Virtual Ping Pong

Sandra Stammberger asked:


The Sony Playstation is one of the best consoles. With a solid reputation for graphics, the console has a wide variety of games available. But there a number of uses and abuses that apply to the console.

The most infamous Playstation abuse is modding it. Like most electronics that use compact discs and DVDs, the Playstation is sold in terms of region; CDs and DVDs from one region will only play on players from the same region. Unfortunately, Japan and the United States are not in the same region, which annoys game players and anime fans, as that means that some of the best games and anime would require someone to own two Playstations (one for the United States region and one for the Japanese region).

[The twin issues are that a lot of anime DVDs are not imported into the United States, and a lot of great Japanese games are available only in Japanese. A United States Playstation won't play either.]

However, by illegally modifying the Playstation, it is possible to make the Playstation play anything from any region. There are a number of ways to do it, which generally involve flashing the BIOS of the Playstation. However, in light of the new Playstation 3’s ability to play anything from any region, this is not needed anymore.

Another illegal way to abuse your Playstation comes from copying games. Pirated games are illegal, yet they end up on sites all the time. The various sites are doing what they can, but pirating still happens.

Another abuse of the Playstation involves the various cheating devices. By using them, the Playstation becomes capable of doing anything in any game, form infinite lives to having maximum statistics to being invulnerable. Although not ethical by any means, the various cheating devices are popular.

However, some gamers have found practical use for the Playstation, as a way to make money. There are a number of tournaments for gamers, and some of the players are professionals, at least in the sense that they train and make a reasonable wage from tournaments. They train and study their game, becoming masters of their chosen distraction, and using that experience to win at tournaments, placing well enough to pay their bills. Strangely some of these virtual warriors are even sponsored by various companies, who pay their expenses while the players are on the tournament trail.

These champions are even have a fan following, and are interviewed just like minor celebrities. Some are able to sell advertising on their blogs, and even write articles on their respective games. They are able to use their modicum of fame to pay the bills.

There are a lot of ways to abuse your Playstation. Most aren’t exactly kosher, but there are ways to make money from it. One day, Playstation abuse will stop, and tournament players will find other ways to make money. Until then, one can only hope that the abuse will taper off.

Mark Robbins asked:


About the new Playstation 3 gaming system, many serious gamers are saying, “sign me up!” Featuring the new Blu-Ray technology and up to a 60gb hardrive, this is one game system that experts say could last for some time to come. Others are still on the fence.

The original Playstation system was introduced in the United States in 1995 and Playstation 2 followed in 2000. In early 2006, Sony announced the end of production for Playstation 2 as it began working toward the much ballyhooed introduction of the high-tech and next-generation Playstation 3.

So why should someone pony up nearly $600 for the new Playstation? There are several factors driving the success of this new gaming system.

* Featuring high-tech HD technology, the graphic capabilities of the new Playstation 3 are much improved over former models. The PS3 features IBM’s “Cell” processor and a processor that allows the machine to make two trillion calculations per second.

* PS3 games are encoded on the new high-tech Blu-Ray discs, which hold six times more data than traditional CDs. Sony executives predict this will lead to many new popular game franchises and the return of some old favorites. The use of the Blu-Ray technology combined with the powerful processor is promising game players more intricate games featuring incredible graphics.

* You don’t have to buy all new games. The PS3 will play Playstation and PS2 games as well. The system comes with a hard drive, a SD slot, a Compact Memory flash slot, and slots for Memory Stick Duo.

* Online capabilities. Like the Xbox 360, you can connect with other players online when playing PS3 games, as well as download content from the internet. This multi-player concept is sure to bring more players to the table as video games try to compete with that popular aspect of computer gaming.

* New, intuitive controller. Many gamers intuitively move their hands or whole bodies when playing games, even if such movements change nothing about how you’re playing the game. Sony has taken this and turned it into a special feature of the new controller. The controller features a super-precision, 6-axis sensing system that can accurately detect fine movements to control games. Future PS3 games, then, will be controlled by the movements of your hands, and not just your thumbs on the controller. That means, for example, you might be able to play a driving game while “steering” your hands with the controller.

* The option to spend a bit less on the system (and get less). The base model, which features only a 20gb hard drive, can be had for about $499. The larger, 60gb model, is $599 retail. This, of course, assumes you can find one. Initially the old “sorry, we can’t keep up with demand” manufacturer cry will be heard in order to increase demand.

Now, most gamers admit that this system will be superior to anything else available right now. It’s the newest, hottest game system out right now. But, there are a few cons that rub up against the pros. They include:

* This system is not a slim case like the PS2. It’s bigger and heavier, weighing in around 11 pounds.

* To get the superior HD output, you have to dig deeper in your pockets and pony up the $600, as the lesser-priced version doesn’t feature the highest quality graphics capabilities.

* Many argue that for the high prices of the PS3, you could simply buy a new computer or upgrade your current computer so it can run the high-quality games that feature the incredible graphics and playing features that have so many computer gamers leaving video game systems in the closet.

Colin Pike asked:


A popular activity these days for kids and teenagers is renting video games. It is cheaper than buying them and they can rent the games from any offline and online video rental service for a reasonable fee. If you decide to rent ps2 games you might have a hard time in deciding which offer is the most attractive.

The video rental stores are always in tight competition when trying to obtain the number one position in customer preference. For this reason, this is why when you rent games you get top notch options in front of you. Before you rent any game you should take in consideration all the advantages you can get from a video game rental company.

It is better if you pay a monthly fee to rent games because you eliminate due dates, late fees and if you are a serious console game player you can obtain a pass for two or three games at any given time. When you are finished playing your game(s), returning is easy, you can do it at any time without penalty.

When you rent your games, they are sent to you immediatly by mail and arrive within one or two business days and typically have free shipping both ways, to and from. Some video game rental services offer phone support for their customers; others deliver the game manual along with the game.

Any addicted game players can choose from a large variety of games. You can rent games from classic collections such as Resident Evil or Devil May Cry to the hottest games on the market today. You can even rent video games that were not as popular as the others, the video game rental services typically carry any and all games possible and everything that gets released. The video rental companies came up with the “Queue” list, which means that you can fill it with the games that you want to rent in the order of preference. If you want to rent games that are not available, the next ones on the list will ship.

To conclude, online video game rentals do not stop at single console systems. Often times, they carry a very broad range of console system games; from Xbox, PSP, Playstation, Nintendo DS, Gamecube to Gameboy and more. What ever is new on the market and has a hold in the customers eyes, you can be sure that you will have option to get your hands on their respected games.