This week we’re flashing back to Grim Fandango and looking back at developer Steve Meretzky and his destruction of our lives in the social gaming space.
We’ve got other news this week which includes:
- Activision Kills Guitar Hero
- Blizzard Wants to Release Diablo III This Year
- Crysis 2 and Killzone 3 Leaked On BitTorrent
- CliffyB On Why Gears Is Still a 360 Exclusive
- Ensemble Studios Founder: Age of Empires III a “Huge Mistake“
The question of the week is: How many hours do you devote to video games, including social networking games?
This probably doesn’t come as any surprise to Burning Crusade owners, but think on this… you can’t play Wrath of the Lich King without the core game and the Burning Crusade expansion. New adopters of the WoW haze will be investing a good deal of money, before monthly charges, to get into the full experience of Lich King.
If you’ve ever been through an acquisition or merger you’d have expected this news to come, but for those new to the concept it’s simple: you can’t keep everyone. After a complete merger you end up with two sales departments, two IT departments, etc.
Who broke iTunes? The is only 1 minute long!
Who broke iTunes? The is only 1 minute long!
Ignore that. It’s 1 hour and 1 minute exactly.
I’ll go listen 🙂
Ignore that. It’s 1 hour and 1 minute exactly.
I’ll go listen 🙂
@Blizzard wants to release diablo 3 this year
It’s nice that Blizzard aren’t pressured into releasing something when it’s not ready. Valve, too, they’re products take as long as it takes to make them brilliant. It’s just frustrating when you hear nothing about it in the meantime. Heh, reminds me of Radiohead. Not saying anything for 2 and a half years and then all of a sudden saying “hey, albums done. It’s out in 5 days.”
@CliffyB on Gears 3 being a 360 exclusive
Marketing dollars would be a big drawcard, so it’s unsurprising they’re staying with Microsoft. And I agree with him, the Playstation 3 controller feels awkward and uncomfortable compared to the 360 controller.
@Age of empires 3 a “huge mistake”
It definitely didn’t feel like an age of empires game. If it had been given a different name, I probably would have liked it more, but being the sequel to age of empires 2, my favorite RTS, I couldn’t help being disappointed.
Also, I’m looking forward to hearing your impressions of age of empires online Jonah. Unfortunately, I don’t have very high expectations for it…
@QOTW
Very hard question, since it’s pretty variable. Maybe on average 10 hours a week? actually, i have no idea. I just made that number up really.
@Blizzard wants to release diablo 3 this year
It’s nice that Blizzard aren’t pressured into releasing something when it’s not ready. Valve, too, they’re products take as long as it takes to make them brilliant. It’s just frustrating when you hear nothing about it in the meantime. Heh, reminds me of Radiohead. Not saying anything for 2 and a half years and then all of a sudden saying “hey, albums done. It’s out in 5 days.”
@CliffyB on Gears 3 being a 360 exclusive
Marketing dollars would be a big drawcard, so it’s unsurprising they’re staying with Microsoft. And I agree with him, the Playstation 3 controller feels awkward and uncomfortable compared to the 360 controller.
@Age of empires 3 a “huge mistake”
It definitely didn’t feel like an age of empires game. If it had been given a different name, I probably would have liked it more, but being the sequel to age of empires 2, my favorite RTS, I couldn’t help being disappointed.
Also, I’m looking forward to hearing your impressions of age of empires online Jonah. Unfortunately, I don’t have very high expectations for it…
@QOTW
Very hard question, since it’s pretty variable. Maybe on average 10 hours a week? actually, i have no idea. I just made that number up really.
hello its me again just want to let you know that I already invited some of my friends to listen to your podcast its just because that Ilove your show a lot and by the way I like the monster hunter topic suggestion by some random guy who commented bye and more power to your show
from your number one fan oliver
hello its me again just want to let you know that I already invited some of my friends to listen to your podcast its just because that Ilove your show a lot and by the way I like the monster hunter topic suggestion by some random guy who commented bye and more power to your show
from your number one fan oliver
YAY IM A MEMBER NOW
YAY IM A MEMBER NOW
@Activision Kills Guitar Hero: sorry for the guys that lost their jobs. If they’re at least decent developers, they should find themselves employed fairly soon.
As for slow-playing, dunno. Look at Battlefield. Not slow played. Still gets sales.
And you don’t make a game that suits everybody. You do a game that suits a certain type of people, and make sure all of them buy it.
@Blizzard Wants to Release Diablo III This Year:
Thanks Jonah, I was going to mention Valve.
Derrick, thank you too. I was also thinking on how they split their efforts.
@Crysis 2 and Killzone 3 Leaked On BitTorrent:
Oh man 🙂 … apparently master keys is the thing of the past, for developers and publisher, and a thing of the future for pirates.
As for who’re the pirates … don’t bet anything on teens buying the game. Just as a counterpoint, they don’t have money, and they’re ALWAYS on-line.
Derrick, Jonah is right though. Piracy is rampant in Eastern Europe. And Jonah, Derrick is right: yes, it is price drawn.
@CliffyB On Why Gears Is Still a 360 Exclusive:
Guys, look up Steve Ballmer’s “Developers” youtube video. CliffyB (Epic is a developer) simply proved it right: get the developers on your side.
@QOTW: I barely have time to play, in general. And just a quick question: what’s a social networking game?
@Activision Kills Guitar Hero: sorry for the guys that lost their jobs. If they’re at least decent developers, they should find themselves employed fairly soon.
As for slow-playing, dunno. Look at Battlefield. Not slow played. Still gets sales.
And you don’t make a game that suits everybody. You do a game that suits a certain type of people, and make sure all of them buy it.
@Blizzard Wants to Release Diablo III This Year:
Thanks Jonah, I was going to mention Valve.
Derrick, thank you too. I was also thinking on how they split their efforts.
@Crysis 2 and Killzone 3 Leaked On BitTorrent:
Oh man 🙂 … apparently master keys is the thing of the past, for developers and publisher, and a thing of the future for pirates.
As for who’re the pirates … don’t bet anything on teens buying the game. Just as a counterpoint, they don’t have money, and they’re ALWAYS on-line.
Derrick, Jonah is right though. Piracy is rampant in Eastern Europe. And Jonah, Derrick is right: yes, it is price drawn.
@CliffyB On Why Gears Is Still a 360 Exclusive:
Guys, look up Steve Ballmer’s “Developers” youtube video. CliffyB (Epic is a developer) simply proved it right: get the developers on your side.
@QOTW: I barely have time to play, in general. And just a quick question: what’s a social networking game?
Piracy – I may or may not download games from time to time using torrents or other sources but I buy my fair share of games especially from developers I know create great games. I honestly believe that the primary issue with game piracy is the price of the games. I’m not going to pay $50 or more for a game that may or may not enjoy and has no resell value if i do not. In fact for that exact reason i download tones of demos on my PS3 so I know what to expect. If the games were cheaper I wouldn’t feel so ripped off and less likely to pirate.
Piracy – I may or may not download games from time to time using torrents or other sources but I buy my fair share of games especially from developers I know create great games. I honestly believe that the primary issue with game piracy is the price of the games. I’m not going to pay $50 or more for a game that may or may not enjoy and has no resell value if i do not. In fact for that exact reason i download tones of demos on my PS3 so I know what to expect. If the games were cheaper I wouldn’t feel so ripped off and less likely to pirate.