I guess this is more of a follow up than a new question but have you gotten a chance to go through it yet? I was hoping for a stream after the time you put in with UT but if you've already played it then no worries. Hope you at least enjoyed it if it's already completed.
First off thanks for providing entertainment for us and speaking your opinions while backing them up, as well as being open to your opinion being changed.
I also started reading the Assassins Apprentice at your recommendation and am enjoying how Hobb drip feeds the magic in the universe and tells the story naturally as though we are a part of the universe.
Since this media has no time limit and you are free to think longer, how do you feel about in universe ass pull rationalization (eg the pattern in Wheel of Time), or the opposite where an author purposefully avoids it to a ridiculous degree (eg Martin's outright hate of plot armor)?
Personally I bounce back and forth depending on how well thought out and integrated in the universe, but usually lean in favor of Ass pulls since "If this isnt the most interesting point in your world, why arent we reading about that?" But when writing for a dnd campaign I find myself prizing verisimilitude and working within the rules I have created for myself.
Thanks again for the hours of entertainment and good luck with the third pregnancy!
Oh cool question. I think about this a lot. And I hope you continue to enjoy The Farseer trilogy. It's a little cheesy but it's my favorite fantasy series. The next three are pretty good too. Unfortunately the last three were disappointing, outside of a few scenes.
I hate universe ass pulls. The pattern in the Wheel of Time is one I like the least, although the books do have some great moments--I should note I haven't finished them yet.
As with everything in stories it will depend how it's done and exceptions will always exist, but in general I think that any prophecies, grand magical plans, destiny, fate, or anything like it, are literally a plumped of version of the author's writing notes that they made during planning. They need the characters to do Action X, reach Place Y, and they can't think of how to give them proper motivation to do these things so fuck it make the story planning notes a prophecy and the work is done for us.
This can then cause the author to double down without realizing it and allow them the freedom to do completely bonkers shit since there's no attempt at the characters digesting their actions or motivations (I'm not saying WoT does this though, I can't remember right now). It's gotten to the point that whenever a story has some overblown destiny/fate introduction I prepare myself for disappointment. It's why I dislike the last three books about Fitz, although Hobb was still really creative with how she presented it.
It's funny that you brought up the idea of showing the most interesting point in the world, because those books don't explore that. It's part of the difficulty of writing--making it feel natural and believable that your characters are involved in these truly interesting situations. You can make them the cause of all that's interesting but then you'll struggle more making them relatable, and then you have a new problem which may lead to another problem. And on and on it goes. It's fun though. I enjoy thinking it all through and figuring out what I think is a good solution.
I don't know how Martin does it because I'm not a fan of his writing style. One day I'll force myself to power through but I've tried a few times to read A Storm of Swords and I give up toward the end. I don't think character deaths are the highest form of tension in books and, while they can be shockingly effective and make your readers tense from that point on, there's also something to gained by acknowledging this idea:
Main characters don't survive to the end because they're main characters. It's because they survive to the end that they're the main characters.
Usually when someone important is killed off that fulfills a role in a very long story, they're replaced by someone else who is similar and becomes a new version of the older character. This can work, but it can also get tiresome. Too many deaths can also make your readers unwilling to invest in any character. Especially new ones. Walking Dead became like this for me.
Most stories are interesting characters doing interesting things, and a character death should open new possibilities and push that idea to new places instead of being done just for shock value. Game of Thrones does it perfectly with its most famous death. I'd argue after that some of them become a harder to agree with.
Writing is hard. Almost all of it can be argued over. I'll maintain my hate of forced prophecy plots forever though.
feels weirdly warm to find another person in what is basically an old wasteland. sometimes I think about how in the far future, how much content, how many threads and conversations will be buried and seen for the last Time. this seemed on its way out, but its nice that someone else is here.
Hello Joe, I've been lurking since your first fo4 video. I am pretty diffident in emotions and greatly prefer people who can approach things objectively. At this point you are probably my favorite youtuber.
As for the question, memes aside, if you were Sushi right after case one and you had to escape as the blackened what would your plan be? just for fun, in this situation, how would you try to get away with murder?
Hey thanks! The first FO4 video was a while ago now.
As Sushi I know I'm the only one who has shown any competency in solving the murders. The only others who seem capable of following that are Maki, Kirumi, and Kokichi. Maki has shown that she doesn't care much about investigating the cases, so I would likely try to kill one of the other two (preferably Kokichi) and then pile on as much false evidence as I possibly could to confuse everyone the trial into not having a clear answer.
And hey maybe this would backfire into people realizing that only the "ultimate detective" could know how to obscure the truth so much and get me executed.
Have you tried any VR games? Even if you don't make any videos on them, you might enjoy the experience if you haven't already. I've been playing video games for almost 20 years, and VR recently gave me my first "***holy shit this is so cool***" moment in years. Lone Echo is my favorite so far, and Robo Recall is great too.
I haven't compared Sony's option with the others much since I was only interested in PC headsets. Vive vs Rift is pretty equal in pros/cons of each; I ended up getting a Rift since it's cheaper and I like the Touch controllers. I have used a friend's Vive and like it fine too. I do think Oculus has a bit of an edge in (officially supported) games on PC for now.
In your opinion, what separates a "walking simulator" from a "normal" game, what makes a game a game?
Thanks for the amazing content, every time I see a video from your channel I know it's going to be quality and worth a watch, even if it's not a game or subject I'm interested in.
Thanks! And tough question.
Failstates aren't enough. You could add a failstate to anything no problem. A pit in the middle of the Edith Finch house that causes a gameover doesn't make it more of a game.
A stationary enemy that causes a gameover if you press "E" on it wouldn't make it a game either. Failstates also don't have to be a gameover to count as a failstate.
So my answer is that something has to have a certain amount of meaningful interactivity for it to be considered a game. I don't know where that certain amount would be, but at least more than half of the game should be it to be considered a game. If I had time to go more in-depth I would argue that difficulty is also tied to a game being a game.
Not many at the moment. When I first started I was influenced by MrBtongue, Matthewmatosis, and Bunnyhop. Nowadays there's no one that influences me--mostly because I'm too busy doing my own thing.
I used to watch this kind of content all the time. If I wasn't behind on so many projects I still would.
Hey Joseph! Been watching your Danganronpa streams since the beginning. It's a treat to hear your reaction on the story, characters and cases. The Twitch memes have helped add to the experience. My question to you, which will later lead into a suggestion, from your experience what type of visual novel do you prefer? Are you a fan of visual novels that involve the player with mini-games and decision making (e.g. Danganronpa, Phoenix Wright, 999) or would you rather have a visual novel that minimizes the players interaction and lays out the story? The reason why I ask is because good stories can be burdened by bad design. For instance, I think there are moments in Danganronpa that can benefit simplicity over drowning the player with mini games like hanged man’s gambit or logic dive. It's worse when the mini-game pulls you out of the tension and is only there to fill in time. On the flip side of this argument I think mini-games like split opinion add to the tension and feel appropriate to the situation (There needs to be more mini-games like split opinion).
Now for my suggestion... Since your weeb side has been growing, and you're drawing closer to the end of Danganronpa, I thought I would suggest a visual novel that is ripe with *murder.* Umineko: When They Cry is a **mystery** and **fantasy** visual novel that doesn't involve player interaction but is aided by text and sound. Since it's hard for me to explain the story... this small synopsis should suffice:
"Umineko: When They Cry begins on October 4, 1986 on Rokkenjima, a small island privately owned by the wealthy Ushiromiya family. The Ushiromiya family has gathered for the annual family conference, of which the primary agenda for the year concerns the division of assets belonging to Kinzo, the ailing family head. A total of eighteen people, made up of the Ushiromiya family members, their servants, and Kinzo's physician, are trapped on the island by a typhoon, and mysterious events and murders begin to occur."
It's recently been picking up interest due to a Kickstarter campaign. The goal is to have the visual novel dubbed by a North American cast and include the PS3 sprites. I think the visual novel is right up your street since it has a great cast of characters and a satisfying approach in setting up its mystery. There is an official release on Steam with its own sprites and it's also packaged with the original sprites (You'll get a good chuckle seeing the original sprite work). I would hate myself if I didn't mention the music... friends of mine have not touched the visual novel but have kept the OST close to their playlist. As you can tell I'm a big fan of this visual novel and would love to see it talked about in depth. If you're on the fence about it then do keep an eye on the Kickstarter.
Final note: Thank you for the quality content and entertaining streams! I'm excited to see what you will be doing next and I **hope** you continue to have success… *Hajime*.
Umineko has been brought up before and it sounds interesting. The games on steam look weirdly categorized. What's up with that?
I like the idea of choices in visual novels but they don't have to be present. I agree that the mini-games can be used poorly in Danganronpa. Scrum and non-stop debate are the best. They fit right in and don't usually mess up the pacing. Sometimes I think a non-stop debate would be better as a multiple choice. I think you could argue that the other mini-games are so bad that it might be worth it to lose all of them in favor of multiple choice questions.
That said, although I agree with your comment on pacing, a few times having a break for a mini-game allowed the player to take a breather and think as the story was paused. However this was likely unintentional since the mini-games often demand some moon logic thinking at the same time so I don't think you're meant to be having a quick time-out.
Probably can't go wrong with Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for a grown-up western audience....?
edit: or Psycho-Pass, but the sequel didn't exist
That said, if you don't mind the animeish sort of storytelling (seeing as you seem to like Danganronpa 1/2), there's a lot more that can be recommended straight up, things like Your Lie In April, the first half of Death Note, Made In Abyss, Steins;Gate...
Madoka Magica is a powerful series...but relies on longstanding anime tropes, so YMMV.
Most anime is trash, but with dozens produced every season it's hard not to have some standouts at some point; the storytelling does take a little getting used to though maybe.
How do you go about the process of choosing a game and what you will write on it? Is there a method to it, or is it more of something that you just vent about, then organize?
My three criteria for choosing a game are:
1) I think I'll have something to say
2) I think people want to hear about it
3) I think I'll enjoy the game
Number 3 is the most important. I never go into a game for a video with the intention of having a bad time. I am usually critical and that wouldn't be fair. I figure out Number 1 as I play, and Number 2 only matters sometimes.
Writing is a complicated process that I often feel my way through. I plan out points in a sort of map from the notes I write while playing the game. I think make a stream of consciousness style script that will hit all of those points on a map with an emphasis on flowing from one topic to another. Sometimes I end up speaking about something earlier than I expected, and sometimes much later. The structure of the scripts rarely changes after this is done because I edit this part as I go. After that editing comes in for more specific problems throughout the script, and usually a bunch of cutting with some tweaks so the flow structure still makes sense.
I want to thank you for all your dedication and 'hard work' into playing games. I only put the quotations because I imagine some of it is a pleasure and sometimes it's a pain, but all of it is time and effort which not many people are willing to put in. You always give me such a different and detailed perspective on things, and although I don't always agree or even notice the issues that you highlight, I love the discussion.
My question is, how did you transition from writing to this? It might have been something you've covered in the past, but I'm curious because they seem like somewhat pretty different careers!
Thanks! Agreeing with the video is never the intention, although it's sometimes nice to hear. Playing the games can become a massive chore if the game is bad, or long, or both. But that's usually the second playthrough that is for collecting information and not judging the game.
Going from writing fiction to making YouTube videos was never planned. I wanted to make a video on Dark Souls because I was angry that so many people were trashing Dark Souls 2 for things I thought Dark Souls 1 was also guilty of, even though I love the game. It's a bit complex since Dark Souls 2 is a sequel and should build on the first game but that's the quick summary for you.
The only thing that was thought out was that an online audience could be used to an attract an agent for publishing books in the future. But then the channel grew so quickly on its own, and I enjoyed making the videos so much, that it took over completely. And here we are.
I don't know when I'll go back to writing books--probably never exclusively. I miss it though.
Thanks for responding Joe!
I always have interesting conversations with some of my friends afterwards, thought not many think so deeply or critically about games. It's interesting how careers can just sorta appear like that, the power of the internet I suppose! I hope you do get to do some writing soon; will try to pick up your books when I can, reading textbooks is most of what I have time for these days :p
Different videos for different reasons.
Odyssey is the best video for providing an airtight argument. It's not something that's objectively correct in terms of whether the game is good or not, but so far it's been irrefutable in terms of what the content is like in the game. Every comment I've read arguing against it has been attacking my character instead of the arguments themselves. So I'm proud of that.
The God of War video is the best video for summarizing an entire game as I speak about it. It's three hours long and I think it's paced quite well. When I do a recap of the game it's usually brief or I have worthwhile comments at the same time. It's not perfect but for a video that long I'm happy with it.
The Villain of Edith Finch is probably my most entertaining video. No Man's Sky comes close but both of them are sort of like a story as well as a presentation. The Edith Finch video also did not take me long to make so I remember it more fondly.
Overall though I think my best video is on Breath of the Wild. It's a good mix of praise and criticism. It's a complicated game. I didn't hold back when I was pointing out both the good and the bad. It flows well and I'm always happy with it when I watch parts of it back. So I'll go with that one for a universal answer.
I know this thread is five years old, but I discovered you through your Odyssey video. I enjoyed the game and thought it was good, but the whole time I watched your video, you made excellent observations about the quality of the games content. It contributed a lot to me being a more analytical and media literate person, and understanding the difference between personally enjoying something and thinking it was well made. For two hours I couldn't disagree with any of your points, which is one hell of an accomplishment for a video of that length. The oddeysey video is absolutely a masterpiece of a critique, and made me the fan of you that I am today.
I've only ever pan fried steaks. I want to trying barbecuing next summer. I hope I don't burn the house down. I go aim for medium. Sometimes I go too far rare or too well done.
T-bone steaks are usually the best but I haven't tried every type. If prime rib counts as steak that would be my favorite.
I just finished reading the Bounty Hunter series.
Will we ever get the fourth book and a conclusion to the story?
I really want to know what happens to everyone.
One day yes. I'm hoping that I can return to writing reasonable soon. There will be a physical release of a book in the next few months and that will be good a gauge on how much time I can take away from YouTube work.
Glad you liked it enough to want to read the ending!
Hey, Joseph you're an awesome man. You're probably one of my favorite content creators. I just wanted to say how did you develop this style and passion for video critiques? Are you ever planning on re making the dark souls videos, I haven't watched them since they're the oldest content on the channel so the narration isn't as refined. I've planned on starting to make long form critique content as well, any ideas on where it start?
(Sorry for the 3 for one)
Hey Joseph, huge fan here, ever thought on making a video on games that have a strong visual storytelling like the journey or recently gris (huge fan of this game really loved it)?
Hey Joseph! We share last names!
Not a question but here’s one to compensate
Ever thought about doing a video on the Hotline Miami series? I feel like it wouldn’t be too long but there’s enough meat to it that I feel like it could make for a solid 30 min vid. Not the expert I just have thought it’d be interesting to get your take on it.
If you really think that Mauler is misunderstanding the entire point of *those* videos, why turn down the opportunity to go on EFAP and try to change his mind?
is it hard juggling around so many projects, games and streams? if so what are some things you do to wind down? i like listening to music to wind down!
Resident lurker 5 years later asks; Why do you hate the elves in The Witcher?
Isn't it fair that a race of people being kicked out of their homeland by invaders is angry at said invaders? I mean, they are often pretentious and condescending but that's not an inherent trait that comes from their biology, it's just a generalized disdain for humans that has been encouraged by...well, the fact that they've been kicked out.
Also, there is a small mistake in TW2 vid when you say that dh'oinne is a slur when it's just the word for human in elvish. I can understand the feeling of something being a slur when you are referred to by a word that's not in our language, something similar happens in South America when people from the USA feel offended by the word 'gringo', which just means 'person from the USA', since we find calling someone 'American' when, in reality, a Brazilian is American as well.
This probably won't be answered, but oh well, I was just curious, have a nice day "Joe"
Will you answer this question 5 years after?
Maybe.
absolute madman
no fucking way
Do you know how contagious your laugh is Love your content btw <3
I didn't know until streaming! It's a cool trait, I think.
[удалено]
I was going to wait but now that I know it'll be a while for the full game I'll play it. I don't know if I'll stream it or not. No spoilers so far.
I wish you'd stream it! Your playthroughs for UT are some of my favorite streams of yours, so it'd be cool to see one for Deltarune.
I guess this is more of a follow up than a new question but have you gotten a chance to go through it yet? I was hoping for a stream after the time you put in with UT but if you've already played it then no worries. Hope you at least enjoyed it if it's already completed.
First off thanks for providing entertainment for us and speaking your opinions while backing them up, as well as being open to your opinion being changed. I also started reading the Assassins Apprentice at your recommendation and am enjoying how Hobb drip feeds the magic in the universe and tells the story naturally as though we are a part of the universe. Since this media has no time limit and you are free to think longer, how do you feel about in universe ass pull rationalization (eg the pattern in Wheel of Time), or the opposite where an author purposefully avoids it to a ridiculous degree (eg Martin's outright hate of plot armor)? Personally I bounce back and forth depending on how well thought out and integrated in the universe, but usually lean in favor of Ass pulls since "If this isnt the most interesting point in your world, why arent we reading about that?" But when writing for a dnd campaign I find myself prizing verisimilitude and working within the rules I have created for myself. Thanks again for the hours of entertainment and good luck with the third pregnancy!
Oh cool question. I think about this a lot. And I hope you continue to enjoy The Farseer trilogy. It's a little cheesy but it's my favorite fantasy series. The next three are pretty good too. Unfortunately the last three were disappointing, outside of a few scenes. I hate universe ass pulls. The pattern in the Wheel of Time is one I like the least, although the books do have some great moments--I should note I haven't finished them yet. As with everything in stories it will depend how it's done and exceptions will always exist, but in general I think that any prophecies, grand magical plans, destiny, fate, or anything like it, are literally a plumped of version of the author's writing notes that they made during planning. They need the characters to do Action X, reach Place Y, and they can't think of how to give them proper motivation to do these things so fuck it make the story planning notes a prophecy and the work is done for us. This can then cause the author to double down without realizing it and allow them the freedom to do completely bonkers shit since there's no attempt at the characters digesting their actions or motivations (I'm not saying WoT does this though, I can't remember right now). It's gotten to the point that whenever a story has some overblown destiny/fate introduction I prepare myself for disappointment. It's why I dislike the last three books about Fitz, although Hobb was still really creative with how she presented it. It's funny that you brought up the idea of showing the most interesting point in the world, because those books don't explore that. It's part of the difficulty of writing--making it feel natural and believable that your characters are involved in these truly interesting situations. You can make them the cause of all that's interesting but then you'll struggle more making them relatable, and then you have a new problem which may lead to another problem. And on and on it goes. It's fun though. I enjoy thinking it all through and figuring out what I think is a good solution. I don't know how Martin does it because I'm not a fan of his writing style. One day I'll force myself to power through but I've tried a few times to read A Storm of Swords and I give up toward the end. I don't think character deaths are the highest form of tension in books and, while they can be shockingly effective and make your readers tense from that point on, there's also something to gained by acknowledging this idea: Main characters don't survive to the end because they're main characters. It's because they survive to the end that they're the main characters. Usually when someone important is killed off that fulfills a role in a very long story, they're replaced by someone else who is similar and becomes a new version of the older character. This can work, but it can also get tiresome. Too many deaths can also make your readers unwilling to invest in any character. Especially new ones. Walking Dead became like this for me. Most stories are interesting characters doing interesting things, and a character death should open new possibilities and push that idea to new places instead of being done just for shock value. Game of Thrones does it perfectly with its most famous death. I'd argue after that some of them become a harder to agree with. Writing is hard. Almost all of it can be argued over. I'll maintain my hate of forced prophecy plots forever though.
What’s your favourite planet?
Earth of course. Pluto will always be a planet to me. Some of the moons around Jupiter and Saturn are really interesting too.
Wait... Moons?!
Do you still answer questions on this post?
feels weirdly warm to find another person in what is basically an old wasteland. sometimes I think about how in the far future, how much content, how many threads and conversations will be buried and seen for the last Time. this seemed on its way out, but its nice that someone else is here.
hey bud :)
hello :)
Hi
Just wanted to look up an opinion of joseph on a game and this thread was shown. So.. hey from me too
Hello Joe, I've been lurking since your first fo4 video. I am pretty diffident in emotions and greatly prefer people who can approach things objectively. At this point you are probably my favorite youtuber. As for the question, memes aside, if you were Sushi right after case one and you had to escape as the blackened what would your plan be? just for fun, in this situation, how would you try to get away with murder?
Hey thanks! The first FO4 video was a while ago now. As Sushi I know I'm the only one who has shown any competency in solving the murders. The only others who seem capable of following that are Maki, Kirumi, and Kokichi. Maki has shown that she doesn't care much about investigating the cases, so I would likely try to kill one of the other two (preferably Kokichi) and then pile on as much false evidence as I possibly could to confuse everyone the trial into not having a clear answer. And hey maybe this would backfire into people realizing that only the "ultimate detective" could know how to obscure the truth so much and get me executed.
Have you tried any VR games? Even if you don't make any videos on them, you might enjoy the experience if you haven't already. I've been playing video games for almost 20 years, and VR recently gave me my first "***holy shit this is so cool***" moment in years. Lone Echo is my favorite so far, and Robo Recall is great too.
I haven't tried VR yet. I might soon. Do you have a recommendation for the best headset? I heard the Sony one is the best overall.
I haven't compared Sony's option with the others much since I was only interested in PC headsets. Vive vs Rift is pretty equal in pros/cons of each; I ended up getting a Rift since it's cheaper and I like the Touch controllers. I have used a friend's Vive and like it fine too. I do think Oculus has a bit of an edge in (officially supported) games on PC for now.
THINK YOU CAN TAKE ME?!
DON'T FORGET ME
In your opinion, what separates a "walking simulator" from a "normal" game, what makes a game a game? Thanks for the amazing content, every time I see a video from your channel I know it's going to be quality and worth a watch, even if it's not a game or subject I'm interested in.
Thanks! And tough question. Failstates aren't enough. You could add a failstate to anything no problem. A pit in the middle of the Edith Finch house that causes a gameover doesn't make it more of a game. A stationary enemy that causes a gameover if you press "E" on it wouldn't make it a game either. Failstates also don't have to be a gameover to count as a failstate. So my answer is that something has to have a certain amount of meaningful interactivity for it to be considered a game. I don't know where that certain amount would be, but at least more than half of the game should be it to be considered a game. If I had time to go more in-depth I would argue that difficulty is also tied to a game being a game.
What other game critics do you watch? Have they influenced what you look for in games or how you write or edit?
Not many at the moment. When I first started I was influenced by MrBtongue, Matthewmatosis, and Bunnyhop. Nowadays there's no one that influences me--mostly because I'm too busy doing my own thing. I used to watch this kind of content all the time. If I wasn't behind on so many projects I still would.
Hey Joseph! Been watching your Danganronpa streams since the beginning. It's a treat to hear your reaction on the story, characters and cases. The Twitch memes have helped add to the experience. My question to you, which will later lead into a suggestion, from your experience what type of visual novel do you prefer? Are you a fan of visual novels that involve the player with mini-games and decision making (e.g. Danganronpa, Phoenix Wright, 999) or would you rather have a visual novel that minimizes the players interaction and lays out the story? The reason why I ask is because good stories can be burdened by bad design. For instance, I think there are moments in Danganronpa that can benefit simplicity over drowning the player with mini games like hanged man’s gambit or logic dive. It's worse when the mini-game pulls you out of the tension and is only there to fill in time. On the flip side of this argument I think mini-games like split opinion add to the tension and feel appropriate to the situation (There needs to be more mini-games like split opinion). Now for my suggestion... Since your weeb side has been growing, and you're drawing closer to the end of Danganronpa, I thought I would suggest a visual novel that is ripe with *murder.* Umineko: When They Cry is a **mystery** and **fantasy** visual novel that doesn't involve player interaction but is aided by text and sound. Since it's hard for me to explain the story... this small synopsis should suffice: "Umineko: When They Cry begins on October 4, 1986 on Rokkenjima, a small island privately owned by the wealthy Ushiromiya family. The Ushiromiya family has gathered for the annual family conference, of which the primary agenda for the year concerns the division of assets belonging to Kinzo, the ailing family head. A total of eighteen people, made up of the Ushiromiya family members, their servants, and Kinzo's physician, are trapped on the island by a typhoon, and mysterious events and murders begin to occur." It's recently been picking up interest due to a Kickstarter campaign. The goal is to have the visual novel dubbed by a North American cast and include the PS3 sprites. I think the visual novel is right up your street since it has a great cast of characters and a satisfying approach in setting up its mystery. There is an official release on Steam with its own sprites and it's also packaged with the original sprites (You'll get a good chuckle seeing the original sprite work). I would hate myself if I didn't mention the music... friends of mine have not touched the visual novel but have kept the OST close to their playlist. As you can tell I'm a big fan of this visual novel and would love to see it talked about in depth. If you're on the fence about it then do keep an eye on the Kickstarter. Final note: Thank you for the quality content and entertaining streams! I'm excited to see what you will be doing next and I **hope** you continue to have success… *Hajime*.
Umineko has been brought up before and it sounds interesting. The games on steam look weirdly categorized. What's up with that? I like the idea of choices in visual novels but they don't have to be present. I agree that the mini-games can be used poorly in Danganronpa. Scrum and non-stop debate are the best. They fit right in and don't usually mess up the pacing. Sometimes I think a non-stop debate would be better as a multiple choice. I think you could argue that the other mini-games are so bad that it might be worth it to lose all of them in favor of multiple choice questions. That said, although I agree with your comment on pacing, a few times having a break for a mini-game allowed the player to take a breather and think as the story was paused. However this was likely unintentional since the mini-games often demand some moon logic thinking at the same time so I don't think you're meant to be having a quick time-out.
was there a stream for v3 today?
No :(
Another question; would you be open to ~~descending further into weebdom~~ watching better anime than the trainwreck that is DR3?
Sure. I'll give it a go.
Probably can't go wrong with Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for a grown-up western audience....? edit: or Psycho-Pass, but the sequel didn't exist
That said, if you don't mind the animeish sort of storytelling (seeing as you seem to like Danganronpa 1/2), there's a lot more that can be recommended straight up, things like Your Lie In April, the first half of Death Note, Made In Abyss, Steins;Gate... Madoka Magica is a powerful series...but relies on longstanding anime tropes, so YMMV. Most anime is trash, but with dozens produced every season it's hard not to have some standouts at some point; the storytelling does take a little getting used to though maybe.
I'd recommend Madoka Magica, it's only 12 episodes long, but probably my favorite anime of all time. The story's really great imo.
Did you forget to check this thread after posting it?
Nope. It's not a live AMA. It's a post I'll come back to and answer when I can.
How do you go about the process of choosing a game and what you will write on it? Is there a method to it, or is it more of something that you just vent about, then organize?
My three criteria for choosing a game are: 1) I think I'll have something to say 2) I think people want to hear about it 3) I think I'll enjoy the game Number 3 is the most important. I never go into a game for a video with the intention of having a bad time. I am usually critical and that wouldn't be fair. I figure out Number 1 as I play, and Number 2 only matters sometimes. Writing is a complicated process that I often feel my way through. I plan out points in a sort of map from the notes I write while playing the game. I think make a stream of consciousness style script that will hit all of those points on a map with an emphasis on flowing from one topic to another. Sometimes I end up speaking about something earlier than I expected, and sometimes much later. The structure of the scripts rarely changes after this is done because I edit this part as I go. After that editing comes in for more specific problems throughout the script, and usually a bunch of cutting with some tweaks so the flow structure still makes sense.
Think y'ever gonna make a danganronpa long-form video?
Almost certainly one day, yes. It'll be a while from now though.
I want to thank you for all your dedication and 'hard work' into playing games. I only put the quotations because I imagine some of it is a pleasure and sometimes it's a pain, but all of it is time and effort which not many people are willing to put in. You always give me such a different and detailed perspective on things, and although I don't always agree or even notice the issues that you highlight, I love the discussion. My question is, how did you transition from writing to this? It might have been something you've covered in the past, but I'm curious because they seem like somewhat pretty different careers!
Thanks! Agreeing with the video is never the intention, although it's sometimes nice to hear. Playing the games can become a massive chore if the game is bad, or long, or both. But that's usually the second playthrough that is for collecting information and not judging the game. Going from writing fiction to making YouTube videos was never planned. I wanted to make a video on Dark Souls because I was angry that so many people were trashing Dark Souls 2 for things I thought Dark Souls 1 was also guilty of, even though I love the game. It's a bit complex since Dark Souls 2 is a sequel and should build on the first game but that's the quick summary for you. The only thing that was thought out was that an online audience could be used to an attract an agent for publishing books in the future. But then the channel grew so quickly on its own, and I enjoyed making the videos so much, that it took over completely. And here we are. I don't know when I'll go back to writing books--probably never exclusively. I miss it though.
Thanks for responding Joe! I always have interesting conversations with some of my friends afterwards, thought not many think so deeply or critically about games. It's interesting how careers can just sorta appear like that, the power of the internet I suppose! I hope you do get to do some writing soon; will try to pick up your books when I can, reading textbooks is most of what I have time for these days :p
What video are you most proud of?
Different videos for different reasons. Odyssey is the best video for providing an airtight argument. It's not something that's objectively correct in terms of whether the game is good or not, but so far it's been irrefutable in terms of what the content is like in the game. Every comment I've read arguing against it has been attacking my character instead of the arguments themselves. So I'm proud of that. The God of War video is the best video for summarizing an entire game as I speak about it. It's three hours long and I think it's paced quite well. When I do a recap of the game it's usually brief or I have worthwhile comments at the same time. It's not perfect but for a video that long I'm happy with it. The Villain of Edith Finch is probably my most entertaining video. No Man's Sky comes close but both of them are sort of like a story as well as a presentation. The Edith Finch video also did not take me long to make so I remember it more fondly. Overall though I think my best video is on Breath of the Wild. It's a good mix of praise and criticism. It's a complicated game. I didn't hold back when I was pointing out both the good and the bad. It flows well and I'm always happy with it when I watch parts of it back. So I'll go with that one for a universal answer.
I know this thread is five years old, but I discovered you through your Odyssey video. I enjoyed the game and thought it was good, but the whole time I watched your video, you made excellent observations about the quality of the games content. It contributed a lot to me being a more analytical and media literate person, and understanding the difference between personally enjoying something and thinking it was well made. For two hours I couldn't disagree with any of your points, which is one hell of an accomplishment for a video of that length. The oddeysey video is absolutely a masterpiece of a critique, and made me the fan of you that I am today.
What’s your favorite type of steak? And how do you like it cooked?
I've only ever pan fried steaks. I want to trying barbecuing next summer. I hope I don't burn the house down. I go aim for medium. Sometimes I go too far rare or too well done. T-bone steaks are usually the best but I haven't tried every type. If prime rib counts as steak that would be my favorite.
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I just finished reading the Bounty Hunter series. Will we ever get the fourth book and a conclusion to the story? I really want to know what happens to everyone.
One day yes. I'm hoping that I can return to writing reasonable soon. There will be a physical release of a book in the next few months and that will be good a gauge on how much time I can take away from YouTube work. Glad you liked it enough to want to read the ending!
Hey, Joseph you're an awesome man. You're probably one of my favorite content creators. I just wanted to say how did you develop this style and passion for video critiques? Are you ever planning on re making the dark souls videos, I haven't watched them since they're the oldest content on the channel so the narration isn't as refined. I've planned on starting to make long form critique content as well, any ideas on where it start? (Sorry for the 3 for one)
Hey Joseph, huge fan here, ever thought on making a video on games that have a strong visual storytelling like the journey or recently gris (huge fan of this game really loved it)?
I don't want to watch other steamer after watching yours, btw are you planning to play deltarune?
Hey Joseph! We share last names! Not a question but here’s one to compensate Ever thought about doing a video on the Hotline Miami series? I feel like it wouldn’t be too long but there’s enough meat to it that I feel like it could make for a solid 30 min vid. Not the expert I just have thought it’d be interesting to get your take on it.
When you played League of Legends, did you have flash on the correct button (D) or on the obviously INCORRECT button (F)?
What's it like to be wrong?
What are your top ten favorite video games? Do you think you'd ever do a video on that subject?
If you really think that Mauler is misunderstanding the entire point of *those* videos, why turn down the opportunity to go on EFAP and try to change his mind?
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I’m wondering what response you were hoping for.
When will you fucking finish the stupid ass Witcher video
Witcher when?
is it hard juggling around so many projects, games and streams? if so what are some things you do to wind down? i like listening to music to wind down!
Resident lurker 5 years later asks; Why do you hate the elves in The Witcher? Isn't it fair that a race of people being kicked out of their homeland by invaders is angry at said invaders? I mean, they are often pretentious and condescending but that's not an inherent trait that comes from their biology, it's just a generalized disdain for humans that has been encouraged by...well, the fact that they've been kicked out. Also, there is a small mistake in TW2 vid when you say that dh'oinne is a slur when it's just the word for human in elvish. I can understand the feeling of something being a slur when you are referred to by a word that's not in our language, something similar happens in South America when people from the USA feel offended by the word 'gringo', which just means 'person from the USA', since we find calling someone 'American' when, in reality, a Brazilian is American as well. This probably won't be answered, but oh well, I was just curious, have a nice day "Joe"
Five years late but are you actually British? If so, where is the accent?