Comments for james' opinion

Comment on I don’t do this kind of thing often. I promise by Jon

Jon — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:46:25 +0000

You should be the ashamed party for daring to correct Innocent. Everything they do is golden. If anything, the English language should be re-written to accommodate them.

Comment on These are a few of my favourite games #1: Panzer Dragoon Saga by james

james — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:36:01 +0000

That did occur to me when I was writing it, but I could find no elegant way of pointing out that it didn’t count since 1) it’s technically not a haircut (she’s a robot and it’s some kind of weird head-tail or something) and 2) the quote in question refers to the general cast of FF all looking like shampoo models, which PDS rejects. Azel is the exception to the rule.

So nyer.

Comment on These are a few of my favourite games #1: Panzer Dragoon Saga by Jon

Jon — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:23:13 +0000

I do like how this bit :

‘Manabu Kusunoki, “was adamant that he didn’t want any Final Fantasy-style unusual haircuts like [gestures a Cloudlike spike] or purple hair or anything like that”’

Is mere inches away from concept art of someone with an unusual haircut.

Comment on About that creepy postmodern twist by james

james — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:14:52 +0000

It’s a fair cop. Ideally, the game would have to be thematically related to issues of mind control, choice, predestiny, and all that stuff, so the ideas would mesh. Bioshock only deals with all that very superficially.

‘the dissonance between control of the character and no actual control of a very major sequence (especially given Ryan’s rant) would irritate more than a few people.’ I don’t think this is any different from how games like HL2 already give the player ‘no actual control’ during very major sequences. I also think the dissonance you mention is nothing compared to the frustration of the inconsistent interactive/non-interactive dissonance already present in Bioshock. At least for me.

I’d be interested in writing some dialogue for you. Hit me up on MSN.

Comment on About that creepy postmodern twist by Jon

Jon — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:12:50 +0000

I just scrolled down to read your article on Panzer Dragoon and it prophesied this very article RIGHT where my browser stopped scrolling. More than mere coincidence, I’m sure. Anyway, I agree with this article wholeheartedly but I do wonder that even if the designers had gone the route you suggest if it wouldn’t have been quite as successful. Unless you pointed out that the sequence was in fact a commentary on how illusionary all players actions are in games and how the designer is really forcing your actions, I think a lot of people would be frustrated in the obvious linear nature. If they didn’t ‘get’ it, the dissonance between control of the character and no actual control of a very major sequence (especially given Ryan’s rant) would irritate more than a few people. Then again, I suppose the attitude you should adopt is that that’s their problem; art should pander to the lowest common denominator and if they don’t understand that that is the very point of the sequence then they’re all the poorer for it.

Anyway, more importantly I’m now very reluctant to ask you to help me write the ‘dialogue’ for my mod; given that the mod is about possessing other people I was going to nick an idea from Ghostwritten (or was it Cloud Atlas?) of an alien consciousness entering your body and manipulating your actions (through suggestions in ‘dialogue’ and linear design restrictions). So the oh-so-ironic gameplay twist would have been that although you have the power to possess others and control them, ultimately you’re being manipulated by something which to some extent has possessed you. Now I just feel like I’m ripping off Bioshock AS WELL as Dave Perry. I’m so unoriginal.

Comment on These are a few of my favourite games #1: Panzer Dragoon Saga by james

james — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:52:10 +0000

Nah, not necessary. They are pretty good, though. Well, the first one’s pretty creaky now…

Comment on These are a few of my favourite games #1: Panzer Dragoon Saga by Blueface

Blueface — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:49:46 +0000

Should I play the first Panzer Dragoons before tackling Saga?

Comment on What Is This Strange Feeling? by james

james — Sat, 23 May 2009 03:55:42 +0000

Sorry to see you were underwhelmed by the entry, Emma. But you’ll have to wait until the game comes out before I type up a great big essay about it - at this stage I just wanted to show people.

And yes, I too detected a Panzer vibe. I maintain the Ico guys have always had a Panzer influence in their work (which in turn is derived from Nausicaa). But as much as I like that shared aesthetic, that’s not what I’m excited about. Play Ico and Shadow of the Colossus if you haven’t already.

Comment on What Is This Strange Feeling? by Em

Em — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:03:26 +0000

Looks interesting. This would have been a better entry had you deigned to mention why it ahd piqued your interest. Anything to do with possible Panzer Dragoon Saga parallels of small person/big dragon-or-large-beastie-that-may-as-well-be-a-dragon?

Comment on What Is This Strange Feeling? by SuitCase

SuitCase — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:18:52 +0000

pretentious bullshit