Coffee Talk Archives - Page 55 of 67

Coffee Talk #124: Gamer vs. Jet Lag

Technically, it’s coffee time where I am so the column name still applies. Ha! As expected, jet lag is totally kicking my ass. I didn’t believe in jet lag for the first 25 years of my life. I thought it was a sissy excuse for tired people. Then I did a quick work trip to Tokyo and was disoriented for several days after I returned. For all of you younglings reading this, it only gets worse as you get older.

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, Jim Carrey’s next girlfriend, Fusion Garage’s JooJoo tablet, or the Yankees and Red Sox taking 12 hours to complete three games, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Anyway, gaming has been great with trying to deal with jet lag. Some people just stare at the ceiling until they fall asleep. I find EV training in Pokemon productive and repetitive, which usually helps me catch some Z’s. This trip I’ve been playing the hell out of Civilization Revolution for iPhone. Yes, I’ve played the game essentially the same way for over a thousand times, but I still love it. The repetition is soothing and it helps me relax.

When you guys and gals deal with jet lag or insomnia, what do you do? Is there a certain game you play? Maybe a graphic novel you bring with you on the road? How about web browsing on your phone? Let me know (please)! Maybe I’ll incorporate your techniques into my jet-lag fighting regimen.

Coffee Talk #123: Pick Your Japanese Limited Edition Console

Yesterday’s Coffee Talk was pretty fun, so let’s stick with the Japanese theme. It’s applicable since I’m typing this from Japan. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been jealous of the awesome limited edition consoles Japanese gamers have access to. There’s some truly amazing stuff released in Japan and I wish the American console companies would try to match these fine goods (though I understand why they don’t).

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, Suntory time, last night’s American Idol (I was flying, so spoilar it for me please), or your iPhone 4 predictions, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Yesterday’s Coffee Talk was pretty fun, so let’s stick with the Japanese theme. It’s applicable since I’m typing this from Japan. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been jealous of the awesome limited edition consoles Japanese gamers have access to. There’s some truly amazing stuff released in Japan and I wish the American console companies would try to match these fine goods (though I understand why they don’t).

I’m currently drooling over the white FFXIII PS3 with a pink Lightning paint job. It’s completely awesome and I want it now! If I can afford it and it’s still available during TGS, I’ll try to pick one up in September — that’s one of my dreams for 2010. You see, I’ve never had a Japanese limited edition home console. However, I have picked up a few limited edition portable systems at Tokyo’s Pokemon Center. I fondly remember my Celebi Game Boy Advance and my Torchic Game Boy Advance SP.

Today I wanted to see if you have a limited edition dream console. It doesn’t matter if it’s a portable or home system. I just want to know what Japanese limited edition goods make you drool. Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Coffee Talk #122: If You Could Visit One Developer in Japan….

Since I’m making a brief stop in Japan, I wanted to ask you ladies and gents a question about the Land of the Rising Sun: If you could visit any Japanese game developer, which one would it be and why?

There are so many great ones to choose from! Would you stay in Tokyo and visit Kojima Productions? Maybe you’d go to Kyoto and pay homage to Nintendo? Perhaps you’d want to visit Capcom in Osaka?

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, Mark Buehrle’s ridiculous play, Jack Swagger as your World Heavyweight Champion, or the iPad selling 300,000 at launch, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

There are so many great ones to choose from! Would you stay in Tokyo and visit Kojima Productions? Maybe you’d go to Kyoto and pay homage to Nintendo? Perhaps you’d want to visit Capcom in Osaka?

So yeah! Let’s play this game. Which Japanese developer would you visit? What would you want to see? What kind of questions would you ask?

(Btw, the header image is of the Yokohama skyline from when I visited Yuke’s last September.)

Coffee Talk #121: Sazh and Me

I’m totally fascinated by Sazh from Final Fantasy XIII. He’s one of the most interesting videogame characters I’ve encountered in years. He’s different and real and way cooler than I was expecting him to be. Before I get to why I dig Sazh, let’s take a look at how my thoughts on the character have changed.

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 Yankees’ bullpen sucking, the sad fighter Roy Jones, Jr. has become, or Reona Rewis, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I’m totally fascinated by Sazh from Final Fantasy XIII. He’s one of the most interesting videogame characters I’ve encountered in years. He’s different and real and way cooler than I was expecting him to be. Before I get to why I dig Sazh, let’s take a look at how my thoughts on the character have changed.

Saw the Japanese scans of Sazh. I thought it was stupid for a chocobo to live in his hair.
Heard the initial English voice acting for Sazh at E3 2009. He sounded like Robert Downey, Jr. in Tropic Thunder.
Saw the game in Tokyo in September 2009. The Tropic Thunder factor was still a mystery.
Finally played the final game in March 2010. I was glad that Sazh didn’t sound like Robert Downey, Jr. in Tropic Thunder. That would have been ridiculous. I was also disappointed that Sazh didn’t sound like Robert Downey, Jr. from Tropic Thunder. The unintentional comedy would have destroyed millions of PlayStation 3 consoles in English-speaking countries.

Seriously though, Sazh is very different from your typical videogame protagonist — especially for a Japanese RPG. He’s old for a hero. He’s also a single father. That aspect of the Sazh was the most interesting and atypical. Without spoilarizing things, it’s just powerful and moving to see how things play out between Sazh and his son Dajh. In a genre full of angst-filled teen and tween characters, Sazh was refreshing.

Plus, Tetsuya Nomura allegedly based Sazh’s design on Lionel Richie. I totally want to see him sing the words, “Hello! Is it me you’re looking for?”

Anyway, let me know what you think of Sazh. For that matter, let me know about any recent videogame characters that stood out to you.

Coffee Talk #120: What Bands Should Get Their Own Music Game?

My friend and I were talking about Green Day: Rock Band the other day. While we both like Green Day to a certain extent, we’re both puzzled as to why they have their own Rock Band game. Certainly there are better and more deserving bands, no? Perhaps it has everything to do with the band appealing to people in their ’30s and below, but shouldn’t bands like Queen and The Rolling Stones have their own Rock Band games before Green Day?

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 start of a new MLB season (go Yankees!), cute Didi Benami getting booted over the incredibly lame Tim Urban, and tomorrow’s Apple iPad launch, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend and I were talking about Green Day: Rock Band the other day. While we both like Green Day to a certain extent, we’re both puzzled as to why they have their own Rock Band game. Certainly there are better and more deserving bands, no? Perhaps it has everything to do with the band appealing to people in their ’30s and below, but shouldn’t bands like Queen and The Rolling Stones have their own Rock Band games before Green Day?

To be fair, Queen does have their own Singstar game, but this conversation was focused on the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises. In that context you have Aerosmith, Metallica, Van Halen, and, of course, The Beatles. And coming soon…Green Day! Really?!?

With Green Day breaking down barriers to music games, I wanted to see what bands and artists you think should get their own Guitar Hero or Rock Band game. And no, The Monkees: Rock Band is not an acceptable answer.

Coffee Talk #119: Thanks for the Memories! Off to Cambridge!

Well, after six months of running RPad.tv, I’m going to have to scale it back. I wanted to thank everyone for all their support! I’ll still update the site, but it’s going to be less frequent because…I’ve accepted a new job at the M.I.T.!!! I’m going to be teaching a class on videogame criticism at this most venerable institution starting in September 2010. Naturally, I have to move, prepare my course, find my TAs, etc.

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 site’s new logo, Bobby Kotick buying a kitten, and Steve Jobs admitting the iPad was just an elaborate joke, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Well, after six months of running RPad.tv, I’m going to have to scale it back. I wanted to thank everyone for all their support! I’ll still update the site, but it’s going to be less frequent because…I’ve accepted a new job at the M.I.T.!!! I’m going to be teaching a class on videogame criticism at this most venerable institution starting in September 2010. Naturally, I have to move, prepare my course, find my TAs, etc.

Oddly enough, this site was a big part of how I got the job. So thanks for commenting and making it fun/awesome!!!

Update April 2: Yes, this was an April Fools’ Day post.

Coffee Talk #118: Your Non-Gaming Console Activities

Today I wanted to talk about all the non-gaming things you do on your consoles. I’m guessing most of you have watched a Blu-ray movie on your PlayStation 3 systems. I’m sure many of you have downloaded or streamed movies on Xbox Live. Do any of you use Facebook or Twitter on your home machines? Do you happen to surf the web with your Wii? I want to know anything and everything you do with your consoles (aside from playing excellent 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, AT&T’s 100-day plan to stop sucking, updating me on Lost (please), or Edwin Valero entering drug rehab, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

As for me, I use my PlayStation 3 to watch Blu-ray discs and all sorts of media files. It’s frickin’ fantastic as a media player. My Xbox 360 has my Facebook account on it. When friends are over, I sometimes use it to look at Facebook photos of our friends. Web browsing on a console?!? No thanks. Linux?!? Not for me.

Now it’s your turn! Let everyone here know about the non-gaming activities you enjoy on your consoles. What percentage of your console use is gaming and what percentage is non-gaming?

Coffee Talk #117: What Was Your Favorite Game of Q1 2010?

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, Shawn Michaels’ awesome farewell speech, Jon Heder bailing on Will Ferrell over creative differences, or N8R’s silence on the Big Ben situation, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

There were so many outstanding games released in the first three months of 2010. It was extraordinary. Best of all, it had something for everyone. Whether you love shooters, action games, RPGs, or sports, there was an excellent game with your name on it in Q1. Today’s Coffee Talk is all about your favorite game of Q1 2010. So kindly take the poll and back up your opinion in the comments section (please)!

[poll id=”33″]

Coffee Talk #116: Don’t Believe the Hype!

No, today’s Coffee Talk is not about Public Enemy. It’s about videogame hype and disappointment. You see, over the weekend I played a lot of Final Fantasy XIII. Obviously, it was one of the most anticipated games in years. Surprisingly, the reactions to the game — from critics and gamers — have been all over the place. Some love it, while others find it incredibly disappointing. I don’t remember the last time a game this big received so many negative reactions.

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, whether Shawn Michaels is really retiring, the idiocy of Arthur Abraham, or Big Ben not reporting to the Steelers’ voluntary conditioning camp, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

No, today’s Coffee Talk is not about Public Enemy. It’s about videogame hype and disappointment. You see, over the weekend I played a lot of Final Fantasy XIII. Obviously, it was one of the most anticipated games in years. Surprisingly, the reactions to the game — from critics and gamers — have been all over the place. Some love it, while others find it incredibly disappointing. I don’t remember the last time a game this big received so many negative reactions.

Personally, I don’t understand what all the uproar is about. I’m 13 hours in and I’ve really enjoyed the game. It’s not the best or my favorite Final Fantasy game, but to me FFXIII lives up to the hype. And Reona Rewis completely rules.

Today I wanted to see which “big” games have disappointed you. Do you recall any games with monstrous hype that left you wondering what the hell the big deal was? (In case you were wondering, my choice would be Fable, but this is way more about what you guys and gals think.) Use today’s column as your Monday therapy and rant about over-hyped games that left you flat…or worse.

Coffee Talk #115: Will the Apple iPad Change the World?

The Apple iPad is set to launch in a little over a week. The device is supposedly the most important thing Steve Jobs has launched in his illustrious career, as well as better than a notebook for some things and better than a smartphone for other things. Some industry pundits and tech enthusiasts feel that it will be one of the most world-changing consumer-electronics devices ever released. Others feel that it will be another cool and overpriced gadget. What do you think?

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, what kind of punishment Gilbert Arenas will get today, why the hell Erik Morales is still boxing, or the sheer awesomeness of Scrabble, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

As far as bridging the gap between laptops and smartphones, I can totally see the appeal. The iPad’s form factor is perfect for browsing the web on your couch or checking email (without straining your eyes) at a coffeehouse. I do a ton of web browsing on my iPhone and often wish I had something a little bit bigger — but still handheld — to surf the web on. While the iPad would be extremely convenient for people like me, I don’t know that the majority of consumers want the same things I want.

The iPad is also being heralded as the savior of magazines and newspapers. From what I’ve seen so far, the potential is tremendous. When Apple showed the demo of The New York Times at its iPad unveiling, I thought it was nice, but I wasn’t sure that it was something I’d pay for. When I saw Wired’s iPad mock-up, I was blown away! It looked like a ridiculously cool and fun way to absorb information. That said, it also looked expensive to produce and I’m not sure how many magazine publishers are willing to invest in a highly interactive and video-heavy version of a magazine. I also question whether advertisers will pay a premium for iPad magazine ads.

Today I want you to look at the iPad as a whole. Look at the apps. Look at the functionality that bridges laptops and smartphones. Look at potentially cool forms of media that will be available for it in the next year. When you add it up, do you see a device that will change the world similar to how the iPod and iPhone did? Or is it a cool and overpriced product that will only serve a niche audience?