Violent Video Games

Saying violence in video games causes real life violence is a lot like saying porn on the internet has caused more babies.  It's completely stupid and ignorant argument at best.  With this Presidential administration spouting out complete nonsense towards video games and the many unfortunate incidents involving kids and guns, you would think that video games would suffer.  That doesn't seem to be the case though.  Matter of fact the exact opposite seems to be happening.  The video game industry has been stomping on the movie industry for awhile now.  This has put the same target on their backs as the movie industry had had during the days of the 80's action movies.

I personally grew up on video games with the Atari 2600 being my first console.  We also had a computer in the house since I can remember.  I know everyone is different but I've spent a good part of my life in front of games and not once have I had the want or the need to commit any sort of violent act because of video games.  The violence we are experiencing these days can attributed to a larger societal problem.  But if you do your research, the United States and humans in general have always been deeply entrenched in violence.  And guess what.  Video games have not always been around.  Case closed.

[Opinion] Rift Going F2P and Why I Like PC Gaming

In this video I talk about Rift going free-to-play and why I like PC gaming for the possible upcoming console refugee.

Xbox One and Broadband Internet

Microsoft recently announced that they would requiring that their newly unveiled Xbox One will have to be connected to the internet.  I know that they danced around the details about what that actually meant and they said that you would not have to be connected to the internet.  But at the end of the day, you will have to be connected to play games according to The Verge.  This among other things has caused a huge uproar in the gaming community.  My personal thoughts are that it is okay to have to be connected to the internet to get those really shiny features but completely ridiculous to make the consumer have to be connected.

[Tutorial] Deus Ex: The Barret Boss Battle

Deus Ex: Human Revolution basically coaches you into playing a covert and stealth type of game play then drops these in your face gun boss fights on you. Really caught me off guard my first time so hopefully this video helps someone else out on the Barret boss fight.

[Hardware] May 2013 Gaming PC Build Guide ~$1000

The May 2013 gaming PC build by yours truly.  Keep in mind that this is a "custom" build.  Which means that it should fit your wants and needs.  Feel free to switch, mix, and match as needed.  If you have any questions, drop them in the comments section.

[Software] Convert Your MP4 Videos To MP3 Audio

Do you have downloaded YouTube video or videos in MP4 format that you just want the audio from?  This app is an easy to use must have app.  Its called "Convert MP4 to MP3".  A simple name for a simple application and it does exactly as the name details.

As you can see from the screenshot below, Convert MP4 to MP3 is layed out very simply.  No reason to have to hover over a bunch of buttons or reading instructions trying to figure out how to do the exact task the app says it does.  I highly recommend this app if you download videos online which more then likely are in a MP4 format.  Works great for music videos, video podcasts, or whatever else you can think of.

This app is completely free and free of tag along apps that auto install to your computer.  Go download this app at Convert MP4 to MP3.

The New PC vs Console Debate

PC vs Consoles.  Anyone that plays video games has heard this debate or argued it themselves at least once.  I'm not here to rehash this debate but think that you should look at it from a different perspective.  The line between computers and consoles becomes more and more blurred.  I personally believe that the new consoles reported to be released by the end of this year will be little more then purpose built computers. More or less exactly the same as the one you surf the internet and do your homework on, but with a more narrow focus of what it actually does in mind.

The introduction of the Steam Box not only blurs the line between console and computer but will bridge the two.  Essentially a computer that's dressed like a console.  Steam could make a huge splash in the living room gaming market with the right moves and really change the landscape of couch potato gaming.

With all these options that are not very different at all, I think the choice to the consumer will now be more about brands choice, the ecosystem where your friends play, and the platform that offers you the most features that you want.

For more in depth reading and the inspiration for this article go to PCWorld: "What the 'console-ification' of PCs means for gamers".