AusGAF 5/5 - Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy, a rental at best

Clipper said:
OK, TasGAF meetup is going to be in the afternoon of Thursday the 22nd of December at Salamanca. It's only 3 of us, one of us living in Sydney, so far but others are willing to join. Kritz or Rezbit, please suggest a time and meeting place, preferably near a bus stop or train station so I don't get lost :p.
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Trains! Haha. No trains where you're going. I think there is a bus stop just outside Salamanca place, and you can walk down from there. What's a good time to meet for you? Lunch time? 1:30pm? We can maybe go to Knopwoods or Custom's House if the weather is nice and sit outside.
 
YouHaveDownloaded.com, however, is showing that the bill’s supporters aren’t so innocent. TorrentFreak, a BitTorrent blog, recently revealed that IP addresses seemingly coming from Sony Pictures, Universal and Fox had been illegally downloading content, ZDNet reported.

An IP address in the U.S. Sony Pictures address range was reported to have downloaded music and the Conan the Barbarian film, while a US Universal IP address was allegedly caught downloading Cowboys and Aliens and the first season of the HBO show Game of Thrones. A US Fox IP address was allegedly caught downloading the J.J. Abrams film Super 8.
 
Rezbit said:
Trains! Haha. No trains where you're going. I think there is a bus stop just outside Salamanca place, and you can walk down from there. What's a good time to meet for you? Lunch time? 1:30pm? We can maybe go to Knopwoods or Custom's House if the weather is nice and sit outside.
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Kritz and I just discussed it in Steam Chat. We'll both be bussing in and meeting at Franklin Square fountain at about 1:15 and then walking over to Salamanca. We can meet you there or later in Salamanca a little later if you like.
 
So I just finished Skyward Sword. 55 hours.

The "end-game" I will define as the point from which I thought the game could plausibly have ended. Not necessarily where it should have in hindsight. Anyway, that bit went on for a good 15 hours. And by good, I mean very fucking good.

The actual final act though, was perfectly captured. The final battle (no story spoilers here but dont highlight if you're wary)
is the perfect example of what motion controls can and should be.

As far as I'm concerned, this is Nintendo at the top of its game. Everything about it - the music, level design, control scheme, devices, puzzles, characters, tone, sidequests, flying, visuals, pacing - I haven't played a game of that consistently high calibre ever before.

It's clear there are some areas that have been inspired by film and I won't mention them here because they are quite obvious. However the best thing is that on those few particular examples I'm thinking of, they managed to capture a sense of how important the scenario was for characters involved. They didn't just focus on the particular mechanic or direct inspiration; they conveyed the implications with subtlety and poignancy.

And fuck the haters, Fi was awesome.

Game of the Generation.
 
RandomVince said:
So I just finished Skyward Sword. 55 hours.
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Oh wow you finished it before me! I got to the final dungeon (at least I think it's the final one) and it looked complicated so I decided to take a break and play Skyrim. I'll probably knock it over tonight and then maybe even start getting seriously stuck into some Xenoblade.
 
ARGH I can't wait to play Zelda. Ocarina, Majora's, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess and Link to the Past (on GBA) I all bought on launch day. I neeeeeeeed Skyward Sword.
 
Clipper said:
Same here. That mechanic was awesome, don't you think?
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Assuming we are all talking of the same one, yes. Took a little bit to figure it out, but I think around a quarter of the way through it started to make sense.

The dungeon design of the whole game itself was what really impressed me. I love the puzzles and manipulation required in some areas. Really cleverly designed.

Looking back over the first few levels - it feels like it was a world away from what the world felt like at the end. The game is just so densely packed with things to do, places to see. It's such a coherently designed world. It's ironic considering how concerned people were about the lack of a single connected overworld.
 
Apparently that site thinks Ive gotten some secrets of archaeology tv show Ive never heard of.

I'm wondering if those .gifs of "Is such a thing even possible" counted towards that?

So it looks like a case of false positives, because Ive never downloaded a tv show in my life. Unless you count iView.
 
Ugh, I'm too tired too. Accidentally stayed up way too late playing King Cashing on iOS. AND I have a ravey-thing to go to tonight. My Saturday will be rough, methinks.
 
legend166 said:
How do you guys play games so fast. I got Zelda the day before launch and I'm only 13 hours in. Just finished the third dungeon.
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I'm on a shiftwork roster atm. 5 days on, 5 days off.


VOOK said:
Teasing the Americans about the GBA games is just too much fun.
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And if that fails, mention Xenoblade.
And if that fails, The Last Story.
And Pandora's Tower.

If they mention Chrono Trigger or Super Mario RPG, at least we have the virtual console now. Just dont mention 50Hz and borders.

Nintendo Europe have really turned it around this generation.
 
I got about 10 hours into skyward sword with my partner, then I didn't see him for two days - during which time he finished it -_- Apparently many manly nerd tears were shed, but don't say anything. Now I don't know what to do. I'm not really keen on playing through the bits I've already done (We'd just beaten the
lava
level), but I would like to finish it... gaah.

Salazar said:
You lazy cunts.
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They are shutting it down then? :( I signed a petition a while back but haven't been keeping up to date...
 
Clipper said:
Kritz and I just discussed it in Steam Chat. We'll both be bussing in and meeting at Franklin Square fountain at about 1:15 and then walking over to Salamanca. We can meet you there or later in Salamanca a little later if you like.
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Yeah sounds good, I'll probably meet you there, be easier than trying to "figure out" if you're the right dudes at the pub hah.
 
it seems i may have only gotten 3 episodes into homeland. i could have sworn it was more.
anyway cookies got me re interested. ill watch another 2 and see how that goes.
 
Michael Peterson, who was the focus of the acclaimed documentary The Staircase, has been granted a new trial and will be freed from jail for Christmas.

Peterson was sentenced to life in jail after being convicted of the 2001 murder of his wife Kathleen.

He protested his innocence, saying she had fallen down the stairs. A forensic expert, who was a key witness for the prosecution, has since been discredited.
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Damn. Anybody else see that doco ? Guiltiest-seeming dude on this planet.
 
RandomVince said:
And if that fails, mention Xenoblade.
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Xenoblade has been announced for the US, so you can't really use it any more. And the GBA games is probably going to be a 24 hour difference or so. Think of all the games they could mention with month-long delays before Europe/Australia receives it.
 
Clipper said:
Xenoblade has been announced for the US, so you can't really use it any more. And the GBA games is probably going to be a 24 hour difference or so. Think of all the games they could mention with month-long delays before Europe/Australia receives it.
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Theyre having a meltdown over a 24 hour delay for free games. Xeonblade is still weeks/months away so it's still a good name to mention. :P


shanshan310 said:
But I'm laaaazy. And there are so many other games to play. God, too lazy to play a video game. What have I become? D:
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No other games are this good. :P
edit: I'll also admit to shedding a manly tear in this game. Tugs on the heartstrings like a good Studio Ghibli film. ;_;

WAIT NO, THAT IS JUST DUST IN MY EYE.
 
commanderdeek said:
This final boss in Zelda is kinda hard:/

Edit:

Oh I was doing it wrong lol. I get it now! Yay finished!
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Hehe, I was waiting for that.

I had a similar problem in the final fight, although for reasons I'll mention later.

edit: n/m, it's not spoilery because it could happen in any fight during the game, but still, dont click if you dont want to know:
my shield broke. My reaction: D:
But I still won without it.
 
OzGameShop, on their last 'get it by Christmas!' day. Their stated delivery time is 4-12 business days, and business day #12 will be the last day I work for the year (21st Dec) so if it gets delayed beyond that, no Zelda for me until next year.

Normally I get their deliveries in 10-14 days (not business days), and I ordered it on the 5th, with it shipping on the 5th. I still have hope.
 
RandomVince said:
Hehe, I was waiting for that.

I had a similar problem in the final fight, although for reasons I'll mention later.

edit: n/m, it's not spoilery because it could happen in any fight during the game, but still, dont click if you dont want to know:
my shield broke. My reaction: D:
But I still won without it.
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Spoilers don't click/quote!

My problem was the 2nd form where I could only jab him once and then get zapped by his sword. But then by total accident, I figured out that you can electrify Link's sword and do a skyward strike.

Also, there's a shield you can get that doesn't break! Go back and get it! Winning without a shield is pretty impressive. I was parrying like a crazy man the entire fight
 
commanderdeek said:
Spoilers don't click/quote!
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As above, dont click or quote, but if you do - there are no specific details in the text below. YMMV.

I only had the upgraded spirit shield from the shop. I was doing the parry move three times in 2 seconds, then slashing. Eventually he got the edge on me and it shattered. D:

Of course, the consequence of that was me saying "right, fuck you" and I went toe to toe with him like the highlander. It cannot be stressed enough how much the motion controls bring you into the game - it's like no other game.
 
I'll look forward to redoing that fight in Hero Mode as...

I think I totally forgot about the Skyward Strike during that bit. I'm 95% sure I didn't use it. I was beating him down with triple shield parries from the 'unbreakable shield' followed by single normal strikes and took a lot of damage from accidentally hitting his sword too. Was down to a few hearts when I finally struck the final blow. Felt so good.
 
i just wanted to join in. its like i work for the government.

redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted
redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted

redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted redacted

aww the chain was ruined.
so its like 9 days till christmas.
WHAT when did that happen. doesnt feel very christmassy where i am. not that many decorations around or anything.
 
Clipper said:
I'll look forward to redoing that fight in Hero Mode as...

I think I totally forgot about the Skyward Strike during that bit. I'm 95% sure I didn't use it. I was beating him down with triple shield parries from the 'unbreakable shield' followed by single normal strikes and took a lot of damage from accidentally hitting his sword too. Was down to a few hearts when I finally struck the final blow. Felt so good.
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Yep, that's exactly what I was doing, but I figured there had to be a better way. So I backed off and ran around and randomly caught the lightning on my sword, which is when I remembered the skyward strike technique.

I don't think I'll play hero mode because there really isn't any incentive for me to go back. It was an amazing experience, but also quite long. I think the only Zelda I played twice back to back was Wind Waker: a) because I looooooved that game b) I wanted to play in link's pjs lol and c) it had that whole collecting figurine thing which I got a bit obsessed with back then.
 
commanderdeek said:
I'm actually kinda pissed about this. I want to play metroid!
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Oh well, they're up now. WHILE I'M AT WORK. It's about as useful as tits on a unicorn :/

And yes, Choc it IS ironic. Oh well, at least I never had to pay the outrageous Aussie launch price, right? Though that's a matter of degree of f*ckedness, like how being stabbed isn't as bad as being stabbed, then raped.
 
viciouskillersquirrel said:
Oh well, they're up now. WHILE I'M AT WORK. It's about as useful as tits on a unicorn :/

And yes, Choc it IS ironic. Oh well, at least I never had to pay the outrageous Aussie launch price, right? Though that's a matter of degree of f*ckedness, like how being stabbed isn't as bad as being stabbed, then raped.
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Aagh, no they're not up yet for the US, but Europe got them.
 
I don't like making absolute statements, but in this case I feel the comparison needs to be made between Zelda and a modern cinematic game like Uncharted, for example.

The one big benefit of motion controls in this game is that they draw you in like in no other game. This is especially true of boss battles where you are the one striking the blows. It makes the game look and most importantly feel more cinematic than any of the recent HD asset tour games where you are essentially just along for the ride.

Motion controls were introduced this generation on the promise of making games more intuitive to play, more accessible for newcomers. For 5 years we had an intervening period where motion controls simply substituted gestures for buttons. Sometimes this was fine, as they were used economically or as the most convenient way to execute a move (Mario's spin jump, for example). But we can mostly agree that they were overwhelmingly extraneous.

Skyward Sword delivers on the unspoken but implicit promise in the Wii announcement period (specifically Wii Would Like to Play ads): that motion controls could enhance and even become essential to in-depth action games. No game before this has done so, and it should become the benchmark for the next generation.

Just as analog control has become essential since Mario 64, I think motion controls can and should become essential with more games following the precedent of Skyward Sword.
 
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