Assignment 17 - Creativity (creative title huh?)

Creativity is important. Why? It's moving forward; progression; and humans have advanced (technologically) at an incredible rate in the past few centuries. Creativity is important for the betterment of mankind (if you like to believe in that) but it is also important in entertainment.

While we are here (born, raised, living) we might as well do something with our time and entertaining ourselves has been one of the major time-killers of all...well time. Video games have always been a showcase of what we're capable of and there always comes a point where everything feels mundane and too similar. Yes video games have grown from such a basic foundation but I'd say the truly revolutionising moment would be the evolution from 2D games to 3D roaming titles. It was an exiciting time for me when all my favourite video game characters and memories were altered into almost living-breathing entities however nothing has changed over the past decade or so other than a more polished and realistic look. Yes; we now have around 10 button functions on control pads rather than merely 1 or 2 and a combination of direction and pressing of a button can initiate different commands however it all still feels very limited.

Nintendo are the first to admit the stale state of the games industry by purposely distancing themselves from competitors with their new controller. While the technology isn't exactly 'new' or revolutionary (light guns, arcade titles that don't require pads/sticks but other means of control) the fact they're implementing it in such a strange way is creative and of course beneficial to themselves, competitors and the games industry as a whole - now everybody else may open their eyes and try to think outside the box rather than simply repeating the same methods to their success.

I'm pigeon-holing creativity here and more or less simply generalizing it. It's possible for one to be a creative programmer - to discover a way to write code efficiently so that fewer lines are used or even coding more complex 'what if's (for example; different storyline outcomes, NPC interaction or even social/economic factors in a game that can alter depending on the players decisions). Artistic creativity - personally I consider any art creative if it's something that hasn't been done a thousand times before, nothing irritates me more than a character that I feel a sense of de-ja vu for. Capcom's games like Okami or Killer7 are creative in the sense they move away from the traditional methods of trying to make games look uber-realistic and life-like and instead set a tone for the game (killer7's comic-book esque cel-shading is perfectly fitting for the game; especially when coupled with anime-drawn cutscenes, and Okami's calligraphy waterpaints style is very fetching and unique).

Creativity is rather abstract but it's easy to say to be creative means to try to think differently or imagine something how others wouldn't. That's not to say other's ideas are wrong or that you shouldn't acknowledge them but rather to 'add' something yourself. Obviously it's possible for creativity to be hindered by technical constraints but then it's a case of improving the technology and thinking how to change it to accomodate other ideas.

Obviously creativity can be "branded". Much like all Tarantino films feel like his films and have signiture moments video games can have the same effect. I'm beginning to hate myself for this but ...*sigh* Metal Gear's Hideo Kojima likes to implement certain little quirks into his games that give him his signiture ; crotch-grabbing, player-referenced moments where the character looks towards the camera or speaks acknowledging the player, and odd humour (glamour magazines that distract guards, a guard who suffers a foul case of diarrhea and characters in such a state of shock they wet themselves...mmm, nice). Capcom's games seem to have a distinct visual style; almost like their characters look ill - very pale however it illicits something humane within them making them more 'believable' I suppose.

Sometimes I find myself lacking creativity - mostly when i'm put on the spot - however one of my main criterea is to create an online version video game of the cult film Battle Royale. I would like to obviously differentiate myself from others creatively - as I like to literally - I want to do more than just program; personally I just want to create my own sense of self through my work. How? You'll just have to wait and see.

Assignment 16 - Liberal Arts versus Specialists

Different companies have different ideals and objectives. For one company to want someone with a more creative and liberal arts background and another to want a more specialized designer/programmer graduate is not really contradictive but rather just trying to get the best out of their company. These companies may already be aware of the kind of education they have and what kind of skills they can provide and if their objectives don't match that of the company's then it's no real suprise their services aren't required. I think that a company would want someone who can adapt and would fit well with their business - I mean, why employ somebody who wont be happy doing what they're paid to do?

Specialists are just that; specialize at what they know and of course their skills will be required if a company needs someone in that area. However a candidate with a more general and creative background could be used for other purposes; but that's not to say a specialist would not be capable of change...I feel it's moreso on what the company wants and at the end of the day their overal objectives are what counts - after all, it's all about money....this is starting to make me more cynical than usual.

Assignment 15 - Play That Funky Music

There's a reason why the Super Smash Bros Brawl official website contains information regarding the musicians whom will be providing music in this next instalment of Nintendo's wacky fighter...and that reason is because all of the names mentioned are highly renowned composers; Kenji Kondo, Kenji Yamamoto, Akihiro Honda and Yuzo Koshiro just to name a few.(click ME). Quothe the site "Seriously?! To have so many of these individuals providing music for a single work may very well be an historic event in the history of video-game music!It's almost unthinkable!" and I'd have to agree.

Music is a powerful device in video games much like in films. It can set the tone, evoke certain emotions or be used to simply subtly paint a landscape for the world in which you're presented (silence can be powerful...but just imagine watching a film with the mute button on).

For me Street Fighter, Sonic the Hedgehog, Streets of Rage, The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. were all given that extra credit where due because of such catchy theme music - though all of it at the time was basic synths due to the constraints of cartridge technology and 16-bit chips. Nowadays video game music can be a fully composed orchestra because of the invention of CD, DVD and now Blu-ray and HD meaning digital music can be encoded and compressed to a small portion of that disc. Even Hollywood producers are jumping on the video-game bandwagon with Hideo Kojima asking for The Rock/Shrek/Armageddon's composer Harry Gregson-Williams to compose for MGS2; given that their budget was fairly substantial they could afford his services and he helped set the tone perfectly for the stealth/action smash hit - infact I can't help but feel how similar MGS2 and The Rock's soundtracks at are key points; the heavy use of brass instruments and catchy loops.

It's not enough to just have catchy music; it has to be ambiet and fitting to the situation; Starsailors 'Way To Fall' I feel was a perfect choice of track for the ending theme of MGS3 where the game is more reflective and mellow and the protagonist is emotionally fragile. The slow guitar pluckings and very powerful vocals can be reflective of how the protagonist must be feeling - to sing one's heart out.

It was said that the PS3 would utilise sound 'on the fly' and the engine would generate appropriate sounds to given situations and that individual objects would sound more realistic. What I mean by this is for example if you were to shoot a glass bottle you would hear the sound of a bottle smash...but if you were to knock a bottle over you would have a completely different sound - and a sound for a bottle rolling along concreate...or a different sound if the bottle was rolling along a wooden surface - I look forward to this but I don't feel that games will have this much complexity yet.

Assignment 14 - ...lol...Thomas The Tank Engine (that was lame)

Game Engines...Ahh, a beautiful way to cut corners. Well, an engine has to be developed first of course. EA are a popular user of game engines; with so many sports franchise titles being released almost daily (well, not quite) game engines allow the company to cut costs and development time by using this 'template'.

Other engines are Half-Life, Unreal or Square-Enix's new 'blue' engine (I think that's what its called...I could be wrong, anywho it's to do with their new FFXIII title). Half-Life's engine was distributed publically as so many try to extract source code from games to create their own, kudos on them releasing the engine to tamper with as without permission is no more legal than copying and distributing music and films - it's ILLEGAL!

An engine would be a collection of programmed code and data files (depending on the kind of engine; sound,) that can be used as a template to create other games from without having to go through the arduous and tedious task of 'coming up with the product' - but of course the engine has to be made first. It's easy to identify when a games company uses an engine; for instance look at Namco's Tekken or Soul Calibur series - the games are pretty similar in their structure and control - the only differences are usually cosmetic with a few technical tweaks here and there. It's advantageous to invest in an engine for the benefit of lesser production costs (well, if you plan to make more than one game out of it) and time however royalties must be paid to the original source and the disadvantages are that the games may become dull and too similar. With the continually developing idea of 'next-gen' games engines are going to be more complex and time consuming - however once an engine is made it makes it a helluva lot easier for people with little experience at creating a game from scratch to make their visions of video game mastery a reality.

Assignment 13 - Culture Club (Not In Affiliation with Boy George)

Online gaming. A gift and a curse at the same time. Just like real life you're bound to find friendly people, anti-social cretins and confusing and weird 'freaks' (excuse the term, but some people bring it on themselves).
Once again mentioning my Metal Gear fandom, I was a part of the Metal Gear Online community until I accidently snapped my disc (remember people, cases are there for a reason) and I regularly played with strangers. Some of these people I befriended and chat to on MSN (arrange matches, talk about things outside of the game etc.) and others I would avoid because of their irritating habit of spamming babble on screen with their keyboards.

Trash talking is a big part of online gaming - though it really shouldn't be - and some people take things very literal. It adds dimension to the game (hold on, let me explain) because if you were to play offline/solo then the only competing factor is the game itself and very few emotions are experienced beyond what the game presents (suprise, suspense, etc.) but online can create a whole new atmosphere. You can have a laugh with people, do silly things like intentionally jump off ledges or blow eachother up with grenades and chase eachother round in boxes (I find a few brews always makes it that little more amusing) and you can set up fun little tournaments and inevitably all this can add replay value. Of course, if you let it get the best of you you can find yourself on the receiving end of some 'ownage' treatment and receive verbal abuse for being an inadequate player or a useless comrade. Unfortunately this behaviour can ruin the experience for people and soon enough some body cries. Moderators must control the content of the online play as personal information should not be distributed and the company is not directly responsible for any emotional damage caused - this is where a mature mind or a responsible set of parents come into play.

Magazine publications sponser and set up tournaments around the globe for beat 'em up titles so players can 'test their skills' outside the confines of a few local friends and with the help of LAN gaming and the internet gaming cultures have grown. It allows people from all around the world to engage in discussion and distribution of a growing popular media; furthering the global conquest to open the hearts and minds of the masses.

No longer are the days of multiplayer being defined by 2 controller ports and a beaten in sofa; MMO's are extremely popular with many series converting single player titles to online 'worlds' - and I feel the online element gives a game a greater sense of immersion - such as Metal Gear and Final Fantasy.

I wonder how long it will be before our homes and ourselves are digitally rendered into a virtual world where we can live our lives as vegetables roaming the virtual Earth...let's hope Microsoft isn't reading this right now.

Assignment 12 - Gettin' Down To Business

Most people are aware of the evolution of video games; way back when they were developed in spare time by a single body to now million dollar budgets with a team rivaling an army (just to summarize).

Not only have the production teams increased but complexity of the games themselves; thus causing costs and production time to rise; your average game's production time ranges from one to four years (maybe longer if you're planning on scrapping ideas 80% through - i'm looking at you Capcom). With a high budget comes higher risks. It's not so much to make a 'good' game as it is to make a 'successful' game and what I mean by this is putting into consideration a target audience and evaluating whether or not the game will actually sell to a mass market. As you know, with this problem at hand creativity is compromised; take Killer7 for example. A stylish, rather 'arty' left-field game that did not sell as well as one would hope. Much money was spent promoting this title around the same time as Resident Evil 4 (an already popular and successful series of powerhouse Capcom) and Killer7 did not live up to their expectations financially. When games aren't as successful as a company hopes for it reduces the likelihood of sequels or future 'new' titles that developers may want to make.

Read forum admin Chompman's response here to a consumer's query on Capcom's decision not to release Harvey Birdman in PAL territories. Fans may be disappointed but it's a sensible decision for a company to make and this happens ALOT with many titles making no noise outside of Japan. Money makes the world go round and the video games industry is no different.

You have to remember it's not just the game that money is pumped into; but also everybody working on that title and we're talking producers/directors; to character artists; level designers; programmers; sound designers; localization teams; testers (alot of mouths to feed). With the evolution of technology coinciding with what is possible in video games production time and costs are no doubt going to rise too - but how 'realistic' do we have to go before games become stale. Nintendo feel it's not enough to simply continue in this direction, which is why the Wii is technically weak, and have developed their controller to breathe life into a stagnant market. I find developers will be challenged with making something 'different' but this creates problems because if it's not popular then money has been wasted and no company wants to risk what happened to Sega (R.I.P.....though it serves you right, the dreamcast controller was atrocious)

Games development in the UK isn't as high as Japan or the US and this is also due to financial constraints and the lack of government support - I suppose it's still a question of whether or not video games are taken seriously and whether we classify them as 'art' and entertainment or something irrelevent to society (shame on you!).

Assignment 11 - Don't Hate The Player (Hate The Game!)

I'm afraid this blog may be one of the few times i'll write very little because I find it a concept too abstract to write anything beyond a cold-cut definition and a few of my personal thoughts on it. So let's begin shall we, mwahahahahaha...

"Gameplay" is an incredibly loose term. The easiest way to define what gameplay is is to say "what the player does". Basically when you press something - something happens - that's gameplay. The level of 'good' gameplay can only be gauged appropriately in context of it's genre. For instance a racing sim can have terrible gameplay if it feels like no matter how hard to push the analog stick in a direction it still barely moves the vehicle, or in an action/adventure game you're limited in your involvement with the surroundings. Personally a game is only discredited for it's poor gameplay if I feel they could have added more variety in it's actions - such as pre-rendered backgrounds with no interactivity - or a beat 'em up with less than twenty moves.

Nowadays, with such great technology at our disposal I find a wide variety of 'gameplay' to be important. "Back in the day" RPGs were mostly go from A to B, random battles, press a few buttons and voila there is the end credits. Having to input random button combinations to successfully attack a beastie, or a barrage of mini games, basically anything other than "use the directional pad to move, press A to attack" to me spells out great gameplay. It's all about managing the different actions and immersing the player into the world through their interaction (after all, video games seperate themselves from other media because of this interaction and competition).

Gameplay, being the level of control you have in a game, is very much dependent on how much control the player feels s/he has. Many discredit Grasshopper/Capcom's Killer7 title because of the lack of 'control' a player has. Simply pressing the A button moves your character on-rails through the level and many found this it's downfall (though I blame this down to player expectations). Most games allow you to run, jump, attack, fly, etc. and inevitably have ultimate control over your person (Grand Theft Auto sells incredibly well due to it's 'gameplay') but sometimes I feel the gameplay has to be in context of the game. I thoroughly enjoyed Killer7 as it's a visual treat and there's little need to explore when the plot is so intricate your prime objective should be to further the plot and learn more. I think 'gameplay' is important to genres such as action/adventure, RPG etc. where the player's intention is to interact and explore (and a variety of different actions will spell out great gameplay). However simplicity can be key to some games, Shadow of the Colossus being another great example; basic premise and no enemies beyond the sixteen giants you must take down. Armed with only a sword, a bow and a horse you can run, jump, climb and roll and that's IT. The visuals are beautiful and the motion acting is superb; I would say gameplay isn't the defining factor in a game. It is highly dependent on the creators intent and while it may be a little ambiguous to just throw the word "Gameplay" around - one must define their own idea of 'good gameplay' in context of the game before throwing it around.

Assignment 10 - I Know You Got Soul

Before I begin I must first discredit this article for stating that the level of immersion is higher in a first-person-view controlled game than in a third-person-view. Rightly so when you look through the eyes of the protagonist (or possibly antagonist) you are technically more 'immersed' in the world however very few games allow you (the player) to make substantial decisions that can affect the world around you (to me, this would seperate the two vastly).



Despite many defining the RPG genre in such black and white terms the phrase "RPG" can be applied to pretty much EVERY game as you play the role of a character and live through their story (whether it be first person perspective or not). Most first person perspective controlled characters have a personality and it is only the view on the environment which is directly affected by the view. That character is given direct orders and you follow through the game just like a third person game - in fact I would vouch to say that the character in question lacks the depth of a third person avatar because in current generation games developers tend to show facial movements to express emotions in a given situation much like a film.



In the past (8/16-bit where avatars were merely a collection of a few hundred pixels) a characters development was usually presented through his or her interaction with the world around them. RPG powerhouses such as Final Fantasy have always excelled in creating a vivid and pseudo-realistic world to play around in through a mass of NPC's (non-playable characters) with a variety of personalities whether it be a drunken fool blabbering his life story before finally being thrown out of the bar, or a mysterious informant who wants revenge on the company that emotionally crippled them. Through script alone these games create such an incredible atmosphere (similar to books, whereas current gen games expand more on our Hollywood compatriot's use of mise-en-scen).



Video games tend to stray from the 'realistic' in the sense that most video games contain an awful lot of unrealistic situations and events that would be nigh-on impossible outside the confines of literary genius however it's the realistic emotions or actions of these characters that make them accessible because players can relate to them in one way or another (many scientists say humans are fascinated by animals who show traits of human behaviour...rightly so, empathy is a powerful emotion).



With the invention of HD and vastly detailed games it will be alot easier (how ironic) to show a variety of emotions and symbolism through visuals than ever before - so much so that it could rival the film industry - and games cutscenes and long-winded scripts also push character development further along. Though not all games depend on a deep and meaningful script. Nintendo is a perfect example of this considering it's icons Mario and Link do not utter a word in their adventures yet they seem to get pretty far in gamefaqs.com Character Battle awards every year. Music can help propel a certain emotion in a given situation as can body language (even though it may be very little such as a mouth or eye movement).

I don't have a preference when it comes to a memorable character. In fact it's usually the world and the characters around them that mould my fondness towards a particular character; the way in which the protagonist acts and reacts to a given situation. Solid Snake's many backlashes after being dubbed 'hero' in the original Metal Gear Solid give him a gritty and believable character, he is in no way pompous nor self-righteous, he's simply a mercenary doing what he does best - wet works. This kind of 'anti-hero' always warms my heart since i've never been a fan of the conforming Hollywood based cliches that nobody can relate to - sure they're fun "idols" but idols are for those in need of religion and homicidal gun-totting fanatics (of which i'm neither). Though more recently I find myself enjoying characters portrayed by particular voice-actors, since video games have accomodated voices rather than masses of text, company's tend to recruit excellent voice talent (most of which can be found on Cartoon Network). My personal favourites are Greg Eagles, Cam Clarke, Jennifer Hale and Steven Jay Blum. Much like motion pictures, casting the right person for the role is important; especially when their voice has to project moreso than in a film (because gaming is alot like animation where emotions and ideas have to be accentuated to have the same impact) and I find myself drawn to the words of the character if their voice-actor is 'doing it right'.

As long as characters aren't cardboard cliches whom have been represented in a thousand previous titles; next-generation graphics, a tight-script, a talented voice-actor and a believable atmosphere are enough to create a great character (and as long as it fits the genre too). These factors are all important, not just one!

Assignment 9 - Master of Puppets Pulling Your Strings (Now with Nunchuk Attachment)

Erganomics...The concept of a controller being "erganomic" always amuses me because I feel that you cannot define something as erganomic but rather a level of comfort.

Although it is expected for a company to market their product in a 'roundabout' way that confuses the consumer just enough that they don't bother trying to understand what the company is talking about (revolusionising technology in beauty products...pentapeptides...etc. etc. etc.) so when reading through THIS article I can't help but smile at a controller being "erganomic".

Personally I find this comment laughable because it's like describing a chocolate bar as edible. While I will agree to the Xbox360's controller being relatively comfortable to hold, unlike it's bulky and Frankenstein-like predecessor, when using a word like erganomic my personal perceptions tell me that this product is THE ULTIMATE in comfortable gaming when it simply is not true.

Unfortunately, as shallow as some may see it, a controller can make or break a console even if said console has a catalogue of games that rival Mozart's 'classics'. However I wouldn't go as far as to discriminate a controller just for the way it looks - otherwise I would be poking three pages of fun at Nintendo's N64 controller - because while N64's 3-pronged plaything may look like it fell from the proverbial 'ugly-tree' and hit most of the big branches on it's dimwitted descent the controller was a God-send for games such as Goldeneye 007 which made beautiful use of the revamped arcarde style stick and the 'trigger' Z button located snuggly beneath your left index finger (providing you follow controller-holding etiquette accordingly).

Despite my praise for Nintendo's pre-proposed 'revolution' in controllers I do not agree with the notion that the D-Pad was kept incase users could not become accustomed to this new method of directional input (reference here) as most games FORCED the player to use the analog stick rather than be given the choice to use the D-Pad (for example, Super Mario 64, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and even Mario Kart 64). In my personal (and evidence lacking) opinion I believe that the controller was intentionally misshapen and kept the D-Pad because it seperated itself from competitors - as any good businessman knows it's differentiation that sells - a controller that is eyecatching (be it a 'weird' looking one) will no doubt intrigue consumers.

The evolution of consoles has no doubt spawned some eyesores but the gaming market is simply adapting to changing popular trends (look at mobile phones 10-15 years ago compared to now) and it is obvious to see to attract your average media consumer your product has to be aesthetically pleasing as well as 'erganomic'. For instance, Sony's PlayStation2 is often referred to as a brick and Sony's PlayStationTwo (while offering no updates or advancements from it's bulky counterpart) has continued to build up a nice hefty money-pool for Sony execs to roll around and play in. Why would someone buy a PSTwo for £115-£150 when they could simply buy the bulkier older model for less money? While that question may be rhetorical I'll still give you the answer; that's eyecandy...I can't count the number of times i've had both male and females compliment my sexy sleek Station of Play.

We are very appearance-conscious and that is reflected in most of the world around us - and moreso now in videogaming than before since companies tend to market their product on how 'good' it looks graphically or how 'powerful' it's processors are (Geez, have these people never heard the term it's not the size it's what you do with it that counts). While we're on that subject Nintendo have taken this literally with their Wii (OK..that time, no pun intended) as it's openly the 'weakest' of the three Next Gen consoles.

What seperates it from competitors once again is it's "innovative" controller (which resembles a TV remote with an attachable 'nunchuk' which houses the analog stick) which has impressed both industry-types and consumers since it's day of release. Using a PC-style point n click type of gameplay it's both 'fun' and accessible which in this day and age is important for the games industry - it's simply not enough to appeal to hardcore gamers (otherwise videogaming will continue to be a 'niche' culture outside of Japan like Anime and Cosplay).

Also featuring motion technology similar to the GameBoy's Yoshi Touch & Go and Warioware games the controller can be shaken and even stirred to cause visual disruption. One could say it's added a new dimension to playing games and even Sony are attentive (slyly adding a 'sixaxis' system to it's own controller to compete with Nintendo's innovation) however I do not see it as the be-all-and-end-all of controllers as Nintendo's competitors have stuck with traditional controller methods and it has not stunted their success significantly.

Personally I found the SNES and PlayStation Dual Shock controllers to be the most fun to use - appropriate button placements and minimal cramps (unlike the NES rectangular controller which probably forebode a long and painful arthritic old-age for at me). I don't see a future of "virtual reality" just yet but with the high success of Nintendo's DS and Wii I see controllers possibly being replaced by the oldest controller type known to man - your hands.

Assignment 8 - Once Upon A Time

Video games never had to endure the obligation to add a 'story' before technology advanced so greatly everybody has a console or PC in their home to play games on.
It was a form of entertainment not like films or books - but an interactive 'doing' thing.

I remember The Legend of Zelda's very short overview of the objective of the game during the opening credits informing the player to save the Princess. Then throughout the game there is no more help instead you lived the legend rather than read it.

RPGs have always been story-driven and it will continue to do so. The imagination can run wild when reading a book and you experience verisimilitude when watching a film. So for a video game to stretch the expectations and imaginations of it's audience with a deep and immersive storyline along with excellent gameplay is nothing short of brilliance.

However that's not to say a great plot makes a good game. Terrible mechanics can lead to a very sloppy and unappreciated game. Konami's Zone of the Enders suffered this fate. Directed and written by Hideo Kojima (the man behind Metal Gear Solid...can I get through one blog without mentioning this game? I think not) Zone of the Enders brought mech-anime to video games with a compelling plot involving a young boy sharing and eventually 'teaching' emotions to a heartless artificial intelligence unit inside of a giant mechanical tool of war.
The game is considered a let down due it's short length and lack of variety in gameplay.

The premise is simple: travel to the directed location, destroy a bunch of mechs, defeat a boss and sit back and watch the realtime cut-scenes unfold the plot. The lack of variety ruined the games chances of being hailed as great as Kojima's other work and falls flat on it's face when compared to MGS.

Sports titles, EA's most successful franchises, still sell incredible numbers even though they lack any depth to them beyond the competition and 'beat your opponent' game play.
Story telling is dependent on the genre of game you're selling and inevitably like all things: your target audience.

As I have previously stated: console RPGs thrive on their story depth and incredible twists and turns, although an online MMORPG doesn't necessarily need that same element as it could possibly break the fluidity of the game play and many gamers do not want to be sitting through CG cutscenes while others go on ahead of them. Whereas in the comfort of isolation you can sit through hours of FMVs absorbing the plot with no reason to skip ahead to get to the fighting.

A story is what you make it. It's an experience retold. You can tell a story about a game you played last night online. WoW, Guild Wars, Second Life, and most other online games do not NEED an already present story to push the player further. Game play and the experience of playing with others creates that 'need to carry on'. You can invent your own story in your own world when playing such games.

In gaming, a story is an experience relived. Whether it be the hundredth time you reveal Cloud's secret in FFVII or it be the millionth time you played a Team Death Match on Metal Gear Online and you told your coursemate about how you succeeded the next day. Storytelling is what you make it. Since gaming is such an interactive medium of entertainment it's not always necessary for the game itself to create that entertainment for you; YOU do.

Assignment 7 - Different Strokes (Same old jokes)

First of all I would like to say that being on the Electronic Game Technology course I was a little disheartened by the lecture involving Art Direction however I appreciate that Rick Nath came to deliver an incredible two hours of insight.
It helped me understand the other side (the dark side, grr) of Game development and almost made me question what the hell I'm supposed to be doing in the gaming industry at the end of this course.

An Art Director plays a role similar to a movie director in that "Art directors are generally responsible for setting the visual tone, quality, and style for the game" which is summarised here.
It is an occupation of great responsibility. Not only is the content of the game very important but the way in which the director inspires, interacts and involves the whole art team to create their work in progress.

The visual tone can set the overal tone for the game if done correctly. For instance a Survival Horror game requires a dark and disturbing atmosphere because plot devices and gameplay are not enough to create a realistic 'scary' experience.

However realism is not always necessary. Hugely detailed and beautiful environments may satisfy some hardcore and casual gamers - hereby referred to as 'eyecandy' - but sometimes it just does not suffice when a book or a film can be incredibly realistic and detailed but if other areas are not up to scratch (such as plot) then it fails and becomes another "graphics: 10, gameplay: 5" piece of garbage.

Art direction depends on the context and content of the game in hand. An Art Director must be able to portray the idea of somebody else and recreate their image - it's difficult but much easier to describe your own idea than to be given the idea of another and display it the way in which the game director/producer/publisher - as explained by Rick Nath.
For example, if a game requires a much more simplistic art style rather than a complicated mass of realistic leaves falling off a tree on a breezy Autumn afternoon the Art Director must adapt his/her style to fit in with the overal theme of the game to completely mesh and 'fit' with the intended purpose of that game.

Time constraints on completing certain pieces on a daily/weekly basis can be very stressful and an Art Director has a great responsibility for not only his/herself but for the art team as a whole. You must have great communication skills and analytical skills to be an Art Director as you must be able to understand anothers ideas and to efficiently reproduce what is required - as well as explain to your team how and why particular elements must look and 'feel' a certain way.

Game art direction is a heavily creative role. In which you must be able to demonstrate perfect understanding of another individuals ideas but to also be inspiring and creative to your team to help them understand the task in hand.
Effective interpersonal skills are required and alot of confidence and understanding of both artistic differences and how said art will effect the programming.

I don't think art direction is for me - especially the 'art' part.
I'll just appreciate the completed work for now until the time arises for me to develop a deeper and more meaningful understanding of the work my art breatheren have to do.

Now...It's time for some Metal Gear Online, and for anybody reading this who happens to own Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence and plays the online portion you can find me under the name The_Horror blowing your head off time after time again.
Good afternoon, Good evening and Goodnight.

Assignment 6 - Designer Genes

Game designers have evolved drastically over the short space of a few decades as video games have become more complex and time consuming. As a result positions are delegated to a team and each person has his role whether it be the designer, the producer, the sound designer, the programmer and so forth. Gone are the days when a game was created by just one person. Now are the times when multimillion projects require teams of specialists.

Gameplay, I feel, is primarily how the game itself plays. Such as your objectives; abilities; restrictions; and any other content in which the player him/herself controls.

Cutscenes are not gameplay however a boss battle requiring you to throw grenades into tank is a form of gameplay - the utilisation of game mechanics such as being able to throw grenades in a particular way that they land in the tank (Oh by the way, that particular example - Metal Gear Solid, M1 Tank battle).

I guess by that theory, gameplay and game mechanics are linked. Gameplay is the outcome of game mechanics. I'll use the same reference - being given the ability to use R1 to view in FPV to allow the user to throw a grenade into the desired direction is mechanics. Gameplay is the context in which the mechanics are presented - being told how to act and what abilities you should utilise to accomplish the goal.

Another example would be; mechanics are the ability to swing on a rope and gameplay is being presented with two platforms and no other means to get across other than the rope.

Designing a game requires you to put the ideas of game mechanics, gameplay, the programming that will proceed it, the constructs of the game and to 'plug' the design to the appropriate body so that the game can leave the drawing room and be created. Other factors such as financial liability, technological restrictions, production costs/time and marketability will also play into the game designers role as s/he must think about all of these things when designing their game.

There is no point in a game being too difficult; or not fun; or not attractive enough to make a profit. Even worse, would be to give a nod to the game only to discover half way through development that it is simply not possible to accomplish. The designer must put these things into consideration.
A team of designers work on pre-production and carry on through most of the production and must have some understanding of the programming that will proceed their designs whether it be art designer or sound designer. All things must be compatible and feesable.

Of course. All genres of games have different principalities. For instance a FPS like Halo may not require any puzzle solving to advance through the game compared to something like the survival horror Resident Evil.
However in Halo, run-and-gun is sufficient to advance through the story and reveal more plot. Whereas in Resident Evil puzzle solving is essential to unfolding the plot as the player is presented with dead ends and the inevitable feeling that they must solve some kind of puzzle.

Another example would be a sports game where the sole purpose of Pro Evolution Soccer is to score more goals than your opponent. Gameplay such as passing to a certain player to gain the advantage can not be applied to an adventure game with only one avatar and more than one objective in mind.

Financial factors also play a huge part in different genres too. Marketing and targeting the right audience and devoting certain levels of funds to each kind of game.

Games such as EA's American sports titles don't require huge funds as previous game engines can be used to create sequels and with the game mechanics and gameplay already there only certain elements need tweaking.

Whereas much more extravogant new and "innovative" titles need more dedication to design and perfecting the playability as well as funds being distributed fairly and not being wasted - because there's nothing worse than an 'average' title at the end of the day.

What's truely import to me is the overal product.
Not a single element but rather a whole array of great design aspects.

Cinematic quality can play an important factor in me liking a game but only if that game requires it such as Metal Gear Solid.
On the other hand, a game like Legend of Zelda does not need eight hours of cut-scenes to make it interesting as gameplay elements are usually incredible and appropriately placed.

RPGs require a great story to succeed as RPGs to me have become a bit stale and all tend to follow the same gameplay AND plot; an evil entity taking over the world overcome by a band of misfits all with their own reasons to avenge; controlled through turn based combat featuring dragons, high level bosses and hours of wandering around getting frustrated at random battles.

I tend to stray away from being a graphics-whore simply liking a game on it's physical appearance.
A true example of beauty is Killer 7. With it's insanely twisted plot which never actually makes sense unless you can grasp the difference between a similie and a metaphor; simplified controls on rails with interesting puzzles; cel-shaded 'simple' looking graphics; and cut-scenes varying from japanese anime to more traditional western style animation.
Sometimes the best games are the ones that aren't flashy and filled to the brim with different types of gameplay (Killer7 takes away your ability to explore and jump) and take a more traditional straight-forward approach.

What seperates a game plot to a movie or book is interaction. However even in Killer7 the interaction is limited - but something in it drives you forward to reveal more. Just as you would read on in a book, or would continue to watch a movie. The game forces you to PLAY more and more.

Assignment 5 - Isn't Money Funny?

It seems that anything and everything in this life time is money driven. I guess that is capitalism for you.

Publishers devote funds to games that they feel are sure-bets to make a success leaving some innovative and 'different' games with no way of reaching the consumer.
Magazine publishers are also very money driven as are all businesses in life - it's a dog eat dog world and these dogs have a thirst for blood - with strict deadlines journalists have to meet and when games journalists "must" give praise to certain games sometimes it feels like journalists either don't know what they're talking about or they're giving haphazard bias opinions.

I guess that's freedom of speech for you.
Magazines are also losing profit under the slew of gaming websites which give the same - usually bias - reviews.
However now it feels games magazines are losing their edge that they once had; recently I was reading through some old Nintendo magazines I had kept in my cupboard (for cheats, walkthroughs and general nostaliga value...oh also, I just hate to throw ANYTHING away) and there was humour, appeal and indepth insights into games I was too young to fully appreciate.

Although this was during the golden age of gaming where everything was new and different with NES and Mastersystem control pads and games were truely evolving from their amoeba-like states on their large supercomputer shaped ancestors. Journalists were hungry and gaming wasn't exactly everybodies cup of tea; I guess for lack of a better term it was a 'cult' thing (although I was too young to remember...so forgive my ignorance if I am wrong).

I guess that's hunger for you. Nowadays game publications feel like they almost hate games with very few articles giving you the feeling that they actually sat down and played the game for more than 10 minutes.

I guess that's 19-day-an-issue deadlines for you. It seems journalists feel pressure to get their work in on time and they can easily be replaced by fresh, young, enthusastic faces straight of University without a clue in the world about what's in store for them. The Bigwigs want to make money - to make more magazines - to sell more magazines - to make more money and the viscious cheque-filled cycle goes on.

The horrid and GCSE styled 'The games graphics are very good, and the gameplay is also amazing' review is like needles on a chalk board to my eyes and ears.
New Games Journalism takes an objective approach which gives a more powerful insight into games and games have always been a very personal experience that can usually only be described by the average man as 'you've got to play it to understand'.

NGJ give you the exact thoughts and personality of the writer in a way that intrigues and provolks without having to resort to 'play this game because it has good graphics and you will enjoy its interesting story'.

While reading the Metal Gear Solid 2 review and analysis (which can be found here for those who have yet to read it) I found myself laughing and nodding in agreement at what Mr. Rogers (no, not the US TV legend) had to say.
Nothing can compare to that moment where you share a laugh with a complete stranger over such a personal thing as a miniscule detail in a video game you both happened to notice.

NGJ - despite originating on the internet, and therefore inheriting the title nemesis of game magazine medium - is paving the way for game journalists and gives a stronger, more personal insight into a medium that touches so many peoples hearts.

Journalists cannot simply get away with shoddy bias scores with 5 lines of description that barely scratch the surface of the game it tries to sell.

Then again that's the games industry for you. *wink*

Asssignment 4 - We are the future

The future of games is in our hands now and with more powerful technology comes a more difficult challenge for the programmer.

Personally, I am a little nervous about what the future holds when the next new generation of consoles are revealed. I'm just starting to learn the basics of C programming and Assembly language and it has me trembling.

I think there is pressure to make innovative and outstanding games that seperate themselves from the mass of mundane mediocre titles. That is a job for the developer. Publishers don't feel the same way as "the publisher mentality tends to dismiss quirky new game ideas in favor of sequels and licensed properties from movies, comics and TV shows" which was stated on this website.

I feel that like all mediums, which are all essentially businesses, eventually dull to this idea of repetitive strategy and even the consumer becomes less favourable of buying the same title over and over with a new name. I still strongly believe innovation can give you those classic titles that will forever remain in peoples minds and hearts.

This generation saw giants Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo battle it out with the Xbox, PS2 and GameCube respectively. Many gamers split off into different categories and share very different views on "which is the best" but this has been the case for a very long time with the earliest I can remember being the NES/MasterSystem war and continuing with Nintendo and Sega for years.

All three consoles began to show new ideas for the future; pressure sensitive buttons on control pads; the USB headset and keyboard compatibility for the PS2; Xbox Live bringing online gaming into the console. Sony and Nintendo also attempted online gaming with Nintendo's being a very niche market in Japan and Sony's showing little success with figures paling in comparison to those of the Xbox and PC gamers.

The Xbox360 is bringing more of an "entertainment" vibe to it rather than just a video game console and Sony are following with the PS3 using Blu-Ray technology and Microsofts upcoming HD-Drive for the Xbox360. Nintendo are left in the tracks of Sony and Microsoft with their "next-gen" console which takes a step back from simply improving processing power and technology and brings back the simple innovations which introduced them to the gaming world.

The Wiimote allows gamers to wave the controller around in one hand and the "nun-chuk" with an analogue stick in the other hand. The remote works like a light gun but is also motion sensitive in that twisting and turning the controller also has it's benefits. This allows developers to focus on new ways to make games more enjoyable and with the technology not differing much from the GameCube allows developers to make games quicker than those that will feature on the PS3 and Xbox360s complicated new structures.

Development costs are rising and games are becoming ever more expensive to make and this is a worrying factor when entering into the gaming industry - Publishers will go for surefire titles rather than something that is risky and may not sell great enough - and with competition becoming more fierce the gaming industry will become even more interesting as companies try to differentiate themselves from the pack.

I believe that with the introduction of HD and more powerful CPU games are becoming more realistic visually and with sound mimicking the quality of the cinema-experience only time can tell what innovations will occur between now and the next-gen. Whether it be still visual or maybe something completely different - is the possibility of Virtual Reality making a comeback likely?

A race against Terence

So.

Today was a slow day. Got up around 1pm and started to do some laundry. Finished around 11pm - a lot of washing.
I order pizza - Pepperoni Passion but of course - and then venture to the shop across the road to discover Magners are £1.89 - so I buy 8 of them - and spend the rest of the night...well guess.

I text my coursemate Terence to ask what he's doing to find out there are naked men outside his flat stealing bins. I told him I would blog it first and GODDAMN I SHALL! So here it is, in its entirety, the race against Terence to blog such an occassion. No pictures unfortunately but if a picture is worth a thousand words I'll be goddamned if I spend another 1, 000 words on a blog to describe it.

Right now I am listening to Norihiko Hibino's album - A Japanese composer who helped compose Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 along side Harry Gregson Williams (Shrek, The Rock, Armageddon) - and I have to say it's a beautiful piece of work. Rock, Jungle, J-pop and mellow tracks over 10 tracks of gorgeous production.

That's it for now. Crap...I've still got the future of games to blog. There's plenty of time *wink*.

I hope you enjoyed todays episode of Horror Scope.

Bemani - whoever said games aren't cool?

So it's 4am. It's officially the end of Corona Night.

For those not in the know Bishops Blaise - the bar on the corner of Benjamin Russel Court - does £1 Corona on thursdays.

Tonight I obtained a Corona bandana, so catch me rocking a yellow shade of headwear next week, and a Jack Daniels jumper and it's a little too soon to be comprehending how exactly I obtained it but that's not the point right now.

Monday was a night out at Original Four where a guy who resembled Mr. Bean did Mr. Bean-esque dances to commercial Hip Hop music. Never-the-less they could have made a BBC special out of it but that would be expoiltative and the BBC as we all know tends to stray from the more controversial affairs of the human psyche.

The title of this blog was originally going to be "The Blog of the blog" which would entail details of how my browser would not load neither Blogger.com or Wikipedia.com (for reference, I had already read the article but my brain was like a sponge at the time) at 11pm when I was trying to write up my now 855 word piece on the 80s-90s of video games. It was stressful indeed and overall became a successful piece in such a moment of anxiety and distress.

I celebrated as I always do with a few alcohol beverages and played a little bit of MGO (Metal Gear Online for those not in the know).

I am getting fairly annoyed at headshot-whores who spend nothing more than every second of their time spraying with an XM16E or AK47 in First Person View at your head. At first it's impressive until you've been sprayed down for the fithteenth time. So I spent a lil time learning the tricks of their trade and found it to be nothing more than recoil adjustment by kneeling down or lying flat on the floor...THE SWINES!!! The same people detest the use of shotguns. It's fairly humourous as you need to be 1ft away for a shotgun to take full effect. Those headshot-seekers are threatened by a weapon that can't even harm them at a safe distance - thus revealing their ultimate weakness.

Straying from less than 100th in the rankings to around 1, 000th without even playing has put me off playing for the time being. So I dig out an old PSX game - Bust A Groove.

A Bemani game that requires nothing more than 4 directional buttons, X, O and a little bit of rhythm (understand now why I strayed from alcoholism, to Mr. Bean dancing, to MGO to Bust a Groove? If you still don't understand please divert all your questions to jlikew00t@hotmail.com where I will answer all queries with a short description and a possible voice message).

It's a fun game. Very Japanese in terms of colour and song-choices but overall a pretty enjoyable game for even the most controller-inept casual gamer.
With a selection of crazy characters and around 10 stages of prancing dancing beats ranging from funk to hiphop to j-pop you cannot deny it's appeal. The only thing that would put it a step above the rest would be a dance-mat compatible option but unfortunately you must settle with a control pad.

I enjoyed this game so much I learned it's routine off by heart so I could taunt those I played against by inputting functions behind my back, and even closing my eyes.

This blog was nothing more than pure self appreciation and to try and persuade those who have never heard of Bust A Groove to give it a try. It's a fun game to play sober, drunk, with or without friends or infact to wild-up your housemates who are trying to sleep.

Next blog; how to complete Super Mario 64 in 16 stars and the future of video gaming.

Until next time party people.

Assignment 3 - The Past, Present and the Future Is Now

The 80's saw the rise of personal computers and primarily, in my opinion, the most uninspiring genre of video games imaginable - Text based adventure games.
As popular as they might be their main function is to serve as an interactive novel and I personally feel they hold no place in the games world. However later text-based adventures started to adapt visual representations of the world they depicted and thus paved the way for future "point-and-click" games and Myst's several sequels.

During this same time video game software saw primitive 3D graphics emerge such as Pole Position (1982) which used "Pseudo-3D graphics" for the rear-view-racing-format which to this day has been repeated even with true 3D graphics. The Sierra King's Quest series also adapted an illusion of 3D with a player controlled character moving behind and in front of objects on a 2D background drawn in perspective.
Hardware such as ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 were increasingly popular through Commodore 64s aggressive pricing strategy - which to this day companies follow (£425 for a PS3? pfft!!!) - and eventually becoming more affortable. IBM's PCs were advancing in both graphical terms and aurally which led to further competition between console and computer.

Nintendo launched their Game & Watch line of simple LCD handheld consoles which were later copied by other companies (I was once told copying is a form of flattery, Nintendo must be blushing rosey red cheeks with compliments).

The early nineties to me was the most important and influential point of video games as it saw Nintendo's NES system define video gaming forever with it's new control pad system taking over from the arcade style joystick. With an 8-way directional pad and 2 buttons the NES became the standard of console gaming with the Sega Mastersystem adopting this 8-way 2-button method.

Other interesting moments of the nineties are the games that were released for said console such as Metal Gear, Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros and Final Fantasy which all to this day have become very successful series with later games demonstrating the technological advances in hardware such as Playstation's Metal Gear Solid which brought the MG world into 3D.

Super Mario and Legend of Zelda have also received the 3D makeover with Super Mario 64 and LoZ Ocarina of Time respectively. Both of which are considered 'classic' among gamers and critics alike. Even Final Fantasy (with it's beautifully ironic name) has lasted for XI (that's eleven in roman numerals) main titles with 2 more on the way (that's not including handheld console versions, mobile games and spin offs) with intriguing and fantastic plots which destroy the early 80's text based adventures and incorporate fun and timeless gameplay.

The most significant developments of the middle-ages of video games were the emerging genres that remain today such as First Person Shooters (FPS) which were commercially realised by previous Shareware companies such as 3D Realms, Id Software and Epic which produced such games as Doom, Quake, Duke Nukem and Unreal.

The RTS (Real time strategy) was also born in this era of gaming and is still a popular genre among PC gamers with early titles such as Dune II uptop more recent titles such as Age of Empires.

While Nintendo adapted cartridges as their standard format CD-ROMs were establishing their significance with Shareware demos becoming available with magazine publications and later on becoming the standard for computer gaming and Sony's Playstation

Internet gaming also flourished during this period and thus spawned the wonderfully dubbed MMORPG (Mass Multiplay...ahh you know what it is ;)...OK if you don't its Mass Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game).

History repeated itself after the battle between NES and Mastersystem the SNES and Megadrive duked it out for top console - with Sega's controversial advertisement approach leaving Nintendo with the impression 'more bark than bite' - and later on Sony entered the ring with the PlayStation while Sega attack with their Saturn console. Both toting 32 bit graphics Nintendo never goes out without a fight and thus returns with their Nintendo 64.

The 80s-90s of video game development was fundamentally a matter of graphics and this has remained up until this day with few companies standing out with new and interesting gameplay rather than relying on the tactic of repeated formula.

Changing trends don't occur often but if there is one Nintendo are at the steering wheel such as their introduction to analog sticks and shoulder trigger buttons even down to pressure sensitive buttons.

Games changed dramatically on a physical level during this time but fundamentally the elements which made up a great game were still there.

Now competition is tough as many publishers try to sell their product and the only way to be successful is to individualise yourself from the rest of the flock with interesting and new gameplay, beautiful and awe-inspiring graphics, replay value and value for money.

Games have reached a stopping point from their transition from 2D to 3D and now it is more about graphical detail rather than stretching ones imagination to create the unimaginable.

Assignment 2 - coincidence? I think not!

Now while my housemate is insulting me through 1337 over MSN across the room I read over the several articles concerning the history of computer games.
My thoughts so far?

1) THANK GOD I am not old enough to have witnessed such atrocity in video gaming (although I do remember owning a Commordore 64).
While it may have been a breakthrough in technology and paved the way for the future I would have hated to see a million different copies of Pong peddled by every Joe Bloggs tyring to get his slice of the game pie. While peddling of the same 'ol still happens nowadays with those gruelingly appauling plug-and-play arcade-game systems there is a very large spectrum of consoles and software. I guess I am spoiled and have an insatiable appetite for a new game every few weeks (seriously I have bought 3 in the past week! Ouch).

2) I had no idea how old Electronic Arts were and yet they are still successful to this day (my hat's off to you EA)

Let's no longer beat around the bush. Created in 1961 by a group of students at MIT Spacewar! is widely considered the first computer game created, after Tennis-for-two which dabbled with gravity physics and A.S. Douglas' Tic-Tac-Toe which experimented with human-to-computer interaction. I say Spacewar! was the first computer game as it truly demonstrated the fundamentals of a computer game; interaction, competition (between two human players), goals and objectives.

What's significant about the creation of Spacewar!? It was created by University students and I myself am a student at a university (while it might not be MIT it still has a three letter abbreviation *clever, huh?*) and I feel it is the perfect time for the creation and development of computer games as it allows likeminded individuals to bring their ideas and abilities to the table. University is a time where learning is no longer solely the responsibility of the institution but rather the individual...but let's not dwindle on the purpose of University. I am looking forward to meeting some audio students and game art students as I am doing Game Tech so we can form that unstoppable triangular team of game creators.

Enough of the history of gaming itself. Time to shed some light on my personal history and experiences with games.
I remember getting a Nintendo Entertainment System at the tender age of three. I vividly remember Super Mario Bros, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Legend of Zelda (with that sexy gold cartridge).
I cannot remember if I was actually any good at playing them or if I used that wonderful device Game Genie but I did manage to complete them and have experienced nostalgia and anger when playing the same games recently finding them exceedingly difficult which leads me to believe video games are becoming increasingly easy and more graphics-driven rather than gameplay-driven.

I also had a Commodore 64 but that was my dad's play-thing and I had too short an attention span to bother waiting for the cassette deck to load the game.

I have not always followed games avidly - when I was younger it was more or less my parents buying me what they thought I would like - and until the internet truly kicked off commercially I did not particularly search for "good" games but I have always been a fan of and played video games from a young age.
One could say I'm a nintendo fanboy at heart as I own all the Nintendo systems but I was also raised on Sega's Mastersystem and Mega Drive. I tend to forget about the dreadful Sega Saturn and I wish the Dreamcast was wiped from the face of the Earth with it's ridiculously positioned shoulder buttons.

Nowadays I play Sony's PSX and PS2 as well as Nintendo's underrated Gamecube (I say underrated because most people believe it to be a childish console whereas it is home to some excellent games; Killer 7, Metroid Prime & Prime 2 Echoes, LoZ Wind Waker *cel shaded does not mean childish, the plot is dark and the gameplay follows on from the widely hailed classic Ocarina of Time*, and Resident Evil).

Most recently I have been playing Metal Gear Online and I am establishing my name in the online world of gaming. I usually don't play competitive titles as I feel there is too much bitterness and hate that evolves from such games but I have been a fan of Metal Gear since the PSX title and have watched it evolve and have researched into it's past incarnations in which the stealth-driven gameplay first appeared on the MSX/NES.

I enjoy most genres of games including action, adventure, RPG, survival horror, FPS (at the risk of sounding ignorant I feel they are all fundamentally the same and you only need to play one FPS in your life, but the same can be said for RPGs I guess, it depends on if the plot is any good).
I mostly follow series of games such as LoZ, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Silent Hill etc. and rarely dip my feet into unknown waters but I follow the development of new and exciting games on IGN.com and Gamespot.com in hopes for something truly astonishing and original such as Okami (Capcom's new title involving a wolf-god in which you use calligraphy to advance through the game) or my recent purchase Shadow of the Colossus where gameplay and graphics walk hand in hand in a brilliantly crafted world where colossal monsters roam and a beautiful maiden lays asleep waiting for you to restore her consciousness (simple premise but the game itself has to be played to fully appreciate).

I am looking forward to the next three years and I am really enjoying it so far. I just hope I am successful and can craft such pieces of work for myself.(is it right to call computer games work? *shrugs* it is alot of hard...fun?...no the word is most definately work)

Until next time sports fans. *clicks*

Assignment 1 - something to inspire even the most uninspired

Well here it goes. My first blog entry EVER and yet I still have no idea what to write. I guess this is a start though, huh? I've mostly been preoccupied with Shadow of the Colossus (PS2) the past few days and have tried to draw inspiration from that to write here until I discovered that my first blog entry already had a preset context and still I wander off into uncharted literal territory.

However it appears that most bloggers face the exact same problem and I feel at liberty to criticize them for their stream-of-conscious like ramblings. So, let's get to the topic at hand.

It's pretty interesting to read others' views on video games as I feel video games have played an important role in my lifetime or rather i've played a lifetime of video games more importantly. I enjoy a good laugh when it's not at my expense and I can actually sit back and say 'haha, that's so true'. However I feel a little sore that the top 12 video game toilets did not include Resident Evil (GCN)...no reason at all, I just feel that it deserved to be there somewhere.

I have to say it feels a little strange to be writing for an invisible audience but until I re-read what my assignment was I was just writing my thoughts to myself with no real intended audience. I won't go as far as to say it's an extremely powerful tool like mp3.com for example (which was useful a few years back for independent artists looking for some way to get their music heard) Although I will say it is a good way to get yourself heard when there's no room for opinions in a lecture and it's probably not appropriate to be chatting about the best way to complete Super Mario Bros in the fastest time EVER in a seminar (unless your seminar just happens to require you to complete SMB for an assignment - I've got my fingers crossed).

Onto more important things I took a gander at Scaryduck's blog (after attempting to write about Jack Bauers which only contained three blogs since May 2006 - thanks, that REALLY helped with this assignment *sarcasm*) to see a fair few blogs a week which makes me feel a little more comfortable with the fact I plan to spill alot of brain matter all over this thing in the near future.

While I enjoyed Scaryduck's post about experiences being ill (of which I have plenty, most of which were last week where I made the most of freshers week despite being a second year - yes it's confusing, i'm starting from the beginning again, let's just say media studies sucked...I mean, wasn't right for me) I'm not a great fan of incorporating speech or "sound effects" into posts. I plan to let these lovely long paragraphs do all the talking.

It was humourous to read and Scaryduck takes a very relaxed approach to his/her mishaps but I don't think I'm going to be telling you what shade my excrement was after 12 bottles of stella last monday. I'm looking forward to being able to speak about anything - providing that these compulsory blogs also get completed - and Scaryduck makes the most of this privilege and so shall I, muwahaha.

I think blogging is more personal than objective - well what's the point in a dozen blogs all containing the same facts like the evening news (seriously, how many times do I have to hear about this little girl being mauled by a rottweiler? as sad as it may be it's not particularly important; i'd much prefer a news presenter to remind me of assignments that need handing in or particular books or sheets I may need for tomorrow's lecture, NOT what will be appearing on Animals Do The Funniest Things). I feel i've spoken my mind enough for now. Don't worry, the best is yet to come.