The Road of a League of Legends Crowd

Behind the crows at Riot's SoCal Studio

Well, well, it looks like I'm back to discussing League of Legends on PopMatters this week.

This is actually more of an exploratory piece about the feeling of a live competitive eSports event. I have never been to EVO or a Dota 2 live match, but based on video I've seen, I suspect they all sharply contrast with the game-show like atmosphere in Riot's Manhattan Beach studio.

When I try to imagine what eSports might look like in ten years, I don't really know what to compare it to. Will it be the scrappy DIY aesthetic in a massive scale like EVO does in Vegas? Will it mirror the respectful tone of a golf or tennis match? Or will it become a reckless screaming match more akin to wresting? In some ways, each of these are already represented at live League of Legends matches.

My biggest concern by far is whether or not live eSports can become a welcoming and diverse atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. Fighting game tournaments, while often more racially diverse than other gaming cultural events, are notorious for their unwelcoming atmosphere, particularly for women. In the same way you might not bring children to a late night Oakland Raiders game, competitive gaming as a spectator sport may become an exclusive adults-only haven for rowdy sub-culture.

Right now, Riot has put in a lot of effort into making their League of Legends events accessible, but its fate is far some sealed. Likewise, League will not always be the game brings in the crowds. A healthy life eSports scene needs to be welcoming and safe with all venues and, ideally, all games. There are still plenty of growth opportunities for the growing sub-culture.

I'm sure I'll have more thoughts on the subject after checking out the North American Regionals at PAX later this weekend.

EXP Podcast #291: Digital Catharsis

"After I no-scoped that noob I broke down and cried."

Can games inspire catharsis?  If you mean expel bodily fluids, then yes, I suppose it's an inevitability.  For the sake of your couch, I wouldn't recommend it.  Instead, why not look to games for emotional catharsis?  It's a question posed by Critical Distance in this month's Blogs of the Round Table.  We decided to join the conversation and discuss the types of games that let us build up and then vent emotions.  Competitive games, meditative headstands, and the lasting legacy of Greeks (even ones that have twin chain blades) all come up over the course of the chat.  As always, we're looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments.

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes
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- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.
- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Trine 2: Advanced Wizarding

Gather round witches and warlocks. It's time to learn a few spells we picked up from the school of hard knocks.

On the Frontier's Edge with 'Titanfall'

"There!  There is where I accidentally fragged myself."

This week at PopMatters I stand on the precipice in Titanfall.

The second DLC, Frontier’s Edge, recently came out and it’s done a good job of drawing me back in. I’m still having an excellent time with the game, but things are starting to get dicey. I think I may be reaching a crucial juncture: in the face of my opponents ever increasing skill, do I redouble my efforts and blaze my way into new territory or do I settle down to a quiet life and reminisce about the times I was able to score top spots on the leader board? The spirit is willing, but the pesky demands of life makes it hard.

The frontier is a fitting metaphor in a broader sense, as Titanfall is starting to strain against some of the challenges that have grown around it for some time now. What is the place of a traditionally priced FPS in a world dominated by free to play MOBAs and other social games? I don’t envy Respawn’s challenge of having to fight for time with Call of Duty on one side and Dota 2 on the other. There’s also in gaming growing pains highlighted by the game’s updates. I made a quick video outlining how the most dedicated players will also have the most cumbersome UI/UX experiences. The problems are all manageable, but they to make the overall experience clunkier.

 

I bought the season pass, so I’m in it for the long haul. I don’t regret it, both because I very much enjoy the game and because it’s given me a chance to see it evolve over the course of six months. I don’t know if I’ll be able to compete as Titanfall transitions into the next frontier and it’s unclear how it will address some of its growing pains, but it will be entertaining to watch.

EXP Podcast #290: Cinematic Concerns

Did you see that amazing and gorgeous looking trailer from Gamescom!? It was a fully rendered marvel! I can't wait to see how it will look in the much more limited and realistic setting of the actual game, you know, we can finally know what it is, right? This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss cinematics in games, what they can offer games before and after release, and more. Have some thoughts on CG trailers or cut scenes? Let us know in the comments below, especially if you have a favorite! And if you actually do want to see a cool trailer, check out the one for Rime below.

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes
- Find the show on Stitcher
- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.
- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.



Show notes:

- Runtime: 35 mins 05 secs

- Music by Brad Sucks

Titanfall: Touching a New Frontier

The frontier map pack is out for Titanfall, and Scott has a new opportunity to show off his sweet pilot skills. Check out our latest video below.

Understanding "OP" in League of Legends

This week on PopMatters, I discuss all those OP champs we love to hate.

Once again, League of Legends shows up on my radar for one reason or another and I feel compelled to talk about it. In this case, the article that spurned me on was "Don't monetize like League of Legends, consultant says." This piece stirred up a lot of discussion around the net, which shouldn't really be a surprise. A man who makes a living improving a game company's money per player ratio thinks folks should charge more for their content. He is right, League of Legends gets away with a lot because they have such an enormous user base, but he is still preaching the wrong lessons. For a thorough take down of his argument, I leave you with Ben Kuchera who wrote an excellent Polygon retort:

"Counting heads purely as conversions into paid customers is a great way to show how little you understand about creating long-term, sustainable value in your games, a trait that in which Riot, along with Valve, has excelled."

In other news, the League of Legends regionals, the tournaments that lead up to the world championship, have already begun. The issue of balance in games is a particularly interesting one in light such a large eSports spectacle. For your uninitiated viewer, relative champion balance isn't even on their mind. They are not familiar enough with each player's kit to know. Those deeply familiar with the game know the professional teams enough to understand how they play around the shifting sands of game balance. It's the swath in the middle that matter in this regard. If they sense that some characters have an unfair advantage, does it undermine their perceived legitimacy of the tournament?

It's an interesting question because real world athletics have no concept of balance, at least not one integrated into the sport on a day to day basis. In the world of sports, balance is more about fairness, and fairness is only questioned when one side is considered cheating. Recruiting underage women to compete in gymnastics or steroid use, for example, could create an "unbalanced" competitive event, in which case the entire event's credibility is called into question. If we really believe in the concept of balance in videogames, shouldn't eSports fairness be a more important issue?

EXP Podcast #289: Podcast Simulator 2014

If you look closely, you can see the ghost drivers.

Video games are often considered a form of escapism, but what about the games that attempt to painstakingly model the small intricacies of the real world?  Jorge and I aren’t very experienced when it comes to conducting virtual trains, piloting virtual planes, or growing virtual grains, but we are very much fascinated by the strong interest in simulation games.  Inspired by a truly magnificent and terrifying trailer for Farm Simulator 15, we dive deep into the mindset and appeal of games about the real world.

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes
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- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.
- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 37 mins 57 secs

- Farm Simulator 15 Trailer
- The video that inspired our puns at the beginning
- Music by Brad Sucks

Spelunky: Ghost Bustin'

What's scariest: chatty car-driving robots, ghosts, or human-sized mutant Turtles?

On the Road with Nintendo

Image from PopMatters

This week at PopMatters I recount the tale of the wandering Nintendo console.

It all started last weekend when I loaded up my Wii U for a little trip to Jorge’s house. On a semi-related side note: Nintendo has been good about maintaining support for all their Wii-era peripherals. Wii Remotes, Wii Motion Plus dongles, nunchuks, classic controllers, classic controller pros, the balance board and who knows what else I’m forgetting have just accumulated in my house. Packing them all up in a bag created a rat’s nest of plastic shells and tangled wires that only became more knotted after throwing the various power and a/v cords into the mix. It’s been a long time since the days of a power cord and an RF switch.

In any case, it got me thinking about how I had done pretty much the same thing with all previous Nintendo machines. Hardware novelty and software that rewards being in the same room with other players has always inspired a certain amount of mobility. A lot of it seems to revolve around unique control gimmicks or peripherals. Experiencing things like the Zapper or Wii Remote in person tend to awaken an evangelical spirit.

I don’t think this experience is as strong with the Wii U, largely because the Wii U Gamepad isn’t as novel as the Wii Remote was. Lots of people have tablets, and frankly the iPad is a better second screen than the Gamepad for most games. We’ll see what Nintendo does next, but for now I think the current “seeing is believing” technology is VR. It’s a more exclusive club, but the people have have Oculus development kits seem to gladly shuttle them around to work parties and social gatherings in same way professional Wii Bowlers did back in ’06. In many ways it’s the ultimate quasi-console experience: VR headsets aren’t yet meant to be used on the train, but they’re small enough to make the trip to a party and sit on a table for soon-to-be converts to test.

We’ll see if Nintendo ever ventures into this market. Or, more accurately, whether they venture back into this market (R.I.P. Virtual Boy). Whatever happens, I have a feeling it won’t be the last Nintendo console that takes an occasional vacation from it’s home on my TV stand.

EXP Podcast #288: Subscribe Now

Your bank account is slowly tricking away into nothing. Can you even remember all the services you subscribe to, right now, off the top of your head? This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss all the ways we pay for games and services in more than one lump sum. We also touch upon potential value of EA Access coming to Xbox One. As always, we encourage you to subscribe to this very podcast below and let us know your thoughts on subscription models in the comments below.

- Subscribe to the EXP Podcast via iTunes
- Find the show on Stitcher
- Here's the show's stand-alone feed
- Listen to the podcast in your browser by left-clicking here. Or, right-click and select "save as link" to download the show in MP3 format.
- Subscribe to this podcast and EXP's written content with the RSS link on the right.

Show notes:

- Runtime: 35 mins 49 secs
- "PlayStation Now rentals cost $2.99 for four hours' play, but everything could be changing," by Brian Crecente via Polygon
- "EA offers top games and big discounts for $5 a month," by Justin McElroy via Polygon
- Music by Brad Sucks

Unturned: Surviving the Night

So apparently a sixteen year old kid made a game that has taken the Minecraft-loving community by storm. This week, Scott and I play Unturned, and talk about small business ownership along the way.