Boy howdy, have I had an adventure. I just finished up the most radical, encouraging, refreshing vacation of my life and I feel like I can take on the world. It's been an absolute blast seeing family, and seeing some some off. Changes have to happen in order to move forward, and I think that changes are coming my way, and I'm the one to make them happen.
The dream is to be a writer for a wide spread video game publication, and I think I got all the encouragement that I needed, and now, more than ever, is the time to move things in the direction that I want them to go. I've been struggling with depression and various sorts of the blues, but the truth be told, I was the one who put myself into those corners. Video games have helped me through a lot of it, and even connect with a lot of different people, yet video games aren't the thing that are going to get me anywhere. It has to be me. I have to push the start button to get this adventure going.
The same goes for you. I'm sure you're in a similar position. I'm scared to death of the real world, which is why I choose to spend my time in one that doesn't exist. Though, the reality is, that it's not all that bad, and though the world may tell me otherwise, I can get things done. I can accomplish things, and so can you. With determination, and focus, and casting off your fears and doubts, you will be able to overcome. I'm telling this to you as much as much as I'm telling this to myself.
Here I sit at the airport waiting for my plane to board, waiting to get back to the frozen wasteland that I call home, and I'm ready to get stuff done. I've got a few plans laid out before me, and there's no reason to not try at least one of them. So, wish me luck and keep the good vibes coming, all your love and support really helps me through.
I put my heart and soul into this blog, and though it might be riddled with minor grammatical errors, I still give it my all. Thank you everyone.
By the way, have I told you about my Let's play videos? No? Well that's rather silly of me. I'm playing Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Here's the first video, it's not all that good, but they get better I promise!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Thursday, December 12, 2013
The Paradox of the Horror Genre
I do not like scary things. I like spooky things, and I kinda like creepy things. Like the Tear Drinkers from Brutal Legend, but I do not like things that are genuinely scary. Like the game Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Which, I own for some reason. I have been playing said game for the past few weeks, and I've had a ball with it. It is so much fun to be scared out of my wits, and be able to press onward after an ordeal has occured. The difference between seeing a horror movie, and playing a horror game is this: control. When you go to see a movie, there is nothing that you as the audience can do. You can squirm, you can yell, but you hold no factor in how the story plays out. When you play a horror game, you control the character, and how the scene plays out. The story doesn't change, but it was by your skill that you survived and lived to tell the tale. I haven't beaten Amnesia yet, so no spoilers. I just want to talk about what I have ascertained about the genre from playing Amnesia.
When I play the game Amnesia, I hate it. I hate the dark, I hate the scary things, I hate the sounds that are coming from nowhere. I hate it. I dread every second that I take control of the game, and I' miserable. Yet, when I put the game down, and talk about it with other people, I sing its praises. That doesn't make any sense. Though, it does somehow. The game throws all sorts of terrible things at you, as the player, and you have to overcome them. You have to get away, avoid them, and survive. Survival becomes your primary objective, and it is all that matters. Who cares about the story when there is a man eating monster that is just on the other side of the wall? Then there is the payoff of actually making it out of that horrible ordeal, and being able to catch your breath. Survival has never tasted so sweet. I've survived some pretty intense uphill battles in Halo, or Call of Duty, though I never felt threatened. Those firefights were all about strategy, and when to move where, and who to take out next. In Amnesia, your sensibility is lost to fear. You're thrown into a state of shock that you have to fight your way out of because you must live. You have to survive, you can't let this terrible monster win. SO you fight off the fear, and you run for your life. You run, you hide, and you do everything that is within your power as Daniel to get away and live to fight another day. That's how it goes, isn't it? That's the rush. That's where all the excitement comes from. It is this rollercoaster of emotions that goes from dread, to joy in a matter of seconds. It's incredible.
That's the paradox of the horror genre to me. I hate playing the game, but I love the excitement that comes after surviving. Amnesia is certainly one game that is a must play, even if you're like me and you don't even like the horror genre. Face your fears, and have fun doing it.
When I play the game Amnesia, I hate it. I hate the dark, I hate the scary things, I hate the sounds that are coming from nowhere. I hate it. I dread every second that I take control of the game, and I' miserable. Yet, when I put the game down, and talk about it with other people, I sing its praises. That doesn't make any sense. Though, it does somehow. The game throws all sorts of terrible things at you, as the player, and you have to overcome them. You have to get away, avoid them, and survive. Survival becomes your primary objective, and it is all that matters. Who cares about the story when there is a man eating monster that is just on the other side of the wall? Then there is the payoff of actually making it out of that horrible ordeal, and being able to catch your breath. Survival has never tasted so sweet. I've survived some pretty intense uphill battles in Halo, or Call of Duty, though I never felt threatened. Those firefights were all about strategy, and when to move where, and who to take out next. In Amnesia, your sensibility is lost to fear. You're thrown into a state of shock that you have to fight your way out of because you must live. You have to survive, you can't let this terrible monster win. SO you fight off the fear, and you run for your life. You run, you hide, and you do everything that is within your power as Daniel to get away and live to fight another day. That's how it goes, isn't it? That's the rush. That's where all the excitement comes from. It is this rollercoaster of emotions that goes from dread, to joy in a matter of seconds. It's incredible.
That's the paradox of the horror genre to me. I hate playing the game, but I love the excitement that comes after surviving. Amnesia is certainly one game that is a must play, even if you're like me and you don't even like the horror genre. Face your fears, and have fun doing it.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Gameplay is a Vehicle
Gameplay is an important part of a video game. In fact, it's what makes a video game, well, a video game. Without it, we just have a movie. In most cases, the focus of a game is on its gameplay and mechanics. In others, it's a way to progress the story with elements of interactivity. Gameplay is the vehicle in how the medium moves along, while the game's layout and story is the track.
A while back I was playing Final Fantasy X in an effort to work through my backlog of video games. I can't say that I've picked up the game for a while. However, it got me thinking about the mechanics of the battle system, and how it differed from my other experiences with other Final Fantasy games. FF X uses a turn based battle system, that also changes with the actions that the player takes. For instance, a standard attack will keep the order of battle. However, if I decide to use an item, use an ability, or cast a healing spell, the order is changed. This allows me to strategize, and puts more weight on the decisions that I make in battle. Though, admittedly, I was playing Final Fantasy X for its story, as opposed to its gameplay. While the battle system is solid, it's nothing all to special. Granted, it's a majority of the game, but it's more of a means than a focal point. Final Fantasy games, and other RPGs, are primarily all about the story that they want to tell. However, gameplay is still important. Gameplay is the reason I haven't invested as much time into other Final Fantasy games. I find that the ATB system isn't functional, nor conducive to carrying the game. There's nothing wrong with a turn based battle system. Pokemon proves this with every game. Turn based is safe, and reliable. Like a mini van.
That being said, other games have an immense focus on their gameplay, such as fighters, platformers, shooters, and the like. These games spend a long time in development having their mechanics worked on. Having them be refined to the highest end. To make the controls tight and responsive. Super Meat Boy is a good example of this. In SMB, the player has full control over the character, yet is sent against nearly impossible obstacles. These boards are extremely difficult, but can be overcome with skill and patience. It's all possible within the confines of the games mechanics. Like a driver trying to shave off seconds to get a better time each lap, or to move up to the next position on his conquest for first place. Games that focus on their gameplay are like sports cars. Their fast, responsive, and extremely dangerous because you'll end up dying a lot. Though, when you've mastered it, you come off looking like a badass because you can swerve around corners and maintain control every inch of the way. Games with gameplay are its primary function are like a Lamborghini.
Some games don't necessarily have a set track. They allow the player to go anywhere, and do anything that they want to. These games can go off the beaten path, and go mudding, get dirty, and have fun doing whatever catches their fancy. Skyrim is one of those games. Skyrim allows players to go wherever, and do whatever they please. If they wish to become a master of the arcane arts, then they can do so. If a player wants to become a master of the sword, wearing heavy armor, and carrying a shield to plow through enemies because stealth is for the weak, then they can do so. If the player wants to be a deadly shadow that takes out his enemies from a distance, or slit throats, then they may do so. If the player wants to become a werewolf; and the list goes on. Other games like Just Cause 2, let the player go wherever they want, and blow up anything they want. These game can allow for total exploration, for both on and off road. These games are like a Hummer.
Some games try and do something different. Some games experiment. They've still got four wheels and an engine, but there's something... different about them. They don't obey what is traditionally considered a game, they do things differently because they understand that games can do more. The Walking Dead video game by Tell Tale Games tells an emotional story, with character, and heart. The game doesn't really have anything of a traditional game. There isn't much action, yet there's a lot of drama. There is gameplay to be sure, but not as we understand it. Games of earlier days were still experimenting with gameplay, and game design. The Dreamcast is home to many of these, including: Ecco The Dolphin, Crazy Taxi, Jet Grind Radio, Space Channel 5, and Shenmue are only a handful of games that broke the mold of what a game is. These kind of games take what we know as a game, and modify it to become something more, something different, something wonderful. These games are kind of like... well, this:
As important as gameplay is for a video game, it's really more of a vehicle. How much fun you have with that vehicle is how well it functions. Game play is absolutely crucial to a game, as it can make or break it. There have been several times that I haven't completed a game because of its broken gameplay, as everything hinges on it. That being said, it isn't everything. If Mass Effect didn't have the story, or universe that it did, it wouldn't be the same game.
What are some games that you play for just the gameplay, or vice versa? Are there games out there that you couldn't care less how the gameplay and mechanics were so long as you got to experience the story? Let me know in the comments!
Monday, December 2, 2013
Lovely Day for a Stroll
I like the city where I live. It's pretty cool. There are tall buildings, shows to go to, things to do, shops that don't exist anywhere else. I live in a pretty cool town. I occasionally like to go for a walk and explore, but not now. It's too cold outside for that.....
That's why there are video games. I've talked about the escapism of video games, and the places I like to go there, but it isn't very often that video games have places that I want to go to. I'm usually lost in the story, characters, or action to take the time and just roll around. Come with me on a journey, as I talk about the different video games that I just like to walk around in.
Skyrim
I picked up the ultimate edition of Skyrim during the fall sale on Steam. It's kind of silly that I did so, being that I already had it on my 360, but what separates the PC version from its console counterparts is the community driven mods. Mods can shape the game in many different ways, whether it be something silly or game changing. The mods I've downloaded are purely graphical, and make the game even more of a wonder to behold. Skyrim was already a good looking game. I got lost in it for hours, just wandering around, exploring in caves and fighting bandits. Skyrim is one of those games that I can get lost in because there's no real pressure to do anything in particular. Now, every now and then a dragon can just drop in wherever he pleases, and that puts a damper on my musings. However, that's all part of the experience. Skyrim is something of a marvel, because while there is a fast travel function, I don't use it. I just like walking, and taking in the sights and sounds of Skyrim. I don't mind doing nothing in the game. I'm just a tourist as far as I'm concerned.
Assassin's Creed II
AC II is a game that is full of action, character and conspiracy, and a game filled with wonder and immersion. After I beat Assassin's Creed II for the first time, I still wanted to hang around and just do stuff. However, I'm not really good at screwing around, and getting in trouble and causing chaos. So, I decided that I would just wander around Italy. I've always wanted to go to Italy, though, I may not get the chance to ever go there, Assassin's Creed II gave me that chance. The cities that the players visit are full of live. All of the NPCs have their own agendas, and errands to run. They have places to go, and people to see. The architecture of the city is simply marvelous. The towering buildings and the back alleys that wind through the city, and Venice. Oh Venice. Most of my traversal of Venice is on her rooftops, but my goodness what a city to behold. The people that you come across have the most amazing outfits that are intricately detailed, and you can tell by their style of dress what class they hold, and what their profession is. Assassin's Creed is a game where you can just go sight seeing, and relax.
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto has always been a sandbox for many gamers and a place to just wreak havoc upon the helpless. Though, as I've mentioned, I'm not very good at that sort of thing. One thing I am good at, is driving. GTAV has a massive world that I can explore, and most of it is connected by roads. One of my favorite activities in the game is just to drive along the coastal highway from the southernmost point to the north. It's like a mini road trip. What helps is the absolutely killer song selection that the developers have chosen for the radio stations. My favorite is the hipstertastic Mirror Park Radio, that plays synth pop, and has a pretentious hipster DJ who claims not to be a hipster. When I've had my fill of driving, I take a walk along the beach, or around the city, and gaze up with awe at the skyscrapers that cast shadows that consume the landscape. Dropping eaves isn't very polite, but it's hilarious to listen in on the conversations that people are having. Whether it's one side of a cell phone conversation, or some guy talking to his fellow bro about a girl, San Andreas is full of life. Every area has its own set of rules and cliques that rule it. I recommend GTAV solely based on this facet of the game. One can truly get lost here.
Red Dead Redemption
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I love Red Dead Redemption. I love the ability to walk down the streets of Armadillo, or Black Water and say hello to people. I love the sunsets. I love the star filled skies at night. I love roaming around the desert and hunting animals, or picking flowers. I love the eloquence of John Marston. I love the idea of fighting for something that truly matters: family. I love taking down the bad guys on the wanted poster, and cleaning up the land with a bit of wild west justice, and making a tidy sum. My favorite part of the game was towards the end when John Marston is finally allowed to see his family again, and you just run your ranch. It is what Jon had wanted all along and he finally got it. He got an honest life. And I got to experience it, and be around his family. I loved watching John Marston teaching his son how to run the ranch, and how to hunt. It wasn't action oriented, there was no shooting bad guys, or anything like that. I was just living out someone elses life, in a beautiful and detailed world. I love John Marston, and his character. He's one of my favorites. I couldn't find a video that accurately depicts my love for the game and the land that it created, so here's one about the man behind the voice of John Marston.
Those are just a few, I'm sure that there are others. Maybe I'm just a boring person, who enjoys the mundane things in video games about action. Though, I find it's a wonderfully pleasant contrast to what is considered the "norm" in video games. I think that's something to think about next time you play a video game. Take in the world, don't just look at it.
That's why there are video games. I've talked about the escapism of video games, and the places I like to go there, but it isn't very often that video games have places that I want to go to. I'm usually lost in the story, characters, or action to take the time and just roll around. Come with me on a journey, as I talk about the different video games that I just like to walk around in.
Skyrim
I picked up the ultimate edition of Skyrim during the fall sale on Steam. It's kind of silly that I did so, being that I already had it on my 360, but what separates the PC version from its console counterparts is the community driven mods. Mods can shape the game in many different ways, whether it be something silly or game changing. The mods I've downloaded are purely graphical, and make the game even more of a wonder to behold. Skyrim was already a good looking game. I got lost in it for hours, just wandering around, exploring in caves and fighting bandits. Skyrim is one of those games that I can get lost in because there's no real pressure to do anything in particular. Now, every now and then a dragon can just drop in wherever he pleases, and that puts a damper on my musings. However, that's all part of the experience. Skyrim is something of a marvel, because while there is a fast travel function, I don't use it. I just like walking, and taking in the sights and sounds of Skyrim. I don't mind doing nothing in the game. I'm just a tourist as far as I'm concerned.
Assassin's Creed II
AC II is a game that is full of action, character and conspiracy, and a game filled with wonder and immersion. After I beat Assassin's Creed II for the first time, I still wanted to hang around and just do stuff. However, I'm not really good at screwing around, and getting in trouble and causing chaos. So, I decided that I would just wander around Italy. I've always wanted to go to Italy, though, I may not get the chance to ever go there, Assassin's Creed II gave me that chance. The cities that the players visit are full of live. All of the NPCs have their own agendas, and errands to run. They have places to go, and people to see. The architecture of the city is simply marvelous. The towering buildings and the back alleys that wind through the city, and Venice. Oh Venice. Most of my traversal of Venice is on her rooftops, but my goodness what a city to behold. The people that you come across have the most amazing outfits that are intricately detailed, and you can tell by their style of dress what class they hold, and what their profession is. Assassin's Creed is a game where you can just go sight seeing, and relax.
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto has always been a sandbox for many gamers and a place to just wreak havoc upon the helpless. Though, as I've mentioned, I'm not very good at that sort of thing. One thing I am good at, is driving. GTAV has a massive world that I can explore, and most of it is connected by roads. One of my favorite activities in the game is just to drive along the coastal highway from the southernmost point to the north. It's like a mini road trip. What helps is the absolutely killer song selection that the developers have chosen for the radio stations. My favorite is the hipstertastic Mirror Park Radio, that plays synth pop, and has a pretentious hipster DJ who claims not to be a hipster. When I've had my fill of driving, I take a walk along the beach, or around the city, and gaze up with awe at the skyscrapers that cast shadows that consume the landscape. Dropping eaves isn't very polite, but it's hilarious to listen in on the conversations that people are having. Whether it's one side of a cell phone conversation, or some guy talking to his fellow bro about a girl, San Andreas is full of life. Every area has its own set of rules and cliques that rule it. I recommend GTAV solely based on this facet of the game. One can truly get lost here.
Red Dead Redemption
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I love Red Dead Redemption. I love the ability to walk down the streets of Armadillo, or Black Water and say hello to people. I love the sunsets. I love the star filled skies at night. I love roaming around the desert and hunting animals, or picking flowers. I love the eloquence of John Marston. I love the idea of fighting for something that truly matters: family. I love taking down the bad guys on the wanted poster, and cleaning up the land with a bit of wild west justice, and making a tidy sum. My favorite part of the game was towards the end when John Marston is finally allowed to see his family again, and you just run your ranch. It is what Jon had wanted all along and he finally got it. He got an honest life. And I got to experience it, and be around his family. I loved watching John Marston teaching his son how to run the ranch, and how to hunt. It wasn't action oriented, there was no shooting bad guys, or anything like that. I was just living out someone elses life, in a beautiful and detailed world. I love John Marston, and his character. He's one of my favorites. I couldn't find a video that accurately depicts my love for the game and the land that it created, so here's one about the man behind the voice of John Marston.
Those are just a few, I'm sure that there are others. Maybe I'm just a boring person, who enjoys the mundane things in video games about action. Though, I find it's a wonderfully pleasant contrast to what is considered the "norm" in video games. I think that's something to think about next time you play a video game. Take in the world, don't just look at it.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Why we still need fun.
Games are fun. Fun is the whole reason why I got into video games. Though, it seems that a majority of games that are coming out these days are some kind of gritty reimagining, or serious story with an immersive world. Why can't games just be games anymore?
Don't get me wrong, I like a good story. I go on and on about Mass Effect and its story. I also loved The Last of Us. These games are good, and The Last of Us showed me that games don't have to be fun to be entertaining. Though, I miss a game that can put a smile on my face because of how fun it is. I grew up in an era of a lot of fun games. The Nintendo 64 had Star Fox, Mario Kart, Super Mario, Wave Race and a plethora of others that kept me playing and kept a smile on my face. These games were bright, colorful, and experimental. The third dimension was a completely new concept to the console generation, and developers were still trying to figure out what exactly they could do with it. That experimentation gave birth to some of the most fun experiences of my childhood.
I remember being introduced to the Sega Dreamcast. A friend of my brother brought it with him after school. The friend had a lot of games for the Dreamcast, and all of them were just so damn gorgeous. Soulcalibur, Crazy Taxi, Sonic Adventure, and the game that would change my life. Jet Grind Radio. I remember that day vividly. My brother and his friend were sitting in the middle of the living room close to the console that was hooked up to the VCR with the television tuned to channel 3. After seeing the majestic start up screen for the Dreamcast play, I was immediately assaulted by noise and color. JET GRIND RADIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! A character wearing grey camo shorts with a thick chain around his neck and blazing trails of lightning blue from his rollerblades running from a rooftop to grind on a rail. It was Garam, my favorite character. Or at least he would become my favorite character. All of this was so new to me. But, one thing that I knew for sure, I was having fun, in a way that I never have before.
I miss games like this. I doubt that I'll ever see something as revelatory as Jet Grind Radio ever again, but I miss the kind of imagination that games of that era had. I think that games have come a long way, and they've definitely come into their own as a storytelling medium. However, in our great strides, we seem to have gone down a different path. We've gone to focus on the graphics, and realism that hardware can produce. Other developers seem to think that the core of gameplay either lies in "making moral choices" or gunplay. There doesn't seem to be any kind of third option, or even a fourth or fifth for that matter. There's the occasional game that stands out among the rest, like Rayman Origins. But, perhaps I'm looking in the wrong place for games with invention, or fun.
This year at PAX Prime, the Penny Arcade Expo, there was a display of 88 independently developed games. The Indie Megabooth as it was called, showcased all of these games. This booth was bigger than any of the others, including those hosted by Microsoft or Sony.This was a giant becon of hope for those looking for something fresh in the video games industry. Every single game that was displayed didn't have any publisher. They didn't have any kind of regulation, or suit to look at the game and tell them whether or not they would sell. These developers put their heart and soul into their games, and they made it the way that they wanted to. The people behind these games grew in the same generations of video games that I did, and they see what the games industry is coming to. They have the talent and the know how to make games the way that they want to make them. They want to make something unlike anything that you've ever seen before. They want to make games that are fun. They want to make games that are imaginative. They want to make games that are inventive. They want to try something different, no matter what the risks are.
Here is where the hope for the industry lies. It lies with the independent developers. Those who try something different. Those who want to make games that are fun. So, if you want to see video games progress, and continue to produce something wonderful, get informed about who these independent developers are. Steam and Sony are making it easy to pick up on these indies. Steam has it's greenlight program, which is monitored and tested and produces a quality product for us to play and try out. Sony, with their new system the PS4 has an entire page of its dashboard dedicated to independent games. With companies taking steps like these to give the spotlight over to these unnoticed developers, I think that the games industry is looking just a bit brighter.
Check out the entire list of games that were on display here. Tell me some of the things that you'd like to see from the games industry, or some games that folks might not have heard of, that should be played.
Get on out there and have some fun playing video games. Because it's ok to have fun, and it's important.
So now I leave you with a song that you might not have heard of, and it's also a lot of fun too!
Don't get me wrong, I like a good story. I go on and on about Mass Effect and its story. I also loved The Last of Us. These games are good, and The Last of Us showed me that games don't have to be fun to be entertaining. Though, I miss a game that can put a smile on my face because of how fun it is. I grew up in an era of a lot of fun games. The Nintendo 64 had Star Fox, Mario Kart, Super Mario, Wave Race and a plethora of others that kept me playing and kept a smile on my face. These games were bright, colorful, and experimental. The third dimension was a completely new concept to the console generation, and developers were still trying to figure out what exactly they could do with it. That experimentation gave birth to some of the most fun experiences of my childhood.
I remember being introduced to the Sega Dreamcast. A friend of my brother brought it with him after school. The friend had a lot of games for the Dreamcast, and all of them were just so damn gorgeous. Soulcalibur, Crazy Taxi, Sonic Adventure, and the game that would change my life. Jet Grind Radio. I remember that day vividly. My brother and his friend were sitting in the middle of the living room close to the console that was hooked up to the VCR with the television tuned to channel 3. After seeing the majestic start up screen for the Dreamcast play, I was immediately assaulted by noise and color. JET GRIND RADIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! A character wearing grey camo shorts with a thick chain around his neck and blazing trails of lightning blue from his rollerblades running from a rooftop to grind on a rail. It was Garam, my favorite character. Or at least he would become my favorite character. All of this was so new to me. But, one thing that I knew for sure, I was having fun, in a way that I never have before.
I miss games like this. I doubt that I'll ever see something as revelatory as Jet Grind Radio ever again, but I miss the kind of imagination that games of that era had. I think that games have come a long way, and they've definitely come into their own as a storytelling medium. However, in our great strides, we seem to have gone down a different path. We've gone to focus on the graphics, and realism that hardware can produce. Other developers seem to think that the core of gameplay either lies in "making moral choices" or gunplay. There doesn't seem to be any kind of third option, or even a fourth or fifth for that matter. There's the occasional game that stands out among the rest, like Rayman Origins. But, perhaps I'm looking in the wrong place for games with invention, or fun.
This year at PAX Prime, the Penny Arcade Expo, there was a display of 88 independently developed games. The Indie Megabooth as it was called, showcased all of these games. This booth was bigger than any of the others, including those hosted by Microsoft or Sony.This was a giant becon of hope for those looking for something fresh in the video games industry. Every single game that was displayed didn't have any publisher. They didn't have any kind of regulation, or suit to look at the game and tell them whether or not they would sell. These developers put their heart and soul into their games, and they made it the way that they wanted to. The people behind these games grew in the same generations of video games that I did, and they see what the games industry is coming to. They have the talent and the know how to make games the way that they want to make them. They want to make something unlike anything that you've ever seen before. They want to make games that are fun. They want to make games that are imaginative. They want to make games that are inventive. They want to try something different, no matter what the risks are.
Here is where the hope for the industry lies. It lies with the independent developers. Those who try something different. Those who want to make games that are fun. So, if you want to see video games progress, and continue to produce something wonderful, get informed about who these independent developers are. Steam and Sony are making it easy to pick up on these indies. Steam has it's greenlight program, which is monitored and tested and produces a quality product for us to play and try out. Sony, with their new system the PS4 has an entire page of its dashboard dedicated to independent games. With companies taking steps like these to give the spotlight over to these unnoticed developers, I think that the games industry is looking just a bit brighter.
Check out the entire list of games that were on display here. Tell me some of the things that you'd like to see from the games industry, or some games that folks might not have heard of, that should be played.
Get on out there and have some fun playing video games. Because it's ok to have fun, and it's important.
So now I leave you with a song that you might not have heard of, and it's also a lot of fun too!
Monday, November 25, 2013
Why Do I do This?
I just want to talk about video games for a second here. I love video games, it's what I do. It's what I'm best at, and they're just dang awesome.
I want to talk about how they give me a sense of agency. HOw they make me feel like i can truly accomplish something. How they can make me face my fears, and let me overcome my fears. How Zelda has taught me courage, and bravery by going down into the depths of dungeons for the sake of a kingdom. For the sake of love. I want to talk about how I became a jedi while playing Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic. I want to talk about how I climbed the seven thousand steps to High Hrothgar, and slayed a dragons in Skyrim. I want to talk about how I have met great evils, and destroyed them. How I united an entire galaxy to fight alongside me as I faced down the Reapers in a battle that we were ultimately going to lose, but we fought all the same. With tenacity and strength, as brothers and sisters fighting for survival. These are all the great things that video games have allowed me to do. They are an absolutely wonderful medium that I want to share with people, and that should be shared. I want them to be talked about in a way inspires greatness, that inspires people to pick up a controller to play a game, and experience it for themselves. I want video games to be respected, and not to be looked at with scorn and disdain at the very mention of the genre. I want to change the conversation about video games.
I don't want to talk about the mechanics of the game, the layout of the levels, or the clunkiness of the controls, because that in itself is clunky. It's stilted, and a chore to listen to someone talk about that. No, I want to talk about the emotions that I felt. The sense of speed that I got from playing Burnout and the thrill of coming in first place. I want to talk about the atmosphere and charm of Bioshock as I stroll through the halls of the sunken city, and discover the perverse leadership that ultimately ruined it. Video games, ultimately, are forms are art, and art evokes emotion. Art tells stories, art records history, art makes history, art brings us perspective of the artist, art brings up debates about what was the intention of the art. Now, not all video games are good, every kind of art form has its share of schlock, I mean, look at Michael Bay's work.
I'm really looking forward to what's becoming of the video game industry. Nowadays, we find Call of Duty's and Battlefields that all look and feel the same. Sadly, the video game industry has become somewhat of a factory, that's just churning out product, rather than creating something unique or wonderful. With people like Bobby Kotick, the head of Activision, who view the industry as a way to make money rather than art, it's difficult to see any kind of progression. However, popping up, all over the world are independent game developers who create games like nothing else anyone has ever seen before. Notch ( aka Markus Persson), of Mojang studios, created Minecraft. The game exploded, with no marketing, making millions solely on the basis of word of mouth, and supporters to pave the way for it to become the most successful indie game in existence. Just this year at PAX, the Penny Arcade Expo, there was a booth dedicated entirely to independent video games and indie game developers. That booth was larger than either of Microsoft's and Sony's booths. There are good, creative, and fun games out there, they just need their fifteen minutes of fame, and they can go on to make it big. That's what we all want. We want the little guy to succeed, and we want to see something new, and we're only going to get that from these independent game developers. Those game developers grew up in the same era that I did, and want to create games that are the kind that they want to make. And the kinds of games that they want to make, are they kind that they grew up with.
I remember playing games that were fun and inventive, and did something interesting. They weren't the best games, they had their flaws, but at least they tried to do something different. I find that commendable in this day and age, where invention is scarce. I grew up in what I think was a golden age of gaming, when developers weren't afraid of trying out something new, or when they were still finding out just what a game could do. I stand by it that the mid 1990s to early 2000s were days of true innovation in the games industry. The Nintendo 64, Sega Dreamcast, and the Sony Playstation brought forth some of the most monumental games in the industry. Final Fantasy VII, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Soulcalibur, Jet Grind Radio, Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Jet Force Gemini, Half-Life, Grim Fandango, Deus Ex, Thief, Resident Evil, Mega Man X, and many, many more. It isn't out of nostalgia that I say that these are great games, it's because they are. I still pull out the old games, because it's important to know where we've come from as an industry, and to take the occasional trip down memory lane. Ok, so maybe nostalgia is a bit of a factor, but they really are good games. If playing Civilization V has taught me anything: is that golden ages come and go, and I believe that we are on the cusp of another golden age. Not just with video games, but with other forms of art as well. I think it's going to be an interesting time to be alive, and experience something new.
I want to talk about how they give me a sense of agency. HOw they make me feel like i can truly accomplish something. How they can make me face my fears, and let me overcome my fears. How Zelda has taught me courage, and bravery by going down into the depths of dungeons for the sake of a kingdom. For the sake of love. I want to talk about how I became a jedi while playing Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic. I want to talk about how I climbed the seven thousand steps to High Hrothgar, and slayed a dragons in Skyrim. I want to talk about how I have met great evils, and destroyed them. How I united an entire galaxy to fight alongside me as I faced down the Reapers in a battle that we were ultimately going to lose, but we fought all the same. With tenacity and strength, as brothers and sisters fighting for survival. These are all the great things that video games have allowed me to do. They are an absolutely wonderful medium that I want to share with people, and that should be shared. I want them to be talked about in a way inspires greatness, that inspires people to pick up a controller to play a game, and experience it for themselves. I want video games to be respected, and not to be looked at with scorn and disdain at the very mention of the genre. I want to change the conversation about video games.
I don't want to talk about the mechanics of the game, the layout of the levels, or the clunkiness of the controls, because that in itself is clunky. It's stilted, and a chore to listen to someone talk about that. No, I want to talk about the emotions that I felt. The sense of speed that I got from playing Burnout and the thrill of coming in first place. I want to talk about the atmosphere and charm of Bioshock as I stroll through the halls of the sunken city, and discover the perverse leadership that ultimately ruined it. Video games, ultimately, are forms are art, and art evokes emotion. Art tells stories, art records history, art makes history, art brings us perspective of the artist, art brings up debates about what was the intention of the art. Now, not all video games are good, every kind of art form has its share of schlock, I mean, look at Michael Bay's work.
I'm really looking forward to what's becoming of the video game industry. Nowadays, we find Call of Duty's and Battlefields that all look and feel the same. Sadly, the video game industry has become somewhat of a factory, that's just churning out product, rather than creating something unique or wonderful. With people like Bobby Kotick, the head of Activision, who view the industry as a way to make money rather than art, it's difficult to see any kind of progression. However, popping up, all over the world are independent game developers who create games like nothing else anyone has ever seen before. Notch ( aka Markus Persson), of Mojang studios, created Minecraft. The game exploded, with no marketing, making millions solely on the basis of word of mouth, and supporters to pave the way for it to become the most successful indie game in existence. Just this year at PAX, the Penny Arcade Expo, there was a booth dedicated entirely to independent video games and indie game developers. That booth was larger than either of Microsoft's and Sony's booths. There are good, creative, and fun games out there, they just need their fifteen minutes of fame, and they can go on to make it big. That's what we all want. We want the little guy to succeed, and we want to see something new, and we're only going to get that from these independent game developers. Those game developers grew up in the same era that I did, and want to create games that are the kind that they want to make. And the kinds of games that they want to make, are they kind that they grew up with.
I remember playing games that were fun and inventive, and did something interesting. They weren't the best games, they had their flaws, but at least they tried to do something different. I find that commendable in this day and age, where invention is scarce. I grew up in what I think was a golden age of gaming, when developers weren't afraid of trying out something new, or when they were still finding out just what a game could do. I stand by it that the mid 1990s to early 2000s were days of true innovation in the games industry. The Nintendo 64, Sega Dreamcast, and the Sony Playstation brought forth some of the most monumental games in the industry. Final Fantasy VII, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Soulcalibur, Jet Grind Radio, Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64, Jet Force Gemini, Half-Life, Grim Fandango, Deus Ex, Thief, Resident Evil, Mega Man X, and many, many more. It isn't out of nostalgia that I say that these are great games, it's because they are. I still pull out the old games, because it's important to know where we've come from as an industry, and to take the occasional trip down memory lane. Ok, so maybe nostalgia is a bit of a factor, but they really are good games. If playing Civilization V has taught me anything: is that golden ages come and go, and I believe that we are on the cusp of another golden age. Not just with video games, but with other forms of art as well. I think it's going to be an interesting time to be alive, and experience something new.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Quick Time Events, or QTE, or WHAT IS THIS?!?!!
People often complain about the irritation of quick time events. Understandably so, they often come out of nowhere with no real warning. They change up the rules of how the game is normally played. What makes matters worse is that a failed QTE means certain death and failure. This is problematic.
I think that there are three different kind of QTE types:
1: The kind of QTE that is suddenly sprung on you out of nowhere. These are bad. They are frustrating, and don't make any sense.
2: The finisher. These QTEs come into play in moments where it isn't necessarily essential that the player gets all of the button presses right, and usually the penalty is minimal.
3. The whole damn thing. I haven't seen many games that are entirely quick time events, save for Heavy Rain, Indigo Prophecy, and recently, Beyond: Two Souls. All of which were written and directed by David Cage.
So, let's start with the first kind.
Shenmue for the Sega Dreamcast was one of the first games that I, and many others, experienced the QTE. The QTEs were not the central mechanic of the game, but they came up a lot. They were frustrating, as all QTEs of this kind are, and failure meant that I would have to try it over, and over, and over again. Most button presses are arbitrary and don't hold any context within the quick time event. Games are made up of rules, and when suddenly the rules are changed, it's uncomfortable and it isn't fun anymore. I'm not really sure as to why the game industry kept this game mechanic, and why they keep perpetuating it is kind of beyond me.
2. The Finisher.
Usually this kind of QTE will show up in games like Baynetta, God of War, or Devil May Cry. These QTEs are just kind of there. Most times they exist to create a more interactive experience when finishing off enemies, as opposed to watching a short movie of your character doing something awesome. Having these QTEs puts all of that awesome on you. That's a lot of pressure, and if you mess up, you make the character look bad, and usually cost them a chunk of health. I think that God of War is the prime example of this.
Players take the reigns of Kratos, badass Spartan Greek God killer, and is completely reliant on QTEs to get the job done. The thing with these quick time events in particular, is that if you mess up, and get the chance to do them again, for some reason, the button changes. That's right, if you accidentally press circle rather than square, and are absolutely determined to press square the next time that button press comes into play, it will be something different. It might even be a joystick movement. These quick time events are unpredictable, and each one is never the same as the last. Each enemy in God of War has its own execution animation, and with it, its own quick time event. Players can be facing down two of the same kind of enemy and execute them with a different combination of button presses. That sounds interesting, but it puts me on edge every time I hit the button to start the sequence. These kind of QTEs are just unnecessary.
3. The Whole Damn Thing....
David Cage is praised by some, and loathed by others. His games only operate using quick time events. This system doesn't really quite work all the way. Usually quick time events force players to use buttons that generally have some type of context. In Shenmue, the A button will prompt when Ryo has to do something related to his legs (jumping, juking, kicking, etc.). While games like Heavy Rain, have no context for any of the button mapping. Triangle has no relation to anything, nor does any other button. There is a sequence when the player has to shoot some dudes, and it uses the R1 button to pull the trigger, it makes sense because the players trigger finger naturally falls on the R1 button. However, for the rest of the game, players press buttons like some kind of DDR. Generally the buttons, or joystick movements, will related to objects in the environment, or directions the characters are supposed to go. But when a fight breaks out, and players are assaulted with button presses, it's a frenzied panic of confusion. Admittedly it is exciting, and visceral, and really entertaining to watch, but at the end of the day, it all boils down to Simon Says. and if you ask me, Simon doesn't know what he's talking about.
What are your thoughts on Quick Time Events? Do they add to the gameplay? Are they unnecessary? What are some of your favorite, or least favorite moments in QTEs? Let me know in the comments?
I think that there are three different kind of QTE types:
1: The kind of QTE that is suddenly sprung on you out of nowhere. These are bad. They are frustrating, and don't make any sense.
2: The finisher. These QTEs come into play in moments where it isn't necessarily essential that the player gets all of the button presses right, and usually the penalty is minimal.
3. The whole damn thing. I haven't seen many games that are entirely quick time events, save for Heavy Rain, Indigo Prophecy, and recently, Beyond: Two Souls. All of which were written and directed by David Cage.
So, let's start with the first kind.
Shenmue for the Sega Dreamcast was one of the first games that I, and many others, experienced the QTE. The QTEs were not the central mechanic of the game, but they came up a lot. They were frustrating, as all QTEs of this kind are, and failure meant that I would have to try it over, and over, and over again. Most button presses are arbitrary and don't hold any context within the quick time event. Games are made up of rules, and when suddenly the rules are changed, it's uncomfortable and it isn't fun anymore. I'm not really sure as to why the game industry kept this game mechanic, and why they keep perpetuating it is kind of beyond me.
2. The Finisher.
Usually this kind of QTE will show up in games like Baynetta, God of War, or Devil May Cry. These QTEs are just kind of there. Most times they exist to create a more interactive experience when finishing off enemies, as opposed to watching a short movie of your character doing something awesome. Having these QTEs puts all of that awesome on you. That's a lot of pressure, and if you mess up, you make the character look bad, and usually cost them a chunk of health. I think that God of War is the prime example of this.
Players take the reigns of Kratos, badass Spartan Greek God killer, and is completely reliant on QTEs to get the job done. The thing with these quick time events in particular, is that if you mess up, and get the chance to do them again, for some reason, the button changes. That's right, if you accidentally press circle rather than square, and are absolutely determined to press square the next time that button press comes into play, it will be something different. It might even be a joystick movement. These quick time events are unpredictable, and each one is never the same as the last. Each enemy in God of War has its own execution animation, and with it, its own quick time event. Players can be facing down two of the same kind of enemy and execute them with a different combination of button presses. That sounds interesting, but it puts me on edge every time I hit the button to start the sequence. These kind of QTEs are just unnecessary.
3. The Whole Damn Thing....
David Cage is praised by some, and loathed by others. His games only operate using quick time events. This system doesn't really quite work all the way. Usually quick time events force players to use buttons that generally have some type of context. In Shenmue, the A button will prompt when Ryo has to do something related to his legs (jumping, juking, kicking, etc.). While games like Heavy Rain, have no context for any of the button mapping. Triangle has no relation to anything, nor does any other button. There is a sequence when the player has to shoot some dudes, and it uses the R1 button to pull the trigger, it makes sense because the players trigger finger naturally falls on the R1 button. However, for the rest of the game, players press buttons like some kind of DDR. Generally the buttons, or joystick movements, will related to objects in the environment, or directions the characters are supposed to go. But when a fight breaks out, and players are assaulted with button presses, it's a frenzied panic of confusion. Admittedly it is exciting, and visceral, and really entertaining to watch, but at the end of the day, it all boils down to Simon Says. and if you ask me, Simon doesn't know what he's talking about.
What are your thoughts on Quick Time Events? Do they add to the gameplay? Are they unnecessary? What are some of your favorite, or least favorite moments in QTEs? Let me know in the comments?
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