All Used Up

...Running on empty.

Lately a lot of rumors have been popping up about the next generation of consoles, particularly the next Xbox. Some of these have sounded somewhat believable while others, well...not so much. One of the more fanciful rumors has reported that the next Xbox console will not allow gamers to play used games on it. This just sounds plain ridiculous. A console that won't allow us to play used games? In what way is that a solid business plan? Then again, game developers and publishers have been saying for a while now that they don't appreciate the fact that they see next to no money from the sale of used games.

However, a move like this is in no one's favor.

I will be upfront about this: I depend on used games. I do not pull in a lot of money so I don't have the funds to go buying every new game that I want to play. New game purchases for me are special occasions reserved for games that I simply have to have the moment they are released. So for the dozens of games that I want to get, but not enough to buy them new, picking them up used is the only way I can play them. And I have really loved some of those games. However I am a gamer on a budget, and that means I need used games in order to get my game on at times. I am not alone on this. Plenty of of people pickup used games as a cheaper alternative. Even people that have the money to buy all the new games they want still pick up used games now and again because they are cheaper, and we always would prefer to spend less money.

What developers and publishers get upset about is that most of the time, they are not seeing a cent of those sales. Most used game sales go straight to the store that sold the game. The argument is they are missing out on sales because of this. While that's not entirely wrong, it's also not entirely right either. In order for the game to be used it has to be sold in the first place. That's where the initial sales come from. Now while they may be missing out on extra profit, they still make money off the initial sale. However, the video game industry is a business, and as such  developers and publisher's want to make as much money as possible. That's just good business sense. In order to try and maximize their profits, some developers and publishers have begun using online passes and special "day one" DLC to try and generate extra revenue from the gamers who buy used or use as incentive for buying the game new.

This is where we, the gamers, start to have a problem though. As I said before, some of us just don't have the kind of cash to go buy new games all the time, and we buy used because we either want to save a few bucks, or because we don't have the extra cash to begin with. However, in a lot of cases, after you add in the cost of an online pass, you may as well have just bought the game new. In a few cases you actually wind up spending even more money, which is not what cash strapped gamers want to hear. Then there's the "day one" downloadable content that is offered as an incentive to buy the game new. This isn't in and of itself a bad idea, but instead of offering extras it seems some developers remove chunks of the game and offer that as the incentive. Take for instance Catwoman from Arkham City. She is featured quite prominently on the back of the box, all of her character specific Riddler trophies, and even her own skill tree are in the game right out of the box. Yet, if you didn't buy the game new, you have to pay extra to access that content. You could argue that it is still an extra feature, and yes not everyone will care that it;s missing, but a lot of us don't like the thought that significant sections of a game get boarded up if you don't buy the game new. It's almost like extortion in some cases.

However we can't really compare used games to other kinds of "used" markets either. Used cars usually have performance problems and aren't in as good condition as their new counterparts. Used furniture works much the same way. A used game, with the exception of some scratches, is exactly what it was new. Same game, same experience, nothing broken or changed (usually.) It's hard to say that used game has less value than the same title new, simply because it's the same experience. Of course over time, newer titles come out and the older games get outdated, and of course the price drops then anyway. But in some ways, you can't blame developers for wanting to see more profit from the used games, because they are, essentially, the same thing that's being sold used.

There are arguments that there are better ways to handle used game sales, some of which actually sound pretty interesting. One that I thought about is that larger publishers and developers could handle their own used game sales. If you want return the game back to them instead of selling it to Gamestop or a similar business, then the publisher or developer give you something in return for doing so, maybe credit towards a future purchase or online store credit, and then they can sell the game (not at full price obviously) again. There are some problems with this model, and an obvious one is that it is a choice, but dedicated players could really win from this, as do the developers and publishers.This is just one of many ideas on how a game company could generate profit from used games, but the current model of online passes seems to be, at least for now, they way most games will go.

This could soon all be moot though. Digital distribution is becoming a bigger and better way for gamers to purchase their games, and since you can't resell a digital copy (not legally anyhow), the used game market completely disappears online. Steam and Origin have become the way to buy games for PC users, and Steam in particular has blossomed into the kind of place gamers love to shop at. There's always some kind of deal going on, games are somewhat cheaper online, and there is a huge catalog to choose from. I mean really, no one can blame EA for wanting a piece of that extremely good looking pie. No matter what though, Steam has brought digital distribution a long way in the games industry, and that means that used games could soon become fond memories of a not so distant past.

For now however, used games will remain a part of the industry and it will continue to be an issue developers and publishers will try to find a way around in the ultimate goal of making more money than everyone else. Of course some people argue that those of us looking to save some cash are just penny pinching misers. That is also true sometimes...

This one might be a bit behind now, and there is a lot I didn't go over, but most of what I went over is what is important. My next post is about Fallout and why America is the only reason it works the way it does. (because I can not beat that dead horse enough apparently.) And that will be followed by some fun things.

Also looking at some more changes. So keep reading, sharing the word when you can, go like the facebook page (link to the side now!) etc.

Peace out y'all!

Image Sources
#1 - Industrygamers.com
#2 - Geekosystem.com

Information Research Source
Game Revolution

Weekly Wrap Up: A New Format

Before we get started...

Okay, so you know how this blog has been updated here and there with some in depth stories and pieces? Yeah that's changing today. I'm making some changes to make this place somewhere where you can keep coming back all the time to find new stuff to read and listen to. A lot of this will be a work in progress as I go along, and more changes will more than likely to occur. As per the usual, your guys job is to spread the word as much as you can, and mine will be to keep them (and you) coming back for more.

Don't fear though, if you enjoyed what I used to do, those kinds of things will still be here, and I will still be writing new ones. But I felt like I could make this blog somewhere people flock to for the most interesting reading material about video games period. So, let's see how this goes.

- Nolan


...Let it begin.

The reason I almost missed Thanksgiving dinner.

This past week was, for us here in America (ummm....hell yeah?) was Thanksgiving. The day after Thanksgiving is traditionally Black Friday, the single biggest shopping day in the world. Ridiculous sales are on in every shop and everyone knows it's the best chance they have to haul in huge savings while doing Christmas shopping. Nonetheless the world continued to spin, so here are some of the highlights in news and interesting accomplishments from the past seven days.

South Korea's "Cinderella Law" Goes Into Effect

Fearing the problem that game addiction in a technologically focused country could have on the next generation of Koreans, South Korea has put into effect a law that bans players under the age of 16 from playing online between midnight and six in the morning. The law was drafted in April, and while it initially only covered MMORPGS, the law was extended to cover all kinds of gaming.

The law has met (obviously so) some harsh criticism from various gaming groups. The Korean Association of Game Industry, a massing of fourteen publishers and developers, has called it "excessive prohibition" of a specific group, and reportedly has plans to file a lawsuit.

The obvious reason behind this law is that teenagers should be spending the evening hours sleeping rather then gaming, but the law calls into question the civil liberties of children. And while the Korean government have made their views crystal clear, one has to wonder if this kind of law could spark similar reactions elsewhere in the world. The law also calls into question whose job it is to see that children get a decent amount of sleep, but for now this law is here to stay.

Curious Elder Scrolls Player Finds Entire Continent Beyond Skyrims Borders

One person playing Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim decided he just had to know what lay beyond the invisible boundaries of Skyrim's game world. I'm not entirely sure what he was expecting when he turned no-clip mode on to see what lay beyond Skyrims invisible borders, but I can guarantee he did not expect to find the entire continent of Tamrieal. The player took numerous screenshots as he flew around, seeing such sights as the Vvardenfell volcano and the Imperial City (well, the land area it sits upon anyhow.)

The question now is what exactly are they doing there? The most likely answer is so that when players look out over the horizon, they can see familiar landscape landmarks from past games, to help them feel like they are in the same world as the past Elder Scrolls games, but who knows? Maybe there is some sort of secret Bethesda hasn't let us in on yet.

New Xbox 360 Dashboard Launches December 6th

The title is somewhat self explanatory. Microsoft will roll out it's newest version of the Xbox Dashboard on the 6th. Aside from a sleeker look, the new dashboard will have greater integration for Kinect Voice Recognition. This is also the same day that the Microsoft will be launching some new TV and movie apps, so Xbox users should be paying special attention to this date.

All in all a quiet week overall, but the "Cinderella Law" (as it is apparently being called) that went into effect in South Korea this past week is an obviously important event. South Korea has earned a notorious reputation for how seriously they take their games, and for how long some people play them. But, as stated above, this law causes many questions to appear, and some have no clear answers. I personally find this law a bit of drastic step, and for parents it's somewhat of a slap in the face that the government has decided that they can't keep their children offline. We'll see what kind of an uproar we get from this law in the coming weeks.

Mass Effect 3 - Why Multiplayer Is and Is Not a Big Deal

...Once you co-op.

While the news seemed unsure at first, Casey Hudson put the doubts to rest once and for all with a simple tweet:

Yes, co-op MP missions for #ME3: they're real, and they're spectacular. Rest assured it's nothing of what you've feared. More soon...

So, now we know the truth. The very thing some of us were dreading has become reality.

And it is nowhere near as big a deal as we think it is.

Don't get me wrong now, as Mass Effect and Bioware diehard, I'm a bit concerned about what this co-op will be like exactly, but I'm not nearly as concerned as some are. Maybe it's because I trust Bioware to do the series justice, just as they usually do. Reguardless of what EA may say or have in store for Bioware's development plans, Bioware has almost never stumbled, and is always listening to fans reactions and opinions.But there's more to it than that.

When the initial rumors of multiplayer started spawning a few months back a lot of people thought immediately that we were dealing with something along the lines of Call of Duty or Gears or something similar to that. Very few people thought the rumors might mean co-op. It's important to not the difference because this means that, while it will take plenty of work to do right, it won't take nearly as much as a full on multiplayer mode. In fact, depending on how they do it (it won't take anything away from singleplayer we've been told) , it could open up new stories or moments. At the very least, we can see it as just another feature, and instead of taking something away from the game, it instead adds to an already incredible experience.

However, as I said, I have my concerns.

The biggest one with me is why they're introducing something like this in the final game of the Mass Effect trilogy. Bioware has said before they plan for Mass Effect to continue long after ME3's final credits role. So why add this in now? Why not wait until the next game to do something like this? In a series that has been all singleplayer, all the time up to this point it seems a somewhat fairly sized risk to me. It might even lend evidence to the rumors that EA has started demanding there to be some kind of multiplayer mode in all it's games.These are all questions that will be answered as we move along I'm sure but I almost feel like I was lied to by Bioware in a way. They said time and time again that Mass Effect 3 would not deviate very far from Mass Effect 2. This co-op mode seems like a pretty big step away from what Mass Effect 2 was.

Yet, the one reassuring thing for me, that allows me to remain cautiously optomistic about the co-op mode, is how the changes from Mass Effect to Mass Effect 2 went. Story wise, there were some slight steps backwards, but gameplay wise I felt the game was much smoother and much more fun. Every moment of the combat felt active and tension mounted several times for me during key firefights, whereas in Mass Effect some fights felt kind of dull and uninspired in retrospect. Bioware boldly made changes to the Mass Effect formula, knowing that they could have played it safe instead, and while not everything went over so smooth (I.E. fewer RPG elements), the game as a whole felt much stronger than the first title.

As long as Bioware keeps their word that the co-op and singleplayer won't mix, I see no reason why we can't wait and see on how this turns out. Who knows? Maybe it will be even more of the awesomeness that is Mass Effect.

One side note here:

Extra Life is almost here! I have managed to raise some money, but time is nearly up and I could still use help. I'd really love to see a lot of last minute donations from you people out there, even if it's small amounts. I'm super excited for this, and I can't wait to get to work!

One last thing! Marshmallow Fluff! has a facebook page now, so go like it, and you can get direct links to this blog, as well as links to interesting stories, info, and pictures about all things gaming.
Marshamllow Fluff! Facebook Page

And with that, I will bow out until next time...

Crytek Takes Control of Homefront and Why It's A Good Thing

...The best looking modern war is right around the corner.

It's been awhile, but with no way to play games recently, and a dwindling amount of time at my disposal, it's been difficult. Luckily, both are being fixed (can you fix a lack of time?) so I should be getting a few more posts in here and there.

If you haven't heard yet, Crytek, the developer behind Crysis and Far Cry (the original one) has aquired the Homefront IP and will be making the next game in the series now that the original developer, Kaos Studios, has gone the way of the dodo bird. 

If you don't remember Homefront, it's probably because it wasn't a very good game. For me it was one of the biggest letdowns I've had in gaming in recent memory. Just listen to the story:

In 2013, after the death of that crazy wackadoo Kim Jong-Il, Kim Jong-un, the crazy wackadoos son, unites North and South Korea under a single banner. Over the years leading up to the game, China falters due to economic stagnation and the middle east gets into a war about oil (gee, ain't that original...). But the US gets the worst of the worst in the years before the start, dealing with the same economic stagnation China deals with, social unrest rises quickly, there's a Texas succession talk, and a deadly outbreak of a strain of bird flu that becomes known as the Knoxville Cough. In 2022 the US economy collapses altogether. Then in 2025, the Korean Republic launches a satellite and detonates an EMP above the US, knocking out all electronic devices. They then invade the US, taking Hawaii, dropping paratroopers into the midwest, and irradiating the Mississippi River to divide the US in half. And that's where the game open, with the US fighting to take back their country from the Koreans. 

For we Americans, we've never really had a game where we fought a war on our own soil (Turning Point DOES NOT COUNT....) so this game had the potential to really hit home for those of us playing from the American perspective. The game even had real life American stores and comapnies who had signs and buildings in the game, just to drive the point home. Many of the previews of the game made it seem like it was going to be one of the best games of the year, instead it was so forgettable, I actually had to double check that it was in fact released this year. What really bothered me about it is that I can see a great concept here, and the game has some good story ideas, but Kaos Studious just couldn't get the game to reach it's full potential. 

So why does the simple fact that Crytek is behind it change anything?

Well, for one thing, they will be taking a good chunk of time on the next game. The planned release isn't until 2014, and that's assuming it never gets pushed back. This gives Crytek time to take a look at the foundation Kaos built, and decide what should stay, what should go, and what needs tweaking. It also gives them plenty of time to actually make the game, and it will give Crytek the opportunity to be patient with things, something FPS games don't always get. 

Crytek's track record, while brief, is also reason to have hope. Far Cry is widely reguarded as one of the better games of the past ten years, and of course one can not talk about Crytek without their most incredibly beautiful game, Crysis. These games have been well received, and Crytek has proven that they are among the top-tier FPS developers, even if they are lacking a large track record. Crysis is usually among the best looking games ever discussion, and Far Cry is a beloved classic at this point, showing that their games also have longevity after their release. That is excellent news for a franchise whose first game has already been forgotten a few short months after it's release.

A symbol of hope. And ridiculous graphics standards for PC users. 

Of course all of this simply means that all the potential that Homefront had now has a second chance. I'm truly excited by this move because now there is an opportunity for Homefront to become the franchise it looked like it could become last year. Games that don't succeed don't usually get this kind of second chance. Just ask Silicon Knights how that Too Human sequel is coming. But we still have a long wait before we see what Crytek can do with the IP and until we see some concrete evidence of what they're up to, we'll just have to let our imaginations do some work.

Oh and a side note, in case there was a shadow of doubt about it, Skyrim is indeed getting an M rating. I can't imagine why... 

Until next time...

P.S. Like the new changes? Nothing big but I think the blog looks much crisper now.