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Sameer's Corner

(27 posts)

Started 4 months ago by SameeR_Fisher
Latest reply from SameeR_Fisher

SameeR_Fisher
Member

Okay this is kinda my first thread here, so don't kill me LOL, I am a blog writer -recently- I write stuff about games, from what I think a title should have been, to how some games should be brought back, to other stuff.

I would like people to take a look at it -- http://sameerscorners.blogspot.com/ -- share what you think, if you have any advices or feedback I am open to suggestions, if you want to discuss a certain post I am also up to it, just note when reading that English isn't my first language.

So anyway here is my latest post based on what is happening nowadays:

"Fans are beginning to be the driving force of the industry" -- http://sameerscorners.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-power-of-fans.html

Thank you for your time.

Posted 4 months ago #
Edo
Member

That was a pretty good read.Perhaps leaving Crysis 3 out of it since the second game already received a backlash from the PC community or maybe expanding on it would be a good idea.Also maybe naming more reasons why this is happening would be better,but all in all it was quite good.

Posted 4 months ago #
DSB
Member

Dead Space 3 was down by 25% in the UK according to the unreliable Eurogamer.

Posted 4 months ago #
Madlink
Member

Hey good job Sameer! It's an interesting point you've discussed and your examples were spot on. Some sources for evidence might have been good, but since it's a blog it's probably not that important.

Also, I realise that English isn't your first language, but try to break your paragraphs up into more sentences.

We need more critical analysis of player/consumer behaviour in games journalism, so keep writing! :)

Posted 4 months ago #
Gheritt White
Member

I like cake.

Posted 4 months ago #
DSB
Member

You should definitely keep at it.

The language is good, the subject is interesting, but there are a few gaps in the argumentation.

You want publishers to focus on the fans instead of mass appeal. You're seemingly creating two groups out of the people who buy a game - Fans and unfans.

When did that happen, and what's the difference? When does a product stop needing mass appeal as opposed to fan appeal? Why would John Ricitiello care about the difference?

As for closing studios, who isn't doing that? Sony, Microsoft and EA have all been doing their share of reaping. Activision deserves to be called out for being assholes, but you have to make your case better than that. They're all assholes by that definition.

Definitely keep writing. Try to get published if you can, it's really valuable in terms of criticism and working with editors.

Never be afraid to learn, there are so many ways to write, and so many techniques that can either inspire you to develop your own style or help you to improve.

I went and made this little nu-version of the Freytag pyramid as a way to build a piece:

http://oi50.tinypic.com/euht80.jpg

Introduction: Presenting the subject
Escalation: Unfolding the subject
Climax: Establishing the angle on the subject
Resolution: Reflection on the subject and it's impact
Conclusion: Closing argument

Originally it was intended for theatrical writing, but it's hard to find journalists who haven't been exposed to some form of that pyramid at some point in their education.

Having different stages like that helps draw in the audience and allows them to switch gears mentally as they're reading, making it all easier to follow and understand.

Posted 4 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

Everyone Thanks alot for your kind words, much appreciate it. :)

@Edo: you are indeed right, I should have touched upon Crysis 3 issue more, and now that I think about it Crysis 2 was leaked before release, which may have alot hurt the game, thank you for the advice.

& the reasons, yes I really should have included that as well.

@Madlink: more evidence & better sentencing, noted and I will keep them in mind in my next post.

@Gheritt White: I like it too :D

@DSB: Thank you for the remark about DS3, it would be interesting to see the real number when they are available.

I am actually trying to check if I can get published, no idea where, any suggestions ?!

Also thank you for the list, I have 2 drafts, one that is done, and the other is still not worked on, so I will try to apply those those techniques.

Regarding the fan and unfans, I didn't go into details about it in my article, but here let's talk about it, I think there are indeed un-fans, I will give examples

See Dead Space series, the fans are people who enjoy horror, want more survival horror, but EA want to focus on the un-fans, those who are too afraid to play horror titles, even people from EA said it, they want to cater to people who afraid to play the game hence the Co-Op part, let's look at another series Splinter Cell, the fans are people who enjoy Stealth, but Ubisoft is opening to more, in Blacklist now they want to support Action fans -unfans- to be able to play a stealth game, you see Killing in Motion, Air Strikes, and Drones, another example would be say a Hardcore RPG, then the publisher dilute it to be more friendly for non rpg fans or for casual rpg fans -isn't that what happened with Dragon Age ?!, I am not so sure since I am not an RPG fan-

As for closing Studios you are RIGHT, but from my point of view Activision pushes the developer into the cliff, like Eurocom year after year after year releasing 007, they had to fall, but yes, maybe I wasn't that fair, but in my defense it got nothing to do with CoD.

Posted 4 months ago #
DSB
Member

"As for closing Studios you are RIGHT, but from my point of view Activision pushes the developer into the cliff, like Eurocom year after year after year releasing 007, they had to fall, but yes, maybe I wasn't that fair, but in my defense it got nothing to do with CoD."

Exactly man, so you do have an argument for Activision. You could bring up Zampella-West just as an example of how Activision handles talent. Those were their very best developers.

In terms of getting published, the trick is usually to find something trendy to write about. In this case either a new game or a trend in the gaming community.

To help your chances you could take a look at who else is writing for that outlet, what they cover and how. They've already been approved by the editor, so getting inspired by their approach might help your chances.

You just have to be very critical of what you pick, because the best editors are usually pretty strict. It has to be a hot topic, it has to be well argued, and it has to be the best draft you can make.

Freelancing is always hard though. A lot of places don't use them out of principle, but I would try for some of the smaller webzines to begin with.

Posted 4 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

@DSB: to be honest I am not looking for Freelancing, I am not looking to get paid or anything, not now at all, I am looking to put my work out there in a more open place, to get more feedback, more advices, more help from editors.

your advices are great, I am actually thinking about that every moment, but can't make up my mind, it all returns to me writing about games in a self reflecting way rather than open way.

For example you know Remember Me from Dontnod -to be published by Capcom- I wrote this post about it where I discuss how it could have been a grand hit, like a big hit that offers something totally new and attract alot of players, but after I was done I saved, I want to put it out, but there is this uncertainty you know.

I had this idea of mind about a post, I am going to use your diagram of writing, and see where I get with it.

Posted 4 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

According to recent finding (?) Visceral may (or may not) be working on a sequel to Dante's Inferno, here is the source http://www.polygon.com/2013/2/18/4002538/visceral-developing-unannounced-games-linkedin

So I thought I would share an old post I wrote regarding Dante's Purgatory:
http://sameerscorners.blogspot.com/2012/12/dantes-purgatory.html

Posted 3 months ago #
Edo
Member

Yeah...it gives me shivers just to think what "the fastest greenlit and most desired project" means at this point to EA...

Posted 3 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

Now you do bring a worrisome point, it never crossed by mind, but it can be another FPS

Posted 3 months ago #
DSB
Member

EA are looking for another shooter to annualize with Battlefield, so you know it's coming. If it's not this, it'll be something else, and sooner rather than later.

EA doesn't look for talent, it looks for money on the dollar, so it seems appropriately kneejerk that they would look at Visceral and go "Hey, these guys are making money, let's put them on shooter duty!", but who knows?

Posted 3 months ago #
Edo
Member

@DSB " so it seems appropriately kneejerk that they would look at Visceral and go "Hey, these guys are making money, let's put them on shooter duty!", but who knows?"They already did that after Dead Space 1.

Posted 3 months ago #
DSB
Member

Fair point. Dead Space 3: Army of Two.

Maybe that was unfair. I heard it was pretty decent, but let's not pretend that EA ever cared about the actual merits of the series.

I love the smell of flavor of the week in the morning... It smells like... Money.

Posted 3 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

wait, I thought EA will focus on NOT annualizing anything, instead it will focus on BF to be a big hit, maybe annualize BF itself somehow (they got the main series, the Bad Company, and the Future Title)

Posted 3 months ago #
DSB
Member

Nah, the idea was always to have Medal of Honor one year, and Battlefield the next.

Now Medal of Honor is out, so they need something else.

Ricitiellos focus for most of his time at EA has been all about copying Activision. MMOs and shooters were the only things that really mattered for a very long time.

Posted 3 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

hmmmm, interesting.

well since the game will launch in 2014, and Visceral will release Army of Two next month, I believe we will know what they are working on at E3.

and I am still hoping for Dante's Purgatory somehow, I mean Dante's Inferno sold great, and they developer another Army of Two, so DP must be next.

Posted 3 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

Instead of creating new thread every time I make a new blog article, I will use this one as the base.

Remember Me Real Potential Yet Untapped --- http://sameerscorners.blogspot.com/2013/02/remember-me-lost-potential.html --- at Sameer's Corner, Give it a read and tell me what you think.

Posted 3 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

So I got a new feature in my blog called 'Dark Corners', if you are interested give it a read and tell me what you think.

"Will you be Legendary ?1, or will you be Dreadful ?!, The choice is yours" http://sameerscorners.blogspot.com/2013/03/dark-corners-pirates-of-caribbean.html at Sameer's Corner.

Posted 3 months ago #
KineticCalvaria
Member

Did you ever play the original pirates of the Caribbean game from Bethesda I believe? That was a fantastic game.

Posted 3 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

Sadly no, probably cause it was released in a time I had no internet, so I wasn't aware of as many games as I am now.

But I did watch some footage, it had Co-Op I believe, looked really cool, Did it have naval battles as well ?!

Posted 3 months ago #
KineticCalvaria
Member

Yeah it had naval battles, you could recruit crew members from around the world, board ships, build a fleet, buy new guns for the ships etc. Really enjoyed it, the battles had quite a bit of depth. The melee combat wasn't so great though.

Hoping Black Flag will go a similar way too with its naval aspects.

Posted 3 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

That is great to hear, I believe Armada of The Damned would have been a huge hit, if it was released, it got the right ingredients.

Posted 3 months ago #
KineticCalvaria
Member

Yeah I must admit I was quite looking forward to it too. Another game with great potential lost in the void.

Posted 3 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

well I am hoping I can do more of these 'Dark Corners' features in the near future, I hope you like what comes next :)

Posted 3 months ago #
SameeR_Fisher
Member

Activision can you do it right ?! --- http://sameerscorners.blogspot.com/2013/04/activision-do-it-right.html --- Here is what I think in Sameer's Corner.

#JamesBond007 & #SpiderMan

share your thoughts and ideas :)

Posted 1 month ago #

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