Aloha!: Waimoku Falls

Hey, just checking in, seeing whats going on in reality. Out here we have been off the grid for a few days. Went out to the eastern edge of the island and camped off the coast, truly beautiful stuff. You can see some pics of Waimoku Falls, a hike we made the next morning and the Oheo pools we swam in. Just click the link to your right. Well, off to snorkel Black Rock Beach.

Sean

State of the Industry: Cancelled?!

Still haven't posted my paper on marketing to video game consumers during the recession, but I have a good reason. Might be able to have it published, so I am going to have to wait before I post it on the blog. Don't worry though, I have lots of content planned for the sight, maybe a few new monthly topics and updates for everything to come.

Aloha!

Landed in Hawaii last night. Lots of fun to come, so stay tuned!

Retro Gaming Round Up: Greatest Heavyweights of the Ring

Many of you will remember a little game from 1992 called Evander Holyfield's Real Deal Boxing; sure Nintendo had it's Punch Out!! and George Foreman's KO boxing, but if you owned a Sega Genesis it was all about the Holyfield. So, while cleaning out my garage, I found a mysterious box that belonged to my roommate, which low and behold it contained gaming gold!! The original Sega Mega-Drive and Sega Genesis in working condition! From Mortal Kombat to Sonic the Hedgehog, a plethora of childhood memories rushed back and there seemed to be enough entertainment to quench my thirst for retro gaming. But, when I found the spiritual successor to Holyfield's video game debut, titled Greatest Heavyweights of the Ring, only one thought ran through my head... to quote Michael Buffer "Let's get ready to rumble!!"

Now, although I never owned a Genesis, my neighbor did and at an age of 8, it seemed like one of the coolest things on the planet (until I got a Super Nintendo). Playing Holyfield boxing in his musky basement happens to be one of my fondest memories of the Genesis. I couldn't tell you if critics thought it was a great game back then, but to me it was the closest I could get to the ring. I guess my nostalgia could have skewed my memory of the game, but I had to see if it still felt the same.

So, I jumped right in and started pummeling the NPC's. It all was what I could remember with a fighting system reminiscant of a digital "Rock'em Sock'em Robots". One thing I noticed after a couple fights was the technical aspect of the gameplay hidden behind the simple controls; where Muhammad Ali was a little faster and threw lots of Jabs, Rocky Marciano was a brawler going for the big hits. It was nice to see that not every fighter felt the same. The Sound & Graphics were crispy on my HDTV (smirk), but hey thats why its retro. After a couple hours fatigue was beginning to set in. Not that I was physically tired, but I had become desensitized to the wonder games like this brought me. Instead, if the NPC made it to round 5, I found myself becoming bored. A game that I once played on and off for hours on end had become tedious. With only 3 real punches per boxer and limited movement and guarding, I realized that somethings will never be the same. Since playing boxing games like Fight Night, from a technical aspect, this game cannot provide my brain entertainment for more than a couple matches. I am not unhappy with my latest experience in retro gaming. I am more disappointed in the realization that my expectations can never be met by playing this game, since I am not the 8 year old in my neighbors musky basement anymore.

State of the Industry: Cancelled?!

Well not exactly. Because of a grad. school paper I will have to work on over the next 2 weeks, I will be putting this months state of the industry out in chunks, so I don't try and fit 1,000 words into a blog post. Topic for the month should be a good one though, "How Companies in the Industry Have Responded to the Recession." So be on the watch for that. In the mean time, enjoy this...

http://www.c2i.ntu.edu.sg/AI+CI/Humor/AI_Jokes/img/GraduateSchoolTest.gif

On Twitter now.

just look up speedracerUNT.

Look at this Pic!

Thought it was pretty cool. Mad props to Kei Acedera for her creativity.

Pic can be found online @ https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7C56kZJk7ashU1OzLG9o9crFbDLMvg8YFFjLySYhlVfB4WExS08-1PHO9L-Dqb_gdMAAbAz8Ap7kzakHoelaVC2dieuDfGpfx8xw-M95J6aHh4yljFn_GJvW0uT5ylagkPXOBmY_GnkFl/s400/cute-street-fighter-kei-acedera.jpg

State of the Industry: Digital Distribution

Two weeks ago, GDC was held in San Francisco, I was not lucky enough to have gone, but through numerous plugs, podcasts and G4 I noticed that Digital Distribution has become a hot topic again. I suppose it never stopped being a topic; instead it was simply reintroduced in a new medium called OnLive. Never heard of it? Neither had anyone else until this conference and it has brought out the skeptics in the industry. I can't decide what to believe, as I have yet to experience it for myself, but for this post lets explore what OnLive does (theoretically) and how it could change the industry. Here is a quick synopsis off their website:



"OnLive is launching the world’s highest performance Games On Demand service, instantly delivering the latest high-end titles over home broadband Internet to the TV and entry-level PCs and Macs. Founded by noted technology entrepreneur Steve Perlman (WebTV, QuickTime) and incubated within the Rearden media and technology incubator, OnLive spent seven years in stealth development before officially unveiling in March 2009. OnLive, together with its Mova subsidiary, lies directly at the nexus of several key trends, all of which are reshaping the way we think about and use digital media: The shift to cloud computing, displacing the limitations, cost and complexity of local computing; An explosion of consumer broadband connectivity, bringing fast bandwidth to the home; Unprecedented innovation, creativity and expansion within"




Basically, you log in via the set top device or a personal computer (mac included) and using "cloud" technology; the OnLive servers are able to stream a games video into that said device. You would have to connect some sort of input device, but all the processing and graphics are computed at the server and you are essentially watching a video of what you are playing as you play (hopefully lag free). It works, in a controlled setting, as developers demoed it at GDC, but on a massive scale it seems wrought with road blocks. For example; not all publishers have signed on (although EA, Ubisoft, Take-two, and 9 other publishers are go for launch), the distance to a server is a factor (about 1000 miles), and most ISPs have bandwidth caps, making it seem more difficult for adoption by the masses. In time, all this will be overcome and for developers/publishers, it will be a more profitable direction to eliminate the retailer. Because in the end, all developers aim to do is get their games to consumers in the simplest way possible.

The Zeebo aims to due something similar for 3rd world gamers, buy offering affordable downloads, on a 3G network. With an initial launched scheduled for Brazil this year, Zeebo will hope to bring gaming to locations in the world, currently NOT supported by next generation systems. They too offer games from a plethora of publishers and according to the website "are viewed as the world's 4th console gaming platform", but the question of their success will remain just that for a time. Mostly due to the fact that Brazil has one of the largest grey markets in the world, purchasing a PSone with 100 burned games on the cheap does not sound like a bad way to game it up where I am sitting.

Some postulate our future would lie in the full download service, others see it as being streamed. Will OnLive be the future of gaming and will Zeebo carve out a place for itself among the other 3 consoles in the market? Only time will tell. One thing is certain, whether or not OnLive and Zeebo become the next big things is less relevant, because the next big thing will be digital distribution. I heard on a podcast yesterday that Sony has just patented the phrase "Playstation Cloud", I wonder what that could be for...

All pics are courtesy of www.penny-arcade.com, http://www.onlive.com, and http://zeeboinc.com

NEW TV!

Not the best pic (TV is a little to bright for Iphones), but its a Samsung 51" LCD and after watching The Fifth Element on Blu-ray, I can honestly say that my old TV dying is the greatest "misfortune" I have ever experienced.

My TV is Dead....

Funeral arrangements are being made, not sure if I am going to bury it under a pile of shit in the garage or drive out to the desert and blow it up. But to be realistic, I should of thought about WTF I'd do when my 57" Projector TV dies. Certainly not the easiest thing to dispose of. There will be some liquidation sales this weekend, guess its time for that pretty flat panel I have been dreaming of! I will comeback with pictures of the new baby soon enough.

all images provided by google image search

Almost April!?

So as you can see the blog posts kind of thinned out through the month of March. Mostly due to a downward spiral of reality I have been dealing with, but not without blame is the recent releases of RE5 and Killzone 2. To keep this ball rolling and finish the month out strong I wanted to touch on my recent experience will the Killzone 2 Multiplayer. Really, I think Penny Arcade summed it up best in 3 frames...

Now lets be clear, Killzone 2 does not re-invent the wheel. In most respects, it would be considered a standard shooter. But, it is my personal opinion that Killzone 2 does much more than just "any" FPS with multiplayer. From a technical standpoint this game is hit or miss. Beautiful Graphics, floaty gun mechanics or fantastic sound effects, terrible dialog. Its like most games, a share of the good and bad, so why has its multiplayer been such a success? The non-stop action is why. First, the matchmaking is solid and clan system effective, but really where it shines is the way the play mode is set. In most 32 player maps, each team participates in 7 rounds differentiated by defense objectives, assassination missions, assault campaigns and good old fashion death match. Leading to a 25 minute battle royal where, which ever team wins, receives a multiplier on their Battle Points. Whats a battle point? Glad you asked, because this is why I love Killzone 2. It has almost an RPG/Class based leveling system where you earn battle points by completing objectives in each round, plus you can get battle points for kills and using your class based skills.

That's right, class based skills. So not only can you play as a run and gun soldier, but there are classes like the engineer, medic, tactician, scout, saboteur, etc. who all have unique load outs and skill sets. Sure this borrows from Team Fortress 2, but not in a tacky way. It still retains its own natural feel, and even re-invents itself with a Ribbon system, where you can also unlock abilities through ribbons and these abilities can be used across classes. Allowing you to tweak your character to a specific play style. Of course, to tweak the difficulty you are only allowed one rifle and one pistol at a time, creating more balance among classes. And everyone glows the color team the are on (Helghan Red, ISA Blue) which really helps to differentiate enemies, while still letting them look unique. While it might not detour to far from the FPS Multiplayer formula, it is by far the best Multiplayer game Exclusive to the PS3 and is something that Sony fans should be proud is their own.

All pictures provided by www.google.com/image and http://www.penny-arcade.com/

Retro Gaming Round Up: Quiz & Dragons

Every once and awhile I like to go back and find games that remind me of how it all started. Other times I am lucky enough to find a game that I missed while growing up. Either way, it is important to pay homage to those games that have inspired so many of the "next-gen" games we are currently enjoying. While listening to The Hotspot Podcast last week, Tom Mcshea was part of an interview with David Sirlin, who had previously worked on a collection of classic games from Capcom. Tom seemed completely stoked about the infamous Quiz and Dragons and I couldn't help but share his enthusiasm and picked it up for myself.

Originally released in arcades in 1992, the game combined some elements of an RPG with that of a board game, to create a unique twist to the quiz game genre. But really, the best part of playing this today is the questions! Because there is nothing like playing this 17 years in the future and trying to remember the names of all the New Kids on the Block. Not only that, but with 4 selectable characters, you can be a Fighter, Amazon, Wizard, or NINJA! Ninjas are the bomb... just in case you wondered why thats in caps. This game was part of Capcom Classics Collection vol. 2 and came with a couple other gems like Strider and 1941, so if the appeal of a Quiz Game/RPG + 19 other classics sounds like your cup of tea and you have a PS2, Xbox or PSP, go pick it up, it was only $15 at my local video game retailer. Also look at the first comments for examples of some of my favorite questions in the quiz.

State of the Industry: Multiplayer

With the new generation of consoles install base growing, our ability to play across the world wide web with friends from any locale has become incredibly simple. As of late, a hot topic around podcasts and interviews has been the necessity of multiplayer. Does everything we do in the industry have to revolve around the concept of online gaming or is it possible to have the same if not equally better experience just playing by yourself?

Personally, I am not a huge multiplayer fan. Mostly because I lack the time necessary to enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, I once had a lvl 55 Hunter in WOW, and I used to play Halo 2 'til my fingers ached, but lately I have been turned off to the whole multiplayer experience. While maybe for me, it is just the saturation of games with multiplayer, Pete Wanat (producer of the new Wanted game) in a interview expressed a frustration with how the press and marketers push to simply have multiplayer to spice up the box or add one more feature, regardless how useless it is (play The Darkness; great game, terrible multiplayer). He certainly makes a good point, and it is easily justified by seeing how many FPS games have multiplayer. Most FPS games now are pushing for a more team oriented structure (IE: Team Fortress 2, Resistance 2, and soon Killzone 2), but accessibility is an issue, because most games now require individual accounts per player and a maximum of 2 players per system for online play, it is demanding for even gamers to get friends together and play online when everyone has to have their own system and sometimes own account. COD 4 has done a good job of keep the LAN alive and providing a 4 player split screen for you and your friends, but I was confused when I rented Quantum of Solace and could only play one player online, no split screen, no guest options. I mean, a Bond game should always have 4 player split screen. Goldeneye anyone?

And there will be more FPS games coming out that stress the same multiplayer available in previous games we already have, each with there own twists. So is there a silver lining? Funny you should ask, because it is coming from an unlikely hero, Capcom. Here is a quick look at 2 games coming out, which have unique ways to multiplay.

Street Fighter 4








Got it last night! Play for like 6 hours straight because I just had to have every character unlocked... but lets talk about the online play. Simply put, its perfect. First of all, I played for like 1 hour online and experienced no lag, latency, or drops and not only can I just quick match and fight somebody on the fly, but I can build custom matches, send friend requests and build up my battle points to flex my muscle online. On top of all of this, the coolest option has to be playing the Arcade mode, but leaving the online mode running, so random challengers can pop in every couple rounds for a wallop. I don't think it could get any better unless I had a cabinet in my living room, but for the price of $150, the Mad Catz Tournament stick can bring the arcade to you. Mad props to Capcom for bringing the spirit of 1 on 1 competition to next gen consoles.

Resident Evil 5








Granted I have only played the demo, but was able to test the co-op with a friend. Another very near perfect multiplayer experience. The entire game is built around you controlling one of two characters as you make your way through the levels. At times you will have to separate to unlock certain areas or defend one another from an elevated position. A human counterpart tends to be much better than AI, so first they enabled co-op on the same machine via split screen, which is great and hopefully will be a seem less process, meaning a 2nd player may jump in and out at any time. Not only that, but then you can go online and invite or join friends to play through the story co-op. Which is perfect because it helps build the tension when you have to protect your buddy from chainsaw wielding zombies, instead of a AI partner, who can't give you shit about it later. Watch for this game to drop on March 13th.



All pictures provided by www.google.com/image and http://www.penny-arcade.com/

Gaming Outdoors: arcade ufo

My girlfriend and I went down to Austin this past weekend for a charity event and we decided to stop by a local arcade for a spin. Best idea ever! This Arcade is what cabinet gaming is all about. You enter into a small lobby which has your typical driving and shooting cabinets, with the bonus of their very own UFO crane machine, but it is to your left that you find the true gem that this arcade is. Two rows of sit down, Japanese style cabinets await you. Each containing some of the hottest games from the east, including the biggest reason to stop in, Street Fighter 4.

That's right! I have finally played it and was in love after the first hadouken. The graphics are astounding, game play nostalgic, and fighting system is a welcome edition after the variations seen in the Alphas' and Third Strike. In 4, they use a new "parry" system called a focus attack, which lets you counter one hit when in focus stance (hold mp+mk). The longer you hold the focus stance before you are hit, the harder the counterattack, which can stun your opponent, leaving room for you to finish them off with a super or ultra combo. You can also use the focus stance to stop mid-combo to save you combo meter and then you can dash in or out of focus. Did you get all that? Well, just think how confused your opponents will be after you can pull all this off. In any case, it was a treat and not the only new game I got to play. Besides the Cave shmups (my girlfriend and I played a little Death Smiles), I also tried some blazblu, capcom vs tatsunoko, and revisited arcana hearts 2. All very good and all exactly what I am missing. There were more games there, but not enough time and we had a future engagement. Please, if you're ever in Austin, make a stop at this location and drop a couple of dollars. Wouldn't want to see something like this fade away. Also stop by their website for details on upcoming tournaments, who knows, with SF 4 coming out in 2 days, I might be training for the next one. Here is the website.

http://www.arcadeufo.com/

STREET FIGHTER IV VIDEO APP

Ever wonder what you would look like in Street Fighter 4? Now you don't have to wonder, thanks to Capcom, you can find out yourself just by uploading a picture. Enjoy this short clip of me kicking Crimson Viper's ASS!

And you can do it yourself at this website http://www.streetfighter.com/myfistyourface/

Got a new title up!

Won't admit how long it took me to design it, but I think it came out ok... >_<

*EDIT: Should have mentioned this before, but the character jump kicking the title is my interpretation of Alex from River City Ransom.

So little time, so little time

And we thought 2008 was oversaturated with triple A titles and sequels. Taking a look into 2009 I begin to question why I waste my time doing the little things like school, work, or leaving my house. You know, all the stuff that gets in the way of whats important, playing more video games! With so many games coming out, I thought I would set up my most anticipated games for 2009. Here we go:

1. Street Fighter 4 (xbox360,PS3)

2. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)

3. Resident Evil 5 (xbox360,PS3)

4. Killzone 2 (PS3)

5. Assassins Creed 2 (xbox360,PS3)

6. Mad World (Wii)

7. inFamous (PS3)

8. Borderlands (xbox360,PS3)

9. Ghostbusters (xbox360,PS3)

10. Brutal Legend (xbox360,PS3)

Other notable mentions include Rhythm Heaven (DS), GTA: China Town Wars (DS), Prototype (xbox360,PS3) and Bionic Commando (xbox360,PS3)

Entertainment Software Day is Official

According to a post on www.gamepolitics.com, Gov. Rick perry has declared February 3rd as Entertainment Software Day or Video Game Day! Supposedly this is the first time a state has recognized the gaming industries publicly for it's support of the state economy, bringing in $395 million last year for Texas, according to the ESA. Speaking of the ESA, here is a comment from ESA CEO Mike Gallagher:

"The support of Governor Perry, Senator Duell and Representative Dukes for the entertainment software industry in Texas is an endorsement of the artistic and economic contributions our industry has made to the state.These lawmakers are helping grow our industry as we work to create new jobs for Texans; boost the state’s economy; and help discover new ways computer and video games can improve the ways Americans live, work and play."

Great to see that this is being announced, but I only wonder if this would have had any precedence if done earlier? I mean, we have seen at least 3 studio closures; Vigil Entertainment, Ensemble Studios, and Midway Austin in the past few months. And like all aspects of business right now, the gaming industry is NOT recession proof. Hopefully, this announcement will inspire some new studios to come down south and try to set up shop in DFW or Austin. I will keep my fingers crossed.

image courtesy of http://www.theesa.com/images/gallagher.jpg and article can be read in full at http://www.gamepolitics.com/2009/02/03/guv-declares-quotentertainment-software-dayquot-texas

DFW Gaming Convention Incoming

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ScrewAttack, an online community for gamers which boasts original entertainment and news, has posted the early pre-registration on their website for the gaming convention being held in DFW this year. SGC will take place July 3-5th, 2009 at the Westin Dallas/Fort Worth Airport- only 3 minutes from DFW Airport. Prices are as follows:

Early Pre-Registration (through February 28): $30
Pre-Registration (March 1 - June 19th): $40
On Site Registration: $50 for the entire event or $20 per day

It should be a blast if we can get everyone in the metroplex out for 72 hours of gaming, and with a host of guests being anounced, there is sure to be something for everyone. Hell, just to get my picture taken in front of Ecto-1 is worth the badge. You can check out information about ScrewAttack and their convention through the following websites. Hope to see you there.

http://www.sgconvention.com/

http://www.screwattack.com/

*All images are courtesy of http://www.sgconvention.com/

Recommended Reading

For those calm sunday afternoons, when it feels good to get away from all the hustle and bustle of our weekdays, sometimes you need a good book. Being in grad school right now, I am kind of strapped for time. I can't imagine reading some Tolkien, while trying to cram a Consumer Behavior textbook into my brain, but I refuse to stop reading for pleasure. Information is like food for me, although if all I keep eating is these meaty textbooks, botulism will surely ensue. So, I picked up a new book from one of my favorite editors at Kotaku, Brian Ashcraft, who decided to explore the arcade ulture that has held the country of Japan captive for the past 25 years or so. Behold, Arcade Mania!

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To me this book was more than just an "average" book for two reasons: first, I grew up on these cabinets. I can remember being in a bowling league when I was like 8, and in between frames I would run over and watch all the teenagers tearing up Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter 2. And then when I was in High School I worked at a go-kart park, occassionaly spending a night working the arcade, adding free credits to Killer Instinct and Virtua Fighter cabinets to feed my fighting game hunger. Second, I just got back from Japan in May, and I went to alot of arcades while I was there, so much so, that I would stop mid-chapter sometimes exclaiming "Oh! I have been there!" and continue reading as I walked down memory lane, wishing I was at a Street Fighter IV cabinet in a smokey basement in Akihabara.

For anyone living in the U.S. now, they know the sad state of our Arcades, considering anything mom & pop was pushed out of the market by these Gameworks and Dave & Busters years ago and who inevitabley has done a great disservice to the industry, by filling the floors with dedicated cabinets at $2 per play, while removing all the long standing fighting, adventure, and retro-games that we all know and loved. But this is not the case worldwide, because for all the rhythmically charged, robot flying, card based games existing in Japan now, there is still a calling for all types of games. From shooters to Majhong, in Japan, the arcades have evolved with the people and not only does this book feature historical aspects of the multiple genres that inhabit Japan's arcades, but it also explores the people who have helped create, inspire and prolong this cultural phenomenom. My favorite had to be player 4 "the beast", as I recall gathering around a friends computer back in 2004 to witness Justin Long beating the crap out of this guy ("the beast") only to have his super combo parried 15 times and die taking Shinryuken to the face.

Another great part about this book, was to see how much I had missed. I only spent about 5 days in Tokyo, so there are thousands of Arcades left for me to visit, and if I can see half of them, I will die fulfilled. All in all, this book has been a treat and already has me planning out my next arcade fix, half way around the world.

Thanks for reading.

You can purchase this book at Amazon.com here.

*Images provided by http://www.bornrich.org/images/brianashcraft_2_12.jpg and http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51QM+RRfyiL._SS500_.jpg