Blogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=307https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1448After playing further, my earlier conclusions were essentially confirmed. The game is still hard, and there is still no narrative development. Similarly, there is no character development. The game begins with no introduction, and there is no indication as to who the PC is or what he is supposed to be doing. This does not change in the time that I have continued to play. One quality of the game that does impress me as I continue to not make progress is the level design. The variety and complexity of each area is quite impressive given the limmited graphical pallette used. On the whole, hovever, the lack of narrative progression and my inability to make any measurable progress has left me somewhat bored. Fri, 23 Feb 2007 18:23:50 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1448&iddiary=3069https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1448This game is actually far more difficult than I remember it being when I played it as a child. It essentially embodies the credo "simple to learn, difficult to master". While the controls and the gameplay are actually quite simple, defeating enemies while avoiding harm yourself is quite challenging, and requires timing and stratagy. This is exemplified by the enimies that throw spears and fire arrows, as these must be avoided while simultaneously getting close enough to attack. One critique I would make is that the game initially lacks any narrative. This leaves the player without purpose or motivation.Fri, 23 Feb 2007 17:46:06 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1448&iddiary=3056https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1194The game generates conflict by pitting the character against either the forces of "good" or "evil". Based on the PC's actions, he accumulates either light or dark side points, which determine his moral alignment. In he is played as good or "light" the PC will take quests and be presented with options/oppertunities to combat criminals, self-interested or tyranical individuals, groups, corporations, etc. If played as evil or "dark" the PC will be presented with more self-interested options, opertunities to cause NPCs pain and suffering, as well as combat the established order of society. Both light and dark characters are presented with options to act in opposition to their alignment; thus, forcing constant choice is yet another way in which the game creates conflict. The requirement that the player dynamically choose his course keeps the game fresh and interesting, allowing for a great deal of replay value. Fri, 09 Feb 2007 07:59:23 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1194&iddiary=2612https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1194Knights of the Old Republic 2 is an extremely story based RPG. The game is fairly graphically realistic, although the facial expressions are not so great. One thing that I noticed about the game was the way in which it lends itself to exploits. This is the case with most compicated games. Elements of the code that allow for repetitions such as saving before one first interacts with a shop keeper so that one can reload the game until his inventory contains a desired item adds a dynamic to the game not seen in other genres. While this kind of behavior opens up new strategies and options to gameplay, value judgements either for or against the use of exploits can easily be made in either direction. While exploits can provide a more varied game expierence, they can also eliminate a degree of challange and realism. Fri, 09 Feb 2007 06:54:03 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1194&iddiary=2606https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=988I had forgotten how easy killing enimies becomes after a you play for a bit. The game actually aims for you, all the player has to do is point in the right direction and fire. This becomes somewhat monotonous for an expierenced player, especially compared to more modern shooters where there is a fair degree of skill required. Perhaps the game was designed this way in order to accomodate the fact that people had not had much expierence with this type of shooter before, and thus did not have the skills that players do today. After playing a few levels, I did however begin to appreciate haw well cutscenes were used to open and close each level. The designers were able to integrate them well into the gameplay, contributing to the smooth flow of the game. This is fairly impressive given the graphical capabilities of the day. Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:25:26 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=988&iddiary=2327https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=988Just started playing Goldeneye. I remember playing it when it first came out, and being impressed by both the graphics and the game play. The game was a real hit, and my friends and I played together often. What this game really had going for it was that it had really innovated in the field of the shooter. It had an in depth story which was great, but more importantly, this is the first game that I can really remember as having really good PvP multiplayer for a console. It really paved the way for games like Halo. The single player campaign is really well done, and is enjoyable even today with games like Halo readily available. The simplicity of the game combined with the nearly endless fighting provides the visceral pleasure for which good shooters are known. The scenic backdrop for the levels promoted the flow of the game, smoothly transitioning one area into the next. A good play experience. Wed, 31 Jan 2007 02:00:21 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=988&iddiary=2162https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=840Durring my second session of play, two things really struck me: the fact that, like all the Zelda games, the plot and gameplay are both very smooth, and the fact that the cutscenes that make them so smooth cannot be bypassed. One is good the other is not so good. I love that the game flows so well, but I wish that I did'nt have to set through every damn cutscene and conversation with no possibility of escape! Oh well, at leats it is good story. I just wish that there was'nt such a lengthy explaination for everything. This could just be the veteran gamer in me though. It is hard for me to really imagine what level of understanding of the controls gamers would have possesed when this game first came out. It is all second nature to me at this point. Fri, 19 Jan 2007 18:38:58 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=840&iddiary=1879https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=840I just started plaing Zelda for 64. The first thing that I noticed was that the game is noticably less complex that later titles in the series. The tasks and activities designed to familiarize the player with the controls, and to illicit in the player the mindset/thought processes required to solve the puzzles for which the series is famous are definitly less complicated. In addition, the plot and character development of both the PC and the NPC's is noticably less complex than in Windwaker or Twilight Princess. This causes me to harken back to what the professor said in lecture about gamers becomming increasingly skillful and perhaps "jaded" over time, thus demanding more challnging and emersive games. One thing that initially bothered me was the patches of plants that you could just "walk through". They did not interact with the PC in any way, but were simply incorporeal. Fri, 19 Jan 2007 18:00:26 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=840&iddiary=1860https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=577As a side note: the levels in Twilight Princess are far mor complex than those of any previous installment of the series. Both the scope and the interconnectedness of the levels are fantastic. Features such as magnetic surfaces and waterways that influence objects in multiple areas really make gameplay interesting. Fri, 12 Jan 2007 04:36:31 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=577&iddiary=1353https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=577I just got done playing my second session of the day. It strikes me that I am actually glad that I am playing this game on the Gamecube rather that the Wii, because playing in a mirror image of the classic Hyrule would, to a certain extent, ruin the sense of nostalgia I experience in traversing the same areas with the same general orientations as previous games. Anyway, I reached the Lakebed Temple, and the thing is giving me a bit of trouble. I have explored the areas on the periphery of the centeral chamber by activating flows of water from above, and directing them using a movable aquaduct/staircase. However, I cannot find the boss key!Fri, 12 Jan 2007 04:26:01 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=577&iddiary=1347