Teh Chick Gamer

    This is my blog, which generally includes rants about video games and random bullshit. My name is Abigail Vernon. All pieces are original work unless it's cited otherwise. In no way is this website to be taken seriously.

 Contact:

AIM: tehchickgamer

msn: teh_chick_gamer@hotmail.com

myspace: www.myspace.com/heyitsabigail

    I myself, am an avid gamer. Obviously. I respect and appreciate good games and more importantly the consoles I play them on, on even an artist level. Which is where this rant begins- with my epic distaste for Sony and the PS3. it's starts off on the company level. One- In Europe, Sony placed a billboard up advertising the new PSP white, as opposed to the black. On the billboard, it showed a white woman holding a black woman by the throat, a raged look on her face. The black woman's face displayed fear, obviously show casing the white woman's "supremacy." In no way shape or form can I reason that this is not racist. Below I've placed a picture of the billboard, the black woman is relatively hard to see so I've out-lined her in read. Sorry for the inconvenience. 

Second: Stolen technology. Hey, you know rumble right? Yeah! The thing that vibrates with your Nintendo products! Guess what? Sony tried to steal rumble technology, only to be sued for some million dollars. Immersion, a company that works for Nintendo owns the rumble feature that Sony called "Dual Shock." The were forced to halt sales on the PS2 Sony product until they could remove the stolen technology that they claimed to have a patent for. (Obviously the lost that battle in court.) 

 Thirdly: Batteries recall. Sony recalled their laptop batteries for some minor errors. Later, the re-sent "new and improved" batteries to their laptop costumers. Unfortunately, these batteries had a larger problem- they blew up. Not only is this an obvious health hazard, it's ridiculous. When the fail replacement...fails, doesn't that say something about the company it's self? The quality of all their products? Now I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to buy any sort of product from a Company who one- is racist and openly so. Two, steals technology from other companies, and three- doesn't even put the energy into pleasing their costumers. 

A forth point: Price. Did you know, the Ps3 was $600 when it first came out? Isn't that a bit ridiculous? I mean, sure it has blue ray- but if you already have an HD TV- then that's a complete waste.  The average console gamer is between 13-23, I don't really know many high school students or college students who could put down $600 at any given time for a game console. if you buy a product that is so expensive, how is one supposed to afford games for it as well? Games range from 40-60 dollars. That's a large hunk of change for a teenager/someone in their early twenties. Which leads to our next point...

Manufacturing games. Hey- I love The Metal Gears Solid series, really...I do. Unfortunately MGS4 was only available on  the PS3. Of course, I bought it and played it at a friend's house. And was extremely disappointed. It was a fantastic game! However Sony completely half ass-ed the PS3 features on it, bypassing them for good graphics. Who cares about the graphics is the game is shit? And who wants to buy a product from a company who puts the consumer's satisfaction at a low priority?

And my last point. Service and fan base.  I once emailed a question to the Sony tech support about a problem I was having with my PSP. (which I've retired) I was transferred to 3 different departments until they found the one that they thought could handle my question. Unfortunately, the out-come was a foreign person who barely spoke English calling me and telling me they no-longer handled that "dated" technology in my PSP. They couldn't figure out what was wrong with their very own product? What is that? Not only were the continuous emails and transfers tedious, I was also never apologized to once. I was treated like a second-class human being. The experience was most certainly below my expectations for any company as large as Sony.

In conclusion, I suppose I am just ranting with out a cause nor objective about the problems i've had with the company. Hopefully things look up soon- because there are some great games coming out for the PS3.

Abigail Vernon

Tehchickgamer

Teh_chick_gamer@hotmail.com

    Disclaimer- This piece of writing is NOT mine. It belongs to a dear friend of mine, Brendon Abbl, one of the most dedicated gamers I know. He is mentioned else where in the site. This piece of writing is his, and I deeply admire it. I did ask for consent, and such was granted to use it on my web-site. I strongly encourage you to check out his page and blog, he has many great opinions on games. Brendon Abbl's Website.

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V.1.0

Now, I've gotten too much shit from people that insult and laugh at me when I state that interactive entertainment (video gaming) is the prime form of art, surpassing that of Music, Movies, Literature, and Pictures/Paintings.

So this blog is for all you non-believers.

All art begins with a thought and/or a story. And art is designed as something that can teach another way of thinking, as well as giving a different way to speak at the same time.

In which case, art is presented to an audience. An audience can enjoy and appritiate art as much as they want.

When it is a picture, it is viewed, and can leave an impression. Very basic.

When it is music, it is listened to, and the audience lets the sounds envoke emotions.

When it is literature, it is read, and the audience follows the story.

When it is a movie, it is watched, and it is followed and more emotions evoked as if combining literature and music.

But what do these all have in common?

It never changes. The first experience is the best, but every time an audience returns, they experience the exact same thing, nothing has changed about it. It is repetitive, and will continue no matter how much is it loved or loathed.

So how can art take one step further?

How can art combine the emotions of music, the depth of litterature, the realism of film, and the beauty of picture? And how can it captivate an audience to the point where it is different upon each visit? And how can it be able to bring the audience inside of it, make the audience more than a simple audience, but rather a character that directly affects the art itself?

Thanks the the digital age, the answers to all of those questions have been unmasked. Video Games.

Art is at it's prime when playing video games. No other form of media can indulge a person more than this.

Video Games require the audience to become active and put there selves into it. It challenges the audience physically, and mentally. No other form of art, not even music, can push a human so far in terms of concentration, patience, and dedication. I repeat, music can be no where near as challenging in those terms, because music is constant. You start small, and continue to grow in skill. Music is music, and will stay the same. Video Games are ever changing. When one thinks that they have performed a great feat in puzzle solving, newer, larger, more complex puzzles that have never even been fathomed before, will approach. Music, nor any other form of art, could never present such feats.

It is a means of teaching one how to coordinate their body and mind, make them work as one. To complete tasks in various games, input is needed from the audience. The eyes must watch the action, to tell the brain how to get through, which in turn needs the speed of the hands to be able to execute said actions. The mind will get so wrapped up into trying to defy the odds, that it will block out the rest of the world. It throws the player into the games universe to the point where the game cannot litterally continue without the prowess of the player.

Because gaming is a challenge, it is open to any one person, no matter their race, gender, social stereotype, age, or what-have-you. In the world of video games, all are welcome. It is an art that can bring any two people together. No other form of art can do that on such a universal level. It's just on par with sports, when it comes to challenging others. With literature, there are different styles that not all enjoy. Same applies to pictures/painting. Music and movies have various genres that not all enjoy.

Though there are a vast array of genres in Video Games, it is all played the same. It's always the same challenge. Take arcades for example, not everyone is going to enjoy a game that requires the player to shoot at monsters, perhaps they enjoy dance games? But the fact that they have to hold the controller the same way as anyone else shows that it is made for everyone. Just because the opponent has more experience in the game doesn't mean it's a total loss. It's almost like gambling, taking a chance for victory, challenging yourself to go beyond your limits, to experience new worlds.

Thus, gaming is so diverse for anyone's personal taste, yet it's open and welcomes anyone to join the fun.

Video Games are a combination of all other forms of art, as well. It is the best of every world. The style of pictures are put into worlds to give a sense of humanity and realism to the audience, with colors, textures, and shapes. The style of film is implemented to surpass that of standard movies, using all the same ideas, such as actors portraying characters, cinematography to move the in-game cameras around to help or heed the player in their quest, special effects to bring action to real life. The style of music is at large to bring on the mood to the audience, sound effects to make everything else jump out. And literature is stirred in so as to bring a story and a reason to the audience to do what needs to be done, to bring life to the worlds and characters.

Where other pieces of art are limited in themselves, Video Games bring in everything to breath life onto itself, and to bring the audience into it more than anything else.

In closing, I advise you to step into the world of interactive entertainment. As proven above, there is no other form of art or media that can indulge you more than them. It combines any kind of art into one to bring you into it's world to experience stories and emotions moreso than anything else. Video Games are continuing to grow, continuing to challenge the audience, and becoming better by the week. You can never be the best gamer, because there are always new games and new and different ways to play. Challenge yourself, and at the same time, let your mind relax and escape from this chaotic world. Go play some games.

-Brendon 'Casval' Abbl

    Again I state, this is NOT my work, this belongs to Brendon. His link is at the top of this article, I strogly encourage you to check his page out. (Also, on another note, he'd like me to add that this isn't the complete nor finished product, he may add and revise later. If such happens, I may update it.)

 
     Hello there. So, in Myspace's desperate attempt to continue to beat out Facebook, they did a completely original and unexpected thing. They copied them! Myspace has now added applications. Not only are they extremely similar to Facebook's, they are Facebook's. They are, quite literally, copied.

   This just goes to show, that not unlike McDonald's, Myspace should require a high school diploma.