The Gamer's Quarter

ryan · . Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Posts: 999

The article links to one about God of War, regarding the guilt felt when you have to sacrifice the soldier. I knew that was what it was going to be about from the url because I felt like crap killing that guy. I even mentioned in my review how that was an important part in conveying just how determined Kratos is and how you are brought along in that mindset by having to do that. Nothing to do with the argument at hand, but I'm glad ot know I wasn't the only person who felt bad about that.
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Shapermc · Hot Sake! Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 6279

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

Viva Klosterman!
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SuperWes · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:02 am Post subject:

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

Follow uup
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GSL · Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:20 am Post subject:

Okay, seriously, what's his thing with Bad Day L.A.?? He mentions it again in the follow-up article!

With a bit of clarification, he doesn't come off as nearly as much of an ass as I first assumed, but it's been replaced by a bit of--well, cluelessness, I guess. His argument is that nobody is writing about gaming from a critical perspective aimed towards non-gamers, and that music and film have both had critics that have taken this approach.
I really wonder though, if gaming journalism A) really needs that sort of audience to validate itself in the first place, and B) if it's even the time to start looking at such endeavors. I mean, it's a proven fact we gamers shoot people in the goddamn face, shouldn't we first be clearing out some of the asinine public assumptions and misconceptions about the hobby before we start writing intelligent articles for these same people?
But second, I'm not quite sure if that sort of 'outreach journalism' is even a step that should be taken. Gaming is a media wholly unlike either film or music (though obviously partially based in and borrowing elements from), so is it fair to assume that intelligent mainstream criticism would even be received in the same manner by the general public? It seems like it's just now that people are really starting to ask the questions about what really appeals in gaming, why game, etc. and so on; shouldn't the media as a whole have a more firmly established identity first?

Am I making a lick of sense?

Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

dhex · Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:50 am Post subject:

well, you know how we do. i'm beginning to think jack thompson actually is mentally ill and not just trying to make bucks.

anyway, klosterosterfosterwosterman is really confusing the fuck out of me. do music critics really speak to the public at large, or did they speak to other cultural tastemakers who allowed popular music to become part of what had been otherwise relatively elitist publications, or at least supplement the classical music section?

it's fun to watch him backpedal, however.
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kuzdu · Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 12:52 am Post subject:

His backpedalling though, doesn't make any sense. Who reads criticism about things that they don't care about? I don't watch TV, why would I want to read a critic's opinion of Lost?

The more interesting question is why Klosterman is so interested in videogame criticism when, it seems, he doesn't play them that much?