I'm not saying it isn't an interesting page, or that it isn't worth a look, just that we should all be WELL AWARE of this page's existence by now. Sheesh.
(Though I do wish they would've made a Proline-style controller for the NES.).
If you're still an NES gamer, then try to hunt down an Epyx 500XJ joystick. (I think the NES version was marketed by Konix.) It was an excellent controller that was similair to Atari's ProLine, but MUCH more comfortable to hold. I still own a pair of the Atari/Commodore version of the stick, and they are the best of the classic controllers, period.
I know this is going to sound paranoid and cynical, but maybe the reason this bill has been written in such a way that it will certainly fail to withstand a judicial review is because it isn't actually meant to become law?
Let's flash back to 1985. A group of senator's wives freak out over the sexually explicit lyrics of a Prince song and form a reactionary group called the PMRC (Parent's Music Resource Center). They use their husband's influence to bring their case before congress - particularly the influence of one Senator Al Gore, head of the Commerce Committee. This committee holds hearings to investigate the content of music lyrics, threatening to pass legislation to censor said lyrics. Al's popularity in his conservative home state (Tennessee) soars.
A few years later, Al wants to run for president. But he needs money. Being a Democrat, he is most likely to get financial support from states like California. But they don't like Al there because of the problems he has created for the entertainment industry. So kisses up to the industry, promising to change his ways and not go after them any more. As a result the Clinton-Gore ticket rakes in huge campaign contributions from them.
Now let's jump ahead to the present. The videgame industry is making headlines - both for huge profits and controversial content. By attacking them, Hillary not only creates a more "family friendly" image, but also puts pressure on those deep pockets. When it comes time for her to make her expected run for the presidency, she will no doubt be able to say to the game industry (which is primarily located in so-called "blue" states) "I have learned my lesson, you can't legislate morality, now give big bucks to elect a president that knows better!"
I admit this sounds a bit like a conspiracy theory, but perhaps this bill is really just a fund raising tactic?
Wait... Have you ever even used the control disk for Intellivision. I still have 2 full systems and 80 games in my basement, but you'd have to be on crack to have the d-pad and Intellivision disk in the same sentence. The Intellivision was a fantastic system, but the disk was probably the worst controller of it's generation in terms of ergonomics.
I currently own a pair of Intellivisions myself - and have probably owned a total of 6 or 7 my lifetime.:)
I agree that the Nintendo d-pad is a huge improvement over the Intelly's disk, but it is still the same basic concept - a flat controller, operated with your thumbs.
a modern couple dealing with a modern issue. One of them is a gamer; the other is not.
Well this is one short-sighted article. Throughout time, there has always been a common issue at the heart of MANY failed relationships - the idea that one of them isn't getting enough attention from the other. As time goes by, ex-significant-others keep finding new things to blame the failure of their relationships on. (Because of course it can't be THEIR fault!) Halo 2 is just the latest scapegoat.
But let's be honest here - if she (or he) truly is more interesting than Halo 2, then Halo 2 will lose. Look, if they are more interested in playing games than spending time with you, take the hint and move on! And gamers, if your S.O. is constantly whining about your game time, then perhaps you should just dump 'em and find a partner more appropriate for your game-intensive lifestyle. After all, isn't that what dating is all about?!?
Don't be quick to discount Nintendo's influence; they have quite the history of changing controllers forever. Their previous innovations include the d-pad (Game & Watch), shoulder buttons (SNES), the analog stick (N64), expansion ports (N64), and rumble (N64).
Sigh. How many times a week does this need to be hashed out?
First: Nintendo did not invent the analog joystick, these go all the way back to the 60's at least, when they were hand built by college students to play Space War. As for using them on consoles, I believe the Emerson Arcadia (1980) was first in the USA, and that console is just a rebadge of one that originated overseas anyway. And as an FYI, it really isn't an analog stick anyway. It merely seems analog - like a mouse.
Second: Nintendo may have invented the rumble pack, but not the idea. It was really just a poor man's version of force feedback, which was first used in the Atari arcade game "Hard Drivin'" - and to be honest was probably in use elsewhere before then. Come to think of it, pinball machines used a "knocker" to similair ends as the rumble pack. Plus the technology of the rumble was also nothing special - it's just a vibrating pager plugged into a game controller
Third: The D-pad may be a Nintendo design, but it really is just a less sophisticated version of the Intellivision's control disc (which featured twice the directional sensitivity of a D-pad).
I will concede, however, that in true Nintendo form, they did make these ideas REALLY count in the console realm where the true originators either failed, or lacked the initiative to even try. I'm not trying to knock Nintendo down, just clear up some common misinformation.
BTW, why did you even bother to mention the controller expansion ports, when Nintendo themselves abandoned the idea after using it only once? Personally, I liked the idea, but adding the ports makes controllers MUCH more expensive.
Pikmin, Advance Wars, Battalion Wars, Nintendogs, Wario Ware, Electroplanktin, Kirby's canvas curse, etc. are all excellent games that are nothing like any other game you can get on any other platform. Whether Sony or Microsoft Fanboys like to admit it or not, Nintendo has been inventing far more genres and pushing the industry more than any other company;
You give Nintendo more credit than they deserve. Most of those games you mention do not represent the origin of a genre. Advance Wars, for instance, is clearly derived from the classic computer war game Empire. Likewise, Battalion Wars is nothing new. Pikmin is simply a minor evolution of the real-time strategy game. Nintendogs is clearly descended from both Tamagotchi and Dogz. Wario Ware is little more than an old fashioned Atari 2600 cartridge (22 games in one!) dressed up in a prettier package - only difference is, back then we didn't call them "mini-games". Electroplankton is just a more focused (and themed) version of a light-synth.
Now don't get me wrong - Nintendo has made HUGE contributions to the evolution and refinement nearly every game genre out there, and I'm looking forward to the Revolution as much as even the most hardcore Nintendo fanboy. I simply want to set the facts straight on a few common misconceptions.
Oh, and BTW - GoldenEye was made by Rare, not Nintendo.
They are discussing the launch lineup of games on the linked page. Nothing more.
You're right. They made so much noise about comparing the launches I completely missed their definition of "launch." From TFA:
"the system's launch library (the liberal definition of launch, which lets it encompass a few months)"
Maybe it's just me, but IMHO the launch encompasses far more than just the system's initial game library. It also includes marketing hype, distribution, and to a lesser extent build quality. And I also feel that defining a launch as encompassing "a few months" is going to far. Once they do that, they can no longer knock the DS for it's thin game lineup (especially when they also give kudos to the PSP for their thin game lineup). A launch is just the first week, period. A liberal perspective might go as far as a month, but definitely no further.
Yes, but it wasn't a launch title so it had no impact on the system launch.
Turbografx-16 - (5 Stars) They marketed the hell out of the 1st generation of games.
Really? Not in my neck of the woods. I barely heard about the TG16 until Bonk was released. Perhaps their launch marketing was only targeted at the top end markets?
Maybe in other parts of the world, but here in germany
Proof positive that 1UP is just as myopic as most of the internet - it's an international medium, guys! Only once in the whole article (the DS launch) do they clarify that they are speaking only of the North American marketplace, and in fact at one point (the NES segment) they actually claim to be talking about the world at large!
I can say without out any hesitation that the 360 launch is the Worst Console Launch
Really? Consider the following:
Atari Jaguar - Launched with 4 games (one of which was originally coded as a tech demo), the 5th game came out SIX MONTHS LATER.
3DO - With the Jag launch so badly blown, how could 3DO not take the world by storm? By pricing the damn thing over 3x higher than it's most expensive competitor. Doh!
Sega 32X - Launched with NO games (OK, I'll admit some arrived later that week). Who could forget this classic usenet post?
Atari Lynx - Launched a vastly superior handheld shortly after the orginal Gameboy. How did Atari screw the pooch? By pricing it WAY too high, and launching only in two cities! (NY and LA)
Atari 7800 & Sega Master System - Either of these systems could have launched into the empty North American marketplace before the NES and won by default, but both manufacturers were too wimpy to even try.
NEC TurboGrafx-16 - Anybody remember the launch hype for this platform? No? That's because NEC couldn't market their way out of a paper bag. (Well, at least not in North America.)
Atari XEGS - But hey, at least NEC did a better job than this one!
(Damn, you'd never guess I'm an Atari fan by looking at this list.)
I hope that workers don't start to seriously consider this, unless of course they like the idea of working at McDonald's....because that is where they will wind up if they form a union. No software company is going to give them a chance to unionize and make a union with the type of power the UAW has.
This is an excellent example. The UAW was formed in response to employers using strong arm tactics against their workers. The whole reason this country (the USA) has things like OSHA or a minimum wage law is the direct result of the political influence of unions. Even people who work in non-union shops owe a great deal to unions when it comes to pay, benefits, and safe working environments.
I will concede that many unions over the years have abused their power. And too often union leaders have taken the position that the ends justify the means. This is why unions have been on the decline since the 1970's.
But when you have situations such as we are seeing now with the "death march" mentality, then employees will begin to respond adversely. The notion of unionizing may come slowly to these workers, many think of unions as something only for factory workers. But eventually there will have to be a change - either management will treat their employees fairly and with respect, OR the shop will move to a culture where such abuses are more readily accepted by the workers. Considering corporate attitudes these days, I expect the latter.
Joining a union is pretty much pledging a portion of your salary to the DNC. I don't need that mess
Sigh. I agree, the use of dues for political contributions is a big problem. But we are seeing more often states passing laws that prohibit unions from using member's dues in this manner without their written consent. I hope to see this continue - simply because they are union members does not mean they are all behind any particular party, and therefore their money should be used to fund causes they don't believe in.
The only thing I see a union accomplishing is making Scenario B happen more often.
People too often assume that a union by nature is contrary to the goals of management. Even when workers are upset with their employers over an issue, they rarely want the employer to perform badly in the marketplace. Over the last 20 years or so, we have seen more frequently unions and mangement working toward common goals successfully. Where I work, the union recognizes that management will at times need more hours from it's workers. So there are provisions in our contract for us to work extra hours, and in return for this sacrifice of time the company agrees to pay us extra. This way the company has that extra labor on tap if needed, but there is a mechanism in place (the additional pay) that will discourage the company from abusing this resource.
If a union should form in this industry, it will have to be sensitive to the needs of management as well as the workers in order to be successful. Because if the restrictions of a union-negotiated contract kills off a developer, the workers at other companies WILL NOT form another local.
That's the difference between right to work states and non-right to work states.
Yes, that's true. But even though right-to-work legislation makes it harder to form a union, it does not by default mean a union cannot be successful. I work in a union shop in a right-to-work state, and the union is still capable of successfully negotiating a new contract. The majority of workers here are members of the union, and the beauty of it is that they were not forced to join. It demonstrates to management just how strong the resolve of the workers is on a given issue.
My point is, a union can still have clout in a right-to-work state. New hires have a choice to join or not, but they are still working under the union contract, and therefore still entitled to its protections and benefits.
Yes they did! The Dreamcast was an EXCELLENT machine, and if mine wasn't broken I would still play it frequently. But what kills the DC when it comes to this award is the lack of mainstream market penetration.
As for making it easy. Im sorry i have some understanding that Nintendo have made it realy easy. Its called Wireless.
They couldn't exactly give an award for something nobody on the committee has ever seen now, could they? Nintendo's wireless plan is cool, but aside from head-to-head connectivity they are not online yet. Come on, give your reply a little more thought next time.
I am hardly a Playstation or Xbox fan and find it awkward to defend either of them getting an award. But the facts of history show pretty clearly why these awards went the way they did. Now if Nintendo's wireless online startegy goes as they hope, especially with the Revolution, then I can easily see them winning a similair award in the future. But at this point in time is far too early - they have to acheive success before they are recognized for it!
I don't recall the arcadia, but both the Vectrex and Atari 5200 used analog joysticks. The analog stick(the analog thumbstick) as we know it today is a bit of a different beast.
If you are referring to the fact that modern sticks aren't really analog, then you are correct. But if you are trying to say that modern sticks are different just because you control them with your thumb, then you need to reconsider that Vectrex controller. (Not to mention the 5200 dual stick adapter, but that one was a bit awkward and rarely used.)
Reclassifying analog sticks based on the length of the shaft is like redefining mice based on the size of the rollerball - the feel may be a little different, but ultimately the function and use are the same.
STOP ASSUMING THAT YOU CAN'T GIVE YOUR KIDS ALL THE LOVE AND DISCIPLINE THAT THEY NEED IF YOU WORK FULL TIME! It's simply NOT TRUE!
More to the point, it is a cop out. "Oh, poor me, I work full time, I can't possibly spare any time to care for my kids, I'll pay somebody else to do it, boo hoo." A load of crap. My wife and I have been raising kids for twelve years now. Over the years we have both held a number of jobs, both full time and part time, and we have never hired a nanny or resorted to day care. People who lean so heavily on hired help to raise their children are really just unwilling to share their time with their offspring. OK, I'll admit that is an oversimplification. The point is that most employers these days really are pretty flexible on the issues of parenting, but many parents aren't willing to stick their neck out for their kids and take advantage of this.
A console that had 4 bit graphics won the award for Development and Impact in 8-Bit Consoles,"?
There has never been a 4-bit anything in home game consoles, ever. (Not counting the Microvision because it was a handheld.) The Atari 2600 was not the first 8-bit home game console, nor was it the most powerful (not even when it was launched). But is was THE FIRST to acheive widespread popular success. That's why it won.
A console that in no way was responsible for the creation of polygon games nor was the first console to have them won the award for "Development and Impact in Polygon Consoles,"?
True, Playstation was not the first to use polygons. But like the Atari 2600 before them, it was the Playstation platform that brought this into the lives of the mainstream population.
A console that arrieved more than 5 years after console games had first been played online won the award for "Development of Multiplayer Console Technology,"?
Five years?!? The Intellivision and Atari 2600 both had networking accessories. Granted, those only allowed for the download of games. But even the Genesis and SNES were capable of playing games head to head on remote consoles in 1995, which is 7 years before the Xbox Live launch. It is the Xbox that finally brought online multiplayer to the masses. In other words, they made it easy.
These awards are not intended to point out who did these things FIRST. That is what history books are for. These awards are meant to point out who was the first to do them RIGHT. And while widespread popular acceptance may not be the best yardstick to determine this, it is as good as any other. (This is why the award is for development AND IMPACT.)
Nintendo so created the analog controller. Who had it before them? No one.
Nope, sorry. Here's a quick list of game consoles that used analog sticks before the Nintendo 64. In no particular order:
Vectrex Atari 5200 Arcadia
And that is just counting those released in the USA, there are a number of European and Australian systems as well, PLUS a number of computer platforms that used them. And before anybody brings it up, Nintendo wasn't the first to put four controller ports on a console either.
Nintendo is a very innovative company, and they deserve a lot of credit for leading Sony to where they are today. But they didn't invent EVERYTHING and I get tired of people not realising it.
the merchant that shrinkwraps used games and passes them off as new?
I don't know about your neck of the woods, but at all three of my local Game Stops, as well as our EB, used games are clearly marked. And our Best Buy doesn't even sell used games.
Obviously you haven't raised your cats in the way you want if they scratch and bite you when you try to pet them.
OK, I'll admit I was exaggerating. My cats are affectionate, and they are nice to me. And they also will give me a little nip if I don't pet them exactly how they want it. I know this is going to sound horrible, but having a cat is like having a high maintenance girlfriend. You have to put a lot of extra effort into pleasing them before they will condescend to show you some appreciation. Which, in fact, makes for an added level of satisfaction. All I really meant by my (sarcastic) post was that a game centered around cats would not have as much broad appeal as one about dogs.
The more I think about it, the more it occurs to me that a "Nintencats" game would be like playing an ultra difficult version of Nintendogs. A pet simulator for the hardcore gamer at last!
I think the author (Mark Raby) has over-simplified the issues here. As others have pointed out here, many games still have many of the elements he seems to think are so hard to find. Another reader has already pointed out Ikaruga as an excellent example, but there are many more. Especially among indie developers.
I think what has really happened here is that Mark has become more skilled, has honed his talents over the years. So naturally the games have become easier. I'm not saying he doesn't have some legitimate complaints, but even he admits that to do away with some things he complains about would be unfair. Personally, I think he just needs to stop playing games designed for the mainstream consumer (who he clearly despises with his contempt for the 'casual' genre) and seek out something more hardcore. And on top of that, he needs to quit wasting his time with the "normal" difficulty settings and go straight to the "ain't life a bitch" setting.
Slashdot Mirror
Criminy. You should have all read this over a year ago! This essay is on a web page for a mediocre PBS gamin documentary. Here's the first Slashdot post about the show, and here's the http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/09/16
I'm not saying it isn't an interesting page, or that it isn't worth a look, just that we should all be WELL AWARE of this page's existence by now. Sheesh.
(Though I do wish they would've made a Proline-style controller for the NES.).
If you're still an NES gamer, then try to hunt down an Epyx 500XJ joystick. (I think the NES version was marketed by Konix.) It was an excellent controller that was similair to Atari's ProLine, but MUCH more comfortable to hold. I still own a pair of the Atari/Commodore version of the stick, and they are the best of the classic controllers, period.
But then again even in normal video game terms, pong wasn't first. I believe Spacewar was,
OK, this depends on how you want to define "normal" video games:
First mass manufactured arcade videogame - Computer Space (Nutting Associates)
First mass manufactured home game console - Odyssey (Magnavox)
First hand-made dedicated videogame - Tennis for Two (Willy Higginbotham, Brookhaven National Laboratory))
First game program (that I know of) - Checkers (A. L. Samuel, IBM)
I know this is going to sound paranoid and cynical, but maybe the reason this bill has been written in such a way that it will certainly fail to withstand a judicial review is because it isn't actually meant to become law?
Let's flash back to 1985. A group of senator's wives freak out over the sexually explicit lyrics of a Prince song and form a reactionary group called the PMRC (Parent's Music Resource Center). They use their husband's influence to bring their case before congress - particularly the influence of one Senator Al Gore, head of the Commerce Committee. This committee holds hearings to investigate the content of music lyrics, threatening to pass legislation to censor said lyrics. Al's popularity in his conservative home state (Tennessee) soars.
A few years later, Al wants to run for president. But he needs money. Being a Democrat, he is most likely to get financial support from states like California. But they don't like Al there because of the problems he has created for the entertainment industry. So kisses up to the industry, promising to change his ways and not go after them any more. As a result the Clinton-Gore ticket rakes in huge campaign contributions from them.
Now let's jump ahead to the present. The videgame industry is making headlines - both for huge profits and controversial content. By attacking them, Hillary not only creates a more "family friendly" image, but also puts pressure on those deep pockets. When it comes time for her to make her expected run for the presidency, she will no doubt be able to say to the game industry (which is primarily located in so-called "blue" states) "I have learned my lesson, you can't legislate morality, now give big bucks to elect a president that knows better!"
I admit this sounds a bit like a conspiracy theory, but perhaps this bill is really just a fund raising tactic?
Wait... Have you ever even used the control disk for Intellivision. I still have 2 full systems and 80 games in my basement, but you'd have to be on crack to have the d-pad and Intellivision disk in the same sentence. The Intellivision was a fantastic system, but the disk was probably the worst controller of it's generation in terms of ergonomics.
I currently own a pair of Intellivisions myself - and have probably owned a total of 6 or 7 my lifetime.
I agree that the Nintendo d-pad is a huge improvement over the Intelly's disk, but it is still the same basic concept - a flat controller, operated with your thumbs.
a modern couple dealing with a modern issue. One of them is a gamer; the other is not.
Well this is one short-sighted article. Throughout time, there has always been a common issue at the heart of MANY failed relationships - the idea that one of them isn't getting enough attention from the other. As time goes by, ex-significant-others keep finding new things to blame the failure of their relationships on. (Because of course it can't be THEIR fault!) Halo 2 is just the latest scapegoat.
But let's be honest here - if she (or he) truly is more interesting than Halo 2, then Halo 2 will lose. Look, if they are more interested in playing games than spending time with you, take the hint and move on! And gamers, if your S.O. is constantly whining about your game time, then perhaps you should just dump 'em and find a partner more appropriate for your game-intensive lifestyle. After all, isn't that what dating is all about?!?
Don't be quick to discount Nintendo's influence; they have quite the history of changing controllers forever. Their previous innovations include the d-pad (Game & Watch), shoulder buttons (SNES), the analog stick (N64), expansion ports (N64), and rumble (N64).
Sigh. How many times a week does this need to be hashed out?
First: Nintendo did not invent the analog joystick, these go all the way back to the 60's at least, when they were hand built by college students to play Space War. As for using them on consoles, I believe the Emerson Arcadia (1980) was first in the USA, and that console is just a rebadge of one that originated overseas anyway. And as an FYI, it really isn't an analog stick anyway. It merely seems analog - like a mouse.
Second: Nintendo may have invented the rumble pack, but not the idea. It was really just a poor man's version of force feedback, which was first used in the Atari arcade game "Hard Drivin'" - and to be honest was probably in use elsewhere before then. Come to think of it, pinball machines used a "knocker" to similair ends as the rumble pack. Plus the technology of the rumble was also nothing special - it's just a vibrating pager plugged into a game controller
Third: The D-pad may be a Nintendo design, but it really is just a less sophisticated version of the Intellivision's control disc (which featured twice the directional sensitivity of a D-pad).
I will concede, however, that in true Nintendo form, they did make these ideas REALLY count in the console realm where the true originators either failed, or lacked the initiative to even try. I'm not trying to knock Nintendo down, just clear up some common misinformation.
BTW, why did you even bother to mention the controller expansion ports, when Nintendo themselves abandoned the idea after using it only once? Personally, I liked the idea, but adding the ports makes controllers MUCH more expensive.
Pikmin, Advance Wars, Battalion Wars, Nintendogs, Wario Ware, Electroplanktin, Kirby's canvas curse, etc. are all excellent games that are nothing like any other game you can get on any other platform. Whether Sony or Microsoft Fanboys like to admit it or not, Nintendo has been inventing far more genres and pushing the industry more than any other company;
You give Nintendo more credit than they deserve. Most of those games you mention do not represent the origin of a genre. Advance Wars, for instance, is clearly derived from the classic computer war game Empire. Likewise, Battalion Wars is nothing new. Pikmin is simply a minor evolution of the real-time strategy game. Nintendogs is clearly descended from both Tamagotchi and Dogz. Wario Ware is little more than an old fashioned Atari 2600 cartridge (22 games in one!) dressed up in a prettier package - only difference is, back then we didn't call them "mini-games". Electroplankton is just a more focused (and themed) version of a light-synth.
Now don't get me wrong - Nintendo has made HUGE contributions to the evolution and refinement nearly every game genre out there, and I'm looking forward to the Revolution as much as even the most hardcore Nintendo fanboy. I simply want to set the facts straight on a few common misconceptions.
Oh, and BTW - GoldenEye was made by Rare, not Nintendo.
They are discussing the launch lineup of games on the linked page. Nothing more.
You're right. They made so much noise about comparing the launches I completely missed their definition of "launch." From TFA:
"the system's launch library (the liberal definition of launch, which lets it encompass a few months)"
Maybe it's just me, but IMHO the launch encompasses far more than just the system's initial game library. It also includes marketing hype, distribution, and to a lesser extent build quality. And I also feel that defining a launch as encompassing "a few months" is going to far. Once they do that, they can no longer knock the DS for it's thin game lineup (especially when they also give kudos to the PSP for their thin game lineup). A launch is just the first week, period. A liberal perspective might go as far as a month, but definitely no further.
The gold zelda cartridges was unbelievable.
Yes, but it wasn't a launch title so it had no impact on the system launch.
Turbografx-16 - (5 Stars)
They marketed the hell out of the 1st generation of games.
Really? Not in my neck of the woods. I barely heard about the TG16 until Bonk was released. Perhaps their launch marketing was only targeted at the top end markets?
Maybe in other parts of the world, but here in germany
Proof positive that 1UP is just as myopic as most of the internet - it's an international medium, guys! Only once in the whole article (the DS launch) do they clarify that they are speaking only of the North American marketplace, and in fact at one point (the NES segment) they actually claim to be talking about the world at large!
I can say without out any hesitation that the 360 launch is the Worst Console Launch
Really? Consider the following:
Atari Jaguar - Launched with 4 games (one of which was originally coded as a tech demo), the 5th game came out SIX MONTHS LATER.
3DO - With the Jag launch so badly blown, how could 3DO not take the world by storm? By pricing the damn thing over 3x higher than it's most expensive competitor. Doh!
Sega 32X - Launched with NO games (OK, I'll admit some arrived later that week). Who could forget this classic usenet post?
Atari Lynx - Launched a vastly superior handheld shortly after the orginal Gameboy. How did Atari screw the pooch? By pricing it WAY too high, and launching only in two cities! (NY and LA)
Atari 7800 & Sega Master System - Either of these systems could have launched into the empty North American marketplace before the NES and won by default, but both manufacturers were too wimpy to even try.
NEC TurboGrafx-16 - Anybody remember the launch hype for this platform? No? That's because NEC couldn't market their way out of a paper bag. (Well, at least not in North America.)
Atari XEGS - But hey, at least NEC did a better job than this one!
(Damn, you'd never guess I'm an Atari fan by looking at this list.)
I hope that workers don't start to seriously consider this, unless of course they like the idea of working at McDonald's....because that is where they will wind up if they form a union. No software company is going to give them a chance to unionize and make a union with the type of power the UAW has.
This is an excellent example. The UAW was formed in response to employers using strong arm tactics against their workers. The whole reason this country (the USA) has things like OSHA or a minimum wage law is the direct result of the political influence of unions. Even people who work in non-union shops owe a great deal to unions when it comes to pay, benefits, and safe working environments.
I will concede that many unions over the years have abused their power. And too often union leaders have taken the position that the ends justify the means. This is why unions have been on the decline since the 1970's.
But when you have situations such as we are seeing now with the "death march" mentality, then employees will begin to respond adversely. The notion of unionizing may come slowly to these workers, many think of unions as something only for factory workers. But eventually there will have to be a change - either management will treat their employees fairly and with respect, OR the shop will move to a culture where such abuses are more readily accepted by the workers. Considering corporate attitudes these days, I expect the latter.
Joining a union is pretty much pledging a portion of your salary to the DNC. I don't need that mess
Sigh. I agree, the use of dues for political contributions is a big problem. But we are seeing more often states passing laws that prohibit unions from using member's dues in this manner without their written consent. I hope to see this continue - simply because they are union members does not mean they are all behind any particular party, and therefore their money should be used to fund causes they don't believe in.
The only thing I see a union accomplishing is making Scenario B happen more often.
People too often assume that a union by nature is contrary to the goals of management. Even when workers are upset with their employers over an issue, they rarely want the employer to perform badly in the marketplace. Over the last 20 years or so, we have seen more frequently unions and mangement working toward common goals successfully. Where I work, the union recognizes that management will at times need more hours from it's workers. So there are provisions in our contract for us to work extra hours, and in return for this sacrifice of time the company agrees to pay us extra. This way the company has that extra labor on tap if needed, but there is a mechanism in place (the additional pay) that will discourage the company from abusing this resource.
If a union should form in this industry, it will have to be sensitive to the needs of management as well as the workers in order to be successful. Because if the restrictions of a union-negotiated contract kills off a developer, the workers at other companies WILL NOT form another local.
That's the difference between right to work states and non-right to work states.
Yes, that's true. But even though right-to-work legislation makes it harder to form a union, it does not by default mean a union cannot be successful. I work in a union shop in a right-to-work state, and the union is still capable of successfully negotiating a new contract. The majority of workers here are members of the union, and the beauty of it is that they were not forced to join. It demonstrates to management just how strong the resolve of the workers is on a given issue.
My point is, a union can still have clout in a right-to-work state. New hires have a choice to join or not, but they are still working under the union contract, and therefore still entitled to its protections and benefits.
Dreamcast had fairly effortless multiplayer
Yes they did! The Dreamcast was an EXCELLENT machine, and if mine wasn't broken I would still play it frequently. But what kills the DC when it comes to this award is the lack of mainstream market penetration.
As for making it easy. Im sorry i have some understanding that Nintendo have made it realy easy. Its called Wireless.
They couldn't exactly give an award for something nobody on the committee has ever seen now, could they? Nintendo's wireless plan is cool, but aside from head-to-head connectivity they are not online yet. Come on, give your reply a little more thought next time.
I am hardly a Playstation or Xbox fan and find it awkward to defend either of them getting an award. But the facts of history show pretty clearly why these awards went the way they did. Now if Nintendo's wireless online startegy goes as they hope, especially with the Revolution, then I can easily see them winning a similair award in the future. But at this point in time is far too early - they have to acheive success before they are recognized for it!
I don't recall the arcadia, but both the Vectrex and Atari 5200 used analog joysticks. The analog stick(the analog thumbstick) as we know it today is a bit of a different beast.
If you are referring to the fact that modern sticks aren't really analog, then you are correct. But if you are trying to say that modern sticks are different just because you control them with your thumb, then you need to reconsider that Vectrex controller. (Not to mention the 5200 dual stick adapter, but that one was a bit awkward and rarely used.)
Reclassifying analog sticks based on the length of the shaft is like redefining mice based on the size of the rollerball - the feel may be a little different, but ultimately the function and use are the same.
STOP ASSUMING THAT YOU CAN'T GIVE YOUR KIDS ALL THE LOVE AND DISCIPLINE THAT THEY NEED IF YOU WORK FULL TIME! It's simply NOT TRUE!
More to the point, it is a cop out. "Oh, poor me, I work full time, I can't possibly spare any time to care for my kids, I'll pay somebody else to do it, boo hoo." A load of crap. My wife and I have been raising kids for twelve years now. Over the years we have both held a number of jobs, both full time and part time, and we have never hired a nanny or resorted to day care. People who lean so heavily on hired help to raise their children are really just unwilling to share their time with their offspring. OK, I'll admit that is an oversimplification. The point is that most employers these days really are pretty flexible on the issues of parenting, but many parents aren't willing to stick their neck out for their kids and take advantage of this.
A console that had 4 bit graphics won the award for Development and Impact in 8-Bit Consoles,"?
There has never been a 4-bit anything in home game consoles, ever. (Not counting the Microvision because it was a handheld.) The Atari 2600 was not the first 8-bit home game console, nor was it the most powerful (not even when it was launched). But is was THE FIRST to acheive widespread popular success. That's why it won.
A console that in no way was responsible for the creation of polygon games nor was the first console to have them won the award for "Development and Impact in Polygon Consoles,"?
True, Playstation was not the first to use polygons. But like the Atari 2600 before them, it was the Playstation platform that brought this into the lives of the mainstream population.
A console that arrieved more than 5 years after console games had first been played online won the award for "Development of Multiplayer Console Technology,"?
Five years?!? The Intellivision and Atari 2600 both had networking accessories. Granted, those only allowed for the download of games. But even the Genesis and SNES were capable of playing games head to head on remote consoles in 1995, which is 7 years before the Xbox Live launch. It is the Xbox that finally brought online multiplayer to the masses. In other words, they made it easy.
These awards are not intended to point out who did these things FIRST. That is what history books are for. These awards are meant to point out who was the first to do them RIGHT. And while widespread popular acceptance may not be the best yardstick to determine this, it is as good as any other. (This is why the award is for development AND IMPACT.)
Nintendo so created the analog controller. Who had it before them? No one.
Nope, sorry. Here's a quick list of game consoles that used analog sticks before the Nintendo 64. In no particular order:
Vectrex
Atari 5200
Arcadia
And that is just counting those released in the USA, there are a number of European and Australian systems as well, PLUS a number of computer platforms that used them. And before anybody brings it up, Nintendo wasn't the first to put four controller ports on a console either.
Nintendo is a very innovative company, and they deserve a lot of credit for leading Sony to where they are today. But they didn't invent EVERYTHING and I get tired of people not realising it.
the merchant that shrinkwraps used games and passes them off as new?
I don't know about your neck of the woods, but at all three of my local Game Stops, as well as our EB, used games are clearly marked. And our Best Buy doesn't even sell used games.
Obviously you haven't raised your cats in the way you want if they scratch and bite you when you try to pet them.
OK, I'll admit I was exaggerating. My cats are affectionate, and they are nice to me. And they also will give me a little nip if I don't pet them exactly how they want it. I know this is going to sound horrible, but having a cat is like having a high maintenance girlfriend. You have to put a lot of extra effort into pleasing them before they will condescend to show you some appreciation. Which, in fact, makes for an added level of satisfaction. All I really meant by my (sarcastic) post was that a game centered around cats would not have as much broad appeal as one about dogs.
The more I think about it, the more it occurs to me that a "Nintencats" game would be like playing an ultra difficult version of Nintendogs. A pet simulator for the hardcore gamer at last!
I think the author (Mark Raby) has over-simplified the issues here. As others have pointed out here, many games still have many of the elements he seems to think are so hard to find. Another reader has already pointed out Ikaruga as an excellent example, but there are many more. Especially among indie developers.
I think what has really happened here is that Mark has become more skilled, has honed his talents over the years. So naturally the games have become easier. I'm not saying he doesn't have some legitimate complaints, but even he admits that to do away with some things he complains about would be unfair. Personally, I think he just needs to stop playing games designed for the mainstream consumer (who he clearly despises with his contempt for the 'casual' genre) and seek out something more hardcore. And on top of that, he needs to quit wasting his time with the "normal" difficulty settings and go straight to the "ain't life a bitch" setting.