(no subject)
I often forget that I had been using this journal as recently as 2012. The gap between has been interesting, and recorded in other ways. I stopped using LJ because of tge then new Russian overlords, but what are they really going to learn except that I like tavos, porn, curvy women, videogames, nature and art.
Oh noes! My d3epest secrets revealed!
(no subject)
Some words on Minecraft, and why I keep playing it (instead of doing, literally, anything else most of the time.)
I... Play a lot of games, for various reasons. Fun, Escapism, good story, boredom, ADHD fulfillment, challenge, and cooperative adventure with friends. And by a lot of games, I mean a lot of time in those games. Can you conceive of how much time you have ever spent playing a videogame? More than that, probably to some exponent.
So, like most with some personal conceit, I like to think myself to be a bit of a passive expert on games of the electronic type; What makes them work, what causes a game to be more of a burden than a distraction, that sort.
And therein I found a bit of difficulty when it came to explaining why I like Minecraft so much, and why I have possibly spent more time playing it than any other game, or series of games, combined. Until recently, I couldn't really detail to another human being what it was about, why it was fun, or even how it qualified as a game. And if you've spent close to two thousand hours (an estimate I just came up with), and you can't convey those things, it's probably time to evaluate what you're doing.
So, I did.
( Read more...Collapse )
I... Play a lot of games, for various reasons. Fun, Escapism, good story, boredom, ADHD fulfillment, challenge, and cooperative adventure with friends. And by a lot of games, I mean a lot of time in those games. Can you conceive of how much time you have ever spent playing a videogame? More than that, probably to some exponent.
So, like most with some personal conceit, I like to think myself to be a bit of a passive expert on games of the electronic type; What makes them work, what causes a game to be more of a burden than a distraction, that sort.
And therein I found a bit of difficulty when it came to explaining why I like Minecraft so much, and why I have possibly spent more time playing it than any other game, or series of games, combined. Until recently, I couldn't really detail to another human being what it was about, why it was fun, or even how it qualified as a game. And if you've spent close to two thousand hours (an estimate I just came up with), and you can't convey those things, it's probably time to evaluate what you're doing.
So, I did.
( Read more...Collapse )
Second Renaissance
It has been a long project, mostly out of putting it to the wayside, the reorganization of my personal project files into something less redundant and more searchable. Something occurred to me, today, as I made a huge leap forward in it.
Not too many years ago, when I worked a graveyard shift at a job I did not hate, I took to drawing on breaks and during lunch. It was only a few months that I did this during, and with materials that were on hand. Namely, cheap pens and the back of forms from the drawers on the wall in the break room.
Nearly 300 drawings were done this way, and I still like most of them.
The reason this is important is because the era I consider my most prolific, the years where I first started drawing, had a number similar to this, and that was over the course of several years (High School, specifically). Among those drawings, my first of any relevance, I see inspiration in many but like very few of them, though the creations wrought there endure in my work to this day. This second burst, though it saw less original creation than innovation of concepts already done, had never seemed as hearty as it turns out it apparently was. It gives me some great hope that I have a lot of creative juice yet to spend. I sort of feel it, but, it's like a headache that has yet to happen. It's just there on the edge while you wait for it to take effect.
I know that's not how you're supposed to look at the creative flow. Sometimes you've just got to force it to get it started, even if that work looks forced. If it gets the feeling going, it's worth it.
I've certainly been working on doing quality rather than quantity, but, there is that urge also to rework that which has already been done. It's tempting, but, I want to do new things too.
As usual, there are so many things I want to do it feels like I don't do any of them as I try to run in all directions at once.
Still, it's nice to stand on the trail and look back, and realize that the path behind has been a good one.
Now about that path ahead...
Not too many years ago, when I worked a graveyard shift at a job I did not hate, I took to drawing on breaks and during lunch. It was only a few months that I did this during, and with materials that were on hand. Namely, cheap pens and the back of forms from the drawers on the wall in the break room.
Nearly 300 drawings were done this way, and I still like most of them.
The reason this is important is because the era I consider my most prolific, the years where I first started drawing, had a number similar to this, and that was over the course of several years (High School, specifically). Among those drawings, my first of any relevance, I see inspiration in many but like very few of them, though the creations wrought there endure in my work to this day. This second burst, though it saw less original creation than innovation of concepts already done, had never seemed as hearty as it turns out it apparently was. It gives me some great hope that I have a lot of creative juice yet to spend. I sort of feel it, but, it's like a headache that has yet to happen. It's just there on the edge while you wait for it to take effect.
I know that's not how you're supposed to look at the creative flow. Sometimes you've just got to force it to get it started, even if that work looks forced. If it gets the feeling going, it's worth it.
I've certainly been working on doing quality rather than quantity, but, there is that urge also to rework that which has already been done. It's tempting, but, I want to do new things too.
As usual, there are so many things I want to do it feels like I don't do any of them as I try to run in all directions at once.
Still, it's nice to stand on the trail and look back, and realize that the path behind has been a good one.
Now about that path ahead...
A Sequence of Related Images
You know, I've had this account for years, and I've never really taken full advantage of the features it provides. For a couple years, I had a free account, but I wanted to post some pictures that I didn't have an image hosting site that was appropriate for the purpose of, and then I just kind of fell off the map and hadn't picked it up again.
Well, until my programming skills are up to snuff (something I'm working on), I think I'll use this spot as my forum for images I don't mind just anybody seeing. I do an... interesting range of work, so, some of it won't show up here, but the stuff I'm most proud of will. My normal additions here will still exist, and perhaps be more frequent as I spend time on Live Journal, but my thought is to eventually turn this in to an image thread, web-comic outlet, and perhaps down the line a sort of portal to an online storefront for my works.
Man, I get lost in the social network, I forget where I have my thumb in and just go about oblivious. I had forgotten completely that I had a G+ account, and I spend a lot of time in Gmail. I hadn't realized until the other day that there is a stat tracking tool we have access to here, and it came to light that people actually do look at my journal on some regular basis. As I've said before, it's not a popularity contest, but it's nice to know people are looking.
In other bits of stuff, I've been moving into my ex-roommate's room and I have turned it into an office. It's still under construction, but I want to get it all in place in a hurry because we're only going to be in this apartment for another six months, and I don't know that I'll have the space for an office in the next house/apartment we live in. I have been in serious need of private quarters and crazy space, and I want to absorbe it all I can while I have it. Which is part of why this post is happening to begin with. Much of that use will be for doing project-y stuff.
Well, until my programming skills are up to snuff (something I'm working on), I think I'll use this spot as my forum for images I don't mind just anybody seeing. I do an... interesting range of work, so, some of it won't show up here, but the stuff I'm most proud of will. My normal additions here will still exist, and perhaps be more frequent as I spend time on Live Journal, but my thought is to eventually turn this in to an image thread, web-comic outlet, and perhaps down the line a sort of portal to an online storefront for my works.
Man, I get lost in the social network, I forget where I have my thumb in and just go about oblivious. I had forgotten completely that I had a G+ account, and I spend a lot of time in Gmail. I hadn't realized until the other day that there is a stat tracking tool we have access to here, and it came to light that people actually do look at my journal on some regular basis. As I've said before, it's not a popularity contest, but it's nice to know people are looking.
In other bits of stuff, I've been moving into my ex-roommate's room and I have turned it into an office. It's still under construction, but I want to get it all in place in a hurry because we're only going to be in this apartment for another six months, and I don't know that I'll have the space for an office in the next house/apartment we live in. I have been in serious need of private quarters and crazy space, and I want to absorbe it all I can while I have it. Which is part of why this post is happening to begin with. Much of that use will be for doing project-y stuff.
A Less Vague Tale
In other news, I am working on the end sequence to a film which I'll get credit for and possibly a pat on the head, but it's fun and I enjoy the work. I've got a couple short stories, one of which has actually made it past the first couple drafts (sadly, a very large achievement). I've made progress toward self-discipline by removing the temptation of distraction and have wiped my computer of all games and time-waster links (again, an excruciating step forward).
We may have gotten a roommate, and he fits well into the way we do things, having a large number of parallel interests.
On top of that, I will be starting a new contract in a week that pays more than I've been paid in a long while, and since I'll only be paying a third of the bills instead of half of them, I'll be able to sock a lot of money away into my new credit union account.
Oh, and by Monday, I will have closed my KeyBank account, as I've been saddled with the last straw I'm willing to tolerate of their incompetence. After that, I vow never to be an account holding customer of a bank again.
We may have gotten a roommate, and he fits well into the way we do things, having a large number of parallel interests.
On top of that, I will be starting a new contract in a week that pays more than I've been paid in a long while, and since I'll only be paying a third of the bills instead of half of them, I'll be able to sock a lot of money away into my new credit union account.
Oh, and by Monday, I will have closed my KeyBank account, as I've been saddled with the last straw I'm willing to tolerate of their incompetence. After that, I vow never to be an account holding customer of a bank again.
Have it Your Way
Y'know, it's a rare thing to get something significant in your life to go the way you would hope. I don't mean, like, 'have food from the drive-through not make you wish you had a stomach, or a tongue' sort of go your way, I mean, heart-felt set goal toward the happy and content life accomplished sort of deal.
Rarer yet is when you've had that happen to you once, screw it up by being an asshole (or coming off as one, there are shades of grey), and then later getting a chance to start fresh. Yeah, that Second Chance thing we have all wished for at one point in our lives or another.
Forgive the vague speak, here, by the way, it's just probably the best coarse of action at the moment. Like a good joke, not everyone will get it, but the right people will.
So, to recap, good things are good, and good things are happening, and I just have to not stress out about their necessary steps and enjoy the ride.
I'm not as patient a person as I'd like, and I stress out about the dumbest shit. I don't understand myself sometimes. I just hope everyone else does, then at least someone knows what's going on.
Vague statement is vague
Rarer yet is when you've had that happen to you once, screw it up by being an asshole (or coming off as one, there are shades of grey), and then later getting a chance to start fresh. Yeah, that Second Chance thing we have all wished for at one point in our lives or another.
Forgive the vague speak, here, by the way, it's just probably the best coarse of action at the moment. Like a good joke, not everyone will get it, but the right people will.
So, to recap, good things are good, and good things are happening, and I just have to not stress out about their necessary steps and enjoy the ride.
I'm not as patient a person as I'd like, and I stress out about the dumbest shit. I don't understand myself sometimes. I just hope everyone else does, then at least someone knows what's going on.
Vague statement is vague
vRoooooooom
Hey all.
Still going without a roommate here. I hate to beg, but things are going to get unaffordable real soon.
Here's the ad we've been posting:
• Rent $400 or less (depending on utilities)
• Option for pet, 25 lbs. or less, with deposit
• Close to PCC Sylvania and Louis and Clark campuses, and an easy drive to PSU
• Less than a block walk to a bus stop that services the 1, 44, 54, and 56 lines
• On site gym and sauna
• Geek household. Being one isn't required
• Choice of two possible rooms
• Full bathroom with your near exclusive use (It's the front bathroom, so we use it every once in a while)
• NO Smoking or illicit substances allowed. Alcohol allowed within reasonable use.
There's a kid here part of the time, so, keep that in mind
Our old roommate decided to be closer to his job, so we're looking for his replacement. Our household currently consists of two adults and, for part of the week, a seven-year-old boy in a three-bedroom apartment.
We are into sci-fi/nerd geek/fandom. Although certainly not required, having a fellow geek-type (who appreciates video games and, say, a Dr. Who marathon) and/or fellow creative types would be highly desired. If that's not you, though, we certainly are not the types to overwhelm you with it.
Although we love animals, we do not have any currently. Our apartment allows for cats and dogs that weigh 25 lbs. or less, so if you have a pet that fits that description, or want one, we can negotiate the pet deposit.
As mentioned, we have a seven-year-old living with us part of the week, so liking kids is a must. Also, because of this, smoking, drugs, and excessive alcohol use is out.
Christmas is coming up, and you know what's an awesome present? Not having to move out in the middle of Winter. Also, a close second, is giving someone a new home when they're looking for one! I know, they're a bit at odds with each other, but that's why second place is... well, not first.
Or something.
Still going without a roommate here. I hate to beg, but things are going to get unaffordable real soon.
Here's the ad we've been posting:
• Rent $400 or less (depending on utilities)
• Option for pet, 25 lbs. or less, with deposit
• Close to PCC Sylvania and Louis and Clark campuses, and an easy drive to PSU
• Less than a block walk to a bus stop that services the 1, 44, 54, and 56 lines
• On site gym and sauna
• Geek household. Being one isn't required
• Choice of two possible rooms
• Full bathroom with your near exclusive use (It's the front bathroom, so we use it every once in a while)
• NO Smoking or illicit substances allowed. Alcohol allowed within reasonable use.
There's a kid here part of the time, so, keep that in mind
Our old roommate decided to be closer to his job, so we're looking for his replacement. Our household currently consists of two adults and, for part of the week, a seven-year-old boy in a three-bedroom apartment.
We are into sci-fi/nerd geek/fandom. Although certainly not required, having a fellow geek-type (who appreciates video games and, say, a Dr. Who marathon) and/or fellow creative types would be highly desired. If that's not you, though, we certainly are not the types to overwhelm you with it.
Although we love animals, we do not have any currently. Our apartment allows for cats and dogs that weigh 25 lbs. or less, so if you have a pet that fits that description, or want one, we can negotiate the pet deposit.
As mentioned, we have a seven-year-old living with us part of the week, so liking kids is a must. Also, because of this, smoking, drugs, and excessive alcohol use is out.
Christmas is coming up, and you know what's an awesome present? Not having to move out in the middle of Winter. Also, a close second, is giving someone a new home when they're looking for one! I know, they're a bit at odds with each other, but that's why second place is... well, not first.
Or something.
Roommate Search
Just a quick APB.
We're in desperate need of a roommate. We've had a lot of interviews and no solid takers, and we can't afford our apartment by ourselves. We are in Hillsdale, Or, the rent is about $400, and we're close to a number public transport hubs and university campuses.
So pass it on and let me know if anyone is interested.
Thanks!
Posted via LiveJournal app for iPhone.
The Lie of Skyrim
So, I, like many, now have Skyrim. I know there are at least a hundred sweaty, basement dwelling geeks and their girlfriends/mustaches who possess a copy, because there were at least that many lesser mortals and mutants swarming around me that weren't wearing mall security outfits or a GameStop badge, or both.
Like all of them, I had pre-purchased the game some months earlier, paid in full because I don't want to fuck around when it finally comes time to get my wanton fingers around that cellophane wrapped box and de-skin it like Pyramid Head did with that girl who TOTALLY ENJOYED IT in the Silent Hill film. I imagine the box feels the same way as she.
After waiting two hours, which I whiled away on my new PSP, obtained sadly at the end of it's commercial life span (I love it. It's everything a portable game system should be.), I, with the rest of the masses gathered around the mouth of the store and waited for my completely uninteresting number 46 to come up and grab my prize. There wasn't any swag, this wasn't really much of a release party so much as it was getting the insane people like myself out of the public eye when something big comes up. And that's fine. I don't care. The game is it's own reward.
So here's my review: It's awesome.
This isn't about how good the game is; we know it's good. Your mom know's it's good (I asked her this morning). Heralds shall sing of the day that this wonder of digital art graced us with its existence, the mere idea of which is greater than this muddied earth deserves. Euphoria comes to any who enter the same building as a single copy of this masterpiece, and Moktcha awaits any who are in the same room.
No, what I am here to speak about is not the game itself but its delivery, or rather, a rather crucial and foul step in its contract of ownership.
After the moment of wrenching the flesh from my copy, also known as the moment it touched my hands, I discovered something dubious printed along the inside of the case, just below the disc cradle: A Steam code.
Now, I am a converted player. That is to say, I have adopted the Steam platform where once I found it a vile idea. The reason I found it vile was because I had walked into a brick and mortar store, purchased a physical thing, which was a disc that contained a set of games.
When I got home to install said games, I found that the disc was unnecessary. Like above, I found a piece of paper with a serial code and instructions telling me to enter this into a downloadable game client. What I had, in fact, bought was a bill of goods. The actual THING that I bought was completely useless. The client would download the games from the net, and if I didn't have a net connection at the time well JUST FUCK ME THEN. Steam was an absolute necessity to load up this filthy beast.
I'm talking about The Orange Box here, and of course about a PC copy of said game/s. I give some leeway to Steam on this because it is their game and their platform.
After a few years of simply not playing these games in this format out of protest, I caved and found merit in games that I purchased FROM THE PLATFORM ITSELF.
I apologize for the capitals here, but I really am yelling them at you in my head. If you know me, you know I talk this way. I'm passionate about my goddamn gaming. GODDAMIT
See, there's an inherent autonomous promise in purchasing a physical copy of a game. I know everyone is enamored with the concept of moving everything to the 'cloud' and having centralized data, making every computer an effective thin client, and, fine, go with that. Whatever. But when I buy a physical copy of a thing, I expect to be able to use that thing autonomously of some remote approval or the existence of an ethereal entity that may someday decide that I can no longer use this THING I have purchased with sweat and blood.
Not mine, mind you. My job pays in synthetic human liquid assets. I keep my bodily fluids where they belong.
I wasted two valuable hours of my life standing outside a store in a closed mall to effectively get a keycode for a piece of software that has to verify through another piece of software which HAS MADE THE GAME READILY AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE within itself. I could have been sitting comfortably at home waiting to press a timed install button on my computer. And I would have been happy to, if I had been informed that this would be a thing.
I watched a lot of demos and interviews, and read ten times as much as I watched, and not once among the feature lists, glorifications, art and worries of the fans did I ever read/hear/watch ANYTHING about the game being a Steam exclusive on PC. Not once. Maybe I missed it.
But if I'd even had a hint that it would be that way, I would have bought a digital copy, HAPPILY.
But I didn't and I was sold a lie.
You have disappointed me, Todd Howard
I will think twice about buying your wares in the future.
P.S. - Todd looks like Guybrush Threepwood. I've always wanted to point that out to somebody.
Like all of them, I had pre-purchased the game some months earlier, paid in full because I don't want to fuck around when it finally comes time to get my wanton fingers around that cellophane wrapped box and de-skin it like Pyramid Head did with that girl who TOTALLY ENJOYED IT in the Silent Hill film. I imagine the box feels the same way as she.
After waiting two hours, which I whiled away on my new PSP, obtained sadly at the end of it's commercial life span (I love it. It's everything a portable game system should be.), I, with the rest of the masses gathered around the mouth of the store and waited for my completely uninteresting number 46 to come up and grab my prize. There wasn't any swag, this wasn't really much of a release party so much as it was getting the insane people like myself out of the public eye when something big comes up. And that's fine. I don't care. The game is it's own reward.
So here's my review: It's awesome.
This isn't about how good the game is; we know it's good. Your mom know's it's good (I asked her this morning). Heralds shall sing of the day that this wonder of digital art graced us with its existence, the mere idea of which is greater than this muddied earth deserves. Euphoria comes to any who enter the same building as a single copy of this masterpiece, and Moktcha awaits any who are in the same room.
No, what I am here to speak about is not the game itself but its delivery, or rather, a rather crucial and foul step in its contract of ownership.
After the moment of wrenching the flesh from my copy, also known as the moment it touched my hands, I discovered something dubious printed along the inside of the case, just below the disc cradle: A Steam code.
Now, I am a converted player. That is to say, I have adopted the Steam platform where once I found it a vile idea. The reason I found it vile was because I had walked into a brick and mortar store, purchased a physical thing, which was a disc that contained a set of games.
When I got home to install said games, I found that the disc was unnecessary. Like above, I found a piece of paper with a serial code and instructions telling me to enter this into a downloadable game client. What I had, in fact, bought was a bill of goods. The actual THING that I bought was completely useless. The client would download the games from the net, and if I didn't have a net connection at the time well JUST FUCK ME THEN. Steam was an absolute necessity to load up this filthy beast.
I'm talking about The Orange Box here, and of course about a PC copy of said game/s. I give some leeway to Steam on this because it is their game and their platform.
After a few years of simply not playing these games in this format out of protest, I caved and found merit in games that I purchased FROM THE PLATFORM ITSELF.
I apologize for the capitals here, but I really am yelling them at you in my head. If you know me, you know I talk this way. I'm passionate about my goddamn gaming. GODDAMIT
See, there's an inherent autonomous promise in purchasing a physical copy of a game. I know everyone is enamored with the concept of moving everything to the 'cloud' and having centralized data, making every computer an effective thin client, and, fine, go with that. Whatever. But when I buy a physical copy of a thing, I expect to be able to use that thing autonomously of some remote approval or the existence of an ethereal entity that may someday decide that I can no longer use this THING I have purchased with sweat and blood.
Not mine, mind you. My job pays in synthetic human liquid assets. I keep my bodily fluids where they belong.
I wasted two valuable hours of my life standing outside a store in a closed mall to effectively get a keycode for a piece of software that has to verify through another piece of software which HAS MADE THE GAME READILY AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE within itself. I could have been sitting comfortably at home waiting to press a timed install button on my computer. And I would have been happy to, if I had been informed that this would be a thing.
I watched a lot of demos and interviews, and read ten times as much as I watched, and not once among the feature lists, glorifications, art and worries of the fans did I ever read/hear/watch ANYTHING about the game being a Steam exclusive on PC. Not once. Maybe I missed it.
But if I'd even had a hint that it would be that way, I would have bought a digital copy, HAPPILY.
But I didn't and I was sold a lie.
You have disappointed me, Todd Howard
I will think twice about buying your wares in the future.
P.S. - Todd looks like Guybrush Threepwood. I've always wanted to point that out to somebody.
Genetic Inheritance
You often hear, with some disdain, in movies "Oh no, I've become my mother/father...". I've heard a few people in the real world voice this concern, and actually seen the process of it happening to a few people.
I had the random thought today of becoming my Dad (as, generally the tradition is to become the parent of your gender), and what that entailed.
So, basically that would mean I become a master electrician and inventor, with strong martial arts abilities who is perpetually fit and healthy and responsible and has the temperament of an honorable samurai. And looks like 80's Tom Selleck.
AWESOME
I had the random thought today of becoming my Dad (as, generally the tradition is to become the parent of your gender), and what that entailed.
So, basically that would mean I become a master electrician and inventor, with strong martial arts abilities who is perpetually fit and healthy and responsible and has the temperament of an honorable samurai. And looks like 80's Tom Selleck.
AWESOME