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Username:  JackSlack
Joined:  10 Sep 2003
$poons:  244.60
Total posts:  1175 [Show all]
[0.15% of total / 0.33 posts per day]
Post Score:  1202  ( 1213 / 11) [Show all]
Total votes:  550 [Show all]
Location:  Sydney, Australia
Website:   
Occupation:   
Interests: Roleplaying, Stuff
 
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JackSlack's Recent Forum Posts
Bravo to EA. This is always the correct response: Refuse to modify your game. Yes, it sucks for us, but it's the response that makes retailers furious with the government and puts pressure on them to change their policies. Nothing speaks quite so much as money, and both EA and retailers have just lost money here.
the_spensa wrote
What do you guys reckon of Tim Schafer; I've only played Psychonauts so I can't really say much considering he did make Day of the Tentacle and Grim Fandango.
Benza wrote
I'd say Tim Schafer is a better writer then he is a director. His games are **** hilarious but the gameplay isnt' anything exceptional.
I go back and forth on Schafer. Here's the thing: Psychonauts was freaking brilliant. The story was lively and engaging, the characters unique and interesting.

Brutal Legend was a freaking mess. The third act was AWOL. The characters, apart from Eddie, were pretty thin.

And yet that second game was STILL my game of the year.

Schafer, or someone working for him, has got a visual imagination second to none. Double Fine's games are varied, interesting, visually unique and always appealing. In addition to this, they're never clichéd (or are deliberately clichéd for effect) and the premises are always brilliant.

But their gameplay systems are ancient. The racing in Brutal Legend is my favourite example of this: It's a time trial. The opponent car CANNOT be budged. He will always run the exact same route every time. This is just nuts. There's other examples as well, but that's the clearest.

They keep making games I can't stop finding flaws in any more than I can stop playing the goddamn things, because I enjoy them so much.[/quote]
I'm finding it really interesting following along here; I'd argue that most of the names getting thrown about would be described (in Scott McCloud's quartet as animists (Mikami definitely, DĂ©siletsm, Cliffy B) and formalists (Suda 51, Hocking, Ueda). I don't even know if gaming has enough history to have classicism. (Mind you, Cage is a classicist. He's just a classicist of film.) Are there any iconoclasts in there?

Also, I think there's a definite animist leaning in the expressions people have given here. A lot of love to the masters of the form, the ones who can make the trappings fall away and leave pure experience. I can dig that, even if I tend to be more into the formalists.
Mortal Kombat Collection, for 'I knew it was bad going in'.

LA Noire for most surprisingly bad game. I really wanted to love it, I truly did, but in the end it's still trying to be a TV show.
Benza wrote
See my problem with Ueda (apart from really not liking Ico) was that Shadow of the Collsus, while I'll agree is a great game now should not have been released on hte PS2, the system was simply unable to handle what the game was trying to do and it resulted in a game that was **** ambitious as hell but suffered through shocking frame rate drops, muddy graphics etc.
That's fair, and the frame-rate drops are undeniable. (I still think the original on PS2 looks amazing, though -- I'd not have called it muddy.) That said, I think the game powers through those issues. It's not just ideas: It's that he seems to be one of the few game designers at all attempting to convey ideas and concepts embedded directly into the gameplay, and of those who are he's certainly the clearest and sharpest at it.

But I do accept your critique of it; you're not wrong at all.

topaz wrote
Don't know about the best, but Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Rez, LUMINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!crack!!!!!, Child of Eden) is definitely up there.
I dig his style, definitely. Not as huge a fan as you, I think (I find his games a bit hollow) but his games are always a trip to play through, and his command of pacing is amazing.
Benza wrote
(Also he would have made Ico not suck)
Right there is our disagreement: I think Ico is probably the best game I've ever played. It does a staggeringly good job of conveying a sense of human connection through some really good work on Yorda's reactions, small touches of animation, and the excellent decision to not have her be understandable vocally. And it does it with a fantastic level of economy in the use of cut-scenes.

Shadow of the Colossus I felt was a much more pointed and bold effort (I read it as a condemnation of video-game violence) but I felt the ending was too convoluted and cut-scene heavy to truly work. And yes, the fights are fantastic and still hold up amazingly well even after all this time.

I'm curious who other people would consider the greatest game designer on the planet, but that's really a topic for another thread... so, I'll go ahead and make it.
Picking up from here.

For my money? As I said, Fumito Ueda. I put him in the lead by a long shot; Ico & Shadow of the Colossus are pretty much my #1 and #2 games ever, in that order, and I'm really hopeful for The Last Guardian as well.

I'd also give high marks to Clint Hocking, and grudging nods to Jason Roher. (I admire his works more than I enjoy them, sadly.)

Also, of course, much love for Miyamoto. That he's one of the greatest pioneers of the form goes without saying.
Keep in mind, guys, those words 'as far as I am concerned' are a big part of that sentence.

For some, I'm sure (say) Uncharted is a pretty good reason to own a Sony console. Me? I find the series completely boring.

For many, I know, the Metal Gear Solid series is a pretty good reason to own a Sony console. (Assuming more get made, which I'm betting they will if it's not already been announced.) Me? I'm not a fan.

For many more again, I know Gran Turismo is that reason. Me? I don't like it.

I'm sure there are even some people who are really excited by David Cage and what he works on next. And truth be told, yeah, I'm more interested in that than I am by any of the above three. Sure, I've despised with a burning passion his last two games, but he's got enough ambition that if he can get over his vow to filmic construction, he might do something good. But I'm not betting on that.

But I bought a PS3 for precisely two discs: Ico/Shadow of the Colossus HD, and The Last Guardian. They were the only two games exclusive to PS3 that I needed to have. Everything else could be found on Xbox or PC. (Not that I have much of a PC for games.)

And now? Fumito Ueda has walked.

For me, that's the game.

Esposch wrote
Shadow Complex.
Pretty good game, certainly one I enjoyed. Not one I'd buy a system for, but maybe the best exclusive the Xbox has, you're right. Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is another contender, but I've not played it yet. Need to do so.

Mikezilla2 wrote
Jarrod awakes to find that Ueda decided to take over kojma prodctions as head of MGS5 - jarrods reaction ?
I don't know about Jarrod, but that would successfully get me to check out a Metal Gear Solid game.
As far as I am concerned, there is now no good reason to buy Sony's next console. This man was literally it.

Mind you, I can't think of a decent reason to buy an Xbox 360 at all, but for the sake of having one or the other.

Still, this is huge. Fumito Ueda has a major case for being the best game designer on the planet today. I'm really curious to see what he does next.
Roughly a minute in, I began giggling insanely at this video. "All right, all very macho. BIG GUNS. ARMOR. Good work, guys. Now, sell us the robotic puppy dog in that macho tone."

As it is, they didn't do too bad a job of it, but I can't help but laugh at the bass-inflected footsteps they put in.
Y'know, I hate to say it, but the customization is really kind of crap compared to the second game's. No layering? Seriously? How the hell are you meant to wear a skirt if you can't get tights to put under it? Why can't you wear a t-shirt under a coat?

That's kind of crap.
Grumble grumble. No, I am not a fan of online passes in any way. (Although, oddly enough, I'd be fine with dropping the price of games and selling the online component separately, as Extra Credits suggested.) But Benza, you are right; it got done last time without even having online.

Well, then I guess all I have to say is: So, who wants a Krogan Engineer on Xbox Live? Seriously, I'm a frickin' good Engie.
Gragh. OK, so here's the thing.

I'm on record as having been rather positive toward the idea of Mass Effect multiplayer of almost exactly this sort. Heck, I was fine with the idea of deathmatches, as long as they were 3 vs. 3 rather than a free for all.

But it's so aggravating that this whole thing is transparently being done to ensure the online pass can be stapled to the game. It's got nothing to do with it being fun, it's got nothing to do with it being a better game, and it's got everything to do with them hating Gamestop and wanting to take a chunk out of the used game market.

What's galling about it is that EA shows every sign of actually hating games and gamers.
Has anyone covered this? http://www.ebgames.com.au/xbox360-155129-Saints-Row-the-Third-Smooth-Criminal-Edition-Xbox-360

Unlike the collector's edition, this one feels more true to Saints Row, IMO. It's got that cheesy, utterly over the top feel to it. I mean, bullet shaped ice cubes? That's the kind of stuff the saints would have.
Oh, true. I didn't think about that. That would be unfortunate.
Stupid Deus Ex Playthrough Idea: An I Must Kill Everyone playthrough. Kill everyone. By your hand. Someone has a hostage and is about to execute her? Your goal is to save her, and then shoot her yourself. Count every dead person with a count clicker. See how high you can get, post it online, and compare with others.
The story is a bit flat, isn't it? It's not terrible: It's clear and obvious what's going on. It's just that there aren't any really big twists. It'd be nice if it surprised the player a bit.
I don't think any Deus Ex game will ever have those massive long playthroughs. It's simply not practical with today's budgets -- I think Yahtzee is right when he notes the original Deus Ex came out in a weird butter zone for gaming: Games were expensive enough to have a lot of possibilities, but not so expensive that you couldn't afford more than a few of them. Frankly, I'm staggered DXHR is as open ended as it is.

What I do hope for are more sandbox like levels overall; the game was a long way from linear, but I craved more of those 'wander around the level first, feel it out, then commence' designs from the original. I'd also groove on the social aspect being ramped up and integrated more: Imagine being able to go undercover to solve a mission. This doesn't need to be the 'I win' button you'd think -- it would probably mix with stealth. If you impersonate a mook, you still can't enter the restricted zone, and you need to be seen trying to break into computers, etc. (If it was like the game's first level). For extra bonuses, throw in a classic 'kill the dude to maintain your cover' crisis.
Y'know, watching this, I now find myself really wanting a DLC that goes into exactly what happened in the Mexicantown riots. We know the bare bones story of what happened -- the order given, Jensen's refusal, Haas's acceptance -- but I'd love to know the wider story and how it touched off the tinderpot it was.
Jarrod wrote
@JackSlack: They were in it because they were in the original. I always figured that the heavy conspiracy themes would somewhat go against reviving Deus Ex. They need to be there, but new fans might get a little bit weirded out by them as they can seem a little ham fisted.
Yeah, and I get that. The problem is that the moral choice this time around is hampered by them. The first one was all about 'who should be trusted with power', and (roughly) this being an autocratic government, a deliberative body, and nobody. That fits the conspiracy tone.

This time, it's about 'how should we balance the danger that technology will be abused with the potential it offers humanity'. And the problem there is that the Illuminati complicates the moral dilemma. It's a problem with the ending, far moreso to my mind than the real life footage/voiceover ending montage, which I quite liked, although it's not quite as neat as the simple quote ending of the first.
Anyway, so I beat it! Pacifist, Foxiest of the Hounds, and Trooper achievement unlocked.

I chose...

Spoiler wrote
Darrow's confession. None of the others did what needed to be done: Damage the Illuminati. Sarif's shifted blame onto the Humanity First group. Taggart shifted it onto governments and corporations. Us dying helped nobody. Only Darrow's put the blame squarely where it needed to be placed. I don't believe it will end science. Science is too big, and our curiosity about the world too strong for it to die. It will be set back a bit, but the Illuminati may well be crushed by the revelations. And then, science will serve man instead.

Or, to put it short: Truth, above all.
Edit:


Spoiler wrote
Also, y'know what? The worst part of this game was that the Illuminati were in it. Yes, I know, you need a shadowy group to start up the plot. But in the end, that could have been done with something smaller, because the final choice doesn't work.

At its heart, the final choice is about unchecked progress and technological advancement. Should we hurtle headforth? Should we progress slowly? Should some lines never be crossed at all? Or is this a decision only mankind as a whole can make, not an individual?

But none of them work. Because you can have unchecked progress... for a shadowy conspiracy controlling all mankind. Or you can have regulations... written by a shadowy conspiracy controlling all mankind. Or it can be decided by all mankind... being controlled by a shadowy conspiracy!

Without the Illuminati, that final decision makes sense. It allows for strong debate and there's no right answer. (There is a wrong one, however: Sinking the station. C'mon. Individuals choose for all humanity all the time. It's how things happen. We do not have a hive mind.) But with the Illuminati? I only see one right answer: Do everything you can to expose the Illuminati, despite the cost.

Anyone have any other thoughts on this?
Jarrod wrote
@JackSlack: Reading the webs, its amazing how many people fell for that, despite how many warnings and hints are given.
The thing is, I halfway suspected. I really did. But I've been so conditioned by RPGs to believe you are punished for what you don't do, not what you do. And... well, I went on schedule. I am the sucker. icon_smile.gif
Sooooo... fuck.

Quote
I installed the kill-chip (very clever way to play on gamers completionist urges, BTW) and now I'm at the boss fight.

I'm pretty sure I can't beat it. This is basically game over for me, go on and restart the whole thing and don't be so stupid as to install the kill switch this time.

Fuck me. Why did they put the fucking boss fights in this game? The game is nigh on perfect except for them.
Edit: Geeze. Took me long enough, but I did manage to bring him down. Wasted four praxis points on dermal plating to do it, though. Ah well. I was at the point where I wasn't using praxis points much anyway, stockpiling them 'just in case'. I guess this was the 'just in case' moment.
The first bit of

Quote
your return to Hanshan and having to save Malik
is friggin' badass. Did it, on medium difficulty, maintaining pacifist.
So, after a full city hub, I finally did something I swore I would not do.

I actually fired my stun gun.

Three times!

(They were threatening a woman! I'm not going to stand for that.)
Jarrod wrote
Hacking is really quite invaluable ... As it is, you have no reason to invest in hacking, and you will invest in hacking
This set of quotes confuses me. Also, I've found investing in hacking early to be pretty darn essential.
JoCo's newest album, 100 dollar bundle. I also requested a smaller t-shirt size than I'm currently wearing. Consider it aspirational. (Although I am losing weight. Huzzah!)
WarAdept wrote
Hacking is so pathetically easy once you have Hacking: Stealth aug maxed out. Was the first thing I got in tandem with Increased Hacking level. More XP for me.
I went straight for the social augmentation. I do not care if it's this game's swimming skill: I have a standing policy of going for the conversation buff as my first option in any RPG and I damn well don't intend to stop now. icon_smile.gif (Seriously. KOTOR? Persuade. Mass Effect? Persuade. Dragon Age? Coercion. It's a wonder I ever managed to play Jade Empire, since without a conversation buff I had no clue where to begin putting points.)
I'm special that way.
Jarrod wrote
Yeah, the tutorials do a...questionable job of explaining the ins and outs.
This is one of my big problems. Video tutorials? Seriously? I know the original game was from the '90s, but you don't need to ignore all we've learned about tutorial design since then.

My other bugaboo, weirdly enough, are doors. The doors are frequently the same colour as the wall, making them very difficult to identify from a distance. That's a major issue in a stealth game, where identifying your exit point is the whole game.

My third problem is that honestly, I don't get the feeling this game will work as a shooter. It seems designed around stealth playthroughs.

That said, I'm enjoying it more after the rough start.