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32
General Chat / Re: Worldbuilding vs. Storytelling
« on: April 06, 2016, 05:20:34 PM »
Super interesting to point out - and I think I mostly agree - that what we see as good world building and good storytelling share an inverse relationship.
In the same vein, I'd personally bring up Metroid Prime and even the whole series to which it belongs. It's not my favorite Nintendo franchise because it tells the story par excellence (I'd argue that that's also true though, relative to its siblings); it's my favorite because it's got a structure to it, a sort of logic. Where Mario just tries to have fun with it all, and Zelda operates more on mythology, Metroid is pure chronology, cold and hard. Prime keeps you grounded at all times in why you and all the other elements are there: items, monsters, log entries, right down to what the rock formations are made of. The world is yours to learn, which has been at the heart of the series since day one, with the graph paper maps. It just wouldn't work as well without that sense of structure. It's a built world, and was before Samus got there. She - and you as the player - just stepped into it one day. And it also works because of its implicit nature. The same lore would be dry and boring and no fun at all if revealed through exposition. It's almost like good world building is its own kind of storytelling, especially in the absence of an explicit form of the latter.
Of course, I think there are a couple of exceptions. Deep Space Nine builds up an incredible universe over its seven-season run but it's also known for contributing more than a few of Trek's best stories to the franchise. Of course, it has the luxury of hours upon hours of content in which to do this, so perhaps it's not so surprising.
I think the supreme example of world building without sacrificing storytelling, though, would have to be Tolkien's Legendarium, collectively. It's, like, my favorite work of fiction. Ever. It's not just impressive "for something created by one guy," it's impressive even without such qualifications. What a huge mythology. Comic books, as much as I love them, only wish they could've built a story so poignant and a world so cohesive, and they've had twice as long to do it at this point. The fact that there's an extensive history surrounding the Silmarils and Morgoth doesn't make "The Tale of Beren and Lúthien" any less of a great story - it still would be in a vacuum. Likewise, that Lord of the Rings causes you to be so invested in the characters' struggles does not at all diminish the fact that there are extensive maps, languages, and apocrypha backing up the whole narrative.
Just, wow. I wish anything I could ever write or create would have even a fraction of that kind of shine. I think how much it stands out makes it the exception that proves the rule, though.
In the same vein, I'd personally bring up Metroid Prime and even the whole series to which it belongs. It's not my favorite Nintendo franchise because it tells the story par excellence (I'd argue that that's also true though, relative to its siblings); it's my favorite because it's got a structure to it, a sort of logic. Where Mario just tries to have fun with it all, and Zelda operates more on mythology, Metroid is pure chronology, cold and hard. Prime keeps you grounded at all times in why you and all the other elements are there: items, monsters, log entries, right down to what the rock formations are made of. The world is yours to learn, which has been at the heart of the series since day one, with the graph paper maps. It just wouldn't work as well without that sense of structure. It's a built world, and was before Samus got there. She - and you as the player - just stepped into it one day. And it also works because of its implicit nature. The same lore would be dry and boring and no fun at all if revealed through exposition. It's almost like good world building is its own kind of storytelling, especially in the absence of an explicit form of the latter.
Of course, I think there are a couple of exceptions. Deep Space Nine builds up an incredible universe over its seven-season run but it's also known for contributing more than a few of Trek's best stories to the franchise. Of course, it has the luxury of hours upon hours of content in which to do this, so perhaps it's not so surprising.
I think the supreme example of world building without sacrificing storytelling, though, would have to be Tolkien's Legendarium, collectively. It's, like, my favorite work of fiction. Ever. It's not just impressive "for something created by one guy," it's impressive even without such qualifications. What a huge mythology. Comic books, as much as I love them, only wish they could've built a story so poignant and a world so cohesive, and they've had twice as long to do it at this point. The fact that there's an extensive history surrounding the Silmarils and Morgoth doesn't make "The Tale of Beren and Lúthien" any less of a great story - it still would be in a vacuum. Likewise, that Lord of the Rings causes you to be so invested in the characters' struggles does not at all diminish the fact that there are extensive maps, languages, and apocrypha backing up the whole narrative.
Just, wow. I wish anything I could ever write or create would have even a fraction of that kind of shine. I think how much it stands out makes it the exception that proves the rule, though.
34
Video Game Chat / Re: Metroid Charity Marathon
« on: March 30, 2016, 05:05:16 PM »
Holding it on April 1st so when it comes time to play Other M you can just say "ha! April Fool's!" Nice.
(I actually will try to tune in if/when I have a free moment)
(I actually will try to tune in if/when I have a free moment)
35
Video Game Chat / Re: Great Video Game Music Rips :)
« on: March 08, 2016, 07:13:45 AM »
Is it bad that I knew exactly what this thread would be before I clicked on it?
36
Mario Chat / Re: Creeping Graphical Sameyness
« on: March 05, 2016, 08:29:42 AM »
Heh, just noticed it was posted in the PM:CS thread too.
38
Mario Chat / Re: Read Up some Sean Malstrom Topics...
« on: February 28, 2016, 08:42:08 PM »
Haha, yeah, I definitely can't argue that it and sequels/similar titles wouldn't address those complaints.
39
General Chat / Re: The HOPEFUL thread: Be happy here!
« on: February 28, 2016, 04:53:11 PM »
I no longer have a girlfriend.
I do, however, have a fiancée.
I do, however, have a fiancée.
40
Mario Chat / Re: Read Up some Sean Malstrom Topics...
« on: February 28, 2016, 04:48:05 PM »no one really likes doing the same thing over and over
Also, I recommend Dark Souls.
I dunno man, I haven't straight up shelved many video games for being repetitive and boring, but Dark Souls is on the short list.
41
Mario Chat / Re: Creeping Graphical Sameyness
« on: February 24, 2016, 10:16:22 AM »I figured maybe the reason previous games all looked wildly different is because Nintendo didn't really have any style guidelines, and only recently did they decide to come up with some.The implications of this would account for quite a bit - in addition to just aesthetics - in more recent Nintendo games.
42
General Chat / Re: It's been quite a while since I last was here... What happened to this place?
« on: February 15, 2016, 07:56:15 AM »
It'd be interesting (and too time-consuming, probably) to put together a graph comparing the frequency of posts in that thread with the overall post frequency of some of the forum members who remain active. Or with the top ten or twenty posters by number of posts.
44
Video Game Chat / Re: Undertale.
« on: January 08, 2016, 10:02:27 AM »
That was actually the one thing I missed during both runs I did... somehow completely overlooked it, which is a shame because it's amazing.
45
General Chat / Re: How about that there new Star Wars movie?
« on: January 04, 2016, 10:37:21 PM »
Also about as many midi-chlorians.
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