I'm one of the few people it seems that feels there is more information to be learned from our own vastly uncharted seas than far reaches of space.
I will never understand why we keep spending billions to remove trash from the ISS when we could be doing so much more here on Earth under the water.
Is it just not as sexy as space? More discoveries and information have been gleaned from what little oceanic research is done as compared to space. This has always been one of those head scratcher issues with me that I will never understand. Keep looking light-years away for answers when they could be right under your nose the whole time.
No, I have to disagree. Playing online is not great. Xbox made it easier than the PS2 but neither in book qualify as great.
When you want to play a game and then realize you need to download the latest massive patch, then spend time trying to find people to play against, then finally connect and realize most are using cheats/exploits or are just the usual immature pain-in-the-behinds.
I tend to really get aggrivated playing any genre of game online. It basically all boils down to the same degenerative crap... it is normally just how quickly it happens that is the variable.
Personally, I hate Star Wars. I always have. I've taken so much heat over the years being a techie and not liking Star Wars... it's nice to see others finally come to grips with the fact that it sucks.
The only one I ever mildly enjoyed was the one with the Ewoks and the speeder race, etc. That was pretty damn cool back in the day... but that is also the one most people put down. I guess it just isn't my cup of tea, but I've never been ashamed to say I hate Star Wars.
Oh, I fully understand that it would be a costly and difficult proposition to make the GPX2 viable in the U.S. But I think if it were handled differently than attempts like the Zodiac or Ngage that it could work with a low budget.
You don't push this as a competitor to PSP or DS, you don't even really push it as a handheld game system. You sell the rights to a single large retailer (that has a techie base to begin with) (Radioshack, Fry's, CompUSA, Circuit City, etc.) and have them do the marketing through flyers/ads/tv. That way you generate buzz among the "in-the-know" tech crowd and they handle the word of mouth... as techies love to evangelize on a new gadget, and viola! instant marketing, buzz, and install-base.
You sell a product like the GPX2 as a multimedia handheld that plays emulated/homebrew as well as possibly a few actual games made for the GPX2. If I was in a tech store looking for an MP3 player and saw for $50 more I could play Divx, games, emu/roms... your damn sure I'd buy the GPX2.
Just a quick sidenote on your analogy... I was hunting through the local movie rental store and saw "Alone in the Dark" and was like "Hey, that was a cool oldschool 3D game" and I saw Christian Slaters name (who I actually like) then I get home pop it in the DVD player and see Uwe Boll and was thinking, oh crap, then Tara Reid manages the WORST on-screen performance I have ever seen in my life... This was utter trash, I'm still dumbfounded by the poor quality of that "movie."
We actually laughed when the 12 paragraph storyline scrolled by, and were thankful they had someone read it to you. Amazingly those 12 paragraphs were the best part of the film. I like how they did all that to explain stuff, and then your supposed to know that the kid gets electrocuted because of a little spark wihle he's hiding in the High Voltage shed... wow. Complete garbage, goes in my worst ever list with Day After Tomorrow tied for crappiness.
It seems like people around here don't remember the first GPX, it made many news storied on/., it was similar but a bit less power but it allowed full emulation, divx, and mp3... they were great little units. The only problem is that they are Korean and most games are Korean only.
Since most people only use their PSP for emulation and movies, the GPX2 has a leg up on the competition... they just need to target the US (which I doubt will happen) and this could be a DS/PSP killer. Emulation, movie capabilities, big screen, $100 less than a psp and only $50 more than a DS.
I was a game reviewer/playtester for PS2 titles for some time... you learn to see things in reality instead of hype.
The reality is exactly as you state about your family members. Most people don't want a big, expensive, sensitive, "media center." They want to pop in a game and play it, easily, relatively cheaply, and for the most part without excessive gore, nudity, swearing (unless you are 13-15 or a loser in your parents basement/immature frat boy.)
I use the analogy a lot about this past Christmas season. The number one "game" sold: The retro ATARI/NES/SEGA controllers that contained 8-12 games that plugged into the TV sold everywhere. They outsold ALL videogame sales for the holiday season, but it got very little press. Never underestimate the cheap, easy to play, fun, universal game system. It is where the market has always been and always will be, regardless what Sony and MS say. Ever notice how hard they both tried to manufacture a "Mario" for their systems? Then when they couldn;t they tried to make it like it was no biggie and that they were all about "mature" titles - which really equate to immature blood/sex/violence games like GTA.
Gamers have grown up. The current crop of gamers are not at all as dedicated as those of us in our 25-30's who grew up with arcades, atari, NES, and general love for games. Sony and MS will soon find this out as they are missing the target in my opinion. Once the full stats are revealed for the Revolution I would ask anyone to take any 25+ year old and given the system, game lineup, features, and price who won't go for the Revolution.
Good god, did you see the list of gift suggestions?? Plasma TV (42"), PSP, Lazy Boy Recliner, XM/Sirius Radio, and on and on... hell most of those "gifts" equal a month or more of my pay.
No one besides me even knows its sysadmin day, I guess I could throw myself a party and buy a 42" plasma and PSP... but then I'd need a second job to pay the bills.
But oh, how everyone took the webmaster out on webmaster day and the laughs and levity that ensued. OK time to down the mail server and the ATM circuits...@##~@K*$%
People seem to miss the fact that of any company Nintendo has been able to evolve on a scale the likes no one will likely ever match. They started life as a PLAYING CARD manufacturer for goodness sake! They then made Game and Watch. Then into controllers and consoles, with numerous other neat side quests along the way. This company is build around evolution and innovation, and they are the most profitable of the current console manufacturers and I would venture to say the most profitable on licensing too.
The Licensing is what is hurting them right now as they are missing a lot of developers on the GC/GBA/DS. The Revolution is supposed to make development more open and less costly (waay less costly than to develop for the 360 or PS3) so this too may turn around in fairly short-order. Hardware-wise they are raking in cash... profitable cash. Sony and MS are still losing money on each console (the slimline PS2 is the only one arguably profitable).
I see Nintendo breaking down all the hype of the PS3 and 360 and getting into many more family homes than the 360 or PS3 as they are more geared toward the college/bachelor sports/FPS crowd. Nintendo will be the one young families cling to as it will offer the 20-30 year old parents the nostalgia of old favorites, their kids some solid old and new gaming and the parents the allure of new titles and solid, easy to setup and use hardware that Nintendo is known for. I even see most of Sony and MS's target audience having the discretional income to also pick up a Revolution so the install base will be quite massive.
Nintendo will remain profitable and soar quite mightily in a year or two's time. Far from on the ropes... just have to mash the "A" and "B" buttons some more till 'ol Mac gets up.
And with the GC backwards compatibility, NES/SNES/N64 lineup available, and small sleek design, and Nintendo First-Party support, and the promised lower development costs and possibly open SDK... gee I wonder how I arrived at that. The first two alone are worth it to me since I do not own a GC and if Nintendo can manage three or four stellar first-party games I'm doin pretty good by my book.
I have been dead set against the 360 and PS3 due to what I perceive to be big flaws. These consoles are set to drive development costs through the roof and time to market similarly which will translate into more expensive games, less games over the system life, and only games from major developers that are "sure things" like sports, FPS, and big-name franchises/sequels galore. All the things I hate about modern videogaming. Of all the next gen systems the Revolution is the only one to garner my approval, and the 360 was beyond dead last in my eyes... however they are starting to change that all and I hate to say it.
I see the 360 as a much more viable system than the PS3 as far as development tools, online support, system design/hardware, and the juggernaut of MS behind it. PS3 has: Unreal 3 engine... and that's about it so far.
My money will go to the Revolution first and then more likely than not a 360 after the first price drop and a clear vision of titles is available. God that hurts to say (especially after covering PS2 titles for over 4 years in the media) I don't think even Sony's biggest fanboi's can keep the flame burning for much longer as it looks like MS is pulling far ahead in this battle.
Wow you must be proud. I'm 25, not quite frumpy and have no problems getting laid without having a cell-phone glued to my ear. Why even go out in a group only to all be on your cell-phone talking to *other* people? I seriously just don't get it I would love for someone to explain to me why I would want to be on a phone in a loud/crowded bar while I'm WITH four perfectly good friends present - all also on their phone.
I know it has been said in a number of ways but here is my observation. I am not a big online game player, I tend to enjoy my solo experiences rather than deal with people and all their downfalls online (cheating, ego's, n00b's, etc.) I recently bit th ebullet and bought Guild Wars as it was billed as a skill/strategy over hours played game. This was the case the first week, then it went horribly off course.
Now it is filled with all the usual crap. I put in three solid months and always hope for it to turn around but it isn't going to. So ultimately I spend all of my time solo or with AI henchmen to form my parties. I was in a solid guild but they all left for WoW. Not having any RL friends that play games I'm stuck.
The sheer number of players in the game and no real way to hook up with like-minded folks leaves you alone in a sea of people. This is no fun. A MUD has a more intimate setting and feel and even though I can go in not knowing anyone I can make friends and team up within a week and have a good feel for everyone involved. I wish it could be this way in an MMO. Multi-game guilds/clans are worse because they are a defined structure and everyone is not welcoming to outsiders.
It makes playing a game into a big social experiment... the exact thing I play games to get away from.
No IM, tried it twice and found it to be the most invasive annoying technology I've ever used. As far as cell phone, I have a pre-paid T-mobile for basic use but that's about it. I also don't have many friends... but that doesn't bother me as I tend to be a bit solitary and quite enjoy it.
I think this always connected stuff is a bit out of hand. Last Weekend I was at State College (Penn State Alum) at the arts festival and every single person on the street and in bars is on a cell phone. two people walking together down the road both on cell phones... four people sitting at a bar together, all four on cell phones. Why even go out? What do people get from this? I guess this fad missed me by one generation and jeebus am I glad.
It realy is a simple solution yet no one seems to get it. Separate PvE and PvP into two non-linked parts of the game, or loosely linked. Offer caps on PvP so that everyone can play and not just hardcore players so that skill is the main factor in a win, unlimit PvE so people can wander/hunt/farm/etc. till their hearts content with no direct impact on other players, do not try to "build" a world and cheesy quests... instead let the players manipulate the world. Instead of some gay quest, let me create a quest so it has some meaning to those who complete it. Example: I want 20 bear pelts or hyper-uber-sword. I state this and people are free to go hunt them down and return to me for a preset reward, say 1k gold. If my price is too low no one will do it, and both players get what they want and no lame quest was needed. Let people build houses, and inns, and whatnot... this type of content will always be more engaging and long lasting as the community makes it so.
All the darkness in games that was always touted as a "feature" was actually a cheap/easy solution to lack of hardware power and draw distances and polygons on screen. Now that the hardware is getting more powerful we won't need fog filled levels or night/flashlight levels unless they are to legitimately convey an atmosphere (or developers still taking the easy way out).
The fact that no American company or investor could care less, the Japanese are the ones interested. We invent a product and because of our ties to oil we will never attempt to solve the issue or even help decrease our useages. The Japanese see it as a potential solution and a benefit and move on it.
I'm so tired of this crap in America. It isn't even political as both sides have no interest in solving these issues, they all have too much to lose/gain. A real shame.
(on a technical note though I'm not sold on the idea and the amount of problems to overcome are huge with this "solution")
GW is not sustainable. I have been playing since beta, and really enjoy most of the game. However it simply will not hold up for long. The business model is based on expansions every 6 months... they already are going to be behind on the first expansion by a number of months. On top of that they have shot themselves in the foot while painting themselves into a corner by two decisions:
1. Expansions will not unbalance the game to players who do not purchase it.
2. Level caps at 20 which can be reached in 1-2 days quickly or about 1 month with normal play. (weapons and armor max out too at preset levels that are easily had by mid/late game)
While these seem like good things, it is a major flaw for longevity. If I buy the expansion I already know that I will not be able to grow my character any more than he is now, I will not be able to buy/find more powerful or unique weapons/armor, and nothing else will change much.
Why keep playing? What needs to happen is that PvP and PvE need to be separated (they are already bastardized and semi-split as it is) and PvE needs no limits and expansions need to progress levels and more and more powerful weapons, while PvP can stay balanced regardless of expansions.
I don't think expansions are going to offer much and people may buy one but I think that will be about it for Guild Wars. I hate to say it, but too many bad decisions have been made to date that all limit the longterm success of the game.
Jesus! Did you read what I said... you simply stated exactly what I originally said way back in the original post that was moded "0, flamebait."
Yeah, everyone will want one once (and if) solid titles begin to appear. No shit. TFA was about the CURRENT state of handhelds, and the current state is bleak. Small libraries, no killer apps, and some other assorted issues. Who would even argue this or claim it to be flamebait?
This psycho, butch, dog-bitch clinton needs to be removed from any place of empowerment. I personally can't wait until she runs and loses horribly so maybe she will slink off to the hole she crawled out of. And take her hairy-armpitted, lezzy, liberal followers with her.
It probably reminds her of 'ol Bill bangin away on all the ho's he could get his greasy hands on.
I agree, I'm not arguing. I simply state that the PSP is not durable... at all. The DS is better than the PSP (and yes Ninty makes great stuff) but the two screens, especially one being used with a stylus/kids is not that durable long term. two screens are nice (albeit a fairly useless gimmick) but they do present a bit more delicate unit overall. I'm not saying they are going to fall apart out of the blue due to shoddy construction, I'm just stating they aren't workhorse portables like the old brick GB that could stop a bullet and then play a good round of Tetris in celebration... and that I'd take the GBA SP over the DS and PSP - Which is what the general consumer is showing to be the case with their dollar votes right now.
I'm a game reviewer so I get games all the time, I don't cover DS titles so I was not up on the public release date, my bad. But still, I find it hard to believe that this is going to appeal to americans in any way shape or form. It is a fun novelty but not a killer app, nor even a game really.
Flamebait?!? Because I clearly stated my opinion on the matter of the new portables... hrmm, I guess if a totally solid opinion backed with fact is flamebait then just about everything on Slashdot is too.
To all those who state Nintendogs is the DS killer app, I never said *I* didn't enjoy it nor did I say it wasn't selling units overseas... what I was stating is that here in the States at no retail outlet is Nintendogs flying off the shelves especially a new DS and Nintendogs in the same bag. Take the fanboy goggles off (I love Nintendo) and realize the DS nor the PSP have a killer app and are suffering as a result. Plain and simple.
Slashdot Mirror
I'm one of the few people it seems that feels there is more information to be learned from our own vastly uncharted seas than far reaches of space.
I will never understand why we keep spending billions to remove trash from the ISS when we could be doing so much more here on Earth under the water.
Is it just not as sexy as space? More discoveries and information have been gleaned from what little oceanic research is done as compared to space. This has always been one of those head scratcher issues with me that I will never understand. Keep looking light-years away for answers when they could be right under your nose the whole time.
No, I have to disagree. Playing online is not great. Xbox made it easier than the PS2 but neither in book qualify as great.
When you want to play a game and then realize you need to download the latest massive patch, then spend time trying to find people to play against, then finally connect and realize most are using cheats/exploits or are just the usual immature pain-in-the-behinds.
I tend to really get aggrivated playing any genre of game online. It basically all boils down to the same degenerative crap... it is normally just how quickly it happens that is the variable.
Personally, I hate Star Wars. I always have. I've taken so much heat over the years being a techie and not liking Star Wars... it's nice to see others finally come to grips with the fact that it sucks.
The only one I ever mildly enjoyed was the one with the Ewoks and the speeder race, etc. That was pretty damn cool back in the day... but that is also the one most people put down. I guess it just isn't my cup of tea, but I've never been ashamed to say I hate Star Wars.
Oh, I fully understand that it would be a costly and difficult proposition to make the GPX2 viable in the U.S. But I think if it were handled differently than attempts like the Zodiac or Ngage that it could work with a low budget.
You don't push this as a competitor to PSP or DS, you don't even really push it as a handheld game system. You sell the rights to a single large retailer (that has a techie base to begin with) (Radioshack, Fry's, CompUSA, Circuit City, etc.) and have them do the marketing through flyers/ads/tv. That way you generate buzz among the "in-the-know" tech crowd and they handle the word of mouth... as techies love to evangelize on a new gadget, and viola! instant marketing, buzz, and install-base.
You sell a product like the GPX2 as a multimedia handheld that plays emulated/homebrew as well as possibly a few actual games made for the GPX2. If I was in a tech store looking for an MP3 player and saw for $50 more I could play Divx, games, emu/roms... your damn sure I'd buy the GPX2.
Just a quick sidenote on your analogy... I was hunting through the local movie rental store and saw "Alone in the Dark" and was like "Hey, that was a cool oldschool 3D game" and I saw Christian Slaters name (who I actually like) then I get home pop it in the DVD player and see Uwe Boll and was thinking, oh crap, then Tara Reid manages the WORST on-screen performance I have ever seen in my life... This was utter trash, I'm still dumbfounded by the poor quality of that "movie."
We actually laughed when the 12 paragraph storyline scrolled by, and were thankful they had someone read it to you. Amazingly those 12 paragraphs were the best part of the film. I like how they did all that to explain stuff, and then your supposed to know that the kid gets electrocuted because of a little spark wihle he's hiding in the High Voltage shed... wow. Complete garbage, goes in my worst ever list with Day After Tomorrow tied for crappiness.
It seems like people around here don't remember the first GPX, it made many news storied on /., it was similar but a bit less power but it allowed full emulation, divx, and mp3... they were great little units. The only problem is that they are Korean and most games are Korean only.
Since most people only use their PSP for emulation and movies, the GPX2 has a leg up on the competition... they just need to target the US (which I doubt will happen) and this could be a DS/PSP killer. Emulation, movie capabilities, big screen, $100 less than a psp and only $50 more than a DS.
I was a game reviewer/playtester for PS2 titles for some time... you learn to see things in reality instead of hype.
The reality is exactly as you state about your family members. Most people don't want a big, expensive, sensitive, "media center." They want to pop in a game and play it, easily, relatively cheaply, and for the most part without excessive gore, nudity, swearing (unless you are 13-15 or a loser in your parents basement/immature frat boy.)
I use the analogy a lot about this past Christmas season. The number one "game" sold: The retro ATARI/NES/SEGA controllers that contained 8-12 games that plugged into the TV sold everywhere. They outsold ALL videogame sales for the holiday season, but it got very little press. Never underestimate the cheap, easy to play, fun, universal game system. It is where the market has always been and always will be, regardless what Sony and MS say. Ever notice how hard they both tried to manufacture a "Mario" for their systems? Then when they couldn;t they tried to make it like it was no biggie and that they were all about "mature" titles - which really equate to immature blood/sex/violence games like GTA.
Gamers have grown up. The current crop of gamers are not at all as dedicated as those of us in our 25-30's who grew up with arcades, atari, NES, and general love for games. Sony and MS will soon find this out as they are missing the target in my opinion. Once the full stats are revealed for the Revolution I would ask anyone to take any 25+ year old and given the system, game lineup, features, and price who won't go for the Revolution.
Good god, did you see the list of gift suggestions?? Plasma TV (42"), PSP, Lazy Boy Recliner, XM/Sirius Radio, and on and on... hell most of those "gifts" equal a month or more of my pay.
No one besides me even knows its sysadmin day, I guess I could throw myself a party and buy a 42" plasma and PSP... but then I'd need a second job to pay the bills.
But oh, how everyone took the webmaster out on webmaster day and the laughs and levity that ensued. OK time to down the mail server and the ATM circuits...@##~@K*$%
People seem to miss the fact that of any company Nintendo has been able to evolve on a scale the likes no one will likely ever match. They started life as a PLAYING CARD manufacturer for goodness sake! They then made Game and Watch. Then into controllers and consoles, with numerous other neat side quests along the way. This company is build around evolution and innovation, and they are the most profitable of the current console manufacturers and I would venture to say the most profitable on licensing too.
The Licensing is what is hurting them right now as they are missing a lot of developers on the GC/GBA/DS. The Revolution is supposed to make development more open and less costly (waay less costly than to develop for the 360 or PS3) so this too may turn around in fairly short-order. Hardware-wise they are raking in cash... profitable cash. Sony and MS are still losing money on each console (the slimline PS2 is the only one arguably profitable).
I see Nintendo breaking down all the hype of the PS3 and 360 and getting into many more family homes than the 360 or PS3 as they are more geared toward the college/bachelor sports/FPS crowd. Nintendo will be the one young families cling to as it will offer the 20-30 year old parents the nostalgia of old favorites, their kids some solid old and new gaming and the parents the allure of new titles and solid, easy to setup and use hardware that Nintendo is known for. I even see most of Sony and MS's target audience having the discretional income to also pick up a Revolution so the install base will be quite massive.
Nintendo will remain profitable and soar quite mightily in a year or two's time. Far from on the ropes... just have to mash the "A" and "B" buttons some more till 'ol Mac gets up.
And with the GC backwards compatibility, NES/SNES/N64 lineup available, and small sleek design, and Nintendo First-Party support, and the promised lower development costs and possibly open SDK... gee I wonder how I arrived at that. The first two alone are worth it to me since I do not own a GC and if Nintendo can manage three or four stellar first-party games I'm doin pretty good by my book.
I have been dead set against the 360 and PS3 due to what I perceive to be big flaws. These consoles are set to drive development costs through the roof and time to market similarly which will translate into more expensive games, less games over the system life, and only games from major developers that are "sure things" like sports, FPS, and big-name franchises/sequels galore. All the things I hate about modern videogaming. Of all the next gen systems the Revolution is the only one to garner my approval, and the 360 was beyond dead last in my eyes... however they are starting to change that all and I hate to say it.
I see the 360 as a much more viable system than the PS3 as far as development tools, online support, system design/hardware, and the juggernaut of MS behind it. PS3 has: Unreal 3 engine... and that's about it so far.
My money will go to the Revolution first and then more likely than not a 360 after the first price drop and a clear vision of titles is available. God that hurts to say (especially after covering PS2 titles for over 4 years in the media) I don't think even Sony's biggest fanboi's can keep the flame burning for much longer as it looks like MS is pulling far ahead in this battle.
Wow you must be proud. I'm 25, not quite frumpy and have no problems getting laid without having a cell-phone glued to my ear. Why even go out in a group only to all be on your cell-phone talking to *other* people? I seriously just don't get it I would love for someone to explain to me why I would want to be on a phone in a loud/crowded bar while I'm WITH four perfectly good friends present - all also on their phone.
I know it has been said in a number of ways but here is my observation. I am not a big online game player, I tend to enjoy my solo experiences rather than deal with people and all their downfalls online (cheating, ego's, n00b's, etc.) I recently bit th ebullet and bought Guild Wars as it was billed as a skill/strategy over hours played game. This was the case the first week, then it went horribly off course.
Now it is filled with all the usual crap. I put in three solid months and always hope for it to turn around but it isn't going to. So ultimately I spend all of my time solo or with AI henchmen to form my parties. I was in a solid guild but they all left for WoW. Not having any RL friends that play games I'm stuck.
The sheer number of players in the game and no real way to hook up with like-minded folks leaves you alone in a sea of people. This is no fun. A MUD has a more intimate setting and feel and even though I can go in not knowing anyone I can make friends and team up within a week and have a good feel for everyone involved. I wish it could be this way in an MMO. Multi-game guilds/clans are worse because they are a defined structure and everyone is not welcoming to outsiders.
It makes playing a game into a big social experiment... the exact thing I play games to get away from.
No IM, tried it twice and found it to be the most invasive annoying technology I've ever used. As far as cell phone, I have a pre-paid T-mobile for basic use but that's about it. I also don't have many friends... but that doesn't bother me as I tend to be a bit solitary and quite enjoy it. I think this always connected stuff is a bit out of hand. Last Weekend I was at State College (Penn State Alum) at the arts festival and every single person on the street and in bars is on a cell phone. two people walking together down the road both on cell phones... four people sitting at a bar together, all four on cell phones. Why even go out? What do people get from this? I guess this fad missed me by one generation and jeebus am I glad.
Well hopefully this time it is a success, another setback would be a bad thing on many levels.
...
Proper Measuring Units... Check
Fuel Pump... Check
Non-cracked Tiles... Check
Flux Capacitor...
It realy is a simple solution yet no one seems to get it. Separate PvE and PvP into two non-linked parts of the game, or loosely linked. Offer caps on PvP so that everyone can play and not just hardcore players so that skill is the main factor in a win, unlimit PvE so people can wander/hunt/farm/etc. till their hearts content with no direct impact on other players, do not try to "build" a world and cheesy quests... instead let the players manipulate the world. Instead of some gay quest, let me create a quest so it has some meaning to those who complete it. Example: I want 20 bear pelts or hyper-uber-sword. I state this and people are free to go hunt them down and return to me for a preset reward, say 1k gold. If my price is too low no one will do it, and both players get what they want and no lame quest was needed. Let people build houses, and inns, and whatnot... this type of content will always be more engaging and long lasting as the community makes it so.
All the darkness in games that was always touted as a "feature" was actually a cheap/easy solution to lack of hardware power and draw distances and polygons on screen. Now that the hardware is getting more powerful we won't need fog filled levels or night/flashlight levels unless they are to legitimately convey an atmosphere (or developers still taking the easy way out).
The fact that no American company or investor could care less, the Japanese are the ones interested. We invent a product and because of our ties to oil we will never attempt to solve the issue or even help decrease our useages. The Japanese see it as a potential solution and a benefit and move on it.
I'm so tired of this crap in America. It isn't even political as both sides have no interest in solving these issues, they all have too much to lose/gain. A real shame.
(on a technical note though I'm not sold on the idea and the amount of problems to overcome are huge with this "solution")
GW is not sustainable. I have been playing since beta, and really enjoy most of the game. However it simply will not hold up for long. The business model is based on expansions every 6 months... they already are going to be behind on the first expansion by a number of months. On top of that they have shot themselves in the foot while painting themselves into a corner by two decisions:
1. Expansions will not unbalance the game to players who do not purchase it.
2. Level caps at 20 which can be reached in 1-2 days quickly or about 1 month with normal play. (weapons and armor max out too at preset levels that are easily had by mid/late game)
While these seem like good things, it is a major flaw for longevity. If I buy the expansion I already know that I will not be able to grow my character any more than he is now, I will not be able to buy/find more powerful or unique weapons/armor, and nothing else will change much.
Why keep playing? What needs to happen is that PvP and PvE need to be separated (they are already bastardized and semi-split as it is) and PvE needs no limits and expansions need to progress levels and more and more powerful weapons, while PvP can stay balanced regardless of expansions.
I don't think expansions are going to offer much and people may buy one but I think that will be about it for Guild Wars. I hate to say it, but too many bad decisions have been made to date that all limit the longterm success of the game.
And everyone picked VHS... we all know it was sooo much better. Glad the public is always right!
Jesus! Did you read what I said... you simply stated exactly what I originally said way back in the original post that was moded "0, flamebait."
Yeah, everyone will want one once (and if) solid titles begin to appear. No shit. TFA was about the CURRENT state of handhelds, and the current state is bleak. Small libraries, no killer apps, and some other assorted issues. Who would even argue this or claim it to be flamebait?
This psycho, butch, dog-bitch clinton needs to be removed from any place of empowerment. I personally can't wait until she runs and loses horribly so maybe she will slink off to the hole she crawled out of. And take her hairy-armpitted, lezzy, liberal followers with her.
It probably reminds her of 'ol Bill bangin away on all the ho's he could get his greasy hands on.
I agree, I'm not arguing. I simply state that the PSP is not durable... at all. The DS is better than the PSP (and yes Ninty makes great stuff) but the two screens, especially one being used with a stylus/kids is not that durable long term. two screens are nice (albeit a fairly useless gimmick) but they do present a bit more delicate unit overall. I'm not saying they are going to fall apart out of the blue due to shoddy construction, I'm just stating they aren't workhorse portables like the old brick GB that could stop a bullet and then play a good round of Tetris in celebration... and that I'd take the GBA SP over the DS and PSP - Which is what the general consumer is showing to be the case with their dollar votes right now.
I'm a game reviewer so I get games all the time, I don't cover DS titles so I was not up on the public release date, my bad. But still, I find it hard to believe that this is going to appeal to americans in any way shape or form. It is a fun novelty but not a killer app, nor even a game really.
Flamebait?!? Because I clearly stated my opinion on the matter of the new portables... hrmm, I guess if a totally solid opinion backed with fact is flamebait then just about everything on Slashdot is too. To all those who state Nintendogs is the DS killer app, I never said *I* didn't enjoy it nor did I say it wasn't selling units overseas... what I was stating is that here in the States at no retail outlet is Nintendogs flying off the shelves especially a new DS and Nintendogs in the same bag. Take the fanboy goggles off (I love Nintendo) and realize the DS nor the PSP have a killer app and are suffering as a result. Plain and simple.