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Iwata Explains Mario Galaxy
The British Gaming Blog has links to articles on the official UK Wii site exploring the title Mario Galaxy . The first explores the game's origins and gives us a peek behind the scenes of the game's voice acting. The second looks at Mario's essence, and the benefits of the 'planetary gameplay'. The last is all about the sound of Mario: "This time, we recorded with an orchestra of about 50 or so members. Of course, they were not very good at first because they were playing music they'd never heard before, and they are also seeing the score for the first time. But as the day went on, their performance improved dramatically, and the process of recording each track in its final form was actually a very fast one. This surprised Miyamoto-san, who was glued to the glass wall looking at them from the other side. He was saying 'So, sound is something that really changes too!'"
Dakdakdalakpak!
"Just Smile and Nod." --Huck
That I pre ordered this! I can't wait! I have enjoyed every Mario game I have played (yes, even Luigi's manions although it wasn't awesome) and Sunshine. I think that the graphics will also raise the bar, so that hopefully the Wii stuff doesn't look so bad in the future. I know that graphics aren't everything, but when you look at RE4 and Metroid 3, the excuse of "Its not an xbox 360 or ps3" shouldn't be an out.
I hope Luigi is playable too!
When I first saw the title I read "Irata Explains Mario Galaxy" as in the planet where M.U.L.E. happens is talking! :-/
Star Control 3 was such a shame compared to 2.
Read radical news here
...and gives us a peek behind the scenes of the game's voice acting. I so wish I could be the guy who gets to go "It'sa me, Mario!" and "Woohoo!"I do not avoid princesses, but I do deny them my essence. Wait, she's on another friggin' planet? Aaw, to hell with it!
Nope.
As for the music, it's actually not uncommon for the orchestra to only need one, maybe two, takes from complete scratch. Impeccable sight reading coupled with an innate sense of what a piece is musically saying are the makings of the first call musicians that get called to these sorts of jobs. And it can be fairly rough too. If you DO blow it and they have to re-record on the account of you more than once, well you suddenly become the SECOND call guy.
I thought using the two controllers would throw him off and such made me personally think twice about the wii for Christmas we planned on.
Then he got ahold of it and just ripped into the game.
This thing if it has legs to keep the game interesting in the long term is on face value and after a few minutes of playing really fun and engrossing - it really sucks you in. I had to basically drag him off so other kids could get their turn and to get him a milk shake.
Considering how much he loves ice cream and such that is a pretty big endorsement.
He wanted to keep going.
ACK
I want him to explain this!
How? He has an Italian name and a comedy accent. Other than that... I don't see it. I've never seen him eat pasta. He's not in the Mafia. He doesn't sing opera. He doesn't change sides halfway through the fight. He's never even tried to bribe Koopa.
Unless the current Italian stereotype involves diving through pipes to jump up and down on mushrooms, I just don't get what you mean here.
Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
Nope. Not me.
People are too bloody sensitive these days.
...this is the game that might force me to buy a Wii. Mario 64 convinced me to buy a N64, sadly I'm not sure a better N64 title came out after that, save for Zelda: OoT.
http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
No. Don't you have anything better to do than be offended at things for the sake of being offended at things?
<sarcasm>
A well known site offering news for nerds references a blog, that in turn references a subsite of a major gaming console revealing the obvious: Sound is an important element of games, and there is a correlation between the quality of sound produced and the amount of practice by those performing.
</sarcasm>
Ok. So I read the articles. And really, there are more interesting things about the music. For example, this gem:
I imagine now knowing that special effort was applied to accomplish this will increase the appreciation I would I have for the game. But probably most revealing is this
Playing various Mario games over the years, it seemed that Mario had gone from some kind of rugged savior, to a fun plush toy. But embracing the notion that Mario is more then a cute character, and has some cool charm is also fitting considering the changes to have occurred to the Nintendo console over the years. The Nintendo 64 and GameCube seem more like toys. While the Wii isn't a "powerhouse" next to its brethren, I definately think its cool.
This is a key element for innovation. Recognizing where you're just copying and doing something about it forces changes that result in raising the quality bar. Overall, I see this as a good thing.
There are 10 types of cliches in this world. Those that are new, and those that aren't.
No, because he isn't offensive in the least. The only ways he could even be considered "stereotypical" is his name and accent.
Does it bother you that CowboyNeal is an offensive American stereotype?
No, it bothers me more that people (like you) look for racism where none exist and that people (like you) have no freaking clue what "humor" is and that humor is not meant to be taken seriously (hence why it's humor).
So, how long have you been in Slashdot, Reverend Jackson?
The Overrated mod is for reversing inappropriate, positive mods, not for voicing disagreement with a post.
im mario 64 when you leave the plumber idle he begins to snore and talk in his sleep. among the things mentioned are "spaghetti" and "mama mia". no joke
You constantly struggle for self improvement - and it shows.
Hooray for bad Engrish on fortune cookies
That's nothing, what about CmdrTaco? Does it bother people that this name is degrading to women, and it shows up all over this site?
Actually, it was "ravioli" not "spaghetti". Personally, I thought it was hysterical and a nice addition. The first time it happened when a friend and I were playing it, we couldn't stop laughing. I mean it's not like he says "Damn you and your deigo mustache and greasy hair." Also, you can't claim that Mario got his start as a racial stereotype as he made his debut in Donkey Kong, which has nothing to do with plumbing (the original slightly offensive Mario Brothers game, in which Luigi comes about was a spin-off)
As-a a real-a life-a Italiano, I gotta say-a, no.
He's a Sicilian stereotype in terms of looks, in the "Mustache Pete" fashion.
He collects mushrooms (associated with Italian cuisine) as power-ups.
He's a rotund plumber who travels through sewer pipes to get to his destinations.
He stomps on "goombas"... "Goombah" is New York slang used among Italians and by others as a derogatory word.
If Mario were depicted instead as, say, a black man with a large Afro who collected watermelons for power-ups, traveled through magical basketball nets, and stomped on "nigghas," I would say it might chafe a bit.
Got a source on that last one? I looked up his name but he just sounded like a scientist.. if Mario really was some kind of religious and historical satire then that is quite hilarious though..
which is totally what she said
There are clearly dozens of other examples, but as the consensus opinion on Slashdot == reality, there's no tolerance for this opinion -- likely because, as with every generation, older people are set in their views and don't want to accept any negative characterization of things they enjoyed when there was less social awareness (cf: racist caricatures in Looney Tunes, Disney and Tom & Jerry cartoons, as well as older works such as "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "Gone With The Wind").
Honestly, Mario's accent alone is disturbing. I would be just as put-off if the character were Chinese and spoke with the derogatory "ahso/ching chong" stereotypical accent, or were an African-American who spoke exclusively in "ebonics".
Then it was too sweet. As I was eating it, morsel by morsel, I realized that they had used too much honey, and the taste not bearable. The cooks who prepared this oversweet meal cared too much about honey, and too little about meat. Also, the tea was bad, since it was mixed with rocks from the garden of overused fucking food analogies for christ's sake STOP. I am no longer HUNGRY.
Eh, give it a generation. Either things like "white men (or just men in general) are stupid," or of course Mario's accent will be considered wrong. Or we'll losen up and consider minor sterotypes well not worth really getting upset over. To be honest either future is fine with me.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
I think you'll have to speak for yourself and yourself alone on that opinion.
Really now?
Names (Mario and Luigi? Why not Guido and Nunzio?), "Uncle Luigi" accent (and cliche phrases used), appearance (big belly, large nose, mustache), occupation ("fat Italian plumber" is a stereotype), eating habits (mushrooms aside, the fact that both brothers are food-loving Italians is a stereotype).
And let's not forget about "goombas".
That's not even going past the Italian thing, because most Mario games also reinforce plenty of negative gender stereotypes as well.
Right on! Let's bring back minstrel shows, since it's all in good fun and anyone who doesn't agree is wrong for feeling slighted.
"Humor" is not an excuse for racism, no matter how many members of privileged, empowered divisions of society claim that it is or moderate your myopic post positively. As the webmaster of "widescreen.org," I'm doubting you've ever even come close to being disadvantaged or a member of any underclass.
Your typical white-collar disrespect of one of the most profound civil rights activists in American history just says it all, doesn't it?
True enough - the stereotype that women are physically weak but can levitate temporarily has held back gender equality for decades.
Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
I have to say, a large part of my family is Italian and I love stomping mushrooms. Whenever I go on a hike and find a mushroom, I just have to stomp it. They're just really interesting-looking when they are crushed.
However, I am terrible with plumbing. The sink in the bathroom has been stopped up for a month, and the last thing I want to do is jump in there and check out the problem. I mean, fuck, it's probably lava and moving platforms.
I also love spaghetti. I have never actually said "mama mia" though. I will consider it, though.
Also, I can't grow a moustache for the life of me.
It's largely because of people like you that racism has stuck around as long as it has in many parts of the US.
Yes, there's still areas in the US where racism is a real and legitimate problem. Most places it would long since have faded into oblivion if people weren't constantly on a witch hunt trying to find racism in every little thing.
The only real way to ever get rid of racism is to stare it in the face for what it is, deal with it, and then move on.
If you're going to nitpick on something as unoffensive as Mario and Luigi being "racist" then everything is racist (or at least discriminatory) and offensive in some way. If you look hard enough for it you'll always find it, whether it really exists or not. Every single video game ever made has as much or more racism as any Mario game ever made. End of story.
There is no -1 Disagree mod. Slashdot.org/faq defines mod options. USE IT.
Princesses that are kidnapped by large reptilian or semi-reptilian creatures are, by definition, damsels-in-distress. They are political leaders (sometimes just political figureheads), and as such their education has been concentrated on law, diplomacy, proper form, and so on, not martial arts.
In an action game where you're supposed to save the President, he's going to be in the same situation. The same goes for scientists, unless they have a biohazard suit or a giant robot.
You are in desperate need of understanding the word "context".
You also need a few video lessons by Professor George Carlin with respect to the inherent neutrality of words -- all words -- and its respective relationship to context and intent.
The Overrated mod is for reversing inappropriate, positive mods, not for voicing disagreement with a post.
Modded Troll? Clearly the mods didn't read the article -- this was the first thing I thought of, too. The first half-page sounds more like Iron Chef than an article about games.
In an action game where you're supposed to save the President, he's going to be in the same situation. The same goes for scientists, unless they have a biohazard suit or a giant robot.
It's negative gender-role reinforcement when a female is in the role, not when a male is.
The double-standard is completely justified given the millenia of subjugation of women and the frequent historical casting of females in such roles, especially in Japanese culture.
Please, educate yourself on feminist ideology. You'll be doing yourself and the world a favour.
we sc2 players have started taking sc3 non canon 2 months after it was out.
Read radical news here
Oh, please. It's because of people with views like mine that racism's impact has been minimized in merely a generation in the US.
Or did you conveniently forget that a mere human lifetime ago in the US, nonwhites were considered fourth-class citizens subject to vigilante lynchings and forbidden from using public property? (Irish and Italians were mistreated, as well.)
Unhelpful bromide. Pap, in fact. Ironic given your wheedling apologia for the blatantly stereotypical (who said racist?) elements of the Mario universe.
I'd bet most people vehemently arguing against any post criticizing the Mario games for their stereotypical and derogatory elements are WASPs -- who can't possibly understand the viewpoint of disadvantaged classes because they cannot empathize; the powerless making fun of the powerful doesn't hurt them a bit, it only hurts in reverse.
Your clumsy, vague response indicates to me that you've nothing left to offer to the discussion.
Back to pondering widescreen TVs and suburban life for you, and back to the fight for social justice and true equality for me.
If looking for racism and inequality (even when it doesn't exist) is all that you think life should be about, then you are part of the problem of why such issues still exist. Of course, you don't bother to use a legitimate account, instead opting to hide under AC, so I don't even know why I should bother conversing with you anyway.
Oh, and nice class warfare you're spouting there. That's less offensive and disruptive than racism how?
The Overrated mod is for reversing inappropriate, positive mods, not for voicing disagreement with a post.
Grow up. The world doesn't revolve around you. You're not privy to anyone's motives besides your own.
Pot. Kettle. Black.
Oh, noes! Am I going to get in trouble now because I used the word "black" even though it had zero to do with anything racial? With your narrow view of the world, I guess I'd better get my apology to Sharpton written up pronto.
I did, and for good reason. Japanese culture is notoriously racist.
Check the demographics: more than 98% of the population are native Japanese, the rest mostly split between Ainu and Korean immigrants (the latter of which are treated today like blacks were in the US in the '50s; the Ainu are treated like native Americans were in the US in the 1800s).
Check the war crimes against the Chinese at Nanjing.
Check the portrayal of Blacks in anime and manga.
Check the history; a scant few decades ago, the name of the country was Dainippon -- Superior-to-all Japan. They dropped the prefix post-Enola Gay, but never dropped the attitude of superiority.
"Mario" being an offensive, racist caricature of Italian-Americans is not unexpected, but it shouldn't be glossed over. Maybe it was okay in the 1980s, but it's a different time now.
We don't do cartoons like "Song of the South" and there are no black mammies supervising Tom & Jerry these days; why should Italians tolerate similar so-called humorous misrepresentations in video games?
Aren't games supposed to be about game mechanics and gameplay? Are you people saying "Mario" would really be less fun if his character and surroundings weren't filled with ludicrous, offensive and racist stereotypes? Or that it would be acceptable for Nintendo to produce a game with the same mechanics as "Mario" but embracing different offensive stereotypes for the environment and characters?
Let's see Nintendo produce a "Yunioshi-san" character with huge buck teeth, slits for eyes, who collects rice and noodles for power-ups and speaks like his namesake in "Breakfast at Tiffany's". No problem, right?
Explain in detail how GPP comment was in any way PKB, and we'll have a proper discussion over your concerns.
Otherwise, you lose. Deal?
No, there is a vast difference between caricature and stereotype.
Boffoonery - downloadable Comedy Benefit for Bletchley Park
I'm pretty sure President Ronnie was a bad enough dude to beat the ninjas by himself. He just didn't want to embarrass the Bad Dudes by taking care of everything while they were still running around in a sewer.
Yes, please, back into the internet-ether with you, you smug, self-righteous prick.
do you have a life outside of trolling by any chance?
Feminist ideology: justifying hypocritical double standards since 1834.
Well. In the Super Mario RPG, it was revealed that the whole Bowser/Mario/Princess thing was pretty much just a traditional, expected, almost friendly sort of thing. Bowser kidnaps the Princess, Mario kicks his butt, everyone expects him to try again soon and, strangely, nobody seems to be too shocked or even worried about it. But then, at and during the Smithy incident, the whole quaint little affair is thrown out of whack and the Princess (and Bowser...) joins up with Mario to kick butt right along side. She does get kidnapped by Booster at one point, but as I recall she left a big red palmprint on the side of his face for his trouble (after Mario and co. kicked his wedding cake's ass). In Paper Mario, she's clearly smarter and more resourceful than Boswer, Kamikoopa, and all of their forces combined. I get the feeling she only sticks around the castle to gather intel for Mario and out of loyalty for the others kidnapped and held in the castle. With that disguise parasol and the parked clowncopters in the hangar she could totally be out of there the instant she felt like it. In Mario 2 USA she's easily the best character in the game. Honestly, after discovering that the Princess could float, who actually bothered to try to beat the game with any of the others? I didn't think so.
Damn those racist Japanese! It's all their racist fault! Did you know 98% of Japanese who live in Japan are Japanese? Racists! Damn their slanty eyed buck toothed noodle collecting racist hides! They don't treat their minorities with respect like we do so well! All Japanese should be segregated and ridiculed for their obscene racism! We should look at them not as fellow humans, but brainwashed zombies trying to finish Hitlers work (remember whose side they were on!) DAMN THEIR ENTIRE RACE!
Absolutely, there are thousands of insanely racist video games out there, which is why they all should be banned! Heck, just look at the grandfather of video games, Pong; you have two white paddles and a white ball. Where are all the other colour paddles? Are we suppose to believe that only the white paddles are good enough? They should release an updated, non-racist version of Pong where you have option of playing with black paddles and a black ball.
Just hearing the concept of Japanese racism against white people would cause his head to explode. Alternatively, he could go with Plan A and suggest it was the inevitable result of systemic racism against black people, then go back to shaking down gullible white people for money.
Help poke pirates in the eyepatch, arr.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_issues_in_Japan
I have _not_ played every mario game out there, but I did play Super Mario World, Yoshi's Island and Mario64 and I gotta say WTF?!
1. The only way I know that mario is a plumper is that I saw some of the cartoon stuff as a child.
2. Couldn't the castle just symbolize just about anything else?
3. How exactly is the princess symbolizing the vatican's search for god? From what I recall Mario and the princess are together until she's stolen by Bowser(is there some symbolism I have missed?)
4. SMW had a star road which when completed turned the turtles into heads, where is the symbolism in that? I doubt there is an animal that lends itself better to the idea of "kill the bad thing, use part of it's body as a weapon."
I'm sorry but I think you're trying to make a connection where there is none.
Your one of the fuckwits that think RE5 is racist don't you? Get off your soap box. Only people who really make racism something people want to do are those who wave a big fucking flag about it. Especially when there is NONE.
You're an idiot.
The scary part is that I've known enough psycho hypocrite bitches (and brain-friend men(!)) that would actually try to pass that off as reasonable discourse, that I can't tell if he's being ironic, or if he's trolling...
Yes, and your ugly misogynist screed should be considered "reasonable discourse"?
Hypocrisy assumes a state of equality; females haven't had the same historical role as men, have been generally treated as a servant-class until the last 50 years in Western culture, oh - and as it's clear you haven't discovered this yet, they're fundamentally different creatures in terms of anatomy.
It is perfectly reasonable to state in a historically-patriarchal society that a helpless female is a rotten role model while a helpless male is a curious aberration. If you have an argument to respond to this that doesn't invoke cursing women and calling them names, feel free to state it.
Thanks for the spoiler, jerk.
Yeah, that's why I never beat Metroid Prime. The above scenario is even less attractive after you beat a boss, then search for 10 minutes for a save spot, only to die, and have to beat the boss again. However Metroid Prime 3 fixed that with a checkpoint system that saved progress after every major event. In addition to that it has the best FPS controls to date. (it beats all console shooters and PC shooters controls, mostly because WASD blows.)
No, I'm just overly trusting and ignorant. Being an idiot is quite different. But from what you're saying the GGPP must have just been joking.
which is totally what she said
Okay, so which part of what GP says is not true? And if you can't find a part that isn't, then why should telling the truth be ironic or trolling?
Yeah, because if we don't discuss it, it doesn't exist! Yay, problem solved.
You're trying to be sarcastic, but the irony is that what you said is true. Racism is entirely in the mind. As long as people hold petty perceived differences/inferiorities in their mind between different cultures, it exists. And as long as people keep looking for it, they'll keep thinking about it, and it won't go away. Only when people stop discussing and thinking about it and start thinking about everyone as just another human will it cease to exist. Sure, it'll never happen overnight. But the way things are going now, it's never going to happen at all.
There is no -1 Disagree mod. Slashdot.org/faq defines mod options. USE IT.
There is no -1 Disagree mod. Slashdot.org/faq defines mod options. USE IT.
There is no -1 Disagree mod. Slashdot.org/faq defines mod options. USE IT.
Shhh. Sometimes I can be cynical too, it depends how recently I've been burned :p
which is totally what she said
That the double-standard is justified.
And people like you are the prime reason that I think feminism is a joke. You bitch at me about "calling names" three lines after your lovely ad hominem falsely accusing me of being a virgin. Very cute.
You should also look up the definition of "hypocrisy." It has nothing to do with a state of equality. It's saying one thing and doing another, much like your own failed PC rant.
If feminists want equality, then they're going to have to lose their misanthropic notions of "justified double standards", the claim that they're "owed" something, etc... Either they want equality, or they want to be treated special. The two are mutually exclusive. If they want special laws to protect them, that's fine, but then they lose all claim to equality, since they are voluntarily admitting that they cannot function without special dispensations in their favor.
That's bullshit. If some nazis beat up an immigrant, it doesn't go away just because you pretend it isn't racism. If the justice system is x times more likely to put a black person on death row than a white person, for the same crime, that doesn't stop being racism just because people aren't allowed to discuss it.
Wow, lack of reading comprehension FTL.
First, we're talking about racism as it currently exists in the US, not Nazi Germany in WW2. I don't see very many nazis over here beating up immigrants these days.
Second, yes racism is all in the mind. Why were the Nazis trying to eradicate all Jews, and perhaps go for world domination? Because in their minds, they were a superior race. Of course, as we all know it wasn't the truth - it was merely in their minds. Yes, it resulted in some extremely brutal actions, but it doesn't change what racism is. Nowhere did I say, nor imply, nor hint that the results of racism are only in the mind. Only that racism itself is.
There is no -1 Disagree mod. Slashdot.org/faq defines mod options. USE IT.
Is it ironic that you complain about my reading comprehension, only to then utterly miss the point of my sentence?
Second, yes racism is all in the mind. Why were the Nazis trying to eradicate all Jews, and perhaps go for world domination? Because in their minds, they were a superior race.That's fascinating, but utterly pointless.