Category: Coffee Talk

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, poor Taylor Swift getting bashed for her singing skills, Ellen’s debut on American Idol, or robbing arcades with coffee mugs, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

“They don’t make ’em like they used to,” is a pretty common phrase. In gaming, that usually doesn’t apply. Better technology and smarter development almost always make current games superior to their predecessors. There are exceptions to the rule…though sometimes it’s simply a matter of taste.

To me, Super Mario Kart for SNES is the best game in the series. While I’ve enjoyed several of its sequels, none of them come close to the original, in my opinion. I will defend the game’s clever design and simple controls all day when someone tells me that the sequels had more complex tracks and more intricate controls. To me, Super Mario Kart was the most fun.

That said, I have to admit that nostalgia might have something to do with it too. I had a blast playing the game with my brother for hours and hours. Perhaps I’m fooling myself, but I believe that’s a minor part of it. I honestly believe that as technology improved and game design became more complex, the Mario Kart series became less fun.

Are there any games that make you feel the same way? Is there a series that became worse over time instead of better, in your opinion? Am I nuts about thinking Super Mario Kart is the best in the series? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

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 Million-Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase finally being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, where Johnny Damon will end up, or the next great Android device, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

What game would you show your parents (or parent-like figures) to show off how far gaming has come? It’s easy for older people to dismiss games as “greasy kid stuff”, simply because they don’t know any better. A lot of parents haven’t seen incredible interactive adventures like Uncharted 2 or the thrilling action like Left 4 Dead 2. They simply don’t know how awesome games are, even compared to last generation.

I remember this one time (not at band camp) when my Dad visited me in San Francisco. We saw my uncle and his family in the East Bay and they had all sorts of questions about games. When they brought me home, I showed them a cutscene from Final Fantasy X and they were amazed by the graphics, music, and storytelling. I think they were expecting a modern-day Pac-Man and were blown away by the evolution of games.

Today (or later this month, really) I think I’d show them Heavy Rain. The graphics are incredible. The story, emotion, and music are easy to appreciate. Most importantly, the game is simple enough that they could actually play it. They wouldn’t have to worry about summoning, sphere grids, and potion management. They’d need a little help for sure, but they would easily get the idea.

What game would you show your parents to illustrate the awesomeness of gaming?

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 answer to the question, “Who dat?!?”, the hottie you want in a bath tub pitching the phone of your dreams, or how much bourbon Smartguy had last night, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

New Coffee: Stumptown Indonesia Gajah Aceh (Thanks for the great service Kate!)

One of my biggest pet peeves when I first got into this business (in the ’90s *gasp*) was that publishers got way more credit than developers. Things have certainly gotten better and more people are aware of the companies that actually make the games they play…but it’s still not where it should be. I don’t mean to piss on the hard work that publishers do, but it seems ridiculous to me that they get top billing and more credit than creators do.

For example, let’s say I search for Mass Effect 2 on Amazon and GameStop. The search results will show the game, what platforms it’s available for, and the publisher (Electronic Arts). The excellent developers at BioWare do not get credit that appears right away. A general customer that’s not familiar with developers will think, “I know these guys. They make Madden NFL Football and Tiger Woods PGA Tour.” It’s stupid and misleading and — most of all — disrespectful to BioWare.

Reading comments about Bethesda’s Rogue Warrior showed me that even enthusiast gamers don’t know the difference between publishers and developers. I’ve seen a lot of complaints on the game that were all, “I can’t believe Bethesda went from making Fallout 3 to this piece of crap!!!” The problem with statements like that is that Bethesda didn’t “make” the game. Rebellion did.

What other industries promote publishers over creators? Do you walk into a movie thinking, “Oh sweet! This is a Fox Searchlight film. They’re awesome!” Do you buy music thinking, “Oh man, I love Jive Records! This is going to be great stuff!” What I really want to know is…are you going to go my way? No wait, that’s not right. I meant, are publishers still getting too much credit these days?

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, natural sword enhancement, your application for the LA Clipper’s coaching job, or the greatness of Claudio Castagnoli, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Here’s a situation for you. Let’s say you’ve just played 40 or more hours of an intense role-playing game like Dragon Age: Origins or Mass Effect 2. Or maybe you’ve spent dozens of hours playing a thrilling multiplayer shooter. You don’t want to jump right into the next great time suck. You need something to cleanse your palette. You need the lime sorbet equivalent of gaming. What do you play?

I was chatting about this with a respected colleague recently. After going through a heavy game experience, he likes to break things up with some mindless fun. He chose Jurassic: The Hunted as his lime sorbet game. I always go back to Civilization: Revolution for iPhone between intense games (though it’s something I do daily).

Today I wanted to see if you have a lime sorbet game. Is there something you play to clear your mind for your next great gaming experience? Is there a particular genre or style of game you use to cleanse your palette? Maybe a particular title? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

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, Stephon Marbury’s adventures in China, your Super Bowl XLIV prediction, or Austin Aries being the second-best wrestler in Ring of Honor, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Sega’s announcement that Sonic the Hedgehog will be returning for a brand new 2D adventure has me excited. 2D Sonic games were a huge part of my childhood and stayed with me in my teens and college years. They were just so well done, offering clever gameplay and an unmatched sensation of speed. Plus, Sonic was just cool! (Well…he was until Urkel started voicing him in the cartoon. That was his downfall. Trust me.) Ah, the days when 2D was king…. (I’m going to fetch Daniel Stern for a Wonder Years-type voice over.)

It actually took me a while to get used to 3D games. For the most part, I hated the first generation of 3D platformers and fighting games. They didn’t have the precision controls and deep gameplay that 2D games offered. So much effort put towards the graphics that other aspects of these games fell short. Obviously 3D games have gotten past those growing pains and are today’s norm. But where does that leave new 2D titles?

Do gamers care for new 2D games? Do they sell because of novelty and nostalgia? Is that enough? Did Shadow Complex open the door for fresh 2D gaming experiences? Or was that an anamoly? I’d love to hear your thoughts on 2D gaming in 2010, so please shout it out in the comments section!