Tokugawa essays

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Blood Promise Chapter Twenty

The days after that resembled a fantasy. Truth be told, I sincerely can't state how long even passed. Perhaps it was one. Perhaps it was a hundred. I forgot about day and night as well. My time was separated into Dimitri or not-Dimitri. He was my reality. At the point when he wasn't there, the minutes were anguish. I'd pass them as well as can be expected, yet they appeared to delay for eternity. The TV was my closest companion during those occasions. I'd lie on the lounge chair for a considerable length of time, just half after what was happening. With regards to the remainder of the suite's extravagance, I approached satellite TV, which implied we were really pulling in some American programming. A fraction of the time, however, I didn't know that it truly had any kind of effect to me if the language was Russian or English. Inna proceeded with her intermittent keeps an eye on me. She brought my suppers and did my clothing I was wearing the dresses now-and stuck around in that quiet method of hers to check whether I required whatever else. I never did-in any event not from her. I just required Dimitri. Each time she left, some far off piece of me recollected that I should do something†¦ follow her, that was it. I'd had some intend to look at the exit and utilize her as an approach to get away, isn't that so? Presently, that arrangement not, at this point held the intrigue. It appeared to be a great deal of work. And afterward, at long last, Dimitri would visit, and the dullness would be broken. We'd lie together on my bed, enclosed by one another's arms. We never had intercourse, yet we'd kiss and contact and lose ourselves in the marvel of one another's bodies-at times with next to no attire. Sooner or later, I thought that it was difficult to trust I'd once been anxious about his new appearance. Of course, the eyes were somewhat stunning, however he was still gorgeous†¦ still unfathomably provocative. Furthermore, after we'd talked and made out for some time for a considerable length of time, here and there I'd let him nibble me. At that point I'd get that rush†¦ that superb, dazzling surge of synthetic concoctions that lifted me from every one of my issues. Whatever questions I'd had about God's presence evaporated in those minutes in light of the fact that without a doubt, doubtlessly I was contacting God when I lost myself in that nibble. This was paradise. â€Å"Let me see your neck,† he said one day. We were lying together of course. I was my ally, and he was cuddled facing my back, one arm hung around my abdomen. I turned over and brushed my hair away from where it had fallen over my neck and cleavage. The dress I wore today was a naval force bridle sundress, made of some light, tenacious material. â€Å"Already?† I inquired. He as a rule didn't chomp me until the finish of his visits. While part of me ached for that and held up in expectation to feel that high once more, I did sort of appreciate these minutes already. It was the point at which the endorphins in my framework were at their most reduced, so I had the option to deal with a type of discussion. We would discuss battles we'd been in or the existence he envisioned for us when I was Strigoi. Nothing excessively nostalgic except for decent in any case. I prepared myself for the nibble currently, angling up in expectation. Amazingly, he didn't lean down and dive into me. He ventured into his pocket and created an accessory. It was either white gold or platinum-I didn't have the expertise to tell which-and had three dim blue sapphires the size of quarters. He'd presented to me a ton of adornments this week, and I swore each piece was more lovely than the last. I gazed in surprise at its excellence, at the manner in which the blue stones sparkled in the light. He set the jewelry against my skin and affixed it behind my neck. Running his fingers along the jewelry's edges, he gave the thumbs up. â€Å"Beautiful.† His fingers floated to one of the dress' ties. He slid his hand underneath it, sending a rush through my skin. â€Å"It matches.† I grinned. In the days of yore, Dimitri had never gotten me endowments. He hadn't had the methods, and I hadn't needed them at any rate. Presently, I was constantly stunned by the presents he appeared to have at each visit. â€Å"Where'd you get it?† I inquired. The metal was cool against my flushed skin however not even close as cold as his fingers. He grinned cleverly. â€Å"I have my sources.† That berating voice in my mind that occasionally figured out how to infiltrate through the fog I lived in noticed that I was associated with a type of vampire criminal. Its admonitions were quickly crushed and sank down into my marvelous haze of presence. Ho w would I be able to be vexed when the jewelry was so delightful? Something out of nowhere struck me as amusing. â€Å"You're much the same as Abe.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"This fellow I met. Abe Mazur. He's a crowd boss†¦ he continued after me.† Dimitri solidified. â€Å"Abe Mazur was following you?† I didn't care for the dull look that had out of nowhere fallen over his highlights. â€Å"Yeah. So?† â€Å"Why? What did he need with you?† â€Å"I don't have the foggiest idea. He continued needing to know why I was in Russia however at last surrendered and simply needed me to leave. I think someone from home employed him to discover me.† â€Å"I don't need you close Abe Mazur. He's dangerous.† Dimitri was furious, and I abhorred that. After a second, that anger blurred, and he ran his fingers along my arm again, pushing the tie down further. â€Å"Of course, individuals like that won't be an issue when you awaken.† Some place, in the rear of my head, I thought about whether Dimitri had the appropriate responses I needed about Abe-about what Abe did. Yet, discussing Abe had made Dimitri vexed, and I winced at that, hurriedly needing to switch points. â€Å"What have you been doing today?† I asked, dazzled at my capacity to make typical casual chitchat. Between the endorphins and him contacting me, intelligence was troublesome. â€Å"Errands for Galina. Dinner.† Supper. A casualty. I scowled. The emotions that roused in me weren't of aversion so much as†¦ desire. â€Å"Do you drink from them†¦ for fun?† He ran his lips along my neck, teeth insulting my skin yet not gnawing. I wheezed and squeezed nearer to him. â€Å"No, Roza. They're food; there's nothing more to it. It's over rapidly. You're the just a single I take delight in.† I felt priggish fulfillment in that, and that irritating mental voice called attention to that that was a fantastically wiped out and turned view for me to have. I sort of trusted he would nibble me soon. That normally shut the levelheaded voice up. I came to up and contacted his face, at that point ran my hand through that magnificent, plush hair that I'd generally adored. â€Å"You continue needing to stir me†¦ yet we won't have the option to do this any longer. Strigoi don't drink from one another, do they?† â€Å"No,† he concurred. â€Å"But it'll be justified, despite all the trouble. We can accomplish such a great deal more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He left the â€Å"so much more† to my creative mind, and a wonderful shudder went through me. The kissing and blood taking were inebriating, yet there were a few days that I wanted, well†¦ more. The recollections of the one time we'd had intercourse frequented me when we were this near one another, and I regularly ached to do it once more. For reasons unknown, he never pushed for sex, regardless of how enthusiastic things became. I didn't know whether he was utilizing that as a bait for me to turn or if there was some inconsistency between a Strigoi and a dhampir. Could the living and the dead do that? Once, I would have considered the idea of sex with one of them completely terrible. Now†¦ I simply didn't consider the entanglements to such an extent. Be that as it may, despite the fact that he didn't endeavor sex, he would frequently insult me with his strokes, contacting my thighs and sternum and different perilous spots. Furthermore, he would help me to remember what it had been similar to that one time, how astounding it had been, the means by which our bodies had felt†¦ His discussion of such things was more insulting than loving, however. In my semi-clear minutes, I sincerely thought it was weird that I hadn't yet assented to turning out to be Strigoi. The endorphin mist caused me to consent to nearly everything else he needed. I'd fallen serenely into sprucing up for him, remaining in my plated jail, and tolerating that he took a casualty each couple days. However even in my most confused minutes, in any event, when I needed him so severely, I was unable to consent to turning. There was some inherent piece of me that would not move. More often than not, he would disregard my refusal, similar to it was a joke. In any case, occasionally when I declined, I'd see a sparkle of outrage in his eyes. Those minutes terrified me. â€Å"Here it comes,† I prodded. â€Å"The attempt to sell something. Everlasting life. Invulnerable. Nothing to remain in our way.† â€Å"It's not a joke,† he said. Oh no. My carelessness had taken that hardness back to him. The longing and affection that I'd quite recently observed presently broken into a million pieces and overwhelmed. The hands that had quite recently stroked me out of nowhere snatched my wrists and held me set up as he inclined down. â€Å"We can't remain like this eternity. You can't remain here forever.† Hold up, that voice said. Be cautious. That doesn't sound great. His grasp hurt, and I regularly thought about whether that was his purpose or in the event that he just couldn't support his viciousness. At the point when he at last discharged me, I folded my arm over his neck and attempted to kiss him. â€Å"Can't we talk about that later?† Our lips met, fire blooming among us and criticalness flowing through my body. I could tell he had a coordinating want, yet a couple of moments later, he split away. The cool disturbance was still all over. â€Å"Come on,† he stated, pulling endlessly from me. â€Å"Let's go.† He stood up, and I gazed moronically. â€Å"Where are we going?† â€Å"Outside.† I sat up on the bed, puzzled. â€Å"Out†¦ outside? But†¦ that is not permitted. We can't.† â€Å"We can do anything I want,† he snapped. He broadened his hand and helped me up. I tailed him to the entryway. He was as gifted as Inna at blocking me from the keypad, not that it made a difference now. There was no chance I would ever recollect that long of a grouping any longer. The entryway clicked open, and he drove me out. I gazed in wonder, my stunned mind stil

How Riot Games Started and Grew League of Legends

How Riot Games Started and Grew League of Legends © Shutterstock.com | Patrik SlezakWhile examining Riot Games and their popular game, League of Legends in this article, we will look at 1) Riot Games, 2) League of Legends and 3) how did League of Legends become so popular?RIOT GAMESAn American Video Game Publisher, Riot Games has been in business since 2006 with the head office based in Santa Monica, California. Other office locations around the world include St Louis, Sydney, Dublin, Berlin, Seoul, Istanbul, Sao Paulo, Moscow, and Taipei.The company has one game under its belt, the popular League of Legends. This online PC game was released in October 2007. The company manifesto is:Player Experience First;Challenge Convention;Focus on Talent and Team;Take Play Seriously;Stay Hungry, Stay Humble.HistoryThe company began as an indie game developer in Los Angeles. It was created by Marc Merrill and Brandon Beck, and the company’s first game was announced in October 2008. League of Legends was released a year later.The game is free- to-play and contains neither ads nor boxed copy sales. Instead, revenue is generated from microtransactions. The company was listed number 4 on the list of top 25 companies to work for by Business Insider in 2013. Employees were partly veterans of Defense of the Ancients, the founder of the website DotA-Allstars and some former Blizzard employees including a Lead Systems Designer for World or Warcraft.LEAGUE OF LEGENDSGame Types MapsGame ModesThe game features two modes of play. These are Classic and Dominion.The classic mode is a base defense in which the player tries to battle gradually his way towards the nexus of their opponent. The main objective for each map is the Nexus,  and to win the opponent’s nexus must be destroyed. This can be achieved with the help of minions who are expendable allied or enemy units. These units spawn automatically to charge into battle to attack the enemy in assigned lanes. To achieve this goal, the player has to get through turrets and inhibitors . Turrets or a tower is a heavy fortification that blocks minion waves from the enemy and also path to the nexus. This is one of the core components of the gameplay. Inhibitors are structures meant to block Super Minion training by enemies.The Dominion mode is a capture and hold game in which players battle over strategic area of the maps. When an area is captured, or an enemy killed, the opponent’s nexus is damaged.MapsIn League of Legends, the maps are called “Fields of Justice.” This is the arena in which champions of the game battle each other to achieve victory. The maps have a fixed number of lanes and put two teams with a fixed number of players against each other. The lanes connect the two teams and minions move through these lanes to engage enemies. Turrets line the lanes and engage enemies that are within range. Turrets are destroyed permanently and cannot respawn. Inhibitors are present at the end of each lane and respawn every 5 minutes. Maps also have jungle areas that have neutral monster camps. A champion can kill these monsters for gold  or to gain experience. Another area within the map is a brush that blocks line of sight to allow champions to hide and set up surprise attacks.These fields include:Classic Summoner’s Rift â€" This field has three lanes and supports 5 players on each side;The Twisted Treeline â€" This is a smaller map supporting 3 players on each side in 2 lanes.Dominion The Crystal Scar â€" This map supports 5 players per side and is a fast paced game of capture and hold.ARAM (All Random â€" All Middle)The Howling Abyss â€" This is a similar gameplay to classic mode with just one lane and no jungle.OthersMagma Chamber;Proving Grounds.ChampionsChampions are controlled by players with one player controlling one champion. At present, the game has 124 different champions. Each champion has a unique set of characteristics and certain attributes that describe their style of play such as mage, support or fighter. More than one attribute may be present in a particular champion and they can be played in a variety of ways. Champions are selected at the beginning of each battle, but choices are limited by the progress that has been made by that player in unlocking them. After a certain amount of experience is gained by the champion it goes up a level and there is an increase in the champion’s stats.SummonerThe summoner is a persistent element in the game and has the ability to summon champions into the battle arena. The summoner maintains a mental link with the summoned champion.Business modelThe game has a unique business model, and the company insists on keeping player experience above revenue generation. This has led to a collective spending of US$122 million in August 2014 alone by a player base of 67 million active users. This data is provided by SuperData. This philosophy has helped the company become one of the few to bring in US$1 billion in revenue in 2014.Some elements that factor into this model are discussed below in some detail.PlayersThe game has a free-to-play model and has other means of bringing in revenue. The game was generally well received at launch by both the audience and critics. Since then, it has continued to grow in popularity and by 2012, it became the most played PC game in terms of number of hours played inside Europe and North America. 67 million people play the game per month, 27 million per day and over 7.5 million do so concurrently at peak hours, according to figures from January 2014. About 90 percent of the players are male, with 85 percent in the 16-30 age range.Free-To-PlayPrior to the games release date, it was announced that it would be based on a free-to-play model with no hidden catches. The basic game can be downloaded digitally. A collector’s copy was also offered for $29.99. This included exclusive skins, $10 credit for Riot Points, access to 20 champions without needed to unlock them via gameplay and 4 special runes. The game does not feature any advertisements or boxed copy sales and instead relies on microtransactions and other modes of revenue generation. These are discussed in some detail below.1. The Game StoreOne way of purchasing extra material within the game is to use influence points that are collected during gameplay. This is the soft currency. Another method is to use Riot Points, the hard currency. These points can be purchased using actual money and can be used to buy items that can help make things more convenient and add extra customization options, as well as diverse experiences. Some of the items that can be purchased include champions, champion skins, and boosts. Riot Point cannot be used to affect  directly the gameplay.Points can be purchased in different amounts such as $10 for 1380 RPs or $50 for 7200 RPs. These can be purchased at places such as Best Buy, Walmart and Gamestop as well as online using credit/debit cards and PayPal.2. ChampionshipsLeague of Legends is played at a world champi onship event, the first of which was held in 2011 in Sweden. $100,000 in prizes were distributed to the winners with the first place earning $50,000. The event was streamed around the world with over 1.6 million viewers. Price money for the second season was announced to be US$5,000,000 with US$2,000,000 being paid out to partners such as IPL and other eSports associations, US$2,000,000 to qualifiers and champions and the last chunk to small organizers who apply to host the tournaments. The game is the most popular e-sports game in South Korea. The United States also recognizes the games pro-players as professional athletes and has a simplified visa process for them.Riot Games controls all aspects of the professional league even those details as minute as the music composed for live events. Several tournaments are held all over the world with commentators and highlight reels much like traditional sports events. Though the tournament does not generate revenue it serves to enhance the player base and keep already existing players loyal.HOW DID LEAGUE OF LEGENDS BECOME SO POPULAR?History of League of LegendsThe game began as League of Legends: Clash of Fates and is a multiplayer online battle arena or MOBA game. It was initially designed to be operated on the Microsoft Windows operating system. The game was announced in October 2008 and released a year later in October 2009. The game remained in beta testing phase from April 2009 till its release.Among the game developers were Steve “Guinsoo” Feak and Steve “Pendragon” Mescon who previously worked on several successful games like Warcraft III mod, Defense of the Ancients: Allstars and DotA. The game was inspired by the same mod. A few DotA community members recognized the potential in the mod to generate its one genre and hold its own as a professional game with enhanced features and options. The founders or Riot Games worked with the two Steves on the core development of the game.The championships began in 2010 and have been gaining success and traction every year since. The game continues to offer new options and champions despite being free to play.Reasons for League of Legend becoming so popularSome of the reasons behind this game’s immense popularity are:Easy to Master  A player can easily pick up on the story, the maps, and the champions. It has a user-friendly interface, and there are also very good tutorials available. A new player can easily log in and play an initial few games against low-level computer controlled opponents for experience. This allows them to get used to the landscape, the controls and the gameplay under a low-stress situation.Variety  The game offers over 90 champions and several maps to choose from. This prevents the less involved gamer from getting bored too easily and keeps people coming back for more. One champion can also be used in a multitude of ways depending on the team and the opponent.Championships  The game has an active esports league an d a yearly championship where a large amount of prize money can be won. Professional sports have been propelled into the spotlight with Riot Games’ focus on this area. This has led to a sustained increase in interest among those who play the game and a proper professional player status for league players.Free-to-Play  This model is a big draw for many people as there is no need to invest in a platform, pay for a download or a subscription. Ever power and champion can be obtained without spending any money if a player chooses. The only items that need to be paid for are cosmetic ones such as skins and themes. The most important items, champions, and runes can be obtained through both influence points riot points. Influence points can be collected through the gameplay.Player Experience  The company places a lot of importance on the player experience. This emphasis means a constant focus on new items and attempts to keep the game engaging. This has resulted in the game’s populari ty. This is a game best played with a team, and a happy gamer will bring in their friends, therefore increasing the number of players.Competitive and Strategic Nature  MOBA games allow for a lot of complex, strategic and dynamic gameplay. This is also the case for League of Legends and it is competitive right from the beginning. From team selection to the choice of masteries and runes, the entire game needs to be carefully planned and executed. With over a 100 champions and multiple ways to play each, there is an immense variety of choices when picking a team and playing the game itself.Frequent Updates  The game developers send out a new patch frequently with game updates. The aim is to even out and improve gameplay as well as to introduce new elements. From new champions to changes in visual landscapes and the nature of key features everything is updated and reworked as needed. These changes keep people interested as they need to adapt and change with the changes in the game.Qui ck Games  Another appeal of the game is that it is more limited in an individual session than other more sprawling and open-ended games. This means that a battle can be concluded in 20 to 35 minutes and the main battle ground, or map is the same simple, square shaped grid. There is no infinite journey or new worlds to explore. A player can choose to play one game, five or even 100 but it is easy to conclude each one.Social Appeal  Most video games see a player by himself taking out enemies. In a MOBA game, players have to band together to form a team to defeat the enemy. This allows for more socialization and a strategic effort towards a common goal.

How Riot Games Started and Grew League of Legends

How Riot Games Started and Grew League of Legends © Shutterstock.com | Patrik SlezakWhile examining Riot Games and their popular game, League of Legends in this article, we will look at 1) Riot Games, 2) League of Legends and 3) how did League of Legends become so popular?RIOT GAMESAn American Video Game Publisher, Riot Games has been in business since 2006 with the head office based in Santa Monica, California. Other office locations around the world include St Louis, Sydney, Dublin, Berlin, Seoul, Istanbul, Sao Paulo, Moscow, and Taipei.The company has one game under its belt, the popular League of Legends. This online PC game was released in October 2007. The company manifesto is:Player Experience First;Challenge Convention;Focus on Talent and Team;Take Play Seriously;Stay Hungry, Stay Humble.HistoryThe company began as an indie game developer in Los Angeles. It was created by Marc Merrill and Brandon Beck, and the company’s first game was announced in October 2008. League of Legends was released a year later.The game is free- to-play and contains neither ads nor boxed copy sales. Instead, revenue is generated from microtransactions. The company was listed number 4 on the list of top 25 companies to work for by Business Insider in 2013. Employees were partly veterans of Defense of the Ancients, the founder of the website DotA-Allstars and some former Blizzard employees including a Lead Systems Designer for World or Warcraft.LEAGUE OF LEGENDSGame Types MapsGame ModesThe game features two modes of play. These are Classic and Dominion.The classic mode is a base defense in which the player tries to battle gradually his way towards the nexus of their opponent. The main objective for each map is the Nexus,  and to win the opponent’s nexus must be destroyed. This can be achieved with the help of minions who are expendable allied or enemy units. These units spawn automatically to charge into battle to attack the enemy in assigned lanes. To achieve this goal, the player has to get through turrets and inhibitors . Turrets or a tower is a heavy fortification that blocks minion waves from the enemy and also path to the nexus. This is one of the core components of the gameplay. Inhibitors are structures meant to block Super Minion training by enemies.The Dominion mode is a capture and hold game in which players battle over strategic area of the maps. When an area is captured, or an enemy killed, the opponent’s nexus is damaged.MapsIn League of Legends, the maps are called “Fields of Justice.” This is the arena in which champions of the game battle each other to achieve victory. The maps have a fixed number of lanes and put two teams with a fixed number of players against each other. The lanes connect the two teams and minions move through these lanes to engage enemies. Turrets line the lanes and engage enemies that are within range. Turrets are destroyed permanently and cannot respawn. Inhibitors are present at the end of each lane and respawn every 5 minutes. Maps also have jungle areas that have neutral monster camps. A champion can kill these monsters for gold  or to gain experience. Another area within the map is a brush that blocks line of sight to allow champions to hide and set up surprise attacks.These fields include:Classic Summoner’s Rift â€" This field has three lanes and supports 5 players on each side;The Twisted Treeline â€" This is a smaller map supporting 3 players on each side in 2 lanes.Dominion The Crystal Scar â€" This map supports 5 players per side and is a fast paced game of capture and hold.ARAM (All Random â€" All Middle)The Howling Abyss â€" This is a similar gameplay to classic mode with just one lane and no jungle.OthersMagma Chamber;Proving Grounds.ChampionsChampions are controlled by players with one player controlling one champion. At present, the game has 124 different champions. Each champion has a unique set of characteristics and certain attributes that describe their style of play such as mage, support or fighter. More than one attribute may be present in a particular champion and they can be played in a variety of ways. Champions are selected at the beginning of each battle, but choices are limited by the progress that has been made by that player in unlocking them. After a certain amount of experience is gained by the champion it goes up a level and there is an increase in the champion’s stats.SummonerThe summoner is a persistent element in the game and has the ability to summon champions into the battle arena. The summoner maintains a mental link with the summoned champion.Business modelThe game has a unique business model, and the company insists on keeping player experience above revenue generation. This has led to a collective spending of US$122 million in August 2014 alone by a player base of 67 million active users. This data is provided by SuperData. This philosophy has helped the company become one of the few to bring in US$1 billion in revenue in 2014.Some elements that factor into this model are discussed below in some detail.PlayersThe game has a free-to-play model and has other means of bringing in revenue. The game was generally well received at launch by both the audience and critics. Since then, it has continued to grow in popularity and by 2012, it became the most played PC game in terms of number of hours played inside Europe and North America. 67 million people play the game per month, 27 million per day and over 7.5 million do so concurrently at peak hours, according to figures from January 2014. About 90 percent of the players are male, with 85 percent in the 16-30 age range.Free-To-PlayPrior to the games release date, it was announced that it would be based on a free-to-play model with no hidden catches. The basic game can be downloaded digitally. A collector’s copy was also offered for $29.99. This included exclusive skins, $10 credit for Riot Points, access to 20 champions without needed to unlock them via gameplay and 4 special runes. The game does not feature any advertisements or boxed copy sales and instead relies on microtransactions and other modes of revenue generation. These are discussed in some detail below.1. The Game StoreOne way of purchasing extra material within the game is to use influence points that are collected during gameplay. This is the soft currency. Another method is to use Riot Points, the hard currency. These points can be purchased using actual money and can be used to buy items that can help make things more convenient and add extra customization options, as well as diverse experiences. Some of the items that can be purchased include champions, champion skins, and boosts. Riot Point cannot be used to affect  directly the gameplay.Points can be purchased in different amounts such as $10 for 1380 RPs or $50 for 7200 RPs. These can be purchased at places such as Best Buy, Walmart and Gamestop as well as online using credit/debit cards and PayPal.2. ChampionshipsLeague of Legends is played at a world champi onship event, the first of which was held in 2011 in Sweden. $100,000 in prizes were distributed to the winners with the first place earning $50,000. The event was streamed around the world with over 1.6 million viewers. Price money for the second season was announced to be US$5,000,000 with US$2,000,000 being paid out to partners such as IPL and other eSports associations, US$2,000,000 to qualifiers and champions and the last chunk to small organizers who apply to host the tournaments. The game is the most popular e-sports game in South Korea. The United States also recognizes the games pro-players as professional athletes and has a simplified visa process for them.Riot Games controls all aspects of the professional league even those details as minute as the music composed for live events. Several tournaments are held all over the world with commentators and highlight reels much like traditional sports events. Though the tournament does not generate revenue it serves to enhance the player base and keep already existing players loyal.HOW DID LEAGUE OF LEGENDS BECOME SO POPULAR?History of League of LegendsThe game began as League of Legends: Clash of Fates and is a multiplayer online battle arena or MOBA game. It was initially designed to be operated on the Microsoft Windows operating system. The game was announced in October 2008 and released a year later in October 2009. The game remained in beta testing phase from April 2009 till its release.Among the game developers were Steve “Guinsoo” Feak and Steve “Pendragon” Mescon who previously worked on several successful games like Warcraft III mod, Defense of the Ancients: Allstars and DotA. The game was inspired by the same mod. A few DotA community members recognized the potential in the mod to generate its one genre and hold its own as a professional game with enhanced features and options. The founders or Riot Games worked with the two Steves on the core development of the game.The championships began in 2010 and have been gaining success and traction every year since. The game continues to offer new options and champions despite being free to play.Reasons for League of Legend becoming so popularSome of the reasons behind this game’s immense popularity are:Easy to Master  A player can easily pick up on the story, the maps, and the champions. It has a user-friendly interface, and there are also very good tutorials available. A new player can easily log in and play an initial few games against low-level computer controlled opponents for experience. This allows them to get used to the landscape, the controls and the gameplay under a low-stress situation.Variety  The game offers over 90 champions and several maps to choose from. This prevents the less involved gamer from getting bored too easily and keeps people coming back for more. One champion can also be used in a multitude of ways depending on the team and the opponent.Championships  The game has an active esports league an d a yearly championship where a large amount of prize money can be won. Professional sports have been propelled into the spotlight with Riot Games’ focus on this area. This has led to a sustained increase in interest among those who play the game and a proper professional player status for league players.Free-to-Play  This model is a big draw for many people as there is no need to invest in a platform, pay for a download or a subscription. Ever power and champion can be obtained without spending any money if a player chooses. The only items that need to be paid for are cosmetic ones such as skins and themes. The most important items, champions, and runes can be obtained through both influence points riot points. Influence points can be collected through the gameplay.Player Experience  The company places a lot of importance on the player experience. This emphasis means a constant focus on new items and attempts to keep the game engaging. This has resulted in the game’s populari ty. This is a game best played with a team, and a happy gamer will bring in their friends, therefore increasing the number of players.Competitive and Strategic Nature  MOBA games allow for a lot of complex, strategic and dynamic gameplay. This is also the case for League of Legends and it is competitive right from the beginning. From team selection to the choice of masteries and runes, the entire game needs to be carefully planned and executed. With over a 100 champions and multiple ways to play each, there is an immense variety of choices when picking a team and playing the game itself.Frequent Updates  The game developers send out a new patch frequently with game updates. The aim is to even out and improve gameplay as well as to introduce new elements. From new champions to changes in visual landscapes and the nature of key features everything is updated and reworked as needed. These changes keep people interested as they need to adapt and change with the changes in the game.Qui ck Games  Another appeal of the game is that it is more limited in an individual session than other more sprawling and open-ended games. This means that a battle can be concluded in 20 to 35 minutes and the main battle ground, or map is the same simple, square shaped grid. There is no infinite journey or new worlds to explore. A player can choose to play one game, five or even 100 but it is easy to conclude each one.Social Appeal  Most video games see a player by himself taking out enemies. In a MOBA game, players have to band together to form a team to defeat the enemy. This allows for more socialization and a strategic effort towards a common goal.

Mind/Body Practices Ancient Traditions with Contemporary...

In October of 1991, the United States Congress passed a law dedicating $2 million to fund an office of the National Institute of Health dedicated to the investigation of nontraditional medical practices. Seven years later, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) became an official branch of the National Institutes of Health. Although alternative medicine has only recently gained official recognition in the United States, the mind/body practices that pervade NCCAM’s research have ancient roots. For example, the some forms of meditation, a technique originating in Eastern religions, can be traced back thousands of years. The American Yoga Association reports that yoga dates back more than 5,000 years! As of†¦show more content†¦Both forms of meditation can increase relaxation and awareness of the body and mind. Research proves that meditation can be clinically effective for various conditions. A study by Delgado-Pastor et. al. (2013) enlisted ten Vipassana meditators to undergo two sessions, one in which they meditated and another in which they rested without meditating. The study found that meditation allowed for greater awareness of both present experience and autonomic regulation. Awareness of oneself in this sense, the authors suggest, can assist in reduction of clinical symptoms, which share similar psychological and physiological mechanisms. Thus, further research may find clinical benefits in the therapeutic use of meditative techniques (Delgado-Pastor et. al., 2013). Another study looked at the benefits of meditation for female breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy (Kim et. al., 2013). Specifically, the investigators were studying how meditation assisted symptoms related to the women’s anxiety, depression, fatigue, and overall quality of life. The study compared 102 women, some of who were randomly selected to partake in 12 meditation therapy sessions (in addition to the radiation therapy) for 6 months. Another group attended only radiation therapy. Results showed that the women who participated in meditation therapy had significantly reduced levels of anxiety and fatigue, as well as an overallShow MoreRelatedHappiness State of Mind1180 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction At first glance, happiness is a state of mind that many, if not all people aspire to achieve in their lifetime. What exactly is that state of mind is up for debate among the east and the west, and varies between different cultures, traditions, and religions. In the west, happiness is mostly associated with success, wealth, fame and power. 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The Meaning of Discourse

In linguistics, discourse refers to a unit of language longer than a single sentence. The word discourse is derived from the latin prefix dis- meaning away and the root word currere meaning to run. Discourse, therefore, translates to run away and refers to the way that conversations flow. To study discourse is to analyze the use of spoken or written language in a social context. Discourse studies look at the form and function of language in conversation beyond its small grammatical pieces such as phonemes and morphemes. This field of study, which Dutch linguist  Teun van Dijk is largely responsible for developing, is interested in how larger units of language—including lexemes, syntax, and context—contribute meaning to conversations. Definitions and Examples of Discourse Discourse in context may consist of only one or two words as in stop or no smoking. Alternatively, a piece of discourse can be hundreds of thousands of words in length, as some novels are. A typical piece of discourse is somewhere between these two extremes, (Hinkel and Fotos 2001). Discourse is the way in which language is used socially to convey broad historical meanings. It is language identified by the social conditions of its use, by who is using it and under what conditions. Language can never be neutral because it bridges our personal and social worlds, (Henry and Tator 2002). Contexts and Topics of Discourse The study of discourse is entirely context-dependent because conversation involves situational knowledge beyond just the words spoken. Often times, meaning cannot be extrapolated from an exchange merely from its verbal utterances because there are many semantic factors involved in authentic communication. The study of discourse...can involve matters like context, background information or knowledge shared between a speaker and hearer, (Bloor and Bloor 2013). Subcategories of Discourse Discourse can...be used to refer to particular contexts of language use, and in this sense, it becomes similar to concepts like genre or text type. For example, we can conceptualize political discourse (the sort of language used in political contexts) or media discourse (language used in the media). In addition, some writers have conceived of discourse as related to particular topics, such as an environmental discourse or colonial discourse...Such labels sometimes suggest a particular attitude towards a topic (e.g. people engaging in environmental discourse would generally be expected to be concerned with protecting the environment rather than wasting resources). Related to this, Foucault...defines discourse more ideologically as practices which systematically form the objects of which they speak, (Baker and Ellece 2013). Discourse in Social Sciences Within social science...discourse is mainly used to describe verbal reports of individuals. In particular, discourse is analyzed by those who are interested in language and talk and what people are doing with their speech. This approach [studies] the language used to describe aspects of the world and has tended to be taken by those using a sociological perspective, (Ogden 2002). Common Ground Discourse is a joint activity requiring active participation from two or more people, and as such is dependent on the lives and knowledge of two or more people as well as the situation of the communication itself. Herbert Clark applied the concept of common ground to his discourse studies as a way of accounting for the various agreements that take place in successful communication. Discourse is more than a message between sender and receiver. In fact, sender and receiver are metaphors that obfuscate what is really going on in communication. Specific illocutions have to be linked to the message depending on the situation in which discourse takes place...Clark compares language in use with a business transaction, paddling together in a canoe, playing cards or performing music in an orchestra. A central notion in Clarks study is common ground. The joint activity is undertaken to accumulate the common ground of the participants. With common ground is meant the sum of the joint and mutual knowledge, beliefs and suppositions of the participants, (Renkema 2004). Sources Baker, Paul, and Sibonile Ellece.  Key Terms in Discourse Analysis. 1st ed., Bloomsbury Academic, 2013.Bloor, Meriel, and Thomas Bloor. Practice of Critical Discourse Analysis: An Introduction. Routledge, 2013.Henry, Frances, and Carol Tator. Discourses of Domination: Racial Bias in the Canadian English-Language Press. University of Toronto, 2002.Hinkel, Eli, and Sandra Fotos, editors. New Perspectives on Grammar Teaching in Second Language Classrooms. Lawrence Erlbaum, 2001.Ogden, Jane. Health and the Construction of the Individual. Routledge, 2002.Renkema, Jan. Introduction to Discourse Studies. John Benjamins, 2004.Van Dijk, Teun Adrianus. Handbook of Discourse Analysis. Academic, 1985.

The Importance of Wide Sargasso Sea Essay Topics

The Importance of Wide Sargasso Sea Essay Topics What About Wide Sargasso Sea Essay Topics? The three components of Wide Sargasso Sea have various narrators. A large part of population in the Caribbean Islands are immigrants from different parts of earth and their younger generations. After reading Wide Sargasso Sea we have more thorough understanding of Jane Eyre and a few of the events that happened within the novel. Wide Sargasso Sea is among the best known of such writings and it's been the topic of a lot of scrutiny from a post-colonial perspective. But you can also say that Ashcrofts term displacement would do the job too. The film was supplied a restrictive NC-17 rating as a result of its sexual content. Isolation isn't necessarily self-inflicted. Maybe you could analyze all the various kinds of isolation which are found in this novel. Antoinette does not keep in mind this. Oppositions between the two of these characters are extremely apparent. Feminist literary criticism is broadly based and uses a variety of other critical perspectives. Wide Sargasso Sea Essay Topics Antoinette struggles within this book because she's an outcast in Jamaica. Antoinette has three dreams at three unique times within her life. Antoinette not only employs the pen but in addition masters the pen. Although Antoinette can't consciously or rationally understand what her fate is going to be as a consequence of this meeting, she has a strong awareness of foreboding this dream, a lot more concrete and threatening than the very first, warns of the quickening approach of Rochester. We see they need to lead their lives in accordance with their wishes. The husband decides that they have to leave Jamaica. Ultimately it's a descent into madness. Sometimes he feels as though he's come to be a ghost too. But he doesn't hear their voices and so cannot know their culture. It's not only novelists who do this, either. When examining the texts, it's apparent that she isn't stealing or trying to take credit for Jane Eyre. The absolute most important figures are given below. The Appeal of Wide Sargasso Sea Essay Topics On the opposite side, Antoinette is beneath the impression that her man's dry behavior is a result of the simple fact he has to dwell in an entirely different environment and she is, to a point, true also. They make her unable to take care of her daughter or maybe to execute the most necessary household tasks. When she does, Antoinette seizes the chance to escape in the remaining part of the house, where she causes disorder. Also, if there's some kind of barrier between others I don't have any issue, ie. Smashwords, a self publishing e-book distributor, is a terrific site as you can access a whole lot of great stories that have never been published into paperbacks or hardcovers and permit authors from all over to publish and share their stories without lots of hassle. In the beginning love is the sole thing that matters. It's simpler to write when you feel something about the discipline. These questions are meant for high school students. I'm studying with a couple of my buddies, or sitting in the wait room at a physician's office, I don't have any problems reading. They spend the majority of their days together till they have a fight and say things to one another that cannot be forgiven. Now it's the very first day of Ramadan. The second area of the narrative opens after the marriage has happened. Her very first person narration inside this section employs stream of consciousness methods to represent, via an interior monologue, the stream of perceptions, ideas and memories within her head right now. Sometimes, historical facets influence relationships. This feeling of mission masked, naturally, economic exploitation. Jane firmly made a decision to put a stop to the wicked boy abuses. In addition, she had no money or power to change her situation.