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The Opinion Herd: Video Game Museums
All of us here on staff are big into preserving the history of video games. I think we all believe video games need to be preserved as much as the most famous works of art, books and movies do. We’ve talked about whether emulation is a viable way to preserve games that are quickly being lost to time and what needs to be done to make sure these games remain playable in some form for future generations. Our question this week, “You’re in charge of starting a video game museum. What games or artifacts would be the focal point of your most important exhibit?” Read more…
The Opinion Herd: A Goodbye to Gaz
Gaz Plant has been with us for almost two years now. He took over filling a need that when we started this website we didn’t really think we were ever going to need. Next week he’ll be moving on to greener pastures. I’ll let him tell you where the future is going to take him, but needless to say he won’t be with us for much longer. So I thought the Opinion Herd this week should be us letting Gaz know how much he’s meant to us over the last two years. Our question this week, “Do you have a message for Gaz as he leaves Nintendo Okie?”
The Opinion Herd: E3 2012 Predictions
As of this article we are just four days away from Nintendo’s E3 Press Conference where they will hopefully be putting to rest all of the rumors about what their new system is going to be like. We should hopefully learn about the controller, what games will be available when the system launches and a general time frame for when we can get our hands on the little white box (assuming it still is white). Nintendo has been playing everything very close to their vest and the internet has been on fire with speculation for the system. Don’t forget they also have a handheld device to talk about as well. With all the talk about what Nintendo is going to do and whether or not Sony and Microsoft will discuss their next systems, we couldn’t help put toss our two cents into the ring. So, “Give us five of your predictions for what people can expect to see at E3 this year.”
The Opinion Herd: Value vs. Time
Video game pricing is a topic of discussion nearly every week of the year. Consumers think games are getting too expensive while publishers are trying to find ever creative ways to squeeze as much money out of consumers as they can. The iPhone has brought down the price of mobile games to where the average consumer won’t spend more than a couple of dollars on a game. THQ recently tried a radical experiment with the MX vs. ATV franchise that didn’t really pay off. Many consumers try to put a dollar amount to the number of hours spent on a game. Others try to compare video games to movies to relate value.
There’s probably no perfect solution to the question about video game prices. Our question this week tries to come up with some solutions that would make devs/publishers happy while at the same time making consumers feel that they’re not getting ripped off. “What are some ways that you would like to see the price of video games change and can you really relate to the cost of a game to how much time or enjoyment you get out of it?” Read more…
The Opinion Herd: Region Locking, Good or Bad?
The first game that was highlighted by Operation Rainfall hits stores today (Friday) with the release of Xenoblade Chronicles. With systems like the Wii and the 3DS it’s difficult, if not impossible, to play many games from other regions while consoles like the PS3 have less difficulty because they are region-free. There are numerous reasons that companies cite for making their system compatible with specific parts of the world.
Regardless of the politics or the reasons behind it companies lock their systems from being able to play games released in other regions. “Do you think it helps or hurts a console to be region locked, and what is the one game you would want to get localized for your region?”
Micah Says: I’m sure there are many business and legal reasons behind the decision, but it certainly makes my life easier when a console is region-free. I don’t think being region-free necessarily helps a console sell more units because the general population has no interest in importing games. Read more…
The Opinion Herd: Who’s In Charge of the Story?
There has been some controversy this week over the ending to Bioware’s Mass Effect 3. Many people felt that the game didn’t end the way it should, based on the events of the three games in the series. There’s a fan campaign underway to get Bioware to change the ending, or add multiple endings to the game. The company has even said that they haven’t ruled out changing the ending.
Some people would argue that you’re playing a story that the developer set out to tell. The choices you make only tweak the events of that story, but ultimately you’re only along for the ride. Our question this week is, “Should a developer change the ending to a game based on fan reactions, or should players accept that they’re being told a story and live with the ending the developer created?”
Tony Says: I’ve always felt that if I was playing a game that relied heavily on a story that I was simply being told a story that someone wanted me to hear. I equate it to bards in medieval times, or the story tellers that pass on legends and myths from generation to generation. It’s also very similar to reading a book. The only difference being that I can actually interact with the story. I can make some things happen that change the experience somewhat, but ultimately the people that created the story have a story that they want to tell and it’s not up to me to change what happens. Read more…
The Opinion Herd: Release Experiences
Everybody gets excited about game releases from time to time. Sometimes it’s because of a sense of nostalgia. Other times it’s because you’re seeing the continuation of a story that you’ve gotten emotionally involved in. Sometimes it’s the return of a long dormant franchise. “What is the game release that had you the most excited to experience?”
Shelby Says: So are you asking about a game or the event of the game’s release? I have only been to one release event and that was for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. GameStop was having a late night tournament leading up to the midnight release of the game. Some friends and I were going to enter just so we could play Brawl early but things didn’t go as planned. There ended up being around 60 people in the store! I still entered the tournament while my friends decided to decline. This whole thing started about 10 and we probably should have just went home and came back two hours later but I wanted to play Brawl so badly. I waited out in my car for nearly two hours before I got to play my first match. By the time I won the match, the line to buy the game had started to form. By the time I made it up to the counter it was my turn to play another match. When they called my name to play, I looked at them in disbelief. They actually expected me to get out of line, play a match and go back to the end of the line? Not a chance. I told them I forfeit. I was about the buy the game and once I got home I could play it all I want. And oh my, did I mention the stench? I don’t know what those people were doing before they arrived at the store but yikes. Take a shower people, you’ll feel better. Read more…
The Opinion Herd: Scary Video Game Moments
I’m sure everyone has experienced some moment in a game that they would consider scary. Whether it was as simple as coming around a corner to be confronted by an enemy you didn’t expect to be there, or getting close to the end of a level with only a sliver of life left. These situations can come in many shapes and sizes. This week on Episode 104 of the podcast I told everyone about my terrifying experience with Resident Evil: Revelations that caused me to turn the game off. There are a lot of games out there that are designed to scare you. “What is the most terrifying thing that you’ve ever experienced in a video game?”
The Opinion Herd: The Nintendo Network
Nintendo just announced the Nintendo Network, which looks like it is going to revolutionize the way Nintendo looks at the online market. We already know some of the details about the Nintendo Network, such as individual user accounts, digitally distributed games and the offer of post release DLC. “What is one thing you’d want to see the Nintendo Network have that would make it more successful in bringing Nintendo’s online presence up to par with their competitors?”
The Opinion Herd: Was GameCube a Failure?
The GameCube turned 10 years old today. It’s been an interesting decade for the little purple “lunch box”. There are, like with any system, fans and there are haters. It was not as commercially successful as any of Nintendo’s other systems (with the exception of the Virtual Boy). There are many things that could contribute to that, but it also set the stage for the current generation for Nintendo. “Where do you think Nintendo failed with the system, and what did they do right?” Read more…
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D (3DS)
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (Wii U, 3DS)
Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo (3DS)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity (3DS)
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PS3)
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