July 2012
14 posts
3 tags
The Dota 2 Experience →
Boy do I ever want to go play Dota 2 Right This Moment. Which is unusual, really, because I’ve never been able to get into any of the games spawned by that groundbreaking mod.
Still, it sounds intoxicating by Quinns’ account:
Then there are junglers, nukers, initiators… never mind the thrill I’m getting from learning how we all work together. It’s intoxicating to...
2 tags
It's the Age Thing →
Kairi Vice presents an interesting argument (or two) in this article, and among them is the notion that our kids may well loathe the games we love because hey, some old “classics” don’t really hold up that well:
The thing about nostalgia is it’s always in the eye of the beholder. The childhood favorites I have played as an adult, even HD ports of them, haven’t aged well. Xbox...
3 tags
Fighting to the top - Polygon →
Remember all that nonsense earlier this year where everyone was up in arms over sexism in the fighting game community? And then remember how the fighting game community caused a fuss because it was the only coverage they ever got?
Well, they can all rest easy because Tracey Lien shines the spotlight on the community, and in complimentary fashion. For instance:
It’s more than just a...
3 tags
Sexually assaulting Lara Croft →
Here’s a great read from a couple weeks back (spotted by @mirithejedi) talking about “girl gamers” and the actual experience of being one. It pulls heavily from other sources, making it a useful survey of recent talk of sexism in gaming, but Clem Bastow contributes enough to warrant citing her, too:
I’m inclined to think that gaming, like its broader relative,...
3 tags
How Penny Arcade wants to reinvent patronage with... →
Penny Arcade starts a Kickstarter to get rid of ads on the site for a year. Alarum bells (the bells!) they ring. And furor spreads because They’ve Totally Already Made It, Right? Apparently not, as they’ve almost reached their $250,000 funding goal.
Oh, and then there’s this fair appraisal by Polygon’s Tim Carmody. He writes:
With all that value added and energy being...
3 tags
Justin Amirkhani Learns About Constructive... →
As Amirkhani traipses about America, learning about GAME DEVELOPMENT and silly things like HIMSELF. Recently, he learned that criticism in game reviews is best done constructively:
[A] good review needs to be honest without agenda and offer a snapshot into the design mentality; something that a lot of reviewers can’t provide because they’re so distanced from the actual creation process. Without...
3 tags
“It was becoming a very big thing in my head – there were so many directions that...”
– Interview by Simon Parkin, via @KnucklesSonic8.
3 tags
Should We Keep Religion Out of Games? →
Colin Campbell’s treatment of what could be a hot button topic is presented well and offers a variety of perspectives. As something of an outsider to Hinduism, he admits this before moving on. The insights offered are balanced, and the treatment is fair. Kudos, sir.
3 tags
Lying To Your Child For Sanity's Sake →
Man oh man is this ever great. Chris Dahlen struggles with his son’s obsession over Plants vs. Zombies—for better or worse, it’s annoying—and, ultimately, lies to his son. The lie? Telling him that a magic word can make him forget everything he knows about a game.
While he enjoys playing Plants vs. Zombies, he enjoys even more the process of thinking about it and playing...
3 tags
Your Ticket to Ride to the Future of Board Games →
Tom Auxier thinks the future of board games may well be as…video games. Here’s a taste:
ComputerizedTicket to Ridecomes best in its smaller form: making tactical decisions, building up a railroad network independent of your opponent, seeing who’s got the biggest at the end.
Which, of course, makes it much more like a video game. It becomes a test of skill rather than a series of...
4 tags
“ME3 made a perfect companion to Lent because it replicated the Lenten journey on...”
– Adam Condra, writing for The Escapist, shows just how well ME3 complements Lent. It’s an angle that could have been explored prior, but Condra is the first. I’m glad. This piece is great.
2 tags
The evolution of technology and its effect on game... →
Chris Gaerig responds to discussions on Gameological about difficulty—namely in Spider-Man games—with a rather unique take:
[Contemporary video games], then, are not easier because that’s what the industry demands. They’re easier because they canbe while remaining engaging. Moveover, the design goals of games have changed. Arcades are dying or, more accurately, dead, so allowance...
2 tags
Valve's Dota 2 Character Art Guide is Eye Popping →
This art guide can be used by artists and critics alike. The tips enclosed make for better art, sure, but, more than that, address subtle issues that one may not otherwise put his or her finger on.
Avoid using colors which are dominant in the world.
Saturation…also draws the eye, so saturation levels should be less towards the lower body and increase towards the upper body.
Really...
