1. #1
    Pit Lord Omians's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    2,453

    PA:TV: Extra Credits- What Could Be applyed to SWTOR and Bioware Story Telling

    Decided to open up a thread to a little series that comes off Penny Arcade every Wednesday with a new topic to be discussed about
    they generally talk about Video games, what bad/good video games have, what caused this, what companies do that is good/bad
    and they touch up on stuff explaining on Diversities, its not Bias stuff its stuff they talk about and research about and tell us what it means and why, they some times they give their own say at the very end of what they researched but they say its what they think
    _________________________________________
    Graphics=/= Aesthetics = STYLE
    What does this have to do with SWTOR well lets start with the http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode...vs.-aesthetics Episode

    They talk about how a games graphics should be built up around its Aesthetics, being an easy way to say one thing about it, its the STYLE of the Game, or how they say in the video Emotional Context
    graphics=/= Aesthetics = STYLE

    i say this because a lot of people say this games graphics suck and that its ps2 level graphics, what they are actually picking on is just the style of the game, and as well its damn beta, the graphics have been improving over the course of the beta's life to fine tune the style of the game.

    SWTOR's Aesthetics, the music, the mechanics the sound, all this add to what it is called Holistic its that feeling you get when you are really into a game, its one of the reasons Bioware doesn't want to break the 4th wall in this game
    They bring up on this talking about Bioware's Mass Effect and how it actually feels they are in sci-fi space, putting together structure , character design the music and the voice speech patterns of the different aliens, i pulled that small list from the video its self
    ________________
    Pacing
    The next one i would like to put down is Pacing http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/episode-07-pacing
    Pacing almost always, as the episode puts it follows this chart below roughly 9/10

    Bioware has followed this chart before and shown it works, multiple times, they will know how to deliver it in SWTOR themselves, plenty of other games follow this curve, from the start of the game, to the end, to even the very small stuff as even just conversations in the game that feed to what was said earlier Holistic
    __________
    Microtransactions
    Another episode they touched on was microtransactions in this episode http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/microtransactions
    now no word has been said of them going to microtransactions, but im bring this up over some debate of what the VIP room will lead to, im going to keep this one short because right now all thats being talked about started at 5:20 in the show, NEVER SELL POWER,
    the VIP room may be something the CE people may only be able to get into, but its only to a single room to a vender that only gives items which is pretty much a reskinned green/blue item gotten from a quest and or flash point, they give no advantage of what someone of the same level can get and the area it is does not have any content or stuff that is even relevant to other players that did not get the CE
    ___________
    Achievements
    Another Topic i would like to say involves the Achievements system they are putting in and how it wont be super easy Achievements like as its put " put in the CD get an achievement" way
    http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/achievements
    pretty much there is 3 kinds
    The Unavoidable - This is the one being removed, " Took Breath" kinda thing
    The Optional- To a lesser Degree these being the " Earn so many of such and such" these ones you don't have to get but they are there, they will most likely be in there, but they will be to a lesser degree, if they are in it will be interesting questing experiences and add to replay value
    The Inspiring- This is the one Bioware is going for, yes one thats labeled as one would be to kill a world boss, but the world boss isn't part of the story and its not the way they designed the game, its achievements to go out do stuff with your friends or play the game a little differently to see what would happen
    ________
    Enriching-lives
    early episode
    http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/enriching-lives
    in this episode they talk about Bioware's game ME2 its the second of the game with the Geth, the reprogramming or killing them quest

    i didn't remember it to much as its been months but watching this reminds me that.. i actually did think of the outcome of what way which side would go, now i didn't think of it like the way they displayed about certain people being reprogrammed but i thought of it more of, does killing thousands of geth outweigh changing the way they think of the equal amount

    yes people will say they just wanted the good or bad points but im sure plenty of people actually thought over there choices
    bioware is fairly good on having you pick your choices in their games, i mean in the first one you had to pick between the male crew member dieing or the female one dieing, i let the female one die its been so long since i played it i can't remember all the reasons for it besides the building is gonna explode
    this just reassures me your gonna run into moments like this in SWTOR to were you really just have to think of what your gonna/are do/doing
    ____

    Please at least Watch the videos if your going to talk about a certain aspect of what i had brought up, you will kind of see what kinda stand point i am at after watching episodes of these guys



    Disclaimer?
    Now Plenty of people will probably pick this apart saying how Extra Credits was a bad source or something, but honestly, down to it, they say almost everything of a game that makes games, games and how they are made badly, and games how they are made very good, and how certain companies handle stuff they research the stuff they talk about and they talk about stuff on the standing point of the industry/Designer/Consumer

    Disclaimer 2?
    I would also like to say that how people will Handle this game will be different, you can't change their taste and when they do not like the game or scream out that its bad, its not fitting to how it fits into THEIR opinion, they do not like the style of the game or how stuff moves, its THEIR opinion
    Last edited by Omians; 2011-10-14 at 12:06 AM.
    Omians- 70 Troll Enhancement shaman, Emerald Dream

  2. #2
    In the Microtransaction episode, they say one of the golden rules is to not separate paying customers from others, which is exactly what the VIP room does. Personally, I don't care about the room, but it is a contradiction to what Extra Credits are saying.
    Norn Mesmer: GW2
    Rattataki Sniper: SWTOR

  3. #3
    Pit Lord Omians's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    2,453
    Quote Originally Posted by Alatian View Post
    In the Microtransaction episode, they say one of the golden rules is to not separate paying customers from others, which is exactly what the VIP room does. Personally, I don't care about the room, but it is a contradiction to what Extra Credits are saying.
    it may "DO" that but its more or less something that its like.. so what.. what does that room give them that benefits them that i cant have from which i can already earn doing something else.. its just.. a box i guess would be a saying
    Omians- 70 Troll Enhancement shaman, Emerald Dream

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Alatian View Post
    In the Microtransaction episode, they say one of the golden rules is to not separate paying customers from others, which is exactly what the VIP room does. Personally, I don't care about the room, but it is a contradiction to what Extra Credits are saying.
    Pretty sure the video was referring to actual game content, like going in certain zones or doing certain dungeons with friends.

    Nobody really knows what the VIP club really is .. just vendors outside on podiums, a room (like WoW's Hall of Heros), or a huge nighclub with music .. nobody knows for sure. (likely the 2nd option, maybe the 1st, doubtful the 3rd.)

  5. #5
    Pit Lord Omians's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    2,453
    Quote Originally Posted by Karteli View Post
    Pretty sure the video was referring to actual game content, like going in certain zones or doing certain dungeons with friends.

    Nobody really knows what the VIP club really is .. just vendors outside on podiums, a room (like WoW's Hall of Heros), or a huge nighclub with music .. nobody knows for sure. (likely the 2nd option, maybe the 1st, doubtful the 3rd.)
    ya they didnt say on how the room will look, but in the Q and A they did say its a VIP room and only CE can access it

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChrqpYv1wqM

    lets not try and hang around the VIP room plz, you can talk about it, but do talk about other stuff to
    Omians- 70 Troll Enhancement shaman, Emerald Dream

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Alatian View Post
    In the Microtransaction episode, they say one of the golden rules is to not separate paying customers from others, which is exactly what the VIP room does. Personally, I don't care about the room, but it is a contradiction to what Extra Credits are saying.
    I think seperate means "paying player X only plays with other paying players" and not "looks distinct"

    Frankly, I don't care if you have a different colored weapon than me. I do care if you're hitting harder than I am for reasons beyond my control; be it game balance issues or because said game allows players to purchase an IWINUQQ button.

  7. #7
    Pit Lord Omians's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    2,453
    wanted to add to what i had said about Graphics=/= Aesthetics = STYLE

    People will fun of Graphics as well. but the important thing is that Graphics isnt what makes the game fun, it is the Aesthetics that do
    Omians- 70 Troll Enhancement shaman, Emerald Dream

  8. #8
    I played The Wind Waker the other day. Even though it's a Gamecube game and nearly a decade old, it still holds up really well. Like, it holds up better than modern day realistic games. Stylized graphics are definitely good for extending the longevity of the game.
    Norn Mesmer: GW2
    Rattataki Sniper: SWTOR

  9. #9
    Deleted
    Quote Originally Posted by Alatian View Post
    I played The Wind Waker the other day. Even though it's a Gamecube game and nearly a decade old, it still holds up really well. Like, it holds up better than modern day realistic games. Stylized graphics are definitely good for extending the longevity of the game.
    I agree wholeheartedly. Style and colorpalette are two things that I think many developers undervalue. Most shooters these days are for example very, very brown, to such an extent that the realism they aim for isn't achieved. The world is not brown, it is actually very colorful - even in a desert you can find other colors than brown, brown and just more brown.

    A recent game that obviously went for kind of realistic graphical style is Deus Ex: Human Revolution, but despite a lower graphical fidelity (I don't think anyone will argue that, it isn't exactly Frostbite 2) it still, to me, looked great. The colorpalette with gold and black along with the renaissance theme helped alot to make the game look great. Just like the Windwaker, despite being pixely and old its colorful environments dominated by green and blue (where applicable) along with fluid character animations still looks kind-off awesome, just like it did 10 years ago.

    It is the same with movies. Bladerunner and 300 are two movies that are kind of gray, but then orange and red respectively stand out and that in turn makes the movies stand out. Story and special effects aside, the choice of and emphasis on certain colors is what makes me remember these movies. It is the same with games, and I believe that more games should aim for a distinct colorpalette. Would it be less realistic? Yep. Would it be cooler and look better? Hell yes, if done right. Realism is good and all, but having a recognizible color and style is much more important.

  10. #10
    Deleted
    Quote Originally Posted by vanin View Post
    I agree wholeheartedly.

    A bunch of stuff.
    I also agree, but can point out an example of a fun game with lots of brown, brown & brown, that was still a special graphical style. Borderlands. But I still think that game was awesome. It had so much simple fun going for it though.

  11. #11
    Pit Lord Omians's Avatar
    10+ Year Old Account
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Minnesota
    Posts
    2,453
    Quote Originally Posted by Jinna View Post
    I also agree, but can point out an example of a fun game with lots of brown, brown & brown, that was still a special graphical style. Borderlands. But I still think that game was awesome. It had so much simple fun going for it though.
    boarder lands may be brown and a lot of it, but they did it in such a way that brown just fit into its style, in the video they brought up the golden axe game, the newer not the old one, the newer one just.. doesnt look fun, ive played boarderlands and thats pretty fun

    ---------- Post added 2011-10-15 at 01:20 AM ----------

    one of the most immersion type of games i played, id say it was the first Bioshock.. just felt pretty into it, and scared shitless the first time playing it when getting up to the section when you get the shotgun
    Omians- 70 Troll Enhancement shaman, Emerald Dream

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •