This week we almost forgot about the episode due to Labor Day! We thought we had a day off, but alas, no! Here is the news of the week, community comments and a complete gaming history and flashback. Today’s industry news included:
- People protesting New Metal of Honor Game
- Gamestop will not sell Metal of Honor in Military stores
- Sony’s next console will still use physical media
- Duke Nukem Forever May Get released
This week we’re starting our first round of questions for episode 200, a trivia quiz for Derrick and Don. Please send your trivia questions to Jennifer (e-mail in show).
@Solomon’s Key: this reminds me of “I want to be the guy”
There are new platformers released:
http://www.moddb.com/games?filter=t&kw=Search+…&released=1&style=19&theme=def&indie=def&type=1
@New Metal of Honor Game:
I don’t get it. In COD4, you can play as an insurgent in Baghdad, in multi-player. And guess what, you can shoot other players playing as US soldiers.
Why the rumor, why now?
And as Jennifer said, it’s also the other way around. I for one can’t erase the images where journalists were gunned down by Apache helicopters because the pilot mistook a camera held on the shoulder for a shouldered weapon.
As for negative press helping, in MW2 you get to kill unarmed civilians. That raised controversy, but the game had record high sales.
@Sony’s next console will still use physical media:
Everybody going digital distribution? Dunno. I have games on Steam, but I still like having the box. I like the (sometimes stupid) manual, and the artwork on the box, and the fact that I can still hold the game in my hands.
@Solomon’s Key: this reminds me of “I want to be the guy”
There are new platformers released:
http://www.moddb.com/games?filter=t&kw=Search+…&released=1&style=19&theme=def&indie=def&type=1
@New Metal of Honor Game:
I don’t get it. In COD4, you can play as an insurgent in Baghdad, in multi-player. And guess what, you can shoot other players playing as US soldiers.
Why the rumor, why now?
And as Jennifer said, it’s also the other way around. I for one can’t erase the images where journalists were gunned down by Apache helicopters because the pilot mistook a camera held on the shoulder for a shouldered weapon.
As for negative press helping, in MW2 you get to kill unarmed civilians. That raised controversy, but the game had record high sales.
@Sony’s next console will still use physical media:
Everybody going digital distribution? Dunno. I have games on Steam, but I still like having the box. I like the (sometimes stupid) manual, and the artwork on the box, and the fact that I can still hold the game in my hands.
@ new metal of honour:
As you and also Herr_Alien said this just seems to be the media making a story out of nothing ala “counter strike is a murder simulator”. Personally, from the perspective of someone outside the US, who is also a potential customer for EA, what the US army is often seen doing doesn’t put them in much of a better light than the Taliban. (and also the Taliban doesn’t necessarily = Al-Qaeda, just as a US soldier doesn’t necessarily = gun happy civilian killer). But I’m getting sidetracked by my own political views and after all this is just a game.
@VG cats
I’m glad you mentioned this. I’m not big into web comics but I do check VG cats often as the artwork is brilliant and its also very funny.
Qotw:
(from 2 weeks ago since there is none for this week – the question was “Are storylines important in video games (more so than graphics) and, what game do you believe will go down as the best storyline based game in your opinion”)
Personally I find graphics (and by this I include art-style and not just photo realism) to be a big factor that attracts me to games more so than hearing a game has a good story. I love the stylised cartoon graphics of games like teamfortress 2 or world of warcraft as much as the pixelgasm that is Crysis. Storylines on the other hand are more likely to keep me interested in a game than get me to try it in the first place. This is probably helped by the fact I play more multiplayer games than singleplayer ones and have never been the biggest rpg fan.
For favourite stories in videogames, I would have to go with games that you create the story for yourself than games that give you a great plot. I love how in football (soccer) management games (which are primarily text based so no graphics or story) you build your own dynasty and create your own story of success and failure. Another example would be minecraft where there is no story at all but everything you do forms the history of the land you live in and creates a story for yourself. I hope this makes sense. Maybe I just prefer imagining my own stories than being pushed through them in a game.
Finally just an idea for your 200th episode, for normal questions would it be helpful to have them as multiple choice?
@ new metal of honour:
As you and also Herr_Alien said this just seems to be the media making a story out of nothing ala “counter strike is a murder simulator”. Personally, from the perspective of someone outside the US, who is also a potential customer for EA, what the US army is often seen doing doesn’t put them in much of a better light than the Taliban. (and also the Taliban doesn’t necessarily = Al-Qaeda, just as a US soldier doesn’t necessarily = gun happy civilian killer). But I’m getting sidetracked by my own political views and after all this is just a game.
@VG cats
I’m glad you mentioned this. I’m not big into web comics but I do check VG cats often as the artwork is brilliant and its also very funny.
Qotw:
(from 2 weeks ago since there is none for this week – the question was “Are storylines important in video games (more so than graphics) and, what game do you believe will go down as the best storyline based game in your opinion”)
Personally I find graphics (and by this I include art-style and not just photo realism) to be a big factor that attracts me to games more so than hearing a game has a good story. I love the stylised cartoon graphics of games like teamfortress 2 or world of warcraft as much as the pixelgasm that is Crysis. Storylines on the other hand are more likely to keep me interested in a game than get me to try it in the first place. This is probably helped by the fact I play more multiplayer games than singleplayer ones and have never been the biggest rpg fan.
For favourite stories in videogames, I would have to go with games that you create the story for yourself than games that give you a great plot. I love how in football (soccer) management games (which are primarily text based so no graphics or story) you build your own dynasty and create your own story of success and failure. Another example would be minecraft where there is no story at all but everything you do forms the history of the land you live in and creates a story for yourself. I hope this makes sense. Maybe I just prefer imagining my own stories than being pushed through them in a game.
Finally just an idea for your 200th episode, for normal questions would it be helpful to have them as multiple choice?
@Metal of Honor – Er… this is MEDAL of honor surely? Being in the UK, I was able to hear more news coverage of this. Your pronunciation of Hellmand Province is correct.
Defense Secretary Liam Fox has asked retailers not to stock the new game as it is thoroughly “un-British”. What is slightly bizarre for this guy to start commenting is that there is no mention of British troops in the game. It’s the US troops. Also, if the Taliban weren’t named, but just referred to as terrorists, then most people should have just ignored it. The main issue is that it is not generally accepted to make a game about current events. Tom Clancy games are set in near-future timelines with probable enemies, and this causes no concern.
EA’s response is “There has to be 2 sides.” Also, you can only play as the Taliban in multiplayer.
@Zelda – Ocarina of Time was where you started out as a little kid, then when you made it to Hyrule and unlocked the Master Sword, you time travelled to become adult Link. You used the Ocarina to warp, make it night / day, make it rain, call Epona and more. Yes Navi (the fairy that is assigned to you) got a bit annoying, but she was part of the story, as you were the only Kokiri kid to not get a fairy at birth.
@Metal of Honor – Er… this is MEDAL of honor surely? Being in the UK, I was able to hear more news coverage of this. Your pronunciation of Hellmand Province is correct.
Defense Secretary Liam Fox has asked retailers not to stock the new game as it is thoroughly “un-British”. What is slightly bizarre for this guy to start commenting is that there is no mention of British troops in the game. It’s the US troops. Also, if the Taliban weren’t named, but just referred to as terrorists, then most people should have just ignored it. The main issue is that it is not generally accepted to make a game about current events. Tom Clancy games are set in near-future timelines with probable enemies, and this causes no concern.
EA’s response is “There has to be 2 sides.” Also, you can only play as the Taliban in multiplayer.
@Zelda – Ocarina of Time was where you started out as a little kid, then when you made it to Hyrule and unlocked the Master Sword, you time travelled to become adult Link. You used the Ocarina to warp, make it night / day, make it rain, call Epona and more. Yes Navi (the fairy that is assigned to you) got a bit annoying, but she was part of the story, as you were the only Kokiri kid to not get a fairy at birth.
hey cast =D
@ Physical media. I think we will see more & more Downloadable games for console with the only physical media available is for people who are offline & need to install it on the consoles harddrive.
Gratz on 189 ep ^^ cant wait til 200
@ Zelda: OOT
I have to confirm that this was the best game of all time, even after you beat the game ( though the game could not be saved after Gannon was put in his grave) i found myself in the fish pond tryin to catch that big fish & if i ever got bored the was hours of fun flicking your lure @ the owner or trying to catch the fish in the tank, LOL. O.o after looking back on it i swear those zombies tried to raped u…. scary stuff.
hey cast =D
@ Physical media. I think we will see more & more Downloadable games for console with the only physical media available is for people who are offline & need to install it on the consoles harddrive.
Gratz on 189 ep ^^ cant wait til 200
@ Zelda: OOT
I have to confirm that this was the best game of all time, even after you beat the game ( though the game could not be saved after Gannon was put in his grave) i found myself in the fish pond tryin to catch that big fish & if i ever got bored the was hours of fun flicking your lure @ the owner or trying to catch the fish in the tank, LOL. O.o after looking back on it i swear those zombies tried to raped u…. scary stuff.