Let's try an experiment. Ask me a question in comments, and I'll try to answer it in a future post. Your question should probably be related to video games. But I guess it doesn't have to be.
It's been a year-ish since your Gamer Taxonomy opus. I'd like to hear a follow-up, discussing observations made about its applicability and if you feel the taxonomy is still accurate.
(I realize you could have thought that one up yourself, but still)
Are games becoming like cinema in the sense that we have "quality" games adored by the serious critics and "mass" games selling millions units? Is that a good thing? Will we have some the Cannes and the Oscars of games fighting between them?
Is game genre sheerly defined by the mechanics of the game interface, or do ineffible unengineered aesthetic/artistic qualities play any deterministic role?
Hrm, that's not really an essay question. Bonus: Who's the awesomest turtle in gaming? Show your work
You just won the lottery. Big time. Assuming you set aside enough to be comfortable for the rest of your life AND assuming you dedicate the other portion to gaming in some way...what would you do? Start a magazine? Make your own game? Start a museum?
I don't play games that often. I own a Playstation 2, and own exactly zero games for it since I lost Guitar Hero. Other than that, I'll pull out the rare old favorite for the PC, play some web-based game, or load something on my iPhone. Occasionally there's a game I really want to play (Rock Band 2!), but to lay out the cash for a current console and a game or two is just not reasonable. Basically, the bar to entry for an extremely casual gamer is way too high.
Never mind that, I'm not even sure I'd be able to figure out how to play some of the newest games coming out before getting frustrated and giving up.
What should the video game industry do about us old fogeys who have more interest in games than Windows Solitaire, but not enough to go buy a PS3? Are there PC games that are more than browser-based time-wasters but don't require the latest and greatest hardware? Or are mobile devices the next gaming platform? Or what?
What gaming systems have you owned in your life? Which ones did you want most and never manage to get? Would you consider going back and buying those systems now, or would you more likely just emulate whichever older games you wanted to play?
Or, to put it in a more bookish way: how important is the artifact vs. the information?
As both a writer who is paid by a major publication to cover games, and a blogger who writes personal pieces on his own, what are the biggest differences in your approach to the two? Which do you prefer?
And if you had your way, what would games writing look like 5 years from now?
Especially in light of the fact that newspapers and even sites like 1up falling apart hint that some of the current avenues may not even be available by then. Is it possible there will be no professional, full-time games writing jobs left?
late the party as always, but I came up with a question today:
Which video games writer do you read, and say to yourself: "Man I really wish I could write like *that*"
I'll give my my answer: Tycho Brahe.
Maybe you aspire to write like some non-video-game critic instead. Like, I really love Dave Hickey; I'd push quite a few old ladies down the stairs in order to write like that.
Dear Mitch, I know I am pushing my luck just by posting so late in here... but I guess it deserved a try. "where does your website name came from?" I am reading it since october last year, and I do have this question in the back of my head.
Is it like i think in reference to Monkey Island Swordfighting gameplay?
22 comments:
What is the meaning of Braid?
What is the difference between games and literature?
It's been a year-ish since your Gamer Taxonomy opus. I'd like to hear a follow-up, discussing observations made about its applicability and if you feel the taxonomy is still accurate.
(I realize you could have thought that one up yourself, but still)
Are games becoming like cinema in the sense that we have "quality" games adored by the serious critics and "mass" games selling millions units? Is that a good thing? Will we have some the Cannes and the Oscars of games fighting between them?
Is game genre sheerly defined by the mechanics of the game interface, or do ineffible unengineered aesthetic/artistic qualities play any deterministic role?
Hrm, that's not really an essay question. Bonus: Who's the awesomest turtle in gaming? Show your work
You just won the lottery. Big time. Assuming you set aside enough to be comfortable for the rest of your life AND assuming you dedicate the other portion to gaming in some way...what would you do? Start a magazine? Make your own game? Start a museum?
What should be essential/required reading for a college-level course on analysis and criticism of video games?
I don't play games that often. I own a Playstation 2, and own exactly zero games for it since I lost Guitar Hero. Other than that, I'll pull out the rare old favorite for the PC, play some web-based game, or load something on my iPhone. Occasionally there's a game I really want to play (Rock Band 2!), but to lay out the cash for a current console and a game or two is just not reasonable. Basically, the bar to entry for an extremely casual gamer is way too high.
Never mind that, I'm not even sure I'd be able to figure out how to play some of the newest games coming out before getting frustrated and giving up.
What should the video game industry do about us old fogeys who have more interest in games than Windows Solitaire, but not enough to go buy a PS3? Are there PC games that are more than browser-based time-wasters but don't require the latest and greatest hardware? Or are mobile devices the next gaming platform? Or what?
Easy question and it's been done to death but:
Do critic review scores actually mean anything?
What games do you feel are critically underappreciated? Games you loved that were overlooked by both bloggers and the gaming community at large.
If you could have dinner with three video game characters, who would they be and why?
What gaming systems have you owned in your life? Which ones did you want most and never manage to get? Would you consider going back and buying those systems now, or would you more likely just emulate whichever older games you wanted to play?
Or, to put it in a more bookish way: how important is the artifact vs. the information?
As both a writer who is paid by a major publication to cover games, and a blogger who writes personal pieces on his own, what are the biggest differences in your approach to the two? Which do you prefer?
And if you had your way, what would games writing look like 5 years from now?
Especially in light of the fact that newspapers and even sites like 1up falling apart hint that some of the current avenues may not even be available by then. Is it possible there will be no professional, full-time games writing jobs left?
Is the traditional game market in any way threatened by the rise of free-to-play browser games?
Could you live off free-to-download and play games, such as Flash and independent titles?
Would you miss the so-called "AAA" releases?
Explain.
Where do babies come from?
@Ben: The answer.
What has been your favorite audio effect in a videogame (ambient sound, music, etc.)?
late the party as always, but I came up with a question today:
Which video games writer do you read, and say to yourself: "Man I really wish I could write like *that*"
I'll give my my answer: Tycho Brahe.
Maybe you aspire to write like some non-video-game critic instead. Like, I really love Dave Hickey; I'd push quite a few old ladies down the stairs in order to write like that.
Why do game on a console over a PC?
Are you real, or just a construct for an ARG ad campaign?
Dear Mitch,
I know I am pushing my luck just by posting so late in here... but I guess it deserved a try.
"where does your website name came from?"
I am reading it since october last year, and I do have this question in the back of my head.
Is it like i think in reference to Monkey Island Swordfighting gameplay?
cheers,
Quiche
You got it, Quiche. It's a Monkey Island reference.
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