tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25071496635797656892024-03-05T11:47:14.086-08:00The AmbivalistAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-11471715238826625982013-07-15T21:45:00.000-07:002013-07-15T21:51:59.634-07:00Ruination: TimeSplitters 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">Ruination is a new regular feature where I'll push the limits of nostalgia by examining games I once loved. For the inaugural episode I take a look back into my teenage years and examine what I used to consider my favorite game of all time, TimeSplitters 2.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Jul 15, 201</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">3</span></h2>
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I was a weird kid. This is evident by the nightmares that inhabit the boxes of my gradeschool artwork under the stairs in my mom's house. Weird kids like weird things. From homemade paper dolls of Santa to first person shooters with monkeys. The new regular feature, Ruination, is an inward look at what has made me who I am today by method of examining my favorite childhood games. The primary goal is overcoming my sense nostalgia for this material, and examining them on a more critical level with my adult mindset. Well, as adult a mindset can be while still holding an appreciation for things like dinosaurs. Will these childhood treasures hold up? Will they be worthy additions to my list of favorite games? What is it, regardless their quality, that made them so memorable?</div>
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TimeSplitters 2 is probably the game that I've referred to as my absolute favorite game more times than any other game. That's a weird notion to me as an adult. I have enough trouble putting together frivolous <a href="http://theambivalist.blogspot.com/2013/02/2012s-worst-sequel-omissions.html" target="_blank">lists</a>. Deciding one game that would be something I consider above any other game? That seems impossible. Still, I have no qualms with admitting that TimeSplitters 2 holds a very near and dear place in my heart. I might even be willing to make the argument that it would be the game I bring to a deserted isle if I could only take one game, if we're debating the hypothetical. That is, I could have made that argument about six years ago. </div>
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It's probably been more than half a decade since I've played my supposed favorite game. Which makes that statement feel even more unnatural. This past week I decided to address this issue. I wanted to know if this game really does deserve that title. I'd be lying if I said I weren't afraid. Nostalgia is a powerful feeling, and potentially losing that for something is an intimidating prospect. The other problem was that I used to be a dedicated cheater. I owned devices like GameSharks that unlocked all of a game's secrets before I booted it up for the first time. I had no idea what to expect from playing TimeSplitters 2 the right way.</div>
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As it turns out, old games are really, really <i>fucking </i>difficult. No, really. I booted it up for the first time last week thinking smugly how much time I spent with it growing up. "Like riding a bike," I thought as I quickly created a new save file on the GameCube version of the game - which I had never played before. I was about to be humbled by something I had only pleasant memories of. </div>
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First thing was first. TimeSplitters 2, and the entire TimeSplitters franchise, is known for its roster of multiplayer characters. However, most of these characters are locked away when you first start playing. In order to unlock these characters (including my two childhood favorites) you must complete the various, mostly single player, game modes. In TimeSplitters 2 specifically, you must also unlock most of the multiplayer game modes and maps, which feels a little odd in a game so rooted in split screen multiplayer. Nonetheless, I knew if I were going to get my full enjoyment out of this game I'd need to start unlocking things, and it would be a good way to see just how the game felt without cheats.</div>
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One of the three major ways to access these unlockables is through TimeSplitters unique Challenge mode. Challenge mode is a series of missions based around bending the game's engine and mechanics in different ways to create difficult tasks for the player to complete. For instance, one Challenge will have you running through the multiplayer maps as a monkey collecting bananas. The bananas will be set in such a way, that in order to complete the challenge within the time limit, you must find the ideal path to collect them. Another Challenge will have you shooting cardboard cut-outs around various environments from the single player and multiplayer. Shooting the cut-outs in certain areas (the dick) will net you more points. The Challenges go on in this nature.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I bet breaking stained glass with a grenade launcher is really satisfying. Really satisfying.</td></tr>
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While the premise behind this Challenge mode is definitely interesting, I found the individual missions to be incredibly hit or miss. A Challenge that tasked me with breaking all of the glass in an environment, using only bricks, became an addictive game of one-upsmanship. Each retry I would get slightly better, until I achieved a gold medal. However, another Challenge that tasks the player with lasting as long as possible against an endless wave of zombies was tedium punctuated with frustration. Due to the way that enemy characters will animate, stumbling around and dodging your attacks, accurately hitting them isn't always reliable. And being required to do so for several minutes at a time, at best, is boring. Another challenge that required you to shoot watermelons out of the hands of monkeys that ran around a circus tent became frustrating due to the game's archaic and swimmy controls. Eventually, I discovered a place where I could leave the crosshairs stationary only firing when the watermelons entered my line of sight, resulting in the best possible medal. Unfortunately, more often than not, I ultimately found myself resorting to cheap tactics or online guides to make it through the more difficult challenges. Some of which I only felt satisfied in knowing I wouldn't ever have to do again.</div>
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The second mode that unlocks the various characters, maps, and modes is the Arcade League. Arcade League is the part of the game that most closely resulted in a broken controller. Unlike the Challenge mode Arcade League is more straightforward with its tasks. These are based on existing multiplayer modes with specific, increasingly difficult goals for the player to complete. The Arcade League offers both the most difficult suite of missions in the game, and the most reward for completion. Forty five different matches, split between three difficulty levels, each unlocks something upon completion.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I promise my love for this game wasn't based on its use of dinosaurs. Mostly.</td></tr>
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While Arcade League felt much more ironed out than the Challenge mode, probably due to being based on actual game modes, it was ultimately more frustrating and suffered from just as many weak spots. At its strongest, it presented fast-paced, exciting, and challenging fights. Matches that, if failed, didn't require much time to get back up and running again. One mission puts you against a large team of dinosaurs, armed with only a crossbow, tasking you with seventy kills in only a few minutes, the catch being that the dinosaurs all die in one shot. This results in something more closely resembling Duck Hunt than deathmatch, and proved to be a completely unique type of challenge. A similar mission, that pits you against a team of ducks, has a infinitely more frustrating feel due to the ducks not dying in one hit. For that mission I found myself restarting time and time again until I began in the ideal spot next to body armor and duel shotguns, at which point I found a small room with one door where I could bottleneck the opposing team. The missions based on the game's Assault mode, which are short story based missions with a series of objectives, require the players to complete them in very short amounts of time. The requirement felt unrealistic for each mission based on this mode, and each time resulted in me scouring the internet for help. Forcing players into unsporting tactics and referencing guides shouldn't be necessary to achieve that rewarding feeling, and ultimately it results in most victories feeling a little more shallow than they otherwise could have.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The story mode spans many different environments and themes.</td></tr>
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The last stop in unlocking the game's complete multiplayer contents was the Story mode. This was, unfortunately, a mode that I largely ignored while growing up. I say unfortunately because TimeSplitters 2 actually presents a narrative construction that is probably more innovative than anything I've seen in any modern shooter. I think I erroneously dismissed the mode as a cheap trick existing only to justify the thematic variation in the multiplayer. The reality is that the time travel through-line serves as the thread to tie together several smaller pulp stories. Playing through the story mode feels like flipping through the dusty old novellas in my grandfather's basement. Each presents a unique, contained universe with exaggerated characters and narratives that serve simultaneously as homage and parody to the themes they draw from. From the cold Siberian military horror, to the dark Chicago noir, to the warm red sands of the Martian space opera, and the dusty roads of the American western, TimeSplitters 2 campaigns through the pages of pulp fiction with a method that sustains fresh throughout. The time travel narrative isn't abandoned throughout these stories either. Instead, each mission ends as you retrieve what you were sent back in time for (a time crystal), the timeline shifts, the major opponent of the narrative (the TimeSplitters) appear, and you escape by jumping through the portal heading to the next time period.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1n2XqjaNwr3QhAh4mvuJoN59V88s41FNI9clbiH5wpOmyGFLQoabHoZiX8yqw3l5ulVu_Ybj82m60wI0jdobX4SxpLAuFapJy6mgpBlbfshTf1P8JkAch9YCqeLAe0Cp8kr9hhBlh-k/s1600/notredame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1n2XqjaNwr3QhAh4mvuJoN59V88s41FNI9clbiH5wpOmyGFLQoabHoZiX8yqw3l5ulVu_Ybj82m60wI0jdobX4SxpLAuFapJy6mgpBlbfshTf1P8JkAch9YCqeLAe0Cp8kr9hhBlh-k/s400/notredame.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my personal favorite story missions was occult mission set in 1895 Notre Dame. </td></tr>
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After about thirteen hours spent unlocking all of the game modes, multiplayer maps, and characters, it was finally time to cash in on what all that work had been for, and what TimeSplitters 2 earned its spot on my childhood favorites list for, the multiplayer. TimeSplitters 2's respected multiplayer comes in part from its legacy that connects to such lauded classics as GoldenEye and Perfect Dark. Much of the team working for Rare LTD. at that time found their way to Free Radical to work on the TimeSplitters franchise. What comes from this are weapons designed and balanced by people who have created some of the best known weapons in all of video games, and more importantly, some of the best maps ever designed for shooters. TimeSplitters 2's maps span the thematic differences that the game's story mode does, while creating memorable and interesting layouts that feel balanced for each of its many game modes. The second ingredient that makes this game's multiplayer so memorable is the ability for the player to manipulate the options for a match. The game offers three difficulty settings for the multiplayer bots, sixteen different game modes, sixteen maps, at least ten different match setup options, weapon set customization, bot set customization, and one hundred twenty six different characters to choose from (each with slightly varying statistics). You could probably play this game for years without ever playing the exact same multiplayer game twice.</div>
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I've personally never been a competitive person. I dabbled in playing the MechAssault games on Xbox Live for the original Xbox, I played a healthy (read: unhealthy) amount of Halo 2 and Halo 3 when those were released, I checked out the hype when Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare came out, and I actually got pretty good at Gears of War back in 2006. Each of these games I walked away from respecting, but not ultimately feeling attached to the competitive aspect. And I always had more fun when I was with a group of friends playing for kicks rather than a ranked match. TimeSplitters 2 speaks to me in that way. The multiplayer exists not to cater to the competitive crowd, though I'm sure the game could certainly be suited to that with the right setup, it feels more natural when playing the game for goofy fun. Even the best of the Arcade League were the matches that were designed with a sense of humor. Friends who wouldn't normally be actively interested in playing first person shooters used to play TimeSplitters 2 with me for hours back in high school. And playing it again as an adult I find myself just as attached to the more lighthearted aspects of the multiplayer. When playing with a friend I create a game that will be as absurd as possible. One hit kills on a giant, open map with only proximity mines? Sure, why not? Virus mode, which forces players to run from characters who are on fire, on a small map with lots of blind corners? That sounds like fun. TimeSplitters 2 is a rare multiplayer first person shooter to concentrate on delivering a fun experience instead of concentrating on the best competitive environment. In fact, it might be one of a kind.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpdxOQU4DdgTx-6RbnXGGhYl2uj9EmB3SUCe2DBdiCr0SLSkS4cfBQFF1MWJzPU3wbxF0KslOP0XYS3aEinMIT6DYLhv78rRjoXwJaSnwipT6YScDqhh47L_h12cUPmxhOG9xDOKADsM/s1600/monkeyplayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpdxOQU4DdgTx-6RbnXGGhYl2uj9EmB3SUCe2DBdiCr0SLSkS4cfBQFF1MWJzPU3wbxF0KslOP0XYS3aEinMIT6DYLhv78rRjoXwJaSnwipT6YScDqhh47L_h12cUPmxhOG9xDOKADsM/s400/monkeyplayer.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gun-toting monkeys are a common sight in TimeSplitters 2's multiplayer.</td></tr>
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If I'm going to be honest, me playing this game didn't start with this feature in mind. Last week, when I received the horrible news about <a href="http://theambivalist.blogspot.com/2013/07/goodbye-to-inspiration-and-friend.html" target="_blank">Ryan Davis</a>, I wasn't really in the mood for video games. Well, that was until I found myself in the local used games store. I was looking around the GameCube section when I spotted a copy of TimeSplitters 2. The initial reaction was one of nostalgia, positive feelings weren't something I was having a lot of last week. Maybe it was in the few moments of bliss provided by childhood memories, or maybe I knew that was just what I needed to take my mind off of things, but I found myself at home that evening attempting to blast just enough monkeys to unlock the character I always used to play as. Then, for some reason, I spent the next several days fighting through some frustrating objectives, laughing at goofy multiplayer matches, and enjoying experiencing parts of a game that I ignored as a kid.</div>
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When I began thinking about this feature, and the prospect of destroying the nostalgia I hold for some of the games I loved as a kid, I was afraid. The idea of playing something I used to love and losing those memories to the realization that it doesn't quite live up to what I thought it was, wasn't really a risk I thought I wanted to take. Even during the moments of nostalgia for TimeSplitters 2, the game I probably felt the strongest about as a kid, I had reservations about buying the game. Thinking back a week later, that I may have avoiding having the experiences I had with this game, that I might not have been able to use it to escape like I did when I was a kid, and all out of fear? I'm glad whatever circumstances that existed that day to push me to replaying this game did. Even if TimeSplitters 2 had disappointed me this week, I think the value in discovering that and understanding what drew me to it when I was younger would be worth it, and that wouldn't take the memories I have for the game away. </div>
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I think it's innate for us to fear labeling things. Especially labeling something we love. It shows some degree of vulnerability to admit that something is special to you, valuable to you. TimeSplitters 2 is absolutely one of my favorite games, I'm not sure that will ever change, and this week only further cemented that fact. For me to say that TimeSplitters 2 is my favorite game of all time might be a bit much. I've played a lot of games. Seriously, way too many. So, I would need to think for a very, very long time to come to figure out what game that really is. Though, until I have an official answer, I think I'd be okay giving it to TimeSplitters 2. Sometimes weird kids have good taste.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-72917855661024792252013-07-11T18:57:00.000-07:002013-07-11T18:57:48.218-07:00Goodbye To An Inspiration, And A Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEject1ZH_c5g-bSNMxGqZAQTETZ56ZRlBq1Mk1y9OjOEHNh5e0w5627nNqHdZP5iXY7xgQ3hoFL8lK5boNXzWYNrZ6n5VHrIOI54jZoBKK3OxodaBJgnBj_y2KsvhpZYICq7px4RAyErkA/s1600/ProfilePicture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEject1ZH_c5g-bSNMxGqZAQTETZ56ZRlBq1Mk1y9OjOEHNh5e0w5627nNqHdZP5iXY7xgQ3hoFL8lK5boNXzWYNrZ6n5VHrIOI54jZoBKK3OxodaBJgnBj_y2KsvhpZYICq7px4RAyErkA/s400/ProfilePicture.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">1979-2013</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Tony Walter | Jul 11, 2013</span></h2>
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It was the second half of 2006, I was fresh out of high school and I was out making my first attempt at being a functional adult. I moved out of state and started school studying game design. The area was unfamiliar, the school wasn't what I had dreamed of, and I was lonely. I don't spend a lot of time these days reflecting back to that period of my life. It wasn't exactly a happy time. But when I do think back, that time spent alone was made easier during the hours I spent listening to GameSpot's old podcast, The HotSpot. That was the first time Ryan Davis made things a little bit easier in my life. It wasn't the last.</div>
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A couple years later I followed the man from GameSpot to the realization and creation of Giant Bomb. It's been about six years since Giant Bomb got its start. I've read every word he's written, watched every video that he's been in, and listened to each of the obscenely long podcasts that he's produced. I don't need to do the math to say that I've spent more time listening to him speak than any of my coworkers, almost all of my friends, and most of my family. And I won't even project about his influence on what I am doing now. Without Ryan Davis, without the group that made up The HotSpot, the crew that makes up Giant Bomb, I would not be doing what I am doing right now. And it's not an exaggeration to say that these guys have been one of the only constants in my life, and have helped me get through some of my darkest periods.</div>
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Earlier this week I received some horrible news. Ryan Davis had passed away on July third. He was only thirty four, and less than a week married.</div>
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I can't emphasize how thankful I am that I had the honor of speaking to the man a few times over the past year. In some weird way the work that I've been doing here - in no small part thanks to him - is what allowed me that opportunity. I'll always remember when he re-tweeted the sarcastic remarks I made on his Twitter posts. He's the type of guy you want to think you're funny. And the time he laughed at my goofy tactics while playing Twisted Metal during one of the community events he hosted. I'll be re-watching the archived footage of that later tonight. Or that time he analyzed my Xbox Live Gamertag and gave me shit. Shut up, <i>NachoBoss</i>. Simultaneously, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forgive myself for passing up the opportunity to meet the man in person earlier this year at PAX East when I opted to wait for PAX Prime instead. </div>
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You said you'd be there. Now, I'll never be able to make good on that drink I promised you.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He was the charming type of asshole.</td></tr>
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I can't help but feel like he'd be giving me shit right now for this sort of trite reminiscing, but he was the type that you wanted to make fun of you. He didn't make you feel bad. He made you laugh. Heck, even when I disagreed with him about games, movies, or music, he still made me think, "oh, huh, that's a good point, but Marvel Ultimate Alliance still isn't <i>that </i>damn great."<br />
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Maybe I'll play some Marvel Ultimate Alliance later this week.</div>
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I've never in my entire life been struck so hard by losing somebody who I had never met. In fact, I can't think of the last time I was struck this hard by losing somebody I <i>had </i>met. Ryan had a way about him. He wasn't just another internet celebrity, that loose term doesn't really fit his style. He was your drinking buddy, your gaming partner, somebody who you shared jokes with, your colleague, your friend. You didn't just follow him, you knew him. And, if he had the chance, he knew you. Many people who had less interaction with him than I have had, feel just as strongly about this as I do. That's not just because they thought they might lose their favorite podcast or miss out on some reviews; they lost somebody, they lost a friend.</div>
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<div>
On July third we all lost somebody. Whether you read about video games, you write about video games, you make video games, or if you just play video games - even if you don't know it - you lost somebody that day. Ryan Davis was an inspiration to me, and a friend. If you've ever enjoyed anything I've written, you owe him a thanks.</div>
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Here's to you, my friend. As I drink this Scotch I can't help but wonder if you'd approve.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-59305143368390512512013-06-27T20:04:00.000-07:002013-06-27T20:04:07.178-07:00Exploring Uncharted Territory; Adapting Video Games For Film<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-A84T395MbwOxZpUPFkj110TbzAIAOqay6AiFmL9KSQ1qGgvHhe9LtxZJTnD524B7Qs3PcBZ5VnYP9UVvmCcRc1qP-0vjvuq6bKSKDIFKmOFQwgdGV8rfw2QmUmarYxSSYRyaMVzoiU/s646/Titular.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-A84T395MbwOxZpUPFkj110TbzAIAOqay6AiFmL9KSQ1qGgvHhe9LtxZJTnD524B7Qs3PcBZ5VnYP9UVvmCcRc1qP-0vjvuq6bKSKDIFKmOFQwgdGV8rfw2QmUmarYxSSYRyaMVzoiU/s200/Titular.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">There's an age-old stigma associated with films based on video games and video games based on films. That is, they're bad. Is that stigma founded in truth, or just a series of unfortunate mistakes? Are the two most valuable entertainment industries destined to never cross paths?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter </a>| Jun 27, 2013</span></h2>
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It's an incredible short-sighted point of view that's insulting to both mediums. And, it's beginning to drive me crazy. "Uncharted basically already is an action movie. Don't make it a film. If you want the story, play the game!" "I can't believe they're ruining Mad Max by making a game, movie games are terrible!" "It's a bad idea to make a great game into a movie, it'll never live up to the hype." This stigma is not only erroneously missing an apparently untapped potential, but destructive in its active discouragement of developing adaptation for two artistic mediums.</div>
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Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, creators of the recently released <i>This Is The End</i>, have been approached several times by Naughty Dog, the creatives behind Uncharted, to create a film based on the popular PlayStation franchise. Despite being self-proclaimed fans of the series, they've refused the offer each time. The duo claims, "it's just going to be Indiana Jones... if we could figure out a way to make it not Indiana Jones, it'd be awesome." The idea for a Uncharted film isn't new either, it has been struggling to reach production since 2007. Though Rogen and Goldberg might be onto something.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHe56WBj5yOH1ES99fItUNMvbsvGMt3dQ4NuVjBqlvEES8ycZUGreQ7lxjE0NyJ1FvPfGPBXkWC6kAX4cQTBOrmmeXiMCwAkqhYmrsyL1PpkC9flrj1qyiOq4Diu7u8PnfRnBJqJcTcmI/s1280/indianajones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHe56WBj5yOH1ES99fItUNMvbsvGMt3dQ4NuVjBqlvEES8ycZUGreQ7lxjE0NyJ1FvPfGPBXkWC6kAX4cQTBOrmmeXiMCwAkqhYmrsyL1PpkC9flrj1qyiOq4Diu7u8PnfRnBJqJcTcmI/s400/indianajones.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Uncharted franchise certainly has roots in classic films like <i>Indiana Jones</i>, but would a film adaptation have to be limited to those ideas?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Adaptation isn't a new method of creativity for film makers. Novels, plays, short stories, and even song have been adapted into film for many decades. Often released to similar criticisms as video game adaptations, but unlike video game adaptations, there have been many triumphs born from these other, older, mediums.</div>
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"That's not how it happened in the book!" That's a common objection I hear in my circle of friends, of which a significant portion are English majors and book worms. More often than not, I'll retort with, "<i>good.</i>" If I'm watching a film, and not reading the book, why would I want the exact same experience as told in the book to happen on screen? This should be even more the case had I read the book prior to seeing the film. And more importantly, film has unique qualities that literature simply does not possess. This two way street is the beautiful nature of each medium. That's why we love and cling to our hobbies. We see these unique qualities, and they speak to us personally.</div>
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Throughout the history of film the greatest adaptations very rarely maintain one-to-one parody of their source material. In fact, I defy you to find one truly great adaptation that doesn't play to the strengths of its medium while changing or adding something to the narrative. <i>Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part One</i>, <i>The Lord of the Rings </i>trilogy, <i>Jurassic Park</i>,<i> </i>anything made by Stanley Kubrick. Each of these fantastic adaptations uses the strengths of film to create something new and unique within the fiction established, sometimes more loosely than others, by its source material.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/movBTasSaD4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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My friends might argue, "what's the point of adapting, if they're not remaining faithful to the original material?" The reality is, it's not strange that the isolated heroes of The Fellowship would be unaware of the various wars brewing around Middle Earth. Man's hubris is still depicted with brutally terrifying results on Isla Nublar regardless which dinosaurs are making an appearance. And it is not out of character for Harry to attempt to comfort his dear friend in a time of great tragedy. These changes do not change the characters, story, or message of the films in any sort of negative way. Things might be different or new, but what is adaptation if not something familiar through a different perspective?</div>
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When these films succeed it is when they are playing to the strengths of their medium. Each medium, as I have mentioned, possesses unique qualities. The entire idea of adapting is centered around basing a narrative around these different qualities. Literature has the ability to subtly examine specific details, to stimulate the audiences' creativity, to withhold in unique ways, and tell a story through a voice - sometimes unreliably - in a way impossible with visual mediums. Film can create amazing, beautiful scenes with dialogue and music, encourage emotion through cinematography, and tell an entire story with no characters and no words. Video games are not left out in this, they're capable of forcing an audience through experiences, creating real - not implied - empathy by making you literally experience something, stories aren't only told to you, but they can happen to you, and you can see and experience environments and situations from any angle imaginable. These are just a small example of some of the qualities unique to their mediums.</div>
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The most fascinating aspect of this misconception about film adaptations of video games comes from the fact that it has already been proven that - the other way around - film adapted <i>to</i> video games, can be done successfully. Games like Goldeneye, The Warriors, and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay all adapt from their respected films using the strengths of the video games medium to their advantage. Each of these games stands just as strongly on its own as it would as a companion piece to the source material. Yet we still can't see it as a reality that a film adaptation of a video game can ever be a good film? Perhaps this comes from film being an older, more familiar medium. Video games are still largely misunderstood as an artistic form, often looked at as childish and even dangerous.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9qyoPR2_ZEnHbP7xjDhTpEhvkFzQJ4yFDsdSKejk6v0G_L9efoB4zFICDu7Derf14LEk5FGD_JyqxgGcw3NeEKhhG3sbSM9u21hRmgEadAkCY0FRzqLtiSQQByPMSldaUwSeAIRYnG0/s610/environmental+puzzles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9qyoPR2_ZEnHbP7xjDhTpEhvkFzQJ4yFDsdSKejk6v0G_L9efoB4zFICDu7Derf14LEk5FGD_JyqxgGcw3NeEKhhG3sbSM9u21hRmgEadAkCY0FRzqLtiSQQByPMSldaUwSeAIRYnG0/s400/environmental+puzzles.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Environmental puzzles like this, done in film, could take on an entirely different feeling while still conveying the same struggle for the character and maintaining a tension for the audience.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Adaptations are not inherently lesser because of their source material, they're lesser because the creators don't know what they're doing. Attempting direct translations of a source material is only damning a project to mediocrity, regardless of what-from and what-to you're adapting. That's why Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's turning down of this project is admirable. They don't want to create what they feel would be just a one-to-one attempt at an adaptation, they don't want this to just be another "Indiana Jones."</div>
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The trick to making this a good film is simple: avoid what the game does. The game puts its audience in the shoes of the hero, Nathan Drake, through his adventures. The game's audience only sees what Nathan Drake sees. They only experience what he experiences. They only know what he knows. The game is great as a game, but to make a great film, they'd need to take advantage of what film can do. Perhaps a larger scope, with multiple stories coming from different characters. They could pull tricks on an audience that can't be done in a game, withhold knowledge from the audience to create a different type of tension. Put the characters in slower emotional situations that do not translate directly to video games. Use dialogue instead of action as a means to convey this character's emotions. Use the advantages of film to create a different experience to deliver this familiar fiction. That's good adaptation, and that's definitely not impossible.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/27/seth-rogen-and-evan-goldberg-asked-to-write-uncharted-film">http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/27/seth-rogen-and-evan-goldberg-asked-to-write-uncharted-film</a></span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-62541899946253598512013-06-25T13:18:00.000-07:002013-07-19T22:28:55.326-07:00Art Can Be Offensive, And That's Okay (UPDATED)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1AtJaovwwK8MhgbGILV6lgKKm4OOmQzXVOpIElA7fQigQ0FtoaUTbS6aJxxqvr97RSdQeUUGTGtIXa48tVh1JV4e2u0xTs6uPVoP8RPTDKJrALQPERGTRuZvAQFCcmirNA1lHuqmZnk/s1600/saintsrowivcensor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1AtJaovwwK8MhgbGILV6lgKKm4OOmQzXVOpIElA7fQigQ0FtoaUTbS6aJxxqvr97RSdQeUUGTGtIXa48tVh1JV4e2u0xTs6uPVoP8RPTDKJrALQPERGTRuZvAQFCcmirNA1lHuqmZnk/s200/saintsrowivcensor.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">The next sequel of Volition's ostentatious open-world action franchise, Saints Row IV, was banned in Australia due to offensive and illicit content. And, that's a bad thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Jun 25, 2013</span></h2>
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UPDATE: Shortly after the time of writing, I received clarification of exactly what caused the<i> </i>refused classification. That is, an alien probe weapon and an alien narcotic.<i> </i>The weapon is the typical alien invader stereotype: a device shoved up the rear of characters (and to fully clothed characters nonetheless). According to the board, this science fiction trope is tantamount to actual sexual assault. Further, the alien narcotic serves to give the players super powers during some missions of the game. This, the board believes, encourages real world drug use.<br />
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I hate to say <i>I told you so</i>, but, I told you so. The ridiculous nature of Australia Classification Board's decision shouldn't confuse the issue here; censorship is a destructive force against art. If anything, this news only proves that.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source: </i><a href="http://www.polygon.com/2013/6/25/4464820/saints-row-4-refused-classification-in-australia-due-to-alien">http://www.polygon.com/2013/6/25/4464820/saints-row-4-refused-classification-in-australia-due-to-alien</a></span><br />
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It's probably fair to say that Saints Row has always been the type of series that has offended people. Generally speaking, the sub genre that the series exists in has always drawn the eyes of the public for sometimes explicit depictions of violence, drug use, and sex. So, maybe it shouldn't be so shocking that Saints Row IV, due out this August, has been banned in a country notorious for government moderation of video games.<br />
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<i>In the Board’s opinion, Saints Row IV, includes interactive, visual depictions of implied sexual violence which are not justified by context... In addition, the game includes elements of illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards. Such depictions are prohibited by the computer games guidelines.</i></div>
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The Australian Classification Board, headed by Donald McDonald, classified the game with <i>RC</i> (refused classification). This is despite the new classification introduced for adult video games earlier this year, <i>R18+</i>. Saints Row IV - providing Volition's appeal is denied - will be the first game denied classification since the introduction of the new rating. However, the banning of video games is nothing new in Australia, such games as Left 4 Dead 2, Syndicate, and The Witcher 2, are all still not to be sold in the country. Many other games, which faced banning, have altered content to meet the strict standards set in place by the Classification Board (e.g.: Fallout 3, every Grand Theft Auto game since Grand Theft Auto III, and Mortal Kombat <i>2011</i>).</div>
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What's truly troubling here is that, despite their attempt to open the standards up to more mature games, we're still seeing games be banned only six months after the new rating was implemented. As anybody who has ever looked forward to a big budget game might know, January through June aren't usually the most active release months in the medium either. This decision on part of the board forebodes of a failure on part of the extended classification system, and hints that as we get closer to a more crowded release schedule, we'll see more classified under <i>RC</i>.</div>
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There is another side to this argument though. One I heard as I came across the story. One that not only condones the censorship in countries like Australia, but encourages games that <i>might </i>be offensive to be withheld from public consumption. Emphasis on might. Let's face it, none of us have played Saints Row IV yet, and our knowledge of what it contains is limited to previews and what the Australian Classification Board has told us. I personally haven't seen any previews that imply sexual assault is contained within the game in a capacity that would trivialize and mock victims - or any capacity at all. So, I'd have to take the word of the governing body that banned a game because it <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Eck%C5%8D%27s_Getting_Up:_Contents_Under_Pressure#Controversy_in_Australia" target="_blank">glorified</a> </i>graffiti. No thanks.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOfW1fPGF6qGFlDU0ArSu9j582buSM7iPaP4SSbPtXDNUhRuE09gLKFvLFB7v0Ods8qLGR558HmIjxKZfwvu1rumbVy3hW_br5cXmDvletUCVBUjbzMxwF2K0ZJB95Pm4CKRR9sT2sJA/s1600/whoredmode.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYOfW1fPGF6qGFlDU0ArSu9j582buSM7iPaP4SSbPtXDNUhRuE09gLKFvLFB7v0Ods8qLGR558HmIjxKZfwvu1rumbVy3hW_br5cXmDvletUCVBUjbzMxwF2K0ZJB95Pm4CKRR9sT2sJA/s400/whoredmode.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Society evolves art. Saints Row The Third featured a mode called "Whored Mode". We hated the name because it's gross, demeaning, and a really, really lazy pun. Volition heard us, and there is no Whored Mode in Saints Row IV. Society evolves art.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Further, even if Volition openly acknowledged that the allegations were true, I still can't feel comfortable in supporting any government body that censors the arts. If the game comes out and contains material that is poor, then that's <i>bad art</i>. And, you can bet I'll acknowledge the problems with it at that time, but we do not need any construct to determine what can or can't be seen. A self governing audience is far more useful to society and culture, and something that can't be duplicated with any amount of classifications or study groups. If something is bad, we won't buy it. Or - worst case scenario - we do buy it, and we learn. It provides a platform for discourse. We discuss why this depiction of sexual assault is horrible or why that depiction of drug use is unrealistic. And this freedom of speech thing is a two-way street. If they're allowed to make horrible, demeaning art, we're allowed to be mad about it and tell them. That's how art evolves, expands, and adapts. Personally, I'd rather see a Volition that learns from mistakes and grows, than one that's shut down because it couldn't sell the product that they spent the past three years working on.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://www.classification.gov.au/News/Pages/25June2013SaintsRowIVfirstcomputergameRefusedClassification.aspx">http://www.classification.gov.au/News/Pages/25June2013SaintsRowIVfirstcomputergameRefusedClassification.aspx</a></span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-28356427485031925882013-06-18T19:18:00.000-07:002013-06-18T19:18:37.507-07:00Why I'm Clapping For Sony<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-nzORTLBxTKOXOZ4TGmd6PNpmJGfD4Q70T3mYvUGjl4UoSUYaLP4KqHAp7QTGEiROvi9H21dEvkN6QEJ29lvRRLJ5KV21P1ISUyCSKugpcoCwjaOwd2JDcxqRn7qlORSCDmIwgoKDDU/s1600/sony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-nzORTLBxTKOXOZ4TGmd6PNpmJGfD4Q70T3mYvUGjl4UoSUYaLP4KqHAp7QTGEiROvi9H21dEvkN6QEJ29lvRRLJ5KV21P1ISUyCSKugpcoCwjaOwd2JDcxqRn7qlORSCDmIwgoKDDU/s200/sony.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">Regardless of any allegiances you may hold, it's hard for anybody to deny how good Sony ended up looking after their press conference at E3 last week. Their stance on used games and digital rights management might be better than Microsoft's, but that shouldn't be why you're clapping.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Jun 18, 2013</span></h2>
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Have you been paying attention for the past couple of weeks? If not, kudos. Honestly, the messages coming out of both companies have been confusing at best. After the Xbox One unveiling, Microsoft was<i> </i>giving lots of mixed messages. An outside observer might think different Microsoft employees had been informed of different stances on used games and digital rights management. Actually, that might have been the case. I won't bother confusing you with all the misinformation. A few weeks later, at E3, Sony took their stance on the issues as well, they too confused the situation with some poor worded messages. </div>
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To save anybody the grief of deciphering interviews and PR statements from the past few weeks, I'll break down exactly what the company policies are.</div>
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Microsoft - Xbox One</h3>
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<li>The Xbox One will require a once-per-day (twenty four hours) check-in with Xbox Live to allow players to continue playing the games they have purchased. You will need an internet connection to accommodate this. </li>
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<ul>
<li>Further, Microsoft has implemented tools, <i>at a system level</i>, that are capable of disallowing the user to play used games. This applies to rentals, games borrowed from friends, or games that would be purchased second hand from retailers like GameStop.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Microsoft published games will allow players to gift their games to a friend - only friends who are on their Xbox Live friends list, and have been there for at least thirty days - but the exchange is final. Loaning and renting will not be available, at least initially.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Microsoft will allow publishers to make their own decisions on how to use the tools provided at a system level. Publishers will be allowed to deny all used games, if they wish. They are also able to arrange partnerships with retailers to allow used games, and it is up to the publisher to allow exchanging of games between friends. It is not yet clear how accommodating the system will be for publishers who wish to allow used games.</li>
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<h3>
Sony - PlayStation 4</h3>
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<ul>
<li>The PlayStation 4 is not equipped with any sort of system level tools that will disallow the trade or sale of used games. Players are free to exchange games with friends, sell games to second hand retailers, or purchased used games from retailers. There is no required online check-in with PlayStation Network. Players are allowed to play their games with no internet connection, as long as they wish. These rules only apply to disc based games, digital products will likely see regulations similar to what we see on Steam.</li>
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<ul>
<li>Sony will allow publishers to create their own systems for their published games that could possibly restrict used games sales. Though, with no tools in place at the system level, one would imagine this would be somewhat limited compared to the Xbox One's regulations. A common example of this publisher implemented regulation would be the online pass - a one-time use code that allows players access to the online component of a game.</li>
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In layman's terms, Sony will be running its business<i>, largely</i>, the same as it is now. Though it has been discouraged by Sony executives, it is possible we see third party publishers implement more strict regulations on used games. Perhaps the one-time use codes will no longer be applied to just the online component of a game, but the entire thing. Sony's stance is not so radical that it would disallow publishers this.<br />
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I say radical, but in reality I mean pro-consumer. That's interesting. Perhaps by interesting I mean depressing. Pro-consumer, in this industry, <i>today</i>, is radical behavior. Sony gave us the illusion briefly that they are pro-consumer. Just listen to that reaction.<br />
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The truth is, Sony didn't do anything for us. In fact, Sony didn't do anything for anybody. Microsoft took an anti-consumer approach to the next generation of consoles, and Sony just said they'd continue doing what they've been doing. Microsoft might be the monster we chase up to the tower with our pitchforks and torches. But Sony is the one who had an opportunity to kill the monster, and ran away out of cowardice. Sony used a convenient misstep by a competitor to make us think they have our best intentions in mind. Allowing publishers to create regulations on their platform is not pro-consumer, it's just looking the other way. If they were pro-consumer they would have risked loss for us. They would have banned the use of online passes or the like on their system.<br />
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Then why am I so happy for Sony? Why did I pre-order a PlayStation 4 as soon as the conference ended? Then why did I - the guy who plays his multi-platform games primarily on the Xbox 360, the guy who only bought a PlayStation 3 a year and a half ago and a 360 at launch, the guy who's picked up every Halo game since Halo 2 the day they came out - suddenly decide that the PlayStation 4 would be my primary console of the next generation? Because, apparently, Sony can see.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtUo4I17b81EFZOF5UfKFz0Fn0xJTQW9U4Dy4r5LfWGSQLBHcowO106xCx9rGPkOfH11tG7fyUvR8cxsX5sfYf-YvNy6dG5mgwKbv6PFRg38lGwExqaXgkztgPzYhRArQSxO4LRKo_No/s1600/transistor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtUo4I17b81EFZOF5UfKFz0Fn0xJTQW9U4Dy4r5LfWGSQLBHcowO106xCx9rGPkOfH11tG7fyUvR8cxsX5sfYf-YvNy6dG5mgwKbv6PFRg38lGwExqaXgkztgPzYhRArQSxO4LRKo_No/s400/transistor.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sony can see that the massive budget games that are currently <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jan/23/business/la-fi-ct-thq-auction-20130124" target="_blank">sinking publishers</a>, <a href="http://www.droidgamers.com/index.php/game-news/android-game-news/6208-zynga-closes-down-draw-something-developer-omgpop" target="_blank">closing developers</a>, <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/news/hitman-dev-cuts-staff-cancels-projects-6410354" target="_blank">costing jobs</a>, and stagnating our medium, are not the way forward. Need proof? Go to any major video game website and, at least once a week, you can count on seeing news about a publisher going bankrupt after putting out a failed big budget game, a developer being closed after their big budget game didn't meet expectations, or any number of other studios cutting their staff because they can't compete with the cost of a modern game.<br />
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Perhaps one solution to that is not placing all of your bets on the next big shooter to carry your business model. Independent developers have proven time and time again that they can be very profitable, while not sacrificing the progression of the medium at the same time. Look at Minecraft, two guys who are now multi-millionaires. They're not alone. Undead Labs, the creators of the recent hit State Of Decay, just discovered that they created the <a href="http://undeadlabs.com/2013/06/news/yes-big-news-day/" target="_blank">fastest selling game</a> on Xbox Live Arcade. Do you think the cost of making these types of games is anywhere near that of something like Call of Duty Ghosts?<br />
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Sony gave one of the most exciting, touching, and encompassing conferences I've ever seen from a major console developer. Not because they're pretending to be pro-consumer. But because they're creating an environment that allows independent developers easy access to self publishing their games on a console. That, inadvertently, might just be more pro-consumer than anything else they've done.<br />
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Why am I clapping for Sony? It's not because I don't have to check-in on PSN once a day. It's not because I can play used games any time I want. It's not even because the system is a hundred bucks cheaper than the Xbox One. In fact, I might not even be clapping for Sony at all. I'm clapping for Supergiant Games. I'm clapping for Klei Entertainment. For Tribute Games. For 17-Bit, Just Add Water, Ragtag Studio, and Switchblade Monkeys. I'm clapping for the students at DePaul University who got to play their game on stage at E3. I'm clapping because there's still hope for the future of console games, and Sony sees it.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-68939699466169443082013-06-13T14:59:00.000-07:002013-06-13T15:07:56.770-07:00Hey Guys, This Seems Like News<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8ZizzTi4j0uDjFLYLzAawfgIaJMUmWJQRVqJ-Au9tF0TlVHodTZeAJulaf0GjNXO9szpDf2tpjY2LFogLDZOcAkpv3yj9ZkMoAFgR_we2sxZ7tfqvQ3Pb68ALOmqS29EsT8MD77AShg/s1600/Fez201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8ZizzTi4j0uDjFLYLzAawfgIaJMUmWJQRVqJ-Au9tF0TlVHodTZeAJulaf0GjNXO9szpDf2tpjY2LFogLDZOcAkpv3yj9ZkMoAFgR_we2sxZ7tfqvQ3Pb68ALOmqS29EsT8MD77AShg/s200/Fez201.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Phil Fish, you trickster, you sly dog, you fiendish beast, you good secret keeper. Fez II has been announced. And nobody had any idea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Jun 13, 2013</span></h2>
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I may have earned a new level of respect for Polytron creator, Phil Fish. Not because he's great at making games, or because I think he has some pretty spot-on - if not a <i>little </i>harsh - opinions about the games industry. I already knew both of those things. But because he managed to keep his game, a sequel to one of the <a href="http://theambivalist.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-ambivalists-top-ten-games-of-2012.html" target="_blank">best games</a> of last year, a total secret. This might have been the only game that wasn't a known quantity going into E3. And in this age of leaks and rumors, that's pretty impressive.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trailer, <a href="http://vimeo.com/68238416" target="_blank">available here</a>, hints at what might be an interesting new art style for the game.</td></tr>
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Fez II is currently in development at Polytron. Not many details were given outside of a name and the fact that Disasterpeace will be returning to score - <i>hopefully - </i>another incredible soundtrack. Oh, and the title is officially Fez <i>II, </i>not Fez <i>2</i> - for geometric reasons, says Fish. </div>
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I consider myself a patient person, and you might want to join me if you're looking forward to this one. Fez was announced in 2007 and released in 2012. The, mostly, one-man-team built the game, and rebuilt it, over the course of six years. Some of which is documented in the film, <i>Indie Game: The Movie</i>. It's unclear the size of Polytron now, but in some way I would kind of prefer the personal nature of Fez to return to the sequel. And I'd absolutely be happy to wait for it.</div>
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It might also be interesting to see the destination of the final game. Phil and Microsoft did not end on the <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/358769/polytron-wont-pay-for-fez-patch/" target="_blank">best of terms</a>, so seeing Fez 2 as another Xbox Live Arcade exclusive is kind of a difficult pill to swallow. More likely, we'll see it released on the seemingly bipartisan Steam. But this is all conjecture at this point.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://polytroncorporation.com/announ-cement">http://polytroncorporation.com/announ-cement</a></span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-88489180243757898542013-06-11T10:19:00.002-07:002013-06-13T14:26:42.364-07:00E3 - Vomit Of The Mind (#DAYDUO)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rKxza_ODzx4iAjVqPt_gXZvM28ONpCSwJq1KBABJMlSjNPsP3XkMc6T8v2tRVdTSDzY7Kp5R6xQ7tnNOY_SUQ9sxLVrcL_8WDkL_akNBlAlwSXU5dF_mnqtivbteF7gXBS4LneYdNa4/s1600/E3day2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rKxza_ODzx4iAjVqPt_gXZvM28ONpCSwJq1KBABJMlSjNPsP3XkMc6T8v2tRVdTSDzY7Kp5R6xQ7tnNOY_SUQ9sxLVrcL_8WDkL_akNBlAlwSXU5dF_mnqtivbteF7gXBS4LneYdNa4/s200/E3day2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">Come see a distilled version of some of the news from day two of E3 2013. The good, the bad, the ugly, some confusion, and a little dash of unexpected excitement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Jun 11, 2013</span></h2>
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Hello again. It's day two of E3. I'm going to be continuing live updates of the event right here. Though today will probably run a bit differently than yesterday. There aren't really any conferences I'll be covering - save for perhaps Nintendo Direct - so, instead I'll probably be posting more detailed thoughts on the events of yesterday, whatever news comes up, and perhaps some thoughts on the games being shown off today. Check back regularly for more updates.</div>
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Let's start with some good news.</h3>
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So, let's start off with something pretty grand. One of the announcements Nintendo made today, through Nintendo Direct - which is their own platform for announcements this week, they've opted out of a traditional press conference - is that Super Mario 3D World will be coming to Wii U. Not to be confused with Super Mario 3D Land, on the 3DS. More exciting though, is that Peach will be playable in a Super Mario Bros. game for the first time since Super Mario Bros. 2.<br />
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And now some not so good.</h3>
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Sony had a good reception last night. It was downright electric. I mean, there was a standing ovation. That doesn't happen at these conferences. Well, at least not past the rows where employees are sitting.</div>
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But, that jerk named <i>reality</i> decided to come ruin the honeymoon. He rented a bunch of porn through the hotel TV, he ordered room service, and even broke the alarm clock on the nightstand. Now you're at the front counter and have to pay up. </div>
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Okay, so it's not all that bad. Two things, really. First of all, The Last Guardian, guess what? That's on hiatus. <i>Wait</i>. Does that mean I was supposed to think that it was still coming out? When did that get announced again? 2009? So, no surprises there. Maybe a little disappointing to know that it is officially on hiatus rather than just assuming, "well yeah, it's totally on hiatus." </div>
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The second bit is a little confusing, so here's the way I have it broken down. <br />
<b>Xbox One</b> - Microsoft is leaving it up to the publishers how they want to handle used games. There is a system in place that will allow the publishers to make it impossible to resell games used. Also, it will not allow rentals (at launch) - or, this is what I heard, at this point it's kind of hard parting reality from rumor. Further, the Xbox One will require an online authentication once every twenty-four hours. You must be connected online once a day to play your games. </div>
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<b>PlayStation 4</b> - It was made clear, much like Microsoft, that Sony is allowing publishers to handle used games how they see fit. <i>However - </i>and this is the key difference - <u>there are no systems built-in on the console to accommodate this</u>. It will be up to the publishers and developers to create their own systems for blocking used games, if they wish. Rentals seem to still be okay, providing the publisher sees fit. No online authentication either, though a publisher could probably find a way force that too.</div>
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<i>Basically</i>, it sounds like the PlayStation 4 will be largely the same as modern systems. No innate DRM restrictions, but publishers are allowed to implement their own (see: online passes). The Xbox One has features built in that, if publishers so desire, will make it really easy to disallow consumers from reselling their games and sharing their games. Also, you have to have a stable internet connection to play Xbox One.</div>
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Can we just go back to the point where I put a game in a system and played it?</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source:<a href="http://www.polygon.com/2013/6/11/4419476/playstation-4-third-party-publishers-can-dictate-their-own-drm-terms">http://www.polygon.com/2013/6/11/4419476/playstation-4-third-party-publishers-can-dictate-their-own-drm-terms</a></i></span></div>
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And, the ugly.</h3>
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There was an unfortunate bit of communication yesterday during the Microsoft press conference. If you were following along with my liveblog, you may have noticed when it happened.</div>
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<i>12:26 - ...nice subtle allusion to raping your co-host, guy. I guess you need to appeal to the fight game crowd somehow, right?</i></div>
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The one woman present, and that's including playable video game protagonists, was involved in a demonstration of Killer Instinct. Well, I guess technically it was a demonstration of the Twitch feature set. Actually, it was more a demonstration of the general boys-club atmosphere Microsoft perpetuated yesterday. And it's unhealthy for us all.</div>
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For context sake, the line the man said as he was handily beating the woman in a staged bit was, "just let it happen, it'll be over soon." Like a rape. Get it? Pretty funny, dude. Except you're supposed to be a professional demonstrating video games to a consumer base, not inflating your machismo ego in front of your shitty friends. This can broach on the whole 'rape joke' issue. Which is a very complicated debate, but that's not even the point here. And, you might say he didn't mean it as rape. Or you might say he wasn't serious. Or that he misspoke. Or he meant nothing bad by it.</div>
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Does it matter what it was meant as? Does it matter if it was serious? Does it matter if the guy who said it was doing so with no ill intent? No, it doesn't. Since when has misogyny ever been something those perpetrating have been aware of? That's not even the debate here. And if you don't want to bring the 'rape joke' argument into it, that's fine. But the entire skit was still condescending and humiliating to the one woman present during the Microsoft briefing. And that's still a big problem. It's limiting, hindering, ignorant, and self-destructive. Video games will absolutely never be taken seriously if half of the population is being perpetually alienated. So, please, for fuck's sake. Stop being jerks.<br />
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Redaction</h3>
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Remember what I said about The Last Guardian being on hiatus? Okay, so that's not true. It's still in active development still. Still. STILL?</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source:<a href="http://kotaku.com/sony-corrects-themselves-says-the-last-guardian-is-not-512720979">http://kotaku.com/sony-corrects-themselves-says-the-last-guardian-is-not-512720979</a></span></i></div>
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I liked Deus Ex: Human Revolution, mostly...</h3>
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Deus Ex: Human Revolution was a pretty good game. It was one of those things that came out of nowhere for me. I hadn't been paying attention to it, mostly because I had no nostalgic attachment to the series. There were also rumors that the game wasn't coming along super well, and despite trying to ignore rumors, it can be hard not to be discouraged when you hear that. Well, it came out, I bought it on a whim, and I enjoyed it. Well, mostly.</div>
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The boss fights in that game were <i>bad</i>. I don't mean that you bust your head against it a couple times, and then move on. I mean, these were weirdly difficult, jarring, unpleasant, and harmful to the overall enjoyment of the game. And guess what? They weren't even made by the people who made the game. That's right, they outsourced the boss fights. Weird, right?</div>
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Well, Eidos Montreal decided for the Wii U version of the game that they would, while implementing some extra features, rework those boss fights. Honestly, I was a little jealous those Wii U folks were getting a better version of the game. But today, Jean Francois Dugas revealed that the Director's Cut version will also be coming to PS3, 360, and PC. Go them. And, <i>go us.</i> Though, no answers on if it is an entirely new package, or to be sold as DLC for those who already own the game. Either way, I think I'm interested in playing it again. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source:</i><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/deus-ex-human-revolution-directors-cut-coming-to-360-ps3-and-pc-6409843/">http://www.gamespot.com/e3/deus-ex-human-revolution-directors-cut-coming-to-360-ps3-and-pc-6409843/</a></span></div>
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An annotation to the PlayStation 4 DRM thing.</h3>
So, I was pretty much spot-on with my statements earlier. Well, it seems that way for now. I mean, <i>heck</i>, the way this has been playing out, who knows what could be the case tomorrow, right? But, here's some new news. Scott Rohde says goodbye to online passes. Well, not in so few words. The impression is that, since PlayStation Plus will be required to play online, Sony doesn't want publishers to stack extra fees on top of that. But he also sort of qualified his statements.<br />
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<i>In general, we're all businesses. Sony or Microsoft is never going to be able to tell EA or Activision exactly what they can do. What we like to say at PlayStation is that we set the precedent. The way we are approaching this is that we want this to be extremely consumer-friendly, extremely retailer-friendly, and extremely publisher-friendly. My personal opinion is that it's hard for me to believe that any major publisher is going to put an extra set of used DRM onto game titles because that wouldn't put them in a good spot, right?</i></div>
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So, I guess it's just highly unlikely that online passes will continue. I guess? Hey, I only get as much information as they are putting out there.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Source:<a href="http://gamasutra.com/view/news/194150/Further_clarification_on_Sonys_DRM_policies_No_more_online_pass.php">http://gamasutra.com/view/news/194150/Further_clarification_on_Sonys_DRM_policies_No_more_online_pass.php</a></i></span></div>
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A big budget game that I'm actually kind of looking forward to.</h3>
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I generally am not the type that jumps on the hype train for the next big game. Well, I mean there are <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf38HiYPMiI" target="_blank">exceptions</a> to the rule. Generally speaking though, I pay attention to these events so that I can pick up information. Get a better understanding of what I can expect from games. But I try not to let myself jump when they say jump, it seems pointless. It can be so hard to tell if a game will meet expectations. Then, there are those developers who generally know what they're doing within a genre, and you see an idea that really makes sense for them. And, sometimes, they'll show the game off and it'll actually look better than you expected.<br />
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Destiny looks like a less abrasive version of Borderlands, with a more interesting customization system, and being built by a developer who I trust to build better worlds and better controlling shooters. This is weird, but I think I'm going to let myself look forward to Destiny. Don't disappoint me, Bungie.</div>
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That's a wrap.</h3>
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That's it for the second day of E3. I hope you enjoyed what coverage I was able to bring. It can be really hard to parse together solid details when you're getting conflicting information from different sources. E3 is an exciting and dangerous beast. It was quite the experience attempting to cover it, as opposed to my usual of standing on the sidelines just watching. Hopefully I offered some sort of unique perspective. In some weird way, I think there's an advantage to not actually being there.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-84338871697143543962013-06-10T09:22:00.001-07:002013-06-11T09:47:18.152-07:00E3 - Vomit Of The Mind (DAY FIRST)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">I chronicled my thoughts throughout the first day of E3 2013. These are my reactions to the press conferences, as they happened.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Jun 10, 2013</span></h2>
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Hey folks. Going to be trying something a bit new this week with E3. I'll be posting live updates on my thoughts of what is happening at E3, as I see it. This is the best way I could come up with for one person to cover as much as possible without spending every night rewatching press conferences. Don't worry, I'll be keeping these blog posts around, in case you don't catch it live. If you are reading this as it's happening, just reload the page to catch any updates.</div>
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Microsoft Press Conference</h3>
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<i>11:20</i> - Dealing with some streaming issues, at the moment. Luckily these press conferences are coming from about one hundred different sources, so I'll make sure I find something.<br />
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<i>11:25</i> - Looks like I've got the stream ironed out. Xbox conference starts momentarily. This is probably going to be one of the most important conferences they've ever had. Not sure about my feelings, but they have a lot of ground to cover with the core audience.<br />
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<i>11:30 - </i>I suppose I should mention that I'm streaming from the Xbox 360's live event player, for those curious. If that doesn't work for you, GameSpot generally does a great job with their streams. <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/e3/microsoft-press-conference?tag=Topslot;Slot1">http://www.gamespot.com/e3/microsoft-press-conference?tag=Topslot;Slot1</a> Okay, it's starting now.<br />
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<i>11:33 - </i>Lots of green lights. Nothing is happening. If folks want to chat with me directly during this, find me on Twitter @Ambivalist. <a href="https://twitter.com/Ambivalist">https://twitter.com/Ambivalist</a><br />
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<i>11:40 - </i>Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain. Kiefer doing his best to sound exactly like Hayter. Make of that what you will. Also, hey guys, <i>war is bad</i>. And we need this entire series to make condescending metaphors at us for two decades for us to know why.<br />
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<i>11:44 - </i>Sweet. Another Xbox 360 remodel. But, something that actually matters, it sounds like Xbox Live Gold is working to be similar to PlayStation Plus. Assassin's Creed 2 and Halo 3 for free in July.<br />
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<i>11:47 - </i>World of Tanks coming to 360. I get excited for the dumbest shit.<br />
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<i>11:50 - </i>Max The Curse of Brotherhood. Getting a late nineties animated feature vibe from this. See: James and The Giant Peach. And I think I'm really digging it. And Dark Souls 2. I'm not insane, so I don't really care. Okay, it looks cool. But that was never the problem with those games.<br />
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<i>11:55 - </i>Ryse. Ancient roman take on Saving Private Ryan.<br />
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<i>11:56 - </i>Can we stop with the fucking button prompts being a <i>key </i>gameplay feature? It's lazy and trite. Maybe kind of interesting back when The Mark of Kri did it. And that was coupled with an interesting/unique combat system.<br />
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<i>12:01 - </i>Killer Instinct. Great. Seriously, not being sarcastic here. If you're going to make some senselessly violent games, might as well make me nostalgic too.<br />
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<i>12:04 - </i>Guys. The most exciting thing about Xbox One is that it's bringing back colors! (Sunset Overdrive)<br />
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<i>12:06 - </i>Forza 5 trailer followed up with car appearing on stage. Just then car shifts and transforms! Holy shit Forza is teaming up with Transformers. Forza 5: Race For Energon. Not really though because that'd be how they made Forza exciting to talk about.<br />
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<i>12:08 - </i>If this guy says "drivatar" again, I might cut myself.<br />
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<i>12:13 - </i>I want to be able to be the guy who scoffs at the idea of another Minecraft game. But I totally bought the game, I totally lost nights to it, I totally build a giant castle. I <i>am </i>the problem.<br />
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<i>12:18 - </i>The Quantum something or other game's new trailer only confused me more than the first one. What the hell is this?<br />
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<i>12:19 - </i>Spark is kind of making Minecraft way less impressive.<br />
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<i>12:23 - </i>Spark looks like it is Microsoft's answer - though a little late - to Little Big Planet. Hopefully it controls better.<br />
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<i>12:26 </i>- Watching people in suits play fighting games is now the most uncomfortable thing I've ever seen. Also, nice subtle allusion to raping your co-host, guy. I guess you need to appeal to the fight game crowd somehow, right?<br />
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<i>12:29 - </i>Who didn't see that Twitch partnership coming? Still, a big pick up for Microsoft. Twitch is pretty popular, I heard.<br />
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<i>12:30 - </i>Audio dropped out on the trailer. Just awkward applause to silent gameplay footage. <i>That </i>might have been more awkward than the suits playing fighting games thing.<br />
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<i>12:32 - </i>I don't care who is making the game or what series it is a part of. Zombie games are completely uninteresting to me. The onus is on them to earn back my attention after they drop the word "zombie." Just having better tech and a bigger world than the last zombie game isn't enough guys. Because in two months the next guys will be saying that about their game.<br />
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<i>12:36 - </i>Though, I'll admit this does look better than the previous Dead Rising games. And the crafting system looks much better implemented than anything I've seen before.<br />
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<i>12:40 - </i>Witcher 3. I wonder if I'll buy this the day it comes out and then never actually play it, and feel bad about it whenever the subject comes up.<br />
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<i>12:41 - </i>Finally, a video game about war. I was really worried I wouldn't be able to shoot people on Xbox One. (Battlefield 4)<br />
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<i>12:42 - </i>Live demos have to be the most stressful things on the planet. It is actually painful whenever there is some sort of technical issues.<br />
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<i>12:50 - </i>Capybara is putting out a game on Xbox One. Looks atmospheric. Go figure. Definitely interested in Below.<br />
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<i>12:54 - </i>Pretty slick, yet really short and ultimately meaningless, Halo trailer. Got to assume that's Halo 5, but that doesn't appear to necessarily be the official title. Still, I've always enjoyed the series, and I'm definitely interested in seeing what 343 can do on better hardware. 60 frames per second promised. 2014.<br />
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<i>12:56 - </i>Respawn's new game is Xbox One exclusive. But we all already knew that didn't we, Game Informer? I'm super unimpressed. I expected more from these guys. (Titanfall) Also, $499 US for the Xbox One.<br />
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<i>1:05 - </i>Conference is over. Right now Spark is what is sticking out to me. But I need to process my thoughts before making any claims of what looks the best or what I'm looking forward to the most. I'll be back on here later on for Sony's conference.<br />
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Ubisoft Press Conference</h3>
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<i>4:32 - </i>Decided that I'd check out Ubisoft's press conference this afternoon. Honestly, I could not care much less. But they generally put on an entertaining show. And who knows? Maybe Mr. Caffeine will make an appearance and I'll finally be justified in hanging myself.</div>
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<i>4:37 - </i>Apparently I missed the Mirror's Edge 2 announcement during EA's conference. Fantastic news. I was a big supporter of that first game. I'd still recommend checking it out. Sounds like we have a bit of a wait for the next-gen sequel though.<br />
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<i>5:00 - </i>Conference starting right on time. Sounds like they're over-booked. Also, is it weird to anybody else they've watermarked their stream with a Uplay logo? And if I wanted to hear Alice in Chains I'd turn on a bad rock station.<br />
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<i>5:03 - </i>"It's no fun playing alone. Now watch me play (still totally alone) with a computer and video of other people," said the saddest grown man on earth in front of a massive crowd.<br />
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<i>5:05 - </i>What's this?! A woman on stage right away. WTF THIS IS A VIDEO GAME SHOW YOU GUYS<br />
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<i>5:06 - </i>Seriously though, Aisha Tyler does come off sincere as one of those celebrity video game fans. Which is pretty rare. Totally okay with her as a host. Though, she probably won't be as good for bad animated GIFs.<br />
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<i>5:10 - </i>Splinter Cell thing. I can't tell what's going on, and I don't care. #girlwood<br />
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<i>5:14 - </i>The jumping between paintings give me a Super Mario 64 vibe. (Rayman Legends) And I continue to love the look of these games.<br />
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<i>5:17 - </i>The Might Quest For Epic Loot seems to represent a lot of the things I hate about video games. Including trite game concepts like tower defense, and self-aware nerd lingo.<br />
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<i>5:23 - </i>It's still impressive to me, and I'm not convinced it's real, that the South Park game looks so much like the show.<br />
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<i>5:27 - </i>Sort of wish that The Crew were a Fast and Furious game. Oh well. Seems interesting though.<br />
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<i>5:33 - </i>Did he just say, "he's wearing a hat, so he's not very good"?<br />
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<i>5:40 - </i>I believe they released this trailer earlier today. This is the second time I've seen it anyway. (Watch Dogs) The game continues to be one of the more interesting looking things on the horizon though.<br />
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<i>5:47 - </i>I'm pretty sure that Rabbid just stomped on a starfish's dick. Not cool Rabbid. Not cool.<br />
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<i>5:49 - </i>Hey, this host is tall. Just so you know. She keeps reiterating, so I assume it was important to write that here.<br />
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<i>5:52 - </i>I keep forgetting that Assassin's Creed IV exists. Maybe intentional.<br />
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<i>6:02 - </i>I have never played any of the Trials games. Though, I keep feeling like I'm missing out. And then I tell myself, maybe when the next one comes out.<br />
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<i>6:10 - </i>Hey, here's six minutes of manipulative drama based on American paranoia. Didn't they learn their lesson when that sensationalist weirdo introduced Infamous 2 back at the PS4 announcement? Though, this game looks okay. <i>Okay</i>. (Tom Clancy's The Division)<br />
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<i>6:17 - </i>Ubisoft's <i>thing </i>is over. That was full of really uncomfortable moments. And not the kind that you can really laugh about later on. Just the kind that make you embarrassed to be watching the thing. I guess The Crew looked interesting. And The Division seems like it might, maybe be okay. But they are pushing this whole "whoa, camera pull out, you're playing with a bunch of people" angle way too hard. And frankly, I just don't give a shit about playing with other people. I just want to experience a game and not have to count on other players to make it fun. We'll see though.<br />
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Sony Press Conference</h3>
<i>7:21 - </i>Sony's conference will be starting momentarily. It'll be very interesting to see their reactions to Microsoft's game-heavy show. It'd be nice if they showed just as much. And a lower price tag might really put the dagger to Microsoft's throat.<br />
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<i>7:30 - </i>It's time for me to decide what way I want to experience this thing. Do I have a bowl of cereal, or grab some Scotch?<br />
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<i>7:32 - </i>Scotch.<br />
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<i>7:45 - </i>Some fun shots of people outside the LA Convention Center. And some goofy mother fucker hosting. Pre-show stuff. Show starts in about fifteen minutes. They're speculating over the most obvious things. WHAT WILL THE SYSTEM LOOK LIKE WHAT WE DONT KNOW WE NEED ANSWERS OMG AHAHAHA<br />
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<i>8:02 - </i>I think it's finally starting. I was starting to drift into insanity. Nobody else had their own pre-show full of the shilliest, shilly shills in the whole wide world.<br />
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<i>8:15 - </i>Things are running late. And I finished my Scotch. This whole night is going down in flames. Starts in a minute though.<br />
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<i>8:17 - </i>Sony's stream is garbage. Runs about as well as you'd expect something to run on PSN.<br />
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<i>8:19 - </i>I do prefer blue lights to green lights. So, there's that. But Imagine Dragons are the worst, and they just played them. This needs to stop.<br />
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<i>8:24 - </i>Walking Dead coming to Vita. Pretty cool idea. If I had a Vita, that'd be the way I'd want to play it.<br />
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<i>8:28 - </i>Lots of artsy stuff coming to PS3 still. Rain looks really interesting stuff. Beyond is interesting, but I'm still cautious with those types of games. Not a fan of button prompts.<br />
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<i>8:32 - </i>Something with cars is on now. Sorry, when you're the last press conference of the day, you don't just get to show cars and have people be excited. Couldn't care less.<br />
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<i>8:38 - </i>Hard for me to be interested in Batman Arkham Origins. The games were fun for what they were, but the sequel didn't seem to learn much from its predecessor's faults. And this one feels like a cash-in. Also, GTAV bundle will be coming for PS3. And hints at some exclusive GTAV stuff hinted at? "In the coming weeks."<br />
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<i>8:40 - </i>System has been shown. Look, it's a black box. Why was there a build up for that? Slick looking, and it'll fit in my entertainment center better though. I'm glad we're past the stupid era of consoles looking like spaceships.<br />
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<i>8:45 - </i>Video stuff. Rent movies and TV shows. Music stuff too. That stuff that everything does now.<br />
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<i>8:50 - </i>Forget horses, mechs, and dogs. This is the year of the quote before your trailer. Although there are totally also horses here. (The Order 1886)<br />
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<i>8:55 - </i>Killzone Shadow Fall looks good, but I'm just not interested. I mean, I haven't even finished Killzone 3. It's hard to get excited about pretty good shooters.<br />
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<i>8:57 - </i>Infamous Second Son has me a little more interested than before. Maaaaybe because it looks like it's set in Washington state. I'm a sucker for the Pacific Northwest.<br />
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<i>9:02 - </i>Quantic Dream had a tech demo thing. I'm not sure if it's a game, or just a demonstration of what the PS4 could do. I mean, it wasn't gameplay of anything. Oh wait. Adam Boyes in on stage.<br />
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<i>9:04 - </i>Supergiant Games' (Bastion) new project is debuting on the PS4. Transistor looks incredible. Really, really stupid of Microsoft to let that one get away.<br />
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<i>9:07 - </i>Don't Starve is coming to PS4. OKAY. OCTODAD COMING TOO. OOOOKAY. A BUNCH OF INDIE STUFF. OKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY. Dude, Sony. Well fuck. Sony just sold me.<br />
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<i>9:16 - </i>Final Fantasy VersusXIII looked pretty cool. Stylish and fast. In a way that I might be interested in seeing. Which is the first time I've said that about a Final Fantasy game.<br />
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<i>9:18 - </i>NO. DON'T YOU DARE END THIS SHOW ON ASSASSIN'S CREED IV.<br />
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<i>9:23 - </i>Looks pretty okay, I guess. I can't let myself get interested in another AC game though. Not after III and Revelations. I just wish they had made a pirate game completely detached from AC. Too much they have to lean on with AC.<br />
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<i>9:26 - </i>More Watch_Dogs stuff. The game seems interesting. But as always, I'm holding my reservations. Hope it turns out great.<br />
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<i>9:36 - </i>Digital LeBron James. Basketball stuff. Not my scene, but it looks graphically impressive. Also, Elder Scrolls Online for PS4. Beta available there first. Also not really my scene.<br />
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<i>9:39 - </i> Mad Max game. Kind of a nothing trailer. But I'm going to be excited anyway because I think Tom Hardy is in that, and well, you know. Also Trenton back with Imagine Dragons. Shoot me.<br />
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<i>9:41 - </i>Saying gauntlet thrown means this is the beginning of a fight. No. This is Sony pulling the fucking trigger on Microsoft. No used restrictions. No online required.<br />
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<i>9:48 - </i>Still blown away by Sony. Now showing first gameplay of Bungie's Destiny. Getting a big Star Wars vibe from the aesthetic.<br />
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<i>9:51 - </i>Sony now charges for online. It's a part of PlayStation Plus though, something you should probably have. Also, it's not going up in price. Maintains other features associated with Plus, including some free PS4 games when the time comes.<br />
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<i>9:55 - </i>Destiny looks kind of like a less obnoxious Borderlands. Developed by people I have more trust in to make solid controlling shooters. Interesting.<br />
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<i>10:00 - </i>A cloud gaming service. Will have a bunch of the "best" PS3 games. Interesting idea. Hope it works out for them. That'd be an awesome answer to no backwards compatibility.<br />
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<i>10:02 - </i>And it is a hundred bucks less than a Xbox One. $399. Microsoft has way more ground to make up than ever before.<br />
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<i>10:06 - </i>That's a wrap for today. I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but Sony killed it. And I'm feeling like I actually want to buy a PlayStation 4 at launch. Definitely didn't feel that way about WiiU, and I don't feel that way about Xbox One.<br />
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I'll be back tomorrow. Expect some more in-depth opinions about what happened today, as well as some coverage on some of the games mentioned throughout the conferences. Thanks for reading!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-66581656380380169532013-06-06T10:14:00.000-07:002013-06-06T10:14:37.919-07:00Tomb Raider - Rebooting The Heroine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Lara Croft is back in Crystal Dynamics reboot of Tomb Raider. No doubt that this is a less fantastical revision of the classic heroine. But is Crystal Dynamics capable of rebooting one of the few iconic female video game heroes without leaning too hard on the sexist tropes of yesterday?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | May 30, 2013</span></h2>
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There's a division going on in the gaming community right now. Any comments section on any article that attempts to talk about sexism in games will make the split clear to you. There are those who are acknowledging the problems with the way women are represented, or lack of being represented, in video games, and there is the camp that exists to fight that movement. The fear of change is understandable, but when it comes at the detriment of social equality, it might be time to look inward and get over the phobia.</div>
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If it's not completely clear, I'm coming from the place that acknowledges the problems - thankfully, I am beginning to feel like most of the vocal games community is. This hasn't always been the case for me though. I would be the first to admit that growing up I made plenty of mistakes that stemmed from ignorance. I suppose it's not easy, men are quite literally bred into misogyny via music, movies, television, advertising, social tradition, and even video games. At a certain point though, you can no longer shirk the responsibility of being unaware of these problems simply because mainstream media taught you poorly. It's the responsibility of each person to understand and draw upon what they see in art, media, and society, and formulate their own ideas and opinions.<br />
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That being said, I would encourage anybody who is of the mindset that there is not a problem with misogyny to continue reading. Change isn't made by preaching to the choir. Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I think discourse on this subject, aggressive debate even, is a constructive thing.<br />
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The ways in which sexism infiltrates video games ranges from the way we perceive female characters to the way female employees are treated by employers, and to the way we trash talk during fighting games to the way we toss threats via Twitter, from ubiquitous tropes like the 'damsel in distress' to having men as the one true protector, and even the way our consoles, games, and accessories are marketed to us. There is no one facet of gaming that is completely unmarred by misogyny. Even the scant few iconic female heroines are based in a reality of objectification and brutality against women.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSgJCMYoHmqOLAPe4jkbBnaN69x__ZWpmGSg9uPLvhZBU4SCjzZudNV1Q3mrBSzHK4p1SkCWMd8IhBmaG94sAuG6N6PmNlN_Hv9cuO351__suhBVJxWrfSi8RKikKflEIJVlAk6rpIDw/s1600/vaguelyhuman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSgJCMYoHmqOLAPe4jkbBnaN69x__ZWpmGSg9uPLvhZBU4SCjzZudNV1Q3mrBSzHK4p1SkCWMd8IhBmaG94sAuG6N6PmNlN_Hv9cuO351__suhBVJxWrfSi8RKikKflEIJVlAk6rpIDw/s400/vaguelyhuman.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SoulCalibur's Ivy remains vaguely recognizable as a human female. It gets worse with each iteration.</td></tr>
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That brings me to Lara Croft, the hero of Tomb Raider. The Tomb Raider franchise has existed for longer than much of the current gaming audience has been alive. Heck, even I was barely out of the fourth grade when Lara Croft made her first appearance.<br />
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It was a very different environment in 1996. Women weren't playing games, well, that's what the advertisers and publishers believed. Since women weren't a target audience - and the only target was young, straight men - Lara Croft was marketed and designed appropriately lazily.<br />
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Roughly seventeen years later, two movies, countless comics, and nine games in, Crystal Dynamics and Square Enix released and rebooted the franchise with this year's Tomb Raider.<br />
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There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that much of the initiative was based in the feminist movement that picked up a lot of steam last year. The cynical might even believe the publisher saw a marketing opportunity in the movement. And based on some of the strange - <a href="http://kotaku.com/5917400/youll-want-to-protect-the-new-less-curvy-lara-croft" target="_blank">and sexist in a different way</a> - wording during some interviews, that might be a valid argument. Regardless, this game is absolutely attached to the feminist movement, for better or worse. Tomb Raider features a younger, more relatable Lara Croft. No longer marketed strictly at straight, young men, Lara was modeled more realistically. Well, okay, it's not perfect. She's still the <i>ideal </i>body-shape for women as portrayed by Hollywood. But she behaves, dresses, and looks slightly less like a mainstream porn star. Crystal Dynamics true push for Lara though, wasn't a body-positive image, but rather one for female empowerment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEhPufxORAf1yqsQG5TzOVEtN5Jm8NLdtdgxhGpS1LGIApoJr2aLtPJDbN2W2taa2R4LBygOIlIlM5J2ejgOwZR7eqEEOVU3zLtgnBJOCGQKhGV4XasZ3pEfy_jJtCZYRuFU9P_se3q8/s1600/originallara.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiEhPufxORAf1yqsQG5TzOVEtN5Jm8NLdtdgxhGpS1LGIApoJr2aLtPJDbN2W2taa2R4LBygOIlIlM5J2ejgOwZR7eqEEOVU3zLtgnBJOCGQKhGV4XasZ3pEfy_jJtCZYRuFU9P_se3q8/s400/originallara.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original iteration of Lara Croft. She has seen many transformations since 1996.</td></tr>
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Society expects different things of the sexes. This isn't to say what is expected is true, but it is what is encouraged, or in some cases even allowed by society. Women are to create, nurture, love, be cherished, be weak, be sexual, but not too sexual. Men are to destroy, fight, be respected, be feared, be strong, <i>fuck</i>, <i>fuck</i> a lot. Female empowerment - but this can go for males too - isn't simply one sex playing the traditional role of the other. But rather, empowerment is defined in the context of the role. Defying what is expected, breaking from tradition, but for the sake of growing, and encouraging growth. Simply put, it is to give power, where it was lacking.<br />
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Tomb Raider tends to work in two different directions. That being, Lara Croft as a survivalist, and Lara Croft as a video game action hero. In order to gain an understanding of the empowerment of Lara Croft, you must understand the differences in these two faces within the context of this narrative. The survivalist identity seems to work toward furthering women as central characters, while the action hero perpetuates video game tropes, and pays no mind to character, regardless of sex.<br />
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Quick time events are a mechanic used in video games as a device to create tension during cinematic moments without sacrificing player involvement. The ability for quick time events to succeed, as with most things, swings largely depending on context. One problem with quick time events is that the mechanic has become trite over the years. Brightly labeled buttons popping on screen is ubiquitous in modern boss fights. This nature, combined with the jarring aspect of a button appearing over your character, hurts the emotional and cinematic connection a player will experience during these events. Thus, using quick time events works to trivialize, to an extent, whatever events are happening during the action.<br />
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Perhaps then, it should be no surprise the concern that some showed when the sexual assault/potential rape sequence was masked with a quick time event. You'll never hear me argue that something is out of bounds for video games. And I think there is an absolute value in art discussing such things as traumatizing as rape and sexual assault. Though, proper steps should be taken to elicit an understanding, and respect the serious nature. An attempted rape painted with brightly colored buttons is trivializing the event. Afterwards, the player does not feel the trauma or stress that should have arrived from the event because it was turned into a cheap gimmick. And regardless if you succeed or fail in the event, it will be punctuated with a gunshot. I should note that though no rape takes place regardless of the outcome, the intentions are clearly implied.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgphT7HdMLqVRClpNFLBs9dnv35owy3GLuQGJM7MWndbpTgXLYW7uWiss33o5179EISC9fvUmZcAPLmIj7V3F-sdoNvsteo3Lz99y9Ky491-0-2m2ejcA4G5r6IOPl73vQC3BUlBnXMdc/s1600/tombraiderrapeqte.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgphT7HdMLqVRClpNFLBs9dnv35owy3GLuQGJM7MWndbpTgXLYW7uWiss33o5179EISC9fvUmZcAPLmIj7V3F-sdoNvsteo3Lz99y9Ky491-0-2m2ejcA4G5r6IOPl73vQC3BUlBnXMdc/s400/tombraiderrapeqte.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perhaps in a better context, a scene like this could have served to strengthen Lara as a character.</td></tr>
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A more unfortunate choice, one I simply do not understand, is the blatant emphasis of Lara's failure scenes. I feel I should reiterate, I do not believe in putting restraints on art, and violence absolutely has a place in video games. But this isn't a horror game paying homage to classic slasher flicks. An emphasis on the death of Lara does nothing but trivialize the number one enemy in a survivalist narrative - dying. Failing the attempted rape scene - as mentioned before, does not result in a rape - simply has Lara being shot in the head, and slowly toppling to the ground before the camera focuses on her lifeless face. This is one of the least gratuitous death scenes I've seen in the game. During one scene Lara will suffer a lengthy mauling from a wolf, if you fail a quick time event. Another scene has Lara tumbling down a waterway, if you make the wrong turn Lara will be strung up through her chin by a pipe that pierced her skull. A cinematic filter is applied and the camera lingers on her corpse during each and every one of these events before allowing you to retry the section. By the end, deaths turn into more of a joke than something to be feared. This further harms attempts to empower Lara by making her greatest threat seem like something not to be taken seriously.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNt_fxhcMPabb1WNic0QnGBIVlCgrvuK5_YwYn-v2mkwG0SvoJ3Q-bEblTqFIItm5_Ye0sgdnce5KbW2msu2O5tpyN_RNQTrl627Dv-I44OTs0hZG_PLjsosiRteEc-Wcz4jSXaYVIK0/s1600/tombraiderdied.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNt_fxhcMPabb1WNic0QnGBIVlCgrvuK5_YwYn-v2mkwG0SvoJ3Q-bEblTqFIItm5_Ye0sgdnce5KbW2msu2O5tpyN_RNQTrl627Dv-I44OTs0hZG_PLjsosiRteEc-Wcz4jSXaYVIK0/s400/tombraiderdied.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenes like these provide zero value to the narrative and only serve to withdraw the audience from the experience.</td></tr>
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The Tomb Raider series is well rooted in a long storied history of action games focused on shooting people. Though this series has always offered more than what most of these shooters have. Tomb Raider was somewhat regarded for its environmental puzzles and exploration of - <i>well - </i>Tombs. It is a shame then that Crystal Dynamics did choose to focus a little less on these elements than previous entries in the series had. There are a few abandoned tombs scattered throughout the island (more on those later), but the narrative structure mostly focuses on you getting from one place full of bad men to the next place full of bad men, shooting and stabbing them all, with some mountain climbing spread out in between. You certainly don't get any impression that Lara is incapable in these situations, and as a video game that maintains violence as a central mechanic - as much I am <i>personally</i> growing tired of that - it doesn't work to actively impede the empowerment of Lara as a character. Though, after you become desensitized to the danger of the situation, and the power of these opponents, it doesn't actively empower her either. It's just sort of there. A hurdle to jump in between narrative progression. And a means to upgrade Lara's abilities.<br />
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One of the most effective means of empowering Lara stems from her character's capability progress. That is, as you progress throughout the game, complete goals, kill bad guys, Lara gains experience to upgrade her abilities. Lara comes from a family of adventurers, and a lifestyle that would not have it unrealistic for her to have a base knowledge of, say, mountain climbing or bow hunting. So these upgrades feel narratively justified, in that she is remembering past lessons, is a quick learner, and an adaptable person. If left unjustified, it might feel similar to just handing the heroine a gun and letting her shoot men. While there is nothing innately wrong with that idea, it is not empowerment. Lara is breaking from the role that she might normally fit in, in a more typical action game. Even within the narrative, Lara is told what she can and can't do before it becomes apparent she is the most capable person on the island. The ability upgrades are a practical game mechanic that emphasize the growth of her character.<br />
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The most harrowing and powerful moments in the game do not usually come from the outright shootouts that Lara breezes through. Rather it's the exploration and sense of hopelessness provided by the island. The tombs mentioned earlier, provide a very claustrophobic and mysterious atmosphere. It is clear that the antagonists of the game hold interest in these tombs, but have failed to traverse them as effectively as Lara can. <i>This</i> is a subtle reinforcement of an empowered character. You're tasked on a few specific occasions to attempt a distress call from the island. When these attempts are marked in failure, Lara persists, despite the general sense of discouragement. The character on which other characters much rely on to persist through failure and overcome is - generally speaking - always male. <i>This </i>is empowerment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiko-CS7LEcTHDLKv0BgYAQMwRg_n1jo82PyccpF6w6fK8UAVP8E46qWSMOqHLiuwuWcaVtTRAMzeQ1i7LOFLiWqFTJ0bPOajqrix1FY94V4Vqs7cuO0yglMPoruNpHqgLuwC1C8Oav448/s1600/tombraidertomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiko-CS7LEcTHDLKv0BgYAQMwRg_n1jo82PyccpF6w6fK8UAVP8E46qWSMOqHLiuwuWcaVtTRAMzeQ1i7LOFLiWqFTJ0bPOajqrix1FY94V4Vqs7cuO0yglMPoruNpHqgLuwC1C8Oav448/s400/tombraidertomb.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The actual tombs also provide the most interesting intellectual challenge in the game.</td></tr>
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Too often we simplify female empowerment to slapping a weapon in a woman's hands, and letting her kill a handful of men. Without any driving force, this is not empowerment; this is murder. If you're ever wondering if a character is being empowered, ask yourself this question: would it matter if she were replaced with a male character? The knee-jerk reaction is to accept that having female characters do the things the male characters do is empowerment. While this might be a generally progressive idea, in that it would be nice to see more female characters, it is not doing anything to further women in games. Just as it is not doing anything to deconstruct the destructive portrayal of men in games. Which, believe it or not, is a big part of feminism because so often that negative portrayal of men is at the overall loss to women (i.e.: men being violent, men rescuing women, men being stronger). The reality is, in a female empowerment narrative, it absolutely does matter to the character that they are female or male. This is because empowerment is playing directly off of a deeply rooted idea of what society expects from women.<br />
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Tomb Raider is a little too rooted in action game tropes for its own good, and occasionally the game doesn't take itself as seriously as it should. The narrative is sometimes tossed under the bus to appeal to a larger, younger, and more violent audience. And, the hyper violent segments only serve to perpetuate the violence against women in games and trivialize the struggles Lara is facing throughout the rest of the narrative. However, these flaws are - for the most part - relatively insignificant in contrast to the majority of the game. In some weird way, the game benefits from an easier difficulty because those jarring death scenes aren't frequent enough to be too bothersome. And since the feelings of the struggle are largely coming from an atmospheric place, the easier gameplay isn't working against the survivalist themes. The most prevalent flaw is that the game simply has Lara shooting an unjustified amount of villains, and this is mostly only a negative because it's not always actively working to progress her as an empowered character.<br />
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Ultimately, the new Lara Croft was reasonably well recreated. Though video games are in many ways a more collaborative effort than any other medium, I'm sure in no small way we have Rhianna Pratchett to thank for this more respectable heroine. Pratchett has proven herself time and time again as a valuable, progressive writer in games (Mirror's Edge, Heavenly Sword). And an asset to game fans seeking a more feminist appealing industry for the future. Tomb Raider is not the perfect female empowerment piece, but nobody was expecting that to happen. Unfortunately, we probably won't see mainstream games manage something like that for some time. However, Tomb Raider is important in that it is a step in the right direction. In fact, it may be the first time I've ever seen a powerful, intelligent female character represented in a gritty and realistic, mainstream video game. Lara has been crafted to be every bit as much of a hero as the Nathan Drakes and Master Chiefs we see populating the game store shelves. And she had to fight a hell of a lot harder to do it.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-88104885998382404582013-06-04T17:55:00.001-07:002013-06-04T17:55:43.233-07:00Perhaps The Best Month Of PlayStation Plus Yet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLatdlBJWEG4Y-is2QwJNBhjZwvrdogsnoq4Hwxfft7TtqfBdlGSywvj9hT9xp-ZqpGu_FFJRohMZnB4FaF6j9FDk0QQtae6YgnMDVzNLtnmdysCTjw-jYq3d-Ux30WdbkCZd-PhU27tI/s1600/plustitle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLatdlBJWEG4Y-is2QwJNBhjZwvrdogsnoq4Hwxfft7TtqfBdlGSywvj9hT9xp-ZqpGu_FFJRohMZnB4FaF6j9FDk0QQtae6YgnMDVzNLtnmdysCTjw-jYq3d-Ux30WdbkCZd-PhU27tI/s200/plustitle.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Four incredible games over the course of the next month coming to PlayStation Plus members, gratis. If you haven't signed up for PlayStation Plus yet, now is the time.</span><a name='more'></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Jun 4, 2013</span></h2>
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If you've yet to jump on the PlayStation Plus bandwagon, do it now. Seriously. Right now. Here I'll even give you a link to the <a href="http://playstationplus.com/main/index.html" target="_blank">PlayStation Plus</a> page.</div>
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Sony's premium gaming service launched in 2009, but didn't start with the best reception. Over the past year Sony has worked hard to revamp the service's image by adding many great games to the instant catalog - games available for free to Plus members. This has included such games as Infamous 2, Saints Row 2, Darksiders, and many others. For a few dollars a month you have access to many of the games that, are probably, some of the key reasons you bought a PlayStation 3.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18xtu5n3lfQgfVJLrAfjnmrD4iV2HvmRhSNbQOzCi-Nahg3s_efQEapVvSg1WID5u-ajCLiJN0s87MWWRjutVP2fYHa-Ts3SKrplWFody8eEj3ym5GRjOpp1xkqBWU6kaIX6GvnhEzUE/s1600/deus-ex-human-revolution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18xtu5n3lfQgfVJLrAfjnmrD4iV2HvmRhSNbQOzCi-Nahg3s_efQEapVvSg1WID5u-ajCLiJN0s87MWWRjutVP2fYHa-Ts3SKrplWFody8eEj3ym5GRjOpp1xkqBWU6kaIX6GvnhEzUE/s400/deus-ex-human-revolution.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deus Ex: Human Revolution was one of 2011's best surprises. The boss fights are flawed, but it's still worth a look. The game is set to be re-release on Wii U, with reworked boss fights, later this year.</td></tr>
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Sony has outdone themselves for June. Over the next four weeks we'll see Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Machinarium, Saints Row: The Third, and, for Vita owners, Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. I can personally assure you, three of the four games are worth checking out, and even more so for the nominal Plus fee. And, though I've never played it, I've only heard positive remarks about Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGydC6KmevVebiHn4LXk_rnJ1s7q5AfXocLEctjqqWNCH1zJNoPqj8AkQwpWp2D8Q3CCUqigGGGJ83xnN7cXyaCF7vuGfLRbBe1JsD_y9_immH8VsmEW2kjphbQ-JkLWurZsFEhi3oekw/s1600/sr10b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGydC6KmevVebiHn4LXk_rnJ1s7q5AfXocLEctjqqWNCH1zJNoPqj8AkQwpWp2D8Q3CCUqigGGGJ83xnN7cXyaCF7vuGfLRbBe1JsD_y9_immH8VsmEW2kjphbQ-JkLWurZsFEhi3oekw/s400/sr10b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Certainly an offensive game, but if you can look past its childish nature, Saints Row The Third is absolutely some of the most fun you can have in an open world. Also, Volition are local. Represent Champaign.</td></tr>
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Further, the Plus membership is guaranteeing members a discount on a couple games for the month. Both Portal 2 (40% off) and the newly released racer, GRID 2 (10%), are marked down. If you were looking to pick up either of these, you could certainly do worse.</div>
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Other discounts or games were also teased, though not revealed at the time of this writing. Keep an eye on The Ambivalist, or the PlayStation Plus blog, for future updates.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: <a href="http://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/06/03/playstation-plus-deus-ex-human-revolution-free-for-members/">http://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/06/03/playstation-plus-deus-ex-human-revolution-free-for-members/</a></span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-74544475673859767352013-05-31T10:53:00.000-07:002013-05-31T10:57:58.037-07:00Ambivalist Recommends - Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNq25_CuN6QEGr3kDqaPIVwuKP0l5n2SIpNV1iUbnXoBbzRJ322YV0bGCRlKw_KY-QUaQnLPBlaFnWsTWygarDqIp31-785jGgGidvNcJOdE7cgoDI4vCygd8LGysxwnoODXWrHQjhjE/s1600/title.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyNq25_CuN6QEGr3kDqaPIVwuKP0l5n2SIpNV1iUbnXoBbzRJ322YV0bGCRlKw_KY-QUaQnLPBlaFnWsTWygarDqIp31-785jGgGidvNcJOdE7cgoDI4vCygd8LGysxwnoODXWrHQjhjE/s200/title.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe is a new, fast-paced, third person puzzle game from Andrew Morrish (Super Puzzle Platformer, The Heart Is Safe, Astar) and Adult Swim Games (Super House of Dead Ninjas, Amateur Surgeon).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | May 31, 2013</span></h2>
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Welcome to Ambivalist Recommends, a new regular feature. Ambivalist Recommends will be a place for me to showcase some of the smaller, cheaper, less time-consuming games that I feel deserve attention. This isn't to say that these games are any less significant than the <i>larger</i> games I cover, but rather that they are the type often overlooked by the general audience. This is a place for me to make an attempt at giving these titles the attention they deserve. As the title suggests, this feature is going to be more about me showing off a game than it will be about analysis. This doesn't mean a game is necessarily excluded from future analysis, or vise versa. Simply put, these are good, cheap or free games that I think you should play. The regularity of this feature depends on of a couple of things. First of all, how frequent I'm coming across the types of games that I feel should make the feature. Secondly, and more importantly, comes from you; give me feedback. If you play the game I recommend, comment and let me know what you think. If you have a suggestion of a game that you think would fit in this feature, let me know.<br />
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For the inaugural edition of Ambivalist Recommends, I've picked a game that has got its hooks in me in a way no other game has this year. In fact, as I write this I'm fighting the urge to load it up. Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe is relatively simple in concept. It's a color-match puzzle game with dropping blocks. It has the basic risk-reward structure of trying to match as many similarly colored blocks together before cashing in. The twist here is that it's controlled like a side scrolling shooter.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each round begins slowly, but quickly the screen will fill with blocks and other dangers.</td></tr>
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You control the hero much like you'd expect to in an older arcade shooter. Match three similarly colored blocks and shoot one a few times to cash them in. Or, keep them around and attempt to cash in a larger combination. The game becomes rather hectic when you're literally cashing in the ground which is keeping you alive. Cash in enough blocks, and your hero will earn weapon upgrades for more efficient block blasting.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEjhyphenhyphenp92c58ObSiQNZBVjRjKbDF-mV1tDbsGfXaNEDaWKricR2FUgY7u6A9i_9f6OJXAV7HQi1tpgGWIwsthQUp5pv4yXCT8K00bFKMZXIdgHFymvHgU9j33B_gr7w38uQlmHo5V9ANk/s1600/TreasureUnlock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEjhyphenhyphenp92c58ObSiQNZBVjRjKbDF-mV1tDbsGfXaNEDaWKricR2FUgY7u6A9i_9f6OJXAV7HQi1tpgGWIwsthQUp5pv4yXCT8K00bFKMZXIdgHFymvHgU9j33B_gr7w38uQlmHo5V9ANk/s400/TreasureUnlock.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blowing up sets of blocks earns these coins. Collecting the coins unlocks upgrades. Bigger combinations nets more coins.</td></tr>
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The upgrades also serve as your character's health. The more upgrades you have, the more mistakes you can make before failing the puzzle. If a block falls on your character, your upgrade progress will fall. If it falls too much, you'll revert a level losing the weapon upgrade. Continue losing upgrades, and you'll fail. Although, falling into the spikes or taking a hit from one the game's devious traps (cannons, chainsaws), will end your run immediately. The game manages to balance the hectic nature of both precision based platformers and puzzle games, without sacrificing the skill set. You'll need to think quickly to survive, and you'll need to be strategic if you want to net large point totals.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDs7QJ_u6Mb7y9IR63-NR3RY5tfz6SKoY8h-17b1il8Rz5UOSce8VXSC8-KAeKE5F3-osd-adQz811bVXuWZj8A09Gap1_VbwDsnolyUQEKxCQNM8w_AnWhc38l0W5EF29wKm_KvFWgxA/s1600/levelone.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDs7QJ_u6Mb7y9IR63-NR3RY5tfz6SKoY8h-17b1il8Rz5UOSce8VXSC8-KAeKE5F3-osd-adQz811bVXuWZj8A09Gap1_VbwDsnolyUQEKxCQNM8w_AnWhc38l0W5EF29wKm_KvFWgxA/s400/levelone.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My biggest complaint is that this game is only available to play on PC. I would love to take it with me on 3DS or another mobile device.</td></tr>
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There is much incentive to climb the leader boards too. The game has several unlockable heroes, each with unique weapons and abilities (e.g.: a ninja character that can double jump, but throws shurikens which are slower and weaker than bullets). As you progress, you'll also unlock new stages to play in, each getting progressively more difficult than the last. And finally, challenge stages. The challenge stages will ask you to master a specific skill set that might not necessarily make itself apparent in the main game. This works as both a way to better yourself for higher scores, and an interesting change of pace from the normal puzzles. For instance, one of the first challenge stages unlocked asks the player to survive several spike blocks falling. You'll quickly discover that you can run across the tops of the spike blocks, so long as you aren't landing on them after a jump. I've still yet to beat the first stage, but it's proving to be addicting, even in my failure.<br />
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Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe also offers a split screen mode, and supports Steam Big Picture. While I'd prefer to just run the game from XBLA or PSN - and yes, I'd happily buy it a second time - the idea of a versus mode is pretty appealing, specifically split screen.<br />
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This is one of those rare games that I can actually admit I'm addicted to. It's very rare that a game hits the right pacing and delivers on the right incentives to really get me going back again and again. Even rarer, a game getting me to openly admit I would buy another copy if it meant I could play it on the go, or have easier access to the multiplayer mode. Super Puzzle Platformer Deluxe is cheap too, ringing in at just under eight dollars on Steam. I can't recommend the game enough, do yourself a favor and drop a few bucks for it.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-15917751829042075822013-05-28T21:36:00.002-07:002013-05-31T10:49:14.124-07:00Ten Reasons To Be Excited For Xbox One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">Call me an optimist. Okay, call be a idiot fanboy, blindly following Microsoft into consumer rights hell. Either way, I'm still going to try to look forward to Xbox One. I have to. For the sake of continuing doing what I do.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | May 26, 2013</span></h2>
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So, the vibe during the Xbox One announcement wasn't great. Maybe that doesn't quite get the point across. It had the atmosphere I'd expect in the operating room during a Christmas Eve abortion. Let's be honest here, during these sorts of things, we're all kind of sensationalists. Somebody says something that doesn't instantly blow us away, and we're ready to see them board up their windows. After the fact, I'm trying to be positive. I want to be, for the sake of continuing to play video games.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, Microsoft dropped the ball at that announcement. It felt like the conference that should have been two years post-launch. The one where they have all the base audience sold (the people who play video games). And they're trying to sell the last few parents who don't quite get why their kid needs the new Xbox. But instead this was the console announcement. The audience that really, really cares about a console launch announcement is niche. The audience that cares enough to watch the conference live is even more niche. And the audience that's willing to do that at noon on a Tuesday - well, I doubt it broke any viewing records. This should have been catered toward that tiny demographic. The fans so passionate they're willing to miss work just to see the next video game system teased.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Personally, I love the new design of the console. I'm sick of curved edges and bizarre non-shapes. Give me something that will match the rest of my entertainment center.</td></tr>
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But I said I was going to be positive. If you want to read all the reasons to hate the Xbox One, hop on Twitter for roughly twelve seconds. If you want to be excited about Xbox One, but you're not quite sure that Microsoft gave you a reason to. I've got ten solid reasons right here.<br />
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10. Game DVR</h3>
Hardly revolutionary at this point. It's commonplace in some gaming communities. And, even Sony announced something similar built-in back during the PlayStation 4 announcement. But, it is still good news. Being able to easily record footage from games and upload it to - well, they haven't really been explicit about that. But, still good news. Especially for folks, like me, who would love to cover games in all possible ways.<br />
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9. Smart Match</h3>
Remember last time you played Halo 4 with a group of strangers? Remember how quickly before you found yourself reaching for the mute button - if you even had voice chat on to begin with? The online community in multiplayer games is, sadly, the number one reason I find myself avoiding playing my games online. This isn't to say that nobody playing these games are decent humans, it's just that they're really, really, <i>really </i>rare. If Smart Match - a mysterious system that uses mathematics to pair up like-minded players - means less prepubescents tossing out derogatory terms via my headset, I'm in.<br />
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8. Low Power</h3>
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The system runs on less power than the Xbox 360 does. What does this mean? Well, other than a smaller electric bill, this carries a few benefits. First of all, less power means less heat. With less heat, you're less in need of fans. With less fans comes less noise. I run a pretty tight ship here, I regularly clean my system (highly recommend a twice-a-year system cleaning with compressed air) and I install all of my games, so I'm not dealing with struggling fans or spinning DVDs, but quieter is better regardless. More importantly though, less heat means a generally more stable system. After the Xbox 360's massive hardware issues, I'm sure Microsoft was sure to build more stable hardware. Beyond this, low power encourages you to leave your system on. Leaving the system on at all times means less time booting up, and possible smart updates/downloads (i.e.: things will happen when you aren't using it).</div>
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7. Kinect Improvements</h3>
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I've never owned a Kinect. I live in a somewhat small apartment, and really none of the games appealed to me beyond a few minutes of silly fun. The Kinect limited itself with steep environmental requirements, and some dysfunctional software. Well, that's the impression you'd get from most of the games. Point is, with more widespread access, and better technology (they say it will work in smaller rooms now), developers will be more likely to incorporate the thing in interesting ways. Hopefully that evolves beyond just menu control.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifT0QZJe6ZZhqUHor6_0qQ2405i6EBCEMp-3NwZbsahNUvtwb0i2A00_RmAW7EQGRGtevNfhe6tx8kwVjjiiK1HeiDsug9bx2IaEf8lwP_sobfckLMfLk2a24Tyl4L-TixPIrFvRv_FAI/s1600/xboxonekinect.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifT0QZJe6ZZhqUHor6_0qQ2405i6EBCEMp-3NwZbsahNUvtwb0i2A00_RmAW7EQGRGtevNfhe6tx8kwVjjiiK1HeiDsug9bx2IaEf8lwP_sobfckLMfLk2a24Tyl4L-TixPIrFvRv_FAI/s400/xboxonekinect.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have a personal affinity for the cohereancy in design philosphy. Black boxes match my TV, my entertainment center, my Blu-ray player, and <i>hopefully</i> my PlayStation 4. Listening, Sony?</td></tr>
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6. Built-in 500GB HDD</h3>
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Okay, it might seem silly for me to get excited about this, because in a lot of ways it is still really limited. 500GB doesn't seem like a lot for the long haul, especially after installing all games, and if you think about the generation lasting as long as it has this time around. But, with some amount of innate internal storage, developers will no longer have to rely on multiple disc switches to get you through their games. And the thing has a USB 3.0 port for external storage, so if you need more, it's still an option. Keep in mind, we might be better off this way, just take a look at what they charged for the Xbox 360's storage options.</div>
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5. Speedy UI</h3>
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One thing I was able to catch while Microsoft was showing off a bunch of stuff that wasn't video games, was the UI. Now this might not seem like the most important thing in the world, but frankly the Xbox 360 has struggled with efficient UI design since conception. It's gotten gradually better, but never quite got the snap that you'd want. The Xbox One looked much quicker in this regard. And with the layers of operation systems that were talked about during the technical interview after the main conference, it sounds like multitasking is much less complicated. Don't expect to have to turn off your games to watch the latest episode of Daily Show.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8lXO6wVq_8-za00oOBvFgZDTMrIBhZmE3cyrKEts9aWw9lT8wttO_cnAvzFeAZ2h1BCRA7eJu5mmmJZCPg6gl6XhgkfOGdCoWbm0KNjJkuTDhn1oDuXdEZvXbmx_lJy60rmtSaausVk/s1600/xboxoneui.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8lXO6wVq_8-za00oOBvFgZDTMrIBhZmE3cyrKEts9aWw9lT8wttO_cnAvzFeAZ2h1BCRA7eJu5mmmJZCPg6gl6XhgkfOGdCoWbm0KNjJkuTDhn1oDuXdEZvXbmx_lJy60rmtSaausVk/s400/xboxoneui.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are theories that we have movies like <i>The Minority Report</i> to blame for the way modern UI is designed around being able to move things with your fingertips.</td></tr>
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4. General Game Improvements</h3>
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Obviously, with stronger technology comes bigger, prettier games. And while that's exciting in its own regard, the truly interesting improvements are something more integrated in design. Much like some of my favorite announcements during the Playstation 4 conference, these were things that make video games easier to play, and generally more accessible. Things like save states, that will allow you to save your progress wherever you are in a game. Or, the ability to play games while they're being installed to your system. These are small improvements, and they're the sort of things we will take for granted, but the best things usually are.</div>
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3. Xbox Live Improvements</h3>
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Xbox Live is getting better. Seems like any aspect of Xbox Live, other than the questionable fees, that has been complained about, is being addressed. Need more than a hundred friends? How about a thousand!? Achievements are being revamped in an interesting way too. Now developers will have full control, even after a game is released. Perhaps Halo 5 is running a special event next weekend, and if you show up both days, guess what? Achievement. It's possibly the revitalization that Achievements were in need of. And don't worry, your Gamertag and Gamescore will both come with you to the new Xbox Live.</div>
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2. Controller Redesigned</h3>
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The new Xbox One controller contains some forty improvements over its Xbox 360 counterpart. Improvements include things like a fleshed-out d-pad, rumble installed in the triggers, more accurate joysticks, recessed storage for batteries, slicker design (hidden screws, smaller handles), quicker wireless communication with console, and better ergonomic design. This is another case of lots of small improvements. But, when you consider most of your time spent with Xbox One will likely be spent holding this controller, it being well-designed is very significant. And it's good to hear that Microsoft is looking to fight to keep its title of 'best controller'.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWLhLH1RP9X2sLaQQEcMYEueChuHDBN95x3sC-CmHK0FcdLiGIChplv_46Eg6OGWKT0O0ADcIBPStbmKVZfupMobK6EsFFln86f94qmlK6WEStssWhyORjJq1YuGvD0MWZcmyTZNX_YU/s1600/xboxonecontroller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkWLhLH1RP9X2sLaQQEcMYEueChuHDBN95x3sC-CmHK0FcdLiGIChplv_46Eg6OGWKT0O0ADcIBPStbmKVZfupMobK6EsFFln86f94qmlK6WEStssWhyORjJq1YuGvD0MWZcmyTZNX_YU/s400/xboxonecontroller.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am disappointed that the controller doesn't appear to be rechargeable. Looks like I'll be buying recharegable batteries. Are they still as worthless as they were when I was a kid?</td></tr>
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1. The Games, Duh</h3>
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So, the conference didn't focus on games. They were barely mentioned. And honestly, a lot of the exciting news came from Twitter after the conference. Sure, a new Forza game is great news. The Forza franchise has always been my personal favorite for <i>that</i> style of racing game. But more exciting is news that stuff like Remedy is making a new game for Xbox One, even though we have next to no information on it. And, it's pretty exciting that games like Watch Dogs, Thief, and Destiny will be there too, though this was pretty obvious. I've heard interesting things about Techland's new zombie game, Dying Light, as well. Personally most exciting though, is that Rare will be announcing the return of a "classic" franchise to the Xbox One at E3. The hypothesis going around now is Killer Instinct, with some earlier trademark news this year. And really, what else does Rare still have that's <i>classic</i>? I doubt we're talking about a Captain Skyhawk reboot.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsL_PINcSEnDPEI46jSpwepNL9mgSOdE3dCWtgGXr_-hh1HXat9YOLOHXckARofjw50AJjveLkEHOGMzun7BFO4Qa0SHT8Rz5dGY19SGX_JBcDR8EfdLITuM9C7pTp8ODLWji4jQBHEY/s1600/xboxonegames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsL_PINcSEnDPEI46jSpwepNL9mgSOdE3dCWtgGXr_-hh1HXat9YOLOHXckARofjw50AJjveLkEHOGMzun7BFO4Qa0SHT8Rz5dGY19SGX_JBcDR8EfdLITuM9C7pTp8ODLWji4jQBHEY/s400/xboxonegames.jpg" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure how I feel about the new box design, but I'm ready to make the transition to all-digital anyway.</td></tr>
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Look, I get it. Microsoft messed up the reveal. But, regardless of what your buddy told you about their stocks, it doesn't mean that they're in any real trouble (stocks always fluctuate wildly after these sorts of conferences). The conference was bad, and maybe luckily, the general public wasn't paying much attention. There are still plenty of reasons to be interested in Xbox One, and that doesn't mean you have to quit being excited about PlayStation 4. And keep in mind, E3 is right around the corner. They heard the complaints, and they have more reason to knock it out of the park there than ever before.</div>
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Maybe I'm just easy to please. But, <i>fuck</i>, I'm ready for new consoles.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-16733605716868792082013-05-24T08:45:00.000-07:002013-05-24T08:45:56.993-07:00How To Make A Video Game Trailer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80geibIVpqSOeDdUSybW8BSnNvv64DWFyeB2BrDBSuNmbVWo-StrPG-vrbG7dmfzl2dVyOAxxUbOKBJfdN-45NLEAEPXs7aXItCEXfxrGk0SIBiTtoMJJX64_apS5hrCkoE2_LhgoP5E/s1600/GOWHeader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi80geibIVpqSOeDdUSybW8BSnNvv64DWFyeB2BrDBSuNmbVWo-StrPG-vrbG7dmfzl2dVyOAxxUbOKBJfdN-45NLEAEPXs7aXItCEXfxrGk0SIBiTtoMJJX64_apS5hrCkoE2_LhgoP5E/s200/GOWHeader.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">Do you have a big budget video game you want to market to the masses? Does it star a gruff (white) man at the end of his rope facing impossible odds? And do you want to avoid showing any actual gameplay? Follow these simple steps for the perfect video game trailer!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | May 24, 2013</span></h2>
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Hello there. If you're here, I assume you've just finished creating a brand new "triple-A" video entertainment product, or <i>video game. </i>The good news is that the hard work is done. The bad news is that the hard work doesn't really matter. If your game isn't marketed in just the right way, your design studio will be shut down, and you'll be out of a job. Fortunate for you, I'm here to walk you through crafting the perfect video game trailer, that will inevitably lead to millions of sales. These techniques have been used by massive franchises such as Gears of War and Mass Effect. If you're lucky, maybe you'll get to release iterative, yearly sequels until the general public turns on you, and the past ten years of your life fill the GameStop bargain bin.</div>
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<h3>
Step One: Slow Open</h3>
Your trailer should open slowly. Preferably, during this opening sequence, your trailer will focus on children, animals, women, or trees. This shows a state of peace or calm that your hero will be fighting for.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ksPy-RQ_lHNAM0BOVh9EVUW0wt0SY3R011vZAe3DWN3-frPQpshkNcdQ3RR9MsNhFGBiqvVQmo06Cd0Zwo0luv1kdCF9Wgqm2qC-OTowiortpDhdleSzt9vXVTsglZp0Ubj1kiaQSoI/s1600/ME3SlowOpen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ksPy-RQ_lHNAM0BOVh9EVUW0wt0SY3R011vZAe3DWN3-frPQpshkNcdQ3RR9MsNhFGBiqvVQmo06Cd0Zwo0luv1kdCF9Wgqm2qC-OTowiortpDhdleSzt9vXVTsglZp0Ubj1kiaQSoI/s400/ME3SlowOpen.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonus points for a female child playing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT64Wj9ETzwqLBiuzGe6V1mDzNFahpBJA-IMHjQA7fa0f9C5wcjiMb-IWeThGdI6TAfcMoAx6YD8QsN8vRUVuo3RqjRT3XSQquYE0lYOXlQ-pqge2eRWjKRic10Xv1DnaxN4r_sRKGyfU/s1600/WolfMusic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT64Wj9ETzwqLBiuzGe6V1mDzNFahpBJA-IMHjQA7fa0f9C5wcjiMb-IWeThGdI6TAfcMoAx6YD8QsN8vRUVuo3RqjRT3XSQquYE0lYOXlQ-pqge2eRWjKRic10Xv1DnaxN4r_sRKGyfU/s400/WolfMusic.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is wise to license music for your trailer.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXKaNbeDEUpe7O24XRRyCHIUtNoGYGc0h2YVz7x5BvfyHNjPaD2tMYBIfdrgjRxeMf890yUy57HnpdlkJnNiT6L3TDTmima74KknHP3byzwCKKgAqQp_mxsmH5S7btnLB4UL7fMaeAKo/s1600/GOWslowopen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXKaNbeDEUpe7O24XRRyCHIUtNoGYGc0h2YVz7x5BvfyHNjPaD2tMYBIfdrgjRxeMf890yUy57HnpdlkJnNiT6L3TDTmima74KknHP3byzwCKKgAqQp_mxsmH5S7btnLB4UL7fMaeAKo/s400/GOWslowopen.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note that the licensed music does not need to actually appear in the final game.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Step Two: Establish Empathy For Hero</h3>
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It is important for you to realize that your audience is morons. Regardless if this is the third in a trilogy, it is still important to establish your hero as good and admirable. And this should be done in the most obvious of ways.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rhig0LbV_AoW0cBuzRLJJ8lqms9Qfoh2Ob5sewFzrVWn3_EfZpgfdJpI4ZrrVhm7iseGjmHDuJ56dI-aCyZK5_309qn1OetcU_n18XY0oXWMRo0pqzTPV8Sc5sIXkL18_Mx_rENyXok/s1600/DS2SlowOpen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rhig0LbV_AoW0cBuzRLJJ8lqms9Qfoh2Ob5sewFzrVWn3_EfZpgfdJpI4ZrrVhm7iseGjmHDuJ56dI-aCyZK5_309qn1OetcU_n18XY0oXWMRo0pqzTPV8Sc5sIXkL18_Mx_rENyXok/s400/DS2SlowOpen.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most of your audience live alone in their parents' basement. Thus, they relate well to a lonesome hero.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5il5CPJcmy7cbPsjOgMaoJ-aNAWI42fQ8guggIgJUDsgEw8izC7Rm3beV2GUjVAyJkkI-TRypN5Gus0iE-As7Uq4Bg7eGPh_B4uJ-kzANAnprOyb063Bc5XYgGyxvP59UruAtOw_dITU/s1600/ME3HeroToy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5il5CPJcmy7cbPsjOgMaoJ-aNAWI42fQ8guggIgJUDsgEw8izC7Rm3beV2GUjVAyJkkI-TRypN5Gus0iE-As7Uq4Bg7eGPh_B4uJ-kzANAnprOyb063Bc5XYgGyxvP59UruAtOw_dITU/s400/ME3HeroToy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If the hero is not alone, be sure to really<i> hammer-in</i> the fact that he is a pretty good guy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbeO2Ne-c4tayHHveu82KgIw_ThMSXPhsEBu_0rhRIb0DyJDLGvE2w4nH6a5StSK9QV6akMLrr0gbKaTRSfOfWNOs9Pf7k7CKXJIxkoUl_2TWt3Zp8dEoYLt8_09TP3TZKdgHiYZ_BC8/s1600/DS3EmptryWorld.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbeO2Ne-c4tayHHveu82KgIw_ThMSXPhsEBu_0rhRIb0DyJDLGvE2w4nH6a5StSK9QV6akMLrr0gbKaTRSfOfWNOs9Pf7k7CKXJIxkoUl_2TWt3Zp8dEoYLt8_09TP3TZKdgHiYZ_BC8/s400/DS3EmptryWorld.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keep in mind that no slow moments should appear in the final game.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Step Three: Establish Hero As Great Warrior</h3>
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Violence moves boxes. While I'm confident you were smart enough to shove as much unnecessary killing as possible into your game, it's vital that the audience has their blood lust satiated - <i>in part</i> - from watching your trailer.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OobHHdhyphenhyphenVR5YS2yaxaeIxLL3MjVJcRwPohNhBL7xy_CAcNwZFkKVBvKeL4IR16ZfOxavPCNowcx2ArNAXtV1dZHf2YX5YSjxV8SgLkH4szxSHrV4pLmr-fVSatZ6wD1mQfts2P_th9E/s1600/ME3GruntFight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OobHHdhyphenhyphenVR5YS2yaxaeIxLL3MjVJcRwPohNhBL7xy_CAcNwZFkKVBvKeL4IR16ZfOxavPCNowcx2ArNAXtV1dZHf2YX5YSjxV8SgLkH4szxSHrV4pLmr-fVSatZ6wD1mQfts2P_th9E/s400/ME3GruntFight.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A much weaker foe should now appear in your trailer.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXE4nybKCHAT3onlZ_2PHMrb79QxxSo5pANBPvXEsp1xrcYPmhSJ_9VysZGE7HO8scPu969-QkCX9vBzzlfSx4IYe2WLY34RjKlU3vRdbQtO4kxZCnkqWNbrJWXGf3dJ_WsGD5x2a3Zqk/s1600/DestFighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXE4nybKCHAT3onlZ_2PHMrb79QxxSo5pANBPvXEsp1xrcYPmhSJ_9VysZGE7HO8scPu969-QkCX9vBzzlfSx4IYe2WLY34RjKlU3vRdbQtO4kxZCnkqWNbrJWXGf3dJ_WsGD5x2a3Zqk/s400/DestFighting.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hero must kill as many as these foes as possible in as little time as possible. This establishes your hero as <i>strong.</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsFrPOyvnvSe7TNAvcWjYItj2Va859OAfqoS70ak8l_Jo5VjQekcVdWieM83czPleSlx7Tg7cgLmqgo8PoozEqGQsY5zCA9zr72Ib8-V7qw0N-MjYqrak1_-kCpX5gHxuZsBtay4yuXU/s1600/SRIVFighting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsFrPOyvnvSe7TNAvcWjYItj2Va859OAfqoS70ak8l_Jo5VjQekcVdWieM83czPleSlx7Tg7cgLmqgo8PoozEqGQsY5zCA9zr72Ib8-V7qw0N-MjYqrak1_-kCpX5gHxuZsBtay4yuXU/s400/SRIVFighting.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your audience will expect lots of action.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXg6XB2YXS0wVGzV0edCqf5owK3zPtnTN1gQTwmGl8-a1EP5dXDEEA4lRwhdPr_spez47os1-bkRSo2EHFtWyy0_W0fyrBK2hhyoiiawpnluqNPA2oEGVD_3Zz4tafgSvQsHW1o3jakDY/s1600/ME3GruntFightMore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXg6XB2YXS0wVGzV0edCqf5owK3zPtnTN1gQTwmGl8-a1EP5dXDEEA4lRwhdPr_spez47os1-bkRSo2EHFtWyy0_W0fyrBK2hhyoiiawpnluqNPA2oEGVD_3Zz4tafgSvQsHW1o3jakDY/s400/ME3GruntFightMore.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixg9cX_HptHAStJ-hMKmOEQQODGCudcQVgfLCG14dxnr4LR2pQXF33J0BKE9wtZ6EoHpbbSOCQLe1WOYcEsSCsimHiPrmSCEF14KjMJOMoWjz4bKe6PBdHcqSTMOstaFF8SSld2H7t4zQ/s1600/DS2Enemies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixg9cX_HptHAStJ-hMKmOEQQODGCudcQVgfLCG14dxnr4LR2pQXF33J0BKE9wtZ6EoHpbbSOCQLe1WOYcEsSCsimHiPrmSCEF14KjMJOMoWjz4bKe6PBdHcqSTMOstaFF8SSld2H7t4zQ/s400/DS2Enemies.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVoOsplM9T_9jlAJp3EHEJaWsQMqq8cDOvoC-f7i3v6uUPC_MCKVbySuJKkIaADgZj97t3aSHioIjfyB_nUjgiuoDdcqWbsGowdeoFaloY6b3Po1Smjd8VJIz0NeDgVjZ3n7GBXffQho/s1600/DestFightingMore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVoOsplM9T_9jlAJp3EHEJaWsQMqq8cDOvoC-f7i3v6uUPC_MCKVbySuJKkIaADgZj97t3aSHioIjfyB_nUjgiuoDdcqWbsGowdeoFaloY6b3Po1Smjd8VJIz0NeDgVjZ3n7GBXffQho/s400/DestFightingMore.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCpN-sJarYNr3APb_P5NrkK6u-OW4uKVsGx8SPM6B5jBZfRmZ5-mHZ6WfORDopkPc9vIPyVpPABJIE71LZkVj108pIt6-ruCGimwncEQ5mv6P4H7qm1LjHpkVQsXSgnPy4Cp1w-9LjsE/s1600/SRIVFightingmore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZCpN-sJarYNr3APb_P5NrkK6u-OW4uKVsGx8SPM6B5jBZfRmZ5-mHZ6WfORDopkPc9vIPyVpPABJIE71LZkVj108pIt6-ruCGimwncEQ5mv6P4H7qm1LjHpkVQsXSgnPy4Cp1w-9LjsE/s400/SRIVFightingmore.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Action.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Bonus Step: Dramatic Text Cuts</h3>
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Market research found that inserting text between the cuts of these action sequences can increase your sales by roughly two thirds of a percentage.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTgw_YXYsdiKQ3IfJ1ArIFrEje6Cp58itxdgal2dmi63lCux2OOfAfrjlld_lPY2R4Rf3HagGAAXHqiyrcADRdgEgzK1XmPGMV-ehPf9Py8nNxA331Z9z9obBEJFBqk1-Jxk9IOXX390/s1600/SRIVDramatext.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiTgw_YXYsdiKQ3IfJ1ArIFrEje6Cp58itxdgal2dmi63lCux2OOfAfrjlld_lPY2R4Rf3HagGAAXHqiyrcADRdgEgzK1XmPGMV-ehPf9Py8nNxA331Z9z9obBEJFBqk1-Jxk9IOXX390/s400/SRIVDramatext.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The text should be simple and only serve to back up what the trailer has already established.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Z9F_py99rvwOidWcMzSAUxbZ9c9v7rUETNF-da_O1tFZCjbp3wohcLuOrZN666AK_35fLWDKMnIWByluRw8-JJlBCqOR0i-M2oQGKH2xlvhdhKJ8ocZEVh1eyIW1jXkQLjMNK9nmpes/s1600/ME3TextFlash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Z9F_py99rvwOidWcMzSAUxbZ9c9v7rUETNF-da_O1tFZCjbp3wohcLuOrZN666AK_35fLWDKMnIWByluRw8-JJlBCqOR0i-M2oQGKH2xlvhdhKJ8ocZEVh1eyIW1jXkQLjMNK9nmpes/s400/ME3TextFlash.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is another eighth of a percentage point in it if the text doubles as the game's tagline.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Step Four: Formidable Foe</h3>
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By now your hero should be established as both powerful and lovable. At this point, it is appropriate for you to introduce a true challenge for the hero. Generally speaking - and by "generally speaking" I mean always - the challenge takes the form of a very large enemy.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9z953PEpP781rfQyl5MxhSiqxldz3gY2Xa8ob7lD3e8dZTbnzd_F4eVY2eWbp17oxgDkTr7rHlHRQ7AXZ2icvw2v9fnv3z-n473EB_zjon1swm0eoG0qXw8PmzAYepUTgCkrfvYEmOk/s1600/GOWgiantenemy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9z953PEpP781rfQyl5MxhSiqxldz3gY2Xa8ob7lD3e8dZTbnzd_F4eVY2eWbp17oxgDkTr7rHlHRQ7AXZ2icvw2v9fnv3z-n473EB_zjon1swm0eoG0qXw8PmzAYepUTgCkrfvYEmOk/s400/GOWgiantenemy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keep in mind, there is no such thing as "too much" slow motion.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmhEhO0h04-XENEkvq_QjCIAeG6S_VWWE-JW0jVjIel-X94nMF-EixYXz-v-F81aLsLrX3BTC_lfUl205C1SLNBdDiYrNFUgXo6RqiIszHCC5nY5drb6KWj1uqY_O2niYtP41A0-OvKY/s1600/DestGiantEnemy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMmhEhO0h04-XENEkvq_QjCIAeG6S_VWWE-JW0jVjIel-X94nMF-EixYXz-v-F81aLsLrX3BTC_lfUl205C1SLNBdDiYrNFUgXo6RqiIszHCC5nY5drb6KWj1uqY_O2niYtP41A0-OvKY/s400/DestGiantEnemy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dramatic timing with the soundtrack can be very effective for establishing the enemy as... an enemy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYuRxE-u2sCzgNxYN6PHU-7sUwg1qzexeSG0n-7U-8W6gL5ISWLZ0xbx8eu7Be2YBP0dHGTyL2dd9dlEqx2k_ljvPFxEsdvkUxhU-RLl5pJ__U4TtSNBz-1BrSsfQ_mZZQKdYabhkrbQ/s1600/WolfHorde.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYuRxE-u2sCzgNxYN6PHU-7sUwg1qzexeSG0n-7U-8W6gL5ISWLZ0xbx8eu7Be2YBP0dHGTyL2dd9dlEqx2k_ljvPFxEsdvkUxhU-RLl5pJ__U4TtSNBz-1BrSsfQ_mZZQKdYabhkrbQ/s400/WolfHorde.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Occasionally, it's appropriate to have your hero face many large enemies. You'll never hear me say he's trying to compensate for something.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Step Five: Your Hero Is <i>F***ING</i> Awesome</h3>
<div>
Remember that giant enemy you just revealed that everybody was super worried about? No big deal for your hero. This is where you establish exactly why you'll be playing as this guy. He's awesome!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMi0M38x49JCn_RuEU_1WHjcXCPFnj6Gty0SVZH0clxpT3Ke8b_HfVyIIk_xI7c_j4vAaxzaC73nMqAKuIaK3h7waIFJpBLctzbPx-CvsresGiUEYotcBt1-FxN6Io0J_lQqf4M3wOtnM/s1600/Me3EnemyJump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMi0M38x49JCn_RuEU_1WHjcXCPFnj6Gty0SVZH0clxpT3Ke8b_HfVyIIk_xI7c_j4vAaxzaC73nMqAKuIaK3h7waIFJpBLctzbPx-CvsresGiUEYotcBt1-FxN6Io0J_lQqf4M3wOtnM/s400/Me3EnemyJump.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your hero will jump right at the giant enemy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU079p-KNEvCW0BVQAUEUZ1eCuzJjLHeZ_-D3-Ln4b-zSO5saFbUm-YhPHHxryyqwV5Ad5ZyU-jtk38qu___D6NF0kmPR276g6CADwPEafejsIEYOFF7BUK-kBjDjKoUhbjZb9zpmMBDE/s1600/DS2JumpEnemy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU079p-KNEvCW0BVQAUEUZ1eCuzJjLHeZ_-D3-Ln4b-zSO5saFbUm-YhPHHxryyqwV5Ad5ZyU-jtk38qu___D6NF0kmPR276g6CADwPEafejsIEYOFF7BUK-kBjDjKoUhbjZb9zpmMBDE/s400/DS2JumpEnemy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously. Right in its face.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODxejibNqPLEGnkHsTyZ7S9fKUm4Q7plvwLFdNJvgviHs8911OQMtdGiA-BV3tMVVzisSEevZ2dpCuwXscikOhKbqj0uE6YHzZkhOqOCNSaNh1pgy_3e_hxGIfMI-EngHddl13lT1zns/s1600/SRIVEnemyRun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODxejibNqPLEGnkHsTyZ7S9fKUm4Q7plvwLFdNJvgviHs8911OQMtdGiA-BV3tMVVzisSEevZ2dpCuwXscikOhKbqj0uE6YHzZkhOqOCNSaNh1pgy_3e_hxGIfMI-EngHddl13lT1zns/s400/SRIVEnemyRun.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or just charge directly at it, but really fast.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-hM1ea9Ial5tHiJKObeAYW9PHrg6gRWzIg2WKwT6hynpXDpLwV7TtmHQvc79jcrcICMcdkkxr38QC2wPVmU1dTvV_czVpXKLirCKKXyZPsq3fApoXOw3zWLJTUfafcEKo2qxM7MmCrs/s1600/DS3CameraFace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-hM1ea9Ial5tHiJKObeAYW9PHrg6gRWzIg2WKwT6hynpXDpLwV7TtmHQvc79jcrcICMcdkkxr38QC2wPVmU1dTvV_czVpXKLirCKKXyZPsq3fApoXOw3zWLJTUfafcEKo2qxM7MmCrs/s400/DS3CameraFace.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And there's always time for an angsty grimace just before the attack.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5frD1rkRyxnRyr-yrkuMQzH674aSB468T2FD-9Whh-UZg46MfE3FT9Wx6vELZllZ1lriKYsXtiCm0pt2wwV_E7hypPA105B2xAlJzOappp-sVj1rVxFCZrUQ7kN_Ah2LOdi6LWNlrFY/s1600/DestBAStance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5frD1rkRyxnRyr-yrkuMQzH674aSB468T2FD-9Whh-UZg46MfE3FT9Wx6vELZllZ1lriKYsXtiCm0pt2wwV_E7hypPA105B2xAlJzOappp-sVj1rVxFCZrUQ7kN_Ah2LOdi6LWNlrFY/s400/DestBAStance.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And sometimes, your hero will just strike a badass pose right in front of the enemy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Step Six: This Is Probably The Most Important Step</h3>
<div>
What's your game called? Do you have a sick graphic with exploding text? NOW SLAM THAT RIGHT IN THE AUDIENCE'S FACE JUST BEFORE THE CLIMAX OF YOUR HERO SMASHING FACE WITH THE GIANT ENEMY. Who won the fight!? Did the hero beat up the monster!? Did he rescue that pretty lady he was with!? I guess to answer these questions, they'll just have to buy the game. Keep in mind that nothing in these trailers should actually be in the final game.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KU6btgIZqgJ9gEqogOBXMDrU1Sv5we9tbQIf4E9JHZPutzbvfYvQGqYSKdupAl5-uuKaGPIwpNymUTR-U6FNXRwRYVEc59FQtBhJmc_2J0-5FPFYQLZ-JRHFGegwD2lAWmgXMUHaZ2g/s1600/THETITLECARD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KU6btgIZqgJ9gEqogOBXMDrU1Sv5we9tbQIf4E9JHZPutzbvfYvQGqYSKdupAl5-uuKaGPIwpNymUTR-U6FNXRwRYVEc59FQtBhJmc_2J0-5FPFYQLZ-JRHFGegwD2lAWmgXMUHaZ2g/s400/THETITLECARD.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you get some sweet sound effect to accompany your title card, even better.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-66843474588854066222013-05-23T09:00:00.000-07:002013-05-24T01:36:19.855-07:00Super Shady Fighter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdhHaQVgvoHjtiq5pXmha759hOrdhxdyiYoWMJyG1Rozr-GwgQ-jbZa4uQnM_e6xh-uJoXlalLnaBkMuLqpajIzMGu_3zZYCLaK1eTkLX0JsjiS-uwKAC-KkB9MXjRsucV520wfPMEnk/s1600/title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdhHaQVgvoHjtiq5pXmha759hOrdhxdyiYoWMJyG1Rozr-GwgQ-jbZa4uQnM_e6xh-uJoXlalLnaBkMuLqpajIzMGu_3zZYCLaK1eTkLX0JsjiS-uwKAC-KkB9MXjRsucV520wfPMEnk/s200/title.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">Guest Feature: Fighting game aficionado, Shingouryu, gives us a extensive look at the seedy underbelly of the fighting game community, and explains some of the basics in anticipation for his trip to UFGT9 this weekend</span><span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">.</span><br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">By </span><a href="mailto:shingouryu5854@gmail.com" style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;" target="_blank">Shingouryu</a><span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;"> | May 22, 2013</span></span></h2>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">One thing that makes the Fighting Game Community (hereafter referred to as "The FGC") unique as a competitive organization is that it is mostly self governed. With the exception of Evo (basically the international championship of fighting games) and various company sponsored events, tournaments are run by members and active participants in the community, and tournament officials are comprised entirely of volunteers. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">This is a bit of a point of pride for the FGC, and it puts it a bit at odds with the Esports community - what we now see as majors started as much more casual affairs. Before the advent of live streaming, tournaments didn't have nearly as much publicity and were only for the most hardcore of the hardcore. Hell, before the internet was commonplace tournaments were mostly just local gatherings in arcades and were mainly against the same people you would play everyday anyway, barring geographic rivalries like the legendary one between Southern and Northern California. But I'm getting off topic, how the internet has affected the way people learn and perceive fighting games is a fascinating subject, but not the focus of this article.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Anyway, the real point I'm trying to get across is this - since there are no professional "officials" to speak of and the rules of conduct are completely determined by the tournament organizer (who is almost always a member of the FGC as well), policing as far as actions of players while at tournaments is as best incredibly lax and at worst nonexistent. This can lead to some rather... shady business. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm a proud member of the FGC and there's a lot to like about the community, but there are a couple things I feel are questionable that people may not be aware of, so I thought I'd give you a peek at some of the less scrupulous things that go on in a tournament setting.</span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Gambling</span></h3>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Now, I generally like to ignore sweeping generalizations, but if there's one thing that can be said about the FGC in general it's that it loves to gamble. Said gambling typically takes one of two forms:</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Side Bets: For the FGC, side betting is really as ubiquitous at tournaments as the games themselves, and every tournament seems to have players that are more concerned with making side bets than actually playing their matches. There are several stories of competitors being disqualified because they were too busy keeping track of the results of various bets they have made for different matchups instead of going to their own scheduled matches.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Of course, side betting in itself is relatively innocuous. I mean, competitive sports of all strokes have at least a little money exchanging hands under the table, but what is really impressive about side betting in the FGC is not only how openly blatant it is, but also the sheer number of different things people bet on. Side bets will at times even be mentioned in commentary on the matches, sometimes with the commentator themselves praising their good fortune or bemoaning an unfavorable result regarding their own bets. Bet conditions can range from mundane (who will win the match, number of wins/losses on each side) to ridiculously specific. Some of the more interesting ones I've seen: chosen character color palette, which player will get the first strike bonus, number of super/ultra combos used in a match, number of seconds remaining on the clock at the end of a match, number of times a specific normal/special is used, and how many tears Chris G will shed if he loses.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Money Matches: Just as ubiquitous to tournaments as side bets, money matches are an incredibly popular component at tournaments, to the point where a lot of professionals make more money through money matches than actually winning tournaments. They are so rampant that at Evo (where they are explicitly prohibited) it is a running joke to refer to them as "Funny Matches."</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMlyBNtLwcG8CkNR1-HfVSdGdXgz8sRk0LvXKfzGI6OvsLgXV_N05giBDi2OLvHirNqK7nW2z1Cn_O4UXrbi0ycV3tgygUrsikoZ7n6SsoR4EpEwn25VYDyF76ewLhEdseRLmBkOj8VI/s1600/moneymatches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMlyBNtLwcG8CkNR1-HfVSdGdXgz8sRk0LvXKfzGI6OvsLgXV_N05giBDi2OLvHirNqK7nW2z1Cn_O4UXrbi0ycV3tgygUrsikoZ7n6SsoR4EpEwn25VYDyF76ewLhEdseRLmBkOj8VI/s400/moneymatches.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Like side betting, money match types come in all sorts of varieties. Many times pros will add handicaps for opponents such as random only, joke characters only or even physical handicaps like blindfolded or using a strange controller at the cost of a higher buy in. Unsurprisingly, these are also quite popular to watch among streamers and tournament goers, and there is almost always an unofficial "Salty Suite" (little bit of terminology here, when a player is "Salty" it means they are upset about losing a match) money match room and stream that is often heavily publicized by the local and professional players that will be present. Of course, side betting is also applicable to money matches, so a lot of money inevitably gets passed around at these events.</span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Alliances</span><span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;"> </span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxBXG06GANBGePLHL0BTqrmznLWNiG4l3eIY8DtFy7ANlYLfl9MHtuo53Rr5Lnehwqh-UjSApHZSXlOm4PbKdlt7HpUm3OfsFbbz3hmrcV1qOmiEWvfNUVqX2QeKFPm-2FUgj4nrJGL4/s1600/alliances.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxBXG06GANBGePLHL0BTqrmznLWNiG4l3eIY8DtFy7ANlYLfl9MHtuo53Rr5Lnehwqh-UjSApHZSXlOm4PbKdlt7HpUm3OfsFbbz3hmrcV1qOmiEWvfNUVqX2QeKFPm-2FUgj4nrJGL4/s400/alliances.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Fighting games as a competitive scene really exploded in popularity near the mid 2000's with the advent of online streaming, and has only picked up speed since then. Due to this, professional fighting game teams have begun to form, sponsored by all sorts of benefactors such as equipment companies, game companies, various arcades and even local efforts. Despite the fact that this should lead to a very professional mindset, a side effect of the FGC being more casual is that the top players generally all know and like each other, and tend to walk in the same social circles regardless of professional alliances (even moreso than other competitive gaming scenes). Since we're at a point where the top 8 of any given tournament is almost guaranteed to be comprised of sponsored players who are friendly with each other, sometimes some funky business can happen.</span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Staged Outcomes</span></h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwZqRrvgvmeD64yisp0CsJnKfqlHm0NE0wBobdvHDYIqYPAps7bYPPS_613POcDWynTgwCNglWinW7P06-qvCv9gzxFZnxfscfmiwvIGcd20j6SICeJVnbGecSaYqYY8Ki0HJbb05qSk/s1600/stagedoutcome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwZqRrvgvmeD64yisp0CsJnKfqlHm0NE0wBobdvHDYIqYPAps7bYPPS_613POcDWynTgwCNglWinW7P06-qvCv9gzxFZnxfscfmiwvIGcd20j6SICeJVnbGecSaYqYY8Ki0HJbb05qSk/s400/stagedoutcome.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ultradavid, a prominent FGC commentator, slamming Filipino Champ about<br />
the previous night's match at ECT.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">So, this is what really inspired me to write this article. "Staged" matches have obviously always existed, but when it was suspected and afterward officially revealed that several of the special guest matches during the ill conceived Street Fighter X Tekken reality show Cross Assault (seriously, this caused all sorts of bad press for the FGC) were staged they gained a renewed prominence as a bad thing in the mind of the FGC.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">As an example, there was a large fuss last night about an Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 match between the players Filipino Champ and PR Rog (The Eduardo mentioned in the tweet above), and I am going to attempt to outline it in the simplest terms possible. It was loser's quarterfinals, so the winner would move on to loser's semis and the loser was 5th, and a relatively high profile match. Near the end of the match, PR Balrog had about 5 different opportunities to win the match by pressing any attack button, yet during each opportunity he chose movement options instead. For a couple, there is a slight argument that he was positioning for a throw, but some of the scenarios are indefensible from any logical point of view, not to mention that given the current character match-up (Doom/Vergil vs. Dark Pheonix) going for a throw would be the stupidest tactic possible. Compound this with the fact that Filipino Champ's character was incredibly vulnerable every time and PR Rog didn't have to worry about countering guarding with a throw, and it makes it quite apparent that the outcome was staged. It is also notable to point out that these two players are very good friends, and live in the same house. So obvious was this staging that the twitch chat, which is usually full of trolls and can never agree on anything, immediately started throwing accusations at the players.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">So why would players bother to stage/throw a match? There are really several potential reasons.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">The first is a relatively practical one - an unfavorable bracket. This is currently the most popular theory on why the example listed above happened. The winner of that match would go on to face a player known as Chris G, who is widely considered the best Marvel Player, in loser's semis. While PR Rog's team deals well with Filipino Champ, they probably decided that Champ stood a better chance against Chris G, so Rog threw the match because he didn't want to face Chris G. Since they live together and are good friends, they can just split whatever winnings they get (more on that later).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">The second is another practical reason, and probably the most shady - side bets. Though not extremely common, there is potential for this to happen, especially when there is a player who is very heavily favored to win. I'm sure you've all heard the "underground prize fighter bets against himself, loses on purpose, then makes out like a bandit" scenario, and it's basically the same thing here. Amusingly, side betters often take this into account, so you'll sometimes find the underdog has a lot more money on him than you might expect.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">The last is a less practical reason - drama. Many prominent members of the FGC have very set personalities, to the point where they are almost comparable to professional wrestlers. The aforementioned Filipino Champ, for example, is one of the best known heels of the fighting game community. That is, he is generally disliked as he tends to use "cheap" teams and tactics, as well as having an all around rude disposition. PR Balrog, on the other hand, is generally liked, cited as a good guy, and is famous for having a good record against international (Japanese, Korean, Chinese) players. If the above match were less obvious in its staging, it could've created a lot of buzz in terms of people hating Champ and feeling sorry for Rog, leading to increased popularity for both of them. Instead, they ended up getting called out by the community.</span><br />
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<h3>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Pot Splitting</span></h3>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">So, say you're a professional Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 player, and a large amount of your income comes from fighting games. You find yourself in Grand Finals against another top player whom you are good friends with. Whoever loses the match is going to get substantially less money than the winner, and feelings of resentment could result from this. Add the fact that Marvel is a relatively random game, and you've got a lot of pressure building up. The solution? Split the pot of course! That way the result doesn't matter and both players leave happy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">For those not familiar with the terminology, "Splitting the Pot" means that after the tournament is over players who decide to cooperate with each other will split whatever winnings they get evenly, removing the stress of needing to win as well as any potential disputes between players. This is most likely to happen with the top two players, but can really extend downward to any placing that still gets money or even farther if a very large number of players are in cahoots with each other.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">This generally leads to what is known as "Sandbagging," which is a catch all term for players not putting a lot of effort into their play. Sometimes this is subtle - a few dropped combos here and there, using really weird setups, etc., but sometimes it is very blatant - picking really weird characters, barely paying attention to the match, there has even been an instance of a player picking random for a tournament match.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Do note, however, that there is a distinct difference between staging and sandbagging. During a staged match, the players desire a specific outcome and generally want the match to seem as genuine as possible. During a sandbag match, neither player really cares about the outcome and whether or not they want to attempt to hide it is to their discretion.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Other Shadiness</span></h3>
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<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Bracket Rigging: Thankfully not very common, but certainly not unheard of. There is a famous example in which a player named Marn, allegedly after being knocked out of several other tournaments, decided to pay off the bracket organizers (again, volunteers) to rig the bracket in his favor. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), the bracket organizers weren't very good at their job, and this caused mass confusion that led to that particular game's tournament being cancelled.</span><br />
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<br />
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Due to this incident, Marn was immortalized as "Mr. N" in the parody fighting game DIVEKICK!, and his bio is as follows:</span><br />
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<i style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px; text-align: right;">Uncle Sensei may have sent Mr N to the losers bracket, but his career ended later that day after Mr N paid a massive sum to have the brackets rigged in his favor. Officials noticed the foul play too late, and the tournament was in such disarray that the entire event was cancelled and everyone was disqualified. Unable to afford fees for the following year, Sensei was forced into retirement. Mr. N can usually be found riding to coattails of his best friend, upcoming Divekick superstar Dustin Weinburger, and is usually behind any sort of foul play that may occur at a tournament. Mr N owes the mob a lot of money, and is constantly on the run.</i></div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Stick Modding: A large point of contention in the FGC is what system a particular game should be played on. Not only are there gameplay differences between systems (albeit extremely minute), they need to know what system they need a controller for. Now, most people who are really serious about playing competitive fighting games use fight sticks for greater control and ease of accessing different buttons, and good fight stick is quite pricey. Like, $150-$200 pricey. So the prospect of buying two different ones is quite a barrier for a lot of people. This is where stick modders come in. Basically, they make it so any stick can be used on any system. Of course, stick manufacturers discourage this, but not enough to keep modders from being present at nearly every major tournament.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Theft: There is a lot of money in terms of equipment present at any given tournament - systems for each station, individual games to be played, streaming equipment, monitors, etc.. Combine this with the sheer number of people and it's inevitable that sometimes things go missing. If you ever go to a tournament with a fancy new fight stick you also need to be wary of stick thieves. "Hey man, I have a match I need to play and my buddy has my stick... can you lend me yours?" is a common phrase heard at tournaments, and while the FGC is usually hospitable to its own, a little caution goes a long way.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">Sexism: Not really shadiness, but a problem nonetheless. Surprisingly, the FGC is actually really quite gay friendly, and there are many prominent players that are openly homosexual. This makes a bit of sense when you consider that the FGC was born in arcades which were, in my experience, places that tended not to discriminate due to race, religion or sexual orientation, but rather places that united dissimilar people due to a love of gaming (there's an article waiting to be written right there). However, the caveat is that arcadegoers and fighting game players are generally male, and it's considered a more masculine pastime. This causes females players to either be looked down upon or, in worse cases, verbally teased or assaulted. Things are getting better with the rise of female players like Sherry Jennix and Kayane, but it's still an area where vast improvement needs to take place.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 19.49652862548828px;">So yeah, despite all it's shortcomings, I love the FGC and am super pumped to go to UFGT9 this weekend. Obviously I think the good in the FGC outweighs the bad, and am looking forward to report that after I return home.</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-8872482296546461152013-05-22T12:22:00.000-07:002013-05-31T10:55:31.451-07:00Metro: Last Light - Don't Stop Metro-in'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrGsmnIjzU_VF72R6mQJK2ft8kKISxq1Xlkg0OWLgGRJGjD-WZaHjnyM6bSmcFjoZPnSczCzFJXfIRtodz-6vCIwHgjqIDRKijRW5O8FuLq8bKAXTiu_5j-A9BFrSWVF-wSrv-VVQcU0/s1600/journey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglrGsmnIjzU_VF72R6mQJK2ft8kKISxq1Xlkg0OWLgGRJGjD-WZaHjnyM6bSmcFjoZPnSczCzFJXfIRtodz-6vCIwHgjqIDRKijRW5O8FuLq8bKAXTiu_5j-A9BFrSWVF-wSrv-VVQcU0/s200/journey.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world, s</span><span style="line-height: 23px;">he took the metro train goin' anywhere. </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">Just a city boy, born and raised in south Pripyat, h</span><span style="line-height: 23px;">e took the metro train goin' anywhere. Blah, blah, blah, radioactive monsters and death.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | May 22, 2013</span></span></h2>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 23px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;">About three years ago I bought a little known Ukrainian gem called Metro 2033. Well, it was unknown at the time. It quickly gained a cult following among the type of people who are willing to overlook technical problems, and sometimes weird localization, in favor of an interesting and unique experience. Metro 2033 had its share of problems, largely technical, but I enjoyed my time with it. And, my interest in the fiction was piqued.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;">By now, I'm sure any who are interested in the series, are aware that the games are actually based on a popular Russian series of novels by the same name. The author, Dmitry Glukhovsky, wrote the original story back in 2002, and self-published on his website - giving it away for all who were interested. Apparently, the right somebody took interest, because two games were made, and there are talks of a movie in the works. Unfortunately, at the time of first game's release, there wasn't yet an English translation of the novels. It's rare that a game sparks enough interest in me to spur an effort to seek out more of the fiction outside of the game itself. Heck, most games can't even convince me to read all of the 'journals' contained within the game itself. Metro: Last Light has reignited that interest.</span><span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;"> </span><br />
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The assumption would be that the narrative in Metro: Last Light is what is driving such an interest, but in reality, the narrative in the game is almost secondary to what's great about it. Sure, the characters feel real - well, as real as they can feel in post-apocalyptic, Russian subways. But they are only important in that they justify your journey through the experience. The true star of Metro: Last Light is one less definable. It's a feeling. A sum of its parts. Any one piece may not seem so impressive, but as a cohesive creation, it works.<br />
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<span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;">It is important to note that Metro: Last Light varies from a lot of its post-apocalyptic brethren (See: STALKER, Fallout, Rage) in one key way. That is, it is not an open-world game, but rather a linear experience. In this case, we define a linear game as one that has established chapters and a singular path. There is an undue stigma that comes with a statement like that. Some might assume that categorizing Last Light as a linear experience is a criticism, when in reality I think a lot of what makes the game great is rooted in this.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib26lFmF4UQz3PTVaQtsaPZ_I83eWJUaeeXICgANV_yO5MXf8hsZcPPP2WnZb92iAtiXglfLoh2HaFVYGzW0iQv3XzYlJ4zS2vwhJ3YGYisuNbGEMjYoh0G4KHZHappBuJy9nFYBeVRzA/s1600/metrovilliage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib26lFmF4UQz3PTVaQtsaPZ_I83eWJUaeeXICgANV_yO5MXf8hsZcPPP2WnZb92iAtiXglfLoh2HaFVYGzW0iQv3XzYlJ4zS2vwhJ3YGYisuNbGEMjYoh0G4KHZHappBuJy9nFYBeVRzA/s400/metrovilliage.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The human settlements throughout Last Light provide a bleak<br />
look into what life in Metro has become.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;">Perhaps what is most important to acknowledge about linear games is that the linearity allows the creators to universally pace the fiction. The entire audience will experience the story in, more or less, the same way. When a creator does not have to account for pacing as a variable, tension is far more effective. This is part of an important narrative tool: juxtaposition. Juxtaposition is created when two contrasting acts or instances are placed side by side. For example, an hour-long stretch of the game may have you exploring an entirely abandoned metro tunnel, while hinting at something nefarious</span><span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;"> lurking in the shadows. Instead of having the monster pop out then, the game might shift and set you in one of its few safe areas. The tension does not dissipate here, as it would if it were immediately cashed-in for a jump scare. Rather, the tension will brew while the narrative progresses. When you finally do face your enemy, the fight feels frantic as you are also battling your fear.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dmc7CbiSXk_Pmf_5ZrwApO-EGHe8jfD8VAvpogsF1GLdXDJEc8JnXbbWzHzN-Rf3F1zjhDTTfi-ubCAxDY33PNhVrDAVMdmrk39Smg5iihk_SsrURp6iqfxrJnKXqulZzC_5RRsfbH0/s1600/MetroBugss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dmc7CbiSXk_Pmf_5ZrwApO-EGHe8jfD8VAvpogsF1GLdXDJEc8JnXbbWzHzN-Rf3F1zjhDTTfi-ubCAxDY33PNhVrDAVMdmrk39Smg5iihk_SsrURp6iqfxrJnKXqulZzC_5RRsfbH0/s400/MetroBugss.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These things will give you the heebie-jeebies for days.<br />
Also, radiation sickness.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;">Another benefit to a linear game is an innate </span><i style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;">freshness</i><span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;"> that comes with the environment - and yes, it does feel weird using the word "fresh" to describe metro tunnels filled with radioactive waste and dead bodies. You will not be retracing steps unless there is a narrative justification, and each new area will be as intimidating or welcoming as the creators want it to be. Most importantly though, when the creators know where the player is coming from, and has an idea of the supplies they will have, it is easier for them to create segments based on that. If they want you to feel like you're running low on supplies, they can give you only just what you need, while being sure you have enough to progress. If they want to elicit a relieved feeling when you reach an outpost, this can be done by withholding supplies from you beforehand, and then giving you too much to carry. Ultimately, it feels like a more authentic post-apocalyptic experience than a game like Fallout. In an open-world game, the developer cannot know what supplies you will have, and so anything necessary to progress must be readily available. Metro: Last Light is able to force you to scavenge for those supplies.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFUbNK1_BiHRzRcuDIpZ4ye8Uh85T26un5b50yNXZrHsQd76aIySAh9wrOt4uwWPciZPNaRrPRyUjiXYn4Q15bF4VcwQaYqPJO6vqE2ItD6K68FQnKKNe3SomktYh9CXzqzt8766hn_w/s1600/enviromnet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzFUbNK1_BiHRzRcuDIpZ4ye8Uh85T26un5b50yNXZrHsQd76aIySAh9wrOt4uwWPciZPNaRrPRyUjiXYn4Q15bF4VcwQaYqPJO6vqE2ItD6K68FQnKKNe3SomktYh9CXzqzt8766hn_w/s400/enviromnet.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The silent protagonist archetype feels out of place in Last Light.<br />
Especially each time you just return a question with a blank stare.</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;">The survival experience I'm getting from Last Light is almost definitely due in part to the game's Ranger Mode. Ranger Mode is not simply a harder difficulty for the game, but changes some key features to create "complete immersion". Well, so the back of the box told me. In reality the best part of Ranger Mode is that it makes items more scarce in the environment. While I haven't played the game's default difficulty, I've heard the much of the scavenger experience is lost due to the frequency you come across supplies. Ranger Mode isn't perfect though, when most of the HUD is removed, you are given no way to keep track of ammunition. While I wouldn't expect an on-screen count to appear, I do seem to remember the ability to manually check your clip in Metro 2033, something I can't figure out here. Part of the problem is that, while I was warned I'd see less tutorial, roughly six hours in, I still find myself struggling to understand some of the basic controls. I'm willing to accept some of the blame here, as the game was pretty explicit about this not being for first time players. However, even after reading the manual (remember those paper things that come in the box?), I am still not sure how to use the military grade ammunition (which doubles as the game's currency), when I'm in a pinch. Ranger Mode unfortunately feels like a bit of an afterthought, and not necessarily the ideal way to play. More troubling though, is that Ranger Mode is part of the first run incentive. You'll only have access to this content if you had pre-ordered the game, or pick up one of the first run copies. And, grabbing the game right now, isn't something I'm necessarily comfortable recommending.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;">Much like Last Light's predecessor, technical problems burden this game in a way that makes it feel as though it is actively fighting my enjoyment of it. The opening cinematic hitching halfway through before picking back up and finishing wasn't the best of first impressions, and ended up only being an omen of what to expect from the rest of the game. During one mission that emphasized the importance of stealth tactics, whenever I attempted to use a sneak attack to take out an enemy, the game would stop. Not a total freeze, but rather stall halfway through the animation. The player character and the enemy would stand there, locked, and completely invincible. This happened with any enemy during this mission, and, after a restart, ended up forcing me to either sneak past all the enemies or open fire, which is not recommended in Ranger Mode. A later mission was plagued with an even more problematic bug. This was during the tail end of a lengthy combat segment. I was left low on supplies as I approached an enemy encampment. Under normal circumstances, I would stealthily deal with the enemies and loot the camp. However, whenever I tried to pick up supplies in this area, the game would hard lock, requiring a total system reset. Luckily, autosaves are very frequent, so you'll rarely lose more than five minutes of progress, but the crashes still rip you from the experience. Metro: Last Light is a good game - great even - but that doesn't mean I'd like to replay each section four consecutive times. Then again, it probably says something that I did.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQOI4tPupDLzJ-Uahxon8zHPpWFuBVB238ztUgo9hQ7we7uB693x2Tl9wp0lJU65kUBgEDsroZQKQZi9hPZuzq1o2Kh6FofqchgFxLcLK6HPJ4pFp2HjnyvGk_gQMGtop4lFIoy0Oy-0/s1600/Metroshootout.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQOI4tPupDLzJ-Uahxon8zHPpWFuBVB238ztUgo9hQ7we7uB693x2Tl9wp0lJU65kUBgEDsroZQKQZi9hPZuzq1o2Kh6FofqchgFxLcLK6HPJ4pFp2HjnyvGk_gQMGtop4lFIoy0Oy-0/s400/Metroshootout.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The combat is much improved over Metro 2033.<br />
And, thankfully, Last Light doesn't lean on it too much.</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;">I believe I am currently somewhere near the end of the game, but word is that I'm approaching an area that has more technical issues. I'm debating brute-forcing my way through the section, or waiting until a patch arrives. I'm playing Last Light on the Xbox 360, which is definitely not the ideal platform. And I've heard that the PlayStation 3 version is even more prone to crashes. Even the PC version of the game, despite being lead platform, has its share of technical issues, though I'm sure those are far more manageable.</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 22.986112594604492px;">Metro: Last Light is one of those rare games that strikes such an interest with me, that I seek out more than what is in the box. I don't think any game has had me making an early morning trip to Barnes & Noble just to acquire peripheral narrative, though that trip was ultimately fruitless, I have since ordered a copy of Metro 2033 (the novel) from Amazon. It is saddening that Last Light suffers from technical problems, but usually a few lock-ups are enough to turn me away from a game for good. I still have every intention of finishing, I just might have to wait until that's an easier task.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-86275748859793528832013-04-13T13:44:00.001-07:002013-05-22T09:39:21.113-07:00Infinite Discourse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's been nearly a month since BioShock Infinite hit shelves. That's been almost four weeks of analysis, discussion, and Twitter-bickering. The topic is wearing thin on me, and I'm excusing myself from the conversation. But, not without a few parting words.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Apr 13, 2013</span></h2>
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There is a profound difference between taking issue with a work for moral reasons and taking issue with a work for critical reasons. The chief distinction between those is an understanding of the driving concepts of a work, and a thoughtful analysis within the context of the creation. I take no issue with those who avoid a product for personal reasons. However, it is equally possible to critically take issue for similar reasons, if the work is irresponsible with its themes or actions. A film about rape is not inherently a bad film, though I am perfectly happy to acknowledge it is a topic not all are interested in visiting. However, a film that mishandles such a topic, can have valid critical opposition, in addition to the moral opposition. It is important to realize that those who are putting forth a critical argument against a creator's choices are not necessarily morally opposed to the choices, but offended by a misuse within the context of the creation.</div>
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Funny how no one seemed to mind Gordon Freeman killing hundreds of people but the recently risen hipster gamer has a problem with Booker.</div>
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— Cliff Bleszinski (@therealcliffyb) <a href="https://twitter.com/therealcliffyb/status/323129177052164096">April 13, 2013</a></div>
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Aside from the shallow insult, <i>hipster gamer</i>, thoughts like this seem not to understand that the problem many take with the violence in BioShock Infinite has little to do with the violence itself, but that it rips the player from the narrative. For all intents and purposes the violence in the game could be replaced with racing sequences; it's out of place. The point isn't that we're offended by a game dealing with death, but rather offended that this game simultaneously attempts to tackle serious issues while being too afraid to stray away from what is keeping it firmly nestled among the lowbrow, annualized first person shooters.<br />
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Perhaps there is a small contingent of players who were also offended by the violence for moral reasons. While this is not necessarily the same group who are leveling analysis against the choices within Infinite, they too are entitled to their opinions. It is perfectly acceptable that after seven years of the most violent generation video games has ever seen, the studio that earned the reputation of pushing things forward, be held to a higher standard.<br />
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The most frustrating thing that has revealed itself to me after the release of BioShock Infinite, isn't that violence still overwhelms some of the best games we have to offer, but that most mainstream critical analysis within this industry still fails to analyze games. Instead we're fed spoiler-free and watered-down box quotes, that feel closer to checklists of expectations versus achievements than proper analysis. Phrases like "it feels good" and "paced well" are rarely backed up with any sort of evidence or presented with context, partially out of fear of the audience reaction to spoilers, and partially out of laziness. And when a vocal minority of budding writers picks up the slack to attempt a deeper analysis of a game they're greeted with labels like <i>hipster</i>, and from one of the men responsible for several of the games that would make the list of reasons I still love video games. Frustrating isn't the right word, it's heartbreaking.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-23473380182108223752013-04-05T09:54:00.000-07:002013-05-31T10:46:43.257-07:00BioShock Infinite - A Bloody Shame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBFcrJ6hXNngnHPag4T3SxlarUSiiYiiUwghnBdfLBw02dxyj9AGgG-u5wNh0CAGnbzm6JH8__bB3ZeQ_xV1TQVlCPubozVSVEwuhMIuj-8VBDvxUiN4K0e_GFE0SFArr4ywpJjX48V4/s1600/hookkill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZBFcrJ6hXNngnHPag4T3SxlarUSiiYiiUwghnBdfLBw02dxyj9AGgG-u5wNh0CAGnbzm6JH8__bB3ZeQ_xV1TQVlCPubozVSVEwuhMIuj-8VBDvxUiN4K0e_GFE0SFArr4ywpJjX48V4/s200/hookkill.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">BioShock Infinite is being lauded as one of the greatest stories ever told in a video game. Unfortunately, it is its commitment to being a traditional video game that might ultimately call to question statements like that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Apr 2, 2013</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">-Spoilers-</span><br />
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BioShock Infinite is a first person shooter, and as such, it is going to be a violent experience. Remember my article about <a href="http://theambivalist.blogspot.com/2013/03/shirking-blame-for-socially.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999;">shirking blame</span></a>? That applies to anything, not just sexism. Giving Infinite a free pass for being hyper violent just because it's a video game and that's what games do, is more than a little short-sighted.<br />
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To clarify, violence isn't necessarily unnecessary, in all cases. It's one of those 'a time and place' sorts of things. And yes, video games, as a rule of thumb, are going to be more violent than other mediums. Though I'd argue that's not necessary, I understand the decision as a design conceit. However, when the violence actively works against the greater narrative within the project, that is when it becomes a problem. Violence doesn't feel out of place in a science fiction shooter like Halo - the game doesn't attempt to emphasize the power of death, and story beats have impact for other reasons (i.e.: major character reveals, betrayals). More importantly however, the violence of war in Halo does not feel misplaced, but rather an integral part of that fiction.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEv9isxwQtzgPW1v2Z72457EV5yvP6KTkmXc3joP-4DwAvE8ChfjvAg3fLT2wmF745pbmyCSyxXiXODwmezV74mZ84f2ERsfsJukGbni0Mm-T2t9at6ndfz5n3LCyWEzjpXeDbJ2efWQY/s1600/bioshockinfinite_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEv9isxwQtzgPW1v2Z72457EV5yvP6KTkmXc3joP-4DwAvE8ChfjvAg3fLT2wmF745pbmyCSyxXiXODwmezV74mZ84f2ERsfsJukGbni0Mm-T2t9at6ndfz5n3LCyWEzjpXeDbJ2efWQY/s400/bioshockinfinite_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It would help if the combat were more fun.</td></tr>
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One of the problems with the combat in Infinite is that it is, simply, not that great. I recently explained to my friend, "the worst part of the game is the part where you're playing it." The combat is maddeningly repetitive. Repetitive combat doesn't tend to draw as much attention as other repetitive things, for some reason. If the game were a puzzle game, you would be matching the same three shapes over and over again, occasionally having to match six or nine shapes, and occasionally the background would change colors - don't worry, it's a really pretty background. Point is, when that music picks up, and you draw your weapon, you'll be doing strikingly similar routines at the end of the game that you were doing at the beginning and middle.<br />
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The dozen or so different guns in the game are about as varied as they are in any traditional FPS. You got your pistols, the machine guns, the shotguns, the sniper, and the launchers. There is only one variety of ammo, unlike the original BioShock, so the tactics with guns always comes down to: shoot this dude in the face as hard as you can. There are also the eerily out of place Vigors, re: BioShock's Plasmids, which do a slightly disappointing job of spicing up the combat. The Vigors are almost 1:1 with their BioShock counterparts. Remember the bees? Well, here are some crows. Like enraging enemies? Well, now you possess them. And they didn't even try changing up the electricity or fireball attacks. The powers were new and incredible in BioShock, now they feel familiar, and with only a flimsy justification within the narrative. Why am I one of the only people in this city with these powers? They were literally handing them out at the fairgrounds.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1yBXgQR1k5ASrvWmf6PwNSD_Kht-dG448_pjdKae6bDi3XKCf8k-5rlXoLEYUyPJ472yScMzaNhJoZAz5_xk-nICznKTwMJaJjF-FlKbB2uRjamVlGMlVHmhAUGN-T5Q-vnv1uOQOs8/s1600/skyrails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1yBXgQR1k5ASrvWmf6PwNSD_Kht-dG448_pjdKae6bDi3XKCf8k-5rlXoLEYUyPJ472yScMzaNhJoZAz5_xk-nICznKTwMJaJjF-FlKbB2uRjamVlGMlVHmhAUGN-T5Q-vnv1uOQOs8/s400/skyrails.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Skyrails are an attempt to vary combat, but are ultimately too disorienting to be useful.</td></tr>
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Gear and Skyrails are the two new gameplay features that attempt to set this apart from its predecessor. The momentum of Booker's movement and sporadic placement of Skyrails makes them far too unreliable a tool to bother using during combat. Gear is a decent enough idea, but oddly balanced, it would seem that each piece is entirely random, regardless of where you are in the game. I found a piece of gear in the initial set that ended up being far better than anything I found for the rest of the game, and in fact found inferior versions of the same power during the final segments. Ultimately, the new features end up doing little to create variety during the combat.<br />
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The combat in the original BioShock encouraged strategy. Some different ammo types were actually trap placements. You were able to hack turrets, health stations, and security cameras, essentially creating a tower-defense meta-game, in specific situations. That element is totally lost in Infinite. Traps are attached to the Vigors, but they are practically worthless as you're never really tasked with defending an area. You can just as easily target specific enemies with the same attack results, rather than hoping they happen upon one of your placements. When it comes down to it, you'll find a tactic in this game that works, and you'll likely find yourself playing it like that all the way through. I personally found electrocuting enemies followed up with a shotgun blast or spray of the machine gun, to be the most effective strategy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI98b7PvDw3x_TCFTtWQAjK2WDdP9RmBZuKvK5qD11k7cvnjwPVNtIq9DQVZDkmXDIlIJVMdfHGuMx3Rl_9r1kFy1aIwfa8QrVQKso-_Uw0V77YwIpOEiucZwgIA8xdZL7p2VFcVORjs/s1600/hookkill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsI98b7PvDw3x_TCFTtWQAjK2WDdP9RmBZuKvK5qD11k7cvnjwPVNtIq9DQVZDkmXDIlIJVMdfHGuMx3Rl_9r1kFy1aIwfa8QrVQKso-_Uw0V77YwIpOEiucZwgIA8xdZL7p2VFcVORjs/s400/hookkill.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first death in the game hits harder than the last one.</td></tr>
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While better gameplay design might have made the action sequences more tolerable, in the end, the true problem is that they exist at all. The rampant shooting feels like little more than a choice to appease the mass gaming audience, instead of supporting an intricately woven story, and sadly, at the sacrifice of the impact several of the story beats could have had. Think back to the moment after the raffle, the first kill in the game. Booker defends himself and executes an officer. The moment is jarring, exciting, and terrifying. All of the feelings of an earned impact. All of the feelings absent during the final moments of the game. The reason this works is because you aren't yet desensitized to the death. These are living people as far as you're concerned, and you've just killed one. The impact fades quick as you proceed to shoot your way through a large troop of angry police in the following moments.<br />
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After eleven hours of shooting people in the face, the murder of key characters washes over me like a light breeze. The game completely desensitizes its audience, and then expects them to care about death. Playing the game, you're witness to far more gruesome deaths than anything you'll witness during the key plot moments; drownings and bludgeonings pail in comparison to perpetual electrocutions, decapitations, neck snaps, suicides, and burnings.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikG7W9Gz0XuyvRuf8fyHJKEyN8NtLcmgI6fypWMYymrhBNnpjoeDJhC0Q121WA5O_7NM2HP5uuRP4RSa38281mN47kZrFBZ8zoBfBo8TxCmP96y160-TU0MlssurdiXW_uWsUEYmH8sj4/s1600/Meleekill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikG7W9Gz0XuyvRuf8fyHJKEyN8NtLcmgI6fypWMYymrhBNnpjoeDJhC0Q121WA5O_7NM2HP5uuRP4RSa38281mN47kZrFBZ8zoBfBo8TxCmP96y160-TU0MlssurdiXW_uWsUEYmH8sj4/s400/Meleekill.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The melee executions ripped me from the fiction. <br />
I actively avoided hitting the melee button because these scenes were ruining my experience.</td></tr>
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Perhaps the constant murder is an attempt to establish Booker DeWitt as an antihero, but certainly an effort so hyperbolic wasn't necessary. Does every villain need to murder hundreds of people for us to 'get' that this person is a villain? Discovering Booker's history more than emphasizes his morality, and some ambiguity would be far more striking and memorable than the guy whose head just popped from electrocution.<br />
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Us gamers are a jaded bunch though, maybe near-genocide is the type of thing it takes to get the point across. The constant killing in all of the first person shooters, and heck, any mainstream game, has us all numb to the impact of death. This disappointing truth is also one of the biggest barriers of entry for <a href="http://www.polygon.com/2013/4/2/4174344/opinion-why-my-wife-wont-play-bioshock-infinite" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999;">new fans</span></a>. I can think back to several moments in the past where my friends would witness some horrible, violent act happening in [insert M-rated game here] and reacted with a gasp or an expletive - the act being nothing but mundane for me. This is a sad reality, but one we don't have to put up with.<br />
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The most disappointing realization I had about Infinite, is that I had thought this game could change that reality. The original BioShock took the idea I had about what a first person shooter could be and ran with it in some interesting ways, both in narrative and gameplay. Creating an amazing, in-depth, and meaningful fiction, but without the sacrifice of fun, intriguing, and strategic gameplay. Sure, that game may have dropped the ball in the final moments, but the experience is still one that is ingrained in my mind. Instead of again taking steps forward, BioShock Infinite feels a lot like retracing familiar territory, and not even doing it as well. Most irksome is that this is only because they didn't trust their reach enough to take steps forward without sacrificing the larger audience. The game is a traditional shooter because otherwise it wouldn't guarantee them a bestseller.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdw78l7ZE-xnlCFjzuBdPlsSyEvjS0PuIgIW9mVyzSHCKGw4h7DgfFU_Op0VHQNXZb4D-mNBftX4A0CdfkB8yD9PZBrxhhrumtz2DSbp49-estsXMDALRUM0aNp4qqAO-JMxmjBXF1QE/s1600/columbia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxdw78l7ZE-xnlCFjzuBdPlsSyEvjS0PuIgIW9mVyzSHCKGw4h7DgfFU_Op0VHQNXZb4D-mNBftX4A0CdfkB8yD9PZBrxhhrumtz2DSbp49-estsXMDALRUM0aNp4qqAO-JMxmjBXF1QE/s400/columbia.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Columbia is definitely a beautiful and interesting world. <br />
I just wish I could have experienced it in a more profound way.</td></tr>
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What if Infinite had been paced more slowly, and instead of combat as the main gameplay mechanic, we had logic and environmental puzzles to deal with? Perhaps character interactions could play a larger role. Imagine BioShock Infinite as an adventure game. In some ideal world where adventure games got the <a href="http://www.spike.com/events/video-game-awards-2012-nominees/voting/game-of-the-year" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999;">sort of attention</span></a> that <a href="http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/the-walking-dead-survival-instinct" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999;">first person shooters</span></a> got, maybe BioShock Infinite could have been what I really wanted. Reality is, we are in that world now. Last year we saw The Walking Dead achieve great success as an adventure game. The game wasn't non-violent, but it paced its violence and made character deaths mean something. Imagine the sort of impact the end of Infinite might have had if it had been paced like The Walking Dead.<br />
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There have been a lot of big words tossed around BioShock Infinite. Perhaps this hyperbole is to be expected when a good game comes out early in the year, as though fans are salivating for something to get excited about. I don't think BioShock Infinite is a bad game, by any means. There was a story there that I loved. There were characters there that were brilliant. There was a world that I would love to spend more time in. Unfortunately, all of these aspects are marred by the fact that I actually need to play it to experience them.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-1818777572204930272013-03-21T15:55:00.002-07:002013-03-22T10:24:41.508-07:00Retrospective: Sleeping Dogs (UPDATED)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmf-lLlvZBIycqGrsA9JNfaS9Zz-NAnNjztx-BhBcq5LsqrvpdHppwwm5x_cnmpKEF-7tsyNZW4e0RlWzNlyn_n8xQhAqo7toz0HUyb5KJnVBceKvZP9DnSOYdb0QkoqklMhLcw8AWvQ8/s1600/Sleeping+Pups.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmf-lLlvZBIycqGrsA9JNfaS9Zz-NAnNjztx-BhBcq5LsqrvpdHppwwm5x_cnmpKEF-7tsyNZW4e0RlWzNlyn_n8xQhAqo7toz0HUyb5KJnVBceKvZP9DnSOYdb0QkoqklMhLcw8AWvQ8/s200/Sleeping+Pups.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sleeping Dogs was one of the most fun games I played last year, and even made my Top Ten Games of 2012, but a lack of identity might have you calling it a little <i>ruff </i>around the edges - oh god, I'm so sorry.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Mar 21, 2013</span></h2>
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Sleeping Dogs has no right to be a functional product. No game that sees as many mid-development overhauls as this, ever comes out as well as Sleeping Dogs has. The Duke Nukem Forever syndrome - though that game has problems stemming much deeper than troubled development - of being in development for far too long, is more of a critical, and some times fiscal, death sentence than it is giving a game time to get it 'just right'.</div>
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Originally, Sleeping Dogs was <i>Black Lotus*</i>, an open world action game with a female protagonist. Unfortunately, <a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-03-19-why-publishers-refuse-games-such-as-remember-me-because-of-their-female-protagonists" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999;">as we've been made aware</span></a>, female protagonists aren't the sort of risk all large studios are willing to take. The original idea was scrapped by Activision and Sleeping Dogs' second iteration took its place. Black Lotus was to become the next sequel in the profoundly mediocre open world action franchise(<i>franchise</i>?), True Crime, as True Crime: Hong Kong. Activision then realized what everybody else was already thinking, "why the hell would we make a new True Crime game?" The project, once again, was scrapped. This time however, Square Enix picked it up, perhaps in a stroke of genius, without the True Crime name attached - I wonder if they had to pay more to not take it. Square Enix and United Front are responsible for the game that was eventually released, Sleeping Dogs.</div>
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Perhaps then, it isn't such a wonder that Sleeping Dogs, though from a technical standpoint a miracle, lacks focus, and an identity. The game opens heir apparent to the True Crime games, you're Wei Shen, an undercover cop, with a mysterious and dark past, and an affinity for martial arts. It didn't take much time before I was spotting <i>Hard Boiled </i>inspirations in the gritty, dark, Hong Kong organized crime underground. An extended shoot out in a hospital might have well been ripped straight from the script of John Woo's '92 action classic. And the narrative attempts achieving a realistic weight for its characters, similar to what you might expect in a modern Rockstar release. There are no heroes and villains, simply characters who are trying to get by in non-ideal situations, some make poor decisions, and you're expected to feel for them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdOvAELgdO6x2haZKPEhThztOLohEqIvsHNcJGjGt3tMBm1e8U-gUGmxjs-lrLdSFpMberC-IqzWRqQZnT-IMHYkQ3E0k2Srv7DbGOP8kIjCl-QFep-l0pK2rbtRK2GcGrW2EZYVBLDM/s1600/dramaticmoments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHdOvAELgdO6x2haZKPEhThztOLohEqIvsHNcJGjGt3tMBm1e8U-gUGmxjs-lrLdSFpMberC-IqzWRqQZnT-IMHYkQ3E0k2Srv7DbGOP8kIjCl-QFep-l0pK2rbtRK2GcGrW2EZYVBLDM/s400/dramaticmoments.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of several emotional moments between Wei and Jackie. <br />
It's a shame the impact of the climax was dulled so much.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It doesn't take long in the open world before you begin to spot the jarringly comical, almost cartoonish, peripheral behaviors of the world. Goofy street merchants, eccentric radio hosts, and bizarre clothing options, among other strange development choices, all work to deflate the emotional weight Sleeping Dogs' narrative is pushing. It's somewhat hard to accept the gravity of inner-Triad betrayal while you're wearing neon shorts, a dinosaur tee shirt, and a luchador mask. The goofiness even finds itself bleeding into the driving mechanics of the game in the form of a ramming mechanic, that proves invaluable during car chases, and an almost entirely useless action hijack that has you leap from one moving vehicle to another. Both mechanics work, both have specific use cases, and both feel really out of place in the otherwise gritty and realistic narrative.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtv66pGn768O-Cia5QrIC_JnsJtkV1pJp8Bh7lQ5LLsmEHd-65LQqYxlxI80_cBR-ZSqQYGV_d8EIClnw0XNyTq4LX9RPZPSaeSA8lpiBM93ZQPmYJOPbxq8fARJOg38OvMuJcPqihgUs/s1600/ridiculousness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtv66pGn768O-Cia5QrIC_JnsJtkV1pJp8Bh7lQ5LLsmEHd-65LQqYxlxI80_cBR-ZSqQYGV_d8EIClnw0XNyTq4LX9RPZPSaeSA8lpiBM93ZQPmYJOPbxq8fARJOg38OvMuJcPqihgUs/s400/ridiculousness.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had more fun opening the car door as I drove - knocking down light posts <br />
and pedestrians - than I did using the mechanic to hijack other cars.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Without a doubt though, the most jarring and unwelcome piece of this broken identity is the hyper-violent execution props tossed sparingly around any environment you might find yourself in during hand-to-hand combat, including the streets of Hong Kong. Isn't this guy an undercover cop? Am I just supposed to chalk it up to good acting that he just bashed that guy's face in with a payphone receiver? Okay, what about that man he lit on fire? Or, the guy who's head I just pressed into a circular saw? How is Wei Shen supposed to be a sympathetic character when he is, by a wide margin, the most violent person in the game? As far as I can tell, the only thing the Triads are in control of, is a restaurant and a karaoke club. And they're the bad guys? Each time I found myself resorting to the executions, I was ripped out of the narrative and reminded, "oh, this is just another violent video game." At a certain point, I subconsciously began avoiding using the props, despite their usefulness in turning the tide of an uneven fight.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jHkNs6xp5v6YAWVstALCrqzJiDVeF6XrMz7jHxA3IDn_c7GJeO-wYPbyUGEDVu4tWX7i7YZeErF_x69K4QQPHo0YuOoszr93UmWdJzLsGg8A0m6CFqnW643enRYoXPPO2Ydk-90oyNM/s1600/hyperviolent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_jHkNs6xp5v6YAWVstALCrqzJiDVeF6XrMz7jHxA3IDn_c7GJeO-wYPbyUGEDVu4tWX7i7YZeErF_x69K4QQPHo0YuOoszr93UmWdJzLsGg8A0m6CFqnW643enRYoXPPO2Ydk-90oyNM/s400/hyperviolent.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the many totally unnecessary environmental executions in the game.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The lack of focus seems apparent of the troubled development cycle, and that might be a big part of it. Some of the game's elements might suggest at one point the game was going to be something closer to the older Grand Theft Auto games, or the Saints Row franchise, a less serious, satirical experience. Assuming the narrative was one of the final parts of the creative process of Sleeping Dogs (it would almost have to be, considering its history), maybe Square Enix wanted something more competitive with the serious story telling in games like Grand Theft Auto IV or Red Dead Redemption. Though action hijack, that feels borrowed from Square Enix's other open world action game, Just Cause, would indicate that even after the final change of hands took place, it still wasn't sure what it wanted to be.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvyhoXskxwxeqgiZZ-rVmBa5rgp7KaP6JPa5UOeXpxvRfCdkjbDGv0o2tvMx6P3dYBf9oKiME8mOgN1MeheZiaPabER_ZZibQ71snEQmXjr8nFgPlZ5_2Vxk4W4t7GOujgK-usd52BJQ/s1600/gtaiv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvyhoXskxwxeqgiZZ-rVmBa5rgp7KaP6JPa5UOeXpxvRfCdkjbDGv0o2tvMx6P3dYBf9oKiME8mOgN1MeheZiaPabER_ZZibQ71snEQmXjr8nFgPlZ5_2Vxk4W4t7GOujgK-usd52BJQ/s400/gtaiv.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Theft Auto IV is by no means an entirely realistic experience.<br />
But the comedy and ridiculousness still fall in line with the rest of the<br />
game's social commentary, and do not feel out of place.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
In the end, Sleeping Dogs biggest flaw has been it's unfortunate need to work against itself. No one of these three separate identities is inherently flawed, but nor do they work together to compose anything cohesive. Am I supposed to be gathering a deeper understand of these character's struggle? Am I just a piece of a ridiculous comedy? Or is this supposed to be a thrill ride, not to be taken seriously? It feels as though you're playing parts of three different games, which might be the case. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
My greatest enjoyment of Sleeping Dogs came when I gave up on taking it as seriously as the narrative would have liked me to. The story, at that point, though in another game could have been great, fell to the wayside. I quit caring about the characters, and the moments that were clearly an attempt at reaching for emotion felt cheap and unearned. However, the game was fun. Perhaps the most fun I had playing a game last year. The hand-to-hand combat system was the best I've seen in any game like this, and rivals that of games that put even more focus on combat.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqW5XuSftSAqJE30sRitsHHjDYB63_2VHD9GDodmhqSJKNgLKhwHttIu5dK7LjNzwh9zfNNwIcG3gScgEWkMWB6PMHhfKg_-XeeBhegMcPWB6Tz64fTt7-WDn7f78HOfy15PAKyf2hBpo/s1600/handtohand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqW5XuSftSAqJE30sRitsHHjDYB63_2VHD9GDodmhqSJKNgLKhwHttIu5dK7LjNzwh9zfNNwIcG3gScgEWkMWB6PMHhfKg_-XeeBhegMcPWB6Tz64fTt7-WDn7f78HOfy15PAKyf2hBpo/s400/handtohand.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It should be this fun to fight enemies in more games.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I do not regret my choice to put Sleeping Dogs on my Top Ten Games of 2012 list. It earned is position fairly, as a tremendously fun sandbox. The question shouldn't be if I enjoyed Sleeping Dogs - I absolutely did - but rather, was it all it could have been? Sleeping Dogs could have been so much more than just a fun sandbox. With more focus, perhaps a less troubled development cycle, it could have easily become one of the best open world games of this generation.<br />
<br />
My recommendation for future sequels? Drop the gritty, realistic story, and focus on the absurd aspects. The Saints Row franchise went through a similar struggle early on, but hit its stride by the third release. Funny games are not too common, and funny games that are equally fun to play, are even less so. Melodramatic open world action games are a dime a dozen, and having the player play as a cop - especially with Hong Kong's loose definition of cop - isn't a strong enough gimmick to support another open world game franchise.<br />
<br />
Sleeping Dogs was already a ridiculous game - I mean, Wei really has no reason for surviving the final mission. United Front just needs to commit to that. Perhaps it wasn't entirely their fault, the game very well could have been in this bizarre position by the time they got their hands on it. But, when we inevitably see Sleeping Dogs 2, that excuse will no longer apply. And, hopefully, they won't need it.<br />
<br />
----------<br />
*Shortly after posting this piece, I was contacted by the Sleeping Dogs Twitter account on a potential error.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
@<a href="https://twitter.com/ambivalist">ambivalist</a>Hiya, <a href="https://twitter.com/search/%23SleepingDogs">#SleepingDogs</a> *wasn't* originally project Black Lotus. Please read this article for full details: <a href="http://t.co/zVXoYXhDqr" title="http://www.edge-online.com/features/the-making-of-sleeping-dogs/">edge-online.com/features/the-m…</a><br />
— Sleeping Dogs (@sleepingdogs) <a href="https://twitter.com/sleepingdogs/status/315055238241456128">March 22, 2013</a></blockquote>
<br />
<a href="http://www.edge-online.com/features/the-making-of-sleeping-dogs/3/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999;">The article provided</span></a> suggests that Sleeping Dogs was not originally Black Lotus, but rather that Black Lotus was a separate parallel project, eventually canceled. Rumor has it that Black Lotus was going to feature a female lead. The article also suggests that after Black Lotus was canceled, that some of the assets of the game may have been handed over to Slee<span style="font-family: inherit;">ping Dogs. As Black Lotus was described as</span> "by all accounts a less gritty, more comic-book caper," that could explain some of the more goofy, seemingly out of place aspects of Sleeping Dogs.<br />
<br />
However, during further research I came across <a href="http://shogungamer.com/news/details-and-trailer-activisions-black-lotus" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999;">this 2009 article</span></a><span style="color: #999999;"> </span><span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;">about casting for a project known as Black Lotus. This suggests that Black Lotus was conceived as a successor to the True Crime franchise. More interestingly though, is the casting list which briefly describes several rolls in the game: </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>WEI SHEN (Hero)</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>late 20s, undercover cop infiltrating the Triads</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>Grew up in San Franciso and Hong Kong.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>Speaks and emotes with confidence.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>Think Daniel Wu.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>CHIEF INSPECTOR PENDREW</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>late 40s, British.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>28 year police veteran motivated by personal vendetta.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>Really wants to take the Triads down.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>Strong and fatherly type.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>Think Liam Neeson.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>JACKIE MAH</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>late 20s, Cantonese.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>He is the Sidekick and comic relief.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>He hangs around Wei thinking Wei is real gangster (Jackie is wanna-be)</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>Average to somewhat skinnier body type.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>Full of nervous energy, he comes up with brilliant schemes</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>that fail with his execution.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i>High pitched, weasely, strong comic flair.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 22.08333396911621px;">Again, this article was posted in November 2009, well before Sleeping Dogs, as we know it, was officially announced in 2012. Take that for what you will. But in my opinion, it suggests that, at very least, the project was internally known as Black Lotus during some stage of development.</span><br />
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-37335140097108770812013-03-19T11:52:00.000-07:002013-06-04T20:34:04.828-07:00Shirking Blame For The Socially Irresponsible<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh41EN2ja5LQOTw8AAtfwUX_P5Hbvg4BwA5we7SZfVeGkLKDgfbjPVttZ-K3kQbcWuAjTvRaAwXXCj4l0pbZ3jTiHb6W9uZ06qxaWSKLKnkR33MUP44ObQFQ7fzJT-5d14gAKzacM_t7o/s1600/brosgod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh41EN2ja5LQOTw8AAtfwUX_P5Hbvg4BwA5we7SZfVeGkLKDgfbjPVttZ-K3kQbcWuAjTvRaAwXXCj4l0pbZ3jTiHb6W9uZ06qxaWSKLKnkR33MUP44ObQFQ7fzJT-5d14gAKzacM_t7o/s200/brosgod.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Free speech is one of the most important and powerful rights we have. But when that freedom haunts us, what can we do?</span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Mar 18, 2013</span></h2>
<div>
I had just started playing DMC Devil May Cry. My roommate and his brother returned from dinner while I was in middle of one of the early story segments. One of the main characters, Kat, was on screen speaking with Dante. As the scene wrapped up my roommate asked me, "why are all women in video games super skinny with huge breasts?" I wasn't quite ready to dismiss the game, having just purchased it, and enjoying it up until that point, so I lazily responded, "because video games." Immediately after the words left my mouth, I regretted them. And the exchange has been stuck with me for the past couple of weeks.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Outside of something like "because boobs are cool," "because video games" is the laziest, weakest, and most self destructive argument I could have made. It simultaneously ignored my responsibility to critically examine something I'm playing, shifted the social responsibility of the developer to not make all too common of mistakes, and dismissed video games as something childish and immature, incapable of progressing as a medium.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0h8Ozin_0pe_KcVb4hV-bwqTKmnmzygD7kk9JgsIoUaC1BVao21tXJGJO_oNSJ1iSmcEq6eXxS7XPt83MWbYaxGvXmS9_zl3k5n1olWZ_QJr0QNakXZzfWgrOZewFlrGb18ljV8Maq0/s1600/DMCkat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0h8Ozin_0pe_KcVb4hV-bwqTKmnmzygD7kk9JgsIoUaC1BVao21tXJGJO_oNSJ1iSmcEq6eXxS7XPt83MWbYaxGvXmS9_zl3k5n1olWZ_QJr0QNakXZzfWgrOZewFlrGb18ljV8Maq0/s400/DMCkat.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ironically, Kat is one of the more conservatively designed women in games.<br />
And she's barely wearing pants.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Last week we saw the release of God of War Ascension, and with that, came a debacle related to a poorly named trophy. I'm not here to debate whether or not "bros before hos" is offensive. For the sake of this editorial, it is. You know, because it <i>totally </i>is. Rather, the more disgusting result of this controversy, is that it was a controversy at all. Controversy implies two opposing mindsets, some that are offended by something, and those who defend the offensive material in question. I found myself asking why this was up for debate. The trophy is earned after stomping in the head of a female character. To put that in perspective, imagine if the character were instead black, and a lynching pun were inserted in the trophy. Or, perhaps the character could have been gay, or Jewish, or any other number of disenfranchised groups. It <i>is</i> offensive. What's more offensive is that we don't know that yet.<br />
<br />
"But she was technically a monster." "But you're playing God of War, it's rated <i>M</i>." "Kratos is a dick, so it makes sense for his character." "Because video games." These are just excuses to get away with socially irresponsible writing. None of these excuses actually addresses what the problem is here. Women are being actively targeted, probably unintentionally, but it happened. It is a problem when all of the female characters in a game are either sex objects, trophies, and the few strong women are evil "hos."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPxiQ_qz55ToK7DRa7X6CB95YfoFMal5ameba0QMaI2hFfO1j2BreGBmg3Z4Jg4aeH99MpsTFFeoGgdrmZqiqM1CUe2YAtMQfb2t58UIThitHSRVDo0qNUkq1Zxq8zEqKtxz3j5SGokM/s1600/Kratos.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPxiQ_qz55ToK7DRa7X6CB95YfoFMal5ameba0QMaI2hFfO1j2BreGBmg3Z4Jg4aeH99MpsTFFeoGgdrmZqiqM1CUe2YAtMQfb2t58UIThitHSRVDo0qNUkq1Zxq8zEqKtxz3j5SGokM/s400/Kratos.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kratos, who's defining characteristics are being angry and violent, our hero.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the more common lines of logic I had heard during this debacle was, "the trophies are all really, really poorly done puns, I hate them for bad writing more than anything." This is almost as troubling as defending the derogatory slur, it simply shifts the responsibility of the writers away from being socially conscious, to just being clever. While I would submit no argument that the writing of the trophies was done well, by any means - I'd even go as far as saying expecting profound writing in a God of War game is foolish - but you don't have to be clever to be aware of what's socially acceptable (here's a hint: rewarding players with a sexist trophy after stomping in a woman's face, isn't acceptable).<br />
<br />
Perhaps telling, is that Sony Santa Monica decided to alter the trophy shortly after the controversy had gotten too large to ignore. They released a short statement about their decision:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"We have created and will soon push out a patch for God of War: Ascension that alters the title of one of the game Trophies. The text was offensive to some members of our community and impacted their enjoyment of the game. We are endlessly committed to ensuring that our community can fully enjoy the experiences the team has created. As such, we’ve addressed the feedback and amended the Trophy in question."</i></span></div>
<br />
I could point out how obvious it is that this had absolutely nothing to do with them understanding the mistake they made, but that they didn't want to upset the growing number of socially conscious consumers for fiscal reasons. I mean, it's the weird sort of blame shifting, "you didn't enjoy it, so we'll change it, I guess" said while stamping feet. It would have been nice to hear something along the lines of, "We made a mistake. We misunderstood the offensive nature of the term." Or, you know, any sort of acceptance of the mistake they had made.<br />
<br />
The God of War Ascension issue is just one of many in a long, storied history of sexism in video games. When was the last time there was an iconic female video game character that wasn't a sex object, a damsel in distress, or covered entirely in armor to the point of androgyny? If you can name one, congratulations. The list is small.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_A47I3kKhmbTsu3iOiBTr6uFcEoPf237-zdf2kVD2TCjmwXLLncUeqm6O_JS4k4G3O4-A5IqE9WBO3WZRPBzjVAQdjDmpwZJkNkqjHw8vbaS2PYmYixANyya1VMyFxPcVFWlU1iaQ8s0/s1600/mspacman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_A47I3kKhmbTsu3iOiBTr6uFcEoPf237-zdf2kVD2TCjmwXLLncUeqm6O_JS4k4G3O4-A5IqE9WBO3WZRPBzjVAQdjDmpwZJkNkqjHw8vbaS2PYmYixANyya1VMyFxPcVFWlU1iaQ8s0/s400/mspacman.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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"So, video games are a bunch of misogynistic power trips, and I want to be a feminist ally, but I love playing games! What do I do?" Guess what? Despite what the doomsday <i>MRM</i> folks might have you believe, you can still totally play, and enjoy, and <i>even</i> love video games, and be a feminist. I do, and I am. And I'm not alone by any means. The issue here isn't that we are consuming something that is sexist. Note that the target here has never been the fans of God of War, or any game that may make similar mistakes. The target here isn't even necessarily the developers that make those mistakes, we have all made mistakes. The target here is the society that ignores the mistakes, doesn't take the responsibility for the mistakes, and has no intention of bettering itself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJyXN2drIW-swIVIv3au6DaD-MFQFpYaRGiLMDJSbZgK2Me0hiEGeZV_wr3jErEIq9TfpPrfkauw2BxYEiyCh6Ccnnn7Utv-UHXMpH4UNxW-LNJAbgO9IXXwaiNwIpOLuF3xQ91Jj6L8/s1600/dantedmc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivJyXN2drIW-swIVIv3au6DaD-MFQFpYaRGiLMDJSbZgK2Me0hiEGeZV_wr3jErEIq9TfpPrfkauw2BxYEiyCh6Ccnnn7Utv-UHXMpH4UNxW-LNJAbgO9IXXwaiNwIpOLuF3xQ91Jj6L8/s400/dantedmc.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In some capacity Dante's sexist behavior is shunned, and he isn't always a sympathetic character. <br />
Though, if they wanted to go that route, I wish they had gone further.</td></tr>
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All that is being asked of the consumer is to pay attention, be understanding, and don't be afraid to say, "hey guys, I like your game, but this part is pretty offensive." I'm not afraid to admit I'm enjoying my time with DMC Devil May Cry. The game falls for several of the same tropes that are all too common in games. For instance, I've just realized the game is heading in the 'damsel in distress' direction. The trick isn't violently tossing the game out the window and dismissing all of Ninja Theory's future work. But, instead notice what's wrong, discuss it, and hope that the developers learn that this isn't the best they can do.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-72903318728246942162013-03-05T18:29:00.000-08:002013-05-31T10:46:22.813-07:00Don't Tell Zelda I Play Songs For Malon On My Ocarina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7H2fyL6IxLFoi749VOe2kGI4OZUn-oEHfw5sD6ybQ9PvtQpUIat8393gnRct5EybneZ2CmblN7luV0yEoaaqSvcbudOeMEKnftuChZhszpnh05yIIPS23zqhZ7yw8tfcG1UBTt_t7gk/s1600/Ocarina+0002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV7H2fyL6IxLFoi749VOe2kGI4OZUn-oEHfw5sD6ybQ9PvtQpUIat8393gnRct5EybneZ2CmblN7luV0yEoaaqSvcbudOeMEKnftuChZhszpnh05yIIPS23zqhZ7yw8tfcG1UBTt_t7gk/s200/Ocarina+0002.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">I take a look back at one of those games I somehow missed. A game that I may very well have been the last person to not play it, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Now let me explain why you're wrong about it being the best game ever made.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Feb 26, 2013</span></h2>
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Remember 1998? <i>Saving Private Ryan</i>, <i>Armageddon</i>, and <i>There's Something About Mary</i> were ruling the box office. The US economy was in great shape, then the president had sex, so we impeached him. Some pretty bad music was filling the airwaves - well, some things never change. <i>Neutral Milk Hotel</i> released a pretty good album that year, but I didn't discover that until much later.</div>
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Odds are, if you follow video games in any capacity, you've heard somebody reference 1998 as the greatest year for video games in history. Metal Gear Solid, StarCraft, Half-Life, Baldur's Gate, Thief: The Dark Project, Grim Fandango, Fallout 2, and obviously, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, there is no denying that 1998 was a damn good year. While I am willing to admit a lot of these games still show influence in some of the best games being released today, I try to excuse myself as quickly as possible from any conversation that starts with "what's the best...".<br />
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Much like <i>In the Aeroplane Over the Sea</i>, I discovered Ocarina of Time much, much later. In fact, I only just finally played Ocarina of Time to completion.<br />
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My first experiences with the game were back in 1998 when all of my friends were obsessing over how cool their Nintendo 64 was. Meanwhile I was trying to figure out if my parents' used desktop would run something like Half-Life - it wouldn't. Instead of following the advice of friends, perhaps out of spite, I played pretty much every other great game released on the 64 that year. I spent a lot of time unlocking just about every ship that Star Wars: Rogue Squadron had to offer, then reenacting the fantasy Millennium Falcon v AT-AT battles I had been doing in my imagination since I saw Empire Strikes Back - how does their armor stand up against Corellian quad lasers?<br />
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Flash forward fifteen years, and the right circumstances present themselves for me to rectify a mistake.<br />
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I'm going to be forward with this, just so the purists know what they're getting into. I played this game on my 3DS, this is one of the reasons I bought the 3DS, actually. Just hear me out. Everything in the game is the same. The only differences are in the touch screen menu and vastly improved graphics, both only improve the experience, neither take anything away. Believe me, I plugged in a copy on the Nintendo 64 to see what it looks like while doing this, and there is <i>no way</i> I would have been able to get through the whole game that way. Man, the Nintendo 64 looked bad.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvk7HE3eTSwoMV7B2PPy5nlc41lilBxMvnriNuPBovnUssnp0G1xDu29xGkItyQh3GkMuuRH-a64JlU_HwQu1khsLDj_uyt0D-T6_Zj3ecM6gz1vXEkI0jG6cEBO2Wl5Zxs7VYtEV1Xo/s1600/Ocarina+0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvk7HE3eTSwoMV7B2PPy5nlc41lilBxMvnriNuPBovnUssnp0G1xDu29xGkItyQh3GkMuuRH-a64JlU_HwQu1khsLDj_uyt0D-T6_Zj3ecM6gz1vXEkI0jG6cEBO2Wl5Zxs7VYtEV1Xo/s400/Ocarina+0001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ocarina of Time is very definitely a better looking game on 3DS.</td></tr>
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I can feel the anger pulsating from the minds of Zelda fans over my statement about Ocarina of Time not being the best game ever made. Honestly, I don't even know if I'd call it the best Zelda game. I mean, did you play A Link To The Past? Calm your nerves though, I'm not sure what the <i>best game ever made </i>is. I don't even know if I've played it. That's such a sweeping and goofy statement. Games are so many things. Would the best game be the most fun? The most technically impressive? The best story? The most influential? Honestly, I don't know. Odds are everybody out there has their own idea of what the best game ever made is. I can name a few games that I think are really well made and are very important to me, but those are personal choices based on personal experiences, a lot of which had to do with where I was as a person outside of the game when I played it.<br />
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I'm no fool. I understand Ocarina of Time was a product of its age, and that is certainly something I considered the entire time I was playing it. And the game is damn impressive for its age, even today the scope is still nothing to scoff at. Scope isn't that impressive though. Plenty of bigger games were out at that point in time, and many didn't make the same sacrifices that Ocarina had made.<br />
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Ocarina has a very odd way of being overly hand-holdy when it doesn't need to - "Navi, I fucking know that I need to go to the temple that I'm walking toward. Leave me alone!" - but then abandoning the player totally in odd circumstances. "Oh, you need to go get this fire and melt the ice this dude is trapped in, then he'll just give you the blue suit, and that lets you breath under water." The only in-game work around of this is a magic stone that gives you hints, which are just videos of what <i>exactly</i> you should be doing - it's a maddeningly lazy fix that makes you feel like you're cheating when you use it. Not to mention, that stone is far enough out of the way in most circumstances, that it hardly seems worth using even when you are stuck. The last thing I want to do when bashing my head on a puzzle is leave the temple entirely just to have it explained to me explicitly. Heck, if I want explicit directions on how to complete each temple, I'd have bought the strategy guide - which I'm convinced anybody who beat this game when it came out had done.<br />
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In addition to the uneven guidance, the game really drops the ball on a handful of the boss encounters. Aren't bosses sort of what the Zelda games are known for doing right? Then why is the supposed best Zelda game the one with a boss that is glorified whack-a-mole, one that requires you to run in circles around a pool of water (swimming in games is always fun), and some that are so mind-numbingly simple that I swore the game had to have been made for toddlers when I beat them? I might go as far as saying that Morpha is one of the most ill-conceived boss fights I've had in recent memory. At least, even during the simple boss fights, you're asked to grasp an understanding of the item you acquired in the temple that boss fight takes place in. Morpha doesn't do anything interesting or ask any particular skill of the player - well, noting outside of the ability to operate the targeting system while fighting an unruly camera.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqomtHG4bZjU4Ydjq8xD1jhePfW2AtqDTGHwunvKbvficjTKponCF4H1r5qkYOJ3mpjKAKoir1I5PSgppHgKHmUx2fr_us-wGhkUGEYNqW5u1O1sws61j66_nqXFhs56DMuP01XiVRKu4/s1600/Ocarina+0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqomtHG4bZjU4Ydjq8xD1jhePfW2AtqDTGHwunvKbvficjTKponCF4H1r5qkYOJ3mpjKAKoir1I5PSgppHgKHmUx2fr_us-wGhkUGEYNqW5u1O1sws61j66_nqXFhs56DMuP01XiVRKu4/s400/Ocarina+0006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not even a hard fight, it's just boring.</td></tr>
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Okay, I'm being a cynic. I suppose I should explain myself before fans spit hot vitriol and melt my keyboard. Hey guys, don't worry. I actually enjoyed the game - a lot. In fact, I'd say that I downright loved it. What the fuck, right? I mean, it probably sounds like I'm backpedaling hard right now. I'm not though. I just want to put this in perspective. Too often do we just like to remember fondly the games we love. So fondly that we forget the mistakes, we forget what there was to learn from. Why does this matter? If you want to forget the mistakes and remember only the good parts of your favorite games, that's fine, but then you're not really allowing yourself much outside perspective.<br />
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Outside perspective is an important thing. We all make the mistake of ignoring flaws in what we love, this doesn't even apply to just games. When you love a game, it is natural for us to ignore, look past the faults. I'm happy that you enjoy it, I want you to have that love - that's important too. However, acknowledging the flaws of a game we love, or at least understanding the perspective that might see those flaws, allows us a greater understanding of the game, the series, the developers, its sequels, and the games that those who don't like your favorite game love.<br />
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Like I said, Ocarina, overall, was a positive experience. I wanted to acknowledge its flaws, because despite what the history books may have you believe, they exist. The 3DS version did provide one of the most memorable handheld gaming experiences I had ever had - granted this is obviously only true having never played the original, as I wouldn't expect this port to be quite the experience for those who had it a decade and a half ago. For just about every flaw I mentioned there is something executed so memorably and so well that it's just about made up for any negative that one could bring against the game, in my mind. That is, if we're going to go down this weird flaw-to-non-flaw bartering path.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSIvvgY4dH0R64rtuCNLz-3k_kkB1s60YzqUxRZ__UIJ6gbXVivxyoKvjJTI7pMveNGUrgRuZHP_M1-sX1mpmEbHLxM4grdPF_smzrbSFTN9G_6QYmNUWa4-P-Js_gDHo9F3SHprLhZc/s1600/Ocarina+0003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSIvvgY4dH0R64rtuCNLz-3k_kkB1s60YzqUxRZ__UIJ6gbXVivxyoKvjJTI7pMveNGUrgRuZHP_M1-sX1mpmEbHLxM4grdPF_smzrbSFTN9G_6QYmNUWa4-P-Js_gDHo9F3SHprLhZc/s400/Ocarina+0003.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Other than the boss, I actually thought the infamous Water Temple <br />
was one of the best parts of the entire game.</td></tr>
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In reality, rarely does that sort of quid pro quo mindset actually apply to measuring how great a game is. I'll admit it, I get why Ocarina of Time is considered one of the best games ever made. Time and place are big factors in this, not to undermine the quality of the game. When it comes down to it, the biggest flaw or poorest design choice or most game-crippling glitch doesn't really break an experience. Thinking back to my favorite game from last year, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, that game most certainly wasn't without fault.<br />
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So what was it about Ocarina that allowed it to click in such a way where it would become known as it is today? The game is most certainly better than the sum of its parts. Any one part of the game, out of context, might come off as interesting or generic, depending on where during the experience the part is pulled. While some of the temples, puzzles, boss battles are memorable and interesting, they are - for the most part - not so mind-blowingly fantastic that you could remember the game for these design choices alone. However, at the end of the experience I felt like I had completed something significant, a journey, a quest, one that changed the characters and the world. And in that, Ocarina hits its highest note.<br />
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Today, we see the scope of games increase into levels that we would only have fantasized about fifteen years ago. Sprawling, massive fantastical realms and kingdoms, populated with realistic looking characters and creatures, each there to interact with you on your quest. But with the shackles of limitation released, we have also lost some intimacy in these games. At the end of Fallout 3 I hadn't felt like I really impacted the world. I was told I did, and the events were explained to me, but none of the characters had felt like they changed. I felt like I was inhabiting a static world, just the narrative was fluid. Ultimately, the actions didn't feel like they mattered.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0Hb82XEJjAhz5N4VFuQZYtSTNc9Vuny-dnwr6zNdinQcXn0CjdLirVfxxbBeyAm3hwpK_jnDtNxKrUTmPCV4oQs6gfoEwtjllXFw8vmHAi5rWgicl9OGydDALdRxMmaKNh70MOEQXnA/s1600/Ocarina+0005.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0Hb82XEJjAhz5N4VFuQZYtSTNc9Vuny-dnwr6zNdinQcXn0CjdLirVfxxbBeyAm3hwpK_jnDtNxKrUTmPCV4oQs6gfoEwtjllXFw8vmHAi5rWgicl9OGydDALdRxMmaKNh70MOEQXnA/s400/Ocarina+0005.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BAMF.</td></tr>
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When the credits finally roll and you see all of Hyrule celebrating, you feel like a change was made. Something significant has happened for these characters. It isn't just that you defeated evil, but that along the way you had an impact in the stories of all those around you. The feeling is similar to that I had at the end of Lord of The Rings. Today, in games, we're so eager to increase the scope, that we forget how valuable something personal can be. The characters in Ocarina never felt like they were just there in an effort to serve your story, but rather that they had each their own lives and stories. There were politics and religions and love and hate that these characters felt toward each other, and you became involved, ultimately helping each other, but never sacrificing the identity of this world in the process. It is rare that a game can provide the scope of a large, breathing world, but remain a personal experience. Rarer still is that it was done fifteen years ago.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-82140133065791206022013-02-21T17:57:00.000-08:002013-02-21T17:57:14.465-08:00Postmortem: The PlayStation 4 Reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDiflMSftV3XkpKYzT5MZhgQXes_l-zyQ49II_sCh1ylUJlwKIVg4Zy3BVwCFw_MpsD-Utgau0wTighH6w98WFwbvl3MX1DUCj1KsizZXXzIBaCEZMXzIJ0zx4pRuwMxqyGx37UAw7Xo/s1600/PS4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDiflMSftV3XkpKYzT5MZhgQXes_l-zyQ49II_sCh1ylUJlwKIVg4Zy3BVwCFw_MpsD-Utgau0wTighH6w98WFwbvl3MX1DUCj1KsizZXXzIBaCEZMXzIJ0zx4pRuwMxqyGx37UAw7Xo/s200/PS4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">I might have spent a few minutes thinking of as many different "four" puns as I could to shove in here. I didn't do it, and you're welcome. Here are my thoughts on the announcement.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Feb 21, 2013</span></h2>
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Last night Sony revealed the PlayStation 4 - if you missed that head over <i><a href="http://theambivalist.blogspot.com/2013/02/i-watched-playstation-4-reveal-now-you.html" target="_blank">here</a> </i>to get all the information you'll need. It was an exciting event partially because it was the first time in a long time that a console was revealed outside of E3, revealed by the company making it anyway. Also, pretty cool that we didn't know <i>exactly </i>what to expect going in, like we so often do nowadays.</div>
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The event itself was mostly boring, lots of old white dudes talking on-and-on about how great their new thing is, making sure to use words like "simple" and "innovative" as much as they could. That's not to say the information was boring, far from it. In fact, I find myself wishing that this thing was coming out next month, but that might have more to do with me being totally sick of the current consoles than anything else.</div>
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The first exciting news was that the thing is called the PlayStation 4. It might not seem like something that we should appreciate, but there's something about sticking with it for so long that I really admire about Sony. They've earned the right to call it the PlayStation <i>4. </i>Nobody else can do that - well, Microsoft might go ahead and call the next Xbox the 420, much like they did the second Xbox the <i>360</i>, and that would maybe even apply better to their target audience.</div>
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Sony pulled the bandage off quickly, and dropped the biggest bombshell of the night earlier rather than later. Well, the 'bombshell' that everybody seemed to get mad over. No inherent backwards compatibility for PlayStation 3 games - and I discovered today that this also applies to PSN downloads as well. I'll be honest, my initial reaction to this news was one of disgust. "Well, thanks for convincing me to buy Grand Theft Auto V on the 360, Sony." But, then I thought about it, and to be honest, I can't remember the last time I put a PlayStation 1 game into my PlayStation 3, or the last time I took advantage of the limited backwards compatibility of the 360. Frankly, it's only a useful feature for the first year or so, when the games on the past system are still coming out regularly and the developers are trying to figure out how to hell to use the new systems. Besides, Sony alluded to a service that would allow us to play older PlayStation games on the PlayStation 4 without the physical copy - this seems way more appealing to me. If Sony sets up some sort of Netflix-esque service that allows players to 'check out' older games, that is potentially a far better solution than tracking down decade old copies of Metal Gear Solid 4.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAurkX9fN3zFRK10RD02MN-8BZ-LH3ucWgL6QEs-CARdb4R1wqH9pfy_auKz7ZyU6a_dspedkfsNEGKYh-IX3G5nkeayqyFjP8FFjLhj6iiaCsvIMY81pTTiL_hMvNXIRk18a8xskF7co/s1600/ps4+reveal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAurkX9fN3zFRK10RD02MN-8BZ-LH3ucWgL6QEs-CARdb4R1wqH9pfy_auKz7ZyU6a_dspedkfsNEGKYh-IX3G5nkeayqyFjP8FFjLhj6iiaCsvIMY81pTTiL_hMvNXIRk18a8xskF7co/s400/ps4+reveal.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The assumption is, gutting backwards compatibility could drop the price of the system.</td></tr>
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The elderly, alabaster men then went on to list some exciting specifications on the system's hardware. I'm no computer engineer, and I'm not entirely sure what current systems are running with, but it sounded impressive. More importantly are the actual claims made. It's always the sort of small, seemingly insignificant things that excite me about new systems. The ability to turn on and off the systems from the controller might be the most important feature that was added with the Xbox 360, Wii, and PlayStation 3 - and I'm only kind of joking. PlayStation 4 promises background updates, sleep save states (turn the system off without stopping the game), and streaming downloads. Basically this is the stuff that makes it all easier to play games and forces you to spend less time waiting. It might seem insignificant on paper, but I think once we actually get to see this stuff in action, we won't be able to go back. "Grandpa, what do you mean you had to wait to finish downloading a game before you could play it?"</div>
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Maybe I'm a total cynic, but going into this thing, I wasn't totally convinced that Sony would show any games at all. Well, maybe some tech demos, but no <i>games</i>. That they'd save that for E3. Fortunately, I was wrong. While yeah, it mostly was the predictable tech demos and wall of publisher/developer logos, they also showed some real games - and real gameplay at that.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVkXGQpcxTyDGhMdU20CZD1qfhE51OEhWKRMBo3a-YRqJoLvZWYWnDhxzTZLPWEC5A2bPO5H9eI8cI8e-roOjsFR7mGHJwWdxYNeIs904dVBOem_uSD2M8fR3QHS4CggP1ID5uauGtQY/s1600/logos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVkXGQpcxTyDGhMdU20CZD1qfhE51OEhWKRMBo3a-YRqJoLvZWYWnDhxzTZLPWEC5A2bPO5H9eI8cI8e-roOjsFR7mGHJwWdxYNeIs904dVBOem_uSD2M8fR3QHS4CggP1ID5uauGtQY/s400/logos.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the CD Projekt RED logo? Yeah, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was confirmed for PS4.</td></tr>
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Personally, around this time is when I had my most disappointing moment of the entire reveal. Instead of blowing us away with something new, original, or interesting, we were treated to another Killzone demo; Killzone: Shadow Fall. Is Sony that awkward guy at the party that somebody makes fun of, but then he thinks it'll make it okay if he laughs along, but it really doesn't and it just makes everybody hate him more? Yeah, that's exactly what this was. The Killzone 3 demo from years ago is now referenced frequently on how the game didn't end up looking anything like it - despite being lauded as actual gameplay. Excuse my doubtfulness this time around, Sony. Beside that though, and perhaps much more troublesome, is the fact that this is exactly what we're playing on current systems. That footage might as well had been from a high-end PC running Crysis 3. I don't want new consoles so that I can do the same damn thing I'm currently doing, with more polygons. </div>
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That wasn't the only game they revealed though, among a crowd of predictability, one caught my attention. Watch Dogs, that darling from E3 last year, the one that they claimed was most definitely for current systems, was shown running on the PlayStation 4. The game deals in scope that can't be done on current consoles. You'll hastily hack devices and run missions while traveling through a lifelike Chicago - it was very impressive. This is exactly the sort of risk taking that I'm wanting to see in the next few years. This is why I want to buy a new system. I don't give a shit about what happens to the space marines in Killzone, or the space marines in Halo for that matter. I want new stories and characters and environments. New discovery.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziOiHe5Jpho37MiK53SOq2XX509FcvMVK7uPD-ysq8zFhZS-10QSug40xUICPnbAAdmYgz1Jt8-MzV1G0VwAduQzyZB6uWEYVOE0Peyy5PHpExK2pr5FWe3e7T93r5FzmNnhlsfQIjd4/s1600/Ubisoft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziOiHe5Jpho37MiK53SOq2XX509FcvMVK7uPD-ysq8zFhZS-10QSug40xUICPnbAAdmYgz1Jt8-MzV1G0VwAduQzyZB6uWEYVOE0Peyy5PHpExK2pr5FWe3e7T93r5FzmNnhlsfQIjd4/s400/Ubisoft.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oooh, political.</td></tr>
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When it comes right down to it, the reason Watch Dogs stood out more than anything else has a lot less to do with how impressive that game actually looks (not to say it doesn't look impressive), but more to do with that it was something new and very clearly a real game that is going to be playable for us, and relatively soon. Diablo III, Destiny, InFamous: Second Son, and Killzone: Shadow Fall will all probably be great looking games and impressive in their own ways, but none of them offer something wholly original. The descriptions of the system itself were mostly just that, descriptions and dreams of what we will see in almost ten months - we didn't even see the system itself. The Watch Dogs demo ended, and that was the only time during that conference that I said to myself, "I want to be playing that - right now." </div>
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This isn't a remark about what Sony did there, they made big promises and I'm excited, that was all they had to do. I'm just saying that the far more interesting conferences are yet to happen. Microsoft didn't take this one lying down - they were listening and taking notes, Nintendo too, probably. Expect something from them soon, and then we'll see even more at E3. We'll be seeing actual games, we'll be seeing hardware, we'll be made promises, and we'll find out the price points on these things. This is the type of competition that is great for the consumer. This is going to be one of the most exciting years in video games that we've seen in a long, long time, and I can't wait.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5LvI-bj-K_-Eyu4CJBOpR0UgNjykvTn-LCe9KNBWBXwIHRuIg-dnB5PCw2ZRtaspb3vRVbiXN-PFI2awMUasEQ8Pnlhu7x7prGaOV67qBETxq0r4F8XdwG_mhHW87wjoxopfsQXZpvU/s1600/Bungie+Boy+Band.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm5LvI-bj-K_-Eyu4CJBOpR0UgNjykvTn-LCe9KNBWBXwIHRuIg-dnB5PCw2ZRtaspb3vRVbiXN-PFI2awMUasEQ8Pnlhu7x7prGaOV67qBETxq0r4F8XdwG_mhHW87wjoxopfsQXZpvU/s400/Bungie+Boy+Band.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have to go now - the Bungie guys came to beat me up.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-75318199117334251352013-02-20T17:53:00.000-08:002013-02-20T17:53:14.679-08:00I Watched The PlayStation 4 Reveal, Now You Don't Have To<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc0-atKPtYg-xrDgHXPBhMIZNYZ-nw15Q5GqJX-SDaZZu5aSooE5RTF7hrYuAfBeSw3zGVMKN7Z4IHilGrD52J2-c_LT-fmJj8m6bCDJ9yjWLAHf6r9M0qXvnCvKQqmDKU9cNNhw9Y38/s1600/Media+Molecule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBc0-atKPtYg-xrDgHXPBhMIZNYZ-nw15Q5GqJX-SDaZZu5aSooE5RTF7hrYuAfBeSw3zGVMKN7Z4IHilGrD52J2-c_LT-fmJj8m6bCDJ9yjWLAHf6r9M0qXvnCvKQqmDKU9cNNhw9Y38/s200/Media+Molecule.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">The Playstation 4, predictably, was announced tonight. Outside of a few trailers, the press conference was absurdly boring. Save yourself here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Feb 20, 2013</span></h2>
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Tonight was the PlayStation 4 reveal. That's a big deal for a lot of reasons. It gives us all hope that we only have to put up with sequelitus for the rest of the year, then we get to do the experimental beginning of a new generation, mostly bad launch games, then studios find their footing and really start knocking things out of the park with stuff we've never heard of and reboots of games from a couple consoles ago - keeping fingers crossed for Beyond Good & Evil 2.</div>
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The reveal served as a two hour long info dump, rounding out with a couple of interesting trailers - I refuse to call anything I see in these conferences demos because about ninety percent of the time it's not <i>actually </i>a demo. Anyway, for those that just want the cold hard facts, here:</div>
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<li>New(ish) controller. It looks similar. Now with a touchpad in the middle section, a headphone jack, improved triggers and joysticks, and a nifty light bar that they claim was to give it a more friendly(?) feel. In reality that is to pair it with the Move-like sensor that will allow the system to read exactly where in the room the controller is. No examples of how that is used were provided tonight. Also, the Share Button, but more on that later.</li>
<li>The console can enter a sleep state and run your games from RAM. What does this mean? Well, you don't have to stop and save your game when you're done playing for the night. Just put your system to sleep and when you boot back up in the morning it'll be right where you left off. One of those small features that will be under appreciated, like, turning the system on and off from the controller is.</li>
<li>Background updates, this means patches and things of this sort can be downloaded while you play the game.</li>
<li>Streaming games, this is the more interesting bit on the background download front. When you buy a game from PSN, you'll be able to begin playing almost immediately while the rest of it is downloaded in the background.</li>
<li>No backwards compatibility, however there will be a service available to play old games. No specifics on that yet, though.</li>
<li>The Share Button. This lets you upload moments from the game you're playing online. In addition, you can spectate your friends and "famous" players' games.</li>
<li>The online system will be more focused on people you know. Instead of XXmurd3rKl0wN420XXX, it will be that Jason guy from high school that you no longer speak to.</li>
<li>Integrated devices. Phones and tablets and the Vita will do things with the PS3. Possibly as useless as Smartglass has been. Though, the Vita will also feature Remote Play, allowing you to stream your game to the Vita, just how the Wii U does.</li>
<li>The system learns what you like and dislike, suggesting new downloads and purchases. These can be pre-loaded for quicker downloads.</li>
<li>You can try the games featured in the store before buying them. Sounds similar to the full game demos offered on PlayStation Plus.</li>
<li>You can connect to your friend's system and take over their game to help them beat a difficult scenario.</li>
<li>Knack was the first game announced for the PlayStation 4, being lead by Mark Cerny.</li>
<li>Killzone: Shadow Fall, InFamous: Second Son, and Drive Club were also all revealed.</li>
<li>Several tech demos were shown from a handful of studios, nothing that is officially a game yet.</li>
<li>Blizzard is putting out Diablo III on PS3 and PS4 and Bungie announced Destiny for PS4.</li>
<li>Watch Dogs was shown on PS4, a full demo, and it looks damn good. </li>
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The rest of the event was filled with big talk, colorful words, and awkward nerds standing in front of a large crowd. No information on the price, or even a look at the console itself. The release window is winter 2013, as if there were any speculation on that, but nothing more specific. I'm going to take a break from thinking about the future for now. I'll be back tomorrow, after I've had time to process this, with my impressions.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-59525246389876750752013-02-20T13:06:00.001-08:002013-05-31T10:56:25.134-07:00Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - It's Totally A Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhvsCwJO85VK7zQBnBQ3EGdfLygty32zHTgwHyhc8oTIvOBy-azlgHzBEz8Od90sf5PiTm6W3i-Z7m-hZ6ComIiIeYTFUn9nzNCw7kBdAjn6dUuT2tzgdfiFrtHpdBgOmsB-oJNPcJT8/s1600/Revengeance+Ambivalist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhvsCwJO85VK7zQBnBQ3EGdfLygty32zHTgwHyhc8oTIvOBy-azlgHzBEz8Od90sf5PiTm6W3i-Z7m-hZ6ComIiIeYTFUn9nzNCw7kBdAjn6dUuT2tzgdfiFrtHpdBgOmsB-oJNPcJT8/s200/Revengeance+Ambivalist.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; text-align: justify;">Revengeance - (noun) 1. Vengeance; revenge 2. To re-revenge; to avenge in response of revenge 3. To cut stuff up real good</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Feb 20, 2013</span></h2>
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They tell me it's a good thing to step outside your comfort zone every once in a while. That it reminds you why you love what you love, maybe lets you discover the merits of something new, or at very least reminds you why you stay away from that stuff in the first place. Last year I took a risk with XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and it <a href="http://theambivalist.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-ambivalists-top-ten-games-of-2012.html" target="_blank">paid off</a>. I've decided that I'm going to take that risk more often now. Partially because I'm totally sick of the standard first-person/third-person shooters, and partially because I want to grow as a person - but mostly because if I play another 'pull left trigger-pull right trigger' style game this generation, I might actually give up on games altogether.<br />
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Monday night, when I should have been sleeping, I decided that I would check out the release schedule and see what big games coming up I'm most excited for. I seem to remember this year being a little more jam packed than this, but with Aliens: Colonial Marines releasing with tepid reception - and I refuse to play it and ruin my childhood any more than TellTale did with Jurassic Park last year - and Grand Theft Auto V being pushed back into the time of year where I'll have to give up eating and sleeping to play everything, this late winter/early spring calendar is a bit more manageable than I had originally thought. In fact, so much more so that I realized I hadn't picked up anything this year yet. The next morning I made a quick trip to the game store to pick up something new before the credibility demons came and shut down The Ambivalist and took me away.<br />
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Last time I was in this situation, extra time and extra money, I stepped outside the box. So, I did it again. I've had an odd relationship with character action games. I played the first Devil May Cry and God of War, and enjoyed them both enough, but for whatever reason I couldn't pull myself into the sequels for more than a cursory glance. And considering this year started out with the well-received, yet dumbly-named, DmC Devil May Cry (yes, DmC is part of the official title), I figured I'd better open up to these games before 'Game of the Year' chats start happening again - in about three weeks, right?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguY2SPbs2xoHFPK2Wfaj2sAnNylr_oPewakNvrdD1iWslOsZAA5hu0973KyjKKzjlhFDJ-glyeW90EjURCfwsYx1cqUg5IAHGTs4uI6AITUVBovsH2TB3wjytiSTeI3PxgXfDoJudpIhU/s1600/Revengeance+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguY2SPbs2xoHFPK2Wfaj2sAnNylr_oPewakNvrdD1iWslOsZAA5hu0973KyjKKzjlhFDJ-glyeW90EjURCfwsYx1cqUg5IAHGTs4uI6AITUVBovsH2TB3wjytiSTeI3PxgXfDoJudpIhU/s400/Revengeance+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first boss battle makes a heck of an impression.</td></tr>
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Instead of picking up last month's release, I went for the other really dumbly named, Japanese, super-adored-franchise-but-this-game-is-stepping-away-from-what-people-know-and-making-some-fans-angry-but-critics-think-it-is-totally-pretty-awesome game, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.<br />
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This game's development history is as a jumbled mess as its name. It was originally announced back in 2009 during an Xbox press conference, rumored to be an Xbox exclusive - ironically an untruth because Playstation 3 was actually lead platform for the guys who would make the game. A couple years would pass, and with difficulty turning the cutting gimmick - oh sorry - I mean cutting mechanic, into a full game Kojima Productions silently canceled the project. Then, Kojima decided, in a stroke of genius, that PlatinumGames should have a crack at this idea, and they accepted - I mean, Kojima, the king of insane game stories, asks you to make their crazy sword action game, you accept, especially if you're PlatinumGames.<br />
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Anyway, a few years passed and the damn thing actually came out. The problem with productions like these, is that whenever a game goes through changes mid-development like this, more often than not - and by "more often than not", I mean all the damn time - it shows. Sleeping Dogs, for example, is one of my favorite games of last year, and despite the quality product that came out of a troubled development, it still has its share of odd quirks, chiefly among them, it's lost in its own style - it has no damn idea what it wants to be stylistically.<br />
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This isn't about Sleeping Dogs though, and it's not even about the weird trials and tribulations that some games must go through before a wide release. This is about how Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (God, I'll never get sick of typing that) actually turned out. And, based on my few hours with the game so far, it's kind of a toss up.<br />
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How do you feel about a cyborg ninja using a sword to cut a giant, city-destroying, robot dinosaur in half down the middle? Frankly, this game lives and dies by your answer to that question. This game is dumb. Like, really dumb. Like the only kind of dumb that could result from taking a game conceived by Kojima Productions and having it developed by PlatinumGames.<br />
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Dumb is not a bad thing though. I can't stress that enough. Sometimes dumb is good. Sometimes dumb is great. I put this game in expecting to have fun with a goofy slicing mechanic. I wanted to chop dudes, and cars, and trees, and billboards, and ammo crates all into tiny pieces, and you totally do that. A lot. The thing is, there is a fighting mechanic in this game that is actually pretty unique, and can be satisfying under the right circumstances. Blocking is done by timing a button press and direction of the enemy at the right moment. Do this well enough and you're rewarded by being able to chop this dude up, and if you do that right, you're rewarded by filling up your <i>chopping meter </i>(not the official term, but somehow probably less stupid) and getting to chop another dude up. It's a morbid sort of currency the game builds on, but it works, for a while anyway.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPpROkonitBWcRD34OwVp68myN76shg15eLv5p2e7jAEKM1gtlwVb7ys0Rz5HkzRZyCzLtGiVk7iB3ztINSI5QqafAL_UfNniMEhI7ztp-nH3GGcoZ8icbE6bbxQzhEYlloNZEIVCU8c/s1600/Revengeance+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPpROkonitBWcRD34OwVp68myN76shg15eLv5p2e7jAEKM1gtlwVb7ys0Rz5HkzRZyCzLtGiVk7iB3ztINSI5QqafAL_UfNniMEhI7ztp-nH3GGcoZ8icbE6bbxQzhEYlloNZEIVCU8c/s400/Revengeance+02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hope you like cutting dudes.</td></tr>
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Unfortunately, the game trades hard on this idea. This combat loop is short, and after about only two hours of actual gameplay, I'm a bit worried I've seen what it has to offer. Couple this with somewhat imprecise controls (the lack of any sort of lock on has you flailing aimlessly on occasion), and the character action game's natural enemy - the camera - and you might find yourself being more frustrated than excited.<br />
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The last encounter I had before writing this took place in a small room against one enemy. It was an enemy type I had seen before, not the normal grunt but only a step above that, and one that in previous encounters was easily disposed of. Due to an inability to lock my attacks to this enemy, a camera that insisted on showing me Raiden's face instead of the man stabbing me, and the small room that had me stuck in corners, this fight lasted much longer than it should have. Part of this is my fault, for wanting to pull off perfect counters and use the game's slicing mechanic, instead of just offing the opponent with a few boring swings of the sword. At the same time I can't help but feel urged to attempt for the counters at every chance because of the way the perfect counters and slices are rewarded. It wants you to deal with these encounters in the ideal way, but then puts you in an environment that was actively working against itself.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">French arm lady wants to hurt you with her spear made of arms.</td></tr>
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I am trying to tell myself that this last encounter wasn't a hint at grander problems with the game, and that they knew the more open environments are what work for this genre. I might even be willing to brute force my way through a few more of these sorts of moments just to see the next extravagant set piece action scene, but I'd be lying if I said these sorts of decisions didn't grate on my nerves after time. With DmC Devil May Cry waiting for me to play, and the usually well executed God of War games' sequel coming up, it's hard for me to justify enduring a game in this genre right now. The thought of ratcheting down the difficulty, just to walk through the game and witness all it has to offer, has crossed my mind a few times now, but that feels like giving up in its own weird way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-20499711730847086292013-02-20T09:25:00.000-08:002013-02-20T09:27:36.970-08:00The Ambivalist: The Foreseeable Future<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigffg-wpT-pLBvfBRZqJnWdyniUXcgNmTcREzwyMH9DNjU5W43e3FXCUwrezMhzscPM3bCyRGBr2T5UbpOk1ePQD-j0TvKH3gk-gfKIjSl_ms7I_A9S8zNRUn8SS-4hyphenhyphenYWrGWaPZXXuh4/s1600/The+Ambivalist+Video+Games.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigffg-wpT-pLBvfBRZqJnWdyniUXcgNmTcREzwyMH9DNjU5W43e3FXCUwrezMhzscPM3bCyRGBr2T5UbpOk1ePQD-j0TvKH3gk-gfKIjSl_ms7I_A9S8zNRUn8SS-4hyphenhyphenYWrGWaPZXXuh4/s200/The+Ambivalist+Video+Games.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What's in store for the coming weeks on The Ambivalist? Have some ideas? Some recommendations? This is a great time to speak up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Feb 20, 2013</span></h2>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">As I said when I first started this thing, this is going to be an evolving process. Some ideas will die, some with thrive, and what this blog actually <i>is</i> will sort of happen naturally. Over the course of the first week I found The Ambivalist take a hard focus on indie games, while I do love the more intimate interactions with independent developers, it was never my intention to focus exclusively on that. I would like for The Ambivalist to become a place where I appreciate all games, from the massive releases to the independent ones. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Having said that, I've come up with a few idea that I will be pursuing over the next few weeks, and I'd like to share them here. As always, I'm open for suggestions. If you think one of these ideas could be better, leave a comment and let me know. If you have an idea of your own that you would like me to try, leave a comment. I read all comments, and try to reply as much as I can.</span></div>
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Indie Cred</h3>
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The first idea is one that you've already seen come into existence with my interview with Sparsevector. Indie Cred would be a feature where I would interview independent developers. Hopefully this would come after some amount of coverage of their game on The Ambivalist. Right now my means are limited, but eventually I would like to see this evolve into a small podcast of sorts. As The Ambivalist grows, and I'm able to invest more - both monetarily and with my time - features like this should become more well-produced than text logs of a conversation. </div>
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Games 101</h3>
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This might be my favorite idea so far. Despite having been playing games for roughly the entirety of the post-NES world, there are still a lot of important games that I have missed. What can I say? As a kid I didn't care what people said about games, I played whatever I wanted to. This usually would end up with me owning lots of really bad games, I also ended up with some pretty weird stuff nobody had heard of. The big problem though, is that I missed out on some of the classics. There is a long list of games that everybody has on their 'best games ever' lists that I have never played. This feature is me fixing that. The first game is The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. And, I have a few ideas for what games are next in this feature.<br />
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An idea I got from my friend and fellow blogger over at <a href="http://cinemabeans.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Cinema Beans</a>, sort of. In this feature I will pick a developer, play every game they've released (at least what I can feasibly get my hands on), and write about the experience. Sure, my friend took a break from his version of the feature because it was eating up too much time that he needed for other features, and the prospect of trying to buy and play all of, <i>say</i>, PlatinumGames' releases, is more than a little intimidating. But, I'm going to try.<i> We'll see</i>.<br />
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Beyond these three features, which if all goes according to plan, will become regulars parts of The Ambivalist, I will be filling the space with regular impressions, editorials, and more retrospectives. I can't reiterate enough how open I am to suggestions here. Even if it is something as simple as a game you think I'd like, or just one you think I should play for some reason. Seriously, if you say "you should play _____" and put a game in that blank, I'll probably try to find and play it.<br />
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I also want to thank everybody for helping get me through the first week with my head attached. This goes to those that have read my pieces, as well as developers like Sparsevector and the Anodyne team, Sean and Jonathan. Without this help I'd be talking to myself right now.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2507149663579765689.post-88480816393689234592013-02-15T14:28:00.000-08:002013-02-15T14:28:39.548-08:00Indie Cred: Sparsevector<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: large;">I have a conversation with the creator of Super Amazing Wagon Adventure, Sparsevector, about the recent popularity of his game, the state of independent games development, and what is next for him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="mailto:modestmogwai@gmail.com" target="_blank">Tony Walter</a> | Feb 15, 2013</span></h2>
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If you read the list of my favorite games from 2012 you might remember me mentioning the indie release Super Amazing Wagon Adventure. This is a game inspired by the old Oregon Trail classic, with a modern twist, some great writing, and a tormenting difficulty. It is available through the Xbox Live Indies platform, or through the developer's <a href="http://sparsevector.com/" target="_blank">website</a> for a PC copy of the game. Earlier this week I interviewed the creator of Super Amazing Wagon Adventure, Sparsevector. </div>
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Ambivalist:</div>
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Super Amazing Wagon Adventure has kind of exploded recently, but that's not to say it was a recent release. It was originally released in middle of 2012, right? I assume the recent popularity was sort of a surprise, what was it like when sales started picking up so long after release?</div>
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Sparsevector:</div>
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Yes, the game was originally released in July of 2012 on Xbox Indie Games, and it was then released for PC in late August as part of an Indie Royale bundle. It's very weird to see the game get all of this interest more than six months after the game's initial release. My understanding of how it happened is that word of mouth and the post-holiday lack of new releases led a few popular sites/YouTubers to do videos of the game. And basically one popular video leads to another. Because it came out of nowhere, the new exposure is kind of overwhelming, but I'm very grateful for all the new players.</div>
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The recent video coverage is actually exactly how I discovered SAWA (Super Amazing Wagon Adventure). The exposure has also had a big impact for your game on Steam Greenlight. The Greenlight program is an interesting idea, but has been the target of a lot of criticism lately. What has your experience been with Greenlight?</div>
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Sparsevector:</div>
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My feelings on Greenlight are somewhat complicated. On one hand, I think it's great that Valve is trying to give Steam users control over what games get on Steam. I think it's definitely a step in the right direction, and it shows a lot of foresight on Valve's part. On the other hand, for a developer, getting a game Greenlit is currently a difficult and uncertain process. The recent exposure my game has gotten has been enough to push the game into the top 100 on Greenlight (out of about 1000 games), but Valve usually only Greenlights about 10 games every couple of months, so it's still a long ways away. Perhaps this is just an unavoidable consequence of there being a lot of indie games. Recently Gabe Newell talked about doing away with Greenlight entirely and making Steam a more open platform - essentially letting anyone sell games through Steam. I think it will be interesting to see where Steam goes from here.</div>
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Indie games do seem to be gaining more and more attention over the past year or so. Microsoft's implementation of their Indie Games platform was a bit before its time, but it has had somewhat of a rocky history. There is a negative stigma associated with the games released on the platform, and Microsoft has been relatively quiet about it since the beginning. The service is rather mysterious to users. How was the process of releasing your game there? And is there anything you wish you knew before you had released it?</div>
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Sparsevector:</div>
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There are a number of issues with the Xbox Live Indie Games platform (problems with the peer review process, the way games are ranked, pricing, etc), but my experience was relatively positive. I think it's a good platform for new developers because it puts everyone on even footing - since the platform gets little press coverage your game's success is mostly determined by the box art, price, title, screenshots, and demo, which are all things you have direct control over. I didn't run into any real surprises with respect to the platform, but I would advise other developers to be careful what sort of games you try to release on XBLIG. For various reasons, the market is only receptive to cheap games that are simple enough to play within the 8 minute trial time limit (luckily for me my game is in this category).</div>
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SAWA is a very fast paced game, but that is a big part of its identity. The game obviously draws inspiration from classics like Oregon Trail, but is otherwise a relatively unique experience. How did the idea for this game come to fruition?</div>
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Sparsevector:</div>
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The idea for SAWA came from a group project I did many years ago as an undergraduate. The project was to make a multiplayer Java remake of Oregon Trail, and one of my jobs in the group was to do the hunting and rafting mini games. I went way overboard with the mini games adding powerups and making them super violent, and people really liked the mix of the historical setting and crazy action. The idea for SAWA was then to make a game which took the random story telling from Oregon Trail but made the gameplay all fast paced violent, crazy mini games.</div>
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Yes, the frantic nature of the mini games are a nice juxtaposition to the Oregon Trail influences. Some of my personal favorite parts of SAWA are in the writing. I had a good laugh when I was literally consumed by my personal demons. Sort of makes me not hate it so much when I die. And I die a lot in this game. In fact, despite how much I've been enjoying playing it, I've still yet to complete the adventure. Do you have any tips for me?</div>
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Sparsevector:</div>
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I think my biggest hint for the game is to not worry too much if you can't beat it. There is an ending to the game, but most of the enjoyment is in finding new random events and dying in bizarre ways. I think the game is more fun if you don't care too much about completing the game and just play until you get bored. I will give an actual hint though, which is in regards to the buffalo section of the game. From watching numerous YouTube videos I think this is the first section people get stuck on. The easiest way to beat the buffalo section is to stick to the bottom third of the screen and try to clear a path. It's possible to clear a path through the center of the screen, but clearing a path near the bottom turns out to be much easier because of the way the enemies spawn and because the gun is placed near the top of the wagon.</div>
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Ambivalist:</div>
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Thank you! I'll definitely keep that in mind next time I encounter the buffalo horde. According to your website, you've begun work on your next game. Is there anything you can say about that?</div>
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Sparsevector:</div>
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My new game is still a long ways from being finished, but with that caveat in mind I can give you the pitch. The game is tentatively titled Go Plague Monkey! Go! and it's a top down 2D action game where you control a diseased monkey let loose in a city. The gameplay is sort of a mix of Pac-Man and the old 2D Grand Theft Auto games - you try to infect as many people as you can while avoiding various authority figures. I'm trying to keep the manic style and randomization of SAWA but make the gameplay more open ended.</div>
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Ambivalist:</div>
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You're really tugging at my heartstrings with these games. First Oregon Trail, now Pac-Man and the old Grand Theft Auto games. I'm definitely looking forward to playing Go Plague Monkey! Go! as soon as it's ready.</div>
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One last question I want to ask you. The indie market can be rather overwhelming - it almost seems like every week there is a new game that's getting a lot of buzz. It's impossible for all of the independent releases to get the coverage they want when the market is so competitive. Other than SAWA, which everybody should check out if they haven't already, are there any indie games or developers that you would like to recommend to me or the readers?</div>
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Sparsevector:</div>
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This question is hard for me because I have the same problem as you - there's too many games to keep up with! Besides that, I stay pretty busy working on games, so I have a backlog. One game that just came out and I'm anxious to play is the Zelda-like game Anodyne. It has gorgeous pixel art and an amazing soundtrack. An under looked game from last year I think more people should play is Qrth-Phyl. It's sort of 'Aphex Twin remakes Snake'.</div>
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Ambivalist:</div>
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I've actually just started playing Anodyne. I'll need to check out Qrth-Phyl next. I want to thank you for your time. It's been great talking to you and getting some insight on the other side of this industry. I'd like to close out by giving you the podium. Is there anything that you'd like to say that we haven't discussed?</div>
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Sparsevector:</div>
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Nope, I can't think of anything to add. Thanks for the interview and playing my game!</div>
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Ambivalist:</div>
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Absolutely! It has been my pleasure. Be sure to let me know when you're releasing Go Plague Monkey! Go! I'm very much looking forward to it.</div>
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Super Amazing Wagon Adventure is currently on Steam's Greenlight program. Voting for this project can potentially help get it released on Steam. <a href="http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=94482719&searchtext=super+amazing+wagon+adventure" target="_blank">Vote here!</a> Sparsevector, and I, appreciate your vote.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05909105073056239686noreply@blogger.com0