Uh. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Microsoft, at this exact moment in time, have the *only* online system of the three? Sure, Wii has a online system announced, as does Sony, but they don't exist right now... correct?
Ok, you're wrong, so let me correct you.
Sure, the Wii isn't out yet, but Nintendo's on-line service was up and running months ago. How do you think Nintendo DS players go against each others online? Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection, of course (and I'm not talking about their hotspots/McDonald's venture either).
Actually, 360 owners can access the vast majority of Xbox Live functions without paying a single cent. Whether or not you think the $50/year fee is a waste or not, that kind of comes down to opinion more than anything else... personally I think the service is worth it.
"Xbox Live!" functions indeed. If you have an "online system" for a gaming console, I'd like to assume it's to play the damn games, you know, "online". Paying 50$US/year on top of your internet connection to really have an "online service" for a game console is just stupid.
Ok; and how does that convince me that Xbox Live is bad again? What percentage of PS2 players played online games using their console? What about Gamecube players? Without comparing your "7%" number to anything, it means nothing.
If I'm not mistaken there's only two online games for the Gamecube. And one of them (MMORPG) had a monthly fee. Add to that the fact that you had to buy the network add-on, and Nintendo really dropped the ball on that one.
As for the PS2 players, well.... if I'm not mistaken, there's no central network for the PlayStation 2 (apart for games such as FF XI), so keeping track of PS2 on-line usage is near impossible.
Or maybe it didn't mention it just because it, uh, didn't happen to mention it.
I think what the OP meant was that Microsoft can say "1 million Xbox 360 users go online" when the actual number of people really "playing online" (as in, paying for the gold membership at 50$US/month just so they can play against other players) could be as low as 5000.
Metroid on the NES was good, within the limits of the hardware. Metroid on the SNES was good, within the limits of the hardware. Metroid on the Gamecube was good, within the limits of the hardware. Metroid on the Wii looks like it's gonna be good, within the limits of the hardware.
So, sequels don't necessarily suck (even Metroid Prime 2 looked much better than the first). Amazing hardware doesn't necessarily equal "better game" either.
Get creative: make games, not hardware demos. After all, you're supposed to be game companies, not demo groups like Triton, Future Crew, etc.
If SACD taught us anything, it's that consumers don't want to re-buy their collection, or replace their favorite stereo just for a minor difference in quality.
And if MP3 taught us anything, it's that consumers don't mind a drop in quality in favor of usefulness (carrying lots of music in a single device with no media to change with a hard drive MP3 player).
And contrary to popular belief there are quite a large population of us.
There may be a large population of non-iPod users, but last time I checked that was still only about 15%.
There's quite a lot of Mac users too, but we're still only 5% of the market. So, "Welcome to my world". Except that music can easily be shifted from one format to another, unlike software.
As for Apple putting DRM'ed AAC files onto a DVD-ROM portion of the DVD... How will they tie the DRM to the user? I thought the DRM was added server-side?
Or OS X? Because face it, some people just don't have the hardware required for Vista. If you're going to buy a new computer, might as well consider all the options. And a Core Duo Mac mini is perfect for most users (apart from gaming).
Yeah! Release dates that force companies to rush unfinished products to the market are far more important than well-designed products! WE WANT OUR CRAPNOW!
My point is that people didn't complain about the price of PCs five years ago and now they complain that "Macs are so expensive that nobody can buy them."
If people were able to pay 1500$ for a P233/128MB/Win95 PC ten years ago they should be able to pay 700$ for a Core Duo 1.83GHz/512MB/OS X Mac today...
Computers are cheaper than ever but people keep looking at the worst possible low-end crap when comparing price tags.
Oh well, if they think they're happy with their Windows PCs, I can't help them. As for the Linux ones, I'm happy for them.
We work small enough that we don't need to have the license that's the biggest movie of the year... if we just have kind of a small devoted fanbase, we can make something that's kind of personal and fun.
I agree that Macs are still more expensive (if you only look at the tag price). But my point still holds: today's Macs are cheaper than yesterday's PCs.
As for the "inferior slobs", I mis-quoted you, sorry. But the fact is, I'm sure that the ones saying "Macs are too expensive and its users are rich snobs" today were probably the same people saying "PCs are too expensive and its users are rich snobs" back in the '80s.
The real fact is, however, that today's low-end and mid-range Macs are less expensive than yesterday's PCs. Yes, Macs were also more expensive than PCs back then, but your point is moot because you're basically saying that "PC users back then were snobs compared to the inferior slobs who didn't even have a PC at all."
Just because PCs are now dirt-cheap doesn't mean you should buy them. As for your car comparison, a Mac is now more like a Toyota and a PC is like a Kia or Lada. It's not because it's cheaper that people should buy them.
And when you account for the bundled software (which does 99% of what most users need), you really get what you pay for with a Mac.
The worst box art I've ever seen has to be the one from the first Megaman game. It's so lame it's a miracle people even tried the game (which is excellent).
Nice to see you put computers and operating systems before your own family.
As for your actual comment, this is exactly what I did: someone in family bought a Mac and ever since the only questions are about how to use the computer/which software to use. I haven't had to "repair/fix" his computer since he bought it almost a year ago (Mac mini G4/1.25GHz, 512MB).
To be honest, with OS X and all the software it comes with (iLife, etc), the Mac really is the computer for the average user.
At some point in the conversation Mr. Ballmer said: "Just tell me it's not Amazon." I told him it was Amazon.
At that point, Mr. Ballmer picked up a chair and threw it across the room hitting a table in his office. Mr. Ballmer then said: "I'm going to fucking bury that company, I have done it before, and I will do it again. I'm going to fucking kill Amazon."
Thereafter, Mr. Ballmer resumed trying to persuade me to stay....Among other things, Mr. Ballmer told me that "Amazon is not a real company. It's a library."
This Zelda has definatly been under development longer, better graphics, and new controls, and lack of cell-shaded graphics I hope. It's going to push the system I believe, coupled with a Metroid Prime (which is good but remember Metroid Prime has ONLY been played by Gamecube owners and players)
First of all, the cell-shaded graphics of Zelda Windwaker reminded me of Zelda on the NES. Nothing wrong with that, unless you're close-minded and think "cartoon-style = kids only".
As for "Metroid Prime, which was only played by Gamecube owners", you're not making any sense. There's been Zelda and Metroid games since the NES era. Metroid Prime just happens to be a trilogy in the serie, it's still Metroid.
Slashdot Mirror
Can I have some of what you're smoking?
Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe the next war will be fought under water, where the other two can't even go (unless they sink).
Ok, you're wrong, so let me correct you.
Sure, the Wii isn't out yet, but Nintendo's on-line service was up and running months ago. How do you think Nintendo DS players go against each others online? Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection, of course (and I'm not talking about their hotspots/McDonald's venture either).
"Xbox Live!" functions indeed. If you have an "online system" for a gaming console, I'd like to assume it's to play the damn games, you know, "online". Paying 50$US/year on top of your internet connection to really have an "online service" for a game console is just stupid.
If I'm not mistaken there's only two online games for the Gamecube. And one of them (MMORPG) had a monthly fee. Add to that the fact that you had to buy the network add-on, and Nintendo really dropped the ball on that one.
As for the PS2 players, well.... if I'm not mistaken, there's no central network for the PlayStation 2 (apart for games such as FF XI), so keeping track of PS2 on-line usage is near impossible.
I think what the OP meant was that Microsoft can say "1 million Xbox 360 users go online" when the actual number of people really "playing online" (as in, paying for the gold membership at 50$US/month just so they can play against other players) could be as low as 5000.
Aren't patents supposed to be allowed only if the company actually has a product on the market using the patented feature?
Metroid on the NES was good, within the limits of the hardware.
Metroid on the SNES was good, within the limits of the hardware.
Metroid on the Gamecube was good, within the limits of the hardware.
Metroid on the Wii looks like it's gonna be good, within the limits of the hardware.
So, sequels don't necessarily suck (even Metroid Prime 2 looked much better than the first).
Amazing hardware doesn't necessarily equal "better game" either.
Get creative: make games, not hardware demos. After all, you're supposed to be game companies, not demo groups like Triton, Future Crew, etc.
And if MP3 taught us anything, it's that consumers don't mind a drop in quality in favor of usefulness (carrying lots of music in a single device with no media to change with a hard drive MP3 player).
There may be a large population of non-iPod users, but last time I checked that was still only about 15%.
There's quite a lot of Mac users too, but we're still only 5% of the market. So, "Welcome to my world". Except that music can easily be shifted from one format to another, unlike software.
As for Apple putting DRM'ed AAC files onto a DVD-ROM portion of the DVD... How will they tie the DRM to the user? I thought the DRM was added server-side?
Or OS X? Because face it, some people just don't have the hardware required for Vista. If you're going to buy a new computer, might as well consider all the options. And a Core Duo Mac mini is perfect for most users (apart from gaming).
You mean, a girl like this?
Yeah! Release dates that force companies to rush unfinished products to the market are far more important than well-designed products! WE WANT OUR CRAP NOW!
My point is that people didn't complain about the price of PCs five years ago and now they complain that "Macs are so expensive that nobody can buy them."
If people were able to pay 1500$ for a P233/128MB/Win95 PC ten years ago they should be able to pay 700$ for a Core Duo 1.83GHz/512MB/OS X Mac today...
Computers are cheaper than ever but people keep looking at the worst possible low-end crap when comparing price tags.
Oh well, if they think they're happy with their Windows PCs, I can't help them. As for the Linux ones, I'm happy for them.
That means an OS X release, then?
I agree that Macs are still more expensive (if you only look at the tag price). But my point still holds: today's Macs are cheaper than yesterday's PCs.
As for the "inferior slobs", I mis-quoted you, sorry. But the fact is, I'm sure that the ones saying "Macs are too expensive and its users are rich snobs" today were probably the same people saying "PCs are too expensive and its users are rich snobs" back in the '80s.
The real fact is, however, that today's low-end and mid-range Macs are less expensive than yesterday's PCs. Yes, Macs were also more expensive than PCs back then, but your point is moot because you're basically saying that "PC users back then were snobs compared to the inferior slobs who didn't even have a PC at all."
Just because PCs are now dirt-cheap doesn't mean you should buy them. As for your car comparison, a Mac is now more like a Toyota and a PC is like a Kia or Lada. It's not because it's cheaper that people should buy them.
And when you account for the bundled software (which does 99% of what most users need), you really get what you pay for with a Mac.
The worst box art I've ever seen has to be the one from the first Megaman game. It's so lame it's a miracle people even tried the game (which is excellent).
I'd just like to point out that the Mac mini (G4, anyway) is also a rock-solid machine. Me and my brother never had any hardware problem.
<homer>Hum, misteaks... [drool...]</homer>
<table> and <font>, then?
Nice to see you put computers and operating systems before your own family.
As for your actual comment, this is exactly what I did: someone in family bought a Mac and ever since the only questions are about how to use the computer/which software to use. I haven't had to "repair/fix" his computer since he bought it almost a year ago (Mac mini G4/1.25GHz, 512MB).
To be honest, with OS X and all the software it comes with (iLife, etc), the Mac really is the computer for the average user.
"My other box is a 10,000 node zombie cluster of Windows machines"
Good one, I wonder if ThinkGeek would make such bumper stickers...
Don't forget that Mindstorms NXT will also be compatible with Macs.
At some point in the conversation Mr. Ballmer said: "Just tell me it's not Amazon." I told him it was Amazon.
At that point, Mr. Ballmer picked up a chair and threw it across the room hitting a table in his office. Mr. Ballmer then said: "I'm going to fucking bury that company, I have done it before, and I will do it again. I'm going to fucking kill Amazon."
Thereafter, Mr. Ballmer resumed trying to persuade me to stay....Among other things, Mr. Ballmer told me that "Amazon is not a real company. It's a library."
When activated, the robot stood up and yelled "Dear aunt, let's set so double the killer delete select all."
First of all, the cell-shaded graphics of Zelda Windwaker reminded me of Zelda on the NES. Nothing wrong with that, unless you're close-minded and think "cartoon-style = kids only".
As for "Metroid Prime, which was only played by Gamecube owners", you're not making any sense. There's been Zelda and Metroid games since the NES era. Metroid Prime just happens to be a trilogy in the serie, it's still Metroid.
Google Video used to have a "save file" feature (even had PSP/iPod/etc. choice). Where is it?