We posted an article one month ago that invited readers to do a little thought exercise. Here's what we said: "On the 5th of November we're going to post an article or two about video games, gadgets, technology, and general geekness ... the things about video gaming and technology that ought not be forgotten."

So here's our list of some video gaming and technology moments worth remembering. Hope this gets you thinking (and feeling nostalgic too!). And we look forward to your comments (and arguments). What do you remember and wish that the world will never forget?

Today is October 5. That means that November 5, Guy Fawkes Night, is one month away.

While we don't celebrate this day in the US (it's not even a public holiday in the United Kingdom - it's only a yearly celebration), many of us know of this day thanks to the DC Comics / Vertigo graphic novel (comic book) series V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd and its movie adaptation (with inimitable performances by Natalie Portman as Evey and Hugo Weaving as V).

Still, any "holiday" that gives people an excuse to light fireworks and go door-to-door begging for spare change sounds like something worth celebrating. So we at QJ.NET invite you to get into the spirit of things to remember, remember the 5th of November.

On the 5th of November we're going to post an article or two about video games, gadgets, technology, and general geekness - what moves us and affects us and touches us, and all the things about video gaming and technology that ought not be forgotten. Pretty much like the QuickJump QuickList articles in our Opinions & Analysis section at the front page and the other articles in the Opinions & Analysis sections of our many video game, science, and gadget blogs.

We invite you to plan ahead and consider what you want to remember on that day - because our articles obviously can't be the final word - that's what comments and the QJ.NET Forums are for. (Besides, now that we've turned off anonymous comments - and now that comments are smarter, funnier, and more meaningful - you have a good venue to share your reactions.)

We look forward to your thoughts. See you on the 5th of November.

 

This is the second part of QJ.NET's Alter Ego interview (you can read the first part here). We had to split it, because there were two people answering our questions about this concept book / art project / MMORPG documentary. That meant twice the fascinating details and twice the thought-provoking answers.

So here are Robbie Cooper (project originator and photographer) and Tracy Spaight (project writer / researcher) of Alter Ego: Avatars and Their Creators as they tell us more about their journey to create this book.

   

Here's a sneak peek (click on the Full Article link below to read the full interview):

Tracy Spaight: In his "Song of Myself," Walt Whitman penned the wonderful verse "I am large, I contain multitudes." The same could be said for the gaming community.

Tracy Spaight: In Asia, few people were willing to talk candidly about what their avatar meant to them, or to discuss what they found so compelling about life in virtual worlds. Many didn't want to be photographed because they feared their parents, teachers, or colleagues would see them and disapprove.

Click on the Full Article link below to read the full interview. And to all gamers, you princes and paupers, you superheroes and spaghetti monsters, look for Alter Ego: Avatars and Their Creators in bookstores - and museums - near you. For more information, go to www.alteregobook.com.



Buy: [Alter Ego: Avatars and their Creators]

 

What is Alter Ego? MTV, CNN, The New York Times, and various MMORPG sites have introduced us to the concept: Alter Ego is an intriguing concept book presenting the phenomenon of the contemporary avatar - the virtual characters we gamers create to play online.

In Alter Ego: Avatars and Their Creators, you see pictures of gamers from all over the world (including leading figures in the gaming world) alongside their avatars. Add to that a short and interesting biography, and you have a visual testimony of who and what we are as gamers.

Now QJ.NET takes a closer look at the book: from its successful launch and its reception, and going back to its creative roots. We also get a glimpse into the minds and visions of Robbie Cooper (the project originator and photographer) and Tracy Spaight (the project writer / researcher).

Here's a sneak peek (click on the Full Article link below to read the full interview):

Tracy Spaight: The images and stories that make up Alter Ego are easy for people to relate to, even if they've never logged into Second Life or EverQuest. They speak to the modern condition.

Robbie Cooper: I met one person online, for example, who told me she played these games because she had been facially disfigured in car crash. She refused to be photographed. I bet there are thousands of more stories out there that we never came across.

"I used to be a satanic priest,
but then I got a girlfriend."

Read the full interview by clicking on the Full Article link below. There's also a second part because this interview is extra-long: go to QJ.NET interview- Alter Ego: Avatars and Their Creators (Part 2).


Buy: [Alter Ego: Avatars and their Creators]

One of the fun things about a game in the beta stage is reading the bright ideas of the testers and developers. Tabula Rasa is no exception. We took a look at the Tabula Rasa forum at OGaming and found these:

• Cooler-looking weapons. "Fractured" suggested weapon add-ons that actually show up. We agree with this one. You don't want to see your character running around the screen with a dinky rifle that looks like every other noob's rifle! If you worked hard enough to get a cool add-on, then your weapon should look like it has that add-on! The more add-ons you put on your weapons, the cooler they should look.
• I want my melee heroics! MentisVenator1 suggested more melee weapons. I'm probably the biggest melee advocate here at QJ so I'm going to rant a bit. I mean, Jedi, ninja, barbarians, and armored bears always look cool, so Tabula Rasa should also allow for the big, strong, hack-and-slash characters. MentisVenator1 brought up the idea of a physical shield like our modern riot shields. I want a weapon that does more damage the closer you are to the enemy. Think about it: suicidal body-strong warriors can use the weapon to go in (and do melee damage to a group of bad guys) while the non-melee wimps can use the same weapon to clean up from far away.

But those are ideas coming from the gamers. We've also got some clarifications and updates about the game itself (and a quick update from the game's official site).

Click on where it says "Full Article" below to read more.