So, a couple days ago, on NPR. . .

[xiphias]

On Talk of the Nation, or one of those shows like that, they were talking about the new generation of gaming consoles and how they had all sorts of power, and could do movie-realistic video and so forth.

And one of their people mentioned that, apparently, Electronic Arts has, as a motto "Can a computer game make you cry?"

And I thought, "Well, duh."

And he went on to say that that is why EA is pushing for more and more realism, in order to have more and more immersive experiences, and I thought, "Well, no wonder EA sucks."

Because of COURSE a computer game can make you cry, but that has absolutely nothing to do with graphics, or sounds, or photorealism, or anything like that. It has to do with plot.

I mean, people have gotten emotionally attached to characters that look like this:


or this:


or this:

>look at floyd
From its design, the robot seems to be of the multi-purpose sort. It is slightly cross-eyed, and its mechanical mouth forms a lopsided grin.

Can a computer game make you cry? Well, I think that everyone who recognized that last character knows the answer to that one. The Death of Floyd is one of the great emotional moments in computer gaming.

And you can see just how advanced THOSE graphics and sounds were.

Comments

[kyra-ojosverdes.livejournal.com]

inspired by this post

[solipsistnation.livejournal.com]

Steve Meretzky talked at WPI the other day. He's a fascinating and very friendly guy...

[sethg]

I remember seeing the "can a computer game make you cry" line in an EA ad from the Apple II era.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Lords of Midnight has often made me cry, and it's a 48k game with graphics that can best be described as very good for 1985.

As for the Death of Floyd, yes, absolutely.

But you're not talking about plot, here, you're talking about characters. It's people one cries for, generally.

[black--orchid.livejournal.com]

this has nothing to do with your post But i just read your responses in the b0st0n community. it's Been a long time since anyone replied with intelligence, much less without insults and scorn. i was a religion major in college But always feel that i know next to nothing about all faiths. so thanks!

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Well, I can always go to mock_the_stupid and customers_suck when I want to use insults and scorn. I mean, I LIKE insults and scorn, but there are already communities dedicated to it, so why use 'em in b0st0n?

Seriously, though, thanks. Studying religions is fun.

[black--orchid.livejournal.com]

not many people in b0st0n share your discretion. that place gets nearly violent at times.
truthfully i majored in comparative religion Because i didn't know what else to do and it was relatively easy, credit-wise.

[ex-laura-oka677.livejournal.com]

this is also off topic and in response to your comments in b0st0n...I am part Jewish (I want to start getting more involved with this part of me)
and I've been assigned to teach my after school kids a half lesson about hanukkah since I am the one that knows the most about it.

I have bought some dreidles, am going to make latkes, I even have some songs about hannukkah. But I want to teach them the story of hanukkah (without it seeming like we are teaching religious beliefs or anything) and this is where I am lost...Do you have any recommendations on books to get for kids in grades 3-5 about hanukkah? Better yet, do you have any books I could possibly borrow? Or, and this is a huge long shot, but would you be willing to volunteer on wednesday the 21st any time from 4-6 in East Boston to tell the story and answer questions?

I'll appreciate any help I can get.