2012 VGA's

[Icedhope]

I have created this thread for those of us who will be watching the VGA's have a chance to discuss the nominee's, the awards, and overall everything we thought about the show.

[Secret Fawful]

Less of this this year, I hope.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lw2lkx9Bzk1qkt47fo3_400.gif


For those who haven't seen it, here's a video of Samuel L. Jackson as Lee in the Walking Dead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TmR8c3jMDc

And here's a trailer for the VGAs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHbAO19MoM4

[Icedhope]

I'm kind of curious of what the announcements are this year. I'm wondering what the categories are.

[Secret Fawful]

Headphone users died. Story of a Sentry is amazing.

[MusicallyInspired]

I've heard the VGAs are a joke and they don't really get games.

[Secret Fawful]

This is already the worst effing excuse for an awards show I have ever seen. They gave an award out on the RED CARPET....and the dude was just like "This is such crap."

This is a disgrace. I can't believe how terrible this is.

http://www.abload.de/img/untitled-16kui1.gif

[Queen Sars]

Awww I missed it, I really wanted to see them pick the winner for Best Overall. I didn't think it'd be during commercials or something (was it during commercials? It was playing Ink Masters or something for me so I assumed that I got the time wrong). Curse you time zones :(

[ryannumber1gamer]

Did TWD win anything?

[Secret Fawful]

Clementine's VA won best voice actress. On the red carpet. Because this awards show doesn't have time for the actual TALENT....gotta make more time for the celebs yo.

http://i.minus.com/ibm4GEeCMHhw8G.gif

[ryannumber1gamer]

What won game of the year?

[Secret Fawful]

Nobody yet, but it's not like they've mentioned TWD 20,000,000,000,000 times already.

[ryannumber1gamer]

It can't be!...They can't make a game of the year edition of TWD :D

[Queen Sars]

So wait they're just telling some of the winner's in the preshow? ...Well that's real crap.

[Icedhope]

For the talent they do it on the red carpet..the rest of it is...and the winner is... and heres this announcement.

[Secret Fawful]

They just gave one statue for two awards....not to mention giving an award to the GRAMMY NOMINATED COMPOSER OF JOURNEY on the red carpet....this isn't an awards show. It's a place you go to to feel like your work means nothing and to be insulted on live television.

"I'M A NERD"

AHAWHAWHAWHAWHAWHAWSHUTUPFOREVERYOUCUNT

[Queen Sars]

For the talent they do it on the red carpet..the rest of it is...and the winner is... and heres this announcement.

Huh okay. Suddenly I'm reminded why I never really watched this Awards show. I mean, the VA's are one of my favorite parts in a game (all of it is wonderful I just pay more attention to how well some people play their parts) and it's just kind of a slap in the face to have them announced at the preshow. Their part is just as important as any others too. :(

[Secret Fawful]

Michael Pachter: "The Walking Dead doesn't have a prayer. Not enough people played it."

Oh, and there's our first pubic hair joke. I can't scream die at the stream enough.

http://www.abload.de/img/untitled-2ctyy9.gif

[Shadowknight1]

Michael Pachter: "The Walking Dead doesn't have a prayer. Not enough people played it."

Michael Pachter is an arrogant c**t. And bi-polar too, if his attitude towards Nintendo is any indication. "Nintendo's Wii U isn't going to sell well." "The Wii U will sell as well or better than the Wii." "Nintendo is niche, unpopular, and irrelevant." I don't know what this guy's problem is, but I do know a jerk when I see/hear one.

As for ANY Video Game Awards, I always think they're a joke. Calling it right now, Black Ops 2 will be Game of the Year.

[Icedhope]

The phantom pain looks weird... and the Halo one made me...cringe.

[Shadowknight1]

Oh, I will say, Bravo for Clem's voice actress. She did really good in that game. But both her and that guy have a look of "Wait, I don't get to go onstage for this?"

[Irishmile]

Yeah... they should have been able to go up in front on their peers and recieve the award... I do not think they understand the point of getting one is... its not so you can have an ugly statue.. its the recognition of a job well done.. doing that outside for a few web viewers is a real slap in the face.

Congrats to those who won.. you deserve better than this!!

[Icedhope]

The orchestrated Montage was good.

[Secret Fawful]

The only good thing so far.

[Icedhope]

Holy Poop the little guy won! Dishonored won Action Adventure game of the year.

[ryannumber1gamer]

So have Game of the Year been announced yet?

[Icedhope]

So have Game of the Year been announced yet?

They haven't even announced Character of the year.

[ryannumber1gamer]

Who's nominated for character of the year?

[Icedhope]

Master Chief, Old Dude from Black Ops, Shepard(Mass Effect) and Connor(ACIII) and Claptrap.


well Clap Trap won.

[ryannumber1gamer]

1.So no Lee from TWD,Sackboy from LBP Vita and Karting or Nate from Uncharted Golden Abyss?

2.Ain't Clap Trap a robot from Bolderlands 2?

[Irishmile]

GOTY is supposed to be announced nextish... GOODLUCK TTG!!!!!!!

[Icedhope]

I'm stoked!

[Johro]

holy shit

[HelloCthulhu]

Game of the year!

[Irishmile]

IT WON!!!!!!!! so happy congrats TTG!!!

[RedKoolLoops]

Booooom!

[AsthmaticHamster]

Holy fuck! THEY WON!

[Icedhope]

woooo!!!!

[ThatoneJeff]

Woooooooo!

[HelloCthulhu]

And they won studio of the year!

[thestalkinghead]

they totally deserve the win YEAH!!

[Ribs]

I was hoping the San Antonio Spurs would suddenly show up and take the award for Studio of the Year. Boo.

[Fabrimuch]

THEY WON GAME OF THE YEAR?! I guess I can keep my faith in humanity after all :D

So in the end how many awards did TWD win?

[Nintendo Boy1]

Way to go TTG!!! Good job.

[AngryZombie]

My faith in award shows is (mostly) restored!

[HelloCthulhu]

Tomorrow is the IGAs

[AnnaSan]

THEY WON GAME OF THE YEAR?! I guess I can keep my faith in humanity after all :D

So in the end how many awards did TWD win?

They won 5:
-GOTY
-Studio of the year
-Best performance by female: Clementine
-Best downloadable
-Best adapted

Dave Fennoy should've won too -.-

[ryannumber1gamer]

I can't believe it!!!! Nice work ttg!!!

[RingmasterJ5]

I was kind of hoping that TTG would have won Game of the Year for an actual...game.

However, hopefully this brings more attention to them when they make KQ or something along those lines again.

[HelloCthulhu]

TWD is an actual game in the same way that heavy rain is an actual game.

[Queen Sars]

Hurray good job Telltale! :3

[Shadowknight1]

I was kind of hoping that TTG would have won Game of the Year for an actual...game.

However, hopefully this brings more attention to them when they make KQ or something along those lines again.

Wow, what a grump.

Congrats TellTale! TWD Deserved it!

[Icelandic_Jazz]

Absolutely great, Telltale! You deserve all the praise. Now go win some more awards 8)

[RingmasterJ5]

TWD is an actual game in the same way that heavy rain is an actual game.

I think things like TWD and Heavy Rain are more along the lines of "experiences". I'm not saying they're bad experiences in any way, I personally just wouldn't classify them as games.

Wow, what a grump.

I just find myself getting paranoid because it looks a lot like the easier they make their games gameplay-wise, the more money TTG gets.

[AnnaSan]

Oh, I will say, Bravo for Clem's voice actress. She did really good in that game. But both her and that guy have a look of "Wait, I don't get to go onstage for this?"

I was actually waiting for them to get on stage, then I went on spike and it just says Clem and Jack was the winner. I'm like WHEN DID THEY ANNOUNCE THIS -.-

Gratz on the Walking Dead though!

[Zeruis]

Congratulations on GOTY, Telltale! TWD was a job very well done!

[Secret Fawful]

Congratulations, Telltale. Too bad Geoff is a lying sack of shit.

[ryannumber1gamer]

Too bad Geoff is a lying sack of shit.

What do you mean? Did he lie about TWD winning?

[Secret Fawful]

What do you mean? Did he lie about TWD winning?

Oh no no no. He teased announcements using fake wording that drummed up false excitement for old-school announcements that never happened.

Once again, I am very glad Telltale won.

[ryannumber1gamer]

Yeah i heard there were rumors of a inFamous 3 going to be announced.

[Johro]

Why do I get the feeling I can kiss Sam & Max Season 4 goodbye?

[RingmasterJ5]

Why do I get the feeling I can kiss Sam & Max Season 4 goodbye?

Same. Sorry to quote myself from only a few posts ago, but:


I just find myself getting paranoid because it looks a lot like the easier they make their games gameplay-wise, the more money TTG gets.

Right now, it seems that if they made a normal Sam and Max game with all the crazy adventure game logic and nonsensical storylines that entails, it'd be a monetary loss for them compared to TWD/JP/BTTF Season Two.

[Icedhope]

Why do I get the feeling I can kiss Sam & Max Season 4 goodbye?

*Shrugs* I have no clue...

[MusicallyInspired]

Why are we cheering that they won? I mean, kudos, I guess. But let's just think about this. All this rewards show does is promote the games that were the most popular, not the ones that were actually any good. Gameplay means nothing in this sense. It's a pretty shallow award even more shallowly given. I'm not saying that TWD is a crap game (I'm not saying it isn't either, I'm just not going in that direction), I'm just saying they didn't win because it wasn't. So why are we celebrating? Because TTG is in the public eye? Well, good for them. Their business will certainly get better because of this. But receiving this award, even if it is the best game ever, isn't going to mean that good games will suddenly get the spotlight. It means that TTG is probably going to be making even worse games to appeal to the masses. Or at least games that are far different than what they started out as. And we all knew that anyway, I think. Also, receiving any award from the VGA's doesn't seem to mean very much as the whole thing is a joke. So again I ask, why are we celebrating?

I can't stand how Hollywood just can't get games. Even after all this time. Gamers are just not the same and can't relate equally in the same way to Hollywood movies, which are (were?) the center of pop culture. They think they know how to treat it and they just don't. VGAs are crap. Hollywood is crap. It's all crap. Crap.

[Shadowknight1]

I just find myself getting paranoid because it looks a lot like the easier they make their games gameplay-wise, the more money TTG gets.

Find me a truly difficult game nowadays that isn't made difficult by the guys you're playing against online.

[Secret Fawful]

Why are we cheering that they won? I mean, kudos, I guess. But let's just think about this. All this rewards show does is promote the games that were the most popular, not the ones that were actually any good. Gameplay means nothing in this sense. It's a pretty shallow award even more shallowly given. I'm not saying that TWD is a crap game (I'm not saying it isn't either, I'm just not going in that direction), I'm just saying they didn't win because it wasn't.

You're right.

After seeing how the awardees were treated in the pre-show, it's impossible to treat this award with any REAL favor. It's a really big deal that Telltale beat out games like AC3, though, in such a shallow show.

[MusicallyInspired]

It's a really big deal that Telltale beat out games like AC3, though, in such a shallow show.

True. But again, to what end? It doesn't mean a better game won. It means a niche game developer turned some heads (from the wrong people, from a gamer's perspective, not for a business's) and is about to go full-throttle sell-out.

[Secret Fawful]

True. But again, to what end? It doesn't mean a better game won. It means a niche game developer turned some heads (from the wrong people, from a gamer's perspective, not for a business's) and is about to go full-throttle sell-out.

To exactly the end you just said.

[RingmasterJ5]

Find me a truly difficult game nowadays that isn't made difficult by the guys you're playing against online.

Super Hexagon? Binding of Isaac? Spelunky? Stealth Bastard Deluxe? FTL? Hotline Miami? Super Meat Boy? XCOM? Trials Evolution? Ms. Splosion Man?

But, how does this have any relevance to the fact that TTG games have had barely any puzzle-based difficulty since BTTF? Are you trying to say that easy single-player games are just the norm now?

[MusicallyInspired]

To exactly the end you just said.

Yes, I figured it out as I was talking. Narrating your mind is fun.

[der_ketzer]

Find me a truly difficult game nowadays that isn't made difficult by the guys you're playing against online.

Hotline Miami. FTL. Super Meat Boy, The Binding Of Isaac. They Bleed Pixels. Legend of Grimrock.

[MusicallyInspired]

Find me a truly difficult game nowadays that isn't made difficult by the guys you're playing against online.

Almost anything indie. Pretty much nothing AAA. Very very few exceptions.

[thestalkinghead]

Super Hexagon? Binding of Isaac? Spelunky? Stealth Bastard Deluxe? FTL? Hotline Miami? Super Meat Boy? XCOM? Trials Evolution? Ms. Splosion Man?

But, how does this have any relevance to the fact that TTG games have had barely any puzzle-based difficulty since BTTF? Are you trying to say that easy single-player games are just the norm now?

super hexagon is incredibly simple it's just twitch reaction based and doesn't appeal to me at all, FTL isn't hard it is just incredibly random, super meat boy is a platformer that relies on twitch reactions and repetition (not hard just irritating in my opinion), trials evolution is only hard if you love high scores, and XCOM has a save and load function and even without it is only punishing if you don't play conservatively.

you can describe a game as hard or easy depending on how you look at it eg. dwarf fortress is easy, the controls and the mechanics just take a while to learn so you could say it was hard.
you could say that TWD was hard because it would make you feel bad for doing things in the game, or you could say it was easy because you have infinite ammo, it really just depends on what you want out of a game and how you define "hard" or "difficult"

[Shadowknight1]

Ugh, I had a nice, long post about the declining difficulty versus the rising of complex narratives in games, but the forums ate it. So blah.

[RingmasterJ5]

super hexagon is incredibly simple it's just twitch reaction based and doesn't appeal to me at all, FTL isn't hard it is just incredibly random, super meat boy is a platformer that relies on twitch reactions and repetition (not hard just irritating in my opinion)

The fact that they don't appeal to you doesn't invalidate their difficulty.

trials evolution is only hard if you love high scores

Ah, so you just breezed through all those Extreme levels?

and XCOM has a save and load function and even without it is only punishing if you don't play conservatively.


Iron man mode. I see that you've also selectively left out a few of the games I've mentioned, by the way.

you can describe a game as hard or easy depending on how you look at it eg. dwarf fortress is easy, the controls and the mechanics just take a while to learn so you could say it was hard.

Some games do increase in difficulty, even after you've already learned the mechanics. Quite a few of them(like the ones I've mentioned) do.

you could say that TWD was hard because it would make you feel bad for doing things in the game, or you could say it was easy because you have infinite ammo, it really just depends on what you want out of a game and how you define "hard" or "difficult"

If you feel bad for doing things in the game, that's much more story-related than it is gameplay-related.

If I wanted a visual novel with difficult puzzles, I'd play the Ace Attorney games or something.


Ugh, I had a nice, long post about the declining difficulty versus the rising of complex narratives in games, but the forums ate it. So blah.

While this applies to some current AAA titles, I can't say things like Far Cry 3 are sacrificing gameplay for story. Hell, XCOM isn't, either. You'll find great gameplay if you know where to look, too, like indie releases.

But, at least things like Dishonored actually have gameplay, and they aren't morphing people's definitions of an entire genre into "CYOAs with QTEs". The amount of times I've seen TWD called an adventure game just amazes me.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that while I'll be sort of content adventure-wise just moving on and playing things like Primordia, I don't want licenses like Sam and Max being held hostage by a company who's lost track of why they were founded in the first place. I don't want, and it's a bit too early to call it "selling out", but it's getting a bit close.

[corruptbiggins]

Typical of attitudes on here that a chance to celebrate a success is also used as a stick to beat the company with.

[thestalkinghead]

The fact that they don't appeal to you doesn't invalidate their difficulty.

Ah, so you just breezed through all those Extreme levels?

Iron man mode. I see that you've also selectively left out a few of the games I've mentioned, by the way.

Some games do increase in difficulty, even after you've already learned the mechanics. Quite a few of them(like the ones I've mentioned) do.

If you feel bad for doing things in the game, that's much more story-related than it is gameplay-related.

If I wanted a visual novel with difficult puzzles, I'd play the Ace Attorney games or something.

While this applies to some current AAA titles, I can't say things like Far Cry 3 are sacrificing gameplay for story. Hell, XCOM isn't, either. You'll find great gameplay if you know where to look, too, like indie releases.

But, at least things like Dishonored actually have gameplay, and they aren't morphing people's definitions of an entire genre into "CYOAs with QTEs". The amount of times I've seen TWD called an adventure game just amazes me.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that while I'll be sort of content adventure-wise just moving on and playing things like Primordia, I don't want licenses like Sam and Max being held hostage by a company who's lost track of why they were founded in the first place. I don't want, and it's a bit too early to call it "selling out", but it's getting a bit close.

i left out the ones i haven't played, my point about twitch reaction based games (Super Hexagon,Super Meat Boy,Trials Evolution) is that they aren't difficult in my opinion because they don't require thought just reaction, just like a QTE.

and i would not play iron man mode because i dont enjoy mistakes ruining my entire game.

there are tonnes of games that ignore story and only concentrate on game play mechanics, but i think what TWD has done is prove that story can actually be a part of game play

[GaryCXJk]

Okay, so I've seen one or two being displeased that it took selling out to win a GOTY, but:

1) If it takes me selling out to earn hard cash, I'm all for it. Yes, I'm evil.

2) Can't we just be unambiguously, genuinely be happy that Telltale Games won? I mean, considering you can't call Telltale Games a triple A developer (no offense).

3) It was either this game or Journey. Which one would you prefer then? Journey? Really? Oh, okay then.

[Gman5852]

Congratulations Telltale! Totally deserved it.

[Gerudan]

I didn't thought, TWD would have any chance to win, but it actually did. Sure, TWD has a lot of flaws and many are quiet severe and obvious, but it also shows, what games can do on an emotional level, if they just try to. And I really hope, other developers well follow this and make games to what they could be: The most immersive and emotional media, we have.

[der_ketzer]

i left out the ones i haven't played, my point about twitch reaction based games (Super Hexagon,Super Meat Boy,Trials Evolution) is that they aren't difficult in my opinion because they don't require thought just reaction, just like a QTE.And you are still wrong.

[thestalkinghead]

And you are still wrong.

good one

[Gibbeynator]

I think TWD deserved its win, and I would like to use the massive amount of people slamming it for winning as proof.

[Giant Tope]

i left out the ones i haven't played, my point about twitch reaction based games (Super Hexagon,Super Meat Boy,Trials Evolution) is that they aren't difficult in my opinion because they don't require thought just reaction, just like a QTE.

...???

Okay, so when presented with a screen in Meatboy, you don't think in the slightest about what you're going to do and then progressively tweak what you're doing until you've finally beat a level? Is this somehow easier than the Walking Dead? I haven't played the game, but I'm genuinely confused here. :confused:

And while I think it's great that the team got to celebrate a victory (they all seemed pretty happy), it IS the vgas and therefore the victory feels significantly more mild to me.

[corruptbiggins]

Oh and there is another thing I'm really getting sick of which is the idea that the harder a game is the better it is. Absolute bollocks that. Super Meat Boy for example I just find annoying and not enjoyable in the slightest. Trials HD & Evolution on the other hand I've had a lot of fun with.

[Giant Tope]

Oh and there is another thing I'm really getting sick of which is the idea that the harder a game is the better it is. Absolute bollocks that. Super Meat Boy for example I just find annoying and not enjoyable in the slightest.

While I think difficulty doesn't make a game, I think to each their own on whether the game is fun or not. I have yet to beat the game, but I still really enjoy it. I find the challenge fun.

[MusicallyInspired]

Typical of attitudes on here that a chance to celebrate a success is also used as a stick to beat the company with.

Success at what? It's a popularity contest in the most superficial sense. I'm not knocking TTG, I'm just saying this isn't really that impressive. Especially considering it's the VGAs.

[corruptbiggins]

Success at what? It's a popularity contest in the most superficial sense. I'm not knocking TTG, I'm just saying this isn't really that impressive. Especially considering it's the VGAs.

Thanks for making my point.

[MusicallyInspired]

How did I make your point? I just said I wasn't knocking TTG. Which means I'm not using it as a stick to beat the company with. The fact of whether or not TWD is a good game or a hard/easy game has nothing to do with the fact that winning something at the VGAs is not impressive.

[GaryCXJk]

Okay, soooooooo, what is this game that supposedly will get old-school gamers excited?

Or did he mean old school gamers, as in gamers who are at school, where the school is kinda old?

[der_ketzer]

Or did he mean old school gamers, as in gamers who are at school, where the school is kinda old?

This one I guess.

[corruptbiggins]

How did I make your point? I just said I wasn't knocking TTG. Which means I'm not using it as a stick to beat the company with. The fact of whether or not TWD is a good game or a hard/easy game has nothing to do with the fact that winning something at the VGAs is not impressive.

Just the whole belittling their success by not calling it a success at all. Comes across as a bit bitter in my view. That was the point I felt you made for me, regarding the post you quoted - nothing to do with my earlier comments about difficultly in games and quality.

For a studio of this size winning a popularity contest (which is what it essentially is) is impressive.

[thestalkinghead]

...???

Okay, so when presented with a screen in Meatboy, you don't think in the slightest about what you're going to do and then progressively tweak what you're doing until you've finally beat a level? Is this somehow easier than the Walking Dead? I haven't played the game, but I'm genuinely confused here. :confused:

And while I think it's great that the team got to celebrate a victory (they all seemed pretty happy), it IS the vgas and therefore the victory feels significantly more mild to me.

when presented with a level on Super Meat Boy you basically instantly know what to do (obviously some thought is required but that part is easy) the game is about making fiddly reaction based moves to finish the level, in my opinion that doesnt make a game dificult just fiddly, and i didn't say it was easier than TWD, i said "you can describe a game as hard or easy depending on how you look at it" and the way i look at Super Meat Boy is that it is an easy game with an irritating control system

[Shadowknight1]

While I think difficulty doesn't make a game, I think to each their own on whether the game is fun or not. I have yet to beat the game, but I still really enjoy it. I find the challenge fun.

Exactly. It's a to each their own kind of thing. Heck, the Force Unleashed games are some of the easiest I've ever played, and I still enjoyed them. Skyward Sword is my favorite of the Zelda series, and yet it isn't that overly difficult.

[der_ketzer]

and the way i look at Super Meat Boy is that it is an easy game with an irritating control system
You can bash anything in SMB as long as you like but the controls are the best the genre has to offer. Name even one platformer with better controls.
Are you sure you aren't thinking of They Bleed Pixels?

[thestalkinghead]

You can bash anything in SMB as long as you like but the controls are the best the genre has to offer. Name even one platformer with better controls.
Are you sure you aren't thinking of They Bleed Pixels?

they are both irritating to me, it's not SMB specific, i find almost every platformer irritating

[Secret Fawful]

3) It was either this game or Journey. Which one would you prefer then? Journey? Really? Oh, okay then.

Journey is a beautiful game and I would have been quite fine with it if it had won.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mebvs39jgd1r73n19o1_500.gif

when presented with a level on Super Meat Boy you basically instantly know what to do (obviously some thought is required but that part is easy) the game is about making fiddly reaction based moves to finish the level, in my opinion that doesnt make a game dificult just fiddly, and i didn't say it was easier than TWD, i said "you can describe a game as hard or easy depending on how you look at it" and the way i look at Super Meat Boy is that it is an easy game with an irritating control system

That's not true. No amount of different controls would make the levels any easier, because they're specifically tailored to the controls. The level design is 80% of the difficulty in SMB. Also, these shits at the VGAs couldn't even get Gabe Newell's name right.

http://i.imgur.com/E0YGW.jpg

[Alcoremortis]

they are both irritating to me, it's not SMB specific, i find almost every platformer irritating

How about Dungeons of Dredmor, then? Half the achievements are about dying in interesting ways. Because you die. A lot.

And it's turn-based, so tons of time for thought.

[GaryCXJk]

I didn't know Garry Newman looked a lot like Gabe Newell.

[der_ketzer]

How about Dungeons of Dredmor, then? Half the achievements are about dying in interesting ways. Because you die. A lot.

And it's turn-based, so tons of time for thought.

He'd just say it's random. Which it is. But he wouldn't know that the difficulty does not com from the randomness but from the game being out to murder you horribly. :cool:

[Shadowknight1]

Journey is a beautiful game and I would have been quite fine with it if it had won.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mebvs39jgd1r73n19o1_500.gif


Agreed. What I've seen and played, it's a fantastic looking game. Still, I won't be one of those that says "This award means nothing" just because it's the VGAs. The fact that a smaller studio won that award does mean something. Heck, the fact that Journey was nominated means something.

[Alcoremortis]

He'd just say it's random. Which it is. But he wouldn't know that the difficulty does not com from the randomness but from the game being out to murder you horribly. :cool:

I know. I had a nearly perfect run in terms of best equipment, best mix of skills, etc... breezed through nearly every level... and Dredmor still killed me at the end. Repeatedly.

[GaryCXJk]

Agreed. What I've seen and played, it's a fantastic looking game. Still, I won't be one of those that says "This award means nothing" just because it's the VGAs. The fact that a smaller studio won that award does mean something. Heck, the fact that Journey was nominated means something.

The fact that Journey won ANY award, and no less than three on that, says enough.

[Secret Fawful]

Agreed. What I've seen and played, it's a fantastic looking game. Still, I won't be one of those that says "This award means nothing" just because it's the VGAs. The fact that a smaller studio won that award does mean something. Heck, the fact that Journey was nominated means something.

I wonder if the Grammy nominated composer of Journey felt that way when he was handed his VGA on the red carpet before the show began.

[GaryCXJk]

Yeah, in that regard the VGA was pretty shite. From what I've heard only four awards were actually handed on-stage.

[Irishmile]

Im guessing there are some unseen budget concerns that prevented them from airing everyone getting their awards on stage.. maybe they couldnt afford to book the venue.. or dedicate that much airtime... but it was still a darn shame.. to see some of these people cheated out of their moment to shine in front of their friends and peers.

[Shadowknight1]

I wonder if the Grammy nominated composer of Journey felt that way when he was handed his VGA on the red carpet before the show began.

While I think it's amazing that a video game soundtrack is finally getting recognition(it's about bloody time, I've heard better soundtracks out of Mario and Zelda than some films for years), I don't think Journey's going to get the Grammy. I'd love to be proven wrong, but my bet's on The Dark Knight Rises.

[thestalkinghead]

How about Dungeons of Dredmor, then? Half the achievements are about dying in interesting ways. Because you die. A lot.

And it's turn-based, so tons of time for thought.

i own both FTL and Dungeons of Dredmor on steam and i have played FTL for just over 37 hours (i enjoy problem solving and planning) but only just over 2 hours into Dungeons of Dredmor and i don know if i would count all the deaths in Dungeons of Dredmor as making it hard because you are expected to die, i prefer a normal RPG over rouglikes where you are expected to compete the game but they make it hard (in my opinion) like baldur's gate

[Hazevamp]

You're right.

After seeing how the awardees were treated in the pre-show, it's impossible to treat this award with any REAL favor. It's a really big deal that Telltale beat out games like AC3, though, in such a shallow show.

It doesn't surprise me that AC3 lost. I love the AC series as a whole but AC3 was the weakest. Story sucked, main character sucked, controls sucked, and it was full of pointless side quests to make up for a very brief and badly written story. However, I don't think TWD truly deserved the title and most certainly not best adapted game. I would give it to ME3 before I would TWD even though ME3's ending was disappointing, at least I had three choices whereas TWD gives nothing. If anything the award will just tell them that their game was fine the way it was and season 2 of the game will be the same old same old. If anything, fans of the show itself gave it the vote regardless of whether they've played it or not.

[MusicallyInspired]

when presented with a level on Super Meat Boy you basically instantly know what to do (obviously some thought is required but that part is easy) the game is about making fiddly reaction based moves to finish the level, in my opinion that doesnt make a game dificult just fiddly, and i didn't say it was easier than TWD, i said "you can describe a game as hard or easy depending on how you look at it" and the way i look at Super Meat Boy is that it is an easy game with an irritating control system

There are two separate aspects of a game's difficulty. The difficulty of figuring out what to do, and then the difficulty of actually carrying that out. Some games have one or the other, some have both, and some have neither. Games that have neither are terrible games (good story or no, in my opinion. It shouldn't be a game if it has no gameplay challenge). I suppose it's all down to opinion on whether or not games that have one or the other are bad or good. I personally like having both difficult. It also depends on how they're presented I guess.

You could have a game that's easy to figure out but stupid hard to accomplish. Or really difficult to figure out but once you do it's a cakewalk. Whether or not it's annoying depends on how fun the game makes the challenge and how satisfying the reward of accomplishing it is.

I get your outlook on SMB. I've felt this way about more than a few games in my life and they have pushed me to the point of cheating just to get by the dumb section. But it also matters what the purpose of the game is. Is it more to try and figure out what to do (like an adventure/puzzle game) or to try and actually accomplish it with all the obstacles and challenges that stand between it and you (like SMB)? And which do you enjoy more? And then there's a thousand flavours of either.

Something like BTTF, on the other hand, was neither difficult to figure out or to accomplish. And the story was just ok. It survived purely on nostalgia. I haven't met a single player who has never heard of BTTF and yet enjoyed the game. Then again, I enjoyed The Stanley Parable and Dear Esther which have basically no gameplay whatsoever, but rather interactive narrative. I guess experience is worth something by itself once in a while. But in those cases the interactivity was treated as something special. I don't know, it felt different.

TWD, from what I've played and seen, is not bad story-wise, but the puzzles are fairly simple. I like that you can walk and that there are actual game puzzles beyond QTE, but it still pales in comparison to the adventure greats of years passed. Not my cup of tea. And I loved the storytelling of the comic and show.

I guess I'm just thinking out loud.

[thestalkinghead]

TWD is not a puzzle game, i to enjoy the old school point and click adventure games, but that is not what TWD is, the "challenge" in the game is the moral choices made and the personal relationships that can be formed by the choices you make and the things you say, if there were hard puzzles in TWD it would break the reality that is created by the brilliant story telling and acting that the game has, and also some arbitrary choice at the end of the game of red, blue or green would just ruin it, in my opinion that isn't what "choose your own ending" should mean, if you are going to affect the ending it should be multiple choices throughout the game that change it, not one choice at the end.

[Shadowknight1]

It doesn't surprise me that AC3 lost. I love the AC series as a whole but AC3 was the weakest. Story sucked, main character sucked, controls sucked, and it was full of pointless side quests to make up for a very brief and badly written story. However, I don't think TWD truly deserved the title and most certainly not best adapted game. I would give it to ME3 before I would TWD even though ME3's ending was disappointing, at least I had three choices whereas TWD gives nothing. If anything the award will just tell them that their game was fine the way it was and season 2 of the game will be the same old same old. If anything, fans of the show itself gave it the vote regardless of whether they've played it or not.

ME3?! That's not an adaptation.

[RingmasterJ5]

TWD is not a puzzle game, i to enjoy the old school point and click adventure games, but that is not what TWD is, the "challenge" in the game is the moral choices made and the personal relationships that can be formed by the choices you make and the things you say, if there were hard puzzles in TWD it would break the reality that is created by the brilliant story telling and acting that the game has, and also some arbitrary choice at the end of the game of red, blue or green would just ruin it, in my opinion that isn't what "choose your own ending" should mean, if you are going to affect the ending it should be multiple choices throughout the game that change it, not one choice at the end.

Yes, I see that. What I'm trying to say is that TTG pretty much made a visual choose-your-own-adventure novel and got more money than ever compared to any of their original adventure games. Why would they want to go back to Sam and Max or something when they can make twice as much money with TWD?

[thestalkinghead]

Yes, I see that. What I'm trying to say is that TTG pretty much made a visual choose-your-own-adventure novel and got more money than ever compared to any of their original adventure games. Why would they want to go back to Sam and Max or something when they can make twice as much money with TWD?

i get what you mean, hopefully the money they made can mean that it wont be a trade of one game for the other, hopefully they can make both

[Alcoremortis]

i own both FTL and Dungeons of Dredmor on steam and i have played FTL for just over 37 hours (i enjoy problem solving and planning) but only just over 2 hours into Dungeons of Dredmor and i don know if i would count all the deaths in Dungeons of Dredmor as making it hard because you are expected to die, i prefer a normal RPG over rouglikes where you are expected to compete the game but they make it hard (in my opinion) like baldur's gate

This is preferences. I loved Baldur's Gate as well, mainly due to needing to strategize to get past any battle, but I feel Dungeons of Dredmor is very similar in scope. My most recent character I spent a lot of time trying to figure out skills that would complement each other well and allow this character to succeed in all the ways the dungeon demands and then level up the skills in a way that would be beneficial to completing the dungeon (get the defense up first and then start working on the offense). This character made it to level 15, whereas my previous best attempt only made it to level 9.

It's the same with Legend of Grimrock. I spent a lot of time figuring out how I was going to structure my group so that I'd have balance and versatility.

I would agree that certain types of games have gone downhill. RTS in particular. Starcraft II is pretty much the only big RTS that's been released recently and the campaign was super easy, especially compared to the original. But I think it was because of the emphasis on the multi-player.

[RingmasterJ5]

i get what you mean, hopefully the money they made can mean that it wont be a trade of one game for the other, hopefully they can make both

Why would they want to, though? The reality is that TWD has MANY times the fanbase as Sam and Max does, so why would they bring out a game that would likely cost about the same to make but get them less than half of what TWD made?

[der_ketzer]

the "challenge" in the game is the moral choices made

In the end the moral choices don't matter as much as you are making it out to be. I liked the way TWD adjusted to me, little things characters remembered etc. But you still got through the game no matter what you did as long as you didn't fail the QTEs that you can win (in Episode 5 there are some you aren't supposed to win and that you cannot win).
I think the most challenging QTE was at the end of Episode 2 because you really need to be fast or die. But then again you restart just a few seconds before that.

[thestalkinghead]

Why would they want to, though? The reality is that TWD has MANY times the fanbase as Sam and Max does, so why would they bring out a game that would likely cost about the same to make but get them less than half of what TWD made?

i couldn't even come close to answering that, i don't know how their business is set up or the desires of the people who work there or whether it would be possible for them to work on two games, i guess we will find out

In the end the moral choices don't matter as much as you are making it out to be. I liked the way TWD adjusted to me, little things characters remembered etc. But you still got through the game no matter what you did as long as you didn't fail the QTEs that you can win (in Episode 5 there are some you aren't supposed to win and that you cannot win).
I think the most challenging QTE was at the end of Episode 2 because you really need to be fast or die. But then again you restart just a few seconds before that.

the QTE's aren't supposed to be hard just add to the immersion, there is no win or loose condition in TWD, and morality is a personal thing that affects the way you feel, sure the game is reasonably linear but the impact it has on you can change depending on how you play the game, if you want high scores or a win and loose condition TWD is not the game for you

[der_ketzer]

Starcraft II is pretty much the only big RTS that's been released recently and the campaign was super easy, especially compared to the original.

The campaign is as easy as you make it. If you are not trained in RTS and want to get all the achievements for a mission before you move on you will get stuck pretty soon.
If you set it to a low difficulty and blitz through it just to get your bullshit ending (and yes it is bullshit to sell you the next full price campaign) then it will be just that. The game has several skill levels. If you think it's easy on highest settings well okay. I think it's impossible.:D

[MusicallyInspired]

Why would they want to go back to Sam and Max or something when they can make twice as much money with TWD?

Devil's Playhouse, from the beginning when it was released, always felt like it was a final sendoff to TTG's old adventure fans. They even changed the game mechanics quite a bit. Perhaps in an effort to warm those fans up to what was coming? I don't think we'll see anything like that again, anyway. I doubt we'll be seeing another Sam & Max. At least not in the near future. And by near future I mean 5-10 years or something. If ever.

Perhaps another adventure developer will cut a deal with Purcell for a new Sam & Max adventure game.

[Alcoremortis]

The campaign is as easy as you make it. If you are not trained in RTS and want to get all the achievements for a mission before you move on you will get stuck pretty soon.
If you set it to a low difficulty and blitz through it just to get your bullshit ending (and yes it is bullshit to sell you the next full price campaign) then it will be just that. The game has several skill levels. If you think it's easy on highest settings well okay. I think it's impossible.:D

I set it to something in the middle (can't remember what the settings were) when I first tried it and didn't have time to try any other settings, but I guess my real issue here is that the original Starcraft didn't have difficulty settings. It just had a campaign that was tailored to start out at a lower setting to teach you the basics and then ramp up into seemingly impossible challenges by the end. And I would have preferred that. I don't like having to guess at what level of player I am. I could have started at the highest setting and worked my way down

One of my favorite RTS games, Age of Empires II, had an easy setting the equivalent of most moderate or difficult settings in other strategy games. I never beat that game until a few years ago, when I tried to give it another shot now that I kinda understood how strategy actually worked... and even then there was a level that I only beat by the skin of my teeth.

Easy has turned from a setting that slowly ramps up over time to handholding. And at a certain point, the difficult difficulty settings cease to be about whether you are analyzing your situation correctly and more about how many hotkeys you have memorized and how fast you can hit them. I honestly don't play often enough for that.

I guess what I really wanted was a "the campaign was designed to play at this setting" button and then options to make it harder or easier if you needed it.

[der_ketzer]

Well the problem here is clearly that they want you to see the end so they can sell you the next 2 parts of the story for 60$ each. If you never see the end why would you buy the next game.
Age Of Empires 2 didn't care because it was a complete game on it's own (with the greatest RTS-campaigns I've ever seen).

[ryannumber1gamer]

Just wondering but does this not mean that now a game of the year edition of TWD is coming?

[der_ketzer]

It just means they can make one if they want to.

[ryannumber1gamer]

Yeah but what could you even put in a Game of the Year edition for TWD. There's no DLC unless TTG decide to make 1 or 2 more episodes to show what happens when Clem sees the 2 mysterious figures in the distance

[Hazevamp]

ME3?! That's not an adaptation.

oops. I thought they meant as in adapted game play. In that case TWD must have been the only game up for an award cause I don't think any of the other games were adapted from a book, show, or movie.

[LuigiHann]

oops. I thought they meant as in adapted game play. In that case TWD must have been the only game up for an award cause I don't think any of the other games were adapted from a book, show, or movie.

The nominees were:
Best Adapted Video Game

Disney Epic Mickey 2
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
*The Walking Dead*
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

[Darth Marsden]

- Disney Epic Mickey: The Power of Two: Having played a good few hours of it I think it's a massive step back from the first one. Only good thing about it is the fact you can play it on the PS3 with the Move, so it's like a hi-res Wii version.

- Lego World's Finest: Same old style of levels from the first game with an absolutely horrendous open-world hub that has so little to do it hurts. It's basically just another level with nothing but collectables.

- The Walking Dead: Less a game, more of an interactive story. But jeez, what a story.

- Transformers: Fall of Cybertron: Meh.

Not hard to see why TWD won. The others were all sequels... and not particularly great ones at that.

[DPB]

Just wondering but does this not mean that now a game of the year edition of TWD is coming?

They could've called it that if they wanted to anyway, it's just a marketing label. Dead Island was re-released as a GOTY edition and that got mostly average reviews.