Western Games…
They really don’t make enough Western games. I’ve commented on that before, about GUN, and Bound in Blood (which I’ve been reviewing lately) reaffirmed it for me. I’ve been thinking about it and I think the reason that they don’t show up as much as other settings is to do with the type of people who write games and the level of creative indulgence that writers generally want in something they make. The type of person who designs and writes a computer game is, broadly speaking, likely to have a certain set of interests they want to explore – sci-fi, military history, fantasy, etc. Cowboys and Indians rarely enter into that.
Likewise, assuming most writers are like me, they probably want to create content which is reasonably unique everytime. There’s no joy in just spilling out the same old story every time. In the sci-fi or fantasy settings it’s easy to get this satisfaction for unique content because your only limit is your imagination. You can create new races, spells, abilities and so on on a whim. The Western setting however is so deeply entrenched in reality and convention that it’s really hard to create something different in it that might translate well into a computer game – and you also have to reconcile any differences with the expected elements of Western fiction, such as quickdraws, double-crosses and lassos. Therefore, most people in the industry probably lean more to making space-based or magic-themed games because;
1) That’s what they like
2) That’s what they think they can have the biggest influence in.
Or I could just be talking out of my arse.
Oh, and this blog post was mainly supposed to be focused on Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood, the review for which is finished and done for bit-tech.net, but it turns out there was an embargo snafu. The review had to come down. But it’s a good game.
In other news, TMJ is a real bitch, I’ve burnt my tongue, I’m going to see Elliot tonight, will The Hood become the new Sorcerer Supreme?, I’ve got a new mousemat at work, walking to work is fun, and there’s a new batch of Inside Freeman’s Mind out on Youtube. I can’t be arsed to link but if you like funny stuff and Half-Life 2 then I suggest checking it out.
I don’t have any other news.
Joe, Out.
Marvel’s The Hood…
I decided that I was sick of staring at that picture from Gmod. I also started reading about The Hood – a Marvel comic book character I’ve not read much about before. Luckily, the two events combined at the exact moment that I finished eating my cereal and so I was able to right a blog post about it.
For my next trick I’ll be writing a best mans speech.
Joe, Out.
Schoolgirl Boobs…
This is part of a gallery of some Garry’s Mod 10 poses I’ve made and put up on my bit-tech.net blog. There’s lots more of them that aren’t nearly so boob-ridden, but I thought it would be funny to post this one up here because it’s slightly inappropriate and my distant relatives might read it and get all stuffy and uncomfortable.
I heard something funny today. I was at a SKY press event with some people, several of whom I didn’t know. One of them worked for What Satellite? magazine. He offered his hand and I shook it, proclaiming myself.
“Joe, from Bit-tech.net.”
“Stephen. What Satellite? magazine.” He said.
“No, it’s not a magazine – it’s a site.” I replied.
He sighed and explained that, no, he works for a magazine called What Satellite?, not that he was asking what magazine I worked for. I blushed, apologised, blamed my hearing and admitted I’d never ever heard of them. He baulked somewhat, I think. There was a silence for a minute and then he introduced himself to someone else.
“Stephen. What Satellite? magazine.”
“Um, I don’t work for a magazine actually – I’m from Videogamer.com.”
Joe, Out.
The British Summertime Begins…
Someone get me some fucking sandals - the British Summer has begun!
Games that made me cry…
Beyond Good and Evil
There is also this today, which I feel like pointing out. Oh, and I’m moving to Reading.
Joe, Out.
Moving or Not…
The Path
I’ve been busy lately. Like, insane. I have a two hour commute (each way) every day, while also trying to look for a new flat and carry on doing more work for other sites. As well as my work for bit-tech.net, I’ve also been doing all the games work for Custom PC Magazine and some movie and game reviews for Den of Geek. I’ve been far to busy to blog lately, sorry.
Below are some review links I’ve done, just because I want to show off right now. Then I’m going right back to stressing about stuff. If you only read one thing I’ve done then go with the review of The Path, which is in Custom PC and online at Bit-tech.net. It seems to have gone down quite well. I also saw Tales of the Black Freighter the other day, for a review. That’s worth watching.
Tales of The Black Freighter review – Den of Geek
Splinter DVD review – Den of Geek
Stormrise Xbox 360 review – Bit-tech
Games I Own: The Thief Series – Bit-tech Blog
Games I Haven’t Played – Bit-tech Blog
That is all. Go play Thief and The Path, watch Tales of the Black Freighter, rent Splinter, and laugh at Stormrise.
Joe, Out.
50 Cent: Blood on The Sand review
50 Cent, done British
I reviewed 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand the other day, plugging the Down Trodden String Band in the process. I’m actually quite proud of that review, so go read it and then tell me how great I am.
Yesterday I went to see Frost/Nixon with Hannah. When I came back my stomach was hurting. Hannah, knowing me, thought I might have eaten something rotten. She asked me what I had for dinner, but I couldn’t remember. I then realised that I’d not actually had dinner; I’d done that thing where I’m so busy doing something I forget to eat. Hannah called me a silly bear and then I had some toast and a waffle, felt better and went to bed.
That story was about as interesting as picking my nose, I know. Slightly more interesting is me blogging about What I Learned from Deus Ex on the bit-tech.net blog.
Joe, Out.
Is System Shock 2 Free…
Is Dune 2 Abandonware? I explain, boringly.
I’ve not written on here in a while for two reasons. Firstly, now that I’m working at Dennis I just don’t have the time – huge commute, more work. Secondly, we’ve launched our own blogs on bit-tech.net.
On the bit-tech blog I’m running a continuing feature on Games I Own, as well as a few other things. So far I’ve covered Baldur’s Gate, Call of Cthulu, The Lost Mind of Dr. Brain, No One Lives Forever and a few others. Some future posts I have coming over the next few weeks look at what’s more important; good graphics or good presentation, specifically looking at grafitti in popular games, and What I Learned from Deus Ex.
You can keep track of all my blog posts at bit-tech.net by clicking here, filtering out the rubbish the others write.
I also wrote a feature recently that looks at Abandonware, discussing the ethics and legality of it all, as well as pointing to some good free abandonware games. It makes mention of System Shock 2, Dune 2: Battle for Arrakis, Syndicate and so on. Link: Abandonware: The Ethics and Essentials.
That’s all for now. I have to go look at flats, then I’m heading over to Ubisoft for a bit.
Out, Joe.
