The Gamer's Quarter

[dhex]

i was listening to a cd i haven't heard in a long time - "she" by mike patton and masami akita under the name maldoror - and i began to think about why so many weird metal/heavy/hard/grind/etc people got real heavy into japanoise type stuff like merzbow.

then it struck me - it's a gateway drug affect. the gateway drug effect is real, just stupid as propaganda. (i.e. very few people jump from coffee to cocaine, etc etc so forth moving on, but the stupidity of drug propaganda is not on trial here, yet)

but just as some people can't get enough from some sweet dank and feel the need for different strokes, or mike patton found himself balls-deep in aube and the like while touring with fantomas, this striving for new/better/stronger means of storytelling/game playing/mechanics/narrative etc that comes up in the revolution thread and others we've had here is a simliar kind of thing.

y'all want a new drug.

now, this doesn't effect everyone. some people get by just fine on coffee or alcomahol or weed or cigarettes, or anything in minor doses, as a once in a while thing. there are a lot of game buyers who are relatively happy with things as they are, and buy new reiterations of xyz sports franchise with minor updates, and so forth.

for a smaller slice of those who try games, they become hooked, and find themselves searching for better experiences. is it the trope and trollop regarding "can't get past that first high" type stuff? maybe. maybe we're all trying to conquer some childhood peak experiences (an impossible task, due to brain chemistry, novelty and endless hours of free time) or maybe it's just what people do to get off. eye dunno. i don't have an answer for that.

maldoror, for what it's worth, is very good and very short and to the point. patton did a great job of editing this together into something that's really worthwhile. though i do like a few merzbow albums, don't get me wrong.
_________________

[RaBeeWilliams]

At a young age, playing games all the time encouraged me to want to visit japan.

I think that when we are in moments of discovery, we let our minds become sponges and try to soak up as much info on a topic as possible. At that young an age, I knew that most [good] games came form japan, and I wanted to be part of that career. To this day, I still have dreams of writing my own story and seeing in come to fruit, but I'm a little less passionate about strictly using games as my preferred media.

Now that I know that it takes years from and expensive trade school to pick up enough know-how on how to make the things (the grand, big-budgeted ones, anyhow. Ones with scripted voice actors and particle effects and motion blur and all that stuff), I'll have to set my sights on little lower.

Now I'm in my comic-y phase. I'd like to some how image my ideas through art, so I've been touring about the web for any popular web-comics that share my sort of interests for what comic I'd like to make - or what sort of method of anthology-comic writing would be best for me.
_________________

[Guest]

I think people can be influenced a lot by music. I tend to see a lot of teenagers (clubbers) and almost everyone is taking drugs. Everyone who joins the "group" acts similarily.

[Pijaibros]

It's not just drugs, it's friends that can influence too. People like to belong to a group and will pretty much do anything in order to look good to the "cool kids".

Shoot, some "grown-ups" do it too. Look at lawyers. I know one who is considering blowing $12,000 on a watch because, and I quote, "That's what lawyers should wear". This is only because one of his colleagues is sporting something fancy too. It's silly really.

With videogames all I want is an opponent who is willing to elevate their game along with me. Nothing kills my mood faster than just running over someone without a thought. It's probably why I stick to difficult games if I have to play alone. I like that feeling of being the underdog.

[Swimmy]

sabina=crazy fun anti-drug bot? I didn't know they made those.
_________________

"Ayn Rand fans are the old school version of Xenogears fanboys."
-seryogin

[Harveyjames]

I was thinking she was a bot, too!

You're right about the whole 'trying to recapture the first high' stuff. One of the most important things you can do as a gamer, and a drug taker, is to realise when it stopped being fun and move on. Recreational use only is the way forward.

[ApM]

They do when they're trying to get higher Google rankings for their drug rehabilitation product!

BANINATED.

[dhex]

wow what an old post. the wii was still the revolution.

not quite sure what i was saying.

also guest forgot to mention that taking drugs and dancing is totally awesome. that's what they always leave out.
_________________

[Pijaibros]

Oops.

Guess that's what I get for reading before my morning coffee.

Drugs make any mundane activity seems like the most significant thing ever.

[dhex]

not if you're doing them right.

(people who wasted acid on video games make my soul cry, btw. especially now that the market is annihiliated.)
_________________

[Scratchmonkey]

I was wondering about that. Somebody made a casual reference to buying some acid the other day and when they mentioned prices the top of my head basically flew off revealing a steam whistle.

[dhex]

three years ago they busted the hell's angels sponsored lab in arizona that made 80% of the acid in the united states.

the rest goes down the burning man hole, at least that's what i've heard speculated upon.
_________________

[Harveyjames]

I loved Parkbench's post on Select Button that says TGQ is like a warm hammock while SB feels like you're exploring a dungeon in a roguelike and you have to be on your guard and shit. It's true! I hadn't noticed it until he pointed it out. I bet the colours are the main reason, too.

Anyway, my point (vaguely related to the thread topic of addiction) is I hate that my head full of the pros and cons of various internet games forums. Why am I so hooked on this rubbish? I'm at work! And I enjoy my job! On top of this, I play videogames rarely if ever!

Right, here's a deal, everyone reading this who is cool just start posting on my livejournal [url]harveyjames.livejournal.com[/url] and I won't have to keep checking games forums all the time. Also let me know when you want illustrations or content for the magazine through email. I think that might be a good solution. BYEEEE!

[dhex]

[Shapermc]

[parkbench]

it's funny. i kinda feel the same way, harveyjames. i do play games a good amount, but not nearly as much as i spend...talking about them.

WEE!

[dhex]

because most games aren't worth playing. i have no idea how wes or dess does it, to be sure.

i mean, shit, after arcanum i'm pretty sure i'm totally caught up on all the rpgs i ever "had" to play beyond maybe trying out temple of elemental evil and finishing bg2. i've done all the classics, all the good ones, and after planescape, i'm not even sure if its worth trying to see if anything ever tops it.
_________________

[Harveyjames]

Well here I am checking this forum again. This is some addiction I have. I'm checking gonintendo after this, too. Then go downstairs for coffee and a croissant. then come up and maybe do some work. I suck.

hey cycle you haven't posted in the 'roll call' thread on my blog harveyjames.livejournal.com . do you even have a blog?

[Pijaibros]

[Cycle]

[Shapermc]

[dhex]

[dessgeega]