I'm very happy to bring back (again) the People of RF Generation series. This time let's sit down with blogging staff member, and over all great guy, slackur!
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Continue reading People of RF Gen: slackur
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After starting 2015 off with a *BANG*, prepare yourself for the load of action and drama, that the RF Generation Playthrough Group has in store for you in February.
For the February Retro Playthrough, we return to the land of Hyrule in the timeless classic The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for the SNES. In this prequel to the original two Zelda games on the NES, take control of Link as he embarks on an epic adventure to once again save Princess Zelda and restore peace to Hyrule. Join us for The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and experience what is commonly regarded as one of the greatest games of all time.
Retro discussion thread: http://www.rfgeneration.c...m/index.php?topic=14980.0
Over on the modern side we will be choosing our own fates with a visual novel for the Nintendo DS. In 999: Nine Persons, Nine Hours, Nine Doors you find yourself aboard a sinking cruise ship with eight strangers. The only path to freedom is found after finishing a series of puzzles. The branching story line and six unique endings will have you replaying until you find the right answers to the "Nonary Game."
Modern discussion thread: http://www.rfgeneration.c...m/index.php?topic=14978.0
If you think you have what it takes to save the Hyrule kingdom or escape the sinking ship alive join us in February's Community Playthrough.
Before I begin I want to thank Slackur for always providing insightful and though-provoking comments to my blog articles. His comment about friends playing F-Zero in a way that defies the conventional approach to the game got me thinking about how I consume and experience my video games. I came to the conclusion that a person can either actively or passively receive their gaming content. My goal here is to start a discussion about how we as gamers and collectors absorb the content of our favourite medium.
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This is not so much an analysis of RPGs themselves, but the way in which I consume them. I would describe myself as a passive gamer in that I stay within the confines of the world and conventions of the games I play. I allow myself to be sucked into the mythology the game presents and let the game reveal its secrets to me. I would compare this to be told an intriguing campfire story that has the audience eagerly waiting to learn the conclusion of the plot. I play games the same way many people watch movies. I search out the narrative techniques utilized by the story, and take the hint when an event is foreshadowed. I still explore all the nooks and crannies of the game environments and think outside the box when it's required of me, but that is where my immersion ends because I play the game the way it was meant to be played.
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The other camp of gamers, those actively consuming their games, seem to take a completely different approach to the content of video games. Simply put, these people play games the way they weren't meant to. They might try to cause the game to glitch or create their own little game. Returning to Slackur's comment, he recalled friends who would align their vehicles perpendicular to the direction of the track in front of a ramp and wait for another racer to collide into them pushing them up and off the ramp. They would then accelerate off the screen. What a perfect way to play a game in a completely new and inventive way. Active gamers take the game and turn it into something totally their own.
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For further reading have a look at these articles that I found interesting.
Are games becoming more like TV entertainment?
Passive/active gameplay as design mechanics
I want to know how the RF Generation community receive their gaming content. Do you play the game in the manner you're told to, or do you break the rules and reinvent the game?
As someone new to the hobby of video game collecting the issue of retail value versus perceived value regularly comes to mind. Generally this is not a problem as many retro games can be purchased for reasonably low prices. Simulation, sports, and platforming titles are excellent examples of games that may be acquired for a few dollars with the intent to fill those collection holes fairly easily. There are, however, certain games that command excess amounts of money years after their release. These would include games of the Role Playing genre.
A search on Ebay will yield results displaying complete copies of early entires in the Final Fantasy series with three figure price tags. A minimum wage pay cheque is often insufficient to pay for a complete in box EarthBound. Even games of these genres from less popular consoles command relatively high prices. In many cases these Role Playing games have appreciated in value.
[img width=500 height=333]http://www.g33kwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/rpg.jpg[/img]
Continue reading Perceived Value and RPGs
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