Malik
(2/22/10)
The great thing about a bad idea is that no matter how you try to
sell it, a truly bad idea will not sell. For example, the PSP is not
too bad of a system. It would be better with Sony supporting
homebrew apps, but that will not happen. When I got my PSP, it was a
bad system since it lacked games (those came not long after I sold
my PSP), Sony kept battling homebrew, and the first release PSP was
fragile (especially the square button and the analogue stick).
However, the portable soon picked up in marketability and became a
decent system. I don't think I'd go back to the thing, but I cannot
blame people who have one for saying they enjoy it.
However, the PSP Go was just a bad idea. I mean digital distribution
is great, but not as a sole means of software access. When a vast
amount of PSP UMD games have yet to go to digital means, and when a
person cannot "upgrade" from a PSP to a PSP Go due to their old
games being useless, it means there's a bad idea in the works. Now
Sony is offering a download code for
Assassin's Creed 2 or Little Big Planet if you buy a PSP Go.
Sorry, but a bad idea is always a bad idea, no matter how hard you
try to sell it.
I think this is one of those times when a manufacturer needs to just
abandon the new for the old. The PSP Go is the "New Coke" of their
lineup. The old PSP had some problems selling since it lacked games
for too long of it's early life, but it started to pick up and not
look like a bad system...like how Coke Classic looked a bit old and
had some trouble since they just lost touch with consumers. However,
a new format (PSP Go or New Coke) is rarely the answer when the new
one just offers a worse product for the same price. It's time for
Sony to just dump the PSP Go...and maybe rebrand the PSP to
something like "PSP Classic" to fully finish off and acknowledge
their failure.
At least as long as Sony keeps pumping out ideas for new or altered
technology, I can be entertained. Sometimes it's the laugh I get
from something like the PSP Go, but sometimes it's the geeky thrill
of something like
a universal game controller. When I have no idea how this could
work in the end, I would love to see if Sony could market this
thing...or even if their can produce such a thing.
I would especially love to see how they could overcome the three
major problems inherent with such a controller idea.
On one hand, how do you make this work with old consoles that don't
use blue-tooth connections? Would you just make different style
adapters to fit, for example, an NES controller port? Would you
actually be encouraging emulation by making only modern
(wireless/blue-tooth) consoles and PCs work with the thing?
Secondly...the lawsuits! I mean with how many companies keep suing
everyone else for controller related patents, how do you make
something to emulate Nintendo or Microsoft designed and owned
controllers without either being sued or facing a royalty payment to
a rival company? It just seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Lastly, you have to wonder how well a touch screen work as a full
controller? I mean a basic single touch style, or a dual-touch like
the iPhone wouldn't be bad for some functions. However, to have a
full controller with no tactile sensations, while you look away from
the device (to watch the game you're playing) would be nothing short
of awkward. Can you imagine using a modern controller (think PS3 or
360 controller) with no tactile response? With that many buttons, it
would just be a pain to keep track of where your fingers are.
I like this type of idea, just to keep my mind asking questions.
However, I think I'm more entertained in the prospect of this thing
actually being created and marketed...and the enevitable fallout
that would come from it. Still, it's not like even 25% of all
patents see the light of day in a applied manner.
Malik |
Malik
(2/24/10)
Yesterday was a good
day. I finished The Misadventures of PB Winterbottom (hopefully I
never have to type that out again). I also started a new puzzle
based obsession.
When I finished
Winterbottom, a thought occurred to me; why? I mean the game got
better and better the more I played, but I can't help but feel that
there was another whole chapter that was skipped. There may have
been room for two more chapters, even. I say this since each chapter
consists of one primary rule change (like in Braid) played out over
10 or 11 stages. This typically, but not always, lets one ease into
the new concept of the chapter, but it will end the section with a
single stage to really test all of your skills to their maximum.
Chapter four, for
example, introduces red clones. The clones are time loops made by
your actions when you record time and they continue to play out to
what you did when they were recorded. The red ones, however, will
hurt you if they touch you. Meanwhile, chapter four introduces time
portals, which limit the location from where you can start a
recording. It seems like the chapter could have been split into ten
full stages for each of these changes instead of one chapter that
only seems to go halfway into each new idea.
The same can be
said for chapter five, which starts off tying all of the previous
chapter related rules into a single area. However, near the end, you
find free acting clones. These clones will always try to go to you
and will always try to hit you, or other clones, with their canes
(which send you flying). You only control if one is made and when it
jumps (they only jump when you do, adding a small touch of control
to these clones). It is a great new mechanic, and it only lasts for
a few stages. I really wanted more. The free moving clone puzzles
are, without a doubt, my favorite stages of Winterbottom.
Considering the game is quite short (still worth the price,
however), another chapter fleshing out any of the doubled up ideas
would have been great.
Anyway, I tried to
do some of the challenge puzzles, but it was not my cup of tea. They
are all based on finishing a stage within a short goal time or with
a small limit on the number of clones. It can be fun for
perfectionists, but I'm fine with playing each of these stages once
and moving on without the perfectionism getting in the way of my
fun.
So, while browsing
the Live Marketplace, I came across the demo for Gyromancer (the
Square Enix take on the puzzle RPG genre). I gave it a shot, despite
recent unhappiness with most things Square. After playing a great
trial/demo (it's great because it's a long trial...meaning you
really do get a chance to try out the game), I had to buy the game.
I mean where Puzzle Quest failed in delivering a sequel, Gyromancer
comes through.
After playing for
about three hours, I am completely hooked on Gyromancer. I think my
only complaint so far is that the game is making me like Square Enix
again. After harboring this resentment for so long, it just feels
wrong to let my anger go.
On a final quick
note; Lost last night really made me appreciate how well written the
dialogue can be when the show is on its A game. I mean the Hugo
lines were amazing and required a few re-watching of scenes to pick
up on what I missed while laughing. If the last season keeps up this
strongly, I think it'll be safe to say that Lost will go out with
people wanting more...just like all good shows should do when they
end.
Malik |
Malik
(2/26/10)
With all
the Nintendo news this week, I am not too excited. I think I've
passed by the Nintendo thing for a while since I just can't seem to
get enough value from anything Nintendo. The one exception is the
DS, but not really the Nintendo made games for the DS. I haven't
used my Wii since playing Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. Before
that, I hadn't used my Wii for a year and a half. It's the most
unused console I have. I mean I even used my Genesis, Lynx, Virtual
Boy, and 3DO more in that time span.
The new DSi XL
doesn't impress me enough to drop money on a system I already own.
It's one thing if I didn't have a DS (the larger size of the XL
sounds better for my adult sized hands), but I refuse to buy any
console multiple times unless the remake has something important
enough to justify the price. For example, my PS2 broke, so I ended
up with a slim PS2. My GBA sucked due to lighting, so I was happy to
have received a GBA SP from a friend. The DSi and DSi XL just don't
do enough to pay almost $200 for a new version. Plus, if I had a DSi
I'd be annoyed since DS-Ware titles cannot be transferred, so all
DS-Ware titles must be bought again on a new XL.
The only thing
that excites me is that Picross 3D is coming in May. I'm a Picross
addict, and this will keep me happy through the end of the spring.
However, another Mario Galaxy is not enough since I didn't get
nearly enough time out of the original. As for Metroid Other
M...I've yet to even slightly be happy with a 3D Metroid game (and I
have bought all three Prime games...swearing to never waste my money
on another non-2D Metroid after each new 3D Metroid).
I just wish
Nintendo would offer some real details on the next Zelda game, since
that's their only current property that will hit the Wii that
doesn't leave me thinking about how I'd rather have the money than
the game.
Lastly for today,
I'm glad to have Gyromancer, since I don't have to feel left out or
bored when I find the next crop of
Rock Band DLC to be worthless. Yes, some people would enjoy The
Silversun Pickups or Disturbed. However, I find them to be about the
opposite (and on opposite ends of the music spectrum from each
other) of my tastes in music. Either too whiney or too forced of a
hard sound.
So, I'll be
sticking with my Gyromancer addiction and enjoying every dollar I
spent on that download, as well as the great priced DLC for it.
Malik |
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