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How important is travel?

In this age of hi-res photo, fast internet, huge monitor, and blu-ray nature documentaries, how useful is travelling to see sites with your own eyes? Especially if vacation days are scarce, and the industry is advancing so much it seems like you need all your spare time to get faster, and learn new softwares or techniques (or is that not true? I'm not in the industry yet)?

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  • Fwap
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    Fwap polycounter lvl 13
    Traveling and seeing new places is the best way to rejuvenate the mind IMO.
    You don't necessarily have to travel abroad, but just changing up your environment from time to time helps heaps with creativity.

    I live in suburbia, same roads same houses typically on my everyday travels, sometimes if i'm lucky i get to travel into the city, i always come back so mentally refreshed and full of fresh ideas.

    Blue Rays and DVD's just don't compare, traveling is more than just visuals, its the smell, the humidity, the atmosphere the people.
  • EarthQuake
    The internet/tv is not a replacement for real world experiences.
  • ambershee
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    ambershee polycounter lvl 17
    I travel constantly, I couldn't live any other way. I'vebeen to some incredible places, met some amazing people, and most importantly I have memories and stories to tell - the hallmarks of having actually lived your life instead of working through it. Yesterday I visited two castles, ? a mountain, explored a little down a random river and took a three hour hike around a lake. What did you do this weekend ;)

    Photos and anecdotes are a really poor substitute to actually being somewhere. I'd say it really broadens your experience and shapes your understanding of the world and people in it, rather than being led to believe whatever you're just told about a place through hearsay.

    As a designer, I think it's really important, as is reading (fiction, history, science, philosophy, theology!). I'd rate travel even more highly for artists.
  • almighty_gir
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    almighty_gir ngon master
    EarthQuake wrote: »
    The internet/tv is not a replacement for real world experiences.

    110% this.
  • WarrenM
    Down time and travel are essential, IMO, to keeping your creative battery charged. It's not just a matter of seeing things - it's smelling the air, interacting with the people, eating the food, etc. Cultural experiences are invaluable for an artist. Well, for anyone really, but this was an art related question, so...
  • passerby
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    passerby polycounter lvl 12
    Just go travel
  • MagicSugar
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    MagicSugar polycounter lvl 10
    My preference when traveling out of country is if there's something in my destination that's beneficial to me as an artist. I don't want to travel just so I can say I've been to this place or that. "Check out my snapshots." "Banged chicks in Ibiza/ Ukraine" (not judging dudes into that, I'm just not one), etc.

    I went to South Beach, Miami cuz there was a museum exhibit of an artist I was interested in (nice thonged bikini chicks!). London, 'cuz there was a week long wax sculpting class at the City University. My pictures there? None of me, only my wax sculpts of naked British chicks. Bay Area, 'cuz I want to see the inside of Pixar. Weekend in Seattle, same with museum exhibit plus life drawing. Hilight of my Vegas honeymoon besides you know what and more so than the Bahamas reef diving (It was an extragant itenerary now that I think back about it), checking out Richard Macdonald's sculpting gallery found by accident.

    I don't regret skipping going to all the E3 and GDCs that I coul've gone for free (studio paid all expense back when I was on staff) since I preferred my vacation time where I think I'll benefit more as an artist.
  • Bellsey
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    Bellsey polycounter lvl 8
    it's a big world out there, get out and see it.
  • WarrenM
    Certain places don't need no reason. Go see Paris, France and Rome, Italy and any number of other key cities in old countries. Just experiencing these places, walking around them, is worth the price of admission.
  • WarrenM
    And yeah, what Bellsey said.

    It's a big world and life is short. Get out there. I regret waiting as long as I did to catch the travel bug.
  • VPrime
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    VPrime polycounter lvl 9
    You don't get the smell, taste, the air, the people, the experiences behind a screen.

    It is completely different when you're actually there. I like to use street view before going on a trip. But once I am there it is nothing like google maps.
  • Visum
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    Visum polycounter lvl 7
    Agree with everybody.
    Even simple out of town for a day trip can refresh your mind.
  • MagicSugar
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    MagicSugar polycounter lvl 10
    ambershee wrote: »
    Photos and anecdotes are a really poor substitute to actually being somewhere.

    If anyone goes to Cleveland :)HI:) on a budget, I recommend finding a hotel in the downtown core. You won't feel like the cab driver will murder you after telling him you're from out of town and your inn is a long drive to an industrial location.
  • Isaiah Sherman
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    Isaiah Sherman polycounter lvl 14
    That links is really good, Dustin.

    Particularly when she talks about peoples' life regrets. You don't hear people on their death bed saying "I wish I got that promotion."

    You hear people saying "I wish I didn't work so much, I wish I traveled more."
  • Sukotto
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    Sukotto polycounter lvl 8
    Is this a serious question? I mean sure, the industry is competitive and you need to work hard to get ahead, but a computer monitor should never be a surrogate for the real world. I'm sure you're just curious(that's why you're asking) but it would be a sad day if we as people actually resorted to 'virtual vacationing'
  • lukepham101
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    lukepham101 polycounter lvl 7
    Even if you weren't in or trying to get into the games industry, everyone should travel! There's so much out there with so many cool places to see and people to meet. It'll broaden your perspective of the world and really teach you just how tiny you are in the grand scheme of the world. JUMP ON A PLANE AND GO FORTH NOW!!!!
  • easterislandnick
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    easterislandnick polycounter lvl 17
    Yeah, go everywhere. Industrial towns, castles, ranches, dodgy border towns, temples, jungles, bio-domes, garage forecourts, abandoned stations, harbours, holiday resorts....

    After going to Angkor in Cambodia it's amazing how many people get it wrong in their portfolio pieces. They do a good job on one of the temples and then fuck it up with generic rainforest type plants. It's amazing how the jungles in Cambodia are not that different to the woods in the UK! Crysis did a real good job of Asian jungles. I would never know that if I hadn't gone there. It was a once in a decade type of trip but every time I can go somewhere I will. The best environments don't look real but they feel real and you only really get that by going there na soaking it in.

    Of course you can't go every where but be creative about you influences. If you are making a space port go to an airport or a harbour, they are basically doing a similar job! Making medieval china... go to china town and then the old part of York and combine the two!
  • PogoP
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    PogoP polycounter lvl 10
  • Joao Sapiro
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    Joao Sapiro sublime tool
    just go enjoy life.
  • Xoliul
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    Xoliul polycounter lvl 14
    Man, what a sad outlook on life if you feel that sitting in front of your desk is just as good as going out to see the world...

    on a lighter note, let's talk about our travels here! I'm going to Malaysia for 3 weeks in December, yay!
  • ambershee
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    ambershee polycounter lvl 17
    Malaysia is awesome. Are you going to the mainland or Borneo?

    I usually travel in December, but haven't booked anything as I've not been paid for my current contract yet (owed about 4k) :(
  • Torch
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    Torch polycounter
    Planning a trip to Tirisfal Glades once the Orgrimmar Zeppelin arrives.

    California in a few weeks, wooo!
  • ambershee
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    ambershee polycounter lvl 17
    All of this has inspired me to starting looking at airfare. I may do the journey from High Atlas in Morocco, across the top of Algeria (REALLY want to go to Constantine!) and into Tunisia to somewhere like Tataouine in the desert.

    Agadir -> Marrakech -> Casablanca -> Fes -> Oujda / Oran -> Algiers -> Constantine -> Tunis -> Monastir

    Would take 3-4 weeks, probably.
  • ysalex
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    ysalex interpolator
    I think earthquake used the right word. I personally wouldn't put the emphasis on 'travel', but more on 'experiences', or 'perspective'.

    I think the misconception is most prevalent in your post about if seeing images on a monitor is the same as seeing them in person. It's not about 'seeing things', either way, it's about experiencing something.

    People say 'travel', because traveling is just a super good way of finding these experiences, and getting out of your comfort zone, and maybe getting some perspective about something - doesn't matter what, whatever you do is going to be meaningful to you alone.

    Personally my favorite, and saddest, part of a trip is coming home and getting picked up at the airport by someone who didn't go. You have left, experienced something, come back, and now you are with someone who did not do that, and you have changed and they haven't, and there is a disconnect that everyone (I have talked to) feels, a perspective shift that lasts for days or weeks or your whole life.

    You don't have to go far for an experience, just get outside of your comfort zone. There are plenty of people in the world who are 'experienced travelers', who look at traveling like it is a rush from one 'sight' to another, and they still have tiny world views - and there are plenty of people who haven't ever left the country who have amazingly large world-views.

    That's my way of saying that travel is not going to suddenly enlighten you, but if you are open to it and get outside of your comfort zone, it can't not.
  • Xoliul
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    Xoliul polycounter lvl 14
    ambershee wrote: »
    Malaysia is awesome. Are you going to the mainland or Borneo?

    I usually travel in December, but haven't booked anything as I've not been paid for my current contract yet (owed about 4k) :(

    Mainland, weather is supposed to be better there in December.
    I went to Morocco 2 years ago, mostly Marrakech, we should've traveled around more in hindsight (the 2 day excursion to Ouarzazate was the best part of the trip).
  • lancer
    I'm curious. Also, I come from a very closed-in place. Of the last 16 years in the USA, and only been to a National Park last year. Another reason is when I had jobs, I hadn't vacation days, when I hadn't job, I was too guilt-ridden to spend money. That's how shut-in I am. So, yes, I'm as sad as some of you describe, but I'm curious about going further out of my little world.
  • ambershee
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    ambershee polycounter lvl 17
    Xoliul wrote: »
    Mainland, weather is supposed to be better there in December.
    I went to Morocco 2 years ago, mostly Marrakech, we should've traveled around more in hindsight (the 2 day excursion to Ouarzazate was the best part of the trip).

    I generally avoid organised excursions and make my own way around on regular public transport etc :)

    If you're on the mainland, skip out of KL quite quickly, it's a big industrial center with a lot of malls and shopping centers, and won't entertain you for long. I would head north into Ipoh and the Cameron Highlands (great scenery, good for hiking), then find my way into Penang and George Town (culturally impressive, expect to eat a lot of good street food). I'm less familiar with the Muslim east side of the mainland however, so I can't commend on what's there :)
  • Krypteia
    EarthQuake wrote: »
    The internet/tv is not a replacement for real world experiences.
    110% this.

    Most definitely.
  • Zocky
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    Zocky greentooth
    "I think the misconception is most prevalent in your post about if seeing images on a monitor is the same as seeing them in person. It's not about 'seeing things', either way, it's about experiencing something."

    Exactly. I mean, i don't really travel much by any means, but i'd like to change that in future.

    But, i mean, it's true. Seeing something on display is one thing, but experiencing it "live" is completely different.

    Like, for example, i have seen many awesome images of night sky, stars and all that (and i'm just freakin crazy about anything related to space), I have spent quite some time playing skyrim and admiring awesome night skies that artist at bethesda managed to create.

    But, still, the other day, sky was quite clear, with couple of stars and such, and allthough skyrim or pictures i seen in past looks much more technically beautifull, seing this is live is just ....awesome on a whole new level.

    It's sort of hard to describe it, maybe it's also just me being crazy (:P), but i was like that when i was young as well, seing stars on clear sky, with slight wind blowing, being alone there....it just feels like dunno, like time has stopped. It's just completely different experience then watching similar picture on google images or something.

    It really is about "experiencing" it rather then seeing it.

    And its not like i have never seen night sky with stars in live in past, but i just find it mindblowing when on my way home from job, i take a look at sky, not really on purpose, and i'm just like "wow, look at that, it's just amazing".

    Or, if you feel, it's sort of like, sure, playing game in PC is fun, but playing same game in (star trek ) holodec, is a whole different experience i'd say. :P

    It's just that in one case, you are just being out of the world, just a distant observer (watching picture), or actually being part of the world (seeing the thing live).
  • Autocon
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    Autocon polycounter lvl 15
    Just got back from Japan for 2 weeks. What an experience that was, such an amazing time. And being a tall white guy its actually great going to a country where I am the extreme minority :) Really eye opening
  • Alphavader
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    Alphavader polycounter lvl 11
    there a alot of good answers here....and yes i would support traveling 1000times.. going out and explore new things i allways a good thing!!

    traveling isnt just go places and looking arround, its about exploring and interact with people! its about seeing different cultures and their history.... its about getting inspired by new things.. and maybe to get new perspectives..new ideas to develop.. so move your ass!

    unless you see the "ancient aliens documentation on history channel" ..... then you dont need to ;)
  • PixelMasher
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    PixelMasher veteran polycounter
    yea nothing can replace interacting with actual humans in various cultural environments you are not used to. the smells of a place, the interesting foods and customs. seeing it on a show like departures (fucking awesome travel show) only makes me want to actually go there and expereince it myself knowing it will be nothing like the show and your own experience will be unique to you.

    the initial post pretty much makes me think of the difference between porn and sex, one is a fake representation of it and the other is a true awesome personal experience. gotta get out of the basement and into the world! also LOL at the attitude of constantly having to spend every second you are not working improving and trying to keep current. those are the exact kind of people I DONT want to be working next to because it creates horribly awkward people lacking life experience and social skills.
  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
    If you enjoy it you'll find time for it and it will inspire you. I don't think it's a requirement. Personally, I find travel draining, coming back home recharges my batteries.

    I guess it's because I don't have the luxury to travel alone so I'm typically dragged to castles and museums when I'd rather sit on a hammock on a secluded beach.
  • Isaiah Sherman
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    Isaiah Sherman polycounter lvl 14
    If you enjoy it you'll find time for it and it will inspire you. I don't think it's a requirement. Personally, I find travel draining, coming back home recharges my batteries.

    I guess it's because I don't have the luxury to travel alone so I'm typically dragged to castles and museums when I'd rather sit on a hammock on a secluded beach.

    I am glad that my wife is like me and we have no kids (and don't want any for a long time).

    We get to lie in hammocks on secluded beaches :)
  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 19
    This is why I'm putting a hammock under my crepe myrtle this spring, I'll have paradise in my own backyard.
  • ambershee
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    ambershee polycounter lvl 17
    I travelled alone, even when living with my girlfriend. It was just one of those things in our relationship that had to be the way it was- I go on adventures for weeks at a time, and for her it was simply far too stressful to handle the way I go about it for more than a short period of time. She was a beach lady, I'm a trekking through jungles / deserts / whatever person. The compromise was that she did her package deals to some tourist beach with her family, and I did whatever my whim fancied at the time.
  • Isaiah Sherman
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    Isaiah Sherman polycounter lvl 14
    This is why I'm putting a hammock under my crepe myrtle this spring, I'll have paradise in my own backyard.

    When I lived with my brother he had a hammock in the back yard. It was amazing to just lie back there for several hours while BBQing and drinking beers.

    Too bad Seattle weather only lets you do that 2 months out of the year :\
  • ysalex
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    ysalex interpolator
    Xoliul wrote: »
    Mainland, weather is supposed to be better there in December.
    I went to Morocco... the 2 day excursion to Ouarzazate was the best part of the trip).

    If you don't mind the TB.
  • ambershee
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    ambershee polycounter lvl 17
  • Xoliul
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    Xoliul polycounter lvl 14
    TB?
    lancer wrote: »
    I'm curious. Also, I come from a very closed-in place. Of the last 16 years in the USA, and only been to a National Park last year. Another reason is when I had jobs, I hadn't vacation days, when I hadn't job, I was too guilt-ridden to spend money. That's how shut-in I am. So, yes, I'm as sad as some of you describe, but I'm curious about going further out of my little world.

    In your case: I'd say it's much more important to get out there and experience life than it is to gain experience, improve your skills or get an impressive job (well except if you're broke).
    Just get out there, do something different, something you've never even considered doing the past 16 years.
    If you want a tip from me: get a motorcycle license and buy a bike. Then spend at least every weekend driving to places you've never been. Pick routes that go out of the way, you're bound to come past interesting stuff every time. if you get a dualsport bike you can even hit the gravel roads for maximum fun.
    Even better: take that bike on a big roadtrip, drive across that wonderful country of yours, it'll be the experience of a lifetime. Requires some money and dedication, but I'd say it's a must in your case!

    not saying you're as bad as this guy, but read how a motorcycle can change your life: http://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/1hmq83/my_bike_and_i/
  • ysalex
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    ysalex interpolator
    ambershee wrote: »
    Eh?

    If you're referring to me, southern morocco has a problem with TB. If you're going to travel there, take precautions. Actually if you're going anywhere in morocco take precautions, goes double to Marrakech and tangiers - and never let women travel by themselves.
  • Ruz
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    Ruz polycount lvl 666
  • ambershee
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    ambershee polycounter lvl 17
    Tuberculosis is a problem across most of the world, as is Hep B and myriad others. Most people will be inoculated here in Europe already :)

    Personally, the only inoculation I'm missing is Yellow Fever, and that's because I've not been out to any affected regions yet.
  • ysalex
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    ysalex interpolator
    I do not believe that we automatically get it in the states here, unless you are working with at risk populations. And yeah it's a problem everywhere but it is prevalent in s. morocco - generally you are warned about it depending on how you get there.
  • Neox
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    Neox godlike master sticky
    EarthQuake wrote: »
    The internet/tv is not a replacement for real world experiences.

    pretty much this, but there are places you don't have to visit yourself, but some you just can't grasp from images at all - the geand canyon is crazy, i couldn't imagine it from pictures or film, but when i've been there whoah what a view.
  • moose
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    moose polycount sponsor
    If you can afford it, travel. Go to crazy places you read about in history, take your own pictures to stare at! Go to museums to look at paintings instead of searching for them on google, rclick-saveas. Staring at a painting for an hour, and walking away from it can influence you more than having it up on a 2nd monitor.

    Going to Egypt was something I thought I'd probably never do or get to do, and after going there in April it really affected me in a positive way. Seeing the golden mask of Tutankhamen, Hatsheput's Temple, Valley of the Kings, Karnak, Aswan, etc, etc, etc... was pretty mind-alteringly awesome. I had seen pictures of Tut's mask a thousand times, in books, on tv programs, online, but seeing it, and his sarcophagus in person is just mind blowing. I had goosebumps looking at it.

    Seeing the the pictures I've marveled at in person is the closest thing to a "religious experience" that I'll probably ever have.
  • mats effect
    I have always wanted to go to Sweden, think I am finally going to do it next year.
  • WarrenM
    moose nails it. Earlier this year, my wife and I went to Istanbul, Turkey - because it seemed interesting. Not something I never thought I'd do in my lifetime but we did it and it's something I'll never forget. Visiting historic temples, the mosques, eating the food ... incredible experiences that the internet can never duplicate.
  • brandoom
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    brandoom polycounter lvl 15
    I have always wanted to go to Sweden, think I am finally going to do it next year.

    Do it!

    I went to Sweden this past August, Stockholm more specifically - its a beautiful city.

    I went by myself for a week, it was a really great experience. :D
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