ALARMISM2020 by Joe Blancato FUTURE IMPERFECT by Jim Rossignol ESCAPING THE BOX INNOVATIONS AND GENRES by Dana Massey ALL YOUR SENSE ARE BELONG THE CONTRARIAN TO US by John Tynes by Robert Coker I went to Disney World a few years ago. This is not to say that Disney Quest did opened up before – and above and Which brings us to this issue, Fast I had one of those package deals where not offer nostalgia in its own way--I behind – me. While the other three Forward 2020. It’s a look into the near your hotel, food and entertainment are spent the better half of an afternoon people with whom I was playing zoomed future of gaming. Rather than pie in the all included. I stayed in the themed hopping from one classic arcade game to off in the distance, I hovered in midair sky ideas of what’s coming, our authors hotel. I went to all four of the main another, all rigged for free play. Galaga, on my magic carpet. I looked up at a have extrapolated on current technology parks. I went to the luau, complete with Burgertime, and all of the Tron games blue, cloudless sky; I looked behind me and trends: Jim Rossignol ponders the fire-twirling dancers. I had open access were ready and waiting, among dozens to see more shops lining the road; I future of MMOGs and what really drives to all the little “side attractions” of others, taking up nearly half of the looked down, leaning as far forward as I their success, while Dana Massey associated with Disney, things like second floor in the large facility. It was could on my hand-rests, at a rapidly examines the role of genre in the Blizzard Beach (one of two water parks every game lover’s dream. approaching brick in the road until I evolution or stagnation of gaming. And on site), mini-golf, and Disney Quest. pulled up out of my accidental nose-dive John Tynes returns in his monthly But Disney doesn’t stop there; they take into the street below. Contrarian column to share his view on Ahhh, Disney Quest. the videogame goodness up a notch. My what the path of growth for games next stop was in the “Explore Zone,” and Once I had righted myself from the near- should be. Please enjoy these articles Of all the wonders at Disney World, it was called Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Ride. disaster of playing chicken with the road, and more in this week’s issue of The Disney Quest, the Indoor Interactive It would change my view, literally, of the I was off. I flew through the game, Escapist. Theme Park, is my favorite. Perhaps it future of games. collecting floating jewels and racing was because the air conditioning inside through a maze of a temple. While the gave a most welcome break from the The set-up was much like that of a helmet was heavy and floating jewels mid-90 degree heat outside, mid-June in motorcycle, but without the tires. Rather, aren’t exactly realistic, it was the most Florida. Perhaps it was because I had no the body was suspended by cables from memorable gaming experience I have idea what to expect upon entering. Or the ceiling, as was a helmet with a visor. ever had. It was innovative and, I felt, a perhaps it was that I hadn’t expected to After a few moments of strapping the clear look at the future of games. catch a glimpse of the Future in my trip helmet on and familiarizing myself with down Memory Lane. the controls, the world of Agrabah LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the editor - Congratulations on I write to bring you and your readers are so high production wouldn’t stop, but To the editor - I enjoyed Jason Smith’s being the most intelligent and well aware of what I believe could be an rather be tamed, so that lower ratings article on Player Created Content in written gaming related mag out there. epidemic within the gaming community. would be placed on the games thus Issue #4. However, I thought perhaps Recently, Hilary Clinton, in a speech, producing higher sales. Producers such there was a missed opportunity here. So, what do you guys think the next step condemned video games, particularly as EA may force these restrictions on for gaming is? By my reckoning, graphics Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. It is her developers. In gaming there is, of course, much and presentation will have reached the belief, amongst other politicians’, that Player Created Content. Whether it’s real-life, picture-perfect plateau in about video games encourage violent acts I would hate to see the process of Unreal mods or Second Life activity another ten or fifteen years. Then what? among children, and she suggests creating a video game be halted because spaces, players have the tools, the time, Virtual Reality? Sweaty nano-tech body putting stricter censors on them. of some politician’s rant about one and the talent. suits and huge gyroscopic balls to spin particular game. Let’s be careful as we around in? Or maybe metal head plugs I have nothing against parents wanting watch these events unfold. However, there’s also Player Directed or fleshy bioports? Is it too soon to to protect their children from violence Content, assets created by developers preorder my holodeck? and sex. But the restrictions that are -Carl Wojciechowski but the use of which is determined by currently in place, I believe, are good the players. Good examples are games -Tobi & Nick enough, and should be left alone. The like Star Wars Galaxies, Ultima Online, or ESRB’s rating system accurately labels A Tale in the Desert. Players play mini- To the editor - First off, I want to thank video games and warns potential buyers games in order to “unlock” specific all of you at The Escapist for creating a of the content. My concern lies in the content they then can “direct” around truly quality piece of literature for those fact that sales of popular, more ‘adult’ the game world. in the gaming community who have a videogames will plummet if restrictions deeper agenda. Your magazine has are tighter and developers will begin to For example, a player can decorate their helped to assure me that there ARE cut down on production of these games. SWG house with countless items as others who are looking at gaming as a I know that sales of games such as Half almost every item in the game exists as true culture rather then just a foolish Life 2, Doom 3, and the GTA series itself a 3D model. However, in order to get pastime or hobby. these items, players must build them, find them, buy them, or loot them. UO To the editor - I dig the magazine, and Anyway, I just had a few questions/ was similar. ATITD uses much more I really like the design - the layout is suggestions: detailed mini-game systems, to the point beautiful. I like what you guys are doing where every item in the game starts as a lot (so far). 1. I find it really hard to actually read ingredients and requires long multi-step the articles. When I read a site like processes to turn into final goods. Just a quick note - perhaps it’s possible NYTIMES.com, I usually click ‘single to put some easier next/previous page format’ and scroll down. I like The benefit with this approach is two navigation? Larger buttons, somewhere having articles on a single page. I’m fold: on the sides (esp. the previous button)? working off of a high resolution laptop, I like the minimalism thing, and I and usually when I read stuff on the 1- Nowhere near every player has the wouldn’t want to destroy the design web, I find myself increasing the font time, desire, or talent to truly create philosophy, but it would be quite size. Unfortunately, when I increase the content from the ground up. They do, annoying if print magazine could only be font size on your magazine, it overlaps however, all enjoy some amount of flipped by holding a tiny corner in one the borders and that makes it hard to personalization and customization. specific place, and otherwise they’d just read be stuck. 2- In persistent virtual worlds, 2. Will this ever be available in print? developers have more control over the Hah. Keep up the good work. You guys From the format of your website, I take content that players are allowed to play inspire me to write. it that its layout is magazine-like. I with. would suggest an exclusive web format, -Ilia maybe like slate.com, for the website, -Darniaq because reading pdf files on the To the editor - I’ve caught some of computer is tiresome due to scrolling your stuff on the web, and I really like it. issues. The writing quality is the best that I’ve ever seen in anything related to gaming- -Vincent -it’s sorta like the New Yorker of gaming. ESCAPING THE BOX innovation and genres by Dana “Lepidus” Massey This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the Nintendo Entertainment System. In 1985, the legendary gaming console was released, irrevocably altering the gaming landscape with such iconic franchises as Super Mario Brothers. Over the last twenty years, a lot has changed. Gaming has gone from being a toy industry to a multi-billion dollar entertainment industry that, more often than not, markets to adults over children.