The Great Geek Manual

An incredibly interesting examination of the motivation behind playing games. It’s more complex and significant than what you might think!

Nine months after her successful Kickstarter campaign, Anita Sarkeesian unveils the much anticipated pilot episode of the Tropes Vs. Women in Video Games series, which examines how video games often portray female characters as someone who needs to be rescued.

Visit FeministFrequency.com for more information, videos and a full transcript. For more examples of the Damsel in Distress check out the Tropes Versus Women Tumblr.

“This video explores how the Damsel in Distress became one of the most widely used gendered clichés in the history of gaming and why the trope has been core to the popularization and development of the medium itself.

As a trope the Damsel in Distress is a plot device in which a female character is placed in a perilous situation from which she cannot escape on her own and must then be rescued by a male character, usually providing a core incentive or motivation for the protagonist’s quest.”

Those of you who’ve just received a new game console for Christmas should appreciate this. I’ve gathered up all the lists of the Best Video Games of the year in one place for your perusal. If you know of one I’ve missed, drop a link in the comments!

1001 Video Games: 15 surprising games
1001 Video Games: 15 best games
1001 Video Games: 15 top games
1001 Video Games: 15 worst games
1up: top games

All My Faves: 10 must-have games
Amazon: best sellers games
Ars Technica: games of the year
Attack of the Fanboy: essential games
Aussie-Game: top ten moments

Battle Creek Enquirer: top 10 games
Beaumont Enterprise: 10 best games
Business ETC.: biggest games
Business Insider: best games
Read the rest of this entry » » »

This is the halftime performance of The Ohio State University Marching Band on 10/6/12 against Nebraska. The theme was Video games and it included parts from Zelda, Halo, Pokemon, Tetris, and others. Don’t miss the running horse at 6:00.

The Wall Street Journal recently did a story about people who play video games as pacifists where they attempt to make it through typically violent games without killing anything. For example Daniel Mullins has been playing Skyrim as Felix the Peaceful Monk and he has yet to register any kills in the game.

Live performance of World of Warcraft Medley at the Video Game Music Choir’s Winter 2010 Concert. Music composed by Russel Brower, Derek Duke, and Matt Uelmen. Arranged by Chelsea Treglia. Video directed and edited by Daniel Jimenez. Video Game Music Choir founded and directed by Julia Seeholzer. Audio engineered/mixed by Akash Thakkar. Special thanks to Jeanine Cowen.

You never really realize how much games have evolved over the recent century until it’s right in front of your eyes in minutes. Munich-based quartet of game design students responsible for this video have created something special here. As a bonus they also show us how our TV’s have evolved as well. Enough of me talking about it, watch the video for your self.