gaming – Raidah Shah Idil, MG Author

Mass Effect

March 15, 2013March 15, 2013 Raidah Shah Idil

For the gamers out there, you know what I’m talking about.

I’ve always been fond of the RPG genre (Role-Playing Games). Many years ago, I recall my brothers playing Mass Effect. It was a futuristic combat game and it looked vaguely interesting…but I had The Sims to pass the time, and that kept me occupied.
Times have changed. I’m happy to report that there really is more to life than The Sims (and their neverending expansion packs) so a few months ago, I ventured down to EB Games and bought a pre-owned copy of Mass Effect 1. The rest is history.

Before I go into that, I also bought Fable 3 and I played that first. As fun as that was, my youngest sister, whom I lent Mass Effect 1 to, was convinced that Mass Effect 1 was a much, much better game. I was skeptical, but by the time she had finished with Mass Effect 1 and I could start playing it….boy. She was right.

I have to write an article about Mass Effect. Seriously. In the peak of my gaming experience, my non-gamer husband said that “Mass Effect has had a massive effect on you!” Ha. Good one. I’ve finished the entire Mass Effect trilogy, and have downloaded two DLCs (Stolen Memory and Citadel). Bioware has done such an amazing job with Mass Effect. They’ve created an entire universe and made characters that countless fans have grown to love (and hate). I don’t know what gaming experience will top this one. I’m actually taking my time before I play the Citadel, because that’s the final DLC for the entire trilogy….and from what I’ve read, a fantastic send-off for Commander Shepard and her team.

Check out some great Kotaku articles on the Citadel DLC:

Mass Effect 3: The Kotaku Review

Reader Review – Mass Effect 3: Citadel

For the non-tech savvy types like myself, this article will help you figure out how to actually PLAY the Citadel DLC!

How To Start Mass Effect 3’s Citadel DLC

Counselling, freelance, Gaming, Life

Assessment time!

February 7, 2013 Raidah Shah Idil

As I write this, I’m finishing up two workbooks due tomorrow and preparing to review my notes for an all-day prac on Friday. I also completed a proof-reading project earlier in the week. Suffice to say, this week has been stressful.

In the midst of my writing and editing work, I’m completing a diploma of counselling via correspondence. I’ve discovered the importance of having a timetable – and sticking to it. One of the challenges of a freelance writer/editor/student who works and studies from home is, well, staying at home. It’s so cosy, with so many distractions…like my Xbox 360. Ha. I’ve recently discovered the epic Mass Effect trilogy, and I’m really glad that I’m waiting for the arrival of my Mass Effect 3 game from eBay :p It helps to space things out a bit. Once I’m done with this trilogy, I’m aiming to write another gaming article.

In the spirit of not caving into study stress and indulging in Indo Mi, my vice, I’ve whipped out my exercise mat. Each time I feel stress levels or sleepiness rising, I do a few push-ups, squats, crunches, and I’m a lot more awake by the time I’m done. Try it out! Sitting for hours is really bad for your posture anyway.

Check out this article by Huffington Post: Food And Stress: 7 Healthy Picks That Can Help You Relax.

Gaming, Life, Opinion

My First Gamer Article, Front-Page Featured on Bitmob!

December 2, 2012 Raidah Shah Idil

skyrim-title-02

Great news! I wrote my first gamer article on Bitmob, and it got featured on the front page!

I’m so thrilled! Thank you, Layton Shumway, for featuring my article 🙂 That gives me a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling that hey, I do belong somewhere in the gaming world. And, of course, it gives me a great incentive to keep gaming and writing about it lol. What XBox/Playstation/Wii games are you playing right now?

freelance, Life

Being a video game journalist

November 30, 2012November 30, 2012 Raidah Shah Idil

While I was searching for more writing/editing projects on elance.com, a thought occurred to me – what’s it like being a video game journalist? Imagine being paid to play and write about video games! Inspired by the thought, I did a quick google search and came across this handy article – How To Become A Video Game Journalist.

The article makes the good point that to be a video game journalist, you still have to be a good writer. This gives me hope. I’m writing almost every day, whether it be opinion pieces, fiction, or my blog, and I’m a firm believer in Malcolm Gladwell’s ten thousand hour rule. To achieve mastery in anything, you you to put in ten thousand hours of practice.

From what I’ve read, Bitmob sounds like a great place to start writing about video games. They have this great series: The Skyrim Collection. I’ve only just gotten back into playing Skyrim after almost a year away, so I’m planning to write and pitch a Skyrim article to the Bitmob crew. Stay tuned!

A bit about my gaming: I use the XBox 360, and am currently playing Skyrim, the latest in the Elder Scroll series. In my previous games, I had bought a house in Whiterun, at least two horses (my previous one leapt to its death over some jagged cliff – this made me sad), I was the Harbinger of the Companions (oh, and also a werewolf). What’s not to love?

Fun fact: The peak of my Skyrim experience happened in the lead-up to my wedding, early this year. There’s nothing like taking down fire-breathing dragons when it comes to reducing wedding planning stress.

Another fun fact: My husband isn’t a gamer. But I’m sure he’ll be more partial to my video games once I start getting paid to write about it. lol.