Tag Archives: video games

June 15, 2014 · 10:19 am

A Warning from the Future

Some mysterious person sent me this strange email, and I thought you should read it.

I bring grave news from the future. In the year 2032 new video game technology will reduce all of humanity to brain-dead zombies. No one will resist it. Nothing can prevent this future.

People will bask in the warm glow of this technology all day and everyday. They will treat the screen like a helpless baby and never take their eyes off it. These poor zombies will see their eyes sink back into their heads until they look like prehistoric cavemen.

Don’t blame us; the technology was very impressive. It dwarfed any of the current virtual reality products that you know about. In fact, we marveled at how this new tech made the virtual world indistinguishable from reality. Games and life became the same thing. The lines were blurred.

After the blurry lines, it was a short descent into madness for the human race. It was also a short descent down into the Earth’s caves. In the caves, we sat in front of screens all day and played video games until we couldn’t see straight. Some people tried to escape, but few made it. No one could avert their eyes from the shiny allure of the screen.

I too fell victim to this technology. I sat in a cave for days, as if someone had crazy glued me to the seat, and watched images flicker on the screen. My future seemed bleak. The cave had swallowed me up.

One day a wise woman named Sophia broke into the cave. No one seemed to notice her except me. I moved away from the screen, which I had never done before and talked to her.

“You still have some life in you,” she said. As she looked at my pale face, she spoke again, “You might still know the truth when you see it.”

She grabbed me by the arm and took me to a long ladder behind the screen. Light bathed the glittering ladder. But where was the light coming from?

As we climbed the ladder in a plodding fashion, I saw a crouched person behind the screen. He was flipping switches to control every game we played. He controlled us like puppets all along. My face and hands burned with such a fiery rage that I almost melted the wooden ladder with my anger.

When outside, the sun shone so bright it almost blinded me. My muscles were still too weak to move. It hurt but I was free.

I finally saw the source of the light: a huge golden orb that shone in the sky. The orb represented the good that I had traded in for the coldness of the cave.

“Now you know the truth,” said the old woman, “they deceived you.”

And now you know the truth too. Beware the technology of 2032.

Meh! I thought the email was a spammy scare tactic. I deleted it.

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June 8, 2014 · 9:31 am

Shocking Video Game Nightmare

I stumbled outside one morning, nearly tumbled down the stairs, and saw something unexpected. Everyone in the world, like your grandma, your neighbour and astronauts in space, played video games. They played on the go, at home, and while they ate. There was no more work; work became play.

At first, I thought I was still dreaming. After all, it felt like cement blocks weighed down my eye lids with 100 pounds of pressure, and this was a fantastical world. Then, I smelled the pungent aroma of coffee, it woke up my nostrils, and I downed a cup of it.

I rubbed my blood-shot eyes as my brain processed a different world. Imagine, I wonder if you can, no more “noobs,” no taunts, no banned or censored games and no violence.

Developers and gamers hold hands as they sing in the street. Piracy and DRM are a thing of the past. Everything smells like yellow roses in full bloom on a blue sky Sunday afternoon.

But wait! Scratch this rosy surface and a foul stench now pervades the air.

A billboard sized screen turns on behind me and a big brother-like tyrant speaks commands to his slaves. I look closer to see the tyrant is Doctor Wallace Breen from Half Life 2, and he’s forcing everyone to play video games. I always thought it would be good if more people tried video games, but freedom is something to cherish. Forcing people to have a hobby is wrong.

Get me out! This is a nightmare. I can handle all the people who bash video games. I can handle it if some people don’t play video games. There is no place like home. There is no place like home. Flaws and all.

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June 1, 2014 · 9:58 pm

Early Bird or Night Owl?

The sun rose and bathed the forest with a warm glow. All the birds tweeted — with their voices, not their computers — and sang sweet love songs. A gentle dew quenched all the plant life before the sun rays of the day parched the forest. It was a blissful morning scene.

The songs ceased and the birds spread out to collect twigs for their nests. But Carl the Cardinal was missing.

Max, the biggest Cardinal in the forest, hopped toward his friend and asked, “Hey, Sammy, any idea where Carl is today?”
“Not a clue,” said Max.

Max puffed up his plumage as he chewed this fact over.

“Hmmm he’s not one to miss a friendly chirp.”

Sammy shook a little and squawked, “We’d better look for him then.”

So the two Cardinals flew off in search of their friend. They flew over a babbling brook and didn’t see him. They dove into the tall pine trees and chirped his name to no avail. They asked the grumpy Blue Jays of his whereabouts but couldn’t shake any clues out of them.

After a long morning of searching, the birds lazily flew back to their nest. They perched themselves on their front porches when Sammy started chirping, “I”— he felt a dry lump at the back of his beak — “I hope he’s ok.”

“I’m sure he’s fine. He’s a tough bird and he always kept his beak clean.”

“I know but…but I just have awful visions of a mountain cat and…”

“Don’t Worry,” Max interrupted, “Let’s just try to get some shut-eye.”

Suddenly loud music and explosions seemed to echo throughout the forest. It was coming from Carl’s house!

The birds flew next door to Carl’s nest and found the front door wide open. It seemed like no one was home. They moved deeper into the house and found Carl sprawled across his couch with a controller.”

“No, no shoot left!”

“Carl!” they both screamed, “Have you been sitting here playing video games all day while we worried sick about you?”

“Carl turned around to face them so quickly that his cigar fell out of his beak. “Oh, sorry guys. I woke extra early this morning to squeeze in some game time. I forgot that we were collecting twigs today and just kept playing.”

 

So I’m not much of an early bird when it comes to playing video games. Let me tell you what I am by way of a story…

***

Much later, the forest became deathly silent. Darkness covered everything like a giant black blanket.

There was some relief, though, from the darkness. Something like a gigantic bowling ball with three huge craters appeared high in the night sky.

Then there were two yellow orbs that pierced through the darkness that blanketed the landscape. The orbs were so bright that they even shone through the dense packed trees.

A lone traveler with his flashlight headed towards the trees. He scratched his head, furrowed his brow and wondered “What could those orbs be?”

He walked so close to the trees that he bumped his head. The branches were perfectly camouflaged in the black night, and it was a dangerous time to be in the forest.

“Owww what was that?,” he said.

He moved away from the branch and heard a strange sound.

“Hoo, Hoo!”

The traveller clenched his fist. “Not who. I said what.”

“Hoot, hoot!”

“Oh a wise guy, eh? Alright you asked for it pal.”

The traveler pulled his arm back to deliver a deadly blow. That’s when he noticed the orbs seemed to blink.

“Wait, what the…”

The traveler’s eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped when he saw it.  An owl, perched on a branch, and staring at a glowing white screen. It was playing a handheld video game at night!

“We’ll I’ll be… playing video games at night,” the traveller thought.

The Owl replied, “Hey, will you keep it down over there; I’m trying to play. Geez, the nerve of some people.”

————————————-
I don’t obsessively play video games in the middle of the night in a tree. But this was a different way of saying that I’m a night owl gamer. What about you? Are you night owl gamer or an early bird?

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May 25, 2014 · 4:39 pm

Ode to Video Games

It starts as a trust building exercise.

You fall back and trust the couch will catch you.

You can’t fight that sinking feeling… of joy as the couch cushions and envelops you.

Now inch forward a little.

Or, thanks to the technological advancements of a shiny new box, speak a command:

“Console, make me relax. I need to cope with a harsh day.”

There’s no extra equipment necessary, no drugs, no mind altering substances and no batteries required to relax.

You turn to play.

You did it as a kid, but somewhere along way people said you were too big.

Now you play with a tech box, not a sandbox.

Let the stress of the day melt away like ice cubes on a warm tray.

Then watch as it flows like a lazy river and pretend you’re swimming in it.

It carries you to strange places, past nymphs and fairies.

It’s like something out of a certain composer’s dream.

Now, you’re only immersed in the game’s menu.

And it’s time to dig in to something substantial.

The beautiful digital art whets your appetite.

Fun is the main course: it sustains you and gets you excited.

The music is a sweet dessert the stays with you.

Each serving tastes better than the last.

Take your time to prepare a strategy.

Chew over all the facts.

Because only you can stop hordes of aliens from burning our planet (and forests).

Or grit your teeth in frustration.

It’s all happening in your kitchen—I mean living room.

Aside from the cooked aliens, no lives were lost.

The thrilling story, your hard work, are finished.

Watch the final boss crumble on the ground.

Off the heat.

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May 18, 2014 · 2:32 pm

How Video Games Help Me

Video games have taught me many essential life skills. Playing games helps me with time management, perseverance and relaxing.

I can’t do everything in one day. I have limits. Playing games has helped me improve my will power and time management. I can play games for an hour or so per session and then move on to the other things in my life.

I’ve learned some lessons from these play sessions. They taught me to keep trying even when I make mistakes. In the worst case scenario, when your plan fails, you know you can restart and try again. Sometimes, after you keep trying, the plan comes together and works. You can erase all the penciled in plans to do something better.

However, strategies can fail and failure is a part of life. Games teach you to solve problems you meet, to find other paths to carry out a task. In life, too, you can travel down another path when you find yourself lost.

This new path in your life may seem scary sometimes. So how can anyone unwind under all this pressure?

Video games are one important hobby that help me relax. They help me briefly forget the problems of the world, which I do my best to try to solve. Playing video games and relaxing makes me a joyful person, and then I can go into the world and be at my best.

If you removed video games from my life, I might be hollow husk of my normal self. You wouldn’t recognize me. They have taught me so much.

How have video games helped you in life, if at all?

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May 11, 2014 · 9:23 am

Berenstain Bears Inspired This Post

writing is one of my favourite hobbiesMama and Papa Bear inspired me to write this post.

See, when I was a kid, my dad read the Berenstain Bears to me before bedtime. I loved that series. Sometimes he would add funny words to the story to see if I was following along. I would always call him out on these added words, and we would laugh.

On occasion, after he had a long day, my dad would fall asleep while reading to me. My mom would check on us after my dad had already shut his eyes. “Shhh,” I’d tell her, “Don’t wake him. He’s sleeping.” Then I’d continue reading until we all had to go to bed.

Not too long after these bedtime stories, I decided to pen my own tale. I remember a book called “Colour Your World,” about a cat, inspired me to write. After scribbling the last word and showing my mom the triumphant masterpiece, I realized I had a lot more to learn about spelling.

Cue years of learning and writing. But most of that writing was dryer than 2 week old stale bread. Yes, it was fun to write at all, but I wanted to try different styles of writing and be more creative.

So I started this blog and decided to write with flavour. I wanted to leave behind the bland writing of my past, to experiment with words, and to make something that excited me.

Video games became my subject because I love to play them and know a little about them. So many of you love them as well, which meant I could talk to you on my blog.

But when it comes to hobbies, writing is near the top. Thanks Mom and Dad.

I wanted to reflect on why I write this blog. Why did l choose video games as a topic? What experiences in my life made me fall in love with writing and then start this blog? As I reflected, I recalled something beautiful about life that mirrors my favourite hobby. My life is a story with a history, a present and a future I look forward to writing.

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May 4, 2014 · 5:10 pm

“Play Your Age!”

One day, I might look like a wrinkled prune, but I will still feel young. I wont use expensive creams. No doctor will touch my face. Plastic surgery and cosmetic treatment aren’t options. Instead, video games will keep me feeling young. I’ll play to blow off steam. I’ll play to clear my mind of silly problems. I’ll play to enjoy life. And I believe playing will help me enjoy aging, even if I became a wrinkled prune.

Some of us may think playing is immature. Of course, as children we played for years of our life and learned a great deal about the world this way. Then we stopped. Perhaps we felt silly still playing as “mature grown ups”. Perhaps others laughed at us when they saw us. Or perhaps we stopped because society seemed to expect more of adults. But why can’t we continue to play as adults or even as seniors?

I don’t care if other people laugh; I will keep playing as an old, grey senior. Sure, I’ll help grandkids and family, if I have any. I’ll still volunteer, care for others and be responsible. I will also still make time for video games.

I’ll make time for video games because they help me keep a child-like joie de vivre, which I think is essential for getting through life. Video games combine fun and creativity with the playtime of my childhood years. Whenever I start a new game, I feel joy despite the world’s best efforts to sometimes bring me down. So the calendar may flip fast and wrinkles may crease my skin, but I will feel young forever.

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April 27, 2014 · 3:34 pm

Video Game Word Art

up to get an extra life.

jumped

I
I

slid

down to get a shiny coin.

 

I       shimmied      across               the              ledge as slow as a snail.
 
Then I sneaked

around

the bad guys.
 
My sword has a deadly

sharp point

and vanquished my enemies.
 
Game over.

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April 20, 2014 · 2:32 pm

You Deserve a Playday

video game holidayWe need a video game holiday all around the world.

The purpose – wait for it – is to play video games. Play with friends, strangers, online or offline or by yourself. Not everyone must play, but everyone who plays will have a positive impact on the world.

This day will make the world a better place. Playing games will unite people of different races, classes, genders and ages from all over the world. They’ll forget all their problems. The world will sweep up and throw out silly squabbles into the dustbin.

What concrete steps could we take? We could start a series of gaming contests with a huge jackpot for winners. Gamers could play for a charity, and the winner could donate their cash prize to their favourite charity. A tense enough contest with interesting gamers might also be fun to watch at home. It might be something like “Iron Chef” on the Food Network, except controllers would be flying everywhere instead of cabbage.

Even if people cannot compete in this contest, they could rediscover the joys of friendship. Playday will make that happen. Playing team games will act like a glue that binds people together.

For those not interested in team games, organizers will feature games that cater to everyone’s tastes in public meeting places. These meeting places would stock up on every genre. My hope is this will reel in a wide catch of people who previously dismissed or could not afford to play games. The meeting places would also allow people to play games for free. Of course, I have no idea how to carry out this free feat, but I can still dream big.

My realistic goal is to encourage people of all ages to try games. To attract a younger audience, organizers will likely hold the holiday during the summer. That way kids will have more free time to both think about and play games. Developers, or any volunteers, could also bring games to retirement homes.

I hope everyone plays a video game on that day. There’s no reason to restrict video games to an exclusive elite. Everyone deserves to play games, to forget life’s petty problems and enjoy a hobby.

All of these people will be celebrating video games – some for the first time – on Playday. Some might begin to appreciate that games draw on both art and science. They might have questions about this entertainment. Those questions might lead to broader discussions about the role games play in our culture. Then Journey’s beautiful landscapes and poetic code might strike them as a work of art.

But you don’t have to play games. You still have free will. The police won’t knock on your door to make sure you’re playing. You won’t receive a fine for reading instead of recreating American Civil War battles on your computer. The thought police won’t track your thoughts either. You’re free to clear your mind or pursue other things on Playday.

I would think that playing free games is a good enticement. Maybe I’m wrong. However, I think you’ll come around eventually and pick up a controller. If you’ve never done that before, I’ll feel especially happy if you do it on Playday.

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April 13, 2014 · 9:57 am

Desperately Seeking Video Games

seeking video gamesI’m lying there in my bed as the fog of sleep is about to clear in my head. My dream of playing video games on an idyllic Saturday afternoon has just ended. It’s time to act. I want the dream to come true.

What do I see now? Golden sun rays stream through the window next to my bed and trigger my eyes to open. It’s a sign that I should get up and start my day. My eyes slowly open like a theatre curtain and promptly shutter because of the light’s stinging harshness. I force them open again and sit there in my bed trying to come to my senses. I feel slightly inebriated with fatigue from a long night but sober up in a couple of seconds.

Now, I’m all bright-eyed, sleep refreshed and ready for the rigours of the day. Nothing can stand in my way as I spring out of bed and land on my feet. The calendar is empty. It’s go time!

I gallop out of my bedroom but stop mid stride as I notice something. I’m overwhelmed by a wave of choices that float in my head. But I artfully dodge that indecisive danger and resolve to play games that afternoon. After all, I have absolutely no plans for the day to thwart my gaming dreams.

So, I walk toward my desk, turn on my PC, and get ready to dive into some great games. I pick up the controller and another thought pops into my head. My beard is a little itchy. Maybe I could use a shave.

The mirror never lies. It looks like I have a lumberjack’s beard. Scratch that. I look like a lumberjack who’s been sleeping in the wilderness for a month with nothing but his axe and the clothes on his back. In other words, I look a little rough around the edges. Also, the urban lumberjack look doesn’t suit me.

So it’s time to practice all that boring hygiene stuff. Give me about half an hour… Ok, now I’m back to my regularly scheduled programming.

Wait! I need to refuel with some good food to get me through the day. Contrary to what you might have thought, Mountain Dew is not the fuel that I’m talking about.

I better make some steel cut oatmeal for breakfast. Of course, you’ve got to top it off with some fresh fruit and stuff. All right, now I’m fully charged and ready to spend some energy on games.

Hmmm my fridge is empty though. So I run over to the store to stock up on groceries. It sounds like a simple task. But there wasn’t a cloud in the endless blue sky and the sun was still shining. How can I be expected to ignore that?

I think to myself, “I’d better go for a bike ride and make the most of this day.”

So forty-five minutes later, dripping with sweat, I get back home in one piece. A quick wash up and I’m ready this time. But I should munch on this delicious sandwich and soup that I made.

Alright already, I’m rested and full of energy, as well as good food. It seems like playing video games will happen in the immediate future.

Then my computer starts to taunt me. “Come on, write a blog post or two. Write another short story. Or do both!”

After couple hours of writing, I’m exhausted. I slowly turn towards the clock and realize it’s late. It’s 6 p.m. The phone rings. It’s my friends. They want to go out for dinner to a new pizza place and got tickets to a show no one thought we’d get. This is too good to turn down.

About 6 hours later, I get home and get ready for bed. I figured I could squeeze in an hour or so of a good game. But my bed, and the book on the nightstand, are beckoning me to come closer. I fold. Then I plop myself into bed. I instinctively reach for Don Quixote and read until my eyelids can no longer resist the concrete weights pushing them down.

Just before I doze off, I try to plan what I’ll do on Sunday. Well, chances are I’ll wake up with book on my head and end up looking for my twisted glasses on the floor. After getting myself cleaned up, I have some volunteer work to do, among other things.

I guess I’ll get a chance next Saturday.

***

Do you ever have enough time to play video games? If so, how do you make time for them? If not, what’s keeping you from living out your dream of playing more video games? What will you do to make your dream come true?

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