Digital Ducks

Does anyone remember Duck Hunt? It was the very first game that was released for the NES. What's even better about it is that you were equipped with a gun, so you can point the orange gun at the screen and shoot some digital ducks on the screen. That was one of the very first games I remember playing as a young boy. Games can be described in so many ways. To one person, it can mean competition or sport. To another, it can just be a source of amusement or pleasure. After playing a group of online games on Wednesday morning, my definition of games is simple: an activity with a set of rules that brings you a source of pleasure. Play can be described as fun, I don't think I can describe it any other way. You can see playfulness a mile away. Just seeing interactivity and enjoyment between the people playing describes play (does that make sense?). Simulation is pretty much the interactivity going on within the game. The involvement of the player(s) is the simulation. Whether it's a group of children playing dress-up or someone playing Halo 3 in their video game chair, simulation is the essence that brings you to the game. It's your imagination convincing you to play along with the game. You are not dressed up as a doctor, you are the doctor. You're aren't a 17 year old holding a controller and smelling like sweat and Doritos, you are the Master Chief, destroying the Covenant with your turret, riding on top of a Warthog. Or you could be shooting digital ducks on the TV screen with your orange gun.

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Darn, I've been putting this off for a while because I really don't know how to start a blog, LOL (is it okay to type 'LOL' on a blog? Does that mean I'm laughing at my own joke?). Anyhoo, earlier this week, we were watching "The Matrix", now I don't know why I didn't like it the first time I saw it. Maybe it's because I don't like Keanu Reeves, maybe it was because of the commercials in between the movie or maybe it was because I only looked forward to the "Neo-dodging-bullets-in-slow-motion" camera movements, but I really got a lot out of the movie and appreciate the Wachowski brothers more than before. The Matrix was a perfect example of Plato's "Parable of The Cave". Some people see the light at the end of the cave and see the world at its fullest (Neo), while others leave the cave and and want to go back (Cypher). Most of the world haven't left the cave at all (like the people within the Matrix) and have yet to see the world and once you have, youll never want to turn around. "Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself. It's really a sci-fi movie on its own level, there's not much you can compare it to. It's just it's own type of sci-fi. I suppose this parable really gave me an idea of what to look forward to when watching this. The "Alice In Wonderland" references were quite a help too, LOL. The kung-fu/spaghetti-western feel in the fighting sequences will probably never be done as well as the Wachowski brothers did it, like that final fighting scene between Agent Smith and Neo. It had that western feel, like when the newspaper flew between them, it signified the cliche tumbleweed that blows through the southern draw. Religion also played a key in the film. I mean really, if you didn't see Neo as a christ-like figure, you need to watch it again. All in all, I really liked the film a lot more this time around then I have when watching it on FOX 5. A really great film and a really great example when trying to understand Plato's "Parable of The Cave".

I Can't Believe It's Not My Password!

I have no idea what I'm doing, this is so flippin' confusing!
I'm really lost but hopefully I'll get everything down in the next couple weeks. I created about 20 passwords in one morning and they're either my social security number, my birthday, my goldfish's name or the brand of butter I spread on my toast (I don't even have a goldfish.... That's how ridiculous this password dilemma is!).