rolling thread of stuff worth reading on videogames

visuals are pretty unfortunate; writing is interesting tho

Does Laura still hang out here? I don't know what anyone's called any more.

This feels huge to me in terms of what it could inspire going forward and the completely fresh perspective it brings.
New African brawler/fantasy rpg from a Cameroonian studio has just been greenlit on steam.
http://killscreendaily.com/articles/aurion/
http://media.moddb.com/images/articles/1/166/165049/auto/10582932_903941302953687_5558424645125961737_o.jpg
http://kiroogames.com/en/en/kiro-o-tales.html
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=386449558

good article on fighting games, I can definitely relate
http://boingboing.net/2015/03/31/the-existential-dread-of-fight.html

maddy myers is great

first thing i've read of hers, i'll look her work up

Another Story Bundle that I'll never get around to reading.
A whole book on Bible Adventures?
https://storybundle.com/games

Ex-ILG-mod Laura Hudson writes a wonder excoriation of the sequel to "Ready Player One:"

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2015/07/armada_by_ernest_cline_follow_up_to_ready_player_one_reviewed.single.html

Armada often feels like it's being narrated by that one guy in your group of friends who never stops quoting the Simpsons, a tic that feels increasingly tiresome and off-putting in the face of the novel’s supposedly apocalyptic stakes. On more than one occasion, soldiers salute each other en route to world-ending battles by solemnly swearing that “the Force” will be with them, and one character flies to his supposedly tragic and moving death while screaming quotes from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. This is a book that ends with someone unironically quoting Yoda.

too nice imo

wow that sounds baaaaaaaaad

Indeed, after Zack blasts off to join the Earth Defense Alliance, he explains how he feels again and again not by telling us, but by referencing the experiences of main characters from better versions of this story: “I felt like Luke Skywalker surveying a hangar full of A-, Y- and X-Wing Fighters just before the Battle of Yavin. Or Captain Apollo, climbing into the cockpit of his Viper on the Galactica’s flight deck. Ender Wiggin arriving at Battle School. Or Alex Rogan, clutching his Star League uniform, staring wide-eyed at a hangar full of Gunstars.”

like waaaaait, slow down here buddy break it down for me

actually also... been a long time but isn't ender like totally not into the whole battle school thing? like it's a fucking nightmare? what is he going for here?

i put ready player one into the paper recycling rather than give it to the thrift store because i didn't want anyone else to have to have it

there weren't any a-wings at the battle of yavin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8lT1o0sDwI

I'm normally extremely cynical when it comes to puff pieces about developers with a fatal disease, but then I realized this was the team that made Quadropus Rampage, which I loved. Not at all into these Minecraft-style games, unfortunately.
http://www.polygon.com/features/2015/7/3/8863381/inspiring-story-of-crashlands

watch not read, but worth revisiting:
http://criticalpathproject.com/

http://media.kotaku.foxtrot.future.net.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2015/07/dizzeemaskhome580.jpg

The Untold Story of PlayStation Home, Sony's Most Successful Disaster

very interesting. had no idea Home was successful on any level!

turns out some people just can't resist the opportunity to spend good money on virtual santa suits and yachts i guess

looks like i imagine the second life might if you removed all the horrifying furry cybersex

Article on pixel art to HD remakes, partially on how bad the recent FFV release on PC turned out.
http://gamasutra.com/blogs/LarsDoucet/20150929/254782/Doing_an_HD_Remake_the_Right_Way.php

I can relate to that guy's perfectionist choices on upscaling

http://shmuplations.com/streetsofrage2/

Whole site is a goldmine tbh.

http://shmuplations.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/sor03.jpg

This interview is an in-depth look at the making of Streets of Rage 2 (Bare Knuckle II in Japan) with its designer Ayano Koshiro. Although a veteran of game design whose work has graced classics like Actraiser, Lunar, and Ys, in the West she is still largely unknown except as the sister of famous composer Yuzo Koshiro. In any event, this candid interview serves as an excellent introduction to her own significant contribution to gaming.

This interview appeared on Ancient’s blog as a celebration of the recent 3DS port of Streets of Rage 2. They also shared the planning docs for the game, including much of Ayano Koshiro’s original concept art. I’ve translated a selection of these for your enjoyment here!

very cool, thanks!

this article is totally great - love the all the in-the-trench anecdotes!

http://kotaku.com/the-natural-the-trouble-portraying-blackness-in-video-1736504384

good read

Although Western fans may mourn the loss, McCarthy doesn’t share their despondency. “Honestly, I am not so sure that any threat to yet another shouting, shooting game full of American grunts saving democracy from the wiles of dark-skinned terrorists is any great loss to the art,” he said.

What is he talking about?

Looking at his company's website it all makes sense.

http://www.cybird.co.jp/en/

The guy you fall in love will be a selfish wife candidate or an extreme sadistic tutor

that quote seems incoherent

or truncated, maybe

just engrish-y: http://www.cybird.co.jp/en/service/ikemen-o-oku/

In the gorgeous and luxurious gender switching inner palace, there are many hansome made characters full of individuality that everyone is fascinated, such as a selfish wife candidate, a mysterious inner palace’s head, and an amorous concubine candidate, etc

i meant “Honestly, I am not so sure that any threat to yet another shouting, shooting game full of American grunts saving democracy from the wiles of dark-skinned terrorists is any great loss to the art"

i'm confused. "i'm not so sure that another shouting, shooting game ... is any great loss" would make sense. "i'm not sure that any threat to another (etc.) ... is any great loss" is just confusing!

he's just throwing shade on Kojima

It's confusing bc it makes it sound like Metal Gear games are basically the same thing as Call of Duty rather than the weird sci fi soap operas they are.

to a mobile dating sim F2P worker drone, all gun games look the same

but he's throwing shade on kojima with syntax that is inappropriate for the task

cheap plug in case y'all aren't up on that thread yet, but this is videogames and will be worth reading

EVERYTHING IS PIXELATED: The top 127 games from the third generation of home video game consoles (Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Master System, Atari 7800)

thanks for the heads-up will!

ILE SELLOUT
j/k i'll read it

http://www.hopesandfears.com/hopes/culture/design/216873-video-games-furniture-design

i've often wondered about this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU7VuXg0vFg

huh, neat. real dick patent move, i gotta say.

knew about this, but didn't know the patent was set to expire.
have to wonder though, can't Namco just renew the patent?
Also, if they had the patent, why didn't Namco keep making loading screen minigames? (or maybe they did and I just never saw them)

http://www.theawl.com/2015/12/milling-time

as someone who went to a state school, i take exception to the idea that learning to sail is a better use of your time than videogames

more like max write