Videogames and scifi: the future?

[gotthammer]

Well, playing games later is sometimes better: for one, you no longer have to wait for patches/DLCs/etc.
Of course, you run the risk of the story being spoiled *looks at M6P*.

I do agree w/ Todd's point on mediocre games, tho': there are a lot. Of course, can't one say the same of the other mediums? For every show like 'Farscape' or 'Firefly', how many crappy sci-fi shows are there? For every comic book that's hailed as a 'classic', how many are just rehashes/remixes?
It's understandable, tho'. The video game industry is quite lucrative, if you can establish a name for yourself (which is hard, methinks). I mean, if you don't have the backing of major publishers like Activision or Electronic Arts, it will already be an uphill battle (depending on point-of-view, having a big publisher could also be a 'bad thing', esp. when it comes to what the devs/creators want vs. what the publishers want). Saying that you're 'indie' won't garner you sympathy, either, if your product isn't 'up to standards'.

[Replicator Todd]

Well, playing games later is sometimes better: for one, you no longer have to wait for patches/DLCs/etc.
Of course, you run the risk of the story being spoiled *looks at M6P*.

I do agree w/ Todd's point on mediocre games, tho': there are a lot. Of course, can't one say the same of the other mediums? For every show like 'Farscape' or 'Firefly', how many crappy sci-fi shows are there? For every comic book that's hailed as a 'classic', how many are just rehashes/remixes?
It's understandable, tho'. The video game industry is quite lucrative, if you can establish a name for yourself (which is hard, methinks). I mean, if you don't have the backing of major publishers like Activision or Electronic Arts, it will already be an uphill battle (depending on point-of-view, having a big publisher could also be a 'bad thing', esp. when it comes to what the devs/creators want vs. what the publishers want). Saying that you're 'indie' won't garner you sympathy, either, if your product isn't 'up to standards'.

In a way, the entire entertainment industry has declined in quality. There are only handfuls of good movies, TV shows, and games as well as others now it seems. And yet the mediocre stuff rises to the top. Look at GI Joe, Transformers 2, reality shows, and I'm sorry to the fans. Halo, people will buy it just because it says Halo in the title.

[The Mighty 6 platoon]

In a way, the entire entertainment industry has declined in quality. There are only handfuls of good movies, TV shows, and games as well as others now it seems. And yet the mediocre stuff rises to the top. Look at GI Joe, Transformers 2, reality shows, and I'm sorry to the fans. Halo, people will buy it just because it says Halo in the title.

I disagree, for instance with Halo ODST, the latest incarnation, they really made an effort, it was probably one of the best games in the series. And while there is GI Joe and Avatar in the film world, there is also District 9 and Moon.

As for the videogame world, the stuff on the top is normally the best, stuff like Bioshock and Mass Effect are rolling in cash. Perhaps the only Transformers equivalent in the videogame world is Call of Duty, even then it might have an insane storyline, as a FPS though its still a good game.

[Stewart5]

Try reading the Halo novels and tell me they are just cashing in on the success of the first game.
The story in the games is also great,(except Halo Wars. It sucked) you just have to get past the crummy gameplay.

[Daedalus-304]

I would have to agree that video games are getting better stories and experiences than movies and TV shows. I can think of three games that after I finished them, my thought was "wow, this makes movies look so bad in comparison" the first was Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect 1 (I'm about halfway through on the second), and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (easily tops the story from most horror movies).

Movies and TV shows just seem to be tied down to rules, I the podcast Ronald Moore talked about how he had to make certain types of episodes and the quality declined because of that. Peter Jackson wanted to make a quality Halo movie, but the studio stopped him.

I'm also impressed with all the books and supplemental materiel with video games now. Mass Effect has two novels with a third coming out, same with Gears of War. Halo has six novels, a short story collection, a few comics and a Forerunner Trilogy coming out soon. I got the Halo encyclopedia for Christmas this year, my mom and grandma couldn't believe there was an encyclopedia that big about a video game.

[gotthammer]

re: Modern Warfare
I haven't played MW2...until they 'fix' the dedicated servers issue, I'm not getting a copy.

re: decline
It's not the first time folks have said that of various industries, particularly the arts/entertainment, nor will it be the last. Maybe there really is a cycle of sorts...for every Renaissance, a Dark Age?
Still, one just has to be discerning, and sift the good stuff from the bad.

[The Mighty 6 platoon]

I would have to agree that video games are getting better stories and experiences than movies and TV shows. I can think of three games that after I finished them, my thought was "wow, this makes movies look so bad in comparison" the first was Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect 1 (I'm about halfway through on the second), and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (easily tops the story from most horror movies).

Movies and TV shows just seem to be tied down to rules, I the podcast Ronald Moore talked about how he had to make certain types of episodes and the quality declined because of that. Peter Jackson wanted to make a quality Halo movie, but the studio stopped him.

I'm also impressed with all the books and supplemental materiel with video games now. Mass Effect has two novels with a third coming out, same with Gears of War. Halo has six novels, a short story collection, a few comics and a Forerunner Trilogy coming out soon. I got the Halo encyclopedia for Christmas this year, my mom and grandma couldn't believe there was an encyclopedia that big about a video game.

I think that’s one of the best things about games, there so free to explore any setting or elements that they wish without any restrictions and games can approach topics or story ideas that a film or tv show would never touch.

On top of that the huge amount of background detail, the encyclopedia, the Codex’s, the novels, the comics that are based on games are huge. Many of them are actually good. All we need is a good videogame movie and the cycle will be complete

[EllieVee]

Admittedly, I would be put off by an Ayn Rand inspired anything.

[The Mighty 6 platoon]

Admittedly, I would be put off by an Ayn Rand inspired anything.

What if said game esstentialy tears Ayn Rand apart?

[EllieVee]

What if said game esstentialy tears Ayn Rand apart?

I'd call that her just desserts.

[The Mighty 6 platoon]

I'd call that her just desserts.

Then you'd enjoy Bioshock.

[Stewart5]

Whoot! Lets pund on Ayn Rand!

[The Mighty 6 platoon]

Whoot! Lets pund on Ayn Rand!

She sucks She really sucks according to Bioshock.

[Daedalus-304]

Admittedly, I would be put off by an Ayn Rand inspired anything.

I haven't played Bioshock yet, it's on my to-get list. Who exactly was Ayn Rand?

[rlr149]

have to agree there are some good stories in some games these days. i'm currently about to start

Spoiler:

the reaper IFF mission

in ME2, and liking it alot, but i do prefer games where i can strike out on my own and leave the story. i didn't even bother doing any story missions after i got the horse in OBLIVION, and played it for months!! and i remember it more fondly than half life 2(one step away from an 'on-rails' shooter imo)
currently on a break from EVE online but i have some experiences i took part in, that i'm prouder of than pretty much any story driven game i've finished.
used to play planetside too and this link has a more individual slant(or more interesting imo) than the usual recounts of games.

give me an open world to make my own story.

i'm disapointed with gaming these days, had "elite" on the BBC micro model B "back in the day", it came on a single 5 1/4 inch floppy disc(only 360 kb capacity and actually floppy) and it had 8 galaxies to play in.( i still play it on a bbc emu occasionally) and i'm finding games have regressed rather than progressed.............. yeah the graphics are pretty and everythings shiny but there's less to do. and theres no excuse that will suffice, the tech has improved immesurably and we have "procedurally generated" landscape/whatever! a game that somewhat writes itself for you should be available.

oh, and we need less "voice talent" and more resident evil 1 voice over work