Talking of things being light - apologies if Digi2000 has been somewhat less stuffed over the past couple of weeks. The day job had to take priority, alas, and I was writing to avert a head-on collision of deadlines and stress.
As always, your generous Patreon and PayPal donations have helped to keep me anchored in the Digiverse. Frankly, your kindness keeps the spirit of Digi alive. So, thank you, as always.
Hey - enough sincerity. It's time to insult some letter-writing idiots!
Word up. Now, I warned you I was going to write in about geekery when you done your Star Wars writing. So I am. Why not in um comments? Because then no um letters, pale face. Or um casual racism.
So, what is a geek? I dunno, like, innit blud? Depends on your perspective. Here's mine.
Like all of you, I suspect, I have many interests, or "facets" , because we all shine on like crazy diamonds. Some of mine could be considered "cool" (whatever the gorblimey THAT means) - riding fast motorbikes, surfing, snowboarding, music, mountaineering.
Others are less so - computers, computer gaming, war games, Terry Pratchett. I have several groups of friends, from these several areas of my life. Some, the best ones, overlap into other - or all - the areas. Some have no interests in common with my other friends.
To me, a "geek" (whatever the jiminy THAT means) is anyone who obsesses over one particular interest, no matter how 'cool' that interest. I've known people who climb for a job (teaching others to be instructors), climb after work, climb at the weekend and, then spend their holidays - guess what? - climbing. I love climbing, it's given me the deepest insights into myself that I've ever had, but those guys? Geeks.
I know musicians, great players, cool as you like on the outside, who only want to talk about guitars, amps, pedals, whatever. Geeks.
Nothing wrong with these guys - they're my friends - and often obsession is the way to mastery and success... but being one dimensional, however 'cool' that dimension is, makes you a geek in my eyes. And, like I say, there's nothing wrong with that. And DEFINITELY no shame. I have a print in my house that my wife bought.
It just says this: "YOU DO WHAT YOU DO. THEY DO WHAT THEY DO"
Says it all for me.
Jonathan Ball
Remakes, reboots, retro-styled titles. Old games are coming back in fashion, in many different ways. But what if you were to make Digitiser: The Game? What genre would it be? Who would you play as? What'd be the overall objective of it? Thanks.
Stuart Lindsay
I was wondering what your thoughts are about the whole concept of e-sports. I recently realised that Sky TV have introduced a dedicated channel to e-sports (Sky 470) which unfortunately doesn't involve people getting whacked out of their gourd on illicit pills, but instead features people playing video games in an effort to garnish some kind of audience.
Initially I thought it was a rather stupid idea but in recent years I've gained a lot of enjoyment from watching incredibly good video games players doing what they do best in the same kind of way that I can enjoy watching Premier League football while at the same time enjoying a kick about with my mates. One doesn't need to exist without the other.
I was wondering though what your take on it is. Instinctively I reckon you would also think it's kind of stupid, that you would rather be an active participant rather than a passive observer, but personally I think there's merit to it.
As an example, when I first played Dark Souls I was very much of a similar opinion to yourself when it comes to those kind of games. It was only after watching speed and challenge runners that I kind of got a grasp on the game, and realised what was possible. Now it's easily in my top 3 games of all time. Initially I sucked so baldy at the game that I couldn't see the appeal, but by watching people who were really good at it made me improve.
I am still no nowhere close to being as good as those guys at the game, but the fact that some people could complete a game - with such a hard reputation - in such an easy way, gave me impetus to stick with it.
Plus I have to say I've gotten more pleasure from watching the likes of Diago's Street Fighter comeback (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSGW7CwD5GM) than watching a real boxing or MMA fight.
Anyway. What do you think? Have you ever gotten any pleasure from watching other people play video games?
Mark Hartnett
I've never once watched any actual competitive gaming, so can't really comment... but my inclination is... no thanks. As you rightly stated.
digitiser2000@gmail.com
We've still a few tickets left if you're keen to attend. More details here.