2526
TalkBack / RE: Fire Emblem for GameCube Revealed!
« on: April 01, 2004, 06:17:26 PM »
Magazine scans are hard to fake. I've seen them. It's just not legal for us to post them.
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2527
TalkBack / Nintendo Announces Free Japanese Seminars
« on: April 01, 2004, 05:36:30 PM »
Qualified students in Japan can get quality instruction from designers at Nintendo at no cost.
Nintendo is currently taking applications for student attendees for game seminars, seeing it as an "ideal chance for you to experience game design in an environment not found in standard student life." The seminars will be given from June until the end of next March, meeting once a week for three hours to address topics such as design, environmental elements, GBA development, etc.
Only thirty applicants will be accepted. If the number of applicants exceeds this amount (I wonder), they will administer a written exam and interviews to select the participants.
Schedule:
June: Orientation and entrance ceremony
June-July: Every week, Thurs. 6:30-9:30PM
August: "Summer concentration lodging." (Possibly a retreat of some sort.)
August-December: Every week, Thurs. 6:30-9:30PM
December: Mid-term presentations
January-March: Every week, Thurs. 6:30-9:30PM
March: Exit ceremony
Fees:
Free: All expenses paid by Nintendo. Required materials will be lent to students by Nintendo.
Location:
Nintendo Corporation Tokyo Office (Chiyoda-ku Kandasuda-cho 1-22), about 5 minutes walk from the JR Kanda station, or 2 minutes from the Ginza Line station.
Contents:
Game planning, program design, sound, game development knowledge, techniques, lectures from Nintendo game developers, advice for aspiring game developers, and development of a GBA game. (It sounds like participants will actually be creating a game in these seminars.)
It's an exciting opportunity for any aspiring designer and especially for those that are Nintendo fans. If you think you might qualify, head to Nintendo's official site for more info.
Japanese Correspondent Chris Bethea assisted with this article.
2528
TalkBack / RE: Nintendo Announces NES GBA SP, Plus Retro Games
« on: March 29, 2004, 12:20:27 PM »
Actually, I've heard comments that NOA had to push for that $20 price point rather than the standard $30 that NCL thought it should be. Crazy.
2529
NWR Feedback / RE: Yikes, what is going on with Planet Gamecube reviews?!?
« on: March 29, 2004, 08:14:28 AM »
Yes, if you feel this way, please let us know why. I haven't played PSO, but I thought Jonny's Harvest Moon review was fine from what I've played so far.
2530
Nintendo Gaming / RE: 100% OFFICIAL : Harvest Moon : It's A Wonderful Life
« on: March 29, 2004, 08:10:34 AM »
Is there any way to actually get your ducks to increase the number of eggs out there? I mean I get baby ducks, but somehow I never seem to have more eggs than I have chickens, even though now with the ducks, I'm getting golden eggs practically every day.
2531
TalkBack / RE: GameCube Price Drop and New Specs for Japan
« on: March 22, 2004, 08:18:14 PM »
Shecky is new, but Shecky is wise.
Seriously everyone, this argument is a HUGE over-reaction. If you don't want to trade-in, just import the cable.
I understand mouseclicker's point of view that it's silly not to play a game just because it doesn't have special features -- I mean most of us don't have any problems playing GBA right? Still I prefer to use the most immersive sound option available (HDTV I won't be concerned about until sets are $500) I don't think it would be good for Nintendo to stop progressing with the new technologies. Nintendo has always pushed for the best sound options widely available, and I hope they get Dolby Digital up and running next-gen.
Speaking of DD, I want to clear up some confusion with that. The problem is encoding not decoding Digital that led Factor 5 and Nintendo to choose PLII instead. Decoding is done by the home theater, and as someone noted, is no problem at all. However, encoding the signal is apparently more taxing than PLII, causing a relative delay in the sound. Some Xbox developers have it running in-game though, which is probably a combination of the machine's extra horsepower and some tricky programming. I think that with the next set of processors, it won't be as much of a problem.
Seriously everyone, this argument is a HUGE over-reaction. If you don't want to trade-in, just import the cable.
I understand mouseclicker's point of view that it's silly not to play a game just because it doesn't have special features -- I mean most of us don't have any problems playing GBA right? Still I prefer to use the most immersive sound option available (HDTV I won't be concerned about until sets are $500) I don't think it would be good for Nintendo to stop progressing with the new technologies. Nintendo has always pushed for the best sound options widely available, and I hope they get Dolby Digital up and running next-gen.
Speaking of DD, I want to clear up some confusion with that. The problem is encoding not decoding Digital that led Factor 5 and Nintendo to choose PLII instead. Decoding is done by the home theater, and as someone noted, is no problem at all. However, encoding the signal is apparently more taxing than PLII, causing a relative delay in the sound. Some Xbox developers have it running in-game though, which is probably a combination of the machine's extra horsepower and some tricky programming. I think that with the next set of processors, it won't be as much of a problem.
2532
TalkBack / RE: Bigger GameCube Memory Cards Might be on the Way
« on: March 22, 2004, 05:38:54 PM »
I still have an open 59 lying around from when I got my second 251. I have like seven cards though:
two US 251s
Animal Crossing 59
two Japanese 59s
a Doshin 59
and the blank 59.
two US 251s
Animal Crossing 59
two Japanese 59s
a Doshin 59
and the blank 59.
2533
Nintendo Gaming / RE: counterfeit gba games
« on: March 22, 2004, 05:27:55 PM »
yeah, report him to EBay if it turns out to be a real fake. I hate buying stuff only to have someone tell me years later that it's just a high-end Hong Kong bootleg. *cough*Ever Anime*cough*
2534
TalkBack / Kirby Delayed in Japan
« on: March 22, 2004, 04:54:03 PM »
A major bug has caused Nintendo to indefinitely delay the latest GBA Kirby game.
Previously planning to release Kirby Mirror (Hoshi no Kirby: Kagami no Daimeikyu) just this week, Nintendo announced on Friday that a critical bug has been found in the game, forcing them to delay it until the problem can be fixed. They apologize to everyone who was planning on picking up the game for Spring Break.
This is terrible news all around, since Nintendo undoubtedly had a large stock of cartridges already produced for the game, which presumably need to be destroyed at this point. We'll let you know when Kirby Mirror's new Japanese release is announced.
2535
Nintendo Gaming / RE: Harvest Moon AWL: Ask a question, get an answer!
« on: March 21, 2004, 07:22:00 AM »
I just got to year two. Each person really only seems to have new lines for each season, and then some of them get new lines in the second year. Different people move in or out of town too, so that adds a bit of variety. Your wife says a few more things, but compared to something like Animal Crossing, the dialogue is really thin. I've played for about thirteen hours just since Wednesday so I'm lovin it, but I'm new to the series, so I don't know how it compares.
2536
TalkBack / RE: GameCube Price Drop and New Specs for Japan
« on: March 20, 2004, 02:15:17 PM »
These mass-market redesigns always cut corners. It's basically a matter of making the system as cheap as possible for a bit more profit and future price drops. I remember when the top-loading NES came out, they completely got rid of some of the outputs, and as someone else said, Sony did the same type of thing with the PlayStation. The reason companies do this is because the average mass market consumer doesn't care enough about gaming to take advantage of these features. If they did, they would have gotten the system sooner.
However, this generation is a little different I think because the market is becoming less polarized. More and more of us this gen are getting second or third systems. I'm considering getting an Xbox when the price drops, and I'm going to have to order cables for it too because the included cables don't support digital audio. Xbox and PS2 owners that pick up a GameCube to play RE4 are going to be a little frustrated if they have to go through some trade-in process or order cables from Japan.
However, this generation is a little different I think because the market is becoming less polarized. More and more of us this gen are getting second or third systems. I'm considering getting an Xbox when the price drops, and I'm going to have to order cables for it too because the included cables don't support digital audio. Xbox and PS2 owners that pick up a GameCube to play RE4 are going to be a little frustrated if they have to go through some trade-in process or order cables from Japan.
2537
TalkBack / RE: Zelda Bonus Disc Offer for Australians
« on: March 20, 2004, 01:55:41 PM »
Umm... yeah, is NAL simply incapable of employing the same PIN number system the US has or what? Doesn't make sense to me.
2538
TalkBack / RE: Obi's Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Review
« on: March 19, 2004, 03:47:35 PM »
I'd think that if the codec was automatically selected when you hit pause, it could have been just as quick.
2539
TalkBack / RE: GameCube Price Drop and New Specs for Japan
« on: March 19, 2004, 03:39:44 PM »
Less than 1% of GameCube users have employed the output jack for two reasons: First, they aren't available at retail. Second, most devices that actually have a component input usually only have one, and since DVD players typically don't have component input, that leaves you stuck buying some sort of switch. There's really not that many people who care to go through all that trouble.
2540
TalkBack / RE:Nintendo February Sales Data
« on: March 17, 2004, 07:34:45 PM »Quote
Originally posted by: mouse_clicker
Are you sure? I could have sworn Final Fantasy Adventure was in fact a Secret of Mana game that got a name change when it was released in America.
Seiken Densetsu also had the Final Fantasy Gaiden title stuck in there as well, so even in Japan it was considered an offshoot of Final Fantasy, which is why there are crossover things like Moogles and Chocobos.
2541
Nintendo Gaming / RE: Resident Evil 4 Discussion
« on: March 16, 2004, 10:27:28 PM »
Bleh, judging from IGN's interview, it's Europe apparently. I fixed our preview.
2542
TalkBack / RE: Resident Evil 4 Preview Update
« on: March 16, 2004, 09:24:31 PM »
By the way, I posted this for Chris because he lives in New York and doesn't have the luxury of staying up until 3 AM.
2543
TalkBack / Resident Evil 4 Preview
« on: March 16, 2004, 08:58:23 PM »
Fans of the infamous Resident Evil series have long been trapped between thirsting for more of the same and wanting a fresh new outlook. Fortunately, Resident Evil 4 is poised to deliver both.
Last updated: 03/17/2004 by Chris Martino
What originally began as a straightforward continuation of the storyline and gameplay that has made the franchise a success, has, under the re-assumed direction of Shinji Mikami, become something both strikingly different and eerily familiar. Capcom has kept a tight leash on the information surrounding this latest release and full details will likely not be known until this upcoming E3. Still, from the breathtaking visuals to the implementation of several new gameplay features, Resident Evil 4 is moving swiftly into the future.
The story follows Leon S. Kennedy and occurs six years after his initiation into the frightening world of Resident Evil. Operating as a U.S. Agent, Leon is hired by the president to guard his daughter. Unfortunately for Leon, she is kidnapped before he arrives and is smuggled to a European village. Hot in pursuit, Leon is confronted by the villagers who hunt him down relentlessly, caught in an unnatural trance. The evil Umbrella Corporation has been destroyed and will not be a focal point in the script, although it may have some relevance to the strange events. Throughout the adventure, Leon will also encounter other characters from the series, but there has been no clue as to who they will be.
Capcom has kept some of the staples of the franchise while simultaneously making some drastic changes. The game will only play in 16:9 widescreen. While this may be slightly bothersome to a few gamers, the decision was made in order to increase playability. Leon will take up the left side of the screen with the camera hovering over his shoulder. This will give players full aiming control and put them closer to the action than ever before. There will also be an option for a slightly different third-person camera along with a first-person view. The controls remain largely the same as previous Resident Evil games, but should operate much more smoothly considering the perspective change. Items and inventory will be handled as they have always been. For instance, you will still be required to access the inventory to switch weapons and you will still rely on those trusty herbs and first-aid sprays to heal your wounds. Thankfully, the health and ammo information will be displayed on-screen this time around.
If this still sounds suspiciously like the same old Resident Evil, then you should know that there won’t be any zombies. No zombies? Well, at least not from what we’ve seen so far. The adversarial villagers are still human, or at least mostly human, and are under a strange influence. Without warning or reason, they attack Leon unremittingly. They’re fast and smart. Armed with sickles, axes, pitchforks and whatever else they can get their hands on, they’ll attack in groups, avoid gunfire, and even deliberately lead you into ambushes. Should you be out of range, they will throw their weapons at you, attempting to kill you at all costs. They’ll open doors, break windows, and absolutely will not stop until you are dead.
Fortunately, Leon isn’t without a few new moves himself. Thanks to the manual aiming, you can target individual body parts, and enemies will react accordingly. If you’re low on ammo you might consider shooting a villager in the foot to hobble him. You can also shoot projectiles out of the air in order to avoid getting tomahawked. The game features a multi-purpose action button which can be instrumental in escaping the crazed hordes. After a quick shot, Leon can close the gap between his enemy and plant a firm kick to the chest. The action button will also be used for other tricks such as barricading doors and even toppling a ladder full of bad guys. Leon also sports a new pair of binoculars to zoom in on the action from afar, gaining valuable insight on upcoming areas and occasionally triggering a cut-scene.
Resident Evil 4 will include a few, traditional indoor areas, but the majority of the game takes place outdoors. The canopy shrouds the environment in darkness, occasionally with only the wan light of the moon to guide you. The classic door-opening scenes are gone, and the game should feature only a few brief loads. Gone are the pre-rendered, static backgrounds, and everything from the intro to the supposedly shocking ending is done using the in-game engine. The lush graphics aren’t the only real-time aspect. Apparently, the difficulty will adjust according to your performance, altering the amount of ammo and health as necessary.
Mikami has stated that horror will still be a central aspect of the game, but the overall experience will be quite different. The game tempo is much faster, and instead of facing a smattering of mindless zombies, players will be constantly confronted with throngs of intelligent foes. The feeling of claustrophobia should be intense as they hunt you in an unfamiliar environment with no escape. The word is out that even the developers get scared when playing the game. Taking the series to a new level, Resident Evil 4 will last at least ten hours and is due for release in late 2004.
Chris Martino, Staff Writer
Last updated: 03/17/2004 by Chris Martino
What originally began as a straightforward continuation of the storyline and gameplay that has made the franchise a success, has, under the re-assumed direction of Shinji Mikami, become something both strikingly different and eerily familiar. Capcom has kept a tight leash on the information surrounding this latest release and full details will likely not be known until this upcoming E3. Still, from the breathtaking visuals to the implementation of several new gameplay features, Resident Evil 4 is moving swiftly into the future.
The story follows Leon S. Kennedy and occurs six years after his initiation into the frightening world of Resident Evil. Operating as a U.S. Agent, Leon is hired by the president to guard his daughter. Unfortunately for Leon, she is kidnapped before he arrives and is smuggled to a European village. Hot in pursuit, Leon is confronted by the villagers who hunt him down relentlessly, caught in an unnatural trance. The evil Umbrella Corporation has been destroyed and will not be a focal point in the script, although it may have some relevance to the strange events. Throughout the adventure, Leon will also encounter other characters from the series, but there has been no clue as to who they will be.
Capcom has kept some of the staples of the franchise while simultaneously making some drastic changes. The game will only play in 16:9 widescreen. While this may be slightly bothersome to a few gamers, the decision was made in order to increase playability. Leon will take up the left side of the screen with the camera hovering over his shoulder. This will give players full aiming control and put them closer to the action than ever before. There will also be an option for a slightly different third-person camera along with a first-person view. The controls remain largely the same as previous Resident Evil games, but should operate much more smoothly considering the perspective change. Items and inventory will be handled as they have always been. For instance, you will still be required to access the inventory to switch weapons and you will still rely on those trusty herbs and first-aid sprays to heal your wounds. Thankfully, the health and ammo information will be displayed on-screen this time around.
If this still sounds suspiciously like the same old Resident Evil, then you should know that there won’t be any zombies. No zombies? Well, at least not from what we’ve seen so far. The adversarial villagers are still human, or at least mostly human, and are under a strange influence. Without warning or reason, they attack Leon unremittingly. They’re fast and smart. Armed with sickles, axes, pitchforks and whatever else they can get their hands on, they’ll attack in groups, avoid gunfire, and even deliberately lead you into ambushes. Should you be out of range, they will throw their weapons at you, attempting to kill you at all costs. They’ll open doors, break windows, and absolutely will not stop until you are dead.
Fortunately, Leon isn’t without a few new moves himself. Thanks to the manual aiming, you can target individual body parts, and enemies will react accordingly. If you’re low on ammo you might consider shooting a villager in the foot to hobble him. You can also shoot projectiles out of the air in order to avoid getting tomahawked. The game features a multi-purpose action button which can be instrumental in escaping the crazed hordes. After a quick shot, Leon can close the gap between his enemy and plant a firm kick to the chest. The action button will also be used for other tricks such as barricading doors and even toppling a ladder full of bad guys. Leon also sports a new pair of binoculars to zoom in on the action from afar, gaining valuable insight on upcoming areas and occasionally triggering a cut-scene.
Resident Evil 4 will include a few, traditional indoor areas, but the majority of the game takes place outdoors. The canopy shrouds the environment in darkness, occasionally with only the wan light of the moon to guide you. The classic door-opening scenes are gone, and the game should feature only a few brief loads. Gone are the pre-rendered, static backgrounds, and everything from the intro to the supposedly shocking ending is done using the in-game engine. The lush graphics aren’t the only real-time aspect. Apparently, the difficulty will adjust according to your performance, altering the amount of ammo and health as necessary.
Mikami has stated that horror will still be a central aspect of the game, but the overall experience will be quite different. The game tempo is much faster, and instead of facing a smattering of mindless zombies, players will be constantly confronted with throngs of intelligent foes. The feeling of claustrophobia should be intense as they hunt you in an unfamiliar environment with no escape. The word is out that even the developers get scared when playing the game. Taking the series to a new level, Resident Evil 4 will last at least ten hours and is due for release in late 2004.
Chris Martino, Staff Writer
2544
Nintendo Gaming / RE: Origional Star Wars games for NES/SNES coming to GBA
« on: March 16, 2004, 04:45:43 PM »
I don't think they released them the first time....
2545
Nintendo Gaming / RE: My Gamecube is making some weird noises
« on: March 16, 2004, 04:44:00 PM »
If you're still under warranty, I'd get it looked at. If not and you're not actually experiencing errors, I wouldn't worry about it too much, my GameCube has been making noise for a long time, and I've rarely had problems with any games.
2546
TalkBack / RE: Nintendo Adds Four to Player's Choice Line-up
« on: March 16, 2004, 04:39:43 PM »
Actually, it doesn't drop until April 29th, so maybe not now.
2547
TalkBack / RE: Nintendo February Sales Data
« on: March 16, 2004, 03:58:03 PM »
There's a lot of positive spin there, but not being able to get a GameCube really isn't a good thing.
2548
TalkBack / Nintendo February Sales Data
« on: March 16, 2004, 03:52:46 PM »
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles is the top game of the month, and Nintendo reveals that the North American warehouse is out of GameCubes.
DID YOU KNOW? - NINTENDO CONTINUES TO DRIVE INDUSTRY GROWTH
March 16, 2004
What's driving the video game industry? Three words: games, games and games!
And who's driving the growth in the games market? Nintendo!
According to the independent sales data just released by the NPD Group, in February:
* Two new exclusive Nintendo titles captured the No. 1 and No. 3 spots on the best-seller list. Final Fantasy®: Crystal Chronicles™, made exclusively for Nintendo GameCube™, was the month's top-selling game, followed closely in the No. 3 spot by Metroid®: Zero Mission, exclusively for Game Boy® Advance (the No. 2 title, Electronic Arts' NFL Street, is also available on Nintendo GameCube).
* The top platform for game growth is Nintendo GameCube, with total game sales up 46 percent over the same period last year.
* When games for Game Boy Advance are included, Nintendo added two software market share points from the competitors from January.
* On the hardware side, U.S. lifetime sales for Nintendo GameCube have now surpassed 7 million systems, while Game Boy Advance has flown past the 20 million unit mark.
* Nintendo is also working overtime to meet the overwhelming demand for its highly sought Nintendo GameCube. By February, nearly half of all U.S. retail locations were out of stock…and Nintendo's North American warehouse was empty. Since cutting the suggested retail price of Nintendo GameCube to $99.99 in September 2003, unit sales between October and February are up over 50 percent from the same period a year ago.
2549
TalkBack / Nintendo Adds Four to Player's Choice Line-up
« on: March 16, 2004, 03:48:14 PM »
Well, more like three and a half, but Metroid Prime is dropping another $10 this April.
DID YOU KNOW? - NINTENDO BOLSTERS PLAYER'S CHOICE LIBRARY
March 16, 2004 -- A golf date with Mario is about to get a lot more affordable, as Nintendo announces a new MSRP for four popular Nintendo GameCube™ games, including Mario Golf™: Toadstool Tour. The games will join more than 35 other titles in Player's Choice library, a selection of Nintendo video games offered at reduced rates. The addition of these four games will continue to drive record sales. In December alone, Nintendo sold more than 1.5 million titles from the Player's Choice collection.
On April 29, the MSRPs for both Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour and Wario World™ will be reduced from $49.99 to $29.99, while the MSRP for the wild racing game F-Zero® GX will be $19.99. The fourth game, the extremely successful Metroid® Prime, already in the Player's Choice library, will be available at a new MSRP of $19.99.
2550
Nintendo Gaming / RE: NOW you review Fire Emblem!? Fire Emblem 8 is already coming...
« on: March 16, 2004, 03:42:58 PM »
Sorry that we weren't able to get this done sooner, but the reviewer was tied up with other games like Tales of Symphonia and Baten Kaitos. Nintendo's PR sucked for FE too, as you'll notice we don't even have screen shots in English. I tried to make up for it, but I've still got a third of the game to go.
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