Zombies, Friendships, and Warcraft

I'm simply amazed at the artistry some people are capable of when using video games as their palette. Yes, similar things have been done with Anime before. Yes, Anime Music Videos can also be awesome. No, that doesn't dilute my point.

I think what draws me to these videos, beyond the familiarity I have with the game engine they're using to create them, is both how much and how little control they have. The in game models can only have so many faces, hair styles, forms of dress, emotes and other such visual elements, and yet people are able to take them and make artful videos ranging from amusing to insightful and all artistic adjectives in between.

While much of the merit can be based on the choice of music, (e.g Jonathan Coulton's Re: Your Brains) some are simply artful in and of themselves.

Particularly, the following:



I'll admit that for someone who doesn't play World of Warcraft, a number of the elements in that video may be confusing. Still, I felt I had to share.

Zombies: Spirit

Being a member of the Messiah College Zombie Defense Squad, which will probably need a new name and strategy seeing as how most of our membership is graduating shortly, I feel it is necessary to discuss important information concerning zombies every now and then.

Today we're discussing what largely only applies in a complete collapse of civilization in the face of rampaging hordes of the undead.

As I was walking around campus recently, which I especially enjoy doing when everyone's gone, I came to a startling realization. Namely, places have "spirit". This is an attribute embued by the presence of people, whether you see them or not. There is a "sense" of life, even if you can't actually see or hear anyone around. When everyone's gone, that too is gone.

In order to maintain one's own spirit, one must cultivate a small area to house it. A small room with some trappings of normal life, a larger one if you have a few friends. Without this one can become somewhat depressed, or otherwise in low spirits.

In the case of a zombie infestation, a "sense" of death is apparent. The constant presence of the undead dims the atmosphere, and makes the maintanence of spirit supremely important. Just as the lives of everyone around us boost us without our knowing or caring, the presence of the undead are a severe weight upon the soul that will quickly drive the unattendant to madness.

Too many of us foolishly believe that we would be immune to the trauma that a world of the undead brings, or even just a small outbreak. But the subliminal effects break through defenses. The only recourse is to have a method of rejuvenation that heals faster than the situation harms.

So the next time a zombie outbreak occurs, remember well the importance of one's spirits.