Messages

26

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 15, 2007, 12:01:47 AM »

OK, Mashiro, I guess we have also reached the end of this discussion.

And thanks, MarioAllStar. Beautifull!

I agree, you can do that too. They should look at forums to recognize gamers views of mistakes in past games. Forums can be a treasure trove of information for developers if they know how to use it!

27

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 14, 2007, 10:54:54 AM »

Mashiro, I liked your post. You write well.

But don´t forget that Miyamoto lamented the fact that they, the developer group, couldn´t catch up with the 3D modelling team like they wanted to. This is what made that game lesser than what it could have been. While hardly as bad as WindWaker was for me it was not complete. I said before that I felt it was like a beta-version of a game, not a final one. So I do maintain my stance that they need to look back on that game, and se what they could have been done better.  

28

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 14, 2007, 09:57:06 AM »

Excellent post, Mashiro.

Though tend to disagree with you on most of it.

"Everyone has their own idea of what is good for the game or what direction the game can head in and when a company starts to cave in to the pressures of it's fan base the game will slowly begin to collapse in on itself."

You don´t read what I write completely. Are you just skimming it, again? At the end of my post, I wrote explicitly that I found it wise that Nintendo set up a system to measure gamers opinions of the games they send out to market. And make curves of them, so they can see what they´re doing right and what they aren´t doing right.  That´s what I wrote. I didn´t write that they should stick their heads into a heated forum full of emotional rants and raving. I agree, that it isn´t fans who should exclusively decide what a game should be like. But they should listen to it, and take some of the things into the game. Part what we want, part what they want. That way it is fair. Your insistance that they decide everything was reacted to like I described at that E3. People perceived it arrogant. And there was talk of the end of the company even.

Note that this came from players, the press, on the showfloor. Who do you think has the most power over people´s opinion. The company or the press? The press, if you ask me! And they were the ones to lament the arrogant stance of the company with regard to Wind Waker. They had just experienced a very lame Nintendo show the year before in 2003 where all that Nintendo came up with was a suggestion to make a new Pacman with Namco which had a multi player option. EDGE Magazine, wellknown British industry monthly, exclaimed at one video I saw that they thought this was the end of Nintendo as we knew it. That they thought it would do a SEGA. I remember it all very clearly. Two years later Nintendo had suddenly turned around for the much better, as if they had been given a wake-up call by the press. So the press has awesome power. More than any advertisements, if you ask me.

"Heck imagine if Nintendo had listened to the forums after revealing Wind Waker! We NEVER would have seen Wind Waker. It would have been thrown in a fire. The forums exploded with hate over the new Zelda style and fans were in an uproar. Yet, it turned out to be a really awesome Zelda experience."

That is not what a lot of people thought, myself included. The triforce hunt in particular was tedious and boring. And I have mentioned the other things about it that I and lots of others didn´t like. It was way too difficult to find out what to do in the game, as that ocean was so big, and when you finally got to a location it was often one that required that one had collected some items that were in another part of the map making for lots of annoying backtracking back and forth. In OoT I had that Great Owl to guide me, or Navi, here there was nobody but a talking boat. Very depressing.

So I repeat: It isn´t fans who should exclusively decide what a game should be like. But they (Nintendo) should listen to it, and take some of the things thus desired into the game. Part what we want, part what they want. That way it is fair. If people do not want a cell-shaded game, why was it changed so drastic in the first place? How can they just make such an abrupt change? See, had they first measured properly the opinions of gamers around the world concerning  the other two Zelda´s before it, rather than just look at pure sales numbers, it would have been easy for them to make a Zelda based on the demand of gamers. The customers demands should be met. Miyamoto even states it himself in that interview which I was referring to as linked to in this thread.

So you can hold that you liked Wind Waker. That is fine. But there was lots and lots of people who did not like it. A majority in fact, according what I read somewhere (it´s three years ago, so I don´t remember where it was except that it was on a big website) had been measured based in independent surveys. I recall the figure 70% against the toon shading of Link. That´s a majority. And followingly Nintendo stated that "many, many people" had wanted the realistic Zelda-style.

So yes the ycould have avoided the flack, had they listened to fans at E3 then. The game didn´t sell well, and this is what Eiji Aonuma has stated in an interview was what made them decide to drop the toonshading in the next game.

The bottomline is this: I hold that you can´t continue to see Link change from realistic to toonshaded, back to realistic, and next God knows what form or expression... It is too confusing hurting gamers identification with the game character, the series. So Nintendo should have it as prime principle to measure which is the majority desire as pertaining to game content, style, etc. and which could be done nicely in a advertised survey with strict rules, and specific questions only put to everyone participating. That way, no wild debates would leave confusion instead of insights into gamers desire´s for game content. They would have then measured the fanbase majority opinion, and could work according to that to form outlines for the new game, and work within those guidelines to decide how they would create content for it. Both sides win, both are allowed freedom to choose.

I think it is possible to do it. They should of course only select sane, adult, competent gamers who are above a certain age where they are mature enough to voice their opinion in a sound manner so it would be clear and fair to listen to. Some gamers will just blare out all kinds of things they want, a gazillion things that´s wrong everywhere, and that they want Link in a plane, or a car, or some other nonsense. That is not usefull to a company measuring opinions. What is usefull, in my opinion, are those who can narrow it down to such things as those 4 elements I have mentioned above several times now and talk in a way thus which the developers can understand.

Since there isn´t such a system in existence today, only forums full of crossfires of opinions, biching, ranting, I suggest such be created with strict criteria for what questions to asked, and who will be asked them.  

29

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 14, 2007, 04:46:30 AM »

I see. So perhaps you gentlemen will be so kind and tell me where you then think Nintendo will get their player feedback from? What mistake is it that you are implying they made by looking at fan-based feedback from internet forums?

They would surely understand to just get some ideas from viewing various opinions of games rather than winding up being confused, wouldn´t they? As I recall it, they were intently looking at fanwebsites forums after the 2004 unveiling of the WindWaker cell shaded style Zelda game to understand gamers reactions, and they saw what were the reactions then! Not too happy reactions, I remember. So they later agreed among themselves, that it would be better to go back to making a realistic style Zelda. Which in fact they did, and now they see the result of making a realistic game such as what THEY liked it to be, and not what gamers expected. I will tell you straight off the bat, that Nintendo will always be running behind with regard to meeting gamers expectation if they fail to properly understand what the majority expects from a Zelda game.

The majority are those who hated the WW style Zelda, and whom Nintendo themselves referred to as "many, many people" wanting "a realistic Zelda". I am perhaps expecting too much, if I ask for them to put Miyamoto back into the Directors-chair in order to make a new Zelda game. It may never happen, because he is too busy with too many other projects. He is needed in many places, and has the right to involve himself in what he likes. But one of my biggest wishes as pertaining to the Zelda series, is that he will do like he is now doing with Mario: getting a lot more involved. He is the creator of these game series, and only he knows how they should look and play. And above all, he is the only Nintendo game developer who has ever stated that the expectations of the customers comes first! That is included in interviews linked to in this thread.

Say, a game is made very difficult to play. Tough to get through. Well, if so it had better be one heck of an intriguing, inviting world they make to be in. With lot´s of things to unlock, sights to expect. Otherwise it wouldn´t be worth it to have to go through all of those efforts in order to progress. I, for one, wouldn´t care. I didn´t with Mario Sunshine. Sure it was better in certain ways in the way it played. But that world... It was ugly in many places. Ugly textures, strange beings, stupid water-cannon. All the results of trying to re-innovate the series, so it became fresher, newer. It didn´t. Many reviews reflected how dissapointed people were with it. How tenaciously difficult it was. Mario 64 had a difficulty-variation which was perfectly balanced out for all to try and go through with. You didn´t need all of the stars to complete it. The worlds were fun, and inviting. Awesome accomplishment. Huge applause worldwide. That game was a huge success. What´s wrong with making a sequel? Why stray so far off the proven formula? Because he wants to be innovative? Is it him, or the gamers who will buy the game?

I believe that there is still a majority who prefers the realistic style Zelda, and I have in my posts pointed out what I believe is at fault with the current realistic style Zelda game. The over-reliance on certain game elements alone, and not all of them (GGSM). I have already pointed out above, that the 3D modelling team got over-ambitious with creating the new Hyrule. And that the rest of the developer teams couldn´t catch up. Miyomoto admitted it. So I am right. I merely analyze the feed back coming from Nintendo itself about their games. In this case Zelda TP. But now they are talking about possibly putting Link, in a WW2 setting? Give me a break!!!!!

I can´t demand that an OoT-like game is made again, but I can expect that they don´t take the series too far out, and risk alienating too many gamers from the franchise for lack of meeting expectations. I.e. I mentioned in one of my posts above that Link is an elf, so he belongs in a forest-world, with green beautifull surroundings. Not on an open ocean, in a game where there is so few forests that it was a joke. I read in many places how disspointed people were because of the world they had created for Link to be in then. Everyone at E3 was shocked at it´s unveiling, and Nintendo was just arrogantly scoffing at them. THAT you cannot do as a games company.

And therefore I will include that I will forewarn of consequences for the Zelda series, if Miyamoto does not keep his army of developers in a short leash, and keep the series of track. After the return to a true successor for the Mario series, with Super Mario Galaxy, it is only so clear how much it is precisely that which a majority wants from a Mario game. Huge anticipation isalready building, AND they have themselves said that this is a true sequel to Mario 64. Even Bowser´s in it! No trips to ugly, strange worlds clearly lacking in content and motivation to get through. Only the SAME type of awesome gameplay that only Miyamoto can create. Customers come first. That is why it can NEVER be unimportant to look at gamers opinions, gentlemen! If a game creator starts to think that his opinion comes first, and gamers second, he´s starting to seal his own doom. What, did you just think Nintendo was going to get NO feed back from gamers, and maintain their stance that alone they know what´s best to give us to play?

That is the way it is not wise to make it. Customers have always come first, always will. And since more and more companies wants a piece of the ever growing videogame market, there is increased competition all of the time, and this means that any game maker had better follow intensely what is the precise reaction to games shipped to market. Or they might risk building up irritation in enough gamers to create negative hype, and enough of it, to make them wander off to another console maker - and stay there. They did with SEGA, after SEGA had dragged people around for too long with expensive, under-supported consoles, and too many costly add-on´s. Bad solutions, bad timing. They simply got out of touch with what the gamers wanted, and seeing THAT gamers jumped ship real quick. Sony could just waltz into the market with a perfect and abundantly supported gameconsole which had all of the games, and all of the fun. They have been at the top for two console generations now, maybe they will for a third allthough it doesn´t seem like it. Videogame history that speaks for itself. Take it or leave it. I know what happened.

Right now, the Wii is abundantly supported. That is right now. But this is first, and foremost a Nintendo platform. All else that comes out on it is second- or third party games. The brandname recognition lies in Nintendo games. Otherwise people can go to Microsoft, Sony, and play many off the same games there albeit without the same controls. Those types of controls will be sought copied soon anyway. Nintendo should never forget that in order to stay on top of the world of gaming, they have to do a little of the same that a boxer must: stay in shape all of the time. Now, you can´t say they aren´t doing anything right now for people. They work really hard. But they must be able to properly READ  I F  people are satisfied with what they get - or not! That goes for every game they make. So I hope for Nintendo that they will set up a system to monitor the reactions of gamers ALL over the world, through interviews over a wide demographic, not just a selected number of fanboys who will say anything good about the games for lack of true qualifications as game-reviewers. A system to measure opinions of games, not sales. And gather all of these informations like they do with sales curves currently at every E3 show. Then we shall surely see the true opinions of the games they make. And for the record: that idea is worth a lot if taken into use! But I gladly give it free to Nintendo if they ever happen to read this post.    

30

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 13, 2007, 05:13:24 AM »

Perhaps. I still hold that Nintendo had better read such feebacks as what comes in this forum so they know what gamers want from the Zelda-series.

I think my little GGSM elements explanation has a lot of truth to it. I also think that Miyamoto gets himself involved in too many projects, so he doesn´t have the time to be involved in the projects that were originally started by him and is now run by others. I find that deplorable. I think we can clearly see from the new Mario what happens once this little awesome man goes back to working on the projects he originally started. They go great again. Mario Galaxy is indeed a true successor to Mario 64. The only worthy sequel to it for a decade. If he went back to directing the Zelda series again, it would yield the same wonderfull results!

31

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 11, 2007, 03:31:41 AM »

I think I should comment on the Kairon-Mashiro exchange of views above:

"I think you're not really directing those at me but I'll answer =)

Q: In what specific ways are the boss battles creative and/or fun? And compared to, say, OoT's?

A: I enjoyed the first horseback fighting battle on the bridge, that was new and fun. The battle with the giant bone creature thing in the sand where you needed to use the spin top item was pretty cool as well and definitely new and different. Fighting a possessed princess Zelda was one of the high points of the game, I really had fun during the whole end Gannon fight."

My opinion:

There is no doubt that Nintendo has improved the fighting-system considerably in TLP. That aside, it is still far from the same feeling I get riding Epona this time around. For instance, I had high expectations for Faron woods. Riding Epona through it from beginning to end would have been nice, with no areas being off-limits. It would have felt unlimited, and thus more free in it´s options for movement within the forest. And they should have animated the trees so we could get the feeling that we moved through a living forest. I loved that scene in the beginning of Majora´s Mask where Link rides on Epona in the Lost Woods. It was beautifully crafted, but you couldn´t play in it. THAT is the kind of forest which I would like to have in future Zelda games. Link is a an Elf, and so he is from the Woods. So why can´t we see more to do in those same woods? Such should always be the same in my opinion. It sort of gives Link and the forest trademark value from a gamers point of value. I truly missed an upgraded Lost Woods!

I loved The Lost Woods in OoT for their deep exploration value. Even though they were just green mazes, as one forum member has pointed out in a post, it was like more exciting to go there. There was a sense of deth in it all. In TLP all I get is the feelig of something that just needs to be travelled through quickly, and be over with. It´s as if Nintendo has tried to recreate the magic of the Lost Woods but have forgotten that with the increase in size and scope plus graphical splendour of these new woods they have not gone and looked at how much they gave the gamer to do in those woods. Zelda is also about the woods theme, isn´t it`? I have not yet found anything to do in Faron Woods. Where is the deep lake to explore of OoT (and MM) that gave me a sense of belonging there. Where is the cave-labyrinth which had you frustrated yet intent of getting through for thirst for exploring the woods? The music in Faron Woods is far from the magical fairy music of OoT, and so the whole touch of a magical forest is gone. Thus is also the desire to stay there or go back there. Riding on Epona through, and AROUND a MM-like forest would be awesome. With updated graphics of course. OoT and MM woods would be the same, as MM starts after the end of OoT. So, an upgraded Lost Woods. Yes, That´d be best I think.

"Q: How are TP's character designs (aside from the admittedly awesome Midna) of more worth than OoT's?

A: The overall designs (I know the system is far more powerful than N64) are just a lot nicer. Even in the artwork for the game, you can tell they spend extra time adding more detail and new elements to the character designs. Links design is a huge leap over what he used to look like (on paper and on screen) and the supporting cast is also filled with a variety of new designs that make the world more interesting. Given, system limitations on the N64 make it hard to compare the two but looking at the artwork behind each series, I say TP received more detail and attention."

My opinion:

Yes, Mashiro, TLP received more detail and attention.... in certain ways o n l y. OoT on the other hand bears all the trademarks of a game that received attention in ALL of the vital areas of importance for reaching a perfect, thoroughly worked-through game. SGGM: STORY/quest, GRAPHICS, GAMEPLAY, MUSIC. These 4 elements must be matching oneanother to make a game feel completely balanced. If one, or two or more of these elements suffer in completeness it will show up somewhere, and give a lesser experience overall of that game.

You may hold that TLP received more detail and attention. I hold, as I have already outlined in my posts above in this thread, that it was with primary emphasis on GRAPHICS and GAMEPLAY alone. The MUSIC and the STORY/quest is boring, so the game feels of less value. With the increase in size and scope of the Hyrule we now look at, there is not enough life forms there to populate it. Not enough houses, ruins, lakes across the land, CAVES to go into and explore, and make it feel more like a living breathing world.

OoT´s Hyrule was way more dense, and full of life, being smaller than this new Hyrule, and so easier to fill up with lifeforms for the developers. But if you suddenly make such a world 4 times bigger, you ALSO have to increase all of the other elements by 4! It is only obvious, otherwise the feeling of emptiness, and accompanying boredom will very quickly become apparent. Not much to go back to later on. I played through OoT at least 20 times!!! This game I will not even play through twice again.

It is constantly so evident to me that from what I have read Miyamoto say about the discrepancy between the excelling efforts of the Zelda TLP 3D modelling team, and the rest of their developer teams. They were caught running behind in terms of cathing up!!! That feeling is apparent throughout the game, which feels more like a beta-version more than a final version. I state again, it is a fact that Miyamoto has lamented that they didn´t feel able to catch up with the 3D modelling team. AND they apparently never did!!!! The new Hyrule is too empty, and it shows. I don´t need to write again what I listed as missing out in TLP. I think it is obvious for anybody who played through OoT and loved it.

"Q: How can you claim a solid pace when myself and others have complained that the narrative peters out halfway through, and the game had many early complaints of an 1 or 2 of tutorial-esque gameplay?

A: I personally felt the game paced itself well, while the narration isn't as prevalent while you are searching for the mirror pieces the game itself still had very little down time. You are usually always supposed to be doing something and rarely find yourself wondering around saying "wtf do I do next?". The tutorial-esque part I didn't mind either, sometimes its necessary and far better than reading a manual."

My opinion:

Kairon is right. Because again one can see the lack of content coming from an inability of the rest of the developer group to catch up.

"Q: How can you say there's plenty of exploration when large swaths of hyrule field, principally the western section in the Wii version, are for all intents and purposes, empty?

A: I know that's for GoldenPhoenix but the western area is where you do the horse back fighting earlier in the game and it remains that same open field. I think the game has a nice number of locations The Sky, Hyrule Field, Hyrule Castle, The Lake area, the Desert to name a few. Not to mention the awesomely designed area with the master sword which was very much a homage to the ALttP. At least if you look at ALttP's japanese box art and other art pieces of the development."

My opinion:

It remains open yes, but it is very little that you can do there, see there, explore there. And you cannot go directly to the gates of the desert on horse back, and you don´t get a feeling of being shot up to that sky city like you did in the cannon sequences in Mario 64. I felt that this could have been added to the cannon sequences as it would have given a feeling of closeness with that travel sequence. And wouldn´t it have been awesome if one could have looked over the sides of sky city, and be able to see Hyrule down below. Look over the sides of cliffs in Hyrule field, and see rivers down there. Hear them roaring by deep down. Giving us a feeling of desire to stay there, and just lazily ride around the field and breathe in the beauty of it all? I think so. The lake where the Zora´s live has nothing in it worth exploring, and I even dislikes some of the textures in that area as they looked too washed out, to bleached out. Artdirection or not. I need to have a world look like a world that is real, and with a specific art style throughout like in OoT. Rocks that always look the same, in different colors, hues, shapes. Lakes that are full of life, danger, things to go get etc. It was like that in OoT and MM. Why not here?

"Q: How can you point out the horseback battles when it's featured in just two or three sections of the game, is gameplay-wise little different from the motorcycle minigame in FF7, and is promptly forgotten for the rest of the game?

A: The Horse Back combat comes into play while you're traveling on (you guessed it) horse back. While it's avoidable outside of the times you MUST fight on horse back, it is still there. Comparing it to the FF7 combat on the motorcycle is a little weak given that, for the horse battle segments, you are often chasing down your enemy and not just riding by the dodging and slashing away as they pass you. It's more of a pursuit and defeat system and it's not on rails, you control where you go. You can shoot your bow as well adding to it. It was a lot of fun turning on horse back and shooting enemies approaching behind me =)."

My opinion:

The horseback battles are cool, more advanced no doubt. But the horse is not used often enough to give a feeling of a truly needed, trusty old friend. I loved Epona in OoT, and I would always treat her good. Needing her as much as I did there was giving me a feeling of a relationship, and thus a sense of identification with being Link. That feeling I miss completely here in TLP. I believe that this again is proving how the sense of belonging, and connection with this gameworld suffers from the lack of properly implemented uses of items and characters in the game. OoT was like a hub you started from, and from where you could look forward to exciting places to go. Just get on your horse, ride in the sunset or sunrise, jump over fences or whatever, park it, and go in. In TLP I get the feeling of a lone desert dweller in hell looking out over an un-enchanted countryside - a vast emptiness full of enemy life forms only. No huts to do a shooting game in. No places to ride up to, and look over the field. Over with quickly, and get out. Don´t like to come back.

"Q: Also, how do you contend the charge that the vast majority of items in TP saw little use outside of their respective dungeons. Did you ever use the ball & chain again, for example? The spinner and dominion rod saw very limited uses in very constrained puzzles outside of their dungeons, as well.

A: In all Zelda titles there are items you just don't use except in certain situations. Example: The invisible cloak from ALttP as well as the magical block that would explode. How about the boomerang in OoT? Never use it unless you are a kid."

My opinion:

I didn´t need most of the items I got throughout the game, because I almost never could see where to use them! There is too little to interact with!

"Q: Also, the lack of sufficient breadcrumbing for players to use midna's warp abilities to fix certain puzzles in the game... AND the ridiculous over abundance of rupees in the game, so much so that they're trivialized as rewards for quests, and lesswen the enjoyment of exploring when the treasure chest you just opened has something you already have in spades?

A: I dunno none of those things really bugged me all too much, just personal tastes I guess vary."

My opinion:

I agree with Kairon that there is indeed a ridiculous over abundance of rupees in the game. I think again this is something done in a haste to attempt to fill out the emptiness of the gameworld already lacking in stuff to do.  

My final comment: I think that they should get Miyamoto back to playing a more directing role in future Zelda games. Or the series will suffer. The sales numbers speak for themselves, as do the complaints. And I do hope for Nintendo that they will remember to listen to the fans of the series. And listen close to those who rightly comlain about abvious dissapointments and faults in Zelda games they make. If Nintendo wants to be the No. 1 console game supplier I think it would be wise to remember that. I don´t say that my opinion, or those of Kairons, are paramount, but we have some true points that serve to illustrate why TLP is not 120% Zelda as sought by the company.

 

32

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 09, 2007, 01:56:01 PM »

OK, I get it I guess. I understand better the why´s of Nintendo´s actions concerning Zelda. But I tell you that I think TLP sucked big time. Toilet Princess? Hardly. But my expectations were not met. That is certain. And I might add that a LOT of other peoples expectations weren´t either. That has got to count for something at NCL.  

33

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 09, 2007, 09:57:32 AM »

Miyamoto has always said that he likes to surprise people, and to make each new game fresh and exciting. That is all fine and dandy. But I would like to see that they work at not forgetting to look back at what made previous Zelda games successfull. A simple look at the sales numbers for each of the Zelda games would reflect back to them which of the Zelda games was most popular, second most popular and so on. Then repeat the formula of the most successfull games albeit with new settings in anywhich way they choose. I believe that would be the wisest thing for them to do. That way they would supply the gaming world with the game designs we liked last time, and give us more of the same. People like that I heard. I do! Halo is all about more of the same, as is Metroid.

Hell, you will not see that there is any difference in where Master Chief comes from, where his home his, how it looks, no deviation in that story from Halo 1, 2 and 3 (the latter hasn´t been released yet, but I doubt Bungie would suddenly claim he comes from Planet Mars instead of Planet Earth). Same with Metroid. Samus is Samus, and she continues to originate from where she always has originated - Planet K2-L next to Planet Zebes. But Link´s home in Hyrule keeps moving around. Must be annoying to be Link. Yes, I know that Samus, and Master Chiefs specific houses on Earth has never been shown, but it matters little to me. Their story is always the same in the way it starts.

What I would like to see in future Zelda games is some more consistency with regard to where Link lives and comes from. In O.o.T. he came from Kokkiri Forest where his Hylian mother had delivered him before she died. Awesome storytelling there, hugely impressive cutscenes. In Majora´s mask it was the same, allthough we didn´t see that as the game started with him riding Epona in the forest before he is attacked by skull kid. Just as awesome storytelling. Neat cutscenes. In WW he was from an island which we later learn sits on an ocean which has flooded Hyrule beneath it. In TLP you only learn that he is a young farm boy from Ordon Village and that is it. I prefer my home in one specific place all of the time. I do think that Link do too, and that his home should thus always be in Kokkiri Forest.

Just generates too much confusion in me when he is moved around like that. You can´t just first move a game characters home from a beautifull forest to an island world, and then back to some village that lies in a new Hyrule, that was supposed to overshadow the Hyrule seen in the first 3D Zelda namely O.o.T.  The Hyrule field in TLP is the most barren and depressing field I have ever seen. And that horse is obsolete, once you get to the warping ability. So why keep Epona in there at all.

Whichever way they choose to work on Zelda´s in the future they had better keep in mind that it´s not themselves but gamers who will play the endresults. So for all of their ideas, I would advise them to create a system which take note of gamer feedback on the games they ship to retail, so they know what a majority wants (and not argue with the gamers with arrogant remarks like they did when people at E3 and in many other places gave them the thumbs down after we learned to our grief that they had made Link into a girlish cartoon character) and keep a better cooperation and timing between themselves and their 3D team plus other teams that work with them on the games they make.

The wait for a new, and hopefully satisfying Zelda, and when it finally comes out after years of waiting - a huge dissapointment (I dumped WW after trying it out for weeks, and might do the same with TLP) is unacceptable to me and I think many others out there. People have tastes and likes and dislikes, Nintendo! Is it YOU or THEM who should tell what these are? More like them, right!!

I am indeed a fan of Zelda, but I started playing the series with O.o.T, and to me that is still the best 3D game I have ever played. The sales numbers for the game should hint at the fact that I am not the only one who loved that game for it´s design. To date I think that O.o.T. is that game which has sold the most copies of any home console Zelda game AND it was the first Zelda game to hit the VC on Wii which speaks for itself. People loved it, Nintendo knows it. So why can´t they just give us more of the same if it sold so well the first time around?

Because Nintendo have to experiment, and mess around with the formula time and again? Or because Miyamoto isn´t directing the Zelda´s anymore? If you ask me, that is kind of nerve wracking to wait years for something more of the tried and tested, only to get something so different you can´t recognize it anymore!!!! If they mess up on the next Zelda again I think I drop the series. I have had it with being dragged around their testing arena like some guinea pig or clown. Really mean that. No offense intended on those who had no trouble with the series wildly alternating directions.

That makes my enthusiasm for Zelda less with each new game they release to market. And I might add, that I think that is the same with many Japanese gamers.

34

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 08, 2007, 11:28:12 PM »

OK, I guess you are right that Kakariko Village was situated NEXT to Death Mountain this time around, but not ON it (slopes).

What made me feel so great about the way, say, Hyrule Filed was looking, and laid out, was the sense of vast distance which is somewhat inhibited in this version of TLP Hyrule Field. There is too many tree´s, and you can´t look over the sides of the cliffs to see what´s down there, and there is no houses with people in them to relate to. You had the farm, and the single light in that window to look at during night time in O.o.T. which gave me a sense of belonging, a sense of not emptiness but of warmth. The sense of relationships you had with the characters you met in O.o.T. is simply not there in TLP.

The way this all looks, it makes me convinced that there has been a problem with getting the lands that 3D modelling team at Nintendo created for the game filled out properly with sights and sounds. Something you can also understand if you read the interviews linked to above in this thread. Miyamoto expressed the nature of this problem himself. All I see is those Bokoblins (isn´t that heir name) and trees. That´s all Hyrule Field is about this time around. I miss the farm, and that postman runnin around (he ONLY comes at gates to Castle Town this time, and in a sequence which is the same each and every time. No room for randomness here, regrettably). I miss more rolling hills, and those skeletons coming at night. It is all too barren, too empty, too depressing.

So I think that Nintendo should control the efforts of their 3D modelling team next time, so they can properly catch up with regard to filling out the lands they create.  

35

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 08, 2007, 06:30:41 AM »

They are NOT in the places they were in O.o.T.

What do you mean by "flipping the map", Shyguy?

36

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Question about how to play the Howling game in LoZ: TLP

« on: July 08, 2007, 06:27:14 AM »

OK, thanks.

YOUTUBE.com is certainly usefull.

37

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 08, 2007, 04:26:55 AM »

Another thing which I feel is so annoying about how Nintendo makes the Zelda games, is that with each new 3D Zelda game there is a different Hyrule. Why can´t it be the same way it was from the beginning in O.o.T..? In TLP, you get to hear familiar names such as Kakariko Village, Lake Hylia, Hyrule Field etc.

It´s fine enough with me that the name´s are back from O.o.T.  But since Zelda was supposed to reflect something eternal, why can´t we go back to having Kakariko Village right ON Death Mountain as it was in O.o.T., and Lake Hylia where it used to be in that same game? Just because some decades pass (I talk about the timeline in TLP, not WW), it wouldn´t move the lake or the village would it?

In WW the whole land was flooded at the time of the beginning of that story, which I can follow. But if they are to stick to the timeline, they had better explain to us why Hyrule isn´t the same after O.o.T. in TLP. TLP is after O.o.T. and before WW. I think it would be in place if Nintendo could stick to keeping the MAPS the SAME, and the adventures ever changing. It is fine to upgrade the landscape in terms of graphics, and thus keep us returning to that familiar Hyrule many of us loved when playing in even greater high-resolution glory, but it would still FEEL the old same familiar Hyrule from the first 3D Zelda O.o.T. and thus keep us attached to it in that way. I don´t like this whole concept of darting all over a virtual world where I feel no attachment at all. Hell, I feel attached to my country in real-life for a REASON, don´t I?

Things, ways, customs, sights, sounds and memories of it all. Were some sky god to suddenly whisk it all away, and say to me "Now we move to Tingle-land, where you will live there, and go here to do this and that" I would be upset! I am attached to familiar places. Instead of always changing Hyrule, they should instead expand on the map, opening up new lands to explore BEYOND Hyrule, leaving Hyrule itself right where it is from O.o.T. The beauty of a game world is to keep your home in it the same, allowing you to always return to that home after extensive adventures.

I simply can´t stand the differences seen always in Hyrule from one Zelda game to the next. Hyrule lies in one place, looks one way. Jumping back and forth in time is what they like to do with Zelda, and that is their right to do so as developers. But Hyrule should remain in one place, and look the same. They have to stay happy and motivated, as it is them who have to do all of the hard work to get the games made. But I would like to see a more real-life approach to where Hyrule is situated on maps, and a better implementation of story elements, in particular a better narrrative experience, which involves the player in the way Hyrule has changed over the years. I think they could "upend the teatable" with regard to the Zelda story progression formula, by starting to voice acting the characters. It would save them all of the text, and that would save time since you speak up to 6 times faster than you write!

If Miyamoto, Aonuma, and the remaining team responsible for Zelda developement, could listen to this it could help to keep the Zelda game world more familiar to the gamers with each new sequel. It is important that there is a focus on what the gamers expect from Zelda, and here I am not talking about 1000 different views that would tear them apart trying to satisfy too many hopefull wishes but about what we can all agree on is right for the franchise. That in turn would require a survey with question given to selected players, which would illuminate what it is that is in general expected.

So I have now touched on the attachment-aspect to why I love O.o.T. above all other Zelda games made since.

Am I the only gamer who wants Hyrule to look the same with each new game? The only gamer who feels confused and bewildered when Links, and Princess Zelda´s home keeps on moving by the hand of developers?

38

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Question about how to play the Howling game in LoZ: TLP

« on: July 08, 2007, 01:52:51 AM »

Shecky, THANKS!

Awesome. I am lost for words. But I seem to understand this right now. Cool.

One other question: how did you put all of that out on YOUTUBE.COM? Did you have a real videocamera, or a mobile phone videocamera? I always wondered how such is done. Thanks again for that awesome demo!!!!!!

39

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 08, 2007, 01:37:49 AM »

Mantidor wrote:

"I have to confess I often skim through Gamebasher posts because they are TOO wordy, I'm honestly sorry and I will try to not do it. However saying things like this force me to give you BAD points:"

Too wordy? I am merely using a lot of words needed for me to express the perceived faults with TLP. It´s no walk in the park to dissect the pros and cons of a game.

"No, no, no, Zelda has NEVER seen orchestrated music, is a shame, it was partially excusable in OoT, MM and the WW since the music was dynamic. TP was a step back in that area after the wonderful use of dynamic music along with the sword slashes in tWW, as wonderful as it was, it was still very basic and should have been expanded in TP. Here I think their promise of orchestrated music was the problem, they left out the dinamic music expecting orchestrated and ended up with neither, TP dinamic music is barely on par with OoT."

Agree. The OOT music was the best, most lovingly beautifull soundtrack I have ever heard. The reason why I wrote that it was orchestrated was because there was a record with that same music done by an orchestra which once could be ordered on the internet. So I naturally assumed that that music was the same as in the game. In other words - orchestrated. But they apparently created that orchestrated version after the game itself, in a separate event. And yes, I do hope too they will be able to create a fully orchestrated soundtrack in the next Zelda Wii game.

,
"Also, dont forget Aonuma was also involved in OoT, the masters of that game were at work in all they other sequels, I have no doubt about it."

Aonuma was not the master behind OOT, Miyamoto was. Aonuma was an apprentice who worked WITH Miyamoto. There is a difference.

"I think tWW didn't do as well over there either, the problem isn't TP, is the franchise in general, I don't care, it just shows the awful japanese taste in games ."

Mantidor, you should not forget that Japan is Nintendo´s hometerritory. So I don´t think it wise to call their taste awefull! They know it when a game is great, and when not. And I don´t think I am off the mark if I say that it would have been them first of all in the worlds population of gamers who helped Nintendo and Miyamoto to precisely determine which way Zelda games should be, to be successfull, before that game series ever came over here. It started there, and came over here. So that would give them a lot more to say than you´re implying in your post.

"The problem with TP is simple, they had in mind to make a game for western fans after all the issues in the gaming community with the previous 3D zelda games, and that will never produce a game that has as much impact as OoT had, the have to THROW things out of the window to make that happen. Another lesson in "be careful what you wish for", because Zelda fanboys got what they asked, TP is the perfect OoT^2, but is just that.

Of course ( and I'm sure you knew this was coming  ) splitting development for two different control methods didn't help."

Mantidor, I didn´t quite understand what you meant here? You mean we shoud be carefull what we wish for, as Nintendo´s developement team is already tired of hearing complaints of this nature and that nature? If so, that is something I can certainly understand.

"Also, I approve all this Majora's Mask love  Let Aonuma alone and we will have an AWESOME new wii Zelda game, just look at Phantom Hourglass."

You know what? I think Nintendo should look back at what made OOT so popular, and why it sold as much as it did. And only do that, never again listening to all of that talk coming from us. It would make them crazy, if they let us split them into two camps of for or against various ways of game implementations for Zelda. So far, I don´t think that TLP has sold as much as OOT. But it might.

Mashiro, wrote:

"If there is one thing I want to see in the next Zelda game for Wii (outside of full motion controls for the sword) is a really heavy emphasis on character relations with our main character. Make us fall in love with the characters, make us CARE if such and such girl gets taken away, and here's a shocker, maybe even kill someone off. Make Links journey as a hero filled with ups and downs."

I agree. THAT is one of the main reasons why I love OOT above all other Zelda games ever made. Saria in the woods for instance. Remember the cutscene where she gives the Ocarina to Link, on the bridge? Remember the WAY the sound was made, how Link´s footsteps echoed into the woods beneath the bridge, the look in Saria´s eyes before they parted. I had tears in my eyes then. And then came Hyrule field, where another great friend connected with Link - the Great Owl (I forgot his name) - and followed him throughout the adventure. So, yes I totally agree in that, but wouldn´t want to see Link kill any of his friends. That would take the whole beauty of the story away.


 

40

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 07, 2007, 07:52:32 AM »

Strong narrative experience? Indeed! I agree 100%. That was the magical words, that can also be used to describe OOT´s genious. And I do hope that Miyamoto will make efforts to teach his apparentices good and proper how to make a game as good as OOT. Kairon, you never cease to amaze me with your insight, and clarity of mind. You really see this the way it is. For that is the reason why they failed at TLP. The lack of the narrative experience. That is also part of the whole STORY/quest-element, by the way. I think Miyamoto is of a kind that may nolonger be. People are perhaps too lazy these days to work hard enough to make a game as great as OOT.    

41

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 07, 2007, 07:18:42 AM »

Epic is described in my little online dictionary in this way: an epic is a long poem, movie or story describing the deeds of heroic or legendary figures or the past history of a nation OR a task of epic proportions.

So when I played OOT, what was it specifically that made it so great? Epic? What goes into making a game so great that it really feels so good to play, to look at, to listen to? Answer: elements of many kinds that when put together into a seemless creation makes it "epic". It sure helped that it was the first 3D Zelda. But still, the game was an industry milestone.

Nintendo has the tendency to focus on different elements of a specific nature, when attempting to renew the Zelda or Mario franchises. With TLP it seems to have been with less focus on the story, and the bosses, which is a shame. Because any quest in any game revolves around a story. And: the story needs to be good in order to make the gamer feel actively involved. Feel it is worth it to go to extra lengths to progress through the game. Now comes the essence of my point: many psychological elements are involved in the process that determine if a game is so coveted by gamers, that it is a must for them to play it. Here is a little listing of crucial elements to a good game as I have learned them over the years:

STORY/quest. This is paramount, as it alone will carry the very reason why one should play the game: to be part of some conflict, some battle, some quest, a F1 race, a sports event etc. Sub-element of a games story is the quest itself. What you have to do, and as importantly, how you are asked to do it by the games developers.

GAMEPLAY. That has to be doable in terms of how the controls work. That gamepad is our extended limbs in that cyber universe, so it has to deliver, or frustration sets in and we drop playing sooner or later. On top of that the camera, as an integral part of the gameplay mechanics, has to be in order as well, so you don´t have things in the way of the view so you can´t see where you´re going or what you´re doing in there. No accidental deaths accepted here.

MUSIC. This is also of great importance, allthough less with sports games in my view. The music in a game can excite you, soothe you, enchant you, uplift you and remove stress from daily life sucking you into that alternate dimension making you feel good while you are there.

GRAPHICS. They have to be good to look at, not jagged, blurry or ugly. Beautifull to behold for the gamer who must progress through that world which is made up of it (graphics).
These four elements are the primary elements that goes into a good game. They are the ones that make a game good or bad.

But there is one fifth element which I should mention too. The current public trend. What games do people like to play? What are they playing now? What games did they hate, which ones did they love? What are their expectations right now? What will they expect in the future? You can make a game so good, and maybe people wont play it! Maybe it will be overlooked. So if you want to get a hit on your hands, you have to know many things about what people like and expect. Nintendo knows all of this. Always have.

Now, back to OOT and why I think it was the best ever, better than TLP, and not merely because it was the first 3D Zelda.

When I played OOT, I had previously played Super Mario 64. I had never played any of the 2D Mario games. I had loved MArio 64, for it´s awesome 3D world which even though being small in size, overall was so chokefull of fun that it could be played through over and over 20 times. Zelda was this strange game about a peculiar looking character with pointy ears in a green tunic. When I first picked it up, it was because I wanted to have more of the gaming fun from the Mario 64 game. And boy did it deliver. It was as if Nintendo had magically transferred all of the fun from Mario 64, into an awesome adventure, where you had to save a land called Hyrule, and a sweet little Princess called Zelda. I was instantly hooked. The sights and sounds of that world was awesome. When I got to the Temple of Time, I thought I was in heaven. The monk choir was awesome. Sheik´s sudden apperances. The Ocarina melodies. And so was the whole rest of that game. A clever combination of many elements, expertly put together.

And that is basically why I didn´t like TLP. To me, that game has only two great elements: GAMEPLAY and GRAPHICS.

See now what I mean? The two other crucial elements - STORY/quest and MUSIC are so poor in comparison to what they were in OOT, that they simply pull the games overall value down several points in any score I would have given that game. Hate me for it, but I tell you that since OOT got 10 out of 10, TLP deserves no more than 8.5 And I do think that the reviewers should be carefull how they score games. I think they were too nice on TLP. So 8.5. No more, no less. Afterall, Nintendo has tried to listen to many requests in the making of that game (the request for a darker, realistic art style in particular).

I will add that I read in the news that Koji Kondo, who created the music for OOT, was not in charge of the music in TLP. Only his team was. And on top of that it wasn´t Shigeru Miyamoto either who directed TLP. It was Eiji Aonuma. Miyamoto was the producer only. Clues that made me understand that this time around, as with WW, it wasn´t the masters from OOT at work.

So they forgot to work on said two elements. And it shows all the way through the game. I think many Japanese gamers agree with me on this, as the game, according to news I read, didn´t perform very well in Japan. A sure sign of dissapointment with the established fanbase there.

Once you mess up on the STORY/quest and MUSIC elements, it doesn´t matter what you try to tag on to make up for it. Wii controls or not. The MUSIC in TLP is MIDI, not orchestrated, as it was in OOT. The quest (sub-element of STORY) is downright boring. It is stretched somehow. Stretched out over too little actual content. Had they worked on furthering the STORY/quest, to make them more dense, more rich in content, and created a fully orchestrated background MUSIC, it would have made it an instant 10 out of 10. TLP is a 50% OOT, that could have been an 150% OOT had they worked more on the STORY/quest and MUSIC.

This is my verdict on how Nintendo did in their attempt to make TLP better than OOT. They specifically stated they wanted to do so, yet only succeeded half the way.

OOT was a milestone. Nintendo have work to do, if they want to surpass OOT in gaming excellence.

 

42

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Question about how to play the Howling game in LoZ: TLP

« on: July 07, 2007, 05:40:29 AM »

Thanks again. I really appreciate this.

You mean UP, and then STAY on THAT line and just let the cursor hit the oncoming note? And after that, MIDDLE and stay in the middle, and let the oncoming note hit the cursor? And last DOWN, and stay DOWN (on that line) and let the oncoming note hit the cursor? I guess I messed in the way that I can´t figure out ifthey want us to just move the cursor to a specific line and let it stay there until one has seen the note being hit, and then move it to another position in the musical bar where the next note is seen illuminated. Was that how it was supposed to be done?

 

43

Nintendo Gaming / RE:The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

« on: July 07, 2007, 01:55:32 AM »

I recall how Eiji Aonuma stated that Nintendo wanted to make Twilight Princess greater thsn Ocarina of Time. What do you guys think? Is TLP greater than OOT?

In my own opinion. a resounding NO (regrettably). TLP has many of the right elements, that propel it into that direction, but it is not greater than OOT.

Nintendo has failed trying to make it greater than OOT. First and foremost, the dungeons aren´t half as inviting as the ones in OOT. There is too much WW over them (simplistic). They are too simple, too small, over too quickly, and lack the complexity of the ones seen in OOT. The level furniture placement alone means that there is really very few things to come back for later on. I looked many times for more secrets to discover, after a particular dungeon was completed, but found none.

I don´t feel like going back to those places again. The Temple of Time has been just thrown in there for good measure, and has no relevance that comes near it´s significance to the story in OOT. Huge dissapointment.

The new Gerudo Desert looks more like the constricted desert land of Super Mario 64 (which was great in it´s time as no such world had previously been seen in a game), than the far reaching and awesome Gerudo desert found in OOT.

In Ocarina of Time, you could FEEL being in a living, vibrant world full of wonder, and enchantment. And THINGS TO DISCOVER thanks to little details placed everywhere in the lands they had created.

Such as looking over the sides of a bridge, and looking hundreds of meters down to see a mighty river roaring at the bottom. You could even go there. Such was everywhere in OOT. I have yet to discover a similar wealth of details in TLP. There is simply nothing but haze, if you gaze down over the sides of a bridge outside Ordon Village. The other bridges are the same. Princess Zelda is appearing so rarely that you might be forgiven for forgetting her existence! What about the music? Yes, the music sucks this time around! It is nowhere near the feel of being in the middle of an awesome fairytale as OOT was. And that sweet owl I would like to see back one day too. I could go on, but think I will not. TLP is "good". But it is far, far from OOT in terms of level ingenuity and detail in my opinion. Story wise it suffers, stutters where as in terms of gameplay mechanics it´s more advanced than OOT and the way Gannondorf looks? Straight out of Wind Waker! He looked WAY cooler in OOT.

I really don´t believe that I am the only forum member/Nintendo gamer, who can see that difference between the two Zelda games.

I regard TLP as an attempt by Nintendo to jump over where the fence was lowest (for reasons of budget restrictions, or time constraint?) in an attempt to reach to the former heights of magnificence seen in OOT. It is clear that this game has not been worked on the way OOT was (I read the online interviews concerning that games creation, and it had really one heck of a lot of people and time involved). They have spent too little time on TLP (which I also read somewhere was expressed by members of the developement team). I see it vividly demonstrated here in this game, how Nintendo has dropped the long developement cycles of former years, shifting into a faster gear of less developement time and more games.

Perhaps they are forgetting that there is many Zelda fans who cherished OOT for the rich, vibrant worlds it had? While it is ok to give us more games, they should never forget that Zelda is a very old franchise with a huge following and so it should be one of those games that are worked on extensively always.

Nintendo is about great entertainment, so I hope they will re-invent the Zelda series for Wii and give us back the awesome adventure we had in OOT. Until then, I will have my copies of Zelda games sitting on the shelf for a casual return to the only Hyrule that matters now and then. Until one day Nintendo wakes up, and return Link to where the adventures really rocks!

44

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Question about how to play the Howling game in LoZ: TLP

« on: July 07, 2007, 12:55:57 AM »

Thanks, Shecky.

I have one more question for you, though:

You mention that there are only three notes, up, down, neutral. So I would like to know how you do it when the notes illuminate on the screen. How exactly do you move the analogue stick? Do you just let the stick remain neutral when there are spaces inbetween lines? See, I can understand how to move the analogue stick up, down, or leave it in the middle. What I don´t understand is how I get to cover the ones that are out to the sides (lines/notes).

If I have just taken "out" one note in the top part of the music bar, and the next one that comes is placed to the side, lower down, and with a SPACE between it, and where I am now coming from (the top portion of the bar and on my way down), the spaces are killing my sequence. It seems too hard to suddenly yank the cursor up, from an inbetween space, and then down, and then up, and next down to the middle etc. It is too troublesome somehow. And I have to start over. That is where I go dead.

To navugate with a big analogue stick, in between small lines, rapidly popping up from the side and onwards is a problem for me. I need a description of how to play it. If you can demonstrate to me in words how you do it that would be great. Gotta have those special moves.

Thanks.  

45

Nintendo Gaming / Question about how to play the Howling game in LoZ: TLP

« on: July 06, 2007, 02:06:09 AM »

I have this quite sizeable problem with playing the notes shown on the screen, each time I get to a howling stone. Simply put, I cannot hit the notes, as doing so with the analogue stick seems too hard (I have the GCN version). Each time I don´t hit one of the notes shown in the sequence, the whole music bar seems to change to other notes that are smaller, ackwardly placed, and even harder to hit.

For instance if I need to go from the top, and one step down, and one step up, and next move a short distance horisontally, I may hit the horisontal one obliquely and not get the entire bar-sequence home. I very often miss the horisontal next-to notes, and can just give it up, as the next renewed music bar that comes isn´t the same. Navigating the bar is too difficult with that stick. I tried some times 20 times, and even 30, and then I had enough and went some other place.

Can any of you tell me how you do it?

And I also wanted to ask if the special moves thus earned are available in some other way? I mean, fighting Gannondorf at the end of the game would require them - wouldn´t it? Does any of you have the button combinations I can use to just override the Howling game alltogether, and go straight to performing them?

46

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Official Wii Sales Thread

« on: June 17, 2007, 12:18:24 PM »

Great!

I once feared that Sony or Microsoft would win the next generation. but now it seems that my fears are simply useless since Nintendo indeed has become what I wished for!

I thank the great videogame God for this, since in my opinion Nintendo is the only videogame company who deserves to be the No. 1!

47

NWR Forums Discord / RE:Perrin Kaplan

« on: June 10, 2007, 10:26:07 AM »

Perrin Caplan for Nintendo of America President!

She will take instant revenge by booting out Iwata, and take Nintendo into the direction of games for girls only, with DS units in the colors of only Pink and Lime green, Wii units in colors of only White and Pink, move the entire company back to Redmond, employ soft porn models for light cleaning duties everywhere, and open a Hair saloon in the back of the basement where the only customer is Matt Cassamassina, who will drop by twice every week, and stay for several hours. In the beginning, noone dares to enter the room while they´re inside, except several Paparazzi photographers who will secretly embed themselves in the walls on the inside, concealed as paintings from Super Mario 64.

A month after taking over Nintendo, she will be on the front cover of all the Fashion Magazines in America, showing with a Mario hairpin, a Peach dress, and a Sky Blue lollipop reminiscent of the color she sees when looking Matt in the eyes. Behind her several colorfull square chicken-like figures appear that actually look suspiciously like someone who were yanked out of a square frame, dipped in tar, and large peacock-feathers, and next painted by the pros at Pimp My Ride in MTV in all the colors Perrin could imagine, and next dragged to the photo session for all the world to see.

Nintendo stocks soar as investors everywhere hotly anticipates a new Nintendo that is so popular that it doesn´t need to use any money for advertsing anymore as this is gained free from the exposure of the company in the media. Which money will then be channelled to their pockets instead. And where they can meet their favorite porn stars in the lobby at Nintendo HQ, while they drink coffee with Reggie and discuss the future plans for the company and watch Perrin and Matt as they both hover several inches from the ground each time they leave the hairsaloon.

Long live Perrin Kaplan! The new iron-armed strong-woman of Nintendo, America. And I who thought Reggie was tough.

48

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Perrin thinks we're freaks, and not the good kind.

« on: June 08, 2007, 09:17:43 AM »

$400?

That is one insane amount for a membership.

I guess people think they are then "exclusive members" of some joint that happens to have a fancy name, which enough people have joined to make it respectable. Jeez, I could buy a lot of games for that amount, and still have money left for eating out!

By the way, I am sad over the loss of Perrin Kaplan. She is a sweet, smart and beautifull woman who gave Nintendo a good public image, despite her sometimes short responses to interviewers.

I think that Nintendo should be carefull what they do with their management policies in the future, so that they don´t just go, and make rash business decisions which badly affects trusted employees who loyally served them for many years. I know that can sound short-sighted, but I simply think that employees are as much the company as is the management for none can do without the other. If you just upend the lives of trusted employees, you commit a crime called betrayal. Call me what you like, I stand by what I say.

They should have talked this through with the sales staff first, and go for a milder solution in the form of a closer proximity relocation, and not just impose it directly on them with an one choice package, or it´s out-solution. It´s not morally sound to just give people the option of coming along to the new location, when you know how much they have where they live now. Friends, familiy, places, memories.

People can´t always just move hundreds of miles away to suit the management. They might as well have fired them on the spot. The way I see this move by Nintendo, is that they are moving into territory where they start to remind me of just any other company who don´t give a hoot about what employees thinks but more about what their own pocketbooks and investors will benefit from. BAD karma, if you ask me!

I mourn the loss of these greats at Nintendo, including George Harrison. It is obvious to me that Nintendo knows they´re pri... doing this to such good people, and are trying to tone it down to not lose face in the public. Too bad for them that the whole world now knows what they did to these fine people, so they could be whatever they´re trying to achieve with this audacious move. I definitely did not expect this to come from Nintendo. What is wrong with Redmond, anyway? I am shocked!  

49

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Manhunt 2 from Rockstar? Whoa...

« on: June 06, 2007, 02:01:29 AM »

I hate to spoil the consensus here, if any, but the way I understand it the military games practise communication and cooperation to teach soldiers how to stand up against an enemy in a real world combat situation. Not all the way to being a murder simulator, I agree. But then, it is a combat simulator. Which is still better than than an outright murder simulator. Sort of teach them the theoretical necessities to carry out effective combat. But MH2 is just about thrashing in the most violent of ways whomever is in your way in that game, isn´t it? So that would indeed make it a murder simulator, wouldn´t it?

If I was going to escape from some prison facility, I could be OK with just taking out, or if real need be, killing somebody being a potential witness to my escape, the means of my escape. I wouldn´t need to smash the person up so badly even a coroner couldn´t ID the person.

So I maintain my stance that that game has been made with a story which justifies the conscious act of killing in the most violent ways the opponents in the game. Never because it would be needed. I have seen games where you are supposed to escape from somewhere, and where you just take out the captors one by one through the use of stealth, not savage violence. And by the way, the screams alone from such a killing method would surely attract more problems right away in the way on guards rushing to the scene from all directions. It is just Rockstar´s apparent liking for violence of that level which makes them create a story which justifies the horrendous violence. Something they got infamous for with the GTA games.    

50

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Manhunt 2 from Rockstar? Whoa...

« on: June 03, 2007, 11:50:36 AM »

Not when it´s done in such horrific ways. So that is a hint why the game is called "Manhunt"! See?