Consoles win

I installed Spore last night on my computer (yes, Sam, because of you... I just move slowly). It's fascinating and fun and I am cross that I am at work today and not "sandboxing" around in the game world.

However... it took THREE FRUSTRATING HOURS getting it installed and updated. Now, I know that this is because it's a Maxis game and they make fantastically inefficient games. However, um... the games are GOOD. I don't want to play bad games just because their installs are light.

Do I have three hours to futz around with an install? Well, last night I felt I did; I did other things for much of this time, while infinitesimal movement crept across the progress bar. But most days I am not home/awake for that much time, and I feel it is time ill-spent to do a lot of prep-work for fun I also don't have time for.

The plug & play aspect of console games is very seductive -- and they get me out of the office, staring at a screen and monkeying with a keyboard, after a day of doing the same, and into the cozy living room where I can backseat drive and take turns at will. It's seemingly more social. I really can't face the computer at home after work. For instance, last night I updated my virus protection for the first time since December 5th; that's not a lot of personal home computer time. (I assure you it's not because I'm getting lax about security.)

So, I see it now: consoles pwn, even for ramblingly unmotivated explorer types like myself. I don't need to pay a monthly fee for WoW or EVE Online. I can sandbox delightfully with the X-Box in Fallout 3, Oblivion, or, heck, noodle around in Rock Band as usual. Even Wii Music has its masochistic charm.

...But I'm still playing Spore.