Console Lineup: The Year Ahead

[stray]

Early 20's you think you know everything. Even worse than a teenager. And even worse than that if you just graduated college. In this timeframe, you may fancy yourself as some kind of misanthropist, but really, you're the reason why the real misanthropists exist.

[schild]

Stray, I beg to differ. We're misanthropic about the things we know. Like games, movies, certain aspects of politics, or own religions and the ones exactly oppisite to them, etc. Take me out of that comfort zone, and I don't even remotely pretend to know everything, nor do many of the people here. It just seems that way because you're on a website devoted to 4 or 5 things, and everyone here can claim a certain amount of expertise about them. MMOGs for example. I may not play them much anymore, but no one really challenges me on knowing a collosal deal about them.

Now go play God of War 2.

[stray]

No, no, I'm not even picking on anyone here in particular. Just some thoughts. In general.... it seems like everyone goes through a period where they actually think they know everything. Everything enough to hate it. 21-24 seems like the sweet spot. It's the age where you can finally start articulating things (at least in your head). When you start taking education, ideals, and knowledge even more seriously. But then..... When you also overblow your ability to discover these things, and make such a big deal about it. Like you were the first one on earth to have an opinion, and you don't have to listen any longer. This, in turn, leads to disrespecting or ignoring mostly everyone around you at least 90% of the time.

I saw it in people before me, then later in myself and my friends, and then everyone's little brother and sister after that. And so forth.

Then again, it's not all bad. It's both sickening and cute at the same time. Kind of a two sided coin.. Sometimes that angst produces good art, positive ambition, social change, etc.. In the right hands, a little arrogance and hate can be good.

Watch out if you're one of the ones who don't put it to good use by 30 though (which is pretty much everyone). You'll really be a hate-filled shithead by then.

[schild]

See, the problem is, you think this happens in people when they begin to articulate things, while I fall in the camp that believes it comes right before that period. Take any group of 24 year olds and compare them to people between 15 and 21. Well, 15 to 21 for girls, 17 to 21 for guys (before 17, I find guys to be moronic bumbling idiots who just want to touch a tit - so girls, despite being a backhanded compliment, are getting complimented here). I find those teenage years to be the years when people become the biggest jackasses about knowing everything. ESPECIALLY between 16 and 18. There is nothing worse than people between their sophomore year of highschool and freshman year of college.

[ahoythematey]

I've found that the worst know-it-alls are those past their 20's, because they somehow start thinking they automatically have wisdom with age.  Teenager know-it-alls are snot-nosed shits that I contemptuously ignore almost always because they aren't worth the stress it would produce.

Little Big Planet looks neat, almost like "The Incredible Machine" in a way.

[MrHat]

Little Big Planet looks neat, almost like "The Incredible Machine" in a way.

Ya, I was happy w/ the way it looked to.

As I understand it, you just jaunt through the level until you get to end.  The levels are user created?  Obstacles have to be overcome by cooperating w/ each other?

I R CONFUSD.

[stray]

Well, levels are both user created, but the physics could make it unpredictable even for the creator of those levels. Lots of ways to improvise, and obstacles unforeseen.

It's both cooperative, as well as competitive. I may have heard incorrectly, but those yellow balls in the demo video count as points.

[Yegolev]

RAWR

[stray]

DMC4 now going multiplatform apparently (PS3, 360, as well as PC).

Not bad news, but if Capcom doesn't port Dead Rising and LP to the PS3, then I'll probably flip out.

[Velorath]

DMC4 now going multiplatform apparently (PS3, 360, as well as PC).

Not bad news, but if Capcom doesn't port Dead Rising and LP to the PS3, then I'll probably flip out.

As mentioned elsewhere, I'm really not fond of the DMC series after the first game.  This is just the sort of thing Sony really doesn't need right now though.  I've also seen the recent rumors (although they're based on cell phone pictures of Blockbuster's database, so I'm not counting on them to pan out) that Beautiful Katamari may be coming to the 360 (with no word on a PS3 version).

Regardless, Sony's first party stuff alone is enough to justify a purchase of the PS3 once the price comes down enough.

[schild]

Sony can bank on Naughty Dog, David Jaffe & Co., and SCEI (Monster Hunter, etc). Arguably, they're as strong as Nintendo (considering God of War 1 & 2 are better than anything Ninty has put out since LttP, or Ocarina... if you're one of those people).

[stray]

Yeah, I'm a big fan of their first party stuff. I think they're even better than Nintendo at that. They offer quite a few quality titles across a wide spectrum of genres and tastes -- From God of War, R&C, RPG's, and ICO to Socom, MMO's, and racing games. And...They keep inventing new stuff too, instead of just rehashing mascot games. I liked Sega over Nintendo for the same reasons back in the day too.

[Velorath]

I think Nintendo's first party stuff is better at capturing the casual player than Sony's is.  As a matter of personal preference though I agree that stuff like the God of War games and Shadow of the Colossus are better than anything Nintendo has done in recent memory (and I do love Nintendo's games).

With talk of Take-two possibly going up for sale with their whole internal shakeup right now, MS really needs to do whatever the can to aquire it if they do sell.  Right now it looks like first party games are just about the only ones console makers can count on to stay exclusive, and MS needs a lot more first party talent to get on the same level as Sony and Nintendo.

[schild]

If Microsoft acquires Take Two, it's over. They just bought America and Europe. And it would be worth Every Penny.

[Trippy]

If Microsoft acquires Take Two, it's over. They just bought America and Europe. And it would be worth Every Penny.

No it wouldn't. First, Microsoft would still be substantially smaller than EA in terms of video game software revenue. Second, Microsoft would have to immediately divest itself of the GTA franchise, giving up a huge chunk of TT's revenue potential.

[Riggswolfe]

Microsoft would have to immediately divest itself of the GTA franchise, giving up a huge chunk of TT's revenue potential.

Why? That franchise would be one of the number one reasons to buy Take Two.

[Trippy]

Microsoft would have to immediately divest itself of the GTA franchise, giving up a huge chunk of TT's revenue potential.

Why? That franchise would be one of the number one reasons to buy Take Two.

Because major institutions and grandmas invest in Microsoft and it's part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Can you imagine what would happen to their stock if they owned GTA when its next inevitable controversy comes up?

[Calantus]

Juicy derail goodness.

I... missed the window of opportunity to participate in the derail, didn't it?

[Yegolev]

No, you have a great opening here to retread MS as a failure or future success, or start something about Take 2, which itself could lead to a discussion of either Jack Thompson or He Who Shall Not Be Named.

[schild]

I dunno. Every time someone said something about GTA, they could repond with "It's a game. How much money did you give to Africa this year? OK THEN." And honestly, Microsoft has done a good job keeping the image of it's gaming division away from everything else.

[Yegolev]

I think Take Two would own GTA while MS would own T2, which might abstract it enough for investors that don't actually care about fat stacks of cash.  However I don't think it's going to go up for sale, rather the investors are going to replace management and restructure.

[HaemishM]

I fail to see why having GTA would hurt Microsoft in the slightest. It really would be the best reason to buy Take 2. I mean, Halo? Hello? Just because there's no hooker beatings, doesn't mean Halo isn't a violent video game. Jack Thompson would get his panties in a tizzy, but I imagine his drawers are constantly tizzified anyway.

[Triforcer]

Drool.  Metroid, Mario and Super Smash alone are enough to keep me happy on the Wii side.  But some of the 360 stuff looks so unbelievably awesome...I'll have to take advantage of all the "cheap electronics" shit in Japan and maybe buy another system once I get there. 

[schild]

I'll have to take advantage of all the "cheap electronics" shit in Japan and maybe buy another system once I get there. 

What Japan are you going to?

[Xanthippe]

Surprised nobody mentioned Super Paper Mario, due out in a couple of weeks.

[Margalis]

Super Paper Mario looks really cool.

You can get cheap electronics in Akiabara that is computer stuff, console stuff costs largely the same as it does here. But walking around in Akiabara is awesome. They have arcades, playable consoles set up on the street, promotional vids everywhere, big game stores that carry old games - lots of cool stuff. I think I orgasmed when I walked into the Sega World arcade. An entire floor of Capcom fighting games and another entire floor of VF.

Anyway I also don't see the problem with MS putting out GTA through a subsidiary. Disney puts out some nasty films through its other brands and nobody really cares. That would be a huge hit for Sony. The PS3 is really the odd man out right now.

[Triforcer]

I'll have to take advantage of all the "cheap electronics" shit in Japan and maybe buy another system once I get there. 

What Japan are you going to?

Is this no longer the case?  I've been told that while everything else in Japan is expensive, electronics are cheap.  Or is everything region-locked?  EDIT:  Saw Margalis's post, I understand now.

[Strazos]

Am I the only person who Will Not play a fighting game in the arcades?

[Trippy]

Am I the only person who Will Not play a fighting game in the arcades?

What's wrong with playing in an arcade?

[schild]

Am I the only person who Will Not play a fighting game in the arcades?

Yes. Freak.

[Strazos]

Well, granted the only fighting game I really like nowadays is Soul Calibur 2, but still. If I wanted to play a fighting game, I want to be able to sit down and play it for awhile.

Also, I'll admit fighting games are not my strongest genre. Couple that with the fact that some guy can just come over and curbstomp me makes it not a nice idea.

The only things I play in the arcade are shooters and combat drivers. There are hardly any arcades around here anyway, and they're all (all = 2) outdated.

[Calantus]

Arcades are a group thing to me so fighting games are excellent because the "some guy" is a friend or relative. I don't recall going to an arcade alone since before my brother was old enough to go to arcades, and those times were only because I was forced to go shopping and the arcade was within begging distance.

[Margalis]

I used to tell my mom I was going to my friend's house to do homework then the two of us would ride our bikes to the arcade.

Fighting games are really meant to be played with human competition, and a variety of competition is great. Now it does suck to not be very good. Usually when I play people who aren't good I will give them tips and not be a total dick about it. But you do have to be willing to suck up some losses while learning. I used to savage a guy at all Capcom games then he got me into playing Tekken 2 and it was payback time. He showed no mercy, I had games where I got knocked over then literally never got up off the ground. But I did learn pretty fast.

[Yegolev]

Am I the only person who Will Not play a fighting game in the arcades?

You and my dead grandma, so no.

[Strazos]

Har.

But seriously, all I ever seem to see are various Tekken units, and I LOATHE Tekken.

I guess I just prefer to play at home, where I can relax and we don't need to down coins constantly. I tend to last a lot longer in shooters.