Comments on: Free Artsy Games Released http://nomediakings.org/games/free_artsy_games_released.html There's more than one way to play the publishing game. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:16:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jim Munroe http://nomediakings.org/games/free_artsy_games_released.html#comment-23108 Jim Munroe Thu, 19 Jun 2008 01:03:30 +0000 http://nomediakings.org/games/free_artsy_games_released.html#comment-23108 I hear ya on the wow factor. I like my shiny shiny too. I don't think lip sync's causing the uncanny valley, otherwise dubbed movies would be scary (and not just hilarious). It's the 3D models -- they've got a slight sheen or something. According to <a href=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_18/b3982001.htm rel="nofollow">this article</a>, "In November, 2003, Linden Lab made a policy change unprecedented in online games: It allowed Second Life residents to retain full ownership of their virtual creations." Unlike the EULA of Facebook or MySpace, where content added is owned by the corporation. I hear ya on the wow factor. I like my shiny shiny too.

I don’t think lip sync’s causing the uncanny valley, otherwise dubbed movies would be scary (and not just hilarious). It’s the 3D models — they’ve got a slight sheen or something.

According to this article, “In November, 2003, Linden Lab made a policy change unprecedented in online games: It allowed Second Life residents to retain full ownership of their virtual creations.” Unlike the EULA of Facebook or MySpace, where content added is owned by the corporation.

]]> By: Joe McKay http://nomediakings.org/games/free_artsy_games_released.html#comment-23107 Joe McKay Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:43:19 +0000 http://nomediakings.org/games/free_artsy_games_released.html#comment-23107 Good ramblin' interview. a few thoughts. guitar hero is fun because of the maximum output for minimum input rule, that's true. But I think it's also fun because it's actually more than just "press the button when we tell you". In fact if you play it that way you won't get very far. You have to "lose yourself" into the music (like you do in DDR) in order to actually succeed. This is key, and not a superficial element of the gameplay. (Of course I base this on half an hour playing it in a Best Buy, but I'm pretty sure I'm right). It means that when you play well, you actually feel like you're playing the music and that's the hook that keeps you coming back. Your talk about zombie movies and 28 Days Later got me thinking about humor in games. My two favorite recent big budget games are Portal and GTA4.Both these games have a sophisticated humor that teases the player's pre-conception of what a video game should be. I like this trend, it treats gamers with more sophistication than is usually allotted us. Even the upcoming Bad Company seems to combine satire with its violence. Lastly on graphics - yes Jim, I agree that seeing every pore is not important. I think there is a plateau that we've reached, and gamers are turning to innovative gameplay instead of high end graphics as the first thing they look for in a new game. You only need to look to the success of the Wii and the failure of Assassin's Creed for proof. But it's getting to the point that wanting better graphics makes you uncool. 2nd Life is awful. Why? Because the graphics look late 90's at best and there's no voice chat. (That and because everything you do and create there is owned by an American mega company.) I love the wow factor of playing a great looking game. Plus you say we're "near photo realistic" but I think we've still got a long long way to go. I cannot watch a realistically rendered video game character talk without thinking about the uncanny valley. Lip sync is a huge problem, and until it's fixed I'll keep skipping every cut scene that I can. Good ramblin’ interview.
a few thoughts.
guitar hero is fun because of the maximum output for minimum input rule, that’s true. But I think it’s also fun because it’s actually more than just “press the button when we tell you”. In fact if you play it that way you won’t get very far. You have to “lose yourself” into the music (like you do in DDR) in order to actually succeed. This is key, and not a superficial element of the gameplay. (Of course I base this on half an hour playing it in a Best Buy, but I’m pretty sure I’m right). It means that when you play well, you actually feel like you’re playing the music and that’s the hook that keeps you coming back.
Your talk about zombie movies and 28 Days Later got me thinking about humor in games. My two favorite recent big budget games are Portal and GTA4.Both these games have a sophisticated humor that teases the player’s pre-conception of what a video game should be. I like this trend, it treats gamers with more sophistication than is usually allotted us. Even the upcoming Bad Company seems to combine satire with its violence.
Lastly on graphics – yes Jim, I agree that seeing every pore is not important. I think there is a plateau that we’ve reached, and gamers are turning to innovative gameplay instead of high end graphics as the first thing they look for in a new game. You only need to look to the success of the Wii and the failure of Assassin’s Creed for proof. But it’s getting to the point that wanting better graphics makes you uncool. 2nd Life is awful. Why? Because the graphics look late 90′s at best and there’s no voice chat. (That and because everything you do and create there is owned by an American mega company.) I love the wow factor of playing a great looking game. Plus you say we’re “near photo realistic” but I think we’ve still got a long long way to go. I cannot watch a realistically rendered video game character talk without thinking about the uncanny valley. Lip sync is a huge problem, and until it’s fixed I’ll keep skipping every cut scene that I can.

]]> By: Joe McKay http://nomediakings.org/games/free_artsy_games_released.html#comment-23106 Joe McKay Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:49:43 +0000 http://nomediakings.org/games/free_artsy_games_released.html#comment-23106 I love this initiative! Games for everyone by everyone. Weirdest award goes to "Mouse Police". I'm not sure if I should be eating mice or not, I'm not sure why I die, and I'm really not sure if I'm "ready to pupate". I do know I played it three times and am still confused (in a good way). One things for sure, cats make great game characters. Chat noir http://www.gamedesign.jp/flash/chatnoir/chatnoir.html would be boring without the kitty. It'd be good to have some simple instructions in navigating scratch for the uninitiated. All the games were great first steps and I can't wait to see what happens out of round 3. I love this initiative! Games for everyone by everyone. Weirdest award goes to “Mouse Police”. I’m not sure if I should be eating mice or not, I’m not sure why I die, and I’m really not sure if I’m “ready to pupate”. I do know I played it three times and am still confused (in a good way). One things for sure, cats make great game characters. Chat noir http://www.gamedesign.jp/flash/chatnoir/chatnoir.html would be boring without the kitty. It’d be good to have some simple instructions in navigating scratch for the uninitiated.
All the games were great first steps and I can’t wait to see what happens out of round 3.

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