Game Trailers and Intro’s.

There has been quite a few posts in the blogosphere concerning the new trailer for the upcoming Star Wars MMO. In case you missed it, here it is:

Oh and there’s also the intro cinematic that has been making nerds everywhere cream their pants in anticipation:

Most people writing about this have been wetting themselves over how awesome these are. This is fine. What is somewhat divorced from reality however, is making the connection that this will mean that the MMO itself will be awesome. Let’s get one thing clear; a trailer or an intro cinematic has nothing to do with how an MMO will look or how it will play. It’s sole purpose is to get you excited about the fact that the game is coming, while slyly making the conceit that it actually has something to do with the game itself. Which as I’ve already said, it doesn’t.

If you don’t believe me, let’s look at the original trailer for vanilla WoW:

Yeah, like that looks like walking around the Wetlands. I love it when people make comments like, “I’m so super psyched about playing a smuggler, they look so cool!” Well of course they look cool, in a video clip. You could probably make the Bananas in Pyjamas cool in a video clip if you really wanted to. I’m not quite sure if that would be a great class to play.

We should be doing one of two things; either enjoying these clips for what they are, pure entertainment only, or the game companies should be making clips that actually reflect in an accurate way what the game experience is about.

About these ads

Russ Says:

June 14, 2011 at 8:26 am

My first thought when watching the trailers was “When is the movie coming out?”

So yeah. I want to see the movie.

The clips also make me want to check out the game, but the combat video from Bioware is, as expected, light-years away from the trailers.

So, yeah. I agree with you.

Oh, here’s the combat video that I found:

Nils Says:

June 14, 2011 at 8:51 am

I agree, of course

However, these clips tell us one more thing: Bioware believes that they are worth their money. It’s like giving a $1000 ring to your new girlfriend. She’ll claim that it is the best thing ever. What she really thinks is that you wouldn’t do this, if you weren’t serious about the relationship.

Saer Says:

June 14, 2011 at 10:26 am

Nothing to do with games, but talking about trailers bearing no relation at all to the actual game, reminded me of this. You’ve probably seen it before but I thought I’d link it anyway

Nizarya Says:

June 14, 2011 at 10:32 am

Is it me or that cyber cowboy dude looks too much like Chris Metzen?:3

Boringoldfart Says:

June 16, 2011 at 12:56 pm

I’d be very pleased to see an honest, gameplay-related trailor for World of Warcraft, I can actually imnagine it in my head…..

…. The epic music begins, and the the introductory blurb fades into being, gold letters on a black field “Eleven million players…… two races locked in bloody conflict….. The time has come for heroes!…. That hero is YOU!”……

…. Music swells as the black screen fades into gameplay footage…..

We see a male human in Elywn Forest staggering forward, suffering from the dazed effect, four wailing Murlocs in close pursuit.

….The scene dissolves…..

A tank sat AFK in Stonecore, while five others bunny hop around, while someone spams “KICK TANK?????” in party chat…..

…. and finally, as the music crashes into a crescedo, we get an epic overhead view of Orgrimmar, and around seventy two players bouncing around the entrance to the Auction House, flapping overhead on their drakes, with a naked Blood Elf dancing on the mailbox.

“THE TIME HAS COME FOR HEROES”

Adam Says:

June 16, 2011 at 10:36 pm
I like it. But please, remember the Night Elf Appreciation Society, and replace the Blood Elf with a real hottie. One can not have too much misrepresentation you know.