9.1.02- Really For Real

While the popular (and unpopular) media loves to glorify the realistic violence present in a few games to no end, I find myself most often noting other realistic additions to modern games. These range from the subtle settings to in-your-face blatant ad placement, but all make for a more immersive gaming experience. Some of my favorites as of late?

  • Licensed Vehicles- With games like GT3 and ATV Offroad Fury you no longer have to drive things that resemble real life cars and quads with silly mock names, these games offer renditions of the real deal. This makes for generally better looking in-game models and makes for a more serious tone of play.
  • Real Players & Teams- While not exactly a new thing, there are still many sports games where teams and players only mimic the real deal. With series like Madden and NBA2K you have real rosters and players who aren't just known as the mysterious "# 23".
  • Realistic Physics- While taking Mario across the dreaded long jump in World 8 is always quite fun, many of today's games are modeled after more serious fare, and with that take on the dynamics goverened by the laws of physics. I doubt few would find MGS 2 as genuinely entertaining if Raiden could "speed run" and leap 60+ feet in the air as he made "boing-boing" noises with each landing.
  • Historical Accuracy- While mostly the domain of tactical war games, some titles are coming with more and more bits of real world history attached. Either through character backgrounds, or settings (like war torn WW2 Europe in Medal of Honor), this lends a lot to a game story's credibility.
The list could on and on, but in the end it's good to see that as game developers try to make better experiences, they can successfully utilize the world around us to contribute to a great game.
-Hanzo

9.2.02- Extra Extra

A recent article I read at a gaming website arose my curiosity. It turns out that there will be three limited editions of Armored Core 3 released in the U.S. Each limited edition pack will retail for $69.99 and will contain the game, a T-shirt, a different mech action figure, and will only be available at select stores. Of course, the price is somewhat high for the average PS2 game, but I certainly think that you do get your $20 worth in terms of extras. This, to me, is a great marketing idea. Don’t think I’m saying that this has not been done before. In the U.S., however, it’s quite rare. Just think of Final Fantasy whatever number shipping with various figures of the in-game characters. Or something quite simple as game boxes with various cover art. The cost for an extra like this pales in comparison to profit potential. What better way to promote the newest Mario game than with an included plush toy that one can show to his/her friends making those friends aware that the game exists? Fanboys with big money to spend would do everything in their efforts to secure each unique extra that is released. More and more gamers each year are importing certain games with reasons ranging from the instruction book looks more detailed compared to the U.S.’s, to the game includes a soundtrack containing tracks from the game. Recent prices of blank CD-Rs and paper/ink tell me that such a gimmick would not break any company’s bank. Why not keep some of that money in the U.S.? The main things to look for are promotional, attractive, quality, and of course cost. Not everyone would be into this, but the little effort it would take to include such extras makes the idea worth exploring. At the very least, it’s a low risk gamble.
-Legendary Sword

9.3.02- More than a mistake?

"The cautious seldom err."
-Confucius

So videogames are illegal in Greece and-- wait a minute! Videogames are illegal in Greece? Following this shocking news came the inevitable questions: When? How? But perhaps most important is why.

While the law's sweeping powers could potentially affect videogames, it seems that wasn't the intent of Greek lawmakers. Rather, the draconian restrictions derive from political and legal botchery.

Then it's an honest mistake? Well, yeah, but I wonder... Do you think they'd ever accidentally outlaw movies? How about books? Maybe it is just an honest mistake and nothing more; but maybe this case reminds us videogames aren't respected like other media.
-Smorange

9.4.02- Lose the loading

We're now at the point when graphics start to become less important. Unlike the days of the PSX, games look awfully impressive. Technology allows realistic, ornate graphics to exist in-game, not just during FMV sequences. Nonetheless, developers continue to push boundries, which is a good thing except when those extra pixels cause additional waiting.

Nothing is more annoying than a lengthy load time. But we're still stuck with them in far too many cases. I'm willing to sacrifice graphics if that's what it takes for the total elimination of loading. Recent games like Mario Sunshine and Eternal Darkness prove it's possible. Hopefully, this attitude catches on and seconds-long empty screens become a thing of the past.
-Smorange

Info Center:

We needed an archive and now we have one. Here you can check out any older entries from our "Daily Commentary" section.

You can find the month you want on the main archive page and then browse specific dates from there. Each page contains 5 days of DC-ey goodness (DC = Daily Commentary, but don't tell anyone).

September '02:

9.01.02 - 9.05.02

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