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VINCENT GRAVES
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"ers aren't directors. That's the role of the developer. And gamers also aren't actors, as actors are able to draw from a larger possibility space than gamers do. Gamers aren't the protagonist either. When I play Majora's Mask, Link connects me to the plight of the people of Termina, but that does not make me Link. Gamers embody the protagonist in order to enjoy some simple entertainment that won't ask much of them mentally or emotionally. At least, that's the current state of things. And it won't change as long as developers continue to add in game and story elements for shock value. The amount of control publishers have over the development process is also a concern. Even if a developer sought to deliver a emotional, meaningful story that was similar to recent world events, and planned to deliver this story in a mature, nuanced manner, I doubt any publisher would agree to publish that title due to fears about game content overlapping with the ineptitude of the blogosphere and the lack of professionalism inherent in the modern mass"
Friday, October 30, 2009
"read more instruction manuals, if it were worth doing. Modern manuals are unnecessary thanks to the crushing concept of the tutorial and, in the rare times that they contain additional content, it's often related to the story and it's incredibly hilarious to read, as it was in this case. These aren't manuals, but I really enjoyed the Earthbound strategy guide and the Mother 3 Handbook. Both of those books add even more flavor to each game universe without being embarrassing to visually a"
Friday, October 30, 2009
"o agree that journalists, as well as the wider community of gamers, can get overly hyped for the release on an individual game. Key examples of this, in recent memory, are Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto IV, Brutal Legend, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, The Beatles: Rock Band and, of course, Scribblenauts. However, that doesn't justify an overly positive review. I don't really mind what score the game was given, but I'd hope that each reviewer would detail every significant issue the game has. Further, I don't think that poorly-tuned "innovation" or "fun" should be promoted (by the games press or otherwise) in games that miss the overall mark of quality. There's enough to play in the current environment that no one needs to play a badly-executed innovative game or an uninspired but somewhat entertaining se"
Friday, October 23, 2009
"tendo doesn't usually attend TGS. When Nintendo has something important to say, they do it at E3 or they have their own"
Saturday, September 26, 2009
"with Chris and Lance, in that I don't mind collection if it's tied to some kind of game progression or that the act of collection itself is entertaining. I also agree with "Two Shoes," as it was impossible to discern the locations of the Vault-Tec bobbleheads without a guide.
The agility orbs strewn throughout Pacific City appear to be, at first, the best collectible system ever implemented. The player is rewarded for collecting an orb, and there are numerous other orbs around the original target. Then there's also the mechanic that enables nearby orbs to give off an audio cue, which helps draw the player to the prize. However, once you've collected about half of the agility orbs, it becomes very difficult to collect the rest of them. This quickly becomes frustrating, and leads to accidental orb absorption more often than intentional orb conquest.
It would have been ideal to have a computer somewhere in the city that would give the player a map listing the placement of all the agility orbs. And, maybe, once all those are collected, an event could trigger that would give the player access to a similar map for the hidden orbs. Some would complain that these hidden orbs should remain so, and that they should only be collected by accident or with the help of a guide, but these voices are silenced because the solutions I pose are intended to be optional. Meaning, of course, that players who enjoy banging their head against a wall until a nutritious orb appears can continue to do that.
I think that any modern game should offer some kind of in-game collectible guide. Reliance on FAQs and Walkthroughs by players is indicative of a bad design decision somewhere along the wa"
Friday, September 18, 2009
"m King:
Quick question, buddy: Why do you play games? Is your life really entertaining? I bet it isn't. I know mine isn't. I play games, more often than not, to escape the crushing realism of daily life. I bet that you're exactly the same as me, since we're both hardcore gamers. If you think differently than me, well, there's a spot on the casual crew for 'ya.
The terms "hardcore" and "casual" mean nothing, just as reviews are meaningless and "fun" is a dubious quality associated with certain game experiences. "Non-linear" doesn't mean what, at first, it first seems to imply. The loudest voices that promote this medium, unfortunately, continue to apply terms and phrases in an incredibly thoughtless manner. It's disappointing, and it reduces the reach that this medium could have, but it's exactly what the medium deserves. Once gaming matures I'm sure that Aa majority of people will be able to discuss the medium without relying on these contriv"
Monday, September 14, 2009
