Neuf Reacts

Wow, long time no see folks; been ages since I wrote a rant. But seeing as how I’m feeling pretty ranty, I think it’s about time to write up a new one.

Yesterday, out of the blue, I decided to try out Sony’s Day 1 Digital thingy and pre-ordered Dishonored through PSN. Since my console was set to automatically update at midnight, I figured my PS3 would flip on and automatically download the game, since Dishonored is out today.

Well it’s still not downloaded.

And it’s the same case with every other person who pre-ordered through Sony’s Day 1 Digital.

I’ve checked over and over and over again, but the game is STILL not available for download. It was then I realized that it never actually stated WHEN I could download the game when I purchased it; a message popped up telling me to come back on the day of release to check for my download…but it never gave me a time.

There are 24 hours in a day. That’s a lot of hours. With a message as vague as “check back on this day” it could mean anything. Hell, I might not be able to get the game until 11pm tonight.

After sifting through forums and complaints, I read a response that stated that “it’s up to the publisher as to when the game is released”. And here I am thinking: people actually want to rely solely on digital distribution?

Really people? This is what you want to rely on? You want to leave the delivery of your games up to your internet connection and the will of the publishers?

Granted, platforms like Steam have proven to be incredibly reliable for releasing content. But I still don’t like the idea of relying so heavily on digital distribution, although, with titles like Dishonored, Borderlands 2, and Resident Evil 6 up for download on console, it looks like that’s where the industry might be headed. Of course, for all these titles you can still buy the discs at retailers. It’s just scary to see how heavily the industry is relying on this distribution method when there are still so many bugs and faults with the system.

Although high speed internet is becoming available in more and more areas, switching solely to digital distribution would still cut off a large percentage of gamers from the community; not everyone has a high speed connection, and not everyone can get online. It doesn’t help that publishers like EA are sticking shitty multiplayer sections onto every new release and splitscreen coop is a rarity now.

It’s kind of a dirty trick on the part of Sony, claiming that PSN users would get the game faster with a digital download, to turn around and say that it’s up to the publishers on when they can release their games; BEAT THE LINES WE’RE FASTER Sony claims, and yet I would be PLAYING THE GAME RIGHT NOW if I actually went and stood in line by the store. Instead, I’m STILL waiting to even start downloading the game I paid money to play. It seems almost exploitative.

I love Valve to death and will still download new PC releases through Steam, but it’s a system I don’t want to rely on, and I don’t think the industry should either. Trying to download World of Warcraft through Blizzard’s launcher was a nightmare, with the system constantly crashing and having to restart entire sections of the download, and Origin is still an absolute joke.

I still find data burned onto a disc more reliable than having an entire game downloaded through the internet. Personally, I find digital distribution to be cool and very handy. I just think it’s a stupid idea to rely on it completely.

OKAY

I think I finally figured out a good setup to record PC games and transfer the footage to OS X (however I’m still having a frustratingly-difficult time trying to capture console footage while recording webcam at the same time). So you can expect some videos REALLY SOON c:

HERE’S THE LINE-UP FOR MAY:

1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution [boss battle] - for testing out FRAPS I decided to use this game to test quality…and it was a bit rough, but still watchable. Deus Ex is a high-end game afterall, so I wasn’t really surprised when there was a bit of graphical chug

2. Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City - my friend was kind enough to lend me his copy of the special edition for Xbox 360, so I’ll be recording my first reaction to it. I’ve heard polarized reviews of this game, so I have no idea what my reaction will be

3. Demon’s Souls - this one is a long-time coming, and I cannot wait to record my initial reaction to the game. I’m sure it’ll be fun :D

4. Skyline - I’ve heard nothing but terrible things about this movie, but haven’t watched it myself, so why not get my own opinion about it?

5. Catherine (?) - I’ve already given my review for this game, so this one is a maybe

Can’t wait to be busting my editing chops again

But seriously, I do need help with the webcam problem: can anyone offer a solution to recording console footage while recording webcam? QuickTime Player absolutely refuses to work when the capture device is on and vice-versa; it says my computer does not have the right bandwidth (????). I don’t really want to have to set up a camera and record that way (the quality would stink and it’s extra work). I use the Elgato Capture Device for console footage, and the device works best on OS X.

THE ELEMENT OF MODERN GAMING

I realized something today.

Maybe I’ve always known it, consciously or subconsciously, but I never really gave it a lot of thought. Well, now, here in this blog update, I’m going to (briefly address it).

Why is ANGER a common element in modern games?

And I don’t mean in a specific manner, I’m addressing a generalized problem. I think a lot of the anger is tied directly with the rapidly-increased level of competitiveness that is often associated with multiplayer games of the 21st century. I mean, just look at the Call of Duty franchise: here, you have a whole lobby of players cussing and putting down their fellow players, boasting of their victories and belly-aching their losses. You know, like “COURSE YOU WON, YOU NOOB-TUBE FAG” or “JUST DON’T PLAY COD, YOU SUCK LIL KID”. Or the idiotic 12 year olds that shout the same two words over and over and over and over and over again.

Is this just an inherent issue associate with all shooters, though?

Of course it isn’t.

Case in point: little while back, I attended a LAN party (yup, still do those) and the first game we played together was Perfect Dark for XBLA. We played the classic Team Deathmatch with Hard bots [but quickly had to dumb them down :P] and ended our session by equipping only Tranquilizers and N-Bombs. We ran around making everyone’s screen blurry and knocking out all light in the room with spammed bombs. So what happened?

We had fun. We didn’t curse at someone being cheap or hated each other for “pussy kills”, we just had a good time and laughed it off, quickly starting up a new match.

By the end of the night, we were playing a small match of Call of Duty: Black Ops. And what happened then?

Lot of screaming and yelling at the tactics and weapons of the other team, cursing the use of China Lakes and utilizing the art of Camping. Upon reflection, I feel like an idiot that we were acting so stupid and childish.

It was a game, for the love of Christ. Do we need to get this riled up over a FUCKING GAME?

So, addressing what I mentioned earlier, I think the anger from games like Halo Reach, CoD, Gears of War 3, and Battlefield 3 stems from the element of competitiveness associated with each. PSN trophies and Xbox Gamerscore give players a competitive reason to play the games more fiercely and aggressively. The online ranks also may be responsible for players consciously or subconsciously trying to outdo their fellow players.

Look at GoldenEye 64, Mortal Kombat, or any game dating back to second gen or earlier; did anyone honestly give a fucking shit about how well they did? We played to have fun.

And now look: I want to throw my goddamn controller across the room every time I play Gears online or get bitched out when I play a CoD match.

It’s utterly disgusting.

I wouldn’t be surprised if modern gaming was responsible for a lot of friendship breakdowns or violent arguments. Dunno if there’s a stat for this.

Why do games need to push the envelope now? Why can’t they focus more on story and cooperative spirit? Not this heavy testosterone-fueled competition?

Personally, today I sunk 5 whole hours into one game, because I was having so much fun and felt SO COMPELLED to play. Can you guess what game it was?

Final Fantasy VII

Didn’t get any trophies or achievements, didn’t unlock some DLC or attained a rank.

Just had fun playing it.

Which is what we should all be doing, instead of bitching about who used a noob-tube or how cheap a UMP is. Just fuck off already

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DUST TO FUCKING DUST

Transitioning from the first rant, I recently read a post by my good friend, KAIRANTS, about his experiences with the game Motorstorm: Apocalypse for the PS3…and was a bit surprised at what I read.

One of his major complaints with the game was dust. 

This is such a sin of the game studios, I wish someone would nail them to a fucking wall already.

Graphics have been vastly improved from old-gen games, and I do appreciate stunning visuals and lavish landscapes; I was genuinely blown-away by the initial trailers for Battlefield 3. But how can I appreciate that when the fucking dust blocks your view?

There’s realism, and there’s GOING OVERBOARD in my opinion. I mean, it seems now that a stray bullet hitting the ground in a modern shooter simulates what it would be like if it hit a full fucking vacuum cleaner. And, with at least one game, that’s not an exaggeration at all.

Serious Sam 3 is easily one of the most fun and enjoyable games I’ve played in the last while; it plays like an old-school shooter with a flat story, but throws so many enemies at you and awesomely-fun guns to fire, it’s hardly a hindrance. What IS a hindrance however is the billowing clouds of dust that makes you fucking blind. IT’S TERRIBLE!

I’ve died SO MANY TIMES because I honestly could not tell where the goddamn enemies were coming from; I’d hear them and shoot all around, but being blinded by dust I would suddenly find myself on the fucking ground.

You can have fantastic graphics WITHOUT THE FUCKING DUST.

Kairants admitted in his rant that the scenery was very pretty to look at, but wished that it wouldn’t come at the cost of his fun. The developers really need to focus their attention elsewhere with their games.

Graphics aren’t everything guys

Look at Minecraft, Mass Effect 1, or Borderlands: all of these don’t have top-notch graphics, but either have incredibly fun gameplay, a fantastic story, or both.

SO PLEASE CUT OUT THE FUCKING DUST AND STOP RUINING OUR GAMES! I’D RATHER BE HAVING FUN THAN BE BLINDED BY REALISM.

I actually wanna try going out with a pistol and try shooting a clay or stone wall, just to see how much dust comes off. Or with a rocket launcher. That’d be sweet.

…forget the wall, I just want a rocket launcher.

**To read well-crafted rants on games, please check out Kairants. He’s a better writer than me