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The Social Construction of Sexual Orientation
Is sexual orientation rooted in biology or socialization? Is it fixed or fluid? Nature or nurture? When we answer these questions, we are engaging in the social construction of sexual orientation.
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The Myth of the Gender Pay Gap Myth: Gender Roles, Stereotypes, and Sexism
Is the gender pay gap a product of sexism or the different choices that men and women make when it comes to work? The unfortunate answer is that the problem may be deeper than either of those factors.
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Modeling Sexual Identities: Intersex, Transgender & the Gender Binary
What does it mean to be intersex or transgender? What is the gender binary? This short guide to some core LGBT terms and concepts will help you understand why the way we frame the problem matters.
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Do We Need More Playable Female Characters in Video Games?
Is there enough female representation in video games? These are the results of my study of gender bias in over 400 video games.
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Grouvee - A Goodreads for Video Games
Grouvee is a new social networking site for gamers. Record your catalog, rate and review your favorites, and make connections with other players.
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How to Make a Custom Hireling in "Skyrim"
Creating custom followers for "Skyrim" isn't hard, but they lack some of the polish of the original characters. In this tutorial, I'll show you how to take an 'easy' follower and turn them into a full-fledged hireling. (This tutorial does not cover the creation of custom dialogue.)
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How to Create a Custom Follower and Marriage Partner for "Skyrim"
Bored of the vanilla followers in "Skyrim"? Can't find the perfect marriage partner? If you own a PC copy of the game, you can create a companion of your very own. Although there are a lot of steps, it's not complicated to do, and this tutorial will guide you, even if you're a Creation Kit noob.
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Making a "Skyrim" Character That Looks Like In-Game Characters
Have you ever wanted a "Skyrim" character that looks like Aela or Ulfric? With the Creation Kit, you can make a new character look like any character in the game by following a few easy steps. This tutorial is noob-friendly, so if you have no idea what you're doing, don't be shy.
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Free Games Like "Plants vs. Zombies"
If you're a fan of "Plants vs. Zombies," or have always been curious about it, you may be happy to know that there are several similar games you can play for free from your browser.
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Invested: How Good Game Mechanics Hook Players
Why do people like some games but not others? If good graphics don't make up for bad gameplay, why do developers keep making these kinds of games? I explore these and other questions by revealing the intimate relationship between player investment and satisfying gameplay.
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Roger Ebert: Video Games Can Never Be Art, Just Because
Roger Ebert infamously predicted that video games could never be art. Is there some truth to his argument?
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A Line Drawn in Blood: Survival Horror vs. Action Horror
Has survival horror been swallowed up by big publishers and action-heavy game mechanics or is it on the brink of a new era? In this hub I discuss a couple of key points that distinguish survival horror from action horror and explain why and how some developers have failed to grasp the fundamentals...
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Diablo - A Retrospective Review
With Diablo 3 just around the corner, I decided to go back and revisit the game that started it all. In this retrospective review, I take a detailed look at what makes the original game so great, and where it might fall short for modern gamers.
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"Titan Quest": Best of the "Diablo" Clones?
If you're looking for a good hack and slash RPG that is similar to the "Diablo" series, "Titan Quest" is a safe bet.
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Art and Integrity: The Mass Effect 3 Controversy
Do fans have a right to demand new endings for Mass Effect 3? Does BioWare have a right to ignore those demands in the interest of preserving artistic integrity? I don't think it's a cut-and-dried issue, and I think there's a lot to be learned from it.
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Is "Skyrim" a Role-Playing Game?
For some reason, people are very divided about Skyrim's classification as an RPG. In this article, I explore some of the reasons why Skyrim both is and is not a traditional role-playing game.
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Open-World, Free-Roaming, and Sandbox Video Games
In my opinion, many of the best games that have ever been made have been open-world, free-roaming sandbox games. In this article, I discuss the difference between linear and non-linear gameplay elements and provide a short list of my favorite open-world game franchises.
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Digital Dolls: Our Obsession With Making Hot Characters
Anybody who spends a lot of time in video game forums that discuss customizing your character's appearance knows just how seriously some players take it. In this article, I explore some of the impulses behind this fixation and some of the implications of character customizability.
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How to Build Interesting Characters in "Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim"
"Skyrim" grants players the freedom to create any type of character that they can think of. For some, this can be too much of a good thing. How do you create a compelling character that you can role-play with for hundreds of hours without getting bored? Read on to find out.
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Where Did the Challenge Go? The Problem with "Skyrim"
One of the biggest complaints that players have about "Skyrim" is how easy it is. In this article, I talk about "Skyrim's" difficulty settings and a simple way that they could fix them.
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A Little Evil Goes a Long Way: Why So Many Children in Horror Movies Are Evil
Evil children are a staple of horror films. What is it about children in horror that does such a good job of creeping us out, and why do people have such strong reactions to these characters?
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"Skyrim": Simple Fixes They Should Have Made
Here's my list of simple fixes that could have gone a long way toward improving most players' experience of "Skyrim". These are all easy fixes that don't make any radical changes to the way the game plays but that help to shore up the weak spots and make the game feel more polished and professional.
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Creating Skyrim Mods with the Creation Kit
The Creation Kit is finally here! If you're a Skyrim fan and a PC gamer, you no doubt already know about this amazing tool. Now you can finally get your hands on it (for free!) and start creating mods for one of the biggest games of 2011-2. Create new towns, dungeons, and quests or customize the...
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The Rules of Immersion: Why RPG Gamers Fight All the Time
Anyone who's spent any time in a forum for RPGs know that defining what is a role-playing game is kind of an irresistible temptation. Conflicting definitions lead to division instead of cooperation. In this article, I take a look at why players play RPGs and what they hope to get out of them.
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10 Things That Make a Great RPG
How do you define role-playing video games? What exactly are 'RPG elements'? Having spent a lot of time playing these games, I've decided to analyze the genre's most essential ingredients.
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Warrior, Wizard, Thief: Class, Balance and Archetypes in Computer RPGs
Think it's easy to balance a computer role-playing game? Think again. This article explores some of the issues that face designers of RPGs when trying to balance different class and skill combinations. This is for serious gamers. Not light reading!
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How to Change the Field of View (FOV) in "Skyrim"
Getting headaches or motion sickness when playing "Skyrim"? Try changing the field of view. Here's how to adjust the FOV and increase your enjoyment.
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How to Download and Create Saved Games for Skyrim
One of the great things about PC gaming is the ease and convenience of sharing saved games. If swapping game saves seems like an odd idea to you, think again. Save game sharing provides many interesting advantages and can be a great introduction to the wider world of modding.
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How to Create Beautiful Characters in "Skyrim"
This tutorial will show you how to create better-looking characters in "Skyrim" by combining theory, observational skills and lots of practice.
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10 Tips for Better Role-Playing in "Skyrim"
"Skyrim" is made for role-players and gives you plenty of ways to lose yourself in another time and place. These 10 tips can make your RP experience even richer!
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A Tale of Two Exploits: Skill Perks and Character Leveling in "Skyrim"
One of the hottest topics in the "Skyrim" forums these days is whether or not certain skills are too under or overpowered. This article takes a look at some of the complex factors that go into designing these game mechanics and whether and how they might be fixed.
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The Well-Appointed Bandit: The Case for Level Scaling in "The Elder Scrolls"
Level scaling has been a hotbed of dissent in the Elder Scrolls community for years and reached its peak with the introduction of outrageously well-armed and armored bandits in "Oblivion." Here, we look at the lowly bandit and show how, from humble origins, a great game mechanic was born.
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Is There a Right Way to Play "Skyrim"?
In spite of the game's enormous popularity, there is a veritable tempest in a teapot over at the Bethesda forums about how to play "Skyrim". Is it a 'true' role-playing game? Is it 'broken' or 'completely unbalanced'? Here's my take on the subject.
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Fast Travel and Narrative Elision in Skyrim
Love it or hate it, fast travel is a bone of contention among RPG gamers. This article takes a closer look at the misunderstood mechanic to see where it goes wrong and how it could be fixed.
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How to Remove the Compass and Crosshair in "Skyrim"
"Skyrim" is a fantastic game, but if you're a hardcore role-player, you may find even "Skyrim"'s minimal HUD interface a little distracting. (Or helpful!) In this tutorial, I'll show you how to disable the crosshair and compass.
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How to Turn Off Quest Markers and Fast Travel in "Skyrim"
Do you find the quest markers in "Skyrim" a little distracting? Is fast travel a little too convenient and a little too tempting? Do they make completing the quests a little too easy? You can turn off quest markers, floating quest markers, and diable fast travel by following these simple steps.
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How to Change Your Appearance and Name in "Skyrim"
Learn how to change your "Skyrim" character's name and appearance later in the game by using the console.
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How to Take Screenshots in "Skyrim"
This guide will show you how to take a screenshot with or without the HUD and how to take them using the Steam screenshot manager. You can use the images as wallpapers as well.
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How to Change the Timescale in "Skyrim"
Does time in "Skyrim" move too quickly or too slowly for you? Find out how to change the game setting that controls this so you can play at your own pace.
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How to Translate, Rotate, and Scale 3D Objects in Blender
Have you always wanted to create your own 3D models? Would you like to create beautiful CG art and stunning 3D animations? Do you need to create assets for your game and can't afford 3D Studio Max or Maya? This tutorial will get your foot in the door with Blender, a fabulous, free 3D modeling and...
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Modding Video Games
Ever wanted to change something in a game you were playing? Ever wished you could change the way your character looks or make enemies harder to kill? Then what you want is a mod. This hub explains the wacky and wonderful world of modding. Your game just got better.
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Blender Free Open Source 3D Modeling and Animation Software
Blender is a free, open source 3D modeling and animation suite that comes with a built-in game engine. Although it is not as widely known or supported as 3D Studio Max and Maya, it has a large and enthusiastic following. Blender has been used to create short animated films that rival the production...
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The Lefkoe Method
Is the Lefkoe Method for eliminating limiting beliefs and behaviors too good to be true? I tried the sample, and it made me curious for more; but what are other people saying? Try it yourself and let us know what you think.