Return to Reality

(Image used without permission from Savage Chickens)

Returning to work after the holidays always feels like coming down off of some strange sugar buzz. I've had a week and a half of no responsibility, no deadlines, and little stress. I've had time to read comics, play games, visit family, relax. And while the time off has not been free of busy-ness, it has been free of a lot of the structure that I live on.

So going back to work feels like a big downer. Winter has me depressed, and the year, while shiny and new, is a long road ahead. But I'm being self indulgent and depressing. No one wants to read about how blah I feel (not even me!). Better to look back at the fun I just had and all the good things that happened. Like how I got my Mom to play Mario Party.

Actually, I had a couple of nice successes with the Wii this Christmas. Just before the office closed down for the break, we decided that the last Friday (the 21st) would be a short day, followed by pizza and relaxing. Morgan and I were planning to be on the road early the next morning, so packing for a week in Saskatchewan had already begun a couple of days before. I planned to take the Wii with me, so I packed it up on Thursday and schlepped it to work on the bus with me for our Friday Fun Day.

We didn't get a lot of time to play with it, due to an abnormally busy day, but play we did. Bowling and Mario Party on a projection screen. And I got a bunch of people, all a fair bit older than me, to play. I got to show them that all video games are not quite beyond them.

Then the trip to the middle of nowhere, where my parents live. We brought the Wii with us the last time we visited, in the summer. I got my Dad to do some bowling then, but my Mom was a staunch holdout, preferring the safety of the couch. But after a little pleading, and a bit of bullying, we got her playing too. First it was a bit of bowling (which seems to be the ultimate gateway game), and then some Mario Party 8. I think that once the controller was in her hand she realized that it was easier to use than she had thought. I wouldn't be surprised if she gets a DS in the next year.

I also got to play Guitar Hero (3) for the first time. Not my own copy, but a friend's. Took on a few songs on easy, and even managed to 3-star a couple of songs on medium. I get the appeal, and I had a good time with it. I just wish I could justify the price-gap. Perhaps my birthday will yield the gift cards required.

There was also some board games, and card games. I tried to play something at every chance I got, and I got a few chances. I don't think I'll ever get tired of playing games, or learning how to play new ones.

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I suppose with it being a new year and all, I should be reflecting on 2007 and speculating on 2008. Except that last year was a blur, and a fairly unproductive one for me. And I have no idea what I want for 2008. Too much introspection makes me antsy, and I don't want to get lost in the woolgathering. It's time to get back to work, and make the next year as full and worthwhile as possible. Here's to getting over the holiday hangover.

Waving My Arms in Delight

In the last couple of days I've taken up Tennis, Bowling, Baseball, Golf, Boxing, Fishing, Billiards (9-ball), Cow Racing, Target Shooting, and a couple of other sports. All without getting off of my couch. Unless I want to.

That's right, I got myself a Wii. Thanks to a conspiratorial inside tip at a local Zellers, an early-ish Saturday morning, and the store having enough stock for all that arrived, I secured my third console gaming platform. I got to experience a small pre-opening lineup (over half a year after the initial release of the system), complete with mini-rush to the electronics department. I now own one console from each of the Big Three, and my first "next-gen" system.

Ah, the joys of new toys. Of course, now that I've had a taste of the modding scene, this system will be lucky to last a few weeks before open it up. The first improvements will be colourful LEDs for the Wiimotes (link).

I don't have much in the way of real games for the system yet. Just Wii Sports, and Wii Play. But with a monthly gaming night coming up in less than 2 weeks, and a friend with 2 additional controllers, we should be able to get some good 4-way gaming action going. I can't wait to see the party power of the new system.

Now I need to fill up my Mii Plaza, so help me get a Mii Parade going. Won't you be my Wii Friend?

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Birthday Games

So, it was my birthday yesterday. I turned 23, had a great day, and feel great, if tired. My parents happened to be in town this weekend, for a short trip that had more to do with getting my brother’s things moved to town. He’s starting university this September. It was also a long weekend. In honour of the day, and because my parents have a lot of people they like to talk with when they are in town, Morgan and I held an open house.

This was fantastic. I love gathering my friends and other people I care about together to talk and eat and play. Morgan and I try to hold semi-monthly Game Nights for our friends. We have the space after all. The open house was an unqualified success. We think that there may have been as many as 50 people though our house (which is a 3 bedroom townhouse) in the space of the day. There was one point where we barely had room for everyone who was there.

I like being able to facilitate people’s fun like that. I’ll wander and talk to people, sure. But I’ll also be in the kitchen getting food prepared. Or tidying up as I see messes. Or just hovering and watching the conversations that have sprung up on all manner of topics across the house. I was having a blast (can I say this enough) even though I was doing stuff and it was my birthday.

But even that got topped. My wife, Morgan, bought me a DS Lite! Her parents kicked in a little money too. And my parents brought it from a province away. Apparently all the Best Buy and FutureShop locations around our city were out of stock. In a slight panic, she called up my mom to get her to buy one and bring it along with them on their weekend trip.

Today I used gift monies to buy some games. Here is my current DS list:

• The New Super Mario Bros
• Mariokart DS
• Brain Age
• Animal Crossing: Wild World
• Worms: Open Warfare
• Nintendogs (Morgan bought this)

No, I haven’t set up the Wi-Fi yet. So no friend codes to give out. They will be forthcoming. So will mini-reviews as I get a chance to play the games. So far I’m just happy to have the system. Morgan wants one too. I’m just not sure if we are going to buy another white one, or try to finagle a black one from overseas.

In conclusion (because this post has been rambling and pointless): I made it through another calendar year without dying – this makes 23 so far. I got a DS Lite and a bunch of new games. I had a great day of visiting with friends and family. It has been a good start to my 24^th year.

Found in the Games

I’ve really been meaning to write more lately. I mean, I think there are things that I have to say. Nothing that is ground-breaking or new. Nothing world-shattering. Nothing moving, or touching, or poignant. Just stuff, really. Game stuff.

You see, my wife* and I finally bought a Playstation 2. Actually, we got it a few days after Corvus did. I meant to post about it back then. We initially got Karaoke Revolution Country with it (the explanation of which probably deserves it’s very own post), and for the first week or so, was all we had. Thanks to a couple of our good friends, who have far too many video games, we were able to borrow a better selection. I’ve gotten to play Shadow of the Colossus, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy X, Lego Star Wars, and the wife has been playing Fable (on our little-played Xbox). I’ve gone from having and playing a meagre collection of console games, to having too many to play at once.

Not that I don’t want more.

I’ve actually spent a fair amount of time drooling over used titles in eBay, and looking for cheap ways to get older and rarer games. There are some lovely, and obscure, PS1 titles that I’d like to pick up. Plus a healthy list of PS2 titles that have wound their way onto my “Must Play Eventually” list. If you know of a good source, or a game I must play, let me know.

Needless to say, I have things that I want to say. And as I’m one to procrastinate and make excuses… the weather has been sweltering, and the consoles at least produce less heat than any of the various computers that I own. I can turn my computer room into a sauna in less than 10 minutes just by checking my blogroll**. Sitting to write out my experiences as I slowly bake to death hasn’t been at the top of my list of things to do. So, I’ve been lazy, and I’ve been letting my observations fall by the wayside.

I’m not going to say that I’ll get everything I want to post up here. The longer things get left, the more they fade, or mutate. But there may yet be hope for some of my lost posts, as I do have a long weekend coming up. And I can probably count on my wife wanting to play some too. I may have a few spare minutes to type when she chases me from the TV so she can get on with kicking chickens, or whatever it is she’s doing in Fable.

And I want to write these things; I feel energised and interested again because I’ve been playing games again. And I love it. I love playing them more now than ever. I can see aspects of them I never saw before. I realize now that there is more to get from the game than the pretty graphics, or the story (if there is one), or the fiero. I can look to play types, level design, story layout, and a hundred other things I had no names for before I began my blog a few months ago. I can learn from the games that I play, and I can put my observations here.

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* I really must find a way to refer to this lovely lady of mine in a more comfortable way. It just feels so formal and awkward this way. I need a nickname (everyone else has one for their SOs). Perhaps I’ll ask her.

** I need to update my blogroll on the site. I actually just noticed that I’ve made it onto the lists of some of the blogs I read. This is cool, and I really must link back.