Monster Gaming

By Ben Sawyer

OK so I'm not really a gamer. I live for spades and backgammon on the net, and I still play the three sample holes I got with an msn disk a few years back, I broke my joystick on a training copy of Fighter Ace but that's about it. But one night, a few weeks back Digital Mill in Portland hosted the November NetPM and I walked away with a copy of Ben Sawyer's "Monster Gaming."

He had talked about how gaming can be very useful for training people for real life situations, much in the same way a simulator can. I had hoped Monster Gaming would be a book along those lines. It's not.

And yet it is. Monster Gaming is an extraordinary primer on Gaming with robust tidbits on everything from the gaming hacks to how to build or buy a really tasty computer to how to host a stylin event. When it doesn't explain, it gives ample references really good websites.

It turns out that to be a really good gamer you have to have a clue about how to use your computer. Monster Gaming will give even a novice computer user a clue on how to better use their box. And if a person is already well on the way to Monster Gamer status then this book is an outstanding resource.

My only regret is that this book is not published on the web or at least came with an electronic copy on CD with links included in the text. With it's plethora of urls and other resources it would seem ready made for it.

The ratings

I rate the book a 4.3. It's very readable. Mr. Sawyer has a writing style that brings the reader into his office for a good chat about gaming. He obviously knows and loves his subject. And as I said it's a marvelous resource. Every time I opened the book I found out something that I wanted to know.

went down to the old port this evening hit brian boru. there was a band there the bump or some such thing. If you get the chance go see them while they are still playing bars.

OK so I'm listening to the jam bands section on Netscape radio. I love the sub title, leftover dead tuna phish and moe panic.

Ya just gotta love it.

Finally ready to write the review for monster gaming. Look for it in the next couple of days. Short answer is I liked it.

December's netpm was tonight. Always good to see people there. Blue Tarp hosted it. Good try tasty salsa but golly folks that's my dinner and chips and dip doesn't do it. Still it's tough to beat food beverage and people with a clue. Give it a 3.9.

Trying to figure out who I like in the democratic race. Like Dean, but I keep thinking about what Gary Hart said when endorsing Kerry about subscribing to the quaint notion that the nominee should be qualified for the job. Course people said Clinton was just a small governor from a small state and with a few bumps he did OK. The state convention is in Portland and the National is in Boston. I'd like to play.