Avatar

Mirror's Edge Catalyst ): (Gaming)

by cheapLEY @, Friday, April 15, 2016, 01:53 (2946 days ago)
edited by cheapLEY, Friday, April 15, 2016, 02:01

Giant Bomb (among other places) posted about thirty minutes of gameplay from the new Mirror's Edge.

It looks gorgeous, but . . .

Man, it actually sortof dampened my excitement for the game. Like everything else these days, it looks like it's turned into an open-world, upgrade your skills, collect-a-thon. Towards the beginning of the video, Brad says he "unlocked" the ability to roll when landing from big jump. That's stupid.

I'm not sure this is anything I wanted out of a Mirror's Edge game.

We'll see, I guess.

Edit: I forgot to link the darn video. I'm stupid. Giant Bomb's Mirror's Edge Catalyst video.

Avatar

YT Link

by Cody Miller @, Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Friday, April 15, 2016, 02:18 (2946 days ago) @ cheapLEY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTqjF6LB1Oo

The video doesn't work on Giant bomb's website if you have an ad blocker for some reason.

Avatar

YT Link

by Korny @, Dalton, Ga. US. Earth, Sol System, Friday, April 15, 2016, 15:47 (2945 days ago) @ Cody Miller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTqjF6LB1Oo

The video doesn't work on Giant bomb's website if you have an ad blocker for some reason.

Because they want that sweet ad revenue for showing off other peoples' content.
Keeping folks from seeing that content is not a priority unless they shell out those ad-views.

Avatar

YT Link

by cheapLEY @, Friday, April 15, 2016, 15:56 (2945 days ago) @ Korny

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTqjF6LB1Oo

The video doesn't work on Giant bomb's website if you have an ad blocker for some reason.


Because they want that sweet ad revenue for showing off other peoples' content.
Keeping folks from seeing that content is not a priority unless they shell out those ad-views.

FWIW it plays just fine for me, and I use an adblocker. Not sure what the issue is.

Avatar

Ditto.

by CyberKN ⌂ @, Oh no, Destiny 2 is bad, Friday, April 15, 2016, 16:46 (2945 days ago) @ cheapLEY

- No text -

Avatar

Mirror's Edge Catalyst :D

by ZackDark @, Not behind you. NO! Don't look., Friday, April 15, 2016, 02:21 (2946 days ago) @ cheapLEY

While unlocking the roll does sound stupid, that video did nothing but hype me up even more.

But, boy, are these two awkward. Is it always like that on Giant Bomb?

Avatar

Mirror's Edge Catalyst :D

by cheapLEY @, Friday, April 15, 2016, 02:30 (2946 days ago) @ ZackDark

That is actually not a very good representation of GB. They have like eight different people, so it boils down to which personalities you enjoy. I personally like Drew, but he is kinda awkward. I'm not a huge fan of Brad, but I don't dislike any of them. Brad and Drew don't really play off of each other that well.

I actually really recommend watching some of their other videos. They do all sorts of dumb shit that's pretty great. Mario Party Party, a video series in which they play through every Mario Party for 50 turns is a particular favorite of mine. I actually got into GB through listening to their podcasts, which is probably still my favorite thing they do. It's just a good, long podcast that hits the biggest gaming news from the week, covers games they're playing, with lots of random bullshitting in between.

Avatar

Mirror's Edge Catalyst ):

by Cody Miller @, Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Friday, April 15, 2016, 02:24 (2946 days ago) @ cheapLEY

Man, it actually sortof dampened my excitement for the game. Like everything else these days, it looks like it's turned into an open-world, upgrade your skills, collect-a-thon. Towards the beginning of the video, Brad says he "unlocked" the ability to roll when landing from big jump. That's stupid.

It's not necessarily stupid to unlock abilities. Of the three things you mentioned, only two of them are troubling (Open world and collect-a-thon). I look forward to trying it myself when the Beta hits.

Avatar

How do you get into the beta?

by Funkmon @, Friday, April 15, 2016, 15:34 (2945 days ago) @ Cody Miller

- No text -

Avatar

There was a sign-up period

by ZackDark @, Not behind you. NO! Don't look., Friday, April 15, 2016, 16:01 (2945 days ago) @ Funkmon

I posted about it, a little more than a month ago. I believe it is closed now.

Avatar

I'm apparently getting emails from them

by Funkmon @, Friday, April 15, 2016, 16:13 (2945 days ago) @ ZackDark

I'm a "frontrunner," and got an email for the first time around March 3. But I haven't gotten any beta info. How do you know if you're in the beta?

Avatar

They haven't sent invites yet

by Xenos @, Shores of Time, Friday, April 15, 2016, 17:07 (2945 days ago) @ Funkmon

They said invites would go out on the morning of the beta starting (April 22)

Avatar

Aaaaand I'm done with this "review"

by ZackDark @, Not behind you. NO! Don't look., Friday, April 15, 2016, 02:36 (2946 days ago) @ cheapLEY

"So you think that was a wall-run? Yeah, no, you could just as easily [climb the rail standing still]"

But... but... that's not how you... how you play Mirror's Edge... You're... You're missing the point entirely.

Not to mention the entire "well, I don't get this mechanic" "I don't even know how which buttons to press" "I fall a lot". Why didn't they switch roles? Dude playing sounds like he could make interesting questions and dude asking questions sounds like would be actually able to answer them.

/rant

Avatar

Aaaaand I'm done with this "review"

by cheapLEY @, Friday, April 15, 2016, 02:41 (2946 days ago) @ ZackDark
edited by cheapLEY, Friday, April 15, 2016, 02:44

"So you think that was a wall-run? Yeah, no, you could just as easily [climb the rail standing still]"

But... but... that's not how you... how you play Mirror's Edge... You're... You're missing the point entirely.

Not to mention the entire "well, I don't get this mechanic" "I don't even know how which buttons to press" "I fall a lot". Why didn't they switch roles? Dude playing sounds like he could make interesting questions and dude asking questions sounds like would be actually able to answer them.

/rant

Yeah, that's why I'm not a fan of Brad. If he's not that interested in something, he doesn't even really pretend to care, and he's not quick to admit he doesn't actually know anything. He said at the beginning he's never played the first Mirror's Edge, so it's understandable he didn't grasp everything in one play session. Seems like maybe they could have better picked who to play the game, though.

Watch the Ratchet and Clank Quick Look video for what a good GB video is like. Jeff and Dan work well together, and both of them are much more natural and fun to listen to.

Avatar

Aaaaand I'm done with this "review"

by Kermit @, Raleigh, NC, Friday, April 15, 2016, 12:18 (2945 days ago) @ cheapLEY

I hear people rave about Giant Bomb, and I'm not that familiar with them, but I've not been that impressed. I think Jeff Gerstmann is okay.

These guys, though, sheesh! I had a visceral dislike of the guy who got to play the game within about 10 seconds. The other guy was only slightly better. Why was someone who had never played Mirror's Edge assigned to get the preview?

What lackadaisical, slack-ass commentary. What would any Mirror's Edge fan get out of it? Nothing, except what sounded like misinformation based on what I know about the game.

Avatar

You're coming to it from the wrong way.

by Funkmon @, Friday, April 15, 2016, 15:31 (2945 days ago) @ Kermit

This is personality driven media.

Let's Players and the like are always adamant about that fact when fighting their videos being taken down, where people filing claims against them are adamant that the Let's Players are just playing someone's game and are effectively providing the game to others for free and making money off of it.

Giant Bomb is a great example of the fact that, I think, in most cases, people will just watch anything with the dudes they like, and the game is mostly irrelevant.

They're ostensibly a video game news and review and video site, but have just become about the people doing it and how much personality they can force into their articles or videos. It's extremely editorialized, and due to their ability to deliver humor, they can rely solely on that without preparation or effort much of the time, at the expense of alienating a viewer not in the know, or one who's seen the wrong video.

So, it's not about Mirror's Edge. It's about the guys playing it. Mirror's Edge is just a convenient excuse to make a video.

I, like you, would rather know about Mirror's Edge. Is there a better overview somewhere?

Avatar

You're coming to it from the wrong way.

by cheapLEY @, Friday, April 15, 2016, 15:52 (2945 days ago) @ Funkmon

Giant Bomb is a great example of the fact that, I think, in most cases, people will just watch anything with the dudes they like, and the game is mostly irrelevant.

That's actually exactly why I consume Giant Bomb content. I like the dudes, for the most part. My two favorite video series are only marginally about games (Mario Party Party and Unprofessional Fridays, in which they play random games for a few hours and tell dumb stories).

They're ostensibly a video game news and review and video site, but have just become about the people doing it and how much personality they can force into their articles or videos. It's extremely editorialized, and due to their ability to deliver humor, they can rely solely on that without preparation or effort much of the time, at the expense of alienating a viewer not in the know, or one who's seen the wrong video.

I don't know. I'd argue that most of their Quick Look videos are actually pretty good, and usually done by the person that seems to be most into and excited about the game they're playing. This Mirror's Edge video is actually a pretty terrible representation of what they normally put out, in my opinion. They just got the wrong dude to play it.

So, it's not about Mirror's Edge. It's about the guys playing it. Mirror's Edge is just a convenient excuse to make a video.

I, like you, would rather know about Mirror's Edge. Is there a better overview somewhere?

I'm sure there is. The Giant Bomb video was just the one I was watching, so it's the one I linked. Giant Bomb is definitely more about entertainment than information, and that's a large part of the reason I like them. I can get boring ass breakdowns of a game anywhere, but they're just that--boring. (Not that this Mirror's Edge video was entertaining, but as I've said, it's a bad representation of GB, I think).

Eh, different strokes for different folks and all that. I used to be the guy that would have been utterly confused as to why anyone would watch anything like what Giant Bomb puts out, but I've grown to really enjoy it over the last year or so.

Avatar

I had this experience once.

by Funkmon @, Friday, April 15, 2016, 16:19 (2945 days ago) @ cheapLEY

Totally understandable. Like I said, I'm sure this is just the wrong video for most of the public.

I remember someone talking to me about one of the Achievement Hunter Let's Plays in Minecraft where one of the guys was absolutely berating a girl for screwing up a build. Like stuff that would make you punch him if you saw it in a street. He didn't have the context and knowledge of the group to know that the girl was the guy's wife, and he hadn't seen videos enough to see that the guy is playing an angry character and spends most of the time he's yelling and swearing with a smile on his face. What he saw was bullying, but what regular viewers saw was Michael doing what only he can do, getting absurdly fake angry over nothing, at someone he loves dearly, and he didn't mean it. It's not a great introduction, and I remember thinking it was harsh, but I didn't think too much about it because I had been following those specific morons for three years, one of them for ten.

Now, some guy has a horrible first impression of the Achieve Men. Sad times. Unrelated: I wish they put out fewer videos so I could watch more of them, because I feel overwhelmed. The fact is, I never watch Rooster Teeth videos any more. I just wait until they come out on DVD and buy the DVD.

Cheap guy tip: for RWBY, X-Ray and Vav, animated stuff like that, don't buy the Blu-Ray. The DVD comes with the four commentary tracks or whatever still, and the extra definition on cartoons isn't worth it. You can get the RWBY DVD for $10, or the Blu-Ray for $18.

Avatar

I had this experience once.

by Kermit @, Raleigh, NC, Friday, April 15, 2016, 16:41 (2945 days ago) @ Funkmon

Totally understandable. Like I said, I'm sure this is just the wrong video for most of the public.

I'd think it would be in their interest to make it for Mirror's Edge fans. I might think differently if it were funny and not a bored guy half-heartedly trying to be funny.

Avatar

+1

by ZackDark @, Not behind you. NO! Don't look., Friday, April 15, 2016, 18:27 (2945 days ago) @ Kermit

- No text -

Avatar

About that episode.

by narcogen ⌂ @, Andover, Massachusetts, Friday, April 15, 2016, 23:41 (2945 days ago) @ Funkmon

Totally understandable. Like I said, I'm sure this is just the wrong video for most of the public.

I remember someone talking to me about one of the Achievement Hunter Let's Plays in Minecraft where one of the guys was absolutely berating a girl for screwing up a build. Like stuff that would make you punch him if you saw it in a street. He didn't have the context and knowledge of the group to know that the girl was the guy's wife, and he hadn't seen videos enough to see that the guy is playing an angry character and spends most of the time he's yelling and swearing with a smile on his face.

That was me, and I have seen most of their vids and I know that's what Mike is usually like. In fact I think Rage Quit was one of my favorites of the things he did.

My problem with that episode was that if you had no background going in, you'd be rightfully horrified by what appeared to be some pretty unjustified verbal abuse that wasn't really appropriate for public consumption.

If you did assume that it was an act, the horrifying part was the idea that they thought their audience would be entertained by this.

And then I was horrified by the fact that they were right. And that's when I unsubscribed. Not out of protest or anything like that, which would be pretty pointless-- but because that episode was unfun, unfunny, and unpleasant to watch, and I didn't want more of that.

What he saw was bullying, but what regular viewers saw was Michael doing what only he can do, getting absurdly fake angry over > nothing, at someone he loves dearly, and he didn't mean it. It's not a great introduction, and I remember thinking it was harsh, but I didn't > think too much about it because I had been following those specific morons for three years, one of them for ten.

Still not funny. Let's take what was (at that time) one of very few women on the channel-- who at that time was more involved in the Minecraft series as a behind-the-scenes builder and not a player-- in other words, a part of the team, but not one of the personalities who gets showcased on the channel. That has since changed, which is good, but at the time this event occurred, that change was not yet complete.

So let's either have that person either screw up deliberately, or else just take advantage of the mistake for Mike to go on one of his angry rants. It sounded like we were witnessing a boss dress down an employee right out in public, and it was embarrassing. If you're an insider you know that's his wife, which actually makes the whole thing worse, not better.

It's super weird at best for you to suggest that because the two people are married, or pretending to fight-- or both-- that that makes it OK. If these guys did obviously scripted role playing it would be one thing, but they really don't. Mike does get controller-throwing apoplectically angry during play and on camera. I don't think it's an act, I think it's a natural tendency they're exploiting and perhaps exaggerating. I don't think he method acts his anger, wondering what his motivation for getting angry is in the next scene, because when people screw up or his avatar dies he just gets angry. And sometimes it's funny. And sometimes it isn't.

If these were two fictional characters pretending to be married and pretending to fight, it might have been dramatic or interesting or perhaps even funny in the right context. It's not that, though. It was a guy treating his wife like an employee in public. I really hope the whole thing was scripted fiction, but having watched an awful lot of their Minecraft content.... carefully scripted it is not. There are channels that are. That is not one of them. They do lots of build prep (well, other people do) and stage a lot of things, but they are not playing roles in that series, they're just playing themselves. And that was what felt uncomfortable about that episode.

Avatar

About that episode.

by Funkmon @, Saturday, April 16, 2016, 01:54 (2945 days ago) @ narcogen

I think you think his act is more real than it is. I have personally seen him turn it on and off like a switch for kids asking for his autograph who also want to be cursed at for some reason. He can get red in the face spitting mad, then go to a smile for a photo like immediately.

In Let's Plays he is trying to find situations to get fake mad. Sometimes it works well and other times it doesn't, I agree. This type of thing, forcing the situations to play to their character, made me bored with them. For other viewers, typically kids, they find the anger or emotion interesting and live vicariously through it. While they're not scripted, they know what gets views, and push it in. They'll make missteps. They have plenty of times, and I think it was just one of those mistakes.

Avatar

Sounds hilarious, link me.

by ProbablyLast, Saturday, April 16, 2016, 02:14 (2945 days ago) @ Funkmon

- No text -

Avatar

You're coming to it from the wrong way.

by stabbim @, Des Moines, IA, USA, Saturday, April 16, 2016, 02:44 (2945 days ago) @ Funkmon

So what you're saying is they're the Top Gear of games?

Avatar

How dare you?

by ZackDark @, Not behind you. NO! Don't look., Saturday, April 16, 2016, 12:34 (2944 days ago) @ stabbim

I totally watched the Reliant Robin review for the thorough and impartial review of the car.

Avatar

How dare you?

by cheapLEY @, Saturday, April 16, 2016, 12:43 (2944 days ago) @ ZackDark

That's also why I watched the Hamster drive a classic Mustang through Argentina . . .

I miss Top Gear. ):

Avatar

"Good news!"

by stabbim @, Des Moines, IA, USA, Saturday, April 16, 2016, 16:33 (2944 days ago) @ cheapLEY

Avatar

"Good news!"

by cheapLEY @, Saturday, April 16, 2016, 20:29 (2944 days ago) @ stabbim

Yeah, I saw that. Just not sure if I want to get Amazon Video just for that. I already have Netflix, Hulu, and HBO, and I already barely use those.

Avatar

Aaaaand I'm done with this "review"

by Vortech @, A Fourth Wheel, Monday, April 18, 2016, 16:13 (2942 days ago) @ ZackDark

I agree with the reviewer missed the point of the game, but I sort of feel like the game did also. The first mirrors edge was basically a game where it taught you how to do things within its world and then the endgame was doing speed runs. I thought of it a lot like learning to play an instrument. If you have the patience and the dedication– And I did not –then you can do some virtuoso level stuff and feel really proud of it. For the plebeians like me sometimes you will get a brief glimpse of greatness through trying and good luck.

The open world game design works against this feeling, in my opinion. I know that I am a vocal opponent of open world gaming and this shows exactly the sort of problems that I have with it. He discovered a run and he got to the end and then if you wanted to try to better his time he had to traverse back to the starting line. What person who is working on improving that particular run wants to do that? Even if they paste in a "try again" button — destroying the verisimilitude that open world gamine are supposed to offer — who wants to schlep to the other starting line you are working on when you could just click a menu button?* I'm getting negative flashbacks from what happened to the burnout franchise.

* I assume the answer to my rhetorical questions is "people who like open world games, idiot."

Avatar

Aaaaand I'm done with this "review"

by Kermit @, Raleigh, NC, Monday, April 18, 2016, 16:33 (2942 days ago) @ Vortech

I agree with the reviewer missed the point of the game, but I sort of feel like the game did also. The first mirrors edge was basically a game where it taught you how to do things within its world and then the endgame was doing speed runs. I thought of it a lot like learning to play an instrument. If you have the patience and the dedication– And I did not –then you can do some virtuoso level stuff and feel really proud of it. For the plebeians like me sometimes you will get a brief glimpse of greatness through trying and good luck.

The open world game design works against this feeling, in my opinion. I know that I am a vocal opponent of open world gaming and this shows exactly the sort of problems that I have with it. He discovered a run and he got to the end and then if you wanted to try to better his time he had to traverse back to the starting line. What person who is working on improving that particular run wants to do that? Even if they paste in a "try again" button — destroying the verisimilitude that open world gamine are supposed to offer — who wants to schlep to the other starting line you are working on when you could just click a menu button?* I'm getting negative flashbacks from what happened to the burnout franchise.

* I assume the answer to my rhetorical questions is "people who like open world games, idiot."

I'm not convinced he knew what he was saying when he called it an open world game. I distrust much of what is said in this video.

Avatar

Aaaaand I'm done with this "review"

by cheapLEY @, Monday, April 18, 2016, 17:22 (2942 days ago) @ Vortech

I'm getting negative flashbacks from what happened to the burnout franchise.

Wait, wait. I thought I was the only one that thought Paradise was awful and that open-world was the worst thing to ever happen to Burnout.

Avatar

Just as a comparison:

by cheapLEY @, Friday, April 15, 2016, 23:50 (2945 days ago) @ cheapLEY

I know folks probably don't actually care, but here's a video that is a better representation of GB's quality (I think). Brad (the guy that played in the Mirror's Edge video) also plays in this video, but he actually knows and cares about the game, and the energy level is much better.

It's also a good quick impression of Dark Souls III, if anyone was on the fence for some reason. I figure at this point most people probably already know whether or not a new Dark Souls game is something they want to play or not.

Avatar

Beta set for 22nd or 23rd

by Cody Miller @, Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Monday, April 18, 2016, 16:42 (2942 days ago) @ cheapLEY

Codes will be sent out the 22nd or 23rd.

I'm excited!

Avatar

o rly?

by CyberKN ⌂ @, Oh no, Destiny 2 is bad, Monday, April 18, 2016, 18:13 (2942 days ago) @ Cody Miller

[image]

Avatar

o rly?

by Cody Miller @, Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Monday, April 18, 2016, 18:29 (2942 days ago) @ CyberKN

Not all of us are in the industry. Hey can you get me an early code too? I see invite a friend there :-)

Avatar

How can I reach you?

by CyberKN ⌂ @, Oh no, Destiny 2 is bad, Monday, April 18, 2016, 18:31 (2942 days ago) @ Cody Miller

- No text -

Avatar

How can I reach you?

by Cody Miller @, Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Monday, April 18, 2016, 18:32 (2942 days ago) @ CyberKN

Cody @ codymiller dot org. Or do you need the email assigned to my psn?

Avatar

Check your inbox.

by CyberKN ⌂ @, Oh no, Destiny 2 is bad, Monday, April 18, 2016, 18:36 (2942 days ago) @ Cody Miller

- No text -

Avatar

Thanks!

by Cody Miller @, Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Monday, April 18, 2016, 18:38 (2942 days ago) @ CyberKN

- No text -

Avatar

Hello, dear, dear friends.

by Kermit @, Raleigh, NC, Tuesday, April 19, 2016, 12:08 (2941 days ago) @ Cody Miller

I've professed my love for this franchise many times around these parts. If someone finds an extra code, I'll be extremely grateful.

Avatar

He's giving unlimited codes away! Git while the gitn's good!

by Korny @, Dalton, Ga. US. Earth, Sol System, Monday, April 18, 2016, 20:10 (2942 days ago) @ CyberKN

- No text -

Avatar

The hype is real

by ZackDark @, Not behind you. NO! Don't look., Monday, April 18, 2016, 20:04 (2942 days ago) @ CyberKN

- No text -

Avatar

Buggiest Beta I have ever played

by Cody Miller @, Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Tuesday, April 19, 2016, 04:18 (2941 days ago) @ cheapLEY
edited by Cody Miller, Tuesday, April 19, 2016, 05:02

Unfortunately right now it's practically unplayable! All of the options keep randomly defaulting back to insane values (all audio at zero, controller sensitivity down to zero). There's clipping through walls and NPCs, broken animations, and graphical glitches.

Really awful showing so far. The technical problems render it unplayable. And I'm on a fucking console!

(Now it working fine! Weird.)

Avatar

Buggiest Beta I have ever played

by ZackDark @, Not behind you. NO! Don't look., Tuesday, April 19, 2016, 12:02 (2941 days ago) @ Cody Miller

(Now it working fine! Weird.)

Wait, what?

Avatar

World Record

by Cody Miller @, Music of the Spheres - Never Forgot, Wednesday, April 20, 2016, 00:30 (2941 days ago) @ cheapLEY

I thought I was done with speedrunning… Protip: don't ever follow the arrows. They always take you a super slow way. Click through and watch in 60fps. The game is really smooth.

Like there's much competition right now anyway…

Back to the forum index
RSS Feed of thread