GWJ Conference Call Episode 645

It shouldn't really matter, but I felt relieved that at least one gaming podcast I listened to has hosts who are enjoying Anthem. I don't think any of the podcasts I listen to where the hosts are not into it are hating it in bad faith or anything, but for whatever reason the negativity around the game is revealing to me that I have an inner fanboy that I have to push down every once in a while when I get mad at someone for not enjoying something I enjoy.

I share the view that I'm not too concerned about whether I'll still want to be playing this game in a few months. I've never really understood the appeal of games' having an "endgame." With Destiny, The Division, and similar, I played through the campaign and felt like I'd had a solid experience for my price of entry and moved on to the next thing. When The Division 2 beta had an endgame chunk available, I found it perplexing. It was just like a regular mission except with way more enemies, except I was also more powerful, so it didn't feel all that different. I did not get the appeal. If Anthem provides me a good 40 hours or so, I'll be very happy. If there's new content introduced a few times over the next year or so that are fun, that seems like a bonus to me.

I loved the question about a game that is the “best” of a particular series or world, and I thought Sean’s (?) answer of Spider-Man was an interesting one. [Was it actually Sean? I’m getting better with voices, but I still mistake Julian for other people a lot.]

I’ve been playing Spider-Man recently and I think the game conveys one thing better than any comic, cartoon, or movie: why Spider-Man is chronically late and struggles in relationships, with his work, making rent, etc. It’s one thing to see him stand someone up because of a police call; it’s another to be swinging around the city yourself, on your way to something in progress, when you hear chatter over a police channel for a burglary in progress, or a kidnapping, that’s only a couple blocks away. Whenever I play, my attention’s constantly drawn in several directions at once, and I love that.

I really don't like Rogue-likes because I hate that feeling of losing all your progress (I realise modern rogue-likes give you incremental improvements to your start state which softens that 'You failed! Back at square one with you' feeling.) Some time ago though I realised that the spaces between each bonfire in Dark Souls are mini rogue-likes. You die over and over again in an attempt to reach the next safe spot (that you don't know the location of.) Once you make it to a new bonfire the ratchet of progress moves on and now you are in another mini rogue-like headed for the next bonfire or boss. Developers emulate a lot of elements from Dark Souls but I feel that that underlying structure might be the element that could be successfully used in other games and genres.

In related news: I couldn't have enjoyed the debut of 'Big Pilgrim' more.

On gameplay loops. In multiplayer I tend to like more ‘air’ in the loop than most. I don’t particularly like arena shooters (uncharted being the exception) where everyone is in a confined space and constantly in action. I prefer games like Battlefield, the original Titanfall and now Apex where there is action but also long periods of moving through the environments while anticipating action.

OK, managed to equip the shield, kill the asylum demon etc. but when it comes to equipping the Asylum F2 East key, I'm completely stumped. I tried the same tactic of picking the equipment slot first but none of the slots allow for a key. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. The stupid gate keeps saying it's locked. Talk about unintuitive. No wonder people give up on this game.

Ah, so you're saying that key equipping at least is automatic. Thank you (and thank goodness). So what is the key you need for the gate/door in that room to the right of the balcony where you drop down on the Asylum Demon? I assumed that was openable at this point, but I guess not.

I couldn't resist.
Don't fight it.

But yeah, the streams are pure gold. Big Pilgrim needs to stay on this journey.

I have an unhealthy but valid bias against Raph Koster. It mainly stems from the reputation system in UO that scarred me greatly. (good people could do nothing while f*ck offs could destroy others and pillage untold riches all they want)

Theory of Fun be damned; to me, Raph talks to make himself sound important. He cherry picks history and his points are frequently obtuse. I've never heard him question himself which should be a major clue in game design.

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I'm getting better at this, but I still occasionally find myself wondering why Sean is having a back and forth with himself.