When I think of art that has influenced me most, it is generally work done by individuals. I can't recall the last time a corporation created a brilliant painting. I find that this also tends to be true in the emerging area of art games. Individuals are not generally driven to create purely for profit, and have more leeway to experiment and create according to their own artistic vision.

I thought it was time to compile a "best of" list for art games, because there has only been one other such list that I recall online. I'm sure someone will correct me on that point if there has been in fact another well drafted list somewhere out there. The first list can be found in an article on Artifical.dk, titled Art Games - Artificial's List [...]. I thought that Kristine Ploug had done a great job with her articles, though the list did leave out a number of titles which I thought should have been included.

This was also about two years ago, and since then more art games have surfaced. In the meantime, some of the games are no longer accessible, which is the unfortunate reason for why I could not include or rate them here. The creations of Geoffrey Thomas (i.e. Left to My Own Devices) cannot be played anymore. Torrent Raiders is still available for download, but I had the game crash on me every time, which renders it unplayable. Last but not least, a collection of mods of games and engines used as art is still up at Selectparks.net, though most links are now dead.

As such, I am providing this list of 27 titles. Some of these are older, while others are quite new. Each game was rated based on mechanics, visual style, and auditory stimulus which then determined it's place in the list. Keep in mind that I used my background as an artist to judge the merit of each category. This means that each games place in the list is not based on whether it was simply "good" or "pretty." It's not a perfect system, but it should hopefully serve as a guide to the indy art game scene.

So, without further ado, I present to you the Best Indy Art Games...


27. The Intruder

Good concept, nice use of old school gameplay, yet seems to be exhibiting technical issues (possibly a result of Shockwave player version discrepancy).


26. Triggerhappy


An interesting twist on a classic, Triggerhappy provides a few minutes of entertainment but is clearly basic. Still, it has something to say about concepts and genres, which is at the heart of the art game phenomenon.


25. The Nerve Game


While it does provides some relevant commentary on the modern lifestyle, The Nerve Game would benefit from a more unique overall design.


24. Copic Fighter (Reviewed by Chris of The Artful Gamer)


Currently a work-in-progress demo of a standard vertical scrolling shooter. Features an interesting twist of using a [Copic] marker instead of a "ship", and ink instead of "bullets". Will benefit from additional levels, and more fine-tuning and expansion of the art library.


23. September 12


Direct and to the point. September 12 is a statement about current political events with an obvious result: there are no winners.


22. Raspberry


This is a good experiment in terms of mechanics, yet it can feel too repetitive in the long run. Although this was the intention, with basis in musical composition, Raspberry's execution could benefit from further refinement.


21. Average Shoveler


Well made visually, Average Shoveler takes its inspiration from eighties and nineties adventure games. It also serves as commentary on modern media, casting an unfavorable light on its prevalence in our culture.


20. Anna


Minimal and atmospheric, the artistic vision of Anna comes through very clearly. Though perhaps not universally accessible due the puzzles in the game, it becomes more engaging with perseverance.


19. SOUP ver. 09


Surreal and experiential, yet with a repetition that lends it a comforting familiarity. Small graphical improvements and added length would help SOUP to become even more effective, but this remains a title that Warhol would be proud of.


18. Blumenmacht


Very original, and enjoyable to play. It's non-violent nature creates an amicable experience, but the visuals in Blumenmacht can be at times overpowering. Keep in mind that it may take more than one time of going through the tutorial to fully grasp the unconventional mechanics. Once you have a handle on them, gameplay makes much more sense and, in turn, becomes easier.


17. Pac-Mondrian


Few other games have taken such great icons of art and gaming and fused them to create something new with. The mechanics are fairly solid, though not all levels seem to be functional any longer.


16. Orisinal


With so many minigames, Orisinal is a veritable cornucopia of experiences. Yet they all share the same high level of polish, with beautiful graphics and music. Gameplay remains quite basic in each game, only holding your interest for a limited time. As a hole, however, there is enough to keep you busy for quite some time.


15. Facade


An intruiging experiment, and proportionally rewarding to the player's engagement. Though not a perfect system, Facade is still unique in the gaming industry as a whole. With a little more work, adding accuracy to this technology, it could very well revolutionize in game interaction.


14. Seiklus


Clean and effective, the visual elements of Seiklus provide an inspiring experience. Room for improvement lies in it's control mechanism, yet that is a small issue and should not detract from the game's enjoyment.


13. Andean Bird


Quite unlike anything else out there, Andean Bird offers a leisurely glide across the landscape to the accompaniment of beautiful music. It does manage to instill some of the qualities of flight, yet that same endeavor is hampered by its lack of fullscreen capability.


12. Rainy Day


Yet another experiment which succeeds in bringing a new mechanic to gaming, and manages to be quite enjoyable. Rainy Day's nineteenth century style is a welcome choice, and the only criticism to be found is its brevity.


11. Evolites


Attractive in it's own right, this evolution simulation can be a soothing exhibition of “artificial” selection, yet it also allows the player to engage and dictate the outcome of the process.


10. Boidtrancer


Its gameplay may offer much in terms of familiarity, yet the visual presentation more than makes up for that. Uniquely abstracted, and audibly stimulating. Boidtrancer renders minimal imagery to the beat of some alluring Japanese techno.


9. What Linus Bruckman Sees When His Eyes Are Closed


Comic and enigmatic, surreal and mystical, this game maintains its split-personality throughout. One of the most original adventure games to date, yet it may also discourage some casual players with the difficulty of its puzzles. Nvertheless, such are the conventions of the genre.


8. Cultivation


Fun to play and always in flux, Cultivation is a statement about conflict and violence in an unusual metaphor. This wonderfully original concept will have you actually spending a good bit of time with the game, allowing for something new with each playing session.


7. Samorost 1 & 2


The beautiful photo-manipulated backgrounds of the Samorost games serve to create every stage of this puzzle adventure in a style reminiscent of classic fantasy illustration. At times challenging, both iterations offer great atmosphere, and result in what feels like a very unique and interactive Rube Goldberg machine.


6. The Marriage


Low-fi minimalism at its best. The Marriage is a human relationship articulated by little more than game mechanics itself, and that's a rarity in this medium. This title is particularly relevant to those who are or have been married, and has even been utilized in marriage counseling sessions. Playing this more than once is highly recommended.


5. Sub Atomic, The Life In Matter, Valence (and others by Iteration Games)


All of Iteration Games' offerings share a similar artistic style, and all are similarly well done. Gameplay is always solid, taking cues from familiar mechanics and putting a unique spin on them. The biggest common denominator in these games is the strong techno-style art and sound which complement each title, and make for an excitingly ephemeral encounter.


4. Noiz2sa


Out of all the abstract shooters to date, Noiz2sa still feels the most artistic. It's foundation is purely low-fi, with squares and rectangles as the only shapes in the game. Their frequency and configuration, however, bring a more current flare to the experience that accrues into unique particle effects and some serious bullet hell patterns. This is a marriage of right angles and techno with a pinch of adrenaline for good measure.


3. Flow


Of course who could forget Flow, Jenova Chen's brainchild. The execution is arguably top notch, and it is a very successful experiement in game . . .well, flow! Beyond this, it's minimal visuals and soothing ambient sound gives the player a chance to relax. A testament to post-modernism, Flow is as a Lucio Fontana painting in motion.


2. The Endless Forest


If WoW and Seaman had an illicit affair, their offspring would be The Endless Forest. It resolves one of the biggest problems of an MMO, being the useless and idle talk of the people in it. Not being a able to speak is a boon to online gaming. At last, it's about the experience of content rather than a social outlet. Be prepared to immerse yourself in a world devoid of quests, raids, and the idiocy of the chat window. Oh, and make sure your volume's turned up.


1. Within a Deep Forest (and the games of Nifflas)


So here it is, in first place. Who knew it was going to make it to the top? Frankly, there is no reason for Within a Deep Forest not to be up here (though some have claimed it to be overrated).  In light off its excellent quality in all attributes, this games is probably the best example of a game as art. Its simple yet challenging, not to mention addictive, gameplay will keep you in there. Its strikingly beautiful artwork, though subtle and retro, will have you wanting to see more. And the wonderfully composed music may just have you listening to it months after you complete the game. All-in-all, these elements which have been crafted with such care come together to bring you a feast for the senses.

Such is the trademark we have come to recognize in all of Nifflas' creations. First place goes to his endeavors as a whole, which have culminated in this game. I suspect that his current project, Knytt Stories, will climb towards the top of another such list in the future.

That's right. For all of those who are subscribing to the blog using the old atom feed, it's time to toss out that old address and add some hotness to your aggregator. The feed has now been transfered to Feedburner, hopefully getting us a little more exposure. Notice the shiny new feed button in the "Feed Me" section. Go ahead. Click it. You know you want to!

Some critics may be dismissing the idea of games as art all too quickly, yet these are not the people who's authority carries much weight on the subject. If you want to know whether games are art, would it not make sense to bring that question before the art world?

As the blogosphere mulls over the finer points of this discussion, artists at established institutions such as Parsons The New School for Design in New York, the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and Otis College of Art and Design in L.A. have already moved on to create works in this medium. In conjunction with EA, a series of shows at each of these schools named The Sims: In the Hands of Artists has brought forth results that the art community has already accepted. Works from students at Parsons were exhibited at the Chelsea Art Museum in New York (briefly mentioned on Kotaku), while the other collections found their homes in the AAU 79 Gallery and Otis' Ben Maltz Gallery respectively.

In addition to such widespread acceptance, the success of this endeavor was also touted in a recent ARTNews article titled Messaging is the Medium. The Author, David Ng is a contributing writer for The Believer and The Village Voice. He talks in his article about the artists' using The Sims as a platform for mods and machinima. Screenshots featured are from The Sims 2: The Ten Plagues Expansion, a mod sporting biblical plagues such as diseased livestock, water transformed into blood (like the image above), as well as locusts, hail and fire.

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm more inclined to put stock in the actions of three prominent art schools and major galleries, not to mention the artists themselves, over the words of one (or more) jaded media critics. The revolution began a long time ago. The fact that the rest of the world still hasn't caught on to this reality is regrettable, but somewhat inconsequential at this point.

As recently reported on Indygamer, there's a fun new game out called Rose and Camellia. Playable in your browser, this entertaining and fairly unique concept allows you to slap around some unruly ladies, Victorian style. Unfortunately the story behind any of it eludes me on account of the language barrier, but that shouldn't deter you from wasting your precious time with this little gem.

Update: Rose and Camellia has now been updated with a complete English translation. Wow, it all makes sense now! Ah the struggle of the "lowborn" woman among the aristocrats. "This is the elegant art of feminine conflict."

Just as I was getting warmed up to fire away some additional posts on the art games discussion, fellow IndyGamer writer Shih Tzu beat me to the punch on Wednesday. Apparently, some time ago (as in 2005), Ebert caused quite a stir in this area. What brought it all up again was Ebert's reply to Cliver Barker's commentary at GamesIndustry.biz.

Right away, game enthusiasts from all over the world saw holes in Eberts response. As Shih Tzu put it, "I expected gamers would react to his latest uninformed salvo, but what I didn't expect is the responses (the printed ones, at least) to be by and large so lucid and articulate." Jason Rohrer then ran with this, posting for us at IndyGamer, as well as on his Arthouse Games blog, a mock-dialogue addressing the Ebert vs. Barker debate.

Having written on the subject previously, it would be simply uncouth of me not to provide my commentary on the issue in light of these events. Everyone has brought up very good points in their posts to be sure, and it makes me happy to be among such intelligent company (albeit virtually). Nevertheless, some problems with the discussion that I see lying at the core have not been touched on yet, and I would like to address those.

One of the first things Ebert writes in response to Baker is that "anything can be art. Even a can of Campbell's soup. What I should have said is that games could not be high art, as I understand it." This really means that Ebert believes games can be art. Which is really the end of that debate, while also giving rise to the debate of whether games can be high art. I suppose that at first glance that doesn't change much, but let us take a closer look.

I have mentioned to a few people that I have grown tired of the same old question being asked and rehashed. It's the question of whether games are art. To me the answer is an obvious yes. And though it all lacks development, my position is that not only can all things be art but that all things are indeed art. The difference lies purely in how something is perceived. Did not Duchamp demonstrate this ninety years ago?

Based on this, the question of whether something is or is not art remains largely redundant. Yet when you ask whether something is high art, a different set of baggage is dragged upon the scene. As noted in the Wikipedia article just linked, the term "high art" has been most criticized for its association with elitism. At it's more basic level, high art vs. low brow art is once again merely a difference of perception. The existence of creativity cannot be simply measured by social status, or even the status of civilization.

Simply because a small percentage of people who live well and have money decide to call themselves and what is theirs "high," relegating the status of "low" to all that is so to speak beneath them does not make it so. Consequently, if high art is only that which is accepted by this select group of individuals, then I should hope for all that I hold dear not to fall into such a category. This includes games. I would be more than happy to let Mr. Ebert have his high art such as he likes it, so that he may enjoy it in his station.

Seeing as how I find the distinction of high art to be less than based in truth, I would just as soon eliminate it all together. Reverting to my initial assessment of what art is, I see no use for creating a class system for said art. The resulting assessment would be that whether games are high art irrelevant, just as the label of high art itself is irrelevant.

With that being said, it appears to me that Ebert has in fact admitted to games being art. He may be unclear as to what kind of art they are, and whether it befits someone of his status, yet they are art nonetheless.

It may be a sign that something must change when I have dreams that I'm at work. I don't have a particularly difficult job, you see. Though it does have its dirtier aspects, such as getting splattered with whipped cream, the occasional burn and/or scald, not to mention Customer Aggro, I would have to say overall it is a good job! As long as the girls don't have PMS at the same time, I can swing it. Did I mention that I luuuuuvs me fresh coffee?

In this particular dream of mine, (or is it nightmare?) I was making a metric ton of Milkshakes. And yes, my milkshakes do bring the boys to the yard... at least in my dreams. I had just gotten all the milkshakes into their respective cups, and next I had to garnish them with whipped cream. We have this one particular whipped cream canister at work with a hair trigger, and in my dream, it exploded all over the counter and myself. It got everything but what it was supposed to!...ah well, such is my chocolate-covered life. At least I don't have a high-pressure job where the balance of life and death is magically contained in my whipping cream.

So, Michal and I are on the last few episodes of Heat Guy J, thanks to Joe Schmo's generosity! Don't worry, we'll get your anime back to you safe and sound one of these days. We're not holding it hostage or anything...!

We got distracted from it, first by our weekly ritual of heading down to the Independent Art Co. to watch freebie independent films, and secondly by our multitude of video games. Mostly, I blame Frets on Fire and Mike's swanky new guitaroo. That thing is just awesome! Even more awesome than a Toss'm Possum!

One thing interesting about Heat Guy J is its art style. After doing a tiny bit of reading, I discovered that its art crew is the same as for Escaflowne: The Movie. Now, this didn't surprise me that much, since there are certain similarities between the characters. Daisuke, for example, is incredibly girly! And his brother is almost a perfect knockoff of Sir Allen Schezar, girliest anime dude ever, who still kicks @$%! with perfect waterfalls of luscious blond hair. I kid you not.

There is one element which didn't carry over to Heat Guy J. Escaflowne had an incredible team of musicians working on its background music, ranging from intense drums, operatic themesongs, and ethereal songstresses. Its composer, Yoko Kanno, is also known for her work on Macross Plus, Cowboy Bebop, and Wolf's Rain, just to name a few. In fact, she composed my favorite anime themesong of all time, for Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight! Here's a link to it on Youtube, and a fun link of Yoko in a live performance. Sadly, Heat Guy J cycles through several themes of music, almost all of which seem sporadically placed. Yeah, there's the "I'm Excited Now!" theme, and the "I'm a Sad Guy Now" theme, and a couple strange things inbetween, but for the most part, the music remains repetitive.

Other than that oddness, it's an enjoyable flick, and we better finish it soon! Thnx, Joe Schmo! You're our animazing hero!

The Daedalus Project is something that I became interested in as an recovering MMO addict earlier this year. I've always been very hardcore when it comes to my videogaming. However, I've tried to set boundaries such as taking time to bathe and eat every so often, and stave off the geeksweat which builds up when you sit too long behind a controller, mouse, or keyboard. Don't even get me started on DDR pads, either.

Daedalus describes in detail the psychology behind MMO's, and those who play them. There is a plethora of information there regarding the best stories and the worst, and after reading just a few of them, I began wonder how much better off I was in comparison to my fellow gamers. Daedalus began as the research for a thesis of a Psych major on his/her way to their PhD. I recently visited the site when I received an email, saying that Daedalus was completed, and the student received his/her PhD. Kudos, I say! It's been a long time in coming. I feel slightly special, knowing that I contributed to this project with some of my thoughts on online games. It is rare to find an unbiased project such as this, since newscasts and reports lean towards the opinion that videogames such as World of Warcraft and other popular titles have the potential of being just as bad as crystal meth, or worse. Here's a link to our previous posts on MMO's.

Long overdue and much anticipated by the masses that just can't get enough of my writing (being the rodents and insects that nibble away at the papers in my home), my thoughts on Okami are finally coming to a monitor near you. I thoroughly enjoyed Okami, that's for sure. It was an interesting time, filled with the wonder that the game's innovations brought about, and infused with the recognition of old formulas being used once more.

Follow the links for the full article. Due to its rather lengthy nature, I am providing it in multiple posts.

1. Initial Thoughts
   
2. Thoughts on Art
3. Thoughts on Nature
4. Thoughts on Stories
5. Thoughts on Karma
6. Final Thoughts

Though not entirely necessary, reading this article in the order prescribed above would probably be best. Afterwards feel free to post any comments and thoughts you might have, and maybe even Digg It! It's (almost) always nice to hear back from my readers. All two of you.

I am not so much interested in picking apart the pros and cons of Okami, because it would make this post redundant in light of all the press the game has garnered. Instead, I would like to bring your attention to the elements which make this game brilliant and innovative as both a video game and as a work of art.

I believe that partly due to modern technology our world has come to suffer. I hope that you will appreciate the irony of that statement. I assure you, however, that I'm serious. I don't mean that in some anti-technologically stereotypical way, nor do I mean it in the superficially trite way that you might expect. My understanding of the detriments of technology lies in a long tradition of philosophy expounded by such individuals as Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, Albert Borgmann, Martin Buber, and David Strong just to name a select few.

As such, it is not often that people find a way to use technology in a non-technological manner and to further non-technological ideas. I find that Okami has done just that thanks to the dedication of Clover. As the humanities often take a backseat in modern culture, with governments reducing the support for artistic endeavors in education as well as extra-curricular venues, I tend to favor most things that try and bring art back up on the priority list.

Okami demonstrates to us with its unique visual presentation that art is a vital part of our lives. Not stopping there, the game also emphasizes the importance of stories, of nature, and positive action in a world where karma holds sway. This comes as little surprise to those familiar with Buddhist, Taoist, and Shinto traditions, particularly because of Okami's Japanese heritage. With this game's strong statements, I think that we have more reason to hope for the video game industry's success in overcoming its stagnant practices. As such, I will try to explore some of Okami's statements here in an effort to further its cause, even if only a little.

Often times art is regarded as a luxury. We assume that art is not a necessity. That has certainly been debated by many, yet as an artist I cannot imagine living in a world without art. To me, art is in fact a necessity. I think it enriches our lives more than we are aware of, and Okami demonstrates its importance in many ways, some of which are obvious while others are not.

The artistic style of Okami is the first thing that any player experiences. It is the first thing that sets the game apart from others, and it is a thing which usually gets a very strong reaction. I think that reaction has primarily been positive if the game's reviews are any indication. Forsaking traditional textures and models in its environment, Okami is a sumi-e in motion. The traditional medium of sumi-e and ukiyo-e painting comes alive in the the world of Okami.

Not only do you get the opportunity to experience the environment as a painting, but you also must interact with this environment in ways similar to how you would interact with a painting. Though traditional game controls are still used, non-traditional controls have been added. These allow you to change the world around you using a brush, by virtually painting on-screen in the sumi-e style.

Thus your objectives revolve around restoring the world to a beautiful and colorful painting. The antagonist forces in the story drain the world of color, and disfigure the landscape, and it is your celestial brush that can, essentially, re-paint it to its former glory.

The implications of these elements are important to note. The first element, being the artistic style of the game, is very unique to games as a whole. It proposes that there is a place for artistic vision and beauty in this industry. The second element is the ability to interact with this painted environment via old and new methods. This interaction demonstrates that the creation of art is appealing within a game, and that creating art is a powerful means by which the world can be influenced. Thirdly, Okami shows us an interpretation of what a world without color and art might be like, and in so doing instills a desire to create a world that is beautiful.

The natural world plays a very important role in Okami. All of the powers that you gain throughout the game are those of the natural world. From restoring life to withered trees, to controlling the flow of water, air, and creating fire and ice. All of which you must employ to overcome the obstacles on your path.

The forces which you go up against have deteriorated the natural world in Okami to the point where no life can exist. This is why you have come down to the mortal world, or samsara, as the goddess Amaterasu. You take the form of a white wolf, an animal, and your task is to bring back life to the trees, rivers, and mountains of Japan.

This scenario equates the prosperity of humans with the prosperity of the natural environment. When the wells and rivers dry out, and the crops and tress wither, the people can no longer live off the land. When the water is poisoned and the mountains frozen, the people begin to die. The game emphasizes that the downfall of the environment is also the downfall of the people.

The natural world must be respected, and in Okami this is portrayed quite simply. As per Shinto tradition, everything in nature possesses a spirit, or kami. The river has a kami, and the mountain has a kami just as each tree and flower has its own kami. Destroying the land, hurts and angers these kami, thereby creating chaos within the natural world. By appreciating nature, and caring for it, we please the kami. In turn we also create a world which allows us to live in it and prosper.

The importance of the natural world is thus continually brought to the foreground. By granting the player powers of nature, Okami shows us that natural forces are strong enough to effect change in the world. This importance is further emphasized by demonstrating the detrimental effects of the natural world's decay on all living things, and especially the people. Yet all of this culminates in the notion that all things in nature posses kami which must also be harmonized with—taking a final step from an impersonal view of the natural machine to that of a living and spiritual entity with which we coexist.

Okami also brings to our attention the importance of stories. Most directly, the game itself is based on Japanese legends and mythologies. The game manual lists some of the folklore which form the foundation of Okami. These include Urashima Tarō, Kaguya, The Hakkenshi and the Satomi House, Shita-kiri Suzume, and Issun Boushi.

Throughout the adventure, the player also comes across a multitude of side-stories. In addition, many items, as well as enemies, and characters in the game have stories associated with them. These short descriptions are accessible via the in-game menus, accompanied by traditional artwork. This creates a very vibrant and detailed world for the player.

Similar to how The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek create a sense of realism by using a tremendous amount of detail in their respective universes, so too does Okami. Because of such a level of detail, such a multitude of items, characters, and stories, the player has a sense of a vibrant world. Coming from actual folklore, this vibrancy feels even stronger.

Consequently, this feeling can be transfered to the real world. Realizing how these stories come from Japanese culture gives us a chance to reflect on the stories in our own cultures. The stories within our lives are some of the details which make our own world vibrant. Knowing this allows us to appreciate the role of stories in our lives to a greater degree, with an awareness of how they may shape our perceptions.

Without a strong story, Okami would soon loose its appeal. As such, it has been noted by Muriel Rukeyser that “the world is made of stories, not atoms.” This has been adapted in the world of game design to focus on creating games with better stories. If this is indeed true, I would say that Okami has taken care to stay true to this school of thought.

Not only is the game based on stories in Japanese culture, but it draws on so many stories that its world feels more real as a result. Each character in Okami, be it friend or foe, has its own story. Being a part of this world teaches us about our own world, as long as we can take the time to draw these parallels. If the world is made up of stories, then we can learn from them whether they be in a book or in a game.

Another concept that is not familiar, and sometimes misunderstood, in the west is that of karma. The Buddhist definition of karma, on its most basic level, is "actions and their consequences." Further elaborated, it also means that for positive actions there are positive consequences, while for negative actions negative consequences follow.

There are certainly a lot of karmic reactions in Okami upon closer observation. As previously noted, interactions with the natural world follow the laws of karma—by treating nature and its kami ill, the world changes to be uninhabitable for the people in it. Similarly, the player must use their natural powers in the game to rejuvenate the environment, and life begins to flourish once more upon doing so.

The stories within Okami often illustrate the laws of karma as well. The main character herself, the goddess Amaterasu, has come to the world of mortals a second time in what is likely a karmic reaction. Her actions, and those of other characters, during the first encounter with the opposing forces of the game remained in part unresolved. By the laws of karma those events began to repeat themselves, yet with greater intensity.

By the end of the game, the player learns of all the factors which have contributed to the plight of the land. Those factors have originated much further back in time than even Amaterasu's first coming to fight on the side of the people. Many of these are negative consequences, yet it is important to note that positive consequences are also abundant in Okami. The very fact that Amaterasu is regarded by the people as a guardian deity is a result of her aid in the past.

Though the idea of karma is rather simple, it is not something that we in the Western world seem to pay much attention to. Okami teaches us that simple actions, like planting flowers, can have lasting positive effects. Something more substantially positive, such as aiding those in need, will have lasting repercussions well beyond the life of the benefactor. These effects are not simply confined to the game world, but can bee seen at work in real life, which once more illustrates that Okami has a great deal we can learn from and apply in our own lives.

In the end, this is a game which comes along so rarely. I don't know that I have had the privilege to play something made with such care and forethought in a very long time. Okami is more than a game to me, it is a work of art.

I believe that much can be learned from this game, and I would even suggest that it would be a valuable tool in the classroom. This title has fueled my belief in the fundamental importance of art in our lives. Beyond that, it sends a message to the world that art should be cherished and cultivated, whether it be in visual form or literary. Few other games make evident the significance of images and stories in our world, and even fewer indicate a way in which we can use them to better our lives.

Okami establishes these priorities, but adds to them guidelines for interaction with the natural world and the people around us. Based in Asian traditions, it may not be unusual for the developers to have gone this route, though the lessons on karma posses universal relevance. The one conclusion I can draw from all this is that if we were to follow the methods for leading our lives as proposed by Okami, the world would surely be a better place.

I too have contracted the highly contagious Guitar Hero Fever. After playing a whole bunch of it at Joe's place over Animazement weekend, I was hooked and had to get my fix. My only criticism of Guitar Hero was that there just weren't enough songs, and certainly not enough of the songs I would have liked to see in the game. That, as I understand now, is pretty much everyone's dilemma.



The solution to this problem is to grab Frets on Fire for PC (also available for Mac and Linux), which is a free open-source GH clone. The best part is that you can import all of your Guitar Hero I and II songs into it. Simply throw your game disc into a DVD drive, and let Frets on Fire churn away. Just be prepared for it to take a few hours.

I found FoF to be a great introduction to GH gameplay as well, allowing you to try out this type of experience for free. Initially, Frets on Fire is set up for the keyboard, which you must hold upside down and use much like a guitar. This is totally awesome in itself, and I will have none of your GH purists' complaints about it. However, if you want to maintain your GH skillz, there is an alternative.



If you don't have a guitar controller, you can certainly buy one to use with Frets on Fire. I opted to get the Nyko Frontman wireless guitar controller. After that, you just need a PS2 to USB converter, like the one offered by Radioshack. I can attest to this converter working very nicely with this setup, and it includes a driver CD for full support of PS2 peripherals. So yes, make sure you install those drivers.



Feel free to run the barebones FoF if you just want to try it out for a little bit. But if you want a better experience, I suggest delving into some of the mods that have been released for the game. The FoF community is basically in two camps. On one side, you have the people who still prefer the 1.1.x version of the game, running it combined with what's known as the RF-Mod. This combination is the most stable, and bug free, though it does lack some of the nice new features of the latest FoF release. Which brings us to the other side, being the players of the 1.2.x version (latest release), now significantly enhanced by Raph's GH-Mod. This version has a few stability issues, and may be a little slower on systems running dual-core processors (like mine). Even so, I prefer the latest version due to some nice added features and slightly different overall feel to the game. For big GH fans, this one may be easier to acclimate to.



After you have picked your version, and installed either the RF-Mod or GH-Mod (which is a must), you're all Ready to Rokk. Moreover, you can now get literally hundreds of additional songs to play around with. And if that's not enough for you, fire up the FoF editor to fret your own tunes. There may a bit of a learning curve, sure, but you're not going to get this opportunity with Guitar Hero.

Another great feature of Frets on Fire, in case you're still debating, is the World Charts. Every time you play a song, the score gets sent to the charts' server and recorded. You can then see how much you rock, or more likely suck, against everyone else playing FoF in the world. Look up your own name (or mine) to see a record of all your scores.

If you have problems getting anything to work, or just want to chat with other FoF players, you can always visit the forums. Just try, for the love of the guitar gods, not to sound like a complete noob. No forum likes that, and I'm sure you can figure some things out on your own if you just try.

Other than that, you should be set. So get out your guitar controller, go get that converter, and be prepared to play more songs than you can shake a... well, a guitar controller at. See you on the charts!

In the post Animazement lull things were, obviously, quiet. Too quiet. Soon the forums were busy with otaku experiencing post-con depression, and consequent plans for meeting up as a remedy. Ever wanting for more anime related events, I soon began discussing plans for such a thing with the Cameron Art Museum. Since then, we have decided, though not solidified, August 31 as the date for such an undertaking.

The event details, also available in this thread, are as follows. On Friday, August 31, we would like to get interested cosplayers and cosplay fans in on a tour of the current costume exhibition at the CAM. The tour will last about one and a half hours, and should start around 5 pm. Following the tour, the anime screening will begin at 7 pm.

Plans for what anime will be shown are still being worked out, but the possibilities are available in this forum thread. Another thread, for the costume exhibit tour discussion can be found here. As we get closer to the event date, information will be updated here as well as on the forums.

In reply to Matt's post, I began commenting only to realize once more that I was getting somewhat carried away. Here is the important bit from that comment.

I have now for some time subscribed to the view that all humans are born equal. Yet throughout our lives, due to experiences and our reactions to them, certain patterns develop as you have mentioned. The patterns continue to cement themselves over time, and become more elaborate constructs and mechanisms. They eventually become so numerous and intertwined, that it is impossible to see the original character of equality of our humanity.

At this point, we forget that original quality, and assume that the patterns, constructs, and mechanisms that have overgrown it are in fact our identity. We believe that this is "us" and whatever negative connotations might be part of this we assume, as you have pointed out, to be "character flaws." Yet these are no more our true nature than, for instance, hair which is cut, styled, colored, and continues to grow over.

As such, it becomes imperative that we not get hung up on believing that we have these "flaws" or shortcomings, which has a tendency to make us think that we are powerless to change them. Instead, we can only accept our character as existing, yet not claim ownership of it, in a quest to uncover the real "self."