This is my blog. I may tell you how stupid you are, depending on my mood, or how stupid the games you play are.

• 26Jun 08

  Gamespot is crap.

  Its so obvious it doesn't need pointing out, but I feel like stating the obvious today.

  They should change the name from gamespot to 'addspot' because thats all the whole thing amounts to.

  As gamers we should find a better community, I'm sure they are out there.

  F@ck you gamespot and all employees!

  • Posted Jun 26, 2008 12:42 am PT
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• 16May 08

  Games as an art form:

  There has been a great deal of talk lately about the future of video games. After the gigantic sales of games like GTA:4 and Halo 3*retch*, its not hard to see that video games have already hit the mainstream and are already a solid competitor in the entertainment industry. There is even speculation that, in a few years, the gaming industry will take in more cash than box office movies. Though they are becoming more popular I feel that, on the whole, video games are still lacking in a few areas.

  One of the most important areas games could be improved is in their stories. Now, not all video games need great stories to succeed or be fun. Team Fortress 2 is the perfect example of a game, completely and (in this case purposefully) devoid of any story, that is very successful and nearly flawlessly executed. But games like TF2 are a rare exception, where excellent gameplay alone can make a game worthwhile to play. The other element that can potentially elevate a game to greatness is its story.

  There are two parts to any story, the backstory i.e. the "universe" or setting, and the actual narrative that takes place (usually the part controlled by the players actions) in the present. In most cases, one of these parts will be stronger than the other, but if either part is extremely weak, the story as a whole fails. In any medium (books, TV, movies, games) stories where both the backstory and the narrative are well thought out are the ones we remember, the ones that are important. Take Tolkien's LotR novels, he created an extremely detailed, vivid, and (for its time) original setting and coupled it with epic and thrilling tales. This is why his stories are still being read and made into movies and games to this day.

  As far as games go, only a select few contain either a strong backstory or a strong narrative, fewer still contain both. Here are my thoughts on some of the recent ones I've played:

  Assassin's Creed - This game has one of the most enthralling stories in recent memory. Set in both the rarely seen crusades-era Holy Land and in an a somewhat generic Orwellian future, the narrative draws you in as you find out what happens next to both of the protagonists simultaneously. Again, one of the best, an example of how good stories in games can be.

  Crysis - A mediocre story. while it wasn't bad, it didn't offer much in the way of originality. Military guys vs. bad military guys vs. mysterious aliens is a pretty common theme in video game stories and Crysis doesn't really add anything to it. The plot progresses pretty much as expected throwing you into increasingly intense battles and then back out again. Though there isn't much backstory, Americans and Koreans fighting over alien technology, the stunning visuals and the level of detail really pull you into the setting. Its a good game that with a more engaging story could have been amazing.

  Bioshock - Here is a game with an amazingly intriguing backstory (and an amazing amount of pre-release hype to go with it), that didn't really follow through with a very compelling narrative. Not too long after your amazing swim from a fiery plane crash the story dissolves into your character kindly following a linear path to shoot up baddies and reach objectives. The underwater dystopia is really well conceived and the voice-recorded journal entries really add to the backstory, but the only interesting point in the plot is a semi-predictable twist 3/4 of the way through. Top it off with an anti-climatic boss battle and a cookie-cutter ending cut-scene, and you get a run-of-the-mill game that could have been great.

  Half-Life 2 (and episodes 1 & 2) - Almost exactly the opposite of Bioshock as far as story strengths and weaknesses. HL2 has an exciting and well written plot that keeps the player interested in finding out what will happen next, but a confusing and almost non-existent backstory. I played through the entire HL 1 and am vaguely aware that Gordon Freeman was part of some super-science experiment gone wrong, but I would be hard pressed to explain to someone where the Combine fit in and why the Vortigaunt aliens are suddenly on my team or what the G-man has to do with any of it (or how he can stop time). Regardless of the fact that almost everything other than the next goal is a mystery, HL2 keeps a player going because some interesting bit of story unfolds after (or during) every exciting battle.

  World of Warcraft (and the Burning Crusade) – With so many paying subscribers (what are they claiming now, 10 million+), WoW is arguably the most successful game ever. Strangely, I find it impossible to attribute this success to either a strong story or exciting gameplay, since WoW has neither. The game takes place in a universe with a history created and edited from previous Warcraft titles. This partially explains why the history is so convoluted and nonsensical that its a wonder the writers can even keep it straight. It seems to be an attempt to create a setting as rich in history and detail as the Tolkien universe, but fails for a lack of tact and prior thought. They seem to to just tack on content and append the history whenever they have a new idea. The in game plot is practically non-existent. No matter which race you choose you start off as a nobody, doing various tasks for npcs, and end (if you could consider there to be an end) as that same nobody, having done loads of tasks for loads of different npcs. Its a story-less RPG, even if you take the time to read every bit of quest text explaining why so-and-so needs 13 salty raptor eyes. What keeps people playing is, at first, exploring the well constructed and interesting world, then, getting your character to the highest level, and finally, the never-ending quest to get the best possible loot to show off to other players. I think its time Blizzard finally closed the book on the Warcraft universe, and used some of its billions to hire talented writers to come up with a fresh new story for players to have adventures in (hell, why not throw in some actual gameplay while they are at it).

  OK. That's a lot of ranting and raving, but I really would like to see more attention payed to story throughout the game industry. It really does make a difference, not just for the players, not just for the sales, but its the key factor in elevating video games from the level of 'mindless' entertainment to an actual art form. At the very least, it would give Uwe Boll much better material to completely trash for his movies.

  • Posted May 16, 2008 2:04 pm PT
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• 20Apr 08

  My 'Windows Live' Rant:

  What do people think about this?

  I personally find it one of the most greedy, horrible ideas in the history of PC gaming. I see it as Microsoft's bid to take over on-line gaming on the PC and make us all pay for what we are accustomed to getting for free (with the price of ISP/ game).

  Is it not a slap in the face to have to look at X-box controller inputs when you attempt to create an account for the damn thing?

  Who wants to play with a bunch of retarded twelve year-old xbox gamers anyway?

  I didn't buy Gears of War or Kane & Lynch because they required it (and I would have). I think pc gamers should all get together in tell Microsoft where they can stick it!

  Besides, we already have something much better, and its FREE, and its run by a respectable company. It's called STEAM. I have been using it since it came out and I haven't had a single problem with it, and Valve seems to have a genuine intrest in supporting its costumers as well as the (PC) gaming community, which I think is important.

  Boycott Windows Live.

  -Thanks.

  • Posted Apr 20, 2008 11:11 am PT
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