:)
Just kidding Cory. Looking forward to seeing how this all turns out...good luck, man! And congrats on the new game!
David
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Bring it, Bitch! :)
:)
Just kidding Cory. Looking forward to seeing how this all turns out...good luck, man! And congrats on the new game!
David
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!....or,er. don't....unless I earn it.
EDIT: I've removed alot of the preamble to this entry to make it read easier and to not confuse folks in to thinking this is a 'are games art and worthy' piece. It ain't.
+++++++++++++++++++
Ya'll read the great interviews with fellow GOD OF WAR director Cory Barlog over at N’gai’s Level Up Blog? If not, check them out. These interviews really got me thinking...
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/levelup/archive/2008/03/11/the-cory-barlog-interview-part-i.aspx
Reading Cory's interview- for me- really brings into focus how our industry is mainly about amazingly fun (and thus needed) PRODUCTS….But yes, products, NOT art….just products.
Now let's not get into the tired argument of 'can games can be emotional and artistic?'
I'll make it easy for you :)
Yes, of course they can.
Simply playing the flash game PASSAGE (http://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/passage/)- for me- has made this very clear and has stopped me forevermore from wavering on the subject. Hell, ONE DAY games may very well be the BEST medium from which to get our non-real-life emotional experiences.
But for RIGHT NOW, for the vast majority of people who play games, games are simply products. Video game sports. They are diversions; ultra fun diversions (and thus, to me, ultra worthy causes) but diversions nonetheless.
And because of this, I don't agree with Cory when he talks about how valued game directors should be. Or at least game directors who are making games that are- in being strong and focused on story and emotion- seemingly trying to rival what movies do so well.
And I’m not bashing Cory and his take on things. Not at all. Not only is Cory a great game director, a passionate storyteller, an amazing animator, and all around nice person, but he’s also a super smart guy. There’s a lot going on upstairs with this dude. And hell, what Cory is saying is stuff I have said in the past, almost verbatim.
Thing is, these days, in regards to this topic, I just don’t think I buy it. Not anymore.
In the interview, Cory talks about the idea that the game biz SHOULD be rewarding the key creative players for being instrumental in bringing such strong games to market. Man, I used to say the EXACT SAME THING! Hell, Dennis Dyak was saying similar things this week in a great Gamasutra article where he speaks about the need for game directors. Here, check it out:
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3568/a_human_work_denis_dyack_on_what_.php
And these guys are both right in the sense that without The Dyaks or Barlogs or Levine’s, those games (GOD OF WAR II, ETERNAL DARKNESS, BIOSHOCK) would not be what they are. No doubt.
The PROBLEM tho with the argument is that the vast majority of the audience really does not care. They want Smash Bros., and Halo3, and Grand Turismo, and Call of Duty 4 and Guitar Hero and Wii Sports.
Sure they buy games like GOD OF WAR and BIOSHOCK and ICO (well…maybe they don’t buy that many copies of ICO, even tho they should!)….but there is no indication from the audience that people like me or Cory or Dennis NEED to be paid a lot more money than we currently are. There is no indication from the players that game directors like us need to be negotiated with like movie directors- as Cory suggests-in order to get us to stick around. Because there is no financial upside for the studio/publisher to bend over backwards for folks like us.
See, it’s people like us who know movies and think of ourselves as the game equivalent of a movie director (well, I used to, not anymore). And we think there should be a 1:1 relationship between the way film directors are treated/paid/negotiated with and the way game directors are treated/paid/negotiated with. We deal in stories, they deal in stories. We deal with emotions in our games, they deal with emotions in their movies. We deal with- or try to deal with- intellectual, political, spiritual topics…just like the movie directors. But the thing is, GAME directing is NOT the equivalent of MOVIE directing because movie directors- when they are good- are key to driving the vast majority of folks to the box office/video store. Even more so than a big star, in most cases. And so they SHOULD be negotiated with and given embarrassing gobs of cash in order to get them to stick around.
But in games, it’s the STARS that get the players to line up. And the STARS in games can be SO MANY different things (concept; franchise character, technology, cool peripheral,movie license, amazing blend of elements to create a story game,etc) that to say that a game publisher should pony up the cash JUST to keep a person who can bring just ONE of those marketable elements to the table does not make sense. Because a) that director needs to be surrounded by a great- and thus- expensive team in order for him to do his thing at a level that will translate into sales. This is especially true in story based, narrative games. And b) the financial value a good story based game director brings is at or towards the BOTTOM of the food chain when compared to other game 'stars' like social gaming and movie licneses. So a publisher can just pump the same amount of cash it would take to keep a good story director around for 3 games, say, into a few different games, each with a different ‘star’; rolling the dice on a game that shines via tech and another that shines via peripheral and another that shines via movie license. And hell, those sorts of games are- most times- easier to make anyway! And more often than not, they sell better than the story based stuff (compare sales of the fantastic Uncharted to Singstar or American Idol or the Harry Potter or Fantastic Four video games).
So while I agree emotionally and phlisophically with Cory and Dennis and all the other game directors who have made amazing games that feel like movies, if I were a game publisher,while I would do a lot to keep these talented folks around, I would not brake the bank to do it. Because in games, I can get my hits from all over the place because there are many, many reasons that people play games and the vast majority of the gamers out there are NOT lining up to pay top dollar for games that give them the same feelings/ideas/vibes that movies do. Hell, I don’t have the figures, but it would not surprise me if the semi-sub par (but still kinda fun) casual title CARNIVAL GAMES has not made more cash than GOD OF WAR I. Certainly they have a higher profit margin and could very well have earned a higher dollar amount as well. (Note: I just read today that Carnival Games has sold thru 1 million copies...so they have not yet made more cash than GOD OF WAR, but they are well on their way).
And come to think of it, if the key person/people behind Carnival Games (could be a director, could be a coder, hell, it could be a guy in marketing) was able to get on a roll of 3-4 games that performed at the level of Carnival Games, then THAT person or group of people would be someone I WOULD bend over backwards for. Hell, a person who can make cheap ass games that sell great?!?! Where do I sign??! And it's NO DIFFERENT IN THE MOVIE BIZ. The reason the studios bend over backwards for Michael Bay and Gore Verbinski is NOT because they are moved by the amazing artistry of the films those directors make, but because they are moved by how much MONEY those films bring in.
So if we want to be treated- as Cory suggests- with the same level of financial respect as movie directors, then we need to start making games that are such BIG SUCCESSES that it makes the money peeps look like idiots to turn their backs on us. But right now, it makes good money sense to turn your back on someone like me and to give that money to someone like the guys at Harmonix or Neversoft or Zipper (they of Socom fame) or to that man in the picture up above playing Wii sports with Stevey Spielberg. Because that person and those companies are making the games that bring home not just the bacon, but the whole motherfucking pig. If people who make games that are movie-like want to be treated like people who make movies, then our movie-like games need to somehow find a way to become the biggest successes in the gaming business. And that- so far- has simply not come close to happening.
Of course, this is just now. In the future, things may change.
Or maybe not.
Because the reality is, in the future there may very well be the Holo-Deck from Star Trek where players can step into elaborate fantasies with depth and meaning and characters. But there will also be a Holo-Deck simulation where you can take center stage at the Staples center in LA (or better yet, a seedy club on Sunset Blvd) and Guitar Hero your way to really being a rock star, with the smell of pot filling the air, the bic lighters raised high, and groupies backstage waiting just for you.
And between those two options, just like today, I bet the Guitar Hero Holo-Deck experience would kick the shit- sales wise- out of the Holo-Deck version of Final Fantasy or God of War or Too Human...or, sadly, Ico.
David
+++++++++++++++++++
Ya'll read the great interviews with fellow GOD OF WAR director Cory Barlog over at N’gai’s Level Up Blog? If not, check them out. These interviews really got me thinking...
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/levelup/archive/2008/03/11/the-cory-barlog-interview-part-i.aspx
Reading Cory's interview- for me- really brings into focus how our industry is mainly about amazingly fun (and thus needed) PRODUCTS….But yes, products, NOT art….just products.
Now let's not get into the tired argument of 'can games can be emotional and artistic?'
I'll make it easy for you :)
Yes, of course they can.
Simply playing the flash game PASSAGE (http://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/passage/)- for me- has made this very clear and has stopped me forevermore from wavering on the subject. Hell, ONE DAY games may very well be the BEST medium from which to get our non-real-life emotional experiences.
But for RIGHT NOW, for the vast majority of people who play games, games are simply products. Video game sports. They are diversions; ultra fun diversions (and thus, to me, ultra worthy causes) but diversions nonetheless.
And because of this, I don't agree with Cory when he talks about how valued game directors should be. Or at least game directors who are making games that are- in being strong and focused on story and emotion- seemingly trying to rival what movies do so well.
And I’m not bashing Cory and his take on things. Not at all. Not only is Cory a great game director, a passionate storyteller, an amazing animator, and all around nice person, but he’s also a super smart guy. There’s a lot going on upstairs with this dude. And hell, what Cory is saying is stuff I have said in the past, almost verbatim.
Thing is, these days, in regards to this topic, I just don’t think I buy it. Not anymore.
In the interview, Cory talks about the idea that the game biz SHOULD be rewarding the key creative players for being instrumental in bringing such strong games to market. Man, I used to say the EXACT SAME THING! Hell, Dennis Dyak was saying similar things this week in a great Gamasutra article where he speaks about the need for game directors. Here, check it out:
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3568/a_human_work_denis_dyack_on_what_.php
And these guys are both right in the sense that without The Dyaks or Barlogs or Levine’s, those games (GOD OF WAR II, ETERNAL DARKNESS, BIOSHOCK) would not be what they are. No doubt.
The PROBLEM tho with the argument is that the vast majority of the audience really does not care. They want Smash Bros., and Halo3, and Grand Turismo, and Call of Duty 4 and Guitar Hero and Wii Sports.
Sure they buy games like GOD OF WAR and BIOSHOCK and ICO (well…maybe they don’t buy that many copies of ICO, even tho they should!)….but there is no indication from the audience that people like me or Cory or Dennis NEED to be paid a lot more money than we currently are. There is no indication from the players that game directors like us need to be negotiated with like movie directors- as Cory suggests-in order to get us to stick around. Because there is no financial upside for the studio/publisher to bend over backwards for folks like us.
See, it’s people like us who know movies and think of ourselves as the game equivalent of a movie director (well, I used to, not anymore). And we think there should be a 1:1 relationship between the way film directors are treated/paid/negotiated with and the way game directors are treated/paid/negotiated with. We deal in stories, they deal in stories. We deal with emotions in our games, they deal with emotions in their movies. We deal with- or try to deal with- intellectual, political, spiritual topics…just like the movie directors. But the thing is, GAME directing is NOT the equivalent of MOVIE directing because movie directors- when they are good- are key to driving the vast majority of folks to the box office/video store. Even more so than a big star, in most cases. And so they SHOULD be negotiated with and given embarrassing gobs of cash in order to get them to stick around.
But in games, it’s the STARS that get the players to line up. And the STARS in games can be SO MANY different things (concept; franchise character, technology, cool peripheral,movie license, amazing blend of elements to create a story game,etc) that to say that a game publisher should pony up the cash JUST to keep a person who can bring just ONE of those marketable elements to the table does not make sense. Because a) that director needs to be surrounded by a great- and thus- expensive team in order for him to do his thing at a level that will translate into sales. This is especially true in story based, narrative games. And b) the financial value a good story based game director brings is at or towards the BOTTOM of the food chain when compared to other game 'stars' like social gaming and movie licneses. So a publisher can just pump the same amount of cash it would take to keep a good story director around for 3 games, say, into a few different games, each with a different ‘star’; rolling the dice on a game that shines via tech and another that shines via peripheral and another that shines via movie license. And hell, those sorts of games are- most times- easier to make anyway! And more often than not, they sell better than the story based stuff (compare sales of the fantastic Uncharted to Singstar or American Idol or the Harry Potter or Fantastic Four video games).
So while I agree emotionally and phlisophically with Cory and Dennis and all the other game directors who have made amazing games that feel like movies, if I were a game publisher,while I would do a lot to keep these talented folks around, I would not brake the bank to do it. Because in games, I can get my hits from all over the place because there are many, many reasons that people play games and the vast majority of the gamers out there are NOT lining up to pay top dollar for games that give them the same feelings/ideas/vibes that movies do. Hell, I don’t have the figures, but it would not surprise me if the semi-sub par (but still kinda fun) casual title CARNIVAL GAMES has not made more cash than GOD OF WAR I. Certainly they have a higher profit margin and could very well have earned a higher dollar amount as well. (Note: I just read today that Carnival Games has sold thru 1 million copies...so they have not yet made more cash than GOD OF WAR, but they are well on their way).
And come to think of it, if the key person/people behind Carnival Games (could be a director, could be a coder, hell, it could be a guy in marketing) was able to get on a roll of 3-4 games that performed at the level of Carnival Games, then THAT person or group of people would be someone I WOULD bend over backwards for. Hell, a person who can make cheap ass games that sell great?!?! Where do I sign??! And it's NO DIFFERENT IN THE MOVIE BIZ. The reason the studios bend over backwards for Michael Bay and Gore Verbinski is NOT because they are moved by the amazing artistry of the films those directors make, but because they are moved by how much MONEY those films bring in.
So if we want to be treated- as Cory suggests- with the same level of financial respect as movie directors, then we need to start making games that are such BIG SUCCESSES that it makes the money peeps look like idiots to turn their backs on us. But right now, it makes good money sense to turn your back on someone like me and to give that money to someone like the guys at Harmonix or Neversoft or Zipper (they of Socom fame) or to that man in the picture up above playing Wii sports with Stevey Spielberg. Because that person and those companies are making the games that bring home not just the bacon, but the whole motherfucking pig. If people who make games that are movie-like want to be treated like people who make movies, then our movie-like games need to somehow find a way to become the biggest successes in the gaming business. And that- so far- has simply not come close to happening.
Of course, this is just now. In the future, things may change.
Or maybe not.
Because the reality is, in the future there may very well be the Holo-Deck from Star Trek where players can step into elaborate fantasies with depth and meaning and characters. But there will also be a Holo-Deck simulation where you can take center stage at the Staples center in LA (or better yet, a seedy club on Sunset Blvd) and Guitar Hero your way to really being a rock star, with the smell of pot filling the air, the bic lighters raised high, and groupies backstage waiting just for you.
And between those two options, just like today, I bet the Guitar Hero Holo-Deck experience would kick the shit- sales wise- out of the Holo-Deck version of Final Fantasy or God of War or Too Human...or, sadly, Ico.
David
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Ready?.....FIGHT!
You may have seen this already on the net, but I just found it today. Amazing!
After God of War, I was just SO sick of Greek Mythology/Greek History/Sword & Sandal stuff that I avoided 300 when it first hit theaters. And then I avoided it when it came out of DVD. And I even avoided it for a long time after that cause I was just so SICK of the whole vibe.
But I finally watched it last month and LOVED it. I had read the comic before and dug it, but the movie was just stunning and so cool and so amazing. And that scene with those cool dudes in the masks tossing those bombs? Classic!
So...as you can imagine, to see these two going head to head? So cool! And before you ask, my money is on Kratos. Come on man, he's the fucking God of War!
But to be fair, my Kratos love has been strong today. Why? Cause I've been playing the masterpiece that is Chains of Olympus! Been playing it non-stop today. I've been sick in bed and had some time...so I fired it up to see what the fuss was about. I worked on the story with Ru and the Ready at Dawn guys but besides helping to nail down that core story, I had nothing to do with the game...so it's fresh to me. And MAN is it good!
It's so amazing to play a game that you had nothing to do with from a series you had a huge hand in creating. The GOD OF WAR formula is repped well on the PSP and it's pretty cool that- for me- I'm digging it so much. Because a) it's just a fun ass game that makes me so glad people are making handheld games as MORE than little morsels to be played in bite-sized nuggets, but also because b) I had a huge amount to do with the GOD OF WAR formula and it's a great sense of pride for me that the formula- for me anyway- holds up so well. Granted, much/most/all of this is because the game itself was made by the amazing geniuses at RAD. But still...pretty darn cool!
Is it perfect? Nah. The biggest weakness of the game is puzzle design- as has been noted. But some of the puzzles are pretty cool. But overall, they are kind of bland. But they still serve their function as pace breakers and make the game feel more like an adventure than a pure combat game. And that is the most important point. But everything else? Fucking gold,dude!
So if you have yet to play it, please give it a try!
Oh and if I may risk more folks calling me a Sony fanboy: I have to say, the PSP is rocking so hard these days. Not just amazing games like Chains and Wipeout and MLB 2008 (and hell, I still gotta get to Syphon Filter II and try out Patapon)- but it's also so cool to see the PSP store up and running. I love the fact that you can now buy small games like flOw, as well as FULL FLEDGE GAMES UMD sized games for your PSP right off the net. How amazing is that? It's seems like games may finally be starting to enjoy the whole multiple distribution model that movies have enjoyed since VHS and cable (and hell, before that, there was the whole ABC MOVIE OF THE WEEK thing to bring in some extra cash as well).
I just think it's so neat to know that if people want to play TWISTED METAL: HEAD ON- for example- they can buy the UMD for PSP, buy the game on PS2 (with all that extra goody content) or simply download the game from the PSP store for 15 bucks! So many ways to get that content out there...as a game maker, that is crazy exciting!
Thinking about it, I wish Sony would have chopped CHAINS OF OLYMPUS into three parts and sold each for 10 bucks at the PSP store....so if you liked one chapter, you buy the next,etc......and then a few months later you could buy the WHOLE THING with some extra content on UMD. Again, to me it's about finding cool ways to get this content out there and repackage it in ways that are fun and exciting for fans but also make sense on the biz front.
Speaking of downloadable content: Heck, I even played the demo for ROCKETMEN: AXIS OF EVIL last nite and while it was- for the most part- average with some potential, I was like: you know, I may get this when they drop the price to something closer to 4.99. To me, it ain't worth 10 bucks for a number of issues the game has (many of these issues have been pointed out in alot of the poor reviews I've seen on the net, so I will save you the trouble) but issues aside, there is a charm to the game, and there seem to be some neat ideas there. I like alot of the upgrade options and if they actually affect play on a significant level, I could see it having a bit of an addicting quality. Or maybe not. Who knos. And I doubt I'd play thru it all, but for 5 bucks, I'd totally pick it up. Come on Capcom, drop the price! :)
Ok ya'll, I am sick in bed. So is the wife. So glad the Grandparents came over to help with the girls. They are Godsends!
Ok, gonna go read some Marvel digital comics and then finish up Chains of Olympus!
Later!
David
ps. Ok, so this would totally be cool...
...except for that little image of classic armor iron man coming out of the explosion in the background. Looks like a straight to video release from Cannon films back in the 80's. Or the poster for like, IRON EAGLE 6: CHAPPY'S GHOST!
The rest of the poster is fantastic, tho!
pps. you know, I'm wrong. The rest of the poster is NOT fantastic. It's shit actually. Iron Man looks great! But the photos of the actors, with Jeff Bridges looking all forced and Paltrow all out of place. It's like, in my best 1930's movie producer voice:
'come see our picture! it's got Stars! Stars I tell ya!'
....ugh, note to Marvel: not one of those people on that poster can open a movie. Not even close. So why waste valuable mind-share telling people 'hey, a new Robert Downey movie is out!' versus showing off what- on the surface- is cool about this concept? You know...IRON MAN?
ppps. YES, I get it that Marvel comics and ergo Marvel movies are about PEOPLE too and that these are flawed characters and all that. I get it, it's why I've loved Marvel comics since I was a wee lad. But that is something for folks to discover once they buy the ticket and start watching the movie. And hell, if you MUST sell that point in order to get audiences in that are more than just sci-fi/comic con attending fanboys, then do it in a compelling, creative way. Slapping some b-level actor heads on a poster only tells me that you've made a movie with b-level actors.
pppps. Huge fan of most of the cast...I know the performances will NOT be B level and this movie could very well propel them to AAA status...but that ain't happened yet.
Friday, March 07, 2008
How the hell?!?!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++SECOND EDIT+++++
Just picked up some medicine for my oldest kid...she's got a bit of a cold. And so I'm waiting in line at the local Rite-Aid pharmacy and I see this...how FUCKED UP is this?!?!
Candy and sweets and all kinds of shit to make you sick and clog your arteries and make you a diabetic being sold RIGHT AT THE SAME COUNTER you buy medicine to cure those very ailments. It's either irony or a conspiracy...I vote for both, depending on my mood...how fucking nuts man.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++FIRST EDIT+++++++++
Pics from the CODE MONKEYS voice over recording session:
Here's Scott doing his thang at a recording studio in Salt Lake City!
And here I am, shouting at the mic at a studio somewhere deep in San Diego:
On my end, whole thing took all of 20 minutes. It was just me and a sound engineer who was way past the target age for the show. I got the sense he didn't approve of hearing me scream such ad libbed lines as: 'I will fucking kill you up your ass with a god damned piece of plastic, motherfucker!'
Ah well...such is life!
Waiting for Scott to send me his pics, will post those as soon as I get them!
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Running out to record my character for an upcomming episode of CODE MONKEYS!
Scott is recording his character out in Utah this afternoon.
So let me get this straight: we get to make video games with amazing teams AND we get to be fucking cartoons??!
How the hell did we get so lucky, I just don't know!
Post some pics from the session later- gotta run!
David
++++++++++++++SECOND EDIT+++++
Just picked up some medicine for my oldest kid...she's got a bit of a cold. And so I'm waiting in line at the local Rite-Aid pharmacy and I see this...how FUCKED UP is this?!?!
Candy and sweets and all kinds of shit to make you sick and clog your arteries and make you a diabetic being sold RIGHT AT THE SAME COUNTER you buy medicine to cure those very ailments. It's either irony or a conspiracy...I vote for both, depending on my mood...how fucking nuts man.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++FIRST EDIT+++++++++
Pics from the CODE MONKEYS voice over recording session:
Here's Scott doing his thang at a recording studio in Salt Lake City!
And here I am, shouting at the mic at a studio somewhere deep in San Diego:
On my end, whole thing took all of 20 minutes. It was just me and a sound engineer who was way past the target age for the show. I got the sense he didn't approve of hearing me scream such ad libbed lines as: 'I will fucking kill you up your ass with a god damned piece of plastic, motherfucker!'
Ah well...such is life!
Waiting for Scott to send me his pics, will post those as soon as I get them!
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Running out to record my character for an upcomming episode of CODE MONKEYS!
Scott is recording his character out in Utah this afternoon.
So let me get this straight: we get to make video games with amazing teams AND we get to be fucking cartoons??!
How the hell did we get so lucky, I just don't know!
Post some pics from the session later- gotta run!
David
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
VIDEO BLOG: Overproduced Games + Code Monkeys Take II + Obama/Clinton?!?!
+++++++++++++++++++EDIT++++++++++++++++++
Enough.
Simply enough.
I am done drinking Diet Coke...or any diet soda.
I've been drinking this slow suicidal sludge for most of my life. And not just my adult like...but most of my ENTIRE life. Well no more.
My gut tells me it's toxic and bad for me, even tho Coke says otherwise. I know it must be addicting because I crave these little cans of fuck like nobody's business. In the future, I would be stunned if we did NOT see a congressional hearing where makers of this shit-in-a-can are forced to admit to putting addictive chemicals into the blend.
Going to get on water, mainly sparkling water, so I get that carbonation bite that I love...and then just hunker down and try to beat this thing.
God, my biggest loss will be no longer having my Diet Coke and Popcorn that I get at the movies. But I will not make exceptions. I'll just snuggle in my sparkling water.
Fuck you, Coke.
Fuck you up your stupid Coca-Cola ass.
END EDIT+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hey ya'll!
Working away, not alot of time to post today but wanted to get something up. I've got this crazy idea about trying to post SOMETHING once a day...no clue if I got enough stuff to blog about for that much content...so it may remain a dream...or I may just TRY it for a month and see what happens! :) Take it easy ya'll!
David
Enough.
Simply enough.
I am done drinking Diet Coke...or any diet soda.
I've been drinking this slow suicidal sludge for most of my life. And not just my adult like...but most of my ENTIRE life. Well no more.
My gut tells me it's toxic and bad for me, even tho Coke says otherwise. I know it must be addicting because I crave these little cans of fuck like nobody's business. In the future, I would be stunned if we did NOT see a congressional hearing where makers of this shit-in-a-can are forced to admit to putting addictive chemicals into the blend.
Going to get on water, mainly sparkling water, so I get that carbonation bite that I love...and then just hunker down and try to beat this thing.
God, my biggest loss will be no longer having my Diet Coke and Popcorn that I get at the movies. But I will not make exceptions. I'll just snuggle in my sparkling water.
Fuck you, Coke.
Fuck you up your stupid Coca-Cola ass.
END EDIT+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hey ya'll!
Working away, not alot of time to post today but wanted to get something up. I've got this crazy idea about trying to post SOMETHING once a day...no clue if I got enough stuff to blog about for that much content...so it may remain a dream...or I may just TRY it for a month and see what happens! :) Take it easy ya'll!
David
Friday, February 29, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Doodlin'
++++++++++++++EDIT++++++++
Still in Utah- me, Scott, and Kellan went to CPK today and took a PS3 controller with us to work out the controls for our new game over lunch. Sure we looked like dorks but we got some good work done, especially since we are exploring some nice sized changes to our control set up....
++++++++++++++++
Man...it don't get much cooler than THAT! DAMN THAT IS SWEET!!!!!
++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++
Hit the Macaroni Grill with Scott and Kellan. If you've never been, they have tablecloths you can write on with the crayons they provide. Here's what we doodled while chatting games, work, and other stuff.
My doodles...never got to Pyramid Head in Silent Hill, but there is my take. GDC was sketched when we were talking about me having to miss my GDC speech. I am a big believer that doodles say much about the doodler. Not sure what these images say about me!
Kellan's sketch...by the end of the night, the dude had an exposed brain! It was really sweet and gross!
Scott's terrorist or biker gang dude....
Oh, and I found these cool Sweet Tooth cycle helmet customs online. Sweet, eh?
Later ya'll!
David
Still in Utah- me, Scott, and Kellan went to CPK today and took a PS3 controller with us to work out the controls for our new game over lunch. Sure we looked like dorks but we got some good work done, especially since we are exploring some nice sized changes to our control set up....
++++++++++++++++
Man...it don't get much cooler than THAT! DAMN THAT IS SWEET!!!!!
++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++
Hit the Macaroni Grill with Scott and Kellan. If you've never been, they have tablecloths you can write on with the crayons they provide. Here's what we doodled while chatting games, work, and other stuff.
My doodles...never got to Pyramid Head in Silent Hill, but there is my take. GDC was sketched when we were talking about me having to miss my GDC speech. I am a big believer that doodles say much about the doodler. Not sure what these images say about me!
Kellan's sketch...by the end of the night, the dude had an exposed brain! It was really sweet and gross!
Scott's terrorist or biker gang dude....
Oh, and I found these cool Sweet Tooth cycle helmet customs online. Sweet, eh?
Later ya'll!
David
Monday, February 25, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
VBLOG: NO GDC + BLU RAY+ KANYE+ GROWING PLAY PILE :(
+++++++++++++++SECOND EDIT++++++++++++
THANKS SWEET TOOTH! Appreciate the support, big guy! :)
+++++++++++EDIT!++++++++++++++
Oscar- from Sony Store in SF- just sent me this! Check it out!!!
Can't beat that, eh? Fantastic news! Thank you Oscar, you made my night! :)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THANKS SWEET TOOTH! Appreciate the support, big guy! :)
+++++++++++EDIT!++++++++++++++
Oscar- from Sony Store in SF- just sent me this! Check it out!!!
Can't beat that, eh? Fantastic news! Thank you Oscar, you made my night! :)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thursday, February 14, 2008
A great Valentine's Day Gift!!!
My childhood hero is back! The Indy 4 trailer- like a Valentine's gift to my inner 10 year old-was just waiting for me when I got up to my mac this morning. Let me tell you, if you have not yet seen it, it does not disappoint. It feels more like Crusade in it's tone and humor- much as you can deduce the end result from a trailer- and less like the edgy Raiders and Temple but I'll take 1000 Last Crusades over 95% of the films out these days. So yeah, I am a happy ass camper. No doubt.
And the film- far as I can tell from the little window on my mac- LOOKS great. It LOOKS like an old adventure movie from back in the day. I know this is what the filmmakers were going for and it seems like they nailed it.
So thanks Spielberg and Lucas.
And and thanks to my brother too.
Wait, my brother?!?! What'd he have to do with the way Indy 4 looks?!?!
Well...a little, anyway!
Get this! This is the personal cool news I wanted to share ages ago but could not:
My motherfucking brother WORKED on this freaking masterpiece! YEP! He was 2nd unit asst. camera on the truck chase that you see in today's very trailer!!!! Imagine that! He and I were just kids when we were both swept away by the first Raiders, both falling in love with the movies! And now, he's not only making movies (he's been doing that for many years), but he's fucking making not just a STEVEN SPIELBERG movie...he's making an INDIANA JONES movie!!! OH MAN! How nuts will that be to watch this movie with him and when that scene comes on- how cool!
Ok, heading out. Taking my daughters to our first annual daddy-daughter Valentine Day breakfast! Guess what swanky place they picked? They could have picked anywhere in the city and they picked...McDonalds! :) Kids after my own heart!
Later ya'll! Have a great Valentine's Day!
David
And the film- far as I can tell from the little window on my mac- LOOKS great. It LOOKS like an old adventure movie from back in the day. I know this is what the filmmakers were going for and it seems like they nailed it.
So thanks Spielberg and Lucas.
And and thanks to my brother too.
Wait, my brother?!?! What'd he have to do with the way Indy 4 looks?!?!
Well...a little, anyway!
Get this! This is the personal cool news I wanted to share ages ago but could not:
My motherfucking brother WORKED on this freaking masterpiece! YEP! He was 2nd unit asst. camera on the truck chase that you see in today's very trailer!!!! Imagine that! He and I were just kids when we were both swept away by the first Raiders, both falling in love with the movies! And now, he's not only making movies (he's been doing that for many years), but he's fucking making not just a STEVEN SPIELBERG movie...he's making an INDIANA JONES movie!!! OH MAN! How nuts will that be to watch this movie with him and when that scene comes on- how cool!
Ok, heading out. Taking my daughters to our first annual daddy-daughter Valentine Day breakfast! Guess what swanky place they picked? They could have picked anywhere in the city and they picked...McDonalds! :) Kids after my own heart!
Later ya'll! Have a great Valentine's Day!
David
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Thursday, February 07, 2008
VEGAS, BABY!
EDIT: some more pics for Sunday! Thank you! Please keep them coming! So cool!
EDIT: CANADA- I hear you guys and so you know, this whole thing is news to us at Eat Sleep Play (and perhaps SCEA as well).. No one ever mentioned that Canadians would get the shaft regarding art book and music. It is FIRST on my list to deal with when work opens tomorrow morning; I will keep you guys posted.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Hey! Blogging from Vegas.
Did a whole vid blog but Flixn is broke- audio is working tho. Here:
Fried from drinking and press and no sleep- but show is going great!
Heading down in a bit to the DICE awards! Watch it streamed live on Gamespot!
Anyway, first pics from people buying our game! Thank you so much!!!! :)
Thanks Carlton!
Thanks Davis!
Thanks Synthr!
Oscar, Thank You!!! And thanks for all the support over the years at the Playstation Store!! :)
Thank you Delriach (and wife of Delriach!) :)
Thank you, Rex!!!
Thanks David! For both buying our game and all the great message board support over the last few years. We SOOOO appreciate it!
RallyRes! Thanks dude- for buying our game and for creeping the shit out of me with this manip! Thanks for the support on the board as well! :)
KILRGRN, thank you for buying our new game and thanks for being so understanding about taking those scans down :) I know your heart was in the right place :)
Ray- thanks dude! And thanks for keeping Shoutbox going with all your great posts!
Torgo, thanks! And thanks for the podcast support! We still need to get the team to sign a copy for you guys!
RandomHero-Thanks!!!
Later ya'll!
David
EDIT: CANADA- I hear you guys and so you know, this whole thing is news to us at Eat Sleep Play (and perhaps SCEA as well).. No one ever mentioned that Canadians would get the shaft regarding art book and music. It is FIRST on my list to deal with when work opens tomorrow morning; I will keep you guys posted.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Hey! Blogging from Vegas.
Did a whole vid blog but Flixn is broke- audio is working tho. Here:
Fried from drinking and press and no sleep- but show is going great!
Heading down in a bit to the DICE awards! Watch it streamed live on Gamespot!
Anyway, first pics from people buying our game! Thank you so much!!!! :)
Thanks Carlton!
Thanks Davis!
Thanks Synthr!
Oscar, Thank You!!! And thanks for all the support over the years at the Playstation Store!! :)
Thank you Delriach (and wife of Delriach!) :)
Thank you, Rex!!!
Thanks David! For both buying our game and all the great message board support over the last few years. We SOOOO appreciate it!
RallyRes! Thanks dude- for buying our game and for creeping the shit out of me with this manip! Thanks for the support on the board as well! :)
KILRGRN, thank you for buying our new game and thanks for being so understanding about taking those scans down :) I know your heart was in the right place :)
Ray- thanks dude! And thanks for keeping Shoutbox going with all your great posts!
Torgo, thanks! And thanks for the podcast support! We still need to get the team to sign a copy for you guys!
RandomHero-Thanks!!!
Later ya'll!
David
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
DICE, DICE, BABY!
Yeah, I'm sure I've used that headline on previous blogs...ah well.
So off to DICE in a few hours! CAN. NOT. WAIT!
Love Vegas, love catching up with old biz buddies and drinking like crazy, love that the award show is going live over the net (altho I still have no clue what to wear when I will be presenting), and hell, the show itself looks good this year too!
Few things before I go:
1- Some new TM HEAD ON interviews have hit. Check them out if you so desire:
http://www.gametap.com/home/read/article/3587
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1580919/20080204/id_0.jhtml
2- To the three folks who won the New Year's contest, can you please post your mailing address to the comment section of this post? I will get those sent out this week (I THINK the Sony copies have come in...if not, I will let you know when they are... but I think they have!)
3- Twisted Metal hits the shelves today! If you buy a copy, would you please take a pic of yourself doing it (at the store). I'd love to post it- if you don't mind- on the blog. That'd be cool! I'd love to see pics of folks buying our games! So please! Send me those pics!
Thanks ya'll! Will prob post from DICE!
Later!
David
So off to DICE in a few hours! CAN. NOT. WAIT!
Love Vegas, love catching up with old biz buddies and drinking like crazy, love that the award show is going live over the net (altho I still have no clue what to wear when I will be presenting), and hell, the show itself looks good this year too!
Few things before I go:
1- Some new TM HEAD ON interviews have hit. Check them out if you so desire:
http://www.gametap.com/home/read/article/3587
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1580919/20080204/id_0.jhtml
2- To the three folks who won the New Year's contest, can you please post your mailing address to the comment section of this post? I will get those sent out this week (I THINK the Sony copies have come in...if not, I will let you know when they are... but I think they have!)
3- Twisted Metal hits the shelves today! If you buy a copy, would you please take a pic of yourself doing it (at the store). I'd love to post it- if you don't mind- on the blog. That'd be cool! I'd love to see pics of folks buying our games! So please! Send me those pics!
Thanks ya'll! Will prob post from DICE!
Later!
David
Monday, February 04, 2008
Random Musings and Pics
Little time to post today, just a few quick things:
1- Looks like I will be KEYNOTING the game career conference at this year's GDC. I told them I would speak, did not know it would be a keynote!!! Jeeze, there's pressure. Well look, a few things: if you plan on going know this:
a- it is going to be very off the cuff. I'm gonna go through my career steps, give a little advice on what I would have done differently, and take questions during the whole talk. I told them I did not have time to plan out a big, detailed speech and they were like: 'no worries, just talk about how you got to be doing what you are.' And so that is what I will do :) If you plan on coming, bring lots of questions so we can just shoot the shit, talk, and share war stories.
b- Contrary to what you may think, I have no intention of this being a rant or soapbox session. I will answer questions as honestly as I can- as always- but I'm not lookiong to make waves or make a barbed point or anything like that. The whole thing is helping new folks get into the biz and/or advance where they are in the biz. So I will consider the talk a success if even one person takes one thing I did (or didn't do) on my career path and succeeds even a touch because of what we talked about. So if you are coming for a reble rousin' good time...well, that MAY happen but it's not the goal. Hell, it's never the goal...it just tends to happen sometimes :)... But so know that...if you are looking for drama, look elsewhere...cause my other goal is to keep the damn thing out of the press so I will be trying not to say ANYTHING that will get me a post on Kotaku :) Much as I LOVE Kotaku, I'm just ready for a drama free GDC! Oh and hey, I'm doing a fun thing with Kotaku at GDC, come to think of it...I'll fill you in when they let me.
2- Pics! Some random pics I thought I would share:
Went to pick up diapers last night for my kids...and it occurred to me, with the youngest being 2 1/2, ain't much longer I'm gonna need to be picking up the Pampers :( You never know what the future holds and hey, there are always grandkids, but man, I'm gonna miss diapers! Is that crazy?!?! Could be, but I've really loved having babies and very small kids around the house. Ah well, on to the next stage!!!
Decided to get on the ball and make my office look a LITTLE nicer...wife got this custom framed for me...it's 3-4 transparent sheets that I laid over the map of GOD OF WAR (back when it was called DARK ODYSSEY) in order to see where all the monsters and cut scenes and puzzles went...it's neat to look at the image now and see a very, very rough sketch of what ended up being the whole game!
Here are some close ups:
Ahh, the Hydra...and look at little stickman Kratos with his dual blades...man I suck at drawing! :)
Went to ebay and purchased- and then framed- four of the games that made me fall in love with video games when I was a kid: ADVENTURE, COMBAT, DODGE EM, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Funny thing is, if you look at Twisted Metal, God of War, and Calling All Cars, you can TOTALLY see the influence of those games!
And finally...yes, tomorrow is the big day out here in Cali...as well as in 21 other states. I am so excited and happy and proud to be voting for Obama. Look, I have not drunk the Kool Aid in that I KNOW he's a politician and I KNOW that no one is 100% what they promise in politics...but hell, if he's 40% of what he says, I'll be damn happy. Go Obama!
1- Looks like I will be KEYNOTING the game career conference at this year's GDC. I told them I would speak, did not know it would be a keynote!!! Jeeze, there's pressure. Well look, a few things: if you plan on going know this:
a- it is going to be very off the cuff. I'm gonna go through my career steps, give a little advice on what I would have done differently, and take questions during the whole talk. I told them I did not have time to plan out a big, detailed speech and they were like: 'no worries, just talk about how you got to be doing what you are.' And so that is what I will do :) If you plan on coming, bring lots of questions so we can just shoot the shit, talk, and share war stories.
b- Contrary to what you may think, I have no intention of this being a rant or soapbox session. I will answer questions as honestly as I can- as always- but I'm not lookiong to make waves or make a barbed point or anything like that. The whole thing is helping new folks get into the biz and/or advance where they are in the biz. So I will consider the talk a success if even one person takes one thing I did (or didn't do) on my career path and succeeds even a touch because of what we talked about. So if you are coming for a reble rousin' good time...well, that MAY happen but it's not the goal. Hell, it's never the goal...it just tends to happen sometimes :)... But so know that...if you are looking for drama, look elsewhere...cause my other goal is to keep the damn thing out of the press so I will be trying not to say ANYTHING that will get me a post on Kotaku :) Much as I LOVE Kotaku, I'm just ready for a drama free GDC! Oh and hey, I'm doing a fun thing with Kotaku at GDC, come to think of it...I'll fill you in when they let me.
2- Pics! Some random pics I thought I would share:
Went to pick up diapers last night for my kids...and it occurred to me, with the youngest being 2 1/2, ain't much longer I'm gonna need to be picking up the Pampers :( You never know what the future holds and hey, there are always grandkids, but man, I'm gonna miss diapers! Is that crazy?!?! Could be, but I've really loved having babies and very small kids around the house. Ah well, on to the next stage!!!
Decided to get on the ball and make my office look a LITTLE nicer...wife got this custom framed for me...it's 3-4 transparent sheets that I laid over the map of GOD OF WAR (back when it was called DARK ODYSSEY) in order to see where all the monsters and cut scenes and puzzles went...it's neat to look at the image now and see a very, very rough sketch of what ended up being the whole game!
Here are some close ups:
Ahh, the Hydra...and look at little stickman Kratos with his dual blades...man I suck at drawing! :)
Went to ebay and purchased- and then framed- four of the games that made me fall in love with video games when I was a kid: ADVENTURE, COMBAT, DODGE EM, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Funny thing is, if you look at Twisted Metal, God of War, and Calling All Cars, you can TOTALLY see the influence of those games!
And finally...yes, tomorrow is the big day out here in Cali...as well as in 21 other states. I am so excited and happy and proud to be voting for Obama. Look, I have not drunk the Kool Aid in that I KNOW he's a politician and I KNOW that no one is 100% what they promise in politics...but hell, if he's 40% of what he says, I'll be damn happy. Go Obama!
Friday, February 01, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
FANS!
Here's a sneak peak of THE DARK PAST, the documentary on the history of the Twisted Metal series. It ships with TWISTED METAL-HEAD ON: EXTRA TWISTED EDITION, which comes out Feb 5th! Lots more bonus content on the disc (which you may have read about) but I wanted to give ya'll a quick look at what some of it looks like.
About 6 months ago we put a call out to hardcore/diehard TM fans to send us video clips of them talking about the series. This clip represents some of our favorites! Check it out!
Lots more to come! Nice to be back! Chat soon!
David
About 6 months ago we put a call out to hardcore/diehard TM fans to send us video clips of them talking about the series. This clip represents some of our favorites! Check it out!
Lots more to come! Nice to be back! Chat soon!
David
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
VIDEO BLOG #7: FUCK WIL WHEATON! + VACATION + TIRED!
++++++++++++++EDIT #2+++++++++++++++++
#1- Check out me and Scott on the Playstation Nation podcast! Always fun to work with those guys! Find it Here!
#2- PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take the TM flame wars to TMA? Me and the folks at Eat Sleep Play appreciate and LOVE the passion over the series but this really isn't the place for it. Thanks! :)
++++++++++++EDIT+++++++++++++++++++
A few more Twisted Metal: HEAD ON- EXTRA TWISTED EDITION interviews hitting today...check them out :)
IGN interview
1up interview
Also- as to WHY FUCK WIL WHEATON, considering in the vblog I talk about how much I dig him, it was gonna be this whole joke thing making some comparison between me at one time wanting to be his buddy based on his blog...or something...I've forgotten and now all I recall is the title- FUCK WIL WHEATON!- which I really like...even though I'm a total Wheaton Fan (Wheatie? WheateiHead? Wheatonian?)...anyway...see ya!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thursday, January 17, 2008
I'm ON THE SPOT today!
Hey ya'll! Head on over to Gamespot.com at 4pm (Pacific time) to hear me on their ON THE SPOT show. At least I THINK I am gonna be on (not 100% confirmed yet). And I THINK they have played some of the review code of the new Twisted, so listen in and I will try to pry out some info on if they dug the game, hated it, or were kinda meh on the whole thing.
Also, if you have not seen some of our other press, check out me and Scott doing some press for the new Twisted Metal at:
Gamepro Interview
Gamepro Preview of Twisted Metal: HEAD ON- EXTRA TWISTED EDITION
Game Informer Interview/Preview
1up.com Hands On
IGN HANDS ON
Will also be chatting with IGN and 1up today I THINK. So look out for that as well!
David
ps. Thanks to Grasshopper for helping me figure out- FINALLY- how to post links to this damn site! Thanks bud!
pps. Extra special thanks to Paul 'bad ass motherfucker' Murphy at Sony PR for setting up all these great PR opps for us. Much as we love the new TM and proud as we are of it, we know without a great PR man hitting the phones, we would not be getting the kind of coverage we are for a PSP-to-PS2 port...so thanks dude!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
DAMN IS IT COLD!!!!
Can't see the snow in this pic but MAN is it coming down! I was hoping my kids could log on to see how much it's snowing where I'm at- they never see snow in San Diego- but it doesn't show up in this pic. Ah well... :)
Design meetings are going great- man I love design meetings! Then it's like 2 years to get the actual game to live up to what is in everyone's head, but still...it's a blast!
Later ya'll!
David
Monday, January 14, 2008
VBLOG #6: DESIGN MEETING AT EAT SLEEP PLAY
This video pauses for a bit but then picks back up and the sound works so ...hell, here ya go! Swamped with meetings, just saying hey!
Later!
David
Thursday, January 10, 2008
ALL FOR ONE!....?
+++++++++++++THIRD EDIT+++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++SECOND EDIT+++++++++++
Journalist Zaitsev posted this to the comment section and I wanted to share!
Isn't that fantastic? If you missed it, it's suggesting I'm a pinko commie! What would Colonel Flag think (M*A*S*H reference)?
It's amazing that one of the things that used to make America great- the fact that ideas of all kinds, no matter how different or unpopular, could be debated and brought up for discussion- is now the very thing that gets you labeled a commie. Not that this is a new trend, but I think it's been brought to the level of art form by our buddies Bush/Rove/Cheney.
Anyway, great pic Zaitsev! Thank you! And send a link when you get your story up.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
##############EDIT#############
Thanks for all the great comments, ya'll. Appreciate the input. A few quick things:
a- as many have pointed out, I am arguing for a single standard not a single console. Thanks for clarifying and helping me express it better. And just because the 'big 3' would never stand for it, as some of you say, I wonder what the big 3 would do if EA, Capcom, Valve, Ubi, Blizzard, Activision,etc. formed a consortium and made a console/standard of their own and agreed to only publish on that standard. It would at least put Sony and Xbox out to pasture unless they did something drastic, pretty damn quick.
b- For the record- to all the semi-sensationalist headlines around the net: Jaffe is not 'arguing for' or 'proposing' anything. I think my blog post made it pretty clear I was simply floating the idea, that I did not think I was 100% right, and that I was open to being educated on the subject. Nice reading skillz, ya'll!
c- Chris Kohler reads good! Thanks for taking me up on it. Read your post at Wired.com and loved it. And you are spot on: to me, 80% of the game innovation I care about comes via design, not tech. Yes, you need your upgrades but I could live with an upgrade every 8 years or so (like 2d to 3d) and then do the rest via software upgrades and perpipheral add ons. But that's just me. Thanks for your article tho. Lots of good info on the subject there....see ya at Dice/GDC!
Ok, I'm done with it. Back to more posts about me and the wife watching fecal paste slither out of young women's brown eyes. I mean, come on, THAT'S the reason you come here isn't it? Well hell, that's the the reason I post here! :)
David
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Can anyone explain to me how having ONE console would be bad for gamers? Or game developers for that matter?
The argument that keeps coming up is, ‘oh, it would stifle competition and competition is good for gamers!’
But I don’t understand this in regards to console hardware.
One game publisher would be bad. One giant game developer would be bad. I get how those things would hurt gamers. But why would one unified hardware platform?
We have it with DVD, we had it with VHS. We have it with televisions (in the sense that- for the most part- every tv is capable of broadcasting the same signal). So what do we lose by having it for game consoles?
Sure you miss out on some features that may otherwise be available if another console was there to compete. But this is always the way when one format wins over another and becomes the standard. And for those few features you lose, don’t you make up for it in so many other ways? Massive content choice, being the main one. And what about better quality products because the makers of the software/television shows/dvds don’t have to spend one instant struggling to make the same content for 2-3 different systems and instead can focus on making grate content right out of the gate? And you get MORE competition on the software side- which is, to me, where it counts- because there is MORE competition to be the best on a single system instead of content creators splintering and never ever worrying about competing with 2 out of the 3 groups.
For me, those are much bigger reasons to want a single console. Sure, you miss out on a cool feature here, a neat feature there. But we’ve gotten used to this in so many other hardware products and- in doing so- reaped the many more benefits of a single system.
Sure, our industry would have to battle it out to determine who gets to make the system. Is it one company or a group of companies? Or is it like television sets where you have multiple consoles that run the same software but with their own unique features?. And before you toss 3DO at me as an example as to why this won’t work, don’t. 3DO failed because- for the most part- it had crap games and was way too expensive and could not compete with the new game hardware coming out that was selling at much cheaper prices. But if the 3DO had been an XBOX 360 or a PLAYSTATION 2….or even a Wii? Well then I think things would have gone differently.
A lot of people will say: well, the game companies would never agree to this or that or the other. And to me, that is part of the problem our business has overall. Competition is great. But I think the leaders of the biggest groups should come together from time to time- like the big Mafia families do in the movies- and make some decisions together for the overall health of the business. Heck, maybe they already do this and I am just not aware. But if they do, they have not made the right decision on the one thing I think that could benefit gamers and game makers in a massive way: a single console.
As always. I’m up for being proven wrong. I don’t think I have the ultimate answer and I know there are some strong feelings on this topic from some folks. But I’ve yet to have a good argument from anyone-including these vocal anti single system folks- as to why a single console is wrong. Please to educate me? Even if the reason is competition, please explain why it works in other industries but would not work in ours? Thanks!
David
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++SECOND EDIT+++++++++++
Journalist Zaitsev posted this to the comment section and I wanted to share!
Isn't that fantastic? If you missed it, it's suggesting I'm a pinko commie! What would Colonel Flag think (M*A*S*H reference)?
It's amazing that one of the things that used to make America great- the fact that ideas of all kinds, no matter how different or unpopular, could be debated and brought up for discussion- is now the very thing that gets you labeled a commie. Not that this is a new trend, but I think it's been brought to the level of art form by our buddies Bush/Rove/Cheney.
Anyway, great pic Zaitsev! Thank you! And send a link when you get your story up.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
##############EDIT#############
Thanks for all the great comments, ya'll. Appreciate the input. A few quick things:
a- as many have pointed out, I am arguing for a single standard not a single console. Thanks for clarifying and helping me express it better. And just because the 'big 3' would never stand for it, as some of you say, I wonder what the big 3 would do if EA, Capcom, Valve, Ubi, Blizzard, Activision,etc. formed a consortium and made a console/standard of their own and agreed to only publish on that standard. It would at least put Sony and Xbox out to pasture unless they did something drastic, pretty damn quick.
b- For the record- to all the semi-sensationalist headlines around the net: Jaffe is not 'arguing for' or 'proposing' anything. I think my blog post made it pretty clear I was simply floating the idea, that I did not think I was 100% right, and that I was open to being educated on the subject. Nice reading skillz, ya'll!
c- Chris Kohler reads good! Thanks for taking me up on it. Read your post at Wired.com and loved it. And you are spot on: to me, 80% of the game innovation I care about comes via design, not tech. Yes, you need your upgrades but I could live with an upgrade every 8 years or so (like 2d to 3d) and then do the rest via software upgrades and perpipheral add ons. But that's just me. Thanks for your article tho. Lots of good info on the subject there....see ya at Dice/GDC!
Ok, I'm done with it. Back to more posts about me and the wife watching fecal paste slither out of young women's brown eyes. I mean, come on, THAT'S the reason you come here isn't it? Well hell, that's the the reason I post here! :)
David
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Can anyone explain to me how having ONE console would be bad for gamers? Or game developers for that matter?
The argument that keeps coming up is, ‘oh, it would stifle competition and competition is good for gamers!’
But I don’t understand this in regards to console hardware.
One game publisher would be bad. One giant game developer would be bad. I get how those things would hurt gamers. But why would one unified hardware platform?
We have it with DVD, we had it with VHS. We have it with televisions (in the sense that- for the most part- every tv is capable of broadcasting the same signal). So what do we lose by having it for game consoles?
Sure you miss out on some features that may otherwise be available if another console was there to compete. But this is always the way when one format wins over another and becomes the standard. And for those few features you lose, don’t you make up for it in so many other ways? Massive content choice, being the main one. And what about better quality products because the makers of the software/television shows/dvds don’t have to spend one instant struggling to make the same content for 2-3 different systems and instead can focus on making grate content right out of the gate? And you get MORE competition on the software side- which is, to me, where it counts- because there is MORE competition to be the best on a single system instead of content creators splintering and never ever worrying about competing with 2 out of the 3 groups.
For me, those are much bigger reasons to want a single console. Sure, you miss out on a cool feature here, a neat feature there. But we’ve gotten used to this in so many other hardware products and- in doing so- reaped the many more benefits of a single system.
Sure, our industry would have to battle it out to determine who gets to make the system. Is it one company or a group of companies? Or is it like television sets where you have multiple consoles that run the same software but with their own unique features?. And before you toss 3DO at me as an example as to why this won’t work, don’t. 3DO failed because- for the most part- it had crap games and was way too expensive and could not compete with the new game hardware coming out that was selling at much cheaper prices. But if the 3DO had been an XBOX 360 or a PLAYSTATION 2….or even a Wii? Well then I think things would have gone differently.
A lot of people will say: well, the game companies would never agree to this or that or the other. And to me, that is part of the problem our business has overall. Competition is great. But I think the leaders of the biggest groups should come together from time to time- like the big Mafia families do in the movies- and make some decisions together for the overall health of the business. Heck, maybe they already do this and I am just not aware. But if they do, they have not made the right decision on the one thing I think that could benefit gamers and game makers in a massive way: a single console.
As always. I’m up for being proven wrong. I don’t think I have the ultimate answer and I know there are some strong feelings on this topic from some folks. But I’ve yet to have a good argument from anyone-including these vocal anti single system folks- as to why a single console is wrong. Please to educate me? Even if the reason is competition, please explain why it works in other industries but would not work in ours? Thanks!
David
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Last few posts...
Took the last few posts down.
I shit you not, Hillary winning last nite really got me upset. Is that lame? Yeah, I guess. I think I just allowed myself to hope- just for a moment- that politics as usual would not prevail. And when politics as usual did, it really annoyed me. More than it should have I think. And so I've been cranky all day.
Hate to write when I am cranky as I don't feel it's an accurate reflection of how I feel about things. I'm actually a big fan of what Nintendo is doing, how can you not be?
So those 'angry David' posts are gone.
Just so ya know where they went :)
Ok, back to work.
Talk later-
David
I shit you not, Hillary winning last nite really got me upset. Is that lame? Yeah, I guess. I think I just allowed myself to hope- just for a moment- that politics as usual would not prevail. And when politics as usual did, it really annoyed me. More than it should have I think. And so I've been cranky all day.
Hate to write when I am cranky as I don't feel it's an accurate reflection of how I feel about things. I'm actually a big fan of what Nintendo is doing, how can you not be?
So those 'angry David' posts are gone.
Just so ya know where they went :)
Ok, back to work.
Talk later-
David
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Video Blog #4 is up...
I know I usually put these in the corner- and will continue to do so- but in the interest of seeing the whole reaction, here's a full screen view....I forgot to tell my wife to sit off center...my fault.
Ok...here it is!
David
Ok...here it is!
David
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