Sunday, October 26, 2008

A blog about gaming.

Hello and welcome to my Sunday blog! Huzzah! This blog is being brought to you by three cups of coffee, which is my very favorite way to start out a Sunday. This will give me just enough energy to make it until about 1 pm, at which point I will crash and take a nap until about 4. That's my plan, anyway. I'm an ambitious guy!

I'm going to go ahead and self-righteously say I deserve this day of rest, however, as the previous week found me, as mentioned in my last blog post, on a brand new team at EA, after a mere 4 weeks on the job--a stressful situation that left me tired and somewhat overwhelmed by end-of-day Friday, but also happy and excited for the future. (And let me add, I don't deserve this day of rest even a third as much as my new co-workers, who worked later than I did every night, and who were coming in both days this weekend to work again. Yikes.)

I hadn't written a whole lot (or at all) about exactly what I was doing in my first four weeks, largely because it was Top Secret, though I think extra-astute readers might have seen that I did drop a few hints here and there. It was a project that was a bit off the beaten path but had the potential for greatness, or at least very goodness. So the bad news was that the rug got pulled out from under that project, before I could really ever crow about it here and spell out exactly what I was up to. The good news is that I think I *am* at liberty to tell you what I'm up to now--sort of--because the project is one that has already been announced: I am now a designer with the SimAnimals team. Woot! I heart animals! Look! Look how much I love animals! Even ones with crazy alien eyes!














Huh. I can't tell if this picture is sideways or not. Anyhoo: Yeah. That's the deal. I'm on that project, which is a game for the Wii, which is boatloads of fun for me. Note, however, that this game is way far along in its production--I am joining very late in the project, which is why the team is working so dang hard. So my input into this game is only going to be somewhat advisory and peripheral, as the design is essentially done. Still, it's fun to be in my usual critic role and actually see stuff getting affected/changed right there-and-then. Not that I'm lusting to lord any control over them: This is their project, and they're working their asses off, and I'm honored to be listened to or taken seriously at all, given my lack of experience in such matters. My real work begins with the NEXT project, which I shall have a crucial role in, and which I can't wait for. Now we're back at the "I can't tell you anything yet" phase, but there--I at least told you basically what I'm involved in. And I'm happy. I'm doing creative, fun stuff (I sat in on a 45 minute meeting about eyebrows, and it was super cool--no joke) that is challenging me in new artistic ways, just as I hoped for when I decided to make this career change. Stay tuned, though. I foresee lots of ups and downs and bumps and hills and valleys along the way....

Meanwhile, there are other games to discuss. World of Goo, for example, a fan-freakin-tastic WiiWare game that I believe was made by 2 guys, which is a nice humbling lesson for anyone. Funny, challenging, unique, loaded w/personality, it's one of my favorite games of the past few months. It's also kicking my ass on certain levels, because I am a physics loser. (Note to self: Enlist aid of your smarter 14-year-old daughter, who actually knows something about physics because she is paying attention in school, unlike you, who used to draw Don Martin cartoons all over your class notes instead of listening to the teachers.)

I've also begun Warhammer Online, which I was loving in the beta and am trying to love now--except for the unending streak of crash-to-desktops that take me out of the game over and over. Now, the fact that I have a Special PC With Problems has already been established, but a Google search tells me that these crashes are not unique to me, which is both a relief and a bummer. But I like this game enough (and not just cuz it's published by EA, promise) to keep at it while hoping for a fix. Moronico, Dwarf Engineer, is ready to take on you chuffin' greenskins! Oy!

And my third gaming obsession, at present, for no reason at all that I can explain, is a newfound addiction to Ticket to Ride on XBLA. This is one of my favorite boardgames ever, and I also dug it a lot on the PC, but now I'm hooked all over again on the 360. Mostly I'm hooked, however, because I am convinced that the AI is cheating, and so I am determined to beat it. You know how when you play(ed) Tetris a lot, and you'd be waiting for that ONE piece (usually the "L") to come down to fulfill your grand scheme, only the game would never give you one? And you convinced yourself in your brain that the game KNEW this, and was denying you on purpose? And then after your plan was foiled, then five L's in a row would come cascading down, as if to mock you? Yeah. I think that's what Ticket to Ride does too, in its own way, always taking the cards I need, and always blocking my paths ahead of time, as if it knows what cards I have drawn. Maybe not. Who knows. I just know that I am not admitting defeat to any fuggin' Digital Overlord, mmmmkay? HUMANS FTW.

That's really all I got right now. We must sit down and discuss television again, soon, though. We must discuss why House is so great, still, and why I am glad that Kenley got her comeuppance on Project Runway, and why Mad Men is so brilliant on so many levels (is there a more loveably despicable character--other than Kenley--on TV right now than Pete Campbell?), and why, for the over 40th time in my life, I will be watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" on TV this week, despite the fact that I could do the whole episode for you right now by heart.

But I feel my book calling to me, and my couch, and those are voices that I really try to listen to when I can. Especially on a Sunday.

66 comments:

Rhody said...

World of Goo is fantastic. I wrote a review of it.

http://creditfeed.blogspot.com/2008/10/review-world-of-goo.html

/shamelessplug

Joril said...

Oh my! Doctor Green, I'm suprised you still have time for Television.
I would have thought you'd keep the EA stuff under wraps longer, and keep us guessing. Solving mysteries is fun and all. But, I think it's cool to read everything is going so well over there! Because reading you got transferred was a reason to wonder what was happening.

Another endorsement for World Of Goo, I need to check it out.
The game was made by 2 blokes who work for EA aswell, but hey, Can't argue with the doctor ;)

Anonymous said...

I love smart physics girls :D

There can't be too many 14 year old Sarah Greens going to private high schools in the Bay Area...

Nate said...

Jeff, have you checked out the zombie world event in WoW? I think it's pretty great, and I'm glad Blizzard popped it in.

Anonymous said...

SimAnimals? Oh, cool. A game nobody cares about and whose user base will consist of 12 year old girls who bought it on an impulse after seeing it on shelf in Wal-Mart.

Sorry they're not using you to your potential!

boop said...

"I love smart physics girls :D

There can't be too many 14 year old Sarah Greens going to private high schools in the Bay Area..."

I'd watch out for this one Jeff!

I really want to try World of Goo, but I'm forcing myself to focus on my backlog and pre-ordered games (I'm getting LittleBigPlanet tomorrow).

Anonymous said...

Is that you porno face and position? Is Papa Jeff inviting us to his bed?

Are you Satisfaction Jackson?!?!?!

Jeff Green said...

"SimAnimals? Oh, cool. A game nobody cares about and whose user base will consist of 12 year old girls who bought it on an impulse after seeing it on shelf in Wal-Mart.

Sorry they're not using you to your potential!"

Only dudes with the behavior/maturity of 12-year-old girls post snarky comments anonymously.

Anonymous said...

Look up "excited for dead space" on Google and find 850+ results. Look up "excited for SimAnimals" and find one result of someone saying "I can’t say I’m too excited for SimAnimals."

And I posted anonymously because I don't have a blogger account, nor want to put in some stupid internet moniker, not that I really care about how someone on the internet would think of me.

Anonymous said...

I'm just disappointed EA stuck you on a gimmick game instead of, you know, a game that actually matters.

Joril said...

@ Anonymous:
I don't want to speak for Jeff. But if you're working in the games industry, it's not like every project you work on is a triple-A title (who ever decides what that actually is). It's to the developers credit that they put in the work and knowledge to make even "smaller" project succeed in the best way possible.

Jeff Green said...

Well, first, Dead Space and SimAnimals are apples and oranges. Come on, dude. One game is out already, and is M rated, and is a shooter. The other is still in development, and is E rated. Which do you think would get more Google hits? It's a silly comparison.

Second, who's to say which game "matters" more? Do either of them "matter"? I'm not actually worrying about the worthiness of any game at this point. I still need to prove *I'm* worthy of being on this side of the business. I'm lucky to be on a development team at a hugely successful company with not one day of game dev experience under my belt before I got here.

So before we start worrying about whether a game is using me to my potential or not, let's worry first about what I have to offer. :)

Anonymous said...

I share your love of Ticket to Ride. I tried playing some multiplayer, but I ran into a few people who were obviously working together on a team, which breaks the game. The AI is probably a bit more fun than random players :)

Anonymous said...

I advanced this idea a while back at the 1up forum.

Now that you're working for an actual gaming publisher, Jeff, you might want to advance this idea during a meeting. I mean, feel free to steal my best stuff here.

My idea is this:

Mel Gibson.

Guy made a shitload of money filming The Passion of The Christ.

Money, as we all know, is the absolute bottom line in the gaming business - so where in the hell was the game of the movie?

You are, by now, well acquainted with the FPS genre, of course.

I therefore now introduce to you the FPC genre - that would be the First Person Crucifier.

In this game you'll step into the shoes... or rather, the sandals of Jesus Christ and experience everything from His holy perspective. You'll begin the game in the garden at Gesthemane, where the Romans, having been supplied with valuable information from Judas, will round you up and place you in shackles.

You'll then be put on trial, and judged by the Roman Prefect, Pontius Pilate (also the founder of the Pilates movement).

Pontias Pilate will find you guilty and sentence you to death - but before death, you'll get scourged. (Huge opportunity here for all sorts of realistic blood effects, I think - although I think that the user should be allowed to disable the blood, especially if there are children around?)

Scourged, you will now don a crown of thorns and carry your cross through town - some of the citizens lining the street will scorn you, while others will pity you. I believe that this part of the FPC should have some kind of a stress meter, which will gauge your present health. If the stress meter rises too far into the red then you'll die before reaching Calvary Hill, and the game will end.

If, as Christ, you make it to Calvary Hill with your cross still on your shoulder, however, then the Romans will put you down and nail you to it and erect you skyward - and thus you'll 'win' the game, or 'beat' the game, as some might say.

Your final words, as you hang there, hoping against all hope for some class of salvation, will be: "Oh Lord, why have you forsaken me?"

For the voice over work of Jesus, I recommend the actor Jim Caviezel.

If Jim is unavailable then get Robert Coffey because I'll bet he would be available and we all know what a whore that guy can be when there's a royalty involved.

EA will lap this up. Trust me on this. They will.

Your pal,
Anon E. Moose

Rhody said...

In Jim Caviezel's latest movie, he plays an alien who joins up with a bunch of vikings to fight other aliens. (I'm an extra in it.)

I don't think he's getting a lot of great roles these days.

Anonymous said...

Also, I realize that you haven't got a lot of time on your hands right now... but Far Cry 2.

Wow. Sleeper hit of the year for me. I did not see this one coming.

So much fun. The African setting is like a breath of fresh air. Very good looking game on the 360 - so keep it in mind for a rainy weekend.

Anon E. Moose.

Grubber said...

World of Goo, Jeff?

no, no, no... this is unacceptable. i suggest you try this:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/22300/

Anthony said...

Glad to see another post, Jeff. And I feel for ya about having to start somewhere new again. I'm sure its all been a bit of a whirlwind. I hope you don't get discouraged from writing this blog anytime soon because I certainly enjoy your ruminations/rants. (By the way, I think Vista DOES suck, regardless of what other people were saying on your blog the other day. It can be pretty broken and computers and OS's are my job. I've tried it on 2 completely different computers with various driver fixes blah, blah. Still broken so... BLAME MICROSOFT!) Anyway, I just hope people realize that you don't have to do this blog. Nobody is telling you to. No company directives coming down to force you to (I don't think?) So, I just wanted you to know I appreciate it! =D Keep on truckin'!

ICallItFutile said...
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ICallItFutile said...

If someone out there buys SimAnimals and enjoys it, that's all that matters. Knowing you helped to bring happiness to someone is something everyone can enjoy feeling.

Anonymous said...

What are you currently reading Jeff?

Anonymous said...

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" ah what a great Halloween tradition, always watch that while chowing down on some candy.

Can't wait to hear what you work on next, unfortunately I will have to skip over SimAnimals because didn't bring my Wii to college with me. So hopefully your next project is on either PC/Mac or 360.

Jeff Green said...

T: I am still slogging through Steve Erickson's Deadhouse Gates. Slow going, but a great read.

Anonymous said...

I wonder what lawsuits PETA will bring if you could treat Sim animals like Sim people. Animal cruelty simulator comes to mind.

RC said...

Hello Jeff,

This is totally unrelated to your post, but I just wanted to say that I have been a huge fan of yours.

I started listening to your podcast when I was in India. I am in America right now, and I did not have the chance to listen to GFW radio for a while, and I was very sad to know that you and Shawn have left the cast.

Well anyway, good luck with everything. You were a great host and I loved to listen to your show.

I was not very surprised to see that your blog says "Hello and Welcome"

Good luck with your job.

Dtrescott said...

Thanks to you Jeff, I'm working on Gardens of the Moon...I'm not complaining. :)

My daughter and wife are Sims fans and I think would enjoy that game especially my daughter. Hope to hear more about the "inside" of game design.

Unknown said...

Hey Jeff, is Jeff Green, forward of the Oklahoma City Thunder, your long lost brother of a different race?

Jeff Green said...

"Hey Jeff, is Jeff Green, forward of the Oklahoma City Thunder, your long lost brother of a different race?"

Yes. And Al Green is my other brother. That's me singing background vocals on "Tired of Being Alone."

Shabadage said...

Well hey, at least it's not a DS game!

Anonymous said...

did you play Dead Space yet?

i really wish they didnt ruin it with those silly "protect the hull" mini games.

other than that (major problem) this game could have been one of the bet of 2008.

..also based on your dinner menus is it safe to assume you are a vegetarian? any reason..other then Berkley education?

good luck on the projects at EA.

Anonymous said...

What server is Moronico on? You should swap over to eerie downs to hang out with the little 1up guild Rory made (What Regiment you Wiv?) before you get far enough along that you're not willing to dump the character. I don't think WaR has any pear pies, but I'm sure we can hook you up with something. Also, might want to read up on known engineer bugs before you throw around your mastery points. Nothing like grinding out 25 ranks to find out 'Strafing Run' doesn't actually work yet.

Jeff Green said...

just installed dead space for the pc but haven't played yet. Not a vegetarian at all, but my daughter is, so my wife pretty much makes us vegetarian meals, which is fine with me. I get my cheeseburgers and steak burritos at EA. :) And Moronico is on the Vortex server, but I'll surely roll more characters too...

Anonymous said...

Still waiting for the potato leek soup recipe, and recommendations on bread/cheese to go with it.

:(

Unknown said...

I'd say that picture of yours is presented sideways right now.
What is it that you're able to do in such a late project? I'd imagine you're bascially on that team to take in more experience for your upcoming one?
Would be awesome to see you in an interview soon, talking about your game with some hushing guy behind you. :D

Justin said...

I just think its great that they are using you to critique the game. You did it for 17 years! They would be fools NOT to ask your opinion.

Patrick said...

"I just know that I am not admitting defeat to any fuggin' Digital Overlord"

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has one simple solution to remind humans that they are capable of being sentient without computers: count slowly, one by one, to about 10. That usually works for me when I panic when my computer crashes.

Anonymous said...

Pretty harsh to hear that some of your team has to work throughout the weekend, and presumably all the next week too. I don't fully understand your role, Jeff, but regardless I urge you to just keep an eye on anyone burning the candle at both ends to ensure they're fresh and content. The disposition of your team will largely dictate the quality of the product.

thecapps said...

Speaking of tv shows, I recommend you check out Sons of Anarchy. I watched a few episodes on Hulu this weekend when I was laid up at home due to a beesting (don't ask). Not everyone will like it, but it reminds me of The Sopranos in that these are bad people, but the writing makes them likable.

SPOD said...

DON MARTIN! Awwww man, sweet memories!!!! I'm "only" 34, but I did the same when I was in school. So great.

Also, arrest Patrick S with a bullet. The only way forth.

Jeff Green said...

Hey Blueclose: Don't fucking post spam on my blog, okay?

Sheesh.

Chris said...

Hi Jeff

Totally off topic... Could you recommend some more movies/series. Only just watched Tell No One (the french thriller). Wow, did I enjoy that one.

I've also followed The Wire that you recommended. Must say that took 2 or 3 episodes to get into (found the swearing over the top) Although they either toned it down or I don't notice it anymore. Into the second season with the Polaks.

Mad Men. Doesn't look like my cup of tea, perhaps I'll give it a look. I enjoyed Sopranos though - thoroughly.

Also will be picking up the first in the series of Steven Erikson - looks interesting. I love Janny Wurts 'Wars of Light & Shadow' series, the way the main characters are built up. Good stuff.

Have fun playing with the stuffed animals.

Chris

Brain Blurbs said...

I am catching up on House, so no spoilers!! (S1 right now)

Sim Animals and it's almost done. That means that any delay will be your doing, right? I know your next project already of course. Get ready for Sim Reviewer! Ah well, hopefully something better then that :)

Anonymous said...

World of Goo is why I miss GFW
No one at 1UP is pimping the game, and no one else in the industry either except for RPS.

It's just a perfect puzzle game. So imaginative, beautiful, cute, perfectly balanced and on and on.

Also Jeff, I bet you're really excited to work on Sim Animals and I bet the dev team is really great and whatnot but 3 months ago you guys would've made fun of it=)

Rhody said...

1up wrote a pretty glowing review of World of Goo, actually.

But it's true that it deserves more attention. It's not getting as much love as Braid did. :P

Anonymous said...

I simply cannot grasp the fact that there are people who get paid to talk about videogame-characters eye-brows for 45 minutes.

Oh how I envy thee.

Unknown said...

In your dog's eyes I can see his brain working on the next dumb thing to do. heh But you are his Dad so teach him how to live right.

I was looking thru an old CGW mag and I saw an Hall of Fame article. I wonder if 1up will carry the torch on this. I still think that it was a great feature and hate to see it die. But you are at EA now so well ;) you are no longer on it. I really think that Steel Panthers should have been inducted. Sloppy oversight.

Thank Jeff for keeping your old and loyal fans updated.

Anonymous said...

cool

im almost finished dead space. need to hurry in time for Fallout 3...except my video card is only a 7800 GTX 256MB and i see from steam i need to have 512MB :(

guess ill have to buy the PS3 version :( :( :(

glad to hear you get the cheeseburgers at EA

I tried going vegetarian..it lasted 6 months but i never felt better during that time...lost about 15 pounds too.

i think ill try world of goo after all the comments

peace out

Peter Fall said...

That's tubular. i think SimAnimals sounds radical. To be perfectly honest, I would rather work on it than Dead Space because it's a more original concept. i mean space marines? been there. Halo'd that.

besides, you seem like you'll fit right in at EA. If there's one franchise that can make me laugh it's the Sims!

Unknown said...

Is it just me or does that picture of Jeff and his dog look like a picture that some guy who never kissed a girl would post on e-harmony in his profile?

Slapshot said...

SimAnimals sounds really cool. Sounds like yet another game my kids will be playing that keeps me off the Wii!

Anonymous said...

Jeff, I really want to hear your opinion on tonight's House. I personally thought it was pretty awful and didn't make a whole lot of sense, but OH MAN WAS THAT ENDING SICK!!!

Also come home Jeff, GAF misses you. :(

Anonymous said...

^^
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I love eyebrows.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the gameing blog Jeff. I know your input on SimAnimals will make the game better then if you weren't there.

Remember how fun it was to blow up pigs and chickens in Bungies Myth series? I'm just sayin...

brandykruse said...

So glad I found your blog! With a Brian Eno quote to boot -- this sucker gets bookmarked.

Any chance you'll be going back on-the-air podcast style?

Kudos!

Robert Seddon said...

Pardon my interrupting: you might be interested to see that this blog post now has its own thread at Unseen64 (and, er, if there are any further hints about the cancelled project that EA would countenance, those would be very welcome, because so far we've only managed one guess).

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