Video Games Opened The Doors For Me—Literally
I am a curious person — few things have fascinated me enough to actually carry it out IRL and this new venture that I’ll be undergoing were introduced to me from various media.
From video games, such as: Fallout 4(Bethesda Studios), Assassin’s Creed: Unity(Ubisoft), Dying Light: The Following(Techland and Warner Bros), to an engaging series, like Nevermore by Kate Flynn and Kit Trace(WebToons).
This new skill that I’ll be diving into head first had been something I only seen on a screen and, now, I’ll get to experience it in real life: lock picking.
I Am Not a Crook
“I am not a crook”— Ruby Rose to Weiss Schnee, season 2, episode 1 of RWBY by Rooster Teeth.
No, I am not pursuing lock picking to start a life of crime. Quite the opposite—I’m taking control of what I don’t know into my own hands. In the games and stories I enjoy immersing myself into, you have different options to progress the story, quest, or overcome obstacles.
Using brute force causes loud noises, gives away your location, and alerting nearby enemies or NPC’s that someone is up to no good. When you’re starting at level 1, getting swarmed will be the fastest way you end up seeing the, “You Died”, on your screen.
So, what are our alternatives? The sneaky, quiet way in: finding an opening, slip inside, and leaving without a trace. What happens when you encounter a locked door or can’t blend in, though? That’s where lock picking comes in — the real stealth mechanic.
For non-gamers, this is typically how gamers progress through the game’s map, uncover loot, or survive without getting into a fight.
Seeing and Getting the Feel of Things
I won’t be picking locks any time soon, but I do want to share how interesting the clear lock is. I’ve always wondered why keys had different grooves — with the clear lock, I can see why.
The key lifts the pins inside of the lock to the correct height until they align. This is called, “The Shear Line.”
This is when each pin is raised evenly, you are able to turn the key, and see the lock open. It’s really fascinating when you get to see how complex something as simple as a lock really is.
The grooves and ridges in the keys aren’t just for show, it’s by design, it’s done with mechanics. And that’s an addictive feeling — getting to uncover the secrets of something hidden in plain sight everyday.
It grants a little creative leeway when playing a rogue character, at least in my opinion. It takes much skill and knows how to pick a lock fast enough to not get caught and leave without a trace.
Is This How It’s Like In Real Life?
This is the ultimate question I’ll be able to answer with learning locksport; whether which one video game was right on the money or making up their own system to engage the players with a new system and environment, than to actually learn to pick locks for reference.
Turns out, the real way to learn something is to understand how the mechanisms work.
Where My Journey Could Go
I am not claiming to be an expert, I am allowing my curiosity to get the best of me. That’s how my brain will be able to get rid of the tension I carry from and at work while indulging in the things I’m curious about.
I’m just someone who is simply asking, “What if I tried this?” I share the skill I want to learn, how I got introduced to such skill or hobby, I give it a try for X amount of days, then share what I’ve learned at the end of my timeline.
I’m usually one to use force than patience, so likely learning to be patient with these tools could transfer over to being patient with people. At least, that’s the hope.
Hey There — Let’s Chat
I’d like to hear from you. Really.
- Have you ever been curious about something, but never pursued it? What was it?
- Were you inspired by media as well, be it video games, books, movies, or other?
- What’s your equivalent to lock picking — something oddly specific, and a little taboo, that you wanted to understand?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below. I’d love to know what doors you’re thinking about opening next.
If not, that’s okay. You made it to the end and that means a lot more than you know, and I’d like to say thank you.
Otherwise, you can find my D&D inspired work or other tings I’m pursuing below. Until next time, I’ll see you all in the archives, another time.
Quarantine Life: In The Confines of Comfort: Idea #1:
The Town That Forgot How to Sleep: A D&D Prompt #2 (Seedling):
Starting From Scratch: Learning to Code After a D in University: (Seedling)
