Post ADSPNBmKXrnBb7QFpg by friend@linuxrocks.online
(DIR) More posts by friend@linuxrocks.online
(DIR) Post #ADSPNBDad20FrNAVgO by spelk@linuxrocks.online
2021-11-09T11:09:08Z
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Interesting opinion piece on #videogame #stories by long time isometric #RPG developer #JeffVogel - he's developed #indie #niche story based games for 27+ years & lays out his six truths.They're hard to disagree with. https://bottomfeeder.substack.com/p/six-truths-about-video-game-stories#game #narrative
(DIR) Post #ADSPNBmKXrnBb7QFpg by friend@linuxrocks.online
2021-11-09T18:14:52Z
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@spelk> (Borderlands is a particularly gruesome offender.) Making everything wacky and funny means that it becomes very hard to be serious, emotional, and sincere. And that is a mode you need to be in sometimes to create good writing. If everything is a joke, why care?I found that part interesting, because Borderlands wouldn't be Borderlands, if it took itself serious.So, yeah, its writing may be poor, but its 'vibe' benefits from it.
(DIR) Post #ADSPNCsOSoEj0DGbvE by friend@linuxrocks.online
2021-11-09T18:15:01Z
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@spelkAnd I feel like this vibe is important for the emergent story telling. So, the stories that write themselves while you play the game.If you're dicking around in Borderlands with your friend group and your buddy throws a grenade poorly, then that's funny, even if it blows your face off.It wouldn't be, if the game had a story that you truly care about, with serious goals that might be risked by that misthrow.
(DIR) Post #ADTRVGIux5bLV1RCe8 by spelk@linuxrocks.online
2021-11-10T08:56:06Z
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@friend I suppose if you're playing Borderlands, you expect a lot of jokey writing and dialogue.. that's probably why you're there. Perhaps that kind of 'vibe' leaves the game with less of an emotional palette to play with - but not everyone are playing games for that.
(DIR) Post #ADTRVGvCekE5PlLmK0 by uoou@mastodon.social
2021-11-10T19:11:16Z
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@spelk This was always a problem for me with the more comedic 90s p&c adventure games. If the world doesn't take itself seriously and the characters don't take the world seriously how can I? This is generally true for me with overly comedic games.With action RPGs I care less since I'm (usually, depends on the game) not so much in it for the story and while I really detest Borderlands' tone and writing I can enjoy it mechanically.
(DIR) Post #ADTRVHUeWwaBBhw5Zo by spelk@linuxrocks.online
2021-11-11T14:36:21Z
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@uoou My gaming personality gets very "into" the lore, I often like to read around a game, watch lore videos and immerse myself in the gaming world - so shallow stories or little in the way of a credible world with an engaging storyline will leave me cold.Having said all that, I do play action games where I don't need layers of lore and Borderlands delivered the looting & shooting and class tinkering that I also enjoy.I am a lore junkie though. It enhances gaming so much more for me.
(DIR) Post #ADTRVI4SNpDqykggNs by uoou@mastodon.social
2021-11-16T09:55:26Z
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@spelk For me it's more of a slow burn. If a game sucks me in then I slowly start to care about the lore. But I have to fall in love with the world itself (i.e. my direct experience of it) first.
(DIR) Post #ADTRVIc8McA2fCRZsO by spelk@linuxrocks.online
2021-11-16T10:39:07Z
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@uoou Is it the mechanics that usually sucks you in first?I think years of MMO gaming has probably conditioned me to dig deep into lore of these virtual worlds I spend so much time in, because lore adds meaning to the gameplay mechanics, with things like roleplay motivations. I guess its about the escapism primarily. Even playing a minimalist #roguelike Caves of Qud had me wanting more, so I started dipping into the Gamma World novels such as Red Sails in the Fallouthttp://paulkidd.net/books/red-sails-in-the-fallout/
(DIR) Post #ADTRVJBEG8EYQ2rbZw by uoou@mastodon.social
2021-11-16T10:43:42Z
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@spelk It's primarily the mechanics, yeah. But it's also the world and its coherence. Which certainly overlaps with lore, at least.Primary example for me being Morrowind. It's just such a convincing, coherent world where the cultures really feel like they emerged from historical circumstance rather than just being dropped into the world. And the relationships and tensions between those cultures *make sense*. Most games feel like theme parks, Morrowind feels like a *world* that grew organically
(DIR) Post #ADTRVJjcCHju8gx4Ay by spelk@linuxrocks.online
2021-11-16T10:50:57Z
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@uoou It's odd really but I kind of bounced off Morrowind, I think it might be a case that a world is too big for me and the narratives driving me need to be contained or guided and palatable. Needless to say I swooned over The Elder Scrolls Online, the MMO, when I think the Elder Scrolls playing community didn't like it at first. I even bounced off Skyrim too, so there must be something going on there with my eclectic tastes.
(DIR) Post #ADTRVKFsGLXlkk2pSS by uoou@mastodon.social
2021-11-16T11:24:20Z
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@spelk Yeah, Morrowind is the opposite of contained and guided :DAlthough I'd say the same for Caves of Qud so I'd appreciate your thoughts there (I find the two games very similar).We have opposite experiences with Morrowind and ESO.Speaking of lore, though, I'd be interested in your thoughts on this, if you feel like reading it:https://fallingawkwardly.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/the-metaphysics-of-morrowind-part-1/
(DIR) Post #ADTRVKqk3H2Bb5IGvI by spelk@linuxrocks.online
2021-11-16T13:04:14Z
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@uoou It may just be I haven't "tried hard enough" with Morrowind. I know I found the open world of Qud tricky to start with. I'm used to #roguelike game that have defined tactical boundaries, dungeon walls & corridors. The open world of Qud (and CataclysmDDA, UnrealWorld etc) needs some adjusting to.With Qud I set out to learn the basics and write a guide to it so I forced myself to stay with it. Lets plays help too. Once rolling, the generated & gammaworld lore set the juices flowing.
(DIR) Post #ADTRVLP7zQXXJjNjWK by uoou@mastodon.social
2021-11-16T13:05:51Z
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@spelk Yeah, Morrowind is incredibly hostile and directionless at the start. It's hostility is something you come to love (again, somewhat like Qud) but it's offputting at the start for sure.
(DIR) Post #ADTRVLty8lD4rNoMam by spelk@linuxrocks.online
2021-11-16T14:19:29Z
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@uoou Thanks for the fallingawkwardly blog link, I'll give that read and will get back to.All this talk about Morrowind will no doubt spark me into having another go at it again. I have it on Steam, but theres an "open" version of it (I think I've watched a vid with you or Chris Were play it..) so I'll have a look-see at that version. See if I can get it to work in #MXLinux
(DIR) Post #ADTRVMQECp0wTQu7sG by uoou@mastodon.social
2021-11-16T14:45:17Z
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@spelk OpenMW is an engine re-implementation so you still need the Morrowind files. So it's good that you have it on Steam. OpenMW is great, definitely the preferred way to play.Love to hear what you think when you get round to it :D
(DIR) Post #ADURCRNHlL0lUQSx9c by spelk@linuxrocks.online
2021-11-17T10:55:10Z
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@uoou Where it gets deep & interesting around the Vivec & CHIM stuff had me positively reeling in both wonder and incredulity!Vivec being in both states, was similar to how framing our (brief moment of) conciousness as the Universe experiencing itself!It made me want to play ALL the TES series & follow ALL of the lore. Not that I have the setup or the time/stamina/patience for it. But Morrowind (openMW) is installed & I'm sure I'll be digging more deeply into the lore books. Thanks man.
(DIR) Post #ADURCRuFmlNn8ftHXc by uoou@mastodon.social
2021-11-17T11:02:12Z
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@spelk On a practical level, when trying to play Morrowind, I would say first thing to do is pick a joinable faction and do some quests for them. They'll start out a bit fetch-questy but they do get interesting.I'd avoid the main guilds, they're relatively dull (Warriors, Mages, Thieves). Go for one of the three dunmer great houses or one of the religions or something. Though do be aware there are stat checks on faction progress so pick one that kinda matches your build.