Some complaining, some other
Nov. 29th, 2007 04:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amethyst73I'm still kinda sick, drat it all. I've been at work the last couple of days, which is certainly an improvement, but totally needed to go lie down for a while come 4PM or so. Nose has moved from wet'n'runny to dry'n'stuffy, with those lovely large globs of goop that collect and are eventually evicted. My throat is becoming kind of unhappily scratchy and painful; I'm guessing it's because of the postnasal drip glop, but it feels all irritated because it's dry. I've been drinking a lot of tea, but that only helps for a limited period of time - like, while I'm drinking it, and about 5 minutes afterwards. I'm having some serious doubts about this dress rehearsal thing I'm supposed to go to tonight. We'll see...
Meantime, back Tuesday evening, I was spending some more time on Orisinal's site, and gave a go at "High Delivery." I vaguely remembered having seen it some years ago; you waft a balloon, latched to a basket, ever upwards through a cumulus sky filled with gentle pink flowers. Harp music plays as you ascend. Finally, the field of flowers ends, and you arrive at the delivery spot: a simple but elegant wrought-iron white gate, high in the clouds. "You delivered [#] flowers." appears to the upper left, written in a pretty script in the same pink color as the flowers.
It was the first time EVER that a video game made me actually cry. Tears sprang to my eyes the instant I saw the gate this time, and thinking about it shortly afterwards made me really cry.
I didn't cry when Aeris died in FF7. (Admittedly, I knew it was coming;hoshikage had shown us the relevant FMVs from the game ages before I got the chance to play it.) I didn't cry when Galuf died in FF5, though it was certainly sad, and I didn't think much of his granddaughter as a character. I didn't cry when I played High Delivery some years ago.
But then, some years ago, most individuals I knew who had died were not particularly close to me. My maternal grandparents both died when I was pretty young. My paternal grandfather was someone I'd remembered meeting a handful of times, because he lived on the other side of the country. I'm not certain whether my paternal grandmother had passed away when I last played this.
Only in the past couple of years have there been a solid handful of deaths of people I have known well and loved. So I can easily imagine the affection that the designer of High Delivery must have felt towards some departed friend when he/she created this honest, sweet minigame.
Because it reflects perfectly what we feel towards those we love who have passed away. We send up our thoughts and our love for them, and leave our offerings at the gate... and we hope that the gate will be opened, and the gifts found and appreciated.
It was the first time EVER that a video game made me actually cry. Tears sprang to my eyes the instant I saw the gate this time, and thinking about it shortly afterwards made me really cry.
I didn't cry when Aeris died in FF7. (Admittedly, I knew it was coming;
hoshikage had shown us the relevant FMVs from the game ages before I got the chance to play it.) I didn't cry when Galuf died in FF5, though it was certainly sad, and I didn't think much of his granddaughter as a character. I didn't cry when I played High Delivery some years ago.But then, some years ago, most individuals I knew who had died were not particularly close to me. My maternal grandparents both died when I was pretty young. My paternal grandfather was someone I'd remembered meeting a handful of times, because he lived on the other side of the country. I'm not certain whether my paternal grandmother had passed away when I last played this.
Only in the past couple of years have there been a solid handful of deaths of people I have known well and loved. So I can easily imagine the affection that the designer of High Delivery must have felt towards some departed friend when he/she created this honest, sweet minigame.
Because it reflects perfectly what we feel towards those we love who have passed away. We send up our thoughts and our love for them, and leave our offerings at the gate... and we hope that the gate will be opened, and the gifts found and appreciated.
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no subject
Date: 2007-11-30 08:38 pm (UTC)I played "High Delivery" and while I didn't cry, I did feel a tight knot in my chest. I understand how it could really get to you. *more hugs*
I hope you're feeling better soon. I want to take you riding in my new toy!