Community Spotlight 2 - SophinaK Interview with PICS!!!

I would like to see the spotlighted person's opinion respected and these interviews aren't meant to start a console war or game bashing, they are just views of a single person. Any suggestions on how to make this feature better or recommendations on someone you'd like to see interviewed can be Private Messaged to smerlus. Any comments about the interview or further questions can be posted in this topic. Enjoy the Spotlight.

The First Community Spotlight featuresing Dvader654 can be found by clicking Nyeah.

Welcome to the second Gamespot Community Spotlight topic. After doing another unscientific and very closed poll, 2 out of 3 fellow posters elected SophinaKto be the next forum member interviewed. You may notice by now that the promise of pictures was a ruse just to get people into this topic and introduced with a member of the community who has recently become a moderator. She's been a member since 2006 and seems to be a level headed poster and for some strange reason doesn't like being refered to as 'he', go figure. Anyways here's the interview with SophinaK.

smerlus: Like always we'll start at the beginning, when did you start gaming and what was the first game that truly drew you into the hobby?

SophinaK: I started gaming when I was young... I actually don't remember how old I was, but it was in the mid-late 80s sometime.

SophinaK: my mom's youngest brother lived with my grandma still (he's a lot younger than my mom) and he had an Atari 2600

SophinaK: and we played Space Invaders constantly

SophinaK: and Frogger ^_^

smerlus: You mention Space Invaders being an early influence in gaming. Did you see the news about the Space Invaders mock up of 9/11 and if so, what did you think about it?

SophinaK: I saw it. I thought it was kinda silly, really. Every form of media takes current events and puts them into a different context and draws parallels and makes statements. Movies don't get pulled because they're politically insensitive. I wish that game-makers and these visual type artists would stop allowing themselves to be treated like second ****citizens.

smerlus: Outside of gaming, what do you do for a living?

SophinaK: outside of gaming I live a double life by day I work in customer service for a major health insurance carrier, and by night I write copy for a web design company.

smerlus: You won the latest "Developer for a Day contest right? Ever have aspirations of working in the game industry?

SophinaK: I really enjoyed that contest, but I think I'm better suited to sitting in front of a computer criticizing games than I am to making them myself... maybe game journalism or something in a related area, but probably not design.

SophinaK: I'm actually applying to law schools right now, so I think if I was to go to law school, intellectual property and consumer rights would be something I'd be really interested in

smerlus: Those would be some interesting game related professions. Now your winning entry was an adventure game. Is that one of your favorite genres or just an idea for a game you had?

SophinaK: I really like adventure games. Adventure games and RPGs are definitely my favorite genres. Partly because they tend to be thinking games, and I like that better than button-mashing, and partly because I get really motion sick when I play shooters and some 3D platformers.

SophinaK: *laughing at self*

smerlus: I was talking about motion sickness the other day with a friend. He got sicker with the older FPS's on the N64 and is doing a bit better now. Does newer graphics help prevent motion sickness for you or is it about the same?

SophinaK:It's a little bit better now. I still don't do so well with first person games, but most of the newer third person ones are okay. Older games, even third person were really bad for me (like Mario64!) but newer stuff like Mass Effect and Oblivion when I switched to third person were okay. I still can't play Metroid Prime for more than fifteen minutes though without getting sick

smerlus: Ouch so you miss out on a lot of good games it seems. So if you had to pick one genre to get rid of, RPG's or Adventure games, which one would you abandon?

SophinaK: Adventure games. They don't make them like they used to anyway... and RPGs just last so much longer.

smerlus: Do you have a favorite game in or out of the RPG genre?

SophinaK: Probably Final Fantasy X. The jump from ps1 to ps2 blew me away. But I really really loved Persona 3, so it's a hard choice.

smerlus: So when did you come across Gamespot?

SophinaK: I might actually have to check my profile to tell you. A couple of years ago. *checks* '06. I actually found GameSpot when I was looking for videogame news to put on my iGoogle page to read at work, and I didn't find the community for months after that.

smerlus: Is Gamespot the only site you use or one of many?

SophinaK: it's the only site I use for community stuff. I read other sites for news and different blogs and stuff. I like Law of the Game and Sexyvideogameland and I read Gamasutra's features pretty regularly, but I don't do like IGN or 1up or Giantbomb or any of that kind of site.

smerlus: What would be the thing that makes Gamespot a little bit above your other choices?

SophinaK: The community. GameSpot's forums have the best discussion and you put up with the least crap from.... well, the internet... that I've ever found. I have friends at GS that I call when I have real life problems, and that's a really good thing that nobody else has.

smerlus: ~has been waiting for a call from Sophina for months~ Anyways. You've just become a mod on the forums. How's that been working out for you?

SophinaK: It's really different. It's really intimidating.... I haven't felt like a noob on GS for years, but suddenly I do again. But it's also really cool, the other mods are great people and I'm excited to get to know them better.

smerlus: So you're getting the hang of the Mod thing? Any special gifts for your favorite interviewer like a "get out of a moderation free" card?

SophinaK: Heh. I'm still in the stage where everyone promises me cake (don't be fooled, the cake is a lie!) and threatens to make me play Big Rigs. Yeah, I think I'm getting the hang of it, more or less.

smerlus: When playing games, do you do it just for the experience the game offers, do you finish them or do you have to find every single nook and cranny of a game?

SophinaK: Most of the time I finish games, but I definitely play for the experience. I almost never finish every single thing, and I'm not all that competitive. In fact, I'm not necessarily even very good at games, I just like them.

smerlus: Any gaming achievements you're particularly proud of?

SophinaK: In college one summer my brothers and I raced through Ocarina of Time. The prize was that the losers would buy the winner dinner anywhere they chose. And I won. Which was unusual, because my brothers normally thwomp me at everything.

smerlus: lol What restaurant did you choose?

SophinaK: A local seafood place called the Weathervane. I live in Maine and we're really picky about good seafood here. It was not cheap for them.

smerlus: Well yeah. IF you're going to win might as well go for the most expensive prize. Are your brothers into gaming as much as you are?

SophinaK: One of my brothers pretty much just plays halo in the dorm and whatever MLB baseball is the most current

SophinaK: the other one is a big PC gamer

SophinaK: very into RTS

SophinaK: It wasn't really a fair fight; I had a distinct advantage in console action games

smerlus: So is Gamespot a family affair for you with some brother posters lurking about or are they not that into it?

SophinaK: They don't do gamespot. The MLB fan isn't that into gaming, and the RTS fan has local friends and does LAN parties and stuff. They think I'm kind of weird, actually.

smerlus: Do you have a moment in gaming you're ashamed of that you'd like to admit to so we can all make fun of you?

SophinaK: LOL, sure. I can humiliate myself for your amusement.

SophinaK: Mass Effect is the first game that I've ever beaten where a gun is your primary weapon.

smerlus: That sounds more like an achievement. It has to be hard avoiding all those other games.

SophinaK: I am so bad at shooting games that my ex used to make me play Halo with his friends and named my avatar "Cannon Fodder" He'd stack the teams so that I was with the better players to make it more fair for the ones who needed an easy target.

smerlus: Ok that's a bit better cannon fodder. I suppose you're not counting that strange Gun Blade on FF VIII was it?

SophinaK: I wasn't. You don't have to aim in RPGs

SophinaK: usually

smerlus: lol nice addition. Any game that really disappointed you?

SophinaK: That's hard. Mostly cause there are several, and I can't decide which one to focus on...

smerlus: Just the one that pissed you off the most

SophinaK: I bought Star Ocean: Til the End of Time when it first came out and I was a very very broke college student. And I was anticipating it so much, my mouth was almost watering. And then when I got it, the combat was broken. The AI is so stupid it's a constant chore to survive.

SophinaK: I did get to write a fun bash review on it though.

smerlus: Did that make you feel better or is the game that bad where you still have some built up anger inside?

SophinaK: I have to rant about it anytime someone mentions clichéd RPG plots or bad ally AI.

SophinaK: I have to, it's a physical need

smerlus: Yes coping mechanisms are great like that. Can you name a few games you're looking forward to and a brief reason why?

SophinaK: I'm looking forward to the new Prince of Persia. Sands of Time is one of my all time favorites and I am hoping that this will recapture the storybook feel that it had. So far it looks really promising. I'm looking forward to Persona 4. Persona 3 is very close to beating out FFX for my favorite RPG of all time, and I can't wait to see what's next... And I'm curious what's going to happen to the KOTOR and Kingdom Hearts series.

smerlus: What's your favorite era in gaming?

SophinaK: I like now. I'm always kinda tempted by nostalgia, the SNES period was really good for me, but when I look back on what I was playing then and compare it to what I'm playing now, I think the future's looking really bright. I couldn't be happier to be gaming right now.

SophinaK: except, I wish I had as much time now as I did then.

smerlus: I think we all do. So are you excited about gaming's future or does something have you worried about it...? Something like a little white rectangular prism with a grey base?

SophinaK: LOL

SophinaK: how did you know?!

SophinaK: I seriously thought Wii would be a way to reimagine console RTS and shooters and stuff, when it was first announced. I thought it would make the pc/console gap narrower. Oh geez. I'm too optimistic for my own good.

smerlus: Microsoft pays me one Microsoft point for every time I bash a certain console

SophinaK:I think in the long run there'll be two markets, the casual fluff, and stuff for the rest of us. At least I hope that's how it'll play out. As long as there's good stuff coming up in the next few years, I think it is looking good.

SophinaK: LOL I should have expected you were a MS spy... >_>

smerlus: Now you had to know a question like this was going to pop up but... you're a female gamer right?

SophinaK: Yes I am.

smerlus: Will you be my girlfriend?

SophinaK:ROFL

smerlus: Just messing with you. Do you find it's difficult to be a female in a mostly male dominated hobby or does it have its benefits?

SophinaK: It's not as hard as it used to be. But I'm in male-dominated areas a lot in my life, so I'm probably used to it. I majored in Philosophy in college, and I was the first female graduate of the program for my school...

SophinaK: anyway, it bothers me when people on GS just automatically refer to me as "he". I made my profile all pink to try and avoid it. Also, sometimes in game stores they try to warn me about the content in the games I'm buying, because it's not suitable for my kids. I don't have any kids...

smerlus: Ouch. So you mentioned you're not into competitive gaming so you miss a lot of that trash talk on online games correct?

SophinaK: yeah, I don't play online very much. Which is okay with me, I hear it's not the most welcoming environment. When I do play online it's something like Culdcept Saga and it's usually with someone I already know. I used to play WoW, but I intentionally didn't voice chat.

smerlus: That's too bad. I'm sure we would have heard some great WoW love stories. Do you play as a male character in that game?

SophinaK: My main was a female, but I had a male alt once. I didn't really notice much difference in how people reacted, so maybe the horror stories you hear aren't true?

smerlus: Any question you wish I would have asked you during this interview?

SophinaK: no, I think you covered it. You're very thorough

smerlus: Any last words for friends or fellow forumites?

SophinaK: ... er... no. I'm not good at being witty on the spot.

smerlus: All right. Well thanks for your time and it was fun.

SophinaK: thanks, you too. It was fun.

Man that was a great interview to read, it had a really nice flow to it, and I have give props to Smerlus for being able to tease out so much information from the interviewees so far. I had planned to have a question ready to ask Sophina myself, but you did such a good job, I don't know if I can even think of anything good to ask.

Err...So how did you spend your labor day weekend?

Kickass interview, man, and thanks to Sophina as well.

How do you envision the next generation of game consoles? Will both Sony and MS continue their (silicon) arms race in HD, or will they favor a different approach, neglecting technological advances in the visual field? What will Nintendo do to keep theinsane momentum theWii has achieved?

Great interview! I used to do the same thing when playing Halo with one of my dual analogically challenged friends. Only I'd call him "Completing the square". That's how geeky I am.

What makes a good story in your opinion?

Ooh this totally makes me feel like a celebrity. *flips hair and smiles for imaginary camera*

LOL!! You guys ask hard questions.

@HiResDes- I spent most of my Labor Day weekend right here in front of my computer learning how to do this whole mod thing. It was very relaxing not to have to think about work for like 48 hours straight. Today I've got friends coming up from Boston and we're gonna spend the afternoon trying to outnerd each other with tabletop roleplaying games. :P

@MetalGear_Ninty - I think if I could meet a game developer, I'd have to meet Will Wright and ask him how he got into the female brain so perfectly when he created the Sims. How he keeps coming up with hit after hit is just amazing to me, and also how he manages to make games that are so perfectly addicting. I'd love to swap ideas with him, especially if he was swapping them to me and I had some way to capture and sell them... :twisted:

@SteelAttack - I hope the console war goes on just how it has been. I think the competition between MS and Sony is good for everyone, nobody gets lazy... As far as Nintendo goes, I'm not a Nintendo hater, really. I used to be a rabid obnoxious Nintendo fangirl in my younger days. I just don't know if Nintendo can keep their momentum. I think the casual gaming grannies are kind of a fad right now, not that they'll stop gaming, but I think they'll stop buying consoles and just go back to playing Diner Dash and Peggle on their aging PCs. I think the Wii is running on pure hype right now, and when the mainstream media stops promoting it as the new coolest thing since sliced bread, I don't know how much longer it can continue. PS - none of my opinions are based on any sort of objective fact, I just make them up as I go along. :P

@inoperativeRS - I think a good story is one where the characters actually develop and change. I liked FFX for that reason, much more than FFXII. Also something where I can't guess the plot in advance is nice. I'm getting tired of the same old cliches. I also really like a story that takes a setting or theme you're familiar with and makes it seem totally different and new: KOTOR would definitely be the best example of that. I couldn't believe how alive they made the Star Wars universe. If Bioware can do the same thing with a KOTOR MMO I might be looking at a new addiction.

great interview...i admit i enjoyed this more than the dvader one...and i also recommend that you post more seeing that i've never really recognized your posts (the first time i noticed you was the developer for a day thread), and had no idea you were a mod too...but then again, i've been here for a long while too and i'm sure no one recognizes me either, sooooooo.....

i don't see it being asked, so what current-gen consoles do you own, and what are your favourite current-gen games so far? i see you mentioned mass effect and oblivion, so i'm assuming you have a 360?

just wanted to touch on two points you made:

smerlus: I was talking about motion sickness the other day with a friend. He got sicker with the older FPS's on the N64 and is doing a bit better now. Does newer graphics help prevent motion sickness for you or is it about the same?

SophinaK:It's a little bit better now. I still don't do so well with first person games, but most of the newer third person ones are okay. Older games, even third person were really bad for me (like Mario64!) but newer stuff like Mass Effect and Oblivion when I switched to third person were okay. I still can't play Metroid Prime for more than fifteen minutes though without getting sick

smerlus

i experienced my first bout of motion sickness in more than five years just a few days ago when i started half-life 2 (the orange box, 360), and i'm not really sure what to do...the graphics didn't look bad at all but i couldn't play for more than an hour at a time before i had to stop, and i'd have to take a short nap to sleep it off...i'm thinking i can just tough it out for the game since apparently episodes 1 and 2 have better graphics, but it's not helping that i'm playing on hard difficulty because i enjoy the challenge...it's too bad i can't enjoy it with all the accolades it's received...

smerlus: I think we all do. So are you excited about gaming's future or does something have you worried about it...? Something like a little white rectangular prism with a grey base?

SophinaK: LOL

SophinaK: how did you know?!

SophinaK: I seriously thought Wii would be a way to reimagine console RTS and shooters and stuff, when it was first announced. I thought it would make the pc/console gap narrower. Oh geez. I'm too optimistic for my own good.

smerlus

i have to admit that this is exactly what i thought the wii would bring to the table as well...i even remember some rumour being that nintendo was going to release a new IP FPS killer app at launch, but it was nowhere to be seen...i also knew that i was going to start playing RTS at some point this gen and being a console-only gamer, the wii would have been the best choice for the genre...maybe the technology wasn't there? the wii just disappointed me all across the board that it's the first ever nintendo console i've decided to pass on (although i played some of the wii fit games at a friend's party a few nights ago and had fun with it)...

Oh, oh, and another question:

Where are mah pix? :evil:

:P

Sorry, had to do it.

Prodigy - yeah I haven't posted a whole lot this summer, my computer's about to bite the dust and I'm hoping to get a new one actually later this month, which should really help. And I just became a mod last week, so you're hardly out of the loop as far as that goes. :P

I haven't found anything that really helps with the motion sickness. I find if I'm really determined and keep playing sometimes I can acclimate to it (Ocarina of Time doesn't bother me any more, when it first came out it made me almost puke) but sometimes I can't. There have been only a few games I really really regretted missing out on (Metroid Prime).

I have a paperweight... I mean Wii, and a 360 and a DS. I'm about to buy a gaming PC which makes me extremely excited. I haven't been able to play new PC games since like, 2002 or something, so I'm pretty psyched. So far this gen, I think Mass Effect has been the winner for me. I've been kinda broke since I got my 360 in October so I've missed out on a lot of the big games. Eternal Sonata and Assassin's Creed were really the only other big ones I've played so far and I wasn't super impressed with either one. Heehee, I think my favorite 360 game is Puzzle Quest for XBLA actually!

Des- I would slay the FPS genre. Then I wouldn't feel so left out on the 360 board. :P They're the worst genre for motion sickness so I doubt I'll ever get good at them.

Steel: this is not me. But it is a pic :P

I saw SophinaK's name in this sticky so I just had to stop by for a minute :o

I'm going to give you a few hard ones to answer :P

-When you think about making a game for someone... would you rather make it so that the person just floats along while taking in a great story or would you rather create a game where the player isn't restricted at all? Games are usually about balance of the two but which part should be dominant?

-Would you buy a AAA game that's supposed to have 990 hours of gameplay? Where does the line go for you?

PS. I hate it when people call me a "she" >_>

Massive props to both of you. A very informative and entertaining read. smerlus, I love how you mix in follow-up on-the-spot questions with the prepared questions, it gave the interview a really natural flow. Good questions and Sophina proved to be a great choice for the spotlight.

But there were no pics, so in the end - you fail.

Is it possible for a guy to think with something other than his pecker for once? :P

Its always a pleasure to get up close and personal with some of GGD's most renowned forumites. Up until recently I haven't seen SophinaK around so its great to see that she's posting more often since her ascension to mod status.

I've got a question that hasn't been covered by the OP: would you ride on a train, dance in the rain, or feel no pain?

Hey! I thought I was the only one who did these things? :P Good interview (not sure if there better than mine though :D ), I might just be playing Persona 3 soon myself ;)PJ24

I loved this Community Spotlight-Episode btw, just wanted to say it again if it wasn't clear in my last post.

Hungry_bunny - you make me laugh! :) If I had to choose between making a game with a really compelling put pretty directed storyline or one with great freedom and an open world but little story, I would choose...... *drumroll* Story! I have a hard time getting motivated when I don't have a clear goal, and I just love finding out what happens next.

And I would DEFINITELY buy an AAA exclusive that was 990 hours long (*cough* I already bought WoW...):P I'd never have to buy another game ever again... now that's value for money.

Dvader - I sided with Nintendo. Not because I thought they made better games or had the moral high ground or anything like that, but because my mother didn't know what Sega was, so there was no way we were ever gonna get one. My parents weren't really into the video game thing when I was a kid, they actually thought they were evil in some way (think early reactions to rock music and D&D), so when my grandma bought us our first NES we actually had to leave it at her house and only play it there. The SNES was the first console I ever had at home.

Blades - I'd have no pain. :P I hate being wet, so rain is right out. And trains are kinda boring.

Des - I like different kinds of rock, I guess. But I don't pigeonhole that well. Five bands I like are: The Who, Radiohead, The Pixies, Pinback, and the Dresden Dolls... as you can see, that covers quite a lot of ground. :P

Hungry_bunny - you make me laugh! :) If I had to choose between making a game with a really compelling put pretty directed storyline or one with great freedom and an open world but little story, I would choose...... *drumroll* Story! I have a hard time getting motivated when I don't have a clear goal, and I just love finding out what happens next.

And I would DEFINITELY buy an AAA exclusive that was 990 hours long (*cough* I already bought WoW...):P I'd never have to buy another game ever again... now that's value for money.

Dvader - I sided with Nintendo. Not because I thought they made better games or had the moral high ground or anything like that, but because my mother didn't know what Sega was, so there was no way we were ever gonna get one. My parents weren't really into the video game thing when I was a kid, they actually thought they were evil in some way (think early reactions to rock music and D&D), so when my grandma bought us our first NES we actually had to leave it at her house and only play it there. The SNES was the first console I ever had at home.

Blades - I'd have no pain. :P I hate being wet, so rain is right out. And trains are kinda boring.

Des - I like different kinds of rock, I guess. But I don't pigeonhole that well. Five bands I like are: The Who, Radiohead, The Pixies, Pinback, and the Dresden Dolls... as you can see, that covers quite a lot of ground. :P

SophinaK

Woah those are some of my favorite bands too, all of them, I'm really surprised you mentioned Pinback...No one ever lists them as their favorite it seems like.

What's your favorite color? And if you answer wrong, there will be grave consequences.

Solid interview. Except it wasn't grammatically correct enough...

Steel: this is not me. But it is a pic :P

SophinaK

*sigh* I told you never to share that with anyone. :(

Blades - I'd have no pain. :P I hate being wet, so rain is right out. And trains are kinda boring.

SophinaK

Haha I bet you didn't know that was a psychological test.:twisted: If you've ever watched the movie, "The Recruit," you'll know what I mean.

Des - you have excellent, excellent taste!

Oilers - my favorite color is red. And of course I answered correctly. There is no other right answer.

m0 - oh dear. :o Are you going to beat me up?

Athena - I had no idea what that was all about... what's the answer to the test?

Des - you have excellent, excellent taste!

Oilers - my favorite color is red. And of course I answered correctly. There is no other right answer.

m0 - oh dear. :o Are you going to beat me up?

Athena - I had no idea what that was all about... what's the answer to the test?

SophinaK

Basically its a test to see how one copes with life in general.

Since you chose to "feel no pain," that would indicate that you're the type of person who goes through great lengths to avoid strife and misfortune in life.

A person who likes to ride on a train signifies that they just simply go where ever life takes them, much like how a train doesn't travel anywhere beyond where the rails can lead it.

Lastly, a person who enjoys dancing in the rain tends to take whatever life throws at them and turn it into a positive.

[QUOTE="SophinaK"]

Des - you have excellent, excellent taste!

Oilers - my favorite color is red. And of course I answered correctly. There is no other right answer.

m0 - oh dear. :o Are you going to beat me up?

Athena - I had no idea what that was all about... what's the answer to the test?

BladesOfAthena

Basically its a test to see how one copes with life in general.

Since you chose to "feel no pain," that would indicate that you're the type of person who goes through great lengths to avoid strife and misfortune in life.

A person who likes to ride on a train signifies that they just simply go where ever life takes them, much like how a train doesn't travel anywhere beyond where the rails can lead it.

Lastly, a person who enjoys dancing in the rain tends to take whatever life throws at them and turn it into a positive.

What if skinning your knee causes you to burst out into song, you ride a rocketpack to work every day and you have sword-fights with the rain?

Just curious.

What if skinning your knee causes you to burst out into song, you ride a rocketpack to work every day and you have sword-fights with the rain?

Just curious.

Oilers99

Then that would make one a non-essentialist. :P

Have you ever played The Longest Journey? And if so would you say its the bestest game ever, or the bestest most awesome wowsers game ever? :PGodModeEnabled

Et tu, Brute?

[QUOTE="GodModeEnabled"] Have you ever played The Longest Journey? And if so would you say its the bestest game ever, or the bestest most awesome wowsers game ever? :PSteelAttack

I come to mourn SteelAttack, not to praise him.

The moderation that men do lives after them;

The good is oft interred with their empty account pages;

So let it be with SteelAttack.

The noble GME hath told you SteelAttack was a console fanboy:

If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath SteelAttack answer'd it.

Here, under leave of GME and the rest—

For GME is an honorable (wo)man;

So are they all, all honorable men—

Come I to speak of SteelAttack's bannage.

He was my friend, faithful and just to me:

But GME says he was a console fanboy;

And GME is an honorable (wo)man.

He hath brought many scrotum-jokes to GGD

Whose punchlines did the general posters please:

Did this in SteelAttack seem fanboyish?

When that the grammatically unfortunate have failed, SteelAttack hath wept:

Fanboyish should be made of sterner stuff:

Yet GME says he was a console fanboy;

And GME is an honorable (wo)man.

You all did see that on his blog I thrice presented him a kingly wang,

Which he did thrice refuse:

was this fanboyish?

Yet GME says he was a console fanboy;

And, sure, he is an honorable (wo)man.

LOL Inoperative, you crack me up.

GME - I did not play the Longest Journey *ducks from inevitable attack* I did play Dreamfall, and it was an incredible game.

LOL Inoperative, you crack me up.

GME - I did not play the Longest Journey *ducks from inevitable attack* I did play Dreamfall, and it was an incredible game.

SophinaK

*throws a tomato at your direction*

Sorry, couldn't resist.:D

LOL Inoperative, you crack me up.

GME - I did not play the Longest Journey *ducks from inevitable attack* I did play Dreamfall, and it was an incredible game.

SophinaK

I just bought the first decent pc I have ever owned this week. PC games, here I come! :P

I'll be sure to look for TLJ too... Dreamfall was really excellent.

I just bought the first decent pc I have ever owned this week. PC games, here I come! :P

I'll be sure to look for TLJ too... Dreamfall was really excellent.

SophinaK

Ahacarrisa_china

huh?

huh?

smerlus

I'm just gonna shoot some more questions before the new Spotlight episode arrives.

Sophina, do you believe that a person who've never played a video game, but has tons and tons of "life-experience" can contribute to making a much better game than a teenager who's played 1000 video games (with long written reviews for each)?

And what do you think is worse, playing the game of a bad developer or a good but unfortunately very lazy developer?

I'm guessing it's a "test post" :P I've been seeing a few of those lately >.>

I'm just gonna shoot some more questions before the new Spotlight episode arrives.

Sophina, do you believe that a person who've never played a video game, but has tons and tons of "life-experience" can contribute to making a much better game than a teenager who's played 1000 video games (with long written reviews for each)?

And what do you think is worse, playing the game of a bad developer or a good but unfortunately very lazy developer?

Hungry_bunny

Oh you ask hard and unfair questions. Let's see... I think that gaming experience probably helps in game development, much like writing experience would help a novelist. I also think experience probably plays a role. I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a novelist but I know that what I write has matured somewhat since I was a teenager. Life experience can't hurt. I'll go with life experience. :P

And I prefer a good but lazy developer. I'd rather play a game I really am hooked by with bugs and all (point in case, Mass Effect) than a very "finished" game that doesn't have much in the way of interesting content or is not well designed.

Adventure games FTW. So, I assume you have played the greats, like Space Quest 1-6, King's Queset 1-7, Quest for glory, Full Throttle, the secret of monkey Isalnd, and the other thousands of DOS adventure games? If so, what's your favorite?DOS4dinner

I have played some DOS adventure games. My family got our first computer in 1995 (well after the time we talked my mom into allowing the SNES into the house) just in time to play Myst rabidly. Before that I only played what I could get in the school library or from friends. I played King's Quest 3-5 before Myst and I played Grim Fandango and Monkey Island after I discovered Myst... along with a fair few not so greats like Schizm (not terrible, not amazing).

My favorite DOS adventure game would have to be KQ IV. It was the first game I ever played where I could play as a girl (you know, except for first person ones, where I didn't know what I was). My favorite Windows adventure game is probably Riven: The Sequel to Myst, but it's got some pretty heavy hitting competition from The Neverhood, which was underrated.

I went back and played text adventures including a few of Infocom's gems (Hitchhiker's Guide and so forth) when I was in college and was trying to rehabilitate a pc that had had an accident with a bottle of diet coke, and I love them so much I might have a go at making one someday. Ok, I lie, I've already made some really simple ones, and I might just try it for real if I get a good idea for a plotline.