Comments on: The Definition of Lasting Appeal http://www.edery.org/2008/08/the-definition-of-lasting-appeal/ For those interested in the business of making good video games. Entrepreneurial spirit a must. Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:42:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Darius K. http://www.edery.org/2008/08/the-definition-of-lasting-appeal/comment-page-1/#comment-205117 Darius K. Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:16:12 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/08/the-definition-of-lasting-appeal/#comment-205117 I'm one of a few people who can say this: Braid has had lasting appeal for me. I tested a nearly gameplay-complete build about a year ago, which had almost all the puzzles in the final version of the game, including the ending. Playing it again this week, it is still an excellent, amazing game. And to bring up pricing again: $20 gets me a DVD of a movie with maybe 2 hours of total content that I'll watch a few times in five years if I really like it. $15 gets me Braid, which is about 4-6 hours of gameplay that I will *definitely* be playing once a year for a long time to come. I’m one of a few people who can say this: Braid has had lasting appeal for me.

I tested a nearly gameplay-complete build about a year ago, which had almost all the puzzles in the final version of the game, including the ending. Playing it again this week, it is still an excellent, amazing game.

And to bring up pricing again: $20 gets me a DVD of a movie with maybe 2 hours of total content that I’ll watch a few times in five years if I really like it. $15 gets me Braid, which is about 4-6 hours of gameplay that I will *definitely* be playing once a year for a long time to come.

]]> By: Nick Ferguson http://www.edery.org/2008/08/the-definition-of-lasting-appeal/comment-page-1/#comment-205055 Nick Ferguson Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:42:08 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/08/the-definition-of-lasting-appeal/#comment-205055 I always found the notion of "Lasting Appeal" to be a little dubious in game reviews. At best it's naive, at worst it's just pompous. The absolute worst time to make a pronouncement about the "Lasting Appeal" of a movie is the moment you leave the theatre. Why should games be any different? Yet this is exactly what reviewers do. Not to pick on IGN, but they gave the original Geometry Wars a "Lasting Appeal" score of 7.5 whilst Perfect Dark Zero got 9.0 in the same category. Both games were 360 launch titles, but guess which one I was still playing regularly until a few weeks ago - nearly 3 years since release? I always found the notion of “Lasting Appeal” to be a little dubious in game reviews. At best it’s naive, at worst it’s just pompous.

The absolute worst time to make a pronouncement about the “Lasting Appeal” of a movie is the moment you leave the theatre. Why should games be any different? Yet this is exactly what reviewers do.

Not to pick on IGN, but they gave the original Geometry Wars a “Lasting Appeal” score of 7.5 whilst Perfect Dark Zero got 9.0 in the same category.

Both games were 360 launch titles, but guess which one I was still playing regularly until a few weeks ago – nearly 3 years since release?

]]> By: David J Edery http://www.edery.org/2008/08/the-definition-of-lasting-appeal/comment-page-1/#comment-204990 David J Edery Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:38:37 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/08/the-definition-of-lasting-appeal/#comment-204990 Shep -- yup, you're right, but I have to assume that as one of just five primary criteria, "lasting appeal" had *some* negative impact on score, even if not 1/5-worth of impact. RE: the strength of the scores -- it's entirely possible (and in fact, likely given the way we humans work) that the strength of the early praise for Braid has influenced subsequent reviewers. But you could say that for almost any hit, well-reviewed game. :-) Jack -- the problem with "completion" as criteria is that many games are designed never to be won. Shep — yup, you’re right, but I have to assume that as one of just five primary criteria, “lasting appeal” had *some* negative impact on score, even if not 1/5-worth of impact. RE: the strength of the scores — it’s entirely possible (and in fact, likely given the way we humans work) that the strength of the early praise for Braid has influenced subsequent reviewers. But you could say that for almost any hit, well-reviewed game. :-)

Jack — the problem with “completion” as criteria is that many games are designed never to be won.

]]> By: jack duchnee http://www.edery.org/2008/08/the-definition-of-lasting-appeal/comment-page-1/#comment-204988 jack duchnee Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:34:51 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/08/the-definition-of-lasting-appeal/#comment-204988 My problem with Braid was that after a few hours of playing and then stopping, I didn't want to go an play it again. Obviously that is a personal opinion, but maybe that is part of the lack of 'lasting appeal'. I agree that not every game needs to have lasting appeal at all, but you should at least want to play the game to the end (or close to it) and I just didn't have that with Braid for some reason. After a few hours of the time-concept, I just got tired of it. So perhaps more important then lasting appeal to replay the game after you've finished it, is the desire to finish the game at least once. For example Portal is a game that I just HAD TO finish, but I would not play it again anytime soon. My problem with Braid was that after a few hours of playing and then stopping, I didn’t want to go an play it again.
Obviously that is a personal opinion, but maybe that is part of the lack of ‘lasting appeal’.

I agree that not every game needs to have lasting appeal at all, but you should at least want to play the game to the end (or close to it) and I just didn’t have that with Braid for some reason.
After a few hours of the time-concept, I just got tired of it.

So perhaps more important then lasting appeal to replay the game after you’ve finished it, is the desire to finish the game at least once.

For example Portal is a game that I just HAD TO finish, but I would not play it again anytime soon.

]]> By: Shep http://www.edery.org/2008/08/the-definition-of-lasting-appeal/comment-page-1/#comment-204955 Shep Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:49:19 +0000 http://www.edery.org/2008/08/the-definition-of-lasting-appeal/#comment-204955 The IGN site stresses that the "Overall" rating is _not_ an average, so it's hard to tell if the reviewers appraisal of "lasting appeal" really pulled the overall score down or not. Maybe the reviewer just thought the game was worth 8.8 irrespective of longevity. (Personally, I'm slightly bemused by just how many review sites are giving braid 100% "perfect" scores. I mean, it's a *wonderful* game, brilliantly executed - I'd certainly score it well into the 90%s - but I can't help thinking there's some kind of emperor's-new-clothes review hysteria taking hold in certain quarters...) The IGN site stresses that the “Overall” rating is _not_ an average, so it’s hard to tell if the reviewers appraisal of “lasting appeal” really pulled the overall score down or not. Maybe the reviewer just thought the game was worth 8.8 irrespective of longevity.

(Personally, I’m slightly bemused by just how many review sites are giving braid 100% “perfect” scores. I mean, it’s a *wonderful* game, brilliantly executed – I’d certainly score it well into the 90%s – but I can’t help thinking there’s some kind of emperor’s-new-clothes review hysteria taking hold in certain quarters…)

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