bwraith - Slashdot User

The Psychology of Collection and Hoarding In Games 183

Posted by Soulskill on Sunday May 31, 2009 @01:17PM from the who-has-the-most-nerdoints dept.

This article at Gamasutra takes a look at how the compulsion to hoard and accumulate objects, as well as the desire to accomplish entirely abstract goals, has become part of the modern gaming mindset. "The Obsessive Compulsive Foundation explains that in compulsive hoarders: 'Acquiring is often associated with positive emotions, such as pleasure and excitement, motivating individuals who experience these emotions while acquiring to keep acquiring, despite negative consequences.' Sound familiar? The 'negative consequences' of chasing after the 120th star in Mario 64 or all 100 hidden packages in Grand Theft Auto III may be more subdued than those of filling your entire house with orange peels and old cans of refried beans. But game designers know that it's pretty damn easy to tap into this deep-rooted need to collect and accumulate. And like happy suckers we buy into it all the time, some to a greater degree than others."

Feed DVD Jon: Zune's Getting a Bad Rap (wired.com)

From feed by wiredfeed on Tuesday November 28, 2006 @05:12PM

Microsoft's music player isn't the lame duck some critics have called it, says Jon Johansen, the guy who cracked DVD encryption. In Listening Post.

Journal Journal: Which Zelda is better?

Journal by Sydric on Tuesday November 28, 2006 @05:08PM

With Nintendo's Virtual Console feature I can download and pay for the original "Legend of Zelda" on my Wii. Here's my question though: I own the special Zelda's Collector Disc that came out for the Gamecube several years ago (in fact, that's how I played through Ocarina of Time, I never had the time when it was out on the 64) and included on this disc is the original Legend of Zelda. My question is: Since I can play that disc on my Wii (and I've tried it, works fine) should I just play the ori

Journal Journal: Snow Storm Photos, or, Why I Am Not Online Much This Week 6

Journal by pudge on Tuesday November 28, 2006 @05:07PM

Pretty snow. And trees. And power lines.

Journal Journal: features

Journal by pyroflower on Tuesday November 28, 2006 @05:03PM

I just have to rant for a minute...I think the tagging is a really cool feature which I would like to implement in my searches on this website. However, if people continue to assign irrelevent tags to articles, it is going to render the function useless. I'm sure everyone would like for thier opinion to be as widely visible as possible...but that's why we have comments...that is where the random humorous thoughts belong.

Submission + - More video game bashing

Submitted by FST on Tuesday November 28, 2006 @04:55PM

FST writes: CNN.com is reporting that a study found that those "who play violent video games show increased activity in areas of the brain linked to emotional arousal and decreased responses in regions that govern self-control, a study released on Tuesday found." From the article: Teens "who played the violent video game showed more activation in the amygdala, which is involved in emotional arousal, and less activation in the prefrontal portions of the brain associated with control, focus and concentration than the teens who played the nonviolent game."

Submission + - French Government Goes Open Source

Submitted by

dhoyte

on Tuesday November 28, 2006 @04:42PM

dhoyte writes: "Newsfactor.com
reports that the French government will be switching from Microsoft Products to open source products such as Linux for desktops and servers and OpenOffice for day to day documents. They see it as a cost cutting measure:
"

Journal Journal: almost busted... 8

Journal by tuxette on Tuesday November 28, 2006 @04:33PM

Where's the fucking camera when I need one?

Fastest Spinning Black Hole Ever Found 204

Posted by kdawson on Monday November 20, 2006 @03:16PM from the wheeee dept.

brian0918 writes, "NewScientist reports that researchers in Cambridge have detected a black hole spinning at nearly 1,000 times per second — the fastest ever recorded. From the article: 'McClintock's team examined a black hole in our galaxy called GRS 1915+105, which lies about 36,000 light years away. They found the innermost stable orbit around GRS 1915 is so close that the black hole must be spinning at nearly 1000 times per second. The finding supports the idea that only fast-spinning stars can collapse to create powerful explosions called long gamma-ray bursts.'" The Astrophysical Journal abstract is open but you have to be a subscriber to read the full article there.

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