Stanford University Some of the oldest communities are still around today. Unknowncheats started off as early as 2000 at Geocities. Here’s a glimpse of them back then. For 6 years between 1994 and 2000 the cheaters went completely unchecked. The still ongoing cat and mouse game between Cheats and Anti- Cheats, would begin with the release of PunkBuster Anti-Cheat in 2000 by Tony Ray. He founded Even Balance due to his frustration with cheaters in Team Fortress Classic. So what is the point of PVP? In the real world it breaks down to skill vs skill. One player or team of players Vs another. A way of challenging ourselves through competition, and establishing that we are in fact “The Alpha”. Human nature though, is finical. We may desire to prove to the world that our skills supersede all others. However, We are also prone to taking every advantage available to us to avoid failure or humiliation. Even in the greatest sport known to man, Baseball. Players developed ways of gaining an advantage. Doctoring the ball with pine tar, spit, or spider Tack to alter the movement of the ball. Doctoring Bats, aka corked bat. Shaving and rolling to alter the performance of the bat. Sign stealing to gather intel about the other team, and the use of performance enhancing substances for greater ability. So if players are willing to find ways to “cheat” in a real world game with hundreds or thousands of people watching, with equipment inspections, and even drug testing. What chance do you have that little Timmy sitting in his moms dorm room isn’t loading up on the latest round of cheats for his favorite game. According to the Uberstrategist a recent global study by “YouGov” Shows 57% of gamers have used Cheats in either single-player or multiplayer Games. This of course is the players who are willing to admit it. it’s really no wonder so many players are cheating with how easy they are to find. A quick google search will turn up several sites providing cheats for your favorite game for a small fee. Cheats for; Call of duty, Rainbow six, Doom 2016, Counter strike 2 with no end insight. So how much skill vs skill is there in online gaming? Virtually none. There’s practically a zero percent chance that you're going to launch your favorite online PVP game, and get a true skill vs skill experience. For the following reasons; The availability of Aimbots and other Cheats. it’s just to easy with disposable accounts. The advantage or disadvantage between current Monitors. Your monitor will literally affect what your seeing on screen. A lower refresh rate will often show your opponents position incorrectly leaving you firing at ghosts. Imned 240HZ vs 144HZ vs 60HZ Test in CSGO For example a 60Hz monitor will have a refresh rate 16.67 ms of lag between what’s shown on your screen, while a 240Hz gaming monitor has 4.16 ms of lag between the updated screen. 3. Macros/Scripting. Even as far back as 1985 there was Borland SuperKey available to run a series of commands for us. Now we have AutoHotKey along with many Gaming mice and keyboards coming with built-in macro support. Then we have completely hands free commands with VoiceAttack. A great option for handicapped gamers in single player games, but a third arm in multiplayer. 4. Internet Lag. 100ms or less is considered acceptable. 20–40ms is optimal. 5. Now onto The human element, the one skill based element (measurable at least). Human reaction time. https://humanbenchmark.com lets look at an example scenario, This assumes players are not using any cheats. 1 second equals 1000ms. 240hz monitor Internet lag of 20ms(optimal) Monitor lag of 4.17ms Human reaction ranges 175–250ms Total reaction ranges 199.17–274.17 60hz monitor Internet lag of 100ms(acceptable) Monitor lag of 16.67ms Human reaction ranges 175–250ms Total reaction ranges 291.67 -366.67 291.67ms-366.67ms variance. A difference of 167ms or about 1/10th of a second. Doesn’t seem like a lot but when you take into consideration the difference between the top human reaction times (175ms) for pro’s and (250ms) for the Average player is a range of 75ms. The different in response time between having good Internet and computer hardware is easily double that at 167ms for a comparable average. Some gamers manage to have 5ms internet lag, and with 500hz monitors on the rise, the gaps between average setups and pro setups are vastly increasing. A gamers setup being independent of their skill, as in not related. Lets takes for example a pro player vs Average Joe this scenario. Both players see each other at the exact same time with perfect aim. Computer A has; 240hz monitor Internet lag of 20ms Monitor lag of 4.17ms Computer B has; 60hz monitor with acceptable Internet. Internet lag of 100ms Monitor lag of 16.67ms Average Joe player on computer A Total Reaction time 274.17 Before firing Pro player on computer B Total Reaction time 291.67 Before firing This shows there’s as much if not more of a difference between player skill as there is between hardware advantages. A difference that could turn the tide in favor of the average joe with pro gaming setup vs the pro with average setup. Then there’s the likely chance your opponent or opponents are using cheats. That chance isn’t limited to just the little Timmy’s of the world. Many Pro’s have been caught, here’s a couple example screenshots. Many Pro's have been caught, here's a couple example screenshots; Performance enhancing drugs, I know it seems weird right? performance enhancing drugs for video games? but its true, or at least the players believe in it. Adderall, reportedly is able to enhance focus and get you into the zone. Not sure how any anti cheat is going to catch that. So the next time your playing your favorite pvp game and take a bullet to the back, inside in an enclosed bunker spawn point, while your alone. Just remember. It’s all skill! Baby! For a deeper discussion on how gaming communities might use identity or classification systems to address these kinds of problems, see Maybe It’s Time for a Gamer ID System (free account required).

The vast majority of games around us are full of intense moments. However there lies a precious find that entices gamers to take a moment, unwind, and discover peace. Tranquil Bloom is its name, and It’s far from your typical game. It’s filled with soothing background music that enhances your atmosphere, allowing you to immerse yourself in a relaxing embrace of mind, body and spirit. Using a series of interconnected links the game triggers a captivating chain reaction. It’s simple, but effective. Click one link and watch the ripple effect, resulting in a joyful dance. The game’s music is a prominent aspect that contributes significantly to peaceful ambiance. Going beyond the usual gaming experience the game encourages relaxation, while leading players to enjoy the moment and appreciate the beauty of simplicity, as the game has a calming effect. It’s more than simply a game; it’s a digital retreat that offers relief from the stresses of everyday life.

It was 52 years ago when gambling games first appeared as a playable form of home entertainment on the Magnavox_Odyssey. The game was roulette, often packaged with the console. Roulette on Magnavox Odyssey The start of a new era had begun. It wouldn’t be long before the Atari 2600 would hit the scene in 1977, and with it the game Casino in 1979. An Atari game full of various card games often found in, you guessed it, casinos. ATARI 2600 Casino 1979 Over the next several years poker and other gambling games would be released on various consoles and eventually the Personal computer. Between 1972 and 2008 there was one theme that dominated the style of poker game that hit the market, immersive and backed by iconic players. At the height of this era was in my opinion the last great poker game to be released. World Series of Poker 2008: Battle for the Bracelets, narrated by Phil Hellmuth “The Poker Brat”. The game consisted of several game modes, including a training guide with Phil Hellmuth as your teacher. Box art for WSOP 2008 Battle for the bracelets The game is filled with famous personality’s in the poker world. All of which the player can play against in their own pursuit of the Bracelet. Annie Duke Chris Ferguson Clonie Gowen Cyndy Violette Dave Ulliott Erik Seidel Greg Raymer Joe Hachem Johnny Chan Josh Arieh Liz Lieu Mike Matusow Phil Gordon Phil Hellmuth Scott Fischman The presentation in this game was second to none. Your hands are narrated by Lon McEachern & Norman Chad, and it came with its own music video. Norman Chad & Lon McEachern Win a tournament and you’re treated to a behind the scenes tour by Phil Hellmuth showing you what a real life win would be like. A point of View video tour of the various places of luxury that comes from your wins. 1997 introduced the game Snake preloaded on the Nokia mobile phone as one of the earliest forms of mobile games. Over the next 10 years the mobile market would slowly gain ground in the gaming industry. However, Shortly before the release of WSOP 2008 battle for the bracelets, was the release of a new product that would forever change how poker games would be developed. On January 9, 2007 The first-generation iPhone was announced, and the mobile gaming sector would soon change the very idea of what it means to be a gamer. Soon the idiocracy crowd would join the ranks of those they once slandered as basement dwellers, nerds, and geeks. The mobile design has infiltrated a plethora of gaming genres with it’s invasive ideology, that manipulates players behavior using predatory psychology Tactics. Tactics, that ironically are also used in gambling establishments. Sensory Features Bright lights loud sounds that can promote risky decision-making. Color Schemes Red can evoke excitement and urgency. Green associated with money and luck. Physical Layout Casinos may have busy carpets, few windows, and no clocks. Making it easier to lose track of time and hard to relax. Social Influences The presence and behavior of other players can influence a player’s behavior, including NPC characters. Wins and Near-Misses Wins & Near-misses can create a surge of exhilaration leading to a desire to play more. Psychological Rewards Winning can induce adrenaline and dopamine creating false excitement, and social rewards like praise from other players, or even NPC characters. 1. General appearance and layout 2. Rebuys with real money for fake chips 3. Lack of the Poker-life experience 1. Appearance and layout Here's two modern examples of poker games found on PC using the mobile design. Jackpot Poker by PokerStars Jackpot Poker by PokerStars 2. Poker Championship Poker Championship 3. Modern WSOP Game https://www.wsop.com/ Now in comparison to WSOP 2008 Battle for the bracelets and World Championship Poker 2004 4. WSOP 2008 Battle for the bracelets 5. World Championship Poker 2004 World Championship Poker 2004 2. Rebuys with real money for fake chips One of the changes that's taken place over the years is the introduction of casino and poker games selling fake chips for real money. All the negative downsides to real gambling with zero benefits to the player. Worse yet, is there’s now an incentive to manipulate the table outcomes for the players. The developers are encouraged to create high stakes scenarios in order to get players to push their hands. Plausible but unlikely scenarios of two player having great hands simultaneously become the norm. An environment where the developer wins every time when players routinely go on tilt. In the real poker environment the house gets paid by the “rake” generally 2.5% to 10% of the pot in each poker hand. The house doesn't care who wins or loses, they get paid either way. 3. Lack of the Poker-life experience One of the attractions to poker games has been the immersion level of the games as they increased over the years. In WSOP 2008 Battle of the Bracelets you started off by creating your character, formally known as “The Rookie” at the tables. From there you engaged with the single player experience of working your way up through the career mode. Week after week in game you hit the tables for another chance at the bracelet. Between the career mode, Training courses, pop up advice videos from Phil and other pros. The game Immersed you in the poker experience for the one time cost of the game. You may be wondering; Are there any modern poker games that are worth playing? Unfortunately most modern poker and casino games today are carbon copy’s of the Mobile trash mentioned above designed to milk players wallets dry. However there are a couple that are mediocre. HD POKER HD POKER HD poker has decent gameplay, minimal “ads” to buy from the store, and overall is an “ok” experience. Unfortunately the “Buy Fake chips with real money” brings into question the suspicions high tension hands or “bad beats” in HD Poker. 2. Vegas Infinite by PokerStars Vegas Infinite by PokerStars Vegas Infinite is playable with and without a VR setup. Having played it in both, I would say I prefer the game without VR option. It’s nice to be in VR and be able to grab things, pick up your chips, toss your cards in to fold. However, it all feels a like a bit of a novelty. There a step learning curve to operating the game in VR, especially looking at your cards with out just picking them up. I should note I'm not a Veteran to VR games. Overall the VR experience just felt slower and more of a social hangout than a poker game. Interface aside, the game feels much like any other modern poker game that offers fake chips for real cash. So what can fix this problem? Unfortunately unless a AAA developer wants to make another great poker game with a career mode, training videos, with big names in poker as opponents ect.. We’re probably stuck with simple game designs, but one thing that can help is to eliminate real money transactions for fake chips. There’s no logical reason to include all the downsides of gambling when no benefits are allowed. When game company's can manipulate the outcomes of the cards to entice players to spend money getting chips, its a rigged game. I understand servers cost money, and a influx of funds is needed to maintain ongoing maintenance and other cost. Sell me avatars, cosmetics, playable locations ect.. but not Chips.

As a Member of the Gen X community, I can remember the days of watching free TV through TV antennas, also known as rabbit ears. During those days, we had no choice but to watch our favorite TV shows at a specific time slot. When It came time for a commercial break, it was time to run to the bathroom, or make a quick snack. Listening to the TV commercial in the background was a reminder of the short time you had left. It wasn’t until later in the early 90s when I was old enough to get cable TV. Ironically, even though I was paying for it now, I still had advertisements inserted in the TV shows. This was pre-Internet as we know it today, and those “breaks” were useful. Until early 2000s, this was the standard model of consumer to entertainment provider relationship. I, and probably the average consumer as well, may have been unaware of their own value. A value that clearly existed or the Advertisers would not have paid for our eyes to be on their product. Tivo Logo Inventions like Tivo, gave consumers options to view later and skip ads. Combined with the advancements of the Internet. Led to more people giving a greater part of their day consuming content. No longer was it a scheduled block of time to watch Babylon 5 and her hotness, who is Claudia Christian. I could now Tivo it and enjoy it with a cold drink after work. Claudia Christian from Babylon 5 As TV was dealing with TiVo interfering with ad revenue, the Internet was ramping up with Internet banners, pop ups, page hijackers, and worse, Malware. Consumers like myself got sick of it, leading to a war against intrusive advertisement. The installment of pop up blockers, and eventually to ad blockers in a variety of forms, disrupted ad revenue. Here's the thing. It’s understandable that creators and content providers, such as YouTube, need compensation for services rendered. It’s certainly not free to host videos, nor is it free to make such videos. But where is the line? When we think about the time it takes for someone to make a video, or craft a piece of art. It’s expected for the creators to include the cost of their time in the final product. When we get up and go to our nine to five daily job, we’re paid by the hour, usually. Salaried positions are more nuanced, but still you’re not supposed to be worked to the point you’re making less than minimum wage per hour. Though companies stretch the limits. There’s a saying that we’ve probably all heard in one form or another, “in my free time”. A phrase that shows a block of time that were not being paid, and thus free to do as we wish. A saying that universally means, “my time is money.” It feels like a strange twist when giving up our time becomes the payment for consuming content. So when the brave browser came out with an ad blocker, with the option to get paid to watch their ads, if and only if we wanted to, it got me to thinking. Why aren’t we paid to watch ads? It’s my time. You “the advertiser” have to be aware many people hate watching intrusive advertisements, as much as we hate our day jobs. Here's the thing, it’s really those intrusive ads that are hated. Sure, we may not enjoy watching any ad, but a little banner on a webpage or limited ad breaks don’t break our immersion as much. So it’s tolerable, and historically true, that the price of admission to free content is the consumption of advertisements. So why aren’t we paid to watch ads? Well, our time is money, as I mentioned. Here, it’s the value of our time that we used to complete the transaction in order to consume content. With brave, we’re paid specifically to watch an ad, and not receiving any content. A transaction with no middleman, such as a content creator. A system I would certainly sign up for if it was on a larger scale. I would even provide feedback if they desired it. So what is the value of our time? Let’s look at a few things. The minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour. The average length of a commercial is 30 seconds The average commercial time within an hour long video is 90 seconds. With there being 3600 seconds in an hour, and at the minimum rate of hourly compensation, the typical consumer in the US is spending on average 45 cent’s worth of their time to watch 3 ads in an hour long video. Compare that to the cost of a movie ticket and it’s really not that bad of a deal. Unfortunately, there’s an emerging trend to charge for the content, and still show ads. As a consumer, I’m more than happy to make sure the content creator gets paid for their effort, whether I watch ads, subscribe, or even contribute to the tip jar. I’m also more than happy to use an ad blocker when creators or content platforms get greedy. Additionally, when content becomes infested with ads, browser hijackers, and other such things as Malware. I can’t help but advocate for ad blockers. There’s a difference between paying dues to enjoy content and getting screwed over.