Gamers and non-Gamers, unite! (for we all know that you're soon to become Gamers anyway, correct?) Check out the new forum for all things "gaming", The Great Gaming Experiment! You may access the site here, or click on the link to it on the right, in my "PC Gaming" section.
What is the GGE, you ask? Let me reference their slogan to clear away any confusion: "Where gamers and game-makers connect." Simply put, it's sort of like a YouTube site has mated with a Blogger site, and produced an offspring of (hopefully) epic proportions, and near-infinite capabilities? :-) Ok, perhaps that's a bit too much hyperbole - but it IS set to become a forum for both fan and publishers alike, allowing anyone (gamers, non-gamers, and potential-gamers) to post their favorite games, rate them discuss them, chastise them, etc., while at the same time allowing publishers and distributers an arena to solict fan feedback, gain beta-testers, take polls for various artistic and business decisions, and even present downloadable demos, maps, mods, files, etc. for their various games. Perhaps most important, however, is it will become a venue for the "indie" projects out there, whom are alive and well, but often overshadowed by the larger corporations. It will allow these small but vital companies, an integral part of the entire gaming machine, to be right upside the big guy, and present their games to the public, which are often as compelling and original as the "triple A" titles, but with a fraction of the price (and consequently, the advertising dollars).
Whatever this venue ultimately becomes, I love its arrival, which to me heralds yet another step towards bridging the gap between the continuously evolving and growing world of consumer and game publisher relations. The growing technology will only allow this open forum and discussion to become easier for ideas to grow, and feedback to be exchanged; this, in turn, will lead to better made games, which will lead better received games, both publically and critically; this, in turn, will produce more games sold, which leads to larger profits, happier shareholders, and a (hopefully) continued succession of good, well produced (and published) games. Sure, there'll be pitfalls along the way, but hopefully with a successful effort, these will be few and far between. What's more, negative fan and gamer feedback on this forum will hopefully lead to the abandonment of projects that would've normally been headed for the abyssmal "bargain bin" or worse, and avoid searing our brains with half-assed gaming, and wasting time, money, and effort. Positive thinking, perhaps, but a potential nonetheless. And let's not forget the benefits of this venue being able to discuss all the glorious games of Yore - the beloved fixtures of pixelations of the past. Could it possibly lead to reincarnation of certain titles, or maybe even resurrection of defunct classics? Time will tell, fellow gamers.
I for one am very excited about this new manifestation of emergent technology, which involves video, blogging, posting, discussion, etc. But instead of discussing something trivial such as the shaving of an ex-pop star's hair, we might be able to actually get into something deep, important, and relevent to our time - the expansive, growing, and extremely versatile world of digital gaming.
In the immortal words of every kid who's ever played a day in his or her life: GAME ON!
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Sunday, April 1, 2007
The freaks come out on Sundays:
Good grief, Charlie Brown - the freaks come out to play on Sundays. And pester, and haggle over miniscule percentage differences, and subject you to moronic questions, and act beligerent, and express paranoia, and anything else they can muster - any and all "freak" qualities are on display, in the sunny-side up world of Border's retail. I worked my second shift of the weekend (just what I want on my weekend, correct?) today, from 8am until 3pm, and was flabbergasted at the sheer enormity of freaks that frequented our store. They poked, prodded, and passed the time away in our store, whiling away their minutes by dragging ours down, incessantly lobbying for requests or imploring questions each more ludicrous than the next. "May I have a 2% discount on the difference?" "Will customers run behind your cash registers and grab my book?" "Can I give you two different last names?" (answer: no).
Siiiiiiiiiiigh. I suppose it is the price to pay, the weight to bear, the curse to suffer, when one's employed within the circus that is retail. It takes all kinds, this dizzying contraption, and let me tell you, those kinds are "freaks", who arrive in hordes, on Sunday afternoons. The best thing that can be said about my shift today is that it ended.
At least I was able to watch "Borat" last night - now THERE'S a slideshow of freaks that I can get excited about.
Siiiiiiiiiiigh. I suppose it is the price to pay, the weight to bear, the curse to suffer, when one's employed within the circus that is retail. It takes all kinds, this dizzying contraption, and let me tell you, those kinds are "freaks", who arrive in hordes, on Sunday afternoons. The best thing that can be said about my shift today is that it ended.
At least I was able to watch "Borat" last night - now THERE'S a slideshow of freaks that I can get excited about.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The pressure of a Blog:
Oh, the pressure of a blog - indeed, at the heart of this bemoanment, is the bane of any writers's existence - the pressure of words. The pressure to have all these ideas swimming round one's mind, hurling themselves and crashing into your psyche on a daily basis; the pressure to know that you NEED to write, that you NEED to be creative, that you NEED to tell the world something, ANYTHING, and do so in precious, intelligent, specific manner - to achieve that which is driving you inside, this mysterious pulse of creativity. The pressure of needing to be read, to be heard, to be profound, to be insightful, to be humorous, to be loved, to be crazy, to be lauded - the pressure to write well.
I feel this pressure like I feel my own skin, wound snare-drum tight around me, creaking and stretching with each breathe, needing to be caressed, needing to be released, needing to be sloughed off this writer's skin, and poored onto a page. Not in some horrific wax-museum-gone-wrong meltdown, not some shellacking of the page with a bombardment of random synopses firing at record speed, but in carefully constructed pieces of composition latched down, so when viewed from afar, the seemingly myopic pieces of wisdom and wretchedness form not a seared landscape of half-assed ramblings and utterences, but a kaleidescope of beauty, a stained-glass version of poetic arrangement of the written word, suffused with a kernal of wisdom and truth.
Oh, the pressure of a blog.
I feel this pressure like I feel my own skin, wound snare-drum tight around me, creaking and stretching with each breathe, needing to be caressed, needing to be released, needing to be sloughed off this writer's skin, and poored onto a page. Not in some horrific wax-museum-gone-wrong meltdown, not some shellacking of the page with a bombardment of random synopses firing at record speed, but in carefully constructed pieces of composition latched down, so when viewed from afar, the seemingly myopic pieces of wisdom and wretchedness form not a seared landscape of half-assed ramblings and utterences, but a kaleidescope of beauty, a stained-glass version of poetic arrangement of the written word, suffused with a kernal of wisdom and truth.
Oh, the pressure of a blog.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
My Nazi-slaying lust has hit a snag:
'Tis not an admirable predicament I face, fellow Bloggers - I can no longer smote down the mighty fascist war machine that was Nazi Germany circa 1930's/40's - that is, until I fix that which is currently broken. The bane of my current existence? The pc game version of "Call of Duty 2."
Like my many brothers (and sisters) in arms before me, I answered the mighty call of duty when freedom and oppression cried "Save me!", albeit in an incredibly cowardly and geeky fashion. Nonetheless, I picked up the puissant power of the daunting six-disc install of this recent WWII shooter, and began my Russian campaign in earnest lo the other night. A thunderous clap of shelling did ensue as I led my squad through the trenches and razed buildings of our beloved Motherland, Russia, to a bloody but substantial victory in our once-proud Town Square. But arrive we did, with nary a moment to spare, as we crushed the would-be oppressors who dared venture into our domain, testing the unbending mettle of us fellow "солдат"s (soldiers).
Yet before I could transmit the Allied campaign to the African theatre, those officious gremlins stole into my machine, and via their collective and prodigious skill with all things mechanical, my diminutive green goblin wannabees did wreak havoc upon my precious game install, to the point where it no longer functions as desired. In short: me no kill bad Nazis - me no like.
Worry not, I shall keep freedom and liberation's bell a ringin', circa 1942 - 44, in but a few days. I just need to insert myself digitally back into the gaming world and pulverize the enemy to dusty, mite-sized bits, after I negotiate a playable ".exe" file from the grips of my currently non-function game. How will I achieve such a desirable end? Simple - I just need to think like a gremlin. Starting, of course, with munchin' some chicken after Midnight.
'Scuze me.
Like my many brothers (and sisters) in arms before me, I answered the mighty call of duty when freedom and oppression cried "Save me!", albeit in an incredibly cowardly and geeky fashion. Nonetheless, I picked up the puissant power of the daunting six-disc install of this recent WWII shooter, and began my Russian campaign in earnest lo the other night. A thunderous clap of shelling did ensue as I led my squad through the trenches and razed buildings of our beloved Motherland, Russia, to a bloody but substantial victory in our once-proud Town Square. But arrive we did, with nary a moment to spare, as we crushed the would-be oppressors who dared venture into our domain, testing the unbending mettle of us fellow "солдат"s (soldiers).
Yet before I could transmit the Allied campaign to the African theatre, those officious gremlins stole into my machine, and via their collective and prodigious skill with all things mechanical, my diminutive green goblin wannabees did wreak havoc upon my precious game install, to the point where it no longer functions as desired. In short: me no kill bad Nazis - me no like.
Worry not, I shall keep freedom and liberation's bell a ringin', circa 1942 - 44, in but a few days. I just need to insert myself digitally back into the gaming world and pulverize the enemy to dusty, mite-sized bits, after I negotiate a playable ".exe" file from the grips of my currently non-function game. How will I achieve such a desirable end? Simple - I just need to think like a gremlin. Starting, of course, with munchin' some chicken after Midnight.
'Scuze me.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Warning: Asteroid closer than it appears!
Look out all you land-lovers! In 2029, we're going to have a visit from an extremely close cosmic object - (da da daaa!) The asteroid "aphosis" (1,400 feet in length!) will approach the Earth on the ominous date of Friday, April 13th, 2029, and will come within 40,000 miles of our beloved planet, incredibly close in cosmic-terms. However, initially rated at an unprecedented "yellow alert" level, this mighty space-rock has since been downgraded, and will absolutely not strike the Earth in its passing. However, since it will be flying by at such a close range, its orbit will change due to the Earth's gravitational pull, making any future strikes an unpredictable possibility.
So set your calendars, mark your clocks, and head on over to Africa, Europe, or East Asia, for it'll be viewable with the naked eye, but only from those locations. Unless, of course, it chooses a much closer location, like, say, the continental crust. We shall see, my friends, we shall see!
So set your calendars, mark your clocks, and head on over to Africa, Europe, or East Asia, for it'll be viewable with the naked eye, but only from those locations. Unless, of course, it chooses a much closer location, like, say, the continental crust. We shall see, my friends, we shall see!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Living within ones means:
It always kills me when people find themselves ensconced within layer upon layer of debt (purchasing a house, which is ridiculously expensive in American notwithstanding) - why does it happen, when the "secret" to avoid it is literally a four-sentence doctrine: "Live within your means."
Let's be clear about one thing upfront - I have fallen off the wagon as well. I am not some "untouchable" individual avoiding debt's potent grip. Though I own my car, I too carry a balance on a credit card, as well as student loans. Unfortunately, it's all too easy.
However, they are both relatively minimal, all things considered. No, what I'm referring to seems to be a far larger plague upon this Western society of ours - our collective inability to live within our means, and as a consequence, build a life leadened with debilitating debt, instead of successfully navigating the consumption waters of society.
What's so easy about the doctrine? Simple - do not spend more than you have; it's that simple. If you make "x" amount of income per month, whether single or with a partner, then you may spend upwards of "x" in that month. It doesn't matter how much you decide to put towards a savings account, or retirement (hopefully some to both), or car payments, or student loans, or dinners, CD's, entertainment, clothing, baby food, etc - it just simply can NOT go beyond the amount that "x" is. And there you have it - you're living within your means. You are literally living within the boundaries that your income provides to you. It is honestly that simple, and that easy.
What's so hard about it, then? Many external factors, to be sure. There's our own desires and wants, of course (and note the very important distinction between "want" and "need" - our needs are roughly all the same, and it's a very short list - our wants are another beast entirely). There are the ideas and suggestions opined by our closest friends and relatives, informing us that we should/need/have "this thing here". And most dangerous of all, there's the ubiquitous marketing and advertisements of our daily lives that surround us everywhere, demanding we pay attention, and crave said product or lifestyle - this is arguable the most dangerous of all, for it is these advertisements that pull us away from logical thought, and prey upon our internal cravings for happiness and satisfaction. Therein lies the fallacy, of course - we cannot complement internal desire for peace, safety, happiness, and desire with external components; but nonetheless, we try and quelsh those very primordial desires with our external products, and marketers are only too happy to help. This is not to imply these people or corporations are inherently "evil", however (except for various tobacco and alcoholic methods, perhaps) - but they've hit on a good thing, and aren't about to stop.
Think about it - so many people I know simply "must have": cell phones; high-speed internet access; digital cable TV; services such as "Netflix", etc.; high-profile, expensive, new vehicles (usually SUV's); designer clothing; dining out evenings; high-priced entertainment, and so on. These things are not bad, or morally "wrong" - but how many people stop to consider if they can be AFFORDED? That is the rub, and it all goes back to the quintessential point of the maxim "live within your means" - are they in fact doing so, by adding on all these external costly components? If you can live comfortably while doing so, great! I'm pleased for you. But if you CANNOT, then guess what - though you may desire and crave them, if you cannot pay for them from the stash of "x", then you simply cannot have them. Not yet, anyway.
There are other ways to achieve comfortable living within a lower amount of "x", of course, without cutting out all of the "pleasure" additions, but for some reason, they tend to be frowned upon, or scoffed. There seems to be a social stigma to avoid thrift stores, garage sales, smaller houses, or old, used, "not-as-fancy" vehicles. Why? What are wrong with any of these things? If they are functional, nice, and cheap, then by all means - enjoy them. If a vehicle is perhaps older, dented, rusty, or simply not "minty fresh" and new, but has all structural components in the "green zone" for safety, why not purchase that and have it paid for, rather than fork over hundreds of dollars a month for a vehicle with the same safety rating, but that is thousands of dollars more?
Living within ones means is within the reach of all of us - it's right there, outlined in black and white, in our checkbooks and savings records. It's our weekly, monthly, and annual income after taxes, and it shall define exactly what we have at our disposal to meet all our monthly bill requirements, as well as entertainment frivolties (for myself, that would be DVD's, video games, and books). All we have to do is make financial choices, and stick with them.
That, or win the lottery.
Let's be clear about one thing upfront - I have fallen off the wagon as well. I am not some "untouchable" individual avoiding debt's potent grip. Though I own my car, I too carry a balance on a credit card, as well as student loans. Unfortunately, it's all too easy.
However, they are both relatively minimal, all things considered. No, what I'm referring to seems to be a far larger plague upon this Western society of ours - our collective inability to live within our means, and as a consequence, build a life leadened with debilitating debt, instead of successfully navigating the consumption waters of society.
What's so easy about the doctrine? Simple - do not spend more than you have; it's that simple. If you make "x" amount of income per month, whether single or with a partner, then you may spend upwards of "x" in that month. It doesn't matter how much you decide to put towards a savings account, or retirement (hopefully some to both), or car payments, or student loans, or dinners, CD's, entertainment, clothing, baby food, etc - it just simply can NOT go beyond the amount that "x" is. And there you have it - you're living within your means. You are literally living within the boundaries that your income provides to you. It is honestly that simple, and that easy.
What's so hard about it, then? Many external factors, to be sure. There's our own desires and wants, of course (and note the very important distinction between "want" and "need" - our needs are roughly all the same, and it's a very short list - our wants are another beast entirely). There are the ideas and suggestions opined by our closest friends and relatives, informing us that we should/need/have "this thing here". And most dangerous of all, there's the ubiquitous marketing and advertisements of our daily lives that surround us everywhere, demanding we pay attention, and crave said product or lifestyle - this is arguable the most dangerous of all, for it is these advertisements that pull us away from logical thought, and prey upon our internal cravings for happiness and satisfaction. Therein lies the fallacy, of course - we cannot complement internal desire for peace, safety, happiness, and desire with external components; but nonetheless, we try and quelsh those very primordial desires with our external products, and marketers are only too happy to help. This is not to imply these people or corporations are inherently "evil", however (except for various tobacco and alcoholic methods, perhaps) - but they've hit on a good thing, and aren't about to stop.
Think about it - so many people I know simply "must have": cell phones; high-speed internet access; digital cable TV; services such as "Netflix", etc.; high-profile, expensive, new vehicles (usually SUV's); designer clothing; dining out evenings; high-priced entertainment, and so on. These things are not bad, or morally "wrong" - but how many people stop to consider if they can be AFFORDED? That is the rub, and it all goes back to the quintessential point of the maxim "live within your means" - are they in fact doing so, by adding on all these external costly components? If you can live comfortably while doing so, great! I'm pleased for you. But if you CANNOT, then guess what - though you may desire and crave them, if you cannot pay for them from the stash of "x", then you simply cannot have them. Not yet, anyway.
There are other ways to achieve comfortable living within a lower amount of "x", of course, without cutting out all of the "pleasure" additions, but for some reason, they tend to be frowned upon, or scoffed. There seems to be a social stigma to avoid thrift stores, garage sales, smaller houses, or old, used, "not-as-fancy" vehicles. Why? What are wrong with any of these things? If they are functional, nice, and cheap, then by all means - enjoy them. If a vehicle is perhaps older, dented, rusty, or simply not "minty fresh" and new, but has all structural components in the "green zone" for safety, why not purchase that and have it paid for, rather than fork over hundreds of dollars a month for a vehicle with the same safety rating, but that is thousands of dollars more?
Living within ones means is within the reach of all of us - it's right there, outlined in black and white, in our checkbooks and savings records. It's our weekly, monthly, and annual income after taxes, and it shall define exactly what we have at our disposal to meet all our monthly bill requirements, as well as entertainment frivolties (for myself, that would be DVD's, video games, and books). All we have to do is make financial choices, and stick with them.
That, or win the lottery.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Where in the hell have I been?
Wow - it's been well over one month since my last post - so much for keeping up any semblance of exhibiting prolificacy. Well, that just means I keep my fans waiting with baited breath at my next literate release of erudition. Wait, fans? I mean fan, of course - you know who you are.
Today finds me sitting around the ol' casa with ample amounts of distractions to keep me busy, all the while avoiding any true commitment to actual work. Instead of researching and applying to various Korean business to teach English at next year, I find myself preparing to play various Star Wars video games, compose elegant emails, and "hunker down" (a scholarly Midwest term, to be sure) with a good book. Ah, but heck, is that not what weekends are for?
It is my aim and goal to establish a pattern of composition with greater frequency than has been displayed here as of late, so please do not abandon this humble author just yet, ok folks? I promise I shall wrestle various existential gems loose from the very fabric of time and space itself, burnish them to a veriable sheen, and then extrapolate the pragmatic wisdom for the masses and post them here upon this very site, this quixotic arena of philosophical musings, for one and all.
And I'll do it without too many references to Star Wars to boot.
Today finds me sitting around the ol' casa with ample amounts of distractions to keep me busy, all the while avoiding any true commitment to actual work. Instead of researching and applying to various Korean business to teach English at next year, I find myself preparing to play various Star Wars video games, compose elegant emails, and "hunker down" (a scholarly Midwest term, to be sure) with a good book. Ah, but heck, is that not what weekends are for?
It is my aim and goal to establish a pattern of composition with greater frequency than has been displayed here as of late, so please do not abandon this humble author just yet, ok folks? I promise I shall wrestle various existential gems loose from the very fabric of time and space itself, burnish them to a veriable sheen, and then extrapolate the pragmatic wisdom for the masses and post them here upon this very site, this quixotic arena of philosophical musings, for one and all.
And I'll do it without too many references to Star Wars to boot.
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