Horvath1

AntonHorvath
OConnor
HonorsEnglish9
21October2015
PixelatedLife
TellthattotheCovenant.Theclickofahelmetlockinginplaceandthegleaming,
proudstandingMasterChieflookingreadytotakeonanentirearmyfadeintoaloadingscreen
ofdarkness,litbyonlytheslowmovingswirlatthebottomrighthandsideofmylaptop.My
firstexperiencewithvideogamesbroughtlearningandawholenewperspectiveastohowI
viewedlife,andthepeopleandobjectsaroundme.
Asenseandvergeofexcitementburstthroughmelikeafreighttrainonice,bringing
withitaquickandexuberantlaugh.Itwasrainingmyfavoriteweatherbyfar.Lookingoutthe
window,dropletsofwaterseemtoclingdesperatelytothedoublepanedglass,unwillingto
crashagainstthehardpavementbelow.Iturnbacktomydesk,thescreenofanAcerlaptop
flickeringtolifebeforemyeyes.Theroomisdark,evenatoneintheafternoon,theominous
cloudsoutsidecastingashadowovertheearth.Alighttappingofrainagainsttheglasseasesmy
tensions,theworriesIhaveasathirdgrader.Click.IwatchastheopeningclipsofHalo2plays
beforemyveryeyes.IencounterMasterChief,thebraveandruthlessroboticspartan,filledwith
lustforbloodfromtheCovenant(agroupofdeadlyaliens).Hesaysbarelyanything,yethis
personalityisdefined:cold,strategic,anddowntothepoint.Iencounterthesmallyetvicious
enemiesoftheCovenantcalledgrunts,whosescreamsandwailssomehowbecameiconicafter
playingforawhile.Theydancearoundwhenshot,fleewhentheyrelosing.Isuppresslaughter

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intheformofconcentration,takingonthefinalbossthatresembledthefigureofaoneeyed
tortoiseonstilts.Icantgiveuptheinvestmentintermsofhoursistoomuchnow.Bang.Bang!
Myassaultriflestandsoverusedandworninmyhands,butIcontinuetotryandslaythemighty
beast.Bang!Bang!FasterandfasterIshot,myeyesbrimmingwithtearsfromnotblinking.
Withafinalbullet,thebossfell.Andthroughthisvastandimmeasurablefirstexperienceinmy
virtualworld,Iflungthesheetoffoftheunknownand,withoutknowing,createdananalogy
betweenthepixelsthatmakeupgamessuchasHalo2andtheentitiesthatsurroundusinour
everydaylives.
Mom,justacouplemoreminutes?Iaskedpleadingly.Backinmyelementaryyears,I
wasrestrictedtoanhourofelectronicactivityaday.Itwaspainful,horrific,andexcruciatingly
frustratingwhenallIcravedintheworldwasHaloonthecomputer.
No,nowturnitoff,Sheinsisted,rifflingthroughherpapersontheofficedesk.Isighed
inexasperationandclosedthelid,essentiallywipingallthepixelsfromthegameandchucking
themintothedarkest,blackestscreenever.TosaythegraphicsandvisualsinHalo2were
beautifulwouldbeanunderstatementbackin2010.However,yearshavepassedandtechnology
asweknowithasbeensharpenedandhoned.AsIreflectonmyfirstgameplayexperiences
intheoldgame,Icanthelpbutnoticetheobviouspixelsthatmakeupthecharactersand
vehiclesIpilotinthevirtualworldofthe26thCentury.ThepixelsthatbuiltthegameIfirst
playedleftamassiverealizationinmymind:pixelsandentitiesinourliveshavelargeand
distinctconnections.Itsoundslikeaweakandunsupportedconcept/theory,anditmaybefor
some.Letslookatthesethingscalledpixelsfirst.Thesesmall,coloredboxesofagameserve
tocreateandprojecttheimagesyouseewalkingortalking.Theyrebuildingblocks,makingup

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theentiregame.Nowwelookatoureverydaylives,andtheobjectswerunintowhile
performingourusualbusiness.Takeasinglepencil,whichstudentsuseconstantlyforwriting
purposes.BeforeplayingHalo2,Iviewedthatpencilasaninsignificantpieceofwoodwith
leadonit.ButafterseeingtheindividualpixelsthatmadeupcharacterssuchasMasterChief
orthegrunts,Inowlookedatpencilsassinglepixels.Pencilswerenowpixelsinmymind.
Theresemblancebetweenpixelsandentities,oranyitemsandobjects,wasuncannyand
unnerving.Letsusethepencilanalogyagain.Iconsideredpencilsaspixelsinmymind,but
whataboutotherobjects?Mymurkyandalgaefilledfishtank?Theolddresserthatstandsinmy
closet,holdingmyclothes?These,too,Iconsideredasindividualpixels.SowhydidIvisualize
thesethewayIdidaftermyplaythroughofHalo?Pixelsarebuildingblocks,tinyboxesthat
makeupthewholegame.Pencils,althoughsmall,serveastinybuildingblocksthatmakeupour
entirelife.Life,inmyperspective,islarge.Itconsistsofelementssuchasevents,people,and
placesthatasingleindividualencountersduringtheirentirelifespan.Thefishtankanddresser
inmyroomalsoserveasbuildingblocks.TheymakeupthelifeIlivetheentitiesthatappear
andrevolvearoundme.Frommyfirstexperiencewithvideogamesonthelaptop,Ivisualized
itemssuchasmyphone,clothes,andevenhouseaspixelsbecausetheyallservethepurposeof
buildinglargerstructuresifitsagameoranentirelifespanofahumanbeing.
MerriamWebstersdictionarystatesthatapixelis,anyoneoftheverysmalldotsthattogether
formthepictureonatelevisionscreen,computermonitor,etc.Justaspixelsformalarger
picture,entitiesmakeupthelargerpictureofourentirelives.
Therealizationthatstruckmeafterplayingmyfirstcomputergamemayhavebeenmore
thanwhatIcouldpossiblyexplaininthethirdgrade.Itwasaforeignconcepttosaythatatoilet

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andapixelinagamehadanysimilarity.Yet,Halo2broughttomyattentiontheentitiesthat
surroundus,andthepixelsthatmakeupoureverydaylives.