Stone Marshall's Blog, page 133
October 24, 2017
Minecraft can be a surprisingly effective horror game
Keyboard Geniuses is our weekly glance at a few intriguing, witty, or otherwise notable posts from the Gameological discussion threads. Comments have been excerpted and edited here for grammar, length, and/or clarity. You can follow the links to see the full threads.
Terror From The Deep
Over in this week’s What Are You Playing This Weekend? thread, The Demons discussed why they’re still drawn to Minecraft and what makes it a surprisingly scary game:
Fear of the unknown is a powerful thing, and I’m surprised at the amount of anxiety this game’s sound design is able to conjure up when I’m venturing below ground. Hearing the growls in my headphones without being able to see where they’re coming from puts me on edge, and being surprised by a monster I didn’t know was there consistently makes me panic and fight sub-optimally. There’s a sense of dread from getting lost in the winding passageways of a cave while running low on rations, or climbing up from the underground only to realize that you were down there too long, and now you’ll have to sprint for shelter in the middle of the night. I find it remarkable how the emergent play provides such a vivid horror experience, especially with Minecraft’s complete lack of violence and how lo-fi and abstracted the designs for the monsters are.
Speaking of abstraction, the environments of the game strike me as having a natural beauty despite the deliberate unreality of it all. I try to alter the landscape as little as possible, feeling that the results of the world-generating algorithm have an aesthetic that would be difficult to reproduce if I were to reshape the terrain myself. I’m hesitant to flatten areas and construct cobblestone roads; content to place a trail of torches to mark my path through a forest instead of simply chopping it down. Even my structures, the safehouses whose beacons dot the horizon, are based around this aesthetic: My castles are always built atop a stone surface whenever I find one poking up through the dirt and the foundation sets the shape for the whole building. By making each project unique—as I assess the site and figure out what it wants to be—making progress never feels like work.
Punch-Out Love
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Screenshot: Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
This week, I celebrated the 30th anniversary of Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! by talking about why I think the game holds up better than pretty much any of its contemporaries. It comes down to the simplicity and purity of its puzzle-like boxing matches, something Unexpected Dave broke down in the comments:
It’s often been said that Punch Out!! looks like a fighting game but is actually a rhythm or puzzle game in disguise. If you approach the game like a straight-up arcade brawler, you can probably get through Piston Honda, but you’ll get slaughtered in the second tier. That’s when you really have to learn how to respond to your opponents’ tells and know exactly when and how to counterattack.
But the brilliance of the game is that it never loses the “illusion” of being a fighting game. It seldom feels like a purely mechanical exercise, like a game of Simon, and that’s all down to the character and personality of the opponents. It’s a shame that Nintendo relied on racial stereotypes to imbue that personality, though. (And the Wii version really doubles down on them.)
Elsewhere, M_squared remembered how the game turned into a playground sensation:
I love this game. As a kid, it was always one that we talked about on the playground, sharing methods and things that worked on the opponents. This was a game that really brought people together. You could sit with people watching you and yelling “He’s charging! Punch now! Now! You did it too late!” or you could talk about it away from the game, “How do you beat King Hippo??” and things like that. It always brought out the liars, though. “I beat Mike Tyson with one punch!”, “I swear King Hippo got up, and I had to knock him down again!”
But overall it’s timeless because of the precise controls and the easy beginning. If it was really tough at the outset, it wouldn’t have caught on as much. But getting past Glass Joe is simple enough for just about anyone to do it but also gets you just hooked that you want to continue. Then as the difficulty ramps up, it doesn’t feel like cheating but like you’re earning your victories (and defeats).
“Maddeness Indeed”
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Screenshot: Madden NFL ‘18
Also this week, William Hughes wrapped up his four-part attempt to learn a thing or two about Madden and football. Unfortunately, he ultimately fell into despair and sought to destroy the game from the inside. Thundawg did some commiserating down in the comments and poetically summed up the whole endeavor:
This is a perfect encapsulation of Madden. Few games come close to the all-consuming rage that burns deep within after a loss. Madden might be the worst, as William noted, since you can do everything right and still ultimately lose. This game is not a quest for the virtual Super Bowl to win an oddly polygonal Lombardi Trophy. No, that is merely a byproduct. Madden is a journey into one’s own mind. It is the video game equivalent of Heart Of Darkness masquerading behind Tom Brady’s steely stare. The game will test the limits of your mental fortitude, push you to the edge of sanity. It will, inevitably, break you, leaving you to pick up the pieces of your shattered mind and shattered controller.
But through that, I believe William got closer to sports fan nirvana than he thinks. Will Madden teach you to be a ra-ra sports fan? No. But the discipline, patience, and resolve that playing sports requires and teaches? Certainly. The utter destruction you wreaked upon the Seahawks organization is a manifestation of what every fan felt when Pete Carroll opted to pass, not run, the ball in Super Bowl XLIX. It is not just the helpless roller coaster but viscerally feeling the depths of defeat and the supreme elation of victory. That collective emotion lies at the core of fandom.
That’ll do it for this week, Gameologerinos. As always, thank you for reading and commenting. We’ll see you all next week!
The Annual Celebration of All Things Minecraft Just Got 1 Very Cool Cohost
Back in August, it was announced that Minecon — the annual celebration of all things Minecraft — would take an altogether different form for 2017. The newly branded Minecon World aimed to expand the festivities well beyond the confines of the single city chosen to host days full of activities each year, instead taking the form of a 90-minute jam-packed event broadcast live from Atlanta to viewing parties and movie theaters around the world.
And if that wasn’t enough to catch your eye — which, let’s be real, is very appealing to those of us who love Minecraft but maybe don’t have the ability to travel to the highly hyped event each year — on Oct. 19, it was announced that there would be another familiar face hosting the event beside the legendary Lydia Winters: Will Arnett. That’s right; the man formerly known as GOB Bluth, Devon Banks, and Bojack Horseman is a Minecraft fan, too.
“My boys and I have so much fun playing Minecraft,” Arnett said in a statement about the event, adding, “but even more than that, I love how Minecraft inspires so much creativity in them. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of MINECON!”
Check out a full rundown of everything Minecon Earth over at the official site, the official launch trailer (featuring Arnett) above, and, for good measure, the best Bojack Horseman-inspired Minecraft video ever below.
The Annual Celebration of All Things Minecraft Just Got 1 Very Cool Cohost
October 22, 2017
New Xbox One S bundles feature Rocket League and Minecraft
Microsoft has announced three new Xbox One S bundles priced at just £229. Launching in the coming weeks, the UK will receive an Xbox One S Rocket League Blast-Off Bundle, an Xbox One S Starter Bundle and – for those that didn’t manage to get their hands on the limited edition Minecraft version of the console, an Xbox One S Minecraft Complete Adventure Bundle.
The latter comes with a 500GB Xbox One S, a wireless controller and full download codes for Minecraft and Telltale’s Minecraft: Story Mode Season One – The Complete Adventure. Users also get a full add-on download code of the Minecraft Explorer’s pack, three months of Xbox Live Gold, and a one month trial of the Xbox Game Pass.
The Rocket League Blast Off Bundle, meanwhile, comes with a 500GB Xbox One S, a wireless controller, a full download code for Rocket League, three months of Xbox Live Gold and the same one month Xbox Game Pass trial.
The Starter Bundle, on the other hand, doesn’t actually come with a specific game, which might make it a hard sell to the general public. Instead, the main benefit is that users get three months of Xbox Game Pass rather than one – although whether the general public will appreciate the value of two extra months is debatable, especially when it’s not quite as tangible as an actual game. Of course, that’s in addition to three months of Xbox Live Gold plus the 500GB Xbox One S and wireless controller.
Meanwhile, the US will also receive an Xbox One S Ultimate Halo Bundle for $279, which comes with download codes for Halo 5 Guardians and Halo: The Master Chief Collection, plus one month of Xbox Game Pass, a 14-day trial of Xbox Live Gold, and a 500GB console and wireless controller.
October 21, 2017
Try the Xbox One X before it launches at select Microsoft Stores
With less than a month to go before you can get your hands on the new, more powerful Xbox One X, Microsoft is giving the unconvinced a chance to try it out at the company’s retail outlets. You can try the new console connected to a 4K display at flagship Microsoft Store locations like the one in New York and Sidney, along with spaces at Bellevue Square Mall and University Village. You’ll also get to try out Forza Motorsport 7 on the new console, win prizes and see special guests.
Even if you’re not near a participating Microsoft Store, any other branded retail outlets in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico will celebrate the launch of the Xbox One X with giveaways and celebration events, too. If you pre-oder a console at your local store, you’ll be able to pick it up at 9 PM PT/12AM ET on Monday, November 6th/7th from the same store you ordered it from.
Try the Xbox One X before it launches at select Microsoft Stores
Select Microsoft Stores will let you go hands-on with the Xbox One X
Microsoft has flaunted its upcoming Xbox One X as the ‘most powerful console ever created’, touting its ability to natively play games at 4K, with HDR as a big differentiator against not only its direct competitor, the PS4 Pro, but also the current generation of consoles as a whole.
If you’re not convinced by Microsoft’s words or the inclusion of insanely powerful hardware – an octa core processor and 12 GB of DDR5 RAM – alone, you can soon test the console out for yourself, before its eventual release on November 7. As the company announced yesterday, “Participating locations include flagship Microsoft Stores in New York and Sydney as well as Microsoft Store at Bellevue Square Mall and Microsoft Store at University Village.”
Those fortunate enough to get their hands on an Xbox One X at one of the participating locations will also be able to try out the recently released Forza Motorsport 7, which is designed to show off the new console’s graphical prowess. Our Usama Jawad reviewed the game and came away impressed, describing the game as ‘amazing’.
If you’re not near one of the locations mentioned above, don’t fret. The company has also promised that more locations will be revealed soon and that as we near the launch of the console, all Microsoft Stores will start stocking Xbox One Xs for you to try out.
In addition, the company is celebrating the launch of the console with giveaways, special events, and more at Microsoft Stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
Select Microsoft Stores will let you go hands-on with the Xbox One X
October 20, 2017
Microsoft Says Their Relationship With Nintendo On Minecraft Has Been “Strong”
It has been a while since we’ve last heard about Microsoft and Nintendo’s relationship with Minecraft cross-play between platforms. That has changed, as Xbox boss Phil Spencer has commented about the matter. He wasn’t as positive about Sony, but he had nice things to say about Nintendo. Spencer says their relationship with Nintendo on Minecraft has been “strong” and they have been “great supporters”. Here’s what Phil Spencer had to say:
“We talk to Sony all the time. With Minecraft on PlayStation, we have to be one of the biggest games on their platform in terms of sales and gameplay. Same with Nintendo. The relationship with Nintendo on this front has been strong. They’ve been great supporters and we continue to collaborate with them. But I think Sony’s view is different. They should talk about what their view is…”
Microsoft Says Their Relationship With Nintendo On Minecraft Has Been “Strong”
Xbox’s Phil Spencer Hasn’t Beaten Cuphead, Has A Good Excuse Though
As the Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer played a key role in bringing the critically acclaimed platformer Cuphead to Xbox One and PC as an exclusive for Microsoft. One of the perks of his position is getting to play games ahead of release. He told us at the Brazil Game Show today that while he beat all the bosses ahead of launch, he hasn’t completed the retail version of the game–and he has a good reason.
“I think I finished all of the bosses at one point before it launched. But no. I’ve been traveling for four weeks in a row so I haven’t had much chance to play,” Spencer said. “It is [an excuse].”
Spencer also told us that Cuphead is selling “very well,” though he didn’t get into specifics about sales numbers. “I am so happy for the studio; they worked a long time on the game. And to have the success they’re having–it’s selling very well,” he said. “The reaction has been great. It’s just fantastic when those kind of things come together.”
As part of Microsoft’s exclusivity deal for Cuphead, the game is staying exclusive to Xbox One and PC forever. It is never coming to PlayStation 4. Spencer said the version of Cuphead that exists today might never have happened were it not for Microsoft’s investment.
“The team had certain ambition about what they wanted to go do. And together with them we wanted to invest more,” he said. “We saw more opportunity. And what that turned into was us having an exclusive game on our platform. That’s a game that probably wouldn’t have happened the way it did if we didn’t invest the way we did.”
Developer StudioMDHR has announced that Cuphead has gone platinum, having sold more than 1 million copies since launch. It did not provide any kind of breakdown between Xbox One and PC, which are the only two platforms Cuphead is available on currently.
Xbox’s Phil Spencer Hasn’t Beaten Cuphead, Has A Good Excuse Though
October 19, 2017
Sony’s reluctance to bring Minecraft cross-play to Playstation “not going away,” says Xbox chief
Back at E3 2017, Microsoft made headlines when they announced that Minecraft’s Better Together update would enable cross-play multiplayer between Xbox One, Windows 10, Nintendo Switch as well as mobile platforms. But unfortunately for PlayStation gamers, Sony declined to play ball, defending their refusal to open up cross-network play by the necessity to protect younger gamers.
In the following months, Microsoft said that it has been in discussions with Sony to enable cross-play on the Playstation 4 version of Minecraft, but things aren’t looking good so far. In a recent interview with GameSpot, Xbox Chief Phil Spencer shared that he’s unsure if Sony will ever have a change of mind about it. He explained:
“I have a real struggle making comments about their motivation or timelines. I know there is a certain view that says if my friends have this console, they can’t play with people who buy another console. That’s a reason they go buy my console,” he said. “That reason is not going to go away. So we’re putting Minecraft out there as one of the biggest games on any platform and allowing people to play together regardless of what device they bought. I don’t think everybody is taking that same approach to the ecosystem. So I’m never going to call anything a lost cause but I think some of the fundamental reasons and certain scenarios, they’re not really going away. So I don’t know what would change.”
For Spencer, crossplay multiplayer is positive for gamers, game developers as well as the video games industry as a whole. “If it’s better for gamers, I have a hard time thinking why we shouldn’t go do this, especially when you’re trying to make the gaming business a bigger business; grow it, get more games, create more opportunity,” he explained. But Sony, which has the best-selling console of this generation may have no interest to play nice with other platforms, for now at least.
In the meantime, if cross-platform multiplayer does matter to you, then the Xbox One remains the better choice. In addition to Minecraft, several Microsoft Studios titles such as Gears of War 4 or Forza Horizon 3 already support cross-play between Xbox One and Windows 10, and the fighting game Killer Instinct even supports it between Steam, Windows 10 and Xbox One. Do you think Sony will have to change its stance at some point, or do you think the company is more interested in keeping PS4 players in a walled garden? Let us know below.
Sony’s reluctance to bring Minecraft cross-play to Playstation “not going away,” says Xbox chief
Phil Spencer: Sony is Blocking Minecraft Cross Platform Play
This week, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer complained openly that Sony will not allow Minecraft cross-platform play to include the PlayStation 4. Nintendo, another competitor, has no problem with this capability, however.
“We talk to Sony all the time,” Mr. Spencer told Gamespot. “With Minecraft on PlayStation, we have to be one of the biggest games on their platform in terms of sales and gameplay. Same with Nintendo. The relationship with Nintendo on this front has been strong. They’ve been great supporters and we continue to collaborate with them. But I think Sony’s view is different. They should talk about what their view is…”
Indeed.
As you may recall, Microsoft this past summer announced that it would consolidate the many different versions of its hit game Minecraft across (almost) all of the platforms it supports. It was arguably the singular blockbuster announcements of this year’s E3 conference. Since then, Microsoft has updated Minecraft with the Better Together update, enabling that cross-platform play.
Except on PlayStation 4.
We’ve known since E3 that Microsoft’s inability to bring cross-platform Minecraft play to PS4 was Sony’s fault. But Spencer and other Microsoft executives had, to date, expressed hope that the firm would do the right thing.
Today, it appears that hope has died.
“I have a real struggle making comments about their motivation or timelines,” he says. “I know there is a certain view that says if my friends have this console, they can’t play with people who buy another console. That’s a reason they go buy my console. That reason is not going to go away. So we’re putting Minecraft out there as one of the biggest games on any platform and allowing people to play together regardless of what device they bought. I don’t think everybody is taking that same approach to the ecosystem. So I’m never going to call anything a lost cause but I think some of the fundamental reasons and certain scenarios, they’re not really going away. So I don’t know what would change.”
Sony, come on. Seriously.
Phil Spencer: Sony is Blocking Minecraft Cross Platform Play
October 18, 2017
Minecraft’s ongoing Halloween event features boss battles and haunted houses
Minecraft has a strong tradition of celebrating Halloween and this year is no different. According to a Microsoft, Minecraft’s Halloween Server Spooktacular is coming to “haunt your pixelated dreams” starting until October 31.
For the next 20 days, Minecraft players on the Bedrock Engine can trick-or-treat across servers hosted by various companies.
Each server is filled to the brim with activities but here are some of the main ones you’ll find:
Lifeboat Servers: Hostile zombie invasions will take over the Lifeboat lobby throughout the course of Spooktacular. There, players can enter a thrilling haunted house parkour course.
InPVP Servers: InPVP has players hopping from gravestone to gravestone with the Haunted Mansion SkyWars map or exploring creepy houses to find surprises.
Mineplex Servers: In Mineplex, players come face-to-face with The Pumpkin King for random quests and boxes filled with goodies. There are also random events which grant you even better rewards.
Now, you might be wondering if you have to pay to access the event? The answer is no. It’s free. Personal Minecraft Realms are the servers you have to pay for. The Halloween Server Spooktacular is open to everyone on the Bedrock versions of the game, which excludes PlayStation 4 and the PC’s Java Edition. Just log into a modern version of Minecraft and join the servers for lots of thrills!
Minecraft’s ongoing Halloween event features boss battles and haunted houses
