Whatcha Been Playing?
So here's a big question. What have you been playing? Of course it is expected that you have been playing something so what is it that you have been playing?
I personally have been playing a lot of Oblivion for pedagogical purposes and lots of games for the Nintendo DS that might not usually appeal to me just to see what the system is capable of and considering how it can be used for educational purposes. I am waiting for the release of the Spanish for Everyone game later this month. I am interested in seeing how the microphone on the DS might lend itself to "games" intended for the purpose of language acquisition and to what degree these games are actually games.
Comments
in order of how excited i am about them, right at this moment...
half-life 2: episode 2
portal
world of warcraft
unreal tournament 3 demo
team fortress 2
crysis beta
call of duty 4 demo
bioshock
Somebody got the Orange Box!
Somebody got the Orange Box!
Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, I have been exploring the wonderful world of the Wii. Maybe I will take you all up on the paper challenge. It would be interesting to think of it in terms of place/body/space. Maybe record myself playing a bit (once I get my webcam working). I am on level 5 in Super Mario Paper, and my sister sent me a game (what a wonderful sis) called Rammin Rabbid that I hurt myself a little bit on the first night. I have not found the draw of turning on the Wii irresistible (as I feared), but I find that once again I am unable to not compete against me. This has been a long term problem, so when I can't beat a level in Mario, or can't toss a cow (I still haven't gotten this part yet in Rammin Rabbid but am letting my arm heal before I try again) it gets under my skin. Dangerous in this way. I have also discovered the wonderful world of typing key words into the intertubes and finding out about what I need to do to beat a boss, or get to the next level. Some of the puzzles I get, some not, but its fun either way. So, Wii/squee
Well, Second Life is a
Well, Second Life is a constant, but since I resist the terminology of game for that . . .
I've actually been playing an older PS2 game called Bully. It's from Rockstar Games who are the same people who produce the infamous Grand Theft Auto series. I picked it up partially because I remember the controversy and fervor that accompanied its initial release. Because the game came from Rockstar, and because it was called Bully and takes place in a school, there was all this fervor over how it was a Columbine simulator and the most dangerous evil thing to ever hit society (after GTA of course).
It's none of these things. It's actually a passably entertaining game that really gets no more violent than a slingshot. The character you play isn't even so much the bully of the title, more that you get sent to a boarding school full of other mean and malicious kids. It's your typical sandbox game with tons of things to do, but not all of them terribly interesting for very long.
More interesting than the game are the conclusions critics jumped to without playing it (or never even planning on playing it). It's an amazing testament to the GTA series, and even more specifically Rockstar as a company name, that all they gotta do is put something on the market and the shit hits the fan. People know band names, big name authors, and even really famous producers sometimes . . . I suspect its rare that video game companies reach such levels of name recognition and power. Just another sign that gaming is hardly niche and actually one of the more relevant pop culture/entertainment experiences of this age.
Does Playing Dead Count?
Just kidding....
I've been addicted to finding "time waster" type games for Mac. I tried a bunch of trial downloads but decided to purchase Platypus and Azada 20 bucks each). I already have Puzzle Express. I've been playing those 3 but still looking for other stuff. When I can, I play Wii at Wiindy's.
Azada is Harry Potteresque. The graphics, the music. There's a story line (save a guy who's stuck in a magic book) that unravels as the player wins "pages" that belong to the book. It's got lots of puzzles that I like, such as matching and memory (plus lots more) and it requires some detective-like skills to figure out what to do in some puzzles. The downside is that I "won" it in a few hours. Drat. But the puzzles are fun to go back and do. Most of them change every time.
Platypus is a shoot-the-enemy-spaceship kinda game. The fun part is that the graphics are meant to look like Clay-mation and the music is very club-y. When stuff explodes it turns into blobs of clay. I'm not sick of the sound track yet. I can't get past level 2 on the EASY play mode, though. I think it's loads of fun but I'm getting frustrated with not being able to get past the same spot. And I can't figure out how to do it. It took me over 20 plays to figure out some of the basics.
Puzzle Express I've had for a while and I love it. It's got 2 modes, one timed, one not. The premise is that a train full of cars needs to be loaded with Tetris-like pieces (I love puzzle games). Every time a row is filled it reveals a piece of a photo. When the car is full the photo is uncovered. When the train is "full" it leaves the station (complete with clanging engine bell). I can upload my own photos into the game (this speaks to my interests in photography). The scenic mode visits different cities in the US and gives some "facts" about the area (this speaks to my love of travel). The timed mode shortens times allowed for filling cars as the levels progress (this speaks to my desire for a challenge).
I thought about going back to World of Warcraft but I feel I've been gone too long. And I don't want to play with jerks who are mean to me. At 35, I'M still afraid of the schoolyard bully. Perhaps even the Bully in Pepper's game....ha ha. At times, though, I wonder what Gangrena (my undead warrior) is up to....
As an interesting bit of observation, I found a game called Wedding Dash (I think) where the object is to "get Quinn down the aisle!" Oh dear.
How about a game where the objective is "to get Juliette to write her Prospectus!"
Playing
Well, as Beverly Sypher asked me at the Game Conference--as a graduate student where do you find the time to play? Unfortunately, the answer is I don't have that much time (as much time as I would like). In fact, I haven't visited the world of Dungeons and Dragons Online in a few weeks. However, that is the primary game that I've been playing. Interestingly, when I log into DDO now, its not necessarily to "play" but to do "work." Not work on my papers but to do toon maintenance. I check my toons emails, send items to my different mules, shop and do upkeep, then catch up on the guild website discussion. Maybe join a guild group to talk in person. The game aspect of DDO is starting to dwindle and move towards more "maintenance."
I did roll a hafling-thrower build earlier this summer, I named him TOSS (hehe). he's a cute little hafling that can inspire his comrades by using his Halfling companion power. He gets a bonus to throw--because he's a halfling. He throws a lot of things--anything he can get his hands on. He's an aggro stealer that way--but he's fast, and has the Shot On The Run Feat. So, he can run round circles on the monsters, stealing aggro, and throwing daggers/axes, clubs, stones--all the while the party chases the monster down and demolishes it to a pulp. He's fun that way, but he isn't a huge DPS build (Damage Per Swing). For that reason, Toss is also part rogue. In DDO, traps are an integral part of the game, you have to search traps and disarm them, or else huge fire/acid traps explode, floors give way, spikes shoot up, and blades spin around. Its pretty exciting--so I get a bit more mileage out of Toss as a partial trap monkey.
So, that's what I've been playing. Toss is my new fave toon (previous ones have been Runyant, Inana, and Krunkleshunk). Interesting how my favorites switch the more I play.
=Chris
Friends teach friends how to play video games
With the patient and loving guidance of my friends Dana and Reuben, I have been playing Lego Star Wars and Lego Star Wars II. They've also been trying to work me into role playing games. They've talked about a lot, but the two I've actually been playing with them are Final Fantasy XII and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina in Time.
Well, I'll have to "second"
Well, I'll have to "second" Christopher's comment about working on the diss and job stuff. That said, I'm occasionally playin:
World of Warcraft: nope, I can't get away. My hunter, Blindriver, is so close to lvl 70, I can taste it. I may even play tonight for a few hours ....yes, I'm going to!
Rayman's Ravin Rabbits: This Wii game is so entertaining and I like it better than the Wii sports and Mario party because it really exploits possibilities of the Wii controller. New users seem to have an almost equal footing as “gamers.”
Guitar Hero II: Although I have disliked the playstation for ages, Guitar Hero is fascinating to me. I freely admit that I’m not playing as much as I wish that I could right now. I also may need to get some Guitar Hero lessons from Lars.
Burnout: Okay, so I love this game. I get to hit cars and blow myself up and I get points for it. I feel competitive in the game and I really like the music.
Second Life: Yep, I got sucked into it. After hearing Intellegirl’s presentation at the Gaming conference, we chatted a bit about SL and some possibilities for the classroom. I started a new character and hope to be more “present” over the next few months.
I think that it is for now. I want to buy so many games, but I just can't seem to justify it yet.
;p
(Sighs of Relief)
This past Friday’s class was a big breakthrough for me. Up until that class period, I hadn’t realized (or admitted) that playing puzzle games counts as playing games. I am absolutely addicted to sudoku. Whenever I’m at my computer, I have an Internet window opened to websudoku.com. It has gotten so addictive that I had to buy a sudoku book to get me through the times when I don’t have access to it—on the bus, in between conferences, before class.
Up until Friday, I had thought that to be playing games required that I embody a character or figure on a screen and “act” through her/him/it. However, I think it was Wendy and Juliette’s presentation that addressed the embodiment that occurs when someone plays a game without a character. They described the process as becoming the puzzle. Juliette’s self admission that she dreams tetris or sees patterns in abstract shapes rang true with me. I am quite conscious, during the moments into and out of sleep, of “practicing” game strategies.
I posted earlier in the semester about being very competitive in games. But without a character that competes against other characters, I figured that this game didn’t count. However, I have to say I’m quite relieved to know that it does (or that it’s at least a start).
Competing against oneself or
Competing against oneself or against the machine counts to me. I try to avoid playing puzzle games for long periods of time because I, like Juliette, will dream in puzzles and have sometimes found it impossible to go to sleep until I solve a puzzle. Lately, I have been playing Puzzle Quest in bed and that just keeps me awake that much longer!
The Gaming Adventures of Motion Sickness Girl
I have tried out Bioshock. Since I get severe motion sickness, I thought I'd try a Dramamine first. It didn't help. I managed about a half hour or so before I had to stop. That "I'm gonna hurl!" sensation is not fun, and it takes a while to recover.
But what I saw of Bioshock was a gorgeous setting, great soundtrack (Django Reinhart), and an intriguing story that I wanted to unravel. The main action consists of beating up attackers with a pipe wrench, and that's just not interesting to me. Don't get me wrong, I love a good hockey game (and/or fight); it just wasn't my idea of a relaxing break.
I'm currently trying out Evil Genius; it's not a first person shooter so there should be no urp factor. It's a bit complicated though. I know that it takes practice, but being a complete novice is frustrating; I have other artsy hobbies, activities that I've already gone through the learning process with. It's hard for me to invest the time as a result - with any video game, really. School already makes me frustrated, I enjoy having at least one corner of my life that I can do well in.
I picked up two unusual games today: Getting Up, in which you play a graffiti artist fighting a tyrannical city government, and Psychonauts, which you jump into the consciousness of other people, and you collect mental health points.
Psychonauts is easily one of
Psychonauts is easily one of my top 5 games of all time. It's hard to explain how freaking awesome this game is, not to mention truly, genuinely funny (which I find pretty rare in most games).
You've got to play long enough to go into the Milkman's brain. Too funny for words.
Madden and God of War
I mostly play Madden and other sports games, probably because I'm more literate in sports games than in others. I can beat sports games, but I have never in my life beaten any other type of game. Normally I'll start get to a certain point in the game, get frustrated, and then quit. At that point it loses all connotations of fun and just becomes something I can't do. Then I get really pissed.
Like just last weekend I was playing God of War on they PS2. Marissa was sitting with me armed with a laptop. We were using an online playing guide. She was reading the guide while I would try to execute the moves. We got to one part were you've got to defeat a bunch of undead legionnaires and sirens before the floor falls out from under you (Lars knows what I'm talking about). Anyway, you can't beat the legionnaires until you destroy their magic shields. To destroy the shields you've got to execute a move (square, square, triangle) while you're being blasted from all sides.
Let's just say that after a good 30 minutes or so I was enraged in a way I hadn't been since I was a child. Marissa was laughing hysterically. F#@%ing square, square, triangle my ass.
I think football is easier for me because it's simpler for me to imagine what's supposed to happen on different plays. I understand (more or less) how actual football is supposed to work so I know that after you run the ball successfully three times you're likely to score big on a play action pass or that when the safeties crowd the line of scrimmage your star receiver will have one-on-one coverage if he goes deep.
What's interesting about sports games is how much they've added in terms of player interaction (not real people, but the simulated football players in the game). In Madden I'll get an "email" from my quarterback saying that he's not getting paid to sit on the bench. Or an email from the front office saying, "great game last week." There's even little messages from player's agents about their contracts. My favorite was when my star cornerback said he was going to miss training camp because he was filming a movie. I mean, where does he get off? He's not even real.
That part . . . of God of
That part . . . of God of War . . . is . . . FREAKING EVIL!!!!!!!!!!
Honestly thought I was gonna have to quit the game and accept I'd never go any further.