video games
How do you control your computer gaming time?
2:33PM Sarah Stokely | The hype around the release of the new GTA game got me thinking about how to maintain your work/life/gaming balance in the face of a shiny new game. :)My tips are:
link your gaming time to a productivity goal (ie as a reward for completing a task)
if you fear you’re not getting enough exercise, make your gaming and exercise time a 1:1 ratio – ie exercise for an hour to earn an hour of gaming time
particularly if you play group-oriented games like World of Warcraft, reduce your time commitment – ie if your guild expects you to raid 3-5 times a week, but you decide you don’t want to commit that much time to the game, you need to tell your guild you can’t commit to that much time in-game anymore. You may need to drop down to casual status in your guild, or even leave your guild to achieve this.
break the habit. Just as you can mindlessly waste time online by switching the computer on whenever you have some spare time, gaming can become a major time suck if you log in automatically first thing in the morning, or as soon as you get home in the evening. Break that habit, and you’ll probably end up playing less (and enjoying it more when you do).
Got any other tips for keeping your game time under control? Share in comments please. More » 
Make Skype Calls from Your PSP
6:00AM Adam Pash | If you liked the idea of making VoIP calls on your iPod touch or iPhone, but all you’ve got in your go-bag is a Sony PSP, DIY web site Instructables steps through how to run the popular VoIP application Skype on your PSP. This PSP hack feature isn’t new by any means, but the Instructable is detailed and easy to follow along with. We don’t have a PSP to test this at Lifehacker HQ, so if you’ve setup Skype calling on your PSP, share your experience in the comments. How to use Skype to make PSP as PSP phone [Instructables] More »
Turn Your Rock Band Drums into a Real Synth Set
2:00PM Adam Pash | Windows only: You’ve already honed your Rock Band chops, so now it’s time to use video game Rock Band’s drum set as a real synth set that you can play connected to your PC with freeware application Drum Machine. As you can see from the video, the application works allows all the freestyling you always wished you could do in Rock Band, record your playing, or change the kit’s sounds. It required a little effort getting it all set up—Windows automatically recognised and installed the necessary drivers when I plugged it in, but I was missing a DLL file that prevented the app from running off the bat. But I found the DLL here, copied it to my C:\Windows\system directory, and the app ran without a hitch. Drum Machine is freeware, Windows only. It’s performance will likely depend on the speed of your computer. Drum Machine [AndrewRudson] More »
Silence Your Xbox 360 with a New Fan
3:05AM Adam Pash | Whether you’re using it for video games or as part of a media center powerhouse, all of our Xbox 360s have one thing in common: They’re loud. Hardware site ExtremeTech walks through how to replace the stock fan unit (which screams like a 747) with a whisper quiet, $25 alternative. This is one of those warranty-voiders, so you’ll have to decide whether or not a little peace and quiet is worth it. Hacking Your Xbox 360 Fan [ExtremeTech via Lifehacker AU] More »
Hone Your Rock Band Chops
9:00AM Adam Pash | Wired rounds up series of tips from Harminox, the creators of Rock Band, covering how to up your skills as a Rock Band (and regular) drummer. If you’ve played the game much, you know there’s a big jump between medium and hard settings, but Wired’s various tips for the kick pedal and sticks should help you make that jump. If you consider yourself a Rock Band master, let’s hear your best tips in the comments. Harmonix’s Top Tips For Drummers [Wired] More »
Test If Your System’s Got What It Takes to Run a Game
9:55AM Adam Pash | Web site Can You Run It determines whether or not your PC can run any of a number of popular video games by checking your computer’s specs against the minimum and recommended requirements of said games. Just browse to the homepage, pick the game you want to check, and click the Can You Run It button. The site will require you to install a Java applet to run the test (presumably so it can determine your hardware configuration) and then quickly returns the results. If you fail a test, Can You Run It offers hardware recommendations for upgrading your system so it can handle those games. Can You Run It [via Lifehacker AU] More »
