Gaming By Numbers and The Boss' Annoying Kid Ruins Diablo 3

Over the past six months, I've had two co-workers looking into a getting a console for the first time this generation. One of them was new to gaming in general. For both of them, the decision came down to Xbox 360 and PS3. I did what I could to figure out which console would be a better fit for the each of them by asking what they wanted to get out of a console and comparing that to my opinion of what each console does better. I generally recommended the 360 for online gaming despite the Xbox Live subscription fees and the PS3 for someone who wants to do more than game with their console.

Everyone has their own opinion about each console, but that was my recommendation. As much as a gamer as I am, I tend to game almost exclusively on my Xbox; my PS3 is mostly a Blu-ray player. My wife and I still game on it, but mostly just PS3 exclusives like Uncharted and Little Big Planet. It seems that I'm not alone here, either.

Some Nielson ratings were recently released about usage on the Big 3. It's a pretty interesting chart to look at. The Wii gets the largest percentage of offline play because people are generally playing with people in the same room. (Most of those party games don't have an online option, and when these games are about 60% of the total gaming options on the Wii the math adds up.) I'm guessing that 20% that is streaming video are Netflix users. It's the only explanation that makes sense.

When we compare the 360 and PS3, the numbers are closer, but they reveal some interesting trends. Gaming in general, offline and online combined, makes up of a little bit more than 60% of activity on the 360 but less than 50% on the PS3. Besides gaming on the PS3, the most popular thing to do on a PS3 was watching DVDs and Blu-ray movies. Not too surprising though, considering that the 360 doesn't actually play any HD format discs without the now antiquated HDDVD peripheral (I know someone who has one and a decently sized collection of these elusive creatures). I must say, though, that all of these numbers are only recording the proportional percentage of usage and not numbers of hours compared to the other consoles. So, where there is a higher percentage gaming done on the 360, these numbers are not actually saying that there are more people using the console over the others. Just keep that in mind.

Some other interesting numbers came out this week regarding digital downloads. As a proponent of digital distribution and a harbinger of the digital revolution, I find these numbers fascinating. According to NPD, digital downloads are nearing 1/3 of total game sales. Of these digital purchases, services like Steam make up of almost half. App stores for smartphones almost match the numbers for Steam and Steam-like services. What amazes me most is that digital downloads on the Big 3 consoles make up less than 1/3 of these digital sales combined. Granted, since this all includes cell and smart phones, you have a lot of casual gamers downloading free game apps or $0.99 games like Cut The Rope and Angry Birds and purists may argue the "validity" of including such stats. However, these are real games and should be included. Curious to see what these numbers may look like in the next couple of years.

And, one more thing!

Diablo 3, the tease that she is, creeps ever closer. Now that the last of the first 5 classes has been revealed, it seems that Blizzard had to work pretty hard to keep the list short and sweet. With ideas like these, I wonder what the game could have been...

Gnome, out.

How I Suck At Predictions and The Worse Game Ever (of 2010)?!

So, yeah. My predictions for the Spike VGAs were waaaaay off. Whatever. I'll eat my crow, but I just want to go on record as saying that the awards show was awkward and pitiful at best. The on-stage projection effects were pretty awesome, but NPH was not himself; he was trying too hard to appeal to the gamer crowd. I also came to the conclusion, along with the rest of the gaming community, that Olivia Munn needs to stop talking. I love Attack of the Show, but she is really taking this diva persona a bit too far.

So, let's recap. Spike's Video Game Awards were:

1. Mostly boring

2. Hosted by a sub-par Neil Patrick Harris

3. Pretty much ruined by Olivia Munn

4. Showed off some cool presentation tech with on-stage projections

5. Revealed a lot of cool new games

Oh, yeah...I wasn't totally wrong about BioWare's new game. As I said a few posts ago, I figured it was Mass Effect 3, but I was hoping for something else. While, this reveal filled me elation about ME3 but a bit of apprehension that it may be too soon, the trailer was more epic than I imagined a teaser could be. Full trailer - plzkthksbai!

Now for some other fun things I found this past week.

I'm super pumped for L.A. Noire. Granted, I have no idea how this game will play, but the tech itself is blowing...my...mind. If the teaser that released about a month ago didn't show you enough of what this game and development team are capable of, perhaps this tidbit will give you more of an idea. *swoon*

Remember those Choose Your Own Adventure books? Here's a video game one from GameSpy. You're welcome.

I like Entertainment Weekly. They seem to be fairly on par with my thoughts about TV shows and movies. They also seem to be on top of the most recent scuttlebutt and reveals. They broke the story on the design of Captain America from the upcoming movie, as well as Green Lantern. EW makes me happy...mostly. I say "mostly" because when they do have video game reviews, they generally have no idea what they are talking about. Their reviewer(s) listed Kirby's Epic Yarn as the Worst Game of 2010.

Seriously?

Kirby?

I think I just threw up in my mouth a little. Are they serious when they say that Kirby's Epic Yarn was a bigger train wreck than something like Clash of the Titans or Kung Fu Rider? Granted, I haven't played any of those three. However, Kriby got great reviews from almost everyone but EW. Come on, Entertainment Weekly. Kirby may not have been the greatest game of 2010, but I can't imagine that it was that bad. Get some perspective.

Well, that's all for now. I'll be back later this week with a discussion about consoles and digital game sales and distribution. Same Gnome-Time, same Gnome-Channel; so stay tuned!

Gnome, out.

Old People Talking About Video Games and Upcoming Events

The Governator is at it again. California state legislature is trying its hand at regulating video games. The state recently passed a law prohibiting sale of "violent video games" to anyone under the age 18. Furthermore, such games are required to sport a 2" square "18" sticker. There a lot of things about this issue that just burn me, but then I do see a little sense here.

First of all, as this law goes under the Supreme Court for a decision, the attorney for EMA is quoting the First Amendment to show the unconstitutionality of Ahnold's law. Really, that is what this boils down to on a legal scale. Our nation was founded on the idea that people are free to express themselves and make a buck. Granted, this has been modified to ensure that making a buck doesn't involve enslaving entire cultures, but you get the idea. Prohibiting the sale of violent video games spits on the spirit of the First Amendment. For one person to say, "You can't sell this to certain people," when no hard evidence of detrimental effects exists is totally against the Constitution however you look at it.

Now you might say, "What about the age limits on alcohol and driver's licenses?" Alcohol is scientifically proven to alter and damage brain cells. And putting 12-year olds behind the wheel of 1.5 tons of metal and rubber which zoom along at 55 mph is just a disaster waiting to happen. A recent study was released (unfortunately I don't have a link to it at this time) in Australia that states that there is simply no conclusive evidence that people (adults and kids alike) are any more likely to be violent than other forms of media. Keep in mind, this is coming from Australia, a country infamous for banning violent games like Left 4 Dead 2. Also notice that this study doesn't dismiss media as a whole as a non-factor in violent influences; it states that video games are no more or less likely to foster violent tendencies.

At this point, I want to say that I do see some value in restricting the sale of graphic media. We already have that to some degree: pr0n. Really, this is just video and print media deemed too graphic for the public. So, we have age limits on it. Fine. I'm all for keeping kids away from some of the crazy things people consider to be "fun" behind closed doors. I don't think anyone will argue with that. Why not apply this to other forms of media just in new ways? I don't really see anything wrong with having to ID people for R-rated movies, explicit music, and Mature-rated video games. I used to scoff at the local EB Games manager at the mall when I was 16, but I understood the reason at least. All in all, I see no problem in trying to protect the youngin's. However, I think California's going about it the wrong way.

I remember my parents sitting down with me when I was about 12 or 13 when I was going over to a friend's house to watch some movies. Some of these movies were rated "R" and they knew it. They were not going with me and they knew there would not be any adults around. They sat me down and said, "You realize that whatever you see in these movies is all fake and you should never do them, right? Do you also know better than to use the bad language in those movies, too?" I did. And honestly, coming from a family that never really hammered these sorts of things home, this one moment really stuck with me.

Ultimately, while I see the pros of limiting sale of and attendance to questionable media, I uphold the First Amendment more. This means that such limitations, while noble, are unconstitutional. It really comes down to parents. Parents need to understand what their kids are in to and what that means. That goes for video games, music, movies, fashions, etc. I, as a parent, do not plan to let my daughter play M-rated games when she's 14 unless I know she realizes the difference between them and reality. Nor will I let her go to R-rated movies for the same reason. And, really, the bigger idea here is that media is largely rated already so people know what they are getting into. If parents have a problem with what their kids are playing or watching, take some accountability as the child's guardian and don't just blame the people who are making such things. Laws should not have to be made about this.

Speaking of violent video games, watch the episode of Penn & Teller: Bulls**t about video games. Here's Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 on youtube. It's cynical, but I think you'll find it eye-opening.

And Now For Something Relatively Different:

Spike's VMA awards are Saturday night. Let's watch as God of War 3 and Mass Effect 2 steal all of the awards. There also seem to be a good handful of game/trailer reveals coming as well. Uncharted 3 was announced today with a trailer debuting during the awards. We'll also get to find out what that damn picture BioWare released was all about. So, stay tuned. We'll discuss afterward.

Gnome, out.

Predictions and Epic Cuteness (with a touch of badass)

For today's edition, I'm afraid I'm going to look like a bit of GameInformer fanboy. All of the links I'm providing to today go to their website. This is mostly because I like their layout better than IGN. But, whatever. On to the good stuff!

1) The nominees for SPIKE's VGAs have been released, and I found a list! And of course, I'm going to try giving my picks. I think it's going to be a tight year, though. I don't see one game running away with everything like Uncharted 2 did last year.

GOTY: Mass Effect 2 (went a long way to advance storytelling in video games - similarly to Uncharted 2 did last year. Geez, what is it about that game? Oh yeah...it's amazing.)

Best 360: Mass Effect 2

Best PS3: God of War 3 (How many near perfect scores did it get?)

Best Wii: Super Mario Galaxy 2, no question. I will punt anyone who says Other M.

Best PC: This one is tough for me, as I generally don't do much PC gaming anymore. However, my pick would be (don't hate me) Civ 5. I want to say Mass Effect 2 or Starcraft 2, but Civ 5 I think stole the show on PCs.

Best Handheld: I have a DS but don't game on it much just yet. However, based on what I've heard, I think my pick is going to be a PSP game - MGS: Peace Walker. Just a hunch.

Those are my predictions. We'll see how I fare the day after my birthday.

2) This image has been spreading around like wildfire. What is BioWare hiding behind their curtain? Everyone is hoping it is Mass Effect 3, myself included. However, I think it is a bit early for that announcement. I'm thinking this is a new IP. What it could be, I have absolutely no idea. That's why I'm excited!

3) It seems that a lot of previous games are getting rereleased in HD or given a second life as downloadable titles. It began with God of War, then they announced that ICO and Shadow of the Colossus (squee) are getting released on one disc in HD. Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath and Beyond Good And Evil, two games that didn't too very well commercially, are being updated and released digitally. Now, the PS2 era Prince of Persia games have gotten the same treatment, and Splinter Cell is now joining the ranks. I have to say, I like this idea. As new gamers get interested in these long running series or games that just need easier access (excluding BGaE as it was retailed at $20...no one has any excuse for that one), rereleasing them is a great idea. I hate saying goodbye to my favorite of generations past as I upgrade a console. This concept makes me warm and tingly inside. I am a fan of digital distribution (sorry GameStop) and I think it is the main way games will be distributed in the future. Let's hope that this strategy gets developers and console makers excited about games they've made and that people might still enjoy. Who knows, if digital distribution does indeed take the forefront, consoles might allow backward compatibility if all they have to do is run older engines instead of reading out of date physical disks. Heck, the Wii already does it. Go, Nintendo! My only concern is that developers and distributors go overboard with this concept. If all of their time and energy is spent of redoing previous games, it would totally take away from making great new games. Only time will tell.

4) Enough of my blathering; here is the EpiCute of the day.

Recent Revelations

Gawd, it's been a while. For anyone reading this who isn't a close friend or acquaintance, I just recently started a new job. Between that, my wife's new job, a 2 year-old, and only one car between the 3 of us...life has been pretty hectic and fairly game/Facebook/blog-free. However, today I had some interesting thoughts that I just needed to share.

1) Nintendo 3DS

Goo. Just....goo. I came across an article on IGN the other day that compared screenshot from the upcoming 3DS remakes of some classic games to the originals and they BLEW ME AWAY. This little handheld gaming system not only does 3D, takes 3D PICTURES, and requires no glasses, but it has Wii level graphics -- or arguably even better in some cases.

The other day I was talking to someone who was looking at getting an iPod Touch (which is practically an iPhone 4 without the phone) instead of a DS for their son. I had to keep my mouth shut because they were badmouthing the DS in favor of the iPod Touch for games (don't get me wrong, the Touch is great for games...depending on what type of gaming you want to do). However, I had an overwhelming urge to just blurt out, "Just wait until your son finds out about the 3DS..." This thing is going to change the mobile gaming market in ways we can't even imagine. I myself want to get one simply for the 3D remake of Ocarina of Time, one of my favorite games of all time. Then, another chance to play MGS3: Snake Eater which I missed most of the first time around is also fantastic. Before the 3DS, the idea of 3D gaming at this point in time with the current technology and price point sounded prohibitively expensive and cumbersome -- although really cool. The 3DS is going to make 3D gaming not only easy and relatively inexpensive (official release date and price point in US has not been officially released), it would make it a cinch to take anywhere. Kudos, Nintendo. If nothing else, you sure as hell know how to innovate the game market.

2) Top hats, cogs, and steam, oh my!

This week's episode of Castle revolved around Steampunk enthusiasts. Now, I've been a big fan of Steampunk for quite sometime, even though I lack the ingenuity and engineering prowess to design/make my own Steampunk gear. Nevertheless, I love the idea of it all...but Steampunk is still a fairly underrepresented subculture in media. Being video game enthusiast hoping to get into design and development...I had an idea.

The idea of Steampunk could lend to a really rich and interesting video game world. The original idea I had was an action RPG in which players could not only customize their appearance and playstyle with weapons and clothing/armor...they could design their own Steampunk-style weapons and outfits. In said episode of Castle, Nathan Fillion's character dons an sleeve covered in gears, cogs and pistons. In terms of game play, such an item could not only add some armor to a character, but increase strength and/or agility. Weapons could be melee, with added derringer-style one-shot gun barrels for added damage. The ideas are only limited by imagination.

The more I thought about this, the more I thought that and RPG style game of some sort would really fit the Steampunk culture. Why? A large part of Steampunk, from what I've seen, is the RP (role-playing) aspect. Thus, I imagine and open world game...very possibly an MMO. So, players could not only customize their characters with gear, but build vehicles for travel, and socialize with others. Of course, there are a still a lot of details to build upon yet, but the concept is still fairly attractive, if you ask me. I'd sure as hell give it a shot if one were made.

3) Speaking of MMOs...

A buddy of mine from high school recently posted on his Facebook wall how Final Fantasy XIV is getting really poor scores. Honestly, I'm not surprised -- but that's a another rant for another time. I currently don't play any MMOs, since I quit WoW back in April. I didn't quit because I disliked the game itself, I quit because I just couldn't stand the attitude of post players anymore. Before I launch into another rant, I'll leave that subject where it is for now. As of now, for me at least, I'm waiting for The Old Republic because my wife and I are big Star Wars geeks. But, seeing as how that isn't coming out until the "Spring of 2011," I'm remaining celibate. However, if I were to break that vow of celibacy there are only two games currently on the market that are attractive enough tempt me in to a new subscription: EVE Online and City of Heroes/Villains. Again...this is another rant for another time.

The point here is that the MMO market is beyond huge, thanks to WoW. And along with my Steampunk MMO idea, I've had a couple other ideas for some potentially huge MMOs. One I've had for quite some time, and one actually spawned in my head this morning from an online ad.

• Pokemon -- This universe is just begging for an MMO. I understand that the way the Pokemon games are released as of now is great marketing...but come on! With each new generation, the developers are leaving out some critters from previous generations, letting you only experience a fraction of the entire catalog. I, as a casual dabbler of Pokemon, would love to shell out the dough for the most current Pokemon game, but this fact is my biggest stumbling point. I hate feeling as if I have purposefully bought into something and knowing that I was being deprived of the FULL experience. A Pokemon MMO doesn't even need to be graphically impressive. Keep the gameplay the way it is, give players access to each region with its full Pokedex catalog, and wham-bam -- instant phenomenon. Walk up to another trainer for a duel, or party up and do a group battle. Have ranked tournaments to see who's the true Master. Don't tell me this doesn't sound fantastic. You know you want it.
• Harry Potter -- Yet another huge franchise with an excessively large fanbase. This could be a bit more of a traditional, class-based MMORPG. However, as I am still in the process of reading these books, I can't really think too much about how characters could customize their character's abilities/class or how the classes would be categorized/defined. However, there is a rich world here with plenty to explore and ways for players to interact, explore and make it their own. Start as a first year at Hogwarts as a legacy pureblood, Muggle-born, or with a mixed heritage, get sorted by the Sorting Hat, progress and age through your 7 years at Hogwarts in your respective House, then graduate and find your place in the wizarding world. Even fight off threats such as Deathspeakers attempting to bring back Voldemort or even larger threats. Again, it's a huge universe that Rowling has created and I think it could work really, really well. Heck, the more I think about it...they more I'm starting to like it.

Anyway, I better call it quits for now. Gotta get to work soon. Until then, Gnome out.

Random Musings from a Trip to GameStop

So, I stopped by GameStop today for various reasons, mostly to add money to my pre-orders and to pre-order Fable 3. While there, I decided to peruse the racks for some hard to find gems.

First one I found was Heavenly Sword. This game was a damn launch title for the PS3 and it is still $30 USED. Why in the name of Tiny Baby Jesus is this game still so much?! I know the local Fry's had it for 20 a few weeks ago, but they sold out and will not be getting more. With Enslaved coming soon, I want to experience what else that development team has done first. I hear HS was a pretty good game, and clips I see to this day still impress me.

Speaking of Enslaved, I have to say that I am very curious about this one. It takes the classic Monkey myth and gives it a neat twist. Now, I've seen said myth used in all sorts of settings (Dragon Ball including all of its iterations and 2008's The Forbidden Kingdom), and I've always liked that myth. However, Enslaved seems to be bringing some muscle to this old story, and it looks nice. Thus, why I want to play Heavenly Sword before this hits shelves. I want to see what this team did before and get an idea of the kind of design they do and what we might be able to expect.

While at GameStop, I also tried to find some of my favorite Wii games: Smash Bros. Brawl, Metroid Prime Trilogy, either Mario Galaxy and New Super Mario Bros. Wii. They were nowhere to be found. I guess these games, being among the best the console has to offer, have gotten hoarded. I can relate to that. I'd sure as hell stash those away for my own greedy purposes.

Upon mentioning this to the guys working, we started into the The Motion Control Debate, as so often does when talking about gaming nowadays. The similarities between the Wii and Move are just too hard to dismiss. Sure, Move may look better and track movements better than the Wii, but I just foresee it falling prey to the Shovelware farce the Wii has become. I love Nintendo and the risks they take to try and innovate. And the Wii did just that for a while, and as we can see, the other two big companies are following suit, but the lasting power of motion control is what has me worried. Kinect, if anything, may make a breakthrough. However, I still have my doubts about its accuracy. We'll just see.

I want a good and (relatively) lengthy game for the DS that will give me a reason to break that thing out more. I've always had a secret corner in my heart for Pokemon. Yes, I said it. But where to jump in? I'm thinking Platinum. I know HeartGold and SoulSilver just came out, but they're rehashes of previous titles. I want the most up to date roster possible, and I think that's what Platinum offers. Any thoughts, readers? Pokehaters need not respond. Seriously.

I also found a few gems in the $15 or under bin. Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena and Too Human were stashed in there. Riddick got some great reviews and I'd love to see for myself. Not a huge Vin Diesel fan, but the gameplay and atmosphere seemed to be really neat from the demo I played oh so long ago. As far as Too Human goes...I liked it. Not a fantastic or supremely made game, but I enjoyed it. I liked the twist on Norse mythology, and I've always been a sucker for that sort of thing. That's one reason I love God of War and Percy Jackson (the books/movie, not any of the tie-in games). It's also why I played Age of Mythology and why I bought Nasus on League of Legends. So, say Too Human sucks or whatever. Go ahead and hate. What matters is that I like it, I have fun with it. And for $10, I'd be willing to buy it.

That's all for now. I've got another rant brewing...so watch out!

Gnome, out.

A few interesting points

It's been a bit since my last post, but I have found a few interesting things since then.

1) Irrational Games has revealed that their "Project Icarus" is in fact, a new Bioshock named Bioshock: Infinite. This carries with it a multitude of great things. First of all, there will be a new setting and what I can only imagine to be a great new variety in plasmids. I say that because Infinite will be set a new location: A CITY IN THE SKY. How hawt is that? My biggest question now is this: will this game's version of Bid Daddies have jetpacks? If so, have mercy on our souls.

Let's not also forget that Infinite will be developed by the original team from Bioshock. Bioshock 2 was outsourced to 2k Marin, and while they did decently with the source material, I think Irrational did better (says the guy who hasn't touched Bioshock 2 yet). Anyway, pumped to say the least.

2) New DLC news from Gearbox! Long story short: The Claptraps of Pandora are rising against Hyperion Corporation. Viva la Robolution!

3) Here's a recent article touching on an idea I've been meaning to post about. It might be best to keep my mouth shut for the moment and save it all for later, but read the post. It's quite interesting.

Glory to House Auditore!!! and Ubisoft

So, I finished Assassin's Creed 1 the other day. I had heard that the ending was really confusing, and thus, resisted the urge to read spoilers. It was every bit as confusing as I had heard. Instead of figuring it out myself, I read a thread on xbox360.org about it. He had some very interesting insights, many of which could lead to future AC games, but I doubt it. I think I'll take a trilogy and be done. I don't want one of my favorite current generation franchises beat until it is dry and bloodless. (Heh, pun unintended.)

But, this all leads my to my main point: Assassin's Creed 2, for me, is a special brand of awesomesauce. The first time Desmond got into the Animus and I heard the first line of Italian, my heart melted. For one of the first times in my life, my real life and the video games I play seemed to truly meld.

Oop. Time for a bit of background information. I spent the spring semester of 2008 studying in Macerata, Italy. During my time there, I was able to visit Venice, Rome and Florence, among much more. So, for me to now be playing a video game that takes place in some of my favorite places in the world, it has been an exceptionally exciting experience thus far. What makes it even better, is that Ubisoft has done very well in faithfully recreating Florence accurately. I am running along rooftops and climbing many landmarks I have been to personally.

I cannot completely, in words, describe the "GOO!!!" feeling of climbing the colossal Giotto Campanile then swan diving off the top, or climbing out of a river and up the side of Ponte Vecchio. Because of my real world experiences and the masterful craftsmanship of Ubisoft, this may just be one of my favorite games of ALL TIME.

Video Game Soundtracks Or The Lack Thereof

Years ago, my brother turned me on to a thread on what seemed like a random website's forum. The thread itself isn't really important, but just suffice it to say that it involved a meme revolving around a motivational poster with a Middle Eastern man smiling with the words "Great Work!" in large type at the bottom.

Little did I know that this thread was on the forums for a FANTASTIC site called Overclocked Remix. This site is populated with talented musicians who have taken classic video game music, and either remastered, remixed, or remade their favorite tunes from said games. For the most part, if you remember a cool ditty from a past video game, someone will have a remix posted for it. They even put together collections into albums that you can legally torrent directly from their site.

But, here's the point: Most of the remixes I download are from games that predate my PS2. I just can't really think of many songs from games from that generation or later. I remember jamming to Toejam & Earl, any of the first 3.5 Sonic games, and a few things from the SNES like Super Metroid and Super Mario World. With the exception of Final Fantasy VII, World of Warcraft, Ocarina of Time and Halo, memorable video game music has almost all but disappeared. I still remember Morgan Webb reviewing some mediocre racing game and describing the BGM as "generic butt-rock."

When was the last time you heard a song and realized the source game immediately? Yeah, it's been awhile. Even some of the BEST games lately have had really generic soundtracks. Uncharted 2, God of War 3, and Red Dead Redemption all have fantastic gameplay but nothing worth remembering in terms of theme music. As close to an action/adventure movie Uncharted 2 was, it is somewhat surprising that it had no solid theme. A bit of a letdown, but not really anything that lessens the experience of the game.

I just pine for the days when you turned on your console to play a game and grinned or felt the adrenaline rush at just the first few bars of the theme song. I guess we just need some new, talented music composers and perhaps they're coming.

Oh well. I'm just a nutcase anyway. I'll keep playing either way.

Gnome, out.

Random Gaming News

Found some interesting news so far today.

1) There will be a downloadable game to coincide with the release of Scott Pilgrim. It seems that you essentially fight as Billy against the evil ex's. However, it is going to be kinda 8-bit. Woohoo! The screens look pretty cool.

2) There will also be a downloadable prologue to Dead Rising 2. You play as Chuck, but 3 years before the events of the main game. Somehow, the creator has said that this will serve as a demo for the retail game as well. Intrigued.

3) Kinect has officially been priced at $149.99. Way to go Microsoft. You have priced your motion control peripheral at $50 under the Wii. So, to have motion control gaming on the 360, consumers need to spend a minimum of $200-$300 for the console and the peripheral. Smooth move. Here's hoping that controller-free motion control is worth it.

4) EA is cooking up a new, open world RPG. The names attached to this alone are reason enough to keep it on your radar: NY Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore, legendary artist Todd McFarlane, and Morrowind and Oblivion lead designer Ken Rolston. There really aren't many details about it available yet, but just the announcement got a "GOO!" out of me.

Gnome, out

There's Something About Motion Controls: Part 4 -- Kinect

Kinect. Possibly the most over-hyped, yet largest game changer.

I have no delusions that what Microsoft is trying to do could possibly change motion controls, if not a large portion of gaming altogether, but I am still unimpressed.

Motion controls without an actual controller is intriguing, definitely. However, the buy-in price is quite steep at $150. As X-Play's Adam Sessler put it recently, people who are interested in motion controls are generally quite happy with their Wii, an initial $200 investment plus accessories. But, it is the lack of a controller which will attract people over Move and Wii together.

Kinect could change everything, or it could be one of the biggest disappointments ever. I, for one, am not excited at all. One of the most ambitious "games" demoed for Kinect when it was still Project Natal was Peter Molyneux's "Milo." He's still showing this off, despite having said that it will not be commercially released. What a tease. At least Fable 3 will have Kinect capability, which goes *cough* hand-in-hand with it's emphasis on touch.

So, yeah. I don't mind gaming with a controller. I guess in a way, it is one more way for me to keep in mind that what I'm doing on screen is separate from reality; that my game is just that. However, I look forward to seeing people make bigger fools of themselves with Kinect than they do on the Wii.

Gnome, out.

There's Something About Motion Controls: Part 3 -- Playstation Move

Just a quick recap: Motion controls were everywhere at E3 this year. We all know that the Wii really popularized the idea, but hasn't been that successful, mostly due to lack of truly great games that utilized what the Wii could have done.

Next on the list is the Playstation Move. My thoughts on this one are pretty simple: This is what the Wii should have been. The PS3 already has HD graphics, which was one of the Wii's worst downfalls. But, to be honest, the Move simply looks like Wii HD.

However, I will say this much: I think Sony may be able to succeed in this a little bit better than Nintendo has. Nintendo, because of the Gamecube, does not have as much hardcore games or developers making such games for the Wii. During the Gamecube's lifespan, Nintendo gained a "casual" or "family-friendly" stigma. This carried over to the Wii. Sony, on the other hand, has never had that misfortune. I think the PS3 still lacks in sales compared to the 360, but generally speaking, most games are released on both.

Here's where Move's best selling point enters the picture. Sony keeps saying how existing "hardcore" games as well as future titles will have Move support. This isn't a big thing, but it just show me that Sony is getting the third-party development that Nintendo wasn't getting. Partner that with HD graphics, the superior online capability, and a Blu-ray drive and that adds up to a great Wii competitor, if not a Wii killer.

I'm still underwhelmed, though. When you boil it down, Move just sounds like a high-tech Wii. I just don't know if the increased performance will be a game-changer.

There's Something About Motion Controls: Part 2 -- The Wii

The Wii was my first console of the current generation. I first got my hands on it when my college's library got one and let the students play around with it. My girlfriend (now my wife) and I actually rented MarioParty 8 and smuggled it into the library just to try something other than Wii Sports. I, as a gamer, was VERY intrigued by the motion controls. I could tell they weren't perfect, yet I thought they were close enough for typical gaming. My imagination went wild with the possibilities.

Then we got one. We were pretty hard pressed to find great games to play on it that weren't just a collection of minigames. Mario Party is fun and all, but I don't want a console for just that. Besides, aside from pointing at the screen for aiming or tilting the Wiimote for steering, there wasn't much motion control to that game. We did, however, find a few gems. We found out that we liked Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn so much we even played it's prequel on the GameCube. We also played and beat Metroid Prime 3, Super Mario Galaxy, and Twilight Princess. Super Smash Bros. Brawl was also excellent. Beyond that, however, was a mire of minigame collection discs that utterly pointless and annoying.

To this day, few games have been added to the Wii that really stand out. Now we have New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario Galaxy 2. There was The Conduit, but I doubt many people really played that. (In my opinion, the people who wanted to play hardcore FPS titles already had PS3 or 360 and didn't want to lose the visual quality just to play with motion controls.) Then there is Wii Sports Resort and Wii Motion Plus.

I have a big problem with Wii Motion Plus. It's great. It's great, but this level of motion control accuracy should have been integral with the system from the start. This should not have been added years after launch. However, I'm glad its here, relatively cheap to upgrade, and it seems that it is adding a new depth to what the console can do. Red Steel 2 got some good praise for its use of the new motion contols, and Skyward Sword shows some great potential.

While the Wii may not the prettiest girl at the ball, it certainly was the first to break ground on motion controls. It may not lead this field for much longer, but it just goes to show one thing: Nintendo, to this day, is always finding a way to change gaming. They may not always get it right the first time, but they always have new ideas. For that, I say kudos.

Gnome, out.

There's Something About Motion Controls: Part 1

Speaking of E3, I'm sure we all know that there were two MAJOR features and products that were being tossed around: 3D gaming and motion controls.

Ah, motion controls...how I love and loathe you simultaneously. While watching G4's coverage of The Expo, I must have groaned after the 30,000th mention of Kinect. My wife burst out with, "What's wrong with you? Why are you so against this motion control stuff?" Well, it's not that I'm against motion controls, it's the hype that I can't cope with.

Everyone seems to have this perception that Kinect and Move are going to have this fundamental effect on the entire video gaming world. It just seems to me that these were the same thoughts everyone, including myself, had about the Wii. Well, we all know how that turned out.

While Kinect and Move have a much more dynamic platform in the 360 and PS3 respectively, I just help but stay ambivalent. It's not that I'm not excited to see what these two devices can do, especially with hardcore gaming, but I'm not holding my breath. It used to be that the very thought of how motion controls might affect how I play a game got me very excited. I remember getting really revved up about the controls for Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

This excitement, though, has worn off. I have no doubt that motion controls on 360 and PS3 could succeed. I do doubt, however, if this will indeed happen.

Gnome, out.

In case you missed it

I know E3 is over and what not, and that most people who care already know what went on...but I feel like this is a pretty good recap. Thank you, Penny Arcade.

Gnome, out.

The Beginning of Something Great

Welcome, one and all, to Atomic Gnome Games, the newest gaming blog in town!

Purpose

Now, I know there are plenty of gaming blogs out there. Granted, I know that the idea of such a thing is not in and of itself anything groundbreaking. However, as a burgeoning game designer/programmer/whatever, I thought this would be a great place to share my thoughts and insights about games and video gaming as a whole. I will post some reviews from time to time, but I think a lot of this will just musings.

About Me

I have been a gamer nearly my entire life. My very first gaming memories came in the form of a Commodore 64, followed shortly by an Atari 2600. I dabbled on other people's NES consoles from time to time, but the first console I owned and could call my own was a Sega Genesis. I spent countless hours with Sonic 2, Toejam and Earl, and various other classics. My next console, after quite a few years with my Genesis and a short hiatus because of money issues (I was 13, give me a break), I purchased a Playstation. I spent quite a few years with that, before I sold it as well to trade up for a PS2. I continued to stay loyal to Sony until I got my grubby hands on an Xbox. I was torn between two worlds, and I must admit, I really could not pick one or the other. When the next upgrade was due, oddly enough, I got a Wii before a 360. The motion controls seemed like too good of an opportunity for great games. But, the 360 came about year later, and the PS3 about a year or so after that. There is also a lime green DS floating around my apartment that is still awaiting its obligatory Pokemon title (don't judge me, those games are too damn addictive). There was a period where I used to do A LOT of PC gaming, but nowadays my PC is mostly reserved for the occasional RTS and MMO. And that...is pretty much where it stands now.

However, there is one more recent development -- or epiphany -- that has happened the past few months. Since moving to Austin in search of work in film, something has become quite clear to me. I still love radio, television and film, and would never turn down a good opportunity in those fields, because that is what I went to college for. But, I realized that through all of the goals I've had, all the careers I've wanted do get into, there has been one constant: Games. The thought of becoming a game tester occurred to me in high school, but I dismissed it as being too far-fetched. Living in Austin though, and having matured quite a bit, I've realized that my love of games could not only make me a tester, but possibly more.

Enough about me for now. I'm sure some more of these little details will sneak out in other posts in the future. I've got quite a bit to talk about, since E3 was last week and all, but it shall have to wait for a little bit. Thanks for checking out the blog, and keep watching for more updates.

Gnome, out.