Here at Hacker Noon, we love both video games and writing. In this slogging post, we discuss what inspired us to write about games and our fondest gaming memories.
This Slogging thread by Jack Boreham, Richard Kubina, Limarc Ambalina, Jose Hernandez, Jeffrey Harris and Nicolas Ng occurred in Slogging's official #gaming channel, and has been edited for readability.
What inspired you to write about games?
If contributing to gaming slogging discussions counts as writing about gaming, then allow me to answer!
Stories bring us together, and we are social creatures. Even the introverts among us want to have intimate social bonds (maybe just a few).
I joined in on the discussions because I feel like video games are a part of my identity, having played them since I was a kid. The games of my youth are burned into my memory glands, and I imagine we all want to re-experience their intense feels and bond with other like-minded folks. They either played the same games or would be open to re-discover the classic games from an era they missed out on. The stories, music and art in games are part of our planet's collective culture, and I'd like to see these memes stay alive.
Since I missed the thread about under-appreciated games, I'll say now that I have always thought that the '90s Sierra series Quest for Glory was under-appreciated. It's a fantastical stew of art, story, puzzles, characters, a sense of humor and a feeling of wild adventure. I want to see a resurgence of the screwball humor from those games. I think it comes from a bygone era that I'd love to see unearthed again. The second game features thinly-veiled cameos of all three Marx brother's tucked in there. I am not sure if the whippersnappers know who they were, but I'd like to think the impressionable young folks today ( 😆 ) would find their timing and delivery top-notch ... and timeless. Just like the creators of QFG did, so much so that they wanted to pay homage to them in their games and carry the torch. The puns alone will restore your faith in humanity!
If you love old pixel art and a mix of light-hearted humor, social commentary and introspection (the series gets darker as it goes along 😱 ), then you ought to check it out. It's like going into a time machine. Plus, you'll fulfil this old timer's last wish. (Wat)
But yeah, it's about connecting and spreading the love ❤, Right?
Stories bring us together, and we are social creatures. Even the introverts among us want to have intimate social bonds (maybe just a few).
I joined in on the discussions because I feel like video games are a part of my identity, having played them since I was a kid. The games of my youth are burned into my memory glands, and I imagine we all want to re-experience their intense feels and bond with other like-minded folks. They either played the same games or would be open to re-discover the classic games from an era they missed out on. The stories, music and art in games are part of our planet's collective culture, and I'd like to see these memes stay alive.
Since I missed the thread about under-appreciated games, I'll say now that I have always thought that the '90s Sierra series Quest for Glory was under-appreciated. It's a fantastical stew of art, story, puzzles, characters, a sense of humor and a feeling of wild adventure. I want to see a resurgence of the screwball humor from those games. I think it comes from a bygone era that I'd love to see unearthed again. The second game features thinly-veiled cameos of all three Marx brother's tucked in there. I am not sure if the whippersnappers know who they were, but I'd like to think the impressionable young folks today ( 😆 ) would find their timing and delivery top-notch ... and timeless. Just like the creators of QFG did, so much so that they wanted to pay homage to them in their games and carry the torch. The puns alone will restore your faith in humanity!
If you love old pixel art and a mix of light-hearted humor, social commentary and introspection (the series gets darker as it goes along 😱 ), then you ought to check it out. It's like going into a time machine. Plus, you'll fulfil this old timer's last wish. (Wat)
But yeah, it's about connecting and spreading the love ❤, Right?
richard-kubina, I'd love to give those a go. They sound fantastic and right up my alley. I couldn't agree more; I went into writing about games to share a passion for the medium with others. Those like-minded and those perhaps less inclined to pick up a video game. It's all about connection; games allow us to connect with friends, family and even strangers in unique new and exciting ways. Thus, I got into games writing to show my passion for games connect with new people who share the same passion. What about you guys Nicolas Ng Limarc Ambalina Jose Hernandez JeffreyHarris?
I agree with both of you, but I'll also add that I'm on a mission to spread the love for gaming and make games as highly respected/thought of as films one day (if not more).
I think lots of people don't know how much games have evolved. Showing my wife's father Oculus Quest for the first time and seeing their reactions is one of my favorite things. He bought a Quest for himself shortly after. Games themselves are stories, and I want to spread the best stories around the world.
I think lots of people don't know how much games have evolved. Showing my wife's father Oculus Quest for the first time and seeing their reactions is one of my favorite things. He bought a Quest for himself shortly after. Games themselves are stories, and I want to spread the best stories around the world.
The fact that some people haven't experienced the story in The Last of Us is a crime! I'm so happy they are making a TV series so more people can enjoy it.
My reason is a little more straightforward. I like video games, and I enjoy writing, so I combined my two passions. Writing about video games also gives me an excuse to stay up to date on what's happening in the gaming industry. There's plenty of games and news that I wouldn't have known about if I wasn't a writer.
I find games fascinating, and I genuinely believe they are modern works of art. At least true classics are.
Limarc Ambalina, I'm one of these people 😂. Unfortunately, when I first started to play the games, I couldn't get into them. I hope the TV series converts me into a fan. As of the moment, the franchise just hasn't clicked. But I think this shows the versatility of games as a storytelling medium and how games can impact people differently. Also, I agree that games have evolved a lot. That single wow moment when you show someone who's not in the gaming space what games can currently do, it's always the best. I had a similar experience recently when my mum played Astrobot on the PS5; the controller's tech and all that rumble technology blew her away. JeffreyHarris Jose Hernandez I agree; it also allows me to focus on my writing and gives me an excuse to stay up to date with the latest gaming news. Games are true works of art, and more people need to be aware of this.
I also would be dishonest if I didn't mention the perks: free passes to game events, free review copies of games you write about, and talking with some of the biggest names in the industry. One of my proudest moments as a writer was interviewing the president of NIS (and NIS America) in Tokyo: https://www.keengamer.com/articles/features/interviews/nis-president-teases-non-srpg-disgaea-game-in-interview/
I'm a little late to the party, but I always wanted to do this but never had the chance. I'm hopelessly addicted to video games and can write well, so finding a way to combine the two for any tangible benefit makes my life much easier. Plus, I can't shut up about video games. Subjecting the internet to my inane ramblings is a better alternative than subjecting my family to it.