My apartment building caught fire yesterday. Which is a helluva way to start a morning. I'm fine and, by virtue of being in the back on the sixth floor, my unit was somehow untouched. But it did mean I was outside on the New York sidewalk at 5:30 in the morning watching firemen fight a fire… Continue reading So My Apartment Building Caught Fire
Month: May 2017
Creative Exchange (and Video Games)
Video games borrow a lot from movies. Snake, on the original box art for Metal Gear, is played by Michael Biehn. Or at least someone who looks just like him. Contra’s box makes it look like you’ll be playing John Matrix and John Rambo taking on the Xenomorph from Alien. But then there’s Halo, which… Continue reading Creative Exchange (and Video Games)
The Problem With Narrative Sidequests
One of the most striking features of the planet Elaaden is a huge derelict Remnant ship. Sticking out broken over the desert planet, the ship could hold answers for the mystery of the old killer robots that populate Mass Effect: Andromeda. The latest game in the Mass Effect video game series has a strong focus… Continue reading The Problem With Narrative Sidequests
Normalizing The Different
It’s easy to dislike folks you don’t know. They’re different. They look weird. You have no horse in their race. They’re those people. The Unknowable Other. But it’s hard to keep up this mindset, that of the Them, the Other, after you’ve met said other. When you take the time to recognize them as a… Continue reading Normalizing The Different