That should be seen more as a damning indictment of the average literacy level of most adults
Why in the world should it? I like Colfer's books. I also read Goethe's Faust (in German), books by Cervantes (in Spanish) and by de Saint Exupery (in French). There is absolutely nothing wrong with reading Colfer's books. They are well written, interesting and exciting. Sure, he's no Shakespeare, but he's definitely not worse than most contemporary "adult" writers.
Maybe you should simply stop being such a fucking elitist and start doing what you actually like doing, instead of what you think will impress the neighbors. Have fun growing up, kid.
Sony and IBM. Sony is constantly bragging about how complex the chip is ("breakthrough architectural design!") and how they created it from scratch. From IBM we know that yields for the chips are pretty bad, which seems to be why Sony disables one of the cores on the PS3 - to get prices down a bit due to "broken" chips being usable in the PS3.
Then there's the pricing for the cell-based IBM servers, and the pricing of the PS3 itself - obviously, the price is too high, and if there was any way for Sony to get the price down, they would do it. But they aren't doing it.
Because I haven't seen one that even mentions the fact that Sony is manufacturing much of the machine themselves
But we're talking about the Cell here. Isn't that being manufactured by IBM at their fishkill facility?
Yeah. I pre-ordered a Wii on amazon.de. I bought one on the midnight sale they came out. My brother bought one in a store the day they came out. Those were the only three Wiis I've seen since launch.
I don't think there is any other publisher launching as many new franchises as Nintendo.
Many of the first Wii games are minigames collections because the developers are trying to figure out how to use the controller, creating lots of ideas and small games in the process
I love the GC controller, but the d-pad was indeed a piece of shit. Fortunately, the classic controller and the wii remote have great d-pads (similar to those on the DS lite).
Yep, the classic controller has a great d-pad (seems to be the same as the one on the DS lite). It totally blows the Cube's d-pad away. OTOH, the classic controller has the awkward "sony-style" analog controller placement. Can't have it all, I guess.
Well, that's because some games are significantly different between regions. That's not a DS problem, it's a general problem. If a game is release in Japan, they then fix some bugs and maybe even change some gameplay elements, and release the game in Europe, the two version may not be compatible with each other anymore.
It will change balance, but not ruin it. I own a Street Fighter game for the Cube, which has a "simple" input option. You can start special moves with just one button. The thing is, they still take quite a bit of time to execute and leave you open for attack. There are definitely way more special moves, but the "normal" moves are still used most of the time, and the whole game becomes quite a bit more frantic because you need less time to execute a special move, and therefore need to keep the other player from ever catching his breath.
Yes, but then you'd have a Mac mini, and not a PS3, so you'd not be able to play any PS3 games.
Uhm... there are more and better Mac games than there are PS3 games. And that's not even counting Photoshop (haha, preventive joke). And you can actually use it as a real computer, without a hypervisor taking away access from graphics card and hd. I have no clue how you could know what to do with a PS3, but not with a Mac mini.
And how exactly would a Mac make your pals ask embarrassing questions?
It's essentially a multiplayer game. On portable consoles, replayability is higher since if you want to waste a few minutes waiting for the bus, Wario Ware is fun even if you already know the minigames. At home, not so much. However, multiplayer mode is where the game really shines. It's tons of fun, and easily worth 50 bucks.
I don't have much doubt that eventually the graphical differences between the 360 and the PS3 will become clear. In a year or two (or three) there won't be much question that the PS3 has the greater horsepower. The Cell simply has that potential, however excruciatingly difficult it may be to access.
I doubt PS3 games will ever look better than 360 games. They will probably have more NPCs and more intelligent NPCs, but the PS3 isn't really capable of producing better graphics than the 360.
Regardless of what Sony is telling you: the Cell is not a graphics chip.
Doesn't that refute your entire argument right there?
No. The Dual Shock came very early in the PS's life, and - as you said - could easily be incorporated into games, while keeping both the games and the controller backwards-compatible. It was basically an improved version of the controller.
Almost everybody with a PS2 has at least one light-gun.
Maybe the people you know. While I know some people who own DC light guns, I know of not one single person with a PS2 light gun. How many light gun games are there for the PS2? I think there are two for the DC - at least that I know of. That's not a success.
If that is the case, the accelerometer will be the killer feature, and the sixaxis may be sufficient to fill the gap...
Try playing golf with the sixaxis. Okay, how about bowling? Boxing? Baseball? Not really... The sixaxis is good for steering. Of all the Wii games that I own, only Tony Hawk's uses the controller like that.
The question is: How many games are available for these peripherals? I think there are about three sing star games. I know of three eye toy games (although I suspect there are more), and as far as I know, only one game exists for the buzzer. While each of these peripherals may have sold quite a bit (and thus have been successfull as games), none of them managed to create a real market around itself. As peripherals, they failed.
You're wrong. Adults very much play with dolls and toy cars and read children's books. I even have an uncle who collects toy cars, and has a huge slotcar game in his garage. Many of the adults I know read books from Eoin Colfer or J. K. Rowlings. All in all, adults generally do whatever they like to do without thinking too much about the impression it may give to others.
Here's another interesting tidbit: Kids prefer the PS3 and 360 over the Wii. I actually think it's mostly adults who buy the Wii. Kids prefer to have violent games which impress their pals, regardless of whether they are fun to play. Adults play whatever they think is fun.
It's fascinating how quickly DS perception went from "too much innovation" to "lack of vision." It's a testament to how ubiquitous and "normal" the DS has become. When it came out, people cried "gimmick." Now, the dual screen is as normal as the d-pad. I'm guessing the Wii will go a similar path.
I'm guessing that Nintendo probably could easily ramp up production. However, sooner or later, a large part of the "launch demand" will be satisfied, and they'll end up with production capacities way above what they need. You can't adjust production capacity to meet demand during the launch period, bcause it will always be very high. It's just bad business.
But you are right, they should at least meet Gamecube production.
I play about half an hour of Wii Boxing every day. I put small weights on my wrists (you can buy these at sports shops), and I can tell you, after 15 minutes, I'm sweating like a pig and my heart rate is pretty high. Obviously, you could just sit down, but it's a lot more fun while standing, especially for Boxing, which really requires you to move your body left and right to dodge hits.
And yes, I'm hoping there will be more "physical" sports games. There's another Golf game, but I'm guess it won't do too much in that regard. Wario Ware works somewhat, but not as well as Wii Sports. Dunno about Madden, I think Football games are just confusing (I'm not American, so I don't really get the rules).
I liked the Dreamcast controller, too, and never got used the the PS controllers. They just cramp my hands. The only issue I have with the DC controller is that it's somewhat hard to steer "straight" - in games like Dave Mirra, I'm constantly swerving around. It is way more comfortable than the PS controller, though.
I like the Wavebird most. It has these little nubs around the analog controller which show you the eight directions. Very nice. I also like the Wii combo - no need to keep the hands together.
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Why in the world should it? I like Colfer's books. I also read Goethe's Faust (in German), books by Cervantes (in Spanish) and by de Saint Exupery (in French). There is absolutely nothing wrong with reading Colfer's books. They are well written, interesting and exciting. Sure, he's no Shakespeare, but he's definitely not worse than most contemporary "adult" writers.
Maybe you should simply stop being such a fucking elitist and start doing what you actually like doing, instead of what you think will impress the neighbors. Have fun growing up, kid.
Sony and IBM. Sony is constantly bragging about how complex the chip is ("breakthrough architectural design!") and how they created it from scratch. From IBM we know that yields for the chips are pretty bad, which seems to be why Sony disables one of the cores on the PS3 - to get prices down a bit due to "broken" chips being usable in the PS3.
Then there's the pricing for the cell-based IBM servers, and the pricing of the PS3 itself - obviously, the price is too high, and if there was any way for Sony to get the price down, they would do it. But they aren't doing it.
But we're talking about the Cell here. Isn't that being manufactured by IBM at their fishkill facility?
So... You're working for Zipatoni, huh?
Yeah. I pre-ordered a Wii on amazon.de. I bought one on the midnight sale they came out. My brother bought one in a store the day they came out. Those were the only three Wiis I've seen since launch.
You don't want to buy a Wii because there are Mario games on it? What a strange thing to do.
I love the GC controller, but the d-pad was indeed a piece of shit. Fortunately, the classic controller and the wii remote have great d-pads (similar to those on the DS lite).
Yep, the classic controller has a great d-pad (seems to be the same as the one on the DS lite). It totally blows the Cube's d-pad away. OTOH, the classic controller has the awkward "sony-style" analog controller placement. Can't have it all, I guess.
Well, that's because some games are significantly different between regions. That's not a DS problem, it's a general problem. If a game is release in Japan, they then fix some bugs and maybe even change some gameplay elements, and release the game in Europe, the two version may not be compatible with each other anymore.
It will change balance, but not ruin it. I own a Street Fighter game for the Cube, which has a "simple" input option. You can start special moves with just one button. The thing is, they still take quite a bit of time to execute and leave you open for attack. There are definitely way more special moves, but the "normal" moves are still used most of the time, and the whole game becomes quite a bit more frantic because you need less time to execute a special move, and therefore need to keep the other player from ever catching his breath.
It's different, but not worse.
Even better, the PS3 is a grill!
Uhm... there are more and better Mac games than there are PS3 games. And that's not even counting Photoshop (haha, preventive joke). And you can actually use it as a real computer, without a hypervisor taking away access from graphics card and hd. I have no clue how you could know what to do with a PS3, but not with a Mac mini.
And how exactly would a Mac make your pals ask embarrassing questions?
It's essentially a multiplayer game. On portable consoles, replayability is higher since if you want to waste a few minutes waiting for the bus, Wario Ware is fun even if you already know the minigames. At home, not so much. However, multiplayer mode is where the game really shines. It's tons of fun, and easily worth 50 bucks.
And how many games support this add-on controller? Oh, that's right, two. Yup, you're right, add-ons are doomed to fail.
I doubt PS3 games will ever look better than 360 games. They will probably have more NPCs and more intelligent NPCs, but the PS3 isn't really capable of producing better graphics than the 360.
Regardless of what Sony is telling you: the Cell is not a graphics chip.
No. The Dual Shock came very early in the PS's life, and - as you said - could easily be incorporated into games, while keeping both the games and the controller backwards-compatible. It was basically an improved version of the controller.
Maybe the people you know. While I know some people who own DC light guns, I know of not one single person with a PS2 light gun. How many light gun games are there for the PS2? I think there are two for the DC - at least that I know of. That's not a success.
Try playing golf with the sixaxis. Okay, how about bowling? Boxing? Baseball? Not really... The sixaxis is good for steering. Of all the Wii games that I own, only Tony Hawk's uses the controller like that.
They were successful as games, but miserable failures as peripherals. How many games using the sing star micros are there?
The question is: How many games are available for these peripherals? I think there are about three sing star games. I know of three eye toy games (although I suspect there are more), and as far as I know, only one game exists for the buzzer. While each of these peripherals may have sold quite a bit (and thus have been successfull as games), none of them managed to create a real market around itself. As peripherals, they failed.
You're wrong. Adults very much play with dolls and toy cars and read children's books. I even have an uncle who collects toy cars, and has a huge slotcar game in his garage. Many of the adults I know read books from Eoin Colfer or J. K. Rowlings. All in all, adults generally do whatever they like to do without thinking too much about the impression it may give to others.
Here's another interesting tidbit: Kids prefer the PS3 and 360 over the Wii. I actually think it's mostly adults who buy the Wii. Kids prefer to have violent games which impress their pals, regardless of whether they are fun to play. Adults play whatever they think is fun.
It's fascinating how quickly DS perception went from "too much innovation" to "lack of vision." It's a testament to how ubiquitous and "normal" the DS has become. When it came out, people cried "gimmick." Now, the dual screen is as normal as the d-pad. I'm guessing the Wii will go a similar path.
It still costs a lot more. Otherwise, every Bluray player would simply use a Cell. There are other chips in the PS3 than just the Cell, you know? :-)
I'm guessing that Nintendo probably could easily ramp up production. However, sooner or later, a large part of the "launch demand" will be satisfied, and they'll end up with production capacities way above what they need. You can't adjust production capacity to meet demand during the launch period, bcause it will always be very high. It's just bad business.
But you are right, they should at least meet Gamecube production.
I play about half an hour of Wii Boxing every day. I put small weights on my wrists (you can buy these at sports shops), and I can tell you, after 15 minutes, I'm sweating like a pig and my heart rate is pretty high. Obviously, you could just sit down, but it's a lot more fun while standing, especially for Boxing, which really requires you to move your body left and right to dodge hits.
And yes, I'm hoping there will be more "physical" sports games. There's another Golf game, but I'm guess it won't do too much in that regard. Wario Ware works somewhat, but not as well as Wii Sports. Dunno about Madden, I think Football games are just confusing (I'm not American, so I don't really get the rules).
I liked the Dreamcast controller, too, and never got used the the PS controllers. They just cramp my hands. The only issue I have with the DC controller is that it's somewhat hard to steer "straight" - in games like Dave Mirra, I'm constantly swerving around. It is way more comfortable than the PS controller, though.
I like the Wavebird most. It has these little nubs around the analog controller which show you the eight directions. Very nice. I also like the Wii combo - no need to keep the hands together.
Bluray players still seem to cost around 1000US$ - without any cell processors. I think that should give a hint towards the real price of the PS3.