As part of my videogame analysis and criticism course, this week’s readings focused on violence, racism, and sex in video games. Two of the readings, which focus on violence and sex, were mostly from the mouths of game developers; they can be found here. Although these three issues are clearly contentious and controversial in gaming – from all perspectives, including that of the player, creator, and parent of the player – none of the readings, and indeed almost none of the readings I’ve done in this field, actually relate to how these games view women. Predominantly, I’m finding, as sexual objects, often devoid of the personality found in their male counterparts in the same game.
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So, DiRT 2 was pushed back so Codemasters can make it much more graphically awesome. While I don’t generally care about racing games .. the tech demos make me wish I did. And do. Two of the tech demos beneath the cut.
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Jack Monahan’s blog, Gausswerks Design Reboot, is a wonderful internets-finding of a great idea followed with wonderful execution. The idea here is to take concepts and ideas found in previously-released games, and breathe some fresh life into them – and his life-breathing is a wondrous thing, presenting fascinating windows into sequels of what could be.
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Here, let me put my head on the chopping block: I think graphics are incredibly important in videogames.
Before the axe falls, however, let me explain my reasoning.
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by way of RPS, whom got it by way of this guy’s Twitter, whom may or may not have found it from somewhere else entirely elsewhere. I don’t know! Here is what I do know: that the chair can beat the pyro! Awesome video fun time below.
Cross-posted from a Videogame Analysis & Criticism class piece.
I’m of the opinion that, if we’re going to use a scoring method for game reviews, then there should be some level of consistency among them. Whether this consistency occurs in the writings of an individual over the course of several pieces, or if it’s adopted by a group of us is something that I think is up to individual consideration. So then, some thoughts:
As the walls that once housed the fuel containers of a small, EDF-controlled fuel depot fall and trigger a chain reaction of viscerally beautiful explosions before me, a solitary thought dominates my mind: I did this, and I did it alone. No scripting help from the game engine, no computer-controlled character holding my hand and telling me where to place charges and when to run, and no loss of control in the form of a cut-scene – and it is in this independence that Red Faction: Guerilla finds its apex.
Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun [PC Gaming since 1873]: This is what happens when the Something Awful goons (Goons?) play an MMO. Below, the video, and why it is important.
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