Don't believe the hype
Oct. 16th, 2002 09:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
andrewduckerSometimes nothing can live up to your expectations.
Erin was at the opening of the Art of Can exhibition in Glasgow, covering it for the Metro (you know, the one where lots of people were handed some cans of Red Bull and told to make something interesting that Red Bull could use for advertising). It was glittery, full of media people and the occasional minor celeb and a prototype for everything that she's wanted to be involved in since she first got into Journalism. She was quite happy, got on with the people and didn't have any problems. But she left after a couple of drinks and headed back for home in Edinburgh.
As far as I can make out, being at free parties with media types and minor celebs just isn't as much fun as you might expect.
On a similar note, I went to a game night with Peter Molyneux last Monday. "Last Monday?" I hear you cry! "You went to a games night with one of your childhood heroes last Monday and you didn't mention it before?"
Well, yes. Largely because I had no idea what to write. I like to, generally speaking, have a little framing idea into which I can neatly slot all of my vicarious rambling, largely because it makes it seem a little less, well, rambling. In this particular case, I really couldn't see any way to do that.
If I'd come back full of adrenaline, bouncing up and down, etc. I'd have had it easy - go for the insane enthusiasm route, which doesn't have a lot of literary merit, but does leave all of your readers sure that you've had a fantastic time and feeling jolly envious. However, what actually happened was that I went along and had quite a nice evening.
By which I mean that the games were fun (we played a board game "El Grande" and then poker, where I came 4th of 10), the company was good (I envy Mike, who's working with a lot of smart, dynamic people), the food was good and the house was fascinating.
The problem is, of course, that Peter Molyneux is....human. Oh, he's very nice, friendly, generous, reasonable, damn good at games, good conversation, etc. But when you grow up playing Populous, Dungeon Keeper, Black & White, etc. then nothing more than a pair of hooves or a halo is going to live up to your expectations.
It's like with authors - surely no ordinary person can write these fantastic novels that whisk you off to some incredible place with marvellous people and keep you entertained for a few hours (in the book) and a few years (in your head). Yes, just people.
So, yes, I had a good time at Peter's house. Yes, I'd love to work with the people there, who were generally very cool (this is cool in the geek sense of the word, which means that they enjoy discussing the merits of thread switching overheads on hyperthreaded processors and the design of games). Yes, Peter has a fantastic house (and obviously no discrimination when it comes to picking up new things to place around it, some of which were great, some of which left me scratching my head as to why a person would want a lifesize metal dog). Yes, in fact, it'd be nice to do it again.
But what I mostly had was a nice relaxing evening with a few cool people; which, after all, is what life is all about.
Erin was at the opening of the Art of Can exhibition in Glasgow, covering it for the Metro (you know, the one where lots of people were handed some cans of Red Bull and told to make something interesting that Red Bull could use for advertising). It was glittery, full of media people and the occasional minor celeb and a prototype for everything that she's wanted to be involved in since she first got into Journalism. She was quite happy, got on with the people and didn't have any problems. But she left after a couple of drinks and headed back for home in Edinburgh.
As far as I can make out, being at free parties with media types and minor celebs just isn't as much fun as you might expect.
On a similar note, I went to a game night with Peter Molyneux last Monday. "Last Monday?" I hear you cry! "You went to a games night with one of your childhood heroes last Monday and you didn't mention it before?"
Well, yes. Largely because I had no idea what to write. I like to, generally speaking, have a little framing idea into which I can neatly slot all of my vicarious rambling, largely because it makes it seem a little less, well, rambling. In this particular case, I really couldn't see any way to do that.
If I'd come back full of adrenaline, bouncing up and down, etc. I'd have had it easy - go for the insane enthusiasm route, which doesn't have a lot of literary merit, but does leave all of your readers sure that you've had a fantastic time and feeling jolly envious. However, what actually happened was that I went along and had quite a nice evening.
By which I mean that the games were fun (we played a board game "El Grande" and then poker, where I came 4th of 10), the company was good (I envy Mike, who's working with a lot of smart, dynamic people), the food was good and the house was fascinating.
The problem is, of course, that Peter Molyneux is....human. Oh, he's very nice, friendly, generous, reasonable, damn good at games, good conversation, etc. But when you grow up playing Populous, Dungeon Keeper, Black & White, etc. then nothing more than a pair of hooves or a halo is going to live up to your expectations.
It's like with authors - surely no ordinary person can write these fantastic novels that whisk you off to some incredible place with marvellous people and keep you entertained for a few hours (in the book) and a few years (in your head). Yes, just people.
So, yes, I had a good time at Peter's house. Yes, I'd love to work with the people there, who were generally very cool (this is cool in the geek sense of the word, which means that they enjoy discussing the merits of thread switching overheads on hyperthreaded processors and the design of games). Yes, Peter has a fantastic house (and obviously no discrimination when it comes to picking up new things to place around it, some of which were great, some of which left me scratching my head as to why a person would want a lifesize metal dog). Yes, in fact, it'd be nice to do it again.
But what I mostly had was a nice relaxing evening with a few cool people; which, after all, is what life is all about.
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...and don't forget...
Date: 2002-10-17 02:36 am (UTC)Of course I was expecting you to be disappointed. Even I've mostly got over working with Peter. It does still kick in occassionally as to who he is and where I work, however, with my current hangover, this could literally be any multi-million pound game development company, in any hi-tech building, on any research park in the world.
Btw, went to a talk by Jason "I own 2000AD now, hear me roar" Kingsley of Rebellion last night and drank free beer courtesy of Havok (they make physics engines, you know).
So, essentially, someone paid me last night to listen to a talk about 2000AD.
Hence the hangover.
Life is harsh.
Re: ...and don't forget...
Date: 2002-10-17 03:04 am (UTC)I'm going to train the puppy to hide from you.
Re: ...and don't forget...
Date: 2002-10-17 09:52 am (UTC)Mike, you get Peter Molyneux
Andy, you get a puppy.
I can't decide who's winning, tbh (to be honest)
Adam.
no subject
Date: 2002-10-20 03:05 am (UTC)Loser.
You didn't even steal his wallet/girlfriend/computer/brain..... You -did- get his toenail clipping and a red bull can that HE drank from, right?
no subject
Date: 2002-10-20 03:10 am (UTC)