Videogame Criticism

[Chopper]

Interesting article Andrew; nice work.

I couldn't remember what ending I chose, had to go back and look it up. The game got quite interesting at the end there, in light of your argument.

[AndrewBrown]

I'll definitely have ideas about the ending when I get there (I try to write a good-sized essay about every episode Telltale puts out), specifically relating to that bizarre moment when Carver tries to pull the "we're not so different, you and I" thing on an eleven-year old girl.

Spoiler: He ain't totally wrong.

[Bluebird55]

I know it's not entirely relevant to the conversation that is currently being carried out, or even sort of video games entirely (I hope it is!), but I would like to contribute to this post by saying this:

Warcraft the movie, seriously? This is Blizzard we're on about. I've played WoW. I've played Diablo. Good gravy, the amount of blood and sweat they put into the cutscenes on Diablo 3? Bugger, they would knock the box office onto it's arse by making a film with graphics like that! And they gob out the Warcraft movie? Don't get me wrong, it's great, I loved the film, I hope they make a sequel, but it looks like they sort of DID make an effort but not as much as D3 cutscenes OR WoW's recent cutscenes (which are comparible, this post is entirely my opinion, by the by).

[KSubzero1000]

And they gob out the Warcraft movie?

The question I have is who do you mean by "they"? Blizzard have creative control over the cutscenes they put in their own games, but the movie was produced by Hollywood companies. Not the same people at all, as far as I know.

[Bluebird55]

And they gob out the Warcraft movie?

The question I have is who do you mean by "they"? Blizzard have creative control over the cutscenes they put in their own games, but the movie was produced by Hollywood companies. Not the same people at all, as far as I know.

I meant whoever was behind the cinematics, being a multimillion dollar company I would have thought they would have guided the cinematics department, maybe they did, I don't know meself .

[KSubzero1000]

I don't think it was the same people who created the cinematics of the game and the visual effects of the movie. Adaptation rights are usually sold off and the following adaptation is then developed externally by movie studios. Besides the name, the two productions have very little in common. And so I don't think it's very fair to hold Blizzard accountable for the visual effects of the movie. Or to praise them for the movie's strengths, for that matter.

[Bluebird55]

I don't think it was the same people who created the cinematics of the game and the visual effects of the movie. Adaptation rights are usually sold off and the following adaptation is then developed externally by movie studios. Besides the name, the two productions have very little in common. And so I don't think it's very fair to hold Blizzard accountable for the visual effects of the movie. Or to praise them for the movie's strengths, for that matter.

Ah, I see, so basically when it says "Blizzard" on the opening credits it isn't actually Blizzard Entertainment? That's where I was wrong, I apologize, it was a fantastic film, there's no denying that. Can't wait for the sequel!

[KSubzero1000]

To be fair, I haven't seen the film and I don't know any detail of that particular production. It's just the way I believe these things are being handled. The "Blizzard" in the credits could very well just refer to the IP holder.

[Michiel K]

New Matthewmatosis video. Essential watching for you Dark / Demon Souls fans!

[Suits]

Something that I find so infuriating that I've completely stopped playing the Pro Evo games, is the 'mythical' scripting that the game has.

For me, it's got to a point now where I choose not to play the game because of it . I still buy it every year mind but this is the first year I've stopped playing the game so early on into the season.

Having played the series of games since the PS1 era, I like to think I understand how the games principles are structured, or feel to the player. I'd say I've easily put over 100 hours into each of the last 15 titles released.

I also understand and appreciate the opinion that scripting is silly and is in no way built into these games.

However, far to many times things have happened to me in matches which are just totally too ridiculous to believe. Not just once either, or twice but to the point where you can almost call whats going to happen.

Suddenly your own players will just totally under hit a pass along the back line, or defenders will all of a sudden lose all defensive awareness and run away from their man - for no reason what so ever. Another favorite at the other end is unbelievably slow first touches, uncharacteristically sluggish movement and crazy off target shots.

I understand the form aspect and the fatigue principle on players stats also. Which is fine, as its tangible. David Marshall suddenly truing into Gigi Buffon is not though.

Sometimes, when attacking and something feels odd, I sort of think to myself, "here we go" they steal possession, flick it into midfield, play one ball over the top, their in perfectly and roll it simply into the net.

I understand football and I know things like this happen in real life football but in this instance - it's off and happens at the wrong time and too frequent.

This happens, in Master League, MyClub and most modes where you play the CPU. I've also witnessed what feels like a version of it online, when things just won't feel right and the momentum swings between teams.

I suppose it adds variation and challenge to the game but for me, I'd like to see other ways of making a football game challenging as opposed to sudden, uncharacteristic, boost for the opposition play or debuffs of your own teams ability.

[ratsoalbion]

Pro Evo and FIFA - as well as Football Manager - are regularly accused of this.

Personally I'm in the non-conspiracy camp for all three games.

Boosts and debuffs are - as I understand it - usually a case of the AI's 'mentality' side of the game being overplayed and overpowered, rather than any underhand Mario Kart style rubber-banding designed to keep games tight.

Having spoken to the developers of several football games over the years - and playing hundreds of hours of videogame footy each and every year - I don't see there being any benefit whatsoever for the developer to implement 'cheating'.

I've seen passages of play and scenarios just as unlikely, amazing and/or frustrating unfold in my 35 years of watching real football as anything I've suffered/enjoyed in PES, FIFA or FM!

[Suits]

I have to admit, I'd wanted to post my previous post about Pro Evo for a while, as soon as I saw the thread but didn't, as I didn't want to come across as 'one of those' conspiracy type consumers of the game etc.. because I find the whole topic embarrassing too.

You're probably right and perhaps your extra years of experience and conversations with people that 'would know', will put you in more educated position than myself and while I'd never considered the matter that 'AI cheating' is included in the game at a code a level, I will have to respectfully disagree and go with my own experiences and thoughts to say - I think there is something that in the last few years has become more of a problem in the way in which a game plays out, as opposed to how I play with a group of players. I don't lose because I was bad, or made a bad decision, I lose because something odd or out of the ordinary plays out, or was supposed to happen far to often to be enjoyable any more.

[ratsoalbion]

Worth a read anyway: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017- ... ent-rigged

[Suits]

Yeah, I saw and read that the other day. Very interesting.

I've not played a FIFA game in any sort of detail for a long long time, so don't know about that enough to comment.

[ratsoalbion]

It strikes me that the fact that all three major football franchises have the same accusations levelled at them if anything undermines such theories.

By the by, I have had it from the horse's mouth - Miles Jacobson, the main man at Sports Interactive- that Football Manager has no weighting/rubber-banding/catch up logic (beyond the myriad stats that go to make up the simulation) of any kind. I believe him, though many FM players will swear blind that they have been cheated.

[Suits]

It strikes me that the fact that all three major football franchises have the same accusations levelled at them if anything undermines such theories.

Hmm, I think perhaps the point I’m trying to make is getting lost in my inability to get it across properly.

It’s not with those series of games but the way in which Pro Evo attempts to make its game difficult.

Certain passages of play seem to be in-defendable and inconstant with the rest of the game, which break immersion and makes it feel less of an interactive game.

This seems to be getting worse each year.

Things like FIFA and FM I don’t know about and don’t think there is any sort of wide conspiracy in these games about cheating players or anything – just that Pro Evo has some unexplainable moments in its gameplay that have resulted in my questioning on how the AI is programmed. Something that I think has gotten noticeably worse over the last two entries and resulted in me not playing the game anymore.

[ratsoalbion]

Yes, I'm with you. You're clearly not alone in that either.

I'm just hoping that FIFA 18 is an absolute stormer!

[Suits]

I'm just hoping that FIFA 18 is an absolute stormer!

I'm certainly excited about playing that on the Switch !!

[James]

New Matthewmatosis video. Essential watching for you Dark / Demon Souls fans!

I agree with pretty much all of that. Thanks for sharing the video.

[Chopper]

I also enjoyed watching that. I expect one could pick a few holes in his argument but as I've always viewed Demons as head and shoulders above the rest, I'm happy to see my confirmation bias supported.