Official Xbox Live Arcade Thread
- Thread starter Jesiatha
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It doesn't matter that it's a ROM dump. The average consumer doesn't know that. What they do know is Nintendo consistently provides 2-5 titles to the service *every week*. It makes XBLA look absolutely pathetic.
As a developer, I was excited at the prospect of developing games for XBLA. After a year and a half of not being able to deliver even remotely competent service, I've lost pretty much all interest on the platform. I'd recommend that we develop for the PSN store or WiiWare services at this point.
As a developer, I was excited at the prospect of developing games for XBLA. After a year and a half of not being able to deliver even remotely competent service, I've lost pretty much all interest on the platform. I'd recommend that we develop for the PSN store or WiiWare services at this point.
Vrolokus said:I know, I know...
I'm not in any way saying it's wrong. I just wish you could rely on it. It's got promise.
Anyhow, I don't think it's fair to compare VC with Arcade. They are two totally different things. One is pure emulation with probably some minor porting if any involved (they have to do the documentation for the game at the very least). Arcade is an entirely different beast. Nothing on the VC has online multiplay for example.
To the layman, it doesn't matter - but I can see why one would be more effort and and the other easier to turn content out for.
Mejilan said:
I SERIOUSLY don't get it.
Then it's not just me. I've purchased like 4x the amount of content on my Wii than on my X360, and I've owned the 360 since 12/05.
Well to be fair, the newest addition of XBLM actually DOES outclass the competition. Imagine if XBLA games ramped up as fast as the movies and TV shows.
a Master Ninja
Member
Gowans007 said:
This is...serious?
krypt0nian
Banned
Hitler Stole My Potato said:
No clue. Nintendo's disaster makes XBLA tolerable. Barely. And it will stay that way until they find a way to make it not look like crap on my HD set.
So never then. =(
MirageDwarf
Member
Game with art style similar to Odin Sphere, gorgeous 2D graphics, with a great story, 20-30 hrs gameplay, $20-$30 price range, could have been mega hit on XBLA. Just one example...
EverSoTrendy
Banned
No thank you. I'll take my HD Retro games over simple rom dumps anyday!
Deathcraze said:
You nailed exactly how I feel.
I was really excited about XBLA before. Hell, Geometry Wars is still one of my favourite 360 games.
Now... meh. Don't care for any of the new titles. And they fumbled the two big ones I really really wanted (SF2 and Contra). Contra in particular really bugged me -- if "certification" really is thorough enough to bog down releases surely they'd have seen the online issues that plague that game?
Hitler Stole My Potato
Banned
Come on in arne! Tell us we're wrong! Tell us how things are going to change! Tell us about how XBLA is ramping back up!
The flock is leaving the barn.
The flock is leaving the barn.
Illuminati
Member
Seriously. Even SmashTV is unplayable co-op, the game randomly restarts while playing. Wtf kind of certification is that.Fowler said:
krypt0nian
Banned
Jonnyram said:
My fondest wish.
Hitler Stole My Potato
Banned
Jonnyram said:
It'd be hard to fu*k it up any worse.
Jonnyram said:
somehow, i don't think that will happen.
Either way, XBLA games sell like crazy. We can bitch and moan all we want, it won't change anything.
XBLA is the way it is. So when anyone from MS goes up on stage talking about all the great games coming to XBLA, we know to call bullshit and not get excited, cause even what does end up coming out gets butchered anyways.
Bearillusion
Banned
Fowler said:
What's your problem with SF2? I live in Australia and against other Australians SF2 plays great online. Against people elsewhere in the world its unplayable which is a shame.
Bearillusion
Banned
Hitler Stole My Potato said:
I imagine the usual response. 'The team are aware of the issues and are working hard to improve the service etc etc'. A perfectly good response if XBLA wasn't 15 months old.
"We're not trying to compete with retail"
"How long does it take for a game to make it from initial pitch to final release? Six to nine months, give or take."
"What would you say Live Arcade's advantage is over the recently launched competition?
We're very lucky to have a big head-start..."
You can read this and more instead of playing games:
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12784
"How long does it take for a game to make it from initial pitch to final release? Six to nine months, give or take."
"What would you say Live Arcade's advantage is over the recently launched competition?
We're very lucky to have a big head-start..."
You can read this and more instead of playing games:
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=12784
Community Forum
Member
The thing I hate, is the whole XBLA Wednesdays "promotion."
IT NEEDS TO STOP! Bring out the games when they are done, strategically release them, whatever, but the Wednesday thing is stoooooooopid, and here's why.
ONE GROUP, the people who are into games and follow them, like us, now look forward to Wednesdays for new releases. When nothing happens, or a lame conversion readily available in 10 other places is released, we bitch. Right on schedule.
THE OTHER GROUP, the "casual gamers" if you will, have been told to check on Wednesdays for new releases. So they check on Wednesday, and what do they get? Nothing! What do they get the next week? A pack for a game they already need to own to use. Next week? Nothing! Why in the hell would anyone look forward to Wednesdays?
I just don't understand. If it was every Wednesday, then fine. But as it stands, it makes NO SENSE AT ALL.
I at one time thought it was a good idea... I don't anymore. I would prefer a style like the Playstation network has... I mean, when things pop up there everyone goes wild! They might release a date that is still two weeks away... fine, gives us a good idea of what to expect. The list of the next 8 XBLA games that are in the press release could feasibly last the next 3 months!
There would be less bitching and more happiness if maybe we got one game one week, and maybe it is totally awesome like Heavy Weapon. Then maybe there's nothing the next week. Then the next week, maybe Monday, or Friday, or whatever, there's a retro classic. Maybe there's a retro classic on Tuesday and GASP another one on Thursday. Whatever.
Stop with the Wednesday thing. Just stop.
IT NEEDS TO STOP! Bring out the games when they are done, strategically release them, whatever, but the Wednesday thing is stoooooooopid, and here's why.
ONE GROUP, the people who are into games and follow them, like us, now look forward to Wednesdays for new releases. When nothing happens, or a lame conversion readily available in 10 other places is released, we bitch. Right on schedule.
THE OTHER GROUP, the "casual gamers" if you will, have been told to check on Wednesdays for new releases. So they check on Wednesday, and what do they get? Nothing! What do they get the next week? A pack for a game they already need to own to use. Next week? Nothing! Why in the hell would anyone look forward to Wednesdays?
I just don't understand. If it was every Wednesday, then fine. But as it stands, it makes NO SENSE AT ALL.
I at one time thought it was a good idea... I don't anymore. I would prefer a style like the Playstation network has... I mean, when things pop up there everyone goes wild! They might release a date that is still two weeks away... fine, gives us a good idea of what to expect. The list of the next 8 XBLA games that are in the press release could feasibly last the next 3 months!
There would be less bitching and more happiness if maybe we got one game one week, and maybe it is totally awesome like Heavy Weapon. Then maybe there's nothing the next week. Then the next week, maybe Monday, or Friday, or whatever, there's a retro classic. Maybe there's a retro classic on Tuesday and GASP another one on Thursday. Whatever.
Stop with the Wednesday thing. Just stop.
SuperPac
Member
What I'd like to know is what is it about XBLA games that seems to make the certification process for them take longer than it does for retail games? I mean, these are <100MB downloads.
And, when bugs are found in XBLA arcade releases, why are some just not addressed (Marble Blast leaderboard bug)?
I like this "well, no release this week" thing better than last year's complete uncertainty about when the next release would be at all.
And, when bugs are found in XBLA arcade releases, why are some just not addressed (Marble Blast leaderboard bug)?
I like this "well, no release this week" thing better than last year's complete uncertainty about when the next release would be at all.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Goreomedy said:
:lol
What planet is this? It is February 20th tomorrow, right? Are you guys seriously complaining about not having anything to do on CRACKDAY?
Hitler Stole My Potato
Banned
BenjaminBirdie said:
Crackday doesn't begin for another 13 hours. This is the pre-game warm up.
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Goreomedy said:
<===== Owns Like 40 XBLA Games At This Point.
MirageDwarf
Member
Fixed.Goreomedy said:
Bearillusion said:
Well, that's it really. I really want to play with people who aren't my friends here with me in HK -- I'd happily play it with them at their house or mine. But the best part of XBL for me is playing with old friends who've moved away online. Real pity that I can do that with retail 360 games like Rainbow Six but not with an old favourite like SF2.
I really hope the new guy does sort it all out. There's a lot of potential here, and there's a lot of good stuff to come that I'm fairly interested in (Worms!).
On a related note -- anyone else fascinated by the growing battle between XBLA, PSN's downloadables and VC? With ports becoming more common here's one area where the systems are entirely different. I know VC gets a lot of hate in this thread but I'm quite happy to buy a few old classics to play around with. And for all the general hate thrown (mostly deserved, IMO) at PSN, there's nothing like Tekken 5 on XBLA or VC.
Hitler Stole My Potato
Banned
MirageDwarf said:
Nintendo and their VC could eclipse XBLA by a magnitude of 20 for all I care. I for one don't give a crap about old 8/16 bit console games (or 25 year old arcade games for that matter) and have no interest in buying/playing them again on a glorified emulator.
However what Sony is doing or what they're planning on doing has really got me interested. Big developers working on big titles for PSN. That's what I want and that's what I want XBLA to evolve into. Not some bullshit galaga/pole position nolstalgia service. I want better games and better value.
I agree.
Tekken 5 kills everything on VC or XBLA in terms of content, graphics, you name it.
The problem I have is that I've been able to buy this game at $15 for the better part of 2 years, so people need to get over it.
I'm not a pirate, so having access to games I can't get anywhere else is a benefit. I'd put something like Calling All Cars above Tekken 5 anyday, because a developer made it from the ground up for the PSN.
Posting on two separate topics here, since I don't want to post twice:
Yeah, it's worth the $20US I spent on those arcade classics when they came with 11 others on a disc well over a year ago.
* * * * * *
Earlier in this thread, I said: "I have high hopes for next week. I don't even care if it's a game I want (Catan, Alien Hominid or Worms would be great). I'll just be excited to see something semi-original released. I think I'll go insane if it's a week off (remembering this line from the upcoming XBLA titles PR: "Although a game may not be launched every week, every Wednesday is an opportunity to share in the Xbox Live Arcade experience with friends and family."
I was half joking. I didn't think it was possible they'd take the week off. I thought it would be hard to be let down, but here we are....
In fact, because I found a deal on points, I picked up 2500 points today, knowing there's future stuff that will be worth spending them on... I've made a big mistake. I could've put the money in an interest-bearing bank account and made up the $10 I saved. I still have a bunch of points parked in my account I've vowed not to spend until something worthwhile is released new... even though the game I might buy is Assault Heroes.
The one mitigating factor is that Crackdown is thankfully coming out this week. So it's not like I would have a lot of gaming time to spend with a download title, but this is still shocking to me...
CrapSandwich said:
Yeah, it's worth the $20US I spent on those arcade classics when they came with 11 others on a disc well over a year ago.
* * * * * *
Earlier in this thread, I said: "I have high hopes for next week. I don't even care if it's a game I want (Catan, Alien Hominid or Worms would be great). I'll just be excited to see something semi-original released. I think I'll go insane if it's a week off (remembering this line from the upcoming XBLA titles PR: "Although a game may not be launched every week, every Wednesday is an opportunity to share in the Xbox Live Arcade experience with friends and family."
I was half joking. I didn't think it was possible they'd take the week off. I thought it would be hard to be let down, but here we are....
In fact, because I found a deal on points, I picked up 2500 points today, knowing there's future stuff that will be worth spending them on... I've made a big mistake. I could've put the money in an interest-bearing bank account and made up the $10 I saved. I still have a bunch of points parked in my account I've vowed not to spend until something worthwhile is released new... even though the game I might buy is Assault Heroes.
The one mitigating factor is that Crackdown is thankfully coming out this week. So it's not like I would have a lot of gaming time to spend with a download title, but this is still shocking to me...
MirageDwarf
Member
Even I'm more interested in PSN. And Sony will try whatever they can, since they still have a very good chance to catch up. I'm interested in XBLA too.Hitler Stole My Potato said:
BenjaminBirdie
Banned
Hitler Stole My Potato said:
It's not ever going to happen. It should be fairly obvious at this point what the difference is between the three services' approaches. Look at what EA paid Bizarre Creations to make.
The XBLA you're all waiting for is not showing up. It's clearly not their aim.
Speevy said:
Oh certainly agree about original titles -- again, Geometry Wars is one of my favourites on 360!
Tekken 5, though... I'm not a fan personally, but it's a great sign of things to come on PSN IMO. It's not a retro title, it's not a remake... it's something that will have an audience but not a big enough one to justify pressing a disc. Yet it's almost a little too big and complex to fit into XBLA's gallery of casual games.
That it was released so soon after the PS3's launch and at an affordable price is a good sign for me of PSN's potential for downloadable titles, even if I am not personally interested in Tekken at all (and I'm not).
FirstInHell
Banned
Let me see if I understand this. Microsoft admits that they have communication issues with its fanbase regarding XBLA. They make a big announcement saying how the gates have been opened and we will start getting good original games starting sometime in February. It is February 20th and we have gotten Rootbeer Tapper and Paperboy. To top it all off, an officially sanctioned Microsoft blog releases a smug video that is the equivalent of a huge kick in the balls to people who are waiting for certain games. Those douchebags on the video took the three games that the hardcore gamers are waiting for and taunted us with them.
I was at Walmart this week and I saw 5 Wiis in the display case. Between this crap and my previously broken Xbox 360 I am sorry I did not pick up one. Everyone here says that the Wii VC is a ROM dump. I'll take a ROM dump with games like Castlevania IV and Super Mario World any day of the week over this 2 month lineup of mindblowing titles any day of the week;
(nothing)
Ms.Pac Man
Lumines add on
(nothing)
Tapper
Paperboy
(nothing)
Microsoft has to realize that with similar services on the Wii and the PS3, they are now competing for gamer's dollars and they are doing nothing to help themselves. As a consumer, having a company's arrogant employees release a blog that mocks, taunts, and disappoints their hardcore fans has got to be one the most deplorable and stupidest things I have ever seen. I hope their new strategy works out for them...whatever the hell it may be.
Microsoft has to have a pulse on the general consensus about their service. Every blog, every news site, every messageboard overwhelmingly has NOTHING good to say about XBLA at all. That is pretty sad. It is sad because it is the same thing that people have been saying (vocally) for months. Judging by this video blog, it is now pretty obvious Microsoft does not really give a damn what people think or want.
Nice work.
I was at Walmart this week and I saw 5 Wiis in the display case. Between this crap and my previously broken Xbox 360 I am sorry I did not pick up one. Everyone here says that the Wii VC is a ROM dump. I'll take a ROM dump with games like Castlevania IV and Super Mario World any day of the week over this 2 month lineup of mindblowing titles any day of the week;
(nothing)
Ms.Pac Man
Lumines add on
(nothing)
Tapper
Paperboy
(nothing)
Microsoft has to realize that with similar services on the Wii and the PS3, they are now competing for gamer's dollars and they are doing nothing to help themselves. As a consumer, having a company's arrogant employees release a blog that mocks, taunts, and disappoints their hardcore fans has got to be one the most deplorable and stupidest things I have ever seen. I hope their new strategy works out for them...whatever the hell it may be.
Microsoft has to have a pulse on the general consensus about their service. Every blog, every news site, every messageboard overwhelmingly has NOTHING good to say about XBLA at all. That is pretty sad. It is sad because it is the same thing that people have been saying (vocally) for months. Judging by this video blog, it is now pretty obvious Microsoft does not really give a damn what people think or want.
Nice work.
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