I celebrated the third anniversary of the Wii by sending in my system to Nintendo, concluding the scratched disc saga. I sent it in Monday afternoon, I got it back this morning. Same system, but looking all shiny and fixed and new. While I can be critical of some of their decisions regarding their new gaming strategies, I will never criticize their customer service. They have gone above and beyond each and every time I've had to work with them, and they really are the best in the industry, without a doubt. Just classy, classy people.
But here we are, three years later from when I slept out all night in front of a Target with a buddy of mine in hopes of securing the newest Nintendo system. In retrospect, that long, cold night was worth it, as finding a Wii in the stores was something of a rarity for a year and a half.
So what has the third year bought us? The Commodore 64 and arcade gaming for the Virtual Console. the service itself got really weak for the majority of the year despite the addition of two new systems and the hundreds of games they can bring, only allowing one game per week, but we did get Lucasarts to bring out their SNES classics, such as the Super Star Wars trilogy.
The year itself has been much better for games. Not perfect, mind you, but world better in comparison to the drought of 2008. Highlights I'd heartily recommend:
Beatles: Rock Band
A Boy and His Blob
Deadly Creatures
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
House of the Dead: Overkill
Madworld
Metroid Prime Trilogy
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Punch-Out!!
Each of these titles are very solid additions to the Wii library, and if you're starved for a good game, any of these will do nicely. I've heard Dead Space: Extraction is good, but I've yet to try that one.
And of course, WiiWare has been putting out great games such as the Bit.Trip series, the Tales of Monkey Island series, and Final Fantasy IV: The After Years are great, and while I haven't played them, Nyxquest, Lostwinds, Contra: Re-Birth, and the new Excitebike have been highly praised.
The Wii still has some things to work out. Nintendo still needs to work out its online issues (but they've finally started releasing demos - Welcome to the 2000's), there's still a huge influx of crappy games that flood the system, and buries notable titles like the ones above from getting the attention they deserve. Nintendo promoted Muramasa, and is promoting the demos of some third-party WiiWare games, but I think some of the above titles could have been more heavily promoted on the Nintendo Channel or e-mail adverts. It's clear that something is not working with third-parties making great games, and not getting recognition. If the third parties can't figure it out, then perhaps they should have the option to get help from Nintendo.
At any rate, the Wii has some decent games to play, but Nintendo needs to work out the reputation of not having "something for everyone" despite their claims that they do, and now that they've brought all of these new people in with the Wii Sports/Wii Fit mania, they need to turn these gamers onto other titles both from their own franchises, as well as other notable titles. New gamers can not stick to just 3-5 games over the system's lifetime. Something is missing, because they aren't enticed to buy anything past that.
I would say that the best part of the Wii this year is the addition of all the 2D goodness brought out. A Boy and His Blob and Muramasa are visually stunning titles, not to mention upgrades to Contra, Super Mario Bros., Final Fantasy IV, Excitebike, and even Punch-Out!! I'd personally be happy if Nintendo "simplified" themselves to the point where they just sought to relive their NES and Super Nintendo glory days. And I think they'd excel there getting back to that style of gameplay.
All in all, the third year has been better than the second year, but Nintendo still has some work to do. Here's hoping "Year 4" is where they get past some of the perceived reputation issues, and more focus is placed on making people aware that quality games for the Wii actually do exist.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Pirates and Zombies.
A friend of mine has been playing those gaming one of those apps on Facebook. You know the ones: "Dale needs a coconut cookie in order to complete his criminal empire in Mafia Wars." All I can say is: Thank everything for the option to "Hide" those on the news feed. Of course, it also kills the majority of posts on Facebook. You give, you take....
The point of this observation is that I've been watching said friend play a game called Pirates: Rule the Caribbean! on Facebook. I don't think she's a traditional gamer in the sense of the word, but what normally causes me to dismiss those apps also grew into fascination in watching her play log. She was seriously power-leveling through the game, similar to how an MMO player would treat World of Warcraft.
I think in a matter of weeks, she shot through a massive amount of levels, culminating in Level 100 last weekend. To "celebrate" the event, I stopped by her cubicle at work (my girlfriend works there as well, so it's an easy task to do), and presented her a greeting card commemorating this momentous occasion. The surprise, confusion, and amusement amongst her co-workers was worth it, I think. And I'm known to praise utterly random events. While I don't get the appeal of those gaming apps, they've certainly become popular among the "anyone can/will play" crowd.
Speaking of Facebook, Xbox Live has introduced Facebook, Twitter, Zune, and Last.fm services to Microsoft's console, making it a more "social" experience. It seems that Microsoft is attempting the more "social" aspect that the Wii generation has brought on, and I'm surprised Nintendo hasn't attempted anything like this themselves. Still, the new features are well implemented, and I've really enjoyed using the new features.
And speaking of Xbox, Left for Dead 2 came out this week. I gave my impressions of the demo, so here's a few from the actual game.
For starters, I think the AI is unbalanced in some respects. The AI for the Survivors isn't as solid as the first game. I know there's the "Dumb Southerner" stereotype, but come on now. They have a tendency to just stand here and not help while zombie hordes kick the crap out of you right in front of them.
This is coupled with higher enemy difficulty. There's not as many spaces for breathers in this outing. Some hordes are near infinite in numbers, and "Special" infected come out in teams instead of one at a time. In many respects, "Normal" almost seemed too hard in multiplay, and I was playing with 3 experienced L4D players. We got crucified in the mall level of the first scenario, which is my least favorite area due to its confusing level design. It's too bad, as the George Romero enthusiast in me thought that would be an ideal level. Fortunately, it's only one level.
But don't get my criticisms as me not liking the game, because there is a lot to like. The other levels are fantastic, especially the fourth scenario, which I think is now my favorite. The flash flood scenario is easily one of the most clever and intense playthroughs of the entire series. The Carnival/Theme Park level is also another favorite of mine. The overall level of detail is remarkable, and it definitely gives a feel of being down South.
I also like the personalities and interactions between the new Survivors. They're funnier and better defined. Being originally from the South myself, I've met a few "Ellis" types over the years, so hearing his stories about his buddy "Keith" (which I can't but wonder if that's really Ellis passing off his own misfortunes as someone else's) are hilarious.
Left 4 Dead 2 is worth a look. It has a better story, funnier characters, great level scenarios (minus the mall), and I love the melee weapons, and it has just enough new features to make it a proper sequel instead of just an annual upgrade.
The point of this observation is that I've been watching said friend play a game called Pirates: Rule the Caribbean! on Facebook. I don't think she's a traditional gamer in the sense of the word, but what normally causes me to dismiss those apps also grew into fascination in watching her play log. She was seriously power-leveling through the game, similar to how an MMO player would treat World of Warcraft.
I think in a matter of weeks, she shot through a massive amount of levels, culminating in Level 100 last weekend. To "celebrate" the event, I stopped by her cubicle at work (my girlfriend works there as well, so it's an easy task to do), and presented her a greeting card commemorating this momentous occasion. The surprise, confusion, and amusement amongst her co-workers was worth it, I think. And I'm known to praise utterly random events. While I don't get the appeal of those gaming apps, they've certainly become popular among the "anyone can/will play" crowd.
Speaking of Facebook, Xbox Live has introduced Facebook, Twitter, Zune, and Last.fm services to Microsoft's console, making it a more "social" experience. It seems that Microsoft is attempting the more "social" aspect that the Wii generation has brought on, and I'm surprised Nintendo hasn't attempted anything like this themselves. Still, the new features are well implemented, and I've really enjoyed using the new features.
And speaking of Xbox, Left for Dead 2 came out this week. I gave my impressions of the demo, so here's a few from the actual game.
For starters, I think the AI is unbalanced in some respects. The AI for the Survivors isn't as solid as the first game. I know there's the "Dumb Southerner" stereotype, but come on now. They have a tendency to just stand here and not help while zombie hordes kick the crap out of you right in front of them.
This is coupled with higher enemy difficulty. There's not as many spaces for breathers in this outing. Some hordes are near infinite in numbers, and "Special" infected come out in teams instead of one at a time. In many respects, "Normal" almost seemed too hard in multiplay, and I was playing with 3 experienced L4D players. We got crucified in the mall level of the first scenario, which is my least favorite area due to its confusing level design. It's too bad, as the George Romero enthusiast in me thought that would be an ideal level. Fortunately, it's only one level.
But don't get my criticisms as me not liking the game, because there is a lot to like. The other levels are fantastic, especially the fourth scenario, which I think is now my favorite. The flash flood scenario is easily one of the most clever and intense playthroughs of the entire series. The Carnival/Theme Park level is also another favorite of mine. The overall level of detail is remarkable, and it definitely gives a feel of being down South.
I also like the personalities and interactions between the new Survivors. They're funnier and better defined. Being originally from the South myself, I've met a few "Ellis" types over the years, so hearing his stories about his buddy "Keith" (which I can't but wonder if that's really Ellis passing off his own misfortunes as someone else's) are hilarious.
Left 4 Dead 2 is worth a look. It has a better story, funnier characters, great level scenarios (minus the mall), and I love the melee weapons, and it has just enough new features to make it a proper sequel instead of just an annual upgrade.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Intimidating Gameplay.
In spite of my "Wii" problem, I've gone back to one of my older 360 titles: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
I've been a big fan of RPGs for years, and I really do like this game. It's huge, it's expansive, it's immersive, and therein lies the problem.
As great of a game it is, I feel in some ways that it's too big.
Not that I think the designers should have limited the scope of the game by any means. I actually enjoy the freedom the gameplay allows, but in some ways, it's almost intimidating. My character runs around in this huge world that allows me to do whatever I want with no seeming restrictions. I can talk with anyone, or fight, be good or evil. The slightest move, I may accidentally steal something that I only meant to just pick up and look at. It plays too much into my need to explore everything. Very little is off limits, so I have to check it all out.
I think I currently have a dozen active quests to explore. Every time I stumble upon a cave or wander into some new town, I seem to have some new itinerary added to my roster. I've playing a "good" character, so of course I'm going to provide aid to the weak and helpless. That also means that I'm not going to steal, follow the codes of my guilds, and not be a nuisance in town. You find that "Good" may be more initially restrictive, but hopefully will lead to the greater respect and rewards.
This freedom in exploring everything also allows me to merrily skip into areas where I have no business being in the first place, which means my character is largely the whipping boy for some gang of thieves or huge beast that is clearly out of my league. If I'm lucky, I'll usually just get only so much of the crap kicked out of me to where I can hobble back into some safe zone, licking my wounds the entire way.
This is not as much of a "User friendly" RPG as say, Phantasy Star, Final Fantasy, or in some regards, Legend of Zelda or Fable II. In those games, you get an awesome weapon, you don't worry about it breaking mid-fight. You can carry as much stuff as you want without fear of being weighted down. It's much more detail oriented, and in its own way, rewarding.
I'll probably brave another journey through the abandoned fort I'm trying to muddle through tonight. I need to buy some torches as giant crabs and angry thieves keep coming out of the shadows, and I can only set so many people on fire before thinking it would be nice to actually plan a better initial strategy. I think I'm going to have to reign myself a little more in so that I don't rush into every cave and Oblivion gate for the sake of exploration, until I'm a little more realistically equipped to handle these challenges.
I've been a big fan of RPGs for years, and I really do like this game. It's huge, it's expansive, it's immersive, and therein lies the problem.
As great of a game it is, I feel in some ways that it's too big.
Not that I think the designers should have limited the scope of the game by any means. I actually enjoy the freedom the gameplay allows, but in some ways, it's almost intimidating. My character runs around in this huge world that allows me to do whatever I want with no seeming restrictions. I can talk with anyone, or fight, be good or evil. The slightest move, I may accidentally steal something that I only meant to just pick up and look at. It plays too much into my need to explore everything. Very little is off limits, so I have to check it all out.
I think I currently have a dozen active quests to explore. Every time I stumble upon a cave or wander into some new town, I seem to have some new itinerary added to my roster. I've playing a "good" character, so of course I'm going to provide aid to the weak and helpless. That also means that I'm not going to steal, follow the codes of my guilds, and not be a nuisance in town. You find that "Good" may be more initially restrictive, but hopefully will lead to the greater respect and rewards.
This freedom in exploring everything also allows me to merrily skip into areas where I have no business being in the first place, which means my character is largely the whipping boy for some gang of thieves or huge beast that is clearly out of my league. If I'm lucky, I'll usually just get only so much of the crap kicked out of me to where I can hobble back into some safe zone, licking my wounds the entire way.
This is not as much of a "User friendly" RPG as say, Phantasy Star, Final Fantasy, or in some regards, Legend of Zelda or Fable II. In those games, you get an awesome weapon, you don't worry about it breaking mid-fight. You can carry as much stuff as you want without fear of being weighted down. It's much more detail oriented, and in its own way, rewarding.
I'll probably brave another journey through the abandoned fort I'm trying to muddle through tonight. I need to buy some torches as giant crabs and angry thieves keep coming out of the shadows, and I can only set so many people on fire before thinking it would be nice to actually plan a better initial strategy. I think I'm going to have to reign myself a little more in so that I don't rush into every cave and Oblivion gate for the sake of exploration, until I'm a little more realistically equipped to handle these challenges.
A Wii Problem.
Pun-based as it may be, this is the current state of my Nintendo system.
In the last two weeks, the Wii has been putting weird scratches on my games. Not the "circular" scratches that are most common with system/disc damage, but these weird scuffs on the outer edge of the disc. Some can be wiped off like a smudge. Others are set in a straight line of little scratches. I'm having to go back into my "game tester" mindset, and the closest thing I can think of is that it's either that black rubber piece on the front of the system that keeps dust out and discs stabilized, or.... You got me.
I've called Nintendo twice on it. Both reps had zero idea of what I was talking about, and honestly, I think Nintendo reps get a sadistic kick out of hearing people say "I think I have a problem with my Wii." I had two female reps, and each one has that little undertone of "Oh, you have a problem with you Wii?" I'm sure this is a high point of comedy in the Nintendo tech support department.
At any rate, neither girl had heard of the issue I'm facing. The first girl wanted me to pay $75 to send my system (and games) in so they can evaluate the problem, even though they've hd no recorded incident of the symptoms I've described.
The second option is to pay $10 and buy a lens cleaning kit. Honestly, I don't know if this will solve the problem, but it's better than $75, and it's uncommon in my experiences to find Nintendo reps who haven't heard of a problem. I don't take that as a good sign.
I take good care of my systems and games. I keep them dust-free, I keep the system in a horizontal position and don't move the system around, and I don't use my games as drink coasters, so they usually have bare minimal scratches or look pristine. The fact that my 3 year old system is strating to put some marks on my games is irritating, especially since New Super Mario Bros. Wii is coming out tomorrow. I have it on reserve, but I guess I'm going to hold off playing it until I get the scratching issue resolved.
If I repair my system, will Nintendo put all of my downloaded games and saves back? The Super Smash Bros. Brawl save file won't transfer to a SD card (I'm not going to unlock all of that stuff again), and what of some of my more "exclusive" stuff like Doc Louis' Punch-Out!! I got as a Club Nintendo reward. Even if I sent it in, would I get my system back? I want my original unit, not a refurbishment.
Even if I were to buy a new system, I've heard you can't transfer your account from one system to the next, so that's another obstacle. I have too much downloaded content to simply "start from scratch". I feel that, in short, I'm kind of boned unless this symptom magically goes away.
If you have suggestions on how to repair/replace my system or even if you've heard anything about the issue my system is having, advice is always appreciated.
In the last two weeks, the Wii has been putting weird scratches on my games. Not the "circular" scratches that are most common with system/disc damage, but these weird scuffs on the outer edge of the disc. Some can be wiped off like a smudge. Others are set in a straight line of little scratches. I'm having to go back into my "game tester" mindset, and the closest thing I can think of is that it's either that black rubber piece on the front of the system that keeps dust out and discs stabilized, or.... You got me.
I've called Nintendo twice on it. Both reps had zero idea of what I was talking about, and honestly, I think Nintendo reps get a sadistic kick out of hearing people say "I think I have a problem with my Wii." I had two female reps, and each one has that little undertone of "Oh, you have a problem with you Wii?" I'm sure this is a high point of comedy in the Nintendo tech support department.
At any rate, neither girl had heard of the issue I'm facing. The first girl wanted me to pay $75 to send my system (and games) in so they can evaluate the problem, even though they've hd no recorded incident of the symptoms I've described.
The second option is to pay $10 and buy a lens cleaning kit. Honestly, I don't know if this will solve the problem, but it's better than $75, and it's uncommon in my experiences to find Nintendo reps who haven't heard of a problem. I don't take that as a good sign.
I take good care of my systems and games. I keep them dust-free, I keep the system in a horizontal position and don't move the system around, and I don't use my games as drink coasters, so they usually have bare minimal scratches or look pristine. The fact that my 3 year old system is strating to put some marks on my games is irritating, especially since New Super Mario Bros. Wii is coming out tomorrow. I have it on reserve, but I guess I'm going to hold off playing it until I get the scratching issue resolved.
If I repair my system, will Nintendo put all of my downloaded games and saves back? The Super Smash Bros. Brawl save file won't transfer to a SD card (I'm not going to unlock all of that stuff again), and what of some of my more "exclusive" stuff like Doc Louis' Punch-Out!! I got as a Club Nintendo reward. Even if I sent it in, would I get my system back? I want my original unit, not a refurbishment.
Even if I were to buy a new system, I've heard you can't transfer your account from one system to the next, so that's another obstacle. I have too much downloaded content to simply "start from scratch". I feel that, in short, I'm kind of boned unless this symptom magically goes away.
If you have suggestions on how to repair/replace my system or even if you've heard anything about the issue my system is having, advice is always appreciated.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Post #200.
Well, here I am. The 200th post.
I'd like to welcome my new reader, 8-Bit City. It's always good to keep building up the readership and connections.
A lot has happened since my debut back in 2006. I did this as a hobby blog, and by and large, it still is. The only difference now is that I actually have some feedback.
For those who have read my blog, or are new to my page, this has been more of a personal journey of gaming. From current industry trends, to my actual time working in the industry, to sharing some lesser known classics, to just my current gaming habits of the time, it's been an interesting journey.
I've been gaming for more than 30 years, which in context, is absolutely eerie and sobering, when I think about it. Obviously, I've seen my fair share of changes in the hobby, and I thought I'd share with all of you some of my favorite moments.
Working in the industry - It was definitely a high point in my gaming (and professional) life when I worked at Midway and a few smaller companies off and on for a decade. I was at a good point when I started as the industry was still fresh, and fun, and it wasn't quite as corporate business vibed as it is now. Of course it was work, but it was also fun. I got to put my name on a product, and helped provide some guidance on the creativity of certain titles. I got to attend quite a few E3's via work, and even a few when I wasn't in the industry thanks to friends. I worked at Midway during a fruitful and vibrant time, and I walked away when it was collapsing upon itself. Still, the memories and friends made were a fantastic ride.
Pac-Man - If you want to know what cemented my interest in gaming, blame the little yellow ball. When Pac-Man debuted, it sparked a phenomenon. It was more than an arcade game. It was a record and pajamas and lunchboxes, and bubble gum cards, and books, and a terrible Atari 2600 game. And then it became the Championship Edition on the 360, where I still check in to play a quick game. I even have an ornament on my Christmas tree. Everyone has their "gateway" game that got them started. Pac-Man was mine.
Arcades - I refer to the heyday of the arcades back in the 1980's and 1990's. I miss being able to walk into an arcade with the blacklights and day-glo carpets. The days of Pac-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Street Fighter II, The Simpsons, Mortal Kombat, Paperboy, and S.T.U.N. Runner. while arcades are all but a thing of the past, I fortunately live in Vegas where they have at least three respectable arcades still in service.
Atari 2600 - I still get dewy-eyed nostalgic over the 2600. While the games look like Legos by today's standards, there are still a few titles that are quite playable. How funny that one of the biggest highlights of the last console generation for me was the release of multiple classic gaming compilations from this era of gaming.
NES - Truly the "Golden Age" of Nintendo, and birth to so many franchises that are still relevant and active today. It was a great time to be a young gamer, especially with that new issue of Nintendo Power hit the mail for the major source of gaming news (remember: No internet back then), and all night gaming sessions with friends to work through some of the toughest games ever created. Despite one's stance on the Wii, it's been getting a lot of NES-like games and franchises of late, that are too appealing to be ignored.
Apple IIc - A friend and I owned one of these computers, and in comparison, the system doesn't do a fourth of what modern computers do today. But we taught ourselves BASIC to make new games, and there was of course the means to share our gaming library with each other (let's just say it was easy to increase your gaming library back then). I'm glad that I still have a functional IIc in my console archive.
The Console Wars - Back in the '90's, kids fought in"The Console Wars". The SNES Vs. Genesis debate was more intense than any of the 360/PS3/Wii rocks/sucks arguments today. Back then for a gamer, it was serious business. I took more of a Switzerland approach, owning both systems, and not having to choose a side. As a veteran of "The Console Wars", I still find it mildly amusing that Nintendo and Sega are able to play so nicely today.
Dreamcast - Talk to a Dreamcast owner, and they'll bemoan "What could have been". If you've never played Dreamcast, you owe it to yourself to see what the big deal was about. It barely lasted a year and a half, crushed by Playstation 2, but what it accomplished during the year of 2000.... Sega's never reached that level of creativity since, and the industry could use another shot in the arm of the original ideas that spewed forth from that little white box.
Gaming Today - I like logging on to play games and chat with my friends or watch movies together as a team. I like making little virtual representations of myself. I like downloading classic games or new ideas, many of which are better than what's being put out in retail now. I like the current retro revival, where "old has become new", and in many respects, we've come full circle.
I still enjoy gaming today. It's a nice release from a long day, or a way to get together with my friends and catch up while blowing away zombies. And while Nintendo isn't the old familiar face that I once knew it to be, New Super Mario Bros. Wii looks to be another chance to revisit the types of games I grew up with. But with all new adventures.
I'd also like to thank all of you that read my blog, and keep me pressing that "New Post" button. I enjoy sharing insight with you, swapping stories, and building the friendships that I have. I've got a few new ideas for some subject fodder on here, which I hope to cover soon. I'm in the process of trying to close on a house right now (wish me luck), but once that settles, I'll be posting more regularly.
Here's to the next 200....
I'd like to welcome my new reader, 8-Bit City. It's always good to keep building up the readership and connections.
A lot has happened since my debut back in 2006. I did this as a hobby blog, and by and large, it still is. The only difference now is that I actually have some feedback.
For those who have read my blog, or are new to my page, this has been more of a personal journey of gaming. From current industry trends, to my actual time working in the industry, to sharing some lesser known classics, to just my current gaming habits of the time, it's been an interesting journey.
I've been gaming for more than 30 years, which in context, is absolutely eerie and sobering, when I think about it. Obviously, I've seen my fair share of changes in the hobby, and I thought I'd share with all of you some of my favorite moments.
Working in the industry - It was definitely a high point in my gaming (and professional) life when I worked at Midway and a few smaller companies off and on for a decade. I was at a good point when I started as the industry was still fresh, and fun, and it wasn't quite as corporate business vibed as it is now. Of course it was work, but it was also fun. I got to put my name on a product, and helped provide some guidance on the creativity of certain titles. I got to attend quite a few E3's via work, and even a few when I wasn't in the industry thanks to friends. I worked at Midway during a fruitful and vibrant time, and I walked away when it was collapsing upon itself. Still, the memories and friends made were a fantastic ride.
Pac-Man - If you want to know what cemented my interest in gaming, blame the little yellow ball. When Pac-Man debuted, it sparked a phenomenon. It was more than an arcade game. It was a record and pajamas and lunchboxes, and bubble gum cards, and books, and a terrible Atari 2600 game. And then it became the Championship Edition on the 360, where I still check in to play a quick game. I even have an ornament on my Christmas tree. Everyone has their "gateway" game that got them started. Pac-Man was mine.
Arcades - I refer to the heyday of the arcades back in the 1980's and 1990's. I miss being able to walk into an arcade with the blacklights and day-glo carpets. The days of Pac-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Street Fighter II, The Simpsons, Mortal Kombat, Paperboy, and S.T.U.N. Runner. while arcades are all but a thing of the past, I fortunately live in Vegas where they have at least three respectable arcades still in service.
Atari 2600 - I still get dewy-eyed nostalgic over the 2600. While the games look like Legos by today's standards, there are still a few titles that are quite playable. How funny that one of the biggest highlights of the last console generation for me was the release of multiple classic gaming compilations from this era of gaming.
NES - Truly the "Golden Age" of Nintendo, and birth to so many franchises that are still relevant and active today. It was a great time to be a young gamer, especially with that new issue of Nintendo Power hit the mail for the major source of gaming news (remember: No internet back then), and all night gaming sessions with friends to work through some of the toughest games ever created. Despite one's stance on the Wii, it's been getting a lot of NES-like games and franchises of late, that are too appealing to be ignored.
Apple IIc - A friend and I owned one of these computers, and in comparison, the system doesn't do a fourth of what modern computers do today. But we taught ourselves BASIC to make new games, and there was of course the means to share our gaming library with each other (let's just say it was easy to increase your gaming library back then). I'm glad that I still have a functional IIc in my console archive.
The Console Wars - Back in the '90's, kids fought in"The Console Wars". The SNES Vs. Genesis debate was more intense than any of the 360/PS3/Wii rocks/sucks arguments today. Back then for a gamer, it was serious business. I took more of a Switzerland approach, owning both systems, and not having to choose a side. As a veteran of "The Console Wars", I still find it mildly amusing that Nintendo and Sega are able to play so nicely today.
Dreamcast - Talk to a Dreamcast owner, and they'll bemoan "What could have been". If you've never played Dreamcast, you owe it to yourself to see what the big deal was about. It barely lasted a year and a half, crushed by Playstation 2, but what it accomplished during the year of 2000.... Sega's never reached that level of creativity since, and the industry could use another shot in the arm of the original ideas that spewed forth from that little white box.
Gaming Today - I like logging on to play games and chat with my friends or watch movies together as a team. I like making little virtual representations of myself. I like downloading classic games or new ideas, many of which are better than what's being put out in retail now. I like the current retro revival, where "old has become new", and in many respects, we've come full circle.
I still enjoy gaming today. It's a nice release from a long day, or a way to get together with my friends and catch up while blowing away zombies. And while Nintendo isn't the old familiar face that I once knew it to be, New Super Mario Bros. Wii looks to be another chance to revisit the types of games I grew up with. But with all new adventures.
I'd also like to thank all of you that read my blog, and keep me pressing that "New Post" button. I enjoy sharing insight with you, swapping stories, and building the friendships that I have. I've got a few new ideas for some subject fodder on here, which I hope to cover soon. I'm in the process of trying to close on a house right now (wish me luck), but once that settles, I'll be posting more regularly.
Here's to the next 200....
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Zombonie.
I had a nice evening using the "Party" feature on the 360's Netflix player. There's real fun to be had watching Mystery Science Theater 3000, while having your and friend's avatars mock a crappy movie.
That said, onto the real meat of my post. A friend of mine by the name of Jared Yaeger is putting out a new game for the iPod/iTouch called Zombonie.
It's already gotten a nice little article written up on it, and the artwork looks promising. See for yourself:
How can you not appreciate the poetry to be found in running over the undead in something that resurfaces ice vital for any ice skating and hockey occasion? Did I mention that it's cheaper than a trip to a cemetery? If this doesn't entice you, then there's just no helping you in life.
The official site is found here. Jared and his team have been working hard on this project, so I want to throw my support into backing what looks like a fun indie game. So stop by and say hello!
That said, onto the real meat of my post. A friend of mine by the name of Jared Yaeger is putting out a new game for the iPod/iTouch called Zombonie.
It's already gotten a nice little article written up on it, and the artwork looks promising. See for yourself:
How can you not appreciate the poetry to be found in running over the undead in something that resurfaces ice vital for any ice skating and hockey occasion? Did I mention that it's cheaper than a trip to a cemetery? If this doesn't entice you, then there's just no helping you in life.
The official site is found here. Jared and his team have been working hard on this project, so I want to throw my support into backing what looks like a fun indie game. So stop by and say hello!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Left 4 Dead 2 Demo Live.
Well, for Gold subscribers who pre-ordered the game, anyway.
The demo went live at 11 P.M. this evening (or yesterday, rather), and I just went through its two levels.
Thoughts?
I've adopted Nick as my new character. Louis was my first Left 4 Dead choice, so I'm happy to have found my new guy.
My first real like in the game are the melee weapons. In any FPS/fighting game/whatever, I've always been more of a melee person, especially since I can be a little spastic with my gunfire. Hey, I'll admit it.
The demo provided police batons, machetes, even guitars to whack zombies over the head. While my party played through with new variants of shotguns and machine guns, I was mowing through the undead with a machete, and I liked that.
The new Infected are quite cool, and add a new level of tension. Of course, the Spitters, Smokers and Boomers are there, but there are now Chargers, Jockeys, Spitters, and they all suck due to they make your life a living Hell. I can also tell the new walking Witch is going to taunt some stray bullet to hit her and cause mass havoc when that moment happens.
Defibrillators are an awesome alternative. Boomer Bile is hilarious. Toss a vial of that on a Tank and watch the comedy ensue.
Also of note, and what really pulls me to the game is that I love New Orleans. I was there a month ago, and Valve did a great job of capturing that feel. From the brickwork, to the architecture, the the I-10 freeway, the levels feel authentic from what little I've seen, and there's a "Southern twang" feel to the music, which is appropriate. While I think I've read it somewhere, I really hope a level is set in on of the above ground cemeteries. The commentary between the characters works well.
I like the new characters. In a hopeful fanfic moment, I hope Valve implements a means to introduce the old team to the new, and can play mixed groups of the 8 characters.
The game feels harder. There's something about playing levels in daylight that makes the world seem creepy. The worlds are a little more open as well, which does not lead to some easy confrontations, despite my initial thought. Based on the two levels, they have some nasty "marathon" moments, where they pile on the enemies, and you have to run through in order to survive. Running feels just as important as standing your ground.
From what little is there, is it a good sequel? I know a lot of people have complained that this is "more of the same", and "should have been an expansion pack", and maybe it should have been, and perhaps the first game could still use some support, which I hope Valve continues to do. And while some of these new ideas should have been in the first game, the simple fact is that they aren't, and the best we can hope for is that through added expansions between the two games, some of those gaps will be bridged.
However, I've grown to be more and more of a Left 4 Dead fan as the year has continued, which is rare for me to keep playing a game fairly consistently a year later. They have some good additions to this game, and again, I'm a sucker for New Orleans culture, so that is just cake icing for me. It's a nice alternative to the first game, and the way I see it, people have been shelling out cash on Madden games for over two decades now, and how dramatically does the game change really year per year, and this isn't the first time an action game has received an action title relatively soon after the first game's release.
I'll enjoy playing this with my friends in a month.
The demo went live at 11 P.M. this evening (or yesterday, rather), and I just went through its two levels.
Thoughts?
I've adopted Nick as my new character. Louis was my first Left 4 Dead choice, so I'm happy to have found my new guy.
My first real like in the game are the melee weapons. In any FPS/fighting game/whatever, I've always been more of a melee person, especially since I can be a little spastic with my gunfire. Hey, I'll admit it.
The demo provided police batons, machetes, even guitars to whack zombies over the head. While my party played through with new variants of shotguns and machine guns, I was mowing through the undead with a machete, and I liked that.
The new Infected are quite cool, and add a new level of tension. Of course, the Spitters, Smokers and Boomers are there, but there are now Chargers, Jockeys, Spitters, and they all suck due to they make your life a living Hell. I can also tell the new walking Witch is going to taunt some stray bullet to hit her and cause mass havoc when that moment happens.
Defibrillators are an awesome alternative. Boomer Bile is hilarious. Toss a vial of that on a Tank and watch the comedy ensue.
Also of note, and what really pulls me to the game is that I love New Orleans. I was there a month ago, and Valve did a great job of capturing that feel. From the brickwork, to the architecture, the the I-10 freeway, the levels feel authentic from what little I've seen, and there's a "Southern twang" feel to the music, which is appropriate. While I think I've read it somewhere, I really hope a level is set in on of the above ground cemeteries. The commentary between the characters works well.
I like the new characters. In a hopeful fanfic moment, I hope Valve implements a means to introduce the old team to the new, and can play mixed groups of the 8 characters.
The game feels harder. There's something about playing levels in daylight that makes the world seem creepy. The worlds are a little more open as well, which does not lead to some easy confrontations, despite my initial thought. Based on the two levels, they have some nasty "marathon" moments, where they pile on the enemies, and you have to run through in order to survive. Running feels just as important as standing your ground.
From what little is there, is it a good sequel? I know a lot of people have complained that this is "more of the same", and "should have been an expansion pack", and maybe it should have been, and perhaps the first game could still use some support, which I hope Valve continues to do. And while some of these new ideas should have been in the first game, the simple fact is that they aren't, and the best we can hope for is that through added expansions between the two games, some of those gaps will be bridged.
However, I've grown to be more and more of a Left 4 Dead fan as the year has continued, which is rare for me to keep playing a game fairly consistently a year later. They have some good additions to this game, and again, I'm a sucker for New Orleans culture, so that is just cake icing for me. It's a nice alternative to the first game, and the way I see it, people have been shelling out cash on Madden games for over two decades now, and how dramatically does the game change really year per year, and this isn't the first time an action game has received an action title relatively soon after the first game's release.
I'll enjoy playing this with my friends in a month.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
What's "Long Enough"?
I read a lot of gaming blogs and forums and news sites in order to keep up with my hobby, and to keep in touch with what are the more pressing topics and concerns of the gaming world of late. One such topic that seems to come up more and more is the "worth" of a game as equated to the length of play from start to finish. In other words: "This game only took 10 hours to beat, therefore, it's not worth the $40-60 purchase price."
There's also the follow up argument that games "back in the day" took a lot longer to beat, and to be sure, I still haven't beaten the original Castlevania on my NES in over 22 years (it should also be said, however, that the game normally glitches out and freezes on the Grim Reaper battle in Level 5). In either case, I guess you could say I got my money's worth.
I started thinking about this complaint as to why people can plow through games now in a relatively short amount of time, as opposed to the hours/days/weeks it took back in the NES and often 16-bit days. I remember quite well staying up all night until sunrise with my friends attempting to beat both quests in Ghosts 'n' Goblins, and how freaking hard it was to go through dungeons in Kid Icarus. Or attempting to beat Dr. Wily in the first Mega Man. Have games become easier today, and if so, why?
Look at what an average gamer went up against in any game from the first three Super Mario Bros. games, Sonic the Hedgehog, Ninja Gaiden any number of Capcom or Konami games, etc.
* Limited continues (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros. 2).
* Unlimited continues, but no save. Once the game is turned off, all progress is lost (Castlevania, Mega Man, Rygar).
* Secret codes to induce continues (Super Mario Bros.).
* Games with stupidly complex passwords that if you don't copy it down right the first time, you're basically screwed. And we couldn't rely on the internet back then for codes (Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, Goonies II, Metroid, Kid Icarus).
* Games with continually respawning or strict pattern-inducing enemies or obstacles (Castlevania, Ninja Gaiden, Mega Man, Battletoads).
* You die, your character goes all the way back to the beginning of the level or world. Regardless of checkpoint (Countless games).
* Games that leave the player to wander aimlessly through the world without the slightest clue or indication of what to do, or where to go next (Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest).
* Games that employ numerous "fetch quests" or item collection (Donkey Kong 64).
Think about it. Think about how much time you really spent playing the same level over and over again because you botched a password, or ran out of continues, or physically could not go on any longer, or had to play an entire level all over again. It definitely builds up those "hours long, all night play sessions" you so vividly remember.
That's nothing to say of RPGs (Phantasy Star, Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior), generally a 30-40 hour accomplishment. Again, think how fast a game would play going from Point A to Point B without having to level grind, or kill monsters to buy that awesome sword or magic spell? Without grinding or optional side quests, that could be a 10-12 hour outing at most. There's also the point of contention that if you progress extensively without saving or reaching a "safe" spot, death in a game like this can lead to some monstrous backtracking.
Even replaying the Super Star Wars trilogy from the SNES days, the Wii's Nintendo Channel monitored my playtime progress from beginning of game to the ending:
* Super Star Wars: Less than 2 hours.
* Super Empire Strikes Back: About 5 1/2 hours (I blame that Echo Base level).
* Super Return of the Jedi: About 3 1/2 hours.
Back in 1992, 1993, and 1994 (respectively), those games cost $59.99 a pop. Great games, but not even to the halfway 10-12 hour point that current gamers complain about.
And with the advent of YouTube, a majority of those games we stayed up all night with have been proven to be completed in under 30 minutes or less. Then again, "speed runner" gamers are somewhat freaks of nature and don't necessarily represent the average gamer, then or now.
So what made games "easier" today?
* The ability to save progress via battery, system memory or memory card, eliminating stupid passwords.
* The ability to turn off a game, then back on to pick up where one left off.
* Starting out at checkpoints instead of starting from scratch on a level or world.
* More frequent save spots.
* More balanced difficulty in patterns and spawn points (Well, some games, anyway).
* Clear, concise objectives with indicators on how to get there (Again, some games).
There's still certainly games that still don't use these features, or in some cases, use them too much, but in many respects, what some people consider "length" then in retrospect, is just honestly "cheap", "unfair", or "artificial padding".
So have games gotten "easier", or are they just more forgiving in letting us retain the progress that we had already earned at that point? Does a "short" game equal a "bad" game? An average game of Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, or Defender lasts less than 10 minutes from start to finish, and still retains their fun factor. The titles I listed above are generally considered "classics" by any gaming circle, and yet have the same play length when you map the progress out. Even Virtual Console games on the Wii allow you to finally pick up where you last put a save state, and I hear more sighs of relief than curses of how the game is now "ruined".
Looking at today's games in that light, are they any more "rip-offs" than yesterday's 10 hour games, or is the extra difficulty and padding just make for a "better" game?
There's also the follow up argument that games "back in the day" took a lot longer to beat, and to be sure, I still haven't beaten the original Castlevania on my NES in over 22 years (it should also be said, however, that the game normally glitches out and freezes on the Grim Reaper battle in Level 5). In either case, I guess you could say I got my money's worth.
I started thinking about this complaint as to why people can plow through games now in a relatively short amount of time, as opposed to the hours/days/weeks it took back in the NES and often 16-bit days. I remember quite well staying up all night until sunrise with my friends attempting to beat both quests in Ghosts 'n' Goblins, and how freaking hard it was to go through dungeons in Kid Icarus. Or attempting to beat Dr. Wily in the first Mega Man. Have games become easier today, and if so, why?
Look at what an average gamer went up against in any game from the first three Super Mario Bros. games, Sonic the Hedgehog, Ninja Gaiden any number of Capcom or Konami games, etc.
* Limited continues (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario Bros. 2).
* Unlimited continues, but no save. Once the game is turned off, all progress is lost (Castlevania, Mega Man, Rygar).
* Secret codes to induce continues (Super Mario Bros.).
* Games with stupidly complex passwords that if you don't copy it down right the first time, you're basically screwed. And we couldn't rely on the internet back then for codes (Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, Goonies II, Metroid, Kid Icarus).
* Games with continually respawning or strict pattern-inducing enemies or obstacles (Castlevania, Ninja Gaiden, Mega Man, Battletoads).
* You die, your character goes all the way back to the beginning of the level or world. Regardless of checkpoint (Countless games).
* Games that leave the player to wander aimlessly through the world without the slightest clue or indication of what to do, or where to go next (Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest).
* Games that employ numerous "fetch quests" or item collection (Donkey Kong 64).
Think about it. Think about how much time you really spent playing the same level over and over again because you botched a password, or ran out of continues, or physically could not go on any longer, or had to play an entire level all over again. It definitely builds up those "hours long, all night play sessions" you so vividly remember.
That's nothing to say of RPGs (Phantasy Star, Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior), generally a 30-40 hour accomplishment. Again, think how fast a game would play going from Point A to Point B without having to level grind, or kill monsters to buy that awesome sword or magic spell? Without grinding or optional side quests, that could be a 10-12 hour outing at most. There's also the point of contention that if you progress extensively without saving or reaching a "safe" spot, death in a game like this can lead to some monstrous backtracking.
Even replaying the Super Star Wars trilogy from the SNES days, the Wii's Nintendo Channel monitored my playtime progress from beginning of game to the ending:
* Super Star Wars: Less than 2 hours.
* Super Empire Strikes Back: About 5 1/2 hours (I blame that Echo Base level).
* Super Return of the Jedi: About 3 1/2 hours.
Back in 1992, 1993, and 1994 (respectively), those games cost $59.99 a pop. Great games, but not even to the halfway 10-12 hour point that current gamers complain about.
And with the advent of YouTube, a majority of those games we stayed up all night with have been proven to be completed in under 30 minutes or less. Then again, "speed runner" gamers are somewhat freaks of nature and don't necessarily represent the average gamer, then or now.
So what made games "easier" today?
* The ability to save progress via battery, system memory or memory card, eliminating stupid passwords.
* The ability to turn off a game, then back on to pick up where one left off.
* Starting out at checkpoints instead of starting from scratch on a level or world.
* More frequent save spots.
* More balanced difficulty in patterns and spawn points (Well, some games, anyway).
* Clear, concise objectives with indicators on how to get there (Again, some games).
There's still certainly games that still don't use these features, or in some cases, use them too much, but in many respects, what some people consider "length" then in retrospect, is just honestly "cheap", "unfair", or "artificial padding".
So have games gotten "easier", or are they just more forgiving in letting us retain the progress that we had already earned at that point? Does a "short" game equal a "bad" game? An average game of Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, or Defender lasts less than 10 minutes from start to finish, and still retains their fun factor. The titles I listed above are generally considered "classics" by any gaming circle, and yet have the same play length when you map the progress out. Even Virtual Console games on the Wii allow you to finally pick up where you last put a save state, and I hear more sighs of relief than curses of how the game is now "ruined".
Looking at today's games in that light, are they any more "rip-offs" than yesterday's 10 hour games, or is the extra difficulty and padding just make for a "better" game?
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Vintage Gauntlet Commercial.
Never mind the awkward 5 second silence at the end, this reminds me of the old classic Dungeons & Dragons fare:
I kind of miss commercials like this for video games. They always made the game seem more epic in scale on its own merit instead of "And here's another one".
I kind of miss commercials like this for video games. They always made the game seem more epic in scale on its own merit instead of "And here's another one".
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