tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post1586536658071787817..comments2024-03-18T10:07:15.814-07:00Comments on Experience Points: EXP Podcast #206: Spec Ops: The Line DebriefJorge Alborhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04857765716032886965noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-20639716010892128942013-01-15T22:49:07.803-08:002013-01-15T22:49:07.803-08:00Oh god, those achievements. They were constant. I ...Oh god, those achievements. They were constant. I was trying to feel sad and then it would say I just needed to shoot five more american troops in the head.<br /><br /><br />Also, I totally missed that Picasso reference. Is that a good attempt on discussing culpability though? I don't know.Jorge Alborhttp://twitter.com/JAlbornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-816619733279516482013-01-15T22:47:54.833-08:002013-01-15T22:47:54.833-08:00I think you make a ton of great points, most of wh...I think you make a ton of great points, most of which surround the way the game could be interpreted and digested in a variety of different ways. In fact, I love this analogy: "Playing Spec Ops for me (and I suspect for you) was like receiving someone else's hate mail."<br /><br /><br />I think you're right. It works for some people, that much is clear. I still don't think I would give it as much credit though for "self-awareness" or satire. It's not just that it didn't resonate with me, but w/o alternative points of view on Walker or the game itself, I don't think it can't resonate with me. I still get the sense Yager stumbled into something here, but I can't really know unless I sat down with the devs themselves and grilled them.Jorge Alborhttp://twitter.com/JAlbornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-3403108801674945022013-01-15T22:42:18.082-08:002013-01-15T22:42:18.082-08:00Hey Brad! Thanks for writing something that piqued...Hey Brad! Thanks for writing something that piqued my interest. That's all on you.<br /><br /><br />It's so hard to straddle that critical line between lambasting a game and still offering enough praise to avoid scaring off devs who take incredible risks when addressing real world themes. That's an ongoing discussion I have with myself, and with others, and one I'll actually be coming back to on Thursday.<br /><br /><br />Anyway, thanks again for listening. I was concerned going into this conversation but I think it was a rewarding conversation, at least for me.Jorge Alborhttp://twitter.com/JAlbornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-55633710686486856882013-01-12T03:53:03.813-08:002013-01-12T03:53:03.813-08:00Thanks for this podcast.
I actually managed to ch...Thanks for this podcast. <br />I actually managed to choose a third way in the scene where Walker had to choose between the two victims. It took me several attempts but I finally managed not to shoot one of the men but to attack the snipers and survive (both victims were shot though). <br />I really like the approach Yager did. I do think though the last turn in the plot was one too many. <br /><br />Btw, did anybody notice the quotation from Picasso at the very end? <br /><br />Wikipedia: While living in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II, Picasso suffered harassment from the Gestapo. One officer allegedly asked him, upon seeing a photo of Guernica in his apartment, "Did you do that?" Picasso responded, "No, you did."<br /><br />The same words are spoken by Konrad in front of his picture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9ssCzSwWWQ&feature=player_detailpage#t=217s<br /><br />The most annoying thing about Spec Ops to me is the integration of achievements and multiplayer. I blame the publisher for that.Marchantiahttp://twitter.com/Marchantianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967694277763110629.post-2746309304991753392013-01-10T01:39:38.701-08:002013-01-10T01:39:38.701-08:00Hey guys,
I left you both a semi-humorous message...Hey guys,<br /><br />I left you both a semi-humorous message via Twitter about being mellow before I heard this episode, and I guess the timing was perfect... Jorge was definitely in pre-super saiyan mode for some of the discussion, and it was great to hear that passion. Scott, still waiting for you to hulk out, buddy.<br /><br />All kidding aside, although I haven't been listening to your show since the beginning, I've listened to a fair number of episodes and this was definitely one of the best you've done, I think. <br /><br />Primarily it was good because you name-checked me, but apart from that, it was really gratifying to hear some intelligent discussion which didn't immediately buy into the common wisdom that the game is trying to impart a deep message, or that it somehow subverts the very content that it is delivering to the player.<br /><br />I very much admire what Yager was trying to do and in my own review, I encouraged them to keep going along the same lines, but I'm definitely with you in that I think people are giving the game far too much credit, and probably because critical circles are fairly starved for anything to sink their teeth into -- the very same point you guys made at the end of the episode.<br /><br />overall, I thought the quality of discussion and examination of Spec Ops you had was top-notch, and I definitely felt like you guys did justice to not only the issues that people are associating with the game, but how the game *actually* addresses those issues and contradicts them at the same time.<br /><br />great show, keep it up, and feel free to mention me again anytime you like.<br /><br />; DBrad Gallawaynoreply@blogger.com