Yakoob on 24/7/2013 at 16:58
Alright, I'll bite...
The reason why I believe you "missed out" on what Walking Dead by watching an LP is because it's not merely about the different motifs and plot points, but HOW you experience and interact with them, and how they try to tug at your psyche. For example when you get all cozy and familiar with the characters, and then at the end of the gas station store forced to
decide whom to save in a short 10 second window, it reveals what your inner-feeling about the characters are (that you may not have realized), or proves your indecisiveness if you do nothing. To me, it hits on a personal level, revealing something I might have not realized about myself.
The whole conundrum is only possible thanks to the immediacy and interactivity of the medium - it flat out doesn't work when you merely watch someone else do it. But even in non-time-critical moments, like
saving Ben because it's the "human" thing to do (but is it?), or letting him die because he's a hazard to the group, make you ponder not merely "what is right" but "what do YOU think is right" aka what does "my internal moral compass" really say? Am I a leader or a follower? Am I a dick? Am I rational or emotional?
Those feelings are much harder to evoke in a passive watching of an LP (not impossible, but I don't think Walking Dead works in this case). But of course, it also requires you really immerse yourself in a game, which simply doesn't work for everyone; and you just might be one of those folks. Sorry :/
Quote Posted by Gabucino
Correct. But - as I probably said - there's nothing wrong with that, those characters are designed to evoke such emotions. My argument is that there's nothing else of value in those games.
I can only argue for Walking Dead since I didnt play the other, but you are right that it does try appeal to the "daughter" emotion. However, to say there is NOTHING else the game has to offer is a utterly misguided.
What about the question of moral choices like
saving Ben cause he's just a kid, or letting him die to help the group overall? The excellent and enjoyable writing? The question of protagonist's past and "repenting" for it? And thought-provoking motifs aside what about simply enjoy the story and narrative like you would in ANY game or movie?
If those things are of no value to you, then I take it you are not keen books, tv shows, movies, music and all games in general as well?
Quote:
And that they are not adventure games. No counterarguments were supplied...
You got (linear) story, exploration, collecting items, using items, dialogue... that's basically what an adventure game is. When I talk to friends I describe it more as "interactive TV show" but admit that if you compare it on purely game-mechanic terms, it really is just like, say, Monkey Island, but with *more* stuff in it (not less) and slightly faster moving story.
What's your definition of "adventure game" if the Walking Dead doesn't fit?
june gloom on 24/7/2013 at 17:34
Dude, trying to engage with him is pointless. I think he left and never came back. (good riddance)
TTK12G3 on 24/7/2013 at 19:00
Quote Posted by Yakoob
I've been craving a story, but something less passive than merely watching a movie so... adventure games, right? I got the Yathzee's "5 Days A Stranger" or Monkey Island (original) and after an hour I ended at the same point I always end with adventure games... stuck, and annoyed.
I think most of the people who like them only play those kinds of games and have become masterful at them, so that's why they enjoy them. I didn't know that The Walking Dead fits in this genre. I watched some vids of the game and it just looks like a hot spot simulator and a lot of the drama seems really contrived and arbitrary.
june gloom on 24/7/2013 at 20:35
LPs are possibly the worst possible way to experience The Walking Dead, short of confusing the TV show for it and watching that instead.
TTK12G3 on 24/7/2013 at 22:00
To be fair, it was a playthrough, not an LP. There just wasn't anything about the game that stood out for me.
june gloom on 24/7/2013 at 23:58
Quote Posted by TTK12G3
it was a playthrough, not an LP
That is so utterly besides the point.
Chade on 25/7/2013 at 00:06
What you see when you watch a game: what happened.
What you see when you play a game: all the things that could have happened.
Fundamentally different.
catbarf on 25/7/2013 at 01:40
Am I a bad person for not being able to really get into the Walking Dead? The art style really irks me for a game that's trying to be serious, it reminds me of Borderlands.
Angel Dust on 25/7/2013 at 02:00
You get used to it. Telltale probably went that way for a couple of reasons:
1) it's a nod to the comic book roots.
2) they really don't have the resources or tech to pull off a more 'realistic' look. They tried that with Jurassic Park* and their limited facial animation tech came off as cartoonish mugging. The Walking Dead try to meet it halfway by making the game look more like a cartoon.
* Terrible, terrible game but if you're in the right frame of mind, one of the funniest in years. We've all seen disaster films with a group of irritating stereotypes engaging in predictable, mawkish drama but now there is the constant threat of a dinosaur mauling if you fuck up. Some of the fail/death scenes are downright sadistic.
TTK12G3 on 25/7/2013 at 04:20
Quote Posted by dethtoll
That is so utterly besides the point.
This to this:
Quote Posted by Chade
What you see when you watch a game: what happened.
What you see when you play a game: all the things that could have happened.
Fundamentally different.
I watched the game. Watching the game did not make me want to play the game because I felt that Walking Dead was a story first and a game second.
OK, I admit that anything with zombies isn't very interesting to me. So add that to the list of reasons that it didn't appeal to me.
