Although only rumored, and not officially announced as of yet, the most common supposed price point of the Sony's PSP2, dubbed NGP (Next Generation Portable) lies at $299.
With a confirmed launch in at least one territory by holiday season 2011, could this possibly cause confusion for buyers new to Sony's line of gaming consoles? Currently the price of the least expensive PS3 model stands at $299 with an upgraded HDD model priced at $349.
If the NGP and PS3 are going to go head to head in terms of price on the same shelf, wouldn't some buyers opt to purchase a fully fledged console as opposed to a portable? Perhaps they may not understand why the NGP wouldn't be less expensive due to its much larger counterpart being the PS3.
This is where it gets interesting:
Perhaps however, this is in Sonys plan. Introduce the NGP at the same price of the PS3. If costumers already own a PS3, then of course they'll be looking into Sonys new portable. For those who don't own either, may choose to buy the PS3 instead. Opting for a more powerful entrance into Sonys gaming market, and thus inadvertently increasing PS3 sales.
On another note, if the NGP does launch at $299, would it make sense for gamers to expect a price drop in any of the current PS3 models? Could Sony actually effectively move more PS3s if they cost less than the NGP? Of course they can, but what about those who don't quite understand the gaming market? People may negatively speculate as to why the Portable is more expensive than the console. Perhaps they may think that the NGP is overpriced.
I'm certain just as I write this Sony are asking themselves the same questions. Personally, in order to not cause any confusion among consumers, and to prevent any delusion to the NGPs identity that the PS3 suffered at launch Sony would have to introduce the NGP at or less than the price of the PS3.
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Showing posts with label casual gaming research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label casual gaming research. Show all posts
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Digital distribution; How I love thee
Before this week, I had only bought a few games the digital way. Those were Star Trek Online, SEGA Genesis & Mega Drive classics and Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers. But this week I discovered a few deals on steam that I simply could not resist.
I bought the Bioshock 1 & 2 deal, the GTA Classic deal and today the GTA IV deal. And I must tell you. It feels great. I realized I really don't care about having a physical copy, as long as I always have access to my games through steam of course. Digital distribution is a rising star, and it is rising fast. Digital distribution has so many advantages. My dreams are that it will lead to an industry where the developers themselves publish the games and therefor they won't be influenced by publishers opinions on how they should make their games. Don't you agree?
What makes the digital distribution even better is that is much easier to find good deals. I am a student so if I were to buy physical copies of all my games, then I could only afford like 1 new game every month (I don't really need more than one though, but SILENCE) and I like to buy games. I advise you all to keep your eyes open for digital deals! Its awesome :)
I bought the Bioshock 1 & 2 deal, the GTA Classic deal and today the GTA IV deal. And I must tell you. It feels great. I realized I really don't care about having a physical copy, as long as I always have access to my games through steam of course. Digital distribution is a rising star, and it is rising fast. Digital distribution has so many advantages. My dreams are that it will lead to an industry where the developers themselves publish the games and therefor they won't be influenced by publishers opinions on how they should make their games. Don't you agree?
What makes the digital distribution even better is that is much easier to find good deals. I am a student so if I were to buy physical copies of all my games, then I could only afford like 1 new game every month (I don't really need more than one though, but SILENCE) and I like to buy games. I advise you all to keep your eyes open for digital deals! Its awesome :)
Saturday, October 15, 2011
The 3DS just can't catch a break
My condolences to the early adopters who bought a 3DS. We are going to see Nintendo's greatest decline in the handheld market directly due to the 3DS, and I'm here to lament and complain and laugh.
Am I jumping the gun and drawing conclusions waaaay to early? After all, the 3DS "just came out". Actually, I think the writing is on the wall and the writing has been on the wall since before 3DS even launched. Let's count the ways the 3DS just can't seem to catch a break.
#5 - Brand Confusion. Anyone here who works at a retail store already knows this one, but the public's confusion about the 3DS's name isn't quite so apparent if all you do is read online gaming journalists. But the brand confusion with the 3DS is very, very real. Is it a DS with 3d? Is it a new system? The game cases look almost identical to regular DS cases, and the 3DS itself (at first glance) simply looks like a DS with an analog stick. The brand confusion hurts the 3DS's case quite a bit.
#4 - No reason to upgrade. When you take a 20+ million seller game and put it on your new handheld and it sells like crap, what does that mean? It means that people don't see the reason to upgrade. I'm talking about Nintendogs and the DS crowd, of course. There's no denying that the DS crowd is a diverse bunch, but apparently they're not diverse enough to see the need to jump into the 3DS swimming pool yet. And I don't blame them. The DS is a hard act to follow. It has a massive library compared to the 3DS. While I'm not a Nintendogs fan...C'MON! It's Nintendogs. You would think that it was the perfect launch title, yet it flopped. That's because "teh casualz" are smart enough to know a cash-in when they see it.
#3 - What's the point of 3D? Even before the system came out, there were warnings that the 3D would affect children's eyes. "You can turn it off," it was screamed at anyone who said the 3D gave them a headache. Okay, Nintendo, so you're alienating one of your biggest audiences (kids), and you're telling people that the main feature that justifies the 3DS's $250 cost can simply be "turned off" if you don't like it? Riiiight, good job building confidence in your system. Beyond these issues, what really IS the point of 3D? So far, it has not added any gameplay enhancements. Sure, when the DS was announced people asked "what's the point of the dual screens?", but at least there were tangible game applications. What does 3D do that can't be done in the traditional sense? Right now, Nintendo is content to simply goof off, create the exact same games they've been making, and then add in 3D to say "see? It's a totally new game!"
#2 - the Games! I wouldn't say that the internet is exactly ablaze with the news that MegaMan Legends 3 was cancelled, but the fans who were excited for that game are certainly angry, especially after Capcom's recent Resident Evil 3DS "one save" nonsense. But other developers like SEGA and Ubisoft are also putting a hold on some of their 3DS games. Even the games coming from Nintendo are a bit...disturbing. Luigi's Mansion 2? Okaaaaay, what about a sidescrolling Metroid, a new F-Zero, or even a Pokemon Snap clone (okay, kidding on the last one)? Kid Icarus...am I the only one who remembers that this game was once a PLATFORMER? The 3DS Kid Icarus is just...some bizarre shoot-em-up/action game that does not resemble Kid Icarus in any way. What about the new Mario game? ANOTHER 3D Mario in less than 5 years? Okay, I like 'em, but if the sales of the two New Super Mario Bros games tells us anything, Nintendo has a lot of fans wanting sidescrolling Mario, not 3D Mario. There are remakes up the wazoo, but no one seems to care. Why should we be excited to pay full-price for an easy-to-acquire console game (Ocarina, Starfox, Metal Gear, SF4) just because it's in 3D? Judging by the sales, a lot of other people have been asking the same question. Looking forward to upcoming games isn't going to cut it when there aren't any worthwhile games on the system right now. "But what about MARIO KART?" you might say. What about it? The game looks like it's becoming even more eccentric and bizarre. Hanggliders? Underwater tracks? Does any of this stuff make Mario Kart better, or is it just flash? More specifically, will 3D make Mario Kart any better? No, not really. And more importantly, will Mario Kart be a system seller? There's no doubt that Mario Kart sells a lot, but Mario Kart is an assumed entry on any Nintendo console. It's not going to set the sales charts on fire, you can mark my words. While the lack of games (and lack of sales) is a big problem, it is not the biggest problem...
#1 - A Bad Direction. Some people might rememeber that - early on - the DS was being outsold by the PSP. The DS's early direction was much like the 3DS's direction. It focused on 3D games (Mario 64, Metroid Hunters). However, it wasn't until Nintendo started branching out and making more old-school and unique games that the DS took off. Initially, the DS was considered a portable N64. But when the sales took off, it became a portable SNES. If the DS had focused on traditional 3D games, it would never have taken off. But wait, apparently Nintendo thinks that the 3DS can focus on traditional 3D games and that's okay? Hah! The 3DS is following the Gamecube/N64's direction, and it doesn't look good. How can I say such a thing? JUST LOOK AT THE GAMES! Where are the unique games that made the DS such a hit? Where are the RPGs? Where are the touch-based adventure games? WHERE IS SIDESCROLLING MARIO? The 3DS is going in a bad direction, and by "bad" I mean "the same direction that caused the Gamecube to tank". The problem is that Nintendo won't simply change directions and make the 3DS like the DS. The entire identity of the 3DS is 3D. Old-school, 2D-style games have no place on the 3DS. They don't fit the direction. That's why we don't see any of those games in development. 3DS is caught in an odd place. It isn't powerful enough to enjoy the "sloppy seconds" ports that the PS Vita will get, but it's powerful enough to require better graphics (and bigger, more expensive dev team). Say bye-bye to niche games similar to Phoenix Wright, Elite Beat Agents, Izuna, and 90% of the RPGs on DS.
The bottom line is this: pay very close attention to the 3DS. You may be witnessing something unprecedented. Nintendo, the heralds and champions of handheld gaming, might lose their grip on the handheld market. No, it won't be the iPhone that does them in. No, it won't be the Vita. The thing that slays Nintendo's unbeatable handheld line will be Nintendo itself, because Nintendo refuses to respond to what the market wants.
Am I jumping the gun and drawing conclusions waaaay to early? After all, the 3DS "just came out". Actually, I think the writing is on the wall and the writing has been on the wall since before 3DS even launched. Let's count the ways the 3DS just can't seem to catch a break.
#5 - Brand Confusion. Anyone here who works at a retail store already knows this one, but the public's confusion about the 3DS's name isn't quite so apparent if all you do is read online gaming journalists. But the brand confusion with the 3DS is very, very real. Is it a DS with 3d? Is it a new system? The game cases look almost identical to regular DS cases, and the 3DS itself (at first glance) simply looks like a DS with an analog stick. The brand confusion hurts the 3DS's case quite a bit.
#4 - No reason to upgrade. When you take a 20+ million seller game and put it on your new handheld and it sells like crap, what does that mean? It means that people don't see the reason to upgrade. I'm talking about Nintendogs and the DS crowd, of course. There's no denying that the DS crowd is a diverse bunch, but apparently they're not diverse enough to see the need to jump into the 3DS swimming pool yet. And I don't blame them. The DS is a hard act to follow. It has a massive library compared to the 3DS. While I'm not a Nintendogs fan...C'MON! It's Nintendogs. You would think that it was the perfect launch title, yet it flopped. That's because "teh casualz" are smart enough to know a cash-in when they see it.
#3 - What's the point of 3D? Even before the system came out, there were warnings that the 3D would affect children's eyes. "You can turn it off," it was screamed at anyone who said the 3D gave them a headache. Okay, Nintendo, so you're alienating one of your biggest audiences (kids), and you're telling people that the main feature that justifies the 3DS's $250 cost can simply be "turned off" if you don't like it? Riiiight, good job building confidence in your system. Beyond these issues, what really IS the point of 3D? So far, it has not added any gameplay enhancements. Sure, when the DS was announced people asked "what's the point of the dual screens?", but at least there were tangible game applications. What does 3D do that can't be done in the traditional sense? Right now, Nintendo is content to simply goof off, create the exact same games they've been making, and then add in 3D to say "see? It's a totally new game!"
#2 - the Games! I wouldn't say that the internet is exactly ablaze with the news that MegaMan Legends 3 was cancelled, but the fans who were excited for that game are certainly angry, especially after Capcom's recent Resident Evil 3DS "one save" nonsense. But other developers like SEGA and Ubisoft are also putting a hold on some of their 3DS games. Even the games coming from Nintendo are a bit...disturbing. Luigi's Mansion 2? Okaaaaay, what about a sidescrolling Metroid, a new F-Zero, or even a Pokemon Snap clone (okay, kidding on the last one)? Kid Icarus...am I the only one who remembers that this game was once a PLATFORMER? The 3DS Kid Icarus is just...some bizarre shoot-em-up/action game that does not resemble Kid Icarus in any way. What about the new Mario game? ANOTHER 3D Mario in less than 5 years? Okay, I like 'em, but if the sales of the two New Super Mario Bros games tells us anything, Nintendo has a lot of fans wanting sidescrolling Mario, not 3D Mario. There are remakes up the wazoo, but no one seems to care. Why should we be excited to pay full-price for an easy-to-acquire console game (Ocarina, Starfox, Metal Gear, SF4) just because it's in 3D? Judging by the sales, a lot of other people have been asking the same question. Looking forward to upcoming games isn't going to cut it when there aren't any worthwhile games on the system right now. "But what about MARIO KART?" you might say. What about it? The game looks like it's becoming even more eccentric and bizarre. Hanggliders? Underwater tracks? Does any of this stuff make Mario Kart better, or is it just flash? More specifically, will 3D make Mario Kart any better? No, not really. And more importantly, will Mario Kart be a system seller? There's no doubt that Mario Kart sells a lot, but Mario Kart is an assumed entry on any Nintendo console. It's not going to set the sales charts on fire, you can mark my words. While the lack of games (and lack of sales) is a big problem, it is not the biggest problem...
#1 - A Bad Direction. Some people might rememeber that - early on - the DS was being outsold by the PSP. The DS's early direction was much like the 3DS's direction. It focused on 3D games (Mario 64, Metroid Hunters). However, it wasn't until Nintendo started branching out and making more old-school and unique games that the DS took off. Initially, the DS was considered a portable N64. But when the sales took off, it became a portable SNES. If the DS had focused on traditional 3D games, it would never have taken off. But wait, apparently Nintendo thinks that the 3DS can focus on traditional 3D games and that's okay? Hah! The 3DS is following the Gamecube/N64's direction, and it doesn't look good. How can I say such a thing? JUST LOOK AT THE GAMES! Where are the unique games that made the DS such a hit? Where are the RPGs? Where are the touch-based adventure games? WHERE IS SIDESCROLLING MARIO? The 3DS is going in a bad direction, and by "bad" I mean "the same direction that caused the Gamecube to tank". The problem is that Nintendo won't simply change directions and make the 3DS like the DS. The entire identity of the 3DS is 3D. Old-school, 2D-style games have no place on the 3DS. They don't fit the direction. That's why we don't see any of those games in development. 3DS is caught in an odd place. It isn't powerful enough to enjoy the "sloppy seconds" ports that the PS Vita will get, but it's powerful enough to require better graphics (and bigger, more expensive dev team). Say bye-bye to niche games similar to Phoenix Wright, Elite Beat Agents, Izuna, and 90% of the RPGs on DS.
The bottom line is this: pay very close attention to the 3DS. You may be witnessing something unprecedented. Nintendo, the heralds and champions of handheld gaming, might lose their grip on the handheld market. No, it won't be the iPhone that does them in. No, it won't be the Vita. The thing that slays Nintendo's unbeatable handheld line will be Nintendo itself, because Nintendo refuses to respond to what the market wants.
Top Reasons Next Gen Hasn't Started Yet
Now that Nintendo has jumped the gun and announced their next generation game console called the Wii U, there is a ton of speculation as to when Sony and Microsoft will follow with their next gen systems. In past console generations, the average time of a console cycle was about 4-5 years. This fall, the Xbox 360 and PS3 will be 6 and 5 years old respectively which is well past that established life cycle. Yet, both the PS3 and Xbox360 are still enjoying healthy worldwide sales, have plenty of games coming in the next 12-18 months, and still have not reached the magical price point of $199 (max price for all Skus) which is traditionally when most systems see their largest sales. How is it that these systems are able to be relevant for so much longer than their predecessors?
Here are my top 5 reasons the next generation of game consoles is taking so long:
5. TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING TOO FAST
Tablets, 4G, wireless display, motion controls, 3D, networking, digital downloads, APUs (GPU integrated with CPU), and cloud computing. These are just some of the significant technologies that have become common in the 5-6 years since the Xbox360 and PS3 were released. All of these technologies can have profound impacts on video gaming. The hardware has to be made in such a way to enable some or all of these technologies in the next generation. The difficult question for Microsoft and Sony is which ones are the ones to bet the future on? Should the next Xbox use physical media or be all digital downloads for game distribution? Should an updated Kinect be the primary user interface to the system saying goodbye to the physical controller for good? Should Microsoft or Sony follow Nintendo's innovation and leverage a tablet-like controller interface to expand the ways users can interact with the console? Should the PS4 use Blu-ray again? Will 1080p full 3D graphics be the target for next gen? How can the next gen consoles expand on social networking and media sharing? Is OnLive really the future of video games? These are all very difficult questions that both Sony and Microsoft must answer before committing another 8-10 years and hundreds of millions of dollars in a new system. If they bet wrong, there will be a steep price to pay.
In previous generations, updating a system to the next generation was pretty straightforward. Simply update the processing power of both the CPU and GPU to enable new uses of technology and you were pretty much done. However, today the expectations for a game console has grown immensely and simply increasing the processing power is not enough. With so many variables, what-ifs, and volatile technologies in the mix, it's reasonable that Sony and Microsoft need more time weigh them all, observe their impact on the audience, and work to fine tune some of the less polished ones.
4. HARDWARE TECH ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS IT USED TO BE
How many readers are old enough to remember the old "Genesis Does" or "U R NOT E" gaming commercials from the 90s? If you can think back to those days, all you heard or saw in ads was how many "bits" the hardware had, how many polygons it can push, or how advanced the system is (remember those "It's Thinking" ads for Dreamcast). Kids argued in school how much better the Genesis was with its 16-bits compared to the NES with only 8-bits. Or how awesome the PlayStation was because it was 32-bit and used shiny new CD-ROMs for games. For gamers then, the most exciting thing was seeing the leaps in technology with each new system adding things like full-motion video, voice, and 3D graphics. Oh the good ole days.
In 2011, consumers are much less interested in the nuts and bolts of a system and more concerned with what kind of experience it gives them. This is true not only in the video game space, but across the board in consumer electronics and technology. If nothing else, the Wii proved that people are less interested in technology and graphics than they are fun and accessible experiences. Xbox Live is a phenomenal success and is the primary reason why Xbox360 has such a large sales lead over the PS3 in the US. Xbox Live offers an "experience" that just cannot be found on the other consoles and many gamers are still buying 360s to be a part of that community. The rise of the MP3 and digital downloads again proves that consumers care more about accessibility and convenience than quality alone. No doubt Cd's, SACDs, DVD-Audio, and Blu-Ray offer superior experiences than anything you can download today, but consumers are much more interested in having the content come to them and travel with them wherever they go. The IPhone and IPAD set the world on fire not because it offered a cutting edge CPU or GPU under the hood, but because it provided a innovative, easy to use, and unique user interface that appealed to a large audience.
The changing times would have certainly made Sony and Microsoft at least hesitate before approaching the next generation. Now they have to invest a lot more resources that used to be used to increase processing power to delivering a powerful and innovative user experience. They must invest not so much in hardware but in software in order to be successful next gen. This is a fundamentally different paradigm for the hardware manufacturers to work in and there is likely a time overhead with figuring out the new approach.
3. GRAPHICS APPORACHING DIMINSIHING RETURNS IN HD ERA
I know that of all of my reasons on this list, this is likely to be most controversial and flame worthy. However, I think it is still a valid point if you can hear me out. There are two main ideas embedded in this statement:
A) That the graphics of current generation hardware is good enough to be relevant longer
B) That the difference in graphical fidelity in going to next generation is not going to be as large as before.
Here are my top 5 reasons the next generation of game consoles is taking so long:
5. TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING TOO FAST
Tablets, 4G, wireless display, motion controls, 3D, networking, digital downloads, APUs (GPU integrated with CPU), and cloud computing. These are just some of the significant technologies that have become common in the 5-6 years since the Xbox360 and PS3 were released. All of these technologies can have profound impacts on video gaming. The hardware has to be made in such a way to enable some or all of these technologies in the next generation. The difficult question for Microsoft and Sony is which ones are the ones to bet the future on? Should the next Xbox use physical media or be all digital downloads for game distribution? Should an updated Kinect be the primary user interface to the system saying goodbye to the physical controller for good? Should Microsoft or Sony follow Nintendo's innovation and leverage a tablet-like controller interface to expand the ways users can interact with the console? Should the PS4 use Blu-ray again? Will 1080p full 3D graphics be the target for next gen? How can the next gen consoles expand on social networking and media sharing? Is OnLive really the future of video games? These are all very difficult questions that both Sony and Microsoft must answer before committing another 8-10 years and hundreds of millions of dollars in a new system. If they bet wrong, there will be a steep price to pay.
In previous generations, updating a system to the next generation was pretty straightforward. Simply update the processing power of both the CPU and GPU to enable new uses of technology and you were pretty much done. However, today the expectations for a game console has grown immensely and simply increasing the processing power is not enough. With so many variables, what-ifs, and volatile technologies in the mix, it's reasonable that Sony and Microsoft need more time weigh them all, observe their impact on the audience, and work to fine tune some of the less polished ones.
4. HARDWARE TECH ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS IT USED TO BE
How many readers are old enough to remember the old "Genesis Does" or "U R NOT E" gaming commercials from the 90s? If you can think back to those days, all you heard or saw in ads was how many "bits" the hardware had, how many polygons it can push, or how advanced the system is (remember those "It's Thinking" ads for Dreamcast). Kids argued in school how much better the Genesis was with its 16-bits compared to the NES with only 8-bits. Or how awesome the PlayStation was because it was 32-bit and used shiny new CD-ROMs for games. For gamers then, the most exciting thing was seeing the leaps in technology with each new system adding things like full-motion video, voice, and 3D graphics. Oh the good ole days.
In 2011, consumers are much less interested in the nuts and bolts of a system and more concerned with what kind of experience it gives them. This is true not only in the video game space, but across the board in consumer electronics and technology. If nothing else, the Wii proved that people are less interested in technology and graphics than they are fun and accessible experiences. Xbox Live is a phenomenal success and is the primary reason why Xbox360 has such a large sales lead over the PS3 in the US. Xbox Live offers an "experience" that just cannot be found on the other consoles and many gamers are still buying 360s to be a part of that community. The rise of the MP3 and digital downloads again proves that consumers care more about accessibility and convenience than quality alone. No doubt Cd's, SACDs, DVD-Audio, and Blu-Ray offer superior experiences than anything you can download today, but consumers are much more interested in having the content come to them and travel with them wherever they go. The IPhone and IPAD set the world on fire not because it offered a cutting edge CPU or GPU under the hood, but because it provided a innovative, easy to use, and unique user interface that appealed to a large audience.
The changing times would have certainly made Sony and Microsoft at least hesitate before approaching the next generation. Now they have to invest a lot more resources that used to be used to increase processing power to delivering a powerful and innovative user experience. They must invest not so much in hardware but in software in order to be successful next gen. This is a fundamentally different paradigm for the hardware manufacturers to work in and there is likely a time overhead with figuring out the new approach.
3. GRAPHICS APPORACHING DIMINSIHING RETURNS IN HD ERA
I know that of all of my reasons on this list, this is likely to be most controversial and flame worthy. However, I think it is still a valid point if you can hear me out. There are two main ideas embedded in this statement:
A) That the graphics of current generation hardware is good enough to be relevant longer
B) That the difference in graphical fidelity in going to next generation is not going to be as large as before.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
PC Gaming: The Truth
After reading countless articles and comments on this site that spread lies and misinformation about this platform I decided to share my thoughts on the matter without screaming “PC gaming is better” or “Consolez FTW”. I am biased towards PC gaming as I am a PC gamer and own neither console. However I used too and gamed on the consoles for years so I believe I have a fair insight on both sides. This is not an article to start a flame war in the comments about which platform you prefer, everyone has their opinion and I advise you not to post why your system is the best. It’s all preference.
This Blog is only here to throw away the big lies about PC gaming which I spread out into three topics.
[Price]
A lot of arguing goes on about this topic. You have the “uninformed” console gamer who believes that a PC costs around £2000 however I am going to ignore this because it’s just plain stupidity. Then you get to the real argument PC’s are a big investment, you are likely to pay triple the price of a console to get a good gaming rig that will last you a while. However console games generally cost around £10 more than a PC game at launch and drop in price a lot quicker. Then there is the factor of upgrading your PC which is not normally necessary to keep playing games which brings me to the second big lie about PC Gaming, people who say that you have to worry about upgrading your parts for every new game that releases. If you invested in a good system at launch there is no reason why it can’t still play games 4-6 years down the line. Due to most games only running DX9 because of the consoles however of course you will need to upgrade your computer if you want to run DX11 and bought a DX9 graphics card however this is not a necessity.
TL;DR PC gaming is a massive investment at first however If you buy a lot of games it will probably end up being cheaper.
[Ease of use and reliability]
Well a lot of people want their gaming platform to be simple and easy to use and in this field consoles trump PC however the jump is not as big as people think and you will actually learn something useful if you learn how to build and maintain a PC. Thinking of building a PC sounds a lot scarier than it really is, I learnt how to build a computer after watching 4 short youtube videos and glancing over my motherboards instructions. Yet it is completely understandable If someone does not wish to do this and consoles are definitely the better choice for ease of use.
A lot of gamers see PC’s as something that never works how you want it too and you need to install drivers and all of these things. However I disagree windows 7 takes care of 99.9% of driver installs automatically. The problems that do occur with my PC can normally be fixed after a quick google search or patch. Consoles on the other hand are not very reliable, The problems that occur with consoles are more likely to require you to return the console unless you have a very good technical understanding.
[Games]
“But the PC has no games” As a PC gamer I hear this a lot. However this is not true at all PC has way more games than both consoles combined. It is fully backwards compatible and with services such as GOG.com really old games are being brought back to life. PC games normally address the PC Gamer crowd. They are often less casual and more strategic. PC gamers love strategy games and so we have big series such as Starcraft and Total War, two games that also hold their own against console top sellers. PC is also the “true” home of indie games and innovation, It offers developers a complete freedom so that they do not have to abide by the rules of Sony or Microsoft which has allowed for some great titles such as Minecraft, Mount and Blade and terraria. Three games that would never have passed approval by Sony and Microsoft due to buying unfinished games and the way they evolve. Then there is Mods, a lot of console gamers see mods as something that adds a new skin or enhances a games graphics however their have been some pretty impressive mods. For example: Team Fortress, Counter Strike, Nehrim, The cube and much more. There are also mods that fix problems in games such as The Unofficial Oblivion Patch that fixes 800 bugs in the game. And of course graphics mods which seem to be getting the most publicity at the moment.
Then there is F2P games. These are regarded by most gamers as cheap and trash however some of these games are pretty good. Recent ones include KAG2D and Team Fortress 2. However I agree that most past F2P games have been plagued by pay to win and all sorts of issues. Developers seem to have noticed this and there are some promising F2P titles such as End of Nations and Firefall which both do something new and great.
So I think that throws out the no games argument.
In conclusion game on what you want to game on. PC gaming is not better than console gaming and console gaming is not better than PC gaming, they both suit different kinds of people. Gaming is primarily about fun after all.
This Blog is only here to throw away the big lies about PC gaming which I spread out into three topics.
[Price]
A lot of arguing goes on about this topic. You have the “uninformed” console gamer who believes that a PC costs around £2000 however I am going to ignore this because it’s just plain stupidity. Then you get to the real argument PC’s are a big investment, you are likely to pay triple the price of a console to get a good gaming rig that will last you a while. However console games generally cost around £10 more than a PC game at launch and drop in price a lot quicker. Then there is the factor of upgrading your PC which is not normally necessary to keep playing games which brings me to the second big lie about PC Gaming, people who say that you have to worry about upgrading your parts for every new game that releases. If you invested in a good system at launch there is no reason why it can’t still play games 4-6 years down the line. Due to most games only running DX9 because of the consoles however of course you will need to upgrade your computer if you want to run DX11 and bought a DX9 graphics card however this is not a necessity.
TL;DR PC gaming is a massive investment at first however If you buy a lot of games it will probably end up being cheaper.
[Ease of use and reliability]
Well a lot of people want their gaming platform to be simple and easy to use and in this field consoles trump PC however the jump is not as big as people think and you will actually learn something useful if you learn how to build and maintain a PC. Thinking of building a PC sounds a lot scarier than it really is, I learnt how to build a computer after watching 4 short youtube videos and glancing over my motherboards instructions. Yet it is completely understandable If someone does not wish to do this and consoles are definitely the better choice for ease of use.
A lot of gamers see PC’s as something that never works how you want it too and you need to install drivers and all of these things. However I disagree windows 7 takes care of 99.9% of driver installs automatically. The problems that do occur with my PC can normally be fixed after a quick google search or patch. Consoles on the other hand are not very reliable, The problems that occur with consoles are more likely to require you to return the console unless you have a very good technical understanding.
[Games]
“But the PC has no games” As a PC gamer I hear this a lot. However this is not true at all PC has way more games than both consoles combined. It is fully backwards compatible and with services such as GOG.com really old games are being brought back to life. PC games normally address the PC Gamer crowd. They are often less casual and more strategic. PC gamers love strategy games and so we have big series such as Starcraft and Total War, two games that also hold their own against console top sellers. PC is also the “true” home of indie games and innovation, It offers developers a complete freedom so that they do not have to abide by the rules of Sony or Microsoft which has allowed for some great titles such as Minecraft, Mount and Blade and terraria. Three games that would never have passed approval by Sony and Microsoft due to buying unfinished games and the way they evolve. Then there is Mods, a lot of console gamers see mods as something that adds a new skin or enhances a games graphics however their have been some pretty impressive mods. For example: Team Fortress, Counter Strike, Nehrim, The cube and much more. There are also mods that fix problems in games such as The Unofficial Oblivion Patch that fixes 800 bugs in the game. And of course graphics mods which seem to be getting the most publicity at the moment.
Then there is F2P games. These are regarded by most gamers as cheap and trash however some of these games are pretty good. Recent ones include KAG2D and Team Fortress 2. However I agree that most past F2P games have been plagued by pay to win and all sorts of issues. Developers seem to have noticed this and there are some promising F2P titles such as End of Nations and Firefall which both do something new and great.
So I think that throws out the no games argument.
In conclusion game on what you want to game on. PC gaming is not better than console gaming and console gaming is not better than PC gaming, they both suit different kinds of people. Gaming is primarily about fun after all.
Working with Pirates
Last week an Indie company made the headlines on a gaming websites because they chose a different type of advertising for their game. A special build of the game was released on a torrent site for free.
Before the morale debate starts I would like to state that I downloaded games illegally before(like most of you) and to some point I understand why some people do it regularly.
For 18 years I lived in Lima: the capital of Peru (South America if some of you don’t know); unlike the UK, US, EU(Developed countries), getting, I mean buying games it is much harder.
First of all not all the games are available, the release dates are different (months after released in USA), but more importantly the prices at retail are the same or very close to the ones in America.
In Peru the minimum wage is 200$ dollars a month, where a game retail price is around 40-60$, making buying videogames a banality. I’m not here to debate why is ok to get games without paying for them, we know they are not a necessity, just hear me out. I know what is it to be a teenager and the only way to get your games is to get pirated versions of them.
Here are some ideas in how we can “work” with pirates.
1) Engage the pirates: Don’t threat pirates as your enemies or loss revenue, but instead as potential customers who haven’t been reached yet. Indie Developer tinyBuild released a special build of their latest game No Time to Explain! on a torrent site for free.
The developer told Gamasutra: “Basically, on release day, we rushed to make a version of the game that is actually all about pirates”, “People were going to pirate it anyway, so we figured if we make something funny out of it (give everyone pirate hats in a pirated version of the game), gamers would appreciate that and start talking about it”
“Plus, we think it’s a great distribution channel that just hasn’t been monetized properly yet”
2) Reward Customers: DRM is not the way to stop piracy. If you are a customer it feels like you are being treated like a criminal and being kicked in the crotch.
Don’t assume all your customers are potential criminals. Imagine you go to shop to buy some clothes, and while doing so a security guard follows you all the time; that is like DRM, it doesn’t think you are a criminal but is there just in case you might end up doing something funny.
Give customers incentive for buying from you, even coffee shops give me a stamp for each coffee I buy. Why not after 3 new videogames I buy you give me 50% discount on the next DLC?
I’m sure there are a number of ways to reward customers for choosing to buy new games, giving incentives instead of punishing them for doing so.
3) Create a community: Give your customers a place where they can meet and play like-minded people. Games like FIFA give you the chance to connect with football fans around the world, create avatars, watch videos, join leagues and much more.
4) Lower prices: The current prices in the UK for a new game are between 35 £ and 45 £. I personally don’t buy games at released dates because I found it ridiculous to pay that amount for a videogame.
I Wait till the game price goes down or becomes platinum (in case of the ps3), and buy for a reasonable price. I’m pretty sure the publishers will sell more games if they sell them at 20-25 £ than at 45£.
Before the morale debate starts I would like to state that I downloaded games illegally before(like most of you) and to some point I understand why some people do it regularly.
For 18 years I lived in Lima: the capital of Peru (South America if some of you don’t know); unlike the UK, US, EU(Developed countries), getting, I mean buying games it is much harder.
First of all not all the games are available, the release dates are different (months after released in USA), but more importantly the prices at retail are the same or very close to the ones in America.
In Peru the minimum wage is 200$ dollars a month, where a game retail price is around 40-60$, making buying videogames a banality. I’m not here to debate why is ok to get games without paying for them, we know they are not a necessity, just hear me out. I know what is it to be a teenager and the only way to get your games is to get pirated versions of them.
Here are some ideas in how we can “work” with pirates.
1) Engage the pirates: Don’t threat pirates as your enemies or loss revenue, but instead as potential customers who haven’t been reached yet. Indie Developer tinyBuild released a special build of their latest game No Time to Explain! on a torrent site for free.
The developer told Gamasutra: “Basically, on release day, we rushed to make a version of the game that is actually all about pirates”, “People were going to pirate it anyway, so we figured if we make something funny out of it (give everyone pirate hats in a pirated version of the game), gamers would appreciate that and start talking about it”
“Plus, we think it’s a great distribution channel that just hasn’t been monetized properly yet”
2) Reward Customers: DRM is not the way to stop piracy. If you are a customer it feels like you are being treated like a criminal and being kicked in the crotch.
Don’t assume all your customers are potential criminals. Imagine you go to shop to buy some clothes, and while doing so a security guard follows you all the time; that is like DRM, it doesn’t think you are a criminal but is there just in case you might end up doing something funny.
Give customers incentive for buying from you, even coffee shops give me a stamp for each coffee I buy. Why not after 3 new videogames I buy you give me 50% discount on the next DLC?
I’m sure there are a number of ways to reward customers for choosing to buy new games, giving incentives instead of punishing them for doing so.
3) Create a community: Give your customers a place where they can meet and play like-minded people. Games like FIFA give you the chance to connect with football fans around the world, create avatars, watch videos, join leagues and much more.
4) Lower prices: The current prices in the UK for a new game are between 35 £ and 45 £. I personally don’t buy games at released dates because I found it ridiculous to pay that amount for a videogame.
I Wait till the game price goes down or becomes platinum (in case of the ps3), and buy for a reasonable price. I’m pretty sure the publishers will sell more games if they sell them at 20-25 £ than at 45£.
N4G's Oldest Problem:The Bubble System and How to Fix it.
The Bubble system is a great system at first. Under this system, the people who make good comments with actual thought and advanced grammar are rewarded with extra bubbles to make even more good posts with and people who troll and use indecent language are reduced to one bubble and cannot post more than once.
This works pretty good in theory. It's a merit system that rewards those who actually contribute something to the article instead of starting flame wars. Everyone starts out with the now default three bubbles and you are left to either build them up or take them away on your own. In theory, the best posters will have the most bubbles.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. The flaw of the bubble system comes in with 2 factors; the majority opinion and anonymity. If you make a post that goes against what most gamers agree with, you are sure to lose your bubbles. If someone makes a post saying that they do not like gears of war or uncharted does that mean they deserve to lose bubbles? The person was not trolling or using bad grammar but the majority of gamers here will take away his bubbles simply because they dont agree. Many members of n4g have chosen to interpret the bubble down button as a disagree button, which is not how it was intended to be used.
The second factor is what really destroys the Bubble system. Anonymity means that you can take a bubble from someone and get away with it because he doesn't not know that you did it. There is no way to report people who take away bubbles for unjust reasons so the majority of the website can freely control who gets more bubbles and who doesn't based on opinion alone.
This can call be fixed by removing the anonymity. If someone takes a bubble from you, you will receive a notification for it much like you do when someone replies to a message. If someone has bubbled you down for an unjust reason, you can report it to a mod. Then the mod will review it and decide whether to remove that vote on you or not. Under this system, no one should lose bubbles for no reason.
That is the easiest solution I can find for this system. The bubble system is not a bad system, its just a broken one that can be fixed. If you disagree with my solution to the problem that is ok but one thing you cant disagree with is that the current system has been exploited by the members of this site and must be fixed.
This works pretty good in theory. It's a merit system that rewards those who actually contribute something to the article instead of starting flame wars. Everyone starts out with the now default three bubbles and you are left to either build them up or take them away on your own. In theory, the best posters will have the most bubbles.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. The flaw of the bubble system comes in with 2 factors; the majority opinion and anonymity. If you make a post that goes against what most gamers agree with, you are sure to lose your bubbles. If someone makes a post saying that they do not like gears of war or uncharted does that mean they deserve to lose bubbles? The person was not trolling or using bad grammar but the majority of gamers here will take away his bubbles simply because they dont agree. Many members of n4g have chosen to interpret the bubble down button as a disagree button, which is not how it was intended to be used.
The second factor is what really destroys the Bubble system. Anonymity means that you can take a bubble from someone and get away with it because he doesn't not know that you did it. There is no way to report people who take away bubbles for unjust reasons so the majority of the website can freely control who gets more bubbles and who doesn't based on opinion alone.
This can call be fixed by removing the anonymity. If someone takes a bubble from you, you will receive a notification for it much like you do when someone replies to a message. If someone has bubbled you down for an unjust reason, you can report it to a mod. Then the mod will review it and decide whether to remove that vote on you or not. Under this system, no one should lose bubbles for no reason.
That is the easiest solution I can find for this system. The bubble system is not a bad system, its just a broken one that can be fixed. If you disagree with my solution to the problem that is ok but one thing you cant disagree with is that the current system has been exploited by the members of this site and must be fixed.
Console Gamer meets Cloud Gaming
User blog
It's been claimed to be a revolution in the gaming industry so naturally I couldn't resist trying out Onlive to see if it really does live up these big claims.
Onlive just recently launched in the UK and are offering a nice introductory order of one game for £1. The process was surprisingly simple, I created an account, downloaded the app and then before I know it, I was drawn into the world of Onlive.
The user interface was nice and friendly and my first port of call was the arena to check out what everyone is up to. This is probably one of the best features and that's purely because I can sit there and watch whatever game I want and really get a feel of a game - unless they quit and then of course I'll have to find someone else to stalk.
I can see that it isn't much different from just watching a few clips on Youtube, but you're diving straight in. It's a great experience and you get a great sense of what the game is like.
So next on my list was the marketplace. There were some games that had free trials which was pleasant so I started off with Assassins Creed Brotherhood. A couple of seconds later, I was playing Assassins Creed and it was just a bit of a 'wow' moment. Wow in the sense that it only took a couple of seconds and I was straight in.
Now Onlive is really a mix bag for me because there were two main scenarios when I was playing; scenario one is noticeable blurriness and input lag and scenario two, nice crisp visuals and smooth gaming. It quite often switched between one or the other.
So that is only a small snippet of what I experienced with Onlive. Do I believe it is revolutionary? Not yet, but it has so much potential to be something so revolutionary. If they nail those visuals and improve latency, I can see it as being so fantastic.
Have you experienced Onlive? Maybe you have the microconsole? It'd be great to hear from others about their Onlive experience, especially those on the other side of the Atlantic who have had it longer than us Brits.
It's been claimed to be a revolution in the gaming industry so naturally I couldn't resist trying out Onlive to see if it really does live up these big claims.
Onlive just recently launched in the UK and are offering a nice introductory order of one game for £1. The process was surprisingly simple, I created an account, downloaded the app and then before I know it, I was drawn into the world of Onlive.
The user interface was nice and friendly and my first port of call was the arena to check out what everyone is up to. This is probably one of the best features and that's purely because I can sit there and watch whatever game I want and really get a feel of a game - unless they quit and then of course I'll have to find someone else to stalk.
I can see that it isn't much different from just watching a few clips on Youtube, but you're diving straight in. It's a great experience and you get a great sense of what the game is like.
So next on my list was the marketplace. There were some games that had free trials which was pleasant so I started off with Assassins Creed Brotherhood. A couple of seconds later, I was playing Assassins Creed and it was just a bit of a 'wow' moment. Wow in the sense that it only took a couple of seconds and I was straight in.
Now Onlive is really a mix bag for me because there were two main scenarios when I was playing; scenario one is noticeable blurriness and input lag and scenario two, nice crisp visuals and smooth gaming. It quite often switched between one or the other.
So that is only a small snippet of what I experienced with Onlive. Do I believe it is revolutionary? Not yet, but it has so much potential to be something so revolutionary. If they nail those visuals and improve latency, I can see it as being so fantastic.
Have you experienced Onlive? Maybe you have the microconsole? It'd be great to hear from others about their Onlive experience, especially those on the other side of the Atlantic who have had it longer than us Brits.
Eurogamer 2011: PS Vita, Getting a Feel For It
I was not only lucky enough to catch the last group of the day to go hands on with Sony’s Playstation Vita but it was also a lightly extended session since the queue had closed behind us. Still, not enough time was given to ask ALL the questions and try EVERYTHING out but I did manage to get that all important ‘feel’ for the device. What I mean is, even in the relatively short time we were allotted, I got comfortable with all of the physical features of the hardware. This is what I’m going to try and describe to you now in hope that those of you interested in the powerful handheld can get an imaginative insight into what it’s like to use. I will use Little Big Planet as the reference game as it was the first thing I tried and it uses most of the PSVs features very nicely. Most of you may have read about all of this beforehand but I’d just like to share my personal experience with you anyway.
The first thing you notice about holding the device is also the thing with the most ambiguous future I’m afraid, the weight. I was shocked at just how light it was, when the girl handed me the PSV I held my hands out underneath expecting something as ‘stuffed’ with hardware features as this to give my wrists a slight need to adjust to counterweight. However it feels almost effortless to grasp but not so lightweight that it threatens to break or fly out of your hand. I immediately found myself trying to hold the device in one had then the other with surprising success. I asked if the model I was holding would be the same weight as the final build and was disappointed to hear that there would be a slight change with no indication as to whether it would be heavier or lighter. The demo model did in fact have the battery inside, according to the rep, and the weight change would probably be so slight as to be unnoticeable.
Now to find the buttons! Having owned a PSP, I was relatively aware of the basic button setup however I soon discovered that this may be more of a problem than an advantage. The inclusion of dual analogue sticks, while probably the greatest feature to hit handhelds ever, has forced the usual face buttons to shrink. It took me a few attempts to jump a small gap in LBP because I kept pushing the second analogue stick, thinking that it was the ‘X’ button. Once I got used to this though everything else snapped into place, the D-pad even seems to improve on the PSPs already good one, and it was now time to try out the touch screen.
My first touch evoked a mild feeling of disgust after realising just how grubby the screen had become. We can’t really blame the Vita for falling victim to the touch screen weakness though; you’d feel dirty too if 1000+ strangers queued up to fondle you all day. Returning, after a quick wipe, to the very first room in LBP which contained some of the ‘touchable’ blue material I had learned about just hours before in Sony’s PSV developer conference; I moved the object around just like I had done countless time before on various smart phones, it’s as intuitive here as it was then. There’s a certain small awe that comes with moving an object in a world as detailed as LBP using your own touch. The rear touchpad also came into use during the demo, where I was challenged with building a staircase for Sackboy by pushing ‘Tetris-like’ blocks out from ‘behind’. It’s a strange but immersive experience, which left me, optimistically, wondering about the possibilities of such input. Both front and rear touch screens are multi-touch and feel incredibly responsive, easily on par with top level smart phones.
The next challenge to put the PSV through its paces involved the six-axis function. I needed to tilt the device in order to bring a bridge across for Sackboy to jump onto; it works exactly how you would expect, after using both Move and DS3, you should feel very comfortable with this.
The dual analogue sticks seemed tiny at first, I worried that their decreased size would affect the range of control you had over manipulating the camera or minute aiming adjustments. However my concerns were put to rest after only a few short minutes of use I felt a common connection between the PSV sticks and the DS3. It might sound silly but it really did feel like I was playing a mini PS3 in my hands; which, in my opinion, is no bad thing, especially when you consider all the extra input and features available on the Playstation Vita.
I left the expo confident that Vita would be usable for me after being worried that my large hands (I’m 6’4” and can hold a basketball upside-down with arm outstretched) would be a problem. From build quality to responsiveness, Vita FEELS like a winner. There may not be another Zynga game in which Energy is more important than in Adventure World. Every switch thrown, every puzzle solved and beastie whacked costs you the Facebook game juice. Players often find themselves without Energy minutes into an Expedition. But this isn't the time for whining--it's time to show you the value of upgrading your Tools and how to do it.
Tools: The Game Changer
If you noticed, each piece of debris and monster has a life bar, and normally take multiple hits with your Whip or Machete to whittle down. This, of course, quickly becomes a waste in later Expeditions purely due to the amount of obstacles in your path. But increasing the amount of damage your various Tools inflict against said baddies could considerably reduce the Energy spend in-game.
For instance, say a Snake has three hit points and is Level 5. Since monsters can hit back in this game, it could take three to five Energy before an enemy goes down. Now, imagine if you had upgraded your Whip to Level 2. Offing that Snake would take just two to four Energy with a beefier Whip. The same situation applies to Tools like the Machete.
Adventure World Tool Shop inside
And Now For Your How-To
Adventure World Tool Shop outsideUpgrading your Tools in Adventure World is simple. All you need to do is head back to Base Camp from an Expedition, and look for a makeshift hut that should already be in place in your headquarters. When you click on the Tool Shop, a window will appear featuring all the Tools you've found thus far on your journeys. Click on the Tool you wish to upgrade.
Once you click on a Tool to upgrade, you'll notice that each Tool costs Coins to upgrade. That's it--no asking friends to help you out with materials or farming certain crops for special items. Just the goods you find during your travels in search of El Dorado. However, Coins are actually quite rare in this game, so you'll need to save and spend wisely.
When you have enough Coins for an upgrade, just click on the appropriate icon to pay up. Tool upgrades are also level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain level for most Tools before being able to upgrade them using Coins. If you're feeling impatient, you could always unlock access to those higher level Tools early using Adventure Cash.
Just One Small Catch...
However, some Tool upgrades do require an extra boost: your Tool Shop. Yes, the building itself can be upgraded, too. And this time, you will need items from your friends. (Just think of how things work in CityVille.) Luckily, you only have to do this about twice to unlock access to all of the game's Tools. Then, it's back onto leveling up to access new upgrades for Coins.
Adventure World Tool Shop Upgrade
Upgraded Tools are hands-down the way to go, if you want to save precious Energy for the good stuff, that is. You know, exploring ... uncovering the secrets of El Dorado? That kind of stuff. Your wallet might thank us later.
Click here to find all of our Adventure World Tips in one spot >
[Source: Zynga]
Have you upgraded your Tools in Adventure World yet? What other Energy-saving tips might you have for your fellow adventurers? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
The first thing you notice about holding the device is also the thing with the most ambiguous future I’m afraid, the weight. I was shocked at just how light it was, when the girl handed me the PSV I held my hands out underneath expecting something as ‘stuffed’ with hardware features as this to give my wrists a slight need to adjust to counterweight. However it feels almost effortless to grasp but not so lightweight that it threatens to break or fly out of your hand. I immediately found myself trying to hold the device in one had then the other with surprising success. I asked if the model I was holding would be the same weight as the final build and was disappointed to hear that there would be a slight change with no indication as to whether it would be heavier or lighter. The demo model did in fact have the battery inside, according to the rep, and the weight change would probably be so slight as to be unnoticeable.
Now to find the buttons! Having owned a PSP, I was relatively aware of the basic button setup however I soon discovered that this may be more of a problem than an advantage. The inclusion of dual analogue sticks, while probably the greatest feature to hit handhelds ever, has forced the usual face buttons to shrink. It took me a few attempts to jump a small gap in LBP because I kept pushing the second analogue stick, thinking that it was the ‘X’ button. Once I got used to this though everything else snapped into place, the D-pad even seems to improve on the PSPs already good one, and it was now time to try out the touch screen.
My first touch evoked a mild feeling of disgust after realising just how grubby the screen had become. We can’t really blame the Vita for falling victim to the touch screen weakness though; you’d feel dirty too if 1000+ strangers queued up to fondle you all day. Returning, after a quick wipe, to the very first room in LBP which contained some of the ‘touchable’ blue material I had learned about just hours before in Sony’s PSV developer conference; I moved the object around just like I had done countless time before on various smart phones, it’s as intuitive here as it was then. There’s a certain small awe that comes with moving an object in a world as detailed as LBP using your own touch. The rear touchpad also came into use during the demo, where I was challenged with building a staircase for Sackboy by pushing ‘Tetris-like’ blocks out from ‘behind’. It’s a strange but immersive experience, which left me, optimistically, wondering about the possibilities of such input. Both front and rear touch screens are multi-touch and feel incredibly responsive, easily on par with top level smart phones.
The next challenge to put the PSV through its paces involved the six-axis function. I needed to tilt the device in order to bring a bridge across for Sackboy to jump onto; it works exactly how you would expect, after using both Move and DS3, you should feel very comfortable with this.
The dual analogue sticks seemed tiny at first, I worried that their decreased size would affect the range of control you had over manipulating the camera or minute aiming adjustments. However my concerns were put to rest after only a few short minutes of use I felt a common connection between the PSV sticks and the DS3. It might sound silly but it really did feel like I was playing a mini PS3 in my hands; which, in my opinion, is no bad thing, especially when you consider all the extra input and features available on the Playstation Vita.
I left the expo confident that Vita would be usable for me after being worried that my large hands (I’m 6’4” and can hold a basketball upside-down with arm outstretched) would be a problem. From build quality to responsiveness, Vita FEELS like a winner. There may not be another Zynga game in which Energy is more important than in Adventure World. Every switch thrown, every puzzle solved and beastie whacked costs you the Facebook game juice. Players often find themselves without Energy minutes into an Expedition. But this isn't the time for whining--it's time to show you the value of upgrading your Tools and how to do it.
Tools: The Game Changer
If you noticed, each piece of debris and monster has a life bar, and normally take multiple hits with your Whip or Machete to whittle down. This, of course, quickly becomes a waste in later Expeditions purely due to the amount of obstacles in your path. But increasing the amount of damage your various Tools inflict against said baddies could considerably reduce the Energy spend in-game.
For instance, say a Snake has three hit points and is Level 5. Since monsters can hit back in this game, it could take three to five Energy before an enemy goes down. Now, imagine if you had upgraded your Whip to Level 2. Offing that Snake would take just two to four Energy with a beefier Whip. The same situation applies to Tools like the Machete.
Adventure World Tool Shop inside
And Now For Your How-To
Adventure World Tool Shop outsideUpgrading your Tools in Adventure World is simple. All you need to do is head back to Base Camp from an Expedition, and look for a makeshift hut that should already be in place in your headquarters. When you click on the Tool Shop, a window will appear featuring all the Tools you've found thus far on your journeys. Click on the Tool you wish to upgrade.
Once you click on a Tool to upgrade, you'll notice that each Tool costs Coins to upgrade. That's it--no asking friends to help you out with materials or farming certain crops for special items. Just the goods you find during your travels in search of El Dorado. However, Coins are actually quite rare in this game, so you'll need to save and spend wisely.
When you have enough Coins for an upgrade, just click on the appropriate icon to pay up. Tool upgrades are also level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain level for most Tools before being able to upgrade them using Coins. If you're feeling impatient, you could always unlock access to those higher level Tools early using Adventure Cash.
Just One Small Catch...
However, some Tool upgrades do require an extra boost: your Tool Shop. Yes, the building itself can be upgraded, too. And this time, you will need items from your friends. (Just think of how things work in CityVille.) Luckily, you only have to do this about twice to unlock access to all of the game's Tools. Then, it's back onto leveling up to access new upgrades for Coins.
Adventure World Tool Shop Upgrade
Upgraded Tools are hands-down the way to go, if you want to save precious Energy for the good stuff, that is. You know, exploring ... uncovering the secrets of El Dorado? That kind of stuff. Your wallet might thank us later.
Click here to find all of our Adventure World Tips in one spot >
[Source: Zynga]
Have you upgraded your Tools in Adventure World yet? What other Energy-saving tips might you have for your fellow adventurers? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment
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