The history of Britain is a rich tapestry woven out of the hairs of unicorns, the blood of dragons, and the beards of the Irish. This charming Olde World culture has contributed a great many valuable concepts to the whole of humanity's evolution, but an idea posited by Mark Eyles, a researcher at the University of Portsmouth, at this year's Women in Games conference, completely negates the value of anything the English have ever contributed. The American government is in talks to have them stricken from our history books (much like the aforementioned unicorns), and France has agreed to a baguette embargo upon the UK, at least until they draw and quarter Mr. Eyles for his utterly blasphemous plans.
Mark Eyles proposes that people's everyday lives should translate into accomplishments in a role-playing game of his own design. For instance, as people walk along, shop for groceries and collect materia in their real-world lives, they gain the ability to move, fight monsters and discover items within the game. This way, people don't have to be actively engaged in the game to succeed, which would be a marked change from titles in which a person has to spend hours and hours passively interacting with a television and controller.
My favorite part of the above-linked Gamespot article regarding Mr. Eyles research is the following;
Eyles said that he got the idea for the project--which is part of his PhD research--while he was listening to Brian Eno's album Music For Airports. He said, "I was thinking, if that album was a role-playing game, what would it play like? And on the cover it says 'as ignorable as it is interesting.'"
Mr. Eyles went on to say that he received the inspiration for slicing off his nipple with a razor blade from Pink Floyd's The Wall, and that after listening to The Spice Girls' Wannabe, he had an irresistible urge to "Zing-a-zing-ahhh" ... whatever the hell that means.
Contest:
2:23 AM on 04.22.2007
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@ tazarthayoot:
I feel the same way about shrimp tempura.
just saying.
NO. That's a bad Nex.
I think it's a good concept, because i hate spending hours grinding. That being said, I still think it's far too restricting... the number of steps you take? No, that's not enough, it's just a bland concept on its own. Perhaps it could have been based on what web pages you visit or something... It's a good idea, trying to draw parrallels between real life and the game world, but it's too linear. It won't take off.
I wouldn't take any interest in this, but it's far from being as bad as you've made it out to be, Nex.
Oh btw.. Billie? Please god no :s
As for the idea, if I were to say "I've got a great plan to make the world a better place, where I get rid of third world debt, instigate public healthcare for all, improve the education and justice systems, and cure cancer," it might sound like a good thing to happen. Unfortunately, I have not presented any evidence as to how I might actually accomplish this, so my idea amounts to very little.
Also, you really think billie piper > led zeppelin, the beatles and david bowie..? Shit, there's a scrunched up tissue on the floor near my seat that I like more than that shrew...
So how much "materia" are we talk'n here? If I walk two blocks down the street to Publix and pick up some mojo chicken a pint of spinach dip and a pack of King's Hawaiian bred would I be able to summon a dragon or something? Or would I be stuck with a damn moogle....
about billy, what I meant to say was that I WOULD hit it, if given the chance. I haven't yet actually hit it... her baby maker that is.
This idea actually just reminded me of a cool game some folks are making called mobzombies. It's a game where you just have to run away from zombies by moving about in the real world. Check out the video on the site, it looks pretty damn fun.
Right afterward "We believe in nossing!" sprang into my head.
gg, no re
Of course, the challenge now is discerning sarcasm. Maybe i fell into the trap of calling someone out on something obvious and am being humoured accordingly... but the potential for insult is recursive and thus not worth pursuing.
"And it would be incredibly easy to cheat."
Pedometer + Paint Mixer = Lvl 21887 in Pi seconds, assuming the mixer is set to the frequency of the gross national debt of brazil.
Also, @ Tempus, I dunno about you, but i'm British and i've grown used to American apethy toward my nation, France and every other area of the world connected to a tectonic plate. This obviously excludes the atmosphere, which we're all so delicately protective of now. Point in case, i'm not pissed off.
Oh, and just to clarify, I didn't think for one minute that what you were saying about Britain was serious, but the statement i made still applies... i suppose i should have separated them into two separeate sentances, one stating my knowledge of our quintesentially British attitude, the other stating that this didn't relate to your post...
Actually, why the hell am i still talking? I've made a fool of myself already, my job is done. Jesus.
Yes, that's right ladies and gentlemen, I took him seriously, again. You see why i'd be a mild form of hell to have a drink with?
billie actually made me feel guilty about wanting to have sex with 15 year olds!
danmed catholicism.
plus she used to suck off a ginger guy, so she's bound to be up for all sorts of dirty stuff.
I live in the same town she was born...