Conference Call

GWJ Conference Call Episode 304

FTL, Orcs Must Die 2, Cinders, Theatrhythm, Zynga Vs. EA, An Interview with 10000000 developer Luca Redwood, Your Emails and more!

This week Julian, Lara, Allen and Shawn talk about Zynga copying game design. Cory also sits down with 10000000 developer Luca Redwood!

To contact us, email [email protected]! Send us your thoughts on the show, pressing issues you want to talk about or whatever else is on your mind. You can even send a 30 second audio question or comment (MP3 format please) if you're so inclined.

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Audible

Chairman_Mao's Timestamps

00.02.43 Theatrhythm
00.10.07 Cinders
00.18.17 Orcs Must Die 2
00.28.36 FTL Beta
00.30.47 10000000
00.34.21 Interview with Luca, developer of 10 bazillion.
00.58.23 This week's topic: Stealing!
01.13.47 Your emails

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Comments

LarryC wrote:

I think it's rather unfortunate that Dating Sims have gotten a squicky reputation just for including a few nude scenes here and there. It's appropriate for gamers and gaming sites, IMO, to be far more acquainted with the genre than I generally find on Western sites; to which GWJ is no exception.

I don't know, I don't think that's the issue; this format is used for things outside of dating sims as well, after all, and it never enjoys very much success outside of dedicated niche markets.

I think more likely these things are overlooked because there's very little actual "game" to them (to the extent that many/most don't even call themselves games). From a systems perspective they're almost universally incredibly shallow (Cinders seemingly being no exception): you're essentially looking at one huge series of dialogue trees.

This is a weird sort of offshoot of text IF with even fewer systemic capabilities. And the barrier to entry is slightly higher than IF since you do need art assets.

I think my problem with this format is that it's like reading a (usually bad) book. The Japanese games I've played are poorly written and/or poorly translated (I don't speak Japanese so I can't say which) and the English games are almost always poorly written (Cinders seems to be such a thing so far). Since there are no systems to distract you from the story, the writing makes or breaks these games completely, and that's a problem.

That's not to say that nothing interesting happens in this space. I believe don't take it personally, babe, it just ain't your story was discussed on a GWJ podcast (though don't quote me on that) and is fairly well regarded.

gore:

That's the outlook I'm meaning to change. Minarchist champions Nier as one of his Games of the Year, not on the strength of its gameplay, but on its moving and innovative narrative structure. That's actually the structure of a fairly normative Dating Sim.

The hugely popular Fate/Stay Night follows this format. It's not a huge series of dialogue trees where each ending is a stand-alone story; instead, each victorious ending opens up alternative choices within the game that allow you to proceed to new endings, but the fundamental characters themselves do not change between arcs. In other words, Anders is bisexual, period. Just because you didn't know doesn't change that. Who Archer really is is eventually revealed to the reader as a mind-blowing revelation along his own story arc and ending, but that character is consistent in the first story and he remains who he is or could have been in later arcs.

Just because he decides not to sacrifice himself this time around doesn't mean that he doesn't have the capacity. You know he's that kind of person; though that doesn't happen in the penultimate storyline.

As usual with media, many of these games will be crap, and I can't say that translations of them are better than the best literature. That said, games like Little Busters are, IMO, clearly a cut above weekly bestsellers like the latest Clive Cussler novel.

My "i need a pick-me-up game" is Persona 4. Specifically being in the shopping district during the daytime (not raining) and that familiar song is playing. Just love that world and all the characters in it (even though serial murder is occuring).

drew327 wrote:

My "i need a pick-me-up game" is Persona 4. Specifically being in the shopping district during the daytime (not raining) and that familiar song is playing. Just love that world and all the characters in it (even though serial murder is occuring).

Funny you should mention that. The hubs and I have been working through the PSN version of Persona 3 (which I neglected to mention on the show), and, wow, it really is the most cracked out game. The music alone... words fail me.

I kind of love it.

KaterinLHC wrote:

Funny you should mention that. The hubs and I have been working through the PSN version of Persona 3 (which I neglected to mention on the show), and, wow, it really is the most cracked out game. The music alone... words fail me.

P3 is all sorts of awesome. Only complaint is the sheer length of the game, but P4 is supposed to be shorter. Both OSTs are on my iPod and are among my favorite game music albums.

Is the PSN version the original release or the Fes version?

shoptroll wrote:
KaterinLHC wrote:

Funny you should mention that. The hubs and I have been working through the PSN version of Persona 3 (which I neglected to mention on the show), and, wow, it really is the most cracked out game. The music alone... words fail me.

P3 is all sorts of awesome. Only complaint is the sheer length of the game, but P4 is supposed to be shorter. Both OSTs are on my iPod and are among my favorite game music albums.

Is the PSN version the original release or the Fes version?

I believe it's FES. I still prefer the P3P version, limited cutscenes and all, for using the gameplay improvements that P4 brings, and the female playthrough option.

Tanglebones wrote:
shoptroll wrote:
KaterinLHC wrote:

Funny you should mention that. The hubs and I have been working through the PSN version of Persona 3 (which I neglected to mention on the show), and, wow, it really is the most cracked out game. The music alone... words fail me.

P3 is all sorts of awesome. Only complaint is the sheer length of the game, but P4 is supposed to be shorter. Both OSTs are on my iPod and are among my favorite game music albums.

Is the PSN version the original release or the Fes version?

I believe it's FES. I still prefer the P3P version, limited cutscenes and all, for using the gameplay improvements that P4 brings, and the female playthrough option.

Yes, it's FES. And as much as I'm enjoying the game, I really, really wish I had the option to control my party members, which I believe they fixed in the PSP release. (Which is good, because goddammit, the AI is so bad. Yukari actually tried to heal me with a vending machine soda once. Moron.)

KaterinLHC wrote:

Yes, it's FES. And as much as I'm enjoying the game, I really, really wish I had the option to control my party members, which I believe they fixed in the PSP release. (Which is good, because goddammit, the AI is so bad. Yukari actually tried to heal me with a vending machine soda once. Moron.)

Don't recall having that issue, but I think I tossed out most of the soda machine drinks.

Same reason you don't give Goofy ether in Kingdom Hearts. He's just going to burn through them trying to refill Donald's MP

SocialChameleon wrote:
Demyx wrote:

Threat-rhythm is what the game should have been called. After all, I'm threatening the monsters with my rhythm.

Rumor: Squeenix exploring a Final Fantasy dance battle Kinect title.

Threat-Rhythm 2: Dangerous on the Dance Floor.

wordsmythe wrote:
SocialChameleon wrote:
Demyx wrote:

Threat-rhythm is what the game should have been called. After all, I'm threatening the monsters with my rhythm.

Rumor: Squeenix exploring a Final Fantasy dance battle Kinect title.

Threat-Rhythm 2: Dangerous on the Dance Floor.

I'm looking forward to Threat-Rhythm II-2: Hip Shimmy of Doom

Threat-Rhythm 3 - Triple Threat!

FedoraMcQuaid wrote:
Dyni wrote:

Oh Rabbit, I feel kind of terrible now since I'm pretty sure I'm the one that directed you to go watch that LoL commentary. I was just trying to help, not scare you away from the game!.

Officially my favorite episode yet.

Also, rabbit, apologies if my comments made you more nervous about playing. I like talking about this game and breaking it down, when I do that I tend to go on longer about things than necessary, in this case your midlane play.

I feel ignored! Maybe I should start tearing down game play like Fedora so that people remember my spectating.
Here is the YouTube playlist for lol: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...