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| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61888/313 |  suibhne (65) Mar 15, 2007 - 01:26 pm
| | Yes, definitely a worthwhile topic. The Wii is still such a young console that it'll be tough to test this very well for quite awhile, but I'll be very interested in reading good comparisons once Metroid Prime 3 comes out. :D Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/44675/315 | suibhne (65) Mar 15, 2007 - 01:25 pm
| | Benching is definitely a time sink, and it's a really repetitive time sink to boot. Yet real-world game benchmarks are far superior to synthetic metrics like 3DMark, so I was glad to see you stick with the good stuff! Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61888/313 | suibhne (65) Mar 15, 2007 - 11:10 am
| | Your conclusion doesn't seem to follow smoothly from all of the frustrations you experienced while using the Wii controller, and I'm also not convinced that your test actually tested much. It's tough to test the Wii controller against other controllers because so much depends on good software implementation, but this was still very subjective. On the other hand, I really like your writing style - definitely one of my favorite styles out of everything that's been submitted. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61679/316 | suibhne (65) Mar 15, 2007 - 10:06 am » Edited on Mar 15, 2007 - 10:06 am
| I didn't get much of a feeling of comparison between 5.1 and 2.0. It might have been helpful to test a range of games before and after, to get a broad view on the change.
I'm also curious if you tested different speaker wires. A lot of HT owners will swear they need the thickest, most expensive cable possible, but audio pros tend to be more skeptical. Try a listening test between thick-gauge and thin-gauge and see if you actually notice, especially for the rears.
That said, I agree with you 100% that a 5.1 upgrade will have more of an impact than just about anything else. Audio is often underappreciated, but it's absolutely vital. I built my 4.1 HT setup (still need a center...) when I still had a small TV, and the 4.1 upgrade was more striking than when I moved up to a 52" HDTV. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/44675/315 | suibhne (65) Mar 15, 2007 - 09:53 am » Edited on Mar 15, 2007 - 09:55 am
| | I found this article interesting, because it's a slight departure from a lot of the benchmarking that gets published. I'm guessing you should see the same performance hit with 16 players online or 16 bots offline, though; the real impact is the particles, physics, etc. caused by all the moving bodies and shooting, rather than anything related to network traffic. With games like UT2k4, you can record demos of online play and then use those as benchmarking tools. Because they're raw data rather than recorded movies of gameplay, the game engine still has to go through all the calculation and rendering for particle effects, physics, etc., giving you a 100% repeatable benchmark that nevertheless simulates online play (without testing the network load, of course). The F.E.A.R. performance test seems to do the same thing, but it's not really representative of online play. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/17874/318 | suibhne (65) Mar 15, 2007 - 08:51 am
| Good presentation with lots of detail for the uninitiated (i.e., me!). A few questions or points:
- You may want to distinguish between different types of motion-sensing. SIXAXIS and laptop sensors are based on gyroscopic sensing, meaning they can detect changes of position but not real-world motion relative to an external point of reference. The Wiimote can do both, of course, as you acknowledge several times. I wasn't always sure if both functions of the Wiimote were supported and useful in all of these drivers, however.
- Who's your target audience for this? You mention at the opening that gaming will be the most obvious application for the Wiimote on PC, but your findings seem to suggest that it'll be more generally useful for media center PCs until drivers significantly improve.
- I'd like to hear more about the physical situation of using your Wiimote with PC. Given the small size of most computer monitors relative to televisions, is it feasible to use the Wiimote at all? Will it require sitting farther back from the PC than would normally be desirable? In what situations do you see this working and not working? Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61983/312 | suibhne (65) Mar 15, 2007 - 07:42 am » Edited on Mar 15, 2007 - 07:43 am
| | This was my first attempt at video upload through the mediablog system, and the result is highly pixelated. The DivX file I uploaded was clear, so perhaps this problem is due to further compression applied in the mediablog conversion to Flash? In any case, I'm sorry the video isn't easier to follow. It's just a simple demonstration of Jade Empire's mouse-and-keyboard interface, particularly the ease with which it can juggle multiple fighting styles and switch between targets on the fly. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Cluster Shout Box Link » /matrix/cluster.asp/15 | suibhne (65) Mar 14, 2007 - 10:18 pm
| | Took me about 10 minutes just to remember how to insert graphics - I kept submitting my piece and ordering the screenshots while entirely forgetting to select the checkboxes. ;) Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/62124/304 | suibhne (65) Mar 14, 2007 - 09:13 pm » Edited on Mar 15, 2007 - 03:12 pm
| Another great piece, Millroy. Big thumbs up. My only complaint is that you didn't write about something that interested me more, as I've never been a fan of racing games. ;)
Well, okay, not my only complaint. I lied. I'm sorry. I'll try to do better.
I wanted more structure. I felt your piece was too long to have no headings or subdivisions whatsoever; particularly with your detailed account of force-feedback in different driving games, it was easy to lose track of the relationship to your original point. I know that you know your structure - I simply think it could be clarified within the writing. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/11053/274 | suibhne (65) Mar 09, 2007 - 10:49 am
| | Very well written. What's lacking imo is context; as someone who hasn't yet played Supreme Commander, I don't get a feel from this article for what specific functionality is added by using dual monitors. Yes, more visibility - but what does that mean in terms of the game interface or what you achieve in-game? And how does the dual-monitor experience ultimately compare with single-monitor? Is this the "definitive" Supreme Commander experience, do you think, or is this just a nice add-on for people who already have two monitors? Flag this | Edit this post |
| Cluster Shout Box Link » /matrix/cluster.asp/11 | suibhne (65) Mar 05, 2007 - 03:52 pm » Edited on Mar 05, 2007 - 03:54 pm
| I'm another one of the folks who've read this site since the Thresh days. Heck, I remember heavily consulting FS when I put together my first home-built rig maybe 7 or 8 years ago. This contest was simply my impetus to register an account and start posting.
In any case, I wouldn't worry too much about a new editor defaulting on his or her responsibilities. FS isn't going to give away the bank without a legally binding contract, and I doubt the cash is going to be advanced before the writer's work is published. After all, it's a writing contract, not an advance. ;) Flag this | Edit this post |
| Cluster Shout Box Link » /matrix/cluster.asp/3 | suibhne (65) Feb 19, 2007 - 06:34 am
| | I wondered about that as well, but I think part of it may be the lack of calibration in the scale. For example, I looked at 5 as "average" and the highest scores I gave were a few 9's, but I'd guess that a lot of folks (for perfectly good reasons) didn't approach scoring the same way. Anyway, I'm clearly out of step here - most of my high scores were much higher than the average for those pieces, and most of my low scores were much lower. ;) Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61983/100 | suibhne (65) Feb 19, 2007 - 06:26 am
| | I started using 4 stars awhile back for two reasons: to force myself to take a stand on games I'm reviewing (since there's no middle rating, like 3 stars out of 5), but still to offer enough granularity for a basic idea of my viewpoint. If I could get away with it, I probably wouldn't use any ratings at all, instead focusing on setting out the positives and negatives in my review - but I know that wouldn't go over too well with much of the potential audience. ;) Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61869/58 | suibhne (65) Feb 18, 2007 - 12:07 pm » Edited on Feb 18, 2007 - 12:10 pm
| | Good writing. Much of the review is a recap or description of the game, however, with not nearly as much criticism or perspective from you as the reviewer. When you closed by saying "This is probably the best Zelda game I’ve ever played", I didn't understand your reasons for that. With more context and more of an individual slant, this could be excellent. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61800/60 | suibhne (65) Feb 18, 2007 - 12:03 pm
| | Good read, but your third point is a lot iffier than the first two. CoD treats its setting with some respect (though it's a far cry from Red Orchestra), and you could also cite games like The Last Express for their fidelity to history, but Titan Quest is much more typical of mass-market (non-serious) games; its setting makes a mess of Greek culture and history. God of War is an even better example, because it's a far better game and yet remains a very poor introduction to Greek mythology and culture. At their best, such games may inspire curiosity in their players, a drive to learn more about their settings - but at their worst, they impart a distorted and simplistic view of the history and culture in which they're set. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/18926/69 | suibhne (65) Feb 18, 2007 - 11:53 am » Edited on Feb 18, 2007 - 11:56 am
| | Clear introduction. My primary concern is that you essentially summarized much of the information directly from Microsoft with little analysis or criticism; I would've been very interested in more independent perspective. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/12941/70 | suibhne (65) Feb 18, 2007 - 11:51 am
| | Your writing is very clean, but I wanted far more detail about the game mechanics; I didn't get much of a picture about how it actually plays. (On the other hand, some folks thought my review was far too long, so I might not be representative here. ;) ) How's the interface? What is the scale of the campaigns? How does the "commander" system work? How do victory conditions work? Is there a tactical battle interface? (Seems like no.) Etc. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61849/73 | suibhne (65) Feb 18, 2007 - 11:42 am » Edited on Feb 18, 2007 - 11:44 am
| | Well-written, but I wonder about the intended audience; it seemed more like an academic paper than a popular gaming piece. On the other hand, with some restructuring (to more clearly introduce the specific game mechanics you're describing - by which I mean the damage stats for q3 weapons, the health and armor system, etc.) and a slightly different focus, this could be a good piece on a subject that's not very well understood by non-competitive FPS players. The basic message could be made very interesting for a general audience: that competitive FPS dueling at its best is about resource control and large-scale strategy, not about weapons skill. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61800/103 | suibhne (65) Feb 18, 2007 - 11:29 am
| There's a huge amount of research out there about the effects of videogaming, even different types of videogaming - bad effects as well as some really interesting benefits. I'm puzzled about why you tackled a topic that's been talked to death but chose to ignore all preceding data, instead creating your own measurements for the value of games.
The other problem is that, in this sort of approach, we play right into the hands of folks like Thompson. He points out that gaming is a mass market, but he then focuses on the edge cases; the reality is that, despite the success of GTA and Halo, most of our mass market is actually not based on headshots or killing hookers (leaving aside the fact that those are inaccurate descriptions anyway). Gaming is just as healthy and diverse a cultural area as movies or books, but Thompson seeks to paint the entire market as if it's all violent, hardcore games - and we too frequently accept his terms of debate without even questioning them. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61960/98 | suibhne (65) Feb 18, 2007 - 11:16 am
| | I like the basic style and flow of this article, but I have two specific concerns. First, it's basically a long list of game titles without any context; the only people who will actually recognize all of the names you toss out there are the people who didn't actually need this article, so I think it needs to be more explanatory for a general audience. Second, the extended dinnertime metaphor didn't do much for me, but that's a strictly personal opinion. ;) Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61983/100 | suibhne (65) Feb 18, 2007 - 11:10 am
| | Thanks. What would you recommend be cut? My approach to reviews in the past has been to err on the long side, partly because short reviews with sparse details are so easy to come by on the intarwebs, but I'd be interested to hear which parts of this were least useful or significant for you. I'm always trying to figure out better ways to approach gaming. :) Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/44675/61 | suibhne (65) Feb 18, 2007 - 11:05 am
| | On the one hand, this seems aimed at a basic audience, but you still toss around some more abstruse details without context or explanation (like HDCP and prefetch). Personally, I disagree with your recommendation of "bargain" RAM, unless you combine that with "name-brand" or "reputable"; most average (non-tech-savvy) readers will read "bargain" and think that generic RAM makes your cut, and I think that's problematic advice. (There's plenty of bargain RAM offered by major manufacturers like Crucial and Kingston, as you note, so it's important to go for the solid warranty and reputation when choosing such a vital system component - even if you're buying on the low end.) Overall, though, I like your basic approach to what should and should not be considered for upgrade. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61679/110 | suibhne (65) Feb 15, 2007 - 08:28 am
| It's always tricky to address in established journalistic outlets due to the messy legal questions, but don't forget emulation.
Also take a look at GameShadow's "Innovation" awards:
http://www.gameshadow.com/awards/winners.asp
Among the winners are a few flashy marquee titles, but many of the titles listed are indie games and some have very forgiving system requirements. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/62124/107 | suibhne (65) Feb 15, 2007 - 08:15 am
| Great stuff - really straddles the line between review and opinion piece, but it's perfect for Valentine's Day and gave me a few good laughs.
As an old TNG and DS9 fan (not Voyager, thanks very much), I've been watching this game's release and the reaction of the fan communities. It seems to have been a sad train wreck, possibly even worse than the whole debacle with Master of Orion 3. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Cluster Shout Box Link » /matrix/cluster.asp/3 | suibhne (65) Feb 15, 2007 - 07:49 am » Edited on Feb 15, 2007 - 07:50 am
| | My only concern is that the popular vote favors people who can mobilize online communities to visit and vote for their entries. It would be different if a broad cross-section of FS's readership read through all of these entries, but that's difficult to achieve. Once entries are narrowed down to, say, five or less, I can see a popular vote being weighed much more heavily in determining the final winners. At this stage, however, the field is pretty chaotic; a popular vote is more likely to be people connected with the individual writer than general readers who've had an opportunity to evaluate and compare all of the entries. ;) Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61983/100 | suibhne (65) Feb 14, 2007 - 09:34 pm
| | Thanks. I think reviews should provide as much detail as possible - partly to substantiate the reviewer's particular judgment, but primarily to help the reader make his own determination. We sometimes see reviews that formulaically shoot for journalistic balance by mentioning a few positives and negatives, but don't actually provide enough detail for readers to understand the reviewer's perspective or arrive at an independent feel for the game. Flag this | Edit this post |
| Matrix Blog Link » /matrix/blog.asp/61679/105 | suibhne (65) Feb 14, 2007 - 07:51 pm » Edited on Feb 15, 2007 - 07:52 am
| Don't miss that the market itself has changed, tho. When Zelda first dropped, it was a monumental hit - but the market was miniscule compared to today. I'm not sure the Zelda franchise needed to be "seeded", as you suggest, quite so much as it simply grew with the market.
On the other hand, I agree with your pinpointing of development costs as a big part of the problem. You have to know there's something wrong when you hear that Gears of War is unusual for costing less than $10 million to develop. Flag this | Edit this post |
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