Why is programming important? This is slightly subjective, but I think there are three reasons that programming is important, three major aspects. First, let us get the lucrative aspect of the situation out of the way. Programming is a great skill to have in today’s market. In today’s world, we are surrounded my machines and automation. Our daily lives depend on them, so to have people who can make them work is crucial. And well paid for. The fact that not everyone can be a good programmer, further compounds this point. And even if we accept that everyone, given the effort, can be a decent programmer, few can make their code “sing”, which means further coming up with ideas that materialize into programming achievements that make this highly technological world shine. The same way that some scientists discover new things and shed light in previously dark areas of the undiscovered world around us. The same way that some artists tap to creative veins and rise above the rest, with great works of music, film, literature, poetry etc. The great thing about this, is that you do not have to belong exclusively in the area of Computing Sciences. Everyone can benefit by having programming in their CV, both in pay, and in actual skill. I say, widen your skillset – when you can! And let Liam Neeson ramble on about his “particular skillset”. Second aspect, would be “funnelling”. What is “funnelling”? It is getting that excess mental energy into the activity of programming, to bring us into a state of mental equilibrium. The same way we want to do something physical from time to time to help us feel, to enable us to stretch that miraculous human nature to as many of its boundaries as possible. It is a natural need, similar to that of self-preservation. We feel hungry for music. Do you not ever feel that good music is like being fed through your ears, leaving you with feelings of satisfaction and contentment? How about the need to be informed? See things, touch things. The need to kick a football, to shoot a hoop, or to dance. To sing in the shower (no I do not do that, but even if I did, I would never admit to it). When I was a kid and programming came into our households, I remember thinking very clearly that this is something that was missing, and finally falling as a puzzle piece neatly into my life. I could see myself spending a lot of time with it, even though at that point I had never laid touch to a keyboard before. An activity seemingly similar to others before it, but really, one that is nothing like anything else. I really feel very grateful for its inception, and I am very glad to see like-minded people getting drawn to it, with a great deal of inevitability. Finally, much like mathematics, programming teaches you how to think. Ancient Greeks were very certain about mathematics for that particular property, so they taught it not only as a science, but as a way to teach people to think. Programming shares this quality with maths. I believe it may potentially be a higher mental challenge, but in teaching you how to think, they are equal, although in slightly different ways. With maths you learn to see the world around you in a different, more structured way. Programming also does that, but gives you more tools to work with to reshape that world. If maths are like binoculars enabling one to step back and observe this world, programming is like a kaleidoscope.

Random facts on Mass Effect, Bioware and Gaming in general

- Personal view: PC Gaming is kept alive due to Bioware (30%), Blizzard (30%), Steam (20%), other companies (20%)...
- Both Bioware and Blizzard have a flawless track record of games
- Blizzard may have struck gold with WoW, but Bioware poses the first serious threat with the Old Republic
- It may take some time though
- Apart from the less cartoony style on the graphics, the main difference lies on storytelling
- Old Republic is going to have full speech, everything not written on books, parchments or computer screens is going to be spoken out loud.
- It is going to contain more story than all the other Bioware games combined!
- Mind you, that includes the Baldur's Gate epics.
- Storytelling is the focus for Bioware since Dragon Age: Origins.
- Storytelling had taken a backseat in PC gaming since the 3D graphics boom in mid-nineties.
- Btw, storytelling is laughable in WoW.
- Blizzard tried to extract a story in Kalimdor after WoW's unexpected success.
- Bioware is trying to extract a game from the story in Old Republic.
- Same applies, to a lesser extent, for the Dragon Age and Mass Effect franchises.
- Dragon Age: Origins had a story that for once, made you care.. read the scrolls, the books, talk to people etc. It wasn't there just for show.
- Mass Effect had a great story too. Novels are already published, and it was planned from the start to be a trilogy.
- Dragon Age's lore is also rife for expansion.
- Indeed Ray Muzyka (one of the 2 doctors that founded Bioware) said that Dragon Age is going to have sequels too.
- Besides, who doesn't want to know what happens to the Morrigan subplot? ;)
- On the storyline subject, Ray says he likes what Heavy Rain (PS3 exclusive) is doing... which makes it even more interesting for me...
- Software developers now hire proper writers for the story in their games instead of having programmers doing a half-assed job about it.
- Which brings us to Mass Effect 2.. What could have caused the games(tm) magazine reviewers to "stand up and punch the air in excitement" after having watched the 20 minute intro to the game?
- I haven't played the game yet, but virtually everyone in the business is going gaga about it.
- Like I said, Bioware has never made a dud, but I must confess, I was a bit worried about Dragon Age: Origins, for instance.
- I thought that it would not surpass Baldur's Gate, apart from the graphics of course.
- It did, in every possible aspect.
- Same deal seems to be going on with Mass Effect.
- Everyone gave rave reviews to the first one... now they say it is surpassed by the sequel in all areas.
- games(tm) gives one 10/10 grade per year, on average.
- Sometimes it may not give one at all.
- Mass Effect 2 got 10/10... and games(tm) bets that it is going to be game of the year, even though it is still January.
- Blizzard is also preparing an all-out attack with Cataclysm, Starcraft II, Diablo III and Battle.net.
- Battle.net or battlenet 2.0, is going to bring all Blizzard games under one cyber-roof. And it is going to be the way to go for games in the future, methinks.
- So I ask you. What would happen if the 2 great B's, Blizzard and Bioware, were suddenly out of the picture, for one reason or the other?
- Because, may I remind you, that with all the technical expertise their workers have, in the end it all depends on one or two people in each company, geniouses I would call them, that make the difference.
- The business model already favours consoles.
- In other words, most companies have left the PC development area and focus on consoles where the profits are larger.
- For reasons I won't get into in this thread.
- The B's preserve a faith to the PC cause that is where it has all happened for them, plus they gained a significant know-how on the platform.
- On a more positive note, although the situation is going to change a lot in the new decade, I still think we are living in exciting times as far as gaming is concerned..
- Graphics, storytelling, interactive controls like the Wii, project Natal, six-axis etc, 3D, HD, all contribute into exciting new areas to be explored and get fantastic new games to be produced.
- It all goes to show that the games industry is indeed going to be the #1 entertainment industry of our times, something I always firmly believed in.
- Compare it to the cinema industry which is already set in its ways.
- Ok, it is after all 70 years older...
- Plus who knows wether the future means better and more memorable games? After all Aliens and Avatar are 23 years apart, but who in their right minds would choose the 2009 movie as the better one?...

Welcome

Welcome to every visitor! This is a place, a virtual nest, where we will publish things about stuff we are passionate about, and we encourage everyone who has a similar passion, to respond with comments, questions, criticism, virtually anything that is about the holy trifecta of Cinema, Music and Games. Oh, and lest we forget, a sidedish of books on fiction, and even some comics. In short, anything that allows one to drift out of their minds and into the realm of the surreal. The idea being, that this is something sorely needed in a world that is bleaker than it should.

Thanks
Stargazer