Link Out (7/7/08)

July 7th, 2008

oddworld post card

The slighter longer time window between this and the previous Link Out has provided me with the opportunity to build up a slightly more varied and grounded set of links this month (or perhaps last month). In this time I have also embarked on another quest to seek out other like minded blogs (which takes a considerable amount of time, mind you). I would have gone through about 50-60 unfamiliar blogs in order to add the best ones to my feed list (with the rest on bookmarks). So I hope to share some articles from those blogs as well.

Of course, if you have any of your own suggestions for the next segment or just want to drop by a question then hit me up via this page.

MGS4, EGM, NDAs and YOU

Jeremy Parish from 1Up and host of Retronauts explains the issues surrounding EGM’s review of Metal Gear Solid 4 and the conflicts with Konami’s non-disclosure agreements. Supposively there is even a flash game set around this incident as well, ‘Escape from Konami’ or something like that.

Rock Band Best for Motley Crue

In a win for video games, rock band Motley Crue’s latest single “Saints of Los Angeles” which was released for download on Rock Band (the game that is) has sold 5x more as a downloadable song on RockBand compared to other digital distribution services (iTunes and Amazon).

OddWorld 5 in Development

As someone who casually delves in design (ie. the site design of this rather important site) I often pull apart media and critically assess how it was created. You know, to make me feel competent in design. OddWorld among other media is something that I have never understood in this regard. The OddWorld games just ooze an unsurmountable amount of creative diversity and pure talent. Simply put; you could never dream up such a world (universe rather) like OddWorld.

Not a lot of details to be said here other than don’t expect it too soon.

Prince of Persia Wallpaper Blowout

This new Prince of Persia looks phenomenally reminiscent of the majesty and craftsmenship of the original PoP games. I cannot wait to return to Arabia and familiarize myself with this naturally illustrated world. In the meantime though these wallpapers work a treat.

The Shootout Over Hidden Meanings in a Video Game

Several of us bloggers always laud mass media outlets when they put out articles which critically assess important happenings within our industry. This for us is so, so very important because it represents a success in the slow evolution for gaming journalism. Games writing needs to improve and the more articles like this we see, the better for us all. BTW it’s about MGS4, no surprise, har har har!

Articles Relating to Video Game Blogging and Bloggers

On the topic of games journalism there have been two very pleasing articles put up on GameSetWatch regarding blogging and games journalism. ‘Why We Write About Games’ by Chris Plante talks about his experience with game blogging and why it is important. In another article, Michael Walbridge interviews several of the most significant gaming bloggers (yeah I know, I was dissapointed not to have been contacted [/bad, self indulgent joke]). His results conclude the general yearning of change among bloggers. Both articles are essential reads.

iPhone as a Reputable Handheld console

My brother (who studies software engineering) attended a workshop which ran through the iPhone’s feature set and programming capabilities, now While the iPhone is yet to see an Australian release, this undoubtedly piqued my attention. Infact there is a lot of good stuff to be said about the console , particularly from developers like Sega and Maxis (it’s Maxis right?) who have been delivering high praise on the system ease of development.

There seems to be a complete disregard for mobile phone games including the iPhone within the gaming community. I’m not sure why this is though as there is definitely profits to be made in the mobile phone gaming market. The articles linked to discuss the potential of the iPhone.

Link Out (22/5/08)

May 23rd, 2008

shanghai city skyline

It’s another month and I have another handful of recommended readings to share with you. I figured that I’d also take this opportunity to make a brief apology. I must confess that I have been driving myself into the ground lately with this juggling act called life and as such I have been a little late responding to your comments and emails as well as putting out new content every 2 days. By the time this goes live though I should be well and truly back on the saddle. Thanks for bearing with me.

Also while I am talking off topic I would just like to say that I have been accepted into studying in ShangHai, China this September through to January. I will be living and studying in ?? district which is popular for its electronics. I’m very excited and I hope that this experience will allow me to talk about some interesting issues regarding video games in one of Asia’s most gorgeous cities.

As always, I have been storing some of these links since the end of the last Link Out which was over a month ago. So be aware that some may not be on the bleeding edge of gaming news.

We’ve won: get over it – The Guardian

With the release of Grand Theft Auto 4, us bloggers have naturally increased our receptiveness to the media’s portrayal of video games just to observe how out of touch they are with the average player. I’m pleased to say though that admist the RockStar bashing and parent protests a handful of major media outlets have actually got it right. One of my favorite such articles is this one written by Richard Bartle of The Guardian.

China’s Forgotten Gamers – ESkyCity

As I just mentioned I will be heading off to ShangHai this August (leaving in August, study in September) and if possible I would like to keep this blog alive during that time. If this is possible then I will probably write a few articles shedding light on the state of play in China. As a prelude though I found this article to be perfect for warming you all into the idea. 🙂

Abdullah’s Blogging: A Generation 1.5 Student Enters the Blogosphere

This journal is one that I selected for one of my University classes. The journal is a case study of a Somalian student study ESL (English second language) in an American high school and how blogging had allowed him and his peers to make the transition from a strong spoken language into a better form of academic writing.

This article as well as many others can be found in the Language Learning and Technology archives where there is a fantastic selection of journals. A lot of good reads in there.

Resident Evil Series Time Line

In my recent critique of Resident Evil Remake I mentioned that the journal entries littered around the mansion were so very compelling because it provided context to the haunting environments. This got me thinking about the series’ complete story, I had a solid idea of what had happened over the course of the series but I wanted to fully understand everything. So after a little searching I found a time line of the series which includes all backstory and journals featured within all of the Resident Evil games. Yes sure, I am spoiling the game’s storyline but considering that I kinda already knew what happened and was just after the finer details I don’t see a problem with it.

In anycase what I found was extremely comprehensive, I would guess that there is enough history here to fill an 80 paged book. So take a look if you need some more context. With this I have decided to play through the rest of the series.

David Hayter Interview

The man behind the voice of Solid Snake shares his thoughts on the Metal Gear series and his current work load. There’s a couple of nuggets of insight into the voice work behind Metal Gear inside which makes this worth the read. Hayter did also seemed quite immature in some of his remarks.

Wii Fit Reviewed by Everyday New Yorkers and Tourists – MTV Multiplayer

Being someone who previously sold electronics I always love the idea of having customers return to the store to tell me what they thought of the product that I had recommended for them. This article is similar to that sort of customer feedback. We should all be paying more attention to the critique of new players to games.

Prince of Persia Speed Art

I must say that I am impressed with the number of new, refreshing games being announced left, right and centre. It appears as though some developers may not be willing to wait until E3 this year to put all of their eggs in the one basket. This is probably a good idea too because it allows for better exposure. In anycase Ubisoft have recently announced a new, cel shaded Prince of Persia game which looks absolutely gorgeous. The following link shows how some of the conceptual artwork was made.

Link Out (13/4/08)

April 12th, 2008

lik out metal gear snake grey

To talk slightly off topic for a moment, I must say that in the past week or so I have been in a consistently chirpy mood and as such I would like bring forward this month’s Link Out post and share that happiness.

This happiness is in due part to my University 2 week break which starts Monday, completing a Chinese test and of course and the steady maintenance of this site. These are all great contributors but it is two other events in the recent days that have really made my day. Firstly I have been offered a $5000 scholarship and an additional $1000 travel grant from my University to study in ShangHai (China) from September to January this year. Secondly some of my recent articles, namely the Morgan Webb article has been receiving numerous trackbacks from sites like Shack News and GameSetWatch and as such my traffic has seen another large jump. Actually I am quite pleased about the GameSetWatch link out because I have much respect for that blog and it’s main site; Gamasutra. It reconfirms to me that my writing is on the right track.

So I figured that in my time of great happiness I would share the love and disperse another round of recommended readings for the month. So here are some of the links that I have been keeping in cold storage in the recent weeks.

MIT’s Jenkins On Gamers, Youth Culture, Brother Leeroy – GameSetWatch

Henry Jenkins is a professor over at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) he specializes in cultural convergence, learning through digital media and related fields. He is a leading researcher in under these fields and created many of the terms and concepts. This article outlines one of his recent key notes as well as some questions at the end. An incredibly interesting read.

Incredible Metal Gear Solid 3 Photo Captures

You remember the camera feature in the Metal Gear Solid games? Well take a look at some of these incredible images that this Japanese guy captured. You wonder how people figure these things out.

WAZ – Bruce on Games

Bruce Everiss brings to light something which should be a reference point for us gamers on the issue of video game violence. WAZ is another one of those disgusting torture porn flicks which appear to be filling new releases rental shelves everywhere. The point he raised was that the British Government recently provided a fund of a million pounds for the release of this movie yet contrast this against the rough time that ManHunt 2 has been getting in Europe. 🙁

Metroid 2 16Bit Remake

Another fan remake of a classic gaming title. This time its Metroid 2: Return of Samus being remade into 16bit. Unlike some of the previous fan remakes (OOT 2D, Metroid Prime 2D, Final Fantasy VII 2D, the list goes on) this one is actually might just get finished, well heres hoping. The blog proves to be quite resourceful on the remake and there is a downloadable demo as well.

Legend of Zelda 4 Swords – 5 Gamecubes, 5 TVs – Retro Gaming with RacketBoy

Back in the time of GBA/GCN connectivity and 8 player LAN Mario Kart my friends and I were always keen to test out these new play experiences. This article is a throwback to that sort of gaming culture. As the title states fastbilly1 and some of the community members over at Retro Gaming with RacketBoy strung together a series of 5 Gamecubes (4x utilizing GB Players) with 5 TVs each with a copy of Zelda 4 Swords Adventures (4 players + one main TV). The stuff of legends, there are images and video inside so take a look.

Bangai-O Spirits Critique – Action Button

While doing some random blog surfing I was directed to this site which provides some interesting game critique. I started reading this review of Treasure’s new Bangai-O Spirits for the DS and I was instantly grabbed by the linguistic rhythm of this writer. So I figured you might be too.