It occurs to me that as originally conceived console gaming is dead. That it died years ago during the PS2/Xbox1 era, and unlike the gap between the Atari 2600 and NES, it wont be coming back.
Now, many of you choosing to read this will have to bear with me. You came into gaming as this death occurred and as it was a subtle event, its gone on largely unnoticed. It may even be better to call it an evolution than a death since in a fundamental sense its still going on. That it was replaced by something which is still using its name like if the first Homo Sapiens kept calling themselves cavemen even after bashing in the last Neanderthal’s skull. Still, I feel a sense of loss having only recently realized that its gone.
In attempt to better explain myself lets look back at the first time consoles died: the Arati 2600 era. Post a period of standalone systems – and I feel the need to write it as “systems” – based on and around pong and pong based games offering utterly amazing and incredible pong level graphics, the 2600 became the most successful development of this pong evolution if only because a smart five year old could play it.
As in turn it on/off and pull out or plug in a specific game to work the joystick and push the big red button, rather than banging the joystick on the system, the floor, at the family cat or stuffing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the game slot. Please note I did say smart five year old.
Unfortunately being something designed for a group of people I can’t name here because our culture has become to retardedly politically correct, game publishers of the age began putting more and more limiting/hurried demands on game makers for which to fuel the drugs hookers and booze orgy phase all young entertainment related industries seem to go through.
After one particularly good party everyone came out of their hangovers realizing they’d made ET, then compounded on that error by forgetting their market as they tried to make a platform which would take pong gaming to a place pong had never been before. The computer nerds making systems which required tape readers, floppy drives and came with keypads on their joysticks. Where surprised when the at the time general non-nerd public stopped providing for their rocker-like lifestyles as their Ford Pintos were repossessed and the hookers went back to the recording and movie industries where they belonged. Here Lies Gaming – R.I.P.
Now take things forward a bit and across the pond – no, the other pond – and you’ll find a – the other – recovering war torn island nation with something to prove. A former playing card company by the soon to be world household name of Leave Luck to Haven has not only made pong unrecognizable – renaming it “spites” – but created a game system that your better grade of five year old could enjoy sans complaints from PETA or a hose down. It is in effect the Atari 2600 reborn only without the fake wood paneling which was literally everywhere in the 70’s.
Dear god, don’t even get me freakin’ started!
Regardless, the point I’m trying to make and which you’ve likely missed is that at its heart the overall mechanics of console gaming were simplistic. It was plug and play in the simplest use of a term which came from PC making which is often anything but. To say console gaming was plug and forget would be more accurate. Being in a time when computer gaming was either unheard of, involved improper use of something weighing tons and filling rooms, or a cabinet often seen in bars or something called bowling alleys and required one – only one – quarter to play when one freakin’ quarter also bought you one comic book or a wealth of honest sugar laced candy.
As you’ve likely noticed, times have changed but they’ve also remained the same. Atari 2600 wasn’t the only thing around as the gaming industry crashed, but because it was the most popular yet simplest thing out at the time the industry fell because it couldn’t recreate that basic simplicity. Not until the NES. When CDs came around there were many contenders but only Sony managed to successfully find a balanced controller scheme while only requiring you to put a disc in a drive tray.
All that ended the day online became available. With that option plug and forget slowly became plug and wait, plug and update needed or plug and SOL. It became plug and you have to think before you can actually play a game. In short, it became PC gaming. Something closer to PC gaming anyway.
Hm, much like an old shaman who’s been screaming most the night about the death of the Sun as a young astrologer points out a giant superheated ball of gas coming over the horizon, I think I’ve lost my audience. Never had it to begin with. Please, go back to playing your Xboxes, Playstations and Nintendo devices for the one if not two console generations you might have them. If there isn't another industry crash and everything ends up as a smartphone app. Justforget about this sadly not short enough rant.
EDIT:
Starting to realize that I should have gone along the lines of Invasion of the Body Snatchers since this about something that has changed and remained the same and yet something, possibly very important, has been lost. So I changed the pic.
Hiển thị các bài đăng có nhãn what can we learn from Angry Birds. Hiển thị tất cả bài đăng
Hiển thị các bài đăng có nhãn what can we learn from Angry Birds. Hiển thị tất cả bài đăng
Thứ Bảy, 15 tháng 10, 2011
Just to clarify about the 'Welcome Back' gift
Sweet goodness, PSN is finally returning this week! A date hasn't been set but I have been reading here and there that it'll be returning by 3rd May. Hopefully. Seeing as the sooner it comes, the better. So, what do PS owners expect to see in the newly rebuilt PSN? Nothing much but a 'Welcome Back' package.
Sony, respectfully has decided to reimburse PSN users with a goodwill prize in the form of a one month subscription of PS+ and Qrioucity music services. For those new to these names, playstation plus is basically a paid-for service that lets subscribers get bonuses that ordinary PSN folks dont get. Qrioucity from my lazy assed research is some sort of music service that lets you download music to your ps3. For me, as a gamer, I'm personally interested in PS+ than a music service.
Now, before PSN users jump to joy of these free services, let me clarify some things. For those already subscribed, they are going to get a month extension, which I find peculiar seeing as 2 weeks offline do not mean 4 weeks online. For us cheapskate PSN users, this might a good thing but it isnt and it is.
First off, everyone will finally be able to try this service if they have been wondering about it. A trial you could say. Secondly, loads of free stuff are available to download and keep. Mostly in the form of normal and dynamic themes, costumes for PS home avatars, mini games, demos and DLCs. And of course, discounts for games and the feature of cloud saving and auto download. As great as these thing I mentioned sound, there is always a negative to the positive.
As soon as this 30 day 'trial' is over, games and I think DLCs will deactivate, meaning basic PSN users wont be able to play their downloaded games. To reactivate the downloaded games, PSN users will have to subscribe like other PS+ members. Cloud saves wont also be able to be accessed. Anything non game related are still accessible and forever to keep. Another negative thing about this package is, from my wild speculation, is that as soon as you are able to access PSN, the 'trial' starts but seeing as PSN services like PS store are being rebuilt slowly, basic users wont be able to fully enjoy this one month PS+ service.
Hopefully, my post has clarified a couple of things for you PSN basic users or gamers new to PSN. So before you like or dislike this gift, just remember that the best thing, if you are an online PSN addict like me, is the fact that PSN is returning. You gotta respect Sony, for giving us cheapskate PSN users a free gift when most patient PS folk never even asked for such a present. Thank Ya very much Sony ;) and good work trying to stop those nasty hacking fellers.
Sony, respectfully has decided to reimburse PSN users with a goodwill prize in the form of a one month subscription of PS+ and Qrioucity music services. For those new to these names, playstation plus is basically a paid-for service that lets subscribers get bonuses that ordinary PSN folks dont get. Qrioucity from my lazy assed research is some sort of music service that lets you download music to your ps3. For me, as a gamer, I'm personally interested in PS+ than a music service.
Now, before PSN users jump to joy of these free services, let me clarify some things. For those already subscribed, they are going to get a month extension, which I find peculiar seeing as 2 weeks offline do not mean 4 weeks online. For us cheapskate PSN users, this might a good thing but it isnt and it is.
First off, everyone will finally be able to try this service if they have been wondering about it. A trial you could say. Secondly, loads of free stuff are available to download and keep. Mostly in the form of normal and dynamic themes, costumes for PS home avatars, mini games, demos and DLCs. And of course, discounts for games and the feature of cloud saving and auto download. As great as these thing I mentioned sound, there is always a negative to the positive.
As soon as this 30 day 'trial' is over, games and I think DLCs will deactivate, meaning basic PSN users wont be able to play their downloaded games. To reactivate the downloaded games, PSN users will have to subscribe like other PS+ members. Cloud saves wont also be able to be accessed. Anything non game related are still accessible and forever to keep. Another negative thing about this package is, from my wild speculation, is that as soon as you are able to access PSN, the 'trial' starts but seeing as PSN services like PS store are being rebuilt slowly, basic users wont be able to fully enjoy this one month PS+ service.
Hopefully, my post has clarified a couple of things for you PSN basic users or gamers new to PSN. So before you like or dislike this gift, just remember that the best thing, if you are an online PSN addict like me, is the fact that PSN is returning. You gotta respect Sony, for giving us cheapskate PSN users a free gift when most patient PS folk never even asked for such a present. Thank Ya very much Sony ;) and good work trying to stop those nasty hacking fellers.
Thứ Sáu, 14 tháng 10, 2011
ICO & Shadow of the Colossus: Fairytale worlds built of careful attention
Ten years, two games: Team Ico knows how to leave you wanting more. While it has been fun to replay God of War and Sly Cooper, few series are more deserving of a re-release in HD than ICO and Shadow of the Colossus. Maybe you were never able to snag one of the relatively rare copies of ICO, maybe your PS2 struggled with framerate during SotC, whether this is your first experience with ICO and SotC or you're returning to well for more awesome you won't be disappointed. It's hard to believe the games were made a generation ago, they're just so stinking good - and good-looking.
The fairy-tale worlds of ICO and SotC suspend disbelief and are the two finest examples of gameplay centered storytelling. With relatively few cutscenes and even less dialog/voiceover, this is a story you play through, and the experience is richer for it. If you've already played Ico and SotC, this next time with Ico is that much more poignant. Ico is young boy with a pair of horns, and a sacrifice. Locked in a chamber by a group of men and left in the strange castle, he escapes his stone prison and in trying to leave finds and frees a young girl, Yorda, from a cage. They may not speak the same language, but they're the only living thing they've seen (aside from some wily pigeons) and that makes for a strong bond.
As you direct Ico and Yorda through the puzzle-riddled castle, you will notice something strange: Team Ico has made an entire game around everyone's least favorite mission type. Yes, a game - an exceptional game - that boils down to an escort mission stretched over a framework of really cool puzzles and platforming. Yorda needs help up ledges, across chasms, and most of all protection from shadow creatures. As Ico, you don't have much in your arsenal: jumping, pulling, pushing and whacking the shadows with a big stick (later, a sword) are your staple moves. The puzzles are very integrated, with ledges, ladders, doorways, and relatively few traditional Zelda-like moments of pressure plates and switches. Occasionally Yorda pulls her own weight by opening Idol Doors, and when you rest on a couch together you get to save your game. The rest of the time she tries to be as helpful as possible, sticking by your side and eschewing the traditional damsel role of wandering off with the words "kidnap me, shadow monsters" stamped on her forehead.
There isn't a lot of direct confrontation in ICO, it all comes down to those persistent shadows as they spill up out of swirling smoke-monster blackness at the most inopportune times. Some can walk, some can fly, and some can only scuttle across the ground, and they all want to drag Yorda into an inky black pit. Only able to knock Ico back, if they successfully pull Yorda down with them it's Game Over. There are no combos, special moves or advanced weaponry, you are a little boy with a stick and you wield it accordingly: in desperate, flailing motions. At some point you realize you're rescuing Yorda not as a mission-objective or game chore, but because your heart is beating in your throat while the shadow monsters try to take her away, your Yorda. At some point you realize that you care.
Similarly themed, in Shadow of the Colossus you play as a young man named Wander who must slay sixteen colossi to rescue a girl. A barren, open world, this is not a game for agoraphobes. Wander is alone with his horse (and some lizards and birds), as he seeks out the colossi which are, tautological as it may be, enormous. These are the bosses of all other bosses, and the experience of SotC is searching the world for epic boss battles - truly "epic": each colossi is so massive, so powerful, and each battle so challenging that they're the stuff poems are sung about, Homer style.
Wander must find ways to scale each colossus and seek out weaknesses in their hard skin (marked by sigils) that his sword can pierce. Oftentimes you will have to find a spot low on the body to stun the colossus, giving you time to scramble to a better spot - and scramble you will. Like Ico, Wander isn't really anything other than determined. He doesn't free-run up a colossus, he doesn't leap nimbly from point to point, he climbs slowly - sometimes painfully so - as the colossus shakes him loose. His grip depletes, he can't hang on forever, so latching on and scaling the monster forthwith is not an option. No, this is a measured attack of finding places to balance, regain stamina, and progress. The colossus isn't going to just let you climb up and start stabbing him, either, and it will try to dislodge you throughout your attempt; you are little more than a tiny buzzing bee with little jabs of your eensy sword. As frantic as a colossus battle can be, it's equal parts patience and puzzle solving as you navigate their unique architecture and the world below you gets further and further away.
Fortunately, Wander has his trusty steed that always comes when you whistle and is helpful in catching speedy colossi - and getting away from others. Then there's that pointy sword that's good for, well, swording and reflecting the sun's light to point you toward the next colossus, and their vulnerable point. Also, there's a bow, which is best for shooting lizards. OK, it has infinite ammo and can stun a colossus if you hit them on a raw patch, but otherwise it's like throwing feathers at a wall. When going up against things called "colossi" it's not much, and you will feel very, very, very small - and even more alone. With each majestic colossus you slay you'll wonder, "Why?".
The fairy-tale worlds of ICO and SotC suspend disbelief and are the two finest examples of gameplay centered storytelling. With relatively few cutscenes and even less dialog/voiceover, this is a story you play through, and the experience is richer for it. If you've already played Ico and SotC, this next time with Ico is that much more poignant. Ico is young boy with a pair of horns, and a sacrifice. Locked in a chamber by a group of men and left in the strange castle, he escapes his stone prison and in trying to leave finds and frees a young girl, Yorda, from a cage. They may not speak the same language, but they're the only living thing they've seen (aside from some wily pigeons) and that makes for a strong bond.
As you direct Ico and Yorda through the puzzle-riddled castle, you will notice something strange: Team Ico has made an entire game around everyone's least favorite mission type. Yes, a game - an exceptional game - that boils down to an escort mission stretched over a framework of really cool puzzles and platforming. Yorda needs help up ledges, across chasms, and most of all protection from shadow creatures. As Ico, you don't have much in your arsenal: jumping, pulling, pushing and whacking the shadows with a big stick (later, a sword) are your staple moves. The puzzles are very integrated, with ledges, ladders, doorways, and relatively few traditional Zelda-like moments of pressure plates and switches. Occasionally Yorda pulls her own weight by opening Idol Doors, and when you rest on a couch together you get to save your game. The rest of the time she tries to be as helpful as possible, sticking by your side and eschewing the traditional damsel role of wandering off with the words "kidnap me, shadow monsters" stamped on her forehead.
There isn't a lot of direct confrontation in ICO, it all comes down to those persistent shadows as they spill up out of swirling smoke-monster blackness at the most inopportune times. Some can walk, some can fly, and some can only scuttle across the ground, and they all want to drag Yorda into an inky black pit. Only able to knock Ico back, if they successfully pull Yorda down with them it's Game Over. There are no combos, special moves or advanced weaponry, you are a little boy with a stick and you wield it accordingly: in desperate, flailing motions. At some point you realize you're rescuing Yorda not as a mission-objective or game chore, but because your heart is beating in your throat while the shadow monsters try to take her away, your Yorda. At some point you realize that you care.
Similarly themed, in Shadow of the Colossus you play as a young man named Wander who must slay sixteen colossi to rescue a girl. A barren, open world, this is not a game for agoraphobes. Wander is alone with his horse (and some lizards and birds), as he seeks out the colossi which are, tautological as it may be, enormous. These are the bosses of all other bosses, and the experience of SotC is searching the world for epic boss battles - truly "epic": each colossi is so massive, so powerful, and each battle so challenging that they're the stuff poems are sung about, Homer style.
Wander must find ways to scale each colossus and seek out weaknesses in their hard skin (marked by sigils) that his sword can pierce. Oftentimes you will have to find a spot low on the body to stun the colossus, giving you time to scramble to a better spot - and scramble you will. Like Ico, Wander isn't really anything other than determined. He doesn't free-run up a colossus, he doesn't leap nimbly from point to point, he climbs slowly - sometimes painfully so - as the colossus shakes him loose. His grip depletes, he can't hang on forever, so latching on and scaling the monster forthwith is not an option. No, this is a measured attack of finding places to balance, regain stamina, and progress. The colossus isn't going to just let you climb up and start stabbing him, either, and it will try to dislodge you throughout your attempt; you are little more than a tiny buzzing bee with little jabs of your eensy sword. As frantic as a colossus battle can be, it's equal parts patience and puzzle solving as you navigate their unique architecture and the world below you gets further and further away.
Fortunately, Wander has his trusty steed that always comes when you whistle and is helpful in catching speedy colossi - and getting away from others. Then there's that pointy sword that's good for, well, swording and reflecting the sun's light to point you toward the next colossus, and their vulnerable point. Also, there's a bow, which is best for shooting lizards. OK, it has infinite ammo and can stun a colossus if you hit them on a raw patch, but otherwise it's like throwing feathers at a wall. When going up against things called "colossi" it's not much, and you will feel very, very, very small - and even more alone. With each majestic colossus you slay you'll wonder, "Why?".
May I Please Share My Grief With You?
Disclaimer: the following is not an opinion therefore, I shall state one right now in order to amend such regulations: the PS3 sucks. Take note that that was sarcasm, with a tinge of regret.
It all happened yesterday, when my friend and I were playing a serious level of Dead Nation, and suddenly, the PS3 froze and shut down; only to stare at us with a flashing red light. I quickly read online and discovered that it was an overheating issue, which was strange because we had only been playing the game for approximately 40 minutes (trust me, it was only one level and don't say I'm bad at this game because I already know that).
So, I decided to reboot it while holding down the power button in order to attain the reset option. The PS3 shut down and gave me the blinking red light. I attempted to start it in Safe Mode, but that too failed. It provided me with the screen; however, as soon as I began pressing the D-pad on my DS3, the system shut down. After a couple of hours of just leaving the system alone, I attempted again, and instead it gave me a yellow light for less than a second before going back to the flashing red light. Also, the fan doesn't seem to be working which perhaps is the biggest issue.
Oh, it's probably smart to say that this baby was a 60 GB launch model, right from day 1. It's a system I absolutely cherish, but now I'm afraid that if I send it in, they will give me a different model. Which is fine, but the real crunch pertains to all my save data, which I refuse to do all over again!
I contemplated on purchasing a newer, slim model, but the lady at Sony Customer Service told me that if I swap the HDD that is in my broken PS3 and insert it into the new PS3, the new PS3 would automatically reformat the Harddrive, literally effacing all that invested time.
In essence, I'm rather confused or hesitant about which course of action to take. Have any of you guys faced such situations and what did you do? From now on, I will regularly back-up my hard drive. Learning sucks!
It all happened yesterday, when my friend and I were playing a serious level of Dead Nation, and suddenly, the PS3 froze and shut down; only to stare at us with a flashing red light. I quickly read online and discovered that it was an overheating issue, which was strange because we had only been playing the game for approximately 40 minutes (trust me, it was only one level and don't say I'm bad at this game because I already know that).
So, I decided to reboot it while holding down the power button in order to attain the reset option. The PS3 shut down and gave me the blinking red light. I attempted to start it in Safe Mode, but that too failed. It provided me with the screen; however, as soon as I began pressing the D-pad on my DS3, the system shut down. After a couple of hours of just leaving the system alone, I attempted again, and instead it gave me a yellow light for less than a second before going back to the flashing red light. Also, the fan doesn't seem to be working which perhaps is the biggest issue.
Oh, it's probably smart to say that this baby was a 60 GB launch model, right from day 1. It's a system I absolutely cherish, but now I'm afraid that if I send it in, they will give me a different model. Which is fine, but the real crunch pertains to all my save data, which I refuse to do all over again!
I contemplated on purchasing a newer, slim model, but the lady at Sony Customer Service told me that if I swap the HDD that is in my broken PS3 and insert it into the new PS3, the new PS3 would automatically reformat the Harddrive, literally effacing all that invested time.
In essence, I'm rather confused or hesitant about which course of action to take. Have any of you guys faced such situations and what did you do? From now on, I will regularly back-up my hard drive. Learning sucks!
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