Roads? Where we're going we don't need...roads.
This time tomorrow I should be landing in California for my friends wedding. I will be staying in an extremely overpriced hotel, where I'm sure I will gorge myself on room service that will cost as much if not more than the room itself. Since this little break of mine doesn't really allot for much "fun" time - I'm going to make it wherever I can, and if that means I splurge a bit on things I don't normally get, i.e. tiny bottles of alcohol and room service - then so be it. Plus I have an ability to be a horrible influence on even the most pure of souls. So I know that by Friday night I will have my best friend / soon to be married monkey, clinging for dear life to a spinning bathroom floor. That's how I roll.
I feel like I should leave you with a mild rant - I actually got to witness this a few weeks ago, then read about it on various boards and blogs on occasion that just scream at me to slap them with a fish.
Why is it that so many gamers have no patience with cut scenes and story/plot development? If you've seen them over and over again, fine. I have no problem with that... but if you've never played the game before, wouldn't you.. I dunno.. like to KNOW what's going on? Point in case:
Idiot "Gamer" A: OMGz! Dis game iz t3h sux0rz ! It doesn't even make sense! What iz going on?
Gamer B: What do you mean what is going on? What doesn't make sense? It's all there all you have to do is play the game.
Idiot "Gamer" A: all u can do iz run all aroun da lvl! Sooo boring! Y rnt there ne objektives//?1!?
Gamer B: The cut scene before the level starts tells you exactly what you're supposed to do.
Idiot "Gamer" C: kutseens are for sheep!
Idiot "Gamer" A: yeah! I don got time for that! I skip them becuz they are t3h gaey!
Gamer B: You are t3h ******* idiot. Please go find a busy street and blend in with pavement. Do it for your country.
Obviously I've embellished quite a bit here, but this is actually based on a thread I saw sometime back, and it has haunted me ever since. I think it was God of War, or maybe Shadow of the Colossus.. I forget. It's a small thing, why should I care that some kid is too stupid to play a video game? On the other hand, it's that kind of thing that makes it so damned tempting for a publisher to throw minimal funds to a developer to crank out some story deprived mess of button mashing stupidity that floods the market; Which, in turn, gives more reason to crank the price of quality titles higher just to keep them out of the kiddy pool... (That's the one that is that odd shade of yellow) Not saying it's something that could happen all at once, only that it's just one plausible (I think) outcome. It's always been something that has bothered me though, people that skip through that kind of thing. I remember when I was younger, whenever I was playing multiplayer at a friends house, or my house or wherever - they'd always hit buttons until whatever was happening on screen would go away, where as I, the odd man out, actually wanted to watch / read whatever was there. It wasn't ever enough to just skip though, there were also the additional comments along the lines of "screw this crap - I don't want to listen to this!" That I'm WAY too cool to enjoy the story attitude which just bugs me.... I often couldn't wait to be on my own so I could enjoy the game at my own more thorough, albeit 'slower' pace.
Imagine being in a theater, watching a movie. The main character starts to lay out the master plan to his cohorts.
"First we're going to need - .."
It cuts off then you see them all walking triumphantly away from an explosion.
Why? Some kid in the back hit the skip button because he wants to see something blow up. No time for plot. Busy busy busy. Things go boom = gud.
I'm a bit of a gaming snob I guess. I cherry pick from the best, and if I don't like it, it is relegated to the shelf... or if it is REALLY bad... *cough* twoworlds*cough* It goes right back to the store and is replaced with something sexier.
So like a wine snob who stands aghast at the uncultured swine chugging down a fine cabernet like its cheap beer - I feel sort of the same way about video games... and top shelf booze. Enjoy it, you paid for the damn thing, you may as well get your moneys worth, rather than skimming though things then complaining about not understanding something. If that's what you want to do fine.. but keep your mouth shut when you end up confused... and also keep your 50 year scotch chugging to yourself.
Sidenote:
ESPECIALLY booze. Don't ever, EVER waste alcohol in front of me, I will not stand idly by. I will kill you with whatever object is readily available. Even if it's just a stalk of broccoli.... I've done more with less. Or maybe I'll just sort of mangle you a bit, then let GodMode have at you. It really depends on the alcohol.
:evil: