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Too unkind towards Too Human? Apparently, Destructoid is photo

Ontario newspaper the St. Catharines Standard has interviewed local developer Denis Dyack about his upcoming controversial 360 title, Too Human. The interview discusses plans for Silicon Knights' expansion should the game sell well, along with the troubled development process that has surrounded Too Human's lengthy germination.

Of particular note is the attention that the article pays to press coverage of Too Human. In doing this, your very own narrator Jim Sterling has been made to look like a total arsehole in one of the funniest quotes that have ever been attributed to me:

Still, it’s hard to shake the negative image some avid gamers have of Too Human — and that’s troubling Dyack.

Video game bloggers have been relentless, and sometimes less than kind.

"I still have a tiny sliver of hope for Too Human, but I must admit that the hope is wearing just a mite bit thin," Jim Sterling, a blogger with Destructoid, The Hardcore Gamers Community, wrote last fall.

"We can but sit tight though, those few of us who still really care about the game, and hope that when this demo ‘speaks for itself,’ it doesn’t say, "I’m a problematic, over-developed piece of wank."

I couldn't help but laugh when I saw that a paper had quoted me, least of all because of the term "over-developed piece of wank." Do you think I am being too unkind to Denis and his team? Is such skepticism about a game a bad or a good thing, do you think? As troubled as Dyack supposedly is, however, he still remains confident in his product.

"If Too Human is perceived for what it is, and people look at it, I think it will do extremely well," Dyack retorts to the cynics. "We’re in a really strange position, because most games are released with a ton of hype. Generally, previews don’t say anything negative at all." Well, Mr. Dyack, pretty soon those previews will turn into reviews, and I promise you that the less-than-kind Destructoid will have one. I hope that what we review is anything but wank, though.


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53 comments | showing # 1 to 50

MrSadistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:34
MrSadistic
This Jim Sterling you type of sounds like a real jerk.
casualweaponry's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:34
casualweaponry
Who the fuck is Jim Sterling?

Awesomeness in the form of a man.

Your quote is pure win.
dtomek's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:36
dtomek
Congrats Jim, you are a star now. Also I am getting pretty excited for this game. Gamefly first though for sure.
SLiFE's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:38
SLiFE
God bless the Canadian press (unintentional rhyme ftw).
Best quote ever.
loki d20's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:38
loki d20
I'm still excited about the game and it's still in my top 5 games of 2008, but it could suck like nobody's business and I'm ready for that as well.
austenw's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:39
austenw
I honestly LOL'd when I read that quote.

Also, that's not exactly a negative quote, it's just hoping that the demo doesn't suck. I'd say that all games should hope their demo doesn't say "I’m a problematic, over-developed piece of wank."
tgammet's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:39
tgammet
I would say, yes you are too hard on the game. Yeah, it's had development woes but its coming from a good developer. It's not like they're parading the game out like the 2nd coming like other devs (Clifford B., Peter Moly., etc.). They showed the game too early, it looked bad. It's like 2 years later already and people are still using that first showing to rip on the game.
Kryptinite's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:42
Kryptinite
That quote is awesome. I see why they pulled that one out :)
Corak's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:43
Corak
To me the quote sounded like one of hope rather than one of angst. Hoping the demo is good and not a problematic piece of wank sounds like you still have hope for this game. They just used it because said wank.
-PL-'s Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:43
-PL-
Never question yourself, Jim. EVER.
Rockvillian's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:45
Rockvillian
They just don't sound confident. I'm pretty sure I know what confidence in your product looks and sounds like, and quoting someone who said something negative-y about you isn't confidence. And that shows in the way the game plays, and the overall feeling I take away from it.

We'll have to wait and see I guess.
king3vbo's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:45
king3vbo
Jim is a cockass
necrozen's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:46
necrozen
I don't give a crap about this game but THAT is hilarious!!

"piece of wank" You need to clip that and frame it!

With as much crap that sees the light of day, how can they NOT expect us to have a bit of gallows humor every once in a while? Especially you writers who are soaked in gameshit.
4knuckleshuffle's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:48
4knuckleshuffle
Always believe in yourself Jim. Don't let them get to you.
Aetsen's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:50
Aetsen
I wish Dyack would shut the fuck up and let the game speak for itself. History has shown that nothing good has ever come from developers spouting off crazy shit and getting defensive, before a game is released.
JohnnyWadd's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 11:58
JohnnyWadd
As a native of St. Catharines (a city just outside of niagara falls) i hope the game does well and we see the expansion of SK.

Maybe they'll give Jim Sterling the key to the city too!
NotAZombie's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:01
NotAZombie
I think you got it right. We've been hearing about it for so long that most of us have lost interest.
Novakaine's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:01
Novakaine
Honestly, I'm predicting this game will bomb so badly.
Blackhat's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:02
Blackhat
Anything to counter the huge waves of hype that every goddamn game gets, Jim.

When I go to Metacritic to check out a game, the first thing I do is scroll all the way down to the bottom, for the low scores. Why? Because 99% of the reviews are almost entirely identical, game-fellating in the hopes they caught the right trend early.

So no, I don't think you are being too hard on them. If anything, your line about having a 'sliver of hope' was too kind.
GuitarAtomik's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:04
GuitarAtomik
@Aetsen
Honestly, I think Dyack has been pretty reserved for someone who's game is constantly attacked by people who've never played it. He's never claimed it would be the greatest game ever, just that he feels it's the greatest game he's ever made. He hasn't claimed it's going to revolutionize the industry or anything. He's basically said, he'll let the game speak for itself and hopefully people would like it. That's why putting out a demo is a big priority for him.

@Jim
I don't think you're being too harsh (especially that quote). Well maybe a little, in that this is one of those games that is immediately met with skepticism, while Haze didn't seem to. But I'd say it's "playfully" harsh (at least from you) and nothing to worry about.
mobilesinper's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:10
mobilesinper
Internet Death Squad next target Playstation Home!
Mr Kryptonite's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:19
Mr Kryptonite
Too Human is the next Haze.
My wank told me so.
Syn's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:25
Syn
I don't really care one way or the other about this game, but I think you did great Jim, developers need harsh critics to put the pressure on so they don't release garbage.
Gemsi's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:27
Gemsi
Jim, your getting to be a proper celebrity now days.
vexed alex's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:35
vexed alex
I agree with what Guitar Atomik said. His game is always being labled as "suck" when not many people have really played it. Those who have played it (Shane Bettenhousen and a few others from EGM/1Up) have said what they've played was great.

I also agree that Jim has a right to be skeptical and that his comment wasn't at all "mean." That's absolutely ridiculous.
Neonie's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:40
Neonie
"Is such skepticism about a game a bad or a good thing, do you think?"

Good. I think developers, just like anyone else who makes art, need critiques to improve them selves, and cynics so they strive to make a better game. Always strive for better. Always.
notdryad's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:49
notdryad
@Mr Kryptonite

I'll be prepared to shoop 4.5s onto Too Human screenshots as soon as that comes true.
TrailerParkJesus's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:51
TrailerParkJesus
You're such a meanie.
skullivan's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 12:53
skullivan
My problem with Too Human is that it's sounding more and more like it's going to be what Fable was last-gen. A game that sounded too good to be true and turned out to be exactly that.

I've been looking forward to this game as what it has always been hyped up as: a console successor to the Diablo formula. Cutting the co-op down to 2 players pretty much negates that. I wish SK would at least compromise and allow 3 player co-op since they claim the engine can handle 4 players. If the game really does get too chaotic with more than 2 players then let the players make that choice. What draws people back to these games is the teamwork it takes to progress through them. Phantasy Star Online wouldn't have been anywhere near as successful if it only supported 2 players.

I have no doubt that the single player game game will still be good (just as Fable was) but I have very little faith the online play is going to hold anyone's interest for long. For me that's the difference between buying and gameflying.
GuitarAtomik's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 13:02
GuitarAtomik
@skullivan

Though I believe it when they say 4 is too much (mainly because the people who played it agreed) I kind of hope they patch that option in as well. Dyack did say the technology is still in there so I'm sure it's possible to just make it available as an option later.
gotdurnrite's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 13:07
gotdurnrite
It's not like you said this game is gonna suck balls. You said this game had better not suck balls.

I heard an interview with Dyack and he basically said what everyone always says. We think people are going to like the work we put into this. People are going to get their own experiences from it...blah blah blah. He seems pretty confident in it. When I first heard about this game I could not care less but the more and more I hear I might give the game a shot.
donkeykong's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 13:08
donkeykong
I wouldn't worry too badly about St. Catharines... it's a smallish city and that's a local newspaper.
moot button's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 13:09
moot button
"Also Too Human eats new-born preemie babies and has techno-viking sex with their skulls"
- Jim
dtomek's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 13:12
dtomek
@Rockvillian
How does a journalist quoting the Sterling have anything at all to do with Dyack's confidence in his product?
JorTroN's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 13:17
JorTroN
I'm sorry, but Too Human is either going to be a horrid piece of crap or completely mediocre.
scottus's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 13:42
scottus
1st to say: Jim Sterling is a problematic, overdeveloped piece of wank


Seriously, anyone up on their Lovecraft should know that "real" journalists quoting JS is NOT a good sign.
Eschatos's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 13:42
Eschatos
Jim Sterling: Now he's for real famous.
lostalaska's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 13:51
lostalaska
Games with really long development cycles (more than a decade) are always a bit worrisome. Wasn't this game being developed for one of the last gen consoles (PSone even?) and than was reworked for the 360 and than some crap happened and boom... you're nearly a decade into a game that most likely isn't going to be able justify that amount of time spent on it. As many console platforms as Too Human has hopped onto and than jumped ship just makes me nervous about the final product. I'd love this game to be some kind of awesome, and some of the recent reports do say the game could be a lot of fun, but damn Dyack if your game takes over 10 years expect to get some flak from the community.
boxmyth's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 13:59
boxmyth
I still get this game confused with Mass Effect...
Brahms's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 14:01
Brahms
When you work on the same project for too long, you eventually become unable to remove yourself from the project. You can no longer sit back, look at it, and seriously ask yourself if you accomplished the goals you set out to achieve.

I hope that this isn't the case for this project.
Demtor's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 14:04
Demtor
Too harsh? Poppycock! It shouldn't take that long to make a game. And if it is going to take that long, keep a lid on it. Doubting their abilities after repeated internal failures is not too harsh. Its realistic at this point to assume the game may just be as Jim says.
Oni's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 14:44
Oni
@JohnnyWadd: Wow, another St. Catharines local. Awesome! We should totally throw a Niagara Region Dtoid NARP or something . . .

As for Too Human, I just want them to get it done and overwith, so they can start working on ED2.
GuitarAtomik's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 14:51
GuitarAtomik
@lostalaska

Technically, they haven't been working on it that long. It was originally conceived on the PS1, but then SK became a 2nd party Nintendo developer and development was stopped to work on Eternal darkness. Once Eternal darkness was finished, they planned to go back to TH but Dyack got the offer to do the Metal Gear remake and couldn't pass it up. So once THAT was done, they found out the new direction of Nintendo was going towards the Wii and they decided they didn't want to make those kinds of games so they split off. By this time, Microsoft was getting ready to release the Xbox 360 and was interested in Too Human so development was restarted on that platform.

So yeah. It was thought of waaaay back then, but they haven't actually been working on it recently.
GuitarAtomik's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 14:52
GuitarAtomik
*UNTIL recently.
Deadman182's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 15:07
Deadman182
@JohnnyWadd
@Oni

I'm from St. Kitts too! We should have a Too Human 4.5 launch party!
B-Radicate's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 15:58
B-Radicate
I'm still really interested in this game. The storyline alone will get me to purchase it, let alone all of the customization and replayability.

Great quote, btw.
DaedHead8's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 18:25
DaedHead8
Game developers have just grown accustomed to the games media performing fellatio on each and every one of their games when they are in the dev phases. God bless Jim and Destructoid for telling it like it is.
Faith's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 18:59
Faith
Sitting at work this morning reading this article and I read Jim's quote, and I start laughing my butt off. What weird connection. Out of all the blogging sites in all the world, they pick Destructoid. Too funny.

I plan to raid the Silicon Knights Studios at some point. I just have to get an invite first or sneak in through the back door.
mmmpek's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 19:17
mmmpek
dyack should be glad anyone is talking about his game. silicon knights is overated. eternal darkness is still talked up as an unappreciated masterpiece or something but it was just a corny piece of shit imo. if too human features the same brand of 'brilliant' storytelling i'll be bitching about it soon :) awesome concept denis! norse myths crossed with robots?! RAD! whats next?? greek myths crossed with ninjas?? u go girl!
ace of knaves's Avatar - Comment posted on 05/28/2008 19:53
ace of knaves
Jim, if you think a game's probably going to suck, you damn well better tell us. I mean, what's the alternative, lie to us?

Everyone's entitled to their opinions, and all that.

Also, what kind of newspaper publishes the phrase "piece of wank"? The best kind, that's what.
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