By modders, for modders - it's a fresh edition of the Modcast! This show we recap some of the headlines in recent modding (and gaming) news, then we talk to the guys behind Europe in Ruins. We've retooled and restructured the format a bit for the podcast to try and keep it fast-paced and engaging. We're constantly trying to improve the show format, any constructive critiques you guys offer up will be appreciated. Let us know if you think this offering is better/worse than previous shows:
Show notes:
- 0:01:08 - show intro
- 0:01:40 - Mod DB mod release coverage
- 0:03:50 - D.I.P.R.I.P. initial release
- 0:06:17 - Frontlines v2.1 release
- 0:07:45 - Iron Grip: Warlord media
- 0:08:55 - Alien Arena 2008 release
- 0:10:00 - who's still a big fan of twitch/reflex shooters?
- 0:13:15 - Knights of the Farce
- 0:15:10 - not the first time...
- 0:16:04 - LoneWolfDS release
- 0:19:17 - Epic to target consoles first for Unreal Engine 4, Id doing the same
- 0:22:25 - future of modding for new games?
- 0:27:00 - learn to be different
- 0:29:20 - Age of Chivalry trailer
- 0:32:45 - Squad Commander release
- 0:33:45 - thoughts on university game design students
- 0:36:30 - George Miller interview
- 0:37:45 - Dave talks about Clive Barker
- 0:39:50 - Matt rants about convergence
- 0:41:45 - The Graveyard by Tale of Tales
- 0:45:10 - what constitutes a game?
- 0:47:00 - Europe in Ruins interview intro
- 0:47:20 - Matt's a cockhead, but he'll be back...
- 0:48:00 - Europe in Ruins dev team intro
- 0:51:00 - EiR synopsis and origin
- 0:57:00 - EiR 2.0 features
- 1:07:25 - community questions
- 1:12:00 - EiR community vs. devs
- 1:20:30 - interview wrap-up
- 1:21:50 - Dave needs to work on his German...
Music:
- Openings by David Orrick
Heh my German is really good i swear :P
or not ;P
Essential ingredients for entertainment to qualify as a game: (add numbers or debate as you wish)
The essential thing for me is that in games the user moves along the game, in film there is a set speed at which events unfold. In literature it is true that the reader controls how fast they read, but they do not control the sequence of events or how quickly the story can be experienced.
1. Interaction: A game must involve the player and require their input to progress.
2. Challenge: Even the most minimal degree of skill is required in order to progress to the end of a game. (Everything else falls into interactive storytelling, which is what The Graveyard is.) This challenge could be a simple as killing an enemy without dying, avoiding a trap, negotiating a tricky path, choosing in which order to approach certain events, choosing the most suitable tool for a task, etc.
I agree that 'game' is really becoming an outdated term (you could even make a case for this term in part contributing to the popular misconception that 'games' are for immature types and kids, and even extrapolate further towards the 'violence in games' debate). Interactive entertainment medium (IEM?) is more appropriate, but much less catchy!
Well, you could argue that you still experience the narrative in a set way in a set time (because anything between what conveys a story is just a filler, you may or may not say that it contributes directory to the narrative). So the scripted sequences are still in the same spot, the same length, convey the same thing and can't be changed by the user (like a film).
Also, how do you class a sandbox game, say, Garrys Mod? There is no inherent goal or challenge in a game like GMod. Everything - every challenge or goal is self-imposed. Does that still make it a game if there are no built in challenges? If it does, whats to stop the user having a self-imposed goal in The Graveyard of walking to every tombstone? Does it then become a game and not an interactive narrative?
I agree that the term game evokes the idea of a childish/immature medium, which is part of the reason we need a new term for them.
Progression is a sticky point as a determiner when you talk about sandbox games like Gmod, Little Big Planet, etc. When users play together you'll often find they impose their own rules or victory conditions, but this isn't always the case and whether playing alone or together with other players, there really is no built-in goal to move towards in sandbox games.
I'll try a new definition:
"A (video)game is an interactive entertainment medium in which the user has some control over the form that their entertainment takes"
If it was simple enough to define, then Academics would be really bored. Again, something like this can be challenged by trying to define entertainment. I'll take this back to Super Columbine Massacre. Is that a game? If so, according to your definition, its entertainment. To me, that game isn't entertainment. Its interactive, definitely, but not entertainment. If a game isn't entertaining, and a player can't make it entertaining, is it then not a game in their eyes?
Applying rules and definitions to what does and doesn't constitute a game is, in a way, oversimplifying the medium. Games are a great thing because of how complex and different they are all, and by trying to categorize them we're almost dumbing down what fits and what doesn't (same thing with defining games as a specific Genre). Its one of those discussions for the ages.
You might want to try and define it as IEM, but then you get the Super Columbine Massacres. Companies will use game engines to replace what was traditionally done by video clips (ie conveying short news stories). Game engines are already being used for education and training. Its these kind of expansions that make it so hard to try and qualify whats what.
OoOoOoOo I am Downloading right now.
excellent and I love the bit at the end!~
Excellent interview guys, I really enjoyed it. But the German words are hard to pronounciate I know. I'm German, so that's an easy task for me but Stenchy was very close to the original "Fallschirmjäger" sound. Keep on the good work.
lol that was me not stenchy :P
Love theese modcasts, really interesting. Keep em coming :D
Superb. They get better everytime. I think you really have improved so much on the format from the first one. It really is a good format that you have now.
I found it quite funny aswell. While it was still serious there was a nice light hearted tone to it.
There were a couple of things that I wanted to comment on about what was said. First would be to perhaps not have the staff members introduce themselve as staff members after Stenchy already introduces that he is joined by staff members. Though I did chuckle.
Second I would say that the graphics on the Wii don't suck, quite as bad as was suggested. But you were right it isn't really a console for the graphics side of games.
Lastly I agree with the comments on games courses at uni. I myself am on one and we really do look at games in a totally different way. I would say they get you to look at games from the developers point of view as well as understanding games.
I can't wait for the next one.
And before I forget, I think it is great that you use community generated music, when it is just as easy to grab anything you happen to have on your computer.
always a good comment mate :P
I knew I'd probably cop a bit for saying that Wii graphics sucked. They're definitely not on par with the other two consoles, but the point I was making is that its almost last-gen in comparison to others, and its doing much better because its changed something else.
I agree with you. But as I own and love the Wii I have to stand up for it. Personally in terms of the hardware I think it is the best out there.
Great show, added to regular feeds !
Grats david for the music gig.
1. YA AUSYS!!!!!
2. Intro music is a bit to long, maybe drop it back by, say, 10 seconds.