Gaming - All the Worlds are Stages

As an amateur actor, I am quite accustomed to walking to the same theatre, multiple times, and see it appear drastically different each time I arrive. The beauty of the theatre is that (almost) anything can be depicted, if the set designers and directors have the imagination. I've played some video games that apply a similar principle. (I will discuss entries from the Super Mario series of games. Nothing against other potential subjects, it's just that I know about this series personally.)

Our first glimpse of this is Super Mario Bros. 3. Unlike the first two games, there is an actual map to navigate from level to level. Technically speaking, there are seven "worlds" consisting of several "stages." To further the analogy, the stages (especially those of the first world) resemble actual theatre stages: some scenery appears suspended from above, platforms have screws in each corner, and the end of each "stage" has a black background, reminiscent of the back stage of a theatre. For better or worse, this adds a factor of separation between the player and the game: the stage-like qualities of the "stage" constantly remind us of the fictionality of the story (as if the cartoonish villains, physics-defying gameplay, and general silliness didn't).

However, for a better illustration of my point, I turn to the wildly popular and excellent Super Mario 64. Mario's first 3D adventure has the player exploring various worlds linked to the castle via painting-portals. True, while the courses are not designed to look like stages, they still fill the same function. Different courses are used multiple time, often with different enemies, objectives, and occasionally altered scenery and props. Later 3D Mario games, like Super Mario Sunshine, S. M. Galaxy and S.M.G. 2 continue this method, increasing the amount of variance, until Super Mario Galaxy removes or adds pieces for different missions. (Paper Mario 1 and its sequel also contain features of theatre, but it is an RPG and its use of the elements would require an article unto itself. Maybe soon!)

Basically, Mario games are action-adventure stage plays controlled by the audience.

Life - Acclimating to a New Library

I've had the fortune of working at a small college library the last year. At this point, I can easily navigate to the literature, or science, or even a specific section of the B call signs. My favorite thing to do is locate specific topics or books for patrons. I've only done it a few times, but regardless. It is important for a good librarian to know the location of general topics. First, this makes reshelving a quicker process. Also, it allows the librarian to access materials faster, either for him or herself or for a patron. With both the Dewey system and the Library of Congress system, one needs only to learn the scale of the library. Going into a new library, one must first orient him or herself to it for optimal performance (I will be speaking of a library organized by LOC system, as in college libraries across the country).

First, ask if there are other collections. Visiting one library, I was surprised to see that there were no M or Qs past a certain point. Later, I found out that the library had separate libraries for music and science. Within the library, find out the different collections. For instance, my library at Erskine has several collections: specific sections for some campus organizations, archives, folio, periodicals and a reference collection. The reference section is often a microcosm of the general collection itself.

Knowing that many students will ask for assistance in researching for essays, papers and exams, it is a good idea to know where general topics are. As mentioned above, I can quickly navigate to the literature, science and Bible sections of the library. If you can view the college's course catalog, take note of the different majors available and search accordingly. Depending on your dedication, you can also find subtopics within topics, such as Shakespeare and modern drama, to better understand the scale difference between one library and another. However, for the most part, it will take time to become acquainted with a particular library's layout and topical dispersal.

Part of my duties consisted of discharging the key to the media. The librarian should be acquainted with all spaces available either for study or meetings.

One last thing is that the librarian should try to have friends or at least acquaintances among co-workers. While this is not necessary, it is very nice. For one, it makes work go by faster. Also, it allows for emergencies or (in my case) allowance for rehearsals and play performances. I enjoy working at the library, partly for this very reason.

Gaming - All-New! Movie: The Game

Recently, I got a book discussing marketing tactics used by various groups and companies. This reminded me of a standard tactic all gamers are familiar with: the licensed game.

I would say that the licensed game is a mixed bag, but its more like a box of chocolates comprised of only the icky (insert type you hate) ones. Most infamously, a movie franchise game nearly destroyed the video game industry: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. No doubt, Atari was banking on the popularity of the movie, critically acclaimed even to this day, to boost sales of the game. However, several factors lead to the lackluster quality of the game itself. From what I can tell, the game's design was rushed and not fully tested. Many posit it as the worst game ever made. I would not contest its low quality, but I've played some other pretty bad games.

For instance, there is the NES game The Adventures of Gilligan's Island which I have the (mis)fortune of owning. Game-play and controls are frustrating and almost impossible.

Atari made a port of Pac-Man for their Atari 2600 system. It too was a horrible game, being a lousy port of the much-loved classic.

In some-what researching this article, I came across many other terrible examples. Celebrity tie-ins. Inappropriately violent games. Real-life killings turned into games. Good games ported badly. However, a lot of them, as with the ones above, had one thing in common: they came from a franchise or recognized "brand." The book I'm reading, Brandwashed, describes a "brand" as a widely recognized character or emblem that sells a product, or, occasionally, is the product itself. Coca-Cola is a brand. Celebrities are "brands." The author has a very broad idea of what brands are. He goes on to talk about the sneaky tactics that companies use to sell their products.

Of course, this is exactly what video game companies and the entertainment industry do when they produce licensed games. They capitalize on our familiarity with and love for various movies and characters. Just as Ronald McDonald sells fries and Big Macs, characters like E.T. and Superman are used to sell games, whether they are good or not. I personally don't go in for licensed games much, besides ones that I know are good, like the famous GoldenEye 007 for the N64. However, my brother occasionally gets into moods in which he is completely absorbed by a brand. He'll get the toys, games, movies, etc... Recently it's Transformers. So among the recent, good games like the pre-Autobot-emigration Transformers games, he also has games based on the recent movies. Somehow he manages to get through them.

He claims that he likes them. I believe him, since lately, he's been using his own money to buy games. However, part of it is due to Hasbro and the various game companies. (Transformers is an interesting case itself. An entire franchise that exploded from one TV series designed to sell toys. But, alas, a different topic for a different article.)

My diagnosis on licensed games is that companies and players should be wary. Often, licensed games are created only to capitalize on the success of a movie or a game. Occasionally, a game rises above the rest of the shovel-ware and becomes a fan favorite. As I said before, though, it's still an uphill battle. The temptation is too strong to release licensed garbage in order to make a few extra dollars. However, there is still hope.

Life - For What is Theatre to Me?

"Good, speak to the mariners: fall to't, yarely,
or we run ourselves aground: bestir, bestir."

Thus read (basically) all of my lines from Erskine's production of Shakespeare's The Tempest. My subsequent ventures on stage were all non-speaking parts. That was also the case with a earlier production of Once Upon a Mattress. None of my parts were very big, or important.

So why do it? Why go out for theatre, when even at a small school you get cast as bit parts? Well, not for "the glory." After Mattress, I knew why. Several reasons, actually.

For one, there is the backstage experience. This is a two-fold aspect. First, there is the great social aspect. Second, there is the performance viewing aspect. After rehearsing the play for several weeks, we get to know each other better, if we didn't already. Admittedly, some rehearsals run long and/or boring, especially for people with smaller roles. For me, this detriment was countered by a unique opportunity. I was able to view some of the plays multiple times. True, for the recent one acts I stayed backstage: however, my favorite experience was during Once Upon a Mattress. It was my initial experience with Erskine's theatre, and an early experience with the music department. I was able to hear their dulcimer tones 11 times, not including the later, polished dress rehearsals. It was fun, hanging around backstage, seeing my friends go out and perform.

Also, one becomes a part of a greater whole. Not just the lead actors are important. Being in a smaller role, I could help the production out in other areas, such as set assembly. In the wing, I could watch the show and how everything went together.

Theatre to me is a whole experience. I can act, but I can also watch others act. I can also aid the production get on its feet. Theatre to me is not just acting. Excuse the cliche, but it's an adventure.

Business - Blockbuster Buster?

Whenever we (me and mother, usually) drive to the library or stores around that area, we pass by a certain Blockbuster. That Blockbuster never really had a good selection, to my mind. I preferred the one in Mauldin, that had a good video game selection (and was were I got my N64, about when everyone was phasing to Gamecube). The "bad" Blockbuster had recently gone out of business. So too had the Mauldin one, a few years ago. I've also heard that Blockbuster stores are going out of business everywhere. Online sites like Netflix and Amazon video, and rental kiosks like Red Box, are all scooping up customers. For video games, there is Game Stop and many online options.

So what if Blockbuster is going out of business? Online resources mean that there is less process between the customer and the product, and getting stuff faster is good, right? While that is true, it also reflects a growing trend. More services are promoting the diminution of social contact and venturing forth into the world. Also, for good or bad, it is part of a general trend from physical media to digital. I'm not trying to write in a "Everything new is bad, the good old days, blah blah..." but some things must be considered.

First, there is the social aspect. True, going to the store isn't a social occasion in-and-of itself. But it could lead to one. Also, it gets you out of the house, even if for a little bit. During the summer especially, I only get out by going to the store or the library, most days. On the flip side, though, downloadable and streaming content is indeed convenient. Some material may be rare or expensive, such as seasons or episodes of popular television series (like Doctor Who). Also, people who don't socialize anyway probably won't socialize during the brief time they're at the store. Additionally, some larger electronics and department stores in business provide movies and games. So, the social aspect is present, but negligible.

Second, it is among a larger trend of the digitizing of media. Rumors about digital-only video game systems circulated at the beginning of this generation of consoles. Some of those rumors were stopped flatly. The PS Vita, successor to the PSP confirmed some of them. Games seem to be making a general move to digital media. This too seems to be contributing to the decline in the number of stores like Blockbuster, but not to the same degree as the digital movies are. Before we had fast internet, I would have hated the idea of digital-media-only games or systems. Now the idea doesn't seem so bad. I have reservations about DLC, but I've already gotten a digital game (Yes, Minecraft has a Xbox 360 version, but I don't have a 360) and my brother's already downloaded demos and games to his PS3. However, I also enjoy walking around stores like Game Stop and Video Game Cavern. Commenting on the effect on retrogaming is a topic for another article.

Anyway! Blockbuster and similar stores are having a hard time, thanks to video streaming sites. Is it a problem? I don't think so. Netflix may prove a Blockbuster buster, but stores provide several things that the internet cannot. I find it easier to broadly browse in person. Also, you can ask the cashiers and workers about what movie is good, or what game isn't rated too badly (Face-to-face customer service may not be easier than online correspondence, but it is certainly more immediate). Some have conveniently placed refreshments to enjoy with your movie or game. Finally, if they need to clear stock, the sales can be excellent. Whenever I was paid from my Abrakadoodle job a few years ago, I went on a shopping spree at the Mauldin Blockbuster, usually during a sale, and walked away with a lot of good stuff.

I hope that movie stores do not go the way of the dodo. Already, all the Movie Galleries are gone. If they do, I will survive. Game Stop and Amazon would provide for my gaming needs, and I never really did the whole "video rental" game. Nevertheless, there are aspects that I would miss. We'll see what happens, and how things turn out.

Gaming - Minecraft Buildlogue #2: Lovely Library (Part 1)

Inspired by my first project, I have decided on another. Naturally, the next thing I am building is a library. However, this project will likely take much longer than the previous one. Especially without world edit tools and what not. Initially, I had to decide on the size of the "wall units." (This makes larger structures easier to manage. For instance, one wall unit might be a four by four group of stone bricks within a frame of chiseled stone bricks).

In the previous project, I utilized a framing approach, that allowed me to see how big the finished structure would be, and that made for a more interesting looking wall than if I had simply used one type of brick. Here, I increased the proportions so that there was 6x6 of the filler unit, stone bricks, surround by an 8x8 frame of chiseled stone bricks.

After making a framework, we see the general size and shape of what is to come. It is probably the largest (complex) structure I've made in Minecraft, up to this point.

Sometimes I wish there were a lawnmower tool. Oh well!

Once I finished building and lighting the walls, I had to decide what kind of floor to use. Stone or stone bricks would prove to monotonous and/or similar to the walls.

 

I finally decided on a frame of stone bricks surrounding carpet. For the front reading/reception area, I decided on blue wool, with light blue wool for the employee areas. Using iron blocks, I formed the reception and circulation area.

On the opposite side from the circulation area, I created a small cafe and book store, complete with "refrigerator" and "coffee maker."

The second area, possibly a reference or popular literature section, came next. My initial set up placed the rows to closely together, so I erred on the side of having only two rows so close together.

In between the reception area and cafe, I created a reading/eating area by using stairs to make chairs, and tables by a combination of a fence post and a pressure plate.

I've added a lot more on to it, but there are too many things for one post. Anyway, thanks for reading/looking! Stay tuned for more developments.

Gaming - Minecraft Buildlogue #1: Lovely Theatre and Music Hall

Hello all! It's been a while since my last article on gaming: to break that famine, I've decided to write about a recent building I made in Minecraft - a sort of buildlogue.

It's been quite difficult, lately, for me to actually play Minecraft. In introducing it to my brother, I created something of a monster - he constantly asks to play it. Anyway, I've finally been able to wrangle some time with the program. (I've upgraded to 1.5.2, I believe. I started a new file, forgetting to change from the initial name of "New World.")

Initially, I was planning to make a generic warehouse. I began with a simple facade, using two different shades of wood paneling. However, as the basic frame formed, I decided that it would be cool to build a theatre. Following a naming scheme started on my house and garden, the theatre would come to be known as "Lovely Theatre and Music Hall."

I made later additions once the rest of the frame was finished. As seen above, the edges use right-side-up and upside-down stair blocks to form the edge facades.

Using the fence unit, I created column-like structures all around the building.

The rear of the building is largely the same as the front.

Upon entering the theatre, we are greeted by the foyer/front greeting area. As with the rest of the building, it is made of a combination of mostly oak and spruce planks, with some birch planks for flooring.

In the auditorium, we walk on the luxurious carpet of red and yellow wool. For now, it is lit by conventional wooden torches. Seating is available in the form of quartz stairs. In the distance, we see the stage curtain and the legs, made out of red and black wool, respectively.

The back of the auditorium is rather bland. I wish I knew how to represent light, because I would then add in a few sets (Or a balcony of some sort?).

Edit: Something bugged me about this shot. It turns out, I forgot to finish the main curtain. Witness below, the curtain proper:

Since we have seen the auditorium, let us head towards the actual stage.

Now on stage, I examine a makeshift piano made of quartz blocks and stairs. (Were this Tekkit, I probably would have used dark iron or something like it for the main structure, and micro-blocks for the keys section.)

We turn to the audience, after a rousing piano sonata, expecting thunderous applause, but we've forgotten: there's nobody here but us.

Our back up performers wait backstage, eagerly anticipating the moment that they can emerge onstage.

Exhausted after our performance, we retreat backstage to the dressing rooms. Obviously, at least one of us is female and has already begun removing make-up.

This is the in-progress men's dressing room. Hopefully, I can add dressing room-y things. Unfortunately, I don't think there's a "mirror" block. Maybe I can figure something out.

Backstage is currently composed of the two dressing rooms and a hallway leading to the rear exit. As the floor is raised up by a floor of wood planks, the exit appears lower than the front one. I will eventually make an add-on for the green room, prop room and other dressing rooms.

We've finally finished the tour. The sun sets on the theatre, as we look forward to more projects in the future.

Thank you for viewing my latest Minecraft buildlogue. If you have any ideas or suggestions for what I should attempt to build next, please let me know. I could definitely be persuaded to start a file in Tekkit, so to have access to more building materials and so forth, but it would need to be soon. Anyway, that is all for now. See you guys later!