I wanted to write my impressions about E3 2009 after the trade show ended this week, but after seeing I acquired 47 unique visitors yesterday, decided it might be wiser to post my thoughts today. I will give my impressions this week in spurts, during the show. If anyone is reading this from Kotaku, consider this an “unofficial” forum of sorts. You are certainly free to discuss things E3 related here, although I do not have the same readership as Kotaku. I am always interested in other thoughts and opinions and feel this could be a more personal experience as a result.
Nintendo’s “silly” peripherals and other related oddities
Despite a relatively good showing so far, with several hardcore franchises on the horizon, Nintendo is taking a lot of flack for its Wii Vitality Sensor, which is a device that is meant to monitor your heart rate. Many comments I have read have made some rather odd connections, mostly related to survival horror. My bet is that this is a peripheral for the newly announce Wii Fit Plus and I see this as a good thing.
Lately I have had a desire to increase my productivity. I must be honest: I am not a very productive person. This is because I am terribly unorganized. As of the last month or so, I have tried to find ways to increase my productivity.
I am hooked to a computer, due to the fact that I take courses at Game Institute. Because I am on the computer, it is very easy to be distracted: a whole day can be easily wasted browsing sites such Kotaku.
Its been a while since I have updated this site. Quite honestly, I haven’t been able to think of anything interesting to write. But since I know this site is checked fairly regularly, I decided I wanted to change that. I want to provide content on a fairly regular basis.
One of the challenges I have had with my own chosen career path is trying to come up with the justification for wanting to be involved in the gaming industry. To many people, videogames are still a toy. Kids play with toys. Why would a 25 year old game design student also be interested in toys?
But how do we challenge the accusation that games are just toys? To people such as myself, who want to be involved in the gaming industry, this accusation is stinging. It makes our prospective job choice appear useless. To provide justification, it is easy to want to do something that appeals to more casual people and provides some form of peripheral benefit, such as those benefits Wii Fit and Brain Age are supposed to.
But I am accepting that games should do more than provide peripheral benefits. They should also entertain. And they can entertain while also embracing casuals into the fold.
The typical image of the videogame player in the public imagination is the basement dweller who endlessly plays World of Warcraft. He has no social life (unless, of course, you count his favorite conventions) and most people avoid him like the plague.
Of course, this is a stereotype, but I thought it helpful to begin with this stereotype because it reflects most people’s attitude toward “hardcore” gaming. “Hardcore” gaming is seen as a hobby for the recluses. And while Nintendo has largely challenged the idea of the “hardcore” gamer being the ideal gamer with the Nintendo DS and the Wii (thus building a larger “casual” market), I think there are things we can learn from both “casual” and “hardcore” gaming that can benefit both types of gamers equally.
Videogames as tools for teaching motivation
I think that many of the “hardcore” games teach a style of motivation that the “casual” games particularly lack. All the same, I think that “casual” games (as defined by Nintendo) teach a different type of motivation that “hardcore” games lack.
As of late, I’ve been thinking of video game design and what actually entails a “good video game”. As I move on in life and pursue other interests, I have become dissatisfied, as I find many games are becoming more complex and thus require a specialist knowledge in order to master. Because I’m not interested in “majoring” in these complex games, I am often turned off by them and am more intrigued by familiar experiences (namely franchises and gameplay I’m already familiar with).
I think in certain ways, though, this is why video games are a turn-off for the non-gamer as gaming comes off to them as something that is “boring”.
It is for this reason I ask the question: How does one make games that are acceptable to casual gamers and yet don’t turn off core gamers?
It is for this reason I introduce what I call The Miyamoto Method, after famed game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto.
I want to thank M.G. Hoffman (or as I know her, Mallory) for making me this banner. I don’t think I could have done any better! If you wish to link to me, feel free to copy and paste the code for this banner on the right menu bar (I do not mind if you hotlink the image). If you would rather text link to me, I have also added a text link utilizing the format I prefer.
This is my first level utilizing the Atmosphir game creation tool. My description from my YouTube video:
This is my first Atmosphir level which I have called “Marioesque: A Castle Adventure”. I drew inspiration from the platforming action in the old school Mario games. I would appreciate the feedback, especially suggestions on becoming a better video game designer.
I should also add this article from Kotaku inspired me.
The level design is not perfect. This is largely in part due to the fact that I do not have a mouse for my laptop and also because I was limited by the Lego-type building system of the game’s engine. But I am open to improving my level. If you have access and can test it, please offer suggestions.
There is one secret I intentionally omitted from the video. Have fun finding it.
Update: Oct. 17, 2008
I thought I would share this cool comment I got directly from the game’s creators on my YouTube video:
Hey Derek - this was really cool to see, and thanks for sharing your process. We’re working on fixing those invisible fireballs right now! Also, level comments are on the way, so players will be able to give you immediate feedback after playing your level. A solid, challenging level, and I can’t wait to see what you make next.
Oh yeah! And to think they’re fixing those fireballs because of me. LOL.
Yesterday, I was admitted into the closed beta of Atmosphir, a game creation utility by Minor Studios that allows users to create and distribute their own levels utilizing the Atmosphir game engine.
This is the first time I have beta tested a video game and, as can be expected, I was enthused. For those who are not familiar with beta testing, essentially I get to play a pre-release version of the game and report any bugs or issues so that they can fix them for the final release (which has been announced for later this year). I was up late last night playing other people’s levels, experimenting and creating my own.
The tool is very simple to use and yet one can make complex gaming worlds utilizing it. So far, there are not a lot of options in terms of content, but the developers seek to expand it with additional “theme packs”. Additionally, one can make their own levels available for play and play user levels within seconds utilizing the in-game online level browser.
I am in the midst of making a few levels right now and when I finish, I intend on posting YouTube videos of my creations and distributing them in the game’s browser. So keep checking back for my own levels and later thoughts and impressions.
I would also like to add that Atmosphir, when it is released, will be free to play. It is not a large program and can be used on many modern computers with basic technology (you can read more about the system specifications on the developer’s site below).
This morning, I remade the 100m stage from the original Donkey Kong video game for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. It is not a faithful recreation, but as faithful as the level editor would allow me.
I don’t think I could have done any better! If you wish to link to me, feel free to copy and paste the code for this banner on the right menu bar (I do not mind if you hotlink the image). If you would rather text link to me, I have also added a text link utilizing the format I prefer.
