Bridging the Generation Gap: Porting Games to New Platforms by Tom Bennet of Polygon.

From remasters to down-ports to cross-platform development, this is a brilliant introduction to the world of video game porting. Audio version read by Dave Tach via Polygon Longform podcast.

Separate from porting, I am ever intrigued by the following:

Commentators have also levelled criticism at the arguably destructive nature of certain re-releases. These titles exist on a spectrum; to use film as an example, there is an obvious difference between Criterion’s restoration work and LucasFilm’s treatment of the Star Wars films.

Cifaldi argues that true remasters — distinct from remakes or reinterpretations — respect the original artistic intent. “If we’re talking about The Last of Us Remastered, we’re talking about 3D assets,” says Cifaldi. “You’re actually going to the original source elements and presenting them in an even cleaner way than before. And I would argue that that is a totally valid approach for that kind of game; it is the equivalent of putting [Star Trek:] The Next Generation on Blu-ray.” [Edit: This paragraph originally omitted the Star Trek reference from Cifaldi’s quote.]

Is there any legitimacy in stating 2D animation is more evergreen than 3D? Are 8 and 16-bit sprites poorer quality 2D animations, or are do they stand in a class all their own? Are there any instances of 3D animation that stand the test of time?

I can look at Mario’s first primitive 8-bit version without any cringing. Mario’s 64-bit likeness on the other hand is rough on the eyes. In the world of cinema, there is no batting an eye to any classic hand-drawn animation. But even with today’s advances CG characters and worlds thread a fine-line between believable and terrible.

I guess what I’m trying to ask is is 2D definitive?

Polygon:

King’s Quest: Rubble Without a Cause, the second of five chapters in The Odd Gentlemen’s King’s Quest, will begin rolling out in two weeks, publisher Sierra announced today.

The episode will be available Dec. 15 on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in North America. It will launch the following day on Windows PC, Xbox 360 and Xbox 360, and in the rest of the world on PS3 and PS4.

…

The Odd Gentlemen is also changing up the way King’s Quest plays from chapter to chapter. Korba told Polygon that while A Knight to Remember was based on the open puzzle-solving structure of the first two King’s Quest games, Rubble Without a Cause is “more inspired by [King’s Quest 3: To Heir is Human]. It’s a bit darker and centers on an escape mechanic.” The Odd Gentlemen also added the ability to skip dialogue.

Interesting to hear that the gameplay style will change between episodes. The continued homages to the original titles are a nice touch.

The New York Times:

Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers has decided to retire after this season.

The 37-year-old Bryant made the announcement in a post on The Players’ Tribune on Sunday. The decision was not totally unexpected, given that Bryant has said many times in recent weeks that he was considering making his 20th NBA season his last.

There’s no more wondering now.

A thank you and best of luck to Bryant. I’ve got a rookie card and autographed basketball somewhere.

At the time of this post, “Dear Basketball” is throwing a 503. Regardless, I’m utterly impressed by the pull the The Players’ Tribune has managed.

Also, no link to the original post from NYT? Weird.

Business Insider (via My Nintendo News):

Target had its biggest online shopping day ever on Thanksgiving.

“Demand outpaced 2014’s record Thanksgiving performance, making it Target’s biggest day for online sales yet,” the retailer said in a release.

The record-breaking sales online were driven by three items: the Apple iPad, Apple Watch, and Wii U gaming console, the company said.

Justin McElroy, in a short and sweet dual-review with Dave Tach at Polygon:

For example: New weapons and items unlock at what feels like a glacially slow pace, but that forced me to focus on becoming competent with the items I had on hand and genuinely improving. Compare that to Call of Duty, where I tend to flit between the shiny objects I seem to unlock after every round and never really live with one long enough to become deadly. For a casual fan like myself, that’s a big plus.

Admittedly, that slow pace (along with the lack of weapon customization) left me without the compulsive burning desire to play “just one more game” only to see what new trinket was right around the corner. It’s an impulse that games like Call of Duty and Destiny have down to a science, but science isn’t always a great substitute for fun.

I want to play more Battlefront because it’s just that: It’s fun.

I vividly recall spending hours with the original Star Wars: Battlefront for PS2. An hours more with Star Wars: Battlefront II. They were unlike any shooter I had ever played. And surprisingly for a licensed game, they were fun.

Back to the piece. Dave Tach:

With the notable exception of Boba Fett (and even he has a bizarre and unwieldy control scheme), I have much more fun as an anonymous Rebel or Stormtrooper. Their modes are much more interesting than the movie hero power trip.

I recall feeling initially jarred when diving into the original. I had come in with the expectation that I’d be questing as one of the franchises heroes, and it turned out to be my first experience of the Star Wars universe outside of the perspective of said heroes. I quickly became fond running missions in anonymity. I had an avatar in the Star Wars universe with no preconceived story arc. In turn, anonymity only amplified my desire to continue playing.

I’ve been looking forward to the Star Wars: Battlefront reboot for a long while now.