puddlesofun (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
puddlesofun) wrote2010-12-06 03:40 pm
puddlesofun) wrote2010-12-06 03:40 pm
Entry tags:
Some other stuff.
In an effort to be more productive, I am trying out the leech-block plugin for firefox, which lets you block certain sites at certain times of the day.
This would probably be working quite well, if not for the fact that valve's Orange Box was recently on special for $5, so I have been working my way through Half-Life 2, which was the next big thing in first person shooters as of about 5 years ago. Here are my thoughts so far, so I feel better for having wasted all that time:
*AAA games are really long. I've spent so long playing only wacky little indie productions that I forgot that big studios do more than just make their point and finish up. This thing goes forever. I started playing at 9 today because I figured I was right near the end so I could do it and then get on with the rest of the day. I gave up at 1 pm, still no end in sight. Valve does lots to keep it interesting, with aesthetically interesting levels, and constant new vehicles, weapons and situations.
*So. Damn. Linear. You can approach problems in lots of different ways, but for the whole game there is really no choice in where to go. I feel for the designers, they spent lots of time designing those set pieces, so they want you to get the benefit, but jeeze. It's a pity, because so many of the elements, like the physics system and the gravity gun, could have enabled a lot more creativity from the player if the game design allowed it (I guess that's how Garry's Mod happened). And playing the troublemaker in a police state would be a great idea for a more open world game.
*Plot wise, it's okay. Most of the characters are passable, and more importantly, none of them are annoying. I like the villain, your old lab supervisor, who is now dictator of earth (proxying for the malign alien force who is really in charge). His belief that collaboration is humanity's only chance for survival seems touchingly genuine. Can't wait to shoot him in the head.
This would probably be working quite well, if not for the fact that valve's Orange Box was recently on special for $5, so I have been working my way through Half-Life 2, which was the next big thing in first person shooters as of about 5 years ago. Here are my thoughts so far, so I feel better for having wasted all that time:
*AAA games are really long. I've spent so long playing only wacky little indie productions that I forgot that big studios do more than just make their point and finish up. This thing goes forever. I started playing at 9 today because I figured I was right near the end so I could do it and then get on with the rest of the day. I gave up at 1 pm, still no end in sight. Valve does lots to keep it interesting, with aesthetically interesting levels, and constant new vehicles, weapons and situations.
*So. Damn. Linear. You can approach problems in lots of different ways, but for the whole game there is really no choice in where to go. I feel for the designers, they spent lots of time designing those set pieces, so they want you to get the benefit, but jeeze. It's a pity, because so many of the elements, like the physics system and the gravity gun, could have enabled a lot more creativity from the player if the game design allowed it (I guess that's how Garry's Mod happened). And playing the troublemaker in a police state would be a great idea for a more open world game.
*Plot wise, it's okay. Most of the characters are passable, and more importantly, none of them are annoying. I like the villain, your old lab supervisor, who is now dictator of earth (proxying for the malign alien force who is really in charge). His belief that collaboration is humanity's only chance for survival seems touchingly genuine. Can't wait to shoot him in the head.