Joined: 11/18/2006
Posts: 2426
Location: Back where I belong
Games sell hardware, not the other way around. Fun games will have bigger replay value and larger followings than the prettiest games, since there's always a newer, more pretty game just around the corner. Substance is what sells (usually, but of course there are always exceptions *psychonauts*)
Joined: 8/1/2004
Posts: 2687
Location: Seattle, WA
Warp wrote:
At least the DS and the PSP have about the same price, so in that case it's not the decisive factor...
I could list maybe 5 good PSP games on a good day. Maybe that is because of the PSP's advertising not reaching me. On the other hand, I could list 20+ great games for the DS without having ever seen ads for them.
You're making the mistake of assuming that the system sells the games, rather than the other way around.
PS2 is reason to disagree. In that case, name sold hardware above all else. It had a lackluster launch library, coupled with developers not being interested in creating games for the thing, but consumers bought it up because it was PlayStation with a 2. The software library wasn't a contributing factor until long after when developers realized they had no choice but to support the platform because it was the only way they would make money. Just look at all the developers that tried to abandon it for the more capable and developer-friendly Xbox and Gamecube, only to sigh and trudge back because the consumers cared more about the name on the box than the content.*
I'm sure PS3 would have followed suit if not for the prohibitive pricepoint.
* I also still blame the controllers chiefly for the lack of consumer interest in Xbox and Gamecube. The first Xbox controller was unwieldy, the smaller Xbox controller had horrible button placement, and the Gamecube controller was completely awkward to consider for most, not to mention the tremendously horrible d-pad.
I could list maybe 5 good PSP games on a good day.
Let me guess: You don't count ports nor remakes of existing games in that.
If that's correct, my question would be: Why not? Not everyone has played older console games, and all those remakes and ports are actually completely new to them. I myself am one of those people (I have never owned nor played any game console), and I find many of the PSP-remade games very enjoyable, addictive and refreshing.
Could you mention which of these games (which I have bought for the PSP) are not good in your opinion, and why? And "it's a remake" is not a convincing answer to me. (Not all of these are remakes at all, in fact.)
- Final Fantasy
- Final Fantasy II
- Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core
- Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
- Tales of Eternia
- Star Ocean: First Departure
- Star Ocean: Second Evolution
- Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness
- Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
- Patapon
- Patapon 2
- Tekken Dark Resurrection
- God of War: Chains of Olympus
- Silent Hill: Origins.
(Yes, I like JRPGs, why?)
I own a few more games too. Besides them, there are other games which I believe are generally considered rather good, although I have not got around buying them, such as the Monster Hunter and the Grand Theft Auto series.
Joined: 8/1/2004
Posts: 2687
Location: Seattle, WA
No, I'm talking about exclusive titles. If the game can be ported to the DS, it can probably be ported to the PSP as well, thereby negating the need to take a tally. Then again, are there any games that came out for the DS and the PSP that weren't ports or remakes of older games?
I hope you are not talking about first-person shooters. Because the only way to play those is with a mouse and keyboard. Game controllers simply SUCK big time for playing FPS games. They are just plain horrible.
Warp wrote:
I honestly wonder if consoles aren't doing that already, and if not, why not. What's the big deal? Almost everyone nowadays has an usb keyboard and mouse. And if they don't, they are really cheap.
I will agree, that as far as accuracy and control, mice are better than an analog stick. But, the controller has a superior reason for existence:
These games were meant to be played by the average Joe, not the elitist PC FPS player. Controllers allow for you and your buddies to sit on the couch, and play video games. While you claimed (whined because you lost) that it isn't intuitive, it is more likely your familiarity with a keyboard/mouse combo that made it feel unintuitive.
I'd also say the popularity of Halo makes this statement completely invalid:
Warp wrote:
FPS games in a game console are not fun for casual playing.
Sage advice from a friend of Jim: So put your tinfoil hat back in the closet, open your eyes to the truth, and realize that the government is in fact causing austismal cancer with it's 9/11 fluoride vaccinations of your water supply.
Joined: 2/28/2006
Posts: 2275
Location: Milky Way -> Earth -> Brazil
Yeah, and I got an exclusive picture of the PS4 controller.
It's totally designed for the next generation of stupid noob-friendly games with ultra high resolution graphics graphics and "follow the commands on screen" gameplay.
"Genuine self-esteem, however, consists not of causeless feelings, but of certain knowledge about yourself.
It rests on the conviction that you — by your choices, effort and actions — have made yourself into the
kind of person able to deal with reality. It is the conviction — based on the evidence of your own volitional
functioning — that you are fundamentally able to succeed in life and, therefore, are deserving of that success."
- Onkar Ghate
Bisqwit wrote:
Joined: 11/30/2008
Posts: 650
Location: a little city in the middle of nowhere
I don't have a usb keyboard, I use an old PS2 one from the 90's. It's propped up by a book and has been washed several times (soap and water) and works just as well as it ever did. And if it does break, I'll just get my spare. BTW, I didn't pay a cent for this keyboard. My mouse was free too, some office computers were upgrading and they threw out all their peripherals, except for about five mice that I now have in my possession.
Anyways, I don't think there is anything more intuitive than a Wii controller. You point it at the screen and press the big button labeled "A". It really doesn't get any easier than that.
Joined: 5/2/2006
Posts: 1020
Location: Boulder, CO
DarkKobold wrote:
I'd also say the popularity of Halo makes this statement completely invalid:
Warp wrote:
FPS games in a game console are not fun for casual playing.
I think the opposite is true. FPS on consoles is only fun casually. The moment you try to take it half way seriously, you realize that you are hamstrung by the abysmal controls.
Yeah, and I got an exclusive picture of the PS4 controller.
It's totally designed for the next generation of stupid noob-friendly games with ultra high resolution graphics graphics and "follow the commands on screen" gameplay.
Sorry, you were beat to it:
Sage advice from a friend of Jim: So put your tinfoil hat back in the closet, open your eyes to the truth, and realize that the government is in fact causing austismal cancer with it's 9/11 fluoride vaccinations of your water supply.
I'd also say the popularity of Halo makes this statement completely invalid:
Warp wrote:
FPS games in a game console are not fun for casual playing.
Units sold does not necessarily correlate to how suitable the game is for casual players. Would you say that, for example, the target audience of Half-Life is casual gamers?
PS3 was also the cheapest Blu-ray player (as well as one of the best) at its release, but that hasn't helped it any. But you're right, the PS2 was the first DVD player in my house. It's just one of the worst players in the house, currently.
PS3 was also the cheapest Blu-ray player (as well as one of the best) at its release, but that hasn't helped it any.
I wouldn't consider 22 million units sold a very bad result. I'm pretty sure that at least some people bought it at least partially because of the Blu-ray support.
Joined: 8/1/2004
Posts: 2687
Location: Seattle, WA
Buying the PS3 as a Blu-ray player is a more informed purchase than buying it for the games was. The amount of good PS3 exclusive games is fairly terrible. Honestly, if they port Demons Souls to the PC, I can't think of anything that would drive me to spend that much money on a folding@home processor.
There's a small part of me sitting off in the corner all dejected that I'm missing a Ridge Racer in my collection, even if RR7 is more of an upgrade to 6 than a complete sequel.
I wouldn't mind giving GT5 a shot, just to see if it's more bearable with a wheel. Probably would still prefer to stick to the Forza franchise, though.
Disgaea 3... *sigh* maybe someday.
I'm really not a big enough gamer anymore to want to bother with spending more money on games I won't play. Maybe if my s/o roped me into it, I'd give in.
I just revived my Nintendo DS with a new card. Pretty fun to be able to play some games with Action Replay cheat. I'm more a reader than a player, I liked out I can be very strong, and focus on the story instead of on level up
These games were meant to be played by the average Joe, not the elitist PC FPS player. Controllers allow for you and your buddies to sit on the couch, and play video games. While you claimed (whined because you lost) that it isn't intuitive, it is more likely your familiarity with a keyboard/mouse combo that made it feel unintuitive.
I'd also say the popularity of Halo makes this statement completely invalid:
