The Future of Gaming

For years, the gaming "arms race" has always been about better graphics and more powerful processors. Each next-gen console has had better graphics and higher performance than its predecessor. Indeed, a recent IGN article reports that AMD, supplier of the Xbox 360's graphics hardware, is claiming that "the Xbox 360's successor will be capable of producing the kind of visual detail seen in James Cameron's Avatar."

However, the future of gaming isn't just about graphics and power. Look no further than the current generation of consoles. Despite boasting superior graphics (including HD capability) and processing power, the PS3 and Xbox 360 have been vastly outsold by the Nintendo Wii. Why is that? Well cost, for one reason. The big reason is innovation and accessibility.

Nintendo changed the game with the Wii. Instead of improving upon its previous consoles, it went in an entirely new direction, and the result was something that had never been seen before. The motion capture gameplay and ease of use drew a much wider audience. People who had never considered themselves gamers or weren't interested in hardcore title such as Halo or Call of Duty found that games such as Wii Sports and Mario Kart were easy to learn and fun to play. Sony and Microsoft sluggishly responded by introducing their own motion systems, Move and Kinect, respectively.

So what's next? Well, the future of gaming lies in portability and transfer. With smart phones growing more brilliant by the day, and with the advent of social media and 24/7 connectivity, people are more digitally connected than ever. Games like Farmville and Angry Birds are massively popular. People can play them on their tablet or smart phone while on the bus or at the airport. A person can log into Facebook and play Tetris Battle against people halfway around the globe, and he or she doesn't need a console or a high-performance gaming PC.

This isn't to say that consoles are obsolete or that hardcore games are a thing of the past. The trick for the gaming industry is going to be bridging all of these different media. Amazon and HP have unknowingly shown the way.

Amazon's Kindle allows users to download books directly to their device in under a minute. Purchases are backed up electronically at Amazon, so users don't have to worry about having to repurchase books if they are deleted from their Kindle. The service is simple, easy-to-use, and effective.

HP's line of now-canceled webOS devices sold poorly but had some interesting technological features. Perhaps the coolest was Touch to Share. This feature allowed you to take a webpage viewed on one device and open it on the other simply by touching the two devices. A user could make and receive calls and text messages using the TouchPad when paired with the Pre 3.

The future in gaming lies in utilizing features such as these. What if consoles could download games as easily as people can download books on their Kindles? Consoles would be cheaper because they would be smaller and have fewer moving parts. If games are downloaded digitally, there would be no need for a disc drive and its associated components. Plus, more resources could be dedicated to other areas, such as graphics. Digital downloads do exist, but a system such as Amazon's would be an improvement. Currently, the downloaded game needs to be stored on a hard drive. If it's lost, the user needs to purchase the game again and loses all his or her data. With Amazon's system, not only is the purchase backed up, any notes, comments, or bookmarks a person makes is saved as well. People could re-download old games if they get the urge for a little nostalgia and not have to worry about missing any of their data.

The Touch to Share feature offers tons of promise. It would allow for true cross-platform gaming. Say you're playing a game on your console and have to leave. You could touch your tablet to the console and seamlessly transfer that game to the tablet and keep on playing. It doesn't even have to be the same version of the game. Take the pub games from Fable, for example. Those could be released as an app for smart phones and tablets. You could earn money in that game, touch your phone or tablet to your Xbox 720 4D, and transfer your earnings simply by touching the two devices together. Memory cards wouldn't be needed because you could use your phone to transfer data such as saved games, user accounts, or film clips. The possibilities are endless.

Future success for gaming companies doesn't lie solely in bigger, better machines boasting photo-realistic graphics. Innovations in the way we play and incorporating new platforms and social media will allow companies to differentiate themselves and have success just like Nintendo and the Wii.

Video Gaming-- Circa 2007

 Back in the spring of 2007, I was a junior in college and had to take a class called Information Management. It was held in the "War Room"-- this room in the business college that was literally tucked away in a corner and resembled the room where the president meets with the Joint Chiefs and his advisors in every movie and tv show involving the president meeting with his advisors. This room had a smart board, two 50-inch plasma screens in the back facing the professor and not the students, and a raisable dais with three flatscreen monitors (one professor called it "The Altar" and wanted to sacrifice freshmen on it). Anyway, our big end-of-the-semester project was a partner project about a technology topic. There was a list of suggested topics, and lo and behold, video games was on the list! My partner didn't have a preference, so I jumped on that topic. It was probably the most fun I had on a project in college. I'm particularly proud of incorporating a Red vs. Blue video into our PowerPoint presentation and introducing Church, Sarge, Caboose, and the rest of the guys to my fellow Honors business students. The assignment also required writing a paper, which resulted in the first, and only, time I cited IGN and EB Games as sources. In order to make sure I was as well-prepared as possible, I undertook copious amounts of "research" (meaning lots and lots of Halo 2). I've posted my essay below:

While video games have the reputation of being a small industry with a small audience composed of kids and teenagers, the truth is actually quite different. The video game industry does billions of dollars of business each year. Two of the largest companies in the world, Microsoft and Sony, manufacture video game consoles, and many leading computer companies offer computers designed with gaming in mind. Video games have come a long way over the years, and today’s game systems are powerful machines that can perform a variety of tasks. Game companies have taken a radically new approach to designing and marketing their products with hopes of expanding into new demographic markets. The next-generation, or next-gen, consoles now available come equipped with some interesting features, and each has its own strengths compared to the others. People are also discovering new and innovative uses for video games.

The video game industry is fairly large. In 2005, the video game market in the United States was $8.4 billion (Kolodny). The Asia Pacific region was the largest market, with $9.8 billion (Kolodny). This makes sense considering that two of the largest video game companies, Nintendo and Sony, are based in Japan. Globally, the worldwide market is expected to grow to $46.5 billion by the year 2010 (Kolodny). The U.S. market is expected to be $13 billion in 2010 and will be the third-largest market behind Asia Pacific and the combined markets of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (Kolodny). Over the next three years, the Asia Pacific market is expected to nearly double in size to $17.4 billion (Kolodny). As these statistics indicate, the video game market is neither small nor localized. It is a large, worldwide industry. The United States is not even the largest video game market in the world.

There are three main categories of video game systems: computers, consoles, and hand-helds. Computers run computer games. The game is installed on the computer and usually requires a disk to play. Computers are not specialized gaming hardware. Any computer can run a game as long as it meets the minimum requirements necessary for the game. Computers are not generally built with games specifically in mind. They are able to perform a variety of functions such as word processing, internet surfing, and email. They also have the ability to play games, but it is not their primary function. Some computers are designed as gaming platforms, but they still can function like a normal computer. They come with more powerful processors and video cards that will improve game performance. Alienware computers are an example of a computer that is designed to better handle games. Computers are the most powerful systems and offer the highest performance. However, they lack consistency. Computers are changing every day and become obsolete quickly. A computer bought a year ago may not be able to run a new game, making compatibility an issue. There are many different manufacturers and systems, so different computers may have different operating systems. Macs require different software and components than PCs. Certain video cards are not compatible with some games. Computers are also not very portable. They need a monitor to display images, and the computer tower can be heavy and bulky. Laptops offer some portability, but they are limited by their battery life. Finally, computers are very expensive, especially for a top-of-the-line machine designed to handle high-performance gaming. Even a low-end computer costs more than console systems, and such a computer will not be good at running games.

Consoles are what most people think of when they think of video games. The three main console manufacturers today are Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft. Nintendo introduced the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1987 then followed it up with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the Nintendo 64 in the 1990s. The Nintendo GameCube and the Nintendo Wii were introduced in the first decade of the current millennium. Sony came out with the Playstation and the highly-successful Playstation 2. Sony’s latest console is the powerful Playstation 3, which was released in 2006. Microsoft entered the console market back in 2001 when it introduced the Xbox. The company’s latest console is the Xbox 360. Consoles offer high performance but cannot match the top-of-the-line computer systems in that regard. However, they offer consistency and compatibility, unlike computers. An Xbox game bought today will run on an Xbox, even though that system debuted six years ago. Consoles do not have the compatibility issues that computers do. Each console has the same components as another console of its same brand. If one is to break open the case on two Playstation 2s, he or she will find that they are the same. If one breaks open two computers, chances are they will not have the same components. Consoles are also much cheaper than computers. The Xbox and Playstation 2 were both under $200 new. Consoles are more portable than computers, but they are still not very mobile. They need to be plugged into a wall outlet and are bulky. Plus, they need a television to display the game images. However, they are fairly easy to connect to a television.

Hand-held systems are the third major category of video game systems. As the name implies, they can be held in a person’s hands. They are self-contained units that are battery-powered and portable. Hand-held systems come with their own screen for viewing, although it is not large. Examples of hand-held systems include the Nintendo Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Sega Game Gear, and Playstation Portable (PSP). Hand-helds are not as powerful as the other systems and do not offer the same performance. The graphics are not as good on a hand-held system, and the screen is pretty small. However, they make up for that with their portability. They are easily transported and can be taken nearly anywhere. Since they are battery-powered, they do not have to be used near an outlet.

The best-known systems are the video game consoles. Video game consoles are basically highly-specialized computers. They are designed specifically to play video games whereas standard computers are designed to perform many tasks, one of which is the ability to play games. Consoles are based on the same central processing units (CPUs) used in many desktop computers (Tyson). For example, the original Xbox has a modified 733-MHz Intel Pentium III processor (Bonsor). The Xbox’s replacement, the Xbox 360, comes equipped with a multi-core processor that runs three 3.2-GHz PowerPC processors (Valdes). Consoles also contain random access memory (RAM), which allows for the temporary storage of games as they are being played (Tyson). All consoles have a user control interface that allows the player to interact with the game (Tyson). The software kernel is the console’s operating system, and all consoles have some sort of video and audio output (Tyson). Consoles also require a power supply. They are plugged into a wall outlet.

Consoles must also have some sort of storage medium (Tyson).  The storage medium affects both the game and the console itself. Originally, games were stored on cartridges that were specially made for the systems. The NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64 all used cartridges. Computer games came on floppy diskettes. As technology progressed, floppy diskettes and cartridges gave way to CD-ROM discs. Eventually, CDs gave way to DVDs. Today, computer games generally come on DVDs. Xbox and Xbox 360 games are DVDs, as are games for both the Playstation 2 and Playstation 3. CDs and DVDs are easier for both the console manufacturers and the game makers. They are cheaper, off-the-shelf technology that offer a large storage capacity. The previous cartridges were specially-made for the consoles, so using standard technology like DVDs is cheaper in the long run. Storage medium also applies to the consoles themselves. Players used to save their game data on the games themselves. Eventually, data was no longer saved on the game itself but on a memory card that was either plugged into the console or the controller. These memory cards are easily transported. Gamers can take their memory cards to a friend’s house and still have access to their saved data, provided the friend has a copy of the game. However, memory cards have a limited storage capacity. For example, the Playstation 2 and Xbox memory cards could hold 8 MB of data (EB Games). The Xbox 360 memory card originally had a storage capacity of 64 MB, but a newer version has a storage capacity of 512 MB (Microsoft). Some saved game data is too large to fit on a memory card. The latest consoles now come with their own hard drives. Game data is stored on the console’s hard drive. This configuration offers much more storage space; the Xbox 360 comes with a 20 GB hard drive.  However, using a hard drive eliminates the portability that memory cards offered. If a gamer wants to share his saved data with a friend, then he or she would have to physically take his or her console to the friend’s house. This problem has been alleviated with detachable hard drives. A gamer can remove the hard drive from the console and take that with him or her instead of having to transport the entire console. The hard drive can then be attached to another console.

Console manufactures are changing their marketing approach. Consoles are no longer just for hard-core gamers anymore. The console companies are targeting a broader audience and going after casual gamers. They are trying to appeal to families as well. The new approach has the console as more than a video game player. Consoles are now media centers designed to be the center of a home’s entertainment center. The latest consoles have a variety of features as a result. The Xbox, Xbox 360, Playstation 2, and Playstation 3 all have the ability to play CDs and DVDs. Digital cameras and MP3 players can be connected to an Xbox 360, and music can be stored on the machine (Microsoft). The Xbox 360 can even connect wirelessly to a Windows Media Center PC and stream movies, music, and pictures from the computer to the television (Microsoft). Consoles are being marketed as do-it-all machines. Instead of having several pieces of equipment and several remotes, such as a DVD player and a CD player, a consumer can now purchase one machine that will perform all of those functions. All of these features make the new consoles more attractive to consumers and casual gamers. Hard-core gamers can be counted on to buy the new systems. Companies want people who do not play video games all the time to buy their systems. A person who plays a few video games every now and then is more likely to spend several hundred dollars on a machine if it also plays movies and music than if it just played video games. Also, all of these new features help lessen the impact of the consoles’ high cost. Depending on the package, the Xbox 360 ranges from $299.99 for the Xbox 360 Core system to $479 for the Xbox 360 Elite (Microsoft). The Playstation 3 starts at $599.99, and that price just gets a person the console and a controller (EB Games). It is easier to justify spending so much money on a multi-purpose media center than on just a video game console.

The Nintendo Wii is being marketed differently as well, but Nintendo has taken a different approach. The Wii is not an expensive media center. At $250, it costs considerably less than its next-gen counterparts. In terms of hardware, it lacks the raw power of the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. The graphics are not as good as on those systems. However, the Wii is revolutionary. It uses point-and-click gameplay (Nintendo). The Wii remote and nunchuk are both motion sensitive (Nintendo). A sensor bar is set on the player’s television, and it detects the movement of the remote and nunchuk (Nintendo). Basically, what this all means is that the player actually interacts physically with the game. If a person is playing a tennis game on the Wii, he or she does not press a button to hit the ball. Instead, the player swings the remote like he or she is swinging a tennis racquet. The sensor bar detects the movement and translates it on-screen, where the game character hits the ball. The Wii technology allows the player to act out what it is he or she is actually doing in the game. Nintendo is marketing the fun and simplicity of the Wii. It does not have all the buttons that Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 controllers have. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages. There are some drawbacks to the Wii, however. As stated earlier, it does not have the horsepower of the other systems, so its games are not as graphically impressive. Graphics are important to some people. Also, there are issues with the sensors. If they do not track correctly, then problems will result. If where a person aims is not where his or her shot or throw goes, then they will become frustrated. If this continues, then they may stop using the Wii altogether. The nature of the point-and-click gameplay presents problems. For example, how does a Wii user play a football game? How does he or she maneuver the player, tackle an opposing ball-carrier, or dodge a defender? What constitutes a throwing motion for a pass? People throw differently, so what is considered a pass and what is not? Finally, there have been issues with people becoming too involved in the games they are playing. Nintendo had to issue a recall for its controllers because they were flying out of people’s hands and damaging televisions. A non-slip grip or wrist loop had to be installed to alleviate this problem.  

The three major console manufacturers recently introduced their next-gen consoles. Microsoft’s was the first to be released; the Xbox 360 debuted in November of 2005. In 2006, Sony and Nintendo introduced the Playstation 3 and Wii, respectively. Each of the next-gen systems pays heed to several current trends. All of the consoles offer wireless capability. All of the consoles have the ability to connect wirelessly to the internet. The controllers for the systems are wireless, eliminating the problems associated with controller cords. No longer will people potentially trip over a cord, possibly damaging the system and/or causing injury. Wireless controllers and wireless headsets give gamers greater freedom of movement. Each system offers backwards-compatibility. This means that the new systems can play games from previous-generation systems. For example, Halo 2 is an Xbox game, but it can be played on the Xbox 360. Nintendo has taken this farther. Not only can every GameCube game be played on the Wii, gamers can download old NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, and even Sega Genesis games and play them on their Wii (Nintendo).

Each console has its individual strengths and selling points. The Wii offers fun and revolutionary gameplay at a low cost. The Playstation 3 is the most powerful of the new consoles. It has the advanced Cell processor and comes with a Blu-ray drive that allows it to play Blu-ray DVDs (Sony). Blu-ray and HD-DVD are the two competing next-gen DVD formats. It also has a larger hard drive than the Xbox 360. Microsoft’s new system offers impressive performance that compares well to the Playstation 3. The issue of the smaller hard drive has been taken care of with the release of a new 120 GB hard drive that is bigger than anything currently offered for the Playstation 3. Microsoft also offers a detachable HD-DVD drive that can be plugged into a USB port on the Xbox 360 (Microsoft). This offers the consumer flexibility. It is still unclear which new DVD format will win out, so consumers are taking a wait-and-see approach. If a customer does not want to purchase an HD-DVD drive, then he or she can still purchase an Xbox 360. If a customer does not want to purchase a Blu-ray drive, then he or she cannot purchase a Playstation 3 because the system comes with it internally. The biggest competitive advantage for the Xbox 360 is Microsoft’s online service, Xbox Live.

Xbox Live first appeared back in 2002-2003 on the Xbox. It was originally a way for console gamers to play games online with, and against, each other. Previously, the only way for gamers to play online was through computer games. Xbox Live changed all that. Gamers could now easily play large multiplayer games against other players. The Xbox has four controller ports, meaning only four people can play a game at the same time. Up to four Xboxes can be linked together, allowing for up to 16 people to play, but this is a time-consuming and inefficient procedure. The logistics are usually not feasible; doing this requires four Xboxes, four televisions, some sort of hub, yards of Ethernet cable, 16 controllers, four copies of the game, and 16 people. With Xbox Live, players can now play games with that number of people, and in some cases with a greater number, by simply going online. As the service grew, gamers were given the ability to download additional content for games that supported the feature. For example, new maps were released for Halo 2, and an entirely new level was available for the game Splinter Cell.

With the release of the Xbox 360, the Xbox Live service has greatly expanded. According to Xbox.com, there are over 6 million users online daily (Microsoft). The service is available worldwide; gamers from countries such as Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, and the United States have been encountered online on a regular basis. There are two levels of membership to Xbox Live: Silver and Gold (Microsoft). The Silver membership is free and allows the user to have access to Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Marketplace, and the online community (Microsoft). The user can also send and receive text and voice messages. Gold members have access to the same features as Silver members, but they are also able to play games online (Microsoft). However, the Gold membership is not free.

The expansion of Xbox Live has brought about Xbox Live Arcade and Xbox Live Marketplace. The former allows users to download favorite arcade games from the past. Gamers can download trial versions of such classics as Frogger, Heavy Weapon, Dig Dug, Ms. Pac-Man, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for free (Microsoft). New arcade games such as Geometry Wars can also be downloaded. After playing the trial version, users can opt to download the full version of the game for a small price. These arcade games can oftentimes be played online with friends. The Xbox Live Marketplace is what its name suggests: an online marketplace. Users can download gamer pictures, background themes, game demos, game and movie trailers, game content, and movies and television shows (both in standard and HD format) from the Marketplace (Microsoft). Some of the downloadable content is free while some is not. For example, game demos and trailers tend to be free. Movies and television shows are available for a price. Themes, gamer pictures, and game content vary. They are sometimes free, but sometimes they cost money. The television shows are actually purchased, but the movies are rented (Block).

Microsoft is also introducing a program called Games for Windows-Live. It is the computer equivalent of Xbox Live (Goldstein). It offers cross-platform capability; players using a computer will be able to play with Xbox 360 users and vice versa (Goldstein). The service has the same membership levels as Xbox Live, and people who have a membership in one service will have membership in the other (Goldstein). What that means is that if a person purchases a Gold Games for Windows-Live membership, that membership also acts as a Gold Xbox Live membership, and vice versa. Hilary Goldstein, a writer for the gaming website Ign.com, writes, “According to Microsoft, 70 percent of all Xbox 360 owners also play games on the PC. Games for Windows-Live serves as a bridge between the two platforms” (Goldstein). This service allows gamers to have one online identity for both their Xbox 360 and computer games.

There are some security concerns with Xbox Live. Many accounts are paid for using a credit card. There have been reports of people stealing Xbox Live accounts. People engage in pretexting and call Xbox Live customer service. They pretend to be the person who owns the account they are trying to steal and create a story about the account. Over time, they acquire enough information to be able to access the account themselves (Lemos). According to a SecurityFocus online article by Robert Lemos, Microsoft initially denied the allegations but now says it is investigating the problem (Lemos). This is serious issue since some accounts have credit card information associated with them. Lemos writes about one teenager who had his account stolen. Thousands of dollars of Microsoft points were charged to his credit card (Lemos). Another drawback of Xbox Live is the online behavior of its users. Shielded by the anonymity of the internet, many people engage in rude and boorish behavior. They will use foul language, criticize others, attack their teammates, and generally be as annoying as possible. Some people even find ways to cheat. Games that have an online component actually feature a warning that the experience may change during online play. While these issues are serious, there are ways to deal with them. First, a credit card is not needed to purchase an Xbox Live membership. Subscriptions can be purchased at stores such as Target, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart. The purchaser buys a card, and on the back of the card is a code. When that code is entered, the subscription is activated. Xbox Live features a feedback system that enables players to report players who violate the terms of service and abuse the system.

Xbox Live and Games for Windows-Live offer many exciting possibilities for the future. Soon, there will be an update for Xbox Live that will allow Windows Live Messenger, Microsoft’s instant messaging program, to be used on the Xbox 360 (Microsoft). Xbox Live members will now be able to instant message with not only each other, but also with PC and Windows Mobile devices (Microsoft). This ability certainly fits in with the image of the next-gen console as a media center. Instant messaging makes the console more attractive to casual gamers. There is speculation that MSN and Hotmail email accounts will be made available to the Xbox 360 in a future update (Brudvig). Subscribers could check their email from their Xbox 360. It has also been speculated that a website like MySpace or Facebook could take part in some fashion (Brudvig). Eventually, games may no longer be sold in stores. They may just be downloaded online straight to the console. While these ideas are just speculation and are probably a long way off, they demonstrate that next-gen consoles are more than just video game systems. They are designed to be a media and entertainment center that allows the user to do a variety of tasks using just one machine.

A new and innovative use of video games is in the art of machinima. According to Machinima.com, “Machinima’s a new form of filmmaking that uses computer games technology to shoot films in the virtual reality of a game engine…Machinima creators act out their movie within a computer game” (Machinima, Inc.). Machinima uses video games to make movies.

Perhaps the best-known and most successful machinima series is Red vs. Blue. Created by a group of men in Texas, Red vs. Blue uses the Xbox games Halo and Halo 2. Both games are first person shooters, meaning the camera is set in first person. One of the players is the cameraman. The footage is recorded from his screen. The Red vs. Blue crew sets up a multiplayer game, but instead of running around shooting each other or capturing the flag, they act out a scene. They discovered a small glitch in Halo that allowed them to make their characters’ heads bob up and down, giving the appearance of talking. The series is so popular, that when Halo 2 was designed, the game manufacturers included some commands specifically to aid people in making machinima projects. The glitch from Halo was included on purpose and improved upon. Roosterteeth, the company behind Red vs. Blue, has done projects for The Barenaked Ladies, Spike TV, and the Sundance Film Festival. They have also directed commercials for EA Sports video games. Through their website, roosterteeth.com, they sell DVDs of the Red vs. Blue series along with merchandise such as shirts and sweatshirts.

Video gaming is a worldwide industry that does billions of dollars of business each year and is growing. Computer manufacturers make high-end computers to accommodate the needs of gamers. Video game consoles are powerful machines that not only play games but perform a variety of other functions as well. They are media centers designed to be the centerpiece of home entertainment. No longer are gaming systems just for the hard-core gaming audience. Today’s consoles are targeted at casual gamers. From the variety of features to revolutionary new gameplay, the next-gen consoles are more appealing to a broader audience. Microsoft’s online services are changing the way games are played. People such as the men at Roosterteeth are pioneering new ways to utilize video games through the creation of machinima. Video games have evolved over the past decades, and the future appears bright.

Works Cited

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Bonsor, Kevin. "How Xbox Works." 27 November 2000. Howstuffworks. 29 April 2007 <http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/xbox1.htm>.

Brudvig, Erik and Jonathan Miller. "Spring Update Unveiled." 8 April 2007. IGN.com. 29 April 2007 <http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/778/778961p1.html>.

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Lemos, Robert. "Account Pretexters Plague Xbox Live." 21 March 2007. SecurityFocus. 29 April 2007 <http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11452/1>.

Machinima, Inc. "WhatIis Machinima?" 20 January 2001. Machinima.com. 29 April 2007 <http://www.machinima.com/article.php?article=186>.

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Nintendo. "Wii Overview." Nintendo.com. 29 April 2007 <http://www.nintendo.com/overviewwii>.

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Tyson, Jeff. "How Video Game Systems Work." 16 October 2000. Howstuffworks. 29 April 2007 <http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/video-game3.htm>.

Valdes, Robert. "How Xbox 360 Works." 29 November 2006. Howstuffworks. 2007 April 2007 <http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/xbox-three-sixty.htm>.

"What is Machinima?" 20 January 2001. Machinima.com. 29 April 2007 <http://www.machinima.com/article.php?article=186>. 

Rocktober?

In 2007, the Colorado Rockies overcame a slow start to the season to capture the National League Wild Card and make the playoffs. They won 11 in a row, and 14-of-15, to storm back and clinch a playoff berth. They won 21-of-22 games before being swept in the World Series. The playoff frenzy became known as "Rocktober."

In 2009, the Colorado Rockies overcame a slow start to the season to capture the National League Wild Card and make the playoffs. They won 11 in a row, and 17-of-18, to storm back into contention. Their hot play continued the rest of the season, and they ended up clinching a playoff berth only to fall to the Phillies in the National League Divisional Series. Rocktober was back.

Last year, the Colorado Rockies overcame a slow start to the season by surging in September, rattling off another huge winning streak to pull within 1.5 games of the division lead. They promptly ran out of gas, losing 13-of-14 to fall out of the race.

Sensing a pattern here?

The Rockies have shown a penchant for strong second-half play and surging out of nowhere to contend for a playoff berth. Although they have been huge disappointments this year, they have started to show signs of life of late, going 7-2 on the most recent homestand including a 5-game winning streak which is their longest in what seems like millennia. This has prompted people to start talking about Rocktober. One can see why, given Colorado's history. Obviously, this is a sign that their patented late-season magic is now at hand. According to Troy Renck, Rockies beat writer for The Denver Post, the Rockies have to go something like 24-7 to close out the season to have a shot. Not good odds, but going 24-7 is nothing for a team that has twice pulled off the impossible in the last four years, right? Tulo and CarGo are finally both hot at the same time, and the team is clicking. The offense has woken up, and reinforcements from the Springs are on the way (Street and Lindstrom are off the DL, Spilborghs should be back soon, and September call-ups are days away).

The optimism is understandable, but it's best to look at this team with some objectivity and skepticism. As Renck points out, 18 of their remaining games are on the road, including 3 each against LA and San Francisco. They start their current 9-game trip in LA, long a house-of-horrors for the Rockies. Even worse, they don't have a reliable starting rotation. Winning streaks start with the rotation, but the Rockies' has been too banged up and patchwork to be consistent. It's hard to believe they can hold up to make the kind of run necessary to challenge for a playoff spot. Jhoulys Chacin is the presumptive ace, but his fastball command is too spotty. If he locates his fastball, then he's practically unhittable. If he can't throw it for strikes, then hitters lay off his off-speed stuff and drive up his pitch count. The result is an outing like the one he had against Florida on August 16: 4 IP, 5 ER, 3 BB. Walks are a problem, and he's too inconsistent to truly rely on as a staff ace. Now bear in mind, he's only 23 and has tremendous upside. He's among the lead leaders in batting average against. I just don't have complete confidence in him because of his spotty command. That's why I miss Juan Nicasio: he threw strikes. Yes, he has a lot to work on, but he's not going to walk 6 guys. He's going to make the other team put the ball in play and beat him.

Tonight's starter, Esmil Rogers, reminds me a lot of Chacin. He's too inconsistent and doesn't throw enough strikes. Plus, his fastball is flat. I'm just not sold on him as a viable rotation guy. Cook has been pretty awful this year, getting lit up in most of his starts; he doesn't appear to have much left in the tank this year. He's a sinker guy, but it's been missing. He's been hit hard as a result. Kevin Millwood has pitched pretty well for the Rockies, but he's 36 and had been out of the majors all year. I like what I've seen from him so far, but it's a lot to ask of him to carry the team at this point. Alex White has a ton of talent and promise, but he's a rookie. Again, it's a lot to ask of him to anchor the rotation in a playoff chase. He's going to have his ups-and-downs, and there isn't any margin of error for the team to have another Rocktober this year.

Even during their current win streak, the pitching hasn't been great. Their ERA is over 5, and the offense has had to carry the load. When they do get leads, the bullpen hasn't been able to hold most of them. Scoring 6 runs a game and staging comebacks isn't going to happen all the time. The starters need to step up if the team is going to make a run, and to be honest, I have my doubts they can pull it off. I sincerely hope they can and would love to be proven wrong.