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[Francias Castiglione]

No reason at all to have the "I've killed the president there." The official seal is in the background, that's all you need. That kind of joke explanation feels less like PA and more like VG Cats.

It fits with Snake's love of stating the obvious or repeating what he is told.

 

[dude]

I usually like PA but this one kinds of disappoint... Maybe it's because I didn't play MGS?
I started with the first one some time ago, I got to Psycho Mantis, which was one of the best boss fights in history, but then I played the rest of the game, there was something with dogs I think? anyway, then I got bored and forgot to get back to it.

I expect this comic to make up to it by epic flaming across the interwebs.

 

[TheRagnCajun]

Some genres prescribe more complicated control schemes. That said, yes controls should be as intuitive and functional as possible. It is hard to criticize a control scheme without having a similar game with better controls to compare it to.

 

[Safe Bet]

There are design choices that are just *objectively* bad though. I haven't played MGS4 but god damn the shoulder button scrolling to choose items and weapons was clunky in MGS3.

I agree but at the same time I don't think anyone can deny alot of games have control schemes that are clunky as fuck yet those games are never critized for it.

IE: Holding down W and E while trying to get one of your fingers on F1 is a feat.

The only problem with MGS games is people go in with the mindset it is going to control like a simple "point and shoot" game and then piss and moan when it doesn't.

Trust me, I have my problems with some of the design choices in the MGS games too but I have come to terms with the fact the game was never designed to play like SOCOM or Halo.

 

[TheRagnCajun]

I usually like PA but this one kinds of disappoint... Maybe it's because I didn't play MGS?

No, its just not really that funny

I expect this comic to make up to it by epic flaming across the interwebs.

To some extent. PA doesn't gernate the same fanboy hate with their sony-bashing like they used to. I think everyone just expects it now.

Yahtzee on the other hand, pissed off soo many fanboys with the SSBB review. Speaking of Yahtzee, did I mention how much I love Yahtzee? <3 Yahtzee.

 

[jman2050]

If the controls suck the entire game suffers. It mystifies me how many devs do not yet et this simple fact. It's the same people who spend a lot of time designing and refining their awesome gameplay only to spend 5 minutes on a horrible unintuitive UI and almost ruin the game that way.

 

[pr0cs]

They should have just reposted the 1st comic, it better describes the MGS story and the reason why a number of people will probably skip MGS4.

 

[Twig]

To some extent. PA doesn't gernate the same fanboy hate with their sony-bashing like they used to. I think everyone just expects it now.

Sony-bashing, lawl.

I guess no one remembers this:

 

[Holy Order Sol]

Never forget:

I really don't get today's comic though, is it some thinly veiled spoiler?

Reminds me of Amir0x's post about Scientology.

 

[Safe Bet]

Sony-bashing, lawl.

I guess no one remembers this:

Oh..

Please...

Not this shit again.

/in before PA visits Microsoft and never makes another harsh statment about the Xbox brand again, suddenly finds the resources to host PAX, their work is featured on Live Marketplace, and they gather enough financial backing to create a game post.

 

[Won]

I agree but at the same time I don't think anyone can deny alot of games have control schemes that are clunky as fuck yet those games are never critized for it.

IE: Holding down W and E while trying to get one of your fingers on F1 is a feat.

The only problem with MGS games is people go in with the mindset it is going to control like a simple "point and shoot" game and then piss and moan when it doesn't.

Trust me, I have my problems with some of the design choices in the MGS games too but I have come to terms with the fact the game was never designed to play like SOCOM or Halo.

I can't follow you. Would be easier with actual examples. You keep mentioning hotkeys. What game forces hotkeys on you? And why are you saying that shooters are the only genre with simple controls?

 

[Woo-Fu]

PA wants to kill the President, since hypnotism can't make you do something you truly do not want to do.

 

[Version 3.0]

Why is the President wearing emo-sneakers?

He didn't say the president of what...maybe it's the president of Konami, or Payless.

edit: oops, the back wall says otherwise.

 

[Safe Bet]

I can't follow you. Would be easier with actual examples. You keep mentioning hotkeys. What game forces hotkeys on you? And why are you saying that shooters are the only genre with simple controls?

I'm just using shooters as an example of a genre that has simple control schemes.*

I'm sure there are others to be cited like perhaps platformers and mini-games.

Also, if I understand correctly most PC games force the player to use hotkeys to be competitive.

The fist time I went into WoW PvP I was like "Fuck this is more difficult than playing the piano!!!"

Seriously...

*As stated before, MGS games are penalized for not sticking to the simple "point and shoot" gameplay of the shooter genre and this seems unfair.

 

[Twig]

I don't use hotkeys in WoW. I'm 100% a clicker. (Except for WASD and a few other default keys, like the quest log, etc., of course.)

Oh..

Please...

Not this shit again.

/in before PA visits Microsoft and never makes another harsh statment about the Xbox brand again, suddenly finds the resources to host PAX, their work is featured on Live Marketplace, and they gather enough financial backing to create a game post.

My point is, sir, the dudes at Penny Arcade have opinions just like any other. Those opinions change. And they are just that: opinions. They don't have an agenda to bash any one company at every opportunity.

You can toss around conspiracy theories all you want, but that's all they'll ever be -- theories.

Have fun with your paranoia!

 

[venne]

Penny Arcade is sooooo last gen.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

People who don't like what I like are biased and probably sodomites.

 

[J-Rzez]

I don't use hotkeys in WoW. I'm 100% a clicker. (Except for WASD and a few other default keys, like the quest log, etc., of course.)

Same here actually. When you have a high-rez mouse it doesn't really matter. Though, I confess I have some things bound to the mouse buttons though!

And "Emo-sneakers" that made me laugh, though it is kinda true these days. Womens jeans on a guy since they can't afford the $300 paint on designer jeans, and black/white/red chucks.

Penny Arcade is very hit and miss, though they have a really low batting average. I agree that ZP does a much better job at being funny.

 

[Haunted]

Emo-sneakers? Someone defending MGS's controls? Now I've seen it all.

Wow, Penny Arcade has come a long way from being published monthly in Official Playstation Magazine to releasing their game on every platform known to man EXCEPT Playstation 3.

wait, what? I thought it was XBLA and PC only. That means... it's not on Wii or DS. PA hates Nintendo confirmed!


You Penny Arcade conspiracy theorists are so fucking retarded. Seriously. Why can't you guys be more like Dante?

Spoiler

you know... banned.

 

[traveler]

Some genres prescribe more complicated control schemes. That said, yes controls should be as intuitive and functional as possible. It is hard to criticize a control scheme without having a similar game with better controls to compare it to.

Well, I'd like to bring up a certain series, but every time I do, the result isn't exactly pretty.

 

[Twig]

I read about this game called Bob Dancer's Winter Bells, or something? I heard it was good. Never played it, though.

 

[Speevy]

Penny-Arcade will never compete with the ridiculous posts pondering their comic relevance or console/game bias.

 

[SovanJedi]

/in before PA visits Microsoft and never makes another harsh statment about the Xbox brand again, suddenly finds the resources to host PAX, their work is featured on Live Marketplace, and they gather enough financial backing to create a game post.

You know they made a comic making fun of themselves for that don't you?

 

[Haeleos]

Does anyone have a direct link to the second part of the PA D&D podcast?

 

[polyh3dron]

I'm not very versed in MGS lore, so I had read it as a Manchurian Candidate joke :?

You're doing it right. That is all it is.

Also,

People who don't like what I like are biased and probably sodomites.

srsly.

 

[dfyb]

My point is, sir, the dudes at Penny Arcade have opinions just like any other. Those opinions change. And they are just that: opinions. They don't have an agenda to bash any one company at every opportunity.

You can toss around conspiracy theories all you want, but that's all they'll ever be -- theories.

Have fun with your paranoia!

the conspiracy theoriests are no worse than you and others thinking penny arcade is infallible and 100% objective.

 

[Twig]

the conspiracy theoriests are no worse than you and others thinking penny arcade is infallible and 100% objective.

Um.

Objective != Opinion

Thank you, come again.

 

[EricDiesel]

I'm not very versed in MGS lore, so I had read it as a Manchurian Candidate joke :?

You deserve a gold star.

 

[The Faceless Master]

the punchline was kind of ... weak?

 

[dfyb]

Um.

Objective != Opinion

Thank you, come again.

right. bad word choice.

i just think it's amusing when you have some people claiming there's a bias and others claiming there can't possibly be a bias related to their relations with said companies, and the people claiming bias in the first place are tagged as "conspiracy theorists."

do you really think their close relations with microsoft have zero impact on the opinion expressed in their comics? subconcious or intentional, there's a bias that is presented clearly in their current comics. a comic from 6 years ago is irrelevant.

you and the "conspiracy theorists" are on two different sides of the same river.

 

[Twig]

right. bad word choice.

i just think it's amusing when you have some people claiming there's a bias and others claiming there can't possibly be a bias related to their relations with said companies, and the people claiming bias in the first place are tagged as "conspiracy theorists."

do you really think their close relations with microsoft have zero impact on the opinion expressed in their comics? subconcious or intentional, there's a bias that is presented clearly in their current comics. a comic from 6 years ago is irrelevant.

you and the "conspiracy theorists" are on two different sides of the same river.

Stop pigeonholing me. I am on neither side. Both sides are fucking stupid.

"you believe this!!!!"

All I said can be summed up thusly: they have opinions, opinions changed, and they don't have an agenda.

There are many reasons opinions change, and, yes, one of those reasons is influence like you suggest. Doesn't mean they have a huge master plan to bring down this or that company.

 

[Hero]

I find it funny that people scream bias.

They had a comic where they made fun of HALO of all things.

 

[pulga]

Oh..

Please...

Not this shit again.

/in before PA visits Microsoft and never makes another harsh statment about the Xbox brand again, suddenly finds the resources to host PAX, their work is featured on Live Marketplace, and they gather enough financial backing to create a game post.

:lol :lol

You guys are fucking ridiculous.

I mean, seriously.

Get your head out of your ass. And I mean this in the nicest way possible.

 

[crowphoenix]

:lol Holy shit! I never expected such a simple comic to raise such a shit storm. We've got some defensive people in here today.

 

[OnimaruXLR]

I'm amazed people are taking this as some kind of condemnation of MGS4. I mean, they've in all likelihood not played it yet, and it's not like they've made any kind of commentary on the game itself fanboys will be fanboys I suppose

I personally liked it but that probably has to do with an understanding of PA's disdain for MGS (that started with MGS2) and finding a sobbing, post-hypnosis sleeper agent having comitted a brutal crime that will surely result in their own death to be absolutely hillarious

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Is it really that difficult to believe that there are people out there who don't like MGS games?

Some people don't like the stealth gameplay, some don't care for the ridiculous storyline, others aren't too fond of the somewhat clunky controls, etc.

Not at all. It is just hard to take them seriously when they spend so much time and effort talking about a game they admittedly don't like. If it were an Internet forum they'd be branded a troll eventually.

Where is this so much time and effort? I see one comic and maybe a write-up about it.

 

[Woo-Fu]

Is it really that difficult to believe that there are people out there who don't like MGS games?

Not at all. It is just hard to take them seriously when they spend so much time and effort talking about a game they admittedly don't like. If it were an Internet forum they'd be branded a troll eventually.

 

[squatingyeti]

Jesus, some people can't trip over themselves fast enough to say something stupid about "teh bias".

I thought the comic was average. Also, can we work on getting the color black back from goths and emo kids? I'd like to be able to sport something black, thanks.

 

[Y2Kev]

Meltdowns :lol

 

[Twig]

Not at all. It is just hard to take them seriously when they spend so much time and effort talking about a game they admittedly don't like. If it were an Internet forum they'd be branded a troll eventually.

Well, it is their job to entertain. That's how they make money.

Maybe they thought it would be, I dunno, entertaining?

 

[Barakov]

Meltdowns :lol

Haha. It's going to get quite ugly around here pretty soon.

 

[dfyb]

Well, it is their job to entertain. That's how they make money.

Maybe they thought it would be, I dunno, entertaining?

the problem comes when people try to legitimize the opinion expressed in the comics. this goes both ways.

and personally i don't think this comic is bashing MGS4 and isn't really an example of what i was referring to above.

it wasn't a very good comic though, which tends to lead people to emphasize the content. it's like they shoehorned MGS4 in there for the sake of making a statement about MGS4. while it didn't bash MGS4, you could argue it downplays it.

 

[TheRagnCajun]

lol @ this thread. For the record, I never said PA had an agenda, or that they were biased. All I said was PA bashing a sony exclusive is no surprise.

 

[truly101]

I thought the joke was a reference to The Manchurian Candidate.... I'm not sure what people are angry about.

 

[Twig]

it wasn't a very good comic though

That is certainly your opinion.

And you are welcome to it.

EDIT: Frankly, it doesn't even feel like a bash on MGS4. At all. I completely understand how they feel. Maybe not about MGS4, but other games. Like Devil May Cry. Everyone talks about how great it is! But when I play it I'm bored to tears. I feel like I'm missing something key.

Am I bashing on Capcom?

 

[dfyb]

I thought the joke was a reference to The Manchurian Candidate.... I'm not sure what people are angry about.

i guess it works... but it's too vague. manchurian candidate didn't feature hypnotization... they injected things to control the brain.

 

[chespace]

I thought the joke was a reference to The Manchurian Candidate.... I'm not sure what people are angry about.

It is a reference to the Manchurian candidate, yes.

I think fanboys are inflamed by the possibility that you can be a hardcore gamer and not love the MGS series, which the PA guys obviously do not.

So yes, I chuckled. But only because I read it while I sat in a meeting at work.

 

[levious]

i guess it works... but it's too vague. manchurian candidate didn't feature hypnotization... they injected things to control the brain.

don't know about the remake, but the original they used drugs and hypnosis I thought?

 

[truly101]

i guess it works... but it's too vague. manchurian candidate didn't feature hypnotization... they injected things to control the brain.

Well, you can't really illustrate long term, psychological conditioning in 3 panels, but usually any type of mind alteration leading to assasinating a gov't figure is Manchurian Candidate reference.

Anyway, I thought Gabe was always kind of portrayed as the "dumb" one who didn't care to suffer through long winded cutscenes, backstory or text, thats why he doesn't like most RPGs. Tycho was the more cerebral of the pair, he might like MGS4 more than Gabe does. They've disagreed on games before.

 

[Chichikov]

I thought the joke was a reference to The Manchurian Candidate.... I'm not sure what people are angry about.

I don’t give a shit about PA or the craziness going in this thread, but if it was in fact their intention, it’s the worst Manchurian Candidate reference in history.

i guess it works... but it's too vague. manchurian candidate didn't feature hypnotization... they injected things to control the brain.

Go watch the original, it's an absolute masterpiece.