In An Instant

IN AN INSTANT
By: Daniel Wise
“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number 1 is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number 2 is think. You should spend some time in thought. And Number 3 is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."
-James Thomas Anthony Valvano
He ran out on to the field for the last time in his career as a high school football player. He could hardly even call it much of a career at all. For four years he had amounted to little more than a practice dummy who just so happened to have the ability to move. His knees felt stiff and he strained every time he moved them because he had spent the whole game standing on the side line. He jogged instead of ran because the situation just was not one that he felt excited for. It was the fourth quarter and his team was down by fourteen with a little more than a minute to go. The visiting team was within twenty yards of scoring once again. He looked at his team mates and they all had a look of defeat in their eyes. It was the same look of a dying man who still wanted to believe that he could live, but there was no use but to face the truth. This team was going to lose, and yet it had almost been a magical season. It was the semi final round, and they planned to go to the state finals to bask in the glory of what is high school athletics. These boys were so close to something that could be considered the pinnacle of one’s high school career, but now they were one minute and twenty seconds away from going home.
He wanted to go home badly. He was sick of the daily practices, he was done with the hours he spent in the weight room, and he was ready to move on in life. He had never accomplished anything in athletics in a world that expected nothing but greatness from athletes. He was merely a footnote in the expansive history of his town’s high school athletics program. He was a football player and a wrestler, while not great, he was a decent athlete. Most coaches would laude him for his attitude.
“He has a strong will, work ethic, and great character. If he had the talent, he would have been great.”
When you don’t have a particular talent, no amount of hard work or character can get you on the starting roster, or even room as a back up. At least, that’s what he believed. He had read his share of sports novels and inspirational quotes about how the underdog eventually comes out on top. He had heard his coaches say the people with the hardest work ethic will find a role on this team. He had found his role, practice squad member for 4 years of high school. The only time he had ever started was during his junior year as a member of the junior varsity team.
The whole thing was a joke to him now, and he had considered just stopping where he was, turn around and walk off the field, past the sideline, the bleachers, the ticket booth, the parking lot and walk home where high school athletics didn’t exist. His family did not have a pedigree for being great athletes. His dad broke his knee in high school during a game and never played again, his brother was a good tight end, but tearing his ACL changed him and he couldn’t make the cuts that he was used to making. His oldest brother was the only one who saw any considerable amount of playing time; ironically, he was a 167 pound offensive lineman. At the opposite end, a majority of his team mates had some type of background with sports. Either they had fathers, brothers or uncles who were lights-out, stud athletes, who were also alumni of his school. He didn’t walk home because the look in his team mates compelled him. He realized how much all of this meant to them so he kept on jogging towards the huddle. He wanted to console one of his team mates, but he couldn’t find the right words to say.
He was sent in as a defensive lineman, but he played linebacker. He was two-hundred pounds, small compared to the other linemen who weighed two-hundred and sixty pounds each. The defensive call came in from the sidelines and he had no idea what he was supposed to do on the defensive line. He recognized the call, at least what he’d have to do if he was playing linebacker, but he was unsure of what he was supposed to do on defense. The huddle was broke and he, along with his team mates, trotted to the line of scrimmage. The offensive linemen across from him looked massive. They all had at least two or three inches on him and at least fifty or more pounds. He was stuck at nose guard. This was quite possibly the worst position a player of his size could be, especially in the three four defense, but did it really matter anymore. He was put in just to be put in since they were going to lose the game any way. What did it matter? Nothing mattered at all, in all likely hood, he was going to get creamed on this play and nobody would care or even notice. He approached the line and looked at the center and the guard. He didn’t even know where he was lining up on this play. Was he head up on the center or the guard? Was he inside or outside shade? He knew the little details of defensive line strategy and technique, but he hadn’t done it for a little over a year. If they still ran the four three defense, he would have somewhat of an idea, but this was something completely new to him. He went head up on the center, then suddenly one of the linebackers behind him, grabbed him and directed him where to go.
“Damn it, you’re inside shade of the guard and you’re going through the B gap. Get your head right.”
He was a little embarrassed at this and the offensive line seemed to be laughing at him. He shook off their torment and got down in his three-point stance. The quarterback went through his cadence.
“Gold twenty two, gold twenty two”
Someone went in motion, but he couldn’t tell who it was.
“Set”
He tensed up every muscle in his body. Every muscle, tendon, and thought was wound tightly like a cocked gun about to be fired. His breathing became steady and for a short moment, everything was calm and peaceful.
I.
I AM A LINEBACKER
“I’m going to play linebacker next year, and I was wondering if I could borrow some game tapes from last year” He said to his coach as they stood outside of the high school. It was a beautiful spring morning. The school year was waning, which meant that summer vacation was approaching. He had been working out tirelessly since the end of the football season and his body definitely showed how much effort he was putting in. He was expecting some words to discourage him from doing so since he had never played the position before and was going into his senior season. He had played offensive and defensive line since he was a chubby little kid during his flag football days, and now he was going into uncharted territory.
“Sure.”
It wasn’t the answer that he had been expecting at all, but he wasn’t sure if it was even a good answer at all. His coach didn’t discourage him at all, and didn’t start listing off reasons why he should stay where he is, but he also didn’t see that answer as totally positive. His coach was a soft-spoken man, even during practice. He definitely didn’t have the booming voice that most coaches have, but he could always rally the team together with his carefully chosen words.
“I know this might sound a little crazy to you, but I’ve lost some weight and I’ve gotten quicker. I feel like this is something that I should take a shot at.” He said, fishing around for some type of compliment or words of encouragement.
“Well if you feel like you must do it, then work hard and we’ll see what happens this fall.” He said as they walked together into the school building. “You can talk to me after school and I’ll get those tapes for you.”
He couldn’t wait until the school bell rang to let the student out of class and to allow him to train for the upcoming season. Each day, he would run from his house to the weight room, lift weights for an hour and run back. He remembered when he first started lifting for the first time. He was a freshman in high school and he could barely bench ninety-five pounds. Over 3 years, he had finally reached 195 pounds and could squat-lift 250 pounds. He had one more summer to push himself completely over the edge physically and he planned to do that. He was at a moment in life where he finally felt a sense of urgency. He had dropped nearly fifty-five pounds since his freshman year of high school. He remembered when he first ran a forty yard dash, he timed in at 7.5 seconds. Slow was a word that couldn’t even describe his athletic ability. He was a member of the junior varsity team for all three years. It was common knowledge that anyone who spent three years on the JV squad would not see much playing time at all in the varsity games. The stud athletes usually spent their first year on the squad, while everyone else spent two years. The lowliest athletes always spent three years on the junior varsity squad. He knew that high school football was just a game and that dreams of the NFL died when he reached the age where he became a realist, but something drove him to become something that nobody would expect. Deciding to play linebacker was something that nobody would ever think he would do. People also thought that he wouldn’t be able to play the position. It was obvious that he was inexperienced, but that position was lacking experience with mostly sophomores and freshmen playing linebacker. He had thought to himself from time to time if he would ever start on varsity.
Most people at the school didn’t even know he played football. He never spent much time with the team outside of school and practice, and never attended any parties that so many of the other athletes would talk about on a regular basis. He was simply a filled roster spot and a name on a program; however, people never paid attention to his name. The one thing that he craved about becoming a starter is hearing his name over the PA system after he made a play. He also wanted to feel what it would be like to run through the tunnel at the beginning of the game and run to the middle of the field so that everyone could see him. He craved that attention. He was tired of being someone only the team knows about.



II.
THE SUMMER
The whole summer, he trained tirelessly. There wasn’t a day that he didn’t do something relating to football. He trained hard every single day in the weight room. Whatever the sport of football demanded, he paid the price in sweat, vomit and muscle aches. He went out to the field where they played under the Friday night lights and worked on his agility. He bought cones that he used for markers on where to make his cuts. He ran stair laps on the bleachers until he could not move his legs anymore. Eventually as the summer progressed, he would jump up the steps on two legs, then one leg. He did ladders across the football field starting at the goal line and running to the fifty yard line in ten yard increments. At the beginning of the summer a workout like that was challenging to the point where he almost wanted to stop. He started the summer with average athletic ability; by the end of the summer, he was running three miles effortlessly even when he had the flu.
He got his first taste of the linebacker position at a summer camp he attended with his team. It was a foreign position for him since he had played on the offensive and defensive line all his life and while he had improved his speed and agility, he was not used to making the reads that a linebacker makes. He over pursued the running back, he had trouble in man to man coverage and on a couple occasions, he would get laid out by a crack back block from a receiver. The first day was almost a nightmare for him, but his coach was there to help him. By the second day, he knew to read run or pass by looking at the knuckles of the offensive linemen. If they were white, it was a run; otherwise if the knuckles were normal, the play was going to be a pass. He learned to mimic the steps of the running back and to not over pursue. He learned to keep the running back spilling out to the sidelines because that is how the team pursued the ball. He learned how to cover receivers in man and zone and he learned how to use his agility against an offensive lineman.
III.
FALL CAMP
The summer months passed by quickly and everyone knew that fall sports were beginning when the school held the pre-season conference with the coaches, parents and students. Insurance and class information was passed out and the coaches gave a few rousing speeches about the upcoming season. Every player sat in the gymnasium in eager anticipation, waiting to put on the pads. For the seniors, this was their last chance to leave their mark on the history of their school’s athletic program. They had come so close to a state championship in the three prior years, but had fallen short in the playoffs. They felt good about their team this year due to the fact that they had eighteen returning starters on the team. The last four positions were hotly contested. The team needed someone to step up at will linebacker, strong safety and both halfback and fullback. The next day, the team would enter the gym at 6:30 in the morning to begin fall camp.
To most members of the team, approaching fall camp felt like knowing they were put on death row. No one on the team could say they looked forward to the early morning running, the aches, the pains and the occasional serious injury. The first practice didn’t require helmets or pads, just running shoes. For two and a half hours, the team ran sprints, stairs and agility stations. The team would sprint from one end of the basketball court to the other, next they would bear crawl, next they would do ladders as well as whatever the coach could come up with in his sadistic mind.
He thought to himself as they were running that any other year, he would be dying half way through these workouts, but something was oddly different; somehow, he felt fine. The summer he put in was grueling, but it made him better and prepared him for the rigors of fall camp. He was most certainly not the fastest member of the team, but he often finished within the top five of all the seniors. He felt light as he ran; he no longer had the heavy feet that stomped on the ground. He moved gracefully and was in complete control of his motions. He knew how to run without excess movement that exerted precious energy; he felt like an athlete now.
The practice that followed had the team outside in helmets and shoulder pads. For four practices, the team was required to wear only helmets but on that fifth practice, the pads came on and everyone was ready to let out their aggression. The afternoon practices started with conditioning like gassers or train tracks, a drill that had the team lie down in a line. The last person would get up and run with the next person following until they got to the end where they would lay down and wait until it was time to repeat the process. In years past, he would get passed by nearly everyone on the team, but now he was the one passing people and it felt good to him. The rest of the practice consisted of pursuit drills, individual drills, 7 on 7 and a team session.
He made special teams, something that may seem like a small accomplishment to some, but to him, it was a step forward to becoming a major player on the team. He was on both kickoff and kick return and he played special teams furiously. He ran with purpose and wreaked havoc has he busted through the wedge or made a block for the returner.
Two weeks finally passed and game day fast approached. It was a home game and he was looking forward to display his talents in front of everyone. He trotted out onto the field for kick off. He was the man next to the kicker in the middle and he was in charge of making sure that everyone went on his word. When the kicker crossed his face, that was his time to let everyone know the play started. The kick team lined up and he counted the heads to make sure they had ten guys and a kicker. He broke the huddle and everyone lined up. He tensed up his entire body waiting for the kicker to prepare for the kick. The kicker started moving forward and as he passed by he shouted to get everyone else moving. The ball was kicked horribly off the top, it went left and skimmed across the field. The other team recovered the ball and he hadn’t even gone ten yards. The rest of the game he stood on the sidelines, but he didn’t mind that much because they scored often which allowed him to get more chances on the field. He ran hard every time he came onto the field and the coaches took notice of it.

IV.
THE SIDE LINE
Midway through the season, something happened that he hadn’t foreseen. During the pre-game against Milbank High School, he sprained his ankle in seven on seven. The field was particularly muddy that night because of a midday rain storm. He was trying to follow the tight end going across the field, but a mud slick twisted his ankle and he went down. His ankle was taped and it even had a brace on it, and yet this had caused a sprain that was the worst he’s ever felt. He had bad ankles so he was used to the sprains, but this one was different. He tried walking off the pain, but he couldn’t put pressure down on it for nearly fifteen minutes. He could finally walk on it by the time he had to go out for kick off. He could jog on it, but each step shot tremendous pain up his leg. He lined up the kickoff team and he focused on something that could maybe take the pain away. The kicker ran passed him and he started running down the field. He tried running as hard as he could, but something was holding him back. He could deal with pain, but as hard as he tried he couldn’t run full speed. He couldn’t run like he was used to, his leg felt like it was about to fall off.
After the game, one of the coaches asked him why he had not run as hard as he did in other games. He told them he had messed up his ankle and all he needed was some ice to treat it during the weekend. When he came to practice that Monday, the special teams were announced, but now his name was no longer called. He had been replaced by a sophomore. He couldn’t believe it. He had worked hard all summer, during fall camp and every practice during the season. He tried to get his spot back, but his name was never called again that season. He went to talk to his coach about why he had been taken off special teams and the answer was that God had not granted him with the gift of quick. That was it. The hours he had put in, the time he had spent at the weight room, running across town and studying the play book didn’t matter at all because of the way God had made him.
He had no use for football anymore. He didn’t want to suit up on Fridays because he didn’t want to stand on the side lines watching his fellow seniors play. For three years prior, he never saw any importance for Friday’s game because he knew he’d just be on the sideline. Everyone was bigger, faster and stronger than him. He just saw Fridays as an opportunity to watch football at the best seat in the house. By the time the playoffs had started, he wanted to just walk away from it all. Something had held him there however and he continued to press on until the end of the season. No matter how worthless he felt, he wanted to finish the season.
V.
THE FINAL GAME
He ran out on to the field for the last time in his career as a high school football player. He could hardly even call it much of a career at all. For four years he had amounted to little more than a practice dummy who just so happened to have the ability to move. His knees felt stiff and he strained every time he moved them because he had spent the whole game standing on the side line. He jogged instead of ran because the situation just was not one that he felt excited for. It was the fourth quarter and his team was down by fourteen with a little more than a minute to go. The visiting team was within twenty yards of scoring once again. He looked at his team mates and they all had a look of defeat in their eyes. It was the same look of a dying man who still wanted to believe that he could live, but there was no use but to face the truth. This team was going to lose, and yet it had almost been a magical season. It was the semi final round, and they planned to go to the state finals to bask in the glory of what is high school athletics. These boys were so close to something that could be considered the pinnacle of one’s high school career, but now they were one minute and twenty seconds away from going home.
He wanted to go home badly. He was sick of the daily practices, he was done with the hours he spent in the weight room, and he was ready to move on in life. He had never accomplished anything in athletics in a world that expected nothing but greatness from athletes. He was merely a footnote in the expansive history of his town’s high school athletics program. He was a football player and a wrestler, while not great, he was a decent athlete. Most coaches would laude him for his attitude.
The whole thing was a joke to him now, and he had considered just stopping where he was, turn around and walk off the field, past the sideline, the bleachers, the ticket booth, the parking lot and walk home where high school athletics didn’t exist. He didn’t walk home because the look in his team mates compelled him. He realized how much all of this meant to them so he kept on jogging towards the huddle. He wanted to console one of his team mates, but he couldn’t find the right words to say.
He was sent in as a defensive lineman, but he played linebacker. He was two-hundred pounds, small compared to the other linemen who weighed two-hundred and sixty pounds each. The defensive call came in from the sidelines and he had no idea what he was supposed to do on the defensive line. He recognized the call, at least what he’d have to do if he was playing linebacker, but he was unsure of what he was supposed to do on defense. The huddle was broke and he, along with his team mates, trotted to the line of scrimmage. The offensive linemen across from him looked massive. They all had at least two or three inches on him and at least fifty or more pounds. He was stuck at nose guard. This was quite possibly the worst position a player of his size could be, especially in the three four defense, but did it really matter anymore. He was put in just to be put in since they were going to lose the game any way. What did it matter? Nothing mattered at all, in all likely hood, he was going to get creamed on this play and nobody would care or even notice. He approached the line and looked at the center and the guard. He didn’t even know where he was lining up on this play. Was he head up on the center or the guard? Was he inside or outside shade? He knew the little details of defensive line strategy and technique, but he hadn’t done it for a little over a year. If they still ran the four three defense, he would have somewhat of an idea, but this was something completely new to him. He went head up on the center, then suddenly one of the linebackers behind him, grabbed him and directed him where to go.
“Damn it, you’re inside shade of the guard and you’re going through the B gap. Get your head right.”
He was a little embarrassed at this and the offensive line seemed to be laughing at him. He shook off their torment and got down in his three-point stance. The quarterback went through his cadence.
“Gold twenty two, gold twenty two”
Someone went in motion, but he couldn’t tell who it was.
“Set”
He tensed up every muscle in his body. Every muscle, tendon, and thought was wound tightly like a cocked gun about to be fired. His breathing became steady and for a short moment, everything was calm and peaceful.
He exploded out of his stance with a fury that had built up over the season. All the disappointment poured out of him as pure energy. His cleats tossed grass up with every step he took and his body exerted so much force in that one instant, that he blew past the offensive line with little more than a hand of the guard to stop him. He came through the gap low, his body thrusting forward in one smooth motion after another. He saw the quarterback dropping back as if he was going to pass the ball but handed it off to the running back behind him. The back ran towards him and shifted his body to the left. He grabbed hold of the back’s jersey but lost his grip as they both flew by each other like two trains on an expressway. Even though the back had gotten past him, he was hindered by another defensive player. He saw another chance for a tackle as he noticed the running back running back down the line of scrimmage looking for a gap to open. He ran at the back and tackled him low between his upper back and rear. He got up from the pile elated at first, but realized that his season was over and the offense just had to run down the clock.

VI.
MY NAME
The football team, parents, coaches, teachers and student body crowded in the cafeteria of the high school. It was time for the end of the season banquet and everyone had a lively tone. While they knew the season was done, they were already looking forward to the next season. The football team sat at tables with each grade sitting at their respective table. The seniors were reflecting on the season, talking about great plays and monster tackles. The underclassmen talked about next year’s state championship and how they would be there and become crowned champions in 2006.
The crowd of people shared friendly conversation over home cooked food and deserts until the coach came to the podium to make his end of the year speech and pass out awards. He spoke of how hard everyone worked during the season. While the team had fallen short, they were the best group of kids he had worked with. He then called up the freshmen and gave small stories of each athlete and his progress during the season. He did the same for the sophomores and juniors; when it was time for the seniors to come up, he thought to himself about what coach would say about him. Would he honestly have anything to say at all? He had never started, and he could count all the minutes of his varsity playing time on one hand. He listened to the coach give rave reviews of all the seniors and looked forward to finally leaving high school football behind. He then noticed that he had talked about all the seniors except for him. Finally, he heard his name and for some in attendance, had heard his name for the first time.
“I want to tell you all about someone who has truly invested everything into this program. I want to tell you about Daniel Wise. People have asked him why he wouldn’t quit and I can tell you why; he has something inside him that keeps every human being going, and that’s heart. He showed up to practice every single day and loved every minute of it. While some of the team would have it differently, he wouldn’t change practice for the world. I remember Mark Stone, a teacher here, coming up to me before the last game asking if I was starting Daniel. I told him no, and he said it seemed like it because he had just had a conversation with him and he could have sworn that Daniel knew so much about the opposition that he could have started that game.”
I stood there in complete shock as I heard everything that was being said. I wasn’t sure but I could have sworn that I was blushing worse than I ever had. I had spent most of twenty minutes imagining Coach Dosch telling everyone how much I sucked and didn’t deserve to be on the football team. He continued,
“I want to give an award that has never been given before, and I doubt it will ever be given again. I doubt that anyone in his position could show the kind of heart that he did. I want to present the ‘Never Give Up’ award in honor of Jimmy V. to Daniel Wise. I’m not sure if many of you remember Jim Valvano but he was the coach that ran up and down the sidelines after winning the 1983 NCAA basketball championship for North Carolina State; anyways, he developed cancer and created the Jimmy V Foundation for cancer research. Their motto is, don’t give up. Don’t ever give up. Daniel is someone who has never given up and never will.”
The cafeteria erupted in applause as I approached Coach Dosch to receive my award. I returned to my senior team mates and they embraced me. I did not realize how much I meant to the team before, but at that moment, everything made sense to me. I knew I could never give up on my team because they would never give up on me.

Nintendo Kills Mario with Wii-Mote

Today I awoke to truly awful news. This is the type of news that can send a person into a daze for hours. It’s the type of news that makes one stop and contemplate about something that was once beautiful, but is now tainted forever. I’m talking about the announcement of Mario and Sonic: At the Olympic Games. When I first saw this, the first thing that came to mind was how can Shigeru Miyamoto of all people, let this happen? I can think of one reason, and that’s to cash in on some serious bank. However, I feel like this game could end up a disaster on any piece of land outside Japan.

There’s nothing wrong at all with exploring different ways to implement characters in games. For one, Super Smash Bros. is a great game. There’s nothing wrong with that game because its fun and the game play works. However, what I’m most distraught about are the many iterations of the Mario Party franchise. It’s true, while the game had a hay-day on the Nintendo 64, and that is where it should have ended. The party game genre has been beaten nearly to death, and while they are fun games for the moment, the novelty of it all quickly wears off.

Party games should never go past the first game produced. Great examples of this type of failure are: Mario Party, Super Monkey Ball and Fusion Frenzy. I’ve already touched on Mario Party, Super Monkey Ball loses its charm after a few weeks of playing it, and fusion frenzy was a game that maybe was deserving of being part of the X Box Live Arcade; it is nothing more than that. I fell in love with Super Monkey Ball on the GCN, however, as I played the most recent version, Banana Blitz on the Wii, I felt somewhat cheated out of the 30 minutes that I played that game. Most of the games did not control well at all and maybe 5 out of 50 mini-games are actually worth playing.

Enter, Rayman Raving Rabbids. Ubisoft hit a home run with this game for two reasons. One, the design of the rabbits is pure genius. They have a certain demented charm about them that makes them so stupid, they’re absolutely loveable. A person who does not find them funny in the least bit has a heart made of iron and pumps cyanide into their veins. Secondly, the mini games are fun and while there’s not a whole lot to say about variety, the rabbits and the challenge factor easily make up for that short coming. Ubisoft can do two things from here on out. Make another party game and destroy Rayman forever, or go back to the platforming roots and innovate from there.

Nintendo and SEGA are making grave mistakes with making At the Olympics. There is nothing loveable about Mario or Sonic, and that’s a fact. They’ve overstayed their welcome and the only thing that allows them to pump money into their respective companies is the fact that Nintendo and SEGA fan boys orgasm every time a new game comes out that features them.

Me, I am absolutely indifferent about “Brand Mascots” such as Mario, Sonic, Kratos, Sam Fisher, Solid Snake, and Master Chief. I do not buy any obscure game that comes out brandishing their names on the front. Could you imagine seeing them all together on a party game? Just imagine, Super Bloody Spec Ops Deluxe! (Spare me… Ughh) Halo 3 hasn’t proven itself yet, I’ve seen no game play past anything on the alpha-build, and the multiplayer will stay relatively the same sans the minor tweaks and features. Will I buy it? My answer is probably, but will I buy the Halo Wars spin off? My answer is no way on God’s green planet will I even consider plopping down sixty dollars for that. Metal Gear Solid 4 looks great, but once Solid Snake dies, I’m probably going to refrain from buying any more re-iterations of the Metal Gear franchise.

What I’m trying to get at is that I’m tired of seeing franchises get milked for cash in the most disdainful way possible. Mario is dead, Sonic is dead, Snake is going to die, and Sam Fisher is going to retire. Let’s just let them be.

R.I.P.

Creative Development

“We Hardly Knew Ye”

Elitist Attitude

A couple weeks ago, Microsoft released X-box 360 Elite. The Elite is the newest version of the X-box that features a gigantic 120 GB HDD and HDMI capabilities. Sony has reacted to this by saying they are staying the course; however, just last week the discontinued the sales of the 20 GB PS3 in North America. Microsoft is also doing the same thing as they are discontinuing the sale of the X-box 360 “core” system.

What does this say about the state of video game consoles? With the way that technology advances, can you really be sure you're buying the right technology at the right time? Microsoft obviously thinks it makes sense to provide the latest and greatest technology, but isn't it too early at this time? Normally, you see a price drop come when a console comes to be nearly three years old, but having a totally re-designed console at this point seems a little brash.
Why couldn't Microsoft make this console at the start of their reign in the next generation? Microsoft knew full well at the time what Sony was going to be bringing to the table with the PS3, so it would have made sense to make the absolute latest console with all the latest hardware. I'm not saying that the X-box 360 is an inferior system, but a move like this paints a picture of fear in the Microsoft Corporation.

Another point I would like to bring up is; what does this say to the early adopters of the X-box 360? The “core” system didn't make sense to most industry vets and hardcore gamers at the time; however, from my personal experience, the “core” system made perfect sense. There are some gamers out there that only want a casual gaming experience. The system did not feature a hard drive, a concept that escaped me. The 20 GB HDD would have been perfect for a person who wants to download content and play some games from the X-box Live Arcade. This would work out best because the less hardcore gamers had a small hard drive while the hardcore had a larger hard drive. Manufacturing the Elite at the start of the console's life would have worked out much better.

No matter which way you look at it, this move either is the best that Microsoft has made, or the worst. The way I look at it, it draws a big question mark on the face of Microsoft Games. Is this a perfect way to create market buzz, or is this Microsoft making drastic decisions due to the release of the PS3? Sony Computer Entertainment is having a rough time at this point with their latest console, but the PS3 is definitely built to last well into the next generation on the horizon. It's very puzzling, but exciting to watch as three video game behemoths clash in head to head market kombat. Round 2 Fight.

Essay

Daniel Wise

Composition II

Deanna Hueners

4/11/07

Exploring the Effects of Violent Video Games on Society

Video games are more advanced now than they have ever been now since the latest generation of video game consoles have rolled into retailers. With stunning graphics and room shaking sound, awareness of violence in video games has risen drastically. Games are drastically different now than they were five to ten years ago. Video games were once regarded as toys for kids and there was little concern for them to cause harm. Back then, parents believed that video games caused children to become over-weight and inactive in the world around them. There was little thought taken to the possibility that these games could turn normal people into violent deviants. With cartoon like graphics, there was no concern.

Now, games are capable of pushing hardware to its absolute limits in terms of technical prowess and developers have taken full advantage of this. Games like Grand Theft Auto, constantly push the boundaries of what is inappropriate to society's standards. Players are given free will to roam around the game's world doing whatever they please. Essentially they are an underling for major crime families, but players can detract from the main story line to cause whatever mayhem they want in fictional cites. They can steal cars, buy weapons, kill people (including cops) and disobey all laws and regulations.

Video game publisher Ubisoft has been in partnership with Tom Clancy since 1996 when they created Rainbow Six, a tactical shooting game based off a Clancy novel of the same name. The series has been very popular among the gaming community for many years, and the latest iteration Rainbow Six: Vegas has stirred up controversy in the city of Las Vegas, which is the setting of the game. In this game, the player takes the role of a leader of an international anti-terrorism strike force. A handful of terrorists have taken over Las Vegas and it is the job of the player to take them out. As the player progresses through the game, they will find themselves in fire fights in the streets and in the casinos. The layout of Las Vegas is accurate but stays within legal boundaries. These legal boundaries require that permission be granted to use hotel names, otherwise, the names of the land marks must be made up. An article by Doug Elfman, an award winning critic, who writes for the Chicago Sun-Times, writes that Oscar Goodman, mayor of Las Vegas, said that the game could “economically Hurt Vegas” and “it may be something that is not entitled to free speech.” Elfman describes Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman's reaction to the game as ludicrous saying, “Goodman acted in Casino, which depicted murdering mobsters in Vegas.” Due to this fact, it's hard to imagine why Goodman would think that this video game could damage the city of Las Vegas.

There has been a significant debate on whether, violent video games evoke aggressive behavior in children. The events of the Columbine High School shooting and several shootings that have occurred across the country have opened peoples eyes the the reality that there could be a possibility that violent video games evoke violent behavior. Reports have confirmed that the shooters involved in the Columbine shooting were avid fans of the PC game Doom.

Craig A. Anderson, head of the psychology department at Iowa State University states, “Violent video games are successfully marketed to, and easily obtained by, children and adolescents.” There has been much concern of this since the school shootings that took place in the late 1990's and early 2000's. In his book, Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy, Anderson portrays most gamers as shut-ins and mostly interested in violent images and topics. They are mostly researching violent subject matter on the internet and play games for the violence and tend to be “more interested in the violent images than in the game itself.” (Anderson)

Anderson also goes on to state that these students spend “Inordinate amounts of time playing video games” However it is unclear about how much an inordinate amount of time is. The authors of the book make a reference to a study that was conducted in 1996 in which fourth grade girls played 4.5 hours a week on average, while boys played video games 7.1 hours a week. One must wonder what an inordinate amount of time playing video games really means. The book also reports on a more recent study amongst eighth and ninth graders and this has shown that the amount of playing video games on average has grown amongst the students. Boys mostly averaged thirteen hours a week, which may seem high, but in reality, that is a little under two hours a day. One must also deduce from the weekly average that most of that time is unevenly dispersed between weekdays and weekends. Girls stayed mostly around five hours of play time per week.

The authors of Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy are very quick to explain that the research does not directly correlate the link between violent video games and violent crimes. They explain that “Frequent associations with violent crimes do not, in themselves, constitute strong scientific evidence that exposure to violent video games is a contributing causal factor in violent behavior.” However, they also believe that the debate on if all media induce aggressive behavior “is over ... and should have been over 30 years ago.”

There may be a relation between violent video games and violent behavior, but the evidence does not seem strong enough to support such a claim. One must take into account the background in which the child has grown up in. Each child's life differs greatly from one to the other. Some grow up in broken homes while others have great family support. At school, some may be ostracized by their peers and some might have a mental disorder that prevents them from discerning the difference between reality and video games. Violence has always been present in the world and children have been exposed to other violent media such as television, movies and music.

Craig Anderson made an earlier report in 2003 attempting to debunk some myths about the influence of violence in video games on children. He states that video games have a very direct relation to aggressive behavior through “increased aggressive behavior, thoughts, and affect; increased physiological arousal” (Anderson) He also says that exposure to violent video games have raised actions such as: “delinquency, fighting at school and during free play periods, and violent criminal behavior.” He believes another myth that violent video games affect small fractions of people in society is false. While there isn't enough proof to state which demographics are affected by violent video games, he states that people who are consistently aggressive are more susceptible to the effects of violent video games that people who are normally nonviolent.

While early video games featured 2D animated graphics and cartoon like violence, Anderson believes that children are still affected by this seemingly harmless form of violence. He states that studies conducted by college students show “increased aggression” after the children witnessed unrealistic violence. Anderson Theorizes that exposure to violence in video games create a sort of reward system for violent acts. He believes that these games give a positive feeling to “aggressive solutions” which also makes being violent more “cognitively accessible.” He also believes that exposure to violent video games decrease the negative feelings one should feel towards violent situations.

The United States Army has been relying on this aggressive behavior for their recruiting efforts. William Lugo, assistant professor of sociology at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic , explains that the United States Army has been freely distributing a game known as America's Army. The army has set 4 million dollars aside for the development of this game. The game uses the best technology available right now and puts the player in the boots of a newly enlisted soldier and puts them through a simple boot camp and instruction, then sets them out to defend the country against terrorists. (Lugo) It is believed that this type of exposure to battlefield conditions will desensitize new recruits to the realities of war.

There are many video games made with many age ranges in mind. In 1994 the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) was established to create a rating system for video games. The ESRB rates games based on content and the ratings range from Early Childhood, Everyone, Teen (13+), Mature (17+) and Adult. (ESRB) Publishers send their completed games to the ESRB to be rated and once this is done, the games are shipped off to retailers. Patricia Vance, President of the ESRB says “ESRB tends to primarily focus on reaching out to parents about the importance of ratings.” (ESRB)

In June 2006, the ESRB teamed up with Penny Arcade, an on-line web comic written by Jerry Holkins and illustrated by Mike Krahulik, to create a PSA campaign that was geared towards the older generation of gamers. Vance says, “This campaign is focused on gamers under the age of 21 who may not yet fully appreciate the benefits of the rating system.” Gaming magazines have been working with the ESRB for several year but felt the ads were “disconnected from their readers” due to the ads being geared more towards parents. Vance then goes on to state that while gamers may not consider the ESRB as something that is cool, “At the very least we want gamers to understand the purpose that we serve.”

With the Video Game industry reaching 10 billion dollars annually, there are plenty of alternatives to consider to violent video games. Nintendo has been lauded by the public as consistently producing nonviolent, family-friendly video games ever since Shigeru Miyamoto created the iconic video game figure, Mario. For over twenty years, Nintendo has gone against what is considered popular in video games. They have chosen accessibility over what is considered the norm these days with video games.

Another alternative to violent video games are computer games that have been created by the likes of Sid Meier. Victorino Matus, an assistant managing Editor at the Weekly Standard, had an opportunity to sit with Sid Meier and talk about the development of games like Civilization and what sets Sid's games apart from all the others. Sid Meier is the creator of the highly popular Civilization series which makes the player the ruler of a civilization. The game begins at the start of time and it is up to the player to reach world domination through diplomacy, scientific prowess or through warfare. While violence is implied, it is not graphic nor intense.

Sid Meier got his inspiration for Civilization not through playing computer games, but through playing the board game Risk. "Conquer the world. All those cool pieces. You felt like you were king. It gave you a lot of power." (Matus) Religion has also been a big factor in the development of Civilization. Meier is a Lutheran and the integration of religion into his game creates one of the many strategies in playing Civilizaton. “Competing civilizations can send out missionaries, found a religion, create temples, cathedrals, and even launch crusades.” (Matus)

Meier is adamant about keeping the blood and gore out of his video games because he too is a parent and is concerned about the messages that his children receive from playing video games. He believes that as a game designer, he's responsible for what is put out onto the market place and he is concerned about the content that is put into all his games. (Matus) Meier says, “I've raised a son and I know all the messages, all the influences, all the things that come into a young person's life”

It is Meier's goal to have everyone who plays his games, to learn something from them. Whether it is becoming more aware of the civilizations that came before, or to go deeper into the game and learn about the individual civilizations and how they came to be in reality. The rulers in the game take after the rulers of their respective countries such as Ghengis Kahn and the Mongols, or Abraham Lincoln and the Americans. (Matus)

There's no denying the fact that video games have an impression on the youth of the world. While violent video games can cause children to become more aggressive, it is up to the parents to make sure that the children know what the difference is between real violence and violence in the world around them. Video game consoles now have parental control settings that allow the parents to make sure their kids are playing appropriate video games. The ESRB is also hard at work at making sure game publishers provide the right content to the masses. The video game industry has established itself as a major medium in the world today and while it is still a young industry and still has plenty to learn, it is on it's way to becoming more responsible to making sure the right content reaches the right people.

Works Cited

Anderson, Craig A. Violent Video Games: Myths, Facts,. Psychological Science Agenda. Oct. 2003. American Psychological Association. 26 Mar. 2007 .

Anderson, Craig A., Douglas A. Gentile, and Katherine E. Buckley. Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents: Theory, Research, and Public Policy. New York: Oxford UP, 2007. 190.

Elfman, Doug. Vegas Mayor Wastes Time, Slams OK Shooting Game. Oregon Live. 8 Dec. 2006. The Oregonian. 26 Mar. 2007 .

ESRB and Penny Arcade Team Up to Create New Gamer PSA Campaign. ESRB.org. 6 Jan. 2006. Entertainment Software Rating Board. 13 Apr. 2007 .

Lugo, William. "Violent Video Games Recruit American Youth." Reclaiming Children and Youth 15 (2006): 11-15.

Matus, Victorino. 'Civilization' and Its Contents. The Weekly Standard 12 (2007): 19-24.

Inspiration Comes Standard

I have many goals in my life. Some goals I can achieve with very little effort, some I can achieve by putting work into them, while some seem too lofty that if I pour my heart and soul into them it almost seems like a waste to have done so if things don’t pan out. A quote has always stuck into my mind for quite some time and it’s one from Rainer Maria Rilke, a beloved German poet and it is stated as so:

"No one can advise or help you - no one. There is only one thing you should do. Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots to the depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write."

This is something that I have taken to heart and I think about what I must do every day. Do I have the passion to do the tasks that I must complete that day? Do I have the passion to live on and achieve the goals that I have laid before me? This quote pertains to writing; however, it can be applied to almost everything you do on a day-to-day basis. People make choices every day and each choice leads them on a different path. While most tasks we take on daily are banausic and unwanted, we still do them because that is what we are expected to do. People who are uninspired live life day by day until they die. It’s like a friend of mine once eloquently put: “Some of us have never had to survive, we just keep waking up until we die.” Those who live life day to day miss out completely on what life is about. To me, we are alive so that one day we can achieve greatness. Maybe not on a national level, but on a level that puts people in a league of their own.

In today’s world, people are becoming more and more conscious of fame and notoriety. With the internet, film and television industries coming to a pinnacle of production, people begin to feel as if they must carve their niche somewhere on that grand chalk board. Everyone wants to be famous, but they seem to have a delusional sense of what fame is. People that strive for fame are different from people who strive for greatness. The ones who want to be considered more than just a passing fad permeate sweat and pour out frustration to reach their goals.

Those who want the fame, just want attention, or have an ulterior motive. Money, power and all things golden under the sun are the treasures they want out of life. They don’t do what they absolutely love doing. People are always out there looking for the “big break” and most of the time, that break never comes. In the end, their lives are full of disarray and desolation.

So how does one know if they are truly passionate about what they are doing? Well, that is why that quote from Rilke is so important to read over and take in. It is imperative that anyone embarking on some endeavor to really absorb the meaning of that quote. It’s one that imparts inspiration on anyone who takes the time to stop and understand it. Quotes like these are like taking a walk through a garden full of vibrant colors and smells. These places of serenity can be experienced if one just stops and tries to comprehend what they have been told. The answers lie hidden in life. Very seldom are things blatantly revealed so that one can complete his/her journey to complete life. The answers in life are like messages hidden in an old tome of a different language. One should not just let the answers come to them; one must take the time to figure things out, to delve into the unknown and find the answers themselves.

Now you, the reader, may be wondering, so when is Daniel going to get into the part where he talks about video games and such? Slow down, I’m getting there. If that is what you are thinking, then I suggest you re-read the first part of this article. For the rest, I’ll share with you my aspirations.

It’s been a while since I have written for Nisute and I have to say that it is a breath of fresh air. I started writing around this time last year sharing my musings on E3. Jim Power saw some talent in my writing ability and I felt that this would be a great outlet for me. Around August I took a bit of a hiatus, (actually I performed a bit of a disappearing act, my apologies to Maikel and the rest of Nisute.) but now I am back and as I write this, I feel like I’m taking in a breath of crisp mountain air. I would say I’m on the verge of feeling liberated, but even I would say that’s a bit much. I’m finding out again why I fell in love with writing. It is a creative outlet and almost therapeutical; sort of like rubbing a vapor rub under my nostrils and being able to breath again. (thank you Vicks 44)

I’ve been thinking of my love for the video game industry and I must admit painfully, that for a while I became lackadaisical about my efforts. Not that I have fallen completely off the grid, but enough that I’ve become aware of my situation.

This summer I had an idea for a video game, about a man who comes home from work to his loving family. The night takes its usual course and in the morning the man wakes up to find his family dead. For some reason he feels some type of urge, and like a professional hit man, he makes the house “clean.” He rips out the carpet, cleans the blood and burns the bodies of his family in a dumpster in some alley-way in some unnamed city. After he’s done this, he comes to his senses fully and realizes what he has done. He’s in complete shock of the entire situation. A dark silhouette appears from a doorway near him and the man makes an effort to run away fearing that a witness has just seen what he’s done. Before he can escape, he’s rendered unconscious (from a sort of stun gun) and from here he’s found in a type of surgical facility. He’s strapped to a chair and a man is sitting at the end of the room, his identity still hidden. He explains to you that you have a special purpose to fulfill; he tells you that you are an experiment to further advance the studies on creating the ultimate form of guerilla warfare. He hands something to a guard standing at his side. The guard walks to you and puts a small parchment of paper in your pocket. The man at the other side of the room tells you that the names on that piece of paper are important and that what is done next is up to you. He walks out of the room and once again the screen blacks out.

Basically what this game is about is that you, the player, is taking part in an experiment put on by terrorists to create an army of ordinary people to carry out assassinations and acts of terror. These people are captured; brain washed and then trained to become killers. Once this is done they are hypnotized (a la Manchurian Candidate) and sent into the world as normal people. They are provided jobs and a lively hood and often, they are not called upon until several years later. However, the mind control is still there and deep within their psyche they are kept in physical condition. When the terrorists see fit, they create a series of events that put the subject back into their killer state. The public views these people as normal and would never suspect them to be capable of such acts.

This story is not far at all in terms of development but I feel that it could be a compelling story once I work everything out and tie it all together. The player is at a moral stand-off between doing what he his meant to do, or doing what he believes is right. There are two paths and the player must walk a fine line between doing what he is told or else if he strays too far off, he can be killed at any moment. However, at some point the player can choose right or wrong in a definite way and complete the game in that manner.

The video game industry has been a focus all my life and I feel like it is something that I can feel comfortable working in. Names like Sakaguchi, Dyak, Molyneux, Miyamoto and Kojima have been imbedded into my brain as names that I would like to be mentioned amongst. I want to be seen as an innovator in this industry, not because I want the fame and the fortune, but just because I want to feel honored. This is what drives me to do this. I love this.

The Grand Takeover

I have found out that the life of a rookie in the world of journalism is not an easy one. At the beginning of the week I felt all wild eyed, like a baby chick freshly hatched from its egg. I was excited to tackle this article and show what type of prowess I had with writing. My excitement soon turned to dread when I realized that I didn’t know what the hell I was going to write about. The world of gaming is a large one, but when I wanted to come in and show people what I’ve got I realized that I can’t just pick any thing to write about. I had to search for a topic that was compelling and worth my time to write about. I soon discovered the perfect topic. That topic is the bull-shit rating that IGN gave Kingdom Hearts 2.

Actually, I’m just kidding about that idea. While it is true that IGN was a little rough in grading the game play aspect, my true concern is the inclusion of advertisements in gaming. It all started innocently enough with billboards in Gran Turismo, and Sobe machines in Splinter Cell. Somehow that opened a door to advertisers to the idea that they can influence gamers to buy their product. The idea seems so preposterous and unbelievable that it makes you say explicatives out loud without realizing it.

IGN held an interview with First Person Plural’s Alex Dulude and the prospect of advertisers sending their influence into the gaming Medium. What this basically means is that Advertisers pay money to the development company and in return, their ads are included in the game and once that ad is clicked, the company is informed and you are given a “Thank You” gift. A person is playing through this particular game and you come across a can of Mountain Dew. You drink the soda and it turns out that it is a power-up for their character. If they click on an ad for Mountain dew, three days later a 6 pack appears at their door with offers attached to it. The game isn’t filled with pointless product placement because gamers choose what they want in the game. When they first install the game they are presented with a sort of survey with a couple questions that ask them what type of person they are. Questions are as follows: Are you male or female? Where are you from? What type of music do you listen to? It’s simple and you are presented with ads that appeal to you, but it almost seems like something like this could become very invasive.

A couple good points were brought by Mr. Dulude. The advertisement money would cover some of the development cost and would end up lowering the price of games. Another point is that gamers are presented with very good offers. Mostly it’s to help the big corporations. It doesn’t make life easier; it just puts more money into big business. Money is what makes the world go ‘round and it’s only natural to make the transition to the next big medium. The video game industry is a nine billion dollar cash cow and there are millions of gamers around the world. Something like this was bound to happen, as grim of a reality that is, it’s just meant to be. However, I don’t like this at all for the fact that advertisers will want more and more control. They will do it so subtly that people will not notice the takeover. Game play will not be interrupted by advertisements, but eventually it will happen.

All I am saying is that big corporations are letting their foot in the door now, but eventually they will want the whole pie. I think that games will become mediocre because of the advertisements, because that is where the emphasis will lie; getting the product out there. I’m not shocked because of these events, but I am agitated. Gamers rely on video games as an escape from the world and when the world tries to invade that privacy, the gamers will cry foul and actions will be taken. Ads in games are good for business but bad for the people who devote their time to games.

Gaming Through the Eyes of a Convert

With the recent article from Dominik Erbsland, I have made the decision to explain why Microsoft has been able to pry me from being one of the biggest Playstation fan boys ever. Ever since the release of the Xbox I always regretted purchasing the PS2. Yes it is a fun system and as much as I loved games from Capcom, SquareEnix, and Electronic Arts, I always felt like something was missing. The graphics for the Playstation were fine. Other than the fact that it couldn’t process textures worth crap, the animations were always fluid and the colors were vibrant. However, even the most beautiful games had smears and imperfections. If you want to look at video games at an artistic stand point, then you must give that to the Xbox. It’s been able to pull off graphics that have rivaled any computer on the market, (save for the custom computers that people with waaaaaay too much time make.) The Xbox amazed me for the first time when I saw how it could pull of textures that just made games “pop” out of the screen. While yes, there have been shoddy games that have been made for the system; the companies that really put their hearts into it make absolute gems. The Xbox was the complete package and I envied it.

I’m not saying that the Playstation was a bad system, but the Xbox has been clearly superior in every way. The Xbox is the complete package for all people that are gamers and are proud of it. Microsoft has taken the system seriously and they take their gamers seriously. They know that gamers are smart and they’re not going to allow lackluster service. Microsoft hit the bulls-eye perfectly with Xbox Live. It’s the perfect online gaming service and every game runs on the same service. The Playstation 2 relied on the individual companies to set up their own servers and there was no gaming community to speak of. The Playstation 2 was a system for those who just wanted to play by themselves, or for those who only played with other people locally. When I had my PS2 I never played on-line. Now that I’ve attained an Xbox 360 (and a 12-month XBOX LIVE subscription) you couldn’t even pay me to go offline. At first I thought XBOX LIVE was just a scam and I did my share of scoffing, but now that I’ve seen how it works, I’m completely sold. I’m sure that if anyone is given an hour with an Xbox and it’s repertoire of out-standing games, they would be sold as well. It’s a system that flat-out works, because you can create a buddy list that shows who’s online and offline. Not only that, but it shows you what game they are playing in real-time. If one would want to play, they would insert that game and be on their way.

With the coming of XBOX LIVE 360, that concept has been expanded on and improved in every way. The XBOX LIVE Market place is actually very intuitive. With game demos, gamer pictures, themes and videos it’s a great feature that works. Yes, you have to buy Microsoft points for some features; most of the very useful ones are completely free. One example is game demos. This is by far the most useful aspect of the XBOX LIVE Marketplace. Want to form your own opinion on a game that got screwed by IGN? Then download it, play around two or three levels and form your own opinion. You’re your own person, you never know a games worth until you try it. XBOX LIVE Arcade is another great feature. Got twenty minutes before you have to attend a meeting, but you must satisfy that “gamer’s itch?” Go to the arcade and play trial versions of very addicting games On-Demand or spend a couple hundred Microsoft Points for the full version. You can create a friends list, send messages or engage in voice chats. It’s all about being in a community, and true gamers belong on XBOX LIVE. It’s perfection in a box, plain and simple.

The one aspect that the Playstation wins over the Xbox is the design of the controller and the playability of all the games. The Playstation’s controller, while small for American’s hands, was designed perfectly so that every finger had a button to push. You didn’t have to rely on your thumbs for everything. With four trigger buttons, it took a lot of the anxiety of remembering where buttons were. The Xbox controller was a monstrosity when it first came out. It’s obscenely large size and the addition of the “black” and “white” buttons, made playing with it cumbersome at best. However, third party companies fixed this problem by releasing smaller versions, but the black and white buttons still irked gamers.

The Playstation 2 was a revolutionary console for its time, but perhaps it was released too soon. The Xbox and the Game Cube learned from what the PS2 was doing and they improved upon it. The Xbox was just the complete gaming experience because any game could easily be played on it. The graphics were very solid and truly “Next Gen” for the time. For people who didn’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on a custom PC, the Xbox was easily a great alternative. It delivered in every possible way. The world should thank Microsoft for creating such an experience.

Music and Games: Their Need for Each Other

Music is something that is as common in every day life as air is. Music is everywhere and it is constantly flowing. Music for me is something that is a part of my life every day. When I wake up, I listen to music. Music is present when I shower, when I drive, when I create it and when I go to sleep. I am a musician and music is something that I treasure every day. If I were to go deaf, I don’t know how I would be able to manage.
Music is important to everyone. I would consider it impossible to find someone who doesn’t like music of any form. If there’s something that everyone has in common, it’s an appreciation for any type of music. All cultures have different music; what sounds strange to one culture, the other finds it to be very enjoyable.

Video games have always had some form of music. I can recall back in the 8-bit days, hearing synthesized themes that were clever and catchy. Nearly anyone can remember songs from games like Mario or Zelda. Even those who occasionally play video games can call out “MARIO!” when they hear that game’s theme. For some reason, when one hears it their eyes seem to light up. I’ve noticed this before when I’ve played that music. Some people may call out the title, while others may seem to mask their enthusiasm. I can still notice that they recognize the theme because for a second, their interest is piqued. I don’t know how something like this is possible. It is a very simple tune, no complexities. It is straight forward, cheery and just easily recognizable. Maybe that is why so many people can recognize it because the song is simple.

In the old days of the Atari and the Commodore 64, few games featured music. If they did contain music, there would be a small sample at the beginning of the level. As Nintendo came along with the NES, nearly all games featured music. While it was not the best music in the world, it still worked for the game and it drove the game play at a fast pace. Many games would just loop a 30 second sample of music through out the entire game, but the music was catchy enough that it didn’t get annoying. A game that comes to mind here is TECMO Super Bowl. This American football game featured the same song when plays were commencing. It was a frantic, fast paced song though because it captured what it would be like being on the football field. When one is focused enough, they may not notice the music during the game, but the music grabs hold of the player and it gets their blood pumping.

As games became more sophisticated, music seemed to follow suite. Technological advances allowed digital music to be played during games and more complex songs could be composed. When Lucas Arts created the “X-Wing” and “Tie Fighter” series for the PC, players could hear the all too familiar “Star Wars” theme when they booted up the game. Not only that, but actual music from the movies was included and was featured during the missions. Hearing these timeless pieces in their entirety really evoked emotion in gamers. The Tony Hawk skateboarding series were the first that I can remember to feature licensed music. Punk rock dominated at the time the game came out and it helped get a lot of bands noticed. The next game to feature licensed music was Madden NFL 2003. The first song heard when the game started was Andrew W.K.’s “Party Hard.” It was a driving, punk rock anthem that really made you prepared to take on anything.

After Madden 2003, EA started featuring licensed music in nearly all their games. This worked two fold, because it allowed CD quality music to be featured in games and it also allowed small bands to get noticed. Bands like: JET, OK GO, Good Charlotte and Avenged Sevenfold all owe part of their success to the Madden franchise. For some reason, one could become pumped up hearing this music blare over the PA system during a game. EA Trax was something that just simply worked well.

Games from the Tom Clancy franchise also featured music. The music was often instrumental and very patriotic. During a fire fight or a crucial part in the game, the horns would come in with that patriotic music and made the player more focused during the missions. I don’t know how this is all possible, but music just does something to people. Music evokes emotion and it brings back memories. It is a part of every day life and it affects all people of all walks of life.

E306 in Review

Reflecting on the entire week of E3 led me to the conclusion that the only way to survive in the gaming world is to unify. It seems as if all three companies: Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony have figured out that concept. There’s really no loser that emerged from E3. All three companies had their own ideas on how to bring gamers together. Microsoft showed that Xbox live will be going strong and tons of original first-party titles will keep the games going. Nintendo emphasized its quest to unify gamers of all backgrounds and skill levels. Sony, well there really wasn’t a lot of room for more inventive features for its system. While it is clear that Sony took ideas from Xbox and Nintendo, there really was no other choice. I will explain later, but first let me break down, in detail, what all three companies brought to the table.

I will begin with Nintendo since they were a bit under the gun pre-E3 06. Last year Nintendo revealed a “revolution” in gaming, bringing a whole new way to play video games. When they first revealed the motion sensitive remote, the public was a little dumbfounded by the whole concept. Our interests were piqued but we just didn’t know what to make of it. We had an idea of the concept that Nintendo was trying to pitch at us, but with the lack of specific game titles, we just didn’t know what to expect. About two weeks before E3 Nintendo finally revealed the name of their new system, the Wii. As small and innocent as the name is, it sent a shock wave across the world of gamers that might have been on par with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Ok, maybe not quite on par but we could in fact be talking bogey with it. (A little golf terminology if you haven’t caught on yet.) While most of the close minded crowd shunned Nintendo for using such a name that would get it made fun of by pre-schoolers; the other half looked at it as a concept that made sense, and truly embodied the idea of Next-Gen gaming. Wii is a name that will bring gamers together and I truly think it will. I could definitely see this as a system that could bring an entire family together. The controls are fun and simple and there are plenty of family friendly games planned with the release of the system. While most gamers would scoff at this, I see it as an opportunity to make games acceptable in the public eye. Too many people see video games as mindless, bloody entertainment and Nintendo wants to change that. Gaming at its very core is competitive fun for every one. No matter what, boy or girl, young or old; the Wii is for every one.

Gamers have reached a diva-like status and it is a fact. A majority of gamers believe that the only good game is one that comes with a big, fat “M” on the cover explaining that this game is for mature audiences only; they horde over these games like they are the only things that matter and that they are somehow entitled to sole ownership of gaming. It is sad to say, but too many gamers are not open to the idea of fun without violence, profanity and all other evils that can pollute the mind. There are many legendary and classic games that have been developed without the inclusion of violence. The average gamer doesn’t have to look too hard to find them. Go to any gaming store and peruse the aisles and you can see great games such as: Super Monkey Ball, Lumines, Tetris, Super Mario Sunshine, and various sports titles from EA and 2K games, just to name a few.

If I had to describe Nintendo’s showing at E3 06 in one word, that word would be, diversity. Plenty of different games are being developed for the Wii and none will disappoint. Tony Hawk will bring his classic franchise back, but this time with a down-hill racing twist. Link will look better than ever with “Twilight Princess,” and as always, Mario will be back with his solo effort. To entertain those hard core gamers, Red Steel, from Ubisoft will take full advantage of the Wii Remote with an intuitive approach to the First-Person Shooter genre. With the unveiling of the Wii, the future of Nintendo looks very bright.

Microsoft came out looking strong after a seemingly disappointing launch for their new system. If it weren’t for such strong titles, Microsoft would seriously be re-thinking the release of the Xbox 360. Current games such as Call of Duty 2, Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, Burnout Revenge, and Oblivion have given the 360 a legitimate chance at establishing itself at the top of the heap. The corner stone of the Xbox 360 is Xbox LIVE. There is not a better online gaming service anywhere, period. With the addition of Xbox LIVE Arcade, the experience has become even better. The big story for Microsoft was Gears of War, which is promising to be a killer app for the 360. Along with that will come the long awaited “Too Human” trilogy from Silicon Knights. This game will truly break the boundaries between fun game play and brilliant story telling. This will push the envelop for gaming. It is something special when you can take a seemingly “mindless” hack and slash and fuse it with an intriguing take on Norse mythology and giving it a sci-fi twist.

Now, we move on to Sony, the misunderstood company that everyone had mistaken for a cat burglar. It is true that they never really revolutionized anything with their presentation. The Cell technology seems very gimmicky to tell you the truth, but I wasn’t at the show so I couldn’t really claim whether or not it is truly something powerful. All I can go by is what I saw from videos I saw from the internet; and quite frankly, it is nothing that the Xbox 360 can’t handle. The 500 – 600 dollar price tag is very iffy, and this is a system that will have to prove itself come the holiday season. I think everyone was a little too rough on Sony, and I will be the first to admit that. When I heard of their online capabilities and the 6 degree motion sensitive controller, I called foul quicker than an NFL referee on a pass interference. Now that I’ve thought about it a little longer, Sony had to do it to stay alive in this market. Sony has not been performing extraordinarily well as a company and they are really banking on this system to do well. It is quite the gamble for this company but this Cell Technology and Blue Ray is the difference between greatness and mediocrity for this company. Sony in no way wants to taste the bitterness of obscurity.

PC Gamers Rejoice: Your Rennaisance is Upon You

If there is anyone who should be happier than Nintendo fan boys right now, it would have to be PC gamers. No one has any idea how absolutely dominating Microsoft had been at E3 06. I consider myself a console gamer through and through, it just suits me better. However, at this time I could almost be envious of those loyal to PC gaming. Microsoft dropped a bomb shell at E3 that seemed to go largely unnoticed. With the Console wars heating up, Microsoft slipped a little ace from its sleeve by announcing Games for Windows on Windows Vista. This is a completely new iteration for Games for Windows and this time Microsoft is dead serious about reviving the once thought dead industry. Windows Vista will finally offer a gamer friendly environment that will suit them nicely. With organization and a lay out to make even the most OCD person feel disorganized, Vista will cater nicely to gamers.

Microsoft also announced that for the first time ever, PC gamers and console gamers will be able to unite under one flag: Live Anywhere. Now the bridge will be gapped between those two demographics and they will be able to compete to find out truly who the best gamers are. Since PC’s and the Xbox 360 run on similar hardware, it is easier now than ever to unify for the total gaming experience. PC users will now be able to keep their gamer card right on their desktop. Think of it as the gamer’s equivalent to MSN Messenger. They will be able to see what games their friends are playing and will be able to join in on the action.

Along with Live Anywhere, Microsoft announced the release of DirectX 10. This new installment will feature even more graphical muscle than what was thought possible. This became very apparent when those watching the conference got to experience Crysis. The people at Crytek have outdone themselves with this new graphics engine. The demo starts out on a damaged aircraft carrier out in the middle of the ocean. The environment is very dark, but the darkness is illuminated by the raging fires caused by the damage. Even though there is little light, the graphics are still detailed and animations are fluid. The player makes their way outside on the deck where utter chaos ensues. It is almost pitch black outside due to the smoke caused by the fires. There is a moment of silence, aside from orders being given by deck personnel. A moment later a large mechanical beast breaks through the smoke and at this point I’m thinking, METAL GEAR!!!!! In a way it is somewhat similar to Metal Gear Ray, but that is completely beside the point. The beast lets out a giant roar and begins its advance. You are instructed to find a rocket launcher, and when you do, the entire deck unleashes hell’s fury on the titan war machine. Moments later the machine retreats back into the water and all seems safe. A chopper radios in for you and you are instructed to board it. Needless to say, it was a stunning demo and I only wish I could have been there to see it.

Shadowrun will be the first game to bring the Xbox and PC crowds together for fragging goodness. Shadowrun is a first person shooter that actually started out as a pen and paper based RPG. There were several video game adaptations developed for it but they never really reached that top celebrity status in the industry. A trailer was shown at E3 that showed potential for good game play. The game has come under some scrutiny lately due to its “Xbox 1 quality of graphics.” I have looked at several screens of actual game play and I think they did some nice lighting and textural work. The point that many people are missing with this next generation of gaming is that developers will not be able to tap into the full potential of the Xbox 360. I recall back when the PS2 came out; the graphics were less than stunning. The only reason they did seem that way was because the gap between 64 bits and 128 bits is quite immense. There were several games that really made the graphics of the PS2 stand out and showed what the system was truly capable of.

I feel as if I’m straying from the main point however, so now I shall get back on track. PC gaming has always had its struggles; it is very expensive to get into and technology always seems to become obsolete. At this point, I believe that the life cycles of technology have lengthened quite a bit. AMD released its very powerful 64-bit processor; Also, ATI and NVIDIA have been great trailblazers for the development of motherboards and GPUs. However, to create a powerful gaming computer, gamers often have to get the right components and put everything together themselves. That has all changed now that the industry is starting to recognize its loyal fan base. Dell’s XPS series offers great technology for an intense gaming experience. Dell recently acquired Alienware Inc. and with this type of merger, I smell pure, raw, power. Also, buying a gaming PC has become cheaper than ever with Ibuypower.com. This is a custom computer manufacturer that takes all the latest components and puts it all together in a slick package for a price that would surprise everyone.

PC gaming is quite possibly the Cinderella story of the year. Yes, Nintendo did impress with the Wii, but Nintendo has never really been in trouble, not the type of trouble that plagued PC gamers. PC gamers have dealt with a surplus of crappy to mediocre games, and now it is time for a well deserved change.