Madness Monday - Playing Games For A Living

Hello and welcome to Madness Monday; the day where I talk about the madness that is online commentary, and wonder how that ever caught on.

This image of Markiplier pulling a rather fantastic face while waving is from here.

I've spoken about the strange YouTube Commentators that have taken the world by storm a few times on this blog in the past. However, it's never occurred to me just how many people in the world make their livings by playing games. Isn't it maddening to think that maybe you've got the wrong job?

If you're a frequent purveyor of this blog, you probably know about my frequent watching of YouTube video's and it's many commentators. I have not, however, actually ever considered just how many people base their lives on playing games, and how ridiculous it is that it works. (I mean, come on, getting paid to play games? I'm in the wrong business. Teehee)

Consider for a moment, the people I have mentioned in the past to start with. They get up in the morning each day, get dressed for work, just to simply sit down in their study behind a microphone and camera and record their reactions and opinions to games. Sure perhaps I'm glancing over the difficulty of performing before a camera, or the fact that they do have to somewhat edit their videos, but the point remains, playing games is not exactly the hardest job in the world. (And they get paid pretty well to do it too. :O )

The maddening thing is, they aren't the only people who do it. I've mentioned a few times in the past that Esports are quickly becoming considered to be the same as playing physical sports. (Not that I can remember where I said that. *Facedesk*) And so there are people being paid like national athletes and sports stars to sit behind a computer and be the best of the best at a game. If this article from Gamespot is anything to extrapolate from, being good at League of Legends but not World Championship material is enough to see you earning $1 000 000 a year, which is obviously a fair bit more than most of us make in a decade. (And here I thought being a salesman sounded like a good idea. Maybe I should start playing LoL again.)

And then there are the people we don't know as much about, but know they exist. The game testers. Perhaps less paid than the other two I've mentioned, they sit, play games and then let the developers know how the game plays or about bugs so that the game can be polished. In all honesty, their is perhaps the hardest of all the jobs I've mentioned in this post, but they get paid the least of the three technically. (This sounds like a trend strangely. Work more for less or work less for more. Because you know.

In any case, I gotta say, I think I'm gonna start playing games more (again). Seems lucrative these days. If you think that sounds like a good idea, make sure to let me know in the comments below, or over Facebook and Twitter if you like. Also, don't forget to share this with any friends who think it's a waste of time to play games. (Teehee) If you thought this was funny or interesting, and would like to see more articles like it, make sure to follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter using the associated buttons on the bar to the right. Regardless of what you do, I thank you for having taken the time to read this post; hope that you have/had an absolutely FANTASTIC day, and I will speak again tomorrow.

Later folks.

Madness Monday - Freelancer Roleplay (The Definition Of Madness)

Hello and welcome to Madness Monday; the day of the week where I tel you about a really great game I played for years... and then mention how the Madness of it's players turned from a factor of enjoyment to boredom.

Freelancer boxart is the property of Microsoft. (Also, the mirroring of the planet is not part of the original image. Box art is too narrow for my header image, so I made do.)

Have you ever pretended to be someone else and done strange out-of-character things in the name of Roleplay? If yes, you're either an actor, a fan of Dungeons and Dragons, crazy as all hell, or really kinky. (You dirty dog you. Haha) Some people like to pretend to be other people online sometimes. It can fun... sometimes.

Freelancer is the space gamers special memory of way-back-when game that was made by Digital Anvil, with Chris Roberts at the lead, and published by Microsoft Game Studios in 2003. (If Chris Roberts sounds like a familiar name, that's probably because he's the guy running the development of Star Citizen. You know, that game that made headlines with now $49 million in crowdsourced funding.) Anyways, odds are, if you meet a space game enthusiast, they've probably played one of Chris Roberts's games, and Freelancer is one of the more popular ones. (The other being Wing Commander. And that game was hard as hell to play when you're 7)

In any case, "so why is this on a Madness Monday?", you may be wondering. A couple reasons. Space game enthusiasts are pretty crazy. One good reason is that considering this game was made in 2003, there are still mods being made and updated for this game regularly, one of which is the main subject of this article. The Discovery Mod for Freelancer, which is in version 4.86, is perhaps one of the few things I continued to play for years. (My average playtime for most games is weeks at most.) This mod has added countless things to the game, to the point that it's a wonder that the game still manages to run unofficial online servers for any period of time.

So what did I do for years in a mod for an ancient game? Roleplay. (Apparently roleplay is the topic of interest right now, considering Saturdays article.) I think there must be a lot of bored and somewhat mad individuals out there, (like myself), to go to an ancient spaceship piloting game, fly out into space and pretend to a Space Pirate who goes and steals from the other poor carebears who thought that trading goods in an online game was fun. And the madness didn't end there. Not satisfied with simple in game roleplay, there is a forum more or less dedicated to the mod's official server and all the roleplay that took place on it. And things get weird on there and in game, (and on Skype for some). A term I used in my review of Aura Kingdom; Lolicom, is a fairly accurate description of some of the weird things these people did. Picture two grown men sitting at computers, pretending to be a guy and girl and roleplaying their "story". (*Shivers* it is the internet i guess, rule 34 of the internet being what it is.)

Still, it's not all bad. At times it was an utter blast. If you enjoy writing stories and seeing how people react to and interact with them, there was a definite allure to the strange things we did on this single online server. And the people who liked to make these stories were always a pleasure to meet. To be fair, if I had never played this weird game online, I'd never have started learning to do Photoshop, and maybe wouldn't be quite the actor I turned out to be later in life. (Ah, yes, another crazy thing about this game, everyone and their mother had a fancy header image or graphic that they designed themself or had designed for them. It makes no sense, but I guess people will do lots in an attempt to suspend disbelief.)

In the end though, it wasn't the utterly strange people that played the game, nor the visible aging of the game, that eventually made me stop playing yeas later. It was boredom. In the wise words of Far Cry 3's antagonist Vass Montenegro, "The definition of madness is doing the same thing, over and over, expecting things to change." (Although some other person might have said it first.) Basically, the scope of the game began to limit the stories that could be told. There's only so many times you can fly in and start shooting before the reason for doing so starts to sound overused. Eventually it felt like a chore saying the same things again and again. "Maddeningly monotonous" is putting it lightly.

In any case, it could still be fun for other people I guess, if you can put up with the element of sheer strangeness that even I don't compare to. (And that's saying something.) Do you think that's hard to manage?Or maybe just want to tell me about some other weird roleplaying you've done, make sure to let me know in the comments below. (Not the kinky kind though; keep that to yourself. This is a relatively child friendly blog.) Also, don't forget to share this any friends who think that they do weird things. They might feel a little more normal afterwards. And of course, if you would like to read more articles like this, make sure to like my Facebook page and/or follow me on Twitter using the associated buttons on the sidebar to the right. Regardless of what you do though, I thank you for taking the time to read this strange article; hope that you have/had an absolutely FANTASTIC day, and I will speak again tomorrow.

Peace be with you friends.

Madness Monday - "Internet Skills" (And Challenges)

Hello and welcome to Madness Monday; the day of the week where I talk about internet skills and the crazy things people do with them.

Picture was taken from this Rusty Cage video. You might also find you can't stop watching that if you're not careful.

Ever feel like you have too many fingers (or not enough scars)? Maybe you wonder if cinnamon on it's own tastes as good as cinnamon buns? Or maybe you just think that eating stupid things is funny. Whatever it is, it's madness, (and not the sparta kind), so we're gonna talk about it.

If you've spent time on YouTube, it's likely you've fallen trap to the endlessness of clicking suggested video's for a good few hours. If you have, you've probably come across one of the millions of video's about which I'm going to talk about. "Internet Talents" as RayWilliamJohnson called them in this video when he was still the presenter of =3, are skills that people have which, while somewhat impressive, don't have much application anywhere other than the internet.

And boy, are there a lot of them. Rusty Cage largely popularized the "Knife Game", also known as Five Finger Fillet, with this song, and people ever since then have been itching to amputate their limbs accidentally in the name of fun. Then there's the dear fellow The LA Beast, who's been inspiring the masses to eat the most ridiculous things ever for years. Boiled coke sounds horrid.

What on earth inspires these people to do these stupid things in front of a camera and put them on the internet? Other people of course, because no great story started with: "I was home alone when...".

Perhaps even better, are the amazing(ly stupid) challenges that people attempt to conquer for the entertainment of the masses. Our dear friend the LA Beast is ever here for us when he attempts to take on the "Condom Challenge", snorting a "fire and ice" condom and pulling it out from his throat. Delicious... If you wish to see this hero in all his glory perform this amazing act, click here. (I suspect that link will remain mostly untouched for some reason...)

Then there's the cinnamon challenge where people try to eat a spoonful of cinnamon. Mmmmmm, I can just taste the wonderful, powdery goodness now. What kind of person doesn't have a straight spoon of cinnamon every day? (Everyone...) And that's not even the worst. People do all kinds of stupid things, ranging from jumping into frozen lakes to eating Ghost Chili Peppers. (Often rated as one of the hottest chili's in the world.)

Strangely enough, I would ask what on earth posseses people to do these stupid and fairly self-harmful things, but I mostly already know. Same reason I use for anything that seems funny to do. "For fun". (Or "Teh Lulz" if you know the Oddball Dialect)

Maybe we're crazy, or maybe were all just mad. Either way, self-inflicted injuries and dumb ideas are entertaining for some strange reason, so I don't see this stopping any time soon. Teen's think its a fun way to blow time, Darwinists think it's a fun way to blow stupid genes and the bored just think it's fun to watch. (I'm with the last group on this one.)

In any case, I hope that you're feeling a little more sane this Monday after seeing some of the ridiculous things that people do on the internet. If you think there are some more notable, (read: outrageous), challenges or skills that I forget to mention, make sure to let me know in the comments below. Better yet, make sure to share this with any crazy friends of yours, we could always do with more people doing silly things for laughs. And of course, if you would like to see more articles like this, make sure that you like my Facebook page, or follow me on Twitter, using the associated buttons on the bar to the right so that you can read them, as they're posted. Regardless of what you do, I thank you for taking the time to read this, hope that you have/had an absolutely FANTASTIC day, and I will speak again tomorrow.

Peace out Homies. (That's how people sound on the internet right?)

Madness Monday - Statistics (And The People That Believe Them)

Hello and welcome to Madness Monday; the day of the week where I talk about statistics, and why they're more useful to politicians than scientists.

Starting to think I need to find more interesting header images... Just maybe.

Do you have 1 breast and 1 testicle? If yes, then statistically, you're a very average person. Do you think you're normal? If you are, then statistically, you're the farthest thing from it. If you have ever thought that statistics were just a little screwy, then you will probably find this interesting.

Have you ever thought you were normal? If you did, the most average thing about that thought is the fact that so many people think it. Strangely enough, the more you think about it, the more you actually realize just how incorrect statistics are, and why they're more useful to politicians than scientists.

Let's talk about that. Michael Stevens from the popular YouTube Channel Vsauce, pointed out in his video Some Surprising Things that statistics are often not what they seem. As I pointed out at the beginning of this post, the average person would have 1 breast and 1 testicle. Since that is, as I'm sure you can understand, rather somewhat unusual, it provides credence to the idea that statistics can as easily used for unintended purposes.

A Statistical Fallacy is when logic and reason is incorrectly used with a set of statistics, as was the case with the aforementioned 1 breast, 1 testicle case. This can happen accidentally, or be intentional in order to convince. The fact that entire Wikipedia page devoted to the "Misuse of Statistics" is reason enough to believe that people like to have and abuse statistics for one simple reason: People believe them.

Think about this. At the beginning of this article, I told you a couple of things while using the word "statistically". While the statistics are those which were used in the aforementioned "Some Surprising Things" video, the desired effect was more psychological than informative. Most people, perhaps including you, will have taken what I said there at face value; and accepted that simply, because it's "Statistically" correct, then I'm right and you need not question those statements. 

Humans are, intrinsically, social creatures that seek acceptance. (Even hipsters like to be with other hipsters.) So when I say something was proven statistically, your immediate reaction is likely to be that of acceptance, simply because that would allow you to better relate to everyone else that supported the idea. (Isn't that absolutely maddening? You believe someone's lies because of the way they use their words. A politicians dream.) 

The result, is that statistics can have a few problems. They can be gathered incorrectly, they can be reasoned incorrectly, and they can be applied incorrectly. Any of which can be accidental or intentional. It's within the realm of reason for a study into the connection between cancer and tobacco use by a Cigar Company to be skewed in their favor; as is a referendum asking about a change in legislature, run by the party that supports said change. 

Effectively, few statistics, quoted or presented, can be deemed entirely trustworthy, for the simple fact that someone stood to benefit from the actual taking of the survey. You're more likely to support something with statistics in it's favor, so companies will often fund the studies of their own products to prey on this subconscious trend.

So, if you happen to like statistics, I might suggest taking a closer look at who made those statistics and why. Otherwise, you might believe someone when they tell you that "statistically", this is the best blog in the world. (Much as I wish that were true. Maybe one day.)

In any case, I hope that you have found something interesting or entertaining to think about here. If you have something to add that I forgot to mention, (That happens occasionally.), make sure to let me know in the comments below. Also, make sure to share this with any friends who think that statistics are always right. And of course, if you would like to read more interesting discussions like these, or simply want to read my writing, don't forget to tell me by liking my Facebook page or following me on Twitter and sending me a message. The necessary buttons to do so are on the sidebar to the right. Lastly, I thank you very much for taking the time to read this post, and hope that you have/had an absolutely FANTASTIC day; and I will see you on the morrow.

Farewell dear chaps.

Madness Monday - Crazy Cat People (And Crazy Cats)

Hello and welcome to Madness Monday; that day of the week where I talk about those strange people that keep cats and about these strange cats that keep people.

OOOOH. Fancy new pictures :D

Have you ever met those strange, fuzzy little creatures that for some reason decide that we humans are fun to be around? Have you met the strange people that think cats are fun to be around? (I'm one of them.) I've really got to ask. What on earth made us think that was a good idea?

Cats are very weird animals. Some of them are completely docile, some are friendly enough to sleep on your lap (or face), and some are utterly off the ball and demented that you can't help but wonder if it's not currently contemplating your ultimate demise. Humans are like that too.

Behind that facile guise of cuteness, this guy is imagining your death...

I can't help but wonder at the first human who saw one of these fluffy, feline fur-balls in the wild and decided "Hey, I like him, lets keep it in my house so that it can retch hair onto my carpets, eat all my food and purposefully place it's tail in my mouth while I'm snoring." He was probably a previous incarnation of me, but I still think he may have been on something. (Perhaps the cats brainwashed him? You never know.)

"Hooman. You shall luv us. Or else."

Perhaps more strange though, is the fact that so many of us don't seem to care. We invite these frightening little caterwauling creatures into our abodes, spend excessive money on beds they'll never sleep in, toys they'll never play with and food they don't particularly like eating; since you'll probably give them your's instead, and don't once think it's strange that the only time they want to cuddle is when they're hungry. Hmmm. Sounds like human children actually when I put it that way. (Teehee) On the upside, they make impeccable hot water bottles if you don't mind the licking.

"Skweeese me agen hooman, and I won't be teh only nootered one in this house."

To be honest though, despite the fact that these cats treat humans like walking furniture and can-openers, I do not actually regret ever wanting to keep them. Sure some people are scared to come by my house now due to some strange fear of black that they associate with my little fuzzy's; but I would be sorely hurt to ever find any of these frightful predators that I call my pets hurt or missing. Who else would lick my hands clean until they were clean, especially after I've washed them?

"Hey Hooman. Boo!"

To be honest, these cats may be strange, but I think that us humans that keep them are far stranger. You have to be fairly crazy to listen to a screaming cat at 3AM, climb out of bed in the middle of winter, and go investigate to make sure this little whiskered creature is okay, despite the fact that you may be dying of hypothermia. 

"I wsnt actually screaming, I jus wntd to see if choo would come. Feed me?"

Humans are perhaps the maddest creatures I've met, but I suppose that what makes us so much fun. Is predictability really that satisfying? Who knows, but at least we'll have these maddening little mammals around to prick us with their claws, lest we be dreaming. In any case, I hope you found something to laugh here on the hardest day of the week. If you're a fellow cat lover (or even if you're not), perhaps consider dropping a comment below, and sharing this with someone who needs a laugh. If you really liked it, "would you kindly" follow me on Twitter or like my Facebook page with the buttons on the sidebar to your right.

No matter what, I hope you have/had an AWESOME day, and I shall see you tomorrow.

Abschied freunden.

Madness Monday - An obsession with Unicorns

Hello and welcome to Madness Monday. The day where I tell you about the strange and abnormal things I do, so you can feel a little more sane.

This is Charlie, he came to me in a dream.
I was not on anything... I think.

 Unicorns... yes. I like unicorns. (No, I do not watch MLP...) But what I do do, is get excited about awesome pictures of Unicorns for no reason. I also draw them, such as Charlie up above and the 2 fellows below. (Which may or may not be stuck on the wall above my computer *glances about shiftily*)

I actually have no idea why, precisely, I like Unicorns so, but I suppose, like much in my life, I don't need a reason to do something as long as there's no reason to not do it. So Unicorns! Woohoo! This small oddity is also why some of my friends, (read: Mr Canoe/Jerome whom I mentioned previously here), refer to me as Dr. Unikorn.

If you're wondering about my inspiration for the unicorn drawings, the lower 2 are hand drawings done of images I found randomly on the internet; (Google for images of Unicorns, you're likely to find the original ones there.), while Charlie was actually my first original Unicorn drawing, having come to me in perhaps one of my strangest dreams. (Was pretty awesome though.)

I'm by no means a stoner... In fact, I'm much the opposite, and tend to avoid almost all forms of intoxicants usually, so I will have to chalk the dream he was in up to the strange landscape that forms my mind. In any case, as I remember it, the dream started out with me walking into a glade in a forest to find said Unicorn whom I henceforth referred to as Charlie. Noticing a drum set off to the side, I asked Charlie if I may play. He agreed and, while I took position, he stood up and magically produced a guitar out of nowhere, taking up the pose illustrated I illustrated. Apparently, unicorns playing guitars seemed normal to me, (despite his lack of fingers or thumbs), and we started flying while playing dubstep music... We then proceeded to areas that were devoid of color and colored them in with the music, making all the inhabitants dance. There was also a bad Michael Jackson impersonator who got punched...

Yep... I'm pretty sure there's something wrong me... Unicorns I can handle, but bad Michael Jackson impersonators? That's abhorrent.

In any case, I think that's enough from me about my strange obsession with unicorns, if you have something you'd like to ask about my randomness, feel free to leave a comment or maybe share this with a friend you think might find it amusing. Thank you for reading and always, I hope you have/had and AWESOME day.

Walk in peace my friend.

Madness Monday - Inspirational Quotes Day

Madness Monday... the day of the week where I try and find a way to make you feel uncomfortable so you appreciate your mundane day to day existence... or... you know... just talk about madness maybe.

Here's a picture of me looking like a crazed murderer because
I didn't know what picture to upload for this post... (Shhhhhhhh)

Mondays are hard. We all know that. Just the idea of getting up in the morning is a miserable prospect for a lot of us. (Those of us that aren't crazy like me at any rate.) This Monday had been hard for even me though. I could not actually think of a good subject to talk about in a blog post. I had eventually even begun writing a story akin to the "This Morning" in one of my other blog posts. However, strangely enough, in my typically daily tweeting like a typical twit, one of my dear friends began tweeting inspirational quotes to which I replied with my own. (Jumping joys of goodness, an idea falls into my lap.  *claps hands*)

Inspiration is always a handy thing to have, so here is a list of some of the best one's we threw to each other to help you guys get through the Monday and, with luck, the rest of the week.

• "I'm proud of the scars in my soul. They remind me that I have an intense life" - Paulo Coelho 
• "Do not pray to for an easier life. Pray to be stronger men." - John F Kennedy 
• "Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder" - Rumi 
• "To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering." - Friedrich Nietzsche 
• "Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day" - Sally Koch 
• "What are miracles but the extraordinary acts of ordinary men?" - Me 
• "Hanging onto resentment is letting someone you despise live rent-free in your head" - Ann Landers 
• "I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done." -Lucille Ball 
• "When you have a clear purpose, you won't have time for negativity" - Mark Victor Hansen 
• "It's better to be a lion for a day than a sheep all your life." - Elizabeth Kenny 
• "Instead of waiting for the moment, live the moment" - R. Green 
• "It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important." - Arthur Conan Doyle 
• "Rudeness is a weak imitation of strength" - Eric Hoffer

Today's word of the day is "Axiom". I don't know why, but every time I find a useful word like that which I haven't seen before, I get really excited. :D Huzzah for Axiom.

Anyway's, I would like to thank the wonderful Madeline De Franca (@MiniiCanha) for bestowing upon me the idea for today's Madness Monday post (and for informally naming today "Inspirational Quotes Day". :D ) She's a really awesome person and you should definitely be following. In all likelihood our quote train continued for long after, but time waits for no man. 

As always, thank you for reading, and have an AWESOME day.

Adeus Amigos