Army Break 11: Almost There

There and back again, as Tolkien would have put it. Anyway. Point is I'm back for another week (almost a week, actually) and I know I'll be back for good sometime before the 19th of January. I also know a unique and particularly interesting article will be appearing on Gnome's Lair very soon.

Army Break 10: Be Right Back

No, really. I should be back before the 24th, which is -admittedly (and hopefully)- bearable. In the meantime I would suggest playing through the excellent and finally complete Tales of Monkey Island series, having a go at Space Hulk, downloading some stunning free games or feeling 100% silly with Band Hero for the Wii.

Walker and Silhouette: A unique piece of clickable interactive fiction

It seems that while I was moaning about boring, banal, trivial and marketing-led games, everyone's favourite Pacian proved that action is (admittedly at times) so much more important than trying to theorize; especially than trying to theorized while generally confused. Anyway, I digress. The point is Pacian released -via his (Text) Games for (Space) Crows site- the stunning piece of interactive fiction that is Walker & Silhouette, which -incidentally- you can and probably should grab from this place. It is of course a freeware offering.

What's more, Walker & Silhouette is brilliantly written, extremely engrossing, quite easy on genre newcomers, sports two characters, and can even be played with a mouse. Yes, no typing is required in order to enjoy this somewhat unsettling short story of the interactive variety, that, starting from a successfully grotesque introduction, soon evolves into a surreal detective story and makes some subtle but truly insightful political points.

Download and play it. And don't forget to delve deep into that "S" folder...

[Update]: You can save the squid, mind!

Related @ Gnome's Lair:

• More from Pacian's (virtual) pen
• The Commonplace Book project in i-f
• The Lurking Horror by Infocom
• Them fecking text adventures of yore...

Enough with the Gaming Industry!

Before I start ranting away, I have to come clear -or at least attempt to; the army isn't the place for productive thinking you see, and brains do tend to rot- regarding the subject of selling games. I've got nothing against it. I, instead, fiercely believe that people creating them should be able to live off their craft, provided of course they choose to do so. There is nothing unethical in selling a game one -or a group of people- has created, though admittedly that's not the case when companies enter the equation. That's when the creative minds get exploited. This later view though, demanding a rather theoretical piece mostly on the production and exploitation of surplus value, will be wisely left for another blog post. You might as well ignore it for the time being.

Now, let me move on by reminding everyone that gaming wants to be considered an art form; an art form comparable to painting, cinema, theater, music and literature; above all a sellable art form. Gaming after all, especially mainstream gaming, is an art form that shockingly tries to justify its importance by showing everyone the huge revenue it generates, and by convincing mommies and governments they have nothing to fear from it. And herein lies the problem.

Art, the way I see it, has to be thought provoking and at times dangerous (remember the beat generation?), and definitely doesn't have to be a commodity. Art, you see, simply cannot flourish when directed by market research and consumer needs, as these demands necessarily lead artists to self-censorship and, more often than not, banality. Art can be sold, but almost always at a cost.

Art simply does not need industry. I mean, look at the hundreds of late Picasso paintings and compare them to Guernica. Sad, eh?

Well, things are even sadder when it gets to gaming, where market forces were powerful from the very birth of the medium and where even some indie developers can't help but speak for and about the industry. As if the industry were one homogenous whole. As if The World of Goo and the radical games of Molleindustria have anything to do with Nintendo's WiiFit and such militaristic offerings as Gears of War. As if something is worth creating only to be sold. As if money is all an artist should care for. As if the sole yardstick for judging anything were its profitability.

Profitability is what companies care for and the force responsible for strangling myriads of brilliant ideas and even a few almost completed games. And believe me, it's gonna get worse. Perceived popularity and safe choices will get an even stronger grip on gaming and digital expression in general, just like they already did in cinema, literature and music.

Popularity of course, just like the need to be liked, appreciated and accepted is something most artists also crave (usually, that is). They always did so apparently and, admittedly, I think it's an almost noble cause, provided they remember they only have one obligation: be true to ones self and vision. And in the case of game creation, an artist or a group of artists, has only got to make something he/she/they would actually want to play. Something unique. Something interesting. Something with a modicum of passion. Not something that they could become rich from. And, well, if the money comes, so be it.

Just don't let the industry get it. Let the creative minds enjoy it and be freed to further provide us with quality games. Not that I wouldn't enjoy the struggling artist concept, mind. Passion and intense experiences can bring forth masterpieces all the money in the world wouldn't be able to buy. A Rimbaud of gaming would be truly amazing.

So, uhm, why don't you go read the Scratchware Manifesto?

Related @ Gnome's Lair:

• The Wind That Shakes The Barley
• Discussing video game reviews
• The (early) history of the FPS in pictures
• Dead Like Ants?

Army Break 9: A few promises

Having returned home and planning to stay here for the next 10 or so days, I feel pretty confident I'll manage a proper Gnome's Lair post or two. Also hope to start work on the blog itself, as it will soon (well, soon-ish; March the latest) spring back into action.All improved and nicer to look at.

Army Break 8: Great news I have.

Unfortunately said news have nothing to do with my army duty -news on that front aren't cause for celebration really- but should be of interest to the quality gaming public that tends to visit the halls of the now half empty Lair. It's all about news of the gaming, indie gaming and retro gaming kind then. Hope you don't mind about the fact that they really aren't the newest news around...

Anyway. Let's start with a biggie. Unity the versatile, powerful, and not ridiculously difficult to use game development tool has just gone freeware. Grab it here, study the excellent tutorials, think a bit, use your imagination and go create something.

For those that would like to enjoy their quality interactive fiction on the go, classic Spectrum developer Zenobi managed to cram its whole catalogue in one tiny DS cart. Follow the link scroll down and see for yourselves.

Further DS focused Speccy love comes from indie group Headsoft who have created the fabulous Manic Miner in the Lost Levels for the DS. The game sports 50 obscure and classic levels and has to be seen to be believed. Oh, and it's free. Grab it.

Staying on the retro-esque side of things, thought I'd remind everyone that the excellent third issue of Retroaction magazine has also been released. It costs nothing, looks brilliant and covers such diverse topics as Blade Runner, the Atari STe and retro fanzines.

Adventurers will be glad to know Machinarium has gotten itself released, whereas Tales of Monkey Island episode 4 will be with us in a matter of hours. Yes. It's the point-and-click brigade advancing once again.

The indie brigade on the other hand is organizing -with the help of TIG Source- the Assemblee competition. It's the first two-part compo I've ever seen!

Oh, and I got myself a Playfire profile too.