Next Gen Systems

[The_Vampire:Spider]

What do you guys/gals want to see for the next step of systems?

I heard rumors and stuff dont know the concrete facts buy I here sony is going to put out a 500+ system and xbox 2 will have no internal hard drive http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/frown.gif. Nintendo well I havent heard much about Nintendos next gen other than they want it out before the others.

[dperceful]

hmmmmm....alot of rumors out there right now....when E3 hits or the Japan Gaming Show in the fall we might get more solid facts than fiction.

I think the PS2 has a strong foothold on the market, and that will allow it to stay ahead of the game. it's not the console that makes you the leader, it's the games....and right now since sony is the leader developers tend to stick with it. It's next gen console really needs to be easier to develop for out of the gate....that's all i heard from people i know in the industry and everything i read....it was a little difficult to develop games for and sony didn't offer up alot of help. I think now on the ps2 we are seeing games and developers really squeeze the juice out of the ps2, games like Killzone, GT4, MGS Snake Eater, etc are showcasing the ps2 power. it's now starting to get it's online legs with FF, Resident Evil, Socom, etc....i think online has big potential, but sony leaves is up to the developers to do the online stuff and host it, which i think is a big mistake by sony, but i understand their reasoning. I think the ps3 needs to be very strong out of the box, some very stong launch titles, an internal HD would be nice for memory storage and media, a true online community (like sony imagined it) would be cool, downloadable content, voice and visual recognition games (eye toy and headset stuff), online out of the box, and a strong and reasonable price point (i'm thinking $299 again, i would hope cheaper but i'll be realistic)

Xbox, well i don't own one. definitely the most powerful pc...errrrrr console on the block, and i think it really has the potential to really challenge ps2. games like ninja gaiden, halo, crimson skies, etc really show off the cool games an xbox has that make you want to go out and buy one. i think microsoft needs to go out and really get some solid games....a solid platformer would be nice.....plus an identifiable mascot. but we are talking about the next console. xbox2, obvisously will want to be the strongest kid on the block to keep that selling point theirs, i think an HD is necessary for them (that was what set them apart), a strong online presence (i think they won't have any problems with that), voice and visual recognition games, strong must have games, some interesting peripherals. i think xbox needs to concentrate on the games, they obviously will have the hardware.

Nintendo.....ugh. I own a Gamecube....and it's just sad how few good titles there are for it. There's Metroid, Zelda, and others...but really it is lacking in games. I look at Sony's library and look at Nintendo's....it's just sad. Gamecube is pretty strong graphics wise.....i think for the next round it really needs to rethink itself. I'm thinking a retro shout out to the old school gamers and a overall reworking of it's image for the new generation of gamers. It's a fun console with the 4 port hook up, party games are a necessity for it. With their staples like Mario and Zelda it needs to develop new ones as well for the years to come, or honestly they will go the way of the Dreamcast. It needs to get online (yes it has Phantasy Star...but who plays it online)....online Pokemon duels would be cool. I've seen the cartoon a few times...a community where you travel and battle Pokemon masters from around the world could be cool. Also hunting down new Pokemon...this could be cool....every new month or so new Pokemon are released into the game....keeping the interest in the game. It also needs to get grown up, games like Resident Evil are nice...but it needs a Grand Theft Auto, Driver, something for the grown ups. I think DVD would be nice...not a necessity....but everyone else does it so you should have it.

I think for all 3 next generation consoles a concentration on developing and actively investing in new games is a must. Not just new game titles, but games that offer a whole new type of gameplay....originality in games is lacking right now. Price points for all of the new systems need to be competitive and reasonable, the same with games....$50 is steep.....I understand everyone needs their cut of the money....but $30 is more reasonable. Online communities are a nice addition to any console...it just opens up the gameplay and lifespan of the game. It's nice to talk to gamers who, have lives outside of video games, but enjoy a good discussion about games and the genre. Oh yeah, a good super hero game on any console would be great....i would love a marvel or dc online universe...be your favorite hero or villain. i think a developer needs to tackle the comic rights and try something with it. With City of Heroes coming out in a month or so, it could show you how or not how to do it. With that said....in a few months the E3 show will go down and we will get to see alot more info on the PS3, Xbox2 (or Next), PSP, Nintendo DS, and whatever the new Gamecube will be.

dan

[The Xenos]

Well first, my fellings on teh current big three. I have a Playstation 2 and love it. I like Sony and I like their product.

At the same time my roomate is a rabid Nintendo fan and I really love what Nintendo stands for. Plus they got the excellent characters and their games, while not as man as Sony, tend to be more solid and better created. By this I mean they may not ahve as many, but the ones they put out they make sure are good.

And then.. there's X-Box. I HATE X-Box. I cannot stand Microsoft's bid into the gaming market. And I hate that every system they sell they are losing money (at least for some period of time this was true) and if it wasn't for a large monopoly run by the richest man in the world (I belive he jsut recently beat his way to #1 in Forbes or something), this system by all right should be dead. I see no reason to buy and X-Box if I got a decent PC.

As for Next Gen.. well I'm rooting for Sony and Nintendo equally. While I"m not a fan of online console multiplay, I understand there is a huge market for it.

I know Nintendo is sorely lacking in it now and I hope they can do a good job in it. At the same time I find Nintendo has the best offline multiplay. With stuff like Mario Kart and Smash Brothers, you can beat getting four friends together and playing it in the same room. I hope that continues.

Antoher thing about Nintendo, which I read in a pro-Nintendo editorial my rooamte sent me was that they had characters that stay fresh. Mario, Samus, Link. After almost 20 years they're still kicking. Name me some Sony characters that are? Even Lara Croft is pretty well dead. (Well maybe Solid Snake, but he found his way back to Nintendo also.) Nintendo is like DC in that they have these icons in some of their games that are always good. Heck, I think they maintain their icons better than DC/Warner.

Now if only they can make an adult looking Link game. Although I think Windwaker was excellent and the graphics were amazing, I still want a more realistic looking Zelda game. I got a feeling the new Nintendo system will deliver that, because Zelda games always firmly secure their new systems.

No clue on what Playstation is doing. As along as they ahve some sort of new Metal Gear Solid game.. I'll be happy.

As for release dates.. I think Nintendo was trying to get it out early, but my roomate heard they have pushed it back so they all may come out about the same time.

My roomate has been keeping up on the forthcoming console wars. He mainly sees it as a Nintendo fan, but he also is faithful to Playstation. He has a feelings things are gonna get nasty. I'd ask him for more info and clarifacation, but he's at work now, so I hope to check back alter with more.

And I'll second that call to bump games down to $30. I think they would sell much more. I think even DVDs have dropped in price better than games. Although there are some games are dropping in prices, the main ones and big sellers are still around $50. Then agian some excellent ones like Beyond Good & Evil were dropped to $20 due to poor sales.


Oh and there's another next gen system war.. the handhelds. You got Sony with their PSP and Nintendo coming out with a next gen GBA as well as a side project of a dual screen GBA. There are so many rumors about them, I have no clue how they're gonna come out. And then there's teh N-Gage... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Sorry, had to mention it for laughs.

-Xenos

[dperceful]

you have to love the next few months of games for the ps2....RE:Outbreak, Fight Night, Red Dead Revolver, Transformers, and just alot more....my Gamefly queue is stacked up....alot of great stuff coming up.

It will be interesting to see the PSP, hopefully E3 will shed some more light on the device. Of course there is that new convention in NY in the fall, maybe see some actual games for it then...i'm interested to see the quality of games on the device. The GBA is a monster handheld...sony will be hard pressed to dent the market...but they definitely have the ability to.

I agree with Xenos' comments on the Xbox....while i respect it as a game system....i do not respect Microsoft coming in as an economic juggernaut buying up developers and demanding exclusive deals. It's sad they are just shelling out the product on a loss everytime just to try and take over the market. I go where the games are, and right now thats PS2.

dan

[The_Vampire:Spider]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by The Xenos:
<B>Now if only they can make an adult looking Link game. Although I think Windwaker was excellent and the graphics were amazing, I still want a more realistic looking Zelda game. I got a feeling the new Nintendo system will deliver that, because Zelda games always firmly secure their new systems.

-Xenos</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Right there if they did that and that alone it could bring them back from the dead. If they launch their next system with it it will fly high even if they just put it on the cube sales will double everyone on across all the systems love link and want to see that soul caliber version of him in his own game.

(LOL n-gage)

[dperceful]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by The_Vampire:Spider:
<B>link and want to see that soul caliber version of him in his own game.

(LOL n-gage)

</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

yeah an adult version of link is very cool...it's the reason i have soul calibur on my GC and not PS2 (i still would like to have spawn though). however wind waker was a very cool game....i was against the cel shading...but once i played that game, i loved it. an alternate take on the series is a great way to revive it, look at metroid prime....that game is alot of fun....multiplayer deathmatch would be very nice.

n-gage....now that's a company losing money on every unit. who wants to pay $300 for a teribble handheld and a stupid barely works cell phone. anyone?

dan

[The_Vampire:Spider]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dperceful:
<B> n-gage....now that's a company losing money on every unit. who wants to pay $300 for a teribble handheld and a stupid barely works cell phone. anyone?

dan</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ohh ohh me I ll take to there small. http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/rolleyes.gif Yeah that whole system is a waste. Even though I do have a ps2 i still bad mouth sony to death I m I like you guys are with xbox but to sony I give it respect but still dislike it. The psp I doubt that will go far besides arnt most of sonys best games signed out to Nintendo for the gb right now?

[dperceful]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by The_Vampire:Spider:
Even though I do have a ps2 i still bad mouth sony to death I m I like you guys are with xbox but to sony I give it respect but still dislike it. The psp I doubt that will go far besides arnt most of sonys best games signed out to Nintendo for the gb right now?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

well i just saw a movie from the GDC on the PSP software...it looked like an original game, Death Jr (http://www.gamespot.com/psp/action/deathjr/screenindex.html). Looks pretty impressive...the graphics look more PS2 than PSone. Sony has the ability to really dent the GBA's grasp on the handheld market. I think GBA or the DS they have coming out will have trouble holding onto the top spot just on the history of Sony....they know how to topple a giant. If the PSP will also play DVD's and put out PS2 like graphics.....and give a price point of $199.....I'm in on the bandwagon.

And I see your point on the PS2....I think Sony has to be careful not to become a Microsoft-like juggernaut. They can be an industry leader, but they need to keep that cool edge and not seem like a monopoly. And I really do wish developers would squeeze the PS2 for it graphic abilities...if Hideo Kojima can make MGS look as good as it does then why not everyone else. Xbox definitely has the graphics edge, and alot of gamers like that....me I'm a gameplay guy.

dan

[The Xenos]

My roomate was just telling me about what he's heard about PS3. He says Sony is going for this whole home entertainment center thing. They're gonna ahve DVD capabilities, game capabilities, a HD, connectability ot PSP, picture storage, and maybe even something like a Tivo. Meh. I hope all that is optional. I jsut want a game system.

-Xenos

[dperceful]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by The Xenos:
<B>My roomate was just telling me about what he's heard about PS3. He says Sony is going for this whole home entertainment center thing. They're gonna ahve DVD capabilities, game capabilities, a HD, connectability ot PSP, picture storage, and maybe even something like a Tivo. Meh. I hope all that is optional. I jsut want a game system.

-Xenos</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


that was what Sony wanted the PS2 to be in the first place. it sounds similar to the PSX. as long as they have a competitve price point i'll be happy.

dan

[The Xenos]

Oh and as for people saying they want less kiddy games for their Gamecube.. they are out there.

I belive the new Resident Evil game (the new non-online one) is ocming to Gameube only because it was tailor made to work pushing the GC's hardware to the max.

Also in the works from Capcom, a game my friends have been wating for, is Killer 7. Shots and latest details here: http://www.the-magicbox.com/Mar04/game032304f.shtml
It's not quite cel shaded.. but the rendering of the game is different and lends a noirish feel. Plus some shots I've seen make it look bloody as hell. (and eys one killer pesonality is named Kevin Smith.)

And spekaing of hell, a game you may have missed is Eternal Darkness. A creepy Lovecraftian story which has you playing a number of characters fighting an anhient evil trhough the ages. My roomates loves the game and it scares the crap outta him. Plus there's a cool thing of a sanity meter and weird crap starts happening once you start losing your sanity. Bwaa haa haa.

I know there are more, but those are the main adult GC titles that come to mind.

-Xenos

[The_Vampire:Spider]

Yeah they are out there just few in numbers.

Ohh yeah just read something the other day about the GBA DS one of the screens might have touch sensibility, like a pda.

[dperceful]

Yeah, eternal darkness was a good game, so was metroid, and the RE's i've never been a big fan of...but they were redone well, and RE4 looks very cool.

Killer 7 looks very good...seen some stuff on it for a few weeks now....i agree it's cool looking.

i just think the GC could use a few more mature titles....really the GC could use more titles period.

dan

[The_Vampire:Spider]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dperceful:
<B>

i just think the GC could use a few more mature titles....really the GC could use more titles period.

dan</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Agree with you there 110%

In semi related news, Nintendo will be rerelasing a bunch on NES classics on to the GBA, and making a GBA SP that looks similar to the old NES controler, really its just some stickers.

And in they're second dumbest move ever, they are making a limited edition GBA SP Virtual Boy, will play all GBA/GB games in RED, also with that release there will be the few games that were released on the craptacular system for the game.
Ok now I read this yesturday April1st, first thought was this has got to be an april fools joke but the article is still up and doesnt state it is a joke, has some joking remarks but that what the origianl VB was a joke. I dont know who thought this was a good idea. I m still hopeing I will read that this is just a joke , please some one tell me I m just taking this to seriously.

[The Xenos]

I think I heard friends talking about that article too, but I was pretty sure they said it was a April Fools gag.

Anyway, as for if the Gamecube, or any system needs more games.. I disagree. Now I'm a more casual gamer, but I have been getting into games again. Going to the store, I keep am shocked and a bit angry that there are too damn many games I need ot play. Hell, I still got a crap load of PS2 games I haven't finished. (Supid magma spider.) Plus even a couple Gamecube ones I bought cheap. Not to mention my GBA which I should play more.

My roomate with a Gamcube is quite conent and looking at the shelves I see many PS2 and GC games that look good. Yet i don't ahv ethe money ro time for them. Hell, I was looking a PC games and even the short multiplayer ones like UT.. well not only is ther a money issue, but gosh damn they take up motherlaods of harddrive space. So I can certainly not take too many of those at least not without going for a new HD or something.

Plus I'm kinda lucky I'm not a big RPG fan. Just think of the time those suckers take.

Anyway, I'll take a select nubmer of games done well over too many any day.

-Xenos

[dperceful]

i agree with you xenos...there are alot of games out there deserving my attention...but i usually just choose the ones i really have been excited about it. i try and stay away from online games....one i don't have the time, usually....and i'm always afraid i'll get sucked into them and become too involved in the game. Of course with City of Heroes coming out soon i might have to rethink that. and with UT2004 fresh on my PC there is just not enough time in the day for my ass to be kicked.

yeah, i guess i see where your coming from on the GC games....i guess it's just the GC doesn't have as many must-have games on my list as the ps2 and PC have.

you know what's scary....this post might actually get enough posts to be on fire...is that a video game first.

dan

[The_Vampire:Spider]

I know what you mean by not finishing games, alot of times when I have the extra cash I ll pick up a game or two then with school and work I dont ever have time to finish, across all my systems. I got Tomb Raider AOD about a month ago not done, Rainbow Six 3 Xbox, Ninja Gaiden Xbox, Final Fantasy Tactics GBA, then on the GC I have about 3 diff game all not finished.

I hope the virtual boy thing is a gag cause that is just wrong.

RPGs do take a while to finish, but really they are the most satisfying to beat and make it seem like the money spent was worth it. Online games I havent been able to get into much either still on a modem, but I have plaied Halo on lan and that is serious fun.

I think I ve bounced my ramblings off topic a bit much so heres a question to bring us back slightly, we have all this talk about next gen for xbox ps2 and gc but what about the pc, alot of pc companies are making computers just for gaming. I only really know of two Alien ware and dell has some good units out. How is computer gaming going to keep up with the consols?

(As for the topic being on fire, can we really count it it has only been us three on the topic http://www.comics2film.com/UBB/tongue.gif )