The nintendo Wii

[Vince Twelve]

It's like somebody is saying 'The Wii is made from butter' and the other person is saying 'no stupid, it's made from plastic, silicone and metal bits, gosh, get your facts straight!'.

This coming from the red baron of the forums...  I would probably reply in just such a manner to such a silly statement.  You could look at it this way: we're helping Tim by teaching him a few things before he embarasses himself in a less anonymous way.

And Timlump, you do know that the Wii has built in WiFi, something not present in the other consoles except for the pricier PS3 model (correct me if I'm wrong) and that the DS has been quite popular for online play via WiFi, right?

It's true that none of the launch titles have connectivity because nintendo was still finalizing their system while the games were being finished, but like the DS, tons of online titles will be coming in the next wave of games.  The online service won't be as robust as XBOX live, but at least you won't have to pay.

It's also true that Nintendo hasn't embraced online play until the DS, but can't you forgive them for a past mistake, can't you?

[Helm]

Somebody's always gonna make the begged statement, it's been me sometimes, sometimes somebody else. It's just the en-masse thing that sorta alarms me. I understand liking games a lot (I like games a lot!) but swearing allegience to a console is like saying you're really into your Panasonic CD player.

[Vince Twelve]

I don't see anyone here swearing allegience to a console.  I did, however, see someone summarily dismissing one for several ill-informed reasons.  Perhaps the en masse approach will help him see how silly his assertions sound.

And regarding the Panasonic CD player comparison, the difference is that CDs are CDs.  They will work on any CD player by any manufacturer.  In the arena of game consoles, people will often throw themselves behind one console because the games (well, some games) will be different for each console.  If the console that I own is providing the kind of enjoyment I expect, then I've made a good purchase.  If the console than I own is popular, with high sales around the globe, more developers will be attracted to the platform and it will be more likely that the console will provide the kind of enjoyment I expect.  Not everyone can afford to buy every console, so they want to make their console the best.

I'd expect you'd see similar arguments if there were some differences and incompatibilities between Panasonic CDs, Sony CDs, and Victor CDs.  My CD player is the best one!

However, I'm not seeing a high degree of rabid fanboy(girl)ish actions here.  Just people righting the many ill-informed statements of another.

[modgeulator]

... swearing allegience to a console is like saying you're really into your Panasonic CD player.

You must never have had any run-ins with audiophiles. 

[ManicMatt]

Most games come out on multiple formats, so I buy the best format suited for each game.

Like, a Burnout game I'd get on the PS2, as one of the X-box versions wouldn't let you change the controls, and holding down the trigger to accelerate for hours on end f*cks my finger up.

But a splinter Cell game, I'd get on X-box, for the nice graphics. (I would have said PC, but the new PC one comes with a shedloads of bugs in it, requiring more patches than Edward Scissorhand's blow up doll.)

And of course, some games are better on the PC for mods. Like Half life 2.

[Meowster]

Somebody's always gonna make the begged statement, it's been me sometimes, sometimes somebody else. It's just the en-masse thing that sorta alarms me. I understand liking games a lot (I like games a lot!) but swearing allegience to a console is like saying you're really into your Panasonic CD player.

The person doing that here most is timlump.

I'm not loyal to any console. I want them all. I can see advantages to each one. Granted, I am most excited about the Wii right now because of the control system, and because it's out over here in two weeks.

timlump is determined to put the Wii down in any way possible. I don't know how you're drawing your 'marketer' conclusion when we're all discussing the Wii in a thread about the Wii in a forum about video games.... but if we're acting like marketers, then so is he. Because he's putting just as much effort into putting the Wii down, as we are into talking about it.

As for swearing allegience to CDs... I've met people who swear allegience to certain MP3 players, which is probably a better example. If somebody came here a posted in a thread about iPods, saying that iPods are rubbish because you can only put ten MP3s on them and they break loads and cost £600 and encourage cocaine usage and the battery runs out in ten minutes... even though I don't particularly like iPods, i would set them right. If people are going to give an opinion about something, I expect them to know what they're talking about. And if not, then I expect them to be set straight so that next time, they'll think twice before posting uninformed opinions.

I don't understand what your issue is with us correcting timlump. I think you're being a little too sensitive.


....heheh we're talking about next gen MM but yes, that reminds me... there won't be an awful lot of PS3 exclusives to start with. The only one I can think of right now is the next Metal Gear Solid... so I should be able to hold off buying a PS3 until the price drops a little.

[Helm]

First of all I can bet that a similar thread in say... gamefaqs fora would probable explode my face. Most people here are being very civilized, I'm not saying it's degenerating to grunting or anything.

I'm also not saying Timlump is all informed-opinions all the time or anything.

I tried to think of how to phrase my objection finally, and I guess it is more or less this: I find it really odd that people have strong opinions (either for or against) about video game consoles. I realize it shouldn't bother me as much as it does. People assign meaning to cultural objects and some connections I find more odd than others. I don't particularily object to someone wearing a band t-shirt. But someone wearing a nintendo t-shirt it just rubs me the wrong way. It's somewhere in the middle of the scale, with Obscure Band that Only Put Out a Demo on one end, and Coke Cola on the other.

Probably my problem only.

[Vince Twelve]

I think a lot of people our age look at gaming more as part of their cultural upbringing rather than some greedy corporate entity.  Much as we view a band as a cool group of guys and/or gals who make music, not as a bunch of guys in suits and ties stealing all the money from said guys and/or gals and forcing proprietary formats upon their customers.

[Helm]

But it's sort of impossible to look at the huge marketing machine on full effect this period and think that about gaming. I haven't bought a console since the Mega Drive, and I'm a it detached, but especially Sony with the PS3 is just hilariously here's-my-angle-if-you-don't-like-it-I-have-another about it. I find a lot about the Nintendo marketing campaign annoying as well. Let's not talk about Bill Gates at all.

So there's industry wars right now. And we people are somehow playing a predestined part, isn't it so?

[CaptainBinky]

I don't know. People whinge because gaming is viewed as geeky. Then Nintendo spend a lot of money marketing their console to a more mainstream audience and people whinge about that too. Cut them some slack, they're only trying to sell their consoles.

[Snake]

If I were to make a console, I'd definately go the cell phone root to get sales:
Not only will you be able to play games, surf the web, watch movies and get an mp3 player built in, but it'll also play fetch with your dog, masturbate you, clean your room, make you dinner, do your homework, scratch your balls and wipe your ass.
Oh yeah, baby, oh yeah.


--Snake

[LimpingFish]

I don't think this has been about swearing allegience to a console, or console manufacturer  (something which, as Helm stated, is rightly annoying), but rather just an annoyance with someone dismissing something in such an ill-informed manner.

Nintendo don't have a right to expect any loyalty from me, nor Sony or Microsoft. I won't buy their consoles out of some deep religious desire to appease them. I'll do what I always do, and buy the console which is home to the most games that I want to play. That's the way it's been for the last three generations, and that's how it will be for this one. With one difference...

Nintendo is offering us something new with Wii. Nothing life-changing or anything, just an opportunity to interact with our hobby in a new way. That, in my book, gives them an early lead over the PS3 (and XBOX 360), just by the very nature of what the Wii is. Different.

[ManicMatt]

My money will probably be spent on a PS3. The 360 just doesn't have enough exclusive titles of interest to me to get so far, and the x-box only lasted me about a year compared to the 5-6 (?) year lifespan of my PS2. (In terms of games AND durability)

The wii looks fun, but I suspect I couldn't play an RPG all day on it, if I indeed have to hold my arm up all day? I'm glad light gun games only last a couple of hours, and they're knackering! Not just the trigger pressing, but holding my arm out foward.

I look at all the unique games I've played on PS2, the Helm-Hated Japenese RPGs, the quirky
novel games like Mr Mosquito (self explanotory I'd think), and the game where you had to survive earthquakes and rescue people (SOS: the escape), and the fun I had using the eyetoy to make videos before I got my PC. Oh! And the music makers.

So although I'm not "loyal" to Sony - How could I be when I own an xbox? - I do base previous games on which next gen console to buy.

ALTHOUGH!! Now I have a PC I am less inclined to buy next gen than I would have been before.

[Meowster]

My money will probably be spent on a PS3. The 360 just doesn't have enough exclusive titles of interest to me to get so far, and the x-box only lasted me about a year compared to the 5-6 (?) year lifespan of my PS2. (In terms of games AND durability)

It's funny you say that. I don't know about Xbox, but there seem to be VERY few PS3 exclusive titles... not even Final Fantasy mind you that's probably only for release...

I was worried about playing RPGs on the wii, too. You know, about getting tired and stuff. There's a Penny Arcade comic that broaches that subject though... apparently it's no more tiring than using a controller. hopefully that's true!

I agree though, that there are probably gonna be some excellent PS3 exclusives in the future... like Shadow of the Colossus etc on PS2... nyum nyum...

[LimpingFish]

I still say this generation only came about at this time because Microsoft perceived the XBOX to be a failure (in Japan), and wanted to shoot their next-gen wad the quickest this time.

The XBOX 360 is still a failure in Japan, by an even bigger deficit than the original XBOX, so are Microsoft going to try again in two years time?

Someone once said "Without Japan, there is no XBOX." They were right to a point, seeing as the XBOX never got the larger Japanese franchises which have been jostling for space on the PS2. It did well in the states, and middling to good in Europe. Didn't seem to be enough for Microsoft though. Will it be enough this time?

[Vince Twelve]

The XBOX 360 is going to get a major boost in the Japanese market with the release of Sakaguchi's two new RPGs.  The first one out of the gate, Blue Dragon, looks like the generic Final Fantasy fare which the Japanese gamers crave so much, but it also looks like it's trying to appeal to kids.  They're selling a 360/Blue Dragon bundle that has already pre-sold out apparently...

So maybe we won't be seeing the XBOX 720 for five more years...

[ManicMatt]

It's funny you say that. I don't know about Xbox, but there seem to be VERY few PS3 exclusive titles... not even Final Fantasy mind you that's probably only for release...

I'm not sure which ones are launch titles or not.. but Genji 2 is probably PS3 exclusive (You must have heard about the crab boss fiasco?) and Killzone 2 must be. Metal Gear Solid 4? ZOE3? Devil May Cry 4?  (ALL sequels hahahahahaha)

X-box 720? Nah, it'll be called X-box TRANSDIMENSIONAL, or X-box PERFECT CIRCLE.

[timlump]

I'll shut up about the Wii now but i have been reading up on it and the IGN podcast refered to the Nunchuks as Thumbchuks, I'm not an idiot who assumes everything i read up on everything I say although the information may be somewhat out of date compared to newer information released, forgive me if I have pissed off and users but you must admit 5.5 on gamespot for red steel is diappointing (I really liked the look of that game)

Ok, thats the last of my Wii-bashing.
Adios.

[Etcher Squared Games]

I've not kept up too much with this thread, but I wanted to give my input.
I've owned a Wii since Sunday 9:36am.  I waited in line a whole 5 minutes.  I hit that very lucky.

Anyway, I love it.  I only bought zelda which I haven't really started since I'm going to be gone for the next week.  So, mostly I've been playing the built in sports.

Granted the graphics are simplistic, but man I'm really enjoying it.  Especially the baseball.  It is really a lot of fun being able to actually swing at the ball.   I even figured out how to bunt. I don't think that was intended, but I can do it. 

Basicaly, I'm having a blast with the system and I see a LOT of potential so long as they don't make the "new  cool" remote the center of attention. 

I am happy with it......Very happy

[Domino]

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but there will be a regular controller for the Wii also. I have seen pictures of it in my gaming magazines. It is basically a remodeled Super Nintendo controller with 2 analog sticks. So i am guessing not every game will be using the remote controller. Just wanted to let everyone know.

Shawn