Gaming

20 Gaming

A conversation with twitch streamer hohohoney

By melody chan

At Autumn’s beckoning, I took a weekend off and went to London. I met up with my best friend, Honey, who I have known for six years. Together we competed in NUEL’s Women Tournaments on League of Legends in 2021, she was also the first person who got me into gaming. Honey is currently a student at King’s College London and the Designer Officer of KCL Gaming and Esports Society. She opened a twitch account (HoHoHoney) and started streaming. In the short span of only 3 months, she has reached 1.4K followers. Under the soft light of a fine October morning, I asked when she discovered her interest in streaming. “I have always been a big fan of streamers since I was a kid.” She looks up to Offline TV but also female streamers including Lilypichu, 39 Daph, Tokibbi, and Ploo. “It was a long-term drive, but the immediate spark was when my sister bought me streaming equipment on my birthday.”

Her silver mic sat on her desk and next to it laid her Razer laptop. She said she was getting a PC to complete the setup because it would be better for her to look at twitch chats on her laptop while she plays more graphically demanding games. Her first stream was on the 6th of July, 2021. She streams Valorant and League of Legends. It was during summer that she decided to commit to twitch streaming, how does she stream and game on top of her studies now?

“It’s my first week in university,” she chuckled, “It’s been fine. But I stream on days without classes, so I treat it like a part-time job and try to find a balance between work and study. It’s nothing too difficult.”

On average she streams 3 to 4 times a week, which is a decent schedule for her to complete her weekly university work and continue her passion for streaming. She could have streamed on Youtube but she chose to stream on Twitch because she thinks it is the biggest and the most consistent platform for gamers. The platform does not discriminate against her because of her gender, and she is treated fairly among male streamers. However, she has encountered inappropriate comments from people, and she often has to time out and ban those who leave misogynist and “simp” remarks.

“There are quite a lot of girl streamers and it’s a good thing we are getting recognition, but the level of harassment didn’t decrease just because there's more of us.” She does not feel targeted herself, saying “lucky for me, this [innappropriate commenting] happens only once every five or six streams.”

According to a study conducted by Reach3, 59% of women in gaming hide their gender when they play games due to reasons such as gender harassment. In spite of this, Honey believes female gamers are more represented in the gaming community nowadays. “In general, there’s a big improvement in games like Valorant where they include all women teams.” The esports community are gradually accepting women into tournaments, Honey states it is a “work in progress”. There are more media casters, journalists, and writers reporting on female esports, hence helping to eliminate the stigma of women being part of the workforce.

After we talked about how female gamers are being represented in esports, I asked what her thoughts were of gaming companies representing women in games. “Women characters usually show a lot of skin, while male counterparts wear armor.” She considers this a dangerous image for young girls and women. The gaming society needs to change, and “treat women better.”

Photo: Unsplash

gaming do we still need consoles? 21

By Holly jackson

Photo: Holly Jackson

Is there any need to continue purchasing consoles?

Typically, I play Xbox the old fashioned way, through my console and TV. At first I was skeptical about trying it out using Xbox Cloud Gaming, fearing that it wouldn’t be as enjoyable playing on a small screen. However, shortly after pairing my controller with my iPad Mini, I realised I was wrong.

Of course, the first game I tested out was my favourite, the beloved Skyrim. My initial concerns about it glitching and failing to run smoothly were soon gone, as I realised how amazing the graphics looked (perhaps even better than on my TV). Another thing that stood out to me was that the soundtrack still sounded brilliant even without an external speaker or surround-sound system. I also tested out Battlefield I, another personal favourite, and again I was shocked by the quality of the game and how smoothly it ran on a mobile device.

In order to play Xbox on a remote device, all you need is a Game Pass subscription, an Xbox controller and of course a device, which can be an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. You simply head to Xbox. com/play to get started, and from there you can play all your downloaded games pretty much anywhere you like, provided you have an internet connection.

This got me thinking whether there’s really much point in buying a console. A new console is certainly not the cheapest purchase to make, whereas simply purchasing a Game Pass and a controller seems a lot more reasonable. Not only this, but buying physical disc copies of games also seems a bit redundant to me, as I soon realised that nearly every game I enjoy playing is available through Game Pass anyway. Of course, this doesn’t apply to every game, but you can definitely find an abundance of games on there and easily get your money's worth.

Another point this raises is the portability aspect of Cloud gaming. It’s much more convenient to have the option to be able to play your games on the go, as well as at home. This is something traditional consoles simply don’t allow you to do due to the setup required, and the sheer weight and size of them. I can safely say I’ve personally never attempted to take my Xbox One anywhere, not even to a friend's house!

As well as wondering whether I would want (or need) to upgrade to a newer Xbox, I am beginning to question the purchase of my Nintendo Switch. As much as I love my little yellow Switch Lite, I’m not entirely sure I have much use for it now I’ve explored Cloud gaming and realised how simple it is to use! I bought it solely because I wanted to play Skyrim on the go, and whilst I own a few other games for my Switch I find them to be quite costly, especially for a student, and generally I prefer the range of games available on Xbox.

To an extent, this debate has opened up a can of worms. As well as being uncertain about my Switch, I am also wondering if I am someone who really needs a TV, which in this age could be a good question for a lot of people. As someone who doesn’t watch traditional TV, and only uses streaming platforms, I bought my TV solely to play my Xbox on. But again, Cloud gaming negates this purchase, as I can access my games through a mobile or desktop device instead. Again, this involves playing on a smaller screen, but it’s very much down to each person as to whether this could be a problem or something you’d get along with.

If you are someone who loves to try out the newest consoles and editions of games, or playing from the comfort of your home, then a traditional console may well be the right choice for you. And you still have the option to access your games portably too! However, if you’re looking for a more affordable way to play Xbox and don’t already own a console but own one of the devices previously mentioned, then perhaps trying out Cloud gaming is a better idea.

So, the decision of whether buying a console and all the equipment they come with is worth it is really down to the individual, and which devices you own.

22 gaming

christmas gift guide: gaming edition

By louise collins

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not really ‘in the know’ about most games. I think the last time I played a computer game was in my childhood Friv days, and I’m pretty limited in terms of console games to Buzz! (although I used to love trying my hand at Call of Duty and GTA). I have, however, started to really enjoy board games, and I love the idea of playing board games or trivia games during Christmas. So, I thought I’d bring together the minds of the gamers in my life, and myself, to create a games gift guide. Whether you’re after gaming equipment, video games, or board games you can play as a family at Christmas, I might be able to help you out.

Video Games: If the person you’re buying for is a big video game player, then good news, because new video games are being released all the time. The last three months of the year will undoubtedly see the release of many, but here are a few to consider: 1. FIFA 22, released 1st October 2. Guardians of the Galaxy, released 26th October 3. Call of Duty: Vanguard, released 5th November 4. Halo Infinite, released 8th December

Gaming Equipment: The gamer in your mind may have every game under the sun, or you might not know which games they’re into. It’s okay. Here’s some equipment that can be useful and fun for every gamer. 1. Nintendo Switch OLED, released October 8th. With a larger screen and enhanced speakers, the new Switch sounds great. -2. LED light strip – LED lights might be the perfect thing to enhance someone’s gaming experience. They can be placed behind the computer / console, or around the room for general ambience. 3. Headset / controller stand - You can help declutter their space by giving them somewhere to put their equipment, and these stands come in all styles, from classic, solid colours to beloved characters such as Deadpool or Baby Yoda. 4. Blue light glasses - If the gamer in your life spends hours in front of a screen, these glasses can help prevent headaches and fatigue, so the thing they love doesn’t cause them pain. 5. VR Headset / Upgraded Headset - Headsets can be vital to gamers who talk to other gamers online, or just want the full gaming experience without disturbing the household. A good headset can never go wrong, especially if it’s VR, allowing them to delve deeper into the game. 6. Video games bucket list - a fun way for your gamer to track the games they’ve played by scratching them off as they go.

Board Games: Games don’t have to be played alone, and sometimes, cracking open a board game can be so entertaining on Christmas, especially when everyone’s had their fair share of Christmas dinner and a Christmas tipple. Here’re some stocking fillers, or some goodies to have waiting on the side. 1. Monopoly – you can buy and play the classic version, or cater to their tastes with a whole variety, ranging from Disney to Game of Thrones. 2. Funkoverse Strategy Game – this board game has expansion packs for everyone’s favourite interests, from DC to Golden Girls. 3. Cluedo - this classic murder mystery is the perfect game to get your deduction skills out. 4. Twist and Sprout – this card game is a cross between charades & general trivia, and it’s a hilarious one to play with your family. 5. Family Fortunes - if your family is as competetive as mine, this game will dissolve into chaos. 6. Mr & Mrs – if you’re the host, then you’re safe, but you’d best hope the pairs know each other well, or this game will cause hilarious mayhem.

Merchandise: Gamer gifts don’t have to be limited to actual games, or gaming equipment. They can be accessories, or decoration. So, if you know which games they like, why not treat them to a little something they can show off? 1. T-shirts 2. Posters 3. Gamer socks 4. Funko Pop Vinyls 5. Personalised storage box

Photo: Unsplash

Editor: Holly Jackson