The Observer: The Beguiling Nature Of Videogames
by John Walker on Mar.21, 2010, under The Rest
Today I am the news. Last week Alec and I were invited to join in a conversation about videogames for the Observer newspaper, in response to an article they are running in the magazine today about a man who spent four years playing GTA and doing lots of cocaine. We were gathered to offer an alternative voice about gaming. The subject was “Are virtual worlds more beguiling than the real world?” We were also given the opportunity to offer a short quote that goes into today’s Observer’s Comment section (not currently online), letting us elaborate on any point we might want to make. I chose to make the point that games in no way need to compete or be compared to the real world. They don’t attempt to supplant it, they are a form of entertainment within it.
Our conversation lasted over an hour, and the edited version is just five minutes, so as you might expect the result is just a few short moments, collated from throughout. So I’d like to say that I didn’t only talk about blubbing at Dreamfall, but I found it amusing that they seemed to just somehow know this was my stereotype moment and picked it out. And heck, it’s one of my most significant gaming moments: no wonder I keep bringing it up. Alec also offered a lot of interesting points, and one of them makes the cut, providing a smart angle on online gaming, and helpfully a more balanced voice that prevents the thing becoming an overly-defensive diatribe. Leo Tan PR Man certainly gets the focus, and deservingly so: that handsome face and accent – who could resist? Also he says smart things. Here’s the video:
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April 1st, 2010 on 08:17[…] The Observer: The Beguiling Nature Of Videogames – Botherer 'Last week Alec and I were invited to join in a conversation about videogames for the Observer newspaper, in response to an article they are running in the magazine today about a man who spent four years playing GTA and doing lots of cocaine. We were gathered to offer an alternative voice about gaming.' […]
March 22nd, 2010 on 00:03
I liked that when Leo Tan disagreed with you, you (seemingly) refused to look at him.
Also is that Giles as boring as he sounds?
March 22nd, 2010 on 00:13
Actually my ‘response’ to Leo is in fact from later on in the discussion, and was a remark addressed to the host. It does look like I’m being rather rude to Leo. What in fact happened after Leo said that was that I agreed with him that he was right, and my example was poor! And no, Giles seemed an interesting man.
March 22nd, 2010 on 10:37
The piece in the Observer itself was astoundingly dull, though a non-gamer might find it more interesting I guess. Good to see the old Gamerface pictures rolled out again though.
March 22nd, 2010 on 10:41
This is definitly a nice antidote to that Alan Titchmarsh video I saw. It makes me happy again. It makes me put more hope back in humanity
March 22nd, 2010 on 12:32
Alec’s got one of those adam’s apples that look as though they’re looking RIGHT AT YOU.
March 22nd, 2010 on 13:40
“Are virtual worlds more beguiling than the real world?”
Yes, they are.
Not MMOs, though; they seem to add some of the worst aspects of real life to the mix. All they need to do is put almost all control of your fate in the hands of others and they’d be life-simulators.
March 22nd, 2010 on 17:23
I feel like I totally did a spunk all over the nation’s faces with my inanity and all my friends have said is “nice cardi” and “you’re looking older and fatter”. Accuracy aside, you’d think they’d at least have commented on my handsome face and accent. Honestly, I’m underrated everywhere except here. That’s why I’m not allowing anyone else to interview me except for John in future.
March 23rd, 2010 on 00:04
You’ve put on a sensible voice! It’s definitely different. Maybe it’s just deeper, maybe they edited it.
Also, your mental image in my head is still the old PC Gamer byline photo of you, so your current bearded, black-eyed persona shocks me somewhat. You need to get a bit more sleep, methinks.
Nice work anyhoo; very eloquent.
March 24th, 2010 on 19:16
Behold! The belly!
March 26th, 2010 on 06:40
That camera man seemed rather obsessed with Johns gesticulations. And rightly so, they stole the show for me.