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An awesome question came up while playing Imaginiff a few nights ago: Which Peanuts character are you? Before college, I probably would have identified most with Charlie Brown. Now I’m feeling a bit more like Linus. (Need some descriptions of the characters?)
What do you think? Which character are you? Which character do you think I am?
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After years of being represented as a blurry and pixelated community, Google Maps has updated the satellite imagery used for Erie, Pennsylvania. The new images leapfrog Live Search Maps (by Microsoft) which used to be superior in quality.
A little virtual sightseeing shows the images were taken before the Bayfront Convention Center was built. See if you can identify the Erie area locations below:
What do you think? What are your favorite locations in Erie? When do you use Google Maps? Wouldn’t be awesome to fly? Post a comment!
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When Uru Live was first announced, went into beta, shut down, and then was reborn on GameTap, we all had different dreams and visions of what it would be like. At its new home on GameTap, some are thrilled and others disappointed. I’m eager to see what Season 2 will be like and will suspend judgment until then; Uru Live is still in its infancy and it’s too early to judge. But here’s one part of Uru that I’m very pleased and surprised about:
When I first saw the deserted Relto in 2003, I wasn’t that excited about it. But now that the Age has grown through various Relto pages, it’s one of my favorite Ages. It’s great to be able to customize something, call it your own, have it look cool, and watch it change and grow over time.
That’s the way I look at Uru Live now that the first season has ended. I’m not sure if the multiplayer storytelling model will work, especially since Cyan Worlds (along with Presto and Ubisoft) have done such an excellent job with a single-person story. It’s not that I’m against multiplayer; I think cooperative gameplay is the future and the fun of gaming. It’s that everyone doesn’t get to experience the story the way it’s being told in Uru Live right now. While I love the concept of information being disseminated throughout Guilds, podcasts, and opinion leaders, I’m not sure if it will be fun. (Much like the idea that all of the Uru explorers get to cooperatively set the lake light level. Awesome concept, but baking pellets isn’t fun.) World of Warcraft has the opposite problem: New players stumble upon the endgame sequence as their just starting a quest since everyone gets to play the story.
I know Uru Live can be awesome. But in Season 2, I’ll start holding it to a higher standard of being awesome and fun.
On a lighter note, I don’t dream about Myst-related things that often, but last night I had a dream that I found a new Age with various new Relto pages. First, a page added the puffer spores from Eder Gira. Next, a page flooded Relto with water. Last, a page added the Cracken from Pirates of the Caribbean. This monster, beached on my Relto, barely fit. But I removed a sharp, spikey thing from around it’s neck causing it to instantly heal and walk into the surrounding water and go for a swim.
(Although I doubt these pages will be added, I’m glad my favorite Relto page from The Path of the Shell appeared in the Uru Live season finale.)
What do you think? What is your favorite Age in Uru Live? Do you wish more video game environments would change over time? What do you like or dislike about Uru Live? What real world places do you enjoy to explore?
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My brother brings news that this month World of Warcraft is featuring a Brewfest. In the game you can sample a variety of ale, including Mudder’s Milk. Although I’m not a big fan of alcohol, I am a big fan of refrences to one of my favorite episodes of the Firefly TV series. Good job, Blizzard!
I can’t wait to experience the Firefly MMO where everything is a reference to Firefly. “We should go to the crappy planet where I’m a hero!”
Speaking of MMO easter eggs, I’ve known about the feather hidden in Eder Gira of Myst Online: Uru Live for a while now. But I didn’t learn until yesterday there there’s even more scattered throughout the new Ages. Have you found them all?
What do you think? Have you been partying at the Brewfest in WoW? What is your favorite game easter egg? Where else have you seen references to Firefly?
Up here in the Northern Hemisphere, today marks the first day of Fall. This marks several special events:
This Fall is unique for a special event that won’t be occurring: For the first Fall in 17 years, I’m not returning to school. I’m now an official university graduate.
Not only are the weather and leaves changing as they always do, but my life is changing as well. It feels strange to not be back in the dorm. I still visit my friends on campus often, but it’s not as easy as running down the hall to play a round of Super Smash Bros. Trading a schedule of scattered lectures to an 8-hour day is even more difficult.
But I’m trying to approach it the same way I approach the changing seasons: During the summer, I enjoy the warmth. During the winter, I enjoy the snow. There’s no point to grumbling about how you wish the weather was different. Enjoy what you have when you have it and look forward for what’s to come. But like most things, it’s easier said then done.
What do you think? How did you deal with adjusting to life after college? Are you looking forward to changing leaves and drinking cider? If you could, would you stay in school forever? Post a comment in the original blog post or on the Facebook page which it’s syndicated.
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This week I’ve got a special blog post for a special purpose. Erie Blogs, a collection of about 100 blogs from Erie residents, is challenging its bloggers and visitors to donate blood this week. So I am rallying the Penguin Army and challenging you to donate this week at the Community Blood Bank.
Incentives:
So let’s get out there, save some lives, and win some free loot! Tell them that Abstract Penguin Blog sent you!
The Community Blood Bank is located at 2646 Peach Street in Erie and is open Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.. On Tuesdays, the blood bank is open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
There’s something nice about being outside. I just took a small stroll around the neighborhood. The sun should be setting in about 20 minutes or so and everyone is out walking their dog. There’s something about how a dog looks at you that makes you grin. Then the strangers walking past, seeing you grin, start to grin as well. Not too many people stop to talk; We’re seemingly far too busy for that these days. But most do say “Hello” in passing. Sometimes I do get to talk to a neighbor. I don’t see neighbors too often and there’s something nice about a small chat about what happened that day.
I’m a big fan and advocate for technology. I think Facebook is great to keep up with friends. It’s great to get with your guildmates and defeat a giant monster in World of Warcraft. These are all good, but I think there’s something missing with these interactions. And I’m worried that interacting via technology too often replaces interacting face-to-face instead of supplementing it.
How do you use IM, Facebook, and MMOs to supplement real-world conversations? Are digital conversations inferior to analog ones?
Lately I’ve been finding that a logical train of thought to someone may be absurd to another. The results of last week’s poll show the diversity and polarity of opinions. Word your e-mails and forum posts carefully, because you can never assume someone else will think as you do. (Think before you post.)
Our thinking not only defines what and how we write, but what we do. You see a piece of string on the table in front of you. Do you:
Can we derive a lot about your personality based on your actions? I don’t know if you are what you eat, but you’re probably what you do. (You’re going to be remembered for the things that you say and do.)
I think the responses above are largely dependent upon perceived age. Not real physical age, but your perception (or lack of perception) of your age. C.S. Lewis said:
“When I became a man, I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”
It’s important to have fun and not be overly concerned with other’s opinions. Or, to use a cliché song lyric: dance like no one is watching.
Note the distinction here between childlike and childish. Strive for the former; flee from the latter. Do you enjoy your daily reactions and train of thought? Is this something you can change? Let me know what you think.
By the way, if this question stirred a longing for text-based adventure, there’s still an old computer somewhere awaiting a response to a user prompt.
I’ve been searching to throw a little more variety in my music collection lately but don’t want to spend any money. (Penn State no longer offers Napster and I’m a bit surprised that I miss it, but I do. Pandora is making a good substitute.) Which brings me to the question: Is it wrong to burn music CDs? For personal use? If you don’t intend to buy the CD?
I’m going to leave my opinion out of this post, since I was a bit surprised by the responses I got when I casually asked a few friends. So much so that I’d like to gather data from a wider audience. What do you think? Feel free to comment in the original blog post or on the Facebook note this is syndicated to. Bonus points for those who back up their response with a reason.
To my surprise last night, I overheard the evening news talking about prayer and sin. After a quick search, I found out the Vatican has issued Ten Commandments for Driving. It seemed a bit silly at first, but anything that makes drivers safer and friendlier is a good thing.
I wonder when (if?) MMO playing will be so widespread that it will prompt the Vatican to issue Ten Commandments for Playing an MMO. 2020, perhaps? Until then, here’s a few I thought of:
I think players have a habit of ignorance; They don’t realize the avatar on the screen (either in the game or on the forums) is a real person. Or is rude behavior as prevalent in real life as well? I’ve been lucky to develop circles of friends in both virtual and real worlds; Not everyone in these worlds may be nice, but I’m very thankful to have an environment of kindness among these friends.
What commandments would you add to the list?
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