Wolf’s Wicked Words: Ugly Words In The Gaming Industry

Sitting in front of a keyboard while staring at the bright rectangular-like shape whilst using my digits to form words is something I enjoy. It’s more than just your average everyday task. It’s a passion. Words possess a magnificent amount of power and quixotic properties. I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to speak their mind and allow others to hear their opinions and allow others to speak as well without it ending in a massacre with liquid rubies flying around and soiling the very carpet the housekeeper vacuumed and scrubbed not fifteen minutes ago. In some situations, words get flinged around without the spokesperson of said words realizing what he or she is indeed saying.

Let’s talk about these situations in the gaming world and what the implications might hold for all fellow gamers and developers.

The first word that irks me beyond all conjectures are: “repetitive”.

Gasp.

I know some people are probably staring at their monitors with enough anger and hatred to fuel the ovens of hell for at least a few minutes. But, please, hear me out. The word: “repetitive” is one word that is inordinately used in this industry and I don’t think that those who moan about a game being repetitive, realize what they are saying. And, no, I’m not calling anyone stupid, dumb, moronic or half-baked in any way. I’m just stating that everyone should think about what they are saying. Take every game you’ve ever played, loved or hated, and analyze them. Every game is “repetitive”, with the player doing a bunch of things over and over and over. Is this a bad thing? Hell, no.

If you have a game with a certain mechanic that is not fun, you will not enjoy doing it over and over. And if you look at the same idea, with the activity you are supposed to be doing, fun and making you all happy, it won’t feel tiresome or “repetitive”. I can look at each of my favorite games and see that they are all considered “repetitive”. This word has not been thought about thoroughly. Personally, it’s a word that I despise, because of it’s overly used persona.

Let us take it one step further. Everything in life is repetitive. Talking, working, eating, washing, playing a musical instrument and breathing. It’s called a routine. “This game is routine.” Well, that doesn’t sound good, now does it? What I’m trying to get to is that all games are repetitive, it’s just the fun factor that differs. When you’re not enjoying something, it will almost certainly feel much longer than it truly is, while something fun will go by faster than you would like it to.

I don’t want  you reading this and thinking: “Oh, please, someone’s wagging the finger at me.” That’s not my goal here, I’m just you asking to think about this before you convey the word that irks this writer to his very core.

Something else is the very notion and reaction to the graphics or look of games. “Ugly, lackluster or just plain shit.” Dude, think about what you’re saying. It took someone hours and hours, if not days, to create what you are seeing onscreen. A whole art department will work continuously for months on end to create a specific look or art-style for a game, and it takes  you a few seconds to judge and criticize it without any compassion. Sure, there are a lot of games out there that doesn’t have grand and big budget type look, but please, don’t criticize on looks alone. Try it out and if you don’t like the way it plays or you feel the fun factor isn’t there, than you can decide. For crying out loud, I remember people complaining about Crysis 2′s graphics. “It could have been better. Such a disappointment.” What the hell, people?

Gamers are generally very hard to please, and I don’t think it’s fair. It’s abnormal, unbalanced and unhealthy. Yes, you do pay a lot of money for purchasing a game, but you also pay to go see a movie that you have not seen before. Any form of entertainment will be disliked or loved to bits, depending on the person. Seek out some advice and hear people’s opinions before just buying something you will regret and calling it crappy without playing it to the end. I read a lot about a game before release and like to watch interviews and gameplay video’s and that’s how I like to determine what I’m going to spend my money on, and also try avoid any unnecessary disappointment to the best of my capabilities.

Or I’m just immoderately optimistic.