This article touched on very important points, and they are all valid and sound. I do however, want to touch on what Yerli said from a game designing standpoint, rather than his reasoning behind the statement and how it affects Crytek and the rest of the industry, as was mentioned in this article. What was said by Yerli, from a game design standpoint, is a complete fallacy. Graphics, are one aspect of designing a game, if at all one. There are a lot of games (old and new) that are text heavy, and rely on many other aspects that are the foundation on which they find greatness. In fact, many indie and some non-indie games challenge this thought process, and manage find success in the industry. Good game design (in my humble opinion), is made up of a lot more elements than I can mention. Some of these variables are, but not limited to: Writing, level design, gameplay design, innovation, story, sound (which includes everything from music to sound effects and other things), character design, AI, etc.. Of course, these are just some of the many game design elements (not every game relies on all of them combined either), and not one single aspect should be the main focus in all of video games in the industry.
I hope this didn't drag on for too long. I just find this misconception to be widely accepted sometimes, and I wanted to voice my opinion on the matter; I'm no game designer, but I do enjoy the different aspects that go into designing a game.
@ @carolynmichelle While this is a very interesting read, with important issues in general, it seems that there are a number of very important variables that were not factored in when writing this. First, Japan really has no ill view on homosexuality or transgenders; in fact, it is very accepted there. Second, what we infer from the game as a western audience, could be different from what is actually implied in meaning and the way these meanings are delivered. Translation can only go so far, and the way people talk in a certain part of the world (i.e. figure of speech, subtle implications, etc.) can change things; in this case, translation may have altered the original context of things and their meanings. Let's not also forget, there are social issues in Japan that are probably different from what we're used to in our own unique cultures; those issues could also translate (I'm using "translate" figuratively here) poorly when crossing over. These are all some of the main points to consider when talking about such topics, and in this case, games from Japan and other cultures. Anyway, I hope this was helpful, and perhaps shed some light on a few things.
Alright, I finished my video and uploaded it to YouTube. Here is the link: #videodromehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Btq7UURD3_M I hope you enjoy; let me know what you think.
I'm doing some final editing on my new video, which I will be uploading by tomorrow; of course, I'll be putting a link here as well. I'm just posting this to make sure that there's still someone in GameSpot who might see this, and not cancel or forget about the contest (looking at Tom's picture, hoping those games weren't given away yet). I know that the contest ends on the 15th, but because there were no submissions (have to admit, I'm a little surprised and kinda glad), I figured I would post this.
Interesting looking games; I really appreciate the 'Big in Japan' articles, as they are a very much needed window to view a bit of Japan's games and gaming industry. As a gamer, I find it odd that Japanese and other Asian games are always grouped as such and have little exposure here; the reason I say this is because most gamers who have been playing video games for a while, were most likely raised playing a lot of Japanese games, especially RPG fans.
@thedarklinglord Really? *sigh*Alcoholic drinks are one of the most abused substances in the world, and they are a huge cause in all kinds of death, yet they are legally sold to people of age. This game has an M for mature on it as a protective measure, and I'm very doubtful we need anything extra. As an example: should cars start locking out after a certain mile usage in a day and locking speed to 100 mi/p? Accidents are one of the leading causes of death after all.
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