A positive article about FFXIV and ARR

[Ticks]

Thank you for writing a great, positive article on FFXIV. It truely is well deserved.

[Abriael]

You should make less use of the word "epic" if you wan to get into serious journalism, and when you are talking about the story line and the events happening in the game right now, anyone who has not played it would have no clue what you are talking about.

While I appreciate the criticism (and the second point is valid, but the article was long winded enough as it is, so I just decided to skim), whoever told you that game journalism (of which I've been part for 15 years by now) is serious journalism, was way too full of himself

That's why most good game "journalists" will call themselves "writers" instead. We try to avoid being too stuffy. Honestly, the only instance I'll feel guilty using the word "epic" is before the word "fail". For anything else, I like it, it fits what I'm describing, and it's origins are most definitely as noble as any other word, no matter the fact that some kids use it the wrong way.

If people will consider me less "serious" because of that, so be it

[Dannythm]

While I appreciate the criticism (and the second point is valid, but the article was long winded enough as it is, so I just decided to skim), whoever told you that game journalism (of which I've been part for 15 years by now) is serious journalism, was way too full of himself

That's why most good game "journalists" will call themselves "writers" instead. We try to avoid being too stuffy. Honestly, the only moment I'll feel guilty using the word "epic" is before the word "fail". For anything else, I like it, it fits what I'm describing, and it's origins are most definitely as noble as any other word, no matter the fact that some kids use it the wrong way.

If people will consider me less "serious" because of that, so be it

I understand, but it struck me once or twice as a bit of an exaggeration, just pointing out becuse of that.

And anyway, don't you think that it's kind of sad that video game journalism is not yet considered as an equal of any other ("serious") entertainment journalism (music, films, sports, etc) after it has existed for over 30 years now? I think games could mature and get better respect from everyone if the press associated with them could be taken more seriously (not pointing this at you, it's to all the game journalism, specially reviewers and critics).

[Abriael]

I understand, but it struck me once or twice as a bit of an exaggeration, just pointing out becuse of that.

See, that's where we differ. In this case I don't find it an exaggeration It is a rather epic situation if you think about the odds and the circumstances.

And anyway, don't you think that it's kind of sad that video game journalism is not yet considered as an equal of any other ("serious") entertainment journalism (music, films, sports, etc) after it has existed for over 30 years now? I think games could mature and get better respect from everyone if the press associated with them could be taken more seriously (not pointing this at you, it's to all the game journalism, specially reviewers and critics).

It depends on what you mean with "serious". If you use the definition to indicate professionalism, striving to be always as fair as possible and the ability to see and consider multiple angles of a situation, I'm all for seriousness. But in that case I don't need to feel validated by the opinion of my peers from other segments of the trade. I studied in journalism school, did plenty internships and freelancing in "serious" press (and I worked for a long time on printed game magazines, before abandoning it because I was dead tired of writing only about the Italian market. Bo-oh-ring), and ultimately my professionalism is something I'm proud of in an in itself. If some music/film/news/whatever journalist wants to look down on me because of my field of choice, then it's his problem, isn't it?

Gaming press is looked down on mostly because games in themselves are seen as something frivolous. It was the same for other segments of entertainment in the past, until those segments themselves have been accepted.

Ultimately, while there's a lot of amateurism in game journalism (but it isn't the only field with the advent of blogs and internet journalism), I don't really dislike the enthusiasm that permeates it, when it's diluted by a good dose of fairness and integrity.

When I read most film reviews by famous critics, I can't help but finding them terribly boring and I can't help but thinking that many of those "serious" journalists and critics could benefit from some of the light-hearted attitude that characterizes game writing.

In my opinion writers that want to be "accepted" in "higher circles" could use a good injection of self esteem. But mind you, that's just me. Everyone is free to have his goals and objectives in life.

Dang... I ended up writing a mini-article. Bad habit of mine. Sorry ;_;

[radhaz]

A very good read. Thanks!

[Dannythm]

See, that's where we differ. In this case I don't find it an exaggeration It is a rather epic situation if you think about the odds and the circumstances.



It depends on what you mean with "serious". If you use the definition to indicate professionalism, striving to be always as fair as possible and the ability to see and consider multiple angles of a situation, I'm all for seriousness. But in that case I don't need to feel validated by the opinion of my peers from other segments of the trade. I studied in journalism school, did plenty internships and freelancing in "serious" press (and I worked for a long time on printed game magazines, before abandoning it because I was dead tired of writing only about the Italian market. Bo-oh-ring), and ultimately my professionalism is something I'm proud of in an in itself. If some music/film/news/whatever journalist wants to look down on me because of my field of choice, then it's his problem, isn't it?

Gaming press is looked down on mostly because games in themselves are seen as something frivolous. It was the same for other segments of entertainment in the past, until those segments themselves have been accepted.

Ultimately, while there's a lot of amateurism in game journalism (but it isn't the only field with the advent of blogs and internet journalism), I don't really dislike the enthusiasm that permeates it, when it's diluted by a good dose of fairness and integrity.

When I read most film reviews by famous critics, I can't help but finding them terribly boring and I can't help but thinking that many of those "serious" journalists and critics could benefit from some of the light-hearted attitude that characterizes game writing.

In my opinion writers that want to be "accepted" in "higher circles" could use a good injection of self esteem. But mind you, that's just me. Everyone is free to have his goals and objectives in life.

Dang... I ended up writing a mini-article. Bad habit of mine. Sorry ;_;

Haha it's fine, I like reading =P.

In truth what I was just wanting to say is that I wish everyone involved in video-games, specially developers and publishers, took them more seriously, and not just as entertainment but try to push them as an art form. I have the feeling that right now video games is turning into the most money grabbing entertainment media from them all, and the focus is on max sells and profit instead on delivering quality products. They should take Spec Ops The Line as an example on how to use the unique way to deliver a point video games have, the gameplay.

[Abriael]

Haha it's fine, I like reading =P.

In truth what I was just wanting to say is that I wish everyone involved in video-games, specially developers and publishers, took them more seriously, and not just as entertainment but try to push them as an art form. I have the feeling that right now video games is turning into the most money grabbing entertainment media from them all, and the focus is on max sells and profit instead on delivering quality products. They should take Spec Ops The Line as an example on how to use the unique way to deliver a point video games have, the gameplay.

There's also the other angle though. When you try too hard to be more "artistic", you often end up forgetting the basic fact that you're trying to entertain people.

In the end, though, there'll always be room for more elaborate games. Think about Journey for example. Sony is doing very nicely trying to push that kind of experience with some of the upcoming PSN games they're working on (I'm thinking about Puppeteer and Rain for instance), up to bigger productions like Beyond: Two Souls.

There will also be publishers that will try and take risks, like 2K did with XCOM (God bless them), when people sworn to the bible that a hardcore turn based strategy game like that would never sell.

And then there's kickstarter, that has plenty flaws, but is enabling more projects that push the envelope and that the usual publishers will never consider.

Of course there will also be plenty of Call of Duties in the market. After all it *is* a business, and there's nothing wrong about it.

But that really happens in every field of entertainment. Think about film. For every movie holding a decent artistic value, how many Michael Bay action flicks, sunday comedies and plain crappy movies are there?

There's room for it all, and while I won't get anywhere near a Call of Duty (unless I'm forced to review it, but it didn't happen lately), I definitely don't mind enjoying more commercial games as long as they're fun, just as much I enjoy watching Armageddon or one of its many "sequels" once in while

[Dannythm]

There's also the other angle though. When you try too hard to be more "artistic", you often end up forgetting the basic fact that you're trying to entertain people.

In the end, though, there'll always be room for more elaborate games. Think about Journey for example. Sony is doing very nicely trying to push that kind of experience with some of the upcoming PSN games they're working on (I'm thinking about Puppeteer and Rain for instance), up to bigger productions like Beyond: Two Souls.

There will also be publishers that will try and take risks, like 2K did with XCOM (God bless them), when people sworn to the bible that a hardcore turn based strategy game like that would never sell.

And then there's kickstarter, that has plenty flaws, but is enabling more projects that push the envelope and that the usual publishers will never consider.

Of course there will also be plenty of Call of Duties in the market. After all it *is* a business, and there's nothing wrong about it.

But that really happens in every field of entertainment. Think about film. For every movie holding a decent artistic value, how many Michael Bay action flicks, sunday comedies and plain crappy movies are there?

There's room for it all, and while I won't get anywhere near a Call of Duty (unless I'm forced to review it, but it didn't happen lately), I definitely don't mind enjoying more commercial games as long as they're fun, just as much I enjoy watching Armageddon or one of its many "sequels" once in while

I agree, but the portion of more elaborated games compared to the portion of more artistic movies in relation with all the commercial releases is really smaller, but I guess we are getting there. I want to see games that can evoke feelings like Schindler's List, Aliens the 8th Passanger or The Bridges of Madison County (just to say some movies, but t's the same with music, books, paintings, architecture, etc) do. There isn't much like that yet, and that would improve the media a whole lot.

I'm sure you'll know the guys already, but in case you don't, the insight in Extra Credits is always refreshing, even though you won't probably agree with all they say, at least thy try to improve the media as a whole from the inside, and that's something I'd love to see more as it's my main form of entertainment (and I hope we agree that entertainment =/= fun).

[Abriael]

I agree, but the portion of more elaborated games compared to the portion of more artistic movies in relation with all the commercial releases is really smaller, but I guess we are getting there. I want to see games that can evoke feelings like Schindler's List, Aliens the 8th Passanger or The Bridges of Madison County (just to say some movies, but t's the same with music, books, paintings, architecture, etc) do. There isn't much like that yet, and that would improve the media a whole lot.

I'm sure you'll know the guys already, but in case you don't, the insight in Extra Credits is always refreshing, even though you won't probably agree with all they say, at least thy try to improve the media as a whole from the inside, and that's something I'd love to see more as it's my main form of entertainment (and I hope we agree that entertainment =/= fun).

Oh i do know them. I like most of what they say (even if some times they do go way too far on the hipster route, but that's another discourse entirely).

But believe me, there are a whole ton of crappy movies you don't even notice, mostly because the bigger ones get most of the attention. The percentage isn't all that different

Man, we went off a tangent here...