GAMES 2011

Mafia Wars is a popular Face book game that is quite different from some of the site’s other popular games like Farmville, Fish Ville and Restaurant City. If you’re reserving your free time for something darker and more adult, then this criminally-oriented game is the perfect alternative to the more ”cartoony” games that seem to be the dominant social networking diversions these days. With such soft competition, it should be no surprise that this game that is focused on violence and treachery took home last year’s People’s Voice Webby award in the online games category. Tens of millions of avid online mobsters join the Wars every day, so there’s no question about the quality and appeal of this game. The real question is: are you cutthroat enough to come out on top?

What Is Mafia Wars?

The title of the game really tells you all you need to know about its core objective – a video game alternative to TV’s famous series, The Sopranos. Your goal is to start from the bottom of the mafia heap and build up yourself and your family until you’re prepared to take on other tasks and battle other families. In the beginning, it’s just you, and you’ll have to choose your player type (Maniac, Mogul or Fearless) and work your strengths and weaknesses to your best advantage, all the while recruiting and hiring new members for your criminal family.

OK, So Tell Me How To Win?

Because Mafia Wars’ designers – Zing – are constantly updating the game, there’s really no “forever” way to win. By earning more money, completing more tasks and increasing the size and strength of your mafia family, you can gain access to new cities and characters and grind your way up through the levels, leaving behind a trail of fear and destruction. Zing is expected to offer two new temporary settings this year – Las Vegas and Paris – which means plenty of new challenges for ambitious players.

Where Can I Play Mafia Wars?

There are solo versions of the Mafia Wars game, but it’s no doubt most popular in the MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) form that’s offered on social networking sites like MySpace and Face Book. It’s safe to assume that if the site you’re using is free, then playing Mafia Wars will be too. But it’s important to know that some phone applications for the game may have tech charges attached so be certain to check before playing so that you won’t receive a nasty surprise.

If you have been alive here on planet Earth for the last (oh, I don’t know) decade or so, then you know that there have been and continue to be naysayers who claim that video games will ruin you.

The intellectual arguments that they have put forth allege that the games are “distracting,” “expensive” and can become “addictive.” (Wow.) Jon Hens haw, M.A., from familyresource.com writes that the wasted hours could be “harmful to relationships” and even “rob you of real life experiences.”

Just as ardently, however – if not more so – proponents of game play have asserted the benefits of the sport, especially in the fantasy/role-playing genre.

In an online article entitled, “The Good Things about Video Games,” the Media Awareness Network says gaming provides a fun and social form of entertainment where kids can become “comfortable with technology” while reinforcing “teamwork and cooperation when played with others.”

While both of these groups probably have a point (“too much of a good thing can be bad” and “see the good in every bad situation”), I think moderation is key.

I think PC games are fun if they are in a genre I like. And they are challenging. They challenge my reflexes and hand-eye coordination as well as my math and reasoning skills.

If I spend about two hours a day, I find that I am more relaxed, feel better about myself (especially if I do well) and am better able to concentrate.

If I, however, spend less time, I struggle with restlessness and boredom. And, conversely, spending too much time leaves me feeling drained (and I usually start making a lot of really dumb mistakes).

But the thing that really irritates me is that many times these anti-gaming groups say that all video games are bad – “phooey.”

That simply is not true. While it may be true of teen games like War craft, how could it possibly apply to Mario or Zelda? When anti-gaming zealots make such ridiculous claims, they lose any hint of credibility and my attention (and my dad’s, too – he grew up on Mario)!

My advice: Set reasonable boundaries. It is no different from television. You would look stunned if your neighbors just threw out all their television sets because they did not like one of the channels.

If you look up the meaning of Internet Forum in a dictionary, it says “an online discussion site where people talk about a given topic by posting their opinions in message form”. Now add the affix gaming to it so it becomes an online discussion site where people talk about games and everything related to them by posting their opinions in message form.

A gaming forum is essentially like a life line, a repository of ideas, opinions, short cuts and news about games exclusively. It is a place where you can share the latest discovery you made while playing your favorite video game, any short cut you have learned, any cheat codes you have come across, and gaming consoles you prefer etc. It is also the place to turn to if you are stuck somewhere regarding games and want opinion of others.

Like other forums on the internet a gaming forum is usually moderated to ensure that all the participants adhere to some predefined rules like sticking to gaming topics only and not use inflammatory language. Game forums have become a pretty popular source of information among gamers to converge and discuss their hearts out about games.

Since there is a plethora of gaming forums out there on the internet, the question arises as to how to select one that is the best and has everything you are looking for? The answer is, a good gaming forum will have diversity of topics; it won’t be weighed down by monotony and have plenty of gamers as its contributors. A good forum will always have the latest in gaming news, release dates, cheats, strategy guide etc. In simple words, it will be a one stop solution to every query regarding gaming that a gamer might have.

With thousands of gaming forums on the internet, an excellent forum is Gamers Bin; it virtually provides everything a gamer would want to see in a gaming forum. It is a bullet fast expanding community for gamers, madders, glitches filled with guides and tutorials. The site has forums divided according to consoles; for example there is a separate section for Microsoft Xbox games, Sony PlayStation games, and Nintendo games. In this forum anything and everything about games on respective consoles is discussed in detail.

Are you an avid gamer who spends hours in front of the console playing the latest games? Then probably, you have already spent thousands of dollars buying new game CDs as soon as it hits the market. Being a game enthusiast, you would definitely want to try out the latest releases instead of playing the old ones over and over again. But is there a way to do this in a cheaper manner without having to burn a hole in your pocket? Yes there is; game swap is the ultimate answer for every gaming freak to play to his heart’s content without dishing out extra money.

Game swap can help you save lots of money; you can swap your favorite games for the latest ones with your friends who share the same interest in gaming as you. If you do not happen to have close gaming buddies, do not worry; just go online to find hundreds of websites through which you can swap all your games for those you do not possess or the latest versions. There is a whole gaming community out there indulging in swapping games and it only gets bigger as days go by.

These websites are very easy to use; all you need to do is register as a member by providing basic information. Some sites ask for a security deposit to be made to ensure that the CDs and DVDs are returned in good condition. You can choose from the hundreds of game titles that are available on the site or put in a request so that others who may have a copy can get back to you. Such game swap websites have become an instant hit as they help all gaming freaks to enjoy games without having to spend hundreds of dollars from their pocket.

The game Dungeons and Dragons has been around for many decades and seems like an innocent enough board game, just like the Ouija Board that you can use to communicate with spirits from the other side.

Most people who play Dungeons and Dragons secretly want to believe in the world of spirit and do not believe playing a board game can in any way harm their soul. Yet this is not the case. In this game, spells are cast and demons are conjured, all in the name of acquiring more power and victory over your gaming opponent. What the majority of people who play this game do not know is whenever they cast spells or conjure up demons they are giving the “green light” for demon spirits to enter their soul.

In the following quote from Dr. Shakuntala Mode’s book, “Remarkable Healings” who has healed many patients from spiritual demon possession, we see how dangerous it is to “play with the devil”. Dr. Mode: “Sometimes patients reported being possessed by human or demon entities while playing with an Ouija Board, channeling, doing automatic writing, or sitting in a séance. Playing with conjuring games such as Dungeons and Dragons and Demons can also open people up for possession. Dave, a fifteen year old male, had a demon entity who claimed to come in when he was playing Dungeons and Dragons.”

You may dismiss this believing only a small number of people are possessed by demons. Yet this is not the case either. The vast majority of souls on earth have been infiltrated by earthbound or demon spirits due to holes in their aura and a fragmented soul caused by emotional, mental or physical trauma over the course of their many lives on earth.

Our recommendation is that if you do not wish to be possessed by demon spirits that you stay well clear of the Ouija Board or any game that requires you to cast spells and conjure demons. As the old saying goes, when you play with fire you will get burnt. These dark spirits are waiting patiently for the right opportunity to join with new human hosts, and they do this subtly, using a method called “partial possession”. This means the demon spirit can gain entry into your soul undetected, and give you the impression that it is a part of your normal fear-based human ego that is already negative in nature. How will you know the difference? You can’t, and that is the point. These dark entities do not wish to be detected within you, which give them time to silently work on your soul over a long period of time, causing you to make more and more poor choices, stealing your light and your ability to love and receive love.

Online gambling is not only fun, it provides an opportunity to make some extra cash. And whether you’re brand new to the world of Web gambling or have been a gamer for quite some time, gambling forums can be useful. Probably one of the greatest advantages of online gambling are you can gamble without the amount of pressure that’s usually at a Las Vegas or Singapore casino table! You can take time to learn all about gambling before getting your feet wet. You can also take it slowly and start with very little risk.

Gambling forums are great for beginners as well as avid gamers. Here are three ways to maximize your experience.

1. Take Your Time

Before leaping into a conversation at any gambling forum, take a week or two to observe how the forum operates and the type of users there. Make sure the forum covers the topics you’d like to discuss. Some are dedicated to a particular type of gambling, such as poker, roulette or blackjack. Others cover an array of topics and appeal to all types of gamers. You might find it to be the right forum for you…or you might decide to try the next one instead!

2. Avoid Self-Promotion

If you own a business (whether related to gambling or not), try to avoid self-promotion when posting to forums. Its okay to offer free advice and then to include a link to your site at the conclusion of your tips; however, don’t post blatant ads into the forums. You’ll likely be kicked off the forum permanently and/or users will lose confidence in your postings. A good rule of thumb is to include any links as a “by the way” or a “resource box” only.

3. Build Relationships

Whether for business or pleasure, gambling forums provide a great medium for building relationships. You can find friends and mentors for life if you frequent reputable forums. Some are avid gamers who can give valuable advice to help you improve your gaming experience. Others are beginners seeking friendship of those with similar passions. Stick with one or two gambling forums so you can build relationships with those users. In doing so, you’ll be exposed to many great resources and trustworthy gambling tips.