RagingLion

@snide said:

@RagingLion: @Plompk: @Tennmuerti: I've said this a couple times, but asking a computer to play a raw video multiple gigs in size through a browser is usually pushing the limits. If you have a slower computer it's usually best to use the streaming option or to download the file and watch it in a player.

Ah, thank you Dave. I hadn't come across that snippet of info before to my knowledge - apologies if you feel like you're just constantly repeating yourself. Back to 'Streaming' then to solve the issue (and it has - should have really fiddled with that myself beforehand). I don't really understand the difference between the two other than Progressive seems to load up quicker and stores it all, avoiding the lapses that can result from a momentary dip in downloading you can get with Streaming and you can then rewatch an eariler part easily without it having to load in again.

I never would have though my computer specs would have come into it and hearing it could be down to my PC confuses me. I bought it new as of November with a quad-core AMD (on the low end) and high end graphics card so I'm surprised that it might come out short. Thought I'd pass on that info in case its news. I can dig out exact specs if that's at all useful.

I can't play any subscriber videos despite being a subscriber.

I press play and the screen is just black - I don't even see the length of the video - just says 0:00 0:00. I'm not seeing a loading circle or anything. I have been able to watch subscriber videos in the past - can't remember the last time I was successful - maybe a month or so ago. I think it may have been not owrking for me for a little while - perhaps a few weeks.

I have Windows 7 64-bit and use Firefox 9.0.1.

I really like the visual style and tone of the film from what I've seen so far.

You're right that the line between board games and computer games is becoming quite blurry, maybe it has been for quite some time in certain areas of the board game scene. I feel l've been educated in this regard quite a lot in the last few months by a couple of British computer/video game journalists who have turned their hand to reviewing and talking about board games with a heck of a lot of enthusiasm. The Shut Up & Sit Down show and website really is a marvellous and entertaining thing. Take the latest episode 7 in which they review Phantom leader (from 10:52 onwards) which is a solitaire (single player) board game. I didn't even know such things existed before in board game form but it does start to resemble some parts common to video gaming and the single player experiences in them - the review highlights some of the differences between these two media, like greater tactility and imagination required for board games but video games getting rid of all that tedious number crunching necessary before you get to the actual playing and strategic decisions.

Also, some board games are embracing more technological sides. Like Space Alert that I've heard a few people raving about now. The Shut Up & Sit Down crew review Space Alert in episode 5 (from 25:01) and it uses a CD that plays a computer voice informing you of different incoming threats that you have to respond to in real time - it starts to resemble a fast-paced adventure game given that, although then again slower turn-based straegies which are plenty prevalent as video games pretty much exactly resemble many board games that can be played, hexes and all in some cases (apparently Mage Knight is exactly like King's Bounty). Actually Space Alert and other board games that involve you piloting space ships crosses over best with a game that some indies have been setting up recently (Artemis Bridge Simulator) where you link together PCs in a LAN and basically play all the different roles on the flight deck of the Star-Trek Enterprise, though admittedly that's a pretty niche and out-there computer game.

Basically both ends of this board game and video game spectrum seem to venturing towards some common middle ground or even some new ground altogether. The thing that board gaming really has different is the social interaction but that has beguin to change with more co-op online or off-line games and also party games - social interaction might only get deeper from now on. Then you have Johann Sebastian Joust and B.U.T.T.O.N. that are ostensibly computer games but they don't really resemble anything else like board games either and seem to be on the new ground.

Go Kleptok. I particularly like this paragraph:

"I'm not advocating that we shouldn't challenge what the reader wants, but that there are expectations. As a developer, you do the same, awkward dance with players. As a reporter, I've constantly pushed against the notion that we should always give the reader what they think they want. If we applied the same philosophy to food, everyone should be a-okay with McDonalds and shut up, simply because it's popular. You demand more when you know what to demand, and it's up to us to provide."

There's some deep answers to awkward questions in there. And, yes, reader's expectations do need to be considered especially when reviews can draw in a wider group of people who don't follow a website so closely and may well not be interested in criticism They may just want the score to give them an indication of if they should buy a game they had been interested in and wanted a confirmation on that it didn't suck.

@ProfessorEss said:

As a Kinect owner and long-time fanboy of Schafer and Doublefine I was really excited for this, but I got my son Once Upon A Monster for Christmas and it is easily the worst controlling Kinect game I've played to date. Now I'm pretty skeptical about it.

That's really sad to hear. From GB's play of it I didn't get the impression that was going to be an issue. It seemed such a good fit for kids otherwise.

Thief: Deadly Shadows! Thief: Deadly Shadows!

Edit: dammit!

I don't know how well it would play in an edited down version but I kinda missed not having the whole swapping the MAC keyboard out for a "real keyboard" part just to have the INS button to be able to turn. That was fairly ridiculous.

Great stuff though. Really enjoyed that QL and watching the whole thing there was so much tension at first to get off the ground.

@Goldanas said:

I played Dear Esther years and years ago. At the time there was nothing like it. Looking back now, it was kind of just a poem that you WASD through. I wonder if the full version will be different.

Yeah, I played it a couple of years ago too and I've been following news of the redevelopment since that was announced.

I don't think it's going to be too different in approach - it's supposed to be the same game or at least concept underpinning it all. These are the changes I believe are being made for the new version:

• Significantly improved visuals - to the point where it may be one of the most impressive things ever made with the Source engine (Portal 2 version) according to some.
• Level design greatly reworked - not just so players don't get caught on things but made to encourage more exploration and I think there may be some new areas to explore. The geometry and flow of the path should be more interesting in general.
• Some rewriting, additions and re-recording of the lines
• Music redone and properly recorded by an orchestra

There may be some other stuff as well but the soul will be the same. It will still be 'an experience' rather than 'a game' - something to be explored and considered, but since it is an experience I'm excited that the improved visuals and design could add to it in very meaningful ways. We'll see though. February 14th it's released on Steam I think.

Kleptok! Report!

I do love the IGF - one of my favourite moments to see what all the new goodies are and what innovations are going on. I know of a few more than normal in advance this year since a few are already out and RPS have covered some of the rest as well.