Mad Squirrel Update: 2/19/2010

First one of the year!

This first update to my deviantART page includes 12 new images, all of them black and white. As my Photo 2 class progresses, expect to see more of them. School's resumed, and with it, a new slew of black and white film images as I progress through another photography course. I love working in this medium because it really makes one think...because most of us can see color, we take color for granted. Every day, in every way, it's everywhere. Remove it, and we're taken to places we don't normally see. Plus, I also think it's amazing sight to see things from a different perspective. With the absence of color, all you have to base the image on is the different values of light--instead of the hues and saturation of color, you're left with values and tones. Contrast becomes the forefront, and that's what interests the eye. With that said, I hope you enjoy the images that come your way over the next few months. If anyone wants an image as an actual print, please contact me and we'll most certainly talk.

Most of the images involve a shallow depth of field and selective focus, but I hit a milestone on this one--my 300th image on the Mad Squirrel dA. It's been dedicated to the unknown Proctors Theatre volunteer who died in a tragic accident when some impatient schmuck decided to ignore a law to yield to people in a crosswalk. The image is called "In Memoriam."

Check out the latest images right here: Mad Squirrel Photography

The sociology of the gaming public.

(This will also posted to Late to the Party, www.latetotheparty.co.uk)

So, it's that time of year again when video game magazines, websites, and blogs are putting out editors' choice awards, readers' choice awards, etc, for the best video games of 2009. Well, it's been going on for a few months now, but we've come to the current issue of Nintendo Power, who released their annual list of Nintendo Power awards for their favorite and best Nintendo games of 2009. In a first, they published what the editors' picks were and also published what the readers voted for in the same categories.

The differences are startling--very surprising, in a way. I expected that readers and those who voted on the poll would have more similarities to the winners that the editors chose, but the fact that the results were so different leads to some interesting questions: are gaming magazine staff out of touch with the general gaming public? Is the gaming public out of touch with the editors? Or could it be that no one knows a damn thing? Because this is Nintendo Power, I feel that there was also a small element of marketing at work here. By having such a wide variety of winners from the editors, there may have been a subtle hint of advertising, as opposed to the readers, who don't have pressure from say, Konami or Square Enix. I could be wrong. Also, taken into account is that the number of votes and ballots received by Nintendo are clearly not everyone who's a fan of Nintendo or play their games. Ten or twenty thousand ballots certainly do not account for Nintendo's entire fan base--and even more so, many of these ballots came in from the US. I'm pretty confident that the results would have been different if the same ballot was given to Japanese readers and European readers.

Also thrown into the mix is the fact that I'm willing to bet that much of Nintendo Power's editing staff are people my age (at the very least) and older, a good generation or two ahead of the current one, and so their views on what makes a game great probably differs greatly with the younger crowd. And also, as with any art, video games and their critics are subjective, constantly open to opinion and debate. Even the editors themselves say this before going into the awards: "While our picks reflect a broader knowledge of all nominees, the popular vote accurately reflects the lasting impact that these games have."


But I'll let you decide. I want your thoughts--it'd be interesting to see what you think. If you reply, explain why you chose how you did. Gamers are a varied bunch. Keep in mind, these are all Nintendo games.

Reprinted below are the categories, nominees, and winners. Blue bold represents the editor's picks. Red bold represents the readers' choice. Green bold denotes if the editors and readers picked the same. WW means a WiiWare title. DW means a DSiWare title. Wii and DS are self-explanatory. The final four categories were not on the ballot and were picked by Nintendo Power staff only.

( The intriguing disparity. The list is quite long, so it's under an LJ cut for your pleasure. )

So there you go. I don't know if some of these games will be lasting or not...I have to admit, though, Kingdom Hearts has built up quite a massive following, but I don't necessarily think it was deserving of all those wins. Mario, also, is timeless. But again, the disparity is there.

Let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear what you have to say.