Topics

51

Nintendo Gaming / What COULD (have) save(d) the Wii U?

« on: April 26, 2015, 03:16:53 AM »

So as I'm sure we've all noticed, Nintendo is banking hard on Splatoon renewing interest in the Wii U, with a heavy marketing focus and bundles abound. But the game is is riddled with poor design choices and an unappealing art style despite being a marked departure from what the company is known for. Likewise, XCX and Devil's Third look to be on track for release before the end of the year but they're both niche titles that probably won't do well or attract a new audience. Catering to Platinum fans hasn't helped, and the Wii U is already clogged with 2D platformers, so I doubt Wooly World will make much of a splash.

What COULD Nintendo do to turn this situation around? Amiibo are selling out but that doesn't mean Wii U's are flying off the shelves with them. What game would make non-believers sit back and say "maybe I should give this a try"? Opinions are always welcome, but I'd also like to think of the broader audience as well. Splatoon is different, but it's still very Nintendo- in other words, archaic, but most likely polished. What kind of game does the Wii U need to sway it's chances in the market? The obvious answer would be third party support, but what sort? What would be a must-have for the masses? A must-have for you?

52

General Chat / Seeking Help.

« on: April 16, 2015, 12:53:47 PM »

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/14/northern-white-rhino-sudan-armed-guard-kenya_n_7059682.html
I was just wondering how people cope with the massive scale of human influence upon the natural world- whether you believe in certain scientific theories or not, there is a wealth of evidence in regards to the callousness we treat our planet with in exploiting its resources, etc. Is it satisfying to be the dominant species on Earth, to envision a future where you try to describe an animal or environment but simply cannot find the words because it no longer exists? Is it okay to succumb to the mundane existence of life and worry about nothing when there is so much wrong with how we treat our planet? I write a blog and record podcasts about video games, for goodness' sake- why can't I put some effort into making sure the future my kids have is one I would have enjoyed, not something bleak and terrifying.
 
 This troubles me greatly and I'm looking to some solace, so I would appreciate any at all you feel interested in contributing. Sorry if I sound like an extremist, but I don't know how else to say it.

53

General Gaming / A Dilemma Regarding Video Games...

« on: March 24, 2015, 09:19:28 AM »

Hey guys, I hate to clog the forum with my own threads, but I've been having some mixed feeling for a while about video games and I wanted to get the community's input on it.

I've had a video game blog going on for about four years now, and while it's no Super Phillip Central, it brought me great joy and I was proud when it got 20,000 hits a few months ago, however pathetic that number is. I have also been recording a podcast for a few months now called "Now Playing" that is about current releases and discussion topics. I've been expanding my presence in social media as well and I've had a number of good discussions with other people in the industry and overall, it's a very progressive time in my journey as a unprofessional games journalist.

The only problem is that I've begun to dislike video games.

I've been listening to RFN discuss recent events in the industry in addition to completionists, OCD, and self-betterment, and though these past few months have also been a great time for me as an artist and a healthy human being, I haven't been able to enjoy video games as much. Partially because of these talks, but also because I've tried playing more games and just felt more and more dissatisfied. Hyrule Warriors was a random title that really hooked me because of the massive amount of content, however repetitive, but during my wait I was playing titles like Guacamelee, Xeodrifter, Teslagrad, and others and coming away with very negative opinions, and it grew to the point where I threw a pretty poisonous article about indie games up on my site, where I had to tone down my language and feelings a lot because I thought it was just spiteful. I've stirred **** about Mario Galaxy and 3D Land several times here, and gotten a lot of flak for my taste in video games. I'm also starting to realize that lots of my favorite titles are being picked to pieces and it's making me question my own opinions, something I was once proud to share because I thought it had some worth.

I don't try to be on the edge of releases- I accept that, as long as I'm not receiving review copies for games, I will never be able to put out content early enough to be one of the first things people read- unless they like my opinions, and no one has shown any signs of feeling that way. I also don't put out as much content on my blog as I used to and I find my articles are lost in a sea of twitter updates and other garbage that is the same news story being reposted ad nauseum, but I can't rail too hard on that.

I think about everything I was excited for in 2015- Zelda, Xenoblade Chronicles X... maybe a few eShop titles. That is it. I bought a PSTV a month ago for use as an emulation machine and while some of the current Vita library appeals to me, it doesn't feel like any game is monumental in nature. I have been playing through Ironfall: Invasion, Pokemon Shuffle, and Iron Combat, but I am left with such an empty feeling by all three games when I finish it shocks me. Have I become bored with video games? Do I not love them as much? Or am I simply playing a majority of crap and become disenchanted by them?

I don't have any ideas other than walking away from video games for a few months, but that is not going to happen with my podcast in full swing and people making plans to finally come over and play Smash Bros. Hell, even that game terrifies me because I'm pretty decent at it and I'm afraid people who are casually interested in video games are going to be turned off by how I play it. That's why I wanted to open the discussion to you guys and see what you thought. Am I over-analyzing things?

54

General Gaming / "THE" Game- One for each genre.

« on: March 23, 2015, 11:27:27 PM »

Hey, guys.

So there's been a lot of discussion, lots of top fives and twenties and other stuff, and nostalgia threads and whatnot. I have been trying to discuss this particular subject on my podcast, "Now Playing", for about two months, and I've never really been able to hit the discussion right on its head, so I wanted to throw it out at you guys.

I guess meta critic is a great place to really look for what I would call "THE" Game. There's many different genres in this medium, and some are more accessible than others, and sometimes we need to base our recommendations on the experience of the one who is asking. In which case, I present to you a challenge. Let's say a person who has no experience in video games asks you for a recommendation- the best, most easily accessible, resonating video game you have played in each genre. They pretty much want to see what makes playing video games so great. Now, of course, recommendations are going to vary based on the player, because not all of us have played the same games and not every game resonates with us the same way. But I am curious to hear your opinions.

I have been making a list of my own for some time that covers a number of genres, but I wanted to open the discussion to you guys before posting it. So yeah, go for it. Bonus points for specificity- "the game the resonates with me the most that incorporates 3D/motion controls/game peripherals the best" etc.

55

Nintendo Gaming / The Wii U as a stepping stone.

« on: February 08, 2015, 06:30:05 AM »

So I hate to discuss the next Nintendo console as much as the next guy, however I was reading a "handheld mockup" thread and came across an interesting picture and idea for a console called the uDS. It was a handheld that had similar ergonomics as the 3DS with the addition of a second circle pad. However, the top screen was detachable and could continue to stream gameplay with the bottom half of the clamshell operating as a controller. The kick was an iHome like home console that could connect to a tv or also operate as a sound amplifier/hard drive/disc drive for the console, retaining backwards compatibility for the Wii U. I believe the console used cartridges.

While it initially felt like the console was very focused on backwards compatibility, I've really warmed up to the idea and I see it as a natural and logical evolution of the Wii U concept. Of course, this is Nintendo we're talking about, so logic isn't a word that goes hand and hand with their hardware development. I see this as a good move for a number of reasons:

-If the uDS used cartridges for the controller and a disk drive for the iHome, it would combine the potential for customers to start their purchase off with a huge catalogue already.
-Unify game development to one console. The benefits are obvious.
-Finally there would be no excuse (and frustration) for not having specific VC titles on a certain system. This furthers the potential for that service.
-Continues the branding for both their services- yes, we're dropping "Wii" because it was a one-trick pony.

Some of you might be wondering what a system like this would cost. We have already seen Nintendo experiment with streaming in the past and the reason the Wii U was initially at its price point was because of the costs of the controller. However, if we split the handheld and the core disk-based iHome into two separate purchases, it has reduced pricing potential, and a boxed set would really not end up much more expensive that current gen offerings.

What say you?

56

Nintendo Gaming / NFC plus Super Smash Bros equals total win? An idea for "DLC"...

« on: June 24, 2012, 10:24:41 PM »

Okay, so as we all know, the Gamepad has Near Field Communication, which allows physical objects to communicate with the system to add new features and content to games. Sakurai has shown that he's quite fond of utilizing the capabilities of the consoles he's worked on recently, with the 3DS having AR card support, touch screen capabilities, a robust online system, etc.

Now, I think that the partnership with Namco Bandai could have more than a few meanings behind it. Bandai is well-known for making action figures and the like, and I think this could be combined with the NFC in a crucial way.

Smash Bros. has been largely focused on trophies (and toys) ever since its inception, so what better way to provide DLC than through literal trophies? Place them on the NFC and download an all-new character to the Wii U, releasing waves (or even just one) throughout the entire lifetime of the game and the system. But that's not all. What about trophies in different costumes that could add new appearances to your characters in game? With Bandai distributing, there's no doubt of their availability.

I think this could be a clever way to not only prolong the life of the title, but also cause kids to go into a Skylander's like frenzy over the concept. Plus, come on- wouldn't you like to have a nice little collection of Smash Bros. trophies on your shelf?

Of course, I'm not saying the initial roster should be nerfed in any way- there should be a sizable amount of content in the game at release, as Nintendo has stood by with all of their titles in regards to DLC (or lack thereof- I'm including games like Fire Emblem and NSMB2 as reference points).

57

Nintendo Gaming / Has anyone seen this glorious Circle Pad Pro revision?

« on: June 20, 2012, 02:49:56 PM »

http://kotaku.com/5917642/the-3ds-circle-pad-pro-gets-a-very-attractive-makeover

Battery extension, and not being unwieldy as all-hell: definite plus.