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Games as graphs (and charts!)

The visual display of quantitative information is much more fun than it sounds

Words: Tyler Wilde, GamesRadar US

2) Playing Games

Figure 2-1. Exploring the MMO

Very little is known about the psychological phenomenon that causes the playing of, and subsequent addiction to MMOs, but the science is still in its infancy. In fact, researchers are still frantically deconstructing the spaceship that brought Ultima Online creator Lord British and his magical beard to our humble blue planet so many years ago.

The following chart (figure 2-1), leaked by a top secret government intern, lays out the approximate process of MMO consumption.

Figure 2-2. Playing First Person Shooters

Sure, FPSs seem easy to us, but that’s only because years of continuous finger twitching have dedicated a quarter of our motor skills to moving crosshairs around on screens and pressing switches that make elevators do shit. Ever watch a first-timer try to get through Half-Life 2?

“What’s going on? Where do I go? How do I shoot? Why are you taking your shirt off? I’m leaving.”

LEARN IT IN A FLOWCHART!

Figure 2-3. Prioritizing things you may or may not need to do


 
9 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
TrIp13G  - 6 months 11 days ago 
HA! Colors and shit...
michaelmcc827  - 6 months 11 days ago 
This is still probably my favorite article to date.
oreopizza47  - 6 months 11 days ago 
lol.
Do a BARREL ROLL!!
*obeys command* ow china cabinet.
vitoruss  - 6 months 11 days ago 
Oh how I loved this article back when I read it the first time...

...oh how it still has the same effect
CH3BURASHKA  - 6 months 10 days ago 
ARGH! WHY DID YOU REMIND ME OF RUNESCAPE!!!

reCaptcha: meeting teapots (?)
PK64  - 6 months 9 days ago 
that one chart looks like a purple pac-man eat a fricken rainbow
PK64  - 6 months 9 days ago 
gta4 eating saints row2 lol
lovinmyps3  - 6 months 9 days ago 
do you have the key? yes i got it! liar. lmao
MagicArmadillo  - 6 months 5 days ago 
LOVE IT! Runescape, Rawr
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