My role as a book reviewer means I get a hold of some titles that I wouldn't normally read. This latest batch has me reading a book on teen dating and sex. Not a topic I have a lot of experience with, nor do I intend to, but whatever, it's been interesting. In it was a point, however, that I think needs to be addressed and endorsed. It is an idea that I have seen in action a few times, typically being a part of it, but its range seems limited now. I hope that changes.
Girls, give your counsel to your guy friends.
Guys and girls think differently, this is a shock to no one. Of course, this revelation is made even more obvious through our interactions, we'll call them "conversations" if just to satisfy my current sardonic mood. Anyhow, we have different thought processes, different ways of dealing with situations, and varying methods of interpretation. What does this mean? It's hard to communicate and know what they other is saying. Hiring a translator won't work, mostly because I don't think either side has deciphered the other's language.
What I have seen, however, is how much we help each other. I know that I have talked with my female friends in the past and learned new perspectives, as well as interpretations that I hadn't thought of before. On the other side, I have played confidant for numerous people, listening and advising when I could. There is a benefit to having someone you can confide in who doesn't share your mindset.
Here's what we need, I believe. Girls, guys are pretty thick sometimes. Again, this is not the reveal of the millenia, but I need to cover that to move on. We benefit from your counsel. Yet it seems like it is hard to come by. It's like there is this unspoken taboo that says we aren't allowed to advise on other aspects of life. Conversations scrape away at whatever is shallowest and try to subsist on that. I mentioned before that I wish we could have deeper conversations, ask tough questions and get real answers. My request is that you girls out there who are our friends would be open to help. You have guys that trust you and respect your opinions, let them in on what you think. Let us learn from your mindsets. The value in these ideas are unparalleled.
Guys, I'm getting to you next week, just you wait.
Just something to chew on.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Teamwork Kills...Others
Let's keep on the topic of video games, if only for my sake. But before we get to that, the mildly related intro. With the release of Skyrim last week, it shouldn't come as a surprise that many people have taken to their single player campaigns and decided to leave the multiplayer games behind. I support this strongly, single player games have amazing stories and offer unique experiences, but let us not forget the team games.
Multiplayer games can offer an amazingly different experience.
Games are a big part of bonding on my floor. There have been numerous nights when we have been up until that late hours playing whatever games we could play together. Playing with others is one of the most integral part of a lot of games. I don't think that Call of Duty would be as popular as it is now if they hadn't put so much effort into the multiplayer. A game that requires team work is one that offers a brief look who we are when times call for support.
Two games I'm going to look at today offer some simple but interesting looks at teamwork in games. First up is a popular game i my dorm, Killing Floor. Killing Floor is a wave by wave first-person shooter where you and a group of five others shoot zombies, not exactly original, but the gameplay makes it amazing. The main idea is choosing a class, and playing to those strengths. The commando shoots lots of bullets, supports get shotguns and can weld doors quickly, demolitions help take down big targets, and so on. Ideally, each player chooses a class they are good with and that helps the team survive. I like the support class. I tend to hold a door welded so that nothing can come through, and the other guys shoot everything. Sounds fun right, sit and weld a door. Yet, I like this part. I enjoy the supporting role in these kind of games, and it neer feels as if what I am doing does not add to the overall well-being of the team, and the mutual drive for success. Killing Floor also backs up the idea that every player is valuable by letting you level classes without being them. Damage you do with a different class's weapon adds into the numbers for that class. A game where everyone is the same class doesn't usually end in a successful game. Killing Floor requires communication and diversity in play.
The second game is Monster Hunter. While this game has never really caught on in America, it is a favorite of my brother and I. The premise of this game series is to hunt smaller monsters, get some equipment, then hunt progressively bigger and more destructive dragons. Teamwork in this game is more rewarding than in most games I have played. Working with a group to take down monsters the size of mountains requires a lot of effort. Communication and planning are key. We tend to pick complementory weapon styles when we play together. Taking turns, drawing the monster away so the other could heal, and working tandem to find the best way to get some strikes in and stay safe. There is something about working together and fighting something like those monsters that is an unparalleled gaming experience.
What multiplayer games offer is a different chance to interact with players. Many games have the standard death match, free-for-all, and team game modes. These typically do not make for the deep kind of player-to-player interactions that we see in the games I mentioned. A good player on one server can completely dominate some games, and leave their team without any sense of accomplishment. Good multiplayer games are the ones that encourage those skilled players to help the newer players learn. It becomes beneficial to both sides. Cooperation is an idea that takes a good game to a great game.
I bet you're surprised I didn't mention Team Fortress 2 in this.
Just something to chew on.
Multiplayer games can offer an amazingly different experience.
Games are a big part of bonding on my floor. There have been numerous nights when we have been up until that late hours playing whatever games we could play together. Playing with others is one of the most integral part of a lot of games. I don't think that Call of Duty would be as popular as it is now if they hadn't put so much effort into the multiplayer. A game that requires team work is one that offers a brief look who we are when times call for support.
Two games I'm going to look at today offer some simple but interesting looks at teamwork in games. First up is a popular game i my dorm, Killing Floor. Killing Floor is a wave by wave first-person shooter where you and a group of five others shoot zombies, not exactly original, but the gameplay makes it amazing. The main idea is choosing a class, and playing to those strengths. The commando shoots lots of bullets, supports get shotguns and can weld doors quickly, demolitions help take down big targets, and so on. Ideally, each player chooses a class they are good with and that helps the team survive. I like the support class. I tend to hold a door welded so that nothing can come through, and the other guys shoot everything. Sounds fun right, sit and weld a door. Yet, I like this part. I enjoy the supporting role in these kind of games, and it neer feels as if what I am doing does not add to the overall well-being of the team, and the mutual drive for success. Killing Floor also backs up the idea that every player is valuable by letting you level classes without being them. Damage you do with a different class's weapon adds into the numbers for that class. A game where everyone is the same class doesn't usually end in a successful game. Killing Floor requires communication and diversity in play.
The second game is Monster Hunter. While this game has never really caught on in America, it is a favorite of my brother and I. The premise of this game series is to hunt smaller monsters, get some equipment, then hunt progressively bigger and more destructive dragons. Teamwork in this game is more rewarding than in most games I have played. Working with a group to take down monsters the size of mountains requires a lot of effort. Communication and planning are key. We tend to pick complementory weapon styles when we play together. Taking turns, drawing the monster away so the other could heal, and working tandem to find the best way to get some strikes in and stay safe. There is something about working together and fighting something like those monsters that is an unparalleled gaming experience.
What multiplayer games offer is a different chance to interact with players. Many games have the standard death match, free-for-all, and team game modes. These typically do not make for the deep kind of player-to-player interactions that we see in the games I mentioned. A good player on one server can completely dominate some games, and leave their team without any sense of accomplishment. Good multiplayer games are the ones that encourage those skilled players to help the newer players learn. It becomes beneficial to both sides. Cooperation is an idea that takes a good game to a great game.
I bet you're surprised I didn't mention Team Fortress 2 in this.
Just something to chew on.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Put Yourself In
These next two weeks mark some big releases in the gaming world. Skyrim launched just yesterday, the 11th, Saint's Row the Third will becoming out the 15th, Modern Warfare 3 has come out, and Legends of Zelda celebrates 25 years with Skyward Sword later this month. With all these big releases, and a special not for Skyrim and Saint's Row, I've decided to take this time to address a common trend in more and more modern games.
Character creation is great, when done properly.
Lots of games that have player created characters are trying to let them craft their own character for the rest of the story. Games like Mass Effect, The Elder Scrolls games, LittleBigPlanet, and others all had their own form of character creation. There are probably a hundred sliders in most menus that let you change every little facet of your characters...or so they would have you believe. In most cases, there is little difference between what ruggedly handsome man or woman you'll be playing as. Elder Scrolls: Oblivion was so callused as to not even let characters have beards. Many games don't give enough choice to the player when it comes to who they will be.
What I;m going to look at are a few games that do offer good choice. The first being Tony Hawk Underground. I look back on this game favorably, mostly because it was still ridiculous and tight in play, while letting you have loads of unrealistic skating fun in a variety of settings. The part of character creation that was done well here is choice. You could deck out your skater in so many different pieces of costume. I remember my guy had sunglasses, a rice hat, a winter coat, baggy cargo pants, and bare feet, all dyed a deep green. My brother's character looked distinctly different than mine. Underground offered a variety of choices in every aspect, with many kinds of shoes, shirts, pants, and accessories. A good character creation system needs to offer a huge load of choices. Every player will have their own style, and own sense of what is cool. Only having a few choices of any kind is never enough. Saint's Row falters a bit here. There are fun customization options, but they are pretty small in scope. Variety is the spice of life, right? And in a game where you are the character, you need to attune their style to what you like.
The next one we're looking at is The Smackdown vs. Raw series. That's right, WWE's wrestling game. What could these games have done right? Well, outside of some genuinely fun gameplay, they did character creation right in two ways. The first is in layers. The character creation works so well because of the ability to stack. You can choose to put various tattoos on and layer them into new patterns. Other clothing articles get stacked as well. If Minecraft has taught us anything, it's that people will go above what developers expected when given the freedom. If you limit the player to one shirt or top, they'll make due, but when you let them have a variety of options, they'll create some cool looks. The idea here is to not limit to just one choice. It isn't hard to think of adding an open button-down shirt over a long-sleeved T-shirt, and put a trench coat on top. The second area that these games did well was in the animations. Once you're finished building that muscle bound superstar (or unrealistically proportioned Diva) what kind of moves do they get? WWE has offered a very deep selection to choose everything from the basic punches, to ring-in and out animation, to specials. They have even added a pretty valid finisher creator. These games have some of the strongest character creation in games.
With so much emphasis on the player and their character, there needs to be more involved in the character creation. Most MMOs have a problem with this, letting you pick some starting equipment in your own personal flair, then clamming you up in the same dull armor that everyone gets. Some people really put time into what their character looks like and who they are in the world. Developers should respect their players and offer more in this content. The more a character connects to the game, the more they will enjoy the time. That is good for developers, publishers, marketers, and players.
But remember, there will be some seriously messed up player characters out there, we'll just have to live with that.
Just something to chew on.
Character creation is great, when done properly.
Lots of games that have player created characters are trying to let them craft their own character for the rest of the story. Games like Mass Effect, The Elder Scrolls games, LittleBigPlanet, and others all had their own form of character creation. There are probably a hundred sliders in most menus that let you change every little facet of your characters...or so they would have you believe. In most cases, there is little difference between what ruggedly handsome man or woman you'll be playing as. Elder Scrolls: Oblivion was so callused as to not even let characters have beards. Many games don't give enough choice to the player when it comes to who they will be.
What I;m going to look at are a few games that do offer good choice. The first being Tony Hawk Underground. I look back on this game favorably, mostly because it was still ridiculous and tight in play, while letting you have loads of unrealistic skating fun in a variety of settings. The part of character creation that was done well here is choice. You could deck out your skater in so many different pieces of costume. I remember my guy had sunglasses, a rice hat, a winter coat, baggy cargo pants, and bare feet, all dyed a deep green. My brother's character looked distinctly different than mine. Underground offered a variety of choices in every aspect, with many kinds of shoes, shirts, pants, and accessories. A good character creation system needs to offer a huge load of choices. Every player will have their own style, and own sense of what is cool. Only having a few choices of any kind is never enough. Saint's Row falters a bit here. There are fun customization options, but they are pretty small in scope. Variety is the spice of life, right? And in a game where you are the character, you need to attune their style to what you like.
The next one we're looking at is The Smackdown vs. Raw series. That's right, WWE's wrestling game. What could these games have done right? Well, outside of some genuinely fun gameplay, they did character creation right in two ways. The first is in layers. The character creation works so well because of the ability to stack. You can choose to put various tattoos on and layer them into new patterns. Other clothing articles get stacked as well. If Minecraft has taught us anything, it's that people will go above what developers expected when given the freedom. If you limit the player to one shirt or top, they'll make due, but when you let them have a variety of options, they'll create some cool looks. The idea here is to not limit to just one choice. It isn't hard to think of adding an open button-down shirt over a long-sleeved T-shirt, and put a trench coat on top. The second area that these games did well was in the animations. Once you're finished building that muscle bound superstar (or unrealistically proportioned Diva) what kind of moves do they get? WWE has offered a very deep selection to choose everything from the basic punches, to ring-in and out animation, to specials. They have even added a pretty valid finisher creator. These games have some of the strongest character creation in games.
With so much emphasis on the player and their character, there needs to be more involved in the character creation. Most MMOs have a problem with this, letting you pick some starting equipment in your own personal flair, then clamming you up in the same dull armor that everyone gets. Some people really put time into what their character looks like and who they are in the world. Developers should respect their players and offer more in this content. The more a character connects to the game, the more they will enjoy the time. That is good for developers, publishers, marketers, and players.
But remember, there will be some seriously messed up player characters out there, we'll just have to live with that.
Just something to chew on.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Loosen That Tie
So, I figured that after all that heavy reading you guys did last month, I'll get back to some easier, more opinionated writing. As many of you know, I dress casually. I wear hats and go barefoot as often as possible. T-shirts and overshirts are my main clothing options. There is an actual reason that I am boring you with these points.
I hate the idea of dressing up for church.
I never really had to dress up in nice clothes when I went to church. Shorts and a t-shirt were perfectly acceptable in my home. I remember my mom telling me that she never required us to dress up because she didn't want to take the time to make us look presentable. Sunday wouldn't be about rushing to church in stuffy starched shirts, it would be relaxed. I realize that this is how I grew up, and that is a major impact on my thinking, but even that isn't everything. As I look at it, it makes so much sense.
Church is supposed to be something we want to go to. For me, I hate ties, and if I had to wear one every time I went to church, I believe that I would dread going. It wouldn't be the same place for me. Church was always the place I could cut loose. The people there knew me and didn't judge my quirks and oddities. They knew that was just who I was, and they loved me for it. If I had to be dressed proper and stoic, my church wouldn't have been the same safe haven for me that it had been for so long.
Often the line, "come just as you are" is quoted for such a topic, and this wouldn't be a fairly standard online journal if I didn't. I love the idea of going to God in whatever way we can. We don't need to follow any special protocols or dress codes, all that is needed is a willing heart. Clothes don't make the Christian, it is the belief that defines us.
Just no nudist Christian churches please, lots of old people go to church....
Just something to chew on.
I hate the idea of dressing up for church.
I never really had to dress up in nice clothes when I went to church. Shorts and a t-shirt were perfectly acceptable in my home. I remember my mom telling me that she never required us to dress up because she didn't want to take the time to make us look presentable. Sunday wouldn't be about rushing to church in stuffy starched shirts, it would be relaxed. I realize that this is how I grew up, and that is a major impact on my thinking, but even that isn't everything. As I look at it, it makes so much sense.
Church is supposed to be something we want to go to. For me, I hate ties, and if I had to wear one every time I went to church, I believe that I would dread going. It wouldn't be the same place for me. Church was always the place I could cut loose. The people there knew me and didn't judge my quirks and oddities. They knew that was just who I was, and they loved me for it. If I had to be dressed proper and stoic, my church wouldn't have been the same safe haven for me that it had been for so long.
Often the line, "come just as you are" is quoted for such a topic, and this wouldn't be a fairly standard online journal if I didn't. I love the idea of going to God in whatever way we can. We don't need to follow any special protocols or dress codes, all that is needed is a willing heart. Clothes don't make the Christian, it is the belief that defines us.
Just no nudist Christian churches please, lots of old people go to church....
Just something to chew on.
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