The Big Picture: Memorium

[Blunderboy]

Didn't really no much about the man but a moving tribute that didn't get caught up in assuming that once you die you're either a hero or a villain. Nice work Bob. Especially the Japanese.

Just goes to show EA and activision heads that yes you can hate video games and gamers but make quality stuff. Push quality and innovation and not abuse your fans with garbage.

Let's not go using the thread to rustle some jimmies eh?

 

[Mr. Q]

A truly touching send-off to one of gaming's greatest visionaries, Bob. Well done. =)

 

[Nooners]

Could someone familiar with the Japanese language please translate Bob's final words for me? Thank you!

 

[punipunipyo]

"Sama" is such a strong word... "Dono" would have been better at that point... it's respectful, yet you don't sound like you are worshiping the guy... in the wrong way...

 

[hawkeye52]

Can anyone tell me what the name of the cartoon at 4:51 is. I for the life of me can't remember it but it's so bloody familliar

 

[Ishal]

So, he was the Kotick and Riccitiello of 80's Japanese business. Not a good thing, but he seemed to be actually um... good at what he did. I've heard quite the amount of stories about this man, and they all are interesting. Like how people would pitch him ideas, he'd approve them early on, they'd come to like 98% completion and he'd scrap the whole thing because of one or two things he didn't like. The man seemed to just have an intuition of what would work.

Years from now when the medium matures even more, he'll be remembered as one of the big faces in gaming along with the likes of several writers, company owners, and designers. I'd imagine many Japanese developers I like were influenced by things he's done. Inafune, Miyazaki, and Tanimura all probably owe him something.

As for the whole "gaming not existing without him." Well, gaming as we know it today wouldn't exist. But I think it's just a tad bit myopic to assume it wouldn't exist at all, if that is what people are thinking. Designers and programmers have been influenced by an array of different things including things outside of gaming. It would be around, just in a different skin. Would it be worse? Maybe... just maybe.

 

[Falseprophet]

A small caveat: Tabletop RPGs might only be 40 years old, but they were born from wargaming, which arguably turns 100 years old this year [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Wars].

"Would any of this be here?"

Yes.

Remember that column Shamus wrote about the great video game crash? You should read the comments about it here and on his blog, the crash was well contained within the USA.

Also, it only really affected home console gaming. Arcades and home computer games were still quite strong.

 

[RJ Dalton]

"Except for Thommas Edison; that guy was just evil."
Truer words have not been spoken.

I'll say good job on this video. Quite an excellent presentation.

 

[hentropy]

I totally agree, we tend to glorify innovators but only if they're willing to put themselves out where all the cameras can see them. Miyamoto was an innovator in many ways, but someone still needed to trust him enough to bankroll all the things that started what we love and those people shouldn't be forgotten or written off as just some money-grubbing suit. Not much would get done without someone grubbing the money, after all.

In any case, I've now heard Japanese spoken with Bostonian inflections, so it's been a good day. I'm also glad Bob is on the "screw Edison" bandwagon, that's a wagon that needs more mainstream people to hop on it.

 

[wolf_isthebest]

What is the game shown at 05:19 ?

 

[Hutzpah Chicken]

That was a very good video and one of the best I have seen for a decent amount of time. Men are not gods nor are they devils, they are just men. I would think that people seeing the challenges and problems of societies' great men would humanize them and make them not so different from the average man. Either way, I doubt the video game industry would have become more than just Nolan Bushnell's fad without Nintendo. I doubt Sega would have pursued video games very far without Nintendo's competition, and even less people would care about the Neo Geo.

 

[uhohimdead]

"Sama" is such a strong word... "Dono" would have been better at that point... it's respectful, yet you don't sound like you are worshiping the guy... in the wrong way...

-dono isn't largely used anymore

 

[Darmani]

Much better than my response to this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-S0gTla1ss

 

[Demandred20]

What is the game shown at 05:19 ?

Its Actraiser. One of IMo the finest games ever released on the SNES and a true classic.

 

[Eric the Orange]

I´m curious, has MovieBob ever said anything regarding Jobs passing? Could be interesting considering his long speech about not making devils and stuff, cause i know a lot of people tend to either categorize Jobs as a devil or a god, which seems a bit ridiculous.

But nice to see someone pay homage to this guy, it´s hard to deny his influence on the industry.

well he did this,

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/moviebob/10530-Based-On-A-True-Story

which touches on it. At least as portrayed in the movie.

 

[Realitycrash]

Well, the guy had vision, and his vision enabled a lot of art to be created. I respect him for that. And, in every company, there is always one who has to make the unpopular decisions.

 

[Darmani]

I totally agree, we tend to glorify innovators but only if they're willing to put themselves out where all the cameras can see them. Miyamoto was an innovator in many ways, but someone still needed to trust him enough to bankroll all the things that started what we love and those people shouldn't be forgotten or written off as just some money-grubbing suit. Not much would get done without someone grubbing the money, after all.

In any case, I've now heard Japanese spoken with Bostonian inflections, so it's been a good day. I'm also glad Bob is on the "screw Edison" bandwagon, that's a wagon that needs more mainstream people to hop on it.

I'm going to regret this, but this is why internet (aside from porn) digress to answer me why more need to be on the Edison was kinda evil bandwagon?

 

[swimon]

A small caveat: Tabletop RPGs might only be 40 years old, but they were born from wargaming, which arguably turns 100 years old this year [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Wars].

Wait why are we limiting games to video games (and tabletop RPGs for some reason) but we're not limiting plays to movies? I mean there's archeological evidence [http://news.discovery.com/history/archaeology/oldest-gaming-tokens-found-130814.htm] of games being at least 5000 years old (it's probably much older but Calvin ball doesn't leave much of a trace). The modern game culture might be young but games as a medium sure isn't.

 

[PunkRex]

Interesting stuff, especially about Disney.

As I get older i've started to appreciate Nintendo more and more, unsurprising really, my inner child realising that adulthood isn't all that different, so might as well enjoy myself.