Jimquisition: How Skyrim Proves The Industry Wrong

[geizr]

In other words, if you want to have a successful game, quit fucking about with the bullshit and just make a fucking good game.

Yes, that is a pithy way of putting it that does not convey all the additional nuances(as is typical of pithy comments), but, I think at this point, there has been more than enough discussion that we know what those nuances are and how they distill down to the above comment.

ADDENDUM: However, I should add that what one should do to make a game good depends on the game. There is no universal silver-magic bullet approach. Blindly copying another's success is the surest road to failure.

 

[CaptainOctopus]

Well said good sir, well said.

 

[Wolfram23]

It also helps that intrepid individuals can create all kinds of content for the game. Can't wait to see what they come up with - ever see the amazing Fallout (3/NV) mods?? Damn.

But yeah, multiplayer to me is rather "meh". I played maybe... 10 hours of BF3 online. Yeah, it's fairly enjoyable, but I'm already around 30 hours of Skyrim and practically drooling at the mouth to play more lol.

I wish it came out 5 years ago when I could game for 5 hrs a day (oh how WoW consumed me in my youth...)

 

[GraveeKing]

He's right, he's cute he- oh he just went OTT at the end, I was just about to take my pants off too.
Other than being OTT he has a point. And I think the truth is - ALL of the games industry know about this crap, it's just big businesses want their lovely money and budgets and all profit...
And um actually, I know the sales figures sounds impressive... but well GTA 4 sold 6million copies in the first week and to this day around 22 million total. I'm sure Skyrim will hit that figure or near enough it eventually, I'm just saying 3.5 million ISN'T that much compared to total shit other games like CoD.
It just depends on the audience - they add multiplayer to games when they don't rack enough profit. Then again with that said - who DOESN'T want Skyrim multiplayer?!

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

Based on what I see in Skyrim Bethesda is greedily eyeing WoWs bleeding subscriber numbers and looking for a way to scoop them up.

Prediction 1: Bethesda will announce a future Elder Scrolls MMO to coincide with a major Skyrim expansion, possibly even a multi-player component

Prediction 2: The vast majority of the content will be procedural and user generated

 

[Ravenbom]

Actually I'd say Dead Island is a better example because it didn't have the deep pockets behind it but became the best selling for it's release month.

And while Zombie have been done to death I've never played a Fallout 3 style first person thrower (I was the throwing dude).
Even with its bugs (not as bad for me as people claimed) it had the best level scaling of any RPG I ever played. I never once felt like an overpowered badass like I'm feeling in Skyrim. Which is great for the zombie genre.



I think most hardcore gamers are over-privileged. We forget that the great hardcore games are what drives this industry.
As long as I have my good games everyone else can keep their Madden Warfares. I'm not gonna hate on the cash cows just because I don't play them.

 

[Broknhead]

epic zombie chicken action in that vid, very nice!

 

[jpoon]

Spot.fucking.on!

Couldn't be more right about this Jim, well said. Nice hat by the way, I want it!

 

[Dr. Pepper Unlimited]

Well said. I've gone from hating this series to loving it. It's rare I do a 180 like that, but the man keeps making good points. Well said again...now if only developers would listen.

 

[Riff Moonraker]

Jim NAILED it on the head. I'm looking DIRECTLY AT YOU, MASS EFFECT 3!!!!!!!

 

[sage42]

My fucking god, Jim Sterling really is right about everything.

I know, that's the exact same reaction I had. Well for this vid anyway. I always thought Jim was kind of a douche. Now though I'll try to keep up on his show.

 

[Aureliano]

Ya know, Skyrim is a lot like the dishes. There's an endless amount of sorta varied content all rendered in particularly high definition that literally millions of people are getting in on and that feels quite a bit like work and lacks interesting gameplay or even an immersive story. And you know what else? Neither of them is any goddamned fun. At least after I've done the dishes I have clean glasses and plates to show for my boredom though.

 

[Genixma]

Anyone have a flashback of Louie Anderson at the end?
Anyone?
Oh well.

 

[Crazy Zaul]

So being awesome is better that being a dick.. who knew? Someone should tell EA and Activision and that other one with the red logo but i can't remember which one.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Wait, Jim is our Dragonborn?

...

We are all going to die.

 

[Lunar Templar]

I didn't see a single mention of Dynasty Warriors. Booo, Jim!

But Jim! Making games like Skyrim takes time, effort and dedication (something most videogame developers today don't bother with...)!

And why would we risk money on effort when we can slap on multiplayer and charge for DLC?

sarcasm aside :/ sad how true that is.

but this almost makes me wanna throw money at Bethesda for Skyrim, (cept then I'd have a game i've no lasting interest in playing) cause it more or less represents 'the correct path' of video game creation, time, effort, attention to detail and understanding the player base to give them what they want, and will want to play for YEARS, not just months

 

[FilipJPhry]

Man, I remember the first few videos of Jimquisition where the majority of us hated Sterling and everything he said. Now the Jimquisition is another reason why I keep coming to the Escapist.

 

[Lhynn]

Ya know, Skyrim is a lot like the dishes. There's an endless amount of sorta varied content all rendered in particularly high definition that literally millions of people are getting in on and that feels quite a bit like work and lacks interesting gameplay or even an immersive story. And you know what else? Neither of them is any goddamned fun. At least after I've done the dishes I have clean glasses and plates to show for my boredom though.

I hear you, its not deep, but TES`s games have never been about that. TES`s games are about getting home, booting up the game, living the life of a wandering adventurer that never forms any meaningful relationship with anyone. And if you cant enjoy that, then no one is forcing you to do it.
The game is still flawed tho, but that does not mean its boring or bad, its just... not for you.

 

[D33dl3]

well put Jim .... well put