Jonah is getting ready for Vegas this weekend, so you know that whatever he does there will probably stay there. On the other hand, Jordan’s just beginning to check out State of Decay, while the winner of the T-shirt contest is announced. Also, for the first time in a long while, there’s a Gaming History – this one on the PlayStation 2.
This week’s news:
- UbiSoft: Xbox One version of Watch Dogs more dynamic than PS4 and current-gen versions
- Microsoft prez Don Mattrick leaves to be Zynga CEO
- Sony: DualShock 4 controller’s light bar cannot be turned off
- Indian PC gamers upset at Origin price increases
This week’s Question of the Week, “What’s your favorite indie game released in the last year?”
The same company that brought us the NES Advantage has proven the Wii control scheme isn’t as bad as critics speculated. The beauty of adding the “waggle” technology is limiting your button count to a reasonable level without overwhelming gamers.
Sony took pieces of this concept in their PS3 controller and its ability to detect “tilt.” Xbox 360 stuck with the beefy controller with lots of buttons and analog sticks. Not just a D-Pad but two analog sticks and a ton of buttons to press, some pressure sensitive as well. What of our next-generation console? Maybe a few new buttons?
Ensemble Studios, owned and operated by Microsoft or, Microsoft Games Studios, has been targed to be dissolved. All employees will find new homes, a large quantity will start a new studio and continue maintaining the later released Halo Wars franchise.
@WatchDogs – The problem with MS cloud computing is similar to PS Move. If it’s not obligatory or bundled with the system the install base is lower so the devs are less inclined to develop for it. Kudos to Ubisoft for taking advantage of the cloud but it is true that for users with slower Internet connection, the ‘dynamism’ may not be as improved as they say.
@Sony Dualshock4 – I’m pretty sure this can be fixed with a firmware update or at least I hope it can. There has to be a hardware option to do that – I understand that it’s the software that’s not allowing it at this point. As far as the battery lifetime goes, I have to say I’m satisfied with Dualshock 3. True, it’s a pain in the butt that you can charge it with the system off. I own two controllers so if one runs out of juice I plug it in and use the other one. As a last resort I could play with the controller plugged in but it rarely comes to that. Having said that, I hope it will be possible to charge the new controllers with the PS switched off.
@Indian prices – I agree with Jonah that EA could verify their customers somehow. A credit card would be the easiest way out although a mail-in method would also work. Punishing those people just because some idiots from the other side of the world take advantage of the system is precisely why EA gets all the ‘accolades’ it gets year in and year out. #WorstCompany
@Vita – it’s true that there aren’t many or even a few AAA Vita games in development but I like to be more optimistic. I hope that Vita will gain popularity with the new Playstation and once the install base grows, developers will notice that it makes sense to make games for the handheld.
Also, bringing back older games makes sense in this context. For people who buy PS4 and don’t have PS3 right now, Vita could be the way to experience the great PSN games such as Dead Nation (YEAH!) or Guacamelee.
By the way, have you played Velocity Ultra on the Vita? Look below.
@QOTW – I have to say Velocity Ultra. It’s a great vertical shoot’em up for the Vita. However, it has a twist in that your ship can teleport through walls and other obstacles. It’s easy to learn, more difficult to master, it has achievements and trophies and it requires a lot of skill if you want to complete all the stages flawlessly.
@Dynamicism (is that a word?)
OMFG!!! Dynamic water!!! I wonder if it involves advanced fish AI? Having a marginally better environment won’t sell the console. It sounds like a cool gimmick, but just like in GTA, rushing through the city at high speed you won’t even notice it.
@Matrick
If I would not care any harder, I would
start sucking in other people’s cares and turn UK into a country full of apathetic pricks (i.e. France). I don’t tend to place names to faces in the video gaming business. For me he will always be that smug short guy who wasted a lot of time on conferences talking crap no one cared about.
@PS controllers
Don’t care. I bought an adaptor that lets me plug in my Xbox 360 and PS2 controllers into my PS3. Haven’t used the official PS3 controller ever since. If I get a chance to do so with PS4 I will gladly. Dual shock controllers overstayed there welcome; a relic of an era long past that should have been redesigned at the PS3 stage.
@favourie Indie game
I played 2 in the last year. Both of them were rip offs of another series. CastleMiner Z is a Minecraft clone which focuses less on building and more on mob survival. It has craftable guns and loads of zombies to shoot. Another game is White Noise; a Slender rip off. Almost the same but has coop which results in some hilarious gags. I tend to turn to indies because a lot of them have coop support. Most mainstream titles just concentrate on pvp multiplayer.
Candlejack is such a lame meme. Look. I said Candlejack and I am still here. It’s not like I am making fun of Vladimir Puti-
In Soviet Russia, Candlejack is abducted by you.