What makes a good Story in a Video Game?

Hello everyone and a tip of the hat to you all!  It is I the TopHatMan here for another blog post.

The campaign, the story, the single player, whichever way you want to call it, the story line of a video game has a large impact on the enjoyment of the game for many.  While books and movies illustrate a story through a handheld adventure with no interaction, games are different.  In a game you are the person progressing the story line, you are the main character, and you are the one that determines how and when the story advances.  A video game story must be fundamentally different from that of a movie or book.  The interactive nature of the video game medium opens a whole new realm of possibilities.  Can you have an overarching story line, yes and it should be encouraged, however in a video game, I, the player, should feel pivotal to the overall progression of the story.  I should not feel as if I am merely looking through the eyes of a character, I should be the character.  

The main problem plagued by game developers, is interweaving game play and the story in a cohesive narrative.  A game should not feel as if I am being blocked from a good story from game play segments, or that the story is blocking me from good game play.  The story and game play need to be merged.  If a game feels like it is segmented, then it has failed to do deliver the quality of campaign that only a video game can offer.  BioShock Infinite had a wonderful story.  I loved every minute of playing the game and constantly wanted to progress and find out what would happen.  However the game play was lackluster and did nothing to advance the story.  A game like Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, on the other hand, merges its story with its game play through the Nemesis system.  You build your own story line and grow to hate certain characters that defeat you.  SO you spend a lot of time, building your power and gaining followers to eventually defeat your nemesis.  Every game does not have to do this, but the Nemesis system stands as a shining testament to what happens when you merge game play and story in a way only video games can.

Click this link to learn about the best story's in video games.

spoiler warning for end of bioshock infinite.

What does the FPS genre need in 2015?

Hello everyone and a tip of the hat to you all!  It is I the TopHatMan here for another blog post.
Many people look back nostalgically at the FPS of old.  Doom, Wolfenstein, Shadow Warrior, Halo Combat Evolved, and others, and then look towards modern FPS and wonder what happened and what has changed.  Why does almost every modern military shooter feel the same.  There is not many unique aspects of these games that distinguishes one from the other.  The only real modern contenders for uniqueness are Call of Duty Advanced Warfare and the Battlefield.  COD added the sci fi theme with the addition of the Exo-Suit which changes the game play ever slightly to give a breath of fresh air to the COD series.  While many will say that the game doesn't change enough or it changed too much, at least COD tried to innovate in some way.  Of all game series to innovate the series the most repetitive game of the lot was the one who actually innovated.  Look, if COD can change its game, then every other FPS can as well.
The main thing the FPS genre needs is innovation.  We need risk takers, and those who are willing to gamble to see if a certain idea pans out.  Battlefield has not changed much including the latest in the series with Battlefield: Hardline, but Battlefield, in my opinion, is the most interesting modern military FPS in the market right now.  The inclusion of the large open maps with multiple kinds of vehicles is a really cool mechanic.  Is it needed in games like Call of Duty, no, but it is a staple of the Battlefield series that gives Battlefield its unique feel.
We need new interesting game modes.  If I am struggling to decide what game mode to play because they are all unique and interesting, then you are doing the right thing.  If when I am in the game, I can customize my weaponry and choose what I use, then you are doing the right thing.  If you lock weapons behind mindless progression and each weapon has its own progression path to unlock the attachments worth the trouble, then you are doing the wrong thing.   Stop making linear, "cinematic," campaigns, let me open my own doors, let me pick how I play and what I use.  Either have no progression or have equipment be unlocked using virtual currency that you earn by playing the game.  Don't restrict attachments based off of arbitrary achievements for each weapon, because you make the thrill of unlocking something lessened because I know that when I use my new weapon, it is objectively weaker than what I was using to unlock it.  Developers and established games need to take risks if the old FPS fire of old is to be reignited.
Click this link to learn about BattleField: Hardline

The Apple Watch, Useless or slightly less than useless

Hello Everyone and a tip of the hat to you all!  It is I the TopHatMan here for another blog post!
Alright well let's get this out of the way.  The Apple Watch with a model that is over 10000 American dollars.  Now maybe I am in the minority here but can someone please tell me the point of a 10000 dollar watch that has a battery life.  If I spend 10000$ on a piece of technology in 2015, my mind better be blown by the innovation that piece of technology brings to the table *cough Microsoft Hololens *cough.  When you tell me you are going to sell a watch for 10000 dollars that has a battery life, I become very cynical about your price point.  I can understand why some people who have the money to burn spend 10000$ plus on an antique watch that they will pass on to their descendants.  I do not see the point in a watch that will be outdated and thrown by the wayside the following year or two.  I do not see the point in the Apple Watch regardless of price tag.  If I want to check my time I will take the 3 seconds it will take to pull my phone out and check it from their.  The other functionality of the Apple Watch also can be done but better on a more powerful device like a smart phone.
Some people may like the gimmick of a wrist strapped piece of touch screen technology as seen in near future sci fi universes and they do have their place.  They are more mobile than a phone since they are attached to the body and don't require bag space.  And let's be honest they do look cool.  But in the end they have to bring something to the table that is new and innovative, not just a glorified watch with some cross function functionality with a phone.  Then and maybe then the watch would be worth buying or at least tech demoing, but at a significantly lower price than $10000+.  Now not all Apple Watches are $10000, just the fancy looking ones.  But the watch itself does not have nearly enough functionality to warrant a purchase at least in my opinion as of the day of this post.

Click this link to view the Apple Watch's webpage on the Apple website.

Why Minecraft is so Popular.

Hello everyone and a tip of the hat to you all!  It is I the TopHatMan here for another blog post.
After a bit of a hiatus the TopHatMan is back with gaming coverage.  There is one question I have been pondering recently and no doubt many have as well.  What is the deal with Minecraft.  A game with pixelated graphics, a combat system that makes paint drying seem more interesting, as well as simple construction based on cubes.  Why is Minecraft as popular as it is?
Minecraft is very simple on its outside.  You mine blocks, survive the night, and build, it is as simple as that.  And that is the key to Minecraft's success, its simplicity.  Minecraft has a very low barrier to entry where anyone can feel as if they can go in and build what they want.  That is Minecraft's draw as well as its aesthetic that has become a staple of the game.  When you enter the world of Minecraft you then construct a base and make it to your design.  It feels like a home because you were the one to gather the materials and you were the one who constructed and designed the shelter.  You build a connection to your base and as you explore creative mode, you realize why Minecraft is as popular as it is.  You can build anything your mind wants.
If a feature in the game doesn't exist, you can either create a mod to add it to Minecraft or you can find another mod that does what you want.  You also can add different texture packs and shaders to customize the graphical fidelity and look of the game to your liking.  You can then construct any building you want.  That is the key to minecraft's success, it is a sandbox for your mind.  if you are willing to put the time and effort in you can create magnificent structures with incredible detail and scope.  Even if you are unable to construct a large city with incredible detail, what ever you create is special to you because you created it.  Anything is possible in Minecraft and anyone can join because of how simple it is.  Minecraft's simplicity leads to Minecraft's complexity.  If you get bored of building, you can join other people's servers, adventure maps, and games to play Minecraft in a whole new way.  The possibilities are endless which keep people playing the game and purchasing merchandise.
In conclusion,  Minecraft is something that will never be repeated.  It simplistic design but unlimited scope and creativity is why it is one of the most popular and talked about video games of all time.

build is from FyreUk

Click this link to go to the Minecraft website.