New website, Gamercribs.com, found some of my pictures on Flickr a few weeks ago and sent me a little interview questionnaire. I enjoyed answering the questions and digging a little deeper in to my gaming subconscious.
Link: Gamercribs - Home - Gaming setup - retro gamer
I'm highly interested in making these for the basement or something similarly video game related for shelving. It never occurred to me to take video game elements and realize them as real life objects. Too bad I already have lighted glass shelves for the bar, but maybe slightly tilted shelves aren't a good idea for someone slightly tilted by the bar.
Around 2001, when I graduated from JMU and started a real job that paid actual money, is when I started coming to grips with my gaming habit and let loose a little cashflow to support it. I was making a ton of money (in my mind) so I started buying back all my old game systems off of eBay and the games to go with them. I also started buying memorabilia for my room and books about gaming and audio soundtrack cds.
But now as a full-fledged adult with a mortgage that's twice the size of my post-graduate townhome with all the bill trimmings and basically the same income, gaming has taken it's toll financially and psychologically. I just haven't gotten my body to stop it's habits.
Habits such as my fingers typing in "http://www.ebay.com" into my web browser. Or my legs from walking into Gamestop while I'm really just trying to grab a burger at Five Guys. Either of even just these two actions can result in an expenditure of $14.99-$60. And sometimes a burger. And even for the times that I do have the money to throw away, I still catch myself in an inner gamer tussle: do I buy this awesome game now or do I finish all the awesome games I have at home first?
But fortunately I do have that pretty big backlog of games I used to want to play and have no reason not to. So when I do find myself browsing a game shelf, I almost immediately think about when I play this game between games I already own, not to mention mowing grass, installing molding in the basement, or cleaning out the future baby room.
And there is where the intrinsic value is: time and money management. If an example like this had ever come across my 6th grade desk, I think I would have understood it a little more. In life, the important things come first. Whether it's fixing up a new baby room or deciding that level grinding in Call of Duty is time that could be used finishing Grand Theft Auto IV. It's almost like have separate to-do lists in my head for life and gaming and I'm constantly battling myself to take care of them.
I spent all weekend pretty much not playing games. Friday we had family come and visit for my birthday and a motorcycle ride outing to West Virginia. After an epic seven hour ride, me sorely looking forward to a nap and dinner at Outback, I was treated to a truly surprising surprise 30th birthday party. Friends and family showed up from all over, including Mr. Brian himself.
And I think for the first birthday ever, I didn't really care about getting presents (of which I usually hope are video games). With that many Seinfeld-esque worlds colliding, I was constantly talking to people and munching on food.
I did receive a few gaming gifts though, proof that people really do get me. The 4th edition of Penny-Arcade book, 4000 Xbox Live points, a Vote for Mario and Luigi in '08 shirt from ThinkGeek.com, and my loaned out copy of Forza Motorsports 2 back (is that really a gift?). I also got a good assortment of food and beer and sci-fi memorabilia.
Sunday ended with going out to see the new Hulk movie (very good) and a four-way graduation party out in Keezeltown. By the time we got home last night, I knew my brain couldn't even handle a video game.
But this week though, games are fully on. As well as work in the basement with my new air compressor (thanks Dad!).
Instead of spending the night with the Xbox 360, which is now on it's way back to Microsoft for repair (again), I've been able to finish off two games this week: Fable and Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge. And I've was able to finish both of them within an hour of each other. Crazy.
Fable was such a hyped game when it came out a few years ago, but I really took my time with it, only to let it go by the wayside when newer games came out afterwards. But situations arose (three red lights) and I was able to put a few more hours into it and top out at 23 hours of total game time (I love games that track in-game time). The world of Fable is really a great one, but technically I found the game lacking, failing to keep 100% of my attention. But even with the Lost Chapters edition's grand finale boss battle, the game was too easy (with the right spell at hand and just enough money) therefore feeling way to long. It was like reading an epic, 1000-page long kids book.
I also dug out Crimson Skies because I remembered that there was a reason I bought it back after selling it: it's a really fun action flying game. Shooting planes, flying through tight tunnels, great character voices, and well done graphics and controls. I'd say it's a cross between Indiana Jones and Will Smith's Wild West movie that he did. I'd love to see a 360 version of Crimson Skies that you could play with an online cooperative mode. Customizable planes (paint, weapons, configurations) would be a hoot too.
I wonder what other games in my backlog I'll be able to complete while I'm 360-less. And never mind the fact that I've been able to catch up on some house work now too. Not that I've really ever had a problem with chores because of video games. It's actually like I've got to force myself to enjoy taking breaks in-between chores instead of looking forward to them.
Alright, time for a little question. You supply the answer.
What's life like for a gamer with kids? Especially infants that demand your constant time and attention. Or are they that demanding? Or do you just save all your gaming until after they go to bed. Because we all know Dead Rising gives 5-year-olds nightmares.
With Metroid: Corruption not coming to stores for another week and a half, I was anxious to pick up something old for the Xbox 360 that I never was able to play because of other games. For the past 2 days I've running and jumping around in Crackdown, the super-human, futuristic, elite cop version of Grand Theft Auto. I played it until 4am on Saturday and for a few hours today. I'm at least addicted to this game.
But instead of talk about how much I like the game and what about it turns me on, I'm going to talk about what I didn't do this weekend because of it.
I didn't mow the grass on Saturday. It's finally growing back green and bushy. The electric lawnmower won't like these extra growth days one bit.
I didn't do my laundry. Well, the last bit is actually in the dryer right now. If I'm lucky, I'll have wrinkled corduroy to wear tomorrow.
I didn't install the crown moulding in the bathroom. Even with the used compound mitre saw Dad gave me. I did get one piece cut and up. Three left. I could do it in an hour I think.
I didn't wash my car. But since my Maxima got totaled in an accident last summer, a car I loved, I realized that washing cars can be such a waste of time.
Not like video games.
Nicole will play games with me. Fun games. Games that both of us can play at the same time. It was part of the wedding vows.
We first played LEGO Star Wars. It was two player co-op and ultimately a test of the strength of our relationship. Two people controlling characters on the same game screen and sharing mutual game goals and game lives. Trying not to yell at each other was half the fun.
She has the genres of games that she likes. I have mine. Occasionally they converge and we experience a co-existence in the living room. I'm not saying we spend a lot of time apart, but my hobby is one that tends to lean toward a solitude that even some life-long sailors would respect. The language alone would make them blush.
Tonight Nicole has gotten bit by my latest gaming bug that involves an Xbox Live Achievement and me driving all 1000 miles of road of a polygonal representation of the island of Oahu to get it. It's something I've been working on for almost a year off and on and I'm finally at 98%. Keep in mind that driving games are not one of those genres we share in common, so when I threw her the controller and she picked it up with moderate interest, I was surprised.
But her ability to become obsessed with trivial things is something that brought us together. She can dive deeper into a subject than I can most times. I imagine that's what makes her a good editor.
But tonight, we won't sleep until all the roads have been covered. Something I like to think bleeds into our real life in some form or another.
I think she just cussed at the police car.
Along with a break from work, this vacation is including a break from gaming. I brought our DSi to play during the flights and during layovers, but they've pretty much sat in the bag since we've been here in Albuquerque.
I have been reading the news in Google Reader though. The best thing I've seen so far is LEGO Batman. It's being made by the same Star Wars team, so I have high, high Batmobile, and bat-utility belt hopes. And being able to play as two player as Bats and Robin will ensure Nicole and I busy for a long while.
The 360 is coming out with a 120GB HD and in black. It's disappointing that I won't be able to get the cool color, but at $80 more than the premium edition, I won't feel to disappointed.
News of an impending Dashboard update in the spring is also something nice to look forward to. I probably dreaming on them adding Mac/iTunes/iPhoto sharing built-in, but Connect360 just stopped working on my iMac and I can't figure out why and it's driving me insane. I'll probably end up throwing a PC together and create a Windows Media box on our home network. I have no idea how to do that. And that's probably why it will never happen.
I blogged about these a while ago, and now that I'm getting closer to that point in finishing my basement that I need to think about lights, I've started searching for them again. I found these perfect gamer lights in two places now, but the second one is the cheapest by about $50.
I was going to put two of them over the pool table, but memories of smacking the metal lights at the pool hall back home with an errant cue stick quickly flushed those memories down the toilet. So instead I'll be putting them over the bar. I can't wait to get them. And build the bar.
