Kevbot Advance

Expecting More From Games

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 20:33:00 -0700

Seeing the extended trailer for Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes last month, and the reactions of those in attendance (I believe this was unveiled at PAX, I assume it was a closed-door showing, media only), got me thinking.

Thinking about our expectations for games, particularly those coming from AAA studios, as they have considerable influence with the money, marketing, and tech at their disposal, to shape guiding trends and perceptions of our medium of those not considered “gamers”. Leigh Alexander’s excellent article on the state of game journalism: http://www.edge-online.com/features/videogame-journalisms-decline/ got me started down this path of thinking, and the Ground Zeroes trailer (and the reactions of those in attendance) was to me a clear example of the wrongs expressed in her article.

First off, I’m a fan of the MGS series, however I view it (and enjoy it) from a very specfic lens, as a series that sticks to its tropes, and is quite happy to be “video-gamey.” However it’s fair to expect more from the series, and games as a whole at this point in time - we (journalists, fellow developers, gamers) need to expect and demand more from our leading lights. What did we see gameplay-wise in this trailer? Snake can drive vehicles now (even in reverse, hilarity ensues!). Snake can call in a helicopter, and you can choose the music it plays when it flies in.

This isn’t good enough. This is the big unveiling? The trailer was a 10 minute cinematic, engine showcase, followed by a few minutes of tired mechanics and gimmicks that add nothing to the genre or medium.

You know what would have been cool? If those in attendance had booed when the English language interpretor/MC asked the crowd what they thought. Or if there had been stone cold silence instead of laughter and applause when Snake backed the jeep up, or when it was revealed the player can choose the music of their helicopter. Tell Konami and Hideo Kojima this isn’t good enough, it’s not what we want. Use your money, talent, and tech to advance the medium.

I understand whoever were in attendance would feel pressured to “tow the line” and not risk offending Konami, Kojima etc. I also know very well that a product doesn’t need to always reinvent the wheel. But we are many iterations into the MGS series, and choosing to show these gameplay elements in the unveiling doesn’t inspire confidence in ground-breaking, meaningful features to come.

Ultimately, the blame lies with us, the developers that play it safe, and the complicit journalists that encourage it.

If this is the best that big-name, high-profile studios and franchises like Konami and MGS can muster because we ask no more of them, our medium is doomed to always be regarded as a childish waste of time by the masses.

Stuff

Sun, 07 Oct 2012 01:10:13 -0700

Thought I was winning my personal war on physical media, but there are art books I want that I cannot ignore! Still debating whether or not to sell most of my CDs (my thoughts on digital music and music as a service e.g rdio, I’ll save those for another time), however I’m leaning towards keeping them now.

randomghost: Dan McPharlin Great piece, very Syd Mead.

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 13:51:26 -0700

randomghost:

Dan McPharlin

Great piece, very Syd Mead.

Going to try to start putting some more effort into this blog, for now here’s a lazy cross...

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 23:01:00 -0700

Going to try to start putting some more effort into this blog, for now here’s a lazy cross post to another blog I contribute to, focusing on social and mobile games (it’s also where I work, yay!). Just put up a new post tonight on iOS update text best practices: http://adriancrook.com/ios-app-update-text-best-practices/

Playing Persona 3 on the PSP these days. Man I love the SMT & Persona series.

Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears (Acoustic Cover) (by...

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:14:52 -0700

Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears (Acoustic Cover) (by EddKonnekshun)

Tiananmen Vigil in Hong Kong

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 13:55:54 -0700

Tiananmen Vigil in Hong Kong

Seriously missing Melbourne. Would love to be walking down Birrarung Marr right now with some Lord...

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:06:24 -0700

Seriously missing Melbourne. Would love to be walking down Birrarung Marr right now with some Lord of the Fries…

Okami

Thu, 24 May 2012 01:13:33 -0700

Playing through Okami on the Wii, obviously a beautiful game but I have to question the decision to relegate combat to RPG style pseudo-random encounters in small enclosed areas.

I think the level design suffers for it. It means there’s one less reason for interesting dungeon design. Instead we get beautiful but boring, minimally functional dungeons/levels that are used to connect combat areas. I can understand there are technical reasons due to the brush stroke gameplay for keeping combat areas small, but still…

Either way, I still like the game. After this, it’s Muramasa, then Skyward Sword…maybe a few other titles, and then I guess that’s it for my Wii usage.

Great poster. I played the hell out of #T&C back in the day...

Fri, 18 May 2012 21:07:07 -0700

Great poster. I played the hell out of #T&C back in the day #nintendo #retrogames (Taken with instagram)

Japan - Ghosts Such an original band and extremely mature, both...

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:32:38 -0700

Japan - Ghosts

Such an original band and extremely mature, both musically and lyrically for their ages. Love the use of the Prophet-5 on this song, classic!!

#Light is cool (Taken with instagram)

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:15:57 -0700

#Light is cool (Taken with instagram)

Great talk about culture being caught in the middle of the...

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:37:01 -0700

Great talk about culture being caught in the middle of the copyright war.

Finished product with mini ciabattas for mopping up chili...

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:05:16 -0700

Finished product with mini ciabattas for mopping up chili goodness (Taken with instagram)

Cooked up some #Chili tonight #foodporn (Taken with instagram)

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:03:03 -0700

Cooked up some #Chili tonight #foodporn (Taken with instagram)

Cool tilt shift vid.

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 22:10:58 -0700

Cool tilt shift vid.

An old quick and cheap favourite: #soba stir fried veg topped...

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:08:31 -0700

An old quick and cheap favourite: #soba stir fried veg topped with an egg with a very runny yoke (Taken with instagram)

It is a mecha spider crab or a pedestrian crossing? #shanghai ...

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 02:01:15 -0700

It is a mecha spider crab or a pedestrian crossing? #shanghai (Taken with instagram)

Old and new in #shanghai (Taken with instagram)

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:59:43 -0700

Old and new in #shanghai (Taken with instagram)

Driving through #Shanghai for the first time at night was nuts...

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:58:09 -0700

Driving through #Shanghai for the first time at night was nuts (Taken with instagram)

#Kerrang review of Master of Puppets

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 22:48:53 -0700

#Kerrang review of Master of Puppets