Editorial RPG Codex Report: Gamescom 2015 - The Technomancer, The White March and Kingdom Come

[Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad]

<a Codex Exclusive™ interview with Ubisoft about the Might and Magic franchise.>


Excuse me, I do not know how long it will take for the second part : Have you been conducting an interview about the Might and Magic RPG solely, or the Heroes of Might and Magic tactical RPG hybrid as well?

Thank you for all the hard work that has gone in this informative report so far.


-Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad

 

[Bubbles]

Excuse me, I do not know how long it will take for the second part : Have you been conducting an interview about the Might and Magic RPG solely, or the Heroes of Might and Magic tactical RPG hybrid as well?

Actually, the interview was mostly about Heroes of Might and Magic. We also asked a few questions about Might and Magic X because it has a lot of fans here for some unfathomable reason.

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

Surprisingly good piece. You write like a champ Bubbles.

 

[imweasel]

They gave us some surprisingly honest sales reports. If anyone was hoping for a M&M XI... well yeah. Not really.

And I actually gave Ubisoft money for M&M X. Such a shame.

OH WELL.

 

[Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad]

<Actually, the interview was mostly about Heroes of Might and Magic. We also asked a few questions about Might and Magic X because it has a lot of fans here for some unfathomable reason.>

This is what I was looking forward the most. I am myself critical of what ubisoft has been doing with both titles of this franchise. I look forward to reading the second part in the same agreeable style I hope.

-Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad

 

[Eyestabber]

Fun fact: when I introduced myself as "Frank from the Codex" he said "Ah, yes, you're the guys who hate everything!"

Pretty curious about Vavra's interview. I really think he is the kind of guy that would appreciate the Codex.

 

[Infinitron]

Pretty curious about Vavra's interview. I really think he is the kind of guy that would appreciate the Codex.

Daniel.Vavra do you appreciate the Codex?

 

[Zeriel]

Appreciating the Codex is like "appreciating" a pesticide. You may appreciate its utility, but that does not mean you wish to start the morning with a glass of it.

 

[J_C]

Fun fact: when I introduced myself as "Frank from the Codex" he said "Ah, yes, you're the guys who hate everything!"

That's pretty sad. I know, I know, we shouldn't care what others think about the Codex, and you are right, but it is pretty sad that with a few exceptions, we are not taken seriously, despite offering better feedback and ideas than any other "magazine".

 

[Athelas]

I'm sure we'd be taken more seriously if GD was open for public viewing, thought it might be more out of fear than genuine respect.

 

[Zeriel]

That's pretty sad. I know, I know, we shouldn't care what others think about the Codex, and you are right, but it is pretty sad that with a few exceptions, we are not taken seriously, despite offering better feedback and ideas than any other "magazine".

That's because the role of the press for the gaming industry is not supposed to be "offering better feedback and ideas". They want you to say "Yes sir" and "How high?" when they ask you to jump.

 

[J_C]

That's because the role of the press for the gaming industry is not supposed to be "offering better feedback and ideas". They want you to say "Yes sir" and "How high?" when they ask you to jump.

That's true, but it has nothing to do with the Codex's reputation. Too bad the Codex built up a reputation of hating everything, when in reality it is not the case. Still, it is the thing everyone associates the Codex with.

 

[fanta]

Bubbles you wreck fools with so much grace

 

[Jaedar]

I'm sure we'd be taken more seriously if GD was open for public viewing, thought it might be more out of fear than genuine respect.

GD used to be open to public viewing and no, it did not make people take the codex more seriously, probably more the opposite.

That's true, but it has nothing to do with the Codex's reputation. Too bad the Codex built up a reputation of hating everything, when in reality it is not the case. Still, it is the thing everyone associates the Codex with.

That is because for any given thing, there exists one codexer who hates it. And the codex consensus is also highly critical of a lot of high profile AAAWESOME games. I agree though, it is a shame that a lot of devs seem to ignore the codex because "they're just hateful trolls" or similar.

 

[Zeriel]

That's true, but it has nothing to do with the Codex's reputation. Too bad the Codex built up a reputation of hating everything, when in reality it is not the case. Still, it is the thing everyone associates the Codex with.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I take it as an illustration of the industry's approach. In film, critics who have a very distinct definition of what makes a good film and refuse to compromise on that are controversial, sure, but they aren't regarded as "trolls". One of the few examples of that I can think of in gaming (Tom Chick) is disregarded by almost everyone and very much disdained. Being "respected" in the gaming press means swallowing your personal tastes and promoting, not criticizing.

 

[J_C]

In film, critics who have a very distinct definition of what makes a good film and refuse to compromise on that are controversial, sure, but they aren't regarded as "trolls".

I think it is not even about the Codex hating everything, but hating everything without giving the devs a chance. Just look at Fallout 4 or any new Bioware games. We are shitting on them, spitting on them, ridicule them at the moment of annoncement and so forth until the release. And not in a critical manner, but with vitriol (sure there are exceptions, but not many). Why would anyone form those devs want to talk to us, or show us the game, when we have a reputation of ripping these games a new one, without even seeing them.

 

[Cadmus]

It's hard for people to stomach the extreme hatred that is allowed on the Codex together with the extreme love, they are not used to it. I don't blame them. The thing is, every given thread with Devs asking for feedback has its share of total bullshit idiocy and these people don't have 4 hours a day to sit here and read all the stupid shit to find the good feedback.

Good writing, Bubbles, it was really fun to read. Too bad you only described boring shit. When is part deux coming?

EDIT: I actually want Vavra to come back here and discuss the game a little bit more, but then a bunch of retards spamming "LOL LOW BUDGET SKYRIM SUCK YOUR OWN DICK VAVRA" appear in the thread and he goes away.

It may be fun for us but have some empathy, idiots. You gotta ease them in first, apply some lube before you go in for the ass rape.

 

[Zeriel]

I think it is not even about the Codex hating everything, but hating everything without giving the devs a chance. Just look at Fallout 4 or any new Bioware games. We are shitting on them, spitting on them, ridicule them at the moment of annoncement and so forth until the release. And not in a critical manner, but with vitriol (sure there are exceptions, but not many). Why would anyone form those devs want to talk to us, or show us the game, when we have a reputation of ripping these games a new one, without even seeing them.

They were given a chance, many times, on previous games. Now you're just being silly. The Codex is many things, but an unwarranted hate-a-thon it isn't. Sure, some of that hate is reflexive, but it has deep roots in what those companies have done in the past, how the industry has been shaped, etc. If the Codex's reputation as nothing but a hategroup was warranted, you wouldn't see it embracing those who promise to do right by us so readily. InXile, Larian, even motherfugging Ubisoft had its moment of Codex love when MMX was a turn-based game. Indeed, that tendency to embrace people who design old-school RPGs has led to embarassment when those games end up being less than were promised.

I'm not saying developers should line up for Codex interviews, but you're presenting a very skewed perspective of how the Codex actually operates, and I'm guessing it comes from some misguided idea that if the Codex turned into a hypemachine we'd get more access. That isn't neccessarily a good thing. The devs who DO read the Codex anonymously probably have little interest in it becoming another RPGDot. Vicious criticism is useful if you're willing to parse it.

 

[J_C]

The Codex is many things, but an unwarranted hate-a-thon it isn't.

For most new games, it actually is.

If the Codex's reputation as nothing but a hategroup was warranted, you wouldn't see it embracing those who promise to do right by us so readily.

Sure, but how many is that? 5 devs? And they are only loved because they make just the type of niche games which we like. Turn based RPGs. But if you are not falling into this niche, good luck with taken seriously here.

Sure, sure, we were wronged many times, we were dissapointed in the past by devs. But I don't think holding grudges against devs and hating their games right out from the getgo is good thing to do.

I don't want to change the Codex, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't be able to anyway. I was just saying that I don't like that the Codex's reputation is in tarnished outside of this forum.

 

[Cadmus]

For most new games, it actually is.


Sure, but how many is that? 5 devs? And they are only loved because they make just the type of niche games which we like. Turn based RPGs. But if you are not falling into this niche, good luck with taken seriously here.

Sure, sure, we were wronged many times, we were dissapointed in the past by devs. But I don't think holding grudges against devs and hating their games right out from the getgo is good thing to do.

I don't want to change the Codex, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't be able to anyway. I was just saying that I don't like that the Codex's reputation is in tarnished outside of this forum.

You can't have both the freedom and people actually liking you, don't be a fool.
I still can't read your shit without recalling your retard thread, same with Nomask. See what you did done?

 

[Fenix]

I don't notice any hatred here, only criticism.

 

[Zeriel]

For most new games, it actually is.

We've already been over this. Most new games are hated because most new games don't fit the Codex's specifications for a good game. By the same token, the USDA must hate the Chinese for turning away fraudulent Chinese honey imports that don't actually consist of real honey.

Sure, but how many is that? 5 devs? And they are only loved because they make just the type of niche games which we like. Turn based RPGs. But if you are not falling into this niche, good luck with taken seriously here.

Ah, okay. So you understand why. I don't get why you're complaining then--you realize this is the RPG Codex, we have threads about other genres but we don't review those games. The only ones that get official reviews are games trying to pass themselves off as RPGs. If they don't want to be criticized for that, maybe they shouldn't pretend to be something they aren't. The few exceptions I can think of are generally games that we review favorably.

Sure, sure, we were wronged many times, we were dissapointed in the past by devs. But I don't think holding grudges against devs and hating their games right out from the getgo is good thing to do.

I don't want to change the Codex, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't be able to anyway. I was just saying that I don't like that the Codex's reputation is in tarnished outside of this forum.

Is it really "holding a grudge" to expect a developer to keep making the same mistakes they've made in the past? Especially when they consider those mistakes good design? Come on, man. You're better than this. We all know what future Bioware and Bethesda games will look like because they express happiness with the direction they are heading as a company.

I don't notice any hatred here, only criticism.

I think this is the crux of the matter. The gaming press has shifted the goalposts so far into unleavened praise that actual criticism is verboten and constitutes "hate". If we give a game 8/10 but are harsh on its faults, we're being unfair. You see that all the time with gaming press when they slip up on a game that is loved, by the way. Mainstream reviews that give a game 8/10 while the fans think its 10/10 GOTY are pilloried in the comments. Codex just has the luxury of not giving a shit about that. We are our own audience, and that's what makes it special.

 

[J_C]

I still can't read your shit without recalling your retard thread, same with Nomask. See what you did done?

Time will heal these wounds, just give it time.

You can't have both the freedom and people actually liking you, don't be a fool.

There is a difference between "oh, the Codex, the site which is very critical about games" and "sigh, yeah, the Codex, who are insulting you and your work without looking at it".

 

[Fenix]

I was just saying that I don't like that the Codex's reputation is in tarnished outside of this forum.

You can't change this, you criticize - you do get such reputation.
You suck game\PR dicks - and you considered as "good, loyal, reasonable type".

 

[Cadmus]

Time will heal these wounds, just give it time.


There is a difference between "oh, the Codex, the site which is very critical about games" and "sigh, yeah, the Codex, who are insulting you and your work without looking at it".

The official reviews might be critical but the forums have tons of lazy bullshit with some good stuff sprinkled throughout.
Don't be a pussy, find a more prestigious website somebody actually gives a shit about and post your feedback there.