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Messages - Dryden

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51
Nintendo Gaming / RE:Super Smash Bros. Brawl
« on: May 11, 2006, 10:30:26 PM »
No, the Chrono series fell out of existence when Square and Enix merged.  I'd love it too, but... *sigh*...

Instead, lets have Shigeru Miyamoto as a playable character.  Hey, I'd be proud to have him as a trophy.

52
Nintendo Gaming / RE:Something still hidden
« on: May 11, 2006, 10:22:22 PM »
Just watched it.  I know more peripherals, she may have only been implying that much.  I can't really see any cost-effective hardware developments on the unit itself, though.

For fun though: a 3-D holographic image spitting out of the blue light on the Wii.

53
Nintendo Gaming / RE:I take it all back ...
« on: May 11, 2006, 12:27:09 AM »
Quote
My guess is that the game lineup has been getting better and more gamer friendly because, well, great games like Star Fox DS and Phantom Hourglass take time to develop...and non-gamer games don't.

Yeah... I don't think any system launch since N64 + Mario 64 was "gamer friendly".  Launches are riddled with short development time.  Would you truly want the DS to launch with Starfox, Zelda, or even Metroid?  You saw the Metroid that came packaged at launch - we're all glad we waited.
Meanwhile, the Wii launch has a Zelda that's been in development for... quite possibly the longest dev time since Half Life 2.  We'll all be happy.

54
Nintendo Gaming / RE:Sony half-assed ripped off Nintendo
« on: May 11, 2006, 12:20:34 AM »
Quote
I wonder if this will mean less innovative 3rd party games for the Wii?

Nintendo's hope with the controller was that more people would buy it's version of 3rd party games because the games would utilize the controller.

So with the sony controller tilt and twist function, instead of making games that take advantage of the Wii controller they just port the code for Sony's over and save money and time and so Sony kills a bird with this stone.


You know, I've thought a lot about this.  But I don't take the pessimist view.  Yes, this definately will mean less innovation from the 3rd parties, if they're designing with the PS3 in mind first and the Wii second (or third).  However, it also means a lot less risk from a company to develop a Wii game.

Think about it:  Sony just opened up the opportunity for developers to try out Nintendo's software.  It's financially less risky to be able to port the game over to another system, even with much looser control.  Any developers who looked at the Wii and said "Nope - too much money for too little return" has to rethink it now that the PS3 offers a bastardized version.  If anything, the innovation may hurt - but the number of games produced for the Wii is going to increase.

55
Nintendo Gaming / RE:Lapsed Gamer Appeal
« on: May 11, 2006, 12:10:29 AM »
Quote
I'm not a lapsed gamer, but in the past few years as I got a job and a social life, I found myself having less and less time for games, and now it often takes me too long to figure a game out. I dread going back to games like Prince of Persia, Splinter Cell, and Tales of Symphonia because I know I'll have to learn them all over again.

Yeah - me too.  And that's just the thing... I mean, I've stopped playing a lot of franchises I've experienced before because I'm too busy.  That's why I'm so glad Mario and Zelda can come to the table with something new each time.

Besides, you can't attract lapsed gamers with a blu-ray or HD-DVD format, not until one is declared a clear winner.  Not only that, but lapsed gamers can pick up this 'new' console, Wii.  The Playstation 3 is for people who bought a Playstation 2.  The Xbox 360 is for people who bought an Xbox.  They're not for people who don't play or have stopped playing video games.  If the last game I played was FFVII, lets say, there is nothing attracting me to the PS3 to get the latest installment.  But if the last game I played was Duck Hunt, Streets of Rage, Final Fight, Smash Bros 64... anything, really - then Nintendo has the best chance of winning me over.

56
Nintendo Gaming / RE:ign pans nintendo's e3 conf
« on: May 10, 2006, 02:51:17 AM »
These people are journalists.  They've highlighted every missing element from Nintendo's strategy every time they make an announcement - last E3 we were given a shiny box and promises.  IGN complained.  This year we were given a lot of information, finally, but very little hard consumer data.  IGN complains.

So?  IGN's writers are consumers too.  Even if they can take that bias out of their reporting, they still serve other consumers with their info.  Consumers want to know launch dates and pricing.  So does IGN.  I don't think they panned the conference at all.  They simply pointed out the missing info.

57
Nintendo Gaming / Lapsed Gamer Appeal
« on: May 10, 2006, 02:35:41 AM »
I'm a lapsed gamer - for all of eight months.  It was shortly after the release of Mario Kart that I encountered a lack of interest in video games.  I sold the collection - four generations of consoles, $1500 of games.

Eight months later, the DS hits.  I bite.  And I'm back in Nintendo's Pocket.

As one of Nintendo's "Lapsed Gamers", I understand where they're coming from.  In fact, if I were on the E3 floor, the very first title I'd want to try out would be Wii Sports.  Not Zelda, not Mario, not Red Steel, but the stupid, graphically laboured Tennis game that looked so... joyous.  I'd ascribe the same joy to games I know and love, like Katamari Damacy, or Loco Roco... or to the first Mario platformer or the Ocarina of Time.

This lapsed gamer tag they've put on me fits, and fits well.  And I know that friends of mine, my family, my girlfriend, etc, will all want to play that Tennis game with me when I get it.  People who gave up video games when they got their first girlfriends (don't laugh - Nintendo once characterized their target audience as being males from age 4 to the age of their first kiss.  Only ten years ago or so.) I don't think Nintendo has anything to worry about this generation - I think they will really manage to connect with people like me and sell through this entire generation.

Reggie talked about how the entertainment industry - television, movies, etc - have 100% market penetration.  Everyone watches or has watched TV.  Everyone watches or has watched movies.  And with something as simple as swinging your tennis elbow, I think Nintendo has made a brilliant move towards getting everyone to play video games.  If you can get the lapsed gamers back in, new gamers will follow.

58
TalkBack / RE:SAG Backs Out of Voice Acting Contract
« on: June 22, 2005, 10:55:44 PM »
Yes, this agreement it only applies to high-end talent **now**.  There isn't much union work for voice actors in the video games industry - it's all through smaller contracts on people being paid a quarter of what an agreement like this is worth.

How do I know?  I'm a voice actor.

Par example - ACTRA (Canadian) has agreements for recording sessions to be paid $228 for the first hour, and $63 every hour after.  Meanwhile, a smaller union muscling in on the action represents a smaller group that's getting hosed for a mere $154 for the first hour, $38 every hour after.  People who have no union affiliation - which the video game industry uses - are paid even less.

Think the current $556 / 4 hours is a good deal?  Not if it's your career.  Unless you're an actor in Xenosaga, forget supporting yourself.  My biggest break was doing Ewan McGregor's voice in the newest batch of Star Wars games.  But that only pays for my unemployed time.

59
TalkBack / Editorial Response: Dressing the Part
« on: May 27, 2005, 02:54:41 AM »
In case you missed it, the editorial is on the main page, or here


I agree and disagree, but I won't get too far into right away.  Bonnie Ruberg asks at the end of the article "for gamers, both male and female, to test the boundaries of gender roles through well-intentioned video game costume play".

Then good for my friend Brad, who just went to Otacon here in Calgary dressed as the lovely FF VII character, Aeris.  Attendees did not react calmly to the 6'2" man's pink dress, but reactions certainly ranged the spectrum from rage to adoration.

How's that for gender roles?

60
Nintendo Gaming / RE:What needs to happen for the Revolution to take back the marketshare.
« on: May 24, 2005, 11:57:14 PM »
So, I think we're unanimous - third party support for the Revolution is good.  Nintendo knows it.  Big deal.  What we don't agree on is how to build the third-party support.  I don't care how creative the Revolution is, or how much new content and cool control schemes they'll be able to program, it won't matter if third-party games are financially risky on the Revolution.  Brass tacks, folks, these are companies first - profit is king, and if Nintendo doesn't have the tools in place for everyone to make money, it's falling apart before it begins.

What are the tools?  For starters, lower franchising fees.  Everyone in the industry can tell you that.  But what else?  Nintendo has to get consoles into homes at launch.  Not tough, to be fair, given Nintendo's track record of first-party titles, and the backwards compatibility and free online gaming is very attractive, as long as the system is comparable power-wise to the competition.  And Nintendo has to agressively advertise the console, as well as push third-party titles in mags like Nintendo Power.  Again, proven track record.

So where else do developers make money?  Online.  Nintendo has taken an untested road here, one that may lead to their devestation.  Microsoft's Live service, though not free, is excellent for any game on the system.  Nintendo hasn't outlined their support plans for third-party games, but their first-party service will be free.

On a Nintendo console, am I going to play excellent free first-party games online, or excellent third-party games online for a price?  Is Nintendo cutting into the third-party marketshare by offering a free alternative on every game they make?  Argue all you want, but the guys at EB Games are going to be telling Moms this, and Holiday-time you're going to see a lot of free online games under the Christmas tree.

To be fair, Nintendo wouldn't make an online plan without consulting with the third-party developers they affect so much, and companies like Square-Enix love Nintendo's online plans, so it's gotta be sound business practice.  But again - uncharted waters.  If third-party companies are going to start losing money every time the go online with the Revolution, the dream isn't going to last.


As a side note, Nintendo has incredible third party support, but on lower-budget, higher yield Gameboy / DS games.  Moving that support to the Revolution, a middle-range-budget, middle-range yield market, is not going to be easy.  Tekken is on the gameboy.  So is GTA.  Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy too.  Low-cost, high profit.  If the Nintendo Revolution can't hit that sweet spot with the tenacity with which the GBA hit it this generation, don't expect wonders.  

61
Nintendo Gaming / RE:Katamari Damacy for DS
« on: May 20, 2005, 11:21:28 AM »
It was never really confirmed by another source that Katamari DS was happening, though.  No news is bad news... but the DS is young!  Here's hoping.  (Although I want a new franchise from the creators more...)

62
Nintendo Gaming / RE:Revolution vs XBOX360 vs PS3
« on: May 20, 2005, 09:26:41 AM »
Quote
Personally, I think it's going to be less important than ever. Quite a few people are already underwhelmed by Xbox 360 footage, and while I'm sure a lot of it is going to improve before launch, I have to wonder, if the leap from this generation to next generation isn't even that impressive, than how is anyone going to notice the graphical differences between the three next-generation systems? I'm sure super-geeks will notice, but mostly it won't matter.


Agreed.

This launch, unlike any before it, will not be so heavilly biased about graphic improvements.  But I won't go so far to say that raw power isn't important.  What about AI advancements?  NPCs on screen?  Human players in one arena?

If the Xbox 360 offers me Splinter Cell with 50 players on a single map, and the PS3 offers 100, with no other differences... Or if the Revolution army in Call of Duty has 2000 soldiers, and the PS3 can only support 1000... or if the complex AI on one system can't be processed without sacrificing available power...

Number crunching is going to be important if one company can take advantage of the scale on their platform.

63
Nintendo Gaming / RE:What's wrong with number 3?
« on: May 20, 2005, 09:14:56 AM »
(**Hedorah - the DS and Revolution are two systems.  EDIT: Point made)

Okay, Ian - that's got to be the best analogy I've ever heard.  Awesome.  And good point, too.

But I disagree.  I don't look at the market the same way you do.  Yes, Nintendo is last in the marketplace right now (in the home console race only, but we'll ignore that).  Yes, third party support has wavered significantly (with the exception of Square-Enix who wavered back - and stayed there).  And yes, buying two home consoles is a significantly large investment, especially with memory cards and extra controllers.

But what I don't see is how Nintendo's market share has affected gamers negatively.  More choice and a larger market are good things - that's simple economy practice.  And Nintendo is promising everything that its fans love - more of the established franchises, new games from Square, Ubisoft, EA, and Shiggy, and progression into the online market.  They are number 3 - and they are delivering consistently.

You're right, market share matters, and if you buy the 'last place brand car', you are going to be punished.  So don't buy an N-Gage.  But Nintendo has some kickin' gas stations that I will go out of my way to frequent.  

64
Nintendo Gaming / RE:"Revolution" / Nintendo's different tact / technolust vs. innovation
« on: May 20, 2005, 03:24:43 AM »
  Artimus, this is a great thread.

 From Ian: "Though I would say right now the hardcore console is the PS2. Sure it has a lot a mainstream junk but it has the options. The PS2 lineup is full of hardcore games. There aren't any SNK fighters Nippon Ichi RPGs on the Cube for example. "

 Careful with a phrase like 'mainstream junk'.  I don't care what you say, mainstream games, however often they're repackaged and rereleased, are the reason that the PS2 has excelled.  Then they get the 'hardcore' exclusives like SNK.

 So, what do you want?  Do you want Nintendo to repackage the same games over and over again, and encourage it's partners to do so too, just to get back to the top?  Do I really want to see a Mario Sunshine 2?  A Wind Waker 2?  A Mario Party Sevenevermind... you see my point.

65
Nintendo Gaming / RE:Revolutionary Controller
« on: May 19, 2005, 11:52:15 PM »
Nintnedo's history of controller innovation:
1. D-Pad (now industry standard)
2. Start/Select buttons (now industry standard)
3. Shoulder L/R buttons (now industry standard)
4. Analog Stick (now industry standard)
5. Rumble feature (now industry standard)
6. Good Wireless (now industry standard)
7. ????  (soon to be industry standard)

Yeah, maybe they should keep it under wraps for a while.

66
Nintendo Gaming / What's wrong with number 3?
« on: May 19, 2005, 11:45:40 PM »
Do any of you remember the ads about eight years ago from Snapple?  They proclaimed their excitement and satisfaction to be third behind Coca-cola and Pepsi and drink manufacturers, selling juice instead of carbonated drinks.  It was a market they did very well in.  They were happy to be there.

Nintendo is out there selling juice, and Microsoft and Sony are selling soda.  From what little we know, The Revolution marks Nintendo's further departure from the soda market.  They've long run a juice market that has never really been challenged, one that they're kings of.  They are going to continue to develop the juice market, and in the event of a market shift towards juice over soda, Nintendo will reap the benefits.  In the meantime, Nintendo is happy to watch the soda giants battle for supremecy with extremely similar soda products.

I like juice.  I like soda too.  I think I'll get both an be an extremely happy consumer.

(That was all code for Nintendo fans to accept that Nintendo isn't #1 anymore, and if they don't like all of Nintendo's choices, broaden your horizons and buy two systems next launch, as I plan to do.)

67
Nintendo Gaming / RE:Katamari Damacy for DS
« on: May 19, 2005, 06:27:32 AM »
Yeah, this thread's been dead since March...

But Katamari Damacy's no-show at E3 raised my eyebrows, at least.  Two possible reasons:

1.  Was never planned / scrapped early on
2.  The project evolved into a new franchise

It's not really a long shot.  Could we see a new touch-heavy game from the brilliant and twisted minds that brought us Katamari?

68
Nintendo Gaming / RE:A Revolutionary Launch
« on: May 19, 2005, 02:27:49 AM »
I think that Nintendo's version of an online community could help the launch considerably.  If I could turn on my Revolution and entertain myself for hours without even putting in or downloading a game, that would revolutionize console gaming.

Think Animal Crossing online built into the Revolution interface.  But not Animal Crossing.

(This won't happen - not even close - but I do think the online community with Nintendo will be significant enough to move systems)

69
Nintendo Gaming / RE:press conference letdown
« on: May 19, 2005, 12:22:18 AM »
Personally, I thought that Nintendo gave me a very satisfying press conference by highlighting four - four - systems, along with software that tickles me pink.  But I'm not a Nintendo fan, I'm more of an industry fan.  I don't need to see Nintendo win - I just need to see Nintendo continue to offer alternatives to the "mainstream".

I mean, Sony has some great PS-only franchises - but they're running the PS3 campain on titles that end in 3's, 4's and 5's.  Nintendo, on the other hand, steers clear of numbering their franchises (save Mario Party 7), because their franchises get overhauled and re-thought each generation - or, in the case of Zelda, each game.

Getting back to the point, yes, Nintendo did disappoint everyone who wanted to see Shiggy's new game, the Revolution's "Revolutionary features", and Nintendo pressure on Sony and Microsoft.  But I, on the other hand, was delighted to see clear support and new directions for the GBA, DS, GC, and Rev.  So what if they're keeping closed hand on tech specs and footage?  They're a year away on the Revolution.  It'd look worse than Perfect Dark 0 Screens.

You want a Revolution?  Wait until Nintendo says it will have an impact on the market.  I wouldn't be surprised if Twighlight Princess was released during the 360 timeframe - with a bonus disk of Revolution footage. That's market impact.

70
Nintendo Gaming / RE:So, list of Games you'd download?
« on: May 18, 2005, 11:52:23 PM »
I, too, expect to see a great number of third-party developers and publishers on this bandwagon.  But I also expect to see some crippling one missing.  For instance, Square-Enix may decide that re-releasing their games with new content themselves is more profittable. (a la FF Chronicles, say)

For example - look at Disney, the champions of re-releasing.  Every ten years "the vault opens" on a Disney Masterpiece, on a new medium or with extra features - and it's available for a while, then off market.  Repeat.  With a game library like Square-Enix's, why would they suddenly flood the online market with their own titles?  Release one or two at a time, as that way they don't compete with eachother.  Then take them offline.

It's crappy for gamers, good for business.

Oh, and R.B.I. Baseball II for the NES.

71
Nintendo Gaming / RE:New NES, SNES and N64 Content for the Revolution?
« on: May 18, 2005, 11:36:28 PM »
Quote
I'm also expecting the japanese indy groups to jump on this. So far they have been limited to the PC which is a tiny market in Japan, now they have access to a console that can actually reach a decent sized audience...


Yeah, this is the sort of thing I'm talking about.  Especially in Japan, this could actually be a meaninful Revolution.

As for designing games for NES, SNES, N64 - couchmonkey is right, the developing tools are outdated.  But you could package a game advertising NES style graphics, offering it alongside Nintendo's NES offerings (at a competitive price) - even though it runs on, say, N64 emulation.  (I don't say Revolution because Indy developers simply aren't going to get development tools for Revolution without showing some cash).

72
Nintendo Gaming / RE:Thursday-aton!
« on: May 18, 2005, 02:06:25 AM »
Don't hope for a public announcement.  But I would bet on a closed door demo for some of Nintendo big partners.

73
Nintendo Gaming / RE:New NES, SNES and N64 Content for the Revolution?
« on: May 18, 2005, 01:03:09 AM »
Sega + SNES?
Doubtful - but hilarious.

74
Nintendo Gaming / RE:So, list of Games you'd download?
« on: May 18, 2005, 01:00:02 AM »
Here's Iwata's quote:
"It is accurate to say that Nintendo Revolution is capable of playing virtually every Nintendo console game ever created."

Note two important distinctions - "Virtually" and "Nintendo".  That could mean separate third-party agreements, some which won't go through, unfortunately... but my top A-list game is likely not going to make the cut.  Poor, poor Duck Hunt.

75
Nintendo Gaming / RE:Revolution to support HVD (Holographic Versatile Discs)?
« on: May 18, 2005, 12:45:12 AM »
Wait, 1 Terrabyte?

Yes.... a media that has rougly 500 times more capacity for a system with 2 to 3 times more power.

Nope.  Not even accepting this as a 'rumour'.

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