Worth Playing: 08/29/2014

@xbob42:

In fact, that's just given me an idea. You know your interview dumptrucks, Patrick? That format is PERFECT for this. A couple minutes of you setting up the video, edited and maybe scripted, and then the playthrough. I know it's time-consuming, but I think it'd be amazing.

(Pssst, also, I hate short videos! I love Giant Bomb for long-form stuff! Your 20ish minute videos were a good length for this feature.)

My feelings exactly! Not trying to be harsh, but I'm always disappointed at the ~5min videos we've been seeing lately.

I know scripted content is hard to generate, but maybe the Hybrid Format you mention would be a good way to increase the runtime. A scripted set-up, maybe a scripted bookend, with a few minutes of live video in between.

I'd also love to see more than 1-2 games a week, and I feel like we used to get more per video, but I can understand if it's too hard.

I really enjoyed this new format. It made me really think about the game being examined, rather than looking to just see Patrick playing something.

I thought it worked really well. It's something a bit different that the site doesn't traditionally offer, good stuff!

That fire was wack.

I concur. There is something interesting in this direction, but it is nice to also see the raw initial reaction. I'm not sure how you would do it, but I'm thinking of something of a Radiolab sort of vibe.

I thought this was absolutely wonderful, Patrick. I'd love to see you expand on this format.

I like the new format, but I wonder if it's possible to combine the two. Like the games in this week's worth playing, it might be possible to turn Worth Playing itself into a small 'album' each week.

For example, you could seek out a connecting theme or gameplay element each week between the games played and use the first minute or two of the video to give a scripted introductory overview of how the games are linked together without talking about any one game in specific while showing video from each of the games and then move on to show unscripted gameplay for the rest of the video like in the old format.

Fantastic job Patrick.

I Really like this new approach to worth-playing. Keep up the good work!

I loved the video. Is there a show notes page with links to the games?

Has Patrick played Water Hazard? It's an Alone in the Dark/Resident Evil (Biohazard) inspired inde horror game.

It's one of the few indie games that I truly liked, despite being short and intentionally bad.

I like the new format. The tight pacing of keeping it scripted gives you a fresh take on video content. Instead of "It's like a bunch of short Quick Looks, but with Patrick" it is something that is totally unique to the rest of the content on the site. It was the same reason why I thought Guns of Navarro was so good, there was nothing else like it on the site. Someone else said that it reminded them of the video reviews that GB did when they first launched, and I totally agree. I really miss that style of edited content, so I hope that you stick with this new format.

I liked this new format quite a bit, but isn't it possible to have the best of both worlds? Assumedly you still had to play the games to make this video, so couldn't you just capture your first reactions like previous Worth Playings and then do this more polished version too? It might seem a little redundant but I think having time to collect your thoughts properly and spend more time in certain games could be worth it. Maybe you could try games in the more uncut style from before, then any games you thought really stood out you could play a bit more extensively outside of the first reactions video to create something more like this?

Editing and stuff obviously takes time though, and I may be underestimating how much extra work goes into editing the first reactions style of worth playing.

Patrick's reading-off-a-script voice is suuuuuuuuuuuuuper relaxing. Love the new format.

I like the new format!

Big fan of the new format.

Not a big fan of this format. It's less of the natural giantbomb reaction to games and more of what other sites already have to offer.

Liked the new format a whole bunch.

I think a combination of the two formats would be great! Start each game with the quick look style format, where you jump in and we get to witness you try to understand the mechanics of the games and how they work, and then possibly add in a bit of edited content after each game with your final thoughts on the game after you had some more time to sit down and play it for a bit. For me, watching you try to understand some of these games at the same time as I am, is quite entertaining. And I'd love to also hear your opinions on it after you've had time to full understand what it has to offer.

Either way...and any format you decide to use...it is all good stuff. Keep up the great work!

Interesting piece. To be honest, I haven't seen many of these Worth Playings, but I don't think you could really relate all of your thoughts about a game like Glitchhikers off the cuff. That kind of thing needed to be played, absorbed, then pondered and finally expressed into an edited piece. Just my opinion, of course! Anyway, thanks for a thoughtful piece!

Someone's spent too much time on polygon? :P

Not a fan of this format, I prefer your immediate reactions, I like your articles, that are more about you and/or your thoughts(or other people), this just doesnt translate nearly as well to video. That could just me. I dont think theres something inherently wrong with this approach, I just think it is something so completely different than what I've come to love about worth playing(which frankly was the only thing i watched regularily on this site).

Watching this video I felt like one of the passengers in Glitchhikers, Patrick took me on a ride and elaborated on the things he had to show me, especially since he was talking in that fireside-story-telling tone. In other words, I quite like this format! Please keep it up, Patrick!
Also, Glitchhikers looks amazing!

This is too highfalutin for me.

Hi Patrick, good episode this week. I like the format change! It's a little quicker to digest and the pacing is better. Keep it up, duder!

Not a fan of the new model

You did good Patrick.

Glad I finally took the time to watch this, I definitely love the new format!

Not that I don't enjoy Patrick's raw reactions in the old videos, but the focus on less games makes it easier to digest the nicely thought out commentary about them. I gained a lot more insight than I'm used to from Worth Playing, and that sits just fine with me. B]

The scripted deliberate reading is really obvious in contrast to the other videos. It ends up feeling a lot less honest.

@pattrickklepek

I prefer scripted Patrick to off-the-cuff Patrick, but this is a bit much I think. My favourite Patrick is somewhere in between, like the Patrick in the internet jerks panel with Zoe Quinn. Some bulletpoints and thoughts about what you want to say would really help making videos like this coherent and to the point, but maybe don't write it all out completely?

I appreciate the fact that monologues require more preparation and are generally harder to pull off than dialogues, so yeah... Keep playing around with the format a bit, it'll work out. Cool to see new things being tried, thanks!

What was this? I feel so lost sometimes at GB these days.

Honest question, what is the purpose of these features? If it is a video feature, and it is showing game content, why isn't it just a quick look? I mean...it is a quick look....of a video game. Make it goofy and unscripted and bam, you have GB quality game videos.

Some people may like to see things mix it up a bit, but personally, no...I would go to the many other boring scripted media sites out there if this was my bag

I sincerely appreciate the shorter, more digestible format of this feature as opposed to something approaching or surpassing the 60-minute mark; I just don't generally have the time to watch someone fumble around in a game for an extended period, but a bite-sized chunk -- refined for taste -- like this is a great way to whet the appetite.

Worth Playing : a commentary on existentialism

@patrickklepek This would take more work, but I'd vote for both: do a livestream of WP games, then chop up video from it for a short essay piece.

Found the format change interesting. I liked the more informed view of the game. We get enough "learn the game on the spot" stuff in Quick Looks. Not that they're all like that, but I liked that this was a little different from what we already get in other places on the site.

I really like the new format!

@twolines: i miss the scripted videos of the old days...glad they are returning to form a bit

This is super duper boring

I think the NPR-ish style is a little too precious

I can't say I particularly care for the more scripted style of this segment. Definitely prefer the more off the cuff nature of previous videos.

I enjoy both formats. I like this cut approach. I find I'm paying attention more. That said, I like the old way too, where we watch you experience the game, and see your instant reaction. I think there's a place for both. Whether that's Worth Playing, or Worth Playing plus Patrick's Odyssey Into the Depths of Gaming, or whatever.

Even if you go back to the old format for Worth Playing, I hope you do something with the new format. Seems like it's probably a lot more work for you though.

I like this feature in the new format, but I also liked the old format as well. You can do no wrong, Patrick!

@patrickklepek, this was fantastic.

I'm with others in that I love giantbomb primarily for its long-form video content, but I also love the crew's more measured and in-depth thoughts on various topics and reviews. I appreciate the musings, reflections, and philosophy that a more structured and produced format can bear. I just wish... that those two approaches could be consolidated more easily/often.

BASICALLY WHAT I'M SAYING IS that I loved this video, but man I kinda wish it was like, at least twice as long. But I know you're a busy man, so take my particular whinge with as much salt as you like.

I've always enjoyed Scoop's video articles. It allows him to hone into the essence of what he's trying to convey. Just like the Worth Reading articles, this allows for easier consumption and perusing. Rather than dedicate a good chunk of time to see a game's vision and thesis, it cuts to the chase (not unlike how I peruse some of Worth Reading's main articles for the actual main point). If anything really deserved an extended look, he can always do a QuickLook solo. This also encourages people to actually go out and seek these games to get the whole experience. Sure, he covers the essence and, possibly, the big crux and reveal. However, the compressed format allows for some of the actual journey to be had by seeking the aforementioned game out for oneself.

Finally got around to watching this and I really like the new format!

I don't really like the amount of editing, though. It sometimes seems unclear what's edited and what's not, especially with weird games like these. There's also so much analysis that this might as well be turned into a video review series. I mean, it's not a bad thing, I'm just not sure if the effort put into this is worth what's missing from the usual coverage.

Not sure if I totally love the new format, but I sure as heck appreciated it. Whether it is simply perceived or not, I certainly felt the content had more thought and effort behind it, rather than it just be an off-the-cuff let's play.

I like the new format Patrick, I'll be interested to see more.

I like the new format!

A little late, but I actually like this format. There are plenty of first impression-style videos out there, so it's nice to see a scripted segment about games like these. I also love the length - it felt like a short podcast, and I didn't feel any urge to skip ahead.

Definitely late on this, but I really liked the new format. Reading through others responses, I would agree that it should be a mix though. I like this new format but would still like to see the older, more off the cuff, style as well. Either way, I enjoyed this bit of content.

I really liked the new formate, but probably like most things its the change that is appreciated. if all worth playings were like this I might say I loved an off the cuff version. As long as the videos keep evolving then will be easier to capture a good audience.