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The Daily Grind: Are you a keyboard luddite?
So controlling your MMORPG characters with console peripherals is apparently the new hotness. Whether it's because of the brawler-style button mashing of DC Universe Online, the controller-friendliness being programmed into TERA, or the various Kinect-flavored projects in the works, the traditional keyboard/mouse setup is looking anxiously over its shoulder right about now. Where this leaves those players who prefer the gameplay depth and control complexity afforded by the keyboard and mouse is anyone's guess, but there's no doubt that as MMO design is shifting increasingly towards action-heavy lobby games, control schemes are following suit. Today's Daily Grind is all about your comfort level with a console-style controller. Do you like the feel of a gaming peripheral with an MMO? Does it depend on the MMO? Are you a keyboard luddite? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The road ahead for updates to Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV is a game that inspires rather energetic opinions, but even the game's most ardent defenders will say that the game has issues that need to be addressed. Square-Enix has acknowledged this and promised to start rolling out updates starting this month to address many of the most pressing issues. Not only has the most recent update the player site enumerated several changes coming to the game in November and December, it also outlines the changes due for implementation early next year, and it's quite the list. Among the more hotly anticipated changes are a set of UI overhauls aimed at mouse and keyboard usage and improvements to the market ward interface. The updates will also see adjustments to skill point awards to help ease out the somewhat spiky nature of current rewards and a reduction of the points needed to attain rank 20, both allowing players quicker access to longer-term content. If you're playing Final Fantasy XIV or simply wanting to see what was on the horizon for the large patches before making a decision, take a look -- there's a great deal of information to digest.
First Impressions: Final Fantasy XIV
There are times when my job is kind of a mixed blessing. Case in point: It falls to me to talk about my first impressions of Final Fantasy XIV, which is about as not for everyone as a game can possibly be. It features some things that seem custom-built to annoy certain players into apoplectic fits, starting with the controls and the hardware mouse that has been absent for the whole of beta. (I don't know whether it'll be in the launch today. But probably!) I would be remiss not to mention any of these elements. On the other hand, I adore this game. The game isn't what I would have made; it's better, and it hits so many notes in just the right way that I don't particularly care about the discordant elements. So that means that my job is to give a good idea of how Final Fantasy XIV plays without letting my deep, unrestrained affection run rampant. Still, enough about the balancing act I have to go through -- how does the game actually play?
Wii Fanboy Poll: Best control scheme for Mario Kart?
We've heard from a lot of you that Mario Kart Wii is awesome -- we completely agree. Some of you were even surprised to find out that you actually liked using the Wii Wheel.But now that you've had some time to play around with the game, you have to have a favorite control scheme. So, what is it?Hit up our poll after the break to let us know, and feel free to explain why in the comments section.
Johnny Lee: Better games are coming
NWF: Are there any that you've noticed that actually do make pretty good use of the controls? JL: Well, Nintendo has done the best, because they had the longest time to work with it. Wii Sports is fantastically done ... in fact, I was talking to a Wii game developer, and apparently Wii Sports is so good that it's a problem, because people buying the Wii almost don't feel compelled to buy another game, so they're having a hard time getting people to buy their games. It's also hard to make a competitor. For example, if you're making a baseball game, you're essentially competing against Wii Sports, and that's a challenge. There were some games I saw in prototype form, and I don't think I'm allowed to talk about them, but there are some interesting things coming down the pipeline. They weren't "WOW, AMAZING," or world-changing, but they were much better examples of the controls than some of the things we've seen before. NWF: Hey, that gives us hope! That said, I really just have one more question, and it's probably the one you won't answer. JL: [laughs] NWF: I've read in some other interviews that you have more projects coming. Can you give us any hint at all of what we can expect, or maybe when we'll see them? JL: I've been really busy lately... [laughs] It's sad, because I haven't been able to do any work since December. I've actually been on my job search the past few months, and dealing with my job search and dealing with the attention from the Wii remote projects has consumed my extra time. And then I'm defending my thesis -- I'm graduating next week, so I've had to deprioritize making new videos. I do have a couple more ideas. I don't know ... it's hard for me to tell if people are going to get excited about them. There's also a closing window here. I don't know how much time I can spend on publishing these videos, partially because once I start employment, I may not be able to continue openly publishing and sharing these Wiimote videos. My hope is that I can, but I don't know. Maybe next week or the week after that, I can push out another video. [NWF note: said graduation is now this week!] NWF: Well, on behalf of our staff, and all of our readers, everyone wishes you the best of luck and probably thinks that, out of everybody in the world, you shouldn't need much of that luck. I'm surprised you even had to search for a job. JL: Well, it's actually been a pretty easy search, and I had a lot of opportunities I didn't even ask for. And oddly enough, Nintendo was not among them. Nintendo never contacted me. NWF: Never contacted you at all? JL: Nope. It's okay. I don't think I'd actually want to work solely at Nintendo. I have a pretty diverse set of interests, only some of which are relevant to gaming, so working at a gaming company isn't very interesting to me. NWF: Congratulations on graduating, and thanks for taking the time to talk to us during this busy time! JL: No problem! < 1 2 3 4
Johnny Lee: We may see head tracking from Sony or Microsoft first
NWF: Speaking of what the companies are doing and/or not doing, there was some discussion that EA was going to include your head tracking in BOOM BLOX, and then suddenly it was announced that head tracking was no longer going to be available as the discussed easter egg. We're pretty interested in what happened there, if you can discuss it at all. JL: I was a little disappointed to hear about that. I have been in touch with Louis Castle, who was involved in that decision, and it's actually a pretty complicated decision, and I don't know if I'm at liberty to explain exactly why, but I understand why they decided to take it out. Rest assured that I know EA is still interested in including it, and so are several other companies, so even if it doesn't come out next month, it will probably be integrated into games within the next year. NWF: So you do think we'll see it in this generation? JL: I think so. If Nintendo doesn't do it, I'm fairly sure that Sony and Microsoft may be interested in doing something similar. It's simply ... the kind of visual experience that head tracking provides is simply an evolutionary step in display technology and interactive displays, and it would be foolish not to embrace that progress in technology. It's not so much a feature, it's just a technological step forward, similar to 3D TV, that will eventually come. Nintendo may or may not decide that this is an okay idea, but even if they don't, it will come in some other form from some other provider. [NWF note: Sony, in fact, has a head tracking demo of their own] NWF: You know, that's interesting, because there's a lot of discussion any time we see another of your projects. Nintendo fans just blow up with excitement, because what you're doing with the Wii remote is so much more interesting than what a lot of actual Wii games have done with the motion controls. Why do you think that is? JL: Well, I don't have any rules to conform to. In truth, when choosing to make something for a game console, a developer has to sign a lot of agreements and play within a very well-defined space that determines what they can and cannot do. I have been talking to some Wii game developers and they've said that ... if a game requires too much motion or requires ... they had some word for it, but essentially, if it requires too much movement on the player's part, Nintendo asks them to pull it. There are all these internal guidelines they have to conform to that prevent them from doing anything too -- I hate using the term "outside the box," but this is a box that has been defined by Nintendo and they literally can't step out of it. The video game industry is also extremely market data driven, which is unfortunate. The investment levels keep going up and up, and the certainty of return keeps going down, and as a result, marketing has more control over development. And if marketing says something isn't going to sell, or if marketing has no data on it, so if something is too radical or if it's a new IP with a new story or new characters, and it's untested, marketing tags it as high risk. If there are safer, but more boring [laughs], the decision tends to be to make the more boring title, which is unfortunate. That's actually why I decided not to work at any game companies specifically, like Electronic Arts or Ubisoft, because my ideas would have likely been squashed quickly by marketing. NWF: Do you think those same marketing people, or maybe anyone at these companies, is really paying attention to the reaction your projects are getting? Obviously somebody is listening, because they're contacting you, but do you think the reaction is enough to change some of those things you were just talking about? JL: I think so, or at least, that's my impression. The wonderful thing about my videos is that they're widely available, and they've given marketing departments some data that they can work with. It's put something out into the world for very low cost -- because all I did was make a video in my house, so I didn't have to invest much money -- but marketing can now look at the numbers associated with the video, like the number of views, or they can send out a survey or poll games about these particular features, and then marketing can make an assessment about the risk of the feature. So, I think the main contribution these videos have had, at least to the gaming industry, is that they've given marketing some data that indicates this is a worthwhile feature. Getting it integrated into near-term titles is a little difficult, though, because it takes a few years to build a game. If they're going to retrofit an existing title with these features, it adds risk to the title. If they're going to build a new title around this feature, it's not going to hit the shelves for at least two years or so, or a year if they do a really simple title. It's sort of interesting ... I've gotten exposed to the business of video games recently. It's unfortunate that the business of the video game industry almost seems designed to squash innovation, or at least discourage it, because it's risky. NWF: Well, that explains a lot of our Wii games! JL: The Wii also has another complicated issue. Actually, I would say there are two. One is that the input control system is so radically different from the other two consoles that the only way to make a good game is to start from the ground up for the Wii. If you port an existing game, it's usually not going to be very good, because the control schemes don't map over very well. Cross-console game publishing has become a popular business model, simply because it's a more attractive return on investment for game developers. So, for the Wii, they have to take on the risk of making a game just for the Wii instead of doing that. Another problem ... accelerometer data is actually very hard to work with, so most of the games have very simple shake recognition, sort of an analog shaking recognition, sort of like the Rayman games, where you make the person run faster by pumping faster. But really complicated gesture recognition is actually very hard to do. Some dancing games, for example, are very difficult to make trigger reliably, because you want to make sure you're getting positive movement. You want to correctly register movement, but you don't want to be too generous or too critical. If you're too generous, the game is too easy, it's not compelling, you can cheat at it .... If you're too critical, the game doesn't trigger properly and then you get frustration on the part of game players. NWF: I'd also assume shaking speed and method is harder to translate in a game manual than something like "press A for action X." JL: Right. And game developers just don't know how to use it yet, because it's pretty new. It's pretty radical, and it has a lot of its own technical issues, not only in coming up with interesting game content, but also in dealing with the control scheme. It may take another year or two before game developers are used to working with an accelerometer. They had a decade to get used to the joypad. The technology in the Wii remote is still new to developers and they aren't necessarily using it in the best way yet, so there are a couple reasons why Wii games have at times been less than stellar, and maybe haven't lived up to the hopes and dreams of Wii owners. < 1 2 3 4 >
Wii Warm Up: Multiple control schemes
While Super Smash Bros Brawl may be the most well-known Wii game featuring a bevy of control schemes, it's not the only one, and if the forthcoming release of a white GameCube controller is any indication, we're likely to see more. Of course, that leads us to a pretty obvious question: what do you think about games offering multiple (completely different) control schemes in this manner? It's starting to seem that we're getting further away from the motion-based controls that were supposed to be the Wii's major selling point. Of course, with the way motion-sensing (doesn't) work in some games, that's not necessarily a terrible thing, but without it, what do we have left?
Details unleashed for Wii version of The Force Unleashed
GamePro had some time to check out the Wii version of upcoming Lucasarts game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. During their time with it, they managed to sink their teeth into the robust PVP aspect (called Duel Mode, it allows for one-on-one combat between 27 different characters from the Star Wars universe) of the game, as well as provide details on how the motion controls will work. They even took time to compare the two versions of the game graphically, showing the difference in character detail and textures between them. But, who cares about graphics? The controls are where it's at, right?For the chart containing the game's controls on Wii, click here or head past the break.
A note about control options in Mario Kart Wii
Click image for hi-res version For those of you looking for a control scheme in Mario Kart Wii that does not involve a wheel or a Wiimote in any way, know that you won't be given the same love you were in, say, Smash Bros. Brawl. Instead, you're ... wait, what's this? Actually, for Mario Kart Wii, the exact same control schemes available in Super Smash Bros. Brawl are open to gamers for use. Head past the break for the full breakdown on how you'll be busting tricks and trashing the competition in Mario Kart Wii.%Gallery-4772%
Controlling and Thieving as a King
Were you wondering how you'd be ruling your kingdom on the Wii once Squeenix's My Life As a King hits WiiWare? It looks like it won't necessarily be with the Wiimote, as the game supports four different control schemes.Supposing you like your Wiimote just fine, you can use that alone or with a Nunchuck while playing the game. Some of you might prefer the GameCube or Classic Controller, though, which are also supported. Furthermore, widescreen TV owners will be happy to know that Square Enix's country-building RPG can be played in 16:9.For those of you craving more details for this title, Game Watch reports that it will include a thief class. This is a nice addition to the game, although no big surprise in an RPG with a class system. The thief will have the usual skills of being able to unlock things, quick movement, and searching capabilities. If you ask us, a thief will be worth using just for the sweet dagger. This thief's got bling. Gallery: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Young King and the Promised Land [Via NeoGAF]
DS Daily: One-handed
Trying to get my game on while experiencing the real-life version of Imagine: Babyz (only cuter and without the z) has opened my eyes to something: too many games require the use of both hands! I can read while cuddling the child, so why can't I sit around with my DS? Oh, sure, I can play a few games, but too many require both hands, which means they're going to sit on my shelf for a while. Why's this important? Well, it's really not, at least for me -- I'll survive -- but when reader Zack wrote in to tell us about his uncle, it made me pay particular attention. See, Zack's uncle only has full use of one hand, but he loves his DS. Zack wrote to us asking that we ask you for your recommendations on games that require mainly stylus input. Of course, he knows the obvious titles, like the Ace Attorney series ... what he's looking for are more obscure titles. Even homebrew games will work! So start your day off by doing something nice: recommend your favorites, and help out a fellow gamer.
Tabula Rasa has another control scheme?
Have you ever played a game over a period of a few months, thinking that you've plundered the very depths of its gameplay system, only to have some facet of the game come along and smack you on the forehead? It happened to me this morning in Tabula Rasa when I was playing around with a brand new Forean clone and stumbled on an entirely new control scheme I had never seen before. It was buried in the options menu, and has completely changed the way I play. I knew I had to share it with you, dear readers, because there have to be a few other players out there who weren't aware they had this option at their fingertips.If you go into the options menu, click the key bindings tab, you can select "MMO Style" from the drop-down menu. It swaps the control bars at the bottom of your screen in a way that should completely change the way you play. Where before you had to use the toolbar to select a Logos ability and then right-click to activate it, the MMO style scheme allows you to use the ability simply by pressing the corresponding number, just as it does in other MMO titles. As an added bonus, the interact button is switched from the "T" button to the right mouse button. The MMO scheme, I'm finding, is particularly helpful for those under the Specialist tree who need quick access to a variety of Logos abilities. Saving those extra button presses is a real life-saver. If you haven't already, give it a try.
TGS07: NiGHTS gameplay video swoops in to save the day
It's no secret that Wii games (heck, insert your Nintendo system of choice there, really) often look better in motion than they do in screenshots. Even Metroid Prime 3 had its jagged moments in stills pre-release, but once we saw it in our living rooms, all doubts and questions disappeared forever. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that NiGHTS looks absolutely amazing in this latest gameplay footage. Sure, we've seen some real inconsistencies in screenshots, but this footage is not only lush and beautiful, but it serves as a lovely send-up of the original. We've read a lot of impressions from various sources this morning as well, and people seem universally pleased with the title, except for one issue -- the framerate seems a little slow. Otherwise, the game seems to move and control like a dream. One of our Joystiq operatives on the spot reports that reps on hand stated that there are no motion controls in the game, but we're also being told that there may be multiple control schemes. We hope to clarify just exactly what's going on here soon.[Via NeoGAF]
