Recent Topics
Categories
Recent Galleries
Favorite Sites

Current Headlines - [ view archives ]

Whee! We have Wii! - [ Industry Buzz ]

Somebody in the office came strolling through the Dev area, and said, "The Wii is in," and five seconds later, a lemming procession of employees was streaming out through the cubicles and over to the demo room. It was funny--and madly efficient. We all vacated our cubicles quicker than we do for fire drills.

The Wii is very small, being maybe an eight the size of the other two systems. It doesn't look as slick as all the photos show, probably because the base seems slightly different, but it's still pretty slender and diminutive. And the sensor strip for it is quite discreet--I didn't even notice it until J pointed it out.

The graphics are nothing to write home about (yet) but it's definitely introducing all new kinds of gameplay with its controller.

comments (6) | post a comment | permalink | email a friend | print

On Notice - [ Detritus ]

Courtesy the On Notice generator.

comments (8) | post a comment | permalink | email a friend | print

Hugo Awards 2006 and Video Games: Ships Passing In The Night - [ Industry Buzz ]

For the first time ever, video games were included on the Hugo ballot for the 2006 WorldCon. The Hugos are the equivalent of science fiction's Oscars. The best novels, novellas, short stories, screenplays, and artists of speculative fiction are honoured with these awards. Getting a Hugo is a big deal. And for the first time ever, video games were being recognised as art worthy of this recognition.

And just as soon as they appeared, they disappeared.

And the games industry didn't even notice. They didn't blink. I saw one or two announcements from GamaSutra and other gaming websites that announced that video games were included on the ballot. But when the shortlisted nominations were announced, video games were absent. Why?

Well, the lack of response is cited. According to the final nominating tallies did not indicate sufficient interest in the category. And according to the WFSA constitution, Section 3.6, a No Award is awarded "if the lack of nominations or final votes in a specific category shows a marked lack of interest in that category on the part of the voters..."

A grand total of 58 voters with 98 votes between them were counted in the interactive video game category. Compared to the next least popular category, interactive video games had two-thirds less voters and votes. A poor showing of interest indeed.

And among the games nominated, there is a startling lack of consensus. Only one game broke into the double digits for nominations: World of Warcraft, with thirteen votes. THIRTEEN. Absorb that, if you can. For comparison, the winning novel had 90 nomination votes going in. The winning fan artist had 55. And the world's most popular RPG was able to score a measely 13 votes.

Why?

I don't think that it was because the games industry lacks games with compelling story and gameplay. At least not altogether.The games that DID filter on the ballot list tended to be higher quality games, the memorable adventures or roleplaying games. One of the truly deserving games, I thought, was Shadow of the Colossus: a game with truly unique gameplay, story, and compelling philosophical undertones. There was a sense of alieness to this game that charmed me, that intrigued, and the story, so far as I understand, did it justice. A wonderful combination of story and gameplay, and the sort of game THAT SHOULD BE nominated of the Hugos. It garnered four votes, in a tie for the fifth most votes. Understandably several large RPGs, including the aforementioned World of Warcraft, were also nominated. All in all, it could have been a wonderful opportunity for the gaming world to see that games that balance gameplay and quality storylines can be artistic works, worthy of recognition beyond the silly popularity contests that gaming awards usually are. In an industry where the latest repackaged Madden game gets game of the year from such luminaries as SpikeTV, seeing the speculative fiction community reward storytelling and risky visions would be refreshing.

Then too it seems such a shame that the speculative fiction community and the games industry seem divorced enough from each other that this fell through the cracks. Considering that games derive many of their tropes and visuals from science fiction and fantasy, and that many game developers love these genres, it seems that the two would be a natural fit. Novels like Enders Game and Snowcrash tend to be popular among many gamers. And I know plenty of writers who derive much pleasure, relaxation, and inspiration from games.

I guess I'm just bummed because two great tastes came together, but unlike peanut butter and chocolate, they kinda congealed up and burned in the oven, and nothing ever came of it. Maybe someday soon video games can end up back on the Hugo ballots. Maybe more video game manufacturers would pay more attention to the stories they are trying to craft as a result--maybe we'd get less shoehorned stories kludged onto a game. Maybe writers would pick up more games and recommend them to their readers. And maybe MORE truly wonderful games would arise out of all this. I can hope, I guess.

comments (4) | post a comment | permalink | email a friend | print

Recent Photos - [ view galleries ]

World of WarCrack Uno | Nov 17 2005

Feeds from Space

GamePro.com Daily Update

GamePro.com Pro Reviews

  • PS2 Review: Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus
    Nearly a decade after the release of the genre-defining epic, Final Fantasy VII, one of gaming's most hallowed titles finally gets a spin off. But with bland action and an incomprehensible plot, Dirge of Cerberus is one fantasy better left unfulfilled.
  • Xbox 360 Review: Ninety-Nine Nights
    Hack-and-slash fans have been slavering for the release of the mystical brawler, Ninety-Nine Nights. But does this game have the goods to keep you up playing past your bedtime?
  • Xbox Review: Painkiller: Hell Wars
    The original PC blood-fest Painkiller returns to dish out more punishment on the Xbox. Hell Wars is a classic run-and-gun shooter that hardcore Quake fans will die for, but the repetitive gameplay and linear levels will rapidly exhaust the casual gamer.

GamePro.com Pro Previews