Thursday, May 14, 2009

Cel Shaded faves

I love Cel Shaded games, and have ever since around the time of XIII's original PC release and then a year or so later the Dreamcast's Jet Set series back in the day. XIII PC was really the first truly cel shading in a retail game although I recall there being a Quake2 mod that rendered everything in that same unique way. I guess this must be a major reason for my love for Team Fortress 2, Drift City, S4 League (all cel shaded games) but does not include the "cartoony-looking but not really cel shaded" World of Warcraft and Free Realms for example. Of course even though I do like the cel shaded games I mentioned, if the gameplay itself were not so deep and rewarding I'd drop them in a heartbeat. Usually the cartoony games I like in spite of their look, but in the case of true cel shading it seems I just can't get enough of a good thing even though this particular style has dropped out of favor quite a bit over the years.

A new game which I just got done spending about 3 hours with is a new addition to the Free to Play/Item shop genre is also Cel Shaded: GhostX. It's one of those smaller games that slipped in under the radar, yet it seems to really be off to a fanastic start with tons of players just logging in for the first time and exploring the massive online world while questing and grouping up with newly made friends while they're not duelling each other in the pvp-mode. GhostX has a few fairly original but familiar gameplay techniques and the fighting style is that of Double Dragon and Streets of Rage and Battletoads etc etc. Really stylishly-cool 3d brawler in a 2d style - yet scrolls in all 3 dimensions. Lots of combos and abilities are unlocked as you level up and a skill tree for yourself and your nanobot with which you form a symbiotic attachment. Fun stuff that's worth a download for sure.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Game sounds

I noticed this post on Massively and I just had to comment. I believe sound is extremely important, and Runes of Magic is sorely lacking in that department - the inspiration for the OP's topic.

I'm always surprised to see those people who say that they play with the sound turned down or that play their own music during the game. Look. You've got all day to listen to your own music - you can listen to your own music a n y t i m e. In fact we are innundated by commercial mainstream music practically non-stop. And you mean to tell me that you like it so much that you simply must have it playing while you game too? Instead of the music designed for the game?

Music (and the incidental sounds) are a large part OF the game imo. If you are eliminating a part of the game that can have such an emotional impact as the music, then you are not really playing the game. Just a part of it.

Now I've played WoW for 14 hours straight before and yes I have turned off the game music, and I always do during raids as well. But those who just always play games without the sound are not "true" gamers in my book, and even more importantly are depriving themselves of the full game experience. Computer games are made up of two things: what you see and what you hear. That's it.

What you can see in the game.
What you can hear in the game.

Thats it! There is no tasting there is no smelling there is no touching. Just sight and sound. Eliminate the sound (and replace it with your own sound) and you're only getting half the game.