Yakoob on 18/4/2014 at 02:29
Hmm, That's not how I took the quote (and article). It felt more like distancing from the uber-nerdy roots of sitting in the bedroom with windows closed and playing video games for 6 hours straight, and spending the other 6 arguing with angry internet men about said games.
While it's no secret Bioshock did try to pander to a border audience, I wouldn't go as far as saying ti complete cut itself from its predecessor. There's much more to System shock than nerdiness.
Tony_Tarantula on 18/4/2014 at 03:22
Quote Posted by Yakoob
While it's no secret Bioshock did try to pander to a border audience, I wouldn't go as far as saying ti complete cut itself from its predecessor. There's much more to System shock than nerdiness.
The imrpession I got was that Bioshock was trying to take the old "Shock" formula of having exploration-friendly environments and combat that relied heavily on a player's ability to use the game environment in conjuction with powers and available firearms, but to present it in a mass-market friendly way.
catbarf on 18/4/2014 at 03:31
Hadn't we concluded years back from comparing the beta footage to the final game that at some point along in development, they had strongly simplified some aspects, ostensibly to make it more accessible?
demagogue on 18/4/2014 at 04:20
Somewhere in an interview, or maybe even in these forums, I remember Ken trying to explain a change, IIRC the name of the vending machines or eve dispensers, and he was almost pleading that the testers just wouldn't get what it was or use it unless they made it dead obvious, even though the original name was much cooler, but it had to be playable. It was the first indication of the dynamics going on that I picked up on. I think it was around that same period the article & catbarf is talking about, when the push-back from testing was coming in.
I just recall he had this underlying tone, like a mix of exasperation with both the testers for not getting it and hardcore fans for giving them flak for the change, and a bit of lash-out that he was responsible for making sure his team was rewarded for all the hard work they were putting in, and he couldn't just make a game that didn't sell.
I mean, he was being more emotive and exasperated with his language even for public remarks, when you're supposed to be more guarded. I could only imagine it was all the more ramped up internally.
Muzman on 18/4/2014 at 06:45
Quote Posted by catbarf
Hadn't we concluded years back from comparing the beta footage to the final game that at some point along in development, they had strongly simplified some aspects, ostensibly to make it more accessible?
Yeah pretty much. Kinda nice to see it confirmed though.
Little things always amuse me. I remember some preview after the Little Sister's were made immortal (which, as mentioned, makes no goddam sense) Ken had to deliver this big speal about how he saw the Little Sister get dropped in a fire fight and it 'just had no impact or meaning' or some rubbish. We all know exactly why they changed it. Her getting killed was actually as shocking and impactful as any artist could want. But you can't kill kids in a big mainstream console title (its even something that they got away with implying it to the degree that they did) and stopping them getting killed during the big stupid fire fights that they wanted would be all but impossible, causing huge gameplay problems.
But you just can't say that. Gotta come up with some circuitous pap, as ever in game development and politics and everything I suppose.
I remember similarly Warren Spector talking up the name Deadly Shadows like it was a much better tag for the game and not a corporate mandated name change.
Tony_Tarantula on 19/4/2014 at 00:59
Quote Posted by demagogue
Somewhere in an interview, or maybe even in these forums, I remember Ken trying to explain a change, IIRC the name of the vending machines or eve dispensers, and he was almost pleading that the testers just wouldn't get what it was or use it unless they made it dead obvious, even though the original name was much cooler, but it had to be playable.
Nice to know that the average American gamer is that stupid. Is the "average" console gamer literally retarded?
Tony_Tarantula on 19/4/2014 at 01:08
Quote Posted by Muzman
I remember similarly Warren Spector talking up the name Deadly Shadows like it was a much better tag for the game and not a corporate mandated name change.
That's something that I remember Perry Marshall (If I remember correctly, either him or John Reed) mentioning in that regard. He said that big companies die due to a lack of innovation.....as soon as that company makes the first IPO, the bureaucrats get involved in running the company and any risk-taking is soon committeed out of existence.
june gloom on 20/4/2014 at 05:31
Actually for once I agree with Tony, but I want to expand that that most gamers are fucking stupid -- and that includes the so-called "PC gaming master race."
Besides, at least sheepfucking isn't part of our national identity.
