When Did This Happen?
My son and I like to play Guitar Hero together, though he kicks my butt, of course. To show him that I was cool and "knew stuff," I showed him this YouTube posted by Megan McCardle showing a guy scoring 100% on "Through the Fire and Flames" on expert. (If you don't know what this means, just trust me that Neo from the Matrix loaded with amphetamines in full bullet-dodging twitch reflex mode would struggle with completing this level of the game).
About 5 seconds in, my son says "It's a bot. He's faking." And then he walked away.
"Huh? Really?" I stared at it for a while, and realized that he was very probably correct. So when did I become more credulous than my teenager?
David:
I'm confused about this one, it doesn't seem obvious to me that it's a bot. Is it just because we don't get to see his fingers? Are there any particular moments that just stand out? I'm pretty sure that it's not technically impossible, since it's a real song, so someone can do that with a real guitar, anyway.
I'm guessing, though, that it's not so much that you're more credulous as that you're credulous about different subjects - and after all, believing that someone can be that good at a video game doesn't damage you much!
August 18, 2008, 2:36 pmErikTheRed:
Actually, some people have been modding their guitars to automatically send the correct note sequences so they can get 100% on expert. This is pretty silly ... I mean, if your game is playing with itself then is it technically masturbation?
August 18, 2008, 3:21 pmjb:
While it is theoretically possible that he's using a bot, this was posted on youtube by IamChris4Life, who has an actual NYTimes article about his GH playing ability:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/arts/television/10itzk.html
Given the lax editorial standards at the NYT, this does not make this particular story bulletproof, but the article indicates that he's done this multiple times, and got 97% in front of an audience. Which suggests that it is certainly possible that every so often, he gets 100%.
Tell your son: FAIL!
August 18, 2008, 3:24 pmDr. T:
When you wanted to show him your were cool.
August 18, 2008, 5:36 pmDavid Zetland:
"So when did I become more credulous than my teenager?"
since you got a teenager.
August 19, 2008, 10:26 amdreth:
people tend to be more credulous about things they know less about.
August 21, 2008, 11:54 am