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What video games 2 - TEH MEGATON!!1111!!!!11 etc.

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12:00 / 28.06.04

Oops. Spector. My brain, she no function like she used to. He made the comments about the HUD in an interview in Edge (can't remember which issue off hand). Something like "I always planned for the HUD to look like it was etched onto the player's eye, but that somehow got miscommunicated and the end result wasn't what I wanted. The solution in Invisible War is much closer to my original vision." I'll try and find the exact quote.

As far as consoles not being able to pull off the same things as PCs, the only difference you've pointed out is graphical. Super-high resolutions are all well and good, but they don't change the way that a game plays, and that was what I was talking about. I can't think of any gameplay experience that a PC can provide, but a console can't.

I'm Rick Jones, bitch

12:00 / 28.06.04

I was playing some JSRF/Halo/Splinter Cell on my Xbox last night and the graphics were SEX.

Bare in mind domestic TVs opperate at lover resolutions than VDUs, and that the Xbox doesn't need to run an OS at the same time as a game. Of course a £130 console is going to have less whack under the hood than a £800+ PC.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

12:11 / 28.06.04

I think the thing to remember is it's £130 of pure dedicated gaming whack, as well... wheras a PC (unless something's changed) just isn't (unless you've gone out of your way to make it that way). Well, probably anyway, I'm all out of the loop.

13:28 / 28.06.04

As far as consoles not being able to pull off the same things as PCs, the only difference you've pointed out is graphical.

er...and the memory restrictions and the slow CPU and the lesser FSB speed. As I've said, whilst it is possible to script a game to get around the memory problem, the latter two have a major impact on the software's performance, which, more often than not, impacts upon the gameplay (since aspects of the game either have to be turned off or down or, even worse, aren't included in the first place to ensure a smoothly running program).

This isn't a case of 'my system's better than your system', but it remains a fact that the X-Box has much lower performance capabilities than the majority of current PCs, which can and in many cases does have an effect upon the quality of the game.

In terms of comparative gameplay, exactly what are we talking about when we refer to 'gameplay experience'? I take the term to refer to how well a game entertains me, not just how well it's been programmed or happens to run on any given system. Take, for example, the cross platform (X-Box/PC) game Morrowind. Morrowind is a mammoth beast of a program that runs slowly on pretty much everything that isn't a supercomputer. In terms of gameplay, however, I find the PC version to be richer and more satisfying. The reason is that the X-Box is limited in the areas I've already mentioned, which for me - having played both versions extensively - makes the gameplay less enjoyable. The visuals are less crisp, the game runs slower as a whole, and the sounds are less varied and rich (to say nothing of the PC extra addition of the editor which has resulted in a much bigger and more involved world). For me, the gameplay is superior on the PC simply because it's capable of running the extra features. Bethesda left out several hundred megabytes worth of sound and visual files from the X-Box version as the 64MB memory and 733Mz CPU simply couldn't cope had they been included; a clear example of hardware limitations impacting on gameplay.

As I've said before, I'm not suggesting that the X-Box isn't a system capable of a great deal, but it - like every system - has it's limitations, and those limitations do have an impact of just how much freedom game designers have.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

14:55 / 28.06.04

I think a lot of it is to do with the fact that PCs are more easily upgradeable... the XBox may well have been up there with the best of gaming PCs on release, but with the (financially irritating) constant raising of the bar in PC terms, it just isn't any more. Which is probably why, after two fucking years of waiting, Halo was something of a disappointment on the PC.

To illustrate... last year I bought Unreal II, which looked wonderful. The computer crashed halfway through installation (okay, that's a problem you DON'T get with consoles) and, being something of a Joey when it comes to computery stuff, I had no idea how to change the registry so it'd let me reinstall. A couple of weeks ago I got hold of a program which did that FOR me... I've been enjoying Unreal II ever since, but (after playing Far Cry and stuff like that) I get the impression it would have seemed much better a year ago than it does now.

Anyway... another question. Other than the demo, which I've already played (and which rocks), has anyone played Ground Control II:Operation Exodus yet? And given that I've already put myself in penury buying records this last weekend (and that the first is still one of my all-time favourite games), should I go out and buy it? I KNOW it's gonna be good... but is it starvation-worthy levels of good?

23:55 / 28.06.04

I take the term to refer to how well a game entertains me, not just how well it's been programmed or happens to run on any given system.

I think that's the focal point of our disagreement - I use the term to refer to the core of the player's interaction in the game world. I agree that higher poly counts and the like can make a game more enjoyable than it would be otherwise, but they don't change the fundamental experience. Return to Castle Wolfenstein, for example, may look a lot more attractive than something like Quake II, but the basic experience is pretty much the same.

Stoatie> I think it's generally accepted that both PC hardware and consoles have five-year generational cycles, but that the cycles begin and end at different times, so consoles get a two-and-a-half year lead over PCs, then PCs get the same advantage over the next console gen. Whether that carries on with PS3 and the rest remains to be seen.

05:57 / 29.06.04

A quick aside, rather than a lengthy explanation of what I've been playing -

for everyone who believes the Xbox doesn't have to run an OS, well, it does. There's an OS at the core of everything; on the Xbox, it happens to be a heavily modified and stripped down version of Windows 2000. It doesn't have to do half what desktop 2000 does, but it's still there.

nedrichards is confused

08:41 / 29.06.04

It's true. It's like a tiny Win2k with DirectX layered on top of it in generous dollops.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

20:09 / 03.07.04

This is probably no news to anyone, but I fiugred this afternoon I'd dust off GTA3 to see how it holds up against Vice City (pretty damn well, still, actually- the lack of bikes is a problem, but a Liberty City mod is now available for GTA:VC) and was surprised to hear reference to "nearby Carcer City" on one of the radio stations... Manhunt, anyone? Are Rockstar gradually creating an entire USA of gaming?

07:57 / 04.07.04

[DROOL]
Looking massively forward to the next GTA installment, San Andreas.
[/DROOL]

Incidentally, is Manhunt any good? It's not normally the sort of game I'm interested in, but the Rockstar label has got my interest.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

20:07 / 04.07.04

Well, I've got plenty of gaming action lately, after making a couple of trades... for some reason, after reading a couple of previews for the new Metroid I wasn't struck by how much I was looking foward to it - in fact, I wasn't at all - but more that I just wanted to play the original through again. Unfortunately I'd traded it a while ago, so it was off to the shops get it back again.

Metal gear Solid had to go, completed it twice, and well... I'm sure there were only about 4 or 5 rooms of action. It was ok, but tiring. There's only so many times you can torture guards for amusement. Soul Calibur had been left a little lonely, but that's because it got well and truly finished off. And nobody else was as good as me. Yeah! Off it went.

So I got Metroid, ISS 2, ISS on the SNES and Starwing! Football games are funny, so it's nice to have a variety. I was surprised by how enjoyable they can be, and also how much it's actually like watching a match. Albeit with people with more cube like faces.

I'm sure I remember Starwing being really good and sort of a zippy little shooter. It has not aged well. I'm trying to think what other game I was thinking off when I imagined zipping around in a little space ship doing loops between buildings... because that's the only Starwing game I've played. Still, it's better than Starfox adventures, and the little characters voices are worth it alone. I used to love this game, though.

Looking foward to adventuring through Metroid again, on dark and lonely nights. I can't remember much of it, now. Plus it really is one of those games you should keep hold of. I think it might be the best game on the old Cube, but I can't work out why I'm not interested in the sequel.

nedrichards is confused

09:17 / 05.07.04

I spent all of Saturday evening playing Halo co-op on a big TV. Few things are more fun.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

10:59 / 05.07.04

I keep forgetting about things like Paper Mario 2. Don't let me do that please, Randy. I rely on you.

19:10 / 05.07.04

It's easily done, isn't it? The Cube's going through the traditional games drought that ever Nintendo console seems to suffer from, with good stuff coming, but just far enough off in the future that it doesn't stick in the mind. Oh, and I've heard nothing but praise for Spiderman 2 since making that earlier comment. The console version, that is - the PC one, afaik, is a different game from a different developer.

My kid sister started playing through Wind Waker over the weekend, but with me using the GBA link-up. It doesn't add a huge amount of extra bits to the game - an extra collectable (Tingle statues) to find in the dungeons, hidden text and huge, welcome dollops of humour. It also makes the game easier - I can fill her hearts up whenever she needs it for 20 rupees, drop a bomb on an enemy's head for 10 rupees, open the sea chart without her having to go to an extra screen, and so on - and also feels properly co-operative. Definitely worth trying out, if you've got the required kit.

Armored Core 3 is good, but not great. The mech-building is addictive and involving, but the missions (the ones I've played so far, at least) are pretty standard. Destroying bridges, protecting convoys, clearing areas of enemy forces, finding and defusing bombs, etc. I was doing that shit about fifteen years ago on the first decent helicopter sims to appear on PC. Doing it again feels like going through the motions. You get used to the clunky controls after a while, but they're still disappointing. The right-hand analogue stick is ignored completely, and changing view is instead allocated to the second set of shoulder buttons. Anybody who's ever tried to play Duke Nukem 3D or Hexen without a mouse and with look up/look down on the Page Up/Page Down keyboard buttons will understand why this stinks.

Cloned Christ on a HoverDonkey

21:52 / 05.07.04

Randy:

"Oh, and I've heard nothing but praise for Spiderman 2 since making that earlier comment. The console version, that is - the PC one, afaik, is a different game from a different developer."

Yeah, and I've heard it a frickin' bag o' bollocks, if ever there was one! Why, oh why, oh why does this kind of thing happen? Eh? It seems that Activision (?) led everyone up the garden path regarding the PC version, then announced at the last minute that the PC game was going to be more suitable for kids than your console release. Grrrrrrr......

On a lighter note, I've been extremely impressed with The Suffering - definitely not one for the kids and probably the only game to date to mention the word 'cunt'. Apart from the effing and jeffing, this is one of the most atmospheric games yet - almost scared me shitless last night with the lights out.

My only complaint is that the different weapons don't come fast enough and neither do the different monsters, leaving it all feel a little 'samey' after a few levels.

Nevertheless - very cool game.

Oh, and Ground Control II kicks some major ass!

22:03 / 05.07.04

I really don't understand the logic behind the Spidey 2 situation. The console game apparently has near-complete freedom and *feels* like you're doing the Spidey thang. Instead of the previous games' web-slinging, where you fired a line up into the skybox and had it magically attach to a cloud, you now need to aim for the sides of buildings while swinging. Fuck up and you fall to the ground. The PC game, on the other hand, has specific lock-on targets, effectively channeling you through the levels.

I like it when publishers make sure that games are developed to take specific advantage of their host hardware - it happens seldom enough - but they traditionally go for the console versions as the 'kids' alternative.

Shit games being released with a 'kids' label stuck ont hem as an excuse. Now there's an argument worth having.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

23:29 / 05.07.04

I told ya Randy, I told ya I had high hopes! I'm pleased they went the "GTA-rip off" route, because if ever there was a right way to go with a Spidey game...

I'm just dissapointed you don't start every day with a different "Daily Bugle" headline that chronicles your good OR bad exploits (or have all the papers available for clarity's sake, with the Bugle's headline invariably being awful and derogatory for fun), and that you don't get to be Peter - hide clothes, take pictures and fail to show up for dates. Unless you can do all those things. It would be great if you had to beat up the villains on a self imposed time limit because you said earlier you'd meet Mary Jane... I'm probably getting carried away. I do hope that you can pick up cars and chuck them about... but I have a feeling that Marvel wouldn't want to portray Spidey in any sort of bad light. Hopefully there was proper superhero fights, with proper levels of destruction, though.

Still, I'm hopeful! Where have you been reading about it, Randy? I'm pretty excited and worried I traded my "good" (read: can get a decent price for) games in too early. I'll do anything to live out a little childhood dream.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

23:40 / 05.07.04

Gosh, sorry for the computer game fan-fic. Reading about this on IGN it sounds like it will be a lot of fun. In the same way as Tony Hawk, I guess... which I still find myself playing a lot, even though some of the flaws are almost inexcusably irritating and they make no attempt to rectify them or make the game engine and world any better.

00:09 / 06.07.04

I read about it over on NTSC-uk again. Those who've played it are raving about it.

Decided to delete my Excitebike 64 data earlier on tonight and start to play through it again. Never finished it the first time around - certain aspects of the control scheme are annoying. I'm sure I'll get used to them eventually, but I remember having serious problems with them the first time around, too. Already doing better than before, though - opened up the original NES Excitebike a few minutes ago. The structure and feel of the game are great - having to angle your bike just right to catch the downturn on jumps, or else suffer a major loss of acceleration trying to start from scratch on a climb is brilliant, brilliant stuff, and something that mosr racing games never bother with. it gives it a real technical edge.

Just a shame that the button layout is anything but instinctive.

nedrichards is confused

20:02 / 08.07.04

So, I suck at PoP. Why I suck at it I'm not sure as playing it is unutterable fun but embarassingly early on you come to a sort of funnel which your ninja Prince is supposed to wall run up and then jump from side to side to reach the top. Except that I can't do the jumping from side to side bit. I keep falling off.

Any tips?

21:59 / 08.07.04

The wall-to-wall repeated thing is quite tough, nedrichards, but it keeps cropping up throughout the game - sometimes to go up, sometimes to descend a wall. And by the end, you're going to have to be able to do it without the dagger.

Basically, the trick is not to rush it. Hold R, run up the wall, hit A. The prince leaps to the other wall. Wait until his knees bend as he stalls on the second wall, then hit A again. Repeat as necessary. You need to be rhythmic and smooth, and if you hit A mid jump (rather than at precisely the right time) you will almost always cock it up.

I feel a bit annoyed I part-exd PoP, as I really want to play it again now. Thing is, it's just so brief... so wonderful whilst playing it, so many memorable moments, but little urge to go back other than to show off. Can't wait for the sequel...

(I am playing a lot of Live, flicking between Pandora Tomorrow, Rainbow Six 3, and Project Gotham 2. Recently been playing more Vice City offline - just started buying assets, god this game is wonderful, hadn't played it for ages. And, most notably of all, my GBA should be arriving soon.)

I hate myself for not knowing as much about politics and global economics as I do about videogames. I really need to do something about this fast.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

22:05 / 08.07.04

Somehow Vice City has clawed me back... much as I already loved it, I think reading a magazine in which it was described (by David Braben, no less, apparently quoting someone from Rockstar) as "Elite but with cars" has put it in a whole new light of loveliness. It still rocks.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

00:14 / 09.07.04

I'm still not convinced of PoP's greatness. I'm glad to hear somebody is finding it hard - because I never felt remotely threatened or challenged in the game (except by the shoddy combat). There just seemed to be no real skill involved, it seemed kind of mildly interactive in the sense you do specific moves at certain times... and that's it (and so the final section was the most fun by faaar).

You can't even die! I did enjoy it to an extent, while it lasted... but it all seemed a little too choreographed as to take away from any possible danger or excitement.

Also: worst last boss ever.

I'm tentative in being hopeful for the sequel, as I'd really love to be able to decide what to do, and where to go with the Prince's athletic abilities myself...

However, having said all that, I'm excited and giddy like a child because I'm going to get Spider-Man 2 tomorrow even though in some respects I know it will dissapoint me. However, in others, I know it will be THE BEST GAME EVER. Ah, childhood wish fulfillment, hello! I am certain I managed to enjoy the first movie game more than any other human being, and quite simply, I cannot wait to swing around a whole city because I am a giant giant child geek. Also: YOU CAN JUMP OFF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING. Yes.

07:06 / 09.07.04

I know. I too am going to buy it and play it to death, even if it's not all that good. After playing the first movie game I had a tendency to wonder around making "thwipp" noises under my breath. I really ought to get a life.

nedrichards is confused

12:28 / 09.07.04

Paleface, you are a hero. I'll try that tonight. I suspect my problem was that I was concentrating more on using the analogue stick like when you edge along a ledge and jump off it rather than just timing the A. And yes, it was really easy and fun and freeform and I was loving the way the platforms shivered before they fell down with the same sound effect as the old game and then I came up on something that the more and more I tried to do it the harder and harder I sucked. So thanks.

I also just bought the GTA doublepack. I know I have too many games on the go but it's just *wrong* how good it is.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

13:16 / 09.07.04

I'm just bitter on that game!

PS. Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does everything a spider can,
Swings in to walls,
because he doesn't quite know how to play yet, etc

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

19:34 / 09.07.04

Whoa.

It takes a little while to open up (it's all a bit not quiiiiite at the beginning), but once you start getting more combat, swinging and acrobatic ability as well as understanding how the controls work better... holy christ does this game feel good! A lovely sense of swooping down to deal with purse snatchers (although perhaps managing to beat everyone up a little too well with the stylish moves you're given) and kind of watching over the city - which is actually MASSIVE. Much bigger than I thought it would be, for some reason. And it gives a real grounded sense to what you can do and how you can get there (for a superhero). There's quite a variety of moves for every aspect of Spidey's movement, I'm quite fond of swinging in to walls and running along them myself. There's a beautiful sense of freedom which makes me think that one day somebody could make a Spider-Man game that is actually perfect (and they have no excuse to drop the ball after this).

It probably doesn't help that every time I say "Wow this is good" I'm soon met with some annoying and absurdly frustrating boss or obstacle which hinders my regular city slinging crime fighting enjoyment. The actual "story" element of the game seems tacked on, in some way. It's good fun and offers up some variation, but parts of it just feel a little too shoddy.

But hey, the view from the Empire State Building is nice. (But make sure you scope out a nice tall building to go for else you're pretty fucked by the time you get to the regular buildings with all the speed you build up...) I'm so pleased with so many aspects of this game, though, that everything else is nearly forgiven.

It isn't, it's just that when the game isn't hassling you, you can forget... I'd definitely reccomend giving it a go, to anyone that's interested.

01:28 / 11.07.04

I finally got the chance to try out Xbox Live on Wednesday, with Project Gotham Racing 2. Paleface, it's everything you said it was. The way that the online bits and bobs are integrated into the single-player feels so natural, but still revolutionary. One day, all games will be like this.

And talking of going online with yr Xbox, has anybody tried Xbox Connect yet? It seems to be the same thing as the Warp Pipe project for GameCube - connect your console to your PC and foll it into thinking that your Internet connection is a LAN connection. I'm going to download it tomorrow and try it out, because

A) I still can't afford Live, and
B) I also indulged in some system link 2 vs 2 Halo teamplay on Wednesday, for the first time since last summer, and I need more. More. MORE.

nedrichards is confused

09:11 / 11.07.04

Paleface, all you needed to say was jump as the knees bend and *boom* I hit it first time and wow, isn't that just such a fun game to play? Big grin time.

As for XBconnect, I've only used the OS X version, Aquaduct (which ties into the same network) and it was mostly OK, a bit more lag than I'd expect from a live game but that's obviously becuase the netcode is optimised for a LAN not a WAN. I'd say, save your pennies and get a Halo 2 and XB live doublepack when it comes out. If it's the same as the PGR2 one it'll cost £60 and you'll get a year of Live w/ it.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

10:27 / 11.07.04

Ah, god bless Game and their "Call of Duty for twenty quid if you've got a reward card" offer. War sure is hell.

Suedey! SHOT FOR MEAT!

13:02 / 11.07.04

Spider-man 2 is such a fun game (for me), but after you finish the actual "story" game element, it feels as if everyone involved just sort of stopped working on it. It's still fun to play, it's just more like... they could have just integrated a few little things, cut scenes and proper super villain threats to really keep stuff moving.

In the end it feels like it's missing something, which is really dissapointing. Next time, they should be able to make the best game ever (but will they? hmmm.)

It's interesting as well that none of the things that were good from the first game are in here: air combat (although this might be more difficult to pull off now), large indoor levels and stealthy sections... this would all have added a great great deal to the main body of the game here - instead all you get are shoddy mini games and beating up various thugs. It's still fun, but there's no real body to these superfluous activities anymore. Even things like photo missions (actually taking photos that is, not icon finding tasks like in the game) and still having to meet Mary Jane or Aunt May (that you're always running late/about to meet someone and have to stop a robbery is one of the things I most enjoyed in the game)... maybe they felt they couldn't carry on any character stuff lest they tread on the film sequels toes, but that doesn't stop them having Black Cat, Shocker and Mysterio in the game (why not more, I wonder?).

I wonder if they just ran out of space. New York is pretty big. I think I may just have to play through the game again... I'd say this bodes pretty well for future superhero games, though. With any luck, at least. But how about less Tony Hawk promise/Vice City and more Zelda-like sheen?

18:38 / 13.07.04

Wow, am I really the only one here who's playing City of Heroes? Surely there are others....

It's quite an addicting game. I can spend hours on it at a time. And frankly that's just designing the costumes. Once they little superheroes start fighting, it gets even better.....

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

10:25 / 14.07.04

I think Cloned Christ must be my long-lost gaming brother-

Ground Control II is deeply, deeply ace. I was a little put off at first- after the tutorial and the first couple of missions, it seemed to have lost... I dunno, the immediacy of the first... but no. It's got me. The dropship element (easily the biggest difference in game style between GC and GC2) has now grabbed me. Hard. By the balls.

Which is kind of upsetting, cos I'm also up to my neck in Call of Duty, and I'm trying to hold down a job. DAMN these good games. Damn them all to hell! Shit games, that's what we want. Shit games.

11:20 / 14.07.04

I'm going to play Spiderman 2 when I go home or at least try, I imagine using keys will be quite difficult, but I've just order a USB converter so I can play the games with my PS2 controller...woot.

15:43 / 14.07.04

Have to say I am loving spiderman 2. It's just great, though that is mainly because you get to be spiderman. Objectively, it's nearly there but just misses true greatness by not quite going far enough. The stopping random crime, great, but needs more variety. The same with the quips and banter, good, but needs more phrases. The story itself is good, but then every so often is just annoying. The Mysterio sub-plot just sucks, as do all the missions associated with it. All in all: good, but not great.
However my inner geek loves it with every fibre of my being. You swing through new york, which is great, you swing down, beat up some passing muggers and are away within seconds, which is great. The sense of movement you get when swinging through the city is fantastic.
I just wish they'd gone that little extra mile, like the programmers obviously did in vice city.

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