Bits and bobs
Yesterday I stumbled across this absolutely wonderful article that anybody interested in the evolving gaming medium should read, whether or not they own a PS3 and will be geeking out to Uncharted 2 in a couple of months like I will. It's an interview with Amy Hennig and Evan Wells of Naughty Dog (also known as: best PS3 developer evaaaaarr) that discusses, among another things, the "uncanny valley of characterization" that is emerging now that video game characters are becoming more realistic and well-formed. Meaning, there's an increasing disconnect between: "Hey, that Nathan Drake, he seems like a pretty charming fella" and the 400+ bodycount our charming Nathan Drake accumulates by the end of the game.
The more I hear Amy Hennig talk, the more I love her. I mean hello, awesome female writer/creative director determined to chuck gaming stereotypes out the window, and tell stories not often attempted in the medium? YES. It recently came to my attention that she was the writer behind the Legacy of Kain series as well, which Luke just adores, and I appreciate for its very unusual/archaic approach to a vampire story (these vamps don't even resemble human beings, yet they're still all sophistication)... and, of course, the surprisingly compelling writing.
Anyway, a fabulous read about the changing industry, and if this doesn't sell the non-believer on how frelling awesome and groundbreaking Uncharted 2 is going to be, I don't know what will. Other than the completely adorable panel with the cast at Comic-Con? Seriously: Nolan North, I don't even like beer, but I'd have one with you!
In other news: it's been an exhuasting first week back. Jointly, Luke and I had one of the worst days of work in recent memory, so we tried to console ourselves with an extravagant homemade steak dinner. Unfortunately, my stomach rebelled in the middle of the night, which was extremely unpleasant and cost me precious hours of sleep. Thus, the Extra Bold espresso drink sitting on my desk right now. *facepalm* I'm so good to myself.
Randomly, we're on a serious classic-lit adaptations kick, and I don't think it's set to end anytime soon. Our Netflix queue is pretty much dedicated to Charles Dickens and Jane Austen right now, among other prolific writers of the yesterage. We're watching the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice for the first time ever, and I just adore it so far - especially the woman who plays Lizzie. So much more likeable and nuanced than Keira Knightley in the recent movie, as much as I loooooved Matthew Macfadyen as Darcy in that (he's the main reason I rented Little Dorrit in the first place, and it ended up being a wise decision). It's interesting, because Luke has only seen the old black-and-white version of P&P, which he remembers very fondly... he refused to see the latest movie when it came out, due to his loathing for Keira Knightley. But now I think he's torn, because he loved Matthew Macfadyen almost as much as I did in Little Dorrit. Ha. His taste in men is almost as good as his taste in women.
Anne Lamott and Meredith Ann Pierce have been inspiring me to bravely re-work and salvage some of my original writing, which is always a daunting process. But I'm determined to kick this "I suck and will never finish" conviction, because there are so many sucktacular writers in the world who make it just because they actually have something called discipline (omg give me some?), along with another something called motivation (please?!). I want these things. I shall quest for them!
The more I hear Amy Hennig talk, the more I love her. I mean hello, awesome female writer/creative director determined to chuck gaming stereotypes out the window, and tell stories not often attempted in the medium? YES. It recently came to my attention that she was the writer behind the Legacy of Kain series as well, which Luke just adores, and I appreciate for its very unusual/archaic approach to a vampire story (these vamps don't even resemble human beings, yet they're still all sophistication)... and, of course, the surprisingly compelling writing.
Anyway, a fabulous read about the changing industry, and if this doesn't sell the non-believer on how frelling awesome and groundbreaking Uncharted 2 is going to be, I don't know what will. Other than the completely adorable panel with the cast at Comic-Con? Seriously: Nolan North, I don't even like beer, but I'd have one with you!
In other news: it's been an exhuasting first week back. Jointly, Luke and I had one of the worst days of work in recent memory, so we tried to console ourselves with an extravagant homemade steak dinner. Unfortunately, my stomach rebelled in the middle of the night, which was extremely unpleasant and cost me precious hours of sleep. Thus, the Extra Bold espresso drink sitting on my desk right now. *facepalm* I'm so good to myself.
Randomly, we're on a serious classic-lit adaptations kick, and I don't think it's set to end anytime soon. Our Netflix queue is pretty much dedicated to Charles Dickens and Jane Austen right now, among other prolific writers of the yesterage. We're watching the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice for the first time ever, and I just adore it so far - especially the woman who plays Lizzie. So much more likeable and nuanced than Keira Knightley in the recent movie, as much as I loooooved Matthew Macfadyen as Darcy in that (he's the main reason I rented Little Dorrit in the first place, and it ended up being a wise decision). It's interesting, because Luke has only seen the old black-and-white version of P&P, which he remembers very fondly... he refused to see the latest movie when it came out, due to his loathing for Keira Knightley. But now I think he's torn, because he loved Matthew Macfadyen almost as much as I did in Little Dorrit. Ha. His taste in men is almost as good as his taste in women.
Anne Lamott and Meredith Ann Pierce have been inspiring me to bravely re-work and salvage some of my original writing, which is always a daunting process. But I'm determined to kick this "I suck and will never finish" conviction, because there are so many sucktacular writers in the world who make it just because they actually have something called discipline (omg give me some?), along with another something called motivation (please?!). I want these things. I shall quest for them!