As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
We're funding a new Acquisitions Incorporated series on Kickstarter right now! Check it out at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pennyarcade/acquisitions-incorporated-the-series-2

Video Game Industry Thread: February's done, go to the new thread

1131416181999

Posts

  • McHogerMcHoger Registered User regular
    Dragkonias wrote:
    And I fail to see how trying to reach a bigger audience is a bad thing

    Ever watch network television?

  • fRAWRstfRAWRst The Seas Call The Mad AnswerRegistered User regular
    reVerse wrote:
    Fair enough, but that's not what video games are about.

    Are you really arguing about what constitutes as a "video game"?

    Cmon dude...

    J3qcnBP.png
  • reVersereVerse Attack and Dethrone God Registered User regular
    edited February 2012
    fRAWRst wrote:
    reVerse wrote:
    Fair enough, but that's not what video games are about.

    Are you really arguing about what constitutes as a "video game"?

    Cmon dude...

    I am arguing that interactivity, gameplay, is the very essence of a video game. You take that away and what you've got is a movie.

    reVerse on
  • RamiRami Registered User regular
    reVerse wrote:
    -Tal wrote:
    reVerse wrote:
    I was arguing her suggestion about removing gameplay. .

    she never made this suggestion

    she said there should be an option to skip gameplay

    Fair enough, but that's not what video games are about.

    Yeah they are. Video games are an interactive medium. Saying 'just write movies' or something isn't the same at all, viewers can't interact with a movie or affect it's outcome. There are plenty of essentially narrative only video games, just because they are more niche than space marines blowing things up it doesn't make them less viable video games. Companies can make the games they want, and consumers will buy the games they want. Your argument is the worst kind of childish patheticness that often accompanies this hobby, 'if you don't like exactly what I like you're wrong and a horrible person'.

    Steam / Xbox Live: WSDX NNID: W-S-D-X 3DS FC: 2637-9461-8549
    sig.gif
  • LockedOnTargetLockedOnTarget Registered User regular
    Good thing no one is saying gameplay should be removed. Or as you so eloquently put it, "destroyed".

  • darleysamdarleysam On my way to UKRegistered User regular
    reVerse wrote:
    fRAWRst wrote:
    reVerse wrote:
    Fair enough, but that's not what video games are about.

    Are you really arguing about what constitutes as a "video game"?

    Cmon dude...

    I am arguing that interactivity, gameplay, is the very essence of a video game. You take that away and what you've got is a movie.

    http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-02-14-dear-esther-review

    http://penny-arcade.com/report/editorial-article/dear-esther-is-a-game-but-you-have-to-bend-to-its-will-to-enjoy-the-experie

    Okay.

    forumsig.png
  • SyphonBlueSyphonBlue The studying beaver That beaver sure loves studying!Registered User regular
    reVerse wrote:
    fRAWRst wrote:
    reVerse wrote:
    Fair enough, but that's not what video games are about.

    Are you really arguing about what constitutes as a "video game"?

    Cmon dude...

    I am arguing that interactivity, gameplay, is the very essence of a video game. You take that away and what you've got is a movie.

    And? Some people want that. Nobody is forcing you to play it that way.

    LxX6eco.jpg
    PSN/Steam/NNID: SyphonBlue | BNet: SyphonBlue#1126
  • Skull2185Skull2185 Registered User regular
    cloudeagle wrote:
    Remember when Nintendo's Super Guide was going to end gaming as we know it?

    ...and then it did. Man, I'm getting tired of this post-apocalyptic gaming wasteland where all there is to play is Pong and the Atari 2600 E.T.

    When the bombs drop, that's were I'm going.

    I will trek west to the Mojave, and build a mansion out of ET game carts. I will be king!

    Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited February 2012
    McHoger wrote:
    Dragkonias wrote:
    And I fail to see how trying to reach a bigger audience is a bad thing

    Ever watch network television?

    Ever watch IFC?

    Niche is not a determinant of quality.

    *Note: I like some indie films, but what I'm saying is that you have your stinkers there too.

    Dragkonias on
  • fRAWRstfRAWRst The Seas Call The Mad AnswerRegistered User regular
    reVerse wrote:
    fRAWRst wrote:
    reVerse wrote:
    Fair enough, but that's not what video games are about.

    Are you really arguing about what constitutes as a "video game"?

    Cmon dude...

    I am arguing that interactivity, gameplay, is the very essence of a video game. You take that away and what you've got is a movie.

    So what? If the consumer market is paying dollars for the product, and they may pay more dollars and possibly enjoy it more if certain tedious or "not fun" gameplay segments are reduced, who the fuck are you to say "THATS WRONG AND THEYRE BAD?"



    J3qcnBP.png
  • reVersereVerse Attack and Dethrone God Registered User regular
    edited February 2012
    fRAWRst wrote:
    reVerse wrote:
    fRAWRst wrote:
    reVerse wrote:
    Fair enough, but that's not what video games are about.

    Are you really arguing about what constitutes as a "video game"?

    Cmon dude...

    I am arguing that interactivity, gameplay, is the very essence of a video game. You take that away and what you've got is a movie.

    So what? If the consumer market is paying dollars for the product, and they may pay more dollars and possibly enjoy it more if certain tedious or "not fun" gameplay segments are reduced, who the fuck are you to say "THATS WRONG AND THEYRE BAD?"

    I'm not casting judgement on you or anyone else who is bad at video games or doesn't like the particular gameplay of a particular game and just wants to sit through a story. My issue here is, specifically, someone who works in the video game industry voicing her willingness to undermine the one thing that makes video games better than books or movies.

    reVerse on
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    Guys. GUYS. We need to stop arguing that silliness and immediately address the huge news that a beloved gaming character is coming back, namely:

    23rul.jpg
    The classic Dreamcast virtual pet sim Seaman will be revived on the 3DS, according to a report at the online edition of Nikkei.

    In a feature about Nintendo, Nikkei mentions a plan from the company to revive other publisher's titles on the 3DS as part of a strategy to bring new strong titles to the system. The paper mentions Seaman as an example of this, but does not provide specifics.

    Seaman creator Yoot Saito, who's currently making one of the four games in Level-5's Guild 01 on 3DS, hinted back in June 2010 that Seaman could appear on 3DS.

    Released by Sega in 1999, Seaman caused a sensation throughout Japan and became one of the Dreamcast's best selling games.

    Nikkei's mention of Seaman came as part of a general report about Nintendo's earnings and future prospects.

    http://andriasang.com/con012/seaman_3ds/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

    Oh my lord that's awesome. If you don't know why that's awesome, check this out:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb7IbLEPRUs

    ...then again that game didn't really contain any "gameplay" and therefore must be destroyed retroactively.

    Oh, the same article mentioned that Nintendo is so doomed they're expanding:
    The report also has a look at the construction grounds of Nintendo's new development studio, which is scheduled to open at the end of December 2013. Construction is taking place on the land of a former golf practice grounds. Iwata was a regular at an Italian restaurant on the second floor of the facility, and his companion was always Shigeru Miyamoto. According to Nikkei, it's at this restaurant that the two finalized the concept for the Nintendo DS.

    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • fRAWRstfRAWRst The Seas Call The Mad AnswerRegistered User regular
    edited February 2012
    I bought a dreamcast over the winter break and was really sad to see copies of Seaman are expensive.

    Too bad I won't buy a 3ds =[

    fRAWRst on
    J3qcnBP.png
  • Brainiac 8Brainiac 8 Don't call me Shirley... Registered User regular
    Because you are deathly allergic to Nintendo handhelds? :P

    3DS Friend Code - 1032-1293-2997
    Nintendo Network ID - Brainiac_8
    PSN - Brainiac_8
    Steam - http://steamcommunity.com/id/BRAINIAC8/
    Add me!
  • RainbowDespairRainbowDespair Registered User regular
    reVerse wrote:
    fRAWRst wrote:
    reVerse wrote:
    fRAWRst wrote:
    reVerse wrote:
    Fair enough, but that's not what video games are about.

    Are you really arguing about what constitutes as a "video game"?

    Cmon dude...

    I am arguing that interactivity, gameplay, is the very essence of a video game. You take that away and what you've got is a movie.

    So what? If the consumer market is paying dollars for the product, and they may pay more dollars and possibly enjoy it more if certain tedious or "not fun" gameplay segments are reduced, who the fuck are you to say "THATS WRONG AND THEYRE BAD?"

    I'm not casting judgement on you or anyone else who is bad at video games or doesn't like the particular gameplay of a particular game and just wants to sit through a story. My issue here is, specifically, someone who works in the video game industry voicing her willingness to undermine the one thing that makes video games better than books or movies.

    In your typical Bioware game, there is interactivity outside of combat. So if someone wants to play Mass Effect 3 as a Choose Your Own Adventure visual novel, I don't see why they shouldn't be able to.

    And like someone else mentioned, an alternate mode that's just combat and leveling up that skips all the story & just gives you a short synopsis of the plot between levels would be cool too.

    I thought about offering a story-only mode in our own games, but our games are pretty short already.

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Skipping gameplay is something that some companies have done. Metroid: Other M had a movie mode, as did Metal Gear Solid 3. But those are narratives that can be experienced within a couple of hours. The games she works on at Bioware are entirely too massive to condense into some sort of story mode. But maybe she can work on that internally in the future? I dunno. She isn't suggesting video games be done away with permanently or by force. What she's said is that she wishes you can skip gameplay elements by mashing X repeatedly, just like you can for game dialog if you choose to do so. Again, she's a writer, and she doesn't want the work she puts in to be ignored. Then again, she's still getting the paycheck and it's not like her bosses are ignoring her work.

    The bottom line is, she voiced an opinion, she wants more recognition. Now in that regard, while I can understand that sentiment to some degree, that's her fucking problem, and maybe it is a weak sign of character for her to jump up in the background going "HARUMPH PEOPLE OVERLOOK MY WORK!" Hell, I don't think I've seen a music composer bitch about people who turn off the audio in a game (but then again I guess they get the Sound Test modes). But really, who gives a shit. She's not in a position to make sweeping changes overnight, let alone at all. If they do include the ability to skip the gameplay, then I seriously doubt it will come at the exclusion of gameplay itself.

    Some people don't give a shit about any video game narratives. That's okay. Some people do give a shit about them. Also okay. Video games are capable of more than just the gameplay itself, there's all sorts of shit going on. It's a huge industry that involves a lot of supporting work from other industries to make some things happen (film direction, voice acting direction, music composition, etc etc etc). Yes, at the core there is gameplay, but your primary means of enjoyment doesn't mean everyone elses' is invalid to them.

  • fRAWRstfRAWRst The Seas Call The Mad AnswerRegistered User regular
    edited February 2012
    Brainiac 8 wrote:
    Because you are deathly allergic to Nintendo handhelds? :P

    Im one of those people who hates having pockets full. I barley game on the go, and my iphone scratches that itch with game dev story. Also being a college student doesnt help.

    fRAWRst on
    J3qcnBP.png
  • ElvenshaeElvenshae Registered User regular
    reVerse wrote:
    fRAWRst wrote:
    reVerse wrote:
    fRAWRst wrote:
    reVerse wrote:
    Fair enough, but that's not what video games are about.

    Are you really arguing about what constitutes as a "video game"?

    Cmon dude...

    I am arguing that interactivity, gameplay, is the very essence of a video game. You take that away and what you've got is a movie.

    So what? If the consumer market is paying dollars for the product, and they may pay more dollars and possibly enjoy it more if certain tedious or "not fun" gameplay segments are reduced, who the fuck are you to say "THATS WRONG AND THEYRE BAD?"

    I'm not casting judgement on you or anyone else who is bad at video games or doesn't like the particular gameplay of a particular game and just wants to sit through a story. My issue here is, specifically, someone who works in the video game industry voicing her willingness to undermine the one thing that makes video games better than books or movies.

    In your typical Bioware game, there is interactivity outside of combat. So if someone wants to play Mass Effect 3 as a Choose Your Own Adventure visual novel, I don't see why they shouldn't be able to.

    And like someone else mentioned, an alternate mode that's just combat and leveling up that skips all the story & just gives you a short synopsis of the plot between levels would be cool too.

    I thought about offering a story-only mode in our own games, but our games are pretty short already.
    You monster.

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    I thought about offering a story-only mode in our own games, but our games are pretty short already.

    OMG, SELLOUT FUCKER, DESTROYING THE FOUNDATION AND CORE OF VIDEO GAMES, GTFO, U SUK, *expletive after expletive, female body part*, UR GAEM SUX N E HOW

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Gentlemen, I have very important news. The most important Kickstarter has begun today, possibly rivaling Double Fine's Kickstarter in importance.

    Idle Thumbs is coming back. After some help.

  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    cloudeagle wrote:
    The classic Dreamcast virtual pet sim Seaman will be revived on the 3DS, according to a report at the online edition of Nikkei.

    http://andriasang.com/con012/seaman_3ds/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

    Oh my lord that's awesome.

    Holy crap are you serious.

    Switch Friend Code: SW - 5443 - 2358 - 9118 || 3DS Friend Code: 0989 - 1731 - 9504 || NNID: unclesporky
  • Skull2185Skull2185 Registered User regular
    Zeboyd Game$

    Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
  • CantidoCantido Registered User regular
    cloudeagle wrote:
    The classic Dreamcast virtual pet sim Seaman will be revived on the 3DS, according to a report at the online edition of Nikkei.

    http://andriasang.com/con012/seaman_3ds/?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

    Oh my lord that's awesome.

    Holy crap are you serious.

    Fuuuuuuuuuu

    3DS Friendcode 5413-1311-3767
  • Mego ThorMego Thor "I say thee...NAY!" Registered User regular
    Dragkonias wrote:
    cloudeagle wrote:
    ...so other than that comment, she didn't actually do anything in Mass Effect itself that people hate, right?

    She doesn't even do the writing for Mass Effect.

    She works on Dragon Age.

    Ah, so she's already implemented her "gameplay is optional" plan.

    Ba dump-bump!

    kyrcl.png
  • McHogerMcHoger Registered User regular
    Seaman may be the most frightening video game I have ever seen. I still have nightmares.

  • V FactionV Faction Registered User regular
    Can't wait to get that 3D Seaman in my eyes.

    Nintendo Network ID: V-Faction | XBL: V Faction | Steam | 3DS: 3136 - 6603 - 1330
    Pokemon White Friend Code: 0046-2121-0723/White 2 Friend Code: 0519-5126-2990
    "Did ya hear the one about the mussel that wanted to purchase Valve? Seems like the bivalve had a juicy offer on the table but the company flat-out refused and decided to immediately clam up!"
  • SyphonBlueSyphonBlue The studying beaver That beaver sure loves studying!Registered User regular
    V Faction wrote:
    Can't wait to get that 3D Seaman in my eyes.

    CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE SEMEN

    LxX6eco.jpg
    PSN/Steam/NNID: SyphonBlue | BNet: SyphonBlue#1126
  • LockedOnTargetLockedOnTarget Registered User regular
    Mego Thor wrote:
    Dragkonias wrote:
    cloudeagle wrote:
    ...so other than that comment, she didn't actually do anything in Mass Effect itself that people hate, right?

    She doesn't even do the writing for Mass Effect.

    She works on Dragon Age.

    Ah, so she's already implemented her "gameplay is optional" plan.

    Ba dump-bump!

    Man have you played those games? If anything their biggest problem is there is too much combat between story events.

  • Alistair HuttonAlistair Hutton Dr EdinburghRegistered User regular
    edited February 2012
    In your typical Bioware game, there is interactivity outside of combat. So if someone wants to play Mass Effect 3 as a Choose Your Own Adventure visual novel, I don't see why they shouldn't be able to.

    Alpha Protocol would have been game of the year if there was an option to ditch the combat (well, technically Stealth&Pistol is that but it still takes time).
    And like someone else mentioned, an alternate mode that's just combat and leveling up that skips all the story & just gives you a short synopsis of the plot between levels would be cool too.

    Grandia II would have been vastly improved.

    Alistair Hutton on
    I have a thoughtful and infrequently updated blog about games http://whatithinkaboutwhenithinkaboutgames.wordpress.com/

    I made a game, it has penguins in it. It's pay what you like on Gumroad.

    Currently Ebaying Nothing at all but I might do in the future.
  • cloudeaglecloudeagle Registered User regular
    Henroid wrote:
    Gentlemen, I have very important news. The most important Kickstarter has begun today, possibly rivaling Double Fine's Kickstarter in importance.

    Idle Thumbs is coming back. After some help.

    Wow, two thirds of the way to their modest goal already.

    That reminds me... the Double Fine kickstarter has hit two million.

    Switch: 3947-4890-9293
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    People really want some Psychonauts 2, don't they.

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    cloudeagle wrote:
    Henroid wrote:
    Gentlemen, I have very important news. The most important Kickstarter has begun today, possibly rivaling Double Fine's Kickstarter in importance.

    Idle Thumbs is coming back. After some help.

    Wow, two thirds of the way to their modest goal already.

    That reminds me... the Double Fine kickstarter has hit two million.

    I think we're discovering that Kickstarters are very much a smash success to anything / anyone that's a cult or sleeper success.

  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    I'm just worried about the inevitable bandwagoning this will cause.

  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited February 2012
    A video game is a leisure activity in which you interact with moving images on a display using a control interface of some kind.

    Defining any deeper that that gets you genres of video games.

    That right there? That's a video game. Don't like it? Then you think your favourite genre is super special. That's your problem to deal with.

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • AlgertmanAlgertman Registered User regular
    Henroid wrote:
    Gentlemen, I have very important news. The most important Kickstarter has begun today, possibly rivaling Double Fine's Kickstarter in importance.

    Idle Thumbs is coming back. After some help.

    30k for a podcast?

  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Algertman wrote:
    Henroid wrote:
    Gentlemen, I have very important news. The most important Kickstarter has begun today, possibly rivaling Double Fine's Kickstarter in importance.

    Idle Thumbs is coming back. After some help.

    30k for a podcast?

    Read the details. They're stepping things up to a more professional level. But that aside, it also takes time and money out of their own pocket to produce a podcast to begin with.

  • Undead ScottsmanUndead Scottsman Registered User regular
    edited February 2012
    Lilnoobs wrote:
    I'm more interested in how diverse these additional packages will get. Will movies (unrelated to the main franchise) come attached with DLC? Figures? Other outside products?

    IIRC, Green Lantern on Blu-Ray came with a code for the Sinestro Corp Batman Suit in Arkham City.

    Undead Scottsman on
  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    EVOL wrote:
    http://www.destructoid.com/bioware-writer-s-vagina-versus-the-internet-222206.phtml

    Bioware's Jennifer Hepler vs /v/. Yeah, this is not going to end well. The amount of vitrol and hate that /v/ had for this woman is pretty pathetic.
    While it's true that the attack on her is completely out of line, I'm not sure I trust anything written by Jim Sterling that criticizes internet trolls

    steam_sig.png
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Dragkonias wrote:
    I'm just worried about the inevitable bandwagoning this will cause.

    That bandwagon may already be here. But don't worry, the bandwagon will end when some high-profile Kickstarter misuses the funds or doesn't deliver to expectations by a long shot. Then people will be like "FUCK KICKSTARTERS" and it won't work anymore.

  • AlgertmanAlgertman Registered User regular
    Spoit wrote:
    EVOL wrote:
    http://www.destructoid.com/bioware-writer-s-vagina-versus-the-internet-222206.phtml

    Bioware's Jennifer Hepler vs /v/. Yeah, this is not going to end well. The amount of vitrol and hate that /v/ had for this woman is pretty pathetic.
    While it's true that the attack on her is completely out of line, I'm not sure I trust anything written by Jim Sterling that criticizes internet trolls

    People like Jim Sterling are the reason I can never take gaming journalism serious.

This discussion has been closed.