rowyn: (tired)
[personal profile] rowyn
"Hi. I need to lower the difficulty level on my life."

The field analyst looks at me. "What? I'm sorry, ma'am, 'White Middle-Class Westerner' is the lowest setting we've got."

"What do you mean?" I whine. "This mission is kicking my butt. There's gotta be an easier level. Can't I get 'born rich' or something?"

"You *were* born rich. Your parents are in the top 5% of the world income bracket. Just like, oh, about a third of the population of your country."

"Oh."

"In fact, *you* are in the top 5% of the global income bracket," he adds, checking a little further on his list.

"Dammit. Why don't I feel rich?"

"No comment." The field analyst reviews his charts again. "You could re-roll as 'male', I guess. Some people say it's easier."

"Uh ... no, I don't think that'd help. The whole female thing is kinda working for me. Isn't there anything you *can* do for me?" I plead. "Maybe an easier time period?"

"What do you want? Dark Ages? Classical? Renaissance? You did say you wanted to keep the 'female' setting, didn't you?"

"Um, yeah. I was thinking maybe 'future'?"

"Sorry, early 21st century is as late as we've gotten."

"This game sucks," I whinge.

The field analyst is still reviewing my records. "What's your problem, anyway? You're 37, you're halfway through already! You've got a house and a job and retirement accounts and, geez, two boyfriends (no wonder you don't want to reroll as male). C'mon, it can't be that bad."

"But I don't wanna do my day job anymore."

"You could do the respec trial."

"But it's so haaaaaard. And what if I don't like my next pick either? I mean, I didn't do so hot the first time."

"Right." He rolls his eyes at me. "Look, we've got a zillion mini-games online, why don't you go back to playing them? I got some people from Darfur waiting to lower their difficulty so if we're done here .... "

"Yeah yeah yeah .... " I grumble and wander back to the seemingly endless mission that's making me nuts.

Stupid game devs. I bet they never even play their own game.

Date: 2008-03-05 04:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] detroitfather.livejournal.com
Stupid game devs. I bet they never even play their own game.

Though not in so many words, G. K. Chesterton basically opines (in Orthodoxy) that this is why he became a Christian: It was the only religion game in which the game dev conceded to play his own game.

Date: 2008-03-05 05:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] koogrr.livejournal.com
I'm really wishing an obnoxious teacher in high school hadn't made me hate G.K. Chesterton. It wasn't because of anything Chesterton wrote, in fact I've lately started enjoying his stuff.

But Old Man Thompson annoyed even the Jesuits, and with his continual evocation of Chesterton-this and Chesterton-that plus OMT's offensive teaching style, his lingering hated presence eclipsed G.K. for decades for me.

Date: 2008-03-05 05:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] detroitfather.livejournal.com
My wife feels much the same about my incessant references to GKC. If she ever had a chance to appreciate Chesterton, I've ruined it by now.

Date: 2008-03-05 05:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] koogrr.livejournal.com
There's a MP3 of 'A Man Called Thursday', which might work as a low-effort introduction. Gen played it for me on a long drive a couple years back on my Birthday.

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