arts // no. 8 Flawed by Design: The numbers game » How the hi-tech race hindered game design Adam Tatelman ons Writer AN from improvements in graphics quality, the current console generation—PS4, Wii U, Xbox One—hasn'’t seen any technological innovation in com- parison to the last generation. In fact, these new consoles lack features that their predecessors had, such as the PS3’s in-game music player. ’'m not saying that new hardware should only be developed for innovation’s sake, since that can lead to gimmicky almost any current-gen game is functionally identical to its last- gen counterparts. Without their more detailed graphics engines, they could easily be playable on last-gen hardware. This calls into question the need for new consoles. Yes, we are able to create more and more detailed games with greater explorable surface area than ever before, but that’s all they are: surface. Historically, higher graphical fidelity has always come at the expense of gameplay complexity. Consider the Fallout series: over time, the RPG mechanics have slowly eroded to the point where initial skill specialization no longer exists, replaced instead in Fallout 4 bya clunky perk-per-level system that starts every character at factory zero for every skill. But at least it’s prettier than the last game. However, I want to go : beyond the typical “gameplay : over graphics” argument. Even : the biggest triple-A project is : subject to limitations: time, : budget, and disk space. In : order to make the best game : they can, the developers must : choose to put their resources : into the right areas, in order : to achieve a specific vision. : Resources are wasted if they try : to throw too many ideas into the : same project merely for mass : appeal’s sake. That way, you get : an unfocused game that does : many things poorly, as opposed : toa focused effort that does a nonsense like the Virtual Boy. But i few things exceptionally well. Think of it this way: if you're : rolling a basic Knight character, — : : you'll put your points into combat : : skills—not stealth or magic. : You've got to think about what : skills you’re training and how : they affect the build as a whole. : Unfortunately, game developers : today do not seem to think this : way. They merely adopt popular : concepts and throw them : together on a whim. Think of : Freeflow Combat; once Batman: : Arkham Asylum invented this : fast-paced strike-and-counter : combat system, how long was it : before every other third-person : action game aped the concept? Triple-A is a status : conferred upon a game from its : inception, not dependent on : its quality or polish but rather : on how many well-worn game : mechanics it can hybridize into : a saleable product of familiar : concepts. Free-roam? Gotta : have that. Mini-map? Throw it : in. Collectables and sidequests? : Check. Simplified RPG elements? : Oh, yeah. Crafting system? : Right on. We have reached a : vanishing point where there : aren't any unique games : because we take for granted that : every possible game concept : can be properly expressed : through the same combination : of common mechanics. In the words of Superman’s : nemesis Lex Luthor: “I would : rather fail spectacularly than : succeed minimally.” It’s a pretty : gung-ho attitude, but I think it’s : exactly what the game industry : needs right now. Unfortunately, : those who are willing to take : risks don’t seem to get hired : because the most successful : business model at the moment : is to follow trends, not set them. : The seeds of brilliant ideas : have been buried somewhere : in the development dust bowl : of modern game design. It’s up theotherpress.ca Image via www.neogaf.com : to us to find them and nourish ; them in the hopes that one : day they might bear fruit. These corporate decisions : aren’t made from a compositional : orartistic perspective. As long : asa formula remains profitable, : there isn’t any reason to change : it. Laccept that. But that doesn’t : mean we shouldn't discuss the : possibilities of game design, : reminisce on great moments : of the past, and postulate : their place in the future. Hilarious insult game is great fun » ‘Oh...Sir!’ video game review Lauren Paulsen Senior Columnist OOOOS en | first stumbled across the OR...Sir! video game, l immediately wanted to try it on my brother. The concept is quite simple: you get a friend or family member to come join you and then you insult each other. I thought the concept was hilarious and, what’s more, the game is completely free on Steam. To play, you each take turns choosing a piece of a sentence from the ones the game randomly generates for you. The sentences have to make sense. You cannot just randomly put the pieces together or you will lose health. The game will score you on your sentence and then will allocate so many damage points to your adversary. Longer sentences can : often give you more points, but : the game seems to favour really : well-crafted short insults as well. : Although it may seem that the : first person chosen to play— : which the game decides—has an : advantage, they don’t always win. Monty Python fans will most : certainly appreciate this game, : as the theme for the amJam : game jam event—the video game : creation event that OR...Sir! was : created during—was “this parrot : is no more,” which is based on : Monty Python’s Dead Parrot : sketch. This, unfortunately, went : right over my head when | dove : into playing the game, as | am : not overly familiar with Monty : Python. I kept wondering what : this dead parrot was about. I did, : however, recognize several of the : insult fragments as being from : Monty Python, despite not having : : seen the TV series or movies. The game is fairly simple : and after several rounds YOUR FATHER : you will have seen all of the randomly generated sentence : pieces. However, it’s still quite : impressive considering the : creators developed it in 42 ay ¥Omd tS | a | : hours during the event. I’m hoping that the : creators will add more content : in the future, but if not, it’s : still fun to grab a friend or Is # DEAD PARROT AND ITS AN ENGLISH DOG PIG Screenshot from the game family member, sit down > together with a cup of tea, and : mercilessly insult each other.