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 think I like the new format. But it might just be that weird eerie atmosphere in glitchhiker I liked. Either way I definitely liked this installment of Worth Playing.

Really liked the new scripted format! I've come to know Patrick as the more "academic" member of the GB crew and this really seemed to fit with that general vibe. Happy to see more along this vein.

I love the new format, and I think it was the best approach for covering these games as well.

Great work as usual, Patrick!

I liked this a lot! It felt almost like a video essay.

It was short but concise. I would love to see a whole lot more content like this.

There's something about the "discovering this together" that I liked about the last format.

Not digging the new format. I like Giant Bomb QLs because they allow me to draw my own conclusions, rather than having conclusions spoon-fed to me in a video review-esque edited format. An emphasis on unscripted gameplay is what excites me about Giant Bomb.

I enjoyed the previous format just fine but I think I prefer this just because it brings a slightly different vibe and approach to content on GB. With the podcasts and quick looks, there is plenty of long-form, off the cuff discussion of games so something more measured and considered like this feels like a nice change of pace.

@patrickklepek, I found this new format pretty interesting.

While I enjoy the more thought-out introspectives that this new format offers, there is still something to be said about the raw first-impressions that your previous Worth Playing videos offer too. I can't deftly say if I enjoyed one format more than the other (I enjoy both equally), in fact that's kind of irrelevant because the formats don't really serve the same purpose for me. Great job nonetheless, keep playing around with new ideas.

I hear a lot of Radio Lab in this. I like it a lot buddy.

I think this could be a good format for games towards the more experimental end of the spectrum. The risks with just posting raw narrated gameplay are either of the following: failing to entirely "get it" at first exposure (be it difficulty with controls, the purpose of the game being initially elusive, or whatever), meaning what's good or interesting in the game is either obscured or completely absent; or, in the case of very short-form games, blasting through the whole thing, meaning people see it all, but don't actually experience it fully for themselves. The off-the-cuff Quick Look format works well for most games, where they're approaching them exactly as a new player would, but I think a more reflective introduction makes a lot of sense for the kinds of games for whom accessibility and universal appeal are not the primary concerns.

I'm all for Worth Playing being a more curated experience.

Interesting games, not a fan of the new format. Scripted heavily produced stuff comes off as "fake" feeling at best, as though everything was overly thought out for maximum viewer appeal rather than focusing on discussing the game.

Love this new format, @patrickklepek. Felt it gave me a bit more insight into what the game is about while leaving enough content out that playing it myself still feels necessary. The old format of seeing uncut footage starting from the beginning of such small games made it seem like I'd seen enough. Thanks for doing this!

As someone who watched the initial Worth Playing videos, but fell off after a while, I really enjoyed this video and the format in general. I'll certainly check out the next videos.

I really enjoyed this. Previous episodes of WP got lost in the shuffle for me. I really like hearing about games that I would be otherwise unaware of, but once I know about them I'd rather watch a short trailer or read some considered opinion pieces on the thing. In WP though, due to the length of some of the games, they'd often be played through to completion in a single segment.

This gave me the best of both worlds - a short tease of the games, some context/critical thought, and the structure of a mini video essay.

Good stuff!

Interesting style, but I do prefer the loser way you usually do it. The more off of the cuff style is what I like about giant bomb and while some variety is nice I didn't find this appealing. There are sites and tv channels that provide content this way already and if I wanted that I could get it. Though I do love the branching out and testing out different things that seems to be happening across giant bomb. Thanks for continuing to provide great content Patrick.

Not a fan of the new format.

I'm happy to see indies get highlighted however they can, but this video really felt way too serious for my tastes. I mean, Patrick's experiences with these games are what they are, and that's legitimate, but when I'm looking at some barely interactive "games" being described in glowing terms as artistic experiences in a breathy voiceover, I keep expecting Jeff or someone to walk into the room and say "the fuck is this bullshit?"

Really did not like the new format.

Good job @patrickklepek, I enjoyed the video. That being said, I also enjoyed the volume and # of games I was exposed to with the old format. I often look to you to expose me to interesting stuff.

I like this direction for Worth Playing. A little more focused and informative seems, to me at least, like a better way to make video's for "hey, you should check this out".

I like this experiment, if they could constantly have interesting topics and ideas such as this one I would love to see more.

Thanks patrick

I liked this video a lot, though to be frank, the production quality wasn't up to Giant Bomb standards. Which is to say, awesomely ludicrous and ludicrously awesome.

Both of these games look great. Patrick, I enjoy the way you think about games.

I skipped a lot of old worth playing, but this is more my style

Ehhh don't know if I'm a fan of the new format. Its not bad, its just basically a mini-review - which we already have plenty of on the site. I rather enjoy the unfiltered "Worth Playing" experience of discovering the game as Patrick plays it. Patrick could just do another mini-review feature apart from "Worth Playing" and I think this sort of format would work better there.

Great job Patrick at making me puke on myself. Well done.

Really cool, Patrick. Seems like you found a good use for the video essay experiments. The previous format has its moments, but I always enjoy a tightly edited video. (what, GB has four video guys all of a sudden??) It's a shorter video that requires more work but it's worth it.

And to be honest, it's a nice change of pace from the usual GB format of "let's see what happens." Not to mention that I'd usually have the older videos playing in the background. This actually had me engaged and more interested in the games. Testing out a small game for five minutes could lead to a nice find, but more often than not I'd forget about many of them soon after.

Anyway, the driving game seems really neat. Some of my most peaceful moments are driving down empty roads at 2am, and that looks a surprisingly accurate representation with a minimalist approach.

Also, fire.

loving the new format!

I like the scripted version. Sometimes, the old videos would drag on as Patrick became a little too transfixed on a certain obstacle or mechanic, and often it would devolve into rants that were not even related to the game at hand.

The script allows Patrick to really explain why these games are worth playing, instead of just playing them for us and talking over them about other things.

the new format feels like an extended "gaming minute" or a segment from something akin to Radio Lab; which isn't a bad thing. I'd like to see a few more Worth Playings with this format to see how it pans out. Always good to see a bit more variety and experimentation with staple segments.

I loved the new format, keep this up, experimentation is great for the site!

I prefer it much more in this format. I'd rather a a book report-esque video about some games rather than a quick look format.

Patrick usually writes articles and this is basically a "video article" about games I probably wouldn't otherwise see. I've got no problem with this format.

I liked the old format way better.

Yes, this is good. More of this, please.

i like this new style, i would keep doing it

I always enter the oldest date possible in age gated videos. I like to think that in some small way I'm messing up somebody's data collection. Or maybe I really am 114 years old....

I really like the new format, Patrick. I hope to see some more of this kind of content on the site. I love everything the GB guys do, but I've been worrying that everything was heading towards the "we're recording ourselves playing this game and just changing the name of what it is" format. It's nice to see this. And it was well-done too.

Man, I love your narration voice, so calming.

Nicely done Patrick

@patrickklepek I like the new format so many things are "live" kinda nice to have a change of pace. One of the reason I love Jeff's gaming minute is because how professional and tight it is. No fat just great content

I do like your soothing voice in this pre-recorded one.
Maybe you could do some ASMR or bedtime stories XD

I dig the new format. Carry on!

I like the format.

Hmm... I have no idea which format I like best. Why not both? Maybe Patrick could inter-splice bits of him just playing the game then jump back to narration at some point.

I really like the new format for this!

Good job @patrickklepek !

This reminded me of 99% Invisible (with Roman Mars), and i really like the direction you are taking on these!
Keep playing with the editing too. If you are headed in the direction i think you are, the way you handle transitions, overlays and pacing might be where you can easily add to the quality of your videos. I enjoyed the presentation and your efforts to present your thoughts in a nice package. I would love to see you challenge your editing skills in both audio and video.

Since i am a greedy man, i would of course like more games in the videos. I understand that the more editing and script-writing you do, the more time goes into the production. i would also hazard a guess that digging your way through the iceberg of indie titles out there, take time.

Here is a small nit-pick:
Your microphone settings or pop-filter could also need one more pass of tuning. Sitting in that dim lit car, and listening to your story was an enjoyable experience, dotted with tiny unflattering sounds every time the letter P would leave your mouth. :)

If 15 minute videos in this format started showing up on Giant Bomb every 2-3 weeks, I would be very happy and also in admiration of your production and writing skills.
This video series would help shine a light on good and interesting indie games for a lot of people. I am certain that a large part of the Giant Bomb community would appreciate being informed of those games.
Good day, sir!

My thoughts, you have typed them.

I enjoyed this new format a lot! The format is much more academic and critical than the old WP, which is an absolute improvement. That being said, I still enjoy the raw take of mechanics and as a previous commenter said, developing a feel for a game whilst you also do it.

"worth playing" seems to entail a critical perspective that was somewhat lost in the old version, so kudos for upping the critical lense and production value on this one.

Really great feature, Patrick! I really love this new format. Please don't stop jumping into unknown games and letting us see you tackle the learning curve though. Maybe the old format will have to became a new beast of its own.