Yep, it was released for the DS, too. I was just addressing the OP's complaint about the PSP getting too many console ports. If you've got a PSP and love the idea of a puzzle/rpg hybrid, you owe it to yourself to check out PQ. I've heard the DS version has worse graphics (of course) but that the experience is just as good as the other platforms.
Pardon my enthusiasm for this title, but Puzzle Quest is everything it was hyped to be and then some. It's currently my favorite game on the PSP, and I don't see it getting dethroned any time soon.
Give it a try for some seriously fun and addictive hand-held gaming goodness. There's even a PC demo if you want to try before you buy.
Some of your "next big hit MMO" ideas have already seen the light of day: Guild Wars already has the challenge of "guessing your opponents' load-out" in that you can only have 8 skills/spells in your current arsenal at any one time out of a potential pool of hundreds, so knowing or prediciting what your opponent might have is a big factor in determining the outcome of a particular PvP match.
You're obviously trolling, but I would throw back the same retort for last generation - the XBox versions of games were contanstly gimped due to the PS2 being the lead development platform for most games.
This hurts them mostly because the perception of a price difference has changed. Most people who buy a game console aren't people like us who read spec sheets, weigh technical differences of various minutia and then argue about them ad nauseum - they just go to the local big box store and look at the sticker price. This new SKU tarnishes one of if not the biggest of Microsoft's strengths this generation: price.
Upgrading to the Elite is problematic for me, even if I were so inclined, because my wife likes to play the XBLA games on her own account and I don't want to rebuy them all. Has Microsoft anticipated this and will they make games fully authorized after I upgrade? I don't want to be forced to connect to XBL and under my account just to play my XBL games. If they want me to consider upgrading then they should plan to offer assistance to people in my situation. I'll warrant there are plenty of people like me out there.
I'm simply pointing out that "pretexting" is a specific type of fraud. "Stealing money" means a whole lot of things, almost all of which are punishable by law. "Embezzlement" is a specific type of money-stealing, but explains the context and manner/means in which the money is stolen. This is what "pretexting" is to "fraud", and I was merely trying to point that out to some who claimed that calling it "pretexting" is a denial of the moral implications of such actions. How they got from point A to B simply because they saw the word "pretexting" is beyond me and smacks of tin foil conspiracy theories.
You, yourself, commit the fallacy of the weak analogy and also failed to note that the GP's biggest problem was that of the false dilemna because you were trying to be a high-horse nitwit instead of reading between the lines of the guy you cutting down.
How about this analogy? "The end of OSX (or whatever flavor is the current OS for a Macintosh) would be the end of the Macintosh computer". It's not a perfect, but I think it's a fairer one than the chip/computer one you proferred. People buy consoles largely for games and price point (See the PS2's continued success as an example). If you give a competitor the edge in both of those categories and offer very little incentive to purchase your own product, they'll bail. It's really that simple. Losing exclusives hurts your console, especialy when you're $100-$200 more than the competition's "premium" model.
Before you're modded into oblivion, I want you to know that I love videogames and am a very productive member of society when I'm not playing World of Warcraft.
The Wii Remote is one example of the type of thing that can differentiate platforms. If the core design of your game is one that hinges upon a feature that is only available on a single platform, then you almost de facto exclusivity. If the core elements of game play can't be pulled off if you port to another platform, then it makes no sense to do that port.
I would tend to agree with you, but seeing Ubisoft port Rayman Raving Rabbids (which makes extensive use of the unique features of the Wii-remote) to the 360 I no longer believe publishers see unique controls as a particular limitation to taking a title cross-platform.
It ultimately comes down to profitability: if they think they can make money on something, they're sure going to try.
I predict that within a few years Nintendo will introduce an HD-capable Wii. I think it will be a smart move for Nintendo, but it will also mean anyone who currently owns a Wii and then gets the upgraded model will have likely spent $400-$500 on the two systems. Suddenly the pricing won't all that different from an Xbox360 or PS3.
I agree that for $50.00 more we could/should have had something akin to Xbox 360 graphics on the Wii. The Wii is overpriced for what it is.
That said, however, I don't believe that Nintendo will ever introduce a hardware revision that splits the userbase in two. Look at the DS/DS Lite. As a developer, you know that you can target "the DS" even though there are two different models. It would be business suicide to have a Wii that does high-def and a Wii that doesn't - developers would have to pay attention to both or ignore one, thus alienating half of their userbase...it's just not economically rational.
Slashdot Mirror
Yep, it was released for the DS, too. I was just addressing the OP's complaint about the PSP getting too many console ports. If you've got a PSP and love the idea of a puzzle/rpg hybrid, you owe it to yourself to check out PQ. I've heard the DS version has worse graphics (of course) but that the experience is just as good as the other platforms.
Pardon my enthusiasm for this title, but Puzzle Quest is everything it was hyped to be and then some. It's currently my favorite game on the PSP, and I don't see it getting dethroned any time soon.
Give it a try for some seriously fun and addictive hand-held gaming goodness. There's even a PC demo if you want to try before you buy.
Some of your "next big hit MMO" ideas have already seen the light of day: Guild Wars already has the challenge of "guessing your opponents' load-out" in that you can only have 8 skills/spells in your current arsenal at any one time out of a potential pool of hundreds, so knowing or prediciting what your opponent might have is a big factor in determining the outcome of a particular PvP match.
You're obviously trolling, but I would throw back the same retort for last generation - the XBox versions of games were contanstly gimped due to the PS2 being the lead development platform for most games.
Forking over $40 for a new Xbox controller because a wall collided with it is one thing, but $130 for new DS? That's a whole new ballgame...
This hurts them mostly because the perception of a price difference has changed. Most people who buy a game console aren't people like us who read spec sheets, weigh technical differences of various minutia and then argue about them ad nauseum - they just go to the local big box store and look at the sticker price. This new SKU tarnishes one of if not the biggest of Microsoft's strengths this generation: price.
Upgrading to the Elite is problematic for me, even if I were so inclined, because my wife likes to play the XBLA games on her own account and I don't want to rebuy them all. Has Microsoft anticipated this and will they make games fully authorized after I upgrade? I don't want to be forced to connect to XBL and under my account just to play my XBL games. If they want me to consider upgrading then they should plan to offer assistance to people in my situation. I'll warrant there are plenty of people like me out there.
If they'd just invest in some duct-tape and a couple of Gamecubes.
I'm simply pointing out that "pretexting" is a specific type of fraud. "Stealing money" means a whole lot of things, almost all of which are punishable by law. "Embezzlement" is a specific type of money-stealing, but explains the context and manner/means in which the money is stolen. This is what "pretexting" is to "fraud", and I was merely trying to point that out to some who claimed that calling it "pretexting" is a denial of the moral implications of such actions. How they got from point A to B simply because they saw the word "pretexting" is beyond me and smacks of tin foil conspiracy theories.
Um, I was merely pointing out that it's a technical term used by law enforcement to represent a specific type of crime. Where was I "defending crime"?
Pretexting is a technical term.
Like he really just wants a single player RPG.
LOL, and you took the time to flame me for my post? Puleeeeeeze.
I'm quite sure the Japanese have plenty of in-jokes to make fun of us Westerners. And, yes, I totally screwed up "desperate". Oh well.
P.S. From Help/About:
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P.P.S. Fuck you
But not this desparate...
You, yourself, commit the fallacy of the weak analogy and also failed to note that the GP's biggest problem was that of the false dilemna because you were trying to be a high-horse nitwit instead of reading between the lines of the guy you cutting down.
How about this analogy? "The end of OSX (or whatever flavor is the current OS for a Macintosh) would be the end of the Macintosh computer". It's not a perfect, but I think it's a fairer one than the chip/computer one you proferred. People buy consoles largely for games and price point (See the PS2's continued success as an example). If you give a competitor the edge in both of those categories and offer very little incentive to purchase your own product, they'll bail. It's really that simple. Losing exclusives hurts your console, especialy when you're $100-$200 more than the competition's "premium" model.
You also failed to make the mistake
Before you're modded into oblivion, I want you to know that I love videogames and am a very productive member of society when I'm not playing World of Warcraft.
The Wii Remote is one example of the type of thing that can differentiate platforms. If the core design of your game is one that hinges upon a feature that is only available on a single platform, then you almost de facto exclusivity. If the core elements of game play can't be pulled off if you port to another platform, then it makes no sense to do that port.
I would tend to agree with you, but seeing Ubisoft port Rayman Raving Rabbids (which makes extensive use of the unique features of the Wii-remote) to the 360 I no longer believe publishers see unique controls as a particular limitation to taking a title cross-platform.
It ultimately comes down to profitability: if they think they can make money on something, they're sure going to try.
Wait, I thought charging us $60.00 per title was the answer to rising game development costs.
Can't find a Wii for my son anywhere anywhere, but he was really happy when I told him we could make one out of duct-tape and two gamecubes.
I predict that within a few years Nintendo will introduce an HD-capable Wii. I think it will be a smart move for Nintendo, but it will also mean anyone who currently owns a Wii and then gets the upgraded model will have likely spent $400-$500 on the two systems. Suddenly the pricing won't all that different from an Xbox360 or PS3.
I agree that for $50.00 more we could/should have had something akin to Xbox 360 graphics on the Wii. The Wii is overpriced for what it is.
That said, however, I don't believe that Nintendo will ever introduce a hardware revision that splits the userbase in two. Look at the DS/DS Lite. As a developer, you know that you can target "the DS" even though there are two different models. It would be business suicide to have a Wii that does high-def and a Wii that doesn't - developers would have to pay attention to both or ignore one, thus alienating half of their userbase...it's just not economically rational.
I hope that by fun they don't mean "party games". The Wii has all I can take right now in that department.
None of your reasons negate the fact that toys are being left behind in favor of videogames.
Holy frickin' crap...it made me give up the game completely.
My wife and I (yes, I know, this is /. and mentioning wives/girlfriends is controversial) have been playing Unreal Tournament
I'm in need of game-playing partner, myself. Where can I buy this "wife"?