Doom, UAC, Dave and Me

I was on Mars working for the United Aerospace Corporation again last night. Dave and I had some unfinished business that brought us back to the Delta Labs... The kind of business transaction that can only be done with shotguns and plasma cannons.
Yes, I was playing Doom again last night. I consider this to be an important way of maintaing our friendship at a distance. Why?

*****

For those of you who may think it's strange to meet in the virtual world, consider the fact that we live 2751 km apart and don't get to hang out much. Instead of talking on the phone or something we watch a co-operative interactive movie. The story is quite interesting, the people who put this game together at the top of their.... um.. game.

Unlike the massive multiplaayer games like Warcraft, Doom has a linear story with a carefully constructed plot filled with all the typical literary devices. The claustrophobic feeling of being on a remote research facility really comes across well. The artists over at id software did a very good job with lighting and sound design for this one. It was truly a labor of love, even if it's creepy as hell and crawling with zombies and monsters.

I love the way the real and virtual, cinematic and real time all blend together into one experience. Here [see above image] we had cleared a bathroom of threats and had some time to chat before moving on with the story. Friends, family and synchronizing our uniform colours... In a way it's almost like a 21st century equivalent of hunting. Guys often relate to each other indirectly though cooperative projects and common goals. Fishing, home improvement, music, camping, hunting, videogames... There is a very specific type of bond that occurs when people overcome obstacles together. I don't know if this behavior was built into humans though evolution or what, but in a way I think it comes down to trust and loyalty. "I trust he will shot that demon that just appeared behind me" "You trust I'll keep the flashlight on the zombie you're trying to kill". When we're in an airlock and the decompression cycle is taking a few minutes, THEN we can talk about how we're doing.

I'm not saying this stuff is a replacement for a REAL friendship in the REAL world, but when you're 2751km away, it beats the phone.