Voting time (GameSpite Quarterly 6)

[Parish]

I've decided that GSQ should be cyclical, which means every four issues will have similar themes -- GSQ5 will be a history of 16-bit games similar to GSQ1, GSQ7 will be an encyclopedia of villains, etc. That means GSQ6 will be a top-something list. The question is, top what?

In this thread, we will decide!

[dtsund]

Originally Posted by Parish

I've decided that GSQ should be cyclical, which means every four issues will have similar themes -- GSQ5 will be a history of 16-bit games similar to GSQ1, GSQ7 will be an encyclopedia of villains, etc. That means GSQ6 will be a top-something list. The question is, top what?

In this thread, we will decide!

Top developers of all time. People, I mean, not companies; Miyamoto and Inafune would be there, rather than Nintendo and Capcom.

EDIT: Hurhur, look more closely and see if there's a poll first, dtsund.

[NevznachaY]

Weapons of gaming?

[Parish]

Wait for the poll, dudes!

[DemoWeasel]

Oh, I see the poll now.

I am always interested in reading about terrible games.

[dtsund]

Originally Posted by Parish

Wait for the poll, dudes!

Ah, so I wasn't crazy. I replied and then saw the poll, and thought I was a stupid-head. Hey, my suggestion's even an option!

[BuckTwenty]

Edit: There is a poll. Whoops. Having looked over it (and voting), I think I would like to read issues about all of these topics. They all seem so promising!

[Garrison]

Terrible games are often times the most interesting games.

[Turnip]

I like worst games of all time, but I think the internet's run that subject into the ground by now ("Hey, ever heard of a little company called Wisdom Tree? Lemme tell you about how bad their games are..."). Same with stupidest/weirdest.

Best platforms will bring out the worst of the internet because CONSOLE WARZ, unless "platforms" refers to things you jump and stand on in platformers, in which case I totally vote for that.

I'm gonna go with most important game designers, because I don't know enough about the subject and would like to be further educated.

[Beat]

I'm voting the best stories in games.

This is only partially because It's my fervent belief that the vast, vast majority of game stories are completely horrible, and don't you dare cite RPGs as an exception because they're the worst offender by far.* With a very small group of notable exceptions, stories in video games are either ignorable fluff, or ham-fisted nonsense.

I'd be very interested to see what games the talking tyrants think compose those notable exceptions.

*Especially the one that made you cry.

[dtsund]

By the way, Parish? I can't see your member title anymore and not think of the scene in Super Mario RPG where Booster suggests they boil a cake.

[Pombar]

I'm going with Best Stories - because peoples' justifications in their favourite stories that I've read here before have been even more interesting as the stories themselves. Plus, y'know, it'd be crazy-useful to have essentially an encyclopaedia of games with worthwhile narratives!

[Destil]

I threw my hat into the ring for innovation, with the caveat that I'd really like to see some articles on failed innovations if this is the topic. Lessons learned and all that...

[Warg]

I was tempted to choose the best designers -- but, I'm worried about granting credit to people whose initial ideas might actually come from someone in their team. [Of course, it could be the director that actually made the idea viable.]

____________________________

In any case, for right now, I'm also going with Best Stories here.

Sure, we complain about how horrible the writing can be in most games (though, sure, some of you might argue all). We know, though, that a good set-up can draw the player even further into what might be an already enjoyable game, or that it could even just keep someone playing what might otherwise be a really basic game, with the story maybe even remaining hidden to the player until some time in. We have our share of games can even tell a story without using any written text -- and a good story can be told in either tens of hours or just five minutes. Yeah, Passage might be great to write about. A game could even intentionally leave the story to be mostly imagined by the player, with the game itself providing little careful details that serve as a framework.

It might also be great to talk about games that don't necessarily attempt to tug at the heartstrings; you know, games that might provide fun, lighthearted scenarios.

The story isn't the most important element of games, but it can be a spice that adds to an already-delicious dish.

[Otherwise, Donkey Kong might've been "Get RED DOT to PINK DOT while BIG BROWN DOT throws ORANGE DOTS down SLANTED LINES. When you reach your goal, NOTHING ROMANTIC HAPPENS AS A RESULT."]

____________________________

This might be kind of a weird poll choice for me, though -- there are still several games I have yet to play, so might I personally might abstain from reading certain articles until I've had a chance to play them, if I ever do get around to 'em. It might be great for others to read about, though.

[Tomm Guycot]

I voted "weirdest" because I won't rest until Calories has written his Monster Party article.

[Googleshng]

I'd actually love to do the worst games thing, but I figure that's something it would be nice to hold off on for a while so there's more chance of recovering from all the "WHAT! HOW DARE YOU INSULT PARASITE EVE 2!" fallout.

[Azar]

Worst games is a fun topic, but I agree that it's been done well many times before.

Weirdest games presents a wealth of opportunity, and I bet we could dig up some seriously bizarre games that will be entertaining to write and read about. And so I vote!

[SpoonyBardOL]

This is a tough call, but I'll vote for Best Stories in Games. Not so much to learn about stories that can stand alone from their games, but ones that are integrated into gameplay in creative ways. Stuff like the climax of Super Metroid, I'd like to learn about more like that.

[McClain142]

I picked The Worst Games Ever, but I really think it should be The Best Terrible Game, or perhaps The Secret-Best Games Most People Think are The Worst.

[Daikaiju]

I like Stories. I'll alow for some so-so gameplay if the plot grabs me.

[Deptford]

I'm tempted to vote for 'best stories', but at the end of the day, I feel like the pool of games that could/would be mentioned in there is relatively small, and there'd mostly just be the usual suspects. 'Weirdest', however, has a much broader selection, and I'm sure there will be some incredibly obscure gems. There are only so many great stories to be found in gaming, but oddities? Rich with 'em.

[Calorie Mate]

Originally Posted by Tomm Guycot

I voted "weirdest" because I won't rest until Calories has written his Monster Party article.

What's so weird about it?

Hello! Baby!

Originally Posted by McClain142

I picked The Worst Games Ever, but I really think it should be The Best Terrible Game, or perhaps The Secret-Best Games Most People Think are The Worst.

I was goign to suggest something similar, too. Less "Man, this game is so bad!" and more "Ok, ok, so I can see why this game is bad, but I love it because of ____ anyway." Heck someone could even hit on the recent Deadly Premonition phenomenon, then!

[DemoWeasel]

Originally Posted by Calorie Mate

Hello! Baby!

Time to do some damage.

[Posaune]

I also picked 'Weirdest', because while there are a lot of games that are pretty out there, I'd say most games are pretty strange if looked at too hard or anything. So is game terminology like boss.

[Pombar]

Posaune's angle is the only one that makes Weirdest sound more interesting than a ScrewAttack Top 10. However, looks like it might take the cake, so I'll have to settle for twizzling my tache and riding off swearing revenge.

[Voncaster]

GSQ should cover the greatest 13 Final Fantasy games of all time.

I guess if I'm being serious the top platformers, racers, survival horror, and strategy games would be cool.

[Warg]

Originally Posted by Voncaster

GSQ should cover the greatest 13 Final Fantasy games of all time.

... or, we could do the best 12 & leave out Final Fantasy II.

[BuckTwenty]

Originally Posted by Pombar

Posaune's angle is the only one that makes Weirdest sound more interesting than a ScrewAttack Top 10. However, looks like it might take the cake, so I'll have to settle for twizzling my tache and riding off swearing revenge.

The poll doesn't close for another month. We can still hope something else wins! (The story option would have been my second choice, for example, behind "Best games within a genre.")

[mr_bungle700]

A weirdest games of all time book would be nothing but articles about Cho Aniki.

And maybe Harmful Park.

Shooters are weird.

[Dawnswalker]

It was hard for me to choose. Worst/weirdest has been run into the ground, but then, so has innovative/best.

But in the end, I'm thinking that at least one contributor will have an interesting spin on the latter type of article.