xForce GAMEZ - "LANtastic"

xForce Gamez - Tampa, FL

Just a few short blog entries ago I slowly began delving into the discipline of stock photography and product highlighting. For this entry I finally encountered my first opportunity to flex my work in a commercial environment and bring you to the forefront of an old past time of mine.

Not too long before I sported an interest in high powered extreme rocketry, compact car modifications, or my recent passionate following - photography - I was the techno kid juiced up on megahertz, extreme eye popping graphics, and adrenaline induced first person shooter games. Welcome to the interconnected world of internet gaming, LAN party marathons, and computer modding drag races. If any of what I have just said makes any sense or piques your interest, then step into the world of "xForce Gamez."

Forget what you already know about personal computing and the dust collecting contraption that sits under your desk at work. Those machines are monkeys tasked to collect letters typed in by sore hands and every now and again handle the job of running Solitaire or a wickedly dull game of Hearts. Enter the freakishly powerful and finely tuned computer gaming unit (CGU) found at "xForce Gamez." Not only are they more than capable of handling the most intense games released on the market, but their perfect techno-artistic arrangement and presentation on the walls scream to be taken for a test drive. The environment at "xForce Gamez" embraces the energy of techno/club-like venue right smack in the middle of a top secret military location, but without the ear piercing distortion of stadium speakers. The gaming area is a constant hue of blue light featuring neat arrangement of individual gaming stations across a wall length desk. Each station features a comfortable high back leather chair, molded cupholder to secure your favorite gaming beverage, and individual headset/microphone combination for in-game communications with team members.

Upon my initial visit to "xForce Gamez" my first impression of the gaming center was that it was just a modern arcade, but a little reminiscing reminded me that this place was so much more. In the peak of my gaming days we had to carry all of our own gear to a friend's house just so that we could have the chance to play head to head against one another. Yes folks - computer towers, 19" tube monitors, and peripherals lugged to a friend's house in order to enjoy a connected game play experience. Broadband internet connections were not yet affordable to just anyone, hyped computers were further out of reach, and frankly we were not all that interested in running our games through servers hosted someplace out on the world wide web. This new type of gaming center introduces all of the conveniences we used to crave. Sure, broadband internet is becoming much faster and computer components more affordable, but there's nothing like arriving on site and going straight for a headshot in your favorite first person shooter or fender bending in the hottest auto racing game without ever having to connect a single wire.



LAN gaming is not a concept that is totally new, but rather is now becoming the standard for the console and pc gamer. I would have to say that the first two programmers that figured out how to make competitive gameplay possible between friends on a computer platform were absolutely stoked when they played that first game against each other on two different computers. Heck, when I first learned about computer network gaming I could not find enough time to compete online. Meeting other people that shared the interest in network/LAN gaming started to become more prevalent. Often times we would meet at someone's house on the weekend to "frag" for more than 24 hours at a time. (Frag is a gaming word best defined as a "kill" - or points scored for eliminating opponents on the virtual battlefield.) We were no strangers to sleeping with our heads on the keyboards or draped across the floor under the desk. To keep sharp during long gaming sessions, the choice used to be limited to products like Jolt Cola, Mountain Dew, or coffee. The idea for energy long past the power of a cup of "joe" got into the minds of some beverage manfucturers and before you knew it you could practically get a boost of energy from a tiny can of some energy concoction. "xForce" not only has the gamer in mind with their offering of smokin' fast computer gear and gaming selection, but they also have your favorite booster drink in house to keep you playing long beyond your enemy has slumped in his chair.

If you're simply just afraid of computers or are more familiar with a gaming console, xForce provides the perfect atmosphere to lounge in their big screen room and feel the power of their amped-up surround sound speaker system. Perhaps you are a computer gamer and you're interested in the latest game title. Before you shell out $65+ bucks for a game you might not be totally into, xForce provides you the opportunity to play any game for a tiny fraction of the purchase price.

A long time has passed since I took the plunge into the virtual reality of network gaming and LAN parties. xForce was truly a unique and new way to be entertained. If you've got some beef with your co-workers or you just want to terrorize the local xForce gamer with your online skills, be sure to check out the latest Tampa LAN party hotspot. Tell them Eugene sent you. Frag on...



Contact Info:

x-Force Gamez
7010 Sheldon Rd. Suite 200
Tampa, Florida 33615

Phone: 813.882.9468
Email: xforce@xforcegamez.com

Website: http://www.xforcegamez.com/