Convergence
While my kids were snowboarding last Sunday, I took a hike through the woods on my snowshoes. I decided to listen to my iPod (not my new portable satellite radio). I really enjoyed it. The music while hiking through the snow really made it a pleasant experience and the climb seemed to take less effort. When a skier suddenly appeared out of nowhere, it made me realize how much the music removed me from the experience. Not just by taking away my sense of hearing, but also by encouraging me to "space out". (Caution: I think you have to turn the volume down and make an effort to be more alert when listening and moving around. )
Upon returning home, both boys headed right for their video games (yes, we do have limits, but they were within the "safe zone"). As I watched them turn on the sound and start playing it made me wonder. While having a very real physical experience - walking in nature - I was trying to enhance it by replacing the sound (or lack thereof in this case). Meanwhile, my kids are trying to enhance their virtual video game experience by also replacing the sound of the room (as well as their physical motion and visuals).
In my case I was attempting to make a real experience more virtual. In their case, they were trying to make a virtual experience more real. Are we always just trying to enhance any experience, never quite satisfied, or are we universally striving for some mythical, safe, satisfying nirvana, somewhere between real and virtual?
2 Comments:
What you describe reminds me of recent camping experiences. It used to be there were more tent sites than RV slots, now it's the opposite. You can't go camping without someone else's music or party (if not your own) making way to your site. We seek to escape to nature only to forget to enjoy its sounds, or lack thereof. Same thing happens when we sweeten and salt our food. We seem to find the actual taste of something a little boring, not even knowing what it really tastes like.
In my house, the computers games come with volume, which I often asked to be turned down, thank you. Not being a player I don't understand why it has to be so loud. I know it's part of the experience, but what, exactly, is the thrill of gun fire, and why can't you play the game as well without it?
>To joan friedlander
As I gamer, I can testify to the reason for volume being loud, or screen needing to be bigger, or whatever.
Emergence.
Games these days strive to create the highest level of emergence possible. Better graphics, realistic sounds, life like physics, and so on. All these things come together and the more they are combined and integrated into a game the more you are emerged in it.
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