Brain Hood

Yes, we’re back to Counter Strike once again. After all, any video gamer can hardly expect any video game blog that takes itself seriously to desist from the game for too long. It is perhaps the one video game that very few from the post-80s generation can claim to not have played.

Those of you who’ve been following the Counter-Strike tips on this video game blog would be pleased to note that we’ve finally come up with the long-promised advanced tips and tricks for Counter-Strike, a video game that very few people belonging to the post-80s generation can claim to not playing. So now that you have mastered the basics, we bring you the real-deal tips that you expect from any respectable video game blog.

Video Game Blog: Compensate for Recoil

One of the major attractions of Counter-Strike has always been the realism of its weapon physics opposed to a video game such as, say Unreal Tournament. Weapon recoil makes your aiming reticule/weapon sight jumps rather quickly. If you’re not compensating for it, your aim will be badly thrown off. Once again, it’s hard to compensate on full auto, so use this with the burst fire technique already described. Any video game blog will tell you this.

Keep Secondary Weapon Ready

Counter-Strike is one video game that gives you a specific control to switch between any two weapons and that makes it much easier to switch to your pistol when you’re under fire than it is to reload your primary weapon. It might not always be a case of ammo either; a handgun is often more suitable for close-quarters combat if your aim is top-notch.

Video Game Blog: Use the Good Old Tap-Double Tap

For those who like to lean on the left-mouse button and just sweep through enemies ala Serious Sam, however, it also has two unfortunate side-effects: the realistic recoil of the weapons would mean that you end up hitting very little that’s worth hitting and secondly, you run out of ammo very quickly, exposing yourself to certain ‘death’. Unless you’re at point-blank range, in which case you may by all means let loose the full-auto, you must fire in short bursts of three-four rounds; this is particularly effective when using the SMG. With an assault rifle like the M-4, you could also use a technique that real-life military operatives call the tap-double tap. As the name suggests, you tap the trigger once, followed by two quick squeezes. Result: three precisely aimed shots.

Use Grenades to Good Effect

Any video game blog would tell you that grenades, in the right hands, are effective for softening up large groups of enemies. There are three types of grenades: frag grenades can injure or kill a number of enemies, depending on how many are in proximity to the blast (and how close) while a flash grenade temporarily blinds and disorients those caught in the blast radius, rendering them open to attack. Flash grenades have to be used with particular care, as one can end up blinding their own team: this happens even if friendly fire is off. Smoke grenades are used to form a smoke screen; this may come in handy to block the vision of enemy snipers so they have to move in closer, as a cover for retreat or even as a distraction.

Have a Weapon Specialty

By that, we mean a particular class of weapon. Once you’ve had a go with all weapons used by either side, you’ll have a better feel for what suits you best. Remember that you fight as part of the team, so it would serve you and the team better if members each have a specialty that serves to add diversity to the firepower. For instance, the point man in a rush would do well to have mastered the shotgun or the AK-47, while other assault rifles (including the AK) also do well over a medium range. A sniper covering team members, and staking out known movement routes of the opponents can swing the odds in the team’s favor heavily.

The machine gun, though it may seem unwieldy, can be great to provide covering fire or a diversion for your team mates. However, in seasoned hands, short bursts from this weapon can work better than most assault rifles for fending off a group attack when outnumbered, given the high ammo capacity.

Also, no matter what your choice of primary weapon, do take time to practice with the secondary weapon too, as quickly switching to your pistol when you’re dry and shooting accurately can see you through most close quarter situations.

So do you have any gaming tips and tricks to share with the readers of our video game blog?

As Rockstar Games released the first official game trailer for Max Payne 3, there was a mixed reaction of both hope and cynicism from video game lovers and one can hardly blame them. A look at the various gaming multimedia titles these days would reveal that the electronic entertainment industry is sorely lacking in the ability to surprise. That is especially true with the  video game industry’s carnival events, where established formulae and a tendency to play it safe with series iterations tend to win over any creativity inspired fresh ideas that the developers may have. A general rule of thumb is to stick to what works with minor gameplay modifications, and to leave it to the more enhanced graphic engines to give the feel of freshness. So essentially, fans of popular franchises are playing the same game, iteration-after-iteration, with a new skin.

Rockstar Games is one development house that has, so far, managed to fight this tendency successfully in their games. Rockstar has been known, in the past, to tightly control information flow before a title release and to seldom indulge in pre-release media hype. The philosophy behind that is rooted in Rockstar’s inherent trickster persona, as VP and co-founder Dan House puts it: Letting people peek behind the curtain spoils the fun.

Max Payne 3: A Legacy to Live Up To

Due in March 2012, Max Payne 3 is the sequel to an action series that, in many ways, introduced cinematic aspects to the videogame world and remains one of the more story-driven shooting games to come out. Payne was a fugitive undercover cop: his cover busted, framed for murder of a colleague and hunted by both the NYPD and the mob. The first two games had a noir feel that contributed as much to the fan following as the ground-breaking gameplay. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne came out in 2004; eight years and one sloppy movie adaptation later, fans of the franchise have stuck to their guns.

That puts Rockstar, and Max Payne 3 in a somewhat complicated space: not only would the game have to compete against other titles in its genre, it also has to contend with the nostalgic memories of players who have long since forgotten any of its weaknesses.

Max Payne 3 Official Trailer Unveils Partial Storyline

The new game sees Max working as a private security specialist protecting an industrialist and his family in Sao Paulo. When gangs target the family, Max must battle not only the gangsters, but also the inner demons that have driven him for so long.

It’s a story that, on the surface, sounds formulaic, but both Rockstar and the Max Payne series have always taken pains to weave a complex tale into the games, rather than loosely tying event moments together with a threadbare plot.

Houser, who is also lead writer on Max Payne 3 (as he was on “Grand Theft Auto IV”), says he believes refining writing is essential to the maturation of the industry.

Maintaining control over story — and any cinematic qualities — is especially challenging as the gaming world moves toward a more multiplayer focus. Players still appreciate a good campaign, but if a game doesn’t have a strong online component where they can play with (or, even better, against) others, it hurts the game’s earnings potential.

Is Rockstar Seeking to Break New Ground with Max Payne 3?

Rockstar hasn’t talked much about the multiplayer aspects of Max Payne 3, but Houser hints that just because those elements of the game live outside of the campaign, it doesn’t mean they’re not part of the narrative.

“We wanted to put some elements of single player into the multiplayer so the multiplayer will have a lot more detail and have elements of story in it and have a sort of an immersive quality,” he says.

Max Payne 3 has done its time in development hell. First announced in 2009, with an expected shipping date of the winter of that year, it has been pushed back a couple of times to let the development team polish it and ensure the quality was up to Rockstar’s exacting standards. This includes an excruciating attention to detail, which Houser says is the real key to the company’s success, and would ensure that Max Payne 3 would live up to fan’s expectations and then some more.

Perhaps the single most successful user-created mod in video game history, as any video game blog will tell you, Counter-Strike (CS) has a cult following; in fact, even that word doesn’t do it justice.

Those of you who remember your college dorm video game days would recall how pwning everybody else at Counter-Strike on the LAN was one way to get some serious respect among your peers. Of course, so was being on the football team or being able to chug more beer than everybody else — depending on which crowd you ran with — but let’s not digress.

Anyway, in case you’re still living those days instead of reminiscing about them, or are considering graduating from LAN gaming with familiar players to proper tournament play, here are a few tips that should improve your game; some of these are of course universally applicable to the FPS video game category.

Follow Video Game Basics: Crouch & Walk

A crouching stance steadies your aim and makes for a smaller profile to offer to your enemies; this applies to other tactical shooters as well. Also, walking is silent in CS. Crouching and moving at the same time may seem slower, but increases your surprise factor as you can approach the enemy position stealthily.

Plan Your Reloads & Take Cover

These seemingly unrelated factors go hand in hand. You carry a finite amount of total ammo in this video game but more importantly, like real-life weapons, you have a weapon clip that must be reloaded (as long as you have spare ammo); as an aside, you’d do well to keep an eye on clip ammo levels as well as total ammo being carried. Remember that Counter-Strike is a video game that is unforgiving on those who play carelessly. So while you must reload regularly instead of risking the chance of getting into a firefight with half-a-clip, you can’t afford reloading in the open either: for that 3-second interval, you’re totally vulnerable.

Also, in a tactics-heavy video game such as CS, making a mad dash down a corridor is… well, plain mad. Just so we’re clear, so is camping in one obscure corner. Of course, it is fun taking some of your opponents by surprise but guess what your biggest disadvantage is once enemies wise up and gang-up on you? Surprise… you’re cornered! And then there are online video game servers, especially the ones for organized tournaments that routinely kick campers. So you must keep moving, but be aware of your terrain (and surroundings) and plan your cover stops in advance. When in cover, you may reload to make up for any ammo you may have expended.

Do the Zig-Zag Video Game Swagger

There would be many a time you’ll find yourself in a man-a-mano close-quarters shootout; the trick to surviving is being quick on that trigger finger and making yourself a hard target to hit at the same time. A good way to do that without throwing off your own aim (that’s why jumping is a bad idea) is by alternately hitting the left and right strafing keys, shooting at the same time. It might look funny to observers, but your enemy won’t be laughing when you kill him and come out tops.

Here ends our first post on basic Counter-Strike tips and tricks. We’ll be back again pretty soon with more advanced tips, pertaining to better fire control and efficient weapon usage. Until then, keep following this video game blog and keep practicing!

Informal poll of a handful of local gaming experts reveal the best games for the holidays. Some involve killers in ancient Rome and the soldiers of the Cold War. Others star adorable gorillas and an iconic mouse. Whatever the age of your friend or family member, there is something for everyone. And unless you shop online, the only place to buy these games at Westport is GameStop.

5. Gran Turismo 5 (PlayStation 3. Rated appropriate for all ages)

The release of a game Gran Turismo is still a promising opportunity. The games are released on an occasional basis and delayed so often that it’s hard to believe when a new episode of the series of race actually hits store shelves. The last entry in the hyper-realistic offers more than 1,000 cars, 70 different tracks and countless hours of content for dedicated runners.

Like all previous entries in the series, critics rated the game favorably, although less so than previous entries. Is the formula becoming stale? Do the fans dumping countless hours into the game even care?

4. Epic Mickey (Wii. Rated appropriate for all ages.)

Mickey Mouse has done it all over the years, but his adventures haven’t been this dark since his stint as a sorcerer’s apprentice.

This much-hyped game was released in late November, and while older fans were hoping for a mature experience when news of the game first broke, they were instead given a decent game playable for all ages. However, homage to Mickey’s days in Steamboat Willie might fly over the head of younger gamers.

3. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii. Rated appropriate for all ages)

A group of evil Tikis steal a gorilla’s bananas. Much to his chagrin, the gorilla embarks on a quest with his chimpanzee friend to retrieve them all. The debate as to whether games are art won’t be decided with this lightweight game, but that doesn’t mean it’s fun. This classic series returns with everything that made it so popular, and plenty of new wrinkles for 21^st century audiences.

2. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC. Rated for mature audiences only.)

Rome has fallen, and it’s up to a ragtag group to rebuild the once proud city. Since this is a video game, you don’t accomplish this by running for office or canvassing for volunteers. Rome is rebuilt through assassinations, sword fights and gracefully running across rooftops. The Assassin’s Creed series has always blended science-fiction with pseudo-historical events, and the third entry in the series is the most refined yet.

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC. Rated for mature audiences only.)

There are many successful video games, but none can be compared to Call of Duty series (with the exception of the famous TimeSink Farmville and World of Warcraft). The last record sold 5.6 million copies in Britain and the United States within 24 hours after their release. It is equivalent to 360 million. Not bad for a day.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 this week is the latest in a long line of Star Wars game video that goes back almost 30 years. The films were a natural choice to become parties. The great adventure, lightsabers, space battles and an epic story involving the fight against a rebellion by an evil empire lends itself perfectly to video games. And from the first Star Wars appeared in 1982, hundreds of games for almost every system imaginable have been done.

In the first Star Wars games in the 80′s, although limited by the hardware, began the tradition of bringing the magic of the display in the gallery or at home. Games of this period tend to concentrate on the flying sequences, as the Battle of Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back cons, or racing against the stars of the death of cinema, fourth and sixth. Perhaps the most famous game of the decade was the first Star Wars Arcade, according Rusel DeMaria in the illustrated history of electronic games, allowing gamers to play as Luke Skywalker, fall into the trench to destroy the Death Star from the top of A New Hope.

After the 1983 video game crash, new games based on the franchise didn’t appear until 1991, with the release of three games, each based on one of the movies, for the Nintendo. All three games were re-released with updated graphics and gameplay in the early nineties on the Super Nintendo. Both generations of games were simple platformers and sidescrollers with little resemblance to the movie plots, and soon new generations of Star Wars gamers were wanting more.

Starting in the mid-’90s, the games began to fan out both in terms of gameplay and story material. The PC gaming front exploded on to the scene with the introduction of X-Wing, the first Star Wars combat flight simulator, in 1993. First-person shooters were added to the lineup with 1995′s Dark Forces.  Other popular series that would run into the 2000s, such as Jedi Knight and Rogue Squadron, got their start near the end of the decade.

Star Wars games experienced a massive resurgence with the release of the prequel movies. Movie tie-ins quickly appeared in all systems. The genre of real-time strategy in the PC occurred during this period, too. The presence of Star Wars role-playing during this decade has emerged with the award-winning games like Knights of the Old Republic and its consequences. Other notable games from this period include the Battlefront series, Lego Star Wars series and the Power of the Force series.

Even if the films were released, still writing new novels and new games to be produced. Open the Star Wars universe continues to fascinate a new generation of players, and it seems that as long as there are games, there will be a Star Wars video.

It’s first necessary to address how fast the game feels before we begin with the game review. The latest title to roll off the barmy assembly line of Platinum Games – the developer behind Bayonetta and MadWorld – contains plenty of aspects gamers will recognize from other titles, but they have rarely been used at the service of such a high-velocity experience. The only time Vanquish puts up at all is during a tense, tension filled section involving a sniper rifle, which seems like a moment of quiet reflection when compared to what has gone before it. Make no mistake; Vanquish is a speeding bullet of a game. Just as impressive, is how gracefully the developers have implemented all of the game play aspects without sacrificing one speck of excitement.

It’s typical to assume that most of the people in the world who play video games are male.

However, the truth is that roughly 40 percent of video game players in the world are female. In a fast-paced changing technological environment, the market for female-oriented video games is growing.

According to the Entertainment Software Association, “women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (33 percent) than boys 17 or younger (20 percent).” That may seem startling.

Nancy Drew’s mystery video games that Her Interactive produces are one example of these games. Megan Gaiser, CEO of Her Interactive, said while she knew nothing about video games when she first joined the company, she learned that it was about storytelling and making it into a game. In the Nancy Drew videogame series, players can interrogate suspects, navigate environments and have interactions with characters, all of which lead to ultimately solving the mystery.

Her Interactive is a pioneer company in the female video game industry, and Gaiser said the rapid growth of a female audience for video games came about because of the changing technology to more accessible game arenas like the Wii and Facebook. Therefore, the industry has attracted a larger audience.

While the days of shelf after shelf of first-person shooter games, role-playing games and games where the entire purpose is to steal a car, are not by any means gone, a new era has dawned; it is one where games for popular female icons are relevant.

In addition, Gaiser said gaming has “infiltrated” society; businesses now look to incorporate game products in their products and interactivity is popular in school and government work.

“Now, everyone’s playing games!” Gaiser said. “And everyone’s also going after the female market.”

Despite this widespread popularity, Gaiser said video games are still in their early stages; companies are still segmenting the market to address different preferences. Gaiser said it was dangerous to “pigeonhole” or stereotype what kinds of games girls like to play.

“It’s like saying all boys like island games,” Gaiser said. “Some do, but I think that’s dangerous. It’s a limited way of thinking.”

This past June, Her Interactive released “Nancy Drew 22: Trail of the Twister” and the remastered version of the first game in the popular Nancy Drew video game series, “Secrets Can Kill.”

The series’ games take characters to new locations around the world, seeing different cultures and mixing fact and fiction. The games have been very successful among girls ages 10 to 15.

Gaiser said she believes Her Interactive has found success because of the teamwork and quality that goes into making each game.

“Everyone feels comfortable spelling out their ideas,” Gaiser said. “We really did a good job of creating both a great game and also one that preserves the integrity of the Nancy Drew brand. The combination of those two made it successful.”

Likewise, Her Interactive’s success owes itself in part to a dedicated fan base.

“When you first say Nancy Drew to most women, they’ll bow down out of respect for her,” Gaiser said. “The moms start buying the games for their daughters; they got hooked, and now give them to their girls. Now we have girls from 8 to 88.”

This is Her Interactive’s 23rd game, and Gaiser said the Nancy Drew video game series is the longest running and most popular mystery series to date.

Nancy Drew is a name familiar in most households, because as Gaiser said, “she always wins” at the end of the story. Whether she’s solving mysteries or being a regular teenage girl, Gaiser said she has inspired women to pursue their dreams and be the best they can be.

Gaiser said she herself was drawn to the video game industry, in particular in the idea of creating products for a female audience, because she was struck by the obvious lack in the area, as well as the prejudice in the field.

Gaiser had a career in the film business and was editing a documentary about political correctness on university campuses when producers filmed reenactments that made the women appear like delinquents, and not as professional as the male characters in the reenactment.

“They had the women spray paint their hair purple,” Gaiser said. “I had to stick to wide shots as an editor to give an objective point of view.”

Gaiser hoped that through a nonlinear and multimedia venue, she could “broaden people’s perspectives as to what women are, as opposed to looking through a stereotypical lens,” Gaiser said.

Gaiser joined Her Interactive and began work on the Nancy Drew video game series, but after failure to sell the videogame to distributors, Gaiser said they went to the “back door” and sold the videogame on Amazon. The game sold well and Her Interactive received the attention of mainstream media like the New York Times.

Another unique marketing decision was made to avoid pink packaging.

“We believe in not just the stereotype but in creating as many preferences as there are women,” Gaiser said. “So we decided to make it un-pink. It’s not a girly-girly game, but they still came.”

Barbie is another example of a female icon in the video game market; after years as a classic “girl’s toy,” Barbie has emerged from the pink box and gone digital. While she is still decidedly pink, her video games are popular among young girls.

Perhaps more important than the mere existence of a market for female video game players though, is the fact that girls are no longer boxed into playing only Barbie-type video games. Increasingly, girls are engaging in games that were formerly assumed to be only for boys, like car racing, music and even shooter games.

Gaiser said Her Interactive intends to continue working with young women, in the hopes that these games will instill a sense of empowerment in its audience.

Adult entertainment company Playboy has decided to step into video gaming scene. Fiercely popular for its adult-content centric magazines, websites and videos, Playboy is going to launch a new video game label later this year. Paul H. Lee, Playboy’s managing director for new digital ventures, told paidContent that this game label is a part of the wider digital strategy to make the Playboy brand a more mainstream concept. The company has currently tied up with German online games developer Bigpoint whose crime fantasy game Poisonville is featured on Playboy’s website.

Playboy intends to get into massive multiplayer online game (just like Farmville and not Dungeons & Dragon Online) and the game label will be launched before the end of this year. “According to Playboy user feedback, we know our audience is interested in online videogames…so we’re thrilled to launch a formal videogame label later this year that will meet their needs,” Lee added.

At this moment, Playboy will be promoting MMO action game Poisonville that is set in a fictional U.S. city. The gamer is required to complete a series of missions to gain respect and fight against corruption, just like in GTA or any crime-corruption game. During these missions, the protagonist will have close encounters with women who have full Playboy potential (you know what we mean…). Lee added that, “Playboy’s gaming interests included a few licensing deals and some editorial in the form of gaming reviews. But there was no clear, over-arching strategy in place. With Bigpoint, we’ve established a clear path in terms of where we want to go.”

This is a big step for Playboy who’s widely popular for adult and explicit content to foray in gaming for masses. You can start playing the new action game Poisonville right now. Note that this game is currently in its beta stage.

Complaining about the influence of video games on movies makes me feel more than a little like the old guy yelling, “Hey you kids, get off my lawn.” And besides, this summer at least, I’m not all that sure it’s a bad thing.

Now, to be clear, I’m certainly not talking about movies based directly on video games — I can’t think of the last one of those that was any good. In fact, movies “based” on another medium, particularly ’80s TV shows; generally raise a red flag for me (with this summer’s “The A Team” being a welcome exception … what a big blast of fun).

Instead, I mean movies that take on the feel of playing — or even better, somehow being in — a video game, with this summer’s best example so far being Christopher Nolan’s “Inception.” Until being knocked from the No. 1 perch last week by the seriously funny and well worth seeing “The Other Guys,” Nolan’s flick rode a long winning streak to already more than $227 million at the domestic box office in spite — or perhaps because, your choice — of a plot that, like the best of video games, presents a puzzle with level after level of challenges for viewers.

And if all Nolan’s tricks don’t quite add up in your mind, you’re far from alone. It took me two viewings to accept that even if everything he’s cooked up doesn’t add up perfectly (and I’m fairly certain it was never designed to), it’s still pretty much a masterwork both visually and in terms of storytelling.

In an interview with the L.A. Times, Henry Jenkins, a professor of communications, journalism and cinematic arts at the University of Southern California, explained the video game influence on “Inception” perfectly: “Inception’ is first and foremost a movie about worlds and levels, which is very much the way video games are structured. Games create a sense that we’re a part of the action. Stories aren’t just told to us. We experience them.”

Just how much more of an appetite is there for this interactive kind of filmmaking?

That gets a major test this weekend with the release of “Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World,” which packs the double geek bona fide of not only looking just like a really good video game but also being based on a fairly obscure series of graphic novels (and yes, though I’m well aware I should really be too old for “comic books,” I have read the first two installments of this, and it has a visual and verbal wit that should be just right in Edgar Wright’s flick.)

Like “Inception,” the tale of Scott Pilgrim is indeed also a quest with many levels, in this case battles with “seven evil exes” to win the heart of Ramona Flowers.

Even with this love story of sorts at its core, I’ll be curious to see how “Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World” fares in a busy week that also contains all the action you can stand (and probably much more) with “The Expendables” and Julia Roberts starring in a more conventional romantic saga directed by “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy, “Eat, Pray, Love.”

As for the overall trend of interactive movies, brace yourself for more, because it’s not going away any time soon (there’s even a sequel of sorts to “Tron,” “Tron: Legacy,” coming in time for Christmas).

And as for me, well, as long as the ride continues to be thrilling, I’ll just be enjoying it while it lasts.