Destination: nerdy locales. What's yours?

Original image via UKresistance.

How many of you out there have been introduced to a new part of the world via video game, movie, book, comic book, etc., and then realized that you just had to visit it for yourself? I may have some eccentric thoughts, but I can't possibly be the only one who has felt this. Now, it would be easy to answer this with a simple, "But Pallet Town isn't real!" and yes, you would be correct, but I'm talking about real places in the real world, not amazing not-yet-real places in the potential world that are incredibly awesome that we all want to visit and if anyone tells you differently then they are liars for sure. Animal Crossing, anyone? Talking animals and breaking new ground in the archeological world every day? Please.

But back to my original thought.

Places that do exist that we are capable of visiting. What's yours? Mine is Scotland, and this is based entirely off of the incredible book series Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Currently there are seven novels in the series, with an eighth in the works and a prequel planned. Gabaldon's scope, attention to detail, and narrative style are staggering. If you are a fan of time traveling historical fiction action adventure romance intensely detailed lots of pages tiny print, then this is the book series for you. Full disclaimer: the books contain sex. Apparently I didn't explain this adequately enough on previous occasions where I recommended the series.

I think at this point I have covered all the bases. Original image found here.

Moving right along! The majority of the series is set in 18th century Scotland, primarily the Highlands. Gabaldon describes locations with such detail and accuracy that citizens of Scotland would write to her asking when she had been in the area. At the time of her first book she had never actually been to Scotland, she was just excellent at researching. That may have something to do with her Science Ph.D. I hear that sort of thing requires a great amount of research and research skills. Now she travels to Scotland all the time.

The point is, she has made me desperate to visit Scotland. I was going to go after being in Ireland summer of 2010, but then some things happened and I didn't. It is very difficult to not dwell on this, so when I start to feel upset I just drink more whisky and pretend I'm in the Highlands with some kilted men.

(sadly) Not pictured: bearded men in kilts. Image via Whisky-Pages.com

I created a route that had me visiting Inverness, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. Inverness and Edinburgh play huge roles in the Outlander universe, but off the top of my head I can't recall if Glasgow is in there. Either way, I have big plans to visit a whisky factory, go to the castle in Edinburgh, find that wily Loch Ness monster, go on night time dungeon tours, see the site of the battle at Culloden, wander the cobblestone streets and pretend that I'm a lady of high class, and drink so much whisky that the locals think I belong with them.

Edinburgh Castle in Scotland. Image via Beautifulplacestovisit.com

I want to frolic in the heather of the Highlands! I want to see those craggy, jutting rocks. I want to crest the peaks of rolling hills and reach the bottom of valleys. Within me there is an insane passion to see a new part of the world that wouldn't have existed with such heat and intensity if it weren't for Gabaldon's amazing literature.

Yes? Yes. Yes yes yes. Beautiful image found here.

Where do you want to go?

-MJ

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It's a Minecraft world, and we're just living in it.

Everyone out there plays Minecraft, right? It's such a fantastic game. It has pretty much anything to offer to almost any gamer, especially with the ability to share maps with other players. Thanks to the hard working and creative individuals around the world, gamers have access to just about any map system/world they could want. I thought it would be fun to round up a few just to demonstrate the intense scope of options.

::: A super exciting preview of Disney World.

::: A completed Disney World.

::: A stunning recreation of Winterfell.

::: Are you ready for some nostalgia in Kakariko village?

::: Here's a cute little one-person operation of The Shire in Middle Earth.

::: If you're looking for something more detailed in Middle Earth, then look no further.

::: Hogwarts Hogwarts hoggy warty-warts!

::: This guy is a little strange to listen to, but the castle is GORGEOUS.

::: A very fun and clever TARDIS in Minecraft.

This hardly scratches the surface. Do you have any links to great Minecraft world round ups? Do you have a favorite Minecraft created world that I didn't share? Did you perhaps make a map of your own that you're particularly proud of? I'd love to hear about them!

-MJ

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Why I'm excited and apprehensive about Project Glass.

The development announcement of Google's augmented reality glasses brings about far more speculation than answers or hard facts. It seemed like just another April Fool's pull, but it turns out it's a real thing that they're working on.

My brain raced with questions and wonderment as I watched their preview/demonstration video. After discussing my opinions with friends, it turns out that they think I'm highly skeptical. I prefer to see myself as cautiously optimistic.

Allow me to break down my concerns and excitements for you.

Store Maps

Visual maps of any location? Well, that would be handy I suppose, but most stores have maps, signs, and employees who can tell you where things are. Plus, what size effort would be required to get a map of every store ever built?

Know where your friends are

This has the potential to be a little creepy, I think, but would also be incredibly useful when meeting up with friends. Of course, this brings into question the need for constant connectivity, network coverage, and battery life.

Voice Recognition

How many people out there have issues with voice recognition? I don't know about you, but when I  said "Monsieur Gayno" to my phone, it thought I said "monster game now".  My voice has never played nicely with recognition software, so I do feel very apprehensive about a system that relies entirely on voice commands.

Visual Calls

The video is entirely concept and aspirations, but I still take a moment to wonder how annoying it would be to have things so close to my eye all the time. This phone call indicator is really big! It seems like it would be kind of invasive. And what about driving? Would we be allowed to wear the glasses then? It seems that it would be very distracting. Plus, this kind of technology would work based on eye movement, wouldn't it? And we need our eyes to stay on the road! So yeah, I'm guessing this would be a no-no while driving.

To-the-minute Updates

A constant connection could hypothetically mean that relevant data is sent to you on the spot. This would only work if we looked directly at specific information though. Would this change the way we visually gather information, or do we already look at the necessary data for this sort of technology to work?

Take a Picture

This idea I am one hundred percent in love with. I have wished I could take a photo with my eyes for as long as I can remember, and I know I can't be the only one!

Live Sharing

 

We can call people from wherever we are (provided there's service, or you have a phone from The Doctor) and now someday we may have the ability to show people what we're seeing. I can't even remember how many times I've said to someone "I wish you were here to see this" or "this is amazing, you should see it!"

Never Get Lost

I use Google Maps on my phone all the time, so this I really like. Plus, it would be like having a heads up display, and that would be so awesome! Gaming has taught me to appreciate the HUD and its values. I've grown to want one in real life.

Weather

 

It's strangely important for me to know what the weather is according to the numbers. It's not enough for me to look outside, I want to know what the professionals say. For me to be able to look out the window at the sky and have a weather readout appear in front of me, well, I just feel tickled. But what if I only want to look at the sky? Would it tell me the weather no matter what? Or could I say "no weather" and have that work? Would it make more sense to simply remove the glasses and look outside?

Hardware

Image via Pocket Lint

A huge, huge question: what will these glasses look like, and how will they coincide with people who already wear glasses (me)? Is the concept design incredibly far fetched, or will the final product look similar to what we've been shown? The large piece on the side of the woman's head isn't all that different from a bluetooth headset (it's just up higher) and the rest of the hardware is simply frame-less glasses. Perhaps there would be a clip-on version for us glasses-wearing folk?

This article over at Wired offers up an explanation from augmented reality experts who are claiming that a screen that small would be incapable of delivering the visual experience that Google demonstrates in the video. Of course it's incredibly important to remember that what we've seen is concept, aspirations, and things that are hoped for. The actual product is still years away.

The whole concept is incredibly exciting and I hope to see it come to fruition eventually. The technology has so many amazing options, and knowing Google they would deliver the goods. Although my mind does wonder if this means we're just a few steps away from actual implants...

From the wonderful Penny Arcade.

Who else wishes they had a heads up display?

-MJ

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Hate mail influx for inclusion of gay relationships in Mass Effect and SWTOR.

Things as productive as hate mail: watching paint dry, counting the number of rice grains 

in a bag, pulling every single leaf off of a tree. Image via Slapupsidethehead.

Gamers want choices, reality, and open-ended worlds. The majority of all games (until very recently) were helmed by male protagonists, so any female gamers could just shut up and play as a dude. The first game I ever played where a female lead was an option was Harvest Moon: Magical Melody and I was so ecstatic. Nowadays all MMOs offer both male and female characters, and newer open-ended single player experiences are offering that as well, such as Mass Effect. There are still only a handful of games with just a lady at the forefront; a smattering of Resident Evil titles, Mirror's Edge, and Bayonetta are the first ones to come to mind.

So. Choices. Non-linear gameplay, reality, and options parallel to those in real life. Women have finally been given the option to play in familiar terrain, and games such as Fable, The Sims, Skyrim, and Mass Effect have taken it a step further and provided players the option of a love interest. Now, given that whole "do whatever you want in-game" thing that everyone is so wild about, doesn't it make sense to include homosexual options? YES. That is a resounding "yes".

Amazing image found via Lorehound.

EA has done just that, to the anger and dismay of homophobes everywhere, with their series Mass Effect. Since the most recent offering in the series released late last year there has been a constant growl of disapproval circulating the title, especially since this most recent iteration includes *gasp* gameplay footage of same-sex individuals together. Please note that this "footage" is men talking to one another while in their underwear. The horror! More sexy and exciting things happen in football locker rooms.

Who hasn't seen this at a beach? Image via Gossip Gamers.

Even though EA was voted the worst company of last year, they are being shone in a favorable light this last week as they responded to an influx of hate mail over their inclusion of same-sex romance options and plot lines in-game for Mass Effect 3 as well as their MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic.

The haters and protestors continue to insist that the company is corrupting the youth, encouraging homosexuality, and is marketed at young children: BS line after BS line. While the ESRB may not be perfect, it is still fairly adequate at providing an at-a-glance answer as to whether or not a game is appropriate for a child. FOR INSTANCE! Mass Effect 3 is rated M for Mature. Mature, as in seventeen or over. Over seventeen as in nearly an adult. The ESRB provides more than just a letter rating though, they also give a description of the content that constitutes the letter rating. Mass Effect 3 is rated M for Mature for the following reasons: Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Violence.

Are you actually telling me that those things are perfectly acceptable for your child, and the only thing that will cause that content to be inappropriate is a man loving a man, or a woman loving a woman?

Excuse me a moment.

Sir Ian McKellen makes everything better. Image via Sir Mitchell.

I hope it's no surprise that what this boils down to is the parent-child relationship, interaction, and how responsible the parent is in moderating and monitoring the child's recreational intake. When I worked at GameStop I sold a truly, disgustingly, unbelievable number of copies of GTA to parents who were openly purchasing it for their ten-years-of-age-or-younger children.

As a person with at least a smattering of moral responsibility (I have a very strong moral compass, just FYI), I felt angry and sickened each time this happened. I warned each and every parent that the content was extremely unsuitable for someone of such a young age, and 95% of the time I was greeted with a flippant hand flap and a casual remark that their, presumably unique, child was smart enough to understand that "it's just a game."

Right. Thanks. I was unaware that I worked in a game store.

Image via Alltheragefaces.com

This has become increasingly rant-y, and I'm apologizing for that. Not because I dislike rants, but because I didn't set out to create a rant.

It's true that parents should know their children, and if they truly believe that their seven year old is responsible, mature, and smart enough to understand that just because the gun-toting man in GTA is stealing cars and shooting cops, that doesn't mean that that's actually OK, then fine. But then don't have the audacity to turn around and blame gaming companies for "corrupting" your child because they continue to expand to all-inclusive reality by allowing gamers to pick a same-sex partner. The box says "sexual content". It's not the company's fault that you assumed that meant "straight people only".

-MJ

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Is technology making me lonely? I think not.

She looks unwillingly alone, but really she's reading embarrassing fanfic.

Image via College Candy

Lately I've read a few articles covering online socialization and how it affects offline interactions. One write up over at Lifehacker had the author asking the readers how often they use the internet to stage in-person gatherings. This piece over at i09 sites a TED talk about smart phones and constant connectivity making us lonelier.

I disagree on a personal level with a lot of the points in the TED talk, such as the claim that smart phones are "replacing the intimacy of face-to-face conversation with online connectedness." - i09 From a purely technical standpoint online connections do replace intimate face-to-face conversations, but out of pure necessity. I don't live face-to-face distance from everyone I know. I'm in a different state than the rest of my family. If I want to connect with them at all, it has to be online/over the phone. But that in no way has replaced my need for intimate, face-to-face connections.

Since moving to California I have experienced a strange kind of loneliness. I'm here to chase my dreams, cliche as that may sound, and it has taken me away from almost everyone and everything that I know. My computer and my phone keep me close to everyone that I moved away from, and when the internet goes down I feel something akin to panic. I'm suddenly isolated, completely alone and cut off from everyone in the entire world. This isn't a new loneliness though, it's one that has existed for all people that moved away from home prior to cellphones and internet.

I absolutely rely on my smart phone. It goes wherever I go and it does lend me comfort. This comfort resides in knowing that my friends and family are only a phone call or a text away. I regularly use Google chat to carry on conversations, but even that doesn't satisfy the need for in-person communication and connection. Am I alone in this? Does anyone out there actually feel satisfied with an instant message exchange?

Simultaneously a fantastic and horrible invention.

Original image via Arvind

However, there's another point in this TED talk that really irks me: Sherry Turkle claims that now people have "feelings in order to share them" as opposed to having feelings simply for the sake of feeling...? According to her, the increased connectivity and myriad of communication outlets online has changed our basic human reaction of experiencing feelings into a need to experience feelings just so we can share them. Perhaps there's a nugget of scientific truth buried somewhere in there, but here's the thing: for me, I have feelings just as much as I always have, and now I have more ways to reach out and share those experiences with other people.

Everyone wants to know that they're not alone. We all want to find someone and ask "have you felt this before?" I think it's great that we have more ways to do that.

We need one another; we need to share and talk and socialize. The author of the i09 article eloquently states that humans are a social being. "Our technology is making us poignantly aware of a loneliness that has been with us all along" is a quote from her that I just love. There's no new loneliness happening, we're only becoming more aware of it.

Technology has changed my life in so many ways, and I believe it's all for the better. It was a less frightening decision to move away from home knowing that I can A. call B. text C. email D. video chat E. instant message anyone that I miss. But I'm still lonely. My smart phone isn't making me lonely, I made myself lonely. Perhaps the real "issue" here is that when we're on our phones and we're connected everywhere we feel that much closer to people, so when we don't have that access we inversely feel that much lonelier. Isn't it similar with highs and lows? The higher the high, the lower the following low will be?

Turkle touches on many larger and important topics such as youths preferring texting over talking, teenagers being uncertain as to how they can have a real-time conversation, and the advent of robots being invented in order to listen to humans talk. Those are valid concerns for sure, but I maintain that my phone isn't the cause of my loneliness. She also says that because we're so used to getting so much from technology that we come to expect less from people. The opposite has happened for me: because of the constant connectivity I expect that my friends and family will be more available and more talkative.

"Are you coming over for Game of Thrones night or not?! I need 

to know how much bean dip to buy!" Image via Brainfroze

How many of you out there feel frustrated and exasperated when someone won't reply to a text message or answer their phone? We know that people are never without their phones, so how can they be unavailable? I feel that Turkle has forgotten that part.

Does your technology make you feel lonely? Do you regularly prefer to be alone, or would you pick an evening with your friends over a night of text exchanges? Perhaps I'm just a crotchety old timer who can remember the days before internet and smart phones. Get off my lawn.

-MJ

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The value and challenge of side quests in-game.

I recently came across this great article on side quests over at Gameranx. In it the author makes the claim that side quests nowadays are boring, uninventive, and do little to add to the overall experience of a game. He points out the potentially large value that side quests can lend, and he sites Majora's Mask as the perfect example.  It is true that Majora's Mask presented a very unique and engaging array of side quests, especially considering the constant time restraints.

There's a challenge for me in commenting on side quests, because when I was much younger I didn't care for them. I didn't understand their presence in a game and always did my best to ignore them. It wasn't until I was much older that I grew to appreciate their existence, and also to understand why they were in the game in the first place.

The first game where I acknowledged side quests was in Ocarina of Time. It was a universe that I cared about, so the quests lent understandable sense to the main story. There weren't many, but, for instance, the long arc to achieving Biggoron's Sword was incredibly fun. Minish Cap was the first game where I was excited by the side quests. Many fans complained that Minish Cap was too short, and compared to traditional Zelda titles it was, but it offered so much in the way of exploration that I feel it was more than acceptable. Who else absolutely loved the kinestones? I found it to be a great mechanic to encourage exploration of the world.

The author of the Gameranx article points out that the reason side quests are so great in Majora's Mask is that the game doesn't hold your hand through the process. Your success or failure depends entirely on your sleuthing skills. There are no indicators on the map, no sign posts telling you where to go for the next step. This is a reason that I actually disliked them; they were incredibly difficult. I wanted to be able to accomplish them, which was not a simple task. Add in the constant three day restart cycle and you had an equation for a game that made me want to flip over tables.

Items consumed in addition to everything: my sanity.

Image via Kyandi.tumblr

I never finished Majora's Mask.

But, he has a point! Even though that aspect frustrated me to no end it was still fantastic. Everyone remembers what it's like to discover something new, right? Find a secret, crack a code, get past a particularly difficult hurdle. Most game side quests take away the triumph and accomplishment and add little to the overall experience.

There needs to be a balance though. Video games appeal to a wide range of ages, experience levels, and interests. I believe that developers such as Nintendo have the right idea in adding "helpers" in case the player is having a particularly difficult time. In NSMB for the Wii, if you fail to complete a level a certain number of times in a row then you have the option of calling on Luigi to show you how to survive to the flagpole. There's a similar mechanic in Super Mario 3D Land, where, again, if the player repeatedly fails a level then they're given a helpful power-up to get them through the difficult aspects and to the flagpole at the end.

An ever comical and poignant take on the situation by Penny Arcade.

These helpers are entirely optional and, in my eyes, are added simply to cover the wide range of player types and ultimately to help everyone have as much fun as they can at a game. Isn't that the point? Games frequently incorporate some form of helping/hinting system for the main story line, but I can't think of it happening that often for side quests. I sometimes think of returning to my Majora's Mask file and tackling some of the side quests, because I know that they are well done and worth playing. I also know that they're going to be incredibly difficult and I'll spend a lot of time attempting the same thing over and over again because there won't be any indicators for what I need to do next.

Really it comes down to playing styles. I'm the kind of person that appreciates a little help and nudge in the right direction. Others would rather figure out everything for themselves and damn any help that is offered up. Of course, even though I prefer help, I can agree without hesitation that no one should be led by hand. That takes out the fun and satisfaction. Let people think for themselves and experience the game on their own.

What about you? Do you partake in side quests? Do you wish they were more like Majora's Mask, or do you prefer hints and help?

-MJ

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The amazing influence of music in gaming.

Everybody loves music. You'd be hard pressed to find someone that doesn't. (There was a brief period in my life when I didn't, but I was ten years old.) There's something magical about music, something amaranthine and intangible. It's a universally relatable experience to hear a piece of music and immediately be transported to a different place and a different time, with memories dancing vividly in our mind's eye. Science even proved that it's a real thing.

But how many people share the same song with a similar emotional state or memory? I'd say that in the geek culture it's a prevalent occurrence, which just adds to the list of what makes our community so amazing.

Take the original Mario theme, for example. We will collectively remember happy times, frustrating times. I'm willing to bet that the majority of us will see World 1-1, with that first Goomba just waiting to trip us up. I can't help but smile and feel that all of life is simple and good. My mind quickly jumps to Super Mario Bros. 3 to World 1-2, where I was unable to successfully pass that level until I was in my teens. I remember the first time I crouched down in 1-3 on the white platform and ran behind the scenery to triumphantly obtain the warp whistle. Now I can hear the flying ship music and the cannons blasting.

Those two Goombas got me every time. Image via nesmaps.

I think of my sister next to me laughing and narrating as she jumps around 5-1,  pretending that Mario is in a bizarre pet shop. We take turns and she lets me play 5-3 because she knows how much I love Kuribo's Shoe. I could go on, traveling up through Super Mario World and watching my sister successfully make Mario fly with his yellow cape while I repeatedly fall softly to the ground. Now we switch to Mario 64 and backflipping into the paintings, and my sister simply cannot manage to beat Bowser.

I would love to conduct an experiment that contains two strangers who have both played the original Mario: place them in a room together, play the music and see how quickly they are able to bond and have a conversation. Music in gaming is so valuable! Who else out there feels the need to dance and throw their arms up and down when they hear this?

Everybody.

The importance of orchestral music in gaming is becoming more prevalent along with realistic graphics.  Many people feel that it should be a necessity with all new Zelda titles, and I respect their opinions. Personally I have no problem with computer, 8-bit, midi sounds. If it comes together beautifully and compliments the game then I am happy. However I can also absolutely appreciate the heightened value of an orchestra.

My favorite orchestra soundtrack in gaming has to be Shadow of the Colossus. It is beautiful, so so beautiful. Have you heard it? Here's the opening song.

Excuse me for a moment, I'm watching the opening scene in my mind's eye.

I just adore this soundtrack. To me it's the perfect example of complimentary, magical music. The entirety of Shadow of the Colossus is silent aside from ambient sounds. The only time the player hears music is during cut-scenes and battles. This is my all time favorite track from the game:

I literally, no joke, get goosebumps when I hear this song. That first striking note about seven seconds in is so powerful. But more than that? It's the emotions, thoughts and memories that come flooding into my mind, nearly knocking me over. I played this game hard for months on end. It consumed me and presented an unusual change to my regular gaming repertoire. It called to a part of me that had only been touched by ICO before it.

Sometimes in the middle of other intensive tasks I hear this song in my head. It's a power boost. I hear this song and I am immediately clinging for dear life on the furry back of a Colossus, my sword swinging wildly as I keep my eyes trained on its magical blue weak point. And now I want to play. I've got the shivers.

This would be a good time to talk about a different gaming soundtrack before I lose interest in this article and wander to my PS2. *ahem*

Don't you just want to jump on it? Image via wallpapervortex.

How do you feel about orchestrated versus computer made soundtracks? Do you feel that with available technology all games should strive to have a fully orchestrated soundtrack? Does anyone feel that a game with a phenomenal story and graphics is brought down by a computer based soundtrack? Can I end a fourth sentence in a row with the word 'soundtrack'? Oh look at that!

It's not something I've ever really bothered myself with. If the music is good then I'm not concerned about how it came into existence. Of course, orchestra music is very classy to listen to, so there IS that.

Who out there has a favorite track? I mean, hands down, best in your opinion? I've been pondering mine, and I don't think I can come up with one. Here's a list for you.

-Serenade of Water

-Gerudo Valley theme

-Song of Storms

-Corridors of Time

-Couch song

-Katamari Damacy

-Resurrected Power

-I'm drawing a blank... but really any song from Ocarina of Time.

If that list demonstrates anything, it's that I love Zelda. But more than that it shows that I am in desperate need of a video gaming soundtrack expansion! Please, give me your suggestions! I want them!

Also, does anyone have any stories about gaming music and strong memories? Any songs that you just love, that take you to a special place? I would love to hear them! 

-MJ

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