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Since well before video games were invented people have always wanted to be something they’re not. Whether it be through films, books, daydreams or fairytales the human race has an inept ability to come up with ways to avoid the boredom of everyday living. And so, with the advent of video games, there is a new way to escape the real world that neither forces acts upon our fantasy characters nor is simply a mental delusions- games actually exist as physical worlds on the television screen.
The fact that gaming allows us, in theory at least, to act out events as we want to, and not as a writer has dictated in a film or book, gives us a unique opportunity to shape fictional characters into people that we can relate to. One person might take the character of Solid Snake and turn him into a sly, slick, sniping character who uses stealth to outwit his enemies, while another person may turn Snake into a megalomaniac killer who runs rampage with his guns. It’s that ability to recreate your characters in games that makes the medium so different to others. By having more control over your character you can assume their identity more easily- an escapist’s dream.
So it seems that the whole reason for the popularity of games is the human whim to be something we’re not.
However, game developers can all too easily overlook this fact. In a dash to create epic stories or amazing graphics, the whole point of the game can be missed. Take a game like Perfect Dark. All too often you are presented with cut-scenes in which Joanna Dark performs moves that you can’t do when you’re controlling her. You no longer feel like you are the character you control. Instead the character just becomes a computer-generated lump of pixels that you move about.
A game like MGS2 makes the opposite mistake. Although you have full control over the character you’re playing, there are so many cut-scenes that you can feel like you’re watching a film at times. No longer are you the one in control of the pace of the game- it’s all been prewritten for you.
What developers ought to be doing is to take a step back form the design process of games and ask themselves why people want to play? How is it that we’re going to ensure that players feel like they’re running the show? It’s questions like those that should come well before those of how to make the game sell or stand out. Perhaps then we’d see truly emotional games.
Sonic
The fact that gaming allows us, in theory at least, to act out events as we want to, and not as a writer has dictated in a film or book, gives us a unique opportunity to shape fictional characters into people that we can relate to. One person might take the character of Solid Snake and turn him into a sly, slick, sniping character who uses stealth to outwit his enemies, while another person may turn Snake into a megalomaniac killer who runs rampage with his guns. It’s that ability to recreate your characters in games that makes the medium so different to others. By having more control over your character you can assume their identity more easily- an escapist’s dream.
So it seems that the whole reason for the popularity of games is the human whim to be something we’re not.
However, game developers can all too easily overlook this fact. In a dash to create epic stories or amazing graphics, the whole point of the game can be missed. Take a game like Perfect Dark. All too often you are presented with cut-scenes in which Joanna Dark performs moves that you can’t do when you’re controlling her. You no longer feel like you are the character you control. Instead the character just becomes a computer-generated lump of pixels that you move about.
A game like MGS2 makes the opposite mistake. Although you have full control over the character you’re playing, there are so many cut-scenes that you can feel like you’re watching a film at times. No longer are you the one in control of the pace of the game- it’s all been prewritten for you.
What developers ought to be doing is to take a step back form the design process of games and ask themselves why people want to play? How is it that we’re going to ensure that players feel like they’re running the show? It’s questions like those that should come well before those of how to make the game sell or stand out. Perhaps then we’d see truly emotional games.
Sonic
Nintendo aren't really in an increasing technology war... not only are most of the console components designed and built out-of-house (by IBM, Matsushita etc) but also they are only involved in heavy tech development every few years- almost all of their in-house resources are dedicated to game development anyway.
All that's really important from the tech side is to create a console that's easy to develop for- easy to create your digital dreams on- await a topic on that very subject ;) Then it's up to the developer to put some thought into the game that they make, instead of just trying to WOW us with graphics and licences.
As I said, I'm writing a topic on that very point at the moment- should be up by tomorrow.
All that's really important from the tech side is to create a console that's easy to develop for- easy to create your digital dreams on- await a topic on that very subject ;) Then it's up to the developer to put some thought into the game that they make, instead of just trying to WOW us with graphics and licences.
As I said, I'm writing a topic on that very point at the moment- should be up by tomorrow.
Thats partly why Iwata commented. Nintendo don't want to end up in a world of high tech-bidding 'wars' over technology, when the real point is making games that play well. Like the SNES, compared to today (although the N64 was superb, and the GC is shaping up to be amazing!)
;)
;)
Odd you mention the SNES...
A console with such poor graphics (by today's standard) that you were forced to imagine the expressions on your character's face, what they looked like close up and what their personality was like.
This was due mainly to the LACK of cut scenes. I for one don't mind going back to that era
Sonic
A console with such poor graphics (by today's standard) that you were forced to imagine the expressions on your character's face, what they looked like close up and what their personality was like.
This was due mainly to the LACK of cut scenes. I for one don't mind going back to that era
Sonic
The entire point of a game is to be that character and take control of the situation you're put in. Whether you're the imfamous Lara Croft, the Brazil football team or some weird thing named Crash who runs around doing apparently sod all, then the point is the same: To complete the objectives. Technology has made games far more impressive and as much as people would love to say how the SNES was the best and all this, times have changed and even if then it was based on solely gameplay over graphics, that just isn't the case anymore.
Since well before video games were invented people have always wanted to be something they’re not. Whether it be through films, books, daydreams or fairytales the human race has an inept ability to come up with ways to avoid the boredom of everyday living. And so, with the advent of video games, there is a new way to escape the real world that neither forces acts upon our fantasy characters nor is simply a mental delusions- games actually exist as physical worlds on the television screen.
The fact that gaming allows us, in theory at least, to act out events as we want to, and not as a writer has dictated in a film or book, gives us a unique opportunity to shape fictional characters into people that we can relate to. One person might take the character of Solid Snake and turn him into a sly, slick, sniping character who uses stealth to outwit his enemies, while another person may turn Snake into a megalomaniac killer who runs rampage with his guns. It’s that ability to recreate your characters in games that makes the medium so different to others. By having more control over your character you can assume their identity more easily- an escapist’s dream.
So it seems that the whole reason for the popularity of games is the human whim to be something we’re not.
However, game developers can all too easily overlook this fact. In a dash to create epic stories or amazing graphics, the whole point of the game can be missed. Take a game like Perfect Dark. All too often you are presented with cut-scenes in which Joanna Dark performs moves that you can’t do when you’re controlling her. You no longer feel like you are the character you control. Instead the character just becomes a computer-generated lump of pixels that you move about.
A game like MGS2 makes the opposite mistake. Although you have full control over the character you’re playing, there are so many cut-scenes that you can feel like you’re watching a film at times. No longer are you the one in control of the pace of the game- it’s all been prewritten for you.
What developers ought to be doing is to take a step back form the design process of games and ask themselves why people want to play? How is it that we’re going to ensure that players feel like they’re running the show? It’s questions like those that should come well before those of how to make the game sell or stand out. Perhaps then we’d see truly emotional games.
Sonic
The fact that gaming allows us, in theory at least, to act out events as we want to, and not as a writer has dictated in a film or book, gives us a unique opportunity to shape fictional characters into people that we can relate to. One person might take the character of Solid Snake and turn him into a sly, slick, sniping character who uses stealth to outwit his enemies, while another person may turn Snake into a megalomaniac killer who runs rampage with his guns. It’s that ability to recreate your characters in games that makes the medium so different to others. By having more control over your character you can assume their identity more easily- an escapist’s dream.
So it seems that the whole reason for the popularity of games is the human whim to be something we’re not.
However, game developers can all too easily overlook this fact. In a dash to create epic stories or amazing graphics, the whole point of the game can be missed. Take a game like Perfect Dark. All too often you are presented with cut-scenes in which Joanna Dark performs moves that you can’t do when you’re controlling her. You no longer feel like you are the character you control. Instead the character just becomes a computer-generated lump of pixels that you move about.
A game like MGS2 makes the opposite mistake. Although you have full control over the character you’re playing, there are so many cut-scenes that you can feel like you’re watching a film at times. No longer are you the one in control of the pace of the game- it’s all been prewritten for you.
What developers ought to be doing is to take a step back form the design process of games and ask themselves why people want to play? How is it that we’re going to ensure that players feel like they’re running the show? It’s questions like those that should come well before those of how to make the game sell or stand out. Perhaps then we’d see truly emotional games.
Sonic