HotChops

*sigh* This is why someone needs to find a video of the damn speech. It's from his powerpoint. I've seen two versions of the slide: “Forget Video Game Rules. Mechanics, levels, boss, ramping, points, inventory, ammo, platforms, missions, game over, [and] cut scenes are things from the past.” and "We need to forget about video game rules — bosses, missions, game over, etc...are very old words of a very old language." This thread is not simply about emotional story-telling or violence in games, this is question about the near-future of games (not to be confused with our other thread about the more distant and abstract future of games.)

So I'm still trying to find a proper video or transcript of the speech, but David Cage basically described the typical gaming protagonist as a mass murderer, and questioned the emotional potential of any story that's told predominately while looking down the barrel of a weapon. As one blogger summarized it: "Cage argues that most video games are designed for teenagers, because they are based on violence and physical action, i.e. shooting or platforming. He felt that this makes video games meaningless and emotionally limiting." http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/710813/GDC-2011-David-Cage-Encourages-Developers-To-Forget-Video-Game-Rules.html The same writer doesn't respond well to the criticism. Now, contrast that with what Stephen Totilo writes (though note that he missed most of the speech, lol): http://kotaku.com/#!5775640/a-plea-for-games-to-grow-up Frankly, I strongly agree with Cage. I think the way he came off in his presentation might have been a little smug, but I think he's earned it. I really regret not being able to play Heavy Rain, but after watching more than 2 hours of it on Youtube, I really wanted more games like it. What do you guys think?

Personally I think it's kind of pointless to make direct, either-or comparisons of Call of Duty and Battlefield. In my opinion, they are distinctly different franchises. One is almost exclusively run-and-gun FPS, and the other is a mix of FPS, team support, and vehicle gameplay. I can completely understand why someone would prefer one over the other, but I think comparing the two as most people do is like comparing basketball and (American) football. It's an argument that's fueled by a crowded market that encourages consumers to glorify one game and then sell it to all their friends so that you don't have a situation where in the same evening some friends want to play Halo, others Call of Duty, and then the rest Battlefield.

I've heard it so many times over the last year in a number of similar, but different ways: "Another serious military shooter?" "What else can you do with it?" "It's hard to improve the ice cream sundae." I for one am not tired at all of the "serious" military shooter genre because there is a lot more that can be done with it. For starters, there has yet to be a "serious" military shooter. The closest there is right now is the newer Medal of Honor, and yet it still feel short in many ways -- things that have nothing to do with multiplayer, or perks, or any of the other crap that Call of Duty has brainwashed gamers into thinking are a standard of that genre. Here's a basic checklist of what a properly serious military FPS would include: - Real-world conflict - Real-world forces - Authentic dialogue - Realistic levels of blood and gore: - which includes US military personnel and... - civilians, including women and children - Military AI: soldiers who will move in formation and never cross in front of you while you're engaged unless they somehow tap your shoulder or helmet first - A training mode that teaches the player how to actually operate like a soldier in tandem with his team, as well as simple tutorials and glossaries to explain the translate the military jargon and ranks - A "Hardcore" mode where a shot puts you down -- but doesn't necessarily kill you and gives you the ability to apply tourniquets - Weapons appropriate to the soldiers and situations - Real physics: structural damage, bullets with weight, gravity - Characters with non-cliched personalities - Better variety of enemies. Some enemies are hardened veterans, others are just stupid kids with an AK-47. - A game that allows you to make critical decisions that will result in benefits and consequences, often a mix of both - A game with very powerful imagery, intensity and emotion, BUT... - ... does not get preachy one way or the other about war. It presents the material and lets the player make up his own conclusions - and God-forbid, NO MULTIPLAYER Some of these things are done partially in one game, but not others. For example, the Rainbow Six games do okay with bullet damage and enemy AI, but not to the degree that I'm talking about. Brothers in Arms brings out the individual personalities of its characters, but some are cliche as hell. And I know what some people will say: "It's a game! It's supposed to be entertaining!" This game would be entertaining, but it would also force the player to think and feel profound things. Players seem to think every military game has to be some roller coaster ride rather than a deeper, more dramatic experience like Heavy Rain. A truly serious military game will depict war as the polarized body and mindfuck that it is: stretches of boredom punctuated by short bursts of deadly violence, the internal struggle between the pride of representing a modern military force with the guilt of seeing innocents die directly or indirectly by your hands, the frustration of following orders and adhering to politically-driven rules of engagement. To date, what game has managed to depict that?

This video does a pretty good job: Along with that, I'd suggest sticking to Rush or Conquest mode. Rush is relatively new to the Battlefield series, but I've really come to love it. Rush breaks the game down into offensive and defensive teams and it keeps the actions properly directed. Try to really get a feel for supporting teammates while you're new. If you just started the game, then you'll still have to unlock your defibrillator in the medic class and your repair drill in the engineer class. Do whatever you can and unlock those items asap. Until you've learned what the hell is going on, don't waste your team's most valuable resources. The heavy tank, helicopter and UAV is best used by those who are skilled with them. Try to learn how to use those vehicles in near-empty Conquest matches or the single player.

Is that a british thing? what's a wheelie bin? And I assume "jabbed" means spayed/neutered.

Yeah, I'm not that person. That's why I didn't bust my friend's balls when his cat got all flea-ridden. Even though he could get a disease, the fact is that fleas are a common problem and can be a bitch to eliminate. I can't lie though... when I'd get home from visiting his place I'd toss my clothes straight into the washing machine and then I'd jump in the shower. I didn't want that shit spreading to my place!

Did I? Because I think what I meant to say is that we should neuter people too. Yeah, I fucking said it.* And if you lived in my house and were surrounded by these idiots, you'd feel the same way. *obviously I don't really think we should sterilize people.

So about a year ago my friend expressed interest in getting a cat. He certainly was a good candidate due to his loneliness and nearly-non-existent social life, but I also knew that he might not be able to live up to the responsibilities. So I spearheaded the matter. I made sure that he fully understood the responsibilities and potential hardships of having (and eventually losing) a pet. Once he found a kitten on Craigslist, I let him borrow my cat carrier and I gave him a list of important information including: nearby vets, necessary vaccinations, and low-cost (or free depending on the time of year) places to get it spayed/neutered. Once he had him, I made him promise me that he'd get him neutered. I helped him establish boundaries for the kitten's behavior and gave him a squirt bottle for enforcing discipline. Over the last year, things went okay. The two got along great and aside from a bad case of fleas, the cat seemed healthy and happy. Today my friend came over to print Missing Cat fliers because the cat ran away. I was pretty upset to hear it, but my sadness quickly turned to anger when I realized that he waited a week to tell me and make fliers, and worse yet -- he never got the cat neutered. When I scolded him about it, he said he didn't have the money. BULLSHIT! I gave him info about cheap/free spay/neuter opportunities near him. He had the time, and the money. I know for a fact that he's wasted money on frivolous crap such as: - A PS3 (when he already has a 360) - Multiple arcade stick controllers - beer, weed, cigarettes, etc... Hell, even with that stuff he still could've afforded to neuter him. Now, not only is his cat lost, but he's likely contributing to the overpopulation problem and he may be contracting/spreading FeLV (you know, Cat AIDS). After my friend left, I walked outside to spray pesticide around my house and saw my neighbor's dog standing next to me without a leash. Then all of a sudden he tore-ass into the street and came within inches of being hit by a car. This is the same neighbor who leaves their other dog outside without any shelter in the freezing cold, scalding summer, and pouring rain. WTF is wrong with these people? And I'm sorry to add this, but there's a common trait amongst them all -- they're all low-income people. It's just like with birth control. This is the same household that has four generations of rednecks living in the same two-bedroom house. I just don't understand it. Where I come from, we always spay/neuter our pets. We make sure they adequate shelter. We always keep them on a leash. And we use condoms when we fuck! WTF is wrong with these people?!!!

I think that's a fair question considering what I mentioned about Japanese gamers claiming an inability to play FPSs back in the mid to late 90s. At the time, people argued whether it was a legitimate claim, or just an excuse to avoid purchasing Western-developed games. I am not Asian. I am white of a German-English heritage. I do not have a history of epilepsy, dizziness or vertigo. I don't get car sick or sea sick. My previous theory was that it had to do with the arrangement of the character and the camera. I theorized that my brain was getting screwed up because it focused on the character on the left and the action in the distant-center at the same time. I also considered the possibility that it's the transition from one camera perspective to another. As most of you will recall, when Batman runs or crouch-runs, the camera backs up and Batman is centered in the middle of the screen. However, my problems with Dead Space seem to negate the latter theory.

You don't have to have insurance, it's just a major expense if you don't. When it comes to medical expenses, I only seek attention for major problems. Frankly, it's bullshit with insurance too. You pay a shit-ton for insurance so you can pay only a co-payment... but in the end, you're actually paying more. Anyway, since both my parents need glasses, I've always been very on-guard when it comes to my vision. At the moment, I still don't think I have vision problems. Does no one else get dizzy playing Dead Space or Batman?! Are you guys playing it at a distance of 5-6 feet away from a 40 inch TV?

I've never been to an eye doctor, and I can't until I have some shred of health insurance -- which I haven't had in four years. I am an American afterall. I don't think that I need eyeglasses, though I could be wrong. I don't get headaches nearly as much as I get dizzy, and it's just the games I mentioned. Everything else is fine.

I feel like this is a taboo subject among hardcore gamers. I certainly don't bring it up among my friends because I know they'd just make fun of me, but some games cause me to get dizzy or sick. 3D movies also give me a headache, and I'm not sure how the 3DS would affect me. I remember first hearing complaints of dizziness with games when the majority of Japanese gamers claimed they couldn't play first person shooters due to "3D Yoi" (or something like that.) Not long after that, my mother claimed that watching me play N64 games made her dizzy. I never had any problems until the last couple of years. I first had problems watching my friend play Call of Duty 4. The big problem there I think is that he plays like a hummingbird with ADHD -- sprint, spin, sprint, spin. Then I bought the Orange Box for the 360 and got sick playing Half Life 2, which is odd b/c I originally owned/played it for my PC and I never got dizzy playing it on that. And now there are two consistent culprits: Batman Arkham Asylum and Dead Space 1/2. It has something do to with the character being off-center or something, but after about 80 mins I start to get really dizzy. It just really sucks because most of these titles are my favorite games. And I seem to be one of the only people experiencing it. Does anyone else have these troubles? Tell me I'm not alone?

Lame. Is there anything offered that isn't available from Netflix?

Never played the original, considered gamefly'ing it for the PS2. The first trailer made me jizzile my shizzle all over this nizzle.

To be honest, I wouldn't expect someone who doesn't have experience playing Oblivion and/or Fallout 3 to be very excited by that trailer. IMO, videos and screenshots of Bethesda games rarely do the game justice because the primary strength of those games is their tangible immersion. Showing an image of east Cyrodil from the Imperial City is one thing, but spending an hour in the sewers and then emerging to see east Cyrodil before you? Completely different feeling. Seeing an image of super mutants in the ruins of DC is one thing, barely escaping from them and then eating rats to replenish your strength? Again, a totally different experience.

You know the dragons actually speak in this game? Can you imagine it? *Dragon swoops down* *Player cuts the dragon's mouth* Dragon: "OWW! WTF man? Why'd you do something like that?!" Player: "Oh, shit... I'm sorry man, I just-- you came right at me..." Dragon: "Yeah, this is my home. I was coming to say 'hello' ya dick!" Player: "Geez, is it bad? Does it hurt much?" Dragon: "What do you think? Christ, it's not like there's a dragon doctor just hanging around out here. Fuck you, man. 'Dragonborne' my ass!" *Dragon flies away*

man, I've been going through parts of the trailer frame-by-frame and the dragon is truly incredible. It's fucking huge. It's jaws look big enough to bite you in half! sorry for the crappy quality, I'm a screen-grab noob.