My Views on Gaming Pt. 1
My Views on Gaming Part One.
Basically, what this amounts to is a somewhat comprehensive overview of my general feelings in regards to specific topics or issues within gaming. You'll agree with some and likely disagree with others, and comments to both ends are encouraged.
Keep in mind, this is all my (likely misinformed) opinion, and so I reserve the right to be completely off base at any given moment, and make no claims to factual accuracies ;)
Now that you know what this is all about, let's begin.
Oh, btw, I am doing this in parts, as I am running short on time here, and it's lengthy enough as is. The rest will be forthcoming in due time.
Achievements/trophies
Achievements/trophies are a great way for the video game companies to keep us buying and playing their games. They are a marketing tool, nothing more. When MS started the initiative, you think the idea was pitched because they were looking to extend replay value, or increase the bottom line?
This is how it probably went:
''We need to keep gamers playing more and more. How can we ensure that they stay hooked?''
''Well, sir, gamers love assessments of accomplishment (think points) and competition, right?''
''I'm listening.''
''Well, why don't we create a system that tracks accomplishments throughout all games, giving the user an overall look at how they are doing? We can assign this a point value, say, a gamerscore. So you accomplish something, say, earning x amount of kills, and we call that an achievement. These individual achievements across all games add up to a total comprehensive score across the gaming platform. Then we sit back and watch as the obsessiveness and competition leads to more and more sales.''
''Brilliant, Johnson, brilliant.' Here's a gazillion dollars and a harem of Brazilian prostitutes.''
''Ah, yea boiiiiiiii, I'm going all out tonight, yuppie style!''
See, they are banking on us acting like little mice, scrambling to acquire as many gamerscore points as possible, which is why they tack them on to expansions and why arcade game trials tell you when you've unlocked one, and prompt you to ''BUY NOW!!'' lest you ''lose'' the achievement.
All that being said, I freaking love achievements. They obviously know us pretty well :) The only difference is, I don't let them affect my purchasing decisions. And I do not hunt them all down in games I don't like. I'm not going to labor through a shitty game for some meaningless points (although, to be fair, I used to. That's right, for a while there, I was sucked in as well. Luckily I at least have a rental plan, I wasn't buying games for points, but still). Once I have a game in my hand that I truly enjoy, then I'm going for those damn achievements, because at that point, they can be quite fun to attain.
Censorship (ESRB)/ Video game violence and sex
I am planning on doing an entire blog on this in the not too distant future, so for now, suffice it to say they (the ESRB and parents, in particular) have some really arbitrary and basically fucked up standards of acceptability. If you want to read more on my opinion regarding societal views on sex and nudity (or just want to see some T and A) in the interim, my blog seen [url=http://magx01.blogspot.com/2010/01/our-ideas-regarding-sexualitythe.html]HERE[/url] will fill you in nicely, before I write the blog on it as it pertains to gaming.
Console wars
Allegiance and loyalty to a certain piece of plastic, and the corporation who created it, alongside the demonization of the competition is something I find completely ridiculous. I know people tend to bash what they do not or cannot have, as psychologically, it makes them feel better by diminishing doubt, wants, and dissatisfaction, and demonizing these things while talking up they things they do own aids them to this end, but to me, it's still stupid, especially when it comes to video games. The companies must just be sitting back laughing at all of it.
I know this may sound like I am implicitly raising myself above the standards of normal human psychology, but this is not my intent, and, since many of my fellow gamers feel the same, I don't think it's all pervasive or all encompassing. Perhaps, if we're lucky, it's even reversible.
Demos
Great source of advertising for the developers and publishers, and often a money saver for the gamers :) Also often a way to find games you normally wouldn't be interested in, or were skeptical of. They can also be quite telling in the sense that if a developer doesn't release a demo for a game, you might get some inkling as to why. Perhaps, like in the case of the first Army of Two, they don't want you to know how bad the game is. They want to capitalize on hype and sell as many copies as possible, and then release a demo later to try and grab some more buyers (exactly what happened with Army of Two......anyone remember the review fiasco?)
As for downsides, I don't know of any.... well, maybe one, as I have heard it argued that they take time away from development of the game, but I am not sure how that works, or how true that is, exactly.
Downloadable games
I'm split on digital distribution. I like it more for smaller, less expensive games than I do for ''full'' retail games. It's obviously convenient in some ways, but it also means no borrowing or lending games, no renting, and no hard copy. DRM's are a huge hassle, and some people really can't do without a case, disc, and manual. Still, there's definitely the convenience argument, and if they were ever willing to offer online downloadable gaming rentals, that'd be something I'd be interested in, especially for the right price.
And speaking of price, as a 360 owner, I can say that Microsoft isn't doing the distribution model any favours with their awful price points on their so called Games on Demand service, although I hear Steam has some awesome deals at times (I can't speak for it however, as I have never used the service).
DLC/ expansion packs
I almost never purchase these. I'm all for expansions and such that are done to extend the playability of a game, but I'm obviously against overpriced cash ins and holding things back to sell as DLC. If the expansion truly adds to the value or replay value of the game, and it's priced better than 3 multiplayer maps for $10, then it's not something I am against in any particular way. In fact, they can be a great thing, although, unfortunately, many of the games I'd like to be expanded aren't, and the ones that are I don't care enough about, or don't find the content worth my investment
Gamestop
I dunno, we have EB here, same thing though. Good and bad I suppose? I think the publishers and developers are making too much of a fuss over the whole used market thing, and personally, it seems to me that it's doing them more good than harm. It's also none of their damn business what I do with my game, as far as I am concerned. I don't, however, know the legalities of this, so the law may be on their side. In terms of good, well, they bring attention to gaming through their heavy advertisement, and they also engender more sales though their trade in program (which is also a negative, as it's a damn rip off, but I digress).
Oh, another downside is that their employees can be a bit pushy at times, and they are also pushing this exclusive pre-order content bullshit that I hate more than painful bathroom experiences and forgetting where my keys are.
The End
Alright, that's it for part one of this series. By the end of this, all of the following topics (and perhaps a few of my own additions) will have been covered:
Achievements/trophies
Censorship (ESRB)/ Video game violence and sex
Console wars
Demos
Downloadable games
DLC/ expansion packs
Gamestop
GOTY expansions
Graphic Comparison
Hardcore vs casual gamer
Magazines
Micro transitions
Mods
Music
Online services
Online/ offline multiplayer
Pick up and play games (iphone, popcaps)
Piracy
Prices
Remakes
Review Scores
Rumors
Video game movies
Voice acting
Women in Gaming