Manifesto
- Thread starter Briosafreak
- Start date
Lived Through the Heat Death
I think I recall pointing out this exact point, though simplified in deference for a few console cattle.
Dedicated and shiny with simplistic input = crap. Does this mean that they have regressed back to pre-486 architecture, and have no fucking math co-processors or ability to function in that capacity?
Unbelievable. That is what "cheaper" gets you, though I am still certain that it wouldn't be hard to upgrade a computer that could beat them in 2006 for that price.
Dedicated and shiny with simplistic input = crap. Does this mean that they have regressed back to pre-486 architecture, and have no fucking math co-processors or ability to function in that capacity?
Unbelievable. That is what "cheaper" gets you, though I am still certain that it wouldn't be hard to upgrade a computer that could beat them in 2006 for that price.
greatatlantic
It Wandered In From the Wastes
A better title for this article would have been a console "gamers" manifesto. I put gamers in quotation since I doubt anyone who plays on a console as oppose to a PC is a real gamer. Some of it was just whining, but a few good points were made, such as every effort being spent on graphics and not on improved AI, or the lousy treatment of females in games.
The guy deserves a medal.
It ain't gonna change, though. Developers are going to keep turning out crappy games, sales are going to drop even more, and you'll end up with a couple of remaining developer houses that'll give the remnants of their old braindead audience the same old braindead crap.
It ain't gonna change, though. Developers are going to keep turning out crappy games, sales are going to drop even more, and you'll end up with a couple of remaining developer houses that'll give the remnants of their old braindead audience the same old braindead crap.
Gnidrologist
Wasted
For me this all sounds more like whining of a spoiled console kiddie, ''Ooooh I want smarter AI, more freedom, better voice acting and no loading time..gimme gimme gimme boohooo.....''
Some relevant points were made considering riddiculously boosted game difficulty by including infinitively respawning monsters and not alowing to save anytime and also the hypocritcal policy of gaming industry against maturity and profanity in computer games.
All the other shit is just some kid's utopic wishlist for futures gaming I could sign under as well, but I won't.
Way short for a medal in my opinion.
Some relevant points were made considering riddiculously boosted game difficulty by including infinitively respawning monsters and not alowing to save anytime and also the hypocritcal policy of gaming industry against maturity and profanity in computer games.
All the other shit is just some kid's utopic wishlist for futures gaming I could sign under as well, but I won't.
Way short for a medal in my opinion.
Hmm, don't I know him from somewhere...
Its Herve!
David Wong = my new hero
Its Herve!
David Wong = my new hero
Gnidrologist said:
Those *are* real issues, and most of what you describe is by far what sets consoles way down on the food chain compared to the complexity PC games can offer.
I believe it is totally called for, since most of the recent titles fall prey to many of the mistakes the fellow mentions. These are things developers have been promising since the PSX, a shitload for the XBrick, but many of the promises fail to see the light of day.
Much of it could even apply towards PC gaming as well. The smarter AI? I have yet to see wholly competent AI in games, and some developers continue to disappoint us in this aspect.
The points about bullshit graphics? Exactly so, and a majority of games do not use real in-game footage for their advertisements, instead using a pre-rendered CGI clip - or amazingly, no trace of the game whatsoever (an X-Men Legends ad).
Actual variety for sound events, for them to not become ad nauseum within five minutes of playing the game. You have the person in the studio, depending upon guilded status might now become even more pricey, add a line to the fucking randomizing engine to regulate the use/rotation of the events, and make the monkey work for their cash. Add some more lines, and don't be afraid to tell them that something needs to be redone.
Immersion and the hand of god. Nothing is more unrealistic and game-breaking than a destruction of the game's reality. If, for example, you are going down a mountain and you suddenly fly off into empty space - that isn't "limitation", that is simply poor design. It is not only annoying, but it usually takes away time for mistakenly taken the wrong path of the "many paths down the mountain" aspect. Visual presentation is what makes a lasting impression.
The rest is pretty much a good commentary on some of the good and bad points of putting a game together, and how many developers neglect one or several aspects of them. Perfect parallel to PC gaming.
If what the console knows of trends could fill a bucket, you would be drowned by the flood of PC trends and games that have failed due to them.
16. This is the crutch of many games, and can even be expanded to say "Don't use X feature/capability as anexcuse to release a broken game."
17, a good commentary about how other capabilities are making people miss out on good games they would otherwise be enjoying.
18 is a likely suspect for a LOT of trouble (including the fiasco around paying a lot for a few Halo maps), as I also remember a game series for the Atari 2600 back in the 80's that was planned to have four parts. Only three parts ever saw the light of day, not only fucking up the Swordquest Contest, but also disappointing those who bought into the "series". Oh, they are also pretty much unplayable if you don't have the comic book to accompany you in playing them.
I feel that they are spot on with this article, as it is exactly what the industry as a whole has suffered with for some time, and a good supplement to The Underdog's Scratchware Manifesto. Scratchware is cheaply designed software designed to be entertaining, versus those that are Hollywood budget but offer shiny shit.
rosh said:
Linky?
http://www.the-underdogs.org/scratch.php
An interesting read, though I haven't gotten around to reading it fully yet. What can I say, I'm a <s>lazy</s> busy person.
An interesting read, though I haven't gotten around to reading it fully yet. What can I say, I'm a <s>lazy</s> busy person.
Hideki Hitler said:
Some more backstory can be found here: http://www.gooddealgames.com/articles/Boardquest.html
Medallion:
http://yosemite-sam.net/Solutions/Swordquest/steven-b.jpg
Challice:
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Lair/9260/sqfw4.jpg
This has to be one of the stranger marketing ploys in the history of gaming, right up there with the Treasure Quest game.
Good, but can't say I agree with all of it
Except that not all game include actions that are humanly possible or even star humans
The Lion King was one of the best platform games for the SNES/Sega Megadrive (Genesis), for the most part it was standard platform side-view. Then you got to the point where Simba is chased by a herd of angry bovarians. At that point I really didn't care about not seeing the world through Simba's eyes, since this view actually allowed me to see the damn buffalos (or whatever they were)
Plus the whole "CRPGs really should be isometric" thing.
Love that one, though. It's funny when you realise developers don't actually have to work on racing gasmes to make them balanced so they can be a challenge for beginners and experienced players, instead they just code in "if player gets too far away, speedburst"
Except that not all game include actions that are humanly possible or even star humans
The Lion King was one of the best platform games for the SNES/Sega Megadrive (Genesis), for the most part it was standard platform side-view. Then you got to the point where Simba is chased by a herd of angry bovarians. At that point I really didn't care about not seeing the world through Simba's eyes, since this view actually allowed me to see the damn buffalos (or whatever they were)
Plus the whole "CRPGs really should be isometric" thing.
Love that one, though. It's funny when you realise developers don't actually have to work on racing gasmes to make them balanced so they can be a challenge for beginners and experienced players, instead they just code in "if player gets too far away, speedburst"
Kharn said:
I think you are a little off of their point. Their main gripe is how unplayable some 3d games often are, mainly because the camera views were designed to be "artsy". Mario is not fun when you're jumping blind INTO the camera. At least you were able to see where you were going to be moving Simba, right? That is the important part.
It sounds like their bitch is about issues that plague games such as the 3d Castlevania games. Both the N64 and PS2 games make you go "Okay...which designer thought it would be great to have the camera track the character running sideways, so in effect the whip has a longer reach than my ability to see in front of the running character?" In other words, you run into a lot of enemies that have an attack range longer than the view distance in front of the character. You can effectively see farther behind and to the side than what both the game player and character both need to be aware of. The character certainly can't react to something if the player isn't aware of it.
Far too many games suffer from this.
Can you imagine what other shortcuts BioWare would try if they were to develop a racing game? Unfortunately, it would mean that most of the computer-controlled cars would be found stuck on the first bend of an S-curve....oh, wait, that is what "catch-up teleporting" is for, for the likewise lazy developers who also can't be bothered to code competent pathfinding. Well, it is no wonder BioWare translates well onto console, because that is their development quality.