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Author Topic: TEM's Biweekly Video Games  (Read 24092 times)

Turtlekid1

  • Tortuga
« Reply #60 on: April 01, 2011, 02:50:36 PM »
Have you watched Yahtzee's review of this game?  I think you could benefit from it.

If you can't be bothered to watch it, the main thing that I would ask you to take from it is his point that creating things in Minecraft is satisfying because it takes so long to learn the game and gather the materials.  Perhaps this is ironic coming from me, considering my hatred of grinding, but Minecraft is different.  Partly because the game is in real time, and thus demands more of your mental energy than pressing a button every turn, but mostly because it's not all that repetitive.  "Long" does not necessarily mean "tedious."

If you find yourself growing bored with the game, turn the difficulty up from Peaceful if it isn't already.  Explore a cave if you're tired of living topside for so long.  Build stuff on the surface if you've had your fill of mining.  Look into mods to spice up the mechanics.  Even a simple texture pack does amazing things for the game's atmosphere.

Also, randomly generated worlds are awesome and go a long way toward keeping the game fresh.  No two caves are alike.  Each world has you using your surroundings differently to survive (or just to build, if you're playing on Peaceful), especially with the different biomes.  Your own creations are limited only by your imagination and your willingness to explore and harvest materials.

And yes, the game takes a long time.  This is not bad, but good.  For two reasons:

-First, it means you're getting your money's worth.  This game costs less than half the price of, say, Metroid: Other M, yet here I am still playing the former while the latter is sitting in my local GameStop because of its atrocious lack of replay value.
-Secondly (again), it means that whatever you achieve is that much better when it happens because it takes effort.  It might be a bit cliche to say this, but the destination isn't what counts here.  It's the journey.  If you can't like the journey Minecraft offers, I don't see how you can like it in any other game.

Now, the game is far from perfect, but as you've pointed out, it's still in Beta; and as ShadowBrain pointed out, there is an abundance of online resources to help you learn the game (unless you have some silly, false sense of honor that prevents you from using a guide).  Mind you, a tutorial to teach you the basics (say, up to building your first set of tools) would work pretty well and need not be obstructive.  The difficulty needs balancing still; this game is brutal when first starting out, so much so that it's best to set the difficulty mode to Peaceful for the first couple of nights so you can get a shelter up.  I agree that Creative mode needs to make a comeback, with all the bells and whistles introduced since Classic (it's worth noting that Notch has two or three more game modes planned for later on, such as Adventure and Capture the Flag, as well as Achievements and Statistics).

I guess my main point of disagreement here is that I don't see the game as all that monotonous.
"It'll say life is sacred and so is death
but death is life and so we move on"

« Reply #61 on: April 01, 2011, 03:29:06 PM »
April fools! TEM loves Minecraft.

Turtlekid1

  • Tortuga
« Reply #62 on: April 01, 2011, 03:32:16 PM »
Good one!

I'd like to think my post is still a good reply to those who dislike the game, though.
"It'll say life is sacred and so is death
but death is life and so we move on"

TEM

  • THE SOVIET'S MOST DANGEROUS PUZZLE.
« Reply #63 on: April 01, 2011, 08:46:40 PM »
It being April Fools is a coincidence, I am being 100% sincere. Me saying this invalidates any Fooling that my post would cause, let this be proof of my sincerity.
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TEM

  • THE SOVIET'S MOST DANGEROUS PUZZLE.
« Reply #64 on: June 16, 2011, 05:32:53 PM »
The Duke, The Whole Duke, and Nothing But The Duke.

Duke Nukem Forever has been getting its balls punched by critics. I am confused by this, as DNF is one of the most fun FPS games I've ever played. The game isn't a perfect triple A masterpiece, but it's a great gameplay experience that a lot of people are going to miss out on because of the negative press. It should be kept in mind that I am reviewing the PC version of the game, as well as I am no Duke Nukem fanboy.

The Humor
Most games aren't that funny. They might have funny moments. They might have stupid dialogue that is meant to be funny. But more importantly, there aren't any games where humor is an underlying law of design, possibly excluding a few games that are probably rated E and the "humor" is on par with a Muppets sketch. Duke Nukem Forever is sketched with humor in mind. It isn't always laugh out loud funny, but the levity is there. And it often did make me laugh. I will withhold examples, but the game is about having a good time and laughing, when you aren't busy shooting. The only game I've ever played that approaches the camp and humor of DNF is the PSN game Pain. The action in the game, the set pieces, the character of Duke, and almost everything about the game is suffuse with subtle humor and fun, and I love it for that.

Interaction
This game is full of various interactive moments of a number and detail that you don't see in games much. Again, difficult to describe without examples, but it is a big reason for why I enjoy the game. There is often no purpose to these interactions Duke has with the environment, except for a random Ego (health/shield) boost. It is a necessary key to the tone of this game. One example you'll find rather early in the game is urinating in the toilet/urinal. I found myself doing this multiple times throughout the game, even though no benefit arises from multiple whizzes. The game has a few decent puzzles and many cool action sequences that aren't running and gunning.

Graphics
Not the best looking game I've ever played, but it's okay. I did notice one odd thing about the visuals though. With my computer, it is customary for me to max out the video settings of any game I might be playing. Unfortunately, DNF has a few options that you "turn on" that make the game look worse. Specifically the "Post Special Effects" and the "Depth of Field" option. I pray that console owners are able to toggle this setting off, but it seems unlikely. The graphics seem a little unpolished, and reminiscent of a game made maybe a few years earlier, but they aren't dated to the point of adversely affecting the game.

Criticisms
Duke Nukem Forever is far from perfect, and I have three major criticisms:

  • Some offensive material: I'm not easily offended, in fact, I don't ever really get offended at all. But there was one element, present in a smallish section of the game, that kind of made me say "Really, developer guys? Come on." I felt the game crossed the boundary from "playful sexism" to "full blown misogyny."
  • There weren't enough action set pieces that let you go to town with the Steroids. Sounds trivial, but I feel like that particular power-up should have had a lot more room to shine because it's lots of fun.
  • Once again, it seems silly for me to make this point, given the goofy, light-hearted nature of the game, but there is a particular plot turn that I feel is missing from the story. In most action... anything there is a moment when the main character(s) get into particularly dangerous territory. This can be labeled as the "Descent into Hades" that is featured in Greek mythological works, one example being The Odyssey by Homer. Duke Nukem Forever is missing this particular piece of action as a climax or a build up to the climax of the game. In Star Wars, Luke entered the Death Star trenches. In Ghostbusters, the guys climbed to the penthouse of Spook Central. In God of War, Kratos ... descended into Hades. This set piece is either missing, put in the wrong part of the game (too early), or isn't built up enough to provide the dramatic tension necessary for the moment.

The Whole Hog
Overall, from a gameplay point of view, I've played better games. The FPS mechanics are great, the non-FPS oriented actions sequences are fun, but I've seen a lot more amazing things in other games. Duke Nukem Forever doesn't break any kind of gameplay boundaries or push the standards of excellence in game design. It could use some refining, some polish in certain places (I'd say a few months for a normal game, maybe 5 years in DNF time) The point I must emphasize is that the game has humor and an emphasis on having fun; these are the real reasons that Duke is A-#1 in my heart.

« Last Edit: June 26, 2011, 10:46:12 AM by TEM »
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« Reply #65 on: June 25, 2011, 10:47:28 PM »
I beat it tonight and can say I agree with TEM's astute write-up here. DNF is a game for people who like America, boobies, and kicking alien ass. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that this game was in development for 15 years and as such retains many old-school FPS elements, both bad AND good. For instance, most big-budget FPS of the last few years have around five hour long single-player campaigns but DNF is longer. And you get old-school giant bosses that launch hundreds of rockets at you while you circle-strafe and slowly whittle down their health bar. And you don't have annoying AI squadmates leading you through the whole game (except a few times as basically jokes).

I was impressed by the extensive Extras menu. You can view a historical timeline of DNF development with interesting facts (like it was originally called Duke Nukem 4Ever because it was the fourth game), screenshots of how the game looked during every year of development, and every trailer for the game released starting in 1998. There's also a buttload of concept art and a Duke Nukem soundboard.

What was the part that offended you? The Pregnator hive?

I'll end this post with a quote from Duke Nukem:

"You must make a great hero sandwich because you just gave me a footlong."

TEM

  • THE SOVIET'S MOST DANGEROUS PUZZLE.
« Reply #66 on: June 26, 2011, 10:44:41 AM »
Answering LD's question: Yeah, specifically the raped naked women stuck into the walls, their stomachs inflating and bursting with alien babies. Too dark, disturbing, and serious in the context of such a goofy game. But I accept it as a minor portion of an otherwise really fun game.
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« Reply #67 on: June 26, 2011, 10:52:04 AM »
Another question: At the start when Duke is playing DNF he uses a 360 controller. I'm assuming on the PS3 he has a PS3 controller, but what does he use on PC?

TEM

  • THE SOVIET'S MOST DANGEROUS PUZZLE.
« Reply #68 on: June 26, 2011, 05:06:54 PM »
A 360 controller. I actually have one plugged into my PC right now for playing Darksiders.
0000

« Reply #69 on: June 26, 2011, 08:12:26 PM »
The multiplayer is good fun when you can get it going, but what with the lack of half-decent dedicated server support and the nigh-unplayable online play, it's a nightmare to find a good game. When you do, though, it's a hell of a lot of fun that brings back all of my memories of Quake from the misty haze of Call of Duty and its million ******* children. The customization of your own Duke is great fun, and it's fun seeing the hero of the Earth running around in a samurai helmet and a Hawaiian shirt. Outfits have to be unlocked, and you can tell the players that have put the most effort in when the silliest looking Nukems fly past you with a jetpack and blast you to kingdom come with the incredibly overpowered Devastator.

That said, I think Gearbox and Triptych need to put some serious effort into patching up some of the holes, especially in multiplayer, or else the game's not going to last too much longer competitively.
If my son could decimate Lego cities with his genitals, I'd be [darn] proud.

« Reply #70 on: June 26, 2011, 08:46:27 PM »
Here's my biggest problem with multiplayer: the game browser DOESN'T TELL YOU WHICH MUTATOR IS ON.

I am so ****ing sick of joining infinite ammo matches by "accident" (it's not really an accident if you have no way of knowing). It's like, you people want infinite ammo Devestators? Seriously? Infinite pipe bombs?

Proof positive that if you give your players the tools to ruin your game design, 90% will immediately do it and never look back. (Also see: GTA cheats)

TEM

  • THE SOVIET'S MOST DANGEROUS PUZZLE.
« Reply #71 on: June 27, 2011, 05:25:44 AM »
I played the multiplayer, once, briefly. The insane amount of unlockables seems a shame when the multiplayer is so... unfulfilling? I suppose that is the only element of old school FPS action that actually leaves me unhappy.
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TEM

  • THE SOVIET'S MOST DANGEROUS PUZZLE.
« Reply #72 on: February 09, 2012, 09:42:50 AM »
Ten Thousand Hours

When some people grow up they begin to do things that take up a lot of time. This leaves less time for things you thought you'd do for the rest of your life.

Video games have become a smaller and smaller part of my life. I've never wanted to become (and always resented) the people that "grow out of" video games; yet I can see and feel it happening. And I'm okay with it.

Before I thought the term "grow out of" meant becoming mature and turning away childish things so you can pretend to be an adult (be boring). But that isn't it. You actually grow so large in what you want to do with your life that there's literally no time to spend properly enjoying a video game, at least not on the scale that I'm accustomed to. I'm playing Skyrim right now and I just started recently, months after release. This would be unthinkable to me 5 years ago, and I'd be playing multiple games at the same time.

For the past few weeks the only game I've really played is Skyrim, and before that, for months, I didn't play video games much at all. My X-Box 360 is long since gone. My Wii hasn't been touched in nearly a year. My PS3 is a Netflix and blu-ray playing machine. I watch a lot of movies; I try to watch one new movie a day. This isn't as a preoccupation, for entertainment; or the more revealing French word divertisement. This is in service of Hours*.

I've become fairly dedicated to the concept of 10,000 Hours (it takes 10,000 Hours of dedicated practice and study to master a specific skill, such as playing an instrument or racing a car) To obtain the 10,000 Hours in 5 years I must read and write for forty Hours a week. For me the "growing out of" is caused by school partially, but mostly writing (Fiction, Nonfiction, Screenwriting*). I've been reading my entire life, but I only just learned enough about writing in the past year or two to say I've begun to read in service of Hours.

I'm going to finish a slowly earned Bachelors degree soon. Will I spend my extra free time returning to leisurely pursuits? To playing video games for 30+ hours a week? No. I'm going to put in my Hours. Do I do this because I have to? Because if I don't I'll starve to death if I don't sell some stories or get noticed and get a job? While this last part may be true, I don't do it because I have to. I do it because I've grown into something that must work toward the goal of skill mastery. I want to write. I want to cease playing video games so I have more time to practice and get better and hone my skill. The abandonment of what I once enjoyed is an acidic bittersweet taste in my mouth that spurns me to go forward, to cut off ties to past desires and move forward into a better, brighter future.

This isn't sad. It's fantastic. Since studying and indulging in writing stories and film scripts myself I enjoy movies and books on a level unknown to the average person. I've become a Hardcore reader/watcher; so to speak. My life is filled with something I love and enjoy and the dramatic emotional sting will eventually fade away and things of the past will be gone, shades of a life I half remember. I've set a marker for myself. When the next Half-Life game comes out; I will be done. I'll buy and play the game and (hopefully) enjoy it as the climax to a great series of games characterized by well established characters and subtle storytelling (these things accomplished in a specifically video game register, unique from other mediums). And then I'll be done with video games and I'll grab more hours for each week that I can turn into Hours. With these Hours I will grow. With these Hours I'll be even closer to my skill mastery. I'll use this skill to create and become a Person. And in that way I'll be the closest thing reality has to a god.

What am I going to do after I get my 10,000 Hours? I'll write a good story.

And then another.

And then another.

Final Questions:

Why ten thousand hours? What level of concentration and learning denotes the earning of an Hour? Do you truly have to spend so much time doing something to become great at it? Is completely abandoning things necessary? Is this method the best way to be happy? Do you put Hours into a skill? What skill? Is it a skill worth putting hours into? Why or why not?
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