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-----Original Message----- After I read your review, I rushed out tobuy the first two dvds. I usually only like science fiction type anime and I read your reviews. When I sat down to watch the first episode, I was crossing my fingers that you were right about this anime's story and quality.
So I just wanted to thank you for turning me onto Ergo Proxy! I would never have known it was out there if I hadn't come across your review.
Tim -----Original Message----- Dear Sir, I have to admit that your take on what is irritating and wrong in Star Wars is right on the ball. You've done some top-notch writing there, and that can only be the result of quite a lot of searching and questioning. I salute your prowess in making me smile while reading a rather exhaustive run-down of every little annoying thing in the Star Wars universe. I am a fan. This Han Solo business got me really incensed when I first heard of it, and every time I witness the scene it makes me wince. I've worn down the cassettes from my original VHS version. I put quite a dent in the quality of the VHS set of the second version of the original trilogy. I used to be able to say that I've seen each of the canon films at least two hundred times - now I've lost count. I can actually visualize any scene of Episodes IV through VI in my mind - in original and renewed versions. But I still watch the films anyway. I have read Zahn's sequel. I find it superior to Lucas's material in almost every way. I would actually like to see his Episodes VIII to X made to film - but obviously cinema is going to have to devise a way to create virtual Han Solo, Leia and Luke characters since the original actors are rather beyond the theoretical age bracket. Maybe in a Final Fantasy style ? Who knows. In any case, I can relate to each and every point you have put down, and I do not think you've actually missed anything of importance. Congratulations. I'm going to print out your text and pin it to the wall, right beside my Star Wars poster. Thanks for a great read, Pascal -----Original Message----- You've hit the nail on the head. Peter V. -----Original Message----- Andrey -- Thanks so much for this article [The Complex and Terrifying Reality of Star Wars Fandom]. I laughed so hard I was choking -- because I SO agree with you. Fortunately, my wife just accepts my obsession and even joins in with it to some extent. You may appreciate this: about as month before Episode III came out, my wife and I were walking into Walmart and as I was trying to avoid ANY contact with the new toys -- pre-Episode I, the whole Padme/Amidala switch thing was spoiled for me by a plastic cup! -- she was reassuring me that the movie was almost out. All of a sudden she realized what I'd thought was obvious, and said, "Oh my God, you don't WANT this movie to come out!" I explained that she was right. For the first time in my entire life -- I'd been 8 when the first film hit the theaters -- I wouldn't have a new Star Wars movie to look forward to. I felt like that part of my life was coming to a close, and I finally had to grow up. And I didn't want to. We went inside and as we were walking around, we saw the new Star Wars sneakers. I thought they were pretty cool, so I asked one of the employees, an older woman, if they came in big boy sizes. She said they didn't, and when I expressed my disappointment, she looked down her nose at me and said, "We all have to grow up sometime." Ouch. Skewered at Walmart. Anyway, thanks so much for a great read. Nicholas C. -----Original Message----- I just read your article about dating for gamers. For girl gamers, there are also problems. It is hard for a girl to find somebody who doesn’t think girls and gaming go together. On gaming events I always feel like I’m an endangered species. The guys will just stare at me like they never seen a girl playing video games before. S.N. -----Original Message----- Shezan
-----Original Message----- I am trying to get a large LCD television... I have vision problems and its hard for me to see a normal sized television from my bed I was wondering if there was anything you could do or maybe help me please I would go crazy, i would love having a 42' LCD television in my room, maybe larger, well e-mail me plase... oh, and maybe u can help with a full DVD collection as well.. and I would need storage space for this collection, maybe a DVD cabinet, in mahogany please, i don't like any other type of wood. The Response: Dear Elpheba: We are beginning to see a running theme here. People are asking us for free stuff on a regular basis. Perhaps it’s because we have been spoiling all of you with our free giveaways and contests. We need to clarify that, although we are an all-powerful and super-connected media source, we never give away anything to people who just ask for it like this. You have to work for your freebies. You actually have to go fill out the $%#@!&* contest form! Now stop emailing us for free stuff like front-row tickets to Justin "Timberalake" [sic] concerts and HD TVs! If you want free TVs, cars, and a beach resort trip to Miami, go to Online Sweepstakes.com instead. Now go have a nice day. On us. Sincerely,
-----Original Message----- I just want to say, you speak truth. I was not a gamer by any extent before I met my boyfriend of almost a year. But when we met, he asked me if I would ever be interested in learning how to play Magic: The Gathering (his main game of choice) and my reaction: "Aw, hell why not?" And so within our first month of dating, he taught me the game, and now I have been to three pre-releases, we've done a two headed giant tournament, and then on top of that, he loves RPGs, so he started showing me Final Fantasy IV, which I'm still playing, and Kingdom Hearts 1, and he's shown me so many other little things that I've grown more and more fascinated by. One Gamer Gal to Another Danica R.
-----Original Message----- justin timberlake tickets I am trying to get up close because i have a vision problem and it's hard to for me to see far away so I was wondering if there was anything that you could do or maybe help me please i would go crazy i love justin timberalake well e-mail me please Christina Response: Dear C.: Sure thing. The front row seat, five drink coupons and VIP access tickets are in the mail. Sort of. Maybe. Ok well, not really but I do understand how important it is to actually see Justin, as opposed to just having to listen to him croon... By the way, it's hard for me to see too. I have a great pair of nerd glasses. People tell my I'm fantastically emo in appearance. It's a gimmick but I work it. Best Regards, Jewels From: C. Awesome! Very Ayn Randian. C. RE: " New column by James Curcio: "When any counter culture gets big enough, it gets co-opted by a "Major." If there is any value in a "counterculture" it is in a core ideology which cannot be replicated, cannot be sold." http://www.jivemagazine.com/column.php?pid=5325
RE: http://www.jivemagazine.com/column.php?pid=4799 I love a mystery and always find everything comes together in the final chapter. Supposing there are alien interplanetary life forms. Does their existence negate the possibility of them too being spiritual beings? Would they negate the divine? I'm in no rush to read the last chapter. There will be no more questions and the end of the mystery. You are a gem. David Chastain
RE: http://www.jivemagazine.com/column.php?pid=4376 Jewels, damnit! you totally made me cry... Michael
RE: http://www.jivemagazine.com/column.php?pid=4376 Thank you oh thank you for posting those. Emotions, excitement, and memories
came flooding back, and I was grinning and (awwwwwww) almost teary remembering
those and other events from those days. Seriously, I can't thank you enough
for bringing back those memories. You've always been amazing at causing
happiness in others, and I've always looked up to you for it.
RE: http://www.jivemagazine.com/column.php?pid=4376 Jewels, ...Been reminiscing on the days when I lived my life from party to party.
I've been missing all the good times and good people that make up my best
memories. All of these clips take me back to a time when I felt the most
free and on top of the world. You have really put a huge grin on my face
today! I'll probably watch them over and over. K. -----Original Message----- Big up for the review of the Harvey Lindo LP. Much appreciated. Regards Dominic Jacobson From: B. RE: http://www.jivemagazine.com/column.php?pid=4213 well, it looks like Big Sur will be the next thing I read now. Nice column... keep the toot going! -----Original Message----- Just wanted to thank Jason Kordich for the awesome review of Wax Tailor's album. It means a lot to me. -----Original Message-----
In regards to the article located at the above link. Someone needs to have a word to Mr Rick 'Low Tek' Merced, because his lack of knowledge is descrediting[SIC] his entire article.... does he even know that MMORPG means "Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game"? so why does he call Oblivion a "Single Player MMORPG" ??? surely he meant to say MRPG (which isn't a common acronym) or at the very most Massive RPG. worse still he even quotes MMOG, suggesting he understands the meaning?! A very amatuer[SIC] article indeed, and like myself, I'm sure others have stopped reading after the first paragraph with the thoughts that if he cant get the terminology right, how is he going to have enough credibility to explain the game's worthyness[SIC] to the fans?
Editor's Response: Davin, I asked Low Tek to provide you with a courteous response but he declined. He felt it just wasn't worth the time or effort to respond to someone who just doesn't "get it". Here is the quotation I believe you are referring to: "Expansive. Non-linear. Open-ended. None of these words really quite
describes what I like to call Oblivion, which is a “single-player
MMORPG”. An MMOG is like a living game experience. Through patches,
expansions, and the experience of sharing your game play with thousands
of other people an Online Role-Playing game can seem never-ending as you
explore the various jobs, skills, and environments provided for you. It
could literally take months to see and do absolutely everything inside
an MMORPG. TES: In other words, Low Tek was making an analogy to the concept of the MMO gameplay. An analogy is a comparison. He is not saying Oblivion is an MMO, he says it is like an MMO and describes what is similar: "can seem never-ending as you explore the various jobs, skills, and environments provided for you. It could literally take months to see and do absolutely everything inside an MMORPG..." - i.e. Oblivion is very expansive and can take months of gameplay, even more as you add on the expansions you can download from the publisher. You wrote that, "I'm sure others have stopped reading after the first paragraph with the thoughts that if he cant get the terminology right..." That's really a shame. It's a good read. It's such a good read that it was read or "hit" by over a million readers and featured on the publisher's website. My suggestion to you is to ask a question before passing judgment on
a review or critique you find on the internet or in any publication. Make
sure you read everything in its full context. It helps to grasp the meaning
the writer is trying to convey. Regardless... we hope you enjoyed the game. It's a good one. Sort of expansive. LIKE an MMORPG. : ) -----Original Message----- Hey, I was surfing the net and came across your article from two years ago titled,"Is it really over?". The article was wonderful and I think really captures how it was before the media's "expose" on raves. Now when I talk with promoters they scoff at the use of the word as being "so 90's". It really sadens me and I still hope that when the popularity of the word dies down (and hopefully not affiliated with drugs and sex) it will come back and be left alone by those who are not about it. When the raves died, I felt like I lost someone very beautiful and special to me. Peace and Love, Karl
-----Original Message----- Hi Jewels Just wanted to say thanks for your review of All Crews. Peace B
Editor's Note: It's rare when a new intern columnist sparks such emotion, one way or another, with their innovative opinion put down to text. JIVE Magazine's intern writer, Tim Alamenciak was able to make people think, feel real Canadian pride, or just piss people off with his quirky column that was as much an ode to Canadian game developers as an insight to how he feels about his countries favorite pastimes. Way to go Tim... eh. From: Various - See Below Thanks for tooting our collective horn, besides beer and hockey, it seems quiet modesty is a Cannuck trait. But we gotta let the rest of the world know the score once in a while. This is off topic, but I say we invite all the blue staters and 'blue staters in exile' to live up here, and help shift the political weight such that legalized marijuana won't have to be such a big fight as gay marriage was. In exchange, we can give them all the people in Alberta who wish they were American. Nathan Response: Nathan, Thanks for your comments. Canada tends to collectively forget how much it does for the world – both in gaming and everything else. ### Hi Tim, I couldn't help but notice that you forgot to mention that Electronic Arts have their biggest development studio in vancouver. EAC (Electronic Arts Canada) develops SSX, FIFA, Need for speed, NHL, NBA Live, MVP baseball, to name only those. Cheers, ### I enjoyed reading your article on the Canadian gaming industry. As I sit here in my office in Buraby, BC, I look out my window and see the mega-complex that hosts Electronic Arts' game studios. The gigantic construction cranes have dwindled from three to one but construction workers busily scurry to add more office and parking space to what must surely be one of the world's largest game studios. Each morning I watch a stream of EA worker bees trudge up the hill from the bus stop. Many more go in than come out -- it's commonly known many developers sleep over during crunch time. Do they not count as a Canadian gaming institution as the parent company is in the US? Mike Response: Mike and Alban, Thanks for your comments. I apologize for the omission. My intention was to focus largely on Canadian-borne companies. I realize that I included a few Canadian-based studios (Rockstar, primarily). EA didn’t come up in my research, unfortunately. But I agree wholeheartedly with claiming them as Canadian, both geographically and in the games that the studios produce. While many will tout them to be the Microsoft of the gaming industry, they still make some damn good games. For my money, it doesn’t get much better than sitting around playing a game of NHL 2005 (2006 … soon) after a good hockey game. Not to mention the Need for Speed: Underground series; a largely ignored brilliant racing game. Thanks again for taking the time to write. What an insulting, derogatory and downright pathetic piece you wrote about the Canadian game development industry. Your repeated references to "beer drinking", insulting references to Quebec and Quebecers, the concept that "government support" is the driving force of the industry - and just the general tone of the article was humiliating. You are an embarassment to our country. Regards, Response: Adam, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read my column, and commend you for being so passionate on Canadian issues. I appreciate your comments and welcome such concerned readers as yourself. I look forward to hearing from you more often. ### Can anyone please ask "intern" writer Tim Alamenciak to stick to gaming stuff?? Cause I don't really care what he thinks about Montreal or Quebec. It just infuriates me to see people spreading hate and animosity like this using such a powerfull media like the Web. Last time I checked you guys were devoted to Gaming/Electronics subjects. Wasn't aware you guys had hired a Canadian political "expert" Thanks a bunch Editor's Response: Gee thanks Regorick, we didn't know how good Tim was either until we received your "hate and animosity" email. Thanks for the insight! We're going to give him a 10% raise on what he already makes here as an intern. From: east man my name is phil from the original jungle fever from england,, est 1993, I am not happy with a story Written By: Susan Holland 11/06/2001? and would like susan holland or DJ Ernie creator of 'Jungle Fever', the only drum n bass night in Galway, Ireland,????? contact me asap .. im not happy and am not having it Response: The article you refer to was submitted to JIVE Magazine by freelancer Susan Holland. She is not a retained staff writer and we do not have her contact information. If you wish to comment on this very dated, archived article with a bit more detail about your issues, and can do so with complete sentences and proper punctuation, then we will gladly place your "letter to the editor" in our letters section. We have no contact information for DJ Ernie nor can we validate any of his responses. It is simply a submitted interview from over four years ago. Best regards. From: east man try this - BOLLOCKS From: Jane Ben, I enjoyed reading both of your articles in Jive. And being somewhat of a linguophile, I am especially impressed with your coinage of the word "transhenchuals." It's also good to see that you are just as much of a kook as I am, thus enabling me to giddily appreciate your humor. Keep up the good work! Jane
From: Mr. Pink what game/type of games do you prefer? cool article, btw =) Willa's Response: I'd have to say my favorite genre is puzzle games. Katamari Damacy is my new favorite but I love Puzzle Fighter. I've also been playing Bejeweld on my phone a lot lately. After that it’s the RPGs, focused on the romance RPG. I'm into Final Fantasy mostly. I also have been playing Kingdom Hearts recently. As you can tell, I have a thing for Square. Besides those I like Sim style games with Roller Coaster Tycoon being my favorite. I would play MMOs more but I don't have the time or the money to get into it. I hope that answered your question. Thanks for writing. From: Sihrus Response: Hey Sihrus, I'm Low Tek, gaming editor of JIVE Magazine. We get this question asked every now and then, but sometimes the response is a little different. The gaming industry is VERY VERY large, and there are quite a few positions in a development company that you can apply for. There are 3 categories that apply to you in any type of software development company: - Management overlooks a development team and set goals on a timely basis. They manage various projects and team members within the company. Although most managers come from within the development team themselves after years of experience. This is probably not what you want to do, but if you wish to succeed in the gaming industry you have to possess a take-charge attitude no matter which position you choose to be in. - Art and Design people do a variety of projects within the development of the game and are essential to any company. I myself am an Art Director in a video game company, although I make Casino games like Slots and Video Poker. I design as well as direct other artists in a way that follows my artistic vision that has been set by me and the project guidelines. Artists are what are called the Front-end of development. They make everything you actually SEE when playing a game. Under me I have a Concept Artist who draws sketches of various objects and processes in the game. In a real gaming company a Concept Artist has similar duties. They are the person who draws (usually in 2D) characters, levels, vehicles, weapons, and any other elements that the other artists on the team use as a reference when creating the game. A texture and modeler artist do the fun stuff. They Model 3D characters, levels, weapons, and items using the Concept Art from other artists. They basically make everything you see in a game. Once they are done 3D modeling they take the model and texture it. A texture is basically a skin to a model which can range from a grass texture that you see in Unreal, to a costume texture that the main character wears. Animators take the 3D models, characters, weapons, and levels and actually make them move. Notice how your character's trench coat flaps in the wind as he runs in a 3D game? That's the work of the animator. Sometimes Animators and Modelers are the same people, on larger projects they may be in separate groups. Where as modelers make everything look cool, animators make everything move in a realistic way. - Programmers are the back-end of the development team. Without the programmers, the characters won't animate, the graphics won't display, and the game won't run. Programmers are highly skilled smart individuals. Like Artists, they vary in different aspects of a game. In small development companies, one programmer will code various aspects of a game. But in larger companies they are concentrated on single tasks and separated into teams to make the development process faster. Some types of programmers will develop the 3D engine, which is basically how the game renders 3D graphics. Ever heard of the Unreal engine, or Doom engine, or Half-Life engine? 3D engine developers are in charge of making sure graphics move in and out of memory in a timely fashion. It takes a lot of knowledge of programming and 3D development to create a good 3D engine. AI programmers are the guys who make the enemy units in a game react to the players movements and actions. Ever played against a bot in a FPS game? A bot is the product of AI programming. There are various other types of programmers, but those are the only 2 that come to mind right now Now the question you have to ask yourself is which of these sections do you fit into? Once you determine that, you'll be able to determine which school you should go to. In the US, all of the good game development companies are on the west coast in LA, San Francisco, and Seattle. You'll want to attend a school near one of those areas. If you attend school there, you'll have a better chance of recruitment, either for full time work or an internship. So plan to attend a college program now. The next thing you want to do is get a feel for game development. Pick up a 3D Studio or Maya book if you are an artist, or pick up a C# or a C++ book if you're a programmer. Learn what it takes to make a game before you set foot into school. If possible, see if you can get onto a serious Mod development team for a game. Just so you know, the game industry isn't what its cracked up to be. There is a chance that you could end up in a company that makes crappy games. No worries though, learn as much as you can move to another company if you can. You also might be working on a game that you don't even like, or don't want to play. Its work, and sometimes work isn't always fun. Keep these things in mind and do your best when you set your goals. Take care and good luck Sihrus - Low From: Roger Nikki's Response: Hi Roger, First of all, thanks for your feedback. It's really great to hear when you've hit the spot for a reader. Maybe between people like you and your girlfriend and my (now) husband and myself, we can rid the world of "Girlfriend aggro" altogether. It's a tall order, but I have enough confidence in my fellow girls to think it might actually happen. Best of luck with your long-distance relationship! Best, From: FrostByghte Nice read too...I wish I could get my wife to try ANYTHING with the computer. From: Jennie Jennie Nikki's Response: Hi Jennie, thanks for sending me an email. Unfortunately for me, I have to limit myself to one MMO, and since all my friends are there, CoH is it. Keep having fun! The more of us "normal" girls who play, the better the gaming community will become. :) Best, From: Lily From: Mr. Pink Nikki's Response: Thanks for the feedback. Basically, my point is that I had a situation where I wasn't going to pry my guy out of his geekly habits, and I wouldn't have wanted to do that, anyway. If you all enjoy crossword puzzles, or word jumbles, hiking, skiing, scrabble, whathaveyou, that's great. I think it's great when couples do things together, and I think it's usually detrimental when they fight. I wrote about gaming in this instance because this is my experience, and JIVE covers gaming. Had my experience been that he loved hiking and I learned the joys of the great outdoors, I probably wouldn't have chosen to write the column for JIVE. It wouldn't be the appropriate medium. In my experience, gaming-guys tend to take a lot of heat for their habits from girls that don't try to understand. The approach I feel I'm advocating is essentially the same approach our mothers took to vegetables -- try it, you might like it. At the least, you will understand your partner's choice in entertainment more fully. And really, that's the point - I know girls who have tried gaming, don't find it to their tastes, but don't give their guys so much grief over it anymore because they've developed an understanding and an arrangement with their SO's, which is great. Personally, I happened to find I really, really enjoyed the activity and the community, and I've stuck with it. Thanks again, From: Amy amy From: josh Lou's Response: Hi there Josh, I'm afraid real life is extremely busy for me at the moment, as such I've had to take a step back from JIVE for a short period of time. Have no fear, I fully intend to be back writing this side of Christmas, just annoying things like full time work keep getting in the way! Many thanks for your comments, I aim to be picking up where I left off! All the best, From: Willis The only reason I am writing this email is because I was so disappointed with the new Prodigy. Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned is a horrible album and I cannot believe you put the cd in and listened through the entire thing. The worst part is I knew the cd would suck, but I bought it anyway. I have many friends who consider Prodigy as Fat of the Land, which has some great songs. I considered it my responsibility to inform them not to waist their money. Then I come across your review and you give it a 5 out of 5? I'm sorry I am sending this email directly to you, but your site should have some kind of forum for additional input on reviews. I really like some of the cds on the site and I check it every once in a while for reviews on cds that are not mainstream. I just hated the cd that much. From: steven "The hardcore 0-to-40-in-no-time players are likely to burn-out in less than a month, blaze a trail of flames through the developer forums about nerfing and the lack of high-end content, then they will leave for newer pastures and cancel their subscriptions. The casual players, the ones that feel confident about paying good money for a game that they can enter or leave at anytime without feeling left way behind, they will keep their accounts open and they will keep the developers fed." I couldn't agree more! Thank you for the article. I'm pointing allot of my game friends like me to it. Steven From: William :::::::::: Our Game Department Director's Response: From: Rick "Low Tek" Merced Getting into the industry isn't that difficult in itself. Getting into a company that’s designing games you like is a bit more of a task. Luckily I have personal experience in that industry. Well for starters, I’m not sure where you are located but you might want to enroll yourself in your local Technology oriented college or institute and major in Computer Science and/or Video Game Programming. There are colleges that specifically tailor towards video game programming. Full Sail in Florida is one place that comes to mind. Getting a degree will improve your chances of getting a position by 200%. Familiarize yourself with 3D programming in DirectX. Most games these days are using DirectX, and being familiar with it will help your chances. While you’re in college make a few simple games to add to your portfolio. You never know when a company will ask to see some code or prototype game you’ve created at an interview. Also become familiar with 3D Studio Max or Maya. Most 3D programming will use models and scenes that are created in those programs. Plus knowledge of 3D will help with your understanding of programming and what it takes to make a game complete. Be sure to check out gaming oriented sites for job postings and what not. www.gamesindustry.biz is a great site for that. Although they are mostly UK and Europe oriented. What you will notice is that most game programming positions are located in California, Texas or New York, mostly because of the colleges around there. Research which colleges are in those states that are well known for their Computer Science program courses, and you’ll have a better idea of which to attend. Some companies will hire you straight out of college, just because you attended the same college they did and/or they are confident in what is taught there. If you don’t live in those areas, you might want to look into relocating. If you are serious about working at a company that makes great games, you have to move to them. If you are really serious about breaking into this industry, understand that it’s a lot of hard work to get there and sometimes you end up making games that no one will ever play or care about. Getting a degree is the first step, getting experience is the next step. I hope that helps William, and best of luck to you. From: Joshua Dysart Peace, From: bbsfiles The ARPANET (the real beginning of the internet) was around since the 1960s (I don't know exact dates) but in the early 1980's we used the ARPANET to transfer files and information across the country to save on long distance. The "internet" really wasn't anything new to many of us, except for the newer ability to display better graphics. Glad to see someone still writes a little about those of us that ran and/or still run a BBS. Stop by the website some time: http://BBSFiles.com Doug From: Josh Subject: writing for dummies Hey now. I need you people to tell Andrey "the pointy brain" to quit hating on Harry Potter. "We can finally grow out of Harry Potter, and into something a lot more rewarding." bite me Andrey. From: sandy t Subject: new columns I've been reading all the new columns you guys put up lately and I think they are all great. I'm a long-time JIVE fan and have enjoyed reading your articles since somewhere around two or more years now, right after I got out of high school. I come to the site pretty much weekly. Specifically, I wanted to give positive feedback to the Spitfire (Delia's) column and Andrey's column, which are my favorite right now. Delia's attention to detail and giving you all the info and links, plus her topics are very interesting, and something I really never expected to find on JIVE. It's great the way you guys are expanding what you write about. Andrey's just fun to read and has made me laugh right out loud a couple of times. Other new columns I like are Lou's and you just put up that spoof on Spam that is pretty funny, if odd (Rob's column). The fact that Rob admits he has a small penis makes me wonder how much you had to pay him to write that! Anyway, I could go on but I just wanted to say thanks JIVE for giving me something a little bit different on the Web to tune into each week. You guys have a great site that isn't exactly like anything else out there. Keep up the good work! Sandy From: Andres Read the interview off of Tranceaddict.com. I agree with the others, how it is a great interview. I think it's a great thing how he tries to be himself and put out his own opinion, through his art, at least he's not a puppet. I ordered his album reflections, so we'll see how it sounds. I would love to get a copy of your magazine with the interview. Andrés JIVE Magazine's Article "But in the end, they're still nothing more than video games" was a feature that ended up being posted on www.slashdot.com. As far as internet media is concerned, being "slash dotted" can do anything from crash servers and bring millions of readers to an article. It is also considered somewhat of an honor as the article gets notoriety and is picked up all over the net by other sources. Well, it didn't crash our server (thanks to our bandwidth), but it did bring over two-million hits from all over the world. It also brought Jewels several hundred emails like these: Sent: Monday, December 15, 2003 Jewels, I am a commodities broker, married with children, and have enjoyed AO for some time. Having read your article, I have to say that it's great to meet someone with what seems to be a balanced perspective of the overall situation regarding online gaming. I also was a bit skeptical at first, but having spent time in the heart of online role-playing, I've come to understand that we ALL have some addiction in our lives. For some, television reigns supreme. For another, it's gardening. It can be shopping, washing and waxing the car, ceramics, soccer, shirts and skins football, community service, cooking....the list goes on. What this ongoing list of personal pursuits DOES have in common is passion - what we enjoy doing. It's what makes us diverse and unique. It also makes us happy - a state that is somewhat hard to come by if all you do is go to work, come home, clean the house, go to bed and repeat. Our passions are a reflection of who we are, or perhaps want to be - a painter, a hero, a chef, an adventurer, a caregiver - and these real-life dreams cannot be accomplished without effort, without involvement. The pursuit of passions requires time and involvement. That undue attention has generated comments that online gaming has made widows is foolish - there are a thousand times more football widows, bar widows, pool hall widows, community service widows, and other widows too lengthy to mention. Here's the bottom line - our passions come with a price - irresponsibly managed time we spend in our chosen passion takes time away from loved ones, personal affairs and other real-life obligations. It's yin and yang, and each must have its proper balance in proportion to the other. Our mundane life equips us to have the wherewith all to pursue our passions - our passions refresh our minds, bodies and spirits to endure the mundane. So, seek balance between your passions and your mundane life - put as much gusto and excitement into one as the other. Snuggle with your mate and children, and then, log on, pick up your sword, strap on your armor, and slay the dragon. See you online, Michael-Terrorgeist (RK-1 server) [Anarchy Online] From: r. I wanted to thank you for writing [the] article, that I mentioned in that's in the mail topic. It's 3.30 here in Poland and I'm starting to realize that I have to go to work in the morning. So I have about 4 hours left. I can spend it on playing Neverwinter Nights (online) and bust my charter to 18th level or I can spend it on sleeping. Server is currently down so I decided to read some articles on www.warcraftstrategy.com (WOW - the game that i'm waiting for). I read your article and hmm... I was simply shocked. It has made me realize that I have just came to a deadline with my online gaming addiction. I suddenly realized that I don't care for my girlfriend as much as I was. I work just to have cash to play online games... Thanks to you I've decided to do something about it, as I said BIG THANKS to you :* r. From: Blake Just wanted to say that i really enjoyed the article. i am a middle school teacher and musician who plays Everquest. I am persistently troubled with my lack of intensity for my "quests" in the real world set along side my desire to research, conquer and obtain in eq. I am not sure that I am able to draw the same conclusion that you have. However, it is refreshing to hear someone who enjoys the game yet is reflective about its effects. Thanks, Blake From: Mathijs Hi there. Just wanted to let you know I loved your article about video games, I don't think I've ever read something that shows the addiction/"problems" so well. Keep it up :) From: Joe W I enjoyed your article on MMORPG's. I tried that sort of game in their early years (the early 1990's, when you had to pay per hour to access a proprietary network in order to play them). I didn't find them interesting enough given the cost, and haven't tried them since. I'm glad that you actually took the time to try them out before writing a negative article about them, though. The world of journalism sorely needs more people like you. I would like to point out one misleading statement in your article, though. You state off-handedly that several Dungeons and Dragons players killed their entire families in the seventies. I've done some research on that, and the reality is that not one incident of a role-player going crazy and killing himself or someone else can be verified. Although some fundamentalist religious organizations made such claims back then, and although many reporters took those claims as verities, there is no evidence to support such claims. Here's a link to a nice article if you'd like to look into this stuff: http://www.religioustolerance.org/d_a_d3.htm You can also, of course, do a google search (I found a lot under "dungeons dragons murder suicide satanism"). Best wishes, From: Alex Hutchinson Cool article -- I enjoyed it thoroughly. A few things though: there is a middle ground between playing games so much you lose your job and never picking up a joystick. I've happily existed in this middle ground for years. It's part of the reason I don't bother with MMORGS and mostly enjoy single player experiences. Like a book or CD, I can enjoy it in my own time and don't have to miss parties or the birth of my children ;) Anyway, just thought I'd drop my 2c in! Cheers, From: Nick R Great article! I hear you Jewels. From: Scott Jewels, The gaming industry is huge, and getting bigger all the time. How we as a public learn to adapt to these new technologies further stimulate social improvements to our world, or they could damage our social world. Respect is something you touched on that makes so much sense, because it's something that is hard to come by in a real world atmosphere, from people who tend not to understand the computer savvy, and it's something that is handed out to higher level characters online, like it was candy. It's almost as if the people who are addicted to MMORPG are voting in an election, to proclaim their love for a world where they are respected, point blank, and not disdained for some unethical reason, like for being overweight or for being nerdy or accidentally malformed. Some gamers are annoyed with life, and the injustice of our own real world, so we are hooked on the virtual world as a place where we can impact and where our votes really do count, where we are not judged by appearance, but by intellect, and it's not like the Florida election or Canadian politics, where our voices are silenced by a roar of the uneducated or superstitious public, frothing at the mouth, voting like a drunken guy on a snow-mobile might swerve into a destination, as a method to arrive at a conclusion.In the virtual world, we can be the next Ben Franklin, or a popular rock star! It's vain, but it's likely true that in most cases it's not that plain. That somehow our use of such devices stems from a need and not a lack of moral-fiber, or because of some problem. The problem is really with the real world. Ask any gamer and they'll tell you... their boss is an idiot or their family dotes on them for being goofy, or their spouse yells at them for spending too much time in front of the computer. There is evidence that the people in the lives of gamers are as much responsible for the gaming behavior, as the gamers themselves, such that the if the world we lived in now was fair and respecting, maybe it would be more attractive. The less attractive our own world is, the less interesting it becomes. Industry, pollution, greed all contribute to making the world a more despicable place to live, and while it might sound like a grandiose thing to say, there are cars polluting the earth like never before, killing everything slowly and steadily, at the pace of a time-clock; and who wouldn't want to watch a sunset in the virtual world, where there are no dirty cars or ugly vistas. Change comes from understanding, and while we all feel powerless against such odds, the virtual world becomes much more appealing to many of us than the real world, and I think it's a sober choice, in the face of such human waste and disgrace, as what heavy industrialization has done to the world. Regards, From: Mike W I would just like to praise you on your write up about online gaming. That is most definitely the first article I have ever seen that has some real thought behind it. While most articles are by extremists with very biased opinions, yours seems to have some serious thought and effort behind it. From: Sven Greets, Sven From: Raul Great article. Very interesting to see this kind of comment from the POV of somebody on the outside looking in... and then being amongst it, among us.I remember, that I actually DROVE HOME all the way from school, in-between classes... just to advance my game a little further. -Raul From: Robert "But in the end, they're still nothing more than video games"-Great article. Thanks. Robert From: Dalai Lol, great ending to your MMORPG addiction story, signing off with your in-game name and leaving links to sign up to AO. ;) Dalai- Project Lead, Thievery UT From: April Jones at Funcom Hi Jewels (A.K.A. Tenjikiito), I have a difficult time explaining to many mass media reporters that these games are really about socializing. They are real social structures outside of the real world where people can have personal successes they can’t get in their non-gaming life. I talked with a gentleman at the Game Developers Conference last March who is in a wheelchair and partially deaf. He said that online games allow him to be a whole person. No one knows, or cares, that he’s disabled in the real world. He’s not addicted and doesn’t play all the time, but he plays enough to have gained respect for his level, which is exactly what you talked about. So, from the creators of the world that you now enjoy, thanks! Of course we appreciate the regular “reviews” we get of game features and add-ons. It’s even better though to see someone write about the bigger picture J. All the best, Note from Jewels: Okay so this next letter was like God himself wrote to me... From: Gaute Godager [Anarchy Online Game Director as of December 2002] Hi Jewels. I read your article in Jivemagazine. I thought it was very interesting, and very well balanced. (And it soon being xmas, I have time to write you a comment .) I will confess something to you about “game-addiction”. Not only have I been addict to so many games in my life I cant really count them, never more so than to MMORPG’s. Hey, I've even been frantic with playing my own game. (See the signature in the bottom, and you might know who I am :) The confession is that I think about our game with mixed feelings when it comes to people being addicted to it. I know that no one has had more to say about the game-mechanics, the story or the world of Rubi-Ka than myself. I am actually a psychologist myself, and I feel extremely distressed about game-addictions. (My friends accuse me of simply building the bases of a future career as a psychologist :/ ) I was quite moved when I read your article and wondered what in AO it is that makes people so profoundly fascinated with the game? I understood then that it was not anything we had done really. Strip away the people and the game is boring. Not quite boring, not a little bit boring, it is very boring. A looong stretch of endless land with random monsters and an endless treadmill of leveling. No, it is the people that makes the game in so many ways, in every way. AO the game is but the canvas, the players the colors and brushes; the guilds are structure and composition, the sides… well I don’t know. You get my drift. So, what I am saying, is that I support your hypotheses of respect, power, social status = meaning. This is also supported by so many modern theses in psychology – how man define himself / herself only by human interaction. One thing is, people do not normally think of mankind being “addicted to friends”? (Like young people meeting their peers absolutely every day, for hours and hours.) I guess you can be addicted to everything when the frequency becomes so high that it intervenes with the normal functioning of your life. (As in no work, no social life outside the game etc.) It might be that virtual worlds will be seemed the same as a normal world when it comes to how “healthy” it is to be part of it with time – if only the quality of interaction becomes equal to normal interaction. The thing is, we only make the games we wish to play ourselves – that is why I think it is hard to create a game that is not addictive but still fascinating. When given a choice as a game designer between creating something to make you feel powerful and unique on one side, and powerless and mundane on the other - the choice is always the same. I guess we only play the same strings inside like everyone else – the wish to be seen the primary among them. Well, enough ramblings from me. Thank you again for a very good article… Merry Xmas, and good luck to Tenjikiito :b Yours truly, Gaute Godager From: Matt Hey Jewels.. my name is Matt.. I have a production company called Incyderz here in Atlanta. anyways.. I just picked up the first copy of Jive the other day and I really must admit that you placed a very nice article on drum and bass in there.. after I read it I was just kinda like damn.. it's about time the damn genre has started to be realized for it's worth.. it's not just the same oldschool hard dnb that's been around for years.. it's something so much more now.. it's merging with almost every type of music there is.. and to me it's truly one of the most versatile forms of music.. but anyways.. I just wanted to commend you on the article and the first issue.. I will definitely be pickin the rest up for years to come.. Peace.. Matt :) Subj: your daily brown nosing.... I just wanted to tell you thanks again... not only for giving me another creative outlet but also for introducing me to a community that only some people can only imagine. In the short time that i have been around Jive i have studied, repeatedly, the thoughts and expressions of the others in this 'rave' community. In high school most of us were nerds, geeks, submissives, freaks, punks, skaters, hermits, and any other personality that may be perceived as deviant behavior. Little did the world know that we were all just planning to take over the world, our world. a beautiful one. Which we have chosen to create. Although it may seem that we comply to societies rules, we have all learned to work around it to harness the creativity that abounds us. In my life i have never encountered so much intellect and humor, nurtured by constant positive reinforcment. I am amazed at the range of thought that goes into everything that is posted on your site, in the forums, in the articles or on everything with the Jive Magazine mantra behind it. From monologues about the human soul and the meanings of life to such mundane things as poop and sexual dysfunctions, very rarely is something said that does not make one try to understand harder or just understand. This is knowledge. Jive magazine is a gene pool of artists, writers, poets, musicians. I hope that the magazine continues to grow as it has and that all of us as impersonal as a box full of circuits and copper wiring will continue to have this idea of a place that we can call home. thank you! An Oldie but Goodie in 2001: Dear Brad, How much do you really know about techno? This music is not so "easy listening" and takes a bit more knowledge about the music and a bit more smarts than your average "trancer/ junglist/ average dumbass party kid" seems to contain (and I'm willing to bet that's what the vast majority of your Atlanta scene contains) to enjoy. I've seen her spin and know her personally and I know she would throw the crossfader over before she let a beat slip so bad it "trainwrecked." This review of yours is very unprofessional, and paints a bad picture for her if anyone worth of any "merit" were to read this (which I hope they don't because you suck to be blunt with you). Get educated and learn to be more constructive with your criticism once you know "what's up." Thank you for your time, The Response: Paco "Debongo"? I was there, maybe you were too. I was on stage, I was off stage. I saw/heard the entire night for myself, not to mention the number people I spoke with to get feedback. Before I call someone out on a poor performance, I actually do talk with other people there and make sure that I wasn't just hearing something, and to get the "GENERAL OPINION" of the crowd. Sure, you might call my personal opinion an "expert opinion" because its my job to...but I like to report on the general opinion of the majority. In other words, if I say that someone performed poorly, its not just because I think they did, but its because MANY people thought they did. I have been doing reviews for some time now. I have heard practically every sub-genre, and the sub-genres of every sub-genre of electronic music that there is- and I know when something is good, or bad, or not put together well. That set was not put together well, and flat out poorly executed. If you think my review was unjust, then why have more people not come forward and voiced their opinions as well? Not to mention that this event was eight months ago... Bottom line: Good is good no matter what the style is; I know how to recognize it. End of story. Regards- Brad G November 2000 I would like to subscribe... There's nothing like a REAL LETTER to generate some enthusiasm in this age of email!
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