Meta-Technology

My brother has become very interested in a new game on the computer called "Tabletop Simulator." It is what it claims to be. You can choose the type of table you have and the background. You can then use the "Chest" to pick items to play games on the table: cards, dice, RPGs (role-playing games), chess... People have made a variety of "mods" so you can play other games on your virtual tabletop: popular board games like Candyland, obscure board games from the 70's, 80's, and 90's, My Little Pony figurines, many different card games; I am astounded by the number of choices available.

I find the idea of playing cards or a board game on the computer sort of bemusing. Why wouldn't you just play the real game? I guess the idea is that this way, friends from around the country can get together and play board games and/or cards. To add to the experience, you can add mods so that you can have virtual sodas, chips, and other items on the table that are not necessarily used in game play, but that add to the flavor of the experience.

I admit it, Jam and I have actually played Candyland in two adjoining rooms on two computers.

I showed up at Mom's house the other day to find the Jam-Man really excited about the newest mod: a virtual tablet. So now, in this virtual tabletop game, you can have a virtual tablet. But the virtual tablet doesn't just look like a tablet, it works like one. You can now go online on the virtual tablet while you are playing virtual board games on Tabletop Simulator. Say while you're playing and conversing over microphone/headphones, you get into an argument about some unusual piece of trivia. Now you can look it up on Google without leaving the game.

Ok, my mind is officially blown by this.

Jam-Man showed me how you can actually watch YouTube videos on your virtual tablet while playing Tabletop Simulator.

I am reminded of my grandmother's bathroom, actually.  When I was little, she was the first person to show me a mirror that folded out from the wall so you could see the back of your head and if you angled it correctly, you could see yourself in the mirror watching yourself in the mirror watching yourself in the mirror to infinity.

I asked Jam to take a screenshot of this phenomenon because I find it so baffling. The photo you see above is of Tabletop Simulator. Playing on the virtual tablet in the center of the table is a YouTube video of how to use Tabletop Simulator. I kid you not. Once he took the photo, Jam said, "I should have put a soda and some snacks on the table for you!"

I will let you decide how to process this information. I am feeling decidedly old.