Win a Chance to Wear the Internet on Your Face with Google Glass

Last year Google unveiled its latest foray into life-embedded technology: Internet glasses. Well, “glass,” to be exact. Google Glass is one square that hovers unobtrusively in the top right corner of your field of view and displays practically anything you can cull from the Internet. And now you can be one of the first to get your hands on it. Am I the only one who thinks we’re heading into Blade Runner territory and is getting terribly excited about it?

Here’s what they “feel” like:

I don’t know about you, but I’d be a little freaked out about wearing those things on a roller coaster.

Just think of the possibilities:

So you’re knitting and forgot how to purl. “OK Glass, show me how to purl a scarf.” BAM, a video tutorial for you to follow along to – hands free.

Bored at the airport: “OK Glass, let’s play [insert your favorite game title here].”

Laying back on the couch and tired of holding a heavy book up to your face: “OK Glass, I want to read War and Peace.” The epic has never been lighter.

And that’s only the beginning. Hang out with friends a world away. Record and take photos of special moments with your children. And just think of what this can do for alternate reality games? *drool*

Be among the first to get your hands on Google Glass by answering what you’d do #IfIHadGlass. Get creative with a 15-second video, a tweet, photos, or posting on their Google+ page sharing how you’d live life essentially like enhanced Geordi La Forge.

Oh, and you must live in the U.S., source $1,500 to buy the glasses, and be able to travel to San Francisco, New York City, or Los Angeles on your own dime to pick them up. But don’t let that stop you – enter by Wednesday, February 27.

Ready… set… GLASS! How are you going to use them?

Lauren is a lifelong gaming fan. She expresses her love of strong female pop-culture characters by costuming at conventions. Internet marketing consulting, playing the clarinet and sax, practicing martial arts, and geeking out over tea keeps her busy the rest of the time. Find more of her shenanigans on Twitter and Google+!

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Hidden Object Games FTW!

We know you increasingly turn to Big Fish looking for story, adventure, and exploration, but the root of the HOPA (Hidden Object Puzzle Adventure) genre is the hidden-object scene (HOS). Spotting games like these hold huge appeal for Big Fish customers and have a rich tradition in U.S. culture, from the “slug bug” you played in the car growing up to “Where’s Waldo?”

When you complain about typos in a game, it’s often due to a misspelled or mislabeled item in an HOS. Don’t worry. We get it. There’s nothing more irritating than seeing the word “clew” in an item list and having to resort to a hint to find they meant the ball of yarn right there in plain view.

But never fear. Behind the scenes, there are whole teams of people working to make sure such typo frustrations don’t yank you out of fun game play. I’m head of a team of narrative designers who edit (and in many cases fully rewrite) the text in your games, and we also work with our Quality Assurance team, which tests the heck out of every HOS.

We know you players are almost without exception former English teachers, or daughters of former English teachers, and that your blood pressure goes up – and the game love goes down – with each “alter” that should be spelled “altar” or every time your eye is distracted by the egregious wrongness of “pinecone” spelled as if it were two separate words.

Please, believe me. ”Pine cone” bothers us, too. It really does.

Here’s what we do. The only way to work on an HOS is with a(n online) dictionary at hand so that we can look up tree house (I have to every time. Yes, every time) or any other word we can’t remember how to spell or whether or not it’s fused (like miniskirt), hyphenated (like X-ray), or two words (such as that durn tree house).

We go by Merriam-Webster’s because it’s what an English teacher would do. But it’s not as easy as just looking up words in a dictionary. We tackle the HOS in a game’s text file, which comes to us as a very, very long Excel spreadsheet or .xml document with long lists of items with code in between them. Our process:

Above all, we make sure the item name is for the right item. If it’s a boot, we don’t call it a shoe.We check consistency. It’s confusing if the item is called a “brooch” in the HOS list, a “medallion” in the inventory, and a “gem” in the hint.Sometimes we’ll see “bottle” on the list but several bottles in the HOS. We ask the developer to change it.We make sure the text in the text hints works in tandem with the HOS list. Examples: Hint: “I bet I could pop this corn cob over that candle flame.”HOS list: “Popcorn” Hint: “To get the cheese, I’ll have to break the glass.”HOS list: “Cheese”

Other things we do:

Make sure the names on the list are all capitalized the same way. Like you, we can be kept up all night by lists where the ‘n’ on “Butterfly net” was lowercased, but the ‘u’ on “Cocktail Umbrella” was capitalized. Horrors!

What really vexes us are the mistakes we see all the time. “Cannon ball” as two words really lights our fuses. “Cuckoo clock” spelled any other way makes us insane, and don’t even get us started on “fleur-de-lis.”

We really wish there was only one name for clippers, bolt cutters, secateurs, pliers, pruners, pruning shears, scissors, etc., etc.

But you know what one word is almost always spelled correctly?

Yep. Crowbar.

Lisa Brunette is the manager of the Narrative Design Team at Big Fish and a former English teacher (Yes, really!). Her team works with producers and developers to create awesome game stories, and they write and edit a lot of the game text you read when you play.

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The NOAH Center Saves Lives (and You Can Help!)

The Drawn team’s newest game FETCH–which is set to launch on March 21, 2013 from the App Store–is about a boy who goes on an adventurous mission to rescue his dog after it was taken by a nefarious fire hydrant. In conjunction with this soon to be released game, we’ve partnered with a local pet organization, The Northwest Organization for Animal Help (NOAH) Center, to help our four-legged friends!

The NOAH Center is dedicated to stopping the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable and treatable homeless dogs and cats in Washington State.

“We are committed to high quality spay and neuter programs available for low income residents, family friendly pet adoptions, humane education, and volunteer programs through our state-of-the art facilities and Spay/Neuter Center.” ~from The NOAH Center’s website

Big Fish employees are pulling together in the honor of our beloved pets, collecting much needed items and money for The NOAH Center. The care packages that we Fishies have created include:

Blanket, towel, or wash clothNew toyUnopened Bag o’ treats!Wet dog or cat food Money for continued quality care

We know the pond of Fishies that want to do good in the world and positively impact the lives of others is larger than just us. You too can participate by donating ANY of the follow care package items: a gently used or new blanket, towel, or wash rag, new toy, unopened bag of treats, or wet dog or cat food (no fish flavors or dyes, please). Of course, cash/check donations are easy to send and offer The NOAH Center the most flexibility to meet the animals’ needs!

All item donations can be shipped directly to The NOAH Center at 31300 Brandstrom Road Stanwood, WA 98292.Money can be donated directly online using GiveDirect

Thank you for helping the N.O.A.H. Center and the valuable lives they work to save every day!

Melissa is the Social Media Manager for Big Fish Studios in Seattle, WA. She loves connecting with people who have a share her passion for LEGOs, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and, most importantly, games! Follow her on Twitter as @SustainableMBA and @melissadingmon!

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Sneak Peek – Azada: Elementa Collector’s Edition

Titus is back and better than ever in Azada: Elementa Collector’s Edition!

Titus appears to you in a dream and in this dream Titus believes that you are the chosen one. By the time you awaken, you receive a package from a mysterious man. What is in this package and why do you get the feeling that this man can’t be trusted?

The mystery man takes you to an undisclosed location. You have no idea where you are or what is going on. Eventually, you meet Titus and he tells you that you are the only one that can save his magic land. He also warns you about Panoptes, the man who will try and prevent you from accomplishing your mission.

Panoptes, your arch nemesis, is sneaky and can’t be trusted. You discover that Panoptes has stolen Azada’s essential elements from the people and it’s up to you to recover them. Travel through the different realms and free the Mages of Air, Water, and Earth in this latest installment of Azada.

You will have a Pet to help you throughout your journey. Collect critter coins along the way to purchase items for your pet. You will have the ability to customize your pet in a variety of ways.

The game has an interactive map that allows you to travel directly to a location. The map also marks areas of interests, undiscovered locations, and incomplete locations.

Unlike the other Azadas, this one has a few hidden-object puzzle scenes (HOPS). It also contains lots of unique puzzles to choose from. There is something for everyone in this game.

Are you the one that can save all the Mages in the land? If you’re up to the challenge, be sure to stay tuned to Big Fish for the release of Azada: Elementa Collector’s Edition! Coming Soon!

Margie B is the Strategy Guide Editor for Big Fish Games, working on the East Coast. She has been creating guides for the past 7 years and has several hundred guides under her belt. In her spare time she enjoys playing games on her iPad, going to the movies, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

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Dreamscapes the Sandman

All Games : Hidden Object Games : Dreamscapes the Sandman

Young Laura was well protected from nightmares once her father gave her the Dreamcatcher. But after his sudden death the Dreamcatcher disappeared and Laura slipped into an endless nightmare. No one could wake her up. But you can try to save Laura!

With the help of Professor Sanders and his machine take a dangerous journey to Laura's ghastly dreams, dispel her awes, fight her fears, solve numerous riddles of Laura's subconscious and find clues to her redemption. Collect all the pieces of the lost Dreamcatcher and help the girl return to the real world with this breathtaking point-and-click adventure game!

Play Now - Free Download
Play the deluxe download of Dreamscapes the Sandman with enhanced game play. Play the free trial offline when you want..
PC/Windows  
Free Download

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Get Dreamscapes the Sandman Full Version
Get the full version now. Why not? You'll enjoy the following...
Full deluxe version with unlimited play and all levels.
Get your full version fast, own it forever.
Family safe, many hours of great fun.
Risk free 60 day money-back guarantee.
Safe & secure ordering by credit card, PayPal, and more.
Optional CD order, packed with bonus free trials.

Get Full Version

As Low As $7.95 with Club Arcadetown! more info
Unlimited Play With All Levels
100% Safe Ordering / No Adware or Spyware
Not In Stores

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7 Gates

All Games : Puzzle Games : 7 Gates

A long time ago, the Dacians asked their gods to hide their treasures. Now, you have been chosen to find the treasures and return them to your people in 7 Gates: The Path to Zamolxes! Pass through different temples and return home in this amazing Match 3 game.

Embrace your destiny as the chosen one as you progress through tons of levels and find the incredible treasure in 7 Gates: The Path to Zamolxes!

Play Now - Free Download
Play the deluxe download of 7 Gates with enhanced game play. Play the free trial offline when you want..
PC/Windows  
Free Download

Play Now
100% Safe / No Adware or Spyware!

Get 7 Gates Full Version
Get the full version now. Why not? You'll enjoy the following...
Full deluxe version with unlimited play and all levels.
Get your full version fast, own it forever.
Family safe, many hours of great fun.
Risk free 60 day money-back guarantee.
Safe & secure ordering by credit card, PayPal, and more.
Optional CD order, packed with bonus free trials.

Get Full Version

As Low As $7.95 with Club Arcadetown! more info
Unlimited Play With All Levels
100% Safe Ordering / No Adware or Spyware
Not In Stores

User Comments for 7 Gates

Be the first to put your comment here. Your opinion counts, let the world know.Add Your Comment - Put Your Comment HerePeople who like this game also like...

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Best games iPhone - February 2013

Do you have a good Valentine? February is most commonly known as a month of love, but 2013 is also a torrid month for mobile gaming. New titles that reinvigorating the ancient franchises and games that will take you to a galaxy far, far, it can be difficult to decide what are the titles for and which pass. Here is a list of the top iPhone games February 5, 2013 to help out you!

This little gem of Disney Mobile Studios snuck in at the last minute, as he was released on 28 February. As this trailer highlights clearly, the game offers a nice way to head in March with some family fun, with characters like as Buzz Lightyear and Woody.

Toy Story Smash It! will also satisfy your appetite for destruction, as it allows players to demolish structures with an inflatable balloon and destroy those pesky aliens. The cartoon graphics are elegant and sensitive (it is a game of Toy Story, after all!), and it's hard to get tired of all those who "SMASH", "BOOM" and "OW" sounds. The game has also received a favourable mention of criticism of the industry, which is welcomed to provide an accessible to players of news experience and advanced.

"While can be brief and easy for experienced, to a perfect score players provides enough challenge and shows how clever puzzles are really," wrote contributor life Mac Steve Watts.

It's hard to beat a classic, but what you get when you combine an arcade iconic game with one of the most recognized franchises in films in history? You get flipper Star Wars, of course! Released on 26 February by Zen Studios, flipper Star Wars is available on iOS, but also PC.

Three unique Pinball tables are available, with several expected to release in the future. Destructoid has noted that the game seemed at first, but has become surprisingly complex throughout the game. In addition to the flipper series, the title features a mini-game which puts players in control of Luke Skywalker and subjective mode. We have heard assistants Pinball, but how about Pinball Jedi?

Market of the year is difficult to describe. It is a Puzzle game at its core, but includes elements of mystery, adventure and hidden object. Posted on February 21 Simogo Handelsbolag, year of market lies in the forests of the 19th-century Sweden. Modojo review praised the game places emphasis on exploration and put the player clues.

This, combined with the surreal imagery and challenging puzzles, actually a gaming experience that you won't soon forget. It is estimated to be 12 and older mild violence, so it may not be the game of choice for the squeamish, but it is a strong title for those who thirst for exploration.

"So the market year is much more than a single mystery, wrapped in an Enigma unique and mysterious," writes Modojo contributor John Bedford. "It is an experience intimately mixed puzzles and exploration, with clues apparently forgotten his return to the surface later. ''

What would a list of games February Untitled on love? Be together is all about the connection of the lovebirds (or in this case, loveblobs). This cute title aims to bring its main-loving characters. Just as it does in real life, find love in Be Together takes a lot of work!

Players must use a wide range of objects and tools to assist Maya and Ruby make in the other arm unharmed. There are a total of three worlds, each with a unique theme and 20 levels, giving players a combined total of 60 levels to play through. An article by Modojo he criticized for its lack of originality, but noted that the physics Puzzle game lovers are likely to 'being in love '.

Platform games is a mixture of pleasure and frustration, depending on how your video game jumping skills. 2 Cordy goes back to the classics and an Apple' do Apps review suggests perhaps debut as 'high end' iPhone gender. Posted by SilverTree on 7 February, the game features four levels for free. While you don't have to pay for access to the entire portfolio of 48 stages, it can be good investment with diverging paths and hidden objects to find.

Each level has a three star rating system, so gamers looking for an extra challenge can pull of perfection. 18 Bonus levels are also available for those who want to test their platform skills.

"There's always a new challenge that you're running, jumping, flying, rock, smashing or moving from top to bottom, and you never know what will come," wrote Apple' not contributor Apps Trevor Sheridan.

Conor is a Marketing Manager with Big Fish, working out of the Seattle Office. In his free time, he enjoys watching documentaries, science and adventure game from the old school games. Get in touch with him on Twitter! or Google +.

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