Malik
(12/17/04)
It's been a busy
week, once again. I'm trying to get a week or so off of work
later this month, so I've had to let some things slide.
Mostly, I've had to let my Bitchings slide. It's a sad and
unfortunate problem that arises when a full time drone (person who
works a job that leads to little room for self-motivated activities)
tries to find the freedom to be fully dedicated with his true
passion (this site). So, this week, I have to keep things
short again. I don't like it, and I hope you don't like
it. I'm aiming for a bit more next week, but things will
definitely pick up after that. So, for now, I'm Malik, you're
bitchy captain.
Heavy Bias
After the PSP had
been out for only a few days, Gamespot
had 6 or more links to positive biased PSP news stories on their
news page. Meanwhile, the DS gathered a tiny amount of
responses, counting some of how the system is "failing"
(because it didn't get the large lines that the PSP launch drew in).
Considering how both of these systems are going to be in direct
competition (I know how Nintendo and Sony keep claiming how these
two systems are not in direct competition, but I don't think they
cleared this with the consumers...just look at the flames from
various DS and PSP forums and you'll understand), and how they both
use technology that is truly ground breaking for portables, now is
not the time for bias...it's the time for understanding.
While I am a DS
owner, and have strongly supported the DS, I should explain my
position. Primarily, I support the DS for it's ease of use and
innovative features (such as the wireless technology and the touch
screens). However, I still have some strong reservations about the
lack of good titles, which should be corrected in the next year. At
the same time, I have no strong feelings for the PSP, since I have
not had the (hopefully...) pleasurable experience of trying one out
yet. However, I can see the strong line up of potential games,
despite the lack of solid launch titles (just like the DS). I can
also see that the battery situation is a definite liability for the
PSP (with enough battery life that you can watch a single movie on
the built-in movie player). However, I fully intend to purchase a
PSP at or around the US launch...assuming the game forecast doesn't
go awry. Most of all, I see that these two systems both have their
strong points and both are direct competition for each other (and
competition is a good thing since it will push all involved parties
to bring out their best products and line-ups).
So, my real
complaint is how the bias will effect things. For the informed geek,
bias means nothing. It all comes down to the geekish pursuit of
finding the truth behind games. However, the fanboys and the gullible
will easily take this bias as truth, and thus the play-field will
face some disruption. This can only have adverse effects on the
future of one or both systems (too much hype for the PSP will lead
to some disappointment, which makes short term success and long term
failure, while too much negative bias for the DS will only lead to a
quicker failure, and an eventual N64 situation). In a perfect world,
bias would mean nothing since all consumers owe it to the work they
put in, which gets their money that goes to their games, to do the
proper research into what they intend to buy...but in a perfect
world the Virtual Boy would've never been built, Sega would've been
more successful with the Dreamcast, and Acclaim would've gone under
far quicker.
With the number of
news articles one can find on the success of the PSP (which has not
been out long enough to call a success or a failure) and it's
amazing features, a similar number should be presented on the DS.
However, the DS and the PSP both use a different philosophy on what
direction to take innovation. The PSP uses some well established
rules of using a typical controller scheme, a typical display setup,
and a typical array of gaming choices. Meanwhile the DS is using
some innovation in controls with the dual screens, and some definite
innovations with the controller scheme by using a touch screen.
These, in turn, lead to some more innovative game styles that take
advantage of touch screens and multiple displays. This is where the
beginning of the bias comes from.
People tend to
fear that which is different...well, not necessarily fear, but they
tend to be more skeptical. This skepticism has led the general
consensus on the DS to be negative. However, this negativity is
based on what the system looks like and not what it plays like. I
know. I felt the same way until I tried an in store demo of the DS
at the local EB.
However, with a
lower level of skepticism invoking features, the PSP looks far more
usable and friendly...I guess you could say it looks more
"comfortable". This is best seen with some recent news
stories that quoted the DS as being too big to be portable while the
PSP would be the ideal size. Strangely, these two handhelds are the
same size (almost the exact same size). Or there's the matter of how
many reports talk of how the DS game line-up is too limited with
puzzle games and the games that will be based on the touch screen
idea, while the PSP will have a wider selection of games. This is
once again wrong since the DS and PSP have almost identical line-ups
in terms of genres (both have puzzle, racing, sports, platformers,
RPGs, etc in their future), but the touch screen concept, once
again, caused skepticism to outweigh reason and research.
Deep down, this
skepticism is easily removed by actually trying the console in
question (I know there's plenty of skepticism about the PSP and it's
analogue nub). However, the DS uses the most innovation and thus it
faces the bulk of this bias. However, considering the news media has
access to both systems, the bias should at least be broken at this
level. However, the majority of the media still hasn't seemed to
have given the DS an honest trial, and the PSP info still seems
based on far too little information.
All I'm really
asking for, in this situation, is for some even presentation of the
facts. I, for one, look forward to playing and owning both handhelds.
However, the best situation, in this new handheld war, can only
arise if both systems are treated evenly and allowed to shine on
their own merits. We've all seen the effects of a system going
without any solid competition (like the first year of the PS2...also
known, to the people who owned a PS2 at this time, as the "dark
year"). It's only when competition is strong that a market can
truly be beneficial for both the game companies and the game
players.
Solution
It's like your
parents or teachers or whoever probably told you at some point in
your younger years. Don't judge a book by it's cover. Normally that
sounds like tacky and cheesy crap, but in this case, it is the best
solution. However, this is not just for us or for the media...it's
for everyone.
The media has
jumped on the PSP bandwagon without much to gauge the PSP on. Well,
now it has the Japanese version with only a week or so of being out
(the "or so" are for those outlets that bought a week
early PSP from a special Sony auction), but prior to that, the PSP
was still being touted as the messiah of portable systems. It would
save us from the doom of Nintendo. Because, obviously, Nintendo
knows nothing about handhelds...they've only had the Gameboy family
running since the late 80's. Obviously they know nothing about
putting together a winning handheld.
These media
outlets need to curb their enthusiasm a little. The PSP looks good,
but tell us WHY. As for the DS looking like crap to them...tell us
WHY. Also, make sure you don't use the same points for the PSP that
you use against the DS (like how the DS is too big to be a portable,
but the PSP is perfect when they come out to the same size. Also,
the love of the media for the versatility of the PSP along with the
hate of the DS for it's dedicated nature is nothing short of hilarious...yup,
the PSP can play videos...sorta. You either need a video UMD (they
don't exist yet, and who knows for sure when they will) or you need
to put in a good deal of dedication to making a video file work from
a memory stick. Plus, with the UMD being a time bomb (let's see if
those UMD movies you eventually may be able to buy can be used in
about 5 or so years...my DVDs have been good for longer than that
and they will remain so with the current plan of DVD evolution), the
fact has been ignored that buying a UMD video for (approximately)
the same price as a DVD is only going to be a waste of money in the
long run.
At the same time,
those of us who are more likely to follow a review from a game site,
magazine, or whatever need to open our eyes to things. A media
outlet is only as good as it's reporters and editors, all of which
are human. Those of us who make impulse decisions based on what the
game site we frequent most says are ultimately making as informed of
a decision as if we bought a game based only on the box-art. We need
to all just dig a little deeper nd try things out before forming any
conclusions.
Conclusion
Life keeps me
busy, so I'm kept from my desire to bitch the world into a better
place. Anyway, if you want
to, for some reason, you can write
me or put your thoughts to the forums.
Peace.
Malik
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