Time for a reboot!

I've been a little disappointed in myself over the last six months and my complete lack of posts. Much has happen in my life so I can't really blame a lack of content, I've just failed to find the time to pen it to paper … um, electronic pages.

Given that I perceive this blog as a kind of electronic journal its pretty useless as a retrospective view of my goings on if I don't make any post. So it is time for a reboot of virtualsteve as I still think it has place online, all be it a small.

I hope to spend the next fortnight or so catching up on some of the many posts I've told myself I'll write over the last six months. Covering a number of subjects from almost buying a block of land to moving in with the family in law. As well mush lighter subjects such as reviews on the movies I've seen and the video games I've completed.

So tune back in it'll be a shotgun ride for the next month or so and then hopefully this new found passion will persist and I'll get back to making a post or three every week ...

My take on the 'No Russian' scene of Modern Warfare 2

I’ve recently found some time (no scrap that) made some time to enjoy one of more controversial hobbies.

I began writing this post with the intention that anyone not as familiar with the video game industry could still understand my key points. As it is an opinion piece on the evolution of interactive media but I kept getting bogged down in the introduction so I’ve decided to go with a different tact.

About a fortnight ago, Infinity Ward (a software developer) released what was dubbed and pretty much attained the title of “biggest game release in history”. Famous for their ‘Call of Duty’ franchise this title was unique in two ways. If was the first time the company had created a sequel using the same story arc to an existing title and the first time they’d dropped the tag ‘Call of Duty’ from the game title.

‘Modern Warfare 2’ (MW2) is the sequel to the record breaking ‘Call of Duty 4:Modern Warfare’ (CoD4) and although a 1st person shooter the original title was ground breaking in both its single player story telling technique as well as its addictive ultra competitive multiplayer modes. The original title is easily one of the most successful titles on this generations hardware and available on Xbox 360, PS3 and traditional PC.

I must admit I missed the ‘Call of Duty’ band wagon favouring more arcade style shooters such as Halo which places a one man army against an intergalactic threat. The ‘Call of Duty’ franchise is far more contemporary pitting two or more human forces against each other with near real world inspired weaponry. Originally set in World War 2 each ‘Call of Duty’ game traditionally provides a handful of playable characters typically from multiple factions of the same alliance through a fictitious but history inspired theatre of war.

Given my almost non-existent experience with the World War 2 titles it’s safe to assume that my comments are restricted to the Modern Warfare variants. Given its key to my observations is should also be noted that both CoD4 and MW2 both have a ‘Mature’ rating and earlier titles where rated a more relaxed ‘Teen’. Essentially the realism of the violence is more confronting with the advancements in technology between the latter titles and those released earlier in the decade.

As you might imagine the enemy of the Modern Warfare titles is terrorism, and a factitious Russian private military organisation are the wrong doers of the games universe. 24-48 hours before the sequel was released the world media went into melt down reporting on a mission in the game that placed the player as a Terrorist during a raid on innocent civilians throughout a busy Airport.

It single handily ruined one of the more confronting and admittedly controversial interactive entertainment experiences of the decade. Being an avid gamer I consumed the world media’s interest in my own hobby despite its obvious negative connotations and innocently spoilt my potential reaction to the scenario.

The game essentially pits you as an undercover operative trying to gain the trust of a terrorist cell as they terrorise an Airport with fully automatic weapons with catastrophic casualties. I found the experience to be particularly alarming due to the constant sound effects of screaming civilians more so that the visual cues. However I knew it was in the game and anticipated it occurring to the point where I had pre-meditated my reaction and refrained from killing any unarmed assailants but crossed a grey line when police forces arrived to retaliate our (the terrorists) actions.

In the end it was all for nothing as my actions where inconsequential and the story played out as the developers intended, and while much criticism for how the story was told has been printed I’m more annoyed that the surprise was ruined. Due to Infinity Wards innovation and the controversial nature of the subject matter the world media essentially to borrow a film’s paradigm blabbered “Dr. Malcolm Crowe is Dead” on the eve of the “Sixth Sense” Premier screening.

It is said that the average age of a gamer is around 30 years old, yet a video game aimed at adults exploring adult themes can be spoilt. Instead of reading the plot like in a book or watching the screenplay unfold similar to a movie because elements of interaction are necessary to progress the same linear story line it is considered untasteful, inconsiderate and unfit for society.

I guess it is the freshness and constant evolution of the media that increases its appeal to me but how narrow minded people such as Michael Atkinson can continue fighting against the legitimacy of adult only games still baffles me ...

Not Communal!

Well I’m three days into this new communication forum and it’s time for a good old fashion rant!

To set the scene I started a new job around a month ago as a Software Consultant. As is the norm in the IT services industry you don’t always have billable work for all your staff all the time so the metaphor of a ‘bench’ is used to describe anyone between engagements. Think of a basketball game and the interchange players are on the ‘bench’ or colloquially as he say here in Australia on the ‘Pine’.

The thing is while not billable on a client’s site I’m currently commuting to the head office and working on internal projects where applicable, interweaved with the regular HR and administration staff the company uses to keep the place running. As with all workplaces we have a lunchroom well that’s being a little generous it’s more like a lunch alcove but it does have a fridge, microwave, kettle and sandwich toaster.

Given that it's the middle of July and that means middle of winter for us south of the equator folk I’ve gotten into the habit of bringing in a couple of sandwiches and toasting them up.

Following good toasted sandwich practice I leave the bread unbuttered and come toasting time I butter the outsides of the bread place it in the toaster and bob’s my uncle. That was until today! Today was a dark day for my toasted sandwich routine! After taking my sandwich from the fridge and plugging in the toaster I turned back to the fridge for the margarine that was conveniently in there. Only to find a note attached to the top of the tub ‘Not Communal’

I mean seriously how can margarine not be communal? It's not like a bar fridge should have 18 tubs of margarine in it or anything. I was tempted to secure $5.00 to the top of the freaking tub and use it anyway but I figured why rustle feathers when you're only in that office on the odd occasion. Surely a little give and take would be appropriate here.

It's like a slither of margarine a day for crying out loud ...