http://www.destructoid.com/witness-these-concept-shots-for-blow-s-the-witness-165419.phtml#comment (http://www.destructoid.com/witness-these-concept-shots-for-blow-s-the-witness-165419.phtml#comment)
Having just played Braid rather late last year, I'm really excited to see what Jonathan is working on next. If the puzzles are less I'm a edgy teen than MYST, then I"ll be very excited.
I am also a fan of that man and his pretension. I shalt buy it.
He sucks, Myst sucks, I can't imagine this game not sucking pretty hard.
I'm stoked for this even though I feel like there's no way I'm going to enjoy playing it
indulging other people's creative pretension is more fun than people want to admit
I still gotta finish Braid. I gave up when the ring levels started
myst: its gay
Not that original guy plans to make something completely unoriginal? OMG NEVER SAW THIS COMING.
Quote from: Scalppussyhello;1735819Not that original guy plans to make something completely unoriginal? OMG NEVER SAW THIS COMING.
I think Braid's pretty original.
Quote from: Eff Yoo Clawk;1735825I think Braid's pretty original.
Mario + tired old time control gimmick + SO DEEP morality plot stapled on top = braid
so original
but yeah I bought braid and I'll probably buy this new game. Just keep in mind Jonathan Blow is the guy who said games "should not be fun".
No surprise, because Braid wasn't fun. It was like reading chapters of a book between mario levels.
I think I stopped reading the books in braid after it became apparent how obtuse it was shaping up to be
but I remember enjoying the puzzle solving process
Quote from: Thor;1735831Mario + tired old time control gimmick + SO DEEP morality plot stapled on top = braid
so original
As much as I enjoy doing to other people what you just did, this is a really flawed deconstruction of Braid (and games in general). It can be done to every single game in existence (minus like 10 genre-defining games), and completely glosses over what's different in a title.
Braid was probably the first 2d platformer to have time control (lots of 2d puzzle games and 3d platformers have it, sure), and not only that, but it had 5 or 6 completely different ways in which to demonstrate this time control, including 3 that I haven't seen in games before (or even outside of games, really), and even the other two were somewhat different in how they worked.
Additionally, the time control is used in a way to show alternatives to "tired old" game design staples (don't need lives, just rewind, don't need to restart when you screw up, just rewind, don't need to slowly walk back to where you were before, just fast-forward, etc.), and also serves as a model for how puzzles should be designed (each one has a unique approach that takes advantage of your abilities, most of them subtle; instead of having OBVIOUS things you do with the abilities and you just have to do it in the right order, a la Zelda and 99% of games with puzzles in them), and also demonstrating that you don't have to force the player to beat them in a linear order.
Additionally, the level editor they created was basically Photoshop, and pasted elements in layers wherever they wanted to on the screen, instead of using tiles like 99% of the 2D platformers out there, which required all new tech.
It also had a really clever and thought provoking final level.
I do agree with you that the morality plot felt tacked on, but if you compared what was in the books to the gameplay you experience in each world, it makes sense and is rather thought provoking. It could have been presented in a better way than books, sure, but the plot was interesting. A bit pretentious maybe, but interesting :)
As for what he's leaked of the current game, I really do have to wonder what he's thinking. Considering his reputation, you'd think he'd have to take into account that people will just think he's making another Myst game, and wouldn't want to release this stuff without showing why the project is worthwhile.
But maybe that's part of the plan. Make people start questioning his sanity, get them talking, and then when it's closer to release, reveal what he's kept hidden that makes the game worth checking out. Might generate more hype that way, I don't know.
I know I felt similarly when ThatGameCompany (they made flow) revealed the screenshots for flower, but it turned out to be a pretty fun game (not amazing, but I could see why they pursued it).
Hopefully that's what he's doing.