HOT GIRLS LIKE VIDEO GAMES

THE STUNNING MODEL-TURNED-ACTRESS MAGGIE Q EXPLAINS WHY GAMER GUYS ARE A TURN-ON
"My mom was a bartender, so I grew up playing video games and pinball at her bar," says the 29-year-old Maggie Q, as we walk along Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.
Tomorrow, the eye-melting model-turned-actress-who played edgy, sexy bad girls in Live Free or Die Hard, Mission Impossible III, and Balls of Fury-will be jetting off to the Gobi desert to shoot a Chinese period film. But today, she's hell bent on rocking the classic Ms. Pac Man at Barney's Beanery, a local watering hole. "They also have air hockey, shooting games, and racing games," she says cheerfully. "And it's dank and it smells!"

While her personal gaming preferences are old school, Q's newest venture is anything but: She plays the main character in Electronic Arts' Need for Speed: Undercover, the twelfth iteration of the seminal racing game that's set for release on November 18. Not only does Q grace the cover, but she also stars in its live action sequences. "We did something that's never been done before," she explains. "It's like a movie has been folded into the video game."

"What's the plotline?" I ask.
"You'll have to play the game! And expect to be completely frustrated!"

As much as Q loves games, there's one area of her life that's devoid of them: her relationships. "I can be very direct," she says. "I have an ex who constantly e-mails," she says. "The last time we had dinner together, he said, ‘Hey Mags, when will I see you again?' And I said, you'll see me when you don't have your BlackBerry with you."

Of course, you wouldn't make that mistake, right? If you said no, Maggie Q doesn't believe you. In many of her relationships, the guy's gadgets have become a third wheel. So if you want to lure, land, and keep a woman like her, you best obey her six new rules of technology and dating.

Rule 1: Turn it off to turn her on
Sadly for Q, Barney's is closed. So we settle into a booth at a restaurant up the street. As soon as Q sits down, she pulls out her phone and shuts it off. Then she does the same with her BlackBerry. I now have her undivided attention, and it feels . . . weird. I ask if she did it for my benefit-a little show for the reporter across the table, especially in light of the story about her ex. Her answer is an emphatic no. "When I eat dinner, I eat dinner," she says. "When I work, I work. No one wants to share a meal with someone who's e-mailing the whole time."

Rule 2: Master your game . . .
"Having a complete mastery of a video game-especially a fighting game-would definitely be a turn on for me," says Q. But the same principle applies to lots of other things. "If a guy is good at something he loves, whether it's photography or martial arts, it's sexy. Whatever you do, do it well, and women will find you attractive."

Rule 3: . . . and include her, too
Gaming isn't just for guys. Q says there's a romantic side to video games, too. Like most people her age, she grew up with an Atari--"I played Combat and Space Invaders and Centipede, every game really"-and remembers those times fondly. For that reason, she says, going to an arcade that has a bunch of vintage games can make a great first date. When in doubt, try a racing game, she adds: "They're the most exciting games. And women love them because they're simple to learn."

Rule 4: Ear pieces aren't earrings
"Bluetooth headsets aren't sexy," says Q. "They're disgusting. If you want to use one, great. But when you're done talking, take it off and put it back in your pocket."

Rule 5: Take dirty pictures, but don't keep them
"Technology has made the world a scandalous place," says Q, who Hong Kong tabloids allege made a sex tape with an ex (a charge she denies). She understands how taking revealing pictures can spice up a relationship, but guys who horde them make women suspicious. "For some guys, there's a keepsake value. They become collectors. But this doesn't deepen a relationship; it just feeds their ego. There's a bigger issue there."

Rule 6: Know how to e-mmunicate
Need directions to a restaurant? Yeah, e-mail her. Want to create a flirty undercurrent for your rendezvous later that night? Sure, send her an "I can't wait to see you" text. But don't ever analyze your relationship electronically. "It's inappropriate to communicate about relationship issues via text or e-mail," says Q. If you really want to get into her heart (and, okay, her pants), write her a handwritten letter, says Q. "It's a huge turn on."