Go behind the scenes to learn about how Irrational Games worked to create Elizabeth, a companion character designed specifically to bring the player closer to the story. Meet the four women who devoted themselves to making Elizabeth more human than your average video game character, and the process involved in making her come to life.
See I think this is how developers should feel about the characters in their games. I sometimes don't see that in the characters at all. They seem thrown together not useful or genuine, just add-ons to talk (for the most of the time speechless) main character. You don't get a genuine feel to the characters if or the world if they are just their to give a quest or fill up play time. I like what i see in this trailer because it brings me back to the first Bioshock where all of the side characters and the world filled the same void "Liz" and her world will fill in this game. Just hope it's not bogged down with mechanics like Bioshock 2 was.
See I think this is how developers should feel about the characters in their games. I sometimes don't see that in the characters at all. They seem thrown together not useful or genuine, just add-ons to talk (for the most of the time speechless) main character. You don't get a genuine feel to the characters if or the world if they are just their to give a quest or fill up play time. I like what i see in this trailer because it brings me back to the first Bioshock where all of the side characters and the world filled the same void "Liz" and her world will fill in this game. Just hope it's not bogged down with mechanics like Bioshock 2 was.
You don't get any kind of feel for Dew-It he just spouts shit that is kind of obvious and then Elizabeth is just an emotional teenager who seems like she might cut herself at any moment while constantly trying to throw things at you. While having fleshed out characters is nice I don't like when it's the main focus. The game play ultimately suffers for this in most cases...
__________________ "This game raped my wife, slaughtered my son and left me for dead."
The bigger they are, the more likely I am to buy this game.
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While having fleshed out characters is nice I don't like when it's the main focus. The game play ultimately suffers for this in most cases...
US game companies are good at making throw away companions you don't really give a shit about. It takes the Japanese to give me characters I sort of like and don't want to see get killed. RE4 for example. I gave a crap about Ashley. Metal Gear Solid is another game with memorable characters.
Half-Life on the other hand, all the characters were throw away for the most part. They just tended to get in my way. Alyx Vance was just plain annoying with the fake emoting and fake injury that were trying to pull out some feeling. It's not a strength of US Game makers.
I have a feeling this "woman" will be more of the same. I guess we'll find out in 5 days.
The bigger they are, the more likely I am to buy this game.
US game companies are good at making throw away companions you don't really give a shit about. It takes the Japanese to give me characters I sort of like and don't want to see get killed. RE4 for example. I gave a crap about Ashley. Metal Gear Solid is another game with memorable characters.
Half-Life on the other hand, all the characters were throw away for the most part. They just tended to get in my way. Alyx Vance was just plain annoying with the fake emoting and fake injury that were trying to pull out some feeling. It's not a strength of US Game makers.
I have a feeling this "woman" will be more of the same. I guess we'll find out in 5 days.
Dude. Everybody hates Ashley and everybody like Alyx (xcept me) are we trolling? Also the Japanese made many throw away chars...look at the new Tomb Raider for example. All the chars were there to make Lara "better" even killing people on a boat(or letting them die/become HEROES) because you couldn't kill 10 guys but later you can kill 65 Samurai zombies? lulz.
Dude. Everybody hates Ashley and everybody like Alyx (xcept me) are we trolling?
My point is you often get characters you care about in Japanese games and more often than not don't in american made games. There are always exceptions. I though Alyx's dad was a decent character for instance. Certainly seeing his brains get sucked out had more impact than anything Alyx had done in the whole rest of the series. I recently played some Ys games on steam. In Ys:Origins, the characters had more personality than the entire Half-Life universe and they were basically stick figures.
I thought the new Tomb Raider was great. Best game I've played recently. It was really refreshing after the disappointment of DS3 and Crysis 3. I don't let silly minutia get in the way of having fun. You know, it's a game, Lara converting from a whiner to a killer in 8-10 hours of play is alright with me.
My point is you often get characters you care about in Japanese games and more often than not don't in american made games. There are always exceptions. I though Alyx's dad was a decent character for instance. Certainly seeing his brains get sucked out had more impact than anything Alyx had done in the whole rest of the series. I recently played some Ys games on steam. In Ys:Origins, the characters had more personality than the entire Half-Life universe and they were basically stick figures.
Not really the case for me. Except for THE best RPG ever (you know which one and NO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT FINAL FANTASY 7) most Japanese games and their chars were...lacking and straight up weird. To me RDR, ME characters (up until the ending) and the protagonist for Fallout games have been "the" characters I ever gave a damn about. Oh and the new Lara until I became god. (45 mins in?) Except when there were scripted events where I HAD to get my ass kicked.
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Originally Posted by MasterKwan
I thought the new Tomb Raider was great. Best game I've played recently. It was really refreshing after the disappointment of DS3 and Crysis 3. I don't let silly minutia get in the way of having fun. You know, it's a game, Lara converting from a whiner to a killer in 8-10 hours of play is alright with me.
She was never a whiner she was just scared and the transition was about 25 seconds to full on Rambo. It was prob my biggest pet-peeve along with the "I'm hungry" YET THE GAME MECHANIC WAS DROPPED/linearity and HEAVY QTE's. Square Enix can fix this on the next game...although they missed their shot since the sequel's aren't gonna be about being stranded and prob have multiple locations.
My point is you often get characters you care about in Japanese games and more often than not don't in american made games. There are always exceptions. I though Alyx's dad was a decent character for instance. Certainly seeing his brains get sucked out had more impact than anything Alyx had done in the whole rest of the series. I recently played some Ys games on steam. In Ys:Origins, the characters had more personality than the entire Half-Life universe and they were basically stick figures.
I thought the new Tomb Raider was great. Best game I've played recently. It was really refreshing after the disappointment of DS3 and Crysis 3. I don't let silly minutia get in the way of having fun. You know, it's a game, Lara converting from a whiner to a killer in 8-10 hours of play is alright with me.
I think that's a fair assessment if you mean JRPG's vs. Western games.
I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the Japanese are much more enthusiastic of putting quiet moments in their games than american developers are.
That being said, "realism" has not been kind to Japanese games. Japanese characters have become much, much less interesting in the past few generations, in my opinion.
That being said, "realism" has not been kind to Japanese games. Japanese characters have become much, much less interesting in the past few generations, in my opinion.
Oh come on! Are you trying to say that having junior high kids beating up adults and saving the universe it isn't realistic?!
As much as I have enjoyed Japanese games in the past, it was the idea of children saving the day in every game that was driving me away. And a personal favorite, the six year old in FF9 who had sexual feelings and was trying to get you to marry her. Six year old with sexual feelings.... only in japan.
BioShock Infinite will be available for Mac this summer. The news comes via Aspyr Media, who notes that “release date and pre-order details are coming soon!”
Oh come on! Are you trying to say that having junior high kids beating up adults and saving the universe it isn't realistic?!
As much as I have enjoyed Japanese games in the past, it was the idea of children saving the day in every game that was driving me away. And a personal favorite, the six year old in FF9 who had sexual feelings and was trying to get you to marry her. Six year old with sexual feelings.... only in japan.
I... don't remember that part.
HOnestly, I think playing as children was endearing to me when I was a kid. I mean, it certainly worked wtih Earthbound. But as games strive for this "Realism" thing, I think you're right insomuch as it does become more bizarre.
I personally think it even affects the writing. When games like Final Fantasy relied on sprites, I could interpret a blank stare or a hop however I liked. But in the age of performance capture, Japanese body language is EXTREMELY offputting. And dubbed anime voice acting is just garbage.
Serah from Final Fantasy 13, in an 8 bit game, I might have even liked. In 13, though, she's terrible
HOnestly, I think playing as children was endearing to me when I was a kid. I mean, it certainly worked wtih Earthbound. But as games strive for this "Realism" thing, I think you're right insomuch as it does become more bizarre.
I personally think it even affects the writing. When games like Final Fantasy relied on sprites, I could interpret a blank stare or a hop however I liked. But in the age of performance capture, Japanese body language is EXTREMELY offputting. And dubbed anime voice acting is just garbage.
Serah from Final Fantasy 13, in an 8 bit game, I might have even liked. In 13, though, she's terrible
It was Eiko Carol. It was subtle but there. Aside from that I loved the game.
And I couldn't agree more on dubbed anime. Always change the language to Japanese in video games too if the option is there. BUT you have to admit the English dubs of FMA and Black Lagoon were decent.
Bioshock Infinite came free with when I purchased an AMD card along with Crysis 3. I will know soon enough if this game is worth a damn. I do love the design of this game series and hope for the best.
Oh come on! Are you trying to say that having junior high kids beating up adults and saving the universe it isn't realistic?!
As much as I have enjoyed Japanese games in the past, it was the idea of children saving the day in every game that was driving me away. And a personal favorite, the six year old in FF9 who had sexual feelings and was trying to get you to marry her. Six year old with sexual feelings.... only in japan.
She had to repopulate. Because you know...dead Summoners. Wait wasn't she 8 or 9? Still creepy as fuck.
All I care about is whether it's fun or not. I hate Final Fantasy about as much as I hate "Alyx Vance" (meaning I hate them alot). The FF games just weren't any fun. My idea of a fun Japanese games is Peace Walker, MGS, MGS2-3, RE4, The whole YS series.
The Japanese are willing to push boundaries where US game makers are afraid to go. I watched an anime the other day about Jesus and Budda living in a small apartment in Japan. It was really funny but, you know the crazies in this country would be up in arms of someone did something like that here. Yes, to us westerners, the boundaries they push are sometimes pretty oogy. But, honestly I think it's why we play these games. To be pushed out of our comfort zones.
You know why Japanese games often have kids as the main characters? It's because it sucks to be an adult in Japan.
