Dateline 7-18-2017

If you read this site with any regularity you might find that I am pretty obsessed with the mundane. I love slice of life movies that go nowhere that lack not only the hero but the anti-hero as well. In fact, I've always dreamed of writing a movie that parallels the movie Gladiator where we just follow an average citizen living a shitty life where all he has to look forward to is two men fight to the death that would shot in a way that would capture the underwhelming reality of events like this from the cheap seats. 

This is why a couple years ago when I stumble onto a YouTube channel run by a British guy named Squirrel who virtually drives semi-trucks all over Europe in a game called Euor Truck Simulator, I was quick to become a fan as I was fascinated by how I could be both relaxed and entertained while watching something so bland and it turned out to be perfect bedtime entertainment.

The discovery of Squirrel was also my discovery of watching people play video games on the internet. I think I like watching these videos because it reminds me of back in my roommate days where even though I wasn't a huge fan of playing the games, I really liked to watch, chime in with ideas and joke about what was happening which is a void that these videos fill.

At first, I mainly watch people who either played old games while talking about them in almost a review/history lesson format or I would watch a group of guys goofing around while joking amongst themselves, mainly while attempting crazy stunts on Grand Theft Auto.

From time to time, I would find a video where people would try to get their characters to participate in the world of the game as if it was real life by doing things like hijacking a bus and try to keep that bus on a schedule while slipping in and out of character as they joke around with whoever else is in the room and other gamers try to ruin the fun by knocking the bus off course.

The other day, I discovered video of people who play Grand Theft Auto on servers that are 100% committed to role playing so that everyone in the game is always in character while being on the same page as far as treating the game like it's real life, so that there isn't the above-mentioned aspect of regular players ruining the fun.

These videos are fascinating not only because the star of the video stays in character 100% of the time but, of all the videos I've seen so far, other than a few chuckles here and there no one ever seems to break character and you never hear anyone joking with their friends in the room.

It's impressive enough that the star pulls this off but they usually are at least interesting characters, what impresses me more are the people who take on mundane jobs like the cops who are always extremely serious, without getting aggressive, about making sure people follow the rules, and there are also tons of other people who aren't even trying to be silly as they navigate the virtual world, which might actually be the most interesting aspect to me.

Of all the weird YouTube things that I've seen, this is the first one that I actually want to try, maybe not to make video of my own but to possibly end up in the background as I wander made up worlds the same way I wander this living planet just trying to find where I belong.

Now it's time to watch a couple more of these videos before moving on to watch today's episode of Saturday Night Live.

As always, I'll check in tomorrow with another update.

Talk to you then,

The Wicker Breaker