I know my parent's have had my Wii for a couple of months now and that's pretty impressive. I think the Wii hearkens back to days of the Atari 2600, when gaming was one-button simple.
But Brian's mom (not the Brian on here) told him that she has played through two Splinter Cell games and has just bought Metal Gear Solid.
Whether she likes it or not, she's a gamer.
I just told my wife that "we don't need to spend our tax refund on a PS3."
Next thing you know I'll hate chocolate, beer, motorcycles and computers. OH MY GOD COMPUTERS!!!
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.
As I listened to a Bungie podcast whilst soaking in the tub (yes, I take proper baths), I really started to think about the gaming world that gamers live in and how it compares to other hobbies that people have. There are certainly more people that just play games and maybe pick up magazines to read about what's coming out, but the world is so much deeper than that and I suspect that there are not many others like it. The following is my grasp on this world and what I believe to be the state of our union.
The industry is comprised of many things: developers, publishers, the console makers, and the media. It's like the music industry with less glamor and more nerds. But gaming came from the computer/software world where there are huge press conferences spanning days where the media looks at the year to come as showcased by the game makers and console manufacturers. Developers get together and theorize and hypothesize about gaming technology and human interaction at developer conventions. There are small groups that fit in garages that make games many never see (and really should) as well as big companies that make games that everyone sees (and probably shouldn't).
The big dogs in the developer world are the publishers. EA is probably the biggest today. They are the Microsoft of the game software world. Like recording houses in the music industry, publishers gobble up developers (the musicians) and offer them the ability to publish their games (the albums). The developers, in turn, get better advertising, better quality control (supposedly), and better paychecks and budgets. But they also might get 18-hour work days coding and the possibility of their games being manhandled by suit-types who just want higher profits. Recently, the gaming monopolies are under fire by everyone from journalists to developers themselves. But gaming as a business is alive and monstrous. Big budget movies and fast food chains get video games for marketing. The Army develops for training and recruiting. And games are blamed for school shootings and dysfunctional families.
Then there is the media. Journalists that couldn't get enough of games and had a knack for writing made it in print and on the web. Gamers have their favorite magazines, blogs and even writers. We trust them too much to decide what games are going to be good and where we should spend our hard earned cash. Recently, stories about bad games have gotten people fired because those publications also solicit advertising from those developers and publishers. As critics, some follow them blindly and others barely glance (but glance at least) at their written drivel. But their insight into the gaming world is intriguing and captivating at times. Today developers now keep blogs and community sites. They produce and record rss-feed audio and video podcasts with themes and programmed content.
The console makers are in a battle to differentiate themselves. Never before have a group of companies been so closely matched to win the "console war". Historically the market was dominated by just one console until Sony's Playstation 2 met competition from Microsoft's Xbox and Xbox 360 and Nintedo's Wii. Nintendo took the first step with the Wii to peel away a huge layer of gaming market for themselves with their radically designed console, leaving Microsoft and Sony to spar over the traditional gamer market. With console makers, the battle for sales dollars lies solely with the developers to make games that push the hardware. Games drive the market. That's why even the console makers develop and publish games, hoping to carve their market niche with custom content.
And lastly, the public. We have die-hard fans of practically everything: games, developers, consoles, etc. You can probably search for anything game related and find a Google Group for it. While you mom is at home with her Wii bowling the night away, a 20-year-old is dressed up as her favorite Dead or Alive fighting character posing for cameras at video game music concert. Gaming is becoming as popular (or moreso) than going to the movies. As the diversity in the community increases, video games now have a presence in politics and culture.
After seeing what the whole big picture is, it's hard to see any comparison in another market. Music and movies are all very one-sided, one trick ponies. Complex, but only on one dimension. Video games have become not only a pastime, but a way to communicate with other people and the outside world. They act as not only an art form, but as a cultural mirror to reflect on humanity and our state of awareness. If you ever thought video games were a waste of time, there is a whole world to discover and learn about. And most likely you'll learn a lot more than you bargained for.
At first, this post wasn't going to be an "Intrinsic Values" post, but I realized that there is value inherent in being immersed in a subject that offers so much to learn from. I just hope writing it conveys that mindset that I feel I've gained from it.
Having quite an extensive array of systems and games in my game room, I knew losing my Xbox 360 (for a third time) to hardware failures wouldn't be hard to get by. I've got a nice backlog of games to button up on my other systems and there's always the nice nostalgic stroll down memory lane with the real old stuff (the games the don't have endings). My friend came down to work on my lighting and electrical work in the basement and after a hard day in the dark and a nice dinner at the Wood Fired Oven, we came back to the house to take such a stroll.
So many memories of our pre-driver's license days were tied to video games. Playing games like RC Pro-Am and Ivan Stewart's Off Road immediately had us sitting in front of our family room tvs ignoring parents and homework. Moving to James Bond: GoldenEye and Perfect Dark on the N64 transported us together with friends in dirty high school bedroom eating pizza and drinking soda and sucker punching each other in the arms for cheap shots and dirty tricks.
I think as well as most people can attribute songs to be the soundtracks of their lives, video games are the like that too. But video games offer nostalgia on so many levels: the music, the palette of sounds, the evolving gameplay, the cheap stories, the friends we played them with. The walk down memory lane easily becomes the dive into the deep pool of our pasts. Video games will always be the preferred form of entertainment for me and my friends. Luckily technology has been able to keep us all connected even though we live much farther away from each other than before.
So, Microsoft, there's no real hurry to get my Xbox fixed and back to me. I have a huge library of memories that I really don't mind flipping through and relaxing with. Old games can be really fun because they come with so much more than just jagged graphics and 8-bit music, they come with years of memories and loads of good times.
It's been about two weeks since I posted anything and let me tell you, I'm drained.
Work has been a mentally exhausting exercise. I haven't enjoyed walking in the door very much, but lately it's been getting back to normal and a normal pace is returning. I've also spent the last few spare hours resealing the asphalt driveway at home. It's not a very hard home maintenance item but if you've never done it before, be prepared to lose a pair of jeans and sneakers. And to clean black tar out of your fingernails. Multiple times.
I took a night off and went to a metal concert at Guzman's in Harrisonburg. It's a small Mexican restaurant on the edge of town that is part small restaurant, part huge concert hall. I don't know how people could have enjoyed a meal next door to August Burns Red, but I know I could have used a nice burrito during the concert. I don't know how they book an evil metal concert between nights of karaoke, but money is money in the hand of a venue I guess. And I got in free, so I'm not complaining about it one bit.
So where does this put me in video game terms? Way behind schedule.
I have about 9 days to finish Metroid Prime 3, which I'm really, really enjoying. Halo 3 is dropping and I'm not sure how the two will clash when they enter the arena of my gaming hands. Both are stellar titles (I hope). But I know if Halo 3 goes into the Xbox 360, the amounts of dust that will envelope the Wii will hopefully not break it's warranty. So I better play it safe and finish (not complete) Metroid. But who knows, peer pressure should never be underestimated.
A quick look at the gaming calendar shows me a busy, busy fall. But I also know we have the next two weekends out of town, a birthday here and there, and the ever-possible trip to Cairo in November. But motorcycling will be over soon as the weather chills (I love the cold and all, but seriously...) and Harrisonburg Tennis Patrons will move indoors soon after the first of October, at which time I will take my winter sabbatical.
I'll switch to mobile gaming during the long trips and time away from home. The Nintendo DSs we carry around will keep both Nicole and I entertained in the late evenings and car trips. I'll finish Hotel Dusk. Nicole will continue to balloon her high scores in Yoshi Touch and Go.
Gaming becomes a huge part of my life in winter and it's practically all I do. A cup of warm hot chocolate and a controller by my side, a cat in my lap bundled up in a blanket.
I can practically feel the memories before they even happen.
It's not a pill. Not a piece of exercise equipment. Not a bunch of diet cards. No need to count points. You don't even need to leave your house. There are no "easy monthly payments". It costs you only as much as you want and will very only with you attention span
What am I talking about? Only the best weight loss program for the console generation.
I will give you an example.
I own EA 2005 MVP baseball (the best EA baseball game made, EA lost their rights to MLBPA in 06). Anyway...the beauty of a sports game is that the more you stack your team, the bigger the workout you will receive. Okay, now on to the specs. I have all legend players, Bary Bonds, Mark Maguire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas, Mike Piazza, Cal Ripken Jr., Kirby Pucket, Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemons, Randy Johnson. (My all star team, I watched all them play)
So here's were it all comes together.
For every home run I hit I will do 10 Push-ups. And for every strike out I will do 10 Sit-ups. Now, I'm averaging 20-25 home runs a game and 17-24 strike outs a game. So if you just play 2 games (let's do the math) thats 400 push-ups and 350 sit-ups a day if you only play 2 games.
It will work great with any sports game or you can play a game and do a specific work out during loading sequences. A game like Gears of War would work, if you did like 5 push-ups for each kill and 10 for every headshot.
If anyone has a problem doing exersizes because they lack the equipment, find something around the house you can use. My 5 year old daughter is about 50 lbs and I will pick her up under her arms to do curls (I would not suggest having a daughter for this reason. It isn't very cost affective. Buy some weights instead)
The beauty of my program is that it is fully customizable (if you want to do only one push-up per home run go ahead. But I think you need to rethink your commitment), and cheap (how every many games you buy in the process).
So get your regiment together today and get started. In three weeks I have lost 25 pounds (with a little bit of good eating).
It's free if you take my idea and run with it. It's monthly payments of $999.99 if you would like my consulting services.
We finally decided to go to someone about help with our finances.
We have pretty good financial standing, so it's nothing like bad debt or anything negative. We are just getting ready for that stage in life where we want kids and are thinking about the future.
How does this relate to games?
One of the ways we are planning on shifting our money is to pay ourselves every month with what's left of our paychecks. Instead of having a pile of cash after the 1st of the month bills, we're only going to have a small amount to curb rash, spontaneous spending.
Now I don't buy a lot of games off the cuff anymore. I was for a while when I was trying to build back my Atari/NES/SNES collection. Now I'm on top of my collection and waiting for new stuff to come out. If you've seen my list of games to buy this fall, this new home finance plan is going to hamper the shopping list by quite a bit.
That's not necessarily a bad thing I guess. But winter is when I play a ton of games since I don't ride motorcycles in the cold or play tennis. But this is also probably the most impressive fall line-up of triple-A titles to hit consoles in a long time. Halo, Mario, Metroid, Grand Theft Auto, Katamari Damacy, Ace Combat...all great titles worth every penny.
Christmas is coming early this year. It just sucks growing up and having to buy your own presents.
Obviously the website is based on this very statement. Where gaming actively takes a back seat to at least one or two other things: my health, my marriage, my home, my job. I could easily make a list of those things that outweigh the importance gaming. But the idea is that I love gaming so much, I choose not to. The idea alone makes me wince.
But when your primary source of gaming is ripped away from you, you quickly go through the stages. Having done this once before, I quickly made it to the final stage and have moved on. I've actually done it many times a week, but I still consider marrying a woman with whom I must share the television a mark on the "win" side than the "loss".
I've moved outside. Small jobs around the house are getting done quickly. Trees trimmed, lights installed, debris cleared and dumped. It also makes me appreciate my gaming collection. Guitar Hero, NES games, my dusty DS is getting played. I'm reading books that I've bought and never read.
What will happen when I get my third 360? If I get it back at the end of the month, I'll own Forza Motorsports 2. That alone places my ass back in the couch for hours at a time. Nicole will get some resistance when she goes for the tv remote.
But for now, I'm going to enjoy life outside of gaming. The 360, obviously, isn't my sole gaming outlet, but when you don't have steak, the potatoes just aren't as appetizing and the main course.
I've often, myself, wondered what makes gaming the hobby that overtakes us.
I think the fascination has stayed the same all these years: the ability to control a story, beat a challenge, and survive the onslaught. The character design, the weapon upgrades. The music, the speed.
I've never had to defend myself and this habit. To be honest I keep it a secret as much as possible for fear of public ridicule and societal misconceptions. Though lately, as I've grown older and learned more about the industry as, well, an industry, I've been injecting conversations that have no business in games with actual mature commentary relating to them.
The themes and the ideas in games have real purpose in life and, like books, offer the cultivator substance and depth. As long as you can get by with the obligatory "well this video game I played did this once", and you can stand your ground in a realm populated mostly by the offspring of your dinner party, you might stand a good chance of keeping the chuckles at bay.
Adult hood offers something that most kids lack when it comes to discussing video games: vocabulary. Getting rid of the "this frickin' game is awesome" and replacing it with a nomenclature that may actually include the word "nomenclature" is key.
What drove me to purchase Zelda and Gears of War? Hype? Graphics? Story? I suppose it's a grouping of like terms that is putting my cash on the table. It's a hunger for content, regardless of the kind. Just like when I was a kid standing at the racks of rental games, it's the appetite of the moment that keeps you coming back. You can't have them all, so you take one and come back for something later.
I like to think that my gaming library is concocted from a large palette of flavors and textures. Okami sits in close confines with SOCOM. Mario knows the Master Chief is watching his every move and is counting on the Prince of Katamari to DDR his way over and save his ass.
I'm able to call my library such because it is a wealth of knowledge and expertise. It draws from very different backgrounds and cultures and puts it on my television at a whim. It challenges my reflexes and memory and my emotions. It's another form of art concealed in beeps, flashing colors and animation. It's interactive art.
I love being an art collector.
1. No matter how much planning you've done for your journey, you've always forgotten something. Be it a clean pair of underwear, extra ammo, or a key.
2. The easiest path is almost always blocked by red tape, jerks with M-16s or debris.
3. Technology is great but there is always something better around the corner. And someone else will have it before you. Damn you Dr. Wiley!
4. Almost anything sparkly and glowing is good for you. Pick it up. Don't tell anyone about it.
5. You'll never win if you do things the same as everyone else. Your going to have to stray from the norm and change your lines. And it will be bumpy, because those bastards don't have to move for you. But if they hit you you're screwed.
6. If everyone else is doing it chances are it's okay for you too. That applies to speeding on the highway, not correcting the change from the teller, traveling underneath the map and tapping X and A twice to pick up guns without stopping.
7. You'll never have enough money. If you do, that will probably mean what you want is available and you need to come back in the morning or at some special midnight event.
8. You can't count on anyone but yourself because your friends will always, at one time or another, get kidnapped, steal, cheat or lie and get you into trouble. But you'll save them in the end because that's what friends do. Even that stupid princess.
9. When things are going good, that's when you worry. Don't get too comfortable with your surroundings. There will always be an accident or money issue in your life. Whether or not it will involve ninjas or robots is never always up to you.
10. You can accomplish anything if you try hard enough. Whether it's studying to get that degree, solving a logic problem, or jumping from floating moving platforms while dodging flying turtles and slow-moving anti-tank ordnance.
