Messages

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TalkBack / Re: Hyrule Warriors Offers Classic Costumes as Pre-Order Bonus

« on: August 05, 2014, 01:30:06 AM »

These costumes are all paid DLC in Japan so you will get one for free depending on where you pre-order and you can buy the others on the eShop if you so choose. Sounds like a positive to me. And they are just costumes.


And why would this be Nintendo's fault? Don't Tecmo Koei do this for other Warriors games?

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 377: When Fun Just Isn't Enough

« on: April 09, 2014, 03:50:50 PM »

Fun is always enough.


Don't know why Mario Kart always gets flack for this when it only releases once per console. They make different alterations each game and of course it being in HD is a selling point, it doesn't release every year.


And screw comparing it to Madden, you guys are better than that. There have been 25 of those.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 309: James vs The Gaping Dragon

« on: October 10, 2012, 02:54:12 AM »

Mario Party 9 is a really fun game.  Never played a Mario Party before but 9 is a lot of fun and supposedly removes a lot of quirks that held back past games.  Still a lot of luck involved with who gets stars on the board but the whole board game is different with everyone moving together.  And the motion controls are used very infrequently (not even close to the amount of Wii Party, which I feel is still superior but both are fun).

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 305: Xmas Eve-Eve

« on: September 09, 2012, 10:40:29 PM »

I am one who has written in before about a media bias against Nintendo so I would feel differently than the cast does about it.  Yes, information from Nintendo is hard to come by but it shouldn't result in NWR/RFN completely outperforming the major sites who make a living covering the gaming industry.  I would guess a lot of readers/listeners are here because they can't find the coverage elsewhere (I know I am).  How is that acceptable from the other sites perspective?  It's Nintendo, not some no-name nobody.  They sold nearly 100 million consoles this generation but you would think it did Gamecube numbers (not that this didn't exist then either to some extent)


It's fine to be critical.  It's good to be critical.  But it's not good to be critical only to be dismissive.  That's where I feel the tone is different, Nintendo is more likely to have their stuff be dismissed immediately or can only succeed begrudgingly.  How soon after the SmartGlass announcement did people decree it the end of the Wii U?  Why did some people claim the 3rd party games reel at E3 2011 as looking worse than PS3/360 even though it was actual PS3/360 footage?  Why was the expanded market of the Wii such a bad thing but the expanded market of iOS so great?  It's because people see what they want to see.


Nintendo is rarely treated as part of the gaming industry.  This is partly, of course, Nintendo's desire to go against the grain and do their own thing but the rest of the industry and the media (which are kind of the same thing these days) want to keep pushing Nintendo further out into their own sector so they don't have to be dealt with anymore.  This isn't completely across the board, of course, but it just feels like it's more common than it isn't.


/fanboy rant

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 287: Demolition Sherpa

« on: April 18, 2012, 01:51:14 AM »

The name Shaky Jake had me cracking up.  Bad time to listen while driving.


All the PAX East stuff was gold.  Gonna go to one of these shows some day.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 279: Fo' Slo'

« on: February 17, 2012, 02:37:12 PM »

Yeah, my wife (who is American) makes fun of me.  She says pah-sta, I say pas-ta.  My heritage haunts me!

I am married to a Canadian as well (how I noticed your pronunciation) so I know the feeling.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 279: Fo' Slo'

« on: February 15, 2012, 04:38:57 AM »

Enjoyed Jon's Canadian pronunciation of 'Saga'.  It sure was a saga making the pasta in my Mazda.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 275: The Pen-and-Paper Podcast

« on: January 16, 2012, 03:29:23 PM »

Look, I'm a Bethesda fan, but their bugs are starting to piss me off! For instance, an entire city is bugged for me (I'm playing the PS3 version). Literally -- the entire city of Markarth is unplayable because an army of guards would always attack me for no reason whatsoever. The conversation system does not work in, or around the city: a guard would come up to me, tell me I've killed someone and must go to prison, I'm given a choice to submit or fight, I chose to submit but the game doesn't register it, so the guard echos the poorly acted sentence again! It's an endless cycle of repetition until I leave the conversation and then he, and an entire army, starts attacking.

I have the exact same bug (360 though).  It really is frustrating because all my open quests require me to go to that city so the game sits there unplayed until they fix it.  I have had funny bugs in Bethesda games (a Deathclaw randomly launching into space over and over again in Fallout 3) and I forgive those but the bugs that alter actual content are terrible.


Also, I saw several outlets actually ask for the PS3 build to review but end up with only the 360 version as if Bethesda knew the PS3 version was borked and would reflect in lower review scores.  I get the 'it didn't hinder my experience' argument because it was largely true for me as well but the guard bug in Markarth has left a pretty bad taste in my mouth.  There is also a difference between releasing a buggy product and releasing a version that out-and-out does not work.  A video breakdown showed the PS3 version hitting 0 Frames Per Second, a first for that analysis.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 271: And I'll Form the Head!

« on: December 23, 2011, 01:12:33 AM »

Ah yes, the old standby that since I said something positive about a Nintendo game that I must be a fanboy.  Seriously, if you listened to any podcast this past year, no one was talking about or anticipating Zelda that was not a Nintendo podcast.  That's fine, they talk about what they want, but my point was that their reactions once having played the game were going to be tepid based on their lack of enthusiasm going in.  Since they weren't anticipating it, there must be something wrong with it if they aren't excited and it is from an established franchise.  It is much easier to dwell on issues you have with something than to prop up the positives, especially with Zelda when positives are expected.  If you completely reskinned this game and gave it a different title, the reaction would have been much more glowing.


Problematic? Lazy? Not competent? Mediocre? Gonna disagree with all those assessments.  But that is the good thing about this, we are allowed to have dissenting opinions.  Based on lurking the boards here though, you are much more likely to be negative (draped in the guise of being more critical) while I am more likely to be positive about experiences because enjoying something is enjoyable so I can overlook issues if/when present.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 271: And I'll Form the Head!

« on: December 22, 2011, 11:46:23 PM »

You know, every gaming podcast I listen to talks about Skyward Sword's glowing features for two minutes, and all the stuff that's crappy for about a half hour afterward. It makes me not want to play the game.

Then don't play it, simple.  You seem predisposed to dislike it anyway based on the fact that you are still on the fence about even picking it up.  There are more than two minutes of amazing things in the game and my personal issues with the game are minimal at best (certainly not half an hour's worth) and not nearly enough to even come close to ruining the experience for me.  And, let's be honest, did you really expect other podcasts to be very positive on the game, regardless of what was on the disc?


I was definitely predisposed to love it so of course my take is positive but I agreed with nearly every word Jonny said during the show.  I was going to collect everything anyway so it did not bother me that there were sections like that.  Greg and James definitely overstated the 'DK64' section because it only took me like 30-40 minutes, tops, and I was on my way.


Jonny is dead right about the story, too.  It really is wonderful, filled with great side characters, and little touches that kept me engaged (though the game is quite engaging without the story).  It really sets up the Legend nicely.


I guess it is more fun to complain than enjoy things, though.

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TalkBack / Re: 2nd Annual NWR Live Podcast Telethon for Child's Play

« on: November 25, 2011, 02:12:52 PM »

Jim, I did not get that tone from Billy during the show. Maybe he just didn't want to repeat himself from all the comments on Weekend Confirmed that week. As for Jeff Cannata, this was not the ideal segment for him but it was the only time he was available. We had so many specialists that he didn't get much chance to participate. I will try to have him back sometime for a different result. :-)

You are right, he did have a different tone on Weekend Confirmed.  I think what it was was all the swearing (not a prude but I noticed it) during the segment from Billy.  I think if the swearing was removed the tone shifts significantly.


I do wish Cannata could have talked more because I do enjoy his insight and enthusiasm when given a topic he is more of a specialist in.  Would be great if he were to come back on a regular show.


And I want to make it clear I was not complaining, just some observations.  All the segments were great and this whole show was amazing for us to listen to and we honestly thank you all for putting it together.

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TalkBack / Re: 2nd Annual NWR Live Podcast Telethon for Child's Play

« on: November 24, 2011, 11:08:21 PM »

Finally got to listen to the Gamecube discussion.


Billy seems very angry and bitter towards the Gamecube.  I guess it is easier to discuss the negatives than the positives, especially when he was so close to it.


Cannata had nothing to contribute.  I enjoy him on Weekend Confirmed usually but it just shows how little other outlets actually know about Nintendo and how this attitude is not new to the Wii era.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 267: The Friendly Ghost

« on: November 13, 2011, 06:42:12 PM »

Totally thought Greg was going to announce his retirement at the beginning.  Don't do that to me, man!


Great talk about how other podcasts are worthless sources for anything Nintendo.  Have unsubscribed from many shows that just had ridiculous conversations about topics they clearly knew nothing about.


GameScoop is the worst podcast there is.  Daemon has been hating on Nintendo for years (even when he was on the IGN Nintendo team) and Greg Miller is the worst person working in the game media.  His reviews (namely Dead Space 2 and Uncharted 3) are some of the worst written garbage I have ever read.  Just amateurish, hyperbolic nonsense that seems to be written by an 11-year old.  Don't take anything he says seriously.


RFN is definitely your best source in regards to podcasts.  They are positive when there is good news, critical and thoughtful when there are negatives, and always knowledgable about the topic at hand.

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TalkBack / Re: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Unboxing

« on: October 31, 2011, 10:04:37 PM »

$150!?[/size]I love Zelda, but no thanks.

It is actually only $69.99 but Amazon sold out of it already with preorders.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 264: All Good Things...

« on: October 25, 2011, 04:07:01 PM »

I had a very similar experience to TYP regarding the N64.  I knew nothing about it before it launched (I was still busy with my NES and knew nothing about the internet) and it was playing Goldeneye at a friends birthday party right after Christmas that got me to return the PS1 my parents had surprised my brother and I with for Christmas for a 64.  Never regretted the decision and it was the beginning of gaming becoming an important part of my life.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 260: Zero-Sum Xenomics

« on: September 27, 2011, 09:21:25 PM »

Phones are moving away from having any sort of input that isnt just touching the screen so I dont see that being a huge threat.  Apple will NEVER have actual buttons and d-pad on the iPhone/Touch so while the tech in the phones will continue to improve, they will not be capable of replicating buttons/pad.  The hardware will be very capable of having its own software that uses the touch in interesting ways but will never be able to do a Mario game as well as a 3DS.


Also, the App Store always gets put on some pedestal as a digital store done right but my experience has not been very rosy.  If the game/app isnt in the top 25 or featured, it is impossible to find unless you know exactly what you are looking for.  Maybe the cream rises to the top but its hard once the top has been established.  I dont find it much better than Nintendo's digital stores, to be honest.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 69: The End

« on: September 10, 2011, 07:42:01 PM »

Typical Nintendo World Report. Out for a little over a year and already looking to make a revision? Let the speculation begin. I think they are going to add a 2nd mike to be placed behind their heads for a weird kind of "3D" surround sound.

Hope it's lighter too, the current show is Phat.

Nintendo World Report going 3rd Party confirmed.

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TalkBack / Re: Star Fox Characters: My Pilots, My Friends

« on: September 05, 2011, 07:50:00 PM »

Great caption under Slippy's picture.  It says a lot that this game is still so quotable.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 252: Sky Puppies Defeat Fake Hero

« on: July 31, 2011, 05:51:35 PM »

Wow, a reasoned, level-headed, yet critical analysis of the 3DS price drop announcement and what it means for the future of the platform.  And on the internet, no less!  Not like all the other outlets declaring this the end of handhelds and fellating their iPhone.

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TalkBack / Re: Wii U - The Unanswered Questions

« on: June 18, 2011, 11:22:45 AM »

sweet, sweet Lord, can we please stop using the term 'hardcore'?  it is completely meaningless and provides very little insight into gamers because everyone wants very different things.

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TalkBack / Re: Raptr and Nintendo World Report Summer Giveaway

« on: June 15, 2011, 01:33:23 PM »

Me want free game, please.

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TalkBack / Re: Why Handhelds Aren't Dead

« on: June 10, 2011, 03:52:30 PM »

Well said, had been thinking this for awhile too.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: E3 2011: The Homecast

« on: June 08, 2011, 01:14:01 PM »

when has Nintendo ever made a game like Uncharted or Killzone or Gears?  Never, and they never will.  You say everyone wants the return of the SNES but that will never happen because you aren't 12 years old anymore when you originally played the SNES. 


And let's put a moratorium on talking about how much the name sucks.  We get it, people don't like it but it didnt do any good when they named the Wii so its not going to do any good now.  Let's be honest, how many good console names are there?  Not many.  Lets just call it the U and then you can continue to bitch about all the other things you are unsatisfied with. 

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 237: Shiny New Toy

« on: April 04, 2011, 05:18:24 PM »

Thanks for the good words, gentlemen.  Kicking cancer's ass gets difficult from time to time and its nice to hear good things.


I definitely should have used the word 'skepticism' instead of 'negativity' because it is the much more appropriate word to describe you guys.  I felt you defended yourselves quite nicely and very even-handedly, what I expect from your discussions.  What I didnt expect was James leading the positivity train but I sure loved it.


As for Pikmin 3, I cannot wait for this game.  And it had better be for the Wii.  The pointer capabilities would shine with that game.  I dont know why people would want to deal with a 100 Pikmin and any enemies all on that tiny screen at the same time (though it would look cool).

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Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 236: Trauma Hunter

« on: March 28, 2011, 01:25:58 PM »

thanks for spending so much time on my question, guys, great discussion.


I certainly agree with you about liking not having to go to a store to buy a game or not have the cases pile up next to the system or on the shelf but my concern is that I buy a game and it is then relegated to that system.  If i want to play with a buddy, they either need to buy the game or i need to take my system.  And forget about trading games with my brother or a friend.  Also, digital prices (with the exception of Steam) stay stagnant and high at this point and it all just seems more friendly to publishers and not the consumers, with the exception of not having to drive to a store.  I know its a push to get rid of used game sales but that wont make me buy more new games if prices stay too high digitally.


I was reticent to embrace digital music as well but i dont think the two are 100% comparable so I will move forward wearily again.