So I watched a bit of the VGA's last night. It was a good bit more organised than it's been in the past.. but that goes to show you what a bit of hard work does. Games is slowly (or at least I'm imagining it) emerging as a viable career path. Though these days, it's hard for me to distinguish my feelings for them. If I'm obsessed because I've got some kind of harmful addiction to them.. as though I'm the epitome of one without willpower.. or if this is what it is to find something you love. Something you love to do, work on, improve.. something that inspires passion to create. I saw an episode of Attack of the Show on G4 tv the other day with the director of God of War. His interview sparked my attention and.. made many valid points. Though people don't see gaming as quite the work of art as some of us.. well. more dedicated players see it.. that doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't. Games have the potential to be all of these things. It's almost as if, as programmers and directors and other members of the team, are the guiding hand in Black & White. We have the power to sculpt and make a world we want.. we can craft an adventure. People can escape to lives where they have control of everything. We can convey moral lessons, information, trivia, instructions... we can hone skills... accuracy... leadership qualities.. we can see details and manipulate them.. learn to anitcipate cause and effect. Games can show you how to apply and use skills you already have or develope so many others that you wish you did. That or.. this is all part of a large attempt to validate the hours we put into these 'soma holidays' . Our escapes from reality. Are we really missing so much by putting ourselves into these things? Is it worth it to slave away to create an imaginary universe so vast that you could get swept away and lost in for days? Who knows if you'll feel worse because you view it as a waste of time.. or if you'll feel so good because you're doing it. I don't know all of the possibilities for jobs in the gaming industry.. I've never been able to allow myself to look or become overly excited about the idea of me working for company or on a game because of the fact that I may not have the skills necessary. Who knows if I'm only fascinated by the playing that I do or if I really want to be a part of the process... or if I just simply want to be connected in some way to these games. Indeed, the possibilities could be endless. Oh, what are we to do?