I enjoyed the beginning much more with all the events happening in the main world and lots of choice regarding where to go next. It slowed doen after the first 20-30 shines with no more events happening and having a short list of levels still to do and felt more like a chore than a fun game. After a year or so ignoring it I looked up what I had to do to make Bowser appear, beat him and haven't touched the game since. Pretty much stopped playing Mario 64 DS after beating the final Bowser, too. But at least that only forced you to collect a certain number of stars, not beat specific stars (except for that submarine level).
Nintendo hasn't had that "family friendly" policy since then. Nowadays they let you do anything on their system (maybe short of Hentai games but I don't think anyone really asked them about those). The BMX XXX incident showed that currently Sony is the least permissive of the console manufacturers (and they're in the same position as Nintendo was back then, what a coincidence!).
By the way, Sega no longer does what Nintendon't (except giving guns to mascot characters), in their Bleach games they didn't include any blood whereas the series has more of the red juice gushing everywhere than Mortal Kombat.
Not sure about the rest but I occassionally play a few hours of FlyFF, that uses the "free game, premium items" business model and the items sold in the store are usually either not available through normal means (and often merely cosmetic) or just some potent healing or temporary stat boost items. Sometimes they add hassles to the game (like a chance for items breaking when applying upgrade items on them) that have to be negated by buying an item from the store but the store won't allow you to purchase super gear or ingame money (though you can buy store items and sell them off for ingame money to other players).
So overall the game is playable without paying and I don't think you incurr major disadvantages in PVP against a paying user. If you spent more time than them you'll almost certainly mess them up badly, no matter how much money they spent.
Yes but as I understand it most of the US chains that came over are treated as cheap in the US whereas the prices end up placing them into the upper end of their respective sectors in Europe. Or is Starbuck's one of the more expensive coffee shops in the US, too?
Yes but that doesn't explain the difference. Also it only seems to matter for consoles because PC games and components usually end up being priced the same as in the US without price increase for any taxes. I think they only ask for that much because that's what the games costed in the days of cartridges and they can get away with it still.
You can order from an import store, the goods themselves will end up cheaper even with tax and duty but the shipping will undo any savings there. When I import a game through Lik-Sang that has free shipping it ends up at 55 Euros for a game that would cost 60 even with tax and duty. Often the parcell goes through customs without any fees and then it ends up even cheaper.
Standalone expansion, then. Hardly a new concept. Homeworld: Cataclysm, Jazz Jackrabbit 2: The Secret Files, Serious Sam: Second Encounter, Earth 2150: The Moon Project and Perimeter: Emperor's Testament are some I can remember off the top of my head.
Funny that people call Ravenholm the high point of HL2. Too little ammo and too many melee enemies, it was like the developers went "We went to great lengths to make that gravity gun so use it already!". I don't like that gun (partially because it just doesn't feel powerful, it looks clunky to use like you're throwing nerf-foam shapes at the enemies) so I don't like being forced to use it, especially against what I hate most in first person shooters (melee enemies). The scenes before that were much better. At least you got to blast enemies that use the same weapons as you.
It usually sells as a standalone for 20-30 Euros. Very popular game among those who play it. Kids love Legos, this is even better because it's just hilarious to watch the ways you can exploit the physics. A bridge that is only held together by three girders after most of the support structure broke away and holds only long enough for the train to pass the prerequisite number of times?
Had Microsoft not jumped the gun and just had to get their Xbox360 out the door before Christmas 2005, then I am sure Microsoft would have added 3D positional gameplay to the Xbox360.
Microsoft had a gamepad with a motion sensor 6 years ago. They learned from that mistake. Sonyis lacking that learning experience (and judging by the price and their treatment of developers they aren't willing to learn from the errors of others).
Early screenshots suggest that they were indeed planning to bring back the Koopa Kids but changed their minds during development. Perhaps that was Miyamoto complaining about that being too many characters or something.
Well, MS's goals are quite low. Most console makers just make a console and take over the market on the first attempt or die from lack of money. The XBox was as dead as a console can be, it was on life support the whole time. From the sounds of it the XC isn't much better in the profitability department. I don't think any other console manufacturer in the history of the market ever incurred such a heaviy loss. Measured by the market standards, the XBox was not only a failure but probably the worst failure that ever happened.
Slashdot Mirror
Find out their physical locations and make them public. Mob justice works fast.
I enjoyed the beginning much more with all the events happening in the main world and lots of choice regarding where to go next. It slowed doen after the first 20-30 shines with no more events happening and having a short list of levels still to do and felt more like a chore than a fun game. After a year or so ignoring it I looked up what I had to do to make Bowser appear, beat him and haven't touched the game since. Pretty much stopped playing Mario 64 DS after beating the final Bowser, too. But at least that only forced you to collect a certain number of stars, not beat specific stars (except for that submarine level).
Nintendo hasn't had that "family friendly" policy since then. Nowadays they let you do anything on their system (maybe short of Hentai games but I don't think anyone really asked them about those). The BMX XXX incident showed that currently Sony is the least permissive of the console manufacturers (and they're in the same position as Nintendo was back then, what a coincidence!).
By the way, Sega no longer does what Nintendon't (except giving guns to mascot characters), in their Bleach games they didn't include any blood whereas the series has more of the red juice gushing everywhere than Mortal Kombat.
On the other hand, SCEE didn't complain and the Metal Slug games are sold like every other PS2 game in Europe.
All this talk about dumbspeak makes me wonder whether orks in that Warhammer MMO will be required to talk "Orky".
Indeed. I want my HAR fighting league! Sounds like 2097 wasn't such a bad estimate.
Apparently you have to learn German if you want to become a doctor in Japan.
Not sure about the rest but I occassionally play a few hours of FlyFF, that uses the "free game, premium items" business model and the items sold in the store are usually either not available through normal means (and often merely cosmetic) or just some potent healing or temporary stat boost items. Sometimes they add hassles to the game (like a chance for items breaking when applying upgrade items on them) that have to be negated by buying an item from the store but the store won't allow you to purchase super gear or ingame money (though you can buy store items and sell them off for ingame money to other players).
So overall the game is playable without paying and I don't think you incurr major disadvantages in PVP against a paying user. If you spent more time than them you'll almost certainly mess them up badly, no matter how much money they spent.
I think they stated at the beginning that they are designing Vanguard to be as much like early Everquest as possible.
Yes but as I understand it most of the US chains that came over are treated as cheap in the US whereas the prices end up placing them into the upper end of their respective sectors in Europe. Or is Starbuck's one of the more expensive coffee shops in the US, too?
Yes but that doesn't explain the difference. Also it only seems to matter for consoles because PC games and components usually end up being priced the same as in the US without price increase for any taxes. I think they only ask for that much because that's what the games costed in the days of cartridges and they can get away with it still.
You can order from an import store, the goods themselves will end up cheaper even with tax and duty but the shipping will undo any savings there. When I import a game through Lik-Sang that has free shipping it ends up at 55 Euros for a game that would cost 60 even with tax and duty. Often the parcell goes through customs without any fees and then it ends up even cheaper.
A GBP is roughly 1.9 USD according to Google, VAT isn't more than 25% in any EU member state and lower in most.
Never mind that they never try that kind of pricing on PC games which, as a result, cost the same as DS games.
Standalone expansion, then. Hardly a new concept. Homeworld: Cataclysm, Jazz Jackrabbit 2: The Secret Files, Serious Sam: Second Encounter, Earth 2150: The Moon Project and Perimeter: Emperor's Testament are some I can remember off the top of my head.
Funny that people call Ravenholm the high point of HL2. Too little ammo and too many melee enemies, it was like the developers went "We went to great lengths to make that gravity gun so use it already!". I don't like that gun (partially because it just doesn't feel powerful, it looks clunky to use like you're throwing nerf-foam shapes at the enemies) so I don't like being forced to use it, especially against what I hate most in first person shooters (melee enemies). The scenes before that were much better. At least you got to blast enemies that use the same weapons as you.
It usually sells as a standalone for 20-30 Euros. Very popular game among those who play it. Kids love Legos, this is even better because it's just hilarious to watch the ways you can exploit the physics. A bridge that is only held together by three girders after most of the support structure broke away and holds only long enough for the train to pass the prerequisite number of times?
Had Microsoft not jumped the gun and just had to get their Xbox360 out the door before Christmas 2005, then I am sure Microsoft would have added 3D positional gameplay to the Xbox360.
Microsoft had a gamepad with a motion sensor 6 years ago. They learned from that mistake. Sonyis lacking that learning experience (and judging by the price and their treatment of developers they aren't willing to learn from the errors of others).
It was a gamepad and it didn't pick up accelleration. Not sure if it came before the GBC, though.
It's called a "patent" and Sony doesn't seem to give a damn about it.
Early screenshots suggest that they were indeed planning to bring back the Koopa Kids but changed their minds during development. Perhaps that was Miyamoto complaining about that being too many characters or something.
Actually it isn't that hard.
If you don't like the toaster comparison then think of a cellphone or an iPod.
But it IS Thursday!
Unlike the Gamecube, it actually had games that adults wanted to play and could feel good doing it.
Last time I checked all of them were available to someone who has a GC, PS2 and gaming PC.
Well, MS's goals are quite low. Most console makers just make a console and take over the market on the first attempt or die from lack of money. The XBox was as dead as a console can be, it was on life support the whole time. From the sounds of it the XC isn't much better in the profitability department. I don't think any other console manufacturer in the history of the market ever incurred such a heaviy loss. Measured by the market standards, the XBox was not only a failure but probably the worst failure that ever happened.