Videogames and Sex in Perspective

The treatment of sex seems to be a good indicator of the maturation of a medium. An interesting vid on the subject.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pEquofR2r0



Of course, it's not as simple as simply treating the subject of sex differently. We're all trying to sort out the implications of interactivity in the medium, naysayers and enthusiasts alike.

The Mundane in Gaming

I was wondering why I found it refreshing to hang out in GTA IV or increase social links in Persona 3. While reading this article I realized that It was the mundane nature of those activities and the seemingly novel aspect of the mundane in gaming that compelled me. Only a few games have successfully conveyed the mundane. Some examples include Animal Crossing's real time outings or Shenmue's exploration. Usually the mundane occurs in isolated bursts or are non-core features, like vending a soft drink in Half-life or star gazing in Morrowwind. Any other games that have the mundane as a significant component, successful or not?

[In this editorial, Gamasutra Editor At Large Chris Remo takes a look at some of the alternatively laid back and frenetic design angles within Grand Theft Auto IV, making a case that it's the slow periods of gameplay that make the title's longevity as much as the big action sequences.] Having just played through Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto IV, whose story I completed a few minutes ago, I wanted to comment on the design ...

View Original Article

Best Done Crispy

Hooray for independent game journalism. Crispygamer.com is a veritable hub of game articles, podcasts and features which shy away from Big Media and quantified review systems, instead using a three tiered recommendation system: Buy, Try or Fry. Brilliant.

http://tinyurl.com/5zcozr

Misplaced Intro

I suppose I should have written the intro first but I guess I deserve some beginners' slack. I blame it on being eager to spare the readers of my personal blog from my seemingly unread mentions of gaming. My goal here is simply selfish. I couldn't resist joining the conversation. I hope to input some original thought soon even if in the meantime I'm prone to reposts.

The Fence

 

As gaming tries to define itself as a culture and a medium a generational divide between those who support it and those who are cautious of it emerges along with differences of opinion between those who value the filtering of journalistic peer review and those who value the freedom of discussion fostered by the blogosphere. I for one value the potential of game blogs to bring together academics and enthusiasts. By design they encourage discussion in a public forum.
---

Why We Can't All Just Get Along (Moving Pixels)

The parallels between those taking sides in the battle over the merit of Grand Theft Auto and the battle over the merit of blogs as journalistic devices are striking.

View Original Article