The Game Industry, or why I'm not a Developer.

Ever since my most tender years, I knew that I loved videogames. I loved them like Kennedy loved Monroe: Passionately, but at the cost of my health. Being epileptic, my parents have always been skeptical, and highly critical of my favorite past time, in fear that it would kill me. But at the rate things are going, the video game industry will kill itself before it has the opportunity to do me any harm.
Gamers today are too afraid of letting go. This is clearly demonstrated when you look at all the big franchise names today: Call of Duty 7; Elder Scrolls 5; Sonic 1000,000 so on and so forth. One might argue that being immersed in a franchised is an enlightening experience, and the emotions one feels when returning to a universe are incomparable to anything today, but I respond to that what can make or break a world is the ending. Fight Club did not need a sequel, and yet the Rocky franchise had 6 I believe. While the first Rocky made the series what it is, the last ones just killed the franchise.
Videogame developers have become nestled in this womb of money that makes them afraid to experience something new. Yet some of my best gaming experiences were stand alone titles, or reboots. While many people pan square enix and criticize them for their constant changing of formula, I commend them, and I applaud them for having the balls to say "at least I tried". Every game they try something new, like a chef who tries new recipes. Or we could always eat ham and cheese.

After a lot of thinking, I came to the conclusion that the real issue with the industry isn't so much the developers. Developers are more like the limbs to the producer's brain. Granted, developer's might have ideas, but in the end, if a producer doesn't want something in a game, it gets cut out. This is why we need to find a way to separate the producer from the creation process as much as possible, if not remove him completely. Granted, not all producers are bad, but they are a liability. Let us look at games like Minecraft, which are essentially referred to as Indie games. Though it is referred to as an indie game, a term I hate due to my associating it with hippies, it quickly soared into video game history. When the publisher of the game is identical to the developer, we then have the opportunity to really delve into the creative realms created by brilliant minds. When the the publisher is a businessman who looks more at the safety of his company, we get Final Fantasy XIII, which I don't believe was bad, but wasn't what it should be.

Being a graphics whore, and personally loving AAA titles, you might call me hypocritical. You can say: Corn, you ass, you talk all this shit yet you never played Braid or those PSN games that look like they were made in the 90s. My answer to that is sorry. But I propose that video game teams unite, and try to go independent. Find talent where you can. Picasso became famous because he broke the mold. Become your own publishers, and stop being afraid of going independent. Granted your ass is on the line, but when you have true freedom, then you can make true masterpieces. Start small, but use everything to your advantage. Make large teams of independents that can rival the big bad ones. And always help a fellow developer in need. Who knows they might help you out one day. Lastly, I would like to applaud Sony for funding the game journey. I am a frowny person. I frown a lot while watching TV, playing games, and everything else. But when I played Journey, after my 2 hours of playing I actually left with a big smile on my face, and woke my father up to play the game to. Help us help you make something great.

On a side note, I would like to bring up the topic of games and their reception. Games get criticized for today's problems. Yet when I read discussions about Videogames as Art for example, I am shocked and amazed at how bad we are at defending our own case. Granted we are a group predominantly composed of teenage to young adult men (though that is changing), we need to defend our case better. You cannot call Roger Ebert a FAG or anything that hateful and not expect repercussions. In our case it would be like composing new music and calling Mozart a homosexual for not understanding. Rather than taking offense, have some class and tact and discuss! Because when you insult him behind the safety of your Keyboard, all you do is badly represent us, and make it harder for US, meaning you included, to be respected. Why can BDSM be accepted, yet sex in Mass Effect be a scandal. I was once told that silence was golden, and I never truly understood what that meant until I ridiculed myself by opening my mouth. There is no shame in not knowing, but plenty to be had when you talk out of your ass.

This is my very first post!! Wish me luck, and tell me what you think! Be critical! Discuss with me! More to come hopefully. P.S If any developers are reading, which I slightly doubt, I have a few ideas you might want. They'll cost you, but pretty worth it IMO. But who hasn't said that one before right? Anyways hope you enjoyed and tell me what you think!