The 7 Commandments All Video Games Should Obey

[SineSwiper]

So fucking true!

[Don]

I see this as a list of generally good ideas that turns into a disguised argument as to why the game he likes are good and the games he doesn't like sucks. For example, Tidus is supposed to be the clueless newbie in FFX and he sounds like one ON PURPOSE. If you listen to the older version of Tidus he sounds perfectly fine as a seasoned veteran, and if you want the generic 'I'm totally cool guys' you got Auron. I suppose the writer will have problem with the FF12 hero sounding like a clueless kid who doesn't belong in a world saving expedition, except that's exactly who he is.

[SineSwiper]

I see this as a list of generally good ideas that turns into a disguised argument as to why the game he likes are good and the games he doesn't like sucks. For example, Tidus is supposed to be the clueless newbie in FFX and he sounds like one ON PURPOSE. If you listen to the older version of Tidus he sounds perfectly fine as a seasoned veteran, and if you want the generic 'I'm totally cool guys' you got Auron. I suppose the writer will have problem with the FF12 hero sounding like a clueless kid who doesn't belong in a world saving expedition, except that's exactly who he is.

Well, it's not just the voice acting. It's the fact that the story most sucks. The voice actor shouldn't be given material like that.

Oh, and as far as FF12: Here

[Don]

Video games stories, like Anime/Manga, is largely limited by the world view as opposed to the ability of the writer. If you got a world like say FF8 where childhood friends just conveniently *forgot* everything due to GF addiction, it's hard to write a believeable world no matter what. If you're writing the story for Star Wars prequel, Anakin Skywalker has to become Darth Vader no matter what. In light of this I don't think the story of a video game should be hold to very high standards unless the writer is also the designer of the game. No amount of fancy writing is enough if part of your game is based on GF addiction leading to memory loss.

Back on topic, I find FFX to be very average in terms of writing and I'm interested in why you think it is poor. There are no gaping logical inconsistency and no illogical concept that drives the story. Perhaps you can make an argument that the idea anyone who doesn't want to die don't have to in Spira is kind of bogus, but that's the only major one I can think of.

[Julius Seeker]

If you got a world like say FF8 where childhood friends just conveniently *forgot* everything due to GF addiction

Off topic, but a clarification: Guardian Forces use a portion of the user's memory when they are junctioned to the user. In this case it knocked out the connection to their childhood memories.

Just something to note, one theme common among all three of Kitase's FF titles (6, 7, and 8 ) is that all three of them feature main characters with a forgotten jumbled past (Terra, Cloud, Squall). It's just that in the case of FF8, a page from Johnny Mnemonic (a classic CyberPunk story) was used.

[Julius Seeker]

On topic, I am VERY surprised that you, Sine, actually agree with this. Not that I personally think it is a bad thing, the guy makes points that I don't disagree with. I am still surprised because I feel like this guy has the opposite opinion of games to you.

[Don]

If we're to write down the rules that govern the universe of FF8, one of them has to be excessive GF usage leads to memory loss. This is kind of bogus but in light of this rule, what happens in FF8 make sense. But it has a shaky foundation because it really doesn't make much sense beyond the 'because I said so' factor.

The 'rules' are generally good ideas but I find this guy to merely using these so called rules to justify his opinion, it'd be like me saying:

Rule 1 - All good games must have cute girls
Therefore, Wild Arms is good, because Cecilia is cute
Therefore, Metal Gear Solid sucks because it does not have cute girls.

I thought it was a pretty weakly disguised attempt to praise/bash a few games. For example he harps about how DS is so awesome and have a huge base and apparently the justification is because they listened to the 'rule'. I'm sure Nintendo consulted these rules before they released the DS which is why they're so successful. I mean, most of what he says are generally good ideas so it's not like Nintendo will go say 'alright let's make a game totally unfun!' But the stuff he mentions has very little to do with the success involved.

[SineSwiper]

The 'rules' are generally good ideas but I find this guy to merely using these so called rules to justify his opinion, it'd be like me saying.

Maybe on a few things, but mostly they are DUH! rules. Like "Make sure your game works". No shit, Sherlock, but you'd be surprised how many games (especially ports) don't seem to go through beta testing at all.