Apparently someone thinks "Interesting" is the same word as "Flamebait", but anyways...
How about businesspeople that have distributed many business cards with their then-current number on it? Should they call every person that has their card and tell them?
I changed providers back in June, and to get a similar effect I had to stay signed up with my former provider for a month, so I could leave my new number on the voicemail message. I've had multiple people ask me for my number since the switch because they didn't call me during that month. Oh wait, was I supposed to call all 60 people in my phone book and tell them?
Your arrogance is astounding. Since you don't need the option, nobody else needs it either. Maybe when more people call you than just your mom, your opinion will change.
I'm not saying I agree with the charge, but the users are not at fault. Perhaps you could write a letter to your cellphone company or the FCC instead of looking like a fool on a web message board.
People became fans of the Super Mario Bros. series because of the interesting characters and tight play control. Now they're wanting the same fanbase to play golf, race go-karts, and have a Party.
I'll reserve judgement until I play it, but what's wrong with taking existing characters and concepts and doing something completely different? It's certainly a double-edged sword though. If the game is excellent and would've been good without the Virtua Fighter brand, the brand only helps the game. OTOH, if the game is teh suck, it hurts the Virtua Fighter name.
Also, I think the VF series has reached a plateau just like Tekken. VF4: Evo is incredibly deep but I don't see what else they can do besides add more characters and improve the visuals. Don't even think about messing with the B/P/K button configuration, the world doesn't need another VF3.
But it's like someone coming up to me and saying, "Hey, you're into cars, you'll love my tricked-out Honda Civic! It's got a big stereo!" (I generally put my cigarette butts into those silly upturned exhaust tips.)
Hey, I find your house silly, so I'm going to vandalize it and burn it down, ok? Since it's ok to physically destroy things you don't agree with.
Have you ever practiced what you preach? The link cable is slow and most games become severely restricted when playing this way. For instance, if 4 people use 1 cartridge with Mario Kart, only Yoshi can be selected. An RPG like SoM would never work that way, you would need 4 cartridges.
You don't think Steel Battalion was a 'crapshoot'? I've got a great idea, let's make a complicated mech game, include a HUGE specialized controller with it, and we'll sell it for the same price as the actual system!
Needless to say, Capcom definitely took a risk with that one. I'm fairly sure that any stores who happened to get the package, sold out of them. Steel Battalion 2 is coming soon!
Imps don't exist in real life. Men dressed in armor and guns do. That's the difference I was putting forth.
As far as Eminem goes, I've listened to all of his records and I wonder how bible-thumpers haven't been able to destroy him yet. Just a couple of songs worth noting:
Bonnie & Clyde '97: Raps to his daughter about killing her mother and taking her away with him.
Guilty Conscience: He recommends that someone hold up a liquor store, that someone date rapes a drunk girl, and that someone kills their wife when they find her cheating.
Those 2 tracks are from his first CD, and his 2 other LPs are just as bad. He's an amazing rapper, not many people can do what he does. Kids shouldn't be listening to this shit though, and you know damn well that they are.
I'm hoping that this game will be the one that does exactly what you're talking about, treating M-rated games the same as R-rated movies. Although if Grand Theft Auto (just look at the name) didn't do it, I doubt more violence will.
What's it going to take? It makes me sick when I go to a local gaming store and see 4-5 13 year olds playing Counter-Strike. I played Doom when I was that age, but I see a substantial difference in shooting an Imp and shooting a counter-terrorist's head.
As if network TV, Eminem, and other mass-media isn't fucking kids up enough already...
I know some kids can handle it and some can't. But I really don't see the parents making that distinction, they're just turning a blind eye to it. I don't have a problem if you want to let your kid play Manhunt. I have a problem if you let him/her play Manhunt without knowing anything about it.
2. Items are overpowering. Once you find out which items do what, you'll always go for the god-like lightning bolt. The items that require some skill to use are shoved to the side
You do realize the items are random, right? I think you've played it about once and decided it sucked.
Having bought Mario Kart: DD today, I gotta say that the reviews make a very good point. I'm not sure about your familiarity with the Mario Kart series, but if you've been playing since the SNES version then you would probably have the same opinion.
They're also pointing out one of Nintendo's biggest problems recently, lack of innovation. Nintendo hasn't pushed the envelope on anything recently, Zelda: WW barely avoided being Zelda: OoT with better graphics and a lame baton instead of the Ocarina. Much better things can be said about Metroid Prime, but that wasn't developed by Nintendo's in-house devteam, NCL.
You make a very good point about movies, and that's the reason Matrix Revolutions is getting slammed and slammed again (I really liked it for what it's worth.)
However, you're making an unfair comparison. Movies and games are completely separate media formats, no matter how blurred the line becomes at some points. The reviewers were talking more in the technical sense, some of the tracks are a snooze, LAN mode is featureless (you can't even select characters), and a few other issues. You can't break a movie into technical aspects without taking the whole effect of the movie away.
Games are supposed to be fun as the primary objective, and some of the technical aspects detract from the fun. A well-written comedy doesn't become unfunny because the CGI wasn't up to snuff.
Also, I really haven't seen the horrible reviews you're talking about. Not every review is perfect, but they're generally decent enough to make the important purchase decision. If you're still on the fence, rent it first.
This will not be one of those posts with a million links. That being said, I used to think the same thing as you. The reason you think that is you usually have to look for reviews of bad games. Reviews of Rugrats In Paris or whatever are obviously not going to be hot articles.
Also, I speak from experience. Call me a mindless consumer if you want, but I pick up around 90% of games across all 4 platforms that get good ratings. Guess what I found out? The reviews are usually right!
On the Internet though, I would be suspicious about most sites that aren't IGN or GameSpot. It's usually better to look at GameRankings and get an impression of all the reviews. Smaller sites' reviews are not to be trusted.
Finally, I know someone's going to flame me about IGN, and I point to Mario Kart: Double Dash!! for them. IGN gave it a overall 7.9 and every other review I've seen has been a rave. Interesting eh?
They're from the same generation, I don't care what came out first. By your logic, PS2 isn't the same generation as GC/XBox since it predates them by a lengthly (in video game time) amount. Especially since most would agree that the NES really hit its stride from 1986 onward.
Can you name a Nintendo system that has ever been released that hasn't been the best graphics or sound of its day?
NES: Sega Master System had better graphics by far, but NES games were better.
Game Boy: Lynx/Game Gear had much better graphics, but GB games were better.
SNES: Tops in all categories.
Nintendo 64: Could've had amazing graphics, but Nintendo didn't help the developers enough. Witness the later release of the RAM Expansion. And since you mentioned sound too, PS1 CD audio beats compressed shit music any day of the week.
Game Boy Advance: Tops in all categories.
GameCube: A little bit behind Xbox in graphics, but mops the floor with PS2. Sucks for sound, no true surround sound and music tracks usually suffer due to the smaller disc.
I love Nintendo just as much as anyone else, but take those rose-colored glasses off.
This is one of those reviews on IGN that I have problems with, and think that it's horribly overrated. After seeing that graph of the major game websites' ratings last week, this doesn't surprise me.
It just seems that a sequel, released a year after the first one, without a fresh concept like Jak II, should not get a 9.5.
I'm gonna keep my eye out for R&C2 banners on IGN for the next couple months.
they have not really been a great first person game developer
I wouldn't say that. Obviously Halo actually came from Bungie, but Microsoft has been putting out some quality titles for their machine. Midtown Madness 3, MechAssault, Crimson Skies, Rallisport Challenge, Project Gotham Racing 1/2, Top Spin, Amped 2, Links 2004 coming soon... All of these titles are a lot of fun and have good balance between fun and depth.
Obviously there's a common theme, all of these games involve vehicles or sports. Microsoft hasn't shown much in the way of other genres, but what they've made is pretty good so far.
I used to work at a car stereo shop and you are correct. For any screens that were mounted in the front of the car (except for LCDs for a rear-view camera) we were required to wire it so no picture was displayed if the ignition was in the "on" position.
However, it's a fairly simple process to defeat that and watch DVDs while you drive. Please don't do that.
I can think of a few movies that I'd like to listen to without visuals though..
Square did take a huge risk, it's called Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Just look at how that turned out.
You're completely right though, you need to take risks to come up with something fresh and new. I'd bet that the producers didn't think Matrix was going to be so huge, so that was probably viewed as a risk.
I'm not saying developers shouldn't take risks, that would be ignorant. I'm just saying that they shouldn't throw a ton of money at a project that might end up sucking. Movie studios can afford a bomb here and there, I doubt Capcom/Konami/etc. could take a $5 million loss on a failed project without some consequences.
Just to not be completely negative, let's give Capcom some props for taking a risk on Viewtiful Joe. They're being rewarded for that one.
Where have we heard this before? I believe it's in that magical place called Hollywood. The problem is, you can't blame the developers for not taking more risks. Look at titles like Rez or Ico. Amazing games, great concepts, yet they didn't sell anything. Sega even discontinued Rez after only 4000 copies were released in the United States (I got one though woo!).
The problem is, the barrier for development on major consoles is very large. I don't think Nintendo will be giving a official devkit to a 2-man studio any time soon. This is where a lot of Hollywood's creativity comes from, from independent movies that get really popular.
Gaming companies will still make innovative games, but the lack of marketing and smaller budgets aren't going anywhere. Games still have a bit farther to go.
I'm sure the cost of making the Dreamcast backwards compatible with the Saturn would not be a sound business decision. Remember that the Saturn was just as big of a flop, if not bigger (I had one and really liked it but it was nowhere near PS1 numbers.)
Now, if Sega had teamed up with Bleem! and had a version that played more than one game per Bleem disc...
Slashdot Mirror
It's funny that you write that, yet you hang out in 2 IRC channels that are populated mostly by stoners and/or drug-friendly people.
Apparently someone thinks "Interesting" is the same word as "Flamebait", but anyways...
How about businesspeople that have distributed many business cards with their then-current number on it? Should they call every person that has their card and tell them?
I changed providers back in June, and to get a similar effect I had to stay signed up with my former provider for a month, so I could leave my new number on the voicemail message. I've had multiple people ask me for my number since the switch because they didn't call me during that month. Oh wait, was I supposed to call all 60 people in my phone book and tell them?
Your arrogance is astounding. Since you don't need the option, nobody else needs it either. Maybe when more people call you than just your mom, your opinion will change.
I'm not saying I agree with the charge, but the users are not at fault. Perhaps you could write a letter to your cellphone company or the FCC instead of looking like a fool on a web message board.
Dijon-Mulhouse-Basel
mmm... eating Milhouse with Dijon and basil...
People became fans of the Super Mario Bros. series because of the interesting characters and tight play control. Now they're wanting the same fanbase to play golf, race go-karts, and have a Party.
I'll reserve judgement until I play it, but what's wrong with taking existing characters and concepts and doing something completely different? It's certainly a double-edged sword though. If the game is excellent and would've been good without the Virtua Fighter brand, the brand only helps the game. OTOH, if the game is teh suck, it hurts the Virtua Fighter name.
Also, I think the VF series has reached a plateau just like Tekken. VF4: Evo is incredibly deep but I don't see what else they can do besides add more characters and improve the visuals. Don't even think about messing with the B/P/K button configuration, the world doesn't need another VF3.
But it's like someone coming up to me and saying, "Hey, you're into cars, you'll love my tricked-out Honda Civic! It's got a big stereo!" (I generally put my cigarette butts into those silly upturned exhaust tips.)
Hey, I find your house silly, so I'm going to vandalize it and burn it down, ok? Since it's ok to physically destroy things you don't agree with.
can boot all four GBAs from one cartridge
Have you ever practiced what you preach? The link cable is slow and most games become severely restricted when playing this way. For instance, if 4 people use 1 cartridge with Mario Kart, only Yoshi can be selected. An RPG like SoM would never work that way, you would need 4 cartridges.
You don't think Steel Battalion was a 'crapshoot'? I've got a great idea, let's make a complicated mech game, include a HUGE specialized controller with it, and we'll sell it for the same price as the actual system!
Needless to say, Capcom definitely took a risk with that one. I'm fairly sure that any stores who happened to get the package, sold out of them. Steel Battalion 2 is coming soon!
Imps don't exist in real life. Men dressed in armor and guns do. That's the difference I was putting forth.
As far as Eminem goes, I've listened to all of his records and I wonder how bible-thumpers haven't been able to destroy him yet. Just a couple of songs worth noting:
Bonnie & Clyde '97: Raps to his daughter about killing her mother and taking her away with him.
Guilty Conscience: He recommends that someone hold up a liquor store, that someone date rapes a drunk girl, and that someone kills their wife when they find her cheating.
Those 2 tracks are from his first CD, and his 2 other LPs are just as bad. He's an amazing rapper, not many people can do what he does. Kids shouldn't be listening to this shit though, and you know damn well that they are.
I'm hoping that this game will be the one that does exactly what you're talking about, treating M-rated games the same as R-rated movies. Although if Grand Theft Auto (just look at the name) didn't do it, I doubt more violence will.
What's it going to take? It makes me sick when I go to a local gaming store and see 4-5 13 year olds playing Counter-Strike. I played Doom when I was that age, but I see a substantial difference in shooting an Imp and shooting a counter-terrorist's head.
As if network TV, Eminem, and other mass-media isn't fucking kids up enough already...
I know some kids can handle it and some can't. But I really don't see the parents making that distinction, they're just turning a blind eye to it. I don't have a problem if you want to let your kid play Manhunt. I have a problem if you let him/her play Manhunt without knowing anything about it.
2. Items are overpowering. Once you find out which items do what, you'll always go for the god-like lightning bolt. The items that require some skill to use are shoved to the side
You do realize the items are random, right? I think you've played it about once and decided it sucked.
How about hooking it up with some linkage? Interesting stuff.
I would've loved an NES controller, when I was playing the game on a Apple IIC. The joystick for that machine was the worst thing ever.
/cliche
And I had to carry the CPU in snow, with a dog biting my leg, etc...
Having bought Mario Kart: DD today, I gotta say that the reviews make a very good point. I'm not sure about your familiarity with the Mario Kart series, but if you've been playing since the SNES version then you would probably have the same opinion.
They're also pointing out one of Nintendo's biggest problems recently, lack of innovation. Nintendo hasn't pushed the envelope on anything recently, Zelda: WW barely avoided being Zelda: OoT with better graphics and a lame baton instead of the Ocarina. Much better things can be said about Metroid Prime, but that wasn't developed by Nintendo's in-house devteam, NCL.
You make a very good point about movies, and that's the reason Matrix Revolutions is getting slammed and slammed again (I really liked it for what it's worth.)
However, you're making an unfair comparison. Movies and games are completely separate media formats, no matter how blurred the line becomes at some points. The reviewers were talking more in the technical sense, some of the tracks are a snooze, LAN mode is featureless (you can't even select characters), and a few other issues. You can't break a movie into technical aspects without taking the whole effect of the movie away.
Games are supposed to be fun as the primary objective, and some of the technical aspects detract from the fun. A well-written comedy doesn't become unfunny because the CGI wasn't up to snuff.
Also, I really haven't seen the horrible reviews you're talking about. Not every review is perfect, but they're generally decent enough to make the important purchase decision. If you're still on the fence, rent it first.
Do you make horrible jokes all by yourself, or do you get help from your parents?
Anything with DRM is not a standard.
Unfortunately, Eminem has been extremely popular since his major-label debut in 1999. He's not going anywhere any time soon.
This will not be one of those posts with a million links. That being said, I used to think the same thing as you. The reason you think that is you usually have to look for reviews of bad games. Reviews of Rugrats In Paris or whatever are obviously not going to be hot articles.
Also, I speak from experience. Call me a mindless consumer if you want, but I pick up around 90% of games across all 4 platforms that get good ratings. Guess what I found out? The reviews are usually right!
On the Internet though, I would be suspicious about most sites that aren't IGN or GameSpot. It's usually better to look at GameRankings and get an impression of all the reviews. Smaller sites' reviews are not to be trusted.
Finally, I know someone's going to flame me about IGN, and I point to Mario Kart: Double Dash!! for them. IGN gave it a overall 7.9 and every other review I've seen has been a rave. Interesting eh?
In reply to the SMS vs. NES thing...
They're from the same generation, I don't care what came out first. By your logic, PS2 isn't the same generation as GC/XBox since it predates them by a lengthly (in video game time) amount. Especially since most would agree that the NES really hit its stride from 1986 onward.
Can you name a Nintendo system that has ever been released that hasn't been the best graphics or sound of its day?
NES: Sega Master System had better graphics by far, but NES games were better.
Game Boy: Lynx/Game Gear had much better graphics, but GB games were better.
SNES: Tops in all categories.
Nintendo 64: Could've had amazing graphics, but Nintendo didn't help the developers enough. Witness the later release of the RAM Expansion. And since you mentioned sound too, PS1 CD audio beats compressed shit music any day of the week.
Game Boy Advance: Tops in all categories.
GameCube: A little bit behind Xbox in graphics, but mops the floor with PS2. Sucks for sound, no true surround sound and music tracks usually suffer due to the smaller disc.
I love Nintendo just as much as anyone else, but take those rose-colored glasses off.
This is one of those reviews on IGN that I have problems with, and think that it's horribly overrated. After seeing that graph of the major game websites' ratings last week, this doesn't surprise me.
It just seems that a sequel, released a year after the first one, without a fresh concept like Jak II, should not get a 9.5.
I'm gonna keep my eye out for R&C2 banners on IGN for the next couple months.
they have not really been a great first person game developer
I wouldn't say that. Obviously Halo actually came from Bungie, but Microsoft has been putting out some quality titles for their machine. Midtown Madness 3, MechAssault, Crimson Skies, Rallisport Challenge, Project Gotham Racing 1/2, Top Spin, Amped 2, Links 2004 coming soon... All of these titles are a lot of fun and have good balance between fun and depth.
Obviously there's a common theme, all of these games involve vehicles or sports. Microsoft hasn't shown much in the way of other genres, but what they've made is pretty good so far.
I used to work at a car stereo shop and you are correct. For any screens that were mounted in the front of the car (except for LCDs for a rear-view camera) we were required to wire it so no picture was displayed if the ignition was in the "on" position.
However, it's a fairly simple process to defeat that and watch DVDs while you drive. Please don't do that.
I can think of a few movies that I'd like to listen to without visuals though..
Square did take a huge risk, it's called Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Just look at how that turned out.
You're completely right though, you need to take risks to come up with something fresh and new. I'd bet that the producers didn't think Matrix was going to be so huge, so that was probably viewed as a risk.
I'm not saying developers shouldn't take risks, that would be ignorant. I'm just saying that they shouldn't throw a ton of money at a project that might end up sucking. Movie studios can afford a bomb here and there, I doubt Capcom/Konami/etc. could take a $5 million loss on a failed project without some consequences.
Just to not be completely negative, let's give Capcom some props for taking a risk on Viewtiful Joe. They're being rewarded for that one.
Where have we heard this before? I believe it's in that magical place called Hollywood. The problem is, you can't blame the developers for not taking more risks. Look at titles like Rez or Ico. Amazing games, great concepts, yet they didn't sell anything. Sega even discontinued Rez after only 4000 copies were released in the United States (I got one though woo!).
The problem is, the barrier for development on major consoles is very large. I don't think Nintendo will be giving a official devkit to a 2-man studio any time soon. This is where a lot of Hollywood's creativity comes from, from independent movies that get really popular.
Gaming companies will still make innovative games, but the lack of marketing and smaller budgets aren't going anywhere. Games still have a bit farther to go.
I'm sure the cost of making the Dreamcast backwards compatible with the Saturn would not be a sound business decision. Remember that the Saturn was just as big of a flop, if not bigger (I had one and really liked it but it was nowhere near PS1 numbers.)
Now, if Sega had teamed up with Bleem! and had a version that played more than one game per Bleem disc...