E3 from Abroad: Conference Wrap Up: Microsoft

So much action. So much drama. So much excitement. This year's E3 has been one of the most exciting in recent memory. From big announcements, company wide goof ups and one of the biggest one sided thrashing I have ever seen from a company before, E3 2013 was one for the history books and helped to bring in all the excitement that a next generation  of games should.

Despite Nintendo not holding their own conference this year, Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft and EA held their own regular conferences with new games and some surprising announcements for new consoles. There's a lot on my mind to talk about, and as a gamer still intensely interested in what the industry can produce. So let's go in order, starting with...

Microsoft aka M$

Microsoft and the Xbox One already had the burden of heavy criticism from the gaming community for its strong anti consumer policies and stronger focus on a complete multimedia experience rather than a focus primarily on games. Combined with privacy concerns with their Kinect device and sense of vagueness surrounding many of their more controversial choices, most of which involved the use of registering your games, their promise to focus "just on games" for E3 was a wise choice.

Their conference started out strong with a preview of the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, and the confirmation that it would appear on a next generation console. Shortly afterwards, the one game people have been clamoring for from Rare made a short appearance. Killer Instinct was coming back and was going to be an exclusive on Xbox One. The conference was off to a strong start.

As for the rest of the conference, it was what I expected. There were quite a few games that grabbed my attention, however quite a few I admittedly already knew about. Max and the Curse of Brotherhood looked like a cute and cartoony Limbo-esque platformer. Short glimpses at titles like Quantum Break and D4 looked interesting and showed that Microsoft was trying hard not to make this a shooter and sports heavy console. Later on in the show, the late glimpses at Dead Rising 3 (which is allegedly a Xbox One exclusive), Crimson Dragon and The Witcher 3 also looked great to me. Even shooter games which allegedly the gaming community is burnt out on looked interesting. Take away my "hardcore" gaming card if you have to, but I still enjoy FPS's to an extent. I'm looking forward to playing Battlefield 4 both single and multiplayer and despite some issues I had with the previous game, a short glimpse at Halo 5 was welcome. I still like Halo. I still play the games primarily for the single player experience over multiplayer. If you're still reading by now, I'm sure your head just exploded.

The game that really stood out in my mind though was Titanfall. At first it looked like a typical COD style FPS. However once they showed that you could enter GIANT FREAKING MECHS and battle both soldiers and mechs my interest shot to eleven. As a life long fan of nearly anything mecha, a smooth playing FPS in which humans and mechs battle it out  brings back fond memories of PC game SHOGO and the mecha anime I watched as a kid, while Titanforce may scream COD rip off to many, to me it looked like the game I wanted since I was a little boy playing with his Transformers toys.

So overall, the conference to me wasn't that bad. It didn't exceed expectations. There were some surprises, the appearance of an Insomniac game was unexpected and well, I really didn't expect Killer Instinct to come back, but everything else was standard "Xbox audience" games, and to me that's ok. I never really fell into the camp of playing games only because they show off how "hardcore" you are. I follow the simple rule of playing what I like and enjoy. That's it. It's worked incredibly well for me so far.

So while I didn't have major issues with the Microsoft conference overall, I won't be buying an Xbox One anytime soon. It still comes back to their strong anti consumer policies and being restricted to how you play. For me, honestly, it would most likely not even affect me severely. I live in a location with fast internet and would most likely always have it connected. However, their discrimination on used games, the 24 hour certification policy and tying games to your account seems like more trouble than its worth. When a majority of games are available on other consoles that don't require you to jump through hoops to play, why even bother?

I would miss out on a few exclusives, but I'm not a teenager anymore. I've come to the point where I can live without playing a game for a great deal of time, if at all. Life and other things tend to get in the way of gaming and I'm ok with that. If anything, I can pick up the console a few years later when the price drops or an enticing bundle comes around.

There's a lot of hate on the Xbox One from pretty much everyone in the gaming community. I cannot recall the last time I saw people so viciously against a company. In some ways, this comes across as typical internet reaction where subtlety goes out the window in exchange for loud and obnoxious hate. In another way, I'm kind of happy to see this. It shows that consumers won't take these draconian policies lying down and are more than willing to voice their opinion when it comes to playing games and how much control they have over the product they buy and supposedly own.

However, I can't help but wonder if its too late for Microsoft to go back on some of their policies. To do some sort of damage control and try to regain some favor with the legions of gamers they have shunned.

I also can't help but wonder if their intended audience even cares or is aware that these policies exist. Does that fraternity brother who games with his bros even care that someone can't borrow his game as long as he can play what he likes? Does the middle age dad with an NFL pass who watches UFC on the weekends care that his Kinect will always be on and watching him? It seems like Microsoft is betting heavily that their target audience won't mind and in a way, that's a sad sign that the gamers who were there since the original Xbox (the real Xbox One) aren't the targeted audience.

If this is the case, the term "entertainment machine" is truly appropriate. Entertainment is all encompassing with games only being one part of that. Microsoft has to be aware of the backlash from the community, and the fact that they continue to stick to their guns proves that they are completely behind their ideas and if a majority of so called "hardcore" games buy a PS4 instead, it doesn't matter. Their core audience, the casual consumer will continue to support the brand they know well. Judging from the number of 360's in living rooms now, maybe they're right.

Either way, to me  Xbox One's policies are its biggest hurdles for me. even if their conference was stellar and had something for every kind of gamer under the sun, it would have made little difference. The ones who are aware and the ones who care know how restrictive and awful DRM is still wouldn't be swayed. When your entire console is built around this concept and two of your competitors offer less restrictions ( and arguably better game selections) once again, why bother?

The answer? They won't but Microsoft is banking on the fact that many will.Whether those will be enough to score a victory for them this generation will be the real spectacle to watch. It's all become a battle of gamers vs casuals. A fight that slowly started to form last generation and thanks to Microsoft should reach a fever point in the coming months prior to launch.

E3 from Abroad: Mom, the ultimate gamer

It's that time of year for gamers of all types to gather around and watch what the industry has to present to the ever demanding public. Despite there being several large gaming related events where big announcements are made, E3 still carries a significant amount of weight in terms of publishers and developers going full force with their biggest announcements.

It used to be that E3 held the biggest surprises in terms of new games and announcements, but as the years have progressed it seems like the biggest surprise announcements now come from independent announcements such as Nintendo Direct or other events like GDC and PAX.

E3 now exists to show off more of what we previously knew about, but in greater detail, clearing up the questions we had about each game and giving us a solid idea on things like its release date and intended platform of choice. It's more of a opening day event for new games to show their stuff rather than a sneak preview at a previously unknown act.

E3 still means a lot to me for many reason. It was the first press event I covered back in 2011. It was the first event that at a young age, I dreamed of one day going to. It's also the event that helps to keep in touch with my family miles away from home, specifically, with my mother.

My mother had always been there when it came to gaming. Despite spending a little more time than I should have during my high school years, she realized how much it meant to me and how much enjoyment it brought to me during those times.

I didn't exactly enjoy my high school experience. I didn't hate going to high school, but compared to what my friends were experiencing at the time, my experience wasn't as interesting, eventful or memorable as others. I wasn't the smartest kid, almost failing several of my classes, nor was I the most popular, often getting forgotten by students and teachers alike. I didn't go out on the weekends, sneaking away to do the things kids my age shouldn't do. Rather I would spend my time away from academic life playing games, learning about games and the developers behind them and dreaming that maybe one day, I would finally make it out of my high school and find the freedom and choice to pursue the things I wanted to do.

During this time, I enjoyed the time I spent in, enjoying the privacy and quiet escape from academic and social pressures. My mother always seemed to have an interest in what I was doing, the things I was interested in and the goals that I wanted to achieve. She was the best person I could possibly have during that time when it came to talking about the things I loved. Most people would vent their opinions and thoughts to their friends or message boards, I chose to talk to my mom. She listened, she offered her opinion, she occasionally read the same issues of EGM and Nintendo Power that I read. She would watch me play through games, taking a break from her job and life to watch me make my way through Eternal Darkness or explore City 17 in Half Life 2. The fact that she could even tell what those games were and who made them, already made her knowledgeable than most mothers. I was certain that on more than once occasion she was able to help a naive parent make a video game related purchase that would otherwise go unassisted at Best Buy.

Through my mother, I had found that nerdy friend that we all want to have. Oddly enough, she couldn't actually play many of the games I was talking about despite my continual efforts to find her a game she could enjoy. She couldn't accelerate from the starting line in Need for Speed, move the two analog sticks to aim and shoot in Halo, or figure out how to get out of a car in GTA.

She was able to play three games somewhat. In Mario Kart: Double Dash she would always be neglected to the back, tasked with the job of throwing shells and keeping other drivers off my back. In Soul Calibur she was capable of occasionally winning through button mashing. She also became pretty good with Puyo Pop, beating me more than I would like to admit. She was never looking to get better and actually play the games, she just wanted to learn more about them. She was interested in the industry itself. It's trends and the legacy it created. Just like me, she always wanted to learn more.

Somehow, someway, it had gotten her attention and became a hobby for her to follow. At first I thought this was just an act of kindness to show her interest in her son's life. I have realized that years later, its not only a way to connect with her me, but its own interest as well. She may not admit it, but in many ways, she a true gamer, more so than most people I know who play games on a daily basis.

E3 is still a moment for us to get together and commentate on all of hits and misses from each publisher. I have realized as I have become older that for many people, people connect with their parents in different ways. Most parents I know talk to their kids about politics and sports. They talk about the things that need to be said, the check ins on each other's life and wellness.  I can honestly say that I don't really know anyone else who has an hour long conversation with their mother about the Wii U or anything gaming related, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

So while most gamers will be live streaming E3 and discussing afterwards on their forum, message board, soapbox of choice, I'll be logging onto Facetime and chatting with my mom while we watch E3 together. To us, its our Super Bowl, our World Cup. Its our mother son bonding time that still unites us together years, miles and ages later.

How I Spent Teacher's Day

Teacher's Day in Korea is a big deal at my school. I would suspect given the importance of education in Korea that other schools place it in high regard as well but, its important enough in my school to warrant students leaving in the afternoon and teachers to have a special lunch of delicious food and lots of alcohol. Like Christmas and Chuseok, its not just an appreciation day, its a holiday.

Like the name suggests, Teacher's Day is a celebration of the teachers who teach the students. A day of giving thanks to the educators of Korea. It's a day where students have to be extra nice to their teachers and a day in which teachers can usually expect a selection of small gifts from their students like handwritten letters, small snacks or flowers.

My school had a entire morning dedicated to the celebration of its teachers. This included students lining up to greet their teachers as they entered the school, a special ceremony hosted by the principal of the school and the complete lack of classes for the entire day. Students were able to leave the school early to take a small break while the teachers were left to dine on a special lunch.

This has been the second teacher's day that I have participated in, but the first one where I truly felt like I was an active participant and worthy of being a part of. Last year was my first year teaching, a year full of rookie mistakes and time spent still attempting to gain the trust and confidence of teachers and students. It felt like an awkward first year of learning and at that point, I had not felt the full appreciation or confidence that a teacher should have.

This year has been different, my confidence in teaching has greatly increased and my relationship with staff and students has also improved. Finally, I feel the confidence and pride to call myself an educator, someone who takes the responsibility of turning young teens into young adults. While I may not always succeed, I have gotten better, and plan on continuing to do so.

I received a had written letter from a student along with a carnation. Throughout the morning students would come up to me to shake my hand and tell me that they enjoyed both my teaching style and kindness towards them. The kind gestures of the students surely cannot be used as some litmus measuring test of teaching efficiency, but it was impossible to deny the small swells of pride and happiness each student brought with them.

The rest of the afternoon was spent eating a special lunch of sashimi and beer with two of my co teachers. It was a great thing to sit down and engage in casual conversation with them, something that I very rarely have the time to do due to our different schedules during the school day. While the day was meant to celebrate teachers, at that table we were just normal people, talking about out jobs and lives, our pasts and possible futures. It was a delightful conversation that left our stomachs full and our heads a little fuzzy from the beer and soju. At this point I have completely gotten over the fact that it is apparently perfectly acceptable to drink alcoholic beverages within a school building without being persecuted by the law.

After the lunch, I went home early. Taking the few hours of free time to let my mind wander and my body rest before starting the whole teaching thing again tomorrow. When I got home I checked my phone to see a text message sent to me from a student.

"Congratulations for Teacher's Day! lol :D"

The perfect ending to a great day.


As long as I'm here, even if they don't always appreciate it and even if they don't always agree, I have to keep trying my hardest. I have to try and make each of these student's futures as bright and full of opportunity as I can within my ability. Even if its one student, in one class, I have to keep on trying.

I have to keep on trying for them, for good students who keep me going and remind me that they are the leaders of the future and that the future may be in good hands after all.

A trip to Caribbean Bay!

Last week was midterm time at my school. While that meant a hellish exam cycle of studying until the early hours and cramming vast amounts of information to be memorized for students, I got to take a mini vacation and have a spare day off from work. I had known that this day was coming soon and decided to take advantage of it early by planning to take a day trip back to Everland with Hyejin.

Its funny, as most people I know usually make it a habit to make it either a once a year trip or biannual trip to  Everland and here I was, visiting again in a span of a month. In all fairness though, it wasn't the same kind of trip and I wasn't visiting the same exact place again.

Next to Everland, was the water park know as Caribbean Bay, famous in Korea for having both an indoor and outdoor portion of water slides and attractions. I've heard stories of it being packed with people during the hot and humid summer months, with long lines waiting to go down slides and visit the spa area.

I guess I went at the wrong time because aside from a handful of people in the indoor portion, the park was a ghost town.

Maybe it was because of the weather. It was slightly chilly and the skies had a hint of overcast, possibly threatening to rain at any minute. Maybe because it was an afternoon on a Thursday, a day typically spent by most Koreans either in school or working. Whatever the reason, it was a bit odd to be able to walk around the park with no lines or waiting.

While a line free water park sounds like paradise to most people and ideally it would be, it seemed that the staff took the day off as well and most of the water slides and water attractions on the outside were not open. None of the slides were available to slide down with many portions of the park were blocked off and closed.

I was certain at this point that I would end up regretting the time and money spent coming here, however my girlfriend reminded me about the indoor portion of the park. Remaining skeptical but not wanting to waste anymore time, we made our way inside.

I was glad I listened to Hyejin, because as soon as we stepped through the door we were greeted to a brightly lit area of lazy rivers, small pools, water slides and spa areas. It was a light at the end of a chlorine smelling tunnel.

While this was my first time visiting an indoor water park, I was impressed at what was available. The whole place had a cheery and clean atmosphere with the bright colors and themes of a amusement park. Simply walking around the are and finding new places to play in hidden in the corners was a fun time that constantly offered new things to try out. Starting from the bottom and making your way to the top could take a person more than a few hours if they went at a leisurely pace.

One of the things I found most different about the Korean water park experience was the preparation before even stepping foot  in a swimming pool. One of the most striking is the safety concerns and preparations for each person with safety measure going far beyond what I was used to back at home. Where safety concerns generally consisted of "don't run" and "jump in kids!" back at home, the rules were different here, specifically with swim attire.

According to the rules of the park, you are required to wear the following before swimming:

A cap to cover your head.

A life vest (but you can take this off later on)

A t shirt to cover your torso (but we were allowed to remove these)

Luckily, due the the small number of people there, the staff allowed us to slide by the rules a little bit and go without caps and later on remove our vests and t shirts. However we were told that if it was a busier time, these items would be absolutely necessary.

Another difference was the variety of things to do beside go in the water or swim in the pools. Spa and sauna areas were scattered between the slides and pools to offer a quick dip of relaxation along with scented water with rose and other flowers. The indoor area also offered both a beauty section and relaxation section that for a half hour and extra fee, could allow a quiet area to relax and be pampered in. It seemed like an odd idea at first, but after taking small breaks to refresh between swimming and sliding provided a revitalizing burst of energy that was welcomed after a few hours of activity. America needs to get on the idea ASAP.

It was a fun day with my girlfriend who like me, was caught up in her work life leaving places like this a distant priority in the wake of more important and work related manners. At the end of the day, despite being tired and worn out were reminded just important these little breaks are from our daily schedule and how the company of a special person is a key ingredient for a happy time.

Website for Caribbean Bay

http://www.everland.com/web/multi/english/caribbean/main.html

The outside of the Bay!

Trip to Everland and being a kid again

Last weekend me and a group of friends went on a day trip to Everland, an amusement park in Korea, and arguably the largest one Korea has to offer.

I rarely go to amusement parks. I have never visited Disney World or Land, nor have I ever spent a day at Universal Studios. I went to Six Flags several times along with my local water park, but as for a large full on amusement park, Everland was my first experience.

That being said, if you're looking for advice or critical perspective on whether Everland is worth going to, you won't find it from me.

What I can say though is that if you go with a group of friends and don't mind waiting in line, it's an absolute blast to go to.

The park is large, much larger than I originally thought it would be, with each area of the park carrying a different theme and attractions. We spent the entire day there and couldn't make it to two of the major sections of the park, although one of my friends who had been here previously said not to go to Zootopia, claiming that the animals there are kept in a depressing state with cages much too small for each animal to live and roam.

I haven't been here myself, but based on what several other people have said, I can only assume there is a shred of truth to this. So to err on the side of caution and prevention of depression, we stayed away from Zootopia.

The rest of the park was standard amusement park fare. Cheerful music, long lines for rides and unhealthy food everywhere. It had that happy sugary atmosphere that amusement parks carry with them and when combined with the warm and breezy weather, it was impossible not to get caught up in the atmosphere. Despite the long wait in some lines, the end result was almost always worth it.

If I had to pick a favorite ride there, the T Express wooden roller-coaster was one of the most memorable. Touted as one of the fastest and steepest in the world, it was two minutes of steep drops, sudden turns and hills that jostled the riders around and made for the refreshing cold rush of adrenaline that only coasters can provide. It's been nearly three years since I last rode a coaster, and the feeling of giddiness and the tightening of your stomach in anticipation came back as the car began its plummet down the track. It was a good laugh between my friends and I, and a reminder that no matter how old I get, that world weary cynicism can instantly be diminished for a few minutes on a fast roller-coaster.

Despite the crowds, I can see myself returning. The entry fee was only 32,000 won ( a discount if you bring your ARC card) and the park was big enough to spend an entire day making your way around it. Even the crowd issue can be fixed if you can go on a weekday.

I'm really enjoying these outings with friends that I have been going on lately. I was usually content with traveling by myself, but I'm starting to see the appeal of traveling and doing things with a group. More people to laugh with, make jokes with. More people to do stupid stuff with and more people to remember the stupid stuff afterwards.

We were all middle to late 20 year olds and we ended up running around like we were children again. That youthfulness we try so hard to hang on to but only see occasionally as we become older.

Everland made me a kid again for a day. I only had fun on my mind. Good friends, fun rides and a great place to do them in. Take my advice, go visit Everland.

Everland information: http://www.everland.com/web/multi/english/everland/main.html

The entrance of Everland during their Tulip Festival 

My Article on Foreigners and their thoughts of North Korean threats

Besides being a teacher, my main profession and career aspiration is to be a journalist or writer. Going to Korea and traveling around has given me the opportunity to not only continue with my main job, but to indulge my journalist's side and write for different publications in Korea.

My most recent article is on foreigners living in South Korea and the collective thoughts of three teachers living and working in Korea.

This was originally published in North Korea News.

What Foreigners Living in South Korea Think of North Korean Threats

Travel Journal: Feb-Mar 2013

The purpose of post like these is to make a list of locations that I have traveled to and experienced during my time in Korea for the 2013 year. It's meant to reflect and remember the interesting and unique places I went to and to serve as a way to track my travels and where I want to go next.


Tim Burton Exhibit- Seoul- February 

The Tim Burton Exhibit was a celebration of Tim Burton's work showing props, drawings and artistic work from his movies and early days as a film school student. It was really interesting to get a peak at some of the props and illustrations that made him famous. I was particularly fond of the Batman and Pee Wee's Funhouse props while my girlfriend was particularly drawn towards his concept work and props from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

They were also showing some of his short films in the "Stain Boy" series. Short, and slightly disturbing, they were a great companion to the other forms of weirdness on display.

House Party- Gumi- March

Living in Korea leaves one with few opportunities to go to an actual house part as most people (or foreigners) in this case tend to live in apartments. In March I was lucky enough to attend a part held at a house in Gumi. One of my friends was leaving to go back home to the US and we both thought it would be nice to meet up at a place to chat. The girl who lived in the house worked at a hagwon and after her two roommates left, was able to keep the house to herself. The weather was perfect that day, as it was about 80 degrees outside with a gentle breeze, a pleasant surprise for the early month of March. I had a great, laid back time as I chatted with people outside on the house porch as others started a bonfire and barbecue a few feet away. The smell of cooking meat, burning wood and beer permeated the warm air. For a few hours that night, it was a fantastic time, and despite the location, made me miss the summers back home in Indiana.


Orientation Class Meetup- Daegu- March

I actually do not go to Daegu as much as I would like to. It's only a short 45 minutes away from my city and yet I usually find myself heading up North to visit Seoul and Incheon. The past weekend I spent some time catching up with some old friends from my orientation class.

The thing I like the most about Daegu is its big city feel combined with its sense of intimacy. The streets are all close together and often mix with the walking areas. The sidewalks are usually kept clean and tidy with trees, running water and other ornate decorations to stand out as  a contrast against the grey backgrounds. I love how little shops are in between towering sky scrappers. I love how the air smells fresh despite the abundance of  cars everywhere. I love that only a short distance from the station is a huge stage area that usually has some kind of show on display with plenty of people around to keep it lively.

If Daegu has any flaws in my eyes, its that it can sometimes be confusing to navigate the streets due to the lack of signs or identifiable buildings. I'm sure a few more visits will rectify that problem however, as experience eventually solves everything.

I notice that I never make plans when going to Daegu as it usually turns into an entertaining adventure in itself to simply walk around with good company and explore. When I spent the day with my friends, I didn't worry myself with going to a specific place at a specific time. We went where we wanted and had a blast doing it. Daegu may be the most laid back big city in Korea, and for that I love it.


Future Plans:

March- Everland
March- Possibly Strawberry Festival in Nonsan or The Cherry Blossom Festival in Seoul

May- Caribbean Bay
May- Damyang Bamboo Festival

July- Japan Trip

Eventually- DMZ
Eventually- Jeju Island