GameNazi...erm - GameSpot Posted Preview Today...

FesterSilently · January 2008

...and I hope I'm teh first one to have perused this wee diatribe meself, so's I can be the first to pillory it!

Here 'tis: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/pennyarcadeadventures/news.html?sid=6184784&mode=previews

A few minor things first: "What we saw will appeal to Penny Arcade fans, however its colorful style and even more colorful humor may strike a chord with those who havenâ€™t read the strip."

In other words, "It's oKAY...and maybe some of you unwashed apes out there who aren't slavish Penny Arcade fans *might* get a jolly or two out of it...of course we're not saying we recoMMEND it or anything..."

Next, in homage to the huge and wonderful Bible-Belt that keeps this country together: "Basically, youâ€™re raking the leaves in your front lawn one day when a super-sized version of the Fruit Fornicator stomps on your abode"

Um...is it *really* called "Fornicator" in the game, or were these guys just afraid to say "Fucker" on their site?

But the thing that grabbed my attention the most in this huge morass of "meh", was this bit, "The dialogue and text for the game was written by Jerry â€œTychoâ€ Holkins, but it seems like it could have also been penned by famous writer/director Kevin Smith."

Wha'? Hunh?!

</reflex> FUCK Kevin Smith!

I mean, not really, but still...

It's like this: I'm not on Jerry's dick, per se, neither do I harbor any great animus for Mr. Smith, but comparing those guys' writing styles is kinda like...kinda like...well, I really can't come up with a suitable parallel, you know? Further, more measured qualification: I admire Jerry's prose style and flair for phrasing, as well as his tendency towards logorrheia and sesquipedalianism; as I admire (some) of Kevin's movies, and the wit and heart contained therein, but, it's like...apples and oranges, man - apples and fucking oranges!

Okay, I'm done.

And I expect a full report on my desk by close of business today.

That is all. O_o

Peace,
Fester

Xaquin · January 2008

You don't get to control Gabe or Tycho?

edit: I'm confused, in one part it says:

It’s 1922 in New Arcadia, the fictional burg where Gabe and Tycho run their detective agency, Startling Developments. You, however, don’t get to play as either of them.

but then it says:

Once the timer runs down, you can perform another action. If you have a party containing Gabe, Tycho, and your character, you’re basically juggling all three of them at once. For instance, Gabe might make a melee attack, and afterwards while his timer is cooling down you might have Tycho execute a special ability, and afterwards while his timer is cooling down you might have your character use a bandage to heal Gabe.

edit again: I don't think the article is saying anything bad about the game really.

NotASenator · January 2008

The two characters follow your character around and you control them in combat, but they are essentially just party members and not the main character under your control. I don't get what difference it makes, but I guess people have insertion fantasies where they are, in fact, Gabe.

EvilBadman · January 2008

Christ, this OP is atrocious. I was going to quote the whole damned thing and comment on parts as I see fit, but that's going to be far too time consuming. So here's the bullet points.

The thread title jab at GameNazi is something I expect to see on GameFaqs.
Trying read your post as its written in some alien dialect is incredibly infuriating.
Regarding the Fruit "Fornicator" I quote the article, "(Yes, fans of the series will recognize the robots have a different name in Penny Arcade, but we’re trying to be clean, here.)"
The parallels between Tycho (Apple) and Smith (Orange) lie in their ability to write natural sounding dialogue, their penchant for monologues and their frequent dabbling in profane vocabulary. You will notice that the comparison in the article is justified by the two sentences preceding it.
Upon inspection, this review seems hardly damning, in fact the last sentence the author expresses anticipation for the game. Even if it was, no one would believe them or care, especially frequenters of these fine forums.
Don't sign your posts. That's what a signature is for.

You will notice I have been editing this post a couple times, but the more I read the OP and the Linked Article, the more apparent it is that someone lacks basic reading comprehension and raced to MAEK POAST.

Congratulations, good sir.

FesterSilently · January 2008

Firstly - all apologies for any confusion or...lack of clarity on my part.

Okay. *rolls up sleeves*

Sorry about the "GameNazi" thing, but it's an affectation my wee cadre of gaming friends and I employ regarding the site. An "in-joke", let's say. Again, sorry about that.

"Trying read your post as its written in some alien dialect is incredibly infuriating." Hunh? I'll admit it's a bit rambling and vague from place to place, but..."some alien dialect"? I'm not exactly sure what you're referring to. O_o?

And, yeah - guilty as charged, I did *not* read the entire thing, and missed the whole "Fruit Fucker" explanation. I deserve a sound kick in the head for that.

As far as this goes (from the article, regarding the auctorial comparison), "To say it’s a bit colorful would be something of an understatement, as swear words are thrown about constantly. At the same time, there’s intelligence in the dialogue, a pop culture hipness almost."

I don't agree - one could have thrown ANY reasonably "hip" and verbose writer/director/actor/whatever in there -- I simply don't think Kevin Smith is a fair comparison.

"Upon inspection, this review seems hardly damning,..." Erm...yes and no. I think it wavers on the fence throughout the article, and just because he throws a life preserver out at the end as a parting shot does not make me think the author is clearly on one side or another (regarding the game).

"...the more apparent it is that someone lacks basic reading comprehension" Umm...all apologies, but fuck you.

"...raced to MAEK POAST" Again, guilty. And I apologize, because I *should* have read the article much more in-depth before running to create this post. I need to learn to rein in my tendency to emote before thinking!

So, in summation, "Christ, this OP is atrocious...trying read your post as its written in some alien dialect is incredibly infuriating."

Mmm-kay - I'll go out right now and purchase an "Alien-to-English" dictionary and study my ass off. So then my next maek poast will be less infuriatingly alien, n'cest pas?

(And, what, were you on a roll, or something? Pillorying my lack of sig? Jumping up and down on my head for signing my post? Perhaps I find it a bit more humanizing when I sign, instead of having a rubber-stamped sig, ya ever think o' that Kemo Sabe? I honestly didn't/don't think it's that big a deal. Apparently I am wrong.

)

Peace.

P.S.

"The parallels...lie in their ability to write natural sounding dialogue, their penchant for monologues and their frequent dabbling in profane vocabulary" Seriously nice summation and use of verbiage. I'm not kidding or trying to be, I dunno...wry or anything - I really think that's a hell of a description.

Threepio · January 2008

OP does not deliver. The article, much like a vanilla wafer, does not challenge or offend the palate. This thread seems to be the epitome of a teapot-bound tempest.

EvilBadman · January 2008

Threepio wrote: »

OP does not deliver. The article, much like a vanilla wafer, does not challenge or offend the palate. This thread seems to be the epitome of a teapot-bound tempest.

This.

strike_the_trip · January 2008

Whoa, dude - you need to relax a bit! I didn't read anything negative in his impressions and you should remember that's just what they are: impressions.

Tofystedeth · January 2008

*also rolls up his sleeves

Positive phrasing in the article:

Fans of the popular Web comic Penny Arcade know it to be many things: smart, vulgar, irreverent, vulgar, witty, vulgar, and so on. Those elements are certainly on display in Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode One

What we saw will appeal to Penny Arcade fans, however its colorful style and even more colorful humor may strike a chord with those who havenâ€™t read the strip.

Note that he didn't say "might just if you're lucky." He was saying you don't have to be a drooling PA fanboy to enjoy it.

but an adventure game with a fairly involved and deep battle system.

Not an overwhelmingly positive statement, but he didn't say it was shallow, simple, or boring. Nor did he say it felt out of place in an adventure game.

Itâ€™s a bit complex, but it makes for a very challenging and surprisingly deep system.

Pervading the game is its sense of humor, which is highlighted in the many conversations that Gabe and Tycho will have with your character, enemies, and with each other.

thereâ€™s intelligence in the dialogue, a pop culture hipness almost.

Episode One looks like an intriguing and downright funny game, and weâ€™re looking forward to its release.

Negative phrasing:

*crickets*

Neutral phrasing:

To say itâ€™s a bit colorful would be something of an understatement, as swear words are thrown about constantly.

This is honesty. This is not a game for children.

Whatâ€™s not so familiar, though, is the setting, an alternate 1920s universe where suburbia, pre-Great Depression America, a lot of weirdness comes together.

A bunch of straightforward descriptions of the mechanics/events in the demo.

Kevin Smith

This isn't negative unless you hate Kevin Smith. It may not exactly be the most accurate description, but in this case the author was clearly comparing two writers he liked.

Now please unknot your knickers.

And the reason we don't sign our posts is, at least as far as I can tell, because we already know who you are by the name to the left of your post. The sig gives plenty of space for "humanizing" and can be turned off, in case people don't care for that clutter. Typing in your sig can't.

FesterSilently · January 2008

(@Tofystedeath and everyone else)

Heh - sorry (once again!) - I didn't mean to imply, whether through something I said or something I might have left out, that this article got me all up in arms or anything. I just wanted to point out that I thought it was a milquetoast article at best, and the guy should have taken more of a stand one way or another...and also that I didn't leave the reading with a particularly good taste in my mouth, so to speak.

And certainly my intention was not to start the next Great Flame war...lol!

All kidding aside, though, the brunt of the blame for any of that (obviously) falls squarely upon my shoulders - so...mea culpa, y'all.

@stryke_the_trip)

*yeesh*! Did I really come off sounding like that! Wow. What a way to make my (re-)debut into these forums! Methinks I need to go douse my head for a while!

(@threepio)

"This thread seems to be the epitome of a teapot-bound tempest." Lol - you are correct, sir! And mees salutes you!

Oh, and Tofytedeth - yah, I was only kidding about the whole sig thing - I was just tryin' to get a rise outta EvilBadman!

Goose! · January 2008

I wouldn't call it negative, but there does seem to be kind of a backhanded tone to the compliments given, or an underhandedness you could say. Just my opinion.

strike_the_trip · January 2008

FesterSilently wrote: »

(@stryke_the_trip)

*yeesh*! Did I really come off sounding like that! Wow. What a way to make my (re-)debut into these forums! Methinks I need to go douse my head for a while!

Meh - it's okay. It's just that calling a reviewer a nazi is not going to help anyone including PA. I think the important thing is that this game isn't going to be for everybody (and that's okay!) and that we should reserve judgments until after the actual product is released.

That being said, don't worry about it and welcome back to the PA forums!

Penny Arcade

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