gamesTM Issue 17 *Official Thread*

[martTM]

How come there was no Harvest moon GC review, I was looking forward to reading it.

It arrived too late - our deadlines are a bit screwy at the moment. It's in issue 18 though, so that's the best I can offer.

Oh, and Halo's a 6. Strider knows what I mean.

[Cacophanus]

Oh, and Halo's a 6. Strider knows what I mean.

w00t! 8)

[TM]

Put simply, Nintendo offered the trip to visit Square-Enix to us and we said yes - then everything went quiet and suddenly I learnt that EDGE were going instead of us. While I'd like to say why this happened, I can't... because I honestly don't know. I do, however, have an idea of what might have gone down; can't really talk about it, but if its what I think it is then suffice to say, we ended up keeping our integrity.

Come on, Mart, we're all friends here. What was it that 'might have gone down'? I'm genuinely interested.

[martTM]

Come on, Mart, we're all friends here. What was it that 'might have gone down'? I'm genuinely interested.

It's nothing terrible, but I suspect that we may have put Nintendo's nose out of joint over something, albeit only temporarily. They offered something, we declined for several reasons and apparently, they were slightly miffed having assumed we'd say yes - all around the time that we were offered the trip and then everything went strangely silent.

Not begrudging you or anything, just the way things go... although I have to admit to being horribly jealous of Margaret for actually getting to go. Did she have a nice time, then?

[TM]

Come on, Mart, we're all friends here. What was it that 'might have gone down'? I'm genuinely interested.

It's nothing terrible, but I suspect that we may have put Nintendo's nose out of joint over something, albeit only temporarily. They offered something, we declined for several reasons and apparently, they were slightly miffed having assumed we'd say yes - all around the time that we were offered the trip and then everything went strangely silent.

Not begrudging you or anything, just the way things go... although I have to admit to being horribly jealous of Margaret for actually getting to go. Did she have a nice time, then?

We certainly didn't know anything about you guys going -- the invitation was made and we accepted.

Margaret was doing a lot of travelling at the time of that trip, so it was all a bit crazy, but I think she enjoyed it, yeah.

[Bojangle]

Cheers Brats, it's a subject that's very personal for me at the moment and one that I hope doesn't get abused. As for the spoiler... Correctomundo

Really? Is that the 'big surprise Rare Extreme keep jabbering on about?

[martTM]

Really? Is that the 'big surprise Rare Extreme keep jabbering on about?

Sigh... and so someone misses the point again.

The back page DOESN'T say what's coming - that's why there's a Next Month page. The back page is just something different that we're doing... it doesn't actually mean anything besides that next month, the mag will continue (kind of like what we did in the first ten or so issues).

[TheShend]

Really? Is that the 'big surprise Rare Extreme keep jabbering on about?

Sigh... and so someone misses the point again.

The back page DOESN'T say what's coming - that's why there's a Next Month page. The back page is just something different that we're doing... it doesn't actually mean anything besides that next month, the mag will continue (kind of like what we did in the first ten or so issues).

I get it now.

[nips]

I don't quite understand this: US Sales Page 039.

You say on the right that the GC sold 131K, and the XB 192K in the US, but the graph has them the other way around...

Which one is it?

[Sketcz]

Read it now, great mag, but jesus what a depressing read!

No MS3 for the west, companies needing to change and adapt (I fear change greatly), the constant forcing of online gaming onto the public (which I detest bitterly), the loss of originality and innovation, more generic pap being released, not enough 2D games, the traversty that is mobile phone games...... the list goes on.

All I hear is how games need to improve/evovle/change/get bigger/more corporate/incorporate more meaningful love stories into narrative/become more mainstream etc.etcetctetc.

I, to be blunt, find all of that dire in the extreme.
I cant seem to engage myself with the current events.

Comapnies like Nintendo seem to be suffering because they arent following this mainstream crap.
Well dammit, I respect them for going thei own path and ignoring other companies business practices.

What these other companies are doing DOES NOT interest me as a gamer.
They can keep their backwards compatibility and online gaming.


Im going to go sit in the rain now, since Im feeling depressed.

Well, either that or Im going to go and work on my DC game some more.

[Brats]

I do enjoy reading your posts Otaku, even if you are completely mad (but in a good way) .

I am confused as to how you can bemoan a lack of originality and yet state that you are adverse to change . Also, your stance regarding online gaming is well known, but is this not one area in which originality has a chance to bloom (witness Pandora Tomorrow's online element)?

Maybe the contradictions are why i like your posts so much .

[Sketcz]

Well, apart from your condescending and patronising tone.... erm ok then?


To try and remove the contradictions for you, this is the way I see gaming right now:
Not in the best of shape, and the changes that I see occuring do not IMO represent chances for originality to bloom, or for things to improve, but rather for things to slip down an already greasy slope.

I dont like it now, but better the devil you know than the possibility of things getting worse.

Why do people find this so difficult to understand?
I believe that with revolution, things change for the worse, meaning right now its not perfect, far from it, but further change will not bring about greater originality, or a balance in gaming genres, or the ability for developers to have a greater ammount of freedom with what they create.

Im a luddite, Id rather keep the current situation than risk it changing for the worse.
Sure it things could change for the best, and gaming could enter a golden era. But Im a glass is half empty kinda guy.

I mean, lets say you have a wonky knee, sure surgery may fix it, but what if it doesnt?! Id rather sit with a wonky knee than risk needing my leg amputated should the surgery go wrong.


As for the online content, thats fine if its free, but GameTM's article stated how it would suddenly have to be paid for, which is appaling. I hate off-disc content, and the need to pay extra to get all the goodness out of it.
I dare anyone to defend such a move.

Also, the fact you need broadband, already puts my back up.
I want to buy a game, and within that little box, should be the entire gaming world. Its why I loathe PC gaming. Updates, patches, mods? WTF?
Too confusing and time consuming. I buy something, and thats it until I purchase a seuel for example. Next thing youll tell me, I should keep all my PC drivers up to date.


Anyway, Im sure you also know my views on cross convergence.
Is it wrong to want to play games and only games without the addition of other mindless bumph Im not interested in? Yet people think me strange for wanting dedicated gaming systems, that require no online play, and can be enjoyed solo or with friends, straight out the box in your room.
myeh, maybe Im just a little to simple to hang out with the latest gamers.

Gaming has undeniably changed over the years, of those changes some I like, some I hate.
Why is this hypocritical?


I may be mad, but I resent your implication that I contradict myself. Carefull examination should reveal that all my thoughts can happily co-exist with each other. If you really like, I could PM you page upon page of a detailed synopsis of what Im thinking.

[Brats]

My post wasn't mean to be anything other than genuinely affable. Sorry if you took it the wrong way, it wasn't intended as condescending.

Note that I didn't say you were a hypocrite at all. I said that you are full of contradictions, which isn't the same thing.

It's fine to be against change, that's entirely your choice. But by it's very nature, originality means something new, which in turn means change. Therefore I don't think it's unfair to say that stating change is bad but originaility is good appears contradictory.

Unless you are saying that changes in the way business is transacted is bad, which in turn leads to a dirth of originality in the creative product?

If so, it's not a point I agree with. I believe we are in a very healthy period at the moment, where developers are producing small niche titles with the creative juices flowing (Psyvariar 2, Katamari Damashii) and big budget titles that eclipse all that has gone before (Line of Contact, Prince of Persia, etc).

I'm fine with anyone saying that they hate the current generation, each to their own and all that. I'm suppose I'm just curious as to what innovations you are hoping for...

[Razz]

But without patching, mods, expansions etc that game cannot expand, grow and evolve and most importantly improve. I guess you are old fashioned, but I don't understand your stance against online gaming, and especially broadband. Every home should have it. I also don't understand why you don't like the idea of fees for extra content etc. For games such as MMORPGs, the content the companis provide the userbase costs them money therefore they have no choice but to charge us, otherwise they could not afford to expand their game for long, and you'd just have a dead game very soon.

Online gaming not only presents an evolution in gaming originality, but also gives everyone out there the chance to appreciate and enjoy gaming with the rest of the world at any time of the day/night. So what if you have to pay a measly 10 quid a month?

Thankfully not everyone is as close minded and stubborn as Nintendo have proven to be, and are willing to go where the future wants them to go.

[Sketcz]

Fair enough then, sorry for jumping to conclusions Brats.

As to what Im hoping for? I have no idea.

I never said I hate the current generation, I am certainly interested in titles such as Katamari and also VJ and Siren have been interesting.

Its a whole emotive thing, difficult to put into words.
Its a gut thing. Not helped by news of so many small companies closing down. How can I explain exactly why I get these pangs of apathy?
Its worrying me to be honest.
Looking back, we have had some great titles this generation, which makes it even more perplexing why I feel like this.

One of my biggest gripes I guess has to be the lack of 2D games on home consoles, I miss that. Sony USA saying MS3 wouldnt get localised due to being 2D is madness. Fine, I had it on import months ago, but its still the principle of the matter.
There also seems to be greater catering towards the Western gamer, which for me seems to breed more conservative, blander and less colourfull games.

I actually like the current generation, and there have ben great games like Fantavision, SB, Otogi, Warioware and Pikmin. But whereas before I could enjoy almost all games, even if they werent so fantastic, these days my range of enjoyment enjoyment seems to have narrowed.

hmm... That probably reads like contradictions again doesnt it?

I have serious reservations about future plans by hardware manufacturers. Of all of them, Nintendo interests me the most, since they seem to be trying to cater solely to gamers.


I dont want anyone to misunderstand me.
I like gaming.
I like old gaming.
I like new gaming.
And there are things I really like about the current gen, but theres something.... some off about it.

Maybe Im getting too old?