Laura's (Atar1g1rl) "Pressed For Time" UPDATE

[digitalpress]

Part of that "dream team" that's been putting out some incredible columns over the past month, Laura Truchon Tisdale's "Pressed for Time" rounds out the first cycle of weekly updates.

I love the way she writes, it's always very much "from the heart", something that not everyone can express in words. This particular piece is very nostalgic and in my opinion, very important to the classic gaming community. Read it and see for yourself.

http://www.digitpress.com/columns/pressedfortime.htm

As always, feedback is welcome here.

[hamburgler]

Nice story.

[GENESISNES]

beautiful.

[Arcade Antics]

Excellent! Nice job, Laura!

[ghsqb]

Ditto. Great piece.

Sadly she is all to right about those old hangouts being bulldozed.
The article reminds me of my misspent youth at Alladin Bowling Lanes and pumping quarters into the old classics there.

Alladin closed a year and a half ago and the made it into an offiice building.

Great to see some places carrying on.

If I'm ever down that way, I'll stop in.

[Starcade]

Yea, thats pretty cool

[NoahsMyBro]

I've got to be honest. I have mixed feelings about the new article.

First the positives:
* I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article.
* I will try to remember to stop in and check the joint out if I'm ever in the area.
* It reminded me of places like that that are no more, and I enjoyed the nostalgia.
* It was definitely well-written, no ifs and or buts.

Now the unfortunate negative:
* I don't see how this article fit it's mission. I expected to read about gaming for people with minimal free-time, and didn't really get much relevant info about that.

All the same, please don't think I'm complaining. If anything, my complaint would just be that I think the description of the column and it's purpose might need tinkering, that's all. The substance of the article itself was great!

[digitalpress]

Now the unfortunate negative:
* I don't see how this article fit it's mission. I expected to read about gaming for people with minimal free-time, and didn't really get much relevant info about that.

Huh?

You stop in a pizza place to play arcade games. This is something I'd consider to be something you do "on the go". In fact, I'd pretty much consider any stop to play any arcade game while you're waiting for something else - like pizza - to be maximizing or compressing your time. Hence, "Pressed For Time".

Hope this helps shed some light on things.

[Ascending Wordsmith]

I've been in those kinds of situations before. Can anyone contribute to 'Pressed for Time", or is it an inside thing?

As for Laura's piece, I find it to be on point. Visiting my cousins in Lawton, Oklahoma always meant running around. We too had a pizza parlor with arcade games. We had Jackal, Mario Brothers, and Rush N' Attack. Great article, Atar1g1rl!

[Atar1G1rl]

Hey all! Thanks for the compliments and comments! Joe can tell you that I was a bit stressed on this one. Talk about being "pressed for time," I didn't think I'd even have time to write the article the way these past few weeks have gone.

@NoahsMyBro: I can see where you might be coming from. But I don't know how much tighter I can get on time than an hour and a half out of that whole week back home to go and play some games with my sis while waiting on dinner. I tend not to write cut and dry review (just the facts) stuff. It's very difficult for me and maybe that's a bad thing. But, like Joe said, this did fit, at least in my opinion, as something to do when you are waiting on your food or have only a tiny bit of spare time. Seeking out these few remaining places that cater to us big kids with video gaming appetites generally isn't a time consuming mission if we know where to look, which is why I added the link at the end. (I need to send in my update for Davenport's games list, as well, now that I mention it.) But you may have expected something different and I can understand that, too. Your comments are appreciated, though!

I knew it probably wouldn't click with everyone, but I think it did it's job since I've received a number of comments personally and on here about how it reminded folks of these great little places and evoked some happy memories. If that gets them to hop up and look for something similar or visit an old place for just a little while, then I think I did my job pretty well for a first run. And it will probably vary quite a bit from article to article, but I will always try to fit it in the parameters of the column without jumping too far off the path.

Thanks again, everyone!

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

I liked it, myself. I weep for the days when even small game rooms like that were readily available. Made me kinda homesick, and I've never even been to Birmingham!

[NoahsMyBro]

OK Guys & Gals, UNCLE! (I'm not Catholic. Would this be the appropriate time to say 'Mea Culpa'?)

I understand now. And, like I said before, I really did enjoy the article; I just didn't 'get it' exactly before. Now I do. What I was expecting was more of a 'You have only a few minutes at home to play something, and the industry is more geared toward 40 hour RPGs and other games dependent on SAVEs than it used to be. What do you do?' sort of thing.

Laura - I look forward to your next installment, and I'll definitely try to hit it with a more open mind next time.

Steve


PS: Not to hijack the thread, but lately I really feel like I must come across as a real crank. Do you guys see me like that?

[kainemaxwell]

Great article Laura, keep up the good work!

[digitalpress]

I understand now. And, like I said before, I really did enjoy the article; I just didn't 'get it' exactly before. Now I do. What I was expecting was more of a 'You have only a few minutes at home to play something, and the industry is more geared toward 40 hour RPGs and other games dependent on SAVEs than it used to be. What do you do?' sort of thing.

I'm pretty sure that will be the topic of some future installments, but Laura is quite versatile, you see - and I think she's showing that right off the bat. Funny thing is, she wasn't really sure this was a GOOD piece. Which of course makes me want to hang up my pen for good!

PS: Not to hijack the thread, but lately I really feel like I must come across as a real crank. Do you guys see me like that?

Yep. :P

Heh, seriously Steve, those of us who know you know you're not a "crank". A "wanker", perhaps, but never, never NEVER a "crank". Usually never.

[Mayhem]

As usual, I enjoyed every last Laura word

Speaking of Gyruss, any chance of getting that cab for this year's CGE? I wanna go back up against an old friend

[ManekiNeko]

I was kind of relieved when I read the article and discovered that the pizza place wasn't going anywhere. I've seen far too many arcades close in my lifetime and don't want to see more of them suffer the same fate.
So Joe, when's my next MAMExpose article gonna be published?

JR

[digitalpress]

So Joe, when's my next MAMExpose article gonna be published?

You're up next! I want to keep these coming one per week.

[digitalpress]

Laura's column returns today, and the BULLETS ARE FLYING!

http://www.digitpress.com/columns/pressedfortime.htm

Enjoy.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

Y'know, remind me not to cross Laura if she's having a bad day. *gulp*

[Keir]

I'd like to "get a little extra furry in dog mode". Oh, sorry, did I say that out loud?