The chat box isn't part of the narrative, that's how you get into the story. It's segmented out. That's some silly logic you're working with there. You may as well complain about trying to read a book when there are other people sitting around at Starbucks talking, and you fault the book for not being able to make those people disappear.
Can you explain to me "worst of both worlds" a little more clearly though? Are you going to complain about other players being in a story driven MMO and how everyone saves the world or whatever? You do realize that each class has their own unique story, and when you party with someone you're playing the role of the assistant in the leader's story right? "Oh but I want to be the hero!" So you be team leader then. Trade off. Or are you going to suggest that compromise is a negative thing?
Edit - Last night I read up on some of the mechanics behind driving the narrative in group-play, and really, Bioware has given this more consideration than you think. That or you're purposely ignoring it, babbling the typical "lol MMOs" thing. I'm pretty sure Bioware hit on something huge in design theory, and they could stand as an example of innovation. Whether or not they did a good job I'll leave up to people, but to say they aren't trying or didn't do something new is preposterous.
Well, the way I see it is that the strength of an mmo is having tons of people for massive encounters. Its biggest weakness is that storytelling is very difficult or perhaps impossible. At least storytelling by the developers. The strength in a single player rpg is that the dev can tailor the encounters and story for best effect, and the downside is that it lacks the kind of player-centric stuff that good mmo's focus on. With The Old Republic, they embraced the weakest part of mmo's, the story, and in trying to make the story personal, they gated off other players for the majority of it.
The chat box isn't part of the story, but it's part of the mmo. And reading a book in a crowded place would only be analagous if those crowds were in the book. It breaks immersion to be on a top secret mission to a lost temple, and run past thirty other people on the same mission. It's the "theme park" problem that a lot of mmos run into. And if you close the chat window and try to ignore the crowds, then it being an mmo is an impediment to enjoying the game.
And I am going to complain about other players being in a story-driven mmo. Each class doesn't have a unique story. At any given moment there are hundreds of people going through the same thing, right in front of you. You get asked to kill a one-of-a-kind mutated beast and recover its brain, and when you walk into the cave there's a line of people waiting to do the same thing, and a pile of beast corpses in the corner. Before you say it, yes, everyone who played Mass Effect saw largely the same story, but within that universe you were the only Shepherd.
I forget that part of Portal 2. How did they do the gag there?
I believe it's Wheatly asking the main character to jump, which she obliges, and then asks her to say "Apple..." only to have her jump again.
It's funnier in the game.
Oh yeah, the "mental trauma" from the beginning. I totally forgot about it.
0
Zxerolfor the smaller pieces, my shovel wouldn't doso i took off my boot and used my shoeRegistered Userregular
edited December 2011
There's also an even more overt one in the ending
when glados straight-up says, "You dangerous, mute lunatic."
Of course, that only caused some people to think that the main character really is mute in-universe, suffering from trauma or PTSD or some shit. This is same the fandom that also suggests Glados is modeled after a woman upside-down in bondage, mind.
Another week, another company gets hacked. Just got an e-mail from Trion Worlds (Guys who run the Rift MMO) saying they got hacked:
We recently discovered that unauthorized intruders gained access to a Trion Worlds account database. The database in question contained information including user names, encrypted passwords, dates of birth, email addresses, billing addresses, and the first and last four digits and expiration dates of customer credit cards.
There is no evidence, and we have no reason to believe, that full credit card information was accessed or compromised in any way. We have already taken further action to strengthen our systems, even as we, with external security experts, continue to research the extent of the unauthorized access.
0
HenroidMexican kicked from Immigration ThreadCentrism is Racism :3Registered Userregular
Another week, another company gets hacked. Just got an e-mail from Trion Worlds (Guys who run the Rift MMO) saying they got hacked:
We recently discovered that unauthorized intruders gained access to a Trion Worlds account database. The database in question contained information including user names, encrypted passwords, dates of birth, email addresses, billing addresses, and the first and last four digits and expiration dates of customer credit cards.
There is no evidence, and we have no reason to believe, that full credit card information was accessed or compromised in any way. We have already taken further action to strengthen our systems, even as we, with external security experts, continue to research the extent of the unauthorized access.
Oh wow, isn't Rift one of the recent up-and-coming MMO's?
I've been trying for a few years to get my mother to at least somewhat embrace the new online world. She still phones the bank to check her balance (at least it's automated), among other things that border on paranoia.
Keeps getting harder and harder to do when this shit keeps happening though.
"The sausage of Green Earth explodes with flavor like the cannon of culinary delight."
This is exactly the reason why I have two email addresses. One for important stuff, one for signing up to unimportant bullshit. Never the two shall mix. I never need to worry about anything getting hacked ever.
The space marines in Space Marine are actually somewhat talkative.
I kinda want a game where the main character doesn't shut up for the first part of the game and then gets punched in the mouth and is quiet the rest of the game.
when glados straight-up says, "You dangerous, mute lunatic."
Of course, that only caused some people to think that the main character really is mute in-universe, suffering from trauma or PTSD or some shit. This is same the fandom that also suggests Glados is modeled after a woman upside-down in bondage, mind.
The Battlefield Play4Free Forums discuss the removal of "legacy" weapons that players had purchased within the online military first-person shooter. There is a FAQ explaining that they were imbalanced, that there are no refunds offered for these, and that they are being replaced by "unique" +3 weapons. There is followed by page after page of complaints about this, as summarized on GamingBolt: "However, these weapons have been stripped of all attachments, and those players who had customized their weapons to their liking using attachments will now have to buy new ones from a new catalog. So basically, EA is asking players to pay for something that they’re already pay for. Say, if you increased your ammo capacity using attachments, you will have to do that again now, since all Legacy updates have been removed." Thanks Ant via Digg.
The Battlefield Play4Free Forums discuss the removal of "legacy" weapons that players had purchased within the online military first-person shooter. There is a FAQ explaining that they were imbalanced, that there are no refunds offered for these, and that they are being replaced by "unique" +3 weapons. There is followed by page after page of complaints about this, as summarized on GamingBolt: "However, these weapons have been stripped of all attachments, and those players who had customized their weapons to their liking using attachments will now have to buy new ones from a new catalog. So basically, EA is asking players to pay for something that they’re already pay for. Say, if you increased your ammo capacity using attachments, you will have to do that again now, since all Legacy updates have been removed." Thanks Ant via Digg.
EA isn't very smart.
I was reading about this yesterday. Since these "legacy" wepons were so OP, couldn't they just release a patch to tweak them? Or if you're going to remove the legacy weapons/attachments, maybe offer those who've paid for them access to some free replacements?
I guess you don't make more money that way, though.
Everyone has a price. Throw enough gold around and someone will risk disintegration.
Doesn't necessarily mean anything, it could be that Namco's just playing it safe with their wording. I do wonder though, if RRV kicked the bucket would anyone honestly miss it? (considering all the flak it caught for its sparse content)
Zephiran on
Alright and in this next scene all the animals have AIDS.
So ~$30 for 4GB of memory. Glad to see that the UK is still getting screwed in pricing.
It isn't that much worse than the USA if you take into account VAT.
Product Name Release Date MSRP
4 GB Memory Card February 15, 2012 $19.99
8 GB Memory Card February 15, 2012 $29.99
16 GB Memory Card February 15, 2012 $59.99 32 GB Memory Card February 15, 2012 $99.99
Starter Kit with Memory Card February 15, 2012 $39.99
In-Ear Headset February 15, 2012 $19.99
Carrying Case February 15, 2012 $19.99
Travel Pouch February 15, 2012 $19.99
Protective Film (2 pack) February 15, 2012 $9.99
Card Case February 15, 2012 $5.99
Cradle February 15, 2012 $19.99
Portable Charger Spring 2012 $49.99
AC Adaptor February 15, 2012 $14.99
Car Adaptor Spring 2012 $14.99
USB Cable February 15, 2012 $14.99
PS Vita memory cards are available in three sizes and will be priced at the following:
4Gb Memory Card – €19.99/£17.99/$26.95 AUD/$34.95 NZD
8Gb Memory Card – €34.99/£31.99/$44.95 AUD/$59.95 NZD
16Gb Memory Card – €49.99/£44.99/$64.95 AUD/$84.95 NZD
And here are the peripherals that will be available at launch:
AC adaptor – €9.99/£8.99/$12.95 AUD/$16.95 NZD
Portable charger – €49.99/£44.99/$64.95 AUD/$84.95 NZD
USB cable – €9.99/£8.99/$12.95 AUD/$16.95 NZD
In-ear headset – €19.99/£17.99/$26.95 AUD/$34.95 NZD
Starter kit – €24.99/ £21.99/$34.95 AUD/$44.95 NZD
Travel kit – €29.99/ £25.99/$39.95 AUD/$49.95 NZD
when glados straight-up says, "You dangerous, mute lunatic."
Of course, that only caused some people to think that the main character really is mute in-universe, suffering from trauma or PTSD or some shit. This is same the fandom that also suggests Glados is modeled after a woman upside-down in bondage, mind.
I laughed so hard when GLADOS says that.
You also get a fun comment from her if, after escaping the deathtrap at the start of chapter 9, you actually listen to the cries of "come back!" and go back.
Heh, comment on the character's lack of speaking from Wheatley as well.
Gawd, that game is great.
At any rate, there's this:
This past Saturday, PlayStation Vita launched in Japan. And it did respectable numbers, selling 325,000 units in its first 48 hours on the market. The confusing thing, however, is its low system-to-game attach rate. According to Andriasang, if you add up the software numbers, you get an attach rate to each Vita that's actually under a game sold at retail per Vita. In fact, it comes out to 0.92 games per Vita sold.
The article notes that about 300,000 games were sold at retail during the same time frame that Vita sold 325,000 units. However, SCEJ's CEO Hiroshi Kawano noted today at an unrelated press conference that while hardware sales were "in accordance with expectations… sales of the download versions of titles are exceeding expectations."
This suggests that many Vita owners are acquiring their games on the PlayStation Network. Every title is available digitally, making that a viable option for anyone with a wireless internet connection (or 3G-enabled unit).
So, I thought the Vita was supposed to have an awesome launch lineup?
Sony just hates you guys. Here's ours for North America:
The list of games on launch day includes:
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
wipEout 2048
Little Deviants
ModNation Racers: Road Trip
Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational
Army Corps of Hell
Asphalt Injection
Ben10: Galactic Racing
Blazblue: Continuum Shift EXTEND
Dungeon Hunter Alliance
Dynasty Warriors Next
F1 2011
FIFA Soccer
Lumines Electronic Symphony
Michael Jackson: The Experience
Rayman Origins
Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen
Touch My Katamari
Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3
Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition
Escape Plan (PSN Only)
Hustle Kings (PSN Only)
Super StarDust Delta (PSN only)
Tales of Space: Mutant Blobs (PSN Only)
Plants vs. Zombies (PSN Only)
Titles in the launch window include:
Gravity Rush
MLB 12 The Show
Reality Fighters
Unit 13
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 ()
Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention
NINJA GAIDEN ∑ PLUS
Ridge Racer
Silent Hill Book of Memories
Supremacy MMA: Unrestricted
So MSRP are generally ignored in Europe thanks to competition between retailers. We can't really expect the online store to go against the MSRP except for sales so wouldn't that end up hurting online shit?
Posts
That point passed a while ago.
Just because it was funny for a brief moment in Portal 2 doesn't change the fact. A broken clock is right twice a day.
But they love that gag. And that's what matters. To them. And, of course, the games are good nonetheless.
Well, the way I see it is that the strength of an mmo is having tons of people for massive encounters. Its biggest weakness is that storytelling is very difficult or perhaps impossible. At least storytelling by the developers. The strength in a single player rpg is that the dev can tailor the encounters and story for best effect, and the downside is that it lacks the kind of player-centric stuff that good mmo's focus on. With The Old Republic, they embraced the weakest part of mmo's, the story, and in trying to make the story personal, they gated off other players for the majority of it.
The chat box isn't part of the story, but it's part of the mmo. And reading a book in a crowded place would only be analagous if those crowds were in the book. It breaks immersion to be on a top secret mission to a lost temple, and run past thirty other people on the same mission. It's the "theme park" problem that a lot of mmos run into. And if you close the chat window and try to ignore the crowds, then it being an mmo is an impediment to enjoying the game.
And I am going to complain about other players being in a story-driven mmo. Each class doesn't have a unique story. At any given moment there are hundreds of people going through the same thing, right in front of you. You get asked to kill a one-of-a-kind mutated beast and recover its brain, and when you walk into the cave there's a line of people waiting to do the same thing, and a pile of beast corpses in the corner. Before you say it, yes, everyone who played Mass Effect saw largely the same story, but within that universe you were the only Shepherd.
I believe it's Wheatly asking the main character to jump, which she obliges, and then asks her to say "Apple..." only to have her jump again.
It's funnier in the game.
Oh yeah, the "mental trauma" from the beginning. I totally forgot about it.
Of course, that only caused some people to think that the main character really is mute in-universe, suffering from trauma or PTSD or some shit. This is same the fandom that also suggests Glados is modeled after a woman upside-down in bondage, mind.
Oh wow, isn't Rift one of the recent up-and-coming MMO's?
Well, fuck. If anyone was signed up on that shit, better do what's needed to protect your ID.
I've already changed that password from back when the the Playstation network, Epic forums and then the Steam forums got hacked..
Christ, this is ridiculous.
EDIT: Whoops, not sure what I wrote "PA forums" rather than the Playstation Network.
Keeps getting harder and harder to do when this shit keeps happening though.
Better or worse than Dante's Inferno stuff. Hm.
God, I wish I did not have such an aversion to monthly fee games.
2008, 2012, 2014 D&D "Rare With No Sauce" League Fantasy Football Champion!
The space marines in Space Marine are actually somewhat talkative.
I kinda want a game where the main character doesn't shut up for the first part of the game and then gets punched in the mouth and is quiet the rest of the game.
I laughed so hard when GLADOS says that.
Everything's subjective. Most people just say that Uncharted is its system seller and then anything else is icing.
I was reading about this yesterday. Since these "legacy" wepons were so OP, couldn't they just release a patch to tweak them? Or if you're going to remove the legacy weapons/attachments, maybe offer those who've paid for them access to some free replacements?
I guess you don't make more money that way, though.
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/23/ridge-racer-vita-moved-from-launch-day-to-launch-window/
From Launch Day to Launch Window.
Doesn't necessarily mean anything, it could be that Namco's just playing it safe with their wording. I do wonder though, if RRV kicked the bucket would anyone honestly miss it? (considering all the flak it caught for its sparse content)
I got a little excited when I saw your ship.
with our pants on, no less.
But that's always been the case. Banjo Kazooie on the N64 was £110 when it was launched, which at the time was about $200USD.
In fact, the N64 was atrocious on price.
Yeah doesn't Nintendo do that $ = £ thing still?
edit: actually yeah that was cool I was just being a grinch
The dark side is bad for your lungs.
God hates Newzealand and Australia.
I got a little excited when I saw your ship.
You also get a fun comment from her if, after escaping the deathtrap at the start of chapter 9, you actually listen to the cries of "come back!" and go back.
(Major spoilers of hilarity)
Heh, comment on the character's lack of speaking from Wheatley as well.
Gawd, that game is great.
At any rate, there's this:
http://vita.ign.com/articles/121/1215411p1.html
Yay, I guess, but numbers sure would be nice.
Enjoy your seven games.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/
I write about video games and stuff. It is fun. Sometimes.
...right?