The Dash - Linda Ellis

“I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
from the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth…
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own;
the cars….the house…the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard…
are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left.
(You could be at “dash midrange.”)

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what’s true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
and more often wear a smile…
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy’s being read
with your life’s actions to rehash…
would you be proud of the things they
say about how you spent your dash?"

Review: Portal 2

This was a triumph.

It was inevitable I would say that in this review if Portal 2 was good. And Portal 2 is good. Very good. In fact, watch this.

Huge success.

There, I made a note.

OK, really, I'm getting all the Portal 1 quotes out of my system now so that I can actually give a proper review here. Despite my quotes and ramblings so far, however, my point is the same; Portal 2 is a staggering success and marks not only the release of a hugely entertaining, challenging and fun game, but also a return to form for Valve; a company that has been silent for almost 2 years (we don't count Alien Swarm, good as it is) since they made Left For Dead 2.

It's impossible to say that Valve isn't relevant in the modern gaming age; Steam is the number one, probably unmatchable Digital Delivery System in the world, and it has made Valve a lot of money name people can't forget, even if it has been about 4 years since the last Half Life game. You can say that their presence hasn't been felt as much in an industry that has been recently dominated by EA and Activision. Their return to the world of videogames is nevertheless a welcome one.

Portal 2, though. Portal 2. Some might say that, seeing as they acquired a development team (essentially buying the idea for Portal) they liked and putting them to work, that it isn't a Valve thoroughbred. That's irrelevant; Portal 2 has all the charm, panache, humour and raw enjoyment that Valve games are famous for.

The game takes place many, many years after the original Portal (the exact number is indeterminate, although we know it's more than 9999 days, and insiders have been quoted as saying it's "hundreds of years" later). You are still Chell, the voiceless protagonist from the original, who wakes to find the Aperture Science labs in a state of dilapidation. With a little help from Wheatley, a personality sphere (delightfully voiced by Stephen Merchant, who should win awards for this) you manage to battle your way through the facility to the remains of GLaDOS, in the hope of escaping the mangled enrichment centre.

After that, it all goes a bit pear shaped.

Without spoiling the story, it unfolds itself elegantly and efficiently as you pass through the game, with some surprising and emotional twists to keep you interested and engaged, as well as the expected Portal humour, with some genuine laugh-out-loud moments. In a game franchise that is renowned for its innovative gameplay and the brevity (which isn't bad) of its story, the amount of detail and intertwined narrative in the game is shockingly pleasant and emotive. The story manages to surprise with some moments of seriousness, too, that aren't expected, but neither are they disliked, and the ending? The ending is simply [Redacted].

The main characters you encounter throughout the game can be counted on one hand, but the impact they have on the story and on the player themselves is incalculable. You start off, as I mentioned, with Wheatley, the well meaning but clumsy Personality Sphere, wonderfully and hilariously voiced by Stephen Merchant, who teaches us how to speak and, more importantly, jump.

GLaDOS, as we all know, makes a triumphant return, and her barbed sarcasm and sociopathic tendencies are as sharp and cuttingly hilarious as ever. There is more to be discovered, however, about the matriarchal overseer of Aperture Laboratories, than just how much of a frigid psychopath she is, and it's surprising what you find out about her as the game progresses. Ellen McLain delivers another sterling performance of a classic character, which is all the more impressive considering her resumé consists of GLaDOS, the Combine Overwatch from Half Life 2 and the Announcer from Team Fortress 2. Bravo, good woman.

The third character (and my personal favourite) is heard only via pre-recorded messages. It is the voice of Aperture Science Founder and CEO, Cave Johnson, performed with the eccentricity and convincing, emphatic gusto that only J.K. Simmons can provide. Mr. Johnson is the driving force behind Aperture Laboratories early forays into Science and then, as times goes by, into madness. In a moment that reminded me of Network, Cave delivers one of the most memorable, hilarious and staggeringly brilliant (if not brief) rants of our generation, which is nearly worth the price of buying the game in itself.

Visually, the game perhaps doesn't carry the graphical punch of some contemporary modern games, but it's not a noticeable problem. Valve's Source engine makes up for a slight lack of pure texture power by creating some of the most impressive and convincing shadow, lighting and animation work I've seen in a game; all of this demonstrated in the opening sequence of Portal 2 when moving through the facility in a portable (no plays on words, please) container that is rapidly falling apart. The crumbling roofing panels and girders all cascade into place through the engine's painstakingly crafted physics engine, and the grey half light floods in through the gaping holes in the structure.

You only have to compare a shot of Portal 2 with its predecessor, however, to see how far along Valve has really brought the visuals of their games. In short, despite not being 'cutting edge', Portal 2 looks brilliant.

As for the puzzles themselves; it's hard to describe them without telling you how they're done, obviously, and that would be not only counterproductive but also incredibly convoluted. Seriously, some of those puzzles are dense. Despite the complexity of some problems, however, they never feel unnecessarily difficult, and provide the same level of elation upon completion, if not greater, than those of the original Portal. The challenges with the new inventions, particularly, make you feel like a genius upon completing the more layered challenges. The basic laws of Portal physics from the first game still very much apply, just with a new set of toys to play with, so it never felt as if any puzzle was ever out of my depth.

Whilst Portal 2's Single Player puzzles are terrific (and despite what I'm saying next, nothing can take that away from them), the puzzles encountered in the Co-Operative campaign are where the level design really shines. It's not so much that they dwarf out the Single Player, but being able to work together with a partner on some truly devious, ingenious and downright staggeringly good puzzles is just a joy. You'll learn new highs of love for a friend, and new depths of absolute hate as well. Personally, I can quantifiably compare the two campaigns and say the greatest "aha!" moment of solution came in the Co-Op campaign, and not the single player.

The Co-Operative campaign is, although rather short, not something that should be thought of as a quick buck for Valve; it is robust, it is ingenious and if you have a friend who you trust (and don't mind repeatedly killing) then you must play it. It's really that good.

A word to the wise, however. The Co-Operative campaign takes place after the events of the main single player campaign. Although the story in the Co-Op campaign is light on detail, it nevertheless has an eventual narrative point that may be hard to understand in context without having finished the Single Player. Just a warning.

Closing Comments

Portal 2 takes the cautious ingenuity of the original Portal and makes it into something bigger, deeper and more refined. It really is the perfection of a formula that was very much in a half developed, but still great, state. With the addition of a cast of hugely engaging and likeable characters that are superbly acted, Valve has made a fully fledged narrative from something that was originally just a brief story to tie the original game together.

Combining this narrative power with a raft of startlingly clever, mind-bending and just-taxing-enough puzzles that teaches you how to think with Portals whilst simultaneously furthering the story and history of Aperture Science, Valve has created something truly special.

Doug Lombardi, Director of Marketing at Valve, was quoted as saying "Portal was a test bed. Portal 2 is a game", and he's right. Perhaps more than that, though, Portal 2 demonstrates more than its predecessor what an FPS, or even what games in general, are capable of when you're not concerned with killing, ammunition or bullets (OK, so maybe there's still some killing going on).

Even moreso, Portal 2 is an argument for the power of videogames to stand as tall as any other storytelling medium with a narrative that, although primarily known for its humour, delivers emotional and often serious tones that are unexpected but never unwelcome.

Portal 2 is pure entertainment. Pure fun. Pure genius.

A huge success.

The Man in the Hat

The breeze blew along the street, through alleyways and loose doors, but nothing rattled or moved, out of reverence for the unfolding moment.

At either end of the street, two men stood. They faced each other down with a tense silence. They were static; holding themselves rigidly with their arms poised at their sides, inches from their holsters, but neither moved. They were unperturbed when the wind played through their hairs and coat tails, lingering in the moment before whisking away.

Under the brim of his hat, the man gazed out at his opponent, and at the other side of the street he gazed back. His eyes narrowed and his fingers curled slightly. The standoff continued.

Around them, the street was deserted. Everybody had retreated indoors and out of harm's way when the two men had faced off. Some heads cautiously peeked from behind doors and over windowsills. Nobody in the nearby bar moved. The pianist was silent, the barmen stared down anyone who tried to move. Hands of poker and blackjack lay exposed on to opponents on the tables, but nobody looked away from the unfolding events.

The man in the hat grimaced slightly, continuing to study his opponent. His eyes moved from his hand to his face and back to his hand again, which seemed to be sneaking closer to his holster. Could he be...?

He wasn't trying to pull a fast one!? A bead of sweat perspired on his forehead, followed by another. Soon, his forehead was damp with nerves.

Enough! He wasn't going to let this upstart humiliate him!

There was a scuffling sound as the man in the hat went for his gun, followed by a single crack of gunfire. It blasted out through the silent street, destroying the tension, before everything fell silent, and tense, once more.

The man in the hat looked at his opponent. Did he get him? He looked to his hand, the smoke from his gun to be his confirmation, but it was not there. Moreso, the gun itself remained in its holster, a mere twitch away from his hand. He hadn't got to it. With a grimace of recognition and pain, the man with the hat crumpled to the ground, blood seeping into his clothing from the wound in his chest.

At the other end of the street, his opponent replaced his revolver, fired from his hip, in its holster without a flourish, and turned back towards the bar.

In twenty minutes the man with the hat had been forgotten. Even the breeze blew over his body as it meandered through the alleyways and loose doors, rattling the frames playfully.

(Written, perhaps not very well, and owned by Peter Stewart. Creative Commons copyright applies).

Battle Report: An evening at the Creative Assembly.

Hello one and all! Been a while eh. I thought I'd update you all on my doing's. Particularly the day I spent at The Creative Assembly in Horsham, where they develop the Total War games, and my hands on experience with their new title, Shogun 2.

As requested, I figured I'd put together a Battle Report detailing my hands-on evening with Shogun 2, and my impressions of the game on the cusp of release. Sorry, but this is a long post. I suggest a cup of tea, or maybe even a lie down half way through.

After arriving almost embarrasingly early, I hung around in the lobby. After a few minutes, and being joined by another early shower, we were greeted by Craig and Mark ("Of Mark O'Connell fame") and shown up to the Creative Assembly Office, taken through their fancy kitchen (and prison mugs) and into the demo room. Immediately, we were sat down, the game was running, and we were told to go for it.

Rather cautiously (after cranking the graphics settings up) I decided to check out the Naval Battle tutorial, as I was curious to see how it played out (after becoming adept and making massive lines of ships in Empire/Napoleon, I knew I was going to have to relearn something).

Without spoiling the tutorial, Naval Combat is, in principle, straightforward. In a lot of ways, it's theoretically similar to Land Combat; your "Bune" come in 3 different sizes and are best used to draw alongside other ships and fight them hand-to-hand combat. Your Bow Kobaya should not engage in hand to hand combat, for obvious reasons, but should be constantly moving around your opponent and peppering them with arrows, or trying to set them alight with fire arrows.

The Naval fights are frenetic and constant when there's more than one ship at play per side, and despite the Melee focus of Bune, there will always be arrows flying around from ship to ship. Unfortunately, as it was a Tutorial, I couldn't get much of a handle on the Naval AI, so not much to report there.

After this short introduction, I decided to dive right in and get to grips with the Campaign. Starting as Uesugi (on VH/VH), I was thrown immediately into a situation where Rebels were threatening my sole settlement. Moving my Daimyo's army to them I prepared, perhaps somewhat cockily, to assault them in an "evenly matched" battle.

After forming up and starting the battle, I began moving forward. It was then, with horror, I noticed that the AI had taken a position on a hill, shrouded by forests, and were refusing to come down. As I was assaulting, the onus was on me to break their formation.

Providing a united line against them on a hill would have been fruitless, so I attempted some kind of petty flanking maneuvre whilst my Archers frittered away trying to keep them busy. It didn't work, they had turned to face me every time and when battle finally joined, I was still fighting uphill and they made short work of my Yari Ashigaru. With my forces soon in dissaray then advanced down the hill and to my remaining unit of Archers, and my Daimyo, who were positioned on a smaller hill but nevertheless vastly disadvantaged.

I was crushed.

Swallowing my pride, I prepared to carry on. Instead, I rage quit and started again.

I won't go into detail about every AI battle I participated it, but needless to say the AI, for the most part, was consistent in its thinking through of the battle field and its surroundings and, although I didn't suffer many more losses (once burnt, twice shy), I did find myself remaining constantly alert and vigilant for any tricks the AI might try to pull on me. Of course, the AI is going to fritz every now and again, but from what I've seen, it will provide enough of a challenge to keep people on their toes.

A brief mention on the visuals. Most people have seen in videos and screenshots, but it's still worth saying; even without full DX11 support, this game is beautiful. Both in how much detail is put into the game, and the atmosphere; the small swaying of the breeze, carrying leaves and petals along on it as your units move is really something. The music goes without saying. Jeff van **** is a maestro.

Anyway. After a while Kagatsuchi suggested we try a Multiplayer Battle. We all enthusiastically agreed. Craig had a mischevious smile on his face, which you'd think meant he had something planned bu--well, nevermind, eh?

Myself and Kagatsuchi were auto paired onto one team, whilst ExtremeChimping and single PC combo of Mark (Mouse and Keyboard control) and Craig (...Support, I guess?) took the other team. After loading our armies, generals and units out in ridiculous colors and ridiculous names, and forming up on the battlefield, the battle began!

The enemy force directly opposite me was Mark and Craig, who stalwartly refused to move from their position, whilst Kagatsuchi paired off against ExtremeChimping in opening maneuvres that were slightly more energetic, but not much.

After maneuvring for 5 or 10 more minutes, and some cavalry skirmishes between Kagatsuchi and ExtremeChimping that resulted in the loss of one of my cavalry units, and Mark still not moving very much, we decided that battle should finally be joined. Moving my archers into position, ranged fire began exhanging between my army and Mark's whilst, on my left flank, his cavalry moved to defend ExtremeChimping.

Unfortunately, my remaining Cavalry and superior foot infantry saw off this attack, leaving ExtremeChimping's army, which had advanced somewhat ahead of the body of Mark's force, open to flanking. Chimping's force, which was already pinned down by fully-joined battle with Kagatsuchi, was sadly powerless to resist as a small contingent of my army rolled up his flank, the rest of my force closing around Mark's now exposed lines.

As you would expect this all came to a head as the first routing units of the Mark/Chimping alliance began a chain reaction which soon lead to the shattering of both their armies. We had our victory and, whilst it wasn't the most inventive fight, it was nevertheless hugely entertaining. I expectantly await a rematch.

All this giddy horseplay had, however, brought our time at CA to a close and, after thanking them profusely for having us and the free T-Shirts they gave us (sorry, ExtremeChimping!), we began our journey homewards.

This is not something I say lightly, but I do believe Shogun 2 could fully live up to the legacy of its decade old predecessor. It is beautiful, smart and engaging, with the combined experience of a decade's successes and failures. Tuesday cannot come quick enough.

Thanks again for the experience!

Digital Requiem

I find my emotions in a particularly peculiar place. Today, as some people reading this blog may know, a man that I and many others knew from an online game--The Matrix Online (MxO)--suddenly and tragically died. Many people knew him a lot better than I did; In fact, I cannot claim to have known him as anything more than a casual acquaintance, and yet I feel an acute sense of loss. Upon hearing the news earlier I was stunned, clearly, but also visibly and mentally affected. I am certain that others in the MxO community--those that knew him better--were affected more than I, and will be affected for a long time yet.

Even though I didn't know him personally, Mike 'Nubious' Sloane has played on my thoughts on and off all day. Perhaps I am so surprised by my feelings because I feel the same as if somebody from my neighbourhood had passed away--somebody I knew, but couldn't call a friend; not really. It is that same feeling of knowing that something familiar will no longer be there. Something is out of place, and a part of what shaped my MxO life is gone. A small part, admittedly, but noticable.

It is an example of how the distinction between a 'real' friendship and an online friendship is, in contemporary society, artificial and, in reality, non-existant. We are in a position, technologically and mentally, to know somebody intimately whether they're 20 hours away or 20 seconds. Every friendship we create should be 'real', whether it is in person or digitally. We laugh with both, we share interests with both.

We grieve both. They are the same. If they are not, then it us who is at fault.

Above all, however, the loss of Mike Sloane is not a societal issue, nor is it something I or anybody else should be analysing. It is a life cut tragically, and suddenly short. I can offer only my condolences to his family and friends.

Rest in Peace, Nubious.

Bit empty in here, innit?

Been quite some time since I posted in this blog. Entirely my own fault, naturally, oweing to the end of University, subsequent graduation, then the trials and tribulations of searching for a job. Mostly trials.

Only trials.

But, at any rate, I do the best to remain chipper and continue searching, not once decrying the past 3 years a waste of time because, if nothing fruitful were to come from my time at Leicester (and, naturally, I am sure something will), I would still not regret the money it cost to meet the fantastic people I studied with and, thankfully, remain friends with today. Sentimental? Maybe, but just this once; don't tell anybody.

At this particular moment in time I'm feeling particularly lethargic. A lot of things have gotten on top of me; my unemployment mainly, but also distance from loved ones and frustration at people have contributed to the last week or so being a fitful rollercoaster of emotion. I do however, as always, remain optimistic in the face of this adversity, particularly when I check the reality of the situation and know how much disastrously worse it could become.

A part of me, I feel, misses the University lifestyle. Whilst there is still pressure to perform, and to do well, there is simultaneously a freedom to be yourself. Beyond that, I think, there was an almost universal acceptance of the great 'whatever'; whoever, or whatever you are you were accepted. Two of my friends are an interesting point; one an out and out atheist, the other a practicing Christian. Inbetween this I sit, a gay agnostic.

The world keeps turning around us. Nothing changes, nothing is strained. The ability to have a civil and understanding conversations, including but not limited to disagreements and jovial arguments is something I have not been able to identify outside of that social circle. University is not an essential step towards a career, I think, and I would be remiss if I did not mention and credit the dozens of people I know who have made a career, nay a life for themselves without the need for degree qualifications. However, I personally felt more alive as an individual in that environment; I had creative outlets, living freedom and proximity to my partner. A lot of this I feel has waned.

I haven't, for instance, written anything in months.

This lament, however, may be a pining for the old days gone, but I understand that they are, certainly gone. Uni was great, and Uni led me to encounter many fine people; people I hope to know for a long, long time, but as a current experience, it is over. Moving forward is what has to be done now, and I appreciate that people already know this; friends of mine already have jobs, and for that I am thankful.

If anything, this blog post is a reminder to myself as I write it and, hopefully, when I check it in the future, that going forwad is what I now have to do. If not, I'll be stuck in this rut forever...

Next time I update, we'll be back to my usual inanity. Look forward to it, I know I do.
- Peter

Musings upon 'Shaking Hands with Death'

I know this is several weeks later than Sir Terry Pratchett actually gave his speech, but I felt compelled to say some things about it, even long after the event itself. This entry in my blog is an issue that is very emotionally near to me, as I'm sure it is with so many others. With that in mind, I apologise if any of my beliefs or opinions upset or offend people. That said, I shall surge onwards with characteristic tact and care for others, and dive in at the controversial and possibly upsetting deep end.

Nearly two weeks ago now, Sir Terry Pratchett wrote and had read for him by Tony Robinson a speech entitled 'Shaking Hands With Death' for the annual Richard Dimbleby Lecture; although no longer on the official BBC iPlayer site, the lecture can be found on YouTube. As the title of his speech suggests, it concerned the terminus of our mortal lives, and more specifically the rights we had to ending it when we felt we could take no more; when our lives were no longer worth living. He referred particularly to those suffering from terminal illnesses; excruciating ones such as cancer and, the illness Sir Terry suffers from, and therefore feels strongest about, Alzheimers. I must admit, the issue of Dementia and Alzheimers is particularly close to my heart, as well.

I have no allusions that this is not a contentious issue; it would be foolhardy to think otherwise. The very fact that Sir Terry is giving a lecture on it highlights its controversiality. The implications of allowing those whose quality of life is irreversibly degrading to end their own suffering range across the broadest possibly spectrum; moral issues, religious issues, even financial issues. There is no denying that, despite Terry Pratchett's hugely powerful words, this is an issue that will rage on for a while yet. If it were not obvious already, then let me tell you that I couldn't agree more with Terry Pratchett's sentiments.

But at the heart of it all, I must stress that I feel that whether or not you agree that terminally ill people should be allowed to die or not is a question for our base humanity; not religion, and not finance. If you believe that a man should be kept alive until his body ultimately loses its fight against cancer and dies a natural death, then you should stand on the side of anti-assisted death. However, if you find nothing good about watching someone irreversibly degrade over an agonisingly long period of time, how can you not support such a cause?

It is easy for me to implore people to put aside their Bibles when looking at this issue; I'm not religious, and it is also easy for me to suggest people view this issue with their wallets hidden away; I'm a poor student, but it is my hope that people can see past their given creeds and to the truth that people are being sustained, barely, because we don't allow ourselves the ability to take another human life, mercifully, in a civilized, evolved society?

A common argument against assisted death is that once man returns to an age where people are killed by the state, then we are on the path to our own destruction. No man should have the power of God, only God can give and take life. At heart, I believe that we are, as a race, compassionate and good, numbed by our own society's indulgences. It is perhaps my most naive trait; my belief in an intrinsic, smothered, human goodness. But I still maintain that it is there, and situations like these call out to that smothered, but no less active compassion. If we are to inherit the power of God, then let us inherit his omnibenevolence. If indeed we take his power to end life, surely there can be no heavier burden on us; no worse task? The decision to take life in this way is no frivolity, it is no easy choice. But nevertheless, it is a priviledge to give somebody that peace and freedom from suffering.

(That is not to say I do not think the care services do not do a tremendous job looking after terminally ill people; they are gracious, caring, and do the very best that they are allowed, but my point is it is not enough).

If our humanity, our inherent mortality and difference from whatever God their might be, decrees that we have to watch people suffer and die from as-yet incurable diseases in the most horrifying ways, then we are lost, and there is no God.

A relative of mine; somebody I love hugely, and dearly, is a sufferer of Dementia, possibly Alzheimers, and is already in a state that saddens me. They remember me, my Mother and Father, and most of their relatives, but it won't be so forever, or even for long. The very idea that I will have to watch them degrade into a world of constant mental fog, the Forever Unknown, tears a pain through me I cannot describe; it is agonisingly heart-rending to think of someone who was once so strong could be reduced to a bed in a home, waiting for the inevitable, but not knowing of its approach. I pray that something gives before that day occurs.

One of the most profoundly important things people desire, in fact deserve, in death is dignity; diseases like Alzheimers and Cancer do more than take that dignity away, they rip it from us, painfully. They warrant that dignity; all that denying the progress of assisted death assures is that terminally ill people will never be afforded their right to die simply, and dignified.

So I implore, choose your side by looking to your humanity, not your reverence for something higher than us. There will be no answers from above. The only words of hope can come from our mouths. Let those we love slip silently away and with minimal pain. Listen to Terry Pratchett, give them the sun, music and whatever Brompton Cocktail they choose, and let them drift away from pain, and off to darkness, or the next life, or whatever lies beyond closed eyes.