Mom's Minute

Source:  PC World, Peter Smith, August 9, 2011

Sometimes called the "Netflix" of video games, GameFly  is a video game rental company.  You pay a fixed price for a certain number of games out at a time. 

GameFly requires membership at a cost of about $15.95 per month for one game at a time and  $22.95 per month for two games.  According to the author, these prices seem a little steep.

So what is the video game news here?  Apparently, GameFly plans to add PC and MAC games to its video game rental porfolio.  Installation of a client is required.

Subscribers will have access to both physical console game rentals and digital computer game rentals.  The PC game rental segment is new.  According to GameFly's co-founder, Sean Spector, there will be over 100 titles available to rent at launch, which is expected to grow.

The new client will also add a social aspect to the GameFly experience, where customers can share lists of games, follow other customers, etc.

Looks like GameFly  will have competition in its new venture of PC game rentals -- GameTap.  GameTap is a subscription based PC gaming platform that is old hat when it comes to PC game rentals.  GameTap charges about $9.95 per month, and offers second tier games as well as retro games run by emulators.  However, the author states this company has been struggling since launching in 2005.

Ms. H's take.  I agree with the author that the GameFly subscription price seems a bit high, so the addition of PC and MAC games to the mix may (in my opinion)  be a cost-benefit to the customer. Of course, current subscribers may have their own views about this,  including whether  PC and MAC game rentals  are welcome additions.

My minute is up! Thanks for visiting my website!

I appreciate you stopping by!

Bye now.

Ms. H

"Ms. H = Win!"

 Source:  Jayme, Men's Health Magazine, July/August 2011

We all know  or  should know that vegetables are good for us, but did you know that playing video games falls into the same "good for us" category?   According to John W. Hagen, Ph.D. as quoted in this news article,  there are health and other types of benefits to playing games. 

Dr. Hagen states that  as we mature, we may benefit from more complex games that challenge us in new ways.

Some benefits cited were sharpening our problem-solving skills, improving our hand-eye coordination, and helping us to understand different perspectives.  

Here are some game picks from the news article:

Call of Duty 2:  May help  to blow off steam and may increase  tolerance to stress in the real world--reported by Texas A&M researchers.

Rise of Nations:  May help to improve mental performance.

Wii Boxing:  Burns 37 calories in 15 minutes.  A Mayo Clinic states any game that makes you think and move is good.

Ms. H's take:  In my opinion, I agree with this assertion; however, I'm sure you can point out  other video games that may be good for us that were not listed in this article.  (I personally prefer Kinect Boxing over Wii.)

 As in all things,  moderation and having a balance is key.

So eat your vegetables, play video games, think, move, be active, stay safe, happy and healthy!

My minute is up!  Thanks for visiting my website!

Please comment on what you would like to see on my website!  I want to hear from you!

Bye now,

Ms. H.

"Ms. H = Win!"

 Source of news:  IFC News, Matt Singer, August 9, 2011

 Extra, Extra.  Read All About it!

 Reef Entertainment is bringing out a new Rambo video game in 2012.

With the movie "The Expendables 2" scheduled for release  next summer, Craig Lewis, Commercial Director at Reef is betting 2012 will be as good a time as any to bring back Rambo.

His words:

"Rambo will be a triple-A title on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC and will capture the gritty atmosphere and full-on action which made the Rambo movies so successful."

According to the author of the news article, we should not expect much of a story-line.  Just lots of battles, vehicle chases, climbing, and hand to hand combat.  Of course, Rambo will be unphased through it all, being the seemingly one man army that he is -- or will his plight depend on your game play?

Ms. H's take: Since this  article states that Reef Entertainment is trying to put its name on the world map with Rambo in 2012,  I'm thinking Rambo will be brought back in a big way.  A brief  comparison was made of Rambo and a game I played during my Mom's Minute reviews, "Unchartered."  I recall  this game was an ok type game.

So what are my thoughts on the 2012 Rambo game? In my opinion, the jury is out for now.  Let's wait and see what Rambo delivers.

My minute is up! 

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions on my website!

Thanks for visiting my website, and I look forward to sharing more video game news with you!

Bye now,

Ms. H

"Ms.H = Win!"

From Ms. H -- Cover of Hot Potato Video Game

Source of News:  Angel Libby, Technology, July 22, 2011.

This just in -- A young boy who is facing a personal health crisis had a special wish to create his own video game. With assistance from the Make-A-Wish foundation, he collaborated with a video game company, which not only backed his video game product, but helped him to advance it across international waters!

He got the opportunity to meet with a team from PopCap Games to pitch his game, which he thought was for his amusement only. However, his video game became known to a much larger audience!  His app is available for download.

I am showing the cover of the Hot Potato video game created and developed by my sons, which includes a riveting, professional soundtrack! Yours truly happily previewed Hot Potato before it was released to the general public!

Remember when I reviewed this game at the request of one of my Mom's Minute podcast listeners, and I dubbed it the "greatest game in the world!"

Other games my sons  created  and developed from scratch are -- "You Will Die","RoboFighters", "Hello Kitty Happy Apples" and "Revenge of the Ball!" All are available to you for download!  I'm sure there are plenty of other exciting games planned for creation and development in the future!

Ms. H Says:  Your brain is  magnificent and  awaits to be used for your intellectual as well as video games pursuits!

So what say you? Have you ever envisioned creating your own video game?  If so, I would like to hear from you!  I'm interested in knowing  why you did not continue, or hopefully are continuing with creating your very own dream video game.

Feel free to comment here or in my Ms. H forum on my website -- anytime!

My minute is up!  Thanks for visiting my website, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Bye now.

Ms. H

"Ms. H = Win!"

​

 Source of news:  Shane McGlaun, SlashGear, August 5, 2011

 Have you ever played a "sit down" arcade video driving game and wondered how it would feel to actually drive the car?  Well, wonder no more.   According to the author of the news article titled, "OutRun Arcade Game Actually Drives on the Road," some researchers at the University of California at Irvine have done just that.

The research project -- concept car (pictured), began as a sort of  informatics system to help the disabled drive and do other things, but evolved into a video game you can drive.

The engineers used an old OutRun sit down model arcade game and mounted the game to a chassis that can actually move down the road.  You sit behind  the video screen, and when you are on the road, you steer the car looking at the screen instead of what is really in front of you.

I researched another source and found out this concept car has a maximum speed of about 13 miles per hour.

 Ms. H's take:  Maybe if the OutRun video game car was in an enclosed area,  I may give the car only a very slight nod of approval. In my opinion, looking at the game screen instead of your actual surroundings is not the safest way to drive a car, even if it is a video game.

By the way, did you figure out that my headline for this news article was really  "Braking News?"  

On a positive note, I applaud the ingenuity of those who developed the OutRun concept car video game that you can actually drive.

But I have to ask -- What's next?  An airplane video game that you can actually fly?

My minute is up!  I always enjoy  sharing my video game news with you!

If you have any ideas or suggestions for my website, please comment here or in my forum.

Thanks for visiting and come back soon!

Bye now,

Ms. H

"Ms. H = Win!"