Gamer Grow

In the 9/27/2008 episode of 1up yours , the crew responds to the topic of video game difficulty and whether or not games need to adhere to the convention of increasing in difficulty to the end. You can listen to the conversation starting at around 1:21:00. Be Careful. You Might Suck Before I get into my response to some of the comments from the podcast, I wanted to say that it is important to consider one's own gaming skills before addressing game difficulty of any particular game. When a game is properly (classically) designed with levels that are composed of game ideas that are gradually developed from simple to complex uses of the core mechanics and when the forms of the game communicate their function clearly, the difficulty of such a game is created in large part from the player's ability (or lack thereof) to learn/ utilize the instructive resources the game provides. In other words, it's not the game's fault you aren't paying attention to the clues or using/t...

As my anticipation for Guitar Hero World Tour, what will be my single biggest gaming purchase this year, grows I can't help but also grow more excited about Wii Music. Wii Music is the game that most of the gaming industry doesn't understand or know how to talk about. Like the other phenomenons that fly under the same series (Wii Sports, Wii Play, and Wii Fit) Wii Music is designed in a way that is very different from the popular examples in related genres. Wii Music is designed as a true music game. I've been playing music for a very long time now; piano for over 13 years and violin for over 11 years. Though I've participated in contests, orchestras, and solo performances with both of these instruments and written several compositions, I come to understand music as something that a musician can't help but make. It's something different from the theory, correctly played notes, and one's experience with an instrument. My experience with the cello, harmonica, ...

Many of the games shown in this video are shown too briefly to make any kind of substantive observations. Let's see how it goes. 2008 DSi: Slimmer, SD card slow, internal flash memory, bigger screens, internet browser, DS online store, and 2 cameras. Over the past few years, I've faced several road blocks when designing software fore the DS because it lacked many of these key features. Once again, Nintendo supplies the hardware/features that I need to design my innovative games freely. The fashion game: Looks to have very high production values considering the detailed customization and the 3D graphics. Nintendo Pedometer & Wii Fit for my pocket? Sign me up. I loved my Pokemon Pikachu with its built in pedometer when I was in middle school, and I look forward to this next step. Nintendo had to find a way to put Mii's on the DS. They're the best tool Nintendo has to make games personal and accessible to the broadest audience. The Kirby game looks just as colorful as...

Well, Shawn Elliott didn't mention the Critical-Gaming blog specifically. However, the comments he made in the latest Gamsutra podcast on GDCRadio are in line with exactly what's been going on here at the blog for almost a year now. You can listen to the podcast here . Doesn't that look like the face of approval? Among the things he mentions in that podcast and others are... reviewing/writing about games after reflecting on the experience that was hopefully done away from pressing time constraints writing about games with a thesis instead of creating buyers guides finding a unique angle to write from that's as meaningful as it is personal making a bridge between literary critical theory to talk about video games using the structures and unique metaphors of other practices/disciplines/art forms to approach game writing and game design. taking small investigative ventures probing some aspect of the gaming culture writing cross game analyses being responsible/held account...

Good core music-rhythm design: SHAKE, RAPID SHAKES, POSE, DANCE . Between these mechanics, the various rhythm patterns, and the 6 shaking zones Samba De Amigo can create more significant variation than most music-rhythm games. For single notes, the player can perform a "trick shot" by shaking the two "maracas" in the same position at the same time. This option gives players a way to increase the difficulty of relatively simple sections while scoring more points in the process. The core design is very similar to the Elite Beat Agents/the Ouendan series for the Nintendo DS. Shakes = TAPS. POSE = DRAG. DANCE = SPIN (where players can put more energy in to this mechanic to earn more points). Furthermore, the game is designed around creating an interactive sound scape of percussion as opposed to an interactive music track like in Guitar Hero. In Samba De Amigo, players aren't making music. Rather, players shake and dance to the beat. Not enough negative feedback ....

October is almost upon us all. In preparation of what will undoubtedly be an incredible month for gaming and gaming purchases (Guitar Hero 4 and LittleBig Planet with Vision Cam are to blame) I have decided to give everyone a glimpse into what I've been mulling over in the way of Critical-Gaming content. I can't take a break now.  The last time I did this was before I took my vacation earlier in the summer . I feel that posting the list gave some readers something to look forward to, which in turn kept me focused and on track. I did a lot of writing after then, but I unfortunately was unable to get to these topics. Sonic 1,2,3, Rush, Rush Adventure review, repair, and re-imagining of Sonic next-gen gameplay . Uncovering the design and depth in Pikmin's origami folded level design. DS design series. Taking a look at the DS games that pull of various DS specific design elements most successfully. If I write an article every day, I would still trail behind my ideas. Certainly...