Month: October 2019

EGX 2019 – Too many games, too little time

Posted on by in Gaming, Real Life

If anyone had told me six months ago, when I published my first article on the site, that I’d be attending EGX in London with a press pass – I’d probably have fallen over in a weird combination of anxiety and disbelief. Throughout our lives, we have always had it hammered into our heads that we are representatives of our schools, of our clubs, of our generation. If we misbehave or act out, it is deemed a black mark against that group, rather than just against the offender. So, stepping into a 4-day gaming convention, with my silver wristband and my notebook, was a tad terrifying. At that moment, I wasn’t just Caitlin who loves to play video games – I was Caitlin, owner of Mind Games. My site, my articles, my online presence and those who support me, all would be judged as a result of my actions. No pressure.

For those roughly curious about how the whole process of a “press pass” works, I’ll give a quick rundown. You fill out a simple form, explaining what site/organisation you represent, what your focus is and why you’d like to talk to the developers at EGX, as well as any potentially statistics or figures that you feel might benefit your application. I was lucky enough to receive a press pass, which is essentially a “super-pass” – giving access to all four days of the convention and the chance to organise meetings with various developers to talk about their games! The pass itself is given as a free ticket, which as a student I was incredibly grateful for!

Dramatic silver press pass is dramatic

Up until last week, the biggest convention I had been to on my own, was Rezzed, the sister convention of EGX, held in the Tobacco Dock. This smaller location worked well for me, reducing my feelings of anxiety caused by large groups of strangers. If needed, the exit was relatively easy to find, and some areas were a lot quieter than others. I have nothing but fond memories of Rezzed and if my studies allow it, I’ll be there in March. EGX, however, is held in the ExCel Centre. It’s so much bigger, with over 80,000 attendees at the convention each year, more than 250 games available to try out and countless exhibitors eager to show off their work.

For someone with mental health issues, a convention can be our worst nightmare. No matter how much preparation you do, it can’t truly prepare you for the chaotic environment of a convention hall, filled with thousands of excited game fans all chatting about different things. As someone who gets easily overwhelmed, it’s the main part of the experience that I dread. Especially on the busier days, you can go from enjoying yourself immensely, to trying desperately to find somewhere quiet enough that you can calm yourself down in peace. It’s kind of eerie really, feeling so isolated and overwhelmed, whilst being surrounded by thousands of likeminded people.

PRESS TO HONK!

Thankfully, conventions have cottoned on to this and have begun to provide quiet zones, safe spaces and accessibility options so that everyone can enjoy themselves, not just the most outgoing individuals. This is key, especially in industries like gaming, where a lot of individuals use the media as a form of escapism. Playing games is a coping mechanism for many, so tainting that experience for someone with a bad day at a convention, is something that all convention runners should avoid like the plague. A good example of this is the charity CheckPoint, who provide mental health resources for gamers and quiet zones at conventions, where you can go to decompress, calm yourself down and chat to someone if you wish to.

I don’t think there is anything that can truly prepare you for a convention. It’s a completely unique atmosphere, that you don’t find anywhere else. Heck, the atmosphere changes from year to year! Part of that, I believe, is due to the ever-changing nature of the gaming industry. As much as there are the few specific gaming companies that seem to have existed to the dawn of time and will outlast us all, these events are about trying new things. Be that a new piece of hardware, a new instalment in a long-running series or dipping your toe into a genre that you’ve never tried before, there is something for everyone. For example, I spent most of my time flitting between the indie games section and the board games area, as those were the two main bits that I cared about – both as a gamer and for any press meetings I had. Meanwhile a couple of my friends, made a beeline for the Doom Eternal area, as they were very keen to punch some demons in the face.

Convention too busy? Play some board games 😀

The highlight of the convention for me, was getting to chat to the developers of the games that were available to play. I think something that a lot of us forget, is that there are so many talented and unique individuals behind the games we take such joy in. Each of these creators has walked their own path in life to get to that moment, faced their demons and tackled events that none of us will really understand. They pour all those experiences into their creations, so being able to talk to them in depth about their work and their lives, gives you just an inkling of their potential as creators in the gaming industry.

Although I’ll go into more detail about the conversations I had whilst at EGX in other articles, I wanted to say something that floored me. Every person I spoke to, whether they had their own mental health issues or not, completely agreed that video games and mental health had a strong link. From escapism, to tackling delicate issues with care, each member of a development team has a duty to ensure that their game will make a positive impact on their audience members. From accessibility options for the colour blind, to telling a story about loss through symbolism, each decision made in the process of designing a game is key. It’s about building a community with your players.

This was too comfy a spot not to take a photo in – at the PHOGS stand 🙂

This idea of community also extends to the convention, since these events can be a massive boost to those looking for likeminded people to talk about their love of gaming with. I speak from experience, that conventions are a massive opportunity to meet those online friends that you’ve been chatting with for months and just mess around together as if you’ve known one another for years. From someone killing your character in space by stealing their oxygen, to working together to combat a horde of monsters, these events foster a sense of companionship and loyalty to one another, even if you’ve only been talking to someone for a few minutes.

If you can afford to go to these kinds of events, do it. Don’t let fear or anxiety stop you because the friends you make, the experiences you will have and the joyful memories will stay with you forever, whilst those negative thoughts will be gone before you know it. Some of my best memories of the last decade are from conventions and the amazing friends that I have made through the gaming community. We all deserve happiness and who knows, maybe through a convention like EGX, you’ll find yours.

Till next time,

CaitlinRC.

The Blackout Club – What Is It You Think You See:

Posted on by in Gaming

We have always feared the dark. Even now, as adults, we still flinch at the shadows. It’s not the fear of the darkness or the blackness, it’s what lurks within it. When we know what we are afraid of, when we can examine it from all sides and judge it accordingly, we can begin to combat that fear. We are afraid of the unknown. A lot of horror games focus on this concept, by having creatures lurk in the shadows or force you to fumble along a corridor towards a monster, that you can’t see until you’re pressed up against it. In our fear, we appreciate every second of light and visibility that we can get, clinging to the hope that our flashlight batteries will last just a few seconds longer. Not that our fervent praying impacts it, but we can believe that it does.

What a lot of horror games don’t do, is force you to cut off one of those senses. During a tense moment, we are on alert, our senses working overtime to take in every minute bit of information that they can, no matter how pointless or odd it may seem. So, when The Blackout Club instructed me to close my eyes, my first thought was “There is no way on this planet that I am going to do that.” Obviously, curiosity got the better of me and I did as I was told, otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this article! The point of closing your eyes is so you can see “The Shape”. Invisible to the naked eye, it prowls its way around the levels, seeking out the player characters to force them to do it’s bidding.

The Blackout Club is a multiplayer horror game that follows a group of teenagers living in the town of Redacre, who have banded together to investigate the strange events occurring in their hometown. The kids have been experiencing blackouts, where they wake up in strange locations that they don’t remember going to (like students who drink too much). The various adults in the town have started to sleepwalk and during the game’s prologue, one of the club’s members, Bells, is kidnapped. This spurs the club to start collecting evidence and build an understanding of what on earth is happening beneath their feet.

The Maze is not for the fainthearted.

Ignoring the frustrating amount of grinding you need to do in order to level up, I honestly love this game. It can keep you on edge throughout the missions you complete, using the sins system. During a mission, a kid may break into a house or knock out an enemy. Although necessary, if discovered, these sins will be reported. If your group of teens is too sinful, then The Shape comes into play. It targets the most sinful player and is relentless in its pursuit. Every time you close your eyes to see where it is, it’s that much closer to you. If caught by the Shape, you lose control of your mind. Powerless to do anything, you are forced to watch as your character wanders around the map, hoping that one of your friends can manage to save you. If you get caught too many times, the Shape no longer wants you to be one of them. Instead of controlling you, you are slaughtered.

Taking a lead from the Outlast games, you don’t get a gun or the ability to kill your pursuers. Sure, you have a few non-lethal weapons that you can use to distract or temporarily take an enemy out of the equation, but you cannot kill. These people wandering around and trying to get you? They’re your neighbours, your community, even your parents or your best friends. These people, although not in control of their own minds, aren’t entirely innocent either. Beneath the town is a labyrinth of rooms and corridors, called “The Maze”. It seems endless, growing and adding new locations as you explore it. Entering this place is not something a player should do lightly as you are not alone in there. During the game’s prologue, you get a glimpse of the cult like activities happening beneath your town and how outnumbered your group of teens truly is.

One optional element of the game that really intrigues me is the addition of Stalkers. The Stalker is a former member of The Blackout Club, who has betrayed the cause and is now working for the Voices – the god like entities that whisper to the residents of the town during their blackouts. The Voices promised that the Stalker’s family would be safe if they assisted with reporting the Blackout Club’s sins to the Shape. As a regular player, you are not told whether there is a Stalker amongst you. Unless you directly encounter them or they record you committing sins, you may never know exactly where they are. Traitors in game’s storylines can be a bit… dramatic in their motivations but in this case, I get it. Sure, maybe reading this you question what kind of person would betray their friends to an entity that is clearly causing harm to their town? However, I ask you this – how far would you go to protect those you love? I know for a fact; I’d go damn far.

You can’t run forever.

There is something about the Blackout Club that I want to highlight from a mental health perspective. It’s called the Enhanced Horror system. If you’d like to experience this for yourself, then go try it out and then come back to read this bit, as I’m going to go into detail about it.

Everyone ready? Let’s chat.

The Enhanced Horror system is an opt-in feature within the game that allows the game to listen to and record the player’s voices as they play. If you are lucky, or unlucky depending on how you look at things, someone will be listening. The Voices will respond to you. A voice that is not your friends will respond to your questions, give cryptic statements and encourage you to do their bidding – anything from being selfless, to taunting enemies. These Voices may reward you with story information or gameplay items in return for your services, with the interaction being shared with the greater community – so you can all try to decipher exactly what is going on within the town of Redacre. Whether this voice is actually real or just a creation of your mind, who can tell? Those with psychosis can attest to this, it seems real. That’s the problem.

How you choose to engage with this is up to you, but I think the more curious amongst you will be keen to collect as much information as possible. After all, how often do you get to talk to a deity like creature and have it respond? Anyways, I think The Blackout Club is a game that people should check out, especially if you aren’t great with solo horror! Why not terrify your friends at the same time, so you can all suffer together!

Don’t look back. If we look back we are lost.

So, I am at EGX this week (Wednesday to Sunday) meeting with various lovely developers about their games, so there will be a lot of content coming out over the next few weeks. If you’d like to keep up to date with all I’m doing at EGX, then go follow my Twitter – https://twitter.com/OurMindGames . I’ll be posting updates and pictures from the show as much as I can! Remember to follow, like and comment on the site.

Also, I just wanted to say this on here as well. As of a few days ago, we hit over 1,000 views on the site. We also hit our six-month anniversary. I am beyond humbled and amazed at the kindness of all of you, my marvellous readers. Your comments, suggestions and feedback on everything I do is why I keep writing and exploring these sometimes-heavy topics with you. Here’s to even more milestones.

Thanks,

CaitlinRC.

Escape Rooms – I’ve Never Wanted to Get Outside More:

Posted on by in Real Life

Much like video games, the real world goes through phases and fads like a student goes through pasta. A lot of these tend to only last for a month or so, before something new comes along and grabs our interest. In a way, we’re a lot like magpies when you think about it. Our attention flits from one shiny activity to another, such as indoor skydiving, laser tag or roller rinks. Obviously, these still exist nowadays but they’re a bit harder to find. One fad that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon and that I personally adore, is escape rooms.

For those who have never done an escape room, their premise is simple. You and a few friends get locked in a room/series of rooms for a specific length of time (normally around an hour), and in order to escape, you must solve puzzles. Now the puzzles vary massively depending on the room’s designer, with some rooms being themed around cryptography or spatial awareness tasks, but they tend to be sequential. The solution to one puzzle opens a cupboard that contains a clue to the next and so on.

Ciphers are a big part of some escape rooms but not all!

It’s a remarkably satisfying process that gives you a real sense of achievement and is actually a very good team bonding experience. I did an escape room with my current housemates to check whether we could handle living with one another, after all, if you can get locked in a room together (and a cage in our case, with me handcuffed to a chair!) then chances are you can handle living in close proximity of one another. Escape rooms can get a tad frustrating depending on who you are completing them with, as dominant personalities can collide but if you all keep calm, it’s a great way to see people shine in ways that you didn’t expect.

Let me give you an example. I’ve done quite a few escape rooms, since they’re a great non-alcoholic activity to do and I’ve been lucky enough to make friends who are willing to do them with me. Let’s focus on the one with my current housemates (hi guys if you’re reading this). We’re all a bit whacky in my house so an escape room seemed quite up our alley. After opening a new room, we all gravitated towards different clues – with one of my housemates instantly recognising mirror writing as she used to practise writing in it all the time! Or how one of my friends from a placement knew how to brute force a padlock by squeezing it tight and feeling when the tumblers fell into the correct slot.

Some escape rooms are themed and have a story!

In the case of my housemates, I’ll give you some background. There’s five of us in our house – three of which are computer science students, whilst the other two focus on biology and occupational therapy. So, when it comes to problem solving and logical thinking, we have a bit of an edge. Here’s the thing though – you can be the best cryptographer in the world and still struggle in an escape room because it challenges you to think beyond what you know and try things that you might not think of.

For anyone reading this who isn’t a big puzzle solver or a logical thinker, don’t be put off! You don’t need any skills to solve an escape room. Sure, knowing about the common techniques they use can be helpful but everything you need to escape is given to you. Who knows, maybe your unique way of thinking will be what cracks the final clue? If you feel anxious or need to step out for a bit, 99% of rooms provide a instant “exit” button that lets you out when you need it, so those with claustrophobia can still enjoy themselves – these rooms are there for everyone and the creators want you to enjoy them!

Some can be quite spooky, I ended up in a serial killer one once!

You see this theme of escape rooms in gaming as well. There are hundreds of puzzle games out there that challenge you to escape the house or the abandoned theme park as fast as you can. So, it’s no wonder why it has become such a massive thing in the “real world”. Considering a large part of what I do involves puzzle solving and tackling problems from a different angle, it’s not hard to see why they appeal so strongly to me.

After becoming a Dungeon Master and running campaigns for my friends, escape rooms have jumped massively up my list of interests. After dedicating so much of my time to creating unique puzzles for my players to solve, I have a deeper appreciation to the designers of escape rooms, especially when it comes to difficulty levels! Sure, it’s satisfying to complete any of them but the harder rooms, there’s an innate determination to conquer it when other’s have not.

Note: Don’t karate chop the lock to escape, that will hurt.

Anyways, I’ve rambled a bit much this week rather than a fully form article but hey, you guys seem to like it regardless, so I’d love to hear your thoughts on escape rooms! Leave a comment or tweet me at @OurMindGames with your experiences! The schedule for the next fortnight is a tad all over the place due to EGX as I’m in the process of sorting meetings with developers to chat about their games but I’ll aim for The Blackout Club article to come out next Monday as planned.

Thanks,

CaitlinRC.