Here is an example of some of the strange ideas that I get. Ideas that just stay stuck in my head. Percolating and turning, refining themselves until they are way too detailed to be told to normal people without looking like that crazy guy from Back to the Future. But I shouldn't worry about that, because you guys aren't normal, right?
So here it is. I have this ongoing theory that now that the Wii is such a huge hit, we are finally on track to create virtual games similar to the holodeck. I imagine that they would be in huge warehouses where you book giant play rooms. Every game you now play, plus novels and movies that have been converted for the purpose will be available. Nothing new there, right? But I keep wondering, in their attempt to make the experience as realistic a possible won't they need to add smells to the game world? I mean you will have graphics, touch and sound. Don't you need smell? And exactly, what kind of qualifications do you need to do such a job? Maybe as a chef, or would a garbage man be better? And how would you know exactly what smell to you use?
Maybe it would be like those behind the scenes shows where some dedicated movie sound technician travels all through Nepal to get the right sound for a farting giraffe? It must be something like that. A strange smell obsessed person goes out into the big wide smelly world and starts recording smells. But how do you record smells and would they be easily replicatable? I mean some things will be obvious: new car smell, burning rubber, stale air, but what about a street in downtown Los Angles in the 1940's (I so want to play the entire LA Confidential Quartet). What would that smell like?
As you can see I have already invested the same amount of time into this inane idea as people spend getting a high school education.
So here it is. I have this ongoing theory that now that the Wii is such a huge hit, we are finally on track to create virtual games similar to the holodeck. I imagine that they would be in huge warehouses where you book giant play rooms. Every game you now play, plus novels and movies that have been converted for the purpose will be available. Nothing new there, right? But I keep wondering, in their attempt to make the experience as realistic a possible won't they need to add smells to the game world? I mean you will have graphics, touch and sound. Don't you need smell? And exactly, what kind of qualifications do you need to do such a job? Maybe as a chef, or would a garbage man be better? And how would you know exactly what smell to you use?
Maybe it would be like those behind the scenes shows where some dedicated movie sound technician travels all through Nepal to get the right sound for a farting giraffe? It must be something like that. A strange smell obsessed person goes out into the big wide smelly world and starts recording smells. But how do you record smells and would they be easily replicatable? I mean some things will be obvious: new car smell, burning rubber, stale air, but what about a street in downtown Los Angles in the 1940's (I so want to play the entire LA Confidential Quartet). What would that smell like?
As you can see I have already invested the same amount of time into this inane idea as people spend getting a high school education.
1 comment:
This is a highly relevant and valuable point. Because, out of all of our senses, smell creates the longest resonation. Smell takes you back. Good smells, bad smells.... they all trigger memories. I can remember exactly the way my beloved Cabbage PAtch doll smelled right out of the box. Or how Mr. Bubbles (my childhood bubble bath of choice) smells. Without the smell, you aren't going to get the full experience.
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