SuicidalSnowman

I think the first photo, the one of Barry on the bench, and the one of the combine under the light are by far the strongest. The one you mention as your favorite is one of the weaker ones for me. It 1) looks like a video game screenshot and 2) isn't a very interesting picture. I think some of your landscape ones would be improved with color. Since you obviously have the technical training, the skills, and the desire, I wonder if maybe you could try some color effects. Something like over saturating or bringing out the lights? Maybe finding a way to simulate the long exposure digitals that are currently popular. Best, this probably doesn't even require hardware, just outside software. Regardless, these are fantastic. Seriously wonderful.

Nice quality write up. I enjoyed.

Trademark professional here:

Sony may be giving it up, but most likely the issue is trademark procedure. You can only have an intent to use application open for three years (4 if you are a really good trademark lawyer), so when it becomes clear you cannot use within that window, usually the best option is to abandon and restart the process. This stuff happens all the time, but recently video gaming outlets have been following trademarks a lot closer so this gets reported.

The other explanation, although much less likely, is that a competitor with a superior right saw the application and informally opposed to Sony, and the two have reached an agreement. Perhaps Sony's abandonment was part of this type of agreement and the game will be renamed or rebranded. I would bet its the first, though.

The Kotaku article is basically correct, but the author misuses a lot of terms.

Ok, having read your response I think I understand your position a lot better. I don't know if I necessarily agree, but I see where you are coming from, at least regarding the Quick Looks. I suppose from my point of view, I don't take the Quick Looks as gospel, because they are just that, Quick Looks. Short gameplay videos to give the game's flavor, not full reviews. But if you don't find them up to snuff, I suppose my response would be don't watch them.

Even a bad review increases sales 100 fold. But what about no review at all? If you knew they were going to shit all over it and never try to figure out your mechanics. They simply make a video complaining and then never give a full review where they discuss all the points in detail, then I don't believe that has helped sales, especially not on a video game website like this where people will completely ignore the ads on the site and never click on them once. I think that whole "the more you see it the more you want it" mentality only works on the lowest common denominator (people who went to go watch Jack and Jill and thought it was hilarious). Of course, if you made the game you wouldn't be the one to decide who gets copies of the game so maybe this whole question was dumb to begin with. :)

Yes, this is true, and this is where you get into the somewhat shocking underside of a modern product based industry, be it video games, basketball shoes, or home appliances. Advertising works, but not necessarily for the reasons discussed in Mad Men. Familiarity is most important, and people will see a product in a store, and say "Ah, I have heard of the Model 617 before" and purchase it. It doesn't matter if it was a good or bad impression. Especially if you were just starting out, you would send a copy over, even if it was the worst QL ever produced.

Think about it, even your hypothetical amateur game must have some hook (I mean, you read GB, you must have at least one game related idea that is worthwhile) and if you can introduce that to however many people read this site, that translates directly into sales.

You are correct, it does only work with those who see Adam Sandler movies because "Wasn't he in that funny one about the golfer? You know, Gatorade sucks, Gatorade sucks!" but if you are trying to do something worthwhile, you need these people, as well as the informed, discerning ones, to buy your stuff.

I also don't think your distinction between a "review" and a "quick look" matters in marketing terms. I get what you are saying, one is fully developed and considers the good and the bad, the other is an off the cuff, narrow slice of the game, that in this case was particularly unflattering. The point remains, however, that marketing and advertising is mostly about getting your stuff out, in front of people, and even bad reviews or bad Quick Looks accomplish this.

To conclude, I understand your position about errors in Quick Looks, and while I don't personally agree, I think your complaints are meritorious and have factual underpinnings. But I still disagree with your assertion that if you made a game, you wouldn't want it on GB. I think no matter what, you want to see a headline and cover video with your game's name in the title.

Doesn't happen at my school but even if it did, I am more then aware that there are several blogs one can go to if they want to see some one suck the cum right out of a product and share it with you.

I don't understand this statement, except that it makes me uncomfortable.

Congrats man, that is awesome. I graduated college in '03 and immediately got my own apartment. While I share your sentiment about getting out of your parents as soon as possible (I am a much better person for it!) I also can't help but feel a pang of jealousy when my friends are buying houses with their savings, while I have been throwing money away on rent for the past however many years. School loans seemed like planning for my future, but when the economy went bottom up, I basically have resigned myself to apartment living for the next 10 or so years. So now my friends have houses, mortgages, something worthwhile, while I have a crappy 1 bedroom apartment...

Congrats to you and the wife!!!

I think there is some truth to the feeling of the general negativity, but you have to keep in mind, this isn't your average news website that also covers games. This is a niche, dedicated gaming website that serious gamers go to because it is written by people who are experts in the field. Readers who come here aren't looking for someone to take every game that comes out and say "Its pretty good, just give it a fair shake." No, we come here because we want to inform our purchasing decisions (and other reasons, but thats outside this topic).

I can watch the Lego Batman QL and decide if I want to play it, but I also want to know about the issues with it. I can look at it and say "Yeah, despite those issues, I still want to play a Batman game" and decide for myself. Imagine my disappointment, however, if the QL simply said "Yeah, I gave it a fair shake, its pretty decent." and then I discovered it had a major flaw in checkpointing that really turned me off. Now I start going to another site that gives me a fair answer.

The same happens with things like wine and food. Your college newspaper probably reviews all restaurants as 3 or 4 stars (or maybe just 5 because its a college paper and your editor is an idiot) because they are just looking for free meals and restaurants see the paper as an advertising vehicle. But when people pick up a Michelin guide, they already know that at Joe's Wing Shack there are 50 varieties and all you can eat mondays, what they really want to know is does the chef at the new, expensive restaurant really understand how foie gras pairs with romaine leaves?

I do agree there is an issue with negativity in video game journalism. There are a lot of "nerd hipsters" who have this disaffected malaise towards anything not indie. The "Angry Video Game Nerd" as a journalist is a bit of an epidemic. Take Alex Navarro, for instance. His reviews often overlook key subtleties because he would rather come up with outrageous metaphors to demonstrate that he has taste, and this game doesn't. Jeff sometimes does get into the whole "these kids don't know what games really are, with their fancy 3D and tutorials!" I took his Red Dead Redemption anger a few years back as such evidence, he decided that he didn't want another open world Grand Theft Auto game, and so refused to play RDR despite it otherwise being a quality game with top notch writing, atmosphere, and mission design. Ryan likes to pretend that he knows more about marketing than the Activision machine full of MBAs. Brad occasionally dumps on games simply because he needs to read an instruction manual before playing.

Sometimes, however, the true sign of knowing your craft is being able to pick out the bad with the good. This is why I like this site. Sure, Spec Ops was a generic FPS with standard mechanics, but the guys gave credit where credit was due for the writing. But Vinny also pointed out that sometimes the writing had technical hiccups where gameplay ran into cutscene. That's what I want from this site.

On the topic of "Would you send them a copy of your game free?" let me tell you @DarthOrange if you were serious about a game you had made, yes, you would send it to them, and any other media outlet you could find, for free. A GiantBomb quick look, even if overwhelmingly negative, sells copies. I understand that you don't work in any consumer products industry, but if you did, you would understand. Getting your product in front of people is incredibly difficult, and also incredibly important. Especially when you are just starting out or small. Even a bad review can suddenly increase sales 100 fold.

I'll add some here. I play on most Saturday and Sunday mornings, 7am-11am EST and occassionally other times. I play whatever, sometimes with mic sometimes without. I am in the GB PS3 platoon, but there is only one other user I know that actively plays. My PSN name is RenegadeTrout.

Rally Cross (PSX)

NHL '95 (GEN)

Spyro the Dragon 2 (PS2)

I'm running Safari Version 5.1.7 (6534.57.2) on OS X 10.6.8.

The Forum Text editor box is not working on basic functions. For example, calling out a user with the @ symbol as seen here: @SuicidalSnowman doesn't create links and linking to wiki pages as well as shown here

Rally Cross/rally-cross/61-8379/

Not sure why?

Neither is a major problem, just makes me look like a n00b

EDIT: Did some experiminting. It works the first time, but if you make the slightest adjustment after (deleting anything or added text to the linked text) it breaks as shown above. The only solution is to reload the page and start writing again. Also, using "Parchment v2" for posting.

Excellent. I am going to start updating this thread, and include any particular games people are playing