I'm going to copy and paste my response over from CAG, where users have talked directly with GQD employees in the forums, and has caused a lot of debate/discussion regarding their practices:
I just want to make one quick comment, as I know this is going to be a hot topic of the thread.
I don't quite understand the idea of pride getting in the way, because chances are these rare games are going to remain at least somewhat under-the-table, so to speak. If I were to go find typical gamers at a college or something, chances are high you won't find a lot of people talking about Disgaea, Rez, or anything along those lines. They still remain obscure. I can't imagine tracking someone down who knows what Culdcept is, and I've never met anyone who has played Gitaroo Man. I honestly think our interactions with each other directly in the CAG community skews our idea of the gaming public. In other words, you're still going to be "in the know" and somewhat exclusive. None of my friends know shit about half the games I have in my collection. Dood, want to play Daigasso Band Brothers? "Wtf." And so on.
I mean, my god, we still have people who don't know Link's name is LINK, and not ZELDA. Hell, Samus is still incognito for the most part. You think people know who Ramza is? Or Laharl?
What does the gaming public buy the most? Madden, GTA, Halo, Mario Party, etc. Outside of that, the gaming population composed of people importing Electroplankton and Ouende is still relatively small. Just like people collecting various obscure Criterion DVDs when Spiderman 2 is going to outsell them all by a factor of 100.
I think owning a super rare game is cool, especially when you show it someone and they really enjoy it. There's a certain satisfaction in that. But I'd much rather them be able to purchase it later on when a reprint appears. It bolsters the community and gaming industry altogether, and I think it paves the way for sequels to get made, especially for games that didn't sell well.
In fact, it's fairly close to Family Guy getting picked up again. Think about it like that. I'm not the biggest FG fan but I realize a lot of people enjoy it, and prior to Adult Swim picking it up, it wasn't obscure so to speak, but it was definitely below the public eye moreso than, say, Friends or Seinfield.
If you've got a copy of PDS (Panzer Dragoon Saga), your collection kick ass. And if you own one and it gets reprinted, your collection still kicks ass because it was original. It doesn't lose value all of a sudden. Why would monetary value matter in the first place, unless you were going to sell them at some point anyway? Which won't happen because you are a collector to begin with, so why does it matter? That's what I never understood.
Anyway, not trying to start a flame ware. Maybe a small change could be made to reprints so collectors would be happy. At least then GQD meets them halfway.
Also, and this is just me talking, but the thought of certain reprints gets me wet. Yes, you heard me. Here's hoping that includes Japanese only games. I'm looking at YOU, Radiant Silvergun.
I was making fun. I own a DS and love it. Played Nintendogs for a good 2 months, but Animal Crossing came into the picture and that's a much bigger draw.
That everyone who got the game got 2 puppies, and that probably half of the buyers don't play the game anymore, I'm going to assume that means Nintendo is a large proponent of digital doggie homicide, as that is roughly 1 million pixel-laden souls dead in the digital confines of a two-screened portable.
Nintendo has never, ever said that games were about power. They've always said they are about gameplay, pure, simple, and only. There's never been any reason for them to say anything else, they never have, and they never will.
The funny thing about this is that Nintendo says "we need to focus on gameplay," people tell them to piss off and say it's an effort to avoid the power argument, and then, later on, when everyone else comes back and says "well it's not about the power, it's about the gameplay," everyone applauds that as a geniune show of clarity and insight.
It's usually understood that when you buy a Nintendo console, you buy first party games. I agree on lack of third party support, but it's obvious you're not making an effort.
I wonder, do you attempt to drive a car without wheels, and then blame the car manufacturer?
I think it is the only card based nerd D&D-esque game that I've repeatedly gotten anyone to play, learn, and love. That includes several girls, jocks, and typical gamers. I'm always astounded by how well someone can pick it up and learn to do insanely Munchkin (read: playfully mean) things. It's very open-ended - people do new things in every game I play, I swear. From learning to use curses both beneficially to exploiting cards in new ways, it's amazingly fun.
Despite everything great about KH, the gameplay was downright abysmal. It's fun for the first 10 minutes or so, but then it dribbles on into a series of watching Donald die, killing enemies that block your attacks, spells that are hard to aim, and lots and lots and lots of enemies everywhere. This is supplimented by moving around the same area/world at least 4-5 times to find some character to talk to, only to have them move so you can search them out AGAIN. Do this for a good 2-4 hours, beat the world, and move onto the next.
I never got past Pinocchio/the whale because I realized it was going to be absolutely boring through and through. I *might* someday go back and finish it, but it would take a lot on my part. Here's hoping KH2 remedied that situation just a bit.
I wonder if he's heard the UK developers telling people "Psst...buy the Xbox version of any game that's also on the 360."
I'm sure he'll turn around and whiplash me with whatever cool hipster gadget he has on him. Ipod with custom 360 skins or something. That's the powar of teh ALLARDz, yo,
Does that mean at the end he finds a short, funny-hat wearing man donned in blue and white saying "I'm sorry, but our princess is in another castle!" ???
Where they had someone from Microsoft talking about...well I guess it was information tracking systems, but assured us it wasn't invasive, and then ended with "Oh, and Mike? From Idaho? Those pants do not go with that shirt."
They haven't had a chance to make massive profits reselling used systems yet. I'm sure they are pissed about the eBay debacle also, what with some high percentage of the initial systems being resold.
I'm sure they'll shit bricks if the PS3 DRM "no more used games" rumor comes true. The weight of the world might shift even.
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I'm going to copy and paste my response over from CAG, where users have talked directly with GQD employees in the forums, and has caused a lot of debate/discussion regarding their practices:
I just want to make one quick comment, as I know this is going to be a hot topic of the thread.
I don't quite understand the idea of pride getting in the way, because chances are these rare games are going to remain at least somewhat under-the-table, so to speak. If I were to go find typical gamers at a college or something, chances are high you won't find a lot of people talking about Disgaea, Rez, or anything along those lines. They still remain obscure. I can't imagine tracking someone down who knows what Culdcept is, and I've never met anyone who has played Gitaroo Man. I honestly think our interactions with each other directly in the CAG community skews our idea of the gaming public. In other words, you're still going to be "in the know" and somewhat exclusive. None of my friends know shit about half the games I have in my collection. Dood, want to play Daigasso Band Brothers? "Wtf." And so on.
I mean, my god, we still have people who don't know Link's name is LINK, and not ZELDA. Hell, Samus is still incognito for the most part. You think people know who Ramza is? Or Laharl?
What does the gaming public buy the most? Madden, GTA, Halo, Mario Party, etc. Outside of that, the gaming population composed of people importing Electroplankton and Ouende is still relatively small. Just like people collecting various obscure Criterion DVDs when Spiderman 2 is going to outsell them all by a factor of 100.
I think owning a super rare game is cool, especially when you show it someone and they really enjoy it. There's a certain satisfaction in that. But I'd much rather them be able to purchase it later on when a reprint appears. It bolsters the community and gaming industry altogether, and I think it paves the way for sequels to get made, especially for games that didn't sell well.
In fact, it's fairly close to Family Guy getting picked up again. Think about it like that. I'm not the biggest FG fan but I realize a lot of people enjoy it, and prior to Adult Swim picking it up, it wasn't obscure so to speak, but it was definitely below the public eye moreso than, say, Friends or Seinfield.
If you've got a copy of PDS (Panzer Dragoon Saga), your collection kick ass. And if you own one and it gets reprinted, your collection still kicks ass because it was original. It doesn't lose value all of a sudden. Why would monetary value matter in the first place, unless you were going to sell them at some point anyway? Which won't happen because you are a collector to begin with, so why does it matter? That's what I never understood.
Anyway, not trying to start a flame ware. Maybe a small change could be made to reprints so collectors would be happy. At least then GQD meets them halfway.
Also, and this is just me talking, but the thought of certain reprints gets me wet. Yes, you heard me. Here's hoping that includes Japanese only games. I'm looking at YOU, Radiant Silvergun.
I was making fun. I own a DS and love it. Played Nintendogs for a good 2 months, but Animal Crossing came into the picture and that's a much bigger draw.
That everyone who got the game got 2 puppies, and that probably half of the buyers don't play the game anymore, I'm going to assume that means Nintendo is a large proponent of digital doggie homicide, as that is roughly 1 million pixel-laden souls dead in the digital confines of a two-screened portable.
At least, I'm a contributor to that figure.
Nintendo has never, ever said that games were about power. They've always said they are about gameplay, pure, simple, and only. There's never been any reason for them to say anything else, they never have, and they never will.
The funny thing about this is that Nintendo says "we need to focus on gameplay," people tell them to piss off and say it's an effort to avoid the power argument, and then, later on, when everyone else comes back and says "well it's not about the power, it's about the gameplay," everyone applauds that as a geniune show of clarity and insight.
Whatever.
If you say "With the Revolution," it's obvious you haven't been existing in the same reality the rest of us have been in.
It's usually understood that when you buy a Nintendo console, you buy first party games. I agree on lack of third party support, but it's obvious you're not making an effort.
I wonder, do you attempt to drive a car without wheels, and then blame the car manufacturer?
Generally when you put a game into a console, it works without needing to worry about power, specs, and other nonsense. That's the beauty of them.
Don't worry, a lot of first timers get confused.
When Peter Molyneux called Lara Croft a "believable heroine."
That was enough for me.
*nt*
And maybe even some men, too.
I think it is the only card based nerd D&D-esque game that I've repeatedly gotten anyone to play, learn, and love. That includes several girls, jocks, and typical gamers. I'm always astounded by how well someone can pick it up and learn to do insanely Munchkin (read: playfully mean) things. It's very open-ended - people do new things in every game I play, I swear. From learning to use curses both beneficially to exploiting cards in new ways, it's amazingly fun.
Despite everything great about KH, the gameplay was downright abysmal. It's fun for the first 10 minutes or so, but then it dribbles on into a series of watching Donald die, killing enemies that block your attacks, spells that are hard to aim, and lots and lots and lots of enemies everywhere. This is supplimented by moving around the same area/world at least 4-5 times to find some character to talk to, only to have them move so you can search them out AGAIN. Do this for a good 2-4 hours, beat the world, and move onto the next.
I never got past Pinocchio/the whale because I realized it was going to be absolutely boring through and through. I *might* someday go back and finish it, but it would take a lot on my part. Here's hoping KH2 remedied that situation just a bit.
Fitting in with my roommates continues to be quite a chore. It...confounds me!
/.ers would know).
Bonus points if you get the reference (I'm hoping
Shiggity shiggity shwa! http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/mario.php
Work at NY Times. It's quite obvious their reports have a lot of goddamn time on their hands.
I wonder if he's heard the UK developers telling people "Psst...buy the Xbox version of any game that's also on the 360."
I'm sure he'll turn around and whiplash me with whatever cool hipster gadget he has on him. Ipod with custom 360 skins or something. That's the powar of teh ALLARDz, yo,
It's simple: Nintendo is the only true next gen machine. You could even argue they are leap frogging this 1.5 version generation entirely.
THAT'S why.
I figured it was just a computer running Statchanger.exe over and over.
Samus would pwn her, especially given the amount of training she has had via Smash Bros.
People would rather buy Fantastic Four than Beyond Good and Evil/Psychonauts.
Sales are a product of MARKETING, pure and simple.
Does that mean at the end he finds a short, funny-hat wearing man donned in blue and white saying "I'm sorry, but our princess is in another castle!" ???
Any system where you can play a lot of Nintendo games HAS to be a good system.
...
Wait...
Where they had someone from Microsoft talking about...well I guess it was information tracking systems, but assured us it wasn't invasive, and then ended with "Oh, and Mike? From Idaho? Those pants do not go with that shirt."
Brother! You look like a faaat man in need of an ass-bruisin'!
They haven't had a chance to make massive profits reselling used systems yet. I'm sure they are pissed about the eBay debacle also, what with some high percentage of the initial systems being resold.
I'm sure they'll shit bricks if the PS3 DRM "no more used games" rumor comes true. The weight of the world might shift even.