Category: Coffee Talk

Coffee Talk #138: Should Sony Have Made a Play for Bungie/Respawn?

Last weekend I hung out with two industry friends that argued (separately) that Sony should have made a big-time play for Bungie or Respawn. (This is what game geeks do over coffee or lunch. It’s like when jocks get together and discuss what GM moves they’d make for their favorite NBA team. In both cases, none of the participants are qualified to steer the ship.) Their arguments were basically the same — although Killzone and Resistance are respectable franchises, it would have been killer for Sony to have its own Call of Duty or Halo, exclusively. Nabbing the creators of those franchises would have been huge.

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, graciously recapping last night’s Lost for me, round two of the NBA playoffs, or Rasheed Wallace remembering how to play basketball for one night, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Last weekend I hung out with two industry friends that argued (separately) that Sony should have made a big-time play for Bungie or Respawn. (This is what game geeks do over coffee or lunch. It’s like when jocks get together and discuss what GM moves they’d make for their favorite NBA team. In both cases, none of the participants are qualified to steer the ship.) Their arguments were basically the same — although Killzone and Resistance are respectable franchises, it would have been killer for Sony to have its own Call of Duty or Halo, exclusively. Nabbing the creators of those franchises would have been huge.

Today I want to invite you into the conversation. Pretend you’re a hotshot Sony executive. Looking through the retroscope, do you think it would have been wise to lay out a ton of money for exclusive deals with Bungie or Respawn? Are Resistance and Killzone big enough bullets for the company? How crazy would it have been if Bungie or Respawn became first-party studios for Sony? If you could only sign one of those companies, which one would it be (poll below)? How would you upstage Kaz Hirai at Sony’s E3 2010 press conference?

I can’t wait for all your answers today! Let’s make it fun!!!

[poll id=”41″]

Coffee Talk #137: What Do You Hate About Modern Games?

Yesterday I asked you about classic gaming features you miss. Today I want to know what modern gaming features you loathe. Games aren’t automatically more fun just because technology is more advanced and development techinques have improved. Sometimes there are trends that decrease the fun level. So get into your bitter barn and think about the things you hate in today’s games.

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, Bryan Danielson winning a match before E3, the lost Lost script, or your favorite Poison song, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Yesterday I asked you about classic gaming features you miss. Today I want to know what modern gaming features you loathe. Games aren’t automatically more fun just because technology is more advanced and development techinques have improved. Sometimes there are trends that decrease the fun level. So get into your bitter barn and think about the things you hate in today’s games.

As for me, I hate that consoles have to be online for some content to be accessed. It absolutely sucks that certain bits of DLC need to be verified through the Internet. If you’re Internet service is out or your playing your console on the road without a connection, there’s a good chance that you can’t play everything you’ve purchased. I understand why the online check happens, but there has to be a better way, no?

Now it’s your turn! What are the trends in gaming that irk you? Tacked on cooperative play? Day one DLC? I want to know!

Coffee Talk #136: What Classic Gaming Features Do You Miss?

Games get better all the time. Development techniques improve. Gameplay styles evolve. Consoles and PCs become more powerful, which allow them to be potentially more immersive. Despite all of these factors, there are things I miss about the good old days of gaming. Perhaps it’s the primitive charm of classic games or maybe I like how old games required me to imagine or maybe it’s simply nostalgia, but there are many things I miss about the classics.

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, Floyd Mayweather’s annihilation of Shane Mosley, what the hell happened to Rasheed Wallace, or your best wishes for Bret Michaels, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Games get better all the time. Development techniques improve. Gameplay styles evolve. Consoles and PCs become more powerful, which allow them to be potentially more immersive. Despite all of these factors, there are things I miss about the good old days of gaming. Perhaps it’s the primitive charm of classic games or maybe I like how old games required me to imagine or maybe it’s simply nostalgia, but there are many things I miss about the classics.

The dying (perhaps dead?) gameplay convention I miss the most is turn-based combat in RPGs. I totally understand why RPGs have moved towards real-time combat — it’s more appealing to a broader audience. I get it…but I don’t like it. I loved the combat in Japanese RPGs like Final Fantasy IV/V/VI. The epic turn-based battles in titles like Final Fantasy Tactics, Ogre Battle, and Disgaea are some of my fondest gaming memories of all time. Sadly, that gameplay style is on the endangered species list.

Today I wanted to ask you about aspects of classic gaming you miss the most. What conventions and gameplay styles get you teary eyed? Perhaps there’s a storytelling technique you miss. Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Coffee Talk #135: Do Villains Make the Hero?

My friend and I were having a nerd lunch yesterday, talking about Iron Man’s crappy rogues gallery. It was extra funny because we were eating at a restaurant made famous by Swingers and there were a few minor celebrities around. As Hollywood did its thing, we wondered if Iron Man’s popularity wasn’t as high as it could have been due to his extraordinarily bad villains. Crimson Dynamo?!? The Mandarin?!? Fin Fang Foom?!?

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, being jealous of RPadholic smartguy’s HTC Incredible, the chances of Mark Cuban holding an NBA championship tropy, or why you think Shane Mosley will beat Floyd Mayweather, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend and I were having a nerd lunch yesterday, talking about Iron Man’s crappy rogues gallery. It was extra funny because we were eating at a restaurant made famous by Swingers and there were a few minor celebrities around. As Hollywood did its thing, we wondered if Iron Man’s popularity wasn’t as high as it could have been due to his extraordinarily bad villains. Crimson Dynamo?!? The Mandarin?!? Fin Fang Foom?!?

Every hero needs a good villain to fight. Batman probably has the best assortment of baddies, which is one reason he’s globally popular. The X-Men have to deal with Magneto’s brand of mutant justice and a large portion of the world hating/fearing them. Heroes like The Flash and Daredevil have been elevated in popularity thanks to their villains. Heck, Flash’s adversaries call themselves “The Rogues”, while DD has edgy opponents like Bullseye, Elektra, and Kingpin.

Do you think villains make the hero? Does a comic-book protagonist need top-shelf baddies? Or can the hero win the hearts and minds of the public regardless of who he/she is fighting?

Coffee Talk #134: Have You Ever Quit Gaming?

I’ve quit many things over the years. At various points in my life, I’ve quit drinking, smoking, gambling, comic books, and several other things I can’t remember. (Sadly, I’ve never been treated for sex addiction like Tiger Woods, David Duchovny, and Chazz Michael Michaels.) Obviously, I have an addictive personality. One thing I’ve never given is playing games. Certainly I’ve had a lot of stretches (too many, really) where I’ve played games way more than I should have, but I’ve enjoyed the “work” excuse for my marathon sessions.

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, your formidable Scrabble powers, The Neilsen Company rating the Cleveland Indians as the #1 most-hated team in baseball, or why you think Floyd Mayweather will beat Shane Mosley, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I’ve quit many things over the years. At various points in my life, I’ve quit drinking, smoking, gambling, comic books, and several other things I can’t remember. (Sadly, I’ve never been treated for sex addiction like Tiger Woods, David Duchovny, and Chazz Michael Michaels.) Obviously, I have an addictive personality. One thing I’ve never given up is playing games. Certainly I’ve had a lot of stretches (too many, really) where I’ve played games way more than I should have, but I’ve enjoyed the “work” excuse for my marathon sessions.

How about you? Have you ever played games to the point you neglected eating, sleeping, and your social life? Have you ever had to take a step back and said, “Yeah, I really need to quit gaming for a while.”? Perhaps games have made you pull and HBK and you had to leave them in order to “find your smile”. Perhaps games have made you tap out and you had to take a break in the real world to recover. I’d love to hear about your experiences. Kindly share!

Coffee Talk #133: KFC Double Down vs. IHOP Pancake Stackers

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been fascinated with the KFC Double Down — cheese and bacon sandwiched by two slabs of boneless fried chicken. It is one of the most ridiculous fast food concoctions I’ve ever seen in my life. Ergo, I need to have one…but I’m more than a little scared of it. I’m not really sure why. After all, I did eat a double Big Mac (four all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame-seed bun) in Thailand, simply because of how preposterous it looked. For some reason, I chicked out (*snicker*) of the Double Down the last few times I passed my local KFC. It’s an intimidating sandwich.

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 first round of the NBA playoffs, the WWE draft results, or Manny Pacquiao’s campaign, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been fascinated with the KFC Double Down — cheese and bacon sandwiched by two slabs of boneless fried chicken. It is one of the most ridiculous fast food concoctions I’ve ever seen in my life. Ergo, I need to have one…but I’m more than a little scared of it. I’m not really sure why. After all, I did eat a double Big Mac (four all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame-seed bun) in Thailand, simply because of how preposterous it looked. For some reason, I chicked out (*snicker*) of the Double Down the last few times I passed my local KFC. It’s an intimidating sandwich.

Yesterday a friend showed me IHOP’s Pancake Stackers. The press release says it features “sweet and silky crustless cheesecake layered between two world-famous IHOP buttermilk pancakes, crowned with a choice of cool strawberries, blueberry or cinnamon apple compote and crowned with creamy whipped topping”. Wow. A cheesecake sandwich that uses pancakes as the bread?!? And I thought the Double Down was ridiculous…. Still, I will eventually have one of these too.

Here are my questions for you today. What the hell is going on with food in America?!? Who would win in a fight? The KFC Double Down or IHOP’s Pancake Stackers? Have you tried either of these combos yet? Are you planning to? Or are they too extreme for you?

Coffee Talk #132: Who Is Your Mobile Phone Provider and Why?

Today’s Coffee Talk is pretty simple. I want to know which company you use for your mobile service. I know that some of you are iPhone users, so I expect AT&T to be a popular choice. I also know that AT&T blows in several parts of America, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see lots of Sprint and Verizon users. If you can get good coverage where you work, play, and live, I think T-Mobile offers the best value of the “big four”. Even T-Mobile’s values can be beaten by regional or pre-paid providers.

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, your Mosley/Mayweather prediction, who will be the 2010 NBA champions, or your favorite Filipino-American in entertainment, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Today’s Coffee Talk is pretty simple. I want to know which company you use for your mobile service. I know that some of you are iPhone users, so I expect AT&T to be a popular choice. I also know that AT&T blows in several parts of America, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see lots of Sprint and Verizon customers. If you can get good coverage where you work, play, and live, I think T-Mobile offers the best value of the “big four”. That said, even T-Mobile’s value can be beaten by regional or pre-paid providers.

Anyway, kindly take this poll and let me know why you went with your current provider. Also, let me know if you’re happy with them or considering jumping ship.

[poll id=”38″]

Coffee Talk #131: You Down with DLC (Yeah You Know Me!)

Yes, today’s column was totally inspired by Naughty by Nature’s “O.P.P.”, which has been stuck in my head for the last hour. Anyway, I wanted to see what your issues were with DLC. Perhaps I’m getting soft in my advanced age, but I’m not really angry about things like DLC on day one or DLC on a retail disc being unlocked over time. “Features” like that piss some gamers off. I can see why, but I also see how these types of DLC are useful in halting used-game sales.

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, former light heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek schooling Chris Arreola (a really fat heavyweight), Javier Vazquez sucking in Yankee pinstripes, or today’s BlackBerry announcements, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Yes, today’s column was totally inspired by Naughty by Nature’s “O.P.P.”, which has been stuck in my head for the last hour. Anyway, I wanted to see what your issues were with DLC. Perhaps I’m getting soft in my advanced age, but I’m not really angry about things like DLC on day one or DLC on a retail disc being unlocked over time. “Features” like that piss some gamers off. I can see why, but I also see how these types of DLC are useful in halting used-game sales.

Like I said, I don’t have a problem with these DLC deterrents, if you will (said like Dusty Rhodes). How do you feel about them? Do they irritate you? Do they make you not want to buy certain products? Or are they an acceptable nuisance? Maybe you’re like me and it doesn’t really bother you? Share your thoughts on the matter (please)!

Coffee Talk #130: Games You’ve Enjoyed Thanks to Friends

For the most part, we all know what kind of games we’ll like and won’t like. Every now and then, a surprise comes our way. One of the best ways to receive a gaming surprise is through friends. A great friend of mine recently dropped by for lunch on his way back up to San Francisco. We’ve gone through a lot together, but there’s one game that always reminds me of him: Culdcept. I admit that I would have totally ignored this game if he didn’t put it on my radar. Thanks to him, I’ve gotten dozens of hours of entertainment from a game I wouldn’t have tried on my own.

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, Tim Tebow going so early in the draft, the Yankees’ first triple play in more than 40 years, or whether the world is passing Nokia/RIM by, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

For the most part, we all know what kind of games we’ll like and won’t like. Every now and then, a surprise comes our way. One of the best ways to receive a gaming surprise is through friends. A great friend of mine recently dropped by for lunch on his way back up to San Francisco. We’ve gone through a lot together, but there’s one game that always reminds me of him: Culdcept. I admit that I would have totally ignored this game if he didn’t put it on my radar. Thanks to him, I’ve gotten dozens of hours of entertainment from a game I wouldn’t have tried on my own.

Do you have any gaming surprises like that? Are there any games you like or love thanks to recommendations by friends? Surely there must be a game you would have dismissed but didn’t, thanks to a pal telling you about it. I want to hear your friends-turn-you-onto-game stories today!

Coffee Talk #129: Should Digital Downloads Be Taxed?

RPadholic tokz_21 sent me this interesting article on digital downloads being taxed. The article focused primarily on movies and music, but it could easily apply to games as well. I don’t know what the deals are in the states you live in, but in California downloadable goods aren’t taxed. On one hand, I save some money. On the other hand, I do feel like I’m cheating (just a little bit).

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, Madden’s new cover boy, Tim Urban finally getting the boot from American Idol, or flip phones in 2010, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

RPadholic tokz_21 sent me this interesting article on digital downloads being taxed. The article focused primarily on movies and music, but it could easily apply to games as well. I don’t know what the deals are in the states you live in, but in California downloadable goods aren’t taxed. On one hand, I save some money. On the other hand, I do feel like I’m cheating (just a little bit).

Obviously nobody wants to pay more money, but I wanted to see if you think digital downloads should be taxed. Be honest! Should downloads be treated like other goods you buy? Or should the state be hands-off? Do you feel like you’re depriving your state of funds by purchasing digitally or through online retailers that don’t charge tax? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!