h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Computer Game Brain Saturation Syndrome - A822566
Author: Zucchini - U201345

Seems I'm not alone with my experiences described in this article...

I think this is a rather good entry. It is well written, interesting and informative, the main things I look for in an entry. There are a couple of niggles.

One is that in some cases you mention games that some people may not be familiar with, without telling us what the games are like. Footnotes would be useful for this sort of thing, although you might be able to integrate a small description of the game into the main text.

Some of the games people are likely to be fairly familiar with, such as Grand Theft Auto, and probably Mortal Kombat, but there are some more obscure titles, that probably need explaining, such as Shenmue, Jet set Radio and Kingpin,.

Another possibility is to substitute more well known games when you mention the more obscrure titles.

There are a few typos and similar. Tony Hawks should have an apostophe, (i.e. Tony Hawk's). Also, 'infulencing' should be influencing, in the bit about stage four.

Despite these points, I think this entry is destined for the edited guide. Well Done Zucchini

I have to agree with Silverfish, a bit of tweaking here and there and this will make it in no trouble.

My only major comment at the moment is that I think you may need to get out more Zucchini

All of the above

I think the title is rather unwieldy, although I can't come up with anything snappy right now.

I remember having Mario of Nintendo frame jumping along a scrolling screen on my retina whenever I closed my eyes. Great entry!
But I think you should mention the danger of strained eyes and headaches, well, at least headaches since they happen in the brain.

Once again, I love this entry. A few tucks and tweaks and it'll be ready.
Oberon2001

Nintendo _fame_... I'm getting H2G2 Brain Saturation Syndrome.

Costume play is not that uncommon in England.

I was for many years a member of The English Civil War Society, this is a group who do battle re-enactments - like the Sealed Knot, but more realism, and less prettiness. (I was of course on the side of right - well actually wrong, but far more interesting.) Loosely described as 600 drunken loonies in a field trying to beat eight bells out of each other - TO A SCRIPT.

Whilst this is not exactly what you're talking about, some years ago I was a reviewer for a Play By Mail magazine call Flagship, and there was always quite a bit about Live Role Play in the letters columns. Probably the quickest example I can bring to mind are the laser battle-grounds, go to one of the clubs there and the ammount of cyber warriors and street rats you'll see is truly surprising.

Also at live meets there would usually be a duel competition ongoing - usually knives (not real ones) these being based on either accumalated peripheral hits or 'killer blows' - no hitting above the collar bone or below the belt, except in defense.

Other than that - good stuff.

Thanks fer all yer input... I'll update the page when I get chance.
BTW I used to read Flagship :> Used to play the sci-fi game Genesis and a couple of Spellbinder games - Kingdom, the one where you are a God(ess), The horseracing one... Is there a guide entry on PBM's?

I would agree your examples are costume play.. but they ain't Cosplay :> which is undeniably cute and Japanese. I suppose some UK examples would be Anime conventions or Games Workshop's Gamesday (which I haven't been to but photos show lots of people dressed up as GW sci-fi / fantasy characters)

How disturbing, I seem to often be in stage 3 with the occasional (very rare) jump into stage 4. The description of looking at the world as series of gaps and grinds after playing Tony Hawk is distressingly familiar. Age of Empires is pretty bad for the "seeing the game when your eyes are closed" thing too. Good entry although maybe I'd be happier if nobody had mentioned it.

Hiya,

i liked this in WW and it looks better now.

nonetheless, i'm not sure it's quite finished... not sure what needs doing to it (sorry, i know that's not much help).

i'll be planning to come back to this some time soon and try to be more constructive...


spiff

Have you considered adding a short section about the internet? It's not unusual for Researchers to dream of h2g2 conversations, other Researchers (who they might or might not have met), and find it constantly on their mind.

Would this fit with the entry? Which I liked very much btw, and I'm glad that when I find myself humming music from games I might not be the only one.

I've personally not had brain saturation with internet access, but if someone would like to contribute a section on that, that would be okay.
I'm been humming the Mario Sunshine music all day... mostly because you can't turn it off in the game and it's driving me nuts :>
As I say I'll add some brief descriptions of the games, maybe that will add that certain something that's missing...

Okay, rather than brackets or footnotes, I've decided to do a sort of video bibliography, with brief game details and the reason why I chose them.
What would be the correct term (videography? gameography?) and should it go before or after the references at the end? :>
Thanks for any opinions...

> "Would this fit with the entry?"

I don't think so - it's about computer games, after all. Message boards and other online chat methods just aren't as immersive - nobody ever gets themselves in a bad situation in real life and thinks "ooh, I'll just unsubscribe"...

This entry is FANTASTIC, btw. Informative, accurate, intelligent, well written - and it's the sort of slightly off-beat topic that the Encyclopaedia Galactica won't touch Bravo!

-Lucinda

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

If you'd like to know what happens now, check out the page on 'What Happens after your Entry has been Recommended?' at EditedGuide-Process. We hope this explains everything.

Thanks for contributing to the Edited Guide!

Congrats!
-Lucinda

Well done
Throughly deserved if you ask me
Oberon2001

Yep, a good one,

having said that, i just had another quick flick through, and i just thought you could add a second example to the 'Real life' section - Doom Syndrome!

I know it's an oldy these days, but surely one of the original hyper-addictive, life-draining obsession-inducing games. And i remember we joked about the way when you've been playing Doom all night and then go out, you almost start thinking about strafing round corners in town and deciding what weapon would be best adapted to take on the crowd of innocent shoppers blocking your path to the pub in the highstreet!

anyway, just a thought to share with you really, but i kinda thought it'd be nice to include a shoot 'em up in that section.

Congrats again on a triffic entry,