posted by Chris on June 30, 2008 6:44 PM in Podcast
Dear Sir or Madam,
Enclosed you will find a special extra-long edition of The Weekly Geek with such personalities as Qais, Chris, Jinny and Ross discussing issues pertinent to your life. Have you ever wondered how Rock Band 2 might compete in this growing market of music games? Now you can know! Have you ever dreamed about Diablo III? Well dream no more! Do you believe that the record industry is crazy, and did you find this out from the magical talking cat in your closet? I, uhh... no actually that's weird. Enjoy these subjects, your questions answered on air (read with optional funny voices) and a bonus secret word section in this week's fabulous (did I mention free?) podcast.
posted by Chris on June 20, 2008 10:09 AM in Games
This the first generation of consoles where I've finally been able to experience all the medium has to offer. That's right, I've finally completed the set and picked up an 80gig Metal Gear Solid 4 Playstation 3 bundle. My reasons are most likely different than most, I'm not a fan of the Metal Gear series and most of the titles out for the PS3 don't really intrigue me. I was more interested in the backwards compatibility since I no longer own a PS2 due to circumstances. Divorce circumstances. That's right, I lost custody of my PS2.
There are a few games I am interested in, most notably the Playstation Network titles such as Echochrome and Everyday Shooter. And hey, maybe I'd like Metal Gear too. Who knows.
After a few hours with the machine, I have a few issues. Now that I have "caught 'em all" (to use Pokémon parlance) I feel like I have a nice objective view of what the Playstation 3 offers and doesn't offer versus the other systems.
First off, cons:
Game installation. Why in the name of sweet zombie jeebus am I forced to install games and still suffer long loading times? Is this my consolation prize for purchasing games from lazy developers? If I am committing a small portion of my hard drive to a certain game, I expect some sort of benefit. One of the main selling points of a console is that you don't have to tinker with it like you do with PCs. I don't have to worry about having compatible drivers or the most advanced video card. I don't have to worry about spending hours installing a game and downloading patches, I insert the disk or cart and it just works. Even the PSN games have this problem, you have to download them and then install them and only then can you run them. And you have to do all this manually. Which brings me to...
Convoluted Information Architecture. I'm a web designer with a specialty in user experience and semantics. I think about information architecture wherever I go. For the unfamiliar, information architecture (or IA for the cool kids) is the discipline used to develop user interfaces for websites. Basically you wireframe and mock up how a user will flow through your website and ideally you streamline the process to make it as easy as possible for people to access your information. This will make or break a website. Have you ever been to a website that has one too many registration forms before you go to the shopping cart, and you abandon the cart in favor of Amazon's on-click ordering? That's poor information architecture. Sony is horrible at IA. From having to blindly accept license agreements that have zero bearing on my own personal use of the console, to putting my money in a virtual wallet instead of just outright purchasing the damn game instantly, everything feels like the worst puzzle fashioned to confuse and discourage. It's like they had focus groups that told them that hands down they loved watching loading bars, and they all got a perverse sense of satisfaction from selecting "I accept" over and over again. No, I don't want to take your survey. I could give two shits about your licensing agreement. No, I don't want to receive product information and deals from Sony. I just want to play your damn game. Can I play the game I put in my system now, please?
Feature bloat: Subtlety is a skill Sony truly lacks. From the obnoxiously shiny outer shell, needlessly flashy touch-sensitive eject and power buttons and the useless compact flash/sd/memory stick slots, the Playstation 3 is trying way too hard to do too many things at once. It forgets that it needs to do ONE THING well - play Playstation games. Why not sacrifice the outmoded compact flash slot for a Playstation 1/2 memory card slot? While memory cards are indeed old-tech, it would have been nice to not have to purchase an adapter to transfer my old save files. I want to play games on your game console, not have a locked-down system that pretends to be a media center. If I want to transfer my photos via compact flash somewhere, I'll use my existing computer, not my freaking game console.
Lack of features: Seems like a contradiction, but stick with me here. Even though the Playstation 3 has a load of features, they don't tend to be the right features. Sure I've got this media center where I can play games and music and videos, but I already have a place where I store my videos and music. I'm not about to transfer my entire music collection over to my game console. I want the ability to stream my content over your box, and I want it to be as easy as point and click. Every solution I've found to stream media from my Mac to my PS3 has been a tinkerer's dream and my nightmare. I don't want to have to run Terminal every time I want to play music. I just want to be able to press start and have it go. I don't want to have to tweak a bunch of settings in order to run my games and media at their max potential, I just want it to work. Just make it work. Update: I was pointed toward Nullriver's MediaLink software, which works like it was built-in to my Mac. Should have known the creators of the excellent Connect360 would have my console streaming solution.
Jeebus that Earth views visualizer is pretty.
Additionally, the lack of a system like Xbox 360's achievements is one of the biggest failings. Xbox has set a new standard for how games are played, an innovation classically reserved for Nintendo. The d-pad, analog stick, rumble... all of these changed the way we play games, and now with the persistence of the Internet and social media we want a way to show off our progress to our friends. While the 360 feels like a party every time you hear the blip and see one of your friends sign on to Live, Sony's system still feels insular, like a console for loners. I'm not compelled to flesh out my friends list like on the Xbox.
And now, Pros:
Now I can play my PS2 games again.
Are any of you PS3 owners? Can you fill me in on why people think this console is so awesome? Cause I'm just not seeing it at the moment. Even Metal Gear Solid 4 feels like the most popular game in some parallel universe.
posted by Chris on February 26, 2008 10:40 AM in Games
Hot off the virtual presses from Kotaku, Metal Gear Solid 4 finally has a release date (June 12, 2008). Also included in the announcement is the sweet, sweet rumor that an 80gig PLAYSTATION 3 bundle with MGS4 and a Dualshock 3 controller will ship at the same time. Finally, my waiting and whining will pay off. I've been shopping around on eBay for the last few weeks once I heard that the 80gigs were being taken off the shelf, because I thirst for backwards compatibility. Oh, the thirst! Also now that my HD-DVD player has become a paperweight, it would be nice to start building a library of Blu-Ray movies that I can actually, you know. Watch.
Cross your fingers and pray to Kojima that this rumor comes true.
posted by Chris on January 7, 2008 5:57 PM in Podcast
One day Google Image Search will stop giving me quality podcast images. That will be a sad day indeed. Don't be fooled by the random image generated by typing "Beef Comparisons" into Google, this is The Weekly Geek! This week, Qais, Chris and Mack sit down to have a lovely and civil discussion about the Consumer Electronics Show, the Ultimate Xbox 360, digital downloads and new media, the controversy surrounding controversy and, as always, beer pong. Download the podcast here or subscribe to our feed and get it automatically every week! Show notes and contest info after the jump.
posted by Chris on September 24, 2007 6:47 PM in Podcast
Grant and Chris nerd it up this week talking about toy guns and how to make them cooler. And, in a tragic turn of events Nerf violence is perpetrated for the very first time on the podcast. Of course they discuss the Haloez, Tokyo Game Show announcements, parallel universes, NES nostalgia, reader questions and Colette joins at the end to talk Yaoi. Try to find THAT mix of subjects on any other podcast! Hah!
While the PS3 is still way too expensive for me, there were a couple of compelling titles at E3 that made me stop and think if I could actually afford it. One of those games was Folklore, an absolutely gorgeous game in the vein of Okami, Zelda, and surprisingly Pokemon. You adventure through a Labyrinth/Dark Crystal style world, fighting a variety of monsters and capturing their souls. Soul capturing actually uses the PS3 controller in an interesting and non-gimmicky fashion: you yank back the SIXXAXIS to rip it out of the monsters. It's very satisfying. Once you have a mob's soul you can then map it to one of your four face buttons, using them as an attack. For instance a goblin might be able to punch, and repeatedly pressing the button you assigned the goblin to will punch as if you were punching all real-time action game style. Each monster's attack is useful for different things, and they are upgradeable as you progress.
I'll be watching this game quite closely. Hopefully it will end up sucking so I don't have to sell any organs to buy a PS3.
I loves me some Ratchet and Clank, and I got to play the next part of the series at Sony's press conference yesterday. Called Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, it's a PS3 exclusive and is damn snazzy. Many people were upset by the previous game "Deadlocked", and its focus on the 3rd person shooter elements of the series, instead of the platforming elements we have all come to love. From the demo I played, it seems like Ratchet and Clank are back on track, with the classic mix of the two. The R+C series has always been one filled with lush graphics, so surprisingly the change between PS2 and PS3 isn't entirely marked. The trademark R+C humor is there, as well as the great camera work, and elaborate level designs. Playing it though, something was missing. The rumble! I completely miss the rumble. Without it the game just feels hollow somehow. As much as I completely love this series, this game alone doesn't justify the purchase of a PS3 for me. Maybe the combo of R+C, Heavenly Sword, Little Big Planet and Echochrome... naw. It's still too expensive. Maybe if they send one to me? SONY SEND ME A PS3 THANKS.
In summation: it's a next-gen Ratchet and Clank game, and includes everything you would expect from that.
EA, MTV and Harmonix took a moment from their insipid love fest to announce something incredibly cool and exciting. Rock Band! It is apparently going to be using guitar, bass, drum and microphone peripherals and will span all genres with master recordings of most of the songs. An official website has been launched which you can see here.
This seems to go hand in hand with EA's announcement of more music partnerships, and is the big secret project we have all been waiting for from the creators of Guitar Hero. Hopefully EA doesn't crap it up. More details as they come to us. Maybe we will see a playable version at E3?
Unfortunately for the Wii, it's only for PLAYSTATION 3 and Xbox 360. Another nail in the coffin. Full release after the jump.
posted by Chris on March 26, 2007 6:49 PM in Podcast
It's-a me! Or rather, it's-a us, The Geek, Frodo and White Mage! This week we talk about why we don't like going to the theater and why Reign Over Me may draw us back (hint: it has something to do with video games!). Then we talk about poor Caspian's red ring of death, a brand-new Stargate spinoff, the Super Mario Brothers Super Show, kicking a t-rex in the face, Avatar, Katamari for the Wii, and our Top 5 list. Download it now or subscribe! You won't be sorry. Hit the jump for show notes.
posted by Chris on March 16, 2007 2:34 PM in Games
A brand new HD trailer for the next in the Ratchet and Clank series was released today, and boy does it look amazing. Too bad I probably won't own a PLAYSTATION 3 until like, 2010.
posted by Chris on March 7, 2007 11:06 AM in Games
Imagine a virtual world where you can design your own avatar, decorate your own personal living space and invite your own virtual friends over to play. It's easy to imagine because it's called Second Life. Oh, it's also called Playstation Home, Sony's hail mary play announced today at GDC.
Essentially it's a new kind of user interface. You can create your avatar (like the Wii's Mii system but far more detailed) and decorate an actual living space. You can view streaming media on televisions in your home, listen to music on music players in your home, even invite friends over to play games. There is also a lobby area where you can meet up with people and socialize.
It's a unique proposition on Sony's part, vastly different from what the Wii or the Xbox 360 is currently offering. It taps into our current frothing demand for social networking and customization, and basically makes it the killer app for the PLAYSTATION 3. Knowing Sony, however, it will take 4 different "keys" to even enter your virtual "apartment", each key being offered to you at some strange amount like $1.45. Check out some video of the service over at Kotaku. My question: is this worth buying a PS3 for, noble Weekly Geek readers?
posted by Grant on January 12, 2007 12:30 PM in Rant
The console wars have been waged ever since Sega started going after Nintendo in the 16-bit era. Many people picked sides to varying degrees of loyalty. You had the "I can only afford one" people all the way up to the hardcore fanboy who would never relent in the position that their console was the best and the other one sucked big time. Almost every gamer, at one time or another, has broken down and proclaimed one system to be greater than the rest.
The arguments continue to this day, people heaping praise or hatred on one console or another merely by the brand name attached to each. Most people have wised up and know that all consoles have their merits and if you only stick to one platform as a matter of principle, then you're missing out on some good games.
I'll admit to have been guilty of this a couple times through the history of video games. And it's not just the fanboys. The anti-fanboys are just as bad. The anti-fanboy being, of course, the gamer who will not play any games on a particular system just because they don't like the brand name attached to it.
But what if we could dissect each of the major consoles and bring them together into some sort of psychotic hybrid, a freak of science and nature? Can we take all the good parts of the Wii, the PS3, and the 360 and leave out the bad?
Are you tired of thinking HD-DVD or Blu Ray? Do you not own both a PS3 and a Xbox 360 with HD-DVD drive? If so, I'm sorry because you just plain suck. Ok ok I'm not sorry but I do have some good news for you. Next week at CES Warner Bros. plans on announcing thier newest DVD invention called the Total HD Disc. The Total HD Disc is a DVD format has the bi-polar mix of HD-DVD and Blu Ray DVD. What does this mean for you? Well, if Warner blows enough money and executives, it could mean that movie studios can produce DVDs in both formats allowing you to pick the player of your choice rather than one of each type.
posted by Chris on November 13, 2006 7:11 PM in Podcast
Is the big push for graphics a generational thing? This week, The Geek and Frodo discuss graphical comparisons in next gen systems, the PS3 and Wii launch, song sharing with the Zune, Penny Arcade's Child's Play, home SNES game repair, Final Fantasy 12, Gitaroo Man Lives! and David Copperfield fooling stupid people.
posted by Chris on August 20, 2006 6:10 PM in Podcast
This week we welcome guest panelist Eliza Gauger from Kotaku.com. She joins The Geek, White Mage and Frodo in discussing internet flash mobs, hard gay, the Penny Arcade Expo, and Bully. A fun time was had by all. And cursing. Lots of cursing was had by all.
Here are some show notes:
posted by Chris on July 3, 2006 6:30 AM in Podcast
This week, The Geek, Frodo and White Mage beat back the terrorists on the Internet and finally bring you a video game podcast. Rejoice! We actually talk about things unrelated to video games! YAY!
posted by Chris on March 19, 2006 7:53 PM in Podcast
We're back from break and geekier than ever! This week, Frodo, The Geek, White Mage and Nevery discuss new movies good and bad (and intentionally bad), new Microsoft hardware blunders, Sony being idiots again, Rare marketing to children who like bright colors, Super Princess Peach and this week's new game releases. CHECK IT THE HECK OUT.
posted by Chris on February 20, 2006 7:27 AM in Podcast
This week, Frodo, The Geek and Nevery discuss viruses on the Mac, Sony's XBOX Live-like service, Hub, the new DS web browser and they surf IMDB live, on the air for your amusement.
Show notes! They are delicious!
posted by Chris on February 6, 2006 8:07 AM in Podcast
This week, Frodo, The Geek, White Mage and Nevery discuss iTunes video downloads, PS3 xbox live-type service, and tons of stuff about TV shows especially Stargate. Why are you looking at me like that.
Show notes:
posted by Chris on December 18, 2005 5:10 PM in Podcast
This week, The Geek, Frodo and White Mage discuss drinking your own pee, Child's Play Charity, Animal Crossing events, and the official Weekly Geek Casting Call. Download the show here or add http://www.weeklygeekshow.com/weeklygeek.rss to your favorite podcasting aggregator.
posted by Chris on November 27, 2005 5:45 PM in Podcast
This week Frodo and The Geek discuss such matters as the Nintendo Revolution interface, the death of the N-Gage, and the fight against video games by gamer girlfriends. Sounds tragic, doesn't it? WELL IT'S NOT. They also talk about their favorite kinds of cheese (this is a lie). Download it here or add http://www.weeklygeekshow.com/weeklygeek.rss to your podcasting software. Cheers!
The Weekly Geek is done on a zero budget, with no funding other than ads and merch. Help support the site with a donation! Consider it like tipping your waiter. We also give gifts for larger donations.
This the first generation of consoles where I've finally been able to experience all the medium has to offer. That's right, I've finally completed the set and picked up an 80gig Metal Gear Solid 4 Playstation 3 bundle. My reasons are most likely different than most, I'm not a fan of the Metal Gear series and most of the titles out for the PS3 don't really intrigue me. I was more interested in the backwards compatibility since I no longer own a PS2 due to circumstances. Divorce circumstances. That's right, I lost custody of my PS2. 
EA, MTV and Harmonix took a moment from their insipid love fest to announce something incredibly cool and exciting. Rock Band! It is apparently going to be using guitar, bass, drum and microphone peripherals and will span all genres with master recordings of most of the songs. An official website has been launched which you can see 
