Tasteful Understated Nerdrage/MrBtongue Thread

[Murk]

I think I fall in line with Brother None's approach of a numberless rating system. I'm more interested to see some detailed description of features (and bugs) and how they work out. I'd rather read a few paragraphs than look at 3 numbers and an average of the 3. I fear often people think that by quantifying something they somehow bestow some semblance of objectivity to it.

 

[Delterius]

I think I fall in line with Brother None's approach of a numberless rating system. I'm more interested to see some detailed description of features (and bugs) and how they work out. I'd rather read a few paragraphs than look at 3 numbers and an average of the 3. I fear often people think that by quantifying something they somehow bestow some semblance of objectivity to it.

Naturally, its good that the Codex's review don't feature scores. And I hope the future contributions refrain from doing so. But the score was just an analogy to the most superficial perception people create about each product. What I meant to say is that there's no reason not to aprehend average or mediocre games as what they are -- at the most optmistic the sites of good ideas with bad implementation -- which is, after all, the Codex's MO when it comes to those certain 'rough gems' that made their way to the top of each poster's top ten games.

 

[tuluse]

Roger Ebert went with a 4 star rating when most movie reviewers were using 5 star systems because he wanted to force himself to have an opinion on whether something was good or bad. He didn't want to give himself the "out" of saying it was perfectly average. Something to think about.

 

[Murk]

Delterius, I get ya; My own comments are really aimed more at IGN or other places that offer a small amount of depth when discussing content and then slap some numbers on things.

I do agree that there are plenty of "it's decent" games; to me that's what NWN OC or Lionheart was. "If you're into the genre, you might enjoy it -- otherwise, play something better."

 

[Dreaad]

I always found the whole "overall" ratting system pointless. Much better in my opinion to break down a game into graphics/sound/gameplay/bugs/drm/story kind of thing. That way a person would be able to judge on individual features rather than some arbitrary opinion of an anonymous stranger. At least to a certain degree, obviously something like story is pretty hard to define into good or bad as a lot of that comes down to personal taste and how familiar an individual actual is with the setting, it can still be briefly mentioned however. Things like bugs, audio, and gameplay can just be discretely described, letting a person decide for themselves if that's something they would enjoy or not.

A numbered system is at best a placeholder for a smiley face or a frown, these days being completely meaningless due to Dorito bribe's. Having a 1-10 numbered system is just meaningless, how much better is a 7 over an 6? Is that 7 always equal to the same enjoyment from game to game? Does having an incredible sound track change the score from 4 to 6 if the rest of the game is shitty. You cannot really have a rating system when the ratings don't men anything specific... the whole thing just becomes teh emohtions of the reviewer at the time of writing the review.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

But there is such a thing as a 5/10 = average and unremarkable. The sort of game that might please people who like a genre in its specificity but lacks an extra oomph or competence that makes it truly worth recommending. The sort which, with a little bit more effort could lead to a rough gem.

In other words, "good for what it is". We use the term ironically here but I think it adequately describes that sort of game.

 

[Akratus]

In the eyes of modern game journalists and their fans, "good for what it is" would probably be 7.5/10

I agree with most here that a numbered rating system doesn't work well.

But I do think it shouldn't be removed without any replacement. I think a simple "Do I recommend it or not" type question at the end would be best.
In the same way as half in the bag does with their movie reviews.

 

[Delterius]

But there is such a thing as a 5/10 = average and unremarkable. The sort of game that might please people who like a genre in its specificity but lacks an extra oomph or competence that makes it truly worth recommending. The sort which, with a little bit more effort could lead to a rough gem.

In other words, "good for what it is". We use the term ironically here but I think it adequately describes that sort of game.

And sometimes we have to appreciate the irony that there are a lot of games in a codexer's pantheon which are 'good for what it is'. Things which won their position merely because of an awesome yet not perfectly implemented idea in the middle of a lot of shit. A lot of people here pay lip service to things like ToEE and Arcanum which I'd be ashamed of recommending to anyone but a die hard fan of TB and 3rd ed D&D; or someone I know can see the good in Arcanum's torrent of shitty encounter design.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

And sometimes we have to appreciate the irony that there are a lot of games in a codexer's pantheon which are 'good for what it is'. Things which won their position merely because of an awesome yet not perfectly implemented idea in the middle of a lot of shit. A lot of people here pay lip service to things like ToEE and Arcanum which I'd be ashamed of recommending to anyone but a die hard fan of TB and 3rd ed D&D; or someone I know can see the good in Arcanum's torrent of shitty encounter design.

I don't count Arcanum or ToEE even as "good for what it is". I count them as simply bad with some good ideas. I see Fallout as "good for what it is".

 

[Delterius]

Whereas I will never get over Hommlet and will never stop hating ToEE for it.

 

[Markman]

Meh this guy. Too much talk about little stuff. Make a fucking powerpoint with bullet points and spend 30 sec on each one when you have a boring voice like this.

And fuck anyone that bitches about nekkid cards in Witcher. OMG NEKKID GRRLS, I MIGHT GET A BONER OOOH NOOEEZ

 

[Infinitron]

(not about games)

 

[MicoSelva]

New video? Fucking finally. I was worried this guy was as dead as MCA's Arcanum LP.

EDIT:
BTW, this thread should probably be moved to General Gaming.

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

Whereas I will never get over Hommlet and will never stop hating ToEE for it.

I hated how they cut out children from Hommlet. They are mentioned in a lot of dialogues but nowhere to be seen.

 

[veryalien]

Youtube took it down

For some copyrighted content. How stupid.

 

[Xor]

Shit, I should've watched it earlier.

 

[Ninjerk]

There's a scene used from TTSS that they obviously couldn't have running around. Ironically, it made me want to watch the movie.

 

[AN4RCHID]

Goddammit

 

[veryalien]

It's back up!

 

[Infinitron]

Shit, I should've watched it earlier.

There's a scene used from TTSS that they obviously couldn't have running around. Ironically, it made me want to watch the movie.

Goddammit

 

[Ninjerk]

Shit, I should've watched it earlier.

There's a scene used from TTSS that they obviously couldn't have running around. Ironically, it made me want to watch the movie.

Goddammit

So, yeah, it appears that scene is exactly what got cut.

 

[Drax]

Lucky me I downloaded the video as soon as Infinitron posted it

That final scene was pretty awesome.
Now I have another movie and another book in line for this weekend, cool.

 

[Jick Magger]

The BBC miniseries is also pretty good. Doesn't have the budget of the movie, of course, but Sir Alec Guinness as George Smiley more than makes up for it, and it covers Smiley's People to boot.

 

[Cadmus]

And fuck anyone that bitches about nekkid cards in Witcher. OMG NEKKID GRRLS, I MIGHT GET A BONER OOOH NOOEEZ

I agree, I don't know what the fucking problem is with the cards.
I like MrBtongue, I like the calm manner in which he speaks. I don't think his voice is boring at all. I like how he makes different points than the usual graphics/story/sound/recommend?
He brings to light some interesting topics and ways of thinking about stuff that don't only apply to games. And he has a class and a sense of humor that is missing from most other reviewer's (since when is this even a word).
I wish the videos were twice as long because he is interesting.

 

[Akratus]

If you want more I can recommend:

Instig8iveJournalism
Errant Signal
Smudboy
Shamus Young
VaatiVidya
MechaGameZilla

Fitzthistlewits:
Fitzthistlewits

Milage may vary:
Zero Punctuation
Sequelitis
Jim Sterling
Extra Credits