shouamabane
Member
I've listened to one and a half of these today. It's very good.
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USGamer podcast has started. It's Retronauts with some current game talk.
- Thread starter Corgi
- Start date
It looks like it wasn't deleted from the the libsyn feed, though.
ToastyFrog
Inexplicable Treasure Hate
Well, today I learned that just because you delete something from Libsyn doesn't necessarily mean it's ACTUALLY deleted.
nckillthegrimace
Member
I strongly disagree with Bob and Jeremy regarding Zelda. Zelda should be linear because it allows the puzzles and dungeons to be more complex. Just look at A Link Between Worlds: open design, incredibly simplistic puzzles. The game has to assume you have nothing but the one required item because of its open design, so there aren't any puzzles that build on skills you've previously learned in other dungeons. I am wary that Zelda Wii U will continue this regressive slide into simplicity, as it appears even more open than ALBW. I wish they had continued to refine the formula instead of ejecting the last twenty years of iterative design to end up with something just like every other open world game on the market.
Critics and players loved ALBW's changes, though, so clearly I am in a minority. It's just frustrating to see Zelda become like these open world games because open world fans have a whole litany of games; the only game like Zelda is Zelda. And that's not even true anymore.
Critics and players loved ALBW's changes, though, so clearly I am in a minority. It's just frustrating to see Zelda become like these open world games because open world fans have a whole litany of games; the only game like Zelda is Zelda. And that's not even true anymore.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Shoulda went with Axe of the Bloodgod. Enemies of USGamer driven before them, lamentations of their women, etc, etcetera.
MHWilliams
Member
I'm sure AXE OF THE BLOOD GOD will return one day.
I think the Zelda formula is malleable enough - the jump from Zelda to Zelda II for example - to play around. That's a reason I enjoy the series; if it doesn't work, you just switch it up the next time.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
I've been on this Zelda train since the late 80s, and I could not disagree more. The linearity in Zelda is unwelcome and it's killing the appeal of what I once liked about the series.
I don't want it to run to some open world "formula". I'm not asking for Skyrim or GTA or Assasin's Creed with quests and crap.
What I want is for it to be unstuck from the linear tube that it's been increasingly boxed into since OoT (and especially with the Wii ones). I don't want to do chores for villagers before I'm let free. I don't want to solve your puzzles in the exact order I am expected to solve them in.
Zelda started out as a big open adventure and it's turned into a series where you do things in a prescribed order. It's almost the antithesis of what I want from the series.
There is a way forward which isn't Skyrim and it isn't the first 5 hours of TP herding cows, doing chores and walking through a linear diorama of a dungeon. It's the evolution of Zelda 1 and LttP, which has been forgotten.
nckillthegrimace
Member
Since LttP, right after your example, Zelda has hewn fairly close to the dungeon-item-boss formula for 20 years. And that formula has had abberations like Majora's Mask, but never a wholesale rejection like ALBW. Flexibility and experimentation are welcome; rejection of the whole thing is not.
What's the point of openness if it diminishes the quality of the content? I want good, complex puzzles and dungeons, like in Twilight Princess, Spirit Tracks, and Skyward Sword, and I can't get that with the wide open entries like ALBW and the original game. How can a dungeon be as complex as possible if the designer has no idea what tools the player has?
Just came up with a name for the cast, but it's obviously too late. Anyway: "It's us, Gamers!" as in "It's a me, Mario!".
...Wow, upon writing it down sounds even more ridiculous than I thought!
Great ep. guys, keep them coming. I hope you can work some day on together in the same room, I'm sure the delivery will come out fresher.
...Wow, upon writing it down sounds even more ridiculous than I thought!
Great ep. guys, keep them coming. I hope you can work some day on together in the same room, I'm sure the delivery will come out fresher.
nckillthegrimace
Member
Oh yeah, despite my disagreements with J&B re: Zelda, I love the podcast so far. Big fan of how it's structured around topics and not just What'cha Been Playing, News, etc. Also, low energy, but not dull. Sharp contrast to nearly every other gaming podcast I listen to.
HamPster PamPster
Member
RIP the brilliant name "In Pod We Trust"
2014-2015
May it live on in our hearts and as a thread's subtitle
2014-2015
May it live on in our hearts and as a thread's subtitle
MHWilliams
Member
Today also marks the first edition of our weekly webcomic: Video Game Cheats 'n Beatums.
If the art looks familiar, that's because it's drawn by KC Green, creator of the Gunshow.
Yeah, we pretty much rock.
If the art looks familiar, that's because it's drawn by KC Green, creator of the Gunshow.
Yeah, we pretty much rock.
MHWilliams
Member
Aww shit. Can't wait to hear this.
With SS they accomplished that, they just couldn't hide it as well. People saw the map and looked at the borders and cried about linearity.
You're speaking my language man and you're not in the minority. Plenty of people love the newer games and hope that Zelda U will continue building on all the new ground SS broke. Zelda has only gotten better. You can practically see the design chops of Aonuma's team continue to grow in game after game. I don't think we have to worry about Zelda becoming anything like Skyrim. Aonuma himself played Skyrim and didn't sound too impressed with it, so I don't think the team is going to take much inspiration from it. Everything he's been saying points to an evolution of what SS was trying to do in filling the world with actual content instead of open, barren fields.
With SS they accomplished that, they just couldn't hide it as well. People saw the map and looked at the borders and cried about linearity.
MHWilliams
Member
man, that edit to the 'should you buy a new 3ds?' article is just plain mean
Jeremy, like me, was really looking forward to the US version of the regular new 3DS. It's a well-designed piece of kit in a way the 3DS XL falls a bit short of.
Currently listening to it.
Majoras Mask least popular Zelda? Come on Bob... lol.
And Monster Hunter, Xenoblade, Zelda and Co. are just the lineup for the first month's of the year, it's not like they'll stop releasing games after the spring. We won't know their full holiday lineup before e3.
Jerry is point on though about the cost and risk calculations NoA is having right now when it comes to the 3DS in the US. Seems like they hands are tied by many different factors including retailer support and general lower sales in the last months.
Majoras Mask least popular Zelda? Come on Bob... lol.
And Monster Hunter, Xenoblade, Zelda and Co. are just the lineup for the first month's of the year, it's not like they'll stop releasing games after the spring. We won't know their full holiday lineup before e3.
Jerry is point on though about the cost and risk calculations NoA is having right now when it comes to the 3DS in the US. Seems like they hands are tied by many different factors including retailer support and general lower sales in the last months.
Team Filler
Member
Finally caught up to this. I really like the show, and it kind of reminds me of when GFW radio would get into "deeper" discussions about gaming that were about more than the usual "whatcha been playing."
You all should've gone with USG Radio, I bet Jeff Green could cut you a great promo with a name like that.
You all should've gone with USG Radio, I bet Jeff Green could cut you a great promo with a name like that.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
It's still BLOODAXE to me, dammit!
MHWilliams
Member
Bright side: it's a discussion we'll only have once!
ToastyFrog
Inexplicable Treasure Hate
OK. Sorry.
Ha, we can only hope there won't be another occasion, for sure.
I dunno, maybe the analogy was fine, it just seemed.. disproportionate to me? Also, regardless of whether I agree with the stance or not, I'm just not used to political commentary on my gaming podcast so.. there's that, as well. Came out of left field for me.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Oh God, those King commercials. Saturday morning cartoon commercial-levels of horseshit in them.
I saw a World of Tanks commercial last week during basketball, and it spooked me. "ZOMG, a legit FTP game ad on TV!"
It ain't exactly unexpected given the circumstances and their previous musings on the matter, really.
It's some of the most balanced, in-control-of-emotions critique I've heard anywhere that shined a light on escalation and disproportionate retribution (read: excuse to be fucking psychopaths). Plus one of them pointed out how victim blaming can be misused as a cover, plus how it kills just this sort of debate.
It's funny, I've specifically stopped using "gamer" to refer to anyone, especially myself (it's player bribery now, not gamer bribery, for instance), exactly because of both GG and the reactionary articles (of course "Gamers" are dead, you were there yourself, bloody knife in hand!)
And yeah, "content" has been tainted as a marketing term.
I saw a World of Tanks commercial last week during basketball, and it spooked me. "ZOMG, a legit FTP game ad on TV!"
It ain't exactly unexpected given the circumstances and their previous musings on the matter, really.
It's some of the most balanced, in-control-of-emotions critique I've heard anywhere that shined a light on escalation and disproportionate retribution (read: excuse to be fucking psychopaths). Plus one of them pointed out how victim blaming can be misused as a cover, plus how it kills just this sort of debate.
It's funny, I've specifically stopped using "gamer" to refer to anyone, especially myself (it's player bribery now, not gamer bribery, for instance), exactly because of both GG and the reactionary articles (of course "Gamers" are dead, you were there yourself, bloody knife in hand!)
And yeah, "content" has been tainted as a marketing term.
For the record, I think their comments on GG have been spot-on, both this week and in previous episodes, and I really don't have much too add. I was only bothered by the analogy involving recent events - or maybe it's just me disagreeing with their tone on some of their comments. Obviously their intentions could not be farther from it but the way (for example) Bob put it at some spots bordered on victim blaming (or at least 'missing the point') for me. I just wanted to quietly voice my discomfort/disagreement with that specific part of the debate.
j/k I was clearly just fishing for that T-Frog snark, so I obviously got what I wanted. ;p
hope Kat's back for next week btw!
MikeE21286
Member
Just came across this. Sooooo subbed thanks OP
Mike, it was great hearing your sincere take on being a black videogame writer. From what little I've read in articles on Ms. Hill or D'Angelo, it seems like their work has to take into account that they represent a whole community, putting an enormous burden over their shoulders, and it looks to be quite a widespread feeling.
ToastyFrog
Inexplicable Treasure Hate
That wasn't snark. I was apologizing if you feel we were making light of people's deaths. The parallels have been on my mind recently but I appreciate that (as I said in the show) it's a perspective that is probably unique to people in the press.
US Gamer Radio would have been much better.
Ah, my bad then. There's certainly no need to apologise for a unique viewpoint. Despite disagreeing (not more, not less) with certain aspects I appreciated the openness from you guys and the courage to discuss such a topic. I haven't been a longtime fan of yours for hearing the same opinions and lack of critical thought I can find everywhere else, after all.
Also, weird to bring this up now but I did want to commend you on your music choices so far. Yes, even last week's!
Enjoyed it, even if disagreed with gamer label discussion. But then all gamer to me means is a person who has gaming (be it digital or analog) as a hobby of note. Not a label to say gaming is a persons only interest (thus I'd consider myself a gamer, a film-geek, a anime-geek, a history-geek among other things).
That said all the marketing speak that has entered general culture when discussing stuff has always rubbed me the wrong way. Talking about media in terms of 'new ip' or 'new franchise' for instance.
Disappointed in the podcast name. so very bland.
That said all the marketing speak that has entered general culture when discussing stuff has always rubbed me the wrong way. Talking about media in terms of 'new ip' or 'new franchise' for instance.
Disappointed in the podcast name. so very bland.
JasonUresti
Member
For me and many other players, the quality of content in a Zelda game was never and should never have been defined by puzzles. Puzzles are just a side element to the combat and exploration of a Zelda title, but Aonuma has warped the series into being defined by puzzles and gimmick dungeons.
A large open world with many things to find and areas to explore with a solid combat experience is going to offer far more play time and replay potential than linear series of puzzles.
nckillthegrimace
Member
Skyward Sword had the best combat since Zelda 2, so I fail to see what being open world or exploration or whatever has to do with that.
Also, there's the mantra of the open-world fan: more, more, more. In the balance between quality and quantity, something has to give because Nintendo doesn't have infinite staff, money, or time. I'd prefer a structured game featuring high-quality content to a giant playground featuring mediocre to good stuff. You seem to prefer the latter. So do many people, given the direction of the new game. But mark my words, this thing is going to be padded beyond measure, like all open-world games. With that much space to fill, there's no way it can all be gold.
MHWilliams
Member
Thanks! As I said on the podcast, it's something that's tinged my writing for a long time, so I'm always working to get more of "me" in my work for USgamer, and less of this ideal of perfection i have in my head.
I admit, I thought the same thing, with the idea of some of the comments being taken as victim blaming, especially when we hit the section about responsibility. That said, I think it was a good, frank discussion with a few viewpoints.
I generally have less of a problem using "gamer" as a term, even though I feel some have tied their self-worth to the concept in a way that's not healthy. Of course, this can be true of any label.
It will always be AXE OF THE BLOODGOD in our hearts.
Chairman Yang
if he talks about books, you better damn well listen
Puzzles are something that the Zeldas do better than almost any other games.
Combat? There are so many superior options. I don't know why you'd play Zelda when stuff like Bayonetta 2 or Ninja Gaiden Black or the Souls games exist. Heck, even Zelda clones like Darksiders are superior by this metric.
Exploration? The gaming world is currently saturated by giant, open-world games that do it better than Zelda ever could. 2D Zeldas are even less notable here; they're comparatively tiny areas that are only interesting because they're packed with mini-puzzles.
Puzzles absolutely define Zelda and distinguish the series from everything else out there. Combat and exploration are important enhancements to the Zelda formula, and in fact tie in heavily to the puzzles, but without its trademark high puzzle quality the Zelda series would die a quick and well-deserved death.
True. See for instance various flavours of sports fan. In some cases its an extreme religious like passion consuming almost all of their life (well aside from the activities of getting food, shelter and clothing), but not all.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
I remembered something:
Kazuya Niinou's doing WHAT? He quit SE after relaunching XIV? I can't get anything recent on GooGoo.
And yeah, there's definately a skeeze line there in most J-game lover's hearts. You can SEE the quality of mechanics beyond it here and there but gawdamn if you're going to go get it.
Kazuya Niinou's doing WHAT? He quit SE after relaunching XIV? I can't get anything recent on GooGoo.
And yeah, there's definately a skeeze line there in most J-game lover's hearts. You can SEE the quality of mechanics beyond it here and there but gawdamn if you're going to go get it.
MHWilliams
Member
He's directing Criminal Girls: Invitation Only, I believe.
ToastyFrog
Inexplicable Treasure Hate
Well, so far as I know he's with Square/FFXIV now. Criminal Girls was originally a PSP game from several years back, and Invitation Only is either a remake or a barely-a-sequel sequel (I haven't looked into it too closely...). He's probably not directly involved with Invitation Only, but he was the designer on the original version.
MHWilliams
Member
Secret Owl
Neo Member
It's worth checking out if you're a Retronauts or ex-1up fan.
nckillthegrimace
Member
To be fair to Jeremy's 3DS stocking theory, retailers still have a lot of stock of the original XL, which is now redundant/obsolete.
I'm a bit late but I agree with this 100%
I thought the latest episode was the best so far. It's surprisingly rare to get level-headed opinions on Nintendo in podcast form. Most people tend to be either raging fanboys (e.g. treating amiibo scarcity like an attempt on their life) or are completely dismissive of them (e.g. Nintendo be so crazy, NEXT). So it's nice to get a group of people that are able to put things into perspective, see the bigger picture etc.
