Recent Comments:
Microsoft: Online behavior reducing sales {Xbox 360 Fanboy}
Apr 3rd 2008 10:07PM Completely agree. This is the bitter thing about the way Live is. I've met some great people and had some fun, interesting conversations over games of Catan, Carcassonne, Backgammon, even the sports games. But it's just gotten so bad. And it's to the point where people, by default, don't bother with the mic because they assume everyone is an asshat. And so there goes the social aspect of Live, what really made it cool, IMHO.
Not much longer before it just becomes a SP machine for me or I just get a PS3 and move on and consider the moments where I got to play with cool people to be worth the price I paid for the period of time I had the system.
Already talking in the past tense... :(
Microsoft: Online behavior reducing sales {Xbox 360 Fanboy}
Apr 3rd 2008 9:28PM I won't repost what I recently wrote on the subject, but I recently sold Halo 3. And I considered not renewing Live because a lot of the fun of Live has been killed by people who act this way. This is a real problem, imho.
http://www.gamerswithjobs.com/node/38385
Disgaea: Afternoon of Comparing Screenshots {DS Fanboy}
Mar 28th 2008 3:57PM I'm so excited for this. I've been waiting to play this and can only really find the time to play it portably and don't consider the PSP an option because of cost and the fact that I can't just toss it in a backpack, close/open the lid, etc. Awesome.
Gamerscore cheaters get punished and branded {Xbox 360 Fanboy}
Mar 25th 2008 11:40AM @GamerDeity
Here is why it's a problem. Microsoft won't admit it, because achievements have (like it or not) become part of the 360 experience and part of why some people like to play games. I am indifferent, for the most part, but I have to admit it's pretty cool to pull something off in Crackdown and just know it for your own sake.
Anyway, achievements are here to stay. Why it's a problem is because some of the achievements actually break games. I don't think Microsoft cares if someone goes and gets King Kong and blitzes the achievements. I think what they really care about are people who go onto MP games with friends and try to create scenarios where they can get achievements. That ruins things for the rest of us who think we're jumping into a normal game only to find ourselves jumping into a game where people are trying just to get achievements.
Sadly, I don't think this fixes the whole problem. The other part of the problem is that games like Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3 have in-game rewards aside from achievements that entice these same gamers to do things like take turns killing each other for EXP and stuff like that.
N+ creators stand behind their anti-XBLA rant {Xbox 360 Fanboy}
Mar 24th 2008 2:21PM XBLA is the linchpin for me as well. Were it not for XBLA the only non-shooters I would be left to play that were 360 specific would be Viva Pinata and Lost Odyssey. Skate I could play on a PS3. If I had a PS3 that was BC I would have access to a wealth of unique, original games. I feel the 360 lacks these and XBLA closes the gap enough that I don't get wandering eyes for the PS3 or even re-purchasing a PS2.
That said, the games I enjoy on the XBLA are still limited. I own Geometry Wars, Castlevania, Catan, Carcassonne, Pac-Man: CE, Rez HD and a few others. Oh, and soon N+. For me the garbage to quality ration is far too high in favor of the garbage.
Dreamfall now available as an Xbox Original {Xbox 360 Fanboy}
Mar 24th 2008 1:46PM My biggest problem with XBox Originals is that I'm disconnected from Live when playing a BC game. And part of why I prefer the 360 and solely game on the 360 is because at any moment a friend could see me online (or visa versa) and we could jump into a game of Halo (Forge FTW), play some Burnout, play a game of Carcassonne, etc. If you're playing a BC game you're essentially offline and you lose this ability to spontaneously get a game together with friends.
Give Smash Bros. Brawl a voice ... with Xbox Live {Xbox 360 Fanboy}
Mar 11th 2008 2:41AM How sad this is for Nintendo. Microsoft's online service is so superior that Wii gamers have to use a 360 to get an adequate gameplay experience online with the Wii. Wow.
Microsoft toying with the idea of a Games for Windows Marketplace {Xbox 360 Fanboy}
Mar 7th 2008 11:41AM There's already a system that covers this and everything Live for Windows tries to do. It's called Steam.
SCEA's Steinberg: Sony will lead the way {PS3 Fanboy}
Mar 7th 2008 11:31AM I hope he's right. I like the idea of the lead console for this gen lasting longer than 5 years. That said, I mostly play 360 right now because that's what I can play against / with my friends and it currently has the games I want to play. It's much too shooter-centric for my liking, though, so if the PS3 could take the lead and my friends could be found playing that instead, I'd be happy to buy one. I'd love to have the chance to play LBP, the next Team Ico game, etc. These are games of a type and quality that just don't get made for the XBox. Even our Katamari bites.
I gamed a lot on the PS2 last gen. And all of that said, my biggest worry is that he sounds a lot like Microsoft last gen. Microsoft kep pushing the argument of the graphics. And in the end they could never overtake the PS2. And right now the Wii is beating the 360. So I don't think you can make the graphics argument and sell the system on that alone. I think you need a stronger online community and a smoother online experience (i.e. XMB enhancements). The better argument regarding the 360 vs. PS3 hardware-wise is that one of them is an investment in gaming that you won't have to make again in a couple years. That will eventually become the tie-breaker, I think, once the online component and the games Library catch up to Microsoft.
GDC08: Dennis Dyack is worried about GDC {Xbox 360 Fanboy}
Feb 25th 2008 2:19PM Please resist the urge to pile on Dyack. He has a valid point. E3 died of its own excesses and thankfully so. I'd love it if GDC were more about developers and development.
