The Gamer's Quarter

Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

Does that mean you were the only one around to order a NIN product?
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Lestrade · Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:34 am Post subject:

No, I think it was more that when I was on the phone, I said something along the lines of, "Don't fucking sell the last one I'll be there in 20 minutes fuck"

Lestrade · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 7:33 pm Post subject:

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

If you stand in the people driving cars they will slow down and eventually stop. If you have two players, usually one person will drive while the other will do the shooting. When we put these points together we got 2 person drive by!

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"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Persona-sama · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:25 am Post subject:

It made me sad that even in the HD generation, we're still using antiquated game concepts like collecting giant glowing spheres placed stupid-randomly on top of buildings.
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Lestrade · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:53 am Post subject:

Maybe, but it sure beats level-grinding! In fact, I said to a friend who watched me play, and then put his GTA skills to good use by doing some races for me: "This is the best RPG I've ever played."

Think about it! It's got a huge world to explore—and I mean you really explore it, and get a sense of wonder and achievement as you work your way around the city. It's got a great experience- and leveling-up system (and you even see the effects of your work on your character). It's got random battles (you never know when some punks are going to drive around the corner and pick a fight!). It even has dungeons (gang boss hide outs)!

I think Crackdown might be the most satisfying use of 3D space since Mario 64. It's an empowering game, just like Mario's 1996 outing was.

helicopterp · . Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1435 Location: Philadelphia

I think Persona brings up a pretty good point, though. Wes, Lestrade, and Shaper: how many of the areas with the agility orbs would you want to figure out how to get to if the orbs weren't there?

Does the game need that hand-holding sense of objective or would it work even better if it were entirely based on the initiative and curiosity of the player?

I wish I could make a real argument, here, but I haven't played Crackdown. For now, I'm just interested in what y'all think.
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Lestrade · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:10 pm Post subject:

I think quite a few, to be honest. I've started climbing buildings just based on their shape, size, or surroundings. Oftentimes they're aren't even any orbs to find, just the view itself. The difference between this and, say, Donkey Kong 64, is that each orb makes a difference. If you're just hopping from rooftop to rooftop, collecting orbs, you'll suddenly realize that now you're probably agile enough to attempt to scale a building you saw earlier, but didn't have the ability to climb.

For example: at one point, there was a supply point I had to reach but was unable to. I even tried sneaky things like piling patio furniture to give myself a bit of a height boost, but to no avail. So I set off in a different direction, hopping and jumping and—hey, bad guys! I took out the bad guys, looked around for another rooftop to reach (and more bad guys), and kept this up for several minutes. I had collected a few orbs along the way, so I kept hopping until I returned to that original rooftop. I tried a nice running leap and sure enough, with the boost I got from those additional orbs I came across, I could just reach that supply point. With no other immediate goals in sight, I just took off in one direction until I stumbled across something else.

I mean, this is a game. It's not a screensaver. You're there to do something specific—eliminate the gangs—and you are given tools to do so (orbs that help you explore the city more thoroughly, so you can find said gangs). It's unfair to ask if the game is engrossing for its own sake, I feel. Mario 64's opening area, with nothing to do, is fun to run around in and whatnot, but that doesn't mean that being able to find a bunch of smiley-faced stars which gain you access to previously unavailable areas, is a mortal sin. The game is giving you an incentive to play it; it's got a carrot on a stick for you.

Crackdown is the same way. It begs you to explore it, and once you realize that you need to improve to see more of the city, you as a player are more than happy to run around and try your hand at scaling this building or that. Simultaneously, you're exploring the city while enabling yourself to keep exploring. So just by the very act of moving forward, you're progressing within the game.

I love the simplicity of the game. At the beginning, your boss just says, "Now explore the city, Agent, and find those gangs!" like he has no freaking clue where the gang members are. Only by moving from area to area, climbing and jumping and swimming and looking around can you find a new target and get close to your goal of eliminating the gang members.

It makes all RPGs look absolutely staid in comparison.

helicopterp · . Joined: 13 May 2006 Posts: 1435 Location: Philadelphia

I suppose that I meant to stipulate that you would still be rewarded with enhanced abilities if you reached High Point X or wherever, but the actual power-ups were invisible rather than eye-catching green balls. But I see what you're getting at.
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Ketch · . Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 420

Lestrade · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:23 pm Post subject:

My friend had two free tickets to see an advanced screening of 300 tonight, and was nice enough to invite me along. Here is my wife's review of the movie, though she never saw it:

"Let me guess, it's like Casshern; the plot is really weak, and it has a lot of slow motion, CG, and editing to make it look pretty like a music video."

She was right. I could see how it would be engaging as a comic book (I haven't read it), but the forced drama, terrible acting ("Mother! Father! You were wrong!"), hammy dialogue and by-the-book Xtreme battle scenes resulted in a languid, predictable and utterly laughable film. I'm glad I got in for free, because I wouldn't have wanted to pay $12 to see Faramir's rippled six-pack for two hours.

Rating:

2 out of 5 beers

In other movie news, I ended up watching The Departed a second time and I actually like it a whole lot now. I suppose familiarity with it led to a different experience this time around, but yeah, my tune has changed. If anything, the movie deserves kudos for Alec Baldwin's breathless line at the end of this clip.

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

I was trying to explain how disappointing Casshern is to ShaperMC last night but he wouldn't believe me.
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Lestrade · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 5:54 am Post subject:

Oh that movie is trash. It's directed by (I believe) Utada Hikaru's boyfriend, who is—surprise!—a music video director. It is so forced and melodramatic in a bad RPG kind of way, it hurts. And it falls victim to that ever-present crutch of Japanese cinema; the second-act moment of excruciatingly long exposition. God.

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

Correction: husband.
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Lestrade · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 1:50 pm Post subject:

Oooohhhh right. D'oh.

Lestrade · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:22 am Post subject:

MOTHERFUCKING DRUNK ITTTTTTTTTT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shitey yeah otomtotor'sss'ws' client meetin gis nt going ot be pretty ''jesusus's
sd

dfkljsd

WTF?

GSL · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 3:00 am Post subject:

Good luck with that?

Lestrade · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:54 am Post subject:

Yeah. Whoa. Sorry about that.

ApM · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:26 pm Post subject:

Persona-sama · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:00 pm Post subject:

Lestrade, I can see what you mean about Crackdown being fun maybe as an evolution of an RPG, but I still hate the retarded orb system and how it breaks the reality of the game. It'd be better if the character developed more strength as he attempted more jumps and landings rather than collecting orbs to do it. Or better yet, just make it Spider Man and or some other superhero instead and just get it all out of the way to begin with.

Anyway, I saw Children of Men a few nights ago and I had a realization that Cliffy B could totally make that into a video game and then maybe videogames might have something really beautiful on their hands.
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Lestrade · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:16 am Post subject:

aerisdead · . Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 254 Location: Toronto, Canada

Better get a couple! They're really easy to break.
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Lestrade · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:05 pm Post subject:

My god that's wrong.

Lestrade · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 2:36 pm Post subject:

Quicky sketch of my coworker during a meeting:

Persona-sama · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:32 pm Post subject:

Cute :3

Lestrade, here is a thread relevant to you if you liked Penny from Inspector Gadget!
http://www.mechafetus.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=194

You should draw stuff for this too.
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Lestrade · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 10:41 pm Post subject:

Penny was awesome. Ever since I was a kid I wanted a goddamn computer notebook. Now all I have is a notebook computer! I wuz robbed!

Ketch · . Joined: 17 Sep 2005 Posts: 420

Okami and Shadow of the Colossus are the two games that come to mind most on the issue of 'abstract orbs'. Okami does well because it tends to integrate the rewards into the setting even though they are still a bit abstract in parts. Whereas, Shadow of the Colossus paints a more emotional palette, it is like eating salad before you eat cheese in order to clear your mouth and experience the cheese more appreciatively. In Shadow of the Colossus, the battles and environments play out as 'drama'. I can remember the mood changes that simply changes in the environment palette would draw out, like when going up the dark path to colossus 3.
Likewise, I remember my horse nearly being trampled and whinnying(?) by the second colosssus. And the feeling of hope as my horse surged towards me during tough battles. Whereas in Okami, I just fought Orochi --- but I was so busy looking for the 'gameplay spots', ie. the times when he was vulnerable that the true drama and impact of the battle was lost on me. ---Whereas when I climbed into Orochi's chamber, the environment was sparse but made an emotional impact.

So games run a tight rope between being myopically focussed on gameplay and hitting the drama and feeling of the battles / exploration.
http://www.game-brains.com/archive/jul18_2005/godofwar.htm

RedLightning · . Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 17

Lestrade · Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 9:14 pm Post subject:

BACK IN THE GAME!!!

Okay, so the delirious disappointment of being a stupid white moron has caused me to lose my goddamn mind. Now the question is: who will be my friend?

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

Lestrade · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 2:42 am Post subject:

I think I just did it to scratch an itch: could I make a MySpace page that doesn't suck? It's a weird form of professional interest.

Also, my first friend is freaking Dragonforce. Yeah!

aerisdead · . Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 254 Location: Toronto, Canada

I hear that myspace isn't cool anymore and everyone is on facebook.

I was going to make a myspace to go with my website but I forgot. I might get around to it now.

Type O Negative are your friend?

That's awesome.
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Lestrade · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:28 am Post subject:

Oh shit, I missed the cool boat. Does that make me more cool or less cool?

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

I refuse to use facebook because the guy who runs it is a dick and every time I pass by their office on the way to my doctor's I want to firebomb them.
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aerisdead · . Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 254 Location: Toronto, Canada

Lestrade:

http://fatalitiesthreehundred.ytmnd.com/

I don't know how good that movie is but this made me laugh.

P.S. I really dig the MK movie music. Is that so wrong?
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ApM · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 5:51 pm Post subject:

If loving the Mortal Kombat movie soundtrack is wrong, I don't want to be right.

accompanying myself on the toy accordion itt

Lestrade · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:56 pm Post subject:

Aerisdead, read my review of 300 above!

And to you and ApM: I've owned the MK soundtrack since the movie came out; cheesy techno aside, it actually is a great soundtrack. Lots of brutal metal and really good electronic tunes by some respectable acts. The theme song is like poutine, it's slathered in so much cheese—but by now it's the stuff of legend!

aerisdead · . Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 254 Location: Toronto, Canada

Oh, I read it -

I'm pretty sure I'll agree with you when I see it (I hated Casshern.) But I still want to see it and make up my own mind, kind of.
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aerisdead

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

I refuse to believe anyone who watched both the trailer to Casshern and then the full film would enjoy it. It's not possible.
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Persona-sama · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 6:04 pm Post subject:

I made a Facebook a few days ago. Give me your names and I will add you!
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Lestrade · Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:08 pm Post subject:

It's about freaking time! Great, I'll have a couple days to dip my toes before I head off to Japan. Effing Eff!

Nana Komatsu · weak sauce Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 1293

Hey Lestrade, you should go to Yokohama and do a drawing of the Minato Mirai 21 ferris wheel there at night. here's a photo of it, it's gorgeous.
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Lestrade · Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:21 pm Post subject:

Too hard!

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

Which day are you leaving?
_________________
“The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932

"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Lestrade · Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:51 pm Post subject:

March 31. Why? Gonna delete my account while I'm gone?

Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

Just wanted to know how long I can leech work out of you for >:P
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“The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.”
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932

"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!"

Lestrade · Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:29 pm Post subject:

Actually, I'm a fucking idiot, aren't I? I have a week and a half to play Symphony. Oddly enough this revelation comes now that I'm sort of drunk. MORE THAN A FEEEELIIIING!!!!

aerisdead · . Joined: 03 Dec 2006 Posts: 254 Location: Toronto, Canada

I literally just beat Symphony on the PS (with the best ending) right there.

That is because I am as contrary as possible.
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Persona-sama · Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 4:16 am Post subject:

Did you go through the inverted castle too?

Man, I have a story to tell about Castlevania:
So before I became close to one of my friends, the only thing I knew about him was that he was a giant Castlevania-tard and was totally obsessed with it. I eventually got to know him and confessed to him that I never actually finished Symphony of the Night, instead getting stuck somewhere 8 hours in or so and never really able to get my way out. When he heard this, he wouldn't let it go and demanded that he come over and clear the whole damn game for me, come hell or high water. So eventually one Saturday he came over and we started a new game and he went off to destroy Symphony of the Night for me, once and for all.

He beat the whole damn game, 300%, in three hours. I was blown away.

Of course, a good hour of that was spent farming this one monster while equipped with Luck Potions in order to get the Crissemoblgohbllog, the totally broken sword that makes you pretty much an invincible AT field-carrying slice machine. But still, 3 hours for a game I couldn't beat for years. Man.

In conclusion, I can now get halfway through the first castle in two hours or so, depending on how much I'm trying not to backtrack.
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