I Spy With My Little Eye

This week's blog is a very informative post from Patti Larson. Before talking with Patti, I had no idea what IHOGs were. But thanks to Patti's helpful post, I've discovered a new genre of video game. There truly is something for everyone in the gaming world. Thanks Patti!

Mystery Case Files: The Thirteenth Skull

I’m not a typical girl gamer. No first person shooters for me—they make me anxious. Timers? I can’t handle them without becoming nauseated from nerves. My husband loved video games at one time and tried for years to draw me into Doom, Grand Theft Auto and other such aggressive play, not understanding just how stressed those types of games made me, taking all of the enjoyment out of the moment.

Honestly? I couldn’t even watch him play.

He’s since lost interest, his PlayStation sitting idle while I’ve become obsessed by a different kind of experience, finding my own source of gaming entertainment.

I’m a hard-core IHOG fanatic. If you have to ask what that acronym means, you’ve never played—and I’m warning you, once you try an interactive hidden object game, you’ll be hooked.

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove

Allow me to explain. Players are presented with a scenario, typically creepy or paranormal in nature. Most of these games are stunningly rendered art and animation with fantastic sound effects and music. Not only are gamers expected to solve complex puzzles using items they find along the way, part of the challenge is locating said items in different scenes. Players must hunt down a list of things cleverly hidden in ordinary objects, such as a banana curved in the arm of a chair or a key disguised as scrollwork on a lamp.

I became fascinated immediately with the process, drawn in by the clever story lines and the mental gymnastics my brain undergoes each time I play. I suppose it’s not a surprise I enjoy these games, not just for the puzzles and object searches, but for the fascinating stories that go along with the experience. It’s like being part of a movie, unfolding before me, though that movie only progresses when I do.

And while my more hard-core gaming sisters might giggle at the thought of playing something that doesn’t require blowing things up, I’m happy to indulge my sense of mystery and need to escape into games with something requiring me to think first and shoot second, rather than the other way around.

Last chance to send me your pictures! At the end of this month, I will be doing a compilation of all the awesome photos I receive from fellow female gamers. If you're a girl and you're a gamer, take your picture with a sign that says you're a gamer and/or your favorite video game and send it to me at samantha@samantha-warren.com. Be as creative as you like, just keep it PG-13. 

Don't forget the prizes! For every post you comment on this month, you will be entered into a drawing to win either Call of Duty: Black Ops II* or Guild Wars 2* (or another game of your choice of similar value). All you have to do is comment!

Patti Larsen is an award-winning middle grade and young adult author with a passion for the paranormal. Her YA thriller series, The Hunted, is available now. Book one of that series, RUN, is a recent recipient of the 2012 PEI Book Awards for Fiction. Seven books of her very popular Hayle Coven Novels, beginning with Family Magic, are also out now. Her YA steampunk series, Blood and Gold, can be found on Amazon, along with her YA paranormal novel, Best Friends Forever, and The Diamond City Trilogy. Her middle grade novel, The Ghost Boy of MacKenzie House (Acorn Press), is available now. She is a full time writer and a part time teacher of her Get Your Book Done program. Patti lives on the East Coast of Canada with her very patient husband and four massive cats.

You can find her:
On her website www.pattilarsen.com
On Facebook www.facebook.com/pattilarsenauthor
On Twitter www.twitter.com/#!/PattiLarsen
On Amazon.com and Goodreads

Who You Are Determines What You Play

What kind of gamer are you? Emily Reese is here today to discuss how your personality determines what kind of games you enjoy (and reveal her addiction to Bioware). Thanks for stopping by, Emily!

Bioware's newest MMO: Star Wars: The Old Republic

Who You Are Determines What You Play
By Emily Reese


Before I met my husband, I had regulated playing video games to a bro-like activity and total waste of time. Since that fateful day seven years ago, I have been slowly assimilated into the gaming community to the point of surpassing my spouse’s talent in certain games or genres. We each have our must-haves; we are known by sight at our local Gamestop and each of us has attended a midnight launch or two. Yet we play for such different reasons that our tastes are nearly polar opposite. Case in point, the Blizzard vs. Bioware discussion.

My husband, Ryan, loves developer giant Blizzard. World of Warcraft was the bane of my existence in our early years. Hell, it was so much a part of both our lives we were asked to contribute to a sociology book written to help people understand why MMORPGs were so popular. I wrote a research proposal as an undergrad for a study on how Social Penetration Theory is the opposite in MMORPGs from real life… but I digress. (I will try to keep my degree dorking-out to a minimum.)

My point is, through study and experience, I began to recognize why people play/like different kinds of games. It comes down to the type of person you are and what you want to get out of your entertainment.

Emily's husband, Ryan, spends his time immersed in the World of Warcraft from Blizzard

Ryan, while using video games to relax, also likes to feel like he accomplished something during his downtime. He’s only satisfied if he can look back and say, “I did this, this, and this today.” He has no real issue with repeating the same scenario multiple times, as long as he continually improves on the execution. In the WoW and Diablo franchises (both by Blizzard,) this is the natural progression of the game. Once you hit a level cap, you do the same thing again, only this time harder. Recently, the epitome of this on consoles is Dark Souls (developer From Software,) in which everything is ridiculously hard, you die often, and there’s only a shadow of a linear storyline. For me, it’s death, slow and painful. For him, completely clearing an area intact after five straight hours is something to be celebrated.

As for me, I would snort a game by developer Bioware up my nose with a twenty in front of a squad of narcotics officers. When playing through the most recent Mass Effect (Mass Effect 3) release, I cried and mourned for a character, (R.I.P. Thane.) I worried over my decisions and their long reaching effects. How much Salarian support do I need to save the galaxy? Am I the kind of person that would leave the Genophage uncured and doom the Krogan? I replay these games multiple times, not to do anything better, (I know the kind of character I want to be,) but to experience new romance options, a feat nearly impossible in real life.

Emily prefers to kick butt and take names in Mass Effect 3, Bioware's baby

“It’s just a game,” you say, and you are right. But the reason I play makes it a completely different experience. For me, video games are an escape; they are movies wherein I control (somewhat) the script as it unfolds. Bioware games are heavy in narrative the way teens are heavy in sarcasm (or at least the attempt to use it.) Yes, you still fight things, go on quests, etc., but the key to success is in the relationships you build with other NPCs. Get a companion character to like you and they will perform more efficiently. Get them to love you, and they receive major bonuses, (not to mention the sweet but laughable PG sex scenes.) For Ryan, this is a waste of his time. He would rather just shoot things and move on. For me, these are in depth immersions into fictional worlds where every choice has a consequence, and every interaction could be the deciding factor on whether or not you, and your team, make it out alive.

The more I think about it, the more I realize how much our video game preferences come down to who we are. I’m an author. I like to create fantasy worlds and the characters that live inside them. If I want a happy ending, it will happen. If it cheapens things, it won’t. Either way it’s my prerogative. My husband is a very driven individual; he knows where he wants to be and the steps he needs to take to get there. He executes them easily, and most of the time I envy him.

Then I fall in love with an old friend, save the galaxy against insurmountable odds, and do it all with an unscathed squad of compatriots. Not to brag… much.


Send me your pictures! At the end of this month, I will be doing a compilation of all the awesome photos I receive from fellow female gamers. If you're a girl and you're a gamer, take your picture with a sign that says you're a gamer and/or your favorite video game and send it to me at samantha@samantha-warren.com. Be as creative as you like, just keep it PG-13. 

Don't forget the prizes! For every post you comment on this month, you will be entered into a drawing to win either Call of Duty: Black Ops II* or Guild Wars 2* (or another game of your choice of similar value). All you have to do is comment!

Emily Reese is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, and author. She lives in Middle-of-Nowhere, Texas with her family, two contrary cats, and Zoe the Wonderpug. Her first book, Second Death, was released in 2011. She is currently working on the sequel as well as the first book in yet another series. Her book is available on Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Give Me Zelda Or Give Me Death

Today's post in Gamer Girl Month comes from Toni Grace Sinns. Toni is a gamer and writer with a love for the classics. Thanks for stopping by, Toni!

The Appeal of Classic Games

By Toni Grace Sinns 

The allure of classic games still continues to grow stronger with every passing generation to the next. And no I'm not talking about a new copy of the game. Each generation likes the ORIGINAL version of the classic game in question. Such as Zelda, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Mario Brothers, and more. 

No, the graphics are not amazing for all you that question that before you buy a game. However, they are harder than a lot of current games, and there is NO LAG. They don't have to put a million things going on at one time to pull you in. It happens on its own. There are no cheat codes, though you can get a whistle in level 3 of Mario if you know the trick in the castle. 

Captivating is what Zelda has done from day one. The Legend of Zelda has grown over the years, coming out with multiple games for the multiple Nintendo systems. However, I find that everyone still enjoys the Original Zelda. There was no map to find that you could look and see where you were going. There was no sign or clue to what castle was what until you were in it. You had to find special things on your own and had to explore all the rooms in order to get to the next level. And IT WAS HARD!!! Simple, yet you can play for hours. 

Enjoy as the age of Video Games advances and alter their designs, but don't forget what started it all and just how amazing it was to sit for hours in front of the tv and play them. Because to some of us that tend to spend most of our lives with a controller in our hands.... these classics continue to have the same amazing and alluring fascination from the day they hit the shelves.

Now for more fun stuff! First, send me your pictures! At the end of this month, I will be doing a compilation of all the awesome photos I receive from fellow female gamers. If you're a girl and you're a gamer, take your picture with a sign that says you're a gamer and/or your favorite video game and send it to me at samantha@samantha-warren.com. Be as creative as you like, just keep it PG-13. 

Don't forget the prizes! For every post you comment on this month, you will be entered into a drawing to win either Call of Duty: Black Ops II* or Guild Wars 2* (or another game of your choice of similar value). All you have to do is comment!

*Standard edition only, valued at approximately $60 USD. If game is not available in the winner's country, an item of similar value may be substituted. 

Toni Sinns was born and raised in Western North Carolina before moving to Central Florida in 2011. She is an upcoming author/writer with a mind in multiple genres of novels and books. She is currently working on multiple novels that you can read about on the Books tab of her website, also you can catch her random thoughts on her blog at: lilgracielou.blogspot.com/

A Girl In Gameland

Today's post in Gamer Girl Week comes from fellow gamer, writer, and Twitter buddy, Melinda VanLone. Thanks for stopping by Melinda!

A Girl In Gameland
By Melinda VanLone

I am a gamer. I say it proudly these days, although there once was a time I hid it away from prying eyes. I didn’t like the odd stares and the raised eyebrows when I mentioned it. As if my hobby were somehow less worthy than the next person’s because it took place on a computer. They’d often ask me why I played online games instead of doing something more constructive.

Why? Because it’s a giant game of make-believe. Remember doing that as a kid? Dressing up as a knight, or a ninja, or a princess, or whatever your favorite thing was that day, and acting out the part was a fun way of using the imagination, spurring creativity, and living a life outside your own.

A fun story line to follow and act out, combined with the company of friends, is what keeps me playing these games. But for any game to capture me, it needs to have some amazing graphics, and great outfits.

For some, the way they draw the avatars for females in these games is eye-rolling ridiculously oversexed and condescending to women. Some point to the big-boobed, arched back caricatures as evidence of everything wrong in society. It’s never bothered me, partly because it’s art, and partly because I secretly wish I could be those girls.

My avatars have always been strong, powerful women with the ability to take down a monster while looking fantastic in a bra and spiked panties, which I did for an entire ten levels in World of Warcraft. Realistic? No. I mean really, who would fight like that? Someone not concerned with bullets or broken nails. But is it sexy? Oh yeah.

If I can’t be a fire-wielding mage in real life, I appreciate the ability to explore that side of me in digital form. I like living vicariously through my character, wearing outrageous clothes I’d never wear in public, and pretending that yes, I really am that gorgeous and can kill a giant dragon at a 100 paces with my eyes shut. Really.

I recently dabbled with Star Wars The Old Republic, but left after a couple of months. Looking back, I realized a big factor, apart from the lack of content at higher levels, was that I didn’t like how my character looked (the leveling grind got to be a bit much as well, but that’s a topic for another day). She was a bounty hunter, and wore armor, gadgets and guns. She could fight, sure, but those clothes! Would it have killed them to give her something cool to wear? All the armor looked the same to me. I wasn’t the only one complaining. I heard plenty of guys griping about the lack of variety in armor.

Is gaming sexist?

The idea that gaming, and even super heroes, as a whole are sexist stereotypes has been brought up repeatedly over the years. Girl avatars with big boobs and pony tails, male avatars with overly broad shoulders, huge biceps, thunder thighs and big…guns…are rampant in most games. I’m not sure that’s entirely a bad thing. If I’m playing make-believe, why would I want an avatar that looks exactly like me? I want to be something more, something different, something beyond what I normally am. To me, it’s not sexist to give me exactly what I’m looking for in entertainment. It’s just good business.

Looking like that, even in a game, does tend to lead to some interesting behavior from others. From what I understand, more than half of the people playing online video games these days are women, and most are over the age of 35. I’m not sure anyone has told the 15 year old boys who play after school. They’re the ones with rampaging hormones, talking trash in trade chat and pretending they have a sex life, while the girls quietly go about their day of saving Azeroth from rampaging beasts.

When they find out I’m a girl, the reaction ranges anywhere from “there are no girls on the interwebs” to “what are you wearing?” The sexy avatar encourages that sort of behavior, particularly the “flirt” macro. Good thing they put the “slap” and “frown” and “brushes up against you and farts loudly” macros in there as well.

It’s a make-believe world populated by people who, for the most part, are trying to de-stress and kill a few hundred harmless creatures instead of losing their temper with their co-workers, and look great doing it. It’s artistic expression, in raw form, and a way to release pent up hostilities from the day. It’s my kind of fun. And really, isn’t that what a hobby is for?

I’m looking forward to trying out Guild Wars 2 later this month. I plan on making a sexy human girl who throws fire and hopefully wears something stylish and fun. Judging from the screenshots, I won’t be disappointed.

Now for the fun stuff! First, send me your pictures! At the end of this month, I will be doing a compilation of all the awesome photos I receive from fellow female gamers. If you're a girl and you're a gamer, take your picture with a sign that says you're a gamer and/or your favorite video game and send it to me at samantha@samantha-warren.com. Be as creative as you like, just keep it PG-13. 

Don't forget the prizes! For every post you comment on this month, you will be entered into a drawing to win either Call of Duty: Black Ops II* or Guild Wars 2* (or another game of your choice of similar value). All you have to do is comment!

*Standard edition only, valued at approximately $60 USD. If game is not available in the winner's country, an item of similar value may be substituted. 

Melinda VanLone is a writer of urban fantasy and science fiction. She also dabbles in photography and is an avid gamer.

To learn more about Melinda and her books, check out her website or Twitter.

I Am A Gamer

It's Gamer Girl month and do I have a treat for you! Check down at the bottom for more information on prizes and other exciting stuff!

From top left, clockwise: Skyrim, City of Villains, SWTOR, SWTOR, SWG, SWTOR

Yes, that's right. I'm a girl, and I'm a gamer. I play video games. Every day. Crazy, right?

Well, it turns out that it's not so crazy. Being a gamer used to be something I was ashamed of. I bought into the stereotypical idea that people who played video games were losers. But in this day and age, video games are so prevalent, I think it's time people accept them as a part of our lives. So many different people play video games, that it should no longer hold the stigma it used to. Believe it or not, reading used to be seen as lazy. But now it's just an accepted part of normal life. Games should be, too.

In fact, games have certain benefits that get overlooked quite often. I see that look on your face, but hear me out.

First and foremost, video games develop problem solving skills. Yes, yes they do. By their nature, video games require a person to tackle missions and solve issues. Sure, sometimes those missions are just killing stuff, but most games also involve more complex problems that you actually need to think about.

Games build social skills. As I've mentioned before, I feel more comfortable being myself on the internet. I find it hard to relate to new people face to face. Playing video games allows me to interact with other people and build those relationships through collaboration without the same level of fear of rejection that comes in the physical world.

Games build confidence. Video games allow us to achieve things that would never be possible in real life. We can save worlds, be successful, be the person we always wanted to be, and in living that fantasy, we start to build our inner confidence. It helps us break through some of the barriers we have built and allows us to grow in our real life.

And despite popular belief, girls do play games. In fact, many recent studies show that about half the gamers out there are female. Video games hold the same appeal for girls as they do for guys. Later this month, I'll be going into more detail on that and we'll have some fabulous guest posts. Until next time, keep on gaming!

Jane McGonigal did a really amazing talk on why gaming could help change the world. I won't go into detail, but if you have an extra 20 minutes, it's worth the watch.


Now for the fun stuff! First, send me your pictures! At the end of this month, I will be doing a compilation of all the awesome photos I receive from fellow female gamers. If you're a girl and you're a gamer, take your picture with a sign that says you're a gamer and/or your favorite video game and send it to me at samantha@samantha-warren.com. Be as creative as you like, just keep it PG-13. 

Don't forget the prizes! For every post you comment on this month, you will be entered into a drawing to win either Call of Duty: Black Ops II* or Guild Wars 2* (or another game of your choice of similar value). All you have to do is comment! Each post may also include additional ways to enter, so make sure you read carefully.

*Standard edition only, valued at approximately $60 USD. If games are not available in the winner's country, an item of similar value may be substituted.

Gamer Girls Lend Me Your Ears!

I haven't taken my official photo yet, so I cheated for now. This is my main in SWTOR

Gamer girls, lend me your ears (and photos)!!

In August, I will be doing a blog series about female gamers and I want to include you! At the end of the series, I'm going to do a compilation of all the photos I get. What do I want in the photo? Well, YOU, of course. Also a sign that says "I am a gamer" and/or your favorite video game. Feel free to get creative, but please remember that my blog is PG-13, so keep it decent.

Email pictures to samantha@samantha-warren.com. They need to be received by August 20th to be included.

I am also looking for anyone interested in reviewing newly released games or previewing soon-to-be released games, and/or those who have an idea for a blog related to female gamers (no rants as I want this to be a positive experience). Just send me a message/tweet/email! Thanks bunches!

There also might be a prize involved, maybe along the lines of Call of Duty: Black Ops or Guild Wars 2. Stay tuned for more information!

The End of an Era

My character donning a dress instead of her typical armor

It's time for another geekalicious post. Two days ago, one of the best (and worst) video games ever came to a long overdue death. Star Wars Galaxies, my very first mmorpg (massively multiplayer online roleplaying game - similar to World of Warcraft), was shut down on December 15th. The game made some major breakthroughs in mmos at the time of its release back in 2003 and is still revered by many as one of the best games ever. Sadly, the makers of SWG decided to "upgrade" it, taking away the best parts of the game and chasing away even the most dedicated players. We all look to Star Wars: The Old Republic in hopes of reliving some of those great SWG memories.

The video below, while not the most entertaining, captures the final moments of the game. *raises a glass* May greatness rise from the ashes of defeat.

I'm So Freaking Excited!

I'm so thrilled about the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Old Republic that I'm literally bouncing around the house. Sure, it's still a good three weeks away, but I can't help myself! I found out recently that some of my absolute favorite people ever will be playing and they're going to be nice and let me play with them! I haven't seen some of these guys since my SWG days, so I'm totally stoked to finally get to play with them again. I was tempted to cancel my pre-order, but then I found out how many of them will be playing and I have to play now. I can't pass this chance up.

I wasn't able to play during beta weekend, but I've been doing a good bit of research and I think I'm settled on Trooper (Commando). DPS and healing combined into one, which is what I tend to go for. Plus, you get a BFG. Who doesn't love a BFG, right?

Will you be playing SW:TOR? What class are you leaning toward? Are you going to be a good guy or will you join the dark side? 

The Freedom To Be Ourselves

The Guild is one of my favorite webseries ever. It follows a group of gamers who bond together to join create a guild and form an unlikely friendship. It speaks to anyone who is a gamer geek at heart. But this music video is their best work, IMO. It's funny and tongue-in-cheek. But if you think about it, don't we all put on a different face for the internet? I find it much easier to be open with my online buddies than in person. Maybe we don't all make avatars in video games (I do), but we all take on a slightly different personality, show a different face than we do to our family. And why not? It's a place where we can be who we want to be, where we won't be judged based on our past or what people think we should be, where we can be free to be ourselves.

Unplugging: Is It Really That Important?

I was listening to Rise Up Country with John Ritter on Sunday while milking and he was focusing on how we need to unplug and have some "me" time. This isn't the first time I've heard someone say we need to "unplug". Unplugging is when you turn off, well, everything. Hide the cell phone, turn off the TV and computer, and stuff the MP3 player in a drawer.

But I have to ask: Why? Why do we need to unplug? I understand the concern about information overload, and it's definitely true that watching TV or playing on the computer right before bed will affect your sleep (I know that from personal experience).

But what good does unplugging really do? For some people, plugging in is how they relax from their stressful days. It's the way they escape the horrors of real life and submerse themselves into a more enjoyable fantasy for awhile. They get to pretend they're an elf in some alternate reality, or watch people from New Jersey whose lives are way more crazy than theirs, or lose themselves in music that speaks to their soul.

Just because the relaxation involves an electronic gadget, that doesn't mean it's a less effective or inferior way to relax. What works for some people won't work for others. And if anyone tells me I need to give up my Kindle and read a DTB because it's time to "unplug", I'm coming after you. ;)

Star Wars: The Old Republic

The accent gets me every time

I'm going to let you folks in on a little secret that I've been trying to hide: I'm a gamer chick. For awhile, a couple years or so, I tried to deny it. When I play video games, I tend to do so at the detriment of everything else, especially when it comes to MMOs. In World of Warcraft, I was in a guild that was pretty hardcore, and it essentially became a second job. I felt like if I wasn't working or at school, I needed to be in the game. It was too much, so I foreswore all games, even my beloved Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Gaz is so yummy).

But now Star Wars: The Old Republic is coming out. My first venture into the MMO genre was with SW: Galaxies, and though that ended up being an epic disaster, I cling to the hope that TOR will rock my virtual world. I simply cannot deny the call of another Star Wars MMO. I've already pre-ordered. I'm leaning toward Bounty Hunter or Imperial Agent at the moment (yeah, I tend to cheer for the bad guys. I can't help myself). But this time, I'm going to play to have fun, not to please others. If it takes me ages to level up, so be it. I'll enjoy it while I do. I already have a job; the game is going to be my release, not my stressor.

So who else is going to join me in the fight against good? Or evil, if you swing that way, just know I will be coming after you with my full arsenal and pretty pink armor. 

And on that note, I'm going to go finish this book, so I can play Call of Duty and not feel guilty. I need my Gaz fix!