Comments on: Rants on Edge, academia

By: Wax Banks

Wax Banks — Sat, 03 Jan 2004 03:04:57 +0000

Game criticism.

Over at an interesting new blog called Intelligent Artifice (not a great name, what can you do?), a mini-rant on academic game criticism. Having written a Masters thesis digging (insufficiently deeply, in my estimation!) into narrative structure, the i…

By: Aubrey

Aubrey — Tue, 18 Nov 2003 20:36:39 +0000

I also find it hard to stand those academics who wear their hidden agendas on their sleeve, but at the same time, where that are analogous areas, it’s useful to have a wider knowledge than just the subject area. Lateral leaps between neurons can be constructed as a result of wider experience, giving one extremely useful insights.

So, yeah, I don’t like the shoe-horning of games into other mediums’ terms (until something meaningful and useful comes out of it – the possibility of which is reason enough to pursue it). What we have, though, is a freedom to ignore those who shout loudest and say least. And that’s my attitude with Edge, as well. A good proportion of the monthly columnists struggle to say anything useful, but whether it be through hyperbolic exaggeration, or pure engrish comedy gold, they still manage to make it entertaining. If I don’t agree with most ludologists, why am I going to agree with a relatively mainstream perspective?

(Just out of interest, does anyone else get that weird feeling that ludological stuff you’re thinking about today gets picked up in publications a year from now?)

By: Jurie

Jurie — Wed, 05 Nov 2003 05:53:08 +0000

Many otherwise intelligent people like Edge. I think you hit the nail on the head: they can be sanctimonious. Although their choice of subject matter and general approach is good, I feel their tone is a bit too arrogant for the general quality of their content. If you’re going to pretend you’re cool, you better BE cool.

Sadly, it probably still is the best gaming journalism out there…

By: Stephane Bura

Stephane Bura — Wed, 05 Nov 2003 04:38:12 +0000

I like Edge.
Sure, they often go wild with enthusiasm in features or previews but they’re the first to admit their mistakes.
The main difference between Edge and other gaming mags (for me) is that they get me existed about games by talking intelligently mostly about gameplay.
Not about storyline, how many characters I can play or how many cars or weapons there are: Gameplay.

Plus, I like their columns, even if they often are sanctimonious.