Disqus - Latest Comments for mattsayre

Re: Instant Action Reaches 1MM Players

mattsayre — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:03:19 -0000

(oops, repost)

Re: Instant Action Reaches 1MM Players

mattsayre — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:01:52 -0000

I had no idea it was getting that kind of number. That's great to hear! IA is an awesome idea and I agree, it's a site that should take off even more in '09.

Re: Design Crutch: Artificial Obstruction In Games

mattsayre — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:24:52 -0000

I enjoyed this blog, very well put. I have always had problems with games that don't let you save anywhere. I really wish I could have played the first Prince of Persia remake on the Xbox for example, but I remember going 30 minutes once without a place to save my game. When I die, I don't have that kind of time to waste anymore. I certainly don't enjoy retracing my steps. If anything, I get more upset or frustrated and will quit playing the game.

Games should be about player choice. If the player wants that kind of external difficulty factor, then the player can do that with a save anywhere system. He or she just won't save anywhere.

As for unlocking stuff, I agree that can be more annoying in social games. I don't mind it so much when playing solo. But there should always be a fast-forward type of function if you get stuck or fail a level so many times. Guitar Hero 3 did that with the boss battles and it was appreciated. And why not again just give the player ultimate control of their experience and have an "all unlocked" mode? Then the players can decide for themselves how best to enjoy the experience. The game designer doesn't always know best.

Re: Bill Gates… Thanks For Your Contributions To The Game Industry

mattsayre — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:39:10 -0000

Ah ok, that didn't seem quite right.

Re: Bill Gates… Thanks For Your Contributions To The Game Industry

mattsayre — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 02:40:48 -0000

I played so much Flight Simulator. I guess I can thank Bill for one of the games that got me hooked on PC gaming too. And of course Starflight, my favorite game of all time, further fueled my addiction. Even though I could never get it working on the PCjr for some reason, I stuck with it and finally played the snot out of it on the PS/2 Model 30. That right there may have turned me into a gamer for life. (I didn't realize Starflight was the PC's first SKU)

As for the Amiga, that was my "dream system" back then. It had the ability to play voices! How much more fun Earl Weaver would have been on that... Sadly, our family never owned one.