GamesTM Issue 13

[baad bwoy]

Has anyone noticed how the Uk release of Halo has a very jerky framerate if the Xbox is set to 60hz, which is cured when set to 50hz.
And also how jerky the framerate in KOTOR is. Compared to this title PGR2 seems very smooth to me, the fact that some people will get so hung up on the non existent (imo) framerate issues in PGR2 is quite sad
this game caters for gamers of varying skill levels, it has beautiful graphics, superb playability and is really very addictive the cars are well differentiated in their handling models, and it has great depth of variety in the game challenges.

Just one more point to make I wonder if the reason some people don't get on with some particular games, is not due to the game failing to reach the famed 60fps necessarily, but more to do with the persons sublimation needs being denied, with sublimation being a healthy psychological defence mechanism allowing a person to safely express drives or urges which the individual or society might find unacceptable such as aggression, an example of sublimation may be seen in the artist, who might enjoy playing around with their materials squeezing the paint through their fingers, with this in fact being a way of expressing that persons urge to play with and handle their faeces an act which most would possibly find repugnant and deeply troubling (this being linked to desires emanating from within the anal stage of Psychosexual development, any reading of Freud will explain this defence in further detail) but through sublimation this desire is expressed in a safe non threatening way which is acceptable to that persons ego and to society so the unacceptable desire is sublimated and the artist enjoys a sense of release.
If the gamesplayer similarly has a set of desires which need to be expressed i.e. anger, and the chosen means to safely achieve this is via the medium of video games, if that person finds the game is unsuitable to fullfill their need, they may be left with an unexpressed tension, and possible hostility toward that object or game on an unconscious level. Just an idea.

[Ravon]

Just one more point to make I wonder if the reason some people don't get on with some particular games, is not due to the game failing to reach the famed 60fps necessarily, but more to do with the persons sublimation needs being denied, with sublimation being a healthy psychological defence mechanism allowing a person to safely express drives or urges which the individual or society might find unacceptable such as aggression, an example of sublimation may be seen in the artist, who might enjoy playing around with their materials squeezing the paint through their fingers, with this in fact being a way of expressing that persons urge to play with and handle their faeces an act which most would possibly find repugnant and deeply troubling (this being linked to desires emanating from within the anal stage of Psychosexual development, any reading of Freud will explain this defence in further detail) but through sublimation this desire is expressed in a safe non threatening way which is acceptable to that persons ego and to society so the unacceptable desire is sublimated and the artist enjoys a sense of release.
If the gamesplayer similarly has a set of desires which need to be expressed i.e. anger, and the chosen means to safely achieve this is via the medium of video games, if that person finds the game is unsuitable to fullfill their need, they may be left with an unexpressed tension, and possible hostility toward that object or game on an unconscious level. Just an idea.

I have no idea where you get this **** from but it is a cut and paste job from your ass ... but let me tell you i don't lust after 60fps.... but games that need to be silky smooth and fast , but are not ie racing games or action... seem lethargic, this is not good.....

[Chadruharazzeb]

What the **** is "sublimation"?

[Crispin]

Wow....That would explain people's hatred of the new VF RPG. You can't beat up people in a realistic violent manner. Thus people lash out at the game. Very deep.

Anyway, back on topic.

Dear GamesTM,

I was perusing through your magazine in WHSmith, trying to decide which magazine to get from this point on until the end of time: Edge or your Magazine.

I have to admit, re: some of your covers I've seen in the past. They've been a bit 'meh'. When GamesTM first appeared I remember thinking it was for the 'casual' stylish Playstation Generation. This is no bad thing in itself. I sort of find myself in this camp, simply because I can't see what Retro, emulation, anal techy stuff is all about. Then I fiind out you do all this stuff. I'm curious as to your exact demographic.

This is sort of important to me as Edge assumes everyone is 25 or older. This was annoying when it came to the EDGE LTTP in that a huge amount of knowledge was assumed on the reader's behalf. In fact, there wasn't a review, more a discussion on Edge's readership age. And I really wish I hadn't got the game now, because the save system is messed up. Plus it is too hard to be fun for me. Anyway...

What age of gamer do you target? What sort? Do you need to know who the hell a Nuon, Jeff Minter or Demis Hassabis are in order to fully enjoy your magazine?

And why the "Worse than", "Better than" bits in your reviews. Considering some of the games you say are better than the one reviewed are so old, you probably never reviewed them (e.g. Mario Kart SNES), is it actually sensible to include them?

After all, we do not know the reasoning behind why exactly you love Mario Kart SNES more than Mario 64 (I don't know, you may have mentioned this in your review, I'm not cheap enough to read a review in the store ). And isn't a bit crude. How much better than (again, this might have been addressed in the review in question). For example it is rather easy for me to say the demo of Rainbow Six 3 is better than say, the whole of SOCOM. But I would not be addressing the vast difference in fun.

Ignore that last bit if you do go into depth in each review why it is better/worse than the other two games. I just didn't want to read a mag without purchasing it.

I'm just curious as to the reasoning. It is a nice idea, though. Saves me my money I suppose. Although comparing games to 10 year old predecesors might seem unfair. Nostalgia is a fine thing...

[nips]

I'm not familiar with the whole quarter system, but I don't quite understand this:

The hotly anticipated fifth installment of the Grand Theft Auto series has been officially billed for a release in the final quarter of 2004... The announcement will be received with mixed emotions by fans of the franchise who face a two year wait...

I would have assumed that this is the final quarter of 2003, and one year from now would be the final quarter of 2004.

---

I really liked your: "The Hard Sell" article. It was a very interesting read, especially for people like myself who almost exclusively shop online. But, for those people who are buying consoles leading up to christmas the 'better value gaming' section is I'm sure very helpful! The 'what we have learned' was rather humerous. The whole article exemplifies my concerns within the retail of videogames, and may make many 'normal' gamers aware of the limits of the retailers knowledge!

My consistent infuriation with the magazine is the order of the articles or the layout. I'm satisfied with the 'frontend' section and how that works. Then we have previews for almost 40 pages, then a 6 page article on importing, followed by another 40 pages of reviews then retro.

It was the same last month, and I assume the month before. I always find myself searching for that article, and after it being mentioned in this thread, it led to me flicking pages for what seemed like an eternity. Can I request that you pad the articles between previews and reviews out, maybe add a few more in there so that they do not get lost among the games. Move the article from that little niche between preview and review, or maybe move the interviews with developers or something 'moveable' and complimentary to accompany it, and have that as a designated section.

I like the contact sections. I like to read the impressions of other people, and it is good to see that you are branching out to other people in as many different formats as possible; eg forum, txt, e-mail, snail-mail etc... and now not every message sings praises for 8 lines before getting to the point

Speaking of the forum... have you sorted out the official forum from the ugly mess it was when the magazine started. Do you need a code still, and does it still not let you sign up even though you have tried a million times. I've not been there in a LONG time, but that was enough to put me off.

And I like the Top Twenty sections with the little comments. I'm impressed that the Sims in #1 PC game. Whoever did that has a lot of balls, and I respect that!

Oh, and I really do love the 'next month' final page. They are really cool. I liked to 'Continue... ? Countdown' and this month had my friend and I giggling.

Good Stuff! 8)

[Strider]

Ignore that last bit if you do go into depth in each review why it is better/worse than the other two games. I just didn't want to read a mag without purchasing it.

I'm just curious as to the reasoning. It is a nice idea, though. Saves me my money I suppose. Although comparing games to 10 year old predecesors might seem unfair. Nostalgia is a fine thing...

ah, the good old better or worse debate.

You're quite right, we often don't mention the better or worse than game in the review. However we look at what score we'd have given the game if we had reviewed it.

[Crispin]

Ignore that last bit if you do go into depth in each review why it is better/worse than the other two games. I just didn't want to read a mag without purchasing it.

I'm just curious as to the reasoning. It is a nice idea, though. Saves me my money I suppose. Although comparing games to 10 year old predecesors might seem unfair. Nostalgia is a fine thing...

ah, the good old better or worse debate.

You're quite right, we often don't mention the better or worse than game in the review. However we look at what score we'd have given the game if we had reviewed it.

Cheers for that. P.S. Go to bed, you won't be able to get into work in the morning, unless you lucky writers have Friday off.
Yeah, I really should be doing some calculus in a minute.
Hmmm BF1942 or Calculus, BF1942 or Calculus. Dammit, why do I like both!

[nips]

Oh, and just to add my personal take on some of Crispin's point of Better than/Worse than.

I quite like it, and I image that, like you say, it is an easy reference point. Should you like you can look at the score, look at the better than/worse than and make a quick decision based on what the reviewer believes to be true. Otherwise you can read all the text and draw whatever conclusion you want and purchase the game that is going to be best for you.

I quite like the videogame maths thing as well. While the general concept I dislike, it is again, an easy reference and helps those unaware of the series or game put the preview in context.

[Strider]

I'm not familiar with the whole quarter system, but I don't quite understand this:

The hotly anticipated fifth installment of the Grand Theft Auto series has been officially billed for a release in the final quarter of 2004... The announcement will be received with mixed emotions by fans of the franchise who face a two year wait...

I would have assumed that this is the final quarter of 2003, and one year from now would be the final quarter of 2004.

---

I really liked your: "The Hard Sell" article. It was a very interesting read, especially for people like myself who almost exclusively shop online. But, for those people who are buying consoles leading up to christmas the 'better value gaming' section is I'm sure very helpful! The 'what we have learned' was rather humerous. The whole article exemplifies my concerns within the retail of videogames, and may make many 'normal' gamers aware of the limits of the retailers knowledge!

My consistent infuriation with the magazine is the order of the articles or the layout. I'm satisfied with the 'frontend' section and how that works. Then we have previews for almost 40 pages, then a 6 page article on importing, followed by another 40 pages of reviews then retro.

It was the same last month, and I assume the month before. I always find myself searching for that article, and after it being mentioned in this thread, it led to me flicking pages for what seemed like an eternity. Can I request that you pad the articles between previews and reviews out, maybe add a few more in there so that they do not get lost among the games. Move the article from that little niche between preview and review, or maybe move the interviews with developers or something 'moveable' and complimentary to accompany it, and have that as a designated section.

I like the contact sections. I like to read the impressions of other people, and it is good to see that you are branching out to other people in as many different formats as possible; eg forum, txt, e-mail, snail-mail etc... and now not every message sings praises for 8 lines before getting to the point

Speaking of the forum... have you sorted out the official forum from the ugly mess it was when the magazine started. Do you need a code still, and does it still not let you sign up even though you have tried a million times. I've not been there in a LONG time, but that was enough to put me off.

And I like the Top Twenty sections with the little comments. I'm impressed that the Sims in #1 PC game. Whoever did that has a lot of balls, and I respect that!

Oh, and I really do love the 'next month' final page. They are really cool. I liked to 'Continue... ? Countdown' and this month had my friend and I giggling.

Good Stuff! 8)

I hold my hands up to the GTA mistake (hey, I'm only human )

You're quite right about the amount of previews and reviews and you've also proabably noticed that we've dropped down to one (main) article a month at the moment.

Niow that Chistmas is out the way, you can expect to see more articles (however, due to how time extensive they are, don't expect to see 4 plus an issue).

[iloveannie]

What the **** is "sublimation"?

I think it is a subconcious desire carried out in a physical manner. However it is a need/desire that would be frowned upon either by the self, others, or society, so the way it is acted out is a way that is non-offensive. Hence the analogy of the actor who manipulates his paints between his fingers instead of playing with his pooh. No doubt I will be corrected if wrong.

[Max M]

I agree about the previews, I tend to just skip most of them. Please reduce it!

[PeteJ]

I've always thought the previews are the best bit of a magazine. I'd be happy to just have an entire magazine of previews and import features to be honest.

[razu]

Framerate matters diddly squat to the casual audience.

Good for the casual audience. I don't care about the hoardes of mongs infiltrating my area of interest. I can tell the difference and I prefer 60fps.

As for the film argument, could people please pay attention the next time a camera pans at any great speed in a scene. Marvel at the total mess laid out before you.

[Crispin]

Framerate matters diddly squat to the casual audience.

Good for the casual audience. I don't care about the hoardes of mongs infiltrating my area of interest. I can tell the difference and I prefer 60fps.

As for the film argument, could people please pay attention the next time a camera pans at any great speed in a scene. Marvel at the total mess laid out before you.

"Can you hear it Mr. Razu? That is the sound of... ineveitability."

Face it, your days are numbered, old man. They are the new order. Once companies realise they can still sell bucketloads of a 30 fps game (not that it matters), everyone but Team Ninja will start producing 30 fps game engines. I would imagine it is a lot easeir for starters and you can spend your time working on enhancements the vast majority of your audience will notice.

[Mayhem]

On a completely different note, if the GamesTM peeps ever consider doing a retro feature about the Neo Geo Pocket Color, then I'd love to help out 8)