Video Gaming Thread

[worldnewser]

Get a 360 and Rock Band 2, Call of Duty 4, and Halo 3.

Which was exactly the the things I wanted to go out and buy. Now if only my parents hadn't gone an spent money on buying a new car, I'd probably have that stuff by now...Looks like my plans are on hold for now.

Thanks for all the input though everyone 8)

Oh yeah, @D.A--Yeah I've purchased quite a few VC Games for the Wii. Kinda makes me think of how gaming has changed over the decades

and @Ouch_S--I do enough of that. So much that it's starting to bore me

[Andrew D]

Rock Band > Guitar Hero because the charts are less likely to be over/under/badly charted, there are more overall songs, more genres of songs, and that in Rock Band the solo frets on the Guitar make sense unlike in GH where they are there purely as a marketing tool, and where the purple notes are broken.

I, however, would recommend Guitar Hero 2 and 3, but none of the more recent ones.

[TopHATslash]

^ I agree. The recent GH games have all stunk, unless you're a die-hard fan of Aerosmith or Metallica. Rock Band has so much downloadable songs on top of the hundred or so you get with the game. Also, if you're a fan of the Beatles then I definitely recommend pre-ordering the RB game strictly for them, its gonna be really good.

[DarkShock]

I personally like the 360 better. I'm not going to disrespect the PS3 and say it sucks, cause it doesn't. Yes, you have to pay $50 a year for Xbox Live and PSN is free, but a large population of gamers will agree with me when I say Xbox Live has a better online community. I even have friends who can own both a PS3 and 360, but the prefer just having a 360 because they feel they'll waste their money getting a PS3 when there's not even ten games they'd get for it. It even looks like Xbox Live is trying to make the $50 a year more worth it by adding more features that the PS3 doesn't have like Facebook, Twitter, and last.fm. I believe it's the social features of Xbox Live that makes it strong. I believe I read an article that stated that there are more members of Xbox Live than PSN even though you have to pay for it's service.

[SkullSplitter]

It even looks like Xbox Live is trying to make the $50 a year more worth it by adding more features that the PS3 doesn't have like Facebook, Twitter, and last.fm.

The PS3 has a web browser you know :wink: That means it can access all these sites and more. However, it isn't very good and I'd prefer a PC to browse the internet any day.

[TopHATslash]

To the above post...

Do tweets live from your twitter pop up onto your screen as soon as someone hits enter? Do updates and comments from facebook pop up on the screen while your playing? While you're playing music are you recommended a band to listen to depending on what song you are listening to?

[DarkShock]

It even looks like Xbox Live is trying to make the $50 a year more worth it by adding more features that the PS3 doesn't have like Facebook, Twitter, and last.fm.

The PS3 has a web browser you know :wink: That means it can access all these sites and more. However, it isn't very good and I'd prefer a PC to browse the internet any day.

Yeah, I don't even think putting a web browser on a console is even necessary. They aren't even that great (on Wii and PS3). I don't even think they should even bother adding a web browser cause everyone pretty much has a computer to web browse on in the first place.

[Axle]

Go GTA !!!!!!!!!!!! and Burnout Paradise !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Bioshock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and UNreal TOunrament!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Need For Speed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Left 4 Dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Spore!!!!!!!!!!!! yay!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Crazy Man Dan]

^

May I direct your attention to [rule=5]Rule 5[/rule] - that one still applies in the Overflow.

[iTz JEEZY]

I own both a PS3 and a 360, so I think I can give an unbiased opinion. I'll just start with pros and cons, then end with a closing, overall opinion/suggestion.

Playstation 3

Pros

1. Superior hardware - While currently developers aren't really using the PS3s potential to the fullest, it could prove to be worthwhile some years down the road when devs are pushing its limits and the other consoles won't even begin to keep up.

2. Blu-Ray - If you're big on hi-def, this is a serious bonus. Even with hi-def aside, Blu-Ray also helps support bigger games. Eventually, the tech put into a video game is going to outgrow a standard DVD. When that happens, Blu-Ray will be waiting to catch some praise.

3. Dedicated Servers - While not all PS3 titles are privy to this, a decent number are played on dedicated servers. Either way you dice it, Dedicated servers > P2P.

4. Free online service - Hard to complain when it doesn't cost anything

Cons

1. Price - The PS3s superior hardware comes with a larger price tag with a base model price at $399.

2. Inferior online service - Let's face it, PS Home doesn't quite hack it when compared to Microsoft's XBL. On top of that, most users are led to believe they are always playing on a dedicated server. Simply not true. Even at the cost of free, you can't help but feel Sony is leaving you out to dry.

3. Smaller Game Library - Just what it means. Less hits are being released on the PS3 when compared to the 360. In many cases, even when a game is released for both consoles, it shows up on the 360 well before the PS3. On top of all of that, Activision has publicly voiced their concerns about PS3 sales and may not publish games on the PS3 for very much longer. (a quick Google search will produce a number of sources, if anyone is interested)

4. Obvious and normally overlooked Controller Deficiencies - Something most fail to mention: They have built in battery packs. This means when the battery dies, you have to plug the entire controller in, as opposed to just changed out battery packs. And when the battery quits performing altogether (as all batteries eventually do), you have to replace the entire controller. Other obvious deficiencies are based slightly on biased opinion, so I'll refrain

Xbox 360

Pros

1. Superior online service - With in-game messaging, voice chat, larger DLC selections, customizable avatars, the TrueSkill rating system, etc, the XBL service makes for a great accessory to online gaming.

2. Price - At $299 you get a lot of bang for your buck. *note: I'm not considering the arcade model here because it lacks a HD, and therefore is unplayable online

3. Gears of War, Halo 3, Fable II, Left 4 Dead, Mass Effect - Need I say more?

Cons

1. RRoD - (Red Ring of Death) So named for the 3 flashing red lights that basically mean your console is officially dead. The upside is, Microsoft has come along way in upgrading their hardware reliability and even increased the warranty term for RRoD.

2. Paid Online Service - At about $50 a year, you can't enjoy online gaming without forking over some cash.

3. reserved just in case I think of another con

Overall, my opinion is that any new buyer to a current gen console should definitely go with an Xbox 360. Even more so if that buyer is into FPS. The Xbox controller was literally designed with a FPS in mind, and it shows. The 360 is cheaper, the failure rate is way down, and even if you do get a bad one, Microsoft is quick to handle the warranty, and honestly doesn't ask many questions when doing so. Admittedly, the PS3 is more capable when comparing hardware, but we're only 2 or 3 years away from seeing a new console from Microsoft anyway. Microsoft will definitely raise the bar with the next one, while Sony will be waiting around to make a profit on the PS3. I will also add, Xbox Live is definitely worth the $50 a year. When compared to Sony's service, you can easily see why you're paying for LIVE and how your money is always making it better. Any fan of online gaming who has had a chance to compare the two should agree. Furthermore, if Sony were to lose the support of Activision, the Guitar Hero and Call of Duty franchises would add a long line to the the already large list of exclusives available for the 360.

Hope that helps you pick a side :evil:

Honestly, I'm not a 360 fanboy, I'm just a video game fanboy. And given everything, I really prefer the direction Microsoft is heading when compared to Sony

[Frontcannon]

Blu-Ray can be a pro and a con at the same time.

At one side, you get a comparatively cheap Blu-Ray player that offers much more quality in sound and graphics,

and also 50 GB per disk are a lot of space to waste for a game

At the other side, Blu-Ray still isn't fully developed. The access speed compared to the DVD is relatively low what explains the long loading times of the PS3 and the need of a HD installation for every game before you are able to play it.

[DarkShock]

Just wanted to let you guys know since you're gamers. The Xbox360 Elite might be getting a $100 price cut and the Xbox360 pro might be discontinued.

This probably might temp Sony to drop the price of the PS3 also. The PS3's sales have been extremely poor (specially after finding out that the PS2 outsold it in July). They probably would want to sell a PS3 pack to match the Elite pack.

[worldnewser]

Changed the title of the thread for the sake of people who would want to have video game discussions in the future..

Also, thought I'd say that I got a PS3 bundle with MGS 4 and Killzone 2 a few weeks ago, as well as purchased GTA IV and LittleBigPlanet. Halfway through my decision making process I kinda changed my criteria from solely shooters and music games to variety. And as far as I can see X360 has plenty of shooters, and not much else. I'm not trying to degrade the X360 in any way (Halo and Gears of War are pretty awesome from what I've played), I'm just stating things the way I saw them. I guess my criteria changed mainly because I wanted to have other games besides FPS's lying on my shelf, and I just saw more variety when counting MGS 4 and LittleBigPlanet, which were the two games I wanted to try out the most.

Do I regret my choice? Nah. I absolutely love MGS 4. Who knows? I might buy an Xbox360 in the future when I save up enough money.

I leave this thread open to any future discussions

[DarkShock]

Yeah I agree with you. I own a 360 and most of its best titles are shooters. However, it is the most popular genre and they seem to be the best sellers every time. I'm hoping to get a PS3 and an Elite to replace my 360 Pro. I'm planning to get a Wii again though. It's been a year since I sold mine.

[KillerK]

Although i own a ps3 and it has more variety in games i still spends most my time on fps although little big planet has pride of place on my frequently used shelf

Also some advice if your willing to buy games out the store wipeout hd and the fury expansion are well worth the money imo

seeming as you changed the title for just a thread on video gaming i guess i can pose the question, how many of you are serious gamers or just casual gamers?

[DarkShock]

I'm a pretty serious gamer. I've been playing video games since I was about 4.

[worldnewser]

Fairly casual. I like games, but I'm not the type that goes on and plays for hours on end. I guess the upbringing of studies>games for most of my life somewhat reduced my interest.

..Either it was that or my fear of my N64 way back when I was a kid

As a sidebar comment to video gaming, I hate the fact that Metal Gear Online has an age restriction of 18+.

EDIT: nvm, it never specifically said that and I now have a Game I'd for MGO. Yay!

[DarkShock]

As a sidebar comment to video gaming, I hate the fact that Metal Gear Online has an age restriction of 18+.

Wait. MGO has an age restriction? I never knew that. It doesn't make sense when the game is rated M which means 17+.

Guess it really doesn't matter for me though. I qualify.

[Frontcannon]

I SO want the Dead Space sequel now :x

There are so many good games coming out this fall, I really don't know how I am going to afford them all

[DarkShock]

I SO want the Dead Space sequel now :x

There are so many good games coming out this fall, I really don't know how I am going to afford them all

Yeah, there's so many I'm interested in. I'm glad some of them are coming out next year instead. I go crazy when too many good games out around the same time. I'm planning on getting Fallout 3 GOTY Edition this October. Seriously, the original game with all 5 DLC for $60! Great deal!

I'm also planning on getting Modern Warfare 2. There's no way I'm getting the prestige edition though. Why the heck would want night vision goggles? I'll stick to the hardened edition.

[LFC4EVER]

AC2 looks worth getting for sure. If you like cars then GT5 is worth getting. If you've got a 360 then Forza 3 looks awesome. Audi R8!!

[Crazy Man Dan]

^

I'm just waiting for October 1st - Gran Turismo PSP.

[DarkShock]

Speaking of the PSP. Does anyone find the PSP Go ridiculous? At $250 I'd rather buy buy a Wii (again, i sold my first one).

[Crazy Man Dan]

I'm interested, but not at that price...

But no, I don't think it's completely ridiculous (and you'll never see me buying a Wii... Just saying ). If you go to gaming forums like GameFAQs, though, you'd think the PSP GO! killed their parents and RROD'd their XBOX360 or something with the vitriolic bile they're spewing, and most of what they're saying is utterly asinine.

For example, the complaint of the smaller screen size: some people don't seem to realize that, though the physical size of the screen is smaller, the pixel count is the same, meaning the pixel grid is what's smaller, resulting in an overall sharper image. Like with the GameBoy Micro - obviously a more drastic change than the PSP GO!, but the same concept. As someone who enjoys the Micro - indeed, I haven't played my SP since I got it - I don't think this is as terrible as people are saying it is.

As to the lack of a UMD drive, while it is true that existing game collections won't work, Sony seems to be doing a decent job of getting digital titles on the PSN. There are 55 "UMD Legacy" titles at this time, and they're averaging about 2 per week in the PSN updates, so there should be a good amount of titles from which to choose for newcomers. I myself have 37 games on UMD, so that'd set me back a bit re-purchasing digital copies, which is likely the GO!'s biggest hurdle. There's also the perfectly valid contention that a 16GB PRO Duo in a PSP3000 gives you the best of both worlds, but at over $100 (MSRP of $230 on one SanDisk model), it's not exactly cheap either.

I've also seen some people criticizing the new position of the analog stick, calling it less ergonomic, and using it in their moronic lists of supposedly definitive and completely "non-subjective" reasons why the GO! is an "inferior" upgrade. Seeing as how the GO! has been limited to tech shows since it's unveiling, I find it hard to believe any of these twits have actually used one. As someone with relatively large hands, I have to hold the PSP in an asymmetrical way to keep from having to crunch up my thumb to reach the nub. The position of the nub in the redesign falls more in line with the DualShock design I love so much, and looks to be significantly more comfortable. Of course, I have had no opportunity to try one myself, so my opinion is just as unfounded as those who thinks it looks less comfortable - the difference is, I fully recognize that my opinion based on assumptions made from the viewing of Internet videos of other people using the unit could be entirely wrong, and don't go around drooling my salivary opinions on other people's imagination sandwiches...

And there's the price. It's certainly not ideal, and I know I won't be getting one for a while - I'll be getting the Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines pack later this year, so I'll have a pearl PSP3000 to replace my current black PSP2000 when the dust that somehow got behind the screen becomes too much for me to bear.

The GO! intrigues me, mainly because of how different it is from the norm - completely digital distribution is something for which, obviously, people aren't quite ready, but I believe it will become a staple in the future. The advantages of being able to take 20+ games with me on built-in storage far surpasses the 4 UMDs I can carry in the bulky, GameStop-branded PSP carrying case I have. The slimline design is also quite slick, and would fit much better in a pocket than the current design.

I'm sorry to go off all crazy-rant style here, but I was browsing GameFAQs earlier today, and the level of idiocy I saw was simply too much. I know I would never get anywhere arguing with those mouth-breathing idiots, but I can take some measure of solace in the fact that you people aren't stupid. The thing is, there are valid stances of contention one could take, but these people are spouting off complete conjecture and drumming it up to the point of hysteria. It's like clinging to an obviously forged Kenyan birth certificate when there's the broken anti-signing statement promise just waiting to be thrown at someone's head...

No, I'd have to say the only thing I really don't like about the GO! is that it tries to force me to recognize an exclamation point as something other than sentence-terminating punctuation...

[Frontcannon]

I'm interested, but not at that price...

I think this is what is going to break the PSP GO!'s neck.