The EXTENT it went to this year is what I guess I was ranting about.  And it isn't just copy Nintendo.  Sony and Microsoft copy one another also. 

You're a dick and so am I, but you're a cynical dick! Its funny we share the same first name.

I was referring to gaming, not all that facebook/twitter/achievements/netflix nonsense.

Squilliam said: You're a dick and so am I, but you're a cynical dick! Its funny we share the same first name.

I am cynical, because I have seen a waggle outbreak happened.  Since you have Kirk as your avatar, if I said Tribbles, you would know what I am referring to here.  Think of waggle as Tribbles set to go all over the place.  Tribbles are cute, until there is an outbreak of them.  Oh, besides waggle, there is also Kart racing.

richardhutnik said: Squilliam said: You're a dick and so am I, but you're a cynical dick! Its funny we share the same first name. I am cynical, because I have seen a waggle outbreak happened.  Since you have Kirk as your avatar, if I said Tribbles, you would know what I am referring to here.  Think of waggle as Tribbles set to go all over the place.  Tribbles are cute, until there is an outbreak of them.  Oh, besides waggle, there is also Kart racing.

LOL, I happened to like the Kart game from Sony and the Natal IMO isn't directly a game interface device its real purpose is likely interactive education software like the Microsoft Surface PC. Its a niche, but its one that Microsoft can monopolise and get stinking great big profit margins yearly. Imagine parents paying $70 a year per child for the relevant years software?

Squilliam said: richardhutnik said: Squilliam said: You're a dick and so am I, but you're a cynical dick! Its funny we share the same first name. I am cynical, because I have seen a waggle outbreak happened.  Since you have Kirk as your avatar, if I said Tribbles, you would know what I am referring to here.  Think of waggle as Tribbles set to go all over the place.  Tribbles are cute, until there is an outbreak of them.  Oh, besides waggle, there is also Kart racing. LOL, I happened to like the Kart game from Sony and the Natal IMO isn't directly a game interface device its real purpose is likely interactive education software like the Microsoft Surface PC. Its a niche, but its one that Microsoft can monopolise and get stinking great big profit margins yearly. Imagine parents paying $70 a year per child for the relevant years software?

I believe it is more Waggle Worry by Microsoft.  They do their usual thing, see their lunch is being eaten somewhere, and then provide a solution that is overkill (lunch being eating = not monopolizing a market space).  Who knows what price point it will come in, or how well it works, just they had to do it.  They did it with Avatars, and they do it with their Kart racing game.  Sony does similar actually.  Nintendo seems to be on the forefront, but not really affected as much.  However, they did do Wii Music.

Need to see how the Sony Kart game works out though.  I am curious why they can't use Sackboys for it.  I don't see why not, and integrate what your Sackboy looks like with it.

You sound like a fan of punk or rap music, ranting about how the old days are gone and the music has no soul because it's gone mainstream.

You're right, in some ways. But just like in music, you can still find that soulful, independent spirit if you know where to look. And it even creeps into some of the mainstream stuff here and there. Don't let the suits who dictate what makes it into the maintream blind you to the stuff being made by independent spirits. Look to the downloadable games and the handhelds, and you'll see fresh ideas everywhere.

You won't see many big gambles being made on the big games, because the big games demand tens of millions of dollars of investment. Nobody wants to roll the dice on an investment that big. So if you have dreams of a really creative game with a huge budget, just let go of that dream, and be content with the awesome work being done on the more humble platforms.

richardhutnik said: Squilliam said: richardhutnik said: Squilliam said: You're a dick and so am I, but you're a cynical dick! Its funny we share the same first name. I am cynical, because I have seen a waggle outbreak happened.  Since you have Kirk as your avatar, if I said Tribbles, you would know what I am referring to here.  Think of waggle as Tribbles set to go all over the place.  Tribbles are cute, until there is an outbreak of them.  Oh, besides waggle, there is also Kart racing. LOL, I happened to like the Kart game from Sony and the Natal IMO isn't directly a game interface device its real purpose is likely interactive education software like the Microsoft Surface PC. Its a niche, but its one that Microsoft can monopolise and get stinking great big profit margins yearly. Imagine parents paying $70 a year per child for the relevant years software? I believe it is more Waggle Worry by Microsoft.  They do their usual thing, see their lunch is being eaten somewhere, and then provide a solution that is overkill (lunch being eating = not monopolizing a market space).  Who knows what price point it will come in, or how well it works, just they had to do it.  They did it with Avatars, and they do it with their Kart racing game.  Sony does similar actually.  Nintendo seems to be on the forefront, but not really affected as much.  However, they did do Wii Music. Need to see how the Sony Kart game works out though.  I am curious why they can't use Sackboys for it.  I don't see why not, and integrate what your Sackboy looks like with it.

I think im going to have to make a thread LOL on what I think they are doing.

Where you find soulful stuff is in Indie games. XBox Live Community games has a shot of it, along with hopefully some other channels. What you see now is set patterns being followed to maximize profits:
1. Attempts to establish new franchises in niches that showed a sudden breakthrough in unexpected sales. Ok, stop me before I start ripping into Tower Defense games (wait, Tower Defense are exploits of a latest game trend without caring to establish a franchise).
2. Beating old IP to death in new ways (Say hello to my little Nintendo).
3. Exploiting the Waggle Wave, by trying to show you have the coolest new interface.
4. Beating franchises to death, with a continuation of sequels.
5. Licensing out the likes of Hanna Montana because you think you found new coinage there, because these tween girls haven't fully been exploited again. Make sure you thrown in road worn play mechanics, akin to using Monopoly for a boardgame, because parents will buy the stuff as a gift for their kids who is a Hanna Montana fan. By the way, replace Hanna Montana with Spongebob Squarepants or another character.

And this is what gets dumped in my lap at this E3 this year. Yes, I know it is for marketing people, and bean counters, but this year, due to a fetish on motion control, I didn't get my Live Arcade and Community Montage of offbeat stuff. No, it was motion control, Milo and the magic light up wands.  Oh, did anyone else notice the latest Ubisoft Rabbid's game is a rip of of Katamari?  Same BLASTED idea. 

Sheesh, I am one step away from rating these press conferences on a scale of 1 to 10 for entertainment value.

You want to do a thread on Microsoft and Waggle Worry?  If you were to that, make sure you brand the thread as part of this thread's franchise.  After all, market data suggests we can get a 10% increase in readerage, and a 5% bumb in Google ranking if you do that.  I think you can get a 10% increase in readerage among tween girls if you happen to somehow connect it to Hanna Montana.  Wait, I got it, Sony could get a 20% increase in play of their new Kart game among tween girls, if they happen to force everyone to have Hanna Montana as their Kart drivers, and also use the color lavender.  I think Sony will bundling God of War with that PSP bundle also, in order to get tween girls interested in Kratos to.