Tony

I’m BAAAAACK! If only for a little while. Primaries are just about done. Thank the lord. I suggest this as a life exercise: Sit down and write a personal statement. It doesn’t have to be for any application, just do it for yourself. You’ll discover a lot as you write it. Ok, on to video games.

I’ve realized that I’m a whore for flash games. Not the kind that Ex-Gov. Elliot Spitzer would pay thousands for, more like that dime whore on the corner that will let you do really nasty stuff for a couple bucks. Only I’m spreading my legs for stuff like Corpse Craft and Kongregate. These games have a really interesting hold on me. As a fan of artsy-fartsy stuff (I really really liked the end of No Country for Old Men), these independently produced games have a lot more leniency for their art direction. This unique opportunity allows for the game player to experience something that either can’t be found or is exceedingly rare on the mainstream console space. However, I think things are about to change…but not fast enough and not in the best ways.

Everyone who follows new games news is familiar with Microsoft’s XNA, the community based forum for creation/production of games. When I first heard about this, it made me think of websites like Kongregate or Newgrounds. If you’re unfamiliar, this are web portals that allow people to post flash-based games and the massive user populous is allowed to vote on them. Then I heard about XNA’s system that gives good/prolific reviewers more weight; a key aspect to Newgrounds grading scale. Where the whole system falls short in my eyes is the payscale; 200, 400 or 800 points. No, free is not an option. I’m not enraged, but aren’t I paying $50 a year for a service that is being crept up on by Sony’s free PSN??? It just seems like improper marketing. Should I be expecting higher quality games than those I can find on the interwebs for free? Perhaps from some but I feel that most of these will be rehashes on old themes (read: PopCap-like games). What will the demo system be? All I can imagine is again a PopCap-esque time-limit or gimped version. ON the other hand, there are games where the developer should be paid and Samurai Dishwasher, or whatever it’s called, deserves every penny I’ll pay. But this brings me to another point: What will happen to XBLA?

Without a doubt quality will have to become higher. You as a mid-range developer had no competition against your 800 point crap game. Now you have a series of independent 200 or 400 point games that do what your crap game did and more. So now what’s to justify your 800 point game? It’ll push the companies to produce better product, but at increased cost to the company. Well, this all being a meta-game for making money, the burden of that expense will be placed upon the consumer. So now we have XBLA minimums at about 1200 points? Now, if this means those really crap shovelware games going for $60 are finally choked out by less crap XBLA games going for $15, then good. I see a shift coming, but how soon, we shall see. I wanna hear your guys opinion on this and you might just hear it in a podcast.

BTW, it has been promised, so it will come. Expect Tony’s next blog to feature the first installment of what will hopefully become a weekly affair; Age of Wings: The Aegis Wing Chronicles: Fanfic: Lemon: Hardcore Extreme Edition (Oh and yes, there will be plenty of MSPaint-shopping). Here’s the scary part of this, it’s time for me to do some field research; wish me luck. Also, I’m gonna work on making my blogs shorter (no word on the fanfic though). Some changes coming soon, I hope all 3 of you are excited.

…and certainly not in blogging. Sorry guys, I thought I’d be able to get more blogs in. Unfortunately, personal statement writing was gravely underestimated by this Med School hopeful. However, on the bright side, my MCAT score was high enough to warrant handshakes and words of approval from my already graduated co-workers. SO for all those interested, here’s a little bit about the primary application process.

Most of it is very simple. You tell them your name, age, other vital statistics. Then, they drop two giant inconveniences in your path. 1) Not only do you have to SEND your transcript, but you must also COPY your transcript….Yeah, they wanna make sure you/your university wasn’t lying??? 2) The personal statement (aka Why do you think you should be a doctor, but don’t answer that question directly, do it in a roundabout essay-esque format). Ugh. I’d rather take a belt sander to my scrotum.  Hopefully my enthusiasm for the field will drive me through this hellish ordeal and on toward victory!

And I think that is the key to my personal statement. What I have on my side isn’t my GPA, it’s very average to below average for the schools I’ll be applying too. What I do have on my side is experience and geniune excitement. I feel like some applicants are going into medicine because of their parents or other external influences. I, on the other hand, have seen industry, research and medicine. I know what working in each would be like. And I know what I like. I like medicine. I love talking to the patients and I love being able to do my small part to help them out. The reason I want to become a doctor is because not only do I want to do more, but I feel like I CAN do more, and do it very well. Besides, I love the science behind it. There was a reason I stuck with Biochemistry even after I decided (in error) that I wanted to go to Law School. The human body is an INCREDIBLE machine that is the prime example of how powerful cooperation can be.  Man can move mountains, but when it comes down to it we’re all a pile of fat, water and enzymes (amongst other things). Also, the patients have this very complicated dichotomy. They are both simulatenously a person and a puzzle; and I love that. Each of these problems will have a problem that will challenge me intellectually. And each of these people have lives that I can hopefully return to them. My reward as a doctor will not only be the solving of the puzzle, but the satisfaction of knowing that I helped a patient get back one of the things they treasure most, their health.

SO I guess that’s it. There it is, my personal statement. I mean, what you just saw there was my own stream of conciousness (and I guess it took about 20 minutes), so now it’s time to dress it up. Put on the bow, make it look pretty, provide some more examples of just how this will thrill me. But that feels a lot better. I’m one step closer, and I hope this will work out. Wish me luck peoples.

BTW - As someone who has taken both the MCAT and the LSAT, if you have questions/need advice for either PLEASE let me know. I can help point you in the right direction and to some good resources.

So, I missed a week. It’s not like I haven’t posted for nearly a month like other podcast members (glares at just about everyone else). However, this isn’t gonna be a great week. Why? Well I kinda have these essays to write. For Med School. It’s a lot of writing. Then editing. Then re-writing. Then scrapping. Then rewriting again. Needless to say, I’m kinda burned out on typing words. In the words of Ringo Starr from Helter Skelter, “I GOT BLISTERS ON MY FINGERS!!” I suppose the difference is that I won’t throw my keyboard. If I get some sort of great inspiration, look for another blog. Either way, after the awesomness this weekend will have, you should expect something great next week.

“Dude…This controller sucks.”

“This game is cheating for you man!”

“Wow, this AI is CHEAP!”

“BULLSHIT!”

You’ve heard all of these before. Hell, odds are you’ve even said one of them. And if you haven’t, then you’ve definately said something just like it. So, what’s my point? I just find it interesting that how big the collective ego is for gamers. But the question is, what drives it?

Certainly you can say it is likely an instinctive response. Competition is a driving force in evolution and blah blah blah blah *snooze* (which by the way, is the weirdest looking word ever). Then you have those who would argue that it’s some kinda Freudian response to wanting to bang my Mom and kill my Dad. Which is cool. I’m all about banging Moms; just not my Mom. Instead, I’m prone to think that gaming is where we let our egos fly free. We have to prove that we are better than the random schmucks out there. We have to know that xXD1ngl3b34rr135Xx on XBox Live is screaming in frustration over the interbutts because I just pwned him. And all of this is fine; until you let it cloud your judgements.

Damn you FraggedUrMaker….Damn You…

What do I mean “cloud your judgement”? You know that game where you just aren’t as good as everyone else. The one where, no matter how hard you try, you can be adequate at best. It’s a dumb game, right? Somewhere along the way they just screwed up the programming and it’s just not a good game. Or is it a good game, but the frustration of not being the best is blinding us? Some games are bad, and no amount of being good at them can save them from said fate. But some games were great and due to frustration, no one ever got the chance to see how great they are. I’m looking at you…Quest 64.

That’s it kids. Done and done. One more MCAT filled out by an unsuspecting victim. Now, left as a shell of my former self, it’s time to catch up on all those things I’ve left behind. I’ve caught up with Lost, just in time for tonight’s rediculous season finale. Seriously, Ben Linus + John Locke = Dead KEAMY. Just sayin’. And what’s up with Richard being f’in immortal? Hopefully we’ll find something out tonight. Either way, look for more content now that I’m back. And just to prove that you’re gonna get the good stuff, I’ve been owing Tom this for a LONG time. Here’s your comparison picture Tom. SEE! ROSA WAS A HOSS! NOW SHE’S SMOKIN’! (If you’re curious, Rosa is a character from the game I’m a big fan of: Condemned)

11 days. That’s all I have left before I’m finally free of this hateful demon of the AAMC. Seriously though, this single test is probably the biggest academic burden I have yet to bear. But at the same time, I really think that I’m gonna be able to kick it’s ass inside and out. However, no more fun photoshop with paint until I’m done having a prisonmate-like relationship with this test (unfortunately I’m the bitch). If you really want to know what’s up with me, I’m gonna try this whole twitter thing. Some posts will be gaming related, others, perhaps, masturbatory. But that’s only because I know how much you, my faithful audience, care about me. SO, until I can figure out a way to put it on my websites homepage (as well as do a million other things with that page), you can check out my twitter at: https://twitter.com/ted2000aed.

On a gaming note, if you own a DS and you like fun, you owe it to yourself to buy TWEWY: the best DS game ever. I’ll tell you more about that after May 27th.

SO…as there are only 2 months (less than actually) till I take my MCAT, I’ve found I have less and less time to spread around. This means that something is gonna have to take a hit for the greater good. Unfortunately, I think this means that it will have to be my blog. As of late, writing this has become more of a chore than the fun activity it used to be. Having to write essays in 30 minutes or less repeatedly is becoming really taxing on my desire to write. So unfortunately for my 2 readers out there (Hi Mom!), I’m going to have to DRASTICALLY cut back on the amount of blogging that I do. I’m not coming to a screeching halt…moreso a laborous crawl. Well, that’s all I got folks. May 31st will be the day. Wish me luck!

So, as of late, the amount of busy I’ve been is incredible. If I were to rephrase that, I would say that I have in fact been incredibly busy. And incredibly tired (so if this blog wanders around a little, please excuse me). The unfortunate reality of this is that I haven’t been too busy with work that pays, but with what I will call an investment into my future. That’s right, standardized testing can blow me. Still, it has yet to prevent me from spending time on my favorite hobby, vidja games.

But, this is when I realized that there was another limiting reagent to my chemistry of video gaming. Money. Moolah. Funds. Dinero (ok, it’s Peruvian currency, but you get my point). Still, this lack of liquid assets got me thinking. I’m not the only person with this problem. Hell, the U.S. is in a recession. So where am I going with this? Well, what I’m wondering is; how will this hurt the gaming industy? In essence, is video gaming becoming too expensive for the average Joe/Jane?

There are compelling arguements for and against, but what one thing is without question, video games cost a good chunk of money. What it really comes down to is whether you feel that video game publishers should be able to charge as much as they do for games. And if you ask me, while the $60 price point for 360 and PS3 is steep, and I’d rather see most games at the Wii’s delightful $50, I can understand why they charge as much as they do. First, games are becoming incredibly expensive to make. You have large teams of programmers and designers and writers spending countless hours to make your epic sagas and blockbuster titles. So when all is said and done, just the production alone can cost about the same to make a movie; several million dollars. And then, advertising can often cost just as much as production. So now that millions upon millions have been dropped, it’s time to make some money on the game. But the video game industry, while growing, is still very small. Games that break a million sales are “selling great.” With this in mind, games that cost $60 and sell a million rake in $60 mil, which is a good chunk of change. But the money that is made doesn’t stay there long,  it is often put towards more promotions and future IPs. So, while we can justify the cost, can we justify the purchase during these rough economic moments?

Of course that’s person to person, but there is something to be said about the returns on a game. If you buy a triple A title, then it is more than likely that the hours invested in your game will bring solid returns on your purchase. But if you have a home you’d like to keep, and a mouth you like to feed, your entertainment might already be thrown out the window; at least pawned off for cash. So will video games see a hurtin’? Yes, but not necessarily more than any other industry will. Also, it’s been seen that people make a return to all forms of entertainment as a means to take the mind off of financial woes. In fact, now more than ever would be the time for console price cuts. A $50 cut on a video game system could push people into making a purchase; especially if the price of gas is keeping them close to home. Hell, 9 weeks without buying gas and I could buy a Wii!

Overall, video games are fairly well guarded against the dark times ahead. While it could never hurt to cut prices and make it easier on the consumers wallet, I feel as though the typical buyer will see $60 as a worthwhile investment for a GTAIV or a Spore. Here is what I see as the danger: Blockbusters will still do well, but lesser known titles are gonna have to fight for recognition. Bioshock had the benefit of coming before everything hit the fan, so people who were curious could afford to go and pick it up. But suppose it had come now, and while having setting, just didn’t sell as many titles because people “just couldn’t afford it.” I don’t necessarily see it as gloom and doom, but I think there are gonna be some great releases this year that might get the shaft because of a wary consumer base. A lot of people will stick to faithful titles, and games that innovate but are unheard of may fall to the wayside. All I hope is that we don’t see too much of a glut with sequels and familiar IPs; innovation is what makes gaming great for me. Oh well, at least nobody is gonna jump outta windows over this, right?

So, I’m gonna try to switch up my blogging format to provide more/better/shorter content. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll still get a long political rant blog; but my typical blog will be an update relevant to what is going on with my gaming during the week. So as my famous paesan Mario once said: HERE WE GO!

So this week, I realized just how strong an emotional response a video game can evoke; and how important it is to the quality of the game. Fury, pity, adoration, fear…these and more should all be part of a game developers palette. Without emotion, a technically great game can become mediocre. But if the game can make you feel emotion, then it can take it to levels that graphics never could. So what have I played recently that showed me how important emotion can be? What I have come to agree is the greatest game no one ever played: Hotel Dusk: Room 215.

I will right a full review on the game soon, but let me break down why I LOVED playing this game. First, this is the closest I’ve ever seen a game come to having a really good story as just a story. Probably about as long and deep as a Sherlock Holmes story, this game could have a fantastic novel adaptation. Also, each of the characters are developed and elicits different emotions. You become attached to the characters for their persona, not for their role in the game. Some are lovable, even pitiable. Others are despicable, or simply annoying. But the best part is that they all are intertwined in a fantastic tapestry centered aroudn the protagonist, Kyle Hyde. And while the scenario is clearly too fantastic to be true, the characters are very real.

It was nice to see a game really draw out emotion in me; and it was the first to do so in a long time. Unfortunately, Hotel Dusk is one of a rare breed. As technology progresses, developers no longer have to rely on the power and creativity of a story to pull as much weight is it once did.  Games are becoming more about better graphics, epic compositions and immersive gameplay. These are great things, but it should not mean that these qualities come at the cost of a great story; and some major studios are starting to key in on this. Let me describe one more game that got it right. The graphics were really good, but not ground breaking. Gameplay is a lot of fun, but not the best. The music was appropriate, but rarely stood out in a crowd. The environment had been done, and the genre was generally thought of as classless. Still, the single player story was told well enough that it brought all of these things together, and made you feel something along the way. It was Game of the Year in the minds of many, and has been on some lists. Give up? There are three good answers..but mine is Call of Duty 4.