Faith. Life. Gaming.
Woke up feeling anxious this morning, a heaviness on my chest. Not sure if a chain of nights staying up late has anything to do with it, but I’m exhausted.
Have been going through a period of bitterness and a lack of hope. Just feeling like I will never move beyond my current job, no matter how hard I try to break free. Reminded that God delights in every detail of our lives, that God holds us in His hand, I needed that this morning. Thought I’d share.
I played the same run for over an hour. Don’t laugh.
At first I was cautious, taking on one enemy at a time. Many deaths later, I embraced speed. Plunging into mob groups, swinging in true wild style. Yeah…
In the above video, I had a solid nine minute run. I applied the MMO concept of pulling, of drawing away a few enemies from a larger group. My MMO roots served me well until I became reckless. One moment of complete surprise by the enemy at the end, death. Logic dictates that large things should not move quickly, especially troll-like creatures.
Logic: Amended
Mental Database: Upgraded
My friend Zach pointed out that:
For those hunting in Yharnam, any other crumbs of advice? I promise to eat them up! As long as advice crumbs taste good.
Scuttlebutt on the street is that Dark Souls games are cruel. Punishing difficulty. Death equaling toys being taken away. A regular playground bully of a game series.
Firing up Bloodborne, I expected a steep learning curve. Dying over 30 times on the first nether beast, I thought that my experience was par for the course. Maybe the game doesn’t give you weapons for awhile? My fists of fury will triumph! And they did. After many rolls, dodges, and time, the nether beast died. Joy to the world.
Death is the teacher in Bloodborne. My moment of joy pooled in blood. I can hear Han Solo telling Luke Skywalker in A New Hope, “Great, kid! Don’t get cocky.” Best advice ever.
My friend Scotto noticed that I had taken up the hunt in Yharnam. He sent me a link to a walkthrough he is using. He noted:
“Helped a ton, and the author is pretty funny.”
Geared up, I restarted the game with a new character. Picked up weapons in Hunter’s Dream. The hunt begins now.
Exploring the city, I take on it’s infected denizens with ease. Silly me to think that the game was sadistic enough to hold back weapons. Rolling, coming up behind an enemy, pure mechanical satisfaction. I found myself smiling. Until I embraced cockiness and died. I laughed.
Bloodborne could be the most fun I’ve had gaming in a long time. The challenge and skill level demanded is perfection.
I walk around screaming, “Bring it, monsters!” Forgetting that the blood shed comes at a price.
I have enjoyed knocking on closed doors in the city. People answering me on the other side. Revealing a small bit of story. Hunkered down until the madness of my hunt comes to an end. Am I damned to slaughter the infected forever? As long as I have my trusty cleaver and blunderbuss, I’m good with whatever the game wants to throw at me. Roll, fire, slash, repeat. Another night, another hunt.
I am not a fan of the horror genre. Life has enough real horrors already.
The City of Yharnam has become my new prison. My attempt to break out of my gaming comfort zone and explore the Souls genre. Bloodborne demands mechanical mastery. The ability to read individual animation frames, seeking vulnerability. Discovering that sweet spot at which to sidestep evade and attack. One cannot get too cocky. Spamming attacks with Diablo-like gusto. Some attacks take a moment or two longer. Leaving your character open to damage. Death brings about a refinement of skill. Death the great teaching tool.
I think I died at least 20 times trying to take on the first monster in Bloodborne. No, no, make that 30. No weapon in hand, no help, I struggled through Death Education 101. And yet, I felt compelled to continue.
“Tab, I think this is the meanest game I’ve ever played.”
In a moment of triumph, I beat the first shadow monster and made my way outside. Only to face a man with an axe. He died. Rounding the corner, I ran into two more guys with axes. I let my guard down, just for a moment. The game tells me in a simple manner, “You Died”. Yes, yes, I did.
Bloodborne is definitely not one of those games that I will be playing in front of Wyatt. The Gothic atmosphere, showers of blood, and creepy monsters all have the makings of a fantastic nightmare.
For me, the Gothic aesthetic is just there. I had thought it would bug me with my aversion to the horror genre. Like Neo from The Matrix, I don’t really see the in-game world. All I see are moments to evade, attack, and not get killed. Bloodborne appeals to that mechanical side of me that loves pure gameplay. Gameplay that demands your absolute best.
Yharnam is my home now. A digital mosquito bite that I want to itch.
Sunday mornings you get dressed, eat breakfast, and then head out the door to church. Upon arriving, you check your children into their designated areas. Ah, free childcare!
Navigating halls filled with the smell of fresh brewed coffee, you make your way to your small group. Greet friends. Swap stories. Enjoy a quick Bible lesson before heading off to the main service.
Everyone wants to be served and no one wants to serve. This model of the Body of Christ is broken. Prone to burning out volunteers who become stuck in their volunteer roles, for years. No escape. No growth. All due to someone else not heeding the call, that slight Spirit tug, to be the hands and feet of Christ to the church.
Dejected and depressed, these burned-out volunteers fuel our churches. Under the impression that if they do not serve, no one else will. This is a lie.
God calls every Christian to serve in various areas for a season. Seasons change, just look outside the window. The Bible talks about there being an occasion for everything (read Ecclesiastes 3).
I want to challenge those that feel stuck volunteering in the church to stop. Take a step back. Examine where you are on your faith journey, where God is calling you. The Body of Christ cannot function in selfishness. Give another brother or sister in Christ a chance to serve His people. Allow God to help them grow through service; Allow God to help you grow in freedom.
JohnnyBGamer