Things That Have Been Pissing Me Off Lately – Part 2
Ok, this one’s going to be kinda short, because it’s not too bad, and I can’t really justify stretching it out.
It really, really bugs the shit out of me when people tell you how many games they’re planning in their “new series”.
Was that too short? I guess I should elaborate.
Nearly every original game that comes out anymore is part of a “series”, according to the developer.
You don’t have a fucking series until you release more games. This is where the problem lies: one game is produced, and in the lead-up to the game, the reviewer is talking about how the game is part of this huge, never-ending series, but when the game comes out, it’s immediately evident the game’s not going to get one sequel, much less 12, and furthermore, that they really obviously haven’t even planned out past one sequel. What’s wrong with just releasing a game and seeing how it goes? Is it a requirement that you have to be a pretentious asshole, or are you just using it as an excuse for not finishing the goddamn story the first time? I would say to look at A New Hope (Star Wars) for an example of how to finish a story satisfactorily while leaving it open for a sequel, but it’s pretty obvious developers have been looking at it, since they keep ripping it off.
But I guess I can’t think of any series with good storylines that haven’t been a “planned series”, other than Mega Man, The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Mario, Sonic, Dragon Warrior, Lufia, Castlevania, Metroid, Ninja Gaiden, Mother/Earthbound, and several others, so maybe I’m the one who is wrong here.
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raddevon on 09.05.2008
The important point to me is this: are you saying this is a series because you want to sell shit-tons of this game and its sequels or because you have already developed a story that cannot be told in a single game? If it is the latter, I’m OK with it, but the cynic in me believes it is most likely the former.
Ninjapocalypse on 09.06.2008
Well, that’s the thing. I have no problem with planning a long overarching story, that’s just planning ahead and, often, creating a universe and background for the game. It’s when they talk about how there’s going to be another 12 games in the series that you know they haven’t even started to plan out so they don’t have to finish the damn story they’re working on, either out of laziness or in an attempt to get the fans to demand a sequel. Halo 2 and Saints Row (God love it, it tries so hard) are good examples of this in action, although Bungie was a little more justified in thinking they may have a full series on their hands. I just hate the presumptuousness of deciding “Yeah, we’re going to have a ton of games. Seriously. We’ll all be flying private jets to work every day. I mean, if people like a game once, why wouldn’t they like it 15 more times?”
Lusty_Ninja_Fox on 09.08.2008
Amen..
I’m gonna steal your thunder just for a moment.
Something that pisses me off..
When I’m asked to read the instructions on a bag of popcorn and it takes 5 damn minutes to find the fuckin’ English instructions on a damn bag of food sold in the damn American food market..
Damn you Orville Redenbacher. Damn you..
Ok. ^^ You can have your thunder back.