Hello. I haven’t written here for a while. I’ve cleared a lot off my plate since then, and I’m now writing pretty much exclusively for http://www.techraptor.net . So if you’re interested in news, reviews, and editorials, especially if you’re active or interested in gamergate, be sure to go over there and check it out.
I’m gonna try my best to actually use Twitter too, and interact with people because, you know, that’s a good thing. Expect more stuff here soon!
I haven’t played Minecraft in a very long time, not since the alpha days. Since leaving it, it has grown larger then I ever imagined. Due to the controversy surrounding Microsoft buying Mojang and Minecraft, I thought I would share my two cents.
Minecraft has become a household name and its merchandise is everywhere. Last year I went to Sea World on the Gold Coast, and low and behold in the gift shop, there was a Mooshroom and those weird untextured plush Creepers that don’t look quite right, right next to a Bart Simpson doll. It’s not uncommon to see kids playing Minecraft on their iPads at the dinner table, while the parents wonder what the hell they are doing, or on their phones at every restaurant.
Now imagine being Notch right now. Imagine making a game to tool around in, only to have it become this global force in not just gaming, but becoming big enough to break out of the subculture it started in. Sounds like a dream,right? Not for some people.
There’s been some mixed responses to the news. Some people are angry, some are supportive, and some don’t know how to feel. I’m in the camp that thinks Microsoft won’t stuff it up, and are a good fit for Mojang to continue to grow. Of course you could look to Rareware and point out how Microsoft ruined them, but I think that’s a case of Rare’s heyday being well and truly over.
The fact of the matter is this. It’s obvious that Notch likes to stay off the radar as much as possible. Being the CEO of a major company is possibly the best way to betray that. It’s a tonne of pressure and a tonne of time to devote. I think Notch wants to be Markus Persson, free of all the bullshit that comes with owning Mojang. People forget that he stepped down from developing Minecraft ages ago, and handed the job to Jeb.
In his farewell letter, he comes off as genuine, and no longer has the interest in growing Minecraft more. He never thought it would get this big, and you can’t blame him for being overwhelmed. If his heart isn’t in it, I don’t think he should have to continue.
Being internet famous is hard, nothing says it better than this video about Phil Fish and indie developers that Notch linked to in his farewell letter. You only have to look at the comments to see what he’s trying to get away from.
Farewell Notch, any rational person would do the same.
I was recently selling some Nintendo 64 games on eBay. I had Mario Kart 64 still complete and in the box, so I thumbed through the manual that I remember reading as a child.
Remember when games had to explain themselves to players as to their game mechanics and generally how they worked? Remember when manuals used to be detailed and colourful? I miss that, and I know that the internet exists now, but in the same way that I feel an art book in a collectors edition adds to the experience, a detailed and illustrated manual added to the experience while also teaching me how to play.
Go take a look at this scan of Mario Kart 64’s manual. It’s so detailed it reads like a strategy guide. The operation card which isn’t part of the scan goes through all the controls and items, and optimal places to use them. This information is available on the internet, but it’s damn handy to have it just there without having to search for it. It’s not exactly high level advanced tactics but it would help a hell of a lot if you were unfamiliar.
I know it won’t happen, but it would be awesome if this were a thing again. Even if its a digital copy of a manual, that would be awesome. I understand that a lot of tutorials are in-game nowadays but I really like having all the information there.
Here’s an example. I’ve been playing Mario Kart 8 a lot recently. It has an online digital manual. It’s got some decent information in it, but it’s a little sparse and very lacking of awesome art like the game is chock full of. I just can’t help but feel like there should be some awesome renders to accompany a game full of beautiful theming. Imagine if Mario Kart 8 had a manual like Mario Kart 64’s? That would be fucking awesome.
Agree? Let me know what you think!
So the new website I’m freelancing for, doddscientifics.com, has finally launched! See my review of Gods Will Be Watching Below.
So hey. After two days of writing on this website, I was contacted by Mike Zupan from Pete Dodd’s upcoming new website http://www.doddscientific.com
I was offered to write on their site, which is fucking awesome. So that’s totally gonna happen. I’ll still write on this site of course, just some exciting news very early in the life of the Mytharus LP website.
I will link to all my stuff on there if it interests you, as well as any other extra endeavours I get up to. I’ve also decided that our Youtube videos will also be posted here as well as extra videos and writing that you can only find on the site. Jason will also be trying his hand at writing, so exciting stuff all around.
So yeah, exciting news, get hype!
-Myth
Mytharus 