Blogs: The Third Movie That Should Not Have Been Created

Last, but certainly not least, on my list is Grumpy Gamer. This is a blog run by Ron Gilbert, a video game designer and writer. His posts are usually short and full of opinions on the state of the industry, which means we're looking once again at the "blog" type described by Blood. I'd also say this is a pundit blog since you have to care about what Ron Gilbert thinks in order to care about this blog, because otherwise there isn't much point. If the number of comments that get left on his (fairly infrequent) posts is any indication, this is a good number of people. His latest post, for instance, has about 21 comments as of this writing. It's also a good example of his short and opinionated style.

Personally, I respect the man as being someone who got into the industry young in the early 80s and rode it through some tough times while making some of the most memorable games in my experience. It seems to be a rare thing these days to have your hands in the computer programming and be very focused on writing and story. For anyone interested in interactive storytelling like I am, this is a man that should be watched.

From his perspective, I'm sure he's hoping to express himself to the world at large. There is also, I think, that element of wanting to raise awareness of himself because he hasn't really been on the scene for many years since he went into children's games and then has been on hiatus for a long period of time. Even the few people that might have played his games at this point probably don't know who he is, since game designers are usually forgotten faster than movie directors or book authors.

He describes his blog as having "bitter ramblings" and I'd have to agree with that. He's got ideas for a gaming industry that has more focus on story, which is something I'd totally agree with. As things are now I don't think anyone has really been exploring the narrative possibilities in the medium. Most games are too caught up in processing the physics of bullets to care about plot. This post by a fellow class blogger has many of the same sentiments.

I'd have to say this is a blog for a very specific set of people. In a way it's a celebrity blog, because you have to be interested in the person writing it as a fan or as a professional. He's got links all down the right side to what he's doing on the internet, in games, in books, and in movies for those that care about such things. It's personal, it's opinionated, it's relevant, and it's a blog. That's about all there is to it.