It's always exciting to play Dungeons and Dragons.

There's a chance that I still don't have computer or internet access. If that's the case then I'm really sorry, but more importantly I really miss all of you! How's it going? Has anything exciting been happening in my absence? We should be talking again soon. To pass the time, here's a favorite entry of mine about playing Dungeons and Dragons! ------------------------ June 26th, 2010 It finally happened! 12:19 PM  MIRANDA EUBANKS  1...

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I've talked about this 'geek' thing before, apparently.

So long as I haven't been bitten by a snake, stabbed by a scorpion, or run into the cold desert night and gotten lost after encountering a tarantula during a late night pee session, then I'm still camping in Joshua Tree! Please pray for my safe return, and in the meantime enjoy this entry that I wrote a few years ago about the whole 'fake geek' thing. You can read my most current thoughts on the subject over here. ------------------- June 5th, 2010 What's in a name? (That was lame) 2:14 PM  MIRANDA EUBANKS  11 COMMENTS I realize that this blog is called "a bit of geek" and therefore what I'm about to write may seem...

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Throwback to World of Warcraft.

This week I'm out camping in Joshua Tree. It occurred to me belatedly that there's probably not going to be internet there, but even if there were, I don't know if I'd want to take my computer with me while camping. The point of camping is to be in the wilderness. To enjoy nature! To stay up all night terrified of scorpions, tarantulas and other horrible desert beasts. You know what? Maybe I won't go camping. But just in case I do, here's a backlog...

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A Bit of Geek Episode 5!!

This is a preview for your preview. Enjoy! It's here and it's time to watch!! ...

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The Bloggess book tour - This *totally* happened.

Last night I participated in what I'm calling my first ever LA "thing" (even though the event took place in Beverly Hills, but I don't think that's relevant). Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, aka hilarious woman, aka bringer of Wil Wheaton collating paper set out on a book tour this week for her newly released title "Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir". To my delight, and slight trepidation, she had an LA spot scheduled,...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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