Digitally Disillusioned

No matter how cool you are, you will never do anything as awesome as this.

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My move to Edmonton to work at BioWare brought many things, and one of those things is semiregular video game sessions with my friend Sebastian (nee phenyx) who I’ve known for a very long time, and who started as a programmer with BioWare about two years ago. We play popular single player titles together, swapping who gets to play on level switch or player death.

What we’ve chosen to tackle right now is No More Heroes, a game for Nintendo Wii that has obtained some noteriety for its extreme level of violence on the “family friendly” console. You can see video evidence of this over on YouTube here if you require edification.

This game is really unique in two important ways:

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I want to save this. I think it’s important.

Shogun is a game by Dirk Henn representing two years in the life of Daimyo controlled Japan. Players maneuver their forces, represented by small cubes, to control political power, the rice harvest, and of course engage in warfare!

Mostly this is a territory control game with a slight wargame twist. I’m happy to find my wife quite enjoys it.

Source: Reuters

So. I’ve been having fun.

I’ve got more than a few drafts of super wound up blog posts detailing my recent antics in the queue, but let me skip their unfinishedness and cut to the chase: I’m fucking busy. I’m super fucking busy. I’m so god damned busy its unbelievable. I mean I could tell you more, but like I just said you would not believe me. So why should I bother?

The thing about switching industries is that I reek like the new kid on the block at work. And the thing about my new industry - video games - is that it above all celebrates talent and crushes incompetence with no mercy. I am constantly having to sprint up extremely steep hills, and at the top is just the bottom of another steep hills.

I’m learning stuff. I’m performing well above where I ever performed before. I’m actually liking it, too. I’m really liking it a lot.

But bloody hell is it tiring.

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There have been a lot of different ups and downs about moving to Edmonton. But let me introduce you to my lunch:

• local, fresh baked light rye bread
• locally produced  pastrami
• fine imported authentically swiss Emmental
• dijon mustard

This is the best sandwich I’ve ever had.

Some other time I’ll tell you about the coffee.

My wife made me try this (I wonder why?). It was extremely tasty, but at $2 a bottle kind of out there price wise.

Please meet Landocalrissian Butler!