Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Thursday, 28 February 2008
Interview Task
Steffan Griffiths - Interview for BA (Hons) Computer Games Design
[Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater]
KCEJ West’s distinct use of hardware to immerse the player in the Metal Gear universe, in the title - Metal Gear Solid 3, I believe, is an unforgivably overlooked feat in innovation. The simplest idea is often the most innovative, which is why the development team’s use of the internal PlayStation2 clock to continually monitor the player is particularly original.
When Snake’s [the protagonist’s] food rots to various degrees depending on how long the player has left the game unplayed, a completely new level of immersion is reached. This alone could be viewed as an invaluable idea for other developers to expand upon. Yet, Kojima’s team, as is expected, took the concept further - altering fundamental parts of the experience using one of the console’s basic utilities.
If the player is relieved of battling a major boss character - an uncannily aged Russian sniper - due to the game having been saved before the battle, left for a week, and then resumed, the player could logically only feel a sheer sense of gratitude if s/he were fortunate enough to have experienced this mechanic in an initial play-through of the title.
The team even took the concept a step further again, by using the ‘game save’ mechanic to develop character - a truly independent way of adding to the experience. It is a challenge to find another title which is daring enough to insert an entirely separate mini-game to represent the protagonist’s nightmare, induced by a fear of vampires.
It is also disappointing to see other developers not pick up on - or expand upon - these pioneering conceptions. Some industry participants are dismissive enough to even label these details as ‘something only the Japanese do’.
[Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater]
KCEJ West’s distinct use of hardware to immerse the player in the Metal Gear universe, in the title - Metal Gear Solid 3, I believe, is an unforgivably overlooked feat in innovation. The simplest idea is often the most innovative, which is why the development team’s use of the internal PlayStation2 clock to continually monitor the player is particularly original.
When Snake’s [the protagonist’s] food rots to various degrees depending on how long the player has left the game unplayed, a completely new level of immersion is reached. This alone could be viewed as an invaluable idea for other developers to expand upon. Yet, Kojima’s team, as is expected, took the concept further - altering fundamental parts of the experience using one of the console’s basic utilities.
If the player is relieved of battling a major boss character - an uncannily aged Russian sniper - due to the game having been saved before the battle, left for a week, and then resumed, the player could logically only feel a sheer sense of gratitude if s/he were fortunate enough to have experienced this mechanic in an initial play-through of the title.
The team even took the concept a step further again, by using the ‘game save’ mechanic to develop character - a truly independent way of adding to the experience. It is a challenge to find another title which is daring enough to insert an entirely separate mini-game to represent the protagonist’s nightmare, induced by a fear of vampires.
It is also disappointing to see other developers not pick up on - or expand upon - these pioneering conceptions. Some industry participants are dismissive enough to even label these details as ‘something only the Japanese do’.
Tuesday, 21 August 2007
I hate thinking!
And that's why my brain has gradually withered over the past months.
The lack of posts on this blog which I was trying to take seriously, is the definition of 'stupidity'.
So, in result, I am making a blog post which is essentially about nothing.
What's happened to me between May and August? Not a whole lot - one thing that springs to mind, is the internet fiasco, in which the YouTube user, Applemilk1988 was hacked, and brought to justice... lol. Anybody reading this will not have understood a word of that last sentence. So, why did I write it? I'll tell YOU (lol) why, because no one is going to read it. Therefore the only essential purpose of this blog, is to document, for MYSELF, my contemporary life.
Cya!
P.S The PS3 version of Oblivion rocks! Ben from Red-Rant was right when he said that it will suck your life away (he didn't say that to me personally, obviously). But anyway, the description of its effects thus proves why it is a perfect summer game! I have no life to be sucked away!
Griffo
The lack of posts on this blog which I was trying to take seriously, is the definition of 'stupidity'.
So, in result, I am making a blog post which is essentially about nothing.
What's happened to me between May and August? Not a whole lot - one thing that springs to mind, is the internet fiasco, in which the YouTube user, Applemilk1988 was hacked, and brought to justice... lol. Anybody reading this will not have understood a word of that last sentence. So, why did I write it? I'll tell YOU (lol) why, because no one is going to read it. Therefore the only essential purpose of this blog, is to document, for MYSELF, my contemporary life.
Cya!
P.S The PS3 version of Oblivion rocks! Ben from Red-Rant was right when he said that it will suck your life away (he didn't say that to me personally, obviously). But anyway, the description of its effects thus proves why it is a perfect summer game! I have no life to be sucked away!
Griffo
Wednesday, 30 May 2007
Feel Like Being Humoured?
Well, I'd be happy to accommodate you:
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a58390/metal-gear-solid-4-confirmed-for-xbox-360.html
I'd also be more than happy to provide you with the truth:
That news story is the most ridiculous one I have read in probably all my life. There has been NOTHING said about MGS4 being on the Wii. All of the quotes provided by the writer, which give an impression of authenticity, actually add nothing to what a MGS4 news watch dog knows. In actual fact, reading through it again, I'm very sure that the writer has simply thought up the quotes himself. There are grammatical errors... and quite frankly, a load of lies. If any official statements are made, they are always made by Kojima. Not some 'Konami spokesperson', as was stated by Mr. Gibbon. I seriously doubt that anybody outside of Kojima Productions knows what's going on, content-wise, with MGS4.
And, damn, I just have to flag this up big time - "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots will be released in 2008." What the hell! This statement confirms all of my arguments. The release date is still being discussed by the team. No official release dates outside of the very vague, '2007' on the trailers, has been released.
Who are you going to believe? David Gibbon (who the hell?), or Hideo Kojima, and the official studio?
It's your call.
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a58390/metal-gear-solid-4-confirmed-for-xbox-360.html
I'd also be more than happy to provide you with the truth:
That news story is the most ridiculous one I have read in probably all my life. There has been NOTHING said about MGS4 being on the Wii. All of the quotes provided by the writer, which give an impression of authenticity, actually add nothing to what a MGS4 news watch dog knows. In actual fact, reading through it again, I'm very sure that the writer has simply thought up the quotes himself. There are grammatical errors... and quite frankly, a load of lies. If any official statements are made, they are always made by Kojima. Not some 'Konami spokesperson', as was stated by Mr. Gibbon. I seriously doubt that anybody outside of Kojima Productions knows what's going on, content-wise, with MGS4.
And, damn, I just have to flag this up big time - "Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots will be released in 2008." What the hell! This statement confirms all of my arguments. The release date is still being discussed by the team. No official release dates outside of the very vague, '2007' on the trailers, has been released.
Who are you going to believe? David Gibbon (who the hell?), or Hideo Kojima, and the official studio?
It's your call.
Wednesday, 23 May 2007
Examination nation nation... na- n-
Six hours of exams. Wuthering Heights, and poems from the period 1200-1800... STRAIGHT! "Prepositional phrases are utilised by Tennyson to connote an aura of omniscience"
I spent my weekend before the exams revising/annotating poems which I shockingly discovered was an .absolute. waste of time. Am I complaining? No. I'm metally tough/'ard, dude.
The exam wasn't helped by the fact that our fat, secluded English teacher, Miss Selby, handed me a novel, in sheet form, to read, the weekend before the exam... clever.
Yet, I guess she thought I deserved it. I mean, the amount of times she's probably heard me bitching about her is obscene. "Lol, no one answers her in class" "She's so small and fat", "Everyone hates her. How does she have the will to go out the house?". To be perfectly fair, I have been notably damn unlucky, as everyone else bitches about her. I guess it's fitting that at least someone had justice induced upon them. I was that unlucky sod. But, wtf, I don't even know if she gave me the sheets because of that, or if she cares about one narcissistic loser bitching about her, or if she even heard me properly when I was bitching.
Though thank fucking god, I have 2 weeks of partial freedom now. The new PS3 firmware (upscaled PS2 games, remote play from any wireless access point), the Motorstorm update, two more sessions of the Kojima productions report, time to obsess over my newly acquired mint 1999 MGS artbook, and time to play MGS 1 again, and if I can afford it, the European version of MPO - purely for collection purposes of course, and maybe a bit of lag-free online play (with the BBFC sticker on the UMD... sheesh.), and the PSP camera, before my next venture into hell. 3 hours of British history - Gladstone and Disraeli anyone? The great reform act of 1832... Irish emancipation, home rule... Parnell... Stop me, I can't wait!
Enjoy the exam season, all you students out there! Hold the phone, I don't have any readers. Who am I talking to? No matter, it's a handy life documentation which will no doubt, serve as a nostalgic night's read sometime.
Don't Let It Bring You Down - Neil Young (original). Great song. Another recent discovery by me! However, I suggest finding a cover (there are loads) by a female artist.
I spent my weekend before the exams revising/annotating poems which I shockingly discovered was an .absolute. waste of time. Am I complaining? No. I'm metally tough/'ard, dude.
The exam wasn't helped by the fact that our fat, secluded English teacher, Miss Selby, handed me a novel, in sheet form, to read, the weekend before the exam... clever.
Yet, I guess she thought I deserved it. I mean, the amount of times she's probably heard me bitching about her is obscene. "Lol, no one answers her in class" "She's so small and fat", "Everyone hates her. How does she have the will to go out the house?". To be perfectly fair, I have been notably damn unlucky, as everyone else bitches about her. I guess it's fitting that at least someone had justice induced upon them. I was that unlucky sod. But, wtf, I don't even know if she gave me the sheets because of that, or if she cares about one narcissistic loser bitching about her, or if she even heard me properly when I was bitching.
Though thank fucking god, I have 2 weeks of partial freedom now. The new PS3 firmware (upscaled PS2 games, remote play from any wireless access point), the Motorstorm update, two more sessions of the Kojima productions report, time to obsess over my newly acquired mint 1999 MGS artbook, and time to play MGS 1 again, and if I can afford it, the European version of MPO - purely for collection purposes of course, and maybe a bit of lag-free online play (with the BBFC sticker on the UMD... sheesh.), and the PSP camera, before my next venture into hell. 3 hours of British history - Gladstone and Disraeli anyone? The great reform act of 1832... Irish emancipation, home rule... Parnell... Stop me, I can't wait!
Enjoy the exam season, all you students out there! Hold the phone, I don't have any readers. Who am I talking to? No matter, it's a handy life documentation which will no doubt, serve as a nostalgic night's read sometime.
Don't Let It Bring You Down - Neil Young (original). Great song. Another recent discovery by me! However, I suggest finding a cover (there are loads) by a female artist.
Thursday, 17 May 2007
Ryan's Report
Wow, a blog post about a blog post. Have I sunk to a new low? Yes!
Ryan Payton, assistant producer in the Kojima Productions studio, recently featured a few members of the 1UP crew on his podcast, the Kojima Productions Report. Unlike many of the podcast's previous sessions (not all of them), this time the 1UP crew 'grilled' Ryan on the juice! MGS4 release date? MGS4 on 360? SIXAXIS support? Get it while it's hot.
http://mp.i-revo.jp/user.php/kp-ryan/entry/95.html
And, god dammit, why the hell hasn't my MGS art book arrived!? 1st class postage, my eye...
!WARNING!
I
I
V
Ryan went pretty crazy in the comments section of this blog post. At least, what I would consider to be 'crazy'. It's interesting. Ryan finally cracked most likely because of all those console fanboy messages which he has -probably, or seemingly, - been recieving. He outwright insults a user who expresses a preference to a certain console (He wants MGS4 exclusivity on the PS3). I play a small part in the discussion, so it's worth a look, even if you are reading this a long time after the intial post date. Check the link!
Ryan Payton, assistant producer in the Kojima Productions studio, recently featured a few members of the 1UP crew on his podcast, the Kojima Productions Report. Unlike many of the podcast's previous sessions (not all of them), this time the 1UP crew 'grilled' Ryan on the juice! MGS4 release date? MGS4 on 360? SIXAXIS support? Get it while it's hot.
http://mp.i-revo.jp/user.php/kp-ryan/entry/95.html
And, god dammit, why the hell hasn't my MGS art book arrived!? 1st class postage, my eye...
!WARNING!
I
I
V
Ryan went pretty crazy in the comments section of this blog post. At least, what I would consider to be 'crazy'. It's interesting. Ryan finally cracked most likely because of all those console fanboy messages which he has -probably, or seemingly, - been recieving. He outwright insults a user who expresses a preference to a certain console (He wants MGS4 exclusivity on the PS3). I play a small part in the discussion, so it's worth a look, even if you are reading this a long time after the intial post date. Check the link!
Wednesday, 16 May 2007
Hideout
My minimalist hideout. The HDMGSTGS06 trailer on my 32" Bravia didn't come out amazingly nicely in the photo... but, anyway, there is a PS3 under there. Gradually, my setup has become more efficient, streamlined and sophisticated. So, if I'm sitting somewhere, it's not too much hassle to pick something up, like my headset. For example, my keyboard won't get botched from lying on the radiator, as it now has neat little hooks... Basically, it will get closer and closer to perfection, but it will never get there, as nothing does. Then, I will have to go to uni, and it will all be a waist. Wonderful. I might just take an art foundation so that I can stay home for another year, and it's not all 'wasted'. Am I that superficial? Maybe.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Griffo569/DSC02344.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Griffo569/DSC02343-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Griffo569/DSC02345.jpg
So, since I've been obnoxiously introverted in pretty much all my blog posts so far, I think my coming ones will comment on news etc.
Look forward to them.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Griffo569/DSC02344.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Griffo569/DSC02343-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Griffo569/DSC02345.jpg
So, since I've been obnoxiously introverted in pretty much all my blog posts so far, I think my coming ones will comment on news etc.
Look forward to them.
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