Q&A: Feb 8th, 2023 (Patreon)

Joshua Lovejoy Asks
Will we see a So I've Finally Played on Rocksmith 2014?

Probably never, being that I've decided I can't put the time into the game that i want to without sacrificing more important work and hobbies, but it's given me a great appreciation for instruments and musicans, and it's nice to have even the basic understanding of how a Guitar works.

I am still tempted to invest in a Bass sometime from just the fun I had scratching together Royal Blood riffs.

Canaan Meyers Asks
What’s the best racing game for someone who hasn’t played anything except Mario Kart?

Burnout 3/Revenge/Paradise

Wreckfest

Forza Horizon

Burnout for the obvious reasons that I've talked about in videos. Wreckfest for simiar reasons in concept but with gameplay that's very easy to transfer to other driving games with grounded physics; the same gameplay transfer can happen with Forza Horizon but for the sake of car collecting, and building rides that become very personal to you.

K The Shy Kat Asks
Have you tried out any puzzle games like Tetris or Puzzle Bobble in your life?

For sure! I used to binge Lumines on my PSP, and I still go to Threes on my phone sometimes. Though I can't say I was ever that great at them, nor dedicated to the art of puzzle solving itself to play pure experiences like The Witness.

dksjournal Asks
What is the best Remedy game and why is it not Control?

Because it'll be a snowy day in hell before they make something better than Max Payne 2!

SierraTheBlueJ Asks
Do you think phones will get powerful enough that portable consoles aren't justifiable anymore?

For sure, Nintendo's already sort of getting there. Sony, as with everything, will be the slowest to adapt, but even they'll get dragged into it kicking and screaming, no matter how fat they make the PS7.

Finn Clarke Asks
Howdy Ray, you're a confessed NiN fan so I was wondering if you ever took a look at Trent's inspirations like Depeche Mode for instance? Ever listened to their music at all?

The Depeche Mode I'm most familiar with is a Mike Shinoda remix heard on old Top Gear episodes. I haven't sat down and listened an album of theirs start to finish, just know the classics, but they're nice enough, and one day, I'll try to check them off the list as I did with NIN themselves.

John Stefanelli Asks
I’ve been obsessed on Mandalore’s Marathon videos and the story of the games and the universe in general, but I find myself unable to experience it myself because it’s wrapped in a janky 90s FPS. How would you, as someone that has spent a lot of time thinking about stories, go about telling a something like that in another medium, be it TV, Film or novel?

Man... I'm not sure if you could do it.

At least, not in a well-funded non-indie project.

It's taken people 20+ years to properly break down Marathon Infinity, and it'll be impossible to convince someone to fund something which takes people that long to """""""get""""""".

I'm not sure you could properly adopt Marathon's particular magic, as a big component of it is that it directly invovles the player, making the Security Guard as much a part of the narrative as the AI God's teleporting you across the vastness of space.

Now, you could definitely capture it's atmopshere, mood, and open-ended interpretations in Film and TV, as that's David Lynch wheelhouse; come to think of it, a genuine David Lynch style piece in space (Dune doesn't really count from my understanding) would be really cool!

I actually got some ideas for a Ghost in the Shell game that would perhaps get some Marathon comparisons...

The Great Leveler Asks
What are some of your hobbies outside of videogames?

Funny enough, all my hobbies have been a part of my career or were intended to be. When asked what I do for fun, it's genuinely hard to answer. Writing was a hobby of mine, as were video-games, now...

Previously I was training to be a Golf Pro, and while I haven't practiced enough recently to feel confident calling that a "hobby", I know I could pick up those sticks and still hit better than half the people on a course.

When you've done something everyday for fifteen years, it doesn't leave you, no matter how much time passes after that.

Submit your questions in the comments below, for future Patreon Q&A's.