Mirror's edge, looks promising.

Aja on 24/12/2008 at 20:02

He doesn't say runner-vision is used as an artistic expression. He only (rightfully) points out how it brilliantly

Quote:

draws the eye to the detritus that would otherwise seem like visual noise, reattenuating it into signal. And because Mirror's Edge is a video game instead of a photograph, it is able to extend a way of looking into a way of moving as well.

That was actually a very interesting and well-written article. Thanks for posting it, I'm glad to see at least one critic who takes the game for what it actually is.

catbarf on 24/12/2008 at 21:22

How does making useful objects red 'draw the eye to the detritus that would otherwise seem like visual noise'?

Aja on 24/12/2008 at 21:33

Because when runner vision is off, the things which you can traverse usually blend into the background (pipes, ledges, boxes can all become quite invisible). The entire world is white, and the game teaches the player to instinctively move towards red objects so that once the player becomes accustomed to doing so, he doesn't even really realize what he's doing. It's not a gimmick, it's an ingenious way of helping the player without breaking immersion.

catbarf on 25/12/2008 at 01:35

I could similarly argue that having all objects, usable or not, in the same color tone also is an 'arty' choice by showing to the player that every object is a possibility and allowing him imagined freedom in his choice of path. Or, better yet, they could keep the artistic style as well as the gameplay benefit by subtly altering the look of the suggested route using color palette or visual effects. No, instead they make it all blatantly red and it gets praised as art. What the fuck.

Quote:

it's an ingenious way of helping the player without breaking immersion.

If you really think that there is nothing immersion-breaking about coloring all the objects in the direct path to your objective bright red, then you are an idiot.

Imagine an article talking about how loot glint in Bioshock is an artistic choice because it makes the player realize that not all of Rapture is decayed, and some pieces remain usable. It's contrived.

A lot of the things he raves about are gameplay choices, and transparently so, and I find it impossible to take his Earl Grey-drinking, monocle-wearing, pretentious ass seriously when he praises the finer artistic aspects of guiding the console 'tards.

Muzman on 25/12/2008 at 03:04

That bit is a bit over the top, but only because every game does something like this. Mostly it a decent read though. Really you are supposed to be seeing opportunities of space differently to most games. A lack of experience in this sort of gameplay and a lack of stereoscopic vision make a little help there a sensible thing to do. The art talk is just a little OTT.
Seriously, you don't want to get into that immersive/non-immersive debate. Games are generally immersive in spite of their mechanics being occasionally obvious. Whatever it is that succeeds or fails in making a game immersive it will generally be so regardless of all the 'immersion breakers' players usually list. We know this because visible game mechanics and bugs and things are always present.

Aja on 25/12/2008 at 03:10

From your post it's quite obvious you haven't played the game. After you have, then I'll discuss it with you, because quite frankly you're talking out your ass and I don't have the patience to correct every single wrong thing you've said so far.

But here's for starters:

Quote:

Or, better yet, they could keep the artistic style as well as the gameplay benefit by subtly altering the look of the suggested route using color palette or visual effects.

YES GREAT IDEA CHIEF

the ironic thing is that the more you idiots use the phrase "console tards" the more you eliminate any perceived differences between "you" and "them"

catbarf on 25/12/2008 at 03:52

Quote Posted by Aja

YES GREAT IDEA CHIEF

So, what, right now it's blatant enough to work as a gameplay mechanic yet still visually coherent with the rest of the game? What the hell?

So much for a 'correction'.

How about this- Do you think that there is no way to suggest a path to the player short of coloring it all red?

Aja on 25/12/2008 at 04:08

It's not like WOW RED GO HERE. It looks completely natural within the context of the game because the whole graphical style is built around contrast. Nearly every area is either white and green, white and orange, white and yellow, etc. But not red. Red is reserved for the path. So it simultaneously looks natural and noticeable. As I said, the game is brilliant.

catbarf on 25/12/2008 at 15:23

Quote Posted by Aja

(http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/article/845/845572/mirrors-edge-20080115102316761.jpg)

You're totally right, Aja. Because they use white and blue, there is nothing immersion-breaking about having a solid red crane sticking out of the roof. This game is brilliant.

TOTALLY FUCKING NATURAL.

Aja on 25/12/2008 at 18:33

Have you played the game yet or have you just looked at the three screenshots that every website posts over and over and over?

I mean, yeah, the red is obvious there, but in the context of the actual game (where there are more than three colours), it really isn't distracting. So you can either believe me, who's played through the full game several times, or you can judge based on those ridiculous promo pictures that websites post (I can't even find screenshots of the actual game anywhere online, it's like reviewers were too lazy to take their own shots, which is a shame because the real game looks stunning).