Quick thoughts on GameStart 2017: Return of the horror queues

I’ve been asked “How was GameStart 2017 compared to last year?” a few times by my friends, so I thought a short blog post about GameStart 2017 would be useful. This isn’t a review of the convention per se — I’m just writing down my thoughts and experience over the two days.

Things did not get off to a good start for GameStart on Day 1. The queue for non-VIP members was unusually long for some reason in the morning and early afternoon, and many of us were forced to queue at Level 1 before we could enter the convention. The venue was located at Level 4, we had to queue at Level 1 (??). I started queuing at 12pm and took almost one hour to reach the front door. I was absolutely livid at one point because I thought I was going to miss Yoko Taro’s 1pm appearance on the main stage. It turns out that he was scheduled for 2pm instead. Still, it made no sense why this elaborate queue management was necessary: once I got in, there was plenty of room inside the convention halls on Day 1 and at no point did it feel close to becoming overcrowded. Fortunately, this was totally eradicated on Day 2 and I managed to get in at 12pm with my non-VIP ticket instantly.

GameStart 2017 felt a lot smaller compared to last year, due to the conspicuous absence of Microsoft and Blizzard. It took the organisers three years since GameStart’s debut in 2014 to finally get Microsoft at the convention, and for them to suddenly vanish again in 2017 felt like another step backwards. It’s a big shame because Cuphead was just released at the end of September — it would have been a perfect opportunity for them to showcase and demo this great Microsoft-published game to the public.

Blizzard’s absence is understandable. Unlike 2016, where momentum was high after the release of the Warcraft: The Beginning movie, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft: Legion, there wasn’t really anything new for them to showcase. But for 2K Games (WWE 2K18, the new XCOM 2 expansion, NBA 2K18) and especially Ubisoft (Assassin’s Creed Origins) to also go missing was quite a surprise. This left us with just Sony and Bandai Namco as the only big publishers at GameStart 2017. The Bandai Namco booth was a big draw this year due to Dragon Ball FighterZ’s impending early-2018 release, and there was a long queue on both days for the DBFZ demo. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle’s pre-alpha demo was also at GameStart 2017 this year, tucked away in one corner next to the eSports section for SEA Major 2017.

I’ve been out of touch with fighting-game eSports for awhile now, so I didn’t really pay much attention to SEAM 2017 this year. But the usual big names like Justin Wong and Tokido were here, so if you were at GameStart 2017 just for the eSports, it should have been an enjoyable experience. Geese Howard was announced as a DLC character for Tekken 7 on the main stage, much to my amusement (“RASHO-MOOOON!”).

One thing that caught my eye this year were the board game and card game sections. Organised by Gamersaurus Rex and a few other shops, the play area was quite huge, taking up almost half the space of one of the halls. There was 40K, Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, Sushi Go!, and many more. I saw my favourite MTG planeswalker Vraska being heavily promoted for the newest expansion. The “game” in “GameStart” doesn’t have to strictly refer to just videogames, it’s great to see tabletop games taking a big chunk of the spotlight this year.

If you’re a regular reader of my blog since the end of last year, you should know about my absolute obsession and love for VA-11 Hall-A, one of the best indie games of 2016. There was a VA-11 Hall-A booth this year, located inside The Drinkery section of the convention where you could purchase snacks and drinks. I even encountered a Dana Zana cosplayer, and he was very kind to let me take a photo of him next to the big artwork of Jill. The Drinkery was also very strategically and smartly positioned next to the SEAM 2017 area, you could watch the matches on the big screen from across The Drinkery. There is no better way to promote a game about mixing drinks and chilling out, than to demo it in the area of the convention where you could order a drink and relax. Well done Ysbryd Games.

There were also plenty of other indie games at GameStart 2017 located at the Founders Base section, many of them are locally produced. Stifled, which is about to be released soon for PSVR, and BattleSky Brigade were the standout games for me. There was even a free retro-style game called O$P$ tucked away in the RetroCade section of GameStart. I promise I’ll find the time to play them all once they’re released.

I’ve already blogged about Yoko Taro, who was the big guest this year for GameStart, so I won’t retread too much on the same topic. The decision to spread his activities across both days was a smart one, because as one of my friends remarked on Facebook, one day is more than enough to walk all of the booths at GameStart 2017 (and hopefully you didn’t have to queue that long on Day 1).

I understand that securing more publishers and Microsoft is out of the organiser’s hands — if they don’t want to show up, then it can’t be helped. Nintendo is still out of the question because local distributors Maxsoft are notoriously well-known for being utterly clueless at promoting the 3DS and Switch. So for GameStart 2018 at least, I would like to see The Drinkery and tabletop section back again. Keep the RetroCade booth, and maybe place them next to the RetroDNA booth. The little, unique things here and there will help make up for the lack of publisher presence. Looking forward to next year as always.

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Yoko Taro in Singapore: The enigma, the madman, and saviour of PlatinumGames

Taro Yoko, or Yoko Taro as he prefers his surname to be stylised in front first, is a notoriously enigmatic game designer. He is renowned for his carefully crafted and emotional videogame stories, and courageously unconventional game design choices. To access the true ending of NIER (2010) after your fourth playthrough, players had to delete their save data from their console. Unlike NieR: Automata (2017), this was done without any warning or notification. The final boss fight in Drakengard 3 (2014) was a rhythm action sequence lasting EIGHT minutes long, with a single mistake forcing a restart of the entire battle.

What would compel a game designer to inflict such sadistic, trolling torture on his players? During his stage interview on Day 1 of GameStart 2017, Yoko told the audience that Dragon Quest III (1986) for the original NES was one of his favourite games that he never got to finish — because he suddenly lost all of his save data. His non-gaming family members were unable to understand why he was so depressed over a videogame, and when he eventually became a game designer he wanted players to experience the same anguish he had over a lost save file.

I couldn’t tell whether Yoko was joking or dead serious with his response. There’s no way to read his facial expression under that helmet. Maybe he’s just having fun.

Ah, the helmet. Modeled after Emil, a recurring character in the Nier series, Yoko has stated before in a Famitsu interview that he has an intense dislike for giving interviews and having his photograph taken. He believes that game designers are not supposed to be entertainers or commentators on their work, and that the usual questions asked in traditional media interviews would be boring to the viewer [1]. There is a twisted, cruel irony behind this reasoning: The mask / helmet gives him an aura of intrigue and mystery, turning him into even more of an entertainer. Can you name me any other producer, director, or media creator who would go through such lengths to hide their face from the public? Someone who needs to enter a translucent box in order to answer questions from the audience?

On Day 2 of GameStart, there was a cosplay competition for NieR: Automata. Celebrity cosplayer Lenneth was taking part, and she was the main attraction for the day with her rendition of protagonist 2B. In true Yoko Taro fashion, one of the requirements of the competition was that every cosplayer who took part had to play the game itself for five minutes. Yoko, from inside his box, admitted to the crowd that this gaming showcase had zero relevance to the actual cosplay.

Yup, from that point onwards I was absolutely convinced that Yoko is just someone who wants to have fun, even if it means putting his fans and gamers through hardship. There were two Emil cosplayers, one was forced to take off her helmet to play, while another needed to squat down on the stage floor for the entire session. “I can’t see the monitor from up here!” she screamed.

Just take a look at Yoko’s Square Enix promotional video for pre-ordering the game:

Eccentricity eventually caves in to pragmatism at the end of Day 2, during the private meet-and-greet session with fans. Yoko finally agrees to takes off his helmet, but only because he needs his full peripheral vision to sign autographs. That, and because “Singapore is very hot.” Yes we know, Yoko. Even Singaporeans living in this country for all of their lives agree that being near the equator is very hot. My friend Randy, who was with me at the signing, told me to offer him the NieR: Automata Japanese PS4 version’s game manual to sign. I shook hands with Yosuke Saito, the executive producer of Square Enix, and Mr Yoko himself, unmasked and finally in the flesh.

“Thank you very much,” he said.

No Mr Yoko, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Good designers are able to produce good games, but only great designers have the ability to craft a piece of work that is so emotionally powerful, so moving, that it transcends the interactive medium of videogames to leave an indelible mark on our souls. There is no other way to interpret the true ending (Ending E) of NieR: Automata: If we work together as one, even if it means that we have to sacrifice ourselves to help someone else, our powers combined can achieve great things. Two or more in harmony surpasses one in perfection.

NieR: Automata was only possible because of the combined efforts of developers PlatinumGames, publishers Square Enix, and Mr Yoko’s story and vision. Hideki Kamiya, a game director working at PlatinumGames, wrote on Twitter that “…to say that Yoko-san saved Platinum would not be an exaggeration. I cannot thank him enough.” [2]

Do you believe in destiny, of messianic figures who are fated to rescue others from their doom? Religious people might call such a person “God”. For gamers, we call him Yoko Taro. Thank you for saving PlatinumGames.

Red Like Roses Part I and II

My RWBY Volume 1-3 Original Soundtrack Vocal Albums just arrived, and I’m hopelessly addicted to Red Like Roses Part I and II, the signature theme of Ruby Rose. I still don’t like This Will Be the Day, all because of Casey Lee Williams’s voice. She recorded Volume 1’s songs when she was 13(?) and the rawness in her singing is very evident — the song sounds quite grating and irritating.

However, Red Like Roses is a totally different matter, purely because of Jeff Williams’s music. His composition totally carries Casey’s performance. I love how both songs are constructed: The beautiful string solo in Part I that follows after the final lyrics have been sung, to the perfect ebb and flow of Part II as both Casey (representing Ruby) and Sandy Casey (I’m going to assume she’s Casey’s mother — here her voice is representing Ruby’s mother Summer Rose) take turns singing their lyrics.

Yes, I’m going to set myself a personal goal of learning how to play a violin solo of both Part I and Part II. The beat is insanely fast, especially for Part II. But I’m going to challenge myself to give it a shot. Give me one year to improve my violin skills and let’s see where it goes.

Dana Zane, sukajan

Via: zwimmy’s art blog

My favourite character from VA-11 Hall-A wearing an awesome sukajan jacket, I would love to have a jacket like that. Maybe I should learn how to sew one…

The problem with Destiny 2’s PVP: No longer fun to play

Destiny 2 is a decent game, not perfect but it fixes many problems from its predecessor, while introducing some perplexing new ones. If you’re playing just for the story or the PvE content, you should be able to enjoy it solo or with a fireteam of friends.

That is, unless you’re a PvP player. Because Destiny 2’s PvP is absolutely unfun. I was randomly browsing GiantBomb, and came across this discussion thread where this user post managed to sum up my thoughts perfectly:

Just comparing old Destiny 1 Trials with new Trials there is a real problem for anyone wishing to express their individual skill. Now it’s almost impossible to make a good flanking maneuver work or to outgun people 1v1 because you’re almost never 1v1. Every round is decided by 2 blobs of 4 people shooting at each other from as far as possible. If your blob is slightly out of position or missing someone you lose. There is no individuality. No creative play making. Or at least not solo. Everything needs to be performed as a duo or as a team of 4. If you move by yourself you will die. It’s like the communism of PvP shooters and it is the worst.

I am not against the fundamental concept of teamwork in FPS shooters. Overwatch nailed this perfectly with their different heroes and class roles: To succeed offensively or defensively, everyone needs to work as a team, synergising their abilities and ultimates with one another in order to defeat and counter their opponents. But at the same time, Overwatch allows for individual levels of skills to shine: It’s possible for a Tracer, Reaper, or Genji to harass the enemy team all on their own without any support. It’s possible for a Torbjorn or Bastion to hang back in base, setting up a defensive position with their turrets and still be useful to the team.

In Destiny 2, you are punished for separating from your teammates, especially in the ultra-competitive Trials of the Nine PvP mode. The PvP game has basically degraded into Counter-Strike with supers. Not that I have anything against CS, I haven’t played it in ages but it was fun back in the day in its own way: A semi-realistic team shooter with maps set in real-world locations, where players purchase and wield weapons modeled after real-world firearms. CS matches are mostly about controlling chokepoints and concentrating your group’s combined firepower on the enemy team to deny them their objectives.

CS had it’s own identity that made it stand out in the online shooter market. Destiny 2’s PvP has changed totally, losing its identity in the process. I have read some users speculate on Reddit that Bungie made this change in order to reduce “insta-kill” tactics, such as shotgun rushing, sniper headshots, or fusion grenade kills. What Bungo doesn’t seem to understand is that these “insta-kills” still require a certain level of individual skill to pull off. And there are counters to these tactics: Shotgunner keeps sliding into you for the kill? Jump backwards or sideways and switch to a sidearm to pelt him down while he’s recovering. Enemy sniper just doesn’t seem to miss a shot? Don’t engage him in his killzone — find another route, or throw a grenade to force him to move, or rush together as a team to flank him out. Keep dying to fusion grenades? Well, you can return the favour yourself — every class has their own version of a fusion grenade.

I even read some comments from users claiming to like Destiny 2’s PvP, saying that it was better than the first game because it felt less chaotic. I wonder if they have played other online shooters before, because CHAOS is what makes things fun. Unpredictability, learning to adapt on the fly, playing dynamically and reacting tactically to the changing situation, is what makes online shooters, and videogames in general really, FUN.

Look, I grew up playing a lot of old-school “arena” shooters, mainly Quake II, all of the Unreal Tournaments, and Half-life deathmatch. To succeed in those games, individual skill and tactical awareness are paramount. And to pit those skills against other like-minded players. each with their own playstyles and tactics, is what makes games FUN. I was able to transfer those fundamentals to Destiny 1 PvP, and while I wasn’t the greatest Crucible player, I still had a good time. It was FUN.

In Destiny 2 PvP, all you see are two teams of four players exchanging long-range potshots with each other using scout rifles. Whichever team scores the first kill will most likely win that entire round because of the numerical advantage. This is not fun at all. It’s mediocrity, it saps the soul of what makes online games FUN.

It’s a shame that newcomer PC players to Destiny 2’s eventual PC release won’t be able to experience the chaos of Destiny 1 PvP. Because this is the current state of PvP in Destiny 2: Not fun.

It (2017) – Breaking the fourth wall to manifest my worst cinematic fear: Dumbass patrons

This post contains some swearing. You have been warned.

I watched It (2017) a few days ago. It’s a psychological horror movie that’s somewhat similar in theme to The Exorcist. This film adaptation is based on the original 1986 Stephen King novel, although my memory of the book is quite fuzzy because it’s been so long since I read it — the only thing I remember was that the antagonist, Pennywise, is some weird, interdimensional being who preys on people’s fears. He is able to manifest negative emotions and mental images of our worst fears into reality, preying on his victims while they succumb to their inner terror.

My worst fear when watching a movie in the cinema is to be disturbed by other patrons — to the point where I am unable to focus and enjoy the show. I am the type of viewer who demands absolute attention when watching any form of entertainment. If you can’t even give it your full 100 percent attention, then why did you pay for the $8.50 ticket to enter?

That was exactly what was going through my mind as I was constantly disturbed by the group of teenagers seated to my left. One of them could not stop checking his mobile phone, and kept making dumbass comments to his friends like: “I don’t get it, why is it a clown with piranha teeth? I don’t get why blah blah blah…”

Listen up you fucking ch** b** piece of shit. If the movie director was going to handhold you and explain to you the Who What When Where and Why of everything about It, then it wouldn’t be a good horror movie any more. Part of the suspense of watching any good psychological thriller, is to try and figure out for yourself what’s going on. And if you still don’t fully understand what’s happening, then just sit back and enjoy the ride. Dumbass Teenagers also kept going to the toilet (?) non-stop throughout the show. I lost count at the four to five mark.

But it gets worse. There was this old auntie seated to my right who just simply could not stop muttering to herself “Aiyoh!!”. Every time something scary happened, “Aiyoh!”

This went on for almost the full 2.5 hour duration of the movie. Dumbass Teen takes out his phone + “Aiyoh!”. Repeat. For a fucking two-and-a-half HOURS. At one point I seriously considered switching seats to one of the empty front rows, but I endured and stayed in my hellhole spot.

It was when the end credits had started to roll after the finale, that I finally understood what had happened. Pennywise had broken the fourth wall. My greatest fear in the cinema, manifested to its most absolute, terrifying form, by a movie about facing your fears and overcoming them. Well done.

Ryuu ga waga teki AIYOH go fuck yourselves.

A history of Fire Emblem (1990-2017) – YouTube

Clocking in at 2.5 hours, this comprehensive and well-researched video chronicles the entire history of the Fire Emblem series. Everything from the original NES title to the Wii U crossover of Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, it’s all covered here.

I really like how the video also goes behind the scenes to highlight some of the important developers and personalities behind the creation of each game. I didn’t know that Shouzou Kaga, the original creator of the series, had left Intelligent Systems to make his own spiritual successor game, Vesteria Saga.

Go grab a sandwich, or two sandwiches. This chronicle is worth watching, especially for newcomers to the Fire Emblem series like me.

Resonance cascade

Every time I practice my violin I end up sweating a bit. You know why? Because all of my windows and doors are closed shut, and I have to rely on my fan to give my stuffy room some circulation.

I am already being very, very considerate to my neighbours by trying not to disturb them, at the expense of breathable fresh air, but unfortunately my violin is the extremely resonant type that produces a strong, loud sound. I apologise, but I really need to practice.

And if you feel upset about this when I practice at 8am, now you know exactly how I feel at night when I’m trying to sleep at 9pm to 11pm, only to be kept awake by dumbass, loudmouth drunkards and night owls. Welcome to Serangoon. Karma works in mysterious ways.

To my other neighbours in my block playing the flute, erhu, and piano, I can hear your music throughout the week at different times of the day. Keep it up and keep practicing. We are symphony of the night, the dark breaking through the day, hard as a stone, lost in thoughts, all alone.

Lost in Thoughts All Alone: Learning in progress Part 2

I tried playing the first line of the song today. It sounded like crap, mainly because my fingers are still not used to their different positions for F Major. When my brain is so tightly focused on finger positioning, the sound that is eventually produced doesn’t sound great.

I know that if I keep practising, I’ll get better and things will sound better. Three months ago when I was still a super-beginner, I had difficulty playing continuous notes on different strings. Now it comes naturally.

Discipline is such a chore to maintain. But I’m seeing improvement and results, and that’s good enough for me to continue practicing everyday.

Find your own inner motivation. For me, it’s videogames. For others, you have to find a way to find it.

Lost in Thoughts All Alone: Learning in progress Part 1

My violin teacher asked me to choose any song from any genre that I would like to learn, as part of my ongoing violin lessons. Immediately my heart and brain chose Lost in Thoughts All Alone, one of the songs that inspired me to learn this instrument in the first place. I’ve blogged about it before.

She immediately took out her iPad and googled for the musical score. I told her that no official score exists, and that there are multiple versions of the song with different durations. Still, there were plenty of results that came up — it’s the signature theme song for Fire Emblem Fates after all. One of the transcribed scores that caught her eye on Google Image search was from none other than MuseScore, that same website that I wrote about before. 10 minutes later I was learning a crash course on how to play the F Major scale on violin, I’ve only learned C Major and D Major so far.

Unbelievable. One of my future goals in learning the violin has just become an immediate goal. I would like to play the full six-minute version one day, but this is still a good start for a beginner.

Suddenly I’m inspired to go back and finish Birthright and Revelation once and for all on my 3DS. And I am eternally grateful to my friend Joe for recommending me such a chill and open-minded violin teacher.