tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581558812876356968.post2347713192466894757..comments2024-02-12T02:42:02.762-08:00Comments on Haptic Feedback: On The Ghost of FormalismHaptic Feedbackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01908251907883130241noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581558812876356968.post-89996972739032885222015-09-10T01:46:25.411-07:002015-09-10T01:46:25.411-07:00I’ve worked with dozens of editors over the years,... I’ve worked with dozens of editors over the years, and in my experience, the best are those who show you why something doesn’t work, rather than just telling you that it doesn’t. More help with essays here <a href="http://www.1writingservice.com/" rel="nofollow">www.1writingservice.com</a>.David Newmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05252554681773347406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581558812876356968.post-64209426642838853292015-02-05T10:00:36.758-08:002015-02-05T10:00:36.758-08:00I concede the point about plot and gameplay, that&...I concede the point about plot and gameplay, that's an excellent article. <br /><br />I'm more optimistic about the usefulness of being specific: the intent (and in my eye, the result) of these definitions is to show that there are different flavors of games that are all valid, and might all include extensive narrative content.<br /><br />But I respect that this line of inquiry has left a bad taste. Perhaps another time! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18342836090762512055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581558812876356968.post-77204651793401549992015-02-04T17:59:50.293-08:002015-02-04T17:59:50.293-08:00First: in terms of assessing plot and gameplay sep...First: in terms of assessing plot and gameplay separately. I think gameplay problems and cutscenes are assessed in different ways, but James Howell's work is more or less definitive proof that they are incredibly woven together in meaningful ways: http://www.deltaheadtranslation.com/index/original.html<br /><br />As for the defined genres and stuff: genres are still important to me and they're still going to exist colloquially but like . . . trying to create hard definitions for any kind of game after this whole ordeal leaves me with a bad taste. It's left a lot of good creators flapping in the wind and I cringe to think that we might reiterate that process by simply believing we can solve the problem by being more "specific." <br /><br />I still wanna do a history of the JRPG as a book in the next few years but I think I'm going to do so largely without attempting to define what the JRPG is outside of the colloquial acceptance.Haptic Feedbackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01908251907883130241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581558812876356968.post-13988444132854835942015-02-04T10:45:06.116-08:002015-02-04T10:45:06.116-08:00I agree, we need more precise definitions. Perhaps...I agree, we need more precise definitions. Perhaps we can sketch out some broad definitions of a game-like experience. I think there are three notable gradations/types of "games":<br /><br />1) an experience with rules and win states, with complex, ambiguous decisions required to achieve the win state.<br />2) an experience with rules and win states.<br />3) an experience with rules but no win states (a "sandbox").<br />4) an experience with rules but no win states, with complex, ambiguous decisions required to achieve goals.<br /><br />Keith Burgun is basically asserting that #1 is the only appropriate type to call a "game" (at least technically, he admits that "game" has wider meanings in common vernacular). I disagree with him: I think the word "game" should remain the ambiguous, neutral word it already is. But I think we would all benefit from terms that define each of the above experience type. What do you think of these definitions?<br /><br />I think most of the zeal from the "ludocentric side" comes from a desire to protect and nurture the "complex, ambiguous decisions" aspect in particular; in an environment where is it undervalued and underrepresented.<br /><br />And I fully agree on your second point. Whatever content is in your game deserves to have been put there by someone who knows what they're doing. In my view, writing is right up there with the design of systems with complex, ambiguous decisions as the most ignored and underrated quality differentiators.<br /><br />This will probably lead us to the question of what skillsets should be included in game design curriculums and which should not. For example, the majority of games contain art assets, but whether game design curriculums should contain required art courses is an open question.<br /><br />Hideo Kojima is an interesting example. His (ludic) gameplay and writing are both solid (excuse the unintended pun), but they tend to be administered to the player separately, a lot of the time.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18342836090762512055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581558812876356968.post-50759394255742972342015-02-03T20:34:47.946-08:002015-02-03T20:34:47.946-08:00Deleted to fix a typo:
Short version: no, I don&#...Deleted to fix a typo:<br /><br />Short version: no, I don't think you're necessarily a ludocentrist for saying a game needs to have systems, but of course, we need a broader understanding of "systems." As Zolani Stewart points out, walking in a walking simulator is a "mechanic," it just doesn't function in a set of challenges and winstates. <br /><br />The problem becomes when you privilege a game's "ludic" elements above all else, but I think when getting too specific we might be running into a problem. Saying "a game needs to have gameplay" which is essentially what you're saying is basically saying "a game needs to be a game," which is the kind of tautological statement I'm both fascinated and daunted by, but suffice to say it relies on defying what a game is. I think the safe bet (politically, intellectually, emotionally, socially, you name it) is to err on the side of "game" even when what we traditionally define as "interactivity" is near nothing, because I think we need to do some work on deattaching from the Frascaseque/Kosterian baggage of defining games riggidly through rules and systems.<br /><br />I think it's a lot less problematic to assume that "design" and "writing" should be articulated as unique skillsets than it is to assume that someone who ONLY understands systems is also the best person to be creating the narrative context for those systems (or worse, assuming they know what mechanics best fit their idea for a story.) There is a long and *sad* history of talented designers being hobbled by their inability to write good stories and scripts, and an equal but opposite history of (an admittedly much smaller field) of great writers being burdened by the task of game design.<br /><br />Only one man, in my estimation, has handled both tasks with equal skill: Hideo Kojima.Haptic Feedbackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01908251907883130241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1581558812876356968.post-7180476560291256142015-02-02T14:49:41.440-08:002015-02-02T14:49:41.440-08:00I don't identify as a ludocentrist, but you ma...I don't identify as a ludocentrist, but you may disagree. I'm here in good faith to engage honestly: this piece and the others you linked to have already broadened my understanding.<br /><br />I think the question of what constitutes a "game designer" is the heart of the issue. Obviously it's myopic and foolish to disparage the many disciplines that shape good game design. I couldn't agree more. But to my understanding, game design will always involve mechanics and interactive systems (though not exclusively), simply because a work that doesn't contain these things is generally understood to be different (a story, film, piece of art, etc., rather than a "game"). Does this alone make me a ludocentrist?<br /><br />My opinion is somewhat similar to yours in that I don't think programming or art should be required parts of a game design curriculum. Is it inherently problematic if a "game designer" and a "game writer" are different roles/skillsets, provided both are properly respected? Certainly they overlap in many respects, but being a good writer does not automatically make one a good game designer.<br /><br />I'm interested to hear your perspective. I hope you keep writing game criticism, I enjoy your work.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18342836090762512055noreply@blogger.com