Snapshot

Busy working to finish up the PC version of Play With Fire... bear with me if blogging is fragmented for a while. Some things coming up:

• I have enough of a basis for a structural specification that I might as well post my prototype  notation and get some comments.
• I'm planning to hold a Play Specification Symposium, inviting all and sundry to submit play specs for games in largely identical genres - so we can compare the core play of related games. Hope there are enough people willing to give this a go that we might find something interesting!
• Considering having some discussion on minimalist game design (e.g. Shadow of the Colossus) versus extensive game design (e.g. GTA). Also wondering if extensive game design could be considered 'baroque' in some sense.

And for those interested in what I'm playing:

• Have had so many failed attempts on the Mother Brain. Have come close to defeating her, and know what to do - it's just a matter of making it happen now. Damn but this game is hard! They don't make 'em like they used to...
• The last three colossi have been so dull... About the quality of a good boss from another game, i.e. old hat. I presume it's saving up for something good, though. Six to go...
• I don't know how many hours my wife and I have racked up on Dynasty Warriors 3 now - a crude estimate suggests more than 200 hours. I still find new things to learn. Just beat the Combo challenge, so now (for the first time) I'm building Perfect combos. It's a whole new world for me, and I considered myself to be pretty well versed in the play of these games. When we finish our current pair of Musou modes (we play mostly in co-op), we will have only 5 characters left of the 40 on offer - and we still have one husband and wife team left! (There are five husband and wife teams in the game, but you must know the mythology to know who they are).

Have fun!

Comments

[Patrick Dugan]

Maybe I can give you a play spec for a minimalist baroque...