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Many years ago now a stupid stuck up company messed around with a CD giant, a giant that wanted a piece of the gaming market. Because of this said CD giant murdered the market, SEGA fell and Nintendo were forced to retreat from their headlined position. Sony was here.
Nintendo's survival depended on three things, their unique, totally different style to Sony meant Nintendo offered something Sony didn't. Nintendo also have the hardest dying fan base you'll ever see, a fan base filled with us lot. These two factors help but it was the Gameboy, a franchise left untouched by Sony's rampage that meant Nintendo could re-group and re-build.
Nintendo hid in their niche market, their fan base and their Gameboy franchise allowed them to soldier on as Sony's user-base tripled, quadrupled and whatever came after that. Could anyone stop this jugganaught?
Enter Microsoft. The biggest, richest company in the entire world... and all of a sudden Sony didn't look that strong. Microsoft has slowly chipped away at Sony over the past 2 years, eating more and more into both their and Nintendo's user base. Microsoft are a company that, no matter how hard they try, Sony cannot defeat even in their elevated position.
There is no room for 3 consoles, it is time for Sony to finish off Nintendo once and for all.
And this was the perfect time to do it. Despite unbelievable sales of the Gameboy Advance the Gamecube was falling. Nintendo's die hard fan based were annoyed, the company they loved so much was fiddling with franchises and ultimately creating games that were not up to the usual standard. Wind Waker, Sunshine and Pikmin... the Gamecube's self-proclaimed lead titles were, to some Nintendo fans, disappointing. Only Mario Kart and Metroid Prime proved that Nintendo did indeed still have it. The sale of Rare to Microsoft was another massive blow to Nintendo's fan base, the constant loss of third party developers every week made Nintendo appear doomed to failure.
Enter the death nail, the killer blow.... The PSP.
If Sony want to fight Microsoft then a handheld is the key. A platform that is said to be the future of gaming, a handheld would not only extend the already strong Playstation userbase but also cripple Nintendo beyond repair. Getting a massive head start over Nintendo's next Gameboy, introducing MP3 playability and what looks set to be the sexiest piece of kit ever created.
E3 2004
How Sony didn't expect this. Suddenly everything changed. Nintendo's third parties may be leaving but what at first seemed like a weak first party line up became stronger than ever. The die-hard Nintendo fans were happy with a line up that featured a brand spanking new realistic Zelda game, a fantastic looking Metroid Prime and what is set to be the best Resident Evil title ever made. With Mario Tennis, Donkey Kong, Geist, Starfox, Pikmin 2 and Paper Mario 2 all on the release list it was safe to say Nintendo have protected their die-hard assets.
Nintendo will also launch the next Gameboy before the end of the year.... sorry I mean the 'DS' before the end of the year... undercutting Sony. The DS may not look as cool as the PSP but for pure functionality the system is cool. The games looked gorgeous, the new way of holding games is fantastic and backward compatible with the GBA. Brilliant.
The PSP is launching with GT, Tekken and Metal Gear Solid. Despite those 3 games being some of the biggest in the world their popularity (a bit like Mario's) have taken a knock after their dissapointing latest outings. The PSP also needs to implement a jog proof system for the CD based hardware, a laser as well as an inbuilt memory. Could battery life be a problem? Yes the Playstation name sells, but can Sony sell a handheld console to an adult market? I won't underestimate them, they can do it but there is no way they can have as many PSP gamers as they have PS2 gamers... handheld gaming just is not popular with the adult gamers. Just look at the N-Gage. The DS is launching with Mario’s, Metroid and even Sony’s own Final Fantasy. It is also launching with Nintendo’s first full online mode, boasting touch screen, Wireless connection, a protected clam shape and an in-built microphone. Not all of that may appeal to the casual gamer. But some of it will.
Confessingly the Playstation Pocket looks more dangerous than I originally thought. It looks utterly stunning, lacks clutter (something the DS suffers from) with a beautiful screen. This alone could sell the system... but with the GBA SP set for a large price cut before the end of the year can the PSP defeat Nintendo’s massive, 95%, handheld empire?
If Nintendo are going down they are not doing it without a fight. If Sony’s PSP is forced out by the Gameboy, a system that has forced out many of Nintendo's competitors before, what can Sony do to stop Microsoft?
Dringo.
Nintendo's survival depended on three things, their unique, totally different style to Sony meant Nintendo offered something Sony didn't. Nintendo also have the hardest dying fan base you'll ever see, a fan base filled with us lot. These two factors help but it was the Gameboy, a franchise left untouched by Sony's rampage that meant Nintendo could re-group and re-build.
Nintendo hid in their niche market, their fan base and their Gameboy franchise allowed them to soldier on as Sony's user-base tripled, quadrupled and whatever came after that. Could anyone stop this jugganaught?
Enter Microsoft. The biggest, richest company in the entire world... and all of a sudden Sony didn't look that strong. Microsoft has slowly chipped away at Sony over the past 2 years, eating more and more into both their and Nintendo's user base. Microsoft are a company that, no matter how hard they try, Sony cannot defeat even in their elevated position.
There is no room for 3 consoles, it is time for Sony to finish off Nintendo once and for all.
And this was the perfect time to do it. Despite unbelievable sales of the Gameboy Advance the Gamecube was falling. Nintendo's die hard fan based were annoyed, the company they loved so much was fiddling with franchises and ultimately creating games that were not up to the usual standard. Wind Waker, Sunshine and Pikmin... the Gamecube's self-proclaimed lead titles were, to some Nintendo fans, disappointing. Only Mario Kart and Metroid Prime proved that Nintendo did indeed still have it. The sale of Rare to Microsoft was another massive blow to Nintendo's fan base, the constant loss of third party developers every week made Nintendo appear doomed to failure.
Enter the death nail, the killer blow.... The PSP.
If Sony want to fight Microsoft then a handheld is the key. A platform that is said to be the future of gaming, a handheld would not only extend the already strong Playstation userbase but also cripple Nintendo beyond repair. Getting a massive head start over Nintendo's next Gameboy, introducing MP3 playability and what looks set to be the sexiest piece of kit ever created.
E3 2004
How Sony didn't expect this. Suddenly everything changed. Nintendo's third parties may be leaving but what at first seemed like a weak first party line up became stronger than ever. The die-hard Nintendo fans were happy with a line up that featured a brand spanking new realistic Zelda game, a fantastic looking Metroid Prime and what is set to be the best Resident Evil title ever made. With Mario Tennis, Donkey Kong, Geist, Starfox, Pikmin 2 and Paper Mario 2 all on the release list it was safe to say Nintendo have protected their die-hard assets.
Nintendo will also launch the next Gameboy before the end of the year.... sorry I mean the 'DS' before the end of the year... undercutting Sony. The DS may not look as cool as the PSP but for pure functionality the system is cool. The games looked gorgeous, the new way of holding games is fantastic and backward compatible with the GBA. Brilliant.
The PSP is launching with GT, Tekken and Metal Gear Solid. Despite those 3 games being some of the biggest in the world their popularity (a bit like Mario's) have taken a knock after their dissapointing latest outings. The PSP also needs to implement a jog proof system for the CD based hardware, a laser as well as an inbuilt memory. Could battery life be a problem? Yes the Playstation name sells, but can Sony sell a handheld console to an adult market? I won't underestimate them, they can do it but there is no way they can have as many PSP gamers as they have PS2 gamers... handheld gaming just is not popular with the adult gamers. Just look at the N-Gage. The DS is launching with Mario’s, Metroid and even Sony’s own Final Fantasy. It is also launching with Nintendo’s first full online mode, boasting touch screen, Wireless connection, a protected clam shape and an in-built microphone. Not all of that may appeal to the casual gamer. But some of it will.
Confessingly the Playstation Pocket looks more dangerous than I originally thought. It looks utterly stunning, lacks clutter (something the DS suffers from) with a beautiful screen. This alone could sell the system... but with the GBA SP set for a large price cut before the end of the year can the PSP defeat Nintendo’s massive, 95%, handheld empire?
If Nintendo are going down they are not doing it without a fight. If Sony’s PSP is forced out by the Gameboy, a system that has forced out many of Nintendo's competitors before, what can Sony do to stop Microsoft?
Dringo.
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It looks the part, but just sounds amazingly poor in certain areas.
I still don't think Nintendo will have all-that-much to be worried about when the PSP finally comes around...
Sure, it may have a lot of stuff about it that are gonna get the average PS.2-owning gamer pre-ordering the thing within days now, but, compared with the chance to relive some N64 - still regarded by ALL gamers as one of the greatest consoles - classics in new and exciting ways, all it is, really, is just a load of... 'Stuff'!
Mario 64, a new Metroid, a new Zelda, ANIMAL CROSSING...
Why would so-many people still want to play 'yet another Metal Gear Solid and Grand BORE-ismo' game when they could have the DS?!
Plus, I hear it's battery life is s'posed to be only 2-and-a-half hours, fully-charged - what a joke!! And it's set to retail at the best part of £100-more than the DS will. :P ;)
It's not like any of us will be tempted to go to the other side, anyway. ;)
Sure, it may have a lot of stuff about it that are gonna get the average PS.2-owning gamer pre-ordering the thing within days now, but, compared with the chance to relive some N64 - still regarded by ALL gamers as one of the greatest consoles - classics in new and exciting ways, all it is, really, is just a load of... 'Stuff'!
Mario 64, a new Metroid, a new Zelda, ANIMAL CROSSING...
Why would so-many people still want to play 'yet another Metal Gear Solid and Grand BORE-ismo' game when they could have the DS?!
Plus, I hear it's battery life is s'posed to be only 2-and-a-half hours, fully-charged - what a joke!! And it's set to retail at the best part of £100-more than the DS will. :P ;)
It's not like any of us will be tempted to go to the other side, anyway. ;)
Dringo wrote:
> Except of course The combat system was nigh on beautiful, the
> animations were hilarious, the conversations were fantastic and the
> new items expanded the Zelda universe.
That's the stuff that made it excellent. That's what makes it, at the end of the day, a Zelda game. Because although it has its faults, it was still beautifully enjoyable to play for the most part and deserves nothing less than 9/10.
> You miss my point Mav, you are just one of the people that form a
> small group that is dissapointed by the game. Just as there was a
> small group for Perfect Dark. Whether you like it or not Mav your
> opinion is in the minority, and that doesn't make it less valied...
> it is just even the greatest games has it's critics. You are one of
> them.
To be honest, unless you can back that up, I don't think that I am in the minority. As I said above, it's brilliant... but at times I was, to put it simply, bored. And in this respect the game felt somewhat unfinished and I was, as a result, disappointed that the experience couldn't be wholly satisfying. I expect, therefore, if you asked many of the people on this site about how enjoyable they found the aforementioned triforce piece collecting they'd grant you with a similar response.
> Except of course The combat system was nigh on beautiful, the
> animations were hilarious, the conversations were fantastic and the
> new items expanded the Zelda universe.
That's the stuff that made it excellent. That's what makes it, at the end of the day, a Zelda game. Because although it has its faults, it was still beautifully enjoyable to play for the most part and deserves nothing less than 9/10.
> You miss my point Mav, you are just one of the people that form a
> small group that is dissapointed by the game. Just as there was a
> small group for Perfect Dark. Whether you like it or not Mav your
> opinion is in the minority, and that doesn't make it less valied...
> it is just even the greatest games has it's critics. You are one of
> them.
To be honest, unless you can back that up, I don't think that I am in the minority. As I said above, it's brilliant... but at times I was, to put it simply, bored. And in this respect the game felt somewhat unfinished and I was, as a result, disappointed that the experience couldn't be wholly satisfying. I expect, therefore, if you asked many of the people on this site about how enjoyable they found the aforementioned triforce piece collecting they'd grant you with a similar response.
Bonus wrote:
> I have no arguement with Edge's reviews, I find them informative and
> actually representative of how the game plays. Mario Kart was only
> given 5 as a mark of how it has come along since the last game, and
> they not that there were no major differences other than in
> multiplayer where two people can control one kart, and being able to
> hold and switch between two weapons in the single player. That's why
> Mario Kart only got 5.
So therefore Mario Kart, the game that won the Game STARS multiplayer of the year award, and sits fourth in this forums top 10 Gamecube titles is only an average game.
The thousands of people that voted for it, the multiple high scores it got in most publications... even called greatest Mario Kart by the popular NGC magazine... are all wrong. The game isn't brilliant and isn't bad... it is average.
Because ONE reviewer says so, and because he/she works for EDGE their view out matches what appears to be the general belief that Mario Kart: Double Dash is a stunning title.
Battle arenas have shrunk to allow more playability, stratagy elements have been put into the already wonderful gameplay mechanics, more levels are present, new multiplayer modes and even co-operative. All of this in my eyes makes Double Dash the biggest leap Mario Kart has ever made... and to be honest there isn't a lot you can do with a game like that.
Yep but of course, Edge is right, the game is only average... and Halo of course is perfect.
> I have no arguement with Edge's reviews, I find them informative and
> actually representative of how the game plays. Mario Kart was only
> given 5 as a mark of how it has come along since the last game, and
> they not that there were no major differences other than in
> multiplayer where two people can control one kart, and being able to
> hold and switch between two weapons in the single player. That's why
> Mario Kart only got 5.
So therefore Mario Kart, the game that won the Game STARS multiplayer of the year award, and sits fourth in this forums top 10 Gamecube titles is only an average game.
The thousands of people that voted for it, the multiple high scores it got in most publications... even called greatest Mario Kart by the popular NGC magazine... are all wrong. The game isn't brilliant and isn't bad... it is average.
Because ONE reviewer says so, and because he/she works for EDGE their view out matches what appears to be the general belief that Mario Kart: Double Dash is a stunning title.
Battle arenas have shrunk to allow more playability, stratagy elements have been put into the already wonderful gameplay mechanics, more levels are present, new multiplayer modes and even co-operative. All of this in my eyes makes Double Dash the biggest leap Mario Kart has ever made... and to be honest there isn't a lot you can do with a game like that.
Yep but of course, Edge is right, the game is only average... and Halo of course is perfect.
Mav wrote:
> Dringo wrote:
> Look at those who swore blind Wind Waker was a dissapointment. And
> yet in a vote Ashman (I think) just did it came without a doubt at
> the top of the list for Gamecube's best title.
>
> But it was a disappointment.
>
> I've said that and I'll stick by it. Although an excellent game with
> some legendary moments you won't forget in a hurry, it's just not
> quite as good as we've come to expect from Zelda. Ridiculously easy,
> and stupidly boring in places - buying the triforce maps, and finding
> the triforce pieces, for example. The story was even a bit weak, too,
> and the side-quests were somewhat thin on the ground.
Except of course The combat system was nigh on beautiful, the animations were hilarious, the conversations were fantastic and the new items expanded the Zelda universe.
You miss my point Mav, you are just one of the people that form a small group that is dissapointed by the game. Just as there was a small group for Perfect Dark. Whether you like it or not Mav your opinion is in the minority, and that doesn't make it less valied... it is just even the greatest games has it's critics. You are one of them.
> Dringo wrote:
> Look at those who swore blind Wind Waker was a dissapointment. And
> yet in a vote Ashman (I think) just did it came without a doubt at
> the top of the list for Gamecube's best title.
>
> But it was a disappointment.
>
> I've said that and I'll stick by it. Although an excellent game with
> some legendary moments you won't forget in a hurry, it's just not
> quite as good as we've come to expect from Zelda. Ridiculously easy,
> and stupidly boring in places - buying the triforce maps, and finding
> the triforce pieces, for example. The story was even a bit weak, too,
> and the side-quests were somewhat thin on the ground.
Except of course The combat system was nigh on beautiful, the animations were hilarious, the conversations were fantastic and the new items expanded the Zelda universe.
You miss my point Mav, you are just one of the people that form a small group that is dissapointed by the game. Just as there was a small group for Perfect Dark. Whether you like it or not Mav your opinion is in the minority, and that doesn't make it less valied... it is just even the greatest games has it's critics. You are one of them.
gerrid wrote:
> I absolutely hated all of the enemies. The Assault Rifle was
> a good weapon though, it felt sufficiently meaty.
What?
The hunters are superbly amazing, my friend, and you can't beat sending in a hapless friend to duel with them, whilst you try to shot their orange soft bit with a pistol.
I loved all the Halo enemies, oh yes.
> I absolutely hated all of the enemies. The Assault Rifle was
> a good weapon though, it felt sufficiently meaty.
What?
The hunters are superbly amazing, my friend, and you can't beat sending in a hapless friend to duel with them, whilst you try to shot their orange soft bit with a pistol.
I loved all the Halo enemies, oh yes.
Not me, I'ma game tech student and I've known what BSPs were for a while. They've been implemented in games since Doom on the PC.
Anway, more interesting than reading Bungie's newsletter go to www.gamedev.net :D
Anway, more interesting than reading Bungie's newsletter go to www.gamedev.net :D
The only real indoor/outdoor level was Runway, but it wasn't anything like Halo.
Turok 2 was more close to Halo, with huge architecture leading into open areas of terrain. Obviously it wasn't as expansive or impressive as Halo, but the indoor/outdoor thing wasn't an innovation, just a technical achievement.
I do enjoy Halo, but only in Co-Op really, as the one player, when I played it through, just seemed to lose focus after a while. The levels were so large, and so samey, that it felt like most of them just lost focus. I also hated those underground caverns.
Like I've said the reason that I didn't like Halo that much is because I absolutely hated all of the enemies. The Assault Rifle was a good weapon though, it felt sufficiently meaty.
Turok 2 was more close to Halo, with huge architecture leading into open areas of terrain. Obviously it wasn't as expansive or impressive as Halo, but the indoor/outdoor thing wasn't an innovation, just a technical achievement.
I do enjoy Halo, but only in Co-Op really, as the one player, when I played it through, just seemed to lose focus after a while. The levels were so large, and so samey, that it felt like most of them just lost focus. I also hated those underground caverns.
Like I've said the reason that I didn't like Halo that much is because I absolutely hated all of the enemies. The Assault Rifle was a good weapon though, it felt sufficiently meaty.
Bonus wrote:
> Binary Space Partitions.
Who's been reading Bungie's weekly update, then?
> Binary Space Partitions.
Who's been reading Bungie's weekly update, then?
Mav wrote:
> Goldeneye was incredibly innovative.
>
> AND, you could go outside and indoors in that, too.
Not in the same way Halo works. Either the buildings on outdoor environments were simple, or the outdoor environments on indoor levels were very simple, neither were overly complex.
Like I said, if you don't understand, no point in trying.
If you want to be interested researchj how to render an outdoor terrain and an indoor environment, start with the ROAM algorithm and Binary Space Partitions.
> Goldeneye was incredibly innovative.
>
> AND, you could go outside and indoors in that, too.
Not in the same way Halo works. Either the buildings on outdoor environments were simple, or the outdoor environments on indoor levels were very simple, neither were overly complex.
Like I said, if you don't understand, no point in trying.
If you want to be interested researchj how to render an outdoor terrain and an indoor environment, start with the ROAM algorithm and Binary Space Partitions.
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