What an incredibly short-sighted comment on your part too! Your argument that their closed source must remain this way because they se the same or similar server code for each game and it could lead to hackers/loss of profits is just as lame.
The fact is that all MMO's basically will go this same way eventually as none of them will continue to be viable for very long. I think what needs to happen is MMO makers need to try harder. Let users run their own servers, it will only help sales... but then make the official servers have more value, and thus be worth the monthly fee. I would pay a monthly fee to play on the official servers, but I would probably enjoy running a character through some user made worlds too. Keep them separate for everyones sake, but it would be great, and then when the game is past its prime smaller dedicated groups can continue on without all the n00b, grief, bitch-fests that all popular MMO's suffer from.
As far as hacking and whatnot, this is their design and there are many ways to handle this... it is just that most are lazy. GuildWars has done a decent job of thwarting all of this by using a streamed technology.
The fact of the matter is that the onus is on the MMO maker to begin to do more for that $14.99 they love to reap each month from us, and after years of loyal payments the leastthey could do is keep one server around for free or open up to user run servers.
Not even close, buddy. The prolonged timetables come directly from close PERSONAL friends who are developers. It has been also covered in a number of interviews with developers online. Any console devel. will tell you that timetables have doubled and in the case of art and programming tripled. Games are being developed now, they have been for some months, my information comes directly from the horses mouth. Look around and do some reasearch you will find that you are completely wrong here.
Your fallacy that the 20-something crowd is the "big" market is also laughable. It is the hardcore market, and a market Sony targeted. MS only followed suit because their direct competitor was the PS2 due to the strength's and limitations of the Xbox. The world does not revolve around "hardcore" gamers, and in fact most game developers do their best to create a number of titles that break out of this narrow focus if they truly want big sales. The hardcore market is dependable and dedicated so they are easy sales, but they are low sales in comparison. I will use my favorite example that destroy's people who think the way you do: Last Christmas the NUMBER 1 selling game was the Atari/retro controllers that housed 6-10 games in the controller and plugged directly into your TV. THEY OUTSOLD ALL GAME SALES! ALL, as in *total* game sales for Christmas. You, me, and every other "hardcore" 20-something gamer is a small minority... devoted, but very small in number. The only thing is I understand this and you are in a fantasy world that revolves around you.
The PSP is a great example. It is expensive to program for, the media is expensive, the device is expensive, and it is aimed squarely at the 20-something crowd. Totally the antithesis of the GBA, just as the 360 and PS3 are of the Revolution. Adoption of the PSP has been minisule, sales have been dismal, very few games are being produced, and that's only half of it. Now, you are going to have two console using COMPETEING proprietary media formats of which there will be NO standard ON TOP of the above issues that mirror the PSP exactly, except that the new consoles will be even more expensive, narrowly targeted, and difficult to program for. That is a recipe for failure, if you can't see this then you are fooling yourself.
I'm not going to waste anymore time trying to convince you, time will tell and you will see who is correct. Just get ready with a nice sloppy kiss for my ass when it comes time to admit who has their facts straight.
You are so far off-base it's not funny. Lunacy even. If you read my posts you would see that I've been a member of the game media for well over 4 years covering SONY ONLY. I only have purchased a GC in the last month, and only for a couple titles. Having seen things from a different perspective has given me a pretty damn clear insight into what this next round of consoles is all about, much moreso than your average "Fanboy."
The fact of the matter is this: The Revolution will be FULLY backwards compat., it will have damn near an entire legacy of back catalog available of fun, simple, and addictive titles that people grew up with and love, it is well designed and made to be inexpensive (much more than its competitors), It has been stated numerous times that the controller will be something totally fresh and unique and is the namesake of the Revolution's moniker... who in the fuck would believe that a company would name a system after it's revolutionary controller to only have it be some derivitive copy of an existing control scheme? They are keeping it top secret, they have named the system after it, they have full faith in it, they have no need to hype it - in fact they barely even make mention of it in interviews and press statements. If you think they are bluffing or "vapor" then your brain is also Vaporware.
You aren't even worthy of "Troll" status, your comments are wildly off-base and Nintendo's reputation for making top-shelf hardware as well as first-party titles speaks for itself no matter what brand you are loyal to. If I could i would most likely mod you (-1, Idiot).
So true. I am no puzzle game fan, I mean sure I like Puyo Pop, or bust a move, and the standard solid puzzle titles but along with all the rest of my games.
I have nothing against FPS/Sports/Racing/Cliche RPGs... what I have a problem with are two new "next-gen" consoles which are only targeted at these games and nothing more due to high costs and long production timetables. The 360 and PS3 are going to be Racing/FPS/Sports/Cliche RPG/Licensed movie and TV title ONLY consoles... what kind of fun is that? Sure a good racing title is cool, Burnout 3 was great, GT4 was so-so, midnight club and all the rest of the derivitive NFSU titles are decent... it doesn;t become a problem until they are your ONLY choices. I don;t want 12 racing games, 20 FPS's, etc. but that is all that there will be as they are "safe." You will soon see that cookie-cutter games with maybe one or two innovative titles per year are going to be the norm.
I used to work with game studios, and have a lot of friends that still do or program/design and they are as pissed off and unhappy with the direction that the industry is going as anybody. People who make games are creative folks, and right now creativity is the lowest valued aspect of their jobs... it is disheartening. No one wants to make nothing but Racing/FPS titles day in and day out and that is basically what it is down to, they want to be part of an ambitious project with a chance to be the "next-big-thing" and it just isn't the case.
There will be such a low number of releases for these next gen consoles that you are going to be crying the blues when all that is out an don the horizon is more of the same. Looking forward to that one cool new game is what keeps most gamers on egde and excited, that's never happened waiting for that one cool sequel or that one cool movie license in my lifetime. Sure sequels can be great, and even licensed games have gotten a bit better, but they simply don't compare to a great original game that blows you away.
But you have missed my point entirely, what kind of answer is "then wait." My point was out of the gate you will not be spending less than $5-600 dollars MINIMUM, and that is true.
By my estimation the Revolution will be coming in around half of that, and sure they will require bundles for that too, I'm sure, but even bundled your most likely going to be spending closer to $300 which is pretty much on par with what is generally accepted for a new console... that was why MS was striving to hit the $299 mark and the "lite" version that is utterly useless was their best response, pretty piss poor in my book.
I can surely relate, I've been a member of the PS2 media as a reviewer/researcher/playtester for over 4 years... my loyalties have been as far away from Nintendo as possible.
I'm no Nintendo cheerleader, just an old-school gamer who is fed up with the current state and direction of the game industry. I seriously believe that the Revolution is going to be the spark that ignites a return to game design, innovation, and FUN.
I plan on buying a Revolution th eday it releases just to add my support and "vote" to change the state of gaming back to where it should be IMO. I do not plan on buying a PS3 or 360 ever, no matter the price or games released... I simply have no interest after the years of covering Sony and their terribly derivitive games and stance of non-innovation. Everyone's favorite Katamari Damacy was the last game to make me glad to own a PS2 and it is one of maybe three games over the entire PS2 life I can say that about. Pretty sad.
The PS2 is actually the reason I left my work in the game industry and I am hardly the only one. So many of my friends who are programmers and reviewers have left as well to other industries or to branch out on their own to get out from under the thumb of big development studios pumping out garbage that "sells" while trashing any attempt at moving in a new direction. I personally watched four unique titles get thrown away in the early stages in favor of a clone or licensed product that would be an easier sell and make more money (all according to no hard data or facts, just executive decisions). It is so upsetting and disheartening to work on the other side of videogaming these days, EA is not the only offender... it is pretty much everywhere.
I just can't wait for these people to buy their $600-1000 systems and find that the release schedule is as bleak and sparse as the 2-month old Christmas tree it came under.
Word. Except that the classics are not going to be free, that was just a rumor. They will most likely give 1 free one with the system purchase, and also use them as promotional items and giveaways. Most likely they will be low cost, just not free.
The Revolution is squarely aimed to hit the widest audience ever for a console in modern time. It is to be accessible to parents, kids, teens, and adults... that is a market Sony and MS would love to tap but has placed themselves outside of with the costs, complexity, and their steady marketing to the "hardcore" gamer market which is very dedicated but relatively small in comparison.
and an extra controller or any other accessories, even just two games and I'm suddenly at an easy $600+ purchase. Plus you are kidding yourself if you believe retailers are going to allow you to just buy the console outside of a bundle for quite some time after release.
WTF are you talking about? MS sets the MSRP. The retailers make the bundles to generate more profit on accessories over the relatively thin margin on the consoles alone.
The "lite" version of the XBOX will be basically useless, it was stated by J Allard of MS in his interview. So that $300 gets you nothing, not a good value. The $400 unit is the base level of entry into the Xbox 360, add to that some accessories and a game or two and you have a $5-600 investment.
I have been saying this all along, way before the official numbers were released and I was met with countless flames.
The simple fact is that the Xbox 360 and PS3 are going to be very large busts. Sure the dedicated fanboy will spring for a $1000+ system but the average person is not. The Revolution's position keeps looking better all the time.
On top of these massive costs, the games are going to be more expensive and long gone are the days of $20 older popular titles. The other MAJOR problem will be the number of titles released over the consoles lifespan. With astonishingly high production costs and timetables almost double that of other consoles, developers are simply not going to be pumping out many titles... and those that do get made will be the "safe" titles and licensed games. So except for FPS, Sports, and safe RPG's/MMO's and crap movie/TV/whatever licensed games there will be little else. I don't even believe many puzzle games or niche titles will be seen.
It is going to be very frustrating for gamers, look how the comparatively cheap (while still way expensive) to produce for PSP is doing... If the Revolution can come in at $199-$249 and have some solid titles on top of classics/GC backwards compat. and a simplified innovative controller, there truly will be a revolution in gaming.
Umm, lemme get this straight... you rushed out and bought a DS knowing full well what the launch titles were and then get angry because a single game is getting delayed a year down the road?
This is the problem with all early adopters of new gear. Eventually learn that the problem is not on the companies side, it is in fact your rush to have the latest and greatest with high expectations that have no basis in reality. I'm guessing you are younger as with time you will soon learn that having the latest "cool" gadget generally leads to long waits and hopes dashed.
The normal person waits it out and picks up the unit at a bit of a discount as well as a few solid titles from launch and first/second wave releases. It seems cool to have the newest thing as soon as possible but it really is pointless.
Lesson learned, it is not Nintendo's fault... look at Sony and the PSP, what prey-tell would be sooo much better if you had snagged one of those right off the bat? You'd have paid more money, played Lumines, waited and waited, then waited some more, then get the big "update" to give you a web browser... woo-boy! that's even more fun than a DS.
Clinton was an ass, plain and simple, it matters not which political affiliation you subscribe to. He admitted to banging an intern, theres his semen on her dress, his lame ass definition of "is" is, his willingness to sell out America and our safety, he is no angel. He also is a pretty useless human being with no moral compass nor is his life a model for anyone.
I never have been a bush fan, never will be. I din't vote for him. I find him to be an honest human being, flaws and all, and he has done his best to right a wrong that has needed done for some time. Al-Quaida was in Iraq (they just accepted the blame for a recent rocket attack on a ship) our fight is to rid them and terrorism. I think it is amorphous as the "War on drugs" and probably impossible. But it is a worthy cause to make any headway to eliminating terrorism. In all of your comments you fall back on other dictators/problems, so what your saying is there are lots of bad guys doing bad things so why bother? Sure there are a lot of fucked up rulers/dictators in the world, rather than just throw up your arms and give up that is all the more reason to begin to exterminate them one at a time until other ones fall in line or be next on the list.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think this is America's fight... it should be a worldwide front against tyrrany and opression. All of our safety and lives are at stake, directly or indirectly.
I fully agree, in fact I couldn't agree more. If you look back through my/. posts most have mirrored your comments to a tee. The videogame industry is perfectly set up for a big crash as it had in 82. When People buy their $400+ 360 or PS3 and come to find that there are a couple FPS, a few RPG's, and sports and licensed content ONLY and even those only trickling out here and there due to the long production times and money invested they are going to become angry and move away. The only console bucking this trend is Nintendo, and I honestly wish them all the luck in the world to help begin to turn gaming around.
Hey dickhead, I'm 25... I'm far from a grandparent. I also have been in this business for some time and cut my teeth programming for the NES so piss off, what high-and mighty credentials do you have going for you besides virgin "pearent's" (It's spelled parents BTW) basement/. dweller?
I have done market research on a number of game titles as well as peripherals and gamepak's. I have followed stats and sales numbers for over 4 years as part of my job. I have also done usability studies. Don't fuckin tell me what research is or is not, you have no clue.
I never said everything was bad, simply that gamers are up for a big disappointment with the next gen round of consoles as the releases will be far and few between and becom emore complex. There is a large untapped audience out there clamoring for simple, fun games. They barely exist anymore. Everything now is either niche or complex, without much in between.
I like Rock, I like Punk, I like movies, I like games, just not the cookie cutter crap of each area. I prefer NoFX to mall punk radio B.S. I like deeper movies like Darren Aranofsky's work, I also like well designed games that are FUN like Mario Party, Puyo Pop, Katamari Damacy, Guild Wars, etc.
Thank You. You continue to help make my point. Your girlfriend is not interested in doing the Uber-babality-fatality-of-hurting-painful-death involving three control sticks, your left nut, and a hoagie placed strategically to pull off... she like the simplicity of a simple game with simple controls and a simple interface... MY POINT EXACTLY!
And herein lies the flaw in your logic: The videogame does NOT pander to the lowest common denomenator. Right now games are targeted at a very specific narrow audience.
This is the problem. And my point. The casual gamer, parent, girlfriend is put off by a dualshock, Xbox, GC controller. They are similarly not interested in an FPS, or anime inspired RPG... the average person enjoys quick, easy to play, fun GAMES.
I use the example a lot, but it is fact. Last Christmas the number one selling "game" was the atari/retro controllers that plugged directly into your TV and contained 6-10 oldschool games. They outsold ALL game sales for the christmas season! So to all those who say that no one wants old games with "crappy" graphics and "simple" controls are full of shit. Us "hardcore" gamers like to think we are so big in number and that the world revolves around us... it does not. The actual big wide-spread audience is the average joe and his family. That is what original game consoles targeted and what they do not target today. This is the problem, the game industry is stuck in this narrow spectrum and can't seem to branch out.
The Revolution I think may just manage to be the first to do this and if properly done the sales will be staggering and the face of gaming will begin to change away from immature sex/violence/drugs and into FUN GAMES.
If you have a 5-year old who plays and understands WoW then you sir have the smartest child in the world, get the little fucker a membership to MENSA stat and on to some talk shows about freak children.
Mining/Crafting, hundreds of skills/spells, PvE, PvP, Stats, UI, scripting, etc. yeah, sure.
If by "actual work" you mean 20+ years gaming and 4+ reviewing/playtesting, game design and programming then I guess I've done a little "work" in my day. I am quite aware of what I "preach" and have more research and backing than I care to even think about in some of these areas.
What was the analogy to "American Idol" in previous history may I ask? Karaoke singers signed for millions to sing albums of pre-written material destined for the garbage can after a week or so. Sure there were crappy bands, crappy games, and crappy movies... but most of them were the result of trying something NEW or DIFFERENT, not the current trend of producing only what sells.
Talk to a game developer today, ask them what the reality of the industry is then get back to me.
Yes, In fact I have. While your at it ask them who wrote the song and to name the members of the band. You will be met with nothing or the lead singer's name and a quick hum of maybe the hook.
Seriously try it. I guarantee you may find one person who can do it. Now ask an older person the same question and the success rate will be much higher.
Music is throw-away, movies are too, games basically are at that same level.
Spare me the Indie rock argument. I'm talking about good mainstream music written and performed by the artist... I can think of a fair number but no where near what it used to be.
OK then, have your parents play Halo if you have an Xbox or any other console FPS tonight and get back to me with how well and quickly they master the controls and how much fun they have.
I'm serious. Give it a try. You will see the truth in my statement quite quickly.
I too have actually WORKED in this industry, not just spouting off or waxing nostalgic. It is sad, the current state is not what it should be. I applaud your move and wish you the best of luck. I have a feeling a major change is going to come in gaming with this next generation of consoles.
All of the people who claim I'm wrong or that there is such a bright future ahead will soon see how badly they are off the mark. With the Insane costs of developing for the 360 or the PS3 there will be little to no variety of games coming out and the amount of releases are going to be ultra-low. The costs of production coupled with the length of development and programming will badly stunt the number of games to be released over the consoles lifespan.
I respect what your saying but it is not nostalgia clouding my vision. I have been a game reviewer for a number of years and am well aware of the current state and I'm also aware of the vast amounts of crap games from yester-year.
My problem is that very few games have a designers heart and soul behind them because the costs today are very high, so companies go with the "safe" games. Katamari Damacy is probably the last game I've played that had that old feeling of a single vision being brought to life with simple controls and not based around the easy way out of violence. The costs are going to be going up exponentially with the next gen of Sony and MS further ensuring only big name developers and franchise/licensed titles get made.
The thing is the controls are "simple" to you and me because we've evolved with them and live them... not everyone is like that. Give your wife/girlfriend the choice to use a GB/GBA/NES or a Dualshock 2/Xbox/GC controller and she will go with the one that is less intimidating every time unless she is a gamer too. This holds true for most non-gamers. Three directional controls on one gamepad puts off a lot of people as it is confusing when you only have two hands, let alone the myriad buttons added in.
The fact is my mother can whoop ass on Warlords, or my father can put a hurtin on my Defender score... and they can play together and competitively with myself and a 8-9 year-old nephew. That isn't happening with Halo, or most any other game out today. This is a large market, much bigger than us "hardcore" gamers will ever be and it is time to get back to basics and appeal to the entire spectrum, not just one small subset.
I have a videogame collection with close to 1000 original game carts and systems as well as thousands more in emulation. When younger kids/relatives come over they don't even know how to USE a NES/SNES let alone an Atari or the likes, but once I brief them they all love them. TAZ for Atari 2600 is one game that holds up so well it is amazing, or Warlords.
The "roots" of gaming were FUN games, easy play, and great simple control. Gaming really needs to get back to its roots and stop trying to be the next multi-billion hollywood-like crap industry.
Music has been turned artificial, movies have followed suit, I guess games are next. When people will wake up and stop accepting this crap is beyond me. People have no "soul" anymore, they want fluff with no real substance, typical disposable society.
Ask a teenager to hum or whistle their favorite song... they can't do it because there is nothing but a catchy hook, it's empty. Same thing with games, they have tons of flash and glitz but no soul and it isn't getting any better.
The only hope is that the Nintendo Revolution claims to simplify the controller so that even a mom can play, with this simplification of controller should force game developers to go back to THEIR roots and begin to produce fun and enjoyable games with some heart put into them.
I find your rants amusing. You see I'm an Independent. I don't give a flying fuck for Bush or Clinton, or any other corrupt-ass dem/repub. I think for myself, not get involved in group-think political lables.
The simple fact is most people have some serious issues to even WANT to be a president. They are power-hungry, status-hungry, and could give a rats ass about those they are supposed to be serving for the most part. Bush at least has some morals and is a fairly normal guy as far as presidents go. He doesn;t have to be on stage playing a saxaphone to be "cool" he also speaks plainly and matter-of-factly and does not try to hide his past. He is who he is. No pretentiousness, no hidden aspects to his life... he may not be proud of his actions but he doesn;t shy away from them either. Clinton is the only elected president to EVER be impeached, again I'll take Bush over Kerry or Clinton anyday. Kerry seemed to have a big need to imagine his war hero status in quite unhealthy ways, and then pair him with Edwards who has won more money for bullshit healthcare suits and that was a real winning package wasn't it?
Saddam showed he could access and use WMD quite easily. I needed no mention of WMD in any way shape or form to go after Saddam... he needed to be brought down, it should have happened in the first Gulf War.
Your arguments are shallow and useless, you see I have no dog in this race... but I can see right through your attempts to try to justify a vile, despicable human in Clinton. Wake up and see what he really was and who he is. He is nothing to be proud of. Bush isn't on my top president list of all time either but at least he went for something that needed done and has done his best with all of the political wrangling and red tape to accomplish a goal. I personally would have had Saddam assasinated quietly and quickly and been done with it. However this would still have led to Shia reign, at least this way we have some hand in keeping order. No matter how you handled it there were no easy ways in and out that would lead to any stabilization, if you or anyone has a better solution I'd sure love to hear it because this was a losing proposition no matter how it was handled nor by what political party handled it.
I've covered videogames for some years, and my initial reaction was that this... sweet! but then I thought about it more. Having programmed a bit for the NES I can personally attest to the difficulty and hurdles to overcome.
A system that has these same features and accepts a cheap flash memory like SD that runs it's own 2D games utilizing an easy, modern programming language and has the ability to run NES games in emulation would go much further and be able to be made much cheaper.
This thing is headed for failure either because of poor market research or lawyer costs trying to save their asses. Any serious older gen gamer is going to buy a Revolution and get the same thing but with so much more.
Gaming in general needs to go back to 2D. 3D is great for FPS' but that's about it. 3D has been a square peg in a round hole for years and what kills me is that companies cling to it as tightly as possible. Ever notice why the GB/GBA does so well? People want FUN games with SIMPLE controls, whoever thinks that a controller with 18+ buttons and three directional inputs is a good thing is an idiot.
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What an incredibly short-sighted comment on your part too! Your argument that their closed source must remain this way because they se the same or similar server code for each game and it could lead to hackers/loss of profits is just as lame.
The fact is that all MMO's basically will go this same way eventually as none of them will continue to be viable for very long. I think what needs to happen is MMO makers need to try harder. Let users run their own servers, it will only help sales... but then make the official servers have more value, and thus be worth the monthly fee. I would pay a monthly fee to play on the official servers, but I would probably enjoy running a character through some user made worlds too. Keep them separate for everyones sake, but it would be great, and then when the game is past its prime smaller dedicated groups can continue on without all the n00b, grief, bitch-fests that all popular MMO's suffer from.
As far as hacking and whatnot, this is their design and there are many ways to handle this... it is just that most are lazy. GuildWars has done a decent job of thwarting all of this by using a streamed technology.
The fact of the matter is that the onus is on the MMO maker to begin to do more for that $14.99 they love to reap each month from us, and after years of loyal payments the leastthey could do is keep one server around for free or open up to user run servers.
Not even close, buddy. The prolonged timetables come directly from close PERSONAL friends who are developers. It has been also covered in a number of interviews with developers online. Any console devel. will tell you that timetables have doubled and in the case of art and programming tripled. Games are being developed now, they have been for some months, my information comes directly from the horses mouth. Look around and do some reasearch you will find that you are completely wrong here.
Your fallacy that the 20-something crowd is the "big" market is also laughable. It is the hardcore market, and a market Sony targeted. MS only followed suit because their direct competitor was the PS2 due to the strength's and limitations of the Xbox. The world does not revolve around "hardcore" gamers, and in fact most game developers do their best to create a number of titles that break out of this narrow focus if they truly want big sales. The hardcore market is dependable and dedicated so they are easy sales, but they are low sales in comparison. I will use my favorite example that destroy's people who think the way you do: Last Christmas the NUMBER 1 selling game was the Atari/retro controllers that housed 6-10 games in the controller and plugged directly into your TV. THEY OUTSOLD ALL GAME SALES! ALL, as in *total* game sales for Christmas. You, me, and every other "hardcore" 20-something gamer is a small minority... devoted, but very small in number. The only thing is I understand this and you are in a fantasy world that revolves around you.
The PSP is a great example. It is expensive to program for, the media is expensive, the device is expensive, and it is aimed squarely at the 20-something crowd. Totally the antithesis of the GBA, just as the 360 and PS3 are of the Revolution. Adoption of the PSP has been minisule, sales have been dismal, very few games are being produced, and that's only half of it. Now, you are going to have two console using COMPETEING proprietary media formats of which there will be NO standard ON TOP of the above issues that mirror the PSP exactly, except that the new consoles will be even more expensive, narrowly targeted, and difficult to program for. That is a recipe for failure, if you can't see this then you are fooling yourself.
I'm not going to waste anymore time trying to convince you, time will tell and you will see who is correct. Just get ready with a nice sloppy kiss for my ass when it comes time to admit who has their facts straight.
You are so far off-base it's not funny. Lunacy even. If you read my posts you would see that I've been a member of the game media for well over 4 years covering SONY ONLY. I only have purchased a GC in the last month, and only for a couple titles. Having seen things from a different perspective has given me a pretty damn clear insight into what this next round of consoles is all about, much moreso than your average "Fanboy."
The fact of the matter is this: The Revolution will be FULLY backwards compat., it will have damn near an entire legacy of back catalog available of fun, simple, and addictive titles that people grew up with and love, it is well designed and made to be inexpensive (much more than its competitors), It has been stated numerous times that the controller will be something totally fresh and unique and is the namesake of the Revolution's moniker... who in the fuck would believe that a company would name a system after it's revolutionary controller to only have it be some derivitive copy of an existing control scheme? They are keeping it top secret, they have named the system after it, they have full faith in it, they have no need to hype it - in fact they barely even make mention of it in interviews and press statements. If you think they are bluffing or "vapor" then your brain is also Vaporware.
You aren't even worthy of "Troll" status, your comments are wildly off-base and Nintendo's reputation for making top-shelf hardware as well as first-party titles speaks for itself no matter what brand you are loyal to. If I could i would most likely mod you (-1, Idiot).
So true. I am no puzzle game fan, I mean sure I like Puyo Pop, or bust a move, and the standard solid puzzle titles but along with all the rest of my games.
I have nothing against FPS/Sports/Racing/Cliche RPGs... what I have a problem with are two new "next-gen" consoles which are only targeted at these games and nothing more due to high costs and long production timetables. The 360 and PS3 are going to be Racing/FPS/Sports/Cliche RPG/Licensed movie and TV title ONLY consoles... what kind of fun is that? Sure a good racing title is cool, Burnout 3 was great, GT4 was so-so, midnight club and all the rest of the derivitive NFSU titles are decent... it doesn;t become a problem until they are your ONLY choices. I don;t want 12 racing games, 20 FPS's, etc. but that is all that there will be as they are "safe." You will soon see that cookie-cutter games with maybe one or two innovative titles per year are going to be the norm.
I used to work with game studios, and have a lot of friends that still do or program/design and they are as pissed off and unhappy with the direction that the industry is going as anybody. People who make games are creative folks, and right now creativity is the lowest valued aspect of their jobs... it is disheartening. No one wants to make nothing but Racing/FPS titles day in and day out and that is basically what it is down to, they want to be part of an ambitious project with a chance to be the "next-big-thing" and it just isn't the case.
There will be such a low number of releases for these next gen consoles that you are going to be crying the blues when all that is out an don the horizon is more of the same. Looking forward to that one cool new game is what keeps most gamers on egde and excited, that's never happened waiting for that one cool sequel or that one cool movie license in my lifetime. Sure sequels can be great, and even licensed games have gotten a bit better, but they simply don't compare to a great original game that blows you away.
But you have missed my point entirely, what kind of answer is "then wait." My point was out of the gate you will not be spending less than $5-600 dollars MINIMUM, and that is true.
By my estimation the Revolution will be coming in around half of that, and sure they will require bundles for that too, I'm sure, but even bundled your most likely going to be spending closer to $300 which is pretty much on par with what is generally accepted for a new console... that was why MS was striving to hit the $299 mark and the "lite" version that is utterly useless was their best response, pretty piss poor in my book.
I can surely relate, I've been a member of the PS2 media as a reviewer/researcher/playtester for over 4 years... my loyalties have been as far away from Nintendo as possible.
I'm no Nintendo cheerleader, just an old-school gamer who is fed up with the current state and direction of the game industry. I seriously believe that the Revolution is going to be the spark that ignites a return to game design, innovation, and FUN.
I plan on buying a Revolution th eday it releases just to add my support and "vote" to change the state of gaming back to where it should be IMO. I do not plan on buying a PS3 or 360 ever, no matter the price or games released... I simply have no interest after the years of covering Sony and their terribly derivitive games and stance of non-innovation. Everyone's favorite Katamari Damacy was the last game to make me glad to own a PS2 and it is one of maybe three games over the entire PS2 life I can say that about. Pretty sad.
The PS2 is actually the reason I left my work in the game industry and I am hardly the only one. So many of my friends who are programmers and reviewers have left as well to other industries or to branch out on their own to get out from under the thumb of big development studios pumping out garbage that "sells" while trashing any attempt at moving in a new direction. I personally watched four unique titles get thrown away in the early stages in favor of a clone or licensed product that would be an easier sell and make more money (all according to no hard data or facts, just executive decisions). It is so upsetting and disheartening to work on the other side of videogaming these days, EA is not the only offender... it is pretty much everywhere.
I just can't wait for these people to buy their $600-1000 systems and find that the release schedule is as bleak and sparse as the 2-month old Christmas tree it came under.
Word. Except that the classics are not going to be free, that was just a rumor. They will most likely give 1 free one with the system purchase, and also use them as promotional items and giveaways. Most likely they will be low cost, just not free.
The Revolution is squarely aimed to hit the widest audience ever for a console in modern time. It is to be accessible to parents, kids, teens, and adults... that is a market Sony and MS would love to tap but has placed themselves outside of with the costs, complexity, and their steady marketing to the "hardcore" gamer market which is very dedicated but relatively small in comparison.
and an extra controller or any other accessories, even just two games and I'm suddenly at an easy $600+ purchase. Plus you are kidding yourself if you believe retailers are going to allow you to just buy the console outside of a bundle for quite some time after release.
WTF are you talking about? MS sets the MSRP. The retailers make the bundles to generate more profit on accessories over the relatively thin margin on the consoles alone.
The "lite" version of the XBOX will be basically useless, it was stated by J Allard of MS in his interview. So that $300 gets you nothing, not a good value. The $400 unit is the base level of entry into the Xbox 360, add to that some accessories and a game or two and you have a $5-600 investment.
I'm far from the foolish one here.
Soon part.
I have been saying this all along, way before the official numbers were released and I was met with countless flames.
The simple fact is that the Xbox 360 and PS3 are going to be very large busts. Sure the dedicated fanboy will spring for a $1000+ system but the average person is not. The Revolution's position keeps looking better all the time.
On top of these massive costs, the games are going to be more expensive and long gone are the days of $20 older popular titles. The other MAJOR problem will be the number of titles released over the consoles lifespan. With astonishingly high production costs and timetables almost double that of other consoles, developers are simply not going to be pumping out many titles... and those that do get made will be the "safe" titles and licensed games. So except for FPS, Sports, and safe RPG's/MMO's and crap movie/TV/whatever licensed games there will be little else. I don't even believe many puzzle games or niche titles will be seen.
It is going to be very frustrating for gamers, look how the comparatively cheap (while still way expensive) to produce for PSP is doing... If the Revolution can come in at $199-$249 and have some solid titles on top of classics/GC backwards compat. and a simplified innovative controller, there truly will be a revolution in gaming.
Umm, lemme get this straight... you rushed out and bought a DS knowing full well what the launch titles were and then get angry because a single game is getting delayed a year down the road?
This is the problem with all early adopters of new gear. Eventually learn that the problem is not on the companies side, it is in fact your rush to have the latest and greatest with high expectations that have no basis in reality. I'm guessing you are younger as with time you will soon learn that having the latest "cool" gadget generally leads to long waits and hopes dashed.
The normal person waits it out and picks up the unit at a bit of a discount as well as a few solid titles from launch and first/second wave releases. It seems cool to have the newest thing as soon as possible but it really is pointless.
Lesson learned, it is not Nintendo's fault... look at Sony and the PSP, what prey-tell would be sooo much better if you had snagged one of those right off the bat? You'd have paid more money, played Lumines, waited and waited, then waited some more, then get the big "update" to give you a web browser... woo-boy! that's even more fun than a DS.
Clinton was an ass, plain and simple, it matters not which political affiliation you subscribe to. He admitted to banging an intern, theres his semen on her dress, his lame ass definition of "is" is, his willingness to sell out America and our safety, he is no angel. He also is a pretty useless human being with no moral compass nor is his life a model for anyone.
I never have been a bush fan, never will be. I din't vote for him. I find him to be an honest human being, flaws and all, and he has done his best to right a wrong that has needed done for some time. Al-Quaida was in Iraq (they just accepted the blame for a recent rocket attack on a ship) our fight is to rid them and terrorism. I think it is amorphous as the "War on drugs" and probably impossible. But it is a worthy cause to make any headway to eliminating terrorism. In all of your comments you fall back on other dictators/problems, so what your saying is there are lots of bad guys doing bad things so why bother? Sure there are a lot of fucked up rulers/dictators in the world, rather than just throw up your arms and give up that is all the more reason to begin to exterminate them one at a time until other ones fall in line or be next on the list.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think this is America's fight... it should be a worldwide front against tyrrany and opression. All of our safety and lives are at stake, directly or indirectly.
I fully agree, in fact I couldn't agree more. If you look back through my /. posts most have mirrored your comments to a tee. The videogame industry is perfectly set up for a big crash as it had in 82. When People buy their $400+ 360 or PS3 and come to find that there are a couple FPS, a few RPG's, and sports and licensed content ONLY and even those only trickling out here and there due to the long production times and money invested they are going to become angry and move away. The only console bucking this trend is Nintendo, and I honestly wish them all the luck in the world to help begin to turn gaming around.
It will happen, it is just a matter of time.
Hey dickhead, I'm 25... I'm far from a grandparent. I also have been in this business for some time and cut my teeth programming for the NES so piss off, what high-and mighty credentials do you have going for you besides virgin "pearent's" (It's spelled parents BTW) basement /. dweller?
I have done market research on a number of game titles as well as peripherals and gamepak's. I have followed stats and sales numbers for over 4 years as part of my job. I have also done usability studies. Don't fuckin tell me what research is or is not, you have no clue.
I never said everything was bad, simply that gamers are up for a big disappointment with the next gen round of consoles as the releases will be far and few between and becom emore complex. There is a large untapped audience out there clamoring for simple, fun games. They barely exist anymore. Everything now is either niche or complex, without much in between.
I like Rock, I like Punk, I like movies, I like games, just not the cookie cutter crap of each area. I prefer NoFX to mall punk radio B.S. I like deeper movies like Darren Aranofsky's work, I also like well designed games that are FUN like Mario Party, Puyo Pop, Katamari Damacy, Guild Wars, etc.
Thank You. You continue to help make my point. Your girlfriend is not interested in doing the Uber-babality-fatality-of-hurting-painful-death involving three control sticks, your left nut, and a hoagie placed strategically to pull off... she like the simplicity of a simple game with simple controls and a simple interface... MY POINT EXACTLY!
And herein lies the flaw in your logic: The videogame does NOT pander to the lowest common denomenator. Right now games are targeted at a very specific narrow audience.
This is the problem. And my point. The casual gamer, parent, girlfriend is put off by a dualshock, Xbox, GC controller. They are similarly not interested in an FPS, or anime inspired RPG... the average person enjoys quick, easy to play, fun GAMES.
I use the example a lot, but it is fact. Last Christmas the number one selling "game" was the atari/retro controllers that plugged directly into your TV and contained 6-10 oldschool games. They outsold ALL game sales for the christmas season! So to all those who say that no one wants old games with "crappy" graphics and "simple" controls are full of shit. Us "hardcore" gamers like to think we are so big in number and that the world revolves around us... it does not. The actual big wide-spread audience is the average joe and his family. That is what original game consoles targeted and what they do not target today. This is the problem, the game industry is stuck in this narrow spectrum and can't seem to branch out.
The Revolution I think may just manage to be the first to do this and if properly done the sales will be staggering and the face of gaming will begin to change away from immature sex/violence/drugs and into FUN GAMES.
If you have a 5-year old who plays and understands WoW then you sir have the smartest child in the world, get the little fucker a membership to MENSA stat and on to some talk shows about freak children.
Mining/Crafting, hundreds of skills/spells, PvE, PvP, Stats, UI, scripting, etc. yeah, sure.
If by "actual work" you mean 20+ years gaming and 4+ reviewing/playtesting, game design and programming then I guess I've done a little "work" in my day. I am quite aware of what I "preach" and have more research and backing than I care to even think about in some of these areas.
What was the analogy to "American Idol" in previous history may I ask? Karaoke singers signed for millions to sing albums of pre-written material destined for the garbage can after a week or so. Sure there were crappy bands, crappy games, and crappy movies... but most of them were the result of trying something NEW or DIFFERENT, not the current trend of producing only what sells.
Talk to a game developer today, ask them what the reality of the industry is then get back to me.
Yes, In fact I have. While your at it ask them who wrote the song and to name the members of the band. You will be met with nothing or the lead singer's name and a quick hum of maybe the hook.
Seriously try it. I guarantee you may find one person who can do it. Now ask an older person the same question and the success rate will be much higher.
Music is throw-away, movies are too, games basically are at that same level.
Spare me the Indie rock argument. I'm talking about good mainstream music written and performed by the artist... I can think of a fair number but no where near what it used to be.
OK then, have your parents play Halo if you have an Xbox or any other console FPS tonight and get back to me with how well and quickly they master the controls and how much fun they have.
I'm serious. Give it a try. You will see the truth in my statement quite quickly.
I too have actually WORKED in this industry, not just spouting off or waxing nostalgic. It is sad, the current state is not what it should be. I applaud your move and wish you the best of luck. I have a feeling a major change is going to come in gaming with this next generation of consoles.
All of the people who claim I'm wrong or that there is such a bright future ahead will soon see how badly they are off the mark. With the Insane costs of developing for the 360 or the PS3 there will be little to no variety of games coming out and the amount of releases are going to be ultra-low. The costs of production coupled with the length of development and programming will badly stunt the number of games to be released over the consoles lifespan.
The truth will become quite apparent in due time.
I respect what your saying but it is not nostalgia clouding my vision. I have been a game reviewer for a number of years and am well aware of the current state and I'm also aware of the vast amounts of crap games from yester-year.
My problem is that very few games have a designers heart and soul behind them because the costs today are very high, so companies go with the "safe" games. Katamari Damacy is probably the last game I've played that had that old feeling of a single vision being brought to life with simple controls and not based around the easy way out of violence. The costs are going to be going up exponentially with the next gen of Sony and MS further ensuring only big name developers and franchise/licensed titles get made.
The thing is the controls are "simple" to you and me because we've evolved with them and live them... not everyone is like that. Give your wife/girlfriend the choice to use a GB/GBA/NES or a Dualshock 2/Xbox/GC controller and she will go with the one that is less intimidating every time unless she is a gamer too. This holds true for most non-gamers. Three directional controls on one gamepad puts off a lot of people as it is confusing when you only have two hands, let alone the myriad buttons added in.
The fact is my mother can whoop ass on Warlords, or my father can put a hurtin on my Defender score... and they can play together and competitively with myself and a 8-9 year-old nephew. That isn't happening with Halo, or most any other game out today. This is a large market, much bigger than us "hardcore" gamers will ever be and it is time to get back to basics and appeal to the entire spectrum, not just one small subset.
I have a videogame collection with close to 1000 original game carts and systems as well as thousands more in emulation. When younger kids/relatives come over they don't even know how to USE a NES/SNES let alone an Atari or the likes, but once I brief them they all love them. TAZ for Atari 2600 is one game that holds up so well it is amazing, or Warlords.
The "roots" of gaming were FUN games, easy play, and great simple control. Gaming really needs to get back to its roots and stop trying to be the next multi-billion hollywood-like crap industry.
Music has been turned artificial, movies have followed suit, I guess games are next. When people will wake up and stop accepting this crap is beyond me. People have no "soul" anymore, they want fluff with no real substance, typical disposable society.
Ask a teenager to hum or whistle their favorite song... they can't do it because there is nothing but a catchy hook, it's empty. Same thing with games, they have tons of flash and glitz but no soul and it isn't getting any better.
The only hope is that the Nintendo Revolution claims to simplify the controller so that even a mom can play, with this simplification of controller should force game developers to go back to THEIR roots and begin to produce fun and enjoyable games with some heart put into them.
I find your rants amusing. You see I'm an Independent. I don't give a flying fuck for Bush or Clinton, or any other corrupt-ass dem/repub. I think for myself, not get involved in group-think political lables.
The simple fact is most people have some serious issues to even WANT to be a president. They are power-hungry, status-hungry, and could give a rats ass about those they are supposed to be serving for the most part. Bush at least has some morals and is a fairly normal guy as far as presidents go. He doesn;t have to be on stage playing a saxaphone to be "cool" he also speaks plainly and matter-of-factly and does not try to hide his past. He is who he is. No pretentiousness, no hidden aspects to his life... he may not be proud of his actions but he doesn;t shy away from them either. Clinton is the only elected president to EVER be impeached, again I'll take Bush over Kerry or Clinton anyday. Kerry seemed to have a big need to imagine his war hero status in quite unhealthy ways, and then pair him with Edwards who has won more money for bullshit healthcare suits and that was a real winning package wasn't it?
Saddam showed he could access and use WMD quite easily. I needed no mention of WMD in any way shape or form to go after Saddam... he needed to be brought down, it should have happened in the first Gulf War.
Your arguments are shallow and useless, you see I have no dog in this race... but I can see right through your attempts to try to justify a vile, despicable human in Clinton. Wake up and see what he really was and who he is. He is nothing to be proud of. Bush isn't on my top president list of all time either but at least he went for something that needed done and has done his best with all of the political wrangling and red tape to accomplish a goal. I personally would have had Saddam assasinated quietly and quickly and been done with it. However this would still have led to Shia reign, at least this way we have some hand in keeping order. No matter how you handled it there were no easy ways in and out that would lead to any stabilization, if you or anyone has a better solution I'd sure love to hear it because this was a losing proposition no matter how it was handled nor by what political party handled it.
I've covered videogames for some years, and my initial reaction was that this... sweet! but then I thought about it more. Having programmed a bit for the NES I can personally attest to the difficulty and hurdles to overcome.
A system that has these same features and accepts a cheap flash memory like SD that runs it's own 2D games utilizing an easy, modern programming language and has the ability to run NES games in emulation would go much further and be able to be made much cheaper.
This thing is headed for failure either because of poor market research or lawyer costs trying to save their asses. Any serious older gen gamer is going to buy a Revolution and get the same thing but with so much more.
Gaming in general needs to go back to 2D. 3D is great for FPS' but that's about it. 3D has been a square peg in a round hole for years and what kills me is that companies cling to it as tightly as possible. Ever notice why the GB/GBA does so well? People want FUN games with SIMPLE controls, whoever thinks that a controller with 18+ buttons and three directional inputs is a good thing is an idiot.