GayGamer Mailbag For January 13th, 2009
After a well deserved vacation and not because of laziness or a lack of letters, I'm back and here to answer all your questions. In this week's mailbag we talk about:
-Final Fantasy Haters
-Why the PSP should not be the DS
-Where to find fellow tabletop and MMO gamers
-Why eating and gaming don't mix
-Why TheDoctor is not allowed to pick contest prizes
So what are you waiting for? Hit the jump for your letters, and know that by reading this post you are bound by law to send a question to the mailbag. Lawyers, don't you just love them?
Hey Doc,
I've shied away from eating food while playing video games or typing on my computer for the fear of gunkifying my peripherals, controllers, dongles, and other funny words. That said, I know it's not uncommon for people to eat junk food while they tea bag their latest kill in Halo 3. Apparently, these people are less concerned about grease on their systems. Where do you stand on the notion of eating while gaming?
Truthfully,
-Bourgtai
Eating and gaming does not mix. Cheetos for example are only appropriate while watching a movie or being the guest of honor at an intervention. I grew up with 3 brothers and not once did we have an issue with replacing controllers due to nasty foodstuffs stuck in the buttons. If you must eat while gaming though, might I suggest tortilla chips (no not Ranch Doritos!) or popcorn sans butter. Both are tasty and have a low chance of destroying your gaming consoles.
Some time back, there was mention of Gay Gamer compiling a directory of GLBT-friendly guilds in Warcraft. is this still happening? i know there are several on proudmoore, but i'd be interested to know if there are any on my own server. Thanks!
-Prelimar
Here and now I am calling for all guildmasters or those with knowledge of GLBT-friendly guilds to send me the names and servers and I will compile a handy list for those of you looking to quest through Azeroth with like-minded individuals. If you're on Proudmore, skip me and comment below so Prelimar can find you.
Magazines offer prizes for the best mailbag letter they receive. That's how they get such a good mailbag response.
-Brook
I can offer autographed headshots of myself. Oh, and by headshot I mean a picture taken with my camera phone. I can also offer my student loan statements, they're kind of fun to turn into paper airplanes.
Hey, TheDoctor!
My first question has everything to do with the fact that I'm a ferocious Final Fanatic (who appreciates other JRPGs as well, though not as much). I've played every numbered FF-game and many of the spin-offs as well. But ever since I became more acquainted with the online gaming forums, I've noticed how Final Fantasy is almost a swear-word to so many - especially fans of JRPGs!
I'm just wondering, how could this be? FF is the fourth most successful video game franchise of them all, and I know loads of people play it and love it, but how come it is so despised by people calling themselves "hardcore gamers"? All the criticism I've read about the games have been really nitty-gritty, but they're always blown out of proportions, like "They changed the summons, this is the worst FF EVER!!!!111" or "The main character is too damn young and pretty!" (when in fact there are no ugly, old main characters in JRPGs, ever).
Also, nostalgia plays a big part in this debate. Those who got into the series in it's early days swoon over the 2D-sprites, but complain when something in the new 3D-characters is a bit off. "Look at Vaan's abs, they're hideous!" Well, at least he has abs, unlike the tiny sprites.
My opinion in the matter is that when some game is clearly good quality by any standards and made with time and effort, people should be happy about it. But it might just be that when something becomes too popular, some people can't bare to like it anymore. It's like the magic of admiration is gone when too many people admire the same thing. What's your take on this situation?
And a quick second question, seeing that you're obviously a Doctor Who fan. What do you like of the freshly unveiled new Doctor, played by the 26 years old Matt Smith?
Writing from the snow-covered Finland,
-Sami
Sami, you are officially my favorite person in all of Finland (except when David Tennant is visiting Finland, he trumps you). Talking about Final Fantasy is often like putting a sign around your neck that says "I'm less of a gamer than you". Like you, I hold the Final Fantasy series in such esteem that no other series could hope to take its place. I've mentioned before that Final Fantasy IV made me a gamer, and my memories of playing through each game are some of the happiest and most precious in my quarter century of life. So how come people treat the series like it has leprosy?
I think you really hit the right spot when you said it was a case of something being so popular that it suddenly becomes uncool to actually like it. I think we've all had a case where we love an obscure band, or a movie, or Sandra Hess (Sonya Blade in the second Mortal Kombat film), and as soon as our secret love gains more fans, we suddenly feel invaded. The more people who like something, the larger the target on its back. Final Fantasy has been around for 20 years and while there were some stumbles in the series, it has been a staple of gaming.
The turning point most likely came when Final Fantasy VII was released. The marketing campaign was akin to a blockbuster movie and the series that was beloved on 16 bit consoles by a devoted but niche following suddenly became a worldwide sensation. This is often why those who grew up with the series reject the later installments. At the same time, I've run into many gamers who played VII but never beat it because they thought the game was boring, being unfamiliar with RPG's before hand.
My best advice is to love the series, and be proud of your love. If you ever want to get petty, start hating on other series. Just don't attack Tomb Raider, poor Lara has been through quite enough.
As for my opinion of the new Doctor, I'm mixed. I awaited the announcement with baited breath, and had two dream choices of my own (Stephen Fry or Ben Whishaw). Upon hearing it was Matt Smith, I was sort of confused since I knew nothing of him, but my trust in Steven Moffat supersedes any other emotion. I will welcome him into my home, but Tennant will always be my Doctor.
Hey TheDoctor,
I'm a longtime gay gamer (or "Gaymer", as the cool kidz are saying) but my background is in paper-and-dice RPGs of yore. My favorite was the classic Marvel Super Heroes game that TSR put out in 1984 when I was... er...
(Let's just say I was "negative 5" so that I can be 21 again.)
Anywho, I started playing the game online after college, using various websites and chat programs, and eventually tried some "MUDs". I gamed pretty voraciously for several years, even starting a resource site for superhero gaming (Heroplay.com) and a general gay gaming site, Alterworlds.com.
ANYwho, I haven't gamed in a while, but have had my interest piqued by playing "City of Heroes" online and getting involved with gay supergroups on there. I like the action part but I miss the actual "role" playing from my old paper-and-dice days.
Do you know of any resources to recommend for gay RPG gamers to connect and find games to join?
-Zan
I swear I am not hocking our own goods, but I think the best place to start would be on our forums, namely the board on tabletop gaming . If that leaves you feeling left out in the cold, then might I suggest taking matters into your own hand. Start a group devoted to gay role playing gaming. I was always taught that if you want something done, you have to do it yourself, or pay a small work force pennies to have it done for you. Also, don't tell anyone I told you this, but often times your local comic shops or hobby shops will know of games that go on in your area. Sure, they may not be filled with gay gamers, but even straight gamers need dungeon masters.
Have you ran across this article on sony's doomed PSP? What do you think? If sony re-invents the PSP, will it be a DS clone? Now wheres my portable XBOX!
-Scott
If I disagreed any with that article I would loop back around to agreeing with it. There seems to be an animosity towards Sony's hand held, even though as a gaming platform, it actually has a lot of great content. The problem is that the PSP seems to be the home of the side story. With God of War and Final Fantasy having psuedo sequels released last year, gamers looking for a fix from their favorite series are attracted to the mini Playstation. The success of these games could mean that original IP's and indie games, like those found on the DS are left out in the cold. Not to mention piracy is a huge issue thanks to the SD card, a problem the DS-i might be poised to inherit. I don't want to see a new PSP become a DS clone, because diversity breeds creativity. As for a portable Xbox, it will always be alive in your heart.
TheDoctor
Posted to Hot Stuff, Video Games on 13 January 2009
· Comments (13)
Other stuff like this: gaygamer mailbag
I too would like to put an opinion in the Final Fantasy debate. I am a huge JRPG fan, but always had the wrong system for them growing up. I had a Genesis as my first system, which is where I fell in love with JRPGs through Shining Force (I didn't know about Phantasy Star at the time). My parents then got me and my brother an N64, so I completely missed out on JRPGs there. By the time I got hold of an SNES and a Playstation to play catch-up on JRPGs I had already been exposed to Skies of Arcadia, Phantasy Star Online, and Grandia 2 on Dreamcast, Pokemon, Dragon Warrior 1-3, and Golden Sun on Gameboy, and Tales of Symphonia on Gamecube.
There were some Final Fantasy games that I really enjoyed. I would rank IV, VI, and IX among my favorite JRPGs, but I really didn't care for the others in the series.
There may be some truth to saying that Final Fantasy has become so popular that it is "cooler" to be against it. But there is also the perspective of someone who doesn't have a strong nostalgia for the series. Maybe it's my own personal aversion to the emo phenomenon (VII) or my aversion to overly sappy love narratives (VIII and X) or my aversion to losing control of my characters (XII), but for whatever reason Final Fantasy games haven't appealed to my own tastes on a consistent enough basis that I think it should be regarded as anything more special than, say, Shadow Hearts (for the record, I liked all 3 Shadow Hearts, so I liked just as many of those games as I did Final Fantasy).
Am I saying that adamant Final Fantasy fans are wrong? No. I know nostalgia is a strong factor. I will attest until the day I die that Shining Force 2 is the greatest game ever created. What I am saying is that some people like different things, or look for different things in a JRPG. Even though Final Fantasy is very popular, it is still possible for its games to miss out on what some gamers are looking for.
NaviFairy,
In my letter I didn't mean to assume that there are no better games than FF, or that the series is without faults.
It's just that in my opinion those faults pale in comparison to those countless rushed and cheaply done games that the industry spews. I just can't understand how people claim that something that took years and hundreds of people to make is "unplayable" and "horrible".
Taste is of course a thing that can't be debated. I understand if mushy love-stories make you want to puke, but honestly, what JRPG doesn't involve a love story of some sort?
I guess my main point was to ask why many people who are fans of the RPG-genre put FF down so much. I know I can't play FPS-games even if my life was threatened, but I didn't mean that FPS-fans should suddenly turn into Final Fanatics, anyway.
Okay, enough rambling for now! *blush*
To me, FF is way overrated. Sure it was once a great series, but what`sleft of that? It`s getting more and more a plattform for showing some graphic-demos and certain products. The whole thing is a hell of a advertising than a real game.
And what`s up with the evisceration of older titles, specially FFVII? VII AC, VII DOC, etc... GEEZ! Fanservice is one thing, but you should know where to stop. The Freaks will buy it, no question, but is that reason enough tocarry it to extremes?
I also don`t like the fact almost every RPG is being measured on the FF-series. It sure is one of the biggest and longest RPG-series, but it`s getting the same over and over again. We need more freshness, less commercial and less stereotypes Square.
I had enough of emoesk-heros and "oh so stylish" stuff. get back to the fantasy within "Final Fantasy".
I find it interesting that it is becoming a popular thing to list the faults of VII. (FINALLY, I don't feel alone anymore!)
a large part of the problem with Final Fantasy titles as the series ages, is that it has lost the fantasy element. high-tech machinery, machine guns (which are less effective than a sword?) and even spaceships? if we can go out and rent a car for a pittance, why do we need to walk everywhere? (or for that matter, why can it barely stray away from town before running out of gas?)
the characters are all blank slates that you can have become physical powerhouses, and archmages of divine power. the question then becomes, why use magic at all if you can just hold down the Accept button on attack? there used to be this thing called a damage cap, where you could anticipate X amount of damage from your sword wielding characters, and where your mages were a glass cannon capable of outshining the melee. when the only reason you are carting around a specific party is because of their Limit Breaks instead of any unique skills, your protagonists are just a bland cookie cutout.
I am a huge fan of the series, I have every main numbered title released, but have strayed from the VII sidestorys, and even have imports of the International releases for X, X-2, and XII. I weep that the release of XII's will never be seen outside of Japan, as the Zodiac Job Boards for XII:I are fantastic. they rebalance the game, introduce like powered equipment at the same time, etc. if only the text were in english, so that my languishing Japanese reading comprehension wasn't so stressed.
Sami,
Ah, ok, would it be safe to assume that the people who you refer to as saying Final Fantasy is "unplayable" are on internet forums? I would assume that most of those people just don't like JRPGs or turn-based games anyway. I've found in forums many a testosterone-driven shooter fan who feels threatened by the rising popularity of JRPGs. Since Final Fantasy is the most well known JRPG series, it instantly becomes the game to attack as a representative of JRPGs as a whole for people who don't actually know what they are talking about. Try and get them to name other JRPGs that they liked instead of Final Fantasy. If they can't then they're just a troll, and should be drawn and quartered accordingly.
Marvel Super Heroes from TSR is one of my all time favorite RPGs. Go FASERIP!!!
okay, i know it's a 2000000 times dead horse, but i have put in a quick 2 cents about final fantasy. i've played all of them, i grew up on the nes and snes iterations, and i'll be the first to admit i have a small bias for sprites. when video games made the transition into 3-d, it felt like some of the character and charm went out of the games.
i am a ps1 freak. i love suikoden, vandal hearts, breath of fire iii, xenogears, and final fantasy tactics. however, i feel final fantasy made a turn for the lesser with ff7. i have yet to feel a sense of completion as i did with the end of ff6. i still feel to this day that ff6 was the best one. everyone else is entitled to their favorite, god knows there's enough final fantasies out there.
i guess i'm just in the minority that the hyper-realism that we're starting to get in video games is all flash, with waning amounts of substance.
I don't like JRPG games because I like muscular men over 30.
Thanks for using my question! To get the ball rolling, here's an article i read at WoWinsider interviewing a member of "Taint", one of the several GLBT guilds on Proudmoore:
http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/10/21/15-minutes-of-fame-proudmoore-guild-plays-out-glbt-pride/
the comments go on four about 400 (!!) or so, but i was happy to see so many people being supportive of an all GLBT guild.
Having been a huge Final Fantasy fan, I know what it's like to have that feeling that FF is a huge taboo subject in gaming communities.
Moreso there seems to be controversy over mention of FFVII (especially with me, since I'm one of the 2% of people who disliked that game from the get-go), which seems to be the most polarizing games in the series that turned some people on and off of the series as a whole.
Greasy hands do not quick trigger-fingers make. I have lost many a round of "GoldenEye 64" "Smash Bros. Brawl" and "Street Fighter II" bouts due to recently eating foodstuffs. Most distressing.
And am I really the only one who perked up at the idea of the autographed headshot? lol
um, I'm joining this commenting party kinda late, but yay FFIX! I think it's the most underrated Final Fantasy game out there, and of all the RPGs I've played it's the nearest and dearest to my heart.
And thanks Doctor for doing mailbag again!
I think you are thinking like sukrat, but I think you should cover the other side of the topic in the post too...