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Penny Arcade - Comic - The Way Of Sorrows

DogDog Registered User, Administrator, Vanilla Staff admin

The Way Of Sorrows!

Penny Arcade - Comic - The Way Of Sorrows

Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary.

Read the full story here

Posts

  • Man in the MistsMan in the Mists Registered User regular
    More like the mark of a victim of the ever-ravenous oblivion.

  • OverkillengineOverkillengine Registered User regular
    edited February 9
    Gonna scratch your discs walking around with them all jingly jangly like.

    I sentence the offender to one week of usage of the Mad Catz controller as penance.

    Overkillengine on
  • LucascraftLucascraft Registered User regular
    I've read discussion and speculation online that Microsoft will be completely pulling out of the console hardware game next generation. After all, they're a software company. It's right in the name.

    It's a shame though, because MS makes the best controllers. The 360 controller set a new gold standard for ergonomics, usability, comfort, etc. And they have been improving on it in slight ways since then. I think Sony's Dual Sense is good. And it's more than adequate to compete. But MS has them beat.

  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    Thy blades be sharp to cut the unworthy.
    thy blades
    Thine box be heavy to rest your faith.
    thine box
    Praise be to The Game Pass, for it will spread the X throughout the galaxy.
    the pass

  • v2miccav2micca Registered User regular
    I think I would be more upset by the Idea of Microsoft calling it quits on the console hardware game if it didn't already feel like they had bailed on the entire market half-way through the X-box One generation. And right now, it looks like Sony might be following them into oblivion. The PS5 has been out for over 3 years now, and I still can't find a single game that is compelling enough for me to purchase the system. Anything I'm interested in will either release on PC concurrently, or shortly following the PS5 exclusivity window.

  • LucascraftLucascraft Registered User regular
    Too much trend chasing, and too many homogenous live service shooters have definitely weakened the PS5/SeriesX generation.

    I think PS4 and XBOne were a stronger overall generation.

  • v2miccav2micca Registered User regular
    Lucascraft wrote: »
    Too much trend chasing, and too many homogenous live service shooters have definitely weakened the PS5/SeriesX generation.

    I think PS4 and XBOne were a stronger overall generation.

    I agree. In fact, I will go one step further and claim that the Xbox 360/PS3/Nintendo Wii was the last great console generation.

  • StericaSterica Yes Registered User, Moderator mod
    COVID is the biggest factor here. Like, every release that would have been an exclusive was released on the PS4/XBONE, and Sony had to get more generous with PC ports to make up for the lack of PS5 availability. And third-party publishers were more than happy to double-dip, because why release a game for the newest console when you can do it as for last-gen too and get more sales off that audience of the past ten years?

    I don't see how it's a bad thing that you don't have to buy three consoles and a PC to play everything, or that you aren't compelled to upgrade to the newest console ASAP if you are already with diminished graphical fidelity. It may seem like it creates redundancy, but are you looking at TVs for exclusive shows or movies? Are exclusive apps a primary driver to buy a phone? It's not quite that simple of a 1:1 comparison, but console exclusives being diminished only seems like a good thing to me. Yet people are complaining they aren't required to drop $500 on a new piece of hardware.

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  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    Lucascraft wrote: »
    I've read discussion and speculation online that Microsoft will be completely pulling out of the console hardware game next generation. After all, they're a software company. It's right in the name.

    It's a shame though, because MS makes the best controllers. The 360 controller set a new gold standard for ergonomics, usability, comfort, etc. And they have been improving on it in slight ways since then. I think Sony's Dual Sense is good. And it's more than adequate to compete. But MS has them beat.

    Yeah, I haven't owned an xbox since the 360, but I've been using Xbox controllers for my PC forever.

    steam_sig.png
  • OverkillengineOverkillengine Registered User regular
    edited February 9
    In addition, console makers kind of shot themselves in the foot over the last decade and more due to so many of them catering to games that push features like graphics and GaaS that PC does the same or better while neglecting console strengths like ease of couch co-op. Sure, taking the latter out might push short term sales, but you risk screwing over your long term retention within the platform when your userbase realizes they can just move to PC and get the same or better value. If you want to have a closed ecosystem, its features need to offer something better than what the other ecosystems have or satisfy demands they they do not.

    Overkillengine on
  • Emperor MegamanEmperor Megaman Registered User regular
    The "generation" classification is becoming less relevant when the difference is just "the photorealistic graphics are more photorealistics". i exagarerate of course, but when the latest game are still crossplay 3 years into the generation, even late PS360 games doesn't look dated in anything aside from... the textures not being textury enough?

  • dennisdennis aka bingley Registered User regular
    Microsoft has made some good hardware for decades. They mostly fumbled in the mobile/tablet arena (though Surface found an audience that really dug it).

    I also never bought an xbox but have several xbox controllers. They're really good pads that work great with windows. It'd also be a shame if they got out completely, because their adaptive controller is one of the gold standard controllers for the disabled.

  • VontreVontre Registered User regular
    The hardware and platform market funds the development of high quality IAP-free games. You really do not want the console space to be like the mobile market. It's nice that they lack exclusives, but they also just *lack* in general...

  • edited February 10
    This content has been removed.

  • OverkillengineOverkillengine Registered User regular
    edited February 10
    Lucascraft wrote: »
    I've read discussion and speculation online that Microsoft will be completely pulling out of the console hardware game next generation. After all, they're a software company. It's right in the name.

    It's a shame though, because MS makes the best controllers. The 360 controller set a new gold standard for ergonomics, usability, comfort, etc. And they have been improving on it in slight ways since then. I think Sony's Dual Sense is good. And it's more than adequate to compete. But MS has them beat.

    Yeah, I haven't owned an xbox since the 360, but I've been using Xbox controllers for my PC forever.

    I've never owned an xbox, just played a lot on one with friends who did. Have an xbox controller for my PC since I can just plug it in and it works and the ergonomics aren't bad either. So hopefully they don't pull out of the hardware market entirely.

    Overkillengine on
  • RonTheDMRonTheDM Yes, yes Registered User regular
    I mean, the only reason either MS or Sony gets out of the console market is to focus on the mobile market, which is dominating the scene.

  • LttlefootLttlefoot Registered User regular
    Is there anything good on mobile? I’m always reinstalling stuff from ten years ago

  • Fartacus_the_MightyFartacus_the_Mighty Brought to you by the letter A.Registered User regular
    Lttlefoot wrote: »
    Is there anything good on mobile? I’m always reinstalling stuff from ten years ago

    Absolutely!

    You've got your match-3 games with super shitty monetization. Then, there's the hoard of microtransaction-laden city builders. And of course, you have all those run-and-shoot games where you power up by not failing at kindergarten level math, which are only advertised as such and are actually just one of the first two genres. Oh, right, let's not forget all the anime waifu gacha games.
    there's a few games that actually play the run-and-shoot thing straight, turns out they're super boring and only good for falsely advertising other genres

  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    Microsoft competes with themselves with the PC market too. I have a PS5 that pretty much exists to play Sony exclusives. Meanwhile Xbox exclusives get played on my computer.

  • flamebroiledchickenflamebroiledchicken Registered User regular
    Lttlefoot wrote: »
    Is there anything good on mobile? I’m always reinstalling stuff from ten years ago

    Monument Valley, Sword & Sworcery EP, Canabalt, and Vampire Survivors are the only "actually good" mobile games I've ever played, but I'm sure there are others. There must be, right?

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  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    Lttlefoot wrote: »
    Is there anything good on mobile? I’m always reinstalling stuff from ten years ago

    Monument Valley, Sword & Sworcery EP, Canabalt, and Vampire Survivors are the only "actually good" mobile games I've ever played, but I'm sure there are others. There must be, right?

    Slice and Dice, Luck Be A Landlord, Mini Metro

    steam_sig.png
  • LttlefootLttlefoot Registered User regular
    I’ve played luck be, canabalt and vampire survivors on my pc. Never heard of slice and dice, I’ll check it out

    Some of my favorites are Mage Gauntlet, Slay the Spire, PvZ Heroes (except it’s freemium), Flappy golf, you must build a boat, and the New Star sports games

  • VontreVontre Registered User regular
    You may count some of the digital CCGs, maybe. >>

  • furlionfurlion Riskbreaker Lea MondeRegistered User regular
    Are there any good mobile exclusives i think is the real question. And the answer to that is pretty much no. Anything great on Mobile eventually gets ported to console or PC pretty much across the board. In fact i can't think of a single one, not that i am deep into the mobile space.

    sig.gif Gamertag: KL Retribution
    PSN:Furlion
  • LucascraftLucascraft Registered User regular
    I've heard that Octopath Taveller: Continent of Champions is a really good mobile exclusive. I love both console Octopath games, but I don't have any experience with the mobile game. I've just heard that it's good.

  • RatherDashing89RatherDashing89 Registered User regular
    I played a fun little deckbuilder called Rogue Adventure for awhile. No microtransactions, just the option to watch ads for extra rewards, or you could pay $5 once and get all the ad rewards without needing to watch anything.

    Playing Octopath Traveler's mobile gacha game now and while it's definitely got a million currencies and plenty of stuff to buy, with characters hidden in lootboxes, it's a charming timewaster with good music and art that throws it's million currencies at you for free (or for ad watches) constantly.

    But the biggest takeaway I have from playing a game with ads now is how bizarre the space as a whole is. 75% of the ads are for Evony, a name I remember seeing browser ads for 20 years ago. And of course Evony ads are showing nineteen completely different game types, meaning none of them can possibly be real game footage and I have no idea what you would actually see when booting up the app. Are they selling microtransactions in Evony? Does anyone who clicks an ad for Evony based on these fake games and installs the app even stick around long enough to buy anything? Someone is spending time and money to make these fake gameplay videos, in addition to weird live action ads and fake streamer endorsements...And even the ads that aren't Evony are just ads for other mobile games...never any other type of product or service. Meaning each of these games are paying each other to advertise, so players will migrate to the other game and...watch ads for the game they came over from? It's such a strange ecosystem that is putting so much money into making these games and making the ads and I have no idea where the profit actually comes from unless these fake games are actually also just installing spyware or something.

  • Emperor MegamanEmperor Megaman Registered User regular
    It's such a strange ecosystem that is putting so much money into making these games and making the ads and I have no idea where the profit actually comes from unless these fake games are actually also just installing spyware or something.

    Las time i've heard of Evony it was exactly what it was doing (which make me surprised to learn it is still a thing, and is casually throwing adds around).
    As for where the profit comes from...they only need one. out of the hundreds of people migrating from one game to another without spending money, there is always one or two once in a while who have too much free time and money to spend/crippling gambling addiction (and in some case, low enough quality standards) to spend lot of money in there.

  • LttlefootLttlefoot Registered User regular
    So ad supported games advertise each other but also advertise microtransaction supported games which are able to bring in money from outside the ecosystem. Though I do recall seeing ads for things other than mobile games anyway

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