Michael Jordan's Charlotte Bobcats are terrible. Despite those who think thy are tanking to try and get a high draft choice, I'm sorry to disappoint you. This basketball team is literally as bad as they say and more. When the team's goal is to "not be the worst team ever" you know you have a significant problem. At 7-56 with just 3 games to go, Charlotte is on the verge of not only a 23 game losing streak, but becoming the worst team in NBA history.
Last season the Bobcats were in the midst of a playoff race, but due to financial constraints, the team traded away some of their best players, including Gerald Wallace, the team's star. This season saw the team bring in a Major League-esque lineup, and even though there's no miracles or a new location on the horizon for this bunch, many wondered who they were. Most sports writers called them a disgrace before the season even started. People knew this team was going to be that bad. They're losing games by more than 13 points a game, an NBA record too.
Watching the team this season is both frustrating and comedic for fans. At some point last year they just stopped caring, and this year, they're only watching them out of spite or to see how badly they can lose. Earlier this season the Bobcats had a 16 game losing streak, and now, they've surpassed it with a 20-game streak. On Sunday, April 15th against the Celtics, they gave away tickets to the next night's game against the Hornets. To whom you ask? To everyone, much to the arena's dismay. They don't want to watch such a disgrace of a team, let alone be "gifted" tickets to see them play against a team that was forced to trade away their only star before the season started.
The Bobcats under the current administration have greatly failed. With only one playoff berth in their franchise's history with no wins, there is very little solace for the franchise. Their players are terrible, their coach is old, the management doesn't know what it's doing, and the fans don't want to support a product that isn't worthy for College Basketball, let alone the NBA. As a player, Michael Jordan was the greatest. As an owner, Jordan is incompetent at best. He needs to surround himself with smarter people that can help him make more money. The only way to do that is get better talent. Unfortunately, Jordan's history shows he is incapable of recognizing that such talent exists.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Mass Effect 3 Review
The Mass Effect series has been built on players’ choices and seeing the consequences of those choices and it’s nice to finally see where those choices have taken everyone, for better or worse. The Mass Effect series has made momentous strides over the course of its series, but it has also taken a few steps back as well. Mass Effect 3 ultimately proves where the series has shown its’ mastery and how it betrayed its’ initial concept in others.
One of the first new elements players will notice when firing up the game is multiplayer. This mode is simply an online cooperative mode where up to four players pit themselves against ten waves of AI opponents on one of three difficulties across six initial maps, although two have since been added for free via downloadable content. The concept is the same as Gears of War’s horde mode with a separate leveling system that’s similar to the single player. What’s new is a trading card game like system where you have to spend your hard earned credits on one of three pack types, each of which have five random types, ranging from powers, characters or weapons. While cheaper packs will get you more powers, more expensive packs are usually your ticket to newer weapons and characters.
The system works well, which will most likely keep you coming back to try new characters and classes. When you get a character to its’ highest level, you can “send it to single player” as the game mentions, but it doesn’t do anything, which ultimately eliminates the point in doing so. Multiplayer does serve a purpose for single player though. By playing more you will raise your “Galactic Readiness” by one to seven percent depending on how well you do. Not playing multiplayer for a few days will lower this rating by one percent a day until you do, so if you’re looking to get a good rating in single player, it’s best to hold off until playing multiplayer until the end of the campaign.
Speaking of the campaign, there’s definitely a lot to talk about in the portion of the game that isn’t normally talked about nowadays, namely everything else. The first thing a veteran Mass Effect player will notice is they won’t be able to import their long-standing face into the game. While Bioware has said this was recently patched, but it still exists and will anger long-time players. A major issue is the game’s journal, which has taken a step backwards from the previous entry. No longer will the game give you step-by-step progress for each mission, instead opting for a vague message that never changes. This is infuriating since you’re given very little context on how to go about completing them. It strikes as Bioware being lazy for the sake of rushing the final product out, and is a major detriment to the overall product.
What’s not a detriment however, are the continued stories of characters. There are plenty of excellent moments in Mass Effect 3 that not only provide excellent closure to some of Mass Effect 2’s favorites, but little moments with crew members as well. Garrus, Liara, Tali, Joker and Edi all have them and there are quite a few that will be memorable for a long time. The game’s combat is also an improvement over the last game, but it’s not a major step up like there was from Mass Effect to Mass Effect 2. Overall, these two elements do the job enough for you to keep playing the story up until the very end, which is where most of the debate around this game occurs.
The game’s ending is, without question, a certified mess. It takes the entire series up to that point and throws everything people have done until that point out the window. It’s a shame that the people who wrote the ending came up with something so hastily to create something very nonsensical, ending the series in a very unsatisfying way. At the end of the day, that’s what Mass Effect 3 is. It had a lot of build up, but it leaves a sour taste in your mouth afterwards. There’s not enough closure or differentiation in the story that will leave a lot of people satisfied at the end. While they’ll wonder what went wrong, there’s no answer for that right now, as it has to be “clarified” by Bioware later this year. It’s just a wonder why they game wasn’t delayed until they could have clarified it on the game’s disc.
Score: 7/10
Positives
- Good characters and dialog
- More refined combat
- Good Multiplayer
Negatives
- The Ending is awful in various ways
- Poor Presentation
One of the first new elements players will notice when firing up the game is multiplayer. This mode is simply an online cooperative mode where up to four players pit themselves against ten waves of AI opponents on one of three difficulties across six initial maps, although two have since been added for free via downloadable content. The concept is the same as Gears of War’s horde mode with a separate leveling system that’s similar to the single player. What’s new is a trading card game like system where you have to spend your hard earned credits on one of three pack types, each of which have five random types, ranging from powers, characters or weapons. While cheaper packs will get you more powers, more expensive packs are usually your ticket to newer weapons and characters.
The system works well, which will most likely keep you coming back to try new characters and classes. When you get a character to its’ highest level, you can “send it to single player” as the game mentions, but it doesn’t do anything, which ultimately eliminates the point in doing so. Multiplayer does serve a purpose for single player though. By playing more you will raise your “Galactic Readiness” by one to seven percent depending on how well you do. Not playing multiplayer for a few days will lower this rating by one percent a day until you do, so if you’re looking to get a good rating in single player, it’s best to hold off until playing multiplayer until the end of the campaign.
Speaking of the campaign, there’s definitely a lot to talk about in the portion of the game that isn’t normally talked about nowadays, namely everything else. The first thing a veteran Mass Effect player will notice is they won’t be able to import their long-standing face into the game. While Bioware has said this was recently patched, but it still exists and will anger long-time players. A major issue is the game’s journal, which has taken a step backwards from the previous entry. No longer will the game give you step-by-step progress for each mission, instead opting for a vague message that never changes. This is infuriating since you’re given very little context on how to go about completing them. It strikes as Bioware being lazy for the sake of rushing the final product out, and is a major detriment to the overall product.
What’s not a detriment however, are the continued stories of characters. There are plenty of excellent moments in Mass Effect 3 that not only provide excellent closure to some of Mass Effect 2’s favorites, but little moments with crew members as well. Garrus, Liara, Tali, Joker and Edi all have them and there are quite a few that will be memorable for a long time. The game’s combat is also an improvement over the last game, but it’s not a major step up like there was from Mass Effect to Mass Effect 2. Overall, these two elements do the job enough for you to keep playing the story up until the very end, which is where most of the debate around this game occurs.
The game’s ending is, without question, a certified mess. It takes the entire series up to that point and throws everything people have done until that point out the window. It’s a shame that the people who wrote the ending came up with something so hastily to create something very nonsensical, ending the series in a very unsatisfying way. At the end of the day, that’s what Mass Effect 3 is. It had a lot of build up, but it leaves a sour taste in your mouth afterwards. There’s not enough closure or differentiation in the story that will leave a lot of people satisfied at the end. While they’ll wonder what went wrong, there’s no answer for that right now, as it has to be “clarified” by Bioware later this year. It’s just a wonder why they game wasn’t delayed until they could have clarified it on the game’s disc.
Score: 7/10
Positives
- Good characters and dialog
- More refined combat
- Good Multiplayer
Negatives
- The Ending is awful in various ways
- Poor Presentation
Thursday, April 12, 2012
NHL Playoffs 2012: Quick Reactions 1
Since this is the first time that I can remember all NHL Playoff games being available to watch at once, I thought it would be a good idea to share my quick reactions of all of the teams thus far. I'll try and update this when the other teams play game 1, but I won't make any guarantees since the Florida-New Jersey series will most likely be terrible in every aspect. But for now, on with the show.
Detroit @ Nashville
- Detroit looked somewhat old and uninspired last night, which is surprising since they've always made a strong showing in the Playoffs. For a team that has made the Playoffs for 21 consecutive years, most of their players looked like they were there for all 21.
- Nashville looked somewhat more impressive, but not entirely. They were more aggressive, but they weren't what I would call dominant. A win over Detroit is great however, considering Detroit has always beaten them in the Playoffs before.
Philadelphia @ Pittsburgh
- The Penguins started out very good, playing like a #1 seed almost. But in hockey you have to play 60 minutes, not 20. The rest of the game they looked like they were going through the motions until they inevitably lost in overtime.
- After the first 20 minutes, the Flyers looked like the third or fourth best team in the Eastern Conference. In overtime they played smart, sitting back until Pittsburgh was worn down and got a good rebound to steal a victory. It'll be a good morale booster for them going into Game 2.
Los Angeles @ Vancouver
- The Canucks did not impress me against the Kings. The Kings, for the most part played along with Vancouver's game until they got their chances, which they weren't ready for. While Luongo played a great game, the rest of his team didn't. The final goal was a testament to how the Canucks played last night. Terribly.
- The Kings, aside from the Canucks 2nd goal, played the game they needed to play. They didn't over-exert themselves and took advantage of the chances they got. Behind some solid goaltending, they might have the Canucks a bit flustered early on.
Ottawa @ New York Rangers (Live as of writing)
- Ottawa doesn't belong on the same ice as the Rangers. They're slow, uninterested in being there, and they're not attacking the net or getting rebounds. Their defense also looks weak as the Rangers 2nd goal had a Senators player just standing there while it was scored.
- The Rangers have played like the #1 seed tonight. They were aggressive, played like a team, had good goaltending and solid defensive play. If they play like this the entire postseason, I foresee a Cup in their future.
Washington @ Boston (Live as of writing)
- It seems like the only Capitals player who cares about winning right now is Braden Holtby. The Capitals are playing like a team with their head cut off, almost like they don't want to be there.
- Boston is playing aggressively, allowing less than 10 shots right now. They're hitting the Capitals hard, and it only helps that the Caps aren't putting up a fight.
Detroit @ Nashville
- Detroit looked somewhat old and uninspired last night, which is surprising since they've always made a strong showing in the Playoffs. For a team that has made the Playoffs for 21 consecutive years, most of their players looked like they were there for all 21.
- Nashville looked somewhat more impressive, but not entirely. They were more aggressive, but they weren't what I would call dominant. A win over Detroit is great however, considering Detroit has always beaten them in the Playoffs before.
Philadelphia @ Pittsburgh
- The Penguins started out very good, playing like a #1 seed almost. But in hockey you have to play 60 minutes, not 20. The rest of the game they looked like they were going through the motions until they inevitably lost in overtime.
- After the first 20 minutes, the Flyers looked like the third or fourth best team in the Eastern Conference. In overtime they played smart, sitting back until Pittsburgh was worn down and got a good rebound to steal a victory. It'll be a good morale booster for them going into Game 2.
Los Angeles @ Vancouver
- The Canucks did not impress me against the Kings. The Kings, for the most part played along with Vancouver's game until they got their chances, which they weren't ready for. While Luongo played a great game, the rest of his team didn't. The final goal was a testament to how the Canucks played last night. Terribly.
- The Kings, aside from the Canucks 2nd goal, played the game they needed to play. They didn't over-exert themselves and took advantage of the chances they got. Behind some solid goaltending, they might have the Canucks a bit flustered early on.
Ottawa @ New York Rangers (Live as of writing)
- Ottawa doesn't belong on the same ice as the Rangers. They're slow, uninterested in being there, and they're not attacking the net or getting rebounds. Their defense also looks weak as the Rangers 2nd goal had a Senators player just standing there while it was scored.
- The Rangers have played like the #1 seed tonight. They were aggressive, played like a team, had good goaltending and solid defensive play. If they play like this the entire postseason, I foresee a Cup in their future.
Washington @ Boston (Live as of writing)
- It seems like the only Capitals player who cares about winning right now is Braden Holtby. The Capitals are playing like a team with their head cut off, almost like they don't want to be there.
- Boston is playing aggressively, allowing less than 10 shots right now. They're hitting the Capitals hard, and it only helps that the Caps aren't putting up a fight.
Monday, April 9, 2012
The Stanley Cup in D.C.?
The past 4 seasons have been extremely heartbreaking for the Washington Capitals. After taking the Philadelphia Flyers to game 7 and losing at home in overtime in Round 1 of the playoffs, the Caps did the same to the Rangers, but won instead. They lost in the next round however to their long-time Playoff Nemesis, the Pittsburgh Penguins. The next year after getting the President's Trophy, they lost to Montreal in 7 games after being up 3-1. And last year, despite beating the Rangers in 5 games, got swept out in the second round by the Tampa Bay Lightning. This year however, after seasons of looking for a Championship, the team that likes to play all in when the chips are down may finally be able to do so.
The Capitals, having clinched a Playoff spot on Thursday at home against Florida, will open the first round against the Boston Bruins. The Bruins won last year's Stanley Cup over Vancouver in 7 games. While the Capitals won the series against the Bruins this year 3-1, most favor the Bruins due to their playoff experience and because the Capitals struggled throughout the year with various injuries to Backstrom, Vokoun and most recently Neuvirth. The Capitals also fired coach Bruce Boudreau for Dale Hunter of the CHL, a move that fans are already seeking a change for. They've been the definition of discombobulated all season, something that can't be said of Boston. The Bruins enjoyed mostly stable results all season. Despite a slow start, they went on an early tear from early November to mid December maintaining their position near the top of the Eastern Conference all season. All in all, this matchup should favor them greatly due to their overwhelming consistency throughout the season.
There is one thing however that most people overlook about the Washington Capitals and that is their ability to rise to the occasion when they are perceived to be the underdog in a game or series. This has been a constant thing in their entire history, but has cropped up recently in their play style. In some games they are down 2 or 3 goals heading in the final period only to win in regulation. While the Capitals have also experienced a reversal of this fortune sometimes this season, they have only lost once when leading by 2 or more goals after 2 periods of play, the best winning percentage in the League. This is something they will have to overcome if they wish to beat Boston in Round 1, especially without the crutch of the shootout.
If Washington gets past Boston in the first round, they will have a much easier road ahead of them. They will likely face the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers or Pittsburgh Penguins in the next round. The Rangers are the most likely team, and even though the Rangers have a regular season advantage over the Capitals, they have beaten the Rangers in each of the last 2 postseasons they have played one another. That ultimately leads to a potential showdown with the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team Washington has only beaten once in a postseason series. It's something the Capitals desire, even though they haven't been able to meet up, either because of their own sub par play or because of Pittsburgh's injuries. If the Capitals were to win a Stanley Cup, they would certainly have to beat the Penguins first.
The proper example would be the Boston Red Sox. In order for them to win their first World Series Championship in 86 years, in 2004 they had to defeat the New York Yankees to get there. The World Series for Boston that year was a cakewalk, having easily won it in 4 straight games. I'm not saying the Capitals would sweep the Stanley Cup Finals if they got there, but I feel if they got there, having beaten the Penguins to do so, they would feel and play like an unstoppable machine. Why? Because to them beating Pittsburgh is their Stanley Cup. Actually winning it would be like icing on the cake.
There's no real way to see if Washington will win the Stanley Cup or not. However, this is just an outline of how it will happen, should it happen this year.
The Capitals, having clinched a Playoff spot on Thursday at home against Florida, will open the first round against the Boston Bruins. The Bruins won last year's Stanley Cup over Vancouver in 7 games. While the Capitals won the series against the Bruins this year 3-1, most favor the Bruins due to their playoff experience and because the Capitals struggled throughout the year with various injuries to Backstrom, Vokoun and most recently Neuvirth. The Capitals also fired coach Bruce Boudreau for Dale Hunter of the CHL, a move that fans are already seeking a change for. They've been the definition of discombobulated all season, something that can't be said of Boston. The Bruins enjoyed mostly stable results all season. Despite a slow start, they went on an early tear from early November to mid December maintaining their position near the top of the Eastern Conference all season. All in all, this matchup should favor them greatly due to their overwhelming consistency throughout the season.
There is one thing however that most people overlook about the Washington Capitals and that is their ability to rise to the occasion when they are perceived to be the underdog in a game or series. This has been a constant thing in their entire history, but has cropped up recently in their play style. In some games they are down 2 or 3 goals heading in the final period only to win in regulation. While the Capitals have also experienced a reversal of this fortune sometimes this season, they have only lost once when leading by 2 or more goals after 2 periods of play, the best winning percentage in the League. This is something they will have to overcome if they wish to beat Boston in Round 1, especially without the crutch of the shootout.
If Washington gets past Boston in the first round, they will have a much easier road ahead of them. They will likely face the New York Rangers, Florida Panthers or Pittsburgh Penguins in the next round. The Rangers are the most likely team, and even though the Rangers have a regular season advantage over the Capitals, they have beaten the Rangers in each of the last 2 postseasons they have played one another. That ultimately leads to a potential showdown with the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team Washington has only beaten once in a postseason series. It's something the Capitals desire, even though they haven't been able to meet up, either because of their own sub par play or because of Pittsburgh's injuries. If the Capitals were to win a Stanley Cup, they would certainly have to beat the Penguins first.
The proper example would be the Boston Red Sox. In order for them to win their first World Series Championship in 86 years, in 2004 they had to defeat the New York Yankees to get there. The World Series for Boston that year was a cakewalk, having easily won it in 4 straight games. I'm not saying the Capitals would sweep the Stanley Cup Finals if they got there, but I feel if they got there, having beaten the Penguins to do so, they would feel and play like an unstoppable machine. Why? Because to them beating Pittsburgh is their Stanley Cup. Actually winning it would be like icing on the cake.
There's no real way to see if Washington will win the Stanley Cup or not. However, this is just an outline of how it will happen, should it happen this year.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Kid Icarus: Uprising Review
It’s been 20 years since the last Kid Icarus game was released on Game Boy, and that’s a very unknown about game to this day. To have a highly marketed, highly publicized Kid Icarus game released at this day and age is a bit strange to say the least. But considering the name behind it and his relationship with the current Nintendo CEO, it shouldn’t be surprised that Kid Icarus gets a grand re-introduction to the world on the 3DS.
Kid Icarus: Uprising is a schizophrenic game, combining an on-rails shooter style game with on land action game. The controls for the on-rails flight sections are simple and work fantastically. These sections do get pretty busy later on. None of these segments last more than five minutes however, given the game’s context that Pit’s wings will burn up if the limit is reached. After each flight section, you’ll move into the proper action segments. The controls here are mostly functional, but will probably require some tweaking since you control Pit’s firing reticule and camera at the same time. This is the only part of Uprising that could’ve been done better, and it’s a shame since these segments take up the majority of the game. Even during the latter stages of the game I never felt I had mastered them, but only managed to make sure I didn’t die because of them. It’s a shame really, as the remainder of the game never fails to shine.
The one surprising aspect of Uprising is its’ story. Pit and Palutena are the definitive stars of the show, with their almost natural quips towards one another, coming across as being extremely charming. The story is well put together and is an overall fun ride due to the dialog and story that doesn’t stop the action. While the game does give you an option to turn off the dialog after beating it, I couldn’t bring myself to do so when replaying levels, and I’m sure many will feel the same way. The story is bittersweet however, since it will leave you wondering where they could go from there.
In addition to the single player mode, there is also multiplayer, supporting online and offline play up to 6 players. There are two modes, one team-based called Light vs. Dark and the other is free-for-all. The multiplayer plays like the game’s on-foot sections, and also allows you to bring in your loot from single player to use. It’s a nice feature, but it does make you more vulnerable to losing despite having more powerful gear. It’s a nice distraction, but it wasn’t something I felt like I had to play to get my money’s worth from the game.
Uprising also offers a multitude of additional content to promote more playthroughs of chapters as well as the multiplayer, including Challenges, a Music Gallery as well as Idol Mode, which gives you in-game models based on AR cards you’ve collected. Challenges give you rewards such as weapons, music and Idols by completing chapters in single player in specific ways, such as defeating any level at 9.0 Intensity. I like that the game offers a reward to keep me playing the game, especially when there’s nothing to hang my head in shame about. It’s just offering more ways to teach you how to play the game, and maybe you’ll find something you didn’t think you’d like about it that way. The sound tracks is also another highlight of the game, and thanks to the Music Gallery you’ll be able to listen to all of your favorite tracks whenever you want, even after you beat the game.
Kid Icarus: Uprising is almost everything a game should strive to be. Despite its’ steep learning curve, it is ultimately a must buy for any Nintendo 3DS owner due to the longevity and enjoyment you’ll get out of this little bundle of joy at almost every turn.
Score: 8.5/10
Pros:
+ The Story
+ The Visuals
+ The Replay Value
Cons:
+ The Controls
+ The Replay Value
+ Losing the 3D Effect
Kid Icarus: Uprising is a schizophrenic game, combining an on-rails shooter style game with on land action game. The controls for the on-rails flight sections are simple and work fantastically. These sections do get pretty busy later on. None of these segments last more than five minutes however, given the game’s context that Pit’s wings will burn up if the limit is reached. After each flight section, you’ll move into the proper action segments. The controls here are mostly functional, but will probably require some tweaking since you control Pit’s firing reticule and camera at the same time. This is the only part of Uprising that could’ve been done better, and it’s a shame since these segments take up the majority of the game. Even during the latter stages of the game I never felt I had mastered them, but only managed to make sure I didn’t die because of them. It’s a shame really, as the remainder of the game never fails to shine.
The one surprising aspect of Uprising is its’ story. Pit and Palutena are the definitive stars of the show, with their almost natural quips towards one another, coming across as being extremely charming. The story is well put together and is an overall fun ride due to the dialog and story that doesn’t stop the action. While the game does give you an option to turn off the dialog after beating it, I couldn’t bring myself to do so when replaying levels, and I’m sure many will feel the same way. The story is bittersweet however, since it will leave you wondering where they could go from there.
In addition to the single player mode, there is also multiplayer, supporting online and offline play up to 6 players. There are two modes, one team-based called Light vs. Dark and the other is free-for-all. The multiplayer plays like the game’s on-foot sections, and also allows you to bring in your loot from single player to use. It’s a nice feature, but it does make you more vulnerable to losing despite having more powerful gear. It’s a nice distraction, but it wasn’t something I felt like I had to play to get my money’s worth from the game.
Uprising also offers a multitude of additional content to promote more playthroughs of chapters as well as the multiplayer, including Challenges, a Music Gallery as well as Idol Mode, which gives you in-game models based on AR cards you’ve collected. Challenges give you rewards such as weapons, music and Idols by completing chapters in single player in specific ways, such as defeating any level at 9.0 Intensity. I like that the game offers a reward to keep me playing the game, especially when there’s nothing to hang my head in shame about. It’s just offering more ways to teach you how to play the game, and maybe you’ll find something you didn’t think you’d like about it that way. The sound tracks is also another highlight of the game, and thanks to the Music Gallery you’ll be able to listen to all of your favorite tracks whenever you want, even after you beat the game.
Kid Icarus: Uprising is almost everything a game should strive to be. Despite its’ steep learning curve, it is ultimately a must buy for any Nintendo 3DS owner due to the longevity and enjoyment you’ll get out of this little bundle of joy at almost every turn.
Score: 8.5/10
Pros:
+ The Story
+ The Visuals
+ The Replay Value
Cons:
+ The Controls
+ The Replay Value
+ Losing the 3D Effect
Monday, March 19, 2012
Tebow Tumbling Down the Mountain
It's official, almost. Peyton Manning will become the new starting Quarterback for the Denver Broncos, pending contract negotiations. The news surrounding this signing seems almost timid. Despite rumors surrounding the Dolphins, Titans, Texans and 49ers, the team everyone thought Manning would sign with a week and a half ago, the Broncos and Elway have landed their man.
The Broncos have had many Quarterbacks since Elway retired. They had Jake Plummer, who retired after being traded to Tampa Bay after drafting Jay Cutler. Cutler was traded to Chicago for Kyle Orton after having a falling out with their former head coach, Josh McDaniels decided to draft Tim Tebow in the Draft. Kyle Orton was the starter until midway through this past season when Tebow took over and took the team to the AFC Divisional Playoffs. While Tebow took the team far, Elway was never completely behind Tebow, despite his success. This prompted the move to go after Manning in free agency.
Now that they have their man, what becomes of Tim Tebow? We know he will be traded once Manning signs, but to where exactly? We know his trade value will be extremely high due to his success last season. Most people believe that the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars will be early suitors of young Tebow. Perhaps the Chiefs will court him as well, prompting Kyle Orton to be the victim of Tebow's success twice in the span of a year. Tebow, despite his success hasn't been much of a passer, something needed to excel at the QB position in the NFL. While Tebow might be a great leader, without a great arm, he's not right for the job. While Elway might be an overly harsh critic, he wants to win now, and Tebow can't do that right now. But for now, an old pro is taking his job, and Tebow will be tumbling down the mountain to somewhere else.
The Broncos have had many Quarterbacks since Elway retired. They had Jake Plummer, who retired after being traded to Tampa Bay after drafting Jay Cutler. Cutler was traded to Chicago for Kyle Orton after having a falling out with their former head coach, Josh McDaniels decided to draft Tim Tebow in the Draft. Kyle Orton was the starter until midway through this past season when Tebow took over and took the team to the AFC Divisional Playoffs. While Tebow took the team far, Elway was never completely behind Tebow, despite his success. This prompted the move to go after Manning in free agency.
Now that they have their man, what becomes of Tim Tebow? We know he will be traded once Manning signs, but to where exactly? We know his trade value will be extremely high due to his success last season. Most people believe that the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars will be early suitors of young Tebow. Perhaps the Chiefs will court him as well, prompting Kyle Orton to be the victim of Tebow's success twice in the span of a year. Tebow, despite his success hasn't been much of a passer, something needed to excel at the QB position in the NFL. While Tebow might be a great leader, without a great arm, he's not right for the job. While Elway might be an overly harsh critic, he wants to win now, and Tebow can't do that right now. But for now, an old pro is taking his job, and Tebow will be tumbling down the mountain to somewhere else.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Madness? THIS IS MARCH!
March Madness is that time of year where a lot of people take a four day weekend. Over a two day period, you're treated to 32 College Basketball games from Noon until past Midnight. While my favorite day of the year is Week 1 of the NFL Season, I must admit that I love the opening round of March Madness for some unexplained reason. I suppose it's because of the fascination of multiple things happening at once in the sports world and the desire to not miss anything important or shocking. However, it doesn't mean it's a good thing for many people.
Productivity over the next two days is usually down a lot in North America, due to the amount of games. There's also a large gambling scene around March Madness with people filling out brackets, hoping to one day have that perfect bracket, which is usually unobtainable. This causes a lot of obsession over games that people ultimately have no control over, but that really isn't the bad part. The bad part is that people go to work, and instead of doing their work watch the games instead. I know I'll be called a hypocrite, and that's fine, because I know I don't watch basketball during work. If you're going to work, work. In our economic times you probably need the money for important things than College Basketball. If you miss something important, you'll see the game winning shot or celebration on the highlights that night when you can watch the games in the comfort of your own home. At that point, you've earned it.
Productivity over the next two days is usually down a lot in North America, due to the amount of games. There's also a large gambling scene around March Madness with people filling out brackets, hoping to one day have that perfect bracket, which is usually unobtainable. This causes a lot of obsession over games that people ultimately have no control over, but that really isn't the bad part. The bad part is that people go to work, and instead of doing their work watch the games instead. I know I'll be called a hypocrite, and that's fine, because I know I don't watch basketball during work. If you're going to work, work. In our economic times you probably need the money for important things than College Basketball. If you miss something important, you'll see the game winning shot or celebration on the highlights that night when you can watch the games in the comfort of your own home. At that point, you've earned it.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Wii U - An IP Breakdown of Nintendo Franchises
There is a lot of speculation about what may or may not come out for Wii U when it comes out later this year. While a fall '12 release is almost assured, fans are still curious what Santa Iwata will put on top of their Wii U's this holiday. Well, based on my research and analysis, hopefully, I can point you a better idea of what may come out this holiday just based on their established franchises (3 games or more).
REMEMBER, this is only for Wii U releases, not DS or 3DS releases
Also, I will not be covering Smash Bros.; it's going to be a while before it comes out
Mario
Super Mario: 2012 - 3DS fall (known, but unannounced)
Mario Party: 2012 - Wii Spring (9th entry)
Mario Sports: 2012 - Power Tennis 3DS (May)
Paper Mario: TBA - 3DS (announced, date unknown)
Mario Kart: 2011 - 3DS (7th entry)
Analyzing the last releases for every possibly spin-off for a series is important. Going by this information, we can see that the Mario has a pretty full schedule for the rest of the year. Also keep in mind that Nintendo withheld Super Mario Galaxy 2 from fall 2009's release schedule because of New Super Mario Bros. Wii. While it's conceivable that a Mario game will be announced for Wii U at E3 2012, don't expect to hit this year.
Pokemon
RPG: 2012 - DS (Black & White 2, coming by fall worldwide)
Park: 2012 - Wii Spring (2nd entry)
Mystery Dungeon: 2009 - DS (3rd entry)
Storage: 2009 - Wii (My Pokemon Ranch)
Stadium: 2006 - Wii (Battle Revolution; 2007 in NA/EU)
While Pokemon may not have as many spin-offs as Mario, they seem to stay close to the main formula as possible. If there's any hope for a Pokemon game on Wii U's launch day, it lies in the Stadium department as it's been 5-6 years (depending on where you live) since its' last release. Getting 660+ Pokemon in HD might prove tough though, but keep in mind that's about 110 per year if they were efficient. I wouldn't count on it, though, as the last one was woefully unpopular sales wise.
The Legend of Zelda
Main Series: 2011 - Wii (Skyward Sword)
Remake: 2011 - 3DS (Ocarina of Time)
Spin-Off: 2008 - Wii (Link's Crossbow Training)
There really isn't much milk to run dry from with the Zelda series, with only 1 spin-off to its' credit, the Zelda series is basically a series of games that are run on the same premise. Although there were only 2 retail releases for the series last year, there were a total of 6 releases if you include the downloadable remake of Four Swords Anniversary as well as the 3 Ambassador Zelda games. So one could say it was a long year for Zelda that most probably exhausted themselves of by the end. With that in mind, the only way there would be a Zelda game this year is if Retro was making one, but I find those odds to be less than 0% given Aunoma's stranglehold over the series.
Kirby
2011 - Wii (Return to Dreamland)
Kirby's had a lot of releases recently, 3 in the last 2 years in fact. There's a known eShop game that we've seen nothing of as well. Having a Kirby release at launch would make Iwata smile, but I doubt Kirby's up for the task given his slew of quick releases, especially since Kirby games tend to be announced and then don't come out for at least a few years, as has been the average trend.
Donkey Kong
2010 - Wii (Donkey Kong Country Returns)
Donkey Kong is a weird one, for sure. After a lot of off-shoots with controls including Barrels, he got a racing game and finally a great platformer by a development house known for reviving franchises. However, it sounds like that development house has moved onto something else, whatever it is, we don't know. It might not be true though, as it could just be Nintendo's way to trick us into thinking it's not coming. It's been a couple of years, and a Donkey Kong game could help push sales for Wii U early on as it's a proven franchise worldwide, as well as having the pedigree of Retro Studios behind it. We expect Retro's next game to be announced at E3 this year, whether or not its' Donkey Kong remains to be seen.
Metroid
2010 - Wii (Other M)
There's a lot to say here, isn't there? Other M isn't liked for about any reason you can think of. It's been a very quiet couple of years from Nintendo about this franchise, giving the fans the impression they've seemingly dismissed it as a franchise. If a Metroid game is coming to Wii U, we don't know who'll make it or when it'll come out. Taking the "creator" off might be a good thing. Then again, it'd leave a lot of doubt of where the series could continue without an ending to the last story it gave, which is something fans want, at least they did for a while at least. A surprise Metroid game at launch might be a good move. It'd show Nintendo backing the franchise in a time of uncertainty while trying to regain its' audience's trust, just like its' trying to do with Wii U and the hardcore gamer. Metroid does sell worldwide, although Japan is seemingly not interested in quality gaming. However, given the last game's quality, with a possible changing of the guard, it's probably going to be a while before we see Metroid again.
Pikmin
2004 - GameCube (2nd entry)
We know a Pikmin game was in development for Wii, but got moved to Wii U. When is it coming? We don't know. Miyamoto said within the system's first 6 months, but he said the same thing about Super Mario Galaxy, which came out a year after Wii's launch instead. I'm not saying the same will happen here, but I don't think Pikmin is a system seller, especially not at a $300+ price point. The hardcore gamer would really demand something else as well, like a hardcore racing game or a platformer, the number of which Nintendo has is mind-boggling. So, while Pikmin has a good shot to be at Wii U's launch, it doesn't have a great shot at being able to carry the torch.
F-Zero
2004 - Game Boy Advance (GP Legends)
F-Zero had a rough patch at the end of its' last run. GX was great, but was also extremely difficult, even for masochists. While there is a definite demand for an F-Zero game out there right now, it's all up to who is making it, and not a matter of when. Why not when? Because Nintendo has a history of releasing racing games at their console launches. Wave Race 64, Wave Race Bl Storm and Excite Truck were the last 3 racing games Nintendo released on launch day for their consoles. To say a racing game will be at Wii U's launch is sort of a safe assumption. It just depends if it'll be Wave Race or F-Zero, but I think Nintendo will listen to the fans on this one and go with F-Zero.
Star Fox
2011 - 3DS (Star Fox 64)
Star Fox doesn't make a whole lot of sense right now. A $40 remake sold without much fanfare, especially when you can get it for $30 cheaper on your Wii not including system costs. Star Fox, at least the on-rails shooter portion of it, needs to get longer levels ala early Sonic 3D games or go the downloadable route to maintain relevance. The games that people want out of Star Fox just aren't worth full retail price anymore. 90 minutes of gameplay for $60 is highway robbery and people won't stand for it, even if there's multiple routes.
Animal Crossing
2012 - 3DS (TBD, known) We know it's in development for 3DS at the moment, but a Wii U outing isn't looking so good at the moment given how City Folk fared in 2008. While a great series, it feels at home on handhelds unless its' console counterpart can diversify itself enough for a change. But don't expect this to happen this year.
Wii U _____
2011 - Wii (Wii Play Motion) This will obviously be an extension of the Wii _____ franchise. Last year at E3, there were tech demos like Battle Mii and Chase Mii as well as a few others to entice people. I suspect a pack-in will come with the system, and that'll be that. So this is probably the only sure-fire guarantee we have at the moment for Wii U's launch.
Wario
Land: 2009 - Wii (Wario Land Shake It!)
Ware: 2010 - DS (Wario Ware D.I.Y.)
Wario isn't that popular of a series. It's an off-shoot of Mario with a crude sense of humor. It's been 3 years since the last one and while it's a candidate for a Wii U launch game, it doesn't have the muscle to pull in system-selling numbers, at least by itself. If they were working on one but decided to port it over from Wii, it'd be easy if it was the same hand-drawn art style Shake It had. I give Wario a slim chance of making it for launch, but there's hope at least.
Kid Icarus
Main Game: 2012 - 3DS (Uprising)
While Uprising was an outstanding title, don't expect to see Pit at Wii U's launch, especially with Sakurai working on 2 versions of Super Smash Bros.
So those are where Nintendo's big franchises stand right now. Based on time alone, I'd say the top candidates for a release in the system's launch window (3 months from release) are Donkey Kong, Wii U _____, Wario, F-Zero and Metroid. Keep in mind that this is only about established franchises and not potential new IP's or franchises with less than 2 entries in them. As of writing this, it includes Kid Icarus, but I think we all know there won't be another Kid Icarus game released this year. I'll try and add more to this list since Nintendo has a lot of franchises as well as keep you updated on it. Once E3 happens in June, we'll see if I'm good with my numbers or not.
REMEMBER, this is only for Wii U releases, not DS or 3DS releases
Also, I will not be covering Smash Bros.; it's going to be a while before it comes out
Mario
Analyzing the last releases for every possibly spin-off for a series is important. Going by this information, we can see that the Mario has a pretty full schedule for the rest of the year. Also keep in mind that Nintendo withheld Super Mario Galaxy 2 from fall 2009's release schedule because of New Super Mario Bros. Wii. While it's conceivable that a Mario game will be announced for Wii U at E3 2012, don't expect to hit this year.
Pokemon
While Pokemon may not have as many spin-offs as Mario, they seem to stay close to the main formula as possible. If there's any hope for a Pokemon game on Wii U's launch day, it lies in the Stadium department as it's been 5-6 years (depending on where you live) since its' last release. Getting 660+ Pokemon in HD might prove tough though, but keep in mind that's about 110 per year if they were efficient. I wouldn't count on it, though, as the last one was woefully unpopular sales wise.
The Legend of Zelda
There really isn't much milk to run dry from with the Zelda series, with only 1 spin-off to its' credit, the Zelda series is basically a series of games that are run on the same premise. Although there were only 2 retail releases for the series last year, there were a total of 6 releases if you include the downloadable remake of Four Swords Anniversary as well as the 3 Ambassador Zelda games. So one could say it was a long year for Zelda that most probably exhausted themselves of by the end. With that in mind, the only way there would be a Zelda game this year is if Retro was making one, but I find those odds to be less than 0% given Aunoma's stranglehold over the series.
Kirby
Kirby's had a lot of releases recently, 3 in the last 2 years in fact. There's a known eShop game that we've seen nothing of as well. Having a Kirby release at launch would make Iwata smile, but I doubt Kirby's up for the task given his slew of quick releases, especially since Kirby games tend to be announced and then don't come out for at least a few years, as has been the average trend.
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong is a weird one, for sure. After a lot of off-shoots with controls including Barrels, he got a racing game and finally a great platformer by a development house known for reviving franchises. However, it sounds like that development house has moved onto something else, whatever it is, we don't know. It might not be true though, as it could just be Nintendo's way to trick us into thinking it's not coming. It's been a couple of years, and a Donkey Kong game could help push sales for Wii U early on as it's a proven franchise worldwide, as well as having the pedigree of Retro Studios behind it. We expect Retro's next game to be announced at E3 this year, whether or not its' Donkey Kong remains to be seen.
Metroid
There's a lot to say here, isn't there? Other M isn't liked for about any reason you can think of. It's been a very quiet couple of years from Nintendo about this franchise, giving the fans the impression they've seemingly dismissed it as a franchise. If a Metroid game is coming to Wii U, we don't know who'll make it or when it'll come out. Taking the "creator" off might be a good thing. Then again, it'd leave a lot of doubt of where the series could continue without an ending to the last story it gave, which is something fans want, at least they did for a while at least. A surprise Metroid game at launch might be a good move. It'd show Nintendo backing the franchise in a time of uncertainty while trying to regain its' audience's trust, just like its' trying to do with Wii U and the hardcore gamer. Metroid does sell worldwide, although Japan is seemingly not interested in quality gaming. However, given the last game's quality, with a possible changing of the guard, it's probably going to be a while before we see Metroid again.
Pikmin
We know a Pikmin game was in development for Wii, but got moved to Wii U. When is it coming? We don't know. Miyamoto said within the system's first 6 months, but he said the same thing about Super Mario Galaxy, which came out a year after Wii's launch instead. I'm not saying the same will happen here, but I don't think Pikmin is a system seller, especially not at a $300+ price point. The hardcore gamer would really demand something else as well, like a hardcore racing game or a platformer, the number of which Nintendo has is mind-boggling. So, while Pikmin has a good shot to be at Wii U's launch, it doesn't have a great shot at being able to carry the torch.
F-Zero
F-Zero had a rough patch at the end of its' last run. GX was great, but was also extremely difficult, even for masochists. While there is a definite demand for an F-Zero game out there right now, it's all up to who is making it, and not a matter of when. Why not when? Because Nintendo has a history of releasing racing games at their console launches. Wave Race 64, Wave Race Bl Storm and Excite Truck were the last 3 racing games Nintendo released on launch day for their consoles. To say a racing game will be at Wii U's launch is sort of a safe assumption. It just depends if it'll be Wave Race or F-Zero, but I think Nintendo will listen to the fans on this one and go with F-Zero.
Star Fox
Star Fox doesn't make a whole lot of sense right now. A $40 remake sold without much fanfare, especially when you can get it for $30 cheaper on your Wii not including system costs. Star Fox, at least the on-rails shooter portion of it, needs to get longer levels ala early Sonic 3D games or go the downloadable route to maintain relevance. The games that people want out of Star Fox just aren't worth full retail price anymore. 90 minutes of gameplay for $60 is highway robbery and people won't stand for it, even if there's multiple routes.
Animal Crossing
Wii U _____
Wario
Wario isn't that popular of a series. It's an off-shoot of Mario with a crude sense of humor. It's been 3 years since the last one and while it's a candidate for a Wii U launch game, it doesn't have the muscle to pull in system-selling numbers, at least by itself. If they were working on one but decided to port it over from Wii, it'd be easy if it was the same hand-drawn art style Shake It had. I give Wario a slim chance of making it for launch, but there's hope at least.
Kid Icarus
While Uprising was an outstanding title, don't expect to see Pit at Wii U's launch, especially with Sakurai working on 2 versions of Super Smash Bros.
So those are where Nintendo's big franchises stand right now. Based on time alone, I'd say the top candidates for a release in the system's launch window (3 months from release) are Donkey Kong, Wii U _____, Wario, F-Zero and Metroid. Keep in mind that this is only about established franchises and not potential new IP's or franchises with less than 2 entries in them. As of writing this, it includes Kid Icarus, but I think we all know there won't be another Kid Icarus game released this year. I'll try and add more to this list since Nintendo has a lot of franchises as well as keep you updated on it. Once E3 happens in June, we'll see if I'm good with my numbers or not.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Ideas
I think I get a good idea every now and then. I also think I get a bad one every now and again, but we all do. These ones I think are good however, are ones I try to expand upon, flesh out and ultimately form into a somewhat cohesive stew in mind. These are always within arms' reach too, since they're easy to callback to, and can get some additional work to make them even better. For me, most of these ideas are in the form of video games, my hobby of choice.
I play quite a few video games, although I have significantly cut back over the last year or so. To me, game design is somewhat I have no expertise in, although I know what would be a fun idea from either a story or visual perspective. For example, having a bright and colorful atmosphere is something even the most hardest of hardcore gamer can enjoy because it is an alternative to their gaming routine. In addition, a mature person can enjoy something childishly bright because they understand what is trying to be done. From a story standpoint, if you have one, it's ultimately just as important as the gameplay nowadays.
If something makes the player turn off a game, it can be due to a lack of effort or sloppiness in the dialog or voice acting department, or moments that are of questionable morals, particularly in a large audience. The people behind the game have ultimately failed in creating an enjoyable experience, something entertainment, particularly games are supposed to be about, if this happens. To me, this is something largely overlooked by a large portion of developers, and while they try to work in a story to games, they seem to often forget that there is a clear distinction between right and wrong that almost everyone shares. So yes, I have some ideas about video game stories, and I know how to convey them. It's just a matter of whether or not I can share these ideas with the world, because I would sure like to.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Humbling the Audience
When it comes to stories in video games, there's usually only two things that can happen: One, the audience loves your story and everything about is defended until the end of time or two, the audience hates your story because they believe it is not quality, poor, amateurish, and more often than not considered lazy. But I just have to ask if there's a way to prove the audience wrong? Is it possible to show them that what they though was considered poor to actually be well constructed? And even if you could, would they believe you in your attempt to prove that you were right all along?
That's the question I've asked myself a lot recently when it comes to writing and storytelling. Is there a way to show your audience that you always cared about your product, despite what they think? When gamers think quality, they see high scores on Metacritic, beautiful graphics, and above all a lot of marketing to show support of a product. This always changes between games though, despite what they see and hear. If a game gets high scores, and they play it but hate it, they will obviously be cautious about the next product in that series, despite the claims of its' omnipotence. However, there really hasn't been a game or series to rewrite the book on itself for previous entries, and by that I mean stories that change the perception of previous entries.
Most games today push the envelope for the cheap thrill, living game to game on their successes. They don't tend to go back and say 'Yes, X was important because of Y, and now that you know, this circumstance is infinitely better.' I don't know if it's because developers and writers want to because of the perception of a lack of quality, but the effort really hasn't been made in this area, and until it's explored, we will never know if history can be re-written for the better. For such a situation to take place however, you would need to write a story in a series with the plan that it'd be written as an arc and not as an individual tale. Given the industry's reliance on playing it safe due to the amount of money games take to make, it's understandable if something like this doesn't pop up right away.
However, it would take someone of truly excellent craft to do such a thing, and and one who is even better at crafting an experience to make the audience believe it was the intention from the beginning.
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