Or possibly those people are just more attuned to what MS is capable of and don't see anything out of the ordinary in their performance. Being impressed involves exceeded expectations and some of you obviously had a very low opinion of MS before this.The Abominable Snowman said:
Are you impressed yet with MS?
- Thread starter Monk
- Start date
Amir0x said:Wow. I mean, I'm not saying I agree or disagree with your statement here, but just so you know I can never take you seriously again. Objectivity is all flyin' away! I'll just have to love you from afar!
Does anyone on this forum take me seriously? I doubt it.
Nah, it's just that two companies of this size/resources aren't going to let each other coexist for generation after generation. Nintendo and Sega could, because neither company possesses the competitive advantage to drive the other out without using borderline illegal tactics. (that's in Nintendo's case, of course)
android said:
Haha, I designed each segment according to how they are doing in the industry/other factors. So like Nintendo is at the bottom marketshare wise, so they live in a teepee because it's not exactly a strong/sturdy establishment but it's still pretty to look at. Microsoft is a windmill because it's a bit stronger and it's running off its own energy, because they have a neverending amount of money. And Sony is a fort, because they built a huge videogame empire and are now being attacked on the daily. But at any time it can fall to a large enough siege. And finally, the PC is like a old technology factory. Some great, awesome technology but it has a lot of polution because it hasn't exactly found a decent middle ground between cost/technology.
Speevy said:
I still take you seriously, I was just kidding. But seriously, that statement was off-the-wall-in-the-trenches like
Speevy said:
Heh. Well, I like competition. I hope whatever road we go down it's more like SNES/Genesis days for all eternity and less like Drinky Cow's "one console future." Not that I wouldn't be content then too, but competition always seems to drive certain aspects of the industry forward faster than you'd expect.
The United States and Russia pulled it off. A 50/50 split could be really fun (lets face it nintendo won't last another two generations. Their namebrand is done. It's so done Grandpa's picking it's remain from his dentures.Speevy said:
)Amorix: i get it now. It fits preety good.
The Abominable Snowman
Member
Neither Sony nor (especially) Nintendo match Microsoft when it comes to things like online and robust community interaction. Microsoft's online plan is just pure bliss. I am enthralled with the different direction Microsoft has taken. I could not have lived without the Hard Drive in the Xbox, either. Sony and Nintendo didn't think of such an application before Microsoft. For the next generation, Microsoft is putting emphasis on integration with other Microsoft products, something Sony nor Nintendo can replicate (Unless what Trip said is true and MS buys Nintendo).callous said:
Aside that, I doubt I'll ever buy a Nintendo console again, leaving me with Sony.
Amir0x said:
I don't think you are, and my point of view is exactly the same. For selfish reasons I would hope for a Japanese winner, because if Xbox-X somehow became the dominant platform I fear the Japanese, proud as they are, would create a platform of their own and not bother much with getting the content out in the US and EU. That would mean less Japanese games (that I tend to like more) would be translated. I could very well be wrong in my estimation of just how proud the Japanese are, and I don't mean we'd have no Japanese content, but I would hate to see less than what we are seeing now. Apart from that, it doesn't make any difference to me who "wins", if anyone does, and if I didn't have that nagging fear about content, I'd hope for it to be the company with the technically best console regardless of origin. I think we'll see at least a two-console world for a long time to come, though.
Edit: Snowman, if you don't have the same fears I have, then backing MS as a consequence of their superior hardware and online plan this generation certainly makes sense.
Well, it pretty much is a standard. I can't think of an online PC game thatDCharlie said:
hasn't received a generous amount of support.
PC games are just as, if not more, "unified" than Live games. Blizzard games have buddy lists and PC games have servers, not to mention the fact that PC games get the advantage of if the game is good it will have a decent sized community for years.
The thing that really irks me is the fact that you're not paying for anything. What are you paying for the second year you're on Live, let alone the first? I just don't see how the equivalent of adding MSN to online games is worth $50 a year. It isn't, XBox Live is just a bunch of arbitrary "features" created to justify taking $50 a year from people who have deep pockets or just don't know any better.
pjberri said:
Or perhaps people spend $50 a year for the best broadband only online service available that offers near lag free experience on almost every game. If you don't want to pay go play through the rubbish which is PS2 online and tell me $50 a year is too much for xbox live. Too bad most PS2 online games are garbage due to the insane amount of lag incurred.
Lets not turn this into a PC/console argument. The reason so many PC games are free online is because most of the servers are run by fans.
callous said:
Ah. For what it's worth, I don't really think the Japanese side would just make its own console and give the finger to the rest of the world. If anything, whatever eventually comes out on top will just force stronger competition among game developers themselves. So Japanese developers will really want to outclass American developers and vice versa.
The Abominable Snowman
Member
They've managed to thrash a 20+ year veteran in gaming and put heat on the market's goliath. If I were basing it off of the first year, then I would have easily said that Microsoft's next generation system would have been a dud. They've come a long way since the first year. That's impressive to me. Their performance has been impressive. They've been known to have something blow up in their face before as well.kaching said:
The Abominable Snowman
Member
Call me Snowmie :lolcallous said:
Microsoft just has an entirely different vision from Nintendo and Sony, which kicks ass. Their vision is more in tune with where game consoles should have been, IMO, 5 or 10 years ago. They still have a bit of development to go, but the vision they have is definitely something worth backing. I could care less about the superiority of their hardware, although it's very nice.
Could you reiterate your fears about Microsoft coming in and giving a stellar console performance?
I am. Look at Resident Evil 4. It would not have been made without the US and Europe to sell to. Do you know what games cost to produce. The japanese game market has absolutely collasped. I could care less about "super fantastic furry rpg xii" but every other major franchise needs the west as a market.callous said:
The Abominable Snowman said:
Dear Snowmie,
I don't think I can make my concerns anymore clear than I already have done. Android and Amirox are probably right, but I'm not completely convinced.
Best regards,
-callous
P.S. I could also just spend the next two years getting my kanji count back up. That way I'd be prepared for the worst and you people wouldn't have to listen to me whine. So much work, though.
The Abominable Snowman
Member
Well, this is my last words in regards to this argument: If Nintendo nor Sony can bring their gameplan and vision to Microsoft's level, then Microsoft deserves a good spot in this market.
The whole complaining about paying for xbox live thing is just plain stupid. World of warcraft is 14 dollars a month, everquest is about 13 a month and city of heroes is 15 a month and you guys complain about 50 a year. Geez some people hate just for the sake of hating
What's with the single-minded focus on acquiring other companies here? I just said they should have spent more money to acquire a larger portion of the marketshare. There's several ways they could have spent their money towards that end. Sure, maybe acquire a couple more companies or more exclusive support. But I was also thinking of things like ponying up for a redesign of the box that would appeal to a wider audience, more aggressive pricing models on the hardware and not charging people for basic online peer-to-peer play...etc.DCharlie said:
Your keen industry insight proved to be lacking so where do you get off telling me that I'm the one who set my expectations high here? Sega had nearly matched Nintendo in the 16-bit generation and Sony went on to surpass them handily in the 32-bit generation, so what exactly was surprising about MS having the ability to do it as well? Knee-jerk conventional wisdom fueled by nostalgia, perhaps?
The analogy is directed at your perception of MS not MS itself. So, yes, I guess you could say I fear for the forthcoming challenges that your perceptions face
DCharlie
And even i am moderately surprised
so , the flip side analogy is you as the dad of the Son who always has to win saying "You know, that new kid hit a good shot near the end, but hey... it fell half way short , just ignore the fact that he has potential, he's a nobody" ?
or is it just wrong to think that MS might actually be doing some good?
or is it just wrong to think that MS might actually be doing some good?
Mike Works
Member
Throwing billions of dollars into a console will not make you successful.
Barely earning second place while losing billions of dollars does not deem you successful.
Next time I'll just create a thread with those two options in a poll and set the question to, "Which mindset are you of?"
People won't be allowed to discuss the issue because no one's position ever changes here. Instead it'll just turn into a picture thread where everyone has to draw a picture of the Microsoft Windmill.
And it'll be the best Gaming Forum thread in years.
Barely earning second place while losing billions of dollars does not deem you successful.
Next time I'll just create a thread with those two options in a poll and set the question to, "Which mindset are you of?"
People won't be allowed to discuss the issue because no one's position ever changes here. Instead it'll just turn into a picture thread where everyone has to draw a picture of the Microsoft Windmill.
And it'll be the best Gaming Forum thread in years.
Quoting myself from page 2. The reason I brought the sales numbers up is some people are under the strange impression that MS has Sony on the ropes. Or at least that's the impression I got. I love the Xbox, but that doesn't change that fact that the sales are abysmal in Japan.
P.S. That's no longer cute or clever anymore.
Microsoft has kicked ass this gen. with their Xbox,I'm more than satisfied. They've received great 3rd party support and made online gaming damn fun,they get my respect and my money for when Xenon arrives. I know that RARE and Bungie will have the games in place down the line,and the Bioware collaboration along with Microsoft's strong ties to the Western and Euro market development wise are great,bring it on even moreso for next gen.
Japan could be a better story,but eh..who cares I primarily play Westerm games,if I need some Eastern stuff I'll just whip out the PS3 for that sector of gaming.
Japan could be a better story,but eh..who cares I primarily play Westerm games,if I need some Eastern stuff I'll just whip out the PS3 for that sector of gaming.
Mike Works
Member
This doesn't really make a case to take your opinion on the matter seriously. You were doing so good too.Angelus said:
Try replying to my post when you can do so without resorting to the typical diatribe of an idiotic fanboy.Mrbob said:
I phrased my argument wrong there, I meant to say that the communities in PC games are more unified. You're right, the games themselves are unified with the service, but that's pretty useless when a sizeable portion of the communities of each game routinely change to whatever the current flavour of the month is.Ryudo said:
Mike Works
Member
That's right, you don't know. I own 47 current gen console games. 17 of them were made in Japan.Angelus said:
1) A space always comes after a comma.
2) Coming from the guy who's named himself after a Buffy character with the pixelated picture of another Buffy character.
3) I didn't reply with a stupid post. I replied to one. In a thread judging Microsoft's accomplishments or lack thereof, letting their console off for having poor Japanese (developer) support because you can always get that from a rival console is the kind of retardation that could get your hands cut off in Iran.
But hey, maybe I could change my name to Giles and shrink this
down to avatar size. Then I could try plugging my Dual Shock into my XBox while attempting to conquer the extreme mental plane that you seem to be on right now. One day I will reach the summit of that internal mountain and wrap my fingers around the mushy logic you so gracefully possess. And at that very moment, I will know bliss itself.
Also the mountain will be called Cordelia.
And it will have Seth Green's face carved on it.
Dante said:
Why ? Japan is dead, it means nothing. Its like having french fries without salt. Its diet coke, its wanking instead of having sex... yada yada....
Can we end this discussion now ? how about some more premature cube death topic ? or how yamakoochi now drives a skyline ?
DCharlie said:
This isn't Japan (Where Apple enjoys a more mass appeal).
The average person in this country, while being totally computer illiterate and needing someone to fix anything that goes wrong with their computer (Even if it's from incompetence on MS' part), has an EXTREMELYj favorable view of Microsoft. They're without question one of the most admired companies in this country. Geeks may detest them (Although, ironically, it's the geeks who would be most impressed by XBox), but Joe Citizen knows only of their financial success and admires the hell out of them. Fact. Polls have proven this.
So is it a shock that to Joe Consumer a Microsoft XBox had a favorable connotation to it? Absolutely not. Only the hardcore computer crowd would be shocked by this. MS' "success" in the U.S. should not have surprised anyone (At least in the scale it took).
Project Midway
Member
Yes I am. They even sent me a free power cord!
Project Midway
Member
Yes! God bless Microsoft!pjberri said:
open_mouth_
insert_foot_
I'm impressed for several reasons. First, they had the balls to go head-to-head with Sony (or at least try to) in a market that Sony dominates like nobodies business and, after many $$$ of investment, they're finally heading towards a position of being able to capture significant market share.
Second, they've created a powerful brand in the west, brought online play possibilities to the masses, and have gained many close development and publishing partners to further support their efforts despite the goliath that is Sony.
Finally, I've had my most fun this generation on my Xbox, and that to me is the most important factor in this discussion.
I also have a feeling that even more people/gamers/analysts/fanboys will be impressed with Microsoft's efforts in the coming months and in the coming years. Whereas before the Xbox launched, almost unanimously it was deemed to never have a chance and hated on (not by me, though) and now it seems that, incredibly, many of those same haters are starting to believe. Amazing.
Second, they've created a powerful brand in the west, brought online play possibilities to the masses, and have gained many close development and publishing partners to further support their efforts despite the goliath that is Sony.
Finally, I've had my most fun this generation on my Xbox, and that to me is the most important factor in this discussion.
I also have a feeling that even more people/gamers/analysts/fanboys will be impressed with Microsoft's efforts in the coming months and in the coming years. Whereas before the Xbox launched, almost unanimously it was deemed to never have a chance and hated on (not by me, though) and now it seems that, incredibly, many of those same haters are starting to believe. Amazing.