Vacation thoughts

Just got back from a great vacation with my family, we went down to Myrtle beach and it was awesome. There's almost too MUCH stuff to do!
Anyway I'm back refreshed and ready to go. The trip had me thinking of 2 revelations:

Myrtle Beach Revelation #1: Portable gaming systems are dead.


My man's pissed about it too.

There you go, I said it. I'm also not the only one. With the Nintendo botching the 3DS launch, reducing the price, and now re-launching an XL, the evidence is right in front of you. Playstation Vita, regardless of how sick it is, isn't doing as well as expected. Now, I unfortunately don't travel much, and my days of riding the bus to work are over (thank god, that sucked), so I never really see a need for portable gaming. My two and a half hour flight to Myrtle, and the 5 hour return flight home really opened my eyes to the big picture. It's not that the 3DS or Vita is a bad product, it's just not convenient enough. I got a Droid 3, and the thing does everything. We all know what smartphones can do. I'm listening to music while I play Tetris, stopping to check twitter, texts......Can a Vita do all that? No. Some of it, maybe all of it someday, but not now. Even my kids would rather play Fruit Ninja on my wife's IPAD then dust off their DS. I know that you really can't get a quality "console" experience on a tablet or phone, but I feel the group that really wants that experience is too small to make it a viable product anymore. When I was a kid, I was blessed with the big gray brick, Nintendo Gameboy. I was completely blown away and long road trips became a much quicker. Now there are so many options out there for us and our kids, and dedicated portable consoles are getting pushed aside. Playstation / Nintendo needs their next portable console to be pretty much a smartphone, or don't bother.

Myrtle Beach Revelation #2: Arcades are Dead. Long Live Arcades.

The Skywheel at night

In an earlier post I talked at length of the death of arcades, and my great memories of those days. I'm not going to rehash it here. But Myrtle had me thinking of new ways to invigorate them. We went to South Myrtle Beach at one point, and anybody who's been there knows it's a hot spot. Tons of sun, tons people, tons of stuff to do.
On our way to the Sky Wheel I spot a relic from the glory days. A glassed in storefront taking up almost the entire block. The large green and white sign above read, "Arcade". Simple and to the point.  Back in the day, this spot was probably the epicenter of the arcade scene on South Myrtle beach. Multiple Street Fighter cabinets, next to Dual Daytona 500 machines. Every SNK fighter represented. In short, heaven. Now its 90% ticket machines, crane games and skeeball. Outside of skeeball, it sucks. I give that place props for staying open, but it's a testament of where we were and where we are going.

Wonderworks: The Future of Arcades?

On the flip side we visited a place called Wonderworks, a cool place that teaches kids about science in a fun unique environment. They also had a cool arcade on the top floor, and with a little polish would be a great example of how a future arcade could be.
There was an air hockey game you played with only your hands. A pitching game where you pitch a real baseball against a real major league hitter. A snowboarding game that requires you to really ride a board. They had a slick racing game that takes your picture, and uses that as an avatar. Of course they had ticket machines, but some were real spectacles, like a giant two player Connect-4 game.

If things were a bit polished up, it would be epic. Let's take the all hands air hockey table. The puck was projected on a screen, but it was set at a very low speed. There should be higher difficulty levels, or a better physics engine so the puck changes speed realistically. Or the pitching game, which was awesome, but old. You select from a couple of real life mlb batters, and try to strike him out. You stand in an enclosed area and throw at a screen, which the batter is projected onto. It reads balls / strikes and how fast your pitch was. Sick right? Problem was the ball / strike reading needed to be calibrated, plus the roster needed to be updated. Bobby Abreau on the Phils? Yea right. Again, a little polish and that thing could even crazier. Improved hit detection and an updated roster would do that thing wonders. And let's go back to the Connect-4 ticket game. Listen, it's Connect-4, we all played it. But when you make it 15 feet tall, everyone wants to play it. The mundane needs to be a spectacle. That same philosophy needs to be transitioned to the rest of the games on the floor. Bigger Screens, bigger cabinets, crazier gimmicks. Ever hear of GyroZetter, the game where you can switch between a robot and race car on the fly, AND SO DOES THE CABINET.

My Childhood is crying.

That's right, the cabinet transforms depending on your form. That's what I'm talking about. Spectacle. Fighting games? Bigger and loader has been done before. So what's next? Online connectivity. Every machine is connected around the world, so you can play locally, or across the world. Display matches from around the world throughout the arcade. You see? Spectacle.

COME GET YOUR SHITTY PIZZA!

Dave and Buster's combined an arcade with a Bar / Restaurant with success. However, there's not enough of them. Plus, their food sucks, and it's mostly catered to adults. Chuck E Cheese is great for little ones, and no one else (and their food sucks). There's no middle ground. No family arcade for all ages. A place like Wonderworks showed what might be possible if someone had the balls and money to do it. Powerball is tonight. Maybe I'm that guy!

Used Up

Here's my biggest gripe with playing games nowadays: This talk of game developers complaining about used game sales. Basically, when you buy a used game from Gamestop, you are only paying them. It's pure profit. The developers, programmers, artists, only see money on new sales, not used.
Game companies want to eliminate middle men like Gamestop and get back their market share. I hate this shit! Listen, there's only so much money I can spend on games. With 2 growing kids, that budget (for me) is getting smaller. Used games allow me experience more bomb games, more bang for my buck.

Plus, THERE'S TOO MANY GAMES OUT ANYWAY!!

I mean, let's be real, how many games are on your "I def need to try that" list? How many games have you loved, only to drop it midway cause the next obsession came out?
I love strolling through Gamestop periodically. Sometimes I see a game that shouldn't have fallen off of the radar, like Uncharted, and boom, 15 bucks? Why not? This has happened to everyone reading this right now. Used games and the third party market cannot go away. 
I completely understand and respect where the Game Companies are coming from, but they need to see it from a consumer perspective. They say our game consoles will move away from disc media all together, and we will have to download everything we want to play. Brick and mortar spots like Gamestop will go away, and everything will be full price. In fact, this would be the best news for the EA's and Capcom's of the world. Non-existent packaging and shipping costs only mean more profits. I don't want to go on a tangent but I hope that day never comes. Since it seems we are safe from that scenario for at least for this next generation, I'm not going to go down that road.

Companies have steadily added extra content that can only be "unlocked" with a code. Multiplayer features for example. Every new game has it for free, by it used, and you will need to fork over 5 to 10 bucks to get your full game. Or, there's the subscription model. Pay a one time free for all upcoming DLC content. You will get all of it at a slightly reduced cost, and the developer just doubled its money very quickly.

Then there's the COD Elite service. A premium subscription that ties in all your COD history, plus providing optimized clan support, and in depth stat tracking. And first crack at DLC, or course. This will run you 60 bucks a year. So that, combined with the obligatory COD purchase every year, your 60 dollar game became 120. Boom.

I can't fault game companies for trying different ways to maximize their cash flow. These types of things will never go away. What should never go away however is the used market. If Gamestop and the like are robbing the development houses blind, take it directly to THEM! I have no love lost for Gamestop, being a former employee, but the "game store" has a place. I'm sure Gamestop would rather partake in some sort of profit sharing then risk out and out bankruptcy.

Instead of used sales going directly into a retail store's bottom line, 25% goes back to the developers. Develop a POS system that developers can share with their retailers. Take it a step further, and give back to fans. Is Joe Gamer trading in Modern Warfare 3 for Blops 2? Then that guy gets the first DLC for free. Or get competitive: Trade Modern Warfare for Battlefield and EA will take an additional $10 off.

Retailers will not let their profits go away without a fight, so there should be some give and take. A retailer should offer some sort of insurance that their game will sell. Let's say a super hyped game completely bombs, or is so short it gets traded in right away. The sudden turn around will have the game sitting in the bargain bin before you know it, and completely waste advertising dollars. In that case, the developers profit sharing percentage goes down, or is less on the next big title. Maybe the percentage can fluctuate between developers depending on Metacritic score and trade in sales.
Who knows?

Bottom line is that gamers need an affordable way to buy what they want on a budget, or they will create a way. Ebay, modded consoles etc. Gaming is a big pie, and everyone can have their fair slice, including US!

What do you guys think? Hit me up. Follow me on Twitter (@floworcrash) or you can rock some USED games with me on XBOX or PS3. It's all the same name. See you out there.

Wii Boo?

The next generation of consoles will be here before you know it, and the first of them is coming this holiday season from Nintendo. The WII U.

The WII U has been been demo'd at all the big video game expos since last year. Its big feature is its controller, also known as the Gamepad, which sports a full color display, among other things.

The processing and graphic power is said to be on par with the 360, which leads me to my point. WHAT THE FUCK IS NINTENDO'S ISSUE? The processing power of a supposed "next gen" console with the horsepower of a current one? It’s the perfect metaphor for how Nintendo conducts their business: arrogant and late to the party.

Let's put this perspective. Nintendo has legendary figures working for them. They have legendary franchises. Not good, not great. LEGENDARY. You could make a theme park based on Mario, Zelda and the like and even someone who has never picked up a controller in his life would recognize them. Nintendo's roster ranks up with anything Disney or Marvel has ever put out. If it wasn't for that however, I feel the Big N would out of the console business by now, just like Sega (R.I.P).

No question they are powerhouse, but they are simply a conundrum. Everything they do is a step toward innovation, and two steps away from being current.

The N64 introduced us to the analog stick for the first time, and used it to redefine platforming in Super Mario 64. They took a gamble with a casual market focus, introducing motion controls that actually work with the WII.

But, they held onto cartridges too long as everyone went to discs. Then they dropped the cartridge format, only to use "mini" disks, when people were using DVDs. Their online offerings have only recently taken on any sort of competence, but I only mean in the E-Commerce department. Forget DLC or playing with your friends.

Oh, wait let me get your 100 digit "friend code" so I can silently race you in Mario Kart.

No chat by the way.

Nintendo's has yet to adapt HD into any of it's past systems. The WII U is HD, but should've the WII just have had it to begin with?

These decisions are ones made in secluded arrogance. People love Mario and the crew, and there are a large number of gamers that will do anything to get their latest adventures. Nintendo knows this, but they overestimate this fandom. They feel they can provide a subpar product, but as long as they keep bringing awesome games for their iconic franchises, that will be enough reason to buy. Subpar is a harsh word, to be fair. N64, Gamecube, WII were high quality game systems. But they all had their fair share of faults. Eventually, this attitude will be their downfall.

The Wii U is another example of the Paula Abdul, "2 steps forward, 2 steps back" philosophy by Nintendo. Here we have a system with a unique, possibly revolutionary gimmick. The WII Gamepad is basically a controller with a full color monitor. The Monitor is touch sensitive, and has "near-field communication" abilities (like the Skylander Portal of Power). It has motion controls, dual analogs..It's sweet. But, the processing power is the same as the 360. That's fine for now, but what happens in two years when the "real" next gen consoles drop. Will we be expecting a WII U2? Third party developers have had a hard time with Nintendo's products since the N64. The WII U seems to be bucking that trend and it's getting AAA titles ported over with extra content utilizing the Gamepad. Initially, buying Assassins Creed 3 on WII U will be the more attractive option. Aliens: Colonel Marines, a game I'm pretty psyched about cause of my Alien fandom, will use the Gamepad to be the iconic Aliens "motion sensor". Sounds pretty awesome right? So what happens when the 720 or PS4 drops and COD 6 comes out? You wanna get it for WII U, where my radar and team locations are on the Gamepad screen, but the Graphics look subpar? Or do you wanna get it for XBOX 720, with mind blowing Unreal Engine 4 powered 3D/HD graphics, and seamless online features? The choice is clear.

Furthermore, the Gamepad is dope, but it can only be used by ONE PERSON!! I'm sorry, Nintendo recently announced you can connect 2 Gamepads to the WII U now, in a pure reactionary move. BUT, the controllers are like 150 each. And what if your boys wanna come over and check out the WII U? They get to use regular WIImotes. Yup, the same WIImotes you've been using for years. If you're going to make a system that based around a revolutionary tablet/controller, wouldn't it make sense to make them affordable and available for everyone to play with? The Wiimote should only be allowed to be used in cases of old school games and the like. Who wants to come over and wait your turn to try the ill controller? Lame move Nintendo. The WII movement really happened when all the first adopters had their friends over to try it out. It caught on easily, and now even retirement homes have WIIs. The WII U isn't like that at all.

Nintendo is banking on a head start in this generation, much like Microsoft did with the 360. It worked for Bill Gates and the boys, and the 360 has established itself as the number 1 player in the market. 360 isn't as powerful as the PS3, but the gap between them isn't as wide as the WII U and its future competitors will be. WII U's innovation needs to be a home run, and Nintendo needs to deliver an easy to use online component. A Party system, achievements, etc. etc. Drop the silly "friend codes". Even then, I feel what's under the hood will be Nintendo's undoing. The WII worked cause it was the most accessible gaming experience ever. The majority of folks the WII catered to could care less about framerates and color palettes. WII U wants to be taken seriously as a next generation game platform. It will be. But I think that audience will jump ship when given an opportunity.

Can I say this too? Could the announcement for WII U be anymore snooze inducing? At first, people didn't even understand it was a system! They thought it was some new tablet or something. As critics get their hands on it, we are hearing some favorable things, but I feel the hype machine should be in full swing by now. A console launch is an exciting time to be a gamer, and it seems no one is pumped for it. I know I'm generalizing but it's the truth. Remember when PS2, XBOX, WII etc. etc. came out? Everyone seemed to have an opinion on it. WII U? "Looks cool, I'd like to check it out first." That's the best I've heard.

You know what might help? Nintendo creating something NEW. Super Mario on WII U will be crazy. Zelda in HD will be beyond epic. But instead of rehashing the same tried and true characters and games, how about Nintendo puts the braintrust together and comes up with something fresh. An all new incredible experience built from the ground up to be on WII U. A game that can only be played on WII U. A killer app that doesn't have a mustachioed plumber, electric weasel or an elf dressed in green. Done well, it could be a game changer.

Will the WII U be a success? At first, I believe so. I even think after this holiday season, Nintendo will be wagging their finger at guys like me telling me, "I told you so." Just like they did with the WII. We will go over our friend’s house, or check it out at Gamestop, and be sold. Then at E3 next year, representatives of Microsoft or Sony will stroll to the stage, and pull the cover off their next big gun. And the countdown will begin when the WII U becomes a dust collector under the TV rack.