Next Generation
The video-gamers tell me it is the beginning of a new generation, and I have to agree. Already the new Xbox is beginning to take games into a 360 degree change of direction, and Nintendo promises a revolution, which of course takes longer than rotation, hence its later release date. But Sony’s innovative new system promises to combine rotating and revolving in a way that may change the world forever.
Sony’s real working boomerang controller promises incredible innovations in gameplay. Sure Nintendo tried to copy the motion-sensitive controller idea with their “stick controller”, but last I heard about that, it doesn’t even come back to you when you throw it! The gaming industry also sees clear possibilities for boomerang based gameplay. I have already heard that Capcom is working on a Megaman spin-off featuring the “Quick Man” character, and Konami is working on a new more boomerang-centric Castlevania game. I have also heard a rumor about Taito developing a sequel to Power Blade but this is unconfirmed.
Boomerang-gaming is not just a physical reality, but also a powerful metaphor. It is about trust. You trust in yourself to let go of your control for a second and hope that it will come back to you. It also gives us a strong connection to the real air and the real world while simultaneously immersing us in a game world. It is a blending of boundaries that allows us to consider more deeply our existence as mental beings.
And what does this all really mean for the World? For humankind? Well this is obviously another signal of the new age of rapid technological and cultural development which we are entering. The video-gamers call it the next generation of gaming, but I call it the dawning of a New Renaissance. First there were ‘blogs, next came boomerang-gaming, and what comes beyond our human imaginations can guess certainly at, but whatever is next, we can’t stop it.
kthxbye.
March 15th, 2006 at 10:21 am
[…] Well the news today is that the PS3 launch has been delayed again. Apparently the elliptical gyro-stabilizers that they need for the real working boomerang-controllers are on exclusive license to the DARPA until late May, and they still need to work out some kinks in the collision sensors to minimize damage in case of mis-throws. Supposedly their ultimate goal is for the boomerang-controller to return to no matter where you move in the room much like the boomerang in Legend of Zelda (Note: There will never be a Zelda game for PS3.). Of course I don’t need to remind you how this innovate technology will help change the world, but I will tell you that I have heard that world-changing technology apparently does not come cheaply. […]
May 11th, 2006 at 9:10 pm
[…] Next Generation […]