Portfolio
Sundries
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrel:
I try to avoid any book that I see people reading on the train. It's not so much a stance against popular culture as it is an
egomaniacal need to feel above whatever it is others are interested in (I should probably take this up with a
therapist sometime). When Susanna Clark's massive tome made its US debut, dozens of readers lugged it around for months. I wrote it
off as an extension of the Harry Potter phenomenon and thought nothing more of it. A pity, really, as now that I'm lugging the book
around myself, I find it quite engaging. With lots of characters, side-stores and footnotes (that go on for pages) Clark
has crafted a pleasant world to get lost in.
A Young Adult Novel that I Cannot Mention:
A dear friend just signed a two book deal with a respected publisher. I was honered to read the first draft and offered lots of
suggestions and notes. Fortunately, the book really is good. There's nothing worse than having to tell a friend that their book,
band, artwork, poetry, or similar expression is . . . really great! No, really, you're totally talented!
I've been in that position more than once. It's hard to maintain a pleasant countenance when, deep down, you feel rather nauseous about the
whole thing. This experience was pleasantly different. I'll plug it when it's actually in book stores. For now, I've been sworn to
secrecy.
Chris Thomas King
In college, I spent countless hours listening to old, scratchy recordings of blues and folk music. I'd scores of albums, many of them from
the amazing Smithsonian Folkways catalog. Sadly, in the days before albums were
easily ripped to hard drive, I sold the entirety of my collection to (a very happy) used record store. I needed the cash to support
an incredibly stupid relationship. Chris Thomas King, with his extraordinary rendition of the classics, has reunited me with the
music that once meant so much to me. I've more or less forgotten about the girl.
His Name is Alive
Fuzzy, geek-synth, electronica from Michigan. With sexy vocals. I downloaded Detrola the other day but have yet to listen to it
extensively. I think it's good, but it requires a certain situation (and headphones) to be properly appreciated.
Information Aesthetics
I've been on the job interview circuit for the last couple of months. In countless conversations I'm asked "What sites to you read
regularly? Where do you draw inspiration?" The answer, inevitably, is Information Aesthetics. It's the sort of site that looks
great to prospective employers and has the benefit of actually being a source of great inspiration.
Journal
Thursday, August 3
Massively Multiplayer Shiny Balls of Mud
In Japan, schoolchildren have developed a fixation with mud. They spend hours molding the stuff into near perfect spheres, and then polish it into sparkling hikaru dorodango; balls of mud that shine. It’s not a difficult process, but it requires attention, dedication and prodigious labor. How could it possibly be fun?
The joy of hikaru dorodango is rooted in two concepts: the simple pleasure of creation and the competitive drive to craft a shinier mud ball than the next kid. According to Web Japan:
The children soon became attached to their mud balls and treasured them even if the shape was bad or if they did not shine. Children could also be found sharing information about where to find the best dirt and sand for making dorodango or even sometimes keeping such information secret.
It’s not the process that’s fun, it’s the end product and the potential for recognition that has the kids getting their hands dirty. They’ve worked out a system for grading the shininess of each ball of mud. A perfectly spherical dorodango with a shine rating of 5 grants one lordship over the schoolyard and all the trappings and honors that go with it.
The phenomenon reminded me of World of Warcraft, a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game into which I’ve sunk many hours. None of them have been particularly fun. After the novelty of creating a character and exploring the world wears off the game is little more than the constant and repetitive bashing of monsters. All of it in the pursuit of… nothing. While sitting at my desk the other day I found myself wondering why the game is so engrossing.
It’s all about the shiny balls of mud. Players of MMORPG games are ultimately driven by a desire to improve their characters. It’s not about winning so much as it is about obtaining a massive, glowing, meat cleaver of a sword. A sword visible to everyone else playing the game.
Programmers have figured this out. As armor and weapons become more effective at slaying beasts they also become more outwardly expressive. Spikes, crackling bolts of energy, and plumes of feathers cover the rarest and most difficult to obtain items. As such, they improve the shine rating of the character - the player - walking around in them.
My mindset while playing World of Warcraft is exactly the same as those Japanese children and their mud. All of us are polishing turds.
All content ©2006, Dave Elfving. Fortunately, you may use any or all of it provided that use
complies with this Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5
License.