Podcast 108 Recording Tonight

Yay! New show tonight and we have a lot to talk about! Right? Well, not really. But that will give us more time to answer viewer questions properly. So head on over to the Podcast 108 Viewer Questions Thread and leave an excellent question for us to read on the show.

Also leave any news topic and link you would like to hear us discuss (or maybe discuss) on tonights episode. Seriously, did anything happen? Podcast 108 News Thread.

We are also recording a new Top 5 tonight. Are you ready to hear more of our favorite games of all time? Well I hope so, because we are doing our 21-25 on our list of all time favorite games. We will recap our first 20 on the show as well.

We've uploaded TF Show# 21 - Top 5 Games (20-16) [download]

Be there or be a nerd.

Brad

New Dinner Time Uploaded

There was a DinnerTime recorded Saturday. Brad and Nick joined my along with Special Guest Chris David from HookedGamers.

DT - 023 - FireBowl With The Guys [download]

Thanks,
David

MadBrad - A shitty start for Platinum Games?

How many fucking Wii consoles are out there? Eleventy Billion? Why does it matter that Nintendo is dominating the console war if the games that matter don't sell.

Madworld, which came out fairly early in the month, sold a pathetic 66k in March.

Nintendo HAS created a different market. Yes, the industry did grow, but those people that are the new consumers in this market are not buying anything but casual games. Who does this help?? Big publishers who can churn shit out to make the money to fund the projects they actually want to be making? Nintendo, EA, Activision??? The smaller companies who, god forbid, only have teams who want to make real games--what are they supposed to do? Give up? Make Mini Ninjas?

So guess what? Third party games, that are not Guitar games, DO NOT SELL for shit on Nintendo systems. Sure there are some exceptions, but guess what else also sold like shit last month? Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars--a game from possibly the biggest hardcore franchise in the industry, a game that received stellar reviews (sits around 94% on GameRankings), a game that only had a Teen rating, did not make the top 10 games sold in March--it didn't even break 90k. A fucking Grand Theft Auto game!

There is no PS2 this generation. There is no PS1 this generation. Meaning? There is no "sure thing" that developers can put their games out on. From the smallest dev teams to the biggest publishers, during the last two console generations, companies had a console that they KNEW had the audience they needed to sell their game.

I have no doubt that Madworld WOULD have sold way more on PS3 or 360. Why? It has a lower install base and a higher game price. So why? Because we are the people who would have bought the game. So do you all own Wiis? Did you all buy the game? Who owns a Wii and chose not to buy the game? Would you have bought the game if it were on PS3 or 360?

This isn't Nintendo's fault. I think we just need to come to the realization that this hobby of ours that we all love so much--the industry that spawns it has never belonged to us. You know why PS2 was a success? Because Madden was on PS2. Because GTA was on PS2. Because the PS2 was affordable. Not because PS2 had Shadow of the Colossus or Okami. The mainstream, non enthusiast consumers have always determined the fate of the industry. Well... their interests have changed it seems.

Who needs a cool new action game when we could just play Guitar Hero? Who needs a $400 console, when we can play Guitar Hero on a $200 one? Oh look... we won't have to save up money and buy it ourselves because Mom wants Wii Fit.

66,000. For shame. What does Platinum Games do now? Hopefully Bayonetta will do a bit better.


Brad

You Are So Beautiful......To Me

The newly released DSi has no GBA slot. Boo! It was a big deal for me in making my decision to purchase one. Yesterday, the greatest idea came to me. I still have my GAME BOY MICRO!!!

So here's to the Game Boy Micro the small and sleek portable that will still allow me to play my GBA games on the go without having to lug around another DS or a GBA SP. It's so tiny I can just clip it to my belt. Hooray!

It's really a shame that there wasn't more support for this device, I would love to have a new faceplace for it

Could this be a rebirth for the Micro?
David

Brad Answers Viewer Questions - Part 2

Brad

DSi Troubleshooting?

This post is a question for all those DSi owners out there. When the DSi starts up, during the user interface screen, the top screen will randomly show on of the pictures you have taken. Mine was doing that originally when I first bought the system. Now for some reason, since I've gotten the SD Card and moved all the pictures there, it won't do it anymore. Even after I move some pictures back, it still won't show the pictures in the interface screen.

Is anyone else having this problem, or know what the fixes are?

Thanks,

David

Juan vs The Wasabi

We were making sushi the other day and Juan decided to take on his arch-nemesis, The Wasabi.

David

New Top 5 Podcast

The new top 5 was uploaded and to iTunes as well.

032 - Top 5 Nostalgia? Games [download]

Thanks,
David

How We Use XBLA Microphones

Thank you Juan for taking part in this demonstration.

David

Silent Hill: Shattered Expectations?

I have been rather lucky. Silent Hill, my favorite gaming IP has had a pretty steady flow of sequels and side projects over the past few years. Unlike it's big brother franchise, Resident Evil, most of these projects have been solid. None have strayed too far from the core concept and they have all stayed true to what makes Silent Hill such an appealing game. When I heard that Climax would be working on a remake of the original game on the Wii, I was instantly excited and skeptical at the same time. We all know what the Wii is know how usually happens to an IP when it is transitioned to the Wii (Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles, Dead Space Extraction). Then some details started to emerge. This game is not just a remake but is instead a re-imagining of the original game. The concept remains the same while many of the gameplay mechanics and approaches to the story have been altered to make a game that is still surprising to long time fans. I found this interview with the producers to be rather interesting:


I am a little worried about what they have done with the combat or "enemy encounters" but I will hold my judgements until I see it in action. Overall, I think that the game looks like they aren't cutting any corners in respect to the games looks by switching to the Wii. As long as Akira Yamaoka composes the music and the game is still a "semi open-world" gameplay style. then I shouldn't have too much to complain about when I pick this up later this year.

-Nick