Jeff On Games

I’ve been bad about updating my blog, but now I’ve got lots to say, so I might as well get it all out at once, instead of posting, say, six times over the next week. I’ve devided this up into 3 sections, so feel free to skip over the sections you don’t care about.

First: Blog Responses

Darius has unfortunately had to turn off anonymous posting on his blog, which means that I can not comment there directly. So, you may see blog posts that are just direct comments to something he’s posted. I just don’t want to be bothered with a blogspot account, especially when it looks like he’s going to move the whole system over anyway.

This blog is also a way for me to “privately” respond to things I read on some other blogs, especially GrandTextAuto. I’m sure at some point, certain GTxA readers will find their way here see various responses (nothing is hidden on the internet for long), but for now I’d rather keep my responces to their posts to just those people that purposefully read my blog since I still feel like a mental midget compared to other GTxAuto posters. Maybe that will change eventually.

Second: News

I will be leaving SYTEX, Inc. / Lockheed Martin. My last day is June 15th. I will start my new job as an associate programmer at Bethesda Game Studios June 20th. This means I am no longer an “amateur” developer, which makes me very excited.

I’ve also updated the skin on JeffOnGames (if you didn't notice). I’m hopping this makes it look more like my actual site

GameType things have actually moved a bit. It’s glacial, but it’s a start.

The MDA story article has hit a few snags in the theory. I will still write the article, but I want a bit more time.

Last: Games / e3

I didn’t follow e3 all that much, save some of the more impressive PS3 demos and the vaguely insulting press releases from MS and Sony. I’m still not choosing sides (although I will be going to work for a company that has confirmed an XBox 360 title). I figure MS will “win” by XBox 4. This has been my analysis since it first game out. I just wish it wasn’t so.

There were some pretty nifty games on display, most of which I pulled from Jason’s blog. In general, I’m neither apathetic nor terribly excited about this next round of games. Until I see more, of course.

At some point, I intend to write a response to Andrew’s post about interactive story. I’m not sure I agree with a lot of his assertions about the future of the medium (my general feelings on the topic are available). Though he may be right on from an academic and increased freedom standpoint, on the whole I think that’s not what we generally need to really make an impact, especially from a mass market perspective.

I’ll explain more what I mean, probably with a blog post tomarrow.