Path: chuka.playstation.co.uk!news From: "Nick Ferguson" Newsgroups: scee.yaroze.freetalk.english Subject: Re: Next Generation EX Plus Alpha Date: Sun, 3 May 1998 12:00:40 +0100 Organization: PlayStation Net Yaroze (SCEE) Lines: 139 Message-ID: <6ii1cg$jpr5@chuka.playstation.co.uk> References: <35363517.A88BA96D@creatron.de> <6h8k7h$shn7@chuka.playstation.co.uk> <6hi2q8$3li10@chuka.playstation.co.uk> <353DD25A.2FAC@writeme.com> <6hlmrq$3li23@chuka.playstation.co.uk> <3549C49C.58D6@saqnet.co.uk> <1d8czbz.133ecyt1jgszeoN@a1-88-123.a1.nl> NNTP-Posting-Host: 195.2.150.36 X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4 X-Mimeole: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4 Hi Dennis, Here's a long, wandering reply written on a dull Sunday morning... DEnnis Brinkhuis wrote in message <1d8czbz.133ecyt1jgszeoN@a1-88-123.a1.nl>... >> Yeah, OK. But consider that the N64 costs less than a 3DFX card. I think >> James means that for a machine priced for the mass-market, the N64 is a >> VERY high powered rendering sys. > >I think that is a bad comparison. Yes a N64 is much cheaper but then >again, Nintendo earns money on the games, not the console.The more >games, the cheaper a PC and the more expensive N64. Sorry, but I totally disagree. When you look at the difference in price between an N64, and a PC that can run most new games, you'd have to buy A LOT of N64 games to make up that price difference. Plus, the initial spending of £100 for an N64 (sorry - don't know how much things cost in Holland!) versus about £1000 for a decent gamesplaying PC (and that's with a lot of looking about) means that most people cannot afford a PC because of that high early pricetag. I would also argue that the level of technical knowledge required to run games on a PC, and the difficult-to-learn controls (keyboard and mouse) of many games put people off. An N64 is 'true' plug-and-play, with a standard controller that all the games use. To many people (myself included), that is better than a machine which guzzles money, requires upgrades every year and lacks the "gamesy" feel of an N64! All IMHO, of course :-) >And yes, the N64 is very powerfull, but it's not about the machine but >about the games. A sentiment I also share - look at my (ridiculed!) entry in the Next Generation thread... >What can you do if all your friends own a PSX and you a >N64 and all your friends buy 2 or 3 games (out of 400) when you can buy >1 (out of 30) for the same money. Well, you can relish the fact you can play Goldeneye, ISS, Mario, Wave Race, Star Fox, Blast Corps, Turok, Shadows of the Empire, Pilotwings (see: parachute sim), Mario Kart, Diddy Kong Racing, 1080 Snowboarding, Tetrisphere, Quake, etc etc and they cannot. Also, you can play multiplayer games like Goldeneye. Invite your friends round, and have 4-player tournaments. It's great! Yes, you can argue that N64 games are more expensive - and I cannot argue with that, OK? :-) That is just cart vs CD, and we don't want to argue about that because it's boring! I just think that for many N64 games, the extra money is worth it. There is nothing to rival Goldeneye or Mario on PS - yet! >And yes, Golden eye is great. But most >programmers choose the PSX platform for it's much more simple structure >that leads to shorter production-times. The concurention is killing and >therefore you just must come up with the best if you want to have a hit. Again IMHO, Goldeneye is the best first-person shooter ever. Mario is the best 3D platformer ever. These games are hits! The other thing that makes a hit is originality - Nintendo make really original games, compared to PS which has lots and lots of crap, derivitave games and a minority of excellent titles. I'm not saying that the N64 is "better" than the PS - technically it is, commercially it isn't - but I think people don't give the machine enough credit sometimes. >And if I compare the games from N64 with PSX, I like the PSX games more >course of the gameplay. Not the quality of the system it's running on. >And I supose you to, otherwise you would not be a member of NY, or is >that becouse Nintendo doesn't have a project like this? Well, I think it is difficult to say you prefer one system "because of the gameplay". Do you mean you tend to prefer games of a driving/fighting variety (good reasons to own a PS!)? Or, do you not like the childish element in many Nintendo games (another good reason to prefer PS)? I would argue that one of the main reasons Nintendo has done as well as it has in Europe and the US (if not Japan) is because of the strong gameplay in many of its titles. I think that some PS owners are a bit tired of seeing the same crap on the shelf - Fighter XX+ Alpha, Hard Rockin' Driving 3, etc - and like the idea of a Nintendo system which might not have many games, but many of those games are an event when they come out! I'd rather have 10 great games than 30 OK ones. If Nintendo and Sony had a rival system like Net Yaroze, I'd be tempted towards the Nintendo one, but I realise the PS is easier to write for (important if you can't yet program, like me!) and I have to say I don't like Nintendo's attitude towards consumers - it is very high-handed and arrogant. But then, Nintendo would NEVER start a NY program because of the sort of company they are. I think N's recent fall from grace has a lot to do with this arrogant attitude... >(you probably say that you are lucky having more systems but most of us >don't have that). Yes, I am lucky. And you might ask how I afford it? Well, I don't smoke, I don't drink (much) and I tend to buy many games in Hong Kong where they are much cheaper (no, I don't mean pirate stuff). For example, I could get an N64 with Mario 64, Starfox and ISS for less than £140. PS stuff in HK is actually more expensive than most N64 stuff, FYI. I also make some money bringing back games for my friends - usually I charge 10% like other 'agents' :-) I would also argue that having all systems (and thus no, or at least less, reason for system bias) makes me a better person to judge them - I have an N64, Sega Saturn, N64 and 3DFX PC and I love them all. Alas, I also have no life :-) (actually, I DO have a girlfriend - although she hates computery stuff with a passion). >And the comparison between PC-game and console-game... You buy a PC-game >to play alone behind the box you use for other stuff than just games. A >console system is to play relaxed from your lazy chair and watching a >big screen Tely. You said it! PC games like Red Alert, Starcraft and Quake II are awesome! N64 games like Goldeneye and ISS are awesome! PS games like Tekken 3 and Resident Evil 2 are awesome! Saturn games like Nights and Sega Rally are awesome! Some systems may have more great games, but I think all systems are awesome (except Jaguar!) All this aside, you sound like my kind of guy, DEnnis :-) Don't take that the wrong way, now! Oh, BTW, your english is excellent!!! Better than most of the AOLers who post on rec.games.video.sony anyway (heh! Maybe that isn't a compliment...) Hey, it's only a game! Nick "certified games vegetable" F -------------------------------- nickf@saqnet.co.uk http://www.saqnet.co.uk/users/nickf/index.html http://www.n64gazetta.com http://www.netyaroze-europe.com/~rookie1 ICQ #: 9464742 "...the Master of Unlocking..."