Not further than 5 years ago, nobody knew what a gaming seat was. Now they are quite popular among gamers of all ages. Video games have this quality: the better and the more realistic they are, the more addictive they get. This pushed game makers to the extreme of seeking new ways of offering their clients the illusion of a reality inside their games, via all kind of specialized accessories. 3D glasses were a nice invention. Joysticks, driving wheels and precision mouse models made the fun of a few generations. Yet, something was still missing in the driving games sector: the driving seat feeling was simply not present. Indeed, using a joystick is better than the keyboard, the driving wheel is better than the joystick, but the regular desk chairs were not living up to the standards.

Here’s where playseats enter the stage: they are special seats which allow attaching the driving wheel and the pedals, thus making them feel very much like a racing car seat. Playseats can make an excellent Christmas gift for kids, provided that they are fans of computer games like Need for Speed. In this article we are going to offer you reviews of a few of the most popular gaming chairs.

Playseats Classic Game Seat

This chair which looks very similar to a racing cockpit can be used with most video game systems such as PlayStation, Xbox 360, Nintendo or GameCube. It comes without a driving wheel, so you’ll need to purchase it separately. The wheel can be easily installed on the central console of the chair. The console is suitable for most Logitech wheels, although there were some reviews on the internet saying that it’s not compatible with the Logitech G25 Racing Wheel, because of the pedals length.

This Playseats chair is adjustable to the user size, therefore it fits both adults and children of minimum 8 years of age. So, when the kids get enough of their favorite game, their dad can have some entertainment too. The seat is comfortable and it’s made of good quality materials, which are non-flammable. It’s nice that the chair has a folding seat, so it takes lesser storage space. The maximum weight capacity of the Playseats Classic Game Seat is of 235 pounds and it’s dimensions are 51.2 x 20.5 x 38.6 inches. It is available in black, blue or red. Prices may vary between $160 and $300.

Playseats Evolution Gaming Seat

Priced at $330, the Evolution video gaming seat from Playseats looks more like a living room furniture item rather than a computer accessory, while offering all the comfort for the addicted gamer. This chair offers all the features of the Classic model, being also suitable for ages 8+ and adjustable to the user’s height. It’s nice that the game seat comes with holes that fit the G25 wheel and pedals platforms, so those would be very easy to attach.

If your driving wheel comes with a Velcro stripe, make sure to attach it, for e better gaming experience.

Playseats World Rally Championship Gaming Seat

This one comes with a price tag of $600, which is not cheap, that’s for sure. However, for this money you get an extra strong seat with high profile side bolsters. The ultra high-density foam helps the seat maintaining its shape for a long time. The upholstery is a very nice suede fabric branded with the WRC official logo. The integrated side head protection system could protect the user even in case of an accident (well, if this was a real driver’s seat, but it’s still a nice addition, because of its cool shape).

The drivers wheel support is fully adjustable and it features a quick release handle, so adjusting the seat is very easy to do. It’s a cool piece of furniture, yet only a true fan of the World Rally Championship would probably be willing to spend that kind of money when he can have pretty much similar stuff for half price. But as always, branding comes with a price.

Love movies are great. At least this is what many people think. The more they make you cry, the better they are. Isn’t it funny, how we like to cry at movies, although we usually don’t see crying as being pleasant in our real life? Human beings surely are contradictory in their feelings. In order to feed your human nature, please find below a brief overview of several love movies that would make most girls cry (and maybe some guys too):

Love Story (1970)

Made after a novel written by Erich Segal and directed by Arthur Hiller, this movie was launched under the tagline “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”. It is the love story between the student Oliver Barrett IV (played by Ryan O’Neal) and Jennifer Cavalleri, a Radcliffe music wonk (played by Ali MacGraw). Soon after they got married despite all obstacles, she discovered she was sick and almost dying. It’s a simple story that touches you for a lifetime.

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Made after Jane Austen’s novel, with the screenplay written by Deborah Moggach, the movie is a love story between one of the five daughters of Mr Bennet, Elizabeth, and the snobbish Mr. Darcy. They both had a great dose of humor, which makes a big part of this movie’s charm. Like in the previous movie, the lovers had to overcome obstacles raised by the society, as one of them was rich and the other one poor, so they were supposed not to make a family together.

Love Actually (2003)

Directed and written by Richard Curtis, Love Actually was nominated twice for the Globe Awards. The action takes place in London, before Christmas, and it’s the romance and love life of eight people who fall in love, who marry, then divorce, who get connected and go through a lot of funny happenings. Some of the actors won the BAFTA Film award for their performance.

The Notebook (2004)

This drama was made after a novel by Nicholas Sparks, under the direction of Nick Cassavetes. The main action takes place in a nursing home: an old guy is reading a story to an old lady, a love story which in the end proves to be their own story. As the epic advances, she starts realizing that the old man is reading her life story and that he’s her loved one, she’d lost so long ago. It’s a really touching story. The two protagonists die at the end of the movie, hand in hand, happy and peaceful.

A Walk To Remember (2002)

Directed by Adam Shankman and written by Karen Janszen after a novel by Nicholas Sparks, this drama is the story of two teenagers: a popular student gets punished and does some community service work, where he meets the reverend’s daughter, Jamie, and falls in love with her. A true love, clouded by a terrible secret and an unexpected end of the story which makes it a truly memorable love movie.

Autumn in New York (2000)

A romantic drama and the love story of two people: a 48 years old upscale restaurateur (played by Richard Gere) and a 22 year old girls (played by Winona Ryder) whose life is threatened by a tumor. The movie was nominated for the Razzie Award in 2001, for the Worst Screen Couple. Even so, the story remains touching and this movie is one of those who make you cry.

The English Patient (1996)

Directed by Anthony Minghella, this love movie has won 9 Oscars. The action takes place at the end of the World War II, when a young nurse is taking care of an injured pilot. He has a series of flashbacks which take the viewers into a love story between him and a married woman.

Gia (1998)

Directed by Michael Cristofer, who also contributed to the script, this movie is inspired from the life of a real person, Gia Carangi, a top fashion model who was famous in the late 70s. Played by Angelina Jolie, Gia is a girl who had a sad childhood, but who managed to escape it and who finally died to AIDS at only 26 years of age. The movie won two Globe awards.

Becoming Jane (2007)

This is the biography of Jane Austen, based on her letters and directed by Julian Jarrold. Jane Austen is played by Anne Hathaway who makes an outstanding performance fro which she was nominated in 2007 as Best Actress for the British Independent Film Award. This love movie won the People’s Choice Award in 2008 and got multiple other nominalizations in various film festivals.

Steel Magnolias (1989)

This is one of those love movies that make you laugh and cry in the same time. It is the story of a group of friends living in a small community, the Chiquapin Parish. The movie is directed by Herbert Ross and it features Julia Roberts in a secondary role, for which she got an Oscar nomination as Best Actress in a Supporting Role and a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (1990).

These are only ten choices of love movies worth to be seen, but the list could go on for a longer while. If you got to read this far, please feel free to add your favorite love movies in the comments section below.

So, do you really want to become a vampire? A real life one? Do you want to drink people’s blood? Bite them from their necks? What else? Howl at the full moon?

Hey, my dear reader, if you’re here, it could be from one of the following reasons:

• You’re in desperate need for an original Halloween costume but you want to stay within the classics limits, so all you can think of are vampires, skeletons and creepy, rotten masks to scare the hell out of your neighbor’s kids
• You’re a big fan of the New Moon movie and of Robert Pattinson

 

• You’re a dreamer and you can’t tell dreams from reality anymore

Vampire stories seem to be fascinating people across different cultures. Each ethnic group has its local version of vampires. This could be an explanation for the success of movies and novels based on this archetype. For instance, Africa has Adze, which is a vampire spirit dwelling among the Ewe, takes a firefly shape and drinks blood but also coconut water and palm oil.

Arabia has Algul, a female vampire living in dead cemeteries. In Malaysia, vampires appear as cats, they threaten children and they are known as Bajang. When they take the shape of a woman, such vampires are known as Langsuir. Scottish people have the Baobhan-sith, the beautiful maiden dressed in green, that lures and kills her victims.

Filipinos believe that vampires were the ones who planted taro on their islands in the beginning of time. Their vampires are called Danag and they drink human blood. Even Aztecs had a witch-vampire, the Civatateo, who was supposed to be a woman who died in childbirth, and who killed babies ever since. Ancient Babylonia and Assyria had Ekimmu. The ways to become an Ekimmu were sudden death, improper burial or sometimes unfulfilled love.

Greek mythology knew Empusas, a vampire serving goddess Hecate. There’s even a vampire of unknown origins, the Incubus, who paid nightly visits to female victims, and who was believed to be able to get them pregnant. 

If we were to count which country has the most vampires, I think India could easily win, with about ten species of vampires with different origins and habits.

Basic Steps in Becoming a Vampire

1. Study all types of vampires known and decide which one is closest to your preferences. I’m sure most of you know how human blood tastes, as sucking the wound from a paper cut is quite a common gesture. And we all handle lots of papers when we are young.
2. Find a contact lenses shop and see what models they have. Usually, it won’t take long until finding some really spooky ones, so your vampire eyes are relatively easy to obtain.
3. For decent vampire clothing, you’ll need a Halloween costumes shop, but that’s not a must. You can always shred some old pants and a long T shirt and stain them with some red dye.
4. Teeth are important, as they will be your main blood sucking tools. Vampire teeth kits are available for purchase in any party accessories shop, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

That’s basically the external transformation, which is easy and relatively cheap. However, if you’re serious in becoming a vampire, then you need to start behaving like one, you need to start thinking like one, you need to change your living habits so they match the vampire style. I’d suggest you try this for one month before buying all your vampire arsenal, then see if you’re still keen on doing it or you’d better ask a girl for a normal date, buy her flowers and take her to a movie. You know, being a vampire could affect your love life, as there aren’t too many girls dreaming to be drained out of blood by their lovers. You’ll probably need to use a vampire dating website and honestly, I don’t know if there are any. And even if they were, I very much doubt they’d be populated with too many female users. The average girl’s mind is at clothing, beautiful make up and boys and not at how to become a vampire.