The 360 supports USB keyboards. I used one myself while trying out the FFXI beta. As horrible the install scenario was (thanks PlayOnline!), it would have been 10x worse if I didn't have the keyboard.
I also saw lots of people doing lots of chatting in the game. It's obviously a lot easier to chat using a regular keyboard than the on-screen one.
Right, I meant it looks like PS3 will regain top dog market share by December.
Hmm, I think even that is dubious. There's going to be a lot of ground to make up. By then, the 360 supply problems should have been fixed, and the next round of games are already coming out.
Now, December 2007? I'll agree with you there. That's probably around the time I pick up the PS3, after waiting for it to drop in price and the next round of games to come out. I'm guessing we'll see either FFXIII or the FFVII-remake come out by that time.
Personally, I think we make more money as shareholders from all the companies MSFT owns plus the returns on all those billions in cash that are just coming in... not seriously thinking of selling my shares, but might do a swap of my Konami holdings and buy back into Sony (did well when I had it, sold it high before drop). Concerned about Blu-Ray and DRM impacts on that, though.
Hmm, you may want to wait for Sony stock to continue to tumble. Wish for more bad PS3 press! Then buy while it's really low. Then again, if the bad PS3 articles turn out to be true and Sony does have lots of problems, then the stock may not recover. Hey, whoever said the stock market was a sure thing?:)
OK, so it's slightly more powerful than the xBox360, will probably retail around $400 without HDD (and $500 for Net/HDD config bundle) (figure initial cost to start at $500 so they can drop to $400 over a year, unless you get it cheap at Costco in a bundle), has 100-150 original content games, including an Anime Dating sim "Akira Project", a Nintendogs non-clone "Active Dogs", a lot of wierd anime games, a lot of RPGs, a lot of scary games, the obligitory sports games, the obligitory FPS games, Bomberman, Clown Combat (yup),...
Well, TFA is sort of all over the place on price. I think the consensus is that the PS3 will definately be expensive to build, but no one knows how much Sony will subsidize it. That said, even assuming a $400/500 price tag, that's going to be expensive. You also have to consider MS may be in a position to drop the 360 price tag by the time the PS3 comes out. I have no idea if it will, but it seems like the smart thing to do. If you're Joe Gamer or Gamer's Mom on a budget, and you're presented with a $250/350 system and a $400/500 system, what will you choose? (Keep in mind that the 360 AND the Revolution might be at the lower price point)
Sony's list of 3rd party titles and developers is, and has always been, very impressive. That's the primary reason why I've played more PS/PS2 games than on any other console. The big question is how many of those titles are platform exclusive? (Several on the list already mentioned they were cross-platform) IMHO, Sony's major success comes from snagging exclusives from companies like Square-Enix, Capcom, Konami, etc., or at the very least, making sure they have the title before everyone else does (like GTA3).
OK, looks like xBox360 is going to lose a lot of market share when it ships, probably starting in December when most of the new titles ship.
Hmm, maybe I should sell my MSFT stock...
Well, of COURSE it's going to lose market share, seeing how it's at 100%. Even with the supply problems, it's still the only provider of next-gen consoles.:)
As for selling MSFT stock, as a fellow shareholder (read my profile), I'd hold onto it for now. Ignore the 360. As we all know, most of the money comes from the OS and Office sales, and with new versions supposedly coming out this year, it should be interesting to see how the stock does. (It's been in a funk for the past few years)
Okay, I realize people don't read TFA anymore, but do people even read the posts before they reply? Here is what I said:
Now, I have full faith in Nintendo that the Revolution will be so much more than the "Ping Pong" controller or whatever Sony manages to put out (if they do). However, I wouldn't put it beyond Sony at all to put out a cheap imitation product, if only to lessen the impact of the Revolution.
In short, I agree with all of you. The controller is going to be much more than any POS that you get in the mall. Uncomparable even! But I don't think it's above Sony to make their OWN imitation product, that looks a lot like the Revolution controller, and HAVE it be a POS product, so that Joe Uneducated User starts to make the comparison that Revolution controller = gimmick, when it is not.
First of all, I was the one who submitted the article. And yes, I know it's just a rumor, but I think it was pretty interesting nonetheless. And I happen to think it's completely plausible. Why?
Well, having controllers that sense movement aren't exactly new fare. Every time I go to the mall, I walk past those kiosks that sell gimmicky video game systems with Ping Pong paddles. You use these paddles to control your on-screen character to play a game of ping pong. Surely I can't be the only person who's seen this. The problem with those games is that whatever sensors they're using aren't very accurate, so most people that try to play it just end up being befuddled. From what I've seen, kids are usually able to adapt, while their parents struggle. It's typical "As Seen On TV" quality, which is "not much".
Can Sony make a similar knock-off product? You betcha. If it's the EyeToy group that's involved (as TFA suggests), then I don't see why they can't pull off something similar. But it's just a gimmicky product, and not one that draws in tons of fans. (We have the EyeToy at home, and it's fun for parties, but nothing more)
Now, I have full faith in Nintendo that the Revolution will be so much more than the "Ping Pong" controller or whatever Sony manages to put out (if they do). However, I wouldn't put it beyond Sony at all to put out a cheap imitation product, if only to lessen the impact of the Revolution. In essense, they're just trying to get people to dismiss the innovation of the Revolution control scheme as just a gimmick. I sure hope it doesn't work.
I agree that it's just a scape-goat for Sony, since there are probably several other issues that they need to address (like Cell manufacturing, trying to get costs down, developing their own online service, etc.). It's much easier to point the finger and blame a separate consortium for your problems instead of your own internal teams.
That said, I don't think it's a good idea at all to ship a non-working Blu-ray player out of the box. While I agree that there aren't going to be very many actual Blu-ray movies released this year, the public outcry is going to be huge. How dare Sony release something that they know is broken in 100% of all boxes! I wouldn't be surprised if a few lawsuits popped up because of this, even if Sony did put strong messaging that the Blu-ray wasn't functional.
Funny thing is that releasing unfinished hardware and software is unfortunately quite common. Most PC games now require a patch before the box even hits shelves. The cell phone that I bought a few months ago was shipped with several features disabled, until a recent firmware update enabled them. And so on. However, the gaming community is particularly vocal and strangely partisan to specific companies (the "fanboi factor"), so it's not something that Sony can just do lightly with the PS3.
I can easily think of PC RPGs which took a lot less than 10 hours to finish. For example, take both Vampire titles. In fact, I dare say that that applies to any PC RPG that isn't a console port. (Not to mention that your average PC "RPG" game will actually be either a hack-and-slash action game or a mis-named RTS with some minimal stats thrown in.)
Hmm, I wasn't even thinking of PC RPGs. Come to think of it, the last PC RPG I played was probably Neverwinter Nights, which was well over 30 hours, but also released in 2002. If you check Gamespot, there aren't very many PC RPGs that have been released. And you're right, most of them are just glorified hack-and-slash action games or dungeon-crawlers with some RPG elements thrown in.
IMHO, the decent single-player RPGs for PCs are going to come mostly from consoles. As you already mentioned, there are the KotOR games. Upcoming is also the next Elder Scrolls game, Oblivion (also for the 360). And for some, Fable was a decent enough RPG, although that also came from the Xbox.
Since any decent RPG takes much longer to develop than most titles, I think it's only natural that developers will want to take advantage of as many platforms as possible. Why limit yourself to only the PC? There's got to be a good reason to do so (for example, it's the only place for decent modding, which is why Neverwinter Nights is only on the PC). Otherwise, you're going to get ports.
I see the confusion. Here's a quote from the article:
The Ultimate Budget Box tosses the gaming focus out the window, instead focusing on a bare-minimum budget system. To all those people clamoring for a minimalist Budget Box: this is it. Look around inside most corporate offices, where most computers need to handle a few Office documents and light Internet use. They don't need to be able to burn CDs or handle 3D-intensive games, but they do need to be reliable and affordable. Lots of consumers out there probably want a similar box--an appliance that lets them get onto the Internet, take care of e-mail, and create a few documents. For them, being able to burn a CD-RW would probably be nice, but anything beyond that is an extra. Low-cost, reliability, and quality are key.
On one hand, if this is a box you're using at home, chances are you don't need a domain controller. XP Home is perfectly able to get you onto the Internet, check e-mail, run Office, etc.
The part that's confusing is where it talks about the "corporate office". In that case, you absolutely need to have XP Pro. However, I think it's silly to talk about such computers. Who buys their own computer for the office? The focus of this article is for the home enthusiast that wants to build their own budget box for their own use. The writer could have been a bit more clear on this.
If you want to take your system over to a friend's house, it's a pain. If you want to take it on a trip with you, it takes up a bunch of space.
I heard a rumor that the Gamecube was originally designed for that reason, hence the "handle". Most people thought it was butt ugly, myself included.:)
Also, the original Xbox was received very poorly in Japan partly because of the butt-ugliness of the machine and the huge space it took up, keeping in mind the size of housing there.
The 360 was actually designed by a Japanese team, so I guess MS learned their lesson. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the design (it just looks "cluttered"), but having the custom faceplates are nice feature.
I totally agree. There are too many articles proclaiming doom and gloom for a console that's only been out a few months, and two consoles that haven't even shipped yet! It all depends on what article you read.
Unfortunately, all the platform fanbois and zealots can't get enough of the hype. I liken it to those "BEN AND JEN IN SPLITSVILLE!?" tabloid articles you see in grocery stores. The flashiest, craziest, most controversial headlines will sucker in gamers in droves. All meaningless, but hey, it pays the bills...
I figure anyone who makes a post that long and makes some decent points deserves a reply, so I'll bite...
The 5th gen was a little more illusive, as the PS2/Gamecube/XBox era doesn't exactly add anything completely new that wasn't in the previous generation. But in this case, the pitfalls of the previous gen systems were becoming painfully obvious, and I think the general gaming community agreed that it was time to fix these things. This was the generation of attempting to achieve "realism", something the previous generation could bearily even strive for: the closest thing was probably FF8, but games of that graphical calliber were few and far between, and even in that case, we're still dealing with 2D backgrounds. Thus, it was becoming clear that the things that game manufacturers wanted to be able to do were not possible with the previous generation, so the PS2/GameCube/XBox were a welcomed update.
First of all, a quick correction, FF8 was actually made for the original Playstation. FFX was the first FF game for the PS2, with the pretty graphics, and that's probably the game you were thinking of.
Anyway, I wanted to point out something about your last statement, that going from the PS/N64 generation to the PS2/Xbox/GC one was a "welcome update". I think that's the case with EVERY generation, including the one that's upcoming (it won't be complete till the Revolution and PS3 are released). The technical leap from graphics/technology may not be so obvious at first, but that's been the expectation with every generation. If you recall, the first launch games for the PS2 were not all that pretty or great, and a number of folks questioned whether or not they were truly next-gen. Of course, it took the release of games like FFX and GTA3 a year or two later before it was really obvious that the PS2 was far better than the PS.
It's going to be the same way with the 360, PS3, and Revolution. The really outstanding games are probably going to be released a few months to a year after the initial launch. Actually, if you take a look at reviews for the 360 version of Fight Night Round 3, you'll find that a lot of people are saying that game's graphics are really setting the "next-gen" bar. (Unfortunately there are apparently gameplay issues that mar the title as well)
I'll admit that the exception is Nintendo. As we all know and hopefully admit, Mario 64 was a launch title for the N64 and blew everything out of the water. For many, that game was the epitome of taking 2D platforms to the next dimension (literally!). It would have been great if MS did something similar, like with Halo 3, but given that Halo 2 shipped just a year earlier, that was pretty much impossible. I think Sony is trying to hype up the next version of Killzone to be their "Mario 64", but we'll just have to see when that game releases, as the previous game wasn't all that good. I do hope Nintendo does launch with an outstanding game, as Luigi's Mansion obviously didn't do it. I suspect they'll launch with a first-party title (or two) that really defines why the Revolution controller really is the way to go for the future.
The graphical capabilities of the XBox and Gamecube have just bearily begun to be challanged, and while the PS2 is obviously a little dated, most gamers are perfectly happy with the titles available for it. When you have gamers looking in awe at screen shots of Zelda: TTP and FF12, you know its not quite yet the time to release a new system.
Funny you mention FFXII. After playing a couple of 360 launch games, I went back to playing RPGs, namely Dragon Quest VIII for the PS2. It includes an FFXII demo disc inside. I actually thought quite the opposite of your comment. "Man, this looks butt-ugly! I can't WAIT till the next Final Fantasy game comes out for a next-gen system.
What games are they playing that take up 30 hours to complete? Most games take 10 at most, and lack any sort of replay value. This isn't a real brain teaser, i can spend $15 on a DVD, or $50 on a game.
Obviously you don't play RPGs, since any decent RPG should take 30 hours to complete, not counting any additional side-quests or mini-games that developers often throw in as well. Then you've got MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, where people log MONTHS of playtime. I'm sure WoW alone skews the "average gameplay time" drastically.
I agree that most FPS and action games typically only run 10 hours or so. I guess you're supposed to make it up by playing multiplayer, but only a percentage of gamers will go online in any given title. That is, unless you happen to be one of those killer multiplayer games like Quake or Counter-Strike.
The Xbox 360 shouldn't have problems no matter where you put it. Sorry to say, but If I can't put the thing where I want to, then it's broken. Obviously things like putting it in your oven are a bad thing, but simply putting the power supply on carpet was reported to cause problems. I'm sorry, but not being able to put the power supply on the carpet is a little restrictive.
I have the power brick sitting behind my TV on carpet and I have no problems. I think the people that had problems were sticking it inside of their TV cabinets, which I imagine can cause problems if it's not well ventilated. There's lots of warnings not to do this, but lots of people don't bother reading them. (They just want to get their shiny new toy up and running as soon as possible)
Should equipment like that be designed that it can run in ANY location? Probably not. Otherwise, it'd take a lot longer for the product to be released, as the engineers try to figure out how to get the PS3 to work fine on top of a hot CRT.
So, how about designed to run in a reasonable location? Sure, I'll agree with that. But the problem is that there's a lot of gray area here. I think it's obvious not to stick equipment in un-ventilated cabinets, because I'm a techie and also because there's warnings all over the place not to do so. But Joe User doesn't read manuals and throws those paper warnings away, so he'll do just that and complain when his latest gaming system keeps locking up.
Granted, there's also the problem where any hardware is going to have defects. Anyone remember the class action lawsuits with the iPod that Apple settled? Or the PSP dead pixel problem? Ideally, yeah I want all of my gadgets and electronics to have absolutely no problems, 100% of the time. But we don't live in a perfect world. Fortunately, that's why we have things like customer service and warranties, so that when you are bitten by the bad hardware bug, you can expect to get a replacement as soon as possible.
What would be nice is to get actual statistics on hardware defects and returns, and not anecdotal evidence. I know several people with 360s and they've had no problems. My 360 has been running fine, but I did get a bum controller recharger. But that's just me. I'm sure the Slashdot audience is going to claim higher than normal problem rates, since the typical user is anti-Microsoft. (It's also interesting that those who claim lots of problems don't even have one themselves. They just repeat what they saw on the Internet) I know there has been talk of class action lawsuits on the 360, but don't know if they've gone anywhere either.
The real issue about the hardware problems is going to be years from now, to see if people still remember the issues or not. I know I had lots of problems with my PS2 (remember the DVD lawsuit and settlement?), but it's in the back of my mind and I mostly remember all the great games on that platform. That's exactly what Sony wants. Whether or not the same will happen with the 360 remains to be seen.
I see a lot of comparisons between the 360 launch and the PS2 launch. If you do some searching on Slashdot and Google, you can find several articles that talk about some of the general PS2 launch issues and the hardware problems the console had.
Should Microsoft had learned from Sony's mistakes? Sure. Unfortunately, it's repeated a lot of the same problems: 1) Supply doesn't meet demand, 2) Lack of a killer launch title, 3) Hardware problems. (Actually, I think a lot of the 3rd issue could be solved with better messaging to buyers. Don't put the power brick in an enclosed space! Don't put your 360 on top of your already-warm TV! Otherwise, these same folks are going to have the same problem with the PS3 and Revolution)
Anyway, so the 360 launch has the same issues as the PS2 launch. Yet we know how the PS2 ultimately dominated this console generation, so they are definately not insurmountable problems. Anyone (including the media), who is already forecasting doom and gloom for the system needs to be realistic. The real battle is going to be months from now, when the other consoles are released. The key for the 360 is going to be how the next round of games do (Gears of War, Oblivion, etc.), and winning those GTA3-level exclusives.
Odd... a lot of people would say the complete opposite. If it weren't for the Live Arcade games, they WOULDN'T be interested at all in the 360.
To each his own. I'm a big fan of options. If you like it, buy it and play it. If you don't, then choose something else. My pet peeve is when people complain about a certain genre of games and how they're not a big fan of them. Sure, fine, whatever, then don't play them! If enough people agree with you, then that genre is going to go niche, or eventually die. (Too bad, though, because I really did like the 2D shooter genre)
that just wasnt the case. sony doesnt have to do that anymore. they have a healthy amount of buzz still and this is w/o any playable games. if the games sucked, we would hear a LOT of negative press. and many fence sitters would go off and buy their x360s now.
Well, I think that was my point. Maybe we agree after all? I'm saying the PS3 games aren't in a good state. I think "sucked" is a strong word, especially for anything that hasn't shipped yet. However, if the game demos WERE good enough, I think Sony (or anyone for that matter) would want to show them. That would cause enough fence sitters to remain sitting on the fence.
yeah, the x360 buzz here on slashdot was annoying, but there was a large amount of that buzz shared with the ps3 and revolution too. dont forget. the buzz for the 360 was shared buzz, and much of the launch hype was negative press. [the shortages, the bundle ordeals, the overheating... etc...]
Well, everything is shared buzz. I can guarantee every time the PS3 is mentioned, someone is going to talk about the 360. And then you'll have your Nintendo fans screaming, "Don't forget about the Revolution!", and vice versa. As for the negative press, that seems to happen with EVERY platform release. Months later, though, most people tend to forget about the problems EXCEPT for the platform fanbois, who remember every bad thing that happened to the competing platforms (but oddly, none of the problems their own company faced). Examples are the PS2 launch issues, the "WTF no back-lighting!?" problem for the original GBA, and the infamous dead-pixel problem for the PSP. I'm sure this holiday, there's going to be PS3 launch problems and some stupid AC is going to make the claim that the 360 launch went smoothly.
as for the x360, they are out the gate, but its on the developers now to win over countries and territories. its up to that next big killer app, be it halo3 or gears of war or whatever. they just dont have any/must haves/ yet. if sony doesnt have any either, they dont want to announce it to the world. teh x360 has some nice games, some pretty ones, but they need that next big thing to steal sonys thunder, and start selling more systems. personally, between that and availability, those are the only hold ups i have making me wait before buying a x360. im just a fan of the games honestly. i go where the games are.
I'm the exact same way. I go where the games are. I didn't get a PS2 until I needed it because I wanted to play FFX. I haven't gotten a GC yet, because there isn't enough there that I really want to play (or isn't cross-platform already). However, I did get a DS, because there were numerous titles I did want to play on that platform, etc. As for the Xbox, my fiancee (now wife) got it for me as an Xmas present, although the only game I was interested in was Halo.
Anyway, it usually takes a while for the killer games to show up on a system. Folks may remember that the PS2 launch titles were fairly weak, unless you happened to be a big fan of Tekken Tag or some of the other games that launched. Same for the 360 (although I happen to like PGR3 a lot, and Geometry Wars). It's just going to take a while.
yeah, but we are talking launch titles. launch titles usually suck. thats a given. so why throw your product out to the wolves [reviewers] who will rip it to shreds anyways? wait a while, and throw it up for grabs to the public. they are the ones that matter. they are actually going to drop the money for the games. the public wont get to play the games at the trade shows anyways. whatever publicity they would get from the trade shows they are STILL getting.
Not all reviewers are "wolves". There will always be "fanboy" publication that you can demo your product to. For example, Nintendo has their Nintendo Power magazine, Xbox has OXM. I'm pretty sure there are many "Sony-friendly" magazines that do nothing but hype up the PS3 technology and games. It is definately possible to generate buzz WITH press demos. It's nothing new by any means, and is a tactic used by all the companies at some point, with next-gen and current-gen platforms. I'm sure you'll start seeing PS3-game demos in droves, the closer we come to release... the same way we saw PS2 game demos and 360 game demos when those platforms were still in development.
Now, if your game isn't in a presentable state, yeah, that's when you don't show your stuff. If people are wondering why there haven't been many in-game demos of the PS3, I'd say that's the reason. The fanboi reasoning of "ooh it's quiet because Sony REALLY wants to blow us out of the water and then ship next week! lolz!" doesn't make sense to me, since that's really not Sony's mantra.
think about it. THIS is their marketting plan. here we are reading and speculating on almost as many articles about the ps3, than for hardware thats been available for a few months now [the xbox360]. hell we still havent even seen anything, but we are all anxiously waiting and jumping on every possible "leaked" rumor. sony has their buzz going... and its going strong. if they drop the ps3 unexpectedly and shorthand the preorder buzz, you will see one hell of a buying frenzy.
FYI, the buzz happens for EVERY next-gen console. Slashdotters were sick to death of 360 coverage last year. They're going to be sick of the PS3 and Revolution coverage this year. Platform buzz is not something Sony has a monopoly on.
the x360 is only a sony competitor in the US and europe. asian players are avoiding the x360 like the plague. microsoft cant give them away. people are awaiting the revolution and the ps3 in asia. half of europe and america are STILL waiting on the ps3, the other quarter are still waiting on their preorders to get filled. so what buzz are they losing?
I agree that Asia (Japan in general) is a huge 360 weakness. However, I think you have to wait a while before you can definately say it's a failure. I wrote a comment about it here: http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=177802&cid=147 46114.
Yep. I don't really know where people are getting this "work in progress" thing. The system is not out yet, it's not in production yet, so why does everyone expect there to be playable units running final game copy on them floating around every time there's a press conference or convention anywhere? You'll get playable units once production has started.
No, you don't need final hardware in order to see playable units. You may recall that many Xbox 360 games were being demoed on dev hardware (G4 boxes). Now, you could argue that maybe that wasn't the best idea, since the dev kits were considerably slower than the final hardware and that the games weren't looking their best at the time.
And yes, there ARE dev kits for the PS3, as several folks have already reported (for example, the Sony guy that got fired). But apparently the games don't look as solid as Sony would like, otherwise you'd be seeing a lot more demos. Currently, it looks like they're showing the same clips at the Taipei Game Show, from other conferences. That's not a good sign.
Arguably, what Sony does best is marketing. I would have to imagine that IF they had something to show or announce, they'd absolutely blast the world with it. The fact that there's been so much damage control isn't a good sign (and I imagine they're not happy at all with their stock price drops).
Frankly, I'm also surprised they backed up the Spring launch date. I don't see at all how they can do that at all (read TFA and many of the other posts here). I think most gamers expect a Summer or Fall launch, and that's fine by them (myself included). But by backing up a Spring launch and then missing it, that just makes them look bad. Better to just announce and shoot for the later launch window.
If it's so obvious, MS should have concentrated on this in the first place instead of letting this opportunity slip out of their hands, because it clearly hurt them a lot.
The problem is that good RPGs take time to develop, and they're normally not launch titles. Whereas many FPS and racing games can mostly concentrate on pretty graphics and better gameplay, RPG developers also have to craft a LOT of additional content and develop a decent story as well. If you want an example of how long a top-tier RPG can take to develop for a platform, I'll use the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series. They're the most popular RPGs in the US and Japan, bar none.
Playstation - Released in Japan: December, 1994 - Released in US: September, 1995
Dragon Quest VIII (first DQ for the PS2) - Released in Japan: November, 2004 - Released in US: November, 2005
Obviously there are other RPGs than these, but I don't recall any great RPGs that released with the launch of either the PS or PS2. Besides, you can't argue the important of Final Fantasy (in both the US and Japan) and Dragon Quest (in Japan).
It IS a good sign that MS landed a port of FFXI. I believe that's coming out soon. Yeah, it's just a port, and not that great of an MMO (at least compared to WoW, IMHO), but it's a good sign that there's at least a positive relationship between MS and Square-Enix. And I'm hopeful that I'll see some good RPGs come out of Mistwalker Studios. But it's going to take a while.
I would imagine it's the same thing with the PS3 as well. Besides, FFXII hasn't even shipped yet, and that's for the PS2. It'll be years before we see the next FF game for the PS3 (tech demos don't count). Well, they could shock everyone with a FFVII for the PS3 launch announcement at E3, but personally I think that's unlikely. (If that DID happen though, it wouldn't bode well for MS or Nintendo. It'd be a lot like the release of FFX at the same time the Xbox and GC launched) But that's still speculation.:)
I'm trying to remember what Japanese RPGs you're referring to, aside from True Fantasy Online (which was axed, unfortunately). The sad thing about TFO is that it was looking to be a really good game, and from the same team that made the phenomenal Dragon Quest VIII game.
Now there were a few HORRIBLE role-playing games made for the original Xbox launch, like Azurik and Nightcaster. But I believe those were made internally in MGS, and they were actually released whereas they should have been axed. *shudder*
The platform did get a few decent RPGs, most notably Knights of the Old Republic (produced by Bioware). Fable, Jade Empire, and KotOR II were decent as well, although I'll take most Squeenix titles over them any day. (... except for FFX-2, I can't believe I played and finished that)
I'm not sure what you mean by "all accounts". Have DS sales been really good? Sure they have, especially in Japan. I'll even give you that the popularity of Nintendogs has wooed those "unconventional customers" in Japan you talk about.
But I don't think that's happened in the US yet. I think Nintendo's problem is that they still have that kid-friendly image attached to their name. It's a double-edge sword. Parents associate Nintendo as being safe for their kids. They think of brands like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and not so much GTA, Rumble Roses, etc. So when the "unconventional customer" wants to dabble in video games, I find it a lot more likely that adults pick up a PSP (for all the media options) or dabble with cell phone/PDA games. It's always the kids I see that are holding onto their Gameboy or DS systems.
Is it an incorrect assumption that Nintendo is just for kids? It sure is. We are long gone from the days of the censored Mortal Kombat on the SNES. Did you know BMX XXX is uncensored on the GC and Xbox, but censored on the PS2? I didn't, until I happened to read about it. But it's going to take a while, and more marketing, until Nintendo changes that kiddy image. (And I'm sure they don't want to change their brand completely either, since there is a benefit to being perceived as a "family safe" brand)
Personally, I love my DS. But I'm not going to kid myself and think that it's the hot gaming platform that everyone's suddenly talking about.
Yes, I believe he headed both FFVII and the failed FF movie. Then again, seeing how Advent Children is getting so much attention, maybe he was just "ahead of the time".
Personally, FFVII was the only FF game I skipped (well, FFXI too, but I almost don't count that since it's an MMO), and I wasn't a fan of the Final Fantasy movie. Thus, I'm hesitant on saying Sakaguchi's studio is going to be the saviour for Japanese support on the 360. But it's still better than the lack of support for the first Xbox. (Most of the RPGs were created by non-Japanese companies, like Bioware, and there were a few that were cancelled, like True Fantasy Online)
Of course the 360 is going nowhere in Japan at the moment! There aren't any RPGs for the platform, for crying out loud. DOA 4 alone isn't going to bring over Japanese gamers.
But there are several Japanese RPGs in development, most notably those by Mistwalker Studios (headed by a former Square-Enix producer). I think the 360 in Japan is really going to depend on the quality of these first games. If they aren't that that good, then yeah, the 360 in Japan is going to continue to flounder. But, if they turn out to be pretty decent, then I would imagine the 360 is going to do better. Also, we still have to see what Square-Enix decides to do with the platform. Somehow I doubt FFXI is going to be the only game released for the 360.
That said, I've looked at the previews for one of the first Japanese RPGs (Enchant Arm), and it doesn't look that hot to me. I'm a big fan of Japanese RPGs (most Squeenix titles, Xenosaga, Disgaea, etc.), so I guess I'm a target audience.
The sad thing is that I have spent a lot of time doing more than just "beating the game". With RPGs that I genuinely like, I tend to try to finish all of the side quests, beat all the optional bosses, etc. (I beat Prinny Baal in Disgaea!) Of course, no one really knows that I did this, unless I tell them. But having those recorded in some sort of leaderboard or gamer profile would be cool AND a further enticement to do all the optional stuff that's in many games these days.
Of course, some people might be embarassed that they actually spent the time to find all 500 doo-hickeys in a given platform game, but that's their problem.:)
Actually, the MS published games tend to parcel out the gamer points a lot more fairly. I'd say PGR3 dishes them the best way. You get basic points for completing the game, and more at harder difficulty levels. And you get a few points for discovering all the side features in the game, such as photo mode, watching Gotham TV, etc. Without the achievements for some of those areas, I'd never knew they existed.
If anything, it's the non-MS games (EA sports games especially) that have done a lame job with the achievement system. I'm guessing they didn't put much thought into it, whereas MS definately wants to make the system worthwhile in the long run.
I do hope that all games do a better job of distributing points. Otherwise, yeah, you may have some developer that makes a crappy game that people buy/rent only because they want those easy achievements.
Slashdot Mirror
The 360 supports USB keyboards. I used one myself while trying out the FFXI beta. As horrible the install scenario was (thanks PlayOnline!), it would have been 10x worse if I didn't have the keyboard.
I also saw lots of people doing lots of chatting in the game. It's obviously a lot easier to chat using a regular keyboard than the on-screen one.
Right, I meant it looks like PS3 will regain top dog market share by December.
... not seriously thinking of selling my shares, but might do a swap of my Konami holdings and buy back into Sony (did well when I had it, sold it high before drop). Concerned about Blu-Ray and DRM impacts on that, though.
:)
Hmm, I think even that is dubious. There's going to be a lot of ground to make up. By then, the 360 supply problems should have been fixed, and the next round of games are already coming out.
Now, December 2007? I'll agree with you there. That's probably around the time I pick up the PS3, after waiting for it to drop in price and the next round of games to come out. I'm guessing we'll see either FFXIII or the FFVII-remake come out by that time.
Personally, I think we make more money as shareholders from all the companies MSFT owns plus the returns on all those billions in cash that are just coming in
Hmm, you may want to wait for Sony stock to continue to tumble. Wish for more bad PS3 press! Then buy while it's really low. Then again, if the bad PS3 articles turn out to be true and Sony does have lots of problems, then the stock may not recover. Hey, whoever said the stock market was a sure thing?
OK, so it's slightly more powerful than the xBox360, will probably retail around $400 without HDD (and $500 for Net/HDD config bundle) (figure initial cost to start at $500 so they can drop to $400 over a year, unless you get it cheap at Costco in a bundle), has 100-150 original content games, including an Anime Dating sim "Akira Project", a Nintendogs non-clone "Active Dogs", a lot of wierd anime games, a lot of RPGs, a lot of scary games, the obligitory sports games, the obligitory FPS games, Bomberman, Clown Combat (yup), ...
...
:)
Well, TFA is sort of all over the place on price. I think the consensus is that the PS3 will definately be expensive to build, but no one knows how much Sony will subsidize it. That said, even assuming a $400/500 price tag, that's going to be expensive. You also have to consider MS may be in a position to drop the 360 price tag by the time the PS3 comes out. I have no idea if it will, but it seems like the smart thing to do. If you're Joe Gamer or Gamer's Mom on a budget, and you're presented with a $250/350 system and a $400/500 system, what will you choose? (Keep in mind that the 360 AND the Revolution might be at the lower price point)
Sony's list of 3rd party titles and developers is, and has always been, very impressive. That's the primary reason why I've played more PS/PS2 games than on any other console. The big question is how many of those titles are platform exclusive? (Several on the list already mentioned they were cross-platform) IMHO, Sony's major success comes from snagging exclusives from companies like Square-Enix, Capcom, Konami, etc., or at the very least, making sure they have the title before everyone else does (like GTA3).
OK, looks like xBox360 is going to lose a lot of market share when it ships, probably starting in December when most of the new titles ship.
Hmm, maybe I should sell my MSFT stock
Well, of COURSE it's going to lose market share, seeing how it's at 100%. Even with the supply problems, it's still the only provider of next-gen consoles.
As for selling MSFT stock, as a fellow shareholder (read my profile), I'd hold onto it for now. Ignore the 360. As we all know, most of the money comes from the OS and Office sales, and with new versions supposedly coming out this year, it should be interesting to see how the stock does. (It's been in a funk for the past few years)
Okay, I realize people don't read TFA anymore, but do people even read the posts before they reply? Here is what I said:
Now, I have full faith in Nintendo that the Revolution will be so much more than the "Ping Pong" controller or whatever Sony manages to put out (if they do). However, I wouldn't put it beyond Sony at all to put out a cheap imitation product, if only to lessen the impact of the Revolution.
In short, I agree with all of you. The controller is going to be much more than any POS that you get in the mall. Uncomparable even! But I don't think it's above Sony to make their OWN imitation product, that looks a lot like the Revolution controller, and HAVE it be a POS product, so that Joe Uneducated User starts to make the comparison that Revolution controller = gimmick, when it is not.
Comprende?
First of all, I was the one who submitted the article. And yes, I know it's just a rumor, but I think it was pretty interesting nonetheless. And I happen to think it's completely plausible. Why?
Well, having controllers that sense movement aren't exactly new fare. Every time I go to the mall, I walk past those kiosks that sell gimmicky video game systems with Ping Pong paddles. You use these paddles to control your on-screen character to play a game of ping pong. Surely I can't be the only person who's seen this. The problem with those games is that whatever sensors they're using aren't very accurate, so most people that try to play it just end up being befuddled. From what I've seen, kids are usually able to adapt, while their parents struggle. It's typical "As Seen On TV" quality, which is "not much".
Can Sony make a similar knock-off product? You betcha. If it's the EyeToy group that's involved (as TFA suggests), then I don't see why they can't pull off something similar. But it's just a gimmicky product, and not one that draws in tons of fans. (We have the EyeToy at home, and it's fun for parties, but nothing more)
Now, I have full faith in Nintendo that the Revolution will be so much more than the "Ping Pong" controller or whatever Sony manages to put out (if they do). However, I wouldn't put it beyond Sony at all to put out a cheap imitation product, if only to lessen the impact of the Revolution. In essense, they're just trying to get people to dismiss the innovation of the Revolution control scheme as just a gimmick. I sure hope it doesn't work.
I agree that it's just a scape-goat for Sony, since there are probably several other issues that they need to address (like Cell manufacturing, trying to get costs down, developing their own online service, etc.). It's much easier to point the finger and blame a separate consortium for your problems instead of your own internal teams.
That said, I don't think it's a good idea at all to ship a non-working Blu-ray player out of the box. While I agree that there aren't going to be very many actual Blu-ray movies released this year, the public outcry is going to be huge. How dare Sony release something that they know is broken in 100% of all boxes! I wouldn't be surprised if a few lawsuits popped up because of this, even if Sony did put strong messaging that the Blu-ray wasn't functional.
Funny thing is that releasing unfinished hardware and software is unfortunately quite common. Most PC games now require a patch before the box even hits shelves. The cell phone that I bought a few months ago was shipped with several features disabled, until a recent firmware update enabled them. And so on. However, the gaming community is particularly vocal and strangely partisan to specific companies (the "fanboi factor"), so it's not something that Sony can just do lightly with the PS3.
I can easily think of PC RPGs which took a lot less than 10 hours to finish. For example, take both Vampire titles. In fact, I dare say that that applies to any PC RPG that isn't a console port. (Not to mention that your average PC "RPG" game will actually be either a hack-and-slash action game or a mis-named RTS with some minimal stats thrown in.)
Hmm, I wasn't even thinking of PC RPGs. Come to think of it, the last PC RPG I played was probably Neverwinter Nights, which was well over 30 hours, but also released in 2002. If you check Gamespot, there aren't very many PC RPGs that have been released. And you're right, most of them are just glorified hack-and-slash action games or dungeon-crawlers with some RPG elements thrown in.
IMHO, the decent single-player RPGs for PCs are going to come mostly from consoles. As you already mentioned, there are the KotOR games. Upcoming is also the next Elder Scrolls game, Oblivion (also for the 360). And for some, Fable was a decent enough RPG, although that also came from the Xbox.
Since any decent RPG takes much longer to develop than most titles, I think it's only natural that developers will want to take advantage of as many platforms as possible. Why limit yourself to only the PC? There's got to be a good reason to do so (for example, it's the only place for decent modding, which is why Neverwinter Nights is only on the PC). Otherwise, you're going to get ports.
I see the confusion. Here's a quote from the article:
The Ultimate Budget Box tosses the gaming focus out the window, instead focusing on a bare-minimum budget system. To all those people clamoring for a minimalist Budget Box: this is it. Look around inside most corporate offices, where most computers need to handle a few Office documents and light Internet use. They don't need to be able to burn CDs or handle 3D-intensive games, but they do need to be reliable and affordable. Lots of consumers out there probably want a similar box--an appliance that lets them get onto the Internet, take care of e-mail, and create a few documents. For them, being able to burn a CD-RW would probably be nice, but anything beyond that is an extra. Low-cost, reliability, and quality are key.
On one hand, if this is a box you're using at home, chances are you don't need a domain controller. XP Home is perfectly able to get you onto the Internet, check e-mail, run Office, etc.
The part that's confusing is where it talks about the "corporate office". In that case, you absolutely need to have XP Pro. However, I think it's silly to talk about such computers. Who buys their own computer for the office? The focus of this article is for the home enthusiast that wants to build their own budget box for their own use. The writer could have been a bit more clear on this.
If you want to take your system over to a friend's house, it's a pain. If you want to take it on a trip with you, it takes up a bunch of space.
:)
I heard a rumor that the Gamecube was originally designed for that reason, hence the "handle". Most people thought it was butt ugly, myself included.
Also, the original Xbox was received very poorly in Japan partly because of the butt-ugliness of the machine and the huge space it took up, keeping in mind the size of housing there.
The 360 was actually designed by a Japanese team, so I guess MS learned their lesson. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the design (it just looks "cluttered"), but having the custom faceplates are nice feature.
I totally agree. There are too many articles proclaiming doom and gloom for a console that's only been out a few months, and two consoles that haven't even shipped yet! It all depends on what article you read.
...
Unfortunately, all the platform fanbois and zealots can't get enough of the hype. I liken it to those "BEN AND JEN IN SPLITSVILLE!?" tabloid articles you see in grocery stores. The flashiest, craziest, most controversial headlines will sucker in gamers in droves. All meaningless, but hey, it pays the bills
I figure anyone who makes a post that long and makes some decent points deserves a reply, so I'll bite ...
The 5th gen was a little more illusive, as the PS2/Gamecube/XBox era doesn't exactly add anything completely new that wasn't in the previous generation. But in this case, the pitfalls of the previous gen systems were becoming painfully obvious, and I think the general gaming community agreed that it was time to fix these things. This was the generation of attempting to achieve "realism", something the previous generation could bearily even strive for: the closest thing was probably FF8, but games of that graphical calliber were few and far between, and even in that case, we're still dealing with 2D backgrounds. Thus, it was becoming clear that the things that game manufacturers wanted to be able to do were not possible with the previous generation, so the PS2/GameCube/XBox were a welcomed update.
First of all, a quick correction, FF8 was actually made for the original Playstation. FFX was the first FF game for the PS2, with the pretty graphics, and that's probably the game you were thinking of.
Anyway, I wanted to point out something about your last statement, that going from the PS/N64 generation to the PS2/Xbox/GC one was a "welcome update". I think that's the case with EVERY generation, including the one that's upcoming (it won't be complete till the Revolution and PS3 are released). The technical leap from graphics/technology may not be so obvious at first, but that's been the expectation with every generation. If you recall, the first launch games for the PS2 were not all that pretty or great, and a number of folks questioned whether or not they were truly next-gen. Of course, it took the release of games like FFX and GTA3 a year or two later before it was really obvious that the PS2 was far better than the PS.
It's going to be the same way with the 360, PS3, and Revolution. The really outstanding games are probably going to be released a few months to a year after the initial launch. Actually, if you take a look at reviews for the 360 version of Fight Night Round 3, you'll find that a lot of people are saying that game's graphics are really setting the "next-gen" bar. (Unfortunately there are apparently gameplay issues that mar the title as well)
I'll admit that the exception is Nintendo. As we all know and hopefully admit, Mario 64 was a launch title for the N64 and blew everything out of the water. For many, that game was the epitome of taking 2D platforms to the next dimension (literally!). It would have been great if MS did something similar, like with Halo 3, but given that Halo 2 shipped just a year earlier, that was pretty much impossible. I think Sony is trying to hype up the next version of Killzone to be their "Mario 64", but we'll just have to see when that game releases, as the previous game wasn't all that good. I do hope Nintendo does launch with an outstanding game, as Luigi's Mansion obviously didn't do it. I suspect they'll launch with a first-party title (or two) that really defines why the Revolution controller really is the way to go for the future.
The graphical capabilities of the XBox and Gamecube have just bearily begun to be challanged, and while the PS2 is obviously a little dated, most gamers are perfectly happy with the titles available for it. When you have gamers looking in awe at screen shots of Zelda: TTP and FF12, you know its not quite yet the time to release a new system.
Funny you mention FFXII. After playing a couple of 360 launch games, I went back to playing RPGs, namely Dragon Quest VIII for the PS2. It includes an FFXII demo disc inside. I actually thought quite the opposite of your comment. "Man, this looks butt-ugly! I can't WAIT till the next Final Fantasy game comes out for a next-gen system.
What games are they playing that take up 30 hours to complete? Most games take 10 at most, and lack any sort of replay value. This isn't a real brain teaser, i can spend $15 on a DVD, or $50 on a game.
Obviously you don't play RPGs, since any decent RPG should take 30 hours to complete, not counting any additional side-quests or mini-games that developers often throw in as well. Then you've got MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, where people log MONTHS of playtime. I'm sure WoW alone skews the "average gameplay time" drastically.
I agree that most FPS and action games typically only run 10 hours or so. I guess you're supposed to make it up by playing multiplayer, but only a percentage of gamers will go online in any given title. That is, unless you happen to be one of those killer multiplayer games like Quake or Counter-Strike.
The Xbox 360 shouldn't have problems no matter where you put it. Sorry to say, but If I can't put the thing where I want to, then it's broken. Obviously things like putting it in your oven are a bad thing, but simply putting the power supply on carpet was reported to cause problems. I'm sorry, but not being able to put the power supply on the carpet is a little restrictive.
I have the power brick sitting behind my TV on carpet and I have no problems. I think the people that had problems were sticking it inside of their TV cabinets, which I imagine can cause problems if it's not well ventilated. There's lots of warnings not to do this, but lots of people don't bother reading them. (They just want to get their shiny new toy up and running as soon as possible)
Should equipment like that be designed that it can run in ANY location? Probably not. Otherwise, it'd take a lot longer for the product to be released, as the engineers try to figure out how to get the PS3 to work fine on top of a hot CRT.
So, how about designed to run in a reasonable location? Sure, I'll agree with that. But the problem is that there's a lot of gray area here. I think it's obvious not to stick equipment in un-ventilated cabinets, because I'm a techie and also because there's warnings all over the place not to do so. But Joe User doesn't read manuals and throws those paper warnings away, so he'll do just that and complain when his latest gaming system keeps locking up.
Granted, there's also the problem where any hardware is going to have defects. Anyone remember the class action lawsuits with the iPod that Apple settled? Or the PSP dead pixel problem? Ideally, yeah I want all of my gadgets and electronics to have absolutely no problems, 100% of the time. But we don't live in a perfect world. Fortunately, that's why we have things like customer service and warranties, so that when you are bitten by the bad hardware bug, you can expect to get a replacement as soon as possible.
What would be nice is to get actual statistics on hardware defects and returns, and not anecdotal evidence. I know several people with 360s and they've had no problems. My 360 has been running fine, but I did get a bum controller recharger. But that's just me. I'm sure the Slashdot audience is going to claim higher than normal problem rates, since the typical user is anti-Microsoft. (It's also interesting that those who claim lots of problems don't even have one themselves. They just repeat what they saw on the Internet) I know there has been talk of class action lawsuits on the 360, but don't know if they've gone anywhere either.
The real issue about the hardware problems is going to be years from now, to see if people still remember the issues or not. I know I had lots of problems with my PS2 (remember the DVD lawsuit and settlement?), but it's in the back of my mind and I mostly remember all the great games on that platform. That's exactly what Sony wants. Whether or not the same will happen with the 360 remains to be seen.
I see a lot of comparisons between the 360 launch and the PS2 launch. If you do some searching on Slashdot and Google, you can find several articles that talk about some of the general PS2 launch issues and the hardware problems the console had.
Should Microsoft had learned from Sony's mistakes? Sure. Unfortunately, it's repeated a lot of the same problems: 1) Supply doesn't meet demand, 2) Lack of a killer launch title, 3) Hardware problems. (Actually, I think a lot of the 3rd issue could be solved with better messaging to buyers. Don't put the power brick in an enclosed space! Don't put your 360 on top of your already-warm TV! Otherwise, these same folks are going to have the same problem with the PS3 and Revolution)
Anyway, so the 360 launch has the same issues as the PS2 launch. Yet we know how the PS2 ultimately dominated this console generation, so they are definately not insurmountable problems. Anyone (including the media), who is already forecasting doom and gloom for the system needs to be realistic. The real battle is going to be months from now, when the other consoles are released. The key for the 360 is going to be how the next round of games do (Gears of War, Oblivion, etc.), and winning those GTA3-level exclusives.
Odd ... a lot of people would say the complete opposite. If it weren't for the Live Arcade games, they WOULDN'T be interested at all in the 360.
To each his own. I'm a big fan of options. If you like it, buy it and play it. If you don't, then choose something else. My pet peeve is when people complain about a certain genre of games and how they're not a big fan of them. Sure, fine, whatever, then don't play them! If enough people agree with you, then that genre is going to go niche, or eventually die. (Too bad, though, because I really did like the 2D shooter genre)
that just wasnt the case. sony doesnt have to do that anymore. they have a healthy amount of buzz still and this is w/o any playable games. if the games sucked, we would hear a LOT of negative press. and many fence sitters would go off and buy their x360s now.
/must haves/ yet. if sony doesnt have any either, they dont want to announce it to the world. teh x360 has some nice games, some pretty ones, but they need that next big thing to steal sonys thunder, and start selling more systems. personally, between that and availability, those are the only hold ups i have making me wait before buying a x360. im just a fan of the games honestly. i go where the games are.
Well, I think that was my point. Maybe we agree after all? I'm saying the PS3 games aren't in a good state. I think "sucked" is a strong word, especially for anything that hasn't shipped yet. However, if the game demos WERE good enough, I think Sony (or anyone for that matter) would want to show them. That would cause enough fence sitters to remain sitting on the fence.
yeah, the x360 buzz here on slashdot was annoying, but there was a large amount of that buzz shared with the ps3 and revolution too. dont forget. the buzz for the 360 was shared buzz, and much of the launch hype was negative press. [the shortages, the bundle ordeals, the overheating... etc...]
Well, everything is shared buzz. I can guarantee every time the PS3 is mentioned, someone is going to talk about the 360. And then you'll have your Nintendo fans screaming, "Don't forget about the Revolution!", and vice versa. As for the negative press, that seems to happen with EVERY platform release. Months later, though, most people tend to forget about the problems EXCEPT for the platform fanbois, who remember every bad thing that happened to the competing platforms (but oddly, none of the problems their own company faced). Examples are the PS2 launch issues, the "WTF no back-lighting!?" problem for the original GBA, and the infamous dead-pixel problem for the PSP. I'm sure this holiday, there's going to be PS3 launch problems and some stupid AC is going to make the claim that the 360 launch went smoothly.
as for the x360, they are out the gate, but its on the developers now to win over countries and territories. its up to that next big killer app, be it halo3 or gears of war or whatever. they just dont have any
I'm the exact same way. I go where the games are. I didn't get a PS2 until I needed it because I wanted to play FFX. I haven't gotten a GC yet, because there isn't enough there that I really want to play (or isn't cross-platform already). However, I did get a DS, because there were numerous titles I did want to play on that platform, etc. As for the Xbox, my fiancee (now wife) got it for me as an Xmas present, although the only game I was interested in was Halo.
Anyway, it usually takes a while for the killer games to show up on a system. Folks may remember that the PS2 launch titles were fairly weak, unless you happened to be a big fan of Tekken Tag or some of the other games that launched. Same for the 360 (although I happen to like PGR3 a lot, and Geometry Wars). It's just going to take a while.
yeah, but we are talking launch titles. launch titles usually suck. thats a given. so why throw your product out to the wolves [reviewers] who will rip it to shreds anyways? wait a while, and throw it up for grabs to the public. they are the ones that matter. they are actually going to drop the money for the games. the public wont get to play the games at the trade shows anyways. whatever publicity they would get from the trade shows they are STILL getting.
... the same way we saw PS2 game demos and 360 game demos when those platforms were still in development.
7 46114.
Not all reviewers are "wolves". There will always be "fanboy" publication that you can demo your product to. For example, Nintendo has their Nintendo Power magazine, Xbox has OXM. I'm pretty sure there are many "Sony-friendly" magazines that do nothing but hype up the PS3 technology and games. It is definately possible to generate buzz WITH press demos. It's nothing new by any means, and is a tactic used by all the companies at some point, with next-gen and current-gen platforms. I'm sure you'll start seeing PS3-game demos in droves, the closer we come to release
Now, if your game isn't in a presentable state, yeah, that's when you don't show your stuff. If people are wondering why there haven't been many in-game demos of the PS3, I'd say that's the reason. The fanboi reasoning of "ooh it's quiet because Sony REALLY wants to blow us out of the water and then ship next week! lolz!" doesn't make sense to me, since that's really not Sony's mantra.
think about it. THIS is their marketting plan. here we are reading and speculating on almost as many articles about the ps3, than for hardware thats been available for a few months now [the xbox360]. hell we still havent even seen anything, but we are all anxiously waiting and jumping on every possible "leaked" rumor. sony has their buzz going... and its going strong. if they drop the ps3 unexpectedly and shorthand the preorder buzz, you will see one hell of a buying frenzy.
FYI, the buzz happens for EVERY next-gen console. Slashdotters were sick to death of 360 coverage last year. They're going to be sick of the PS3 and Revolution coverage this year. Platform buzz is not something Sony has a monopoly on.
the x360 is only a sony competitor in the US and europe. asian players are avoiding the x360 like the plague. microsoft cant give them away. people are awaiting the revolution and the ps3 in asia. half of europe and america are STILL waiting on the ps3, the other quarter are still waiting on their preorders to get filled. so what buzz are they losing?
I agree that Asia (Japan in general) is a huge 360 weakness. However, I think you have to wait a while before you can definately say it's a failure. I wrote a comment about it here: http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=177802&cid=14
Yep. I don't really know where people are getting this "work in progress" thing. The system is not out yet, it's not in production yet, so why does everyone expect there to be playable units running final game copy on them floating around every time there's a press conference or convention anywhere? You'll get playable units once production has started.
No, you don't need final hardware in order to see playable units. You may recall that many Xbox 360 games were being demoed on dev hardware (G4 boxes). Now, you could argue that maybe that wasn't the best idea, since the dev kits were considerably slower than the final hardware and that the games weren't looking their best at the time.
And yes, there ARE dev kits for the PS3, as several folks have already reported (for example, the Sony guy that got fired). But apparently the games don't look as solid as Sony would like, otherwise you'd be seeing a lot more demos. Currently, it looks like they're showing the same clips at the Taipei Game Show, from other conferences. That's not a good sign.
Arguably, what Sony does best is marketing. I would have to imagine that IF they had something to show or announce, they'd absolutely blast the world with it. The fact that there's been so much damage control isn't a good sign (and I imagine they're not happy at all with their stock price drops).
Frankly, I'm also surprised they backed up the Spring launch date. I don't see at all how they can do that at all (read TFA and many of the other posts here). I think most gamers expect a Summer or Fall launch, and that's fine by them (myself included). But by backing up a Spring launch and then missing it, that just makes them look bad. Better to just announce and shoot for the later launch window.
If it's so obvious, MS should have concentrated on this in the first place instead of letting this opportunity slip out of their hands, because it clearly hurt them a lot.
:)
The problem is that good RPGs take time to develop, and they're normally not launch titles. Whereas many FPS and racing games can mostly concentrate on pretty graphics and better gameplay, RPG developers also have to craft a LOT of additional content and develop a decent story as well. If you want an example of how long a top-tier RPG can take to develop for a platform, I'll use the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series. They're the most popular RPGs in the US and Japan, bar none.
Playstation
- Released in Japan: December, 1994
- Released in US: September, 1995
Final Fantasy VII (first FF for the PS)
- Released in 1997
Dragon Quest VII (first and only DQ for the PS)
- Released in Japan: August, 2000
- Released in US: November, 2001
PS2
- Released in Japan: March, 2000
- Released in US: October, 2000
Final Fantasy X (first FF for the PS2)
- Released in 2001
Dragon Quest VIII (first DQ for the PS2)
- Released in Japan: November, 2004
- Released in US: November, 2005
Obviously there are other RPGs than these, but I don't recall any great RPGs that released with the launch of either the PS or PS2. Besides, you can't argue the important of Final Fantasy (in both the US and Japan) and Dragon Quest (in Japan).
It IS a good sign that MS landed a port of FFXI. I believe that's coming out soon. Yeah, it's just a port, and not that great of an MMO (at least compared to WoW, IMHO), but it's a good sign that there's at least a positive relationship between MS and Square-Enix. And I'm hopeful that I'll see some good RPGs come out of Mistwalker Studios. But it's going to take a while.
I would imagine it's the same thing with the PS3 as well. Besides, FFXII hasn't even shipped yet, and that's for the PS2. It'll be years before we see the next FF game for the PS3 (tech demos don't count). Well, they could shock everyone with a FFVII for the PS3 launch announcement at E3, but personally I think that's unlikely. (If that DID happen though, it wouldn't bode well for MS or Nintendo. It'd be a lot like the release of FFX at the same time the Xbox and GC launched) But that's still speculation.
I'm trying to remember what Japanese RPGs you're referring to, aside from True Fantasy Online (which was axed, unfortunately). The sad thing about TFO is that it was looking to be a really good game, and from the same team that made the phenomenal Dragon Quest VIII game.
Now there were a few HORRIBLE role-playing games made for the original Xbox launch, like Azurik and Nightcaster. But I believe those were made internally in MGS, and they were actually released whereas they should have been axed. *shudder*
The platform did get a few decent RPGs, most notably Knights of the Old Republic (produced by Bioware). Fable, Jade Empire, and KotOR II were decent as well, although I'll take most Squeenix titles over them any day. (... except for FFX-2, I can't believe I played and finished that)
I'm not sure what you mean by "all accounts". Have DS sales been really good? Sure they have, especially in Japan. I'll even give you that the popularity of Nintendogs has wooed those "unconventional customers" in Japan you talk about.
But I don't think that's happened in the US yet. I think Nintendo's problem is that they still have that kid-friendly image attached to their name. It's a double-edge sword. Parents associate Nintendo as being safe for their kids. They think of brands like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and not so much GTA, Rumble Roses, etc. So when the "unconventional customer" wants to dabble in video games, I find it a lot more likely that adults pick up a PSP (for all the media options) or dabble with cell phone/PDA games. It's always the kids I see that are holding onto their Gameboy or DS systems.
Is it an incorrect assumption that Nintendo is just for kids? It sure is. We are long gone from the days of the censored Mortal Kombat on the SNES. Did you know BMX XXX is uncensored on the GC and Xbox, but censored on the PS2? I didn't, until I happened to read about it. But it's going to take a while, and more marketing, until Nintendo changes that kiddy image. (And I'm sure they don't want to change their brand completely either, since there is a benefit to being perceived as a "family safe" brand)
Personally, I love my DS. But I'm not going to kid myself and think that it's the hot gaming platform that everyone's suddenly talking about.
Yes, I believe he headed both FFVII and the failed FF movie. Then again, seeing how Advent Children is getting so much attention, maybe he was just "ahead of the time".
Personally, FFVII was the only FF game I skipped (well, FFXI too, but I almost don't count that since it's an MMO), and I wasn't a fan of the Final Fantasy movie. Thus, I'm hesitant on saying Sakaguchi's studio is going to be the saviour for Japanese support on the 360. But it's still better than the lack of support for the first Xbox. (Most of the RPGs were created by non-Japanese companies, like Bioware, and there were a few that were cancelled, like True Fantasy Online)
Of course the 360 is going nowhere in Japan at the moment! There aren't any RPGs for the platform, for crying out loud. DOA 4 alone isn't going to bring over Japanese gamers.
But there are several Japanese RPGs in development, most notably those by Mistwalker Studios (headed by a former Square-Enix producer). I think the 360 in Japan is really going to depend on the quality of these first games. If they aren't that that good, then yeah, the 360 in Japan is going to continue to flounder. But, if they turn out to be pretty decent, then I would imagine the 360 is going to do better. Also, we still have to see what Square-Enix decides to do with the platform. Somehow I doubt FFXI is going to be the only game released for the 360.
That said, I've looked at the previews for one of the first Japanese RPGs (Enchant Arm), and it doesn't look that hot to me. I'm a big fan of Japanese RPGs (most Squeenix titles, Xenosaga, Disgaea, etc.), so I guess I'm a target audience.
The sad thing is that I have spent a lot of time doing more than just "beating the game". With RPGs that I genuinely like, I tend to try to finish all of the side quests, beat all the optional bosses, etc. (I beat Prinny Baal in Disgaea!) Of course, no one really knows that I did this, unless I tell them. But having those recorded in some sort of leaderboard or gamer profile would be cool AND a further enticement to do all the optional stuff that's in many games these days.
:)
Of course, some people might be embarassed that they actually spent the time to find all 500 doo-hickeys in a given platform game, but that's their problem.
Actually, the MS published games tend to parcel out the gamer points a lot more fairly. I'd say PGR3 dishes them the best way. You get basic points for completing the game, and more at harder difficulty levels. And you get a few points for discovering all the side features in the game, such as photo mode, watching Gotham TV, etc. Without the achievements for some of those areas, I'd never knew they existed.
If anything, it's the non-MS games (EA sports games especially) that have done a lame job with the achievement system. I'm guessing they didn't put much thought into it, whereas MS definately wants to make the system worthwhile in the long run.
I do hope that all games do a better job of distributing points. Otherwise, yeah, you may have some developer that makes a crappy game that people buy/rent only because they want those easy achievements.