| The term computer game might have one more | | | | Adepts who try to help humanity and change the |
| meaning than you realize. | | | | world for the better using computers and the |
| You are familiar with one kind, games that run on | | | | Internet: Just like some people in the 'real world'. |
| computers? They are set in eras from prehistoric | | | | I'm sure Virtual Adepts would love the idea of |
| and Roman times up to the present, and into | | | | giving African children wind-up laptops. |
| various wonderful and depressing future worlds. | | | | But remember, Mage is ABOUT computers, not |
| There are also games in the physical world, | | | | ON computer. Players and the referee just |
| played with pens and paper and imagination which | | | | pretend to be using the Internet, using dice and |
| involve the characters doing things in the virtual | | | | imagination. |
| world of the Internet. Players, and the referee, sit | | | | Of course like the rest of the world, Mage exists |
| with pen and paper pretending to be using | | | | in the virtual world too. The storyteller games, |
| computers. Instead of clicking a mouse to make a | | | | and White Wolf, have websites devoted to them, |
| computer barbarian use his sword, these gamers | | | | both official and fan-based. There is a remarkable |
| roll dice to have their character 'Google' their | | | | amount of good information about Mage available |
| enemy's name, or hack into their computer. | | | | online. |
| Yes, this seem ludicrous even to me, and I've | | | | So, you'll find websites about how to pretend to |
| done it. | | | | surf the Internet, or create a website using a |
| Remember, paper-and-pen role-playing games | | | | pen, paper, dice and your imagination. Or buy |
| have evolved since their invention, just like | | | | printed books online to help you play your Virtual |
| personal computers and computer games. So, | | | | Adept's online adventures. You can also probably |
| while the popular media is portraying the | | | | buy the same books in PDF format. This is useful |
| equivalent of 'Pong', gamers are playing the | | | | if you use your laptop instead of pen and paper, |
| pen-and-paper equivalent of Myst or Dark Age of | | | | as my friend Jess does. |
| Camelot. | | | | I'm amused to imagine someone using their laptop |
| One of the better game systems in my opinion is | | | | to play Dark Age of Camelot, swinging swords in |
| The Storyteller System from White Wolf Game | | | | a computer generated world, while waiting for |
| Studios. Mostly set in modern times, they feature | | | | their fellow Mage players to arrive at their house. |
| werewolves called Glasswalkers who are proud of | | | | Then, when their friends 'physically' arrive, logging |
| being hi-tech and fond of mobile phones and | | | | off and using their computer and a handful of dice |
| personal organizers. Another game, Mage the | | | | to pretend to surf the web as a virtual adept. |
| Ascension, features a group called the Virtual | | | | |