New Game Plus

Hey all. I want to pick your brains.

I’m taking a class on intermedia theory, and I’m deciding what to write my final paper on. I’d like to focus on remediation, the theory that new media mimics old form (like ebooks mimicking the printed page). I’m curious if there are any texts out there that mimic videogames. I was thinking about writing about how one could play the novel House of Leaves, and then bring in the DS game Hotel Dusk to discuss a game mimicking the presentation of a book (holding the DS sideways) and genre conventions of a mystery novel. (I haven’t played Hotel Dusk, but it would give me an excuse to check out a new game.)

My question for you all: any other texts (books, movies, games, otherwise) I should check out for my project? PC games are harder for me to play since I’m a Mac user, but I have access to pretty much any DS game, and am willing to rent or buy Wii and PS2 games.

I pirate games. I’m a bit afraid to openly admit it on the internet because I don’t know if saying so incriminates myself in some way, and I’m not sure if I’ll be reprimanded by my readers. I wanted to open discussion and see how my fellow radical gamers feel about pirating. I don’t want to hurt my friends who work in the game industry, but I’m a cheap-ass, capitalism-loathing student and when I can remove myself from supporting multinational corporations. I’m also privileged and know it’s unlikely I’ll ever be punished for software piracy.

Where are you all at with pirating? What’s an anti-capitalist gamer to do?

I got Metroid Prime 3 for Christmas. I haven’t really played much of the old Metroid games, but I figure it’s about time I get into the series because folks I trust rave about it. And I admit I’m intrigued by Samus and want to join the conversation on her gender with a little bit more authority. I left my Wii in Bellingham (I’m at my parents house, visiting), but I’ll post my thoughts once I have a chance.

Christmas was fun. I was showered in all the material goods I could ever want! I saw I am Legend with my parents and brother, and go figure, I wrote a blog post about it like I always do when I step out into pop culture.

The November issue of Cerise is out today! It’s sex themed, and I’m not especially into talking about sex, yet I find myself just as engaged with this issue of the magazine as any other. Go figure. I even had time to write an article for this issue (grad school is calming down a bit), a gamer story called Who’s entitled to me? It’s more of a narrative than analytical. I really needed to write it, but it was stuff that was hard to put out there for the world to read.

Hey all! I’ve got a darn good reason for not posting all month–I started grad school! I’m going to the same university as I did for my undergrad, but this time around I’m working on my MA in English Studies. As a part of my program, I just started teaching English 101 this week, which is an introduction to college composition course. I’ve spent the last two weeks getting ready for it.

My actual grad school classes start today, so we’ll see how it goes. And don’t worry, blogging and Cerise are still going to be a part of my life.

Sorry I haven’t been blogging lately. I always have one excuse or another: school, work, no time to game, etc. Now it’s savoring the last bits of summer outside and even getting out and traveling. I just got back from a bike trip to Vancouver Island, and in a week and a half I’m going to Nicaragua with my brother’s bike time. I’m not even giving you all much to miss, since I’ve been so quiet on blogging lately.

The August 2007 issue of Cerise Magazine is out. I think that the whole issue reeks of awesomeness. Check it out, yeah? And don’t forget to submit for the September issue by August 20.

I would have posted this sooner, but I was camping over the weekend at Lake Wenatchee with my mom and her sister. I remembered after I got there that I brought my laptop last year because a local sundries shop has wireless, but I still can’t get it in my head that I’ll find free wifi in rustic Eastern Washington.

I really need to stay offline. It seems like half my internet friends are done with Harry Potter already, and I haven’t even opened my copy yet. (I accidently shipped it to my house because I forgot I had a bike race out of town this weekend and was going to stay with my parents.) I’m not an especially fast reader, so it’ll probably take me at least half a week to finish the book, so don’t tell me what happens, OK? In the mean time, I really am going to try and keep away from people.

Edit 7/24/2007: If you haven’t finished the book yet, don’t read the comments to this thread. (I haven’t yet. Sorry, I really am being careful with the internet.) My mom said someone posted a spoiler. She wasn’t sure if it was fake or not, but I asked her to delete it for me.

I’m in a bit of a transition period right now. My graduation is this Saturday, but I’m all but done with my school responsibilities. (Hence the increase in blog posts this week.) I’m taking a 15-credit Spanish course this summer because I need to know another language in grad school (among other, hopefully less selfish reasons, like trying to deconstruct my internalized cultural imperialism by not always depending on people to speak “my” language). My course is going to be intense, but it’s only 6 weeks, so before and after it starts I’m going to have lots of time for cramming in some gaming. Here’s what’s on the plate for this summer until my grad school classes start in September.

Beyond Good and Evil: That’s right, I never beat this game. I admit it. I bought it impulsively in Canada about a year-and-a-half ago after reading Sourduck’s old review of the game (”Feminism through the Backdoor” I think it was called, but I can’t find it online anymore). I got stuck near the end. I tried picking the game up again and never could remember where I was, but didn’t feel like starting over. Until now. Maybe I’ll play in Spanish for practice. (Anyone else know games with a Spanish language option?)

Chrono Cross: I can’t believe that it’s been more time between Chrono Cross’s release and the present than the initial wait between Chrono Trigger and it’s official sequel. I was boat camping when this game came out, and I remember driving the boat to one spot that had reception and calling my teenybopper boyfriend on my mom’s brick-like cellphone to see if he’d picked up my reserved copy like he promised he would. I got a little clock and CD with it.

I didn’t really like Chrono Cross when it was new because it wasn’t Chrono Trigger, which was my favorite game ever. I thought CC’s character development was really lacking, and the story wasn’t especially deep. Maybe it was just over my head, because for some reason I think I’d really love the game now, especially the visuals and the music. I want to go back and play it again now that I’m a grownup.

Super Paper Mario: I’m moving through Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door faster than I did RPGs in high school and had free time. When I beat the GameCube game, I’m sure I’m going to run out and order the Wii installment in the series. I heard it isn’t as good, but I’m on a roll here.

Fatal Frame II: I borrowed this game from Brinstar ages ago to play with my horror game sidekick, Meghann, and we both got busy. I’m going to threaten to play it alone if she doesn’t come visit me.

Lego Star Wars II: I just remembered I got this game from my little brother for my birthday last November and never played it. I’m a bad sister. I’ve grown to see my pre-teen love, Star Wars, as hella corny in recent years, so what better way to celebrate it than relive the original films as Legos?

Pokemon Pearl & Final Fantasy III & Yoshi’s Island DS: These are all DS games I got bored with this year that I need to pick back up before I give up all together and sell them. (Other than yard work, I’m not working this summer, so some games have got to go.)

What’s on your summer gaming list?

The June issue of Cerise Magazine, The Making of a Gamer, was released today. Articles included a WisCon (Women in Science Fiction Convention) report, gamer stories, and reviews. My own contribution is an interview with Heather Michelle Rousse, lead artist at Yatec Games.

The submission deadline for the July issue is on June 20.