Month: March 2008

Don’t Copy That Floppy!

Hi guys,

I don’t know how many of you have seen this video already, but I figured I’d post it since it offers a perspective on ownership, copyright, and videogames…from 1992. Yes, it shows. Painfully so.

Don’t Copy That Floppy was part of a campaign by the Software Publisher’s Association to discourage people from copying games, and it features the rap stylings of M.E. Hart as “MC Double Def DP” (the DP is for “disk protector”). It’s kind of interesting to be reminded that these issues have been around for quite a while and not just since the widespread adoption of the internet.

Enjoy.

[youtube -Xfqkdh5Js4]

Independence

In short, our video is a mashup of the film Independence Day with music that seemed more appropriate for a zany (and apparently sci-fi) romantic comedy. We then edited shots, dialogue, and recorded narration to suit any trailer for a Rob Reiner-directed romantic comedy (only infinitely and purposefully worse than Rob Reiner – more like if Roland Emmerich decided to make a romantic comedy). The result is, we hope, hilarious.

Our goal was not, as in the case of the mashup for The Shining, to completely change the tone of the source material, but rather to highlight under the signifiers of romantic comedy the frivolity that Independence Day seems to exhibit as a sci-fi/action genre film. We believe our video accomplished these goals inasmuch that Independence, our mashup film, seems to distort the story of the original film into a romantic comedy (we’ll let you see who falls in love with whom). Moreover, it doesn’t seem to take itself seriously, much like the original source material. To see exactly what we mean, check out the original Independence Day trailer and the British television version of the trailer.

Happyfun.
-Derek & Jessie

[youtube B5xlojeUk3k]

I’m a Playa

After playing Guitar Hero and developing a split-second obsession with it today, I realized that the medium of the guitar controller is totally different than the stock console controllers used today (aside from the Wii). It kind of brought me back to my Duck Hunt days, when I pointed that bright orange plastic gun at the television screen. Anyway, I figured I’d share that little flashback in gaming that I experienced today.

Another thing I wanted to discuss (which is totally irrelevant to what was previously said) is the totally new platform for gaming that the iPhone will deliver… once developers get their hands on the new SDK developing software made for Apple by Apple (FABA). With its built in “accelerator,” Apple iPhone gaming reaches a whole new level where the person interacting just moves the iPhone around and gets instantaneous results in the game. If you’d like to dig deeper and see what I actually mean, check out this link to an article where this quote is taken from:

“The iPhone’s three-axis accelerometer and touch screen is earning the most comparisons to Nintendo’s Wii and its remote. To that end, Adams suggests that game publishers — and consumers — may want to take note of what’s happened in that market.”

MacWorld Article

Tie-in game

Here’s an example of an older tie-in game from the South Park series. It’s funny and easy to play, but the argument could be made that it addresses some issues of real importance. Check it out.
http://www.southparkstudios.com/games/cc/rescue/index.jhtml

Favre

Bret Favre recently retired from the NFL after 17 seasons as a quarterback. He holds pretty much every significant passing record. But the endless highlights and newspaper articles fail to accurately capture his greatness. Leave it to 16 years of video game appearances to fully show how great Favre was. Check out this post for screen caps and commentary on various games throughout Favre career. While it says it is a 16 page article, the article is only a few paragraphs per page—the rest is a screen cap and user comments. I recommend skipping around. While the focus of this piece is to show Favre through the ages, it also shows quite a bit about football video games. I really enjoyed this and any Madden fans need to take a look.

http://sports.ign.com/articles/858/858013p1.html

adventure!

I referenced old-fashioned text adventures in my response post, but I’d just like to point everyone a little more explicitly to Scott Adams’ adventures, available, as far as I know, free for download at his website and several other places. It makes me a pretty hopeless geek to know the name Scott Adams as related to this archaic gaming style, but they’re actually surprisingly fun, and definitely challenging. I’m dreadful at them, so I only play with them once every three years or so, but just as the popularity of weird things like radio drama is on the rise, so is the popularity of the text adventure (also known as interactive fiction) as an art form and story-telling device. Not really unlike Choose Your Own Adventure, but with some more possibilities, and less dying… usually. Not with this game, though.

Ownership and video games

http://games.asobrain.com/index.html

Hi everyone. The above links to a site with a few java games (which, I’m sorry to say, require free registration), most of which I have never heard of or seen. One of the games, however, is entitled “Xplorers” and to those in the know is a blatant copy of the German board game Settlers of Catan designed by Klaus Teuber. There’s even a disclaimer at the bottom of the site that states that “Xplorers” has “no connection” with “The Settlers of Catan” or Klaus Teuber.

This obviously ties in with our discussion in previous classes of “legitimate” authorship and ownership, and highlights the fact that video games are subject to the same kinds of issues that surround digital music and video remixing. In this particular case, at least, AsoBrain (the site that runs the game) does not seem to be obviously making any kind of profit off of The Settlers of Catan, and may in fact be stimulating increased interest in the board game. In terms of connectivity, I can now play Settlers of Catan (which is a wonderful game if you ever have the chance to check it out) with my little brothers back home…and I’ll probably end up getting them expansions or variations of the game for birthday or Christmas presents.

That having been said, are there any ethical issues that arise in making “clones” of video games (without modifying or critiquing those games)? Does anyone else know of specific instances where there might be “questionable” authorship and ownership of video games?

the sims

As we get into the video gaming portion of the course, I decided to finally start playing the Sims 2 game for Playstation 2 that I bought a few months ago. It is one of those games that once you start you can’t really stop because it takes a lot of time and patience to create the perfect environment. It’s really unsatisfying to pause the game when your Sim has needs for: social, bladder, hygiene, hunger, fun, energy, comfort, and room. There is never a point where the Sim doesn’t need something. And there is always room for growth in the game, whether your Sim needs a new job, a romance, another house. It’s interesting how today’s culture is intrigued by simulation games and living through the lives of animated characters.

I’d be interested in hearing people’s experiences on Second Life and what that is like in comparison to the Sims…?

NIN Ghosts

Hey guys,

It looks like the Nine Inch Nails are following the marketing strategy that made In Rainbows a chart topper. They have released a new album called Ghosts which is available (9 of 25 tracks) for free on their site. It has minimal vocals and is designed to be remixed and mashed in a style similar to the Black Album. Download it here!
If any of you remember the days of Napster and its demise you will realize the hypocrisy of NIN’s release.

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Madness? This is DAYLIGHT SAVINGS!!

So just an interesting experience I had yesterday concerning the whole “spring forward” deal. See, I didn’t realize that daylight savings started yesterday. I’m horrible with remembering these kinds of things. And yet, when I had to meet my friends at 3, I made it on time. How could this be? It’s simple!

I don’t use any kind of time-telling device that isn’t automatically monitored to adjust for daylight savings!

i.e. Technology stole an hour away from my life.

The only clock I have that I needed to adjust manually was my wristwatch, which I didn’t notice was wrong until now because I have a hard time using it (it’s analog; I can’t read it well). I use my cellphone or computer for everything else. I had a radio alarm clock, but I got rid of it once I discovered how much easier and efficient it is to just use my cell.

I’ve never had this happen to me before, so I thought it might be kind of interesting to share it with you all.

🙂