Filed under: Off Topic
One of the key factors that keeps me coming back to MMORPGs is the sense of community they provide–one that transcends geographical and national boundries, age, and political beliefs. Thursday, we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States, ushering in the holiday season from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon.
This is the time of year when between hectic Christmas shopping and propelling ourselves into holiday debt, we have the opportunity to reflect on what we value, spend time with the people we care about most, and set goals for the year to come. Enjoy your time away from the keyboards stuffing yourself silly. The games will still be there after your in-laws or siblings or crazy Aunt Alice are little more than a lingering headache Friday morning–and you’re chowing down on a cold turkey sandwich back in front of your computer.
We as gamers are fortunate to be a part of (what is in my opinion) one of the most fun, engaging pastimes out there. We have a constant link to socialization, adventure, and a network of fellow enthusiasts around the world even when we’re homebound. I know it sounds terribly hokey, but this season I urge you to take the time out to value not only what we have on a personal level, but on a local and global one too.
Whether that means being a little nicer to the abrasive cousin you can’t stand at Thanksgiving dinner, or donating some food or toys to a holiday drive or soup kitchen, or walking a dog at your local volunteer animal shelter, or maybe even taking the $15 you’d lay down for a monthly game subscription and giving it to your favorite charity–find something that’s in your comfort zone and let’s make a positive mark on the real world before heading back to the comfy shelter of our virtual ones as we gear up for more holiday chaos.
Treasure the company of your family and friends, both in-game and out and most importantly, have a great holiday!
Okay, so after giving myself the weekend to mull it over, I’ve decided to pre-order PoTBS. The last game I pre-ordered was Vanguard. We know how that launch went. But as an adult who doesn’t spend a lot of money on frivolous stuff for myself, $49 is not that big a gamble to take.
This morning I called every Gamestop in my area, and none of them have the pre-order boxes in stock. Perhaps they haven’t shipped yet. But dang it, shouldn’t one store in the whole damn city have it?
I’m not asking for the world. All I want to do is pre-order a friggin’ computer game at my neighborhood software store. Guess I’ll have to pre-order online.
Last month, the second season of Robin of Sherwood was released on DVD. Most cinematic interpretations of Robin Hood over the last 30 years–from the Kevin Costner debacle of the early nineties to the BBC’s current Robin Hood 90210–have filtered the character through the misguided pop culture sensibilities of the day. Robin of Sherwood, on the other hand, remains true to the character we’ve grown familiar with through folklore and Errol Flynn’s classic portrayal while adding a raw, beautiful modern edge, resulting in one of the finest pieces of fantasy ever produced–in literature or on film–during the twentieth century.
The series paints a gritty picture of Crusade-era England, adding a healthy dose of paganism and sorcery in with it’s historical fiction. As the first Robin Hood to introduce a Moorish swordsman from the Holy Lands into the fold of Merry Men (Nasir, played wonderfully by Mark Ryan), Robin of Sherwood dared add some unconventional new twists to the Robin Hood mythos that since have become canon. This series’ no-frills portrayal of England during the Middle Ages is tempered by the playful swashbuckling antics of Robin and his cohorts a la 1938’s The Adventures of Robin Hood minus the bright tights and dated dialogue. Creator Richard Carpenter’s Robin is equal parts archetypal trixter and real-world bandit, mentored by the sometimes ominous, sometimes fatherly wood spirit Herne the Hunter–another visionary addition this series brought to the table.
The actors and storylines in this series are second to none. Ray Winstone, who you might know from Sexy Beast and The Departed, plays the often rabid, fiercely loyal Will Scarlet. Judi Trott is Maid Marian, looking as if she just stepped out of a Pre-Raphaelite painting. Clannad’s soundtrack, blending Celtic melodies with eighties synthesizers, never sounds dated, surviving the test of time surprisingly well. Like Ennio Morricone for new wave hippies.
Season two introduces Jason Connery as Robert of Huntingdon, who takes up Robin’s mantle after the catastrophic events of season one (no spoilers here, thank you). This often-missed gem which ran briefly in the U.S. on Showtime in the mid-eighties is a must-see for any fan of fantasy or sword-and-sorcery. Both seasons are now available in boxed sets with lots of bonus interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.
Rent it. Buy it. Love it.
