Machinima .. through eyes wide open.

When Britannica Dreams Productions dissolved, unconsciously, I began the process of silently examining my interests (if any) in Machinima. Just recently, as I make my way through my studies, that process of examination has become a conscious one, and I am amused and amazed at what I have learned with eyes (now) wide open.

We'll start at the beginning, because the beginning is always a good place to start. In the beginning, I convinced myself that I was interested in Machinima, because it was something I could do with a special someone who was an ocean and a reality removed from me. What triggered this memory was a song from a CD I was listening to, driving home from school the other day. The song is, "Under the Waves", by Pete Droge, and the exact lyrics that allowed me to glean insight are, "All I wanted was to impress you."

I began to question my interest in Machinima at that exact moment, because the truth is, and I see it now, I was only "in it" to impress her. Everything I did back then was to impress "her". So, I removed "her" from the (my experience of Machinima) equation, and I discovered that I really wasn't interested in Machinima at all. And the reason for the lack of interest is that Machinima is simply nothing more to me than just another way to tell a story. I prefer the method of writing songs (or just writing) to that of Machinima. And there is a reason for this as well ...

What I had discovered is that the final product of a Machinima project is void of "the personal touch". In other words, Machinima is created on the computer, and it borrows creations from others. It's very impersonal ... looking at it now with eyes wide open.

Now, being in the field of Computer Science, and stressing my brain with all that computer programming "stuff", being exposed to a vast world of video graphic tools and programs (with many of these items offered as free downloads off the Web, I find myself asking, "Why did you continue to make Machinima videos after BD bit the dust?"

Today that answer finally materialized, and it made me smile at how simple it is. And the answer has inspired me to continue with the Machinima hobby (even, if at a later date, when I have the time). The simple truth is I absolutely love The Sims, and my interest in making Machinima with the Sims2 engine is inspired through the enjoyment I receive from creating sets and characters. I suppose, making Machinima with the Sims2 engine is nothing more than capturing my Sims experience on video. Perhaps we could look at it as "virtual home movies".

But for now, the Sims will have to take a seat on the back burner, and without the Sims, there is no Machinima for me. What I have seen now is that for me Machinima IS the Sims. However, there is a video project I am working on in class, and if I am pleased with the outcome, I intend to upload the video and provide links to the downloadable program. Though I am working with a 3D environment, I do not consider this to be Machinima. I'm excited about it, and I hope I will have something to share with you.

Lovin' the Glitches

I've always been entertained by the game glitches in The Sims2, and earlier today I witnessed a glitch I've never experienced before. In the picture above we find Charlie, arriving home from work, and attached to him is his infant son. This picture is a screen shot from actual game play. Even those of you who don't play the game can safely assume the actions appearing in the photo are not supposed to happen in that way.

And how did Daddy come to be melded with baby boy, you ask?

The father was giving his son a bath in the kitchen sink when the carpool arrived. He finished bathing his son and carried him out to the car. The nanny was also arriving, and I assumed the father was going to pass his son to the nanny, but instead, he climbed into the car with his son in his arms.

Now, this presents an intriguing situation, as the game graphics do not allow for that particular animation. Nonetheless, baby went to work with Dad. Eight hours later, the two returned home, and since there are no animations for the action, they returned in the state pictured above. Again, for those who do not play the game, there is no programming that allows infants to go to work with their parents.

I did wonder if father and son would remain in this compromised state, but after the father climbed out of the car, he took a couple of steps, and the baby "jumped" back into his arms. And after the baby was fed and bathed, all was right in the Sim world.