Category: Videogames
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tl;dr;fu
More proof that ignorance is bliss: I’d been happily reading the internet for at least a year before I knew what “tl;dr” meant. Apparently, it means “too long, didn’t read,” and now it’s got my vote for the absolute worst internet acronym. Ruder than STFU, more arrogant than RTFM, stupider than ROFL, more vapid than…
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Back off, man. I’m a scientist.
Previously on Spectre Collie, I made the claim that action-oriented games like shooters and platformers and “action/adventures” haven’t yet lived up to their promise of rendering traditional adventure games obsolete. Conventional wisdom says that adventure games are great stories on top of lousy, illogical, frustrating, and boring gameplay, and therefore Myth 8: If you could…
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Sweet Recently Divorced Lady Freedom!
I’ve been so busy with the videogame-making and occasionally -playing that I’ve been negligent in the videogame-promoting. Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People has two episodes out for WiiWare and PC, and the second episode, “Strong Badia the Free” came out last Monday. As you might imagine, it’s a thoughtful and provocative examination of…
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Intelligent Design
I finally got to play some of Spore tonight, ending up just partway through the tribal phase. I’m in danger of overusing the word, but I can’t think of a better one to describe it than “wonderful.” (I could be biased, since several of my friends are on the team, but then we’re not that…
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Smile on your brother
I’ve been thinking more last night and today about PAX and the “corporeal internet.” Specifically, wondering why going to a convention about videogames can renew my interest and surround me with a warm glow, while reading about videogames on the internet makes me want to punch people in the kidneys. It’s definitely not for the…
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It’s Over!
I’m not sure how they pulled it off, but PAX was loud, crowded, and packed with people trying to sell things, and it still managed to be pretty damn cool. I’m so used to leaving videogame-related trade shows and conventions with my will completely drained, convinced that I’ve made a horrible career choice — it’s…
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Keeping Up Appearances
The Penny Arcade Expo is this weekend, and I’m flying up tomorrow for another three days of being awkward and confused while surrounded by nerdcrowds. I’m actually looking forward to this one, unlike the Comic Con, because I keep hearing how PAX is the right way to do a convention. I’d actually forgotten it was…
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Cinema Vérité
Ever since production started on SBCG4AP, Nick and Jake have been working on a video series documenting the development process. The first part was released today:
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I’m thinking of a number between 1 and You’re Dumb
Since this is about adventure games, I feel like I should make my usual disclaimer explicit: this is a personal blog, I don’t speak for my company, and vice-versa. Any opinions I spew out here are not necessarily my coworkers’; in fact, when somebody at work tells me, “I read your blog,” it’s most often…
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It LIVES!
The Spore Creature Creator demo went live on EA’s site today, with the $10 version available tomorrow. I’ve been playing around with it a little bit, and if the complete game has even a fraction of the detail and attention given to the creature creator, Maxis has knocked this one way out of the park.…
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The revolution will be playable on your television
There’s something inherently sad and a little pathetic about being addicted to a videogame. Worse by several orders of magnitude — measured in units that I will from now on call dorkstroms — is being addicted to a videogame that’s not even out yet. The demo for Civilization Revolution came out last week, and I’ve…
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Who’s in control here?
That’s Alexander Haig. Look him up. Also: This post has spoilers for BioShock and Grand Theft Auto IV, in case you’re paranoid about that kind of thing. Previously on Spectre Collie, I made the claim that videogame developers can learn more from “non-interactive” media than just how to make more cinematic cut-scenes and more literary…