See the Alienware ad pictured here? It must be advertising a game with a bomb ass helicopter gunship, right? Wrong. This Alienware computer is not for games with bomb ass helicopter gunships. It's for the people who build and operate bomb ass helicopter gunships.

Click the picture to see it in extreme close-up. The ad is designed to entice the U.S. military to purchase the ultra-high-end gaming machine for purposes other than gaming.

When you think about it, it's a perfect way to get skittish teens to join military service. Join the Army and play your favorite video games on a machine with quad-core Intel Xeon processors with an Nvidia Quadro FX 3500 PCI Express 256MB graphics card. Oh, yeah, and build stuff to kill people who don't look like you.

And everyone wondered why Dell bought out Alienware. Here's your answer.

Finish What You Start...

Oooooh, Sony's gotta be a tad peeved on this one but just in case you missed it, DMC4 is going to be on the XB 360 as well as the PC.

That's gotta smart.

So remember back a few months ago when Capcom SWORE that it was going to be exclusive to the PS3. Like, the pinky swore to Sony and before God that it was going to never EVER going to have any other home than on the PS3. Well, they lied. They are dirty, rotten, skinky, [I mean in desperate need of a bath] liars... but that's a good thing. Why? Because, more DMC4 madness on more platforms means more likely to have an online component.

Can you imaging Dante and Nero and maybe even Virgil grudge matches over XBLive? What about those old mansion survival modes? Remember those? [I made it 35 levels once... once] Imagine rooms and rooms of those mansions filled with other Live players in a winner takes all type melee battle. Can't imagine it? I hope that Capcom does.

Finish What You Start...

Another Monday, another new episode of the Electric Sista Hood podcast. This time MagicMysticGrl and NinjaSistah go it alone to talk of things manwa and PC gaming in nature.

Well, not literally nature as is grass and trees and earth, but I'm sure you get the meaning. MagicMysticGrl shares some insights on the manwa title Can't Lose You by Wann which has the making of a great movie or at least daytime soap opera. Can't Lose You starts off like the Prince and the Pauper, but adds a layer of "say what?" and "you're related to who?" to keep the reader flipping through each volumes pages ferociously.

NinjaSistah kicks off the newly sponsored PC game title reviews thanks to Velocity Micro with, amazingly enough, World of Warcraft! Shame it had to be on a week where Pandalicious couldn't join the crew. If you want to know if WoW has a new addict fan or not, you're just going to have to give this episode a listen.

Submitted for your approval, is Episode 44: Pointing Out My Inadequacy.

Finish What You Start...

That's what we wondered when we first saw it. One thing we knew for sure was that it wouldn't comfortably fill any orifice that we had around the house.

Where did it come from? From the newest sponsor of the ElectricSistaHood podcast and website, the fine folks at Velocity Micro, makers of powerful PC gaming desktop and laptop computers.

Last week we received a test laptop from Velocity Micro, equipped with Microsoft Vista, so we could test out PC games for you on Microsoft's latest operating system.

Only there was just one little problem. The pictured plug here is what they sent to us in order to recharge the laptop battery. I don't know about you, but there's not a plug-in in all of Virginia that I know about that will accept this thing. So the Velocity Micro laptop remains unpowered.

We contacted the Velocity Micro folks, and they were very apologetic. They didn't know where the funny plug came from, but they assured us we would get another one in a day or two by mail...

...Only they sent it to Massachusetts instead (where Ninjasistah is spending time with her family). So the new plug is going the circuitous route from Richmond, Va. (where Velocity Micro is based) to Boston, Mass. and then back down to northern Virginia.

They don't know why we got the funny plug, either. They say they don't do any international units -- that all their units ship with a standard 3-prog plug.

The whole confusing situation should be ironed out in a few days, and you'll hear about our experience with this powerful Velocity Micro laptop and all the video games we try to run on a Windows Vista PC.

Finish What You Start...

The time has come for me to upgrade one of my gaming machines. My computer needed to be beefed up so I thought I’d give you a before and after look at the past and present of my PC transformation.

My computer has been in need of an overhaul for the longest time. I’ve just been putting it off because it has been getting the job done as far as gaming and internet browsing, so I saw no need to drop the cash on a better system. My GeForce 128MB MX 4000 PCI graphics card and 512MB of RAM was more than enough to keep World of Warcraft running decently and looking good on the Dell Intel Pentium 4, 2.20GHz processor, and 60gig hard drive kept the machine operating smoothly. It came with a 17” flat screen Dell monitor that looks pretty sweet.
I’ve had my eye on another MMORPG named Vanguard Saga of Heroes but after some research, I found that my system was barely meeting the minimum requirements to run it at a playable performance. After some research on some new parts, I found out that it would probably be cheaper (and safer) to purchase a new system rather than attempt to upgrade my current one.

As of last Friday, I am the proud owner of a Compaq Intel Pentium 4 3.00GHz processor with 1gig of RAM, 160gig hard drive, and a GeForce NX 6600 LE 256MB graphics card. This baby is running Windows Vista Ultimate and I’m loving it. I can’t believe I waited so long to get this done. As soon as I fired it up, I noticed the difference in video playback and internet performance. I was completely floored to notice the improvements in graphics when I booted up World of Warcraft on my Phillips/Magnavox 32” widescreen LCD HDTV monitor. The game was good-looking before, but now it’s absolutely gorgeous. The new MMORPG, Vanguard, installed and loaded up with no problems, but I’ll get into more details on that once I do my review of the game after the initial trial month.

Don’t get me wrong. I know that my new computer is nowhere near the top of the line uber systems that are on the market, but as for what I need out of a computer at the moment, this baby does deliver. I look forward to bringing you more gaming, anime, and gadget news from this machine and to all of those who are unfortunate to come across me in WoW PvP Battlegrounds now, I only have these words for you.

YOU BETTER RUN AND HIDE, ARTARDS!!

Finish What You Start...

Judging by the expression on this woman's face, she is having the time of her life. Obviously, it is the result of what she is viewing on the Icuiti video eyewear. See if you can guess what she is watching:

A. The L Word
B. Apple's latest "I'm a Mac" ad on TV
C. A giant fort of unsold PlayStation 3 consoles at Best Buy
D. Porn
E. Nothing at all -- she's a model, dammit!

The answer, of course, is E. A woman who looks like that wouldn't be caught dead wearing a plastic pair of wraparound shades connected to a video game (as you can see from the expanded view below).

The nerdy guy also portrayed on this page? His expression is much more believable. The device, called the iWear VR920, purports to let you "step inside" the game via a "3-degree-of-freedom head tracker."




Icuiti is marketing the device for players of MMORPG games like World of Warcraft, but it can also play on consoles, according to the accompanying literature. Here are some other features of the device:

• Designed for use with a laptop or standard PC through a simple USB and VGA connection
• Big 62-inch virtual display viewed at 9 feet
• Built-in noise canceling microphone for Internet VOIP communications
• Integrated “non-dangling” headphones that can be upgraded or removed to allow the user to plug in their own headset
• Supports component video-in from the latest generation of game consoles

We've seen lots of virtual video headsets over the years and none have yet caught on in the gaming world. Will the iWear VR920 catch on? Not as long as it makes you look like Geordi LaForge hanging out at the beach.

Finish What You Start...

Holiday Hardware Guide by Geek Woman

If you are looking for some shopping advice on game hardware for the female, or male, gamer on your list then hopefully this article will help you understand it all. The location that is preferred for a game environment is an important choice to be aware of if you are shopping for games and accessories for your gamer. Games come in three basic types which are the PC, Console or Handheld. I'm going to try and give you the keys to the kingdom of the consoles.

First of all "What is a game console?" These are a box like machine that you attach to a TV set. Games are played with a controller that is held in the hands and effects the action on the screen. These have indeed been around since Pong and Pac Man, and if that is where you left the game trail, then you might be glad to know that those old school or retro games are still offered, in game packs and collections. Sometimes they have been updated and upgraded. If you want to pick up something like that for a gift you need to know the brand name and the model of the console or game device that your gamer has. Write it down and take it with you when you go shopping.

Some people opt for playing games on their PC rather than on the television. It seems that older people and women are the dominant demographic that enjoy using the PC for gaming. PC game - play are very popular for playing the massively multiplayer online games or MMOG's. Games such as World of Warcraft or Guild Wars are played on a PC with a keyboard and mouse. These games enable the player to interact with thousands of other players. Some of them also include the ability to talk to the other people while you are playing with them. Thought those features have been developing more slowly on PC. If your friend is playing an MMO there aren't many additional accessories for those. If they are a Guild Wars Player they may not have the new chapter called Nightfall which is a great game to add to the original Guild Wars or to buy it as a stand alone game. There are the Limited Edition Keyboards that are available for the MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing) games that are good looking and work well which are sold by a company called Zboard. Zboards

Perhaps the best way to determine what console to buy is to go by the age of the person who will be playing it. Right now there are three "next gen" consoles. Last year in November Microsoft upgraded their hardware and it is called the Xbox 360. It has mid - range graphics. There are over 100 games available for it at this time. The games are mainly of the first person shooter type or FPS and sports games. If you have heard of Halo 2 and Gears of War, or Oblivion those are titles for the Xbox 360. These games are for a mature crowd. The action is fast paced and bloody. Often the most popular games for the "360" carry a "T" for Teen or an "M" for Mature rating. Those ESRB ratings mean that Teens of 17 and 18 years old and above are the recommended age limit. These ratings can mean that there could be language or behaviors that some people would consider too crude for younger kids. It is no joke either. If you have a mix of older and younger kids in the house, the choice of games is crucial and requires your attention as much as monitoring what movies on DVD or cable that your younger kids could get into.

With Xbox the online aspect is called Xbox Live. A paid subscription is required for this additional service. With the online feature more games and demos are available to download directly into the console. The console can be bought with one of a few choices of hard drive size for saving downloadable games and other functions. Xbox Live gives players access to playing with many other players at the same time. It isn't 'massively' multiplayer as it is with with PC. Although large groups of strangers can interact with each other in an open ended party - line conversation. There are over 4 million users on Xbox Live. Xbox Live has something of a reputation for "Trash -Talking" which in short, means that a player that is wearing the headphones is opening themselves up to the possibility of hearing unkind and curse word laced tirades about the flaws in their game from other players. There is no one monitoring these conversations and there is no one censoring what the others could be saying. Because of this tendency, I would not recommend the Xbox 360 for little girls or young women under 18.

Costs for the annual subscription is approximately $50 US, its called Xbox Live Gold which includes voice chat, and Xbox Marketplace for gamers to buy and sell content. Sometimes original games, and old school arcade titles are downloadable. Xbox 360 works on HD TVs. They claim to have 250 old Xbox or "original Xbox" games that will play on the new console. Be careful to look up a list online for games that are called "backwards compatible" prior to inserting an old Xbox game into the Xbox 360. The digital media that it plays are DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA CD, MP3 CD, JPEG Photo CD.

Microsoft has two variations of Xbox 360 available for sale. One has the Xbox 360 faceplate, and a Silver Xbox Live package, $300 known as a core package, that comes with one wired controller, standard A/V cable, and the console. The Gold package is required to actually play online games. There is a $400 system with a 20 GB hard drive, Xbox 360 Remote Controller, High Definition TV component cables, Xbox 360 headset and a wireless controller.

Next the Playstation 3 was released last week the manufacturer's suggested retail price is between $600 and $700 dollars US. It has been in the news and has gotten some bad press. Most of the incidents involved mismanagement of the long lines of people who were camping out to be able to get the very low quantity of these premium machines that were produced. One Massachusetts man was shot in a hold up of a line of customers waiting outside a store in Putnam Connecticut. The gunmen were attempting a hold up when this man refused to pay them. Because Sony was not able to make enough of these complicated advanced machines to fulfill the demands for them, it created chaos in several ways.

In the past Playstation 2 has been the most popular gaming console in the US with the most millions sold. Perhaps Sony should have waited to launch the sale until they had more of them ready. The PS3 Platform plays a few more accessories peripherals than the 360. It also boasts to be the most graphically advanced system. The new Blu-Ray Disc™ is a type of High Definition disk for playing movies that is supposed to be the future of disk published media. The way that DVD's replaced VHS a few years ago. The PS3 has what is called a SIXAXIS™ wireless controller that interacts with the screen in a close to 3D experience. You can use your Playstation 3 with High-Definition displays as well as conventional or standard TVs. It comes with either a 20GB or 60GB removable hard disk drive (HDD). The thousands of PS One® and PS2 PlayStation®2 games as well as CDs and DVDs are useable on the PLAYSTATION®3. The thing supposedly plays just about everything including some digital photo cards.

The PS3 has online capabilities including multiplayer gaming, text and video messaging, voice chat, downloading content and browsing the web. Even though the PS3 has impressive technical specifications, you may not be able to get one for the December holidays. It could be a moot point until sometime next Spring. There are over inflated PS3 prices on ebay, and buying those is not only exorbitantly expensive, but could be risky as well.

The PLAYSTATION®3 is available in two configurations with either the 20GB hard disk drive or the 60GB HDD. Some PlayStation 2 or PlayStation format software titles may perform differently on the system than they do on the native systems for example the PS3 doesn't support a vibration controller.

Then last Sunday the offering of the first Nintendo Wii consoles' launch was a 1960's "Love In" where the people in lines waiting were exchanging free hugs, ordering lunch for each other and playing games together. Something can be said about the two different types of people that were attending these launch parties. For the most part the Nintendo Wii draws a younger crowd and is most popular with younger kids and people that enjoy Nintendo's cute and quirky games.

There are approximately 50 games for the Wii, and we are told that there will be enough of the consoles to go around. Nintendo and developers seem to be in a rush to create new games for this innovative new product. Nintendo wanted to bring gaming to everyone, and has many titles that are rated for all ages and for kids. They went one more step and made a controller that is supposed to be easier to pick up and play since it is designed to resemble a television remote controller. You play with two hands and the actions resemble the actual movements of slashing a sword or driving. The remote is used as a handheld pointing device and can detect motion and rotation in three dimensions . The controller set called the "nun-chucks and wii-mote" interact with a sensor strip that you placer near your TV for a realistic complete 3D experience. A one-handed controller that uses a combination of accelerometers and infrared detection in conjunction with the sensor bar to sense its position in 3D space. Some people have found the workout to be a bit strenuous

The Nintendo Wii is not all things to all people the way that the other two consoles are attempting to be an all around media hub that takes the place of all the other components in your home entertainment center. What the Wii does do is add another level of fun and mirthfulness back into games. The unique controller has been a big hit so far and has gotten high marks from every reviewer. It is rare for something so gimmicky and unusual to get such a unanimous welcome from the jaded and snarky gaming community. People that have the 360 are getting the Wii too because it is like the apples and oranges in the PC world yet again.

The Wii is an ideal choice for a household with older and younger kids, seniors, and for the homes that do not have a High Definition TV set. Those aren't interested in the more mature titles, and those chat capabilities that are for adults or older kids can have a fairly safe online experience with the privacy and Friend policies from Nintendo. The console also features its own online service WiiConnect24 , which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet. The Wii console won the Game Critics Awards for Best of Show and Best Hardware. The console has a few kid safety features such as parental controls to prohibit younger kids from playing the wrong games. It reads the content rating and won't play games that are not set to the right age level.

The number of Wii consoles that will be available in the Americas during the launch rollout are expected to meet demand and sales of 4 million consoles worldwide by the end of 2006 are anticipated. The company affirmed that they "are working to ensure a plentiful supply and a consistent flow."

The launch Wii package includes the console, a stand to allow the console to be placed vertically, a circular clear stabilizer for the main stand, one Wii Remote, one Nunchuk attachment, one Sensor Bar, a removable stand for the sensor bar, one external main power adapter, AV cables (component video and other type of cables will be available separately), and a copy of Wii Sports in the US and Canada. The Wii console is the smallest home console unit of the three contenders and the least expensive at $250. US. The front of the console features a slot-loading media drive lit up by a by distinct blue light and it accepts both Wii software and discs from Nintendo's prior console, the Game-Cube. They are telling us that it is fully backwards compatible with all the Previous Game Cube games.

Additionally the interface for the console is designed around the concept of television channels, with a Wii Menu. Nintendo will not charge fees for playing games from the service. Channels are graphically displayed, and are navigated using the point of the Wii Remote. They are the Disc Channel, Mii Channel, News Channel, Forecast Channel, Photo Channel, Wii Shop Channel, Internet Channel. The Virtual Console Channel is basically an “online service, similar to Xbox Live Arcade. The Nintendo DS will be able to play game demos downloaded from the Wii console which gamers would receive from Nintendo, similar to a DS Download Station. Gamers can download retro games not only for the NES, Super NES, and Nintendo 64, but also Sega’s Genesis, NEC’s TurboGrafx-16 and others. The Wii has average graphics and only a 512 MB built-in flash memory, expansion is available via SD card memory, up to 2 GB max. It will take Game-Cube Memory Cards for saving GCN games only.

In addition to the larger game consoles or PC games that you find at home, mobile games have become very popular. The Nintendo DS is a hand held, rechargeable dual screen portable game system. It comes in a variety of colors and it is pocket sized. It is the most popular handheld game console, which easily buried the competition, which were the Sony PSP and the N-Gage. it has continued to hold the record for the most units sold just as the Game Boy has for years. It comes in two sizes. The original unit that made its debut last year, is referred to as the 'NDS' and it can play both the library of Game Boy Advance games as well as games for the DS. The DS Lite is a smaller sleeker version of the same DS machine, but it smaller and does not have the additional slot for the GBA games. You can find several reviews and editorials about the DS right on this website. Nintendo DS and the Wii are expected to have a type of connectivity to use functions like the Nintendo DS's microphone and touch-screen as inputs for Wii games like Pokémon Battle Revolution. It is expected that all of Nintendo's huge repertoire of well known game franchises, such as Zelda, Metroid, Mario, Animal Crossing, and Pokémon will come to the Wii in some form.

For very tiny kids and toddlers Leapster has the education interactive toys for under $100 Leapster

For an easy comparison chart you can check out Gamefly. They have a chart showing the three consoles. The Nintendo Wii, the Xbox 360, and the Playstation 3. Renting games or giving a Gamefly subscription is a good gift idea.

For a stocking stuffer I recommend Geek Woman's Game Guide 2006

Finish What You Start...

In case you hadn't picked up on it before, I am a hardcore gamer. Gamer to the core. I saw this proudly, if there was a patch that said "Gamer to tha Core" I'd have it on every pair of jeans and t-shirt I own.

Have I played every game on the planet? No. I don't own a PC to play any PC games on, I haven't even installed World of Warcraft trial that I've been given. So you might ask, on just what grounds I can state that I'm a hard core gamer. It's because I take gaming very, very seriously.

I care about the well being of my consoles... they are my ticket to a momentary vacation from reality when I need it. As such, I have to make sure that they stay clean, safe, and in proper working order at all times. To help make that happen, I have done something that I think any gamer worth their salt needs to do: I have all of my important gaming related electronics on Uninterruptible Power Source backups. That's UPS' for the uninitiated. A little too nerdcore for you? Well it shouldn't be. A UPS is the best way to show your deep admiration for games and I'm going to explain why.

Nothing will fry your gaming box faster than a power surge. Having your system on a surge protector is a good start, but it may not be enough to save that HD drive if the power surges while you're in the middle of a hot and heavy capture the flag match. Many people know that it's a good idea to have your computer on a UPS to make sure you don't toast the machine that has a lot of your sensitive data on it... well, your console is at it's core, just another computer, so why would you treat it any differently than your bill-paying box? You shouldn't, and from now on your won't. Seriously, go home tonight, and tell your consoles you are not going to treat them like second class citizens in your home any longer.

Ok, all jokes aside, it's really a good idea to put your consoles on a UPS system, especially if you have more than one active gaming console in your home. But don't stop at your console, think whole picture. In my gaming rig, which I am slowly but surely tricking out, I have my 42 inch LCD, digital cable box, XB360 and PS2 on a UPS battery backup. Some people might think this is overkill but let me explain. In a previous rig setup I have everything including my wireless router on a surge protector. It was a very highly rated surge protector, so I felt comfortable in the knowledge that my electronics would not be fried like an egg in a skillet. Then the lightning storm hit, and my surge protecting surge protector FRIED my wireless router like a shot of H to the head. Fuck! Then I called the manufacturer, no replacement coming... didn't matter that it was on a surge protector. "You should have put it on a battery backup..." was the line I was given. That's when I had my "ah doyee" moment. It's all going on UPS systems.


I stress to all of you, put your systems on UPS battery backups... but do the research first. Find out what the energy requirements of the systems and TV in your rig that you are going to put on the UPS and then find the UPS that will support that requirement with ease. For instance, many battery backup systems have a certain amount of outlets that run off the battery, and some that are merely surge protected. I purchased the Belkin F6550-AVR system for my rig because it offered 4 outlets that were surge protected plus battery backed up, and then 2 more outlets that were just surge protected. This covers my main systems. I then bought an additional F6550 unit for the AV rack that houses my PS2, Wii, and wireless router. In this way, if the power goes out, I have plenty of time to safely save my games, power down my systems... no fried electronics... and all at about the cost of a new game. Not a bad deal, If I say so myself. If they could, my consoles and TV would thanks me.

Every major electronic system in the house is on a Belkin or APC UPS backup system. I've opted to not go with some systems that say they are specifically designed for the consoles themselves because they are designed specifically for that one system. Many of those systems are in the same form factor as the console itself, and are meant to rest underneath the system. For my rig space, this does not work. It would mean a single back up for each system and a power outlet for each. Unfortunately for me I don't have 6 outlets on the wall where my rig is, so this is an unfeasible option for me, and I think for many other people.

I am hardcore. I am gamer to tha core. Are you?

Finish What You Start...

In today's news:

• Sony shoots off mouth
• Midway shoots wrestling fans
• Philips shoots light and wind at gamers
• Shoot, I'll go to this kind of prom
• Shooting silver bullets

Should you wait on a PS3? Sony says so! The following doesn't come from a fanboy site -- it comes from the New York Times, who spoke to Nobuyuki Oneda, Sony's chief financial officer: "Mr. Oneda said he expects the company to mark down PlayStation 3 prices in 2007 once the supply problems are solved." See? Even Sony thinks the PS3 is priced too high.

Midway shoots wrestling fans: If you were at a pro wrestling match in Orlando Monday night, you might be immortalized in an upcoming video game. The staff of Midway Games filmed crowd footage and recorded noise and chants for the upcoming debut Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling video game. According to PWInsider.com, "The level of detail (in the game) was said to be so precise you could see a scar on (wrestler A.J.) Styles' lip that he suffered from a Samoa Joe bout."

Philips' amBX immerses you in game: Know how Philips' Ambilight washes the wall behind the TV screen in a light whose color is complimentary to what's currently on the screen? Now imagine that along with sattelite lights, sounds, wind and rumble features for your keyboard and your wrist. It's called amBX and is due out early next year for PC games. To get everything will set you back $399 and requires games that are specifically coded for amBX to get the full effect, but if it catches on, it's gonna be hot. Ryan Kim of the San Francisco Chronicle played around with it a little and says, "It makes games seem a little more cinematic and full. And when done right, a software developer can use the lights to help cue players as to where to go by lighting up one light."

Kids bored with prom come up with anime theme: The teen services director of the Tecumseh District Library in Michigan was listening to kids in the library's anime club talking about the prom. "They didn't know if they were going," she said, "because it's the same all the time." That gave her the bright idea of incorporating an anime theme in a prom party. According to the story in the Tecumseh, Mich., Herald: "Attendees were encouraged to come dressed as their favorite anime character.... Regular prom traditions were preserved, including the crowning of a king and queen. In a wry spoof on the royalty ritual, the crowns were cardboard and came from Burger King."

Trinity Blood: Chapter 1: In the distant future after the destruction brought about by Armageddon, the war between the vampires and the humans continue to persist. In order to protect the humans from the vampires, Vatican has to rely on other allies to counter the situation. The protagonist, a priest called Peter Abel Nightroad, travels through the countries as a representative for the Vaticans. However, he is also part of "Ax", a special operations group controlled by the Cardinal Catherina. His encounter with a young girl called Esther will determine the struggle and survival between the human race and the vampires. So there.

Finish What You Start...

A short while ago I was talking with Pandalicious about gaming and the conversation got very interesting. By the end, we were both in agreement that gaming [on the whole] is incredibly enjoyable and should be a national past-time type of thing. But something from that conversation always nagged at me... it was a question that would bubble up to the front of my mind from time to time, making me question my own gamer-geekdom:

Am I missing out on something huge because I do not play games on the PC?

I need to give you just a little bit of history in order for you to appreciate the question... all of my life I have been a console gamer. The first system I remember owning was an Intellivision and ever since then it's been one console or another... from NES to XB360 [and damn near everything in between] I've always relegated my video gaming to a console machine. This is not because I hate PC's [I don't] but I've always thought or had the mind set that a personal computer is for work and a console is for gaming. I have several computers in my home and they are all production machines. By production I mean they are machines that I use for design work or video editing. While all of my machines are powerful enough to play games I do not have the luxury of allotting hard disk space, memory resources, or updates to games that may interfere with my machines running at top speed. I can't let anything mess with my money, or ability to make money to be more specific, so I do not game on any of them.

Pandalicious will tell you that there are a lot of PC games that she owns, plays, and enjoys on a regular basis. Many of these titles are games I have never played... I wouldn't be able to pick out a screenshot of Diablo if you paid me to, nor would I be able to isolate out from a group of screenshots which Civilization game was which. But as our video gaming conversation went on, I started thinking to myself that maybe I was missing out on a good gaming experience. There have been a bunch of titles that I have seen on the PC that I think are interesting, so lack of content hasn't kept me away... PC titles are no more expensive than their console counterparts, so I don't think that has anything to do with my non-pc-gaming-ness either. I think it's partly fear of the unknown and lack of a gaming machine that keeps me away from PC gaming.

I say fear of the unknown because I don't really know much about PC video gaming at all. The people that I do know that play these games usually only share with me their horror stories... some patch install gone horrendously wrong, or game saves corrupting or disappearing, not stuff to get me all excited about getting in on the scene that's for sure. So fear of getting into software that I have no previous experience with is unsettling... if I get that Guild Wars game will I really be able to find the help I need if I get lost somehow? I think not knowing the answer to that or at least not having an idea about the answer to that makes it easier for me to justify staying away from PC gaming altogether. Add to that the fact that I would still have to keep my production machines clean and the idea of bringing in another machine just for gaming becomes a hard pill to swallow because I couldn't just get a run of the mill machine... I would have to get a supped-up boom-phatty of a laptop to game on.

I say laptop because I like being mobile with entertainment, but from the things I've read [from places like EGM, IGN, or CGM] to really have an enjoyable computer gaming experience you need a bad-assed machine... this means heavy hitting processor chips, high, high-end graphics card with lots of onboard memory, a couple of gigs of the high end computer ram, and a big ol' 7200rpm hard drive. My heart start palpitating when I start thinking about getting a mobile machine that can meet those specs... coming up with that extra cash, just for a gaming machine, just never seems to make enough sense to me. I try and I try, but I guess because I just have never had an all consuming "this is the greatest thing ever" experience previously on a PC with gaming [which I freely admit was waaay back in the day] I end up convincing myself to not get into it... one of those "better the devil you know..." kind of deals I guess.

But every so often, the conversation and question pop back into my mind because I feel like I might be missing out on something. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel like there are people getting to experience some things in a way I can't which makes it hard for me to relate to them. I've only ever been to one LAN party, and I didn't even play, I just watch other people play because I didn't know the game... and it makes me a little sad. But I just don't have enough of a "sad feeling" to justify getting a PC just so I can play games.

What do you think?

Finish What You Start...