<story><title>Dear John Carmack.</title><url>http://iloapp.quelsolaar.com/blog/news?Home&amp;post=88</url><text></text></story><parent_chain><item><author>kennymeyers</author><text>This article is so full of incendiary bullshit, I&apos;m surprised it even got on the front page.&lt;p&gt;Some of the most critically acclaimed games, as well as highest selling games, have stories.&lt;p&gt;For example: Grand Theft Auto 3. Final Fantasy VII. 
Ico. Metal Gear Solid. Arkham Asylum. Mass Effect. Dragon Age. Dark Souls. Demon Souls. Starcraft. Starcraft II.
Modern Warfare. World of Warcraft.&lt;p&gt;Do you know what else made these games stand out? Art direction.&lt;p&gt;Give me a break.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>stephth</author><text>&lt;i&gt;Some of the most critically acclaimed games, as well as highest selling games, have stories.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;p&gt;He&apos;s not saying games don&apos;t have stories, of course they do, he&apos;s saying that some game designers get distracted from making good mechanics, which I agree, is a huge mistake. Mechanics is the core of the medium, and shouldn&apos;t be put second on the list.&lt;p&gt;Valve gets that. Their attention and talent put into storytelling and art direction is top-notch, yet that has never distracted them from making sure their mechanics are excellent.</text></comment>
<story><title>Dear John Carmack.</title><url>http://iloapp.quelsolaar.com/blog/news?Home&amp;post=88</url><text></text></story><parent_chain><item><author>kennymeyers</author><text>This article is so full of incendiary bullshit, I&apos;m surprised it even got on the front page.&lt;p&gt;Some of the most critically acclaimed games, as well as highest selling games, have stories.&lt;p&gt;For example: Grand Theft Auto 3. Final Fantasy VII. 
Ico. Metal Gear Solid. Arkham Asylum. Mass Effect. Dragon Age. Dark Souls. Demon Souls. Starcraft. Starcraft II.
Modern Warfare. World of Warcraft.&lt;p&gt;Do you know what else made these games stand out? Art direction.&lt;p&gt;Give me a break.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>thret</author><text>You think SC and SC2 stand out due to art direction? Well, sure, in the same way Chess does.</text></comment>