Topic: The Conduit

[vudu]

Is that a "we knew this game would only be good enough to get around 8" or a "we knew reviewers would only give it an 8 due to anti-Wii bias"?

Most likely the first.  This looks like a good game.  But it doesn't look like a great game.  I don't think anyone expects this game to compare to Mario Galaxy or Brawl in terms of quality.

Look all the way back to the first page for my day one thoughts.

Guys, this is a game about giant, alien bugs invading Washington DC and an elite, secret government agent who must single-handedly save the human race.

If this were coming out on any other system we would be laughing our asses off right now.

Pretty much on target, no?

[KDR_11k]

FPSes sell heavily on their graphics and other secondary features because their primary features tend to be entirely identical. So many people are used to dual analogs already that some idiots honestly claim it works better than mouse and keyboard.

Anyway, I don't really care, I'd be hard pressed to tell why Bioshock is supposed to be way better than Doom 3

[NWR_insanolord]

Is that a "we knew this game would only be good enough to get around 8" or a "we knew reviewers would only give it an 8 due to anti-Wii bias"?

Probably a little of both, though it's hard to make the case for anti-Wii bias when both reviews so far are from Nintendo-specific magazines. Still, I have no problem buying an 8 game no matter what the platform and it's the best example of a genre I really enjoy on the Wii so I'm still fully planning to buy it.

[Mop it up]

So many people are used to dual analogs already that some idiots honestly claim it works better than mouse and keyboard.

Well maybe you misinterpreted what those "idiots" have said. Usually what I see them say (and what I say myself) is not that a controller works better than a mouse and keyboard, but that a controller is easier to use. Just because something technically functions better doesn't mean that everybody will be able to use it. I find a mouse to be way too finicky to be accurate so I need something that's less precise. That's right, for some people being too precise is a bad thing.

[Ian Sane]

FPSes sell heavily on their graphics and other secondary features because their primary features tend to be entirely identical. So many people are used to dual analogs already that some idiots honestly claim it works better than mouse and keyboard.

Anyway, I don't really care, I'd be hard pressed to tell why Bioshock is supposed to be way better than Doom 3

I'd figure the details make the difference, specifically the level design.  Because of my Nintendo loyality I'm so out of the loop with first person shooters that I can't make current comparisons.  But the details are why Goldeneye was better than Turok.  A few years back my brother got the Doom collection for the PC.  He played the **** out of it.  Later he got DOS Box going and started revisting Duke Nukem 3D.  He immediately noted that Duke didn't hold up while Doom did because of the level design.  In Doom it felt like every enemy placement and the arrangement was specifically designed to provide an intense experience and with proper game balance and a realistic challenge.  With Duke3D he noticed the devs went more for a "how about a level in ____ setting" feel but didn't put any thought into enemy placement or balance.  So one early level is hard as **** and then a later level is easy as pie.  Some levels have a logical layout, some seem arbitrary.  Some parts he was convinced required cheat codes to proceed, which he only required in Doom for the Final Doom levels (which unsurprising to him were not designed by id Software themselves).

So that sort of thing can make a huge difference.  Go back to the 16-bit days and someone from appearance could say that Mario, Bubsy and Aero the Acrobat all looked the same to him.  And in terms of basic game mechanics they are very similar.  But when you get to the details you immediately notice that Super Mario World gets all the little things right and those other games DON'T.

With widely copied genre games you can tell who really knows what they're doing and who just thinks they do.  The weak FPS games are the ones designed by guys who think it's just "first person view, shoot things with a gun".

[BeautifulShy]

Ian did you ever consider getting this game ever since the game was announced?

[GoldenPhoenix]

One review should not turn things into a Conduit bashing affair (especially one with lame reasons). IGN said they got a Perfect Dark vibe from the game when it comes to the single player (it even has some framerate hits here and there which is sad). It sounds like it is going to get an 8 or so, and frankly is that something be disappointed with? In case anyone didn't notice, most of the current "Next gen HD OMG beautiful" are lucky to get into the 9s. Personally an 8 or so is what I hope for and even I had some doubts because HVS isn't proven and this is one their first major games so they have learning to do. Looks like it was a great first effort!

[ShyGuy]

I will be playing Conduit next week. Where can I pick it up earlier than Wednesday?

[GoldenPhoenix]

I will be playing Conduit next week. Where can I pick it up earlier than Wednesday?

Go to HVS's office and ask nicely.

[BeautifulShy]

So I got enough money to grab this.I will be picking it up on Wednesday.

[ShyGuy]

I'm going to be gone on vacation starting Thursday night. I need more than one night of Conduit. NEED IT.

[GoldenPhoenix]

I'm going to be gone on vacation starting Thursday night. I need more than one night of Conduit. NEED IT.

Don't go on vacation?

[Ian Sane]

Ian did you ever consider getting this game ever since the game was announced?

I was quite interested when it was first revealed and my interest has gone up and down throughout, depending on impressions and such.

I do find the hype for it annoying.  It seems the game gets a lot of hype solely because it's a competent FPS on the Wii.  And a lot of the people hyping it up are the same people that hype up EVERY Wii game of any significance.  That sort of association is like a reverse endorsement for me.  If you go a forum that's just general gaming, like the Penny Arcade forum for example, this game just isn't creating the same buzz.  But other Wii titles like Nintendo's own efforts and Boom Blox and Muramasa are so I can't claim an anti-Wii bias.  The Conduit appears to be of no concern with those that own more than just a Wii.  I don't see that as good sign.

I find the Wii has created largely a culture of mediocrity where many fans not only put up with the most pathetic of third party support but DEFEND it and act like it's actually really GOOD because they have nothing else.  THAT is who is hyping the **** out of The Conduit.

With third party Wii games I think the question should be "would someone who owns another console besides the Wii consider buying this?"  Quite often that answer is "no".  I'm not interested in games that are "good by Wii third party standards" because that's not much of an accomplishment.  The Conduit should be a big deal if it was released on ANY console.  It should give Halo or Resistance a run for their money, not just be a big fish in a small pond.

[BeautifulShy]

So I take it you aren't getting it.

[Caliban]

If you go a forum that's just general gaming, like the Penny Arcade forum for example, this game just isn't creating the same buzz.

Just wait until either Gabe , or Tycho write their opinion on the game.

I use my gaming intuition on what I want to try. If I didn't like it I just trade it back in. I do check for what kind of content the game offers, but not the opinions of others on whether they like it or not.

With third party Wii games I think the question should be "would someone who owns another console besides the Wii consider buying this?"  Quite often that answer is "no".

They're all fazed by the HD graphics. They're not fazed by the non-revolutionary gameplay elements that these HD games offer.

[Stratos]

If you own multiple consoles and wanted an FPS that had motion/pointer controls as opposed to traditional dual stick FPSes then I would imagine Conduit would be a big deal.

[GoldenPhoenix]

The Conduit appears to be of no concern with those that own more than just a Wii.

Hey look, Ian making stupid and asinine generalizations. AMAZING.

It is funny on IGN Bozon said he prefers Conduit over Halo, and really I'm more interested in it then most FPS games. Seriously Ian, your spiel is getting old, good 3rd party games come out and you still whine. Conduit so far has gotten good reviews, and is a GOOD game going by most. The funny thing is that a game like Tiger Woods is considered best on Wii, but of course you blatantly ignore examples like that.

No one said the Conduit was going to be an amazing landmark game but most of us hoped it would be a good FPS perhaps in the vein of Goldeneye and PD, which it appears it is. Also to let other people's hype hut your interest in a game is silly at best. Have you thought that maybe you should think for yourself? I recall you using metacritic scores as a way of determining of your interest and not a heck of a lot else which is why you ignored Deadly Creatures. There is a built in bias against Wii games because many are quite different from the traditional big budget crap being spewed by developers now (and there are few gems in that mess). Just think Ian, while you are regurgitating the same tired and outdated crap you could be picking up some good Wii games.

Boom Blox Bash Party
Tiger Woods 10
Ghostbusters
Let's Tap
Klonoa
Grand Slam Tennis

All of which have came out within the last two months. Or you can buy a PS3 and pick up, um, its one good game in the last 2 months, Infamous. Or a good 360 game, like, uhhhh, not sure when it comes to the last two months.

[GoldenPhoenix]

If you own multiple consoles and wanted an FPS that had motion/pointer controls as opposed to traditional dual stick FPSes then I would imagine Conduit would be a big deal.

If Conduit gets one slightly above average score it is the sux and because he says multisystem owners won't like it, that is the faczts

[BeautifulShy]

If I recall correctly Lindy was going to review the game for the site.Lindy when do you plan on getting the review up?

[Stratos]

Ian hasn't hated on the game yet, guys. He even started that he wants to wait until some of the bigger sites rate it.

He's merely stated two things.
First, the hype doen't appear to go far beyond the core Wii fanbase (by that I mean the Wii-only crowd). So this doesn't look like it will be a system seller (my conclusion)

Second, initial reviews are not boding well for this game being a GOTY contender or a game that get's close to Galaxy rating.
Therefore the game might not garner more attention and support from other other 3rd party publishers and developers even though it is the market leader (also my conclusion, but one I think Ian would agree with).

It not like he's said he wants the game to fail. He is just stating observations and facts along with some thoughts on what makes a good FPS stand out from the crowd.

Let's wait to jump on him after he goes and judges the game without playing it.

[GoldenPhoenix]

Ian hasn't hated on the game yet, guys. He even started that he wants to wait until some of the bigger sites rate it.

He's merely stated two things.
First, the hype doen't appear to go far beyond the core Wii fanbase (by that I mean the Wii-only crowd). So this doesn't look like it will be a system seller (my conclusion)

Second, initial reviews are not boding well for this game being a GOTY contender or a game that get's close to Galaxy rating.
Therefore the game might not garner more attention and support from other other 3rd party publishers and developers even though it is the market leader (also my conclusion, but one I think Ian would agree with).

It not like he's said he wants the game to fail. He is just stating observations and facts along with some thoughts on what makes a good FPS stand out from the crowd.

Let's wait to jump on him after he goes and judges the game without playing it.

Uh huh. Let's see.

The Conduit appears to be of no concern with those that own more than just a Wii.

Yeah, what a fair statement! At least it isn't worded as poorly as when he said only people that don't have other systems will like it, but still just as bad.

I find the Wii has created largely a culture of mediocrity where many fans not only put up with the most pathetic of third party support but DEFEND it and act like it's actually really GOOD because they have nothing else.  THAT is who is hyping the **** out of The Conduit.

Oh that is such a fair statement, not inflammatory in the least! I'd love to know what these pathetic third party games are that are hyped as REALLY good games.

And a lot of the people hyping it up are the same people that hype up EVERY Wii game of any significance.  That sort of association is like a reverse endorsement for me.

So even handed. Ok I take everything back. (Not really)

Also this super hype thing is a bit silly, I don't recall anything trotting the game out like it was going to be Game of the Year contender (at least no one sane). People were hyped because it looked like a fun FPS with very good controls with perhaps a bit of Perfect Dark like gameplay thrown in. I know I was excited for it because I really hate dual analog controls and this looked like a fun alternative to the stuff on the other consoles. My only fear is that it wouldn't come together well, but it looks like, by most indications, it has even if it may not be mind blowingly great. Seriously though the only mind blowingly great FPS IMO in the last few years has been Bioshock.

[ShyGuy]

I'm going to be gone on vacation starting Thursday night. I need more than one night of Conduit. NEED IT.

Don't go on vacation?

The person I am vacationing with would kill me. KILL ME.

[BeautifulShy]

I'm going to be gone on vacation starting Thursday night. I need more than one night of Conduit. NEED IT.

Don't go on vacation?

The person I am vacationing with would kill me. KILL ME.

Well how about this.We do a little Wi-Fi night on Wednesday.That would give you lots of play in a short amount of time.

[BeautifulShy]

I have a request of the staff.Could you post a FC topic for the game now.Thank You.

[Stratos]

I love broken street dates. I should go check if any places in my area have done so.