Time Flies When Gaming

Time flies in gaming, Tempus Fugit for those in the know with a little Latin (or who have seen that X Files episode). The concept is an old one of losing track of time, like when you are 'lost in a good book' or 'losing track of time'. We've all done it, been in a moment and enjoyed it only to realise that what only seemed like a few minutes has actually been several hours. Simon Parkin has labelled this 'chronoslip' in a fascinating article (linked below) and it got me thinking about my gaming habits and those of the current generation.

As a teacher who recently become a father, time is a premium. I have put aside the 6 week holidays as a chance to catch up on my gaming pile of shame, games that I have bought with the intention of completing but have yet to play . I've got Assassins Creed Black Flag, The Evil Within, Alien Isolation and about another 15 games, all of which I bought months and even years ago but haven't had a chance to play. I started off my 6 weeks by playing The Evil Within, a game by Shinji Mikami, creator of the seminal Resident Evil 4.

There is plenty of tension and gore in The Evil Within

For 5 nights I played the game whilst my wife and baby were asleep, which was usually from around 9:30pm. I really got into the game and loved the mood that it has created, playing with the lights off. On my 3rd day I made good progress completing 5 levels but looked at the time and it was 1:45 am!  Whilst I had been playing it didn't seem like much time had passed let alone 4 hours.

The atmosphere created is amazing, it really gets under your skin

Everyone knows that games are addictive and sometimes you need a lot of self control to turn the machine off. Nintendo recognised this with the reminder set every 45 mins into the Wii, an image of an open window with fluttering curtains enticing you outside. At the time of playing games on the Wii I'd always quickly skip past it, finding it an annoyance and continuing on but now I'm a lot more aware of chronoslip.

In my youth spending 4/5 hours gaming was not a problem, in fact I'd occasionally pull all-nighters with my friends, getting our University work done during the afternoon and playing classic games like Mario Kart until the next day. These 12/ 13 hour binges were fine back then but now I have priorities so 4/5 hours of my time is a big deal.

 The reason I'm writing this article is because I was reading about gaming related deaths, y'know, the ones you hear about occasionally in the media and normally from South East Asia where someone has died whilst gaming due to not eating or going to the toilet for 3 days etc.

I'm not that hardcore anymore due to time and family constraints but it does get you thinking that with the addictive nature of gaming and MMO games which you could potentially play forever, does something need to be done to promote healthy gaming?

In South Korea they have passed the 'Cinderella Law' which prohibits people under the age of 18 from being in an internet cafe after midnight (internet cafes being the way most people in South Korea play games due to the fact it is cheap and convenient). In England I worry about how much time the children I teach spend playing video games. Don't get me wrong, when I was their age I spent hours and hours playing video games but I also went outside a lot to the park and hung out with my friends, going to the cinema, playing on our bikes etc. As society becomes more afraid of letting their children play outside are we going to have a generation of unfit children who succumb to chronoslip? Time will tell... As for me I'm off to plough more hours into Dark Souls, only 8 hours in and I've barely made progress.

LINK- Simon Parkin's Article 'The Sometimes Fatal Attraction of Video Games'

A Shout Out To Comic Creator Raina Telgemeier!

Can you name the top selling comic artist who has been in the New York Times Bestsellers list for the last three years? Alan Moore, Mark Millar, Scott Snyder or Brian K. Vaughan? Maybe you've got Neil Gaiman or someone else like Frank Miller. You're not going to get it, I can tell you now.

Raina Telgemeier.... yup, Raina Telgemeier. For many of you that name will not be familiar, even those of you who are into comics. That's because Raina's books are mostly for teens and young adults. On May 10, 2015, Telgemeier's works took all of the top four spots on the New York Times bestseller list for paperback graphic books- a first in the medium.

She is one of the biggest selling comic artists but is often forgotten from the comics dialogue, overshadowed by more well know brands such as Batman, Superman, Spiderman and the like. However this is a real shame as I love her work, I first read her award winning book Smile a few years ago and incorporated the graphic novel into my computing lesson plans when teaching computing in Cambodia. I got my pupils to use the Scholastic Graphix Comic Builder to create a comic using the in-browser tools and was taken by the art style and honesty in the story.Since then I have read Drama, a very human story which deals with issues such as identity, sexuality and friendship and her follow up to Smile, Sisters.

So this post is merely to flag up the work of a hardworking but under-appreciated and under-recognised artist.

Children Of The Stones- Cult TV Series Review

I'm a huge fan of suspense and horror- it's one of my favourite genres. I especially like when it isn't simply jump scares, gore porn or cheap thrills but a piece of work that builds up tension slowly and the payoff is exciting and jolting. So for my first review I've decided to look at Children Of The Stones. I chose this because I heard it mentioned a few times and spoken of affectionately by several people including comedian Stewart Lee, who described it as the scariest children's programme ever. As a fan of Twin Peaks, X Files, American Gothic and the like this sounded right up my street so I decided to give it a look.

Children of the Stones is often described as a landmark in children's television. The series was filmed largely in Avebury in Wiltshire and progresses over 7 episodes, shown weekly over the Summer of 1977. The series introduces us to astrophysicist Adam Brake (played by Gareth Thomas who is famous for Blake 7- I've never seen that show though) and his son Matthew as they go to the village of Milbury to carry out research on an ancient Megalithic stone circle. When they arrive at the village they start to understand that its people are held captive by the sinister power of its stone circle and the mysterious Hendrick, a prominent figure in the village.

The spooky ethereal music sets the sinister mood, the soundtrack is beautiful dark and unsettling. To get a hint of the creepiness check out the opening credits and the first few minutes of the first episode, then try to sleep tonight.

I found the introduction was very similar to the beginning of Twin Peaks where we are introduced to an outsider going into a small community. At just over 2 and a half hours the tale is well paced and crafted, brought to the screen with some very adept direction and a remarkably haunting musical score which heightens the mood and tension. The cast are excellent, even the child actors perform astonishingly well. Iain Cuthbertson is excellent in channeling his best Crowley and succeeds in being sinister.
Unsurprisingly, Children of the Stones has gained a devoted cult following in the decades since its first transmission in 1977. There are a few online forums where people still discuss the ending and the implications of what occurred at the conclusion and any series that does that is okay in my book, except Lost, now that ending sucked! Children of the Stones is inescapably haunting, even if you see it now for the first time as an adult (which I did). 

This is an incredibly intelligent, atmospheric and genuinely unnerving series and to call it a children's show is a bit of an insult. If I had to describe it to the uninitiated I'd say it was like a Young Adult version of the Wicker Man. This may seem like hyperbole as this is high praise indeed but both share many of the themes and ideas such as outsiders coming into a new town full of strange folk who seem to be guarding a secret about an ancient evil. To be honest I'm surprised it got away with being shown before the watershed. It isn't horror per se but the way people act and the situation brings a creeping dread. The series incorporates such complex concepts such as 'Time Circles', 'Psychic Bubbles' and 'Time Rifts'- heady subjects for adults let alone a programme supposedly aimed at children.

My affection for Cult Films and TV Series

I have been a film aficionado for a long time. My father brought me up on classics like David Lean's adaptations of Oliver Twist and Great Expectations as well as the various black and white classic comedies of Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy. However I became interested in cult TV series and films whilst attending University. Our campus was media-centered and as a result it had a huge catalogue of videos to rent, free of charge. I ploughed through many often taking the maximum 8 out at a time and consumed them voraciously. As a result I believe that I am quite literate in films and TV but the series that really attracts me are the more offbeat curios.

I've explained my love for old creepy films here before and now on this website I will be sharing my love by writing reviews . There are hundred of reviews about Metropolis, Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari and other stone-cold classics so I don't think I could add anything new to the conversation but lesser remembered works like Quatermass, Children of the Stones, The Stone Tapes, Moondial and Threads; now those are something I feel I could add to the conversation so occasionally I may post a review or article about these films and series... Come join me and maybe find some works which may interest you.

Alice In Cartoonland Exhibition at Cartoon Museum

Alice In Wonderland is an influencial piece of work created by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll. It has been inspiring people for 150 years and to commemorate this wonderful anniversary the Cartoon Museum in Holborn has been hosting an exhibition. The Alice In Cartoonland exhibition brings together satirical artworks, advertisements and pieces of Disney memorabilia. I went to the exhibition and was enchanted by the small but beguiling works on show. To sweeten the deal there was even a small platter of cream cakes with a note saying 'Eat me'. If you have time and are interested in Wonderland then this exhibition is perfect for you.

Ladybird Exhibition Brings Back the Memories

Ladybird books are over 100 years old and to commemorate this centenary the House of Illustration is holding an exhibition. For many generations of people the little ladybird logo is a sign of quality and nostalgic familiarity.
Among the series exhibited are 'Shopping with Mother' featuring Peter and Jane, 'Well Loved Tales' and the  'Nature' and 'Science' series.

My collection of Ladybird books- all bought from charity shops in the past couple of weeks.


I went to the museum and thoroughly enjoyed the waves of nostalgia that overtook me as I looked at classic iconic illustrations from the classic fairy tales and the adventures of Peter and Jane.The exhibition is detailed with many original illustrations from the 50s, 60s and 70s. I was especially interested by the history of the Ladybird book series, borne out of necessity due to paper rationing in the Second World War.

Inside the Classic Fairy Tales books was this beautiful artwork, can you name all the fairytales?

The Puddle Lane series of books were really exciting and required a higher reading level- at least that's what I remember as a kid!

For anyone with fond memories of halcyon days of yore and nostalgia for the simpler times as portrayed in the  Ladybird books this exhibition is perfect for you.

For The Love of Vinyl

I've had a record player for a while now and in that time have built up a small but solid collection of vinyl records. I initially went to record shops I knew, like Rough Trade in Brick Lane but they were really expensive with albums typically costing from £25 upwards. I found that a far more manageable and fun way is to crate surf at market stalls and charity shops. Some charity shops know that there is a demand for vinyl so do specialist music only shops. I've collected a lot from Oxfam for a great price including some of the Jean Michel Jarre albums from the 70's and 80's Mike Oldfield in his prime. All for a princely £2.99 each, bargain!

I've also recently splurged a little and bought the Three Colours Soundtracks for Kieslowski's masterpeices for £15 each on Amazon. These came with CD recordings included (which I already had but it's a nice touch). My prize is an old pressing of the Fleetwood Mac Rumours album. This only coat me £4.99 and is in pristine condition. All in all I have about 20 records which is not bad by my reckoning. Long live crate surfing and charity shops

Gamers To The Rescue After £5000 Robbery From Beloved Arcade

The Heart of Gaming, one of the only remaining arcades in London, was robbed on the 22nd July. The arcade is popular with gamers as alongside the modern consoles are retro machines and old gaming cabinets with classics such as Donkey Kong, Street Fighter 2 and House of the Dead. 

The Heart Of Gaming in North Acton is one of the last bastions of gaming


The thieves took more than £5,000 worth of equipment which included the most recent consoles, games and peripherals. Thankfully the arcade machines were left untouched, the thieves targeting smaller more saleable items. 

Luckily the arcade machines were untouched.

The timing of the robbery could not be worse, any time is a bad time to be robbed, but just at the start of the school holidays is very unfortunate. Mark Starkey (owner of the HOG) and April Periera-Finn (Manager of the HoG) sought to galvanise the support from their large community and fanbase and through a gofund campaign sought to gain £5000 to replace the stolen items and smashed their target within two days (at the time of writing this article the total reached was £5430). The response has been fantastic and what is so heartening to see is that many people who donated have not even been to the HOG but wanted to help such an important cause for the gaming community. With the funds achieved anything extra is going towards buying security cameras and furnishing the building with higher security doors. Who said that the gaming community was toxic? This is the community coming together to help a cause they believe in. Long live the HOG!

LINK- HOG Gofund

Harajuku Fashion

I've always had an affinity for Japanese fashion, I like the fact that high end haute-couture is mixed with quirky unique pieces. This hodgepodge approach creates a kleptomaniac look.

I've already written an article on my love of anime and manga and my dark weeabo past but I remember finding Fruits and Fresh Fruits, a Japanese fashion book, in Forbidden Planet and loving the unique and individual tastes of the people within the books. Both books are full of color photos taken by Shoichi Aoki in Japan’s Harajuku district which is known for its quirky street fashion.

As someone trying to find my own identity I could relate with the young people in the magazine, youth who wanted to present themselves in a society which can be oppressive and overbearing. In fact the magazine and this counterculture movement gave me courage to express myself more and not be afraid to be me.
When I travelled to Japan a couple of years ago my wife and I went to Harajuku and fell in love with the shops and individual boutique shops; it's refreshing to find an area where chain stores are not omnipresent. So for people in the know Harajuku fashion is amazing but for those who don't know about it, check out the inspirational video below which will give you insights into this counterculture phenomenon!

Economy Of Design

The current generation of computing is extremely powerful and many of the triple A releases are geared towards realism. Now as a gamer I love the bloom and particle effects, 1080p and next generation graphics but sometimes all I crave is an art style that looks beyond mere graphic fidelity. Whilst a lot of games shoot for realism there are some games that instead tread a different path, one to do with economy of design. A distinctive art style may seem primitive when compared to the modern realism but as years go by and technology improves the games with the distinct art style are usually the ones that stand the test of time. Just think about the realism of some of the games from 2002 compared to Windwaker, which one looks the more impressive now? A good art direction and style can make some games timeless. Here are some of my favourite games with a distinct art style which I think stand the test of time, what do you think?

Beyond Good And Evil

Tempest 2000

Okami

Child of Light

Limbo

Monument Valley

Rayman Legends

Rez

The Legend of Zelda: Windwaker

Minecraft: More Than A Game

Minecraft is where a lot of people spend their leisure time, irrespective of age or gender (although it is more popular amongst the pre-teens). As a teacher I've lost count of the number of times I've heard children speak to me and each other about the game, I am a gamer and know Minecraft well however a lot of the children know the Minecraft world better than they do planet Earth.  As part of BBC's 'Make It Digital' initiative, to inspire digital creativity across the UK Jolyon Jenkins asks why our children are hooked on the  game Minecraft. The radio show is very interesting and for the uninitiated very informative, for those in the know it is just a consolidation of what you know but it well worth a listen. As for the parents who say that the game makes their children irritable, consider not allowing them play it non stop over the weekend maybe.

Bullet Heaven- Shoot 'em Up Games

I picked up the latest issue of Retro Gamer and was excited to see that as well as featuring awesome art by Oliver Fray (who I have really like)  it had an article on shoot 'em ups. Whilst reading the article and munching on old skool treats I got to thinking about the genre. My first experience at the arcade was when I was 6 and it was at my local video store, there was Pacman and Space Invaders. I suppose that was my first intro to shoot 'em up games, that little sit down cocktail cabinet.

Retro Gamer and retro sweets, a winning combination.

They've always held a special place in my heart as once the enemy patterns are learnt and memorised you can look like a boss completing a game. I have a vivid memory of playing Rtype at Heathrow airport and getting to level 3, that huge base ship. I bought the game on the Amstrad CPC 464 and felt like a bad-ass as my little ship  took down a warship that was bigger than a screen, in fact it was a whole level in and of itself. Over the years I bought RType again on the Master System and then progressed to the Megadrive where I continued my love of shoot 'em ups.
Unfortunately over the last few years bullet hell games have taken over, I like them as I feel Zen when I play them but they are not the same as shoot 'em ups. Bullet hell games, especially the ones that have made their way West in the last few years on console including Deathsmile and Akai Katana have a place but they do feel stagnant compared to Dodonpachi and Ikaruga, the true exciting innovators of bullet hell. But generally bullet hell games have a different feel and mechanics.

So here these are some of my favourite shoot 'em ups, there are no SNES shoot 'em ups as I only had a Master System and Megadrive growing up and only got a SNES later in life. I'm playing some of the SNES shoot 'em ups now so this list will be updated later.

RType

Fantasy Zone

Ranger X

Thunderforce III

Thunderforce IV

Zero Wing

Christopher Lee and Me

It was with great sadness that I heard that the legendary actor, Christopher Lee, had passed away at the age of 93. He was an actor whose presence crossed  generations, whether it was playing Saruman in LoTR, Scaramanga in The Man With the Golden Gun and Lord Summerisle in The Wicker Man. But for a lot people of my generation and older there was one role which he will eternally be tied to, and that is of the elegant and darkly brooding Dracula.

I'm a child of the 80's and so wasn't alive to witness the British horror boom of the 50's 60's and 70's, however I caught a lot of the Hammer Horror films in my formative years on late night showings on BBC2 and the Bravo Channel.


Watching Christopher Lee's towering performances (he was nearly 6 1/2 foot tall) was something to behold; not all the films he starred in were masterpieces or even good but you could always depend on him to deliver a wonderful performance. The world has lost an actor, like Leonard Nimoy, who young people but also your grandparents will know.... and not many actors have achieved that level of fame. RIP Sir Christopher Lee.

Dungeons and Dragons and Storytelling

For over 40, 000 years, since the first cave paintings were discovered, telling stories has been one of our most fundamental communication methods. I wrote an article a while back discussing Storytelling With Games. I discussed how as teachers we can use games to provide children with a deep emotional and exciting experience. We do not have to use the whole game but sections as children with their innate skills to weave stories may make an infinitely more nuanced story. Computer games allow the pupils to become stimulated in the same way text and film can, but have a benefit over these other media in that they can interact with these worlds. If we want to go left we can, the world is literally our oyster, full of endless possibilities and the children know this. It taps into their innate ability to tell stories but provides a rich context for doing so. However before the evolution of gaming there was another gaming form which encouraged thought, creativity and interaction. This gaming form was table top gaming, specifically Dungeons and Dragons (D&D).

Now when I tell people I play D&D or that I’m a gamer I know that the first thing that pops into their minds is not a flattering image but rather a stereotype of fat Cheetos eating virgins who live in their parents basements. In the 80's and early 90's there were even Pastors and many people from the church warning against the evil of demons and spirits in the game.

However I want to challenge the stereotype. For those unfamiliar with D&D the core of the game lies is storytelling. You and your friends tell a story together, guide your heroes through quests for treasure, battle with deadly foes, take part in daring rescues, participate in courtly intrigue, and much more. The beauty of D&D lies in the fact that the medium itself incorporates the numerous books, computer games and board games (of which there are many iterations).

D&D offers an outlet for groups of people to form, develop a commonly created story, and develop rules including character creation and conflict-solving. The storytelling element is key here as the Dungeon Master must employ the skill of narrative and world building in order to move the game along. Storytelling is a very useful skill for individuals to have, as it helps the development of writing ability and oratorical skills. This skills are useful for employment but also society as a whole. There must be mutual trust for the players to succeed in their missions,  and so players are able to get out a lot of their own emotions, fears and belief in a cathartic release, in a game session through their characters. This provides them with an introspection that improves their self-knowledge and strengthens their behavior and beliefs.

Within D&D players are constantly asked to pit their wits against complex puzzles, this requires players to employ logic in critical thinking and problem solving. These puzzles help hone these skills which could be useful in all types of jobs. This benefits society through improving the creative problem solving skills of the players. D&D helps us develop skills as a people and encourages us to think laterally and on the fly.

In D&D players must take on a role and assume the part of their character, this helps teach the art of acting. Acting is a great skill as it encourages oratory skills but also develops the vocabulary. D&D builds an immersive and engaging world, to fully realise the game the Dungeon Master must offer detailed information on locales, characters and scenarios. To play D&D you need to meet other players and play face to face, this teaches socialisation. Typically D&D was played by introverts so for many it was a way for them to emerge out of their introspection and engage with others.

D&D is a useful tool to transform ourselves, to improve our personal development and become a more well-rounded person. Writers create worlds through vivid description, often these works provide lessons in moral and ethics to their readers through the imaginary experiences that compose their works- readers experience failure, pain, death and happiness. And in the end isn't that what being human is all about. In the end D&D teaches use to confront our humanity by imagining to be someone else.

LINK- Pastor Warns Against Dungeons and Dragons

The Return of Classic Adventure Games

The Adventure Game genre started in the 70's with the advent of computer mainframes at universities. The first know example being Colossal Cave Adventure created by Will Crowther. These were the early days of computing so software publishing houses were pretty much non-existent. It was up to individuals to create their own games and share them via the mainframes, many of these games have been lost to time but the majority were inspired by Tolkein and Dungeons and Dragons adventures. These games were pure text adventures that required you to imagine the envisaged world for yourself. These led to issues with the parser as you struggled to find the right vocabulary to solve puzzles and move on in the world.

Colossal Cave Adventure proved extremely popular around mainframe universities.

Having an Amstrad CPC 464 and with my best friends at the time having a NES and Sinclair Spectrum my first introduction into Adventure Games was The Hobbit, which had a noun-parser interface. The game was tough as nails but I was impressed with the visuals which showed the locales.

Even though I didn't get very far, the Hobbit was an amazing game that left a big impression on me.

With the increased power of computers many text adventure games were fleshed out with detailed colour graphics which showed locales, characters and items previously requiting just your imagination to see. However the key elements of the genre include storytelling, exploration, and puzzle solving remained.

The first big evolution to Adventure Games was when the parser-based interface was stripped back to a more manageable collection of verbs which could be selected by typing key letters or by using the mouse, this was popularised with the Apple Makintosh in 1984. This more intuitive interface allowed you to use, open or combine items in the inventory, opening up the possibilities and complexities in terms of story and ideas (for a good look at these check out Leigh Alexanders Lo-Fi game Lets Plays).  Even though the technology evolved and led to sub-genres, the focus on narrative and puzzles remained true.


It was during the heady mid to late 80s and early 90's that Sierra Games came into prominence with Kings Quest and later Lucas Arts with Maniac Mansion.

The rising power of 3D graphics cards and budgets meant that many games were now going 3d with polygonal sprites, many thought that the traditional 2D games were considered old hat. I would play a few classic point and click games like Broken Sword in my formative years when I would have access to this software library with my purchase of a home PC (for home work purposes of course) however due to many issues with compatibility it wasn't always possible to play these games. It wasn't until the popularisation of touch devices, specifically the iPad, when I would get to play and enjoy classic games such as Sam and Max, Monkey Island, Beneath a Steel Sky and Myst.

A lot of the point and click games are difficult to play now as 90's game designers had no respect for your time, lots of trial and error which back then was not really a problem as not many titles available and prohibitive costs associated... Our skills to play these games have also atrophied, especially if you are under the age of 20. Broken Sword for iOS improves the experience for seasoned gamers as well as those new to the series by offering hotspots to avoid pixel hunting and providing layered clues for those unable to solve a puzzle. This makes these games enjoyable and less prone to frustrating logic puzzles that make no sense.

Broken Sword is a true classic of the Point and Click genre- and one of my favourite games of all time.

Critically and commercially successful games such as The Walking Dead game have gained widespread acclaim for what it added to the genre through its branching narrative and moral choices. It built on the shoulders of giants, creators like Ron Gilbert,  Tim Schafer and Charles Cecil. A new audience as well as more mature game fans are appreciative of these games, so much so that all have been crowdfunded into creating new projects.

There are new twists which allow the adventure game to alter and change and play with the technology like Simigo's thrilling Device 6, Steve Jacksons Sorcery and 80 Days. These are all novel twists on a very old Adventure Game idea but in an ever-changing medium that is very exciting indeed.

Since the rise of the internet there has been a democratisation of software, it has now never been easier to make your own games. Twine lets you create text adventure games of yore and there are many freely downloadable software which lets you create point and click games. There are many great examples of games created using the software online and I have linked to them below. I have also created some lesson plans to do with creating your own adventure game (both Twine and Point and Click) check it out if you're interested.

LINK- IGN Year of the Adventure Game article

LINK- Machinima Adventure Games

LINK- TES Lesson Plans

The End Of An Era (Sort of)

People say that fatherhood changes you and it really does. My wife and I were blessed with a beautiful baby girl 7 weeks ago and it's been non-stop, as well as having the baby we moved out to a new house in Kent and have settled in. Settling in means unpacking, organising furniture and the services (including dropping down to just 3MB broadband- eeek!) and sorting out the man-cave. My old man-cave was a wonder to behold; full of comics, graphic novels, many retro and modern computer systems and a plethora of old games. The new place we have moved to is bigger and has 3 bedrooms, however the bedrooms are smaller overall than the 2 bed place we used to rent. So tough decisions had to be made and whilst keeping the man-cave I've had to downsize, the DVDs and my old retro gaming systems (Amstrad CPC 464, SNES, Megadrive, Master System, Xbox, PS1 and XBox 360 RRD version) have gone into the loft, it reminded me of the final scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark where the Ark is kept in some warehouse, left forever more (until the crappy 4th Indy film but no-one counts that).... so in short, end of an era sort of!

In the loft are the Megadrive (Genesis), SNES, Master System, PS1, PS2, Xbox and Amstrad CPC 464. So long and thanks for all the fish!

Appreciating Video Game Music

Game music has evolved from the simple bleeps and bloops of the 70's and early 80's and the later chiptunes of the 80's and 90's to become truly cinematic and unique. Increasingly the computer game soundtracks are being taken as seriously as film music and even some classical pieces. Game music’s growing popularity, global reach and cultural influence is difficult to deny- yet over the past few years it has been growing in stature and respectability. This is reflected time and time again in soundtrack sales, sell-out concerts  and the many game music pieces placed into the Classic FM list of the year. I am pleased to say that Classic FM even has a whole site dedicated to computer game music, even providing you with 15 essential computer game scores that stand apart from the gaming experience as just simply wonderfully composed musical pieces.

This year in the Classic FM Hall of Fame chart, there was a good showing from computer game music with Gustavo Santalallo's score for survival action-horror The Last of Us landing at #193; Glen Stafford's StarCraft II music; The Legend of Zelda series, by Koji Kondo, was at #84; World of Warcraft was at #53; Yoko Shimomura's music for Disney/Final Fantasy mash-up RPG Kingdom Hearts was at #30; and Jeremy Soule's score for the Elder Scrolls series finished highest for computer game music representation at a very respectable #11. All in all a great year for game music, next year it may be even better!

Those Little Moments in Games

Many games nowadays are about spectacle, those amazingly honed set pieces that wouldn't look out of place in a Hollywood production. But what about those quiet more contemplative moments in games, moments that stay with you long after the end credits roll? Well I'm sure we all have them but these are some of my favourites in no particular order. If you can think of some more let me know. Oh and BTW Spoilers alert!

Red Dead Redemption- John Marston entering Mexico to that Jose Gonzales track. When I played the game the sun was slowly setting in the horizon and I had my horse at a gentle gallop to take in the beautiful scenery.

 

Superbrothers Swords and Sworcery- This game has many moments like sitting at the Moon Grotto or going to the Concert in the Woods but for me the ending as you float down the stream dead sticks out. Perhaps it would have been insincere to have the Sythian survive her wofeul erand.

 

Fallout 3- This is one of the most breathtaking moment I have ever experienced in a game. You open the vault door and with the sun blinding you, your eyes adjust to the light. Then you look out and you see the Washington Monument with huge chunks missing and the Capitol Building with part of the dome caved in- you realise just how fragile the world really is...


Assassins Creed 2- It's a-me Mario! Nuff said.

 

Ico- In a game about friendship and love the moment that most sticks with me is sitting down with Yorda. A moment of respite and peace in a hostile world.

 

Bioshock Infinite- This game upped the ante from the original Bioshock. The opening when you ascend into the sky and enter Columbia will stick with me for a long time. The scene with the candles and baptism is really spellbinding.


Journey- This game is full of moments but the ending where you die, just before reaching the mountains zenith is heartbreaking. However the journey is not over, you come back and travel the world as a spirit- this game is transcendant!

 

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons- This game is beautiful to look at, rather like those strange Eastern Block country animations and Jim Henson's The Storyteller style art prevalent in the late 70's and early 80's in particular. The ending is a real heartwrencher, I completed this game with my cousin and we both sat there in shock and full of despair. Get the tissues ready!

 

Final Fantasy 6- The opera scene where Celes poses as the Opera singer Maria and turns in a legendary performance. At the time this blew my mind!

 

Links Awakening- The Windfish waking up is a masterpiece on the Gameboy. This is one of my favourite Zelda moments of all time!

 

Monument Valley- In Monument Valley you'll guide Ida, the silent princess, through many levels that are filled with optical illusions, mysterious Crow people and more. You are all alone in this hostile world until you befriend a totem, then he dies.... slowly... in front of your eyes. Gaaaah the feels, the feels!

 

Proteus- This whole game is beautiful and full of wonderful imagery but I particularly remember the sunsets. Magical. In the video it starts at 12 minutes)


Okami- This is one of the most beautiful and underappreciated games of all time. The art style is unique and will never age but the thing that sticks with me is the marraige of the visuals to the sound, especially when the world is in bloom.

 

Thomas Was Alone- This game has some wonderful dialogue but Level 7.9 has some of the most honest writing in gaming; "James still felt weird, but he realised that everyone else was too. They were a crew of weirdos." It's difficult to convey the humanity of this game, especially because everyone in it is a quadrilateral, but trust me, it will get to you and make you think about friendships,  relationships and your past and formative years. It's that good!


Deadly Premonition- Out of all the games this was the one that will stick with me forever due to the pure weirdness and brutality of the deaths. For those who don't know a homicidal maniac known as the 'Raincoat Killer' is murdering people ritualistically. there are many horrible deaths but this one of Becky Ames is tempered with moments of beauty as she becomes a Goddess. A twisted masterpiece that needs to be played, especially for those who are fans of Twin Peaks and David Lynch.

So these are the moments of gaming that will stick with me, not all are wonderfully cheerful but they do have a beauty to them that I like. So are there parts of a game that will stay with you?

Amiibos and the Rise of Swag

For many our possessions become extensions of the self which we use to signal to others and ourselves who we are and what our interests are. However our relationship with our stuff is in a state of flux. For many book and music collections are stored on the cloud, no longer taking up space on dusty shelves. This flux is no longer confined to mere material possessions but also to our identity, we carefully construct our online profiles; choosing the best pictures, the funniest or most profound status updates and informing everyone of how wonderful (or not) our lives are. The self has become extended into technology, with the different online services acting as a memory bank.

Now unless you have been living under a rock you have probably heard the great furore surrounding Nintendo's Amiibos. For those who have been under said rock Amiibos are the Big N's foray into 'toys-to-life' gaming accessory business that also includes Activision’s Skylanders and Disney’s Infinity. These pieces of plastic have been spectacularly popular, but the issue surrounds supply and how many of the figures were on a limited run and are fetching incredibly high prices, some figures originally cost about $12.99 but are selling on ebay for over $70. Surprisingly, or not maybe, most of the people who purchase Amiibo's are the older males, most in their 30's. Why is that? It can't all be due to resale value or collecting for the future (like Beanie Baby speculators).

What I'm looking at in this article is the demand for the Amiibos and not just the Amiibos, but the rise in just 'stuff' in gaming. Amiibos are just one aspect which has seen a rise in physical products. Many people were proclaiming the end of gaming consumables, what with the move towards a digital only future where entertainment is consumed via online services however this is patently not true. I believe that there is a reason for this rise in demand for stuff. People want to show their affiliation and affection for their hobbies, its the reason I buy physical comics, magazines and games. Also it may be due to Kickstarter and the need to own something tangible, maybe the game will be crap but at least you got a cloth map, figure or limited edition card!

I love Amiibos, its great owning an official Nintendo product but there is also an issue where scalpers, like ticket touts, have artificially led to inflated prices... the issue is exacerbated by the limited run of Amiibos. First world problems for sure but  I love the chase of finding certain Amiibos, I don't want all of them but there are definite characters I want. I keep them in a box as I am a collector but am not 'that guy' that buys multiple copies of figures I already have and then resell them at a higher price.

Living in a small apartment with my wife and child I have had to de-clutter, and I'm sure that this is true for many people, but our relationship with our possessions remains as important as ever although the nature of the relationship is changing. I'm sure we all know people who have a huge Steam library of games they have downloaded but never played, or tonnes of albums bought on iTunes which haven't been listened to, or albums purchased on vinyl even though they don't have a record player. We all dream of some halcyon future where our past-times and pleasures will be revisited and so until we can let go we will buy stuff and that's okay.

LINK- Wired Article What Nintendo Did Right And Wrong With It's Amiibo Figurines

LINK- Article Vinyl: The Return of a Format

Music and Nostalgia

Authors Note: This was written on Monday 6th April 2015 on the way to Devon in the early afternoon.

I'm in the passenger seat riding shotgun in a car with my wife and recently born baby strapped into her car seat sleeping away behind me. We are in our Toyota Yaris which is bursting at the seams with baby related paraphernalia. For someone so small our baby requires a lot of equipment! Heading out onto the road for Devon my wife asks me to put on some music. Looking through the ipod I see some recent albums and artists, Adele-check, Emelie Sande-check, Ellie Goulding-check... Paul Oakenfold.... Check!  This last artist was the one I selected and as Bunkka started it brought forward a wave of nostalgia.

The late 90s were an amazing time, after xxx years of Tory rule hope seemed to be in the air with the rise of Labour and Blair. It was a time of optimism as football was coming home in Euro 96 but the biggest area of influence was music. Britpop was in full swing with Blur, Pulp and Oasis battling it out in the charts. In fact London was cool as a whole, claiming the title of 'Coolest place in the World' in Vanity Fair magazine.


This time will stick with me and many of the people of my generation due to the incredible diverse range of music.  Trance, dance, jungle and drum and bass would be battling it out in the charts next to the likes of Spice Girls and errr Aqua. The music hit the mainstream, so much so that when Sony were launching their Playstation console they promoted it alongside Wipeout with its cutting edge music tracks. There are many tracks created in this period that are stone cold classics; Beachball, For An Angel, 7 Days One Week and many many more. There are names that will stick out like Paul Oakenfold, Matt Darey, Tall Paul, Paul Van Dyke, Judge Jules, Fatboy Slim and of course Pete Tong. The music of this era had such a profound impact on my formative years that for our wedding playlist 50 percent was dance and trance, the other 50 was the usual pop fare. By far the dance floor was busiest when a pumping track came on, it felt like a club in the 90s. 
Well now with broken dreams from Bliars Labour, the Middle East up the shitter due to continued interference from countries with their own agendas and the economy in tatters due to greedy bankers and unscrupulous businesses I do look back fondly at those times. They weren't perfect by any means but the times seemed simpler. At least we still have the music memories.