Norman Rafferty ([info]normanrafferty) wrote,
@ 2009-06-17 11:54:00
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I'm all e-published and stuff!
Yes, I'm a contributor to Escapist Magazine!

Here's my review of Welcome to the NHK, Eps. 1-12.

And here's an article on the Left 4 Dead 2 boycott, not by me ... and my rebuttal.

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[info]glashund
2009-06-17 04:15 pm UTC (link)
Congraturation!

I've had WTTNHK in my Netflix queue for a while, and I'm looking forward to its bubbling topward; sympathetic portrayals of social anxiety and related Head Problems are interesting and often appealing to me, for probably-obvious reasons. I liked Genshiken for similar reasons, though the writers seemed to be pushing me to sympathize with the rather cruel and bullying Kasukabe, for some reason...dunno what that was all about.

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[info]points
2009-06-17 04:19 pm UTC (link)
And since this is the internet, and like usenet, for every N people involved, you'll have at least (N+1)^2 opines per topic:

I think a lot of the anger here is -not- that L4D2 is being made, but rather that it seems that Valve 'pulled the rug out' on a number of folks who bought the original game in part (and at full price) -because- Valve at the time promised that additional maps/content would be coming out for it.. over time. Thus, increasing the playability and lifetime of the game.

You see, I'm not a gaming addict. I have other things to spend my money and time on. I do -not- like playing 'follow the crowd to the latest and greatest game,' and think that dumping $100 a month to keep buying things I'm only going to spend two weeks on and discard is the height of stupidity. (Okay, so maybe I'm alone in this ivory tower, but you get my drift.) When I finally choose a game, and dip my toe in the water (with my wallet tied to it) I have some minor expectations that I've usually spent some research time on first:
* Do I feel that the game is worth playing?
* Will I have people to play -with-?
* Is this something I can see myself playing in more than three month's time?
* Will I get my money's worth?

In L4D's case, it was the published statements of Valve, coupled with the obvious examples of additional content coming out for some of their other titles, that helped push me over the line.

Except, suddenly, I'm being told 'we changed our minds.' There will -not- be additional content. There will be no extra maps. Rather, in a few months, there will just be a sequel game, that won't 'work with' the first.

I'm realistic. This means that a lot of the folks I still can play with, probably -will- jump over to L4D2. So, I won't have folks to play with. The content is already getting kind of 'old.' There really isn't a lot of content that comes with the game... a lot of us overlooked that with the promise of more to come. Well, that isn't coming. In the end, I feel that Valve changed the rules, and thus, leaving me feeling like I did -not- get my money's worth... and that is likely why I'm loathe to commit to saying that I'll purchase L4D2.

Am I upset about them 'making a new game'? No. I'm upset that they 'sold' their game to me with some guarantees of where the game was going - and then after they had mine (and a lot of other people's money), went back on that. *Shrugs*

For what it is worth, I'm not a member of any public group pro or con on this topic, and this is actually the first time I've bothered to say anything.

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[info]normanrafferty
2009-06-17 05:30 pm UTC (link)
Valve hasn't gone back on anything, and no rules have changed.

They said they would release new maps ... and they did! "Last Stand" is right there, as well as two new Versus campaigns.

After L4D2 was announced, they said they would continue to release new maps for L4D1 ... and they still might, who knows. They certainly released an SDK. Heck, Valve has said they'll continue to support L4D1 long after L4D2.

So ... Valve announced they would do things, and then did those things, and promises to do more? Wow, even 3D Realms didn't do that.

The premise behind the boycott is that there's a finite amount of "more" for Left 4 Dead. Valve didn't cancel anything, and they keep saying they're going to make it ... but somehow folks don't believe them. Crazy.

A better question remains, where the heck is Half Life 2: Episode 3?

P.S. My SteamID is "Norman Rafferty". I'd love to play some L4D.

Edited at 2009-06-17 05:36 pm UTC

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[info]points
2009-06-17 06:32 pm UTC (link)
We can take this up later if I ever feel like actually arguing my point any further. ;) When we do play, it is typically late at night. Poke me online and we'll see if we can at least get some friend requests going. ;)

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[info]siege
2009-06-17 06:41 pm UTC (link)
I go to my local gaming shop, boot up L4D, and... cannot find an open game. Lucky that you can.

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[info]krinndnz
2009-06-17 04:49 pm UTC (link)
Good for you!

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[info]mikosquirrel
2009-06-17 05:30 pm UTC (link)
Holy shit awesome. I love the Escapist. <3

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[info]rikoshi
2009-06-17 09:14 pm UTC (link)
From the thread on L4D2:

"This is just way too soon, it feels like L4D has been abandoned before it even got started. That might be alright for console gamers whose games never receive any major updates or patches, but PC gamers expect better."

Holy crap, that's bullshit elitism on a level that ticks me off on a personal level (without even getting to the fact I play console games and work in the video game industry).

And really, this exemplifies what the argument boils down to: entitlement complex. Only this is the first time I've ever seen an entitlement complex used to justify not wanting something better, sooner.

Christ on a cracker, people.

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[info]ff00ff
2009-06-17 10:35 pm UTC (link)
Hey, total e credentials. Amazing that you reviewed one of the few Anime series' I'm actually familiar with and enjoy. I identify strongly with the hikikomori protagonist. A college graduate who's withdrawn from society, never emerges from his apartment without great anxiety, become addicted to internet porn and frets over conspiracies to keep him from ever enjoying anything its like japan has a camera in my room ... it really is like Japan has a camera in my room... have to find the camera in my room...

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[info]ff00ff
2009-06-17 10:42 pm UTC (link)
Also, the development of L4D2 IMHO has all the hallmarks of a project who's primary purpose was to train new staff in the company's workflow. They give them a lot of existing codebase, let them do some innovation and put in some new stuff, get used to the whole grind of what it takes to make a game at valve, and at the end you've even got a product that will see some sales. I'd expect this means that Valve is about to embark on a large new project, since they're recruiting new staff. I wouldn't expect l4D2 to replace L4D. The L4D team would be valve veterans, and they'll keep working on supporting that baby for their own personal glory, whereas L4D2 has already served it's purpose as a training exercise.

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[info]halfelf
2009-06-17 11:40 pm UTC (link)
Remember back in the day when a game would be released and.... that's it?

You'd pay 60-70 dollars for an NES cartridge (adjusted for inflation). That cartridge may have 5 hours of gameplay, it might have 30-40 hours, or maybe even more in some extreme cases. But in the end? That's all you got. No expansions, no patches, no ongoing anything. If you did get an expansion, like the Sonic & Knuckles addon cart, that cost money.

Honestly, I am happy about the content that Valve has delivered, and that they have given us for free, even though we haven't bought an expansion for L4D. I mean, jeez, look how much they've done for TF2! So no, people don't 'deserve' more. Yes, the game is a little light in content - but honestly, Heavenly Sword for the PS3 was what, 8 hours of gameplay? And that was 60 dollars?

Disclaimer - I moonlight as a professional video game developer. >.>

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[info]tombfyre
2009-06-17 11:46 pm UTC (link)
And a good thing to contribute to as well! I rather like The Escapist. ^^ Way to go there Rat-Man.

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[info]mongologue
2009-06-18 03:45 pm UTC (link)
Overall agreed with L4D2. It's simple here: People get high expectations very easy, and they expected this to be like Team Fortress 2, with new stuff all the time.

Except L4D was suddenly a hit [*1], and they went "Can we make these upgrades and potential expansions into a new $50 game instead of a $20 expansion pack, and make more money doing it?"

Seems like solid and simple business to me. After I get my video card fixed, I'll be back to playing L4D, and probably buy L4D2 when it's out next year (and it will be next year, I'm sure. They won't have it done by Christmas.)

--Chi

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