Perils of Pauline

So I've been in this videogame class for a good 3 weeks now & I'm enjoying the many different aspects of it. One minute detail specifically caught my attention recently. While reviewing a chapter from the text, we came upon the section that touched on the importance of Donkey Kong to the video game world. Not only was the game's original name supposed to be "Stubborn Gorilla" (imagine how lame? thankfully it was given the symbolic catchy title instead) but also I learned that the damsel that Donkey Kong himself kidnaps from the carpenter AKA "jumpman" (as he was oringinally known) is conveniently named Pauline! My name is highly uncommon so any usage of it anywhere gets me overly excited.

Also ironic: she's had all of my hair colors in successive order, including present day.

My goal for this week: find the original Donkey Kong and witness Pauline in glorious 2D action.

This is quoted from on online site that specializes in retro gaming needs known as 'The Basement Arcade.'  It's referring to the original game but I kind of take offense towards the end here...

"The plot is simple, a Kong like character steals a small carpenter's girlfriend while working on an unfinished building. The carpenter pursues Kong up the building to rescue his girlfriend who unfortunately has the very unglamorous name of Pauline. "

I will find this game this week, & save myself..

Do I Have a Best Game Ever?

I can't say, but I do know what game became an obsession at one point in my life: The Sims.

There were 8 original versions, but I tapered out of the obsession after the fourth expansion pack. I've been told the newer Sims games are awesome, but I could never get over the originals.

This game would consume my existence for hours at a clip everyday if I think back on myself a few years ago. I would obsess over creating myself, my friends, my family, and any random characters my mind could fathom all for the satisfaction of concocting their stories. It's weird how playing simulated life can captivate a person and distract him from his actual life's activities.

The game would even be played by me && friends at sleepovers because it was always funny to control each other's characters and laugh at the Sims' actions or at which ones failed && succeeded in the simulated world.

The most intriguing part of the game, at least for those who suffer from dementia like myself .. would be the death of your Sim. Sims do not die naturally in the game, so choices you make are the only driving factors to a Sim's demise. Whoever used to morally debate the old video game Death Race with the stick figures would shudder at the thought of my friends giggling at any scenario discussed on THIS interesting site about how to kill your Sim in a number of ways.

http://compsimgames.about.com/cs/thesims/a/howtokillasim.htm

I forgot how enjoyable this game was, && just how great it is at passing time. I hope I don't find my C-D ROMs when it comes around time for midterms..=|

Status: n00b.

n00b: [newb]

n.

-A inexperienced and/or ignorant or unskilled person. Especially used in computer games.

Haha that n00b got pwned.

(I apologize for the implied abbreviated expletives)

As a communications major with only a limited time as an undergrad here at St. John's University, I am trying to take courses that are both enjoyable and enriching. Currently, one of my fall '09 semester courses is entitled: Video Games and Gaming. For most my age, this may seem like a walk in the park type course. Others have even mocked me for it,claiming they would take it for no credit whatsoever.
Personally, neither of these statements can apply for me because I am walking into this class as if it were a class on 14th century Romanian pottery...I know close to nothing about the video gaming culture and always need to be babied when trying to hold a console controller. My deepest field experience up until this point in my life has been with Pokemon Yellow on my purple GameBoy Color back in my schoolyard days.
Having so many close friends who dwarf me in skill and expertise for video games from years of playing, it may even seem strange or pathetic. I am taking this class because I finally think it's time to be enlightened, as video games are such a staple in my generation's lifestyle these days. This should be interesting...

P.S. I am most intrigued with gamer "speak" at the moment. Hearing terms like "PWN" and "n00b" make me feel how my mother must feel when she attempts to text message. It's a weird feeling being on the outside of these sort of things when you're still a teenager. I'm going to text Momma && let her know I feel her pain..<3