K.B.

That is neither casual gaming nor hardcore gaming. That is idiot gaming. Loved Gunbound though. OCR Gunbound random-select tourney, anyone? Fair enough. But the same anger at the supposed delineation between "casual" and "hardcore" can also be applied to the distinction made between "gamer" and "non-gamer", hence the first half of my post. If you can't precisely define it, it's better left unused.

Thread-creation stopped in favor of bump. Flower was released about a year ago, and it has garnered acclaim from critics and gamers alike. This thread was created about a year ago. Time to renew the discussion? All I want to know is, who all is making games like this and where can I buy them? (and who's coming with me?) To the uninitiated: --Strike911's post was a good description. However, words fall short of experience, so... --Here's a youtube video of the intro and first level: . I encourage you to watch the first six minutes to appreciate the gradual changes, especially in the music. However, if you desire to skip, do watch the first minute for the artistic backdrop and a half-minute for gameplay, with definite musical changes starting incrementally with advancements that begin at 3:25ish.Also... --A mini-interview/article in gamasutra on the centrality of emotions: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/24442/Develop_2009_Thatgamecompanys_Chen_On_How_Emotion_Can_Evolve_Games.php. --Or, how about this... remember Forrest Gump? Remember the leaf? Can you recall its symbolism and the poignancy of the music? Imagine playing that leaf. This is a beautiful game that, I suppose, is not for everyone. 'Blow a flower petal around; oh that sounds engaging.' Especially non-starting are things like the official trailer, where - with the music replaced with a commercial track - the impact of the game is almost entirely lost. So I don't blame folks for being skeptical or, even when they watch a few minutes of that youtube, thinking little of this. If it ain't your bag, I won't try to pack it. However, if you are as taken with this as I am - or even if you're just mildly interested - I'd like to start (ahem, restart) a discussion on both this game and on the ideas behind it. By the ideas behind it, I mean the centrality of emotion, the simplicity of controls, and the ease of playing. Captured as eloquently as I can manage: the near-immediate immersiveness into virtual zen. And for only $10! Koans, eat your awareness out! So. Flower for PS3 (PSN) and the use of emotion and simplicity in gaming. Discuss (anew).

*waits patiently* I got here at 2:30ish on Sun, saw this thread, and was "ahh!". Then I clicked and read it and was "awww". Posting now to wait patiently.

The world is gray. To steal an idea from sephfire's video, , so-called casual games are the gateway drug to a hardcore gaming lifestyle.Do anything to get 'em hooked, boys!

Any place Bloodninja would get serious responses is not a place for humanity.

Awesome work. Both the quality and the variety are phenomenal. I'm quite taken with this album. I haven't listened to it enough times to give proper analysis and praise, but I wanted to at least get out an initial thanks. So thanks. Mixers, coordinators especially, and everyone else who helped turn the cogs (or were the cogs)... you've created something wonderful. This will be queued up constantly for a while, and I'll no doubt return to it many more times after that. Also, love love love love love Crystal Swamp. Thank you for that, Tepid.

Nobody needs to do anything. Aside from my annoyance (and apart from my deleted post), this entire concept is fucking amazing. Can't do it. Can't do what? Can't do what?!? And who comes out of the woodwork? Offtopic. Motherfucking offtopic. Ok and some reputable folk, but mostly offtop. What? Offtop needs no qualifier. I love you guys. I seriously love you. Like if I had a woman I wouldn't as much but yeah. K.B.'s anticipation event of the summer = this thread. Edit: I think RD and Arcana, I think offtop. There were also several other offtop frequenters in the list of mixers. I ran with that. I see now that it wasn't the best angle to take, but what I was trying to say this was and would be awesome. I wasn't trying offend or detract, and I certainly wasn't trying to marginalize community or ocr as a whole, so sorry if I did. And I'm editing because posting again would definitely detract from the project.

This is damn near everything I love about guitar-driven rock wrapped up into one track. Holy hell. I haven't been this unexpectedly floored by a recent mix in a long time. I already knew you both kicked ass, but now I'm getting everything you've ever made. No back off mom, those scribbles are mine! Prog bias. Yeah, what of it? This is a textbook example of taking a short, melodic idea and continually mutating it into a rocker's dozen of unique yet coherent sections. I went and listened to the sources (awesome stuff there, btw - temped to buy the game because of the sounds alone, so thanks for guiding me to an awesome new-to-me soundtrack) and, despite them being fairly long, there isn't a tremendous amount to work with. Which is to say that Dave Wise made the most of his melody; but for unpaid folk to take the work of a pro and double it up (, with guitarssssss), well... that's certainly nothing to scoff at. Nay, it's something to rock the fox out to. So aside from how well each section compliments those preceding it and builds into the next, the layering is freaking fantastic. I suppose I cheated a bit by reading the breakdown, but there is some fine timbre selection (distortion, etc) on the electric and some stellar complimenting/interplay between all the guitars. And ALL THE GUITARS. Oh, sorry, I guess there were other instruments in there too; I just got excited. Everything fits, which is impressive due to all the stylistic and pacing changeups... even that oooh-y synth before the original section works. And the original section: that was the best part of the entire track. "Fresh air" my toejam though. The entire mix is invigorating. What the original section did was stay in the spirit of the mother source while blasting into outer space. The fact that the return landing generates devil horns is simply a compliment to the following well-done section, and it's far, far from the only diabolical genius in this track. Wicked shit like this makes a piano man love guitars. Rock on, Luiza. Rock on, Stevo.

I adore Valkyrie Profile. You've taken an already emotive Epic Poem and made it even more gripping. And though you didn't expand on Requiem - the precursor to every moment - its addition was both fitting and loyal. So an upfront thanks: you did more than justice to an excellent game and an excellent soundtrack. Did more than justice. I just caught that. Great atmosphere. Superlative pacing. Wished the dynamics were greater, though: I think a more orchestral setting would have really brought to life the epic, haunting feel. That's probably a bit Pavlovian's dog of me though, since the string and percussion work gives this a very orchestral vibe, so I'm expecting the same dynamics but just left drooling. Regardless, it's not like the dynamics weren't there and didn't do their job. The ebb and flow of buildups (and instrumental layering) really sucked me in, and that dropoff into Requiem was magnificent. I wonder, to those complaining about the shift at 2:50: have you played the game? If not, I highly recommend you fix that. The abrupt change is fitting: the world map music, which was loud, would shift to Requiem after only a brief pause, no transition. So hearing a swift change here, if for different cause, sounds entirely in place. More than that, it moves your soul; there I go drooling again. I do feel, however, that the ending is missing about five seconds - just a little more foreshadowing would have solidified the cliffhanger - but again I'm nitpicking because the lack of resolution was a fitting end (or lack thereof). It's not like there was always a resolution for every tragic circumstance in the game - or for every instance in life - and this is a mysterious piece, after all. MX: if you create a repolished version, would you please post it? The reviews forum is frequented by some odd creatures such as me. You could also sub it to R:TS.

Bump for obscure game funitude and soundtrack solidness. Personal faves (with youtubes for the ones Kyle didn't link): Title. Gotta love those riffs! Race 1. Potential for some serious slidework. And solid backing. Race 2. A little flat at times, but rockin' overall. (youtube) Race 5. Strong but underdeveloped melody stuck in a decent track. (youtube) Chiptunes on snesmusic.org: link. Hey Kyle, post the remixes you have, would you? I don't have a single Uniracers mix - I haven't found one still around - and would like to hear what you've collected.

Head-bopping. Head. Bopping. Cute my hiney. Unless this is halc. In which case ok. The reason I like halc's stuff so much is not just because it's awesome; it's also because his mixes have a certain... ambiance... that few songs, let alone artists, are able to so perfectly capture. Yes, they're fun. Yes, they're bright. But more than that they're uplifting. There's an emotional depth conveyed in each of his works that provides meaning... grounding behind the lightheartedness. You can hear the care put into each note, and the end result is rejuvenating to the listener. I can honestly say that whenever I feel like putting on some good - and I mean quality - feel-good music, halc's stuff is always a first choice. Or at least that's what I get out of it. And who am I but a simple, right-brained listener with my own set of tastes. As far as this remix, halc takes it to new... what? I've already exhausted my pun allotment? But I intentionally avoided using the descriptor "airy" before! Bah, fine. Never cared for the source. Loved every second of this. Ace. Simply ace.

That modifier was intended to run through the entire set. Such things are easier to express in person over stories and brews.

Since it hasn't been said yet... ...lol. (change the 't' to a 'h'... he's not a powder) And one of you Dudes please pick up Hector. Because that shit is boss. '20's boss. And best on the ost, I say. Should be criminal that only one Grim mix is on this site (props, Mazedude... and props djp for picking up Manny here). Oh and since I haven't posted here yet, yeah, this is a fucking amazing idea. I'll be tracking this one. And I'd add some Persona biz to that there OP list, but I doubt it'd get traction. If I'm wrong, you know how to reach me. Also, drama lol. If you please, stfu with what's not on-topic. It detracts from this effort. This competition bullshit is just that.

This thread went from sarcastic commentary on the state of things to a rehash of ratings to generic vg commentary to an espousal of pent-up irateness regarding relationships. wtf are we even talking about so I can properly piss on it? GOD DAMNIT SNIPED

If so, that is incredibly pitiful.

Right. Anyone who was actually interested in pursuing (their fantastical notion of) the job has already investigated it and had their hopes dashed. Doing a show about it is moronic. Edit: I guess that's not what the show is about at all. Just your usual run-of-the-mill 'reality' crap. Nevermind. Back when we were wild and crazy kids?

Fun fact: they liked the cinematography of the original Ghost In The Shell movie so much that they used it as their design goal for The Matrix. Substance-wise, no idea; but directing-wise I think they'd do well by GitS. NOT thrilled about Spielberg being producer, though. He's hit-or-miss. And yeah, Dr.F, like I said, film noir ftw. The Big O is an amalgam of direct references that could easily turn someone off if done haphazardly (ex: the Batman parallels and hard-boiled detective movie aspects are obvious), but they're well-integrated and they're built upon to become something more than just a copy. So, even though it's not the original aspect of the series, I agree that the show probably shines even more in style(s) than it does in substance. Which is also in no small part thanks to the soundtrack. For instance, this take on one of the two main motifs just oozes film noir: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih_gvJPSd7w&fmt=18

That's pretty much spot-on.

For effect, I had to drill in the absurdity of this statement (in hindsight I should have quoted rather than assuming you'd know it was the post of yours right after the one of Gollgagh's I quoted). None of them ever died except... well it's already been said but I'm not going to re-spoiler it for those who happened to miss it. And they're not death machines! They're a manifestation of the (ipso facto wrong) philosophy that sentience can be gained from programming and the entertaining (and humanistic) aspects of childish discovery. And while they are treated as disposable machines at the start, their treatment changes drastically to parallel (with lag) their development. I suppose it still could be GitS without them, but it wouldn't be nearly as good. If nothing else, they're a well-met offset to the near-constant seriousness of the rest of the cast. So yeah. Grrrr to anyone name-calling my Tachikomas. Reverse that. That's my question.The stand-alone episodes of the first season tied in with the main plot, whereas the second season had completely off-the-wall episodes. Not to say that the latter is bad, but the former gives a far more coherent and engaging plotline. And my goodness the second episode of the second season was awful. 'We're running short on episodes this season guys let's rehash some old themes with a postcyberpunk twist and call it good!' Effffffff. And let's be honest: those character-background episodes were dead weight. Not bad, no, but ultimately pointless. The first season was also far more suspenseful. It wasn't too hard to venture a guess at the Laughing Man (though, with a few pen-strokes, it also wouldn't have been far-fetched to find yourself wrong in that guess), but the motive and the history were shrouded in mystery and only fed to the viewer in bits. At some point, I was so intrigued that I went back and watched every episode again so I could glean every detail. I wanted to solve this puzzle, not give up and have the answer told to me! I was rewarded in my efforts, as I saw a few things coming, but the twists didn't stop until the very end. And my goodness, those last few episodes... brilliant. But the second season? It was an insult to my intelligence. Not only is (spoiler) the initial obvious villain the actual villain, but after taking the time to piece together the puzzle, what am I rewarded with? An episode devoted to nothing but beating me over the head with what I've already figured out. You know, the episode where the Major infiltrates and hacks into face-only-mama-can-love's memory banks. The ONLY thing that was new in that entire dialogue was his motive. Everything else was a giant middle finger to everyone who made the effort to pay attention and assumed that this season would be as intricate as the previous one. Hardly. I remember having far more gripes than this, but it's been several months. The second season is good, as GitS:SAC is good, but it pales in comparison to the first season. But everyone who hasn't seen GitS:SAC should just ignore my ranting and go out and watch it because it is an incredible series. I'm no authority on anime, but it is - by far - my favorite series.

Arek - you're the man. halc - you're a fucking champ.

omg HAWT Also: nice edit (ps I started typing before you posted [edit: that is, on my previous post, I started typing before you posted, so that part of it wasn't intended as 'slobber all over Schwaltz'. Though I am becoming a broken record with this Big O business.]). Man, even my bs thread is slow as molasses tonight. I just might put on an episode if the late night crew doesn't start coming through...

Backtrack time! Oh sweet in a thread I never thought I'd read no less (seriously this is the first time I clicked on it. ever.). That sounded too sarcastic. Attempt no. 2. Awesomeness. How you liking it? Wait wait, don't respond until you've watched at least one complex episode. Wait wait, you already finished it? Efffff so much for the running banter. Also, NJ, I hate you. I hate you so much. So much that my hate is so powerful that it has grown its own hate and even that hate hates you. I've thought about asking for a GitS sig for a very, very long time. So long that I have multiple screenshots. I'm still undecided on the issue though. And btw, since I just randomly put on the second movie for the first time last night, don't bother with it unless you loved the first movie. It's even more into the pretentiously presented philosophy than the first movie was. Speaking of the first movie, while I wouldn't recommend it in and of itself, I consider it a perquisite for full appreciation of the series (this point is a mite moot now that I understand you've actually watched the entire first season [the better season]). And the third movie, of course, is simply a 1.5h episode continuation of the series and therefore enjoyable but completely nonessential. If you like The Big O, Schwaltz is more than willing to talk about it (as am I). He actually got me into the series, for which I am forever appreciative. Well, back into, as I found the couple/three episodes I saw back on the Cartoon Network to be interesting (film noir ftw), but I never, ever would have remembered it had it not been for the Schwaltz himself. As to the ending, my personal take is it's a deliberate attempt to jerk you around. That is, screw with your perceptions of reality, as the show is really a commentary on human knowledge, memories, perception, etc. And even if it is exactly how it appears at first blush, what's to say that's not how life truly is? Goes without saying that there are multiple interpretations, and if you can get past the initial 'cop-out' shock it's rewarding to give the series another playthrough. Funniest commentary I ever read on that, regarding one of the episodes: R. Dorothy as a maid... pure fan-service right there.And I've said it before, but Roger the Wanderer is one of the greatest episodes of any series ever. (though it's not self-contained, so unfortunately you can't skip to it and fully appreciate it)

Dear Kirby, Plaid background! Kindly leave all bandmembers intact so this remix can become even more skatastic. Thanks for your consideration, K.B.

I know I'm taking a text dump here, but I made it scannable so you can quickly catch the main points. If you couldn't tell, I've been thinking about making a thread about this game for a while. Shadow of Destiny. Shadow of Memories in Europe and Asia. PS2. Third-person adventure (think: LucasArts adventure). $5 used at your local... um, not-Gamestop*, hopefully. You won't see it on any major listing of top PS2 games (I know because scouring these was my starting point for used-game buying), which I suppose is fair because there were a ton of solid games for that system. And because the game does have one aggravating flaw (I'll explain later). But it's not fatal: the concept and story delivery more than compensate for it (and nothing else ruins it). If you're curious, some ratings were: Metacritic - 78 (notables: IGN-85, Gamespot-82, GameSpy-80); Gamefaqs - 75 reader / 80 reviewer. It has also been ported to the PC and the PSP. Haven't played them, haven't read about them, so no comment. The concept/plot: You solve your own murder. The game opens with you being blindsidedly killed. You then find yourself in an unworldly place where an enigmatic being gives you the chance to return to an earlier time, via a peculiar time-travel device, and solve your murder. Knowing roughly how you died, you try to prevent it. Of course it's not that simple: the killer won't rest after one defeat, so you must uncover the details of each following attempt on your life (chapters of the game - eight in total). The setting is German town, though this isn't too confining as the thickening plot leads you to travel to several different time periods throughout the course of the game. The time travel isn't a gimmick, either; it's fully integrated and well-done. The character interaction is passable and at times even very good, but the plot and your control of its unraveling are what make the game. Gameplay: If you've played Grim Fandango, it's mostly like that. If you haven't played Grim Fandango, what the hell are you doing still reading this go out and find a copy on e-bay or wherever and play it right now. Anyway, SoD: walking, talking, and utilizing the information and objects you find to thwart your killer's next move. Zero action, all investigation and storytelling. Time constantly progresses - a minute spent in another time is a minute in the present - and your time travel device only allows you to travel between periods, not back up time in the current one (just roll with it; it is explained in and works within the context of the game). If you fail - and you will - it is not game over. You are instead be transported back to the same time before you died and given another opportunity (where you can then skip seen cutscenes, so it's not a drag to die). While most choices lead to the same conclusion, some change the game's ending and others open or close different possibilities in future chapters. Replayability: The game stands well on one-playthrough merit, but you might find it hard to put it down after the first go-round. There are 5.1 different main endings, and once these are completed, two additional ones become possible. These two explained the mysteries of the plot. Or so I understand: I've only beat the game once so far, but there are definitely loose ends and I will definitely replay this game until I tie them all together. Minor shortcomings: The graphics are early PS2 (gameplay screenshot) and significant portions of the dialogue are hammed. The former I don't mind; judge for yourself. The latter is of the b-movie cheese variety that smells a bit but for some reason doesn't taste bad with the decent wine you have to wash it down with. The aggravating flaw, however, stems from the catch that if you die in another time, it's game over; restart from the beginning of the chapter. This would be ok except there are occasions where you have eight minutes left so you go to talk to someone and a ten-minute scene ensues. A great game would have an oh-shit button you could press right then and there to take you back to the present, where you can die and restart like normal. This is not a great game. It is a good game, where if you go into it with the plan that when t-minus ten minutes hits, you're booking it back to the fut-er...present (where you can actually speed through that in about 30 real-life seconds), then this is not a factor. I went to great lengths to explain this because some reviewers say this flaw kills the game. It doesn't. 8/10. Highly recommended if you dig the concept and are cool with an action-free adventure game. If you don't or if you aren't, stay away. Tangentally: should I shore up this review and post it on Gamefaqs? *RIP the only Play 'N Trade within 100 miles. I'll keep leaving flowers on your old storefront.

Speaking of Patton: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054997/