New Computer - Part 2a (Motherboard)

NEWEST NOTE (4-23-12)
I have stopped this series (sort of before it even got going) because the architecture and components I was focusing on are now a bit out dated. Please continue to read the new posts and follow the series I will start labeled SCAD RIG to catch up n the new PC I plan to build for my MFA.

(Continued from the Part 1 post "AMD or Intel")

NOTE: I know less about hardware than I do software. I know enough to get by, and that is where the interactivity of this series of blog posts will come in. If you see something that you may laugh at, don't flame me... just guide me as I would guide you if you wanted to know something I knew about. I am not an expert computer builder so please do your own research and follow the advice of others as well and make an educated decision on your own.

Now that we've (well, I) decided to go with the Intel chip for our computer, it is time to think about a motherboard to set it onto. We've narrowed the choices down a bit by deciding on the chip set, but the choice is still not an easy one. There are still many, many factors to think about when choosing a motherboard. One of the main questions you need to ask at this point is "What will be my computers main purpose?"

New Sabertooth P67 board

Are you a web surfer and casual user?
Are you a casual gamer who plays some titles online and a few PC releases?
Are you a hard core gamer playing "top of the line" releases the day they come out?
An artist? A programmer? A business person? A Student?

Knowing what you want out of your computer will help you decide what you need to put into it for technology and components. A casual web surfer will not need nearly as much processor power or memory than an extreme gamer. A video editor will need loads more storage space than an average artist or programmer. Student? Get massive storage space for all the videos and music and games you will end up downloading, as well as good amount of memory and processor speed for multitasking while "studying" ;-)

Deciding what your computer will need to handle beforehand can save you a lot of time and money in the long run. I am going to be using my computer for digital animation, high end 3D animations and rendering, as well as some hard-core gaming. The build I will post about in this series will follow the specs needed to complete a powerful enough system to complete these tasks with ease. I will be looking for higher video resolution and multiple display capabilities, a lot of physical memory and storage space as well as multiple core processing power (so I can multitask with various programs at once). Even though I would like to max out my computer from the start, that would be an expensive way to build a computer. Remember… you can usually add more components later on down the road, and save some of that precious cash now for other bills.

As I know I want to have a relatively fast machine from the start, with enough room for upgrades later, I will be looking at the expandability of the motherboard and possibility of using it for the next 5 years or so. If Moore's Law continues, the computer I build today will be 8-10 times slower than the market. So... if I want to try and stay on top of that curve, I should make sure I create a system that can be upgraded over the years. Unfortunately there is no sure fire way to stay ahead of the curve. New processors are released all the time and the architecture needed to run those changes with it. 

(A lot of the following decision process was pre-decided, which is why I went with the i7 2600k, but my logic will be broken down here...)

LGA 1155

Right now the big “Intel decision” is whether or not to go LGA 1366, 1155, or wait for the new LGA 2011 to be released. This topic is an entirely different thread all together so I will leave that for you to research…For now, I am leaning toward the LGA 1155 because of the high probability that the new Ivy Bridge will be backwards compatible to the 1155. If that changes, so shall my focus on the 1155. Plus the Sandy Bridge i7 processor can be overclocked to nearly 5 Ghz. That works for me!

We now know we are looking for an Intel based board with a CPU socket type of LGA 1155. Now we are getting somewhere...our choices are getting slimmer. (From 377 Intel boards on Newegg.com, down to 209.)

Lets narrow the search down a bit more. As far as I can see (again, I'm no pro builder), there are a few key areas that can be considered "upgradeable" when working with an existing board. As we are starting from scratch with the hopes of using the technology through the years, our Motherboard needs to be set up and ready for the future technology. Some key components that can easily be upgraded over time are the processor, the memory, and the peripheral cards in the slots. The processor goes into a slot, or socket, and that slot has to be forward compatible for the next wave of architecture in order to upgrade. (Head back to the LGA 1366, LGA 1155, or LGA 2011 debate). If they switch the slot/socket style you are limited to the processing power that is set up with that type of "seat". As of now there is discussion that Intel's 2012 "Ivy Bridge" chip will be backwards compatible with the 1155 socket style.

Asus P55TP4XE circa 1996

We also need to take a look at the "Northbridge" information on the board. To lighten this article a bit, Northbridge technology is discussed here.

...And this information is a nice bite sized chunk on how to choose between them.

Knowing that I want to overclock the system, reach for more DDR3 RAM over time, and have multiple video cards and I also want to look at a relatively less expensive system, I'm going to shoot for the P67. I may research the Z68 boards with a LGA 1366 socket a bit more though as the maximum RAM jumps quite a bit for those boards (...from 32GB to 48GB).

So... We now know we want to primarily look at LGA 1155 P67 Intel boards. (However, we will keep an eye on the LGA 1366 Z68 as well. But a decission to go with this type of board would change the processor type to an i7 980 and increase our cost on the processor by about $200). This brings us down to 120 boards. Still a lot to choose from, but our options are thinning out.

Lastly I want to look at the Memory. I know I want quite a bit of memory available as a maximum so I'm going to look for the top end of LGA 1155 p67 boards and they are at 32 GB of RAM right now. If I narrow my Newegg search this lands us at only 55 results (with another 46 available in the Z68 line.)

With 55 "LGA 1155 P67 Intel" boards to choose from we have cut down our search considerably. Part 2b of this article will narrow that choice down to two or three options, perhaps 2 P67 boards and 2 Z68 boards to keep options open.

As you prepare to venture down the road of purchase, wading through the sea of motherboards that are available, keep in mind the technical capabilities you want the system to be able to have at the start. Also be aware of the maximum expandability you want down the road, and the cards and memory types you plan on buying to outfit the computer with. Armed with this information you can better assess what the requirements of the board will have to be to suit your needs.

Chad is an Adjunct Faculty member teaching video game design in Boston, MA. His school web site is http://www.phlume.com/EDU. He can be reached for comment there.

Game stop stopping growth?

Who is GameStop fooling?

Recently in an interview with Edge Magazine, Executive Vice President of GameStop International Mike Mauler revealed that GameStop, as a company, has "sat down with developers and publishers and really gone through the data." What data you ask? The data that claims that selling used games benefits the publishers as well as the developers. I know as a consumer I will search for the best deal I can, and if I can scoop up a Modern Warefare 2 for $19.99 as opposed to $49.99, I'm going to do it.

I can see how the data may help the execs at GameStop sleep at night, but perhaps there is more to the story; and more that they could do. The higher ups at GS say that by reselling the games used they help bolster the sales of the new titles in series. They offer up the titles again to a new audience and that "hooks" the player into buying into the series. Perhaps this works, but why not take a direct approach to support the industry that feeds them?

Don't read me wrong. I am not saying GameStop should stop selling games used...but rather share in the wealth. After all, this could easily be a win-win-win situation if everyone approached the idea objectively. Though it is a hard concept to imagine; let's take capitalism out of the equation for a moment. If GameStop stands behind their position that the reselling of used games feeds the market with older titles and helps fuel the purchase of newer releases, why can't they also put an effort in to insure that the used buyers do purchase the newer titles?

 Speaking from personal experience...

I bought my PS3 this past spring and when I purchased the system I bought it new with the Move/Sports Champion bundle. I also bought 2 additional titles to play; Assassin's Creed II and Modern Warfare 2. Both of those titles I bought used for nearly a 50% savings at GameStop. I signed up for the company's "Power Up" rewards program and the purchases counted as points toward future purchases. Which is great for me because now I can get $5.00 off of a used title, or $10 off of a used title in the future by redeeming my points. This is the capitalism part I mentioned come into play. I'm not sure of the "formula" that GameStop follows in buying and reselling games, but I assure you that it is enough to build a business on. My guess is if I brought a new title to them (lets say LA Noire) they would give me $25 - $30 bucks for it. They would then turn around and sell it for $50 - $55. A $25 profit for allowing it to sit on the shelves just long enough to change hands. Even if a consumer redeems enough points to earn a $10 off voucher, the company still makes $15 on the sale. Rockstar games, however, only sees the original $60 I spent, but none of the used purchase.

Here is my proposal: GameStop continues to offer the awesome used deals and rewards programs to the consumer as is. No changes. With a little bit of data tracking, GameStop issues reseller's fees to all the developers and producers of games which they resell. A 20-25% fee should be returned to the original maker of the game. Lets follow the formula again, with the added fee:

I buy LA Noire for $60. I bring it back to GameStop a few months later and sell it to them for $30. They turn around and resell it for $55. Using the 20% model, $11 should go to Rockstar for the reseller's fee, and GameStop pockets $14 in profits. Still not a bad take for not really doing anything... However, Rockstar is now cut into the circle. extrapolate this formula across 100,000 titles nation wide and you have yourself a fresh $1.1 million in revenue for Rockstar... Additional income above the original totals for the sale of the games originally.  
 
Now certainly the model isn't perfect. but in theory the idea would prove to be a great marketing strategy for GameStop. Why would I go to BestBuy or FYE when I can go to GameStop and get the awesome deals and know money is going back to the creators to support their hard efforts. I can see it now... "GameStop. Power to the players; Powering the industry"

I don't know... I may be wrong, but don't you think it would be in the best interest of GameStop to do everything they can to support the gaming industry and not piss them off? What do you think? I know GS would never go for a kick back to the publishers.. but what else could the company do to stay a positive "middleman" and not make either side upset?

Chad is an Adjunct Faculty member teaching video game design in Boston, MA. His school web site is http://www.phlume.com/EDU. He can be reached for comment there.

New Computer - Part 1 (Intel or AMD)

NEWEST NOTE (4-23-12)
I have stopped this series (sort of before it even got going) because the architecture and components I was focusing on are now a bit out dated. Please continue to read the new posts and follow the series I will start labeled SCAD RIG to catch up n the new PC I plan to build for my MFA.

 NOTE: I know less about hardware than I do software. I know enough to get by, and that is where the interactivity of this series of blog posts will come in. If you see something that you laugh at, don't flame me... just guide me as I would guide you if you needed to know something I did. I am not an expert computer builder so please do your own research and follow the advice of others as well and make an educated decision on your own.

When I was in my first year of college as a 3D animator back in the late 90's I had the pleasure of designing my first computer with the help of a reseller online. It was a Quantex brand computer... and unlike the Rain Man "Quantas never crashed..." quote, this computer crashed. Often. Perhaps it was Windows 95? perhaps it was the software loaded? Who knows. What I did know was that I outgrew the specs on that computer really fast.

I still have the spec sheet on it as I knew it would be fun to look at someday. It was printed on a dot matrix computer though so it is a bit faded. From what I could make out (and remember) the main specs of the machine were as follows:

300Mhz P2
32mb of RAM
8mb video card
8GB of hard drive space
56.6 dial up modem
and a 17" CRT monitor...

All for just over $2,000

Times sure have changed! Here it is in 2011, nearly 15 years later and I'd like to build a new machine. I figured I could create recurring blog on this site detailing my personal experience designing and building my new computer. I know there is a lot of research out there but I thought it may be fun to document my findings and share with the masses my personal choice. Not to mention grown and learn from the feedback that may be offered in return.

First things first: In designing the computer I want to set out knowing what I want the computer to be able to do and handle. I could get away with the basics if I was going to surf the web and write a book on the machine... but as you all know, this is NOT the kind of tower I want to design. What do I want to do with this computer? Well being a gamer and designer I need the computer to handle a lot of high end graphics. Let me make a list of the games/software that may be running at any time on the machine, most often, 3 or four of them open at once:

• A high end image/vector/video editing program (PS, IL, FL, AE, PR, ID...)
• 3DS Max, Mudbox, Maya, and UDK
• Possibly Unity or Torque
• Office suite (excell, word blah blah blah)
• A variety of smaller programs such as a browser window, notepad editor, mail client, AVG antivirus...

As for games, well I use the PS3 a lot for that now, but i am very interested in Dungeon Seige III and possibly From Dust... at least at first glance. but both of those would run easily with any system I set up to design/develop so lets focus on the 3D modeling/rendering and video editing capabilities of the machine.

AMD or INTEL?
As I embark on the first of many MAJOR decision of this new build, I will have to rely on what I can find/read online. My intuition tells me to go with an Intel chip. From what I have read they handle graphics a lot better. Am I wrong? This is where the feedback from the blog readers comes in. I was looking at the Core i7 2600K, "Sandy Bridge" (I'm thinking waiting for the Ivy bridge may be expensive, and Time consuming... thoughts there?). I noticed the 2600K and upon reading further the "K" means it is unlocked and you can overclock it, right? Though I have never over clocked a computer before, I think it sounds like an interesting idea and would certainly be interested in trying it. So for $15 - $20 bucks or so, I'll keep the "K" there and leave the option available.

The Intel chips are a bit pricier, but budget is secondary to a good, stable build. Oh... and speaking of budget. Don't get me wrong. I don't have thousands to drop on this computer so I will try to keep my entire budget to under $1000, leaving room for expansion over the next few years.

Intel Core i7 Quad Core 2600K 3.4GHz:
New Egg: $314.99 (link)
Tiger Direct: $314.99 (link)

Total budget in: $314.00

So now that I know I will be going with the Intel chip my next post will review some of the motherboard options. Before I close though, I'd love the feedback from the masses on i3, i5, and i7. Knowing what I'm doing should I even look at the i3/i5 processors? I'm pretty set on the i7 Quad core. If I have the cash I'd go for the hex.. but that may be too much muscle for the price right now.

Thoughts?

-C
Chad is an Adjunct Faculty member teaching video game design in Boston, MA. His school web site is http://www.phlume.com/EDU. He can be reached for comment there.

Commitment level...

This post isn't going to be about the latest engine, coolest game, tricky megatexture topics or molecular modeling... it's about commitment. In life, at work, in school, what are YOU willing to give to get it all?

As finals week kicks off here on the North Shore of Boston, I expect to see a variety of projects, animations, models and papers come streaming into my inbox and land on my lap(top). As I prepare to start the grading process on the student's work I think about the scary fact that I too will be a student again soon. I have to think about the idea and pause...I reflect for a moment at what I would like from my eventual professors as I embark on my next leg of educational journey. What kind of dis-service would I be doing to myself if I passed in the bare minimums and never tried to push the limits? Will i be making the most of my education, and setting myself up for a future in the gaming industry? The short answer is Hell no. How then, do I turn this thinking around and present it to my students?

Over the last handful of years teaching a variety of topics focused around digital art and the creation thereof, I have come across some stellar projects. However, for every one to two kick as examples I have had to wade through a sea of mediocrity. It kills me that students would devote only a portion of the time given to them to completing a project to actually working on the project, yet nearly 3/4 of the allotted time on YouTube or a playing 3DS and "talking" about what an awesome project they are going to create.

I understand not everyone can create incredible art. It is a talent...and a hard talent to master. I'm not looking for "talent" per se though. I'm usually grading on effort. It really amazes me that people would turn in some of the stuff that they do. Example... (No this hasn't happened, thankfully, but it is an example of what I am speaking of)

If I were to ask you to create a list of 5-7 game-play challenges and write a few paragraphs about the challenges and how they work, citing examples of different solutions. What would I be looking for?

An under achiever sees 5 challenges, one to two short (4-5 lines) paragraphs each that provide an overview of the hurdle listed.

Sigh.
(...Insert noise of a raspberry here)

For those that are less inclined to scrape by at bare minimums, you might be the type to pass in 6-7 challenges with decent descriptions of them all. Some would have shorter descriptions than others, based solely on the limited context needed to set the challenge up, but thorough enough to deliver a nice, clear and concise description. Alright... getting better..

Now... What am I looking for? Since I'm trying to prep you for the "real world" of an industry of giants that will not hesitate to scarf you down like last nights leftovers on an early morning ravenous binge... I want nothing short of brilliance.

Give me diagrams, sketches, descriptions and game play examples. Challenge me with new ideas and crazy twists on an outdated and tired theme. Don't pass in a timed maze... Make it fresh. Make it whimsical. Give me some sort of pattern recognition challenge with a logic twist. Surprise me with a moral challenge based purely on an economic standpoint. However, don't break my suspension of disbelief or the harmony that exists within your game's framework. If your game is a futuristic shooter set in a world similar to star trek... DON'T be foolish and reference Star Trek! Stay original. Maintain the harmony of the game and keep the "real world's" fiction realms out of your fiction realm.

Obviously, I understand the students are just that...Students. They are learning. The fact is though, if I don't try and push you further, you are going to fall into a sea of hopefuls and never be discovered. Unless you, as the student, take the time to push the limits of your own creativity, press the boundaries of your imagination and avoid what has already been done 1000 times over... you are never going to go anywhere but to the counter of your local Game Stop and purchase the games that your fellow students helped to produce.

-C

Chad is an Adjunct Faculty member teaching video game design in Boston, MA. His school web site is http://www.phlume.com/EDU. He can be reached for comment there.

Day late... but I'll keep the dollar.

Bear with me... I know these have been out for a bit, but I just found them so deal! Yeah...I'm new to the PS3. We know this (well, you do now). I've been a Nintendo kid all of my life, but with the tax cash I got this spring, I snagged a great deal on my 250GB PS3 Move bundle. I don't get a whole lot of time to play games for hours on end like I used to, but I did take the opportunity the other night to check out some very interesting demos. Mostly because they were free, but also because I wanted new blog fodder. Guest what... Found it!

The first game I found was Flower. thatgamecompany released an "emotive" follow up to it's debut release "flOw". This unique experience came out in 2009 so yeah... I'm behind the 8-ball on this one. But it doesn't mean I cant discuss the newness of the discovery to me, right? Flower is actually a very nice looking and pretty game, well ok not a game... it's more an experience. There isn't a lot of game play involved in this as far as I can see. You control the wind, blow some petals off of plants, and bring life to the dull landscape. Definitely an original concept, but I wouldn't call it a game. To me, a "game" has to have a certain level of challenges and obstacles the user must face and complete. Sure "Flower" has different levels you can navigate through, but there is no challenge apart from the occasional miss that happens when you speed up from a zephyr to a breeze and end up blowing past a few crucial stems. Yes, I know, I only played the demo.. but that was enough for me really. I saw the proof of concept and it fell short as far as I'm concerned. The music was alright; kind of relaxing and tolerable. No award winner there either though. The graphics were colorful and wispy... dreamlike... the high contrast offset the dull landscape which really made the scenery POP when the growth came to life and you passed a stage. This dreamlike feeling was what they were going for over at thatgamecompany I think, right... A Flower's dream world? In any case. If you want a free download to spend a few hours of your time trolling across a landscape in a semi open environment as an air elemental of sorts, grab the game. I wouldn't suggest buying it though.

The second "Johnny come lately" title I checked out that I wanted to post was "Echochrome." Another very innovative and original title. From 2008. This is interesting...Where "Flower" fell short on challenge and puzzle "Echochrome" came through with shining colors... well, sorta. In a weird juxtaposition to "Flower", this game is entirely in black and white with simple 8-bit-esque graphics. The challenges, however, are quite fun. Picture yourself in an impossible visual puzzle, sort of an Escher style drawing, or one of those optical illusion images you found in science books from 5th grade. Now, picture plaing as a pose-able artists mannequin and navigate around those illusion drawings on the map/path to avoid the pitfalls. That's Echochrome. Though a slight challenge, it was not enough to keep me engaged for more that the demo. In fact, I was bored before the demo was finished. One good thing came out of the Echochrome experience, however. All of those shapes made me want to play Tetris which I was thankful for. Both colorful, and challenging... Tetris that is.

Both of these games were quite unique from anything else I have played lately, but still not enough to impress me to purchase them. I'm glad they were free...I would have been kinda pissed if I paid anything for them. Sure both have that addictive quality to them which is why they are probably on there in the first place. I see these more as an smartphone or handheld app though. For some people, the games could be a nice way to mellow out after a difficult day of laying stone New England in January, or roofing work in July in Phoenix. But for me, as a game design instructor... they cause me more stress than my unruly college students. At least the students interact back in an unpredictable manner. If I was an individual who graded games for a living, I would give these both a, wait. I don't grade games for a living.

But tell me... Did you feel the same way? Have you played these? Did you BUY either of them? Do they get any better? Am I missing out on something grand by stopping at just the slice offered for free? I'd love to know if it is worth the coin to download the full versions. Do tell.

Mobile gaming?

(Note: "Words with Friends" isn't available on BB... my WordRival username is Phlume. Invite me to play...)

As I sat back and played Word Rival on my Blackberry this evening I couldn't help but wonder... Is Mobile gaming going to take over the home console system much like the consoles destroyed the arcade?

I look at all of the apps and games that are available across the board for Android, iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, DS, PSP, and the like. It is truly amazing at how cool these things have gotten! They are beautiful, powerful, and way better than some of the AAA titles that came out even 5 years ago. I remember about 10 years back, sitting down with my Nokia and it's black and green screen, charting a course for my snake to traverse in order to eat the next apple. I thought it was cool that I could play Tetris on that same phone... even though it was as slow as all hell, not very challenging, and hard to play because of the screen size. Flash forward a decade and you have touch screens, analog joysticks, multiple buttons and full 1080p... ON A HAND HELD! Remember the Gameboy; the classic "Brick"...Before that came out all I had for a hand held game was a crazy orange and black "spelling bee" device that helped me learn difficult 5th and 6th grade spelling with word games. I never imagined as I sat with that little speak and spell wanna-"bee" device that the gaming community would grow into a huge mobile empire.

When I reflect back on the 80's and the arcade games we stood at for hours I thought of the home VCS as a silly amusement past time we used to tide us over to the next visit to the Dream Machine, or Funspot. It's hard not to look at the mobile community as creating a similar dichotomy within the gaming industry; The home system vs. the hand-held.

As microprocessors get faster and smaller, we are seeing more and more computing power being placed into smaller and stronger devices, which in turn get placed into the hands of younger and younger consumers. Both of my children, 4 and 5, constantly ask me if they can play a game on my phone. I watch them as they fumble with the device and press the number pad and directional pad to navigate around the screen in whatever game they pull up. It's cute... but scary. When I was 5 I had a joystick and one button. Here they are with the Vita at their door step, the Wii U on it's way, augmented reality and the 3DS available and a plethora of games on phones and pads everywhere. Which makes me wonder... Will the home systems be shoved away for more powerful portable ones?

As we look to see the next gen of consoles scheduled to be released within the next 12-18 months, one wonders if this will be the last ones dedicated to be hooked up to a TV. Perhaps the ones we use today already ARE the last ones to be tethered to a tube? Will video games pick up and go mobile entirely? Will we ever have a need for cluttered living rooms with controllers and cables stuffed into drawers with cartridges and disks laying about to collect dust? Or are we seeing a shift in the paradigm that gaming systems are to be kept within the home?

What do YOU think? As I close out this final thought on a long week and head into the weekend I ask you: Are these the final round of systems that will stay within the house? Will we see a "changing of the guards" so to speak when it comes to how games are delivered to the masses? Tell me your thoughts. Share your insight and views.

Until next post... happy gaming y'all.

-C

Chad is an Adjunct Faculty member teaching video game design in Boston, MA. His school web site is http://www.phlume.com/EDU. He can be reached for comment there.

The NEXT wave?

I was talking to the students the other day... And I was discussing the future of gaming. Not like 720, 3D games or hand-helds with kick ass screen that link to your console... but the future of games. Where are games going? Think out side of the box. What ARE the possibilities?

At the forefront of the technology trail being blazed is the video component of the games - Graphics. We all see the new processors pushing the boundaries of what is hot and realistic. Full 1080p HD streamed via wifi or HDMI cable to the sleek flat panels and 3D tvs... is this the end of the road? Will it be hollographic games? Will it be full immersion into the 3D universe that Blizzard or Infinity Ward places us into?

I am thinking no. Well.. maybe, but when I think future... I think BEYOND what we can imagine at the current time. Lets speculate on one thought I had. Lets look towards PC games as opposed to consoles for this one... Live action gaming. Yes. A real playable movie. Why not?

bear with me for a moment... it's a vision. not a proposal. Imagine for a moment you can control a human (not really, still an actor on screen) and when you move the controller, the human figure on the real life set moves across the room. Hit a button, the human jumps. Hit another button and he crouches. Strafe, dodge, slash, shoot, punch... you hit it (s)he does it. Navigate through a dungeon... and it's something Indiana may have ran through in Raiders or Temple, or perhaps one Harry and the gang ran through in one of the Potter films. Full immersion into a virtual universe EXACTLY like one you delve into during a movie. No more 3D models of your favorite characters in a 3D environment emulating the movie. Rather the actor signs onto a movie/game deal in that they act for the movie, and during production walk out the sequences for all of the movement using roto-scoping cameras, maybe some green screen tricks and such, but simultaneously while filming the game is created.

I'm sure the idea isn't original... it is wrought with difficulties and hang-ups. Production costs would be through the roof, but with the success of LA Noire showing us that hyper-realism is something people crave (though the story and game-play were only average to great, as opposed to exceptional like the graphics) it seems logical that the next bench mark would be a playable movie.

Now that is something I'll upgade a console for!

-C

Chad is an Adjunct Faculty member teaching video game design in Boston, MA. His school web site is http://www.phlume.com/EDU. He can be reached for comment there.

Motion controls?

It's been a while since my last post. I could blame it on the "summer-itis" I chide as a reason the students don't show up to class like they do in the winter. I could also say it is because I've been hard at work creating a game with the game club. Or I could also say I've been working on building my create-a-class armory in MW2... all would be true, but the REAL reason is just pure laziness.

And when I think of laziness a few things come to mind. Letting dishes pile up because I'm too lazy to simply load them into the dishwasher. Letting the car reach empty when I have funds to fuel it simply because I don't want to get out of the car. And the idea of controlling a video game by waving my hands around instead of just pressing buttons. But is that laziness - or innovation?

Sure motion controls have been a round for a while, but do they have the longevity to be the "next wave" or are they going to be like the 3D technology has been for the last 40 years? (oh and the thought of 3D being the new "hit" is a whole other topic for another post. With the release of the Wii and it's innovative wireless motion-based controller in '06, it paved the way for the new breed of gaming style. As the years passed, the Move and the Kinect caught up and the appearance of the "get up and off of your duff" style of gaming to seemed to hit the public full force. But does this style of control for the Next Next generation of consoles and games (Vita, Wii U 720...) have the longevity to keep gamers intrigued?

I'm more of a traditionalist so to me gaming means holding a controller and pressing buttons. That's how I've done it since I was a child with the joystick and button on the Atari 2600. Maybe it goes back to the "too lazy" idea I opened with... but I just don't have the energy or stamina to bounce, run, jump and dodge all around my living room to enjoy a game. I've played all three of the big-wigs, and I own two of them. I don't own an XBox, but I will say the Kinect looks impressive; Especially with the new titles announced @ E3 with Kinect support. As cool as the features look, I can't imagine them taking over where the controller can do the same function... sometimes easier. I simply do not see the "motion control" system taking over where the controller was placed on pause.

As I said before... I'm a traditionalist in that I like to hold the controller. I like the idea of the Kinect sensing my motions. I see how it adds new games to the library of a console. Imagine playing a game like Dance Central without the Kinect? Won't happen. The game itself could not exist without the motion sensor bar. But how about the Move's Sports Champions? Until the release of that game (and it's distant kin titles from the Wii and Kinect) I couldn't imagine an ping pong or tennis type of game on a console. Imagine if the Atari had a tennis game? Huh? It did... oh yeah, that's right... it was fun! Ping pong as a video game before motion controls? Yup. more than 40 years ago. likely before programmers in the motion control arena even graduated high school. Hell, they probably owned one of the Atari or Sears home gaming systems.

In closing... I don't want you to think that my opinion is negative against the motion controls. They have their place and certainly can add to the realism of a game. I love frisbee golf on the PS3's Sports Champions. It brings me back a handful of years to the courses I used to play in the Arizona desert with my roomate. Good times. Good fun. I still send that damn disk awry with a wrong angle of my wrist today at home in front of my tube... the same way I did on the course with Travis. I like the feel of the shoulder soreness after a match... albeit from a controller and not a disk, but it is still the same "I got a work out today" burn that I liked in Mesa and Scottsdale. What I am afraid of though (and I'm not alone it seems) is the idea of FORCING motion controls into a game where they may not be necessary. I don't need to change out my weapons in Ghost Recon by opening and closing my arms. That's just a gimmick to sell the Kinect and be able to use it for the new game. I do need motion sensing controls for a title like Dance Central or Sports Champion, but I don't need it for a Zelda title. Like I really want to swing my arm around the room for 20+ hours of gaming. I'd rather sit on my couch and press buttons and be lazy.

-C

Chad is an Adjunct Faculty member teaching video game design in Boston, MA. His school web site is http://www.phlume.com/EDU. He can be reached for comment there.

Can we filter, maybe?

My god! I just spent the last few hours playing in multi-player death matches in MW2 on the PS3 and I gotta tell ya... I had to turn my sound off! I mean its one thing to get pissed if you get ambushed or killed repeatedly by the same dude, but to flame and bitch talk while waiting for the loading screens? Really? I tell ya, With the new episode of Burn Notice on tonight I think I have to quote Bruce Campbell's character "Sam" and say those teenage pre-pubescent squeaky voice foul mouthed little kids are like a "Bunch of bitchy little girls".

F this and your momma that... I don't wanna listen to that shit while I'm fleshing out my class, or waiting for the screen to load. It's just bull shit. I love a good rant or tyrade just like everyone else, but the trash talk I hear pumping though my system is neither a good rant, or worth my attention. Well, maybe worth enough of my attention for me to post on here.

I really wish future releases give you an option to mute out the chatter from the other players allowing you to remove their squeaky trailer/sailor voices from your game unless you want to hear what they might have to say. As an interface designer for the last 12+ years one of the first rules of thumb is to give the user options to mute sound. It's a no brainer! Lemme mute "Punk-AZ-Beatch69" when his candy ass starts talking about raping Stenvenson420's momma and sister. It's just ridiculous

The gaming community is working hard to bring their image up to a new level saying that violence in games are not a bad thing... however, I think perhaps the focus should be more on the MATURITY of the individuals on the networks. Dial it back man.. be understanding that not everyone in the world thinks your pansy ass dick jokes are fun to listen to. Sure... in game is a WHOLE OTHER STORY. Bring it.. trash talk is the shit DURING game play.... But, dial it back while in our holding patter Captain silver-tongue!

The last thing I want is to come off like a prude, or old, or just lame, but there is a time and a place... and that is neither the time, nor the place. Save it for the battlefield you goons. I don't want to hear a Micky Mouse voice squawking away at 122 db about how his cock would look awesome in your momma's throat...simply because he got fragged one too many times by you during game play. Hey Mickey - Shut the FUCK up!

-C

Chad is an Adjunct Faculty member teaching video game design in Boston, MA. His school web site is http://www.phlume.com/EDU. He can be reached for comment there.

Days of Future Passed...

I was feeling a touch nostalgic last night. I did a search and made an astonishing discovery. Bear with me while I set the mood and build your "reader experience" ...

For some reason I was thinking about the "good old days" of the arcade. Perhaps it was from the many recent trips to Chuck E Cheeses with the kids and feeling a bit sad about what is was like then, compared to what it is like now. Back when I was 8, 9, 10, 11... it was all about the "high score". Now, however, it's all about the "ticket count". Sure, we had tickets back in the day, but it really was only for the Whack-A-Munch or Skee Ball games. Back when i was young, it was all about the cabinets.

I remember going to CeC in Newington NH. It was an amazing playground of fun. There was the cheese wall--a huge three tiered crawl through maze that was painted like swiss cheese. The holes in the cheese were actual holes in the wall for you to poke your head out through and say hi to mom as she yelled at you to be careful and not get stuck. What fun! The entrance had 3-4 framed areas with animatronic figures stuck into the wall. That was always a treat to arrive to... the song and dance of the figures as you walked up to pay for your pizza (which wasn't half bad.) The animatronics didn't stop there though. In Newington we had three animatronic rooms. There was the Cabaret with all of Chucke's friends, a room with "The King"... an Elvis themed Lion figure singing Elvis Presley tunes, and the "Beach Bowsers" 4 hounds dressed up in Hawaiian gear singing the bounce tunes of the Beach Boys. Then there was the Forest of Games--a themed rain forest area with several cabinets, driving games, and table games. "Hundreds of games" as I remember it.

At 9 years old "hundreds of games" is really about 25-30, but you get the point... it felt huge. I could go to Dream Machine in the old Newington mall, or even in the new Fox Run mall. I could travel to Dover and go to Funspot (thankfully it was walking distance from my Grandmother's so we got to go there a lot)... But Chuck E Cheese's always had more... so it seemed. As time rolled on I remember Funspot moving, the Dream Machine in the Newington mall closing down and eventually there were no more arcades. One day when we went there my cousin and I wished we had $500 bucks (like two 12 year olds have 1/2 a G kicking around) so we could buy a couple of the stand ups. They were selling them all. $200 for Elevator Action... $400 for Pack Man... $350 for Pole position? Man I STILL wish I had a cool grand on that summer day... but I digress.

Fast forward 20+ years, I am now 36, I have two young kids, 4 and 5, and they LOVE Chuck E Cheese. But it's hard for me to go there and not feel a bit like they are missing out on the bigger picture. I see my 4 year old run around like a crazy person from one station to another and pause at every stand up. He wants to play them... but they are all boring. Or they are shooters and I don't think a 4 year old needs to play a shooter...yet.

(Mood set... here are the goods)

So with all of that nostalgia, I decided to see if any of it was "preserved for posterity" anywhere in the US. I made two amazing discoveries:

First...the answer of preserving games is YES! Video games WILL be preserved. Not just in any museum folks... The Smithsonian! That's right. in March of 2012 through September of 2012, The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC will be showcasing video games, and the history and art of them. How cool is THAT! More on that later... here is the link if you can't wait.

Second...The worlds LARGEST (Guinness says so) video game arcade is right in my back yard! And guess what... It's FUNSPOT! That's right. The same arcade (company at least) that I used to walk to from Grammy Fillion's house. Weir's Beach NH is home to the World's largest video game arcade. No more wishing the kids could see the classics in their beautiful cabinets. No more playing Gallaga, Ms Pac Man and Xevious on the same cabinet. Right in our backyard is the MECCA of all arcades. Funspot IS the arcade I remember.

Now, I have yet to go to the location, but the web site boasts not only the largest selection/collection of coin operated video games, but it also has the American Classic Arcade Museum. A not for Profit organization determined to preserve the arcade for all future generations. So not only can I play the games and enjoy them once more... The location will continue to entertain enthusiasts for years to come... as long as the parts hold out.

I can't wait to make our sojourn up to Weirs NH (1 hour away) this summer. Sure, we'll do the water slides, eat ice cream, play mini golf, enjoy the water, shop in the shops and eat fried dough. But for Daddy, the real treat will be opening my children's eyes (an my own) to a world of video game arcades.

-C

Chad is an Adjunct Faculty member teaching video game design in Boston, MA. His school web site is http://www.phlume.com/EDU. He can be reached for comment there.

Link needs an overhaul!

ENOUGH ALREADY!

With the anticipated release of Skyward Sword this fall, and a sneak peek at the game itself at E3 2011, it begs the question... is Nintendo doing all it can to keep the Zelda franchise fresh for it's horde of fans? I say NO!

I remember staying up for hours on end in the 80's playing the original NES Zelda (yes, the gold cartridge) with my cousin. Perhaps I am biased, but in my humble opinion there has only been a handful of "worthy" Zelda titles that come close to being as good as the '86 smash hit. I feel that Skyward sword, though not even released, will not be one of them.

When "Adventures of Link" was announced as a sequel to LoZ I was stoked. I could only imagine a whole new world to adventure in as Link with better graphics and game play. Then the push back. "Sorry. Japan has it, but America isn't ready yet." Christmas came and went. It was disappointing, but life moved on. It wasn't until a full year later that we got to see the actual release of the game. I went to Toys R Us, pulled the ticket off of the massive NES wall, and waited patiently in line to purchase Zelda 2. I Got it home... Pushed the cartridge (another gold one) into the slot. Powered the NES on and, UGH! Now this was REALLY disappointing.

As Nintendo rolled on with Link to the past, Ocarina of time, Majora's Mask, Wind Waker, and a handful of hand-held titles, very few of them caught my attention as "show stoppers". With that said, however, I will say, I was a fan of Link to the Past and the more stylish graphics that came with it thanks to the SNES's 16-bit capabilities. The story was fun, the game play was enjoyable, but most importantly I got to see the top down perspective that was worthy of my attention...something I had missed so much in Adventures of link. The game wasn't the original, but it was closer than the previous release so that was a step in the right direction.

As new titles came out, I was reluctant to buy them. They all looked like rehashes of the game I had already played. Get hearts. defeat bad guys, find the slingshot, hook shot and boomerang (fishing was a cool addition though) ...It wasn't until Wind Waker arrived, with it's beautiful cell shading and the ability to sail, that I deceided to purchase into the franchise again. I played Majora's Mask and Ocarina at friends, but I didn't buy any of them as they didn't "wow" me; Although, Wind Waker did. I loved sailing the open sea, talking to fish and traveling the vast world late into the night. The new tools, weapons, and npc's made for a delightful journey. With side quests abound, this title had a lot of fun wrapped up into it's little Game Cube disk.

As time went on, with every new console Nintendo released, it seemed to be paired with an eventual Zelda title. As the dawn of motion controls arrived, the Wii brought us Twilight Princess. The graphics seemed a touch more mature (especially compared to the fan fare of the cell shaded Wind Waker), and the motion controls definately added a new level of player experience. But even though I loved playing the game, the game itself, and the franchise as a whole, had started to fall flat for me. The games have a sense of adventure that varies with each release, and the tasks and enemies certainly change a bit, but all in all it is just another revamp of the same old to do list. The weapons and overall treasures have become predictable. I ride a horse. I get a sword, use a boomerang, find a hook shot, increase my heart containers, chase fairies, and sing a song. Where is the originality? Where are the new items? Features? Are we at the end of the "list" is this the last page of the notebook? I hope not.

As I look ahead at Skyward sword I anticipate; riding a bird, finding fairies, getting heart containers, using a sword, chucking a boomerang and gathering the same various colored rupies, hearts and magic bottles from shredded grass blades as I do a spin strike on an open field. It's getting old. I want the allure of '86 and the gold cartridge. I want the yearning of enjoyable game play (not grinding) through a level to find a wand or red candle. I want to hold a tri-force piece high above links head and feel as though I have accomplished a feat, not simply completed an item off of my to do list. I want to feel proud to own the new Zelda title.

Perhaps it's my age showing, or the nostalgic side (the "kid" in me) coming out for a peek at the new century of gaming. I want the exhilaration of opening a case, tossing the game into the system, grabbing a rack of Dews, a 3 lb bag of skittles, and settling into hours of game play that sucks me in. I don't want hours of cut scenes and reading... I'll play La Noire for that. I want adventure at the truest sense of the word...Discovery. Finding new hidden treasures.

My plea to Nintendo... Release a Zelda title with an "M" rating. Get that tunic stained, torn and bloody. Beef up that graphics engine. Come up with some new weapons, traps, puzzles and creatures. Put me in some snow. Show me some gore. Rough up Link. Add some fear. Take away the cartoon and inject some stealth. Give me a reboot that makes me go "Awww yeah... lets go pick up some fairies... we're gonna need them for this shit!"

-C

Chad is an Adjunct Faculty member teaching video game design in Boston, MA. His school web site is http://www.phlume.com/EDU. He can be reached for comment there.