Hey there faithful followers!
Yes, 'tis I, back from the black. I know, I know, it's been a while and the secret project that I was working on is now out in the form of the online game Mojikan. I've since moved on and gone back to working on my own games and business plan for my own studio, but that is neither here nor there. The point of this is that with or without me, Mojikan is a pretty cool game. Check it out and see if you agree. Not all of it is particularly new and inventive, but it is expertly put together.
In other news, I've been playing Pokemon: Platinum Version as a prelude to the recently released Pokemon: Black and Pokemon: White versions. The new feature with this release/generation is the limited edition Pokemon Victini (now tell me, when you heard that it wouldn't be around for long, you wanted that little lucky fox more, didn't you?) and the integration of a full three dimensional game-world. This graphical style shift has been something the series has been screaming out for since the early 2000s, so seeing that Nintendo has finally listened can only mean that the series is taking a step in the right direction.
Unsurprisingly enough, Duke Nukem Forever has been delayed. Again. The upshot of this little snippet is that now America will have to wait with the rest of the world, instead of getting it four days early. Har har. Something else that intrigues me about this particular game is how vehement a lot of feminist writers are getting. I read an article that said Shelby Knox was trying to get it banned from Wal-mart, which is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Looking at this from a gaming, marketing and consumer perspective, the lunacy is over-whelming. From a consumer perspective, she is trying to limit my access to this highly-sought-after game. As every teenager who has glugged a little sneaky spirits knows, the more you can't have it, the more you want it. Not only that, you are more inclined to seek it out.
From a marketing perspective, you are cutting a huge slice of core game-players out of the potential market. Not only that, you are restricting your customer pool to current hard-core game-players, instead of capitalising on the nostaglia factor of adult game-players with families who may no longer visit boutique game stores on a regular basis. Restricting distribution for a game so long in development is simple madness and given Ms. Knox's comments regarding the target consumers, I respectfully am disinclined to agree, but I will expand on that in a moment.
Finally, from a gaming perspective. As a media form that has never been wholly 'socially acceptable', gaming sports its fair share of battle scars. After Bulletstorm and Homefront, you think the hoo-hah would have died down. There have been SO many studies that have disproven (and proven) that video games are the cause of violence in children and adults. There will probably never be any real proof either way, but in the end, it comes down to parenting. Whether or not you want YOUR children to be exposed to this type of material is the same case as if you were to decide whether or not you would allow them to watch a MA15+ film. YOU are the adult and YOU need to make the decision, not the ESRB. Be a responsible parent and we will be responsible game-players.
Now, getting back to what I was saying about Shelby Knox. The woman claims that the 'capture the babe' mode will promote a culture of sexual violence against women in the youth culture today. Well, sorry to tell you this, but I am friends with a DJ crew in Sydney, all of whom are lovely and sweet boys. But the culture they live in is filled with girls who consider it a status boost to sleep with a DJ, to wear next to nothing and get off-their-head drunk. This culture already exists on the music scene and has done for so many years now. Is one long-standing joke of the game industry going to make an impact? Probably not. The people who will play this game see it for its true value - a tongue-in-cheek look at western action heroes who are so pumped full of testosterone that they can barely move for cannons. It's a farce and we all know it, even the girls involved in this community. So why is it that no-one else can?
Discuss. I'm going for a cup of tea (how very british).
Showing posts with label Pokemon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pokemon. Show all posts
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sunday, March 28, 2010
A Weighty Issue: The Pokewalker
Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that I've struggled with my weight in the past. In fact, looking at the obesity figures globally, I'm not the only one. I'm not saying that I'm morbidly obese, but like every girl, I've been unhappy with the way I look.
But this isn't a story about my self-esteem issues. This is about the release of Pokemon SoulSilver and HeartGold on Thursday.
From the outside, the game is identical to the predecessors on the GameBoy Colour. In fact, I dug out my old copy and had a look at it. Thus far, it is very comparable to the old favourite, Pokemon Crystal. Most of the story has been carbon-lifted, including the physical manifestation and encounters with Suicune and his devotee Eusine. The graphics have more in common with the recent edition Diamond/Pearl. Musically, it's almost identical to the original version with the same city and cycling tracks used.
Funnily enough, most of my party is exactly the same as my old game - and with good reason. I have Pakka (Cyndaquil), Woopidoo (Wooper -> Quagsire), Clocky (Hoothoot -> Noctowl replacing my usual Pidgey - Kevie - for a reason), Rocky (the Onix I traded a Bellsprout for and who has become a lynchpin in many battles), Miracle (Togepi -> Togetic following the low-level evolution from my first game, when he evolved at level 18) and Ratty (Rattata -> Raticate... not sure why he hasn't been replaced yet but I think I'm waiting for Raikou).
I think I'm missing an Arcanine from my old game... I was a huge fan of the move Extremespeed. In any case, the game has aged well and the introduction of the Pokeathlon and the shift of the Safari Zone (very useful if you're a fan of just raising your six favourites) has benefitted the newer version (I know I won't be able to get my Lugia back until after the Elite Four).
The interesting part about all this and my fangirlism is the new device called the Pokewalker. Simply load a Pokemon that's stored in one of your deposit boxes, chose a route, clip it to yourself and start strolling. The Pokemon earns XP as you walk and there are opportunities to catch wild Pokemon and find useful items.
The funniest thing is that people are now trying to find every which way to defeat the purpose of the installed pedometer. Admittedly, I tried. I found myself stuck and bored at around a thousand steps. However, yesterday I wore it to work under my uniform. In one shift, I clocked over six thousand steps and another four thousand this morning.
The moral of this story?
Ten thousand steps is not really a lot. Really. Wearing a Pokemon on your belt all day might be daggy, but it's Nintendo's genius idea to keep everyone thinking about healthy ways of integrating gaming into a healthy lifestyle and let's face it - they could have done a lot worse than incorporate it into a favourite like Pokemon.
Super Mario Aerobics DVD, anyone?
But this isn't a story about my self-esteem issues. This is about the release of Pokemon SoulSilver and HeartGold on Thursday.
From the outside, the game is identical to the predecessors on the GameBoy Colour. In fact, I dug out my old copy and had a look at it. Thus far, it is very comparable to the old favourite, Pokemon Crystal. Most of the story has been carbon-lifted, including the physical manifestation and encounters with Suicune and his devotee Eusine. The graphics have more in common with the recent edition Diamond/Pearl. Musically, it's almost identical to the original version with the same city and cycling tracks used.
Funnily enough, most of my party is exactly the same as my old game - and with good reason. I have Pakka (Cyndaquil), Woopidoo (Wooper -> Quagsire), Clocky (Hoothoot -> Noctowl replacing my usual Pidgey - Kevie - for a reason), Rocky (the Onix I traded a Bellsprout for and who has become a lynchpin in many battles), Miracle (Togepi -> Togetic following the low-level evolution from my first game, when he evolved at level 18) and Ratty (Rattata -> Raticate... not sure why he hasn't been replaced yet but I think I'm waiting for Raikou).
I think I'm missing an Arcanine from my old game... I was a huge fan of the move Extremespeed. In any case, the game has aged well and the introduction of the Pokeathlon and the shift of the Safari Zone (very useful if you're a fan of just raising your six favourites) has benefitted the newer version (I know I won't be able to get my Lugia back until after the Elite Four).
The interesting part about all this and my fangirlism is the new device called the Pokewalker. Simply load a Pokemon that's stored in one of your deposit boxes, chose a route, clip it to yourself and start strolling. The Pokemon earns XP as you walk and there are opportunities to catch wild Pokemon and find useful items.
The funniest thing is that people are now trying to find every which way to defeat the purpose of the installed pedometer. Admittedly, I tried. I found myself stuck and bored at around a thousand steps. However, yesterday I wore it to work under my uniform. In one shift, I clocked over six thousand steps and another four thousand this morning.
The moral of this story?
Ten thousand steps is not really a lot. Really. Wearing a Pokemon on your belt all day might be daggy, but it's Nintendo's genius idea to keep everyone thinking about healthy ways of integrating gaming into a healthy lifestyle and let's face it - they could have done a lot worse than incorporate it into a favourite like Pokemon.
Super Mario Aerobics DVD, anyone?
Monday, December 22, 2008
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney -or- The Interactive Novel
Okay, so I may have borrowed my mate's copy of Phoenix Wright and expected it to be just as easy. Wrong. NOT easy.
What's really interesting is that this is less of a game and more of an interactive novel. You find the evidence, attempt to make sense of it, while proceding through the storyline. It's mainly reading Apollo's internal monologue and people shouting at him. Sounds like a typical day for me, actually.
It's not a bad game on the whole, if you like to spend forever reading and not sussing out what's really going on. There's the whole big backstory involving Phoenix Wright and the previous prosecutor, but I won't spoil it for those who want to play it.
In other news, I hope you've all been and checked out the Game On exhibit at the Queensland State Library (SLQ) in Brisbane, Australia. Three decades of gaming history. It's brilliant. THEY HAVE BOMBERMAN! You could easily spend an entire day wandering around playing the different games. It's brilliant and I had an amazing time yesterday. I took my elderly grandma with me and even she had a fabulous time. So for all of you who miss your SNES, who remember the first lot of pokemon and who remember when Atari was a household name and not a t-shirt, this is the place to be.
On a side note, check out the studio that the exhibit has put together here. Spot the girl on the design team? Yeah? That's me. Oh yeah. Yours truly scored a spot on the design team at a public studio! Bookmark the page and watch the progress as we stumble through six-weeks of game-making. It's sure to be a laugh and a half!
What's really interesting is that this is less of a game and more of an interactive novel. You find the evidence, attempt to make sense of it, while proceding through the storyline. It's mainly reading Apollo's internal monologue and people shouting at him. Sounds like a typical day for me, actually.
It's not a bad game on the whole, if you like to spend forever reading and not sussing out what's really going on. There's the whole big backstory involving Phoenix Wright and the previous prosecutor, but I won't spoil it for those who want to play it.
In other news, I hope you've all been and checked out the Game On exhibit at the Queensland State Library (SLQ) in Brisbane, Australia. Three decades of gaming history. It's brilliant. THEY HAVE BOMBERMAN! You could easily spend an entire day wandering around playing the different games. It's brilliant and I had an amazing time yesterday. I took my elderly grandma with me and even she had a fabulous time. So for all of you who miss your SNES, who remember the first lot of pokemon and who remember when Atari was a household name and not a t-shirt, this is the place to be.
On a side note, check out the studio that the exhibit has put together here. Spot the girl on the design team? Yeah? That's me. Oh yeah. Yours truly scored a spot on the design team at a public studio! Bookmark the page and watch the progress as we stumble through six-weeks of game-making. It's sure to be a laugh and a half!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Berry by the Dozen: Pokemon Diamond
Since I've been away for a bit, I thought I would update in what I'm doing at the moment re: gaming. You'll all be pleased to hear that Halfbrick Studios has decided to give me the graciousness of an interview for an internship with their design department, which is rather exciting. I'm attempting to get my visual diaries together, but since my mother squished a spider on a beautiful work of the Phantom's mask, I'm loathe to look at them.
But I digress. I was most pleased to discover that it is, in fact, possible to get the Manaphy egg from Pokemon Ranger. I suggest for those of you who are after one, check out www.gamefaqs.com and search for 'Pokemon Ranger DS'. There's a helpful walkthrough on there that can get you what you need. Just make sure that you have a friend with another DS to help you out.
On to berries. Those of you who are Poffin-addicts will know what I'm talking about, but for those who don't, pay attention. Berries (in Pokemon Diamond/Pearl) are important ingredients for Poffins, which are imperative for winning the visual part of Pokemon contents. To get these ingredients, you need to grow them.
I've been planting and reaping these little thingummies for a few days and have discovered a few tricks. First, always plant before you go to be, then water immediately when you wake up. This will prevent the soil from drying out. Also, keep your growing areas to confined routes. Try not to plant up at the resort area or at the Fuego Ironworks. They aren't places that you would get to quickly and easily. So the best places to plant are:
1. Around Pastoria City
2. Around Veilstone City
3. Anywhere along the route between Solaceon Town and Hearthome City.
4. Floaroma Town and Valley Windworks.
Keeping to these routes will make it easier for you to get to your berries to water and reap.
Also, good news! Thanks to a quickly-caught Golbat, I have FINALLY finished catching all the legendary Pokemon! Yup, both Mesprit and Cresselia fell to my awesome Golbat, Andre! Now I'm 'happying' him up so he can be a pretty Crobat instead!
Anyway, enjoy for now.
But I digress. I was most pleased to discover that it is, in fact, possible to get the Manaphy egg from Pokemon Ranger. I suggest for those of you who are after one, check out www.gamefaqs.com and search for 'Pokemon Ranger DS'. There's a helpful walkthrough on there that can get you what you need. Just make sure that you have a friend with another DS to help you out.
On to berries. Those of you who are Poffin-addicts will know what I'm talking about, but for those who don't, pay attention. Berries (in Pokemon Diamond/Pearl) are important ingredients for Poffins, which are imperative for winning the visual part of Pokemon contents. To get these ingredients, you need to grow them.
I've been planting and reaping these little thingummies for a few days and have discovered a few tricks. First, always plant before you go to be, then water immediately when you wake up. This will prevent the soil from drying out. Also, keep your growing areas to confined routes. Try not to plant up at the resort area or at the Fuego Ironworks. They aren't places that you would get to quickly and easily. So the best places to plant are:
1. Around Pastoria City
2. Around Veilstone City
3. Anywhere along the route between Solaceon Town and Hearthome City.
4. Floaroma Town and Valley Windworks.
Keeping to these routes will make it easier for you to get to your berries to water and reap.
Also, good news! Thanks to a quickly-caught Golbat, I have FINALLY finished catching all the legendary Pokemon! Yup, both Mesprit and Cresselia fell to my awesome Golbat, Andre! Now I'm 'happying' him up so he can be a pretty Crobat instead!
Anyway, enjoy for now.
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