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Virtual Vertigo

For years I have maintained that as computer games become more realistic, in particular with genres such as the "first person shooter", we will eventually reach a point where "virtual shell shock" will become reality.

It sounds funny, but I've had a couple of experiences with this possibility myself.

The first one was after an all night bout with Grand Theft Auto 3. I was driving home and as I drove by a pedestrian, it occurred to me as though it was the most natural thing in the world to drive over him. Of course I didn't, but it left me with a rather unsettling feeling... normally when I feel like driving over pedestrians it has nothing to do with video games.

The second occurrence has been more recent. For those of you not familiar with the Minecraft craze that's been sweeping the planet, it's basically a super awesome "lego on steroids" game with Windows 95 era graphics. It's the most addictive activity I've encountered since bashing Frenchmen. Anyway, I've been building this rather high tower and as I've been working on it, I've been finding I get this terrible feeling of vertigo as I hang over the edge to place another block. Now isn't that strange, particularly considering the graphics.

Has anyone else had experiences like this?

On a related subject, my cousin and I were arguing over which was the superior Mario Kart game: MarioKart 64 or MarioKart: Double Dash. I think it's the 64 version hands down. Double Dash is for recovering brain injury patients.


Comments

  1. ChaosAdventurer22 October 2012 at 11:49

    After a session of racing games at an arcade, my wife often has to remind me to not drive so aggressively.
    On a separate note, I do sometimes wish for a 'cow catcher' on the car for some of the areas I drive where the pedestrians just wonder all over, not paying attention to traffic or only looking one way. It is amazing that there aren't more pedestrians hit like http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/bystanders-lift-car-off-pinned-toronto-boy-1.967512

    ReplyDelete
  2. Xorton22 October 2012 at 12:13

    Stupid children and oblivious text addicts vs. the people with incredibly poor reflexes. Sounds like a good basis for an updated version of Frogger, no?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown25 October 2012 at 14:35

    Mario Kart 64, of course. Although the wii version was damn good.

    I drive for a living, so I use my GTA driving skills daily. I also think that hotdogs and pizza replenish my health.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Xorton26 October 2012 at 05:44

    Glad to hear you haven't lost any of your GTA skills.

    My nephews are going as Mario and Luigi for Halloween. In MarioKart, he thinks Mario says: "Pizza to GO!", rather than "Letsa GO!".

    That's not stereotypical at all.

    ReplyDelete

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