Today we did a little fantasizing to see where our imagination and desires would take us.
The following offers some suggestions of what could be done short of a little thing called, “impossible.”

We’re a little intrigued with the “Sun Game Glasses” idea. Wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and using the technology implemented by Nintendo’s “Wii” system, we could literally watch a game take place right before our eyes and then interact with it using a device that’s about the size of a pen. Since this isn’t exactly a new idea, we’re curious to watch what develops from University of South Australia’s ‘ARQuake’ project1 – a springboard for this kind of gaming to develop in the near future for sure.

Another cool idea we’d like to see erupt within the gaming industry is the ability to talk to the characters inside a game. Some games allow players to textually speak to game characters already, but we’d like to see this pushed a little further. We’d like to be able to orally interact with characters: ask questions, joke around, warn and speak to them as if we were speaking to another human being. And we’d like to hear these characters talk back! It’s the ultimate artificial intelligence opportunity and although it would probably be years before this technology would be available on a wide scale, we’re sure it would be a hit.

Will we ever get to the point where we can play inside a simulated environment the way the characters in Star Trek: The Next Generation could play? Virtual reality is getting close, but the reality of the simulation is gone the moment we put on the silly-looking goggles and gloves. In order for simulation of this sort to work, there has to be as little a barrier between gamers and the game as possible. We don’t what to just think we’re inside a game, we want to feel that we’re inside a game and to be honest, we don’t want to have to go somewhere outside our home to do so.

The television or computer screen will suffice for now, but in the future, we’re going to want to be surrounded with the elements that make gaming the wonder that it is today. We’re going to want to transform our dens or bedrooms into a virtual alien ship or simulated jungle. In short, we want a new world.

One possible obstacle to bringing this fantasy into our living rooms is public acceptance. Would the public be ready for such a high level of entertainment? And could the public handle it? Immediately following Nintendo’s Wii release, customers were ready to complain that they wanted their old controller back! So as with any new development, there will surely be unintended consequences and although we’re gung-ho for these types of advances, we also share concerns about the impact it would have on an audience that isn’t “virtually ready.”

You could search the web for game related discussion groups, FAQ’s, and walkthroughs. And you could learn more from game specific Usenet newsgroups. In other words, you could do your “homework.” Some of the kind of information you want to learn includes how to play, how to create characters, how to gather equipment, and how to implement some smart strategies. Trust us when we say your gaming comrades will appreciate it!

In addition to reading how to play an online game, you can familiarize yourself with the game’s interface. Just as you searched the net for a game’s textual instruction, you can additionally search the net for a game’s screenshot (or series of screenshots). Having a graphical representation (.gif or .jpg image) of a game on your screen gives you a chance to memorize where all the game’s controls are. Knowing where everything is on a game before you play will speed things up not only for yourself, but also for everyone else. No one wants to wait for you to search for an inventory panel or message screen in a game when the location of these items is obvious to everyone else.

Once you start with a game, don’t let the pressure of staying in the game prevent you from doing the unthinkable: dying. A character dying in a game is inevitable at certain points, and unless you willingly let go of a lose-lose situation, you’ll run the risk of holding the game up for everyone else. It’s like a game of chess. If it’s checkmate – it’s checkmate. Call it a day and start anew. Whatever you do, don’t hang around waiting for some magical fairy to come to your rescue. Please let your character die with dignity.

On the same token, you don’t want to take dying personally. Remember that online gaming is still just a game. A character that dies in a game is not representative of your character as a person. Turn a death into learning experience. At the very least, you’ll learn your way around an online game by learning all the things that you aren’t supposed to do!

Above all else, ensure that your computer has what it takes to maintain the current pace of an online game. Don’t try to play an online game with a slow computer or slow Internet connection. In fact, if you’re still using dial up, find another hobby. A slow processor and connection will ensure instant death because other players aren’t going to politely wait for their own defeat. They’re going to squash you like a bug.

Hunt around for a computer that was built for online gaming and get a DSL or ISDN Internet connection. You’ll need a fast processor, a high quality graphics card, and a sound machine to match.

By following these simple suggestions, you will have passed the “newbie” test and earned respect as a serious gamer much more quickly than if you stumbled your way through what others pride as “the ultimate hobby.”