This about crushed me this morning. Worth the read.
Loving someone does not make the trials go away. Love means that you may ask for another way. But if there is no other way, you will walk the road.
From Across the Net – “Influencers”
Who influences you? Who do you follow? And why? Everyone has mentors, but I’m old school enough to want mine to have substance. I learn from people who have actually done something – not just thought up ways to tell others what to do. My conviction about this shows up in a range of ways – from the people I ask for leadership advice to the faculty we employ at Gateway.
From Across the Net – “The Cast of Wolfenstein: The New Order”
A RavingLuhn flashback from 2017. Good thoughts here:
It is true that the characters I’ve just described fit the cookie cutter character stereotypes found in many war stories. What may be surprising is that none of them feel that way; they all feel completely genuine. Part of the reason for this is The New Order’s approach to storytelling. We’re not forced through a segment of exposition and backstory explaining why we should care about anyone. Instead, we’re shown how their personalities respond to the situations they’re in. Fergus knows there’s a job to do, but he still spares a moment to tell his squad mate to look after a wound. Wyatt refers to everyone as “sir” in an respectful tone of voice, even when he’s scared out of his wits. Even BJ will whisper some of his thoughts and motivations during quiet moments in the game. Amazingly, his soft-spoken demeanor doesn’t seem at odds with is proficiency for killing Nazis. By themselves, none of these elements would work. By all rights, none of them should work. But somehow, all the different elements work together to create one of the most memorable casts in gaming.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a game I kept waiting to see fail. And yet, every story beat pushed the game to new heights. Had my wife and son not been sitting with me, when I finished the game, I think I would have cried. May’s talk with Peter, at the end, almost did me in. One of those moments, as a parent, where you know you have done a good job raising your kid.
Developer Insomniac wisely chose to focus the game not on Peter’s romantic pursuits but more on the qualities that enable us to relate to Peter Parker.
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit
You ever play something that just hits you wrong?
My wife and I are in the process of adoption. Don’t Nod Entertainment’s The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit reminded me of our foster/adoption training classes. A chunk of the stuff that parents get their kids taken away for = present in this game. As is:
- The parent who is trying and failing to succeed/live life.
- The kid who is alone, even though the parent is physically present (drunk/passed out), and has to take care of himself.
The superhero story veneer and child-lens softens the blow of what is a super depressing and potentially abusive situation. I’m thankful the game didn’t last long. Sad that kids have to deal with stuff like this when all they crave is stability and love.
JohnnyBGamer 