So Hasbro has these new versions of classic games out now, where an automated electronic GM essentially handles all the minutiae for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGBaHcrdzRk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=safjI_DNNRo&feature=related
It's part of a product push they're doing to market better to 'the videogame generation', and I figured I'd make a topic to sound off on it.
And here's what I have to say:
What the hell, Hasbro?
Not knocking the games in and of themselves, but as an attempt to appeal to gamers, this is so off-base it's in the bleachers. We don't want 'moar electronics' in our games...we want deeper, more complex games. Point in fact: automating half the game for you REDUCES manipulable mechanics -- its makes the game LESS complex!
Beyond appealing to gamers, there's a running thread of making these games more generally accessible. Does someone want to explain the reasoning here? What trunk-full of hallucinogens led Hasbro to the conclusion that Monopoly -- THE MOST POPULAR BOARD-GAME IN THE WORLD -- was not accessible enough?
Just...ugh. As a gamer, I'm more than a little disgusted at the patronization apparent here.
And as a hobby game designer, I'm absolutely floored by the lack of critical thought on display. It's like the nightmarish realization of a highschool poster-board diagram in response to the prompt 'redesign a popular board-game'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGBaHcrdzRk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=safjI_DNNRo&feature=related
It's part of a product push they're doing to market better to 'the videogame generation', and I figured I'd make a topic to sound off on it.
And here's what I have to say:
What the hell, Hasbro?
Not knocking the games in and of themselves, but as an attempt to appeal to gamers, this is so off-base it's in the bleachers. We don't want 'moar electronics' in our games...we want deeper, more complex games. Point in fact: automating half the game for you REDUCES manipulable mechanics -- its makes the game LESS complex!
Beyond appealing to gamers, there's a running thread of making these games more generally accessible. Does someone want to explain the reasoning here? What trunk-full of hallucinogens led Hasbro to the conclusion that Monopoly -- THE MOST POPULAR BOARD-GAME IN THE WORLD -- was not accessible enough?
Just...ugh. As a gamer, I'm more than a little disgusted at the patronization apparent here.
And as a hobby game designer, I'm absolutely floored by the lack of critical thought on display. It's like the nightmarish realization of a highschool poster-board diagram in response to the prompt 'redesign a popular board-game'.