What really irks me about these scientific studies that try and prove that video games are good for people is that they are pointless. Citing these studies is similar to reading the nutrition labels on a package of Oreo's. They do nothing to validate your reasoning for playing video games.
Video games are more or less an indulgence. They're a lot of fun, and you can lose yourself in them. We exist in a culture where "bingewatch" has been added to the dictionary. People are very indulgent and do things that they please, just because. Sure, it isn't very healthy to sit in front of a television for hours at a time, but it isn't that uncommon.
I don't quite understand why we have to keep on conducting and releasing new studies that have some new statistic about how video games can improve cognitive activity in the human brain. That's all well and good, but there is much more to a game than its gameplay and interactivity. Games have other elements that are essential to complete the experience for the player. Story, art, music, characters, and many other elements that combine to create the total aesthetic of the game. What kind of game would The Last of Us be if it was just about its gameplay? If Joel would go through each scenario without story or purpose?
I know that I am not approaching this from a wrong angle. However, video games are the things that are still trying to be validated, so that others don't criticize gamers quite as harshly. It's why I write my blog. There is so much more to video games than people let on. Perhaps there is a communication barrier, and to others video games seem like a waste of time. Video games are not a waste of time, and they are not bad for you. As Shigeru Miyamoto said, "Video games are bad for you? That's what they said about rock& roll."
Friday, October 23, 2015
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Gamers, Submit to your Games
Video games are all about providing players with amazing experiences and giving them a sense of power and significance. So, it would make sense for games to give players the opposite of that, right?
The trend of really difficult games has made a bit of a comeback. Games like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Super Meat Boy have all been examples of absolutely crushing players. Back in the day of NES, and the arcade, games were crazy difficult. However, when a player would overcome the challenge, it felt a lot more rewarding.
Games still provide a challenge to present the player with, yet there is more of a focus on the overall experience of the game. With new consoles and technology, games can do a lot more than they used to. The Last of Us, Mass Effect, Red Dead Redemption and many more games are all examples of this. Telltale Games has carved out a very profitable niche based entirely around storytelling and providing an experience for the player. The thing is, though, these games are kind of easy.
All of these games have a certain kind of flow, and they allow players to go through the story mode at a decent pace. There are still roadblocks and choke-points that the player still comes across, yet they seem to be few and far between. Even when playing on the hardest difficulty, players can still find a rhythm and relearn how to play to the game's rules. All of those games still provide the player with a sense of awesomeness and agency where they are the focal point, and make them feel good about themselves and the overall experience. However, there is something to be admired in a game that absolutely crushes the players confidence.
Super Meat Boy was a good experience for me, because it was really difficult. Sure, I have years of video game playing experience, but nothing I had done would prepare me for what Super Meat Boy is. I had do take a deep breath and humble myself before the game. I knew that I was going to die a lot when playing the game. I think that's why gamers get so frustrated and angry when they die in a video game.
Gamers lack humility because most games build them up as being unstoppable badasses. When they come to a point that they can't get through with ease; to them, it doesn't make any sense. It's also why gamers get so frustrated when they lost in multiplayer games. It isn't fun to lose, but you should be able to accept that you're not the greatest gamer ever. It's important to be able to recognize where you are, and be humble about it. Do not doubt yourself just because you are not where you want to be, but instead; realize that you have a ways to climb and that the only way to go is up.
The trend of really difficult games has made a bit of a comeback. Games like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Super Meat Boy have all been examples of absolutely crushing players. Back in the day of NES, and the arcade, games were crazy difficult. However, when a player would overcome the challenge, it felt a lot more rewarding.
Games still provide a challenge to present the player with, yet there is more of a focus on the overall experience of the game. With new consoles and technology, games can do a lot more than they used to. The Last of Us, Mass Effect, Red Dead Redemption and many more games are all examples of this. Telltale Games has carved out a very profitable niche based entirely around storytelling and providing an experience for the player. The thing is, though, these games are kind of easy.
All of these games have a certain kind of flow, and they allow players to go through the story mode at a decent pace. There are still roadblocks and choke-points that the player still comes across, yet they seem to be few and far between. Even when playing on the hardest difficulty, players can still find a rhythm and relearn how to play to the game's rules. All of those games still provide the player with a sense of awesomeness and agency where they are the focal point, and make them feel good about themselves and the overall experience. However, there is something to be admired in a game that absolutely crushes the players confidence.
Super Meat Boy was a good experience for me, because it was really difficult. Sure, I have years of video game playing experience, but nothing I had done would prepare me for what Super Meat Boy is. I had do take a deep breath and humble myself before the game. I knew that I was going to die a lot when playing the game. I think that's why gamers get so frustrated and angry when they die in a video game.
Gamers lack humility because most games build them up as being unstoppable badasses. When they come to a point that they can't get through with ease; to them, it doesn't make any sense. It's also why gamers get so frustrated when they lost in multiplayer games. It isn't fun to lose, but you should be able to accept that you're not the greatest gamer ever. It's important to be able to recognize where you are, and be humble about it. Do not doubt yourself just because you are not where you want to be, but instead; realize that you have a ways to climb and that the only way to go is up.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Then The Right Words Just Came To Me...
I love video games. I think they are pretty, dang rad. I go to them for escape, and I go to them for inspiration. I think that there is a lot that can be expressed in video games that other art forms cannot. On the simple basis that a video game has some level of interactivity, there are many different things that can be considered video games. Video games that are as simplistic as Journey can speak volumes to its audience. Games like Shenmue or Mass Effect can express ideals to its audience.
Many of us go through life and experience the ordinary. Not too many of us are confronted with the world changing decisions that video games present us with. Yet, I think that, by putting ourselves into these situations and fighting the good fight, we can learns something about ourselves and grow a bit.
Have you ever been in a situation where you just hurt so much, or have this kind of emotion that you just can't express? I think that everybody has at one point or another. Usually we can go to our favorite music, or movie and just kind of "fill the void" to cope with whatever it is that we're going through at the time. They can help us understand, or make us understand, and express something in a way that we couldn't think of, and suddenly it all clicks because of a lyric in a song or a speech in a movie. This is the magic of art. It can comfort us, or disrupt our reality. Bringing to light that which was hidden before.
So, why didn't I mention video games? Truth be told, I don't know. I've had moments where video games have brought things to light, and given me the strength to push forward in areas of my life. Although, video games are not quite as relateable as other artforms. For some reason, they are more obscure, and relegated to those that "have no life". So, clearly there would be no need of video games to teach us things. On the other hand, nobody seems to ask the "why" as to why we spend so much time in these realities. Perhaps it's because life has got us down. Perhaps it's because we want to get away from it all. Perhaps it's because we want to let out some aggression. Or, perhaps, it's simply because video games are fun, and we're just kinda bored.
These are the questions that I don't see being asked, or even considered, when it comes to people who play video games. I understand that ignorance is at thing, but people should still be considerate. I understand that this is something that cannot be done away with, and that there will always be people who don't quite understand video games. There will be people who don't quite understand any kind of thing that you love, but that is no excuse for their behavior. Nor is it any reason for you to give up.
I feel like I wrote about this last time I posted, but I care very deeply about this. I love my video games, and I don't think that I should be judged because I spend so much time around them. We all have our passions, and we all have our niches, and through these things, we can find comfort and inspirations. There are multitudes of things that we go to when we need to get away, or are in pain. For me, it's video games.
Many of us go through life and experience the ordinary. Not too many of us are confronted with the world changing decisions that video games present us with. Yet, I think that, by putting ourselves into these situations and fighting the good fight, we can learns something about ourselves and grow a bit.
Have you ever been in a situation where you just hurt so much, or have this kind of emotion that you just can't express? I think that everybody has at one point or another. Usually we can go to our favorite music, or movie and just kind of "fill the void" to cope with whatever it is that we're going through at the time. They can help us understand, or make us understand, and express something in a way that we couldn't think of, and suddenly it all clicks because of a lyric in a song or a speech in a movie. This is the magic of art. It can comfort us, or disrupt our reality. Bringing to light that which was hidden before.
So, why didn't I mention video games? Truth be told, I don't know. I've had moments where video games have brought things to light, and given me the strength to push forward in areas of my life. Although, video games are not quite as relateable as other artforms. For some reason, they are more obscure, and relegated to those that "have no life". So, clearly there would be no need of video games to teach us things. On the other hand, nobody seems to ask the "why" as to why we spend so much time in these realities. Perhaps it's because life has got us down. Perhaps it's because we want to get away from it all. Perhaps it's because we want to let out some aggression. Or, perhaps, it's simply because video games are fun, and we're just kinda bored.
These are the questions that I don't see being asked, or even considered, when it comes to people who play video games. I understand that ignorance is at thing, but people should still be considerate. I understand that this is something that cannot be done away with, and that there will always be people who don't quite understand video games. There will be people who don't quite understand any kind of thing that you love, but that is no excuse for their behavior. Nor is it any reason for you to give up.
I feel like I wrote about this last time I posted, but I care very deeply about this. I love my video games, and I don't think that I should be judged because I spend so much time around them. We all have our passions, and we all have our niches, and through these things, we can find comfort and inspirations. There are multitudes of things that we go to when we need to get away, or are in pain. For me, it's video games.
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Just a Board With Some Wheels
I don't remember the first time that I ever played Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, but I do remember playing that game a lot. I was never influenced to actually get on a skateboard and try it out, but my mind was opened to new way of living. I am not a punk, skater, or rebel, but I do feel as though I have a kind of connection to them with how much I have invested into that culture of alternative sports and punk music.
When Tony Hawk's game was released, it was about the same time that the X-Games began. All of this kind of culture was slammed into my face, like a wave was washing over me and taking me out to sea. Everything about skateboarding, BMX, and all things extreme sports were just so cool. I wanted to be part of that world. Whatever I was doing with my life was nowhere near as cool as the people who were skating around town, and wearing cool clothes. This painted the image of what was cool to me. Sticking it to the man, and looking good while doing it. Everything about them, from their image to their attitude just exuded coolness, and I was nowhere near it, but I wanted it so bad.
The whole extreme sports movement received a lot of flak from the general public, as most new things do. Yet, skateboarding stuck around, because of course it would. This further reinforced that attitude of rebellion. Skateboarding was here to stay, and it wasn't going to take any guff. While the image of skateboarding has an intense, visceral image, the reason for skateboarding was a lot softer than most would think.
To many, skateboarding is an escape from the pressures of everyday life. It's their discipline. While most would tell them that is a waste of time, and that they are better off adhering to the ideals of society, they don't want to hear any of it. Simply, they don't fit in. Skateboarding is something to work at, and wash away the blues. Folks who skateboard seem angry because they don't like being told what to do, or that what they're doing is a waste of time. To tell someone working at their passion is a waste of time is wrong. Even if you don't understand it, that does not give you the right.
I've spent most of my life playing video games, and I constantly feel the pressures from society that I'm wasting my time with it. That what I'm doing won't take me anywhere. I've even had family members tell me this. How defeating is that? But, I've kept at it. I've evolved in the way that I play video games. I have learned so much from them, and I continue to write about them because it's what I love to do.
I have a few games that I call my "anytime games". These are the kind of games that I can just sit down and play no matter what mood I'm in. One of which is skate. which is where the video above comes from. The game just has the laid back feeling throughout. It has an easy going hip-hop, trip-hop soundtrack that is mellow and has a slow beat to jam out to. Playing skate. is like a jam session. I can find a bench or a box in the game and spend a few minutes working on a particular trick. Sometimes I just roll around the city.
Skateboarding has never really left my life, even though my lifestyle choices may not reflect it, but I've still kept it close to my heart. Long after the Tony Hawk games stopped, I would watch TV shows on Feul TV, and they too had the laid back feeling of people jamming out on their boards and bikes. It was cool, and it was beautiful. To see these people who have practiced so hard at their craft to do these amazing tricks. It wasn't to show off, but to have fun. That, to me, is what skateboarding is all about.
When Tony Hawk's game was released, it was about the same time that the X-Games began. All of this kind of culture was slammed into my face, like a wave was washing over me and taking me out to sea. Everything about skateboarding, BMX, and all things extreme sports were just so cool. I wanted to be part of that world. Whatever I was doing with my life was nowhere near as cool as the people who were skating around town, and wearing cool clothes. This painted the image of what was cool to me. Sticking it to the man, and looking good while doing it. Everything about them, from their image to their attitude just exuded coolness, and I was nowhere near it, but I wanted it so bad.
The whole extreme sports movement received a lot of flak from the general public, as most new things do. Yet, skateboarding stuck around, because of course it would. This further reinforced that attitude of rebellion. Skateboarding was here to stay, and it wasn't going to take any guff. While the image of skateboarding has an intense, visceral image, the reason for skateboarding was a lot softer than most would think.
To many, skateboarding is an escape from the pressures of everyday life. It's their discipline. While most would tell them that is a waste of time, and that they are better off adhering to the ideals of society, they don't want to hear any of it. Simply, they don't fit in. Skateboarding is something to work at, and wash away the blues. Folks who skateboard seem angry because they don't like being told what to do, or that what they're doing is a waste of time. To tell someone working at their passion is a waste of time is wrong. Even if you don't understand it, that does not give you the right.
I've spent most of my life playing video games, and I constantly feel the pressures from society that I'm wasting my time with it. That what I'm doing won't take me anywhere. I've even had family members tell me this. How defeating is that? But, I've kept at it. I've evolved in the way that I play video games. I have learned so much from them, and I continue to write about them because it's what I love to do.
I have a few games that I call my "anytime games". These are the kind of games that I can just sit down and play no matter what mood I'm in. One of which is skate. which is where the video above comes from. The game just has the laid back feeling throughout. It has an easy going hip-hop, trip-hop soundtrack that is mellow and has a slow beat to jam out to. Playing skate. is like a jam session. I can find a bench or a box in the game and spend a few minutes working on a particular trick. Sometimes I just roll around the city.
Skateboarding has never really left my life, even though my lifestyle choices may not reflect it, but I've still kept it close to my heart. Long after the Tony Hawk games stopped, I would watch TV shows on Feul TV, and they too had the laid back feeling of people jamming out on their boards and bikes. It was cool, and it was beautiful. To see these people who have practiced so hard at their craft to do these amazing tricks. It wasn't to show off, but to have fun. That, to me, is what skateboarding is all about.
Monday, August 10, 2015
The Grind
I hate grinding in video games. It always makes me feel like I'm stuck. I feel as though this portion of video games should be done away with, as it breaks up the flow of the story that it's trying to tell. Yet, there is an important lesson that we can take away from grinding in video games.
Not all that long ago, I got myself a job. I was happy to finally be able to earn some income again, but I also felt defeated, as I couldn't put all of my energy to doing the things that I love most. It was necessary for me to get a job, as my funds were running low. I wasn't left with much of a choice in the matter. I always feel stuck when I get a new job. I feel like I can't make any progress. I still do my best to work on my passions. Even now as I write, I'm working on something that I love. Part of this is about time management. It still feels like a grind to go to my job, and keep things stable, but at the same time I can feel secure knowing that I have some money coming my way to be able to pay the bills. It's a strange feeling of frustration and safety. I feel frustrated that I have to go to my job day in and day out, but I know that this is all helping me to get to my end goal.
When we hit a choke point in an RPG, we usually have to grind and level up our characters. Even though we want to move forward and save the world, that isn't always an option. It is something that doesn't happen in an instant. The game forces us to grind by presenting us with an area that has enemies that are far beyond our current level. So, we, as the player, have to take our time and level up. We all want to move forward and get on with the story, but it takes work to become a hero. Players are left to complete menial tasks, and run around in circles just to get some experience to level up and become stronger. It is repetitive, it's boring, and it hardly feels like any progress is being made. Yet, the leveling of the characters is constantly improving. The characters are always getting stronger. They might even find some new and better gear to improve their stats.
It always sucks when we get stuck in a video game. It feels even worse when the game designers force players to grind because of a high-level area, but this sort of thing builds up character; not just for their statistics, but also your attachment to them. We spend so much time with these characters, and investing into them that there is a bond that forms between the character and the player. Whenever I play an RPG of any kind, I always have certain party members that I get attached to. Whether it's because of their personality, or how they compliment my squad and we become a more effective unit because of their addition. I always send my favorite party members the best stuff. They are the ones who always get the best gear, weapons, and any other improvement that I can afford them. It's almost as though they are my friends, and I can be generous towards them because I have the means to do so. I feel closer to them because I spend so much time with them, even if it is just running around in circles leveling them up.
This is where I find myself. I am at a choke point. In order for me to progress in this crazy game of life, I have to do some grinding. It's going to suck, a lot, but progress will always be made. I'll be able to put money in the bank. I'll be able to pay bills. I'll even be able to buy some stuff for my other projects to improve the quality of them! And of course I will be able to purchase new video games. There are advantages to grinding, it just feels like nothing is getting done.
Keep your head down, and plow through whatever struggles you are facing. If you feel stuck, keep moving forward, even if it feels like you aren't taking any steps, you are. Work on your passions, always be creating, and keep moving forward.
Not all that long ago, I got myself a job. I was happy to finally be able to earn some income again, but I also felt defeated, as I couldn't put all of my energy to doing the things that I love most. It was necessary for me to get a job, as my funds were running low. I wasn't left with much of a choice in the matter. I always feel stuck when I get a new job. I feel like I can't make any progress. I still do my best to work on my passions. Even now as I write, I'm working on something that I love. Part of this is about time management. It still feels like a grind to go to my job, and keep things stable, but at the same time I can feel secure knowing that I have some money coming my way to be able to pay the bills. It's a strange feeling of frustration and safety. I feel frustrated that I have to go to my job day in and day out, but I know that this is all helping me to get to my end goal.
When we hit a choke point in an RPG, we usually have to grind and level up our characters. Even though we want to move forward and save the world, that isn't always an option. It is something that doesn't happen in an instant. The game forces us to grind by presenting us with an area that has enemies that are far beyond our current level. So, we, as the player, have to take our time and level up. We all want to move forward and get on with the story, but it takes work to become a hero. Players are left to complete menial tasks, and run around in circles just to get some experience to level up and become stronger. It is repetitive, it's boring, and it hardly feels like any progress is being made. Yet, the leveling of the characters is constantly improving. The characters are always getting stronger. They might even find some new and better gear to improve their stats.
It always sucks when we get stuck in a video game. It feels even worse when the game designers force players to grind because of a high-level area, but this sort of thing builds up character; not just for their statistics, but also your attachment to them. We spend so much time with these characters, and investing into them that there is a bond that forms between the character and the player. Whenever I play an RPG of any kind, I always have certain party members that I get attached to. Whether it's because of their personality, or how they compliment my squad and we become a more effective unit because of their addition. I always send my favorite party members the best stuff. They are the ones who always get the best gear, weapons, and any other improvement that I can afford them. It's almost as though they are my friends, and I can be generous towards them because I have the means to do so. I feel closer to them because I spend so much time with them, even if it is just running around in circles leveling them up.
This is where I find myself. I am at a choke point. In order for me to progress in this crazy game of life, I have to do some grinding. It's going to suck, a lot, but progress will always be made. I'll be able to put money in the bank. I'll be able to pay bills. I'll even be able to buy some stuff for my other projects to improve the quality of them! And of course I will be able to purchase new video games. There are advantages to grinding, it just feels like nothing is getting done.
Keep your head down, and plow through whatever struggles you are facing. If you feel stuck, keep moving forward, even if it feels like you aren't taking any steps, you are. Work on your passions, always be creating, and keep moving forward.
Friday, July 24, 2015
Achievement Unlocked
I hate Achievements, and trophies for that matter. They are pointless, and pop up at the most inconvenient times to break the player from the grasp of the tone that the game is trying to set. They don't prove anything, and they are a waste of time in video games. That being said, we as players should recognize the things that we have done in video games. Not only in video games, but in the things that we do every day.
I've struggled a long time with giving myself credit for things that I do. I don't know why I trivialize my accomplishments. Yet, I do my best to keep updating this blog at least once a week. I make videos regularly on my YouTube channel. I make a podcast now. I stream daily on Twitch. There is a lot that I do, that I can feel proud of. I think the reason for my trivialization of my accomplishments is, that if I can do it, anybody else can. Yet, there's no one else around who does what I do the way that I do it. It may not be considered "conventional", but I still manage to complete the task. I work hard at the things that I love. I always try to do my best. Sometimes, that may not be good enough for somebody else, but I don't do it for them. I do it for me.
I feel really good when I'm able to upload a video, or make a blog post. I enjoy playing video games on my stream, even if nobody is watching. I love what I do. I might not have 10,000 subscribers or followers, or what have you, I still enjoy doing what I do. I still strive to make sure that it is something that I am proud of, and that I am happy with how it turned out. Admittedly it is a little bit discouraging when my articles don't get any comments, or my videos don't get any views. Yet, I still press on, because I do it out of love and passion for the things that I do.
I know that there are a lot of people out there who just don't have a direction, and that is difficult. I know that every single person has a passion. I know that everyone out there has a unique voice and talent for one thing in particular. I know that everyone is a nerd for something, and that is what drives them.
When everyone out there seems to be doing the same thing that I'm doing, and getting noticed for it, it certainly is discouraging. I want to write about video games, I want to talk about video games, I want to do everything that I can to promote my passion and love for video games, but it seems that everyone else on the internet is doing the same thing. But! The one thing that they can't take away from me is my voice, my passion, and my love. I intensely care about what I do. I adore video games, and it means a lot to me to speak with my words about them. I am unique, and so are you.
We are all individuals. We are all players. Whether we play the tank, the healer, the rogue, the mage, the outsider, the leader, the support, the hero, or the villain. We are unique. We all have a voice, and we all have a passion. Find it, and go for it.
I've struggled a long time with giving myself credit for things that I do. I don't know why I trivialize my accomplishments. Yet, I do my best to keep updating this blog at least once a week. I make videos regularly on my YouTube channel. I make a podcast now. I stream daily on Twitch. There is a lot that I do, that I can feel proud of. I think the reason for my trivialization of my accomplishments is, that if I can do it, anybody else can. Yet, there's no one else around who does what I do the way that I do it. It may not be considered "conventional", but I still manage to complete the task. I work hard at the things that I love. I always try to do my best. Sometimes, that may not be good enough for somebody else, but I don't do it for them. I do it for me.
I feel really good when I'm able to upload a video, or make a blog post. I enjoy playing video games on my stream, even if nobody is watching. I love what I do. I might not have 10,000 subscribers or followers, or what have you, I still enjoy doing what I do. I still strive to make sure that it is something that I am proud of, and that I am happy with how it turned out. Admittedly it is a little bit discouraging when my articles don't get any comments, or my videos don't get any views. Yet, I still press on, because I do it out of love and passion for the things that I do.
I know that there are a lot of people out there who just don't have a direction, and that is difficult. I know that every single person has a passion. I know that everyone out there has a unique voice and talent for one thing in particular. I know that everyone is a nerd for something, and that is what drives them.
When everyone out there seems to be doing the same thing that I'm doing, and getting noticed for it, it certainly is discouraging. I want to write about video games, I want to talk about video games, I want to do everything that I can to promote my passion and love for video games, but it seems that everyone else on the internet is doing the same thing. But! The one thing that they can't take away from me is my voice, my passion, and my love. I intensely care about what I do. I adore video games, and it means a lot to me to speak with my words about them. I am unique, and so are you.
We are all individuals. We are all players. Whether we play the tank, the healer, the rogue, the mage, the outsider, the leader, the support, the hero, or the villain. We are unique. We all have a voice, and we all have a passion. Find it, and go for it.
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Getting to Know You
Video games are weird. We can start playing them for a good long while, and then suddenly put them down. Or is that just something that I do? Either way, we gamers tend to build up a backlog of games that never seems to end. When we finally get around to playing the game, we may have forgotten why we bought it in the first place.
There's a game that I've been trying to play lately called Antichamber. It's a really strange game, with simplistic visuals, and extremely complex rules and mechanics. When I first started it up, I was really into it, and I managed to make it a decent way through it. I decided to call it a night and put it down, and from that moment, I haven't been able to pick it back up again, that is until a few days ago. This weekend I decided to started up Antichamber again just to see if I could make any progress, and well, I couldn't. I had forgotten where I was, and how the game worked. Normally when I play a game, I really can get a sense for how the game plays, and how it thinks. That is to say, that I get to know the game by spending a lot of time with it. By playing a game for a long time, players learn the rules and mechanics of the game, and understand how it works. This is how good games are supposed to be, by letting players experiment and learn. Their knowledge of the game becomes intimate as they learn the ins and outs of the game. From its story, to its characters, to its lore, to how the game works. Isn't this similar to the relationships in our lives?
As I've written before about our party members, we keep in touch with a very tight circle of friends. Yet, there are people in our lives that we lose touch with. They were good friends, it's just that sometimes life gets in the way and we fall apart, or perhaps, something went wrong in the relationship and it falls apart. Whatever the reason, there is still a chance for you to run into them again, or the thought of them still lingers in your mind. What happens when you get in touch with them again? It's rather odd isn't it? When someone whom you haven't spoken with contacts you, or you contact them? You may have forgotten all about them, or vice versa. What if the conversation continues? You forget how conversations with them used to be. In a sense, you've forgotten how to play. You've lost your touch. You've changed. You may not even be in the mood to play that game anymore. Time passes, and people change. It is the way of things. Games don't, though, which is what makes this a rather shaky metaphor, but still. There are many times when we look back on the people in our lives and wonder what happened, where they've gone, or even why we hung around them in the first place. Though, this is the road of life. It is paved with experiences and people that we meet along the way. Perhaps it might be in our best interest to leave them alone, or it might do you some good to dust off those old games and rejuvenate an old flame that you once had with it. Who knows what could happen? It might be a good experience, or it might not be. Who am I to say?
I think it is important to be able to look back and remember the good times and the bad. There are things in our past that are remembered fondly, while others are not so good. There are times that may seem better than they actually are because of nostalgia, or we might look back and wonder what on earth we were thinking when we did them. There are different phases that we all go through, and because of them we grow. We learn what is good, and what is bad. What is right, and what is wrong. What works for us, and what doesn't. Sometimes we have to go outside of our comfort zones to learn this, and sometimes will change us forever, or it might not.
There's a game that I've been trying to play lately called Antichamber. It's a really strange game, with simplistic visuals, and extremely complex rules and mechanics. When I first started it up, I was really into it, and I managed to make it a decent way through it. I decided to call it a night and put it down, and from that moment, I haven't been able to pick it back up again, that is until a few days ago. This weekend I decided to started up Antichamber again just to see if I could make any progress, and well, I couldn't. I had forgotten where I was, and how the game worked. Normally when I play a game, I really can get a sense for how the game plays, and how it thinks. That is to say, that I get to know the game by spending a lot of time with it. By playing a game for a long time, players learn the rules and mechanics of the game, and understand how it works. This is how good games are supposed to be, by letting players experiment and learn. Their knowledge of the game becomes intimate as they learn the ins and outs of the game. From its story, to its characters, to its lore, to how the game works. Isn't this similar to the relationships in our lives?
As I've written before about our party members, we keep in touch with a very tight circle of friends. Yet, there are people in our lives that we lose touch with. They were good friends, it's just that sometimes life gets in the way and we fall apart, or perhaps, something went wrong in the relationship and it falls apart. Whatever the reason, there is still a chance for you to run into them again, or the thought of them still lingers in your mind. What happens when you get in touch with them again? It's rather odd isn't it? When someone whom you haven't spoken with contacts you, or you contact them? You may have forgotten all about them, or vice versa. What if the conversation continues? You forget how conversations with them used to be. In a sense, you've forgotten how to play. You've lost your touch. You've changed. You may not even be in the mood to play that game anymore. Time passes, and people change. It is the way of things. Games don't, though, which is what makes this a rather shaky metaphor, but still. There are many times when we look back on the people in our lives and wonder what happened, where they've gone, or even why we hung around them in the first place. Though, this is the road of life. It is paved with experiences and people that we meet along the way. Perhaps it might be in our best interest to leave them alone, or it might do you some good to dust off those old games and rejuvenate an old flame that you once had with it. Who knows what could happen? It might be a good experience, or it might not be. Who am I to say?
I think it is important to be able to look back and remember the good times and the bad. There are things in our past that are remembered fondly, while others are not so good. There are times that may seem better than they actually are because of nostalgia, or we might look back and wonder what on earth we were thinking when we did them. There are different phases that we all go through, and because of them we grow. We learn what is good, and what is bad. What is right, and what is wrong. What works for us, and what doesn't. Sometimes we have to go outside of our comfort zones to learn this, and sometimes will change us forever, or it might not.
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