Victory Game Center

http://victorygamecenter.com/must-we-fail/

There's an additional element here that I couldn't work into the essay. It speaks to the heart of the matter, but they are complex, subtle points that would have exploded its length.

It starts with the following:

• "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)
• "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." (Psalm 14:1)
• "All they that hate me, love death." (Proverbs 8:36)
• "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?" (Ezekiel 18:23)
• "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6)

And ends with virtuous art. I.e. art to the glory of God.

It's interesting to note that in Edge of Tomorrow, Master Sergeant Farell doesn't just consider the battlefield an "instructor". He refers to it as "the Great Redeemer", and that in the course of battle, "you will be baptized, born again." This is a crucial point of the utmost significance.

The opening to Tekki perfectly captures the idea behind this article - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWO-U710jdI

The game begins with an invitation to "six months of vigorous training" with your instructor who points to the simulator room saying that you'll be spending at least 8 weeks in there before you'd be allowed anywhere near the cockpit of a real mech. But then a sudden enemy attack sends those plans right out the window. Your instructor's down. The base is burning. Scrambling for a response, you ask if the next generation VT in the hanger is operational. If so, you could pilot it and fend off the attack. The instructor's response is an authentic, "that's insane! You don't have the qualifications to pilot a VT! Let alone any experience with it."

"I think I can do it looking at the manual, Sir."

And you better believe that's the only way you'll manage, because if you ignore the manual here, you won't even be able to turn the machine on! Much less be able to do anything about the hostile VT outside blowing open the hanger doors. But sometimes necessity requires you to take the jump when you're not ready, and anyone who's played Tekki the first time can tell you about how overwhelming that first battle feels. How woefully incompetent you are behind the controls for the first time. How you could hardly move the thing, and even managed to topple it a few times. And the victory, if it comes, feels awkward and undeserved, with the machine itself having done most of the heavy lifting. When it asks you if you want to view or save the replay, you go, "Are you kidding? Who'd want to watch that shameful display?"

But now it's on to the next mission. The game begins proper, and the stakes increase. It's only going to get tougher from here on in. And so you dive into the operation manual trying to understand your machine as well as possible before the next mission. You prepare. Understanding what the mission calls for, knowing the equipment well enough to arm yourself and your platoon appropriately, the cockpit closes, and you're back in.

Pure gaming excellence.

Witcher 3 should be played on the hardest difficulty - http://www.polygon.com/2015/6/3/8712405 ... difficulty

Jake Lear wrote: The alchemy and crafting system in The Witcher games can seem, at first glance, to be overwrought. There are many different oils, potions, decoctions and bombs that you'll be able to craft as you go through the game.

It is likely you may never need to use these if you're playing on the easiest difficulty level. The best part about the higher difficulties is that they force you not only to use, but to become adept at these dark arts. The rewards are many, and alchemy is such a large part of the lore than any difficulty that allows you to ignore them completely feels like a design failure.

Walking into a battle prepared is a key part of a Witcher's profession, and this is proven again and again in the lore and world-building. Knowing what you're up against and preparing the appropriate potions and oils is all a part of the job.

Outside of the roleplaying and lore implications of this, it is very satisfying as a player to know that you researched your enemy, prepared for the fight and then you kicked ass because you were well prepared.

Witcher 3 TV Spot - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Bh7esrGkM

This world doesn't need a hero. It needs a professional.

Proverbs 24:16

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.