Hello hello, and thanks for checking back!
::Posting Statement::
If you have been checking the site frequently, we apologize for the lack of updates: We’re based out of Florida, and as you may (or may not) be aware, Comcast has an iron grip on the flow of internet in this state. As such, our internet connection has fallen out of graces, and tends to skip off to the beach to woo the ladies and sip fine congac while we push through the drudgery and humidity of daily Floridian life. Fear not, though! When secondary jobs are secured and our sleeping schedules have reverted from their current nocturnal cycles, posts will be more consistent!
Future posts will occur biweekly, although they will be longer, and possibly even include actual words (if we are feeling adventurous, there may even be sentences!); several readers have complained that, although the site maintains videos and documentaries on both Star Wars: The Old Republic and Halo:Reach (In 720p High Definition, no less!), we have failed to actually comment, lament, or ferment discussion on either game, or anything else, for that matter.
The first week will cover gaming events, releases, or social commentary, while the second week will be commentary or observations aimed towards particular games, situations, or companies in the game development industry.
::Game Reviewing – The S.I.M.P.L.E. System::
During a recent trip to the sunny (and stormy!) Emerald Coast, located on the Panhandle of Florida, we spent several lazy boat rides formulating the gaming review system we discussed back in our first post.
S.I.M.P.L.E.
> Story & Setting: Fittingly, Story & Setting is the first category we evaluate. The art of storytelling is one of the most essential skills for development teams: without it, your characters don’t have names, they don’t know what they are doing, and the world in which the game takes place has no context or history. While early game developers were able to get away with simple simulations and scenarios (Wolfenstine, anyone?), current generations of gamers take more satisfaction in playing games where the girl gets her man (or vice versa), the villain escapes to plot in the shadows, and the kingdom is returned to normal . . . then again, those are what scholars of literature call CLICHES . . .
> Immersion: A good game needs to hold the player’s attention, and remove them from their role in reality. A player needs to feel like they are in the game, that their actions in the game will have an effect on the virtual realm, and that in the end, the sense of achievement rivals that of an equivalent pursuit in the physical realm. This is a rather high hurdle to clear, and very few games will get good reviews from us on this point. We’re picky.
> Music & Graphics: Always a key part of game design, Music & Graphics are essentially bells and whistles when it comes to games. They can create moods, stir the player’s emotions, and awe them (First trip to Outland, anyone?), but in the end they are just accessories when it comes to gameplay and storytelling.
> Progression: How fast do players advance their characters, either through skills or the story? Does the game start out slowly, but pick up the pace after the tutorial (FFXIII), or does the player learn how to play intuitively (Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). Progression is essential to keeping the player going, and needs to evoke a sense of urgency in the player.
> Leveling: How do players improve their characters in the game? Is it all based on earning new items and equipment (Legend of Zelda & Sequels), or does it include a complex system of traits, items, deeds, and skills (Lord of the Rings Online)? Leveling adds a depth of character development, and, while not essential to actual gameplay or storytelling, it adds to the player’s sense of accomplishment in the end.
> Expansion: How much room is there for expansion, by the end of the game? Is the ending simply a paved path towards a sequel, or will future releases require the developers to invest in original stories and new characters?
::Updates: New video of Hoth as a playable world in Star Wars: The Old Republic::
::Updates: New Video of the Sith Warrior class in Star Wars: The Old Republic::
::Posting Statement::
If you have been checking the site frequently, we apologize for the lack of updates: We’re based out of Florida, and as you may (or may not) be aware, Comcast has an iron grip on the flow of internet in this state. As such, our internet connection has fallen out of graces, and tends to skip off to the beach to woo the ladies and sip fine congac while we push through the drudgery and humidity of daily Floridian life. Fear not, though! When secondary jobs are secured and our sleeping schedules have reverted from their current nocturnal cycles, posts will be more consistent!
Future posts will occur biweekly, although they will be longer, and possibly even include actual words (if we are feeling adventurous, there may even be sentences!); several readers have complained that, although the site maintains videos and documentaries on both Star Wars: The Old Republic and Halo:Reach (In 720p High Definition, no less!), we have failed to actually comment, lament, or ferment discussion on either game, or anything else, for that matter.
The first week will cover gaming events, releases, or social commentary, while the second week will be commentary or observations aimed towards particular games, situations, or companies in the game development industry.
::Game Reviewing – The S.I.M.P.L.E. System::
During a recent trip to the sunny (and stormy!) Emerald Coast, located on the Panhandle of Florida, we spent several lazy boat rides formulating the gaming review system we discussed back in our first post.
S.I.M.P.L.E.
> Story & Setting: Fittingly, Story & Setting is the first category we evaluate. The art of storytelling is one of the most essential skills for development teams: without it, your characters don’t have names, they don’t know what they are doing, and the world in which the game takes place has no context or history. While early game developers were able to get away with simple simulations and scenarios (Wolfenstine, anyone?), current generations of gamers take more satisfaction in playing games where the girl gets her man (or vice versa), the villain escapes to plot in the shadows, and the kingdom is returned to normal . . . then again, those are what scholars of literature call CLICHES . . .
> Immersion: A good game needs to hold the player’s attention, and remove them from their role in reality. A player needs to feel like they are in the game, that their actions in the game will have an effect on the virtual realm, and that in the end, the sense of achievement rivals that of an equivalent pursuit in the physical realm. This is a rather high hurdle to clear, and very few games will get good reviews from us on this point. We’re picky.
> Music & Graphics: Always a key part of game design, Music & Graphics are essentially bells and whistles when it comes to games. They can create moods, stir the player’s emotions, and awe them (First trip to Outland, anyone?), but in the end they are just accessories when it comes to gameplay and storytelling.
> Progression: How fast do players advance their characters, either through skills or the story? Does the game start out slowly, but pick up the pace after the tutorial (FFXIII), or does the player learn how to play intuitively (Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). Progression is essential to keeping the player going, and needs to evoke a sense of urgency in the player.
> Leveling: How do players improve their characters in the game? Is it all based on earning new items and equipment (Legend of Zelda & Sequels), or does it include a complex system of traits, items, deeds, and skills (Lord of the Rings Online)? Leveling adds a depth of character development, and, while not essential to actual gameplay or storytelling, it adds to the player’s sense of accomplishment in the end.
> Expansion: How much room is there for expansion, by the end of the game? Is the ending simply a paved path towards a sequel, or will future releases require the developers to invest in original stories and new characters?
::Updates: New video of Hoth as a playable world in Star Wars: The Old Republic::
::Updates: New Video of the Sith Warrior class in Star Wars: The Old Republic::