Messages

2051

General Chat / RE:IGN wants to advertise on my site. What should I tell them my yearly rate is?

« on: December 09, 2005, 06:59:43 AM »

What I should probably do is accept the $1000 for the front page alone and get those links on there.  Then when I go to let her know that they're up, I could also make mention of putting them on my forums for a bit more.  Then she'll see it as $200-$250 for the forums and if she ends up rejecting that, she would still be giving me the $1000 for the ads front page since we'd already agreed on that.  So I'd at least get that much.

2052

NWR Forums Discord / RE:Real Life Pokemon Battle Video! XD

« on: December 09, 2005, 05:17:48 AM »

Actually, I'm pretty sure Pikachu used Agility against Raichu in episode 14, not 15 as mentioned in your clip...  >_>

My brother's favourite episode is Episode 15: Battle Aboard The St. Anne, the first one where you see Giovanni and other Rockets.  I'm pretty sure Ash faced Lt. Surge in the episode right before that which would've been #14.

Unless there was one of those banned episodes before that, I dunno...

2053

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Play the Price is Right!

« on: December 09, 2005, 04:10:05 AM »

What's the traditional launch price?  Isn't it like $199?

I think they could stand to charge more than that, honestly, because the competition does.  Even if they COULD sell it at $99 as some people have speculated, I don't see that happening right at launch.

If the technology is so cheap (probably leading towards the low-end estimates), they should include a game with it.  Games are so cheap but so marked up that people will think it's a deal while the increased cost of it to Nintendo will be small.

[ThePerm]

2054

Nintendo Gaming / RE:If everybody buys rev asa second console

« on: December 08, 2005, 04:21:46 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: ThePerm
my spacebar doesnt work worth crap

No kidding, you forgot the space between "Game" and "Boy".

For the most successful line of gaming handhelds ever, it surely gets misspaced A LOT.

2055

NWR Forums Discord / RE:Who's hot for Daisy?

« on: December 08, 2005, 04:20:17 PM »

I just watched the opening of Super Mario Strikers on GameTrailers.com.

Man, Daisy sounds insane when she says, "Nintendo!"

2056

Nintendo Gaming / RE:If everybody buys rev asa second console

« on: December 08, 2005, 03:21:08 PM »

As much as I love Pokémon, I don't know about "winning this gen" with a decent Pokémon GCN RPG.

And even if it did somehow sell multiple times more GameCubes, it would probably contribute more to the *gasp* tiku tiku tiku!  image.

And then if the sales were completely overtaking the competition, people would call videos games as a whole "tiku tiku tiku! " and then insecure gamers would stop playing games altogether.

...Okay, maybe not.

2057

General Chat / RE:IGN wants to advertise on my site. What should I tell them my yearly rate is?

« on: December 08, 2005, 02:25:11 PM »

All right, I sent them a link to a mock-up of the redesign.  I hope it impresses them.

I haven't named a price, I sort of made mention of the fact that with a redesign will likely mean more traffic and so therefore I don't know what a fair rate would be.

Let's see what they come up with.

The Google ads I put essentially make the site pay for itself.  It'd be nice to profit.  If my site gets too much traffic I'd have to pay more per month for the hosting.  I'm sure this IGN deal would make it profitable even if this were the case.

Of course, who doesn't want more money?  

If they come back with an offer of like $120 a year, that would certainly be sweet, but I don't want to ignorantly accept that if I can get ten times as much, you know?

What do you guys think a fair rate would be?  I'm hesitant to show off the redesign but I'm hoping someone here would know better than I if I might be getting a deal that's not as good as it could be in any circumstance.  

EDIT: They just got back to me, and that second-last point I made was almost the case.  She suggested $1000.00 US (wow, that's like a million in Canadian dollars!   )...she also said it was on the high end of what they offer but she liked how in my mock-up the links were in a prominent location.

I don't want to push her too far, but I'm tempted to say for $1250 I'll put them up in my forums too, where ads tend to get more exposure anyway.  Is that reasonable?  Should I?  

2058

Nintendo Gaming / RE:If everybody buys rev asa second console

« on: December 08, 2005, 11:27:18 AM »

For some rich bums, it may be their third console.

Or fourth, if the Phantom isn't dead.

Or a fifth or sixth if they keep around older consoles, etc.

2059

Nintendo Gaming / RE:2-3 Times as powerful as GC true, sez IGN

« on: December 08, 2005, 10:14:57 AM »

Until games are playable, it's hard to rate things on gameplay.

You can look at screenshots and, assuming they aren't faked too much, you get an idea what the graphics are like.  It's harder for you to point at a still shot and go "there's some fine gameplay right there".  Even a video may not do justice.

And even if you could, there's a lack of screenshots or videos of anything remotely related to the Revolution at the moment.  All that people can go on are supposed specs of power even though most probably don't know what it all means.

Ideally, yes, gameplay would be the best indicator of how factually "good" a game is.  But it's hard to quantify and it's hard to point out.  In a shallow consumer culture where people are wowed by how sleek, stylish, sexy, and spectacular something can be, it's hard to sell something on a deeper level alone.

At least the Revolution itself is pretty sleek and stylish.  The gameplay just by the controller alone is already unique, so hopefully there'll be lots of demo stations set up and commercials that let people understand what it is.  I think there are some people who don't even understand the DS commercials...

2060

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Official DS Sales Thread

« on: December 08, 2005, 07:10:46 AM »

They probably would've sold a lot more RE4 on the 'Cube if they didn't announce it for the PS2 shortly before release!  Dumb dumb dumb.

2061

General Chat / RE:IGN wants to advertise on my site. What should I tell them my yearly rate is?

« on: December 07, 2005, 04:17:41 PM »

Oh, I'd forgotten that my web site is in my profile here.  

I was thinking I should get back to work on the much-needed redesign.  If I send them a screen capture of what the new VGMaps.com is supposed to look like in the new year, I might be able to get a better rate, perhaps.

2062

General Chat / IGN wants to advertise on my site. What should I tell them my yearly rate is?

« on: December 07, 2005, 03:48:53 PM »

I'm surprised they even asked.  IGN's pretty big around these parts..."these parts" being the INTARWEB.

I'm sure most of you know of my site, if just barely.  (I would mention it but it might be considered spamming, so I'll wait for someone to ask first.)  Yep, it's pretty ugly.  It's got lots of content but not much in style.  I AM in the process of redesigning it so it'll have a new look starting in the new year.  But how could they have known that?  o_0

Assuming the offer is serious, and I don't see why not, what price should I ask of them?  No one's offered to pay for ad space on my site before, and even if they had, no one's ever come close to being IGN.  I don't exactly revere them but holy schnikes.

I hear that in haggling the first person to name a price "loses".  Should I probably folow that advice and ask if they'd like to make a specific offer first?

(To be more specific, they are asking for text links to three IGN Entertainment properties, Direct2Drive, FilePlanet, and 3DGamers.)

2063

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Media blitz!!

« on: December 07, 2005, 02:22:51 PM »

Awesome, now I finally saw how Mario Superstar Baseball opens.

'Cause the ##%@#$#@! Blockbuster near my house still hasn't gotten it even though I badger them about it every other week ever since the end of August!  The manager was supposed to call me back this week, still haven't heard nothin'.

I'm going to have to seriously have a talk with that manager if they don't give me some kind of straight answer soon, and especially if they pull the same thing with Super Mario Strikers.

2064

Nintendo Gaming / RE:2-3 Times as powerful as GC true, sez IGN

« on: December 07, 2005, 12:22:41 PM »

I may have been one of those who said those kinds of games are for insecure teens, but I've played some of them too.  The really insecure people are the ones who will choose a game with guns over any game with colourful graphics no matter what.  But that's their problem.  That's society's problem.  And Nintendo's problem for not following along.

Sometimes I wish Nintendo would throw up a big ad saying "YOU DUMMIES.  9 OUT OF 10 DECENT XBOX GAMES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE PC TOO."  It would certainly stir up controversy.  I know not everyone has a decent computer like I do, but certainly Microsoft has said things with less factual basis, like the ad implying that Nintendo is for sissies.

2065

Nintendo Gaming / RE:My Game that wasn't feasable before the controller

« on: December 07, 2005, 12:12:32 PM »

I suppose that if the controller really gives an involving, hands-on experience, we can pretty much bank on the fact that someone will eventually make a survival horror game that will work best on the Revolution.

Capcom may even make their twentieth* remake of the original Resident Evil!  Now you can open the doors as slowly or as quickly as you want to, since you'll be the one handling the doorknob!

*I exaggerate**.

**But not by much.

2066

Nintendo Gaming / RE:2-3 Times as powerful as GC true, sez IGN

« on: December 07, 2005, 11:48:18 AM »

It takes more than one insane game to get people's attention.  I don't know if Killer7 would've even got the attention that it did get if it wasn't also available for the PS2.

And RE4 probably would've sold better on the GCN if they didn't announce that it was coming to the PS2 shortly BEFORE the GCN version came out.

2067

NWR Forums Discord / Who's hot for Daisy?

« on: December 07, 2005, 11:19:11 AM »

Professional666 makes me hot for Daisy.

Seriously, what's with all the Daisyness?

2068

Nintendo Gaming / RE:2-3 Times as powerful as GC true, sez IGN

« on: December 07, 2005, 10:46:59 AM »

But now you're putting faith that Nintendo knows what gamers want better than the gamers themselves.

I think they said that at one point, actually, I can't remember if they said it in a way that didn't sound arrogant.

Hopefully for the sake of all those naysayers of the controller that Nintendo's departure from tradition here is what gamers want whether they realise it or not yet.

2069

Nintendo Gaming / RE:2-3 Times as powerful as GC true, sez IGN

« on: December 07, 2005, 10:34:28 AM »

I agree with Spak-Spang; it seems like bratty 15-year-olds gravitate towards the Xbox section in the video rental stores.  (No offense to anyone here who might be 15 or owns an Xbox.)

I remember kids on the bus making fun of another who played Pokémon, and then he caved and one day was like, "yeah, I finally gave up on Pokémon" a couple days before the next games in the series came out.  You could tell there were some insecurity issues there.

Unfortunately image is hard to change when you're against alternatives that throw a lot of marketing dollars down.  It's difficult for me, being 25, to express my enthusiasm for the next Nintendo game.  Oftentimes it comes down to someone saying "Nintendo sucks" and trying to change the conversation to something they can relate to, like a PS2 or Xbox game.  If I try to factually express that gameplay=/=number of colours, they still can't follow because they stick with their obviously skewed-by-the-media perception.  And though many of them have a GameCube now it's rarely a topic of discussion when there's yet another game, even if generic, on another console that just came out and doesn't involve throwing Poké Balls.

2070

Nintendo Gaming / RE:2-3 Times as powerful as GC true, sez IGN

« on: December 07, 2005, 10:03:21 AM »

I keep saying that's why Nintendo should try harder to get Sega to give up their whole library for the Revolution's download service.

This way, any gamer over about the age of 20 who has memories of games a few generations back, whether they were with the Nintendo camp (NES/Super NES) or Sega camp (Master System/Genesis) would get a Revolution for nostalgia alone.  Monopoly on the classics!

That is, if older gamers are into nostalgia when the alternative is something like Halo 3.  >_<

But I think the download service really would sell better among the over-20s than the below-20s.

2071

Nintendo Gaming / RE:2-3 Times as powerful as GC true, sez IGN

« on: December 07, 2005, 09:14:55 AM »

Nintendo's a business.  As much as we want it to be about games, for them, it's also about the bottom line.

Why make mature games when they typically don't sell as well as E-rated games?  If Pokémon and Mario sell, why not continue with those?  The GTA games are among the very few exceptions.

Sure, there IS room and demand for M-rated games, and at least T-rated things that sell well like the Final Fantasy games.  I think that the solution is not for Nintendo themselves to make games, but to entice the third-party developers that do so.

The controller is a good first step, at least for those who want to make creative games and not more GTA clones.

And yes, those developers are businesses too.

It's always about balancing creativity and cash flow, isn't it?

2072

Nintendo Gaming / RE:My Revolution Conspiracy Theory

« on: December 07, 2005, 08:48:42 AM »

I think StrainX's latest post here sounds pretty good.

Only thing is, the DS had a lot of Nintendo fan support because of the GBA.  The PSP is Sony's first foray into handheld gaming (not counting the VMU-like Japanese PocketStation).  So Sony was disadvantaged to begin with.

Also, GBAs and PS2s have sold a lot each, I think I heard the numbers are very comparable.  But more people with GBAs are interested in DSes, I'm guessing, than PS2 owners that are interested in PSPs.  (Maybe because the DS can play GBA games but I think its unique features really sell it.)

The Revolution compared to the PS3 may be more interesting to developers like the DS is to the PSP, but I think right now the DS is outselling the PSP and it will probably be a while for the Revolution to outsell the PS3, assuming that it can catch up.

After they launch, I mean.  Right now the PS3 and Rev. have 0 sales (not counting pre-orders).  (So technically they have infinite more sales than each other...)  The PS3 will get a bunch just because of the PS2 owners and them who just blindly follow the market leaders without truly considering the other options available.  So sales-wise, it's an uphill battle.  Yeah, Nintendo's got profits and creativity.  The investors and innovators are happy.  Unfortunately, the typical consumer cares about sales.

2073

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Animal Crossing: Wild World

« on: December 07, 2005, 08:32:42 AM »

I want to get this game...I've gotta find time to pick it up...

And meet that hot chick from the Nintendo Power preview of it.  

2074

Nintendo Gaming / RE:2-3 Times as powerful as GC true, sez IGN

« on: December 07, 2005, 08:25:00 AM »

Wow, the conversation moved on while I wasted my time with that post.

The whole "maturity" thing is really hard to define, and unfortnately is best described with a combination of societal perceptions.  You can say a game's mature if the ESRB gives it an M or higher.  You can say that's not the case, since that's too literal, but at the same time based on one organization's perception.  You can say that games like Conker are IMmature, considering its content.  Like fart jokes would really win you much respect in a truly mature setting.  But then you could say the game is mature because only mature gamers can play it without carrying that immaturity out of the game.  Etc.  Personally I think it's stupid if people think they're more mature because they're beating up a prostitute instead of saving Dream Land.

It's not limited to genres, either, but for the typical-not-so-bright-consumers, it would help if Nintendo (or a second-party) could get an exclusive FPS ready for the Revolution right at launch.  The controller is practically asking for it.  Who would want to play FPSes with a two-handed gamepad (which would probably feel clunky after handling the Revolution remote controller) when you can do it so much easier and feel more involved when playing them on the Revolution?  

2075

Nintendo Gaming / RE:2-3 Times as powerful as GC true, sez IGN

« on: December 07, 2005, 08:15:01 AM »

I'd have to disagree.  At least about the redundancy of sequels.  Nintendo isn't as guilty of cookie-cutter sequels as others.  They have a lot of games, yes, but the games are often different enough.

Mario has his spin-offs, but I think Mario's actual adventures are slowing down, if we don't count his RPGs.  Three games on the NES, two on the Super NES, one on the N64...and most people (including myself) are hesitant to want to count Sunshine.  It was a good game, but it didn't feel like a full Mario game being limited in locale.  So it's like half a game.  (Next, we may only get a quarter of a game...)  Not all changes are popular, but the inclusion of FLUDD was an attempt to create a different sort of Mario platformer.  I'll admit that Mario Party is getting redundant, but that's probably why they included a microphone in the last two iterations and 8-player in the latest one.

Metroid entered 3D, and then included a light/dark world dynamic.  Sure, it's been seen in other games like The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past and the Silent Hill series and others, but it also had completely new Suits.  Yes, the multi-player was lackluster, I'll admit that.

Link has had the most 3D games, four compared to Mario and Samus's two each.  So by the time Wind Waker was to come around there was already Ocarina Of Time and the unique-3-days-system from Majora's Mask.  The most obvious difference in Wind Waker was its cel-shaded look, but the game also had sailing.  I personally didn't like the sailing, it took too long most of the time, but it was an additional gameplay element nonetheless.  And Twilight Princess has the werewolf thing going on.  One thing about Zelda games is curious; everyone (who isn't a major fan) thinks it's always about Link saving Zelda from Ganon, but until Wind Waker, every game introduced a new villain (that is, if you count Ganon/Agahnim/Ganondorf as separate) and the games come in pairs, it seems, with one game in each pair not involving Ganon (or one of his other forms) as the final boss.  So it only happens half the time, which is as close to never as always, technically.  I think it's the Ganon ones that sell better, but that's (kind of) beside the point.

I think my original point was that Nintendo hasn't hit a brick wall when it comes to coming up with something actually new in sequels.  I think the thing is that consumers care less about the characters and situations regardless.  Especially those that are more plot-based than gameplay-based.  I probably went off on a tangent there, but I would agree with Ian's last point in the particular regard that the controller will add "newness" to continuing franchises, and this difference is more immediately evident than Samus finding herself in two intertwined worlds, for example.

I just hope I'm not playing the exact same games by flicking my wrist up instead of pressing A to jump, but as I pointed out, Nintendo should still be capable of coming up with new things in sequels.