back at it

Some quick thoughts:

– I was reading an article about “epic wins” in video games, and the term “Nintendo-hard” was used several times.  This got me thinking about really difficult video games as as sort of twisted, eight-bit life lesson.  Do serious video game players of my era tend to be exceptionally stubborn, or exceptionally focused?  And, will the current movement to shorter, easier, more forgiving games result in more casual (but probably more social) people?

More generally, now that video games are functionally mainstream, what will the mainstream games (Gears, Halo, etc) teach people?  And not about things like “values” (which I’m sure that Gears does a great job of), but about subconcious things like effort, flow, and focus?

– I’d also like to point you towards the work of Zoe Keating, who plays ‘cello with herself, using a Lidell / Final Fantasy-esq collection of looping pedals.  She also does not sing, which immediately ranks her above Owen Pallett.

– Finally, what if there was a computer virus that downloaded music on to your computer, on the sly?