I decided to wait to make sure things turned out well before reporting this. Things seem to be well so I'm going to report it. I finally got my PSP back, and the third time does indeed seem to be the charm, for it has given me zero problems since last Friday. I feel I can finally confidently shop for and rent PSP games again. Which is good, because I've been wanting to own Dissidia for quite some time. I also took the time to order a copy of the Korean-only game DJ Max Black Square for a great price, and I might look into the PSP Assassin's Creed game too.
In other news, I just thought I'd mention that I have the greatest assignment ever for class due Tuesday...I'm required to choose a game, play it for four hours and analyze it. 
Yes, I actually have to play video games for homework. I mean, I'm in a game design curriculum so I figured I'd have to do something like this sooner or later, but I wasn't expecting it to happen this soon. The idea is that we need to learn how to pick apart games on a variety of levels, not simply on graphics and presentation, but all the little nuances that make--or break--the game. Naturally, the teacher prefers that we play something that we haven't already played extensively, which gives me an excuse to buy something new this weekend (or at least rent). My current stock of Gamefly rentals have been in my possession for a while so I need something new.My wife is understandably irked about the whole thing--she thinks I play games too much as it is. 
As some of you may or may not know, I am actively enrolled in an accredited Game Art and Design program. My first true game-related course, "Introduction to Game Design" started last Thursday, and I've already begun learning some interesting facts. I figure I'll chronicle a summary of what I've learned and what my impressions are here. It's pretty fitting, I think. - Gamers are growing up. According to www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp the average gamer is 35, the most frequent game purchaser's average age is 39 and 25 percent of Americans over age 50 play games. Yet, while the "millennial" generation (the youngest) make up the smallest portion of gamers, they're also the ones who will be growing up and designing the games of the future. The games we are playing now mostly reflect the "lone wolf", "rebellious" values of the Gen Xers and the Boomers, which explains why most older, "veteran" gamers are more interested in single player experiences than in team-based play, online multiplayer games and the like. Obviously, this is a generalization and not an absolute--plenty of older gamers play MMOs and games like Call of Duty. But this is most likely due to the fact that they are a relatively new kind of game and older gamers are fascinated by them. What I take from this is that as millennials, young children and teens who are closer to their parents and less private than their Gen X predecessors, grow older and get into the game development industry, multiplayer games, especially online games, will become the norm--World of Warcraft is just the beginning. Single-player-only games like Fallout 3, Dragon Age: Origins and Final Fantasy will be a thing of the past before too long. Interestingly enough, the millennial generation is said to be less respectful and admiring of celebrities, focusing more on self-achievement and group interaction than with looking up to idols or solitary achievers. - South Korea, the country with the largest percentage of "wired" consumers, is heavily into online gaming. It's not just about socializing with other gamers--online gaming is taken so seriously over there that many are able to treat online gaming as their day jobs, between "pharming" and selling in-game items for real money and playing games professionally. South Korean online gamers regularly compete in tournaments representing their neighborhoods, schools, offices, etc. This trend is likely to grow and spread to the point where it will become the norm in many more parts of the world. Professional gaming is already prevalent in the US but only in a few select regions...but for how long? - To develop games for today and the future, all developers need to recognize these changing trends. Though, at age 32,I am a "Gen Xer", I have to be smart enough to realize that by the time I get through with my degree program and start developing games in the next 3-5 years, that making the kinds of games that I grew up wanting to play--epic single-player adventures--may not be profitable or even possible (depending upon which company I end up working for, if I don't go indie). Many gamers will say they don't play Call of Duty for the campaign anyway, and most reviewers complain that the campaign is entirely too short anyway. It won't be long before it may prove more profitable to simply develop more games for multiplayer-only...games like Warhawk have already set the trend, and the fact that games like Call of Duty (with record-breaking sales) are mainly purchased for their multiplayer features (not to mention the gaming media's obsession with giving glowing reviews to games with online components) means that, my personal gaming preferences aside, I might need to shift or spread my focus when it comes to developing games for the future. Naturally, I have my personal ideas for games, single player and multiplayer alike, and I hope to be able to develop all of them and more in my lifetime.
Does anyone else hate being asked "What do you want for Christmas?" Since I'm naturally indecisive, I struggle to come up with an easy answer, and I like to buy my own things. Just get me what you think I might like! Geez, it's the thought that counts.
Anyway, enough complaining for now...a number of recent releases have caught my eye lately, and Gamefly is being really antsy about games being available so I find I'll have to resort to buying some titles.
First is Borderlands. From what I've read, that game has everything I want in a game, longevity, loot, fun, even a female playable character. But it has one big turn-off: the first person perspective. I've said it before and I'll say it again; I don't know if I hate FPS games because I suck at them or if I suck at them because I hate them. All I know is I can't stand games where I can't see my character in relation to the environment. Yes, I even play Fallout 3 in third person (the VATS system helps a lot). But from what I've been seeing and hearing, I feel like I shouldn't let a little thing like first-person view keep me from playing an otherwise enjoyable title. I mean, it's not like I avoid them completely...I did like the Metroid Prime series (and at the same time I'm more excited about the new third person Metroid coming out than I ever was for the Prime games).
Second on my list is Demon's Souls. I love a game where I can make my own character, and Demon's Souls sounds like it'll be a great time playing with different methods and approaches to deal with the onslaught of enemies. Of course, everyone knows the game is either ridiculously hard or even Nintendo Hard depending upon who you ask. But the game has nothing but high reviews virtually across the board and it sounds like everything a veteran gamer like me could want; character customization, a real challenge, not totally reliant on multiplayer, replayable. I want to play it, but I wonder if I'm up to the challenge. I'd rather rent this game first.
Third would be Dragon's Age: Origins. Of course, this game is at the top of my heap. I'm liking the sound of it with its length, again with character customization and variety, and I'm not concerned about all that talk about crap graphics. You take the good with the bad. I have a feeling this game will grab me and not let go, but I have no real way to know until I actually play it. For that reason, I really want to get this one from Gamefly rather than drop $60 on it just to find out it's not what I expect (I've never played a BioWare game before). And as I know, my gaming tastes tend to be really fickle these days. After all, I was bored by Uncharted 2.
I also want to play Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2. It can be my action fix until Bayonetta comes out. I played the first Sigma briefly so I pretty much know what to expect. But I don't buy games like Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, or Bayonetta. No sense paying $60 for a game I'll beat in a weekend. I only buy the games that have depth and longevity...unless they're really cheap. I'm currently playing Spyborgs for Wii and even though it's not the greatest game in the world, it's not really flawed in any way and Gamefly's only asking $14.99 for it. I might add it to my collection.
Soon my PSP will be back again (expected delivery date: tomorrow). Hopefully this one will work with no problems. I want to purchase more DJ Max Fever titles because I am in love with Fever, but I want more. Fortunately, PSP games aren't region locked and the DJ Max games all have English options so it's nothing to import the game, provided I can find a seller. eBay's got them so it's just a matter of money and time. I also want to pick up Dissidia, but I'm waiting until I'm certain I have a perfectly functional PSP. Dissidia being a Final Fantasy game, I will buy it. Final Fantasy is my favorite game series of all time and I've yet to be fully disappointed by any of the entries I've played.
My Ratings
Friends
Tracked Blogs
