Slashdot Mirror
Rockstar's Family-Friendly Shocker
kleptonin writes "IGN is running an article about a new game being developed by Rockstar San Diego. Unlike their previous releases, the game will feature no guns, no violence, and no swearing. The game, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis, will be exclusive to the Xbox 360, and will cost $39.99." Chris Morris, over at the CNN Game Over column, has some commentary on Grand Theft Ping Pong.
What's a little money on a ping-pong game if it gives you the ability to say "My company doesn't make SOLELY violent games, Senator..."
....the game will feature no guns, no violence, and no swearing...
...So it's NUDY tennis! Those crazy Rockstar developers!
It's defnately Love-Love, in my book.
__
Bow chicka wow wow.
Three processors, monster graphics chip, millions in research and development...
For 3D pong?
That is Grand Theft Ping Pong...
MadOgre.com
This game sounds a little silly, but I think it could be a hit.
Here's why:
- It's the first ping-pong game to have come out in years.
- It's probably also the first ping-pong game to have decent graphics.
- Whilst ping-pong isn't going to attract many gamers into GTA, it could be a hit amongst asian gamers. Ping-pong is fairly popular in Asia. (at least more so than typical western sports)
- It's different. No competition. (maybe tennis games, but that's a bit of a stretch)
At last! All the fun, drama, and thrills of table tennis without having to go outside to your local ping-pong court. For the first time ever, you can play it from the comfort of your family rec room!!!
Hey, wait...
Information wants to be anthropomorphized.
This game is all about virtual beer pong. What is the most popular non-video game on campus? Beer pong. I bet there will be game modes that easily simulate beer pong. Maybe a secret hidden game as well.
I'm sorry, but "Family Friendly" and "Shocker" just do not belong in the same sentence together.
Computers don't make mistakes. What they do, they do on purpose.
This is not Rockstar North of GTA and Manhunter fame, this is Rockstar San Diego, who made Midtown Madness and Red Dead Revolver. The two are totally different studios that just happen to both be under the "Rockstar" umbrella.
Ehm, baseballs and footballs are hard to find? If football is indeed the american soccer I am willing to bet a shit load of cash that more families own a football then a ping pong table. You need a bit more equipment for baseball but still. I wasn't exactly aware that amateurs playing baseball was rare.
It is, in fact, one of the very few "indoor" sports that has a video game patterned after it. (Poker's about the only other one that springs to mind.)
Well, if you consider poker a sport then how about the video game versions of the following. Chess, EVERY bloody card game every invented, checkers, darts, bowling, snooker, etc etc etc.
In fact isn't basketball often played indoors by pros AND done to dead as a videogame?
The only unusual thing here is that a 'big' name company did a weird sports title. Weird sports titles on the other hand are nothing new.
I just hate journalists who think ignorance is a good thing.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
You don't want to know where the female players keep their ping pong balls. Or how they serve, for that matter.
what's the secret patch gonna be called, Hot Cocoa?
---
Is this the MPAA? Is this the RIAA? Is this the DMCA? I thought it was the USA!
So they are going to release a graphicly overpowered ping pong game exclusively for the Xbox 360? Can anyone tell my why Rockstar hasn't lost it's mind for making this a 360 exclusive instead of at the very least porting it to the Nintendo Revolution? The system that it would probably fit this game like a glove?
Can't wait to see what sort of hidden games and goodies they stick in there... : p
This guy's the limit!
I mean, you can run into the middle of the road stark naked and scream "GRAND THEFT AUTO!" at the top of your lungs and people will just look at you and say, "It's another one of those video game freaks".
Try the same thing but scream "NINTENDOGS!" and people will call the cops.
Try it sometime, you'll see what I mean.
Obligatory Soundbite Catchphrase
Reminds me of the Futurama episode where they're in an arcade and one person is playing Skee-Ball, beside them is someone playing Virtual Skee-Ball, and beside them is someone sitting down playing Virtual Virtual Skee-Ball...
:)
That said, I think the potential for internet beer pong could make this worthwhile...
Not only is this "news" a week or more behind everyone else (you're getting faster, Zonk) - but the comments here are really ridiculously closed-minded.
"How can it be fun?" "I don't see this being fun!" etc. etc.
WHAT? You haven't played it, seen it moving, or done anything other than go "Hmm, ping pong...crap"
I didn't see how Virtua Tennis could be fun, but its easily one of the greatest multiplayer games of all time, and does a stand-up job of providing a solid single player experience, too.
Open your minds and close your damn mouths.
My Mind Is Rewired. Is Yours?
The interview was less than inspired.
The answers were PR fluff and tired.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/01/20
So one day, you (as the hero) are walking through the 'hood, waving to the hos, and looking for your next fix. Suddenly, a van screaches up beside you and a couple of bad-asses jump out and start dissing you. It's time to defend your terretory from these a-holes! You challenge them to meet on your turf, and they agree to ... Gangsta Ping Pong!
Don't forget the "hot coffee" mod for when you win the tournament...
(Yeah, I know...it's lame...)
It is not our abilities that show what we truly are... it is our choices.
That isn't what this bbc story says. Okay maybe not the nudity but the violence seems to be an issue that is up for debate in the UK.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4118270.stm
See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
I'm hoping the Hot Coffee style mod will let you play a fun spanking game with the ping pong paddles and the girls ;)
games like Mariocart, Super Monkey Ball and Nintendogs
I'll give you the last two, but what is it about mario kart's guided missiles, fireballs, running over and crushing your shrunken enemies, and generally dealing death and destruction to those all around you that somehow makes it not the same as quake?
Is it just the lack of gibs?
release, is that the 360 is te most expensive machine that will go PING
I have mod points and I am not afraid to use them.
Please tell me there is a hot coffee mod for this game. I refuse to believe R* has gone soft on us. All the resourses to make this glorified Pong could have been put into finishing their Bully game. Honestly, what would you rather do play ping pong, or beat the crap out of classmates for no reason? I'll be taking peoples lunch money... I can play with balls any time I want.
Wow. War. Y'know? Wow. Okay! And now for your enjoyment, here's my famous ping-pong ball trick!
Not every argument requires reduction to absurdity.
When I heard about this, I thought, "Wow, THIS sounds like an awesome game."
Really- I'm damn excited about this.
I *loved* Top Spin on the Xbox. Tennis makes a pretty decent video game. But Ping Pong is FAST. It's like tennis, but with much quicker response times.
And the fact that Rockstar is making the game, tells me that it should have *some* decent level of quality.
Yes, I was excited when I heard about it. And I'm even happier now, knowing that there is a real street date already identified.
No reason to lie.
Yeah...it sucks. Because Ping Pong is OBVIOUSLY a stupid game.
You know what else sounds stupid? Rolling a ball of crap around, and other things stick to it. The ball gets bigger and bigger, and more crap sticks to it.
THAT would never be a good game...because all of us dumbasses on Slashdot just *KNOW* about this stuff.
No reason to lie.
3D Ping pong.
3D Pong is free.
Yes! I was just about to post something about this. Why can't people understand that Rockstar is a publishing label? DMA Design became Rockstar North and did the GTA series. Rockstar Toronto did The Warriors. Rockstar Vancouver is working on Bully. Rockstar Leeds did GTA on PSP.
It's like attributing every game published by Capcom to the same development staff. Which is amusing, if you consider that Capcom published GTA in Japan.
what is it about mario kart's guided missiles, fireballs, running over and crushing your shrunken enemies, and generally dealing death and destruction to those all around you that somehow makes it not the same as quake?
Mario Kart violence is on the same level of the violence in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. Fireballs hit you and take your item, when you get crushed you go flat for a few seconds then pop back up at full size, etc. A bit different than the very realistic damage effects in most modern FPS games.
In fact, you are actually incorrect when you say "dealing death", because you can't die in Mario Kart. In Battle mode, the worst that can happen is you get all your balloons popped, and in a race, no matter what happens, you always get back up. In many FPS games you do respawn after you die, but in Mario Kart you never die.
This isn't to say I disapprove of FPS games - I think they are great. But you can't argue that the violence level of Mario Kart is the same as Counter-Strike or Quake.
You're comparing Mario Kart and Quake? Well they're both video games, I'll give you that.
It seems family friendly until you use the mod code to unlock the part with king kong playing ping pong with his ding dong.
The Uncoveror: It's the real news.
... I'm impressed that they've simulated the game in such detail (down to the dust that accumulates in the center of the racket!!)... but I'd much rather play the real game and get some exercise.
Your god may be dead, but mine aren't!
I dunno, IMHO cartoons stopped being "apparantly" less violent in the days of "Sam & Max Hit the Road". Its funny violent, but when the cute little rabbit picks up a kitten, rams his fist down its throat, rummages around for a while, rips out a letter and then throws the kitten into a trash can, its hard to justify the diference between the two. I understand your meaning, and to a certain extent agree with it, but to the uninitiated, the diferences are small enough to be considered trivial.