A game that got me friends.

Around three years ago I started playing a game called Arma 2. I was playing on a server I created and I was looking for people to join the server to help with a video series I was going to do. I waited a little while and over time a few people joined. I asked the people who had joined if they had Skype so I could explain what I wanted help with. Most of them didn't have Skype. But there were two of them that did. I had no idea that these two people would become some of my closest internet friends. I call them "internet" friends because they live far away and really can't be considered friends that I can hang out with in real life, but they are treated no different none the less. Three years later we are still friends and it is amazing to think our friendships have grown stronger just by playing video games together. Unlike my friends that I can hang out in real life with, which I can play video games with them also, but most of the interaction is done outside of the game. My friends that are strictly friends online are what I feel the same kind of friends that I have where I live but sometimes, my online friends will be more a part of my social life rather than some of my IRL friends. I really don't understand the term IRL (in real life.) because wouldn't it be also considered real life if I were talking to someone on Skype? I don't know but that is the term people use to distinguish their friends that they see and hang out with rather than the ones they talk to online. But before I get too side tracked I would like to talk about I am glad to have to technology we have in today's world. I don't think I would have half of the friends I have today if it weren't for Skype and video games. I mean most of my friends I had met in school and talked to on a daily basis when in school, have since moved on and most hardly keep in touch with me anymore, but like I was warned at a younger age, all of that is just a necessary part of life. What I wasn't told is that I would meet some of the most entertaining fun people to talk to, and people that kept sane on the hard days, or weeks of my life, while playing video games, and talking to on Skype. The memories we shared while playing games were awesome and held much laughter. Some of these memories I can play back because they were recorded on gaming videos on my YouTube channel. I think there is just one puzzle piece left to put together at this point. You see the two friends I met that one day on the server I plan to meet up with in real life. One of them lives in Texas. His name is Kevin. Now I am not sure if meeting him would ever be possible but if I am ever on his side of the state on a trip there I will definitely meet up with him. The other one lives closer than I even thought he would have. My friend Travis, turns out to live in a small town only about two hours away from where I live! Now all I would have to do to go meet him is save up some road trip gas money and get directions! The only thing that keeps me wondering is: will these friends stick around?

       

Video Game soundtracks

One of the things I have always enjoyed with games were their soundtracks and music. I will sometimes find myself humming a song from a game from time to time, and not even realize it. The power of music can determine the feel of the game and all that the game is. If you are in an epic boss battle you expect to hear the intense suspenseful music, and the more intense the music is, the more you get into that battle. The same goes for possibly a cut scene that is really sad or portrays emotion, you would hear dramatic or sad music to make the emotion of the scene even more powerful. Music can define the feeling of what kind of game you are playing. For example in The Legend of Zelda games, while you explore or are traveling you have music that is upbeat and exploration orientated to make what you are doing even more atmospheric and fun to do. In games where fighting and action packed battles are the main focus, you can expect music to fit that, although I can't think of any certain game at the moment to name off, or to use as an example, but there is a huge category to define an action game. Different styles of games call for different kinds of music also. For instance if the game has a realistic graphics style it may be the game developers choice to put either realistic music in, or non realistic music. If the game has cartoonist graphics it may be his or her choice to put silly music in it, or music that would fit that style. I feel like, if video games did not have music, then they would definitely be way less enjoyable, and parts of the game that are supposed to have you feel a certain way, whether it be a death scene, or a happy ending, I really doubt people would be that into it, and the emotion in the game would not portray itself properly. So in my opinion I believe the music in games are essential for the enjoyment we get from playing them. We may not notice but I bet we would if there was no music at all, because we would think "wow this game would be so much better with a soundtrack". Having music in games is an essential part even when we might not realize it. It just becomes second nature hearing music in games that we hardly even think about it. There is one think that will make you realize though. If the soundtrack is really catchy or cool sounding. I guarantee you will be scrambling all over Google to find the name of the song you heard in the game because you just have to hear it again. The next time you play a video game, go ahead and take a listen, you might hear a song or soundtrack you like. Once you notice the power of music in video games you can appreciate the work the developers put into their game to ensure that you will get the best experience when you play.

Favorite franchise?

Many people have their favorite video game series or franchise. Mine is the Elder Scrolls franchise. I was introduced into this franchise when I was in middle school. I remember the first time I witnessed the greatness of immersible video games. The game that I was introduced to was the fourth game in the series called The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. What drew me in was the fact that you are thrown into a whole new world and have no idea where to go or who to talk to. It is a franchise that has an entire Galaxy and planets named. The planet the series takes place on it called Nurn. I have a map of the planet on my bedroom wall with all the continents and provinces labeled. I would call myself a pretty big geek when it comes to The Elder Scrolls and its history and lore. I have personally only played three out of the five Elder Scrolls games and have spent much of my childhood and still today, playing and learning more about the franchise. The Elder Scrolls games only come out every five to seven years and it is a long wait to have to go through especially for a hardcore fan like myself. I do feel like the wait is worth it though because the end product we are given is at a quality level beyond a finished game. The last Elder Scrolls game came out in 2011 and is still a top game that people play today. The content that you get from Elder Scrolls games are re-playable and with the gaming community on the PC, The Elder Scrolls is an even more time lasting game because of the hard working modding community and add ons. The company which owns The Elder Scrolls series is called Bethesda Softworks and they are a triple A game company. With the addition of DLC also known as down loadable content, The Elder Scrolls games give players even more time to spend and get immersed into the epic world I still love today and will most likely always love throughout my entire life. If there is one game I do not like, which I am not sure if I should even count as an Elder Scrolls game, is The Elder Scrolls Online. That game is one I have never played but was developed by EA games. It was the first multi player glimpse into the Elder Scrolls world and is also a MMO which is a massively multi player game. Many fans of the Elder Scrolls games do not approve The Elder Scrolls Online as being a true Elder Scrolls game. I can partly agree. I feel like The Elder Scrolls games created by Bethesda Softworks perfected the vision of a perfect single player game. My opinion is a very one sided one because many gamers may not even like the fantasy genre of role playing games, but for me the Elder Scrolls games will always have a place on my shelf. Heck they can take up the entire book case for all I care. My one dream to have concerning The Elder Scrolls franchise is before I die, could I please play an Elder Scrolls game that covers the entire planet and history, lore, and characters throughout the entire time line of Nurn. If you could Bethesda, I may die a happy fan of your games. If not I will haunt your game studio for the rest of eternity.