Man's Best Friend?
I'm a video game fanatic. I spend waaay more money than anyone should making sure my computer will play the bleeding edge of graphical video games. So it was with great interest last week that I read all the news coming from the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3. E3 is mecca for video game lovers. All the big developers bring out demos of their super-secret under development titles and give the public brief glimpses of the future of gaming.
So what was the big talk of E3 this year? The newest World War II shooter? The latest batch of multiplayer online games? The next big idea from super-developers like Sid Meier or Peter Molyneaux? The next chapter in the seemingly unending series of Sims sequels? Nope...
This year, the big talk was about Nintendogs.
In the fine (?) tradition of Tomigotchi and Neopets, Nintendo comes with a way to own a dog without any of the fun.
Is this really needed? Don't get me wrong. I'm a dog lover. Anyone who knows me knows that when I list the most important female in my life, I need a 1a and 1b. My wife Joan and my dog Sasha. Sasha's been there for me through the good times, the lonely times, and all times in between. I was more nervous about bringing Joan home to meet Sasha than I ever was about bringing her home to meet my mom.
But somehow, this just doesn't fill the void. An electronic dog can't stand at the door, tail wagging, to greet you when you come home. Well, I suppose it could, if you positioned your TV next to the door and left the program running all day. But then you'd be a sad, pitiful person and under other circumstances I'd suggest you buy a dog... I suppose since the Nintendo DS is portable you technically could take your dog out to the park for a walk, but again, it's not really the same thing.
But, I suppose I understand the appeal. When I got married I had to leave Sasha behind at my grandmother's house, a victim of the "no pets allowed" rule that infests most rental properties nowadays. A group of people so greedy that they can't eat the cost of a steam cleaner rental (or be bothered to take it out of a pet deposit) that they keep people from what I believe is one of their fundamental needs. Most apartments come furnished with a refrigerator to meet your need for food, a stove to meet your need to cook it, a shower to meet your need to be clean. But they not only ignore, but effectively squash another basic human need. Man has been palling around with dogs almost since there was man. It's just nice in a world of conditions and grey areas to know you have something out there who loves you unconditionally, who won't take your bad moods personally, who will always be there with a wagging tail and a friendly bark to let you know that it's all ok.
So yeah, I guess Nintendogs tries to fill that void. How successfully, I don't know. I don't think I'll be investing in a Nintendo DS anytime soon just so I can have a virtual relationship with a virtual pet. It's too much like having an imaginary friend. Until I can afford a house of my own, I suppose I'll have to live with my weekly visits to my grandmother's house where Sasha anxiously awaits me and gets waaay too excited when I show up.
It's nice to know you've always got a friend. Real life or electronic, I guess the premise is all the same. Just keep a steady supply of AA's handy. Wouldn't want VirtuaFido to wink out...
-Gryph
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principle difference between dog and man."
-Mark Twain
NP: Johnny Cash "Rusty Cage"
So what was the big talk of E3 this year? The newest World War II shooter? The latest batch of multiplayer online games? The next big idea from super-developers like Sid Meier or Peter Molyneaux? The next chapter in the seemingly unending series of Sims sequels? Nope...
This year, the big talk was about Nintendogs.
In the fine (?) tradition of Tomigotchi and Neopets, Nintendo comes with a way to own a dog without any of the fun.
Is this really needed? Don't get me wrong. I'm a dog lover. Anyone who knows me knows that when I list the most important female in my life, I need a 1a and 1b. My wife Joan and my dog Sasha. Sasha's been there for me through the good times, the lonely times, and all times in between. I was more nervous about bringing Joan home to meet Sasha than I ever was about bringing her home to meet my mom.
But somehow, this just doesn't fill the void. An electronic dog can't stand at the door, tail wagging, to greet you when you come home. Well, I suppose it could, if you positioned your TV next to the door and left the program running all day. But then you'd be a sad, pitiful person and under other circumstances I'd suggest you buy a dog... I suppose since the Nintendo DS is portable you technically could take your dog out to the park for a walk, but again, it's not really the same thing.
But, I suppose I understand the appeal. When I got married I had to leave Sasha behind at my grandmother's house, a victim of the "no pets allowed" rule that infests most rental properties nowadays. A group of people so greedy that they can't eat the cost of a steam cleaner rental (or be bothered to take it out of a pet deposit) that they keep people from what I believe is one of their fundamental needs. Most apartments come furnished with a refrigerator to meet your need for food, a stove to meet your need to cook it, a shower to meet your need to be clean. But they not only ignore, but effectively squash another basic human need. Man has been palling around with dogs almost since there was man. It's just nice in a world of conditions and grey areas to know you have something out there who loves you unconditionally, who won't take your bad moods personally, who will always be there with a wagging tail and a friendly bark to let you know that it's all ok.
So yeah, I guess Nintendogs tries to fill that void. How successfully, I don't know. I don't think I'll be investing in a Nintendo DS anytime soon just so I can have a virtual relationship with a virtual pet. It's too much like having an imaginary friend. Until I can afford a house of my own, I suppose I'll have to live with my weekly visits to my grandmother's house where Sasha anxiously awaits me and gets waaay too excited when I show up.
It's nice to know you've always got a friend. Real life or electronic, I guess the premise is all the same. Just keep a steady supply of AA's handy. Wouldn't want VirtuaFido to wink out...
-Gryph
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principle difference between dog and man."
-Mark Twain
NP: Johnny Cash "Rusty Cage"
posted by Gryphon at 9:48 PM
6 Comments:
When Nintendog learns to bark at intruders, eat table scraps, and lick my face, then I'll be interested. And scared.
Frankly, young Gryphon, I think dogs are highly overrated, virtual or otherwise. Dogs are not only dirty, smelly, flea-ridden and messy, but their slavish affection smacks of either sarcasm or stupidity, depending on the dog. I have known a lot of dogs, and granted, some of them have been very nice people- but that's the problem. Dogs just identify with us way too much. Dogs are loyal to people, not to other dogs. Cats, on the other hand, are loyal to no one and completely upfront about it. They love you on their terms and time tables, but are largely indifferent unless they want something- you, as human furniture; you, as feeding machine; you, as masseuse. They are entirely instinct driven, completely egocentric, and dumb as stumps. And they poop in a box! I adore them. Most apartments permit cats. Ever thought about owning a cat? Because if you have, I have one here I would love to introduce to you.
Nope. We're not even allowed to have cats. Joan had a cat before we moved here. Evil thing. Mean, would bite you as soon as look at you. Nope. I'll stick with Sasha the Wonder Dog.
Darth Kel suspects Kate is a stinkin' Jedi.
She was not mean.... She was just moody. :) Besides, Rain was really starting to like you there at the end when we had to give her up. :(
Jedi don't stink, Darth Kel. Neither do I.
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