Konami drops Six Days in Fallujah, Lack of Testicular Fortitude to Blame
In a surprisingly chicken shit move, Konami has decided it will no longer be publishing Atomic Games’ controversial title. Six Days in Fallujah was going to be an ambitious action game that took players inside the second battle of Fallujah that occurred in late 2004. Endorsed by former marines who had served in the conflict and aspiring to show players what it was really like to be involved in the battle, from the eyes of marines, insurgents and civilians, the game showed real promise.
It seems that in the planning stages for the game it had never occurred to Konami that the idea of basing a game on a war that was still ongoing might generate a bit of controversy. Or perhaps it did, but they didn’t anticipate the extent of it.
Veterans and families of fallen soldiers all chimed in to immediately demonize the game based entirely off its premise and setting. They seemed to be oblivious to the fact that war games already exist as their reasons for demanding a ban on Fallujah typically cited that having a game based on war automatically meant trivializing the lives lost and brutality of battle.
While writing a book or making a movie based on these events wouldn’t be considered trivial, video games still fall into that murky territory of not being a real media outlet in the minds of many consumers.
It seems like all the controversy finally got to Konami who told Japanese newspaper Asahi, “After seeing the reaction to the videogame in the United States and hearing opinions sent through phone calls and e-mail, we decided several days ago not to sell it.”
The third-person shooter was due for release on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in 2010. No word yet if Atomic Games will seek another publisher for the title, but hopefully they will see this project through. I honestly believe that if done correctly this title could do a lot to further the way video games are viewed as an entertainment medium. If only Konami had as much faith in the future of their business as I do.
Written for Scrambled Pixel on 4/27/09.
Those about to die: Woodland Creatures
As some of you have found out, I’m an MMO player. That’s right, I buy a game so I can pay for the privilege of playing it every month. Now, this article isn’t about MMO’s or monthly fees, but since I’m currently hobbiting my way around Middle Earth, I’ve noticed a common trend in RPG’s that pertains to this month’s theme and I thought I’d share it with you all.
So for those of you who’ve never jumped on the MMO bandwagon, sit back, relax and allow me to take you through the epic journey you are missing out on. Those of you who have played MMO’s are free to sit back and nod knowingly you’ve been there and done this more often then you’d like to admit.
LOTR starts off in standard MMO fashion, with the creation of your character. After all, the world does in fact revolve around you, at least for now. Once you’ve made your Middle Earth self and selected an appropriate name that fits the world (Ilovewaffles) you are ready to set off on your adventure through perhaps one of the most acclaimed story worlds in all of fantasy literature.
Once you’ve blundered your way through the tutorial mission, vanquishing whatever minor villain the game lovingly placed in front of you and crippled so badly that you had no chance of losing, it’s time for the real game to start.
As you take in your majestic surroundings you notice a nearby NPC with a glowing ring over their head. Ah ha! Quest giver! Now the game can really start. Now you can test your skills against the forces of Sauron’s army, destroy the one ring, save the world, get lots of dwarven chicks, ect. This is your story to tell and by God you will do it justice.
I’m sorry, but your princess is in another castle
As you move your mouse over the NPC you take a deep breath, pausing in silent contemplation. Are you really ready for this? Can you really stand alone against the tides of swarming baddies that are surely sharpening their weapons and plotting your demise?
Yes, you decide, now its time to battle the dark forces and bring righteousness back to this world. You right-click the NPC and read your first non-tutorial quest.
Kill wolves.
Okay, not quite what you were expecting. Weren’t there some bandits guarding the road nearby? Well, okay I guess even the mightiest warriors have to get their start somewhere. I’ve always been a fan of wolves and would prefer avoiding them over having to kill them, but you don’t want to look like a sissy in front of the elves. So, you kill the wolves, loads of them in fact.
As you make your way back to the quest giver, coated in conspicuous amounts of blood and fur, you prepare yourself yet again for a quest truly worthy of Tolkien’s epic story. Perhaps a little Nazgûl action?
Now there’s a real monster.
Kill Boars.
Kill Bears.
Kill Spiders.
And so on. Now, to be fair there are occasional “Kill Bandits” quests peppered in as well, but these guys are small potatoes compared to the big picture, so what gives? If the quest givers are to be believed the animals are posing a serious threat to the towns and cities you are visiting. If their cuddly frolicking goes unchecked countless residents will suffer the consequences. Add in to this the fact that your paltry skill level leaves you unsuited for any true combat and you find yourself with little choice, but to take on the local animal population.
Nice puppy
Now in some RPG’s they have the courtesy to create “monsters” for you to battle. Oddly deformed and unusual critters that you encounter on your travels. Sometimes there is no avoiding these monstrosities as you cannot see them until they have already sprung up to attack you and your party. While these random encounters can be tedious they also serve to build your animosity and desire to kill the beasts that continually attack you. They pose a real threat to you and anyone who ventures outside the city walls.
Kill it with fire!
What about the animals? In MMO’s it’s usually possible to avoid all, but the rabid and zombified variety by just walking around them or outrunning them as the need arises. They don’t mean any harm, they just want to be fuzzy and lead unspectacular lives of animal mediocrity. Not only are they wholly unaware of your great quest to put an end to evil, they remain completely neutral on the subject. This, however, doesn’t change the fact that not only will you kill them, you must kill them.
She’s only protecting her cubs you heartless jerk.
If you take a PETA loving carebear approach, refusing to kill these helpless animals you won’t be able to grind to a high enough level to be effective against real enemies. If you skip on all the quests that order the destruction of snuggly kitty cats you will miss valuable experience points and better gear. The spiders and snakes you face may not be evil, but they sure as heck are in your way. Your way is the only way that matters after all.
So lets take just a moment to think back on all the woodland creatures that have been felled by our blades, burned by our magic and maimed by our lutes. When the day is won and we stand on the battle grounds of Mordor, let us not forget the noble creatures who gave their lives so that we could grow to be true champions. Here’s to you woodland creatures, big and small, your sacrifice was the greatest of all.
You laughed too, admit it.
Featured on the front page of Destructoid on 4/25/09.
College Improves Gaming for Some, Groundbreaking!
This is the wave of the future
Behold the power of gamers working for a worthwhile cause. Using a bit of ingenuity and a whole slew of grants, a group of students at MIT have recently created a breakthrough device that could revolutionize the way people play World of Warcraft.
The so called WoW Pod, currently on exhibit at the MIT Museum, not only offers gamers a cozy little pod to play their favorite MMO in, while they completely shut themselves off from the outside world, but also includes a fully functioning stove and toilet. With gaming this accessible WoW players may never have to leave Azeroth again.
The exterior of the Pod mimics the game world, offering a truly immersive experience for people who already don’t get out enough. So far the design is only offered in Horde style, but who knows, if this takes off like we all know it will then an Alliance adaptation can’t be far behind.
I wonder if their parents think it was worth all the tuition money?
According to the press release, while in the Pod the gamer is able to select and scan their desired food items and the system will automatically set the built in hotplate to cook at the appropriate temperature. Also, the players avatar pitches in by announcing when the food is ready and automatically going “AFK” while the player eats.
Of course, any true WoW player would not bother with the trifle of going AFK while eating, you only need one hand on the mouse, but you know their hearts were in the right place when they added this.
As mentioned above all the players needs are fully catered to, including the eventual biological needs that follows all the delicious automatically catered eating. The toilet seat is located underneath the gamer’s “throne” and seems to be fully functional as well. The press release doesn’t mention how the waste storage/removal is handled, but these kids went to MIT so I’m sure its not as disgusting as I think it must be.
I don’t see a door on that bad boy, hope you’re not bashful
Basically the WoW Pod is like a twisted combination of a hardcore raiders destination vacation and a porta-potty. While I applaud their efforts this whole thing just seems like a bad idea to me. WoW players are probably the last people that need to be enabled in their gaming habits and with the number of people who become legitimately addicted to MMO’s anyway do we really need to encourage them to never take breaks? Also, Horde? Yuck.
Still, the setup looks pretty slick and with an achievement like this under their belts these kids have a bright future ahead of them. They will likely have their pick of jobs in culinary arts, gaming or even biological waste management. Their parents must be so proud.
Check out more pictures of this marvel of technology at their Flicker.
Originally posted 4/23/09 on my Destructoid blog.
Apple Can’t Win With Baby Shaker Game
Apple has once again pulled the iPhone game “Baby Shaker” off their App Store. The $0.99 application is pretty much exactly what its name implies. Users utilize the iPhone’s motion detection to shake a picture of a crying baby until red X’s appear over the infants eyes signaling their demise and the end of the game.
The game’s lighthearted description reads, “See how long you can endure his or her adorable cries before you just have to find a way to quiet the baby down!”
The game’s intentionally flippant representation has caught the attention of several Shaken Baby Support and Prevention groups who were outraged by it.
“As a mother of a child who was violently shaken at 7 weeks old, causing a severe brain injury, I don’t have to tell you how much this horrifies me!” Jennipher Dickens, founder of the National Organization for Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention said.
Understandably, Apple pulled the game, but then re-released. Now it seems they have taken it down again, perhaps for good this time. Their knee-jerk reaction is bringing in fresh waves of criticism from gamers and journalists who feel that Apple should stand up for their right to sell whatever offensive and morally objectionable games they want as they are protected by the first amendment.
“I’m troubled by the way Apple caved into pressure here. Of course this application is deeply offensive, with no redeeming value except to people who like to play gross games or have twisted senses of humor. “ Saul Hansell of the New York Times said.
Now, as a parent (of a non-shaken baby) and a gamer I feel kinda torn on the issue. My mommy instincts tell me this game is sick and makes a mockery of a serious problem. My gamer side feels the need to point out that the game isn’t a training guide for hurting babies, its just a harmless app that is only getting any attention because of all the controversy.
I may feel differently if my son was a victim of shaking, but the games graphics aren’t detailed or gory and it clearly is only meant to be shocking and darkly humorous not realistic. I’m not going to bash Apple for removing the game since it’s hardly worth fighting a legal crusade for the sake of one $0.99 application, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the game’s creators just found another venue and continued distributing it to interested consumers.
I would never buy it, but I don’t think its my place to keep others from downloading it so they can play it once for lulz then realize its not really an interesting game outside of all the hype and delete it. I’m sure there will be something new to be offended by before too long anyway.
Written for Scrambled Pixel on 4/23/09.
Eidos Takeover Approved
Eidos’ board of directors announced today that a court has officially approved Square Enix’s bid to take over the struggling Tomb Raider publisher. This news isn’t much of a surprise considering that rumors have been floating around since the end of 2008 that Eidos wasn’t seeing much of a return on their releases and would likely be looking for a bigger publisher to pick them up. While Infogrames, Electronic Arts and Ubisoft were all speculated to be interested in the Eidos property, with Infogrames making a bid last year, ultimately it was Square Enix who made the better offer.
In February Square made their official bid for the takeover with an estimated $117 million bid, which was promptly accepted in March with an over 85% approval rating from the stockholders.
“Eidos’ products are highly complementary to our business and will accelerate our aggressive expansion into Western markets,” says Square Enix president Yoichi Wada.
With Gamasutra reporting a 20% decline in market share on Japanese-developed games in the Western market earlier this year it seems like this was an excellent decision on Square’s part. By bringing Eidos under their roof they should be able to cater fans of more then just the JRPG genre that many gamers claim to be growing weary of.
The takeover becomes official tomorrow at 5p.m. in the UK when Eidos’ shares will be suspended on the London Stock Exchange. At 6 p.m. stockholders will receive a 32 pence payout for each share they own.
Keep an eye out for Lara Croft riding a chocobo in the near future. Oddly enough this could actually happen now. Oh the possibilities.
Written for Scrambled Pixel on 4/21/09.
Is GameStop Deceiving its Customers? Again?
GameStop has gotten a lot of criticism over the years and with their employee borrowing policy now coming to the attention of Kotaku it seems like the floodgates have been opened again.
This isn’t the first time GameStop has been accused of misleading consumers. Since “used” games are shelved right alongside “new” games in the stores, but priced less, its no surprise that the company wants to have a larger number of new games available for purchase. Unfortunately, their definition of “new” does not seem to be meshing with what the law dictates.
In 2003 the company agreed to a settlement in a class action filed against them for reselling games that had been returned to the store, per their return policy, as new. If you’ve ever noticed a sign at GameStop that reads, “All software for video game consoles may have been used and returned in accordance with (the store’s) return policy” then you’ve seen the fruits of this settlement.
Okay, so slap on the wrist and GameStop learns their lesson about false advertising right? Well, maybe not. See when GameStop receives new games they have a practice of opening some games to use the cases as displays. These “gutted” games are still considered new because the contents are all neatly packaged up and filed behind the counter. So when a customer asks why their new game is opened they are told that it was a display box. No harm no fail, so far.
The problem comes when associates check out the games to play at home. They are permitted one game at a time for a free 4 day rental. The benefit being that the employees will have first-hand knowledge of the games they are selling. However, once they return the game it gets filed right next to the display guts and sold as new to the next customer to ask for it. Company policy actually forbids discounting these borrowed games.
This is where the FTC may come in, or as the case may warrant local state deceptive trade practice laws. Is it wrong for GameStop to sell the games as new when they may have been played before?
Most gamers seem pretty quick to jump on the lynch mob lining up outside the stores, but let’s play a little devils advocate, because I’ve got the time and if you’ve read this far, so do you.
Bookstores have similar employee check out policies with their books. As long as the book returns to the store looking unused then it is resold as new. Otherwise the employee is forced to buy it. Same as GameStop, yet nobody is calling for blood here.
Suppose you go to a store a buy a pair of jeans, do you have anyway of knowing that those jeans weren’t already purchased and returned? Somebody could have taken them into the fitting rooms and tried them on without even leaving the store. Does that make them used?
Nobody is crying foul at these business practices, indeed it would seem silly to expect that everything you buy is in the same condition as it was when it rolled off the assembly line. Why are games held to such a higher standard in this regard?
Well, I’ll tell you why, because GameStop has set themselves up for this. By offering new and used games in the same store they are making the promise of a higher standard to their customers. If you go in and buy a used game you expect that it’s been played before, you might even be forgiving of a few incidental scratches here and there or a bent page in the manual.
If you have to pay extra for the same game because you buy it new then you expect there to be a difference. Perhaps not a difference you can see, but a perceived difference in value. Even if the disc is pristine, all the manuals still smelling of fresh ink from the print shop, if that game has been played before then you’ve been lied to. Simple as that.
Now before anyone gets their panties in a bunch, I’m not one of those types who thinks that GameStop is an evil corporation that should be put out of business for mistreating their customers. This problem is easy enough to fix, they just have to sell the employee borrowed games as used. This shouldn’t be difficult since about a week after any game is released they have an influx of that game coming back to the store as trade-ins that will be sold as used anyway. I think the employees can wait an extra week to try stuff out, I mean if I can keep up with games without playing them all then surely GameStop’s employees can.
If you’re still upset about getting a crappy deal on your trade-ins, or hate buying new games that are opened already because they were display cases, then don’t shop there. The reason they get away with this stuff is because they can and they can make a lot of money doing it. Let’s start a new wave of consumer awareness here people, the next time you pay new game prices, make sure you’re really getting your money’s worth.
Written for Scrambled Pixel on 4/14/09.
An End to Seal Slaughter In Azeroth
I didn’t even know that World of Warcraft had a problem with seal slaughter, wait, do they? Well pesky details like that won’t stop animal rights crusader PETA from hosting an in-game event this weekend to help raise awareness of the more than 338,000 baby harp seals they say are being killed on the ice floes of Canada.
The campaign will take place in Howling Fjord on the US Whisper Wind realm this Saturday, April 11 at 1pm EST. Rumors of an in-game protest or demonstration have been denied by PETA. Instead, they said players are invited to join together to defeat four Horde seal killers. Likely they will also be inundated with facts and figures about real world seal issues and what they should be doing to help. To add more curiosity fuel to the flames, Whisper Wind is a PvE server, so I’m not entirely sure how this epic seal rescue will go down.
If WoW seems an odd forum for PETA’s message, being that the majority of the games quests involve hunting and killing beasts en mass, you might be surprised to learn that there is actually a Warcraft version of PETA. The DHETA (Druids for the Humane and Ethical Treatment of Animals) offers players alternative quests to fight against animal hunters. Those zany druids and their love of digital beasts.
PETA spokesman Dan Shannon wanted to make sure everyone was aware, “PETA understands that WoW is a game and not real life. Just as fighting seal clubbers in WoW will of course not actually save any real-world baby seals, fighting mammoths and raptors in WoW does no real-world harm to animals. We believe that WoW players understand that there is a huge difference between battling mythical or extinct creatures in WoW and being cruel to real animals in real life.”
An interesting comment considering their vendetta against Nintendo’s Cooking Mama. Their take on Mama’s non-vegetarian friendly menu did spawn an amusing flash game, but it seems to imply that they do in fact take game violence against animals very seriously.
While it’s an innocent and potentially fun way for PETA to get their message across I have a hard time taking any organization seriously when one of their objectives is to rename fish, sea kittens. You know, so people will find them more cuddly and less delicious.
Still if you’re on the Whisper Wind realm you might wanna grab your seal club and head on over to Howling Fjord this Saturday to see what all the fuss is about.
Written for Scrambled Pixel on 4/8/09.
Konami’s “Six Days in Fallujah” Announced
Konami recently announced that they will be partnering with game developer Atomic to put together a game based on the conflict in Fallujah which claimed the lives of 38 soldiers and 1,200 insurgents. The core narrative of the game will be drawn from video, photos and first hand journal accounts of troops who were involved in the conflict.
Rather then wade through the murky political right and wrong debate that surrounds the ongoing war, Atomic hopes to lend the game more towards historical insight and focus more on the stories of those who experienced the fight first hand.
“Our goal is to give people that insight, of what it’s like to be a Marine during that event, what it’s like to be a civilian in the city and what it’s like to be an insurgent.” Atomic Games president Peter Tamte said.
More then a dozen Marines will be featured, telling their stories, as part of a series of documentary style interviews. The scenes will be triggered through game play as the player encounters the men’s in-game avatars.
While I’m not much a fan of war games, (stemming from a FPS deficiency rather then an ideological mandate), this seems like a very interesting and ambitious project for Konami. With actual U.S. Marines serving as consultants on the game the details and emotions Atomic is planning to incorporate will be under the highest level of scrutiny before any game reviewers ever get a taste of the action.
Still, there is a reason that so many war games tend to stick to the tried and tested stomping grounds of WW2. Playing a game about a war that people are still dying in could leave a bad taste in the mouths of some players. Also, people rarely sympathize with Nazi’s.
As expected there has been some rustling of feathers over Konami’s plans with a few military members going so far as to publicly denounce the game and seek to have it banned.
I suppose only time will tell if Konami’s gambit pays off. The game has the opportunity to either be a moving depiction of war and those who fight, or an uncomfortable thorn prying into a wound that hasn’t been given enough time to heal.
GamePolitics reports that the game will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. A multiplayer component is rumored to also be in the works.
Written for Scrambled Pixel on 4/8/09.
Aren’t I special?
You can also check out some articles I’ve written for a new site Scrambled Pixel. If you wanna help it grow up some take a minute to join the forums and be sure to tell them Zodiac sent you. I think I get a cookie or something if enough new people come over.
That one Mook: Mr. Yamada
My selection of completed games or even nearly completed games being rather small has left me with a shameful admission, I don’t have much experience with game bosses. I’ve heard tales of their ueber greatness, their near god-like prowess, and most of all the nightmares they spawn when no matter what you do you just can’t beat them.
For those of you who might not be familiar with Kenichi Yamada, and I’m willing to bet just about everyone fits into this group, let me tell you a little about the man who would become my great adversary.
Mr. Yamada is a family man who enjoys spending the summers at his vacation home with his wife and daughter. His job is a stressful one and he finds flower arranging to be a wonderfully relaxing past time. Nothing can sway his sunny disposition, except me.
You see in this game I’m a mosquito and it has been made perfectly clear that I only have a short amount of time to gather enough blood to last me through the hard winter months ahead. If I fail in my mission it will mean my doom. As such I can hardly be blamed for my actions.
I became acquainted with the family, though at first they didn’t know I was there. A fly on the wall so to speak, I listened in on their conversations, their petty arguments and their planning. In a weird way I felt that I too was part of their family. As such surely they wouldn’t mind if I took some of the sustenance that I so desperately needed.
I started off small, only taking a tank or two of any of their blood at one time. While the girl and the mother seemed to find me a bit of a nuisance I noticed that Mr. Yamada had taken an especial disliking to me.
As time wore on I realized I’d need to take more blood if I wanted to make my quota in time. By now the family had decided something must be done about me. I felt betrayed, I just wanted to live and prosper as they did. Wasn’t my life worth the slight itchy inconvenience that I caused? Apparently not and a series of battles ensued.
I met with the daughter first, she had come prepared for a showdown. My shaky flight controls and tendency to collide with invisible geometry hindered me greatly in the battle. Still, I realized this was what the game had been preparing me for from the beginning. I managed to out maneuver her and make off with the necessary blood to secure my victory.
Next up was Mrs. Yamada, a formidable opponent to be sure. It took several attempts before I was able to see her go down. My confidence was bolstered by this point, what more could they throw at me? What obstacle couldn’t I overcome?
I never expected Mr. Yamada to answer the call so fiercely. Driven to rage by the state of his family, still ignorant to my plight he prepared himself for the final showdown.
I readied myself and took flight, zooming around to get a better view of his weak spots, but where were they? Suddenly he spotted me and the battle began. I found his pressure points, but as I was about to dive for them something unexpected happened. The Kenichi Yamada I’d watched arranging flowers and idly flipping channels from the comfort of the couch vanished. In his place was Dragon ball Yamada.
I felt my confidence shatter instantly as he powered up his super attack. Until this time I wasn’t aware such attacks existed in this game, but there it was, an energy ball bent on my destruction. I tried to swerve, tried to fly lower and higher, but it was no use. No matter where I went or how fast I dodge he found me, over and over.
My fingers grew sore and calloused on the duel joystick controls as I became increasingly erratic in my flight. The quirky level geometry that I’d thought I’d become used to now openly mocked me as I ricocheted off of walls and furniture, certain I’d never been close to it. All of the elements that had given the game such a steep and uncompromising learning curve suddenly made sense. It was all a cruel setup to make me think I had a chance.
There was no safe place to be found as Yamada rampaged after me. I’d restarted so many times, yet my efforts were entirely futile. There was no weakness in the man, the game was on his side and I would not live to see another summer.
It’s a funny thing when you are resolved in your failure. When you know you’ve given it all you can and that the only thing left to do is to stand up so you can be struck down one last time. Once your death is imminent there is no longer reason to fear it and without that fear comes a certain clarity.
That’s the only way to describe where my second wind came from, somewhere deep inside of me shouted that if I was to die then Yamada was going down with me.
His fist swung, ogre-like and seemingly slower then before as I casually dodged it and rammed right into his pressure point. He was caught off-guard for a moment and I used the time to loop myself over his shoulder and hit the second point. Shaken, he began gathering energy for his power attack, the unsurvivable one that had hitherto sent me running for cover.
I knew better then fall for that this time. There was no more running away, there was no place safe to run to, this was going to end now.
In the slow motion aftermath as the lights blurred and Yamada fell I dropped the controller, my hands throbbing from the tricky stick work I’d just performed. Somewhere in the back of my head I think I heard singing, though it could have been the onset of a headache. The title screen came up again, inviting me to play the coveted second season, that was basically the whole game over again, but with the bonuses I’d won this time around. I reached for my PS2 and turned it off.
I never played the game again. Maybe I will someday, its one of the few games that is short enough that even I can finish it, but perhaps it would be better to just hold onto my hard won victory. I don’t have many, and Kenichi Yamada was a worthy opponent until the end.
Written for Ckarasu’s community contest, which I won. Originally posted 4/6/09 on Destructoid.
