JohnnyBGamer

I built a backyard gauntlet of doom

Wyatt celebrated his 7th birthday with a superhero themed party. His party guests designed their own capes and were fitted for masks. All in preparation for the backyard gauntlet of doom.

First, they had to cross a balance beam over a pit of lava… or was it sharks? Who knows! The imagination runs wild.
Second, they tossed a basketball and hit Spider-Man in the face. Because, why not? Also, did I mention this was a Spider-Man themed party?
Third, a quick duck and roll under a camouflage netting. Netting is cool. Rolling, better.
Fourth, the boys fired Nerf Guns at a shooting gallery setup at Wyatt’s clubhouse. Pew, pew, pew!
Fifth, up and down the awesome slide Wyatt’s Grandpa made him.
Sixth, this is where things got sticky. I wove a spider web around the swing set with duct tape. The boys had to navigate their way through the harrowing trap.
Seventh, silly string. We loaded the boys up with silly string and had a shootout with Spider-Man villains we tacked up on the wall. Total fun and games until one of the heroes revealed himself to be a villain by spraying one of the other party goers. Good times.

With the obstacle course complete, Wyatt and his friends chased me around the backyard with Nerf Guns. Dad always makes a good bad guy. Muhahaha!

Tabitha made an amazing cake that was soon defeated by forks. The frosting so good, you wanted to scrape it ALL off your plate. Mmmm. Trick candles were vanquished with a lot of blowing and spit.

Sugared up, we opened presents. Parents came soon after.

Total whirlwind of a Saturday. Nothing like being a dad.

From Across the Net: “‘SUPERHOT is a Game About Porn”

I can’t tell if C.T. Casberg’s piece titled “‘SUPERHOT’ is a Game About Porn” is brilliant or a massive stretch. At what point, in criticism, do we move beyond the objective to the subjective and project our own meaning/worldview on the art?

I disagree with SUPERHOT‘s logic that video games equal pornography. The article feels written to be controversial. Dragging the thirteenth apostle, C.S. Lewis, into the mix. Definitely a misfire.

It also informs the player what is the inevitable result of an addiction to pleasure: the destruction of the self and enslavement to those who provide that pleasure.

From Across the Net: “Time well wasted”

Justin, aka “Syp”, reflects on time in his piece titled “Time well wasted“.

I don’t want to hobble my personal and professional life with an overabundance of gaming. I hope that I always keep up the good fight of balancing that properly and not letting a hobby become a thing that becomes a master. I also desire to play games with purpose and not out of obligation and routine.

From Across the Net: Amy and Ryan Green on the Radiance Podcast

Enjoyed listening to Amy and Ryan Green on the Radiance Podcast. Appreciated their insight on the toll creating a game exacts upon a family. Give the podcast a listen if you get a chance. Definitely check out their game, That Dragon, Cancer.

From Across the Net: “The Beguiling Search for Truth in ‘The Witness'”

I enjoyed this piece from Jonathan Clauson titled “The Beguiling Search for Truth in ‘The Witness’“.

The idea of weaving exposition into the narrative, and then weaving the narrative into the gameplay itself, is a kind of holy grail for developers—and it’s one I believe The Witness achieves, even as it manages the additional impressive feat of creating a compelling conversation between science and religion.