Today I'm writing a little about my christmas holidays, disclosing some science on happiness, broadcasting some good sounds, and sharing my impression of a game called Gone Home.
Holidays
I spent the xmas break at my parents house near Ely where family and friends converge. Best place for it. Since I was last home my situation had changed which made visiting home feel like a calibration. I imagine most people feel a little less lost when you check in with people you grew up with. I did that thing where you set yourself some goals at the start of the year.
- #1GAM - finish making a game every month. Ohhh yes!
- Do more to stay happy. It's not gonna fall from the sky and land on my head
- No more paying out to kill my mood and my health as if it's a privilege (excessive drinking)
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| GOOD. |
Science of Happiness
With an internet connection like a sporadic, drippy tap of nectar and lack of PC I spent some time reading (something I don't normally do) and tweeting (more than usual). I'm still working through a book called Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal. It's not the easiest read (or maybe I'm just out of practice). McGonigal makes the point that gameplay is the exact opposite of clinical depression, gameplay is "an optimistic sense of our own capabilities and an invigorating rush of activity". It seems that the message of the book is how we can use gameplay in everyday aspects of your life to make you happier, to make your work more like play. I know, it seems very utopian...
But look at it this way. This might seem obvious to you, perhaps if you're a happy chappy, but McGonigal explains that positive psychology describes two types of happiness:
Can you guess which kind of happiness is happier? It's the latter. Engage in the world around you, find something you're good at and do your best, get social and help each other. It's a renewable source of happiness. You're making an impact and it'll come right back to you. This is why I love making games
I think the catch here is taking the first step, and making a habit of it, this is the hard part, right? It's a question of motivation, something I might blog about later.
- the kind you can find (or buy)
- the kind you make for yourself.
Can you guess which kind of happiness is happier? It's the latter. Engage in the world around you, find something you're good at and do your best, get social and help each other. It's a renewable source of happiness. You're making an impact and it'll come right back to you. This is why I love making games
I think the catch here is taking the first step, and making a habit of it, this is the hard part, right? It's a question of motivation, something I might blog about later.
Good Sounds
Before I started writing this I was reading a friend's blog and found Vimes which became the chilled electronic soundtrack to this blog post. Cheers alups.
Another good friend of mine has pledged to tweet a song a day. Guiz got taste.
This blog describes Hey! Hello! as bottled sunshine and audio rainbows. Sounds like a cheery pop punk Green Day, I love it.
Gone Home
One last thing before I go. Last night I played a game called Gone Home instead of unpacking my stuff. I recommend this game to everyone (especially if you're a "non-gamer"). Set aside a couple hours as if you're about to watch a film on your lonesome. It must be said that I picked a great time to finally play this after I just visited my parents home. I shed happy tears at the end.
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| Play this game |
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