Join the cast of Another Videogame Webcomic as we peek behind the curtain to see what exactly goes into bringing your favorite video games to the small screen. It may be a job in video games, but it's still a job.
"Real" Fun
I think it's pretty safe to say Tony Hawk: Ride has gathered universally unfavorable reviews. I personally haven't tried the sucker out, but most people point to the controller peripheral as the main culprit for its overwhelming badness. But Tony Hawk himself has defended the controller and that got me thinking... what if he's not just defending the controller because it has his name on it and he's got a stake in whether or not it does well? What if the controller is, in fact, designed by a professional skateboarder to be as accurate to the real thing as possible? Who am I (never having stepped foot on a skateboard, real or simulated, in my life) to judge whether or not Tony Hawk: Ride is an authentic experience?The answer is, I'm not. Then again, I don't have to be. Because the question shouldn't be "Is Ride an experience that's as close to riding a skateboard as actually riding a skateboard?", it's "Is Tony Hawk: Ride fun?" Which brings us to the question of, "Does making something more real necessarily make it more fun?"
Since 2006 when the Wii hit the market, companies have been scrambling to try to replicate that success... to make videogames more accessible to the people who weren't born with a controller in their hand. But in striving for that goal, many companies have tried to break down the layer of abstraction between what goes on screen and the actions you need to take to affect the game. Putting it another way, instead of pressing a button to throw a punch, you, y'know, throw a punch.
So many of this generation's hardware innovations have been trending towards reality, or one to one correspondence between your actions and the actions on screen. Microsoft's Project Natal, Sony's Playstation motion controller and even the Nintendo's Wii MotionPlus all tout unparalleled fidelity between you and your game avatar. I'm not so sure that's such a good thing though. When I'm playing a Mario game, I'm not sure that I want to be running and jumping along with my tiny little Italian plumber avatar. Not only that, but I'm not sure that many of us have the physical stamina to jump, climb and fight like the way most videogame protagonists do. I don't actually want to have to be Tiger Woods to play a golf game.
While it seems the trend is heading towards more real experiences, hopefully, this is just a means to an end. The end being more immersive experiences. Because that's what gaming is all about. Giving us immersive experiences that allow us to be more than what we are or are capable of. We may never leap tall buildings in a single bound, be a rock star or save the world, but games can allow us to do and be all those things from the comfort of our own homes. And videogames have been doing that long before motion controls were even a twinkle in some developer's eye...
Player Two
After the resurgence of multiplayer co-op, GameBizCo Inc. hired Player Two to be the Goose to someone else's Maverick. His workload isn't quite as heavy as most of the other people working at GameBizCo Inc. and as a result, he spends a lot of time in the break room or playing computer solitaire.
First Appearance: Another Videogame Webcomic?!? An Introduction
Player One
Player One is top dog at GameBizCo Inc. Nearly every game, from Pong to Mario Bros to Grand Theft Auto, requires Player One's expertise. His cocksure and sometimes inappropriate attitude is an annoyance to his coworkers but seeing as every game needs a first player, they make due.
First Appearance: Bonus Stage! Here comes Player One!
Damsel I. Distress
Whether it be a castle, a dungeon or mystical island, Damsel always needs to be saved... and she hates it. Damsel longs for the day when she's given the role of a strong female lead character who doesn't have huge breasts with hyper accurate physics.
First Appearance: LittleBIGPlanet
Final Boss
Underneath the huge brute that is Final Boss lies a timid creature who wouldn't hurt a fly. He puts on his "angry face" when throwing barrels down ramps or breathing fire but deep down he feels sorry for doing so. He's been known to throw a game or two in the player's favor.
First Appearance: World Record
John Minion
John Minion, or Min for short, is the hardest working employee at GameBizCo Inc. Playing everything from Goombas to no name thugs, Min gets beat up on a daily basis but loves every minute of it. He always wanted to work in the gaming industry and was originally hired as an intern. After years of getting coffee, his big break came when someone called in sick... and the rest is history.
First Appearance: Watchmen: The End is Nigh
Middle Manager
Middle Manager works in the Human Resources department. He runs staff meetings and interviews prospective employees. The other 90% of his time is spent playing Freecell on his computer.
First Appearance: Another Videogame Webcomic?!? An Introduction