I’ll be travelling this week, so there probably won’t be an entry on Wednesday. But! Next week marks the start of the Six Weeks of Halloween, so lots of good stuff coming… For now though, enjoy some links:
- Modern Warfare 2 Player Attempting To Reach Rank 70 Without Killing Anyone: Sometimes, when looking at the video game landscape, it’s easy to see a lot of juvenile power fantasies and become embarrassed by that. For example, games that feature shooting as a primary mechanic seem to be rather dominant (at least, among the big budget stuff). However, unlike passive forms of entertainment (TV, Movies, Books, etc…), games can allow for creativity on the consumer end of things. This means that even a relatively juvenile exercise like Modern Warfare 2 can become something more interesting… but only if you work for it. For example:
In two hours of playing, Glen has reached rank 5 without taking a life. Using pacifist means to earn points, Glen estimates it will take him roughly two months to be the first player to reach rank 70 with zero kills.
Apparently, he’s up to level 21…
- Fermat’s Last Theorum: Engaging 45 minute documentary about the man who solved Fermat’s Last Theorum. As Kottke notes: ‘The film is not really about math; it’s about all of those movie trailer cliches — “one man!”, “finds the truth!”, “fights the odds!”, etc. — except that this is actually true and poignant.’
- Danish Championships in Rabbit Hopping: I don’t think my brain works anymore. This can’t be what I think it is. Can it? I need to run some diagnostics. Impressive bunnies though.
- How to Make Luke’s Lightsaber: Ridiculously thorough instructions for creating your very own lightsaber.
- Hollywood Producer Fight!: James Cameron rips on Piranha 3D and that illustrious film’s producer overreacts:
What it comes down to, Jim, is – that like most things in life – size doesn’t really matter. Not everyone has the advantage of having endless amounts of money to play in their sandbox and to take ten years using other people’s money to make and market a film….like you do. Why can’t you just count your blessings? Why do you have to drop Marty Scorsese’s or Tim Burton’s names, both gentlemen who I have personally worked with, and who have enjoyed great joy and success with movies of all genres and sizes well before the advent of modern 3D? Then as now, they were like kids in a candy store recognizing, far beyond your imagination, the possibilities of storytelling and originality.
If I were a producer, my response would have been something along the lines of: “Clearly Jim didn’t see the underwater ballet scene. Also, Avatar sucked.”
That is all for now. Again, probably no post on Wednesday (maybe something on Thursday when I get back). Also, first week of 6WH will kick off with three Italian giallo films. See you then…