Electronic Gaming

Librarians are classically seen as cultivators and curators of books, though over time that definition has grown to include newer forms of media such as recorded music, film, comics, and now games of all sorts, particularly video games.  I like to think of myself as one such librarian, as video games grow in importance as vehicles for deep narrative, artistic expression, online interaction, education, and much more.  For this blog entry I would like to write about mobile games.  With the rise of the iPhone and Android phones, mobile gaming has become increasingly impressive and important.  Gone are the days of simple distractions like Bejeweled or Snake, ushering in a period of truly meaningful and engaging games that can be carried in your pocket.  

Now that we’re all hooked on our tablets and smartphones, let’s face it, those old “PeeCees” are getting less and less use in our everyday lives.  But that hardly means their usefulness has run out!  Here are some great ideas to extend the lives and functionality of your aging hardware.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  Isn’t that how an article about derivative works is supposed to begin?  We only ask because there are probably other articles out there on this topic that begin the same way.  Whether or not we admit it to ourselves, 100% true originality in the case of media like books, film, music and games is practically unheard of.  That’s not a bad thing; works that build on one another can be some of the richest experiences imaginable.  On the other hand, some people are just lazy and rip-off other, greater works. 

Free.  Everybody likes free.  I mean, what’s not to like about free?  It’s free!  Free, free, free - use the word often enough, however, and it begins to lose its meaning.  “Free special offer (some rules and restrictions apply)!” “Free entree (with purchase of equal or greater value entree)!” “Free ski trip (after we badger you into investing in a timeshare over the course of an eight-hour 'seminar')!”  Free just isn’t what it used to be, and nowhere is this more evident than the world of electronic games.  Users are steeped in phrases like “free-to-play” and “freemium” to a degree that free really does start to sound like a four-letter-word.  Free they say?  Nonsense, we say.  Let’s take a look.