July Carnival of Gamers

Jul 4, 2006 five past four pm

Due to a massive pile-up out on Highway 4 and the two-headed dog only having one set of pet registration tags, the much anticipated and often delayed July edition of Carnival of Gamers has finally arrived.  We've set up in the parking lot of the old Payless store just outside the county line so laws regarding "liability of death" don't apply.

So, before we get run out of town by a bunch of Church do-gooders and the local Sheriff who is just now realizing that they don't make a $75 bill, enjoy:


Razor Blade and Fishing Hook Infested Cotton Candy is the staple of any small town carnival.

Peterb argues that Richness is Good, Complexity is Bad using Advanced Wars as an example.

Graphics might not make a better game, but do Physics?  Chuck thinks it might be a silver bullet for Indie Developers.


The Drunken Carnie Ride Operator doesn't have much to say about computer games.

Corvus busts the notion that the industry lacks innovation through a little dueling Guitar Hero.

Bruce goes into Shadow of the Colossus and what makes it so good and maybe even (gasp) 'Art'.

Zubon of Kill Ten Rats explores the minefield of managing a company message board


Right after this picture of a Balloon Animal Perilously Suspended above Barbed Wire was taken...nothing happened.

Ryan ponders the the future of MMORPG's and how they should end.

Are video games good for you?  Research says "YES", Thomas wonders how true that really is.

Jason looks at unabandoning abandonware


Click on the Cute Duck with a Target on it's Side to install spyware.

Prognosticator talks about why different people play MMORPGs.

James looks at the scoring system for the 1996 classic NiGHTS into Dreams

Should we ban violent video games for minors?  Sure we should says Jason.  Or maybe not.  Or maybe we should.  Or not.


The small boy in the painting entitled: "Clown Tormenting a Small Child" is me.  It drove me to a life of designing video games.

Jay pulls apart the M-Rated Oblivion: The Flower Picking Simulator

Can video games be used for Spiritual Development?  Zakhuur Diliiza explores the possibility.

Oded Sharon Looks at the World of Warcraft Gambling connection


The Roller Coaster of Doom Ready to Kill Everyone did just that.

If the PS3 fails, will it be the PR departments fault?  Maybe Sony needs to shut up for a while.

Is sucking a monthly fee from online gamers the right way to do things?  Duncan looks at the Item Model.


The MC of todays carnival has been the Evil Clown with a Pirate Hook for a Hand.

For those of you that think DOOM was the first video or computer game, take trip down the way too dusty memory lane with Yehuda.

Curmudgeon (not to be confused with Grumpy) Gamer looks at the hard hitting statics behind piracy

All Art for the July Carnival of Gamers was done by Clayton Kauzlaric.  If you would like to purchase any of it, put $5 in your Internet Tube and send it to Grumpy Gamer, Inc., then right-click on the image and choose "Save As...".  Please allow 5 to 6 weeks for delivery.

Other people's comments:

Posted by Oded Sharon on Jul 4, 2006 five past five pm

Yes ! First comment again !

And my post on WoW addictiveness / casino is up !

Posted by David Thomsen on Jul 5, 2006 quarter past midnight

Yes, but about those SANS-CULOTTES...

Posted by Tom on Jul 4, 2006 ten to seven pm

So... Your comment is... that you comment. Great!

Happy independece day USA citizens! Not me... I'm from Argentina :P

Enjoy the fireworks!

Posted by pablo on Jul 11, 2006 quarter to midnight

como va compadre?...de que parte de argentina sos?..aguante loco

Posted by Rachel on Jul 5, 2006 ten past midnight

WOOOOOOOOW !

AND

Happy 4th of July. A lot has been achieved in a short period of time, enthusiastic Americans.

Live long America.

Posted by David Thomsen on Jul 5, 2006 quarter past midnight

I question your reality as a person. I accuse you of not existing.

Posted by Wizzel Cogcarrier Wizzleton IV on Jul 5, 2006 ten past one am

This is two days early, according to the Carnival HQ. My thoughts on the oversight here.

Posted by gnome on Jul 5, 2006 twenty past five am

Oh dear, I'm not the only one who missed the Carnival... I 'm sure I'll make the next one though, especially while sleeping drunk at beaches.

Anyway, this was the best presented (and admittedly the first) Games Carnival I've ever seen. Thank you, oh wisest of Rons!

Posted by Rodi on Jul 5, 2006 half past five am

Good, information galore. I especially took note on the articles on MMORPG's, as I'm very curious where that genre is heading towards.

Posted by Click Here on Jul 5, 2006 five to one pm

ghfdsavbgrgnhddfgscfddcdfddsddsdxdssddssddfds

Posted by Juuso - Game Producer on Jul 6, 2006 twenty past two am

Oh dear... I also missed the Carnival.

Nice ungrumpy posts Grumpy Ron!

Posted by James Thompson on Jul 6, 2006 quarter to five am

Hey I just missed out to wish all Americans a nice Independence Day. Still all my wishes are with you. I missed out on that Carnival as well. Nice posts great job keep it up!

Posted by David Thomsen on Jul 6, 2006 quarter to six am

Gah! As much as I hate to tell you Spam People how to do your job, here are a few suggestions:

* You've obviously gone to some effort to make your spam page look like a real blog, but it doesn't stand up to scrutiny. I could make a rocket ship out of tinfoil and it may seem real at a brief glance from half a mile away, but it wouldn't pass closer inspection. Your 'blog' is lacking a few important features, such as, for example, user profiles, a login page, that sort of thing. And what's worse, since the page always looks identical, you're always easily identified as spammers.

* Develop a personality. You make the blandest possible comments, reiterating what other people have already said. Occasionally you actually quote other people VERBATIM. You freaks.

* There are more interesting names in the world than Margaret, John, Billy, Rachel and James. "Billy" is what you name ruffians in 1950s comic strips.

When I see a comment written by someone with a name taken from the Pocket Book of Baby Names, and the comment has no personality, I know that when I click on the name I'll be taken to the same blog. EVERY TIME.

In any case, YOUR TACTIC IS UTTERLY FUTILE. Who do you think you're fooling, seriously?

Posted by TurgoN on Jul 8, 2006 ten to eight pm

I don't think it's really worth your effort.

Posted by gnome on Jul 6, 2006 five past seven am

I sincerely hope you're not attacking me oh Tom! On the other hand, I'm pretty confident you aren't (oh, the follies of youth...)

Anyway, you and of course Ron and the spammers might enjoy this beautiful Tom Waits inspired animation (it even features a lady pirate)...

http://www.tomwaitsfan.com/cemetery/

Posted by David Thomsen on Jul 6, 2006 twenty five past seven am

I'm not attacking anyone, I'm just dispensing a little advice is all... and in any case when Ron deletes the spam mine will go with it, so the rant is only temporary... you're obviously not a spammer as (a) you clearly have a personality, (c) your screen name isn't Jane or Peter or Brian, and (b) your blog is an actual blog... not quite sure why you'd think I'm attacking you...

I like to think that everyone has a quirky little flash animation inside them waiting to get out...

Posted by gnome on Jul 6, 2006 ten past two pm

No, no, I wasn't thinking you were attacking me. It was just an evidently unsuccesful attempt at humor...

:)

Posted by Benjamin G. G. on Jul 6, 2006 twenty to nine am

Hey Ron,

Just giving you the heads up that I left a post in your 'Monkey Island the Movie' topic.

Cheers,


Benjamin

Posted by gulmer on Jul 6, 2006 twenty five past noon

Link is borken: I'm clicking on the cute duck but "spyware" is not being installed.
Is "Spyware" supposed to be the new game from Ron Gilbert? Is it supposed to be some sort of espionage themed adventure RPG? Sounds cool.

Posted by pablo on Jul 11, 2006 twenty to midnight

hola ron como va? espero que muy bien. me llamo pablo y soy de argentina. soy un fanatico del monkey island...vos sos muy grosso hermano...ese juego todavia hoy me  hace poner la piel de gallina cuando escucho la melodia de monkey island y recuerdo tantas horas jugando al mejor juego de la historia...mucha suerte y un abrazo.
pablo

Posted by miffy495 on Jul 12, 2006 half past four am

Nice carnival, Ron. The MMO ones were the only ones which I didn't read that thoroughly as frankly, the genre bores me. The articles were mostly top notch though, and it's always nice to be able to hop back to a hub full of crudely drawn ducks and clowns.

Oh yeah, and all you people wishing the Yanks a happy 4th of July, Canada day happened recently too. Now I have to go pretend to be hurt that you forgot about us... :-(

Posted by Ninomojo on Jul 14, 2006 twenty five past three pm

Lots of insightful blog entries there. Interesting stuff.

This has nothing to do with the topic, but I just went to see Superman Returns and it's absolute shit.

Posted by santaclausgotfiredforsleepingonthejob on Jul 15, 2006 half past eight am

I didn't get this post at all, and by not getting it I do actually mean i didn't read it, it just seems so dispersed; almost like islands disseminated off shore. The alignment is terrible, almost as bad as the SF Chronicle, Ronald: You can do better than that; your other posts prove your magnificent talent to entertain, educate and.. okay you won I am actually going to read it now for the sake of quality.


Love you and see you next Christmas.

Your imaginary Aunt Frida

Posted by me again on Jul 15, 2006 twenty to nine am

okay, actually reading that stuff was awesomne, I'm sorry i was being so harsh in my foregoing comment, i didn't meant to upset you, I hope we still can be friends. How about a cup of coffee at Starbucks down at Montgomery tomorrow afternoon at 4? I'm probably not gonna be there, but hey a cup of joe.. is oh so so.. anyway, curmudgeon gamer's a douche. He's nowhere near you, and he's a little bit... I'm afraid to say, stoopid.

Have a great Saturday Ronald.

Posted by Imaginary Aunt Frida on Jul 23, 2006 twenty past five pm

Gee, I think I broke your page, darling..
nobody's saying anythnig about your carnival anymore.

Posted by gnome on Jul 24, 2006 five to noon

Hah!

Long live the Carnival of the Damned!


(there you go auntie)

Posted by Ian Hamilton on Jul 25, 2006 four am

next time you come to england, you should stay in the monkey island hotel:

http://www.berkshirehistory.com/castles/monkey_island.html

Posted by Ian Hamilton on Jul 25, 2006 five past four am

oops! heres the proper site for it:

http://www.monkeyisland.co.uk/

Posted by Litfaßsäule on Jul 26, 2006 quarter past two pm

great site with good look and information...i like it

Posted by Ryan on Jul 30, 2006 twenty five past eleven am

http://nintendo.about.com/library/adventure/bladventure1.htm

How the Wii Will Save Adventure Games :-)

Posted by gnome on Jul 31, 2006 quarter to six am

Hmm...not very convincing... Clearly written by someone who hasn't played that many adventures recently...

Still, the Wii could be a decent adventuring platform. Hopefully just like the DS.

Posted by Frank on Aug 27, 2006 ten to four am

Hmm...not very convincing... Clearly written by someone who hasn't played that many adventures recently...

Still, the Wii could be a decent adventuring platform. Hopefully just like the DS.


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