Whether we like to admit it or not, even contemporary science fiction usually englobes common conceptions. How we vision technology from weapons to propulsion is really fixated on how we see our future society developing, rather than correctly viewing technological development that may or may not be influenced by outside [read: alien] intervention. To me, it's seems so odd that society managed to enfix even our most outrageous future scenarios in a conformistic view. Something worth thinking about.

Why? Well, mainly because mainstream makes no sense.

For instance - take space combat for example. Take every movie, game and even some novels that include campaigns in outer space and you'll always be bathed in blaster fire, missiles exploding and things of the sort. These notions are absolutely devoid of any trace of sensibility. Firstly, there is no sound in space. If you're in a cockpit, there's no logical explanation for the pilot hearing a craft exploding nearby, or hearing the blaster fire as it roars above his ship. There is no sound. Period. There is also no fire in outer space, seeing how there's no air. Seems logical, really. So when there are massive explosions with tongues of flame that linger for quite a while in the darkness, I begin to wonder. Realism dictates that the fire would instantly vanish the moment the gasses that nourish it dissipate or get consumed by the flames.

So why do we accept these notions so willingly? I suspect that it is because we're used to it. George Lucas in all his epic glory threw in those odd laser sounds for his space battles in Star Wars since in movies, sound effects are a must. Since the movie industry adopted this dispassion to realism, the game industry naturally followed suit. And the same applies to explosions. We like seeing things blow up since pyrotechnhics are impressive, and so we are eager to subliminilally accept airless detonations.

Ever wondered why we're so often invaded by hive-like enemies? I believe it's because we view our imperfection as stemming from a lack of unity, and as such - only a faceless, entirely one-minded enemy can defeat us. And every alien race in the multiverse is apparently wise enough to mobilize an interstellar fleet, but too stupid to consider far-fetched scenarios that would somehow be discovered by the cunning humans and used against them. Well I say that humans are a race of idiots - and if someone would approach the planet with a cruiser from space, we'd be left standing there and going - 'Duh?'. This would be followed by being pummeled into oblivion, rather than us emerging as the victorious underdog by some underhanded act of trickery.

In conclusion, I have to say that we have a pathetic misconception of our standing in the universe, be through how we view our potential foes from space, or even how we view the situations (both combat and otherwise) that would arise from future confrontations.

But we will probably get pulveriezd at least once by an internal nuclear conflict. That - just makes sense.

I've often wondered why people spill their textual guts all over the internet, be it through blogs, forums, chatting communities or any other form of textual communication that comes to mind. I've come to the (obvious) conclusion that these mediums serve as an effective way to voice one's opinions in the directmost way, without having to be a paid writer for an established newsletter or even take the time to mail a letter, hoping that it'll get published somewhere.

A host of people have mountains of ideas and notions to share with oneanother. I've come to terms with this, and decided that it's actually quite healthy to channel your thoughts via a keyboard. In fact, I'm doing it myself as we speak.

So the inevitable question comes up - why am I doing this? Why am I writing to a personalized journal on a major gaming website? Maybe because I've written to Gamespot before (I've been published twice on Gamespotting), and decided that I liked the responses that I've recieved to the ideas that I suggested. Maybe because I need an outlet to talk about what I think regarding the gaming community, and found this to be a perfect opportunity. Who knows.

So who am I? I currently serve for the Israeli Defense Forces, or the army. I work with computers, the details of which I won't go into since it isn't relevant to these forums. Suffice to say that I have a major interest in computers and have been so for the greatest deal of my life. At first it was sheer gaming. Later on, with the help of my brother, it matured into vaster fields of interests that these days include hardware and programming among others.

If I actually persevere and continue to write here, I hope people will read and enjoy.

I'll seal this welcoming post with the links to the articles that I've written to Gamespotting. Enjoy.
www.gamespot.com/features/6100578/p-6.html
www.gamespot.com/features/6084762/p-7.html