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JUST A GAME

Submitted by Acer on
Forum

Hi all,
Im just wondering if anybody saw the tv show "Just a game" ared on Sunday 11th January 7:30 Pm W.A Time.

I thought it was fantastic, it was a documentary on the history and cultural impact of video games and why ppl play them, there was an emphasis on online and lan gaming, it also brought up the typical game subjects on gaming violence, addiction to video games, and the industry.

I was impressed about the LAN section because i was not aware that such a social structure egsists and motivated me to check it out, it also featured a local LAN gaming area in Cannington, i will be shure to go soon to see what its all about!

Im just wondering on your thoughts, what did u think of the show, and any critisism.

Peace

Submitted by smeg on Tue, 13/01/04 - 5:12 AM Permalink

damn. sorry i missed it, sounds cool...

Submitted by Acer on Tue, 13/01/04 - 10:21 AM Permalink

Today i went to check out a local LAN Gaming centre, Centerpoint, Tuart Hill. Absolutely great! I recomend it to anyone who loves playin games on the net, but without the dreaded LAG!!!
There was mostly FPS and some RTS, games were limited to counter strike, half life, and some RTS'. There were many mods for the games which made it interesting, cant rember the spcific ones now. There were about 40-50 computers all networked and with broadband, price was $3 for 1 hour, $6 for 2, $8 for 3 hour, $10 for 4 hours,... u get the picture. The place was very clean and theres a MACCAS next door to boot.
I plan on going back there soon, as im now oficially hooked on LAN Gaming.
(By the way im only doing this for research.......for ummmmm......the .....ummmm...advantages of ummmmmmm.......[:p])

Peace

Submitted by tbag on Tue, 13/01/04 - 9:36 PM Permalink

I still havent been to a LAN party, i've heard there fun aslong as theres alot of people [:p].

As for the show, i missed it. But it probably wasnt aired here where i am anyway (Canberra, ACT).

Submitted by souri on Fri, 16/01/04 - 6:11 AM Permalink

I've never been to a Lan party either, just to your average internet/games cafe - definately good fun. I love the low pings - you can really get used to having around 50 ping. [:)].. and with prices like "$3 for 1 hour, $6 for 2, $8 for 3 hour, $10 for 4 hours", you can see why arcades have become the ghost towns that they are, where $3 or $10 can last you perhaps a mere 4 to 15 minutes..

Submitted by Aven on Fri, 16/01/04 - 6:46 AM Permalink

Having your own LAN is still my fav way of doing it. You can go for three days straight and still have decent food. You get to play against/with people you would like to (as opposed to a 14yr old with ADD). Plus it is always a great way to get really odd movies and other crap off people. The only problem is trying to squeeze nine+ people into someones house, and having the parents enjoy it :)

Submitted by Daemin on Fri, 16/01/04 - 11:09 PM Permalink

That's why you usually have lans when your parents are away in a large space etc. Like I had just recently, about 10-3 people, in my converted-double-garage of a room, for about 5 days total... Damn that was a lot of gaming.

Submitted by TheBigJ on Sat, 17/01/04 - 12:46 AM Permalink

Its also good if you have access to a computer room somewhere and just invite people you know. Places like work after hours, uni labs etc.

Submitted by Acer on Sun, 18/01/04 - 10:31 AM Permalink

I like the idea of having it in a Uni lab, but you have to somehow convince them to install all the games, and let u invite non students.

Submitted by tachyon on Mon, 19/01/04 - 7:30 AM Permalink

or just not let them know about it...

Submitted by Brain on Mon, 19/01/04 - 8:07 AM Permalink

"you can see why arcades have become the ghost towns that they are"

Uhm... okay then. From my point of view they're still going rather well. As well as gaming cafes, that's another thing...

And yes, lanning is fun. Been to close friends ones, and the flatmate and I have our occasional tonks, and gaming buddies still hit the cafes like the Bunker in Brissie. Ph33r my 2 digit user number at the Bunker!! RARR! @:-D

Submitted by Aven on Mon, 19/01/04 - 9:38 AM Permalink

Larger cities may still have active arcade business thanks to China Town (no racism meant :D), but Canberra has shut down two arcades in the last year. I also know that arcades in Japan and China are starting to fail. Sega are pissed over it, as are Konami.

Submitted by tbag on Mon, 19/01/04 - 9:15 PM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Aven

Larger cities may still have active arcade business thanks to China Town (no racism meant :D), but Canberra has shut down two arcades in the last year. I also know that arcades in Japan and China are starting to fail. Sega are pissed over it, as are Konami.

I know what you mean. Several arcades have shut down here in Canberra and most of them were ok (The matrix was my favourite, $1 got you two game tokens [;)]). The ones that have lived however. They have gone well... Crap, i mean that intenscity (Bad spelling [;)]) in Belconnen is pathetic and the first $2 i popped in a machine got me no credits! As well as the arcade at Hoyts cinema. Its alright (Best game is 4 player Daytona USA) but its so small.

Overall at one stage or another. There are gonna be no arcades in Australia's Capital Terroritory [}:)].

Submitted by souri on Tue, 20/01/04 - 12:12 PM Permalink

Oh, Intencity.. what a huge failure that was. A far few Intencity places sprung up in NSW, and it did generate a bit of excitement for a month or two. I remember the one that opened up in Parramatta, and that was very popular. It was so crowded and hard to get a game in! They had staff holding competitions for games like Daytona where the winner got to stay for the next round for free. But after about a month, the the novelty wore off, and only a small trickle of people would be found wandering the place. 3 months later, the place was absolutely dead. Same case with Sega World at Darling Harbour.

Submitted by MoonUnit on Tue, 20/01/04 - 7:13 PM Permalink

theres some intencitys around melbourne, mostly right beside the movies in shopping complexes, though theres a galatic circus at crown and its pretty damn popular. Its got one side with all the latest and greatest in arcade machines then another that has things like those skill testers (you know with the claw) and whack a crab. I went there recently and played some free daytona, they were holding a comp and they just forgot to charge us anything for entry :P (i came second if your interested :D )

Submitted by souri on Wed, 21/01/04 - 7:53 AM Permalink

Daytona was such an easy game to master. You just had to remember where to drop gears at certain hard turns, and just practise so you can time it exactly to get the best out of it. I could beat the single player mode without a sweat, not that it was hard at all. With other players though, it mostly luck because if you were really good, other people could still beat you due to it's lame and way too forgiving catch-up system.. [:)]
Arcades used to be THE place to go to check out ground breaking games running on machines that were so way ahead of home systems, but now all you see are just dance revolutions and old tekken/fighter games [:)].

Submitted by MoonUnit on Wed, 21/01/04 - 6:31 PM Permalink

heh heh i still love that ol capcom vs xmen machine though :P

Posted by Acer on
Forum

Hi all,
Im just wondering if anybody saw the tv show "Just a game" ared on Sunday 11th January 7:30 Pm W.A Time.

I thought it was fantastic, it was a documentary on the history and cultural impact of video games and why ppl play them, there was an emphasis on online and lan gaming, it also brought up the typical game subjects on gaming violence, addiction to video games, and the industry.

I was impressed about the LAN section because i was not aware that such a social structure egsists and motivated me to check it out, it also featured a local LAN gaming area in Cannington, i will be shure to go soon to see what its all about!

Im just wondering on your thoughts, what did u think of the show, and any critisism.

Peace


Submitted by smeg on Tue, 13/01/04 - 5:12 AM Permalink

damn. sorry i missed it, sounds cool...

Submitted by Acer on Tue, 13/01/04 - 10:21 AM Permalink

Today i went to check out a local LAN Gaming centre, Centerpoint, Tuart Hill. Absolutely great! I recomend it to anyone who loves playin games on the net, but without the dreaded LAG!!!
There was mostly FPS and some RTS, games were limited to counter strike, half life, and some RTS'. There were many mods for the games which made it interesting, cant rember the spcific ones now. There were about 40-50 computers all networked and with broadband, price was $3 for 1 hour, $6 for 2, $8 for 3 hour, $10 for 4 hours,... u get the picture. The place was very clean and theres a MACCAS next door to boot.
I plan on going back there soon, as im now oficially hooked on LAN Gaming.
(By the way im only doing this for research.......for ummmmm......the .....ummmm...advantages of ummmmmmm.......[:p])

Peace

Submitted by tbag on Tue, 13/01/04 - 9:36 PM Permalink

I still havent been to a LAN party, i've heard there fun aslong as theres alot of people [:p].

As for the show, i missed it. But it probably wasnt aired here where i am anyway (Canberra, ACT).

Submitted by souri on Fri, 16/01/04 - 6:11 AM Permalink

I've never been to a Lan party either, just to your average internet/games cafe - definately good fun. I love the low pings - you can really get used to having around 50 ping. [:)].. and with prices like "$3 for 1 hour, $6 for 2, $8 for 3 hour, $10 for 4 hours", you can see why arcades have become the ghost towns that they are, where $3 or $10 can last you perhaps a mere 4 to 15 minutes..

Submitted by Aven on Fri, 16/01/04 - 6:46 AM Permalink

Having your own LAN is still my fav way of doing it. You can go for three days straight and still have decent food. You get to play against/with people you would like to (as opposed to a 14yr old with ADD). Plus it is always a great way to get really odd movies and other crap off people. The only problem is trying to squeeze nine+ people into someones house, and having the parents enjoy it :)

Submitted by Daemin on Fri, 16/01/04 - 11:09 PM Permalink

That's why you usually have lans when your parents are away in a large space etc. Like I had just recently, about 10-3 people, in my converted-double-garage of a room, for about 5 days total... Damn that was a lot of gaming.

Submitted by TheBigJ on Sat, 17/01/04 - 12:46 AM Permalink

Its also good if you have access to a computer room somewhere and just invite people you know. Places like work after hours, uni labs etc.

Submitted by Acer on Sun, 18/01/04 - 10:31 AM Permalink

I like the idea of having it in a Uni lab, but you have to somehow convince them to install all the games, and let u invite non students.

Submitted by tachyon on Mon, 19/01/04 - 7:30 AM Permalink

or just not let them know about it...

Submitted by Brain on Mon, 19/01/04 - 8:07 AM Permalink

"you can see why arcades have become the ghost towns that they are"

Uhm... okay then. From my point of view they're still going rather well. As well as gaming cafes, that's another thing...

And yes, lanning is fun. Been to close friends ones, and the flatmate and I have our occasional tonks, and gaming buddies still hit the cafes like the Bunker in Brissie. Ph33r my 2 digit user number at the Bunker!! RARR! @:-D

Submitted by Aven on Mon, 19/01/04 - 9:38 AM Permalink

Larger cities may still have active arcade business thanks to China Town (no racism meant :D), but Canberra has shut down two arcades in the last year. I also know that arcades in Japan and China are starting to fail. Sega are pissed over it, as are Konami.

Submitted by tbag on Mon, 19/01/04 - 9:15 PM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Aven

Larger cities may still have active arcade business thanks to China Town (no racism meant :D), but Canberra has shut down two arcades in the last year. I also know that arcades in Japan and China are starting to fail. Sega are pissed over it, as are Konami.

I know what you mean. Several arcades have shut down here in Canberra and most of them were ok (The matrix was my favourite, $1 got you two game tokens [;)]). The ones that have lived however. They have gone well... Crap, i mean that intenscity (Bad spelling [;)]) in Belconnen is pathetic and the first $2 i popped in a machine got me no credits! As well as the arcade at Hoyts cinema. Its alright (Best game is 4 player Daytona USA) but its so small.

Overall at one stage or another. There are gonna be no arcades in Australia's Capital Terroritory [}:)].

Submitted by souri on Tue, 20/01/04 - 12:12 PM Permalink

Oh, Intencity.. what a huge failure that was. A far few Intencity places sprung up in NSW, and it did generate a bit of excitement for a month or two. I remember the one that opened up in Parramatta, and that was very popular. It was so crowded and hard to get a game in! They had staff holding competitions for games like Daytona where the winner got to stay for the next round for free. But after about a month, the the novelty wore off, and only a small trickle of people would be found wandering the place. 3 months later, the place was absolutely dead. Same case with Sega World at Darling Harbour.

Submitted by MoonUnit on Tue, 20/01/04 - 7:13 PM Permalink

theres some intencitys around melbourne, mostly right beside the movies in shopping complexes, though theres a galatic circus at crown and its pretty damn popular. Its got one side with all the latest and greatest in arcade machines then another that has things like those skill testers (you know with the claw) and whack a crab. I went there recently and played some free daytona, they were holding a comp and they just forgot to charge us anything for entry :P (i came second if your interested :D )

Submitted by souri on Wed, 21/01/04 - 7:53 AM Permalink

Daytona was such an easy game to master. You just had to remember where to drop gears at certain hard turns, and just practise so you can time it exactly to get the best out of it. I could beat the single player mode without a sweat, not that it was hard at all. With other players though, it mostly luck because if you were really good, other people could still beat you due to it's lame and way too forgiving catch-up system.. [:)]
Arcades used to be THE place to go to check out ground breaking games running on machines that were so way ahead of home systems, but now all you see are just dance revolutions and old tekken/fighter games [:)].

Submitted by MoonUnit on Wed, 21/01/04 - 6:31 PM Permalink

heh heh i still love that ol capcom vs xmen machine though :P