Motion Control for the FutureBy Locke on March 11th, 2010
Sony just released a plethora of screens and videos of their motion controller at work. The Playstation Move is Sony’s answer to the Wiimote and Project Natal, a power move to secure their hands on a genre of gaming previously unavailable to them. Many games for the Wii have felt gimmicky, but were otherwise fun in party situations. This was part of the trouble of owning a Wii after its launch: it was a console for a group setting. Games like Warioware and Mario Party were meant to be played with friends, the only exception being that kids loved the mini-games and could play them alone and have just as much fun. The problem from this pattern of games was that it was a one-trick pony. All it could do was entertain a group and rarely the owner alone. For that he or she would turn to his 360 or PS3. Since then there has been some breakthroughs in the motion control gaming genre. Games like The Conduit have proven that this technology isn’t a shot in the dark. The problem is that developers need to make games seriously with this technology. There is nothing that gives me despair for the industry more than Casual Games. The more new casual gamers that enter the ranks of the community, the more developers are inclined to make simple, casual games. Why? I long for the golden years of the PS2, where developers were all competing to create phenomenal experiences. I’m hoping that the Move and Project Natal can only strengthen the consoles, and challenge the developers into creating new ways to entertain us. And please, guys, we don’t want the Tea Cup rides, we want Space Mountain. Don’t let us down. |
As a note for why games all seem to be made for the casual gamer and not the serious I must point out, as I am repeatedly told by instructors and guest speakers, the game industry is about profit and the casual gamer is a major source of that profit.
As for me as a game designer, I personally feel I will only go to the extent to sellout my games to the point that I break even with production and living expenses. once I get to that point I Will say “Forget what is popular, forget what is trendy, I am going to make a game the I, me, personaly feel is a great game. not what THEY” *points at the pseudo gamers* “think is a good game.”
So anyways I am done with my moment of rage at the selling out of the industry and look forward to more greatness from Massive Pwnage. *sits down and waits for next update quietly*