Messages

4201

TalkBack / RE:First DS Game Announced

« on: May 06, 2004, 05:51:08 AM »

Me guessy that the cards, game pieces, etc. will be laid out on the 2D touchscreen and a 3D opponent + special effects will appear on the other.  I hope I'm wrong, because when I write it out like that, it sounds pretty boring.

[SPhil64]

4202

TalkBack / RE:First Goldeneye: Rogue Agent Details

« on: May 05, 2004, 12:42:33 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: SPhil64
And despite everybody whining how it has nothing to do with the original Goldeneye, how do you know?

I'm not passing judgement on the game itself, it could be an excellent game.  If it is, I *might* consider buying it.  My problem is that EA is blatantly using the Goldeneye name to try to sell a game that has nothing to do with the movie or the N64 title, it's pathetic.  As for not knowing whether or not it uses the real Goldeneye...then why would EA waste it's time going through the whole lame explanation about the eye?   If the game actually anything to do with the real Goldeneye property, I'll kick myself in the nuts.

4203

TalkBack / RE: Square-Enix Announces E3 Line Up

« on: May 05, 2004, 12:13:30 PM »

My impression is that third parties are interested in the PSP because it's powerful and it should be cheaper to develop for than the GBA.  Having said that, Nintendo has sold something like 40 million GBAs: the PSP isn't going to overtake it any time soon.

Will Square Enix switch to the PSP?  I have a feeling that the company will support both systems for the next couple of years.   The GBA has a huge user base which I think can't be ignored, but knowing that Square loves cinematics and has a number of 3D games that can't be ported to the GBA, I think some support for PSP is inevitable.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE: First Timespliter: Future Perfects-----screens

« on: May 05, 2004, 09:30:27 AM »

I think the graphics look a lot better, but I will miss the more cartoony characters of the previous games.  To me, they made TS2 stand out from the other shooters, and it also gave it a certain Nintendo flavour.  There are plenty of realistic first person shooters and military simulations out there right now, I want something a bit crazier and more fantasy based.

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TalkBack / RE: First Goldeneye: Rogue Agent Details

« on: May 05, 2004, 07:32:48 AM »

I'll join that boycott.  The sad thing is, EA's biggest market is casual gamers and they won't realize this game is a rip-off until it's too late.  I wonder if they'll even figure it out then?

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TalkBack / RE:Square-Enix Announces E3 Line Up

« on: May 05, 2004, 07:23:24 AM »

I'm pretty excited about Kingdom Hearts as I'm not all that interested in the other games Square Enix has brought to the GBA so far, but it is definitely disappointing that there's nothing for the GameCube.  I'm cautiously optimistic that they simply aren't ready to show the next GameCube title yet, since FF:CC is only a few months old and Square Enix isn't putting many of its resources into the GameCube.

I'm surprised Square Enix isn't more interested in doing ports.  They recently re-released Dragon Quest 5 on the PS2, and it was the number one game in Japan for at least one week.  If they can sell so many copies of a port of a Super NES game, it should make a lot of sense to do a few cheap ports to the Cube.   YOU'RE SITTING ON A GOLDMINE, TREBEK!

4207

TalkBack / RE:More information on Mario vs. Donkey Kong

« on: May 04, 2004, 05:02:51 AM »

Not only were all of those new moves available in Donkey Kong '94, but a good number of them were used in Super Mario Sunshine too....but anyway, it still sounds like an excellent game.  If it's as good as DK '94 was, I'll be a very happy camper when I get this game.

4208

TalkBack / RE:Analysts Predictions on the Handheld Market

« on: April 30, 2004, 11:11:46 AM »

While I agree that the report doesn't say much earth-shattering, it's got credibility because it is written by people with degrees in business who (theoretically) put a lot of research into it.  The thing is, most hardcore gamers instinctively understand the industry that well to begin with.  Maybe planetgamecube should try to make some cash writing reports like this for investors!

Anyhow, I think the report may be overestimating Nokia, somewhat, and underestimating Sony.  I don't think PSP is going to take over the Gameboy market, but I am worried about the scenario where casual gamers start to view the GBA as a budget handheld, or worse yet, as being a generation behind the PSP.  If that does happen, I hope Nintendo doesn't wait three generations before bringing itself up to speed like it has with its home consoles.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE: If Nintendo could replace Silicon Knights with any developer, who'd you pick?

« on: April 28, 2004, 07:51:11 AM »

Ah yeah, how could I forget about Treasure?  I'm just thinking too western, I guess!!  I'll vote for them, or Camelot, but Camelot seems to be in Nintendo's pocket anyway.  Ultimately, though, it looks to me like Nintendo is getting out of the second party business.  Most of the second party developers they still have are practically overseas first parties...Retro and NST are mostly or wholly owned by Nintendo, I believe, and they seem to take orders directly from Nintendo.  It's too bad, I think, because I liked how second parties had the opportunity to develop unique new franchises for Nintendo's systems.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:Zoonami officially announces their first title...

« on: April 28, 2004, 07:39:55 AM »

I read the IGN article...how come every game interview with a former employee of some huge company that "betrayed" Nintendo always has the question, "What do you think of the huge company you used to work for NOW?"  Did they really think Hollis was going to say, "Oh, they're a piece of crap and I hope they all rot!"

Anyway, I think this "game" sounds intriguing, now that I've actually heard someone talk about it instead of just looking at pictures.  Nifty idea, and it sounds like Zoonami is still working closely with Nintendo.

4211

TalkBack / RE:Mary-Kate and Ashely Sue Acclaim

« on: April 26, 2004, 05:10:16 AM »

Jeez, so much hatred for Acclaim.  It's not like you have to buy their games or anything.  How would you like it if you had teachers in school that wrote "BURN IN HELL" on your exams whenever you got D or an F?  Or if you had a boss that told you, "I hope someone sues you and takes away your livelihood since you're late for work pretty often."

Anyway, I hope whomever deserves to win wins.

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TalkBack / RE:Future Tactics Goes Gold

« on: April 23, 2004, 11:50:49 AM »

Too true...you can't program anything without lots and lots of numbers.  I think they're just attempting to take the focus off of it...which is okay by me, I loved Ogre Battle 64, but I got tired of keeping track of stats for all of my dozens of soldiers.  Anyway, I guess I shouldn't judge until the game comes out.

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TalkBack / RE:Future Tactics Goes Gold

« on: April 23, 2004, 07:06:50 AM »

Well, I'm excited.  If it does come out at a budget price, I'll buy it right away (I didn't see any denial that it's a budget title, but I didn't read in detail...)   Otherwise, I might wait to see a few reviews, but I'm a big fan of the Pickford brothers, who founded developer Zedtwo...and so presumably worked on this game.  Plok and Wetrix are real gems in my opinion, so I'm excited about any new game they release.  I hope some other people give Future Tactics a chance.

jasonditz: There's definitely nothing wrong with being immersed in stats, Crave is just flinging marketing at us, like little spitballs.  Pointing out what sets your product apart from similar ones is a tried and true marketing technique.    

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TalkBack / RE:New Capcom Studio Formed

« on: April 21, 2004, 11:59:27 AM »

I'm all for it! I just hope products coming out of Capcom's other studios don't go down the toilet after losing all these big names.

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TalkBack / RE:Serious Sam Q&A

« on: April 20, 2004, 05:08:59 PM »

I don't have any comments on the game since I'm only moderately interested in FPSs in the first place, but I like this quote:

Quote: "Stealth is fun. As are dialogue, puzzles, tool manipulation, whatever else you get in the modern FPS. But we're losing the shooter in First Person Shooter. Sam is a type of game that developers have stopped making, but that people really hanker to play. People are already tired of sneaking and are itching to get shooting again. Sam lets them shoot."

I think he has a point here that I really agree with: all types of gameplay can be fun.  The problem is that certain types become trendy and then they get really tired.  Collecting, to me, was a lot of fun in Super Mario 64.  But by the time the new consoles came out, everyone was sick of it.  That doesn't mean it will never be fun again, but as long as developers keep throwing it into games, it's going to bore us.

Would Viewtiful Joe have been as well received five years ago?  Maybe not!  It's a quality return to an old gameplay style that hasn't been seen much recently, and that's one thing that makes it more fun.

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TalkBack / RE: Factor 5 Focuses on Next Generation

« on: April 15, 2004, 05:08:43 AM »

I don't see this as a negative thing - most small developers are probably turning or thinking of turning to the next generation consoles at this point - but I bet Nintendo isn't too happy about the announcement.  You can bet Nintendo's internal resources are steadily switching from GameCube to GCNext but they aren't going to broadcast that to the public.  Why buy a GameCube when game developers are already working on the next big thing?

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TalkBack / RE:Metroid Prime 2 Preview

« on: April 15, 2004, 04:59:31 AM »

Looks like I need to pick up a copy of Game Informer.  I'm ambilvalent to the multiplayer - I hope it turns out well, but I won't mind if it doesn't.  What I do hope for is...no evil grey Samus clone!  If I may digress....

Top 5 Videogame clichees

5. Tom Clancy
4. Collect and breed monsters.
3. Collect and breed cards with pictures of monsters.
2. Fight your evil twin!

And the number one videogame clichee....
1. Save your Princess/girlfriend/aunt Netty.

I stole this bit from the guy who stole it from David Letterman, because I'm not allowed to stay up past 10:30.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE: Nintendo isn't the problem..you are.

« on: April 14, 2004, 09:54:24 AM »

There are a lot of arguments on both sides here that I disagree with.
On the one hand, it's not the hardcore Nintendo fan's fault if third party games aren't selling well.  As many of us here have pointed out, we own these games, there just aren't enough of Nintendo fanatics, enough time, and enough money to make every single good game a top 10 hit.
On the other hand, Nintendo has made some dumb decisions, but it's not just sitting on it's arse when it comes to expanding the user base.  In my opinion, Nintendo has had a consistently better lineup of games than the Xbox for the past 20 months, and the GameCube is also much cheaper.  Nintendo may not be doing every little thing it could to win the fight, but I think it's also fighting an astounding amount of apathy from consumers towards a product that's superior to the Xbox and on par with the PS2 - in my opinion.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE: Silicon Knights and Nintendo break up

« on: April 14, 2004, 09:40:39 AM »

Us Nintendo fans sure are whiney.  This is sad news, but I'm tired of the old Nintendo is doomed reaction.  I've seen it so many times in the past few years that it's meaningless to me now.  I'll believe it when I see it.

Meanwhile, Silicon Knights can develop for whomever it wants.   I do agree Nintendo should be putting more effort into making and KEEPING exclusive games, but I'm not about to give up Zelda, Mario, Metroid, Star Fox and Pikmin to play one Silicon Knights game every two years.  

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:If Nintendo could replace Silicon Knights with any developer, who'd you pick?

« on: April 14, 2004, 07:06:02 AM »

If I could truly have any developer...Square Enix!  Nintendo would take Japan back from Sony in an instant, and it would probably get a huge leap in popularity here too.  But Square Enix is obviously a much bigger company than Silicon Knights....there's no small developer that I'm all that interested in right now, except maybe Zed Two.  And I'm not sure they're up to the challenge, they seem to put about one new game out every five years, and then re-release it on all the other systems.

4221

TalkBack / RE:Iwata Discusses Nintendo's Next Console

« on: April 12, 2004, 03:44:19 PM »

My question is, will the next generation of systems actually impress people with their technology?  For all of the previous generations of gaming consoles, there was a clear difference in power between one generation and the next.  A below average looking GameCube game is still clearly better looking than the prettiest Nintendo 64 game, and an average Nintendo 64 game is still "better" looking (or at least more 3 dimensional) than the prettiest Super NES game...etc. etc.  I question whether or not the leap in graphics in this generation will match that.

I've seen one tech demo posted on IGN, Dark Sector.  I watched it, and I don't think the game is clearly better looking than Resident Evil 4 or Halo 2 or Ninja Gaiden.  I admit the game is obviously really early, and when I see it in person instead of on a tiny video I'll notice the little differences, but I honestly don't think most average consumers will be able to tell the difference.

I still hope Nintendo basically matches or beats the technology coming from Sony and Microsoft, because it will be necessary to impress people when they ask how it compares to the other systems in terms of power.  But ultimately, when people actually see the games, they won't be able to tell the difference.

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TalkBack / RE:EA Announces Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2

« on: April 08, 2004, 10:41:00 AM »

I'm shocked EA is making this game too, but not disappointed.  My girlfriend bought the first because she happens to be a huge fan of Thylacines/Tasmanian Tigers, and I'm glad EA is going to continue supporting it, because it has potential.  I thought it was very reminiscent of Rare's platformers.  Unfortunately, that includes the weak points of Rare's platformers, especially way too much collecting.

Nevertheless, Ty had a decent sense of humour, awesome art and character designs, impressive production values and a unique, if a bit overblown, Australian vibe.  Also, you got to ride around on a bull and smash everything in sight.  That level alone made the game worth it.  I think the developers need to put some serious effort into improving on the first game, but if they do, this one will definitely be worth checking out.

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TalkBack / RE:John Woo to make Metroid Movie

« on: April 07, 2004, 09:09:40 AM »

Well, Woo is obviously respected for his work in action movies, and the fact that he has his own game development studio says his interest in video games is more than casual.  Good signs, but I still don't really feel like this movie (or any movie based on a video game) needs to be made.

[another]

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TalkBack / RE:New 3D Engine for the GBA

« on: April 06, 2004, 08:35:18 AM »

I just can't wait to try out those "adverse features"!  He he he.

I have no problem with messing around with 3D engines.  Why not?  I agree that the whole 3D is better than 2D mentality is wrong, but then again, I'd just as soon play a decent FPS for the GBA as another sidescrolling sequel.  Sonic, Crash, Spyro, Mario port.  Sonic, Crash, Spyro, Mario port.  Sonic, Crash, Spyro, Mario port.  If they can make it good (which I admit is a tad unlikely) I'll play it.

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Nintendo Gaming / RE:Paper Mario2 announced!!!

« on: April 04, 2004, 12:07:37 PM »

I can't wait!  I've always thought of all the games in the series as being sort of equal, each with it's own strengths.  But looking at the Paper Mario 2 screenshots, I'm starting to realize that Paper Mario is my favourite.  It's just so...Marioesque.  It's got a level of Marioness that I haven't seen in a game since Yoshi's Island was released on the Super Nintendo.  The graphics, the gameplay, the music, the storyline, it's all so Marioy!  

All three games are amazing, though, and I'm sure this one will be no exception.  I hope that Intelligent Systems improves the writing and beefs up the battle system.  A few more hours of game time would be nice too.  But even if it's a pure cookie cutter sequel to Paper Mario, I think I'll love it.