Console Wars V

[Asher]

Previous: http://www.apolyton.net/forums/showt...postid=5369202

There's some outstanding Xbox Live Arcade games that got posted recently...

Braid: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/acti...ag=multimodule;picks;title;1

Gamespot gave it 9.5/10 and EuroGamer a 10/10. It's simultaneously innovative and retro, some call it a tribute to the classic Super Mario Brothers.

Other is the self-explanatory Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2: http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/895/895096p1.html

[Felch]

I played the Braid demo, and it is pretty sweet. The different worlds had nifty little changes to the rules, and the levels had some clever puzzles. Not as sweet as Hardcore Deathmatches in Call of Duty though.

Geometry Wars is cool too, but the sequel seems to only add multiplayer. Is there more to it?

[Asher]

There's six game modes now vs one as well, the IGN review explains.

[El_Cid]

Originally posted by Felch
I played the Braid demo, and it is pretty sweet. The different worlds had nifty little changes to the rules, and the levels had some clever puzzles. Not as sweet as Hardcore Deathmatches in Call of Duty though.

Geometry Wars is cool too, but the sequel seems to only add multiplayer. Is there more to it?

An interesting article from the creator of Braid:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=19748

[Asher]

Yeah, a lot of developers got a kick out of it.

Independent designer Jonathan Blow's award-winning Braid made its Xbox Live Arcade debut just last week, but Blow says Microsoft's certification requirements might have impeded the game's final quality.

There's a reason why Xbox 360 games aren't nearly as buggy as Playstation 3 games, and it's because there's a real set of certification process. Even if it's a ****ty little XBLA game, it needs to meet standards.

It's kind of funny to a lot of people that this guy is *****ing about having to meet standards. The N+ developers -- who I have spoken to in person in Toronto -- mentioned much of the same: XBLA certification was far more rigorous than they anticipated. But they, unlike this guy, recognized the purpose of such a process and valued it, even if it did create "work" at the time, it resulted in an ultimately better game.

He also displays a fundamental misunderstanding of the new business model and spews bull**** himself (that he wouldn't "break even" with it), but at least he clarifies that he doesn't know **** about it except "what he's heard" from some people.

You need to be very careful with gamasutra right now -- they seem to have an ever-increasing bias against consoles and the 360 in particular. Even the game developer had to post a reply (visible in the "update") because he didn't like the spin of the article, making him seem very negative to MS when he wasn't. When their own interviewees call them out on slanted articles, it should be a hint.

[El_Cid]

Originally posted by Asher
................

You need to be very careful with gamasutra right now -- they seem to have an ever-increasing bias against consoles and the 360 in particular.....................

you are priceless sometimes Asher!

But yeah my impression was he wrote an article then in the cold light of day found he needed to clarify some things, nothing wrong with that in my book.
He isn't the only dev mind you who has some misgivings about XBLA/XNA etc or the same 'services' that the other console manufacturers offer.

And my point(all along) about these services has some merit - it's not about you the gamer, or you the developer, it's about a cheap(for the console manufacturer) supply of content to win over more customers.
It's about maximising profit for the manufacturer, as is the way of the world. I just wish they would come out and say it, and get rid of all the double talk. They are all as bad as each other in my book, wolves in sheep's clothing.

Maybe one day it will get back to being about the game?

[Nikolai]

Old news now, I haven't seen it mentioned in the threads: The MotionPlus enhancement to the Wii controller, which makes the controller more accurate, will be very cheap according to Nintendo, as it's very cheap to produce. And all new controllers after it's release will get the MotionPlus as an integrated part of the controller. I'm looking forward to see how the improved controller works, the demo video that was posted a while ago looks good. Only too bad it wasn't a part of the controller from the start...

[DrSpike]

Yeah XBLA have released/re-released a few games lately that should be what XBLA is all about (instead of the swathes of Wii style dross they offer at stupid prices).

I have GW2 and it's excellent and well worth the 800 points (and I've already spent over 10 hours on it), as the first game was worth its 400 points (too many hours to count).

I played the Braid demo and thought it was pretty cool, but again the price point is questionable at 1200 points, so I'll probably wait until they make it available at 800 points.

They just released Puzzle Quest under arcade classics at 800 instead of 1200 (which actually was pretty justifiable to start with as it is a full commercial game) and I played the demo for ages yesterday. I'll probably pick it up when I get some more points.

[asleepathewheel]

http://kotaku.com/5034951/heres-that-wii-third-party-sales-proof-you-requested

[DrSpike]

I'm sure someone here will have an 'explanation'

[Nikolai]

Indeed. As we all know those numbers include Cooking Mama and other abnormities which cannot, and should not, count in any way from here to oblivion. Nintendo is not a real gaming company, but a tool for the unwashed masses(LOTM) who will ultimately destroy gamingkind, if not the real gamer(s), read Asher, comes to the resque.

[Verto]

Yeah, Braid kicks ass. I've only played the demo right now, but once I get some more spending money I'll probably buy the full version...although the price seems a little steep.

I'm taking a break from CoD4 (or trying to, anyway ) and started Lost Odyssey. Pretty entertaining so far, definitely gets me in the mood for Final Fantasy XIII. I need to beat it soon though before I get distracted by Fable 2, Too Human, Infinite Undiscovery, Gears of War 2 to name a few. Still haven't played Civ:Rev, or Ninja Gaiden 2.

[Asher]

Originally posted by DrSpike
I'm sure someone here will have an 'explanation'

It's quantity, not revenue.

asleep also curiously doesn't mention that this doesn't reflect current sales -- the data points are "at points in the console's lifecycle", the 360 sells more 3rd party software than the Wii does still.

That chart is from Nintendo's PR department, you can bet they'd spin it like this...

You can also see it wasn't even until 2008 that 3rd party sales became respectable. I've been *****ing about 3rd party sales long before that, and this chart actually reveals I was right all throughout 2006/2007 when I talked about poor 3rd party sales...

Edit: And Nikolai is right when he says it's about what's being sold. Shovelware sells if you make enough of it and price it low enough, which is what Nintendo third parties have discovered.

[Asher]

Originally posted by El_Cid
And my point(all along) about these services has some merit - it's not about you the gamer, or you the developer, it's about a cheap(for the console manufacturer) supply of content to win over more customers.
It's about maximising profit for the manufacturer, as is the way of the world. I just wish they would come out and say it, and get rid of all the double talk.

What the **** is wrong with you? Seriously?

You just posted an article about how MS is overly concerned about the quality of games coming out on its service and has high standards which it forces developers to meet, and also says they can bend the rules to allow creative/innovative games to do things they find to be interesting -- but then you come out and say your "point" is this is all about maximizing profit and a quick cash grab? What the ****, seriously.

The article you posted directly contradicts your "point".

[Asher]

Originally posted by Nikolai
Indeed. As we all know those numbers include Cooking Mama and other abnormities which cannot, and should not, count in any way from here to oblivion. Nintendo is not a real gaming company, but a tool for the unwashed masses(LOTM) who will ultimately destroy gamingkind, if not the real gamer(s), read Asher, comes to the resque.

LOTM doesn't have a Wii and wouldn't know what it even looks like. He'll get a Wii in 2020 or so.

Why must you be patently wrong even when trying to make a simple joke post? Put some thought into your post for once, this isn't church.

PS: I just saw the creepiest and scariest documentary ever, it's called "Jesus Camp". I immediately thought of you. You're welcome.