toblix

Maybe it was all just a dream, like in s1e12 of Sopranos.

Some day I have to learn not to mention Myst to other people, ever. But, a point to note is that I still find the original Myst very fun and interesting, even with the outdated graphics it now sports. So either it's something other than the graphics, or I like crap. Wouldn't be the first time I liked crap, mind you.

And then... You just went on about Myst. Gotcha! Seriously, though, I understand why lots of people don't like the Myst games, but I don't understand why lots of people don't understand why other people like them. I don't like flight sims or sports games, but I can understand why other people do.

I looked that up on Mobygames and it looked kind of neat. Is the description "Prince of Persia meets Myst" accurate?

No. There was a patch that removed enemy spawning in System Shock 2? I seem to remember that there was a lot of discussion about the enemy respawning in NOLF2 and that some patch released weeks after I'd finished it removed that really annoying feature.

Funny, I was talking to someone about the exact same thing just the other day. NOLF 2 has it all, great graphics, great music, extremely great art design or direction or what it's called, style, flair and enemy respawning. That one feature ruined the entire game for me. But... Wasn't there a patch or something that removed that?

I agree, but what's your point?

If I could have sex with computer code, I'd do Havok.

Thanks for the tip. I wasn't aware it was just a meta-dictionary. But since word-nitpicking is boring, let's get back to the topic somewhat. New question*: Name a game you consider, and explain why. I consider Riven art, because, in addition to being a fun puzzle game, it's beautiful and the sounds and visuals create a, for me, totally immersive experience that's like being there. *I know it's technically not a question

Is Lemmings 3D really great? I loved all the Lemmings 2D games, including The Tribes, but at the time it came out I saw it as a burly man rape of the series. Isn't the interface really clumsy? And how is Lemmings Paintball? Is it good?

I'm not saying that art and craft are the same things, I'm saying they are synonymous. At least, that's what Dictionary.com says. In fact, I was trying to explain that explaining the difference could be difficult since they're in fact synonyms. Sorry. But as for the kernel of the discussion (as far as I'm concerned, at least), if we disregard the craft term, is there a form of art that doesn't require some degree of mastering a skill? That's supposed to be my point, that there isn't one. So if you can mention one, I'm likely to surrender.

Well, you know, they're actually synonyms. The point I was trying to make is that I think that until the creator has mastered the tools and techniques of an artform, the work isn't really art. Of course, the technique itself can be art too. But, of course, that's just my opinion. The term art is really subjective and vague. Like beauty. Also, I'm starting to like these smilies.

Well, in most cases you have to master a craft in order to create art.

Well, of course art can be spontaneous, but give me an example of someone making great art at the first attempt. I mean, even though a person is hightly artistic, he still has to master an instrument or a tool to express himself, and that takes time. And I don't consider someone tripping and falling into a grand piano art. I consider that comedy.

What Chris said, only with the addition that the media or craft shouldn't be irrelevant. There's more to art than the swoozy feeling you get, or that it "talks to you". Nothing should be called art if it's the first try or just generated by accident. In all forms of art there's both the "art itself", ie. the motif, and the "craftsmanship" (or whatever you wanna call it. I'm not English), ie. the use of material and technique. Similarly, in a computer game there is both the need to consider a game as a piece of art based on the merits of the "game itself", which would be (off the top of my head) interactivity (unique for games), storytelling (as in a book), visuals (as in a painting), audials (as in a piece of music, and I know that's not a word), and probably some more stuff, and the merits of the craft of making the game, which would then be the programming (which is now by most people considered pure "work" and not particularly artistic, much like painting and sculpting and architecture was a long time ago), graphical techniques and what have you. If you know what I mean.

I have this image of Macs being pretty nice looking but useless compared to a PC running Windows.

It sounds good, but I've yet to find a modern computer that can handle two players using the same keyboard without problems. edit: I'm guessing it's the keyboard that's the problem, and not the computer.

I don't get the custom music stuff in newer games. I mean, has the music guy in a game ever really sucked so much as to warrant playing Metallica .mp3s or whatever instead of the music that's specifically made or chosen for the game?

I would like a button that physically disconnected the clock generator from all processors and chips in the computer, so that everything would be pausable, no matter what. Also, I would think it would be easier to implement a pause function than a skip function in cut-scenes. I mean, with a pause you only have to stop all simulations and sounds and what have you, until you press pause again. With skip you have to move everything to where it's supposed to be at the end of the cut-scene, and modify the game state properly (doors opening and whatnot). I'm no professor, but that's what I think.

I actually suck so much, I couldn't even finish the game, because the fights were too hard.

I think the name Jake is sexey. Also Fat Man.

The only games I've played more than once are Half-Life, LBA2 (both have only one ending) and Fallout 1 & 2 (but I got the same endings all the time because I always did the same things). I prefer games where I can experience everything in one go, and not games where you have to play a game a thousand times to see all the stuff. So, in conclusion, multiple endings are also wasted on people like me, too, as well.

I assume you mean Myst III? Riven didn't have a virtual 3d engine, just static images. But what was wrong with the virtual 3d engine? It combined 360 degree view with great prerendered graphics (still can't beat that in real-time) and nodal movement, or whatever it's called. And it didn't just have edge scrolling.

Hasn't Beyond Good & Evil been thrown in the bin too, now?

I tried it some, but I couldn't adjust the mouse speed, and I dont' like games where scrolling the screen is a chore. Is there a way of scrolling with a mouse button (á la every other game)? Edge scrolling is so passé!