Political Campaigning in Video Games and the Gaming Community
I read an article on Kotaku this morning about Democrat Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from NYC and how she was using Animal Crossing: New Horizons as a means to meet the public. According to Kotaku “she was planning on visiting random people’s islands so she could “leave a doodle or note on their bulletin board”. She opened her DMs for four minutes, giving followers a chance to leave some Dodo codes so she could come visit, before heading off on an evening of being offered fruit and hopefully some wholesome online interactions”. Now I am not especially familiar with either Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or Animal Crossing: New Horizons and my first thoughts were that this was essentially just a PR exercise. However, upon reflection and bearing in mind the recent focus on organisations such as Cambridge Analytica, it suddenly doesn’t sound so superficial after all.
An example of the “angry mobs” found in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
I read an article on Kotaku this morning about Democrat Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from NYC and how she was using Animal Crossing: New Horizons as a means to meet the public. According to Kotaku “she was planning on visiting random people’s islands so she could “leave a doodle or note on their bulletin board”. She opened her DMs for four minutes, giving followers a chance to leave some Dodo codes so she could come visit, before heading off on an evening of being offered fruit and hopefully some wholesome online interactions”. Now I am not especially familiar with either Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or Animal Crossing: New Horizons and my first thoughts were that this was essentially just a PR exercise. However, upon reflection and bearing in mind the recent focus on organisations such as Cambridge Analytica, it suddenly doesn’t sound so superficial after all.
In this instance, as the politician in question has to be invited to interact with a member of the public, the process is conducted with mutual consent and such behaviour cannot be labelled as invasive. However, what I think is interesting here is the way in which politics is evolving and finding new ways to reach out to the electorate. The days of mass consensus governments are over in both the UK and US politics and electoral success now hinges upon making incremental and targeted gains with specific demographics. We have seen how Facebook has been used to reachout to specific age groups, therefore it comes as no surprise that video games and their associated communities offer a similar opportunity. So many games have a social element to them, be it in-game or via a third party online service such as Reddit or Twitch. They may not offer an unfettered political platform but they can certainly be used for targeted campaigning.
"Man talks utter bollocks”
It’s a common refrain from certain gamers to “keep politics out of video games” (although often this just means the politics they don’t like) but I think those days are well and truly over. Wherever there are large sums of money to be made, there is political lobbying. The recent “lootbox” debacle proved that video games publishers do not want any legal measures in place to curb their business practices and they mobilised a great deal of political leverage to do so. And then there is a growing trend for “shock jock” live streamers, offering “hot takes” on the latest talking points simply because it gets an audience and therefore generates revenue. “Popular online personalities” and “influencers” can offer political lobbyist access to groups they traditionally cannot reach. Extremist groups also use online gaming communities for recruitment and grooming. So when you consider how many people play games these days, be it on PC, console or phone, it’s surprising why politicians haven’t targeted such communities before now.
Blapril: Lessons Learned
I still think it was a good idea to move the scheduled August blogging event to April and take advantage of the lockdown. Many of us still have a lot more spare time on our hands than usual. However, upon reflection the lockdown has come with its own set of problems, one of which being a degree of mental discombobulation which does impact upon one’s motivation. So Blapril has felt a little different to last year’s Blaugust. The passion has still been present but I think this time round there’s also been a degree of catharsis. Writing can be good therapy for all sorts of problems. However, the uncertainty of the times and the worry it engenders has also impacted upon bloggers stamina. I was ill for a third of Blapril which threw my schedule. I’ve also been smitten with a degree of indolence that has made writing a bit of a struggle at times. I certainly don’t think I’ve applied myself to my mentoring role as well as previous years.
I still think it was a good idea to move the scheduled August blogging event to April and take advantage of the lockdown. Many of us still have a lot more spare time on our hands than usual. However, upon reflection the lockdown has come with its own set of problems, one of which being a degree of mental discombobulation which does impact upon one’s motivation. So Blapril has felt a little different to last year’s Blaugust. The passion has still been present but I think this time round there’s also been a degree of catharsis. Writing can be good therapy for all sorts of problems. However, the uncertainty of the times and the worry it engenders has also impacted upon bloggers stamina. I was ill for a third of Blapril which threw my schedule. I’ve also been smitten with a degree of indolence that has made writing a bit of a struggle at times. I certainly don’t think I’ve applied myself to my mentoring role as well as previous years.
A recurring follow on from every Blaugust and therefore inevitably Blapril, are the blogs that subsequently fall into decline or return to intermittent posting. Some folk want to write more often but can’t for various real world reasons. Many find that maintaining motivation outside of a community driven event can be a lot harder to do. Others discover that blogging on a regular basis is just not for them, which is fare enough. They either stop or become an occasional blogger. Hopefully participating in Blapril has still proven to be a useful and worthwhile experience. I still enjoy these events as I like being part of a friendly and supportive community and I like adding new blogs to Feedly (I currently track 127). There’s still a wealth of good content being produced and I get a great deal of pleasure by starting my day trawling through Feedly to see what everyone’s been up to.
As for me, I’ll just keep going as writing is something that has become an integral part of my life. I can take a break from time to time but I can’t really stop. I have several long form “think pieces” in development that I may try to hawk around and see if I can get any traction outside of my own blog. I also think it may be time for a new project. At the very least such an undertaking will result in a few blog posts as I usually document such things. However, looking back at what I’ve written about of late, I no longer see Contains Moderate Peril as being a blog about gaming, movies and popular culture anymore that I started so many years ago. Exactly what the right term is that defines it eludes me but it seems to be more than just “musings on video games, movies and popular culture”. I feel I now have a platform that allows me to express a broad range of thoughts and opinions. I also realise that the old adage about “if you throw enough shit at the wall, some of it will stick” is true.
"Git Gud"
This post is about my attempts to improve my performance while playing Call of Duty Warzone which I’ve been doing for the last three weeks. However, many of the examples I reference are equally applicable to other games. Also, I want to clarify what my overall goals are. I’m not aiming to be the best of the best. I just want to be more accurate when aiming, learn some basic tactics and not make too many obvious “noob” errors. But I refuse to accept that age alone can exclude you from certain genres of games. Admittedly, quick reflexes may well be the prerogative of youth but age has no bearing on tactics. Hence I’ve spent some time looking into how I can become a better CoDWZ player and I must say that there has been an overall improvement that I’ve found useful. Here are a few points that have helped. Much of which is common sense advice that is often overlooked.
This post is about my attempts to improve my performance while playing Call of Duty Warzone which I’ve been doing for the last three weeks. However, many of the examples I reference are equally applicable to other games. Also, I want to clarify what my overall goals are. I’m not aiming to be the best of the best. I just want to be more accurate when aiming, learn some basic tactics and not make too many obvious “noob” errors. But I refuse to accept that age alone can exclude you from certain genres of games. Admittedly, quick reflexes may well be the prerogative of youth but age has no bearing on tactics. Hence I’ve spent some time looking into how I can become a better CoDWZ player and I must say that there has been an overall improvement that I’ve found useful. Here are a few points that have helped. Much of which is common sense advice that is often overlooked.
First off, there is only so much that you can figure out and solve yourself. Therefore, don’t be afraid or averse from learning from others. Do your research, which can be fun to do as long as you don’t make it a chore. YouTube is often a good place to start due to the old “show don’t tell adage”. Just remember that some YouTuber are good at expressing themselves and imparting information. Others are not. Also remember that some advice is in tablets of stone. For example, increasing armour stats improves your survivability in a game or adding a foregrip reduces weapon recoil. However, builds, loadouts and tactics recommendations can sometimes be very subjective. The contradictory nature of such advice can be very polarising, like shops offering too much choice. Sometimes you just have to make a decision, choose a course of action and stick with it until you know whether it works for you or not.
Don’t forget to explore your games settings as there are often a wealth of options that you can adjust. Changing such things as the field of view can make a world of difference. The more you can see, the quicker you can react. Experiment with your mouse sensitivity until you find an optimum performance. Remap keys to suit your needs, especially if you are left handed or do not favour specific kinds of default layouts. If need be, buy a gamepad for extra functionality at your fingertips. Some games will allow you to use a keyboard and mouse simultaneously with a game controller. I use this combination sometimes in games such as GTA and Ghost Recon, as I find an Xbox controller is better when using vehicles. Programmable keyboards or running macros can also be very useful for semi-automating complex key commands. Your graphics card software can also be a useful tool in optimising your game settings. It can sometimes fix graphical issues that you cannot correct using a game’s own internal settings.
The quality of your internet connection can also have a major impact upon your gameplay. If possible, connect your PC to your router via an ethernet cable. Carry out an internet speed test and determine the performance of your connection. The key stat is latency. Latency being the time/delay it takes to send information from one point to another. It is measured in milliseconds and you want it to be as low as possible. High levels are detrimental to online gaming and can result in very frustrating gameplay. With a game such as CoDWZ, latency can make all the difference between winning a gunfight. Often I’ll open fire on an enemy and they will respond. I then die and the killcam shows that they in fact shot first. But this happens when you find yourself joining multiplayer games with a high latency/ping level. Sometimes it may help to join games in different geographical regions to address latency. Ironically, just because a server is located nearer to where you live, doesn’t immediately mean that the latency will be lower.
Perhaps the most prudent advice to consider is to adjust your mindset. If you want to learn the mechanics of any game and improve your performance, then you have to reconcile yourself to the fact that failure is the best teacher. With a game such as CoDWZ you can join a game, find somewhere to wait it out and take a very defensive approach. It will earn you XP and you will increase your rank. But it also means you’re just playing a very fancy online version of “Hide and Seek”. You are not really learning anything other than the best places to conceal yourself and you can only go so far in the game with such tactics. If you come to terms with the fact that until you get better, you’re going to die, then why not play more experimentally? When someone shoots at you, don’t always tactically withdraw. Try and flank them and have a go at taking them down. If you die, you’ll still earn XP. You may even get lucky and encounter another player just like yourself.
Learning a new skill can be an enjoyable experience. But don’t try to walk before you can run, set yourself realistic goals and don’t push yourself too hard. Otherwise the entire process will become a chore and continuous defeat will become frustrating. I do not know the complex statistical formulas for most of the MMOs that I play. But I have learned sufficient to know what numbers I need to not be squishy. I’ve also reached a point where I know what is my optimal skills rotation. I may not be able to name the skills but I know from the icons on my hotbar what they are and the order they should be in. I know my limitations with regard to what I can achieve when playing video games. I will not be a high end player but I think there is scope for me to be a wild card and to have occasional flashes of inspiration when the pieces all fit together and I don’t play like a fool. When that happens, this will be my version of “git gud”.
A Month in Gaming
April has been an usual month. The ongoing lockdown here in the UK (and elsewhere in the world) has afforded me more gaming time than usual. The policy of social distancing has reduced my caring duties to just three hours a day. Hence I and many others like me have much more leisure time available. I initially thought that this situation would be the perfect time to try some of the many of the games that I have stockpiled over the years. However, despite trawling through many titles, I still failed to find anything that immediately took my fancy. So I decided to take stock of my overall gaming activities and whether it was time to revise them and try something new. And by new I don’t just mean just buying a new game but taking a step out of my current comfort zone into a genre I don’t usually play. So that’s exactly what I did and the results have been very interesting.
April has been an usual month. The ongoing lockdown here in the UK (and elsewhere in the world) has afforded me more gaming time than usual. The policy of social distancing has reduced my caring duties to just three hours a day. Hence I and many others like me have much more leisure time available. I initially thought that this situation would be the perfect time to try some of the many of the games that I have stockpiled over the years. However, despite trawling through many titles, I still failed to find anything that immediately took my fancy. So I decided to take stock of my overall gaming activities and whether it was time to revise them and try something new. And by new I don’t just mean just buying a new game but taking a step out of my current comfort zone into a genre I don’t usually play. So that’s exactly what I did and the results have been very interesting.
I have been curious about the Battle Royale genre for a while, since the explosive growth first of Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds and then Fortnite. I’ve read a lot about the success of both these games and the way that, despite offering essentially the same experience, they have pursued different audiences and markets. I have often considered trying either one of them but the demographics of their respective playerbase has put me off. The arrival of Call of Duty Warzone subsequently provided a tipping point, as I have prior experience of the franchise and the game offers a Battle Royale experience in a format that is acceptable to me. I’ve written elsewhere about the game and my attempts to improve my gameplay performance but to summarise here, it has been a positive experience to try something new. Although there is a strong element of twitch gaming in Call of Duty Warzone, it is not the only defining factor. There is much that a player can do to succeed in the game and progress through the ranking system.
As a result of trying something new, I have temporarily sidelined The Lord of the Rings Online. I was surprised how quickly Update 26 (now called Mists of Wilderland) was released so soon after being previewed on the test server. And as a result the new zone launched with a lot of bugs. I don’t especially like questing in new areas when they’re swarming with players and find forming an orderly queue to kill a specific mob somewhat immersion breaking (and annoying). So I’ll return to LOTRO in a month or two when the area is a little quieter. My other MMO of choice, Star Trek Online, has been pulling out all the stops to keep players engaged and to entice those who have moved on to return. At present, I’m just logging in once a day to do a featured Task Force Operation. This earns a token that can be handed in for either a C-Store ship or for a stash of Lobi Crystals (which can be bartered for fancy gear, crew or yet more ships).
I briefly dusted off Sniper Elite 4 but my overfamiliarity with the maps soon put pay to that. I am really looking forward to the fifth iteration of the game as it really is such a different experience to the hectic pace of other game genres. As for May, I think I keep playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare. I’m still working my way through the campaign, playing multiplayer against bots as a means to practice my aiming and familiarise myself with the maps. And despite only being a distinctly average player, I am having a lot of fun in Warzone. My only complaint is that I play Solo Battle Royale and would like at some point to play as part of a four man squad. But I don’t know anyone else who plays the game and I am reluctant to join a PUG. However, with an excess of time on my hands, even that may change. No doubt next month’s post will highlight yet further changes in my gaming habits, as this seems to be a theme at present.
Gamer Motivation Profile
As so many Blapril contributors have posted their Gamer Motivation Profile, I thought I’d follow suit and write about mine. The survey is provided by Quantic Foundry who according to their own website are a “a market research company focused on gamer motivation”. Their aim is to “combine social science with data science to understand what drives gamers”. It’s all presented in a very slick and comprehensive fashion. As with all such services, you have to answer a series of questions designed to probe your gamer psychology and ascertain what drives you when playing video games. Once you complete the multiple choice questionnaire you’re presented with a graphic which shows your primary and secondary motivations, along with a written summary. You can drill down into the data and see how your answers determine the outcome.
As so many Blapril contributors have posted their Gamer Motivation Profile, I thought I’d follow suit and write about mine. The survey is provided by Quantic Foundry who according to their own website are a “a market research company focused on gamer motivation”. Their aim is to “combine social science with data science to understand what drives gamers”. It’s all presented in a very slick and comprehensive fashion. As with all such services, you have to answer a series of questions designed to probe your gamer psychology and ascertain what drives you when playing video games. Once you complete the multiple choice questionnaire you’re presented with a graphic which shows your primary and secondary motivations, along with a written summary. You can drill down into the data and see how your answers determine the outcome.
Apparently, I am Aggressive, Spontaneous, Relaxed, and Grounded. And as ever with such surveys, the results are ambiguous. I would certainly agree with the first statement but only when I’m playing specific types of games such as Call of Duty Warzone. I like to play aggressively as it often yields results. Spontaneity is also correct on this occasion. However, if I’m playing a different genre of game then these terms are less accurate. I guess the terms relaxed and grounded are also applicable to me if you consider them in terms of my approach to gaming per se. I play games for entertainment and amusement. I harbour no dreams of being the best of the best but I do like to succeed within the parameters I set myself. However, when reading the more detailed report, I do feel that the profile is more accurate. The Immersion Component shows that I focus on story, which I do. The Achievement Component accurately reflects why I play FPS games, clearly indicating its all about power. What can I say, I like shooting things with overpowered weapons.
The problem with surveys such as this, is that I often feel that I cannot answer many of the multiple choice questions. All too often my response is too nuanced or simply doesn’t feature in the spectrum of answers to choose from. Furthermore, as I’ve already indicated, my answers are frequently not universal to gaming per se but will vary depending upon what type of game I’m playing. I take a far more measured and methodical approach to playing an MMO, than I do with an asymmetrical multiplayer video game. I will take the time to plan and execute a long distance stealth kill in Sniper Elite 4. I’m often sidetracked from quests in games such as Red Dead Redemption 2, because of a compulsion to just go out and explore the world. And as for the recommendations that Quantic Foundry make on the strength of your survey results, they can be made just as successfully based on the titles I’m already playing.
Don’t get me wrong, I have no doubt that you can make very accurate gamer assessments based on data analysis. I just think it needs to be more than just a five minute, multiple choice survey. I think far more complex and flexible questioning is required. And let us not forget response bias, which is a general term for a wide range of tendencies for market research participants to respond inaccurately or falsely to questions. Perception plays a strong role in our lives. I’m sure some people worry at either a conscious or subconscious level, “does the survey results reflect well upon me” and then temper their responses. However at my age, I’m happy to embrace my flaws. I like to be OP and am not concerned if I can’t win a game with skill or aplomb. I’ll happily “camp”, “nade spam” and shoot you in the ass from behind. A win is a win and it’s all about that dopamine release.
Lost: Ten Years On
For those who may be unfamiliar with this particular example of cult television, Lost is an US drama television series that was originally broadcast on ABC from September 22, 2004, to May 23, 2010. The show ran for six seasons, comprising a total of 121 episodes. It was created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof, containing elements of supernatural and science fiction. The story follows the survivors of a commercial flight flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, that crashes on a mysterious island somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean. The story is told in a heavily episodic manner. Each instalment would typically feature a primary storyline set on the island, augmented by flashbacks or flash forwards that provided additional insight into the various characters' backstories. Due to the convoluted plot and big production values, the show became a major talking point and fans became heavily invested in theories regarding the “plot”.
For those who may be unfamiliar with this particular example of cult television, Lost is an US drama television series that was originally broadcast on ABC from September 22, 2004, to May 23, 2010. The show ran for six seasons, comprising a total of 121 episodes. It was created by Jeffrey Lieber, J. J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof, containing elements of supernatural and science fiction. The story follows the survivors of a commercial flight flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, that crashes on a mysterious island somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean. The story is told in a heavily episodic manner. Each instalment would typically feature a primary storyline set on the island, augmented by flashbacks or flash forwards that provided additional insight into the various characters' backstories. Due to the convoluted plot and big production values, the show became a major talking point and fans became heavily invested in theories regarding the “plot”.
I watched 4 seasons of Lost before I gave up on the show. The intriguing premise and creative format was initially very entertaining. Just when you started to get a handle on the plot a new story element would wrong foot you and open up an entirely new narrative avenue to consider. It was also fun to discuss the show with others as it really was one of those rare cultural touchstones at the time. The cast was also very robust featuring solid character actors such as Terry O’Quinn and Micahel Emerson. I warmed to one particular character, Charlie Pace (Dominic Monaghan), who played a rock star whose fame had been usurped by his own brother and band member. And then there were the hints at the underlying nature of the island that the cast were stranded on. Was it some sort of temporal anomaly? Or was this a sinister corporate experiment? It all seemed to work so well at first.
But then there reached a point (at least from my perspective) when the stories were deliberately taking a “one step forward, two steps back” approach. Plot elements were being continuously added, along with contrived new genre themes and yet the story didn’t seem to be advancing. What started as a pleasing conundrum tipped into becoming an exercise in frustration. And it was roundabout the end of the fourth season with its multiple story threads set in the future, that I realised that this wasn’t a TV show with a well planned, longterm story arc but something the production team were tackling as they went forward. By that time there was quite a lot of information about the show productions in the public domain and it was clear that the core writing team were effectively “making it up as they went along”. Not only did this disappoint me but on some level I felt I was being conned.
Sometimes it can be very satisfying and even cathartic to give up on a TV show. Especially one which has a “buzz” surrounding it. On occasions it can even feel like you’re obliged to watch something or else you’ll be left standing on the periphery of some ongoing social event. I felt that way about Game of Thrones, which I ditched after two seasons. I just didn’t like the way the show attempted to manipulate its viewers. As for Lost, walking away from it felt like the right thing to do. I suspected that the show would never be able to produce a satisfactory conclusion and it would appear that the final episode polarised audiences at the time and is still hotly debated today. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a fan of being spoon fed stories and I’m happy to countenance experimental and thought provoking content. But there’s a difference between such things and being deliberately misled by the smug and self indulgent. I still view Lost as a stunt a decade on. Curiously enough I still enjoy the bogus rock song by the fictional band Driveshaft, “You All Everybody”. It’s the one thing from the show that does’nt have any negative connotations for me.
Writing and Motivation
This week’s Blapril writing prompt is about “staying motivated”. It’s a perennial subject and one that is always relevant. Whenever writing events such as Blapril/Balugust are held, many of the participants are swept up in the initial excitement and camaraderie. At first they find both the time and the inclination to write. However, after a while, the realities of regularly writing become apparent. Finding the time may become more difficult, as does choosing material to write about. Something that was fun and enjoyable can eventually feel like a chore. Especially if you don’t receive any form of feedback. Hence it comes as no surprise that many blogs fall into decline and fade away. Content is posted far more intermittently and then there comes a point where the writer just stops. According to Google, only 167.4 million out of the 500 million plus blogs had been updated in the past 120 days.
This week’s Blapril writing prompt is about “staying motivated”. It’s a perennial subject and one that is always relevant. Whenever writing events such as Blapril/Balugust are held, many of the participants are swept up in the initial excitement and camaraderie. At first they find both the time and the inclination to write. However, after a while, the realities of regularly writing become apparent. Finding the time may become more difficult, as does choosing material to write about. Something that was fun and enjoyable can eventually feel like a chore. Especially if you don’t receive any form of feedback. Hence it comes as no surprise that many blogs fall into decline and fade away. Content is posted far more intermittently and then there comes a point where the writer just stops. According to Google, only 167.4 million out of the 500 million plus blogs had been updated in the past 120 days.
It is at this point in a blog post such as this, it is customary to reference some cunning lifehacks, tips and guidance to make writing “easier”. I have written such material before referencing the benefits of preparedness, keeping notes, allotting time, choosing an appropriate writing environment etc. But the bottom line is there is no universal strategy, set of rules or philosophical school of thought that can solve motivation issues. It may well sound glib but you will either write or you will not. If you want to maintain a blog and post on a fairly regular basis then you will. You will determine what is the best approach for you and do it. Alternatively, you may find yourself burning the midnight oil and rushing to get a post completed but even method still gets the job done. If you feel compelled to write, then you will find away.
I write because I enjoy it. I enjoy the process of planning and constructing a blog post. I like the way it helps me marshal my thoughts. Researching a subject can be very illuminating and presents an opportunity to learn. Writing has helped me expand my vocabulary, improved my analytical skills and provides me with a sense of satisfaction. I have very little leverage or agency in the real world (do any of us?) but I am in charge of my writing. I can pose questions, discuss and analyse things in an orderly way. It also affords me an opportunity to present myself and my thoughts to the world in a manner of my choosing. My writing is not determined by how I look or dress. Hopefully it is judged on its own merits. And because this is how I feel about writing, this is my source of motivation.
Now I’m sure there will be some people reading this post who think “that’s all fair and good but I don’t feel as passionate about writing as you do. I just like to do it for fun”. To which I reply “fine, then do it for fun”. Find the level that is good for you and don’t feel obliged to do anything else. Blapril is not a competition, a race or an exam. Everyone’s blogs are different because we’re all different. Focus on an approach that is good for you and then once you’ve determined that, stick with it. But no matter how you approach blogging there comes a point where you just have to do it. The words will only appear if you type them. Perhaps that is the ultimate motivation right there. The satisfaction in seeing something appear on the virtual page, that up until now has only existed in your head. And then knowing that you can share that with others at the click of a mouse.
Classic Movie Themes: The Pink Panther
If you mention The Pink Panther (1963) I’d hazard a guess that most people will instantly think of Inspector Clouseau (and possibly throw in a quote in faux French about “Minkeys”) or hum or whistle the iconic theme tune. It’s blend of cool sixties Jazz and Lounge is both classy and evocative. Henry Mancini’s contribution to the Pink Panther franchise is commensurate to that of Peter Sellers and Blake Edwards. If you removed his musical scores from any of the films they would be greatly diminished. In fact one can argue that the movies made in the eighties after Sellers’ death are greatly bolstered by Mancini’s intelligent and accomplished musical accompaniment. The franchise may have run out of steam but Mancini never did so.
If you mention The Pink Panther (1963) I’d hazard a guess that most people will instantly think of Inspector Clouseau (and possibly throw in a quote in faux French about “Minkeys”) or hum or whistle the iconic theme tune. It’s blend of cool sixties Jazz and Lounge is both classy and evocative. Henry Mancini’s contribution to the Pink Panther franchise is commensurate to that of Peter Sellers and Blake Edwards. If you removed his musical scores from any of the films they would be greatly diminished. In fact one can argue that the movies made in the eighties after Sellers’ death are greatly bolstered by Mancini’s intelligent and accomplished musical accompaniment. The franchise may have run out of steam but Mancini never did so.
The Pink Panther theme, composed in the key of E minor, is unusual in Mancini's body of work due to its extensive use of chromaticism. In his autobiography Did They Mention the Music? Mancini talked about how he composed the theme music. “I told [the animators] that I would give them a tempo they could animate to, so that any time there were striking motions, someone getting hit, I could score to it.They finished the sequence and I looked at it. All the accents in the music were timed to actions on the screen. I had a specific saxophone player in mind; Plas Johnson. I nearly always precast my players and write for them and around them and Plas had the sound and the style I wanted”.
A Shot in the Dark (1964), like most other movies in the series, featured animated opening titles produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises. However, it did not use the iconic Pink Panther theme as an accompaniment on this occasion. Instead Henry Mancini wrote a new musical cue to reflect the fact that Inspector Clouseau was now the main focus of the film. It is a smooth big band piece with a period beatnik vibe. The film blends wordplay with physical comedy and in many ways is the most sophisticated and accomplished of the series. Mancini’s faux ambient Parisian music adds greatly to the atmosphere.
By the time The Pink Panther Strikes Again arrived in cinemas in 1976, director Blake Edwards had moved the focus of the films from straight forward slapstick and Clouseau’s verbal idiosyncrasies to elaborate comedy set pieces featuring destruction and mayhem. The Inspector’s fight with Cato satirises the martial arts trend in movies of the time and the editing style of Sam Peckinpah. The film also features a beautifully simple and low key theme specifically for Clouseau. It plays over a three minute sequence in which the Inspector tries to cross a moat and enter a castle. It underpins Seller’s pratfalls superbly, highlighting the difficulty of scoring comedy successfully. Something Mancini achieve’s here, effortlessly.
Brick Mansions (2014)
The original French movies District 13 and its sequel District 13: Ultimatum, conceived and produced by Luc Besson, were enjoyable variations of the Escape from New York theme. Their charm lay in their European pedigree and the skilful use of parkour. The two leads, David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli, were eminently suited to the minimalist roles and the screenplays were fun. Half of these movies appeal was the fact that they were not mainstream US products. Brick Mansions is the Hollywood remake of District 13, as well as being Paul Walkers’ final movie. Sadly, this film is far from a fitting epitaph, being devoid of any charisma or innovations. It is blandly shot , poorly edited and has been stripped of everything that made the original entertaining.
The original French movies District 13 and its sequel District 13: Ultimatum, conceived and produced by Luc Besson, were enjoyable variations of the Escape from New York theme. Their charm lay in their European pedigree and the skilful use of parkour. The two leads, David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli, were eminently suited to the minimalist roles and the screenplays were fun. Half of these movies appeal was the fact that they were not mainstream US products. Brick Mansions is the Hollywood remake of District 13, as well as being Paul Walkers’ final movie. Sadly, this film is far from a fitting epitaph, being devoid of any charisma or innovations. It is blandly shot , poorly edited and has been stripped of everything that made the original entertaining.
In the year 2018, the crime rate in Detroit has become so high, a wall has been built around the worst area, Brick Mansions. The decaying neighbourhood is run by drug lord Tremaine (RZA), who has plans to expand his criminal endeavours. Shady city officials supply him with a bomb, hoping that the subsequent political fallout from such a situation will lead to urban renewal. However, the police decide to send in Detective Damien (Paul Walker) along with Brick Mansion resident Lino (David Belle reprising his original role) to retrieve the explosive device. The situation is complicated by the fact that Lino's wife has been kidnapped by Tremaine. Cue running, jumping and assorted action scenes.
The failings of Brick Mansions are numerous. There's no sense of community within the decaying tenements. The original movies established the nature of the walled off enclave and gave us some insight into its citizens daily life and their struggles. It is completely absent here. The script and character development are negligible. The casting of RZA is frankly embarrassing as he delivers a mainly unintelligible performance. Exactly why the production saw fit to ask David Belle to return and reprise his role is a mystery. His voice has been dubbed and he has precious little to do in the lacklustre action sequences. The movie lacks any innovation or conviction and is the embodiment of the word perfunctory.
Director Camille Delamarre has a background in editing, having worked on other Luc Besson productions such as The Transporter 2 and The Transporter 3. However the current penchant for rapid cuts and shaky-cam techniques utterly kills the parkour element of the movie. The skill of those involved and the scope of the stunts that they are undertaking are diminished by appallingly ill conceived cinematography and post production editing. The visual style of the film is confusing and continuously misdirects you with regard to what you should be looking at. All involved would benefit from a return visit to film school to reacquaint themselves with the concept of visual narrative flow.
Time and time again we have seen that remaking international films in a contemporary, mainstream US idiom does not work. The process strips away the unique aspects of the original and replaces it with generic material inherent in sterile corporate American film making. Brick Mansions doesn't even try to be its own movie. It simply provides what it think's is required for the North American market. It is louder, less refined and incredibly stupid and not even in a fun way. This is the sort of stupidity that is born of cynicism and having no respect for your material or audience. It also does nothing for Parkour either which has now become just another tiresome marketing commodity, like other so called “action sports”. Do yourself a favour and skip this tedious movie and watch the originals instead.
"Middle-aged"
I read a comment on a news website recently in which the author claimed to be “middle-aged”. They were 67 years old. This highlighted something I have considered for a long time; that this term is one of the most elastic and wilfully misused in the English language. And it may come as a surprise to you but this really bugs me. Because one’s age shouldn’t be a matter of anything other than numerical accuracy. However, it would appear that I’m swimming against the tide on this issue and perhaps many others. For many people, most forms of self scrutiny are refracted through the prism of their feelings and cultural assumptions. Hence what they think, see and feel about themselves is often quite different to objective reality. Your age falls into this category. And then there is the cultural bias towards youth which runs through every aspect of society. All things considered, it’s hardly surprising that people are going to stretch the term “middle-aged”.
Perfect teeth and an absence of haemorrhoids are one of many reasons why stock photos are bullshit
I read a comment on a news website recently in which the author claimed to be “middle-aged”. They were 67 years old. This highlighted something I have considered for a long time; that this term is one of the most elastic and wilfully misused in the English language. And it may come as a surprise to you but this really bugs me. Because one’s age shouldn’t be a matter of anything other than numerical accuracy. However, it would appear that I’m swimming against the tide on this issue and perhaps many others. For many people, most forms of self scrutiny are refracted through the prism of their feelings and cultural assumptions. Hence what they think, see and feel about themselves is often quite different to objective reality. Your age falls into this category. And then there is the cultural bias towards youth which runs through every aspect of society. All things considered, it’s hardly surprising that people are going to stretch the term “middle-aged”.
According to The Office for National Statistics, UK life expectancy for men is 79.2 years and 82.9 years for women. If we consider from 20 years onwards to be the start of a person’s adult life and 80 to be the average age of death, then the middle of this period is between 40 and 60 years. That seems to be a fair assessment to me and a logical way of determining a definition of “middle-aged”. As we are dealing with averages, there is naturally scope for the numbers to change nominally if you apply this school of thought to yourself or your family. I am currently 52 years old, so I am by this criteria clearly “middle-aged”. Furthermore, I have many of the characteristics associated with the term. Although I am relatively fit and healthy, I am not as active as I was 20 years ago. I suffer from low level medical issues associated with my age such as arthritis, myopia and fluctuating weight. However, I do not resent this term, nor the reality of my life. It is illogical to expect to maintain the same level of health and activity throughout your entire life.
Data from a YouGov survey from 2017 showing perceptions on age in the UK
Sadly, society does not see or quantify age as simply being the number of years you’ve existed. Age is something to be exalted and worshipped (in respect to youth) while simultaneously being a stick to beat you with (try being a woman in her sixties attempting to get served at a bar). Age is also a means of discrimination and a way of arbitrarily pigeon-holing people. But it is also a key factor in many cultural biases, such as views on sexuality, multiculturalism and wider considerations about the UK’s place in the world. There are many subtleties and paradoxes to wade through. Men age and become “distinguished”, where the tabloid press consider any woman who has the gall to grow old as being an utter disgrace. But the elephant in the room is how society as a whole takes a dim view of senior citizens. They are all too often portrayed as just tedious, social baggage. So when you consider the utter polarised and entrenched cultural views on age, I guess my logical categorisation is out of step with the wider world.
My Writing Process (The Recipe Analogy)
Easha Dustfeather suggested a Blapril writing prompt to catalogue your writing process “as if it were a recipe”. I like this idea so I thought I’d give it a go. My process is one of two distinct halves. Ideas for blog posts come through a variety of means. Sometimes while thinking, one will spontaneously occur. More often inspiration is derived through reading other people’s content or by simply addressing current news issues. I have mentioned before how I keep an ideas list and continuously add to it. The next stage which I shall detail here, is how I take an idea forward and develop it into an orderly post. Again I must reference how I was taught to write up a Science Experiment at school and how that process has stuck with me over the years. This recipe idea has a lot of similarity to this which is why I think it inherently appeals to the way my mind works.
Easha Dustfeather suggested a Blapril writing prompt to catalogue your writing process “as if it were a recipe”. I like this idea so I thought I’d give it a go. My process is one of two distinct halves. Ideas for blog posts come through a variety of means. Sometimes while thinking, one will spontaneously occur. More often inspiration is derived through reading other people’s content or by simply addressing current news issues. I have mentioned before how I keep an ideas list and continuously add to it. The next stage which I shall detail here, is how I take an idea forward and develop it into an orderly post. Again I must reference how I was taught to write up a Science Experiment at school and how that process has stuck with me over the years. This recipe idea has a lot of similarity to this which is why I think it inherently appeals to the way my mind works.
NB The example I shall be using here is for a real blog post that I shall publish the day after this one. Rather than deal with abstracts, I thought it would be more useful to show the development of a blog post from start to finish.
Stage 1: The Idea.
I saw a comment on a website in which the author claimed to be “Middle-aged”. They then admitted to being 67 years old. I thought this phrase could lead to an interesting discussion about age and everything that goes with it. The idea just popped into my head when I saw the phrase written down. Admittedly, semantics is a subject I’m interested in. Plus there’s an added social element to this because society seems to willfully misuse words these days and subvert their dictionary meaning. So to invoke the recipe analogy, the idea is effectively our intent to bake a cake. The nature of the idea determines what sort of cake.
Stage 2: Points and paragraphs.
With any blog post I write, I always like there to be some sort of structure, especially if debating a point. I often start with simple bullet points and then attempt to put more meat on the bones. So with a discussion about “Middle-aged”, I’ll cite differing perspectives on the subject and develop these into separate paragraphs. IE Age is a numerical construct. Therefore the middle can be broadly determined through mathematical means. However a counter argument would be based in ideas about societal notions about age. So within the terms of our recipe metaphor, this is about ingredients and finding the correct balance to achieve the blog post you desire.
Stage 3: Editing and polishing.
I always write first and edit afterwards. I find that spell checking and tweaking as I go greatly slows my writing. So I strive to get all relevant thoughts out of my head and onto the virtual paper quickly and then endeavour to whip them into shape. If something doesn’t work it goes and if I come up with something pertinent at a later stage, it gets neatly dovetailed into the proceedings. If a blog post is proving difficult or dealing with something potentially controversial, then leaving it and returning at a later point is sometimes necessary. A fresh perspective can help in finalising an article. I also like to take some time in choosing any pictures that are to go with a post. I see this process as adding the icing to a cake and fine tuning the presentation of a dish as we’re using a recipe analogy.
So this is the process I usually apply to writing my blog posts. Sometimes I will shoot straight from the hip and just write something right off the bat (the Omelette approach) but that’s not something I do often. I prefer a more structured approach. I was going to add a “Stage 4” about posting finished articles and promoting them on social media but I believe that really is a separate subject altogether and that self promotion deserves a post entirely to itself. Overall, I still like this recipe analogy due to the similarities between cooking and writing. Both are clear processes that require organisation and preparation. Additionally, both are ultimately more than the sum of their respective parts and dependent on an additional “je ne sais quoi”. Plus it is often down to others to determine whether you’ve been successful.
Noah (2014)
Darren Aronofsky's Noah is about as far removed from the traditional Cecil B. DeMille Biblical epic as you can imagine. In some respects it follows more closely the Jewish interpretation of the source material, rather than the Christian text. It is visually arresting and for the first two thirds of it's running time is a very engaging movie. It covers a multitude of theological and philosophical themes and depicts them in a creative fashion. Although the film may not find favour with fundamentalist faith denominations, it certainly has a great deal of appeal for the more liberal and progressive believer. It also has facets that are potentially of interest to the more secular viewer.
Darren Aronofsky's Noah is about as far removed from the traditional Cecil B. DeMille Biblical epic as you can imagine. In some respects it follows more closely the Jewish interpretation of the source material, rather than the Christian text. It is visually arresting and for the first two thirds of it's running time is a very engaging movie. It covers a multitude of theological and philosophical themes and depicts them in a creative fashion. Although the film may not find favour with fundamentalist faith denominations, it certainly has a great deal of appeal for the more liberal and progressive believer. It also has facets that are potentially of interest to the more secular viewer.
The central characters of Noah (Russell Crow), his wife Naameh (Jennifer Connelly) and Methuselah (Anthony Hopkins) are well defined and carry the narrative forward. However, Noah's extended family are not so well fleshed out with his wayward son Ham (Logan Lerman) being particularly vague. The bitter division between him and his Father lacks the drama it needs and Lerman simply broods like a petulant teenager. Emma Watson fairs marginally better as the adopted daughter Ila, but again more could have been done to underpin the importance of her role. Although I frequently enjoy the work of Ray Winstone, he is hardly taxed by his performance as Tubal-cain. The initial set up for the character is compelling but the role diminishes to the level of a Bond villain by the third act.
Despite its PG-13 rating, Noah is very strong in tone and in what it depicts. The rapid editing masks some of the violence but this is quite a graphic depiction of the antediluvian world. When humanity finally declines into cannibalism it is quite a shocking revelation. Yet these bleak themes are offset by some extraordinary visual imagery. The Watchers, a group of fallen angels who have elected to help man, are very striking. These rock giants are far more easier to understand if you consider them as Golems. The movie also has an interesting retelling of the creation myth which segues cleverly between evolution and the concept of Adam and Eve and the garden of Eden. Other creative nods towards reconciling science and religion are aerial shots of the earth showing a single continent, as well as the ark containing many mammal species that are now extinct.
Noah is by far the most commercial movie that director Aronosfsky has made, yet it thematically follows his exploration of people separated from society because of their compulsions and convictions. It treads a cautious path through the storyline, trying to be as appealing as it can be to each and every interest group. It descends into a little too much melodrama by the end but the overall message does not get lost. It is certainly a welcome change to see traditional material such as Noah, which most film studios won't touch for fear of offence or more importantly box office failure, being approached in such an ambitious manner.
“My Five Favourite Game Series”
I was tagged in a Tweet recently by Belghast in which I was asked to name my five favourite game series. This question has subsequently gained traction and spread among the Blapril blogging community. Paeroka over at Nerdy Bookahs and Krikket from Nerd Girl Thoughts have already posted their thoughts on the matter and have made some interesting choices. So I thought I’d expand my initial response into something a little more substantial. As ever, this post comes with caveats. I don’t do “favourites” in the sense that such things are the abject apple of my eye above all other things. My selection of five represent what I consider to be good and robust franchises that have continuously delivered quality entertainment. They are more what I would call “exemplars”, although I enjoy them all.
I was tagged in a Tweet recently by Belghast in which I was asked to name my five favourite game series. This question has subsequently gained traction and spread among the Blapril blogging community. Paeroka over at Nerdy Bookahs and Krikket from Nerd Girl Thoughts have already posted their thoughts on the matter and have made some interesting choices. So I thought I’d expand my initial response into something a little more substantial. As ever, this post comes with caveats. I don’t do “favourites” in the sense that such things are the abject apple of my eye above all other things. My selection of five represent what I consider to be good and robust franchises that have continuously delivered quality entertainment. They are more what I would call “exemplars”, although I enjoy them all.
Sherlock Holmes. It is clear that Ukranian Developer’s Frogwares have an abiding love for Conan Doyle’s iconic sleuth. It manifests itself in so many little details in this series of adventure games. The games offer ever increasing sandbox landscapes, filled with clues to discover. The point-and-click game-play is ideal for this genre and this intellectual property. Players interrogate suspects via branching dialogue trees and gather evidence for their investigation. Characterisation of Holmes and Watson are spot on and the games ooze stylised period atmosphere and charm. There is even one entry that successfully strays into the Cthulhu Mythos without jumping the shark. If you like all things Holmes then these games are a must.
Call of Duty. You don’t have to be the world’s best FPS player to enjoy the Call of Duty franchise. If you like hyperbolic, overblown, raucous Michael Bay-esque set pieces and pseudo Geopolitics, then the single-player campaign in most of these games will offer such things in spades. Multiplayer is similarly “turned up to 11” and you can gain XP and unlock weapons simply by participating. You don’t have to be an “über” player. There are plenty of players of a comparable standard to yourself who will happily act as cannon fodder. Even a crap player gets lucky now and then. I rely on such metrics while playing CoD Warzone, which is far more fun than what it deserves to be. Someone parachuted into my helicopter rotors recently. What’s not to like?
The Elder Scrolls. For over 18 years The Elder Scrolls franchise has provided densely plotted and innovative role playing games. The narrative focus has always been on the rich and complex lore and the stories have never favoured binary notions of right and wrong. Furthermore, developers Bethesda Game Studios, have always encouraged and supported the modding of their games, ensuring their longevity. Players are still exploring Morrowind nearly two decades after its initial release. Although it took a while to find its feet, the franchise has successfully transitioned into the MMORPG genre with The Elder Scrolls Online. In many ways The Elder Scrolls is the benchmark for fantasy based RPGs.
Sniper Elite. The Sniper Elite franchise is at the opposite end of the gaming spectrum to Call of Duty. It is a game where you’re positively encouraged to take your time, pick your location and plan your shot. You’re rewarded for planning your strategy and considering your route around the various game maps. That’s not to say you can’t go in all guns blazing if you choose. But it’s so much more satisfying to find an optimal location, tag the nearby enemies and then make that perfect shot. And then there’s the x-ray killcam, where you can sit back and rewatch the carnage you’ve just caused. Furthermore, with each version the game just keeps getting more and more refined and polished.
Mario Kart. It’s always a bold statement to claim that a specific title is a near perfect game but Mario Kart in all its iterations is damn close to such a definition. It blends competitive racing with a degree of combat but its power ups and buffs level the playing field. The icing on the cake is that the game is couched in the Super Mario aesthetic, which is bright, cheerful and fun. Mario Kart has an innate ability to successfully transition to all new platforms and to deliver its core tenets. Few games achieve such a thing.
The Problem with Housing in MMORPGs
Housing in the MMORPG genre continuously fails to reach its potential. Despite the scope it offers both in functionality and gameplay, it has seldom progressed beyond offering storage and some arbitrary customisation. Hence this is a perennial subject of debate for many MMO communities. Given the popularity of this subject, it would appear to indicate that there’s a potential market for expanded housing functionality. And yet many MMO developers still display a blindspot for this issue. You’d think that the scope for monetisation would prove a big enough incentive but housing just doesn’t seem to be especially high on their priority list. It is odd considering that the MMORPG genre is a fundamentally social one. Housing in theory offers so much scope to capitalise and explore this aspect of gaming. Yet it remains a cul-de-sac and an afterthought.
Housing in the MMORPG genre continuously fails to reach its potential. Despite the scope it offers both in functionality and gameplay, it has seldom progressed beyond offering storage and some arbitrary customisation. Hence this is a perennial subject of debate for many MMO communities. Given the popularity of this subject, it would appear to indicate that there’s a potential market for expanded housing functionality. And yet many MMO developers still display a blindspot for this issue. You’d think that the scope for monetisation would prove a big enough incentive but housing just doesn’t seem to be especially high on their priority list. It is odd considering that the MMORPG genre is a fundamentally social one. Housing in theory offers so much scope to capitalise and explore this aspect of gaming. Yet it remains a cul-de-sac and an afterthought.
I have a Deluxe Premium House in The Lord of the Rings Online. It has crafting stations, storage, a “visiting banker” and a summoning horn which calls a vendor NPC. I have made an attempt to decorate it stylishly but beyond that I seldom visit it as it doesn’t offer anything else. There are some minor quests in the Cape of Belfalas housing zone but they are not repeatable. This is a real shame as they are quite enjoyable. Especially the one where you take an old and faithful dog out for a walk. The only real advantage my house offers is a fast travel skill that has a 1 minute cool down. I specifically chose a house at Bay Road as it is the nearest to a cluster of NPCs offering Auction House, Provisioner and Stable services. So my house mainly provides a travel hub service and nothing else. It all seems such a waste of resources. I suspect that the new Rohan based housing coming with Update 26 is not going to be anything radically different.
Star Trek Online deals with housing in a somewhat different way but ultimately still faces the same issues. Your ship is your house to all intents and purposes, providing shared storage and in some cases, access to the Exchange (auction house). You can visit Engineering, Sick Bay and your ship’s councillor and the NPCs will provide Duty Officer Missions. But again, there’s not much on offer beyond this. You can place trophies in the Captain’s Quarters and in the communal lounge. And you can also visit the bridge of your ship, although there’s only so many times you can sit in the Captain's chair and hit the “engage” emote before it gets old. Again this feels like a major missed opportunity. Some vessels offer minor variations on these services, such as bespoke Duty Officer Missions but it’s hardly a major selling point. Considering the amount of customisation you can do to your build and gear in STO, it would be nice to see the same ethos extended toward your ship interior.
If you ask a hundred MMO players what they want from housing in their game of choice, you’ll get 100 different answers. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why developers are reticent to tackle anything housing related. Personally, I’d like to see in LOTRO some sort of collective undertaking, similar to the Fleet Projects in STO. A system that allowed those living in a specific housing phase to contribute to group endeavours that would upgrade community resources. I’d like to see quests and tasks in housing areas. Why not give players a reason to visit their house and interact with their neighbours. Offering unique items can certainly be an incentive. In STO I’d like to see some quest content that offered you a chance to customise and augment your ship’s interior. Rather than just duty officer assignments, it would be nice to have some bespoke missions that involved the crew of your vessel. Something that would make your frequenting your ships various departments more than just a cosmetic exercise. It would certainly be useful to have all resources you find on Earth Spacedock available on your ship.
Although I never really warmed to the rebuilding of Hytbold in LOTRO, some of the systems found in that part of the game could be augmented and used in a housing scenario. Any form of interactivity is an improvement over just functionality. Perhaps a housing area could also have some sort of bespoke story quest line. Something that gives some character to an area, so it isn’t just a glorified storage service. What I don’t want to see is just an increase of cosmetic items. Although it is fun to be able to personalise the look of your virtual house, there needs to be more to it than just another collection to grind for. If customising leads to unlocking content then that would certainly add more depth. But I suspect that many developers simply prioritise PVE content development over everything else, for practical reasons. Although you can argue that taking a risk with housing could well pay off. But I suspect that it will remain an untap resource and all we’re likely to see in any new MMOs will be the straightforward “by and collect” approach we see in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Play Your Own Way
This post comes with caveats. In a perfect world, common sense would prevail and I wouldn’t have to list them. But we live in an age where some people take great pleasure in being professional contrarians and deliberately obtuse. So let me state clearly and unequivocally, I am not advocating that your gaming pleasure should come at the expense of someone else's. If you sign up for a 12 man raid and have a specific role to play, then do so to the best of your ability. Fooling around has consequences in such a scenario. However, that is not what is being discussed here. Nope. What I am suggesting is that you should take your pleasures, where you can find them. And if they have no tangible impact upon other players, then you are totally entitled to play your game of choice in a manner that suits you. It’s a simple axiom, yet it still proves to be very difficult for some gamers to comprehend and more importantly accept. Allow me to explain by means of an example.
This post comes with caveats. In a perfect world, common sense would prevail and I wouldn’t have to list them. But we live in an age where some people take great pleasure in being professional contrarians and deliberately obtuse. So let me state clearly and unequivocally, I am not advocating that your gaming pleasure should come at the expense of someone else's. If you sign up for a 12 man raid and have a specific role to play, then do so to the best of your ability. Fooling around has consequences in such a scenario. However, that is not what is being discussed here. Nope. What I am suggesting is that you should take your pleasures, where you can find them. And if they have no tangible impact upon other players, then you are totally entitled to play your game of choice in a manner that suits you. It’s a simple axiom, yet it still proves to be very difficult for some gamers to comprehend and more importantly accept. Allow me to explain by means of an example.
I was playing Call of Duty Warzone a few nights ago. I like to play Solo Battle Royale mode, which consists of 150 players parachuting into the warzone in a free-for-all fight. Now not being the world’s best “runner and gunner”, I try various different tactics to keep me engaged and occupied when playing this game. On the occasion in question, I decided to grab one of the helicopters you find dotted around the map and took to the skies above Verdansk. Now this doesn’t come without risk, as you can take fire from players equipped with LMGs and surface to air missiles. If you alight upon a rooftop, you are at further risk as there’s full access to these areas via stairwells. Players can also call in airstrikes and artillery bombardments. So if you decide to fly a helicopter as a means of avoiding the firefights happening at ground level, you have to keep moving and keep an eye on the contracting “safe zone”. Well to cut a long story short, this is what I did. I managed to stay aloft and get into the last three players, however I eventually succumbed to the gas and crashed.
Now for me, this was just an amusing experiment and diversion. It’s not something I intend to do continuously but I’ll certainly try it again with another type of vehicle. It’s a means for me to keep engaged with the game. However, it has come to my attention that “this sort of behaviour” is an anathema to some CoD WZ players. And you don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out who. Every game has their own version of the “Fun Police” but it seems to be especially more endemic to PVP genres. There’s a certain type of player that considers their own approach to the game to be the only relevant position and doesn’t care for any form of dissent on the issue. They’re self appointed arbiters of what is and isn’t (in their opinion) the correct way to play. It’s an utterly intellectually bankrupt position but we sadly live in an age of such dogmatic tribalism. And it was some of this brigade who were most displeased with my shenanigans as they felt it wasn’t in the spirit of the game.
It will come as no surprise to you that these baseless complaints fell on deaf ears. My activities incommoded no one and as there is no universally accepted game code, such complaints are irrelevant. If you want to ensure that everyone you play with cleaves to the same ideology as you, I would advise not joining public groups but instead creating private games. All of which can be done easily in CoD WZ. But such people would much rather have something to complain about and see every minor social interaction in life as some part of a wider ongoing culture war. The best way to counter such entrenched stupidity is to mock it. Therefore, I strongly advocate and extol the mantra of “play your own way”. You are not beholden to slavishly follow someone else’s interpretation of the rules. Do what brings you pleasure and fun. If you want to collect all the shinies, then you do that. Roleplay a Bolivian, amputee, bee keeper if you see fit. Only play a specific zone in an MMO if that’s your jam. Dress up alts, eschew levelling, ignore the prevailing game meta if you like. You are free to do what you want, how you want within the terms of service. Angry arguments to the contrary are just white noise from the socially dysfunctional. Bollocks to them.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare
I originally climbed aboard the Call of Duty bandwagon in 2009 when Modern Warfare 2 came out. I enjoyed the campaign and the multiplayer so much I promptly bought the first instalment. I then stuck with the franchise up until 2013. I didn’t especially like Ghosts, although I enjoyed the option to play as a dog which was different. Overall I was somewhat tired of the FPS genre from then on and so didn’t keep up with any further releases. For me the best iteration of the game was Black Ops in 2010. The campaign had a densely plotted story and the multiplayer was extremely polished. The multiplayer maps were well conceived allowing for fluid and engaging gameplay. Six years on and I recently got an itch to play Call of Duty again. The soft reboot of the franchise with Modern warfare in November 2019 promised a return to basics. The recent inclusion of a battle royale mode with the release of Warzone finally clinched the deal. So I bought a discounted version of the standard game recently and dived back in.
I originally climbed aboard the Call of Duty bandwagon in 2009 when Modern Warfare 2 came out. I enjoyed the campaign and the multiplayer so much I promptly bought the first instalment. I then stuck with the franchise up until 2013. I didn’t especially like Ghosts, although I enjoyed the option to play as a dog which was different. Overall I was somewhat tired of the FPS genre from then on and so didn’t keep up with any further releases. For me the best iteration of the game was Black Ops in 2010. The campaign had a densely plotted story and the multiplayer was extremely polished. The multiplayer maps were well conceived allowing for fluid and engaging gameplay. Six years on and I recently got an itch to play Call of Duty again. The soft reboot of the franchise with Modern warfare in November 2019 promised a return to basics. The recent inclusion of a battle royale mode with the release of Warzone finally clinched the deal. So I bought a discounted version of the standard game recently and dived back in.
This post is not intended as a review. There have been plenty of those already. What I mainly want to do is share a few thoughts on the way Call of Duty Modern Warfare handles the various kinds of multiplayer modes. The campaign is acceptable and does what it’s supposed to do. Does it go out of its way to be controversial? Yes but the franchise has form for this. But let’s face it, these games are bought for their multiplayer component and that is where the franchise strength and innovation has always been. At present (Season 3) there are over forty multiplayer maps available in the game. Some of these are small and deliberately confined, offering rapid gameplay for small teams (2vs2). Then there are medium maps offering a more traditional multiplayer experience. Some of these are remakes of classic maps from CoD4, CoD MW2 and CoD MW3. And then there are the larger ground war maps, designed for 64 players in total. These offer a far more tactical approach to the game, rather than pure run and gun gameplay.
Out of all game modes, I enjoy Team Deathmatch the most. For me this is the most purest multiplayer experience to be found in CoD MW, unburdened with complexity or gimmicks. However in the latest instalment of the game, the degree of my enjoyment is very dependent upon which map is being played. Some such as Azhir Cave or Hackney Yard offer a sufficient variety of environments to afford the player a good choice in loadouts. These maps provide fluid gameplay but the players still have a choice of strategy. This is CoD MW at its best. However, the dial gets turned up to 11 on many of the smaller maps such as Gulag Showers. These are fine if they are played with the correct size team but if utilised with larger populations they become just a frenzied free-for-all. Spawn, spray gun fire, die, rinse and repeat. It’s manic gameplay that means that everyone will get a number of kills simply by random chance. And then there’s the Ground War maps which work best if each team plays in a collaborative and coordinated manner. Or else you spend half your time just trying to find where everyone else is at. Alternatively you can dig in and camp.
Then there’s the Plunder Mode, where the objective is to collect cash hidden around the map and then arrange for its collection. The principle is sound but the reality of the situation is not the same as the concept that is sold during the tutorial. The matches often take far too long. They’re limited to either 30 minutes maximum (which is forever in this fast paced genre) or until either squad has collectively banked $1 million. All too often the majority of players are concentrated in one area of the map, focusing on the same stash of money. These fights again just become a free for all, which makes them initially amusing but such an approach gets old quickly. Unlike the Warzone multiplayer experience there is no mechanic that forces the gameplay along or advances the situation. As a result Plunder Mode often descends into a “wee stooshie”, robbing players who crave a more measured approach of any measured fun.
Finally, Warzone is a surprisingly good attempt at the Battle Royale genre from the Call of Duty developers. It manages to add just enough innovation to the formula to make it sufficiently different from other games. The standout mechanic is the chance to re-enter the game, if you die early on. You respawn in the Gulag Showers map armed with just a sidearm and go one on one with another player. The victor is redeployed in the Warzone. Then there’s the looting in the actual combat zone itself, which is streamlined and equitable in the initial stages of the game. However, there is the ability to have prebuilt loadouts air dropped into the game and this can make a sizable difference to proceedings. Experienced players therefore tend to end the latter stages of the game better geared and with useful killstreaks and buffs. Warzone also works better with team based gameplay as this encourages a more proactive approach to exploring the map and seeking out the enemy.
As ever with multiplayer games, the wild card in the proceedings is the human element. If you play with a group of friends then you’ll more than likely find the engaging gameplay you seek. Play with strangers and it becomes far more of a lottery. Players will abandon pick up groups if they underachieve or differ in skill. Playing Warzone with 150 solo players is also a challenge. The sensible thing to do is the aim for where you think the centre of the ever decreasing circle will be, grab a weapon and find somewhere to dig in. You can frequently find yourself in the last remaining 20 players this way but it doesn’t make for the most compelling gameplay. Also joining a game populated by experienced players who know the maps well and have unlocked optimal loadouts can also make Team Deathmatch an uphill struggle. The flaw in most of the multiplayer permutations in CoD MW is that you have to play a lot to unlock resources and learn your way around before you get the most out of the game. Hence newer players may well become despondent at being cannon fodder and thus leave the game.
However, CoD MW has a saving grace that can throw a lifeline to new players who find themselves battling the learning curve. There is a multiplayer practise mode which allows you to play against bots of varying difficulty. It allows you to customise your loadout (and there is an insane amount of scope to customize your weaponry), pick a specific map and experiment with the various game modes. Furthermore, the AI of the bots is quite challenging. There is also a tutorial for Warzone, although it is confined to a specific part of the map (The Quarry) and doesn’t offer the scope of the other multiplayer practise modes. I would certainly recommend practise mode, especially for those players who dislike live PVP and its associated “culture”. Overall, Call of Duty Modern Warfare offers exactly what it claims to and if approached with the right mindset, will provide varying degrees of entertainment. If you have friends you can play with, then you’ll experience the best that the franchise can offer. As ever dedicated servers are sorely missed and every now and then you’ll have a poor game due to the players or the host quitting. The developers also need to come up with an incentive for players to stick around until the end of the match. However such issues have always been inherent with any sort of PvP. If you bear all of this in mind then the latest instalment of CoD can offer you hours of entertainment.
Sabotage (2014)
Arnold Schwarzenegger's return to the big screen after his political career has been uneven to say the least. His cameos in The Expendables and The Expendables 2 were well received, with their self referential charm and age related irony. Yet his first major movie The Last Stand, although competent, failed to find an audience. Escape Plan fared better at the box office but did not put Arnie back on the A list. Effectively there's a large percentage of the contemporary cinematic audience who were born after his heyday and are simply not overt fans of his work. His core audience is more than likely of the age group that consume most of their film entertainment at home. Which may explain why Sabotage tanked in the US upon release on March 28th 2014. It was the worst opening box office of Arnie's career. He used to break first day opening records.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's return to the big screen after his political career has been uneven to say the least. His cameos in The Expendables and The Expendables 2 were well received, with their self referential charm and age related irony. Yet his first major movie The Last Stand, although competent, failed to find an audience. Escape Plan fared better at the box office but did not put Arnie back on the A list. Effectively there's a large percentage of the contemporary cinematic audience who were born after his heyday and are simply not overt fans of his work. His core audience is more than likely of the age group that consume most of their film entertainment at home. Which may explain why Sabotage tanked in the US upon release on March 28th 2014. It was the worst opening box office of Arnie's career. He used to break first day opening records.
On paper Sabotage should work. Director David Ayer (Training Day) is capable of making a movie that are more than the sum of its parts and presenting us with a tale of loyalty among elite squads. Sadly he fails. Schwarzenegger strives to give a more in-depth performance as John “Breacher” Wharton, leader of a crack squad of DEA agents. Yet his endeavours are lost within the movie's numerous shortcomings. The cast are mainly wasted, being saddled with an immensely stupid, contradictory and mean spirited screenplay. Sporting such two dimensional names as “Neck,” “Monster” and “Tripod” there is precious little to like about the main characters. There's a lot of on screen violence but it is not in the usual idiom you'd expect from such a movie. It's just there because some producer thought that it was required. The dialogue is poor and littered with profanity that seems to be present to simply bolster the screenplay.
If you are looking for any kind of redeeming quality in Sabotage, then there is the spark of a decent subplot involving Olivia Williams and Harold Perrineau, playing the two officers investigating the alleged theft of ten million dollars by Wharton's team. There is a tangible sense of chemistry between them and they have some amusing banter. Sadly it does not have sufficient impact upon the rest of the movie with it's casual brutality, crass sexism and misogyny. If the film had been written from their point of view then it may well have been a superior product. As it stands Sabotage is perfunctory. I have no problem with a movie being earnestly dumb. It's when it's cynically dumb I feel that all involved should pause and take stock.
I am very curious as to what Schwarzenegger will do next because I think his immediate film has ground to a halt. It's curious that some box office stars and larger than life Hollywood legends have managed to maintain a successful career well into their autumn years. John Wayne and Clint Eastwood both maintained box office and critical acclaim well beyond their sixties. Sadly the contrived shenanigans of Sabotage are a far cry from True Grit and Gran Torino. Perhaps a change in direction away from action movies would be beneficial. Maybe a move to a major TV show would offer a chance for Arnold to find an appropriate audience.
COVID-19 Pandemic 2020 Part 4
I started displaying symptoms of COVID-19 on Sunday 5th April. I developed a headache, a raised temperature and muscle pains. And then the coughing started along with a sense of tightness in my chest. It was initially just uncomfortable and inconvenient. By Wednesday all symptoms had become much worse and I felt like I was in a constant bear hug. I was continuously trying to find a position where breathing wasn’t so painful and awkward. Due to the toll that fighting the virus was taking on my body, I was feeling very lethargic, despite sleeping at night for over 10 hours and napping during the day. I also noticed that I was continuously thirsty and was eating a great deal, to fuel my body’s immune system. Then on the evening of Friday 10th April I started to feel extremely cold. That evening was the worst I felt throughout the entire experience. Despite wrapping myself in a duvet and multiple blankets, I could not get warm. And then over the course of the weekend all symptoms started to decline. By Monday 13th April all that was left of COVID-19 was a sense of extreme fatigue. Something that will last for another week according to medical sources.
I started displaying symptoms of COVID-19 on Sunday 5th April. I developed a headache, a raised temperature and muscle pains. And then the coughing started along with a sense of tightness in my chest. It was initially just uncomfortable and inconvenient. By Wednesday all symptoms had become much worse and I felt like I was in a constant bear hug. I was continuously trying to find a position where breathing wasn’t so painful and awkward. Due to the toll that fighting the virus was taking on my body, I was feeling very lethargic, despite sleeping at night for over 10 hours and napping during the day. I also noticed that I was continuously thirsty and was eating a great deal, to fuel my body’s immune system. Then on the evening of Friday 10th April I started to feel extremely cold. That evening was the worst I felt throughout the entire experience. Despite wrapping myself in a duvet and multiple blankets, I could not get warm. And then over the course of the weekend all symptoms started to decline. By Monday 13th April all that was left of COVID-19 was a sense of extreme fatigue. Something that will last for another week according to medical sources.
Looking back at these events with a fresh sense of perspective, I was too preoccupied with dealing with my symptoms to be overly scared about my medical condition at the time. However, if my breathing had deteriorated any further I would have had to have sought medical attention. With hindsight I appreciate that this was a nerve racking experience for Mrs P who had to attend to me, while maintaining a safe distance. However, I managed to keep myself occupied during this nine day experience and felt this was a major contribution to maintaining a positive mental outlook and not giving into fear. Media coverage of COVID-19 tends to fall on the extreme end of the spectrum, which doesn’t entirely reflect reality of the disease. 80% of those that contract the virus develop mild symptoms, like those I had and are able to make a full recovery within 7 to 14 days. However, that being said, it was still far from a pleasant experience. The breathing related issues were my biggest concern and it must be terrifying for those who require hospitalisation and assistance with respiration.
Although there is not yet a comprehensive picture of all the effects of COVID-19, there is no overwhelming data to show that you can re-contract the virus. Hence, having survived my bout of illness, I feel a lot more comfortable when out and about. I had to visit the Pharmacist today and was not so concerned when other people broke the social distancing protocols. If you think about the lockdown policy logically, all it is designed to do is to slow the infection rate among the population, so as to not overwhelm the healthcare system. The lockdown does not guarantee that you will not contract COVID-19. You’d have to live in a clean room for that to be a reality. However, although I am relieved that I have come through this experience relatively unscathed, I am still observing social distancing rules at home to ensure that my family’s wider health is not put in jeopardy. The nightly new broadcasts are a sober reminder that although only a small percentage develop serious symptoms, it is a truly horrific experience for those who do.
Cutting Your Own Hair Part 2
Today my Panasonic ER-GB37 Wet & Dry Hair Trimmer arrived. As I suspected, once unpacked there was nothing excessively complex about this device or its operation. So I duly charged it for a couple of hours and then decided it was time to attempt to cut my own hair, as I haven’t had a haircut in over five weeks. The trimmer can cut to twenty different lengths between 10mm to 0.5mm. I opted for 6mm which equates to one quarter of an inch or Number #2 as some Barbers refer to it. I washed my hair and then went and sat outside at the garden table to make use of the natural sunlight. Rather than removing one of the various large wall mirrors that adorn our house, I opted to use a simple shaving mirror. This proved a sound choice as it comes with a stand. After a few deep breaths I began the process.
Today my Panasonic ER-GB37 Wet & Dry Hair Trimmer arrived. As I suspected, once unpacked there was nothing excessively complex about this device or its operation. So I duly charged it for a couple of hours and then decided it was time to attempt to cut my own hair, as I haven’t had a haircut in over five weeks. The trimmer can cut to twenty different lengths between 10mm to 0.5mm. I opted for 6mm which equates to one quarter of an inch or Number #2 as some Barbers refer to it. I washed my hair and then went and sat outside at the garden table to make use of the natural sunlight. Rather than removing one of the various large wall mirrors that adorn our house, I opted to use a simple shaving mirror. This proved a sound choice as it comes with a stand. After a few deep breaths I began the process.
I am happy to report that this wasn’t as difficult a chore as I suspected. I am right handed and could reach most of my head quite easily. Naturally the back and the nape of the neck proved tricky and I had to request Mrs P’s assistance for these areas. There were a few moments where it felt a little awkward and trimming around my ears took the most attention. Overall it went well and I am pleased with the results. I took off the plastic guard from the trimmer blades to fine tune my sideburns and Mrs P then used a safety razor to tidy up my lower neck. I was glad that the good weather allowed me to do this outside as I wouldn’t have wanted the mess that was made to have occurred indoors. It looked like someone had set about a Badger with a strimmer. This entire process was observed by both my neighbours who seemed sceptical of its success initially.
Under the current “lockdown” conditions, I am glad that this enterprise went well. My hair may not be especially stylish at present but it is short and evenly cut and shouldn’t need another cut for three to four weeks. I will visit my 90 year old Father tomorrow and offer to cut his hair as he is currently sporting a what can only be described as a Worzel Gummidge look. A friend jokingly said that now that I’ve successfully cut my own hair is there any need for me to pay for a haircut ever again? Well as far as I’m concerned the answer is yes. Cutting my own hair is a convenient compromise but I much prefer my monthly visits to my local Barbershop. Getting your haircut is only half the pleasure of going. I enjoy the social interaction with the staff and find the entire process extremely relaxing. That’s not an experience I can duplicate at home.
Bullroarer Update 26 Preview #1
Standing Stone Games are currently previewing Update 26 for The Lord of the Rings Online on the Bullroarer Test Server. The new zone, the Wells of Langflood, follows in the idiom of Vale of Anduin with a comparable aesthetic. However, as this region is further north and at a higher altitude, there is a prevailing mist in most areas. The landscape also slowly climbs North as you approach where the arms of the Misty Mountains and Ered Mithrin meet. Overall it is a bright and colourful zone filled with wildlife. However, there are also various mobs from Mount Gundabad and several advance camps of Trolls and Orcs. There are also numerous Dwarven ruins indicating their historical presence in the region. The Eagles also feature in the area and obviously appear in several of the zones quest storylines.
Standing Stone Games are currently previewing Update 26 for The Lord of the Rings Online on the Bullroarer Test Server. The new zone, the Wells of Langflood, follows in the idiom of Vale of Anduin with a comparable aesthetic. However, as this region is further north and at a higher altitude, there is a prevailing mist in most areas. The landscape also slowly climbs North as you approach where the arms of the Misty Mountains and Ered Mithrin meet. Overall it is a bright and colourful zone filled with wildlife. However, there are also various mobs from Mount Gundabad and several advance camps of Trolls and Orcs. There are also numerous Dwarven ruins indicating their historical presence in the region. The Eagles also feature in the area and obviously appear in several of the zones quest storylines.
There are four stables in Wells of Langflood. Limlók is the main Beorning settlement in an area called Floodfells. Further North there’s a second smaller settlement, Thokvist, just off the central road that traverses the zone from North to South. This area called Misthallow is quite small and penned in by mountains to the East and the river Anduin to the West. Further North there is the area known as Framsburg, which was the ancient home of the Éothéod, the ancestors of the Rohirrim. Many of the ruins are now home to Trolls and Orcs. And at the very Northern Apex of the map there is a third stable of Hlithseld. This area is more mountainous with narrow, twisting paths, overlooking ancient Dwarven remains. The new zone ends here at Elderslade and obviously will lead at a future date into Gundalok. There is a road that leads to the North East to the West of Rushgate.
The fourth stable is by far the most intriguing. It is located in the hidden village of Lyndelby which lies to the West of Framsburg on the opposite side of the river. It is accessed via a narrow winding path through a mountainous ravine and lies nestled in the arms of the Misty Mountains and North of the river Langwell. This secret valley is lush and fertile and home to Holbytlan, possibly the River Hobbits that SSG alluded to recently. It makes sense canonically that such a settlement could exist and their proximity to the Éothéod explains why Holbytlan appear in the legends of the Rohirrim. The mountain also shields this Hobbit community from an enemy enclave at Sundergrót. Among the Dwarven ruins, the enemy has siege engines and other weapons of war. Access to this area is via a makeshift bridge that traverses the Anduin and along a path West.
The Wells of Langflood is an agreeable new zone. If you enjoyed the ambience of the Vale of Anduin, then this is more of the same. There are numerous mountainous vistas with impressive views and the ambient music is once again integral to the atmosphere of the zone. As ever, about a third of the area shown on the map is inaccessible and SSG have done their usual trick of using the environment to funnel the player from quest hub to quest hub. I am definitely looking forward to returning to such a bright and verdant zone region having spent several months in Imlad Morgul, which I found to be a depressing and gloomy environment . As ever please note that Bullroarer is a test server and there is always scope for content to change prior to its release to the live game.
In addition to the pictures in this post, here is a link to a gallery of screenshots via Google Photos. All are available at the original screen resolution of 1920 x 1200.
