Half-Glass Gaming [Episode 43] : I’m the Problem
We start off this week’s discussion by catching up on the Reverend’s wrestling career. Yes, that means we’ve got some more Wasserman anecdotes, as well as some stuff to say about Hulk Hogan. We spend a bit of time exploring Fallout: New Vegas versus Fallout 3 and 4 before diving into Far Cry Primal, which Josh and Julian have been really into lately. But hold on a second; did Far Cry Primal reuse a whole bunch of assets from Far Cry 4?
That leads us to our topic of the day: asset reuse in video games. Mandi brings us on a factoid-filled adventure, walking us through the strange history of asset reuse. We talk through Capcom’s long history of reusing their character sprites, how Nintendo’s Yakuza ties may have aided them in their battle against The Great Giana Sisters, the origins of Yo! Noid, some of the lawsuits that happened (and some of the lawsuits that should have happened but didn’t), and the many faces of a little game called Baby T-Rex.
We’re spitting mad fire into the mic this week in Half-Glass Gaming’s 43rd episode.
Retrovolve Staff
At Retrovolve, we love discussing, studying, and playing retro games, though not necessarily in that order.
Very good episode! I can’t say that I’m bothered by recycled assets. My only concern is that the game is fun to play. Stealing assets is a different matter entirely, of course. I’d be gutted if someone stole my art before I had a chance to use it.
You’re an artist? What kind of art do you do?
– The Reverend
I feel the same way, Jimmy. Recycled assets, when you get down to brass tax is, is just the way it is done in the industry and shouldn’t necessarily been seen as a problem. I don’t think Nintendo needs to completely re-imagine goombas or fireflowers with every game. In fact, it is often because they look the same and are instantly recognizable that they have a positive impact when you see them. Sometimes though, as with Far Cry, when the settings are supposed to be drastically different and separated by thousands of years of history and evolution, it can be a little jarring that Honey Badgers look the same in 10,000 BCE as they do in 2015. Of corse I am no honey badger expert so perhaps they do.. Any who, thanks for listening.
I’m surprised anyone could tell that Primal used the same map Far Cry 4 did. It’s not as if Far Cry 4’s map was memorable in any way.
Burn.. Nicely done. I personally think 4’s map was a more lush and visually pleasing world than 3’s, but Primal, with all of it’s towering trees and looming glaciers in the background is just down right impressive.
Burn.. Nicely done. I personally think 4’s map was a more lush and visually pleasing world than 3’s, but Primal, with all of it’s towering trees and looming glaciers in the background is just down right impressive.
I don’t know about Primal but I hate it when games reuse the same areas. It gets boring when you keep going to the same place over and over again.
Call of Duties reuse tons of stuff. I remember they had buildings straight from COD4 in MW3.
Didn’t GTA Online use the same ship from Max Payne 3? Or did they just look the same? Sometimes I see things in games that I think are the same, but when I check they look different from what I remembered.
Didn’t GTA Online use the same ship from Max Payne 3? Or did they just look the same? Sometimes I see things in games that I think are the same, but when I check they look different from what I remembered.