Action adventure mobile gaming: Past, Present and Future

Action-adventure gaming is often compared to the ups and downs of real life. But unlike reality, you get unlimited chances to cross the hurdles, defeat the evils and complete the mission in the gaming world. This genre has always offered rewarding experience to gamers but it was earlier limited mainly to gaming consoles.
In contemporary scenario, the infectious popularity of smartphones is making this genre all the rage among both serious gamers and newbies (a.k.a n00bs).

How it all began?

Classic video game Tetris was the first one to be the part of mobile phone realm. During that era, the games were pre-installed and concept of downloadable games was still a fantasy. Though, Japan commercialized the idea of downloadable games in 1999 but it was a Finnish company ‘Universomo’ that changed the scenario. They launched ‘Bones: The First Adventure,’ in 2002, which had all the elements of an action adventure game. This game with dog as the protagonist was launched for Symbian phones of Nokia and received an overwhelming response. As a result, the journey of Action Adventure games was incepted.

Why go mobile?

Earlier games were considered just a basic source of entertainment for those who carried the mobile devices. But the times changed, and the world witnessed the launch of smartphones, which became an epic moment in the history of technology. In terms of gaming, different firms and independent game developers began to try their hands in this realm due to potential of lucrative revenues.
Very first benefit of developing mobile game is the extensive reach. In fact, the number of smartphone users across the globe in 2015 was whopping 1859.3 millions, as per statistics portal Statista. This massive number is enough evidence to prove that the market of mobile users cannot be ignored.
Blend of portability factor, availability of high-speed internet and improved graphics resulted in accelerated growth of mobile games popularity. As a result, developers got a chance to receive handsome revenue through mobile advertisements and paid games. Phenomenon of freemium gaming in mobile phones is another major area that has enhanced the revenue for gaming industry. In this idea, several games are offered free of cost but charges are levied for additional features or upgrades. In action adventure games, the players can buy better weapons or upgrade power of their game characters by unloading some extra bucks from their pocket. The average spending by a mobile gamer across the globe is 24.33 dollars, as per the latest report by the firm Swrve, which is quite impressive considering the number of mobile game users.

Giants entering action adventure arena of smartphone gaming

The mobile game developers are now putting more focus on action adventure themes in spite of some challenges. The development is bit challenging as they have to create plots and visuals of action adventure games in a very balanced manner so that they can be adapted to the smaller screens of Android or other mobile phones.
But the inclination towards this genre is expected to reap pleasant results for the developers. As per research firm Newzoo, an array of action games in market will result in mobile game revenue reaching 37 billion dollars in 2016. That’s not all! The firm also stated that mobile gaming will transcend the sales of PC games in 2016 for the first time in gaming history. Giants like Electronic Arts have already expanded themselves into mobile world. Their popular action adventure games like Dead Space, Heroes of Dragon Age, Battlefield: Bad Company series and Mirror’s Edge are appreciated by adrenaline junkies. Well, another player from gaming world Ubisoft is also focusing to capture the mobile market. The company offers some of their renowned action adventure games like Prince of Persia and Assassin’s Creed on Android and iOS platforms.

Mobile gaming accessories: A new phase

For hardcore gamers, smartphone appeared as the new dimension to play their favorite games. But these devices were considered secondary when compared to the conventional gaming. This idea was especially prevalent for action adventure games as they required better control and graphics. Various brands realized this problem and introduced mobile accessories, which was a major move to satisfy the craving of great gaming experience.
Mobile gaming controllers that emulate console game remotes are the revolutionary products, which are well received by the dedicated fans of action-adventure genre. Brands like Moga, Logitech, 60Beat, PhoneJoy and iMPulse are constantly evolving the gaming experience by introducing new shapes and features in these controllers.
Virtual Reality (VR) headsets are another addition to this bandwagon of mobile gaming accessories. These headsets take the level of action adventure games a notch above through an immersive experience.
Last but not the least, meaty power banks, which ensure that you never go out of the battery while playing some heavy games, have added to the experience.

Where lies the future?

Smartphone games are currently giving tough competition to portable gaming devices. In near future, the game developers are expected to use features like gyroscopes, cameras and several apps to create advance versions of mobile games. Wearable devices are another facet of smart technology that can be incorporated to enhance the experience of action-adventure gaming. As a whole, the surge in technology and various positive statistics reflect that the future of action adventure games is definitely bright and lasting!

Action adventure mobile gaming: Past, Present and Future

Action-adventure gaming is often compared to the ups and downs of real life. But unlike reality, you get unlimited chances to cross the hurdles, defeat the evils and complete the mission in the gaming world. This genre has always offered rewarding experience to gamers but it was earlier limited mainly to gaming consoles.
In contemporary scenario, the infectious popularity of smartphones is making this genre all the rage among both serious gamers and newbies (a.k.a n00bs).

How it all began?

Classic video game Tetris was the first one to be the part of mobile phone realm. During that era, the games were pre-installed and concept of downloadable games was still a fantasy. Though, Japan commercialized the idea of downloadable games in 1999 but it was a Finnish company ‘Universomo’ that changed the scenario. They launched ‘Bones: The First Adventure,’ in 2002, which had all the elements of an action adventure game. This game with dog as the protagonist was launched for Symbian phones of Nokia and received an overwhelming response. As a result, the journey of Action Adventure games was incepted.

Why go mobile?

Earlier games were considered just a basic source of entertainment for those who carried the mobile devices. But the times changed, and the world witnessed the launch of smartphones, which became an epic moment in the history of technology. In terms of gaming, different firms and independent game developers began to try their hands in this realm due to potential of lucrative revenues.
Very first benefit of developing mobile game is the extensive reach. In fact, the number of smartphone users across the globe in 2015 was whopping 1859.3 millions, as per statistics portal Statista. This massive number is enough evidence to prove that the market of mobile users cannot be ignored.
Blend of portability factor, availability of high-speed internet and improved graphics resulted in accelerated growth of mobile games popularity. As a result, developers got a chance to receive handsome revenue through mobile advertisements and paid games. Phenomenon of freemium gaming in mobile phones is another major area that has enhanced the revenue for gaming industry. In this idea, several games are offered free of cost but charges are levied for additional features or upgrades. In action adventure games, the players can buy better weapons or upgrade power of their game characters by unloading some extra bucks from their pocket. The average spending by a mobile gamer across the globe is 24.33 dollars, as per the latest report by the firm Swrve, which is quite impressive considering the number of mobile game users.

Giants entering action adventure arena of smartphone gaming

The mobile game developers are now putting more focus on action adventure themes in spite of some challenges. The development is bit challenging as they have to create plots and visuals in a very balanced manner so that they can be adapted to the smaller screens of mobile phones.
But the inclination towards this genre is expected to reap pleasant results for the developers. As per research firm Newzoo, an array of action games in market will result in mobile game revenue reaching 37 billion dollars in 2016. That’s not all! The firm also stated that mobile gaming will transcend the sales of PC games in 2016 for the first time in gaming history. Giants like Electronic Arts have already expanded themselves into mobile world. Their popular action adventure games like Dead Space, Heroes of Dragon Age, Battlefield: Bad Company series and Mirror’s Edge are appreciated by adrenaline junkies. Well, another player from gaming world Ubisoft is also focusing to capture the mobile market. The company offers some of their renowned action adventure games like Prince of Persia and Assassin’s Creed on Android and iOS platforms.

Mobile gaming accessories: A new phase

For hardcore gamers, smartphone appeared as the new dimension to play their favorite games. But these devices were considered secondary when compared to the conventional gaming. This idea was especially prevalent for action adventure games as they required better control and graphics. Various brands realized this problem and introduced mobile accessories, which was a major move to satisfy the craving of great gaming experience.
Mobile gaming controllers that emulate console game remotes are the revolutionary products, which are well received by the dedicated fans of action-adventure genre. Brands like Moga, Logitech, 60Beat, PhoneJoy and iMPulse are constantly evolving the gaming experience by introducing new shapes and features in these controllers.
Virtual Reality (VR) headsets are another addition to this bandwagon of mobile gaming accessories. These headsets take the level of action adventure games a notch above through an immersive experience.
Last but not the least, meaty power banks, which ensure that you never go out of the battery while playing some heavy games, have added to the experience.

Where lies the future?

Smartphone games are currently giving tough competition to portable gaming devices. In near future, the game developers are expected to use features like gyroscopes, cameras and several apps to create advance versions of mobile games. Wearable devices are another facet of smart technology that can be incorporated to enhance the experience of action-adventure gaming. As a whole, the surge in technology and various positive statistics reflect that the future of action adventure games is definitely bright and lasting!

Amritsar: Spirituality and More

Do you know how travelling is better than watching a movie?? Both offer excitement and escapism but it is travel that turns you into a better version of yourself through multiple experiences. One such place - Amritsar, located in northern region of India, will give you enough opportunities to gain valuable experiences.
At the surface level, Amritsar looks like a city with spirituality at its heart, which is true. But as you explore different locations, you will find multiple layers of this fascinating region that are guaranteed to make your trip immortal.

Golden Temple – Where spirituality lies in the air!

24x7 free communal kitchen, enchanting prayers and serene environment; Golden Temple brings every fantasy to life associated with spiritual dimension of India. This sacred place of Sikh religion is a must visit at least once in a lifetime. You can spend an entire evening gazing at the surrealistic view of this monument, which reflects purity and divinity through its golden color. The circumambulation of holy pool (Sarovar) located at the gurudwara complex is quite gratifying. This is usually followed by bathing in the tank, which is said to purify your body.
Volunteering at the community lunch is another great and unique experience you will hardly find at any other location of the world. You will be overwhelmed by the commitment with which the devotees dedicate themselves in the community service.

Jallianwallah Bagh – Where history becomes alive!

Jallianwallah Bagh, a public garden located at the walking distance from Golden Temple, is the throwback to the pre-independence era of the nation. The people pay homage to the civilians (more than 550) who lost their lives in this garden during massacre in 1919. The bullet marks in the garden and the ‘Martyr’s well’ will you leave you teary eyed while visiting the place.

Harike Bird Sanctuary – For the love of nature!

Harike Bird Sanctuary, nestled in the Tarn Taran district of Punjab, is a haven for nature lovers. The sanctuary covers an area of whopping 83 kms. You can sight birds, which migrate from as far as Siberia and Arctic region during winter season.

Wagah Border – The boundary that unites!

Retreat ceremony that takes place at this Indo-Pak border is a treat for everyone. Thumping down of boots by 6.5 feet tall soldiers, opening and closing of border doors by both nations and patriotic songs – all these activities are guaranteed to give bang for your buck. You will hardly find any Indian whose heart is not brimming with patriotism during these moments. Do not forget to purchase kurtas and sarees from the small shops located near border.

Gastronomic Affair

Focusing on the cuisine, Street food is another essential facet of this multi-dimensional city. Dishes that are not to be missed include:

• Succulent chicken and keema naan at Beera Chicken Corner
• Lassi from Ahuja Milk Bhandar
• Puri Sabzi from Kanha Sweets
• Aloo Kulcha with Cholle at multiple outlets
• Amritsari fish from Makhan fish and Chicken Corner
• Dal Fry and Tandoori Roti from Kesar Da Dhaba

Delectable food is sufficient enough to make you fall in the love with this city.

As a whole, you can consider the place as the cocktail of spiritual, historical and natural sites. Therefore, surrender yourself to this vibrant city, which is guaranteed to satisfy your craving for internal bliss.

14 practical tips for finest customer support on social media

One-third of the consumers prefer using social networking sites for getting in touch with a brand, as per Nielsen Holdings N.V. This shows that importance of this medium to support the customers is growing in a subtle manner.

Support through social networking websites is not limited only to online stores. Even consumers of offline businesses are increasingly using this medium to clarify their issues. It has become a key differentiator to choose the finest brand in the market from the available options. Therefore, agents must effectively respond their customers to attain their loyalty towards the brand.
Several firms ignore the importance of planning related to social media customer support while working on marketing and customer experience campaigns. But inclusion of social media customer support in your marketing plan can turn you into Yoda of your respective industry. Here are some essential social media tips to handle customer support which gives you edge over your competitors.

Tip #1: Write your name at the end

Even if you are responding from company’s profile page, it is a right practice to include your name (agent’s name) at the end of the response. This will assure your customers that they are talking to someone who cares and not just random representative on behalf of the company. The agent can introduce himself through a specific post on Facebook or Twitter whenever he begins responding to the queries.

Tip #2: Do not ask the customers to use another mode

I have seen several times that some companies give toll free numbers or email IDs of customer support as a part of response to customer’s query or complaint. This is extremely wrong practice and should be avoided at any cost.

Tip #3: Use reference links wherever possible

This technique is more useful for channels like Twitter where number of characters is limited. You can use ‘URL Shortener’ to minimize the size of reference links for helping the customers in resolving the issue. Also, if query is general, do not use Direct Message (DM) for responding.

Tip #4: Give them the exact date

If customer comes to you with an issue and you are unable to resolve it on the spot, give them a date until which the issue will be resolved. This will prevent them from posting the query repeatedly on company’s profile and will give an assurance that you are working seriously on the issue.

Tip #5: Avoid using scripted answers

There is no use of having a customer support team if most of the answers are based on a script handed to the agents. Use as much variation as possible in the responses which maintains a trust factor among users who read customer queries on the company’s page.

Tip #6: Monitor every channel

Normally, the companies focus mainly on popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter as complaints are prevalent on these sites in most of the cases. But it doesn’t mean that you can ignore other modes of customer communication. A frustrated customer can put the query on any social networking website and a furious one usually posts on more than one website. So, ignoring other channels where you are not active can be disastrous to the brand’s image.

Tip #7: Clearly state your hours of operation

In case you are not active round the clock on social networking sites for handling the queries, make sure that you post your hours of operation. This will ensure that the customers especially the busy ones don’t get frustrated for not getting response immediately.

Tip #8: Have a separate account for resolving issues

Normally, the brands use the same account for posting organic content and responding to the queries. But it is a nice practice to have a separate account which is dedicated to clear the doubts of customer and resolve their issues. You can put the information of this account on the official Facebook or Twitter page of your brand.

Tip #9: Complement the customers for their questions

You can complement your consumers whenever they post a query by phrases like ‘Great question’ or ‘Interesting question.’ This will be a first step in enhancing the satisfaction level and make the customers feel connected to the brand.

Tip #10: Reply out of scope questions with same excitement

You may have come across situations in which customers ask you out of scope questions which do not match your vertical. For example, a customer may ask you “Which movie should I watch today?” even if you are handling customer support for telecom operator. Yes, it does happens several times if you are handling a brand’s page.
In these cases, do not ignore the message or reply “Sorry Sir/madam, we do not handle these form of queries.”
Instead, answer them in a casual manner with the most appropriate solution to their question. The customers will definitely appreciate this gesture.

Tip #11: Ask for details like email and address on personal message

Customers will never appreciate disclosing their address and email etc. openly on social media. Therefore, it is essential to ask customers to post these personal details on ‘DM’ of Twitter or ‘Message’ option of the Facebook.

Tip #12: Respond quickly

Customers do not like to wait for a response from company’s end on social networking channels. Make sure that the response from your side is made in less than 1/2 hour. This active response will definitely establish you as a brand which is concerned about its customers.

Tip #13: Encourage suggestions

Several customers have some useful and interesting ideas related to your product/service. And Customers love when their voice is heard by the brand. Therefore, show full enthusiasm while replying to suggestions offered by your customers. You can even post on your profile description saying “We welcome incredible suggestions.”

Tip #14: Learn from the reputed brands

Good thing about transparency of social media customer support is that you can take lessons from other key players in the market. It is not necessary to learn about customer support by checking only the accounts of your competitors or people of your domain. You can even learn valuable things about customer support carefully analyzing account of big players from different domains like retail, mobile companies, food chains and telecom service providers etc.

Conclusion

Each tip discussed in the above section has the potential to turn you into a renowned brand that offers finest form of social media support. Therefore, do not forget to implement every technique in your customer support process.

Fragrance for males

Fragrances are one of most essential part of men’s grooming as they alter the perception of the world towards you. So, enter this dimension of aromas and accentuate your persona with these different types of fragrances.

Party fragrance

To be a center of attraction is the main aim of a party animal. The scent for a man should be a cocktail of various smells like cinnamon and vanilla or spicy note with a woody essence. A perfume containing a mix of tropical fruits will also help you attract the women of your desires and establish you as the alpha male among the party crowd. These combinations of pleasant odors are also suitable for a perfect date with your loved one.

Casual fragrance

This is something for day-to-day life of a man. The fragrance should be something fresh like that of citrus fruits, jasmine flowers and amber. For regular routine, the smell should not be too heavy and must keep you going throughout the day.

Office fragrance

Man must carry a sophisticated and formal essence for his office routine. Something containing peppery and spicy flavor as the top notes along with the hint of lavender, wood or basil establishes you as the classiest employee of the workplace.

Workout fragrance

It is one of the most important smells to make sure sweat from workout does not affect your personality. The cologne you apply during exercise regime or while playing outdoor sports must have woody flavor with the notes of herbal essence and floral aroma. Icy and aquatic notes in the perfume also keep you prepared for the heavy workout. Males can also go for fragrances containing the tint of coffee beans which are refreshing and controls the odor of the sweat.

So, choose the perfect perfume for your occasion and remember:

Smell good, coz as a man you should!

Yoga Power: Five benefits of performing this ancient art!

Western Yoga enthusiasts have developed Doga or Dog Yoga which is art of performing Yoga with pets. Yoga, which is an ancient art of body and mind wellness, has always remained part of several modifications as per the needs of specific culture or region. But the main aim of all the practices was deriving a better health and thereby improving the quality of life.
These are some of the major benefits which a person can receive by performing Yoga on regular basis.
Cure to multiple illnesses – The major advantage of performing Yoga is cure and control of numerous diseases which otherwise needed dependency on those sour pills which had multiple side effects. Asthma, high blood pressure, arthritis, liver issues and indigestion etc are some of the medical problems which one can overcome by aasanas.
Inner peace – It is the most underrated thing in present day scenario as we search peace from the outside world. We even spend a lot of cash on materialistic stuff which is expected to give satisfaction and thereby peace of mind. Yes, Yoga indeed controls a stressful mind and blesses the soul with inner peace.
Improved body energy – Improper lifestyle and heavy workload results in lack of energy which is major cause of fatigue and insomnia. Yoga and breathing exercises come as a rescue to this situation which rejuvenates the body and turns each body cell into activate mode.
Better flexibility – Practising different forms of Yoga poses helps in improving the flexibility of human body. Yoga postures causes stretching and strengthening of the body muscles which also improves the posture of the body. This also prevents you from minor injuries which can be caused by tasks of daily life.
Weight Loss – What’s better than a natural way to burn those extra kilos which keep you out of shape? Several Yoga postures combined with breathing exercises are what one requires to maintain the body weight as per the individual’s height and age. It also saves you from strenuous body workout and overpriced gym membership fees.
So, adding this precious form of exercise into daily routine will definitely soothe your mind, body and soul which will help in attaining a better version of life!

Importance of digital media in Indian offline retail sector

Being the greatest player in providing employment to the majority of working class, retail sector remains one of the key industries in India. Major business giants like Tata group, Reliance Industries and others are also expanding their retail stores at accelerating rate with multiple verticals like jewellery, consumer electronics etc. in tier 1 and tier 2 cities.
But in spite of regular rise and modifications in this industry, it faces stiff competition from the rising fame of e-commerce in the country. So, strategic implementation of digital media is a major step that maintains the business of retail stores in this information age.
Several digital media agencies are working as support services to blow trumpet of their client and maintain their sales. Several strategies applied by these agencies include social media marketing, mobile phone promotions, SEO optimization and online ads.
In the country obsessed with Facebook and Twitter, active FB pages and generic tweets are necessary for long-term survival of retails names like Max, Home Centre, Big Bazaar, Crossword Book Store etc. Also, mobile apps are becoming important part of this digital promotion scenario by multiple agencies. The app by the retail stores comprises info on offers, loyalty points, QR code reader and launch of new collections.
Social media not only drives potential buyers but also keeps the consumers in loop for future visits by interactive methods like review of shopping experience, online contests and consulting of products as per customer needs.
Another major tool used by the Digital Marketing Experts is use of retargeting. It uses browsing history of internet users thereby customizing the displayed ads. Though popular mainly for online shopping, this method can also be used for driving traffic to webpages of offline stores which can ultimately lead to increased sales.
The use of digital media as major part in driving business by small retailers is still in its fancy in India, but will grow with proper awareness on its importance among businesspersons as it is said “marketing also promotes itself."