Talking About Genre Conventions..

March 20th, 2009

My pesky category selection finally drove me to the point of some moderate restructuring, and now I’m finally happy about it. Here’s what I did:

Critique -> Game Discussion

I did this because firstly, classifying my writing on the textual analysis of games as solely begin critique is too limiting. I consider what I write about games as being more of “this is something interesting that maybe others haven’t talked about, let’s poke at that a little”. I guess it’s sometimes more like criticism of one aspect of a game, or comparatively tying a game to something external, like culture. In this regard, discussion is a better choice of words, anyways, using the noun critique to classify my writing contains a certain degree of bigotry in this current climate, so I think I’ll only use it as a verb occasionally.

Industry Issues -> Editorial

Editorial = one dude giving his opinions, industry issues is strictly industry related. It was recommended to me maybe a year ago to remove the word ‘editorial’ from the site slogan because it denotes seriousness and perhaps boredom. It’s good advice, but truth is, I write a whole bunch of this stuff, and if anyone finds the commentaries boring then they’ll likely find the rest of the site boring too. So rack off!

The other categories more or less explain themselves. Although I want to note that analysis does not involve games themselves (that’s game discussion!) rather issues, videos and so forth. Phew, all of that is sorted out.

I’ve also added a few more links to the blogroll over the past few weeks. I may as well point them out here: The Artful Gamer, Game Critics, Eurogamer, Crispy Gamer, 1UP’s RPG Blog (The Grind) and 1UP’s Retro Gaming Blog (Retronauts blog). These are all some of my favourite sites, whose linkage is well overdue. So check them out. I’ve also been back using delicious for random bookmarks, some that I share here in Link Out, some not. So if you’re interested in better things to read, try there. And that’s another shallow site update.

Stepping Up

January 26th, 2009

Just a small buzz to all of you who play games online; I registered for a Playstation Network and Xbox/GFW Live ID last week. I never play games online and I expect that even with these two screen names in hand that’ll probably not change much. Actually I don’t even have an Xbox 360 – I was forced to create a handler for a friend’s Rock Band – so that will make chances even slimmer.

Since I don’t have (and don’t intend on buying) an Xbox 360, the Playstation Network ID is the only address worth sharing. I have Call of Duty 4, Resistance: Fall of Man and Metal Gear Online which all have multiplayer online componenets, as well as Home and whatever other features come built in. To be honest I don’t even know if I will even bother playing these games online, I will give it a shot no doubt but perhaps just to see what it’s like. I honestly don’t have the time, nor commitment to any one game to be an active participant in the online community. Hell, I rarely ever leave comments at other people’s blogs.

In ancase, if you’re online and want to add me; DanielPrimed is the screen name for both services. I have a head set too and would love to play/talk games with you.

I’ll See You Soon

January 6th, 2009

Hello Readers,

I’m aware of the massive inconsistencies in my posting schedule of late and feel significantly bothered by it everytime I load up my browser. My life over in Shanghai has been consistently pack to the rafters everyday and when I am not studying or going out, I am trying to recover from what seems like an eternal state of exhaustion.

If this all sounds like terrible news to you then don’t let it be. I’ve been learning so very much from my experience away. I feel consistently bogged down in language, cultural differences and personal development that its an effort for my brain to compress it all. Of course, I plan on writing much more about what I have learnt in my two blogs in due time.

It is true, I do have the time and perhaps energy to continue producing articles but currently my head is in the wrong mindset for writing. At he moment, English runs secondary to Chinese in language of choice, combine this with the cold chill of a Chinese winter and the treadmill of everyday foreign life and I would rather conserve my time for rest than attempt to put it to work in my muddled state.

Perhaps the most painful part of all this drama is that I feel as though I’ve finally hit my stride but haven’t had the time to apply it. Most of my time writing here has been a process of evolution; trying to find my respective path. Having been separated from my regulated 2/3 day schedule, I have finally clicked and over the past few months I have mentally formulated a new(ish), more evolved direction of where I was heading.

It’s with this that I am much anticipating my return to regular writing. For the meantime though, I have about 10 days before I arrive back home to the comfortable land of summer. So basically the off period will continue for another short stretch until I get home and began putting bricks to cement again. Thanks for your enthusiasm and patience. If you hadn’t caught on I also use Twitter which should provide a bit more insight.

-Daniel

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