The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
The Guiding Principles and New Rules document is now in effect.
Let's talk about artsy fartsy games
Zombiemambo
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I've noticed a little game design movement becoming more popular in the indie scene for the past couple of years. They explore new gameplay elements and experimental narratives without necessarily worrying about the overall quality of the game itself. This can lead to some interesting results and games that try new things with reckless abandon.
Is this the new direction we want gaming to take? Do we want to see more "non-games" (not casual games) that aren't afraid of new ideas, even if they might not work? Personally I hope we at least see this new approach in a few mainstream titles.
That's not to say that games haven't tried new, risky things. Shadow of The Colossus told a story with characters that didn't speak, and enemies that the player sympathized with just as much as the protagonist. And before that, Ico was a simple love story that tapped into the innocence of our childhood.
The first game I want to talk about is Gravity Bone. It's a very short FPS mod using the Quake (?) engine. I feel that any more detail would ruin the experience for you, so you should just give it a try. Grotto King and Barista 2 are also worth checking out if you like GB.
Dear Esther is another first person game that uses the Source engine. The experience is enhanced when the player goes into it knowing almost nothing, so I won't say too much about it. the website has screenshots and a ton of info about the game and the concepts behind it. If you're in the least bit curious, at least check out the site.
Obviously by now you've all heard of Flower. I'll admit I have yet to play it since I lack a PS3, but from what I've heard it has an interesting narrative and benefits a lot from its stripped-down gameplay.
Exploration-based games like Seiklus and Knytt Stories offer something a little different, (mostly) lacking a narrative and drawing the player into the atmosphere. Knytt Stories also allows players to create new adventures, something that has produced some very interesting results.
So what do you think? Some of these games are way more experimental than others (Gravity Bone and Dear Esther are games one must play for oneself to really understand [and Dear Esther is a game you might never fully understand]), but they all offer something different from the games that currently dominate the market. I feel like we've reached a point where developers aren't willing to take risks, so it's up to those who aren't out to make a profit to do it instead, and to a greater extreme.
Is this the new direction we want gaming to take? Do we want to see more "non-games" (not casual games) that aren't afraid of new ideas, even if they might not work? Personally I hope we at least see this new approach in a few mainstream titles.
That's not to say that games haven't tried new, risky things. Shadow of The Colossus told a story with characters that didn't speak, and enemies that the player sympathized with just as much as the protagonist. And before that, Ico was a simple love story that tapped into the innocence of our childhood.
The first game I want to talk about is Gravity Bone. It's a very short FPS mod using the Quake (?) engine. I feel that any more detail would ruin the experience for you, so you should just give it a try. Grotto King and Barista 2 are also worth checking out if you like GB.
Dear Esther is another first person game that uses the Source engine. The experience is enhanced when the player goes into it knowing almost nothing, so I won't say too much about it. the website has screenshots and a ton of info about the game and the concepts behind it. If you're in the least bit curious, at least check out the site.
Obviously by now you've all heard of Flower. I'll admit I have yet to play it since I lack a PS3, but from what I've heard it has an interesting narrative and benefits a lot from its stripped-down gameplay.
Exploration-based games like Seiklus and Knytt Stories offer something a little different, (mostly) lacking a narrative and drawing the player into the atmosphere. Knytt Stories also allows players to create new adventures, something that has produced some very interesting results.
So what do you think? Some of these games are way more experimental than others (Gravity Bone and Dear Esther are games one must play for oneself to really understand [and Dear Esther is a game you might never fully understand]), but they all offer something different from the games that currently dominate the market. I feel like we've reached a point where developers aren't willing to take risks, so it's up to those who aren't out to make a profit to do it instead, and to a greater extreme.
Zombiemambo on
0
Posts
I think so, yes. Each area with a soundclip plays one of three, so you have to play it multiple times to get the whole story.
Passage, the best art game ever.
Dyson
Steam ID: slashx000______Twitter: @bill_at_zeboyd______ Facebook: Zeboyd Games
Yeah I know what you're talking about. Dear Esther is so much more pretentious than any of the other games mentioned, though.
I'm really intrigued by this game, I can't wait to get a new comp so I can check it out.
I'm not entirely sure you can call it a game per se, but as an experience it was very nice. Which is pretty much the same thing I had to say about flOw.
Woo! Yes, thank you, that's the one!
It's pretty good at that.
Steam ID: slashx000______Twitter: @bill_at_zeboyd______ Facebook: Zeboyd Games
edit: damn beat'ed
Steam
Also, Facade is pretty cool, even if the tech's not quite there.
Also, I know people already mentioned Passage, but it's worth noting that there is now an iPhone port.
Couldn't tell you... Once I managed to help them reconcile, but I always have a hard time getting it to parse my grammar.
I got to talk to the guy who designed that game, Mike Mateas, since for a brief stint I was going to major in game design at UCSC, where he teaches. Very interesting dude. He wants to make artificial intelligence better not by making it 'smarter', but by figuring out how to make it care if it wins or loses.
Man Mondo Medicals/Mondo Agency were so fucking trippy and weird. If that's not artsy I don't know what is.
I never asked for this!
I've tried to seduce one of them a few times but was always unsuccessful.
Cactus has made some pretty artsy games. SoTC just scrapes the surface.
But I won't have time before then.
I never asked for this!
I like to pretend I'm Hexxus and I'm capturing all those pesky faeries!