I should be in New Orleans right now, but instead I'm sitting at home counting down the clock until I have to head out and do something in the outside world.
My friends invited my along to their weekend away from Austin to take New Orleans by storm and enjoy the city. It would have been my second visit to the town. I unfortunately did not get my day off request approved because two others had already gotten their own requests approved and that brought the team to a number that left us backlogged all day long.
Yes, work did stink this week, and I am so glad I'm not there right now.
The last time I visited New Orleans was when we decided to head out on a Saturday night and spend some time through the week there. I car pooled with my friend Seth, his wife, and my friend Emory. We hit the road after I got done with my serving shift and traveled the dark road throughout the night. 55 took us all the way there, and there were some interesting side trips that were seen.
Late night White Castle, late night gas stations that looked run down and barely open. I swear that one of the gas stations was recently re-opened after being abandoned for months, and the only update they made was hanging an open sign up. I've never seen bathroom graffiti so dark and outright hateful.
I think I stayed up for all of the drive save for some nodding in and out. Seth drove the whole time. As we went down the highway and the sun was rising, I remember seeing a deer walk on to the road after we passed it, and a fox hanging around the side of the road.
I think we headed out when we first got there. I don't remember because sleep wasn't happening for me. But the sites and sounds, and the tales of drunken tomfoolery. I realize that these tales of drunken times are about as interesting as hearing someone describe a dream, but I'm going to get to some of the highlights.
It really was the first time I woke up and someone shoved a beer in my face. The idea of drinks in the morning wasn't sitting with me, but that is what the event called for. I will say that I had a hangover on that first day, and it was terrible.
For some idiotic reason, I decided that wearing sunglasses at night would be the way to go. Yeah, I was stupid.
There was some good food had. I did try a bunch of seafood, something that I didn't eat much of. Call me weird, but if it came in from the sea and was frozen then I don't want it. Give me the fresh stuff. This was pre-oil spill in the city, so I ate a lot of good food. Crawfish poboys, oysters, and other delights sizzled my taste buds. As did Arby's. For some reason, that made a good hangover breakfast. Hey, I wasn't that smart years ago, but roast beef in the morning was delightful.
We did Bourbon street and hung out at some of the oldest bars in the country. Bars that were only lit up by candlelight and only took cash. There was one bar we went to and they only served good beer. As in, if you ordered bud light or miller, they would refuse to serve you. I was obviously drunk when trying to order, and the bartender clearly wanted nothing to do with me when I tried to order something domestic. It was like being served by a hipster before hipsters were a thing.
I got to see the Mississippi river and watch the waters a bit. We walked around to the area near our hotel and walked down neighborhood streets. I sat on a trolley and had some fantastic foods at cafes everywhere.
If I'm jealous about anything with my friends there now and me not being there, it is that I can't enjoy the food that is everywhere that oozes deliciousness. The drinking would have gotten out of hand, and my wallet really wouldn't like me. So instead I'll hang around this town and be envious of all the photos and videos that I'm seeing them upload.
Jett Thoughts
From the back of my head to the tips of my fingers. These are words of a life being lived.
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Saturday, September 3, 2016
On Her Birthday, I Will Watch The Cubs
For all the wrong reasons, I remember the first time I met Mark Elder, one of the salesmen for Gaggle at the time.
I was driving the Daewoo at the time, and I was in the middle of dropping him off at a hotel that was literally down the road from where I lived. He hopped out of the car at the same time that my mother was calling me. I looked at the phone, and being the bad driver at the time, answered the call as Mark got out of the car. I was pulling away from the hotel entrance as my mom was on the other end of the line telling me that my grandmother had passed away. My grandmother lived literally one block away, closer to me than the hotel was.
I don't remember the rest of that call, but I do remember calling my ex and telling her what had happened. She was shocked and said she was sorry, and I told her that I wouldn't be home right away, that I was going to her apartment. I think she offered to also be there, but I said no.
I parked across the street from her apartment, a little two bedroom place where she had one bedroom entirely devoted to baseball cards. Floor to ceiling, shelf upon shelf, there stood a huge collection. She loved to organize and collect them. I parked across the street and proceeded to her front door.
Her front door was open, save for the closed screen door. There was a police officer on the other side, and as I approached, he looked like he didn't know what to do. He halfway opened the screen door, and I believe he thought I was someone else that they were expecting. I opened the door and....
My grandmother had died from cardiac arrest, as they would find out later on. She was there in her night clothes, had the attack, and fell face forward. It had been some time between that happening and my aunt Barb checking on her only to find out the bad news first.
The last time I saw my grandmother alive is something that, thankfully, still sits in my mind. I had gone over with the ex after a night of working, so I was still in my restaurant clothes. It must have been a weekend night. We were all sitting there as she was going through the collection of baseball cards that she had recently bought after saving up some money for a few months. She was organizing them while sitting on her couch. Me and the ex were sitting around and just shooting the shit with her. It became time to go, and I remember my grandmother offering me a lass of wine or anything to drink. I declined. This is one of those moments that if I had a time machine, I would go back, have that glass of wine, and enjoy the night away.
Not knowing the future, I declined that glass of white zinfandel.
I went over to the couch to hug her and say good bye. She looked up at me with puppy dog eyes. I noted then that they looked like they were crying. I look back at it and with the knowledge of the future, I wonder if she knew this would be the last time I saw her. The story teller in me says that she did, the realist in me knows that she was sad I was leaving.
The next time that I opened the door to her place, she was face down with her head nearest to the door. Almost as if she stood up from where she was at where I last saw her and she fell towards the door.
I took a deep breath in. I saw the shocked faces of the other officer that was in the room and the coroner that was looking over the scene. Obviously, I should 't have been there. I don't know what was said, but basically the coroner had apologized and I went to sit in the back of a police car with an officer. Having not been in this position before, it was rather interesting. The officer joked with me a bit about the baseball card collection, and we both wondered if that year or the next would be it for the Cubs. The Cubs were the number one team that my grandmother loved, and she taught me that love from a young age that I still carry to this day, despite growing up right outside of the St, Louis area.
The coroner came in to the car, apologized again about me being at the scene when it was something that I shouldn't have seen. I waived the apology off and thanked her and the officer for being there and for what they have done. After that, I don't remember much. I know that I went home and ate something. I remember, vaguely, talking to the ex about what happened. I didn't take off work the next few days. I didn't cry much at all. I would spend the next couple of days with family as a new drama unfolded with an aunt in Seattle, which on reflection showed me that some family can be so fickle and so bitchy.
She kept crossword puzzles for me, shared her love of the Cubs with me, and I know held me close in her thoughts. The feelings of regret and not seeing her more often or not spending time that final night with her only ring so much in my memory because she is not here anymore.
I know when the Cubs win the world series I will raise a glass in her memory. I have a ton of memories with her, each one held close in my heart and mind. Between holidays and time just enjoying an afternoon baseball game, I'll always have those times. She was my Granny.
I was driving the Daewoo at the time, and I was in the middle of dropping him off at a hotel that was literally down the road from where I lived. He hopped out of the car at the same time that my mother was calling me. I looked at the phone, and being the bad driver at the time, answered the call as Mark got out of the car. I was pulling away from the hotel entrance as my mom was on the other end of the line telling me that my grandmother had passed away. My grandmother lived literally one block away, closer to me than the hotel was.
I don't remember the rest of that call, but I do remember calling my ex and telling her what had happened. She was shocked and said she was sorry, and I told her that I wouldn't be home right away, that I was going to her apartment. I think she offered to also be there, but I said no.
I parked across the street from her apartment, a little two bedroom place where she had one bedroom entirely devoted to baseball cards. Floor to ceiling, shelf upon shelf, there stood a huge collection. She loved to organize and collect them. I parked across the street and proceeded to her front door.
Her front door was open, save for the closed screen door. There was a police officer on the other side, and as I approached, he looked like he didn't know what to do. He halfway opened the screen door, and I believe he thought I was someone else that they were expecting. I opened the door and....
My grandmother had died from cardiac arrest, as they would find out later on. She was there in her night clothes, had the attack, and fell face forward. It had been some time between that happening and my aunt Barb checking on her only to find out the bad news first.
The last time I saw my grandmother alive is something that, thankfully, still sits in my mind. I had gone over with the ex after a night of working, so I was still in my restaurant clothes. It must have been a weekend night. We were all sitting there as she was going through the collection of baseball cards that she had recently bought after saving up some money for a few months. She was organizing them while sitting on her couch. Me and the ex were sitting around and just shooting the shit with her. It became time to go, and I remember my grandmother offering me a lass of wine or anything to drink. I declined. This is one of those moments that if I had a time machine, I would go back, have that glass of wine, and enjoy the night away.
Not knowing the future, I declined that glass of white zinfandel.
I went over to the couch to hug her and say good bye. She looked up at me with puppy dog eyes. I noted then that they looked like they were crying. I look back at it and with the knowledge of the future, I wonder if she knew this would be the last time I saw her. The story teller in me says that she did, the realist in me knows that she was sad I was leaving.
The next time that I opened the door to her place, she was face down with her head nearest to the door. Almost as if she stood up from where she was at where I last saw her and she fell towards the door.
I took a deep breath in. I saw the shocked faces of the other officer that was in the room and the coroner that was looking over the scene. Obviously, I should 't have been there. I don't know what was said, but basically the coroner had apologized and I went to sit in the back of a police car with an officer. Having not been in this position before, it was rather interesting. The officer joked with me a bit about the baseball card collection, and we both wondered if that year or the next would be it for the Cubs. The Cubs were the number one team that my grandmother loved, and she taught me that love from a young age that I still carry to this day, despite growing up right outside of the St, Louis area.
The coroner came in to the car, apologized again about me being at the scene when it was something that I shouldn't have seen. I waived the apology off and thanked her and the officer for being there and for what they have done. After that, I don't remember much. I know that I went home and ate something. I remember, vaguely, talking to the ex about what happened. I didn't take off work the next few days. I didn't cry much at all. I would spend the next couple of days with family as a new drama unfolded with an aunt in Seattle, which on reflection showed me that some family can be so fickle and so bitchy.
She kept crossword puzzles for me, shared her love of the Cubs with me, and I know held me close in her thoughts. The feelings of regret and not seeing her more often or not spending time that final night with her only ring so much in my memory because she is not here anymore.
I know when the Cubs win the world series I will raise a glass in her memory. I have a ton of memories with her, each one held close in my heart and mind. Between holidays and time just enjoying an afternoon baseball game, I'll always have those times. She was my Granny.
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Blargh Blargh Something Something Blargh
This is going to be a difficult work week.
With a team of 6 and two take the week off, it will be tense. It feels like every caller is angry, tired of long waits, and needs something simple like their password updated because they forgot it and they can't remember how to follow simple password recovery techniques.
Sigh.
Weeks like this drain me the fuck out, and makes the night time seem to go by way too fast. I work a little overtime and I don't get paid overtime. Why do I do it? Because I want to be good at the job.
My head is spinning as my self confidence is doing flip flops because I'm overthinking everything right now instead of just enjoying the moment.
It is weird. Here I am forgetting the simple things in life, in just reveling in the moment and being proud I'm doing something a little different. I hold back when I shouldn't, and I forget to embrace the day.
Sometimes I don't remember that writing and creating helps free me of this anxiety and helps to expose those feelings locked down inside. I want to take it and push it out, make those doubts and disbelief fade away as I remember who it is I am.
Too often do I like to throw up the question, without realizing I have the answer locked inside my head. I'm sticking in the sandpit of doubt while the strong arms of knowledge are trying to lift me out.
Someday I'll sit down and write about my life right now. I'm doing good, I just don't know it yet.
With a team of 6 and two take the week off, it will be tense. It feels like every caller is angry, tired of long waits, and needs something simple like their password updated because they forgot it and they can't remember how to follow simple password recovery techniques.
Sigh.
Weeks like this drain me the fuck out, and makes the night time seem to go by way too fast. I work a little overtime and I don't get paid overtime. Why do I do it? Because I want to be good at the job.
My head is spinning as my self confidence is doing flip flops because I'm overthinking everything right now instead of just enjoying the moment.
It is weird. Here I am forgetting the simple things in life, in just reveling in the moment and being proud I'm doing something a little different. I hold back when I shouldn't, and I forget to embrace the day.
Sometimes I don't remember that writing and creating helps free me of this anxiety and helps to expose those feelings locked down inside. I want to take it and push it out, make those doubts and disbelief fade away as I remember who it is I am.
Too often do I like to throw up the question, without realizing I have the answer locked inside my head. I'm sticking in the sandpit of doubt while the strong arms of knowledge are trying to lift me out.
Someday I'll sit down and write about my life right now. I'm doing good, I just don't know it yet.
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Status Check: Still Kicking
Not too long after the last post, I beat Ducktales on the original NES.
Yes!
My video game time lately has been focused halfheartedly on NES, somewhat on Pocket Mortys, and non-existent for Fallout Shelter, which used to be a daily game play. The upkeep on it got to a point that was too much and just not fun anymore. So, out it goes.
Pokemon Go has been lacking. I finally got the chance to catch a Pikachu, but I ran out of Pokeballs, of which I only had 5 at the time and caught him with each one.
My enthusiasm for the game is really waning.
I started a new approach to the dating apps after trading experiences on the app with a friend. She had one approach to it that I'm trying out, so let's see if that helps out at all.
Basically this is just a status post as I relax and finish up selling the rest of the comics on ebay. As much as I appreciate the extra cash coming in, I need to have some time to breath. Trust me, the money coming in is good, but I need to plan for the long haul with this cash. I could pay off a credit card, maybe two, and that will help enough with the monthly expenditures to help get me through.
One day at a time, plan for the longer. Want to take some trips back home and then visit some friends in other states. So much to plan for, so little time.
I like that type of living.
Yes!
My video game time lately has been focused halfheartedly on NES, somewhat on Pocket Mortys, and non-existent for Fallout Shelter, which used to be a daily game play. The upkeep on it got to a point that was too much and just not fun anymore. So, out it goes.
Pokemon Go has been lacking. I finally got the chance to catch a Pikachu, but I ran out of Pokeballs, of which I only had 5 at the time and caught him with each one.
My enthusiasm for the game is really waning.
I started a new approach to the dating apps after trading experiences on the app with a friend. She had one approach to it that I'm trying out, so let's see if that helps out at all.
Basically this is just a status post as I relax and finish up selling the rest of the comics on ebay. As much as I appreciate the extra cash coming in, I need to have some time to breath. Trust me, the money coming in is good, but I need to plan for the long haul with this cash. I could pay off a credit card, maybe two, and that will help enough with the monthly expenditures to help get me through.
One day at a time, plan for the longer. Want to take some trips back home and then visit some friends in other states. So much to plan for, so little time.
I like that type of living.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Broken AC Brings Some Winter Memories During The Summer Heat
I'll be traveling back to Bloomington in a couple of months in order to have some fun and games with the friends that I've been missing. I've been thinking about what I miss and who I'm looking forward to seeing.
There are a couple of memories that I've been having that actually make me miss the place. I almost broke down today due to it, and it was more from the overwhelming sense of emotion and nostalgia that creeped in.
It has been rainy and gloomy the past couple of days in Austin. All weekend long and every day this week so far with the stop ending sometime around Thursday or Friday. There is this band called Murder by Death. When I first got introduced to them by my brother with all the music knowledge, I was a listened to them a lot. Then the music got put away for a while. Then it came back. Cycles, like most music in my life.
The album that springs to mind is called Like the Exorcist, but More Breakdancing. There is this one track, and damn me for not remembering the name right now, but I think it is Intergalactic Menopause. There is this one span of music in the track that is seared in to my head from a time when MySpace was the thing to be on. I was downloading some music or TV show or something at the time probably House or Lost, and it was cold outside. I lived in a place that wasn't insulated that well, to the point where I tried to put up some window covers so heat could stay in the house. I was cold, shivering a little, and sitting at my computer going through whatever online or what have you. The music was playing, I was wearing long johns underneath some holy jeans.
The best way I can describe it is that it was Illinois winter to me. Sitting in a room that was colder than it should, breath to the point of almost being seen, loosing myself to the oceans of the internet, the soundtrack seared so deep in the memory that it warms my heart just a little. It was an overcast day. I couldn't tell you if it was the weekend or weekday, but it was some afternoon. I think I may have been waiting for work to start. I was living in a party house. It encapsulates my 20s.
The office's AC in our room was broken, so they fixed it, and then it got fixed too well. Add in the rain and it was freezing cold in the room. Even the people with a couple of jackets and blankets for the winter time had pulled them out and were still feeling the cold. When a typical 100 degree day in Texas turns to the 70s with rain, full blast AC is not what you need.
That triggered that memory in me. That music came up and played in my head most of the afternoon. I'm forming thoughts and actions today that I know will stick with me for a lifetime just as much as that one, but it will always be around longer than them and burn a little warmer.
...
Have you ever sat in a room playing a video game all day long only to look up and realize that the room you swore was all lit up about 10 minutes ago is now at that breaking point of more darkness instead of day light surrounding you and any stresses you had that day are replaced with the coming excitement for what the night time adventures will bring? That memory is another one I have when I realized that and my roommate was playing that MbD album. I was playing Crash Nitro Kart on PS2.
There are a couple of memories that I've been having that actually make me miss the place. I almost broke down today due to it, and it was more from the overwhelming sense of emotion and nostalgia that creeped in.
It has been rainy and gloomy the past couple of days in Austin. All weekend long and every day this week so far with the stop ending sometime around Thursday or Friday. There is this band called Murder by Death. When I first got introduced to them by my brother with all the music knowledge, I was a listened to them a lot. Then the music got put away for a while. Then it came back. Cycles, like most music in my life.
The album that springs to mind is called Like the Exorcist, but More Breakdancing. There is this one track, and damn me for not remembering the name right now, but I think it is Intergalactic Menopause. There is this one span of music in the track that is seared in to my head from a time when MySpace was the thing to be on. I was downloading some music or TV show or something at the time probably House or Lost, and it was cold outside. I lived in a place that wasn't insulated that well, to the point where I tried to put up some window covers so heat could stay in the house. I was cold, shivering a little, and sitting at my computer going through whatever online or what have you. The music was playing, I was wearing long johns underneath some holy jeans.
The best way I can describe it is that it was Illinois winter to me. Sitting in a room that was colder than it should, breath to the point of almost being seen, loosing myself to the oceans of the internet, the soundtrack seared so deep in the memory that it warms my heart just a little. It was an overcast day. I couldn't tell you if it was the weekend or weekday, but it was some afternoon. I think I may have been waiting for work to start. I was living in a party house. It encapsulates my 20s.
The office's AC in our room was broken, so they fixed it, and then it got fixed too well. Add in the rain and it was freezing cold in the room. Even the people with a couple of jackets and blankets for the winter time had pulled them out and were still feeling the cold. When a typical 100 degree day in Texas turns to the 70s with rain, full blast AC is not what you need.
That triggered that memory in me. That music came up and played in my head most of the afternoon. I'm forming thoughts and actions today that I know will stick with me for a lifetime just as much as that one, but it will always be around longer than them and burn a little warmer.
...
Have you ever sat in a room playing a video game all day long only to look up and realize that the room you swore was all lit up about 10 minutes ago is now at that breaking point of more darkness instead of day light surrounding you and any stresses you had that day are replaced with the coming excitement for what the night time adventures will bring? That memory is another one I have when I realized that and my roommate was playing that MbD album. I was playing Crash Nitro Kart on PS2.
Monday, August 15, 2016
Secret Shame of Unbeaten NES Games
I have played many Nintendo games in my lifetime, but the number of ones that I've beat are just a little underwhelming, all things considered. In part it is due to how you define "beating" a game, especially ones that you would have to play for thousands of hours to complete. Eff that.
Looking back at the original NES games, there are a few that I'm trying to beat right now that I've been playing since I moved in and set up the systems. Let's go through them.
First up, Ducktales. This was a game I played a lot as a kid. Like most games, I played until a certain point and I just could never get past it. Fast forward to years later and I've actually surpassed where I was at before. This is one game I plan on beating before too long. Never conquered as a kid, but I plan to do it before the end of the year if not sooner.
Battletoads. This is the holy grail, but I've made some significant steps towards getting it done. I can successfully get past the tunnel level. That dreaded tunnel level. I found a warp zone and now can almost easily get past it and rock up to the level with the snake rides before I really start to trip out and can't do it anymore. But each day I am learning the pattern, and one day it shall be mine.
Batman. This was the classic game based in part with the Tim Burton movie. I can get to a certain part of stage 3, but then I blank out before the big boss. There is only so much I can do before I have to call it quits, but this is one that I feel will be defeated before too long.
Double Dragon 2. The patterns are coming back as I slowly get back in to this game, but there will be a time that I am able to beat it. I distinctly remember getting this game one day after school, when I had saved up some money or something and my mom told me I could have it. I played it like crazy. This was the first "my game" that I remember but I could never actually beat it.
Super Mario Bros 2 & 3. So I never owned Mario 2. I remember my cousin having it, or a friend having it, but I never did. It was the forgotten Mario game for me, and one that I don't know all the warp levels for. Give it time, and I will conquer this one. But Mario 3? That is one of my secret shames. Played it many a time, but never got through and beat Bowser. I think I had more fun exploring the worlds and trying to get through the game without a warp whistle. I don't think I've ever actually seen the ending level outside of YouTube videos. This will be changing soon as I fly through the levels and finally get past the end point.
Zelda 2. I conquered the first Zelda game last year, and now I only have to get past the Shadow Link and Zelda 2 will be mine as well.
There are plenty of other games that I can name and add to this list, but I think I will go old school Nintendo first on them. Once I have brought fame and honor to my video game conquests, then I may just retire the game. Beat those old demons and then put them to rest.
Then we have to look at Sega, and the many games that I need to annihilate there as well. One system at a time.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
On That Mobile Game That Everyone And I Are Playing
So I got in to Pokemon Go.
At first, it was awesome. I would go out, meet peeps also playing the game, see the groups of friends getting excited over video games, basically everything that warmed my heart for humanity.
Then the server issues hit, and I maintained it was still worth it.
I have never played a Pokemon game before this one. Never touched it, never understood the appeal, and just generally stayed away. But then I heard all the excitement over this one, and since I took walks around the neighborhood each day after work, I went and got the game in order to play video games while I exercised.
There was a Pokemon stop and gym at the place I work, which made for a dangerous situation of trying to balance work and playing a video game at the same time. But then, the Update Happened.
People were stopping in front of where I work and the management of the building considered it trespassing. So they appealed to the creators of the game and down the stop and the gym went. Boo.
Then, I noticed that a lot of other places did the same thing. Suddenly the game just got iffy to play unless you payed over some coin for the pokeballs and other tools to help you win.
Then the creatures became REALLY difficult to capture. On a simple, CP level under 50 character, you could throw one ball and capture the sucker. Now, it takes about 10 balls, they escape about 4-5 times, and they bat away the ball about 4-5 times as well. The first couple of days I went from having a good storage of about 75-100 Pokeballs to now being on empty worse than the gas in my car.
When you log in, the programmers have inserted warnings about not trespassing and not to drive while playing, and you have to acknowledge it every time you open the app. With the latest update, anytime it detects that you are going at a fast speed, it stops the game and makes you click on a message stating that you are a passenger in a moving vehicle before it will let you continue to play the game, and it asks this every time you go from a slow speed to a higher one.
If I didn't walk as much as I did, then this game would have turned south very quickly for me. I also play Fallout Shelter on my phone, and that has been updated with add on content that is taking the fun out of the game. Before the latest update I could level up characters, build weapons, travel the wasteland, and generally be able to manage the up to 3 vaults that they allow you to with a quick check in each day. Now, thanks to updates that add more quests and throws a bunch of lower level characters at you at every turn, I spend about 2 hours on a Saturday going through the boring quests and maintaining my characters. And that is only when I have the time to check on two of the vaults, as the third had to be deleted and I can only maintain the first one maybe every other day through the week otherwise.
When the game isn't enjoyable anymore, you have to walk away from it at times. I'm beginning to think that the developers of Pokemon are going to take all of the goodwill and love for the game that has been going since the beginning and flush it down the drain with all the terrible decisions on the updates. This style of game is something that we've never seen before, and it seems that there is an intense over-reaction to this style of game that is going to make the format not thrive in the sense that it should. Think of how Grand Theft Auto really helped to put a name for itself and for the style of open world video game that didn't apologize for what it was, didn't update and take away from the edginess that it had, and led by not apologizing for what it was doing. Granted, that was console gaming and trying to update that game to make it more appealing to the masses and "safer" wasn't going to be possible in the way the the Pokemon developers can throw out an update and push it to the game in a matter of minutes, but when the sequel for GTA came around, it built on what it had before.
Video games as an art form is still in the infancy of what it can become. I want to push and see games expand what they could be and not be put in a "safe space" bubble because some members of the public cried foul. This is immersive art, let's see what the true potential for the form can be before we get uncomfortable with it.
At first, it was awesome. I would go out, meet peeps also playing the game, see the groups of friends getting excited over video games, basically everything that warmed my heart for humanity.
Then the server issues hit, and I maintained it was still worth it.
I have never played a Pokemon game before this one. Never touched it, never understood the appeal, and just generally stayed away. But then I heard all the excitement over this one, and since I took walks around the neighborhood each day after work, I went and got the game in order to play video games while I exercised.
There was a Pokemon stop and gym at the place I work, which made for a dangerous situation of trying to balance work and playing a video game at the same time. But then, the Update Happened.
People were stopping in front of where I work and the management of the building considered it trespassing. So they appealed to the creators of the game and down the stop and the gym went. Boo.
Then, I noticed that a lot of other places did the same thing. Suddenly the game just got iffy to play unless you payed over some coin for the pokeballs and other tools to help you win.
Then the creatures became REALLY difficult to capture. On a simple, CP level under 50 character, you could throw one ball and capture the sucker. Now, it takes about 10 balls, they escape about 4-5 times, and they bat away the ball about 4-5 times as well. The first couple of days I went from having a good storage of about 75-100 Pokeballs to now being on empty worse than the gas in my car.
When you log in, the programmers have inserted warnings about not trespassing and not to drive while playing, and you have to acknowledge it every time you open the app. With the latest update, anytime it detects that you are going at a fast speed, it stops the game and makes you click on a message stating that you are a passenger in a moving vehicle before it will let you continue to play the game, and it asks this every time you go from a slow speed to a higher one.
If I didn't walk as much as I did, then this game would have turned south very quickly for me. I also play Fallout Shelter on my phone, and that has been updated with add on content that is taking the fun out of the game. Before the latest update I could level up characters, build weapons, travel the wasteland, and generally be able to manage the up to 3 vaults that they allow you to with a quick check in each day. Now, thanks to updates that add more quests and throws a bunch of lower level characters at you at every turn, I spend about 2 hours on a Saturday going through the boring quests and maintaining my characters. And that is only when I have the time to check on two of the vaults, as the third had to be deleted and I can only maintain the first one maybe every other day through the week otherwise.
When the game isn't enjoyable anymore, you have to walk away from it at times. I'm beginning to think that the developers of Pokemon are going to take all of the goodwill and love for the game that has been going since the beginning and flush it down the drain with all the terrible decisions on the updates. This style of game is something that we've never seen before, and it seems that there is an intense over-reaction to this style of game that is going to make the format not thrive in the sense that it should. Think of how Grand Theft Auto really helped to put a name for itself and for the style of open world video game that didn't apologize for what it was, didn't update and take away from the edginess that it had, and led by not apologizing for what it was doing. Granted, that was console gaming and trying to update that game to make it more appealing to the masses and "safer" wasn't going to be possible in the way the the Pokemon developers can throw out an update and push it to the game in a matter of minutes, but when the sequel for GTA came around, it built on what it had before.
Video games as an art form is still in the infancy of what it can become. I want to push and see games expand what they could be and not be put in a "safe space" bubble because some members of the public cried foul. This is immersive art, let's see what the true potential for the form can be before we get uncomfortable with it.
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