Just a quick update: We're up to three episodes now in our new BYOT podcast (which is our old Mobcast, rebooted on GamesBeat). Every other week, we have a different theme, and the guests dictate how we discuss it. Please check them out!

BYOT Episode 1: Gaming’s good, bad, and downright crappy of 2012 (so far)
Guests: GamesBeat writers/editors Dean Takahashi, Sebastian Haley, and Jason Wilson

BYOT Episode 2: The comedians of the gaming world
Guests: Cracked.com/EGM's Seanbaby, former comic Sheila Bryson, and Wackygamer.tv's Jeff Reitman

BYOT Episode 3: The 8-bit era of gaming
Guests: Wired.com's Chris Kohler, Gaijin Games' Alex Neuse, and Kabam's Andy Alamano

Thank you for listening (if in fact, that's what you're doing)!

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The most important thing about a video game’s control scheme is not the controls themselves, it’s the player's relationship to them. If people don't understand how to play a title, they will never get far enough to care.

Upon its release, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings’ inconsistent difficulty received criticism, specifically for the fact that the most challenging fight in the entire experience happens to be the first one. Popular Internet comic Penny Arcade highlights this issue well, "You just have to use abilities they won't discuss and techniques they haven't entirely taught you via controls they never quite explain."

The action role-playing game’s controls are not bad. In fact, I would argue that they are quite good, and they can eventually allow combat to be dynamic, challenging, and enjoyable. As a player, however, I didn't know that I could parry, and I didn't know that I could lock on to an enemy. I didn't even know how to block, and I died more times than I'd like to admit while I slowly discovered what I should have known all along. If a player is set loose into a world without guidance, then the player must have some prior understanding of his capabilities.

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When I was a kid, I always loved when some real-world annoyance, like my dog whining to go out before she just gives up and pees on the floor, distracted me from my game long enough to trigger an idle animation. Sure, they don't really contribute to gameplay, but these little moments help sell the 8-bit characters' personalities. Just think of Sonic and his classic foot-tapping.

So, if you're looking for something to do, you could do worse than a montage of classic idle animations. Enjoy!

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It’s somewhat fitting that was I was having trouble writing an introduction for a Bitmob Writing Challenge roundup about crafting five different openings for a piece. The beginning of your article sets the tone for the rest of your work, and you are only hurting yourself if you don't put any effort into it. When I read articles as part of my moderator duties on this site, I examine them from beginning to end regardless of how it starts. Few people will feel obligated to do this.

While I wish the turnout could have been better -- maybe I should have only required three unique intros -- we do have two great writers who participated.  Jonathon Oyama is a former Featured Community Writer, while Leigh Harrison is a newer member who has done a great job creating interesting topics that often make the front page of Bitmob or regular Spotlight features.

Please enjoy reading these articles and the two's commentary on their beginning passages.

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The agony of victory: Drinking heavily and playing games
By Leigh Harrison

As someone who is lives alcohol-free, I do not support excessive drinking, but playing video games is one of the less-terrible things you can do under the influence. Leigh attempts to exert some fun out of Just Cause 2 using beer, and the writer tries several creative ways to introduce the article’s thesis.

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This one-of-a-kind toy was once a Hungry Hungry Hippos game. After 50 hours of work, custom-toy artist Kodykoala transformed that simple child's plaything into the Super Mario Bros.-Hungry Hungry Koopas.

Kodykoala is the artist that created the slightly risqué Dr. Mario and Peach figure where Mario is very clearly checking out the princess as she leans over a baby Toad. Despite the subject matter, Kodykoala's pieces are second to none.

The Hungry Hungry Koopas toy is currently on sale at the El Paso Comic Con (as of September 14). If it doesn't sell during the show, Kodykoala will throw it up on his website's store. His figures cost up to $200, but I have a feeling this game will likely sell for quite a bit more. 

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The Community Spotlight features some of the best unedited articles that didn't quite make the front page. This week, we consider the importance of a game's first impression, consider one gamer's list of the top PS3 games, check out a fan-made model of a 3DS, and more. Join us!

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The importance of first impressions
By Trevor Hinkle

Trevor argues that a game's introduction is the key factor in whether he finishes playing through it or not. What entices you to complete a game? Should a first level be the best part?

The top 25 PlayStation 3 games, part 1
By Jason Rose

Jason's taking a stab at listing the best PS3 games in the system's long lifespan. This entry contains his choices from 10 to 25. Take a look and see if you agree. (Personally, I'd put Infamous higher!)

Sweet satisfaction?
By Trevor Hinkle

Having discussed the beginnings of games above, Trevor now tackles endings. He writes: "There are some games that cannot provide a quality ending, often ruining the experience for the player." Have you ever had an enjoyable experience spoiled by a lousy finish?

Nintendo 3DS XL -- 3D model
By Jan Neves

Our 3D artist-in-residence is back with a pretty great computer model of Nintendo's newest handheld. He's even got all that fine print on the back of the device that nobody reads! Nice work, Jan.

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I love Zelda medleys of all kinds. Heck, I could listen to the themes and melodies of Hyrule if someone played them on a kazoo. Actually, that would be awesome. But you know what's even cooler? Playing an Ocarina of Time tribute on homemade musical pipes.

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Alex Hutchinson, creative director of Assassin's Creed 3, recently went on record as saying, "We're the last of the dinosaurs .... We're still the monster triple-A game with very large teams [and] multiple studios helping out on different bits. There are fewer and fewer of these games being made, especially as the middle has fallen out."

Now, his perspective is obviously biased. I would never call Assassin's Creed 3 the last triple-A title, not even close; however, I look at the world of gaming as a whole and take something into consideration: Can we really keep this up?

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It's that time again! Actually, it's past time. It's almost the middle of the month, and we haven't saluted our best and brightest from August yet! That one's on me, guys. (I blame PAX Prime. And football season.)

Luckily, y'all have been pumping out the good stuff in the meantime. We've got a great Big 10 for you this month, including a Bitmob first: a marriage proposal! Special congrats to the happy couple, and well done to everyone.

Here are the most-read community stories for August 2012:

10. Fan-made media is great, but let's leave it at that by Jordan McCollam

9. The 10 funniest songs from video games by Taylor Stein

8. Music, context, and Mass Effect's Mission Complete screen by Steven Lauterwasser

7. Is the Wii U really a next-gen game console? by Antony Wanjala

6. Does Duke Nukem deserve to exist? by Nathaniel Dziomba

5. A bad Internet connection can make you a great Halo player by Jordan McCollam

4. Smashing your partner's game console is not a solution by Tyffany Davis

3. The Tetris effect: How a game can alter the way you look at life by Ethan Clevenger

2. Gaming and relationships: A pixelated love story by William Harrison

1. 50 games in 2012: #15, Forza Motorsport 4 by Bryden Keks

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Do you want to be on next month's list? Here are some tips:

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Once again, we call up the smartest people we know to phone one in!

It's here! Apple, maker of all things good in the universe, finally announced its announcement that we'll soon be able to preorder the iPhone 5! The company even let us look at it first! So Apple's all-powerful and benevolent (except in China, which doesn't count anyway).

Forget the crushing disappointment of nine months ago when it bait-and-switched us with that iPhone 4S crap. The future is here again! So what do you think of the new candy, panel of experts? Best thing ever or even better than that?

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"Why can't they do these unnecessarily long and self-important announcements at E3 like decent people?"

- Nathan Drake, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

 

 

 

 

 

"Actually, I scratched a few hard corners into the 'S' on my iPhone 4S, so I've had an iPhone 5 for nine months now."

- Samus Aran, Metroid: Other M

 

 

 

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We’ve all seen some of the horrible results that result from high-profile, big-screen video game adaptations.

Many of these movies were either poorly made or have not captured the essence of the games they were based on. Sometimes these films even ignore those titles completely. But, at the same time, many promising game-based films are in development, such as ones based on the Uncharted and Assassin’s Creed franchises.

As long as video games continue to develop and mature as an art form, many of our favorite interactive properties could become great movies ... if they're executed well.

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Six months ago, my Atari 2600 stopped wanting to recognize its controller. Given that the console is older than me, I didn't begrudge it finally dying, but I was a bit sad. It joins the ranks of my bullet-riddled Intellivision and corroded Coleco Gemini. Someday I will go back and fix any loose wires and clean up all those bad connections, but I'm simply too busy to rip apart consoles these days.

On August 30, Activision released an app for its Atari 2600 releases called Activision Anthology. For $6.99, you can unlock 44 old games, including my favorite 2600 title: Keystone Kapers. I was pretty excited since I felt Microsoft's Game Room was largely overpriced for how few games you got. 

Atari has their own retro app out as well (called Atari's Greatest Hits), and over Labor Day actually unlocked the entire thing to play ... if you accessed the app over the holiday weekend. Even if you didn't, downloading it gives you access to another 100 titles across Atari's arcade and 2600 releases that you can buy in bits and pieces whenever you want.

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