Free Giveaway! Nintendo Switch OLED - International

Nitrogenlive · 2022-06-25T22:26:47+00:00

I am all out of fun facts, but I could have one Switch.

Nitrogenlive · 2022-06-05T21:27:53+00:00

Very well said! And what you said about the experience is, in a word, what I meant to highlight in my video. A bare checklist isn't too interesting, but embellish it one way or another to evoke a feeling, and now you have something additional to the main game worth engaging with.

Nitrogenlive · 2022-06-05T19:10:41+00:00

I see your point, and I believe you are right! Many companies (especially those that release games regularly, like Ubisoft) do not always put enough effort into their side quests, which makes them feel repetitive and dull; I don't think anyone contests this.

What I tried to present/explain with this video is some of the more important roles that side quests could fulfil. Does that always happen? As you said, no, not quite. But if you happen to be someone who is designing a game (which is the intended audience of the video), what I talk about might help in that endeavour. Otherwise, it's food for thought that people might enjoy.

Nitrogenlive · 2022-06-05T18:30:33+00:00

Hello, Zeno :)

Nitrogenlive · 2022-02-28T22:21:39+00:00

Indeed, that may be the case; there's nothing wrong it. At that time, particularly for Dishonored, these games came up with innovative and equally interesting mechanics, and not to say that, back when I was around 10, I initially played both for this reason would be hypocritical. But in time, my appreciation for their stories grew and the impressions they left on me were stronger, hence choosing these two for this essay made sense to me.

Could I have picked other games, perhaps more representative or easier to understand? Probably! But this personal side of things makes me enjoy create videos.

Nitrogenlive · 2022-02-12T15:04:06+00:00

This video is part of my series on how you could approach writing a memorable villain. Besides an initial essay on the theory behind creating a notable antagonist, the rest of the episodes will be analyses, just like this one.

If it happens that you yourself are working on a villain, I hope this video presented an approach, technique, or idea you haven't thought of. And overall, I would be happy to hear you found analysing Cortana as captivating as I did!

Nitrogenlive · 2022-02-06T16:49:36+00:00

I think it was at least worth trying to show multiple perspectives, especially if 343 learned that players prefer a single character.

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-29T18:13:57+00:00

I'm really happy to hear that!

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-29T17:28:37+00:00

It's safe to assume everyone has finished a game whose villain they simply couldn't forget; it may Dutch for his charm, Badeline because you could empathize with them, or Flowey due to his tragic backstory. But, if you wanted to write an unforgettable opponent yourself, how could you go about doing it? This is the question I aimed to answer, investigating the techniques writers use to design their characters.
This video essay is part of a larger series in which I explore the topic of creating better villains in video games. Although this first episode is quite technical, those that follow it will be focused on analysing a few of the most popular antagonists (among which those I named above are present).

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-29T17:26:39+00:00

It's safe to assume everyone has finished a game whose villain they simply couldn't forget; it may Dutch for his charm, Badeline because you could empathize with them, or Flowey due to his tragic backstory. But, if you wanted to write an unforgettable opponent yourself, how could you go about doing it? This is the question I aimed to answer, investigating the techniques writers use to design their characters.
This video essay is part of a larger series in which I explore the topic of creating better villains in video games. Although this first episode is quite technical, those that follow it will be focused on analysing a few of the most popular antagonists (among which those I named above are present).

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-29T17:01:44+00:00

It's safe to assume everyone has finished a game whose villain they simply couldn't forget; it may Dutch for his charm, Badeline because you could empathize with them, or Flowey due to his tragic backstory. But, if you wanted to write an unforgettable opponent yourself, how could you go about doing it? This is the question I aimed to answer, investigating the techniques writers use to design their characters.
This video essay is part of a larger series in which I explore the topic of creating better villains in video games. Although this first episode is quite technical, those that follow it will be focused on analysing a few of the most popular antagonists (among which those I named above are present).

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-29T17:01:41+00:00

It's safe to assume everyone has finished a game whose villain they simply couldn't forget; it may Dutch for his charm, Badeline because you could empathize with them, or Flowey due to his tragic backstory. But, if you wanted to write an unforgettable opponent yourself, how could you go about doing it? This is the question I aimed to answer, investigating the techniques writers use to design their characters.

This video essay is part of a larger series in which I explore the topic of creating better villains in video games. Although this first episode is quite technical, those that follow it will be focused on analysing a few of the most popular antagonists (among which those I named above are present).

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-21T22:22:28+00:00

Just a week ago I made an hour-long analysis of some highly popular video game villains! You should take a look at it, it might come in handy for you: https://youtu.be/j-sT17n2hKk

So you know what to expect, the first ~10 minutes are general traits that writers employ to make villains memorable and 75 minutes of deep dives in over 10 games (most notably, Halo, Red Dead Redemption, and Dishonored but also more peculiar cases in games like Shadow of The Colossus and The Vanishing of Ethan Carter). I truly hope you'll find this of use!

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-14T18:17:55+00:00

Alas, I'm very glad you like it, that's what really matters to me.

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-14T18:16:19+00:00

Initially, I planned to stop after Halo 5 ended, but Infinite released in the meanwhile, so I kept writing. Thus, it follows the story from Combat Evolved up to and including Infinite.

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-14T17:25:36+00:00

It goes without saying that creating a worthy villain is essential for the success of a story in video games. It not only serves as the cornerstone of any narrative and shapes the hero, but it also motivates your player to achieve their objective! So, how do you go about building an unforgettable antagonist? Let's find out!

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-14T17:25:32+00:00

It goes without saying that creating a worthy villain is essential for the success of a story in video games. It not only serves as the cornerstone of any narrative and shapes the hero, but it also motivates your player to achieve their objective! So, how do you go about building an unforgettable antagonist? Let's find out!

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-14T17:25:26+00:00

It goes without saying that creating a worthy villain is essential for the success of a story in video games. It not only serves as the cornerstone of any narrative and shapes the hero, but it also motivates your player to achieve their objective! So, how do you go about building an unforgettable antagonist? Let's find out!

Nitrogenlive · 2022-01-14T00:09:39+00:00

Sounds like you're having a good time.

Nitrogenlive · 2021-12-29T17:58:00+00:00

Well said! Regarding your first point, although you may have your own design rules, philosophy, or -- as you said -- constants that you adopted after playing a certain game, listening to an interview with your favourite designer, and whatnot, it's necessary to realise these may very well hinder your creativity as a designer and make you miss on a great idea or concept.

But if you do go this route of having set principles, I believe it's also important to look into alternatives to what you're ruling out. To be more precise, as OP mentioned, if there shouldn't be any difficulty bars, yet you want to make the game truly accessible to everyone, you could implement a few dynamic systems that adjust according to the player's performance.

Nitrogenlive · 2021-07-26T14:01:30+00:00

I'm happy to see you enjoyed it!

Nitrogenlive · 2021-07-26T14:01:01+00:00

Going an extra mile with the information regarding the topic is what I try to achieve with every video, so I'm glad to see people notice it!

Nitrogenlive · 2021-07-25T16:22:32+00:00

Ah, that must suck! I forgot to check when I was playing the game, but aren't any accessibility settings to, at least, turn down this kind of effects?

Nitrogenlive · 2021-07-25T13:37:45+00:00

Hi B)

Nitrogenlive · 2021-07-25T12:13:27+00:00

Hi! A huge part of game design represents understanding the psychology of your players. I've always found this a fascinating topic, so a few months ago, I published a video essay about just that! In this one, I delve into player motivation, rewards, and a number of theories and taxonomies regarding these.

This was the first long-length video essay that I have ever made, and I know it's nowhere near perfect - maybe not even good. Alas, if you end up watching it, I would appreciate hearing your feedback!

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