Escapist News Wrap: Kickstarter Console and League of Legends

[Team Hollywood]

Kickstarter Console and League of Legends

This week, Micheal Fassbender signs up to star in an Assassin's Creed film and a gaming collection sells for over a million dollars on eBay. Also, Valve fires back at EA over digital distributions sales.

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[The Grim Ace]

If I had had the cash to buy that Nintendo collection, I think I would have been able to scrounge up nineteen years. It definitely would be worth it.

 

[El Dwarfio]

Don't hate on me, but I think he perfect platform for League of Legends (excluding PC of course) would be the 3DS.

The 3DS is practically made for MOBA, I hoe one makes it onto the system.

 

[Endocrom]

Every time I read about that android console thing I think of those "plug and play TV game" mini consoles that you plug into your tv's AV ports that lets you play frogger or something.

Surely the Ohyay or whatever is going to be a bit more complex
[hr]Oh and also...

Greg Tito, Y U ALSO NO LOOK LIKE IN MY HEAD WHEN ON PODCATS?

 

[Danceofmasks]

Don't hate on me, but I think he perfect platform for League of Legends (excluding PC of course) would be the 3DS.

The 3DS is practically made for MOBA, I hoe one makes it onto the system.

How so?
Your skill shots are best used with split second targeting, and that means a highly responsive pointing device.
Stylus on the touch screen is therefore the best option for aiming, but then selecting your abilities becomes really awkward .. and what would you then use the 3D screen for?

I'm more inclined to think LoL would work better on a multi-touch tablet (which rules out the WiiU), since you can theoretically rapidly select abilities with one hand and target with the other.
For some people, it might even be more precise than a mouse, since if a single touch is contextual .. i.e. move if it's on ground and attack if it's on a hostile, such things as stutter-step micro might actually be easier to do than on PC.

 

[Don Reba]

Ooh-yah is the best console name ever, sans Dreamcast.

 

[saintdane05]

So, I assume this is like Hard News, only weekly instead of daily?

 

[Slycne]

Don't hate on me, but I think he perfect platform for League of Legends (excluding PC of course) would be the 3DS.

The 3DS is practically made for MOBA, I hoe one makes it onto the system.

How so?
Your skill shots are best used with split second targeting, and that means a highly responsive pointing device.
Stylus on the touch screen is therefore the best option for aiming, but then selecting your abilities becomes really awkward .. and what would you then use the 3D screen for?

I'm more inclined to think LoL would work better on a multi-touch tablet (which rules out the WiiU), since you can theoretically rapidly select abilities with one hand and target with the other.
For some people, it might even be more precise than a mouse, since if a single touch is contextual .. i.e. move if it's on ground and attack if it's on a hostile, such things as stutter-step micro might actually be easier to do than on PC.

D-pad for skill selection, shoulder buttons for specific contextual actions and the stylus to behave roughly like a mouse would probably work to some degree. More so, I could see something like Awesomenauts, essentially a 2d MOBA, working well on handhelds. I think the biggest hurdle would really be getting the multi-player to work well. Every MOBA really thrives on PvP and their balanced team based nature. The problem is that handhelds are by nature not always conductive to extended multiplayer sessions.

So, I assume this is like Hard News, only weekly instead of daily?

Yes, we are weekly, for now.

 

[Steve Butts]

Your hair looks pretty bad. Did you have a real stylist do it? Also, do you have any experience in front of a camera? You need to work on your energy level and engagement. I hope you take these criticisms and improve your performance going forward as I don't write them just to put you down.

I like how it's not just to put him down. Like, yes, I'm doing this to put you down, but not just for that.

This is Greg's first shot at hosting the News Wrap. He didn't have the benefit of the three or four test shows I did before we launched the series. Anyway, point taken and we'll keep refining the presentation with each new installment.

 

[Therumancer]

Makes me miss ENN, this seems like a serious version of what they were doing.

That said, my immediate guess with the patent is that it's some long term legal angling, with Microsoft wanting to have some aspects of how the components are switched over protected in case they ever decided to use it, and to prevent the compeititon from using the same idea.

Despite the 720 name on it, I can't see them releasing a console where you switch out the processors/motherboards, etc... because one of the big selling points of consoles was not having to do all that crap. If they release a console that has to be upgraded every couple of years so you can keep playing the latest games, there is the big question of what benefit there is over a PC. Part of the idea/appeal of the console is to have standardized hardware that will be supported longer than the PC.

In short it sounds like they trying to sneak in some coverage for a proprietary technology, if they actually did that with the console, it would be kind of funny, as I'd be surprised if anyone would support it. I mean at that point, why not just get a PC?

 

[Steve Butts]

I knew this would be taken personally but I really wouldn't have said anything if I didn't want this show to get better.

No harm done. We actually appreciate the constructive feedback.

I just thought it was funny that you included putting him down as part of the justification. In other words, saying "not just to put you down" instead of "not to put you down."

 

[Steve Butts]

Despite the 720 name on it, I can't see them releasing a console where you switch out the processors/motherboards, etc... because one of the big selling points of consoles was not having to do all that crap. If they release a console that has to be upgraded every couple of years so you can keep playing the latest games, there is the big question of what benefit there is over a PC. Part of the idea/appeal of the console is to have standardized hardware that will be supported longer than the PC.

It's more likely that Microsoft will specifically limit hardware upgrades. In other words, three years after the system launches, Microsoft will release a single upgraded graphics card to the market. Console gamers would be encouraged to buy THE NEW graphics card for the 720, not pick and chose from among the hundreds of cards that are available to PC gamers. As you said, the predictable hardware spec is one of the console platform's greatest advantages for developers and publishers, and it's proven to be very attractive to the gamer market.

There are obvious advantages to be gained in terms of processing power, bandwidth, etc. but the overall thrust of console development, at least from the marketing angle, is directed mostly towards video memory. (This is speaking of internal hardware, of course, not input devices or other peripherals.) While we may see new processors and motherboards, at that point, the platform stops being a console and starts being a PC. You have, in essence, personalized the console.

 

[bdcjacko]

I picture Greg Tito to look like Micheal Ian Black. Close enough.

 

[bdcjacko]

Also I was hoping for Justin Clouse to sneak up and stab Greg in the back...but it is a news show, now a podcat.

 

[Catenthe]

I think new generation of consoles area really dumbed down gaming PCs! don't you believe it?

 

[Puffined]

Call me old but I'd rather spend money on classic consoles instead of new generation ones. For example, I'd buy a SEGA genesis, an atari, a familycom, SNES, N64 or even a dreamcast before buying a PS3. Those old games will remain as authentic gems, ready to be discovered by authentic gamers