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"Simple!"

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Wed 03/07/02 at 18:34
Regular
Posts: 787
If there's one word that sums-up the intellegence of Console Developers and Designers these days then it has to be "Simple"!
Yep, that one word tells you all about how much thought and effort they're really putting into the key areas of our biggest and latest Home Entertainment Systems.

What's that you say? You disagree with me???
Well, with specs higher than Mount. Everest and machines so powerfull that they could one day take-over the world, I suppose you do have a pretty good case to stand-up and argue against me.
But when it comes down to it, they really are a bunch of simple-minded individuals.

"How can you critisise the geniuses behind the X-box and the PS2??!" - is what I can guarrentee you are all thinking!
Well, I have to admit that in the categories 'specification' and 'power', the 3 Home Consoles of today are simply out-of-this world! Well, with it's PC-like specs. the X-box is definitley, even if the GameCube and PS2 don't quite astound and amaze us all that much. After all, it's the games that matter - and that is why SONY's PlayStation 2 console is proudly sitting high-up above the rest.

But even though the console with the most-impressive software line-up usually takes the Gold Medal, gamers can still be put-off by one or two aspects, meaning that they may not by the £300 games machine they've been hotly-anticipating for so long now.
What am I talking about?? No, not the appearence as such, but it's the name of the thing. Just look around at the names of the machines doing the business in the market today:

SONY PlayStation 2 - It may be number one but the name's basically the same as it's 32-bit pre-deccessor the PlayStation. When we all first heard about this name we were expecting basically the same thing as before, but better. But surely they could've done a lot more than just stick a 2 on the end!!
After all, if they want to be no.1 then they're gunna need to see a name of shear genious up there in lights. Seeing PlayStation 2 (or even PS2) just makes you think "Haven't I seen that name somewhere before...?"
And with the words "Play" and "Station", in-experienced adults could easily mistake this for a piece of playing aparatus suitable for a 3 month old child (without a closer inspection) - and not the Games Console that it is meant to be!

Nintendo GameCube - Now we've all seen the critisism and remarks that've been directed Nintendo's way ever since the name "Dolphin" was revealed, and their so-called 'kiddy image' became un-missable. But that's enough of that. And to make matters worse for the Big N, the name "GameCube" doesn't do a lot in their favour! It surely does point out that this is a machine dedicated to games ONLY, rather than having DVD Playback facillities or anything, but it doesn't sound like the future dominant force of the Gaming World now does it!
And where does the Cube part come from??? I know it's a 3-D block and everything, but it's obvious enough to anyone that this box is more rectangularly-shaped rather than square like a cube!
So although they may have piles of great games to unload on us in the near future, the name doesn't say it all and frankly, wouldn't even scare a wimp like their very own Luigi!

Microsoft X-box - Now here we have something that looks promising! Well, for a good 5 minutes at least. While the "X" offers 'mystery' and 'the unknown', the word "Box" stuck on the end there just implies that this really is a dense and useless as it looks, even if it's specs. do say otherwise.
For a big-name like Microsoft and the millions they must have spent on this, you have to say that you would expect a lot more from them - even if names aren't really ALL that important! How would their PC sales have differnt if they were known today as "Personal Electronic-Fingies", because frankly, that's the kind-of thing we're seeing here today!!

Nintendo GameBoy Advance - Now even though this isn't in the fierce, competitive fight to the end with the other 3, Nintendo have definitley got something going here with this little pocket-sized bundle of joy.
Aswell as being great to play and store anywhere, the name suggests that this is an 'advanced' and 'futuristic' version of the previous GameBoys, and that nothing will ever come close to it in terms of technology!
Now that's the type of name gamers eyes are looking for!!
Much better than simply calling it the

We want something exciting - not boring! How else can they excpect it to gain more recognition???

It seems to me as if the Console Developers of today are really taking an area for granted that could really hit them where it hurts in the not-too-distant future. They won't be fully living-up to all that which comes with their big-names untill they stop describing what their console looks like, and advertise to us what it can really do!
In the past we've had some great names....
The Super Nintendo was just "Super", the MegaDrive had 'Mega' everything, and even the instant-flop that was the SEGA Saturn had more innovation in it's name than any of SONY's future consoles ever will do!

But to make things worse, we hear of the names of the future.
Apparently, the X-box 2 in currently in development, along with the PS3.
Once again we could be looking at a battle between 3 of the 'Japan's Dumbest Named Consoles'! And there are also plans for the PlayStation 6!!!
It's time to groan: *BIG GROAN* :(

Well, for a start, they can learn from those forgotten people 'SEGA'.
Nothing still comes close to the likes of the Dreamcast and Saturn.
Wed 03/07/02 at 20:22
Regular
Posts: 15,681
Nomad_Soul wrote:
> Am I right in thinking the N64 was originally called the Nintendo
> "Ultra"?
> Speaking of names, the N64 has to be the worst name ever for a
> console.

Ultra-64 So, yeah, you're right lol

Nintendo 64 (N64) worst name ever?

How about the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Or, Phillips CD-I?
Or even Playstation 2?
Wed 03/07/02 at 20:03
Regular
Posts: 3,182
Am I right in thinking the N64 was originally called the Nintendo "Ultra"?
Speaking of names, the N64 has to be the worst name ever for a console.

The "X" in XBOX is an attempt by MicroSoft to link it's product with a kind of anti-establishment "coolness" - as the X-Games and Generation X.
Wed 03/07/02 at 19:42
Regular
"---SOULJACKER---"
Posts: 5,448
You know, Mount Ever-est is named after a guy called George (I think that's his forename) Eve-rest. He'll have his name mispronounced for eternity
Wed 03/07/02 at 19:40
Regular
"---SOULJACKER---"
Posts: 5,448
Well, my favourites of modern times have been:

Katana: Dev name for Dreamcast
Starcube: "Leaked" name of GC
Dural: Dev name of Dreamcast (again!)
Wed 03/07/02 at 19:14
Regular
Posts: 5,630
Microsoft really pushed the stakes with originality - they added an 'X' to something. What does 'X' mean? Why 'X' gaming? Why Liberty 'X'? Why?

P.S. OK Solskjaer, tell us what you think are interesting names for consoles. Just a thought...

:)
Wed 03/07/02 at 19:00
Regular
Posts: 3,182
Yes the Dreamcast is/was definately the best name ever for a games console, and I agree that the XBOX 2 and PS3 don't really sound that inspiring.

I think Nintendo and SEGA can always change the names of their consoles because they are companies that are 100% linked with the games industry, whereas Sony and MicroSoft have their far-reaching fingers in many other electronic and commercial pies, so it's easier and safer if they stick with their console's brand names.

I mean, how many millions of dollars have been invested into building up those brand names with advertising? So in reality it would be really quite foolish to even attempt to change the console's name.
So as boring as it may seem, I think [if their popularity continues] we are going to see the likes of the PlayStation 6. Scary thought.
Wed 03/07/02 at 19:00
Regular
"---SOULJACKER---"
Posts: 5,448
The DC had a FAR FAR better, more original, more innovative games range than the PS2, and even equalled it graphically and still does in most areas. But it failed because it is the mass market gamer who's the stupid one!
Wed 03/07/02 at 18:34
Regular
"Long time no see!"
Posts: 8,351
If there's one word that sums-up the intellegence of Console Developers and Designers these days then it has to be "Simple"!
Yep, that one word tells you all about how much thought and effort they're really putting into the key areas of our biggest and latest Home Entertainment Systems.

What's that you say? You disagree with me???
Well, with specs higher than Mount. Everest and machines so powerfull that they could one day take-over the world, I suppose you do have a pretty good case to stand-up and argue against me.
But when it comes down to it, they really are a bunch of simple-minded individuals.

"How can you critisise the geniuses behind the X-box and the PS2??!" - is what I can guarrentee you are all thinking!
Well, I have to admit that in the categories 'specification' and 'power', the 3 Home Consoles of today are simply out-of-this world! Well, with it's PC-like specs. the X-box is definitley, even if the GameCube and PS2 don't quite astound and amaze us all that much. After all, it's the games that matter - and that is why SONY's PlayStation 2 console is proudly sitting high-up above the rest.

But even though the console with the most-impressive software line-up usually takes the Gold Medal, gamers can still be put-off by one or two aspects, meaning that they may not by the £300 games machine they've been hotly-anticipating for so long now.
What am I talking about?? No, not the appearence as such, but it's the name of the thing. Just look around at the names of the machines doing the business in the market today:

SONY PlayStation 2 - It may be number one but the name's basically the same as it's 32-bit pre-deccessor the PlayStation. When we all first heard about this name we were expecting basically the same thing as before, but better. But surely they could've done a lot more than just stick a 2 on the end!!
After all, if they want to be no.1 then they're gunna need to see a name of shear genious up there in lights. Seeing PlayStation 2 (or even PS2) just makes you think "Haven't I seen that name somewhere before...?"
And with the words "Play" and "Station", in-experienced adults could easily mistake this for a piece of playing aparatus suitable for a 3 month old child (without a closer inspection) - and not the Games Console that it is meant to be!

Nintendo GameCube - Now we've all seen the critisism and remarks that've been directed Nintendo's way ever since the name "Dolphin" was revealed, and their so-called 'kiddy image' became un-missable. But that's enough of that. And to make matters worse for the Big N, the name "GameCube" doesn't do a lot in their favour! It surely does point out that this is a machine dedicated to games ONLY, rather than having DVD Playback facillities or anything, but it doesn't sound like the future dominant force of the Gaming World now does it!
And where does the Cube part come from??? I know it's a 3-D block and everything, but it's obvious enough to anyone that this box is more rectangularly-shaped rather than square like a cube!
So although they may have piles of great games to unload on us in the near future, the name doesn't say it all and frankly, wouldn't even scare a wimp like their very own Luigi!

Microsoft X-box - Now here we have something that looks promising! Well, for a good 5 minutes at least. While the "X" offers 'mystery' and 'the unknown', the word "Box" stuck on the end there just implies that this really is a dense and useless as it looks, even if it's specs. do say otherwise.
For a big-name like Microsoft and the millions they must have spent on this, you have to say that you would expect a lot more from them - even if names aren't really ALL that important! How would their PC sales have differnt if they were known today as "Personal Electronic-Fingies", because frankly, that's the kind-of thing we're seeing here today!!

Nintendo GameBoy Advance - Now even though this isn't in the fierce, competitive fight to the end with the other 3, Nintendo have definitley got something going here with this little pocket-sized bundle of joy.
Aswell as being great to play and store anywhere, the name suggests that this is an 'advanced' and 'futuristic' version of the previous GameBoys, and that nothing will ever come close to it in terms of technology!
Now that's the type of name gamers eyes are looking for!!
Much better than simply calling it the

We want something exciting - not boring! How else can they excpect it to gain more recognition???

It seems to me as if the Console Developers of today are really taking an area for granted that could really hit them where it hurts in the not-too-distant future. They won't be fully living-up to all that which comes with their big-names untill they stop describing what their console looks like, and advertise to us what it can really do!
In the past we've had some great names....
The Super Nintendo was just "Super", the MegaDrive had 'Mega' everything, and even the instant-flop that was the SEGA Saturn had more innovation in it's name than any of SONY's future consoles ever will do!

But to make things worse, we hear of the names of the future.
Apparently, the X-box 2 in currently in development, along with the PS3.
Once again we could be looking at a battle between 3 of the 'Japan's Dumbest Named Consoles'! And there are also plans for the PlayStation 6!!!
It's time to groan: *BIG GROAN* :(

Well, for a start, they can learn from those forgotten people 'SEGA'.
Nothing still comes close to the likes of the Dreamcast and Saturn.

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