Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the wonderful meats at M-Grill, the excellent Lodi Vineyards Rapture Cabernet P Andy shared with me, or if you’re going to see The Social Network, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
As some of you know, I’ve been playing Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light to review for another site. I’m mostly enjoying the game. It’s an old-school RPG with a job system — I love both of those things. Having said that, there are several aspects of the game that are acceptable to me as a longtime RPG player, but would probably irk the hell out of newer gamers.
For example, there are several dungeons that are a cakewalk until the boss fight. If you don’t have the right armor and/or weapons equipped then the boss fights are super challenging at best and irritatingly impossible at worst. You can teleport back to the nearest village to get the right gear, but then you have to slog through the entire dungeon again. With all the hand holding and linearity in today’s games, I think a lot of players will find this unacceptable. Stuff like this was fine in 1993, but I don’t think it works in 2010.
Have you had any similar experiences recently? Are there any games you’ve played in the last year that use mechanics that should have been left in the ’90s? Have you played anything that’s crossed the line between classic and antiquated? Now’s the time to whine about old-school videogame conventions!
WHO DAT!!! WHO DAT!!! WHO DAT SAY THEY GON BEAT THEM FALCONS?! NOOOOOOOOBODYYYYYYYY!!!!
Playing duck hunt on a big tv doesn't work right, its actually quite funny to watch
Resident Evil 5 controlled just as like Resident Evil 1 from the 90s and that's just unacceptable now.
It is a tragedy that we as a society feel the social pressures of having to hurry up for everything that we even rush through our past times or what we do in our free time. We have to have more more more and it has to be new. We have let that change our perception of fun, and that is sad. It even happens to me all the time. There is so much content out there that I don't want to spend a lot of time on a game that has a huge world to explore or tons of things to do. Even games that you have to replay parts of in order to get right and strategize to be able to get through. It's too bad that just because a game takes longer to get through we pass by it or get frustrated with it and move on to something faster and easier. There are games out there that I will probably never experience for these exact reasons, and I find it sad that we have become such a fast paced world that we pass by great things because we have to get on to the next objective.
I just thought of another one. I love the Zelda franchise but I have one huge problem with it now and that's the fact that there is still no audible dialog in the game. I think it's ridiculous to have to read all of that text in this day and age. I not knocking the game because I still love Zelda, I just wish they would add audible dialogue instead of having to read all the time.
@RROD
Gratz. Dirty birds needed OT and a basket case kicker to squeak it out. :P
Phantom Hourglass was crap. You had to do the same damn dungeon over and over in between dungeons.
A new convention I dislike is the sandbox game. I haven't played RDR because of that. GTA4 only kept me interested because of the story but I didn't do any side missions. I prefer a strong narrative linear type of game as compared to the sandbox type.
@ RROD
Ummm…. Steelers beat the Falcons…. barely, but still.
@Smartguy
Umm, didn't that basket case kicker put the Saints in the Super Bowl last year? Besides, if Brees didn't throw two horrible interceptions(one was badly underthrown that would have been a TD and the other was something only a rookie would do) they wouldn't have to rely on a kicker.
@N8R
True, and thank you for bringing the Bucs back down to Earth. We need you guys to do the same to the Saints as well.
@Mike Vick
Who still thinks Kevin Kolb should Start?
@Smartguy
I agree with you sandbox game assessment. They only add those pointless side missions to add length to the game but all they do is break up the flow of the story.
@ RROD
We got the Saints on Halloween… and Big Ben will be back. Given the way we've been looking without a real QB (and I truly expect to lose to the Ravens next week), I think we may have the favor in that game. The Saints didn't have to play us last year to do what they did.
No matter what, it's undeniable that the Steelers are a badass team. Even with gimpy and suspended players.
@RROD
I was surprised he made those. He missed one against TB last year as well. Hartley has never been a kicker I wanted to rely on. Too bad John Carney was getting old. The Brees picks were killers especially the Favre type pick. We'll just pick up the W Monday night in Atl. :)
In other news, I was accepted to a law school this morning. Now the hard part, paying for it.
@smartguy
Congratz on getting into law school!
@ Smartguy
Congrats, dude.
Now when I get arrested for doing disgraceful things even for Mardi Gras time in New Orleans, I know who to call.
@n8r
good reverse psychology move! pretending to believe that the Ravens will beat the Steelers.
@N8R
I'm not doing criminal law lol.
@Tokz
I applied to three of them. Awaiting word from the other 2. Such an amazing feeling right now.
@Smartguy
Hopefully, we will have clinched a spot in the playoffs and don't need to win that last game against the Saints and can rest our starters. Congrats on the law school.
@smartguy
that's kool! i hope you get accepted to all 3!
@Smartguy
Congratulations on the one law school. Hopefully the other two follow suit soon enough. Are you planning on using the accounting degree with the law degree afterwards, or just seperate interests?
@BSU
Combination of the two if need be. I got the accounting degree simply to learn how financial statements are created in addition to learning about Tax. I enjoy tax.
@Tokz
Hopefully the cheapest will accept me. As luck would gave it the most expensive accepted me. Figures huh?
@smartguy
oh i agree. it reminds me of when i applied for my undergrad. i got accepted to the univ of Michigan but i didn't want to take out a loan to go to that school. i think i just wanted to know i could get in.
does this spell the end for the Segway
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-114166…
@tokz_21 I read that earlier this morning. To clarify, he's the guy that bought Segway. The guy that inveted it, Dean Kamen, is still around. It's a shame because the guy did a ton of philanthropic work.
@smartguy May I ask what your LSAT score was? I got a 163 way back when. I'm not even sure if the scoring system is the same.
@rpad
well that's true but the article states that he was riding their scooters. it can't be a good thing to see as the co-owner or possible investor. i agree that it is a shame. too bad you didn't hit him up for money.
fuck………..
@Rpad
163 as well. You and I are both in the 90th percentile. I was considering taking it again since most schools don't use an aggregate anymore. I don't think I will.
@Ray and @Smartguy
LSAT, GRE, any graduate school tests…not for me. I will be having my fun elsewhere!
@Smartguy
Have fun with law classes, it has been a while since I have had to take one. I had a media law class about a year ago, and I used to go with my dad to his classes when he was in law school. My dad became friends with some of the professors and one of them used to talk to me before a class that I was at and would give me an answer to a question which he would ask me in the middle of a class filled with all these grad students. The ones who could never figure out what was going on were always amazed. haha.
@smartguy
congrats on the law school, hopefully i can get you a fantasy football win, but i make no promises
this fucking avatar sucks
@Thundercracker
I hear that!! Sorry for the shame of a P@%#*!%$ avatar.
Go Colts!
I kinda like my avatar this week.
@thundercracker
Thanks. My fantasy teams so far this year are not getting it done. I'm the Lions of fantasy football now.
@smartguy congratulations on law school
@thundercracker I'm honestly starting to believe being a bills fan is worse than a Texans fan
Jose Canceco needs a lawyer:
http://twitter.com/JoseCanseco/status/25358439982
@Smartguy
I'm not too happy with my fantasy team right now either. I am getting killed by Big Black's team right now when I should have scored about 2400 yesterday. Instead I am probably the only one whose bench almost scored 3000.
@bsu
i was happy with my team and projected to kill i think it was Arguello's team by 500 pts. i hate ESPN and their projections. they're always wrong!
@Tokz
Yeah the projections are really off, especially for defenses. I made the horrible horrible mistake of putting in the Colts defense this past week, and since they played the broncos didn't want to pit Orton against the Colts defense. So I took out the Cardinals defense and Orton…who are 4th and 5th respectively on the scoring leaders chart. I guess I should say I am happy with my fantasy team…just not my brilliant decisions on who to bench and who to start.
This could have far reaching implications on the beloved Internet:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/09/p…
@bsu
oh yeah it happens way too much in fantasy. i only pay elite defenses on the road against real mediocre teams i.e. Steelers vs Tampa or the Patriots vs the Bills, even though New England really wanted to lose that game.
@ Thunder
Man if the Bills started Fitzpatrick in game one the PATS would of lost that game, but they didn't. Nice avatar btw lol.
@ Iceman
What happened down there?
@ FF defense
My defenses are the Steelers and the Ravens… some weeks, it's hard to figure out who to start. Both of them are elite.
I'm hoping Matt Forte has a killer game tonight.
@ Side note
Having a PC at work and a Mac at home is starting to get frustrating.
At home, I'm always hitting "control" instead of "command" for everything and at work, I stay trying to pull up my dock.
ARRRGGHH!
I can't decide which team is worse right now, my fantasy team or my real team.
::Rant on::
HOW THE FUCK DO YOU DOMINATE A GAME AND LOSE BY 19 POINTS!?!?!?!?!?!?! The Giants should have killed the Titans by 20 yesterday. They moved the ball up and down the field on them, bottled up Chris Johnson very well all day long (he busted one 40 yarder late which makes his stats look more impressive than the game he actually had), and managed to blow it by giving up 3 turnovers, missing 2 FG's, allowing a safety on a boneheaded penalty in the endzone (one of 5 personal fouls against the offense). WTF!?!?!?! Fucking garbage.
::Rant off::
Yes, the new avatar is the NY Giants trash can.
@ FF
Yea Espn sucks we should go a different route next year. Injuries are killing my team but I keep finding a way to manage.
@Big Black
I like the EPSN setup and everything, I just can't figure out the projections or scoring. Now that I have the layout of the site figured out I think it works pretty well, and it's been a few years since I did a yahoo league (i'm sure they have updated the site anyways) and I'm not sure what other sites really do free fantasy leagues.
Unlike most of my friends, I'm loving the triple-digit weather in Los Angeles. It reminds me of living in Thailand.
@All Would any of you want to play fantasy baseball with me next year?
Sign me up for Fantasy Baseball. My luck at that is significantly better than Fantasy Football.
@ Rpad
I'll try it out with you, I never played fantasy baseball. I imagine it is much more involved and tedious than fantasy football.
@Bsu
Their projections are trash I just use my own knowledge of football which seems to work because on paper one team might be favored but there are way to many factors in football that cant be put on paper. I try to watch as many games as possible to get the feel of how each team plays.
@BB: I'll be honest…I have no problem with ESPN, but I can't figure out this scoring system the way it's set up.
@rpad count me in
@BB
Yeah that didn't work out for me yesterday. lol. My horrible picks were your good fortune. I think there should've been a trophy for strongest bench, this would have been my week to win. haha.
@ Ray
I'd probably be terrible at it because I;m from Pittsburgh and we have bad luck in baseball.
I am however willing to be original and start our own Fantasy Pro-Wrestling brand!
And WHY is there no point deduction for defensive penalties????
You're killing me, Big Blak.
@topic;
I agree with RROD; the person who was creating the control scheme for RE5 must have preformed a self-labotomization before he/she/it worked on the game. I was playing it this weekend and the controls render that game damn near unplayable… especially the "Lost in Nightmares" and "Desperate Escape" DLC episodes.
@RROD:
Thank you for getting Smartguy to finally change his Taco Bell dog icon to … whoever the hell that is (I'm assuming it's the Falcon's coach… or head catering chef).
@Smartguy;
I'm going to buck the trend here since I've actually known people before and after they have completed law school, so at the sake of sounding non-conformist about the whole thing: You have my sympathies for being accepted into law school. Although, I hope that doesn't come back to bite me in the ass when I'm using my only phone call in jail to hire you as our lawyer since N8 convinced me to go with him down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras with several contraband items, an underage Korean prostitute, and a donkey. Yes, yes, I know you're not going to be THAT kind of lawyer, but still, you can't be any worse than Joe Pesci from "My Cousin Vinny", right?
@Big Blak;
… I was at the game and it couldn't have looked any worse on TV. I think Tony Sparano decided to let his twin brother, Retard Sparano coach that last game. I will be going to the Monday night game next week as well. Don't worry, you'll get what's coming to you… and if you don't know what's coming to you, take a good look at my new Gravatar, only imagine a different symbol in the middle instead of the "U".
@FF;
I am not really used to ESPN's system, but I've been pretty spoiled by Yahoo's. I've been using Yahoo's Fantasy Football interface for well over eight years now and it is pretty simple and straight-forward. I also like the homepage layout better, but then again, I'm biased.
@Mr. Padilla;
I'm down for fantasy baseball since I am marginally better at that than I am at fantasy football as well.
@N8;
God, I love posting after you now! The visual eye candy is just awesome. Can't wait until it's a dolphin! (Just like Big Blak's will be).
-M
@Iceman
Indeed sir. Right now I'm still trying to decide how to pay for it though. 36k per year is pretty steep. The dog was a Blue Dog with a fleur de lis shirt on man. George Rodrigue. Look him up. New gravatar is Jerry Glanville.
@ N8R
I played around with that before the season started and it looked like we would have to draft individuals instead of team d. I could be wrong. I can still change it but that would change everyone's scores.
@ Iceman
I cant wait to send you the link for your avatar next week!
@ Topic
A gripe that I have
Is the inability
To not jump around
That was a haiku did you catch it?
I SERIOUSLY hate that there are still games where you can not jump. Im not talking front flips and rolling from cover to cover. I mean the most basic of all moves if you have workable legs (which most characters have) other than walking would be the vertical jump.
Does Zelda get a pass for not being able to jump?
i'm in for Fantasy Baseball too!
@Big Blak;
You just reminded me of something. Have you ever played a game where the character you control in the game can't jump or has very limited mobility and then when you get to a cut scene in the game, you see that same character dodge, weave, run, jump and look like an acrobatic monkey without the prehensile tail?
It's almost like the people working on the game's cinematic sequences were completely isolated from the people doing the actual game play for the entire project.
-M
@ Iceman
Yes that irks the hell out of me.