Windows 8 Pro, Tablets, & The Future of Gaming

This week saw the release of the Windows Surface Pro running a full version of the Windows 8 OS. In spite of the mix reviews, the new tablet has sold better than expected. Nonetheless, what has caught my attention is how well it runs various video games (see for example a recent Forbes article). Hence, after seeing the initial success of Windows Surface Pro (and also the early impressions of the Razer Edge Pro gaming tablet), I am very excited to see where the future lies in PC gaming. I will therefore discuss how Windows 8 Pro together with such Windows 8 Pro tablets could lead to an exciting future for the PC gamer.

As much as I love my iPad and its capabilities, what I desire from a tablet is to be able to do everything I can on my Mac or PC on it. I would love to be able to use it for not only for web surfing, reading texts, and PDF annotations, but for creating word processing documents, spreadsheets, as well as multimedia presentations. Windows 8 Pro tries to fill this whole in the market by allowing users to have a full computer OS on a tablet; thus attempting to be a bridge for the tablet and personal computer. And since this is a blog dedicated to gaming, what is intriguing is how tablets running Windows 8 Pro will allow users to play full PC games on a tablet.

For me, it would be a dream having the chance to play FIFA 13, Guild Wars 2, Company of Heroes 2, and Skyrim on a portable device. No longer would I be limited to a location for playing my favorite games (yes, laptops offer this as well, but gaming laptops are often larger than a portable ultrabook computer). With such a device, I would have the chance to link my Steam and Origin accounts to my tablet. This in itself would be a reason to get a one of these new and upcoming Windows 8 tablets.

An additional point to this article is that the gaming aspect could consequently push Windows 8 Pro tablets over the edge and make them a great alternative to both iOS and Android devices. Windows 8 has struggled being adapted to this point. But I believe making it relevant to gamers, especially as it pertains hardcore gamers, through providing a full OS and hardware capable of running the latest games (albeit not particularly at the highest graphical settings), this will make Windows 8 relevant. Since Windows has been tied to gamers for many years, it would be wise for Microsoft to take advantage of this mutual relationship. It has been the hardcore gamers that have help keep the PC alive, and by making tablets fully game capable, it can keep Microsoft profits strong in the foreseeable future. For this reason, these tablets could change the face of PC gaming and Microsoft itself.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Please feel free to post a comment below. Thanks for reading.

My Gaming Accessories Part I: Razer Naga

I am going to start a short series regarding what gaming accessories I use in my gaming, mainly as it pertains to PC gaming. But I will also include some accessories that can be used on the Xbox 360 and the PS3 as well.

Today, I'd like to start with one of my favorite mice I've owned thus far: the Razer Naga. The Razer Naga is a unique product that is specifically made for the MMO gamer in mind. It boasts a 5700DPI laser sensor which feels very precise. Nevertheless, what makes the mouse so unique is the 12-button input on the left side. These 12-buttons can be configured independently or follow your keyboards default numbers or keypad. This makes it easy for using certain spells or macros during in-game combat.

Now, I am not trying to bore you with a comprehensive review. The Naga has been around for a while and you can find plenty of reviews of this mouse online. With that, the Naga makes MMOs a more pleasurable experience. Why? When you have so many buttons and configurations at your fingertips, it is no longer a frustrating affair trying to click with your mouse on certain icons or scrambling while scrambling during an intense fight. How many of us have had their avatar die because we clicked on the wrong button or hitting the wrong key. This mouse helps prevent this from occurring. And if you're wondering, it didn't take that long for me to get use to using the 12-input. It was quite intuitive, and Razer even includes adhesive pads to put on the keypad so you can easily navigate around the buttons.

Mind you, I have used standard mice for MMOs with success. However, after using the Naga I will never go back to using a standard mouse for MMOs. The Naga's precision, 17-button configuration (in addition to the 12-button input as seen above), and comfort of use makes this mouse ideal for the MMO gamer.

Just as an FYI. I have a good friend who uses the Cyborg M.M.O.7 and swears by it. The 6400DPI and the 90, yes 90, programable commands makes this mouse a great value. However, I have not taken the opportunity to try this mouse to see how well it works. And since some people have complained of the quality of its laser sensor, I am reluctant to purchase the mouse so I can give it a go. But if you are looking for similar alternatives, the Cyborg as well as the Logitech G600, are mice to check out for the MMO gamer.

Here We Go Again: Let's Blame Video Games for Violence

Sadly, with every horrible mass killing -- such as the shootings in Aurora, Newton, and recently in New Mexico -- video games become a leading suspect as a means to influencing our youth to kill. This idea has even caused the federal government once again to take a look into the effects of video games on its consumers. However, do video games cause people to become savage killers? Do violent video games create future mass murders? Well let me wipe these fears away by saying that the research says it's inconclusive whether violent video games lead to violent behavior such as on the scale of recent events.

To get a better understanding of this conclusion, last year I undertook an independent study examining the effects of video games on violence. In this course I was introduced to the Iowa State University researchers, mainly C. A. Anderson, who suggest that video games lead to aggressive behavior. These researchers, using various quasi techniques to gauge aggressive behavior, have concluded that video games may eventually lead to violent behavior.

However, through my research I was introduced to Ferguson and J. A. Anderson's research on violence and media. Ferguson's work is very interesting as it directly relates to video games. He argued that video games cannot be easily associated with violent behavior. He found that as video games sales have exponentially increased in the past decade,  youth violence has decreased. Ferguson maintained that if video games were leading to violent behavior, the increase in sales of video games would correlate with an increase in violence in youths. But that is not the case. 

Furthermore, defining aggressive behavior is very problematic. What is aggressive behavior? Some studies that suggest violent media leads to violent behavior define aggressive behavior as merely someone thinking about being aggressive. Since researchers cannot ethically let their participants engage in violent behavior, other studies attempt to quantify violence through surveys of a gamers' feelings or excitement through gameplay. Thinking about about aggressive behavior or exhibiting excited behavior is much different than shooting 20 children at pointblank range. For these reasons, it is very difficult to know that being upset playing an FPS will lead to a person going on a massive killing spree. 

The facts just aren't there to truly show that violent video games, What the facts do say is that witnessing or experiencing violence in the home and/or in a person's community can influence a person to be violent way more than playing a violent video game. This is what does correlate with violent behavior, not just simply playing Grand Theft Auto.

Love to hear your thoughts on this. Post on the comments below.