A Story About A Girl

This past Saturday, I went to the arcades to stretch my legs a little. I broke out my dancing shoes and hit the DDR machines. I never thought that this kind of thing could happen to me, especially at an arcade, but I met the girl of my dreams there.

Amidst the crowd of tired unhealthy looking game players, there shone a single magnificent star. She lit up the dark room with her smile and I couldn't help but stare as she brushed the hair away from her face. She wore long blue jeans that neatly ended as her white sneakers with blue stripes started. She had on a large beige jacket with a furry collar enveloping her neck. Underneath the jacket a v-neck medium dark purple with a design that had all sorts of colors mixed messily together. The shirt ran just barely down to her jeans so that if she were to put her arms in the air to stretch, the pale petite flesh known as her mid-section would have been exposed.

Luckily nothing like that happened as you can tell by me being here and being able to write this post instead being confined in the hospital suffering from a heart attack.

Anyone who approached her quickly realized they had made a mistake. She was on a completely different level than anyone there. But of course, I had it in my mind that I was different. Here I was, in my sweat pants and t-shirt, covered in sweat, walking towards her thinking of how to handle the situation. My palms were sweating. Thoughts racing. Here was the moment of truth...

Someone stood up.

He was finished playing his game. He was ready to go. He took the data card out and said his goodbyes to all his friends. He walked out the door. Along with him, went the girl.

I can only assume that they weren't together. He didn't seem like the kind of guy a girl like her would be interested in. He was far too overbearing and eccentric. She was shy but sociable. They weren't really suited for each other. I don't believe that this was the end of it. I have a feeling that I'll run into her again someday. Actually, I know I will. This world isn't big enough that our paths wouldn't cross again.

So I wonder to myself how she will be dressed next time. Glasses? A Choker? Or maybe a Ponytail? The possibilities run endlessly in my mind. But for now, I can only go by her name that was whispered as she was leaving.

Asuka.....

You have my heart.
David

Community Blog (Xalgar) - RPG Discussion

Are RPGs a dying genre?

Xalgar

"Slowly and slowly, I've been noticing that RPG's are constantly reusing the same storylines over and over and western RPG's are lacking in the innovation department. The kids at my school don't even know what Elder Scrolls, Square Soft, or even "Tales of" games are, and I constantly here the story "I bought Fallout 3, but it's ****ing boring, there's so much talking and ****! I just want to shoot stuff like in Halo" I seriously wanted to spit in this idiot's face.

I do know however that RPG's are mainly played by older audiences who are not into raging at incompetent team mates and instead, appreciate the peace of a good story and the thrill of watching your character get stronger and have more abilities. But with my generation which is mainly into FPS's, will RPG's eventually receive the same fate as adventure games? Or am I wrong and this is just where I live that these kids are so close minded to their game selections?"



jasix

"Not really no, you have to look at the bigger picture not just where you live, RPG is huge in Japan, they go nuts for it. Xbox360 sales was terrible in Japan until Blue Dragon came along and Lost Odysee. Also Fallout 3 isn't really your standard RPG and the need to shoot something is only natural with that game. RPGs are still going strong and will remain i believe, the only problem with them at the moment is the lack of them in EU/US for next gen consoles. The Xbox360 has quite a few but they aren't anything special PS3 has a few and some great looking ones lined up like White Knight Chronicles and Hopefully Demon Soul will come out of Japan too if not the game has English option already so importing won't hurt, its a hack n slash RPG Demon Soul but it looks awesome!"



Mordiford

"Games like first person shooters are much easier to get into, to pick up and play. In the same way that the people you referenced in your original post were being closed minded, so are you. RPG's are usually a pretty big commitment, I myself sometimes have a hard time due to their formidable length. In that sense it is likely that the number of RPG's released will drop in the west, but not by much. In Japan RPG's are still quite successful so there really isn't an issue on that end.

Even in the long-run though, there will still be a large number of hardcore RPG fans that will keep the genre alive in both Japan and the West. There will likely still be quite a few strong franchises in the coming years.

Also, as per your note on rehashing the same storyline, if you break down most storylines in games you will find major similarities, this occurs with characters as well. However this is not exclusive to the RPG genre, you may just notice it more because those games are so story driven that it's easier to draw a comparison. Really though, similarities in characters and story are apparent in almost all genres."



ceby

"Xalgar I don't know if you remember this but RPG were considered dead back in the 90's and their revival was basically because of Diablo, a hack/slash RPG. I think RPG like any genre come and go in cycles.

I mean sure you don't see as many adventure games out their but their still are some. The Sam and Max adventures for the PC quickly come to mind.

If you just keep the faith and keep buying RPG's they wont' be going anywhere."



streetninja

"RPG's will never go away entirely. There used to be a whole bunch of old JRPG's but over the last 10 or so years we've seen the genera change and blend with others. We've seen RPG's mix with FPS's, RTS's and several other kinds of genera to make great new experiences."



maskedarcstrike

"I can see your point that it seems like not many traditional RPG's come out these days but I believe japanese developers only have themselves to blame for that for losing originality.

J-developers have followed the same formula for the past 20 years without really stepping outside the boundary that much and when they have with games like Vagrant Story they never want to try again because the game didn't sell well.

Hell look at Atlus I think the only reason the shin megami tensei has done so well the past 6-7 years was because of it's original setting.

After 13 years I'm sick of Tetsuya Nomura's spiky haired character designs if you've seen characters in one game of a series you've seen em all. Star Ocean, Tales of, Final Fantasy.

The last japanese RPG I really loved was Dragon Quest VIII, the british voice acting and charming script really made the characters come alive and make you grow attached to them. Even though the game followed the standard J-RPG formula to the T it had so much charm and soul it's hard not to love that game.

Earthbound followed the same formula IMO but just had a different setting.

50% of the game in an RPG is telling a story and how can you enjoy the game if you don't give a crap about the characters?"



yanki

"What I learned in Japanese class is that Japan likes to believe in the "if it's not broke, why fix it" statement. Okay, maybe that is simplifying it too much, but it struck me as a rather interesting comment on the "kata" (the way) to do things. If you take a look at a lot of things that come out of Japan, not just rpgs, there is a formula to how they work. Shonen and Shojo manga are very similar no matter what story you are reading and JRPG's are noted even more now for having unoriginal storylines. The Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series I find to be the more breakaway from that rehashing of similar plots. I just finished Persona 3 and am currently playing Persona 4 and I'm saddened I have to take a break due to finals! If you want a JRPG that isn't so by-the-book, I would give Persona and SMT a try, especially if you can find a copy. The new Devil Summoner is coming out and the first one is actually quite easy to find compared to SMT:Nocturne and Digital Devil Saga.

But even if most JRPGs are similar, I still love them. To answer your thought, I do not see this genre dying out in 5-10 years. In Japan, they are indeed huge. I went there like two months after FFX-2 was released and I saw ads and merchandise just about everywhere for the game. Famitsu poll on top 10 games of all time largely consisted of FF games, though the poll is quite old, I doubt if a new one were done it would contain less RPG games. The Dragon Quest series, though not really popular in the US, are phenomenally huge in Japan. I have no idea how true this is, but I heard that schools will actually take a holiday when a new DQ is released in Japan. The only 360 games I hear doing well in Japan, are indeed JRPG's."




Keep up the quality discussion guys and gals.

Brad

New Podcast Up

After a few format problems, we've finally gotten show 108 up for this week. We talk about our impressions and then have a discussion about who's buying the Wii and how it will effect everyone else.

108 - The Wii Sales Discussion [download]

Also available on iTunes.

Thanks,
David

The Absorptionist Tome of Rapture

Book of Inquisition

And a feeling came,
And I knew pain.
Forgetful delights forgot the light
That we once knew.
The seams we believed in
Grew and grew.
Together our pain is in vain.
Alone, we are truly in delight.
Creating Destruction and Pain.



You may find the writings of pure acknowledgment via this link.
http://files.filefront.com/13649256


-Travis

Game Announcement: Aliens Vs. Predator

I'll admit, I was a little bummed to hear that Gearbox Software was putting their "Alien: Colonial Marines" on a temporary hiatus to finish Borderlands. The Alien series has always been one of my most beloved science fiction stories. I watched all the movies dozens of times and read many of the books but it was not until this "current generation" of gaming hardware came out that I started to really crave an Aliens game. The dark, oppressing atmosphere of the movies combined with H.R. Giger's alien designs would translate well into a flashy next generation game.

I was rather impressed by the screenshots and the few details that were made public about Colonial Marines but it seems that I might now have something just as interesting to tide me over until Gearbox can finish their game. Today, the first screen shots and details regarding Rebellion's next "Alien vs. Predator" game, set to release on the PS3, (the only confirmed platform... but i'm sure it will be multiplatform) were revealed. For those who are unfamiliar with the series, Rebellion developed both the original Aliens vs. Predator for the Atari Jaguar in 1994:


and the follow up on the PC in 1999:


By today's standards, the screenshots above are nothing special, so feast your eyes on the first screen shot of the new game:

Color me excited. So far, the only confirmed details include:
- The game is set 30 years after events of the "Aliens" movie
- It takes place on a planet where Colonial Marines are attempting to eliminate a Xenomorph infestation. Predators eventually show up for some hunting... fun ensues.
- The game will contain 3 single player campaigns; one for each race.
- There will be some sort of multiplayer component included.

The game is set to release in 2010.

P.S.- Due to the inescapable time constraints of my schedule, you can expect one major article from me per week during the school year. You can expect the following post to make its appearance on Saturday or Sunday of this weekend, thanks for all the support:
Sequel Sound-off: Bioshock 2

-Nick

I feel A tingly sensation!!!!!!

HELLO!!!!
















As you puny, insignificant beings of less quality may be aware, this is the brute becoming of a normal passenger. I AM HERE!!!
Or shall be momentarily. As my power grows into something fathomable, my patience grows thin. The day of my reckoning begins tomorrow, when the sun begins the descent into the hell below. At this time, I shall strike fear into the hearts of your beloved. At this time, the forever luminescent ideals of your past will explode in rage and tortured charisma! There is no hope for this future we share! LET ME DESTROY YOU MINDLESS DRONES OF A MAGNIFICENTLY ATROCIOUS CHAT ROOM!!!! THE WORLD IS MINE TOMORROW!
BE PREPARED!!!!

Hell Has Frozen Over....

I don't post about the news too often. I've never thought of us as a news site. I don't see us to be the ones breaking the news getting it out there to you first before anyone else. 

Commentary on the other hand is something different. Our opinions I feel are unique and sometimes, worth listening to. 

It was announced recently that there is going to be a LEGO ROCK BAND. Why? I have no clue. This is just another Rock Band. This will add long to the Beatles Experience that is already slated. I don't necessarily want to say that this has always been on of my fears, but back when Guitar Hero announced Aerosmith, I could see something like this happening. Just because you get a big named band on the label does not mean it is an improvement on the game. Instead of focusing on make the game better and finding new ways to keep it fresh, the focus is on who's name is on the cover, my opinion: Not the way to go.

I think the market is becoming over saturated. These tie ins and band promotions are just a sign that they're running out of ideas. The game sells and will make money, but both EA and Activision are notorious about pumping titles out yearly and eventually creating franchises that are shells of their former selves. Namely Need For Speed and Tony Hawk.

This was always one of the problems with a game being accepted by the masses. The majority is fickle, fleeting. They lose interest very quickly. They want to be with the trends and when it's done they move on to the next big thing. Music games have been a huge part of my gaming career. I started with Parappa and Bust-A-Groove in high school and have been loving it ever since. But I won't be sad when Rock Band and Guitar Hero die out. The best of the American Guitar series was the first one after all and the spirit was long gone after that one became popular. Plus there is always Guitar Freaks.

Anyone tired of this shit, yet?
David

Holy Shit 10 Million

Last night's broadcast went by pretty normally. We played games and talked to some chatters. Despite the fact that we hit 10 million views, it was a pretty pedestrian showing on our part. Sorry about that.

First of all, Thank You. We've grown so quickly and to the point that sometimes, it's hard to keep up with everything going on. So many of you contribute so much every night, it's difficult to think of a way to show our appreciation. I really that the community is bursting at the seams. The website, the forums, JTV, we're outgrowing all of them. If you look at it, the even the name 4PlayerPodcast kinda doesn't even fit.

I'm a pretty ambitious person. I hate not being able to deliver certain things to people but I hate even more passing on opportunities. There are a lot of things I've promised people and even more that I will probably promise. One of my biggest weaknesses is staying focused. My attention skips around attracted by the next shiny thing that comes along. It doesn't mean that I don't still want to do the things on my list, it just means that I need to get better at finishing a task before I move on.

I'm currently looking through the forums, especially the Improvements/Suggestions portion. A lot of them are obvious and we'll get on them right away. Others are less feasible but we will still try our best.

Tomorrow night we will have a broadcast, just like we do every night. But we will also be trying out Skype. Brad and I will be playing something while taking calls, working out the kinks for future implementation. Nick will be making a appearance after work as will Juan.

Travis will make a return on Friday, for who knows what, but knowing Him, I'm sure it will be something interesting.

Stay tuned as we will make more announcements tomorrow as to what else is going on this weekend.

See you tomorrow night,
David

PS - I hope that all of our mods will be able to call in for a small segment, as you guys are always a big help to us and we'd love to hear from you.

Tekken 6 and pretty CG.

This was the video I was trying to get downloaded from the XBL/PSN marketplaces last night, but apparently they took it down.

Does this video excite me? No. I could care less about the story. But I guess this exists to get more casual players interested in the game. Really there is no amount of cg or gameplay footage they could show me (at least they way they present it) that would interest me in the least. I know what Tekken 6 is. There are no secrets here like in other games. There is no unknown. In fact, the game has been out for a year and a half in arcades. So what could they do?

Namco should host an event where some of the best people in the world are invited to play the game. They should take footage from some of the closest, and perhaps flashiest, matches and send out high quality videos of them to all the blogs and sites. It's ballsy sure, but it actually shows Tekken as what it is, a deep fighting game.

Brad

Some Chris Sawyer Anyone?

Hello nostalgia my old friend.
Well in this case, this wouldn't be the only reason this game is amazing.























Anyone remember this simple gem of a game? The best interpretation of a sim game that I have ever seen? ... Holy god, whoever was playing this screen shot had a lot of money.
Anyways, This is Roller Coaster Tycoon.
1999 by Hasbro, this game was a many things for me. My first Sim game, my first PC game, my first act of spending countless hours at the computer. This game did it all for me.
Why you might ask?
Because its fucking good. Thats all you need to know.














-Travis




P.S.
This game is the first game that I know of, outside of Sid Meiers games, that was as in depth as you could possibly get. From setting prices to every attraction, setting the type of music played at various rides, which type of advertisements you would like to run for your park, or even how you wanted to build your roller coaster...
Ok, I will say that last part again for I know we take it for granted.
How you wanted to build your roller coaster.
This may seem like a small little attraction, but it is by far so much more.
This truly gave you the option to create whatever you wanted, to the most intense roller coaster you could ever dream of, to the hellish crash coaster you send poor, mindless civilians on.
You were, and still are, able to create whatever your mind wanted to create with these coasters.
Oh, and it is a sim game.
In all honesty, that doesn't seem great.
This game made it great.
I have already spent countless hours deciding the layout of my park, the theme, the prices.
This game has stolen my life yet again.

P.S.S
The game starts off with the simple choose a scenario. Each scenario is basically the same, just varying in difficulty. The normal layout being: Meet X amount of guests with X amount of satisfaction by this date.
Simple.
Not really.
To have guests come to your park requires you to craft a park layout which is appealing to the guests. Simple things as having an information booth near the entrance or near the back can vary how satisfied people are with your park... which decides how many people hear about your park... which decides how many people come to your park. While the possibilities are endless on how you can create your park, to achieve the goals that are required of you does take some strategy. Such as having one of the more exciting coasters near the front of the park to "thrill" your guests as they walk through the entrance. Deciding whether or not to take out a loan to create your "masterpiece" coaster with which you will advertise and bring more people to your park. Understanding the value of a dollar. Whether or not your entrance should be expensive and your rides free, or vice versa. These things and many more can decide how well you do at creating your own park.
Now customer satisfaction.
Guests puke, they get hungry, they get bored, they get angry, they vandalize. Oh, and they can die.
All of these are unwanted things, some of them are unavoidable.
The goal being, as the master of your domain, you will want to cut these reaction to the smallest amount possible. This will raise satisfaction and assure you a victory.
Some of these can be fixed by hiring employees, these being guards, handymen, mechanics and entertainers.
Others require you to have a well thought out park that is not only appealing to the eye, but gives the guest many things to do without having to think to hard.
Trust me, they refuse to think too hard.


P.S.S.S
If you decide they are not thinking hard enough... then the fun begins.
It is very possible to create a torture land.
Imagine this.... French fries are free... everyone buys them.
Drinks... are 50 dollars a pop.
So after riding a roller coaster, to settle their stomach they decide to get a drink. Too bad ass hold, you spent all your money entering the park.
Here are some fries.
Oh you are angry?
Well i created this pit of death which you can never climb out of. Or if that isn't to your liking, here is this roller coaster that has an exit located above water... no walkway.
You can't swim? Oh thats too bad.
Well here is this roller coaster that flys off into a cliff.
Now choose bitch!!!!



This is my life.
-Travis