https://www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/2008/06/28/grand-theft-auto-iv-grand-but-no-godfather/ My name is Jesper Juul, and I am a Ludologist [researcher of the design, meaning, culture, and politics of games]. This is my blog on game research and other important things. Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/2008/06/28/grand-theft-auto-iv-grand-but-no-godfather/comment-page-1/#comment-53050 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:29:00 +0000 http://www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/?p=467#comment-53050 I second the critique of GTAIV’s narrative design, which I happened to be playing earlier today. It kind of meanders into various unrelated social circles, with implicit but extremely (perhaps too much so) understated ethnic themes to each, and then concludes on this revenge thing. The closest it gets to tapping the full capacity of it’s social context is in some of the radio stuff, and a few of the missions. Same length, better narrative design, fewer wasted opportunities. It doesn’t really cost anything except whatever is involved in having someone more talented involved. Everyone should be tapping into these things, the business angle from added press is alone worth it, and I don’t think the core segment is going to be offput by more daring subtexts, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the gameplay.

]]> https://www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/2008/06/28/grand-theft-auto-iv-grand-but-no-godfather/comment-page-1/#comment-53049 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:38:33 +0000 http://www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/?p=467#comment-53049 So he wanted more story, me too, but it was a long game.

]]> https://www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/2008/06/28/grand-theft-auto-iv-grand-but-no-godfather/comment-page-1/#comment-53046 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 02:07:15 +0000 http://www.jesperjuul.net/ludologist/?p=467#comment-53046 I think the old “patience games” moniker for solitaire speaks volumes.

]]>