Molyneux on RPG Evolution: Translated Into Old-School Gamer English

Posted by Rampant Coyote on June 9, 2010

The contention that mainstream games are “evolving” immediately raises my hackles. Not that I’m against change and true improvements – not at all – but contending that the newest games are the product of evolution in gaming from past efforts  is about like saying reality shows are a product of evolution in performance media  from […]

Filed Under: Biz, Interviews, Mainstream Games - Comments: 8 Comments to Read

Dungeon Siege 3 Announced, But…

Posted by Rampant Coyote on June 8, 2010

So apparently there’s going to be a Dungeon Siege 3.  For consoles and PCs. Sadly, I can’t get enthusiastic about it. I have both of the previous games. I’ve played them both. Well, part-way. There’s nothing I hate about them. Every once in a while I look over at the DS2 box and think, “Gee, […]

Filed Under: Mainstream Games - Comments: 6 Comments to Read

My Take on Alan Wake

Posted by Rampant Coyote on June 4, 2010

Okay, not that I have much time even for playing games lately (a side effect of FK momentum increasing – YAY!), but I picked up Alan Wake this week and am a little ways into it – only chapter 3 so far. I dig the story. I dig the lighting. I dig the mood. The […]

Filed Under: Mainstream Games - Comments: 3 Comments to Read

The Devolution Revolution

Posted by Rampant Coyote on May 28, 2010

Another week, another call for RPGs to “evolve.” So I guess it’s time for my monthly rant about the evolution of the cRPG genre. Hat tip to RPGWatch for this link. My response was snarkier over there than this one will be here. (See? I may be growing as a person. Or something…)  Maybe because, […]

Filed Under: Biz, Indie Evangelism, Mainstream Games - Comments: 15 Comments to Read

Free Vs. Purchased Demos

Posted by Rampant Coyote on May 25, 2010

Steven Peeler of Soldak Entertainment on Free vs. Purchased Demos: “… Charging for the demo just seems very wrong. First of all, it means you are now demanding payment for your marketing. What’s next, making the customer pay for your ads? Also what happens when they don’t like your demo (which is going to happen […]

Filed Under: Biz, Indie Evangelism, Mainstream Games - Comments: 7 Comments to Read

Are Used Games the Publisher’s Enemy… Or Secret Ally?

Posted by Rampant Coyote on May 20, 2010

So now downloadable content (DLC) and online multiplayer are weapons used in the war against used game sales. Now, I’m a proponent of used games. About half the console games I get nowadays… well, okay, half are downloaded, but half of the BOXED games I get are used.  And the other half – well, if […]

Filed Under: Mainstream Games - Comments: 9 Comments to Read

Review: Dungeons & Desktops – The History of Computer Role-Playing Games

Posted by Rampant Coyote on April 26, 2010

For my birthday, my wife gave me the book,  “Dungeons & Desktops: The History of Computer Role-Playing Games,” by Matt Barton. Not to be confused with the very amusing freeware game, Desktop Dungeons. The Articles Level Up! I’d previously enjoyed the series on the History of the Computer Role-Playing Game by Barton in Gamasutra. If […]

Filed Under: Books, Mainstream Games, Retro - Comments: 2 Comments to Read

More X-Com Announcement Disappointment?

Posted by Rampant Coyote on April 15, 2010

Sounds like I’m not the only one who felt a pang of disappointment when I found out the “new” X-Com isn’t going to be very… X-Com-ish. Kat Bailey’s Response. Shamus Young’s Response And of course, the sense of betrayal in the comments of my blog post. I am still, barely, holding out hope with a […]

Filed Under: Mainstream Games - Comments: 7 Comments to Read

Messing Up My Perfect Game Taxonomy!

Posted by Rampant Coyote on March 26, 2010

Gareth explains what, in his opinion, constitutes the RPG-ness of a game: Mass Effect 2 Part 2: An RPG? Really, Gareth? You wanna throw down? You think you can argue against my awesome well-established (well, for three years anyway) defining characteristics of an RPG? Huh? The science is settled, brothah! It’s … It’s… Well, it’s […]

Filed Under: Mainstream Games - Comments: 9 Comments to Read

Secret CDProjekt Message to Fans of The Witcher

Posted by Rampant Coyote on March 25, 2010

Alright, maybe some folks don’t think this is cool, but I do. And others, it would seem. Buried in their trailer for The Witcher 2, CDProjekt has inserted a secret message in a single frame near the end of the video for their fans. This is the text (as lifted from GameBanshee): This message is […]

Filed Under: Mainstream Games - Comments: 5 Comments to Read

Original, Hardcore RPGs? Nah, Those Won’t Sell!

Posted by Rampant Coyote on March 18, 2010

Pardon me while I snicker just a little. I don’t mean anything by it. Sony Regrets Not Publishing Demon’s Souls In North America “Despite Sony’s close relationship to the game’s production, the company determined Demon’s Souls was too demanding and unusual to connect with Western audiences. Atlus, known for localizing niche Japanese games in North […]

Filed Under: Indie Evangelism, Mainstream Games - Comments: 4 Comments to Read

Why Mainstream RPGs Are FUBAR

Posted by Rampant Coyote on March 15, 2010

Gareth has the principle commentary: A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, Part 1 A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words, Part 2 The important note to make about the second one is that it was made from the perspective of a Japanese RPG developer. Final Fantasy = JRPG, Tomb Raider = WRPG? WTF? Okay, […]

Filed Under: Biz, Mainstream Games - Comments: 8 Comments to Read

The Bloody End…

Posted by Rampant Coyote on March 11, 2010

A few days ago I was asked about my favorite RPG of the last decade. Not remembering that Baldur’s Gate II counted (it was released in the fall of 2000), I almost chose Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. It was a flawed gem, but I played through the whole game twice (and part-way twice more). The […]

Filed Under: Mainstream Games - Comments: 15 Comments to Read

Rolston + McFarlane + Salvatore = Project Mercury, Upcoming Single-Player RPG

Posted by Rampant Coyote on March 9, 2010

So Big Huge Games – now owned by Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios – is going to be making a new single-player RPG, published by EA. Currently code-named Project Mercury, it is intended to be part of a series of games from 38 Studios set in the same fictional universe. It involves the creative efforts of […]

Filed Under: Mainstream Games - Comments: 5 Comments to Read

Irony…

Posted by Rampant Coyote on March 8, 2010

Gee, who would have seen something like this coming? Besides, like, EVERYBODY outside of Ubisoft? UBIsoft’s DRM Servers Down All Day With their newest DRM scheme, this means that legitimate customers simply could.not.play.the.game. But the icing on the ol’ irony cake is this: “After Ubisoft’s emphatic denial that the pirated versions of both Ass Creed […]

Filed Under: Mainstream Games - Comments: 7 Comments to Read



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