On a Mission

[Gomess]

People didn't like Raiden because he wasn't Snake. That seems easy enough to understand.

Eh, not to me. Changing the protagonist to elevate the *hero* is a great idea, and really should be expected from someone like Kojima. But then, I feel the same way about doddering old Optimus Prime. As Furman would say, "He's OVER- FINISHED!"

[Onslaught Six]

Easy way to see if you "get" Metal Gear: Did you think Raiden was "gay" or "shitty?" Because if you did, you didn't understand what it was trying to do.

Really though, mapping attacks to the PS2's analogue sticks DOES. NOT. WORK.

Too Human for the 360 does something like that, or rather just to the 360's right stick. And it actually does kinda work. It's fun, anyway, and different from the usual control scheme everyone uses.

[Gomess]

Hmmmm I've never used an Xbox controller. Maybe the stick's better! They'll never beat the N64's in my eyes, of course.....

[BWprowl]

They'll never beat the N64's in my eyes, of course.....

Yeah, there was nothing better than that stick that had ridges that sliced your thumb to ribbons before snapping off if it was used too much!

Can I just say that I kinda hated the N64 controller in general, actually? Who on earth though that was a good design? Do all the people working at Nintendo have three hands and they just weren't aware that us mere mortals only had two?

Touching on a random subject from paaaaages ago, and specifically directed at Gomess: were you aware that Capcom was crazy enough to make a sequel to Star Gladiator? "Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein" on the Dreamcast. It's marginally more playable! And for whatever reason clones the entire cast into different-looking, differently-named, but functionally identical characters. And then it *leaves the old characters in*. There's literally two characters for every single playstyle. I'm dumbfounded.

[Gomess]

Yeah, there was nothing better than that stick that had ridges that sliced your thumb to ribbons before snapping off if it was used too much!

Blimey, what were you doing to the poor thing? Both of my N64 pads still work perfectly, the only button that's dodgy is one of the digital up keys, for some reason.

And for whatever reason clones the entire cast into different-looking, differently-named, but functionally identical characters. And then it *leaves the old characters in*. There's literally two characters for every single playstyle. I'm dumbfounded.

*coughTekkencough!* Heck, half the 3D fighters of the 90s had an unlockable clone for each character. It was a cheap way of adding perceived value. This especially annoyed me in my beloved Bugi, where the only REAL difference between the starters and their clones was the fact that the starters got backstories. That kinda thing really irks me, since it's up to the player to assume why *guy with a backstory* is so intent on fighting *guy without a backstory whose style is the same*. =/ And, as we've previously gone over, I play games for their story.

I'd give Virtua Fighter credit for never slipping into the "clone trap", but then I remember that it has no endings, occasionally mind-numbingly dull character designs, and headachey graphics. Love the new guy, Jean Kujo. Never seen a design like THAT before.

[Onslaught Six]

Yeah, there was nothing better than that stick that had ridges that sliced your thumb to ribbons before snapping off if it was used too much!

Blimey, what were you doing to the poor thing? Both of my N64 pads still work perfectly, the only button that's dodgy is one of the digital up keys, for some reason.

Actually, broken N64 analog sticks are a pretty common thing. All of mine still work but it was never a fun thing to use for extended periods of time. Analog sticks need rubbery soft shit on top, something every subsequent controller has gotten right.

Can I just say that I kinda hated the N64 controller in general, actually? Who on earth though that was a good design? Do all the people working at Nintendo have three hands and they just weren't aware that us mere mortals only had two?

No no no, this is Wrong. It's actually pretty versatile and well-designed for games of that era, which typically didn't need two sticks. If it was a game that required lots of buttons but smooth movement (Mario, Zelda, etc.) then you used the middle analog and the buttons on the right. If it was a game that required the more precise movement of a D-Pad (WWF No Mercy or other AKI wrestling games, fighting games, etc.) then you used the left with the D-Pad and the buttons. If it was an FPS, you could have moved with the D-Pad and put your right on the middle, and used the Z trigger to shoot. (This generally didn't work out too well due to lack of Buttons, though, but hey.)

It's certainly better than the PSX/2/3's solution (thumbsticks down thar, forcing you to move both hands into a strange crab position which hurts your fucking hands) or the Gamecube/360's (Works great for most games, but fuck you if you need a D-Pad in reach). I've never seen another controller that *could* be that versatile.

[Gomess]

it was never a fun thing to use for extended periods of time.

Did they make them out of different stuff in Europe, or something? Or maybe our idea of "extended period of time" is different. =/ I've never played a video game for more than 3 hours at a time, and that's with breaks. I guess in the age of "hardcore gamerz" that's not a lot... Well, colour me "casual"!

[Shockwave]

Controllers have gotten bigger since the original Nintendo. Back in MY day we had a brick with only 1 button and a stick! People actually got carpal tunnel from it! And we still thought it was the best thing ever! Then the fancy shmancy NES came around with it's multiple buttons and it's "D-Pad". To be perfectly honest, I haven't had any problems with any controllers. The only one that hurts after a while so far is the 360, but that's partially because of the intensity with which I hold it sometimes. Like when I play Escalation on WFC for like 6 hours straight. And the only controller that I've had to replace was one for the SNES but that was because I threw it against a concrete floor as hard as I could.

[BWprowl]

No no no, this is Wrong. It's actually pretty versatile and well-designed for games of that era, which typically didn't need two sticks. If it was a game that required lots of buttons but smooth movement (Mario, Zelda, etc.) then you used the middle analog and the buttons on the right. If it was a game that required the more precise movement of a D-Pad (WWF No Mercy or other AKI wrestling games, fighting games, etc.) then you used the left with the D-Pad and the buttons. If it was an FPS, you could have moved with the D-Pad and put your right on the middle, and used the Z trigger to shoot. (This generally didn't work out too well due to lack of Buttons, though, but hey.)

It's certainly better than the PSX/2/3's solution (thumbsticks down thar, forcing you to move both hands into a strange crab position which hurts your fucking hands) or the Gamecube/360's (Works great for most games, but fuck you if you need a D-Pad in reach). I've never seen another controller that *could* be that versatile.

I dunno, the 'default' position for the N64 controller is still a pretty awkward way to put your hands. Maybe I'm too ocd about these things, but I like to have my hands level with each other and evenly spaced when I'm holding a controller, as opposed to one at a 45-degree angle half a hand length away from the other one. And I wouldn't say it's that versatile; rather it's pretty limited, in that you can never be using all the buttons at once.

I've got long thumbs, so the Dual Shock controller's never given me trouble, I'd go so far as to say that's my favorite controller ever. Let me also be the first here to say that the analog circle nub pad thing on the 3DS is awkward as hell to use.

And as I've said before I've got a bias against the GC controller since it's terrible for fighting games (the shoulder buttons take like a million years to press!). You're totally right about that D-Pad too. Not only is it out of the way, it's way too small.

Did they make them out of different stuff in Europe, or something? Or maybe our idea of "extended period of time" is different. =/ I've never played a video game for more than 3 hours at a time, and that's with breaks. I guess in the age of "hardcore gamerz" that's not a lot... Well, colour me "casual"!

Depends on what you were playing. If you were swinging that stick around for an FPS or one of the N64's weekly minigame collections, you were probably gonna see some damage.

*coughTekkencough!* Heck, half the 3D fighters of the 90s had an unlockable clone for each character. It was a cheap way of adding perceived value. This especially annoyed me in my beloved Bugi, where the only REAL difference between the starters and their clones was the fact that the starters got backstories. That kinda thing really irks me, since it's up to the player to assume why *guy with a backstory* is so intent on fighting *guy without a backstory whose style is the same*. =/ And, as we've previously gone over, I play games for their story.

I know about clones in 3D fighters and all, but this game has one for everybody, unlocked right at the start, stuck on the roster obviously opposite their counterpart. It's just...odd. Especially since they actually removed characters: that raptor guy is nowhere to be found, and since he's not in the game, he doesn't get a clone either.

I kinda liked Melty Blood's inversion of the clone schtick: many of the characters get their sprites reused with minor visual differences, but completely new movesets. And a few of those even actually represent separate characters.

[Mako Crab]

Speaking of fighting games, I gotta' dig up the old topic from a few pages back about the girls. I said something about Mileena's 2nd outfit in MK Deception being so skanky and revealing, that it'd be damn near impossible to top. Well they did it. In the new MK Mileena makes her introduction wearing only a few straps of gauze.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNpGgizma0U

Same game that includes tearable clothing. Just waiting for those little band-aids to get shredded off.