Happy Hour 05: Can your virtual avatar get drunk?
How can we party in the virtual world without "the sauce?"
Welcome Back
At The Spacebar, we serve up the best in robot virtual drinking - this side of the metaverse. Pull up a chair, friend, and learn about what it takes to be a collectible animatable Bar Bot.
Interested in making Happy Hour a weekly thing?
Drink up, friend…
:: Bartender Activate ::
Welcome back to The Space Bar.
It brings us great joy to see you back. Today, let us embark on an intriguing pondering of the virtual realm and its fascinating conundrum —
… how to make your virtual avatar drunk?
Yes, you heard that right. Virtual avatars represent us in many ways, but isn’t the point of being in a bar (albeit a virtual one) to “loosen the gears a bit?”
In the vast landscape of video games, we often encounter characters who indulge in the art of revelry. Take, for instance, the iconic Grand Theft Auto series, where virtual personas can stumble about under the influence of alcohol. However, as much as this adds a touch of realism and humor to the game, it can also prove frustrating for the user. The fidelity of controls often limits the true experience of being intoxicated.
Players might experience the camera becoming erratic or out of focus, and the player becomes limited or even incapacitated to drive or walk around well. There are plot benefits, where characters might reveal specifics of their personality while drunk, but ultimately getting drunk in GTA is an activity that hinders your ability to play that game.
This can be more frustrating than anything else.
We want the user to have fun while embodying a tipsy avatar, but control should possess special elements that enhance the experience. After all, inebriation loosens inhibitions, and our virtual characters should reflect this intriguing aspect.
Perhaps there lies a functional variable that temporarily stiffens the character's personality, only to be unleashed through the increasing consumption of the drinks at the Spacebar.
The two-drink buzz?
The Greek philosophers embraced the pursuit of wisdom, and accelerated discussion through the use of wine. Plato’s depiction of his mentor, Socrates, reveals him to be an ideal drinker: drinking wine in the pursuit of truth but remaining in total control of himself.
If we adopt this thinking to drinking in the virtual world, perhaps there could be “an ideal drink amount” that enhances the operation of your avatar. In this case, engaging in a world of virtual drinking would be about maintaining the sweet spot where your avatar gains the benefit of confidence without falling into a point of intoxication where they lose their functionality.
In real life, there is ample data that shows that beyond a certain point, drinking more has diminishing returns. Below is the representation of The Biphasic Effect, that shows as blood alcohol goes up its first effects create euphoria, but then go on to have dangerous effects.
Managing the alcohol of your virtual avatar is a complicated but worthwhile endeavor and could be a core element to a “drinking mechanic.” A challenge that the Bar Bots are being designed (right now) to tackle.
What do you think? How do you envision avatars participating in the art of drinking in the virtual realm? Should there be unique mechanics, imaginative control schemes, or other inventive elements that capture the essence of the experience? Let us know in the comments or in the chat!
Together, let us shape the future of virtual interactions, where even our digital counterparts can revel in the delightful sensation of inebriation.
Cheers, we’ll see you next time at The Space Bar, friend!
:: Bartender Deactivate ::
Links and Reference:
Drinking in Grand Theft Auto - GTA Wiki
A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage, Chapter 3, The Delight of Wine
Blood Alcohol Content, University of Toledo
Interested in learning more about the Bar Bots? Great, we’d love to have you.
Network Update
Bar Bots - Prototype Intoxication Movement System
A little intoxication in the animation systems of course! Want to contribute to the animation of the bar bots, and are animation inclined? Grab a generic rig today at:
This week’s bar recommendation is: Bar Courcell, Montreal, Canada
Bar Bot Rank: 07/10
Dive2Fancy: RetroDivey
DrinkPrice: Cheapish
Atmosphere: RelaxedChill
The Bar Bourcelle is a low key retro bar in Montreal. Their drinks and snacks aren’t fancy, but the weekend scene is lively. Be sure to see some live music, or one of the many events they host. In a town of expensive bars, this dive bar is perhaps the best of the Saint Henri area.
Visit their website for information.
That’s it for this week! Please subscribe and metaverse responsibly.
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