Getting Things Right

On occasion there are times when by accident we do something right. It may be something minor, that we merely guessed at, or it could be an entire series of blunders that we do that some how turn out for the best. However one thing that most people have in common, not matter if they live by this or it happens on sheer happenstance, is that we try to learn from these experiences. Some people, however never seem to learn from these lessons.

Time to Talk Sony... Again

Sony. What can I say about Sony? Perhaps I should ask what shouldn't I say about Sony? Please, dont get me wrong, the Playstation and Playstation 2 were brilliant. They changed how we looked at video games, and to an extent how we played them. I don't think there is a person who currently plays video games who would want to go back to a cartridge based system. (That having been said I'm sure someone out there will say that they'ed rather, and in some ways I still prefer cartridges).

Awakenings and Life

Sometimes the things we say and experience outside of our gaming lives change how we view our selves, and the world as a whole. This sometimes includes our perspective on video games, sometimes it doesn't, however it is always worth evaluating these instances even if it is uncomfortable, or painful. These moments can show us things about ourselves we didn't previously know, or can be instrumental in changes that we find that we need to make in our selves. These instrumental changes are part of how we grow up, and how we learn what makes us happy.

 

Recently I've had to deal with a family member living in the home for an extended period. This person has issues when it comes to proper behavior, manners, and even respect for others, is practically nonexistent. The one thing that this family member cares about is himself, Star Wars and video games. Later it occurred to me that I could have ended up similar to this family member, while certain events which have occurred which resulted in me being different from this family member, it was something of a startling moment.

 

By now you're asking "What does this have to do with the price of tea in China?" Well my point is this. Due to other events in my life I realized that it's entirely too easy to let the internet and games dominate your life. Don't let it happen to you. Games are meant to be enjoyed, played, and experienced, however they should not dominate your life, they should not be the main focus of your life, if not how you define your life. Remember that games are a part of your life, not the definition of your life. If you're having problems separating the two of them, talk to someone, a friend, a family member, or even your doctor. Games should be a supportive part, not the entire part of your experience. You don't want to end up alone in life, having never experienced life, because all you did was live to play games.

Oh and and as a final note, please feel free to drop me a line. Let me know what your thinking, I'm also considering a new name for the blog, if you have any suggestions... I'm all ears.

The Responsibilities of Freedom

The Fourth of July is a day to celebrate our independence, freedoms, and in my mind, the contract of personal responsibility that our forefathers wrote not only for us, the rest of the world, but also for us. The Fourth of a July is a day for celebration but only if we can remember what the day truly means. For example I know someone who thinks that the Fourth is about one thing, and one thing only, that is setting off fireworks, and making as much noise as possible while doing so. Does anyone actually believe that's the reason for this day besides this person? I am talking about someone who spends all of his available time if allowed playing video games, and yet doesn't know how many states there are in the U.S., doesn't know what the 13 stripes on our flag means, and perhaps worse, doesn't know enough about U.S. or World history to know the significance of what things like the war in Iraq meant.

Taken to Heart

There is a common misconception in the world of gaming that because something has succeeded before, it will succeed the next time the idea comes around. While formulaic properties are common in most media, movies, games, television shows, even books, in a media that is about the expansion and interactivity of people and games, this represents a huge problem. When you eliminate the surprise of a game, you end up being forced to depend upon other things in order to keep players coming to you for entertainment, be this clever story telling, the reputation of the franchise, or the reputation of the company and system, or any other of several dozen possibilities that I can think of.