Social desirability bias? It doesn't happen to me. I prefer to say what I really mean. More people should try it. I think it's more respectful to tell the truth than to simply say what you think people want to hear.
Jimquisition: Damn Fine Coffee
- Thread starter Jimothy Sterling
- Start date
It's strange, I much prefer games with female protagonists, either because they characters are more interesting, or because I love to look at a good piece of ass...... yeah, I'm a guy, get over it.
It always surprises me that I'm supposedly the minority that prefer female protagonists.
Anyways, I agree with Jim Sterling. I remember some people here giving me slack because I said it wasn't worth paying full retail for an online version the 10+ year-old Darkstalkers game (including The Escapist reviewer), and yet, so many people won't even likely play that game online all the time. Because there are so many other fighting games, everyone has their favs, and they return to them soon after.
It always surprises me that I'm supposedly the minority that prefer female protagonists.
Anyways, I agree with Jim Sterling. I remember some people here giving me slack because I said it wasn't worth paying full retail for an online version the 10+ year-old Darkstalkers game (including The Escapist reviewer), and yet, so many people won't even likely play that game online all the time. Because there are so many other fighting games, everyone has their favs, and they return to them soon after.
I like mine black with no sugar. Beyond that I don't have a clue.
One thing I think is worth mentioning when it comes to games with "tacked on" multiplayer is that 9/10 the multiplayer is supported terribly. It's not just that people claim to want it when they don't, it's that when they hear people want it, they don't seem to grasp that simply having multiplayer isn't going to miraculously make the game good. The multiplayer itself needs to be worth actually playing.
A lot of smaller games that include it (for example re-makes or games that in the olden days would have been played split-screen or in the case of fighting games, just on the same TV) tend to have terrible connection problems, or many other technical faults because they haven't put in the effort to make it work properly.
Even games such as Assassins Creed failed to get it right. Finding a working game without either getting kicked out for no reason, or being split up from your party without any warning was a rarity in almost all of the games that featured it.
Or larger games often tend to get incredibly uninspired versions that are literally a copy and paste of what countless other games have already done. The difference is that those games have already mastered it, so why would they want an inferior clone?
People can complain about Halo and COD as much as they like, but nobody can honestly deny that they don't put a hell of a lot of effort into making their multiplayer work. Both on the technical side and the game side as well.
Speaking of focus testing, it was this kind of attitude that irritated me with Gears of War 3. The previous games were primarily focused on single life game-modes so tactics, positioning and skill played an important role. They then decided to make a standard death match their primary game-mode, which basically turned into any other reflex shooter.
One thing I think is worth mentioning when it comes to games with "tacked on" multiplayer is that 9/10 the multiplayer is supported terribly. It's not just that people claim to want it when they don't, it's that when they hear people want it, they don't seem to grasp that simply having multiplayer isn't going to miraculously make the game good. The multiplayer itself needs to be worth actually playing.
A lot of smaller games that include it (for example re-makes or games that in the olden days would have been played split-screen or in the case of fighting games, just on the same TV) tend to have terrible connection problems, or many other technical faults because they haven't put in the effort to make it work properly.
Even games such as Assassins Creed failed to get it right. Finding a working game without either getting kicked out for no reason, or being split up from your party without any warning was a rarity in almost all of the games that featured it.
Or larger games often tend to get incredibly uninspired versions that are literally a copy and paste of what countless other games have already done. The difference is that those games have already mastered it, so why would they want an inferior clone?
People can complain about Halo and COD as much as they like, but nobody can honestly deny that they don't put a hell of a lot of effort into making their multiplayer work. Both on the technical side and the game side as well.
Speaking of focus testing, it was this kind of attitude that irritated me with Gears of War 3. The previous games were primarily focused on single life game-modes so tactics, positioning and skill played an important role. They then decided to make a standard death match their primary game-mode, which basically turned into any other reflex shooter.
Once again a fun Jimsterling production I can whole-heartedly enjoy without blowing any of my anti-whatever fuses. Splendid.
Oh, do get this:
"Fuse is actually the least changed of all of our IPs." Ratchet and Clank was originally a third-person, M-rated adventure game called, simply, "Girl With a Stick." - Ted Price, CEO Insomniac
It can be accessed over at: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/12/ted-price-on-how-insomniacs-overstrike-became-fuse/
and it's from Sep 12th 2012. It's about the time I gave up on Overstrike and decided I didn't fancy Fuse very much, t'a.
Oh, do get this:
"Fuse is actually the least changed of all of our IPs." Ratchet and Clank was originally a third-person, M-rated adventure game called, simply, "Girl With a Stick." - Ted Price, CEO Insomniac
It can be accessed over at: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/12/ted-price-on-how-insomniacs-overstrike-became-fuse/
and it's from Sep 12th 2012. It's about the time I gave up on Overstrike and decided I didn't fancy Fuse very much, t'a.
That is a cool fucking mug. Also, thanks for ruining my anticipation for Fuse. Granted, I had totally forgotten about it since that teaser originally premiered, but I think I was looking forward to it subconsciously. Now it will never exist 
That's true too. I certainly can't argue with that.Magog1 said:
I'm not saying their isn't, it's just sad when madmen make more sense than so-called industry "professionals."Imp Emissary said:I don't like it either. Never drink it.canadamus_prime said:
Also, there is a joy in being mad that only madmen know about.
Give it a try everyone!
Thank God for Jim.
Gotta say, Jim, another brilliant episode, as has very much been the case recently. So, bravo, "madman".
And I'm really disheartened about Overstrike becoming Fuse again.
And I'm really disheartened about Overstrike becoming Fuse again.
Focus testing shouldn't be used on a creative aspect because creativity depends on independent thought. There are plenty of more concrete places when a general barometer is a good idea before you're in too deep. Like "does this control scheme suck?", or "was it too vague". That last point actually reminds me Extra Credits did an episode a while back where the optimum approach wasn't what the testers said, but very carefully observing how they reacted.
Frat boys and 12 year old boys? ...REALLY!? That wasn't an exaggeration or anything? Because that's exactly what I've been saying for the last 3 years; it seems to be the only people the industry is really targeting anymore, at least in the triple A department. Last year the only triple A games I bought were Halo 4 and Borderlands 2, because they were the only ones I could stomach. This year? Nothing, and probably going to be nothing out of "the big releases" before the year ends. Though I am happy to hear game sales are down across the board. But that brings me to my real question.Jimothy Sterling said:
Tell me Jim, do you think sales will eventually get so bad publishers and devs will realize this is unsustainable, and finally break themselves of the cycle? Or do you think they will stubbornly 'stay the course' until we have another crash?
Funny thing about Coke, and focus-testing, actually.
In April 1985 the company briefly replaced the familiar Coca-Cola formula with one called "the new taste of Coke". This new formulation was not well received and after a few years was withdrawn from the market, replaced with a slight variation of the old recipe (the primary difference was that cane sugar was replaced with high-fructose corn syrup), briefly identified as "Classic Coke" before returning to its identity as simply "Coke"
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_formula, skip down to "New Coke" )
This was a pretty deliberate switch, though, driven by money. The short of it was that "New Coke" was designed to fail so Coke could win points / free publicity by pretending to cater to fans when it switched back to 'Original Coke', while disguising the change in taste that came from shifting from cane sugar to HFC. Coke needed to make that change because sugar was two to three times as expensive as HFC. Apparently the initial focus testing showed that without the intermediary, and deliberately foul, New Coke, customers would not endorse the new taste.
FWIW, the New Coke wikipedia entry lists this as a conspiracy theory ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Coke#cite_ref-Oliver183_41-1 ), which for some reason amuses me. The one or two people still reading this post may be interested in "The Real Coke, the Real Story" by Thomas Oliver ( http://www.amazon.com/The-Real-Coke-Story/dp/0140104089/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370278175&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Real+Coke%2C+The+Real+Story )
In April 1985 the company briefly replaced the familiar Coca-Cola formula with one called "the new taste of Coke". This new formulation was not well received and after a few years was withdrawn from the market, replaced with a slight variation of the old recipe (the primary difference was that cane sugar was replaced with high-fructose corn syrup), briefly identified as "Classic Coke" before returning to its identity as simply "Coke"
( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coca-Cola_formula, skip down to "New Coke" )
This was a pretty deliberate switch, though, driven by money. The short of it was that "New Coke" was designed to fail so Coke could win points / free publicity by pretending to cater to fans when it switched back to 'Original Coke', while disguising the change in taste that came from shifting from cane sugar to HFC. Coke needed to make that change because sugar was two to three times as expensive as HFC. Apparently the initial focus testing showed that without the intermediary, and deliberately foul, New Coke, customers would not endorse the new taste.
FWIW, the New Coke wikipedia entry lists this as a conspiracy theory ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Coke#cite_ref-Oliver183_41-1 ), which for some reason amuses me. The one or two people still reading this post may be interested in "The Real Coke, the Real Story" by Thomas Oliver ( http://www.amazon.com/The-Real-Coke-Story/dp/0140104089/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370278175&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Real+Coke%2C+The+Real+Story )
As an athiest who am I to thank for Jim when he descends from the mountain to deliver his truth?
Strange joking aside good episode Jim.
Strange joking aside good episode Jim.
Call of Duty has a soul and is made from the heart...Jim, you're gonna need this.
http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/13/132850/2262045-FlameShield.jpg
Also it kinda feels like you're stagnating a little. This feels like a retread of the pasta sauce video, and while I liked that video, it feels like the same thing here worded differently. Maybe you could make videos about things you really like in the industry to spice things up. You've already got countless videos saying "don't do this," a few videos saying "do this instead," would be a nice compliment.
http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/13/132850/2262045-FlameShield.jpg
Also it kinda feels like you're stagnating a little. This feels like a retread of the pasta sauce video, and while I liked that video, it feels like the same thing here worded differently. Maybe you could make videos about things you really like in the industry to spice things up. You've already got countless videos saying "don't do this," a few videos saying "do this instead," would be a nice compliment.
MEANWHILE, IN EVERY AAA PUBLISHER'S BOARDROOM...
OT: This is just sad. Even leaving out the fact that I hate fratboys and dudebros with a passion, while would you want to cater to just them? There are so many other markets with more money to spend on your products, and the fratboys and dudebros are already satisfied with their yearly dose of spunkgargleweewee.
Oh, and... Insomniac, I am sad for you that your game got turned into what it is now by EA, but honestly what made you think signing up with EA was a good idea?
OT: This is just sad. Even leaving out the fact that I hate fratboys and dudebros with a passion, while would you want to cater to just them? There are so many other markets with more money to spend on your products, and the fratboys and dudebros are already satisfied with their yearly dose of spunkgargleweewee.
Oh, and... Insomniac, I am sad for you that your game got turned into what it is now by EA, but honestly what made you think signing up with EA was a good idea?
Exactly this.Voltano said:
Everyone wants to be Call of Duty and all they do is ask Call of Duty fans how to improve their shitty clone, ironically, so that in the end, they don't buy it because they already have frakking Call of Duty.
Game publishers are looking for a magic silver-bullet that will magically make massive profits as a result of no, or, at best, extremely minimal, effort on their part. Unfortunately for them, no such bullet exists.
EDIT: Corrected "not just" to "no such". Can't believe I didn't catch that the first time.
EDIT: Corrected "not just" to "no such". Can't believe I didn't catch that the first time.
So let's assume I'd get into a focus testing group and all their questions would be coffee-related and in their feedback form to fill out I can't just tell them "I don't even like coffee! Give me hot chocolate and black tea!" except in the 2 lines space at the bottom that nobody will read anyways...
yeah, my answers would probably disregarded or their coffe would range from mediocre to horrible.
yeah, my answers would probably disregarded or their coffe would range from mediocre to horrible.
DAMN fine episode......and HOT!
You may enjoy Jim http://www.javadistribution.com/coffee/david-lynch-signature-cup-organic-coffee/
You may enjoy Jim http://www.javadistribution.com/coffee/david-lynch-signature-cup-organic-coffee/
So a new game comes out and in almost no way resembles the game it was at the beginning of the development process. Jim goes on to explain why this is and gives us an excellent look at how focus groups and companies chasing the almighty dollar are generifying gaming to death. And all you got out of this was that Jim is bashing EA. Seriously if anyone here is narrow mindedly obsessing over something, I don't think it's Jim.Magog1 said: