Tag: Wii

Gaming Podcast 139: Pirate or Privateer?Gaming Podcast 139: Pirate or Privateer?

September 14, 2009September 14, 2009| schommerschommer| 0 Comment| 3:09 pm

Welcome to the early edition of the gaming podcast, because I’m going to be in Germany this week we had to record a bit early and post the podcast for listening. Hopefully this won’t screw up too many people’s schedules with a day-early release! This week we’re flashing back to Sid Meier’s Pirates and learning about women’s rights (or lack of) in the life of a privateer. We’ll talk a bit about the history of the Amstrad CPC 464 and cover some news:

The community questions were great, gave us lots of nice ideas for a future gaming cave! This week we’re riding on the community listener, Onyersix who wrote a good question of the week: “What was the scariest moment you ever experienced playing video games?  We’re talking the type of shock that makes you need to go and put on a new pair of pants!”

Hey, did you notice our new microphone quality, Jennifer and I have upgraded our studio setup (by about $1,000!), hopefully you’ll notice the more dynamic vocal qualities.

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Gaming Podcast 134: Do You Want Me To Feel It?Gaming Podcast 134: Do You Want Me To Feel It?

August 11, 2009August 11, 2009| schommerschommer| 0 Comment| 9:21 pm

This weeks gaming flashback? Scorched Earth, a great artillery style title. We’re also taking a historic look back at the game innovations developed by Don Daglow. Of course it’s not a full news week without some actual news! This weeks news includes:

  • podcast-200x200Walmart Pushing New Madden Game
  • Bestbuy takes on Gamestop
  • Halo 2 and Halo 3: ODST possibly coming to Games on Demand
  • Nintendo not happy with E3 briefing
  • Nintendo Even baffled by Vitality Sensor
  • WoW Rumor: Two new playable classes in next expansion

This weeks community feedback was epically cool, we’re continuing the questions this week by asking: What game would you invent using the Wii balance board and vitality sensor? Do you have some ideas to solve Nintendo’s problem?

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Gaming Podcast 131: An Inner Ear ProblemGaming Podcast 131: An Inner Ear Problem

July 21, 2009July 21, 2009| schommerschommer| 0 Comment| 9:08 pm

We’re back! This week we’re hitting some fun news articles and kicking it back with a little gaming flashback about Columns. We also break the news about our brand new console that we purchased last week before vacation and touch on KOEI in our gaming history. This weeks news includes:

This weeks question, we’re wondering what your break point is for purchasing a console or a video game, is there a magic number where you finally break down to buy it?

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Gaming Podcast 124: Waggle ControlsGaming Podcast 124: Waggle Controls

May 26, 2009May 26, 2009| schommerschommer| 0 Comment| 8:46 pm

This week’s Memorial Day podcast has very few stories but we managed to pack it full of content including the long awaited Punch-Out Wii review! The news includes:

  • podcast-200x200Mass Effect 2 Information Leaked
  • Nintendo Releasing All Three Metroid Games on one disc
  • Nintendo’s CEO Satoru Iwata Says, No Sense In Complaining About Used Game Sales

We also hit up some listener comments, learn a bit about nanites, checkout some gaming history on Track & Field all while popping out a new weekly question: Will you buy a video game compilation that includes updated old games with new functionality like “Waggle” controls?

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Gaming Podcast 115: Poo Poo’ed ItGaming Podcast 115: Poo Poo’ed It

March 24, 2009March 24, 2009| schommerschommer| 0 Comment| 3:39 pm

This week we’re working with our skeleton crew, Don was stuck at work so we’re flying duelies. Speaking of duelies, we’re flashing back to Rise of the Triad and covering some gaming history on Ralph Baer, a very important person in the gaming industry. This week, in the news, we’re a bit Wii centric with:

Also, listen in for your chance to win Peggle for Xbox Live Arcade with a simple question. We forgot to ask the question of the day on the show, so, here it is: Should Blizzard halt income made from addon develoment?

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Gaming Podcast 113: How Do You Say Gyro?Gaming Podcast 113: How Do You Say Gyro?

March 10, 2009March 10, 2009| schommerschommer| 0 Comment| 9:55 pm

This week we’re overwhelmed with awesome listener comments, including new ones from folks we’ve never heard from on the show. We’re also taking a flashback look at the original Diablo and some of the sequels that followed it. This weeks gaming news includes:

We’re also reviewing the downloadable content for GTA IV known as “Lost and the Damned.” Learn why Derrick is afraid of Motorcycles.

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The Beatle’s Change Wii Price Point, Rock Band StyleThe Beatle’s Change Wii Price Point, Rock Band Style

March 8, 2009March 8, 2009| schommerschommer| 0 Comment| 10:18 am

By now everyone is used to paying more for Rock Band than meets the eye. The game disc is usually packed in several bundles for guitars, drums and, of course, stand alone. With The Beatles: Rock Band, MTV Games plans to release one product SKU, a game only disc. That game only disc, on the Wii is going to cost the same as other consoles: $59.99.

beatlesYou remember when Wii games were $49.99 and everyone made titles that hit this price point or lower? MTV isn’t going to stick to this standard, regardless of “last gen graphics” because you’ll buy it anyway, right? Rock Band is one of those games that has hit huge strides in the market over the last few years as people buy big plastic instruments to rock their house.

Now we’re going to see if those same people willing to pay $10.00 more than normal in order to play The Beatles songs. The Wii has a large audience of gamers but they’re the style of gamer that wants a good value for their product, after all, the Wii is cheaper than every other console and the games probably should match its differences compared to games for the other consoles.

This is an interesting decision, as the market plunges into despair MTV gouges games for $10.00 more because “The Beatles” happens to be in the title. Are you going to pay more for the Beatles? Not us.

(Thanks, 1up)

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id Software Interested in Nintendo’s Wiiid Software Interested in Nintendo’s Wii

February 25, 2009February 25, 2009| schommerschommer| 0 Comment| 12:04 pm

Nintendo is seeing some great successes with their console — duh. What is the best way to provide evidence that Nintendo has a hit with their new little white console? Perhaps the bright blue eyes of id Software? Originally, it was said that id Software wasn’t really interested in developing games for the Wii, perhaps because it goes against all that id Software has developed their company towards since 1991?

keenid Software has always leaned toward bleeding edge content, pushing hardware to its limits and utilizing technology that has just hit the market. Nobody is surprised when they’re forced to upgrade their computers to play the latest id Software creation to its fullest extent. This is the price for being top dog in graphic engines, but now they’re changing their tune a bit.

Okay, it has to be said, is id Software contemplating a Wii game simply because of Nintendo’s success with the console? The core id Software audience isn’t grandma and grampa or the 10-year old kid next door. But, money talks. We’re not saying id Software is hurting for money although we’re not sure what keeps them floating given their last major title was yet another Quake game launched in 2005 with 2004’s DOOM 3 looking like an old man by now. Everyone is waiting on Rage which was announced in 2007 and still hasn’t been given a release date.

Perhaps id Software could use a little Wii to get their name back in the press, get bloggers talking and net them some fresh cash from a large pool of Wii owners looking for their next tennis game. Okay, nobody is going to believe they’d work on a silly Wii Sports clone but they’ve not announced, yet, what this “exclusive Wii” game will be. Carmack did say the Wii is “out of sync with the developments that are currently going on at id,” which suggests they’re going to be working on a new property or perhaps bring back an old property… Wolfenstein 3D, Commander Keen or maybe some Heretic action?

We’ll assume this upcoming id Software title won’t be 100% kid friendly even targeting a Wii platform. Are they going to develop a title for the Wii simply because they know it will be launched on a console with the largest install base in the world? Or, perhaps its a new found passion that Carmack has developed from sharing the Wii experience with his four-year old boy?

(Thanks, 1up)

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Do HD Graphics Matter To Gamers?Do HD Graphics Matter To Gamers?

January 19, 2009January 19, 2009| schommerschommer| 0 Comment| 7:31 pm

hdtvThe 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.

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Nielsen Ratings, PS3 Played Less Than Classic Xbox?Nielsen Ratings, PS3 Played Less Than Classic Xbox?

January 5, 2009January 5, 2009| schommerschommer| 0 Comment| 4:40 pm

In a WTF moment, Neilsen Ratings shows more gamers are playing the classic Microsoft Xbox console than the PlayStation 3. While 9.7% of gamers are playing the Xbox 7.3% are playing the PlayStation 3 but Sony isn’t out of the picture by a long shot, having 31.7% of gamers playing the PlayStation 2!

Only 13.4% of gamers are playing the Wii even though it’s the hottest selling console on the market, showing the fury of the casual gamer it seems. It’s trendy to own a Wii but it’s not trendy to play it; it would be interesting to see how much of the 13.4% is Wii Sports.

We’re guessing there are more classic Xbox gamers playing their console compared to the PlayStation 3 because of the console cost. You can find a used Xbox for under $25.00 on eBay but the question remains, who wants a used Xbox? The audience for the PS3 is more hardcore, more elite and more rare compared to the cost conscious gamers in the larger game industry pie.

More than likely, in ten years, we’ll see most gamers playing the PlayStation 3 while Microsoft works to claim demographics on whatever their next console will be. However, we’re not so sure how many Wii gamers will be playing their current generation console in ten years. Probably very few given the two year old console still has a small amount of gaming public.

(Thanks, 1up)

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