Messages

10226

Podcast Discussion / Re: Radio Free Nintendo: Episode 134

« on: February 22, 2009, 06:12:42 PM »

It was up on iTunes at the time you posted for me. Strange.
Listening to it now. Hooray!

10227

TalkBack / Re: IMPRESSIONS: Wii de Asobu Metroid Prime

« on: February 22, 2009, 05:16:07 PM »

If they did a Mansion sequel, it needs Ghostbuster style co-op where you work together. Have Luigi and Toad with some other 'second-tier' Mushroom Kingdom characters that are a ghost hit-squad chasing down boos and what-have-you.

10228

Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive Discussion (Game #3: Eternal Darkness)

« on: February 22, 2009, 05:11:18 PM »

It's a shame you didn't wait a year so you could still have it to play.
I've sold several games I regret now. In fact, every game I ever sold I regret selling for one reason or another. Especialy the Gamecube Harvest Moon. Both of my sisters (and therefore my Mom since they whined to her) were upset at me about that one.

Just remembered two I don't regret selling: Quest 64 and Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. Those are it.

10229

Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive Game Nominations

« on: February 22, 2009, 05:04:46 PM »

Mario RPG is already listed.
I also noticed that Mario Sunshine is listed twice. Does that mean it gets two chances in the poles? 

I too am getting concerned about the list getting too long. If we keep at it, we'll have 100 plus games. Maybe we should create a nomination limit per user?
What if every user was allowed one or two nominations at a time and staffers could have three. Once one of your games got picked you could submit another one. That way there is a better chance that everyone's suggestion will be chosen instead of one person getting all of their nominations picked.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive Game Nominations

« on: February 22, 2009, 04:39:11 PM »

Say, is the main list on the first post going to be updated at some point with the new games nominated that you guys deem acceptable?

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Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive Discussion (Game #2: Luigi's Mansion)

« on: February 22, 2009, 04:36:17 PM »

I didn't know that about the pearls and the ghost frames. I'll keep that in mind while I go through the secret mansion.

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Nintendo Console Discussion / Re: Dead Space Extraction

« on: February 22, 2009, 04:32:34 PM »

I put development time at around 3 years, which probably puts the cost somewhere between 5 and 10 million max.

I'm pretty sure it cost more than that. The most expensive Wii games cost $10 million max. HD games cost a good chunk more.

Still even if the publisher made only 40 million revenue, I think the original Dead Space was far from a disaster. Though I do think it underperformed to expectations last fall, I distinctly remember that point being made when researching NPD numbers.

I think Dead Space's under performance in EA's eyes might be akin to Nintendo's opinion that Wii Music underperformed in spite of breaking the two million mark (2.32 million according to VGChartz; 1.1m in America, 840k in Europe/others and 340k in Japan).

10233

TalkBack / Re: IMPRESSIONS: Wii de Asobu Metroid Prime

« on: February 22, 2009, 04:27:09 PM »

And I hope that the Wiileases are kept to a minimum. Some of these games that didn't sell well are fine and dandy, but around the internets people are asking for Mario Sunshine and Luigi's Mansion ports. I have an aversion to those two specifically because there is little room for legitimate motion controls and they already sold very well. I think Pap64's list of what qualified games for this series is spot on.

Really?  Both of those games featured an item that you pointed around, which is exactly something you do with the Remote.  In particular, Sunshine makes more sense with pointer control than Galaxy did.

Maybe its just my bias seeping in on that one. I would rather see a new game w/ FLUDD and IR control. Though on my initial reflection I couldn't see much use of the Wii controls. Now that I think about it again, maybe. I'll have to go back and play it. Might be a good excuse to pick up the last shines and what have you that I never got around to getting after beating it.

I still stand by my opinion of Mansion not being a good fit. That game needs a total redesign to best use the remote. This is mostly an issue with the locked perspective. I can't imagine the pointer working like that very well.

10234

Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive Discussion (Game #3: Eternal Darkness)

« on: February 22, 2009, 04:19:53 PM »

I think it would be neat if we compare favorite playable characters since there are so many. Maybe have a vote or something. It would be a fun topic to have discussed on the podcast.

10235

TalkBack / Re: IMPRESSIONS: Wii de Asobu Metroid Prime

« on: February 22, 2009, 02:22:13 PM »

True, there was already a small chance of sequels, but now there's practically none.
Although, what I am hoping for (to stay positive) is that if these Wiimakes are successful and popular, perhaps that will prompt Nintendo to create sequels at some point. Unfortunately what is likely to come from these games performing well is that Nintendo will release even more Wiimakes. Mario Golf, Wave Race, Star Fox Assault, 1080 Avalanche, Luigi's Mansion... I can only hope these aren't added to the list of Wiimakes.

It seems strange that Camelot appears to have no interest in creating more Mario games. Surely a new Wii Mario Golf game would have fared better than their own generic We Love Golf game. It's a real shame, because Camelot always made the best Mario games; they were great at instilling personality in the characters.

I think Camelot wants to break out of the 'we handle farmed out IP games' mold. They want to create original games that stand out instead of taking a back seat. How would you like it if you were only known for making Mario themed sports games?

And I hope that the Wiileases are kept to a minimum. Some of these games that didn't sell well are fine and dandy, but around the internets people are asking for Mario Sunshine and Luigi's Mansion ports. I have an aversion to those two specifically because there is little room for legitimate motion controls and they already sold very well. I think Pap64's list of what qualified games for this series is spot on.

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Nintendo Console Discussion / Re: IGN Nintendo Voice Chat thread, New delayed Wed podcast up

« on: February 22, 2009, 01:28:27 AM »

Maybe the real RE4?

Do you mean the real RE5 as in what RE5 should have been? Or were you hearkening back to the old RE4 demo from the early Gamecube days?

Either of those would be interesting to see realized on Wii. Though I like the current rumors floating around of an RE2 remake in the RE4 style for Wii.

10237

Nintendo Console Discussion / Re: Dead Space Extraction

« on: February 22, 2009, 01:21:49 AM »

I think sales and reusable material can also have an impact along with profit.
If they made a game engine or other tools that help with the game creation process, then they get to have those tools available from the start of the next project without any extra costs or dev time.

If the game sold a very good number, then they feasibly have found a market that would support a sequel. People already know about the series and what to expect from those types of games so marketing may become cheaper. Once a sequel is made, it is on longer new but more established in the market.

While profit is the bottom line, I think these other elements can play a role in a company's long term plans.

10238

Matchmaking & Smack Talk / Re: Want to do an unofficial WiFi night?

« on: February 21, 2009, 10:51:17 PM »

BWii is only $20 new on Amazon. I would be willing to pick it up to join you guys since it is on my backlog of games I need to get.

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Nintendo Console Discussion / Re: The Conduit

« on: February 21, 2009, 10:39:19 PM »

I think we should all agree to go wait in line together for this game just for fun. We could pick a game like Mario Kart DS and play it in line together as well since we will all (quite obviously) be in different lines.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive Discussion (Game #3: Eternal Darkness)

« on: February 21, 2009, 10:36:05 PM »

I still have my old save file where I beat the game three times in a row the get the final ending. I'm thinking about playing again off of that file because if I remember right it just loops back around if you start it a fourth time.

10241

Podcast Discussion / Re: Radio Trivia: Podcast Edition - Episode 47

« on: February 21, 2009, 10:33:40 PM »

I think this may be a good source for RetroActive game nominations. I want to Nominate Turok 2 but I already nominated the first.

I like the show (this is my first episode). I get really into it when I listen in the car; shouting guesses out loud.

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TalkBack / Re: Wii Exclusive Dead Space Extraction Goes On Rails

« on: February 21, 2009, 09:49:47 PM »

Count me as part of the Wii-only crowd, as that's the only "current-gen" system that I own. Perhaps I'll start a club entitled "Wii Have Faith" for all of us who show the utmost loyalty by owning only a Wii. Wii want games to come to Wii, Wii don't want to come to the games!

Well, I've always known that uncompromising gamers need to own all consoles. My best friend owns all of them too, though he's less into PC then I am...

Personally though, I barely have enough time to play one console, let alone more. I'm not exactly keen on spending more money when I can be buying more games instead.

I in the same boat as you in that I don't have enough time or money to get a 360 or PS3. There are a number of games I'd love to get on both systems, but I keep finding plenty of games on the Wii and DS or even older games from previous systems that take away time and money. I can't justify another new system unless I cathc up on a number of games already out and the Wii experiences a drought larger than N64 scale. Even then I would probably want to spend the money on my computer so I can get it (or a new one) to run Left 4 Dead.

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Podcast Discussion / Re: RFN RetroActive Game Nominations

« on: February 21, 2009, 05:17:48 AM »

OK here is one.

Superman 64

I'd love to hear you guys talk about that game!

...aww man!
I told myself that barring any unforeseen event that prevents it I would acquire and play every game we picked for the RetroActive even if I have to grab it later to 'retroactively' play along. But I will stick to my guns and play Superman 64 if I can get a copy at a good price. But that doesn't mean I have to vote for it...

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TalkBack / Re: Wii Exclusive Dead Space Extraction Goes On Rails

« on: February 20, 2009, 07:30:17 PM »

One other concern I have with it being a rail-shooter is with game length. Many of the light-gun games are too short for me to dump $50 on one. Umbrella Chronicles' length should be the beginning of the norm instead of the exception regarding length.

If they can truly innovate the genre and give the game better length and replay value than other games then they can easily have a winner on their hands. I do hope it pans out well for the sake of attracting more traditional games from EA like Godfather 2.

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Nintendo Console Discussion / Re: The Conduit

« on: February 20, 2009, 06:26:33 PM »

I'll bet demographics bring a lot to the table. I always hear that its immature, pre-pubescent boys screaming profanity that brings down a gaming experience on XBL. If the Wii had easy voice chat then maybe we could compare the two to see if it is a general age issue online or if most of the immature people are on XBL.

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Nintendo Console Discussion / Re: The Conduit

« on: February 20, 2009, 05:24:18 PM »

I cannot stand voice chat at all ESPECIALLY on Xbox Live.

At all?  Are you saying you've never encountered voice chat that wasn't horrible, or would you hate it even if it were (hypothetically) civil and productive?

Civil & Productive + Voice Chat = Paradox

This makes me think of GoldenPhoenix 

10247

TalkBack / Re: Wii Exclusive Dead Space Extraction Goes On Rails

« on: February 20, 2009, 05:22:52 PM »

@Ian
You don't consider Boom Blox very good? Or have you not tried it? I would rate Blox higher than Z & W. I don't recall any bad reviews of de Blob either.

I did not mean to say that you shouldn't use game reviews to influence your purchases. I was more voicing against using Metacritic as the main determinant of what games you will purchase. Some people, like the old 1Up reviewers, didn't want a numerical score attached to their opinions. Numbers can mean a lot of things to different people. You don't look at games unless they have an 8 or better. Other places like WiiWare World view games rated 6 or 7 as the same value as you appear to put in an eight. The only game they ever gave a perfect 10 was World of Goo.

I don't lend as much credence to numbers because I find they can be cruel mistresses to adhere to. I have differing opinions and I like to discover some things on my own.

@GoldenPhoenix
I'll grant that Dead Space is a new franchise with little prior precedence game-wise. I'll also grant that on-rail shooters and first-person shooters are similar enough to make a logical jump (shooting guns - in different ways!). A matter of note though is that this is a big franchise. EA has been pushing it like no tomorrow since last spring at least. They have the comics, a movie, action figures and game(s) planned or already being produced. The comics were even out before the game. So even though the game itself is only just being established, there is a full fledged canon already in place. So there may be a number of DS fans already established before the game hoisted it's colors. This can be both boon and bane for our little Wii shooter. Because EA has built this franchise to be diverse in its outlets, there may be plenty of room for Extraction to flourish. The problem is that since DS for PS360 was the first, it also made the biggest impression. People already have an opinion of what to expect and how things will work. A glance at the several topics on NRW dealing with this game shows that a number of people expected -- and still demand -- that this game be akin to its predecessor.
Also from reading around the web, DS is billed as the spiritual heir to Resident Evil set in space. This alone sets a huge tone for what people expect from any future DS game on any system.

It does appear that the devs do want to channel a lot from the first game, though what were the pulls of the first game? Will there be enough of them to draw in first time players and DS veterans? They mention a number of appeals from it like strategic limb removal. I have noticed several people complain that the sense of exploration will be lost. Is that a big enough change to lose people? I don't know because I have yet to play the original game and I am personally biased towards wanting a direct port as opposed to the Extraction shooter. I'll keep an open mind, but I am not overjoyed at the direction it took.

Also, Dead Aim shows the dangerous route spin-offs can go. Umbrella Chronicles was a better to my understanding. Super Mario RPG was a very good spin-off. Sonic Chronicles was not from what I've read. Final Fantasy and the Tactics spin-off worked very well also.
Star Wars games may be another good example of a franchise where somethings work. There are a number of games with varying genres covered. Masters of Teras Kasi (sp?) was a flop, but Super Star Wars and Rogue Squadron worked well.

In summary, it has potential to work really well, but also potential to crash and burn. I think people are more worried (and passionate) because it is another game Wii owners will feel they have to buy to convince the 'Big Boys' to make 'serious' games on the Wii. It doesn't matter that the game itself is good; if we don't support it, they will turn around and use it to justify not supporting the Wii. We are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Buy spin-offs we may not truly be interested in, or buy poorly implemented ports. Very rarely is there a chance like Godfather or Okami where a brilliant port is produced, or Z & W or another truly good original game arrives. In the case of those three games I mentioned, we failed. In the case of Umbrella Chronicles (and RE4), it seems we had a resounding success. If that matters to you.

*Wow, 7 posts while I worked on this. I think too much. 

10248

TalkBack / Re: Wii Exclusive Dead Space Extraction Goes On Rails

« on: February 20, 2009, 02:42:18 PM »

I'm more bothered by developers jumping genres in games.
If I want an on-rails shooter, I'll get HotD.
If I want a 3rd person adventure game then Resident Evil or Dead Space work.
If I want a point and click game, then I look to Monkey Island, Kings Quest or Sam and Max.

Now, there are exceptions that break the mold and are still enjoyable, but you run the risk of alienating your series fans.
The same issue comes up with Age of Empires on the DS versus the PC.
Also with Halo Wars versus Halo 1-3. How many PC RTS fans are also going to own a DS and how many of those people are going to like SRPG's? How many FPS XBox fans are also going to like RTS's?

Dead Space Extraction may be amazing as it stands against other on-rails games, but do fans of Dead Space want or like this type of game. Not everyone likes any game genre under the sun and even those people have preferences. If you lose your series fans for one game like this, will you recoup enough players who do have an interest in it to sustain it?

On another note, I won't cast judgment on the programmers for being lazy cop-outs since I have no idea if it is easier or not to make one type of game or the other. I also have a massive respect for game developers since I once tried to enter their field with dismal results.

Also note that it is the very same team making Extraction that made the original game. Most of the time the 'cheap knock-off' games you mention are not being made by one of their top tier dev teams. Who knows, EA may have told them "Make a Dead Space game for we that uses the Wii's strengths" and the Dead Space team may have said "A rail-shooter would be awesome".

@Ian
I wouldn't use meta-critic to make all of your game purchasing decisions. There are a lot of fun games out there that I would have missed if I relied on meta-critic.
Though, I wonder, what current 3rd party games on Wii would you consider 'unanimously good'?

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James' Whack-A-Mole Funhouse / Re: New M-rated NON-RAILS title headed exclusively for Wii!

« on: February 19, 2009, 11:23:32 PM »

Fortunately not everyone has the horrible taste in games ThePerm seems to have.

ROFL.

seriously, the last game that came out that i could give a damn about was mario galaxy, where the hell are the good games?

Dang the last game I cared about was SMB3! I want to know where all the good games have been for the last two decades! I feel your pain.

Where have all the good games gone? They have passed into shadow...

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Nintendo Console Discussion / Re: Could this be a future Castlevania game for Wii?

« on: February 19, 2009, 11:15:37 PM »

If this or another on-rails type game set in the Castlevania are the next announced games I will be overcome with the sighs of mediocrity.

I enjoy a good on-rails shooter, especially with co-op or deal wielding, but one is enough for me. I feel just like I did back when the FPS and RTS gluts of the late '90's and early '00's: underwhelmed and bored. Too many 'me too' games.