IcyCalm is making a game..

[gct]

Main thing I learned from the links in this thread was that jp was a way bigger piece of shit than Icy ever was.

jp's not a bad guy, he just had a very stubborn anti-Sony stance for a while. He got over it eventually and then enjoyed some fine games, a change of heart which cannot be said for the hero of this thread.

[ACSeraph]

Main thing I learned from the links in this thread was that jp was a way bigger piece of shit than Icy ever was.

jp's not a bad guy, he just had a very stubborn anti-Sony stance for a while. He got over it eventually and then enjoyed some fine games, a change of heart which cannot be said for the hero of this thread.

He was like Friendly and Replayme's crack baby.

[zinger]

DMC: the connection between the subjects is made in icycalm's writings. Ever come across any other articles that trace the entire history and evolution (and decay) of all artforms, explain the link between them as well as specific genres, and how they relate to human psychology? If you have, or can point out any logical fallacies in icycalm's articles, I'd be happy to listen!

[Pteriforever]

Icy's just an irrelevant little guy who thinks he has power. Just ignore him and let him rant and rave.

[Ed Oscuro]

DMC: the connection between the subjects is made in icycalm's writings. Ever come across any other articles that trace the entire history and evolution (and decay) of all artforms, explain the link between them as well as specific genres, and how they relate to human psychology? If you have, or can point out any logical fallacies in icycalm's articles, I'd be happy to listen!

Actually that premise sounds very familiar...I've got a book somewhere written around 1950 by an ex-Nazi on a similar theme.

[DJ Incompetent]

I like icy. I enjoy his crude essays that provoke the thoughts. I don't believe posting to one high score thread qualifies anybody to be an undisputed authority of the world, but I'd probably buy a book or two if he'd get it together enough to self-publish on Amazon.

His cartoon character high maintenance conduct is an ongoing bummer, and suddenly makes me want to watch old SNL Dana Carvey skits about The McLaughlin Group.

Speaking of, I wonder what Willy Wonka EOJ is up to? He's a guy I'd like to see make a game.

[drauch]

I like Icy as sort of a supervillain in the video game forum underworld. Just the sheer ridiculousness of his arrogance and shrewd philosophy of his overall condescending nature. The fact that his name still warrants 7 page (and going) discussions, despite having not been here for quite awhile, is pretty impressive. I'd buy any book the dude shat out, but certainly for the irony of his futile existence and nonsensical ideas and diabolical scheming in piss game development and game trade.

[pestro87]

I don't believe posting to one high score thread qualifies anybody to be an undisputed authority of the world

I absolutely agree. Having that said, a high score is usually a good indicator of how knowledgeable a person is about a game. I got the impression that icycalm believed that he knew more about these games than everybody else and I would have put more weight into his claims if he had some good scores. But a good score definitely doesn't justify anyone to talk down on another person.

[GaijinPunch]

Willy Wonka EOJ

I can tell you for sure he does not own a top hat... whereas I do.

But a good score definitely doesn't justify anyone to talk down on another person.

Indeed. That's what post counts are for.

[DMC]

DMC: the connection between the subjects is made in icycalm's writings. Ever come across any other articles that trace the entire history and evolution (and decay) of all artforms, explain the link between them as well as specific genres, and how they relate to human psychology? If you have, or can point out any logical fallacies in icycalm's articles, I'd be happy to listen!

Ok, that is at least a bit more specific than the arguments you quoted earlier, although you present no evidence of how he does it. It is you who make the claim that he is one of the leading authorities on this subject so the burden of proof is clearly on you. I have not made any claims on his skills, rather on his fanbase and him being a funny character. So example of how he does connect these traces of history and evolution to specific genres would be appreciated.

What I read so far are outtakes from his books that were so full of jargong, excessive use of caps lock and name calling that it could not have went through any scholar editing. Then it is difficult to take seriously what he write even though there may be some good ideas hidden there.

That said, I consider purchasing one of his books for summer reading just because I'm curious. Maybe I put the review up here. Which book do you recommend for beginners?

[Skykid]

But a good score definitely doesn't justify anyone to talk down on another person.

Indeed. That's what post counts are for.

Fuckin' A.

[Teufel_in_Blau]

Indeed. That's what post counts are for.

;_;

[Udderdude]

.

[Skykid]

Good luck reading through all of it. It's basically "Your opinion is wrong/mine is better" turned into a small book.

Opens link.

"First Essay: The Absurd Circularity of the Pseudo-Art Game"

Closes page.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

^ And nothing of value was lost.

Someone really ought to tell him that combining verbosity with arrogance isn't an instant recipe for intelligence.

[moh]

DMC: the connection between the subjects is made in icycalm's writings. Ever come across any other articles that trace the entire history and evolution (and decay) of all artforms, explain the link between them as well as specific genres, and how they relate to human psychology? If you have, or can point out any logical fallacies in icycalm's articles, I'd be happy to listen!

VIDEO GAMES.

[zinger]

Ok, that is at least a bit more specific than the arguments you quoted earlier, although you present no evidence of how he does it. It is you who make the claim that he is one of the leading authorities on this subject so the burden of proof is clearly on you. I have not made any claims on his skills, rather on his fanbase and him being a funny character. So example of how he does connect these traces of history and evolution to specific genres would be appreciated. What I read so far are outtakes from his books that were so full of jargong, excessive use of caps lock and name calling that it could not have went through any scholar editing. Then it is difficult to take seriously what he write even though there may be some good ideas hidden there.

That said, I consider purchasing one of his books for summer reading just because I'm curious. Maybe I put the review up here. Which book do you recommend for beginners?

Scholar editing? Do you expect the essays to read like articles from a scientific journal in order for you to see any value in them? As far as I am concerned, the all-caps passages only add to the enjoyment of reading the articles. Now, I admit I have a problem with some of the terminology (the extensive use of words like "fag" don't go well with the more politically "correct" aspects of my personality), but the gist of the ideas that are put forward is far too valuable for me to care about that.

So, what about the actual ideas then? You can start by reading Videogame Culture: Volume I. Most of it's availiable for free online, so just take articles and read them one at a time. Try these three for a start (linked below). They're short and easy to understand (no need for any background in philosophy, no Nietzsche quotes etc.), but provide solutions for issues that are essential if you want to actually make some progress when discussing and analyzing games.

http://insomnia.ac/commentary/gameplay/

http://insomnia.ac/commentary/sequel_the_videogame/

http://insomnia.ac/commentary/on_role-playing_games/

As for "On the Genealogy of 'Art Games'", which someone already linked, it's a bit more demanding, and you won't get much out of it if you close your tabs as soon as you see an all-caps word. The first part discusses art and its relation to pleasure -- even "ugly, depressing pessimistic" art -- and expands on what's already been said on the subject by Pauline Kael, Nietzsche and Baudrillard. It's essential for understanding the entire article, but try this, anyway: fast-forward to part two (http://insomnia.ac/commentary/on_the_ge ... es/#partii) and read the first five passages or so (no 'all-caps', I promise) and tell me what you think. It will only take a minute.

[MR_Soren]

But seriously a development team has to be like a freakin' marriage. A lot of times I see internet kids trying to get together to make something ambitious and it's like "you're going to contribute 800 hours of your life to these anonymous people who may or may not pull through? Have you ever done anything for 800 hours for free in your life?"

I don't know. Spend $47 and work 800 hours for nothing? Sounds a lot like playing Disgaea.

[moh]

But seriously a development team has to be like a freakin' marriage. A lot of times I see internet kids trying to get together to make something ambitious and it's like "you're going to contribute 800 hours of your life to these anonymous people who may or may not pull through? Have you ever done anything for 800 hours for free in your life?"

I don't know. Spend $47 and work 800 hours for nothing? Sounds a lot like playing Disgaea.

ZZZZZINGGG!!!!!

[Herr Schatten]

Willy Wonka EOJ

I can tell you for sure he does not own a top hat... whereas I do.

How can he play Ketsui without one? It's a prerequisite.

[Skykid]

Compared to her, then, all game journalists, artfags and videogame-intellectuals ever have been children — not even men-children, properly speaking: little fagots, little physically and mentally stunted child-fagots: this would be a more precise way of describing them. Now what do people like them know about art? What do they know about painting? or sculpture? or literature? or the theatre? or the pseudo-artistic films that Kael makes fun of in her essays — let alone the real art films that she praises? — Suffice it to say that they know absolutely nothing about any of that: all the art they've ever been exposed to on their own initiative — that is to say willingly — has been comics, action movies and, at best, science fiction novels — all the while their parents, relatives and schoolteachers railed at them for throwing away their youth. And they kept hearing this for so long that, dutiful little children that they were, they ended up believing it. All the things that gave them pleasure came at length to be associated with the bad conscience, whereas the good conscience was reserved, and had to be reserved, for those things towards which they felt absolutely nothing whatever, which gave them no pleasure at all, which simply bored them to death.

By the end of this excerpt of a disproportionately long paragraph, what have we learned, class?

One, that Icycalm doesn't understand the usage or application of paragraph breaks.

Two, incorrect and abundant hyphenation is damaging to the eye and sentence structure.

Three, people who can't spell 'Faggot', are, in-fact, closet homosexuals.

And four, by the end of the excerpt we have absolutely, positively, no coherent sense of the text's point, purpose, or informative goals, and conclude that this is what mad people create when they bang their heads into a keyboard.

[Damocles]

Wait a sec...is Icycalm Phil Fish? That would explain a lot, actually.

[Squire Grooktook]

And four, by the end of the excerpt we have absolutely, positively, no coherent sense of the text's point, purpose, or informative goals

I thought it's purpose was pretty clear. It was "insult people who disagree with me".

I'm not a big fan of artsy indie platformers either, but it's not like it's a big deal. Trippy stuff like that's always been around and always will be around.

[R79]

Are those pictures of him legit? He looks so much different to how I'd imagined. Really nasty piece of work. Some of us used to look on his site, as it came up in searches for STG games, but then over time, and as they added a forum, it became clear he was some kind of madman. Like an unfeeling sociopath empowered by a web forum he controlled. Must be horrible being on the run from America for such a serious offence. He's lucky they don't drone him! The schadenfreude...

[Teufel_in_Blau]

Icy should be unbanned. He is now forced to post in this barren wasteland called gamengai: http://www.gamengai.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3155

[drauch]

Such brilliance! My feeble mind cannot even begin to comprehend such deep discussion. I think we're just too afraid of Icy.

[DMC]

Scholar editing? Do you expect the essays to read like articles from a scientific journal in order for you to see any value in them? As far as I am concerned, the all-caps passages only add to the enjoyment of reading the articles. Now, I admit I have a problem with some of the terminology (the extensive use of words like "fag" don't go well with the more politically "correct" aspects of my personality), but the gist of the ideas that are put forward is far too valuable for me to care about that.

Well, if he is supposed to be taken seriously as a learned person, specialist in the area (a scholar) one assumes a certain level of quality of the text. If he hasn't even taken time to carefully re-read and edit the text professionally so that it is readable, then why assume he carefully considers his ideas and scrutinizes them carefully. Sorry, but his style is closer to Angry Video Game Nerd than Nietzsche. The extreme use of caps lock is maybe fun the first few lines, after that it is just distractive and silly.

The bottom line is, if he doesn't work hard with his own texts, why should the reader?

But yeah, I will read those articles when I find time.

One, that Icycalm doesn't understand the usage or application of paragraph breaks.

Indeed. Simple advice to any writer: Temporarily shift to times new roman font, 12pts, double space, regular margins. If a paragraph exceeds a full page it is probably too long and should be shortened. Icycalms' are 3 pages.

[Moniker]

QED, I guess? If anyone here even knows what QED means...

Bwahaha. Quod erat demonstrandum. Anyone who's seen No Way Out, starring the illustrious Kevin Costner, would know the meaning. I was previously kind of undecided w/r/t Icy's intellectual level (distinct, mind you, from his psychosis level), but now my penis is calmed and reassured that its size is adequate, and possibly superior.

I DARE heretofore any man to CHALLENGE my John Thomas in equal combat.

[chum]

Figures that this clown likes Pauline Kael.

By the way, has he ever showed any indication of understanding just about anything about any kind of artform besides video games? He keeps mentioning painting, sculpture, cinema and so on

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Wait a sec...is Icycalm Phil Fish? That would explain a lot, actually.

The retarded love child of Phil Fish and Roger Ebert, maybe.