Way Past Cool

To speedrun well, one must first speedrun poorly.


Accelerated learning: possible through rapid mistake
making

As mentioned briefly in my last article, I’ve been speeding my way through more games than I really should given my time restraints, but I’ve always been as eclectic as I have been insatiable in the realm of gaming. Combine that with how broke I am more often than not, and the monthly games for PS+ and Gamepass are definitely worthy of my praise. Though, as I’ve stated before, my problem is usually time, not content, but that doesn’t stop me from trying to get as much gaming in as physically possible. One of the titles up for grabs this month on PS+ was Sonic Colors Ultimate, for all of you who are desperately looking to get your blue blur fix in.


***Not that desperately

I was itching for a Sonic title to sink my teeth into, so Colors Ultimate came at a good time. Having said that, I would have infinitely preferred to nab a more fully focused 2D title I have yet to play, like Sonic Superstars, but beggars can’t be choosers. However, in the case of Sonic Colors Ultimate, one should perhaps be a little more judicious depending on their mileage lest they are a huge fan of the speedy hog, as this game is a bit of mixed bag. Colors Ultimate adds some new content that the original didn’t have, which is good for returning players, but it’s mostly window dressing. With that said, what’s worse and more so important involving he unfortunate reality of the title is that Colors Ultimate is actually way glitchier than the original release, which in the land of the speedster, is a particularly troublesome thing to hear.


What I imagine most Sonic fans look like upon the
seeing the glitches of any new title at launch

So yeah, not the greatest re-release, but if you’re looking for a quick hit of the 3D Sonic good stuff, you could definitely do worse. The range of quality on 3D Sonic qualities is, in this games saving grace, so vastly fucked varied of a god damn spectrum, if the game doesn’t have a subplot involving bestiality or it doesn’t feels like you’re playing some kind of demented proto-alpha build of a game, you’re doing quite well for what Sonic has to offer. So if you just want a goofy, fast-paced, mostly competent action platformer with a fun OST, buttrock in tow, Sonic Colors Ultimate is worth an afternoon of your time if you’ve got one to burn.

~Pashford

Dollars to Downloads

I’ve been feeling gratified of my writing output recently, maybe more so in reference to my abysmal output years prior, in what seemed like a misplaced attempt at an early retirement. If not that, then it at least seemed like due to my lack of activity, I had embraced the notion of what others had done before me, and join the the Hutt Palace Collection as my new aspirational goal in trying to get out of the game.


It really ties the room together

While my goal to write consistently was true indeed, it was certainly *not* aiming to the lofty heights of the every day, which I have successfully ended up doing so. I am, more so than most, deeply aware of just how untenable this schedule will be in the long run, and represents a laughable effort in terms of continued sustainability, but I will keep on striking while the creative irons are hot, and until I completely run out of Steam.


Speaking of which…note to self: writing ideas=Valve?

Since I have recently reacquired a laptop after an embarrassing amount of time of not being computer capable, even going so far as to having written posts earlier this year on a phone and a Bluetooth keyboard like an absolute mad lad, it was clear to me then at that point the writing hunger had grown monstrous, and the beast needed to be fed thusly. Since ATE has always represented a bastion of a gaming variety, the fuel to my fire is indeed gaming itself, in all of it’s humdrum glory. Not every game nor lived day can be an absolute banger though, so we have to take the good with the bad as they come…


Word on the Gotham streets ain’t promising these days, I hear

Also coming to terms now that since this isn’t a compensated gig anymore, obtaining titles is all on me, and could be quite the schlep, in terms of finding new titles to play and write about, especially when one is flat broke. The PS4 has had a mini-fest of sorts to that point, which has shined a spotlight on many of their free to play titles, which has helped ease the burden of finding some interesting writing material in which to be inspired by. The first of which was attempting to get invested in the Warner Bros backed game Multiversus, which was kind of a Smash clone involving big name characters beating the ever loving crap out of each other.


It’s always Rabbit Season when you’re playing Multiversus

The game had a predictable pedigree about it, as the gameplay ended up being competent, if not a touch too floaty. Inspite of that, the design machinations of the moment to moment were fine enough however, enjoyment of Multiversus was mucked up more so by the the GaaS proclivities that ended up being the biggest wedge of enjoyment, as most of the unlockables, including the majority of the roster, were hiding behind a grindwall, and only a load of hours or money poured into the experience would net you new goodies. I realized after my write up I hadn’t done too much of a follow up to Multiversus, which is essentially required in this day and age for a myriad of technical reasons, especially those of the GaaS variety, as what was true at launch may no longer be true down the road. Hell, even a major update in some instances can completely morph the entire experience into something wholly transcendent, GaaS game or not.


Speaking of a game that greatly benefitted from
a good old fashioned phoenix down…

Which is a double edged sword of course, as it allows devs to get product out the door more quickly, which cuts down on crunch and improves quality of life for them as well, making the triple A model of gaming somewhat rational in the idea of possibly sane sustainability. The downside is games often launch in an incomplete fashion, or limp from launch to only a competent crawl in the first six months, to mostly polished but somewhat rough around the edges by the end of year one in a lot of cases. Other factors prop up as well, as rotating content and updates can change the very nature of the title at the drop of a hat. For example, even the starting roster I wrote about when initially playing Multiversus just a week ago has already changed it up, which could very well affect a person’s decision to even touch the title, based on their biases and preferences there in.


Rotating rosters=head spinning

That last note of concern is a big one, and certainly a point of contention I hope Player First Games irons out sooner than later. Even aside from the unfortunate amount of time and or money involved just getting the base level of content for the game, they haven’t a snowballs chance in hell in being a viable alternative to Smash as long as they let their overbearing transactional nature rule their player bases day. Even something as simple as having considering buying the Iron Giant last week, now to get to try him for free and realize I wouldn’t have liked him that much as a playable character is just one of many follies that comes with a roster hidden behind a grind wall.


EA: Record holder for most downvoted comment of all time

Even Nintendo has jumped on the bandwagon in some fashion, with many of their free to play titles coming in the form of multiplayer only iterations of some of their biggest hits (F-Zero 99, Tetris 99, Super Mario 35). Of course, they’re still doing it in Nintendo fashion, so the titles core gameplay is left intact, with no need for battle passes being involved, nor digging deep into your pockets for skins and the like to milk you like the cash cow you are just to have a cool looking fucking hat or something. Though I maintain that Nintendo remain cowards for having taken down Super Mario 35 some time ago, which remains baffling to me to this day. The server costs to keep it up couldn’t have been that grandiose, could they? Hell, that was one example of a free to play game being so good, I would have happily coughed up some dough to keep that whole project going, and I’m not even saying that because I did the impossible and even one once.


Why do you hate money sometimes, Nintendo?

There is no ultimate point I was trying to make here, whether it be free to play games, or more transactional heavy GaaS titles, the gaming industry keeps evolving, and has to continually find new ways to refine the market, as it were. Whether it be from the quarter swallowing machines from the arcade yesteryear, to mobile games and their micro transactions, to season passes to unlock the newest updated content, we as consumers will always have to navigate the minefield of intolerance, to see where the traps lay hidden.

~Pashford

Sexy Brazilian Privacy 2: Pirate’s Booty

Hey gamers,

Promptly following up on a post I did a year and a half ago, I waste no time in once again observing gaming culture in Brazil, and the recent troubles it faces, likely causing massive duress for the country as a whole.

Err…Looks Like They Are Getting Along Real Well, Actually.

Surely, somewhere in the mass expanse of Brazil, the recent problems it’s gaming culture faces is devastating the country side.

…Damn, That Looks Nice, Too.

Uhh…I’m sure that the very real issues Brazil’s gaming culture faces are taking away from the beauty of…

God Dammit

Okay, okay…so what I’m about to talk about Brazil probably doesn’t give a shit about, but it’s still mildly interesting non the less, and we will likely get a good joke out of it. Like the fact that someone, somewhere, is going to be very disappointed reading this post, after being misled by the title. So I’m just going to get that out of the way now, and totally turn off casual readers expecting something sexy.

Aaaand, There We Go.

*Clears Throat*

Moving on.

This post indeed follows up my first post entitled Sexy Brazilian Privacy, as it involves both gaming cultures oddball country, and Sony getting real all over it. While my first post was about ludicrous PS4 launch day prices, this post involves how Brazilian pirates have found a way to effectively hack PS4’s, giving way to a shady business, and a wealth of super cheap gaming for the Brazilian masses.

Sony, needless to say, is not happy.

Seen Here: Sony’s Legal Department Reacting To What Brazil Is Currently Doing

I’m not sure how wide spread the problem is, nor am I sure this is at all related to the $1800 price tag Sony slapped on the PS4 when it first came out in Brazil. Either way, things suck for both parties big time. According to the original source, Sony has already sent out a cease and desist to the businesses they know are fucking up royally, but like most thieves, I’m sure they have approximately no shits left to give. I suppose it’s not all “Brazil’s” fault, as the source of the article claims that this method of hacking, albeit slight tweaked, originated in Russia.

Here’s hoping Sony teaches the lesson to the right people, or they might end up fucking over the wrong person.

Pictured: Sony’s Current Legal Recourse

This is what happens, Brazil…

Let’s hope that’s not actually what happens to Sony, and that this crazy hack doesn’t make it too far outside of the country, or Sony (and the gaming people), could end up with potential complications on our hands.

On a side note, I just realized why Brazil was the only territory in which the SEGA Master System outsold the NES way back when: Brazil’s taxation system on video games is ridiculously high, about 125% in fact. I’ve discovered this is because Brazil’s government considers them gambling. Huh…totally makes sense now. For years it bothered me not knowing why.

See?

Well, I guess Nintendo won that one in the end, huh?

Can’t Win Em All

At least you can catch them all, right?

Err…

And we’re done here.

~Pashford

Enough Rope

Hey Gamers,

Despite my cheap attempt at scare tactics, I’m sure most of you got through yesterday’s post completely unscathed.

Well, Almost Everyone

I’m also assuming anyone who took my advice and checked out Steam’s Halloween sale, also suffered slight damage. I’m assuming it was right around the wallet portion of the body, but many have you may have also forgotten to eat, due to the incredible excess of Steam provides.

You May Have Also Legitimately Lost Your Appetite After Downloading Any Of The Titles.

I didn’t think that of all the horrors we would be facing this Halloween, this little fiasco was going to get so much attention. A couple of points about this stand out to me as interesting. Firstly, I find it fascinating that most gamers have found more interest in talking about CoD than playing the game, a phenomena I’ve noticed for some time. I know CoD has a ridiculous fan base, staggering even,  but that doesn’t change my perception. With basic observatory skills  and plentiful circumstantial evidence, I’ve found in many gaming circles, it’s been more fun to gossip about our Call of Duty than to actually engage in any Modern Warfare.

Ah, The Good Old Days…When Things Made Sense

Secondly, even after the oddity that is the joy of talking about vs actually playing Call of Duty, I didn’t think an annually released series that was on the down slope of popularity, was going to represent the most engaging experience during the launches of the Xbox One and PS4. I get why it does, the discrepancy between both the X1 and PS4 versions of Ghosts, alert  even the least techy savvy of gamers, that Microsoft may not have been completely honest in their comparisons of the X1 to the PS4. With previous attempts at clouding the judgement of gamers with obscured information, this late circle jerk involving the resolutions of the Xbox One version of Ghosts, is somehow a surprise to onlookers.

You Know Those Moments

This type of story, I think, only becomes a story when people try to not make it a story…which then makes it a story. Had MS just been up front about an inferior multi platform launch title ( if only by visual standards), everyone would have just been like “yeah, that makes sense”. Instead, and like most of this year, MS decided to try to explain the situation, while simultaneously trying to  swallow a brick in front of a live audience, with the hope no one would notice when they started choking to death.

Or, possibly, to distract us from the real pain.

Seen Here: A Microsoft Exec Discussing The Power Of The Xbox One

So yes, a story about nothing, became a story about something, due to the power of disavowal alone. Microsoft will do Microsoft things, however, which really shouldn’t surprise us, at the end of the day. I will play a slight devil’s advocate here for a moment, in mentioning that perhaps, the PS4 version of the game was being developed first, or was the preferred platform of choice. This doesn’t really give MS a pass at all, but gives us some appropriate context to the situation. If nothing else, Sony was either more open or generous about dev kits, or that the PS4 architecture is easier to work with, a lesson likely learned from the hard times of comprehending the cell processor in the PS3.

Whatever the case may be, if Sony was easier to work with, on any level, and more likely on a software level, then we may have the reverse situation coming into the 8th gen of consoles, where the PS4 is the focal point of initial development for console software. This would represent a change of pace fromthe 7th gen, where many multi plats were developed on 360 hardware, then ported to either PS3 or PC.

A Situation Full Of Rage, I Imagine

So, even after the obvious hardware differences, and the possibility the PS4 being easier to work with, we still had MS try to pull a fast one, when nothing quick had to happen at all. This whole situation is very telling, however, to what ends up making headlines in the video game world. An industry that is suppose to represent the newest form of interactivity, and we all end up shouting at each other over which version of the same game will look better. Well, I’ll just save everyone the time, and tell you which platform Call of Duty: Ghosts will look best on.

And It Already Launched Over 35 Years Ago

I won’t take the east way out with a more than true joke, I know the issue here lies within Microsoft’s transparency and the fascination between two consoles that were largely considered comparable. I however feel like I can’t shake this sense of irony. We all poo poo CoD for being dominating in an industry that deserves far more class, yet we discuss it and the most trivial affairs on a regular basis. Despite observing deeper issues related to the discussion, I’m sure a grand majority were legitimately obsessed with the differences in the tech, Microsoft’s misgivings aside, and despite obvious warning signs of the predictable visual discrepancies.

If we really want to shift topical focus, and start putting the magnifying glass on things that really matter in gaming, in pushing the industry forward, then all we have to do is ignore the evil staring us in the face.

Sometimes, making something powerful is as easy as not mentioning it’s name.

Let’s all avoid forcing anyone into needing more rope.

~Pashford

 

Sexy Brazilian Privacy

Hey Gamers,

Many of you have likely been beaten into a reaction to this shocking punch , but that doesn’t make the impact any less of a jolt. My sympathies go out to all of my Brazilian gaming brother and sisters, and the terrible suffering they must be going through.

Uhh

Okay, that looks nice…but I’m sure there’s suffering going on. The Ps4 and Xbox One will only run me $1000 collectively in a single week, and that’s still causing me ghost pains in my wallet pocket, and the pain hasn’t even been inflicted yet.

If the PS4 is going to cost $1800 in Brazil, I’m guessing the games will come with the bare minimum suggested retail price of first born. Hoping no one in Brazil was interested in picking up the Move for the PS4…

…cause this shit is gonna cost an arm and a leg!

Seen Here: Brazillian Gamers On The Launch Day Of The PS4.

Truly a shitty state of affairs, so all joking aside Brazilian gamers. The alternative is to just buy an Xbox One, with the only trade off being a possible and complete invasion of your sexy Brazilian privacy. Or, if you believe Microsoft to truly be the American Pig Dogs that they really are, import the PS4 online and be done with the fucking issue. Hell, if you really wanted to be hardcore (but not like, $1800 hardcore), buying a plane ticket to the states to buy a PS4 would likely be cheaper, and you’d be the most proactive son of a bitch gamer the world has ever seen.

I take that back, second most.

Hawking Is A Fucking Beast At Quake 2.

Sincerely, my sympathies overshadow my jokes for gamers in Brazil, I’m just taking full advantage of the area’s mention while I still can. I haven’t been able to topically make fun of the region in regards to gaming, since the 8-bit era, when Brazil was the only singular country where the Sega Master System actually outsold the Nintendo Entertainment System.

Joke Related

~Pashford

Grim Reality

Hey Gamers,

With information so readily available about upcoming video games, it’s pretty easy to get mass info dumps on any title, long before it’s even launched. I for one, am weary about how much I learn before the game comes out, full well knowing how much I love surprises.

Though I don’t love all surprises.

The next gen is fast approaching, and I feel rest assured there is a great deal more I could learn about both the Xbox One and PS4. This thought in turn leads me to believe their are plenty of surprises in store on either system, leaving me eager to see what little secrets they really hide.

Perhaps the same could be said of all game platforms…

Each new game console, represents a very real investment, and pieces of technology I will  spend the better part of the next decade with. As with most tech, I would actually warn against picking them up day one, for a number of reasons. The expense, early tech problems, and lack of library are always real issues when consoles first launch. I do believe day one purchases for game systems, are really left to the enthusiasts and the idle fumblings of the rich.

And how rarely those two groups of people actually intertwine.

When it does happen, however, hilarity is soon to follow.

While I have launch games I have my eyes on, I’d have to pin point Dead Rising 3 as my first go to, despite the PS4 being my first go to. This is an obvious contradiction with the most basic of video game facts in mind, and quickly reveals why both systems are relevant to my interests. I’m definitely sad to have seen Keiji Inafune leave Capcom, least of which involves the fate of Dead Rising. It seems the man is doing well despite this, which touches my gaming heart.

Dead Rising 3  seems to be doing well despite his absence, which also touches my gaming heart.

In a slightly different manner of course.

The E3 showing of Dead Rising 3, left me a little concerned. The game resembled the likes of a too gray, too brown Quake inspired realistic fuck fest, something most shooters have adopted now a days. Not that I mean to bring shame to the name of Quake, it’s just unfortunate developers ripped off the games aesthetic so relentlessly, without ripping off the same quality of game play. In any case, as more info rolled out on Dead Rising 3, the game seemed to have it’s signature humor intact, with ridiculous weapons and over the top costumes close at the ready.

Always money in the banana hammock.

I knew the world was going to be sizable and very custom tailored, but I had no idea to what extent. I may be excited for the next gen, but I am not a fool enough to believe every single zombie will be different than the last. To believe such a claim would be almost too eager on my part. I appreciate the intention behind the claim, and even if (likely) untrue, the effort to make it as true as possible will still add a lot of flavor to San Perditos, when I finally get my hands on Dead Rising 3.

Will DR3 be a killer app? Perhaps not, though I do believe the game will likely be one of the strongest on day one. When I think killer app, I think a title that comes out of nowhere, and is usually completely original in execution. While Dead Rising 3 will have both killings and executions, I do not believe it will be the master of either domain, or a tempting enough game, to contradict the weighty $500 price tag.

The face gamers collectively made, when they realized Microsoft was not going to release an Xbox One bundle, without the Kinect.

It remains unclear, in absolute certainty, what turns gamers off most about the Xbox One more, the higher price tag, or the complete indifference to the Kinect. We can not overlook that both are connected in this observation, which may be the problem to begin with.

~Pashford

Probable Odds

Hey Gamers,

Two posts in as many days? My levels of consistency expose themselves as shocking.

Stranger things have happened, of course.

Gaming continues to march on, despite road blocks and detours at every turn. The particular road block I reference, is that Killzone (a launch game) for the PS4 will require a 50 GB download, if you decide to go digital. This is a problem many likely overlooked when they threw out every single physical game they ever owned, because digital was “the flawless future”. Flawless if you happen to have several teraflops of hard drive space lying around, but I imagine most people aren’t the MCP from Tron.

Though if you were the MCP, the probability of you needing to upgrade your hardware to play video games is improbably low.

Times like these we all kick ourselves for forgetting the obvious, in this case, realizing technology develops faster than our ability to deal with it. The further irony, is the notion that we have less hard drive space than actual space, which is a mind trip when you think about it. I’ve also stumbled upon the realization that, despite the initial convenience of downloadable games, I’m at the mercy of rather eclectic tastes, making the task of choosing what stays installed and what gets deleted infinitely impossible. Though, if I had infinite hard drive space, I would likely become the equivalent of a virtual reality hoarder, and would gather so much information, I would buckle under the pressure of choice.

Hell, I could have a hard drive with the equivalent capacity of the Holodeck, and I’d still walk in and say “Eh, nothing to play.”

Accepting our terms with the finite, especially in the very limited scope of possible technologies, let’s us properly adjust our expectation levels.

Something we would all do well to keep in mind.

In predictable fashion, ” the internet” is in a hectic tussle, due to the mere mention of Half Life 3 by someone outside the anonymous collective. In this case, Valve themselves have been rumbling about the now legendarily awaited title, and as I look around to see the fan fervency for the title, I ask you the dear reader one simple question.

Are You Surprised Mother Fucker?

Because you really shouldn’t be. Considering recent developments with Valve, HL3’s delay may seem more relevant now than ever before. With the announcement of SteamOS and the Steam Machines, perhaps Valve has been wisely waiting to release HL3 (dare I even mention timed exclusivity on Steam Machines?), as an extra step of convincing gamers the companies proprietary technologies are totally worth it.Other still have already considered the inevitable release of the next Source engine being a possible reason for the delay of HL3. With all of this to take into account, it’s not very hard to see what kind of culmination Valve may have been working towards all of these years.

Before 2013 of course, playfully trolling your die hard PC friend by saying “There’s no way Half Life 3 is coming out this year”, was an effort in hilarious futility, as there response was always the same.

Never tell me the odds.

With all things considered,  it looks like Valve may finally be the one’s to shoot first.

~Pashford

Quickie: U Doing Alright?

Hey Gamers.

As some of you are well aware, Active Time Event has hit a bit of a snag recently, and is having trouble performing on a consistent basis.

I’m getting help from some friends in the right support group, I swear.

I wanted to have a Muranica prepared for this month’s only post, but completely fucked up that entire plan by not writing one. My current machinations still reside within the realm of straight reporting, one that has me busy on a pretty consistent basis. My original plan, as noted before, was to disappoint any regular readers with a void of good ideas and no new content. I think I’ve done so adequately, but not without a sense of regret.

Something I’ve had a lot of pointers on recently.

Microsoft has done well (better than I have with ATE at least) to get back on track. They did this through taking back what they lost, namely their pride. Or more accurately, backpedalling like mad men to make  the mass majority almost forget what a tremendous flop the Xbox One reveal represented. If nothing else, Sony’s strong (or at least reasonable in comparison) performance at E3, influenced Microsoft to start doing the right thing and get their shit together.

Others I’m afraid, are still late in getting the message.

Seen here: Luigi having to whisper to the CEO that Nintendo’s  fly is unzipped and that they also shit their pants.

I can’t help but soak in the irony that the first year Nintendo celebrates “The Year of Luigi”, everyone stops paying attention to them.

Anyways…
While Nintendo doom is all the rage just about every gen, the Wii U is making enough mistakes to warrant serious concerns over the consoles focus and current popularity. I thought that the idea of the Nintendo Direct at E3 was initially a fun alternative that would set the company apart in a sea of new hardware. While enticed by some of the software on show, having had some time to think about it, “fun” isn’t the first word starting with the letter F I would use to describe Nintendo’s  decision to skip out on E3.

Fucking losing it is the one I would pick.

I’m hoping Nintendo is at least just repeating old mistakes, waiting to get their first wind before they start actually participating in this current gen. Normally, Nintendo has  slow momentum in supporting their system, but have at least one  excellent launch title along the lines of Mario 64, Melee, or Wii Sports to blow everyone out of the water with.

The WIi U’s coolest launch title, already confirmed not getting a sequel.

Keep in mind, I love my Wii U, had a fantastic time with it at launch, and use the thing almost daily. I’m putting aside my fervent gaming bias however, and assessing basic realities in which everyone else lives in. Namely, the one where the best game (opinion alert) at the Wii U launch (Zombi U), sold so poorly, Ubisoft has already denied a sequel, and informed everyone the poor sales on Zombi U was the main reason to make Rayman multi-platform.

Here’s to a successful Wii U launch, Nintendo.

 Pikmin 3 is coming out within a weeks time, and many other titles (even none Zelda ones) are on the horizon for the Wii U. This means little to everyone who have had their console since November, but at least reassures me Nintendo is aware they are a company that needs to make money on an investment at some point. Having the same lack of games throughout this holiday season, with the PS4 and Xbox One launching, would be the last proof I need to convince me everyone on Nintendo is in fact on drugs.

Pictured: The Drug Nintendo Is On.

 I’m still betting on all three companies, as I have no want or need of another video game console that has absolutely no value. Sony just needs to keep (for once), setting a good example, Microsoft needs to keep following the good example, and Nintendo just needs to be reminded of how to be a good example.

Or else this will be the face of every Wii U owner you will meet.

 Happy Gaming,
Pashford

PS4 Conference: The After Party (Part 2)

My last post involved re-examining that Sony is in fact, an exhibitor trying to sell a product, rather than a magical candy man some of the PR bullshit would lead you to believe.

If You want to view paradise…

…simply look past the slave labor to view it.

Yes, I had a lot of fun watching the conference, and I’ve already done an extensive job at posting the information, and doing so with honest enthusiasm. My newer posts entitled “The After Party”, are merely to balance my own equation. I’m at my best when dynamically divided, and I want analytic me to remind my over enthusiastic me to stay focused, and remember that this fun has context, and all sides of nonsense that coincide with it.

Coinciding Nonsense

My first post revisited the truths Sony delivered, that may or may not be fully intact when the PS4 launches later this year. While I endangered my own righteous excitement and Sony’s bold claims using one fatal bear hug of judgement, I look else where to continue doing damage in this new post. Damage to both my own lofty expectations, and ridiculous hype on display at the conference in one fail swoop…

…in what I’m referring to as the Raditz Maneuver.

I find understanding and besting the competition involves a little self-sacrifice….from time to time.

In any case, while a lot of what Sony talked about had a sound theory, and only a questionable execution, many of the other ideas on display seemed to be just that, questionable. The theory was padded by thoughtful motivation, but the reality of the product, or the execution of said idea, may not even have been a pre-meditated thought in bringing the proto-display to our attention.

I give the pass to most of the games in the first half of the conference. Watch_Dogs still remains a savory delight, and Knack has the potential to be a killer app at launch. Drive Club and Killzone looked solid, and Jonathan Blow has a good enough track record to keep me satiated till E3.

Then…there was the not so game play heavy demo’s….and the spectacular lack of no game play to go along with it.

Pictured: Not Game Play.

First off I’ll touch on David Cage’s presentation. The man is outspoken on his views in game design, so this display of cinematic bravado involving the Old Man tech makes sense, in one way. That is, in the way of explaining what the PS4 is capable of in theory. Considering his team Quantic Dream is still producing Beyond, their current project, which hasn’t even been given a release date yet, I wonder how unrealistically gun ho Cage should be about “The Old Man” in discussing near future possibilities to hopeful gamers.

Seen Here: Cage’s Next game, Beyond…amazing and reasonable, the perfect fusion of game design.

Launch windows are abusively pushed back, and Beyond doesn’t even have a set date yet. I use the game’s mention as a segway to theory vs. execution, and how one should be slightly more tame in their hype. David Cage has been known to romanticize technology, more so than his ability to provide timely upon it. The Old Man Tech comes off as a spiritual successor to his Alfred Molina model shown at a Sony E3 event circa 2005, by non other than…David Cage.

A demo used before the PS3 was out in 2005, to showcase a game (Heavy Rain) that finally came out for the system in 2009.

I will give Cage credit here. He knows how to craft an experience, and he didn’t spread misinformation on either demo. My problem with the hype pre-releasing is the false precedence it sets to the hopeful early adopters, and delivering on the theory vs. the execution. Should we really be hyping a system to come out in 2013, by discussing the game possibilities in 2018? What about focusing on the here and the now? Sony didn’t even want to discuss a price point, which is something we’ll have to be dealing with in 7 months time, but the visionaries can talk about something that may be possible half way into a consoles life span? Last time I checked, most video game launches are strapped as is for a constant stream of good titles to come out, so focusing on the honesty of what’s going to be immediately available seems like a wiser decision in terms of exciting potential day one buyers, as opposed to talking about a far off potential future.

Romantically discussing that which we struggle to understand.

How David Cage normally reacts to yet unexplored territory.

Once again, I bookend my challenge of the obvious to a look back at a good track record. I know that Cage can deliver, just not necessarily within an exciting time frame. Others on show, weren’t quite as forgiven at a second glance. Capcom’s Panta Rhei engine looked fantastic, but the game Deep Down is reminiscent of so many other “look at this” tech demo’s posed as games to get the masses a’ sploding, but never ever getting enough gun power for the chance to ignite.

Remember getting emotional the first time you saw Milo? Peter Molyneux doesn’t either.

Deep Down already looks too good to be true, even leading me to believe we might be getting Killzoned. Considering Capcom’s abhorrent habits as of late, in scaring off good talent, and abusing the one’s they still have, I’ll be amazed if we ever hear about Deep Down, let alone see it performing on the same level of quality again.

They couldn’t get Resident Evil 6 right, but Capcom is assuring us that this is totally possible? Not even Dr. Wily would bet on this conceptually suspicious technology, and he made a robot called Wood Man.

Then there’s this guy

Yes, this guy.

Maybe one of the worst examples of why media PR can go completely bat shit insane without a proper rein in. If I accuse David Cage of romanticizing about technology, than Nate Fox is engaged in explicit adultery with concept.

The idea of bringing meaningful social concepts to light through gaming is important, and I think there’s room for a serious dialogue in the realm of dev and player interaction. I think this was an example of wrong place wrong time, as Nate Fox’s speech of Infamous: Second Son being inspired by his experience of being tear gassed was just very awkward, and poorly handled in the grand scheme of the game lead in.

Following the serious tone of being assaulted, to further building a melancholy message with “thousands of lives lost waiting in line” in reference to overbearing government security builds up to anti-climax. I say this as a response to all of this serious dictation,  directly leading into a segway involving “how everything would change if people started developing super powers”, which seemed akin to an attempt at a bad joke. At the very least, a disservice to both Nate’s experience, and the game itself. The entire exposition going from dead serious to a serious joke in about three seconds of time.

The same amount of time it took for Ubisoft to seriously grab my full attention with their Watch_Dogs presentation. No joke.

An air of disbelief palpable after the realization of an Infamous lead up being a dud, and some reflexive eye rolling  with the realization that Mr. Fox just made a mockery of his own intention and the game in one misguided swoop. Insult added to injury comes just slightly later into the conference, when Watch_Dogs, which has a similar concept, is delivered with more tame eloquence, and touches on the topic in a far more nuanced manner, and appropriate context.

I’m sad to say, but this kind of mis-directed hype is what turns pre-release tech conferences into a full blown Donkey Show within a single sentence.

“As you know, Square Enix is another major partner developing for the PS4”.

Seen Here: The gaming press reacting to the Square Enix portion of the PS4 press conference.

The Square Enix mention, and subsequent techo demo on display had to have been the least eventful section of the entire conference. With easily, the least informative, and least impressive tech on display, I’m surprised Sony didn’t just save themselves the time and replay the Final Fantasy 7 demo they did back in 2006. At least hyping that lie again would have reminded me of a time when Square as a company was actually worth a shit

Pictured: The Square Enix rep on stage at the PS4 conference, being captured on camera  saying “Look what Square can do.”

Square’s tech demo didn’t look the best, they had no games to show off, and all of this information was coming from a company that routinely pushes me past the realms of gaming sanity. It’s very hard to respect a company that has been strangling it’s own creative merits to death over the past decade. I find it even harder to take seriously anything a company has to say about an upcoming game, when they’re singularly responsible for murdering one of the most highly regarded game series of all time single handedly. What they showed had little baring in the impressive, and was a conceptual mess. With confused direction and awkward concepts, everything on show was just thrown at the audience in a random attempt at trying to grab the lowest common denominator.

Also, a hyena.

Honestly, I have full awareness of my bias towards Square Enix, and this is due in part to the reasons already stated. I bit my lip when trying to provide genuine coverage of their portion of the PS4 conference, and felt sincerely irked they were given as much press time. Their habitual dishonesty, and shallow attempts in video game development have reduced a once impassioned Final Fantasy fan to a hater of the illest kind. In fact, they are largely in part the reason I decided to throw this literary “After Party” following my regular PS4 write ups. This was in trying to shed light on how earnestly difficult it is to take some of these companies at respectful face value, when they’ve helped to degrade the over all culture of gaming, and have created such a poor track record of distrust in the first place.

Oh yeah, don’t forget their grand finale: an announcement of an announcement in the (possible) near future. Whoopie fucking doo.

Honestly, I was going to mention Media Molecule’s unfortunate similarities to the Wii Music Demo from Nintendo’s E3 in 2008, but nothing matches Square’s sheer volume of disappointment and tenacity in doing so. Media Molecule has always had an air of soul about their development approaches, and their mission of “recording your dreams” is victim only to Sony’s rigid dictations in this regard, and the yet unratified nature of the Playstation Move controller to go along with it. MM still has the want to succeed, Square lost theirs a long time ago.

Well, that about wraps up the celebration for all of the majorly disappointing misgivings  of the PS4 conference from a conceptual stand point, and what an after party it turned out to be!

…Don’t get me wrong, I want to end this by saying I wish the developers well in carrying out their simple message of fun, however flawed it may be. I’m also severely excited about the PS4, and am eager to pick one up at launch. I just want to remind myself, and in turn, my gaming brothers, that blind acceptance often begets false prophets. If we don’t stop and take a second look, and even question the harsh reality of what has been presented before us, we will all suffer the consequences of observational neglect. Massive disappointment is a byproduct of extreme misjudgment and unchecked disbelief, both elements we have full control of, and are smart enough to use, if we so choose, on a regular basis.

The idea here is not about unneeded pessimism, it’s about healthy amounts of cynicism. Reality is going to be harsh, it’s when you start observing this fact, you can start appreciating the aspects of life worthwhile, and have more fun in doing so.

Happy Gaming.

PS4 Conference: The After Party (Part 1)

I thought about doing a rapid fire blurb piece involving some of the highlights of the PS4 press conference, the two hour event being a glut of gaming content. I gave it a second thought, and realized I had approached the event with a healthy perspective of objectivity, with my gaming bias intact. The bias mentioned including my own gluttony and excitement for new game news, especially information of this quality proportion.

The reason I resisted doing another straight write up was the want and need to deliver something a little more critical. I can go on all day about what Sony said about the system, or what the games are “suppose“ to do , but I don’t believe that cuts deep enough. These press events can be intoxicating, to the point of blind consumption. The PS4 has me excited in all sorts of ways, but I’m thinking that a great deal of what Sony is selling may have been a slight embellishment, the “endless possibilities” not having come across to some onlookers as not entirely plausible.

Must be this gullible to ride.

For starters, the system not being shown wasn’t a deal breaker for me. This event under cutting E3 by a couple of months, I figured Sony was going to pull some punches before the big fight. Outside of E3, these events can be great at creating much needed hype, but to ignore the press and iconic nature of E3 would be self-destructive. Microsoft and Nintendo don’t exist in a vacuum after all, and it’s not unrealistic to think either company won’t show off some form of new hardware, and Sony will need a heavy hitter to combat them with. I’m guessing The PS Vita Go hasn’t been in secret development for the past couple months, and likely would only leave the gaming collective horrified.

Seen Here: Conceptual Pictures of what the PS Vita Go might look like.

I noticed the price point also wasn’t stated at the time of the conference. I’m wondering if Sony has a defined retail cost already (given we already know the price of the tech inside the system), or if they’re waiting to see if they can somehow undercut their own dollar tag before the all important E3 reveal.

The gaming giant may be trying to stave off the inevitable, waiting as long as they can before disappointing the majority of eager buyers with the bombshell price point. Sony’s pricing has, historically, been a weak point that often makes for some massive damage.

Picture Related

The Dualshock 4 took a nice clean approach, and was likely for many, the most relieving portion of the Sony centric reveal. I’m glad Sony’s smart enough to try and not fix what isn’t broken, instead of breaking what already works. The share button has me curious, and time will tell if it’s worth will out weight the basic controller functionality. I know that sounds outlandish, but I’m wondering if more people won’t eventually adopt their PS4 as a social media device, forgetting entirely about the fact that it plays video games, much in the same way many have done in turning their 360’s into a Netflix machine.

It only does Facebook.

The extra added tech into the Dual Shock 4 leaves me cautious though. Controller prices are getting higher and higher all the time. With the currently rising prices of hardware already too much for consumers to handle, where will a $60-80 dollar controller leave a gamer with an empty wallet in the face of split screen? Will split screen even be a tertiary concern for most developers going into the eighth generation of consoles?

For once, not the red headed step child of bad gaming news! Looks like I won’t have to think of a joke that spans multiple pictures involving Diablo 3’s failings…

I liked what Knack had to show off for PS4 infrastructure benefits, but it makes me wonder if all of this functionality isn’t going to further muddle good game design. Slapped on multiplayer is still an aspect of gaming that irritates many, usually degrading what would have been an even better single player experience, to attract estranged demographics. Will dev teams have to focus more on social media, and console interfacing than developing actual gameplay? The core idea worries me going forward as a fact of life, as I will always take fun design over tertiary function any day.

Wondering if Sony will give us both the good and the bad in creating their future possible sitcom called the PS4, or if they will just give us the bad.

A couple of other theoreticals I’d like to discuss is this always integrated notion of the new system. Past the few confusing selling points and high entry fees to consumers regarding the system, I have another worry about this massive inter relatedness with the PS4. While reports after the conference have been worryingly conflicting to whether or not the “no used games on the PS4” are true, yet another stigma of modern day gaming rears it’s ugly head.

….can not complete joke at this time.

While I’m overly optimistic the PS4 will function as a basic gaming system untethered to the internet, I do feel the need to point out the obvious. My memories of the Diablo 3 launch are still quite potent in my mind, and having an over reliance on unpredictable technology and anti-consumer policies is a terrible idea. I say unpredictable technology in regards to internet connections, and what kind of vast repercussions comes from connecting a majority of functionality to it’s rather fragile nature. Sony was reminded of this warm sentiment with a hello from the unknown when the PSN was hacked, and an underlying message of “Welcome to the Human Race” to go along with it.

How easy it was to shut down the Playstation Network in 2011.

Diablo 3’s launched suffered because of both always online and anti-consumer stances. In this instance of policy failure, they effectively disallowed gamers from using a product they just purchased, after waiting a decade to do so. This is all a cause and effect of needless functionality, due to the aforementioned anti-consumerism policies, in a quest to try and quell piracy, and control finance. Diablo 3 became the punching bag in the industry, much like the PSN became when a bunch of anonymous effortlessly took down a network from one of the biggest gaming giants on the planet.

V if for violation of the terms and agreements used in being a misguided corporation.

While I might be shouting doom towards the heavens rambunctiously right now, I don’t believe my aim is wrong. All of this tech and all of these business practices need to have proper restraint, and a mindful discipline about them. Without the control of your own tools, crafting ideas like “always connected” and “massive jumps in technology” will fail to create virtual paradise, and instead, turn into self-inflicted chaos. The PS4 needs to focus on games first and fore most, and servicing the gamer in having fun, before trying to shove online status quo and superfluous tech down our strangled consumer throats.

All right, I’ve covered the Sony side of verbal failings so far, mentioned the reality that no one will be happy with the economically pre-ordained price point of the system, touched on the possibility of gimmicks instead of core game play focus at launch, and even sliced a philosophy pie to force feed warning to those who think they can “do it better” in regards to controlled tech…

Who’s next?

(To be continued)