For those of you who don’t know, the Sims Online is undergoing a revolution. Having been left standing for the last few years with little to no input, EA are at last re-shaping the game, and the world of multiplayer gaming as we know it. Sound like hyperbole? Perhaps, perhaps not; check out their latest addition to the online gaming experience: AvatarBook.
Facebook made flesh
So what is Avatarbook? Well, the clue is in the name. What is one of the largest social networking websites on the planet at the moment? That’s right -– Facebook. With over 58 million users, Facebook is the primary reason that many of us log on in the morning. But, as we all know, it has its limitations. As do online games.
One problem with online games is that they can be too divorced from reality -– you have your online friends, and your real-world friends, and the two remain firmly divided. Ditto Facebook -– your user-circle is limited by who you already know, and it’s hard to get to know people outside of that circle on a one-to-one basis without sharing all your private data or being introduced by a friend of a friend.
All that is set to change, with a new application that could change our networking community forever. When Linden Labs made Linden Dollars (the currency of the hugely popular game Second Life) exchangeable for real-world currency, they opened up the world of online gaming by bringing it into the real world. Now EA want to do the same thing, by allowing users of the Sims Online to link their Avatars' accounts to their Facebook profiles.
Sharing Information
Avatarbook has two faces -- the in-game version and the Facebook version. In-game you can use it much like Facebook, in that you can find other Avatars and view their limited profiles. For friends the full profiles are visible, with walls for people to write on and updatable status. Your profile will also show if your lot is open or not, and the application an be used to quickly make your way around EA Land as you jump from friend to friend.
In Facebook, the application shows your Avatar's details (unless you have chosen a private setting) and picture, and whether or not you are logged on to the game. This is a useful way for players to find out who is online without having to log in themselves. You can also invite other users of Facebook who are not already Sims Online players to download the application and see your Avatar profile -- a move that EA hopes will attract more people to the game.
For the time being, then, the bulk of information that can be shared is Avatar-related. Their skills, properties and friends can all be viewed, and their Wall. The identity of the real-life person behind the Avatar is kept private, at least for now.
Privacy
Privacy is a major issue as far as EA are concerned, so at the moment Avatarbook is fairly limited in how much information can be shared. In the Sims game you can add people to your friends list, which will provide them with a link to your Facebook profile rather than making a direct link, though that is set to change as the application grows. Also, nobody in EA Land (the Sims Online world where the application will be available) will have access to your real name - you will be searchable only by your Avatar's name. EA have stated that they intend to allow players to lower their privacy settings so that more information can be shared, but at the moment they're playing it safe.
The Future
This application obviously shows great potential, and it is something that EA are going to continue to develop as they gain feedback from users. The Sims Online game is going through a revolution at the moment, with their free trial set to become permanent free play in the very near future (with limited gameplay for non-payers, much like in Second Life). For years now Second Life has been leading the pack in terms of innovation and social interactivity, but if EA keeps this up then we could be looking at a new contender for the crown. After all, they did come up with the two most popular games of all time (Sims and Sims 2), so some would say that this is less of a surprise than a belated homecoming. Certainly one to watch, at any rate.
By Owen Smith.
Discover more about the Sims Online free trial and how to get started in it by following this link:
The Sims Online Free Trial
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Showing posts with label free. Show all posts
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Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Test Video Games For Free
Skill Games
The best gambling opportunities exist in skill games rather than in games of
chance. Even though skill games bring more stress to those players who play them than to
the thrill seekers looking for games of chance, the players who possess skills and discipline often win consistently year in and year out.
Xbox Games
Buyers in this stage reveal their preferences, so more specific keywords (for example, "Video
Games Xbox 360") are needed to cover all possible search terms. Many teens and parents
of teenagers wonder which Xbox games they should purchase.
Video Games
Video games get the adrenaline pumping, which leads to a self-induced physical and mental
addiction. Well eventually video games, entertainment and having fun are important, but
other things become more important. The Video Games Xbox services some of the most
popular and sought after games ever.
Design Games
There are games designed for pre-teen girls, violent teenagers, sports lovers, history
aficionados, anybody you name, and there is probably a game that was designed with them as
demographic. Here is your guide: When programmers design games specifically for the
PSP, they are sometimes referred to as Homebrew Games.
Computer Games
It seems evident, that computer games one day will soon reach a point, where they become
close to virtual reality. Nowadays, some of the most popular are computer games, or
sometimes called pc games, online games, consoles games, handheld games, and even believe it or
not, mobile phone games.
Online Games
Playing online games that requires high-speed internet is now possible with the DSL
internet. Although there are many online games that encourage violence, other games help
children and adults improve their memory and increase their intelligence.
Power Games
Closing is not a technique; closing is not a trick; closing is not about magic phrases and looks
and power games. When a games power rating pointspread is figured, the oddsmaker will
make changes to that line after considering each teams most recent games and previous games played against the opponent.
Play Games While we now know, too, that when you play games (of any mode and of certain types), those games help to sharpen some of our mental faculties, Alzheimers, and, in my coo-coo world, the insanity of such needful mental aberrations as ADD, ADHD, and OCDthough this last benefit is not necessarily empirically proven.
To find the real deal games like Halo 3 [http://unleashed-reviews.com/FreeHalo3.html]Cick Here
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jesse_Miller http://EzineArticles.com/?Test-Video-Games-For-Free&id=684949
The best gambling opportunities exist in skill games rather than in games of
chance. Even though skill games bring more stress to those players who play them than to
the thrill seekers looking for games of chance, the players who possess skills and discipline often win consistently year in and year out.
Xbox Games
Buyers in this stage reveal their preferences, so more specific keywords (for example, "Video
Games Xbox 360") are needed to cover all possible search terms. Many teens and parents
of teenagers wonder which Xbox games they should purchase.
Video Games
Video games get the adrenaline pumping, which leads to a self-induced physical and mental
addiction. Well eventually video games, entertainment and having fun are important, but
other things become more important. The Video Games Xbox services some of the most
popular and sought after games ever.
Design Games
There are games designed for pre-teen girls, violent teenagers, sports lovers, history
aficionados, anybody you name, and there is probably a game that was designed with them as
demographic. Here is your guide: When programmers design games specifically for the
PSP, they are sometimes referred to as Homebrew Games.
Computer Games
It seems evident, that computer games one day will soon reach a point, where they become
close to virtual reality. Nowadays, some of the most popular are computer games, or
sometimes called pc games, online games, consoles games, handheld games, and even believe it or
not, mobile phone games.
Online Games
Playing online games that requires high-speed internet is now possible with the DSL
internet. Although there are many online games that encourage violence, other games help
children and adults improve their memory and increase their intelligence.
Power Games
Closing is not a technique; closing is not a trick; closing is not about magic phrases and looks
and power games. When a games power rating pointspread is figured, the oddsmaker will
make changes to that line after considering each teams most recent games and previous games played against the opponent.
Play Games While we now know, too, that when you play games (of any mode and of certain types), those games help to sharpen some of our mental faculties, Alzheimers, and, in my coo-coo world, the insanity of such needful mental aberrations as ADD, ADHD, and OCDthough this last benefit is not necessarily empirically proven.
To find the real deal games like Halo 3 [http://unleashed-reviews.com/FreeHalo3.html]Cick Here
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jesse_Miller http://EzineArticles.com/?Test-Video-Games-For-Free&id=684949
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