ThunderPeel2001

As I recall, if you stared at a particular character's breasts in Metal Gear Solid she would turn red and ask what you were doing... or so I heard.

Yeah, the action looks too... unplayable? I don't know if that's the word, but even if they do pull off the animation (and I suppose with him only being a silhouette, it should be easier), it looks......... boring! Another World? What about ? Eh? Actually, scratch that, it was shit!

Apologies, I've not played that one yet... (or V...)

Well, if you insist it's more "twitch" based, it doesn't mean that Gears of War hasn't got more in common with Quake than it does with Max Payne. Again, just my opinion. I probably used the wrong word with "twitch", I guess. Hey, I still got my legs!

No... we're talking about how it's already been referred to as a FPS by other people on multiple occassions, and whether the people who describe it as such are wrong or right or foolish or whatever. Quote from Ben, who started this whole discussion, with this post: "I don't know why everyone insists on referring to Gears of War as an "FPS". It's not. So stop it. Everyone." It's not circular reasoning in any way. And, just because I think he's right, here's what Rodi said after Ben: "[Why do people insist on calling Gears a FPS?] I guess it's because in practice it feels so much like the direct approach of FPSses. There's a sense of immediacy that is often lacking in 3rd person shooters, where you can clearly feel some distance between you and the avatar you are controlling. So, I think it's not a fluke that everyone accidentally calls it an FPS. Regardless of how you call it however, I am keenly tempted to group it with FPS games because apart from the perspective, the game plays much the same." You've totally missed the point. I wasn't saying that using "sick" is an example of the whole FPS/TPS thing, but rather it was in response to those who say "I don't agree with this word being used in this way, therefore its usage hasn't changed". Do people actually read what is written, within the context that it's written, or do they just see what they want to see so they can argue? Have to agree to differ on this one.

Sounds like Halo 3 might actually be pretty good fun then! (Sorry, Spaff.)

Final Fantasy IV is a brilliant FF, too! I wonder if they'll jump straight to remaking FFVII now?

On the contrary (), I'd say that the fact its being debated shows that language has already changed, for what are we talking about if not a change in language? It may not have changed so that everyone agrees on its usage, to be sure, but neither has the word "sick", which some people use to mean "good". The language has still changed, in that respect, even if people don't agree with it or like it. As I said though, Gears has more common (in terms of its twitch/strafe based gameplay) with FPSs than other TPSs. So in that respect I'd say the meaning has become less precise and therefore less useful. Just my opinion!

Well I'd definitely say that Gears has more in common with Quake and Unreal than Tomb Raider, Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne! Regardless of what you decide to call Gears, I think you'd have to agree its an unusual TPS.

At least you're admitting to shooting the messenger! (Appreciate it.) I should probably have mentioned that I've heard Gears referred to as an FPS outside of this discussion from different people in conversation months ago (when it first came out). So it doesn't surprise me in any way that people have now spotted others doing the same. (And yes, in my opinion, the people I spoke to where well aware what FPS stood for.) People I've spoken to + Other people hearing the same + Mainstream gaming press = Reasonable proof that language has evolved outside of one group of people It does frustrate me when I feel that people are thinking with their hearts and not their minds. I've worked in offices where people come out with the most dire nonsense, absolute garbage, but because it's said in a certain way, people go along with it. (I'm sure we've all been in that situation?) Considering I wasn't attacking anyone (at all), I don't think it should matter how strongly I put something across, provided it's correct... Isn't that fair? "Clearly"? Now who's making drastic judgments, eh?

Well I guess you can argue that, but the fact that some people aren't bothered by it and can understand why its used seems to indicate that it's different (to me at least). What is a recent third-person shooter anyway (if Tomb Raider doesn't count?).

That's a mistake. Plain and simple. It's not been accepted as language (unlike "b-movie"). Nor is anyone, anywhere saying they can understand why some people would want to refer to dolphins as fish. Also, we're talking about the gaming press. I'm guessing the people who make the mistake of calling dolphins fish are not people who write about marine life frequently.

Don't shoot the messenger! I'm not "handing down decrees" (what nonsense), but clearly explaining that since lots of people (including mainstream gaming press, as previously mentioned) are referring to Gears as a FPS, then clearly FPS has had its definition expanded by everyday usage. The fact that now, months later, some people are talking about it only goes to highlight how accepted this expanded usage has become. This isn't because people are idiots, it's because language does this all the time. For example, an "exploitation film" might not feature any actual exploitation at all, but instead, over time, the definition has expanded to include cheap, schlocky, violent films, usually made in the 70s. "B-movie" is another term which is frequently used in a "technically incorrect way" (we don't actually have double-features anymore, so no A-movies or B-movies) but is still used to describe a cheaply made/poorly produced movie. This is a fact and has nothing to do with me. Here, for the first time incidentally, is my actual opinion: Referring to Gears as a FPS is better than referring to it as a third-person shooter in all respects except technicality. Tomb Raider is a third-person shooter, but its gameplay is nothing like Gears of War. Whereas Quake and Team Fortress are FPSs and have gameplay that more closely resembles Gear of War. In short, to explain to someone what type of gaming experience Gears of War offers, describing it as a third-person shooter might technically be correct, but describing it as a FPS more accurately describes the gameplay... which is what labels like RPG, shoot-em-up, beat-em-up etc. were invented for in the first place. Finally, FPS and third-person shooters are genres, not formats (or was that a joke?).

If you've read my post in the other thread, were I explain myself quite clearly... why are you asking me here?

You can't buy Watchmen at a comic convention?? What can you buy?!

No, not "clearly" as in everyone agrees, as I was responding to someone who didn't agree. That's having common sense for you!

The fact that Gears is commonly referred to as a FPS is enough. Language has changed. Move along.

Improvement!

Nice! Thanks for that What was that video, though?

Sorry, but it's clearly moved on past its original definition to now define a style of gameplay. That's language for you!

Hmmm. Some of their reviews are WAY off the mark. Like The Lives of Others, for one, although I remember there being others.

So far: Friday night Turned up for a friend's birthday party at All Star Lanes bowling in Bayswater... only to discover I was a week early. Saturday Spending too much time writing things like this instead of going comics shopping, which is what I really want to do. Going to see the Bill Hicks show, 'Slight Return', with my girlfriend, tonight

Great list, I totally agree. At times in the past I've forgotten not to get involved on those forums... and my goodness, how they have sapped my energy and any positive feelings I have about the world, but then I remember: These people are total fuckwits... with no brains! I remember one YouTube video showing a severely disabled boy and his father. The boy was some DJ or some rapper or something, and he'd actually had a "big up" (or whatever) from some respected people in the industry. The video was a lovely heart-warming moment, but the comments told a different story: "I hope this fucking gay fag and his asshole father get fucking killed. Stupid fucking retard." Nice

It's probably the worst thing I've ever written, but here it is, for those that are interested: http://thunderpeel2001.blogspot.com/2007/09/review-death-proof-extended-and-unrated.html