David Jaffe didn't have to make a game to "make you cry," he just had to cancel it. After boisterous claims that he was working on a game that would bring tears to our eyes, Jaffe blogs -- yep, back from his hiatus -- that this mysterious Project HL is now "on the shelf." For you optimists, the foul-mouthed designer adds, "fuck it. We'll do HL later ... maybe."As it turns out, Jaffe has focused his spastic energy on an unannounced PlayStation 3 project, which apparently shares characteristics with Twisted Metal and Bomberman and, well, Jaffe's not ready to say much else ... Interestingly, the game has only been in development for 6–7 months, but being on the verge of goin' Alpha, Jaffe expects the final version to hit retail between November and January. A surprise launch title? Perhaps.
In typical Jaffe fashion, the post explodes, in ALL CAPS, into an excited ramble, envisioning the future of games as "SHORTER, LESS EXPENSIVE" projects, akin to the churn'em-out-style of old Warner Bros. cartoons. "...just knocking them out," blogs Jaffe, "and some are -- worst case -- just average, while some are amazing ... but it adds up to a hell of a batting average over time and lots of fun games." You have our attention. Now please deliver.
[Via PSP Fanboy]
(Page 1) Reader Comments
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I wonder if this is the secret 5 word game Sony has been hiding?
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He sounds less like a video game developer and more like a guy desperately trying to prove to the world that he's cool and not some nerd.
Desperate, not natural. Like he's uncomfortable with who he is. But he's got no reason to be, his resume is fairly impressive.
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Hmm... sounds like a certain other company's system philosiphy.
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seriously, though, I'm not surprised Jaffe's PSP title got shelved. the way he talked about it, the game was going to be this industry's Citizen Kane. and I, for one, believe that because of the interactive nature of playing games, we're never going to see games develop a really compelling narrative structure in the way great movies and books have them. things that are just piles upon piles of cutscenes can try (here's looking at you, Final Fantasy VII) and great games can even pack a good surprise punch at certain moments (take a bow, KOTOR #1) but they're really a pale imitation of being engaged by a great piece of art.
plus, Jaffe just talks too much shit for my tastes.
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That's not turning the movie medium "on its head", that's just doing a completely different thing. Movies didn't turn the book medium "on its head" by actually showing visuals that could previously only be imagined; books continued doing what they always did and are still going strong.
Games are a different medium and they do a different thing than movies. That's the point. They shouldn't try to be movies; they should try to be games. Games are good at immersing you in an experience; they are not especially good at telling coherent narratives. (Though honestly, I'm gonna say that Square actually does as good a job as probably can be done trying to make games "cinematic".)
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although i dont think movies and games are two completely independent media. i agree right now that games try to be movies and this does not work very well. ico and the likes are somehow different and work well. i havent been able to put my finger on exactly why they work...is it because they tell a minimal story? but how is it minimal? it is not clear to me...
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I think the writer is thinking of old Hanna-Barbera cartoons- Warner never really totally threw in the towel on production values like HB did. Totally beside the actual point of the article, but Bugs and Daffy deserve respect that Quick Draw McGraw and Josie and the Pussycat will never earn. Yes, I'm slightly retarded.
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Besides, doesn't him working for Sony make him automatically "a devil"? LOL
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after watching him next to and serious out classed by cliffyB and will wright on that mtv roundtable I seriously wonder what hes good for aside from god of war.
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