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UnforgivingEdges

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Posts posted by UnforgivingEdges

  1. Wow' date=' way to totally judge the NES out of its time. Are you forgetting that it [i']was a "complex piece of machinery" when it came it? My point is: it fucking works after all this time and it doesn't cost $300-475.

    That point is rather irrelevant. How advanced it was for it's time has nothing to do with how mechanically complex it was and is compared to the Xbox 360. The 360 has a an HD-DVD drive complete with a motor and moving laser diode to read a spinning piece of media. The NES read data through brass connectors off of a stationary disc. That's just one example.

    You know, you do a fair amount of bitching and moaning about the 360. If you don't like the price and other factors, why did you even buy one?

  2. I'm beginning to think that every time Microsoft refurbishes a 360 they count it as a sale.

    As a side note' date=' I would just like to point out that my 21 year old NES still works as well as it did the day I got it (which is about 30% of the time) but still, at least it works.[/quote']

    It's also a much less complex piece of machinery with far fewer moving parts. Not really a fair comparison.

  3. Why's it called the Elite if there isn't any new hardware? Ooooh' date=' it's black and has HDMI! How fucking exciting.[/quote']

    HDMI, bigger HDD, slight internal component revision. 65nm chips rumored to come this fall/winter (though it could be as late as Q1 08 that the new models appear).

  4. Games I'm not exactly sure that are coming out on XB360 but still looking forward to are Soul Calibur 4, Virtua Fighter 5 and Tekken 6 (also barely interested in).

    All three are coming to 360 (except I'm not sure about Tekken, but knowing Namco's love of the Microsoft box, I wouldn't doubt it). The other two have been confirmed already.

  5. It has no non-shooter action or adventure,

    Kameo says hi. Overlord says hi. Phantasy Star Universe says hi. Rayman Raving Rabbids, Viva Pinata, and Tenchu Z all say hi.

    Project Sylpheed is a space-flight game a la Wing Commander, don't know if you consider that a shooter or not. Same for Ace Combat 6.

    Then don't forget Rock Band, Guitar Hero 2 and 3, Assassin's Creed, Banjo Three(ie), Virtua Fighter 5, and Too Human all coming out in the near future.

    I understand that a lot of games on the 360 are shooters. but a lot aren't. Plus there's the Xbox Live Arcade, which has NO shooters, and lots of original games (Eets: Chowdown, Cloning Clyde, Outpost Kaloki X, Prince of Persia Classic, Catan, Carcassonne, Lumines Live, Worms, Talisman, Puzzle Fighter 2 HD, Street Fighter 2 HD, Boom Boom Rocket, and much more).

    and very few RPGs.

    Actually, if you're an RPG fan, the 360 is THE console to own this year. Blue Dragon comes out in August, Eternal Sonata (Trusty Bell in Japan) in September, and Lost Odyssey in December. Those are the three biggest epic RPGs of 2007, and they're all on the Xbox 360.

    Then you have Oblivion, Two Worlds, Enchanted Arms, and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance already out.

    To say you have no interest in any of the games I've named in this post means the Xbox 360 just isn't for you. But I can't see how anyone wouldn't be excited for at least ONE of those titles.

  6. Hey guys, now that the 360 has been out a while and a few games catch my interest, I thinking about picking one up. I'll be blunt: I see the console's processing power as a shallow gimmick (online is what appeals to me mostly). I understand processing power creates higher-quality graphics and physics which is nice, but "more of the same but only better" isn't quite what I'm after. I guess what I'm asking is if anyone's played a 360 game that uses processing power in an innovative way, something that delivers a fresh new gaming experience.

    So basically all you want is a more powerful Wii?

    Honestly, I don't think you'll say what you said above if you get a chance to play a 360 game in HD. Remember when the shift from 2D gamign to 3D gaming first happened, and everyone's jaw hit the floor because of the graphical upgrade? That's what I felt when I plugged my Xbox into my new LCD HD set the other day.

    Aside from that, I think one of the best examples of what you're looking for might be found in EDF 2017. There are hundreds (literally hundreds) of enemies on screen at almost all time. The framerate chugs, but that's not the system's fault, it's the way the game was optimized (or not optimized as it turns out). Still, the game is probably the most fun game on the 360 so far.

  7. Oh, and any games you guys recommend?

    Plenty.

    While Gears may be the most cinematic 3rd person shooter on the system, it's not the best IMO. Earth Defense Force 2017 is one of the most fun games on the 360 (if not THE most fun). It takes its cues from B-rate sci-fi movies, so it's cheesy, but it's also awesome. Hundreds of enemies (literally!) swarm you in almost every level. You fight hives of ants, jumping spiders, huge robots, flying saucers, and more. Everything in the game is destructible, and while the graphics aren't very impressive, it's an extremely fun game, especially on co-op mode.

    Click for screeens

    Condemned: Criminal Origins

    Okay, so it's a launch title, but it's the scariest game I've ever played. It's so freakin' awesome. The game supports up to 7.1 surround, which is great because the audio is easily the best part of the game and it's scary as shit. The game is primarily a first-person melee combat game, but there are guns, too. You can get it for really cheap now, too. Like $20 at some places. A great buy.

    There are other games, too, depending on which genres you like. If you're a racing fan, definitely check out DiRT, which comes out this Wednesday. if you like RPGs, you've got Oblivion already while Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey (Sakaguchi's RPGs) come out later this year. tri-Ace is also putting out Eternal Sonata, which looks fan-freakin-tabulous. If you like sports games, every sports game comes to the 360. If you like strategy games, Culdcept Saga comes out later this year, and so does Overlord (June 26). Overlord is a European game that plays almost exactly like Pikmin, but it's really funny. Think Dungeon Keeper mixed with Fable.

    I'd also recommend looks at Rainbow Six Vegas, Shadowrun, and Lost Planet.

    The beauty is that you can try out almost any game before you buy it because XBL allows for free demos. Try what sounds interesting and go from there. Then of course there's the Xbox Live Arcade, which is the best thing about the 360. I could recommend at least 7 or 8 games you should buy (Catan, Worms, Prince of Persia Classic etc.)

    Incidentally, I've only had my premium 360 for 4 months and I'm already starting to get the 3 red light error. WTF?!!! I iz very angry.

    Unfortunately, the biggest problem with the 360 is the reliability. The system is just not built very well and is prone to failure from various factors. As I understand it, much of the failure comes from the motherboard warping due to heat, which in turn dislodges the GPU from the board. There are numerous do-it-yourself fix-it methods that will cost you about $7 is screws and washers. Fixing it yourself, however, is touch and go depending on what exactly failed on your system, and it also voids your warranty.

    If your system is less than a year old since you bought it, it will be replaced for free from Microsoft. I would recommmend that you play with your system in a well ventilated area, meaning DO NOT ENCLOSE IT in an entertainment center as the fan on the system won't be able to disperse the heat properly. I have mine on top of my TV stand, with nothing around it except open air. No problems so far, and I've had it for 6 months.

  8. Thank you.

    What about changing your name?

    Doesn't that cost points as well?

    Your gamertag, yes. They charge you if you want to change it because it links all your downloaded content to itself, meaning it's a huge pain in the ass for Microsoft to change your gamertag because they need to reallocate all your licenses.

  9. I'm going to be getting a 360 next week and I was wondering if somebody can fill me in with this whole points business.

    What can I do with points?

    Points are the currency the Xbox Live Marketplace uses. It's essentially just a different way to count your money. You can obtain points one of two ways:

    -Buying a pre-paid points card at a store for a certain value

    -Buy points through your Xbox 360 via a credit card

    I use a credit card myself because it's just easier to purchase points at any time when I feel the need rather than waiting until a store is open or whatever (case in point: new XBLA releases are always put up for download at 1 or 2 a.m. my time, so I can just buy the points and buy the game immediately).

    You use them to buy games, downloadable content for games you already own, or other things (like dashboard themes, which are wallpaper for your 360 OS, picture packs for your gamercard, etc.)

    Mostly I just buy games on the Xbox Live Arcade.

  10. You can buy points in 500 point denominations. 500 points = $6.25

    Most XBLA games are 400 ($5) points. Some are 800 ($10). A rare few are 1200. Most themes and picture packs are worthless. But usually in the 80-200 point range depending. Don't buy them. It encourages microrape.

    Downloadable content varies from game to game. Guitar Hero 2 features downloadable song packs of 3 songs for 500 points. Other games like Lost Planet Map Pack #3 will cost 400 points and include 3 new maps. Oblivion: Shivering Isles costs 2400 points, but it's a full fledged expansion.

    My recommendations for XBLA games:

    -Worms

    -Catan

    -Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD (it will be out in July)

    While I'm posting in the topic, everyone must do the following:

    -Download the Shadowrun demo

    -Download the Project Sylpheed demo (it's like a Japanese Wing Commander inspired by anime; it's also the 2nd game Square Enix is publishing for the 360. Comes out July 10 for the budget price of $39.99)

    -Download the Overlord demo

    I'll update this thread more regularly since it seems the 360 isn't getting much love. For further hyped coverage by yours truly, I suggest reading this.

  11. Not much of a collection yet but I'm working on it, which brings me to a question... any recommendations? I'm open to all genres for the most part, and a lot of the games at the store I work at are on discount for $18, so maybe there's a gem there I don't know about? Thanks.

    Etrian Odyssey

  12. I am seriously getting interested in that game now. I guess you can put a lot of time in it, but is it time consuming in the sense that you have to play for hours or can you simply pick it up an play once in a while.

    You can do either. Once you start playing it, though, you won't want to put it down.

  13. You should only charge it when it's close to being dead. If you constantly charge it, it'll wear on the battery after a while. That's what happened to my first DS. It's life went down by like a third before I traded it in.

    NOT true. The DS uses a Lithium Ion battery, and as such, should be charged whenever possible to ensure maximum battery life (which decreases exponentially, not linearly, if you use your "charge when it's close to being dead" method).

    -Unlike Ni-Cd (Nickel Cadmium) batteries, lithium-ion batteries should be charged early and often. However, if they are not used for a longer time, they should be brought to a charge level of around 40%. Lithium-ion batteries should never be "deep-cycled" like Ni-Cd batteries.

    -Lithium-ion batteries should never be depleted to empty (0%).

    -Li-ion batteries should be kept cool. Ideally they are stored in a refrigerator. Aging will take its toll much faster at high temperatures. The high temperatures found in cars cause lithium-ion batteries to degrade rapidly.

    -It is significantly beneficial to avoid storing a lithium-ion battery at full charge. A Li-ion battery stored at 40% charge will last many times longer than one stored at 100% charge, particularly at higher temperatures.

    -If a Li-ion battery is stored with too low a charge, there is a risk of allowing the charge to drop below the battery's low-voltage threshold, resulting in an unrecoverably dead battery. Once the charge has dropped to this level, recharging it can be dangerous. An internal safety circuit will therefore open to prevent charging, and the battery will be for all practical purposes dead.

    So to answer your question Oddlama, charge it at night after any day in which you played your DS.

  14. Huge recommendation here for Etrian Odyssey. You have to like the old-school RPG format (it's turn-based, plus you make your own maps with the stylus, which is easier than it sounds). It's got good visuals, although the monsters and characters aren't 3D and the landscape confines you to a north/south/east/west grid. Haven't listened to sound much (it annoys people when you play with sound on the subway), but the bits I heard were good.

    The best part is party formation and customization. There are a lot of options. You start with 7 possible classes and pick up another 2 later, and most classes have more than one way to specialize them. All skills, including spells, are learned by using skill points, similar to talent builds in World of Warcraft. You can have a guild of up to 16 people (I have 12 right now), and can have 5 people in your party at a time. I have a party of 5 for clearing out dungeons, plus one each of the other main classes just to play around with (troubadours are great for buffing in boss fights). I also have a second warrior-type class (called a landsknecht); the main one specializes in swords and gets an attack that hits everyone, but the other one specializes in axes and will be good in boss fights. I also have 4 survivalists (ranger types) who I'll use mainly for farming materials.

    In the dungeon, there are spots where you can harvest plants, chop wood, or mine if you have skills for it. The higher your skill, the more attempts you get, so I use the 4 survivalists along with one other character to do farming runs to get money.

    You buy all your equipment and potions in town, besides what you get as treasure, but the list of items available to you depends on the monsters you kill. Monsters don't drop gold, they drop various monster parts (hides, shells, wings, etc). You take them to town and sell them to the shopkeeper, and as you do, she becomes able to make different and better weapons using the materials you've given her.

    There's no saving in the dungeon, but it's not a big deal, because after maybe 30 minutes of playing you unlock an item at the shop that lets you warp back to town, plus there are other ways to warp around the dungeon, so it's not like you have to run down 17 floors to get back to where you were.

    Overall, it's quite well designed and it's the best RPG I've played in a while.

    Listen to this man. The game is old school to the max, but it looks great, plays great, instills the ever-addictive "I'll just do one more thing before I quit/oh shit it's three hours later" syndrome, has a great sense of adventure and exploration, is very challenging and super fun.

    This is the ONLY RPG you'll need for your DS.

  15. Basch was my party leader from the point that I had him in my party. He should've been the lead character.

    Same here. The intro sequence and endgame were my favorite parts of the plot because of the heavy focus on Basch's backstory.

  16. i agree. i would have also just liked more basch. i think that the story of redemption is one that is both central to a lot of RPGs (ff in particular) and i liked him as a character. i thought as a whole the game almost felt rushed, like there wasn't enough storyLINE to flesh out the story properly.

    In Matsuno's original script treatment, Basch was the main character. Had he stayed on for the entire development process, FFXII would have been a much different game.

  17. I imagine UE already plugged it in another thread somewhere, but if you haven't seen it, you can check out an excellent Puzzle Quest interview that he did here.

    In short, yes, Puzzle Quest is amazing. All DS owners (haven't played the PSP version, I'm sure it's good too) need to go give it a try.

    I don't post here anymore, but I wanted to pop in and say thanks for plugging this for me my friend.

    Also, if you're intrigued about the game but the fantasy setting turns you off, pretty soon Infinite Interactive is releasing a new sci-fi take on the puzzle/RPG genre (for the PSP, DS, XBLA, and PC).

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