@Gorath -- what is it about the content in Marilyn Manson's songs that makes you go aargh?
I assume he means the whole trailer, not the song(s).
@Gorath -- what is it about the content in Marilyn Manson's songs that makes you go aargh?
You can strike the 'inadvertently'. Making a profit is, - in the long run- more important than making a master piece. We're a business and as such business sense is a requirement. Thankfully, you often don't have to chose between the two, great games tend to be successful on the market (but there are exceptions).
Let me put it this way:
a) If we made a master piece but no profit, chances are, we're gonna be out of a job sooner or later.
b) If we make a good profit, but not a master piece, well, chances are we still have a job, can still feed our families and so on.
Obviously, the thing we want to do is a) and b) at the same time. However, if you think that in a clear situation of Profit OR masterpiece, we would go for masterpiece, you're mistaken. We like our jobs, and the success critera for our jobs are profit and masterpiece - in that order. But, as said before, this is a hypothetical situation anyway, it just doesn't work like this in reality.
I mean, gosh, in case you didn't know, we were called 'BioWare CORP.' before. Thankfully, I guess your point of view will quickly adjust once you have to earn money for a living too.
But, as David already said - it's not like we got to work and think 'so, are we going to make a profit or a masterpice today.'
And yes, if you can't really understand that business exist for and because of profit, then there is not much more for us to discuss here.
Take a step back and look at this topic. It's a f'n trailer. As a designer, it costs me nothing. I don't have to compromise gameplay for it. I don't have to make any changes to the game because of it. All I have to do is listen to a bunch of people getting upset about the music taste of the marketing department.
Frankly, I can totally live with it if that contributes to the profit part of the equation - especially since the trailer is in pretty good company when it comes to other RPGs (see my post earlier for links).
I think the game is trying to be dark, serious...the heavy orchestral moody sound while good and at times fantastic (D3 and/or Gladiator Soundtrack etc.) it's been done over and over.
Koodos to Bioware to strike out and try a different tone/flavor!
Actually, I'm one of people who think the setting was changed into generic fantasy from Morrowind to Oblivion in order to make the game more accessible. Morrowind has its own history, which was described in various materials ranging from local oral legend to books through various cultures, reflecting various views. The core plot is weaved through an ancient hero but the views to the hero is different among subjective views represented in each cultural background. This is my guess but I'm quite sure the core concept is built based on The Hero with a Thousand Faces, which is a refreshingly interesting twist to the chosen one plot in fantasy setting. Now, the setting of Oblivion... *shrug*The results of these discusions were eventually put into a wholly different game - Oblivion - that has nothing to do with Morrowind except the overall setting.
I guess you would eventually feel like that if you keep indulging yourself with being soaked in consumerism to your neck. A kind of Gatsby syndrome.So it never ends. It is always the NEXT car ... The NEXT game ... And thus, CURRENT games never reach REAL maturity ... Never ever masterpieces ...
That's what Bioware designers are saying but I cannot take them at their word.From what I've read, the "dark" is suppose to come from more than just beefed up graphic/violent content...but rather the thin grey line of moral choices and dilemma's presented throughout the character's storyline.
Just like cars, you should take games at face value. Decide at the time of purchase whether the game as it stands is fun enough for you to spend time playing, and don't get it if not.Me, as a player, this kind of behaviour quite frustrates me. It's like ... Your car has some slight errors, okay, you can drive with it, even quite comfortably so, but it will never be a kind of "masterpiece".
And then I'm told, "if you wanna have an masterpiece, then you've gotta buy our next car ! Because we won't polish your car anymore ! All of our effotrs go into our NEXT car !"
It was changed back to a setting more consistent with the previous Elderscrolls games. Morrowind was a real step away from Daggerfall, and at the time many many people praised the 3d and level of polish, but wished for the game to feel more like Daggerfall - Oblivion delivered exactly that and I think listening to their fans is at least partly responsible for Oblivion being such a good game.Actually, I'm one of people who think the setting was changed into generic fantasy from Morrowind to Oblivion in order to make the game more accessible.
I may be too selective when it comes to story elements but, to me, this part is seriously lacking in games.
The taste of old fans is not necessarily to belong to minority. I can only represent my view although I have read some articles like this one which is more or less similar to my view. I know we are rather minority and I honestly wonder how many people have noticed the design philosophy behind Morrowind. I think the author is quite keen especially when he doesn’t seem to know the involvements of Ken Rolston to a PnP RPG called Rune Quest, the core design of which is a simulation in worlds filled with various ideologies, and thus, viewpoints.It was changed back to a setting more consistent with the previous Elderscrolls games. Morrowind was a real step away from Daggerfall, and at the time many many people praised the 3d and level of polish, but wished for the game to feel more like Daggerfall - Oblivion delivered exactly that and I think listening to their fans is at least partly responsible for Oblivion being such a good game.
I'd say, solid and through themes and their presentations, which are normally practiced by decent novelists, for starters. In the world of gaming, it appears to be done only by limited number of people, though.While I personally prefer some of the more complex character stylings of Obsidian over BioWare's use of clear archetypes, many people would say BGII is a classic of the genre and the story in KotOR tends to rate pretty well - both games David Gaider was strongly in.
I realise BGII isn't really an example of grey choices but I've liked a lot of Gaiders comments on the forums. What exactly is the missing chemistry you see?
That's what Bioware designers are saying but I cannot take them at their word. /snip
Even to me, the lack of the global morality slider is welcome but I'm not convinced that Bioware team is capable of making full use of the "grayness" of the world, weaving it into the development of themes.
/snip
Would you call this trailer a very serious and mature video?Guys, this is a very serious and mature game.
Would you call this trailer a very serious and mature video?