Comments for Beeps & Boops http://beepsandboops.com Video Game Criticism and Commentary Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:29:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on This Land Is Your Land by Odyssey http://beepsandboops.com/2011/12/this-land-is-your-land/#comment-674 Odyssey Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:29:01 +0000 http://beepsandboops.com/?p=859#comment-674 "This isn’t Mario. This isn’t even Luigi." ...It's not even Waluigi! “This isn’t Mario. This isn’t even Luigi.”

…It’s not even Waluigi!

]]> Comment on Skyrim and the Problem of Audience by Ryan http://beepsandboops.com/2011/11/skyrim-and-the-problem-of-audience/#comment-663 Ryan Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:48:35 +0000 http://beepsandboops.com/?p=823#comment-663 An extension of the peaks and valleys theory? seemingly insignificant fallacies become more pronounced as the medium becomes more life like. The ludicrous notion of a gorilla using floating barrel cannons to zoom around a jungle doesn't make us blink, but when you create a world that is so life like that it gets the player close to complete immersion, seeing something as stupid as a guy walking around with an arrow in his head is jarring. Like a splash of water to the face of someone having a kick ass dream. An extension of the peaks and valleys theory? seemingly insignificant fallacies become more pronounced as the medium becomes more life like. The ludicrous notion of a gorilla using floating barrel cannons to zoom around a jungle doesn’t make us blink, but when you create a world that is so life like that it gets the player close to complete immersion, seeing something as stupid as a guy walking around with an arrow in his head is jarring. Like a splash of water to the face of someone having a kick ass dream.

]]> Comment on Skyrim and the Problem of Audience by Odyssey http://beepsandboops.com/2011/11/skyrim-and-the-problem-of-audience/#comment-654 Odyssey Sun, 20 Nov 2011 23:21:52 +0000 http://beepsandboops.com/?p=823#comment-654 Your seem to be addressing more how different playing a game with other people present is than the actual surreal world interactions, which are inherent in open world systems and imo shouldn't be sacrificed. I would rather see my items be physically dropped than just disappear, and I would rather be able to manipulate any object in the world at the cost of some silliness than not be able to move anything at all. The best scenario is the developer foreseeing and embracing the absurdity that comes from emergent mechanics (like having an npc get pissed off at having a pot placed on their head and throw it at you), which is something games like those in the MGS series do great, but it's also a little unfair to expect that level of nuance in a game as absurdly big as Skyrim. But yeah, having other people present can break the illusion of any game. Your seem to be addressing more how different playing a game with other people present is than the actual surreal world interactions, which are inherent in open world systems and imo shouldn’t be sacrificed. I would rather see my items be physically dropped than just disappear, and I would rather be able to manipulate any object in the world at the cost of some silliness than not be able to move anything at all. The best scenario is the developer foreseeing and embracing the absurdity that comes from emergent mechanics (like having an npc get pissed off at having a pot placed on their head and throw it at you), which is something games like those in the MGS series do great, but it’s also a little unfair to expect that level of nuance in a game as absurdly big as Skyrim.

But yeah, having other people present can break the illusion of any game.

]]> Comment on Skyrim and the Problem of Audience by Odyssey http://beepsandboops.com/2011/11/skyrim-and-the-problem-of-audience/#comment-653 Odyssey Sun, 20 Nov 2011 23:14:23 +0000 http://beepsandboops.com/?p=823#comment-653 Your problem seems to come more from how different playing a game with other people present is than the actual surreal world interactions, which are inherent in open world systems, and imo shouldn't be sacrificed. I would rather see my items be physically dropped than just disappear, and I would rather be able to manipulate any object in the world at the cost of some silliness than not be able to move anything at all. The best scenario is foreseeing and embracing the absurd interactions (like having an npc get pissed off at having a pot placed on their head and throw it at you), which is something games like those of the MGS series do great great, but it's also probably unfair to expect that level of nuance in a game as absurdly big as Skyrim. Your problem seems to come more from how different playing a game with other people present is than the actual surreal world interactions, which are inherent in open world systems, and imo shouldn’t be sacrificed. I would rather see my items be physically dropped than just disappear, and I would rather be able to manipulate any object in the world at the cost of some silliness than not be able to move anything at all. The best scenario is foreseeing and embracing the absurd interactions (like having an npc get pissed off at having a pot placed on their head and throw it at you), which is something games like those of the MGS series do great great, but it’s also probably unfair to expect that level of nuance in a game as absurdly big as Skyrim.

]]> Comment on Skyrim and the Problem of Audience by Grayson Davis http://beepsandboops.com/2011/11/skyrim-and-the-problem-of-audience/#comment-650 Grayson Davis Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:45:36 +0000 http://beepsandboops.com/?p=823#comment-650 Thanks for the replies Nekojin and JD. In response to Nekojin, I had a similar MMO experience when I played in The Old Republic beta this past weekend. It had been some time since I last played an MMO and I forgot how ridiculous MMO worlds can be with all of the constant respawning, mob camping, etc. Thanks for the replies Nekojin and JD. In response to Nekojin, I had a similar MMO experience when I played in The Old Republic beta this past weekend. It had been some time since I last played an MMO and I forgot how ridiculous MMO worlds can be with all of the constant respawning, mob camping, etc.

]]> Comment on Skyrim and the Problem of Audience by Nekojin http://beepsandboops.com/2011/11/skyrim-and-the-problem-of-audience/#comment-649 Nekojin Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:40:56 +0000 http://beepsandboops.com/?p=823#comment-649 This was one of the things I realized VERY early on with MMOs, particularly third-generation MMOs (World of Warcraft, City of Heroes, etc). There's so much going on in the world, that the game is almost parodic in its static nature. You turn in a mission to kill boars that are tearing up a campsite, the mission giver thanks you and talks about rebuilding, then turns to the person next to you and asks them to go kill the boars that are tearing up the campsite. Or running across entire continents in under an hour. The only way to really cope with these matters, I decided a long time ago, is to treat the game world (cities, zones, etc) as "super-deformed" representations of a real world. Everything visually is compressed down, distilling the game to a manageable subset of a realistic scene. Similarly, the enemies that you see milling about aren't actually there until you decide that they're there - there are thousands of purse-nappings and muggings depicted every hour in City of Heroes, but the only ones that actually happen are the ones you choose to interact with. Otherwise, it makes no sense for experienced heroes to fly blithely past some mecha that appear to be trying to blow up a building... This was one of the things I realized VERY early on with MMOs, particularly third-generation MMOs (World of Warcraft, City of Heroes, etc). There’s so much going on in the world, that the game is almost parodic in its static nature. You turn in a mission to kill boars that are tearing up a campsite, the mission giver thanks you and talks about rebuilding, then turns to the person next to you and asks them to go kill the boars that are tearing up the campsite. Or running across entire continents in under an hour.

The only way to really cope with these matters, I decided a long time ago, is to treat the game world (cities, zones, etc) as “super-deformed” representations of a real world. Everything visually is compressed down, distilling the game to a manageable subset of a realistic scene. Similarly, the enemies that you see milling about aren’t actually there until you decide that they’re there – there are thousands of purse-nappings and muggings depicted every hour in City of Heroes, but the only ones that actually happen are the ones you choose to interact with. Otherwise, it makes no sense for experienced heroes to fly blithely past some mecha that appear to be trying to blow up a building…

]]> Comment on Skyrim and the Problem of Audience by JD http://beepsandboops.com/2011/11/skyrim-and-the-problem-of-audience/#comment-648 JD Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:59:48 +0000 http://beepsandboops.com/?p=823#comment-648 I had the experience of being watched while playing Skyrim over the weekend, and I concur with your analysis. Having a spectator made me focus on the silliness more than normal. At the time, I was mostly skulking around town being a miscreant; I ran around on some tables, scattering plates and cheese, picked pockets in plain sight and collected a bunch of useless objects. It didn't really hurt the experience, because I find amusement in the absurdity of it all, but it was very different from the late-night sessions I've had alone with the game. I had the experience of being watched while playing Skyrim over the weekend, and I concur with your analysis.

Having a spectator made me focus on the silliness more than normal. At the time, I was mostly skulking around town being a miscreant; I ran around on some tables, scattering plates and cheese, picked pockets in plain sight and collected a bunch of useless objects.

It didn’t really hurt the experience, because I find amusement in the absurdity of it all, but it was very different from the late-night sessions I’ve had alone with the game.

]]> Comment on In Defense of the Worst Game Ever by Anonymous http://beepsandboops.com/2011/01/in-defense-of-the-worst-game-ever-2/#comment-438 Anonymous Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:38:40 +0000 http://beepsandboops.com/wptest/2011/01/in-defense-of-the-worst-game-ever-2/#comment-438 lol you might literally be the first person ever to say something positive about this game. lol you might literally be the first person ever to say something positive about this game.

]]> Comment on Alpha Protocol’s Arbitrary Problems by Anonymous http://beepsandboops.com/2011/02/alpha-protocols-arbitrary-problems/#comment-548 Anonymous Sat, 19 Mar 2011 23:19:39 +0000 http://beepsandboops.com/wptest/?p=690#comment-548 I believe the major differences between New Vegas and Alpha Protocol isn't in the ammount of bugs but rather overall execution. New Vegas was essentially, Fallout 3 in a new setting and as such, worked as well as Fallout 3. It was only hindered by its glitches Alpha Protocol however was far more inconsistent. When it was good it was phenomenal and easily one of the most unique fun, immersive, and unique RPGs that I've ever played. Unfortunately, when it was bad, it was abysmal and those flaws shone throughout half of the game. The AI ranges from flatout stupid to omnipotent, making stealth borderline impossible, with very few exceptions, not to mention how terrible the aiming is until you dump a lot of points into it. Furthermore it is especially painful to watch something so immersive succumb to video game logic. I allow myself a rather high suspension of disbelief in games trying to tell a story or offer an experience and even I was annoyed to find that when I'm pumping entire ammo clips into the enemy, I have to look at a large depleting boss meter. All of these problems, in addition to game breaking glitches that have caused me to completely reload previous saves, have tarnished the greatness that Alpha Protocol could have been. Don't get me wrong, I really wish that they made a sequel to it if only to fix all of the problems of the game. I would love to see this executed properly because playing it as the wasted potential that it is is painful. I don't understand why Obsidian feels the need to skip beta testing like this. Between these 2 games and KotOR 2, they're earning a reputation for being sloppy. This game was delayed for 8 months 1 week before its original release date in October of 2009. If this is supposed to be polish, I shudder to think of what the game was supposed to be like before hand. Great Post by the way. I just discovered the site last night and I never get sick of reading gamers that judge based on what a game's merits are rather than what they thought it should have been. I believe the major differences between New Vegas and Alpha Protocol isn’t in the ammount of bugs but rather overall execution. New Vegas was essentially, Fallout 3 in a new setting and as such, worked as well as Fallout 3. It was only hindered by its glitches

Alpha Protocol however was far more inconsistent. When it was good it was phenomenal and easily one of the most unique fun, immersive, and unique RPGs that I’ve ever played. Unfortunately, when it was bad, it was abysmal and those flaws shone throughout half of the game. The AI ranges from flatout stupid to omnipotent, making stealth borderline impossible, with very few exceptions, not to mention how terrible the aiming is until you dump a lot of points into it.

Furthermore it is especially painful to watch something so immersive succumb to video game logic. I allow myself a rather high suspension of disbelief in games trying to tell a story or offer an experience and even I was annoyed to find that when I’m pumping entire ammo clips into the enemy, I have to look at a large depleting boss meter.

All of these problems, in addition to game breaking glitches that have caused me to completely reload previous saves, have tarnished the greatness that Alpha Protocol could have been. Don’t get me wrong, I really wish that they made a sequel to it if only to fix all of the problems of the game. I would love to see this executed properly because playing it as the wasted potential that it is is painful.

I don’t understand why Obsidian feels the need to skip beta testing like this. Between these 2 games and KotOR 2, they’re earning a reputation for being sloppy. This game was delayed for 8 months 1 week before its original release date in October of 2009. If this is supposed to be polish, I shudder to think of what the game was supposed to be like before hand.

Great Post by the way. I just discovered the site last night and I never get sick of reading gamers that judge based on what a game’s merits are rather than what they thought it should have been.

]]> Comment on Dickwolves and Our Culture by Anonymous http://beepsandboops.com/2011/02/dickwolves-and-our-culture/#comment-553 Anonymous Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:29:12 +0000 http://beepsandboops.com/wptest/?p=704#comment-553 The words that most directly indicate an apology, to me anyway, came from Gabe's post on Feb. 3 when he said: "I never should have engaged them at all much less the way I did." He didn't use the word "sorry", but it comes across to me as an apology for the way in which he responded to the original criticism. This is especially the case when he says "much less the way I did", which implies that his way was improper. The words that most directly indicate an apology, to me anyway, came from Gabe’s post on Feb. 3 when he said:

“I never should have engaged them at all much less the way I did.”

He didn’t use the word “sorry”, but it comes across to me as an apology for the way in which he responded to the original criticism. This is especially the case when he says “much less the way I did”, which implies that his way was improper.

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