The Sands of Time–Episode 4

Friendly Fire!

In this episode I begin by trying to recap the story so far. Because I’ve been trying to focus on playing the game while also having interesting things to say (the success of which I will leave open to your interpretation), many of the story beats have eluded me. As I discuss in the video I also think this is potentially due to the era in which the game was released. This was a generation where gameplay instruction and story were not conveyed solely via printed manual or in game methods such as cut scenes and on-screen text, but rather a combination of the two. In today’s gaming landscape we’ve grown accustomed to just jumping in the game and being properly informed of those things throughout the experience.

We also find a new weapon that grants passage through a new type of barrier, encounter more enemies to combat, puzzles to solve, and Farah actually shoots me in the back! She acts like it was an accident, but we did destroy her home, steal all the valuables, and planned to make her a servant of some kind before it all went pear-shaped. Can’t really blame here, I guess. Enjoy the episode!

Play nice, everyone!

The Sands of Time–Episode 3

Back For More! 

I’m getting a lot more comfortable with the process of editing, audio balancing, and posting these videos. And I’m having a lot of fun too! I’m also learning some valuable lessons, like beginning the recording well before I start playing as well as stopping well after I’m done. That gives me more footage to come in and out with, without cutting off important things… like cut scenes. I discovered the end of the previous episode cuts off rather abruptly, and the cut scene that plays after that save point I also managed to skip off camera. Even I didn’t see it, I must have inadvertently pressed the wrong button. This resulted in Episode 3 beginning with some remarks from the characters that had no context, and me having no idea why. The funny thing is that even though it occurs after a save point, simply reloading the file from that save point doesn’t trigger the cut scene again. It just starts gameplay at the next section where you have control of the character.

Since I already needed to replay some earlier sections to find segments that would be good to use for the episode intro graphic, I was also able to capture the missing cut scene to insert at the beginning of the video. Now, instead of just hearing me confused about missing something, you get to see the cut scene… then hear me confused about missing something!

In replaying the earlier portion of the game I was also able to get a better handle on the story. While it’s probably mostly due to me being overly conscious of being on mic (something I’m still getting used to), the game could have presented the story better. Maybe it’s because of the period of time the game released in. Earlier generations typically included a manual booklet that would contain an introduction to the game world and characters, while current video games almost never include any printed material. The Sands of Time may be a result of that middle ground where the game story had a foot in both methods.

Speaking of being on mic, boy is that a lot more than I was ready for! It turns out that it’s not easy to carry on an interesting conversation about the onscreen action… with yourself. I’m looking forward to the day I can look back on these early attempts and be surprised about my progress. It would also be fun to try an episode or two with a friend to help keep the commentary going, especially when the action heats up and my brain can’t decide which way to go. Volunteers? Enjoy the episode!

Play nice, everyone!

The Sands of Time–Episode 2

The Adventure Continues! 

The action heats up with new combat moves and more elaborate traps. Join me as I lose against new enemy types, get stumped by simple puzzles, and struggle with indecision. I even make a bad Fruit Ninja joke! This episode has everything!

Play nice, everyone!

The King’s Backlog Begins!

Let’s Play! 

This project has been a long time in the making… or at least in the conception. I’ve wanted to do something like this for some time now, and it’s finally happening! Ever since becoming a fan of Game Informer’s Replay feature several years ago, I’ve often thought I’d like to give it a go. At first it seemed somewhat unattainable, then simply too time consuming. Regardless, here we are!

So what am I talking about? First a little backstory. Years ago when I was just getting the hang of Facebook and merely dipping my toes in the wild world of Twitter, I saw a post from Game Informer basically announcing something like, “Do you like Mystery Science Theater 3000? You’ll love this! It’s just like MST3K only for video games instead of movies!” That’s pretty heavy paraphrasing, but you get the idea. I do love me some MST3K (see my meeting Kevin Murphy at Salt Lake Comic Con FanX) and video games. It sounded like they were about to scratch an itch I didn’t yet know I had!

Regrettably, it was some time before I actually got around to checking out Replay. Well, I say “regrettably”, but the upside was by that time there was a wealth of great content that I could binge watch, getting to know the voices, personalities and sense of humor of many of the great GI staff members whose writing I had enjoyed for years. Watching that entertaining bunch play through older video games quickly became one of the highlights of each week. And it sure seemed fun! And with that, I give you “The King’s Backlog”!



I believe I’ve mentioned before how my video game collection has easily outgrown the available time I have to play, so I’m doing something about it. I have the hardware and software to record my own game videos, along with commentary. It’s going to be a little rough at first. It turns out it can be a bit tricky carrying on a conversation with yourself while also trying to play, though I’m confident it will get easier with practice. And boy is editing video and audio a time sink! I’m hoping that process also gets easier with practice.

Since doing this by myself will be a different dynamic from the shows I’ve enjoyed that usually consist of three to four people at a time, I thought I’d do some searching to find some people who also record solo and have a similar tone to what I’m going for. Along those lines, I’d like to recommend ChristopherOdd, I’ve found his videos to be well made, entertaining, and grounded. Like myself he enjoys the stories that games can tell. And while I’m recommending YouTube channels, check out chinfat. His video tutorials are incredible for anyone interesting in learning to edit videos. This post would have been delayed greatly without his expertly made content.

Although I’ve basically come to terms with the fact that I’ll most likely never have the time to play through all of the games on my shelf, I sure would like to try! My goal is to have a new episode approximately one hour in length uploaded weekly, at least to start with and then we’ll just see how it goes from there. I was originally thinking of targeting a Friday or Saturday release schedule, but with work I never really know when I’ll be traveling or what hours I’ll be working. I’ve resigned myself to just try to make sure a new episode goes up each week without focusing on a particular day.



Episode One!

First up is Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. I have fond memories of the first game in this franchise and I greatly enjoyed playing through the most recent entry. However, I have never played any games from The Sands of Time series. Join me as I rectify that and attempt to be informative and/or entertaining at the same time.

Please feel free to comment on the post or the video, especially if you have a suggestion for the next game you would like to see me play through. Chances are pretty good that not only is it on my shelf, but also that I haven’t actually played it yet.

Play nice, everyone!

Wait Your Turn!

This is a topic I’ve thought about off and on over the last few years, but more so after the recent release and apparent success of Kickstarter darling, Divinity: Original Sin. Now, I haven’t played it yet and very much would like to, I just can’t decide if I should dive in now or hold out for a potential console release. But this isn’t really about only one game.

In reading the overwhelmingly positive reviews and watching gameplay videos, the turn-based combat is frequently referred to as “old-school” and “nostalgic” which I suppose is true since the bulk of video game RPGs in the early days of the medium were all turn-based. Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire, Phantasy Star and more all started with turn-based combat in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but when a new role-playing game forgoes a real-time system if favor of this strategic approach, does it have to be labeled “retro”? I guess so since these terms imply a hearkening back to things that used to be but are no longer, or considerably less common… and that’s a shame.

Necessity or Design?

Typically the “retro” elements of modern game design imitate aspects that were, in their time, much more limited due to the technical constraints of more primitive hardware and software. As technology advanced, video game development continued pushing the bounds of graphic and sound capabilities. Large pixels became smaller and smaller, 2D graphics became 3D graphics and chiptune music became actual orchestral scores as the industry chased after the fidelity achieved through film with near uniformity. New games that use pixelated graphic styles and 8 or 16-bit sound design are clear homages to gaming’s past, attempting to capture the magic many of us felt while playing the classic games of the medium’s infancy.

Was turn-based combat in early RPG games used primarily because of technical limitations? I could be way off base, but I don’t think that is why. And I suppose it’s likely that I’m wrong about that, as evidenced by the fact as the tech improves and our gaming machines become more and more powerful across the board it seems that we see fewer and fewer role-playing games implementing it. Or maybe I’m right, but enough of the industry and fan base has become so focused on the enjoyment of fast-paced action games that the impression of turn-based combat design being irrelevant was born and flourished in response. Perhaps it’s a combination.

So what does this have to do with the above-mentioned recent release? While checking out the reviews for “Divinity: Original Sin” there was one reader comment that really stuck out to me. The individual asked, “Why is it turn-based?”

Why Not?

Here is my take on the situation. My first role-playing game experience was Dragon Warrior on the NES, long before the franchise moniker was unified across the globe. It was the first game to really open my eyes to the vast complexity that video games had the potential for and would one day achieve. It was also the game that would solidify the RPG as my genre of preference. I never really had the opportunity to get into actual table-top RPGs, although I always wanted to. The lack of a reliable group of friends with similar interests didn’t stop me from educating myself about them, however. And my curiosity led me to believe that series like Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy were trying to emulate the experience of the paper and dice affair, albeit without the multiple players and DM who improvises the story to keep up with player choice, which were technical limitations. Through those games I could enjoy a version of that despite not having the right group of like-minded friends or available time.

Taking turns is integral to nearly every table-top game, including RPGs which are hardly “old-school”. Role-playing games are today, more popular and more accepted than they’ve ever been (much like video games). It should not be seen as a limitation or a drawback, but an option. If you don’t enjoy playing games with a  turn-based component, it doesn’t mean those are not good games. Guess what? Those games are not for you. The best part of gaming in an age with so much variety is that there are plenty of games that are for you, but not all of them will be and that’s just fine. Not everything should appeal to everyone or else it all becomes homogenized and innovation takes a back seat.

Different Strokes for Different Folks

I’m not saying all role-playing games should be turn-based. In fact, I believe great games like Skyrim or From Software’s acclaimed Souls games would be absolutely ruined by changing the play style. It all comes down to personal choice, obviously. For me, the preference for turn-based combat is specific to games involving a party of multiple characters. I have tried to play several popular RPGs that used a real-time combat system while directing a party, and even the few that I did enjoy would have been a lot more fun for me had they been turn-based. Single character games like Demon’s Souls or Diablo III work very well with a real-time system. I’m currently (and slowly) working my way through Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (yeah, it’s an old game, I’ve got an extensive backlog) and I’m having a great time… until given a quest that saddles me with an AI party member that I can’t stop from acting stupid and reckless, not my cup of tea.

Games like Dragon Age: Origins that use a flexible system attempting to cater to fans of both styles are noble efforts, providing a great RPG experience to a wider range of gamer. Although I might have liked it a little bit more with a  purely turn-based scheme I was still able to play through it my way and enjoy the same game as those who preferred the real-time option. Hopefully we’ll see more games like this that are inclusive of different tastes while compromising little or none of how we like to play.

Why Is It Turn-Based?

When I read that comment posted about the review of Divinity: Original Sin I couldn’t help but hear it come across in my mind as an entitled whine, which isn’t fair but will probably still color my response to the question. It’s turn-based because when Larian Studios LLC said, “This is the game we want to make” they received well over their goal amount, and surpassed most of their stretch goals from interested backers. It’s turn-based because of the many people who’ve purchased it since it’s release, who made it the company’s fasted selling game ever. It’s turn-based because it appeals to the population of gamers who want what it offers.

Why shouldn’t it be turn-based? Because having the freedom to stop and take your time deciding between throwing a lightning bolt or a fireball at a giant troll is unrealistic? Because the pacing of the combat within a video game  that takes place in a fantastical world strays too far from the possible? Because that means it is no longer right up your alley? How about we celebrate that there is much more game variety than ever before? Whether you are into shooters, racing, sports, platformers, role-playing, puzzles, strategy or any of the other genres or sub-genres, you have plenty of options. There are numerous games available now and in development that will appeal to you, they don’t all have to appeal to you. They shouldn’t all appeal to you because we are all unique and there should be something for everyone. Welcome the diversity! Embrace the diversity!

(…deep breath…)

Sorry folks, that kind of took a turn I didn’t expect. I’m not usually this grumpy when talking about video games but I’m feeling frustrated recently and unfortunately I’m taking it out on some poor soul who made a mostly harmless comment. There’s just been too much negativity surrounding the medium as of late and it needs to stop. If you’ve been following the industry news you know what I’m talking about. Games are supposed to be fun, and they can’t be fun if not all of us are able to enjoy them and feel included. And some of “us” are behaving in a manner that ranges from unacceptable to downright abhorrent (quotations, because I certainly don’t want to be considered part of the same group despite a common hobby). Enjoying video games doesn’t mean you stop being a decent human being. Knock it off! Where was I….?

So, Divinity: Original Sin certainly looks to me to be the closest approximation in video game form of the experience of sitting around a table with a group of friends, debating how to proceed through an imaginary world full of options while wielding a handful of dice. It also gives me hope that the turn-based role-playing game will stick around. I look forward to seeing more in the future, it can only get better.

And if you don’t like turn-based games, that’s great! You just enjoy your games the way you want to, and I’ll do the same and we’ll all have a wonderful time! Simple, yeah?

Play nice, everyone!