PS3 600 dollars? Sony is on crack

[Vigilance]

I got the exact opposite impression from the various E3 related podcasts. People were keen on the hardware but the software always garnered a tepid response. Zelda, Metroid, Red Steel, Wii Sports and the orchestra game -- all were griped about either due to poor controls or bad game design. Were there other games getting lots of praise?

I know the guys at gamespot gave Wii high marks at E-3 and are very impressed by X-box marketplace. The only comments I hear about or from Sony are arrogant as hell.

The Wii actually has me intrigued, despite not caring about the weird controller and despite it having the worst name ever.

I actually like party games and a new Zelda is a nice prospect.

Here's a column that's pretty representative of what I've read about the Wii so far:

Legend of Zelda looks very good. Link is grown up and has all his classic toys. The game is quite Wiimote intensive but not quite to the extent some might be hoping. Actions such as aiming the bow and arrow (and other tools, including the boomerang) and fishing are all controlled by the Wiimote. Sword fighting, however, is a bit more traditional. Whipping the nunchuck controller around can unleash special moves such as Link's spin attack or a shield-bashing finishing move, but generally his sword swings are controlled by the push of a button. In the end, this isn't such a bad thing; considering how often Link uses his sword, I'd be developing carpal tunnel syndrome before I completed the second dungeon. Legend of Zelda looks like it's shaping up to be a great game, but you won't be swinging Link's sword yourself.

Red Steel is a different story. The game completely relies on the Wiimote. Guns are aimed and swords are swung with the Wiimote, and even actions such as opening doors require a gentle shake of the nunchuck. The controls are a bit sensitive, but once I got used to them, I was gunning down Yakuza and cutting down kendo trainers with style. The game definitely proves that FPS games can work well on a console; the Wiimote-nunchuck configuration is the first console control scheme I've seen that comes anywhere near the control of a keyboard and mouse.

The Wii has a lot of potential, and I can definitely see the Wiimote taking off. It has a definite learning curve--traditional gamers can look forward to adjusting to the distinctly different control setup--but waving around the nunchucks gives a real sense of action in Wii games and adds a whole new dimension of control. It's not quite to the point of virtual reality, but it's an immersive system that will let gamers feel even closer to the games they play.

http://reviews.cnet.com/4331-12331-6524584.html

And another:

Nintendo: Look, I think Nintendo had a spectacular show, and I had a lot of fun trying out the Wii. That doesn't mean the system's perfect, though. The company had a golden opportunity to pull the rug out from under Sony by announcing a much lower price point, but it lost it. The system, while enjoyable, had some faults. It says something that every Wii kiosk was manned by a Nintendo rep that had to painstakingly explain how to control their respective game. This control method's supposed to be simple? As enjoyable as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was, I couldn't help but think, "Man, this would be a lot more fun on the GameCube." Kudos to the company for putting on a good show with the DS Lite, though. Its first-party wares completely outshined the rather meager PSP offerings.

http://reviews.cnet.com/4331-12331_7-6526962.html?tag=blog

Chuck

 

[Arnwyn]

I got the exact opposite impression from the various E3 related podcasts. People were keen on the hardware but the software always garnered a tepid response. Zelda, Metroid, Red Steel, Wii Sports and the orchestra game -- all were griped about either due to poor controls or bad game design. Were there other games getting lots of praise?

Exactly so. Once the bleating Nintendoy "fanboys" were removed, the multiple comments coming out of E3 regarding the Wii can be summed up by at least one reporter's statement:

"Zelda Wii controls like ass."

Too many reports came out that cast serious concerns on the Wii's control issues.

As far as that "upgradeable" PS3 nonsense, all I heard from E3 reports was Katuragi's comment regarding the hard drive. The rest sounds like the those DFC folks "extrapolating".

and, according to DFC,

Sure guys. Whatever.

Nothing has been proven about such nonsensical ideas as "higher" PS3 game prices (which, actually, already exists for the 360 - we've already long since covered that much earlier in this thread), instant death due to poor "launch" games (disproven on many console launches - and what's "launch" defined as, anyways? Day 1 games? Yeah, whatever. Talk to us in 6 months), and other such doom and gloom "news". And in any case, historically video game industry analysts have turned out to have a failing record in their predictions.

PS3 hasn't, and I'm not sure why everyone acts like I'm dumb for saying so.

Everyone hasn't played it, nor seen the game lineup 6 months past Nov. 17, 2006.

 

[takyris]

I had an interesting meeting today, where the higher-ups, in talking about what the company's long-term plans were, suggested that the PS3 wasn't necessarily as high a development priority for the company. The reason given was that upon release, Sony's new platforms are generally regarded as much more difficult to develop for, due to the lack of support resources (and the fact that a lot of the good dev information is in Japanese).

This isn't intended to be a broad sweeping categorical statement. If other people at game companies have information to the contrary, I'd of course love to hear it. But for company higher-ups to suggest that developing a game for the PS3 is a big ol' pain in the butt even when compared to developing a game for the 360 (which isn't a picnic) says some interesting stuff.

(And the higher-ups very specifically DIDN'T say anything about NOT EVER developing for the PS3. They just said that they were going to wait for the support to get stronger -- let a few other people go up that ladder first.)

Food for thought.

 

[Piratecat]

I just messed around with the Wii controller the other day, and I'm pretty damn impressed. I strongly suspect that Wii games are going to be a little bit like D&D's prestige classes -- the first couple will be sloppy, and then they're going to get pretty cool as people figure out what they can do with the tools available. The 'nunchaku' control has a ton of potential, but not everyone will seize it when trying to port games.

The Wii will reportedly retail at $170-something, less than $200. Nintendo's strategy looks to be that people will own both the Wii and either an x-Box or Sony.

 

[Vocenoctum]

The Wii will reportedly retail at $170-something, less than $200. Nintendo's strategy looks to be that people will own both the Wii and either an x-Box or Sony.

I think you'll also get plenty of folks that buy a Wii on the idea of getting the 360 or PS3 later, given the pricing.

Who knows though, even this time next year, we won't have a clear idea.

 

[John Crichton]

I just messed around with the Wii controller the other day, and I'm pretty damn impressed. I strongly suspect that Wii games are going to be a little bit like D&D's prestige classes -- the first couple will be sloppy, and then they're going to get pretty cool as people figure out what they can do with the tools available. The 'nunchaku' control has a ton of potential, but not everyone will seize it when trying to port games.

The Wii will reportedly retail at $170-something, less than $200. Nintendo's strategy looks to be that people will own both the Wii and either an x-Box or Sony.

I hope that some non-first party games are worth getting for it. I'm not worried about the Marios, Zeldas, Metroids and such. It's most of the other stuff that has been lacking for 2 generations of Nintendo consoles.

 

[John Crichton]

I had an interesting meeting today, where the higher-ups, in talking about what the company's long-term plans were, suggested that the PS3 wasn't necessarily as high a development priority for the company. The reason given was that upon release, Sony's new platforms are generally regarded as much more difficult to develop for, due to the lack of support resources (and the fact that a lot of the good dev information is in Japanese).

This isn't intended to be a broad sweeping categorical statement. If other people at game companies have information to the contrary, I'd of course love to hear it. But for company higher-ups to suggest that developing a game for the PS3 is a big ol' pain in the butt even when compared to developing a game for the 360 (which isn't a picnic) says some interesting stuff.

(And the higher-ups very specifically DIDN'T say anything about NOT EVER developing for the PS3. They just said that they were going to wait for the support to get stronger -- let a few other people go up that ladder first.)

Food for thought.

That doesn't surprise me from Bioware. They are PC-ish folks and the Xboxes are the closest thing. And yeah, the Sony systems typically take longer to master but I think have more potential overall. The later Xbox games didn't look too different compared to the stuff from the launch. PS2 had a stunning difference as it got older with some games, even though it still struggled to look as good as any Xbox game.

 

[Vigilance]

Exactly so. Once the bleating Nintendoy "fanboys" were removed, the multiple comments coming out of E3 regarding the Wii can be summed up by at least one reporter's statement:

"Zelda Wii controls like ass."

Too many reports came out that cast serious concerns on the Wii's control issues.

And yet you have one. So all the positive reports are "bleating Nintendo fanboys" and the one "it controls like ass" is apparently the height of moderation.

Im going by the comments by the entire GameSpot editorial staff, who all used the Wii controller and (for the most part) liked it, and are most certainly NOT bleating fanboys from what I've heard for Nintendo or anyone else. They had a lot of reservations about the controller.

Also, the fact that EA is talking about making a Madden edition (the best selling RPG of last year) *specifically* to take advantage of the Wii controller, and that Square Enix is working on a shooter called Red Steel for it, hoping for that game to be a Wii launch game, says that developers are at least a little intrigued by the controller's possibilities.

But please, continue to give us your fair and balanced accounts of how it "sucks ass".

Chuck

 

[takyris]

That doesn't surprise me from Bioware. They are PC-ish folks and the Xboxes are the closest thing. And yeah, the Sony systems typically take longer to master but I think have more potential overall. The later Xbox games didn't look too different compared to the stuff from the launch. PS2 had a stunning difference as it got older with some games, even though it still struggled to look as good as any Xbox game.

Actually, the quote in question came from our sister company, Pandemic, not from BioWare.

 

[John Crichton]

Actually, the quote in question came from our sister company, Pandemic, not from BioWare.

Ah, but they are all pretty much influenced by Bioware, right? Could be my mistaken impressions.