Why is it that Slashdotter, who slam MS, love the 360?
Well, Slashdot REALLY loves the Wii, and I'm sure that's partially due to the "Apple-ness" of the product design. I think the 360 is kind of a guilty pleasure they allowed themselves, since MS still loses money on it.
I mean, some people are playing on Gears of War to unlock the grenade tag achievement. They'll play over and over and over only with grenades simply to tag people. The problem is this is a pretty difficult strategy because a lot of people favor the shotgun and those grenade handling players become easy shotgun practice.
They will either stop when they get their acheivement, or simply get frustrated from their single minded strategy not working. What do you care though, it just helps you get closer to the "Seriously..." Achievement, the more people do this...:-)
Why not have the Gamerscore (poins earned through Achievements) count as Microsoft Points that can only be used towards Gamerpics and dashboard themes?
In a round about way you have that, but it's game specific. In Gears of War, 2 of your most difficult achievements (Complete the game on Insane difficulty, and getting 10,000 kills in ranked multiplayer matches) Unlock gamer Pics. Personally I like this method as it showcases at a glance you completed something difficult, and didn't just grind easy achievement points.
Look at the initial sign up rates, the re-sign up rates after the promotional period is over, and how many active players there are. You'll quickly find that Xbox Live is a not a motivating feature in the competition between the three.
Though I remember that was the case for the original X-Box, I don't remember seeing that for the 360. Do you have a source for the 360? Last I saw they were touting 5.5/6 million users on Live. Let's just assume that the vast majority are the Free, "Silver" memberships. They still have many compelling reasons to pick live, over the other Offerings. Acheivements are a special kind of crack that is like the Wii controller, you really have to experiance it to wrap your head around how addictive it can be.
Really, because personally I like the second Pirates better, and the second original Star Wars movie is often regarded as the best star wars movie.
Interesting, I was tempted to walk out of Pirates 2 (really, I was bored), despite adoring the first one. I also felt Empire was unfullfilling and essentially 'Return of the Jedi Part 1' as it couldn't stand on its own merit. Try to imagine Jedi never happened, many people would have been pissed that's how Star Wars ended. To each their own, I suppose.
Jack is a moron for more reasons than I care to enumerate.
Now, I can't speak for the PS3 as I do not own one, but in reguards to the X-Box 360 and the Wii they both have 'Parental Controls' that read the games rating, and checks it against what you allow to be played on the console. This works on All current offerings (360 games, Live arcade games, Wii games, and VC titles), but not Gamecube games (I am unsure about original X-box games, but I don't think they would support this either). So, WORST case scenario is if you don't want your kid playing T or M rated games, you lock it out.
The best part is that all 360 games have Acheivements and the child would either Keep a record that (s)he has played the game (or been playing) or give up any associated points (s)he could have earned.
What is the issue again? Do we need to pass legislation to protect society from parents who wish to remain uninformed or uninvolved in their children's lives? Is that what we're talking about?
In all of these movies -- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Back to the Future II, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, The Matrix Reloaded, etc.
The common aspect I see is all of those movies were lackluster sequels to solid 'First efforts'.
To say the Japanese prefer the DS by a 4 to 1 margin says absolutely nothing about American and European preferences.
Part of the reasoning though is that Japan is vitally important as many of the major development studios are Japanese. This implies that if the DS is MUCH more popular in 'the back yard' of these studios, then the DS will get more developmental support from them. If you enjoy games from these studios, it's especially important.
Another stat cited is that no only does the DS have more units sold, it has a higher software attach rate making development for that platform even more attractive.
and that paying $60 or more for the length of one $40 game you'll play through once before moving on the multiplayer aspects isn't going to fly.
Depends on the game. Some games (Mario Kart, Bomberman, Gears of War) I buy specifically for the multiplayer. The 'Narrative' is actually bonus material in my eyes, and if I can beat it in a week I'm not disapointed since I will still get my value out of it. What concerns me is paying $40 - $60 for a game that is short and has no multiplayer. Those are for Gamefly.
After playing the very simplistic version of golf in Wii Sports, I just can't go back to those other golf games. Wii Sports has spoiled them for me. It just feels weird pushing the buttons to swing the iron... Don't play any Wii golfing games if you like golf games on other consoles!
I couldn't agree more. In fact I sold all my Golf, and Tennis video games on eBay, as there is simply no going back. Personally I can't wait to play Mario Tennis Wii, or Tiger Woods Wii, but they better get the controls right. (Incidentially Super Swing Golf for the Wii screwed up the mechanics.)
Oh, and by the way, Wii Sports is my personal Game of the Year. Yeah, Zelda is a much better game in every way, except...
Personally I agree. To be clear I LOVE Zelda, but WiiSports got my retired parents (who are as non-gamer as you can get) interested in purchasing a Wii. That is unprecidented, and the sign of something special.
I have figured out how to slice the ball, and pick my corner of the court I want to return the ball to, but for the life of me I can't figure out how to consistantly do the "Rocket Serve". Sometimes I just do it and can't repeat it.
Any ideas?
If that were the case, Nintendo's focus on stories and concepts would have been reflected in sales of the N64 or Gamecube, both of which were crushed by consoles with arguably better looking games.
That would be a hell of an argument to make. Considering both the PS1, and the PS2 were the technically inferior systems of their generations. If graphics were the end all, then the PS2 would have stopped selling the day the X-box and GameCube launched. Same with the N64 over the PS1, or the PSP over the DS for that matter.
I don't know anyone who'd trade their Wii and Zelda for a VCS and adventure - but it's fun to think about. Obviously you're joking of course, but if you weren't - you sir - would be among the hardest of the hardcore.
A Wii and Zelda for a VCS and Adventure ? A person would have to be mad to make such a trade! If you were to offer a VCS and 'Combat' however...
I'm not much of a gamer but I absolutely love this game! Prefer the first one though, it's got better music.
It depends on how you play it. Though I prefer GH1's soundtrack, GHII has VASTLY improved multiplayer.
Hopefully the X-Box 360 version of GHII will have the original GH tracks as Live downloads. Even if they are pay for downloads, I would sell my PS2 version, and Rebuy it to have that soundtrack with the better multiplayer modes.
I hate it when people talk about entertainment products, as if the companies are doing as little as humanly possible. Behind those games are designers with a sense of personal pride, and intrigue.
Yes, but if long load times don't hurt your sales you are less inclined to put more man hours into reducing them. The movies are no different, they make choices based on time, money, and limited resources. Watch Peter Jackson's Kong and tell me the 'Tender moments' with Kong, didn't look great. Now watch the fast moving action scenes with the Dinosaurs, and tell me they couldn't use more time in the render farm to clean them up. They put their attention to what they felt was more important. Same thing with game development. If they don't feel it detracts significantly to their product, they don't put put the extra time in. If it doesn't hurt their sales, there isn't a business reason for them to do so.
The best reason to wait on purchasing it is for when there are more quality games available, but not because you feel Blu-Ray is pointless.
True. When you buy a game system, you do buy it for the games. Honestly I think the best reasons to own a PS3 aren't coming at least until Late 2007, and I have yet to see any actual gameplay footage from either FFXIII ot MGS4 which conserns me. FFVII for the PS1 had great pre-rendered videos, so I want to see someone playing a build of it before I get to hyped about its graphics.
Price is also a factor. Sony would have a lot more people interested in it if they had a $299-$399 version that used a DVD9. Despite the X-box losing the cost advantage if you buy the HD-DVD add on, the unit is modular and optional. Some people like convergence, others do not. Personally, I would rather buy a stand alone player, as they work better, and come with more features than an integrated solution.
What happens in practice is that people like me go out any buy Sony systems and games anyway because game content trumps loading delays. Which is a shame, because it's not like I really enjoy loading delays, but perhaps I only have myself to blame.
True. The Market (or consumer) will get exactly what it puts up with. Personally I'm a multi-console owner and I read reviews before I buy anything. In the case of a multiplatform title, I try to buy the version with the least loading.
So either the wording is misleading or Sony has issued yet another half-ass excuse for why the PS3 does all the...unexpected...things people are reporting.
Well technically it was a REAL bottom of the food chain Sony rep who said something this stupid, and not someone like Ken (who had some doozies anyway). To say this lockup may be 'intentional in any way' is simply a stupid assertion. I have been to 3 different stores running PS3s that are (on multiple visits) locked up and unable to play the same demo.
I see 4 possibilities here:
Either there is an issue with the Code of the game,
The (Sony supplied) Kiosks don't have proper ventilation to prevent the unit from over heating;
There is an issue with the code of the PS3 itself, or
There is a hardware defect present in each of these units.
Personally I think the first 2 are most likely, but all are possible explinations, and all should have been discovered with proper QA testing before these Kiosks hit retail.
I did, however, wait for a Wii... but Zelda aside, has been somewhat disappointing.
Just out of curiosity, what other games have you played? There have been some real duds in the launch, but luckily I have a gamefly account and am able to try it out first. Currently I have 7 games (way more than I though I would at this point) and am curious to what else you've been sampling. Have you tried Rayman? It and WiiSports I would recommend to anyone.
Slashdot Mirror
Well, Slashdot REALLY loves the Wii, and I'm sure that's partially due to the "Apple-ness" of the product design. I think the 360 is kind of a guilty pleasure they allowed themselves, since MS still loses money on it.
They will either stop when they get their acheivement, or simply get frustrated from their single minded strategy not working. What do you care though, it just helps you get closer to the "Seriously..." Achievement, the more people do this... :-)
In a round about way you have that, but it's game specific. In Gears of War, 2 of your most difficult achievements (Complete the game on Insane difficulty, and getting 10,000 kills in ranked multiplayer matches) Unlock gamer Pics. Personally I like this method as it showcases at a glance you completed something difficult, and didn't just grind easy achievement points.
Though I remember that was the case for the original X-Box, I don't remember seeing that for the 360. Do you have a source for the 360? Last I saw they were touting 5.5/6 million users on Live. Let's just assume that the vast majority are the Free, "Silver" memberships. They still have many compelling reasons to pick live, over the other Offerings. Acheivements are a special kind of crack that is like the Wii controller, you really have to experiance it to wrap your head around how addictive it can be.
It's better then anything else out there, and "Acheivements" are their own brand of crack... This gives them an advantage over multiplatform releases.
The MPAA wouldn't allow it. In fact they were asked if they could use the same symbols to avoid customer confusion.
The rough translations of Video game to Movie ratings:
E = G
E10 = PG
T = PG-13
M = R
AO = NC-17 to X.
Interesting, I was tempted to walk out of Pirates 2 (really, I was bored), despite adoring the first one. I also felt Empire was unfullfilling and essentially 'Return of the Jedi Part 1' as it couldn't stand on its own merit. Try to imagine Jedi never happened, many people would have been pissed that's how Star Wars ended. To each their own, I suppose.
Now, I can't speak for the PS3 as I do not own one, but in reguards to the X-Box 360 and the Wii they both have 'Parental Controls' that read the games rating, and checks it against what you allow to be played on the console. This works on All current offerings (360 games, Live arcade games, Wii games, and VC titles), but not Gamecube games (I am unsure about original X-box games, but I don't think they would support this either). So, WORST case scenario is if you don't want your kid playing T or M rated games, you lock it out.
The best part is that all 360 games have Acheivements and the child would either Keep a record that (s)he has played the game (or been playing) or give up any associated points (s)he could have earned.
What is the issue again? Do we need to pass legislation to protect society from parents who wish to remain uninformed or uninvolved in their children's lives? Is that what we're talking about?
In all of these movies -- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Back to the Future II, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, The Matrix Reloaded, etc.
The common aspect I see is all of those movies were lackluster sequels to solid 'First efforts'.
Part of the reasoning though is that Japan is vitally important as many of the major development studios are Japanese. This implies that if the DS is MUCH more popular in 'the back yard' of these studios, then the DS will get more developmental support from them. If you enjoy games from these studios, it's especially important.
Another stat cited is that no only does the DS have more units sold, it has a higher software attach rate making development for that platform even more attractive.
If I bought the first one and liked it, could I buy the 'season pack' and have the $8.95 deducted from the $34.95? Just wondering.
Depends on the game. Some games (Mario Kart, Bomberman, Gears of War) I buy specifically for the multiplayer. The 'Narrative' is actually bonus material in my eyes, and if I can beat it in a week I'm not disapointed since I will still get my value out of it. What concerns me is paying $40 - $60 for a game that is short and has no multiplayer. Those are for Gamefly.
This means that not only did Tyco from Penny Arcade get one, he convinced Gabe to get one to!
I couldn't agree more. In fact I sold all my Golf, and Tennis video games on eBay, as there is simply no going back. Personally I can't wait to play Mario Tennis Wii, or Tiger Woods Wii, but they better get the controls right. (Incidentially Super Swing Golf for the Wii screwed up the mechanics.)
Personally I agree. To be clear I LOVE Zelda, but WiiSports got my retired parents (who are as non-gamer as you can get) interested in purchasing a Wii. That is unprecidented, and the sign of something special.
I have figured out how to slice the ball, and pick my corner of the court I want to return the ball to, but for the life of me I can't figure out how to consistantly do the "Rocket Serve". Sometimes I just do it and can't repeat it. Any ideas?
That would be a hell of an argument to make. Considering both the PS1, and the PS2 were the technically inferior systems of their generations. If graphics were the end all, then the PS2 would have stopped selling the day the X-box and GameCube launched. Same with the N64 over the PS1, or the PSP over the DS for that matter.
Better Graphics != Better sales.
A Wii and Zelda for a VCS and Adventure ? A person would have to be mad to make such a trade! If you were to offer a VCS and 'Combat' however...
It depends on how you play it. Though I prefer GH1's soundtrack, GHII has VASTLY improved multiplayer.
Hopefully the X-Box 360 version of GHII will have the original GH tracks as Live downloads. Even if they are pay for downloads, I would sell my PS2 version, and Rebuy it to have that soundtrack with the better multiplayer modes.
Yes, but if long load times don't hurt your sales you are less inclined to put more man hours into reducing them. The movies are no different, they make choices based on time, money, and limited resources. Watch Peter Jackson's Kong and tell me the 'Tender moments' with Kong, didn't look great. Now watch the fast moving action scenes with the Dinosaurs, and tell me they couldn't use more time in the render farm to clean them up. They put their attention to what they felt was more important. Same thing with game development. If they don't feel it detracts significantly to their product, they don't put put the extra time in. If it doesn't hurt their sales, there isn't a business reason for them to do so.
True. When you buy a game system, you do buy it for the games. Honestly I think the best reasons to own a PS3 aren't coming at least until Late 2007, and I have yet to see any actual gameplay footage from either FFXIII ot MGS4 which conserns me. FFVII for the PS1 had great pre-rendered videos, so I want to see someone playing a build of it before I get to hyped about its graphics.
Price is also a factor. Sony would have a lot more people interested in it if they had a $299-$399 version that used a DVD9. Despite the X-box losing the cost advantage if you buy the HD-DVD add on, the unit is modular and optional. Some people like convergence, others do not. Personally, I would rather buy a stand alone player, as they work better, and come with more features than an integrated solution.
True. The Market (or consumer) will get exactly what it puts up with. Personally I'm a multi-console owner and I read reviews before I buy anything. In the case of a multiplatform title, I try to buy the version with the least loading.
True; but to compare the 2 you need to compare the same modes (go Apples to Apples), otherwise you are tainting the results.
Computer Off + Wii Off. Turn them both on, with the purpose of checking weather.
Computer On + Wii On. While both at "Main menu" (Desktop) check weather.
Computer in Standby Mode + Wii in Standby mode. "Wake" them both, with the purpose of checking weather.
Computer in Screen Saver Mode + Wii in "Screen Saver" (burn in prevention) Mode. "Wake" them both, with the purpose of checking weather.
I feel that would be the accurate test to say which is quicker. I'm sure the computer would still be quicker in some of those scenarios, but not all.
Well technically it was a REAL bottom of the food chain Sony rep who said something this stupid, and not someone like Ken (who had some doozies anyway). To say this lockup may be 'intentional in any way' is simply a stupid assertion. I have been to 3 different stores running PS3s that are (on multiple visits) locked up and unable to play the same demo.
I see 4 possibilities here:
Either there is an issue with the Code of the game,
The (Sony supplied) Kiosks don't have proper ventilation to prevent the unit from over heating;
There is an issue with the code of the PS3 itself, or
There is a hardware defect present in each of these units.
Personally I think the first 2 are most likely, but all are possible explinations, and all should have been discovered with proper QA testing before these Kiosks hit retail.
Just out of curiosity, what other games have you played? There have been some real duds in the launch, but luckily I have a gamefly account and am able to try it out first. Currently I have 7 games (way more than I though I would at this point) and am curious to what else you've been sampling. Have you tried Rayman? It and WiiSports I would recommend to anyone.
All George Washington had to do to become President, was not to say he didn't want it.