Escapist Podcast: 024: Dr Who, Serious Sam 3 & Questions
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Well, Co-Op RPG... didn´t both "Dungeons and Dragons Heroes" and "Lord of the Rings War in the North" do that? They were talking about Skyrim as an example, but I feel we´re on our way to making those kinds of games, if only we knew how to make them well...
Justin, I get the itch to play Baldur's Gate and BGII once every few years. I'm so happy to learn that there is a way to play the whole series through in the BGII engine! Baldur's Gate is a fantastic game, and in certain ways, it's actually better than the second. But there's no denying that the engine for the second is darn pretty and adds a whole lot of excellent storytelling.
Susan succeeded in getting me into Doctor Who a few weeks back, and it's safe to say that I'm a convert. For me, I absolutely love the fact that the Doctor solves all of his problems without violence. Don't get me wrong: I absolutely love a good fight scene, and have no problem with violence in books, TV shows, movies, or games. But there are a hundred good shows where characters resolve their conflicts by fighting. It's great to see one where intelligence, cleverness, and diplomacy wins over brute force, zealotry, and violence every time. It'd be nice if real life worked like that.
The five games are a tough call. I'd definitely have to think this one over for a few hours (or days). Since you guys didn't discuss strategy games too much, I would suggest either Starcraft or Age of Mythology. While Starcraft is better from a mechanical standpoint, Age of Mythology is excellently designed, and has a TON of information about the cultures and beliefs of antiquity. If you're trying to reconstruct human civilization, that could be very useful.
Also, Paul, congrats on your first podcast! I expect great things from you.
Susan succeeded in getting me into Doctor Who a few weeks back, and it's safe to say that I'm a convert. For me, I absolutely love the fact that the Doctor solves all of his problems without violence. Don't get me wrong: I absolutely love a good fight scene, and have no problem with violence in books, TV shows, movies, or games. But there are a hundred good shows where characters resolve their conflicts by fighting. It's great to see one where intelligence, cleverness, and diplomacy wins over brute force, zealotry, and violence every time. It'd be nice if real life worked like that.
The five games are a tough call. I'd definitely have to think this one over for a few hours (or days). Since you guys didn't discuss strategy games too much, I would suggest either Starcraft or Age of Mythology. While Starcraft is better from a mechanical standpoint, Age of Mythology is excellently designed, and has a TON of information about the cultures and beliefs of antiquity. If you're trying to reconstruct human civilization, that could be very useful.
Also, Paul, congrats on your first podcast! I expect great things from you.
I'd put passage as one of the 5 representative games. It had huge influence over gaming making the idea of "art games" (tho I do really dislike that term) a lot more popular, for example braid would probably never have gotten all that attention if not for passage. It's also a great illustration of games' potential. Sharing rather complex and interesting ideas in just 5 minutes mostly through the mechanics of the game (rather than cutscenes or art assets). Also while games like tetris could teach future historians a lot about our gaming history I think passage could teach them a lot about making games.
I'm not really trying to offend anyone, but from what I'm understanding of the Red Cross's problem with video games and the Escapists' staff's understanding of international law, both should leave the other alone. Its clear their expertise is in different areas.
The Geneva Conventions only cover what happens to non-combatants, which include POWs (who are determined to be no longer a belligerent). The podcast's commentary appears to conflate the Geneva Conventions with the Hague Conventions, which cover combat, as well as various other pieces of international law covering conflict. The Hague Convention of 1899 is the piece of international law the covers expanding bullets. The St. Petersburg Declaration of 1868 covers explosive bullets under 400 grams (which is the statue under which things like the use of the .50 caliber Mk 211 HEIAP round against personnel is questioned; the US was not even invited to the meeting where this was agreed upon and has never acceded to it). Another common confusion is the Geneva Convention's comments on incendiary weapons, which are only banned from use specifically against civilians. Many nations have largely renounced the use of incendiary weapons against enemy combatants, but there are no official restrictions on their use.
On the other side, the Geneva Conventions cover what happens in actual conflict zones, not in zones portraying conflict. If they covered any approximation of conflict, paintball fields would be the site of numerous violations of POW rights. Undeclared wars are already a huge gray area about how applicable these conventions are. Things that ARE NOT wars, simply do not count.
I agree, its an important discussion to have about how any media portrays actual violent conflict, but any attempt to manage media using rules applicable only to real wars, is pretty silly.
The Geneva Conventions only cover what happens to non-combatants, which include POWs (who are determined to be no longer a belligerent). The podcast's commentary appears to conflate the Geneva Conventions with the Hague Conventions, which cover combat, as well as various other pieces of international law covering conflict. The Hague Convention of 1899 is the piece of international law the covers expanding bullets. The St. Petersburg Declaration of 1868 covers explosive bullets under 400 grams (which is the statue under which things like the use of the .50 caliber Mk 211 HEIAP round against personnel is questioned; the US was not even invited to the meeting where this was agreed upon and has never acceded to it). Another common confusion is the Geneva Convention's comments on incendiary weapons, which are only banned from use specifically against civilians. Many nations have largely renounced the use of incendiary weapons against enemy combatants, but there are no official restrictions on their use.
On the other side, the Geneva Conventions cover what happens in actual conflict zones, not in zones portraying conflict. If they covered any approximation of conflict, paintball fields would be the site of numerous violations of POW rights. Undeclared wars are already a huge gray area about how applicable these conventions are. Things that ARE NOT wars, simply do not count.
I agree, its an important discussion to have about how any media portrays actual violent conflict, but any attempt to manage media using rules applicable only to real wars, is pretty silly.
Sir You Misunderstand me. I would love the doctor to be a badass black guy. However traditionally it just has always been a white male, and will probably continue to be so (Although llike you said that may change). That's all I was saying. I was basically just saying not to hold your breath. Also a female Doctor would be a welcome change....just saying.misterprickly said:
I really don't get Dr Who. Everything about it irritates me, I suppose it's the whimsical British humour in the dodgy script that makes me want to throw things at it. And the effects are awful. It is interesting what is 'canon' since fans completely disregard the film, where he ended up as a woman.
The whole Geneva convention thing is an interesting thing to think about, though hardly something the red cross needs to bother itself with, considering all the other more pressing needs. It's also something that most of us will never think about, since war is a pretty awful sort of thing anyway, and before war is actually declared there are all sorts of atrocities that go on.
More importantly, the Guile track gives me a happy.
The whole Geneva convention thing is an interesting thing to think about, though hardly something the red cross needs to bother itself with, considering all the other more pressing needs. It's also something that most of us will never think about, since war is a pretty awful sort of thing anyway, and before war is actually declared there are all sorts of atrocities that go on.
More importantly, the Guile track gives me a happy.
Wait, what? The only Doctor Who film where he ended up as a woman was The Curse of Fatal Death. Which was a spoof/parody, made for Comic Relief and intended to not be taken seriouslyGalletea said:
Then I bow to your greater knowledge, the whole thing is so silly it's hard to tell. The point is simply that people get way too excited about the whole thing and pick and choose what bits they see as true to the story and what isn't. What about the books? Are they true to the Whoniverse? Do they never contradict the tv show?Pallindromemordnillap said:
The dog is the same as the statue used in Oblivion for a similar quest. I would get rid of him as soon as possible as he is invincible which really wrecks the game since he follows you around. I think Yahtzee actually mentioned him in his Skyrim review. Also has anyone else done the Cleanse focal points or Yngol Barrow quests? They are both glitched badly right now, avoid or save before.
Very much this. I would try to send in a wide range of different experiences.Mike Kayatta said:
Tetris
Half-Life
WoW
Age of Empires 2
Mass Effect
is my tentative list. There are some more I'd really like to get in there though, like Portal, Diablo, TES or FF, and some more adventure games.
I'm surprised no one mentioned Diablo or Phantasy Star when you were talking about multi-player RPGs. Granted neither of those titles are very deep, but the framework is there. Having the Minecraft/Terraria thing where someone sets up a server is probably the best idea.
I've never watched Doctor Who, but everyone I know who does watch says its something I would like. Is there anywhere in particualr I should start watching?
Justin, since you're someone who enjoys foreign war epics, I have a few suggestions for you from Polish cinema:
"With Fire and Sword [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128378/]" is an amazing movie; it's absolutely huge in scale for a foreign film (the most expensive Polish film ever made at the time), and I also think they did an amazing job of characterization.
Incidentally, Greg Tito did a preview of a "With Fire and Sword" game earlier this year under the Mount & Blade brand. Also incidentally, you can find this preview at escapistmagazine.com!
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/previews/8796-Mount-Blade-With-Fire-and-Sword-Preview
Also, I haven't had a chance to see them yet, but I've heard nothing but praise for Andrzej Wadja's "War Trilogy": A Generation [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048500/], Kanal [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050585/], and Ashes and Diamonds [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052080/].
"With Fire and Sword [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0128378/]" is an amazing movie; it's absolutely huge in scale for a foreign film (the most expensive Polish film ever made at the time), and I also think they did an amazing job of characterization.
Incidentally, Greg Tito did a preview of a "With Fire and Sword" game earlier this year under the Mount & Blade brand. Also incidentally, you can find this preview at escapistmagazine.com!
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/previews/8796-Mount-Blade-With-Fire-and-Sword-Preview
Also, I haven't had a chance to see them yet, but I've heard nothing but praise for Andrzej Wadja's "War Trilogy": A Generation [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048500/], Kanal [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050585/], and Ashes and Diamonds [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052080/].
Ah timesplitters 2 <3
My brother and I used to play one hit kill monkey brick death matches, incredibly fun!
My brother and I used to play one hit kill monkey brick death matches, incredibly fun!