This post will discuss which medium has the expressive advantage in each common genre, movies or video games? I'm going to go by the genre, with possible other matchups in later posts.
Horror: Adv. to Video Games
In my opinion, video games have a slight advantage from the interactive nature of games. There is horror in asking "Why the hell are you goin' in there?" to characters in movies, but there is perhaps more horror when you know that you have to go in there, and you probably won't like what you find. Also, game cutscenes can use movie techniques to control where the camera can see if that's better. Oh, and in games you CAN actually die, while movies pretty much have to keep at least the main character alive.
Comedy: Adv. to Movies
Comedic timing is theoretically impossible during regular gameplay in a video game. Games can still use jokes and have funny cutscenes, but the expression is somewhat limited. The only redeeming factor is the extra hours of entertainment games give you and branching storypaths that can make a second time through better.
Action: Adv. to Video Games
Would you rather watch some badass cop on the edge shoot an explosive barrel between two terrorists that blows them up and directly into the dump next door, or would you rather be that badass cop? I think games win that one.
Documentary: Push
Right now, movies definitely win in the documentary category. However, games could make a better point by actually making a simulation of their situation and allowing players to simulate to better understand what's going on, sort of like Darfur is Dying.
Romance: Er... Movies
I'm just going to let movies have this one, both for balance and because I don't think Japanese dating sims really count.
Clearly, this blog has a bias, but I think I argue the points.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Universal Acclaim for Ping Pong RPG
A few days ago, I posted my rules for a Tabletop Tabletop Tennis RPG based around Penny Arcade's Paint the Line 2 series of webcomics. Today, I posted these rules to the Penny Arcade Forums (though likely in the wrong section) to "critical" acclaim. Here are some quotes on its reception in the forums:
"this... is... fucking... awesome. Seriously, dude who made this? Forget these other assholes. You you can keep on rockin' in the free world, this is some groovy shit you got going." - Rankenphile
"Holy hell. Keep on keepin' on, I will play the shit out of this game." - YaYa
"Wait, actually, yeah, this is pretty great." - Framling
"...I have to say that this is pretty fucking cool." - Insufficient Postage
"This is pretty fucking sweet. I have never played a tabletop card game, but I would play this." - Ten0101
"this... is... fucking... awesome. Seriously, dude who made this? Forget these other assholes. You you can keep on rockin' in the free world, this is some groovy shit you got going." - Rankenphile
"Holy hell. Keep on keepin' on, I will play the shit out of this game." - YaYa
"Wait, actually, yeah, this is pretty great." - Framling
"...I have to say that this is pretty fucking cool." - Insufficient Postage
"This is pretty fucking sweet. I have never played a tabletop card game, but I would play this." - Ten0101
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Penny Arcade "Paint the Line 2" Tabletop RPG Rules
For those of you who have been following the Penny Arcade series involving an 80's Ping Pong tournament determining the fate of the world, I've devised a tabletop RPG as Tycho had wished for. The rules are pasted below, with changes to follow.
Rules for Nathaniel Edwards' Ping Pong tabletop RPG v. 0.5
A1. IntroductionB1. Game System OverviewB2. CardsC1. RPG ElementsC2. Player Experience SystemC3. Decks and Bonus Abilities
=================A1. Introduction==================
This game is a tabletop RPG version of table tennis or ping pong made for Penny Arcade's Paint the Line 2 series of comics. Strategy, player skill, and luck determine the results of ping pong matches. A detailed system of experience and leveling is being developed to facilitate repeat plays and customized player decks based on their skill.
The game relies on a simple system with 30 cards representing stroke possibilities, a d20 to determine stroke success, and a positioning score from 1 to 5. The game effectively resets between each point, with positioning restored and previous rolls playing no effect on the next shot. The system is described in detail below.
================B1. Game System=================
Each player will use their own deck of thirty cards representing their stroke repertoire. Each player will always have a hand of three cards, playing one for every stroke (except the serve) to determine what variety of shot they wish to attempt. The strokes in the current ruleset are speed drive, hook, smash, block, loop, and drop shot, and their effects will be described later. Both players begin every point with a positioning score of 5, which will be taken up and down by the effects of each shot type.
Each shot requires a d20 to determine its quality, using the following formula:
d20 roll X positioning score (1-5) - enemy's previous d20 roll (unmodified)
A combined result of less than 25 results in a miss, giving the point to the opposing player. Any unmodified 20 roll while a player has at least 3 positioning automatically wins the point, without any enemy opportunity to return.
On serves, there is no previous enemy die roll, giving serves a natural advantage, as they do in the real game.
Games are played first to eleven points, but a player must win by two, as the system works in real life since 2000. Serves alternate every two points, then every point once a player reaches eleven points but has yet to clinch the match.
==========B2. Cards===========
The cards' current effects (likely to change with more testing) are:
Speed *common card*: +1 to your positioning (always after the shot for you), -1 to your enemy's modified return attempt, -1 to your opponent's positioning (before their next roll)
Loop *fairly common*: +2 to your positioning, +1 to your enemy's return attempt, +4 to your next hit after this one (if it's in this point)
Hook *fairly common*: +1 to your positioning, -3 to your enemy's return attempt, -2 to your current hit attempt (difficult to hit correctly), -1 to your opponent's positioning
Block *common*: +1 to your positioning, +10 to your current hit attempt, +1 to your opponent's return attempt
Drop Shot *rare*: -3 to your current hit attempt, -3 to your opponent's positioning
Smash (exclamation points encouraged) *rare*: REQUIRES 5 positioning, -1 to your positioning (again, after this shot), -3 to your opponent's positioning (again, before their return), -10 to your opponent's return attempt
More shots may be added and those effects may be changed. A current suggested deck for a quick start is 8 speed, 8 block, 5 loop, 5 hook, 2 smash, and 2 drop shot. Actual player decks will be decided through the RPG system detailed below.
=================C1. RPG Elements==================
The currently unnamed Ping Pong RPG will use a currently untested leveling and experience system for unique games. All players theoretically begin with a deck full of Block cards, but diversify this 30 card deck through player creation and later experience points.
=============================C2. Player Experience System==============================
For now, player experience will be earned at 3 points for each win and 1 point for every loss in tournament games. Every 10 points will earn the player passage to their next level, which is required for some special abilities. Experience points can be redeemed (at no cost to level advancement) in changes to the deck and special abilities.
================================C3. Decks and Special Abilities=================================
Each player upon creation will be given ten experience points to immediately diversify their deck from the theoretical all-Block deck they begin with. The following values represent the EXP necessary to trade out any current deck card for a card with that shot on it.
Block: 0Speed: 1Loop: 2Hook: 3Drop Shot: 4Smash: 5
Thus, upon player creation, a player may trade out for 2 Smash cards or 3 Hooks or 10 Speed Drives or any combination of those shots fitting under ten EXP. Any later EXP can be utilized between matches for deck changes in the same fashion.
As for special abilities, these are costlier and often wackier modifications to a player to give a very special bonus in all matches. These are meant to be earned primarily after a player has solidified their deck how they wish, but can be bought at any time if their level threshold is passed. Special abilities are also automatically put on special characters (i.e. Tycho, Siberian girl) to give them a unique... er... taste. Here are the player-characters' possible abilites (again, subject to change or be added to):
Incredible Quickness (Level 2): This player begins every point with a second layer of five positioning, allowing them to lose one with no effect. - 15 points
Yeah, that looks somewhat retarded right now without new formatting from the notepad version. I'll get to work on it at some point.
Rules for Nathaniel Edwards' Ping Pong tabletop RPG v. 0.5
A1. IntroductionB1. Game System OverviewB2. CardsC1. RPG ElementsC2. Player Experience SystemC3. Decks and Bonus Abilities
=================A1. Introduction==================
This game is a tabletop RPG version of table tennis or ping pong made for Penny Arcade's Paint the Line 2 series of comics. Strategy, player skill, and luck determine the results of ping pong matches. A detailed system of experience and leveling is being developed to facilitate repeat plays and customized player decks based on their skill.
The game relies on a simple system with 30 cards representing stroke possibilities, a d20 to determine stroke success, and a positioning score from 1 to 5. The game effectively resets between each point, with positioning restored and previous rolls playing no effect on the next shot. The system is described in detail below.
================B1. Game System=================
Each player will use their own deck of thirty cards representing their stroke repertoire. Each player will always have a hand of three cards, playing one for every stroke (except the serve) to determine what variety of shot they wish to attempt. The strokes in the current ruleset are speed drive, hook, smash, block, loop, and drop shot, and their effects will be described later. Both players begin every point with a positioning score of 5, which will be taken up and down by the effects of each shot type.
Each shot requires a d20 to determine its quality, using the following formula:
d20 roll X positioning score (1-5) - enemy's previous d20 roll (unmodified)
A combined result of less than 25 results in a miss, giving the point to the opposing player. Any unmodified 20 roll while a player has at least 3 positioning automatically wins the point, without any enemy opportunity to return.
On serves, there is no previous enemy die roll, giving serves a natural advantage, as they do in the real game.
Games are played first to eleven points, but a player must win by two, as the system works in real life since 2000. Serves alternate every two points, then every point once a player reaches eleven points but has yet to clinch the match.
==========B2. Cards===========
The cards' current effects (likely to change with more testing) are:
Speed *common card*: +1 to your positioning (always after the shot for you), -1 to your enemy's modified return attempt, -1 to your opponent's positioning (before their next roll)
Loop *fairly common*: +2 to your positioning, +1 to your enemy's return attempt, +4 to your next hit after this one (if it's in this point)
Hook *fairly common*: +1 to your positioning, -3 to your enemy's return attempt, -2 to your current hit attempt (difficult to hit correctly), -1 to your opponent's positioning
Block *common*: +1 to your positioning, +10 to your current hit attempt, +1 to your opponent's return attempt
Drop Shot *rare*: -3 to your current hit attempt, -3 to your opponent's positioning
Smash (exclamation points encouraged) *rare*: REQUIRES 5 positioning, -1 to your positioning (again, after this shot), -3 to your opponent's positioning (again, before their return), -10 to your opponent's return attempt
More shots may be added and those effects may be changed. A current suggested deck for a quick start is 8 speed, 8 block, 5 loop, 5 hook, 2 smash, and 2 drop shot. Actual player decks will be decided through the RPG system detailed below.
=================C1. RPG Elements==================
The currently unnamed Ping Pong RPG will use a currently untested leveling and experience system for unique games. All players theoretically begin with a deck full of Block cards, but diversify this 30 card deck through player creation and later experience points.
=============================C2. Player Experience System==============================
For now, player experience will be earned at 3 points for each win and 1 point for every loss in tournament games. Every 10 points will earn the player passage to their next level, which is required for some special abilities. Experience points can be redeemed (at no cost to level advancement) in changes to the deck and special abilities.
================================C3. Decks and Special Abilities=================================
Each player upon creation will be given ten experience points to immediately diversify their deck from the theoretical all-Block deck they begin with. The following values represent the EXP necessary to trade out any current deck card for a card with that shot on it.
Block: 0Speed: 1Loop: 2Hook: 3Drop Shot: 4Smash: 5
Thus, upon player creation, a player may trade out for 2 Smash cards or 3 Hooks or 10 Speed Drives or any combination of those shots fitting under ten EXP. Any later EXP can be utilized between matches for deck changes in the same fashion.
As for special abilities, these are costlier and often wackier modifications to a player to give a very special bonus in all matches. These are meant to be earned primarily after a player has solidified their deck how they wish, but can be bought at any time if their level threshold is passed. Special abilities are also automatically put on special characters (i.e. Tycho, Siberian girl) to give them a unique... er... taste. Here are the player-characters' possible abilites (again, subject to change or be added to):
Incredible Quickness (Level 2): This player begins every point with a second layer of five positioning, allowing them to lose one with no effect. - 15 points
Yeah, that looks somewhat retarded right now without new formatting from the notepad version. I'll get to work on it at some point.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Jack Thompson Gets Freedom Award
Provo, Utah has given Jack Thompson, best known for his anti-GTA lawyering, a Freedom Award. It's a different definition of freedom, alright. Even when he's disbarred and forbidden from practicing law in his home state for a decade, he's a hero of conservatives, apparently. Follow the link for a complete story, or at least a link to a complete story.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
YetAnotherReviewSite.co.uk
I've started writing all my reviews for www.yetanotherreviewsite.co.uk, so anyone interested in reading my reviews should head straight over there right now. So far, you can find my Puzzle Quest, Political Machine 2008, and Metal Gear Solid 4 reviews on there. Check it out.
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