Truth in Trailers - more important than game ratings?
Inevitably, timed with a game conference like the Tokyo Game Show, the universe of video game developers unloads virtual reel after reel of game trailers. Only problem - exploiting pre-rendered material at the expense of game play. Like most everyone reading this, I get an honest kick out of game trailers. The eye candy is almost sufficient to elicit real tooth decay and the explosions seem to resonate even in my hip sockets. Unfortunately, at this point in time we are all trained to assume that nothing in the trailer exists during game play? So much so, that developers often have to announce "Real Game Play" during the trailer just so we will let our defenses down. Here's a thought. Release one trailer culled only from actual game play, so we can really get a sense of the game. Make the pre-rendered trailer a movie short, blowing out our ears drums and mesmerizing our vision for a good half hour or more. Game artists get to express themselves and show off their vision, we get an honest sense of game play. No confusion.
