Christ Centered Gamer Blog

At Christ Centered Gamer we get sent a lot of games to review and have an impressive backlog as a result. Some of them we ask for, but many games show up in our Inbox unexpectedly. We love working with indie developers to help them promote their otherwise overlooked labors of love. For the most part, we enjoy playing the games sent to us. According to our Steam Curator page the majority of our reviews are positive.

Every year, we release a Christmas Buying Guide, which highlights current games that are both fun and family-friendly. Quite frankly, this is not an easy task. It’s easy to find games that meet one criteria, but both takes some serious effort. Violence, language, sexual, and occult content are prevalent in many games. Those are usually the titles that get talked about the most at game shows. Other games can be played in front of children, your pastor, or grandparents without offending them. Sadly, those types of games are usually not very fun to begin with.

Before we implemented our dual score system, we used an average score which often propped up Christian and family-friendly games while overly chastising games that are Teen or Mature. While our current scoring system is not perfect, it does a pretty good job.

One of our recent reviews, Starclaw: Battle of StarSpace Nebula, scored well morally, but fell flat when it came down to the game/fun factor score. The developer did not take this review lightly and filed a copyright/slander case against us on Google. More on that later! As reviewers, we really do want to enjoy our time with games, but that’s not always the case. Even still, we try to find the positives and aim to offer constructive criticism for the developers to work with to improve their current and/or future games. If a game is patched, we’re willing to take another look at it to verify that the issues have been addressed and will add a blurb in the review. Per our Code of Ethics we will not remove negative reviews or alter them for financial gain.

Reviews are opinions, which everyone has their own. We have comments open on our reviews where people can share things they agree or disagree with us on as long as their language is kid-friendly. When we were threatened with a copyright infringement claim and ordered to remove our review and Twitter post, we pushed back and defended our First Amendment right of free speech.

I want to thank our Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter users who have supported us through this ordeal. It was never our intention to disgrace or ruin this developer, but we have the right to express our honest opinions on the games we review. Doing otherwise would be lying (Exodus 20:16) and betraying our readers. As of this post, there have been multiple articles and several YouTube videos covering this ordeal.

I hope and pray that the developer has learned not to abuse the DMCA and to take this experience to heart for his future projects. He did post a public apology. I hope that he finds forgiveness and redemption as the Internet can be a harsh place to learn life lessons. I also hope that his future projects are a success. We have enough anger and violence these days. I encourage everyone to read and apply Proverbs 10:12 which states “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.”

Parents now have to keep their kids indoors to prevent them from contracting the COVID-19 virus. To defeat their boredom, parents must find ways to entertain young students. Luckily, these days, there are computer games that entertain the students while educating them. 

With some wonderful games, parents rest assured that their kids are learning something good in the safety of their homes.

1. Nancy Drew Interactive Mysteries

Nancy Drew Interactive Mysteries is a game that sharpens the skills in solving problems. It’s a point-and-click game where the player assumes the role of Nancy Drew, the mystery solver of the famous novel series. 

Whether playing the role of a senior or junior detective, the kids questions suspects, solves puzzles, uncovers clues, and finds their way out of many sticky situations in the quest to catch the culprit. 

When your kids are busy playing games and miss crucial assignment deadlines, they often wonder, ”who can write my coursework at this hour”? In these critical situations, help them by referring Ca.EduBirdie instead of telling them to give up the games completely. 

2. Animal Jam

What better way to get educated than to get involved with National Geographic? Animal Jam is a virtual online world originally designed with the National Geographic Society. 

As expected, the game teaches young students about ecology and zoology through adventures, parties, games, and other social elements online. Another great feature of Animal Jam is it gives parental control over the game. Parents can lock the game down if they wish.

3. Wordscapes

Wordscapes is an incredible option for students who love wordplay. The game improves vocabulary while entertaining students. In the game, the kids receive unlimited time to solve a crossword-style puzzle. There are also levels to make the game more challenging. 

For instance, some levels don’t accept words with three letters and award extra points if the player gets all of the words right and in a specific order. At times, guessing all of the “easy” words is the hard part. Moreover, it has a dictionary built into the app to expand the vocabulary.

4. Prodigy

Prodigy is a game for those who love to play with numbers. It’s a math-based RPG that you can play for free. It involves playing through the game by answering math questions to build their skills and earn rewards. 

There is also an interactive aspect where players participate in quests with their friends. For more challenges, the difficulty level increases as you progress further.

5. National Geographic Challenge

This is another game that involves the much-read magazine. The National Geographic Challenge is a quiz game based on the. Here, you encounter difficult and easy questions divided into regions. 

It starts with up to 4 players who choose their own avatar. They can try answering 40, 60 or 80 timed questions in the game. To make it more interesting, the Challenge features impressive videos and photographs drawn from the archives of National Geographic.

Conclusion

With the closure of schools and colleges due to the current pandemic, parents strive to get their kids educated as normally as possible. Virtual school hours aren’t the only venue for young students to learn. Online games can entertain and educate young students while confined at home and of course, they are fun, educational, and highly entertaining as well.

Author’s Bio:

Elizabeth Skinner is a famous blogger who works for a popular website and manages its gaming, tech news and software review sections. She’s also a talented academic writer with an expertise in thesis, dissertation and essay writing. In her free time, she takes language classes, practices yoga and goes out for jogging. 

Thank you Materia Collective for sending us this album to review!

My husband and I are fans of the Final Fantasy games and music. We have attended multiple live orchestral performances and own several Distant World and Black Mages/Earthbound Papas CDs. When I played and beat Final Fantasy VII on PC, I swapped out many of the original game songs to the Black Mages versions. By doing so, I made a great game even better! Before going any further, I must admit that I have not played the remake. With many gamers playing the remake and enjoying its music, it only makes sense to release an enhanced version of the soundtrack. Roborob delivers a nice selection of songs from this epic game in One Beat Angel FFVII.

I enjoyed and reviewed Roborob’s Kingdom Hearts remake album, Kingdom Heartbeats. I recognized many of the tracks but it’s been a while since I played a Kingdom Hearts game so I’m not as familiar with the music from that series. Since I’m a fan of Roborob and Final Fantasy VII, I jumped at the change to review One Beat Angel. For the most part, I have no regrets. While this is an enjoyable 11-track album, I prefer the original and Black Mages versions over this.

Just like the Final Fantasy games, this album opens up with a spruced-up version of the prelude song which is quite fitting. The second track Fight On! Takes the iconic battle song to a new level. If you’ve won a battle in a Final Fantasy game, you’ll recognize the Victory Fanfare song. The Mako Reactor song is instantly recognizable even with the dubstep additions. Who Are You is also given an electronic dance music facelift in this album.

With the album called One Beat Angel, it should come as no surprise that One-Winged Angel is overhauled as well. Aerith’s theme is probably my least favorite song on this albumn since it’s not recognizable until the very end. On the flipside, the peppy Chocobo Theme doesn’t stray too far from the original score. On That Day Five Years Ago brings the seriousness back with some nice beats. Roborob’s rendition of Cosmo Canyon is decent, but I have to give the nod to Pandoh’s dubstep version. The finale song, JENOVA does not disappoint and brings this entertaining album to a close.

You can purchase a digital version from Bandcamp for $10 or physically for $15. The MP3 album is also available on Amazon for $8.99. If you’re a fan of Final Fantasy VII and dance music, it’s worth checking out!

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Thank you Materia Collective for sending this digital album to review!

Deltarune Chapter 1 is a free spiritual successor to Undertale. Toby Fox has worked his magic again by producing a fun game with good humor and an excellent soundtrack. In turn, String Player Gamer did an awesome job sprucing up the soundtrack in a fourteen-song collection called Field of Hopes and Strings which is a play on Deltarune’s theme song, Field of Hopes and Dreams. Both Fields of Hopes and Strings and the original soundtrack are available on BandCamp.com for $7 each.

Fields of Hopes and Strings is about forty minutes in length and has a nice sampling of songs from the OST which contains forty tracks. Many of the omitted songs are less than thirty seconds long. The symphonic metal styling of the chosen songs is superb and fans of Toby Fox and Deltarune should give this album a listen.

Here’s a breakdown of the track list:

1. Fanfare 0:13
2. The Legend 1:55
3. Field of Hopes and Dreams 3:22
4. Chaos King 3:36
5. Scarlet Forest 4:46
6. Empty Town 2:12
7. Friendship 3:23
8. Lancer 3:39
9. The World Revolving 3:26
10. VS Susie 2:38
11. Rude Buster 3:32
12. Darkness Falls 3:29
13. Before the Story 4:31
14. Don’t Forget 1:31

Many of the tracks are longer than the originals and the violin and guitar playing is top notch as usual. Lancer’s theme song went from 48 seconds to more than three and a half minutes long in this album. The credits song, Don’t Forget has the vocals performed by TeraCMusic.

I can’t wait for the next installment of the Deltrarune series. Until then, I’ve got some lovely music to listen to. Keep up the great work Toby Fox and String Player Gamer!

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If you are reading this article, you may have already thought about the localization of your videogame. This is a critical step that opens broad opportunities and brings your game a new audience. Localization is not a mere translation of some of the game’s parts. It is a complex process that has multiple steps like the translation of code, cut scenes, dialogues, in-game text boxes, and many more. Many of us seek professional help to solve the tough localization questions. However, you need to know the basics of the process to cover all the essential translation points. Let us look at the crucial steps of game localization.

1. Decide on the budget.

If you are on a tight budget overall, or you are an indie developer, you may use the help of such free services like Google Translate or fan translation. In either case, you will need to edit and proofread your final result. Alternatively, if you are a major developer, you may find that professional translation companies have different prices. The price usually depends on the amount of work you need. They include plain translation, editing, proofreading, and quality checks via software. Each of them may add to the cost of localization.

2. Decide on the language.

Although the main popular gaming areas are widely known, you may do marketing research concerning the areas which will have a high localization ROI. If you had a product successfully launched in Europe or Latin America, be sure that you cover those areas, too. In most cases, the popular languages encompass Asian, especially Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. There are also European languages such as German, French, and Spanish. For Latin America, you will need Brazilian Portuguese and Mexican Spanish. And don’t forget about Russian.

3. Research what “localization” means.

In most cases, you cannot simply translate a game and call it a localization. You will need to localize your code and documentation and perform advertising translation and legalization. In addition, the localization process will often encompass changing your game completely, especially if you appeal to Asian audiences.

4. Prepare for localization.

To launch the localization successfully, you need to perform content analysis. Your team will look for the parts which need translation and which elements of the game will be adapted. After this step, you need to develop a lockit, or localization kit, which will be a guide for your translators. This guide is the key to your game and the content that goes with it.

5. Localize the code of the game

Many translation companies will offer you to localize your code to ensure smooth integration with translation management systems that will make your localization process much easier. After this, you may integrate your whole repository to a system to bring all the strings into a translation platform.

6. Decide on your company

If you are an indie developer, you may make use of a Steam crowdsourcing or enter game localization contests. There will also be enthusiasts who will be eager to translate your game for a small price to get their first portfolio item. However, if you want to have an impeccable result, go to Translationreport or the most famous localization company in your area. They usually provide you with a 360-degree service, which includes proofreading, editing, QA, voiceover, subtitles, synchronization, and many more.

7. Launch a test-drive

Before presenting your game to a broad public, be sure to find native speakers to test-drive your game. They have the best chances to find a bad translation or confusing parts of the dialogues and script. Do not hesitate to use their help.

To sum up, the localization of your game has seven key steps. Don’t forget to determine an estimated budget that you can spend. Also, decide which languages and languages group do you target. After this, do a thorough preparation and code translation, and be ready to hand in your game to professionals. Test-drive and quality assurance are the final step to perfection. After these, your game will be ready for release in target markets. Remember that people like when you localize to their language. However, they like it even more if you localize properly. If you mind the culture, customs, and legislation, you will win many loyal customers.

Bio

Henry Mcdowell is an expert copywriter and researcher who works freelance and writes for blogs and educational sites. Having vast linguistic knowledge, he provides basic advice on writing, essays, and research. In his free time, Henry enjoys gaming and visiting new places.

If you develop games for Steam, browser games, console, or mobile games, there is one question that surely came to your mind. This question is about localization and languages. If you want to make more sales by reaching more gamers, you naturally need localization to more cultures. Before the start, every developer thinks about the ROI of the localization in the target language. The more languages you have, the more is the profit. This article will help you to set priority to localization languages, define goals, and move towards the better game quality and massive downloads number. Let’s go!

Languages to Localize Into 

• Asian languages

If you are a mobile game developer, Chinese is your top language of concern. Why? According to statistics, the Chinese mobile game market has more than 283 million users, who bring the total market value of more than $7 billion. Thus, game localization into this language will be a success, especially if you deal with the broad market of mobile games. As for the other types of games, Chinese also has significant market share and presents an emerging market that you should consider. The other two giants are Japanese and South Korean, which both have their domestic game markets. On the one hand, it is easy winning an audience that is ready to buy new games. On the other hand, they may refuse to play if the game is poorly localized, or has not been localized at all.

• Russian

No doubt, Steam is a large game platform that hosts billions of games. If you have a game on Steam, Russian is a language that you absolutely have to localize. With an impressive 10.88 percent of users, this language is the second top after the US English. Remember that when you translate to Russian, you also reach the audience of such countries as Kazakhstan and Belarus. This nation is also known for getting offended if the game they want has no translation. They are not keen on playing in English. So, if you considered localizing to Russian, don’t think twice!

• European languages

Also known as FIGS, the top four European languages are French, Italian, German, and Spanish. Naturally, they aim at the wealthiest countries in the world, where people may spend their money on games without draining their budget. If you localize your game into FIGS, you cover almost all of Europe’s countries, as many of them are multilingual. As it is hard to find a freelance to do all of them, you may use the help of the IsAccurate to make the localization process more accurate. Another advice: it is better to cover all FIGS at a time to enjoy a high translation ROI and sales boost.

• Indian

This country is the second populated after China. Although nowadays, the country is underdeveloped, its economics are gaining strength. If you are kind of the person that keeps up with the newest trends, consider translating your game to this language. The annual spending of the country is over $90 million, which presents considerable potential. The main obstacle may be that India has 22 dialects, all of which are official. So, this area requires a lot of market research.

• Latin American group

Surely, Brazilian Portuguese and Mexican Spanish are the languages that allow you to enter the Latin American market. The economies of Latin American countries are booming, but they haven’t reached their full potential yet. So, these languages, like Indian, are more of an investment in the future.

Overall, there are certain language groups that you may choose to localize. They are Latin American, Asian, and European. Although it is better to translate the game to several languages at a time, consider adding at least one from each group to be on the safe side. Perhaps, some of them will be more beneficial than the others. Do not forget about emerging markets such as India and language-sensitive areas with Russian speakers. I would recommend following the largest profitable language markets and localizing your game to fit their needs. Most of the time, these large areas have their specific culture and believes, which you also have to know to localize the game successfully.

Bio

Henry Mcdowell is a translation and copywriter expert that is keen on blogging about his topics of interest. He lives an active lifestyle and relaxes by doing sports or watching films in other languages. He says that his goal is to learn something new every day.

A dream of many people is to enter the videogame localization industry. This sphere is famous for its creativity, talent-seeking contests, and competitive, stimulating environment. Although it may seem easy to translate a game, this does not mean to localize it. Localization implies such skills as diving into culture, searching for information, and of course, knowing your languages on the level of native speakers. Still, the beginner game localizers often wonder which languages are the most profitable to learn. It’s not a secret that they possess a different ROI, and there is various demand in them. So, which ones should you consider? Here are some suggestions.

Learn EFIGS

Do not fear this strange abbreviation. It merely stands for the five largest language markets that are English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. Although the Italian market is not thriving today due to the economic downturn, there are others. Why learn them? Let’s take a look.

• English (United States). This language may be an obvious choice, as you are reading this article in English. However, it is not that easy. If you know English as a second language, be sure to acknowledge this version of the language. The Internet population of people who speak US English is 247 million, which brings $36,869 revenue. If you are a translator from the UK, be sure to include the American English version on your list.
  
  
• This language is used in more than five wealthy countries in the world, such as Luxembourg, Belgium, Canada, Monaco, and, of course, France. The buying ability of people there is enormous. This fact means that the game developers are ready to hire you if you know French well.
  
  
• Pay attention to this language, too, as it is broadly used in Austria, Germany Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein. Although German is considerably challenging to learn, it is the highest-ranked localization language among EFIGS. Be sure to learn it if you want to gain many loyal clients.
  
  
• If we leave alone the dialects and versions, Spanish is one of the most popular languages in the world. Around 450 million people speak it every day. It is somewhere near Chinese and English when it comes down to worldwide spread. However, be sure to learn Latin Spanish, as it is more popular.

Asian Big Three

1. Chinese

The whole of South Asia and the Pacific region is the fastest-growing area for the gaming industry. Although many languages in the area are worth noting, Chinese is an obvious choice, as it allows you to reach the audience of one of the biggest countries of the world with some of the largest populations. If you look at the Pickwriters, you may see that most of them deal with Chinese, including the game translations. Thus, do not hesitate to start learning. Better start now, as learning Chinese even at its simplified variant takes no less than four years.

2. Japanese

It is no secret that this country was a cradle for the videogame industry as a whole. Alongside the USA, this country is home to many game developing companies such as Sony, Sega, Nintendo, and many others. Many dedicated gaming fans live in Japan. Thus, think about learning Japanese. The demand will always be high. However, approach this industry with caution, as certain game localization types just don’t work for this country. Be sure to learn the cultural context really well. 

3. Korean

Although this country has a small population of less than 50 million, it has a vast gaming culture. If you know a bit about the gaming industry, you will surely name some successful Korean games like Ragnarok or MapleStory, alongside many videogame tournaments. It is hard to break into the saturated Korean market if the game localization fails. Thus, companies often hire Korean-speaking localizers to ensure the success of their product.

Around twenty percent of the world population speak English. This massive percent counts for 1.5 billion people. Still, only 360 millions of them are natives. Combine it with the fact that most people prefer playing games on their mother tongue, and you will get a full picture. Talented game localizers are always in demand. In this article, we looked at some of the popular localization languages to learn. Think about both Asian and European languages and decide what attracts you most. Learning any from the list above will give you a significant competitive advantage and will make companies choose you over the others.

BIO

Henry Mcdowell is a traveler and translator who is keen on research and sports. He spends his free time reading books in foreign languages and also enjoys gaming. Henry says he is happy when he can experience different cultures every day.

The game industry is truly global. Nowadays, it encompasses a variety of countries across the globe. Apart from the obvious English, there exist many options that you should consider to make your game successful. Game developers around the world often feel it difficult to decide what localization languages do they need to maximize their profits and make their product appeal to the broader audience. The Internet is full of advice, but choosing a localization may be a tricky one. The leading countries may vary depending on the industry segment. Let’s look at the top languages for game localization.

Top-3 languages

• French. This language opens doors to many profitable directions. The company that translates the product into French opens the doors to such countries as Belgium, Monaco, Switzerland, Canada, and many African countries. So, if you consider adding French to your translation list, do not hesitate. Many countries today widely use French, which allows you to include some of the most wealthy regions into your distribution list.
  
  
• Chinese. This language is tricky. Although it is incredibly popular in the Asian part of the globe, it demands attention and a special approach. For example, if you are a mobile game developer, you cannot distribute it on Google Play Store. You have to use Tencent or Amazon. However, this is not the only difficulty. You have to find TheWordPoint that can provide both Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. The first is recommended to overall China purchases, while the second applies to Taiwan and Hong Kong. Despite the difficulties, this language is worth it. Chinese is the second-ranked language on Steam after Russian, which means its high popularity and buying prospects.
  
  
• Russian. When you translate into this language, you take hold of the audience of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. It sounds like a great deal. In many post-Soviet countries, this language is still a lingua franca. So, you have all the chances of winning a broad and loyal audience. A fun fact is that Russian gamers are often offended if the game is not localized to their native language. They even leave negative comments. Probably, this nation is extremely sensitive to the lack of translation. Excluding these people from your localization may seriously hurt profits.

Popular localization languages

• Japanese. Japan is another gaming giant that may help you win a larger market share. Alconost dubbed it as one of the most frequently selected localization languages. This audience is also highly responsive to mobile gaming. So, if your product falls into this criteria, include Japanese in your shortlist. The Japanese are known for their unwillingness to learn English. However, they love Western-produced high-quality goods and services. The gaming industry is among them.
  
  
• Spanish. Although the Spanish market is worth only 25 million, the Spanish-speaking audience is a massive 340 million, which makes it the third-largest language target group. The Hispanic population in the US is the impressive 18%, leave alone Spanish-speaking Latin America. With this in mind, consider translation to Spanish. It connects a variety of countries and speakers around the globe.
  
  
• German.  The annual game localization rank showed that German holds the first place the second time in a row. This fact sounds impressive. When you translate your game into German, you encompass Austrian and Swiss gamers, and also Lichtenstein and Luxembourg. This promising language allows you to access some of the most gaming nations. They are willing to spend money to buy your product that is tailored specially for them.
  
  
• Brazilian Portuguese. This language allows you to reach the audience in Brazil and half of Latin America. These countries have emerging economies and a growing population, which guarantees sales success. Remember that you should not use European Portuguese for these countries, as they have different cultural messages, pronunciation, and vocabulary.
  
  
• Korean.  South Korea is another extensive market. It is not a secret that the country hosts many gaming contests. Although the country is small, people there consider video games as a leading social activity. The locally developed RPG, MMORPG, mobile, and FPS games are widely popular. Naturally, the audience is ready to play Western games, too.

Most of the people on our planet do not speak English. This fact is worth noting when you consider translating your game. If you don’t localize, you risk losing a significant market share and sales. People feel valued if they find their languages among the download options. Some of the language group giants include Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, French, and German. These languages have one thing in common. When you translate, you reach several countries, which minimizes your spendings and maximizes profits. Thus, localizing in Asian and “traditional” European languages will ensure high levels of downloads and sales.

Bio

Henry Mcdowell is a leading specialist in the field of translation, copywriting, and research. He is keen on reading, traveling, and sports. Henry enjoys spending time outside and visiting foreign countries where he can get a grasp of exotic languages.

Game hacking is a very old practice of editing and modifying the game in order to win, change the characters and rulers of the game or just simply to make the game more challenging to play. Game hacking is done by either simply changing the codes of the game or by adopting a software which will search and download available modification from the internet. Click here to learn more about game hacking.

Types of hacks available

Mobility hack is for professional players who are not afraid of getting a ban as they risk it from the very beginning. Mobility hack increases walking speed, so the player can teleport anywhere on the map in no time. These games are taken care of by game console and there is a minority of players that actually use it. On the other hand, there is a private hack. This hack can be custom made by a handy programmer. Since it is quite expensive to get this hack made, it is not very widespread. Contrary to the mobility hack, a private hack is difficult to detect.

Most hackers use the third type of hacks: pre-made programs which are easily easy to get for players for no cost. Tutorials and videos are widely available to teach the player how to download and install them.

What hacks can do

Game hacking programs, known also as pc game hacks or simply called cheats fall into several categories according to their performance. There are programs for detecting enemy positions in a way that is not part of the base client. Other programs are capable of marking destroyed objects on the map, adjusting the display of grenade fight trails, calculating and marking enemy artillery positions or leaving exposed enemies’ vehicles even when not aiming at them. The hackers also use software for blocking enemy grenades by pinpointing a precise point of view, such as a laser beam or for detecting the enemies by adjusting the transparency on the map.

Aimbots and ESP

Aimbots and ESP are the most common as well as the best game hacks. Aimbot is a software which performs auto-aiming, or so-called aim-boots. Aimbot, however, is more than locking the focus in the base client, it can also aim at enemy weaknesses and takes over the shooting while the player focuses on other action (for example, on maneuvering his tank).

Some aimbots help focus the aim precisely on the head of the enemy, while others are capable of shooting automatically as well. The goal is to treat the opponent a perfect headshot which is something only professional and trained players can do.

There is a similar program, called triggerbot. This one allows automatic fire whenever the enemy is in sight. While not capable of shooting with precision as aimbot does, triggerbot allows for multiple shooting at the opponent. Less skilled players enjoy it just as much as they enjoy the advantages of aimbots.   

ESP is an abbreviation for “extra-sensory powers”. What that means is that an ESP program collects and shares all the information about opponents with the player. Among these are, for example, the information on the health of the opponent, the amount of the ammunition they have left, whether they go or sprint. Also, ESP can share how many steps are the safe distance between the player and his opponent.  Such details can greatly aid the player in the game.

Beware of VAC

VAC stands for Valve Anti Cheat, a system that detects the game hacks and bans the players who actively use them during the play. While some programs like X-Fire or Overwolf are excluded from the VAC ban, aimbot and ESP programs are not. Since the VAC is capable to detect the so-called cheat signatures of the pc game hacks, it is always a good idea to play on other than VAC-secured servers. All about VAC system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valve_Anti-Cheat

There is another danger connected with game hacks. Some hackers may develop cheats which they disguise as a simple game modification, for example as custom skins. By downloading them, the player in fact downloads the hacks without knowing it and he risks being banned by VAC. Therefore, the mindful players should always download any allowed modifications from a trusted source.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s advised that everyone stays home or at the very least stays away from others. While this isn’t to judge you based on your decision to listen or not, there are options as to what you can do if you do choose to stay home. Either way, this will still apply regardless if there’s a scary virus on the loose or not.

There are many activities that you can participate in while staying at home, maybe you finally feel like cleaning that cluttered closet, or maybe you don’t. Maybe, you think to yourself, just maybe there’s something better to do than that. Games, that’s the answer. And not just any old game.

These old games are popular and still played frequently today by both old and young in age. So while you hide in your house from whatever may be lurking outside, you can be playing the following games: solitaire, jigsaw puzzles, sudoku, mahjong, and last but not least, crossword puzzles.

Solitaire

The first game you must try is solitaire. Solitaire is a game that can also be called Patience or card solitaire. In general, solitaire is a term used for single-player games of concentration and skill involving a set layout of a certain item, which could be tiles, cards, stones, etc. Which is why it makes sense that it can be called card solitaire.

A game of solitaire is a puzzle, each card is laid out in a specific fashion for a specific solution, which could be in your favor, or not. As said, each card is laid out specifically in a layout, to solve the puzzle you have to sort the cards and conform to the specific rules of the game, whichever it may be. It’s a fun puzzle game that is certainly satisfying to beat.

Jigsaw Puzzles

            There’s a very high chance that if you know any game on this list, it’s actual jigsaw puzzles. Chances are if you’re reading this and do play any of these games, it’s going to be online, but in any case, you should do jigsaw puzzles online just to save money for yourself so you don’t need to buy a new puzzle set each time you complete one.

            If you do do it online then it will also give you more variations on how to play and what you’re piecing together. If achieving a certain goal and also being able to see it right before your eyes is something you desire, then jigsaw is your best bet. An added bonus is that doing jigsaw puzzles work out both sides of your brain, how fascinating.

Sudoku

            The game that used to be known as Number Place is as the original name would entail. You are given a grid of 3x3 squares and within those squares, there are 3x3 boxes. In each square, there is a given amount of numbers within those boxes and the empty boxes are the ones you insert numbers to complete the square.

            You complete the puzzle by having every box within the puzzles filled in with a number. This seems easy at first since you might just be thinking you can repeat numbers, but that’s where the rules come in. In each square there can only be a singular number of 1-9, this also applies to rows and columns, no number can repeat vertically, horizontally, or… boxically.

            For a game that contains many numbers, you don’t actually need to know any math so don’t let that frighten you. Sudoku is a game loved by many for many years ever since it was popularized in the late 1980s. And probably like the previous game, you also feel smarter just by looking at the completed puzzle knowing you solved it yourself.

Mahjong

            A game that was developed in China during the Qing dynasty, Mahjong, is a popular game to this day worldwide. Mahjong is a game of tiles that involves skill, strategy, and just a bit of luck. Commonly the game is played with four people but there are variants for three. The game is set with 144 tiles with Chinese characters and symbols being written on them.

            Each player is given 12 tiles, with each turn the players can draw or discard tiles until they have completed a legal hand using the 14th drawn tile to form melds also known as sets as well as a pair, which is known as an eye. The game can also be won with special sets. If you don’t have the game lying around, or the people, then keep in mind you can use the internet.

Crosswords

            A need to play by any sense of the word, crosswords are word puzzles and word search games that take place within a square. The goal of the game is to form words or phrases using the white boxes based on sentences, references, or clues given which pertain to a certain square number. The clues and such are also labeled as being either vertical or horizontal.

            The square also contains black or shaded areas that are meant to separate boxes which essentially separate words to make it easier to distinguish the correct answer. The way to complete the puzzle if by filling in each set of boxes with the correct word or phrases.

            If you knew all of this well then there’s really no need to express that you should play this game based on how enjoyable it is and how satisfying it feels to finally figure out a row. You’re like a detective, a word detective.

Stay at Home and Game

            Suppose you’re locked in your home by you know what and you just don’t know what to do. Thankfully, you read this article, and by doing so you just opened so many wonderful opportunities for yourself. No more will you be bored for you have access to the great gaming classics.

Where would humanity be without solitaire, jigsaw puzzles, sudoku, mahjong, and crossword puzzles? Well, no one has the answer to that; but at the very least, it can be said that since they are existing, there is fun to be had. And luckily for you, that fun can be had within the safety of your own home.

Thank you Materia Collective for sending us this digital album to review!

The Pokémon franchise has been around since 1996 and has been producing best-selling games almost yearly since then. I started with the first generation of Red, Blue, and Yellow games. Ro Panuganti, who specializes in video game covers, takes tunes from the Red and Blue games and puts a heavy metal spin on them. The end result is a nine-track digital album that provides over twenty-five minutes of heart pumping music to catch Pokémon to!

It’s been years since I’ve played Pokémon Red/Blue, but I still recognized the first tune, Pokémon Master, right off the bat. It’s the theme song, electrified! The second track named Viridian is the Viridian City music overhauled. The guitar playing is fantastic! The third track, Wild Encounter, has some nice sound effects and really spruces up the wild Pokémon battle music. Pokémon Hospital begins with a lot of background noises including chatter and ER machinery before revealing a soothing remake of the Pokémon Center music. The Mt. Moon track is true to the source material and keeps the sense of danger and the thrill of exploration. The sixth track, Cerulean, takes the upbeat city music and jazzes it up a bit. I wonder how many people would recognize it if it was set as hold music?

The seventh track, Lavender, is the longest track at nearly five and a half minutes long. I must say I like this version much better than the original game’s town music. The mysterious mansion music is the eighth track dubbed Mansion. Again, this rendition improves upon the original in my opinion. The final track, Gym Battle, is a souped up version of the iconic Gym Battle music.

This album is available digitally for $7 on multiple platforms and audio formats. It’s worth picking up for fans of old school Pokémon games and heavy metal.

Thank you Paramount for sending us a digital screener to review!

There have been many movies adapted after popular video game franchises. Sadly, most of them are not very good. This film had a rocky start after fans heavily criticized Paramount’s original design of the blue blur. Sonic’s final appearance looks much closer to Sega’s design with the exception of his arms being blue instead of cream colored.

Sonic is voiced by Ben Schwartz and he does a great job with bringing out the attitude that gamers have grown to love. While Sonic is often cocky, there’s a lot of loneliness shown as he must remain hidden from humans while living on Earth. In the fictional town of Green Hills, Montana, Sonic watches many residents of this small community without being detected (for the most part).

When Sonic lets his emotions get the better of him, he causes a mass loss of power and the government calls upon Dr. Robotnik to discover the source. Jim Carrey’s portrayal of Eggman is quite funny and he provides a lot of humor in this film as expected.

With the help of a cop that Sonic dubbed the “Donut Lord,” they head to San Fransico to retrieve Sonic’s Rings. On this journey, a beautiful friendship is born, and some valuable life lessons are taught to both Sonic and the police officer (James Marsden), whose real name is Tom.

This film is family-friendly for the most part. There is some violence with most of it taking place in a bar fight that Sonic started. Language is pretty mild as I recall the start of a curse word being cut off before it’s said in its entirety.

Overall, my family enjoyed this movie and wouldn’t mind owning it in the near future. The Blu-ray is available for a little over $20 on Amazon. I’ll probably wait for a sale though. Fans of the Sonic franchise will enjoy this film and the hinting of a potential sequel.

Buy it on Amazon for $22.99

(Affiliate Link)

Those who enjoy playing video games know how easy it is to get fully absorbed into a game. A quick 10-minute play session can quickly turn into hours of gameplay.

It wasn’t all that long ago that enjoying a video game meant going to purchase it from the store and having full access to the game. However, in modern gaming, features such as paying to have to recharge or paying for special items are common.

To some people, having to pay to continue playing a game might seem like a minor inconvenience. However, for other players, the need to pay to continue playing a game becomes a compulsive impulse. This impulse is actually a form of addictive behavior. Many game developers are aware of this addictive behavior and are using it to increase their revenue.

Play-to-Win and Loot Boxes

Most games have the same basic mechanics, no matter the genre: to complete a series of tasks and unlock harder objectives. However, now that many games can connect to the internet, developers have realized that players will pay real money to complete an objective more quickly.

Most of the time, this payment happens in one of two ways. One is known as the “Play-to-Win” method, where players will pay to skip the objective or pay to unlock a new area. The other method is known as “Loot Boxes”, where players pay to receive a mystery “box” of virtual items that will enhance their gameplay.

Spending money to engage in games

Play-to-Win features and Loot Boxes require in-app purchases or microtransactions. Spending this money can become an impulse. People enjoy being able to advance in a game and feel satisfied when they’re able to unlock new content. Eventually, the brain becomes addicted to feeling this satisfaction.

This is a form of behavioral addiction, which is different than a chemical addiction. However, the need to spend, unlock new content, advance in the game, and feel that satisfaction is still a need for some people. To feel that satisfaction, many people willingly spend money on Play-to-Win features and Loot Boxes without realizing they’re addicted. It is a dangerous cycle.

Similarities between video games and casinos

Some people might find the gambling mechanics in video games hard to believe, but it is important to remember that casinos have used this technique for decades. When people purchase a Loot Box, there is no guarantee that they will get the items they need. This forces them to purchase more Loot Boxes.

People play the slots in casinos because they want a large money prize. Sometimes, they receive nothing. Other times, they only receive a little. But because the possibility of winning large is still there, they continue to play. Just like how people become addicted to casino gambling, they can become addicted to video game gambling.

Addicting games with microtransactions

Any game that offers microtransactions to continue to play can become addictive. One example of a popular game that is currently using these gambling mechanisms is Fortnight. While it is possible to play Fortnight without spending money, those who want to advance more quickly will need to purchase packs that grant them access to new items.

Other video games that have used microtransactions include FIFA and Overwatch. Even Nintendo is using microtransactions in Mario Kart Tour. It is usually easy to tell what games have microtransactions before you purchase or download them. For example, in the iTunes app store, apps will clearly state if they offer in-app purchases.

Beating the addition

So how exactly can you beat the addiction? Well, one way is to read reviews before purchasing a game to see if other players have concerns about in-app purchases. If they do, you know you’ll have to be more cautious when playing that game to not get absorbed into the gambling mechanisms.

Another way is to set clear limits for yourself. If you know a game offers microtransactions, give yourself a limit of how many Play-to-Win features or Loot Boxes you can buy in a month. If you like a game and want to support it, there is nothing wrong with buying a Loot Box on occasion, as long as you’re in control over your spending.

Final thoughts

Having an awareness of the addictive gambling mechanics in video games can help keep you from becoming too addicted to these mechanics. If you suspect you are already addicted to these mechanics, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional — behavioral addiction can be just as devastating as a chemical addiction.

With many considering the aim assist for gamepad users being a disadvantage, Epic Games is removing the legacy controls on March 13th.  In it's current state, gamepad users are able to track users through obstructions like smoke and walls.  Players with legacy controls currently enabled will have their controls set back to default settings.  Until the change happens, players who wish to preserve their settings may use the "Copy from Legacy" option and then manually disable the "Legacy Look Controls".

Check out Fortnite Items Available From PlayerAuctions.com

A video game is interactive digital entertainment that you “play” via a computer, a game console (like the Xbox or PlayStation) or phone or tablet. 

The reason why video games are awesome, and extremely popular among all age groups is that people are trying to escape the real world and prefer to live in the virtual world.

There could be many reasons why video gaming will take over but according to me, they can be summarised in seven points.

People find it easy to find a community within the gaming world.

Technology has been a boon for some people while it is a curse for the others.

People find it easier to join a community in gaming worlds and make friends or even compete with one another rather than dealing with the real people.

It saves people from the task of handling tantrums, or mood swings of the people face to face.

This is proved from the following data. 

Source: limelight.com-How many hours each week do you spend playing video games?

Video gamers spend an average of 7.1 1 hours (seven hours, seven minutes) each week playing games. This is an increase of 19.3 percent in the last year.

Well, if you find that the servers of your country are particularly slow, then you can use VPNs and increase the speed.

The popularity of television as a means of entertainment is decreasing

“ According to estimates, there are 120.6 million TV homes in the United States for the 2019-2020 TV season. Whilst the number of TV households continues to grow, pay-TV is becoming less popular – the pay-TV penetration rate in the U.S. was pegged at 75 percent in 2019, marking a drop of almost ten percent in just five years.”- source Statica.

More and more people are turning to video games as a stress buster and for entertainment.

Easily downloadable games on mobiles.

Many devices are available to play video games but mobiles are the most preferred ones. 

How much of your total time playing video games is on the following devices?

(Scale 0-4)

Source: limelight

It is evident from the above data that people prefer to use mobile as a means of playing the game.

The easy availability of mobile phones and the compactness makes it a point to use them as gaming devices.

Due to this, the popularity of video games is increasing.

Career options in gaming.

Nowadays there is one more career in the minds of young people and that is to become a professional video game player. 

They don’t mind turning their hobby into a career which is evident from the below graph.

This has given a boost to the field of video gaming.

Would you quit your job if you could support yourself as a professional video game player?

 A shift in content consumption

There is a trend to watch online games on Twitch and YouTube rather than watching real sports on the television. Of course, online games cannot replace real ones.

 For instance, the overnight sensation “Fortnite”, reported 1.1 million simultaneous viewers on Youtube.

There is a paradigm shift in the way people want the content to be delivered to them, which makes video games a more popular option.

Requires less investment

Movies like ‘Star Wars’ require huge investment whereas video games do not require the investment of that magnitude. It is comparatively less.

Besides, there is a headache of approaching the celebrities and fixing the dates for shooting in case of T.V which is not so in case of video games.

Also, in television serials, there has to be continuity whereas in games they can be started from anywhere and slowly levels can be crossed.

Fictional characters are often used in video games and often a real game player substitutes himself/herself in that role.

This is one of the factors why gaming is becoming more popular than television.

Games are replicating T.V characters and T.V serials

Characters from popular T.V serials or movies are often animated and adopted in various games.

When people play games they shift themselves into these roles and it gives a kind of mental peace to them.

Besides in the case of T.V, people needed a television set to view it whereas in the case of gaming everything is stored on a cloud. Due to this, it can be accessed from anywhere and any device. 

CONCLUSION

So whatever be the purpose of gaming, be it a career, just for entertainment or watching people play games on Twitch, one thing is certain that video gaming will continue to be popular in the coming days.

Introduction

Since the 80s brought home entertainment systems into millions of households, video games have taken a strong position on the market ushering new jobs, products, and ideas. It didn’t take long for organized competitive gaming (esports) to appear, with numerous tournaments attracting gamers from all over the world.

However, are esports valuable only to video game marketers and console manufacturers, or is there a deeper value? In this article, we are going to go through some of the benefits that competitive gaming holds for education.

Improved cognitive function

Doctor Peter Gray, in his article on cognitive benefits of video games, shows evidence that video games improve our spatial attention, memory, and multitasking abilities. All of these skills represent a significant set of personality traits that allow us to learn faster, adopt new ideas, and extend our ability to focus during class, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, or create a reasonable schedule.

So if you’re still coping with these cognitive functions, try pursuing a professional gaming career. You might not reach the top but you’ll fix those issues that stopped you from getting your college degree.

Scholarship programs

In the US, alone, there are more than 450 institutions of higher education that provide esport programs with full scholarships for students interested in pursuing this career. What this means is that we could expect, soon enough, many aspiring gamers signing up at a college much like basketball and football students do. It's general knowledge that most students get through their college only thanks to their athletic endeavor, while they’re provided with a reliable assignment guide to help them with their homework, essays, and other academic challenges that they might face.

Furthermore, students that don’t get an esports scholarship or attend programs that don't offer this sort of help, can easily fund their college by winning tournaments or stream their gaming sessions. These sorts of activities attract a lot of sponsors that would gladly help financially or in some other way like donating equipment. 

Socialization

It’s not a secret that a lot of gamers tend to keep to themselves, don’t get appreciated enough by their age peers, and have a difficult time socializing outside their interest group. Organizing esport clubs on campus gives a chance for gamers to find likeminded people and fulfill the social aspect of their college experience. The value of socialization goes beyond making new friends and potentially build college teams. Students can also help each other with other subjects, exams, homework, and other activities. 

A highly organized esports club could also attract students to enroll because they would be pulled by the chance to learn next to other kids that share the same passion for games.

STEM education

Studies confirm that video games like the League of Legends and others significantly improve skills needed for STEM (Science Tech, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. This is one of the reasons why almost every college holds a gaming club, if not providing a program focused on esports.

As we already said, the influence of esports on STEM education shows a positive return, mostly by raising interest with kids that propels them to learn more about video game development and the skills required to produce this sort of content. Recent statistics show that only 36 percent of US students major in STEM fields. Since gamers predominantly choose science and technology-related programs, it's easy to conclude that providing more space to esports in universities will help to keep STEM programs alive.

Stress relief

College is a stressful period of life for most students. For a vast number of freshmen, this is the first time to leave home and live on their own. Others have a difficult time managing their academic obligations and personal life which can be a source of serious stress.

According to an article issued by The Independent magazine, video games can serve as a powerful stress therapy, releasing the extra pressure and keeping us calm. Since our learning abilities suffer under increased stress, it’s easy to connect the dots and see how esports can help students focus on their college assignments.

Conclusion

Video games are fun, engaging, and a great socialization platform if you have the right approach. The influence of esports is not only visible in education it shows its face in marketing, movies, tech, sports equipment, and virtually anywhere you can think. Since this industry has such a strong impact on our lives, it’s imperative to understand this value and channel it properly because no concept is perfect.

Author Bio:

Joshua Robinson is a freelance content writer engaged with several essay writing services. Joshua seeks new ways to improve the everyday lives of his readers through informative and engaging topics. In his articles, Joshua uses only relevant resources that bring practical value.

Smart and young CS players are well aware of the benefits of gaming. They’re not afraid to believe in their chance of making it big, so they’re often sacrificing the rest of their daily activities in order to become successful counter-strike players.

Regardless of your age, playing a complex video game like CS should never make you feel that you’re wasting your time. If your friends and parents judge you, they’re doing so because they don’t understand the value that we can extract through such experiences.

However, regardless of your age, you should never allow video games to make your life worse and stop your personal and professional growth.

When it comes to college students, there are many individuals who are sabotaging their future without even being conscious. Failing in college is not something you want to happen, especially if you’re committed to grow and become a responsible adult, and you cannot allow computer games to put you in that position.

In today’s post, I’m going to share 5 relevant tips for college students that want to succeed in good games like Counter-Strike more than anything else while still wanting to create a balance in their life. Pay attention and apply!

Establish Solid Objectives

To succeed at Counter-Strike, you need to treat your experience like a mission rather than entertainment. Getting to the top of the ladder requires a lot of work, experience, mistakes, lessons, emotion control, and so much more.

Therefore, establish your objective first and set a deadline. Create a strategy based on habits and keep repeating those habits until your objective is reached. For example, an objective could sound like this:

“I will pass X and Y exam by 20^th of January while ranking up to Nova 2.”

Take that objective and give it your full attention, energy, and time.

Assume Responsibility for Your Growth and Actions

If you want to be successful at anything you do, you need to be responsible. A responsible person is someone who understands the impact of his own actions and the consequences that are about to follow. No lies, no blaming, no complaining.

If you want to learn more about responsibility, you should check the crucible essays and learn from the characters who are committing the most mistakes.

Either way, when it comes to CS and college, assuming responsibility is about understanding that you cannot ignore either. For that reason, you need to have a very well-defined purpose (as mentioned above) and create a solid action strategy around it.

Understand the Purpose of College

Before you go to class or write an essay, remind yourself why you’re doing it. You are here because you’ve chosen to be here, but also because you know that it will help you become a better person. Acknowledge the purpose and embrace it!

Important vs. Urgent

When it comes to balancing games and college, you need to think in terms of important vs. urgent.

When you feel like playing, ask yourself what’s more important: this game or this essay? What are the consequences of each action? What do you really have to do now?

Use this comparison and make smart choices whenever you’re not sure about what you have to do next.

Commit to Be Good at Everything You Do

If you want to be successful in life, you need to approach a winners’ mindset. Be great at what you do and never stop improving yourself.

Since you’re also in college, why not raise your standards and do great at school too?

It doesn’t have to be games vs school. It can be games and school!

It all starts with a decision. A commitment to be good at Counter-Strike, a commitment to finish college without problems, a commitment to live an abundant life!

Takeaways

The benefits of video games cannot be denied. The Esports industry is growing every year and the standards for reaching the higher leagues are getting higher every moment.

Succeeding in Counter-Strike takes a lot of focus and balance. If you’re serious about becoming really good at this game, you need to be serious about becoming the best version of yourself. That includes passing your college exams, eating healthy, sleeping enough hours each night, exercising on a regular basis, and so on. Take today’s tips into consideration and take action!

BIO: Joshua Robinson is a highly talented CS:GO player, academic tutor, and blog writer. He is passionate about gaming since he was a very young man, and he’s always been a big supporter of the benefits provided by video games. In his free time, he’s a father of three children and a supportive husband.

Gaming is a billion-dollar industry these days, and it’s not hard to understand why. One of the best things you can do to capitalize on this is to try to make the most of the gaming experience. Video games are no longer a solo activity for people in their bedrooms to enjoy. They are becoming more and more mainstream, as well as evolving into sociable events. 

This is why it is so important to make sure you focus on improving your approach to gaming and trying to get the best possible outcome. There are a lot of factors to keep in mind here, and trying to enhance your gaming experience in 2020 is so important. Make sure you look at what it takes to improve and enhance your gaming experience this year and here are a few great ideas that can help you.

Get a Gaming Chair

A gaming chair, in many ways, is seen as the pinnacle of the gaming experience. You need to do as much as possible to improve the process of gaming, and a chair is going to provide you with excellent comfort, as well as helping you to play in a more immersive way. This is something you are going to need to work on improving, and it can help you in a big way when it comes to having a better gaming experience. 

Stock up on the Latest Games

If you want the best possible gaming experience for 2020, you also need to make sure you have the latest and greatest games. And the best way to do this is to make sure you check out upcoming PC games in 2020. This is something that you are going to need to do if you want to find new games that are going to make your gaming sessions more fun and immersive.  

Use a Projector

Another excellent way of being able to improve your gaming experience is to use a projector. This can give you a much larger screen to play your games on and would be perfect for allowing you to have a more social gaming experience. So you need to look at how to choose the best projector for gaming, as this is a massively important part of the gaming process, and this is something to look into as much as possible. 

Get Your Friends Involved

Getting your friends involved is something that you need to consider when it comes to improving and enhancing your gaming experience. Do as much as possible to consider how you can do this, and try to get involved in some social gaming as much as you can. There are a lot of things that play a part in helping you enjoy your experience more, and getting your friends involved is something that can really help with that.

There are so many great ways in which you can work on improving your gaming experience, and this is something you need to make sure you work on. There are lots of incredible things that you can do to achieve this, and it is important that you make sure you make the most of this moving forward. Do as much as you can to enhance and improve your gaming experience right now with these great tips. 

Here’s our 2019 Christmas buying guide!  Below are our favorite gadgets and family appropriate titles we have played throughout the year.  More reviews can be found on ChristCenteredGamer.com! Each game is given a gameplay score for the overall gaming experience and a moral score for how suitable it is for younger gamers.   The Amazon and Humble Store links will benefit Christ Centered Gamer by giving us a small % of the sale.

Projection is one of the best inventions in the technology era and short throw projector the most exciting breakthrough in projection technology. With more advanced lenses and lighting sources, they are not only useful in movies and office presentations but also good for gaming.

Due to more improvement in technology, today's models are highly-advanced and provide high-quality resolution and brightness. And most importantly, they are affordable. However, people facing difficulty when planning to buy the best short throw projector as so many options are available in the market. To assist you in making the right decision and selection, we have compiled a detailed guide that will lead you to get the best possible short-throw projector to enhance your gaming experience.

Benefits of Using Short Throw Projector

• Easy to install: Installation and integration are usually affordable and flexible when using a short throw projector. They are designed in such a way that you can either mount the projection unit on a wall or install it onto the ceiling.
• Great for small spaces: You can enjoy a home cinema experience in the smallest of space with short throw projectors. They are capable to eliminate the clutters such as people walking in front of the projection image, and focus on optimizing the overall watching experience during movies or presentations.
• Advance technology: Nowadays, most of the projectors are equipped with advanced features in terms of picture quality, contrast ratio, and lamp life. With these features, you can drastically improve the way you conduct your presentations.
• Better gaming experience: Previously, projectors were rarely used in gaming because they were too long in size and had fewer features. But the latest model of short-throw projectors come with a clear LCD or DLP technology with a variety of modes, such as gaming mode.

Buying Guide for the Perfect Short Throw Projector for Gaming

Once you've decided to buy a short throw projector, it's important to understand some of the important factors to get the best value for your money. 

Brightness

One of the important factors that you need to look for the best short throw projector is brightness. It is measured in lumens that define the level of brightness a projector can produce or how bright the image will be on the projection screen. If your aim to use the projector is in a dark environment, the low lumens may be sufficient. However, if you plan to use it brightly-lit rooms, then you should not go for anything below 3000 lumens.

Throw Ratio

Throw ratio is defined as the distance of the projector from the screen divided by the width of the projected image. Smaller is the throw ratio, wider will be the screen image from a projector. A short throw projector has the throw ratio between 0.38 to 1. This means the projector can fill an 8-foot screen from the distance of 3.5 feet. Because of the small throw ratio, many people use these projectors for gaming as not much space is required to get a stunning large image.

Lighting Source

The lighting source is the most important part of projection technology. Therefore, it's necessary to understand the difference between the types of light sources before buying a projector. The DLP "digital light processing" projector uses a fancy light bulb or mirrors to project images that can burn out easily and need to be replaced. On the other hand, the LCD projector uses laser and LEDs to create an image on the screen. They are usually last long with little or no maintenance compared to DLP projectors.

Resolution

Another important key factor while looking for a projector is the resolution. We recommend a high-resolution projector with at least a native resolution of 1280x768 which is good for projecting image with a 16:9 aspect ratio. If you have a good budget and want to run high-definition applications such as Blu-rays and gaming systems, then the projector with 1920x1080p resolution will be the best option for you.

Connectivity

Last but not least, connectivity is another important aspect you should look for. Today, most of the projectors available in the market have multiple connectivity ports such as USB, HDMI, DVI, and AV ports. Some projectors are also available with wireless connectivity such as WiFi and Bluetooth. These features eliminate the need for wires to connect your laptop or smartphones.

Final Words

When choosing a short throw projector, you'll need to know where you'll be using it and your budget accordingly. We hope this buying guide will help you to find a suitable projector for your needs. If you have any concerns about this article, let us know in the comment section below.