“As mentioned earlier, many developers understand the principles behind modular level design, but we hope to offer insights gained from our extensive exploration of this topic. To do this, we’ll go over the various benefits and drawbacks we’ve found over the years, with an emphasis on how to get the most out of the workflow.” A glimpse of just how complex one of the best games of this generation really is.
I’ve submitted stories before that have never seen the light of day to OSAlert, which dealt with games and had much more to do with programming or operating systems than this article. I do love Skyrim though… still, I feel a little insulted as a long time reader of this site.
Edited 2013-04-25 23:55 UTC
I’ve also submitted OS centered articles that never surfaced to the broad audience, it doesn’t make me sad though. OSAlert’ editorial line is not ours, live with it.
Kochise
https://gs1.wac.edgecastcdn.net/8019B6/data.tumblr.com/fdfadeb1a000d…
In the past four years, you have submitted two stories one on 4 April 2013 and one on 27 February 2012. The 2012 one I do not remember – but looking at the date, this was when all my time was consumed by my actual job (OSAlert is a hobby), so most likely someone else deleted it before I even saw it.
The 2013 one was Kickstarter spam, and you know it. It links to a random MMORPG on Kickstarter asking for donations, and has nothing to do with operating systems, as you claim here and in said submission. You randomly added the word “OS” in there, even though the Kickstarter project itself makes zero mention of it.
I’m sure said currently vapourware MMORPG is interesting, but no more so than the millions of other games out there. Skyrim, on the other hand, is one of the most successful games of all time, and this talk contains a lot of interesting technical information about how the Bethesda team built the vast, open world of Skyrim. Comparing a random Kickstarter project to this, and then act insulted is incredibly unfair.
Speaking of submissions: does one’s own “Submissions” – page only show submissions that’ve been accepted instead of both accepted and not-accepted ones?
Only accepted.
Still has more to do with operating systems and UIs than than Skyrim by a long shot. It is also a “random MMO” by Mark Jacobs that raised ~600K in the first day. Clearly a lot of people that actually have some money to put down believe in this type of game.
http://camelotunchained.com/en/making-a-game-out-of-the-web/
Anyway, this actually has other tie-ins with Skyrim. Andrew Meggs, the lead engineer, used to work on Skyrim. Also, this game has vikings in it
.
I may have overreacted because I didn’t like your lack of feedback, and I much prefer to have these conversations via the tried and true system of email. This site is great on the whole, but I felt I didn’t want to waste both of our time in the future writing something up for submission if I don’t even get a line of feedback on it. Perhaps you get too many submissions to reply to every rejection; fair enough, if so. Just good to know about that.
Edited 2013-04-26 14:27 UTC
Maybe gaming titles in news article will draw more page views and more add revenue.
If Osnews can broaden it’s news categories maybe the site can grow, even have some full time writers on payroll.
But so many are struggling and going paywalled it is not even funny. No wonder Thom can only do it part time.
My fear is with the new redesigned site theme coming up (said to be a very elegant and simple) we might forget about categories. It might be too “busy” and not feng shui.
Edited 2013-04-26 19:49 UTC
maybe they weren’t about Skyrim…
I agree. This submission was like a dagger through the heart, and left me literally crying out loud. Such insolence, such arrogance.
I admit I was out of line when I made the comment and a bit out of character; it was a little more over the top than I meant it to be. So, moving on …
This happens. Apologies for excessive sarcasm, moving on :-).
nice find, even if it isn’t related to OSes much.
You’ve brought this up twice in passing in this thread so this may interest you: http://www.osnews.com/story/23301/Why_OSAlert_Is_No_Longer_OSAlert“&… .
Edited 2013-04-26 15:59 UTC
I remember that, but good god, I can’t believe it has been 3 years since that was written.
Interesting, but I read it more as cautionary tale. Level design is the worst part of newer Bethesda games and especially Skyrim. The world design is awesome, it is open and begs to be explored. Their levels and dungeons on the other hand? Except for 2 in the entire game, they are all 100% linear, and basically structured like a railroaded shooter on the console. Well actually railroaded shooters often has more options for exploration than Skyrims dungeons.
The bethesda designers are even nice enough to help you with backtracking by always including a way to teleport back to the opening, instead of having to walk all the stupid, pointless and awefully designed way back. Though, they should have thought: WHY THE FUCK DOES MY LEVEL DESIGN SUCK SO MUCH THAT I NEED TO TELEPORT THE PLAYER OUT OF THE END!
You mean fast travel?
I love that. When i played Oblivion i was such a noob i played about 80% of the game before i realised you can fast travel. Imagine that. Probably put 250hrs into that game.
No he means the fact that most dungeons in Skyrim would have a secret passage in the big loot room that would place you close to the exit. I think it is good because I don’t have a lot of time to spend playing games so having to trudge back through a cleared dungeon just to leave it is a waste of my time. Also the dungeons were often there to hide some artifact so I think of it as being a one way door used by whoever set the artifact there after they had primed the traps and locks on the way in.
Interesting, dunno that.
Edited 2013-04-27 03:16 UTC
No, my problem is that the levels are so linearly constructed that a secret passageway or teleport is necessary. If it had been constructed sanely, the way to the exit would much shorted and and a short-cut not needed.
With these modular blocks could you generate levels like Minecraft does?