skLaFarebear
Member
That helicopter LOL.
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Giant Bomb XX | Donut Create Push
- Thread starter Anjin M
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Mister Negative
Member
Just listening to last week's Cool Games, Inc. now, and Dave Lang has had about 30 seconds on mic and is already fantastic.
WreckTheLaw
Giant Bomb Japanimation Correspondent
Just wanted to spin by and address this, because I've begun seeing it more and more: The writers who you've read over the last couple of months were people I brought into this program last fall. The people who sent in pitches after our open call will start showing up in the next few weeks, and I'm super excited for their debuts!
I should also say that I've bought no one on unilaterally. This process began with me putting together a list of names and their clippings, working with other editors to zero down on that list, reaching out for pitches from those folks, and then choosing again from that smaller group.
That naturally biased people we know, and it's why I was so determined to have an "open" submission process instead of a closed selection once the guest writer program was announced. It would have been very, very easy for us to just say "Oh yeah, I know these 15 solid people, call it a day." Instead, it's been a challenging (and rewarding) process of reviewing pitches from over 200 candidates, the majority of which had decent ideas and solid clippings. This process is currently in the final stages: From that new list we cut it down to about 30 people and are now cutting down further to a final small group.
I also want to say that the internet really makes judging "friendship" weird. Janine Hawkins and I go way back, and I was super up front about that, but beyond that, the only other person we've run a story by that I've ever met in person is Gita, and the only time I met her was when she was on the Beastcast. Ian and I played in an (online) tabletop game together a few times, and co-wrote a few pieces for Paste, and I mentioned that up front too. I follow all the rest of our writers on Twitter, maybe had one or two podcast appearances with, but that's about it.
There's also just the fact of the industry being small enough (and my interest in games writing being high enough) that I interacted online with many game writers as their freelancing peer long before I had this position. I follow a lot of the writers who have pitched me over the last week, and the majority of those we've declined to work with. Rejecting a decent story idea from someone you're friendly with can be awkward, but it's a thing I've actually done dozens and dozens of times over the lat few weeks! Chances are that if you're a freelance games writer who interacts with me on Twitter, you've received or will receive a rejection letter from me in the next week or two.
In any case, I take this response to the program seriously, and I don't mean that in a defensive way. I mean that it illustrates something we could be doing better (even if that "something" is just messaging our process better) and that I'm committed to doing that right. "Friends of the site" has always been a part of the Giant Bomb vibe, but it's also been about winding up in really fascinating (and hilarious) places with totally new people. So as the program continues to grow, I hope that it will surprise both you and me as we bring on people from beyond our current bubbles. Look forward to that happening in the next few weeks!
Piston Hyundai
Member
hey Austin I don't really have anything to add in regards to your post but I want to make sure this jam gets to you because you are very unlikely to actually come across it in Vinny's playthrough
I'm not going to play defence for anyone or any institution, but not only is this very presumptuous, it's taking the relatively small "freelance games editorial" community and ascribing it an inherent nepotistic insider-dom.
In lieu of being a dismissive shitheel, can you actually describe any specific instances of Austin either playing games writer cards too close to the chest or article contributions that are actively unethical, exclusionary, or unfair? Frankly, the tone and podcasts around said pieces suggest he's trying to do nearly the opposite: expose people to a ton of new ideas from personal vectors we'd otherwise be unfamiliar with if we paid attention solely to Giant Bomb.
Or do you just see names you vaguely recognize from some vague thing and think it's uncool for some vague reason, probably some vague game journo cabal?
I also just played it, and it made me go back and start a playthrough of Absolution on the PC. Damn, this is a grungy, ugly game. I mean that in a good way. I'm a few hours in on PC.
I have a preorder of the new game and it seems that it's not launching til much later in the year; I'm genuinely unaware of how exactly the release of this game is working. That's a rarity for me.
Twin Tails
Member
Max Payne 2 is still pretty alright.
(I can't remembered how I fixed the black thing the last time. I do remember fixing it.)
Seems like a good Brad and Rorie joint.
http://jeff.zone/post/140484346956
(I can't remembered how I fixed the black thing the last time. I do remember fixing it.)
Seems like a good Brad and Rorie joint.
http://jeff.zone/post/140484346956
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Also I find it hard to believe that the games writing biz is big enough that people in it won't have interacted with one another one way or the other.
There's a reason why there are more youtubers and less games writers.
There's a reason why there are more youtubers and less games writers.
BreezyLimbo
Banned
Oh god we're gonna scare off austin again
uhh
uhhhhh
My favorite Evangelion unit is the Destiny Gundam, ridden by Light Yagami.
Edit-Also Austin, I've highly enjoyed your articles and podcast interactions with guests, don't let anything put you down ;_;
uhh
uhhhhh
My favorite Evangelion unit is the Destiny Gundam, ridden by Light Yagami.
Edit-Also Austin, I've highly enjoyed your articles and podcast interactions with guests, don't let anything put you down ;_;
Piston Hyundai
Member
what framerate are you getting
I can't force the game into fullscreen or lock it to 60
Infinite Justice
Member
Man that straight out of Disney shirt JV is wearing is pretty good
LurkerPrime
Member
The Guest Column thing was worth it just for skinship, the most lovecraftian romance term.
Don't know how anyone can hate it.
Don't know how anyone can hate it.
The term is amusing, but that article was awful.
It made me less likely to even look at the ones that came after it.
SandwichMeat
Member
Damn Austin just bodied that goober...
LurkerPrime
Member
Piston Hyundai
Member
Yeah, hate to say it, but I have to agree. I got "slow news day" Kotaku vibes from it.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
It taught me a lot.
About skins.
And why I like to touch skins.
About skins.
And why I like to touch skins.
THIS JAM IS NOW MY JAM. HOLY SHIT. SO GOOD.
Twin Tails
Member
Framerate is all over the place but sticks to 300 average. I assume you have this installed?
I'm trying to run widescreen fix with mod and it give me the 4:3 black screen. If I turn off the mod it works with vanilla MP2, and if I remove screenfix it runs normal with mod. AHHHHHHHH I spent too long trying to fix.
Piston Hyundai
Member
Yeah. Mine is in the 500 range and it makes me super paranoid to play it like that.
The first 'season' comes out 3/11 for $15. Not sure how many seasons there will be, but after they are all out it will be released on disc for $60. I think you can buy it digitally for full price rn and get acess to all the content as it rolls out.
Yeah it's a shitshow but the game is fun as hell. Just runs like garbage on PS4, might have to go PC if it's not fixed by release.
Sell me on it. I need something to play.
Yeah I knew that Hitman "launches" in a few days but I have a (would-be) full-price disc preorder from a year or so ago that has no proper release date yet. So considering how back and forth their decisions on release style of this game is, I won't be receiving it til roughly this fall or so. Weird thing, this. Especially considering full-priced digital purchases get content as it releases, seemingly.
I appreciate the response Austin, it's very reasonable to do the first batch with familiar (quicker to work with) writers while going through the new applications. I thought we already were at the public call stage which made it feel weird.
Also: I wouldn't even skim most of these articles on another site, your endorsement makes me give them a chance and I can cope with a couple of uninteresting pieces. For now, so keep up the effort
UPF on a chill Saturday morning is great.
Also: I wouldn't even skim most of these articles on another site, your endorsement makes me give them a chance and I can cope with a couple of uninteresting pieces. For now, so keep up the effort
UPF on a chill Saturday morning is great.
LurkerPrime
Member
1) It's an idealised form of Harvest Moon; the best one in years, by all accounts. On PC. For $15.
2) There aren't ten better games releasing this year.
3) It has a bear statue kinda like this:
4) (For Dan Ryckert's eyes only)
There's a Waluigi shirt, along with a host of other Nintendo properties, available at character creation.
dannyglover
Member
The skinship article is the best thing I read about video games this year.
Twin Tails
Member
Drew was having none of that.
NumberThree
Member
Sucks that Disney Infinity Smash Bros for PS4 only has Marvel characters. Disney should totally make a Smash Bros clone with Quorra beating up Kylo Ren.
Totally forgot that Twilight Princess HD was launching today until I went to my mailbox and found my Amazon copy sitting there.
Those first few hours of that game are pretty much all the horrific memories I have returned. Boy that game starts awful. I know it gets better from here, but I can definitely see why I didn't really dig it that much back in the day.
Those first few hours of that game are pretty much all the horrific memories I have returned. Boy that game starts awful. I know it gets better from here, but I can definitely see why I didn't really dig it that much back in the day.
skLaFarebear
Member
I share a very similar opinion with Dan on the game. Probably not a top 5 Zelda and a not so attractive artstyle, but it definitely has some of the best dungeons in the franchise.
The great dungeons are the only reason why I think it's better than OoT, even if it's just trying to imitate it.
The great dungeons are the only reason why I think it's better than OoT, even if it's just trying to imitate it.
I'm eager to go back and see if I enjoy that stuff. All I remember is how disappointing it was post-Windwaker, how awful the art was, how terrible it started and how much I hated playing as Wolf Link.
So far, all that stuff is still 100% true. Other than that, it was the most forgettable Zelda for me. I really hope I can see it in a new light.
skLaFarebear
Member
There's some really neat dungeons and bosses in that game. Zant is one of my favorite bosses in the series, and even if Ganondorf is really randomly thrown in, Ganon's castle from beginning to the last fight with him in the field is still a pretty big highlight for me.
Music is really good too.
Having listened to the TP music a lot (Zelda has to be some of my favorite non-Persona game music), it's just alright to me. There's some great tracks on there, but it doesn't feel like a standout cohesive piece like Windwaker's OST is. Good, not amazing.
Mostly excited to have a thing to breakup Fire Emblem with. Those games are amazing, but there's only so much punishing Turn Based strategy I can take before it killing me. Definitely going to have to put some less frustrating games in there if I hope to beat all 3 campaigns and remain sane.
Mostly excited to have a thing to breakup Fire Emblem with. Those games are amazing, but there's only so much punishing Turn Based strategy I can take before it killing me. Definitely going to have to put some less frustrating games in there if I hope to beat all 3 campaigns and remain sane.
skLaFarebear
Member
I agree that it's not as cohesive as something like Wind Waker, but man individually, there are some really fantastic songs in the game. The dungeon and boss music in particular are great, but stuff like Midna's Lament is fantastic as well too.
I love pretty much all the Zelda OSTs though and am pretty biased.
UncleGrumpskin
Neo Member
Fuck. I need to stop getting so upset when I see a dev I like follow someone/something on twitter I find even mildly bad. It leads me to conclusions that that person might be "pro/anti" whatever and it bugs me, and I hate myself for it. I know it's a cliche at this point, but I do think I need to stop being so offended at shit, but I don't know how. Sorry for bringing this on y'all, but I have no one I can talk to about this sorta thing, and Giant Bombs just been a place I feel like I finally belong somewhere without getting angry all the time.
skLaFarebear
Member
The sailing music in Windwaker is some of the greatest music in video games. Loved sailing around in that game.
Edit: Was thinking about picking up TP:HD, but $60 is a bit too much even with my 20% GCU discount. I'll just wait for the hopeful sale sometime in the fall (and hopefully without an amiibo).
It's easy, just stop caring about things so much. Life is so much easier when you don't give a shit about stuff that isn't really a big deal.
Caring too much about what other people think can only lead you down a bad road.
Edit: Was thinking about picking up TP:HD, but $60 is a bit too much even with my 20% GCU discount. I'll just wait for the hopeful sale sometime in the fall (and hopefully without an amiibo).
It's easy, just stop caring about things so much. Life is so much easier when you don't give a shit about stuff that isn't really a big deal.
Caring too much about what other people think can only lead you down a bad road.
UncleGrumpskin
Neo Member
See, that's what I want to do, but I find it really hard, i wish it was easy, then i wouldn't of cared enough to post about it. I liked it when i didnt have the ability to look through every persons likes/subscriptions/follows/playlists etc so you could find out tons of useless shit about them. I end up drawing connections that I shouldn't. I wish i was a lot more apathetic about shit like that. fuck im getting emo all up in this thread...
NumberThree
Member
When you've been sailing during a stormy night, then shit calms down and it turns into dawn followed by daytime sailing music... Then you get some seagulls flying around you and god I just want to boot up Wind Waker now.
skLaFarebear
Member
Hard to give advice on something I really don't have experience with, but maybe just using social media sites less and focusing on other things that don't revolve around a computer might help? You don't need to always know what's going on with people you follow. Taking a break from the internet might be good for you if you're in a position to be able to separate yourself from it.
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