Messages

1076

NWR Feedback / Re: Mafia Thread

« on: January 14, 2009, 12:21:59 PM »

One thing that it will free up also is the Funhouse for its original intent...I love Mafia, but I would be frustrated if I wasn't playing Mafia and the entire forum was completely covered up front page from Mafia....which happens pretty regularly.

Indeed.  Sixthed.

1077

TalkBack / Re: High Voltage Betting That 'a Hardcore Market Exists' on Wii

« on: January 13, 2009, 08:18:44 PM »

Yeah, I crossed a line there.  For some reason, that didn't stop me from posting for once.  I should have just saved the evidence and kept quiet.

1078

General Gaming / Re: The PATHETIC state of the gaming 'media'

« on: January 13, 2009, 05:26:29 PM »

How's this for journalistic integrity?

After perusing some of this jerk's other writing, it's clear that journalistic integrity is so alien to him that it may burn his skin on contact.

1079

NWR Feedback / Re: The swearing censor and "terrible poasters"

« on: January 13, 2009, 02:11:44 PM »

On the previous forum, wasn't the K word changed to TIKU TIKU TIKU?  I think the terrible poaster line was for these people.

1080

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Rune Factory Frontier

« on: January 13, 2009, 12:34:52 PM »

Actually, she was a high ranking officer.

1081

TalkBack / Re: High Voltage Betting That 'a Hardcore Market Exists' on Wii

« on: January 13, 2009, 12:08:50 PM »

That's what happens when you try to post while cutting yourself, I guess.

1082

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Rune Factory Frontier

« on: January 12, 2009, 07:30:21 PM »

He's talking about a "black anime chick" in Robotech.  I think she may have even blushed once.

1083

General Gaming / Re: The presumption of equal effort

« on: January 12, 2009, 07:15:43 PM »

de Blob?

1084

TalkBack / Re: This Week's Virtual Console and WiiWare

« on: January 12, 2009, 06:29:14 PM »

Yeah, the name sucks and will probably cost them sales.

I certainly wasn't interested before watching a video on a whim.  As lame as it may usually be, this is one of those times when a little Xtreme titling would help.  People might take a look at a screen shot to find out what makes a pachinko game "of Doom."

1085

Nintendo Gaming / Re: DQ Swords is Surprisingly Fun

« on: January 12, 2009, 05:26:25 PM »

I was interested in this game, but (like Jonny said) it never struck me as a $40 game.  I'll probably pick it up if I ever see it for $20.

I was about to make a snarky comment about only being able to find it for $17, but I double checked the listed price, and apparently I bought it during a special deal.  Sorry you missed out. 

1086

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Zelda: Does it need to change?

« on: January 12, 2009, 05:08:35 PM »

Well as we've already seen (even recently in Wind Waker), Link doesn't HAVE to be born with the Triforce...And wouldn't "it finding him" mean that he'd be born with it?  It's not like the Triforce is some sort of entity that can walk around...(Haha, just thought of a game where you'd play as the Triforce...)

Also, as seen in every game, his existence corresponds to some calamity that has come over the land...Yes, his character is a "fate" persona, and regardless of who you'd play as in a Zelda game, you'd still TECHNICALLY be the "fate" persona (aka Link)...

Which is why if you really want a Zelda-type game with new characters, you should start e-mailing Miyamoto about resurrecting StarTropics...

This.  This is what I was trying to say.  The Link-Triforce... link is predestined whether Link is born with it, goes to find it, or trips over it on the way to the store.  You can name Link anything you want, yes, and every princess is supposedly named Zelda (depending on when in the nonexistant timeline that's supposed to have happened), yes, but we're still talking about a predestined struggle between Ganon and other bearers of the Triforce.  That's the Legend of Zelda.

Side stories can work in the series, and often work very well (my theory is that it's because it frees the developers from the constraints of the main series, which is why I want to see them cut free completely sometimes), but they have to fit into the Legend.

1087

General Gaming / Re: Sony getting hit Hard lately

« on: January 12, 2009, 04:12:47 PM »

I don't know either one of those series from a hole in the ground so I couldn't tell you.  But my guess is that the PS3's integrated online capabilities greatly expand what they can do in terms of DLC and online functionality, and the Blu-Ray discs likely allow the audio/video to be a higher quality as well.  It expands what they can do with any concept, like the SNES hardware did with Super Mario World vs. Super Mario Bros. on the NES.  Changing control input isn't the only way that hardware can help a series innovate.  It's just the most obvious.

I have friends who only own a PS2 for these games, and, having played them myself, I can assure you that the PS3 isn't going to improve them in a way that matters to their fans.  Buzz in particular could theoretically benefit from the larger storage medium, but filling all that space would take costly effort that is demonstrably unnecessary based on the huge number of questions already in the DVD based version.  Higher quality isn't necessary in SingStar, since it's a game about hearing your own friends and family sing badly.  There's some opportunity for DLC, since we're talking about a market that has already proven itself willing to buy multiple editions of the same game at full retail price, but that's not going to be enough to convince anyone to upgrade.  Processing power is already wasted on the PS2.  Online play would be a joke.  These things are broken out at actual parties with snacks and everything, after all.

Even if Sony did everything else right, I still can't see the SingStar crowd upgrading until they can get a PS3 for $199 or less.  Even then, they'd only upgrade if they both still cared for the series and didn't hate Sony for "forcing" them to upgrade by not making PS2 games anymore.

1088

NWR Forums Discord / Re: Favorite PIE!?

« on: January 12, 2009, 02:47:00 PM »

Pecan pie is my favorite because it's sweet and sticky and crunchy and makes picking up all the pecans from the trees in my parents' and grandparents' yards worthwhile.  The things are everywhere.  The trees drip sap on everything, you can't walk barefoot because stepping on the sharp end of a pecan will make you curse your own mother, and shelling the pecans is the worst chore in the history of child labor, but it's all worth it for that golden brown piece of heaven.  I like that.  Pecan Pie:  It's heaven you put in your mouth!

Side note:  The word pecan is not pronounced like a container you urinate in.

Chocolate pie is a close second, even though I used to only eat the meringue when I was little.  It would be my favorite, but it's so hard to make right that I rarely get a perfect one that doesn't have a weeping meringue or runny filling or soggy crust.  Of course, even the not perfect ones are delicious, but a perfect one is worth its weight in gold.

1089

NWR Forums Discord / Re: Should Greg hide?

« on: January 12, 2009, 01:03:31 PM »

I understand when people don't like listening to a roundtable of people talking... but then you say you like NPR!  Our podcast is similar to many shows on NPR, except we're far less uptight and talk about games instead of those other topics.  I hope you'll try listening at least once... you might just like it.

NPR has a gaming podcast, too.  Or at least it did.  I can't seem to find it, but a friend of mine sent me a link to it once or twice.  It's called Press Start.

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TalkBack / Re: High Voltage Betting That 'a Hardcore Market Exists' on Wii

« on: January 12, 2009, 12:28:29 PM »

In a way, I already feel bad for Conduit and HVG.

I mean, the game isn't even out yet and people are either declaring the best Wii FPS ever or a failure.

This is why I believe game developers should just make the game they want to make and hope for the best.

I admire that HVG is working hard towards proving that the Wii is a gaming console like the rest. But if they fail, even a tiny bit, they will feel the backlash.

People have yet to forgive Ubi for Red Steel, and it too was a FPS game that wanted to prove the Wii could do games like these.

So, I feel bad for Conduit.

I liked Red Steel even with all its flaws.  What I haven't forgiven Ubisoft for is ignoring the sales the game saw, which were pretty good for a poorly reviewed launch game, proving that the market existed right from the start.  Ubisoft had a perfect opportunity to refine the Wii FPS experience.  As an early mover, Ubisoft had a chance to get an improvement out the door before anyone else could even finish a first attempt.  Instead, they tried to copy Nintendo.  Badly.

Getting back to HVG, my greatest fear is that the game will not perform well enough and will "prove" the opposite of what HVG is saying.  Other publishers will point to it as an example of why they only make "casual" games for Wii.  My hope is that it is a very good game, a critical darling, and a huge seller.  We will then be drowned in FPS games, hopefully with a few gems in the mix.

Actually, I take it back.  My greatest fear is that the game will sell phenomenally, but then other publishers will continue on the same path, claiming either that it was a fluke or that Wii gamers wouldn't buy another one for some crazy made up reason.  It will prove that the third party situation on the Wii is indeed not the product of rational thinking, but the response of an industry angry at Nintendo for disrupting its market, moving its cheese, upending its tea table, etc.

All this is too much to place at The Conduit's feet, of course.  All I really want from the game is a fun time, and my predictions of doom are just for fun (it's not like I know anything).  You can't say High Voltage isn't at least partly to blame for all the punditry about it, though.  They know it's good for publicity.


Edit:  If anyone particularly pedantic comes along, I know I didn't really use the phrase "upend the tea table" right.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: The Conduit

« on: January 09, 2009, 05:28:06 PM »

Kairon did you contact HVS yet?

First of all, I can't believe how badly I misread that.  AIDS LOL

Second, here's the original quote:

I'm Josh Olson, producer on The Conduit, and we're planning to get much more involved on community sites and the forums in the coming months.  The problem, of course, is finding the time as we're full bore on the title.  Know though that we do get on the site, read the forums, listen to what you all are saying, and really appreciate your support.

That wording (the "the") suggests to me that he's talking about their own forums, not those of community sites, by which I'm pretty sure he means fan sites.

1092

TalkBack / Re: High Voltage Betting That 'a Hardcore Market Exists' on Wii

« on: January 09, 2009, 05:06:44 PM »

"in spite of all the hype"? You make it sound like hype is some quality in a game.

No, I don't.  The game isn't released yet, so there's nothing but hype.  Hype doesn't always sell, obviously, and it's entirely possible that the gamers hyping up The Conduit will simply forget about it.  People will jabber excitedly about nearly anything, but they won't actually do anything about it.

1093

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Hell just froze over the first 3rd Party Wiiremote by NYKO

« on: January 09, 2009, 04:21:30 PM »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9BAv68UUqU

That video should be watched.

Analog buttons?  What on earth for?  And I noticed the battery cover has to come off for it to fit in their own custom pistol.  Ridiculous.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Zelda: Does it need to change?

« on: January 09, 2009, 04:14:30 PM »

UPB, you said that you based all that on your own views of the series so if it sounds like i'm ragging on you, I'm not. There are people out there that have these wild ideas and defend them to the death; like that Link and Zelda are brother and sister. Personally I like having some room in the story for my imagination to fill in, but when it comes to discussing something like this, it becomes hard when someone can't let go of their own assumptions.

I'm not just making assumptions.  I'm trying to read between the lines.  Every time the events of a game challenge what I thought I understood, I rethink it, so I'm not completely opposed to changes to the series (you should have seen me when Lucas confirmed the Stormtroopers were clones, making volumes of Star Wars Expanded Universe material require ever more hackneyed excuses to still fit in the same universe; I gave up on reading the books instead).  It would take too long and be really boring if I spelled out why I think the way I do (and you can't expect explicit clarifications in anything that comes out of Japan).  To sum up my thoughts as concisely as possible, a Link and Zelda being around every time Ganon has caused trouble is either destiny or an impossible coincidence.  If they make a Zelda game in which Link is not the hero, it throws the destiny possibility out the window and leaves us with no plausible reason for Ganon not to have already won.  I think that would damage the entire series' credibility, and not as stories but as works the creators actually care enough about to not treat that way.

I'm okay with not being able to figure out a timeline.  Even F-Zero has a more sensible timeline than Zelda.  I'm okay with divergent graphical and even gameplay styles.  At some level, though, there's a core that makes it the Legend of Zelda instead of the Legend of Some Other People.

As an aside, I actually would like for Nintendo to make the Legend of Some Other People because I'd like for Nintendo to use its talent without holding anything back to fit into an established franchise.  I just don't get why anyone would want Girl Space Pirate Link in a Zelda game instead of Girl Space Pirate Somebody Else in something brand new.

1095

General Chat / Re: Second Annual Secret Santa: Thread Of Joy

« on: January 09, 2009, 02:50:32 PM »

Vudu i still owe you, as well as Partybear and one other poster.

I don't understand.

1096

TalkBack / Re: Virtual Console Preview Reveals Smash Bros. for Japan

« on: January 09, 2009, 02:28:55 PM »

Brawl only looks drab and depressing next to something like a bowl of Easter M&Ms, and even then only if you never play most of the stages.

1097

TalkBack / Re: High Voltage Betting That 'a Hardcore Market Exists' on Wii

« on: January 09, 2009, 01:11:48 PM »

The so-called hardcore are a fickle bunch.  I have a bad feeling that if this game doesn't score 9s across the board, they'll turn up their noses at it in spite of all the hype.  Since it's a Wii game and will lose a point in every other review for not being HD, it'll have to be worthy of a 10 to even do that well.

1098

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Miyamoto pattens a new computer-readable storage medium

« on: January 08, 2009, 06:44:23 PM »

I thought we were talking about General George S. Patton and the new Legend of Duty game.

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NWR Feedback / The swearing censor and "terrible poasters"

« on: January 08, 2009, 04:56:12 PM »

I like leaving things uncensored.  I don't like to use dirty language myself, but I want to know what people are actually saying.  However, I also enjoy the funny word filters such as "I am a terrible poaster" for the K word or the classic "sparkling innovation" for the G word.  If I elect to leave everything uncensored, I miss out on a lot of pure comedy gold.

Can the censor and the terrible poaster filters be separated?  I thought they were simply done with the emoticon code on the old forum.

1100

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Zelda: Does it need to change?

« on: January 08, 2009, 04:23:29 PM »

Please get rid of the boats.  Give Link a Dolphin so we can just Wave Race our way around the seas.  Transitions between modes of travel should be seamless.

Anyone else remember the rumors that the horse in TP was really a shape shifter named Poseidon that was also the hawk and wolf?  I loved that idea (even though I doubted it was true back then), and I'd love to see it done in a future Zelda game.  Link apparently has to have a talkative companion, so it might as well be some sort of little whatsit that can both hide in his pocket stating the obvious and do useful stuff.  It would even make a good excuse for lengthy overworld quests for new animal forms, such as a creature to ride across the sea.


Regarding a non-Link character, I just don't see that working from a story perspective, or at least not the way I see it.  It's not simply always Link, but rather it's always the Triforce of Courage.  The following is based on my own inferences from the games, and future developments could shoot it all down, but it's how I view the Legend of Zelda series. 

The Triforce of Power made Ganondorf into an immortal evil godlike being in response to his desires, but the Courage and Wisdom counterparts responded to Link's and Zelda's desires to stop him.  Since Ganon is immortal, Link and Zelda are reincarnated by the Triforce whenever he is close to regaining enough power to be a threat again.  Zelda always reappears in the royal family because Wisdom dictates that that's the best place to be to get ready to fight Ganon.  Link, however, always ends up someplace more "fun" due to the influence of the Triforce of Courage.  It protects him, but by nature it pretty much has to put him somewhere where he'll have great challenges to overcome, or at least where he can get regular adrenaline rushes.

Now, since it's the Triforce of Courage's response to the original Link's wish to stop Ganondorf that drives the legend, it simply does not make sense for some other character to be the hero, or even do some of the work for him.

That's not to say you can't do more with the series than the usual Ganon storyline, as my favorite entries prove.  For one thing, Nintendo could explore why the Master Sword already existed before Ganon appeared (if Ocarina of Time explained anything, I've forgotten it).  It would even be harder to include Link in such a game than not.