Stolen Pixels #236: Breen Interviews Ken

[samsonguy920]

Graphics aren't everything. When you take all that processing power from graphics and put it somewhere else, it doesn't make it run better, but it makes the game do things you'd never imagine.

Of course I'm probably just preaching to the choir, so I'll stop now.

Hallelujah!

 

[Shamus Young]

Yes, we get it. You really like minecraft. Are there actually going to be jokes in this comic or will it continue to be a running advertisement for Minecraft?

Because that's what it was today. The punchline was "You can play Minecraft anywhere! Isn't that so convenient? You should totally order a copy." Next time, just abandon all subtlety and provide a direct link to their downloads page.

I cover a lot of ground in this comic. AAA games. Casual games. Indie games. Some positive. Some negative. Do try to keep a sense of perspective.

 

[Urthman]

I'm hoping you'll do an Experienced Points talking about the procedural generation and other stuff from a programmer / game designer's perspective.

 

[Mausenheimmer]

Yes, we get it. You really like minecraft. Are there actually going to be jokes in this comic or will it continue to be a running advertisement for Minecraft?

Because that's what it was today. The punchline was "You can play Minecraft anywhere! Isn't that so convenient? You should totally order a copy." Next time, just abandon all subtlety and provide a direct link to their downloads page.

I cover a lot of ground in this comic. AAA games. Casual games. Indie games. Some positive. Some negative. Do try to keep a sense of perspective.

All right, here's my perspective. We get a column on Minecraft October the 8th and then the next comic is about minecraft. The comic basically reiterates everything you say in your column and you admit as much, but it's no big deal because you relate your article to the comic all the time. Then the next comic uses Minecraft again as a set up for some intentionally bad jokes, but it still sorta ties in with the last comic. At least there's an attempted punchline.

But yesterday's comic brings almost nothing new to the table. Breen neglecting his night show was the punchline and set-up for the last two comics. The only thing that is new is that the comic is talking about how there are so many ways you can play it and it's so much better than Call of Duty. Basically, it's the kind of stuff you'd expect to find on the back of a game's box, not in a comic.

TL;DR version: There's a different between making a game the subject of a lot of comics and reading off a list of features in the game.

 

[imnot]

Notch you bastard, this is like chime all over again!

 

[Yokai]

Of course, then I found out worlds can take up approximately eight times the entire surface area of the Earth.

If you're playing Alpha, as far as I am aware the map size is limited only by your disk space.

My current world is at least fifty square miles and only takes up thirteen megabytes...I shudder to think of the possibilities. Shudder with gleeful apprehension, that is.

 

[Irridium]

Basically, it's the kind of stuff you'd expect to find on the back of a game's box, not in a comic.

Nah, the back of game boxes are reserved for hyping up epic graphix.

 

[ZodiacBraves]

Now I actually respect this. You're being perfectly honest about your intentions and straight forward with me. Better yet, you don't pretend like it's build up to a joke. I appreciate that you listened to me.

Now let me try:

Knock knock!
Who's there?
HTTP Colon!
HTTP Colon who?
http://www.minecraft.net/download.jsp!

I have to admit, your joke actually made me chuckle out loud.

 

[ZodiacBraves]

Yes, we get it. You really like minecraft. Are there actually going to be jokes in this comic or will it continue to be a running advertisement for Minecraft?

Because that's what it was today. The punchline was "You can play Minecraft anywhere! Isn't that so convenient? You should totally order a copy." Next time, just abandon all subtlety and provide a direct link to their downloads page.

I cover a lot of ground in this comic. AAA games. Casual games. Indie games. Some positive. Some negative. Do try to keep a sense of perspective.

All right, here's my perspective. We get a column on Minecraft October the 8th and then the next comic is about minecraft. The comic basically reiterates everything you say in your column and you admit as much, but it's no big deal because you relate your article to the comic all the time. Then the next comic uses Minecraft again as a set up for some intentionally bad jokes, but it still sorta ties in with the last comic. At least there's an attempted punchline.

But yesterday's comic brings almost nothing new to the table. Breen neglecting his night show was the punchline and set-up for the last two comics. The only thing that is new is that the comic is talking about how there are so many ways you can play it and it's so much better than Call of Duty. Basically, it's the kind of stuff you'd expect to find on the back of a game's box, not in a comic.

TL;DR version: There's a different between making a game the subject of a lot of comics and reading off a list of features in the game.

A comic doesn't always have to strike a chord with you. It seems apparent you aren't very fond of Minecraft. However, I found it funny. I enjoy Minecraft and if you had also enjoyed it you might have a different opinion of this comic.

 

[sky14kemea]

I think we need to ween Shamus away from Minecraft for a little while, until he learns to control his addiction. xD

 

[Boxinatorizore]

Every time I read these things, I have to try and surpress the urge... luckily, I still don't know what the website is! Hooray!

[sub]If anyone gives me a link, I will hunt them down.[/sub]

Here's the site
http://minecraft.net

Here's where to play the free version
www.minecraft.net/play.jsp

Here's where you but it
http://minecraft.net/prepurchase.jsp

And here's where you download it once you've bought it
http://www.minecraft.net/download.jsp

Enjoy... This may be the last time you contact any other humans.

 

[Mausenheimmer]

TL;DR version: There's a different between making a game the subject of a lot of comics and reading off a list of features in the game.

A comic doesn't always have to strike a chord with you. It seems apparent you aren't very fond of Minecraft. However, I found it funny. I enjoy Minecraft and if you had also enjoyed it you might have a different opinion of this comic.

You know, your comment would make just as much sense if you replaced the word "comic" with "advertisement". My opinion of Minecraft doesn't change the fact that we've already had the joke "Breen neglects responsibility for Minecraft" twice before this comic and it's gotten old. Any appreciation of this comic just stems from remembering fun times in Minecraft, which means the comic isn't really adding anything to the experience.

I'm glad you liked my knock knock joke though!

Basically, it's the kind of stuff you'd expect to find on the back of a game's box, not in a comic.

Nah, the back of game boxes are reserved for hyping up epic graphix.

Incidentally, Shamus does promote the retro graphics when he encourages the Call of Duty guy to include "bigger pixels" since that's all the rage now. Ironically, your sarcasm only reinforces my point.

For the record, I haven't tried Minecraft and I don't really intend to. All I have is a netbook and I'm busy with grad school. So, regardless of whether or not the sky is the limit for your creativity in that game, it's not the type of game I'm looking for at this moment in history.

 

[ZodiacBraves]

TL;DR version: There's a different between making a game the subject of a lot of comics and reading off a list of features in the game.

A comic doesn't always have to strike a chord with you. It seems apparent you aren't very fond of Minecraft. However, I found it funny. I enjoy Minecraft and if you had also enjoyed it you might have a different opinion of this comic.

You know, your comment would make just as much sense if you replaced the word "comic" with "advertisement". My opinion of Minecraft doesn't change the fact that we've already had the joke "Breen neglects responsibility for Minecraft" twice before this comic and it's gotten old. Any appreciation of this comic just stems from remembering fun times in Minecraft, which means the comic isn't really adding anything to the experience.

I'm glad you liked my knock knock joke though!

I agree with you to some extent, but mostly I disagree.

First off, you seem to be contradicting yourself in your response. Maybe I am misunderstanding, but it seems like you compared this comic to an advertisement and then proceeded to indicate that its an inside jokes only Minecraft fans could enjoy.

If that's true, that doesn't make much sense from an advertising standpoint. Sure, you could argue that the inside jokes are saying "look how much fun we are having, you could be too if you got this game," but I don't feel that argument holds very much weight. That type of advertising could possibly backfire and end up alienating their potential customers.

If you still think its an advertisement then I still have to disagree on the very point of what an advertisement is. An advertisement is generally seen to be a conscious act of the company trying to sell the product. If I had to chose one section of marketing you could classify this comic, it would be word-of-mouth, which could be true because that's how news of this game spread like wildfire in the first place. However, I would say that if he is doing anything, it's trying to persuade you to get the game, more specifically Social Proof (Kevin is unsure of what minecraft is, but when he sees "everyone" is playing it he jumps right in without checking).

As for your comment about how "he made this joke already," you seem to use a pretty general theme for the joke. By part 3 of History of Civilization I was bored, I mean, he used the same joke of "Civilization games have an odd/funny retelling of history" twice before that (I am being facetious when I say that). If you follow more than one webcomic then I am sure you must have run into a series of comics all about one topic at some point (see a large portion of any wow-based comics).

Finally, your seeming indication that comics shouldn't have jokes that only the players would find funny (inside jokes). I don't really see why not, sure the people that don't play might not understand or laugh, but it will be funny to the people who relate to the comic. I can't imagine Shamus is going to turn Stolen Pixels into a Minecraft comic after a few comics about a game he is currently engrossed in. Using his Civilization comics as examples again, if a reader didn't care or knew little of the Civ series, they probably wouldn't relate to that comic trilogy very well.

I will say that I didn't find the second Minecraft as funny as the other two, but still enjoyed them. With how much Shamus is talking about the game recently it could seem like advertising or persuation, but I think he's just another gamer/geek/nerd who is excited about the game he is playing.

Haven't you ever been really pumped about a game and felt like you couldn't stop talking about it before?

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

Breen really needs a *detox" clinic for minecraft.

It's not Breen I'm worried about...

I found this on Shamus' email account.

ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.

I guess we need an intervention.

Note* I was trying to say something witty, but could'nt come up with something.

No Minecraft make Shamus something something...

 

[The Great JT]

I don't have any cobblestone, Breen.

Got lots of cotton, though.

 

[lordswift]

TL;DR version: There's a different between making a game the subject of a lot of comics and reading off a list of features in the game.

A comic doesn't always have to strike a chord with you. It seems apparent you aren't very fond of Minecraft. However, I found it funny. I enjoy Minecraft and if you had also enjoyed it you might have a different opinion of this comic.

You know, your comment would make just as much sense if you replaced the word "comic" with "advertisement". My opinion of Minecraft doesn't change the fact that we've already had the joke "Breen neglects responsibility for Minecraft" twice before this comic and it's gotten old. Any appreciation of this comic just stems from remembering fun times in Minecraft, which means the comic isn't really adding anything to the experience.

I'm glad you liked my knock knock joke though!

Basically, it's the kind of stuff you'd expect to find on the back of a game's box, not in a comic.

Nah, the back of game boxes are reserved for hyping up epic graphix.

Incidentally, Shamus does promote the retro graphics when he encourages the Call of Duty guy to include "bigger pixels" since that's all the rage now. Ironically, your sarcasm only reinforces my point.

For the record, I haven't tried Minecraft and I don't really intend to. All I have is a netbook and I'm busy with grad school. So, regardless of whether or not the sky is the limit for your creativity in that game, it's not the type of game I'm looking for at this moment in history.

Get over yourself. i have never played minecraft and i dont feel the urge to. but i have read about it. watches a guy show off his part finished to scale USS Enterprise and was blown away. i enjoyed these comics shamus. keep up the good work and try to get over that little addiction you got their. hehe

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

So, so addictive. Now I just need to think of something to build to celebrate New Vegas coming out...

I considered that. Then I played New Vegas instead. I'm fairly certain that, were I to play Minecraft, I would instantly fail at life.

 

[Burningsok]

Breen really needs a *detox" clinic for minecraft.

It's not Breen I'm worried about...

I found this on Shamus' email account.

ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.
ALL WORK AND NO MINECRAFT MAKES SHAMUS A DULL BOY.

Wait this explains everything! It wasn't the hotel that made Jack Nickelson crazy, it was Minecraft. But how... how could he have obtained it?Probably by some intergalactic alien race that visited earth and just happened to find Jack asleep in his room and transported him to the future. maybe the future was to much to comprehend for the old chap, causing him to go nuts. This is a mystery that might never be solved >_>

 

[rembrandtqeinstein]

If you haven't hit multiplayer check out the minecraft appreciation club

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/Minecraft-Appreciation-Club

Lots of friendly server ops keeping the peace and laying the smackdown on griefers, tons of server mods and lots of awesome stuff to see

Show up on the server just for the giant Yahtzee statue and Escapist logos!