Cavlin McDermott

The reading, "The Extensions of Man", covered alot of interesting ground between studies of cultural ideals of war games and the idea of using war games as a strategy of business unity. Its also really interesting to read the two opposite opinions about "booze" being a social staple as well as socially detructive. Touching minorly on the outlooks of games and its social and anti-social stigmas. People who take gaming on as a lifestyle, or religion per say, take on the branding of someone who takes it upon themselves to widdle away time in front of a screen doing something their brain is completely and totally involved in, on multiple levels, but their body has little to no participation other than the vegging on the couch. Also, the idea of war games and the study on the Willingiman-Wallalua tribe. I can't believe these people actually fight bloody wars just for the principal of tradition and tribal ceremony. So to say, in a way, games are a social and very tribal social bond. Technololgy being the counter- irritant in reaction to socialism, was a nice touch however.

couple of quotes i thought were cool, were:
"outer models of inner psychological life."
"woman are terrible at poker, because they peak curiosity."

The last couple of things i found interesting were the realization of how important the audience is and how much participation revolves around making games actually mean anything at all. The idea that wall street and WAR can't be played like games because not every side playes by the same rules, was really funny.

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I opened up a new game this week.
Lair.
Lair is a video game developed by Factor 5 and published by Sony Computer Entertainment America in which the player controls a knight named Rohn who belongs to the Asylian peoples' elite dragon-riding force. The game heavily utilises the motion control features of the Sixaxis controller, rather than the traditional analog control. The sixaxis controls are the motion sensitive controls within the PS3 controllers. You fly entirely by moving the controller around in the direction like a dogfight.
Game Description:
Engage in a struggle on an epic scale as your civilization repels the onslaught of an unrelenting army. A seamless combination of vast battles in air and on the ground, against other beasts, and armies of thousands. Scorch the ground with flames and command the skies against vicious enemies and Immerse yourself in a living, breathing world of voracious beasts, a deep storyline and visceral gameplay.

The cinematics and character development are flawless, but the revolutionary controls were hit or miss in my opinion. Having to embrace using a new flight combination and button combinations, makes the game very bulky and gives it a very half assed feeling as far as user friendly controls go. The environments are extremely well crafter as far as attention to detail goes and the color and shading effects allow you to even see the blaes of grass blowing in the AI breeze.
Over all, its been fun so far because of the vast environment exploration and the graphics keep you drooling. Id pick it up if you're interested in next gen exploration.











http://ps3.ign.com/objects/761/761161.html
http://www.us.playstation.com/Lair/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lair_(video_game)
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"..what was to go on the canvas was not a picture, but an event."

Video game producers were in a sense abstract painters. They tore something that was interactive down to its most basic and rudimentary forms. Unlike art though, video games never had a place in museums. They had a place in the hearts of millions of little boys and girls. Like art, the player must identify the key elements involved in the abstract piece, of interface.
The game, "Space Invaders" is more or less a player-surrogate. You are an earthling defending against invading aliens, but your character is represented by what appears to be a ship. The controls are simplistic and the narration is almost non-existent however, it still a portal in which someone can relate to and become a part of something completely abstract and different. They can become a part of a game and they can become a part of the story or actions involved in the simple computer generated graphics. Space invaders is simplistic in nature but more original and player-involved. You are the space defender against the space invaders.

As far as my mid term presentation goes, im torn between a ps2 game and a ps3 game. You told us in class, wed have to bring our system in and hook it up.
It might be easier for me to hook up my ps2 thus making my decision for me.
In any case, my game for my presentation will most likely be God of War2.

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I stumbled upon this last year while i was looking for online gaming stuff.

FlOw is a game about piloting an aquatic organism through a surreal biosphere where players consume other organisms, evolve, and advance their organisms to the abyss.
Ot's an addictive gem created by a senior thesis student for their MFA.
Ot is a game completely done as an interactive game that allows players to play at their own pace. FlOw inherits an embedded design of active DDA (dynamic difficulty adjustment), players with differing skill levels can intuitively customize their experiences.

Here is the link to the site where you can play online or download it and play an offline version : http://www.jenovachen.com/flowingames/flowing.htm

like all addictions
they lead to death
over a period of 3 days.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/09/17/internet.death.ap/index.html

video games, like religion, should be observed in moderation.

mmm. freaky science gets my brain juices flowin'.

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so what happens when you take a good idea and you spice it up and with futuristic weapons and cool character designs and demons and sprinkle on an apocalypse?
You get Hellgate: London.
Then what happens when you take that idea and you bring it to your head honcho and he turns you down and tells you, it just won't sell?
Answer: you say Fuck it...and you start your own company.
The design team behind the Diablo Franchises, came up with a concept for a new Diablo3, but were turned down. In retaliation, they left blizzard with their baby and co founded, Flagship Studios, with namco, and brought that baby to life.
That baby is Hellgate: London.


Trailer 1

Trailer 2

check this out:

http://www.geekologie.com/2007/07/nes_gamepad_mouse.php

someone has alot of time on their hands.
However, i would own one if they were mass produced.

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Do you think that military use of computer games increases or decreases the likelihood of armed conflict?

To a certain degree, yes. Does it make me want to join the army? no.
Their is a certain degree of simple minded fools out their who will suck up the
saturated media overload of

"AMERICA, FUCK YEA!
COMING TO SAVE THE MOTHERFUCKIN DAY YEA!"

The military created this game solely for the purpose of raising recruitment numbers.
It just happened to be that the video game audience ate it up and like a wildfire, and
the military knew how to spread its war. I don't necessarily think that videogames increase the likely hood of armed conflict though. Its like the age old question of, do violent video games make violent people?

no.
violent people make violent people.

I think that their are a huge number of people out their who are willing to jump on the bandwagon just because everyone else is.
In final, i think that this video game in particular may be a tool to creating armed conflict via reaching idiots who are all about following a blind cause and more importantly the immediate contribution to a larger picture of convincing the world that the army is the only way to defend patriotism, but i don't believe videogames are a tool to increasing armed conflict. The army is just desperate to reach kids, and figured out that the only way to reach them was by invading the one place they went to to escape the harshness of reality. So in turn the army invaded kids minds by invading their hobbies and habits and convincing them that all their freedom is at stake if they don't fight for it. These blind and dumb fools will follow because they are being brainwashed into believing that their freedom is at stake.
way to go winners.

videogames are a way to enjoy our friends and explore our imaginations, not make wars.

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