writingongames

New Video! How the Meaning of Vanquish (and Spec Ops: The Line) Changed (Patreon)

Published:

2017-06-03 18:00:04

Imported:

2026-06

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Hey everyone!

Forgot to post this yesterday (I've been so unbelievably busy lately my mind is all over the place) but the new video is now available!

This one is a little different; instead of directly focusing on one particular game, this one talks about the broader idea of context in games. Using the examples of Vanquish and Spec Ops: The Line, I discuss how context not only generates meaning, but as time goes on, we find games meaning fundamentally different things than they did when they first released.

I really hope you enjoy it! Some other housekeeping:

- I'm heading to LA on Monday so I'm currently freaking out about that!

- That means I'll ideally see if there's a spot where I can get the patron Q&A done while I'm there so you aren't left hanging too much longer! I'm really really REALLY sorry for the delay, it's just that when I say things have been hectic over here I really mean it!

- The long-play series on Mafia 2 is pretty much good to start, but it'll be once I get back in a couple of weeks.

- I may have a Tekken video out sooner rather than later but we'll see...

- This month will be pretty heavy for videos anyway because, well... E3 BAYBEE

- I should maybe slow down on this stuff a little and sleep, but where's the fun in that?!

Anyway, thank you so much for your continued support. You allow me to keep doing this, to keep dedicating my time to producing stuff for you. Patron rewards for May will also be sent out very soon. Eyes peeled, because things are about to get BUSY.

Thank you so much once again,

Hamish

Files

Previews only

How the Meaning of Vanquish (and Spec Ops: The Line) Changed

► Support the show on Patreon (it means a lot) - https://www.patreon.com/writingongames ► Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/writing-on-gamescast/id1124674245 ► Podcast RSS feed - http://writingongamescast.libsyn.com/rss ► Follow me on Twitter - http://twitter.com/hamboblack ► Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/writingongames/ --- Vanquish was recently re-released on PC to the delight of the cult following it has developed since 2010. Whilst the experience has remained largely unchanged, however, as a whole it meant something very different to me now than it did back then; all because of the new context under which I was playing it. This also got me thinking about games whose themes rely on context to convey meaning. Spec Ops: The Line turns five in June, and yet the industry it was furiously reacting against has changed dramatically since then. In this episode of Writing on Games then, I want to explore just how much a shift in context can have on the meaning of a game, and what this means for the future of our medium. --- Nier Automata & How We Define Meaning in Video Games (SPOILERS) - [game array] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNjJ8skeG1g Why Sledgehammer's founders wanted to take Call of Duty back to World War 2 (VentureBeat) - https://venturebeat.com/2017/04/26/why-sledgehammers-founders-wanted-to-take-call-of-duty-back-to-world-war-ii/ EA turns horrors of WWI into tone-deaf Battlefield 1 memes, quickly deletes them (Polygon) - https://www.polygon.com/2016/10/31/13478344/battlefield-1-ea-deleted-tweets-marketing --- Call of Duty WW2/Infinite Warfare footage from Activision Battlefield One/Army of Two footage from EA Far Cry 5/Rainbow Six Siege footage from Ubisoft Gears of War footage from Microsoft Bayonetta footage from Sega Devil May Cry 4 footage from Thunder Kat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CcQEW8bjlk 50 Cent Blood on the Sand footage from gamesoverdose - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qADNFcVQ4c --- Thank you all SO much for your continued support. Whether you support the Patreon, subscribed or just watch the video, I just want to say thank you—people like you are changing my life for the better every day. ---