On Audio Logs
- Thread starter Yahtzee Croshaw
- Start date
Don't forget Yahtzee, in AVP you play a Latino-American!
So the guys who made the game aren't racist. They just think we're retarded.
... Damn them.
So the guys who made the game aren't racist. They just think we're retarded.
... Damn them.
I was a bit pissed over the treatment of the other campaigns in AVP. Aliens in particular. It was just so bland. Every mission was 'kill these guys', or 'avoid or kill these guys'. Seriously, that's the whole thing. Oh wait, I forgot something. 'Kill the predator'.
AVP2 was far better.
AVP2 was far better.
Only audio logs I ever enjoyed were from System Shock 2... that will forever be my favorite game.
Yeah I did hate going through all those menus just to hear the audio log in Doom 3.
In AVP they made it easier but considering that the logs were pretty short, I'm wondering why they just didn't play them automatically like in Bioshock.
In AVP they made it easier but considering that the logs were pretty short, I'm wondering why they just didn't play them automatically like in Bioshock.
I disagree on a couple of notes.
Audio logs are a good way for them to convey a story of some one, and give an insight as to what happened.
Case and point, in Bioshock 2 there is a man from whom is looking for his daughter. You find these diaries of him talking about what's going on, and what the bloke is thinking. It adds tension and story, and it blows you away when you hear him yelling at a big sister, or when you ultimately kill him as he became a big daddy. The way it was done was great, and it added to the atmosphere of the game and ultimately made it more ENJOYABLE.
Audio logs may not be perfect, nor may the be logical but it's butt tons more then not having them at all. They just need to be refined, and perhaps a more logical reasoning for it. Perhaps a person in the games only audio log series is part of a filming team, and as such would have access to a vast amount of audio reminders, maybe some ones in a mall, and there are a bunch of audio reminders.
Just my 2 cents.
Audio logs are a good way for them to convey a story of some one, and give an insight as to what happened.
Case and point, in Bioshock 2 there is a man from whom is looking for his daughter. You find these diaries of him talking about what's going on, and what the bloke is thinking. It adds tension and story, and it blows you away when you hear him yelling at a big sister, or when you ultimately kill him as he became a big daddy. The way it was done was great, and it added to the atmosphere of the game and ultimately made it more ENJOYABLE.
Audio logs may not be perfect, nor may the be logical but it's butt tons more then not having them at all. They just need to be refined, and perhaps a more logical reasoning for it. Perhaps a person in the games only audio log series is part of a filming team, and as such would have access to a vast amount of audio reminders, maybe some ones in a mall, and there are a bunch of audio reminders.
Just my 2 cents.
"I'd like to see a mainstream game these days about a man in a top hat jumping down a toilet."
Would a man in a top hat collecting pies do? "The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom" have been getting alot of attention.
Would a man in a top hat collecting pies do? "The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom" have been getting alot of attention.
I personally enjoyed the readings (I'm a Bookworm yes?) but, if I had to choose between a poorly voice acted Audio Log and a poorly written...written log, I'd go with the written because we can at least skip over the written quicker.
The only reasonable excuse I can consider for audio logs is with Bioshock...not only because Bioshock (the first) was done so extremely well in other areas, but that the audio logs had a reason to exist in the hands of every random person there. Some were the work-related logs (such as with Dr. Suchong) and need no wondering, but others like the random citizens?
Well according to the advertising on the walls in places, the 'Accu-Vox' were a brand new stylin' thing at the time. I remember early in elementary school when those small hand-held recorders aimed at kids (forget the name...something-boy) came out, EVERYONE had them and recorded the most random stupid shit.
So, it makes sense to me I suppose. Conveniently good timing, but still explainable.
Well according to the advertising on the walls in places, the 'Accu-Vox' were a brand new stylin' thing at the time. I remember early in elementary school when those small hand-held recorders aimed at kids (forget the name...something-boy) came out, EVERYONE had them and recorded the most random stupid shit.
So, it makes sense to me I suppose. Conveniently good timing, but still explainable.
See, making a simple comment about 'I'd like to see someone try a game like Mario today and have it fly' is bleh. But that right there? A man in a top hat jumping down a toilet? This I would LOVE to see. Immediately it brings to mind a most proper English gentleman bedecked in finery and the most amazing top hat ever with wee spectacles and a curly mustache leaping down filthy plumming to fight evil or something. It's amazing.
I disagree on a lot of this, though I *DO* think they could mix the exposition up a bit. I also tend to agree with doing more experimenting with games and storylines, however it can be argued that some recent attempts to do that have failed utterly, while a weak economy was largely to blame I do not think the industry chose to see it that way. Not to mention the fact that you (Yahtzee) have pretty much flamed many attempts to be creative with creative metaphores like people trying to make a helicopter out of bread.
When it comes to the racism aspects, I think the opposite is true. I feel problems mostly comes from trying to add in more minority and "hip" characters to a game. To put things into perspective Unreal 3 included a Black character who sounded like MC Hammer in the 1990s (Penny Arcade was on the money about this), I think that game would have actually benefitted from less diversity. Basically I think minorities should be left out of games unless the designers really feel a given character should be a minority. Basically token characters ruin games, and it's not just a matter of human racial diversity... look at say Sonic where they started creating a zoo full of anthromorphs with no real reason behind it I can see unless they wanted to make sure nobody's Yiff fetish was accidently left out.
When it comes to the racism aspects, I think the opposite is true. I feel problems mostly comes from trying to add in more minority and "hip" characters to a game. To put things into perspective Unreal 3 included a Black character who sounded like MC Hammer in the 1990s (Penny Arcade was on the money about this), I think that game would have actually benefitted from less diversity. Basically I think minorities should be left out of games unless the designers really feel a given character should be a minority. Basically token characters ruin games, and it's not just a matter of human racial diversity... look at say Sonic where they started creating a zoo full of anthromorphs with no real reason behind it I can see unless they wanted to make sure nobody's Yiff fetish was accidently left out.
Im actually rather fond of the audiologs. I loved the Borderlands with Patricia Tannis and her history on Pandora.
That was really itnriguing and I found myself listening to them intently.
They are also so much better than written logs as they can play whilst you do.
However...does feel everyone is doing them at the moment and the premise is getting a little dry
That was really itnriguing and I found myself listening to them intently.
They are also so much better than written logs as they can play whilst you do.
However...does feel everyone is doing them at the moment and the premise is getting a little dry
It's pretty clear that Audio Logs are much like every other design element: when used correctly, and in reasonable proportions to other methods of exposition (see: System Shock 1 & 2; Dead Space), they work well.
Over do it, and it becomes hackneyed.
How is that any different than anything else?
Just sayin.
On the other hand, it's nice to see Yahtzee actually saying something complimentary about Dead Space, other than the ' fighting a Shoggoth in a tumble dryer ' bit.
Over do it, and it becomes hackneyed.
How is that any different than anything else?
Just sayin.
On the other hand, it's nice to see Yahtzee actually saying something complimentary about Dead Space, other than the ' fighting a Shoggoth in a tumble dryer ' bit.
Personally not a fan of audio logs for one simple reason. In a game I am noramlly playing to be doing something. Listening to an audio log, al a Bioshock, means stopping to appreciate it or carrying on and not getting the full effect. I wouldn't mind it every now and then but I much prefer reading stuff as diaries or similar format. Another example forme was Mass Effect (have only played the first) I really enjoyed the universe they created but found myself twiddling my thumbs and just reading the out loud codez enteries as I got bored waiting for the voice to finish.