june gloom on 8/12/2010 at 20:21
You guys have no souls.
addink on 8/12/2010 at 20:42
Ham-fisted railroad?
Someone failed at that game.. there are at least two endings.
The thing I really like about the game is that it disallows (or tries to disallow) replays. The fact that most choices will end badly, and that basically you will have to live with the result, knowing you had an opportunity to make things end better (slightly at least), is part of its charm. The fact that you felt cheated is part of its goal.
demagogue on 8/12/2010 at 22:16
Quote Posted by dethtoll
You guys have no souls.
??? I only quoted you, lol.
I didn't actually venture my own opinion on it.
And that would be ... I like games that break player's expectations and gaming norms to make people reflect on things, and to make a thoughtful point. But at the same time I get disillusioned by casual gaming generally and don't like that it's become so mainstreamed that thoughtful games want to conform to some of its standards. One part I don't like in this context is how anti-literate or "innocent" they try to be (I'm not sure the best term)... By that I mean there's this feeling in the game like it's pretending to be the first thing that's ever explored these issues, they've just stumbled into this engaging idea, and it's offering something truly new to players ("OMG, this game is so new and different and special!")... But I like when you can feel in art-pieces that they are very conscious of being part of a long tradition and adding to a conversation that's been going on for centuries, like they have roots from Dante, to Milton, to the Surrealists and the distopian scifi period; there's no feeling of "innocent" suggestion: "Hey, have you ever thought about this? XD" but they're weighty and blemished with the complications of a long tradition, like they have deep
roots. It's hard to pin down what separates those two feelings; it's just something that comes across in its attitude and little features, also that its interaction wasn't that deep and what was there was so ... innocently direct(?). (I felt a similar thing for games like Passage, etc.)
That's just my personal view as to what moves me. If it moves other people then I'm happy about it and don't want to take anything away from that. I just like that feeling of connection or depth or getting beyond that innocent first kiss or cultural literacy or whatever it is. Also, this is an opinion about things in this genre generally (flash-art or casual-art games)... Within the genre, if you put all that stuff aside, this is a respectable entry and well made for what it does.
june gloom on 8/12/2010 at 23:10
No, you quoted Wormrat being a retard.
demagogue on 9/12/2010 at 00:02
Oh, sorry then. I thought it was ninja'd. That's why we put "corrected" when we do shit like that.
It's worth seeing, anyway.
Papy on 9/12/2010 at 02:36
Quote Posted by Wormrat
It's not clear what you're choosing at the various prompts or how much time will pass. Your choices are constrained in ways that are hilariously out of touch with reality (no overtime allowed at the lab, apparently). The game blindsides you with bad outcomes that you couldn't have reasonably anticipated, much less avoided.
You missed what the game was about. It was not about finding a solution, it was not about thinking, it was about letting you feel an emotion. Your choices not being clear, losing track of time, having a feeling of not being able to do what you want, not being able to anticipate anything and overall feeling powerless were absolutely essential to the game.
Sulphur on 9/12/2010 at 05:02
There's only one thing wrong with the game: it presents itself as one. If you weren't given that 'one chance' as an explicit goal, I doubt you'd have that problem, Wormrat. As a narrative about the unpredictability of life and how decisions you make can, at times, have random consequences, it works.
The problem, unfortunately, is that the statement that you have 'one chance' undermines the whole experience and makes it gamey, when what you should be doing is simply whatever feels right to you. The fact that you can't replay it would feel like less of a cheat if they simply changed the title.
june gloom on 9/12/2010 at 06:33
You know, I actually read the title as having multiple meanings. You have one chance to save the world, yeah... but you also have one chance to be with your family, one chance to live a little, etc.
BlackCapedManX on 9/12/2010 at 14:04
Quote Posted by Wormrat
"Not about thinking" is pretty damning praise
I imagine by saying "not about thinking" that what is implied is that the game is "not about metagaming." Which essentially is the point if you're going to create a narrative that examines the intrinsic flaws of the player character. If the player is so consumed with the outside idea of "winning the game" that they lose sight of "playing the game" while looking for what are expected to be objectives to completing some overall goal. This is probably the overall crux of the issue of a flawed protagonist in gaming (and has been skirted around being mentioned for a while ITT) which it seems like "One Chance" brings to light rather well.
Sulphur on 9/12/2010 at 18:05
Yeah, it is about the former case. Your argument against it doesn't account for two things: 1) It's not about making the most skilled playthrough or 'winning' the game, and 2) if the player wants to look up an FAQ to achieve the most optimum path (winning) that's their choice, but not every player will choose to do that. It comes down to 1) again because you ideally aren't playing to win. If you are, that's exploring what kind of person YOU are, which is rigid and close-minded about what a game's goals should be. It's an exploration of you nonetheless.
That may sound pretentious, and it probably god damn is, but this is not a game that forces you to look up an FAQ because it isn't about finding a way out/the optimum path/winning. If you choose to do that anyway, it's ultimately because you've misunderstood the point and are applying your pre-existing notions of win/lose goal-oriented gameplay towards something that isn't.
Also, I just realised this game is pretty much an attempt at a working proof of concept of my earlier posts in this thread. Way to go, deth. 8-)
