Guild Wars 2: We Like Being Humans
I sitting at Blacktop Comedy using Flipboard a few days ago, learning about new video games (Halo 4, Assassin's Creed 3, and Black Ops 2 to be precise),
I sitting at Blacktop Comedy using Flipboard a few days ago, learning about new video games (Halo 4, Assassin's Creed 3, and Black Ops 2 to be precise), and came across a very interesting article about Guild Wars 2. Please! Don't tune out! I know this sounds like some nerdy talk about dwarves, and elves, and orcs, but it's more a story about people. And, it applies to improv, and theater, and even film.
The article focused on the players overwhelming tendancy to choose to be human. A player has the option of five disctint races, but the majority opt to be humans.
In fact:
"Players of MMORPGs do have a known bias toward creating attractive human (or very human-like) characters. Researcher Nick Yee, who studies World of Warcraft player behavior in depth, found in 2005 that Human and Night Elf were far and away the most popular character races in WoW."
Why does it matter gamers enjoy being human? It's a great reminder for an improviser. I've taught dozens of classes in Roseville and Sacramento where students worry being a human and dealing with human issues would lead to a boring improv scene. However, those are the most interesting stories, because they're human. A human issue is relatable, the audience will be engaged with something they can connect with. Consider the popularity of reality programming. If humans were a dull subjects, there wouldn't be dozens of reality programs, and the Guild War 2 players? They opt for a human avatar when they could be anything else.
Expendables 2
As I read some reviews for Expendables 2 I come across critic Allison Willmore's take on the film. It's not a kind review, she shreds the film.
As I read some reviews for Expendables 2 I come across critic Allison Willmore's take on the film. It's not a kind review, she shreds the film, but one of her principle criticisms sounds like a good thing to me. I'm assuming this is supposed to be scathing, but it sounds like smart directing/editing/producing to me. She begins:
It isn't a movie - it's more like the world's most expensive, elaborate viral video, making a detour to the big screen before being broken up into more easily consumable segments to be consumed on YouTube.
Oh, you mean this film will become an internet meme, clips recycled throughout cyberspace, gaining more and more attention? If I developed this movie, and read this blurb, I'd high-five my fellow Expendables 2 investors, because you just found a way to stay relevant for an extended period of time. Now, that's an accomplishment.
It's not about being good. It's about being different. If you're looking for something to do this weekend in Sacramento, and Roseville, and see this film, let us know what you think.