And why, because the "story" of HALO sucks. Game is great, storyline? generic sci-fi dribble. nothing special. certainly nothing there to feed a movie well. feeds a game fine, because with a game, all you got to do is run around and shoot things, open some doors, see some pretty graphics you haven't seen before, and darn, ain't that fun. but as a movie? it will suck.
unless they hook up an xbox 2 and the future halo 3 to the projector and let you play on an IMAX screen. Now that would be worth the price of the ticket.
The reason why consoles work so well, is that they are standardized. So they are an appliance, put in any game and it works.
By creating all these options, they are killing that standard.
MS should just suck it up, create just 1 "xbox 2" and be done with it and stop letting the marketing and sales people f up everything.
Also, they way they approached this was so stupid. They should of just said this is the system at 299, and these are the options. Plus there will be bundles of options in packages too. Would of been much easier to deal with than announcing that there are two 'skus'
Whenever someone mentions multiplayer they always say "In Korea..." and then cite some sort of crazy statistic, like:
"In Korea, 4.5 million people worship Starcraft as religion, would rather have IM on their cell phones than talk, are willing to pay the equivalent of 50 american dollars a day to play multiplayer games, and a recent poll says every citizen in Korea under the age 18 is planning on naming their first born Arcturus Mengsk"
And they say this, as if it really means anything at all to the rest of the world.
1. Wrong format for the games. Behind the times. Forget about cartridges - get the games via digital distribution ala itunes or any downloadable game site
2. Wrong emphisis on games. Thing should be able to play music and play videos/movies. Easily. Via itunes like software. No stupid $30 carts to play movies.
3. Too big. Damn thing is too big, and too boot, my GBA feels much better to play games on. Me arm hurts holding the thing up.
4. No killer games. Game machine without killer games? What?
5. Wrong game production model. Games are too big and too costly, thus the pain of getting them made which has led to 4.
In the end, the thing missed on both fronts. It is not so great for games and it really sucks as a 'portable entertainment device'
So it sits on my shelf collecting dust while I play my game boy and listen to my ipod.
"1. A method of assisting user interaction with a multimedia asset player by way of a hierarchically ordered user interface, comprising: displaying a first order user interface having a first list of user selectable items; receiving a user selection of one of the user selectable items; and automatically transitioning to and displaying a second order user interface based upon the user selection. "
I think the more you make it seem like you are actually describing something new, the more likely you'll get the patent.
I should patent drinking milk.
"1. A method of assisting user interaction with a milk by way of a hierarchically ordered user interface, comprising: displaying a first order user interface having a first list of user selectable items; receiving a user selection of one of the user selectable items; and automatically transitioning to and displaying a second order user interface based upon the user selection. And then drinking it."
Yeah, Asimov, Clarke, Card... they are all just about shooting aliens.
Anyhoo, point was not being disengenuous about sci fi stories, but more about pointing out that a game like Halo, which is in fact 'a hoot', doesn't really have any story/character whatsoever that people would feel emotionaly involved with... the key to a good yarn, book or movie.
It is just a good game, not very original, but well produced.
I think it comes down to, playing games is amazing fun... watching people play games, watching people talk about games, watching people talk about how they are going to play a game, well *that* just really sucks.
That show... actually made gaming in general, look well, incredibly stupid.
Only high point, watching the final transformation of J Allard from dullard windows network geek, to 'far too old to pull off' mtv rad dude. Worth the whole pile of stinking program to see that clown show.
Other high point, realizing that we will be playing the same games, just with fancier graphics, and then feeling really sad.
Yeah, games for many years have only really been there to sell hardware.
Maybe when the 'eye candy' get to the point where it is just 'plain old reality' will then game creators be allowed to start figuring out all the possibilities of what a game could be.
But until then, it is all about 'showing off the hardware' as far as innovations.
So I will remain shooting shiny monster, driving shiny cars and playing with shiny football players - all getting shinier and shinier with each passing years - happy, but looking forward to something different.
Games for the past years have, for the most part, *not* been about furthering the art of computer/video games.
They have been about furthering hardware, platforms, 3D chips, etc.
The frequent question the console companies is not, is this an innovative game, but more, does it push enough pixels to 'show off the hardware'
Maybe when we reach a point where the 'eye candy' just looks like plain old reality, we can get back to thinking about and creating all of the possibilies of what a game can really be.
Until then, I'll be shooting shiny monsters, driving shiny cars, playing with shiny football players - all never really changing, but getting shinier and shinier every year...
True, it may be that the revenge of the advertisers will ultimately succeed in TV land, but at that point, there is and will be so many other things to do - watch a movie, play a game, listen to ipod, listen to sat. radio, surf the net, even read a book imagine that... that TV will continue to just be an option.
Yeah, I don't like the cdrom version either, but you may like the funkitron scrabble. I liked it much better than the others. http://www.funkitron.com/
I don't know why he didn't just call it e-xwords or something like that.
There actually is a great SCRABBLE game out there, unlike the cdrom versions. I've seen it on various game sites but you can get it right from the developer at http://www.funkitron.com/ Might as well help the developer rather than the game sites.
It has the MAVEN AI that the cdroms have, but has a much better and simpler interface.
Downloadable games are a business. There is no market for game on linux, or even the mac right now (this may change)
So if you are running a business, and need to make money to keep said business alive, there is no reason to develop on anything else but Windows, and waste money on linux or mac.
Sorry, the world would be better with more platforms, but in the PC game world, only one exists right now, the one the vast majority uses.
First of all, it is silly to argue that games don't affect you.
Just like books and movies, you are affected by playing games.
Just as you will learn a thing or too from Moby Dick, or from watching the Godfather movie, you will learn things from playing games.
All stories and experiences (is a game's case) affect you, for good or bad.
Now, whether you should hold the authors of these stories or experiences responsible for your actions after reading/viewing/playing their works, that is the question.
In the case of Grand Theft Auto, the game is marked MATURE, just like a movie would be rated R. So the authors are not responsible for any kid getting it, nor what a kid does if he does get it.
Now the question is, is it against the law to purchase a game rated MA, or a movie rated R for a minor.
Because if the kid had a steady diet of MA games, and R rated movies, and PORN... and if the parents bought it for him, or if a store sold it to you, should society hold them responsible if anything but for giving something that is labeled to adults to kids?
In the movie business, there is a system in place that reviews scripts from script writers. In the toy industry, there is a system in place that reviews toy inventions from toy inventors.
In the game industry, nothing.
There is no system in place that evalulates independent designs pitched from a game designer.
And no, game designs are not worthless, just the ones that are worthless are worthless. Just as it is easy to sit around and think of a *cool* movie, it is hard work to come up with something that truly is unique and innovative, but it can be done.
So right now, the game industry is fast becoming like the toy industry, a bottom feeder to movie and book licenses, instead of what it should be becoming, a place to launch brand new entertainment properties.
It is a big bummer.
But, alas, I am trying to change it. It ain't easy. It ain't fun. But I'm trying.
Slashdot Mirror
For my lunch breaks, this is a fun flash game:
h tm
http://www.funkitron.com/games/Poker1/Play.Poker.
Fun trying to beat Johnny Chan and Doyle Brunson.
And the download version of it seems to be even better.
Now I'm stuck with 4 crap games, and 1 crap portable game player I never use.
Stay away from bundles like these, they just make you pee money.
And why, because the "story" of HALO sucks. Game is great, storyline? generic sci-fi dribble. nothing special. certainly nothing there to feed a movie well. feeds a game fine, because with a game, all you got to do is run around and shoot things, open some doors, see some pretty graphics you haven't seen before, and darn, ain't that fun. but as a movie? it will suck.
unless they hook up an xbox 2 and the future halo 3 to the projector and let you play on an IMAX screen. Now that would be worth the price of the ticket.
The reason why consoles work so well, is that they are standardized. So they are an appliance, put in any game and it works.
By creating all these options, they are killing that standard.
MS should just suck it up, create just 1 "xbox 2" and be done with it and stop letting the marketing and sales people f up everything.
Also, they way they approached this was so stupid. They should of just said this is the system at 299, and these are the options. Plus there will be bundles of options in packages too. Would of been much easier to deal with than announcing that there are two 'skus'
Not enough market share to justify development cost.
Just business, that's all.
Whenever someone mentions multiplayer they always say "In Korea..." and then cite some sort of crazy statistic, like:
"In Korea, 4.5 million people worship Starcraft as religion, would rather have IM on their cell phones than talk, are willing to pay the equivalent of 50 american dollars a day to play multiplayer games, and a recent poll says every citizen in Korea under the age 18 is planning on naming their first born Arcturus Mengsk"
And they say this, as if it really means anything at all to the rest of the world.
1. No hit games.
2. Stupid carts - why can't i download games via itunes like thing at this point?
3. Bad entertainment use - why can't i download music and movies via itunes like this at this point?
4. No browser, mail - it has wireless, c'mon, get it working to do something.
5. Bad game production model - too costly and too long dev cycle which has produced 1.
6. Wrong market - an expensive portable device just marketed to hard core gamers is, at this point, just plain stupid.
So that's why it sits and collects dust while I play my GBA and listen to my iPod. Thing missed on all fronts...
1. Wrong format for the games. Behind the times. Forget about cartridges - get the games via digital distribution ala itunes or any downloadable game site
2. Wrong emphisis on games. Thing should be able to play music and play videos/movies. Easily. Via itunes like software. No stupid $30 carts to play movies.
3. Too big. Damn thing is too big, and too boot, my GBA feels much better to play games on. Me arm hurts holding the thing up.
4. No killer games. Game machine without killer games? What?
5. Wrong game production model. Games are too big and too costly, thus the pain of getting them made which has led to 4.
In the end, the thing missed on both fronts. It is not so great for games and it really sucks as a 'portable entertainment device'
So it sits on my shelf collecting dust while I play my game boy and listen to my ipod.
"1. A method of assisting user interaction with a multimedia asset player by way of a hierarchically ordered user interface, comprising: displaying a first order user interface having a first list of user selectable items; receiving a user selection of one of the user selectable items; and automatically transitioning to and displaying a second order user interface based upon the user selection. "
I think the more you make it seem like you are actually describing something new, the more likely you'll get the patent.
I should patent drinking milk.
"1. A method of assisting user interaction with a milk by way of a hierarchically ordered user interface, comprising: displaying a first order user interface having a first list of user selectable items; receiving a user selection of one of the user selectable items; and automatically transitioning to and displaying a second order user interface based upon the user selection. And then drinking it."
Doesn't the new york times have something better to write about in their sunday mag?
What a god-awful boring story...
I would of probably enjoyed an expose on the lightsaber dude better.
Yeah, Asimov, Clarke, Card... they are all just about shooting aliens.
Anyhoo, point was not being disengenuous about sci fi stories, but more about pointing out that a game like Halo, which is in fact 'a hoot', doesn't really have any story/character whatsoever that people would feel emotionaly involved with... the key to a good yarn, book or movie.
It is just a good game, not very original, but well produced.
Um, isn't the Halo Bible just:
Shoot Aliens, Open Door, Repeat.
(and)
Halo really is just Ringworld meets Starship Troopers meets Doom - not very original, I'm pretty sure it will make a stinky movie.
Back to the game...
Wow, that show was god awful.
I think it comes down, playing games is amazing fun.
Watching people play games, talk about games, talk about playing games, well that just sucks.
I think in general, that show actually made gaming look pathetically stupid.
Only high point, seeing the final transformation of J. Allard from dullard windows networking geek to mtv cool rad dude wannabe.
Sad moment: realizing that I will be paying more money to play the same old games with fancier graphics.
Wow, that show was god awful.
I think it comes down to, playing games is amazing fun... watching people play games, watching people talk about games, watching people talk about how they are going to play a game, well *that* just really sucks.
That show... actually made gaming in general, look well, incredibly stupid.
Only high point, watching the final transformation of J Allard from dullard windows network geek, to 'far too old to pull off' mtv rad dude. Worth the whole pile of stinking program to see that clown show.
Other high point, realizing that we will be playing the same games, just with fancier graphics, and then feeling really sad.
Um, wasn't Tomb Raider always more of a juvenile folly more than a game anyway?
Yeah, games for many years have only really been there to sell hardware.
Maybe when the 'eye candy' get to the point where it is just 'plain old reality' will then game creators be allowed to start figuring out all the possibilities of what a game could be.
But until then, it is all about 'showing off the hardware' as far as innovations.
So I will remain shooting shiny monster, driving shiny cars and playing with shiny football players - all getting shinier and shinier with each passing years - happy, but looking forward to something different.
Games for the past years have, for the most part, *not* been about furthering the art of computer/video games.
They have been about furthering hardware, platforms, 3D chips, etc.
The frequent question the console companies is not, is this an innovative game, but more, does it push enough pixels to 'show off the hardware'
Maybe when we reach a point where the 'eye candy' just looks like plain old reality, we can get back to thinking about and creating all of the possibilies of what a game can really be.
Until then, I'll be shooting shiny monsters, driving shiny cars, playing with shiny football players - all never really changing, but getting shinier and shinier every year...
True, it may be that the revenge of the advertisers will ultimately succeed in TV land, but at that point, there is and will be so many other things to do - watch a movie, play a game, listen to ipod, listen to sat. radio, surf the net, even read a book imagine that... that TV will continue to just be an option.
> Potentially, it could mean for more creative or ambitious games.
That is the funniest thing I've ever heard.
The ad market is dying.
Cable killed commercial tv long ago. TiVo is putting the stake in it.
Radio was killed simply by the presets. Satellite will put the stake in that.
Internet? get real. AdSubtract works great for banners. Pop up ads are long gone.
So games? We we have been buying our games ad free for years. Before "they" even realized we existed.
So now, with everything else dying, they want to infiltrate our games?
The games we just spent $50 for? The publishers are selling our 'play time' we bought and paid for to advertisers. Don't let them.
So, if I see an ad in a game, I return it. Simple as that.
Yeah, I don't like the cdrom version either, but you may like the funkitron scrabble. I liked it much better than the others.
http://www.funkitron.com/
I don't know why he didn't just call it e-xwords or something like that.
There actually is a great SCRABBLE game out there, unlike the cdrom versions. I've seen it on various game sites but you can get it right from the developer at http://www.funkitron.com/ Might as well help the developer rather than the game sites.
It has the MAVEN AI that the cdroms have, but has a much better and simpler interface.
Yeah, there is an excuse.
Downloadable games are a business. There is no market for game on linux, or even the mac right now (this may change)
So if you are running a business, and need to make money to keep said business alive, there is no reason to develop on anything else but Windows, and waste money on linux or mac.
Sorry, the world would be better with more platforms, but in the PC game world, only one exists right now, the one the vast majority uses.
First of all, it is silly to argue that games don't affect you.
Just like books and movies, you are affected by playing games.
Just as you will learn a thing or too from Moby Dick, or from watching the Godfather movie, you will learn things from playing games.
All stories and experiences (is a game's case) affect you, for good or bad.
Now, whether you should hold the authors of these stories or experiences responsible for your actions after reading/viewing/playing their works, that is the question.
In the case of Grand Theft Auto, the game is marked MATURE, just like a movie would be rated R. So the authors are not responsible for any kid getting it, nor what a kid does if he does get it.
Now the question is, is it against the law to purchase a game rated MA, or a movie rated R for a minor.
Because if the kid had a steady diet of MA games, and R rated movies, and PORN... and if the parents bought it for him, or if a store sold it to you, should society hold them responsible if anything but for giving something that is labeled to adults to kids?
In the movie business, there is a system in place that reviews scripts from script writers. In the toy industry, there is a system in place that reviews toy inventions from toy inventors.
In the game industry, nothing.
There is no system in place that evalulates independent designs pitched from a game designer.
And no, game designs are not worthless, just the ones that are worthless are worthless. Just as it is easy to sit around and think of a *cool* movie, it is hard work to come up with something that truly is unique and innovative, but it can be done.
So right now, the game industry is fast becoming like the toy industry, a bottom feeder to movie and book licenses, instead of what it should be becoming, a place to launch brand new entertainment properties.
It is a big bummer.
But, alas, I am trying to change it. It ain't easy. It ain't fun. But I'm trying.