Hello all,

My name is Jerry Bonner. I'm a writer who in the past several years has written for GQ, EGM, 1UP, Ars Technica, Yahoo!, What They Play and several other outlets.

Last year, I developed/produced several, video game related TV/Web shows. While I was working for What They Play, I created a TV/Web show called GAME TIME! Unfortunately,  the show never got to take off because WTP was sold to IGN shortly after the pilot episode was completed. IGN has their own agenda and quickly jettisoned the majority of the original WTP staff and any projects we were working on. As Kurt Vonnegut so aptly put it, “So it goes.”

GAME TIME! is a family oriented TV/Web show that revolves around one household and their collective love of video gaming. Important lessons are proffered during the course of this show but nothing is forced – everything is present in a fun and entertaining manner. My overall “vision” for
GAME TIME! is to combine live action, animation and puppetry ‐ kind of an “Electric Company” or “Sesame Street” for the video gaming set.

The first/pilot episode, “Solid Steve Vs. The M‐Rated Games” tackles the issue of game ratings, what is or isn’t appropriate for children and how parents can approach that by thinking outside the rating on the box; using the ESRB/PEGI ratings as a helpful guide, rather than a hard‐line rule.

Fortunately, I found a new home for the series at Retroware.tv and will be making new (and improved) episodes. What I'd like is the Gameleon community's feedback before I/we move forward. The main issue in the first episode is the lighting, that much I know. :^)

So, please check out GAME TIME! (and the associated videos) and let me know what you think. Either leave comments here or feel free to email me at jbonner71@verizon.net. Thanks...I'm looking forward to any and all (rational) comments!!

GAME TIME!

TEDDY AND THE BIG MAN

LESTER AND EARL - LEFT 4 DEAD

KOLBIE

I thoroughly enjoyed it and Parents really need to see it. Video games are not just for kids anymore but sad to say, a lot of people don't realize that. One word of advice from me is, don't stop being honest!

I enjoyed it very much and see so much potential in this show and idea.

Thanks guys...I really appreciate it! Look for more Game Time! goodness coming soon... :^)

First up - I thought it was good, so the following criticisms are about potential for further improvement, etc.

I liked some of the acted segments, but thought they went on for too long, or needed faster cutting.

I thought too many shots showed people sat on a sofa playing games, which can be pretty boring to look at.

I felt the parents' justification for not letting the kid play MGS4 was hella weak, and thinking back to when I was that age, I recall graphics were primitive enough that there was never a game deemed too adult to play. But I simply can't imagine how weird it must be to be a kid aged 10, and told you can't play an MA game, =P.

As soon as your specific piece on MGS4 started, I felt the mention of swear words and smoking might have been better reasons than the excuse given to the kid in the acted scenes. We're told so often gameplay matters more than graphics, shooting at people instead of aliens is a pretty weak argument, when the graphics shouldn't essentially matter. Still, pointing out he played it with the sound down, and therefore was engaged in decieving his parents and challenging their trust in him, was a fair criticism irrespective of the age-rating issue. Nonetheless, I can imagine Steve sneaking down to play it again at some point, ^_^.
But that's just an opinion, and videos are popular on the internet when they invoke opinions, and see multiple comments expressing those opinions left in their wake - hence you don't have to get this right, as much as start the debate.

The Dreamcast bit had some funny animations in it, but as a Saturn fan I didn't like the negative context Sonic R was mentioned in, as that game looked AMAZING when released, and I thought it was wrong to imply Dreamcast failed just because Sony issued a press release. A more common reason is that the decision to go software only was taken after four years of consecutive losses. Again, it was just a fun animated section, so arguably no big deal, but whilst a nice retrospective showing a good deal of DC love, it's not gonna stand up to scrutiny from any hardcore gamers.

Overall though, good stuff, =).

Kolbie was cool. The Left 4 Dead link just appears to be another link to Teddy and The Big Man.

Thanks for your time, Andrew. Points noted and link fixed!