Playstation 3 Press Release

Los Angeles, CALIF., May 16, 2005 At a press conference held in Los Angeles, California, today, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) revealed the outline of its PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3) computer entertainment system, incorporating the world's most advanced Cell processor with super computer like power. Prototypes of PS3 will also be showcased at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the world's largest interactive entertainment exhibition held in Los Angeles, from May 18th to 20th.

PS3 combines state-of-the-art technologies featuring Cell, a processor jointly developed by IBM, Sony Group and Toshiba Corporation, graphics processor (RSX) co-developed by NVIDIA Corporation and SCEI, and XDR memory developed by Rambus Inc. It also adopts BD-ROM (Blu-ray Disc ROM) with maximum storage capacity of 54 GB (dual layer) , enabling delivery of entertainment content in full high-definition (HD) quality, under a secure environment made possible through the most advanced copyright protection technology. To match the accelerating convergence of digital consumer electronics and computer technology, PS3 supports high quality display in resolution of 1080p(*) as standard, which is far superior to 720p/1080i.

With an overwhelming computing power of 2 teraflops, entirely new graphical expressions that have never been seen before will become possible. In games, not only will movement of characters and objects be far more refined and realistic, but landscapes and virtual worlds can also be rendered in real-time, thereby elevating the freedom of graphics expression to levels not experienced in the past. Gamers will literally be able to dive into the realistic world seen in large screen movies and experience the excitement in real-time.

In 1994, SCEI launched the original PlayStation® (PS), followed by PlayStation®2 (PS2) in 2000 and PlayStation®Portable (PSP®) in 2004, every time introducing the latest advancement in technology and bringing innovation to interactive entertainment software creation. Over 13,000 titles have been developed by now, creating a software market that sells more than 250 million copies annually. PS3 offers backward compatibility enabling gamers to enjoy these enormous assets from PS and PS2 platforms.

PlayStation family of products are sold in more than 120 countries and regions around the world. With cumulative shipments reaching more than 102 million for PS and approximately 89 million for PS2, they are the undisputed leaders and have become the standard platform for home entertainment. After 12 years from the introduction of the original PS and 6 years from the launch of PS2, SCEI brings PS3, the newest platform with the most advanced next generation computer entertainment technology.

With the delivery of Cell based development tools that has already begun, development of game titles as well as tools and middleware are in progress. Through collaboration with world's leading tools and middleware companies, SCEI will offer full support to new content creation by providing developers with extensive tools and libraries that will bring out the power of the Cell processor and enable efficient software development.

Preparations are under way for launch of PS3 and new generation software in the spring of 2006. Read On

Eyetoy 2 Press Release

FOSTER CITY, August 16, 2005 – Sony Computer Entertainment America. announced today the release of EyeToy: Play 2™, developed exclusively for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. EyeToy: Play 2, a collection of 12 exciting new games and expanded bonus features, builds upon the fun and addictive gameplay that was introduced with last year’s successful EyeToy: Play™ . Players and their friends can join in the fun as one to four people can star in the game and appear on TV. In addition, players can now catch intruders in the act with the new SpyToy ™ mode or create interactive and lifelike 3D models of their own face and head with EyeToy: Cameo ™ .

“EyeToy: Play 2 continues to expand the possibilities of physical gaming on PlayStation 2 by offering an experience that is simply not available on any other gaming platform,” said Joe Brisbois, producer, Sony Computer Entertainment America. “Whether working up a sweat racing against their friends, thrilling a packed house playing AirGuitar, or guarding their room with SpyToy, EyeToy: Play2 provides hours of interactive fun for gamers of all ages and experience levels.”

Since its launch last year, more than 7 million EyeToy ® USB cameras can now be found in homes worldwide. The camera simply plugs into one of the two USB ports on the front of a PlayStation 2 system while the camera sits on top of or below the television. Using cutting-edge technology to project and track the player’s image on screen, the EyeToy USB camera continues to take interactive entertainment to a whole new level, as gamers instantly take center stage as the main characters in their own game.

Combining numerous game genres, players are encouraged to challenge their friends as they become a master chef, hit homeruns, battle it out for the table tennis crown and fight off kung-fu warriors, ninjas and ancient monsters. By using their bodies to complete the variety of challenges, players will experience true physical interactivity. For a more competitive atmosphere, EyeToy: Play 2 enables up to four players to play together in multiplayer modes for a heightened sense of fun and laughter.

Additional new EyeToy technology featured in EyeToy: Play 2 include sound recognition, background subtraction, SpyToy and EyeToy: Cameo. Using the included SpyToy mode, players can use their EyeToy USB camera to guard their room, ward off unsuspecting intruders, and discreetly catch trespassers by tracking their physical motion, as well as audible noises, with their EyeToy USB camera. While playing detective, players can set up their SpyToy to capture secret photos every five seconds, record video of unwanted visitors or sound an alarm when the camera tracks any physical movement. With EyeToy: Cameo, gamers can create interactive and lifelike 3D models of their own head which can then be used in EyeToy: Play 2 as well as other EyeToy enabled games such as World Tour Soccer 2006.

“Whether gamers are playing the mini-games , using the ‘SpyToy’ feature or experimenting with EyeToy: Cameo , EyeToy: Play 2 is a perfect game for consumers of all ages and provides hours of fun no matter what your level of gaming experience.”

The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has rated EyeToy: Play 2 E 10+. For more information about the ESRB visit www.esrb.org.

About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one™ game console, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and the PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) system. The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system is set to revolutionize the home entertainment market, offering the most compelling interactive content and the capability to be used as a network terminal in the coming broadband era. PSP is a new portable entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3D games, with high-quality full-motion video, and high-fidelity stereo audio.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console, the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the PSP system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com.

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Advance Wars: Dual Strike

Advance Wars: Dual Strike is the first official "spin-off" of the series to another Nintendo platform in the US, and Intelligent Systems has struck gold again with a game that keeps with the already successful formula and branches it out with new elements, including dual screen combat. Because it doesn't go far beyond what's already been established, the DS game doesn't make quite as big a splash as the series did originally on the GBA, but that doesn't mean it's still not a fantastic game that needs to be experienced. Because it is.

The Advance Wars series is a turn-based strategy game that's quick-paced and energetic, and absolutely addictive because of all the little nuances in the game design keeping players on their toes. All the action takes place on a grid map of different terrain, and the spots on the grid affect how your troops handle the battle condition. Across land, sea, and air, you'll command a growing assortment of troops and vehicles with one goal in mind: victory against the enemy armies. Even though the game design is a turn-based affair, it does borrow a bit from the real-time strategy genre -- in many missions players must earn revenue by controlling buildings within the set territory, and convert those funds into troops to solidify and strengthen the lines against the opposing forces. Missions can last anywhere from a simple couple of moves to several dozen before victory is had by any side, and it's the player's mental skills that determine the outcome.

It's was a a fantastic single player game on the GBA and remains so on the DS, and it's enhanced further with multiplayer focus for single and multiple cart users. The wireless battles aren't much different than what GBA owners got in Advance Wars and Advance Wars 2, but this time players are no longer tethered together by uncomfortably short link cables. Wireless capabilities free up the link so players can spread out and relax while plotting their strategies.

Advance Wars: Dual Strike loves the number two. In past Advance Wars games, the CO (Commanding Officer) of a certain area would determine special abilities of the player during battle. In Advance Wars: Dual Screen, players can have two of these COs at the ready and swap them in and out between turns to change the outcome of a specific turn. And though the action in most missions is contained on the lower screen with the upper screen housing all the pertinent information on highlighted troops, in others the action spreads out across both displays of the Nintendo DS. In these dual screen missions, players only assist the action with specific commands instead of fully controlling the strategy. But it still shakes things up in comparison to past games in the Advance Wars series. Read On

by Craig Harris

The Future of Video Games

I’ve recently been thinking about where video games could be going in the future. I’m hoping to work in the game industry one day after I’ve finished university study and I’ve been wondering about it a lot. What do I want to see happen in the future? Well I may not have too many answers right now, but I have come up with a few ideas that I think may come into ‘play’ in the not too distant future.

Firstly forget Virtual Reality, as we know it. They’ve tried VR goggles and they made a lot of people sick in doing so. It’s probably never going to work very well in its current form. They’re still around and you can still buy them but they really don’t seem to be taking off. It will probably take a lot to get people totally immersed and involved in a new form of game play. It’s threatening to lose touch with the outside world and the people around you aren’t going to appreciate it much either. The Sci-fi neural implants are also both a long way off and not likely to be accepted by a majority of the general populace without some severe marketing and luck. I for one am not planning on going through brain surgery just to have a computer attached to my head. In fact I never want anyone to able to plug into my brain.

A technology that was brought to my attention by a zealous presenter at the local ‘Science and Technology Centre’ (a sort of science museum aimed at making science fun for children and juvenile adults such as yours truly) is that of ‘Augmented Reality’. Augmented Reality is essentially the overlaying of virtual elements onto the real world, such as a pair of transparent glasses that can display certain elements over the top of what is actually there. I agree with the presenter in that this could indeed have some awesome potential. Forget all the socially beneficial applications such as workmen being able to view underground pipes before digging, think about it from a games point of view. This technology could provide gamers with the ability to run around looking like complete idiots shooting at things that aren’t actually there and that no one else can see, kind of like in the film ‘They Live!’ The upside to this is that it would be a lot of fun. A group of people from the University of South Australia created the ‘ARQuake’ project, http://wearables.unisa.edu.au/projects/ARQuake/www/, merging the classic shooter Quake with this Augmented Reality technology. Again, this technology may not ever become overly popular, but it would be entertaining to play with.

Technology has driven the games industry for a long time with new games always trying to keep one step ahead of the competition. It started way back at the dawn of technology and it continues to this day. 2D graphics gave way to 3D and 3D is becoming ever better. Graphics are starting to lose the ability to impress like they once did. The step between Quake 2 and 3 was amazing, but DOOM 3 while being visually very impressive isn’t leaps and bounds ahead of its competitors in the same way new games used to be. 2D graphics encountered a similar problem; there comes a point where you just can’t do much more with graphics technology. It is this that turns graphics from striving for technological achievement to becoming art. It is my hope that we will start turning away from tech demos and return to game play and making great entertainment. Games such as Zelda: The Wind Waker or The Sims that strive to show greater depth of character through simplifying the game enough to portray emotions will hopefully become more common (and more fun… but that’s just one person’s view…). Technology plays a certain part in the conveying of emotions and story but it’s quite hard to focus on everything at once. When technology is easier and less essential to game sales we’ll hopefully see an increase in games that cast a lasting impression.

Somewhat unfortunately the rise of the ‘Casual Gamer’ will probably lead to more simplistic games being released. While personally I would love to see depth of story and characters, there are a significant number of players out there who want to pick up a game for twenty minutes or so, have a bit of fun, and then put it down until another time. These gamers are generally less interested in the latest greatest technology and more interested in a ‘fast food’ kind of entertainment that satisfies the moment, despite the lack of quality or the lasting effects. Hopefully the two game types can co-exist peacefully although recently it has been seen that some developers are cutting down on some of the planned depth of a title in order to accommodate the more casual gamer.

As technology pushes forwards boundaries are slowly being broken down between systems. We saw the Bleemcast a few years back enabling the running of Playstation games on the Dreamcast, and the PC is able to run almost anything given the right emulation software. Consoles are able to emulate other consoles and new consoles are being announced that promise the ability to play PC games. The Xbox 2 is reported to have a model in planning that comes in a PC case and with the ability to run both PC software and Xbox software. Macs can emulate Windows software and vice-versa. We’ll probably start seeing less of a distinction between consoles and PCs as the price of technology continues to drop and consoles continue to become more and more powerful and able to compete with the more expensive computers. Ideally we’ll see a single platform come into prominence so that everything can be run without purchasing a copious number of different machines, although that does have a downside in that it can establish a monopoly for one particular company.

The technology price drop and increase in power has also lead to more powerful hand-held machines than before. Real games, not just simple toys are now available for the portable market. The advent of PDAs and mobile phones with the ability to play games raises awareness of portable gaming and new competitors are starting to get in on the field that was once primarily dominated by Nintendo’s GameBoy. There is a new product, the gp32, that can run many different emulators and hence, many different system’s games (including some PC games).

I can’t say for sure what’s going to happen but these are just a few ideas that I’ve had recently. Hopefully the games industry will continue to strive towards new heights with new and interesting game play, stories, characters and ideas. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next few years.

Daniel Punch
M6.Net

Create Computer Games - Get Started on Creating Your Own Virtual Worlds

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Tips For Finding Great Deals On Computer Accessories & Supplies

Tip #1. Do a Google search. Don't be to general in your search, type in exactly what your looking for. Try putting the words you type in quotes to narrow the search.

Tip #2. Go shopping at the office supplies and discount clubs. You may find some discount clubs like Costco & Sams have a 6 month return policy, check your location. California stores have a 6 month no questions asked policy, and yes, this means Computers and Software too, even if the package is open and you have used it. Just make sure you can put it back in the box and you have the receipt.

Tip #3. Don't forget to check eBay.

Tip #4. Try other stores like Fry's, Best Buy, Circuit City, Dell, Gateway, CompUSA.

Tip #5. If your looking for used try craigslist.org, eBay.com, http://auctions.yahoo.com

Tip #6. Compare prices at pricescan.com, pricewatch.com, pricegrabber.com, price.com, epinions.com, shopper.cnet.com, streetprices.com & bizrate.com

Tip #7. Check the Sunday newspaper.

Tip #8. Staples, Office Max and Office Depot have price matching. So If one of them has a sales you can take the sale ad to any one of them and they will honor it. Helpful if the store having the sale is not to close to you.

Hope this helps, good luck and thanks for reading.

About the Author:

Michael Mulleda is a successful business man providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of Computer Accessories & Supplies. If you have time drop by his site http://gomarketnet.com for some free tips, information and great deals. gomarket@gomarketnet.com

This article is the property of the author and may only be reproduced in its original form along with the "About The Author". I also ask that you activate any html links found in the article and in the byline. Under those conditions, please feel free to use this article anywhere you wish.

By Michael Mulleda

Evolution of Gaming : Graphics vs Gameplay

If you are old enough to remember the early days of computer gaming you know there were a lot of great games that were fun because of the exceptional gameplay and not just the graphics. Gaming started to become a little more popular in the 90s once people started buying computers. In the early 90s games like Maniac Mansion, X-com 1, and Civilization were extremely hot because of their addictive unique gameplay. Today gaming is mainstream and marketed towards a mass audience. In order to market to everyone, many games these days focus on the graphics and special effects rather than unique gameplay. You see many games that seem to be carbon copies of each other with slightly different twists.

These days, a lot of games try to be as realistic as possible and have the most textures and polygons jammed in to wow your eyes. In order to market to everyone, many games these days focus on the graphics and special effects rather than unique gameplay. Although there is nothing wrong with a game with beautiful graphics, once the novelty of the graphics runs out, the gameplay is what keeps you playing. You see many games that seem to be carbon copies of each other with slightly different twists. There are a few games like Halo 2 where the developers obviously spent a lot of time fine tuning to make sure the gameplay was as enjoyable as possible. With Halo 2, the two things that give it an edge in my opinion is the fact that the movement of players is slower than most games and the weapons are highly balanced. Also, rather than throwing tons of multiplayer maps at the player, the developers focused on making a limited number of quality maps.

Freeware games are an option for people on a small budget who value gameplay over graphics. A freeware game is simply a game that is completely free with no fees attached. Freeware developers usually don’t have the million dollar 3d engines to run their games so they must make the games as fun as they can without all the bells and whistles of retail games. These developers make games simply for the love of making them and sometimes come up with some unique and quality games that are definitely worth a look. Especially considering that these games are completely free. These games span all the categories of retail games from Massively Multiplayer to 3d First Person Shooter. Some companies also release production quality games as freeware because they decide not to put the game into production or as promotion.

By Tony James

Blast From The Past - Retro Games Are Hot Again

Miss the brainlessly simple and extremely addictive games from the 80s? Find out which game developers feel the same. Dozens of teams are creating new games based on the old classics. Here are just a few of them.

Bugatro Gold
http://www.deprice.com/bugatrongold.htm

Bugatron Gold is a well-designed space-shooter game borrows ideas from classics such as Galaga. In Bugatron, you must eradicate the evil alien insects, which swoop and dive at your spaceship in a variety of formations. The polished graphics added to our enjoyment, and the sound effects are blasting cool.

Cosmo Bots
http://www.deprice.com/cosmobots.htm

Cosmo Bots takes its cue from the addictive classics Jezzball and Qix. However, that's where the similarity ends, because Cosmo Bots has different shapes for each level, 3D rendered graphics, digital sound, new enemies, and tons of power-ups. The free version features a full set of 50 levels to play, and does not require any special hardware.

Bricks Of Egypt
http://www.deprice.com/bricksofegypt.htm

At its core, Bricks of Egypt is an Arkanoid clone, but it goes beyond replicating the frequently imitated art of busting bricks to place a refreshing emphasis on creative level design. Sure, there's a ball and paddle, but Arcade Labs layers these familiar basics with Egyptian-themed power-ups, bonuses and special challenges (such as hitting the water drops to extinguish fire bricks or striking keys to unlock new areas on the screen).

Dropheads
http://www.deprice.com/dropheads.htm

Meet the Dropheads, hilarious and loveable characters with treasure on their mind. Help these strange little guys navigate the seas by matching them in groups of four or more. Then, watch them bounce off the screen. As you go, collect pieces of a treasure map and assemble them to find the hidden loot. And with two game modes, Arcade for those who like a fast pace and Strategy for those who like a relaxing diversion, there's something for everyone.

Star Defender
http://www.deprice.com/stardefender.htm

Star Defender is a vertical scrolling space shooter and a spectacular clone of Space Invaders. You are a test pilot flying the Tornado. Your spaceship is controlled by your mouse. The ship is limited to movement in the lower line of the play area. Star Defender possesses all of the classic features of the genre: professional and vibrant graphics, breathtaking gameplay and an original soundtrack.

Alpha Ball
http://www.deprice.com/alphaball.htm

Alpha Ball is a totally 3D entry into the Arkanoid/Breakout genre, featuring simple controls and addictive gameplay. Each level has built-in, completely 3D backward and upward functionality, with great graphics and effects. The application also features the new Suspend Game feature that lets you quit a game and return to it later. The program has 100 levels, with random level matching.

John Deprice loves retro games. His collection is publically available for free download at http://www.deprice.com/games.htm

By John Deprice

A Look at the Sony PlayStation 3

At the recent E3 gaming Convention, Sony gave the world a first look at the new Playstation 3, Sony’s contribution to the next generation gaming consoles. Much like the news surrounding the Nintendo Revolution, the Playstation 3 has been immersed in mystery and controversy for the last several years.

Due sometime in spring 2006, the PlayStation 3 will out perform it’s predecessor in every way imaginable. Powered by the "Cell" processor, which Sony proudly claims makes the machine 35 times more powerful than the PlayStation 2, tops the list of the new incredible features. So, what else can we expect from Sony this time around? What we know…

Initially, even the name of the new gaming console was still very much unknown. With teasers, billboards and misleading posters with the very recognizable font "Prepare for Chang3," advertisement had gamers guessing. However at the E3 convention, it was announced that the name of the new console would in fact be “Playstation 3;” much to the dismay of many online blogers and game forum members.

Sony also confirmed the PlayStation 3 will use Blu-ray discs as its media format. The discs can hold up to six times as much data as current-generation DVDs. This will essentially open the doors for game developers to produce higher quality games without having to worry about disk size limitations.

Sony also unveiled the PS3's graphics chip, the RSX "Reality Synthesizer," which is based on Nvidia technology. The GPU will be capable of 128bit pixel precision and 1080p resolution, (some of the highest HD resolution available anywhere). The RSX also has 512MB of graphics render memory and is capable of 100 billion shader operations and 51 billion dot products per second. The new Playstation 3 graphics chip also has more than 300 million transistors, larger than any processor commercially available today. Below is a full “official” spec breakdown of the new Playstation 3.

Playstation 3 Specs
CPU
Cell Processor
PowerPC-base Core @3.2GHz
1 VMX vector unit per core
512KB L2 cache
7 x SPE @3.2GHz
7 x 128b 128 SIMD GPRs
7 x 256KB SRAM for SPE
* 1 of 8 SPEs reserved for redundancy
total floating point performance: 218 GFLOPS

GPU
RSX @550MHz
1.8 TFLOPS floating point performance
Full HD (up to 1080p) x 2 channels
Multi-way programmable parallel floating point shader pipelines

Sound
Dolby 5.1ch, DTS, LPCM, etc. (Cell- base processing)
Memory
256MB XDR Main RAM @3.2GHz 256MB GDDR3 VRAM @700MHz

System Bandwidth
Main RAM 25.6GB/s
VRAM 22.4GB/s
RSX 20GB/s (write) + 15GB/s (read)
SB<>

System Floating Point Performance
2 TFLOPS

Storage
Detachable 2.5" HDD slot x 1

I/O
USB Front x 4, Rear x 2 (USB2.0)
Memory Stick standard/Duo, PRO x 1
SD standard/mini x 1
CompactFlash (Type I, II) x 1

Communication
Ethernet (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T) x 3 (input x 1 + output x 2)
Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR)

Controller
Bluetooth (up to 7)
USB 2.0 (wired)
Wi-Fi (PSP)
Network (over IP)
AV Output
Screen size: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
HDMI: HDMI out x 2
Analog: AV MULTI OUT x 1
Digital audio: DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) x 1

Disc Media
CD PlayStation CD-ROM, PlayStation 2 CD-ROM, CD-DA, CD-DA (ROM), CD-R,
CD-RW, SACD, SACD Hybrid (CD layer), SACD HD, DualDisc, DualDisc (audio side), DualDisc (DVD side)
DVD: PlayStation 2 DVD-ROM, PlayStation 3 DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-ROM,
DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW
Blu-ray Disc: PlayStation 3 BD-ROM, BD-Video, BD-ROM, BD-R, BD-RE

As you can see the new Playstation 3 is going to be an incredibly powerful system, offering stunning graphics with the new Nivdia chip, as well as incredible multiplayer potential with up to seven Bluetooth controllers. With enormous horsepower, stunning graphics and a slew of multimedia elements, the Sony Playstation 3 is going to revolutionize the way we play games. The only issue that needs to be addressed now is, how much will the system cost?

Ron is the CTO for Dice Ventures Inc an internet holdings and development company. For more great gaming information and discussion visit our Video Game Forum

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Playing Games Like It's 80's

Do you miss the good old 80's Amiga and Commodore games? You are not the only one. In fact, creating remakes for popular eighties games is all the rage.

Bombardix

If you want to have some fun on you lunch recess or just to relax at home, this Bomberman game is exactly what you need. Bombardix is a perfect Bomberman game. In addition to the excellent gameplay, usual for all classic arcade game, in this Bomberman game you get a perfect 2D graphic, which gives you an opportunity to play real bomberman game by placing you into the picturesque surroundings of one of the five imaginary worlds of Bombardix: Deep Forest, Desolate Wilderness, Swamp-Fever, Diamond-Mine, and Southerly Town.

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/bombardix.htm

Cosmo Bots

Cosmo Bots takes its cue from the addictive classics Jezzball and Qix. However, that's where the similarity ends, because Cosmo Bots has different shapes for each level, 3D rendered graphics, digital sound, new enemies, and tons of power-ups. The free version features a full set of 50 levels to play, and does not require any special hardware. In Cosmo Bots, you try to fill areas of a board by sending out lines in opposite directions from your bot. You can choose to send these lines out either horizontally or vertically. Once you have boxed out an entire section, it fills in. The goal is to fill in a set amount of the board. With 577 levels there is plenty here to keep you playing for a long time.

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/cosmobots.htm

Betty's Beer Bar

Betty's Beer Bar is a fast paced and addictive arcade game. Your task is to serve the customers as quickly as possible - keep them happy and they will give you huge tips. Serve them coffee when they're about to get drunk, to keep them awake - drunk customers rarely pay! This nurse had one beer too many. With good reflexes and a sharp mind, Betty will earn enough money to leave her original work place and start progressing towards her own bar in the caribbean! Betty's Beer Bar features four unique scenarios and over fifty original and fun animated characters in a beautiful hand-drawn, cartoonish style.

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/bettysbeerbar.htm

Cactus Bruce And The Corporate Monkeys

Cactus Bruce and the Corporate Monkeys is, first and foremost, hilarious. You play a one-eyed pirate cactus (!) defending your home, Foster Island, from becoming a banana republic (Bananas Foster, mmm yummy!...) under the domination of Hollabanger Corporation and its army of Corporate Monkeys (who try to conk you on the head with coconuts). So, you must defend your home from this corporate takeover at all costs! Smack those monkeys before they smack you! Fortunately you have a unique weapon - a 1 ton claw machine - and several helpful friends such as Billy the Elastic Blowfish and Marvin the Explosive Snowman.

Free Download: http://www.deprice.com/cactusbruce.htm

John Deprice owns and operates one of the largest collections of the 80's remakes games available for download at http://www.deprice.com/games.htm

Securing Your Accounts With Well-Crafted Passwords

In the past I've never really paid much attention to security issues when it comes to user names and passwords. Frankly I figured it was all a lot of overblown hype. This led to an unfortunate incident that involved my website being attacked, apparently by a skillful youth with a propensity for mischief.

The main security flaw with my website was probably the simple fact that the username and password were exactly the same. Granted I did realize that this wasn't highly intelligent but I didn't have the power to change it myself, and I didn't think it really mattered enough to bother about it. Having an identical username and password is a massive "no-no" in computer security. Your username and password should not even be related along the same line of thought. A username of "Dragon" and a password of "Fire" is not a secure combination.

For maximum security, passwords should not be cohesive words or phrases and should not be too obviously related to something like your birthday or the birthday of someone close to you. Personal information is one of the first things used when people attempt to break passwords. Having a password of "Password" is indeed humorous and ironic but it is not in the least bit secure.

A "brute force" password hacking technique involves using certain rules and guidelines to take a guess at possible passwords and generally works through a dictionary of sorts, trying combinations of possible words and common characters. Your best bet at creating a secure password is to pick a random collection of letters, numbers, and symbols, including varying case changes (in a password the letter "a" is not the same as the letter "A", so alternating at random between upper and lower case will increase the difficulty encountered in cracking your password). Selecting a sequence of characters on the keyboard (such as "asdf" or, worse, "1234") definitely does not create a secure, random password.

Having symbols in your password is an easy way to greatly increase security. These are the special characters accessed by holding the "Shift" key and pressing one of the numbers at the top of the keyboard. If you want to truly expand your arsenal of special characters, try holding down the "alt" key and pressing a combination of numbers on the num pad (the rectangular collection of numbers on the right hand side of most keyboards) then release "alt". For example, holding "alt" and pressing numbers, 1 then 6 then 8 and releasing "alt" will give the character "¿". Most combinations of 3 numbers will enter a different symbol into your password. This may make it a little harder to enter your password but it makes it a lot harder for anyone else to crack it.

To make passwords easier to remember you can use something original, like the name of your favorite character in a book (personal information that other people won't know). Then add some numbers to it, perhaps use the "Leet speak" (check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leet for exact definition) method of changing letters to numbers and generally mix things up so that to you it seems coherent and memorable but to an automated pattern recognizer it seems random. For example, "jAm35_5m1Th¿" ("James Smith") is actually surprisingly secure. In this case the password's meaning is obvious to a human reader but it will take a lot of work for them to divine the password without prior knowledge (unless you've used your name or a close relative/friend's name which, as we've already discussed, is not a good idea).

For additional security you should not use the one user name and password for every account that you have. If you do and someone manages to get hold of your details for one site they pretty much have the run of your digital life. It is not particularly vital to have perfect passwords for less important accounts (e.g. web based email from Hotmail, forums you visit etc.). These sites can quite happily be accessed using the same password. However, bank accounts, work email etc. should be made as secure as possible.

Hopefully a few of these tips will assist you in making your online activities more secure. Keep these guidelines in mind, change your password on a semi regular basis, and with any luck you'll be able to avoid the hacking menace that befell me.

Daniel Punch
M6.Net Web Helpers
http://www.m6.net