Thursday, March 27, 2014

Journey as Ritual

Only two years since release, and I'm already playing Journey as Ritual.

This week's PopMatters article is about my personal experience and introspection, but if you are interested to read more about rituals as they relate to games, there is plenty of more insightful pieces than my own. I quote Janet Murray in my article of course, who's Hamlet on the Holodeck touches briefly on the process of entering into the game world. Arnold van Gennep's discussion of preliminal, liminal, and postliminal states in The Rites of Passages is also significant, which Devin Proctor discusses in relation to games right here. The anthropology of games is a rich field for those interested.

For many, any time a player enters a game, leaving their self-behind and taking on a new role, they partake in a ritual. In this piece at least though, I wanted to differentiate the traditional process of play from one in which you explicitly play a game as a ritual. I entered Journey open to a particular experience, primed for it. Going it mostly alone though changed the experience for me into one of self-reflection.

I explore this self-reflection through faith and religion because it provides a familiar language for me to express those ideas. After rereading the article, I realize it sounds like I'm finding my faith again, which is certainly not the case. Rather, I am finding a connection between the safe introspection through play as ritual and the safe introspection one can experience through religious ritual.

I would be remiss here if I didn't mention the fantastic work of the folks over at Christ and Pop Culture. They consistently delve into personal issues of faith as it relates to games and entertainment and I respect them immensely for their passion and sincerity. I would be honored to reflect their artful candor in my own work even a little.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

EXP Podcast #269: Envisioning our Virtual Future

Riker: always a cautionary tale
Jack in to net, cyber-citizens: it’s time to talk about virtual reality. More specifically, it’s time to chat about the looming release of several VR headsets. This podcast was recorded a couple days before Facebook-Oculus Rift bombshell was announced, so view it as a quaint time capsule commemorating our pre-Zuckerberg matrix existences. As always, we’re looking forward to hearing about your VR hopes, dreams, and nightmares in the comments!

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes
- Find the show on Stitcher
- Here's the show's 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:

- Runtime: 35 min 23 sec
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

What is This: Shatter

After confronting some unfortunately-named in-game powers, Jorge and Scott discuss evolutionary path of classic arcade games.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

The Titanfall Participation Trophy

This week on PopMatters I voluntarily question my achievements in Titanfall.

Titanfall is completely focused on competitive fps shooting, a genre I usually pass on.  However Jorge and I made a pact to give the game the old college try, fully aware that we would likely be overrun by a mass of ridiculously skilled players in a week.  It seemed important to get a sense of the game that (for better or worse) is being looked at as the standard-bearer for the current console generation.  Of course, we're both playing the PC version, but the implications of that are a topic for another week.

I actually enjoy the feel of Modern Warfare, so the idea of the those developers adding mech combat and parkour to the mix is quite alluring.  Overall I've enjoyed the dozen or so hours I've somehow found time to sink into Titanfall, but I go back and forth on exactly why I'm enjoying it.

I have the sense that some of it might be psychological tricks that are distracting me with achievements.  I've gotten splashy, endorphin-inducing unlocks simply for walking around or playing dozens of games.  In exchange for the most cursory amount of effort I get to see my progress bar fill and my level rise.  Of course, sometimes genuine feats of skill such as besting opponents or contributing to match objectives help me, but I feel like I am getting plenty of rewards for simply being there.

But maybe that's not so bad?  After all, some of the challenges inspire me to mess around with different guns or tactics.  If the challenges themselves are interesting, does it really matter that I get some feeling of achievement for cool wall-running even if I don't win the match?  These days, my game time is so limited that a couple quick victories might be worth not having the slog towards the nirvana of true mastery.

Still, the thought that many of those trophies are handed out just for showing up makes me hesitant to place them on the mantel.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

EXP Podcast #268: Titanfall Debrief

The words all pilots want to hear.
This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I drop into Respawn's Titanfall, and what a drop it is! How well does the mech-shooter live up to expectations? Does the multiplayer campaign revolutionize FPS storytelling? Do pilots pee in the suit? Find out by listening to our chat below! And of course, hope into the comments to let us know your thoughts on one of this year's biggest releases.

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes
- Find the show on Stitcher
- Here's the show's 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:

- Runtime: 43 min 36 sec
- Add us on Origin (EXPShen and SJuster)
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Titanfall: Here Be Dragons

Jorge and Scott mount up and go in search of mythical beasts. Along the way they do fun stuff like burn cards, sweep legs, and take out frustration on helpful robots.

 

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Moral Perspectives in The Walking Dead

There is something special about the shifting moral perspectives in The Walking Dead.

I hope I got across in my PopMatters piece my fascination with the crazy new social landscape we find ourselves in. What makes this latest Season of Telltale's smash hit so interesting is not that Clementine is a little girl, though yes, that plays an important part. What makes this season special is that how we view our own actions matters more, perhaps, than ever.

In this last episode, Clementine reminisces with an old friend about Lee. This is not just idle chatter, this is a pointed reminder that you, as the player, set the context for the current version of Clementine. You lived Clementine's past, from a unique perspective, which makes the background all that much more meaningful. Ask yourself, when finishing Season 2 Episode 2, what would Lee say to you, Clementine, about your decisions? Would he agree with them? Would he say you are upholding his moral precedent?

I honestly don't know. There are times where I feel as though I am letting my version of Lee down in some way, as though my decisions fail to recognize the reason he gave his life to save me. That burden, which I carry as a player making moral choices, is the same burden Clementine, as a fatherless-child, must also surely carry. But her decisions are her own, as much as they are mine, insofar as Lee was never so small, never so overlooked, and never so exploited. How do you move on yet maintain a clear moral path? It's not easy.

What I recognize now, after writing about the game and discussing the episode on the podcast, is that all of this is almost certainly intentional. Little phrases thrown here and there, upon reflection, hold such enormity. The writers over at Telltale still got "it", whatever that may be, and I can't wait to get more.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

EXP Podcast #267: The Walking Dead Season 2, Episode 2 debrief

Spring may be on the horizon for us, but things continue to get colder and darker in for Clementine and the rest of The Walking Dead crew. The weather is getting worse, too. As usual, we spend some time discussing the overall story arc and gameplay systems before launching into plot details. Jorge and I had a few notable differences in our playthroughs, so we’re eager to hear about the consequences of your decisions in the comments!

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes
- Find the show on Stitcher
- Here's the show's 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:

- Runtime: 48 min 45 sec
- Thanks to Colin who emailed us about the minimalist UI tip!
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

League of Legends: An Eye for Tactics

Keep those peepers peeled as you watch this visionary feat of teamwork. Also: where are the Harlem Globetrotters of video games? Someone get Billy Mitchell on the phone.
 

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Television HUD Creep

Image from PopMatters
This week at PopMatters, I write about the HUDs I see on TV.

Part of this column was a bit of me on my soapbox talking about cinematic games.  It's easy to see games certain games as becoming more and more like movies, but that doesn't mean that there is some kind of artistic trickle-down effect.  Games borrow from TV and movies, but inspiration flows the in all directions.

I've mentioned it before, but the visual conversion between real sports and their video game representations is striking.  Polygonal players are more realistic every year, whereas live broadcasts incorporate more UI elements all the time.  We see CGI finish lines, dynamic timers, highlighted players whether we're holding a remote or a controller.

Of course, the real inspiration of this post was seeing the pop-up texts that House of Cards uses to integrate texting into scenes.  I just started watching the show and had no idea it employed this technique.  Apparently Sherlock has been doing the same thing:



This doesn't even touch on how video games themselves are used in the show (maybe a topic for another day?).  The point is that the visual language of games and computer systems in general is increasingly shaping the way we digest traditional media.  The nice thing is that it's often for the better.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

EXP Podcast #266: Broken Age Debrief

The dual protagonists of Broken Age
Between Double Fine's first steps into the crowd sourced funding landscape and Broken Age's release this past month, Kickstarter came of age. Our expectations have soared to great heights, plummeted back down like a rock, and risen again, depending on the project. This brave new world has seen numerous indie darlings released, does Broken Age still stand out two years after it first captured our collective heart? Find out in this week's podcast! Also, let us know what you thought of the game in the comments below.


- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes
- Find the show on Stitcher
- Here's the show's 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:

- Runtime: 41 min 15 sec
- Music by: Brad Sucks

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Octodad: Dadly Descent

With our noodly appendages combined, anything is possible! Will we escape our watery prison? Will we save our family? Will our children find out their Octodad could not possibly sire regular human offspring!?


* Special thanks to Phillip Wong for the opening and closing credits. Check out more of his work here!