Game Design: Too Powerful Option? A simple Analysis

As i played Forza 3 some of my friends seem not as satisfied with the rewind function in the game. He could undo all his mistake when he is racing against AI opponent just by pressing the select button and there is no limit of rewind function in the game. The only thing that Turn 10 (Forza 3 Developer) will punish you is that your ranking in leaderboard will be less than other that dont used that features. He said that this is a terrible game because it made player have too many power and not to be able to become a better racer like most of the sim racer available.

Fun?

Which his statement is just riddiculous. Game are meant for people to have fun. What i said is if you think that feature is bugging you then just dont use it. if there is some option that will make the gameplay imbalance or not enjoyable to you then dont use it. If you think that the sniper rifle is really imbalance in wolfenstein then just dont use it...try play metal gear solid 3 just by using microphone not with the radar and you will be much more immersed.

The power of choice that given by developer may or may not abused by the player they made it available so that player can have their choice of playing which in turn made it suitable based on what kind of fun each gamer has(hard? or just for relaxing).

Default
The art of enforcing user/gamer to feel the right feature is to configure the default difficultyso it caters to their target audience. It is posible to make your game to cater to a wide target audience but you have to make sure you have the core target audience then you started implementing helpfull feature and determine what kind of default difficulty are you going to implement. A dynamic difficulty like in Max Payne 2 is also good for this job.
What forza 3 does is they made the player gone through a series of question and test race to make sure that player are playing in their right configuration. They also made effort in designing their game and their marketing strategy to make sure that all the option/feature available in the game does not make their game dumb down for hardcore racing gamer but it is to make user/gamer/target audience to have more option so if they are comfortable on their current difficulty they could make it harder. this is a sort of learning you will hope for the next game because as a game it meant to provide entertainment.

as a puncline to this post i guess there should be further investigation on how do game designer design their game...

CHAO

What i Hear, What I Listen, and What I see about our world:Terrorism

What i heard today is about another bomb in Jakarta. All this meaningless terrorism leads into another lost of death,cry,sense of desperation and meaningless hatred.

I heard it. I Saw it. People kill each other, kill women and innocent children and even desecrate grave for something we called faith. I believe in this kinda things then ill do anything as long my purpose/believe is fulfilled.

 

Does that justified killing?

Is this the world god envisioned to us?

 

I realized the savage nature of human being. I believe in humanity. I believe that one day we will see through it all. And believe that one day everyone will believe on the greater good. Instead of being selfish.

 

This is what i do if i want to do something evil someone else.

If you want to hit someone, imagine you hit the person you love the most such as your family? Do you dare to hit them?To desecrate their grave? To bomb them?

The Joy of living in this unique world where everyone is different from each other is to understand that differences and made peace about it. Not to fight with each other to determine who is right. Loving is about accepting flaws, not about perfection.

Brothers in Arms:Hell’s Highway

Welcome To Hell

I never can find a tag line better than this. Welcome to hell. this is hell indeed.

There was a time where the world of gaming filled by clones of generic world war 2 shooter. Even the Medal Of Honor series born in this dark age and turn out to be almost the same with anyone else. Nothing impress me in the tiresome world of war 2 fps except for Call Of Duty. That one blew my mind away.

Then along came Brothers in arms. The first game in the series is actually heart touching story of a group of men(band of brothers you might say because of the resemblance to that miniseries) surviving the farmland of Holland. The Story is not particularly mind blowing, you have to admit that it is clichéd but no one touch this territory story wise. Who ever think that to bring the brutality and emptiness of World War 2 can be as successful as mowing down waves of no #25 Nazis.

Welcome To Hell

Every man has his own weaknesses.

Add a lite “strategic” gameplay into it and you get a simple but engaging shooter that also filled with repetitiveness. you can control a team of few men but the command you can give to them is limited but you can argue that by adding context sensitive to it rather than a myriad of option like rainbow six series do give this series it own charm and accessibility. Unfortunately the AI both your allies and enemies are not that bright. The enemies will tend to shoot you while moving around the corner make it easy target to flank. The only real devil in this part is usually the map layout not the Nazis themselves. And your teammate sometime hide in the WRONG side of the wall make them an easy target. combine with this the strangely cursor to command them make this “commanding your group” part of the gameplay a bit annoying but nevertheless the main attraction of this game.

No one Fights alone

There are a bit of new addition to the gameplay three of them make this installment even more accessible compared to the previous one. First the cover system works marvelously but lately i found sometime you cannot attach to the wall you want. Both the destructible cover and the bazooka team does make this game even more fun than before but you have to note that not all cover can be destroyed..only a miniscule of them but once you hit it right you will be giggling in excitement while accompanied by the brutal action cam showing the massacre you cause while limbs are torn away. No this is not the same visceral amount of gore as God Of War 3 might be. But nevertheless i think this describe the brutality of war beautifully.

Annoying Mission Tanks. But beautiful Scenery indeed

The solo player part of the game is not the best but also not as annoying as some other people told me. It is mediocre at best. And the new tank mission also does the same. it feels empty. I can understands why they create this level but the previous installment does give you the same feeling of power by make tanks as part of your team. Not to mention sometimes that the addition of tanks seems a little bit of forced story wise.

 

Introspective Story

The story continue the same story from previous two games but the serviceable “preciously on” segment does the best it can do. But i argue that people who played the first one(Hill 30) have easier time to respect this installment. The story is heart touching but i found that the minimalistic music element in cut scene segment is disappointing. I see a lot of potential here but alas you don't buy a game for potential you actually want to experience them. The dialogues actually are lively. But it turns down by a ridiculous script that try to be gritty but fails. But still iam a fan of the first game so  can appreciate what they have done here but somehow i cannot feel the brutality and sacrifice in this war as Gearbox promised me.

 

Here Comes The Rain

The Presentation is fantastic but the usual unreal 3 engine bugginess like the texture pop up thing is apparent. Sometime clipping does also happen occasionally. But other than that the vista and the environment effect like Rain,Farm and fire are fantastic.

*note i bought this game only for 12.5 aus dollar so i think that this game worth all the penny.

85/100

The Return of the blind AI

A funny flaw in Brother in arms Hell’s Highway spotted by Me

So i went like this…. i was sort of tried to reorganize thought by killing Nazis in brother in arms Hell’s Highway(which is i bought only for AU$12.5..cheap as hell). Then the most surprising unpleasant nostalgia struck me.

thought that this is 2008…man do we stll have pathfindng trouble?…man… but by no means this is almost unforgivable considering that this is a squad base tactics game… where every single mistakes count….unfortunately this problem is very sparse… 10 minutes later

btw he is almost as stupid as these guys(the bot one)

A journey to Dreamworld’s Gold Coast: A travelogue Part 1-Leaving house-

To quote this is my first time ever write a journey of mine that filled with many excitement. The reason why im writing this is not because this is the most interesting part of my life(duh) but because im too bored now and rather than doing things that decrease my imagination and creative mind by being a slave to video games(ahem Crysis) and rather than being too productive(look far ahead by doing homework and group project), i decide to write down this memories into words.

It began like last Sunday…11 April 2009. The day when… well i dont remember it crystal clear but i do remember both me and Falah like laying down while waiting for Fadhil and Fanov. Then Fadhil knocked on our room and said.

Fadhil:“Tomorrow we will go to Gold Coast. Anyone want to come?”

Danar:”?Since when we will go there on monday?”

Fadhil:”Well Jingga want to go with her sister there with or without us so i think why not?”

okay that is vague…..

but i still haven't had my share of fun because i decline every chances to have fun with my friend in Brisbane for a while because of my Assignments or even Exam. Time For Revenge.(ost:Generic _evil_laugh.mp3)

Okay i said in my heart.

I slept.

I woke up like 7 or 8 in the morning while Fadhil knocking desperately on Fanov’s room and my(oh yeah and falah) room tried to wake us (falah already woke up and i believe at that time he is cooking something)up.

unfortunately his obvious good intention turned out blue and he gave up and slept again. While fanov try to call our house to wake me up. Unfortunately Falah answered it.

Desperately he tried to call me again now directly to my cell phone. What kind of a weirdo want to call a man that sleep like 5 steps from his own room. Weird. Anyway after deciding if no one want to took a bath and i rather take  a bath than to be trapped in an endless cycle of waiting and be in a deadlocked state. I heroically take my own towell and enter the great bathroom. Handsomely went out of there in style!!!

okay enough of it.

After all of us take a bath –falah is in the bathroom at that time-

Fadhil scream like a banshee(well not perse…. but what the hell this is funny) while he still sleeping in his bed.

Fadhil:“M****y, take a bath wont you?”

Fanov:”Now why dont you take one?”

well in bahasa it went like this

Fadhil:”Nyet  ga mandi?”

Fanov:”Nyet u ga mandi?”

 

ironically speaking considering he is the one who havent took a bath that morning. after all things cleared up we went to Guyatt Park city cat stop joining the others.

to be continued…

Is it really that many temptation in this country

i know.. i know….

im in Brisbane for studying.

but come on…

is it really my fantasy or is it that many temptation in here?

1. Original Games

2. faster internet than Indonesia-although they do have some limits

3. Cute girls everywhere

4. Beautiful river

5. many extra activities

 

but dude better whack that idea of studying into my head or else…. 

Alan Wake Where Are You?

What is Alan Wake?

How Good Is Alan Wake Graphics?

Looks Real Time To me. Notice all the details in the Bookstore/ This is Remedy Stuff boys. High Quality…

Dead Eye Effect Is Not Impressive

How Does it Play?

I Dunno but what i know is…

Creepy but without Zombie. Will Include Moody Surrealistic thriller story and heavy emphasize on light.

When It Will Be Released?

all of the picture is trademark of Remedy Entertainment

And it is taken from Alan Wake Official Website

http://www.alanwake.com/

Kejadian Bodoh: Kelaparan

23 March 2009

Jam 12 Siang waktu gw Sedang Tutorial Machine Learning mengenai Bayesian Network n kita lagi  ngomongin faktor2 yang menyebabkan n disebabkan oleh jenis2 ikan tangkapan.

Sewaktu ngomongin Seabass terus suara perut gw yang keroncongan terdengar. Maklum belum sarapan n bangun telat.

Orang Sebelah Gw : “Seems like someone is a bit Hungry”

Dosen:”Not if you are in Antartica”

Yakuza 2 Review

Yakuza 2

Well that question burnet into my head as i further immersed myself in the beautiful city of Kamurocho and Osaka of Yakuza 2 game. Strolling down the street listening to people conversations as i pass them by. Licking Neopolitan Ice cream. After that beat down thugs who has been shaking the place for months and earn some money and discount. And Spend my blood money on Casino,Girls,Toys and my favorite Japanese cuisine “Sushi”. While once a while thwarting the Osaka Yakuza invading Kanto for some strange and laughable motives.

Life never seem grander. I love Yakuza 2. It captivates me more than Yakuza 1 ever was(partially because the whole setting seemed more Japanese because of the voice acting are now in Japanese and the story vs gameplay Pacing are IMHO better than the slow burning prologue of Yakuza 2). And in my opinion even more engaging than the overhype Shenmue 2.

One of the greatest Strength of Yakuza 2 that its utilize is the attention of detail to its City. Both Kamurocho and Kanto are rendered beautifully and stunning detail to both its world and its interaction.

Ive known few liquor(never drink one but i watched enough movie and read enough books) and Japanese Cuisine to appreciate it name,description and representation in Yakuza 2 world.

Its totally believable and if you are the type of people who love one of the above(like strolling around, test your luck in casino,play some quirky mini games and tasting beverages,liquor, and exotic-unique cuisine) i really suggest you to play Yakuza 2.

The representation is not the best around but the voice acting,animation,the script(i have to warn you that some of its part are utterly riddiculously too cartoonish even for a game, although it acted like it make sense) and once again THE SENSE OF DETAIL.

But to be honest the biggest driving force in this game is the insane amount of detail and its story.

its an interesting mix of Violent Crime Movie(80%) and comic like Fantasy(20%).

The story is Beautiful from the beginning till the end.-i even hold myself from taking a piss just because i want to see what would happen next-

I sincerely became more acquainted and do care a lot with the characters in this game. The so badass its so fucking cool Kazuma Kiryu,Majima,Kazuma Kiryu,Daigo Dojima and Sayama Kaoru.

The music is also great but if you played it for 30 hours like me it sure gets on your nerve. But the music in the cinematic is so great and fit its Yakuza japanese gangster theme perfectly.

The main gameplay beside its mini games(playing Shogi or Mahjong)…

Is so so.

If your talking about the interactivity and extreme complicated gameplay. Then you’ll be disappointed with this one. The interaction is pretty much basic, the resident evil limited inventory is aggravating because youll be shuffle back and forth in search for magical item box that is sparse in this game. The city is seem too small if we compare it to any Grand Theft Auto installment.

The battle is too simple. Its like Street of Rage in 3D. Simple. At first bashing people with Rage moves are insanely fun, but after 20th time you'll be bored. The developer try to spice it up with RPG like level up. But its so basic that you wont even bother with it.

The quest is also to be put simply. Bewildering. It is not a rare moment where you’ll left in the city with no idea where you should go. But this is like a double edge sword. In other hand it forces gamer/user to explore every inch of detail in the environment more. Thus make it more Immersive.

 

For me this game is almost too good to be true. Because i am one of those gamer who put Story in the first priority ahead of Gameplay and Presentation. And i do think that this game story fare better against the like of Bioshock and Half life 2. It just this game hasn't receive the attention it deserved.

Play this game. Or at least rent it. Let yourself play your friend copy or rent it for 3 hours. If until then you dont like it then return it. If until that point you interested on the world even just a little bit, i have to warn you. You wont put down that controller for a while

Pro’s

• Great Presentation
• Great Music
• Superb Story
• Insanely High attention to presentation detail
• Great Voice acting(Because Its Japanese and its also great)
• Violent animation when rumbling against opponents
• Satisfying Climax(a big plus. Most game nowadays still have those To be continued written in its after credits)

Con’s

• Several –only a small portion of the story- Laughable plot points
• The gameplay pacing can be tedious and frustating
• Its graphic cant compare against the Current Gen Console Standard(like Duh?)

SCORE:85

Burning After Reading: an afterthought

Rating: Recommended (8 out of 10)

first and foremost i know the title supposed to be Burn After Reading

Surprised doesn't even closed to describe how me and my friend are reaction are after watching the first ten minutes of this film. An 80 minutes after that i left that studio with my friend with a smile and an experience not to be forgotten easily.

Burn afterthought is a very ironic film. It talks about how a very distinguish,eccentric and –forgive my language- idiot people trying to behave normally. They disguised their problem in such a manner that it seems like nothing big happened. They make mistakes, they forget, yet still they stabbed their dearest friends,family and other person that they may not know either both consciously or not.

How far you would have gone to fulfill your sexual desire?

How many you are willing to sacrifice to get your husband alimony?

How many friends are you going to sacrifice to get the perfect body?

What will you do to get the attention of the one you love?

It told a tragic story and wrapped it up in such a bizarre dialogue and circumstances  and also spice it up with many and many sexual jokes.

The film is not meant to be as serious or as beautiful as the Coen brothers previous “No Country for Old men”.

It is entertaining though, and it if you dig it up a little you will find some wise advise in it.

i like this kind of film which remind me of other absurd nonsense comedy movie which sure stir your laughing appetite. Like the high profile Tropic Thunder, Balls of Fury and Blades of Glory. If you like one of those three i suggest you to watch Burn After Reading or if you like Burn After Reading i highly recommend you to watch the other three.

 

Chao

N.B.:

-Well when i saw it in the theater in Setiabudi,Jakarta,Indonesia another strange thing happened there. Well only me and my friend. The two of us. Who laughed. The rest of them don't laugh. So if you understand the joke of the film or do not understand a few of the gags in there please reply me in here.

The Importance of Reminding Gamer the story so far, especially if you just have continuing your old save game

Last week when i ransack my games collection to see what other games that have superb story that i did not finish yet i struck on Broken Sword 3 and 4.

Sadly my copy of Broken Sword : Angel Of Death is a tad clunky without proper patch. So i decided to continue my Broken Sword 3 game which i left probably a half year ago.

Well i struck down on two things.

1. Is how the hell can the game being played. I need around five minutes scrolling the control option (thankfully brief).

2.  Okay about the story…. eum… Okay i forgot. Okay so i open the inventory. There are George notepad which i can read to read the story so far. But the description is so…. memo like and brief that i didn't get how the hell is this Stobbart guy ended up in here. What the hell i supposed to do?

Seriously guys. I know it will take a bit of effort to put some kind of the “previously on Broken Sword…” video ala Drv3r. But come on Kingdom Hearts has an excellent dictionary for characters and events and it also has ‘story so far’ summary.

If that a little bit too detail. Perhaps you can try Metal Gear Solid PC approach where every time you load a save game you can see a brief paragraph to sum the story up.

Frankly I'm very interested on Alone in the Dark (2008) approach to this subject where it broke up its game into several episodes and you can skip the story forward and still get the story so far ala American TV series…

But somehow after hearing several responses to the gameplay. I loose my appetite.

Macho Single Player Action Game Part 2: Examples

Max Payne 2

 

 

Guess you never see this coming right?

All right max Payne maybe just a corridor shooter that flavored with impressive intriguing story, eye candy graphic that aren't too shabby when we played it today.

Sure Right. It only has one innovation that is bullet time. But surely do.

The firefight. The detail of every bullet hole. The ragdoll effect that applied to every fucking objects that aren't nailed down. The Sephia effect when you slow down time. The way Max Payne jump sideways while shooting the hell out of everything. The sound of every casing fall down and hit the floor accompanied with the sound of your rushing heartbeat.

You’ll see every bullet flying and their effect. You’ll see pain.

Seriously give this game a try if you don’t.

If the Story doesn't get a hold of you. The gameplay will.

This game is so Badass.

Serious Sam: Second Encounter

This screenshot will probably not give you the chill.

But seriously this game will pour every single insane enemy at an insane rate and insane number within insane set piece.

Can you imagine you pushed into a trampoline and jumping around while you’ll being attack with a jumping Rhino and Suicidal Bomber?

I never really can describe how great or insane this game is.

YOU HAVE TO PLAY THIS GAME

Honorable Mention

I Dont really like the game below or didnot rate it as high as my fellow friends are but i still respect them for being a game where you can literally be a badass.

Doom

PainKiller

Duke Nukem 3D

Macho Single Player Action Game Part 1: Nowadays….

 

A month ago after played the fantastically Crysis both based on its graphical prowess and innovatively gameplay. The freedom and thinking man gameplay that energized the first half of the game make me giggle as a child throw in the plethora option of how can i combine the each unique nano suit’s power.

Its the best single player game i ever play since fear(frenetic action yet too bland and boring environment and almost non existent/not not interesting as the trailer suggest story and scariness that implied by its name).

But then i feel the need to play a macho game. Where i can put on the boots of some badass character and wreck havoc and feel a total bastardo.

not so macho……

My eye turned into Gears Of War 1 (Pc version of course i don't have xbox 360). The only thing i heard from people and website is how badass this game is. From the So macho one liners,fountain of stylish blood, blowing body to bits, and the most satisfying is to chainsaw foe’s while screaming like madman.

I got that sadistic satisfaction smile from its trailers,reviews and screenshot.

Yet i did not that macho feeling in Gears Of Wars. The Set piece is not that interesting(well there are one or two that is fun/interesting but never pass that GRAAAW moment), the pop and gun mechanic is good and the AI difficulties is so so. But the damn basic mechanic don't make me feel like I'm one of those Arnold Schwarzenegger Clone blasting shotgun.

Not even the Delta Squad Co is that macho. The conversation is so so… i don't feel the urgency… even if Marcus delivered it in such a low growl. The only thing macho about Gears of Wars is the Delta Squad equipment and bulky personnel.

To quote Eurogamer. “the game is basically put the player in a box and pour it with enemies”. It never ever get more interesting than this,  not even the driving section that is more annoying than interesting. Not even the beautiful art direction and superb animation and texture qualities will help me feel like a macho super soldier.

I can only hope Gears of War 2 will ad more interesting set piece.

This make me realize something. Most of the high production value game today are aligning themselves to the more thinking or realistic approach. Almost all of them-if not most of them-. GTA IV,Bioshock,Crysis,Assassin's Creed,Dead Space. Most of these game force you to think to get to the end of the game. To calculate your movement carefully. To learn a new rule or gameplay gimmick. To make your character as weak as paper thin when your battling aliens from other galaxies.

Not that its bad. But somehow i missed the old days of simple traditional shooter where you only need to shoot your way through while the world surrounds you explode and your enemy dead in such a bloody viscera.

Not that i want another corridor shooter. It just i need the feeling that im the most powerful being in this game. That i can do something that matters. Something fucking awesome that ill glee in satisfaction.  I want to be a fucking badass!!!!

In the next part i will talk about several example of theese badass games i talked about in this article.

 

come get some…… later

The only PC game that are great since my 2005 hiatus

Let me focus only on Single Player Game okay… well trust me the only one that is great is.

Maybe later i will post my full review on the game

 

1. Crysis

(Status:Finished. rating: Outstanding!)

This is one of the greatest game i ever play. Many people will stay away from this game and prefer to pirate it because they think that the gameplay will be similiar to Far Cry(Which without saying I really hate it)

Like:

• Great Gameplay (Nano suit and the physics its fun to be toyed with)
• Great Graphic and awesome performance
• Spectacular Soundtrack that will make you as if one of stars in a blockbuster movie
• Truly a great Game
• Fun Sandbox freedom

Hate

• The alien Ai is not withstanding and less fun than human ai
• The alien levels design are pretty much boring yet their presentation is awesome
• The last boss are out of place and too easy

2. Fallout 3

(Status: Not finished yet, about 20 hours)

This is the much waited and hyped RPG game of this year. The sequel of the RPG’s that i love.

To be honest im not quite sure how will bethesda effort compared to black isle product. but i can say that this game is much better than oblivion with guns.

but perhaps we will discuss about how faithful the fallout 3 later

for now i only invested around 20 hours into this games and to call fallout 3 first impression is impressive is an understatement

The world is filled with gory,mature theme and dark humor.

But after my character quickly hit the level cap(20 and their new DLC or patch will further upgrade it into 30) then suddenly im a walking machine of death and everyone that stand on my way will be literally smashed.

Like

• Beautiful art of destruction
• VATS is interesting and elegant solution to imitate the previous games targeting system
• The world are pretty….
• FALLOUT franchise!!!!!
• Gory battle and mature themes
• Some of the quest story is interesting
• Nice Radio Soundtrack(The 1950’s song are hilarious to listen in the middle of the bloodbath)

Hate

• Boring Quest Structure
• After a while you will spot many repetitive texture and structure
• You will be bored to death by the gory slow-mo death animation
• You will be bored to death by the soundtrack and will switch off the Radio most of the time
• There are still Quest Stopping Bug
• If you’re smart(or is it just me?) playing your card, choosing skills and perks you will literally become unstoppable thus make the game too easy
• Limited selection of equipment
• Not as epic as previous fallout(yet i understand because of the new VATS system, this is not regarded as flaw yet something that discomfort me as previous fallouts player)

and yes im very dissapointed with GTA IV….