putting an interview with the Garriott Games Lost My Emotion” the “Gaming at Keep up the good work. brothers, an article from newcomer Nick the Margins” series and even “The Play Bousfield about an old adventure game, Is the Thing,” you described the need for A loyal reader, Originally, this week’s issue was The Last Express and an article from games that show the consequences of Nathan Jeles supposed to be “Gaming’s Young Turks Greg Costikyan sharing the roots of our actions, and allow us to make and Slavs,” an issue about the rise of games, all in the same issue. I’ll look decisions that will affect the outcome of To the Editor: First, let’s get the usual gaming in Eastern Europe, both in forward to your comments on The Lounge. the game. In our society there are fewer pleasantries dispensed with. I love the development and in playerbase. I and fewer people willing to take magazine, read it every week, enjoy received several article pitches on the Cheers, responsibility for their actions or believe thinking about the issues it throws up, topic and the issue was nearly full. And that their actions have no consequences. and love that other people think games then flu season hit. And then allergies Many of these people are in the marketing are more than they may first appear. hit. All but one of my writers for this issue demographic for video games. It is great has fallen prey to flu, allergies or a minor to see a group of people who are interested There’s one game, one, that has made bout of forgetfulness. I blame Spring. in showing the need to understand and me cry. Others have made me feel account for the effect our actions will various things, anger (thank you WoW Despite these various ailments, we have on others, and I thank you for ganking), frustration (Ninja Gaiden really received several interesting article stressing this need in your articles. is Nintendo hard), and satisfaction (but submissions, quite out of the blue. And To the Editor: I love The Escapist. As a it’s so rewarding when you finally these submissions were good. So we here, magazine it does more than inform I would ask one thing, if it is at all manage to beat up the nunchaku guy). at The Escapist headquarters, put two about games - anyone can so that. You possible, please report on how this need and two together: on the one hand, lacking on the other hand inform about the is being filled. I am sure that your plea But, for making me cry, that honor goes regularly scheduled content, and on the society and sociology created by the has not fallen on deaf ears, nor would I to Xenogears, the Japanese RPG by other, possessing these special articles. existence of games, which is as important, think that you are the only ones in the Squaresoft that was remade into the in my opinion, as the games themselves. industry to discover this need. So if there more recent Xenosaga series. And so now, this week, we are proud to are games meeting your described bring you what has been lovingly called I have been captured recently by an needs, what are they and who is making The game is two CDs of complex, in the office for a few weeks, “Mish undercurrent that seems to thread them? Where can I get them? Maybe if interwoven, thematically fascinating Mash.” This is a departure from our usual through many of the latest articles: The people were to see that others have story. In what other game do you find thematic issues. But it works quite need for diversity, but also the need for successfully accomplished (or are out not only that you have to kill God, admirably in a pinch. I’m curious to emotional connection and varying currently attempting to accomplish) this but that God is in fact the power source know what everyone thinks of our consequences. In the articles “Where goal, they would be likely to follow suit. for an ancient planet-killing biological weapon that has created everyone on becoming “mainstream” (Though I see “Wal-Mart audience,” as you call it, bought What gives? Earth to use as spare parts in its 10,000 nothing wrong with that - to each his more copies than did the wired, black- year regeneration process? own), for there are many more clothes-wearing, Marin-County-dwelling, - Malia interesting niches waiting to be filled. As $4,000-computer-having audience. In what other game would you have a Julianne mentioned in this week’s To the Editor: I wanted to applaud The love story between two people that get editorial, no game has made her cry. Regards, Escapist and the content it’s publishing. continuously reincarnated for the whole Surely there could exist a tragedy niche, Bill Dugan It summarizes the current flaws in gaming 10,000 years, only to have the woman just as action-adventure is a niche President, Torpex Games in today’s world and makes me feel a die in the man’s arms every time? already well-addressed by games. (Producer, Interplay, Redneck Rampage, little better about being a game designer. 1997) Even now, I still get goosebumps. - Peter Robinett Thanks, To the Editor: I enjoyed your magazine. Mike To be honest, I’m probably not the only To the Editor: In the Wal-Mart article in There are lots and lots of men on every one who will say that a Japanese RPG issue 40, you quoted the programmer of single article ... except the sexuality one. made them cry. Currently, they have two Deer Hunter as having said that its Then there are all women. factors in their favor for producing strong target audience had been “ignored by emotions: They’re long, letting you build the game market (or worse, ridiculed by up feeling for the characters and get to games like Redneck Rampage).” He’s know them, and they’re very narrative- right about the ignoring, but wrong in his based, meaning that there actually are implication of Redneck Rampage. characters, and that stuff happens to them. Your redneck has a deep sense of humor, Thanks for the awesome read. and is not too concerned about maintaining a politically correct stance to - Nick avoid offending those who occasionally fry up a possum and serve it with Moon To the Editor: [re: Dom Camus on Pies and corn liquor. Redneck Rampage Warren Spector] One point perhaps lost was fun and not mean-spirited. The is that the current situation is one of series sold several hundred thousand games stuck in one rather specific niche. units, a large percentage having been Game design can advance without sold from the shelves of Wal-Mart. The Origin created worlds, from the battle- a new game having learned the lessons ravaged world of Wing Commander to of their first game, if you know what I the spooky space station of System mean. Shock to the involving fantasy world of Ultima. The swift, merciless death of “We’ve really only just begun to scratch Origin around the turn of the century left the surface of what online games can the studio a hollow shell of its once great become,” he said, adding, “Most online self. Quasi-mythical founders Robert and games have the same fundamental Richard Garriott were left to wander the design premise, in contrast to solo earth, like Caine from Kung Fu. The games where you get to be the one wandering years took them to their own great hero that saves the world and company and, eventually, to NCsoft’s everything about the game is there to Austin operations, where they preside make you believe that. Online games, on over the mysterious Tabula Rasa and the other hand, your life is pretty NC’s other titles. Our writers caught up average,” echoing the famous lament of with the brothers Garriott at a recent Star Wars Galaxies players who wanted conference, seeking insight into the past, to be Luke Skywalker, but instead found present, and future of the MMOG world. themselves a nameless farmer on Tatooine. “You know, half the people are Richard opened with a critique of the higher level than you; half of them are present, saying, “You know, if you look lower level than you.” at the online games that have come out to date, and it’s almost been ten years The typical game design is still the same since Ultima Online … Frankly, the as it has always been for first generation fundamental game design structure of MMOGs. “You tend to grind levels; it’s most that have come to pass is pretty really your whole goal,” he says, similar to what I consider first generation capturing the experience in just a few thinking. There’s been very few groups words. “Your play cycle paradigm goes that have really published a game something like this: Your first mission is successfully and then gone on to create to go out and fight level one monsters. You go out there to the fields where level create games where people can have 30 sometimes the word persistent thrown in one monsters continually respawn and minute play cycles. You get in, you get there. If you add all that up, that really you farm them for XP and a little more out, and [you] don’t feel that while narrows the interpretation of what online weapons or equipment. You go back to [you’re] out, [your] friends are going to games can be.” That definition is “way town and cash it in and you get sent out level beyond [you] to a point where you too narrow.” Rather than thinking of to the level two creatures, and then you can’t even play together anymore.” “online” as a particular genre, like sports just repeat this process.