Basically, I'm not against DLC altogether, but I disapprove of some forms of DLC. I'm not a big fan of purchasing a weapon or vehicle for use in a game (but if you like it that's fine). For me, I prefer DLC to be a considerable extension of the game, like extra levels. For years PC games have offered expansion packs that lengthen the main game. That's the next problem... If the content has merely been kept from the main game, and then offered later, I'm not happy paying for that. But if the developers spend considerable time after the release of the game to create more content, then I'll support them financially. Bethesda are good with lengthy DLC to expands their games. They did try to sell small items like armour but that was a publicity nightmare and they became a laughing stock. But DLC that adds 30 more hours of quests and story to a game? Yes please.
For games like Mario Kart, I wouldn't pay for extra karts, but I would pay for a pack of new tracks. For games like Fire Emblem: Awakening, I'd buy extra chapters if they are affordable. So it really depends, but I don't think all DLC is evil. I'm just wary.
Disappointed by some of the responses, but only a minority, which is nice
Always worth asking yourself a question that gay people are asked all the time. www.upworthy.com/watch-these-straight-people-answer-a-question-gay-people-have-been-asked-for-years-6
@invmat Thanks for responding, and that's a really good point. I wonder how they've handled it with the male-male relationships? Point is if they can offer that functionality, makes sense to allow female-female too.
Back then, I was happy that the Wii U could be a success by not only having exclusive Nintendo titles, but all the world-class multiplatform titles appearing on the Xbox 360 and PS3... At the time it looked possibly that Battlefield 3 would be there, especially when John Riccitiello was talking about it during Nintendo's E3 conference!
どうぶつの森 - N64 (basically the GameCube Animal Crossing with a few less features)
Animal Crossing - GameCube
Animal Crossing: Wild World - DS
Animal Crossing: City Folk - Wii
Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 3DS
@Windy No worries As for tiles etc, you can do even more stuff like that now, but I won't mention much more because it's better to discover all those little things yourself. I just wanted to mention the big features, but it's the small details that are fun and surprising as you play it yourself.
@Windy The multiplayer component is fun but not too deep so probably wouldn't warrant an entire article. Friends can visit your town, you can visit theirs, if they're best friends you can contact them in-game even if they aren't on your town (it's like texting each other). The StreetPass features are new. I've not been lucky enough to pass anyone with the game but basically you can see the homes (and avatars) of the people you've come across with StreetPass. You can even order stuff from their homes apparently (again, I haven't experienced this yet). There's an island you can play mini-games on. If you invite a friend to your town (or visit their town), then you can go to the island together and help each other complete the mini-games. All the usual multiplayer features are intact. You can trade items, or bring your own fruit to friend's towns to sell them for more as foreign fruit.
The game does feel a lot more social than previous entries, especially with the chatting feature with best friends who are online but don't have to be in your town. Personally, as cool as those features are, I actually think the dreaming is my favourite feature. Dreaming of a random strangers home can be really surprising and inspiring! Not as social as going to a friend's town, but it can be exciting!
The best thing about the game is that it's an experience, so I'm hoping the upcoming articles aren't really about features, but about Jon's adventures and the trouble he gets up to. Seeing the weird enjoyment someone else got from the game was what made me want it in the first place!
@Geonjaha Pretty much as you've suggested but not always a shadow. Sometimes there's bubbles. Also, in Animal Crossing, jellyfish are the bees of the seas.
As a reader I appreciate the transparency, so thanks.
I'm absolutely loving it, even though I didn't actually enjoy the previous games that much. It maybe says more about how I've changed than how much the game has. It's addictive and I'm using it as relaxation between intense games. Only thing I've not been able to experiment with is the StreetPass features, but they sound interesting.
I completely agree that the Vita is a better system than the 3DS. As a piece of hardware, it's literally better in every possible way it could be. Actually, it's one of the nicest gaming devices of all time. It's a thing of beauty. But give me the 3DS over it any day! Props to Sony for a wonderful device, but I'll choose the one with decent games on it! 3DS is proof that it's the games that sell consoles.
This is the type of DLC I like, and I don't mind paying for. Props to them. They seem reasonably priced too.
I wrote this article for Nintendo Scene a while ago about DLC coming to Nintendo consoles. In my opinion, DLC can be terrible or amazing depending on what it is they're offering. I'm strongly against some forms of DLC.
I don't agree that it's the "what you don't see" that makes the NA image racier... as pointed out by people all over the web, it's the fact that it looks like a cape, as if someone is watching her undress and she's just realised. Regardless of whether it was the right or wrong thing to do, they've definitely made it worse!
@Jaz007 I'm not in favour of a lawsuit, but I just can't understand these comparisons. For Borderlands, they made changes in development. They went with a different style. Games change all the time. But with A:CM, they deliberately and deceptively doctored footage to make the game seem far better than it was. They faked the graphics, lighting, animations, AI, characters... everything. They didn't have a change of heart like in Borderlands. They didn't say, "this is actually looking a bit too good, let's make everything rougher and crap, remove all these assets we used to have, redo the explosions and animations and lighting etc so they aren't as good". That didn't happen. They edited the footage to make it seem better yet called it a "gameplay demo".
Everyone accepts that the final game can change. The issue is that they simply lied about it being representative of "gameplay". No, I don't want to see the lawsuit. But I do think they deserve the ridicule they're getting for this.
@LzQuacker I never fell for it. I never made a preorder. I never purchased the game. Just clearing that up. You say ads are misleading all the time. Ok, but can you provide examples where a company provided footage of a "gameplay demo" that wasn't the gameplay at all and was deliberately enhanced in order to make a game with terrible graphics, AI, animation etc seem to have great graphics, AI, animation etc?
Also, I haven't once suggested that I'm in favour of this lawsuit. Not once. Yet several comments are acting like I am. What I AM stating is that the original "gameplay" footage is nothing like the final product, which you can clearly see is the case, to the point that the company should be made to apologise for the deception. I don't think they should be made to offer refunds or anything, because you can't prove who bought it because of the "gameplay" footage.
Guys, games can change in development. But they clearly rendered fake assets in their demos! Look at the video! Games can change, but they've actually faked gameplay footage. Either that or they deliberately removed assets, effects, animations etc to deliberately make the game worse. Extra effort to make the game worse? Don't think so. It's not a development change. It's dodgy demo footage that wasn't really gameplay when they said it was. It was touched up, big time. Not cool.
@theperson I cannot believe what I just read. You watched the video I posted, and thought the original gameplay demo with all the polish, lighting features, extra assets, advanced animations, extra characters, better explosions, better textures etc looked WORSE than the final gameplay missing all of those things? There must be some sort of mistake. I can't accept that you watched that video and actually thought the opposite of what everyone else is thinking.
For anyone who hasn't played the game yet, here's a decent video showing some differences between what we've been shown and how the game turned out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lGXDM3LGnk
@AstronautZero Now compare them and see what they get you, and what comes free regardless of whether you have a subscription or not. After that, look again at the price.
Sony's PS+ is awesome. You pay a relatively small fee (with much better value than things like Xbox Live) and you get to download top games for free or massively discounted. It's absolutely brilliant, allows gamers to play games they might not have tried, and it still makes Sony money. It's also entirely optional! It's a fantastic service and I'd love to see Nintendo take some inspiration from it.
A game like this I would want as a cart. Games like Animal Crossing are the ones I want to download for quick and regular play sessions, between your other games.
Such a weird attitude in the comments here. I've played some COD games, enjoyed some, hated others, and I'm done with the series for now so I won't be picking up a game if it arrives on any of the Nintendo systems. BUT why the hell would I complain about it coming? Another game? More options for people? Especially on a console that needs more games!
If you don't like a game, don't buy it. But screaming no and complaining that it's even going to exist on your console... jeez. Turn the tables and make it about some brilliant RPG that's being localised for release on the Wii U or 3DS. Imagine you like RPGs but you have people screaming like infants that it shouldn't come to your console because it sucks. The solution here is to buy the games you like, ignore the ones you don't like. Other people have different tastes, leave them to their games.
I agree with everyone here saying that it will be basically the same experience as all the other ones, that's pretty much the reason why I'm bored of the series. You never know though, they could release something different with the same brand, like a strategy game or something. But I doubt it. The old Infinity Ward made the last decent ones. The games handle well and the core gameplay is good (if you like FPS) but the single player campaigns are too short imo and the multiplayer is great for a while, but it's been the same for years so I'm very done with it at this point.
I'd love SNES games like Super Mario World to make an appearance on the 3DS Virtual Console. They do NES games, so it isn't all about being portable titles.
@ajcismo I don't think it will be very obvious though. I reckon that if they did have a big press conference, it would back-fire. By not having one, they might be doing the best thing given the situation, but it's not something that will show results. Looking back it might not be easy to see that it was a good thing (which I think it will be).
@AltDotNerd You'll definitely see footage of new games. Demos, gameplay, trailers... the press spend a lot of time getting footage and details from the show floor.
It's the sensible thing to do, to avoid embarrassment. The others have their consoles coming, plus huge games that are pretty much finished and ready to show off. Nintendo has no new hardware and few games ready to show except for 3DS. I think Nintendo are being very clever here and doing the right thing, but I don't think it should be viewed as a positive, or spun to look like Nintendo "changing the game" of E3. Nintendo will get bad publicity if they have a huge press conference with little to show. Last year was the big one. If they get their act together then they could have an exciting conference full of great software next year. I hope so. I want to see Nintendo at E3, but I want to see them at their best.
@iphys The Vita has a fairly functional browser, so it's just accessing the website. Well, ok, it's actually a crap browser but better than what the 3DS has. But once the 3DS has Miiverse then it will be a lot more functional than just having access to the website.
@Slapshot I don't think so. The PS3 will only get cheaper when the new consoles arrive. Unlike the Xbox it has a ton of amazing exclusive titles (also the appeal of Nintendo consoles, especially in the past) and some very exciting games still on the way (The Last of Us, Beyond, The Last Guadian etc. The Last of Us has game of the year written all over it). And the PS2 has been surviving and getting games for it deep into the PS3's life cycle, so the PS3 will continue.
The argument over the 3DS vs Vita is pretty straightforward. Sony's console is much better, but useless if there's hardly any games. Loads of great 3DS games coming out right now. But for the home consoles, it's the other way round. Lack of games on the Wii U, incredible exclusive and multiplatform titles on the PS3. Xbox 360 is another option and will be the cheapest, but most of the best games on the Xbox 360 you can find on other consoles anyway. That's what made Nintendo the company they are today, the exclusives. That's what Sony has mastered over the last two years.
I really hope Nintendo can do something with the Wii U, get more developers on board... but I really do think they're going to have to become software-only sometime soon. Or at least software-only for home console titles, and continue making handheld consoles. Imagine if all that effort going into trying to save the Wii U was instead put into making the best and most creative games Nintendo could come up with. I fell in love with Nintendo for their games, not the consoles themselves. I only loved the Nintendo consoles BECAUSE of the games. I think Nintendo hasn't realised this, and tries to be too innovative with hardware. The hardware is just a box for playing software. It doesn't matter how crazy or difference or cool the hardware is if it doesn't play the best games.
Also, I've refused to do the poll. I only think avoiding a huge press conference with few things to show is a good idea this year. But next year and onwards, I'd hope that Nintendo can have a stronger presence at E3 as well as providing their Nintendo Direct videos. So yeah, huge press conference at E3 would do more harm than good if they have little to show, but I don't think Nintendo should drop doing E3 press conferences altogether as the poll option might suggest. Right now they should be preparing for next year's E3.
The 3DS is extremely archaic with online features. Just simple things like chatting and adding friends are handled better by anyone else other than Nintendo. This would be a sign that Nintendo are trying to make the 3DS more social. For a WiFi-enabled gaming device, there's really no excuse.
It's the sensible thing to do, really. Last year Microsoft looked silly. Nintendo stole the show as far as hardware goes (and a bit of software), and Sony stole the show with software (and a bit of hardware). Microsoft spent most of their time advertising games that were also coming out on PS3 and PC, or showing that you can use the Kinnect to speak voice commands to Mass Effect 3 or FIFA 13. It was embarrassing.
This year, Sony and Microsoft have big hardware (or at least announcements) to show off. Also, they still have huge games on the way for the current-gen consoles. Nintendo had their hardware year last year, it created a lot of buzz that they just won't match this year. They just need to be there, reminding everyone that there are lots of 3DS games on the way, and that they're doing all they can to try and make the Wii U sell. By being there but not having a massive press conference, they're dodging the embarrassment of being the only one of the three to have little to show on the day. In hindsight, Micorsoft probably wished they did that last time.
As long as Nintendo are on the floor, with demos of upcoming games, it'll be fine and we'll probably still get some juicy news. This also explains why we got such a generous Nintendo Direct with so many games announced. They still would have been interesting at E3, but an entire press conference for a few 3DS games? Nah.
PS3 had Okami HD as an exclusive. I think the announcement will be that it's going to be available for download on the PS Vita. An entirely new game for the 3DS would be awesome, but I don't think that's coming, at least not yet. Hopefully I'm wrong!
You say double, but that assumes that everyone who buys a 3DS game for example buys it new. That isn't the case. In days when pretty decent smartphone games cost £1, a lot of people aren't willing to shell out £40 even for a recommended Mario title. The 2nd-hand industry is huge for Nintendo consoles. If everyone bought new, yes, digital would have to sell double if it was reduced to half-price. But considering not everyone buys new, think how many people would download the game ready to play without leaving the house, if it cost so little that it made the 2nd-hand purchase hardly worth it? The pricing would convert some of the 2nd-hand buyers into digital buyers (since the prices are similar). Now, you point out that a reduced price isn't great, but that reduced price will be money going to Nintendo. That same customer would have given nothing to Nintendo if he/she bought a 2nd-hand title instead.
Reduced digital pricing =
1. More actual sales due to reduced 2nd-hand purchases
2. Less piracy
3. Lower costs of publishing as the printing and packaging of retail games costs more than sticking a file on the eshop
4. An extra appeal when people weigh up the 3DS vs the Vita, where indie games are priced cheaply, but download versions of retail games are still extremely expensive
@tealovertoma It's an interesting point... I've always loved Nintendo, especially when they were the most creative and inventive of the companies in the days of SNES, N64 etc. Great franchises. Sony has the advantage of being great for multiplatform titles (along with the Xbox but not Nintendo's underpowered consoles), but Sony now also has the added advantage of being the better company of exclusives. Nintendo used to dominate in 1st and 2nd party titles, but now Sony are definitely at the top.
I honestly think that Nintendo could become a much bigger and better company, and regain the trust and quality of their better years by becoming software-only. Give up on making consoles. Focus entirely on making spectacular gaming experiences with Mario, Zelda, and new IPs, really trying to invent new experiences and wowing us like they did in the past. Let other companies like Sony etc worry about the hardware. If it was a partnership with Sony I'd be extremely happy because Ninty and Sony are my favourites. But even if they kept the software open to other systems too like the Xbox, I still think Nintendo would benefit from going software-only. Trying to sell consoles, they're being screwed because 3rd parties don't want to create games for their consoles. It's extra effort. And those losses related to 3rd parties and the hardware are affecting the quality of the 1st and 2nd party software.
My list of things Nintendo needs to do is extremely long, quite in-depth, and who am I to tell them how to run their own company, so I'll keep most of my thoughts to myself.
But leaving aside what I'd do to bring back the Nintendo of old, here's a quick change they could make that would boost sales. It wouldn't improve 3rd party support, or improve the quality of games, or anything like that... it would just make them more money. Nintendo! Be brave, laugh in the face of the competition, and sell the digital versions of the retail games considerably cheaper. Maybe half-price. It's not so low as to compete with smartphones, but low enough to be more attractive than download prices on other gaming systems.
The point is, people buy a lot of games second hand, which is zero profit for Nintendo and the other devs/publishers. Nintendo know that, hence the push for downloads too. You can't sell your download to someone else. But if the prices are similar, people will rather have the retail copy. Firstly, it means they can resell it, secondly they might even be able to get it second-hand themselves. I'm not entirely against this, and I think there should always be retail copies available. But IF the digital copy could be downloaded instantly and was a LOT cheaper (say £20 for a £40) game, a lot more people would download it. I'm not saying more people would get their hands on the game, but of the people who do, a higher percentage will be downloading, resulting in less 2nd hand copies and higher profits.
@demonta4 It has. Chinatown Wars was such a success on the DS it's been ported to other systems (iOS, Android, PSP etc). It was a great game that made good use of the DS features. As for the main console games, as with all multiplatform titles except dance, quiz, and guitar games, the Wii was just not powerful enough compared to the PS3 and Xbox 360. The Wii would have gotten a crap spin-off game, different than the other consoles. Probably for the best.
Checkout Chinatown Wars if you like GTA games. It's like a throwback to the original 2D games for the PS1 and PC (GTA and GTA2) but with the comedy and style of newer games in the series. Cheap now as well.
I seriously doubt they planted false news about Majora's Mask to keep people off the scent. It's just a natural rumour that's existed ever since the announcement that OoT would be remade for the 3DS. I loved the original Majora's Mask, but I'm glad they aren't making a remake. I was ok with a remake of OoT because the system was new and had a poor games catalogue (except for the fantastic original DS games). But by now I would have expected an original title for the 3DS.
This sequel looks disappointing to me so far. Firstly, why a sequel, using the same overworld? Be original! Also, I'm really not sure about the idea of having multiple levels in an area at different heights in a game that is predominantly 2D and played from above. In the clips, the player suddenly ends up on areas above that we never even knew were there. How do you plan your movements if you can't even see where you're going?
The DS got two brilliant Zelda games that made good use of the system's features. The titles were strong enough to stand beside the other Zelda games, yet unique enough to be thought of as true originals. I'd prefer that sort of attention to the series on the 3DS.
Late 2013 and early 2014 will see the 3DS really start to sell in numbers resembling those of the original DS. A 3DS-exclusive Pokemon game will be what does it. Even if it's a weaker title in the series, I reckon it will still do the job and outsell even games like Animal Crossing: New Leaf.
@TokyoRed... PLEASE, NO! They've tried to do a Zelda tevevision series before. It is the worst thing I've ever seen. What they should do is make more games, we've seen that Zelda works really well as a game, so let's keep getting Zelda games!
Comments 98
Re: Talking Point: DLC's Increasingly Important Role for Nintendo
I wrote a bit about this in 2011 when it was becoming clear that Nintendo would begin making DLC more readily available on their newest systems: http://nintendoscene.com/2011/08/18/nintendo-will-welcome-dlc-in-the-future-should-they/
Basically, I'm not against DLC altogether, but I disapprove of some forms of DLC. I'm not a big fan of purchasing a weapon or vehicle for use in a game (but if you like it that's fine). For me, I prefer DLC to be a considerable extension of the game, like extra levels. For years PC games have offered expansion packs that lengthen the main game. That's the next problem... If the content has merely been kept from the main game, and then offered later, I'm not happy paying for that. But if the developers spend considerable time after the release of the game to create more content, then I'll support them financially. Bethesda are good with lengthy DLC to expands their games. They did try to sell small items like armour but that was a publicity nightmare and they became a laughing stock. But DLC that adds 30 more hours of quests and story to a game? Yes please.
For games like Mario Kart, I wouldn't pay for extra karts, but I would pay for a pack of new tracks. For games like Fire Emblem: Awakening, I'd buy extra chapters if they are affordable. So it really depends, but I don't think all DLC is evil. I'm just wary.
Re: Tomodachi Collection: New Life Features Same-Sex Marriage For Men, But Not Women
Disappointed by some of the responses, but only a minority, which is nice
Always worth asking yourself a question that gay people are asked all the time. www.upworthy.com/watch-these-straight-people-answer-a-question-gay-people-have-been-asked-for-years-6
Re: Tomodachi Collection: New Life Features Same-Sex Marriage For Men, But Not Women
@invmat Thanks for responding, and that's a really good point. I wonder how they've handled it with the male-male relationships? Point is if they can offer that functionality, makes sense to allow female-female too.
Re: Tomodachi Collection: New Life Features Same-Sex Marriage For Men, But Not Women
@invmat "because of the children"
Huh? You mean someone at Nintendo believes children shouldn't be exposed to the fact that homosexuality exists? Or did I misunderstand?
Re: Tomodachi Collection: New Life Features Same-Sex Marriage For Men, But Not Women
Good, I really hope there's a patch so it works for the ladies too. Yay for equality.
Re: DICE Tested Its Frostbite Engine On Wii U, Wasn't Enamoured With The Results
More games not getting to the Wii U :/ I actually chose Battlefield 3 as my main image when I posted about the 2011 E3 conferences on Nintendo Scene: http://nintendoscene.com/2011/06/09/sony-and-microsoft-at-e3-what-it-means-for-nintendo/
Back then, I was happy that the Wii U could be a success by not only having exclusive Nintendo titles, but all the world-class multiplatform titles appearing on the Xbox 360 and PS3... At the time it looked possibly that Battlefield 3 would be there, especially when John Riccitiello was talking about it during Nintendo's E3 conference!
Re: Feature: Animal Crossing: New Leaf Has Atrocious Fish Puns
@DarkCoolEdge "Koi" sounds like the English word "coy".
Re: Talking Point: Why Nintendo Life is a Part of the Animal Crossing: New Leaf Mayor Program
どうぶつの森 - N64 (basically the GameCube Animal Crossing with a few less features)
Animal Crossing - GameCube
Animal Crossing: Wild World - DS
Animal Crossing: City Folk - Wii
Animal Crossing: New Leaf - 3DS
Re: Talking Point: Why Nintendo Life is a Part of the Animal Crossing: New Leaf Mayor Program
@Windy No worries As for tiles etc, you can do even more stuff like that now, but I won't mention much more because it's better to discover all those little things yourself. I just wanted to mention the big features, but it's the small details that are fun and surprising as you play it yourself.
Re: Talking Point: Why Nintendo Life is a Part of the Animal Crossing: New Leaf Mayor Program
@Windy The multiplayer component is fun but not too deep so probably wouldn't warrant an entire article. Friends can visit your town, you can visit theirs, if they're best friends you can contact them in-game even if they aren't on your town (it's like texting each other). The StreetPass features are new. I've not been lucky enough to pass anyone with the game but basically you can see the homes (and avatars) of the people you've come across with StreetPass. You can even order stuff from their homes apparently (again, I haven't experienced this yet). There's an island you can play mini-games on. If you invite a friend to your town (or visit their town), then you can go to the island together and help each other complete the mini-games. All the usual multiplayer features are intact. You can trade items, or bring your own fruit to friend's towns to sell them for more as foreign fruit.
The game does feel a lot more social than previous entries, especially with the chatting feature with best friends who are online but don't have to be in your town. Personally, as cool as those features are, I actually think the dreaming is my favourite feature. Dreaming of a random strangers home can be really surprising and inspiring! Not as social as going to a friend's town, but it can be exciting!
The best thing about the game is that it's an experience, so I'm hoping the upcoming articles aren't really about features, but about Jon's adventures and the trouble he gets up to. Seeing the weird enjoyment someone else got from the game was what made me want it in the first place!
Re: Talking Point: Why Nintendo Life is a Part of the Animal Crossing: New Leaf Mayor Program
@Geonjaha Pretty much as you've suggested but not always a shadow. Sometimes there's bubbles. Also, in Animal Crossing, jellyfish are the bees of the seas.
Re: Talking Point: Why Nintendo Life is a Part of the Animal Crossing: New Leaf Mayor Program
As a reader I appreciate the transparency, so thanks.
I'm absolutely loving it, even though I didn't actually enjoy the previous games that much. It maybe says more about how I've changed than how much the game has. It's addictive and I'm using it as relaxation between intense games. Only thing I've not been able to experiment with is the StreetPass features, but they sound interesting.
Re: Fez Creator Believes Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is More Suited To Vita
I completely agree that the Vita is a better system than the 3DS. As a piece of hardware, it's literally better in every possible way it could be. Actually, it's one of the nicest gaming devices of all time. It's a thing of beauty. But give me the 3DS over it any day! Props to Sony for a wonderful device, but I'll choose the one with decent games on it! 3DS is proof that it's the games that sell consoles.
Re: Feature: Robust DLC Ensures That Fire Emblem: Awakening Just Keeps On Giving
This is the type of DLC I like, and I don't mind paying for. Props to them. They seem reasonably priced too.
I wrote this article for Nintendo Scene a while ago about DLC coming to Nintendo consoles. In my opinion, DLC can be terrible or amazing depending on what it is they're offering. I'm strongly against some forms of DLC.
http://nintendoscene.com/2011/08/18/nintendo-will-welcome-dlc-in-the-future-should-they/
Re: The Image Of Tharja In A Swimsuit Nintendo Of America Didn't Want You To See
I don't agree that it's the "what you don't see" that makes the NA image racier... as pointed out by people all over the web, it's the fact that it looks like a cape, as if someone is watching her undress and she's just realised. Regardless of whether it was the right or wrong thing to do, they've definitely made it worse!
Re: Sega and Gearbox Sued By Irate Gamer Over "Misleading" Aliens: Colonial Marines Footage
@Jaz007 I'm not in favour of a lawsuit, but I just can't understand these comparisons. For Borderlands, they made changes in development. They went with a different style. Games change all the time. But with A:CM, they deliberately and deceptively doctored footage to make the game seem far better than it was. They faked the graphics, lighting, animations, AI, characters... everything. They didn't have a change of heart like in Borderlands. They didn't say, "this is actually looking a bit too good, let's make everything rougher and crap, remove all these assets we used to have, redo the explosions and animations and lighting etc so they aren't as good". That didn't happen. They edited the footage to make it seem better yet called it a "gameplay demo".
Everyone accepts that the final game can change. The issue is that they simply lied about it being representative of "gameplay". No, I don't want to see the lawsuit. But I do think they deserve the ridicule they're getting for this.
Re: Sega and Gearbox Sued By Irate Gamer Over "Misleading" Aliens: Colonial Marines Footage
@LzQuacker I never fell for it. I never made a preorder. I never purchased the game. Just clearing that up. You say ads are misleading all the time. Ok, but can you provide examples where a company provided footage of a "gameplay demo" that wasn't the gameplay at all and was deliberately enhanced in order to make a game with terrible graphics, AI, animation etc seem to have great graphics, AI, animation etc?
Also, I haven't once suggested that I'm in favour of this lawsuit. Not once. Yet several comments are acting like I am. What I AM stating is that the original "gameplay" footage is nothing like the final product, which you can clearly see is the case, to the point that the company should be made to apologise for the deception. I don't think they should be made to offer refunds or anything, because you can't prove who bought it because of the "gameplay" footage.
Re: Sega and Gearbox Sued By Irate Gamer Over "Misleading" Aliens: Colonial Marines Footage
Guys, games can change in development. But they clearly rendered fake assets in their demos! Look at the video! Games can change, but they've actually faked gameplay footage. Either that or they deliberately removed assets, effects, animations etc to deliberately make the game worse. Extra effort to make the game worse? Don't think so. It's not a development change. It's dodgy demo footage that wasn't really gameplay when they said it was. It was touched up, big time. Not cool.
Re: Sega and Gearbox Sued By Irate Gamer Over "Misleading" Aliens: Colonial Marines Footage
@theperson I cannot believe what I just read. You watched the video I posted, and thought the original gameplay demo with all the polish, lighting features, extra assets, advanced animations, extra characters, better explosions, better textures etc looked WORSE than the final gameplay missing all of those things? There must be some sort of mistake. I can't accept that you watched that video and actually thought the opposite of what everyone else is thinking.
Re: Sega and Gearbox Sued By Irate Gamer Over "Misleading" Aliens: Colonial Marines Footage
@dumedum It's not like there some little bugs that could be fixed... The game was nothing like it was presented in "gameplay demos".
Re: Sega and Gearbox Sued By Irate Gamer Over "Misleading" Aliens: Colonial Marines Footage
For anyone who hasn't played the game yet, here's a decent video showing some differences between what we've been shown and how the game turned out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lGXDM3LGnk
Re: Nintendo Has Plans to Deliver "New Offers" In Download Stores
@AstronautZero Now compare them and see what they get you, and what comes free regardless of whether you have a subscription or not. After that, look again at the price.
Re: Nintendo Has Plans to Deliver "New Offers" In Download Stores
Sony's PS+ is awesome. You pay a relatively small fee (with much better value than things like Xbox Live) and you get to download top games for free or massively discounted. It's absolutely brilliant, allows gamers to play games they might not have tried, and it still makes Sony money. It's also entirely optional! It's a fantastic service and I'd love to see Nintendo take some inspiration from it.
Re: New Wii U Virtual Console Titles Confirmed By Nintendo UK
@Bismarck The next 3DS Zelda title is attempting that.
Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D's Beastly Block Size Revealed
@solcross If memory serves me correctly, the Japanese game was about 5000 blocks.
Re: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D's Beastly Block Size Revealed
A game like this I would want as a cart. Games like Animal Crossing are the ones I want to download for quick and regular play sessions, between your other games.
Re: Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Gathering Happening This Saturday in London
I'm only in London for a few months at a time, and I don't have the game, but I just wanted to say this is awesome!
Re: Rumour: New Call of Duty Title To Be Revealed Next Week
@Datasun_7 Agreed. They do what they set out to do very well indeed, I'm just bored of them because I want something new.
Re: Rumour: New Call of Duty Title To Be Revealed Next Week
Such a weird attitude in the comments here. I've played some COD games, enjoyed some, hated others, and I'm done with the series for now so I won't be picking up a game if it arrives on any of the Nintendo systems. BUT why the hell would I complain about it coming? Another game? More options for people? Especially on a console that needs more games!
If you don't like a game, don't buy it. But screaming no and complaining that it's even going to exist on your console... jeez. Turn the tables and make it about some brilliant RPG that's being localised for release on the Wii U or 3DS. Imagine you like RPGs but you have people screaming like infants that it shouldn't come to your console because it sucks. The solution here is to buy the games you like, ignore the ones you don't like. Other people have different tastes, leave them to their games.
I agree with everyone here saying that it will be basically the same experience as all the other ones, that's pretty much the reason why I'm bored of the series. You never know though, they could release something different with the same brand, like a strategy game or something. But I doubt it. The old Infinity Ward made the last decent ones. The games handle well and the core gameplay is good (if you like FPS) but the single player campaigns are too short imo and the multiplayer is great for a while, but it's been the same for years so I'm very done with it at this point.
But bring it on! More games, more options!
Re: Nintendo Download: 27th April - Virtual Console (Europe)
I'd love SNES games like Super Mario World to make an appearance on the 3DS Virtual Console. They do NES games, so it isn't all about being portable titles.
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo's Changing the Media Game at E3
@ajcismo I don't think it will be very obvious though. I reckon that if they did have a big press conference, it would back-fire. By not having one, they might be doing the best thing given the situation, but it's not something that will show results. Looking back it might not be easy to see that it was a good thing (which I think it will be).
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo's Changing the Media Game at E3
@AltDotNerd You'll definitely see footage of new games. Demos, gameplay, trailers... the press spend a lot of time getting footage and details from the show floor.
Re: Talking Point: Nintendo's Changing the Media Game at E3
It's the sensible thing to do, to avoid embarrassment. The others have their consoles coming, plus huge games that are pretty much finished and ready to show off. Nintendo has no new hardware and few games ready to show except for 3DS. I think Nintendo are being very clever here and doing the right thing, but I don't think it should be viewed as a positive, or spun to look like Nintendo "changing the game" of E3. Nintendo will get bad publicity if they have a huge press conference with little to show. Last year was the big one. If they get their act together then they could have an exciting conference full of great software next year. I hope so. I want to see Nintendo at E3, but I want to see them at their best.
Re: Nintendo Download: 25th April 2013 (North America)
I wish the 3DS got SNES VC content. They obviously focus on bring back classic handheld games, but they do NES games.
Re: 3DS Market Share For Early 2013 Shows Growth in North America and Europe
Caption typo on one of the graphs. 2013, not 2012.
^^ ah, already spotted.
Re: Miiverse to Arrive on 3DS "Within This Year"
@iphys The Vita has a fairly functional browser, so it's just accessing the website. Well, ok, it's actually a crap browser but better than what the 3DS has. But once the 3DS has Miiverse then it will be a lot more functional than just having access to the website.
Re: Nintendo Won't Be Holding A Large-Scale Press Conference At E3 This Year
@Slapshot I don't think so. The PS3 will only get cheaper when the new consoles arrive. Unlike the Xbox it has a ton of amazing exclusive titles (also the appeal of Nintendo consoles, especially in the past) and some very exciting games still on the way (The Last of Us, Beyond, The Last Guadian etc. The Last of Us has game of the year written all over it). And the PS2 has been surviving and getting games for it deep into the PS3's life cycle, so the PS3 will continue.
The argument over the 3DS vs Vita is pretty straightforward. Sony's console is much better, but useless if there's hardly any games. Loads of great 3DS games coming out right now. But for the home consoles, it's the other way round. Lack of games on the Wii U, incredible exclusive and multiplatform titles on the PS3. Xbox 360 is another option and will be the cheapest, but most of the best games on the Xbox 360 you can find on other consoles anyway. That's what made Nintendo the company they are today, the exclusives. That's what Sony has mastered over the last two years.
I really hope Nintendo can do something with the Wii U, get more developers on board... but I really do think they're going to have to become software-only sometime soon. Or at least software-only for home console titles, and continue making handheld consoles. Imagine if all that effort going into trying to save the Wii U was instead put into making the best and most creative games Nintendo could come up with. I fell in love with Nintendo for their games, not the consoles themselves. I only loved the Nintendo consoles BECAUSE of the games. I think Nintendo hasn't realised this, and tries to be too innovative with hardware. The hardware is just a box for playing software. It doesn't matter how crazy or difference or cool the hardware is if it doesn't play the best games.
Re: Nintendo Won't Be Holding A Large-Scale Press Conference At E3 This Year
Also, I've refused to do the poll. I only think avoiding a huge press conference with few things to show is a good idea this year. But next year and onwards, I'd hope that Nintendo can have a stronger presence at E3 as well as providing their Nintendo Direct videos. So yeah, huge press conference at E3 would do more harm than good if they have little to show, but I don't think Nintendo should drop doing E3 press conferences altogether as the poll option might suggest. Right now they should be preparing for next year's E3.
Re: Miiverse to Arrive on 3DS "Within This Year"
The 3DS is extremely archaic with online features. Just simple things like chatting and adding friends are handled better by anyone else other than Nintendo. This would be a sign that Nintendo are trying to make the 3DS more social. For a WiFi-enabled gaming device, there's really no excuse.
Re: Nintendo Won't Be Holding A Large-Scale Press Conference At E3 This Year
It's the sensible thing to do, really. Last year Microsoft looked silly. Nintendo stole the show as far as hardware goes (and a bit of software), and Sony stole the show with software (and a bit of hardware). Microsoft spent most of their time advertising games that were also coming out on PS3 and PC, or showing that you can use the Kinnect to speak voice commands to Mass Effect 3 or FIFA 13. It was embarrassing.
This year, Sony and Microsoft have big hardware (or at least announcements) to show off. Also, they still have huge games on the way for the current-gen consoles. Nintendo had their hardware year last year, it created a lot of buzz that they just won't match this year. They just need to be there, reminding everyone that there are lots of 3DS games on the way, and that they're doing all they can to try and make the Wii U sell. By being there but not having a massive press conference, they're dodging the embarrassment of being the only one of the three to have little to show on the day. In hindsight, Micorsoft probably wished they did that last time.
As long as Nintendo are on the floor, with demos of upcoming games, it'll be fine and we'll probably still get some juicy news. This also explains why we got such a generous Nintendo Direct with so many games announced. They still would have been interesting at E3, but an entire press conference for a few 3DS games? Nah.
Re: Okami Announcement Teased For Next Week
PS3 had Okami HD as an exclusive. I think the announcement will be that it's going to be available for download on the PS Vita. An entirely new game for the 3DS would be awesome, but I don't think that's coming, at least not yet. Hopefully I'm wrong!
Re: Nintendo Confirms Yearly Net Profits, But Higher Than Expected Operating Losses
@tealovertoma
You say double, but that assumes that everyone who buys a 3DS game for example buys it new. That isn't the case. In days when pretty decent smartphone games cost £1, a lot of people aren't willing to shell out £40 even for a recommended Mario title. The 2nd-hand industry is huge for Nintendo consoles. If everyone bought new, yes, digital would have to sell double if it was reduced to half-price. But considering not everyone buys new, think how many people would download the game ready to play without leaving the house, if it cost so little that it made the 2nd-hand purchase hardly worth it? The pricing would convert some of the 2nd-hand buyers into digital buyers (since the prices are similar). Now, you point out that a reduced price isn't great, but that reduced price will be money going to Nintendo. That same customer would have given nothing to Nintendo if he/she bought a 2nd-hand title instead.
Reduced digital pricing =
1. More actual sales due to reduced 2nd-hand purchases
2. Less piracy
3. Lower costs of publishing as the printing and packaging of retail games costs more than sticking a file on the eshop
4. An extra appeal when people weigh up the 3DS vs the Vita, where indie games are priced cheaply, but download versions of retail games are still extremely expensive
Re: Nintendo Confirms Yearly Net Profits, But Higher Than Expected Operating Losses
@tealovertoma It's an interesting point... I've always loved Nintendo, especially when they were the most creative and inventive of the companies in the days of SNES, N64 etc. Great franchises. Sony has the advantage of being great for multiplatform titles (along with the Xbox but not Nintendo's underpowered consoles), but Sony now also has the added advantage of being the better company of exclusives. Nintendo used to dominate in 1st and 2nd party titles, but now Sony are definitely at the top.
I honestly think that Nintendo could become a much bigger and better company, and regain the trust and quality of their better years by becoming software-only. Give up on making consoles. Focus entirely on making spectacular gaming experiences with Mario, Zelda, and new IPs, really trying to invent new experiences and wowing us like they did in the past. Let other companies like Sony etc worry about the hardware. If it was a partnership with Sony I'd be extremely happy because Ninty and Sony are my favourites. But even if they kept the software open to other systems too like the Xbox, I still think Nintendo would benefit from going software-only. Trying to sell consoles, they're being screwed because 3rd parties don't want to create games for their consoles. It's extra effort. And those losses related to 3rd parties and the hardware are affecting the quality of the 1st and 2nd party software.
Re: Nintendo Confirms Yearly Net Profits, But Higher Than Expected Operating Losses
My list of things Nintendo needs to do is extremely long, quite in-depth, and who am I to tell them how to run their own company, so I'll keep most of my thoughts to myself.
But leaving aside what I'd do to bring back the Nintendo of old, here's a quick change they could make that would boost sales. It wouldn't improve 3rd party support, or improve the quality of games, or anything like that... it would just make them more money. Nintendo! Be brave, laugh in the face of the competition, and sell the digital versions of the retail games considerably cheaper. Maybe half-price. It's not so low as to compete with smartphones, but low enough to be more attractive than download prices on other gaming systems.
The point is, people buy a lot of games second hand, which is zero profit for Nintendo and the other devs/publishers. Nintendo know that, hence the push for downloads too. You can't sell your download to someone else. But if the prices are similar, people will rather have the retail copy. Firstly, it means they can resell it, secondly they might even be able to get it second-hand themselves. I'm not entirely against this, and I think there should always be retail copies available. But IF the digital copy could be downloaded instantly and was a LOT cheaper (say £20 for a £40) game, a lot more people would download it. I'm not saying more people would get their hands on the game, but of the people who do, a higher percentage will be downloading, resulting in less 2nd hand copies and higher profits.
Re: Review: LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins (3DS)
@demonta4 It has. Chinatown Wars was such a success on the DS it's been ported to other systems (iOS, Android, PSP etc). It was a great game that made good use of the DS features. As for the main console games, as with all multiplatform titles except dance, quiz, and guitar games, the Wii was just not powerful enough compared to the PS3 and Xbox 360. The Wii would have gotten a crap spin-off game, different than the other consoles. Probably for the best.
Checkout Chinatown Wars if you like GTA games. It's like a throwback to the original 2D games for the PS1 and PC (GTA and GTA2) but with the comedy and style of newer games in the series. Cheap now as well.
Re: First Impressions: The Legend of Zelda 3DS
I seriously doubt they planted false news about Majora's Mask to keep people off the scent. It's just a natural rumour that's existed ever since the announcement that OoT would be remade for the 3DS. I loved the original Majora's Mask, but I'm glad they aren't making a remake. I was ok with a remake of OoT because the system was new and had a poor games catalogue (except for the fantastic original DS games). But by now I would have expected an original title for the 3DS.
This sequel looks disappointing to me so far. Firstly, why a sequel, using the same overworld? Be original! Also, I'm really not sure about the idea of having multiple levels in an area at different heights in a game that is predominantly 2D and played from above. In the clips, the player suddenly ends up on areas above that we never even knew were there. How do you plan your movements if you can't even see where you're going?
The DS got two brilliant Zelda games that made good use of the system's features. The titles were strong enough to stand beside the other Zelda games, yet unique enough to be thought of as true originals. I'd prefer that sort of attention to the series on the 3DS.
Re: Nintendo’s Bill Trinen: 2013 Is The Year When The 3DS "Takes Off"
Late 2013 and early 2014 will see the 3DS really start to sell in numbers resembling those of the original DS. A 3DS-exclusive Pokemon game will be what does it. Even if it's a weaker title in the series, I reckon it will still do the job and outsell even games like Animal Crossing: New Leaf.
Re: Feast Your Eyes on Zelda: Ocarina of Time Artwork
@TokyoRed... PLEASE, NO! They've tried to do a Zelda tevevision series before. It is the worst thing I've ever seen. What they should do is make more games, we've seen that Zelda works really well as a game, so let's keep getting Zelda games!
"Excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, Princess!"