We don't always like being nonplussed

Friday, February 3, 2012

Ogre Battle Part 2: Warren Peace


Okay, we're back! We've met our hero, FLAIL, and his personal guard of Fighters and a Cleric. So now, we go to meet Warren at his castle for the final test.



It's a nice, simple map. A town, a Roshian Temple... and a few secrets. We're off!

Editorial: Used vs. New

Within the last week or so on their site and on Twitter, Gabe and Tycho (especially Gabe) of Penny Arcade weighed in on the issue of buying used games vs buying new ones. The main thrust of what they say is that to buy used is not supporting the actual makers of the games, and they're not sure why anyone does it. And as straightforward arguments go, it's a pretty good one. But it lacks the nuance of reality.

When Gabe and Tycho and others in the industry say "used games," they mean "a game sitting on the shelf next to a brand-new copy on Week One, except it's $5 less and none of that goes to the publisher." When the rest of us say used games it may include that, but it largely includes "oh cool, here's that game I didn't pick up three years ago because I couldn't afford it/wasn't sure about it."

There is a long-view to take of used games here as well, one perhaps even of cultural preservation if you want to go there. But of course none of these things matter because publishers, as they try to curtail or eliminate all used games, are really only worrying about those Week One copies. This is typical.

I'd also like to note that this War on Gamestop is being prosecuted by companies who still willingly do business with Gamestop, and the industry people chiding me over buying used are quite frequently people who regularly get pre-release copies of things for free. I'm really feeling that "I buy" moral fiber there, guys.

But that's not even the main thing, or the reason that I think the argument took Gabe by surprise. This argument coincided with the rumors that the next Xbox would have some kind of mechanism to keep used discs from playing at all. And while I really don't have too much of a problem with every game having $10 worth of DLC that new buyers get for free (I don't like it but it doesn't render the game unplayable when I pick it up at the flea market years later), this lockout is something that would prevent me from buying a system.

Seeing a connection as I think a lot of others did, I argued in favor of used games.

I think the industry overreacts to the used market the same way it overreacts to piracy, but there's a more basic and primal thing here that they're running afoul of:

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Ogre Battle Part 1: Are You a Born General? Take Our Free Quiz!

Been a while, huh?

I'll be honest: after Romancing Saga 2 took me six months of confused slogging to get through, I was mildly demoralized to say the least. Flailing Through is the point, but so's being entertaining, and Saga was pushing it at the end. I did some demos for a while, some shorter projects... and then Isstvan82 so generously did two long-ass games in a row, Dragon Quest VI and Pokemon Gold, while I juggled projects and got my bearings. But it's time I got back in the game.

Which game?

Retro Gaming Roundtable #2: Innovation

Later today, my new Flail begins, but for now: Retro Gaming Roundtable is back! This question was a lot harder to answer for me than the first, but I'm pretty happy with what I came up with- and pretty impressed with what everyone else had to say! Go check it out!

Retro Gaming Roundtable #2: In your opinion, what was the single most significant innovation in gaming?

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Pokemon Gold Part 73: We Won!

Isstvan82 vs. Gary Oak in a battle to the death! Or a battle to the inconvenience, possibly.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Pokemon Gold Part 72: 7 Badges! Next Stop, Gary!

In terms of this Flailthrough, Gary Motherfucking Oak is the last boss of Pokemon Gold. Stay tuned!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Pokemon Gold Part 71: The Islands Call To Us!

2 badges left until the end of Pokemon Gold!

The Greatest Treasure in the Universe

For most of the past year I've been watching Pirate Sentai Gokaiger, the latest in the Super Sentai series adapted for the past 20 years as Power Rangers. Absolutely spectacular show, great fight choreography and fun characters. I recommend it highly, and both anticipate and shudder to see how Saban chooses to adapt it a couple years from now.

But why is it relevant to a gaming site? Well, the Gokaigers are after the Greatest Treasure in the Universe, which is hidden here on Earth. Next week, they find it. Or something they assume is it. And it looks like this:


Looking forward to the big fight with Ganon this weekend!