Why video games are still selling like hot cakes! [Game Dev]
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Posted by on April 29th, 2008Much to the surprise of this afflicted world, the videogames industry is still surging forward with players taking a decision to go into full nelson production. New York Times, a very credible journal, does a story why even in a plethora of negative economic indicators, the gaming industry is still having a “banner year”, and will still go on to have a great year. Games like GTA 4 are not only extremely satisfying experiences, they are way of escapism and joy for people who toil all day at jobs and office. The article goes to say that gamer, or people, are more like to buy “eggs, milk and videogames with their last $50.”
I however disagree with anyone who uses the word addiction to describe what might just be a very simple way of find a non-hallucinating escape from life!
As a videogames evangelist, I think the potential of this industry is still unrealized in most parts of the world. Not only as a highly lucrative economy but as a tool to aid social development in fields like medicine, education, public service and governance.
Read the whole article at NYTimes.com.
Dynamic Difficulty: “I was pwning before you moved that slider!”
Posted by on February 18th, 2008
Interestingly, games are still being built around sets of three or four difficulty settings. Or, some of them don’t even have a difficulty setting - they are just plain, right out, ridiculously hard. Talking about specific games, StarCraft Broodwars is unplayable after a certain difficulty level. It totally kicks your ass and you feel frustrated. Some games use cheats and hacks to counter the human mind. Which again is unfair to the player. Like the Insane mode on WarCraft 3 gives the AI controlled computer double or even triple gold supply.
Some AI is designed pretty impressive, which actually thinks for a little while until human skill takes over or it becomes annoyingly predictable as to how that creature would just lunge at you and you have aim that buck shot while it’s in it’s mid air flight. Again, repetitive AI algorithms make the game boring and predictable. Killing the fun.
OH, and games like Football Manager, FIFA or ProEvo are just mad. There comes a point in a tournament where all you players start getting injured at crucial times, and the computer can’t seem lose it’s winning streak. A point in the match comes where they just string a move with god-like passing and touch to win the game 5-4 in 90th minute. MAD!
