Loops Horrific

Recently I've seen the footage of the new Silent hill game that has been floating around.

I suppose this is the next step in the evolution of the Horror genre of gaming. Whereas horror games have relied upon building the horror by sowing seeds of doubt within the player's mind, the new Silent Hill game expands upon this by forcing the player through a loop with small changes added with each run through and thus creating a sense of unease within the player that only increases.

But if this is the next evolution in horror games I wonder how long it would be before there's a horror game that builds up the tension but presents no pay-off. I can see it now: The player is placed in a situation where it's made clear that something horrible is going to happen but as they end up dreading what's around the corner nothing happens. As such the player is slowly going crazy trying to find something that ultimately won't arrive.

And like they say, it's what you don't see that's more terrifying....

Survival Arts

Inspired by this week's episode of Good Game, I thought I may offer my two cents on this emerging genre based around the human need known as Survival.

It's the same story: The PC is plonked in a hostile environment and must survive at all costs - a tall order as they must find necessities such as food, clothing and first-aid when they aren't easily available. In addition, the player must run the gauntlet against a wide range of enemies and fellow humans who are also out for themselves and would rob the player of their resources as soon as they look at him (or her).

But I don't buy it. Whist this genre may offer training for a zombie apocalypse an experience unlike any other game, it does offer a steep difficulty curve. True this may be the most likely situation in a hypothetical civilization collapse, but having player character die within seconds of spawning does suggest a game that resents me playing it - and seeing I have many other games that I could be playing this is a major deal.True some people may praise the realistic nature but I would rather have a game that at least presents some kind of fighting chance.

Mind you, I'm still waiting on a real post-apocalypse game - one that places an emphasis on the loneliness before anything else. And I mean that literally: No baddies to shoot, just you, the player, in a barren, silent world and where seeing another life form is indeed a big deal. If anything, I find silence a more formidable enemy than a horde of zombies and more breaking to the mind than constantly fighting for survival.
But, as always, there's not enough conflict in that idea to make it sail...

Wrestling an idea out of my mind

I've never been big on wrestling games. Sure they're good to have when you have some friends around and keen to have one-on-one punch ups but that's a niche that is easily filled with the fighting game genre. Thus there isn't anything wrestling games can offer that can't be fulfilled by the likes of Streetfighter or Soul Calibur.

But, in my book, if there is gaming genre that's not going anywhere then it is ripe for some reinvention. So how would I do a wrestling game?
Simple: I'd embrace the sheer absurdity of ti all. Now we all know that wrestling is all fake and the wrestlers are merely running through a series of staged movements. So why not build a game around that? Seriously, I'd like to play a wrestling game where it's the players role to build up a list of staged actions and then watch them all play out! It'll be like the Opening Direction option in Soul Calibur expanded into a full blown game!

Of course it may sound limiting but with some thought it can work: The player starts out with a small time wrestling stage but, through careful planning, can build up a staged wrestling match. Success is determined through audience reaction and generates money which can lead to bigger audiences and more elaborate matches.

Of course is this but a germ of an idea but with the right amount of polish it can work.
Any takers?

In the grim darkness of the far future there is ony war

Ever since my teens I've had a long-standing interest in Warhammer - as teenagers with more money than brains are wont to do. Although that interested has waned in more recent years, I still maintain some degree of interest. That being said, the Warhammer universe, both Fantasy Battle and 40k, has proven to be fertile ground for game settings over the years. But my problem is that they’ve either been shooters (ie Space Hulk, Space Marine) or strategy games (ie Dawn of War, Shadow of the Horned Rat).
If anything, I would really like to see the Games Workshop give the green light for a roleplaying game. It is indeed a crying shame that they won’t because I find both Warhammer universes solid enough settings for an RPG. So why aren’t the Games Workshop doing anything – aside from inspiring rival companies to make their own Warhammer-inspired IP? (Warcraft anyone?)
Okay, sure there was Warhammer Online but if history has taught us anything it’s that if you’re a MMORPGur that isn’t World of Warcraft then you’re Dead on Arrival.

Whilst the Warhammer Fantasy Battle world is a decent enough setting it may be difficult to say something new when similar worlds exist *coughAzerothcough*. Therefore I really want to an RPG set in the 40k universe: It is far more volatile with every faction are out for themselves and little to no sense of unity (with the possible exception of the Imperium of Mankind), and thus makes for a more fascinating setting with tonnes of potential.
If we go by the Mass Effect model, I would certainly like to take a ship and travel from one end of the 40k universe exploring many of the planets therein. There is a decent enough lore and many recognizable locations that would sweet to see rendered in computer graphics.
There is certainly enough races in the 40k universe to build up a decent party of NPCs. Indeed the diversity would be a key selling point because a party built solely of Space Marines would only be interesting for so long.  But if the diversity comes into play then who would the player control? A possible solution would be an Inquisitor – his party could be built up of henchmen and killing daemons certainly holds a lot of appeal. But an even better option would be a Rogue Trader – it presents a substantial grounding for a diverse party. And better still, it offers the unique opportunity to describe the 40k universe through the eyes of an outsider who isn’t tied to any faction – or at least an average Joe.

And I just pulled that off the top of my head – so why on earth aren’t Games Workshop green lighting something like this?!?!?

Face the consequences

I’ve issued a lot of praise for the game Peace Maker. If anything, it’s different to the usual in gaming and to see a political simulator – let alone that actually works – is indeed a rarity. I really can’t emphasis just how tense it becomes with making decisions and waiting to see IF they’d deliver the desired result.

That being said, how come no one has tried to replicate this method of gaming? I don’t know about you but a political simulator – with making decisions, dealing with consequence and trying to keep so many parties placated - is a gaming genre that should be put to work – given the right scenario of course.

So let me say this up front: I want to see a political simulator based on Game of Thrones.

Think about it: That scenario would be perfect for a political simulator and making decisions that may have drastic consequences. I mean, what other game could give you the option of dispatching prostitutes to your nephew to curry favor?

After all, it’s not like the Game of Thrones games currently available could do any worse…

I Know You

Game developers are always saying that they want YOU, the player, to be made to feel like they're a genuine part of the experience. But as I've said before, I've never bought that: You give the PC both a face & a name and the immersion is broken. They are no longer playing a part of the narrative but are instead pushing just another avatar.

One could make the argument that anyone could fashion the avatar they control into the likeness of the player but that doesn't work for me: If the player knows they're making a PC that resembles themselves then part of the immersion is lost: You're not playing yourself - you're playing some twat who looks like you.

No, the way it should work is to not make such an intended connection obvious: I kind of like how in Spec Ops the Line the player's XBLA name is incorporated into the credits. I, of course, had no say in this and, as a result, the immersion and the notion I was genuinely playing a part in the narrative increased tenfold.
So what would I do? Well, if I were making a 'never-show-the-face'-esque first person shooter, I would make the request of the player that they take picture of themselves using a webcam of some kind. Thus, the image would be replicated in every reflective surface. I've seen such an act being performed in various sport games so why can't it be taken out into different genre? If anything, it would make the 'player playing a part' more genuine.

Whether they'd like it or not

The Duellists

Here's something I've been pondering on: One way of building an effective gaming villain seems to be the ability to taunt the player. It would seem that to attack the player on such a psychological level would enrage the player and inspire them onward to knock nine bells out of the villain - after all if a villains doesn't make the player want to punch their face in, then the villain isn't doing their job properly. As a result, taunting the player has built some truly unforgettable villains in the form of GLaDos and SHODAN.

But here's the thing: Taunting the player effectively places me in a position of powerlessness - I can't deliver any witty comebacks to the smart-arse who won't shut up. True that may be precisely the point but whilst I, as the player, may yell at the screen, I can't help but feel that something is missing with my comebacks having little effect. After all, if a villain can make me the player angry then it's only fair I should make the villain angry, right? Thus, somehow, being represented by a silent, faceless player character makes said PC come across as being a middle man in the unfortunate position of being caught in-between a battle of wits.

Anyone whose seen the movie Red Dragon would know the relationship between Will Graham and Hannibal Lector: Hannibal hates Will and is trying to attack him in various forms - but when Will refuses to give in to the good doctor, the angrier Hannibal gets.
It's a compelling scenario and one that could really do with being transplanted into a gaming scenario. Think about it! An evil villain determined to break a character, both in mind and body, whilst the player character isn't taking that shit lying down and has an array of comebacks - both verbal and physical. And of course with both characters growing angrier with each other, this will lead to, potentially, the mother of all final showdowns.

But this scenario seems unlikely as having the player character represented by a fully-realised character does take away the personable nature of the villains mental assaults - as it's the character being taunted not the player. 
Of course, Portal had Chelle but some people awfully willing to forget that....

Alterations required

Back from a week off - Real life kinda took over for a minute there.

Anywho, for today, lets talk about Altered Beast: One of the infamous of all the games Sega ever made. Originally an arcade game, it found fame as the original bundled game for Sega Genesis/Megadrive.
I remember seeing this as a kid played out on the Megadrive and me immediate thought was the striking presentation. For me it came across as a game leaden with doom: Your character is constantly fighting a horde of shambling zombies and other monstrosities, the end boss appears throughout the level as if in a taunting fashion, the music was somewhat grim and the Player Character is turning into some beastie to defeat the foes in his path. Embracing some bizarre, potentially irreversible power to defeat the baddies? Now there's a thought!

Of course all of this was largely built upon the imagination of my youthful mind. When I finally got to play it, well over a decade later of course, the game came across as total trash: The gameplay was ghastly with too may cheap deaths and button mashing. And for a game offering the beast modes the time spent using them is sure slim - and indeed painfully slim when one considers the ratio of time spent trying to find the power ups necessary.

I know I've spoken a lot about retro games in this blog and how they seem to have a lot more heart and soul than many of the games around today but not everything can be viewed with rose-tinted glasses. Still, whilst Altered Beast may be crummy game it is interesting to see how my imagination made it look better than it actually was. In fact I would like someone make a game based on my descritpion listed above.

There's a challenge for you. Any takers?

Touched by the hand of God

You know what I'm sick of? Villains that aspire to godhood. I've seen plenty of them in JRPGs - the Final Fantasy series being a frequent offender - but the same could be said for movies, TV, and books. It's something that I've heard so many times that now it comes across as being run into the ground. Granted in gaming terms it does raise the stakes quite considerably with the villain seeking the infinite, universe-shaping, powers of a divine entity but the 'villain-seeking-godhood' has been so many times it seems more like an endorsement for secularism. Or worse, a lazy writer doing a half-arsed job.

But despite my grumbling, I still think there is an idea there. As stated above, it does raise the stakes for the player for a mortal man to defeat an immortal is certainly an incredible achievement (just ask Kratos). However, if that is the case then balance must be determined - in the form of the villain's task to achieve godhood being a grueling undertaking in itself. You never see a villain do such a thing don't you? You never see the lengths the villain goes to in their quest and with such a goal one can assume said quest will never be easy. Okay so maybe Kratos could be an exception but it should be noted he wasn't actively seeking godhood - he just happened to replace the guy he bumped off.
How come you never see the lengths the villain goes to secure his goal of godhood? Previous experience shows such villains are either dismissed as just being bonkers or seeing divine ascension as a way to a) exorcise some childhood resent and/or b) get revenge one some prick. However, with the right thought behind it, the 'villain-seeking-godhood' trope could be made to work. It is, after all, the story of a person of a humble background doing something that ultimately changes the world around them in a major way. And those stories will never get old - because if it's not Jesus Christ then it's Luke Skywalker. Or G'Kar. Or Harry Potter. Or Twilight Sparkle.

That being said if I were to write a villain based on the 'villain-seeking-godhood' trope what would I do? Well, I would do an extensive exploration of his motivation. Not the tried and tested motives explained above - no my 'villain-seeking-godhood' would be someone who would use it to justify their existence. He/She would be leading an empty life and, upon seeing the adulation lauded on the heroes figures around them, concludes that such adulation would suit them very well - and give their life meaning. So believing that divine ascension is goal worth fighting for, they set out to get it. 

That's what I'd do and that's what I believe the 'villain-seeking-godhood' trope needs to get some life back into it - and hey, the further the villain movies away from the Chaotic Evil alignment the better.
But I still think people won't buy it - at least in a gaming sense. After all, why would anyone play a game where they have to fight a villain who is doing what they do in an attempt to find meaning in an empty life?

Corporate Retreat

Whilst going through some of my old files, I came across a submission I put in for the for the Good Game game Office Wars. Yeah I put one in: Figuring I had little to loose, I rose up to the task of conceiving a history of the company in the game, Wagglemax, and working on some of the characters within the game itself.
I made my submission but Good Game never got back to me. Nevertheless, I thought I might give my ideas a home here. Indeed, looking back these characters seem compelling enough and it would be shame not to put them to use (of course anyone can have an idea - but putting said into action is another thing entirely).

So here we go: My submisison for the Good Game game Office Wars:

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Wagglemax History:

Wagglemax is a company that ahs been around for twenty years. It’s origins came from a young business executive called James Morgan who wanted to make a mark in the business world in the manufacture of technical gadgets. It was James who founded the company and whom has been with the company ever since.

Times have been difficult recently in Wagglemax: at first they had a string of successes with products of ingenuity and they became one of the most successful technological gadget companies on the market – even to the point of making their rivals nervous. However, company got too sure of itself and made a number of ventures that promised so much but failed to deliver. This set off a string of failures that in retrospect looked good on paper but left a lot of untapped potential. Wagglemax’s status slipped drastically – even to the point where it lost vital ground against new and upcoming companies. 

Currently, Wagglemax is in a rather alarming position: It needs a something big to get back up and running or face the horror of being closed down. However, as with many times before, the wrong people have the larger say whilst the right people are being ignored.

CEO

Name: James Morgan

First Impressions: A large man who radiates a tyrannical presence. James is often found sitting at his desk, laughing manically with mad eyes and a demented grin. He is always thinking up new schemes to forward Wagglemax but none of them really succeed.

Background: Merciless, cruel and apathetic: as a CEO James is all this and more. In a cutthroat business of running and maintaining a company, he has built Wagglemax from the ground up – but only through muscling his way to the top through low cunning, ruthless strength and absolute terror. But his journey to the top has irrevocably altered his way of thinking. He has the smarts and the intelligence to make the company go even further but it’s at odds with him leaving such potential unrecognised and paranoia (not to mention the perception that all of his employees are worthless maggots). 

Having been with Wagglemax from the very beginning, James was once a young and enthusiastic business man who wanted to make a mark of his own. However once he got Wagglemax up and running, it quickly became clear how corporations work.

To his horror, James received first hand experience on the ruthless nature that corporations work: by eliminating the competition through whatever means necessary. Thus he slowly had his idealism sucked out of him, leaving him as he currently is: a jaded tyrant.

CEO Personal Assistant

Name: Charles Lloyd

First Impressions: A snivelling little worm and general arse-kisser, Charles is determined to stay in his boss’ good books. Meek in demeanour he is however keen to find any moment when the other employees slip up for he can use it do his (no matter how over-dramatised) advantage.

Background: The personal assistant of James, Charles knows the importance of his position and doesn’t let anyone forget it. Such is his devotion to his employer that Charles will use any blackmail, threats and other underhanded methods to make sure the employees of Wagglemax stay in line. He is not afraid to assert his authority nor is he afraid to get his hands dirty.

However, he is only acting under James’ guidance. Without him, Charles would be next to useless. Thus, it is Charles’ admiration for his employer that has kept him going for all this time. It has also brought him into conflict with Glenn on several occasions.

Coming from a lowly background out in the countryside, Charles left his home for the city in search of work. However it wasn’t easy: he was unemployed for a long time trying out for many jobs. The lack of success took its toll however, leaving him frequently depressed and beaten down by defeat. But he refused to give up and was eventually rewarded with his current position at Wagglemax. Delighted that things are finally going his way, Charles has every intention to hang onto this new role with an iron grip and refuses to give up anything for anyone (expect James, the man who gave him the job)

Cleaner

Name: Simon Welsh

First Impressions: A weary but still likable old chap, Simon appears to the only sane person in Wagglemax. He gets on well with everyone, can blend in easily and drifts in and out of each chaotic situation in an unflappable manner.

Background: At first glance, Simon is a simple cleaner but such first impressions conceal his true intentions: he is actually an agent for James. Because of his unassuming manner and ability to go anywhere without being suspected, James has an additional task for Simon: to scout around the office of Wagglemax and to report any dissension in the ranks. Simon may get along well with everyone and may appear to be the most liked person in Wagglemax, but in reality he cares little of loyalty save for watching out for his own skin.

Simon’s background is something of an enigma. After acquiring a decent education, Simon spent many years working in corporations such as Wagglemax. In fact, he made excellent progress over the years – even to the point of becoming a key employee of one rival company to Wagglemax. Needless to say, falling from a higher-up to a cleaner is a spectacular one indeed, so he has joined Wagglemax with the intention of getting back at James. Strangely enough, James is aware of this.

Office Junior

Name: Glenn Wheeler

First Impressions: Young and vital, Glenn possess the manner of a wheeler-dealer. Fast talking, charismatic and full of ideas (all of which are better than James’) he does however tend to wimp out in confrontational situations.

Background: A young idealist, Glenn is fresh out of University where he was consistently bright pupil. Dedicated completely to his studies, Glenn had little time for anything else. Thus, his marks were always impressive but his people skills kept needing drastic work.

He has just started out in Wagglemax and obtained the entry position of Office Junior. Coming from a prestigious background, Glenn is annoyed that he has been regulated to a position not worthy of his talents and his great ideas (as he believes) are being constantly ignored.

Yet the longer Glenn stays at Wagglemax, it becomes increasingly clear that James relies on brute force to move the company forward. Thinking the company would be better off suited to more subtle methods of progression, Glenn immediately vows to usurp his boss and takes his place. Thus, Glenn is quite open about his intentions. Even James is aware of this but it is only Glenn’s usefulness that keeps him on the payroll.

Strangely though, whilst he may have the wits and charisma that James will probably never have, Glenn is a coward: He can talk his opponents up easily but he lacks the guts to take action to fulfil his intentions. Which is a shame because he doesn’t realise that the plans he comes up with are far more effective than James will ever come up with.

HR Manager

Name: Samantha Davis

First Impressions: Smart and all too aware of it, Sam is the quietest employee in Wagglemax. She is regularly found sitting in front of her computer, unaware of the mayhem that’s continually happening around her. She thinks lowly of her employees and doesn’t hesitate in applying the most venomous of put downs.

Background: Being the HR Manager, Samantha is James’ right-hand man (woman?) and his most trusted advisor. She holds position no.3 on the office hierarchy and fulfils the role of a mentor to the new arrivals. And being a HR person, Sam knows the strengths and weaknesses of each and every employer in Wagglemax and how they can be pushed to their full potential. She is also a schemer who can come up with ingenious plans for the company’s progress. However, her status has also made her a vile opportunist. Sam knows everything about everyone and utilises this information to her advantage. But no matter how much of a blackmailer she is, Sam is the most loyal to James. And she is indeed aware that she is despised by her co-workers – but without her, Wagglemax would have no hope of success. 

Being employed in a ruthless world of corporate greed for several years now, Sam has gradually come to accept that she is a woman in a world dominated mostly by men. Thus, she is determined to prove her worthiness and understands that her brain is her best weapon. However, this continually marks Sam out as being notoriously frigid. Matters aren’t helped when she is exceptionally disdainful of the notion of using sex appeal to climb up the corporate ladder.

Your Boss

Name: Nikki Hall

First Impressions: Loud, obnoxious and determined to get her own way, Nikki has no hesitation in achieving what she sets out to do. Blind to reason, to the point of tunnel vision, she has no trouble in getting what she wants out of her employees – even if she has to force them into it kicking, screaming and protesting all the way.

Background:, Nikki holds the distinction of being James’ chief business tactician. Amazingly, her loud and brash persona conceals a shrewd mind. Appearances truly are deceiving as Nikki is actually a mastermind of numerous successful ventures and cunning business moves. She is able to think up clever plans quickly and easily – All of which are executed with a cold and brutal efficiency. But, Nikki does not share the same crushing principals that her boss holds. She would rather resort to a more intellectual way of solving problems. Thus, being brash and loud tend to astonish people when her plans work out – all of which are the type that always work out in ways no one else anticipated and the type that affects the opponent long before they start to realise it.

Despite occasionally seeing herself more intelligent than James, Nikki is still very loyal to her CEO and a capable overseer of operations in Wagglemax. Should James fall, she will gladly continue with the business to the very end. And such is her loyalty, Nikki hates Glenn for his ambitions.

Nikki’s background is tumultuous to say the least: She came from a rich family who constantly drove her forward, demanding success and the best out of her. And for a hile wit worked in that Nikki exhibited strong skills in both sports and business. She could’ve chosen whatever career she wanted. Strangely enough however, she lacked the drive to go all the way. Most likely it was the burden constantly put on her parents but whatever the reason, Nikki lost her way and relished the freedom adulthood presented. For a while she showed behaviour of an adult thinking they were still in their teens and her career path floundered. As a result, she fell in with the only company that would accept her: Wagglemax.

Girl Power

A friend of mine recently put forth the suggestion that someone should make an RPG out of the anime Revolutionary Girl Utena. I myself haven’t seen the TV series but I am aware of Utena itself – to a point where I can some potential in that idea. If we follow the Bioware business model, there are some workable ideas that may come across as familiar territory: Sword fights, romance sub-plots of either gender, a princess to defend and a major catastrophe to prevent. Throw in some unique art direction, bizarre symbolism, and the idea just might work.

 Of course, the afore-mentioned points are all story-telling elements. I reiterate, I have not seen the TV series but I have seen the movie – but that was back in 2001 and I think, by now, my head has stopped hurting. So what I do know about Utena? Well I do know about its critique of shojo anime and how it challenges the various stereotypes of the genre. But here’s the thing: I have no interest in shojo anime – maybe because, oh I don’t know, I’m a GUY. Not only that but many shojo anime I’ve seen seem to follow a similar template: All the female characters are strong/independent/heroic/boyish/physically aggressive/matched up with each other whilst all the male characters are either a) evil bastards, b) incompetent as much as possible or c) decent & polite and thus set up to have their balls kicked in so hard they come out his ears. True they have been some shojo anime I have enjoyed but those shows have the male cast and female cast on equal ground. In fact as a writer myself, I couldn’t care less about gender or sexual orientation for I’m far more interested in creating characters. Likewise, extremes don’t interest me, only equal ground.

But I digress: As much as I despise the ‘females good/males bad’ shojo trope, I can see it having some potential as an RPG: You see, when you get down to it, in any RPG the player builds a character to use with the issue of gender selection being a lesser decision. More often than not, the gender selection is a cosmetic decision (although it does affect how they’re addressed by the in game characters and determining who the Player Character gets to bang over the course of the game). So here’s what I propose: How about an RPG where the gender selection can actually effect how the game is played? You know, two separate campaigns which can yield completely different outcomes. And if we decide to follow the good/bad decisions route that have appeared in many games, it can be used to turn the entire concept on its head: Thus, using the shojo trope I described, the selection of a female character may yield a traditional RPG campaign but the selection of a male character may lead to something different.
So what I have in mind is a female character can go through the entire campaign making ‘good’ decisions and come out heroic or she make ‘bad’ decisions and come looking evil. Conversely, a male character can go through the entire campaign making ‘good’ decisions and come out constantly getting screwed over – or he can make ‘bad’ decisions and come out victorious (however over the skulls of many). Of course this is not the first time a ‘character does good things but comes out short’ scenario has appeared (Final Fantasy Tactics anyone?) but it certainly does offer four unique paths through the game.

Only problem is, this idea won’t sell at all: For male gamers make up a large portion of the gaming population and most likely won’t take too kindly at such a condemnation. Oh well….

Aging Disgracefully

Here's something I never noticed before: The combatants in Virtua Fighter 4 all have birth-dates! So taking that into consideration, in the year 2012, Akira is 44, Pai is 37, Lau is 72, Wolf is 46, Jeffry is 55, Kage is 42, Sarah is 39, Jackie is 42, Shun is 100(!!), Lion is 33, Aoi is 33, Le-Fei is 37, Vanessa is 43, Brad is 40 and Goh is 34.
It's funny thing about adding a birth-date to a video game character. It gives them a sense of history, more so with each iteration of the Virtua Fighter series, and it suggests that these characters have been around a long time, and are still able to get back up on their feet after being knocked around numerous times - which, coming from a fighting game series, is hardly surprising.
But at the same time, it does suggest that these characters are aging - and as this is a fighting series we're talking about, it won't be long before the blows render them unable to get back up again.

To be honest I've never been a fan of 'floating timelines'. I personally like to see characters age and grow wiser with experience. Therefore I find it kinda silly that Bart Simpson is forever a ten year old even when his birth-date was established as April 1st 1980 (which would make him in early thirties by now). That being said, one would think a hero who ages would be an interesting concept for a game hero.
Think about it! Each game hero goes on a journey and by the end of it, they come out the other side wiser and/or have killed lots of dudes. Thus it would make an interesting series concept to have a hero who goes on multiple journeys - and as he does so, his appearance changes, injuries and scars he suffers are there for good and the experiences he gains are there with him for ever after. And after all, what is a video game character when they're without dudes to slay eh?
I mean similar things have been done before with game characters aging: Red Dead Redemption featured a player character who is a grizzled, scarred veteran, Donkey Kong Country presented the character of Cranky Kong and even Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess had a little meta joke through Princess Zelda being of twenty years of age.

But alas, I doubt it would take off: As is often the case, a game without a young vital, pretty face will never sell as it's the youth portion of the market will balk out at playing an aging hero. I mean can anyone imagine a wrinkly, decrepit, Kratos still marching to battle insisting on having his vengeance?


Didn't think so.

Free Will revisited

Now that I've played Bioshock all the way through, I'm reminded of that post I made about the deconstruction of free will. So how does the idea hold up now I've taken the plunge into Rapture?

Well much of the success of Bioshock can be attributed to it's handling of free will. The player spends most of the game being guided through it by Atlas on the basis that he knows exactly what's going on. Thus the player follows an instinct that he is the game's entry point and the more they follow, more will be revealed about this game and the rules it hands the players. However, halfway through the game, the rug is pulled from under the player and it becomes clear they've been played for fools. Whilst not to give too much away, the eventual confrontation with Andrew Ryan involves him chastising the player character (ie YOU) for following Atlas' guidance without question. Thus the phrases 'would you kindly' and 'a man chooses' come across as having more weight than first realized.

So how does my idea stand up? Well I can see some similarities between my idea and Bioshock. But I should stress that I came up with my idea well before I sat down and played Bioshock - and even then my knowledge of the world of Rapture was based on scraps of information (ie Bioshock = System Shock gone steampunk; Andrew Ryan = We R Ayn Rand).
But I can see a difference in that my game has a named character whilst the character in Bioshock is pretty much the Player - and this makes a huge difference in building a connection, and a personable one at that, with the players themselves. Thus the choices presented to the player encourages them to seriously think and having moments taken out of the player's control, ie the afore-mentioned confrontation with Andrew Ryan, will certainly create an impact on the player.

So is there a place for my idea? Well, I can't see any where that Bioshock did better - still the idea of a guy mistakenly gunning down his liberators has at least some potential. And said guy refusing free will for a fabrication could be put to good use...

Beachhead

Every WoW player has their favourite location - mine happens to be Stranglethorn Vale.

Having said that, it's not to do with quests or content - no this is more to do with the setting. I love how everything is rendered and the jungle/tropical environment. Everything looks like it was ripped out of a travel guide to Hawaii and filled with appropriate monsters (Raptors and tribes of Ogres and Trolls).
I've seen many RPGs may draw inspiration from medieval England so to see a different setting is quite pleasing. So it certainly is a different, and welcome change, to see a setting that is more a tropical island. Killing monsters in a place resembling one of the many islands in the Pacific? Sounds different but I'm in!

In fact why isn't the tropical setting used more often as a setting in RPGs? As mentioned above the whole medieval-England motif has been run into the ground so to see something completely different would make for a welcome change. The tropical island shows a lot of potential with a setting made of jungles, beaches and rocky mountains. And there is the potential of having villages made of simple buildings and filled with people speaking in Jamaican/Polynesian. And the monsters could present a opportunity for some exotic creatures rather than the usual Orcs/goblins fare (and maybe a headhunter tribe while we're at it). Indeed, the only other RPG I can think of that made use of the tropical island setting would be Final Fantasy X with Besaid Island - And admittedly, the further I got from that place the less interesting the other locales in the game became.

Ultimately though both Stranglethorn Vale and Besaid Island represent small portions of their respective games. Yet complete games have been built around smaller ideas. So, is there anyone willing to make an RPG around a tropical island setting?

I'd play it!

Talkin' 'bout My generation

Here's a random thought that came drifting into my mind: Has there ever been a game where one plays across a number of generations? I think the first that comes to mind would be Phantasy Star 3 and Dragon Quest 5 but, today, they're relics from the 16-bit generation. Indeed, it make me wonder in this day and age, when so much thought goes into the gaming story and how to present it, why such an idea hasn't been revisited.

So why not dust it off? Seeing as RPG's these days, like Mass Effect, tend to be built on making decisions that can come back later and bite the player on the arse, it would be an interesting take on the concept.
That begin said, I would like to play an RPG trilogy wherein the player uses one character in the first game, then their child in the second and their grandchild in the third! And as the trilogy progresses, the play can meet characters, both NPCs and party members, throughout that may appear young and vital in the first game and then old and wizened in the third. And the player can make choices throughout the first game that effect future generations: Thus it then becomes possible to be a complete bastard in the first game and thus present the next generations the task of doing some kind of redemption - or being an even bigger bastard. And through exploring the world across three games, it is possible to see it change through the progression of time.

The only problem I can see is that players may balk out at having their favorite character being replaced by someone new and unfamiliar (Metal Gear Solid 2 anyone?).
And who the hell sets out make a trilogy anyway?

Come to SAVE! The Princess Zel-Dah!

It’s been well documented on this blog that I really like the character of Princess Zelda. Okay sure it may be fool’s errand to say so seeing that it’s a different character with each Zelda game, her role and usefulness within the games varies, and a romance with Link that is more based on speculation. But the appeal of Princess Zelda is the mystique in that little is seen of her but much is made of her - not least, of course, in the title of the series.



When the Legend of Zelda series began, Princess Zelda herself was the goal: She was a princess and it was Link’s role to rescue her from the clutches of the antagonist Ganon. It may have worked then but years of gaming advancements have happened since. Thus it is now customary to have well-realised scripts and characters the player can relate to. So whilst the formula may have persisted in the lead games since, it’s interesting to note how said formula has been tampered with and how Princess Zelda has done significantly more than just sit around, waiting to be rescued. In Ocarina of Time, she provides help and assistance to Link and even gets into the thick of it through her alter ego Sheik. In Wind Waker, Princess Zelda adopts the persona of the sassy pirate captain Tetra. In Twilight Princess, Zelda is shown to be a ruler who is deeply concerned for the well-being of her people and even plays an active role in helping Link defeat Ganondorf in the final conflict. In Skyward Sword, Zelda finally gets some romantic interplay with Link which makes her assertive whilst leaving him something of a dope (or so I’ve heard). And, as established many times over, Princess Zelda forms a trifecta with Link and Ganondorf as they each represent the three aspects of the Triforce in Wisdom, Courage and Power respectively.

All of this begs the question of why isn’t there a Zelda game where we get to control Princess Zelda herself. She has her fans and many of them would like to see her as the player character. But no – the games tell the story of Link’s adventure, not hers. What is particularly frustrating is that whilst the character of Princess Zelda has had some care and work gone into making her something a bit more than damsel in distress, at the end of the day she still fulfils that function within the game itself! Such a move does bother me in that Nintendo could make really a really great heroine but seem unwilling to make the final step. Why, I heard that the makers of Spirit Tracks paid attention to the demands of wanting to use Princess Zelda as a playable character but the end result struck me more of a squandered opportunity: Yes it was nice to finally see Princess Zelda and Link working together but to have that Zelda being dead and assisting Link only in spirit does leave a rather nasty taste in the mouth.



But ultimately, the balking out may be there for good reason: For there does lie the notion that if a damsel in distress is a strong, practical and capable of looking after herself then she would’ve already rescued herself. Thus having Princess Zelda the player character may upset the afore-mentioned trifecta: If it’s Princess Zelda going out and taking Ganondorf down then what’s left for Link to do? He is the embodiment of the Triforce of Courage so thus it looks kinda silly for him to be placed in such a redundant position (which may explain how Princess Peach got her own game on the DS).
There is indeed weight to make Princess Zelda a playable character and, with enough thought, it could be made to work. If Zelda is setting up things beforehand for Link to walk into, then why don’t we see it happen? How about a Legend of Zelda game which features bonus content showing Princess Zelda going around and setting things up for particular points in the game (by way of example, consider the Ada missions in Resident Evil 4)? Or how about a Legend of Zelda game where the player can switch between both Link and Princess Zelda and show the latter using her magic and mind to overcome problems to assist Link in his quest?

Still, I personally like to think that Princess Zelda could do everything but she’s smart enough to get someone else, Link, to do it. After all, she isn’t the embodiment of the Triforce of Wisdom for nothing…

One Man Army

During my college and university years, I watched a lot a movies - in particular I was struck by the 'one man army' genre of action movie. You know the kind: One guy is up against a whole horde of baddies and spends the entire length of the movie taking them all out one by one.
Indeed, such is the strength of the concept that it has since provided the basis for many action games.

But here's something I've been pondering on for quite some time: In regards to this one-man-army scenario, what exactly is the correlation between action and motivation? Killing a bunch of guys by yourself is a mammoth undertaking - more so if the guys in question own and operate some kind of organization/corporation. To do so would take a motivation worth seeing through to the end.

That being said, I have, for the longest time, wanted to see someone take this formula and turn it on it's head. How about a one-man-army where the protagonist is someone who blundered his way into this mess by accident? And has to fight for his life against foes who are equally confused by his presence as he is? Or how about where the protagonist is someone who is doing this undertaking for something so, by comparison, small and insignificant?

Such scenarios have potential and I would like to see one played out - and what do you know I can see glimpses in he games I've played. When I was playing Bioshock I could see the scenario being put to use as the player controls an interloper to the city of Rapture and Andrew Ryan, through his video logs, is baffled as to who the player character is and what he's doing there. This set up is of course ruined with the confrontation with Andrew Ryan but then again 2K had their own story to tell but for me it's still a missed opportunity. How could it be for an average shlub to accidentally stumble across Rapture and explore it...only to have them fight for their life against a foe who's mistaking him for the CIA or some other organization?
As for the second scenario I can see traces of it in the Nuevo Paraiso portion of Red Dead Redemption. Throughout the portion John Marston gets caught up in a conflict against a corrupt president and idealistic revolutionary. Eventually Marston must pick a side and take part in the subsequent revolution. But it is interesting to note that all Marston wants is the location of Javier Escuella and Bill Williamson - thus Marston ends up doing odd jobs for the two opposing sides on the promise of telling where these men are. But most of the promises don't come through much to Marston's increasing annoyance. Thus there is something somewhat evocative with when the revolution comes and Marston is reacting to the mayhem around him by shouting: "WHERE'S JAVIER ESCUELLA?!?!?!?"

But in the end these examples are just fleeting glimpses - all it need is someone to take the first full step. And when I think about it, it is rather puzzling why this hasn't caught on seeing that video games rely on the 'one man army' concept and even cases of 'Who needs motivation when there are dudes to shoot.' I figured the scenarios I mentioned be more akin to a natural fit.
Still at least it's a start....

Land of the Living

Well it's Halloween so here's an obligatory post about monsters and scary .....shit.

So lets return to that old chestnut the zombie game. Now I've been critical of this zombie fascination and it's enduring popularity doesn't look, in any way, to diminish. Thus I see no reason to stop now.

It seems anything with zombies in it will guarantee immediate sales and instant interest from the pundits - which I find quite ironic since one of the keystones of zombies is seeing how people retain their identity and intelligence even when faced against a mindless, unrelenting horde.
So it makes me wonder if any game developers have the gall to try and do something different with their product. You know, proclaiming a gem has zombies will automatically generate sales so how about doing something different? How about grabbing one's attention and then saying something of your own?

So with that in mind, along with my continued interest with challenging that bond between game and gamer, here's a little synopsis I came up with:

This game centers around a protagonist named ....Barry. Barry is the survivor of a zombie apocalypse and couldn't be happier. He's seen countless zombie films and knows pretty much everything that needs to know. Thus every day involves him running for his life, blowing away zombies with shotguns and living out his fantasies.

However, as the game progresses things take a dark tone: There are audio logs to pick up but they all seem to address Barry directly - some even suggest he get a real job and stop watching zombie movies. In between attacks, Barry is haunted by images of a particular room and familiar faces. There are radio support transmissions coming from, presumably, the outside world but Barry doesn't heed to them. And eventually the zombies get surprisingly aggressive through actually picking up guns and using them.

And then in the last act, the rug is pulled from underneath the player: the entire scenario is fabricated. The zombie apocalypse isn't happening - it's just exists in Barry's head. Thus, all Barry has been doing (not to mention YOU the player) has been running in the real world and gunning down innocent civilians based on the paranoid delusions/fantasies that have been existing in his head.
So in a nutshell, this game is based on a mentally damaged guy living out a zombie fantasy - when in reality he's just gunning down genuine, real-life, no-bullshit, people for no better reason.

Heavy stuff but I want to see a game like that made - not just to challenge the gamer's perceptions and to give them something to think about once they put down the controller but to give the zombie fascination the slap in the face it needs.

Happy Halloween

Apocalypse Then

Last year I made a post commenting about a lack of games in a proper post- apocalyptic setting. In that time I have yet to see a game that does this setting justice. And NO: Having a post-apocalyptic setting just as an excuse to throw some zombies is a HALF-ARSED effort and DOESN’T FUCKING COUNT!!!!

So how would I like to see a post-apocalypse game handled? In the vain hope that someone important is listening (shyeah right), I’ll tell you: I think a post-apocalypse game may be best suited to an adventure game in the Legend of Zelda genre. In fact, the more I think about it, there are elements that have already shown up in the Legend of Zelda series that could work very well with the setting.

It’d just a matter of seeing what will work – so here are some points I’ve noticed through the games I’ve played in the Zelda series:
• One of the touchstones of the Legend of Zelda series is the ideal of exploring – which is what a post-apocalypse essentially should do. How cool would it be to walk through a destroyed world, trying to find something and/or discovering relics of civilisation?
• Another key ingredient in the Legend of Zelda series is to find items and using them to overcome the various problems that lay ahead. Not only would this work in a post-apocalypse setting but it will also raise the stakes somewhat: With civilisation on the collapse, any workable item requires a lot of locating and cherished upon discovery – because it’ll be the only way to win.
• Essentially the world should be a wasteland – a barren land devoid of colour and vegetation. I thought the original Legend of Zelda on the NES was actually surprising in that it presented Hyrule as wasteland with lots of rocks and drab colours. What, am I rescuing a princess of an empty and decrepit kingdom? Now THERE'S an idea…
• The world presented in a post-apocalypse needs to convey a sense of loneliness: like the player is all alone in the world. That way, when enemies show up, it is sudden and the player is kept on their toes. I’ve lost count how many times I’ll be wandering through the Great Field in Ocarina of Time at night only to set upon by those undead critters that come out of nowhere.
• Likewise any potential allies would come in the form of fellow survivors – thus seeing another face in an empty, dangerous world would provoke a feeling of relief and stress the importance of NPCs. I always found it old that the Hyrule in Link to the Past was presented as a bright and colourful world when really there were so few actual residents in the kingdom itself.

I doubt if any big shot game developers will take heed but I’m not too bothered – after all, it’s my money they want.

Everything's Just Wonderful

Recently American McGee's Alice got dusted off and made into a new game - along with a HD revamp of the original. I do remember seeing the original back in the day and being unimpressed. True I never actually sat down and played it but first impressions last and if a game wants me so badly to part with my cash then it better do a damn good job.

What rubbed me the wrong way was this supposed 'edgy' take on Alice in Wonderland. Now if some twat at EA though it might be great idea to dust off American McGee's Alice then I can do the same: I can dust off my thoughts on the original idea and harp on about them in this blog. Don't like it? Tough: This is my corner of cyberspace and I'm taking you all along with me whether you like it or not.

Firstly I don't know about the rest of you but I'm tired of people constantly basing something on Lewis Carroll's creation. What's the matter? Is it so easy to treat a long-lasting literature classic as an idea bucket? Is ripping things wholesale from the text source just a result of a half-arsed writer who couldn't be bothered coming up with something of their own? Anyone can come up with crazy shit - or are people unwilling to accept it if it doesn't have the 'Wonderland' tag attached to it?
I don't see why writers don't stop raping Alice in Wonderland and instead make something creative and imaginative of their own. Look at the anime Spirited Away: true it follows the formula of Alice - protagonist goes to a bizarre fantasy world where she has numerous adventures - but it's done with it's own style and populated with it's own creations. True anyone can come up with a formula but to stray from the formula - and it make it work - is indeed a credit to one's creative genius.

Secondly, I've never quite grasped why people feel that Alice in Wonderland needs to have this 'edgy/dark' feel to it. The original text has nothing of the sort: It's more of a whimsical nature based around mathematics - but obviously someone felt those elements were boring.
So I never quite understood this need for this dark/edgy take on Alice. Introducing things that weren't in the original text like violence/blood/plot seems more like insisting it was there (when it wasn't). From what I've heard about American McGee's Alice, it has some elements that could work like the decent into madness, Victorian environments and really sinister designs. Good ideas yes but they seem like they belong to an entirely different game - to insert them into Alice in Wonderland is more akin to an alien invasion. To insist these things into a long-standing literature classic is like insisting the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is about LSD.

Thus I never played American McGee's Alice - nor do I intend to. For me, American McGee strikes me more as a guy who had some great ideas for a game but was terrified that building his own IP would result in zero sales. So what he came up with instead was a childhood classic invaded with alien concepts.

Which is a shame because I think the setting of Wonderland, with it's creativity and abandonment of logic, could make for a fantastic gaming experience. In fact I reckon if Mr. McGee just ditched the 'edgy' BS and just flat out replicated the story in gaming it could've turned out kinda cool. Who wouldn't want to explore this world for themselves without any regard to logic? Who wouldn't want to see fantastical things mapped out in a whimsical nature when very few games nowadays do so?

Now there's a challenge....