GAMING: MWEB voted top ISP for online gaming

MWEB was recently voted as the most popular primary ADSL ISP amongst South African gamers. Desmond Kurz, MWEB's Online Gaming Manager, offers some insight into South African online gaming trends.

The Latest Online Gaming Trends

“MWEB has seen an increase in first person shooters as well as 'massively multiplayer online only' games”, says Kurz. “More and more offline gamers are migrating to playing online”. This is perhaps due to cheaper ADSL pricing across South Africa's ISPs.

While South African online gaming is still lagging behind when compared to Europe and the U.S., the SA gaming community is still experiencing double digit growth, according to MWEB.

Gaming stats: what games are the majority of South Africans playing?

“From an MWEB perspective, the majority of South African gamers are playing Call of Duty, Team Fortress 2, Battlefield 3, World of Warcraft, Dota 2, League of Legends, Guild Wars 2 and Minecraft", says Kurz. "MWEB already hosts local servers for a number of these titles and is always looking to secure further titles to be hosted locally for South African gamers.”

I asked MWEB's Online Gaming Manager how MWEB plans to broaden their online gaming serivices. I was intrigued to learn that MWEB GameZone has been running a free online training programme for gamers who want to learn how to play online multiplayer games from a beginner level right up to advanced level for competing online.

“To date, this program has run exclusively for Battlefield 3, however, we are proud to announce that this training programme will be extended”, says Kurz. “This will offer players wishing to learn how to play League of Legends and Dota 2. This was in response to a recent poll held on our Facebook page where we asked gamers what games they would like to receive training on.”

According to Kurz, MWEB GameZone is just one of many other initiatives that will be launching in the future in support of the South African online gaming community, particularly competitive eSports. “Its goes without saying that we will continue our efforts to put pressure on distributors and publishers to provide local services to South African gamers, particularly locally-hosted gaming servers”, says Kurz.

Dear Esther,

I happened upon fragments of washed up letters found amongst the rubbish that the sea brings. Soggy parchments bring word that those on the mainland speak of my lonely plight as some sort of game.

I find it hard to believe that a world exists beyond this island. I am sometimes haunted by human-like figures in the distance, but I know that this is merely my own disillusion taunting me.

I sometimes don't recognise my own words on occasion where I find myself communing with the nature of this place. The car wreckage too seems unfamiliar at times, but again I wonder if it is this island that has dulled my sense.

The mystery surrounding the wrecked boats and ships on the island continue to taunt me. Their once sturdy frames rendered as fragile as paper to the rough seas. Only hollowed skeletons devoid of life remain.

I find myself drawn toward a flashing light like a moth to the flame. I hopelessly hold on to the belief that there lies my salvation. I painfully trek through the bowels of the island in search of answers … or to find a new kind of solace ...

* * * Dear Esther Game Review * * *

For me, playing a good game is like watching a well written movie but being involved in how that movie pans out. This is immersion at its best. If suspense-injected story-driven gameplay and immersion are what excite you as a gamer, then Dear Esther awaits you.

A mystical mix of good graphics, emotive music and thought-provoking narration is what Dear Esther offers. Although brief (1-2 hours), Dear Esther is a memorable experience from start to finish. The script does vary slightly each time you play, but it is the mature nature of the writing which leaves something new to be discovered each time.

“The script also deserves praise. It charts a course through vastly different topics you never realised you cared about before – folklore, the Bible, shepherding, travel writing, guilt and medicine – and turns them into something meaningful without speaking down to its audience.”
- Dear Esther Game Review by PC Gamer

There isn't much more that needs to be said about Dear Esther. I purchased the game off Steam for $10 and it has been worth every cent. So stay up late, dim the lights, expect no interruptions and enjoy the Dear Esther experience!

*** More Game Reviews ***

THE EXPONENTIAL TIMES: Extra! Extra! Etc. Etc.

I TREATED myself with the purchase of a NAG (New Age Gaming) magazine the other day, which came with a glossy-ink-scented E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) supplement. The accompanying DVD was also largely dedicated to E3 and consisted of around two hundred game videos, trailers and GameTrailers.com awards.

I do not work for NAG nor do I sell their magazines. I was merely mesmerized by how far gaming has come in the last few years. We are certainly living in exponential times with the bacterial-like spread of information and new technologies.

Gone are the days of chalkboards and letter posting in the developed world. The sale and consumption of hard-copy books is fast dwindling at the hand of the Kindle and other eReaders. If Wikipedia were to be published as a book it would be over two million pages long. There are now even babies in Egypt named “Facebook.”

Exponential Times in Gaming

3D graphics has reached a point beyond comprehension five years ago. The number of gaming devices and vibrating motion controllers on the market this year can have one gleefully immersed 24/7, if you have the time. The exponential rate at which new game titles are being released has made the task of writing letters to Santa quite a meticulous one.

Exponential Times in Social Media

In 2007, one out of every eight U.S. couples met online. It is now estimated to be one in five. When television first entered our lives, it took 13 years to reach a target audience of 50 million. Facebook took just two years to get the same number of people on board its platform.

Greater than the exponential development of technology, is the exponential availability of information. It is estimated that a week’s worth of the New York Times contains more information that anyone living in the 18th century could have consumed in their entire lifetime. The amount of technical information available is more than double every two years.

Exponential Times in Education and Employment

This exponential growth of technology and information is changing the way children are educated. Students are now being prepared for jobs that don’t yet exist and being trained to use technologies that have not yet materialised. It has also been shown that students who are online tend to outperform those who receive more face-to-face education.

This is of course changing the way that people are employed globally. It is estimated that 95% of companies that are online today recruit people using LinkedIn; around the same percentage of businesses use social media for marketing purposes.

Exponential Times Year to Year

In 2008, more than 200 million cell phone calls were made every second. This has roughly tripled every 6 months since. In 2009, every minute or so, a day’s worth of video footage was uploaded to YouTube. In 2010, the number of Google searches completed every ten minutes could have powered Las Vegas for half an hour. This year there are roughly 80 million Farmville farmers versus the 1.5 million real farmers. The moment you’ve finished reading this, most of this information will be outdated.

Here are two of the videos where you can find this information as well as more and more and more...

Exponential Times in 2008
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUMf7FWGdCw[/youtube]

Exponential Times in 2011
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HybVOMJI0_E&feature=related[/youtube]

** More Web Developments & Absurdities **

STEAM: And the future of the video game industry

DIGITAL distribution giant and gaming platform, Steam, has fast become the Google of the gaming world – reaping in an estimated US$468 million (roughly R3.1 billion) in revenues through June 2011, according to mygaming.co.za. This attests to the fact the gaming industry has become one of the fastest growing industries in history.

Using Steam has become compulsory for ardent PC gamers, who are forced to use the platform to buy, install and update several of the latest gaming titles. According to Wikipedia, as of July 2011, Steam had over 30 million active users and offered over 1 300 game titles. It is estimated that Steam has a 70% share of the digital distribution market for video games.

The Steam platform

The idea of creating a centralised online platform to distribute games and related media online was, in part, a move towards combating software piracy – specifically pirated games. To play a store bought game that is powered through steam requires one to register a Steam account. One then has to be logged into Steam to install the game, update the game, play the game and be offered a host of promotional adverts upon exiting the game.

In bandwidth-stricken countries such as South Africa, one can imagine what a schlep this can be. In my experience, if a newly released game if bought through Steam, it can take up to two days to download and install. Thereafter Steam automatically updates your newly bought game, which can take another day or two. If your bandwidth hasn’t run dry by this point, you then have to log into Steam before you can play your new game for the first time.

The benefits of Steam
One can understand the benefits that gaming platforms such as Steam offer. They have made it extremely difficult for impoverished gamers to play pirated titles; it automatically patches and updates your game collection, and it offers you downloadable content for your favourite titles. It does also offer a lot of specials and promotions, whereby one can easily transfer and convert your money into US dollars and buy games via the web for cheap. In fact, purchasing games through Steam is so simple that it can be dangerously addictive.

However, this is not to mention that the Steam servers are often running at full capacity whereby one is put on a waiting list to play. I was once informed that my newly installed and updated game would launch in approximately five days. Bearing all this in mind it’s fair to say that Steam is having a negative impact on many game consumers who don’t necessarily want to play multiplayer.

Market research

Anti-piracy aside, Steam most certainly uses its cleverly crafted platform for market research purposes. A Steam user’s page includes some brief personal information, details of any games owned, as well as the number of hours played in each game. Steam admits that it collects and reports anonymous metrics of its usage, stability, and performance and uses this information to justify implementing new features.

However, a lot of this information is collected without notifying the user or offering an opt-out. Some of these metrics are also available publicly, such as what games are being played or statistics of a player’s progress in certain games. Last year, Steam announced that they would begin collecting a list of users' installed software as well.

Steam critiques

Steam has been criticised for allowing developers and game publishers to change prices and restrict game availability depending on the locations of users. Despite the reduction in manufacturing, packaging, design and distribution costs, this can cause some games to cost more than their retail prices. Steam has also been heavily criticised by European users for pricing games much higher in Euro-zone countries.

Furthermore, according to the Steam Subscriber Agreement, “Steam's availability is not guaranteed and Valve is under no legal obligation to release an update disabling the authentication system in the event that Steam becomes permanently unavailable.” - www.gamefaqs.com

Ardent PC gamers can argue for or against the value of Steam. However, if history has taught us anything, it is always wise to be cautious of that which is powerful. However, with Steam now being in the position of power that it is, has implications for gamers worldwide. In our liberal and democratic age, I suppose the biggest concern is a lack of choice.

** More Gaming Articles **

FALLOUT NEW VEGAS DLC: Honest Hearts and Dead Money

Hopefully by now all the bugs in the first two Fallout New Vegas DLC have been stomped out. If you haven’t yet played Dead Money or Honest Hearts here’s a quick review of each.

Fallout New Vegas Dead Money Review

Dead Money was a little disappointing in my opinion. It almost seems like Bethesda were trying to make a zombie shoot ‘em up expansion for Fallout New Vegas. The scenery is dull and eerie and the bad guys mostly consist of bright-eyed ghosts with multiple sclerosis. They have been cleverly named the "Ghost People." There is a lot of dialogue if that’s your thing and, in the case of one companion, none at all. There are a few new weapons on offer, which is nice, especially in the melee department.

So if pawning zombie-like creatures with melee combat in close quarters is your thing, Dead Money is for you.

Fallout New Vegas Honest Hearts Review

Honest Hearts, on the other hand, is something of a marvel. Fresh and expansive canyon scenery will have you immersed into a newly crafted section of the Fallout universe named Zion. Honest Hearts also ties in nicely with stories told back in New Vegas. The legendary Burning Man, who shall not be named according to Caesar, is looking for vengeance. You have the choice of either teaming up with the macho mummy or siding with a soft-hearted evangelical soul on missionary work.

The landscape in Honest Hearts is home to three different tribes who live off the land and have much to teach an adventurous courier. Will you team up with the Burning Man and wipe the White Legs off the face of the planet? Or will you help evacuate the Dead Horses before they fall victim to the same fate?

• Both Fallout New Vegas DLC are available through Steam for $10 (roughly R70).

More Fallout New Vegas Game Guides

• Fallout New Vegas Game Guide
• Fallout New Vegas Game Guide II
• Fallout New Vegas Bobblehead Locations

GAMIFYING EDUCATION: Introducing gaming to the classroom

EDUCATION is the very foundation of our future. No doubt there are flaws in our current education system that need to be addressed. The marking system, learner agency and voluntary tangential learning are a few of the major issues in education today.

There’s a theory that tries to define each decade according to technological progress. Loosely speaking, by the end of one decade everyone had cellphones, by the end of another everyone was on Facebook, and this decade (2010-2020) it is said that everyone will be a gamer in a broad sense. It’s not a solid theory, but I’m sure you catch my drift.

Some exciting ideas are starting to surface which involved introducing gaming into the classroom — making education more fun and engaging. Again it is no solid science, but a few schools (especially in the United States) have started implementing such ideas into their teaching techniques and have started to see positive results. They have begun gamifying education.

To put gaming into better perspective — the most successful games on the market today are ones that encourage gradual progress. These award the player with experience points as he or she progresses through the game. Once enough experience is gained the player levels up, which comes with particular rewards or perks.

Benefits of a rewards system in education

Working towards clear and tangible levels with clear rewards or benefits would be a huge motivational factor for learners. Assignments and tests would feel more rewarding rather than disheartening if there is something to be gained. This wouldn’t necessarily require a major change in the way papers are generally marked. Marks would merely be changed to levels and learners would work towards a total rather than down from one.

Offering class-wide achievements, such as giving the whole class a reward if one or a few learners accumulates X amount of experience, would also encourage peer support. Rather than envying the top achievers, peer pupils would encourage their progress. The top achievers, on the other hand, would understand that they couldn’t get the best possible score unless they help the other learners improve their marks.

Gamifying Education

Gamifying Education: Agency

A huge hurdle for teachers is dealing with learners who lack a sense of agency — who feel that their opinions and choices don’t matter. They may feel that they have no control over their choices, perhaps ones that were made for them by their parents. They lack long-term goals and motivation — something that is common in young people today.

It is known that learners with a higher sense of agency do better at school. What’s interesting is that agency is the life force of games! You are in full control over the choices you make and the future lies entirely in your hands. What’s more, games teach us that if we fail, we try again (or try something different) until we succeed. This could be a huge benefit behind the idea of gamifying education.

Voluntary tangential learning and information

A third challenge for our educational system is encouraging learners to pursue information voluntarily outside of the classroom. Homework, for most, is a bore — a chore that needs to be completed before we can play proper games. There are very few external motivators that encourage self-education.

An idea behind gamifying education is to turn a subject into a game by leaving out pieces of the puzzle and using information that you want learners to learn on their own as keys that unlock the next section of the game or subject. In searching for this information there’s also a chance of tangential learning — learners stumbling across other pieces of related information.

I recall one of the most exciting times in my own education, which was when different subjects started to interlink and connect up. And this happened long after high school. Learning and understanding the connections between information and ideas is so important in education. A cross-disciplinary approach could be created early on by creating the keys mentioned here across different subjects. This will also allow learners to shine in different subjects and encourage communication and sharing of education among them.

Gamifying education may also create an understanding and an appreciation of the importance of other subjects that learners may not immediately be interested in. I sure wish I had understood this when I was in high school.

• This article was inspired by the video above hosted at www.escapistmagazine.com called Gamifying Education.

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GAMING: Fallout New Vegas bobblehead locations & bobblehead mod

FANS of the Fallout New Vegas game will be please to know that there is a Bobblehead mod available for download. Bobbleheads add another dynamic to the game, which is particularly useful if you play the game in Hardcore mode. Download the mod via the link above. Below are their locations.

Fallout New Vegas Bobblehead Locations Revealed

1. Agility Bobblehead Location

The Agility Bobblehead is found Near Chance's Grave - near a Fiend camp where Chance slaughtered them all. In the center of the camp is a log where you'll find this bobblehead resting.

2. Barter Bobblehead Location

The Barter Bobblehead can be found southwest of Bitter Springs in Cap Counterfeiting Shack. The Bobblehead is on a workbench in the basement.

3. Charisma Bobblehead Location

The Charisma Bobblehead is inside the Gomorrah Suites building - in a large room with two circular beds. The bobblehead is on a shelf near the red bed.

4. Endurance Bobblehead Location

In Quarry Junction is a cave near a Deathclaw mother and her demonspawn. The Endurance Bobblehead is being grasped by a skeleton at the back of the cave.

5. Energy Weapons Bobblehead Location

The Brotherhood of Steel are holed up in a place called Hidden Valley, which is near the NCR Correctional Facility. You have to complete a few quests to gain access inside. Once you're done, the Energy Weapons Bobblehead is under some stairs at the back of the fortress.

6. Explosives Bobblehead Location

Look in the first aircraft hangar at Nellis Air Force Base. The Explosives Bobblehead is on a shelf at the back of the hangar.

7. Guns Bobblehead Location

Inside Vault 34. At the very last floor, at the very bottom is the Armory. The Guns Bobblehead is lying on a table next to a missile launcher and some armor.

8. Intelligence Bobblehead Location

The Intelligence Bobblehead is inside a building called Allied Technologies near downtown New Vegas. Take the first door on the right after entering the Interior Offices and you'll find it on a desk along with tons of Sunset Sarsparilla Star caps and bottles in the corner. Score.

9. Lockpick Bobblehead Location

The Lockpick Bobblehead is inside the NCR Correctional Facility - Prison Block B. It's underneath a rusted bunk bed at the back of the cell. Lockingpicking is essential for playing Fallout New Vegas in hardcore mode.

10. Luck Bobblehead Location

Where else but the Lucky 38 Casino! Check the check-in counter for the Luck Bobblehead.

11. Medicine Bobblehead Location

The Medicine Bobblehead can be found right at the start of the game, inside Doc Mitchell's house. It's on his desk next to where you (probably) swiped his glasses and magazine.

12. Melee Bobblehead Location

Near Legate Lanius' Camp is an area with a bunch of training dummies and what looks like a weapon forging area. The Melee Bobblehead is sitting on a table next to a grinder, Anvil and a stack of machetes. Fallout New Vegas has taken melee combat to a new level and is a lot of fun to master in.

13. Perception Bobblehead Location

The Perception Bobblehead resides at a place called "Sniper's Nest" - west of Cottonwood Cove. The bobblehead is sitting on a shelf next to a bed.

14. Repair Bobblehead Location

In the New Vegas Strip is a building called Michael Angelo's Workshop. The Repair Bobblehead is sitting on a bench next to a blueprint for a billboard.

15. Science Bobblehead Location

The Science Bobblehead is in a place called Fortification Hill Weather Station, located near The Fort. There are some panels on the floor that lead to a secret basement, which in turn leads to a massive Securitron Vault. The bobblehead is near the back of this vault on a desk with a broken radio and toolbox.

16. Sneak Bobblehead Location

Inside the Hoover Dam Power Plant is a bunch of wooden crates (one of which contains a suit of Chinese Stealth Armor). The Sneak Bobblehead is hidden behind the top crate on the right.

17. Speech Bobblehead Location

Nipton Town Hall is where you want to look. The Speech Bobblehead is on a table at the back of the room on the left side.

18. Strength Bobblehead Location

The Strength Bobblehead is on the top floor of Blackmountain Radio, which is on Blackmountain Summit. The bobblehead is sitting on top of crazy Tabitha's radio.

19. Survival Bobblehead Location

The Survival Bobblehead can be found on Scavenger Platform, which is right in the middle of Lake Mead. You'll have to swim to get across. The bobblehead is sitting on top of a footlocker.

20. Unarmed Bobblehead Location

Another bobblehead coveted by the Lucky 38 Casino! The Unarmed Bobblehead is in the VIP Lounge - right in front of a golden pair of boxing gloves.

• 25 best Fallout New Vegas game mods
• Download Fallout New Vegas Bobblehead Mod

Related Fallout Articles:

• Fallout 3 Tweaks and Tips
• Fallout New Vegas Game Guide
• Fallout New Vegas Game Guide II