Hi, I’m Katie. I’m a games journalist, critic, and graduate living in Melbourne, Australia. I’m mainly found in print mags Hyper and PC PowerPlay, as well as on weekend news duty at GameSpy, but I do some other freelance work on the side too: here’s the full list.
Alive Tiny World takes its name from a song by now-defunct indie pop Perth band Autopilot. Its lyrical content probably isn’t very relevant to anything you’ll find on this blog, but I thought the title was an apt description of the experience of playing a good game; it’s a small, self-contained world that doesn’t leave your television or computer screen, but still sticks with you for awhile.
I can be reached via @desensitisation on Twitter, or by email at katie@alivetinyworld.com. Alternatively, subscribe on Facebook to keep up with my stuff both within and outside of Alive Tiny World. Thanks for visiting!
Your background art is from the movie, Tekkon Kinkreet. The art was adapted from Taiyō Matsumoto’s black and white manga of the same name. I believe the art director on the film was Shinji Kimura. Hope that helps. :)
That’s awesome Azereki, thank you! I’ll have to see that movie sometime, looks gorgeous.
I love the way Alive Tiny World is written there, it’s gorgeous!
Hi!
I was narcissistically Googling myself and stumbled upon your blog. I wrote the song Alive Tiny World and am most flattered and pleased that the title, if not the song, has found a home somewhere! The title was my favourite thing ABOUT the song, and it’s a nice feeling to know that something your brain squeezed out one day has, in some way, resonated with someone. The great play goes on, and I have contributed a verse…. well, a stanza… a line or two..
So thanks, my day is made. I shall now read more of your blog, you seem to have an interesting mind.
Cheers!
Wow, cool! I can’t say this blog would be very interesting unless you’re a gamer, but I’m super happy you appreciate my appropriation of your song title. It’s still one of my most favourite songs, even all these years later. Are you working on any music these days?
Also, did you happen to find the guy who uses the same song name on dating websites?
Apologies, I just realized I neglected to reply. Rudeness, even and especially faceless, nameless and consequence-less rudeness should be avoided.
I do still write and record and play, although mostly for my own amusement and fulfillment in a darkened room at 3am. Quite exactly another kind of Alive Tiny World, in fact. Well put! Thank you.
I’ve never stumbled upon the dating guy, although I would be curious as to HIS reasons for choosing the name. It would make me think of him as a potential host for bacteria and parasites, but maybe that’s just where MY mind goes.
I’ve been enjoying your blogs. You’re right, I’m not from that world; rather a parallel world inhabited by similar pale-skinned headphone-wearing hotkey-jabbing creatures, faces illuminated by the alien waveforms that they nightly attempt to wrestle into creative submission. Seems I’m much less likely to bump into another human on ProTools, though, which suits me just fine.
I like your writing though, so please keep doing that.
Hiya Katie,
I have only just started noticing the writers names on Kotaku as I usually skip past them to read peoples stories and opinions, but I noticed yours only just recently and did not realise it was you thinking it was another Katie, but this blog has confirmed it and I’m very surprised!
Hope ya keep up the good work, its great to see you doing well, going to have to pass your blog around to the many of my friends who enjoy reading blogs :).
Thanks, Nate! I miss gaming with you. <3
Love your blog, Katie, I’m into the social aspect of the whole thing, and especially the divide that has come. I’ve written a commentary on the social war in music. I’d love to have your comment on it. I bet it would be searing! You rock!
http://independentnewsofsound.wordpress.com
Hi, I’ve just read your list of ‘many reasons why’ and, as a 42-year old games loving man it really upsets me that women in the games industry have to put up with this BS. Please don’t let the haters, misogynists and general idiots stop you from doing what you love.
I don’t know who you are but you’re very clearly someone awesome and noteworthy. I think I recognize your style, I’ve probably read an article here or there that you’ve written, I’m not exactly one to read a lot of video game journalism, most of the meatier pieces tell me things I’ve already pieced together myself, though I support that. On the other hand I really don’t personally care about the fluff pieces that seem so prevalent. This is of course nothing against you personally, you’re articulate and from some of the articles of yours right now, clearly intelligent. That alone would make me interested in reading more articles from you but what really hit it home that I should be following you is your Too many reasons why post from today. I am not a woman, but that sort of thing honestly does make me outraged, this is neither here nor there, you are the kind of person I would have long conversations with about games and thus even through articles your opinion is something I would want to absorb. I look forward to seeing more stuff from you in the future.
I don’t know who you are but you’re very clearly someone awesome and noteworthy. I think I recognize your style, I’ve probably read an article here or there that you’ve written, I’m not exactly one to read a lot of video game journalism, most of the meatier pieces tell me things I’ve already pieced together myself, though I support that. On the other hand I really don’t personally care about the fluff pieces that seem so prevalent. This is of course nothing against you personally, you’re articulate and from some of the articles of yours right now, clearly intelligent. That alone would make me interested in reading more articles from you but what really hit it home that I should be following you is your Too many reasons why post from today. I am not a woman, but that sort of thing honestly does make me outraged, this is neither here nor there, you are the kind of person I would have long conversations with about games and thus even through articles your opinion is something I would want to absorb. I look forward to seeing more stuff from you in the future.
I’ll never get why people love to verbally stick the knife into someone in real life, and in this context I mean outside of the competition of online gaming. I’ve done it in the past while playing games, like some sort of force enjoyment multiplier or when trying to derail another player, but to single out meat popsicles in real life and belligerently harass them is something different, bordering on the sociopathic or autistic. To introspect, I’m not the most social creature, and whilst I can get by 50/50, I still get the difference between making (real) life shit for other people and making life better for other people. (I find myself choosing the latter, because the alternative is to be a permanent asshole through and through, which is not a good place to find yourself)
anyway: fuck the haters. You know you’re better than them in myriad ways and don’t need a global electronic support forum to remind yourself of that. Wear the brightest pink clothes, flashiest rainbow stockings, jeans and 3 layers of hoodies, whatever. Make them jealous and get a laugh/wry smile out of their misery.
I’ll never get why people love to verbally stick the knife into someone in real life, and in this context I mean outside of the competition of online gaming. I’ve done it in the past while playing games, like some sort of force enjoyment multiplier or when trying to derail another player, but to single out meat popsicles in real life and belligerently harass them is something different, bordering on the sociopathic or autistic. To introspect, I’m not the most social creature, and whilst I can get by 50/50, I still get the difference between making (real) life shit for other people and making life better for other people. (I find myself choosing the latter, because the alternative is to be a permanent asshole through and through, which is not a good place to find yourself)
anyway: fuck the haters. You know you’re better than them in myriad ways and don’t need a global electronic support forum to remind yourself of that. Wear the brightest pink clothes, flashiest rainbow stockings, jeans and 3 layers of hoodies, whatever. Make them jealous and get a laugh/wry smile out of their misery.
Rock on lady. Speak up. Be fearless. Need more people like you in the industry.