November 21, 2003
Straight from the Nose!
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Just think, I used to joke with Rob about his log being out-of-date. Oh, how the tables have turned... Or not, I suppose -- since I'm writing this, and Rob is still idling back in February, 2000. ;^D
These are exciting times for the band of digital outlaws that call themselves "Diversions". In early December, OMF:BG will be released in stores, waiting to be snatched up by the wizened, nimble fingers of gamers around the world.
Ah yes... The Release. Let me tell you something: after a half-decade of work, you don't have a "release". That word just isn't strong enough word to encompass the time and effort put into this project. Imagine being pregnant for five years and in labour for 6 months - "release" really doesn't cut it. No sir -- for a game like OMF, you have an Unleash.
"Unleashed in stores for the Christmas season". Yeah... that feels about right.
"So Saul", asks one of those fictional observers who always chimes in at times like this, "what's been happening at DE in the weeks leading up to the Unleash?"
Well, how the heck am I supposed to know? I live in Canada, people.
However, I *can* tell you what's been happening to the game: it's been getting even better than it already was.
You remember writing essays for school? (I'm sure many of you remember this from last week, actually). You get to a point where you can keep working, and the essay might look different, but it doesn't really get better. You've reached a plateau. Strangely, it isn't working out that way for OMF:BG. Every time I see a new build of the Beta or Limited test, serious improvements have been made - new features, new content, you name it. If there's a plateau out there for OMF, the guys have yet to find it. I think that's a great sign for both the present and the future.
"Hey", begins that same fictional dude, "what can I expect from this game anyway?"
Good question. Now, I'll begin by saying I've yet to see a perfect game (though M.U.L.E. came pretty close). However, I'll tell you something about OMF:BG that truly separates it from the pack -- this is a game that has *real* strategic depth. A game where you can create your own playing strategy and succeed -- not because it says so on the box, but because the gameplay gives you actual choices. OMF:BG doesn't say to you, "use this exact technique or you can't win". It says, "here's a bag of tools, go build whatever strategies you want".
When I play on-line, I love the way each of my opponents has a distinct style -- the way they attack, how they manoeuvre, traps they use, their "tells"... the variety of possibilities is, in my opinion, the heart of what makes this game fun. When you face someone who seems head-and-shoulders above you in ability, it forces you to observe them and search for weaknesses. And sometimes, you find that little thread, and you keep pulling until your opponent is left standing in their undies. You adapt, they don't, and it turns the tide of the whole game. Now *that* is satisfying. There aren't many games that can give you that.
"I love you!!" says the fictional dude.
Yes, and I love you too.
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