Apr 13, 2009

Decker's Delight Links (13.Apr.09)

Deckers and shadowrunners rejoice! Here -finally- are the links you've been asking for. The links to some of the smartest and most original (though not particularly fresh) things the gaming side of the Internet has to offer. Click away.
System Shock 2 ShodanLet's start by me reminding everyone that Gabriel Knight 3 remains one of the best and most memorable games I've ever played. Ever! So, uhm, here's an excellent Making Of... The GK Trilogy, an incredibly enlightening Gabriel Knight 3 postmortem and a shocking visit to Rennes-le-Chateau.

Oh, and while you are rummaging through the hardy developer's workshop (which you should), you do have to pay extra attention at the 7 best martial art scenes in adventure games.

Keeping on with classic adventure gaming links let me point you to a comprehensive piece on early Sierra games and Mojo's detailed -nay, exhaustive- look at The Dig. Then, be wise and study an article about adventure game puzzles to put things into perspective.

Play this thing gives sound advice and speaks words of wisdom in Mothers, don't let your children grow up to be game developers. By the way, remember the Scratchware Manifesto?

And to keep the indie flag flying and -of course- our spirits high here is WiiHD's quite amazing Wii Homebrew Guide, that allows everyone to have some cost effective fun. What a concept. Oh, dear.

Speaking of concepts, well, here are some rather interesting examples of video game box art courtesy of PC World. As is customary in these things, you should epect more than a few Maria Whittaker, Psygnosis and Amiga references.

Meanwhile in the dark halls of GameSetWatch: Intergalactic spies bring us the secrets behind the development of N64 hit Star Wars: Shadows Of the Empire.

Matty on Games, on the other hand, has done some stellar work exploring some not particularly well known Henhouse Harry games. Like Chuckie Apple for example. Or even Chuckie Egg 2.

On the unreleased games front, let me tell you that (as discovered by the Joy of Sticks) the Jaguar XJ220 Atari ST version is no longer one. I mean it just got finished and released as freeware by its original programmer. Read on...

Finally, Ironic Sans, presents a truly novel idea, that apparently looked -and to be frank still looks- great on paper. It's the Blogosphere Adventure Game concept, it is.

Super fast Quick Links:

Posted by at 13.4.09
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24 comments:

  1. Wow. Awesome articles on Gabriel Knight Gnome.

    I really ought to give that game a shot.

    I beat all the Sam and Max episodes I currently own.

    I was playing NWN2 but I got a little bored.

    I beat all the Half Life 2 and Portal games.

    Now I am on Command and Conquer 3

    So the order would be

    Adventure
    RPG
    FPS
    RTS

    and the Adventure again.

    Nice and neat.
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  2. I could mention dialectics but I won't. Just say I mostly agree with your choice of game dear Caleb. And I'd like to find out even more about GK, and GK3 especially.
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  3. Platonic, Marxian or Hegelian, gnome? :)

    I was on a Jensen/GK kick recently, reading a novel of hers, a good account of the differences in the games and storytelling, and the Edge article you mentioned. Quite fascinating.

    But where does System Shock 2 fit in?

    And are you now going to dip a toe into the Wii homebrew? I think the biggest risks are a) downloading a new homebrew that is malicious or b) running homebrew that allow you to play imports and the like. I avoid that and the emulators and stick with just the homebrew games and apps.

    You can get some idea of the risks here: http://www.wiinintendo.net/2008/06/28/wii-homebrew-the-dos-and-donts/
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  4. Well, dearest guttertalk, as Plato was both rudimentary in his dialectics and paved the ground for the damned stoics, Hegel was brilliant but an idealist, it has to be Marx I'm afraid. After all games are definitely material entities... :P

    Oh, and I definitely noticed your GK phase. It actually saved me the trouble of buying a mediocre -at best- book.

    As for SS2, truth be said, it doesn't fit anywhere, but Shodan does look kinda smart in a cybeerpunk way.

    And thanks for the homebrew tips there. Excellent stuff! Much appreciated, as I'll soon follow them. Not all of them of course, as I can't wait to actually emulate the Spectrum.
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  5. Shodan, like a carefully selected wine, goes well with everything.
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  6. Caleb, you have the mind of a poet my friend! Possibly the liver of an alcoholic too, but guess that's irrelevant with the excellent point!
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  7. So, by your comment on Plato, would that mean you have some love for the pre-socratics?

    I wonder if several of us could (re)play SS2 and have an interesting conversation as we play.
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  8. Well, Democretus is always wise, but I'm rather more fond of the more contemporary Hellenistic era, when Epicurus attempted to convince mankind to actually have a nice time.

    As for SS2, that sounds like a good idea. Let me see if I can find the time though...
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  9. I was *this* tempted to learn Greek to study the Sophists.

    Yes, finding time to play SS2 can be a challenge.
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  10. Wouldn't be worth it really... Their prose isn't anything spectacular and philosophy can generally be very easily translated. Which reminds me, a friend used to call the sophists the "black block" of philosophy.

    SS2... it will have to be before the 18th of May or after 9 months it seems...
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  11. I never drink to excess unless there are ladies present Gnome...

    ...Sadly I have not been drunk very often in the past months...
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  12. Gnome my friend - you have an astonishing ability to find the best articles on the net. You of course missed the Mother 3 translation (mike abbott wrote a bit on it this week).. but that can be forgiven since I've never played any of the Earthbound games myself.

    As for your marxist leanings, such philosophies come to a terrible end in the face of a post-materialistic conception of modern life.. Heidegger is where the new suffering begins.

    ahem. On that note.. a SS2 playthrough would be great... count me in!
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  13. But dear Caleb don't the ladies get upset when you drink excessively? I mean it's part of their societal role. Besides, a fine malt doesn't need company to be fulfilling. Anyway. I can see your point, and will empirically test it soon.

    Chris, I can't be sure if you're joking mate. I mean Heidegger? No way, right? Post-materialism? Heresy, as that blasted materiality of things is quite persistent. Still, Mother 3 will help me overcome the urge to inform a commissar on your counter-revolutionary tendencies. And then to SS2. A playthrough you say... Hmmm

    P.S. I'll soon be joining the bloody army you know. Apparently didn't manage to avoid it...
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  14. National service?! Say it ain't so!
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  15. Oh, yes. It fucking is... At least I managed to avoid the artillery corps and will only be serving for 9 months...
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  16. Gnome, if your links were a drink then I'd positively be be drunk off some of the best info in the blogosphere right now... now who's going to drive me home?
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  17. Nothing to worry. I will. As soon as I finish my drink actually.
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  18. @gnome .. Holy shit. Sorry to hear that. Well, maybe you can serve in Canada to ensure we have free democratic elections in the future. :)

    I didn't realize that Greece had mandatory conscription.. that's very.. Athenian.

    Are you still going to be able to grace us with your presence in the Lair?
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  19. Hehe... Would quite like the idea, despite having recently found out that Canada isn't the liberal paradise I thought it would be... Anyway... Athenian, you say.. Yes... Hmmm.. More like Spartan or even worse Macedonian. Still it'll be over this time next year provided all go well.

    Oh, and I should be able to drop in from time to time, though I'm not sure how often.

    PS. Think Italy and Turkey are the other two places in Europe with mandatory conscription.
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  20. Funny.. I had considered Spartan and Macedonian as possible lineages, but I still like to think that erudite thinkers such as yourself belong more properly in Athens :)

    Glad to hear that you're going to keep up with the Lair. There's always room in Canada for another liberalist of course .. even of the dialectical materialist kind :) Come visit some time - you might enjoy our spartan architecture and rocky mountains!
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  21. Hi! I thought your blog was cool and will visit often. In the meantime I can recommend Horde Leveling Guide.
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  22. Well, don't think I'll be staying that long to actually get all revolutionary and stuff, but visiting Canada is something I'm planning on doing soon (ish). Just have to wait for the proper conference or an equally valid reason I guess. Till then I'll be most probably getting to know the army's pre-modernist architecture I'm afraid dear Chris. Oh, and just discovered how interesting (in a repugnant way) neo-traditionalism can be. Especially in Crete.

    Or level an Orc.

    Heh.
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  23. Lovely round up Gnome! Nice to visit Mr. Guttertalk's blog too! Thanks for pointing me in many right directions!
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  24. Your most welcome my friend. And I'm glad you enjoyed Guttertalks stuff too.
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