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The Godfather of gaming, Shigeru Miyamoto, recently said in an interview about the new Zelda game, responding to criticism of the new cel shaded style, that “talking about games is part of the gameplay these days”. At first I dismissed that comment as, well to be honest, stupid. How can talking about games be part of gameplay? After sitting down and pondering this thought for a moment, I realised why Miyamoto is one of the best, if not the best, games developers in the world, and why I’m not. But I’m no dummy (no really, I’m not), and I decided to use this idea to incorporate it into my latest post, which you are currently reading.
To me, gaming and everything it stands for should be an experience – you can look at games on a superficial level as a short term arcadey ‘fix’, or a simple alternative medium to other forms of entertainment. Games are more engrossing than films and more involving than listening to your favourite CD, because you can actually involve yourself with them to a higher degree than the others. Sceptics - like my parents - often look at gaming as a waste of time (almost blasphemous, I know), when, and I quote, I ‘could be doing something useful with my time’. Huh! Do me a favour - like what? Oh crap…A level revision!!
*runs off*
Only kidding…about revising that is. But if you look at gaming as an experience, you will realise that there is a lot more to games than just sitting in front of a TV screen with a controller in your hand. Oh no – the anticipation, the build up, the wait – this in itself is a very important part of gameplay. And that is why, my friends, I have decided to compile what I call the Cycle of Gameplay™ - the stages of excitement and expectation as we wait for our favourite games.
We are in a period, currently speaking, of the first part in the Cycle of Gameplay™ - the Electronics Entertainment Expo (that’s E3 to most of us). To me, this is one of the most important parts in the gaming calendar. New games are shown, shocking announcements are made, and we (well, the lucky magazine writers) can get our mitts on our most wanted games for the very first time. This is the first stage of gameplay – we ogle over the screen shots (from Upwire.com of course!), download the latest videos of the web and marvel at the superb graphics. We see the games on our very screens and we want to play them.
But we can’t. So we what do we do – we enter the second phase of the Cycle of Gameplay™…we talk about them! That’s why we are on these forums, isn’t it? The chance to talk about our favourite games, our expectations for the latest releases, what we would like to see included, what we would like to see discarded, etc. This has been proven by the internet backlash over ‘Celda’. Well, I’d like to say that, judging from the latest E3 video, that any dissenters will be eating humble pie very very soon. One aspect of this pre-gameplay I particularly enjoy is the speculation of what might be included, whether so and so will crop up and make an appearance – all these things add to the enjoyment, but unfortunately they heighten our expectations as well.
So onto the next stage of the Cycle Of Gameplay™ - playing the game itself. We’ve gone to the shop, sent an email and/or posted our mail order (depending on how dedicated you really are) and on the day of release the brand new spanking game arrives at your doorstep, neatly wrapped and waiting to be played. And how we play. Anxious to reach the next level, staring in astonishment at the drop dead gorgeous graphics, all your senses being bombarded. This is the only stage where you actually play the game, and is undeniably the most important. Your expectations are either realised or shattered. You would think be the last stage in the cycle, right? Wrong.
We talk again. Either back on the forums or with your mates (if you have any left after your social life has been destroyed by your new game!), you talk about the game, you want to share the experience, chat about its nuances and foibles. The gameplay still continues – you’ve stopped playing, but you are desperate to enjoy it with others, debate about the good and bad points, maybe even discuss what you want in the sequel! All these things are part of what I call the Cycle of Gameplay™!
Brought to you courtesy of RM18…hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
To me, gaming and everything it stands for should be an experience – you can look at games on a superficial level as a short term arcadey ‘fix’, or a simple alternative medium to other forms of entertainment. Games are more engrossing than films and more involving than listening to your favourite CD, because you can actually involve yourself with them to a higher degree than the others. Sceptics - like my parents - often look at gaming as a waste of time (almost blasphemous, I know), when, and I quote, I ‘could be doing something useful with my time’. Huh! Do me a favour - like what? Oh crap…A level revision!!
*runs off*
Only kidding…about revising that is. But if you look at gaming as an experience, you will realise that there is a lot more to games than just sitting in front of a TV screen with a controller in your hand. Oh no – the anticipation, the build up, the wait – this in itself is a very important part of gameplay. And that is why, my friends, I have decided to compile what I call the Cycle of Gameplay™ - the stages of excitement and expectation as we wait for our favourite games.
We are in a period, currently speaking, of the first part in the Cycle of Gameplay™ - the Electronics Entertainment Expo (that’s E3 to most of us). To me, this is one of the most important parts in the gaming calendar. New games are shown, shocking announcements are made, and we (well, the lucky magazine writers) can get our mitts on our most wanted games for the very first time. This is the first stage of gameplay – we ogle over the screen shots (from Upwire.com of course!), download the latest videos of the web and marvel at the superb graphics. We see the games on our very screens and we want to play them.
But we can’t. So we what do we do – we enter the second phase of the Cycle of Gameplay™…we talk about them! That’s why we are on these forums, isn’t it? The chance to talk about our favourite games, our expectations for the latest releases, what we would like to see included, what we would like to see discarded, etc. This has been proven by the internet backlash over ‘Celda’. Well, I’d like to say that, judging from the latest E3 video, that any dissenters will be eating humble pie very very soon. One aspect of this pre-gameplay I particularly enjoy is the speculation of what might be included, whether so and so will crop up and make an appearance – all these things add to the enjoyment, but unfortunately they heighten our expectations as well.
So onto the next stage of the Cycle Of Gameplay™ - playing the game itself. We’ve gone to the shop, sent an email and/or posted our mail order (depending on how dedicated you really are) and on the day of release the brand new spanking game arrives at your doorstep, neatly wrapped and waiting to be played. And how we play. Anxious to reach the next level, staring in astonishment at the drop dead gorgeous graphics, all your senses being bombarded. This is the only stage where you actually play the game, and is undeniably the most important. Your expectations are either realised or shattered. You would think be the last stage in the cycle, right? Wrong.
We talk again. Either back on the forums or with your mates (if you have any left after your social life has been destroyed by your new game!), you talk about the game, you want to share the experience, chat about its nuances and foibles. The gameplay still continues – you’ve stopped playing, but you are desperate to enjoy it with others, debate about the good and bad points, maybe even discuss what you want in the sequel! All these things are part of what I call the Cycle of Gameplay™!
Brought to you courtesy of RM18…hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
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*looks puzzled*
the same!!!
the same!!!
RM18 wrote:
> No, re-appearing, as in appearing again
yes thats wat i meant but wat did u mean?
> No, re-appearing, as in appearing again
yes thats wat i meant but wat did u mean?
hhmmm, very nice post there.
Everything I have wanted to know and wanted to say has been answered and said by everyone else.
No point in repeating everything now is there....
So i'll just say that its a great post from you like always.
:)
Everything I have wanted to know and wanted to say has been answered and said by everyone else.
No point in repeating everything now is there....
So i'll just say that its a great post from you like always.
:)
No, re-appearing, as in appearing again
Characters reapering?
Charactrs reapering?
I see what you mean now, about characters re-appearing etc etc.
yer i know...i was just saying that sometimes games dont have sequels.....like Vagrant Story.
If you read it properly :), then you'll see that the cycle begins when a game is announced, then the following stages occur. When a sequel is released, the cycle starts again
Hate to be the critichere but doesn't a cycle only happen wen a game has a sequel?
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