The Dragon and Chips series

Computer Gaming - Driving, flying and shooting things


For some reason, computer gaming is regarded as a 'lesser pursuit'. You know the deal - books are good for you, telly is bad. Films are okay, unless they're science fiction. Personally, I'd rather my kids were exploring Morrowind than watching episodes of Home and Away or worse, Big Brother.

Did you know that consumers spend more money on computer gaming each year than on movies, DVDs and video rentals combined? And that spending on gaming is about to overtake the global spend on music? At time of writing, the computer games industry is worth about US$30 billion dollars annually.

Stuff the financials - the truth is that gaming is a blast. My favourites are flight simulators, driving simulators (Rally & Formula One) and FPS (first person shooters) - preferably combined with role-playing elements. Games like Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City are immoral and violent (steal cars, boats and motorcycles, engage in hair-raising pursuits and commit all kinds of criminal acts while listening to retro 80's music or witty talkback radio knock-offs.) In case you never progressed past Pacman, here's a sample screenshot or two to whet your appetite.



GP Legends
Leaving the Watkins Glen pits in an Eagle F1 car of 1967

Morrowind - one of the most engrossing games of recent times
Looking upriver towards the city of Balmora (Elder Scrolls III - Morrowind)

Morrowind - one of the most engrossing games of recent times
Outside Balmora, steel sword drawn and ready (Elder Scrolls III - Morrowind)

Morrowind - one of the most engrossing games of recent times
Part of Balmora, viewed from the eastern watchtower (Elder Scrolls III - Morrowind)

Oblivion - Even more engrossing than Morrowind
Hal Spacejock the Wise (Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion)

Oblivion - Even more engrossing than Morrowind
Hal Spacejock with his rusty sidekick (Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion)

Oblivion - Even more engrossing than Morrowind
Town Square at sunset (Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion)

Oblivion - Even more engrossing than Morrowind
Archery practice (Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion)

Oblivion - Even more engrossing than Morrowind
Not bad - a tight group (Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion)

Oblivion - Even more engrossing than Morrowind
Deer me (Elder Scrolls IV - Oblivion)

Half Life 2 - A science fiction movie or a game?
The canals - Half Life II

Half Life 2 - A science fiction movie or a game?
The canals - Half Life II

Half Life 2 - A science fiction movie or a game?
The canals - Half Life II

Half Life 2 - A science fiction movie or a game?
Dune buggy Mad Max III style - Half Life II

Half Life 2 - A science fiction movie or a game?
Drive & fire at the same time - Half Life II

Half Life 2 - A science fiction movie or a game?
An ambush and a puzzle - Half Life II

Half Life 2 - A science fiction movie or a game?
Roadblock - Half Life II

Half Life 2 - A science fiction movie or a game?
Shooting at truck tyres - Half Life II

B17 II
Limping home in a damaged B17 (B17 - the mighty Eighth)

Battlefield 1942
Manning a machine gun in an allied bunker (Battlefield 1942)

Battlefield 1942
Firing heavy artillery (Battlefield 1942)

Battlefield 1942
Firing AT heavy artillery (Battlefield 1942)

F1 Racing Challenge
Burning around Melbourne in a Jaguar F1 car (F1 Racing Challenge '99-'01)

Chums plotting rebellion in Freelancer
Hatching a devious plot. (Freelancer)

Aboard the Orient Express
A russian exile's daughter in The Last Express.

Vice City
Window, meet stolen car (GTA Vice City)

Vice City
Leaping tall buildings on a Harley Davidson (GTA Vice City)

Need for Speed Underground II
Burnouts in an Audi TT (Need For Speed Underground II)