5/01/2016: Scarborough Rennaisance Fair and Existencial Crisis

Is this the real life? Or is this just fantasy?

Or is this some kind of computer simulation made to simulate life on Earth before some kind of apocalyptic crisis?

Question everything.

If you haven't played the game already, do not read the following.
The game is set about a hundred years into the future, when mankind is eradicated by a meteor and the only hope is a team of scientists and engineers that happened to be marooned after the event.
Really interesting backdrop so far, but the story doesn't stop there. They have discovered a bio-organic substance called Structure Gel that can be 'programmed' to take shape of whatever is willed it by the user. An AI called the WAU was designed by the team pre-crisis to protect and preserve humanity/life. After after society has been wiped by the incident, WAU decides to use the structure gel for its own means, absolutely devastating bases and using the gel to create all manners of horrifying manufactured creatures that have some sentience.

More interestingly, however, are the questions asked of from the player.
What does it mean to be human?
If there was another you, would you want it to be alive?
A copy of your conscience is on hard drive, would you be comfortable knowing that all it takes to be you is a shell and copy of your ghost?

This chilled me. 

I haven't thought this hard about the human soul ever. Even more impacting are the questions risen in game, a sort of questionnaire for the player early into the game and finally near the end. Everyone's answer is different; all responses will be subjective. However, when you get to the second questionnaire and realize you are answering differently, that is when you know you have stumbled into a landmine of thought, and everything you know has changed in terms of perception of reality. This is nothing short of a masterpiece. To have a game influence me in such a way is phenomenal.

Overall, if you haven't already, don't watch a Let's Play or reading anything about it. Go in blind. There will be obvious parts of the plot, but don't get distracted. Everything is really neat, from the ambient sounds and the enemies, but the whole point of the experience is to see what you can take out of it.

As if I wasn't deep enough, I checked out the the Scarborough Renaissance Festival with one of my bosses this weekend.

 I felt like I stepped into an RPG. The experience was almost surreal. 

my boss and his wife

 Oh yeah. I was designated third wheel for this field trip. Someone's gotta keep this tricycle balanced I suppose. 

After passing through ye olde ticket taker boothe, we happened upon this gentleman. The Gatekeeper, is what I label him now, but in person his aura was too much and was immediately intimidated. The skulls man. 

Oh, and there was a wedding, too. That was nice. 

A guy doing a bird showcasing. We might have been late for it, he didn't fly the birds around as much as we thought he would. Still interesting of course. 

Not sure if pictured really well, but in the darkness is a guy dressed as the Phantom from Phantom of the Opera. He played the main tune, as well as a few Christmas jingles. 

Some of the cast members and reps from the stores parading around the streets early in the morning. 

RPG Village

There was a dragon egg shop, scribe shop, hammock shop, wax shop ect ect

Neat glass blowing demo.

And finally, the joust. RIP Sir Joseph, we did not deserve a hero like you. Also Sir Roberts is a total tool and cheated.

Met a lot of cool people, one in particular this very attractive girl in a pirate outfit. Thanks pirate outfit girl, I like your outfit, too.

Anywho, may or may not post next week. I do have finals. Afterwards, however, I plan to post more Let's Plays.

See you next week.