Shootin' Dudes and the Importance of a Good Plot

This week at PopMatters, I commend the strength of interesting plots.

I'm always a bit wary of opening the whole "story vs. gameplay" can of worms, mostly because it's a false dichotomy. As Mattie Brice succinctly puts it, "narrative is a game mechanic." If a game's authored story impacts the way you play the game, it is functionally another rule you interact with as you negotiate a game system.

My point is that mundane game systems can be galvanized by a clever story. Without Red Dead Redemption's plot about the struggle against cyclical violence, it would have just been another open world game. John Marston's fate and his family's struggles alter the way it feels to participate in the game's events. Visual and audio choices serve a similar function. Mechanically, Heavy Rain is little more than digitial game of Simon says rather than a tense thriller.

I touch briefly on some reservations I had regarding Starhawk's story that I want to clarify. I think creators should be free to create the stories they want to create. Just because the game has two black lead characters doesn't mean it has to grapple with race as a thematic element. Sometimes, not addressing an issue is actually a statement unto itself. My point is that the absence of any complex social, cultural, or historical themes doesn't do anything to bolster game systems that would benefit from a little support.

Playing as the Arbiter in Halo 2 isn't all that different from playing as Master Chief on a mechanical level. What makes this moment special is the story: suddenly, you're playing as "the enemy." You're seeing a new perspective in the war, one that reveals new narrative complexities that broaden Halo's overall scope. The Elites become more than targets: they're actual characters. I think BioShock is a similar example: its legendary plot and sudden twist turn the game into a commentary on the medium itself rather than a prettier version of Doom.

Stories in games are tricky, but they don't (and I would argue they shouldn't) always strive to accommodate whatever the player wants. Even the most inflexible plots can inject meaning into game mechanics and dynamics. I think we should embrace that concept by continually pushing for interesting stories.

EXP Podcast #174: Now Playing

The same gaming lull is here, but out gaming habits are as vibrant as ever. Believe or not, but Scott and I do find time in our busy schedule to actually play games. This week we take a break to chat about the games we have been playing recently, from everyone's favorite Blizzard release to an unexpectedly enjoyable side-scrolling MOBA. Let us know what you have been enjoying lately in the comments section below, and be sure to chime in with your thoughts on the games we've discussed in the show.

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the stand-alone feed.
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.
- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

Kickstarting Enthusiasm

When Double Fine Adventure first took off on Kickstarter, I joined the bandwagon. A Tim Schafer/Double Fine point-and-click adventure game? Sure, why not? I had no idea the Kickstarter crowd-sourced funding model would take off like it did. Now game news sites and podcasts put out weekly updates about the most interesting Kickstarter campaigns looking for funding and the twitterverse rallies around whichever developer has a funding goal just out of reach. The "indie darling" has been replaced with the "kickstarter darling" and even I have bought into the idealism of community funding.

Of course I do not mean to disparage the plenty of brilliant creative minds seeking financial backing from existing fan bases or complete strangers. Kickstarter is breathing new life into games that would never have received a traditional publishing deal. Of course any hint as a dramatic change in the status quo receives reactionary hostility, much of it warranted. Many have compared Kickstarter campaigns to elaborate pre-order schemes, complete with their own subtle but no less detrimental set of pre-order bonuses. I have no problem with pre-order bonuses in theory, but I see where the hesitation comes from. Others are concerned Kickstarter will breed scammers or will be easily co-opted by major publishers and studios looking to make risky investments slightly more safe - both completely reasonably concerns.

Regardless, I am finding myself increasingly intrigued by Kickstarter campaigns. While I have only supported a few campaigns, I check the site almost daily, scanning for new and interesting projects, within the games sector and without, and looking at what friends have recently backed. What gets me so excited about Kickstarter backing, however, is not the promise of reward or the sense I am undermining the major studio publishing empire, but the bountiful sense of possibility at the idea of games still in their infancy.

Of course I am buying into a sort of delusion. I have already backed Jason Rhorer's Diamond Trust of London, which was already complete when I backed it, it simply needed money for publishing costs. Others, such as Haunts, offer more room for movement and represent developer excitement for a project that does is relatively far from completion. I backed Haunts also because Mobs Rules Games sounds committed to transparency, a policy I have lauded time and again. Of course so many of these games could fall through. Double Fine Adventure might flop and the plug might be pull out from our Kickstarter boat. If this happens, we should remember what the excitement around Kickstarter represents. Developers and players alike have a near endless enthusiasm for the possibilities games represent.

In Support of Supports

My latest PopMatters article is now live: In Support of Supports

I thought about spending the entire length of this article talking about support classes in League of Legends, of which there are quite few immensely entertaining champions. Lulu can turn enemies into a cupcake... a cupcake! I also thought about exclusively discussing TERA's Mystic class, but I have a review in the works for that game. Instead, I talked about each briefly and instead focused on support classes in general.

For now, I want to examine why some players actually enjoy support classes above so many others. I freely admit my adoration of supportive roles in multiplayer games. I played a restoration druid in World of Warcraft for many years and did my best to excel at a healing role. Most multiplayer games, if there is a support role to fill, I will gladly heal, buff, and otherwise back up my allies anyway I can. There are several reason I believe I am drawn to support roles.

First, I have very little faith in my ability to play anything else. Simply put, I lack confidence. I play too carefully too often and it diminishes my killing potential. Maybe I should rush that hill, lob grenades into a crowd of infantry, and thin mow the opposing team down with a hail of bullets. Instead, I crouch in some bushes for twenty-minutes and then peak my head out just in time to take a sniper bullet to the head. Why throw myself into the fray, where every little mistake matters, when I can hang back and seize my opportunities strategically, backing up my friends whenever possible. After all, someone has to lay down cover-fire.

Second, I am actually pretty good at them. Playing a support demands you pay attention to the game system as a whole, monitoring all team activity while also playing an entirely different meta-game than your allies. It might now always be the hardest role to play in a game, but certainly is unique. After so many years filling the all too often unwanted role in a team, I have come to know what is expected of me. I feel comfortable stepping into a support role in any game, knowing that the knowledge I carry regarding my approach to gameplay is somewhat transferable.

Third, I love feeling like a part of a team. As a carry, the heroic damage dealing character who is the first to jump into the fray, a game can feel like a solitary experience. You have your enemies to dispatch as quickly as possible, you can leave the rest behind. As a support, I am nothing without my team. Unfortunately this means I bad team will drag you down. I have lost many League of Legends games because, no matter how much advice and amazingly timed heals or knock-backs I delivered, I could only do so much. But when a team comes together, playing a support class can feel like captaining a ship. When the team celebrates and even shows gratitude for amazing support, I feel an immense amount of appreciation for role-based gameplay and the creators of well designed supports.

EXP Podcast #173: Virtual Urban Legends

We all know there's no such thing as ghosts (right...?), but what about virtual ghosts? This week, inspired by Jason Johnson's piece on Red Dead Redemption's haunted mansion, we discuss the myths, urban legends, and tall tales that crop up around games. We talk about the ways games facilitate far out theories and why mysteries are so alluring to players. Of course, you can't have conspiracies without fellow conspirators, so we're looking forward to hearing your theories in the comments.

And, just for fun, here's one of my favorite haunted RDR videos:

Some discussion starters:

- What are some of your favorite gaming myths, rumors, and/or ghost stories?

- What type of game best facilitates folklore? How do rules, systems, and plots inform theories?

- How have gaming urban legends changed over the years?

To listen to the podcast:

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes here. Additionally, here is the stand-alone feed.
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.
- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Run time: 29 min 48 sec
- "Black Undead Damnation," by Jason Johnson, via Kill Screen
- A list of rumors about Tumbleweed, from the Red Dead Redemption wiki on Wikia
- Music provided by Brad Sucks

Video Game Tall Tales

In tomorrow's podcast, Jorge and I talk about the phenomena of video game folklore; the myths, legends, rumors, and ghost stories that crop up around our favorite games. After the conversation, I fell down a nostalgic black hole of rumors and glitches. Allow me to share some souvenirs.

Alright: I know I've been somewhat obsessed with the X-Files recently, but bear with me for one more paragraph on the paranormal. A big chunk of tomorrow's podcast deals with Red Dead Redemption, a game that has spawned a cottage industry of conspiracy theorists. Check out this video put together by someone looking to find a werewolf in RDR:



I think the X-Files theme song really ties the whole thing together, don't you? The most hilarious thing is that these types of videos have in turn spawned counterarguments. Not only are there virtual conspiracies, but virtual conspiracy-debunkers:

So many of these videos play out exactly the way real paranormal-sighting footage does. Check out this RDR UFO:

Shaky camera? Fuzzy picture? Disregard for any mundane explanation? It's all here.

Of course, RDR doesn't have a monopoly on creepy sightings. Check out these spectral figures in Super Mario Galaxy 2:

Allegedly, people have been able to dig into the game's files and reveal more of the mystery. Be they demons, trees, or simply forgotten pieces of an abandoned feature, they sure are creepy.

Sometimes, the greatest mysteries result in banal explanations. I remember being peering through my sniper rifle in Goldeneye and fantasizing about what was hidden on that distant island in the dam level. Well, it turns out that fantasy was way more interesting than reality:

Speaking of fantasy, I've always hoped that this Animal Crossing anecdote is apocryphal. Something so tragic, yet also so targeted straight at gamers' hearts seems a bit too convenient to be true. Then again, would we really want to admit that a cloying hoax transformed us into blubbering children?

Anyway, let's end on a high note, literally. I, like many people, dreamed of one day vaulting Super Mario over the those iconic flagpoles. And, like many people, I came to terms with the fact that those poles would forever be the digital Lucy to my virtual Charlie Brown. Every time I, no matter how close I came or how much I believed it, I fell short. I can only imagine how satisfy it must have been to discover this trick:

Get More: GameTrailers.com, Pop Fiction - Episode 2: Updated! Mario Flagpole HD, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Of course, this leaves us with the question: Now that we know what's on the other side of the flag pole, what now? I'm sure we'll find other mysteries to investigate, even if we have to create them ourselves.

Multiplayer Memories in 'Demon's Souls'

This week at PopMatters, I share some of my experiences with Demon's Souls' online components.

First, a quick side note: the name, "Demon's Souls," is one of the most ungainly word pairings I've ever encountered. Say it out loud and you're tripping over the alliterative double "S" sound in the middle. Write it out and you find yourself staring quizzically at apostrophe placement. The game's name is as ridiculous as the game itself.

Anyway, those who have been following the site for the past month know that I've been trying to beat Demon's Souls before they shut off the multiplayer servers on May 31. It's not looking too good: time constraints and the game's punishing difficulty have turned out to be formidable roadblocks. Still, I'm happy I started playing when I did, as the multiplayer components have turned out to be one of the most memorable portions of the game.

Demon's Souls can still be played as an off-line experience, but the subtle presence of other humans sets it apart from most other action RPGs. Whether it is stumbling across a sarcastic hint, seeing the ghostly demise of another adventurer, or forming short-lived alliances and rivalries, interacting with other people adds dynamism to a game that thrives on repetition. You'll play the same level a dozen times, but there's always a chance you'll see a new message or even be pulled into someone else's game.

Closing down the servers won't be as damaging to Demon's Souls as it was for MMOs like Tabula Rasa or the The Matrix Online, but it still means that we'll be losing a significant aspect of the game. The online systems will disappear, taking their place in our memories alongside other digital artifacts like pre-Cataclysm World of Warcraft. It's times like this I wish I had a capture set up so I could more literally document the game for posterity.

Alas, I was too late (and too lazy) to undertake such a project. Instead, I'll just contribute some qualitative evidence to the historical record by sharing some thoughts about the dark, dangerous, and hilarious experience of playing Demon's Souls online.