Monster Factory is some of the best content on the internet right now, sorry.
So, Polygon 'playing' Doom...
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Monster Factory is some of the best content on the internet right now, sorry.
BreezyLimbo
Banned
...Nooooo, I don't think it reminds me of that. Both of them play the game competently without having to rely on the external systems added for the game.
Nope, it just makes the game look so bad that people don't even need to see a review score to justify their preconceived notions of it being mediocre.
This is indisputable. The only reason i pay attention to polygon is Justin and Griffin's content.
Yup, one thing is sucking at playing one game, but the guy in the video lacks basic skills, its like watching someone playing a shooter for the first time.
I was considering making a new thread about this subject, but this one seems to be fine.
That being said, when I read a review on anything I expect the reviewer to have extensive knowledge in the subject at hand. I don't expect the reviewer to be an expert, but I do expect them to be knowledgable.
Going by that criteria, this guy playing this game is obviously not knowledgable. If he was he could at least control the camera and player movement at the same time. This is a base skill for being competent at FPS games.
The New Tork Times does not hire people with no working knowledge of cinema to review movies. There is a certain expectation that the reviewer knows his shit.
If what we are seeing in this video is indicative of the skill level of most reviewers, then I have a major problem with that, and I think most people would feel the same.
That being said, when I read a review on anything I expect the reviewer to have extensive knowledge in the subject at hand. I don't expect the reviewer to be an expert, but I do expect them to be knowledgable.
Going by that criteria, this guy playing this game is obviously not knowledgable. If he was he could at least control the camera and player movement at the same time. This is a base skill for being competent at FPS games.
The New Tork Times does not hire people with no working knowledge of cinema to review movies. There is a certain expectation that the reviewer knows his shit.
If what we are seeing in this video is indicative of the skill level of most reviewers, then I have a major problem with that, and I think most people would feel the same.
To be fair I think that this happens quite a bit (though likely to a lesser extent than seen in this video), but the difference is that we aren't used to seeing it happen with a traditional FPS.
Judging by your avatar, I'm guessing that you've seen some pretty bad to average Bayonetta videos which don't necessarily show off the flare and substance that a more skilled player or someone at Platinum can demonstrate. Very similar to earlier in the thread when we were discussing the racing genre. Parallels could be made for fighting games or MOBAs too.
The fact that we're seeing it on display for a FPS, let alone from an outlet that clearly has several people who could demo it more effectively is what is most surprising and disappointing here.
Don't forget Griffin's Amiibo corner! I only use Polygon for more McElroy goodness, could care less about the rest of it.
Honey Bunny
Member
So this is who those canned kill animations are for.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
Does a film critic need to have a threshold understanding of the medium and ability to write? Yes. Does a literary critic need to meet a "skill" threshold of literacy and understanding of the medium? Yes. Does a food critic need to have a good palate and understanding of cooking techniques? Yes. Does an automobile reviewer need to have basic driving competency? Yes.
So does there need to be a skill threshold for reviews? Yes, at least for professionals, why not? You don't need to be some "MLG PRO" type, but knowing how to use a modern twin-stick controller would seem to be a basic requirement to do your job properly.
I'm not sure why people get uncomfortable with a notion that a professional gaming critic should have a basic skill threshold.
So does there need to be a skill threshold for reviews? Yes, at least for professionals, why not? You don't need to be some "MLG PRO" type, but knowing how to use a modern twin-stick controller would seem to be a basic requirement to do your job properly.
I'm not sure why people get uncomfortable with a notion that a professional gaming critic should have a basic skill threshold.
Adam_Vania
Banned
im an oldschool DOOM fan and i recently replayed both original games. i kind of think people are getting "DOOM was a fast game" wrong in some sense. yes it was fast, but it was _technically_ fast. i played DOS games back then. they couldn't do fast. they couldn't even scroll as fast as Super Mario Bros. on NES. Commander Keen was a breakthrough in computer graphics. DOOM was landing on the moon and blowing it up.
what impressed me most was the kind of Metroidvania backtracking that was built into lots of these levels. what impressed me second most was the jump scares! there are a lot of jump scares in the first episode of DOOM one! in a large way it is made possible by DOOM's archaic 2.5D construction and the lack of a mouselook. with the restricted point of view, they were able to create level design for very specific demands.
i admit i am curious about this new game. but so far what i have seen hasn't impressed me. the glory kills look like they slow the action down. and i don't really care for gore. i think it was used more tastefully in the original DOOM. also the sound design seems kind of generic, but what can you do, you will never top the shotgun from shareware DOOM in a million years.
what impressed me most was the kind of Metroidvania backtracking that was built into lots of these levels. what impressed me second most was the jump scares! there are a lot of jump scares in the first episode of DOOM one! in a large way it is made possible by DOOM's archaic 2.5D construction and the lack of a mouselook. with the restricted point of view, they were able to create level design for very specific demands.
i admit i am curious about this new game. but so far what i have seen hasn't impressed me. the glory kills look like they slow the action down. and i don't really care for gore. i think it was used more tastefully in the original DOOM. also the sound design seems kind of generic, but what can you do, you will never top the shotgun from shareware DOOM in a million years.
BarringGaffner
Member
this is stupid.
we don't know what happened to make this recording. It could have been some unpaid temp told to record video of Doom while uploading some other shit at the same time.
You can't honestly think someone was TRYING to do well here unless it was a person who doesn't play games.
we don't know what happened to make this recording. It could have been some unpaid temp told to record video of Doom while uploading some other shit at the same time.
You can't honestly think someone was TRYING to do well here unless it was a person who doesn't play games.
Is that why you don't review games?
Slightly off topic but the more I see of the game the better its starting to look. Considering picking it up.
Pinko Marx
Banned
What if this was a swordfish situation and the person playing was a dude getting some bombhead while an international terrorist/thief wad threatening his life?
Mr. Giggles
Member
Resident_UA
Member
There's nothing in common between these and Polygon demo. The issue here isn't that the person playing the game is not using some mechanics the issue here is that they don't seem to know how to use a controller in an FPS game.
Spectromixer
Member
Do we know who recorded the footage? Is it like an intern or something?
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Why not?
orthodoxy1095
Banned
That seems like the only possible explanation.
Sir Ilpalazzo
Member
Everyone should.
A review from someone who does not have a good level of expertise on what they are talking about is meaningless. Someone who knows a great deal about a particular subject (and who is also a good writer or speaker, of course) knows how to communicate with dedicated fans as well as how to "talk down" to non-experts. Someone who doesn't know what they're talking about can never inform a "layman" in the same way an expert can; their opinion has no value in the context of professional reviews.
orthodoxy1095
Banned
Wanting reviewers to be competent at playing games doesn't mean we want reviewers who all have the same taste or opinions.
You can be a competent controller user and still dislike a shooter or an adventure game.
You still need to be able to play the game as a base matter of fact though.
More importantly, a reviewer who is thoroughly and deeply competent with playing games should be able to make more group-specific judgements, such as addressing concerns of people who are new to games, veterans, bad at them, etc. E.g., "this game might be hard for newcomers to the twin-stick shooter genre" or "this game's controls aren't going to match up for fans of precision 2D platforming."
Someone with comparatively less competency isn't going to be able to tell us anything except the perspective of someone that's bad at games.
You can be a competent controller user and still dislike a shooter or an adventure game.
You still need to be able to play the game as a base matter of fact though.
More importantly, a reviewer who is thoroughly and deeply competent with playing games should be able to make more group-specific judgements, such as addressing concerns of people who are new to games, veterans, bad at them, etc. E.g., "this game might be hard for newcomers to the twin-stick shooter genre" or "this game's controls aren't going to match up for fans of precision 2D platforming."
Someone with comparatively less competency isn't going to be able to tell us anything except the perspective of someone that's bad at games.
UberTag
Member
I don't think it's an unreasonable expectation to expect people that have jobs to perform their jobs with some degree of competence. If their job is to play games for a living and they suck at it, perhaps they shouldn't be writing critical reviews about them.
And, if they still love games despite being awful at them, perhaps they can get into marketing or become a Twitch streamer. If you're entertaining, you don't need to be good at games. Just yell a lot and get people on your stream to backseat for you.
And, if they still love games despite being awful at them, perhaps they can get into marketing or become a Twitch streamer. If you're entertaining, you don't need to be good at games. Just yell a lot and get people on your stream to backseat for you.
Nah, I am pretty sure most of the people think the Player sucks.
Empty Space
Member
6:20 is even more impressive.
That looks like how I played when first starting to use the steam controller. If that's what going on here then the way the person is playing is understandable, but you shouldn't record gameplay footage that way.
Sorcerer Supreme
Member
polygon is already garbage but this is on a different level of bad
The Strokes
Banned
The person playing the videogame looks like it's never played an FPS before.
It's pretty shitty from the OP to create this kind of thread without providing any context. Is the person playing a reviewer? Is it his/her first time playing a videogame?
Just seems like a thread created to shit on Polygon. especially the way playing is conveyed in the thread title.
But hey, you got your 19 page-thread. Kudos, kid.
It's pretty shitty from the OP to create this kind of thread without providing any context. Is the person playing a reviewer? Is it his/her first time playing a videogame?
Just seems like a thread created to shit on Polygon. especially the way playing is conveyed in the thread title.
But hey, you got your 19 page-thread. Kudos, kid.
Movalpolos
Banned
You're hilarious.
The Strokes
Banned
Please do elaborate. What exactly about my post is hilarious?
Completely agree with you, the bolded is what surprised me the most, why show this specific video?
Iorv3th
Member
If I got a new Gibson guitar, had no idea how to hold it or play it, but I could strum the strings and make noise, would you consider my review before making your own guitar purchase?
Your replies are defending this a little too heavily. Nobody is saying only experts, but show some level of competence.
Monochromaticx
Member
Was going to post the same reply.
Reviewing shit is not some new revolutionary concept exclusive to video games. A review should be done by a someone who is competent with some level of expertise on the item he is reviewing.
ClayKavalier
Banned
Yeah, I posted this earlier than in the thread but it really is mind-boggling that no one thought that maybe posting this wasn't the best idea.
I mean even the person playing must know that they aren't accurately showing what playing the game is like for anyone who's played an FPS before. What was the point?
PezDispenser
Banned
Oh right, it must be the game's fault. I guess all the streamers I've seen playing the game competently must have gotten the special, magical, non-broken versions, and the publisher sent Polygon a build that controlled like Octodad because they're fucking cartoon villains.
ISee
Member
Because he obviously sucks at playing with a controller.
That's a pretty unbelievable video. They basically showed what Doom looks like when played by a person of very low skill.
I will say that aiming becomes much more difficult when playing through layers of capture hardware. I did that yesterday for my Doom video and, yeah, the game feels very laggy that way but I still tried to play reasonably well. Clearly this video isn't simply the fault of capture lag.
I don't really get the point of it, though, and I hope this person is NOT reviewing the game.
I will say that aiming becomes much more difficult when playing through layers of capture hardware. I did that yesterday for my Doom video and, yeah, the game feels very laggy that way but I still tried to play reasonably well. Clearly this video isn't simply the fault of capture lag.
I don't really get the point of it, though, and I hope this person is NOT reviewing the game.
Who's to say he'd be better with a mouse!
MidgarBlowedUp
Member
Yeah, I'm guessing the controls settings are too sensitive for the controller. A mouse would solve this, and tweaking the sensitivity would help for the controller.
Or maybe it's not a person playing at all. Could be a cat or dog or hamster.
NoctisVsStar
Member
Agreed, it's like having someone review a Fighting game and all he does is smash buttons and doesn't explain the finer deep details of the combat system.
I may be wrong but I've always believed that they should be a reviewer for each genre that's at least competent at it. I'm not saying that person should align with my gaming taste but should be competent enough to play and form an opinion if he/she likes or dislikes the game.
That would only be a problem if the person who did this video was the same person who was going to review the game for polygon. That doesn't seem very likely.
Okay. So why is Polygon putting out footage of them playing Doom badly? The only scenario where it makes sense is the same one that makes them worthy of derision - they don't care, or don't see anything wrong with it.
Even though the person who is playing in the video is not the one who is reviewing the game, it does reflect badly on the whole outlet when they put a video like this up on their site.
6:20 is even more impressive.
He/she clearly don't wanted to harm the poor imp. What's the damn problem here?
ClayKavalier
Banned
That series doesn't have anything to do with Gies or Kuchera. Unless they've been guests on episodes I haven't seen or something.
This doesn't really have anything to do with what I said. Nor do I care beyond thinking this video is a fun goof.
I assume they gave a job to an intern or somebody working from home and then slapped their intro and outro onto it. I doubt anybody on staff watched 30 minutes of somebody playing Doom to notice that it's a mess. I also doubt they're very concerned about people getting in a huff about this because it really isn't a very big deal.
I don't think this reflects poorly on them unless you're way too invested in them portraying Doom at its best.
This video doesn't have anything to do with Gies or Kuchera, either. The point they were making is that anything attached to them (e.g. Polygon) is bad.
I honestly doubt anyone other than the player and whoever edited it ever watched the video, and I doubt that would be any different at any other site. Gameplay footage isn't really something people obsess over getting the right take. It was probably just like:
Editor: Hey, you wanna capture some Doom footage for us while you have the game?
Player: Sure.
Editor: K, cool. Just get the video to the editing guys when you're done.
And no one ever thought about it again until the Internet threads started popping up.
Conscience Falls
Member
Amazed that some people think that there should be no pre-requisite skill level for reviewing games. I'm not going to care what a 16-yearold learners permit holder thinks about a car and its handling so why on earth would the opinion of someone that cannot properly control a game have any weight?
I'm commenting on the statements that I've read, I'm aware that Arthur is reviewing the game and was obviously not the player in the video.
I'm commenting on the statements that I've read, I'm aware that Arthur is reviewing the game and was obviously not the player in the video.
Wait...you're saying that he sucks? He misses about 5 times in 30 minutes and is constantly moving. I would say that he is playing way above an average player in that video (aside from constantly trying to open doors that he doesn't have the key card for).
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