Games are a universal part of human culture. People from every part of the world play some form of game whether it is a simple game of tag between kids or a sophisticated MMO among adults. Games have two broad components which have great redeeming value regardless of the game itself.

First almost all games have an element of problem solving. It is a little test of how do I win? The ability for us to impact that can very from not having any impact (like Candyland) or having a great deal of impact (like chess). Even in games that have no clear objective and exist in only sandbox terms, there is still problem solving. The ability to create objectives for oneself is still problem solving.

The second large component is the social aspect. Even in single player games there is a social aspect in that there is a shared experience for players of the games that can be discussed later. For example if you are playing a single player video game like Half Life 2, there are other people you can share that experience with.  I remember growing up and having other kids in my class share experiences with Super Mario Bros during lunch or recess.

This blog is intended to be a chronicle of those components of gaming. The blog is associated with the Church of Alvis player guild. It is a social gaming group formed during Star Wars Galaxies that has stayed together even in the absence of any focused gaming effort for over seven years at this point. This blog will primarily focus on the upcoming Bioware title Star Wars the Old Republic. We will journal our attempts at problem solving aspects of the game, chronicle our social experiences, and hope to grow an enriched community for a better game for everyone, because games are always better when played with friends.