November 2008 NPD Thread

Page 4 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: Fardringle
Little Big Planet actually looks creative and entertaining, but it's a pretty blatant attempt (in my opinion) to capture the attention of people who like games like Nintendo's Animal Crossing. However, anyone that is going to play that game probably already has a Wii and isn't going to spend $600 for a new console just to play a game similar to what they already have.

LBP is nothing at all like Animal Crossing. They have nothing in common that I can think of, besides maybe being able to "dress" your character (not sure if you do this in AC or not, though).
 

Dari

Lifer
Oct 25, 2002
17,133
38
91
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Fardringle
Little Big Planet actually looks creative and entertaining, but it's a pretty blatant attempt (in my opinion) to capture the attention of people who like games like Nintendo's Animal Crossing. However, anyone that is going to play that game probably already has a Wii and isn't going to spend $600 for a new console just to play a game similar to what they already have.

LBP is nothing at all like Animal Crossing. They have nothing in common that I can think of, besides maybe being able to "dress" your character (not sure if you do this in AC or not, though).

I play games to release stress. i.e. I like to race, blow something up, or play some type of sports game. I'll leave "dress-up" (LBP) and "dating" (Home) to my little nieces.
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: Dari
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Fardringle
Little Big Planet actually looks creative and entertaining, but it's a pretty blatant attempt (in my opinion) to capture the attention of people who like games like Nintendo's Animal Crossing. However, anyone that is going to play that game probably already has a Wii and isn't going to spend $600 for a new console just to play a game similar to what they already have.

LBP is nothing at all like Animal Crossing. They have nothing in common that I can think of, besides maybe being able to "dress" your character (not sure if you do this in AC or not, though).

I play games to release stress. i.e. I like to race, blow something up, or play some type of sports game. I'll leave "dress-up" (LBP) and "dating" (Home) to my little nieces.

LBP is MUCH more than "dress-up", and Home isn't at all about "dating". Do you people even play this shit before you bad mouth it on the internet?
 

Dari

Lifer
Oct 25, 2002
17,133
38
91
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Dari
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Fardringle
Little Big Planet actually looks creative and entertaining, but it's a pretty blatant attempt (in my opinion) to capture the attention of people who like games like Nintendo's Animal Crossing. However, anyone that is going to play that game probably already has a Wii and isn't going to spend $600 for a new console just to play a game similar to what they already have.

LBP is nothing at all like Animal Crossing. They have nothing in common that I can think of, besides maybe being able to "dress" your character (not sure if you do this in AC or not, though).

I play games to release stress. i.e. I like to race, blow something up, or play some type of sports game. I'll leave "dress-up" (LBP) and "dating" (Home) to my little nieces.

LBP is MUCH more than "dress-up", and Home isn't at all about "dating". Do you people even play this shit before you bad mouth it on the internet?

Tell me, what can a straight, adult male with a gf/wife/fiancee find useful in those two games? The artwork on LBP looks like it's made for kids. Home looks like you're socializing with others.
 

bl4ckfl4g

Diamond Member
Feb 13, 2007
3,669
0
0
I've played it at my brothers house with him for about 2 hours. I like the graphics. I like the creativity. I hate the subpar platforming mechanics.
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: Dari
Tell me, what can a straight, adult male with a gf/wife/fiancee find useful in those two games? The artwork on LBP looks like it's made for kids. Home looks like you're socializing with others.

First, Home isn't a game. But heterosexual adult males (not sure when we decided to discuss demographics) can hop in there with their buddies and play pool/bowling/arcade, or use the promised strategizing features for certain games. LBP is a fun platformer and a revolutionary tool on consoles for creating your own levels, regardless of what you think it looks like. It's obvious you have never even been close to playing it.

As a 28-year old married male, Home does not appeal to me after giving it a little time (I find it boring). I own LBP, and enjoy it. I also do not think LBP looks like it's made for kids.
 

Dumac

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,391
1
0
Originally posted by: Dari
Tell me, what can a straight, adult male with a gf/wife/fiancee find useful in those two games? The artwork on LBP looks like it's made for kids. Home looks like you're socializing with others.

Originally posted by: Dari
I play games to release stress. i.e. I like to race, blow something up, or play some type of sports game. I'll leave "dress-up" (LBP) and "dating" (Home) to my little nieces.

Wow, this is pathetic. You don't have to try to fill cultural expectations of masculinity. I would tell you the aspects in which you were wrong, but you wouldn't care, as you already deemed LBP as a game for girls or kids. It's way to girly for your hypermasculine self.

Just stick with playing games filled with iconic symbols of masculinity, like GoW, BRO.
 

Dumac

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,391
1
0
Originally posted by: Fardringle

Valkyria may be a good game, but nothing I have seen about it (screenshots, videos, reviews, etc.) give me any reason to want to play it, and I love playing computer RPGs. The anime drawing style (the women look like advertisements for plastic surgery clinics and the men look like women who need some of that plastic surgery) annoys me and I wish game developers would stop using it so much.

Nothing makes you want to play it? Not even the fact that it's an amazingly unique cross between RPGs and SRPGs with intuitive controls and features? I guess if that isn't enough, nothing will be.

Also, your comment about plastic surgery is dumb, and I don't even know exactly what you are talking about. Also, I haven't played a single other game that looked like Valkyria Chronicles, so I don't know what developers you are talking about.
 

Dari

Lifer
Oct 25, 2002
17,133
38
91
Originally posted by: Dumac
Originally posted by: Dari
Tell me, what can a straight, adult male with a gf/wife/fiancee find useful in those two games? The artwork on LBP looks like it's made for kids. Home looks like you're socializing with others.

Originally posted by: Dari
I play games to release stress. i.e. I like to race, blow something up, or play some type of sports game. I'll leave "dress-up" (LBP) and "dating" (Home) to my little nieces.

Wow, this is pathetic. You don't have to try to fill cultural expectations of masculinity. I would tell you the aspects in which you were wrong, but you wouldn't care, as you already deemed LBP as a game for girls or kids. It's way to girly for your hypermasculine self.

Just stick with playing games filled with iconic symbols of masculinity, like GoW, BRO.

http://www.littlebigplanet.com/

I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover but one look at that thing and I move on. BTW, who the fuck has time or money to give a $60 game a try? I don't. Enjoy your LBP, buddy.
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: Dari
BTW, who the fuck has time or money to give a $60 game a try? I don't. Enjoy your LBP, buddy.

Well, you could've just said something like that in the first place instead of insinuating that only children and gays would want to play it. Maybe next time, go with a "I wish they'd release a demo, otherwise I'm not going to pay $60 to try it out."
 

Dumac

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,391
1
0
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Well, you could've just said something like that in the first place instead of insinuating that only children and gays would want to play it. Maybe next time, go with a "I wish they'd release a demo, otherwise I'm not going to pay $60 to try it out."

That's not his real reason. His real reason for not playing is that he has defined LBP as a game only for gays and his little niece.

Originally posted by: Dari
http://www.littlebigplanet.com/

I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover but one look at that thing and I move on. BTW, who the fuck has time or money to give a $60 game a try? I don't. Enjoy your LBP, buddy.

There is nothing inherently wrong or repulsive by the website, so I don't know what you point is. It's a lot less "kiddie" than the websites for Nintendo games (I bet you don't even play those, as they are definately way to feminine for someone as hypermasculine as yourself).

I do enjoy LBP, as it's a great game for someone of any age, as long as they don't have a complex regarding mainstream social values of manliness.

Finally, I'm not your buddy, BRO.
 

Dari

Lifer
Oct 25, 2002
17,133
38
91
Originally posted by: Dumac
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Well, you could've just said something like that in the first place instead of insinuating that only children and gays would want to play it. Maybe next time, go with a "I wish they'd release a demo, otherwise I'm not going to pay $60 to try it out."

That's not his real reason. His real reason for not playing is that he has defined LBP as a game only for gays and his little niece.

Originally posted by: Dari
http://www.littlebigplanet.com/

I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover but one look at that thing and I move on. BTW, who the fuck has time or money to give a $60 game a try? I don't. Enjoy your LBP, buddy.

There is nothing inherently wrong or repulsive by the website, so I don't know what you point is. It's a lot less "kiddie" than the websites for Nintendo games (I bet you don't even play those, as they are definately way to feminine for someone as hypermasculine as yourself).

I do enjoy LBP, as it's a great game for someone of any age, as long as they don't have a complex regarding mainstream social values of manliness.

Finally, I'm not your buddy, BRO.

Listen bro, my fiancee and I have a wii. We play the hell out of Wii Sports all the time. But it's a sports game. As for LBP, whatever floats your boat, I guess. BTW, what is the point of that game? I'm 27 and I simply don't have time for drawn out games anymore.
 

Slew Foot

Lifer
Sep 22, 2005
12,379
96
86
Originally posted by: rocadelpunk
I'm in the same boat of people whose wii is collecting dust.

I'm giving it till the 1to1 adapter comes out. If no good games come from that I'll sell.

Wii hasnt had any good titles come out for a while. Until some 1:1 Zelda or major league sports title comes out, im sure mine will see limited action.
 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
Originally posted by: Slew Foot
Originally posted by: rocadelpunk
I'm in the same boat of people whose wii is collecting dust.

I'm giving it till the 1to1 adapter comes out. If no good games come from that I'll sell.

Wii hasnt had any good titles come out for a while. Until some 1:1 Zelda or major league sports title comes out, im sure mine will see limited action.

This is something that kinda irritates me about the Wii. With the numbers its selling, you'd think that developers would be more inclined to produce more titles, across a range of ESRB ratings. Its hard for me to see why a console that sells millions of units per month, dwarfing its competitors significantly, only has a handful of titles, and only casual products.

Where's the next Zelda?
 

sourceninja

Diamond Member
Mar 8, 2005
8,805
65
91
I have a nintendo, super nintendo, sega genisis, gamecube, wii, playstation, playstation 2, xbox and a xbox 360. I have not yet found a game compelling enough to buy a ps3 (and blueray is not appealing to me with HD on demand).

Had sony's prices been competitive when I decided to buy a next gen console to play next gen games I might of considered them. But at this point everygame I want to play has a 360 release, so there is just no point in the ps3. Plus everyone I know has a 360 and not a ps3. That makes the online gaming on the 360 that much more valuable.
 
Oct 19, 2000
17,860
4
81
Originally posted by: Bateluer
This is something that kinda irritates me about the Wii. With the numbers its selling, you'd think that developers would be more inclined to produce more titles, across a range of ESRB ratings. Its hard for me to see why a console that sells millions of units per month, dwarfing its competitors significantly, only has a handful of titles, and only casual products.

Where's the next Zelda?

The number of titles on the Wii isn't the problem. The number of good titles, however, is arguable.
 

darkrisen2003

Senior member
Sep 13, 2004
382
0
76
What sony needs to do to get back in this is to add the BC chip back into the mix and do a major price drop. The blue ray drives are much cheaper now and hard drives are rediculosly cheap as well so I honestly cannot see why the production costs can still be as high as it was back in 06.
 

Trader05

Diamond Member
Mar 1, 2000
5,096
20
81
Originally posted by: darkrisen2003
What sony needs to do to get back in this is to add the BC chip back into the mix and do a major price drop. The blue ray drives are much cheaper now and hard drives are rediculosly cheap as well so I honestly cannot see why the production costs can still be as high as it was back in 06.

All they need is to add the software emulation


PCWorld replying to Cnn's PS3 Sinking Ship article

 

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
22,071
885
126
Major price drop, FULL BC compatibility and more focus on GAMES and not BR would bring sony into the fray. Its probably too late now but I bet the PS4 will be cheaper, have full BC and Sony will focus more on games.

I find it crazy that they were number one with the previous generation with the most inferior system (GC and Xbox were more powerful) but had the best games and this generation they have the most powerful system and the least amount of musthave games.

I hope they get it together next round.
 

erwos

Diamond Member
Apr 7, 2005
4,778
0
76
New theory: the reason the 360 is doing so well compared to the PS3 is a combination of the "first into market" advantage combined with the social aggregation effects of multiplayer gaming. That is to say, there is something of an exponential effect to the concept of "well, my buddies all have X console" which gives a larger-than-previously-seen boost to the console first into the market.
 

R Nilla

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2006
3,835
1
0
Originally posted by: erwos
New theory: the reason the 360 is doing so well compared to the PS3 is a combination of the "first into market" advantage combined with the social aggregation effects of multiplayer gaming. That is to say, there is something of an exponential effect to the concept of "well, my buddies all have X console" which gives a larger-than-previously-seen boost to the console first into the market.

:confused: I think it's pretty simple:

129.99 Playstation 2
149.99 Playstation 2 LEGO Batman Bundle (includes one game and one DVD)
199.99 XBOX 360 Arcade (includes 6 games--one retail title and five XBLA titles)
249.99 Nintendo Wii (includes one game: Wii Sports)
299.99 XBOX 360 Pro 60GB (includes two retail titles)
399.99 Playstation 3 80GB (no games included)
399.99 XBOX 360 Elite 120GB (includes two retail titles)
499.99 Playstation 3 160GB (includes two games--one retail title and one PSN title)

Not to mention places like Wal-mart offer bundles like this and this that offer more bang for your buck.

I agree with your theory and I'm sure it plays a role, but overall (specifically with the general population in mind) I think the price of admission is the biggest factor.

EDITED to include PS2
 

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
Yeh, there's no mystery to the Xbox's success this late in the game. With the Arcade versions going for as low as $160'ish from Dell and even $180 or so from B&M retailers it's the clear cut price winner.

Plus it's the only real console that is a straight up, no compromise gaming console. It doesn't have gimmicky controllers and pander to particular demographics. It doesn't advertise itself as a movie player. It just games. And does it well.
 

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
22,071
885
126
Originally posted by: vi edit
it's the only real console that is a straight up, no compromise gaming console. It doesn't have gimmicky controllers and pander to particular demographics. It doesn't advertise itself as a movie player. It just games. And does it well.

Well said. I also think the PS3 tried harder to be an all-in-one unit and missed the big picture and most wanted feature: Games.

Even with having to pay for Live and no Wi-Fi the Xbox just plain plays games. If live were free and the xbox had Wi-fi built in it would sell even more. My only peeve is the freaking proprietary storage for the 360. Thats were the PS3 trumps it. When I heard that the next FF game was going to be a PS3 exclusive I was saving up for a PS3, when it was said to come out for the 360 I bailed. Games man, its about games. Thats why I dont get an iphone. I dont need an all-in-one gadget that doesnt excel in any one of them. I have a cell phone to use as a cell phone, I have several MP3 players to use as MP3 players. I have a PSP and a DS for my portable gaming needs and each gadget does what its supposed to do and it does it well.
 

R Nilla

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2006
3,835
1
0
Originally posted by: Oyeve
My only peeve is the freaking proprietary storage for the 360.

Especially considering you can buy a 1.5TB drive for less than the cost of the 120GB 360 HDD. :Q:|
 

BoberFett

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
37,562
9
81
Originally posted by: erwos
New theory: the reason the 360 is doing so well compared to the PS3 is a combination of the "first into market" advantage combined with the social aggregation effects of multiplayer gaming. That is to say, there is something of an exponential effect to the concept of "well, my buddies all have X console" which gives a larger-than-previously-seen boost to the console first into the market.

I think you're right. Those two items have huge influences in the current console market.

Other than a few exclusives PS3 and 360 are for all intents and purposes equal. I bought a 360 because almost everyone I know has one. I know only one person with a PS3, and he only really has it for his kids, he doesn't play it. So because my friends are early adopters and bought the 360 before the PS3 was even available, I have one now.

I think the lower price plus the friend factor will put MS on top this generation. Well, on top of the PS3 anyway. Nintendo is obviously the true winner.