@eleven I'd say there are a few reasons this game has gotten a pass. The main thing is that Team Reptile has been an established developer for a long time now. They established themselves publicly with Lethal League, a distinct, original title, but the look and sound of their games has always clearly derived from JSR, to the point of hiring the same composer for more recent titles. They didn't gain their fame piggybacking JSR, so they come off as fans who, already established, are making a game in place of one they wish they'd gotten. It also helps that SEGA has done nothing with the series and that it isn't immensely popular either. It doesn't read like chasing money or fame, but putting already earned dollars toward a passion project to fill a felt gap.
Preservation is a great benefit of the emulation/piracy scene, but the emulation/piracy scene is primarily the result of these games being insufficiently accessible/purchasable. I get that preservation is a more solid appeal, but I'm not going pretend that I'm supporting it for that when piracy lets me play the game near-instantly at non-Ebay-speculator prices on something other than my now-ailing optimal media consoles. If companies like Nintendo want people to forget about and stop caring about their games, they can keep up their current efforts.
As for the people who seriously believe that people would dedicate likely hundreds of hours on this decompiling project to play the game for free... they already had to have some copy of the ROM, legal or illegal, to do this. To do this they'd already have all the resources they'd need to emulate the game and could have bought dozens of copies if they'd spent the time they did on this project working a job instead.
@ModdedInkling It's likely that the original code for OoT was written in C (C was the go-to language for N64 development to my understanding, e.g. SM64 was written in C). But, because cartridge doesn't contain that C code, only the compiled machine code, their work was translating the machine code back into the logic of C code and assigning names to the functions, variables, and constants so that someone understands the purpose of that code at a glance.
This will be great for Ocarina of Time, just like the SM64 PC port was. This opens up a way to play OoT with second stick camera controls, a visual overhaul, a fast way to put on the Iron Boots, and improved framerates... all not tied to an awful 240p screen. Nintendo might have the rights to OoT and still provide work to the people who made it in the first place, but this group of people worked on this and those who will create mods for it have done more for the game than Nintendo has in about 20 years.
Recently had the chance to play Star Successor and adored it, so I'm hoping for a solid way to play this one soon. It's arcade-style shooter goodness polished to a flashy and overwhelming sheen. Would love to see a new entry.
Good to see a octo-gated, GC button-layouted controller with such versatility on the market. I'm not sure about the longevity or quality of the components themselves at that price and hope that the analogue triggers have a properly-GC range of motion. One of the more interesting 3rd party controllers I've seen.
Jumps/falls are a feature on many tracks. It's pretty straightforward, but with great spectacle and fun execution. If flying gets in the way of that or reduces the sense of speed, it's a regression.
GX story mode, starring the Captain himself.
Dedicated Death Race story mission. Practice mode also lets you set up a Death Race on any track in the game.
I see this more as PR than a representation of the internal perceptions at Nintendo. F-Zero is doomed, despite its obvious differences, to sit in the shadow of Mario Kart. It's arguable that it was already falling out of favor with GX, due to its external development, but the Wii's emphasis on broad appeal and the larger investment demanded by HD development in the subsequent generations has probably killed any legitimate chance for a robust new entry. "Grand new idea" means "a central idea we can market this game around". As it existed, F-Zero was a technical showcase that emphasized tight execution with low margins for error, far from Nintendo's present ideals. It's a shame because GX is still lightyears ahead of any of the admittedly few other arcade racers I've played. I wish a new F-Zero would lean harder into the advanced handling techniques of GX (Momentum Throttle, MTS, Shift Boost, Quick Turn, etc) and cause some of those techniques, alongside new ones, to deplete power. Turn the aggression up to 11 and make racer/rival kills a vital tool. That would alienate a wider audience though, so it won't happen, but it would be a unique progression keeping the core ideals of the series intact.
I figure it's worth listing all of the reasons an F-Zero GX on Switch, and specifically online, would be a horrid idea:
Joy-Cons sticks have neither the grip nor movement range for it to play well.
30 player Nintendo online. Even if Nintendo set up proper servers for the game, the game is simply too fast for the server and client sides to properly communicate or support players attacking each other without massive amounts of jank. Compound this with supporting 30 players, it'd be a disaster.
Aggression would have to be massively rebalanced. GX is designed around only supporting a single player. Multiplayer supporting only 4 players ensured attacking was infrequent enough to be fun. Roads are wide and chaotic enough to make it a rare occurrence.
Well over half of GX's cast is not competitively viable. They have fun quirks, but they aren't good for winning.
Analogue shoulder buttons are vital.
Advanced techniques (which are half of the fun in advanced play) break the game in half. Snaking invalidates most other playstyles, spaceflying completely breaks certain tracks.
There are no comeback mechanics. People who are better through the use of the game's obscure advanced mechanics (most of which are significantly harder and more powerful than firehopping) are just going to fly off into the horizon, never to be seen again. No blue shells, no mushrooms, no bullet bills.
Changing/removing most of these mechanics is stripping GX of most of its high-level appeal.
I get how online discourse goes, but you really don't know what you're asking for.
This is easily my biggest pet peeve with controllers, especially since I use a DS4 on both the Switch and on PC (with Xbox button prompts 70% of the time). The best solution I've seen is when button prompts include all four buttons with the one that needs to be pressed being the only detailed button (think Bayonetta, Breath of the Wild, and the like). It's a great little detail that lets me ignore the symbol and just use the location.
Glad that Capcom was transparent about their intention to release the game on PC for people who would prefer it on that platform and don't mind the wait.
The timing was impeccable, since I just finished my first replay of this game since its release. It's held up fine and I'm just happy to see the Wii library being preserved with faithful ports while supporting more conventional options. I anticipate this port mending this game's reputation given its strengths, with its contrast from BotW also making the game feel far more fresh and novel than it did at release. Have fun, everyone!
There are plenty of things to attribute this to other than malice or greed. The meat and potatoes of the release are there and, as far as I know, at standard. While it's nice when ketchup is provided without asking, it's ketchup.
This really doesn't say much of anything. The integrated hardware-software approach applies to Ring Fit and the like. Nintendo is just going to continue to do Nintendo things.
Direct was painfully Nintendo. Mario 35 is an awesome announcement, but only giving it a 5 month run is painfully disappointing. Porting SM64, Sunshine, and Galaxy is nice, but where is Galaxy 2 and why is 3D All-Stars a limited release. Why is 3D World separate? Cartridge space is the only reason I can come up with. Mario Kart Live was the best announcement, without question, simply because it has no direct detractions, but there's no guarantee enough will be made.
@Kuruwin "what makes the game great" doesn't refer to gameplay. It's unpolished, but ambitious with its world, sidequests, and small details. Better performance is always a good thing in a vacuum, but also takes a certain amount of resources which can be invested into other parts of the game. I'm not sure what was done to improve the framerate, but it's now at a level that won't significantly detract from the core appeals of the game. And I'd say it's comparable to Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, two far more gameplay-oriented games that are near-universally praised and beloved.
DP's mostly able to get away with everything it does through establishing low expectations. Between its reputation and presentation, the audience is never directed to expect polish. It also makes the strong points of the game stand out. I'd argue the strength of those moments, combined with the tone of the game, lets it turn the bad design into a joke at the player's expense, at the very least. The player is also, as a result, in on the joke. Super Paper Mario is a very similar game, in that regard. The hardship or inconvenience can create something interesting out of something that would otherwise bland. What are a few performance issues on top of everything else, especially if they aren't detracting from the highs of the game?
I'm a framerate snob, but typically will give a pass to games if the framerate drops are in parts of the game where there's no risk of failure. As far as I know, the framerate drops aren't occurring in those portions of the game. The original framerate was abysmal and I'd hoped it would be improved (although intrusive, detracting jank is a Deadly Premonition staple) the improvements seem to put it on par with Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask in terms of framerate.
DP's success, to me, has always been in putting its budget into the things that actually matter to the game, resulting in a great game with major technical issues instead of a mediocre game with few technical issues. Try the original if these games interest you and you'll probably realize the framerate is not going to significantly detract from the sequel now. I dismount my mental pommel horse.
I mean, it makes sense for Nintendo to delete them, since the islands can't be replicated by average players. While it's a shame they can't share their islands in a way as robust as dreams, since they're likely elaborate and beautiful, they could still provide a tour through other means. The vitriol and elitism from some individuals in this comments section, however, is pathetic. Let people enjoy the game on their own terms, especially when it has no direct impact on anyone else.
@UncleJungle I disagree, in that I've repeatedly seen definitions you upgrade/ability based progression be the defining characteristic for Metroidvania games. It's good that you recognize the similarity and there's a valuable discussion in recognizing that breed of progression, but I'm of the opinion that the definition gets far too wide when used that broadly. The progression/empowerment from some abilities, even if they're small upgrades or don't act as much more than a key for progression context is still an important part of the games. Seems like you're analyzing games in a bit of a vacuum from other discussions and it's given you some different, interesting takes. I'd say keep that up, but I'd also prefer to keep a genre more limited in definition (and the one I've seemed to see settling) and let that progression type exist independently of a genre label.
Not sold on the game from the trailer. Way too much focus on laughable edge, not enough on what the game hopes to do well. I'll keep an eye out, but hope they don't think that's the game's biggest appeal.
@UncleJungle There was some Indie FPS that attempted it, can't remember the title. That said, Dark Souls and Resident Evil aren't Metroidvanias. Progression in those games is based on event/item progression, not ability/upgrade progression.
The framing words are far from the best, but the system makes plenty of sense. Don't have much experience using friend codes and only did on the Wii and 3DS. It's mostly about security. People only add each other intentionally and it's absolutely the right person. Being a family/child oriented company, the choice is understandable. Sure it's a longer string of numbers, but it's basically just a more secure phone number. Don't see why there's such a massive stink.
Miyamoto established Nintendo's culture. As long as their "fun first" culture is maintained and someone takes up the mantle of providing high scrutiny, Nintendo should continue to be what is has been.
@riki_sidekicks: Just look at screenshots and compare to the original. Many details are spot on, but the whole remaster retains a certain jaggedness to world geometry from the original. My best piece of evidence would be the Satorl trees. That's a Wii/GCN tree if I've ever seen one. The new textures both help and hinder noticing it. Party character models might be new or are still being worked on, some models have some weird detailing or similarly look similarly jagged. Whichever trailer features the initial Mechon attack, the geometry of the carrier is basically exactly the same as far as I could tell and the more rounded enemies Mechon had very clear "sides" if you look along their "curve". I'm of two minds on the remaster. I like that the exact geometry is preserved, I even love the retained jaggedness. It's very much part of the look of the game to me. I don't like the alterations to many areas' color palates. That said, with the game being a remaster, I really wish it would be done from the ground up. Xenoblade has some of the best environmental design in any game and I wish I could see those environments realized with all the tools and resources possible.
Still utterly convinced this is mostly texture work. It looks good and I honestly like that that aspect was retained, but undeniably they're mostly retexturing the environments.
Hadn't realized the third announcement had been made, but thinking that Platinum could bite off any more than it already has on its plate is a little bit ridiculous. Known projects in development:
Bayonetta 3 W101: Remastered Babylon's Fall Project G.G.
All while six months off the development of Astral Chain. And that's not even considering if they might be partially involved or consulting on NieR: Replicant ver 1.2247 or more NieR/Taro work (although Babylon's Fall could be their exclusive focus with Square-Enix). I thought maybe the 4 might be expansions on what's known about what Platinum is doing, but they're doing more than enough. Not going to deny its an odd choice, but I'm honestly relieved that they're not taking on any more projects.
The epilogue looks like a great addition, but I can't shake that this is a super quick-and-dirty remaster. Almost looks like most of the models (both world and some characters) have simply been retextured and not even at that high of quality. The Switch is far more capable that what I'm seeing.
As the fellow whose avatar has been from this game since playing it, yeah, for anyone looking for an interesting, original story, this game provides. If you have any interest, it's well worth the purchase.
I'll just say. It's a good game in many aspects, although I feel like 30 fps will hold the game back on Switch (movement is crazy fast). Just be mindful if you have addictive tendencies though, the game can really try to push you into playing frequently.
@Nemodius That's awesome man. Like... just spectacular. My username is just a hangover from my start on the internet, posting comments in the Bit.Trip Runner 2 Dev Blog. Too nostalgic to let it go, though. But I envy you having such a cool, personal username.
@Syrek24 So, more insults and moralizing? Is that all you can do? You don't address the points people are making, let alone begin to make an argument against them. Maybe work on your reading comprehension?
@ Mods and Admins: I am very sorry if my tone has been harsher than desired for the environment of this comments section. I simply desire to refute the vacuous appeals and non-arguments presented by this user. If you consider my postings thus far too heated or verging into harassment, please inform me (although I imagine that would happen anyway). (Basically I'm a tad bit afraid that I might be entering the territory of breaking rules by being more directed.)
@Syrek24 I'm going to take that as an indirect response. In response, I have this to say:
You've said a lot of words. They don't mean that much, let me condense that down for the average reader:
"I don't understand and I'm not going to try to understand the other side of the argument, so I'll just say it's ridiculous. Also, drugs are bad because they're illegal. Not purchasing things is illegal, but I'm not going to discuss the morality of it at all. I don't understand and can't engage in moral/ethical arguments, so I'm just going to belittle the other side since I know I'm right.
Unless you purchase a game, you don't legally own it. I'm not going to talk about morality though, because I don't really get that argument. Nuanced situations shouldn't be considered. I'm going to frame the necessity of companies to offer desirable products as them owing the consumer and I'll belittle you if you think they should offer desirable products. Video games are not important, so why is anyone writing long dramatic posts in a comments section about this? I'm going to continue moralizing about video games and how they aren't important. I'm going to vaguely suggest that downloading ROMs is immoral since I equate legality and morality.
I am among the few right people among a group of horrible wrong people. What is a mirror? I am right and almost everyone else is wrong. People do not listen to the right things I say because they are wrong. They don't agree with me because they are wrong. And they're not good. What a sad and miserable life they must live, because they are wrong. They believe they can disobey the law, which is not a reflection of morality, purely because they want to play a video game."
@Syrek24 So it's wrong to be disappointed in a declining quality of service from a company? As an extreme case, if Nintendo only made the most recent iterations of games in various series available, revoking all access to previous titles upon the release on a new title, would it be unjust for consumers to be upset if the new game wasn't as good as the previous one offered, simply because they get the pleasure of playing video games? Please, correct me if there's a flaw in that analogy of your argument.
And indulge me to indulge you with a rebuttal to validate your opinions. While it's unfortunate that I'll be demoting your post from the position as the sole petulant, moral high ground-seeking post in this whole comments section, five paragraphs of moral indignation over downloading video games can't go unrewarded. So, let's begin.
Let's discuss this issue from a purely non-maleficence standpoint. The downloading of ROM not made actively available by a company (within reason, say the company has not made these available and has made no indication that they will be made available in the future) does not harm the company in any direct way. They weren't offering the service, there's not even remote potential for any kind of "lost sale." Worst case scenario, someone plays ROMs instead of buying new games to get that "new-game fix." Does this invalidate the person from getting that new game ever? No.
It should be concerning if developers are struggling to compete against older games. Should they not be creating better and better iterations on ideas or fresh, alternative interpretations of mechanics? Maybe a new, great story? Why, despite having access to millions and billions more bits, faster processors, and larger human resources, and the knowledge of successes and mistakes in previous entries, can game developers not trump the games which came out decades before under stricter technical limitations? More work might go in, but is it creating a better product? Apparently not. So maybe a company is harmed through indirect causality, at best.
Now, if the company was offering the service, then there would, in a sense, be the potential for direct loss. Someone could choose to download a ROM over legally purchasing it. The company's ability to grow as a product of its efforts would be stifled, potentially costing people employment opportunities. Maybe not harm, but reduced betterment.
Now, let's consider the consumer. Consumers have two real resources: time and money. Surprisingly, people who only have a limited time to live want to use their life doing the specific things they want to do. In the case that a company has its ROMs available to purchase, the consumer is able to exchange an money, typically earned by spending time doing something they might or might not want to do, for a product or service they desire. The result is the financial betterment of the company (leading to the betterment of the life of workers or newly hired employees) and the betterment of a person's life through getting to spend time doing the thing they specifically want to do. Both parties benefit.
Naturally, people can't act solely on desire. Law exists to prevent us from acting on certain desires and create conflicting desires. But, what determines law? Some laws are moral, some are tools of oppression. My guess if that your definition of morality is molded by law. That said, at no point in your post do you ever say why it's immoral to downloads ROMs. I can tell you why is isn't, in this case.
When a company does not offer a service (specifically if they are the only company capable of performing that service) they deny the ability for this transaction to take place and neither party can receive the betterment that they desire (see: Nintendo hates money). And sure, you can take this to an extreme if you place it in the realm of services never provided before or services that are unprofitable, but this is not the case here. This was an available transaction of mutual betterment that has since been abolished. However, the consumer is able to, in a sense, receive that voided betterment through an alternative means, since the company has shirked its duty to serve the consumer. And yes, companies are subservient to consumers. All companies need consumers, but a consumer doesn't need all companies. As a result, companies must act to please consumers or perish. As long as it fails to offer a service, the company voids its right to receive rewards for a service. However, in the interests of maximum betterment, if that service can be offered by other means, the consumer should have all rights to access it.
With my mental gymnastics concluded, I dismount my moral pommel-horse. You can't make everyone stop downloading ROMs, but life goes on.
While I can't really say I care about the nitty-gritty business end of Epic Games, I have to applaud their success with Fortnite. While it's not really in my taste, Epic has been a class act with the game. Maybe some other devs/pubs could learn from their example.
Sorry to make a third post in rapid succession, but I've realized the heart of this issue.
You limit piracy by competing with it in a matter of convenience. This is done in two ways. You make your product more convenient or you make piracy more inconvenient. Nintendo has fully embraced making piracy inconvenient through its intense efforts to remove their ROMs from more prominent ROM sites. Where I used to download old (and owned) favorites to share with my cousin (vs risking old, expensive hardware during transportation), I can barely find anything quickly now. The issue with Nintendo is that they are making piracy inconvenient, but also making access hilariously inconvenient. NES and SNES Mini's were horribly underproduced, VC/NSO resets for each console and is drip fed (despite taking almost no effort beyond constructing a proper emulator except cases accounting for additional on-chip hardware). Nintendo is competing against and offering poorer offerings than were previously available on the market. I don't think it's unreasonable to criticize Nintendo on this. The reality is that there is a means for consumers to get their hands on the games, even if it is illegal. Nintendo would be best to realize that they can't completely stop it, but chooses to try and stop it while not providing a legitimate alternative either.
@Hughesy : That is a very unnuanced view. PC piracy can have a variety of motivations beyond "I want the game for free." Some pirates do simply demo the game, or pirate due to perceived performance hits from DRM, performance checking and more. Piracy, as a whole, has declined in the PC sphere, where Steam users often own more games than they even manage to play. So, not all of that piracy is pure %100 playing the game without ever paying for it (although a significant portion still is), but it has also significantly decreased. But yes, shockingly, on one of the most available gaming platforms, one of the most available methods of acquiring games (if you don't care about morality/legality) is pretty popular. PC piracy is still just about the most accessible method of acquiring games, so of course it's a strong force.
There's also the fact that Nintendo completely restarts its library for every console. Unifying this under a single console-independent account would be far more healthy in the long run. Just make everything that can be suitably emulated on a given platform available. Of course, I'd say that Nintendo should also extend this service to PC/Mobile for the NES, SNES, GB, GBC, and GBA libraries and maybe N64. These games make up a significant portion of piracy and its not like anyone is going to spend hundreds of dollars on special hardware just to play them. There's obvious demand, but Nintendo's attitude just costs them that potential profit. I've never had the biggest issues with Nintendo's offerings, owning every console since the DS, but understand that people don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a console to play a small handful of games.
Comments 637
Re: This New Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Trailer Might Be TOO Funky, Watch With Caution
@eleven I'd say there are a few reasons this game has gotten a pass. The main thing is that Team Reptile has been an established developer for a long time now. They established themselves publicly with Lethal League, a distinct, original title, but the look and sound of their games has always clearly derived from JSR, to the point of hiring the same composer for more recent titles. They didn't gain their fame piggybacking JSR, so they come off as fans who, already established, are making a game in place of one they wish they'd gotten. It also helps that SEGA has done nothing with the series and that it isn't immensely popular either. It doesn't read like chasing money or fame, but putting already earned dollars toward a passion project to fill a felt gap.
Re: Best Of 2021: Nintendo And The Industry Needs To Get Serious About Game Preservation
Preservation is a great benefit of the emulation/piracy scene, but the emulation/piracy scene is primarily the result of these games being insufficiently accessible/purchasable. I get that preservation is a more solid appeal, but I'm not going pretend that I'm supporting it for that when piracy lets me play the game near-instantly at non-Ebay-speculator prices on something other than my now-ailing optimal media consoles. If companies like Nintendo want people to forget about and stop caring about their games, they can keep up their current efforts.
Re: Check Out This Never-Before-Seen Intro To BioWare's Now-Decanonized Sonic Brotherhood
Wouldn't say it fit the style of the game itself and it took a bit to adjust to the style, but it's an impressive animation.
Re: Zelda 64's Game Code Has Been Successfully Reverse-Engineered, "Opening The Door" For Mods And Ports
As for the people who seriously believe that people would dedicate likely hundreds of hours on this decompiling project to play the game for free... they already had to have some copy of the ROM, legal or illegal, to do this. To do this they'd already have all the resources they'd need to emulate the game and could have bought dozens of copies if they'd spent the time they did on this project working a job instead.
Re: Zelda 64's Game Code Has Been Successfully Reverse-Engineered, "Opening The Door" For Mods And Ports
@ModdedInkling It's likely that the original code for OoT was written in C (C was the go-to language for N64 development to my understanding, e.g. SM64 was written in C). But, because cartridge doesn't contain that C code, only the compiled machine code, their work was translating the machine code back into the logic of C code and assigning names to the functions, variables, and constants so that someone understands the purpose of that code at a glance.
Re: Zelda 64's Game Code Has Been Successfully Reverse-Engineered, "Opening The Door" For Mods And Ports
This will be great for Ocarina of Time, just like the SM64 PC port was. This opens up a way to play OoT with second stick camera controls, a visual overhaul, a fast way to put on the Iron Boots, and improved framerates... all not tied to an awful 240p screen. Nintendo might have the rights to OoT and still provide work to the people who made it in the first place, but this group of people worked on this and those who will create mods for it have done more for the game than Nintendo has in about 20 years.
Re: Review: Sin and Punishment - A Genuine Treasure And No Mistake
Recently had the chance to play Star Successor and adored it, so I'm hoping for a solid way to play this one soon. It's arcade-style shooter goodness polished to a flashy and overwhelming sheen. Would love to see a new entry.
Re: Metroid Dread: Raven Beak Final Boss Battle - How To Beat Raven Beak
Another victim of the Google Newsfeed here. Don't know if y'all have much control of the matter, but wow that sucked.
Re: This Reimagined GameCube Controller Offers Wireless Play, Pre-Orders Open Now
Good to see a octo-gated, GC button-layouted controller with such versatility on the market. I'm not sure about the longevity or quality of the components themselves at that price and hope that the analogue triggers have a properly-GC range of motion. One of the more interesting 3rd party controllers I've seen.
Re: F-Zero Isn't Dead - It's Just Sleeping, Says Nintendo Legend Takaya Imamura
@Goomba77 GX already had plenty of those things:
Re: F-Zero Isn't Dead - It's Just Sleeping, Says Nintendo Legend Takaya Imamura
I see this more as PR than a representation of the internal perceptions at Nintendo. F-Zero is doomed, despite its obvious differences, to sit in the shadow of Mario Kart. It's arguable that it was already falling out of favor with GX, due to its external development, but the Wii's emphasis on broad appeal and the larger investment demanded by HD development in the subsequent generations has probably killed any legitimate chance for a robust new entry. "Grand new idea" means "a central idea we can market this game around". As it existed, F-Zero was a technical showcase that emphasized tight execution with low margins for error, far from Nintendo's present ideals. It's a shame because GX is still lightyears ahead of any of the admittedly few other arcade racers I've played. I wish a new F-Zero would lean harder into the advanced handling techniques of GX (Momentum Throttle, MTS, Shift Boost, Quick Turn, etc) and cause some of those techniques, alongside new ones, to deplete power. Turn the aggression up to 11 and make racer/rival kills a vital tool. That would alienate a wider audience though, so it won't happen, but it would be a unique progression keeping the core ideals of the series intact.
I figure it's worth listing all of the reasons an F-Zero GX on Switch, and specifically online, would be a horrid idea:
I get how online discourse goes, but you really don't know what you're asking for.
Re: Talking Point: The Problem With The X Button
This is easily my biggest pet peeve with controllers, especially since I use a DS4 on both the Switch and on PC (with Xbox button prompts 70% of the time). The best solution I've seen is when button prompts include all four buttons with the one that needs to be pressed being the only detailed button (think Bayonetta, Breath of the Wild, and the like). It's a great little detail that lets me ignore the symbol and just use the location.
Re: Monster Hunter Rise Officially No Longer A Switch Exclusive, Coming To PC In 2022
Glad that Capcom was transparent about their intention to release the game on PC for people who would prefer it on that platform and don't mind the wait.
Re: Zelda: Skyward Sword HD Hits Switch This July Alongside Themed Joy-Con
The timing was impeccable, since I just finished my first replay of this game since its release. It's held up fine and I'm just happy to see the Wii library being preserved with faithful ports while supporting more conventional options. I anticipate this port mending this game's reputation given its strengths, with its contrast from BotW also making the game feel far more fresh and novel than it did at release. Have fun, everyone!
Re: Random: Not Everyone Is Happy With Cadence Of Hyrule's Interior Artwork
There are plenty of things to attribute this to other than malice or greed. The meat and potatoes of the release are there and, as far as I know, at standard. While it's nice when ketchup is provided without asking, it's ketchup.
Re: Surprise! Nintendo Says Its Next Console Is Going To Be Very Much Like Its Other Consoles
This really doesn't say much of anything. The integrated hardware-software approach applies to Ring Fit and the like. Nintendo is just going to continue to do Nintendo things.
Re: Nintendo Announces Super Mario Remasters And Much More In Super Mario Bros. 35th Anniversary Direct
Direct was painfully Nintendo. Mario 35 is an awesome announcement, but only giving it a 5 month run is painfully disappointing. Porting SM64, Sunshine, and Galaxy is nice, but where is Galaxy 2 and why is 3D All-Stars a limited release. Why is 3D World separate? Cartridge space is the only reason I can come up with. Mario Kart Live was the best announcement, without question, simply because it has no direct detractions, but there's no guarantee enough will be made.
Re: The New Patch For Deadly Premonition 2 Seems To Have Improved The Frame Rate
@Kuruwin "what makes the game great" doesn't refer to gameplay. It's unpolished, but ambitious with its world, sidequests, and small details. Better performance is always a good thing in a vacuum, but also takes a certain amount of resources which can be invested into other parts of the game. I'm not sure what was done to improve the framerate, but it's now at a level that won't significantly detract from the core appeals of the game. And I'd say it's comparable to Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, two far more gameplay-oriented games that are near-universally praised and beloved.
DP's mostly able to get away with everything it does through establishing low expectations. Between its reputation and presentation, the audience is never directed to expect polish. It also makes the strong points of the game stand out. I'd argue the strength of those moments, combined with the tone of the game, lets it turn the bad design into a joke at the player's expense, at the very least. The player is also, as a result, in on the joke. Super Paper Mario is a very similar game, in that regard. The hardship or inconvenience can create something interesting out of something that would otherwise bland. What are a few performance issues on top of everything else, especially if they aren't detracting from the highs of the game?
Re: The New Patch For Deadly Premonition 2 Seems To Have Improved The Frame Rate
I'm a framerate snob, but typically will give a pass to games if the framerate drops are in parts of the game where there's no risk of failure. As far as I know, the framerate drops aren't occurring in those portions of the game. The original framerate was abysmal and I'd hoped it would be improved (although intrusive, detracting jank is a Deadly Premonition staple) the improvements seem to put it on par with Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask in terms of framerate.
DP's success, to me, has always been in putting its budget into the things that actually matter to the game, resulting in a great game with major technical issues instead of a mediocre game with few technical issues. Try the original if these games interest you and you'll probably realize the framerate is not going to significantly detract from the sequel now. I dismount my mental pommel horse.
Re: Nintendo Is Deleting Hacked Dream Island Uploads In Animal Crossing: New Horizons
I mean, it makes sense for Nintendo to delete them, since the islands can't be replicated by average players. While it's a shame they can't share their islands in a way as robust as dreams, since they're likely elaborate and beautiful, they could still provide a tour through other means. The vitriol and elitism from some individuals in this comments section, however, is pathetic. Let people enjoy the game on their own terms, especially when it has no direct impact on anyone else.
Re: The Super Mario 64 PC Port Just Got A 60fps Patch
@BenAV The version in the video is heavily modified. Beyond resolution, I'm pretty sure the unmodded version is basically identical.
Re: With Konami Refusing To Do A New Castlevania, Lords Of Exile Might Be The Next Best Thing
The additions could be a double edged sword for the game, but it seems worth a chance for more Classicvania goodness. Will keep it in mind.
Re: Animal Crossing: New Horizons Hackers Are Making Star Fragment Trees
People choosing to play a game in a way that makes them happy and does nothing to harm anyone else, the absolute horror!
Re: Megabyte Punch Developer "Left In The Dark" After Nintendo Pulls Game From Switch eShop
It's worth noting this isn't an obscure developer either. This is the team behind Lethal League. Hope everything will get sorted out.
Re: SteamDolls Is An Upcoming Metroidvania Starring The Voice Of Solid Snake
@UncleJungle I disagree, in that I've repeatedly seen definitions you upgrade/ability based progression be the defining characteristic for Metroidvania games. It's good that you recognize the similarity and there's a valuable discussion in recognizing that breed of progression, but I'm of the opinion that the definition gets far too wide when used that broadly. The progression/empowerment from some abilities, even if they're small upgrades or don't act as much more than a key for progression context is still an important part of the games. Seems like you're analyzing games in a bit of a vacuum from other discussions and it's given you some different, interesting takes. I'd say keep that up, but I'd also prefer to keep a genre more limited in definition (and the one I've seemed to see settling) and let that progression type exist independently of a genre label.
Re: SteamDolls Is An Upcoming Metroidvania Starring The Voice Of Solid Snake
Not sold on the game from the trailer. Way too much focus on laughable edge, not enough on what the game hopes to do well. I'll keep an eye out, but hope they don't think that's the game's biggest appeal.
@UncleJungle There was some Indie FPS that attempted it, can't remember the title. That said, Dark Souls and Resident Evil aren't Metroidvanias. Progression in those games is based on event/item progression, not ability/upgrade progression.
Re: Why Does Nintendo Use Friend Codes Instead Of Screen Names? Leaked Documents Reveal All
The framing words are far from the best, but the system makes plenty of sense. Don't have much experience using friend codes and only did on the Wii and 3DS. It's mostly about security. People only add each other intentionally and it's absolutely the right person. Being a family/child oriented company, the choice is understandable. Sure it's a longer string of numbers, but it's basically just a more secure phone number. Don't see why there's such a massive stink.
Re: Fans And Analysts Ponder The Eternal Question: Can Nintendo Survive Without Shigeru Miyamoto?
Miyamoto established Nintendo's culture. As long as their "fun first" culture is maintained and someone takes up the mantle of providing high scrutiny, Nintendo should continue to be what is has been.
Re: Gallery: New Screens Show Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition's Gorgeous Environments
@riki_sidekicks: Just look at screenshots and compare to the original. Many details are spot on, but the whole remaster retains a certain jaggedness to world geometry from the original. My best piece of evidence would be the Satorl trees. That's a Wii/GCN tree if I've ever seen one. The new textures both help and hinder noticing it. Party character models might be new or are still being worked on, some models have some weird detailing or similarly look similarly jagged. Whichever trailer features the initial Mechon attack, the geometry of the carrier is basically exactly the same as far as I could tell and the more rounded enemies Mechon had very clear "sides" if you look along their "curve".
I'm of two minds on the remaster. I like that the exact geometry is preserved, I even love the retained jaggedness. It's very much part of the look of the game to me. I don't like the alterations to many areas' color palates. That said, with the game being a remaster, I really wish it would be done from the ground up. Xenoblade has some of the best environmental design in any game and I wish I could see those environments realized with all the tools and resources possible.
Re: Gallery: New Screens Show Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition's Gorgeous Environments
Still utterly convinced this is mostly texture work. It looks good and I honestly like that that aspect was retained, but undeniably they're mostly retexturing the environments.
Re: PlatinumGames' Fourth Reveal Turned Out To Be An April Fools' Joke
Hadn't realized the third announcement had been made, but thinking that Platinum could bite off any more than it already has on its plate is a little bit ridiculous. Known projects in development:
Bayonetta 3
W101: Remastered
Babylon's Fall
Project G.G.
All while six months off the development of Astral Chain. And that's not even considering if they might be partially involved or consulting on NieR: Replicant ver 1.2247 or more NieR/Taro work (although Babylon's Fall could be their exclusive focus with Square-Enix). I thought maybe the 4 might be expansions on what's known about what Platinum is doing, but they're doing more than enough. Not going to deny its an odd choice, but I'm honestly relieved that they're not taking on any more projects.
Re: Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition Contains A New Epilogue Story, Launches In May
The epilogue looks like a great addition, but I can't shake that this is a super quick-and-dirty remaster. Almost looks like most of the models (both world and some characters) have simply been retextured and not even at that high of quality. The Switch is far more capable that what I'm seeing.
Re: Random: Sonic's Headed To Jupiter As A Real Space Mission Mascot
So, I'm guessing this will be the fastest moving Sonic in history. Clever thing they did there.
Re: Deadly Premonition 2 Is A Switch Launch Exclusive
That game you like is going to come back in style.
Re: Soapbox: My Love Affair With Tetris, Probably The Best Video Game Ever Created
Saying it's the best game ever made is hard, but one of the best, without a doubt.
Re: To The Moon Developer Has "Some Arrangements" For A Switch Release
As the fellow whose avatar has been from this game since playing it, yeah, for anyone looking for an interesting, original story, this game provides. If you have any interest, it's well worth the purchase.
Re: Gallery: Feast Your Eyes On These Shiny New Warframe Screenshots For Nintendo Switch
I'll just say. It's a good game in many aspects, although I feel like 30 fps will hold the game back on Switch (movement is crazy fast). Just be mindful if you have addictive tendencies though, the game can really try to push you into playing frequently.
Re: Nintendo Wins $12 Million From Trademark And Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
@Nemodius That's awesome man. Like... just spectacular. My username is just a hangover from my start on the internet, posting comments in the Bit.Trip Runner 2 Dev Blog. Too nostalgic to let it go, though. But I envy you having such a cool, personal username.
Re: Nintendo Wins $12 Million From Trademark And Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
@Nemodius You're name just looked familiar was all.
I've realized I was thinking about PlywoodStick. He made long comments.
Re: Nintendo Wins $12 Million From Trademark And Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
@Syrek24 So, more insults and moralizing? Is that all you can do? You don't address the points people are making, let alone begin to make an argument against them. Maybe work on your reading comprehension?
Re: Nintendo Wins $12 Million From Trademark And Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
@ Mods and Admins: I am very sorry if my tone has been harsher than desired for the environment of this comments section. I simply desire to refute the vacuous appeals and non-arguments presented by this user. If you consider my postings thus far too heated or verging into harassment, please inform me (although I imagine that would happen anyway). (Basically I'm a tad bit afraid that I might be entering the territory of breaking rules by being more directed.)
Re: Nintendo Wins $12 Million From Trademark And Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
@Syrek24 I'm going to take that as an indirect response. In response, I have this to say:
You've said a lot of words. They don't mean that much, let me condense that down for the average reader:
"I don't understand and I'm not going to try to understand the other side of the argument, so I'll just say it's ridiculous. Also, drugs are bad because they're illegal. Not purchasing things is illegal, but I'm not going to discuss the morality of it at all. I don't understand and can't engage in moral/ethical arguments, so I'm just going to belittle the other side since I know I'm right.
Unless you purchase a game, you don't legally own it. I'm not going to talk about morality though, because I don't really get that argument. Nuanced situations shouldn't be considered. I'm going to frame the necessity of companies to offer desirable products as them owing the consumer and I'll belittle you if you think they should offer desirable products. Video games are not important, so why is anyone writing long dramatic posts in a comments section about this? I'm going to continue moralizing about video games and how they aren't important. I'm going to vaguely suggest that downloading ROMs is immoral since I equate legality and morality.
I am among the few right people among a group of horrible wrong people. What is a mirror? I am right and almost everyone else is wrong. People do not listen to the right things I say because they are wrong. They don't agree with me because they are wrong. And they're not good. What a sad and miserable life they must live, because they are wrong. They believe they can disobey the law, which is not a reflection of morality, purely because they want to play a video game."
Hi Kettle!
-Pot
Re: Nintendo Wins $12 Million From Trademark And Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
@Nemodius: Didn't take it as one.
Wait, didn't you have Odolwa or some kind of tribal-looking dude (lots of fur or something and a cane) as an avatar a few years back?
Re: Nintendo Wins $12 Million From Trademark And Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
@Nemodius: I've got an essay due later today, so where better to warm up.
Re: Nintendo Wins $12 Million From Trademark And Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
@Syrek24 So it's wrong to be disappointed in a declining quality of service from a company? As an extreme case, if Nintendo only made the most recent iterations of games in various series available, revoking all access to previous titles upon the release on a new title, would it be unjust for consumers to be upset if the new game wasn't as good as the previous one offered, simply because they get the pleasure of playing video games? Please, correct me if there's a flaw in that analogy of your argument.
And indulge me to indulge you with a rebuttal to validate your opinions. While it's unfortunate that I'll be demoting your post from the position as the sole petulant, moral high ground-seeking post in this whole comments section, five paragraphs of moral indignation over downloading video games can't go unrewarded. So, let's begin.
Let's discuss this issue from a purely non-maleficence standpoint. The downloading of ROM not made actively available by a company (within reason, say the company has not made these available and has made no indication that they will be made available in the future) does not harm the company in any direct way. They weren't offering the service, there's not even remote potential for any kind of "lost sale." Worst case scenario, someone plays ROMs instead of buying new games to get that "new-game fix." Does this invalidate the person from getting that new game ever? No.
It should be concerning if developers are struggling to compete against older games. Should they not be creating better and better iterations on ideas or fresh, alternative interpretations of mechanics? Maybe a new, great story? Why, despite having access to millions and billions more bits, faster processors, and larger human resources, and the knowledge of successes and mistakes in previous entries, can game developers not trump the games which came out decades before under stricter technical limitations? More work might go in, but is it creating a better product? Apparently not. So maybe a company is harmed through indirect causality, at best.
Now, if the company was offering the service, then there would, in a sense, be the potential for direct loss. Someone could choose to download a ROM over legally purchasing it. The company's ability to grow as a product of its efforts would be stifled, potentially costing people employment opportunities. Maybe not harm, but reduced betterment.
Now, let's consider the consumer. Consumers have two real resources: time and money. Surprisingly, people who only have a limited time to live want to use their life doing the specific things they want to do. In the case that a company has its ROMs available to purchase, the consumer is able to exchange an money, typically earned by spending time doing something they might or might not want to do, for a product or service they desire. The result is the financial betterment of the company (leading to the betterment of the life of workers or newly hired employees) and the betterment of a person's life through getting to spend time doing the thing they specifically want to do. Both parties benefit.
Naturally, people can't act solely on desire. Law exists to prevent us from acting on certain desires and create conflicting desires. But, what determines law? Some laws are moral, some are tools of oppression. My guess if that your definition of morality is molded by law. That said, at no point in your post do you ever say why it's immoral to downloads ROMs. I can tell you why is isn't, in this case.
When a company does not offer a service (specifically if they are the only company capable of performing that service) they deny the ability for this transaction to take place and neither party can receive the betterment that they desire (see: Nintendo hates money). And sure, you can take this to an extreme if you place it in the realm of services never provided before or services that are unprofitable, but this is not the case here. This was an available transaction of mutual betterment that has since been abolished. However, the consumer is able to, in a sense, receive that voided betterment through an alternative means, since the company has shirked its duty to serve the consumer. And yes, companies are subservient to consumers. All companies need consumers, but a consumer doesn't need all companies. As a result, companies must act to please consumers or perish. As long as it fails to offer a service, the company voids its right to receive rewards for a service. However, in the interests of maximum betterment, if that service can be offered by other means, the consumer should have all rights to access it.
With my mental gymnastics concluded, I dismount my moral pommel-horse. You can't make everyone stop downloading ROMs, but life goes on.
Re: Waluigi Fans Cause More Drama At PAX Aus With '#WahtAboutMe' Super Smash Bros. Protest
Just looks like good-natured fun. No need to get any panties in a twist over it.
Re: Epic Games Closes $1.25 Billion Investment Deal Thanks To Success Of Fortnite
While I can't really say I care about the nitty-gritty business end of Epic Games, I have to applaud their success with Fortnite. While it's not really in my taste, Epic has been a class act with the game. Maybe some other devs/pubs could learn from their example.
Re: Soapbox: Nintendo's Maddening Stance On Retro Gaming Is Driving Me To Piracy
Sorry to make a third post in rapid succession, but I've realized the heart of this issue.
You limit piracy by competing with it in a matter of convenience. This is done in two ways. You make your product more convenient or you make piracy more inconvenient. Nintendo has fully embraced making piracy inconvenient through its intense efforts to remove their ROMs from more prominent ROM sites. Where I used to download old (and owned) favorites to share with my cousin (vs risking old, expensive hardware during transportation), I can barely find anything quickly now. The issue with Nintendo is that they are making piracy inconvenient, but also making access hilariously inconvenient. NES and SNES Mini's were horribly underproduced, VC/NSO resets for each console and is drip fed (despite taking almost no effort beyond constructing a proper emulator except cases accounting for additional on-chip hardware). Nintendo is competing against and offering poorer offerings than were previously available on the market. I don't think it's unreasonable to criticize Nintendo on this. The reality is that there is a means for consumers to get their hands on the games, even if it is illegal. Nintendo would be best to realize that they can't completely stop it, but chooses to try and stop it while not providing a legitimate alternative either.
Re: Soapbox: Nintendo's Maddening Stance On Retro Gaming Is Driving Me To Piracy
@Hughesy : That is a very unnuanced view. PC piracy can have a variety of motivations beyond "I want the game for free." Some pirates do simply demo the game, or pirate due to perceived performance hits from DRM, performance checking and more. Piracy, as a whole, has declined in the PC sphere, where Steam users often own more games than they even manage to play. So, not all of that piracy is pure %100 playing the game without ever paying for it (although a significant portion still is), but it has also significantly decreased. But yes, shockingly, on one of the most available gaming platforms, one of the most available methods of acquiring games (if you don't care about morality/legality) is pretty popular. PC piracy is still just about the most accessible method of acquiring games, so of course it's a strong force.
Re: Soapbox: Nintendo's Maddening Stance On Retro Gaming Is Driving Me To Piracy
There's also the fact that Nintendo completely restarts its library for every console. Unifying this under a single console-independent account would be far more healthy in the long run. Just make everything that can be suitably emulated on a given platform available. Of course, I'd say that Nintendo should also extend this service to PC/Mobile for the NES, SNES, GB, GBC, and GBA libraries and maybe N64. These games make up a significant portion of piracy and its not like anyone is going to spend hundreds of dollars on special hardware just to play them. There's obvious demand, but Nintendo's attitude just costs them that potential profit. I've never had the biggest issues with Nintendo's offerings, owning every console since the DS, but understand that people don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a console to play a small handful of games.