Tom Clancy's EndWar
Written by David Michaels Created by Tom Clancy
This book is one of the best books i have read in a good long while. The books makes the perfect balance between character development and action. The story revolving around this book in entirerly feasable and makes you wonder if this could, or will happen once day. The book is based off the game coming out soon so i hope the game is just as good. The weapons you see in this book are either being tested now, have been deployed to troops or are on the drawing page in some workshop. The hooking up of Tom Clancy, David Michaels with the arms supplier Blackhawk was an ingenius idea and it pays of with the realism and the weapons. The locales you go to are from one end of the globe to another but most of the story does take place in one area.The policitcal intrigue is great and really gives a background to the forground story. The only problem i have with it was the fact that it leaves some loose ends but that is so another book can be written This is a great buy for anyone who loves Tom Clancy and David Michaels work. I really hope they make another just as great.
9 out of Ten Stars
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008
Parents guide Part four (Multiplayer and suggestions)
The final part of my series i hope this series has helped people and that it will allow more parent to allow their kids to game.
Multiplayer
Most games now days have two componets a single player gamer where the child plays against the computer and a multiplayer where the child plays with people over the internet. When making your gaming policy make sure you set an age limit for multiplayer. I suggest 10 to 13. The reason is that these games over the internet can include language you dont want you child exsposed too. They also may draw you child in more cause it aint a computer they are playing against it is another person. So make sure that before they start playing online over the internet or one of the console systems that they understand that multiplayer is a priviledge and that it can be taken away.
Final suggestions.
These are just some final things i though i would add.
Multiplayer
Most games now days have two componets a single player gamer where the child plays against the computer and a multiplayer where the child plays with people over the internet. When making your gaming policy make sure you set an age limit for multiplayer. I suggest 10 to 13. The reason is that these games over the internet can include language you dont want you child exsposed too. They also may draw you child in more cause it aint a computer they are playing against it is another person. So make sure that before they start playing online over the internet or one of the console systems that they understand that multiplayer is a priviledge and that it can be taken away.
Final suggestions.
These are just some final things i though i would add.
- 1st remove phrases like "You aint going to get anywhere gaming or gaming is stupid." These phrases are very wrong as it make the child fell hurt cause you dont like their hobby and plus cause those who make games make a alot of money.
- 2nd participate, when you buy a system buy another contoller with it and when you have free time play with him or her. Make it a learning exsperience where he or she teaches you how to play. However, remember you will lose alot at first but it aint about winning it is about spending time with your child.
- 3rd If you want your child to read more use games as a springboard. many games now days have book companions(examples HALO, Splinter Cell, Command and Conquer). These companions add to the world your child has already experienced in the game. However, dont force it down their throat or they will rebel against it. Make deals with it if you want to.(example i will get you a game if you promise to read this Halo Book) If your hild plays a game without a book companion then look at the material and see what your child would like to read about.(example Your child plays ALiens vs Predator your child may like science fiction books). Also dont just use normal books but include comice books as well, as the child may make the jump from comics to normal books once he has read comics for a while.
- 4th if you want your child to meet people in Real World but he or she games alot, their are video game tournaments happening everywhere acroos the country. Where people who play similar games gather and play these games together. Finding the right tournament can help your child meet people with similar interests, and also net him a cool prize.
Well that is it i hope this series of blogs has helped your make gaming for your child a little bit more possible.
Parents Guide to Gaming Part 3(Involement)
Now then you have the intel and have made the policy toward gaming for your child your job is done right. Sorry it aint that simple now it is time step three involvement.
First off you must understand that gaming is no substitute for a babysitter. A PS3 WILL NOT WATCH YOUR KID FOR YOU!!! Now then with that said let us go to the next little thing and that is something i call moderation. Something my mom always told me was that too much of a good thing is bad for me. Gaming is the same thing. When your child first starts gaming make sure you moderate his time on the game. The way my mother did it for me was that i got to play a game for no longer than one hour before she made me go outside or do something else other than gaming. There were few time were she had to unplug the game but it worked and i went outside. This is important as after a certain amount of time a child will come to realize the difference between reality of the world and fantasy of a game. After about a year of doing this thoughit wont be necessisary but wouldn't hurt either. Another thing is that many people let the child keep their game in their room. DON'T!!! When a child first games the temptation to play past his or her safty limit will be with him and you can moderate his or her gaming. Keep the gaming system in the family room or den where the child can be watched over. Third off if your child begins to get to frustrated make him do something else even if you have to turn off the game. When a gamer reaches a hard level they could get really frustrated but by forcing the new gamer to take a step back you teach him that he cant finish every game in one sitting and also how to problem solve by stepping back.
First off you must understand that gaming is no substitute for a babysitter. A PS3 WILL NOT WATCH YOUR KID FOR YOU!!! Now then with that said let us go to the next little thing and that is something i call moderation. Something my mom always told me was that too much of a good thing is bad for me. Gaming is the same thing. When your child first starts gaming make sure you moderate his time on the game. The way my mother did it for me was that i got to play a game for no longer than one hour before she made me go outside or do something else other than gaming. There were few time were she had to unplug the game but it worked and i went outside. This is important as after a certain amount of time a child will come to realize the difference between reality of the world and fantasy of a game. After about a year of doing this thoughit wont be necessisary but wouldn't hurt either. Another thing is that many people let the child keep their game in their room. DON'T!!! When a child first games the temptation to play past his or her safty limit will be with him and you can moderate his or her gaming. Keep the gaming system in the family room or den where the child can be watched over. Third off if your child begins to get to frustrated make him do something else even if you have to turn off the game. When a gamer reaches a hard level they could get really frustrated but by forcing the new gamer to take a step back you teach him that he cant finish every game in one sitting and also how to problem solve by stepping back.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Parents guide to gaming part two (Gaming Policy)
Hello everyone, You are now armed with the knowledge now it is time to decide what in your opinon as the parent, which games your kid can play. There is a simple way for you to do this. I call it the three question rule. The rule revolves around three questions:
Rule one(what movies are my children allowed to watch?)
Rule two(What tv shows are my children allow to watch?)
Rule three (what subjects is my child not ready for?)
Now first rule one and two, The reason this rule is important is that if your child is not allowed to watch a over 18 show but you allow him to play a mature game. Then he is still going to be shown material you will not like him or her to see. SO whatever shows he or she is allowed to view that the same rule should be applied to games.(Example:Tommy is allowed to watch only 13 year or younger movies and games, but he wants a game that is rated teen., in this situation you make him or her understand that she is not ready for that yet and to either choose another game or not one at all.
The theory behind rule three is simple. Even when you find the correct game for your child there are still certain subjects youdont think he or she is ready for. A bigger i have seen over the years has been religion. but in recent years homosexuality is another. Right now their aint a whole lot of games that include these themes but some exsist. These may be in your childs rating level which is why you should alrays read the box for the description. If it looks like it has subject matter you dont want the child to see dont buy it.
Now i understand that these two rules my be confusing to some people, so below is a guide that may make you decision making process easier.
NC-17=AO(Adults Only)
Restricted=Teen(17 and up)
PG13 and PG=E10(everyone to 10 )
General Audiences=everyone
Hopefully with this guide the question of what your child can play will be more clear.
However, like all policies they need to change, so as your child grows up you need to be aware of his or her maturity, this is best done by age. (example:Sarah is turning 14 today you decide to get her a teen game to see how it affect her and that if she does well you will allow her maore Teen games in the future.) However, before a decision is made you should talk to the child and let them know this so that they may understand that this is a priviledge not to be squandered.
Part three Groundwork coming soon
Rule one(what movies are my children allowed to watch?)
Rule two(What tv shows are my children allow to watch?)
Rule three (what subjects is my child not ready for?)
Now first rule one and two, The reason this rule is important is that if your child is not allowed to watch a over 18 show but you allow him to play a mature game. Then he is still going to be shown material you will not like him or her to see. SO whatever shows he or she is allowed to view that the same rule should be applied to games.(Example:Tommy is allowed to watch only 13 year or younger movies and games, but he wants a game that is rated teen., in this situation you make him or her understand that she is not ready for that yet and to either choose another game or not one at all.
The theory behind rule three is simple. Even when you find the correct game for your child there are still certain subjects youdont think he or she is ready for. A bigger i have seen over the years has been religion. but in recent years homosexuality is another. Right now their aint a whole lot of games that include these themes but some exsist. These may be in your childs rating level which is why you should alrays read the box for the description. If it looks like it has subject matter you dont want the child to see dont buy it.
Now i understand that these two rules my be confusing to some people, so below is a guide that may make you decision making process easier.
NC-17=AO(Adults Only)
Restricted=Teen(17 and up)
PG13 and PG=E10(everyone to 10 )
General Audiences=everyone
Hopefully with this guide the question of what your child can play will be more clear.
However, like all policies they need to change, so as your child grows up you need to be aware of his or her maturity, this is best done by age. (example:Sarah is turning 14 today you decide to get her a teen game to see how it affect her and that if she does well you will allow her maore Teen games in the future.) However, before a decision is made you should talk to the child and let them know this so that they may understand that this is a priviledge not to be squandered.
Part three Groundwork coming soon
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Guide to gamers part one (Intel)
Intel the slang term for knowledge derived from the word inteligence. that is what a dictionary would say and it is correct. Before a parent guardian can lay down any policy concerning gaming he must get intel. The first piece of intel he should know is the child in question. Ask yourself how old is the child or children? Are they mature enough to properly take care of the system? IF the answer to both of these questions is yes then we can continue with information concerning the Video Game Systems. First off youmust know to who each system is geared toward. In this case there are three main systesm out now each one gears toward a different segment of the gaming population.
Nintendo Wii-Nintendo has always geared toward the first time and young gamer and the wii is no exception. The wii has more kid friendly games on it that any of the other systems out there. Yes some of the games on the wii are graphic but the wii has more options for the parent wanting to wait before letting their kid see blood on tv.
Xbox 360-The xbox 360 from microsoft is geared to the more advanced and mature gamer. There are not many games geared toward kids on the 360, besided the madden and other sports games.
PS3-The playstation 3 by sony is also geared to the mature gamer but it is also the new kid on the block so only time will tell but by the way the future games look it appears that PS3 is for the mature gamer looking for the best looks not for the kids looking for clean fun.
Now then we know about the systems now we must know about the rating system. Since the early 1990's games like moves have been rated by a committee of people this committee is known as the ESRB and the rating system is as follows. Their are two ratings on each game the main rating and a description rating below the main rating. The main ratings are as follows
EC-Early Childhood for ages 3 or younger
E-Everyone for ages 6 and older
E10 Everyone from ages 10 and up
T-Teen for people 13 or older
AO-Adults only 18 older
RP Rating Pending no rating yet
However when choosing a game make sure you not only look at the main rating but also the game describers which can be found below the main rating on the back of the Video Game box at the bottom. These desribers give you more info than the main rating on what the game contains. The Game describers are as follows:
Alcohol Reference - Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages
Animated Blood - Discolored and/or unrealistic depictions of blood
Blood - Depictions of blood
Blood and Gore - Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts
Cartoon Violence - Violent actions involving cartoon-like situations and characters. May include violence where a character is unharmed after the action has been inflicted
Comic Mischief - Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor
Crude Humor - Depictions or dialogue involving vulgar antics, including “bathroom” humor
Drug Reference - Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs
Fantasy Violence - Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life
Intense Violence - Graphic and realistic-looking depictions of physical conflict. May involve extreme and/or realistic blood, gore, weapons and depictions of human injury and death
Language - Mild to moderate use of profanity
Lyrics - Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol or drug use in music
Mature Humor - Depictions or dialogue involving "adult" humor, including sexual references
Nudity - Graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity
Partial Nudity - Brief and/or mild depictions of nudity
Real Gambling - Player can gamble, including betting or wagering real cash or currency
Sexual Content - Non-explicit depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including partial nudity
Sexual Themes - References to sex or sexuality
Sexual Violence - Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts
Simulated Gambling - Player can gamble without betting or wagering real cash or currency
Strong Language - Explicit and/or frequent use of profanity
Strong Lyrics - Explicit and/or frequent references to profanity, sex, violence, alcohol or drug use in music
Strong Sexual Content - Explicit and/or frequent depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity
Suggestive Themes - Mild provocative references or materials
Tobacco Reference - Reference to and/or images of tobacco products
Use of Drugs - The consumption or use of illegal drugs
Use of Alcohol - The consumption of alcoholic beverages
Use of Tobacco - The consumption of tobacco products
Violence - Scenes involving aggressive conflict. May contain bloodless dismemberment
Violent References - References to violent acts
With this new information at your disposal you can now make an informed decision on what kind of games to buy your children.
Part two called groundwork will be coming soon and any suggestions you have please leave me a message.
Nintendo Wii-Nintendo has always geared toward the first time and young gamer and the wii is no exception. The wii has more kid friendly games on it that any of the other systems out there. Yes some of the games on the wii are graphic but the wii has more options for the parent wanting to wait before letting their kid see blood on tv.
Xbox 360-The xbox 360 from microsoft is geared to the more advanced and mature gamer. There are not many games geared toward kids on the 360, besided the madden and other sports games.
PS3-The playstation 3 by sony is also geared to the mature gamer but it is also the new kid on the block so only time will tell but by the way the future games look it appears that PS3 is for the mature gamer looking for the best looks not for the kids looking for clean fun.
Now then we know about the systems now we must know about the rating system. Since the early 1990's games like moves have been rated by a committee of people this committee is known as the ESRB and the rating system is as follows. Their are two ratings on each game the main rating and a description rating below the main rating. The main ratings are as follows
EC-Early Childhood for ages 3 or younger
E-Everyone for ages 6 and older
E10 Everyone from ages 10 and up
T-Teen for people 13 or older
AO-Adults only 18 older
RP Rating Pending no rating yet
However when choosing a game make sure you not only look at the main rating but also the game describers which can be found below the main rating on the back of the Video Game box at the bottom. These desribers give you more info than the main rating on what the game contains. The Game describers are as follows:
Alcohol Reference - Reference to and/or images of alcoholic beverages
Animated Blood - Discolored and/or unrealistic depictions of blood
Blood - Depictions of blood
Blood and Gore - Depictions of blood or the mutilation of body parts
Cartoon Violence - Violent actions involving cartoon-like situations and characters. May include violence where a character is unharmed after the action has been inflicted
Comic Mischief - Depictions or dialogue involving slapstick or suggestive humor
Crude Humor - Depictions or dialogue involving vulgar antics, including “bathroom” humor
Drug Reference - Reference to and/or images of illegal drugs
Fantasy Violence - Violent actions of a fantasy nature, involving human or non-human characters in situations easily distinguishable from real life
Intense Violence - Graphic and realistic-looking depictions of physical conflict. May involve extreme and/or realistic blood, gore, weapons and depictions of human injury and death
Language - Mild to moderate use of profanity
Lyrics - Mild references to profanity, sexuality, violence, alcohol or drug use in music
Mature Humor - Depictions or dialogue involving "adult" humor, including sexual references
Nudity - Graphic or prolonged depictions of nudity
Partial Nudity - Brief and/or mild depictions of nudity
Real Gambling - Player can gamble, including betting or wagering real cash or currency
Sexual Content - Non-explicit depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including partial nudity
Sexual Themes - References to sex or sexuality
Sexual Violence - Depictions of rape or other violent sexual acts
Simulated Gambling - Player can gamble without betting or wagering real cash or currency
Strong Language - Explicit and/or frequent use of profanity
Strong Lyrics - Explicit and/or frequent references to profanity, sex, violence, alcohol or drug use in music
Strong Sexual Content - Explicit and/or frequent depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity
Suggestive Themes - Mild provocative references or materials
Tobacco Reference - Reference to and/or images of tobacco products
Use of Drugs - The consumption or use of illegal drugs
Use of Alcohol - The consumption of alcoholic beverages
Use of Tobacco - The consumption of tobacco products
Violence - Scenes involving aggressive conflict. May contain bloodless dismemberment
Violent References - References to violent acts
With this new information at your disposal you can now make an informed decision on what kind of games to buy your children.
Part two called groundwork will be coming soon and any suggestions you have please leave me a message.
A Guide for Parents concerning gaming.Part zero (introduction)
Hello
i am a gamer, however, over the many years i have gamed i have seen gaming being blamed for the deliquency of kids to outright violence to gang and other things. So i am going to write these little articles for both parents of gamer and parents of future gamers. Hopefully these articles will somehow help a parent understand that just because their son or daughter(yea girls play games too)plays video games it doesn't mean they are going to go bezerk. I also hope this wil make some people understand that like movies and books gaming is suitable for only certain people of certain ages. Now soon i will start the articles but before i do that i just want to let you know some things.
1.i am not a parent, i dont not have any kids or am in a marriage or a relationship at this time.
2.I have been gaming since the mid 80's when the original nintendo came out and the last system i owned was a xbox(not an xbox 360) that is not counting the pc i own now.
3.if you have any comments about the upcoming articles please be kind no burning me these are my opinions and ideas i have and they are in no way for everyone.
4.please do not use any of the info on here without my permission. Some of it may be common sense but still it is my common sense so please be kind and ask first ok.
The first article will be named part one intel it will be appearing shortly so check back thank you
i am a gamer, however, over the many years i have gamed i have seen gaming being blamed for the deliquency of kids to outright violence to gang and other things. So i am going to write these little articles for both parents of gamer and parents of future gamers. Hopefully these articles will somehow help a parent understand that just because their son or daughter(yea girls play games too)plays video games it doesn't mean they are going to go bezerk. I also hope this wil make some people understand that like movies and books gaming is suitable for only certain people of certain ages. Now soon i will start the articles but before i do that i just want to let you know some things.
1.i am not a parent, i dont not have any kids or am in a marriage or a relationship at this time.
2.I have been gaming since the mid 80's when the original nintendo came out and the last system i owned was a xbox(not an xbox 360) that is not counting the pc i own now.
3.if you have any comments about the upcoming articles please be kind no burning me these are my opinions and ideas i have and they are in no way for everyone.
4.please do not use any of the info on here without my permission. Some of it may be common sense but still it is my common sense so please be kind and ask first ok.
The first article will be named part one intel it will be appearing shortly so check back thank you
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)