Another late podcast, as Summer is in sight, and E3 looms ahead. Some minor audio issues with the podcast, but still the same podcast-y goodness we can expect from Paul and Jonah.
The news includes:
All that and Listener Feedback.
This episode is a bit on the short side, but that’s because the news wasn’t really all that meaty.
The news includes:
Let us know what you think.
The question of the day, “Do HD graphics matter to gamers?” If you’re currently rolling with a PS3 or Xbox 360 and you’ve got HDMI and or sweet component cables you’re probably saying, “duh, of course they do.” What about everyone else, those Wii consoles for instance, there are so many of those. What about gamers that do not know what HDMI means?
Let’s face it, an estimated 21-million people are still using over the air TV broadcast signal and a large portion of those think that their TV is high definition because it doesn’t have an analog dial anymore. Recent Nielson ratings are showing most gamers are still pushing PS2 hardware, which isn’t high definition.
In the US, HDTV sales only reach 25-30% of the population. Couple this with the fact that one in five HDTV owners can’t tell the difference between standard definition and high definition content and you’ve got roughly 20% of the population utilizing HD. Looking at the number of gaming consoles out there and the rate of uptake, it’s clear that a large majority of gamers are not using HD resolutions for their gaming needs. (loot-ninja)
We’d like to think 1080p looks much different than 480p but some people don’t seem to notice because, honestly, they just don’t care. We’d also like to think a PlayStation 3 buyer would be aware of the HD content and already have equipment at home to take advantage of the system. Although there are no solid facts to state otherwise, there must be a group of individuals that have purchased a PlayStation 3 and are rolling with SDTV (ghetto).
High definition graphics matter to people who want a true HD experience. Wii gamers don’t care about high definition because they’re focused on the game play environment or are just following the wave of hype and desire to own the infamous white box. The Xbox 360 gamers may go either way, a gamer wants to own the system because they can get a lot of cool new games for it secondary to the HD experience. The hot games just don’t get designed on the Xbox classic or PS2 anymore. We’d presume a PS3 gamer really wants to play a high definition game because the cost of the console is more and you’re getting a Blu-ray player all bundled into one.
HD graphics matter to us, we see the difference, respect the detail and use the HD portion of the console as an excuse for paying so much for the technology. The United States, as a whole, isn’t fully ready or equipped (mentally) for a full HD experience. When will they be prepared to experience high definition at its fullest?
My guess, five years after Nintendo makes the transition to 1080p. Nintendo is capitalizing on the “average Joe” and the average consumer is still catching up on the high definition. Hell, many gamers are still playing the dial-up game!
Maybe we need to start a new government funded orgnization: The No HD Left Behind Act. Everyone should be in HD.
This week’s Gaming Podcast lacks Paul S. Nowak, who had to bow out due to illness, but there’s still Jonah Falcon, Jordan Lund and Daniel Quick to keep the podcast lively. This week features yet another weird NES title, Wall Street Kid, and some friendly Paul-less banter between the trio.
This week’s news includes:
Jonah also startles Dan and Jordan with a “secret topic” with the $99 console, the Ouya, which leads to the Question of the Week, “Would you buy a $99 Android-based console?”
@Better Than Life
Above title is a reference to the popular UK TV series Red Dwarf. Better Than Life was a virtual reality headset that rendered anything that you ever dreamed off. However, it was banned because people using Better Than Life would spend all their time in the virtual world and eventually starve and die.
I don’t think VR will fail. Simply because too many big players are investing into it. Microsoft, Facebook, Apple and Sony are all bringing out a separate headset. And no-one can fault them. VR and AR have a lot of potential, especially outside video games.
My experience with AR on the 3DS was limited but I was impressed nonetheless. Seeing your tabletop transform into a fire breathing dragon was pretty cool and it’s sad Nintendo never followed up on this feature.
I think there is so much interest in VR and AR because it was a big sci-fi hook in the 90s. As Paul mentioned, there was the Lawnmower Man. There was also Johny Quest. Now, in 2015, the 90s kids have turned into working adults and are willing to shell out a lot of money for their childhood dreams. If there was ever a time for a VR revolution, it is now.
Will it be as successful as the mobile revolution? Don’t think so. My iPhone is with me wherever I go. But I don’t see taking Oculus Rift on the train. VR and AR devices will be anchored to your house and will probably be as revolutionary as a VHS player. Which is not a bad thing really.
@Thanks a lot Nintendo for region locking your products because I really don’t feel discriminated against because I live in Europe
Wow.That is one sweet Humble Bundle. If only the codes worked outside of US I would probably have more than 2 Wii U games. Thank you Nintendo for catering to ALL your customers.
On a different note, Paul raises a serious point. Since the creation of Humble Bundle and Steam sales I accumulated a lot of games on my Steam account. So far I have properly played maybe 15. Adding it to the countless PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, GBA, DS, 3DS, PSP, Wii and Wii U titles, in terms of playing new games I should be sorted for the next 50 years. And yet I keep buying more. It is turning from a habit into a disorder. But if a game costs £1, as my friend puts it, “I could skip out on that can of coke”. It’s strange. In 2005 here in UK it was almost impossible to find a game under £10. How things have changed.
@World of Warcraft: Broken Wings and Raging Tears
My stance on this topic is that whoever wants to see more content will look for it and therefore not fly. On the other hand, whoever wants to zoom past on his legendary mount “Dragon-Hoof-That-Was-Forged-From-My-Dad’s-Credit-Card”should be free to do so. I don’t see why WoW can’t have both.
Great show guys!
@VR/AR: I think the whole VR thing has been a long time coming, I think it’s been mostly that the hard ware wasn’t easy to use, as pointed out that Mobile phones are. Between clunky headsets, tvs requiring glasses and price tags. I’m still waiting for Holodecks personally. I do like what I have seen with the Altered reality hardware where a virtual bad guy can pop out through your device in your own environment.
@Oh What do you do with the funny little things, they go no wings: (that was reference to the Animated Hobbit movie) I can see why this has made many angry, you give they a great feature something they had been demanding for awhile. Then take it away, talk about pissing in their cornflakes and smiling about it. I remember a area just above Ironforge I could never get to because of the restriction of flying. I, like you Jonah, haven’t played WoW in years but being able to get to these hard to reach places needed flying and now they want to limit that. So you’ll have your taxi but I guess the fancy mounts are all grounded. I don’t think Blizzard can afford to give reasons for people to quit their servers. Several have already commented that they have stopped playing.
@FFXV: This is a series that really does need it’s Final iteration. They’ve gone into a direction I no longer want to follow. It’s a shame too cause it was one of my favorite series. I think it goes with my point when you two can’t keep the latest ones straight.