not important
(but then what on this blog ever has been?)
Anyway, Alan's latest post (about the Wii) reminded me that I've yet to share my invaluable opinions about video games...
1) The old ones were better. And I'm not just being an old fart, here ("In my day, son, we had *real* clouds...") When video games were 100% fantasy (Centipede, Missile Command, DigDug, Frogger, etc) it was fun. As soon as they started trying to look like real people doing actual things (eg, Mortal Kombat, sports), they lost me. Now I had something to compare the game to (ie, real life) and the game was a cheesy, stupid, imitation. I found sports games especially ridiculous -- why would I stand here fiddling my thumbs *pretending* to hit a baseball or a golf ball or whatever, when I could play the real thing and it could be an actual accomplishment, with camaraderie and benefits to your health, and most importantly, something a *lot* more fun?
(Grammar nazis, please leave the previous sentence alone -- it's happy just the way it is, lack of structure and all...)
2) My brother told me that some posit that video games are one factor contributing to a lack of direction and motivation among young men nowadays. In real life, you have to expend effort to achieve power and control; with a video game, all you have to do is sit on the couch and move your thumbs. In the extreme case, it saps their enthusiasm to engage with the real challenges of life.
3) I played Guitar Hero for the first time last month. I had greatly mocked this game, for the reasons above -- why not get a real guitar and learn to play it instead of *pretending* to play a plastic guitar by pushing buttons and flicking a little lever? It seemed really stupid. And maybe it is. But it *is* fun. Somehow they've taken a bunch of pop/rock songs -- many of which I don't even care for that much in their actual versions -- and made them fun to listen to and given you a way to have input into making the song sound good.
So I guess that's all I have to say about that.
Oh, one other thing: since I have a real guitar, and can even play it a little, the game was pretty easy except in Expert mode. The people I was playing with were impressed that I could jump right to the Medium (or whatever) setting. The point: I never told them I could play a real guitar -- does that mean I'm evil?
posted by Rob @ 12:48:00 PM
6 comments
6 Comments:
"invaluable opinion" -- of course!
"not being old fart" -- really?
"evil" -- um, yes you are.
think i agree with you about the so-called reality-type video games -- the "people" kinda creep me out. that probably makes me an old fart too. i've never been all that good at video games. tho, i'm not that bad at tetris.
haven't read alan's post yet, but i have my own wii story: my sister thot she had a line on the wii, supposedly at less than retail from her sis-in-law. said sis-in-law is a known flake, as i *reminded* her several times. santa was supposed to deliver the wii -- that's the only thing my niece and nephew wanted (think my niece kinda knows about santa but my nephew *believes*). every day there was some excuse as to why sis-in-law didn't actually acquire the dratted thing. my sister started to panic and had everyone she knew on the wii search, especially me since i'm here and she's there :).
i have been "santa" many times in the past -- let me tell you, it's a lot of pressure! i went to/called several stores and got laughed at, looking for a wii right before xmas. santa was maybe going to have to give a rain-check -- how sad is that? well, my bro-in-law happened upon an ups truck delivering to a game-stop store (i accused him of stalking all ups trucks). wii's were actually delivered to that store. happy ending -- santa delivered!! i think with 3 days to spare!
i got to see it in action at xmas (had to put it together -- usually my job also with the santa gift). didn't try it myself -- i'd probably throw my arm out or something!
sorry for going on and on... :-)
btw, re guitar hero: did you actually recognize the pop/rock songs?? ;-)
don't get excited -- it's just me again (wow, 3 comments!).
after reading alan's post, i forgot to mention that my sister hadn't considered there was only one controller (is that what they're called?), so i had to pick up a second one and some extra games for her because she couldn't get out and i could. it always works out that way...
Video games leave me cold. I completely don't understand the attraction, but obviously I'm missing SOMETHING since it's a bazillion dollar industry. Glad Guitar Hero worked out for you. I guess the only thing I'd add is that the only thing worse than playing a video game is watching a video game being played.
I hit my video game peak with "pong"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pong
I hate almost all new video games too, but maybe not for the same reasons. Guns and shooting and fighting and hiding hold less than zero attraction for me. So I liked Ms. Pac Man (the ghost-eating was not violent) and Frogger and stuff like that. But with "new" games, I DID go through a phase with the Sims and that was really fun. Those are cheesy imitations of people, but I didn't mind that at all. It's funny that they pee on the floor if you don't let them go to the bathroom soon enough. And I liked decorating their houses. I would see things in real life - like a couch or a cool lamp -- and think, "I should get that for my Sims."
Post a Comment
<< Home