PixlBit

I can tell from your handle alone that we were destined to be buddies.

I had every game in that stack pictured.  That makes me feel all sorts of nostalgic and old.

Awesome blog, man!

This is completely random, but I had no idea you lived in Asheville.  I was up there for New Years (last year) and absolutely loved it. I've actually given some pretty damn serious thoughts to relocating there, especially since my parents are a lock to do just that.

That last paragraph is one of the best kind of things about gaming. Oh, the possibilities.

That actually makes me wonder how bad Aliens: CM actually is.  I think because it was so highly anticipated that heavier criticisms were levied against it.  Still, the footage did look awful.

E3 should be fun this year, but that conference left me completely underwhelmed.  The Witcher 3 is kind of a big deal to be hitting consoles, but I'd rather play that on the PC, I think.  I wouldn't be surprised if you start seeing an exodus from the console scene to the PC.

Just like you the only reason I have Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom is because the girl loved it.  It's also why I have Mortal Kombat and Soul Calibur 4 and 5.  It's a genre I've always wanted to get into, but I find that barrier hard to break.  Perhaps if I picked up an arcade stick....

I agree that people don't bring up what I consider the central issue of horror franchising - in that it just shouldn't be done - enough.  But the problem is, sequels sell better than original IP (for the most part) and are considered safer bets by studios, so we won't be seeing this go away anytime soon.

As for improving as a writer, my advice is to just keep at it.  Get yourself in a workshop environment if possible.  And remember to read.  A writer who writes more than he reads will never be a great writer.

You've convinced me to give the series a shot.  I'll admit, the third entry has had me enticed with the setting and open world elements - things that are very important in an FPS for me these days.  Is the original still worth getting into?

We all go through the quarter life crisis - that point where we take that first long hard look at our lives and evaluate our current position in the universe.  We're hard on ourselves, because very few people are actually where they thought they would be.  I know for a fact that the Jesse I envisioned wasn't the Jesse that I would eventually become.

Truth is, you'll go through this more than once, but so long as you accept who you are and realize that the only person that can really control that is you, you'll be fine.  Growing up in the 80's and early 90's (get off my lawn, you whipper snappers!) was difficult for a nerd who loved video games, was fascinated (and still am) with dinosaurs and space exploration, and who would rather play Advanced Dungeons and Dragons with a small group of friends on a Saturday night (actually this was an all day event kind of thing) rather than go to a raucous party.

But you know what?  I wouldn’t change a damn thing.  I like how I turned out, and those experiences – the good and the bad – shaped me.  And with technology today, it’s quite easy to seek out and find like minded individuals.  Not having the internet growing up – yes, there was such a time – meant feeling alone and ostracized at times.  And I completely understand your family not being into games.  My parents refused to buy them for me, and I ended up having to save money and buy even my original NES!  But that was okay – they didn’t understand my love for these things, but I could connect on other levels.

You’re at that point in your life when you’re no longer a child, but not really a full blown adult.  You’re a dude in flux – and I certainly know how that feels.  But remember, it gets better.

Keep calm and game on!