Ok, I'm talking strickly as a consumer here, as a developer its completely different, I cannot wait to get in there and see just what can be done with these new systems, how many guys we can hit the Player with and how, how many similtaneous cameras angles, music layers, lighting, effects, customisation, I'm absoulutely jiving on just what we can have the Player doing with our games and the emotions we can bring with the new capacity for delivery. But thats work, for this thread I'm talking purely as a consumer.
We've been hearing all bloody year about what the next gen will be able to do, and yeah I look at the screenshots with interest, I get very impressed with the examples and yes I want to play them, but as for pre-ordering and lining up on launch day I can't fully say this generation of consoles has inspired much within me at all to tell the truth.
I remember my friend buying the PS2 for $790, this was a guy that we were jealous of cause he dropped out of school, did a trade and established himself so therefore had the money to afford that kinda stuff. For the whole lead up to the PS2 launch I was beamin, I couldnt wait to see what this digital god could do for my gaming experience and was still high on the Soul Calibur buzz that the DC ignited and I wanted more (I dont think Ive ever been as astounded by a game as I was with seeing that for the first time). I was so envious that he was getting one and if I had've had a spare $900 or so at the time I wouldn't have had any second thought at all in handing it over.
Anyway we went round to his place and he hooked it up, set it in the upright position of course cause it was damn cool, he turns it on and the fan sound spins up, everyone's excited, the OS comes up on the screen and we're like "Daaamn". I cant remember the game he got (that is, the ONE game he could afford after spending so much), something with fandangled graphical Anime finery and whatever but basically the awe value lasted about an hour, maybe two, and then we realised it was basically just the same old thing. We pressed eject.. the console thought about it.. pressed it again, and suddenly the drive SNAPS out of the console slingshotting the disc literally across the room.
We then used it to watch a DVD, and that was basically it, we spent the rest of the night playing Goldeneye and Mariokart and when I got home I remember thinking to myself "thank god I didnt spend $900 for that and a single game" He didnt even get a memory card I dont think. I got my first PS2 only a couple of years ago for like a third of that with 2 controllers, two games, memory card and a whole lotta extra shite you dont ever use.
Basically Im driving at the same old arguement that it comes down the gameplay, and with exception to the Snes and Nin64 I cant say Ive been greatly impressed with a console launch since, especially now that these launches are costing us up to like a grand. I'd much rather wait till the systems come down to like $400, hopefully less, and the more technically sound versions of the hardware come out and I no longer risk the chance of the thing burning down my house.
I also don't see the quality of this next gen comming out for a while, Sony especially are showing us all this fantastical stuff, and its probably true, I don't see why they couldn't match the Killzone vid quality eventually, not with effort. But I doubt they'll get anywhere near it with the launch titles, probably not even the second wave, and even if they do have one or two games that do it, are they gonna be really worth spending a grand on?
What gets me is that we're seeing some real quality stuff comming out on the current gen now as Devs are finally getting the feel of the hardware, Collossus and God of War looked awesome for PS2 games, but it took them like 5 years or whatever working with hardware to achieve it. We'll never see the Xbox's potential I don't think (with the 360 out we dont need to) but Im hoping this next gen hangs about long enough for us to see developers get right into the intricacies of the hardware rather than just same old same old times 10 in processing requirements.
Basically what Im saying is that even in regards to the 360 Im finding it quite hard to get all that excited, I really love the look of Ghost Recon and just the way they've gone all out on the HUDs and visual effects, looks awesome. I wanna play Perfect Dark as well but thats not worth forking out what is it? $700? $800? hell no, thats insane for a bloody game, I mean you get a console with that game and yes in this next generation you'll get net stuff as well, but essentially on a launch day you're paying heaps and getting one or two games in return.
I think I'll let all the others scramble over each other and pay through their asses to get the series1 version of the console that'll burn down their houses or decapitate their kids with flying disks. Im holding off for a year or two till that price comes down and we start seeing the real stuff hitting the shelves, then while I'm there buying the quality at value, I'll look in the pre-owneds and get Ghost Recon and Perfect Dark on the 360 along with it for like $40, or Heavenly Sword and the cool lookin Rally game for the PS3.
Then again I'm not exactly the richest guy on earth either.
Obsessive consumers buy consoles at launch. Cunning consumers wait for the Christmas price drop. Intelligent individuals wait for a few decent titles, and the next Christmas price drop.
The only console worth its launch price was the Dreamcast, and that only because of titles like Soul Calibur and Powerstone.
Man the Dreamcast rocked, I just dont get how SEGA lost on that one, where was the marketing for it? It didnt have that many great games but it had enough, Soul Calibur, Shenmue, Powerstone, Grandia II, even Crazy Taxi was alright, but why wasn't anyone else making for it? it was SEGA for one, sure the SATURN kinda got owned by the PS but they still had a name. And it had such cool hardware, it had a built in modem that you could detatch and upgrade, little mini games on the memory card, four controller slots, graphics were much better than the PS2 I thought... what the hell?... and the crazy CRAZY thing, is that Microsoft got the same dude in charge of the marketing of the DC... AND PUT HIM CHARGE OF THE 360!!! I guess thats why the 360 is just carving up the Japanese market at the moment huh.............................
quote:Originally posted by Jackydablunt
Man the Dreamcast rocked, I just dont get how SEGA lost on that one, where was the marketing for it? ...snipt... and the crazy CRAZY thing, is that Microsoft got the same dude in charge of the marketing of the DC... AND PUT HIM CHARGE OF THE 360!!! I guess thats why the 360 is just carving up the Japanese market at the moment
The DC marketing sucked in Oz but was pretty much fine everywhere else. The guy put in charge of it had only recently transitioned to marketing from journalism and just didn't get it. They also had problems on launch with the midnight launch consoles getting stuck in customs which didn't help their cause.
I know the guy in charge of DC marketing is still at Atari, so I'm assuming you're talking US/Japanese guy for the 360?
AP
I'm getting an Xbox 360 on the night of the 23rd. I was at my local EB at midnight for the launch of the original Xbox as well. I paid more than $700 back then, and I'll do it again.
Why?
First of all, I'm a consumer whore. I have no illusions about the fact that I am attracted by shiny objects that look pretty. I also know I am terrible with my money. Realistically, I cannot afford an Xbox 360 right now. I will be eating baked beans on toast for at least 2 weeks.
The other thing is, I don't even NEED an Xbox 360. I already own a PS2, Gamecube, Xbox, and just got a new PC a few weeks ago.
I like to tell myself that the reason I am getting one is because I run a video game website, and I want to stay relevant.
You know what I think it comes down to though ... just the simple fact that I want an Xbox 360 because it looks and sounds like fun.
I got a 360 with Project Gotham 3, Perfect Dark Zero and Ghost Recon ...
I did up an article of my first impressions actually and a whole bunch of screenshots for anyone whos interested: http://www.australiangamer.com/feature/94/xbox_360_-_setting_up.html
As a customer.. As a gamer.. It was never the "system" that made me compelled to buy the console.. I don't really give a crap that it's nintendo or microsoft-porns little baby system. [In future reference the words "porn" and "baby" will never be written in the same sentence again.]
It's the games that compel me. My general rule of thumb is that if there are enough games you really want to play on a system to total the cost of the system itself then it's a worthwhile purchase. The X-box 360 won?t be considered in my eyes buyable until I see fable2, halo3, perfect dark, A decent mecha game and some really kick ass anime game before I even consider buying that system.
Which brings around the point. Why does sony have the biggest market share? Easy.
Something for everyone:
X-Box plays itself to be an "Adult toy." On a game-traders advertising pre-order brochure all the packs [4 of them] where all rated MA15+ and if the advertising and style alone doesn?t make you see it. The content of the game will. Sadomasochists rejoice! Cereal killer game afoot *shivers and hiss's at it, throwing no-talent stones*
Nintendo has always been the happy-go-Disney kinda brand. The most adult games I?ve ever seen on one system was the SNES. Apart from Conkers BFD on the N64...ah good times!...good lag too!
And this is where sony gets its standing ovation. The PS2 never made itself out to be a toy. It was a tool..A tool for games. And it allowed ALL games. From the cheapest $20 frogger style kid game to the highest mammal eating metal gear solid 3 type high budget bonanza.
It covered everything. Most banned games have been on the PS2 giving it even more testament to that.
Hell in Japan there selling hentai games on the PSP as sad as it sounds..well..it's not really sad. Porn sells like..like porn!
The lack of quality control on Sonys systems are irrelevant. They let anyone do whatever they want. In turn that gives them the most range. Covering all bases and making ALOT of money.
Back to wether or not the system is worth it? I'll be buying myself a PSP soon. Souly because it now has an Armoured core game, 2 megaman games and a great deal of Anime RPGs..some of them even decant!!!
IT?S NOT FOR PORN I SWEAR!! [:0]