Joystick

I bet 3 bucks that I can make you read some of this magazine...I WIN!!!!

Joyst ck Magaz

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═══► Table of Contents ══► ═► pg.3.Game Over ► ═►pg.4-5. Erasing the E-Rating ══► ═══►pg.6. Lame-o-Halo ════►pg.7 Which System Matches You ═════► ══════►pg.8-11. Videogame adiction ═══════► ══════►pg. 12-13 Perfect System ═════► ════►pg.14-15 Death of the Desktop ═══► ══►pg.16-17 Surviving Monster Hunter ═► ►pg. 18-19 An Insiders Guide to Video Games ═► Joystick Magazine ══►pg. 20 Biographies.

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pg.2 Joystick Magazine

By: George Chen Art By Ian Willms

Game Over

Increasing amouts students have been distracted from their schoolwork. The culprit is a new cult known as online gaming.

Also it is a very large distraction for kids to do A pandemic has hit the world. This pandemic home work while beside them is their bigger than aids, SARS, and cancer combined. Its favorite online game. killed more people than Godzilla. This pandemic The final and most serious reason can only be known as online gaming. Online gamwould be death. The final and most ing has stormed across America and left its horserious reason would be death. rible teachings behind. Many people have fallen ill caused by video games are 100% and even died. Online gaming is an issue that is more than deaths caused by people overlooked but really is something that must be dressing as pirates and going ARtended to.

GGGH. You probably ask how people One reason why online gaming should be cared to is that it is die from games. The way it works is dangerously addictive. Me being a victim of the pandemic I should that the game digs into your mind know. The games cause you to forget about time and can have you and makes your head explode. Or the playing for hours. There is one case in the city of Hyrule, young Link people just die out of lack of eating, was found unconscious with the game legend of Zelda online up. sleeping, or just not talking to people According to him he had been playing for 90 days straight with out in real life. sleep or any outside contact. There are many other cases like this Many children say that games won’t Another reason is the fact that online gaming can cause a decline take over their lives and that they can in grades and can cause children to fail classes. The time it takes quit anytime they want. But games to keep up with a game can ruin your schedule and make you loose can be like cigarettes, its easy at first time that can be used in studying. to quit but later on it gets harder. The only difference is that there aren’t any patches for gaming.

This pandemic continues to grow constantly and threatens to consume the lives of many adults and children. All the time the online games will control the nerd society and more, and will lead them to their anti social deaths.

This pandemic must be tended to. And although it seems there will be no end to it, we can at least hold it back until they come out with gaming patches or something. Take away the internet, burn your Childs computer, or just tie their hands down. This crisis can never be solved without the power of the people.

Viva la revolution!

Joystick Magazine pg.3

M

Erasing the E Rating By: Austin Le Any parents often buy a boxed game for their children, not because the children ask for it, but because the boxes have the label “ESRB Rated- E” meaning that it is appropriate for children of all ages. However, the true meaning of this rating, from the media-awareness.ca is actually “Everyone rated games have content that may be suitable for persons ages six and older. •••

Titles in this category may contain for the designers and companies to minimal violence and some comic mis- slip through, on their way to deceive chief and/or mild language.” another family into buying their game,

Similarly, many teenagers pick up the profits of which are split between a T rated game and find that instead the company and ESRB. of the expected violence, they find

In the process of rating a game, this label Content that may be suitable for ages 13 and old- the com“content er. Titles in this category may contain violence, pany that may be suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, sim- sends a suitable for ulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong DVD of ages 13 and all quesolder. Titles language. tionable in this catmateegory may contain violence, suggestive rial in to the game raters, who then themes, crude humor, minimal blood, review the DVD and watch the a beta simulated gambling, and/or infrequent tester play the game, upon completuse of strong language.” Therefore, I ing the DVD and game, the raters tell propose to have a complete upheaval the staff their decision, and according of the ESRB rating system to cater to to esrb.org, the “ESRB staff reviews the the needs of modern day parents and raters’ recommended rating category teenagers. and content descriptors, conducts a

The flawed system has one main parity examination where appropriweakness, which is its acceptance of ate to maintain consistency in rating the “mild” word, which, according to assignments, and issues a certificate the ESRB site, “is to convey low frewith the official rating assignment to quency, intensity or severity of the the game’s publisher.” Shortly after the content it modifies.” The phrase can be rating is released, a rating summary, assigned to many of the themes, such which is the final rating review before as “mild” violence, “mild” language, the company can either except the ratand “mild” humor. This means that the ing, or “revise” the game for a lower ESRB game raters have left a loophole rating. •••

“

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The final flaw in the system is that the demands that “publishers must provide online gaming experience is not includ- a DVD which captures all pertinent coned and therefore does not limit the type tent”, given to 3 raters and finally, “each of language that the gamers online use rater recommends an appropriate rator the visual props that their character ing category and content descriptors.” uses. According to esrb.org, “this noThrough these processes, the children tice warns those who intend to play the are exposed to the false assumption game online about possible exposure to that you and others will “respawn” afchat (text, audio, video) or Publishers must provide a DVD which other types of user-gener- ated content” the children then liable to be exposed captures all pertinent content to more adult themes on the internet and in games.

Of course, there are those parents who trust their children’s enter being shot or dismembered in some tire entertainment to these labels, only comical way, and as the esrb.org states looking for the symbols that mark the that E rated games have “mild violence” content for the game and accepting it which “is intended to convey low frewithout question. These parents are quency, intensity or severity of the conunknowingly exposing their children tent it modifies.” This slip of definition to the new games that companies have has allowed many video games to fall created to go under requirements of the into the E rated section and is a justifiESRB system and end up in one of the cation to rethink the flawed system that most demanding markets in the counESRB uses. try. The requirements of the ESRB rating ΔΔΔ system, which, according to esrb.org,

“

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Art By Austin Le

Joystick Magazine pg.5

JOYSTICK MAGAZINE • COMMENTARIES

CHRISTOPHER G

Lame-O Halo

In a battle of the top three systems, why is this game getting more attention than any?

I sat with my friend as we played the Wii at game got a perfect score with, supposedly, just demo levels. his house. We both got tired of swinging our

The other reason this game is appalling is that the games

arms to make the Mii’s play tennis, and we are almost precisely the same. Sure, the levels are different, the have the mutual feeling to do something else. graphics improve, and that there was a single new gun in Halo 2.

“You want to play Halo 3 on my X-Box 360?” But how is that a change? Each game you continue to shoot people, he proposes. I don’t think that I have ever players continue to be over powered (in the gaming community, that heard a more annoying question in my life. implies that your character doesn’t die as easy as he should) and you The Halo Series, a series that consist continue to yell at your TV when someone kills you with one of the two of 5 games, (Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3, over powerful weapons (the SPARTAN Laser and the Energy Blade.)

Halo Wars, and the new expansion of

The last reason, possibly the most annoying “praise” of

Halo: ODST), made by the creators “Bungie” and has countless the game, is that it is original. I think the programmers must have amounts of related merchandise, from actual SPARTAN armor been living under rocks to think that their game with aliens being and figurines, to a collection of miniature novels that go shot at would be original. To make this game original, make the through a story beyond the game. Sounds nice? Absolutely not. protagonist out of the ordinary. Give him disadvantages, don’t make

How could I hate something with such a large fan base? First of him the idol of all fourteen year old boys with crazy acne issues.

all, it is overrated. I am not going to say it is a terrible game, but it is really,

There has been First Person Shooters (FPS) before

extremely overrated. What makes this different from Doom? Doom was Halo, where people kill aliens with guns. So how is this game any another FPS, but I don’t see millions of fanboys who would probably different? There are many FPS where you collect weapons and hang themselves if Master Chief (the main protagonist of Halo) did. ammo, and drive around in vehicles that have mounted guns.

On 11 different websites, Halo 3 received perfects or close to There has actually been a FPS where you have super human perfect scores. Also, some websites got early copies of the game strength, agility, and intelligence wearing a super suit. The (which are strictly illegal unless the game’s creators, in this case only difference is this one doesn’t have a gun on the right arm.

Bungie, allow this. Though the company allowed it, there was

Halo has yet to make such an amazing improvement to gaming,

controversy on whether the review was bias or not, because the such a new, innovated idea that completely changes the idea of an FPS.

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And when that happens, I may reevaluate my opinion. Maybe.

Which System is Perfect For You? A rainy day at your friend’s house, and he offers you to play a few video games with him. You....

Base them off of the covers, picking the most action packed, futuristic, postapocalypse game you find.

Pick the simulation game, because you always love to be in control.

Pick the adventure game filled with spells and dragons, warriors and wizards, and countless of quest.

After playing for a few hours, you notice that you are out of single player content. You now....

You get a few minutes into Sim City, but your city starts to go through a crisis. You...

You reach the last boss of the game, who is a powerful dragon. You....

Play with the games online content for a while.

You choose a new game, as you dont like to play online as much.

Give up, as there are plenty of easier games on your system

Continue to pursue on, as there is a sense of achievement.

Go through a bloody ending scene, and complete the game!

Finish the battle, then go online and buy the new addon packs!

You Are: The Xbox Fan

You and the Xbox are a perfect match! Full of online play and lots of first and third person shooting games. Although you have plenty of run and gun, action packed games, you might find it difficult to get games that are more relaxed. You can always access your favorite classics through the Xbox Marketplace. However, online is costly around 7 dollars a month.

The PS Player

You are the person who likes to stick with one game for a while, and the PS3’s large amount of add-ons can give you a continued experience on your favorite games. Also, the PS3 boast a trophy system that allows you to show your acievements from your favorite games, to your online buddies, added through the free Playstation Network.

The Wii Guy

You like games that you and your friends can pick up and play for any given amount of time. Although a great party and family system, you might find it hard to get the action packed, adreniline rushed game you want. This system lacks an easy to set up and use online service, and very few games offer online content.

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Video Game Addict

By: Austin L

T

•••The floor is littered with broken computers, old game consoles, and wires. Chris, having been introduced to games by his older brother, is addicted to video games. 4 year old Chris’ family was on the road to the airport when he saw his brother playing Pokémon Blue on a game boy color. For Christmas

would postpone working. Then there are the games that he would never play and will scorn for the rest of his life. These prejudices were compiled into a process in which he selected a new game to purchase.

Chris said “I honestly hate family games where all you do is run around and collect things, excessive amounts of blood, and there should not be any irrelevant or untimely things in a game.”

The process of selecting a game for Chris is rigorous and time consuming. After passing through the genre check, Chris would usually wait a few months after a new game came out to buy it. The other games are the type that he would follow, memorize the release date, and buy it in the days after its release. The price of the game would often decide the timeliness of the purchase.

Chris informed me that “Buying games really depends, like fallout 3, I was really,

“ I tried to play through all of the Legend of Zelda game in a Week”

that year, he asked for a game boy like his brother’s. Instead of getting a new one, Chris got his brother’s old game boy with the Tetris game cartridge. -This set him down road to video game addiction.

Chris said, “The addiction all started with Spyro the Dragon at the time my goal was always to complete, find all the eggs and gems and stuff.”

Chris has been gaming addictively and is willing to play the certain games until he has completed everything important in the game. Sometimes there are the games that he would play, but not top the point that he

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really looking forwards to it and it dropped 5 bucks in a month and 20 bucks in 3 months, so I usually don’t buy a game as soon as it comes out unless I’ve been tracking it for a long time (Katamari Forever).” •••

Chris is always playing a video game or watching online videos of them.

••• After the selection and purchase of the game, Chris would try to complete the game. After a time, he would realize that the game was not worth stressing over, or he would be done with it forever.

But, I can write with almost complete certainty, that Chris will never stop playing video games.

Well, Chris said that “The only reason that I could imagine myself quitting games is if they made, like, a Halo for the PS3 or Terminator: Salvation game.”

Chris, like many other hardcore fanatics, refuses to quit, no matter how long the game takes. His devotion to completing the game is standard, but the depth of this addiction was revealed over the summer.

Chris said “Over the summer I tried to play through all of the Legend of Zelda game in a week and lived in the friend’s basement for that week, Ma-

jora’s Mask and Ocarina of Time. My parents allowed the gaming binge, but said that it was not normal.”

Chris is an addict, but his parents know of his addiction and allow it, but still look upon it with concern. Chris is allowed to go on gaming binges, but keeps most of the game content within the approval of his parents. At lea st when they are around.

Chris said, “Some of the ratings they approve of, but some they wouldn’t really appreciate me playing, so I don’t play them when the parents are around.”

Chris Germain lives to play games. Today he is going to go play games, tomorrow he is most likely going to play some games, and he will never stop playing for an extended period of time. ΔΔΔ

Joystick Magazine pg.11

Headphones allow Gamers to become completely immersed in the game Dual joysticks allow the gamer to play when they are conscious of space and time

pg.12 Joystick Magazine

Triple Screens allows a giant field of view that gives a huge advantage over other players

Creating The Ultimate Computer Gaming Setup By: Austin L

The Objective: Get The Ultimate Gaming Setup The Method: Put it to- Screens: $500 gether. Slowly. Very Joystick:$100 HeadPhones:$50 slowly.

Table:$450 Desktop Computer:$7000

Every Gamer’s dream is to have a area in which to play their games. Now, this os possible for a little less than $10,000!!! The Roccaforte gaming desk is the ultimate setup because it is able to hold 3 screens, a double joystick system, headphones, and a piloting joystick for aerial battles.

Joystick Magazine pg.13

The Death of the Desktop

Art By: Binarydreams on Flickr and Geek-o-pedia under “windows”

By: George Chen Ping Chen has been using desktops his entire life, but his view on computers has been changed once the laptop came into his life. “It does everything a desktop does but it’s portable!” It all started in 1935 as an inventor known as Konrad Zuse began a project that he hoped would change the world. His invention did for it is known today as the computer, one of the most widely used devices in the world. It has advanced from model to model. But what happens to the models before? Do they become obsolete? Specifically, will the beloved desktop be destroyed by the booming market of the laptop? The answer is no.

But the laptop isn’t the only killer of the desk top. Really it’s a combination of the consumer’s choice and needs and the technology of the laptop.

“The desk top doesn’t beat the laptop in any way” Junior Rojas says. The technology in the laptop has become equal to or better than that of the desktop

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and although the speed of the desktop is faster and also there is more memory space. It is all either unnecessary or unnoticeable. Another large factor that helps the laptop fight for number one is the fact that it’s mobile. “The size and convenience can’t compare to laptops. I remember the first time I saw the first generation portable computer was twice the size of the current notebook, but included a monitor, machine and everything. It was 20-30 lbs and 3 inches thick. That was useful for sales, because the salesman didn’t have to ship their desktop computer. Because they can just carry it” says Ping Chen

The other reason is because of the consumers needs. People use computers for homework, work, games, and other things.

The lap top has so many more capabilities and is easier to work with - Junior Rojas Junior states “I like the number of apps.

It has 30 to 40 games and it’s easy to get content while the desk top need updates.” It shows that the younger group of consumers enjoys and prefers the laptop because of speed for updates, a larger variety, and a view on the more modern people.

“In general desktops have a bigger monitor and keyboard which is more convenient to use. But this can all be accomplished with a laptop. In general the desk top is much faster, has more storage, more memory. Also desktops were cheaper. But now the price difference is small. But the desktop is faster. And desktops are easy to maintain. For the desktop you can easily get compatible parts.” Ping Chen says. The older generation believes that the desktop is more convenient in monitor and keyboard size and are cheaper. But now that prices have dropped and laptops are compatible with monitors and keyboards it just doesn’t matter anymore. Even the consumer has betrayed the cherished desktop and moved to the side of the laptop.

“I like how it’s mobile so that I can take it

around and multi task. I also like the fact that the mouse pad is easy to use.” Chris Germain says. The fact that it’s mobile and the desktop isn’t also appeals to the consumer. The consumer would rather be able to carry around their work with grace and ease than have to lug it around everywhere. The consumers have betrayed the beloved desktop and sided with the modern and sexy laptop.

The last culprit in the slow death of the desktop would be the laptop itself.

When the laptop came into this world it was big, bulky, and expensive. Many people decided just to continue to use the desktop. But as the years progressed it got better and cheaper. Slowly it went from a luxury to an average day thing. It became so good that it is almost at par with some of the better desktops on the market! “For the CPU speed it makes no difference. Because the CPE is faster in the desktop but you don’t notice it. The memory is pretty much the same but it’s not necessary. Pretty much laptop can feed the needs of a normal person but desktops can do more. But it’s just unneeded. And now the price has dropped.

The only advantage for cpu’s is that you can find the parts but laptops are cheap enough that it’s not worth it.” Says ping Chen”

But luckily the desktop will never completely die. Although the laptop has shown it’s dominance over the desktop and is obviously the better machine.

But large companies will always need to use the desktop for speed and memory usage. And although the desktop is no longer modern it will be a necessity for the near future when storage usage is needed more and more. “Sooner or later because most people will buy a note book. So from a family usage, the biggest buyer of desktop is library and businesses. I mean its cheaper. It might not be much but still. Also they need the speed and power of the desk top for business. So as a personal usage will die sooner or later. But for business usage wit will never die”

ΔΔΔ

Joystick Magazine pg.15

How to survive in the world of...

MONSTER HUNTER!

By George Chen

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Joystick Magazine pg.17

An Insiders Guide to the World of

Video Game Design By: Christopher G.

Every four year old boy that has owned a gaming console (in my generation the Nintendo 64) will most likely, from there first hours of gaming think that this is what they want to do when they grow up. However, according to long time writer David Hodgson, the gaming industry it isn’t a walk in the park like you might think. unfortunately, there is no real easy way in. You know if you type in, “If you type ‘I want to be in video games.’ into Google and there is there all of these ‘You can earn 90 dollars an hour!’…. well you can’t.” Hodgson says.

Hodgson has had 15 years inside of the gaming industry, writing numerous video game hand books, reference books, and strategy guides, and says that there is no “easy answer” to the question “Where do I get started?”

“You can do it in a number of different ways depending on your talents.” Hodgson says, “If you like programming, obviously you go down route.”

Hodgson also says that getting your foot in the door is a great way to get started. Places and events that have lots of people with gathered experience, such as the Game Developer Tradeshow held every March in San Jose. Even the new networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook can be a place to start. “You found me and I was able to speak to you,” Hodgson says, “So using that similar technique.”

Most people who enter the industry enter through the repetitive job of Quality Assurance Testing

(QAT). Quality Assurance is a long process where hired ‘players’ go through the game and make sure there are absolutely no glitches in the game.

“Pick up your second favorite action game of the shelf. Not the one with millions of bloody combos, but the one that is toned down a tad.

Now start by running into every wall from every angle. Now roll into every wall. Now jump into every wall. Now equip your favorite weapon and shoot while running into every wall. Now do that while jumping. This is the job of Quality Assurance.” Hodgson writes in his book Payed to Play. To some people this job seems very boring, but for others who feel that a daily routine that stays near the same is

designers are the people who find the different building blocks, while level designers make the layout on how they fit together. The graphic designers then “shape” these blocks to fit together. Programmers then put the blocks together, while the artist throws on, often necessary, details to these blocks. The writers then create a story to follow the building blocks. When everything is finished, a beautiful block castle is produced.

“I have never wanted to quit.

I have never wanted to get out of this industry. Now that was back in the time when video games were still seen as an embarrassment by all the other industries. It has made me a workaholic.” Hodgson says “Some people are alcoholics and some people like to take drugs, I basically like to write and play video games and it just so happens that that has worked out for me.”

Some tips Hodgson have mentioned are simply, yet necessary. “Don’t burn bridges, the industry is smaller than you think.”

And “Don’t be unprofessional. With such a high demand to get into the industry, directors don’t have to

“It’s everything you thought it would be and more, but it could be completely different than what you are

thinking...”

simpler, they will feel right at home.

After this basic stage, the industry sifts people into different groups. Some of the groups include; Story, Level and Character Design, Programming, Game Art, Gaming Music, Writers. The list goes on and on.

An easier way to put it is to think of it as a small child’s building blocks. The story and character

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deal with unprofessional people.

As his parting words, Mr. Hodgson says “It’s everything you thought it would be and more, but it could be completely different than what you are thinking,”

Joystick Magazine pg.19

Bio Page Austin Le the old asian has been gaming since his first PC in 2000 (AD, not BC) . He mainly likes to play stratagy and FPS games, does homework, plays chess and looking for good boks to read. His computer still cannot play good games and is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Starcraft 2.

Christopher Germain has been gaming since his brother first handed him the Nintendo 64 controller; weither it was plugged in or not. Since his early ages, he has developed many experiences with video games, and less experiences with social lifes. Chris enjoys a long walks to the fridge, a cold bottle of Cherry Coke, and touring interesting places such as the Leaning Tower of Pizza Boxes. In his free time, he plays a variety of games, from the Katamari series, to the online TPS, Warhawk.

George Chen: This young asian boy has been gaming ever since he got his hand on his first gameboy. ever since his interests in games have ranged from fantasy RPG’s to straight out FPS’s. He enjoys many other things other than video gaming but also browsing the internet, wrestling, and socailizing. he also DJ’s in his free time and can’t wait for his new set of skull crushers to arrive.

pg.20 Joystick Magazine