Topic: Episode 23: Kinnectivity

[oksoda]

Things get a little bizzaro on this week's episode of Connectivity.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/connectivity/29393

It's another episode of Connectivity, what else did you expect? We're coming at you with three segments this week. First off, there's the regular news discussion which is loaded thanks to the recent Nintendo Direct presentation. Then, we have a wonderful discussion of the Tales Of games between Patrick and James Dawson. If you stick around after the regular show, you'll be treated to the bizzaro "Kinnectivity" podcast in which we talk about Microsoft's fancy all-seeing eye.

We love getting all of this great feedback, so keep it coming by leaving a comment below, or by emailing us by clicking here.

A side note: there was a glitch in editing this week's episode and for some reason I could not get the AAC version to export properly. I had to convert the MP3 version back to AAC, and as a result the AAC version doesn't have chapters this week. Sorry

[Halbred]

My mic was unusually quiet during this episode...was it quiet to my fellow co-hosts on the call?

[Sidescroller64]

Man, I love those random spikes of static from the hosts mic in the first segment. I guess I'll pass on this one too. See you all next week. Good luck with the next episode.

[StrikerObi]

Weird, I'm not seeing any static spikes when I edit it. I put a noise filter on everybody's audio and the whole thing is normalized when it gets exported. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for that in the future. Can you tell me if it seemed to be associated with any particular panelist's audio? Also, MP3 or AAC version?

[TJ Spyke]

I barely noticed any, not enough to hurt my enjoyment.

[Plugabugz]

Last week had a lot of static that sounded like blowing in the mic. It was very bad with Neal last time.

[Monteblanco]

Perhaps I don't have a clue as I don't play golf but I fail to see how a Kinect controlled golf game can be appealing. My understanding, by playing a little of Wii Sports Resort and Tiger Woods is that placing some spin on the ball is quite important. As far as I can see, the way to do it is hitting the ball with your club making a certain angle (fade way or something like that). The previously cited games use Motion Plus to implement that but I don't believe there is any way Kinect could register the angle of your hands while you hit the ball, at least with the precision necessary to a good golfing game.

[NWR_Neal]

Not to sound like a dick (but I guess kind of), you don't have a clue because you don't play golf. Maybe you're underselling the Kinect tech, but it does, as far as I could tell/test, register the angle of your hands while you hit the ball. It works better than other Kinect golf games because you're facing the TV/Kinect while you swing (basically, parallel instead of perpendicular).

[KDR_11k]

Are you sure about the timing of Luke's character change? Maybe he has more than one change but he stops being a total douchebag when you first encounter the titular abyss. I'm already quite far past that point and the story isn't really making efforts to get towards any ending, it feels more like I'm in the middle of the main section of the story.

[KisakiProject]

Loved the Kinect bonus talk.  Gunstringer is awesome.  I need to finish it.  Did you guys see the trailer for Crimson Dragon (formally Project Draco)?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XItU6lre9x4  Its Panzer Dragoon exactly.  I couldn't be happier.  I need to pick up Child of Eden & Kinect Fun labs.  Diabolic pitch looks cool.  I'm not really a Suda51 fan but he seems to have made something worth checking out with this.  I'm actually fairly positive on the device.   Given MS willingness to fund spiritual sequels perhaps a bonus round discussion on what lost franchise you would like to see revived?

[noname2200]

Ha! "Kinnectivity." Called this sell-out right after you announced the name change from Newscast! :-P

Are you sure about the timing of Luke's character change? Maybe he has more than one change but he stops being a total douchebag when you first encounter the titular abyss. I'm already quite far past that point and the story isn't really making efforts to get towards any ending, it feels more like I'm in the middle of the main section of the story.

Yeah, I think they got the timing wrong. I'd say it's closer to a third/half of the way through, maybe less.

While we're on the subject of Abyss, I do have several criticisms of the game. I hate the frequency of encounters on the World Map, and how slow it is to trudge from place to place. The plot is also something of a mess, especially when it comes to your enemies' decisions. I've played enough Tales games to not expect Kaiser Soze, but it's not much fun to beat villains with the ingenuinty of a coked-up terrier.

Still, fun game, above average JRPG, and the cast is mostly cool, Anise excepted. I'm with them on the skits though: unskippable and completely silent is not a good way to go!

[KDR_11k]

Do you even get to see the "loves cute stuff" side of Tear without watching the skits?