Tag: video games

State of Gaming in 20 Years

What’s a piece of technology you’re convinced will exist in 20 years?

Gaming hardware has entered a bit of a lull in the last ten years or so. Since the 1980s, video game technology was engaged in a race toward realism – realistic graphics, realistic physics, realistic lighting, etc. Now that that has been achieved, what is the next big leap?

Companies have been dabbling in virtual reality for a couple decades now, but I think they’re still in the kiddie pool. Advances in VR will be the next big thing in gaming. And the next big thing in VR? Haptic technology.

What is haptic technology? It is any technology that simulates the sense of touch. VR can simulate visuals pretty darn well. Even motion and balance, to an extent. But replicating the feeling of touch, of being within the artificial world, is a feat that engineers are in the process of developing into something astounding.

Imagine wearing gloves that simulate the sensation of putting your hand around a doorknob that isn’t there, or driving a car that doesn’t exist. Imagine a helmet that induces vibrations to simulate wind and air pressure. Imagine a whole suit that makes you feel like you are running through a field or climbing a mountain.

Can such things exist in 20 years? Yes, I think so. Whether they cost less than a new house, I’m more iffy on, but I do believe they will become more compact, less clunky and widely available. Haptics is the next step in immersion that gaming strives for.

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Many thanks for visiting my blog. I post updates on my writing career, I muse over storytelling and fiction, and I reflect on the curious and wonderful things in life.

Music While I Work

What do you listen to while you work?

I’m no music afficionado or expert. If you ask me what type of music I like best, I’ll probably only manage something banal like “The music that sounds best to me” or “I like what I like.”

I have a pretty broad taste in music, though it usually comes down to music without lyrics while I’m working. Bear in mind “working” for me usually means doing something clever on the computer, so hearing words while trying to think about what to type next can be a little confusing. At any rate, while the types of music I listen to encompasses a range of genres, the origin of the music is usually the same: video games.

Sounds weird, doesn’t it? What do Super Mario Bros. and Pac-Man have to offer the music world? Well, after forty-odd years, it turns out that the music has, uh, evolved. A lot.

There’s a ton of variety, and there’s always something new to listen to. I rarely get bored. I often listen to music when reading, too. It helps my mind process better.

At any rate, it helps me get through the day, and that’s what counts.

Many thanks for visiting my blog. I post updates on my writing career, I muse over storytelling and fiction, and I reflect on the curious and wonderful things in life.

It’s Only an Event if It Doesn’t Happen Every Day: My Thoughts on Crossovers

Crossover, crossovers. People from different worlds smashing into each other. Different genres, different styles, different stories. Throw them in a mixer and see what happens.

What’s the appeal? I’d say it comes down to simple curiosity. What would happen if Superman met Captain America? How would Greek myths get on with Chinese myths? Can a pirate really defeat a ninja?

It’s a popular trend these days. Maybe not so much in novel writing, but movies love them, video games really love them, and comics are practically built on them. And they’re fun. But there’s something about these companies’ strategy that is missing the point of a crossover. Every time one occurs (multiple times a year), it’s built up as the MOST INCREDIBLE THING EVER. And people get excited sure. But not like they used to.

Way back in 2008, when Nick Fury stepped out of the shadows at the end of the first Iron Man film to talk about “the Avenger Initiative,” fans squealed with joy and anticipation. Nowadays, the next big Marvel crossover film elicits a non-committal “Eh,” at best.

As a writer, my professional opinion is that crossovers are not easy to pull off anymore, largely because they’ve been done to death.

And that, I think, is the strength and weakness of the concept. Crossovers are big events. They’re something special, something noteworthy. Two completely different worlds colliding is interesting, and fans are curious to see if it can be pulled off. Batman and Elmer Fudd? Yeah, it’s been done, and it won’t be done again because you can’t capture that kind of lightning in a bottle twice. Crossovers are like a fine wine, best in small sips. Overuse just makes you feel overwhelmed. Try imagining a world where the Super Bowl happens every month.

Another example: Back in the 1980s, Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog were the pinnacle of dueling video game mascots. Who was better? Who was cooler? Then, one fateful day, they appeared together in the same game. Awesome! But they’ve done so again and again, and what was something that nobody ever saw coming is now ho-hum, another day in the neighborhood. Video game characters appear in each other’s franchises all the time, now. It’s practically an industry standard.

As it turns out, such “events” are best when served rare. Very rare. Otherwise, they aren’t events. They’re business as usual.

Many thanks for visiting my blog. I post updates on my writing career, I muse over storytelling and fiction, and I reflect on the curious and wonderful things in life.