Author Topic: Fight the Future (Read 7240 times)

Glorb · « **on:** January 03, 2007, 01:50:02 PM »

First things first: 1,000 nerd points to anyone who gets the joke in the title of this thread. But on to a more important matter; I am the proud owner of both a PS2 and GameCube, along with a bunch of old systems. I am beginning to grudgingly admit that both are beginning to wither away (the GameCube much faster, unfortunately), and to keep with the times, I'm gonna have to get a next-gen (or, as it's now called, current-gen) system. I've gotten over the fact that the PS3 and 360 are crazy-expensive, but one thing still bothers me: game formats. And no, I'm not talking about Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD or whatever.

Back in 1995, the PlayStation changed the world, more or less, by being the first hugely popular CD-based console. CDs were easier, cheaper and faster to manufacture, and were less bulky and more standardized than cartridges. I was born in '92, so I grew up with both CDs and cartridges, neither of which I had a preference for. As time went on, I became more partial to those little silvery discs, like pretty much everyone else, and now they're used for pretty much everything. But one thing I'm NOT ready for is downloadable content.

I have two main problems with downloadable content. First of all, this will, and already has, lead to developers shipping mostly incomplete games (i.e., one or two multiplayer maps, no cars in racing games, etc.) for $50 or $60, and then offering the missing stuff for $5 when, back in the day, we would've gotten all that for free (not counting the $30 for the game, of course). Totally optional stuff like the Nights of the Nine and horse armor crap in Oblivion is fine with me, since I'd never download it, but if I bought an FPS with no weapons or a racing game with no cars, I'd feel really ripped off.

The other problem is that, and this might seem absolutely crazy, not all people have Internet connections. Furthermore, not all people have broadband (or Wi-Fi or whatever...I'm not getting into that again) connections, which is neccessary for downloading the content. This means that people out in Hicksville, Kansas could walk home with a $60 game that's missing fundamental content and not be able to play it at all, or at least not with the stuff other people would have.

So, in short, I don't know what to do. No matter what console I get, downloadable content is most likely going to be a neccessity, and I'm not exactly rich. The future of gaming is looking pretty bleak, in my opinion.

Mr. Wiggles · « **Reply #1 on:** January 03, 2007, 01:59:26 PM »

Downloadable content is overrated.

High speed internet isn't, unfortunately.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #2 on:** January 04, 2007, 12:25:21 PM »

The incomplete game problem is, I hope, not representative of the whole gaming future. That's just lazy developers who should be removed from game development.
On the other side of your argument, however, people in "Hicksville" may have a broadband internet connection, and in some cases there are whole games downloadable via the internet, and those people may not like driving to the nearest store when they can just download a game. And I can't be sure about this, but it makes sense to me that if they have enough money to buy a current-gen system, they would have enough to maintain a broadband connection, unless they lived in an area incapable of supporting one.
I don't particularly favor "downloadable content", but it is good for some things. But I think you're vastly overestimating its part in all this at this point in time.
Eventually, I think most games will be downloadable, however. I don't really like this either.

Glorb · « **Reply #3 on:** January 04, 2007, 03:02:29 PM »

I think you're missing my point: There are a small percentage of people, whether they're in Hicksville or Silicon Valley, that, somehow, who don't have any Internet access, either because of the circumstances they live in, or just because they don't want to. This makes it impossible for them to "fill in" the missing content for their games. For example, the new Gran Turismo coming out for PS3 has only a handfull of cars and tracks, and you're expected to buy the rest. I mean, this, in the future, could escalate to the point where huge chunks of the game (say, parts of the city in a GTA game) can only be unlocked if you pay for it, or even where every single game everywhere must be downloaded. What if we stop playing the games, and the games plays us (like in Soviet Russia), directly linking our precious brainmeats into a gigantic Overlord-Computer and forcing us to be its zombie slaves?

On a lighter note, I see no one's figured out my in-joke. Am I that nerdy?

The Chef · « **Reply #4 on:** January 04, 2007, 07:10:02 PM »

I'm kind of hoping that the future will bring us something like this: www.nintendoon.com

Yes, it's old, but it's still a good concept.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #5 on:** January 04, 2007, 07:10:45 PM »

And Glorb, I think you're missing the first thing I said in my last post.
P.S. I know the topic title. And I don't even know why.

Glorb · « **Reply #6 on:** January 05, 2007, 02:21:34 PM »

Then 1,000 nerd points to you. Don't spend 'em all in one place.

But I think that, as long as downloadable content is absolutely optional and only slightly enhances the game experience (stuff like major new weapons or missions, super-fast cars, and huge new maps should be avoided), and is either free or very cheap, then it's okay. For example, I should be able to play start up a game from the beginning and play it from start to finish without downloading a single set of horse armor or new missions, and not feel like I've missed out on anything.
To be fair, the vast majority of Xbox 360 games are completely fine without downloadable junk, but a lot of PS3 games seem to be practically centered around downloading new maps, weapons, etc. However, I think it's safe to say that the Wii won't suffer from this problem, since the only good Wii games are going to come from Nintendo and they seem pretty indifferent to the issue.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #7 on:** January 05, 2007, 03:01:01 PM »

There are other good Wii games not from Nintendo, and they aren't incomplete either.
And does anyone really care about PS3?

Glorb · « **Reply #8 on:** January 06, 2007, 06:40:29 PM »

What does that mean? Generally, if someone gets shot during the launch of a system, it means at least someone cares about it. Enough to, y'know, shoot someone.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #9 on:** January 07, 2007, 12:49:05 PM »

It means when a new console is on store shelves across the nation without being bought, it looks like people don't really care about it. Is "caring" the right word to describe someone who shoots another guy because they don't have enough money to buy a PS3 themselves?

Glorb · « **Reply #10 on:** January 09, 2007, 12:32:11 PM »

Are you saying no one bought the PS3? So, GameStop, EB Games and Wal-Mart are all out of PS3s and won't get any until March 2089 because no one bought them? And I'd at least say that the guy who shot that guy was at least passionate. But anyway, can we go back on topic? Too many of my threads devolve into arguments...

Note: Don't bring it up, please. I know what your're thinking; don't.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2007, 08:11:37 PM »

Passionate, try insane.
And places have PS3s.

Lizard Dude · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2007, 03:30:13 PM »

The infamous PS3 shooters were not after PS3s! They just demanded money from those in line, like regular gunmen are apt to do. People get this fact wrong often!

There was a separate GameStop armed robbery with no shooting, I believe.

The Chef · « **Reply #13 on:** January 11, 2007, 03:51:20 PM »

The question is, what were they going to buy with the money they stole? ;)

Robert · « **Reply #14 on:** January 11, 2007, 04:50:36 PM »

Quote from: The Chef on January 11, 2007, 03:51:20 PM

The question is, what were they going to buy with the money they stole? ;)

A Nintendo Wii.

Lizard Dude · « **Reply #15 on:** January 11, 2007, 05:04:51 PM »

Nachos. Lots and lots of nachos.

The Chef · « **Reply #16 on:** January 11, 2007, 05:41:07 PM »

Quote from: Robert on January 11, 2007, 04:50:36 PM

A Nintendo Wii.

I don't think Nintendo's consumers are that uncivilized.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #17 on:** January 12, 2007, 10:21:54 AM »

In all seriousness, do people rob people for money in order to buy things?

The Chef · « **Reply #18 on:** January 12, 2007, 03:43:31 PM »

I never really thought about that all the way through. What do they do with the money they steal?

Lizard Dude · « **Reply #19 on:** January 13, 2007, 06:03:20 AM »

Well there's two types. Poor peeps who steal to keep on livin' (like Aladdin) and peeps who steal massive amounts to buy yachts and stuff (like Lex Luthor).

Quote from: The Chef on January 11, 2007, 05:41:07 PM

I don't think Nintendo's consumers are that uncivilized.

I don't think Nintendo's consumers are that cookie-cutter.

DeadAwake · « **Reply #20 on:** January 13, 2007, 09:48:01 AM »

That's a good point: Why buy nachos when you could buy cookies--and the cutters with which to cut them?

Glorb · « **Reply #21 on:** January 13, 2007, 12:19:41 PM »

They were probably just going keep the money for themselves; they'd get caught too easily (and, well, they were) if they went and spent the money immediately on some extravagent stuff. Besides, they never even got the money, you know. They just shot the guy and ran.

Robert · « **Reply #22 on:** January 13, 2007, 09:38:37 PM »

Quote from: The Chef on January 11, 2007, 05:41:07 PM

I don't think Nintendo's consumers are that uncivilized.

Yeah, I just though it'd be a perfect chance to make a joke, but I couldn't think of anything funny, so I just listed something of the top of my head.

AbercrombieBaseball · « **Reply #23 on:** January 14, 2007, 02:02:56 AM »

The world is getting too dependent on the internet. Anyone besides me remember having to load programs onto a hard drive from floppy disks? Before installers when they came with these huge books that told you how to drag each icon to each folder?

Or when your dog could step on a game cartridge and it would still work?

I don't like any sort of CD or related item either. They're slow, they look easy to break, and I can't stand jewel cases. I prefer floppy disks, tapes, and game cartridges. I don't care if I'm stuck in 1991 or something but they just have always worked for me. CDs have caused me lots of headaches--especially on the computer where they are slow and on the Game Cube. That little CD whirrs around so much it makes me nervous. And I didn't like having to buy a memory card when the old games had save built into them. I don't like music CD's because my car can't play them! (I have a tape player)

Lizard Dude · « **Reply #24 on:** January 14, 2007, 02:17:04 AM »

Quote from: Robert on January 13, 2007, 09:38:37 PM

Yeah, I just though it'd be a perfect chance to make a joke, but I couldn't think of anything funny, so I just listed something of the top of my head.

No way, you thought of the funniest response possible. I was typing my post right after when yours went up and I thought to myself, "Robert won this round."

Glorb · « **Reply #25 on:** January 14, 2007, 11:38:36 AM »

AbercrombieBaseball, I feel your pain. I remember the days when you could slide a big tape cartridge into your computer, punch in a command like "C:DOS\run ck1.exe", take out the tape, put a new one in, punch in a command, take out the tape, then put the first one back in, hit play, hear some slidey, whirry noise from the tape while your PC made some scary grinding noises as it digested your commands, and then, if you were lucky, you'd have to manually copy each file to your 2MB hard drive using commands like "C:DOS\c copy ck1.exe games", and then get to play your game after inputting a registration code from your manual. Those were good times. And no, I'm not being sarcastic; those really were good times, because the games were awesome. I've still got a really old (1998) computer, allowing me to play old DOS games without all that hassle.

Chupperson Weird · « **Reply #26 on:** January 14, 2007, 12:07:30 PM »

Don'cha just love data loss?

Glorb · « **Reply #27 on:** January 19, 2007, 10:07:33 AM »

Mm-hmm.

Kirby (cheat wizard) · « **Reply #28 on:** February 01, 2007, 02:49:51 PM »

....
EA is charging people for cheats in the Xbox 360 port of Godfather.

(Jerks.)

Glorb · « **Reply #29 on:** February 01, 2007, 03:06:07 PM »

What? Nu-uh. I'm too lazy to check, but I'm sure they aren't because I've seen button-press codes for the 360 version of The Godfather in various magazines and on the Interweb. It's EA, so they're probably charging for something, but not cheats.

Kirby (cheat wizard) · « **Reply #30 on:** February 01, 2007, 03:16:50 PM »

Alright then I'll go check now...

1st. You don't need to buy all of the cheats.

2nd. They are still button pressing codes, you have to buy them so they work.

3rd. It seems it's also for Tiger Woods 2007...

Glorb · « **Reply #31 on:** February 02, 2007, 03:09:24 PM »

Oh, no...that's horrible. Really. Especially since PS2 players like me get the codes for free. Hahahaha! At least, I would, if I'd gotten the game.