Or how I learned to stop being stupid and enjoy a good movie.
I could talk forever (too long) about Quantum of Solace and how wonderful it is. I could dissect the opinions of others and show them to be the foolish thoughts they are. People are whiny and lame and if they can't completely grasp a plot they'll shout out at a movie. A lot of times this is because the movie did not relate its point well, but with a spy/action movie its because it's a spy/action movie. Relax and enjoy the ride.
You whores.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
It is Much Easier...
...for me to write when it's not for anyone. When it's for someone, for some audience, I either go completely blank or I make some lame attempt at speaking to the audience. If it's for me then who cares?
House of the Dead: Overkill is a game that is coming out (maybe in halloween, it'd make sense). All House of the Dead games are generic light gun shooters with zombies... so they're fun but not really deep experiences. Overkill gets my attention because it has some really odd '70s style blaxploitation trailer to present itself. Typically this means the developers are having fun with what they're making and it's a lot easier to have fun with something if it's made that way. You can feel the difference when you play something that, for the developer, was just a job to complete.
Overkill looks like fun because you can feel the fun just by looking at it. It doesn't matter if it's not a deep experience.
House of the Dead: Overkill is a game that is coming out (maybe in halloween, it'd make sense). All House of the Dead games are generic light gun shooters with zombies... so they're fun but not really deep experiences. Overkill gets my attention because it has some really odd '70s style blaxploitation trailer to present itself. Typically this means the developers are having fun with what they're making and it's a lot easier to have fun with something if it's made that way. You can feel the difference when you play something that, for the developer, was just a job to complete.
Overkill looks like fun because you can feel the fun just by looking at it. It doesn't matter if it's not a deep experience.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Travis and the Last Crusade
The hell you will. He's got a two day head start on you, which is more than he needs. Brody's got friends in every town and village from here to the Sudan, he speaks a dozen languages, knows every local custom, he'll blend in, disappear, you'll never see him again. With any luck, he's got the grail already.
That is my favorite bit from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I absolutely love that movie.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Alone in the Dark: Oddly bright and rarely alone
Alone in the Dark, newly released for the Wii and 360 (PS3 version coming much later) is more of an interesting experiment like democracy than it is a must have game. The title is designed with an episodic format so it plays out more like a miniseries than any game story you are used to. This is oddly refreshing, but also gives the lame story a presentation where you can tolerate it. After all, it’s not worse than anything else on TV even if it is completely retarded. In short, Atari cheated and I’m onto them. The story still sucks balls.
I have completed two episodes so far and all I can really say is that the game really tries a lot of new things so I can’t fault them. However, the control is the only scary thing in the game. It’s hard to give credit to a title that comes up with new ideas but makes you completely incapable of partaking in said new ideas. Of course, even total poop can fertilize grass so maybe Alone in the Dark will grow into something worthwhile with more play time. It had better, because right now I see the game’s title as advice more than anything. If you don’t want to be embarrassed, play the game while alone in the dark.
I have completed two episodes so far and all I can really say is that the game really tries a lot of new things so I can’t fault them. However, the control is the only scary thing in the game. It’s hard to give credit to a title that comes up with new ideas but makes you completely incapable of partaking in said new ideas. Of course, even total poop can fertilize grass so maybe Alone in the Dark will grow into something worthwhile with more play time. It had better, because right now I see the game’s title as advice more than anything. If you don’t want to be embarrassed, play the game while alone in the dark.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Metal Gear Final Results
Mission Record
Difficulty: Original
Play Time: 3:00:57
Save: 2
Continue: 92
Alert Mode: 95
Humans Killed: 241
Ration Used: 74
Special Item: Not Used
Code Name: Deer
Difficulty: Original
Play Time: 3:00:57
Save: 2
Continue: 92
Alert Mode: 95
Humans Killed: 241
Ration Used: 74
Special Item: Not Used
Code Name: Deer
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Indiana Jones and Patriot Act of Debateable Freedom
Tenured proffessor of Archaeology, Dr. Henry Jones Jr., is the rough and tumbling sort. Due to his varying degress of awesome it is easy for people to assume he is always good aside from the fact he's fathered a bastard child. In his newly recieved adventure Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull we seen an older Jones who is knee deep in the red scare of the 1950s.
The man really hates communists.
Knowing what we know about his character, would Dr. Jones be in favor or against the Patriot Act? This is actually hard to say. Jones comes from a simpler time in which good and evil were more clearly defined. Nazis = super bad. Communists (in assuming they want to blow us up) = super bad as well. But even during the red scare there was no legislature giving the government Dirty Harry powers of personal justice when they see fit. Sure, it probably happened quite a bit but it was always "hush hush". These days what used to be on the down low is now commonly accepted as "well we needs the freedomz" and we move on because we of course never did anything wrong and it's going to affect people we don't know.
If you put a lot of faith in your government then the Patriot Act is totally fine. It would never be abused and would actually go to capturing the people who would otherwise use red tape to avoid us. By now this had ought to feel a bit iffy seeing as I dno't think we have a single case of a terrorist avoiding punishment due to red tape. That's what the mafia does. Wire tappings and such, of course, would help us find information better but since we do that anyway I don't think it really helps that much.
I submit, for the purposes of extreme boredom, that Dr. Jones would not support the Patriot Act. In Crystal Skull he's a stereotypical American in terms of the population's general opinion of communists during the '50s. However, we also see him having some issues with his own country's doubting of him and he's freaknig Indiana Jones. That is not to mention that these days the standard American is pretty much nothing. We don't even have the sense to be a caricature these days. We're just people who allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by a big picture we don't understand. So in keeping with Dr. Jones' American representation as well as his character development in the latest movie he would likely oppose the Patriot Act but instead of worrying about it spend most of his time being upset that he can't go on archaeological digs in the middle east... legally. Oh you'd better believe he'd find a way out there anyway. He's Indiana Jones.
I really have no point here.
The man really hates communists.
Knowing what we know about his character, would Dr. Jones be in favor or against the Patriot Act? This is actually hard to say. Jones comes from a simpler time in which good and evil were more clearly defined. Nazis = super bad. Communists (in assuming they want to blow us up) = super bad as well. But even during the red scare there was no legislature giving the government Dirty Harry powers of personal justice when they see fit. Sure, it probably happened quite a bit but it was always "hush hush". These days what used to be on the down low is now commonly accepted as "well we needs the freedomz" and we move on because we of course never did anything wrong and it's going to affect people we don't know.
If you put a lot of faith in your government then the Patriot Act is totally fine. It would never be abused and would actually go to capturing the people who would otherwise use red tape to avoid us. By now this had ought to feel a bit iffy seeing as I dno't think we have a single case of a terrorist avoiding punishment due to red tape. That's what the mafia does. Wire tappings and such, of course, would help us find information better but since we do that anyway I don't think it really helps that much.
I submit, for the purposes of extreme boredom, that Dr. Jones would not support the Patriot Act. In Crystal Skull he's a stereotypical American in terms of the population's general opinion of communists during the '50s. However, we also see him having some issues with his own country's doubting of him and he's freaknig Indiana Jones. That is not to mention that these days the standard American is pretty much nothing. We don't even have the sense to be a caricature these days. We're just people who allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by a big picture we don't understand. So in keeping with Dr. Jones' American representation as well as his character development in the latest movie he would likely oppose the Patriot Act but instead of worrying about it spend most of his time being upset that he can't go on archaeological digs in the middle east... legally. Oh you'd better believe he'd find a way out there anyway. He's Indiana Jones.
I really have no point here.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Batman vs. Iron Man
Fresh off of Iron Man I've been randomly reading up on some superhero histories via Wikipedia. Turns out Batman's original inspiration for being a batman is incredibly lame! It made me laugh, at least. Of course the character has been updated to be a bit more... well it's still a guy in a bat suit so it's not realistic, but at least a BIT more grounded in reality.
I do at least like the notion that Batman is mentally unstable. And I guess you'd have to be to go out every night and rough up hooligans without superpowers. It's kind of embarassing, though, that Tony Stark is probably as rich as Bruce Wayne and can build a whole power suit and Batman's stuck running around in typical armor. However, unlike Iron Man, Batman actually knows how to handle himself in a fight. If Iron Man got caught without his power suit he'd be screwed. Poor drunk Tony Stark.
Of course the nerd in me wants to clarify that Iron Man did receive martial arts training later and is formidable outside of his suit now I still maintain that Batman could easily take him if neither of them worse suits. But of course Batman is insane and has received way more martial arts training than is possible. However, he hasn't learned Drunken Master style... that I'm aware of.
Drunken Master style... now THAT is insane.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Pikmin
There are certain video games which inspire a rather startling emotion. There are also some video games which are merely guantlets to challenge the reflexes for a time. Both are acceptable, certainly, but I have to admit I prefer the former.
Pikmin is a little game released for the Nintendo GameCube and is currently the last title directed by Shigeru Miyamoto (that I'm aware of). The famous game designer is heavily involved with numerous games to this day but this is the last time where it was really all him directing a project and designing it. I have to admit, that there is a distinct difference between a Miyamoto title and one by another director.
Miyamoto brought us Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and so on. Today there are Mario and Zelda games made without Miyamoto having directorial duties but instead acting as a consultant and producer instead. Great games, certainly, but they're just not the same.
Now that I'm done with that little bit of backstory I can gladly say that on a complete whim I have picked up Pikmin again and am once again amazed at its beauty (yes, I will say that about a game). The gameplay is certainly effective in its attempts to rely on puzzles more than action, but where it all really gets me is in its presentation. Pikmin sees us through the adventure of a character named Olimar who has crash landed on an alien world. His ship is torn apart and he notes that he has only 30 days of life support on his wreckage before he will succumb to the dangers of the planet. So the main point of the game is that you have 30 days to find 30 pieces of the ship which are scattered across the planet's surface and while doing so Olimar is captivated and writes in his journal about the various discoveries and explorations he embarks on in the process. He befriends a strange race of beings he names Pikmin and they follow his commands to help him traverse the environment and find his lost ship parts.
It's all very simple, but there's just something about the exact combination of the gameplay, music, level design, and so on which all work together to produce one of the most most soothing games I have ever played. And yet, despite the extreme serenity of the title's presentation there's that ticking clock of doom. The 30 days will go by regardless of whether you accomplish anything or not and if you get too wrapped up in exploration you will be doomed forever as your life support fails you.
While Pikmin is not even a title I can consider among my top 10 favorite games it can certainly be considered one of the most noteworthy as an example of perfect game design. Everything about the game seems designed to cause the player to connect with Olimar on a psychological level. Olimar is an explorer and you too explore the landscape in search of the ship parts, but the games throws things at you which cause you to really want to explore and take your time as you investigate the environment much to the detriment of your time constraints. The player begins wrestling with the same exact issues that Olimar himself struggles with in the narrative. While he's writing in his journal every night he is absolutely excited about the discoveries he is making on this new planet and it is difficult put all his forcus on recovering the ship pieces when there is so much to see and learn. When a title is designed so well as to cause the player to feel the same way as the character I am always impressed.
Initially the title is frustrating despite its simple gameplay because of the time limit but ti's truly a system which has to be seen as part of a big picture. That is why I love Pikmin, and also why the sequel fails to reach the same feelings set in place by its predecessor. Pikmin 2 is still a fun game but it feels more like a "game" and less like a story. It feels like something to do with your free time rather than an experience with interactive art. But that's just my two cents.
This is not to mention the depth of themes you experience when you realize that Olimar is an explorer who is basically using these creatures to survive even if it means their death (and it will) only for him to leave them stranded and alone on the planet after he finally leaves and well... you wouldn't think the game was deep by any stretch of the imagination just by looking at it. You really wouldn't. And then there's even the Planet of the Apes feel in that you realize that Olimar has been exploring earth all along and is actually the alien himself who is only about the size of a quarter.
Pikmin is one of those "art" video games that goes beyond the traditional view of "wow that was a very artful cutscene" and is a perfect example of how every little portion of development can combine to make something incredible.
Pikmin is a little game released for the Nintendo GameCube and is currently the last title directed by Shigeru Miyamoto (that I'm aware of). The famous game designer is heavily involved with numerous games to this day but this is the last time where it was really all him directing a project and designing it. I have to admit, that there is a distinct difference between a Miyamoto title and one by another director.
Miyamoto brought us Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and so on. Today there are Mario and Zelda games made without Miyamoto having directorial duties but instead acting as a consultant and producer instead. Great games, certainly, but they're just not the same.
Now that I'm done with that little bit of backstory I can gladly say that on a complete whim I have picked up Pikmin again and am once again amazed at its beauty (yes, I will say that about a game). The gameplay is certainly effective in its attempts to rely on puzzles more than action, but where it all really gets me is in its presentation. Pikmin sees us through the adventure of a character named Olimar who has crash landed on an alien world. His ship is torn apart and he notes that he has only 30 days of life support on his wreckage before he will succumb to the dangers of the planet. So the main point of the game is that you have 30 days to find 30 pieces of the ship which are scattered across the planet's surface and while doing so Olimar is captivated and writes in his journal about the various discoveries and explorations he embarks on in the process. He befriends a strange race of beings he names Pikmin and they follow his commands to help him traverse the environment and find his lost ship parts.
It's all very simple, but there's just something about the exact combination of the gameplay, music, level design, and so on which all work together to produce one of the most most soothing games I have ever played. And yet, despite the extreme serenity of the title's presentation there's that ticking clock of doom. The 30 days will go by regardless of whether you accomplish anything or not and if you get too wrapped up in exploration you will be doomed forever as your life support fails you.
While Pikmin is not even a title I can consider among my top 10 favorite games it can certainly be considered one of the most noteworthy as an example of perfect game design. Everything about the game seems designed to cause the player to connect with Olimar on a psychological level. Olimar is an explorer and you too explore the landscape in search of the ship parts, but the games throws things at you which cause you to really want to explore and take your time as you investigate the environment much to the detriment of your time constraints. The player begins wrestling with the same exact issues that Olimar himself struggles with in the narrative. While he's writing in his journal every night he is absolutely excited about the discoveries he is making on this new planet and it is difficult put all his forcus on recovering the ship pieces when there is so much to see and learn. When a title is designed so well as to cause the player to feel the same way as the character I am always impressed.
Initially the title is frustrating despite its simple gameplay because of the time limit but ti's truly a system which has to be seen as part of a big picture. That is why I love Pikmin, and also why the sequel fails to reach the same feelings set in place by its predecessor. Pikmin 2 is still a fun game but it feels more like a "game" and less like a story. It feels like something to do with your free time rather than an experience with interactive art. But that's just my two cents.
This is not to mention the depth of themes you experience when you realize that Olimar is an explorer who is basically using these creatures to survive even if it means their death (and it will) only for him to leave them stranded and alone on the planet after he finally leaves and well... you wouldn't think the game was deep by any stretch of the imagination just by looking at it. You really wouldn't. And then there's even the Planet of the Apes feel in that you realize that Olimar has been exploring earth all along and is actually the alien himself who is only about the size of a quarter.
Pikmin is one of those "art" video games that goes beyond the traditional view of "wow that was a very artful cutscene" and is a perfect example of how every little portion of development can combine to make something incredible.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Escape From Reality
I absolutely love this image. I really do. It appeals to me in terms of nostalgia, photography, and fun. There is nothing to complain about.
There are more images here. Just wanted to share.
This does cause me to remember something I've been thinking about lately, though. I've been turning over the thought of writing in my mind much more often the past couple of weeks. Questions like "why write?" or "what's the point?" or "blah blah?" come to mind. They're all basically the same question, of course, just bigger pieces of the whole.
Traditionally there are only two reasons for any form of writing; to teach something, or to entertain. I like to entertain people, I like them to be happy. Sometimes entertainment is confused with "escape from reality." Certainly someone can read something and be sucked into the world the author has created, but I don't like the thought of anyone reading anything because their life is horrible and they want to ignore if for a while. If I were to be fortunate enough to be published and make a living of it someday I want someone to read my stuff because it makes them smile, because it makes them feel something. I don't care if I'm writing a story about a robot that cannot tell time. A story doesn't have to be based in reality for there to be real emotion put into it.
This is not to say that every piece of writing has to be filled with symbolism or tackle some hugely controversial issue. In fact, I'd suggest that most of those writings are horribly repulsive (at least in the modern stage) because they are only going for the big buck as opposed to going for a point. Furthermore, heavy symbolism is the mark of a poor writer who feels they must rely on it to add depth to their shallow story. No, what I believe must be done is that a writer must determine what emotion they want to primarily invoke and then simply go with it. I choose to invoke happiness, but not the sort where people set aside their responsibilities to go have a laugh. I lust for the happiness that is a reward for perserverence and pain.
True happiness is a smile.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
My Confession
I don't like Dungeons & Dragons.
I like the concept, sure. I think it could be fun given the right people to play with and and environment in which people do not take it too seriously. However, I have played it before and while I made my own fun after promising my commitment I did not really go wild for it.
My confession, however, is not that I don't like it. It's that I keep secretly thinking "maybe this time it'll be fun...." You see, I got roped into a new campaign by a friend who wanted to DM. I said "Okay, but I'm going to miss a lot." So on the bright side I only play if I happen to be home (we play online) and don't have anything to do at the time. However, I played on Monday and was bored out of my mind. I was able to use my old character from another campaign (the only one I ever completed) and I got so fed up with everyone "searching for clues" when their characters would technically have no motivation to do so that I made my character break into a tavern and get drunk and arrested. I then bought a complete breastplate armor set. It's +1 apparently, but I'm rubbish at managing the stats and don't like to.
However, during this session I recalled why I keep slyly going along with it even if I'm not that interested any time I've ever played. The answer is because I like to write stories and D&D is essentially collaberative story telling. The problem is that I hate everyone's stories. I find them contrived and streotypical. Logically this means that I'd probably have more fun being a DM and making my own story... but that requires looking all all the monsters I'd use and their stats and knowing everyone else's character's stats to ensure they don't cheat and also being the guy who's stable and always aroudn for a certain night of the week to play. And I just don't care enough. Maybe someday when I'm not in school anymore I can give it a shot and kill everyone off if I realize it's not working out, but until then the possibility will exist as my secret confession.
Unless... maybe I could make it so we'd only play once every two weeks and....
No, no it's best not to think about.
I like the concept, sure. I think it could be fun given the right people to play with and and environment in which people do not take it too seriously. However, I have played it before and while I made my own fun after promising my commitment I did not really go wild for it.
My confession, however, is not that I don't like it. It's that I keep secretly thinking "maybe this time it'll be fun...." You see, I got roped into a new campaign by a friend who wanted to DM. I said "Okay, but I'm going to miss a lot." So on the bright side I only play if I happen to be home (we play online) and don't have anything to do at the time. However, I played on Monday and was bored out of my mind. I was able to use my old character from another campaign (the only one I ever completed) and I got so fed up with everyone "searching for clues" when their characters would technically have no motivation to do so that I made my character break into a tavern and get drunk and arrested. I then bought a complete breastplate armor set. It's +1 apparently, but I'm rubbish at managing the stats and don't like to.
However, during this session I recalled why I keep slyly going along with it even if I'm not that interested any time I've ever played. The answer is because I like to write stories and D&D is essentially collaberative story telling. The problem is that I hate everyone's stories. I find them contrived and streotypical. Logically this means that I'd probably have more fun being a DM and making my own story... but that requires looking all all the monsters I'd use and their stats and knowing everyone else's character's stats to ensure they don't cheat and also being the guy who's stable and always aroudn for a certain night of the week to play. And I just don't care enough. Maybe someday when I'm not in school anymore I can give it a shot and kill everyone off if I realize it's not working out, but until then the possibility will exist as my secret confession.
Unless... maybe I could make it so we'd only play once every two weeks and....
No, no it's best not to think about.
Monday, March 24, 2008
On Sleep (and apparently other things)
I haven't been sleeping too well lately. My mind seems to be keeping me from reaching deep sleep because it wants to be able to spring to life at a moment's notice. My conciousness is a minute man with no war to fight. The British are not coming.
Too many times have I slept through/sleepwalked to turn off my alarm that I am now afraid of oversleeping. This is not to mention that my ears seem to remain focused on my cat so that I am not surprised by her rampaging through the window onto my face with claws out because she is in the middle of a cat fight. I close the window at night now to avoid this, but it has left me focusing on her to detect whether or not she's about to go to the bathroom on the carpet because she hasn't gotten used to not being able to go out at night.
It's just one of many reasons I need a vacation. I need to run off to a place where I can sleep in for a while and not have to worry about needing to get up for any reason. Oh how nice that would feel. Special bonus if the place has trees, because trees rock. Walking trees, though, don't rock as much.
I was planning to go to Washington DC this summer, and I'm still "planning" it but I keep having to push the trip back for one reason or another. First it was not having the funds ready in time, then it was my older brother deciding to take me to an Elton John concert for my birthday, then it was a surprise weekend trip to Carlsbad Caverns in June (I'm NOT going out there in May when there are so many movies I want to see) and after June... well I need to be looking at apartments majorly if any haven't jumped out at me then. So yeah... I'm still going to go. I'm commited to the notion especially since it might be my last chance of a vacation for a thousand years given that once I do have my own place I will be poor. But oh a vacation, I needeth.
Though despite the nuisances with having to get up early every day life has felt pretty good and someone has made me feel more at ease. The counter to this is that I feel less at ease when not around this person... a -1 to strength, if you will, but it's a worthy trade off. Secretly I wonder if I'm getting ahead of myself with my feelings because I've only known her for about a month but she seems too right, as it were, and then I feel stupid for being overly critical of me for picking on what I like. And I get ahead of myself regarding 'will this person enjoy my company in a year, in five years' and so on, but it's hard to dismiss things that infiltrate the mind when they're directly connected to an emotion.
So some sleep, it would seem, would do me some good. They say the brain needs to dream and sort stuff out in the unconcious and while I've been remembering more dreams than usual I'm sure the healing of the conciousness a deep sleep provides is really something I need to sort things out. Though maybe this is all a lesson for me. That I should stop trying to sort evertyhing out and just live for a bit and let things be. This goes against the nature of men, is the problem, you see.
And maybe someday sleep will help me remember to form complete sentences.
Too many times have I slept through/sleepwalked to turn off my alarm that I am now afraid of oversleeping. This is not to mention that my ears seem to remain focused on my cat so that I am not surprised by her rampaging through the window onto my face with claws out because she is in the middle of a cat fight. I close the window at night now to avoid this, but it has left me focusing on her to detect whether or not she's about to go to the bathroom on the carpet because she hasn't gotten used to not being able to go out at night.
It's just one of many reasons I need a vacation. I need to run off to a place where I can sleep in for a while and not have to worry about needing to get up for any reason. Oh how nice that would feel. Special bonus if the place has trees, because trees rock. Walking trees, though, don't rock as much.
I was planning to go to Washington DC this summer, and I'm still "planning" it but I keep having to push the trip back for one reason or another. First it was not having the funds ready in time, then it was my older brother deciding to take me to an Elton John concert for my birthday, then it was a surprise weekend trip to Carlsbad Caverns in June (I'm NOT going out there in May when there are so many movies I want to see) and after June... well I need to be looking at apartments majorly if any haven't jumped out at me then. So yeah... I'm still going to go. I'm commited to the notion especially since it might be my last chance of a vacation for a thousand years given that once I do have my own place I will be poor. But oh a vacation, I needeth.
Though despite the nuisances with having to get up early every day life has felt pretty good and someone has made me feel more at ease. The counter to this is that I feel less at ease when not around this person... a -1 to strength, if you will, but it's a worthy trade off. Secretly I wonder if I'm getting ahead of myself with my feelings because I've only known her for about a month but she seems too right, as it were, and then I feel stupid for being overly critical of me for picking on what I like. And I get ahead of myself regarding 'will this person enjoy my company in a year, in five years' and so on, but it's hard to dismiss things that infiltrate the mind when they're directly connected to an emotion.
So some sleep, it would seem, would do me some good. They say the brain needs to dream and sort stuff out in the unconcious and while I've been remembering more dreams than usual I'm sure the healing of the conciousness a deep sleep provides is really something I need to sort things out. Though maybe this is all a lesson for me. That I should stop trying to sort evertyhing out and just live for a bit and let things be. This goes against the nature of men, is the problem, you see.
And maybe someday sleep will help me remember to form complete sentences.
Friday, March 21, 2008
One Thing
Superman is basically the American superhero. Even moreso than Captain America or Spider-Man. This is odd, of course, because Superman is an alien from outer space who only happens to look like a white middle class male.
Now the right answer, of course, is that Superman was created to be a fun little comic book hero with vibrant colors to give him an easily recognizable look. Social climates at the time throughout the years have given him his motto of standing for "Truth, justice, and the American way." I do not believe he was ever designed with that motto from the get go and probably picked it up during WWII or the Cold War. (of course I have not read every superman comic so I'd have to do more research than I care to in order to figure that out but I will say that from the get go Spider-Man was badmouthing the commies)
I do not know why I started thinking about this, honestly, but here we are. I just think it's interesting because given Superman's status as an illegal alien (albeit an understanding circumstance given that he's from another planet that no longer exists and he can't really get paperwork in order for that). So Superman the ultimate patriot is an illegal alien in our current social climate where illegal immigration is a huge issue. Frankly, I think it's hilarious.
Superman comics of late have been more "timeless" in that they are pure fiction and don't involve any real world ideas, but sometimes I miss the politically incorrect propaganda days because it'd be hilarious to see Superman helping to build a giant wall on the Mexico/US border in order to justify his own illegality.
I need to track down old WWII Superman comics. I'm pretty sure there are ones of him basically winning the whole war. And he would too... he's SUPERMAN.
Now the right answer, of course, is that Superman was created to be a fun little comic book hero with vibrant colors to give him an easily recognizable look. Social climates at the time throughout the years have given him his motto of standing for "Truth, justice, and the American way." I do not believe he was ever designed with that motto from the get go and probably picked it up during WWII or the Cold War. (of course I have not read every superman comic so I'd have to do more research than I care to in order to figure that out but I will say that from the get go Spider-Man was badmouthing the commies)
I do not know why I started thinking about this, honestly, but here we are. I just think it's interesting because given Superman's status as an illegal alien (albeit an understanding circumstance given that he's from another planet that no longer exists and he can't really get paperwork in order for that). So Superman the ultimate patriot is an illegal alien in our current social climate where illegal immigration is a huge issue. Frankly, I think it's hilarious.
Superman comics of late have been more "timeless" in that they are pure fiction and don't involve any real world ideas, but sometimes I miss the politically incorrect propaganda days because it'd be hilarious to see Superman helping to build a giant wall on the Mexico/US border in order to justify his own illegality.
I need to track down old WWII Superman comics. I'm pretty sure there are ones of him basically winning the whole war. And he would too... he's SUPERMAN.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
"You must become an ideal!"
Sometimes I use movies to illustrate a point. Some people use powerpoint, some people use absurd hand motions, and so on. I use movies and really any story. I think it's an easier way to express a point because we can all have an opinion on a story. It's fiction, it isn't 'real' so there's no one to offend. This is how someone can say the thought a story about abortion was trashy but they will never in their entire life say what they feel about abortion.
So yes, I've been thinking about what the villain in Batman Begins says when he tells Bruce Wayne "You must become and ideal!" I add the exclamation point because he said it while swinging a sword at him and starining his voice. I don't think he was actually excited or yelling - maybe passionate. Now the point was that becoming an ideal is a better way to inspire fear because people can't fear man or some such. It was something like that, yes. However, while the concept was used to do harm by the villain and to do good by Batman (though in an arguably insane way by literally dressing up as a giant bat) I believe it can apply to other things.
America; the land of the free and the home of the brave, is something many Americans take pride in a sense. Very few people I know actually take pride in our founding fathers beyong the overly romanticized stories and concepts behind them. I believe that all of our founding fathers were essential and did great things together, but of course they were imperfect men who fell asleep during constitutional conventions and were obsessed with the national bank. They could be petty and whiny and stubborn and offensive. But out of all of that we got America.
And when I was watching National Treasure: Book of Secret I was stricken with fascination when the President of the United States tells Nicolas Cage's character no one believes in the President anymore to which Cage replies, "Yes, but they would like to." And it's true, at least for me. I believe in the ideal of America, in the perfect memory we have of our founding fathers in basic history. Not because that's how it all went down, not because I'm delusional, but because I feel we should aspire to it.
Right now our President's popularity is severely low and there is a lot of strife regarding not only the war in Iraq, but immigration, oil prices, and the economy in general. Did we not have similar problems when George Washington was President? My point is not to say "Well everything is fine because in two hundred years these era will be romanticized so we might as well not get fed up now" but my point is that if we did take more pride in America, in the ideal of America, that we could improve things a lot more instead of being outright defeated by beauracracy and the stereotypical "fat cat" politician in Washington. One thing the founding fathers without a doubt got right was their attitude about a free nation and an idea for what the kind of land they wanted to live in and be a part of. I believe that we need that attitude of we'll continue to be dark and pessimistic regarding America's future. And if we go forward expecting the worse rather than aspiring for the best we are going to come to accept the things as normal which we should recognize as atrocious.
So yes, I've been thinking about what the villain in Batman Begins says when he tells Bruce Wayne "You must become and ideal!" I add the exclamation point because he said it while swinging a sword at him and starining his voice. I don't think he was actually excited or yelling - maybe passionate. Now the point was that becoming an ideal is a better way to inspire fear because people can't fear man or some such. It was something like that, yes. However, while the concept was used to do harm by the villain and to do good by Batman (though in an arguably insane way by literally dressing up as a giant bat) I believe it can apply to other things.
America; the land of the free and the home of the brave, is something many Americans take pride in a sense. Very few people I know actually take pride in our founding fathers beyong the overly romanticized stories and concepts behind them. I believe that all of our founding fathers were essential and did great things together, but of course they were imperfect men who fell asleep during constitutional conventions and were obsessed with the national bank. They could be petty and whiny and stubborn and offensive. But out of all of that we got America.
And when I was watching National Treasure: Book of Secret I was stricken with fascination when the President of the United States tells Nicolas Cage's character no one believes in the President anymore to which Cage replies, "Yes, but they would like to." And it's true, at least for me. I believe in the ideal of America, in the perfect memory we have of our founding fathers in basic history. Not because that's how it all went down, not because I'm delusional, but because I feel we should aspire to it.
Right now our President's popularity is severely low and there is a lot of strife regarding not only the war in Iraq, but immigration, oil prices, and the economy in general. Did we not have similar problems when George Washington was President? My point is not to say "Well everything is fine because in two hundred years these era will be romanticized so we might as well not get fed up now" but my point is that if we did take more pride in America, in the ideal of America, that we could improve things a lot more instead of being outright defeated by beauracracy and the stereotypical "fat cat" politician in Washington. One thing the founding fathers without a doubt got right was their attitude about a free nation and an idea for what the kind of land they wanted to live in and be a part of. I believe that we need that attitude of we'll continue to be dark and pessimistic regarding America's future. And if we go forward expecting the worse rather than aspiring for the best we are going to come to accept the things as normal which we should recognize as atrocious.
On Games as Art
Art: The quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
There has been some debate as to whether or not a video game can be considered an artistic piece. There are few who would argue that aspects of a specific title can be artistic, but few will go so far as to say that Metal Gear Solid, for example, is an artistic masterpiece. Certainly it has elaborate cutscenes and fantastic voice work, but because they are part of an experience which is typically looked down upon as childish it cannot be 'art', as it were.
Art is for ancient portraits. Art is for Shakespeare, for dance and romance. Art is for the stuffed up upper classman who all agree about what is beautiful. Art is also for someone installing a toilet in the middle of a city, taking a picture, and commenting that it has never been done before. Apparently if I play a video game in which I blow up a Hind helicopter with a rocket launcher I lose any artistic flair.
I'm not one to throw a fuss and demand that video games be taken more seriously. I don't care if someone hates them or even thinks I waste my time if I like to take a couple hours to play Final Fantasy IX instead of watch a movie. But let's be honest with each other; if someone's going to call a painting drawn with excrement 'art' because it is edgy I'd like a little more respect thrown at the video game industry.
Like with any form of art there is good and there is bad. Likewise, there are bad games which I wouldn't dare to call art because of the way they were thought up only to increase the wallet size of a company as they cash in on the latest blockbuster movie releasing in theaters. At the same time you can see some absolutely fantastic ability go into the marketing for beer and cigarettes but that doesn't mean all drawing cannot be artistic.
I do not consider Superman Returns: The Video Game to be a work of art. I do, however, find much to appreciate from many other games and not only in the areas they borrow from other artistic mediums. When a game has an incredible musical score, or a brilliantly directed cutscene that is all well and good, but gameplay itself can be an artform. The speed and accuracy required for Tetris, the zen feeling you can get while in the middle of a game of Rez, the scares you get from walking down a dark hallway in Silent Hill . . . there is simply something about the interactive experience that brings the player in even more.
And now, for no reason, an abridged list of games I consider artistic masterpieces...
-Metal Gear Solid
-Metal Gear Solid 3
-Chrono Trigger
-Final Fantasy I
-Final Fantasy IX
-The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
-The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
-The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
-Super Mario Bros. 3
-Super Mario 64
-Super Mario Galaxy
-Silent Hill 2
-Super Metroid
-Metroid Prime
-The New Tetris
-And probably some others I will soon remember after posting this and feel bad for leaving out.
There are others, of course, but these are the cream of the crop. I like MGS2 and 3, for example, but I must remind you that while I think they have incredible artistic merit and are art I just don't consider them 'masterpieces' as it were.
That is all.
There has been some debate as to whether or not a video game can be considered an artistic piece. There are few who would argue that aspects of a specific title can be artistic, but few will go so far as to say that Metal Gear Solid, for example, is an artistic masterpiece. Certainly it has elaborate cutscenes and fantastic voice work, but because they are part of an experience which is typically looked down upon as childish it cannot be 'art', as it were.
Art is for ancient portraits. Art is for Shakespeare, for dance and romance. Art is for the stuffed up upper classman who all agree about what is beautiful. Art is also for someone installing a toilet in the middle of a city, taking a picture, and commenting that it has never been done before. Apparently if I play a video game in which I blow up a Hind helicopter with a rocket launcher I lose any artistic flair.
I'm not one to throw a fuss and demand that video games be taken more seriously. I don't care if someone hates them or even thinks I waste my time if I like to take a couple hours to play Final Fantasy IX instead of watch a movie. But let's be honest with each other; if someone's going to call a painting drawn with excrement 'art' because it is edgy I'd like a little more respect thrown at the video game industry.
Like with any form of art there is good and there is bad. Likewise, there are bad games which I wouldn't dare to call art because of the way they were thought up only to increase the wallet size of a company as they cash in on the latest blockbuster movie releasing in theaters. At the same time you can see some absolutely fantastic ability go into the marketing for beer and cigarettes but that doesn't mean all drawing cannot be artistic.
I do not consider Superman Returns: The Video Game to be a work of art. I do, however, find much to appreciate from many other games and not only in the areas they borrow from other artistic mediums. When a game has an incredible musical score, or a brilliantly directed cutscene that is all well and good, but gameplay itself can be an artform. The speed and accuracy required for Tetris, the zen feeling you can get while in the middle of a game of Rez, the scares you get from walking down a dark hallway in Silent Hill . . . there is simply something about the interactive experience that brings the player in even more.
And now, for no reason, an abridged list of games I consider artistic masterpieces...
-Metal Gear Solid
-Metal Gear Solid 3
-Chrono Trigger
-Final Fantasy I
-Final Fantasy IX
-The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
-The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
-The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
-Super Mario Bros. 3
-Super Mario 64
-Super Mario Galaxy
-Silent Hill 2
-Super Metroid
-Metroid Prime
-The New Tetris
-And probably some others I will soon remember after posting this and feel bad for leaving out.
There are others, of course, but these are the cream of the crop. I like MGS2 and 3, for example, but I must remind you that while I think they have incredible artistic merit and are art I just don't consider them 'masterpieces' as it were.
That is all.
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