Andy and I just finished up recording this week’s new episode of Twinfinite Loop, the official Twinfinite podcast (catch Twinfinite Loop fever!!!), when we somehow got onto the topic of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, as you will soon hear. Why? Because it’s now on Steam. FINALLY.
Not only does Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing have some of the single greatest user tags for a typing game on Steam, but it also comes with a selection of screenshots on the storefront. Screenshots of what you ask? Well, screenshots of the title screen, the actual typing game, etc., but there is one screenshot that’s so bizarre, so unusual that it bears pointing out.
Take a look at this.
At first glance, what do you see? It’s just a creepy CG lady typing on a desk that looks like it was made in Google Sketchup. Nothing too unusual. But first, I’d like to bring something to your attention. This screenshot includes a virtual computer. This virtual computer is included WITHIN THE GAME as a frame you can have around Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. Just consider the meta-absurdity of playing a computer typing on a virtual computer WITHIN a real computer.
Not only that, but this would appear to be one of the 3D models designed to show you the proper posture and position in which one should type. Yes, that’s really a feature in this game. But look closely at what this virtual lady is doing– she too, is playing Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing on a computer. But on her monitor is the same virtual computer frame, naturally also displaying a virtual set of hands on a virtual keyboard.
And now, just by playing this game, just by even looking at this screenshot, you too– yes YOU the reader– are now a part of this vicious cycle of digital simulacra. Because you are now looking at an image of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing with a computer screen with an image of a virtual computer with a Quicktime video (overlayed on top of the monitor, I might add) of a virtual woman playing Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing on her own virtual computer now displaying a virtual virtual computer displaying Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. Let’s not even consider this means now that this woman has the capability to open this same video up on her virtual virtual computer giving life to another functional virtual virtual virtual computer playing Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing.
We are through the looking glass here, people.
