Messages

1326

TalkBack / Re: Hatsune Miku Project Mirai DX Demo Now Available

« on: August 18, 2015, 07:57:39 PM »

The 3DS world is hers!


While the one use of the European demo is mildly hilarious and frustrating, for myself I wouldn't be too bothered by it since I mostly play through a demo once. The last demo I can recall playing multiple times is the demo for Just Cause 2.

1327

TalkBack / Re: Super Mario Maker’s Slow Unlocking Feels More Frustrating Than Fun

« on: August 18, 2015, 04:20:06 PM »

Yes, join the frustrated side!


I'm not sure of determining the flaws of a company's philosophies over an inconvenient 9 day process, but I'm a softball when it comes to these things.

1328

TalkBack / Re: Wii U Firmware 5.5 Released

« on: August 17, 2015, 09:57:07 PM »

After hearing it on the Giant Beastcast, I do wonder how much money was invested in to Nintendo TVii. I naively assume it was very little due to how poor the service was, but maybe it cost a lot to build and maintain the damn thing.

1329

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 440: Indefatigable Podcast

« on: August 16, 2015, 11:51:04 PM »

Great show! I really enjoyed the Splatoon talk. Hopefully, I'll make the time to play it more.


On the Chris Pranger-ing: I suggest listening to the Part-Time Gamer podcast he was on if only to hear the thing that got a person fired. My impression on him is mostly from the podcast and not at all from the NeoGAF thread. He gave jovial, candid, unchecked, and honest insight in to the workings of Nintendo Treehouse. His talk on all the subjects left me with the sense that he has love, criticism, frustrations, and adoration for position he held in the industry, to his peers, and competitors. This love and etc. would not be out of place on Radio Free Nintendo or other podcasts.


Frankly, I am shocked and saddened that Mr. Pranger's words were presented without context or twisted in a way to garner a bad impression of him on forum threads and Twitter replies. His comments on Sakurai gave me the sense that Sakurai cares deeply, perhaps insanely, for his work and for Smash Bros. Pranger's comments on the Final Fantasy 7 Remake are not any more harsh or extreme than any other thoughtful questioning on the video game. Lastly, his talk on picking games to localize was a blunt explanation on the business realities as he saw it.


I don't question Pranger's firing; clearly he spoke out of turn and against Nintendo's policy. What I am left with is an answer to why Nintendo (of America) isn't more transparent or communicative to the enthusiast press and audience. Granted, Pranger's podcast appearance is probably too much and too rough in its frankness. But when some of the passionate audience so easily interprets words as something abhorrent. And to have the game of telephone play out in articles in the worst way possible. I find it hard to argue against Nintendo thinking, "Why bother having anything other than a polished, practiced, media-trained, and controlled interaction with the press and public."


In this instance, Nintendo (as represented by Chris Pranger) had gained nothing good from being candid and transparent.

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo News Report: Remember, Remember, the 11th of September

« on: August 16, 2015, 05:00:23 PM »

Jonny with the early 2016 prediction of Minecraft on the 3DS, Wii U, and NX!

1331

TalkBack / Re: Gamescom 2015: English Gameplay for Xenoblade Chronicles X

« on: August 14, 2015, 11:26:20 PM »

...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_uKWu6_z7k
There's some direct audio here and the main character does in fact have voice acting if you listen closely to the battle scenes.

Very interesting. From the very few battle barks of the default male player character, his voice sounds similar to Yuri Lowenthal (Yosuke from Persona 4). That matches up with English voice over preview from the 2015 Treehouse Live where fans have guessed Laura Bailey voicing Lyn. Nintendo rarely uses the Los Angeles voice actor pool due to cost (Seattle and Portland are cheaper), so it's nice to see them going this way with Xenoblade Chronicles X.

The mix of the English voice overs of the player character and the Japanese voice of Elma has me wondering if Xenoblade Chronicles X will have two voice-over sets. While there is a history of Nintendo games sporting dual audio (Xenoblade Chronicles, Fire Emblem Awakening), that doesn't convince me that Nintendo will make room for it in Xenoblade Chronicles X.

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TalkBack / Re: Gamescom 2015: English Gameplay for Xenoblade Chronicles X

« on: August 14, 2015, 05:44:16 PM »

Hmm, English text but Japanese voice overs (unless my ears misheard over the convention noise). I wonder if 8-4 Play is helping out with the localization, specifically the English voice overs. They mentioned a big project in their last podcast, and I'm having a hard time thinking of what else it could be.

Xenoblade is my favorite game of all time so I have 1 question before I watch this video, Spoilers?

Nothing beyond the first continent. It's the same grasslands that has been on display many times. Given the massive size and the minimal story of the game, it would be somewhat difficult to spoil. That is unless seeing land marks is one of the defining features of Xenoblade for you. If that's the case, best not look.

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TalkBack / Re: Treehouse Employee Interview Sheds Light On Localization

« on: August 14, 2015, 05:04:29 PM »

As much as it might be slimy to say so, it isn't your fault or the podcast hosts' fault that Mr. Pranger lost his job. Okay, maybe the podcast hosts should have questioned or double-checked with Pranger that his appearance was approved by Nintendo. Ultimately, it was Pranger's job to know about his company's media policies in detail and if it was okay for him to make a public appearance on the podcast.

1334

TalkBack / Re: Metroid Project Proposed For Wii U, 3DS By MercurySteam

« on: August 14, 2015, 04:57:33 PM »

I mean, what drives a company to think their unsolicited Metroid pitch is better than the hundreds of other unsolicited Metroid pitches before?

Hey, won't know if you don't try, right? I suspect that these sorts of wild pitches are not as rare as we think. Retro had to get their foot in the door somehow. Or maybe Nintendo approached Retro....

Anyway, interesting to hear about the pitch. Not surprised it didn't go through. While I give Nintendo some amount of respect towards its consideration of Samus' next adventure, especially from the fallout of Metroid: Other M, their time spent waiting for the right game might create a demand that can't be satisfied by any game.

1335

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Official Sales Thread

« on: August 14, 2015, 04:47:25 AM »

NPDs! July 2015

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/lego-jurassic-world-and-batman-arkham-knight-lead-/1100-6429746/

1. LEGO: Jurassic World (360, 3DS, PS3, XBO, NWU, PS4, PSV)
2. Batman: Arkham Knight (PS4, XBO, PC)
3. Minecraft (360, PS3, XBO, PS4)
4. Grand Theft Auto V (PS4, XBO, 360, PS3, PC)
5. Rory McIlroy PGA Tour (PS4, XBO)
6. The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited (XBO, PS4, PC)
7. Destiny (XBO, PS4, 360, PS3)
8. Mortal Kombat X (PS4, XBO)
9. FIFA 15 (PS4, 360, XBO, PS3, Wii, PSV, 3DS)
10. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (PS4, XBO, 360, PS3, PC)

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TalkBack / Re: Nintendo Sales Panic: July 2015 US NPD Group Results

« on: August 14, 2015, 02:38:16 AM »

...[size=78%] so it's all OK, right?[/size]

Well, probably not with that attitude :p


All of your questions can only be answered by looking at Nintendo's books and projections. Lacking that, all we have are our feelings and criticisms.


Personally, I don't think a price cut will do anything for Wii U outside of cutting in to Nintendo's margins. Now, maybe we all have enough anecdotal evidence that will justify to ourselves that a price cut should be in order. I just can't imagine enough people on the fence, waiting for the Wii U to break to the $199 or $149, to support a price cut. Besides, I assume the Wii U GamePad is still a fixed cost of $50-100 worth of plastic, LCD, and radio chips.


I'd sooner expect more aggressive bundling (the current SKU has Super Mario 3D World and Nintendo Land) with two $60 games than a Wii U price cut.

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TalkBack / Re: Treehouse Employee Interview Sheds Light On Localization

« on: August 13, 2015, 04:22:46 PM »

Ah, I spoke too soon!


Poking around Twitter, it seems it's not uncommon for big video game companies to be so secretive with everything, though Nintendo is particularly thorny when it comes to such firings.

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TalkBack / Re: New Details Announced For Super Mario Maker

« on: August 12, 2015, 07:31:18 PM »

I'm going to be that weird person that doesn't mind this perplexing unlock scheme. My justification for it being, "Well, I was going to play a bit of it everyday anyway, and this gradual introduction might be beneficial to the learning process."


Still, I can't really defend this design choice against those that wish to have total access on the first day.

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TalkBack / Re: Pandora's Tower Launching On North American eShop Tomorrow

« on: August 12, 2015, 07:26:41 PM »

I doubt it, but I hope the hard locks that happen when loading the last tower are fixed.

1340

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Official Sales Thread

« on: August 12, 2015, 06:25:24 PM »

JAPAN NUMBERS!
http://neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1094883

TOP HOME: [3DS] Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer  - 181.377 / 703.933

Media Create Sales: Week 32, 2015 (Aug 03 - Aug 09)

01./01. [3DS] Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer # <ETC> (Nintendo) {2015.07.30} (¥4.320) - 181.377 / 703.933 (-65%)
02./02. [3DS] Yo-Kai Watch Busters: Red Cat Team / White Dog Squad <ACT> (Level 5) {2015.07.11} (¥4.968) - 84.939 / 1.202.789 (-21%)
03./04. [WIU] Splatoon <ACT> (Nintendo) {2015.05.28} (¥6.156) - 35.620 / 519.034 (+26%)
04./05. [3DS] Rhythm Heaven: The Best+ <ACT> (Nintendo) {2015.06.11} (¥5.076) - 18.852 / 392.837 (+31%)
05./00. [PSV] Luminous Arc: Infinity <SLG> (Marvelous) {2015.08.06} (¥7.344) - 16.217 / NEW
06./10. [PSV] Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition <ADV> (Sony Computer Entertainment) {2015.03.19} (¥2.592) - 8.100 / 280.140 (-5%)
07./08. [3DS] Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright / Conquest <SLG> (Nintendo) {2015.06.25} (¥5.076) - 7.916 / 396.710 (-28%)
08./13. [WIU] Mario Kart 8 # <RCE> (Nintendo) {2014.05.29} (¥6.156) - 7.256 / 1.088.732 (+4%)
09./16. [3DS] Animal Crossing: New Leaf # <ETC> (Nintendo) {2012.11.08} (¥4.800) - 6.098 / 4.019.151 (+1%)
10./03. [PSV] IA/VT: Colorful # <ACT> (Marvelous) {2015.07.30} (¥5.184) - 5.902 / 44.783 (-85%)
11./07. [PS3] Sengoku Basara 4: Sumeragi # <ACT> (Capcom) {2015.07.23} (¥6.469) - 5.839 / 76.757 (-51%)
12./00. [PSV] Gal Gun: Double Peace # <ACT> (Alchemist) {2015.08.06} (¥7.344) - 5.792 / NEW
13./00. [PS4] Gal Gun: Double Peace # <ACT> (Alchemist) {2015.08.06} (¥8.424) - 5.020 / NEW
14./12. [WIU] Yoshi's Woolly World # <ACT> (Nintendo) {2015.07.16} (¥6.156) - 4.913 / 54.980 (-36%)
15./11. [PSV] Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version <ACT> (Bandai Namco Games) {2015.07.09} (¥6.145) - 4.879 / 79.302 (-35%)
16./15. [3DS] Great Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Naruhodou Ryuunosuke no Bouken # <ADV> (Capcom) {2015.07.09} (¥6.264) - 4.554 / 179.804 (-25%)
17./00. [3DS] Nobunaga's Ambition 2 # <SLG> (Koei Tecmo) {2015.08.06} (¥5.184) - 4.552 / NEW
18./22. [3DS] Pokemon Omega Ruby / Alpha Sapphire <RPG> (Pokemon Co.) {2014.11.21} (¥4.937) - 4.486 / 2.677.443 (-1%)
19./23. [3DS] Super Run For Money Tousouchuu Atsumare! Saikyou no Tousou Monotachi <ACT> (Bandai Namco Games) {2015.07.09} (¥5.119) - 3.729 / 33.289 (-13%)
20./00. [3DS] Romance of the Three Kingdoms 2 <SLG> (Koei Tecmo) {2015.08.06} (¥5.184) - 3.433 / NEW

Top 20

3DS - 10
PSV - 5
WIU - 3
PS4 - 1
PS3 - 1

HARDWARE

Code: [Select]


+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+
|System | This Week  | Last Week  | Last Year  |     YTD    |  Last YTD  |     LTD     |
+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+
| 3DS # |     39.008 |     55.124 |     41.045 |  1.133.699 |  1.309.759 |  18.972.144 |
|  PS4  |     14.619 |     18.740 |      5.470 |    690.367 |    658.847 |   1.661.034 |
| PSV # |     13.337 |     13.741 |     18.428 |    585.179 |    798.218 |   4.109.106 |
|  WIU  |     13.007 |     11.938 |     13.598 |    348.165 |    346.320 |   2.491.745 |
|  PS3  |      2.567 |      2.540 |      6.486 |    168.019 |    338.081 |  10.337.010 |
|  XB1  |        200 |        186 |            |     10.843 |            |      54.110 |
+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+
|  ALL  |     82.738 |    102.269 |     85.479 |  2.936.272 |  3.554.492 |  37.625.149 |
+-------+------------+------------+------------+------------+------------+-------------+
Animal Crossing is still at the top. Luminous Arc: Infinity at 4th. The Gal Gun sequel sells 10.7k combined which is in line with the previous game. Koei Tecmo's 3DS games bringing in the rear of new releases.

Of note, Devil's Third retail was exclusively released on Amazon JP last week. I don't think Media Create tracks Amazon.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Super Mario Maker

« on: August 12, 2015, 06:10:36 PM »

For maximum hilarity watch as they'll now get the review copies out to the media less than 9 days before release so the reviewers can't access part of the game before publishing their review.

I doubt they would do that. For all their faults, Nintendo has a reputation for getting review copies out very early (except for console launches), just with very strict and assinine NDAs.

Any strictness that reaches our ears seem to be limited to story spoilers (which is understandable) and video content (which can be really stupid). Oh, I guess the embargo dates are messed up because Nintendo can't grasp the international nature of the internet and how websites can have offices in different parts of the world.

Also nice is that written reviews for Nintendo games tend to be posted a week before release.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Super Mario Maker

« on: August 12, 2015, 05:59:21 PM »

There's no justification as to why I should wait one day to use a fire flower or a star in my levels.

Nintendo: "You need to learn the mushroom and have it's concept settle in your mind before you are ready for the flower!"

"Please don't trade in our game."

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Super Mario Maker

« on: August 12, 2015, 05:52:41 PM »

That's a very strange design decision.  I wonder if you can just move your console's clock ahead a few days and unlock everything at once.  Assuming you can't then the first user created levels made available to everyone will only use the first parts unlocked, so they'll be much lamer than they otherwise would be.  So Nintendo wants the first user created levels available to be lame simplistic levels that can't do much?  Huh?

You can't unlock everything at once as the game wants you to spend 3-5 minutes in the Maker to get the notification that tells you that you will unlock new building pieces the next day. The design goal, I presume, is to encourage players to play and make a little bit every day.

Oh hey, Nintendo is embracing mobile game strategies.

I guess the other design goal is to have creators gradually learn the elements day by day and limit how they might get in to trouble. But getting in to trouble is the best way to learn, isn't it?

I'm surprised that this time-locking design is getting such a huge thumbs-down when I really shouldn't be. I've played too many mobile games such that that nine day lock out has me saying, "Oh, that's short. It won't be long until I will have everything. I'll just put the time in and it will be done in no time."

I've forgotten that the target audience of this game probably binges on playing video games and would rather have everything all at once.

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TalkBack / Re: Baseless Speculation: Wii U's Last Stand

« on: August 11, 2015, 08:10:52 PM »

That's not a future. That's an obligation, and I doubt that's even going to be a Wii U game anyway. That & SMT x FE are the ONLY Wii U titles Nintendo has announced for 2016, and the only new Wii U games they've announced recently have been worthless shovelware like Mario Tennis and Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival. The Wii U is DONE. If Nintendo was serious about supporting Wii U, we'd have seen major software announced by now. Instead, they're teasing NX and hiding Zelda. Wii U is done as a Nintendo platform.

Calling a new Mario Tennis game and the Animal Crossing video board game "shovel ware" would be a mislabeling if it weren't for all the actual shovel ware moving away from the retail space.

As for major software announcements... "hey, you know how Nintendo likes to surprise us," said sheepishly.

Here's where I'm coming from: Zelda Wii U being a split-platform game, the NX/next console(s) coming out in 2016, etc. Those are all smart business moves, and I don't think Nintendo makes smart business moves. Or rather, they expended their "smart business move" juice with the success of amiibo, the Universal Studios theme parks deal, and the DeNA deal.

Nintendo has always been an aloof company, more so in the past decade, that routinely defy expectations and sense. So as piss-poor and near-sighted as their E3 2015 presentation was, I don't think we can take it as a guarantee that that's it for the Wii U. I don't think it is out of question that, come E3 2016, we will be seeing the Wii U slowly dragging itself through 2016 because the NX is far away in to 2017. That sounds like a dumb thing to happen, and Nintendo is still currently a company that makes dumb things happen.

1345

TalkBack / Re: Final Fantasy XIV In Consideration For NX

« on: August 11, 2015, 01:18:43 AM »

What could this mean! Does it mean nothing? Everything? Or something in between?


Stop teasing so many hearts, Square Enix!

1346

Nintendo Gaming / Re: NX Rumors and Speculation Thread (Unprecedented partnership with Square Enix?)

« on: August 10, 2015, 05:32:07 PM »

That Final Fantasy 14 consideration... ah!
Negotiations not being started leaves some room that Square Enix doesn't know what the NX is in terms of technical specifications.

But what if Square Enix knows how much power the NX has? That these considerations of Dragon Quest 10, Dragon Quest 11, and now Final Fantasy 14 are not some carelessly spoken idle chatter but serious business?

This latest rumbling gives a bit of hope to the camps that want the NX or a component of the NX to have technical prowess on par with PlayStation 4 or Xbox One.

1347

TalkBack / Re: Baseless Speculation: Wii U's Last Stand

« on: August 10, 2015, 05:25:07 PM »

#NXis2017


I don't take Nintendo's poor E3 2015 showing as any more indication of its future than at its face value. Nintendo has dragged itself to its next console for its past three consoles; it would be surprising if the Wii U is any different. Granted, the Wii U is a historically under-performing platform for Nintendo. Also, the recent news rumblings of Square Enix considering Dragon Quest 10, Dragon Quest 11, and Final Fantasy 14 for the NX has given me cause to question my stance. Still, I expect Nintendo to be dumb, and the dumb move to do is drag the Wii U through another 2 years.


But drag it with what? I'd imagine the Nintendo is comfortable with having long DLC support for Splatoon, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Mario Kart 8 through my hypothetical two years. (That said, the lack of a second round of Mario Kart 8 DLC is throwing my guesses to the dumps.) But Nintendo's big thing for E3 2016 being more Splatoon or Smash DLC looks extremely sad no matter how much you love those games.


I honestly don't have a clue as to what big or small game(s) Nintendo could put out to give the Wii U a few more gasps of life. Nintendo doesn't look interested in its back catalog in any big way for the Wii U, so that rules out any aggressive Virtual Console offerings or HD Remakes. Any big project is most likely being saved for the NX given the Wii U's tiny install base. Any small project is probably better put on the aging 3DS or smart devices.


Ugh, I need a Nintendo Direct already!

1348

Podcast Discussion / Re: Episode 439: Grapple Dem Tears

« on: August 10, 2015, 04:47:33 PM »

#JonnyVoyage


Great show.

1349

TalkBack / Re: Treehouse Employee Interview Sheds Light On Localization

« on: August 09, 2015, 06:25:00 PM »

Great show all around. I loved how off-the-cuff it was and I hope there won't be (too much) blow back from it. Nintendo fans need to have more opportunities to interview Nintendo employees, not less.


On picking games to localize: I can understand that games such as Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story are huge undertakings. I don't ever want to be a person that makes light of the work and money required from the localization department and the original developer to take a game from one language to another. It is still frustrating for me to see how companies such as Atlus USA and XSeed can take on these huge undertakings regularly, yet Nintendo of America deems it too risky of a proposition. Sadly, the definitive answer to my frustration will require information from companies that are probably trade secrets.


The simplest answer I can think of is that Nintendo of America didn't have the budget, either on hand or available to ask from NCL. That answer opens a new rabbit hold of implications and questions that make less sense to me.


The Sakurai story was great and shows how much he cares for the Smash Bros. series. I rarely ever thought of Sakurai as one of video game's auteurs, but it makes sense when I look back on Smash Bros. and Kid Icarus: Uprising.


The story on the "New" of New Super Mario Bros. is funny and tragic. I didn't know that the English word "New" is exotic and cool to the Japanese ear.

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Nintendo Gaming / Re: Splatoon!! WELCOME - TO DYE!

« on: August 07, 2015, 12:28:09 AM »

Nice work with the Splatling. Shame your team couldn't capitalize on the openings you gave them.

http://splatoonus.tumblr.com/post/126019434189/these-guys-are-the-chirpy-chips-with-their-sea

The new music is great, but what I wanted to talk about is the change in naming. In Japan, the band name is ABXY and the song is called "Friend List." You can sorta hear the lyric "Friend List! Friend List!" in the Inkling-language lyrics. However, the Splatoon tumblr changed it to "Shellfie" by the Chirpy Chips. It strikes me as unnecessary and potentially confusing.