Topic: Radio Free Nintendo: Episode 188

[NWR_Lindy]

I am a littled worried about the final game. Particularly the controls. Without a solid lock-on feature there is no hope of beating a monster because the camera keeps causing me to miss the monster when I go to strike it, leaving me open for the monster to retaliate and kill me. If the final game is anything like this, I will probably return it to gamestop.

Those are the controls, and they've been that way for time immemorial.  It controls exactly like the PSP version.  It takes some getting used to (and I'm used to it, so I don't mind it at all), but the key is to use the left shoulder button on the Classic Controller to keep centering the camera behind you when it gets out of whack.  I think they kept the camera and the direction of your character separate so that you can look around and see what's going on around you while you're whacking at something.

The reason why I asked if the PAX podcast will be in video form is because I would like to see what the cast memembers loo like.

Enjoy

Bought it last week, haven't played it yet. Unlike some people, however, I do eventually play every game that I buy.

Tough crowd in this thread.

My heart broke    at the missed opportunity at 51:40. LORDS OF THUNDER! Say it properly, with reverence!

Oh man, this was total ball droppage.  I'm slipping.  Maybe I'm just too used to cracking Cho Aniki jokes.  I need new material.

I heared something about a cobra at the endo of the show. What does that mean?

Call the Cobra.

What really bugs me is that when the first gamestop pulled the boxes with the promotion details printed on them to read the deal to me, and I confirmed with them that I had a DS lite, they didn't mention the different prices. They even tried to get me to put money down then and there based on an incorrect deal. Mistakes happen, but two employees at that store both agreed that a DS lite would get me the $99 DSiXL. The things those people will say to get your money, "If I were you, I'd put down the $25 right now so that you get one and you can just bring in your DS lite when you pick it up". Hooey!

Oh, that GameStop.

[NWR_insanolord]

I am totally doing the wave at this recording.

[Jonnyboy117]

I wasn't necessarily talking about you, Jon. I know tons of people who buy more games than they can play or actually collect games with little or no desire to even play them.

[KDR_11k]

You talk about the sequel stuff as a dilemma but it really isn't. A sequel must maintain the core essence of a game. This is very tricky but neither "keep it the same" nor "change it" are the correct answer. To pick up one of your examples: People complained about Hyrule being the same because it got stale and predictable, exploration doesn't really feel like exploring if you pretty much know what's going to be there. But just because we got bored with the land under our feet doesn't mean the solution is to replace it with water. People weren't bored with the basic idea of walking around terrain, they were bored by the place being the same every time. The player one podcast talks about God of War 3 and makes a very good point there: It still wows you with stuff you haven't seen before. That is part of the GoW essence. Just recycling old stuff would lose that essence because it would no longer wow you. Retaining that part of the essence means that you cannot retain the actual content as-is but it doesn't mean you should change GoW into an RPG or something.

Another example you cite is Mario 64, yes it's a massive departure. To many people the 3D Mario lost the essence of the Mario they loved which is why NSMBW outsold Galaxy. It's not about stars vs flagpoles, it's about the thought process involved in a level. What do you think about in 2D Mario? Just about what's on the current screen and how you can get to the right of it. In 3D Mario many stars are puzzles and require exploring the area, neither of which are part of the original Mario essence.

[SouthFork]

Can't wait for the PAX cast.
It occurred to me while listening this week that everyone at PAX, no matter what they are into playing now (MW2, L4D, or ME2), was at some time an eight year old sitting in front of the T.V. playing a Nintendo in some form or fashion. So no matter what booth you are eager to check out or what next gen motion controls you are rooting for one thing is certain: everyone at that convention center has Nintendo to thank for getting them there. Kum bay ya.


Also. I had no interest in Monster Hunter Tri. I went to Gamestop yesterday to trade in a game and saw the demo display and grabbed one. The guy tried to get me to pre-order and I used Johnny's line from the podcast about the press release. Thanks Johnny.


Got home and I was floored at how much I enjoyed it. It is hard as hell and the 20 min time limit doesn't seem long enough to take a monster down. The controls are weird but once I figured them out I kind of got into it. So ironically I will be going back to that guy and giving him my pre-order money.  (I'm such a push-over.)


Rob.


P.S. Greg, thanks for the awesome editing. I love how much work you put into making the cast top-notch. I can't tell you how many times I've used the chapter feature to jump around. I wish every podcast put in that kind of work.

[GregLover5000]

P.S. Greg, thanks for the awesome editing. I love how much work you put into making the cast top-notch. I can't tell you how many times I've used the chapter feature to jump around. I wish every podcast put in that kind of work.

Funny, I was going to post just about the exact same thing yesterday, word for word. I was listening on my work PC (no iTunes) and was really missing the awesome chapter markers and wondering why more podcasts aren't made with the same level of craftsmanship. So, yes, enhanced podcasts: one more reason to love Greg.

P.S. A great game for the four-year-old co-op gamer is of course Boom Blox.

[Jonnyboy117]

Really? I think the competitive multi in Boom Blox is a lot more fun than any of the cooperative modes. Now I haven't played Bash Party, so maybe that one is a different story.

[NWR_Lindy]

Got home and I was floored at how much I enjoyed it. It is hard as hell and the 20 min time limit doesn't seem long enough to take a monster down. The controls are weird but once I figured them out I kind of got into it. So ironically I will be going back to that guy and giving him my pre-order money.  (I'm such a push-over.)

That's my biggest problem with the demo...it actually turns people off from the game.  If you put your time in and actually learn to grasp the controls, it's very addictive, but the demo will communicate that to very few people.

Like I said on the podcast, the bosses are effectively living puzzles, and it's up to you to solve them through trial and error.  You start to think things like, maybe you should use a different weapon.  Maybe you could try a different tactic, like hitting them with a smoke bomb or paralyzing them.  What's their "tell" that shows you they're weak and ready to be trapped?  Can they call for help, and if so, how long do you have before you do so?  How far away do they typically fly?  When you enter the area, do they spot you right away?  It goes on and on.

Monster Hunter Tri is not a quick-hit game.  It's an unforgiving, old-school title that rewards those that take the time to learn its intricacies and idiosyncracies.  It's not suited for a demo in the slightest.

[Crimm]

So its a game made for a very tiny market: me.

[Kytim89]

So you guys want to start a monster hunter hunting party? If so, count me in once the game releases.

[KDR_11k]

I don't think you could count on me because I'm generally bad at melee combat in games.

[noname2200]

I don't think you could count on me because I'm generally bad at melee combat in games.

So stick to the bowgun! You can be the party's archer 'n stuff.

[KDR_11k]

Bowgun? That's not nearly enuff dakka!