ALTTPR GMP Tourney, Outer Wilds, etc

It feels as if I'm beginning to slip up on things that I do regularly.  Writing letters, blogging, and reaching out to friends as well.  I don't think any of it is through lack of discipline, though.  I think it's rather more that after so long, I, too, have begun to question the point of it all.  But in the end I am still me, and so it is easy to return to where I came from before too long.  That, at least, has not changed.

I've been sinking quite a bit of time into practicing for the ALTTPR tourney that is taking place over the next couple of months.  Having matches where something is at stake has provided me with a large impetus to significantly step up my game, and having mentors to discuss my play with has provided me with external knowledge and experience which to take into consideration as I try to improve.  While I'm happy that I'm improving at a faster rate than before, I'm reminded also of the fact that part of my motivation for entering this tournament was to practice taking losses and failures -- not just in ALTTPR, but in general.

I played through all of Outer Wilds, relatively quickly, actually.  I was quite worried when I first played the game that I would not really be able to progress through it due to motion sickness, but after some much-needed twiddling of the field of view as well as some help from a small dangling Cinnamoroll in front of my screen, I was able to play quite comfortably.  The game was quite enjoyable; maybe a bit tedious at certain points but I wouldn't really consider that to be a large failing of the experience at all.  This is the first time that I've played through a game that has you =exploring= in quite this way.  There are a couple of other games that I've played in the past that do a really good job of "exploration"...the example I always bring up is Yume Nikki, but I think Rain World does a good job of crafting an exploratory experience as well.  I'm suddenly reminded of Metroid Prime, actually, which...I can't say I appreciated the exploratory aspects nearly as much, but I think the feeling of exploration is one that Metroid Prime at least attempts to evoke in a big way.  Outer Wilds does stand apart from these other games though, and somehow manages to deliver an open world experience while still delivering a cohesive narrative, along with a distinct form of progression that is rarely seen in other games.

Thinking back on the game after finishing it, I think the most lasting impression I had about it was the rich manner in which it portrays exploration, the unknown, and various recurring themes.  It touches on these subjects in a way that is not heavy-handed nor prescriptive, but instead illustrative -- to me it created a tapestry from which you can derive meaning from if you wish, without feeling like you are some sort of snobby art critic searching for meaning where there is none.  When I watch something like Ping Pong: The Animation, I can tell that it's filled with metaphors and symbolism that are layered in a way that cannot be readily deciphered upon first watch, or even second watch.  What does "blood tastes like iron" really mean?  Why does Peco have a star on his shirt while Smile has a moon on his, whereas Koizumi has a butterfly?  When I played Outer Wilds, there were certainly many mysteries and questions I sought answers for, but those were all concrete in nature -- I never stopped to consider what themes and messages were potentially being portrayed in this game's world.  But after I stopped to consider the experience as a whole, I was really able to see meaning in why these environments and puzzles and mysteries are set up this way, beyond "it makes for a cool game".  This sort of (open to interpretation) symbolic meaning behind the game I think is what will make Outer Wilds memorable in my mind, in the same way that Rain World's story about suffering, attachment, and Buddishm is what sometimes keeps me awake at night.  That is not to say that Rain World wasn't a brilliant game for all of its environments, dangers, and incredibly fascinating ecosystems, and that is not to say that Outer Wilds was not a great game for solving mysteries, exploring planets, and figuring out puzzles, but those alone are not what make these games have a lasting impression.

I've had a busy and relatively stressful last week, but it seems like I made it through that just fine.  Rhythm Quest continues to progress like slow clockwork as I make incremental additions and improvements.

I took an opportunity tonight to go out and do a session outside with my sticks, no filming -- just me and my music.  I think I was motivated after watching some of my old videos and remembering back to how I used to do really, really long sessions out on campus or elsewhere, recording footage as I danced aimlessly -- honestly, without much structure or discipline at all.  But I'm surprised at how I managed to still develop relatively well, even lacking any sort of solid fundamentals.  Over time, you practice, and you improve...you just keep on working at it.  Or at least, I do.

I continue to expand my cooking and food repertoire, just bit by little bit.  I did some sous vide pork shoulder which came out quite nicely; usually I only use pork shoulder for carnitas-style pulled pork, but this time I went with a lower temp and sliced it more like a steak, which worked well!  I also did some slow-roasted lamb shank, which was actually quite easy despite taking a long time.  My go-to grocery story carries them all the time, so that will definitely be a repeat.  Discovering the joy of having cheeses on hand to snack on has been great, as a nice small single-serving cheeseboard with some cheese, crackers, fruit, and cured meat really fills a nice role when it's late at night and you want a nice snack before bed without having to actually cook anything.  I also have found myself a little less allergic to fruits than before (?) these days so I might be trying to eat more of them here and there.