OldBoy

So, you could care less why you’re doing a certain mission or chapter? Just follow the directions and play? You don’t care really when you finish or do you still say good game when finished based solely on gameplay/mechanics?
The ending scene of RDR1 wasn’t awesome and reminiscent of which was very cinematic and a clear homage?

fumanstan

To each their own, but I don't find this to be the case at all for me. There's plenty of games that I find their story to be their primary strength, elevating otherwise good to average gameplay to a stronger overall experience. The Naughty Dog games are in this boat to me; Uncharted is one of my favorite series of all time, and a large part of that is attributed to the story and characters. The platforming is pretty good, and the combat ranges from poor to average, but the story drives that entire series for me. Because video games put the player in "control", I think it even aides in the attachment a player can have to the characters that make an epilogue like the one in Uncharted 4 all the more impactful and satisfying then if someone didn't care two shits about the story.

I found the gameplay in The Last of Us to be pretty mediocre, but the story again made it worth playing. I'd throw something like Bioshock Infinite in that boat too, which I loved.

slop101

For me, it was the atmosphere that made those games, not the story. And honestly, the stories for all of those were rudimentary, at best. Not saying the stories didn't help those game at all, but it's just not what gets me and keeps me playing, as they're weak when compared to the average stories in pretty much every other story-telling medium.

fumanstan

Can't say I agree. Not that I consider them equivalent to a cinematic masterpiece or anything, but moments like the opening sequence of The Last of Us, the end twists to Bioshock/Bioshock Infinite, or the overall character arcs of Nathan, Elena, and Sully across 4 games to be as engaging as some of my favorite movies.

Or something like Life is Strange, advancing the Telltale and adventure game formula where player choice can be so much more impactful and meaningful to developing the story and outcome of the game.

I'm sure we can go back and forth in disagreement, but I just don't find the stories in some of these games nearly as weak comparatively as you do.

slop101

I don't think you quite understand my point - guess what I'm trying to say is that the next Ernest Hemingway, or James Joyce is going to write his own novel or screenplay - he's not going to be a staff writer for Activision.

The Questyen

If that was your point this whole time that the greatest writers of all time are not going to write a videogame story well no shit. None of that is relevant to whether story is an important part of a game.

slop101

Sure it is, because it means that it can never be the most important aspect of the game, because it takes a back-seat to almost all other aspects of a game.

The Questyen

That is a factually untrue sentence.

fumanstan

Yeah, I'm confused and I guess I don't understand anymore because the point I thought you were trying to make before made more sense. It's fine if you think the story in games aren't anywhere close to movies, TV, or books; that's just personal opinion and completely fine if you value gameplay over story.

But having the best writers involved has nothing to do with whether the story is the most important aspect of the game. I mean, the point of the "walking simulator" genre like Gone Home or my before mentioned What Remains of Edith Finch most certainly prioritize story as the most important aspect of the game, regardless of who wrote them.

mattysemo247

Oh shit

https://kotaku.com/inside-rockstar-g...mpression=true

Music

Wow... that is a fucking book.

Rob V

Anybody know how much these guys & gals get paid? I'm referring to the working folks who actually put in those crazy hours?

slop101

Wait, they didn't think of making the cinematics in scope until after they had already done them?
That's just stupid and backwards, showing a failure in management, and proving my point with how storytelling takes a backseat to other aspects of a game.

Groucho

Doesn't make sense to me. I like the "scope" look as much as everybody, but if it's going to take that much work to retroactively add them in, scrap the idea!

The Questyen

You don't even understand your own point.

fumanstan

There's dozens of different positions each at varying skill levels, so it would vary wildly depending if you're an artist, animator, designer, software engineer, producer, etc and if you're an associate up to senior level.

slop101

It absolutely is, for me.
You seem really confused about this - let me dumb it down for you... even the best stories in videogames pale in comparison to the average story in all other story-telling mediums, for a few reasons, primarily due to player choice (kinda like how a "choose your own adventure" book will never be high literature), and so many other things in games that are of greater importance to developers. If you're happy with storytelling in games as they are now, good for you, you're just not very discerning, IMO.

OldBoy

100 work week? jesus. i know it was delayed a few times, but hope they didn't rush it out and have all these bugs and stuff.

anyone know when review embargo lifts?

The Questyen

I see you follow the Trump definition of facts.

Deftones

i'm surprised we haven't seen reviews hit for this yet. not that this game isn't review-proof, but still, seems weird.

edit: just checked. appears there is an embargo until the 25th. that seems odd.

OldBoy

1-day? I hate to speculate, but if they wanted to generate real and not speculative buzz. Perhaps we don’t have a winner and since preorders will be charged by 25th, they figure take the $$ and run. Maybe close shop for good. Hope not or I’ll breakdown and flipping . Not really and I’ll still play. Reviews don’t always bother me...

Decker

Absurd post. They had a similar embargo with GTA V. Lots of AAA games have embargoes now. Doesn't mean a thing.

OldBoy

I know. I’m not too worried. As I said, I still have it and will still play it, hopefully this weekend, but don’t want give up Odyssey...

dsa_shea

I need this to take a break from Odyssey. I like the world of Odyssey and the activities, but you do them again and again and again and you get my drift. You go to one area or island, steal shit, slay a captain or two, duel with a wild animal, synchronize and then move on to the next.

fumanstan

I wonder when reviewers actually got copies and it's a case of Rockstar trying to make sure everyone had enough time to play and complete the game.