Over the past few weeks’ I have garnered an urge to write my thoughts as a way to express myself and vent my frustrations and thought I would start my first posting as a general introduction into current thoughts of mine, as well as my first life lesson.
Life itself is such an extraordinary gift that no matter what culture, creed, religion or branch of science we base our beliefs on, can all agree to be such a rare and opportune entity. What makes us truly gifted is our ability to consciously experience the world around us and make decisions for not only ourselves but the wildlife and environment which protects us.
Instead of appreciating what we have, we instead choose to spend the majority of our lives ensuring that we are able to sustain ourselves for the last 10 years of life where we become dependent on those around us – almost expectant – despite providing anything back to the world in the time we had to make a difference.
Of course, this is not the case for a small few, who do make that difference and better the world in any small way they can, from those who travel to the more unkind areas of the world in attempt to help those who struggle to feed their young every day, to those who find it in themselves to donate to charitable causes and provide the resources the volunteers need.
Life Lesson No 1 – Charity Starts at Home.
The first life lesson is indeed crucial in not only ensuring our own survival, but also the ability for us to help others in the future. This is a lesson that has been drilled into me since I was around sixteen years old.
My experience of this lesson has been somewhat different however and has made me question just where charity at home stops. Can you use the same excuse to buy yourself a crate of cider and turn away Cancer Research when they come to your door, because charity starts at home?
My moral dilemma comes into conflict with this subject, and I feel that the way our economical, social and governmental system has been manipulated to work, this is how I am supposed to feel. I am not in a position where I can suggest a better way of doing things, nor am I willing to provide money to certain organisations where I know it does not go to the place it is supposed to.
I knew of a gentleman who ran a charity shop who got both accommodation and a wage paid for by the charity (I’m not giving names, because that would leave me open to a legal case, which is bad) however this wasn’t enough. He would research into a certain products the charity shop where given in abundance, make a complete set of said item by purchasing it in parts for a fraction of the cost and then sell it at a collectors price.
How does a man who originally volunteered for a good cause become so caught up in his own personal gain, he is able to live with himself doing this? Of course, the answer is in your wallet and life lesson number one, charity starts at home.
I will close this in an open ended state, allowing people to take their own view on what this means in a way to enable self expression on the matter, however should you have any thoughts you wish to share please put them in the comments section below.
Saturday 21 June 2014
Monday 21 March 2011
What is this I dont even
http://www.lemondrop.co.uk/2011/03/21/holly-risks-daring-low-cut-dress-on-dancing-on-ice/?icid=main|uk|dl5|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lemondrop.co.uk%2F2011%2F03%2F21%2Fholly-risks-daring-low-cut-dress-on-dancing-on-ice%2F
FCKIN DRIVLE YOU GET ON THE INTERWEBZ......
TL;DR
Thousands of women complain about thier husbands fapping to Holly <3
FCKIN DRIVLE YOU GET ON THE INTERWEBZ......
TL;DR
Thousands of women complain about thier husbands fapping to Holly <3
Sunday 20 March 2011
THE INTERNETS IS SCARIEZ
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8187305.stm
Wow.... never have I seen so much retard in one web page before...
Hear hear! I'm 36, and have internet access at home but never use it. I spend my working life using a computer and have to use the internet for work purposes, the last thing I want to do when I get home is sit in front of another computer! I've been asked by friends to join networking sites but I'm just not interested. If you want to speak to me, I have a telephone!
Rebecca, Leicester, UK
Now back in the day, this would have been:
Hear hear! I'm 36, and have a telephone at home but never use it. I spend my working life using a telephone and have to use the switchboard for work purposes, the last thing I want to do when I get home is talk for hours on another telephone! I've been asked by friends to give them my phone number but I'm just not interested. If you want to speak to me, I have a mail box!
Veronica, Leicester, UK
My elderly mother threw out her computer when, after composing a long and important Email it glibly announced that it was going to shut down for important updates - updates to the MP3 player.
John B, Clitheroe
This one is complete crap, anyone with an IQ above 3 knows that...
"We tried computing and we're back to writing letters" says one of those being questioned by researcher, as e-mail is seen as too impersonal for close human contact.
Apparently a piece of paper which takes at least a day to get to somebody is more personal then actually seeing speaking to that person via instant communication, I mean, who the hell wants to speak to somebody over the internet with video, sound and live streaming when we can send them a piece of paper, fuck yeah paper!
Wow.... never have I seen so much retard in one web page before...
Hear hear! I'm 36, and have internet access at home but never use it. I spend my working life using a computer and have to use the internet for work purposes, the last thing I want to do when I get home is sit in front of another computer! I've been asked by friends to join networking sites but I'm just not interested. If you want to speak to me, I have a telephone!
Rebecca, Leicester, UK
Now back in the day, this would have been:
Hear hear! I'm 36, and have a telephone at home but never use it. I spend my working life using a telephone and have to use the switchboard for work purposes, the last thing I want to do when I get home is talk for hours on another telephone! I've been asked by friends to give them my phone number but I'm just not interested. If you want to speak to me, I have a mail box!
Veronica, Leicester, UK
My elderly mother threw out her computer when, after composing a long and important Email it glibly announced that it was going to shut down for important updates - updates to the MP3 player.
John B, Clitheroe
This one is complete crap, anyone with an IQ above 3 knows that...
"We tried computing and we're back to writing letters" says one of those being questioned by researcher, as e-mail is seen as too impersonal for close human contact.
Apparently a piece of paper which takes at least a day to get to somebody is more personal then actually seeing speaking to that person via instant communication, I mean, who the hell wants to speak to somebody over the internet with video, sound and live streaming when we can send them a piece of paper, fuck yeah paper!
Blog Design - How?
So i'm struggling to find motivation to post detailed blog's when I have to look back on this god awful design, could anyone suggest how i change the design? I see people out there with awesome designs and I come back to look at mine and all think is wtf is this shit :'(
Anyway, was thinking about making some Retri arena videos before i respec my pvp to holy, I'll put the links here if I do :)
Anyway, was thinking about making some Retri arena videos before i respec my pvp to holy, I'll put the links here if I do :)
Thursday 17 March 2011
18th March 2010 - First Real Blog Post!
Figured I really should start using this blog seeing as how i've got it here, and have yet to do anything at all with it...
First of all let me introduce who I am!
I am Araelis AKA Lolâdin of Doomhammer-Eu, the best paladin tank in Europe since I rerolled paladin.
What I am to do with this blog is provide a place where other WoW players can read up on and check out what i'm doing, and also a place to discuss different things in the comments area.
If things kick off well enough, then i'll start providing video's, tips, trolling platforms and generally any think else I can fit on this page with my verbal diarrhoea.
Regards
Araelis
First of all let me introduce who I am!
I am Araelis AKA Lolâdin of Doomhammer-Eu, the best paladin tank in Europe since I rerolled paladin.
What I am to do with this blog is provide a place where other WoW players can read up on and check out what i'm doing, and also a place to discuss different things in the comments area.
If things kick off well enough, then i'll start providing video's, tips, trolling platforms and generally any think else I can fit on this page with my verbal diarrhoea.
Regards
Araelis
Sunday 11 October 2009
Creating a games matrix
Games Matrix for Role Playing Games – Review
When creating a games matrix, it is vital to ensure that the format and criteria of the matrix match the type of game which is to be reviewed. For example, a first person shooter may choose multiplayer as a section to delve into when picking the criteria, whereas a racing game would pick a category such as pace and speed to review.
For creating a game matrix for role playing games, six vital areas which need to be reviewed upon are the story, game play, visual quality, longevity, sounds and ambience within the game and difficulty. Furthermore, when the categories and criteria have been set, a way of scoring these categories based on criteria must be devised. For my games matrix, I have decided upon a scoring system going from 1 through to 5. Then, by looking at the criteria set for each section, it is possible for the user to determine what score the game deserves based on the features of the game in comparison to the criteria I developed.
I will now describe why I chose each category for the games matrix, so as to give an understanding on how each category was chosen as the main grading criteria.
Story
When playing a role playing game, the story is possibly one of the most important factors on how well the game plays out and how well it sells in today’s market. The very idea behind a role playing game is to play a character to complete quests and decide the fate of the world in which the game is based. A good story can generally tell you how good a game is going to be, so in my opinion this was the most vital category required for the matrix.
In addition, the quality of quests within the game is also vital, as the player should generally have multiple different ways in which they can play the game, for example taking small quests to pass time, or longer main storyline quests to complete the game.
Game Play
The game play of a role playing game is also important when rating a role playing game. Most role playing games have a strong direction within the way the story is told, so the user has to be kept entertained in some way rather than spending most of their time watching small movie snippets. The combat systems and freedom to move around are the two most important game play aspects for this game genre, so I have based my criteria on those two points.
Furthermore, the game play of a good role playing game can set the rules for a sequel to the game; this is highly advantageous to the developers as they know how well the game mechanics worked purely from the success rate of the first game commissioning a second. Furthermore, this can help users who are previously experienced with the game mechanics jump straight into the game with minimal hassle, bar new features.
Visual Quality
As technology progresses in the gaming world, there is really little excuse for game developers to leave out vital visual effects within a game. For a role playing game, the scene, atmosphere and mood can make or break a game. Poor quality graphical effects can leave a lasting impression on someone new to the game, so much so they may decide to put the game down and find something new.
For these reasons, I decided that the visual quality of a game would be a vital area to be tested and reviewed within my game matrix to ensure that the player is kept entertained and happy with the way the game looks on their screen. With HD ready devices and consoles becoming more and more popular now, the graphical aspects and details of a newly developed game must have higher standards than games released previously on older consoles.
Longevity
As the market for games and the amount of games being produced is climbing higher and higher, so is the price. However, games released as of the past three years have shorter game play time than those of their predecessors, causing people who play games to become unhappy with the price vs. lifetime of a game. The longevity of a game is becoming more and more important.
Whilst it is still important to ensure that a game does not drag on for too long, the replay ability factor of the game must be addressed seriously and with a cautious approach. Failure to do this effectively can result in a game not living up to expectations post release and a poor quality game in the long term. It is because of this I have decided to include longevity as a key factor in my game matrix, with clear and concise instruction as to how the criterion works.
Sounds and Ambience
Another important aspect of evaluating a role playing game under the guidance of a games matrix is the sounds and ambience which the game delivers. Choosing the right music for the right moment, scene, video clip and other parts of a game is important for the overall feel of the game. Furthermore, the quality of music delivered and the way in which it intertwines with the game should feel natural and as part of the game itself, delivering a rewarding feeling when a major part of a game has just been completed, or providing the right dramatic effect for a cut scene.
In addition to this, the right sound must be played when a user interacts with something within the game, for example the way in which two swords clash must sound like two swords clashing, rather than something of inferior quality such as two pieces of thin metal touching.
Difficulty
Many role playing games have often fallen down a general trend of making a game either too easy to progress or complete, or too much of a grind, or time spent equals progress made, to adversely affect the overall enjoyment of the game. To combat this, the game should be well balanced and the player should feel like they are progressing for every moment spent on the game, be it travel time or levelling up a character.
The criteria I have designed for this gives clear direction as to how a game should feel if the difficulty has been developed correctly and in a controlled manner, meaning the user should be able to give constructive feedback based on the matrix I have created.
In conclusion, I feel the games matrix I have created will offer real insight as to how a game plays out, with enough detail for the user to be able to make an easy decision and score based on the criteria given. Furthermore, anyone who reads the completed matrix will be able to see where the advantages of the game are, as well as the drawbacks, and for someone interested in buying the game, this can give them a clear idea as to whether they should buy the game or leave it on the shelf in favour of something else.
When creating a games matrix, it is vital to ensure that the format and criteria of the matrix match the type of game which is to be reviewed. For example, a first person shooter may choose multiplayer as a section to delve into when picking the criteria, whereas a racing game would pick a category such as pace and speed to review.
For creating a game matrix for role playing games, six vital areas which need to be reviewed upon are the story, game play, visual quality, longevity, sounds and ambience within the game and difficulty. Furthermore, when the categories and criteria have been set, a way of scoring these categories based on criteria must be devised. For my games matrix, I have decided upon a scoring system going from 1 through to 5. Then, by looking at the criteria set for each section, it is possible for the user to determine what score the game deserves based on the features of the game in comparison to the criteria I developed.
I will now describe why I chose each category for the games matrix, so as to give an understanding on how each category was chosen as the main grading criteria.
Story
When playing a role playing game, the story is possibly one of the most important factors on how well the game plays out and how well it sells in today’s market. The very idea behind a role playing game is to play a character to complete quests and decide the fate of the world in which the game is based. A good story can generally tell you how good a game is going to be, so in my opinion this was the most vital category required for the matrix.
In addition, the quality of quests within the game is also vital, as the player should generally have multiple different ways in which they can play the game, for example taking small quests to pass time, or longer main storyline quests to complete the game.
Game Play
The game play of a role playing game is also important when rating a role playing game. Most role playing games have a strong direction within the way the story is told, so the user has to be kept entertained in some way rather than spending most of their time watching small movie snippets. The combat systems and freedom to move around are the two most important game play aspects for this game genre, so I have based my criteria on those two points.
Furthermore, the game play of a good role playing game can set the rules for a sequel to the game; this is highly advantageous to the developers as they know how well the game mechanics worked purely from the success rate of the first game commissioning a second. Furthermore, this can help users who are previously experienced with the game mechanics jump straight into the game with minimal hassle, bar new features.
Visual Quality
As technology progresses in the gaming world, there is really little excuse for game developers to leave out vital visual effects within a game. For a role playing game, the scene, atmosphere and mood can make or break a game. Poor quality graphical effects can leave a lasting impression on someone new to the game, so much so they may decide to put the game down and find something new.
For these reasons, I decided that the visual quality of a game would be a vital area to be tested and reviewed within my game matrix to ensure that the player is kept entertained and happy with the way the game looks on their screen. With HD ready devices and consoles becoming more and more popular now, the graphical aspects and details of a newly developed game must have higher standards than games released previously on older consoles.
Longevity
As the market for games and the amount of games being produced is climbing higher and higher, so is the price. However, games released as of the past three years have shorter game play time than those of their predecessors, causing people who play games to become unhappy with the price vs. lifetime of a game. The longevity of a game is becoming more and more important.
Whilst it is still important to ensure that a game does not drag on for too long, the replay ability factor of the game must be addressed seriously and with a cautious approach. Failure to do this effectively can result in a game not living up to expectations post release and a poor quality game in the long term. It is because of this I have decided to include longevity as a key factor in my game matrix, with clear and concise instruction as to how the criterion works.
Sounds and Ambience
Another important aspect of evaluating a role playing game under the guidance of a games matrix is the sounds and ambience which the game delivers. Choosing the right music for the right moment, scene, video clip and other parts of a game is important for the overall feel of the game. Furthermore, the quality of music delivered and the way in which it intertwines with the game should feel natural and as part of the game itself, delivering a rewarding feeling when a major part of a game has just been completed, or providing the right dramatic effect for a cut scene.
In addition to this, the right sound must be played when a user interacts with something within the game, for example the way in which two swords clash must sound like two swords clashing, rather than something of inferior quality such as two pieces of thin metal touching.
Difficulty
Many role playing games have often fallen down a general trend of making a game either too easy to progress or complete, or too much of a grind, or time spent equals progress made, to adversely affect the overall enjoyment of the game. To combat this, the game should be well balanced and the player should feel like they are progressing for every moment spent on the game, be it travel time or levelling up a character.
The criteria I have designed for this gives clear direction as to how a game should feel if the difficulty has been developed correctly and in a controlled manner, meaning the user should be able to give constructive feedback based on the matrix I have created.
In conclusion, I feel the games matrix I have created will offer real insight as to how a game plays out, with enough detail for the user to be able to make an easy decision and score based on the criteria given. Furthermore, anyone who reads the completed matrix will be able to see where the advantages of the game are, as well as the drawbacks, and for someone interested in buying the game, this can give them a clear idea as to whether they should buy the game or leave it on the shelf in favour of something else.
Wednesday 22 April 2009
My First Post
Well, its early in the morning, and im creating a blog... why? well, because google told me to, and google is cool, so ill create a blog, anyways ill probably update this sometime tomorrow so come check it out and leave your comments! :)
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