The Pensive Gamer

Posted 05/01/2007 @ 12:00:35 AM by Joseph Molnar Filed under: News Picks , Xbox 360 , Xbox Live Arcade

There was some coverage on sites Ars Technica and Kotaku today talking about how Xbox Live Arcade games are not fully transferable to the Xbox 360 Elite. This was mentioned on the Gamerscore Blog last week.

This has to do with a form of digital rights management (DRM) on the 360. The DRM allows:

• Any account to play the full Arcade title on the original Xbox 360 that the game was purchased on. Meaning: The whole family or visiting friends can play the full version.
• The original purchasing account to play on any console, as long as that account is logged into Xbox Live. Meaning: You can play full versions when visiting friends.

But, if your 360 is replaced or if you buy an Elite and transfer the titles over then all Arcade games previously purchased will require you to be logged into Live. No Live connectivity then the game plays like a demo.

Obviously not ideal. But listening to Major Nelson's latest podcast they state they are going to fix the licensing issue (approx. 21 minutes and 10 seconds in). Major said:

'Yes, we know the licensing isn't perfect. We know that. We are working on it.'

Given the bold lettering from the Gamescore blog and Major's podcast comment, they clearly knew this was going to upset some people. It is good that they are going to address it. I have a few arcade titles that require me to sign-in to play.

Posted 04/11/2007 @ 10:30:15 PM by Joseph Molnar Filed under: News Picks , PlayStation 3

While over the past few weeks there has been plenty of evidence that this change was coming, the news has still provoked a lot of discussion. While on the surface this move may simply appear to give Microsoft more pricing breathing room particularly with the introduction of the Xbox 306 Elite, this is a good move for Sony and future PS3 purchasers.

That may sound like an odd statement since things are forcibly more expensive to today's consumer, but keep the following things in mind.

First, this time of year generally has lower sales, the 20 GB model is not even offered in all territories and Sony's bigger games don't come out the door until the second half of the year. Therefore the impact on sales is relatively minor.

Second, Sony has been aggressively cost cutting by doing things like removing chip-level PS2 compatibility, shrinking the internal chips, etc. With the 20 GB PS3 reportedly loosing more more money than the 60 GB version, and the additional cost to manage two separate lines (manufacturing, packaging, shipping, etc), removing the 20 GB PS3 will save Sony money and potentially allow for a price reduction sooner than had both lines been fully operational.

Third, people are buying substantially more 60 GB models than 20 GB. Yes people are arguing that this is simply because Sony is purposefully not creating as many, but this is even more reason to drop the 20 GB model. Sony had to either fully commit to the success of the 20 GB PS3 or drop it entirely. Half-measures are just more costly, distracting and ultimately more confusing for consumers particularly when the 20 GB version is hard to find.

So while on the surface this may seem like a minor set back ultimately this feels like the right decision as we march toward the later half of the year.

Posted 03/14/2007 @ 12:30:47 AM by Joseph Molnar Filed under: News Picks , Windows Vista , Xbox 360

Games for Windows - Live Details

So the official announcement is out, we have Games for Windows - Live details. In particular, the question people were really curious about has been answered. Will a Windows gamer be required to pay in order to play with other Windows gamers? The quick answer, no, but cross-platform play between Windows and Xbox 360 games will require paying for Gold.

This news isn't surprising, but I am curious of two things still:

• Will features like cross-platform gameplay and multiplayer achievements really be a enough of a draw for Windows gamers to pay for Gold memberships?
• With Windows gamers and Sony gamers getting free multiplayer, will Xbox 360 gamers start feeling jaded?

Honestly, the draw to pay for Gold, if a Windows user, seems low unless something else is added to the equation. However, if you play games on the 360 and Windows you can now pick which platform suits you best when buying a game.

My guess, as more revenue is generated via purchases (or perhaps ads) through Live, surpassing the profit generated from Gold subscriptions, you will see Gold either change or go away.

Posted 03/07/2007 @ 10:30:52 PM by Joseph Molnar Filed under: Games , News Picks , PlayStation 3

Sony's Home

While interesting, I'm a little under whelmed by Sony's Home; this is the problem when leaks occur. I had a preconceived notion of what it could be and unfortunately the real thing didn't live up to those expectations. Next week I'll post a follow-up with what I was hoping for.

What I liked:

• Driving a sense of community in a much more interactive fashion than other platforms.
• Having a private space that I can customize and have others join.
• Social based mini-games.

My questions:

• How much can I truly customize and own? Can I create public or private spaces beyond one house and is money required to do so?
• Is any form of user based scripting accessible?
• Phil mentioned live streaming HD content, but how realistic is that? What are the bandwidth requirements? This seems unfeasible, particular when we are talking 1080p and/or when there are multiple video streams in a single space.
• Can I allow people to enter my private places when I'm not online?
• Are the trophies/achievements only viewable while in Home or can I easily see at least something while in the XMB dashboard.
• Is the Home network international? Can I visit user or public spaces that were designed for or located in different geographic regions?
• Phil mentioned clans. Is there going to be a clan system coming or will I need to individually invite a large group of people?

What I disliked:

• The graphics seemed uninspired particularly after seeing LittleBigPlanet.
• Spaces didn't really appear to be connected; a sense of exploration is missing.
• Home is a separate application which means I'm fully disengaged from my gaming experience. It would be great to see more of a connection than unlocking items.
• It came off more as a means to advertise or make money via company shops, billboards, premium clothing/housing purchases, etc. I suppose I'm not shocked given today's audience of developers and publishers. Just seemed more like a big ad than a place I would want to hang-out.

There is no doubt there is huge potential here but I'm not sure this approach will help sell the PS3 beyond the hardcore gamer, particularly at the console's current price.

The Amazing LittleBigPlanet

This 'game' is absolutely stunning. For those who haven't seen it, I'm not going to use words. Just watch this:

This is an example of what Microsoft and Nintendo should be afraid of. Using flOw and LittleBigPlanet as examples, Sony is willing to take a more avant-garde approach to games.

As seen with Capcom's Clover Studio there is risk that this approach won't prove commercially successful. However, it is great investment; it will paint Sony as a company willing to engage creative people and companies.

I personally believe games like LittleBigPlanet are more likely to help sell the PS3 than Home.

Posted 03/05/2007 @ 10:30:56 PM by Joseph Molnar Filed under: News Picks , Virtual Console , Wii , Xbox 360 , Xbox Live Arcade

Microsoft to Nintendo: Banjo-Kazooie for Diddy Kong Racing?

Play-Nintendo has an article up with some quotes from the Rare Scribes pages that mention two things. First, Rare/Microsoft hasn't dismissed the idea of Banjo-Kazooie showing up on Wii's Virtual Console. Second, Diddy Kong Racing isn't clearly Nintendo's.

SPOnG has an article up where Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo of America, said "We know that there are a lot of fans from Microsoft and Xbox because they call us constantly trying to get product."

Speculation: Why would Microsoft let Nintendo put Banjo-Kazooie on the Wii? Seeing the two articles made me think the idea is a negotiating tactic. Microsoft would love to see a Nintendo property on their console. If Diddy Kong Racing isn't clearly Nintendo's (and this could be due to an old contract between Rare and Nintendo) it could be the perfect game to grab. Microsoft could offer Banjo-Kazooie to smooth out even the potential of a legal situation.

Posted 03/01/2007 @ 10:30:47 PM by Joseph Molnar Filed under: News Picks , PlayStation 3

Living @ “Home” in the PS3

A rumour broke on Kotaku today that was effectively verified when Sony blacklisted, and subsequently forgave, Kotaku. It is with regard to a coming feature that will allow users to have virtual homes within an online neighbourhood of friends. Apparently users can have friends over so they can show off game achievements, listen to music, watch videos and potentially play some casual games.

Sounds like a combination of Second Life, Xbox 360's Achievements and Wii's Miis. The technical geek in me finds this a very interesting idea if implemented well and certainly stirs up cyberpunk memories such as William Gibson’s Neuromancer or Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash.

Will it attract those who aren't hardcore gamers? I'll give my thoughts next week after the official details are given.

Sony Has Game

In the lead up to GDC, Sony has been spreading the word that they have more game developers than Nintendo and Microsoft combined. For PS3 owners this is great news. Sony owns some great gaming properties and will undoubtedly be working on some original titles.

I am curious, however, if this is a mixed blessing for Sony. I agree with David Jaffe’s statements that with third parties doing more multi-platform titles the first party titles play a much larger role. But, will pushing too many first party titles risk alienating third party publishers, particularly at a time when the install base of the platform is under the shadow of its competitors?

Posted 02/16/2007 @ 10:30:24 PM by Joseph Molnar Filed under: News Picks , Wii

Hi-Def on the Wii?

The Inquirer says a drunken Nintendo executive indicated the Wii has hi-def capabilities but that reasonable frame rates can't be maintained. As a blanket statement I personally find that hard to believe.

The GameCube ran slower than the Xbox but faster than the PS2. While the Wii's technical specs are not truly known, the Wii is considered to be at least twice as fast as the GameCube.

Given architecture differences you can't directly compare the Wii to the original Xbox but for sake of argument let's say the Wii is at least as fast (I actually believe it is faster). So then why can't the Wii do high-def? The Xbox had more than a handful of hi-def games. For example:

• Soul Calibur II (720p)
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (720p)
• Enter the Matrix (1080i)
• MX Unleashed (1080i)

I've been expecting Nintendo to do some form of announcement, ala Microsoft's 1080p upgrade. I'm not surprised they didn't mention it at launch since it would just bring attention to something that the Wii cannot do as well as its competitors. Selling folks on the controller and then later making the higher resolution seem like an extra bonus is a smart strategy.

So are they just waiting to keep it as a rumour until some big game is announced to support it?

Or is the Wii truly not capable of pushing things as high as the the original Xbox? I would find that hard to believe. But perhaps the visual fidelity at 720p is too far off the Xbox 360 and PS3 that Nintendo would prefer to never attempt to compete at that level.

Posted 02/13/2007 @ 10:30:29 PM by Joseph Molnar Filed under: News Picks , PlayStation 3 , Xbox 360

Mods for sale on PlayStation Network, maybe Live Marketplace

An interview with Mark Rein of Epic may have stolen some thunder on what Sony was hoping to announce at this year's GDC. In the interview Mark mentions mods for Unreal Tournament can be sold through the PlayStation Network. Sony has been talking about user contributed content for awhile and Mark Rein has always associated user mods with Unreal Tournament. The fact mod makers can make some money is a great way to draw attention to the platform.

Mark also mentions that he hopes the same thing will be possible through the Xbox Live Marketplace. He continues by saying that Microsoft has given him an indication it would. I would be disappointed if Microsoft didn't allow it. Microsoft is undoubtedly concerned with two things. First, security, since it means a form of executable code is running on the console. Second, is how easily Microsoft can manage getting content onto the Marketplace without it being a huge process for Live staff.

Since Sony has been talking about user content for awhile and given PlayStation games have more control over their interactions with the PlayStation Network Store, I wouldn't be surprised if Sony designed the store to make it easier for publishers and developers to get content up. It will be interesting to see if the PlayStation Network gets more user mods than the Live Marketplace.

Posted 02/12/2007 @ 10:30:10 PM by Joseph Molnar Filed under: News Picks , Wii

Wii-specific Video Web Applications

I mentioned in today's Wii homebrew posting that the Wii's popularity is definitely garnering the attention of web developers. Coincidently I noticed two more web applications attempting to ride on the success of the Wii and YouTube. One is called WiiToob the other a Wii version of StumbleUpon.

The Wii is selling incredibly well (though TechCrunch's 6 million number is high) and I would expect to see plenty of companies trying to capitalize on its success particularly when the web is an available development platform. I'm curious, however, how either of these two video sites will be able to maintain their businesses in the long term, certainly without some form of major backing.

Posted 02/08/2007 @ 10:30:00 PM by Joseph Molnar Filed under: Media , News Picks , Windows Vista , Xbox 360

Xbox Live Video Marketplace RSS Feed

While I'm a fan of the Xbox Live Video Marketplace it is nice to see my number one annoyance, the lack of knowing what was released without turning on my 360, is now solved. The Microsoft Gamerscore blog announced an RSS feed that gives the details.

XNA Game Studio Express running in Windows Vista

David Weller of Microsoft has posted the instructions on how to get the non-Windows Vista Visual Studio 2005 and Visual C# Express development tools patched so XNA Game Studio Express will run on Vista.

I had trouble installing XNA Game Studio Express late last year so this is great information for those stuck. However, I really wish Microsoft would finish Visual Studio 2005 Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista. The release versions of Windows Vista have been available to Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) subscribers since November 2006. Those subscribers probably use Visual Studio as their main development tool and really shouldn't upgrade to Vista until the official Windows Vista Visual Studio Service Pack 1 is released.

Apple TV to Play Games?

Engadget is reporting how Greg Canessa, Xbox Live Arcade's ex-executive who is now at casual gaming company PopCap, may have slipped that Apple TV will support games. While rumour until official confirmation, this really shouldn't surprise anyone. Apple already supports casual games on the iPod via iTunes. If it wasn't clear before, this week continues to prove that the living room is one huge battleground.