Katana314

Katana314, rok temu

Given some of the fair-use-adjacent fan work the Team Fortress voice actors have done, I sometimes wish there were more fictional characters out there that actors had the rights to represent as outside of media.

I recall interviews where the guy who does Dr Eggman just politely refused simple fun requests because they wouldn’t be approved by Sega, which is too bad.

Katana314, rok temu

I remember Half-Life 2 opening with a walk around a city, and it was so memorable to me. I guess in part because it was reliant on its own atmosphere, and still let the player be an interactive part of it rather than bound to a tight track.

Katana314, rok temu

Given how many games on Steam are reviewed negatively (from people who own and played that game, by necessity) that doesn’t necessarily track.

Katana314, rok temu

Well, it seems like this interview is for investors, not gamers. In that context I think it makes more sense.

Katana314, rok temu

I’m guessing none of these shares were purchased from Tencent’s 40% stake? That’s often been the main reason I limit my interaction with Epic where possible.

Katana314, rok temu

This is why I still kind of appreciate digital downloads in their own way. I can’t think of any format of purchasing a game that has 100.00% chance of working 20 years in the future. Steam, at least, has been able to get those purchases reliably for that long.

Katana314, rok temu

Who wants to bet how long it takes for someone to post a victim-blaming comment that claims this is an exaggeration to detract from some other anti-consumer behavior of theirs?

Katana314, rok temu

It’s going to be interesting to see if this is more about the chase, and getting the other to admit their feelings, or contending with the challenges of a long term hedgehog relationship in a world that still exhibits homophobia.

Katana314, rok temu

I wonder if it’s to make sure people haven’t modified the client to run cheats, give themselves level 999 weapons and such.

Katana314, rok temu

Aquaria is a very expansive Metroidvania with great visuals, creative encounters, and excellent music. Certainly one of my favorites growing up.

Katana314, rok temu

It honestly feels like a very strange world where Palworld isn’t investigated by Pokemon for infringement, but DnD is investigated by Nexon. Granted, I don’t think either claim has validity.

Katana314, rok temu

The announcement they made seemed more like a statement of awareness than any foreboding of litigation. They already filed a takedown more specifically for the mod that changes to Pokemon models.

Katana314, rok temu

I have seen it happen before when review outlets don’t get copies, but the game still turns out awesome. I think it happened for Doom Eternal.

It feels pointless to play devil’s advocate here though, since one way or another, I’m basically sure it’s going to be terrible. I just don’t like consigning internet opinion based on anything other than gameplay and actual reviews.

Katana314, rok temu

I wonder if this means someone will release a mod that returns names to their trademark-breaching intentions.

Katana314, rok temu

Half-Life: AlyxWell, according to Half-Life: Alyx, it never even happened.

Katana314, rok temu

Yeah, I never once felt that any scenes in Near A Tomato actually connected to one another. In a good mystery game, you make a discovery rife with questions, and then slowly answer more questions that lead to other questions. Nier is just about constant random shit involving attacks from the machine life forms - which are all promptly forgotten.

I don’t know how we’re supposed to care and worry so much about 2B and 9S dying when it literally happens once in the prologue, and the very first lines of the game are about how annoying it is to keep dying and being reborn.

Katana314, rok temu

I mostly agree, but I have seen real diamonds. It’s just hard to discern whether the appeal is genuinely from a surprising and unexpected story, or exactly as you say, a noncommittal showcase of characters.

Katana314, rok temu

One benefit of a medium like games, as opposed to movies, is that the method of delivery can be accomplished more independently. Anyone watching a movie, be it a new Disney release or a Sundance film, will probably want it on their TV, where they have limited walled-garden devices. Give them an MP4 file to download, and they might not even know how to quickly use it.

But some famous games like Factorio and Minecraft were first sold with independent download systems, because the game will at some point involve its own executable file; it doesn’t have to fit in some larger play framework. Launchers like Heroic let people set up their own system for downloading games from places less popular than Steam.

So, to conclude the tangent: Suppose in the future, Xbox has tripled its Game Pass offerings and other publishers have followed suit. Other indie developers spotting out the subscription frustration can still release their own games breaking from the formula. This isn’t a remedy for the major AAA games we’d like to preserve, but it does mean the worst case scenario isn’t as bad for games as it is for movies.

Katana314, rok temu (edited rok temu)

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (Part 1 + 2) are really the first ones that come to mind for me. They reignited some of the feeling of excitement I have for JRPGs, where you become deeply invested in the struggles of the characters and enjoy every last “Big damn heroes” moment and sudden twist they pull out. The villains in those games are pathetically irredeemable, a far cry from some of the better written ones, but their amazing quality is in forcing out the most dramatic possible circumstances from the characters. Combat keeps its pace and was generally enjoyable for me, plus it had an XP catchup/slowdown system that stopped the game from ever feeling too grindy.

Funny thing is, I personally bear no recommendations for any games in that series beyond those two. They are, to my mind, a testament to good singular stories that leave the opportunity for future ones - even if those follow-ons didn’t click with me.

For Metroidvania style, Aquaria is one I don’t see mentioned much. I got it in one of the classic Humble Bundles, and it had a LOT more content than I was expecting for an indie game. Many different abilities to gather, a soundtrack and appearance that all blended together so well, and even optional bosses hidden in the waters.

And then, it comes up every so often to divisive opinions, but there’s plenty of shooter players that still need to try Spec Ops: The Line. It’s not terribly well-done in terms of gameplay, but tells a very compelling story about heroism and violence - even if it is NOT the one you hope to see. Much of the controversy over the game’s ranking has to do with how much it offers freedom of choice - but I’ve always felt that freedom of choice starts in the type of adventures you choose to play. You see the assault rifles on the cover. You’re planning for this.

Katana314, rok temu

Never did like the expectation of constant updates to a game. I always saw the new stuff that came from live service updates as a bonus to a game, not a requirement.

Katana314, rok temu

— A man that put his VR game exclusively on his own digital distribution platform.

Katana314, rok temu

I can’t say I agree with the approach. Someone like Sony can perhaps get away with this knowing that even with routine mechanics, they can reliably sell a good story.

But Square is sort of discovering their niche for modern Japanese RPGs; if their singular high budget games are going to be like Final Fantasy 16, there’s definitely some risk of overinvestment in stories people are “meh” about. Meanwhile, if people were asked to name their favorite JRPG stories, I imagine a lot of them were not ridiculously high budget.

Katana314, rok temu

I can pay a subscription for Netflix-style block access, or I can buy individual games I want. I don’t really understand this comment.

Katana314, rok temu

PS+ set forward a theme of letting people have game trials - you can download and play for a few hours before needing to buy. I think they want that tied to some kind of invested subscription setup just so that people wouldn’t abuse the system.

It’s easier to avoid abuse if every game has demos coded to end after level 1, but as many old analyses have shown, that takes a huge amount of developer resources.

The issue of downloading 100 GB is something that some publishers have tried to solve with cloud gaming. If you’re only mildly interested in a Game Pass game, you can play it on cloud, and then if you enjoyed your first session, download it locally for the next one.

Katana314, rok temu

I just looked up one of Netflix’s star movies, Nimona, and yes, I can still buy blu-rays of it.

All mediums have had exceptions where the license holder is a fickle, or ineffective, ass at selling; rare books, games with soundtrack licensing complications, unloved movies. They’re generally exceptions by individual work, not from having signed on to the Great Netflix Prison.

Generally, where there’s demand, they still let you become its permanent owner. (In the topic of anime, they even overcharge for it because it’s such an uncommon choice made by super-fans as a prestige item)

Katana314, rok temu

Yeah, it kind of just keeps the agreement honest.

“We need ideas to find a way to monetize our active playerbase!”
“We already are. They pay us money each month. In turn, we continue to make sure the game is fun and has stuff that keeps them interested.”
“Aha! Carry on.”

Katana314, rok temu

I can see how Game Pass popularity could be bad for a number of studios, as he says in the article. But, I’ve never understood how Game Pass’s existence was anti-consumer.

We always get these baffling quotes like “Microsoft insists on renting you your games, and you will like it.” or “I’m not going to be forced to pay $17 a month just to play my games”. GP never gained popularity off Microsoft forcing people into it, people voluntarily signed up, even when MS continues to make their games available for direct purchase.

The previous quote from Ubisoft even seemed more like an investor excuse than a threat to gamers.

Katana314, rok temu

‘Break’ seems apt.

Katana314, rok temu

Feels kind of weird to have a remaster coming long after a total remake. Granted, I don’t think they remade 2-3, just the first one - and it was for the sake of their small trilogy referencing events from the first game. (I think it went, Legend, then Anniversary (Remake), then Underworld, right?)

Katana314, rok temu

I’m not sure how you drew this conclusion, since most people I know consider paying full price to obtain a digital copy to be extremely close to ownership.

I liked Telltale’s Law and Order series. They can’t sell it anymore, but I can still download my digital copy because I bought it full price.

The whole argument in the article is about monthly subscription rentals.

Katana314, rok temu

There’s a similar bit in Trails in the Sky I ended up unexpectedly enjoying.

Joshua: “Good luck, Estelle.”
Estelle: “…What do you mean, good luck? You’re coming too, right?”
Joshua: “…Pardon? The plan is using a maid’s disguise. There’s no butlers in that part of the castle.”
Estelle: “So what? You fit GREAT in a dress!”
Joshua: “…Just drop it, Estelle. They only have the one outfit.”
Head Maid: “Well…so actually…”
Joshua: “…no. No, we are NOT doing this!”

Katana314, rok temu

Holy crap, people replying sanely.

I feel like I’m constantly wading through raw brain damage from how often I see lines like “selling an unfinished game” repeated.

Singleplayer games with stories get “finished”. Sometimes, they get ideas for other small little, less important stories to tell in addition. Fighting games and pretty much all competitive online games are not that.

Katana314, rok temu

Y’all say that, but anytime someone makes even a decent approximation of an Ace Attorney game, I’m out here chasing the high of pointing out contradictions that pin a killer.

Katana314, rok temu

I have a story plan I’m tossing around, and trying to decide something around this. It’s nothing so complex - basically, there’s a nation that has historically been extremely homophobic, and as a result, a mid-sized cabal of defectors that the book follows are gay. One of those situations where an observer (in or out of universe) could tiredly claim it doesn’t matter to them, except that it apparently does matter to this fictional nation.

Katana314, rok temu

It might be a good time to revisit some other long-running series that have managed a very good “reset” after running dry. Some examples that come to mind are Resident Evil 7, God of War, The Legend of Zelda, maybe some others.

At least for RE7 and God of War, it does feel like their overall goal was to reduce the action-packed scope, and focus more closely on something character-focused. RE7 doesn’t have crashing helicopters, and God of War doesn’t have you killing gods in the first 30 minutes. It definitely felt like an overall goal for FF16 was epic, bombastic scope and throwing around their budget, which obviously drove sales…but not as much lingering popularity as they hoped.

(Oh yeah, and plan a Steam release already. The world is not as console-obsessed as Japan)

Katana314, rok temu

Any return to turn-based would probably have to be careful about it. Persona 5 managed it well, but it easily reaches criticism of being too much of “Use fire on ice”. Ideally, every decision a player is making in their infinite-time turns should have some form and consequence to it. I have always hated the “solution” wherein you can turn on an Auto-Battling system. It fixes the problem, but doesn’t acknowledge that the problem is battle decisions always being completely unnecessary and routine, which itself is something that can be fixed using more intelligent game design.

Katana314, rok temu

Ooooooooh. Ouch. “It is a series standard” is exactly the sort of weak point that leads to some big franchises like Final Fantasy staggering.

There’s a reason games like Persona gained such popularity. It is NOT because players learned to use a thunder attack on the floating pair of chairs.

Katana314, rok temu

The specific game that gave me the idea for this post was Freedom Planet 2. I remember getting the original as part of one of the early Humble Bundles, and enjoyed it, but never felt compelled to try the sequel.

Something I’ve been missing is having more game stories with fully “melodramatic” character acting - where character A is gasping in tears over the injuries to character B, and won’t ever forgive ruthless villain Y. That was something I remembered FP1 for, for better or worse, and apparently from reviews they improved their craft a bit for the sequel.

Katana314, rok temu

I get that to some degree, but also look at it this way.

Developer A spends 10 years and lots of people’s time developing a heartfelt, memorable game, and prices it at $25 - keeping it at that price no matter what changes. Meanwhile, Developer B develops dozens of cheap games chasing crummy junk trends, and charges $60 initially for them, and discounting them down to $10 after two months. Theoretically, Developer A should deserve more of their money. But, many people will often see “83% off” and go for Developer B, even though the game refusing discounts is worth far more of people’s time.

I do think some people only really focus their wallet-voting in one direction. It should be not just avoiding expenditure on bad games, but also volunteering it on good games.

Katana314, rok temu

I don’t know if you could call this a positive, but I’ve definitely seen signs that the results of these projects will routinely turn out soulless and flop hard. In the past few years we’ve seen some VERY well-funded projects turn out as total flops. If that’s happening even with human creative input and corrective steering, what should we expect from AI following a straight algorithm?

Katana314, rok temu

I remember when I had to use my Steam Deck connected with USBC as a “desktop” for a while. It couldn’t remember to put my taskbar on my preferred monitor no matter what I tried doing.

Katana314, rok temu

I’m torn, because on the one hand, the logistics of constantly recording new lines for minor stuff is really annoying. Imagine you’re playing a live-service game that really needs a certain balance patch, but that balance patch is reliant on a very slight change to a voice line (for instance, reducing the time it takes for a character to perform a special attack. To take an Overwatch example, maybe a certain archer is voicing his ultimate ability too quietly). Having to call someone in just for that is costly and unproductive.

But, we’re talking about delivering the source of someone’s work and livelihood (as well as all their creative influence, exaggerative tones, and delivery) into an algorithm. The line where it would go beyond convenience into worker-reduction efforts is going to be hard to draw.

I would rather that the voice actor retains the rights to their voice, even if it’s put into an AI algorithm. Thus, if the developers want to make a small change to a voice line, they still need to get approval for some AI-generated correction - and the actor would have the right to say “No, that one sounds terrible. I’m only going to agree to re-delivering this one myself.” Similarly, actors could approve limited sets of explicitly-defined live AI usage, for instance pronouncing the player’s name. Granted, some companies would become annoyed at actors being too inflexible, just like they have disagreements with actors today.

I’m definitely worried about too much signing-over of voice identity. I think it’s very easy to cut humans out of the equation that way, which not only damages the health of the industry, but also reduces creative output.

Katana314, rok temu

Same, it’s hard to build expectations, but I also felt a little bit of that with Endwalker’s impending release. “Oh, so we go to the moon now?” when the moon was barely before the halfway point.

One thing that can help is if they can invent methods of moving beyond power scaling. The Endsinger’s potential was mostly dictated by “despair for the future”, which is such a vague concept they could likely invent new such challenges without explicitly saying “This thing is stronger than the last thing you fought”. It’s already hard to claim that the cattle at the far edge of Thavnair are stronger than Hades.

Katana314, rok temu

I know a lot of people point to resale as a big advantage of physical media, but I really prefer just having a digital environment that encourages frequent sales and price reductions.

If you think about memorable singleplayer games for instance (AAA or indie), they’re really victimized by that mentality of “Well, I guess I’m done with this now”. Even shitty online games, or big open-world games with 80 hours of boring content, usually won’t be re-sold in that way; and each used sale will be a lost New sale for the developer. Never forget that You are the product of GameStop’s used games business.

Katana314, rok temu

Alisa is a great horror game that uses pre-rendered backgrounds and plays very much like an old Resident Evil game. It even opens up with a pretty nice FMV intro.

One big difficulty of it is that there’s one finite currency used for buying upgrades, weapons, health, and ammo; and you’ll likely be strained if you avoid buying the latter.

Katana314, rok temu

I just finished Tyrion Cuthbert: Attorney of the Arcane yesterday. Definitely the kind of game that sits on your mind a long time after you’ve finished. It’s almost criminal to refer to it as an “Ace Attorney fan-game”, seeing how many things they get so right so uniquely. They absolutely nail the kind of cathartic, heart-twisting drama of all of these characters that gets you cheering for the ending.

There’s a lot in the soundtrack that I adore, especially the way they build multiple character leitmotifs and a particular track right at the finale of the game, but obviously, their equivalent of the “Pursuit” theme is always going to be a standout.