|
|
|| Adventure Links || Archives || Articles || Independent Developers || Interviews || JA Forum ||
|| JA Staff/Contacts || The JAVE || Letters || Reviews || Search || Upcoming Releases || Walkthroughs ||
|| What's New / Home || Play Games! ||
| Over 1 Million Visitors a Month! |
|
|
Articles
So it’s only been a short eight months since we last got together. Last year at this time I was given two months to live and the adventure genre appeared to also be down for the count. Now, I’m glad to say that we’re both back stronger than ever so let’s have some fun! A few of the following thoughts have been germinating in my mind for a few months so they may seem dated, but I’m just glad I can finally share them with you.
Click here for month-end February, 2003 sales figures. The usual disclaimers apply – figures are tabulated by PC Data and do not include online sales or sales from some brick-and-mortar outlets like Electronics Boutique that do not subscribe to the service. We are currently working on tabulating lifetime sales figures and hope to have those for you soon.
From the back of the box of Wanadoo’s European release of The Mystery of the Mummy: Five levels of the game are waiting for you with:
Maibee them spillchick wuz broked? YOU SAY POTATO, I SAY TOMATO
At one time it was fine to change the name. Pompeii to Timescape. No problem. Cydonia to Lightbringer. Understandable. But to change the name of Schizm to The Mysterious Journey because one or two people out of the tens of thousands who purchased the game wrote in and complained that they couldn’t pronounce the name of the game. Hey, I got news for you, if you can’t pronounce Schizm then you should be playing Doom or Quake. But, keeping in the spirit of Dreamcatcher being so consumer friendly, I would like to humbly request the following changes:
PS – please though, change the name of Salammbo before its release!
Asked why he would distort the New Testament into a first-person-shooter, American nervously twisted his knit cap in his hands and mumbled, “Hey dude, the bible is already one of the most violent books ever written, I’m just giving my peeps what they want.” Right on brother, right on. This industry needs more visionaries like you. WHINE ME A RIVER – CHAPTER 1: IN WHICH I CONFESS MY SINS
Well, whaddya know! An adventure game of the year award! Contrary to the bleating of certain Internet whiners, we here at CGW actually do like adventure games – a lot. But with most of the best developers abandoning the genre in the last few years, the pickings are might slim…. Internet whiners, hmmm, whomever could they be referring to? Tap, tap, tap…..wait a minute…I resemble that remark. Yes, that’s right, I admit for the world to read that I have indeed sent whiney emails to CGW Editor-In-Chief Jeff Green. But whatever could I find to whine about in CGW, a fine magazine that avows that they ‘actually do like adventure games – a lot.’ Well, how about this review of Arthur’s Knights II as written by Arcadian Del Sol. Keep in mind, we are not claiming that Arthur’s Knights II is a classic game, but we did have some reservations about this review: Fans of adventure games have regularly written this magazine to protest our frequent assessment of the adventure genre as dead. “It isn’t dead,” they cry, “Dreamcatcher has just released three more adventures.” Okay, we give – no, the adventure genre is technically not dead. But this kind of argument carries about as much weight as “Nightclub acts aren’t dead! Tony Danza has an act now and he emotes, sings, and tap dances!” Consider Arthur’s Knights II: The Secret of Merlin the Tony Danza of adventure games: it can do a passable softshoe to “Mr. Bojangles,” but it‘s probably not worth the $20 cover charge. Arthur’s Knights II is a visual treat whose graphics and cut-scenes are ocasionally (sic – yes, that is correct, this finely edited magazine has a misspelled word in the body of the review) stunning. From the opening montage to the final frames, the artwork strives to recreate the age of chivalry and mysticism, and the voice acting, though suffering at times from amateur quality post-production, is top-notch. “Americanized” British accents are surprisingly painless, and even the adult-pretending-to-be-small-child voice is refreshingly wince-free. Unfortunately, all of this is wrapped around nothing more than a lethargic scavenger hunt pretending to be an adventure game. The genre, almost by definition, will require a certain number of “go here, fetch that” assignments. No matter the setting, the denizens of adventure games all seem to suffer from short-term memory loss. They spend so much time misplacing some of their world’s most important items, it’s no wonder they haven’t the time to spend looking for them. In most cases, mixed in among the scavenger missions are a number of mind-bending riddles and doors sealed with locks whose level of intricacy would stump Rube Goldberg on a good day. Arthur’s Knights II: The Secret of Merlin does offer a few diversionary riddles, but they exist only as temporary distractions from finding yet another missing object. So despite the game’s tragically short length, it still manages to capture that “just a little bit too long” feeling by the time you’ve crisscrossed the map for yet another misplaced bauble. Adventure games are written and designed to test one’s creativity, but this entrant displays very little of its own – kind of like Who’s the Boss? Now does anyone else besides me think that a good portion of the above, instead of actually reviewing the game, is nothing more than a damnation of the entire genre? So I sent the review to the heads of a few gaming companies and I asked, “Can you please comment on the section I bolded? Why is it that magazine reviewers never say about a racing game for example, “All you do is drive around in circles on a track, how unoriginal” or about first-person-shooters, “Don’t you think it strange that ammo and weapons are scattered everywhere you turn?” or “For some reason health kits and pieces of armor hidden in a cave in a role-playing-game is acceptable, but misplaced items in an adventure game are not.” Each company head who responded – and I promised they would remain anonymous- basically attributed the problem to a generation of trigger-happy reviewers who damn any game that lacks cutting-edge innovation and taxes the brain cells. So what have I proven – that without a doubt, I am a damn good whiner. WHINE ME A RIVER – CHAPTER 2: WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE
…Speaking of shutting up, I’m about ready to unleash my trusty can of frail, geek-boy whup-ass on the next clown I hear ranting about the supposed “failure” of The Sims Online. Oh brother. This game sold “only” 90,000 copies in its first few weeks – not bad by any standard, and pretty dang great for a massively multiplayer subscription-based game. Everyone keeps waiting for the big breakout massively multiplayer hit, the thing that casual gamers will play. But there’s nothing casual at all about forking over $10 a month. And think of all your clueless relatives who still barely know how to use e-mail or the web. So keep it in perspective. This stuff takes time. And shut up about The Sims being overexposed, too. Would you rather go back to the Dark Ages of Deer Hunter? I didn’t think so. I agree Jeff – keep it in perspective. So what’s my point? Well, first of all, that’s some pretty damn good whining about The Sims – a genre of games that Mr. Green seems to love, much like I love adventure games and, in my eyes, you come off as – dare I say it?! - a ‘Magazine Whiner.’ But then he claims that 90,000 copies sold is ‘not bad by any standard.’ Now here is where it gets confusing because in the above referenced Arthur’s Knights II review it was determined that, no, the adventure genre is not dead, but it is Tony Danza. Funny thing though, I have here these North American sales figures that were recently released by Dreamcatcher: Nancy Drew Series – 500,000
units sold So if adventure games are Tony Danza, then I guess that makes The Sims Online – Urkel? But of course, I’m also sure that CGW’s new argument will be that, “Just because a game sells a lot of copies that doesn’t mean it is a quality product.” No, it doesn’t, but what it does prove is that adventure games sell “pretty dang great” especially when you consider that they have a much smaller fanbase to draw from than The Sims. Your magazine is sending mixed signals – ‘most of the best developers have abandoned the genre.’ Who? Tim Schaeffer? One person? And he’s what, a visionary and spokesperson for the entire community of adventure developers? Jane Jensen is still around, Charles Cecil, Benoit Sokal, Ragnar Tournquist, Jeff Tobler. Who are you referring to - the handful of Sierra developers who had already given us enough quality games to last a lifetime? They didn’t abandon the genre, they were let go by Sierra. Times change, people move on, new blood keeps the genre fresh. Magazines like CGW are the ones living in the past as your points of reference are always the Sierra and LucasArts games of old. If an adventure game sells 90,000 units you don’t hesitate to declare that adventure sales are flat, yet The Sims Online sales are “not bad by any standard.” Which one is it? Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get Pamela Lee to change my diaper.
But I would ask you to consider the following – hit ‘em where it hurts, in the pocketbook. Whenever you see an advertisement for an adventure game on a site or in a magazine that has declared the genre is dead, write to the CEO or the Public Relations Director of that company and demand to know why they are flushing their marketing revenue down the toilet when it could be better spent at places that support the genre and bring in new gamers rather than driving them away. This will drive the point home very nicely. But here, adventure fans, is the ultimate insult. A Gamespy ‘insider’ who I will not identify for obvious reasons, sent me the following:
Well, slap my butt and call me Susie, but for some reason I don’t find it too humorous that this article was intended mostly for laughs, especially since it is not well-written and fails to properly convey that point. Raise your hands out there, how many people who read the article do you think actually thought it humorous and how many people do you think unknowingly accepted the article at face value and continue to perpetuate the ‘adventure game is dead’ myth? That’s what I thought. A DAY IN THE LIFE
Being the shy, retiring individual that I am, I introduce myself and explain to the customer that these guys don’t have a clue about the game he has requested. Since CSI is not due to be released for another week and he needs a gift for his wife’s birthday, I suggest he purchase the Law & Order game as it is similar and then get CSI next week. He turns to the clerks and asks if they have the Law & Order game. They have just stood there and listened to our entire conversation. They look at us like we are three-headed aliens… Finally, I ask the gentleman if he would be willing to follow me in his car and I led him to Media Play where, he informed me later via email, he was able to purchase Law & Order. Next time you’re wondering why adventure games don’t sell well in some outlets, think about those clerks in Toys R Us and how many clones they have across the United States.
So like every other fanboy, I pre-purchased a copy of Zelda: Wind Waker at Electronics Boutique (contrary to popular perception, we do not receive review copies from every publisher in the industry). Paid $25 upfront and was informed that I needn’t pay the remainder until the game arrived. Two days before the release date, I received a telephone call from my local Electronics Boutique: “Mr. Sluganski, your copy of Zelda will be here in two days. You can pick it up anytime after 6pm. If you haven’t picked it up within two days after the release date, we will have to put it back on the store shelf and refund your deposit.” “Excuse me?” “Your copy of Zelda….” “I understood all that, what I don’t understand is how you can put a product I’ve already reserved by paying half of the retail price back on the shelf. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of why I prepaid for the game, especially since your store is the one who suggested I prepay for the game?” “Sir, I don’t make company policy.” “I’m sure you don’t, but it does seem to me that you don’t understand the purpose behind prepaying for the product.” Anyhow, is it just me or does something seem screwy here? Electronics Boutique encourages prepayments on their products but then if you don’t pick it up within their self-imposed short time limit, they’ll sell it to someone else! As far as I’m concerned, if I prepaid for a product, then it should be in that store, ready and waiting for me to pick up at my convenience. I’ve written to Electronics Boutique headquarters and am still awaiting a response, but in the meantime if you’ve experienced something similar in your area, feel free to write and we’ll see what we can do to halt such idiotic company policies.
Well, at least the new JA Forum does. Not only is it the fastest growing (over 1,000 members in only 5 months!) and largest adventure forum on the internet, but we have also had surprise visits from people like Jeff Tobler, Roberta Williams, Jane Jensen, Al Lowe, Ragnar Tournquist, Charles Cecil and dozens of independent developers. We have a Hints & Tips section that is second to none as it is moderated by the wonderful staff of Universal Hints System and an Interactive Fiction section sponsored by Howard Sherman and his new text game – Pentari. We have members from almost every country in the world and adventure gamers ranging in age from 14 to those who, like Len Green, are in their 70’s but younger at heart than our youngest members. There is no membership fee and while we don’t guarantee that you will always agree with everyone’s opinions, we do guarantee that you will have a good time, so what are you waiting for?
We are Just Adventure, the largest and most dedicated staff of adventure gamers and writers on the Internet. It’s been a long time since we introduced some of our staff members, so over the next few months I would like to introduce you to everyone on the staff:
That’s it for this month and here’s hoping and praying you won’t have to wait another eight months for the next State of Adventure Gaming!
|
SOMETHING WICKED THIS
WAY CAME 
IT’S
THE SMALL DETIALS THAT MATTER MOST
Well, whaddya know! The
April 2003 issue of Computer Gaming World honored Syberia with
its Adventure Game of the Year award! Let’s
read it together shall we:
A new Ziff-Davis gaming
magazine that seems to be nothing more than a marketing arm for
Electronics Boutique with the really groovy,
neato name of GMR (get it? GaMeR) recently featured an editorial
by one Mr. Jeff Green, Editor-In-Chief of GCW. Let’s listen
in shall we:
Gamespy and their asinine ‘Top 10 Dead Genres’ article.
Poorly researched and full of inaccuracies, they didn’t hesitate
to declare the adventure genre deader than Abe Vigoda. Now there
was a time when we would huff and puff and ask Just Adventure readers
to write and complain, but those days are over as we realize it is
futile to deal intelligently with the brain-dead.
While
purchasing a new desktop at my local Best Buy, I struck up a conversation
with the
salesman we’ll call Chris, since that
was his name, and I was telling him that I didn’t care about
stuff like fps (frames per second) and refresh resolution as I mostly
played slow-moving adventure games that didn’t depend on speed
and 3D graphics. Chris looked me right in the eye and said, “Haven’t
you heard, adventure games are hot again!” and proceeded to
tell me how well 
Same
day, a few hours later, I’m in the game section of Toys
R Us. A gentleman in a suit approaches the two clerks behind the
counter and asks if they have the new CSI adventure game.
The clerks, who we shall christen Beavis & Butthead, stare at
the gentleman like he is a three-headed alien. You can literally
hear the gears
in their heads churning as they attempt to digest the information
that there is a game that does not feature sports, decapitations
or big boobs. Spittle dangles from their lower lips.
CALLING JERRY
SIENFELD
TO ALL MY FAVORITE
SPAMMERS
