Comments on: Overthinking E3: Thoughts and Photo Gallery http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/07/04/overthinking-e3-thoughts-and-photo-gallery/ Overthinking It subjects the popular culture to a level of scrutiny it probably doesn't deserve. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:53:58 +0000 hourly 1 By: Pianodan http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/07/04/overthinking-e3-thoughts-and-photo-gallery/#comment-10424 Pianodan Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:01:58 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=8737#comment-10424 @mlawski ...oh and speaking of people doing odd things with TF2 noises, as you mentioned on the podcast a week ago, here's two things I threw together: http://www.fnerk.com/audio/HeavyDnB.mp3 http://www.fnerk.com/audio/EngieTechno.mp3 @mlawski
…oh and speaking of people doing odd things with TF2 noises, as you mentioned on the podcast a week ago, here’s two things I threw together:

http://www.fnerk.com/audio/HeavyDnB.mp3
http://www.fnerk.com/audio/EngieTechno.mp3

]]> By: Pianodan http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/07/04/overthinking-e3-thoughts-and-photo-gallery/#comment-10423 Pianodan Mon, 06 Jul 2009 05:57:36 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=8737#comment-10423 Recent games with decent stories? Mass Effect is the only one that really springs to mind, although Grand Theft Auto 4 wasn't bad. All time good stories? (that I've actually played) 1. Grim Fandango has to be number one. 2. Planescape Torment 3. The Longest Journey 4. Deus Ex 5. System Shock 2 These are the ones that spring immediately to mind. Recent games with decent stories? Mass Effect is the only one that really springs to mind, although Grand Theft Auto 4 wasn’t bad. All time good stories? (that I’ve actually played)

1. Grim Fandango has to be number one.
2. Planescape Torment
3. The Longest Journey
4. Deus Ex
5. System Shock 2

These are the ones that spring immediately to mind.

]]> By: mlawski http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/07/04/overthinking-e3-thoughts-and-photo-gallery/#comment-10407 mlawski Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:03:41 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=8737#comment-10407 @DaveW: The Longest Journey is sweet sweet! I do love my old-school adventure games. Thanks for the recommendations. I do notice, however, that most of the games on your list are on the oldish side, which continues to support my point that American video games have become less reliant on story lately, not more. @DaveW: The Longest Journey is sweet sweet! I do love my old-school adventure games. Thanks for the recommendations. I do notice, however, that most of the games on your list are on the oldish side, which continues to support my point that American video games have become less reliant on story lately, not more.

]]> By: Megan from Lombard http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/07/04/overthinking-e3-thoughts-and-photo-gallery/#comment-10405 Megan from Lombard Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:07:52 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=8737#comment-10405 I don't play video games at all but the DJ Hero made me almost want to go out and buy it when it comes out. I've always been interesting in DJing and I think that the game will actually help by exposing the industry to a group of people who may not go out on a weekend night to the club. However at the same time, like Guitar Hero, it won't be like you're actually DJing; it's just a simulator to show what it would be like. But it still looks cool. I don’t play video games at all but the DJ Hero made me almost want to go out and buy it when it comes out. I’ve always been interesting in DJing and I think that the game will actually help by exposing the industry to a group of people who may not go out on a weekend night to the club. However at the same time, like Guitar Hero, it won’t be like you’re actually DJing; it’s just a simulator to show what it would be like. But it still looks cool.

]]> By: DaveW http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/07/04/overthinking-e3-thoughts-and-photo-gallery/#comment-10400 DaveW Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:42:28 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=8737#comment-10400 @Mlawski: If you're looking for a good story, I'd highly recommend pretty much anything by Bioware (their lineup includes Badur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, and the upcoming Dragon Age, as well as their new Star Wars MMO, The Old Republic). Just about anything Bioware touches turns to gold, as far as I'm concerned. Heck, I rather wish their daddy company of EA would buy Lucasarts and declare that henceforth, only Bioware would be allowed to tell a Star Wars story. It's also certainly not new anymore, but Bioshock managed to tell a very good story as well. You may recall John Perich's article from a few months ago about its ties to Atlas Shrugged. I'm still amused by the amount of Rand Institute ads that flooded the site as a result :) Also a bit dated, but The Longest Journey and its sequel Dreamfall make for a pretty good story, and if you enjoy 80s-90s style point-and-click puzzle adventures, TLJ is one of the best. @Mlawski: If you’re looking for a good story, I’d highly recommend pretty much anything by Bioware (their lineup includes Badur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, and the upcoming Dragon Age, as well as their new Star Wars MMO, The Old Republic). Just about anything Bioware touches turns to gold, as far as I’m concerned. Heck, I rather wish their daddy company of EA would buy Lucasarts and declare that henceforth, only Bioware would be allowed to tell a Star Wars story.

It’s also certainly not new anymore, but Bioshock managed to tell a very good story as well. You may recall John Perich’s article from a few months ago about its ties to Atlas Shrugged. I’m still amused by the amount of Rand Institute ads that flooded the site as a result :)

Also a bit dated, but The Longest Journey and its sequel Dreamfall make for a pretty good story, and if you enjoy 80s-90s style point-and-click puzzle adventures, TLJ is one of the best.

]]> By: Gab http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/07/04/overthinking-e3-thoughts-and-photo-gallery/#comment-10384 Gab Sat, 04 Jul 2009 20:10:14 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=8737#comment-10384 @Mlkwaski: Well, I think the "mythology" thing varies from game to game and person to person. Take the _Resident Evil_ genre, for example. The franchise transitioned from game to film, and when the first film came out, there was somewhat of an uproar with some of the fans about how it wasn't "canon." Survival horror video game "canon" being violated in a film? Really? My point is some people take the stories of their games very, very seriously, just as seriously as a LotR, Star Trek, etc. fan. And then you also get people that don't really care and just play or watch to have fun. They may say, "Oh, that's kinda different," but they won't get in a tizzy about it ("No! Lickers don't show up until the second game, they shouldn't be around yet!"). Plus, let's not forget the epic RPG games out there. Even if not all of them are necessarily spectacular (_Parasite Eve_), you still do get some amazing ones (a number of the _Final Fantasy_ series) with compelling characters, twists, and real *stories* being told. I wouldn't attempt to argue that every game is being made with the intent of storytelling, since you're right, some aren't. I mean, I really doubt the folks at Capcom were going for epic storytelling in making up Umbrella and its evildoings. But I do think some games are made and developed to tell stories, and that others are also taken as such, even if this wasn't, in fact, the original concept. And I do think this has the potential to if not replace film, at least give it a run for its money, since gaming gets people directly involved in the story- they have a stake in it, since they're sitting there with the control (or mouse, or keypad) at their fingertips. But I do concede that sometimes we just want to sit back and be entertained, which is why I'm not sure games will necessarily overthrow theater. @Mlkwaski: Well, I think the “mythology” thing varies from game to game and person to person. Take the _Resident Evil_ genre, for example. The franchise transitioned from game to film, and when the first film came out, there was somewhat of an uproar with some of the fans about how it wasn’t “canon.” Survival horror video game “canon” being violated in a film? Really? My point is some people take the stories of their games very, very seriously, just as seriously as a LotR, Star Trek, etc. fan. And then you also get people that don’t really care and just play or watch to have fun. They may say, “Oh, that’s kinda different,” but they won’t get in a tizzy about it (“No! Lickers don’t show up until the second game, they shouldn’t be around yet!”). Plus, let’s not forget the epic RPG games out there. Even if not all of them are necessarily spectacular (_Parasite Eve_), you still do get some amazing ones (a number of the _Final Fantasy_ series) with compelling characters, twists, and real *stories* being told. I wouldn’t attempt to argue that every game is being made with the intent of storytelling, since you’re right, some aren’t. I mean, I really doubt the folks at Capcom were going for epic storytelling in making up Umbrella and its evildoings. But I do think some games are made and developed to tell stories, and that others are also taken as such, even if this wasn’t, in fact, the original concept. And I do think this has the potential to if not replace film, at least give it a run for its money, since gaming gets people directly involved in the story- they have a stake in it, since they’re sitting there with the control (or mouse, or keypad) at their fingertips. But I do concede that sometimes we just want to sit back and be entertained, which is why I’m not sure games will necessarily overthrow theater.

]]> By: mlawski http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/07/04/overthinking-e3-thoughts-and-photo-gallery/#comment-10378 mlawski Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:29:48 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=8737#comment-10378 You said: "If you want to know what the next Lord of the Rings or Star Wars is going to be, believe me that it will be neither book nor film: tomorrow’s Tolkiens and Lucases [Lucii?] will be in video games." Is this true? Recently, I haven't been playing any American video games except for Team Fortress 2 and Fallout, because their stories were either pitifully bad or non-existent. As far as I'm aware, Western video game companies do not hire writers. They hire "game designers," which usually means people who know how to code. If they can write also, great, but that's not the focus. Moreover, recently the focus has been more on developing diverse types of gameplay (think of Loco Roco, the Wii games, Rock Band, Little Big World, Spore, and so on) rather than complex storylines and mythology. But maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, since I've been out of the video game loop for quite a while. If so, what games have come out lately with Lord of the Rings caliber stories? (The latest Metal Gear game doesn't count, since those games, while fun, have always been far too confusing for me to count as good art.) Also, @Pianodan: My heart just fluttered at your mention of Grim Fandango. How I love that game. So, so excited about the new Monkey Island series coming out next week. Le sigh. You said: “If you want to know what the next Lord of the Rings or Star Wars is going to be, believe me that it will be neither book nor film: tomorrow’s Tolkiens and Lucases [Lucii?] will be in video games.”

Is this true? Recently, I haven’t been playing any American video games except for Team Fortress 2 and Fallout, because their stories were either pitifully bad or non-existent. As far as I’m aware, Western video game companies do not hire writers. They hire “game designers,” which usually means people who know how to code. If they can write also, great, but that’s not the focus. Moreover, recently the focus has been more on developing diverse types of gameplay (think of Loco Roco, the Wii games, Rock Band, Little Big World, Spore, and so on) rather than complex storylines and mythology.

But maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about, since I’ve been out of the video game loop for quite a while. If so, what games have come out lately with Lord of the Rings caliber stories? (The latest Metal Gear game doesn’t count, since those games, while fun, have always been far too confusing for me to count as good art.)

Also, @Pianodan: My heart just fluttered at your mention of Grim Fandango. How I love that game. So, so excited about the new Monkey Island series coming out next week. Le sigh.

]]> By: Pianodan http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/07/04/overthinking-e3-thoughts-and-photo-gallery/#comment-10376 Pianodan Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:59:50 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=8737#comment-10376 If they can sort out the lawsuits and get Brutal Legend released, it is well worth checking out. Tim Schaefer, the creator, was involved in two of the most original games ever produced: Grim Fandango and Psychonauts. If they can sort out the lawsuits and get Brutal Legend released, it is well worth checking out. Tim Schaefer, the creator, was involved in two of the most original games ever produced: Grim Fandango and Psychonauts.

]]> By: Sillyweasel http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/07/04/overthinking-e3-thoughts-and-photo-gallery/#comment-10375 Sillyweasel Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:58:38 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=8737#comment-10375 Oh wow, DJ Hero, while at first made my brain hurt, I'll admit I watched the entire clip and and genuinely interested in this now. Granted, the remix of those two songs was also just,... really weirdly intriguing and I couldn't STOP listening to it, especially with the "instructions" scrolling by on the game screen. I'm almost thankful I don't have money for video games at the moment, or I'm fairly sure I'd be completely lost in my bedroom playing them in the months to come, ignoring social things entirely lol. As a side note, this website is like crack. I've been reading it for roughly 10 hours. You bastards. I'm nearly all the way back through 2008,... how far does this site go?... cause I already know I'll end up reading ALL of it anyhow, sans the few articles/selections/submissions/whatever that would spoil me on things I've yet to see (And will be going back to read them after I've seen them, obviously,...). Oh wow, DJ Hero, while at first made my brain hurt, I’ll admit I watched the entire clip and and genuinely interested in this now. Granted, the remix of those two songs was also just,… really weirdly intriguing and I couldn’t STOP listening to it, especially with the “instructions” scrolling by on the game screen.

I’m almost thankful I don’t have money for video games at the moment, or I’m fairly sure I’d be completely lost in my bedroom playing them in the months to come, ignoring social things entirely lol.

As a side note, this website is like crack. I’ve been reading it for roughly 10 hours. You bastards. I’m nearly all the way back through 2008,… how far does this site go?… cause I already know I’ll end up reading ALL of it anyhow, sans the few articles/selections/submissions/whatever that would spoil me on things I’ve yet to see (And will be going back to read them after I’ve seen them, obviously,…).

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