I picked up The Command & Conquer Collection the other day, in part, because I remember the soundtrack from Red Alert as one of the great soundtracks of all time; the driving rock/military combination of a few of the tracks perfectly set the mood for one of the great RTS experiences that kicked the genre into high gear.
It's been said over and over again that the aural experience is as important to games as the visual and gameplay experiences. I totally agree. Some of my favorite games also have some of my favorite soundtracks. Is it that great games are produced by teams that also recognize the value of producing great soundtracks, or is that great soundtracks make great games? Maybe both?
So, without further ado... my top 11 game soundtracks:
11: Halo
Hardcore Halo fans will probably hate me for only putting this at #10 (or 11), but for me, the music beyond the opening sequence isn't memorable enough to drive the rating for this one to the top. If the entire game had the impact of the score for opening sequence, it'd be #1.
10: Quake II
For the same reason I loved the Red Alert soundtrack, the Quake II audio tracks bring the FPS battle with the Strogg to life with angry guitars and a driving electronica beat. Ripping the CD and listening to the "Operation Overlord" track, I'm reminded of the Rage Against the Machine's "Wake Up" from The Matrix soundtrack.
9: Lemmings
The music technology of the era wasn't quite up to CD standards, and not all the pieces were original, but they brought the lemmings' personalities to life -- and gave the game a personality. This one is a classic with a per-level score that is pure Lemmings, and earns it a place at #9.
8: Project Gotham Racing
Aside from being the place where I first saw the Mini Cooper (and many other cars I never knew existed), this is where I was introduced to the Chemical Brothers' Galaxy Bounce, and the Doves Catch the Sun; two of a slew of songs that set the tone (no pun intended) for this awesome title for the Xbox.
7: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
I remember a summer day, driving through Miami in my Ferrari, switching radio stations and listening to classic hits from the 80s from Roxy Music, Foreigner, Judas Priest, Cutting Crew, Toto, Jan Hammer, Mr. Mister, and many more. Miami and the Ferrari were simulated by my laptop, but the summer weather was real, and the songs were so perfectly matched to the experience that it was like stepping back in time.
6: Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
LucasArts does it again in 2001! Best use of scripted music sequences in a game. The implementation of the soundtrack plays like a movie, with the interactivity of a game. Some of the "ah ha!" sequences are simply breathtaking. With John Williams' inspired orchestration from the Indiana Jones movies as the starting point, this one was already well on the path to success, and the implementation resulted in one of the first truly successful "realtime movies."
5: Warcraft II
Just say "Warcraft II" to any fan, and it's either the awesome voices ("Ready to work!" or "Zug zug!") or the music that will immediately come to mind. Warcraft II would have been a great game with no music at all - but with this soundtrack, it is one of the best ever.
4: Command & Conquer: Red Alert
Taking the gameplay born in Dune II to the next level, Westwood put together Command & Conquer: Red Alert. And, once again the score completed the game. Check out CnC Series, Hell March at the bottom of http://www.frankklepacki.com/ as a great example. One of my favorite moments during the game awards ceremony at the Computer Game Developers Conference in 1996 was watching the gameplay footage from Red Alert - the gameplay, the visuals, and the soundtrack!
3: Jedi Knight
Although the soundtrack owes much to the movies, it's the way the pieces are integrated with the game that really resonates perfectly with this title. Each track is perfectly selected to match -- or set? -- the mood of the environment. In 1977 (or shortly thereafter) I dreamed of being able to play a computer game that captured the feel of the movie - Jedi Knight succeeded spectacularly, in large part, because the music completed the experience. Released in 1997, this is another game I'd call a "realtime movie" -- you're in control every step of the way, but it feels like you're watching...err...playing a movie. But, is it any surprise, given their heretage, that LucasArts Entertainment would be one of the first companies to successfully repeat this gameplay experience?
2: Unreal
In my original 9/12 post, I left Unreal off the list. Driving home last night, one of the Unreal tracks on my iPod played, reminding me that I'd missed one of the most important games on my list. This is a game that is perfectly three parts - visual experience (best environments and characters of it's time, gameplay experience (FPS all the way, with great mix of story, combat and exploration), and aural experience: full 3D sound effects to create a truly immersive environment -- and a music soundtrack that was second to only one.
1: Outlaws
And, yet another from the LucasArts folks - a FPS western / sleeper hit released in 1997. I ignored the reviews, and passed it by on store shelves, but was fortunate to eventually pick it up for free as part of a bundle included in a SoundBlaster Audigy(?) sample the Creative Labs guys sent us. I loved the story, the gameplay, and the levels - and even came to appreciate the art style - but the thing that totally nailed the game for me was the spectacular The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly-inspired soundtrack by Clint Bajakian. I loved it so much that after playing the game for several weeks I headed to Best Buy to pick up a boxed copy of the game. Brilliant!
So, there you have it.... what's your Top 10 ...err... 11 List?
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Most Played
I just updated my iPod, including my Top 25 Most Played list. A few surprises in here, but generally in line with my "Favorite Music" list:
Par Avion - Mike + The Mechanics - Mike + The Mechanics
Erase-Rewind - The Cardigans - Gran Turismo
You Look So Fine - Garbage - Garbage Version 2.0
Catch the Sun - Doves - Lost Souls
Burnin' For You - Blue Öyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper: The Best Of Blue Oyster Cult
You And Your Friend - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
Milk - Garbage - Garbage
The Trick Is To Keep Breathing - Garbage - Garbage Version 2.0
All We Need Is A Dream - Cheap Trick - Lap Of Luxury
More Than This - The Cure - The X-Files: The Album
Hysteria - Def Leppard - Hysteria
Claire De Lune - Philadelphia Orchestra - Ocean's 11 Soundtrack
Casualty - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
Atomic - Blondie - Best Of Blondie
My Elastic Eye - The Chemical Brothers - Come With Us
A Day Without Rain - Enya - A Day Without Rain
More Than Love - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
Let Me Be The One - Def Leppard - X
Muzik - Knoc-Turn'al - The Transporter Soundtrack
Hella Good - No Doubt - Rock Steady
When You Kiss Me - Shania Twain - Shania Twain Up! (Red Disc)
How Soon Is Now? - t.A.T.u. - 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane
Falling Into You - Celine Dion - Falling Into You
Stillness Of Heart - Lenny Kravitz - Lenny
It's My Life - No Doubt - The Singles 1992-2003
Par Avion - Mike + The Mechanics - Mike + The Mechanics
Erase-Rewind - The Cardigans - Gran Turismo
You Look So Fine - Garbage - Garbage Version 2.0
Catch the Sun - Doves - Lost Souls
Burnin' For You - Blue Öyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper: The Best Of Blue Oyster Cult
You And Your Friend - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
Milk - Garbage - Garbage
The Trick Is To Keep Breathing - Garbage - Garbage Version 2.0
All We Need Is A Dream - Cheap Trick - Lap Of Luxury
More Than This - The Cure - The X-Files: The Album
Hysteria - Def Leppard - Hysteria
Claire De Lune - Philadelphia Orchestra - Ocean's 11 Soundtrack
Casualty - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
Atomic - Blondie - Best Of Blondie
My Elastic Eye - The Chemical Brothers - Come With Us
A Day Without Rain - Enya - A Day Without Rain
More Than Love - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
Let Me Be The One - Def Leppard - X
Muzik - Knoc-Turn'al - The Transporter Soundtrack
Hella Good - No Doubt - Rock Steady
When You Kiss Me - Shania Twain - Shania Twain Up! (Red Disc)
How Soon Is Now? - t.A.T.u. - 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane
Falling Into You - Celine Dion - Falling Into You
Stillness Of Heart - Lenny Kravitz - Lenny
It's My Life - No Doubt - The Singles 1992-2003
Thursday, August 03, 2006
101 Things to Do
Years ago, my dad used to drag the family through a tortured drill of planning our goals for the year. For some reason, the effort always seemed more like "work" than fun. But, we went through the exercise, and over the years, many of our individual and family goals were realized: two trips to Hawaii, annual trips to Hilton Head, stereos, cars, and much more.
As time wore on, I found myself working on my own goals, gradually evolving from places and things, to include hobbies, exercise/heath, investments, personal development, reading, entertainment (TV, movies, PC/video games), and relationships.
NetFlix.com totally changed the tracking of movies. With an endless queue, and eight movies at a time, once I got started in 1999 there has always been something to watch. And their rating system has made it easy to track what I've seen; almost too easy. With over 1,553 movies rated, it's safe to say that "Movies" have moved from status as a "goal" to merely one of many sources of entertainment available to us in the 21st Century.
At Legend, we adopted OpenWiki as our standard for tracking project information, including task lists. This led to the usage of "ToDo" lists - so named, because the use of two uppercase letters causing the "ToDo" tag to be interpreted as a link to a subordinate page. As you may have guessed from my book list, I've always been a big fan of lists, so the Wiki ToDo list was a natural for me.
Ted Leonsis's blog's "My 101 List" has a depth and breadth that are amazing to behold. Few can aspire to such lofty goals, and even fewer will ever check off even a fraction of the goals listed. But, whether Ted's goals are attainable by average folk, they're certainly worth examining to encourage stretching one's horizons: Own a restaurant or club? Change someone's life via a charity? Go to White House / Meet President? Why not!?
My wife recently gave me a book "101 Things To Do Before You Die." It includes such gems as Swim With... Sharks, Whales, Dolphins, Tropical Fish. (readers choice) and warns under Tropical Fish, "be wary of piranha." Others include: "Meet Your Idol", "Experience Weightlessness", "Read the Greatest Books Ever Written", "Live in the Place You Love", "Take Part in a Police Line-up", "Have Adventurous Sex", "Answer a Personal Ad". (Maybe you could kill two birds with one stone, there. ;-))
In any case, the combination of a habit of making lists, Ted's blog, the book, and contemplating dream-homes while watching the sun set got me started on a new goals list of my own. And, as suggested by the book and Ted's list, rather than focusing on the year, I expanded my list to life-long, including past, present, and future. It's a fun exercise. Try it, you might surprise yourself with how much you've accomplished already - I did! But, more importantly, you'll develop a clearer vision of what you're seeking from life, and improve your chances of seeing opportunities to achieve your goals when they come along.
Next up... My Goals.
As time wore on, I found myself working on my own goals, gradually evolving from places and things, to include hobbies, exercise/heath, investments, personal development, reading, entertainment (TV, movies, PC/video games), and relationships.
NetFlix.com totally changed the tracking of movies. With an endless queue, and eight movies at a time, once I got started in 1999 there has always been something to watch. And their rating system has made it easy to track what I've seen; almost too easy. With over 1,553 movies rated, it's safe to say that "Movies" have moved from status as a "goal" to merely one of many sources of entertainment available to us in the 21st Century.
At Legend, we adopted OpenWiki as our standard for tracking project information, including task lists. This led to the usage of "ToDo" lists - so named, because the use of two uppercase letters causing the "ToDo" tag to be interpreted as a link to a subordinate page. As you may have guessed from my book list, I've always been a big fan of lists, so the Wiki ToDo list was a natural for me.
Ted Leonsis's blog's "My 101 List" has a depth and breadth that are amazing to behold. Few can aspire to such lofty goals, and even fewer will ever check off even a fraction of the goals listed. But, whether Ted's goals are attainable by average folk, they're certainly worth examining to encourage stretching one's horizons: Own a restaurant or club? Change someone's life via a charity? Go to White House / Meet President? Why not!?
My wife recently gave me a book "101 Things To Do Before You Die." It includes such gems as Swim With... Sharks, Whales, Dolphins, Tropical Fish. (readers choice) and warns under Tropical Fish, "be wary of piranha." Others include: "Meet Your Idol", "Experience Weightlessness", "Read the Greatest Books Ever Written", "Live in the Place You Love", "Take Part in a Police Line-up", "Have Adventurous Sex", "Answer a Personal Ad". (Maybe you could kill two birds with one stone, there. ;-))
In any case, the combination of a habit of making lists, Ted's blog, the book, and contemplating dream-homes while watching the sun set got me started on a new goals list of my own. And, as suggested by the book and Ted's list, rather than focusing on the year, I expanded my list to life-long, including past, present, and future. It's a fun exercise. Try it, you might surprise yourself with how much you've accomplished already - I did! But, more importantly, you'll develop a clearer vision of what you're seeking from life, and improve your chances of seeing opportunities to achieve your goals when they come along.
Next up... My Goals.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Motorcycle Diaries, The Beginning
Saturday, 7/15, ODO 28
Burn-in Noon to 4PM: three cycles of 200 degrees to cool.
Practice rides (2); ride to Home Depot; ride to Waxpool.
Notable: Being tail-gated by an SUV at 60 mph in a 40 mph zone.
Monday, 7/17, ODO 69
Practice ride; south on Loudoun County Parkway to shopping center; north on Loudoun County Parkway to GW campus and soccer fields beyond.
Notable: A flock of 10-20 geese crossing the road on the way to the Parkway. Density of bugs on Loudoun County Parkway at 9PM. Cleaning up the bike, helmet, and jacket, after.
Wednesday, 7/19, ODO 84
Emergency breaking practice and warm-up; south on Loudoun County Parkway to Belmont Ridge Road.
Notable: Dramatically better overall control, improved shifting, and riding with authority. First "wave" to fellow rider -- simultaneously upsetting my balance during the entry into the turn.
Thursday, 7/20, ODO 90
Trip to Safeway for B-day card; 20 psi in front tire increased to 35 psi (warm).
Notable: Warming up 7/19 made a difference -- control tonight was not as smooth / precise. Saved gas!
Friday, 7/21, ODO 109
Air in rear tire to 37 psi (warm); Wendy's for lunch, mentioned Apex to the cashier; first ride to work; ride home just before 4PM to avoid rush-hour traffic.
Notable: Second, third, and fourth waves to other riders, without upsetting balance. Riding with increased confidence: better control, smooth shifting and speed.
Saturday, 7/22, ODO 126
Rear 35 psi (cold), front 33 psi (cold). Claiborne to Lansdowne to Ashburn Village Blvd.
Notable: Home too soon. But, ready for TopCoder SRM 312 chat at 11AM.
Sunday, 7/23, ODO 171
Rear 35 psi (cold), front 31 psi (cold). Gas: 3.133 gallons (i.e., 40 mpg). Claiborne to Ashburn Rd to Loudoun County Parkway to Rt.7 to Fairfax County Parkway to 50 to Rt.28 to Waxpool.
Notable: Longest ride yet (45 miles), average speed 40 mph, top speed (with traffic) 75 mph+. Followed cars (at 4s+ distance) on Fairfax County Parkway at 65 mph, and on parts of Rt.28 at 75 mph+. Is me, or do cars just go faster when they're in proximity of motorcycles?
Monday, 7/24, ODO 186
Rear 35 psi (cold), front 31 psi (cold). Work and back.
Notable: At least for the ride to work, time seems to pass much more quickly on a motorcycle.
Tuesday, 7/25, ODO 199
Rear 34 psi (cold), front 31 psi (cold). Work and back, again.
Notable: The ride home... I was slowing, approaching the intersection watching for traffic as the light turned green. I'd learned my lesson years ago about entering intersections immediately after the green: two cars running the red light, I hit the second. So, perhaps I was more focused on the road than I the bike... I accidentally reved the engine and popped the clutch following the green. I wouldn't call it a wheelie as much as a squirlie... the front end got extra-twitchy, and I just about swerved into the adjacent lane. Fortunately, I'll never know how close I got to dropping the bike, cause getting back on the clutch and off the throttle brought the bike under control. To think... I'm still working hard to keep it under 6,000 rpm (red-line at 11,000 rpm). The break-in period has been good for the bike, and it has been good for me!
Wednesday, 7/26, ODO 226
Evening, Loudoun County Parkway.
Thursday, 7/27, ODO 242
Work. At lunch, Giant, McDonald's, home to avoid the rain.
Sunday, 7/30, ODO 279
Rear 36 psi (cold), front 33 psi (cold). Belmont Ridge to Loundoun County Parkway, to Rt.28 to 606 to Waxpool to GW to Claiborne. Gas: 3.143 gallons (i.e., 48.7 mpg).
Monday, 7/31, ODO 295
Work and back.
Tuesday, 8/1, ODO 315
Work and back.
Saturday, 8/5, ODO 366
Rear 35 psi (cold), front 32 psi (cold). Work briefly for a couple emails, then around.
Notable: A bright yellow bird (of caution?) flying directly at my head on Loudoun County Parkway as I hit 73 mph... or something like that. I ducked, he veered.
More notable: A guy leaving Home Depot with a 2x4 out his left rear window -- without a flag... protruding three or four feet from the side of the car ...into my lane as we passed.
Sunday, 8/6, ODO 394
To Best Buy to pick up a new camera, and Loudoun County Parkway.
Notable: At a four way stop, a girl in a Z4, cell phone in one hand, the other hand wrestling with the small dog on her lap as she turned left. A rough standing start onto Rt.28 with two stalls.... it's hard to get a bike moving in 4th. Passing a GSX-R1000 on Loudoun County Parkway (going opposite directions).
Monday, 8/7, ODO 407:
To work and back, in the wind and rain.
Notable: Rushing home at 4PM to avoid the storm, and instead hitting the weather at it's peak, winds gusting to 40 mph (fun on a bike), and rain for the last mile or two. Many lightening strikes. But, no hail, fortunately. After I finished cleaning and drying off the bike, the sky cleared and the sun came out. Nice. Ride to/from work was smooth, quick, and exact - even in the rain (although, less quick).
Tuesday, 8/8, ODO 425
To work and back.
Notable: 600 mile service scheduled for next week. Weather was iffy in the morning, but by 3PM was taunting me with sunny skys, low humidity, and reasonable temps, so I drove home to pick up the bike. Got my hair cut on the way home (after stopping at the barber shop, and removing my helmet ;-)). Ride to/from work was good, although shifts were a bit abrupt.
Wednesday, 8/9, ODO 438
To work and back.
Friday, 8/11, ODO 474
To work, Loudoun Motorsports for plates, home.
Notable: Beautiful weather. And, everyone is in a hurry to get home on Rt.7 on Friday afternoons. ;-)
Saturday, 8/12, ODO 521
Belmont Ridge, Loudoun County Parkway, Rt.28 South, Dulles Air & Space Museum, Rt.28 North, George Washington University, Loudoun County Parkway.
Notable: Absolutely perfect weather (high 60s, low 70s), at 25 mph mesh jacket was too cold, returned home for lether jacket - perfect! Warm even at 80 mph on Rt.28 North (following traffic). Everyone is in a hurry on Saturday mornings, too. In crouched position at 80 mph, the sound of the wind on the helmet is like a shuttle lift-off; an amazing sound, actually.
Sunday, 8/13, ODO 521
The morning weather is absolutely perfect once more... but I'm too tired to ride safely. Sleep in and have coffee with our exchange students visiting from Japan. Then, take them to Summit Point Raceway to watch Superstock and Superbike, Heavy, 750cc, and 600cc expert and novice races. One of the top Superbike lap times: 1 minute, 17 seconds. 2 miles. Average speed: 93.5 mph!
Monday, 8/14, ODO 548
Morning temps started at 72 but rapidly climbed to 84. After a day in DC with friends from Japan, out for a "quick" ride: Belmont Ridge, Loudoun County Parkway, Waxpool to Claiborne Parkway.
Notable: Small deer in the forest on Belmont Ridge at twighlight; fortunately, they stayed in the forest. Practice evasive riding. Increased poise and control - better sense of balance and comfort at 50+ mph.
Wednesday, 8/16, ODO 586
To Loudoun Motorsports for 600 mile service.
Notable: Adrenaline rush from riding on Belmont Ridge and Rt.7. Rider's High? I'm particularly surprised to see no references to the term (for motorcyclists) on the web.
Thursday, 8/17, ODO 605/618
From Loudoun Motorsports to work, and then home. And, a late-night ride after dinner - ostensibly, to pick up razors from the grocery store. Hey!? I was out.
Notable: Visibility on turns in the dark is very limited.
Tuesday, 8/21, ODO 638
A nice day - to work and back.
Notable: Nice to be able to rev beyond 6,000 RPM.
Wednesday, 8/22, ODO 677
To work and back, and to/from lunch at Pacific.
Thursday, 8/23, ODO 693
To work and back.
Tuesday, 8/28, ODO 697
Evening ride, football practice, the pet store.
Notable: A whole weekend without riding!?
Wednesday, 8/30, ODO 707
To work and back.
Notable: Riding in the rain with rush-hour traffic. The theory among rush-hour drivers in the rain must go: the closer I follow, the less chance the driver will have had to slow down when I run into him.
Thursday, 8/31, ODO 722
To work and back.
Notable: Weather was cool: 71 degrees, overcast, and breezy. But, my riding was not at all smooth, and eratic drivers were everywhere.
Monday, 9/4, ODO 762
Labor Day, to Legend's old office, McDonald's and back.
Notable: 60s, light traffic.
Friday, 9/8, ODO 787
To work, and home via 606, Rt.50 and Belmont Ridge with Kevin.
Notable: Beautiful weather, stuck on Belmont Ridge behind two cement mixers and a school bus.
Sunday, 9/10, ODO 816
Local test rides, followed by a trip to Best Buy via Loudoun County Parkway and Rt.28, then to GW soccer fields, and home.
Notable: Carrying "The Command & Conquer Collection" on my back under my riding jacket ("Cool geek?") And, upon returning home, being told by a female neighbor that I'm the "rock star of the neighborhood." LOL
Monday, 9/11, ODO 830
To work, and home.
Wednesday, 9/13, ODO 860
To work, to Unos (diet coke, only), to back to school night (sport-biker jackets get a lot of different looks at back to school night), and home in the dark.
Notable: The morning weather is chilly: 64 degrees at 50 mph is surprisingly cold -- effectively about 45 degrees. Rt.7 traffic was horrible, but the route through GW and across to the Loudoun County Parkway may actually have been quicker -- certainly, more fun. Back to school night made me want to go back to school (for the first time, ever).
Friday, 9/15, ODO 886
To work, to Unos (again, but still only diet coke), and home.
Notable: Rt.7 traffic was surprisingly light, but the route through GW was still more fun. Every now and then I'll see crazy-fast bikers blowing through there; I work to avoid being one of them.
Saturday, 9/16, ODO 1030
To Belmont Ridge Middle School, toward Tysons Corner, and then home via Reston Parkway and Rt.28 (in the rain). Second trip in the afternoon to Coleman Powersports in Woodbridge.
Notable: On the chain gang for football - and, we won 21-0. Moto Fair and Midnight Madness Sale was awesome - wheelie machine, 540 boyz stunts, dyno tests of several wild bikes, and a slew of bikes of all shapes and sizes. The Ducati 999 and Suzuki GSX-R1000 both look much more approachable now, than they did last time I visited Coleman (in early July).
Sunday, 9/17, ODO 1078
To Purcellville on Rt.7 then back on the Rt.7 Bypass.
Notable: Beautiful weather - impossible to stay in. Saw McDonald's sign on the Purcellville exit, and after turning toward Purcellville -- but missed it. Lunch later. Saw 89 mph on the way back.
Monday, 9/18, ODO 1088
To back to school-night and back.
Notable: Parking a motorcycle is a lot easier -- getting out through all the traffic was a little easier, but not as easy as it should have been; lane splitting is legal in California.
Tuesday, 9/20, ODO 1116
To work, to Bungalow Billiards via Rt.28 in rush-hour traffic, and home (in even more rush-hour traffic) via Rt.28 and the Greenway.
Notable: Fortunately, not much. ;-) Nice weather. Paid cash to get on the Greenway.
Wednesday, 9/21, ODO 1133
To work, to VW dealership to look at Eos (for the third time), and home.
Notable: $2,000 cash down and $499 / month, four year lease. Hmm... Sounds like a Ducati 999 and a Suzuki GSX-R1000, with cash left over for maintenance and tires.
Thursday, 9/22, ODO 1156
To work, to Countryside, and home.
Sunday, 9/24, ODO 1175
Around.
Notable: Clearly, winter is going to be torture; 60 degrees is about my limit in my current gear.
Monday, 9/25, ODO 1195
To work and back.
Notable: After noon, the weather is perfect - blue skies and 75 degrees. But, what the heck!? See Faster...
Wednesday, 9/27, ODO 1224
To work and back (the long way) - still used less gas! ;-)
Notable: Comfortable riding a bit faster than before - but now back in sync with the bike and the speed. Absolutely perfect weather - hated to stop riding in the morning.
Thursday, 9/28, ODO 1281
To Borders for the next issue of Fast Bikes, to work, to Loudoun Motorsports and home.
Notable: Loudoun County Parkway.
Continued...
Burn-in Noon to 4PM: three cycles of 200 degrees to cool.
Practice rides (2); ride to Home Depot; ride to Waxpool.
Notable: Being tail-gated by an SUV at 60 mph in a 40 mph zone.
Monday, 7/17, ODO 69
Practice ride; south on Loudoun County Parkway to shopping center; north on Loudoun County Parkway to GW campus and soccer fields beyond.
Notable: A flock of 10-20 geese crossing the road on the way to the Parkway. Density of bugs on Loudoun County Parkway at 9PM. Cleaning up the bike, helmet, and jacket, after.
Wednesday, 7/19, ODO 84
Emergency breaking practice and warm-up; south on Loudoun County Parkway to Belmont Ridge Road.
Notable: Dramatically better overall control, improved shifting, and riding with authority. First "wave" to fellow rider -- simultaneously upsetting my balance during the entry into the turn.
Thursday, 7/20, ODO 90
Trip to Safeway for B-day card; 20 psi in front tire increased to 35 psi (warm).
Notable: Warming up 7/19 made a difference -- control tonight was not as smooth / precise. Saved gas!
Friday, 7/21, ODO 109
Air in rear tire to 37 psi (warm); Wendy's for lunch, mentioned Apex to the cashier; first ride to work; ride home just before 4PM to avoid rush-hour traffic.
Notable: Second, third, and fourth waves to other riders, without upsetting balance. Riding with increased confidence: better control, smooth shifting and speed.
Saturday, 7/22, ODO 126
Rear 35 psi (cold), front 33 psi (cold). Claiborne to Lansdowne to Ashburn Village Blvd.
Notable: Home too soon. But, ready for TopCoder SRM 312 chat at 11AM.
Sunday, 7/23, ODO 171
Rear 35 psi (cold), front 31 psi (cold). Gas: 3.133 gallons (i.e., 40 mpg). Claiborne to Ashburn Rd to Loudoun County Parkway to Rt.7 to Fairfax County Parkway to 50 to Rt.28 to Waxpool.
Notable: Longest ride yet (45 miles), average speed 40 mph, top speed (with traffic) 75 mph+. Followed cars (at 4s+ distance) on Fairfax County Parkway at 65 mph, and on parts of Rt.28 at 75 mph+. Is me, or do cars just go faster when they're in proximity of motorcycles?
Monday, 7/24, ODO 186
Rear 35 psi (cold), front 31 psi (cold). Work and back.
Notable: At least for the ride to work, time seems to pass much more quickly on a motorcycle.
Tuesday, 7/25, ODO 199
Rear 34 psi (cold), front 31 psi (cold). Work and back, again.
Notable: The ride home... I was slowing, approaching the intersection watching for traffic as the light turned green. I'd learned my lesson years ago about entering intersections immediately after the green: two cars running the red light, I hit the second. So, perhaps I was more focused on the road than I the bike... I accidentally reved the engine and popped the clutch following the green. I wouldn't call it a wheelie as much as a squirlie... the front end got extra-twitchy, and I just about swerved into the adjacent lane. Fortunately, I'll never know how close I got to dropping the bike, cause getting back on the clutch and off the throttle brought the bike under control. To think... I'm still working hard to keep it under 6,000 rpm (red-line at 11,000 rpm). The break-in period has been good for the bike, and it has been good for me!
Wednesday, 7/26, ODO 226
Evening, Loudoun County Parkway.
Thursday, 7/27, ODO 242
Work. At lunch, Giant, McDonald's, home to avoid the rain.
Sunday, 7/30, ODO 279
Rear 36 psi (cold), front 33 psi (cold). Belmont Ridge to Loundoun County Parkway, to Rt.28 to 606 to Waxpool to GW to Claiborne. Gas: 3.143 gallons (i.e., 48.7 mpg).
Monday, 7/31, ODO 295
Work and back.
Tuesday, 8/1, ODO 315
Work and back.
Saturday, 8/5, ODO 366
Rear 35 psi (cold), front 32 psi (cold). Work briefly for a couple emails, then around.
Notable: A bright yellow bird (of caution?) flying directly at my head on Loudoun County Parkway as I hit 73 mph... or something like that. I ducked, he veered.
More notable: A guy leaving Home Depot with a 2x4 out his left rear window -- without a flag... protruding three or four feet from the side of the car ...into my lane as we passed.
Sunday, 8/6, ODO 394
To Best Buy to pick up a new camera, and Loudoun County Parkway.
Notable: At a four way stop, a girl in a Z4, cell phone in one hand, the other hand wrestling with the small dog on her lap as she turned left. A rough standing start onto Rt.28 with two stalls.... it's hard to get a bike moving in 4th. Passing a GSX-R1000 on Loudoun County Parkway (going opposite directions).
Monday, 8/7, ODO 407:
To work and back, in the wind and rain.
Notable: Rushing home at 4PM to avoid the storm, and instead hitting the weather at it's peak, winds gusting to 40 mph (fun on a bike), and rain for the last mile or two. Many lightening strikes. But, no hail, fortunately. After I finished cleaning and drying off the bike, the sky cleared and the sun came out. Nice. Ride to/from work was smooth, quick, and exact - even in the rain (although, less quick).
Tuesday, 8/8, ODO 425
To work and back.
Notable: 600 mile service scheduled for next week. Weather was iffy in the morning, but by 3PM was taunting me with sunny skys, low humidity, and reasonable temps, so I drove home to pick up the bike. Got my hair cut on the way home (after stopping at the barber shop, and removing my helmet ;-)). Ride to/from work was good, although shifts were a bit abrupt.
Wednesday, 8/9, ODO 438
To work and back.
Friday, 8/11, ODO 474
To work, Loudoun Motorsports for plates, home.
Notable: Beautiful weather. And, everyone is in a hurry to get home on Rt.7 on Friday afternoons. ;-)
Saturday, 8/12, ODO 521
Belmont Ridge, Loudoun County Parkway, Rt.28 South, Dulles Air & Space Museum, Rt.28 North, George Washington University, Loudoun County Parkway.
Notable: Absolutely perfect weather (high 60s, low 70s), at 25 mph mesh jacket was too cold, returned home for lether jacket - perfect! Warm even at 80 mph on Rt.28 North (following traffic). Everyone is in a hurry on Saturday mornings, too. In crouched position at 80 mph, the sound of the wind on the helmet is like a shuttle lift-off; an amazing sound, actually.
Sunday, 8/13, ODO 521
The morning weather is absolutely perfect once more... but I'm too tired to ride safely. Sleep in and have coffee with our exchange students visiting from Japan. Then, take them to Summit Point Raceway to watch Superstock and Superbike, Heavy, 750cc, and 600cc expert and novice races. One of the top Superbike lap times: 1 minute, 17 seconds. 2 miles. Average speed: 93.5 mph!
Monday, 8/14, ODO 548
Morning temps started at 72 but rapidly climbed to 84. After a day in DC with friends from Japan, out for a "quick" ride: Belmont Ridge, Loudoun County Parkway, Waxpool to Claiborne Parkway.
Notable: Small deer in the forest on Belmont Ridge at twighlight; fortunately, they stayed in the forest. Practice evasive riding. Increased poise and control - better sense of balance and comfort at 50+ mph.
Wednesday, 8/16, ODO 586
To Loudoun Motorsports for 600 mile service.
Notable: Adrenaline rush from riding on Belmont Ridge and Rt.7. Rider's High? I'm particularly surprised to see no references to the term (for motorcyclists) on the web.
Thursday, 8/17, ODO 605/618
From Loudoun Motorsports to work, and then home. And, a late-night ride after dinner - ostensibly, to pick up razors from the grocery store. Hey!? I was out.
Notable: Visibility on turns in the dark is very limited.
Tuesday, 8/21, ODO 638
A nice day - to work and back.
Notable: Nice to be able to rev beyond 6,000 RPM.
Wednesday, 8/22, ODO 677
To work and back, and to/from lunch at Pacific.
Thursday, 8/23, ODO 693
To work and back.
Tuesday, 8/28, ODO 697
Evening ride, football practice, the pet store.
Notable: A whole weekend without riding!?
Wednesday, 8/30, ODO 707
To work and back.
Notable: Riding in the rain with rush-hour traffic. The theory among rush-hour drivers in the rain must go: the closer I follow, the less chance the driver will have had to slow down when I run into him.
Thursday, 8/31, ODO 722
To work and back.
Notable: Weather was cool: 71 degrees, overcast, and breezy. But, my riding was not at all smooth, and eratic drivers were everywhere.
Monday, 9/4, ODO 762
Labor Day, to Legend's old office, McDonald's and back.
Notable: 60s, light traffic.
Friday, 9/8, ODO 787
To work, and home via 606, Rt.50 and Belmont Ridge with Kevin.
Notable: Beautiful weather, stuck on Belmont Ridge behind two cement mixers and a school bus.
Sunday, 9/10, ODO 816
Local test rides, followed by a trip to Best Buy via Loudoun County Parkway and Rt.28, then to GW soccer fields, and home.
Notable: Carrying "The Command & Conquer Collection" on my back under my riding jacket ("Cool geek?") And, upon returning home, being told by a female neighbor that I'm the "rock star of the neighborhood." LOL
Monday, 9/11, ODO 830
To work, and home.
Wednesday, 9/13, ODO 860
To work, to Unos (diet coke, only), to back to school night (sport-biker jackets get a lot of different looks at back to school night), and home in the dark.
Notable: The morning weather is chilly: 64 degrees at 50 mph is surprisingly cold -- effectively about 45 degrees. Rt.7 traffic was horrible, but the route through GW and across to the Loudoun County Parkway may actually have been quicker -- certainly, more fun. Back to school night made me want to go back to school (for the first time, ever).
Friday, 9/15, ODO 886
To work, to Unos (again, but still only diet coke), and home.
Notable: Rt.7 traffic was surprisingly light, but the route through GW was still more fun. Every now and then I'll see crazy-fast bikers blowing through there; I work to avoid being one of them.
Saturday, 9/16, ODO 1030
To Belmont Ridge Middle School, toward Tysons Corner, and then home via Reston Parkway and Rt.28 (in the rain). Second trip in the afternoon to Coleman Powersports in Woodbridge.
Notable: On the chain gang for football - and, we won 21-0. Moto Fair and Midnight Madness Sale was awesome - wheelie machine, 540 boyz stunts, dyno tests of several wild bikes, and a slew of bikes of all shapes and sizes. The Ducati 999 and Suzuki GSX-R1000 both look much more approachable now, than they did last time I visited Coleman (in early July).
Sunday, 9/17, ODO 1078
To Purcellville on Rt.7 then back on the Rt.7 Bypass.
Notable: Beautiful weather - impossible to stay in. Saw McDonald's sign on the Purcellville exit, and after turning toward Purcellville -- but missed it. Lunch later. Saw 89 mph on the way back.
Monday, 9/18, ODO 1088
To back to school-night and back.
Notable: Parking a motorcycle is a lot easier -- getting out through all the traffic was a little easier, but not as easy as it should have been; lane splitting is legal in California.
Tuesday, 9/20, ODO 1116
To work, to Bungalow Billiards via Rt.28 in rush-hour traffic, and home (in even more rush-hour traffic) via Rt.28 and the Greenway.
Notable: Fortunately, not much. ;-) Nice weather. Paid cash to get on the Greenway.
Wednesday, 9/21, ODO 1133
To work, to VW dealership to look at Eos (for the third time), and home.
Notable: $2,000 cash down and $499 / month, four year lease. Hmm... Sounds like a Ducati 999 and a Suzuki GSX-R1000, with cash left over for maintenance and tires.
Thursday, 9/22, ODO 1156
To work, to Countryside, and home.
Sunday, 9/24, ODO 1175
Around.
Notable: Clearly, winter is going to be torture; 60 degrees is about my limit in my current gear.
Monday, 9/25, ODO 1195
To work and back.
Notable: After noon, the weather is perfect - blue skies and 75 degrees. But, what the heck!? See Faster...
Wednesday, 9/27, ODO 1224
To work and back (the long way) - still used less gas! ;-)
Notable: Comfortable riding a bit faster than before - but now back in sync with the bike and the speed. Absolutely perfect weather - hated to stop riding in the morning.
Thursday, 9/28, ODO 1281
To Borders for the next issue of Fast Bikes, to work, to Loudoun Motorsports and home.
Notable: Loudoun County Parkway.
Continued...
Monday, July 17, 2006
The Sixth Sense
Why is it that all children are taught that they have only "five senses"....
Doesn't a sense of gravity (i.e., acceleration) count as a sixth? ...could you live without it?
Just a thought.
Doesn't a sense of gravity (i.e., acceleration) count as a sixth? ...could you live without it?
Just a thought.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Motorcycle Safety
I picked up my new Suzuki SV650S today. With 10 hours riding experience, it seemed that 0-60 in 4.0 seconds and a top speed of ~130 mph would be sufficient for the first few months or so.
My ultimate goal is the Suzuki GSX-R1000 fondly known by enthusiasts as the "gixer" after the GSX-R portion of the name... but right now, I refer to it as "death on wheels." One web site writes "In 2005 the GSX-R1000 re-wrote the rule book for liter class supersport bikes." It's an awesome bike, but I'd like to avoid "learning the hard way" on that monster.
So, after burning in the 650, I took several short practice rides around the neighborhood and local school parking lot. Who knew riding 10 miles could be so exhausting! Part of it is mental, the other part was the death-grip I had on the handlebars. ;-) Top speeds of 30 mph, and then 45 mph, for each run.
Next, I headed to Home Depot to catch up with a neighbor-friend, a fellow biker. It's a short trip on back roads, with only a few intersections (aka places to die at the hands of other drivers). I caught up with him at Home Depot, and then rode home with him... apart. He has a little more riding experience, so I didn't work too hard to keep up, and just focused on my own ride. Top speed 50-ish.
After taking another break, catching some water to replace the 1.5 lbs of sweat soaked into my jeans and shirt (93 degrees and 100% humidity today), I decided to head out a bit further. After reaching my destination and chatting for a while (and catching my breath), headed back home. Top speed 60+ ...in a 40 mph zone.
Now, you're thinking: "jeez, it's happening again, another motorcyclist out of control, insane with the power." Well... uh, yeah. No.
Now, don't get me wrong, I do like acceleration as much as the next guy, and the power of the bike is intoxicating. Running through the gears rapidly, with each pulling the bike forward as hard as the last, is a pretty intense feeling. I drive a BMW 330i, and enjoy pushing it as well, so won't claim to be a complete innocent. But.... that's not how this story went. Here's the deal:
With an SUV to my right, and behind me, I waited at the light. Green. I accelerated quickly, but at roughly the same pace as the SUV to my right. (Remember, this is a 40 mph street.) He hit 50 mph+ and was leading me a bit. The guy behind me must also have been in a hurry, because he was right on my rear end. He didn't bump me, so I suppose he knew I was there... but over the next mile or so as we pushed 60 mph, it seemed that "following distance" wasn't something of particular importance to this guy. And, with the other SUV now barely trailing to my right, the options were limited.
As we crested the hill and came around the corner, what should we see, but a cop who had pulled someone over! I slowed to 50 mph for the cop, then stopped at the next red light. Hmmm. Karma? I looked over my shoulder at the guy, stared at him for a bit, and shook my head.
For the next stretch, I still had traffic to my right (no room to move over) but decided to hold to 50 mph rather than continuing to risk my life for this idiot. Dogs, kids, joggers, and cross-traffic abounded; all out today just to help me with my first day on the bike.
At the next light (also red) I signaled left, and pulled into the turn lane to a stop. My new friend pulled up beside me.... The light was long, so after a while, I looked over his direction. He looked back. I kept looking. He looked and motioned as if to say "what!?" I pulled up my visor as he rolled down his window.
"Dude! You're doing 60 mph with no following distance. If I go down, you're going to run me over and kill me!!"
Apparently the concept of the 40 mph speed limit for the road was also lost on this guy, because he responded lamely about how I was speeding up and slowing down. Uh. Yeah, speeding up because the light turned green, and slowing down because we were 20 mph over the speed limit and were passing a cop!! Duh!?
I pray that the exchange will sink into his head sometime later tonight, and he'll realize that not all motorcyclists are desparate to prove their manhood through maximum acceleration, and that his ability to follow closely at 60 mph in a 40 mph zone doesn't say much about him either. But, I don't hope for much.
In my roughly 40 miles of riding this afternoon, I encountered more bad driving than I'll typically encounter in a week or two in my car.
And, it's not just the drivers!! On my way out of our neighborhood, I encountered a family of five or so, stroller included, entered the street without so much as a glance as I approached at 30 mph. I was in second or third gear, with the clutch out, so the engine should have been audible (assuming my 6'3" presence in black and red, with blue-white helmet wasn't visible to them in broad daylight). But, for all intents and purposes, I was invisible to them until I approached and stopped within 10-20 feet, to let them all cross, like a family of ducks. The father, leading the group waved thanks as he reached the other side. I waited for the mom and remaining children to clear, and then accelerated past.
Any new rider will hear it over and over again... but it's amazing to experience it first hand: Motorcyclists are invisible to drivers. Just ask Ben Roethlisberger. Talk about learning the hard way!
As a Steelers fan, I'm glad to see: "Big Ben's recovery from a serious accident continues ahead of schedule. He'll also take part in a music video following his golf outing." Lets hope that the lyrics in the music video say something about riding with a helmet being a good idea after all. ;-)
Speaking of which... I was pretty shocked. On my second brief practice excursion (earlier in the day), as I cruised through our neighborhood at 25mph+ I realized that without glasses, it was time to put the visor down. I went through "Basic Rider Course" training with sunglasses and the visor up (in a parking lot, never exceeding 20 mph) so I had learned to dislike the lack of air with the visor down, the fogging, etc. But, I snapped the visor down, and continued on my way. As I turned toward the newly finished but unused service road to practice, I accelerated to 45 mph. Relatively smoothly, I might add. :-) At the T-junction at the end of the street, I signaled, and stopped to turn right. As I accelerated onto the new road, I realized that I'd forgotten that the visor was down... only the lack of wind in my eyes and the relative quiet reminded me that it was in place. Nice!
Now... not all drivers are totally oblivious or inconsiderate (I'm glad to say that I can include myself on that list, even before I decided to start riding). While riding home with my neighbor, one driver with right-of-way went out of his way at a four-way stop to let both of us proceed, even though he should have gone after my neighbor, as I pulled forward and stopped. After stopping, I actually had to wave him through the intersection to get him to take his turn. Now, folks around our area do seem to be perplexed about the concept of right-of-way at a four way stop -- but in this case, this fellow seemed to have decided that bikers riding together should all get to go through stop signs together, as though they're collectively equivalent to a single vehicle. Go figure!
So, a day (my first at speed on a motorcycle) ended without road rash or death. A good day indeed!
My ultimate goal is the Suzuki GSX-R1000 fondly known by enthusiasts as the "gixer" after the GSX-R portion of the name... but right now, I refer to it as "death on wheels." One web site writes "In 2005 the GSX-R1000 re-wrote the rule book for liter class supersport bikes." It's an awesome bike, but I'd like to avoid "learning the hard way" on that monster.
So, after burning in the 650, I took several short practice rides around the neighborhood and local school parking lot. Who knew riding 10 miles could be so exhausting! Part of it is mental, the other part was the death-grip I had on the handlebars. ;-) Top speeds of 30 mph, and then 45 mph, for each run.
Next, I headed to Home Depot to catch up with a neighbor-friend, a fellow biker. It's a short trip on back roads, with only a few intersections (aka places to die at the hands of other drivers). I caught up with him at Home Depot, and then rode home with him... apart. He has a little more riding experience, so I didn't work too hard to keep up, and just focused on my own ride. Top speed 50-ish.
After taking another break, catching some water to replace the 1.5 lbs of sweat soaked into my jeans and shirt (93 degrees and 100% humidity today), I decided to head out a bit further. After reaching my destination and chatting for a while (and catching my breath), headed back home. Top speed 60+ ...in a 40 mph zone.
Now, you're thinking: "jeez, it's happening again, another motorcyclist out of control, insane with the power." Well... uh, yeah. No.
Now, don't get me wrong, I do like acceleration as much as the next guy, and the power of the bike is intoxicating. Running through the gears rapidly, with each pulling the bike forward as hard as the last, is a pretty intense feeling. I drive a BMW 330i, and enjoy pushing it as well, so won't claim to be a complete innocent. But.... that's not how this story went. Here's the deal:
With an SUV to my right, and behind me, I waited at the light. Green. I accelerated quickly, but at roughly the same pace as the SUV to my right. (Remember, this is a 40 mph street.) He hit 50 mph+ and was leading me a bit. The guy behind me must also have been in a hurry, because he was right on my rear end. He didn't bump me, so I suppose he knew I was there... but over the next mile or so as we pushed 60 mph, it seemed that "following distance" wasn't something of particular importance to this guy. And, with the other SUV now barely trailing to my right, the options were limited.
As we crested the hill and came around the corner, what should we see, but a cop who had pulled someone over! I slowed to 50 mph for the cop, then stopped at the next red light. Hmmm. Karma? I looked over my shoulder at the guy, stared at him for a bit, and shook my head.
For the next stretch, I still had traffic to my right (no room to move over) but decided to hold to 50 mph rather than continuing to risk my life for this idiot. Dogs, kids, joggers, and cross-traffic abounded; all out today just to help me with my first day on the bike.
At the next light (also red) I signaled left, and pulled into the turn lane to a stop. My new friend pulled up beside me.... The light was long, so after a while, I looked over his direction. He looked back. I kept looking. He looked and motioned as if to say "what!?" I pulled up my visor as he rolled down his window.
"Dude! You're doing 60 mph with no following distance. If I go down, you're going to run me over and kill me!!"
Apparently the concept of the 40 mph speed limit for the road was also lost on this guy, because he responded lamely about how I was speeding up and slowing down. Uh. Yeah, speeding up because the light turned green, and slowing down because we were 20 mph over the speed limit and were passing a cop!! Duh!?
I pray that the exchange will sink into his head sometime later tonight, and he'll realize that not all motorcyclists are desparate to prove their manhood through maximum acceleration, and that his ability to follow closely at 60 mph in a 40 mph zone doesn't say much about him either. But, I don't hope for much.
In my roughly 40 miles of riding this afternoon, I encountered more bad driving than I'll typically encounter in a week or two in my car.
And, it's not just the drivers!! On my way out of our neighborhood, I encountered a family of five or so, stroller included, entered the street without so much as a glance as I approached at 30 mph. I was in second or third gear, with the clutch out, so the engine should have been audible (assuming my 6'3" presence in black and red, with blue-white helmet wasn't visible to them in broad daylight). But, for all intents and purposes, I was invisible to them until I approached and stopped within 10-20 feet, to let them all cross, like a family of ducks. The father, leading the group waved thanks as he reached the other side. I waited for the mom and remaining children to clear, and then accelerated past.
Any new rider will hear it over and over again... but it's amazing to experience it first hand: Motorcyclists are invisible to drivers. Just ask Ben Roethlisberger. Talk about learning the hard way!
As a Steelers fan, I'm glad to see: "Big Ben's recovery from a serious accident continues ahead of schedule. He'll also take part in a music video following his golf outing." Lets hope that the lyrics in the music video say something about riding with a helmet being a good idea after all. ;-)
Speaking of which... I was pretty shocked. On my second brief practice excursion (earlier in the day), as I cruised through our neighborhood at 25mph+ I realized that without glasses, it was time to put the visor down. I went through "Basic Rider Course" training with sunglasses and the visor up (in a parking lot, never exceeding 20 mph) so I had learned to dislike the lack of air with the visor down, the fogging, etc. But, I snapped the visor down, and continued on my way. As I turned toward the newly finished but unused service road to practice, I accelerated to 45 mph. Relatively smoothly, I might add. :-) At the T-junction at the end of the street, I signaled, and stopped to turn right. As I accelerated onto the new road, I realized that I'd forgotten that the visor was down... only the lack of wind in my eyes and the relative quiet reminded me that it was in place. Nice!
Now... not all drivers are totally oblivious or inconsiderate (I'm glad to say that I can include myself on that list, even before I decided to start riding). While riding home with my neighbor, one driver with right-of-way went out of his way at a four-way stop to let both of us proceed, even though he should have gone after my neighbor, as I pulled forward and stopped. After stopping, I actually had to wave him through the intersection to get him to take his turn. Now, folks around our area do seem to be perplexed about the concept of right-of-way at a four way stop -- but in this case, this fellow seemed to have decided that bikers riding together should all get to go through stop signs together, as though they're collectively equivalent to a single vehicle. Go figure!
So, a day (my first at speed on a motorcycle) ended without road rash or death. A good day indeed!
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
The Matrix Has You...
A while back, I read David Deutsch’s book The Fabric of Reality. Continuing with my clogging: As one of the Amazon reviewer’s comments, “Deutsch's presentation is fascinating, mind-expanding, challenging, provocative, and--at times--riveting. It is also infuriating, perplexing, reductive, and--at times--vague. (Please note: I am not convinced that the multiverse as Deutsch describes it exists, nor am I threatened by the possibility that it might. As a result, I do not mean to quarrel with--or support--the idea itself. Instead, I am reviewing Deutsch's book from the point of view of a lay reader.)”
The first two sentences are right on, although, I would also have included “dense reading.”
And, I have to say that although Deutsch’s “proof” for his version of multiverse theory is pretty thin, once presented, the theory is intuitively obvious, and makes perfect sense of all of the classic paradoxes in quantum theory. So much sense that they no longer seem like paradoxes; they just seem like the logical outcome of the multiverse. ...I’d love to see a truly (complete) scientific investigation of the multiverse theory. [Additional detail about the Many-Worlds Interpretation or MWI.]
However, what I enjoyed more about the book, and my original motivation for buying it, came from the proposition that the synthesis of the theories of evolution, computation, and knowledge with quantum physics could completely describe the physical world. As each of these is largely orthogonal to the others, and encompass pretty much everything there is, I tend to agree... as far as the argument goes.
In 1999, with a crowd of fellow Legend developers, I watched The Matrix in awe; the best science fiction movie since Star Wars, and in some ways, perhaps, the best sci-fi movie, ever. At the time, I took it to be a fascinating instantiation of the classic question “When you wake up from a dream, how do you really know that you’re not in another dream?” But, then, I didn’t realize how real the model was....
In the years that followed, I read various books by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Although it all seemed pretty abstract, the notion that the reality that we westerners think of as “real” may not be as real as we think, came through loud and clear. And, for me, the metaphor of The Matrix snapped into a new focus.
The Disappearance of the Universe provides yet another perspective -- one that may seem insane, and yet, for me, made sense of a whole range of questions that I’ve never seen answered particularly well anywhere else.
Now, reading The Universe in a Single Atom, I’ve come across a number of quotes that I love. There are too many to share them all here, but here’s one that resonated particularly well with debates I’ve had with various folks over the past twenty-some years:
“I have noticed that many people hold an assumption that the scientific view of the world should be the basis for all knowledge and all that is knowable. This is scientific materialism. Although I am not aware of a school of thought that explicitly propounds this notion, it seems to be a common unexamined presupposition. This view upholds a belief in an objective world, independent of the contingency of its observers. It assumes that the data being analyzed within an experiment are independent of the preconceptions, perceptions, and experience of the scientist analyzing them.”
“Underlying this view is the assumption that, in the final analysis, matter [and energy]; as it can be described by physics and as it is governed by the laws of physics, is all there is. Accordingly, this view would uphold that psychology can be reduced to biology, biology to chemistry, and chemistry to physics. My concern here is not so much to argue against this reductionist position (although I myself do not share it) but to draw attention to a vitally important point: that these ideas do not constitute scientific knowledge; rather they represent a philosophical, in fact a metaphysical, position. The view that all aspects of reality can be reduced to matter and its various particles is, to my mind, as much a metaphysical position as the view that an organizing intelligence created and controls reality.”
And, another that resonates marvelously with Disappearance:
“According to the early scriptures, the Buddha himself never directly answered questions put to him about the origin of the universe. ...Interpretations of the meaning of Buddha’s refusal to answer these questions directly vary. One view is that the Buddha refused to answer because these metaphysical questions do not directly pertain to liberation. Another view, primarily argued by Nagarjuna, is that insofar as the questions were framed on the presupposition of the intrinsic reality of things, and not on dependent origination, responding would have led to a deeper entrenchment in the belief in solid, inherent existence.”
...
It’s time to ask yourself ‘what do you believe?’ Dr. Jones...
The first two sentences are right on, although, I would also have included “dense reading.”
And, I have to say that although Deutsch’s “proof” for his version of multiverse theory is pretty thin, once presented, the theory is intuitively obvious, and makes perfect sense of all of the classic paradoxes in quantum theory. So much sense that they no longer seem like paradoxes; they just seem like the logical outcome of the multiverse. ...I’d love to see a truly (complete) scientific investigation of the multiverse theory. [Additional detail about the Many-Worlds Interpretation or MWI.]
However, what I enjoyed more about the book, and my original motivation for buying it, came from the proposition that the synthesis of the theories of evolution, computation, and knowledge with quantum physics could completely describe the physical world. As each of these is largely orthogonal to the others, and encompass pretty much everything there is, I tend to agree... as far as the argument goes.
In 1999, with a crowd of fellow Legend developers, I watched The Matrix in awe; the best science fiction movie since Star Wars, and in some ways, perhaps, the best sci-fi movie, ever. At the time, I took it to be a fascinating instantiation of the classic question “When you wake up from a dream, how do you really know that you’re not in another dream?” But, then, I didn’t realize how real the model was....
In the years that followed, I read various books by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Although it all seemed pretty abstract, the notion that the reality that we westerners think of as “real” may not be as real as we think, came through loud and clear. And, for me, the metaphor of The Matrix snapped into a new focus.
The Disappearance of the Universe provides yet another perspective -- one that may seem insane, and yet, for me, made sense of a whole range of questions that I’ve never seen answered particularly well anywhere else.
Now, reading The Universe in a Single Atom, I’ve come across a number of quotes that I love. There are too many to share them all here, but here’s one that resonated particularly well with debates I’ve had with various folks over the past twenty-some years:
“I have noticed that many people hold an assumption that the scientific view of the world should be the basis for all knowledge and all that is knowable. This is scientific materialism. Although I am not aware of a school of thought that explicitly propounds this notion, it seems to be a common unexamined presupposition. This view upholds a belief in an objective world, independent of the contingency of its observers. It assumes that the data being analyzed within an experiment are independent of the preconceptions, perceptions, and experience of the scientist analyzing them.”
“Underlying this view is the assumption that, in the final analysis, matter [and energy]; as it can be described by physics and as it is governed by the laws of physics, is all there is. Accordingly, this view would uphold that psychology can be reduced to biology, biology to chemistry, and chemistry to physics. My concern here is not so much to argue against this reductionist position (although I myself do not share it) but to draw attention to a vitally important point: that these ideas do not constitute scientific knowledge; rather they represent a philosophical, in fact a metaphysical, position. The view that all aspects of reality can be reduced to matter and its various particles is, to my mind, as much a metaphysical position as the view that an organizing intelligence created and controls reality.”
And, another that resonates marvelously with Disappearance:
“According to the early scriptures, the Buddha himself never directly answered questions put to him about the origin of the universe. ...Interpretations of the meaning of Buddha’s refusal to answer these questions directly vary. One view is that the Buddha refused to answer because these metaphysical questions do not directly pertain to liberation. Another view, primarily argued by Nagarjuna, is that insofar as the questions were framed on the presupposition of the intrinsic reality of things, and not on dependent origination, responding would have led to a deeper entrenchment in the belief in solid, inherent existence.”
...
It’s time to ask yourself ‘what do you believe?’ Dr. Jones...
As Luck Would Have It...
Holy smokes! It has been almost a month since my last update… I’ve ventured dangerously into slog territory. ...So, does copying others' material result in your blog becoming a clog?
Regardless… I’ll reference an interesting Scientific American article by Michael Shermer.
As someone who has debated the nature and origin of “luck” this article perfectly captures the nuances of the topic and beautifully illustrates what it means to be a “lucky person.”
In case you still haven’t clicked on the above link, here’s the paragraph that hooked me:
"Lucky people are far more satisfied with all areas of their lives than unlucky or neutral people," Wiseman reveals in his charming and insightful book, The Luck Factor (Miramax Books, 2003). Does this satisfied state of mind translate into actual life outcomes that someone might call lucky? It does. Here's how.
Now, are you clicking on the link? ;-)
Looks like another book for the reading list.
Regardless… I’ll reference an interesting Scientific American article by Michael Shermer.
As someone who has debated the nature and origin of “luck” this article perfectly captures the nuances of the topic and beautifully illustrates what it means to be a “lucky person.”
In case you still haven’t clicked on the above link, here’s the paragraph that hooked me:
"Lucky people are far more satisfied with all areas of their lives than unlucky or neutral people," Wiseman reveals in his charming and insightful book, The Luck Factor (Miramax Books, 2003). Does this satisfied state of mind translate into actual life outcomes that someone might call lucky? It does. Here's how.
Now, are you clicking on the link? ;-)
Looks like another book for the reading list.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Game Design
Singing geese and ducks, dancing bears, Mt. Fuji, the pill-head king and queen, and the royal rainbow... it can only be, you guessed it! Katamari Damaci!
Years ago, I read a Wired article by William Gibson talking about Japanese culture, their use of text messaging on cell phones as a part of everyday life (this was back in 2001, mind you), and their mainstream adoption of, lets say, "alternative lifestyles." It was one of those points where I felt my mind warping, as my sense of “normal” was stretched. Or, another way of looking at it, I had the sense (prior to having heard the phrase): “The future is here, it’s just not evenly distributed.” While reading, I had the sense that Japan, and Tokyo in particular, contained an unusually dense concentration of the future.
The first point I felt the cultural immersion epiphany was while watching a Japanese Anime video titled, very roughly, "People of the Forest." Although I understood only a word or two, this helped emphasize the sheer bizarreness of the multiple clans of good/bad guys, mystic/invisible forest ghost/people, and the epic storytelling that could only have come from Japan.
Katamari Damaci, a game for the PS2, should yield a similar feeling for anyone who experiences it. From the music that could have been hummed late one night by one of the developers, to the Beatles / Montey Python-esque animation, to the sheer insanity of the game's high-concept (rolling a ball to pick up objects until the ball becomes of sufficiently large size) this is a game that could only have come from Japan.
In the April 17, 2006 Forbes, Digital Rules article, Rich Karlgaard states: "The ideal society would be an 'ecology of creation,' giving each person his best shot at finding his talents and making a living from them. It just so happens the U.S. does this better than any other society ever has before."
Although I'm in agreement with the spirit of his statement, and in broad ways it may be generally true, in terms of creative endeavors involving technology, I'd suggest that Japanese society has the lead.
If I were to point at commercialization of products like the Sony Walkman, VCRs, DVD players, or cell-phones, naysayers would merely point out that the Japanese are very good at actualizing other's ideas; that is, taking existing concepts and iteratively refining them in the form of consumer products.
There's a tangent available here about the nature of the creative process, and a variety of questions regarding what differentiates truly creative ideas from derivative works.
But, the point is this: through a combination of Japanese culture or language, or both, Japanese designers are able to look at the world in unique ways. This is especially evident in the console game market, where many Japanese games never could have seen the light of day if their designers attempted to produce them within U.S. companies. They’re simply too bizarre, too nonsensical… they break the mold, and do things no one had imagined before.
You could use this as evidence against U.S. game companies, arguing that they’re too obsessed with financial gain to allow true art to flourish. But, there are alternative venues within the U.S. for truly creative designers. So, I would have to argue that it must be something else.
When it comes to games, Japanese designers are willing to do things that are bizarre, and seem nonsensical. But, they recognize that games aren’t necessarily supposed to be real – they’re supposed to be fun. Whereas many U.S. game designers will sacrifice fun for the sake of realism, many Japanese game designers (and their publishers) will gladly sacrifice realism for the sake of fun.
And when that happens, we get games like Gran Turismo 4, Mario 64, the Zelda and Final Fantasy series, Pokemon Puzzle League… and Katamari Damaci.
Years ago, I read a Wired article by William Gibson talking about Japanese culture, their use of text messaging on cell phones as a part of everyday life (this was back in 2001, mind you), and their mainstream adoption of, lets say, "alternative lifestyles." It was one of those points where I felt my mind warping, as my sense of “normal” was stretched. Or, another way of looking at it, I had the sense (prior to having heard the phrase): “The future is here, it’s just not evenly distributed.” While reading, I had the sense that Japan, and Tokyo in particular, contained an unusually dense concentration of the future.
The first point I felt the cultural immersion epiphany was while watching a Japanese Anime video titled, very roughly, "People of the Forest." Although I understood only a word or two, this helped emphasize the sheer bizarreness of the multiple clans of good/bad guys, mystic/invisible forest ghost/people, and the epic storytelling that could only have come from Japan.
Katamari Damaci, a game for the PS2, should yield a similar feeling for anyone who experiences it. From the music that could have been hummed late one night by one of the developers, to the Beatles / Montey Python-esque animation, to the sheer insanity of the game's high-concept (rolling a ball to pick up objects until the ball becomes of sufficiently large size) this is a game that could only have come from Japan.
In the April 17, 2006 Forbes, Digital Rules article, Rich Karlgaard states: "The ideal society would be an 'ecology of creation,' giving each person his best shot at finding his talents and making a living from them. It just so happens the U.S. does this better than any other society ever has before."
Although I'm in agreement with the spirit of his statement, and in broad ways it may be generally true, in terms of creative endeavors involving technology, I'd suggest that Japanese society has the lead.
If I were to point at commercialization of products like the Sony Walkman, VCRs, DVD players, or cell-phones, naysayers would merely point out that the Japanese are very good at actualizing other's ideas; that is, taking existing concepts and iteratively refining them in the form of consumer products.
There's a tangent available here about the nature of the creative process, and a variety of questions regarding what differentiates truly creative ideas from derivative works.
But, the point is this: through a combination of Japanese culture or language, or both, Japanese designers are able to look at the world in unique ways. This is especially evident in the console game market, where many Japanese games never could have seen the light of day if their designers attempted to produce them within U.S. companies. They’re simply too bizarre, too nonsensical… they break the mold, and do things no one had imagined before.
You could use this as evidence against U.S. game companies, arguing that they’re too obsessed with financial gain to allow true art to flourish. But, there are alternative venues within the U.S. for truly creative designers. So, I would have to argue that it must be something else.
When it comes to games, Japanese designers are willing to do things that are bizarre, and seem nonsensical. But, they recognize that games aren’t necessarily supposed to be real – they’re supposed to be fun. Whereas many U.S. game designers will sacrifice fun for the sake of realism, many Japanese game designers (and their publishers) will gladly sacrifice realism for the sake of fun.
And when that happens, we get games like Gran Turismo 4, Mario 64, the Zelda and Final Fantasy series, Pokemon Puzzle League… and Katamari Damaci.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
The Robots Are Coming!
The May 2006 Scientific American discusses Hiroshi Ishiguro's creation of a humanoid robot named Repliee. The author refers to Repliee throughout the article with the personal pronoun "it", but the resemblance to Japanese newscaster Ayako Fujii is uncanny; "it" definitely appears to be a "she."
The "uncanny valley" Sree blogged about is mentioned....
Where Ishiguro-san remarks "It's impossible to have the perfect android" my immediate reaction is to conclude that we'll have near-perfect androids within 20 to 30 years.
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