I think I have a problem. Maybe you remember, in the past I’ve admitted to feeling queasy when I play first-person shooters (not particularly hardcore of me, I know). But I never expected to hit a similar wall with Guitar Hero, of all games. To tell the truth though, when I play, I feel distinctly carsick.
I know, I know, there are no cars in Guitar Hero. But watching that endless guitar neck roll by which each successive note… Just thinking about it brings back memories of family road trips through winding mountain passes. This time I can’t just shut my eyes and breathe though, I actually have to concentrate. I never could read in the car. Does anyone have a paper bag?
I’m really hoping my Guitar Hero sickness goes away, considering the game, well, rocks. I mean, I expected to be seeing musical notes each night after I played, like dreaming in frantic DDR arrows. Instead, everything around me is just kind of swirling and I think I should probably put my head down between my knees. Or open a window. Or stare out in front of the car. Wait, damnit. Maybe I just down have the stomach for rock.
Bonnie Ruberg is a sex, technology, and video games journalist who contributes regularly to publications like The Economist, Forbes, and The Village Voice. By day she's also a comparative literature PhD student at UC Berkeley, where she studies French, English, gender, sexuality, surrealism and perversion. You can reach her at [her first name and last name, all one big word] AT gmail DOT com.
June 14th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
When I play GH2 for any amount of time, everything turns into an optical illusion where it seems to be rising. I can only play for 30 minutes tops or it makes me ill as well.
June 14th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
Guitar Hero Swirly Eye…
It is a testament to the quality of the writing (and choice of material) that I continue to read Heroine Sheik despite the fact that the title spoiled Ocarina of Time for me. Honestly, I stopped playing halfway through. And…
June 15th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Oh boy…you better get rid of that guitar sickness thing soon. All that awesome 80′s rock goodness will be coming out in about a month. I’ll be crossing my fingers that the Final Countdown makes it into that cut…and I’m dead serious.
June 19th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
When I play GH2 for any amount of time, everything turns into an optical illusion where it seems to be rising.
Hey, I get that, too!
It is a testament to the quality of the writing (and choice of material) that I continue to read Heroine Sheik despite the fact that the title spoiled Ocarina of Time for me.
Well, thank you, but I can’t say I understand…?
All that awesome 80’s rock goodness will be coming out in about a month.
Actually, I’m kind of sad I’m coming into Guitar Hero now, since I’m definitely more of a 70′s rock person than an 80′s one. Ziggy Stardust on Guitar Hero I… I mourn for the loss of glam :(.
June 21st, 2007 at 10:31 pm
Sorry, I thought you were saying something about that Sheik guy in Ocarina. Never mind.
I think I also may not understand how to do a proper trackback, as it just showed up in your comments section. My bad. Anyway, it’s a great blog and I particularly liked this true-life tale of first time Guitar Heroism. The very same thing happened to me, with added confusion due to alcohol.