[Saxon]

It is good to hear that Shrapnel’s model is working for them, I hope it continues to do so. Perhaps my angst is to see myself drifting away from a group of people that I have felt part of for so long.

I like your comparison to the world of art, particularly literature. I wager we could also bring in music, the market for which has greatly changed over the last few years because of changes in technology. We have seen that in art, some people make decent livings, some amazing ones and others scratch by, all of which is fine. Art has not died out.

Also, you are correct, many people push fancy graphics ahead of good game play and produce a poor game. However, I think that that focus also highlights the importance of graphics to the gaming experience for many people. I think the shift in my thinking is related to the growing gap in Shrapnel graphics and the big sellers. A few years back it was wide, but now it is massive. The technology has moved forward, but Shrapnel games are typically following farther behind. It is going to have to take a very remarkable game idea to fill in the missing graphical gaps.

Viewing games as art works, but to use that metaphor, do you want to buy something from the artist who doesn’t want to use that new paint that lets him paint in colour? Sure, black and white photos and prints have a place, but colour prints can do some things impossible otherwise.

To abuse the metaphors a bit more, the herds are fragmenting. Many of us go to the art gallery, rejecting the mass consumer culture. However, the art gallery has some new techniques on view and some of us think art can be more than just black and white. I won’t argue your right to stay in that part of the gallery, but what I see over in this part makes me wonder why you would want to.