Just finished playing Dear Esther

[eliasfrost]

The biggest problem with this "game" is probably that it is advertised as a game (It's clearly not a game). I have only played the HL2 version many moons ago and some valuable brandwidth that got wasted and an hour of wasted time. I'm surprised that they actually made a full-fledged release of this.

Also, one thing that bugs me: If it was an experiment all along, just to the see the reaction and who's gonna buy it and who's not, then why did they create this when they could've advertised the source mod instead? It's the exact same thing, except it ain't pretty.

On the contrary I believe it clearly is a game. You start it up, create a save, load it, and progress through the world and story yourself. And I believe the full game was made because Robert Briscoe decided to do an overhaul of it, it's on the website http://dear-esther.com/?page_id=2

A game requires interactivity, this has none. Thus it's not a game. Writing and reading save files has nothing to do with it being a game, it's optional, and you don't progress through the game world in a meaningful way, it's a waste of time having to press the W button when the game clearly could have put you on rails, which it could have done, it's no difference.

[Damascus Rose]

Yes, and this game has interactivity. Walking is interactivity, therefore it is a game. You are in a virtual world using a mouse and keyboard to traverse through it, making your own choices on what to look at, where to walk, what to zoom in on. It is a game by the definition of the word. Whether the interactivity may be limited or not, it still exists, and you cannot deny that it does. Whether the effect could have been achieved using rails is besides the point.

[eliasfrost]

Whatever, I still say it's not a game. Based on what I just said.

[MaZiCUT]

To be honest i'm with you, i didn't get that much.

But the ending and the music make me drop a tear reminding me of how sad life can be.

[Damascus Rose]

Why do you say it's not a game, then refer to it as 'the game'? :/

[Kman]

Why do you say it's not a game, then refer to it as 'the game'? :/

You mean the one you just lost?

[Nyarlathotep]

Also, one thing that bugs me: If it was an experiment all along, just to the see the reaction and who's gonna buy it and who's not, then why did they create this when they could've advertised the source mod instead? It's the exact same thing, except it ain't pretty.

The game isn't necessarily an experiment in sales. The mod was an academic experiment. And it was extremely well received, past their own expectations. They were approached with the idea of a remake by an outside party, Robert Briscoe, who dedicated a lot of time and effort to the project.

And in the end. It's a game. You're allowed to dislike it, but no reason to justify that by saying it's not a game. There are "games" out there with even less input than this game. It's just a general term for interactive entertainment at this point.

[eliasfrost]

Why do you say it's not a game, then refer to it as 'the game'? :/

It's a matter of speaking, now you are just nitpicking my post.

[Kman]

because let's face it, who can develop a story and pace it correctly in ~20 minutes?).

Well, Justine did it in about 30 minutes.

[Bridge]

because let's face it, who can develop a story and pace it correctly in ~20 minutes?).

Well, Justine did it in about 30 minutes.

Touché. Still, I did not find Dear Esther to be paced correctly at all, considering the story was trying to be deep and elicit real emotion from you.