This week’s episode revolves around the Nintendo Direct presentation. The guys also mock PlayStation fans and Geoff Keighley, and discuss Callisto Protocol and Vampire Survivors.
Aside from the Nintendo Direct, the news includes:
There is also some Listener feedback.
This week’s podcast is rife with arguing between Jonah, Jordan and Paul regarding computer science in schools and have a long discussion about the future of the Wii U. In this episode, the earliest MMOFPS PlanetSide gets a Gaming Flashback.
As far as the news items for the week:
All this and Reader Feedback as well as the Question of the Week: “How important is backwards compatibility to you?”
Reportedly we’re going to see smaller 45 nanometer cell processors in 2009 which leads to similar cost savings as we saw in the Xbox 360 hardware. Cost savings appear on the manufacturing side, of course, along with less power consumed by the processor leading to less heat generated by the console.
The Xbox 360 was able to benefit from chip reduction when for stability and overall heat issues, although the stability is still out for debate at the moment. The concept is fairly simple to understand; heat causes problems in closed systems with few fans and a high degree of complex components. Reduce the heat means reducing the overall need to cool and get air flow into the hot little box.
Console hardware is owned by a broad audience, not all of which understand technology and its ability to boil an egg. Consumers toss consoles and their power supplies in closed cases within their entertainment system and restrict air flow further. Any reduction in heat is a good thing for the console developer.
XBLA offers great opportunities for the indy developer but everything comes at a price. Over the last three years Braid‘s developer Jonathan Blow spent a reported $180,000 to create the popular Braid title on Xbox Live. He’s going to need a lot more sales before he can celebrate the highly valued, highly reviewed title.
The Independent Games Festival was kind to him, giving him the “Innovation in Game Design” back in 2006, since then he’s put his money where is mouth is; his own money. There are good times and bad times when you’re discovering your dreams. The reviews surely made him feel great about the work he has done over the last three years but a review won’t pay the bills.
It may be a hard road ahead for Jonathan, hopefully at least breaking even on the project. Although he may not look back at the game as a financial success we can only imagine he’ll have a lot easier time getting funding or publishing for his next title, if that’s the path he chooses.
(Thanks, Kotaku)
Hi guys.
Thanks for the episode, i had the time to listen to it while i was driving to a concert 🙂
I hope all the Nintendo games, that are coming are going to be as fun as the look like. The remake is worth a try i think .. we will see 🙂
Star Citizen … puhh .. everyone is so hyped about it .. for me iots completly uninteresting .. i dont like the setup. Maybe if i will see my friends play it .. dont know.
And the Metroidvania game i meant was not Prince of Persia .. i will listen to the epdisoe (or the beginning) again and try to find out what name do you say.
So keep on with the good work guys, stay healthy and have fun playing games 🙂
Greetings,
Ralf