Below are quick reviews of games. If you want read the stories, you will find that here.
PAX if nothing if it isn’t about Games, Gamers, and Gaming Culture. In fact, many people who go to PAX do nothing but look a new games. This year I was super busy and didn’t get to give everything the attention it deserved; but I did get to look around a little bit.
Below are stories. If you want to skip to the games, you will find that here.
PAX11 is over, and it was amazing. For 5 days I was in heavenly bliss. I can’t wait for next year.
So, I started logging into EVE:Online again. I’m not actually ‘playing’, per say. I’m just getting some enjoyment from the game. For me, ‘playing’ would involve exploding internet spaceships, and right now I don’t have the time that exploding internet spaceships demand. Instead I have decided to play with a small facet of the game in order to build my wallet. Given EVE’s uniqueness as a game, I felt it would be interesting to describe how I am accomplishing that.
Imagine all the hard work, frustration, loss, and need to persevere that it takes to play EVE. Now imagine all that, but without the satisfying sound of your opponent raging or crying into their keyboard. That is Wurm.
I found myself with a sudden, unexpected, free day Saturday. And instead of using that opportunity to dig through my pile of things that need doing I decided to waste it on Wurm. If I sound a little bitter, it’s because I literally would like my 5 hours and 53 minutes back. If I don’t sound bitter, that would be a side effect of my attempts to seem more calm and level headed. Trust me, I’m bitter.
As I sat serving penance for my sins, the Interns came to me and said, “We are Interns. We are without guidance nor goals. We seek to learn useful skills.” I said to the Interns “You shall go forth to the Empty Room. And you shall sweep the floor of debris and mop the floor of grime. So it is said, so shall it be”
And the Interns went forth with the brooms and the mops and the bucket.
And soon I came upon the Interns laboring in the Empty room and they said unto me “The Mopping! It does not work!” and I replied “You idiots. You need more than a finger width of water in the bucket. Make it so!”.
And then I left them.
Again I came upon the Interns laboring in the Empty Room. And one of them had a small bottle, full of water, which he was pouring into the bucket and they said unto me “The filling with water! It does not work! See how we labor? See the distance from the mop to the sink? See how we trek from sink to bucket with our small bottle full of water? See how little water is in the bucket? Surely we cannot handle such a task. Surely cleansing the Empty Room is a task for those greater than ourselves”
And I said “Holy Fucking Shit. Do you not see the wheels on the damn thing? Do you not see the hose in the next room? How the what!?” And I took the interns to the hose, and I shared with them the wisdom of the Bucket, and how it moved on it’s eternal wheels. And I shared with them the wisdom of the hose, and how it spewed forth water in great volumes.
And the Interns went back into the Empty Room, and with great effort completed this most simple of tasks.
And I wept.
OK, let’s make one thing clear. I am not a writer. It isn’t my thing. I can’t stand all the spelling, and the grammar, and the correct use of punctuation; it is enough to drive someone mad. Despite that, I do write from time to time. Rarely with the intention of showing it to anyone, but because writing helps me organize and develop my thoughts. It forces me to research my own opinions and examine my own logic. Which is why most of this stuff never see’s the light of day.
Sadly, I’ve not been very good at keeping track of it all. Which means the my collected writings of the last 15+ years are lost. Which is kinda sad. To fix that I am going to start using this site to store my writings. As I find stuff I’ll upload it here. I may even publish some of it, but don’t expect to much. My writing isn’t likely to improve but I can make sure I don’t loose anything.
Additionally, I used to write for an MMO blog. My stuff can be found here
One of the odd jobs I fill at the lab is that of Hiring Manager. This isn’t meant to imply that all hiring decisions go through me; rather, I’m responsible for the hiring process. I don’t make the final decisions, I just screen applicants, arrange the interviews for people who are asked to come in, make sure all the paperwork is signed, etc. I manage the hiring process. And my level of involvement varies; for the lab techs I never even see their resume.