Posts by 2d-chris

  • The Witcher 3

    I too played 2nd game for about 4 hours then gave up, but the time I played it was defo well executed, dunno what made me stop. Maybe it was the combat, very hack and slash which I'm not a big fan of. Everything else I really liked, but if the game play doesn't grab you, as we all know, visuals and story only hold your attention for so long.

  • Awesome UI's

    honestly, in an RTS game you want little screen distractions, popup, expanding panels in starcraft would be quite distracting, the thick edging proves a clear distinction between UI and game space, which helps for fast readability. If you look at successful game UI's for RTS, there's a clear separation between information and the visual game window, usually at the bottom. I'd bet there's a really good reason it's down there, something to do with how our brain can process information in the most comfortable manner.


    paradoxically, the face in starcraft UI might actually be less distracting being there, than a gap in the lower UI panel.


    or, I could be talking crap, and it;s just what we got used to (but I know there's a endless psychology and research into UI interfaces)

  • Awesome UI's

    it's all about how much complexity the game has, managing / multi character games will obviously need a more complex UI, sure dead space UI is great, but it's a SP game with a very basic core feature set. Now take a look at Starcraft, it has allot of UI because it simply needs it. I remember when RTS games attempted the less is more approach, it failed miserably.


    [Blocked Image: http://www.rocketllama.com/blog-it/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/starcraft21.jpg]


    Personally, I like UI's that give you what you need to know, reactive elements that only display when you need it. A horror game should have a little information for obvious reasons, a complex management game like Anno 2070 or Starcraft 2 needs a big old UI


    Anno 2070 really nails the complex UI, they also have tons of amazing tools allowing for fast selection, the pipette, which cuts the need to open the expanding option to a minimum.


    [Blocked Image: http://img.gamefaqs.net/screens/b/8/b/gfs_237695_2_1.jpg]


    Then we go into MMO territory, where your dealing with not just 3 or 4 players, but up to 25 ... this requires and very advanced UI that everything can be customized.


    [Blocked Image: http://nsa26.casimages.com/img/2011/01/30/110130120616733984.jpg]


    So there's a huge scope of UI's for different games, the biggest mistake developers can make is underestimate the importance of UI - it must fit the design and complexity, not just be minimal or crazy busy for the sake of it.

  • Gamescom 2012

    oh shit I remember being so drunk, at about 6pm, I went to the last screening of Rage and actually fell asleep D: My friend had to wake me up, looking all embarrassed. My god it was a boring demo, exactly like they'd be showing on the internet for about 6 months b4 ;(((


    so yeah, when shit hits the fan and it gets boring, theres always booze and pro starcraft to keep me entertained, think I spent more than half the show watching Intel pro masters

  • Gamescom 2012

    4 hour waiting line, lmao, most sp games these days don;t last much longer haha, seriously though ... I don't get games events, you end up playing shit that's on youtube in a few days, usually unfinished code too. Why not just get the beta when its out.


    These days if I go to an event like that, it's to motivate myself and it's great to see so many gamer that are passionate about the industry, it's a realization that all the hard work is worth it. Oh and to take pictures of booth babes and stuff.


    Even though i go on press day, I won;t queue for more than 30 mins for any game, to get a crappy 10 min demo, it takes me longer to even get used to controls.

  • MapCore CS:GO Playtesting 3.0

    I'm not sure Starcraft is a great example, at least in the pro scene, they've been playing the same maps since launch - sure, they each tweak the formula a little, but the underlying game doesn't change drastically.


    I suppose it comes down to the point of either building a competitive map, or just a fun public map, both are challenging in different ways.


    Mapham, it seems like your trying to change things to appear different from everyone else, this is good, usually at that point you are working on a modification and can get assistance proving your ideas. Unfortunately this isn't Starcraft with an advanced script language capable of changing all the game rules, and if there was that possibility you'd be competing against everyone else's changes. You have to work damn hard to get you Starcraft arcade map to stand out, just the same as CS:G


    It's all about being creative within the limitations you have, when your great at doing that people will listen and help you achieve bigger better things.

  • Everquest Next

    you realize that colors have been around for a very long time ... I see absolutely nothing WoW about this


    Oh yes and Wow's art style isn't colors, since endless projects have colors ... it's the hand painted look, I see nothing hand painted feel about EQ Next


    Yes, I'm defending it because, Sony always have innovated in the MMO space, if this can't break the "every MMO is trying to be WoW" then I don't know what can!


    Character art reminds me of Bioshock Infinate somehow, hmmm, the choice of saturated colors wont please everyone, but WoW did not invent such things


    [Blocked Image: http://b-i.forbesimg.com/erikkain/files/2013/08/Wizard-in-a-magma-chamber.jpg]

  • Company of Heroes 2

    makes little sense that German tanks are the best in that game, if the games attempting to be historically correct wikipedia quote "In actual tank-on-tank encounters the German armour performed poorly, but as a coherent unit, the combined arms tactic of the Blitzkrieg shocked the West"

  • Planning layout

    copy the layouts, people have been doing that for over 10 years now - would help to know the game you're planning a map for too ^^


    just learn to add your unique twist to it, that can be many things, planning on paper isn't required at all for relatively simple structures found in CS and TF2, the key is to analyze what makes official levels work!


    simply boot up some popular levels and run around them and try to figure out whats going on