Ah, I don't know Cam. I understand the logic behind eye-contact decreasing hostility, however, I like most people play video games in my underwear and i'd really rather not have Microsoft disciplining my account because of virtual exhibitionism.
Haha, good video, even if it wasn't a particularly provocative concept. Hard to believe there are people in the gaming world who've never played Pokemon. Considering i've played ever single title and given Gamefreak loads of cash over a fifteen plus year period, I can't say i've even met someone who hasn't played at least the first few titles. That being said, i've never played a single Final Fantasy, so, to each his own I suppose.
I guess the bigger question is "Should I buy a 3DS", since the only reason i'd even consider purchasing the system is to play Pokemon. Honestly, despite the success of the game, I think it might be the end of my streak
@neroist I never said stating your opinion makes you a teenage boy, however stating your opinion in an immature fashion while mudslinging slurs is certainly teenage boy behavior. The hate doesn't bother me, I spent five years as a moderator on Newgrounds and i've gotten my fair share of hate mail, but drawing attention to those who feed off it seems counter-productive.
The dangers of anonymous. I've made some real connections online with people from all over the globe, and I must say that the internet has just as much potential to unite as it does to divide. That's the beauty of it, and censorship is never the answer, however the proclivity of teenage male users is a direct contributor to the violent verbal outbursts we're used to seeing in comment sections all over the internet. It's aggressive, but not necessarily typed by aggressive people. The angst is evident, and when teenagers have access to say whatever nonsense they can think of, often for the sole purpose of saying nonsense, the results are always bad.
It's a maturity thing, and unfortunately, it won't ever change. I've been active on online forums for over ten years, and it's always been this way. It's not exclusive to the GameSpot community, obviously, just check CNN for the latest on the so-called Miss America 'scandal'. The internet can be a very angry place with no consequences, and banning people and deleting comments is as effective as the 'war on drugs'. Preventative policies are always a sh*t plan.
So where do we go from here? Do we just move on with our lives and continue to lambast eachother at every opportunity? Do we let the trolls run wild and keep fuel on the flame wars? I think the fundamental thing to understand is that these people make these comments for attention. They're frustrated youth, and often the online world is the one place where people listen to these frustrations. I hate to say it, but last week's Feedbackula and this video only contribute to fire. Before the term "troll" was coined sometime in the mid 2000's, we called these people attention whores. And if you deprive them of this essential troll nutrient, they recede back to the normal, respectful, and intelligent contributors they most likely are. It's all for attention.
What's the solution? Well, the least we can do is try and understand. Hug your kids, when you have them. Listen to their teenage problems and try to identify as best you can with their generation's strife. Telling a bunch of teenagers they need to behave is not an effective message. However, all they want is your attention, and if we try to engage them in to intellectual conversation they might just turn a corner.
Then again, some people are just complete jackass sh*tstains that'll spend their whole lives trying to ruin yours. That's just an accepted given of the world we live in.
Boring missions are boring. I don't feel more invested in the heist (which turned out to be worth 0 dollars) when I have to spend 15 minutes operating a fork lift and a crane. That's not a video game. That's work. And it wasn't fun.
The dialogue borders on complete nonsense. I seem to remember the subtlety of GTA's writing; the clever quips and the odd nuances that make you laugh and make you think seriously about our society. Unfortunately, this is replaced with utter lunacy. A complete, nonsensical cavalcade of negativity and anti-americanism. The political messages are rife with hypocrisy and delusions. I genuinely have no idea what they're trying to say about the state of our culture, because everything seems to be awful. Plus, the jokes aren't funny. At all. Maybe i'm just looking back on San Andreas with starry eyes, but the dialogue was written by a 16 year old boy.
The plotline: Or rather, lack there of it. I'm halfway through the game, and I really don't see the purpose of any of it. GTA III had you weasel your way through crime syndicates. Vice City had you trying to build your empire while simultaneously investigating the death of your partner and the double-cross in opening moments. San Andreas had you desperately climbing the criminal social ladder from no-nothing gang-banger to multifaceted business tycoon and professional criminal. GTA IV had you looking for someone, as Niko constantly reminded us every five minutes. But GTA V? Um.. well.. I don't know. Get money? Rob people? Where's the story here? I don't understand the motivations of the characters. Why the hell would Franklin even talk to Michael after what happened? Why was Michael so scared of Trevor and his betrayal, only to hang out with Trevor like everything was normal? None of it makes an sense, and it's a convoluted mess of morality and ridiculousness.
I could go on all day about WHY this game doesn't deserve a ten, but everyone has their reasons. It's a great game, by all means, but in no way is it perfect. Not even close.
Well, in all fairness it seems a bit silly to blast a game because you aren't very good at it. I hate to toot my own horn, but my biggest issue is the LACK of difficulty. I often rout my opponents on the hardest difficulty with hardcore settings.. but I digress, most of the review is spot on. EA has no competition, and they recycle the same game every single year. I'm very glad to hear they did away with the absolutely stupid fighting mechanics from the past few seasons, and in all honesty, Be a Pro has always been bland and stupid.
They need a reality check. But the reality is that we will always keep buying their new titles. I've bought every single game since NHL Hockey (92), and I don't plan on stopping this year. But Jesus, I wish they'd at least try
Really can't understate the accompanying emotions when those adventures first started. Emerging from the sewers of Cyrodiil, that first visit to Megaton, and that sense of potential that seemed to overwhelm me.
I wish I could take those moments back. Erase my memory and experience that first battle with a dragon or the first time I blew a Super Mutant to bits. The first time I took off to Red Mountain with genuine fear while my heart beat out of my chest. That comfort you talked about is what I actually dread. I don't want the capital wasteland to seem familiar, and it shouldn't.
But there will always be new games and new memories to create. GTA V will captivate my imagination the same reason it will yours; the adventure. To explore. Ironically, while doing so sitting in my underwear on my old couch.
-Canas-'s comments