Potential for a games blog?

[infoxicated]

Okay, I'm bringing this here out of the CoD MW2 thread because I think it's worth bouncing the idea around to see if anyone is interested.

Essentially I think there are a good number of us on this site who play a lot of games besides WipEout, who are good at communicating game design nuances and the effect they have on the gameplay.

If there's one thing game developers steer clear from, it's fanboy flame wars - be it blinkered devotion to a title or the irrational hatred you get on so many sites on the net.

So what I'm proposing is a games blog that would function as a soap box to vent frustrations and criticisms of games in a well written and presented manner.

I'm not going to make a roll call of folk I'd like to volunteer with this, as I don't want to guilt trip anyone. I'm not even sure if this idea has any legs - it's a crowded market for sure and it might not be worth the effort.

What I am saying is that if there are maybe a few of us willing to put some time into writing critiques of the games we play, I think we could get a lot of quality content together very quickly.

The point of it isn't personal fame or fortune; to my mind it should be real gamers writing about games as they are really played. Not some journalist doing a speed run on a Thursday so he can publish his review first thing on a Friday morning and beat the other guys.

I'm talking about the exposing the kind of gameplay mechanics and detail that you only get from a serious amount of play. I've put nearly 200 hours into one particular title in the last year and I feel pretty qualified to write about it. I'm also playing through a five year old game for the first time in years and I'd love to write a retrospective just from the fact that some of the gameplay mechanics are in such a sweet spot that it outstrips more modern titles.

So it's not all "this is bad and that's bad" - if you think there's an unsung hero in your games catalogue that you'd love to tell people more about, then this is the kind of thing I'm talking about. If you can write about that in a passionate, yet elloquent manner then so much the better.

On the technical side I can set up the server and a site and get us up and running in short order, so the "how" isn't a factor - it's the "who" and "what" I'd like to work on.

Thoughts, ideas and suggestions welcome.

[abukii]

Ive got a thing or two (or five) to say about my recent games:
Uncharted 2, F3 GotY, Trine, Inferno Pool, Borderlands...I cant comment on betas for obvious reasons, but I can "speculate" under legal-ness. Short answer, Im in if youll allow me. Optionally, you can accept submissions, review them and post them on the site.

But yea, Id love to do this.

[Amorbis]

The premise for the blog sounds fresh, I haven't heard of any similar ones. Abukii's idea of a review process and submitting reviews is a good idea for a steadier stream of content. You could have regular writers too if there are some very keen people. I don't think I'd be a very good writer though, especially when it comes to reviewing games.

[infoxicated]

My thought is that I'll set up a blog site and then each contributor acts as an editor so that articles can be published by the author as and when they are ready.

I'm not looking to be an overseer - certainly I don't see any chain of command, I just want us to publish well written content. :+

[abukii]

IMO, youd still need "staff" writers or editors. Believe me, something ALWAYS slips through the spell checkers and read/re-reads. Its always good to have permanent "eyes-on". Ill most likely contact you on the PSN, as most of my time is in front of the PS3...today is just a fluke :P

[infoxicated]

Cool, yeah - I think it's only wise that stuff is proof read. I don't like seeing typos or grammar errors in any kind of writing. In fact, I have a folder full of screen grabs called BBC Blunders that I've taken when I see sloppy content on the BBC news site! :)

If need be I'll set everyone up with an email address at the domain that can be used for keeping people posted on articles or requesting a read-through, for example.

[SaturnReturn]

I've considered doing similar things for the MSN news articles I see. Some are shocking. A person would generally expect better from the BBC though. I'm glad to see the recent end to free newspapers in London. This is mainly because I became fed up with seeing errors in headlines so frequently.

Taking the time to have things read through by a couple of people will no doubt add a lot of value and make the whole thing more readable, which should keep people coming back for more, rather than putting them off. I won't be writing anything myself, but if you want someone to help check things then I wouldn't mind helping out.

[infoxicated]

That's a great idea Chris - a fresh pair of eyes is always useful. :+

[abukii]

Well, Ive started my first review for review, to see if my work is something youd like to incorporate. Ill leave the details to what game it is private for now. What Ill do is write them and send them off your way, infoxicated. We can go from there.

*edit* Please note that this would be something I do in between WipEout TT. Itll be a fresh break from the grind me thinks :)

[Koleax]

Sounds like a great idea. You can count on at least one or two submissions from me. More if they are welcomed. :)

For example, the rhythm games Harmonix made before Guitar Hero were very spatially involved and sonically complex, with many different instrument tracks running simultaneously. It was more like spinning plates than simulating a band or instrument. Now this "plate-spinning" mechanic is just gone, along with the spatial element. There are no more games that do this and no sign there will ever be again. Zone mode in Wipeout HD is almost reminiscent, and a ton of fun when played with music from those games, which is interesting. Won't someone write about this mechanic and spatial aesthetic in rhythm games anyway, just to give it a proper good-bye?

I even did a couple reviews for Inside Mac Games back in the day, so I know what it's like to write about a new game under a deadline. I wondered if there was something in the later levels that I was missing or something skill-related because I just wasn't good enough. It felt like it would be a thankless career, no offense to any reviewers here. :paperbag

[infoxicated]

Your observations about Harmonix' earlier games is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about, Koleax. The articles wouldn't need to be full blown reviews - I think a breakdown of how a game mechanic works or doesn't work can be taken in isolation from the surrounding game. :+

A good example I can think of is when Eurogamer reviewed Calling All Cars, the reviewer actually took the time to understand why the game was broken and communicated very well why this was the case. It's so much easier to hate on a game that's frustrating without working out why it's doing so and what it could do better. The fact that David Jaffe actually applauded that review on his blog is, I think, confirmation that developers and designers do welcome constructive feedback of their games - especially from those who have invested the time to understand the gameplay.

[DawnFireDragoon]

There are a lot of blogs out there, true. however all you need is some unique articles or features to get up and running. wipeoutzone will no doubt give you a good start with user/fanbase too. which is handy!!! :)

The retrospective idea is something i think could be a key feature for you, while many sites feature retro gaming blogs/podcasts, they don't feature them as heavy as newer games, which while making some sense, can be a mistake when dealing with a franchise or series. for example using something we know, if a new Wipeout popped up, you could have a feature on it, and retrospective looks at previous titles/ and retrospectives/comparisons with other games in that same genre. F-zero / extreme G / even burnout type games to some degree. i think that could be an interesting format. rather than a throwaway comment in a review 'it's a bit like f-zero' you have a more complete article.


Last guardian news comes along

retrospective: shadow of the collosus

a look at the art of ico


that sort of thing.

[Task]

Oh yeah, I'm definitely in on that idea!
I'm not sure if anyone knows this, but I sometimes like to write. 8 D

I like the idea of having "review drafts" in some area where they can be proofread and commented on. Perhaps some kind of member based forum where a thread per review could be created and the review discussed until the author deems it worthy of publication.

Really take advantage of the whole group and the lack of deadline.

[mdhay]

If nobody minds, I'd like to be a part of this. :D

[xEik]

Count me in with a couple of articles on game usability. A Monster Hunter one is guaranteed since it's been doing the rounds inside my head for a long time.