Penny Arcade does Peter Molyneux

[suibhne]

The comic's actually not one of their best, but Tycho's commentary re. Molyneux's speech at GDC is spot-on:

Then, after he tells us this first bit... I think he starts to feel a little self conscious. Is this going well? That lizard-looking gentleman in the rear appears to have dozed off. Maybe Peter starts to feel like he needs to spice this thing up. We've all been there, I think: meeting someone for the first time, someone who doesn't have the time or the tools to research your claim, you might suggest that you once made a living mining nougat.

So then he (quite understandably, I think) starts to talk about how the game has a dog in it, and it's, um... your dog, and this dog is the... user interface...? This is something he seriously fucking said, and if someone else had said it maybe I could manage a little joy. You simultaneously control this dog, and do not control it (?). There's no screen element communicating information to the player. You are supposed to gaze upon their simulated dog and somehow figure out what the fuck is going on.

That sounds like some bullshit to me. People at GDC were able to see this dog for themselves, and apparently it impressed them, but Peter's recent antics have depleted his Good Faith Account. From now on, it's only full playthroughs of retail products - trying to find the point where he stopped caring, so that I may stop caring also.

When I think of former visionaries who have entered la-la-land, I think of both Warren Spector and Peter Molyneux. The key difference, I think, is that Spector still has ideas and, given the right market arrangements, might still be able to pull off an interesting project. Molyneux...well. *cough*

 

[Texas Red]

Those Molyneux bashers will probably drool over the next gen revolutionary cutting-edge graphics when the first screens will be released, forgiving and forgeting the past.

 

[Woetohice]

__

 

[denizsi]

Those Molyneux bashers will probably drool over the next gen revolutionary cutting-edge graphics when the first screens will be released, forgiving and forgeting the past.

Forgive and forget, for.. graphics?

 

[Nedrah]

There's a dog. You control it, you don't, also it's your UI.

Whatever the guy's taking, I want some.

 

[obediah]

There's a dog. You control it, you don't, also it's your UI.

Whatever the guy's taking, I want some.

A drug that has put this guy on a 10+ year really really bad trip, and you want some? Oh wait, you're german.

 

[Nedrah]

lol

Hey, can't spend all day being incestious and eating people, right?

 

[Astromarine]

... why?

 

[Fez]

He needs to leave the stock to replenish itself for the next binge?

 

[Krafter]

Fable is absolute crap, it plays like baby's first RPG. He hasn't made a good game since Bullfrog, which seems ages ago now. I'm sick of hearing about him and his hype, but with Microsoft backing him, I suppose he will never go away.

As fas as Spector goes, I'll give him a shot, but I still want blood for Invisible War.

 

[dagorkan]

Those Molyneux bashers will probably drool over the next gen revolutionary cutting-edge graphics when the first screens will be released, forgiving and forgeting the past.

Forgive and forget, for.. graphics?

Yeah it's true, hypocrisy is the mark of the Hivemind. Look how obsessed you all are with Oblivion, Gothic 3, Mass Effect, Bioshock etc.

 

[Micmu]

Yeah it's true, hypocrisy is the mark of the Hivemind. Look how obsessed you all are with Oblivion, Gothic 3, Mass Effect, Bioshock etc.

Do you need a paper tissue?

 

[denizsi]

Spector: " <address some of what's wrong with industry, developers and game design>.. but there is absolutely nothing wrong with DE:IW! It's excellent, it turned out just the way we intended!"

I wouldn't even give that one shot to him.

 

[spacemoose]

they strike me as people who once loved what they did, then lost the spark (got bored or whatnot) but could not get into another field. so they're looking around for clues as to what to do, instead of following their heart. like zombies.

 

[Krafter]

Spector: " <address some of what's wrong with industry, developers and game design>.. but there is absolutely nothing wrong with DE:IW! It's excellent, it turned out just the way we intended!"

I wouldn't even give that one shot to him.

Yeah, I know. The 'MIT graduates' quote and the 'Tyranny of choice' ones are even worse, IMHO.

I'll give him the shot out of nostalgia for the Looking Glass days, and because he is no longer Eidos' lackey. However, if the next game Junction Point does comes out as a console game or a multiplayer game or something else that I have no interest in, I'm done with him. Invisible War and Thief : Dumbed down show to me that the heart and soul of Looking Glass is with Irrational.

 

[Romanian_Dude2005]

I haven't tried Thief 3, but is that just has dumped down has 90% of the sequels? If it's atleast decent I'm going to give it a try.

 

[suibhne]

I don't think Thief 3 is that bad. It has some significant design limitations due to console constraints, and it doesn't live up to the brilliance of the first two, but it's far better than DX:IW. Hell, Thief 3 at its best is exemplary, whereas DX:IW has no bright spots whatsoever.

 

[Fez]

Thief 3 has had similar changes to the design as the move from DE to DE:IW. Thief 3 was less disappointing, so it might still be worth playing for you, but don't expect it to follow closely with the previous games. There are some great moments mixed in with many small disappointments.

Molyneux has suckered enough money out of me. It'd take a lot to change my mind about his work.

 

[Surgey]

Yeah, if his upcoming games do anything less than have sex with you while you play, I will avoid them. And rape doesn't count.

 

[Nedrah]

Yeah, if his upcoming games do anything less than have sex with you while you play, I will avoid them. And rape doesn't count.

Rape always counts.

 

[Visbhume]

Will we have to activate the "Hot Mead" mod?

 

[spacemoose]

Will we have to activate the "Hot Mead" mod?

no, it'll probably be the "Hot Meat" mod

 

[Krafter]

I haven't tried Thief 3, but is that just has dumped down has 90% of the sequels? If it's atleast decent I'm going to give it a try.

Fez and suibhne are both right. Thief : Title number omitted as to not confuse stupid xbrick kiddies whose mum bought them a game is much better than Invisible War, but it still sucks as compared to the Looking Glass classics. Instant-death water? Tiny console-sized levels cut in half with portals that effectively freeze the other half in time? Limitless inventory and money? Levels obviously designed for 3rd person? Ect, ect. It's amazing how these classic franchises are suddenly crap when console money gets involved. Every single time.

Romanian_dude, I'd pick it up on the cheap if you see it. Hope you are not prone to anger when video game franchises are ruined, though.

 

[psycojester]

True, but in its defense it did have the cradle

 

[kingcomrade]

Will you people stop sucking the Cradle's cock? It wasn't that good.