Game Saint Blog

Hardcore Gamers sleep less

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:19:00 GMT

Who says you need more coffee to keep your eye wide open? Better grab that game joystick as what the scientists say, "The more you game, the less you sleep".

New research by the University of Arkansas has found that gamers playing more than seven hours a week experience more sleepiness than casual or non-gamers.

The findings only apply to gamers who define themselves as 'addicted' (although frankly seven hours a week doesn't sound that extreme).

The results of the study indicate that these gamers sleep less on weekdays than other gamers, and feel sleepier, the more they play.

Gamers lose hundreds of hours of sleep annually.

Gamers who reported that their gaming interfered with sleep slept for 1.6 hours less than other gamers, while those who claimed to be addicted to gaming slept one hour less on weekdays.

"It surprised us that of the people who admitted being addicted to gaming, only about a third of them recognized an interference with their sleep," said investigator Amanda Woolems.

The study examined data from 137 students. Of the total sample, 11 per cent reported that gaming interfered with their sleep and 13 per cent identified themselves as being addicted to gaming.

The Turtles Are Back

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:12:00 GMT

After the rumors circulating late this year, the most acclaimed arcade games of all time TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles): Turtles in Time Re-Shelled, confirmed its release downloadable game version provided by Ubisoft.

Re-Shelled will release on July 22 worldwide exclusively on Xbox LIVE Arcade, and later this year on PSN.

This is the 25th anniversary of the creation of TMNT and they are delighter to partner with Ubisoft to release an updated version of the arcade game.

I’ve been a turtle fan since then and I’m excited that Turtles are back...with their kung-fu style beating up the new generation of gamers.

COWABUNGA Dude!

Starcraft II Details

Sun, 31 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A Korean website GameMeca had the chance to test out the latest StarCraft II. Based on their article, the game loading time is a lot faster, which means the other player don’t have to wait to finish loading their end of the game.

How about the game play itself? As they have quoted, “The speed was approximately 1.5 times faster than the current ‘Star’.” …Wow, this is truly impressive, a much faster game rate. So, movements and attack speeds are sped up. And the hotkeys?...We can now have the ability to mass units like 10 buildings set to a hot key – if you’re into Zerg then it helps.

And because Beta has been officially confirmed for this summer, no exact date has been set yet but its just around the corner. Man…I’m still a Zergling!

DirectX10

Sun, 24 May 2009 12:50:00 GMT

Some gamers or most of us can’t simply wait for DirectX10 to come out, and let’s see what it offers for us gamers.

Compare Halo 10 image character above using DirectX9 from the image below from Crysis, a new PC game coming out soon, which uses the DirectX10

As you can see, DirectX10 adds a new level of realism by making its character more human-like. The face expressions, details of the face, the handle-bar moustache and the glazed looking eyes all add to the realism.

The Sims 3, more sociable on next release

Sat, 16 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This could be the biggest campaign yet for Electronics Arts in making “The Sims” video game more sociable.

As we all know, “The Sims” let players choose characters and create lives for them…either you’ll set the time when they’ll sleep or what their bathroom looks like.

“The Sims 3”, goes on sale June 2, will have newer features. Besides what their players look like, they can also choose what personality traits one character shall have – neutoric, in vain or loves to cook…and so on.

As characters in previous version lived in a single household, this time they now live in a town. And players can choose characters individual citizen, or change the existing ones, or remove and add newer ones…

Will my personality can play a role in “The Sims” or I’ll simply replicate the cast of “Lost” and see what it looks like to live next door?

Trino on Xbox Live

Mon, 11 May 2009 13:08:00 GMT

Prepare the nano-robot army!

Trino is now available on Xbox Live Community Games.

Players take control of TRINO, an evolving alien, that must escape the NANITES, an insidious nano-robot swarm, which imprisoned Trino for his powers.

Trino features a unique triangle trapping mechanic which players must use to evade and ensnare over 10 different enemies across over 40 levels in 3 chapters.

Trino was developed for the Xbox 360 console platform by TrinoTeam, an independent game developer.

Venture a Nintendo DS and soon to have my DS Lite

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:15:00 GMT

If you only knew where to look meticulously at any online store, then you knew you save big when shopping for games. I’ve been buying at trusted store online for the past years, and luckily for me, my next venture is at GameStock.

You see, I have my Nintendo DS since its released way back in 2004, and when DS Lite comes around the corner, I started lugging through my wallet and wired to get my hands on that DS Lite. What then is the fate of my good old Nintendo DS…trade-in perhaps?

Guess not, although I’ve heard some folks will trade in for an original DS and get a DS Lite…I might end up exchanging a broken Lite (my fate will surely sinks-in), and my original DS has sentimental value for me, as well as I couldn’t simple let go of Super Mario Brothers :-). So, I’ll continue buying some games for my Nintendo DS at the same time for my soon to have DS Lite.

That is were I ventured GameStock, for they have this DS Lite Bundles and their items are currently on sale. This is my best option to have a DS Lite. We've probably have similar console to this one or you might find various console selection at other store, but in GameStock, I find it easy to buy an item especially when it save me up to twenty pounds on a Nintendo DS Lite bundle.

After those hard earn times in buying games online, and soon to have a DS Lite, while exchanging my console (my precious) is out of the question, I find it easy to buy at GameStock. Not to mention, they include a DS Lite charger, Stylus Pens and Wrist Strap when you purchase a Nintendo DS Lite.

This is my lucky day…I know now where to venture!

Java Games that are Small enough to Qualify

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:18:00 GMT

How small is small? Over at Java4K, they have this competition or should I say “their genre” to create games that is just under 4K. That is about three floppy disk (if my math is correct – correct me).

One competitor made a game that has little room for AI (obviously running 4K!). The game is about two players steering around little planes, and tries to shoot each other out of the sky. That is how simple the game can get.

I’m into developing some flash games right now, and seems like it, even in the barest of definitions, it won’t even qualify.

How about you, are you a game developer that can create the smallest of them all?

To Sharpen your Vision, play Shooter Video Games

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 11:39:00 GMT

How good are your eyesight’s? Poor you say? Eat tons of carrots, wait a couple of days, and see if it improves. Ok…you hate carrots but you like to play Call of Duty? Keep playing, wait a couple of hours and you now have a 20-20 perfect vision…almost!

Some study finds that action games provide excellent training for what eye doctors call contrast sensitivity.

Contrast sensitivity is the ability to notice tiny changes in shades of grey against a uniform background, and is critical to everyday activities such as night driving and reading. It often degrades with age.

An experiment compares the contrast sensitivity between hard-core action game players and players who prefers less rapid-fire of the same age.

One played a popular point-and-shoot game "Call of Duty", and the other played a game that offered a rich visual experience, but one bereft of action. The first group improved their visual contrast by 43 percent, and the other group not at all.

Then it’s a good thing? I think there is no issue on visual performance, but all day long trying to play such games then your social life will not.

What is your though about this? Let me know!

Fallout 3, Videogame of the Year

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:59:00 GMT

At the 9th annual Game Developer Choice Awards, “Fallout 3” bested other notorious game rivals such as “Grand Theft Auto: IV” and the zombie shooter "Left 4 Dead".

Fallout 3 maker Bethesda Softworks garnered their ever first award and simply overjoyed – who doesn’t?...considering the game has kept short-changing the gamer in the hopes of further profit – through DLC.

The Game Developers Conference has become the premiere show for videogame awards. Although Fallout 3 is on my list, I’m wondering how it become the game of the year.

Yes, the game is great but for me…not the game of the year. Just a thought, what’s yours?