Hey all! Welcome back to Cream Basics. Sorry for the last post, but it's better late than never right? Toxicity between different gaming communities has been a thing for awhile now. "Sony ponies" making fun of "Nintoddlers" and so on. To be fair, we grow up with these companies and have some of our fondest memories playing their games, so it makes sense that we'd feel a sort of attachment to their hardware and software. And it's natural to be defensive when someone attacks something you hold so close. Maybe a certain franchise really stuck with you, or maybe you prefer a certain aesthetic to your games. You might've had some of the best times of your life playing Halo with your friends (and still do) and so attacks against Microsoft hit extra hard. Perhaps you're like me and grew up with Nintendo and love how colorful and cheerful their games are, so you feel personally attacked when someone discredits them as a company and dismisses fans of the Big N as "mindless fanboys." The thing is, these attacks always come from another gaming community. The same person who dooms the Nintendo Switch's year-one lineup will be defending Sony's lackluster E3 showing to the grave. It's all subjective. Microsoft's Xbox One X reveal might've struck out hard to one person, but another might've seen everything they wanted to out of that conference. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but it's when people state their opinions as facts where things go left. Opinions are just that--opinions. What any one critic thinks isn't going to impact a company's success or your enjoyment of that company's product. No matter how objective they try to sound, their views weigh just as much as yours. Some media personalities have reach, and gaming journalists have an audience, but in the end, none of that should shake your foundation of enjoyment or happiness that comes from the games, developers and console makers you hold so dear. People love trolling fans to get reactions, always making themselves sound objective when in reality, they're just as passionate about something else. Trolls love to be fed man.
This is what happens when you lean too hard one way: it can have adverse effects. Being part of a gaming community is one of the best feelings ever, but when you're in that bubble for too long it can brainwash you. Over time you begin to think that your views are facts because everyone agrees with you, and you start to laugh at other gaming communities when, in fact, you're just as much of a fanboy as they are. And before you know, you're mocking other fanboys for their love of certain companies and developers and games. And you don't even think you're wrong for doing it. So guys, it's okay to be a fanboy or fangirl. We're all passionate about games and have ties to certain companies and communities. But hope for the success of others too. Share your thoughts, but be open to different thoughts. Wish the best for members of other gaming communities because you know how important yours is to you. In other words: Be a fanboy, but don't be an asshole. --Brent FC: 0251-7251-8736
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Another Splatfest here and gone! Yeah #TeamCoaster!! It's pretty impressive that even though Water Slides had more participants, Rollar Coasters were the more skilled bunch. It just goes to show that popularity doesn't always guarantee a win!
Aside from the results, the Splatfest 2.0 didn't deviate in any way from the first one--for better and for worse. While it was still a solid, enjoyable experience, none of my criticisms from the previous Splatfest were addressed. The losers still didn't receive an award for reaching maximum rank, a dance button was nowhere to be found, and the three stages didn't rotate for the entire event. In fact, team stability actually seemed worse this time around; I only managed to keep one of the same teammates for five matches at the most. I still had fun though, and I'm willing to overlook the lack of improvement since the two events were only two weeks apart. Next month, though, I'm hoping Nintendo takes steps to improve upon their already solid event. Here's to not staying stagnant! There are still many improvements Splatoon could stand in general. Have a good night guys! See you all tomorrow! Just made it (phew). It's simple: remove the "Animal Crossing" label from it. Welcome back to another post guys! Today as I was thinking over ideas for new posts, my mind drifted back to some of Nintendo's least favorable games of E3. Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival caused virtual groans throughout the Nintendo community, and yet it wasn't really such a bad core idea--it just needed some tweaking. We already know that amiibo Festival is only one part of the larger free amiibo-centered AC game coming later this year, but even so, it has the potential to be a solid stand-alone title. Here's how: 1) Make the game playable with all (or most) currently-released amiibo. 2) Make the environments change based on which amiibo you use. This is actually much more reasonable than it might sound at first. amiibo have only been released for a few games so far (with several character amiibos, like Mario and Zelda, functioning with multiple titles), so having Mario Kart 8, Smash 4, Hyrule Warriors, Splatoon, and Yoshi's Wooly World game boards along with an Animal Crossing one would make for a healthy board variety. This would also encourage gamers to buy more amiibo to unlock more boards--if they only have, say, Fox and Link, they'd only be able to play the Smash 4 and Hyrule Warriors stages. The more they'd have, the more they could play. 3) Make these boards special and dynamic enough to motivate gamers to buy more amiibo. As it is now, the Animal Crossing version is extremely dull. Nintendo could spice things up by making it less like a real board game and more like an old-school Mario Party game. There's some really strong potential here! If you have six unlockable boards to choose from--each representing a different franchise--there could be 15 unique minigames per board. Mario Party 10 only had 75 minigames; if Nintendo were to follow this 15-per-stage model, amiibo Festival would only be another 15 away from that. Aside from the board-specific minigames, of course, there'd also have to be certain events, items and obstacles unique to every franchise represented. 4) Keep it as a free download! Gamers who've already collected a few amiibo (and opened them) have probably grown bored of them as an in-game accessory, and might feel disappointed that they didn't keep them sealed. With amiibo Festival, though, those figures could be given new life, and their purchase would be more justified. And by making it free for all who have amiibo, those who only have a couple might enjoy the game so much that they'd be interested in getting other amiibo just to unlock more boards and minigames. It'd serve as both a free thank-you to loyal fans and a smart business move to entice those still on the fence.
If anyone from Nintendo reads this, feel free to take the idea! I think it'd really be a fun and interesting way to take advantage of the amiibo technology. But hey, that's just me. What do you guys think? And if you liked this, check back again every weekday for more thought-provoking write-ups. See you all tomorrow! Happy Monday guys. So I know this post is extremely late, and I also know that this has been happening more often lately. I'm still getting the hang of this "weekdaily" blogging thing, so please stick with me over the coming weeks as I try to restructure how I do everything and try to figure it all out! In the vein of this theme, I decided to share with your guys some quick lessons I've had to learn the hard way while running a one-man gaming blog.
1. If you're not a news blog (which would have to continuously report fresh gaming news as soon as it happened, i.e. http://nintendonews.com/), always have an extra couple posts stashed away for a rainy day. They shouldn't be more than a couple weeks old to avoid being outdated or uninteresting--always refresh your rainy day stock. 2. Keep up to date on everything gaming related via other blogs/websites, Twitter, and YouTube. If you're just writing Impression and Opinion pieces, there's no reason you shouldn't look around the web to find inspiration for that next blog post. 3. Be consistent. Get a schedule out there and always follow it (this is why it's important to always have some extras tucked away). People will start to lose interest if they check to see if the new post is up and they're left disappointed. 4. Interact with other bloggers and upcoming players in the web space. Networking is always key, and whether it's through direct contact or just commenting on tweets, it's good to build a solid relationship with others in your "field." 5. Write every day. Yes, every single day. Taking a day off is a huge mistake--at least for me. Pick a certain time (mornings usually work for me) and try to write at least one post in that session. Different writers have different methods, but whatever yours in, just be sure to keep it up daily. Good luck friends, hope this helped some of you out there. I'm still getting it all down myself. SplatFest Impressions tomorrow! Cheers! In the wake of the new Tower Control mode that's being added to Ranked battles today, I decided it'd be fitting to make a list of the top 5 Splatoon updates that I really, really want. I put a lot of thought into this list, but there's only so much I could fit. Let me know if I missed anything! NUMBER 5: Raising the Level Cap When I first started playing Splatoon I was initially driven to reach level 10 to unlock Ranked mode, and then level 20 because, well, it was there. Having a level to reach gives you a goal to work towards and provides more of a reason to keep playing Turf Wars. Instead of 20, the level cap should be 40 (with the amount of points you have to attain continuing to double with each additional level). It's fairly easy to reach the current level 20 cap, but twice that would take many, many more hours. NUMBER 4: New Rare Gear Similar to the low level cap issue, it's fairly easy to get all the available gear in a week or two or intense play sessions. What we need is rare gear that's much more difficult to attain and more costly than standard equipment--the high cost being especially important so players can spend the ridiculous amounts of extra cash many have accumulated over matches. These rare pieces could be especially valuable by having four unlockable abilities instead of three. NUMBER 3: Bottoms The outcry for pants and other bottom wear has been real. It's just strange that we can buy hats, shirts and shoes, but not bottoms (the only exception being the schoolgirl uniform, which comes with a skirt). I could see Nintendo releasing pants in the winter as part of a special update, announcing something like, "It's getting cold out, and the Inklings are freezing in their shorts! They're so cold, in fact, that there's a new trend spreading throughout Inkopolis of wearing pants!!!" These could be made extremely expensive to--once again--give players something to spend their money on and to encourage players to play more and earn even more money. NUMBER 2: All Game Modes Available for Ranked and Unranked Making all game modes available for both ranked and unranked play allows more casual players to experience Splat Zones and Tower Control (and other future Ranked-only modes) while allowing ranked players to practice casually without fear of being tossed around and losing rank just for wanting to enjoy the mode. But ranked play doesn't really matter until... NUMBER 1: Team Requests & Team Names We know that we're going to be able to form friend lobbies and teams in the big August update, right? Well, if the update is only going to allow us to be able to add people on our Friends List, a nice option for those without friends who play Splatoon would be the ability to send Team Requests to players worldwide at the end of random matches. That way teams could form naturally based on appreciating others' skills and extending friendly invitations. To ease Nintendo's worries about inappropriate messages or bullying, the invites could be simple "Yes or No" notifications without space to include a personal message. Also, imagine being able to register team names! Certain teams would become infamous among the Splatoon community. And to combat the potential issue of inactive accounts, It could be that if a team is inactive for 30 days they lose their name. With the addition of Team Requests it would crucial to have team leaderboards so players could see the top teams in the world. And with the advent of team leaderboards, the only logical step forward would be tournaments! But that, my friends, is for another post. Thanks for reading friends! There's so much potential for Splatoon to be even more amazing--we just have to hope Nintendo is listening. If you liked any of these, tweet the link to @NintendoAmerica and let's see what we can do!
One of the most hyped games of the past two E3s has been No Man's Sky, and for good reason. The promise of nearly limitless space exploration sounded astonishing, and the pure scope of the game is something that's been praised since it was first announced. Gaming press that went hands-on described how each planet was literally planet-sized. Onlookers fell for the game's pretty, clean art style. And when space combat was announced? Well, that sealed the deal for just about everyone. When I look at No Man's Sky I see a huge, beautiful sandbox with loads of potential. The idea of travelling around different planets and encountering their unique forms of life is a major draw, and I can see myself spending plenty of time on that exploration and discovery aspect alone. However, what would make me want to travel to more planets than I needed to? Or, better yet, what would make me interested in one planet long enough to explore its entirety? There are spacesuit/spaceship/etc. upgrades you can/have to grind for to proceed closer to the center of the universe, but what would make that experience enjoyable if I just keep traversing similar planets with similar beasts and similar robotic guards? I can only speak on what's been shown of the game so far, but No Man's Sky seems to lack a distinct sense personality. The visual style is striking, sure, but it also feels a bit generic. There're certain upgrades to achieve, but what else sets me apart from the other players? Look at other open world games like Skyrim and even Minecraft; I think visually customizable characters and ships would be a great addiction here that would help many players to feel like their experience is a uniqueone. Not only that, but I'd also appreciate something that would make me feel a special tie to the planets I've traversed. Instead of just landing, glancing around for a few minutes and moving on, it would be nice to be able to make some sort of camp or settlement wherever you're currently stationed that could make your experience somewhat unique. Think along the lines of Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire's secret bases; imagine if you could set home bases up at certain pre-designated areas of the planet, and imagine being able to customize those bases. Whenever you returned to that planet you'd have somewhere where you'd instantly feel at home, and the planet would feel more unique to you because of your home there. Other players would also be able to stumble across your base and get a real feeling that someone else had already been there (as opposed to a simple "Already Discovered: Planet _________"). You could even imagine being able to put your mark on a planet in different ways, such as monuments you could build when you have enough currency or tents scattered around that could serve as saving points and safe zones from pursuers. There are so many things the developers at Hello Games could implement to make each stay on a planet that much more meaningful to the player. What do you guys think could make for a more meaningful exploration experience in NMS? Hit me on Twitter and let me know--I have a few wilder, less reasonable ideas that I'd love to share. Hope you all enjoyed the post, and see you tomorrow!
Yeah, probably. Follow me on Twitter, and see you guys tomorrow! But seriously. As some of you guys know, I only recently (about a month ago) bought a Wii U. The Splatoon bundle finally enticed me enough to make a purchase, and I hadn't had any regrets at all. I was especially excited because I got it right before E3, and I was pumped to see what was on the horizon for my new console. Well, fast-forward and we all know how Nintendo's E3 ended up going--disappointingly. What started off as excitement and high expectation quickly turned to outrage and sorrow, and while I'm not nearly as malicious as some of the comments I saw around the Internet following the Digital Event, the distinct lack of new Wii U support made me second-guess my decision for the first time. Two of the most promising titles shown were platformers: Yoshi's Woolly World and Super Mario Maker. Though I love platformers, they aren't exactly fresh and new for Nintendo. Star Fox looked interesting, but like more of a HD remake than a groundbreaking sequel. Xenoblade Chronicles X will definitely be a day one purchase for me, but I was devastated by the December release date. Perhaps the worst offense, however, was the lack of any Wii U games being released for the next three months (aside from Never Alone, which just came out last week). Nintendo's lack of major support for the Wii U this year only looks harsher after their premature unveil of the NX. Even mentioning that they were working on a new system so early in the Wii U's life cycle sparked tons of doubt as to if Nintendo was simply giving up on their current console in favor of a new, potentially more profitable one. With Star Fox and Super Mario Maker acting as their major system pushes and Zelda U not coming until 2016, it does seem like the Wii U push has ended a bit too soon. However, it's not quite over just yet. Nintendo is clearly still trying to drive Wii U hardware sales. Games like Splatoon, Super Mario Maker, Starfox, Yoshi's Woolly World, Xenoblade Chronicles X and even Genei Ibun Roku x FE are all high-budget AAA titles, and they're all Wii U exclusives coming this year. The Nindies@Home program (which I recently covered) just launched and promises to deliver nine indie games to the Wii U e-shop this year as well. And though most of those games are multi-platform, other titles like FAST Racing Neo are also going to make Wii U their exclusive home. So while there were no huge new Wii U announcements that took everyone by surprise at this past E3, that doesn't just mean that Nintendo is leaving its console adopters high and dry. In fact, I'd argue that the amount and quality of content coming to Wii U this year rivals any year before it. Zelda U? We'll have a few other loves before we fall for you. Thanks for reading guys! I know this post is a bit later than usual, so also thanks for sticking with me. See you all tomorrow!
Splatoon is one of my favorite games right now, period. It was the final push needed in my Wii U purchase, and I honestly think it was one of the best gaming decisions I've ever made. With that said, I'm also aware of its flaws. There have been several criticisms leveled against Splatoon, but the most infamous one--especially with the recent data mining leak--is the slow trickle of new weapons and maps under the guise of "free" updates. This likely wouldn't be a lingering issue for too many people if the game had launched with abundant content to begin with, but seeing as it didn't, some gamers feel cheated out of a full day-one experience. So, where do I stand on this sore subject? I actually don't mind the steady flow of updates--they give me something to look forward to. Though I understand where people are coming from when they point out that all the content is already "on the disc," just imagine if you would have had 40+ weapons to choose from in the shop at launch! Most would probably try a few, settle on a favorite, and leave the rest in their inventories to collect virtual dust. By spacing out the release of new weapons the game gives players a pleasant surprise every week and encourages trying the new instead of sticking with the old. Whenever I get on and play the day a new weapon is released I always see others using it. Whether they stick with it or not isn't the point--the updates are consistent enough to where the steady stream of new weapons to try gives many players an added incentive to turn the game on one more time (aside from it being pure fun anyway). I feel slightly differently about the map releases. While new weapons are more an added bonus than a necessity, a plentiful selection of maps are pretty essential to keeping the experience fresh. The fact that Splatoon only launched with five maps and that its design only allows for two to be playable per mode (with the two changing every four hours on a 2-6-10 cycle) made for very little variety in the first week or so of the game's release. Since then, though, we've gotten three new maps, and the release of each one has definitely caused players to jump back in for hours to master the new layout and play styles required. It just makes sense strategically for the developers to continue to release a new map every couple of weeks to keep players busy (and interested) until the big August update. What's my final verdict then? Well, with the combination of both weapons and maps being consistently unlocked throughout the summer, I think Nintendo made a wise decision that'll definitely extend the game's life cycle. Would I have liked the August update to come in June instead? You bet. But as things are right now, I keep having a new reason to come back and get hooked on Splatoon all over again. Thanks for reading friends! I write new posts every weekday, so come back often! If you wanna say hi, you can easily reach me @CreamBasics on Twitter. See you all tomorrow!
*Oh, and side note: I think Splatoon's amiibo use is actually one of the best yet. You get exclusive gear, which is cool, but you also unlock extra challenges that test your inking skills. Have mine coming in the mail on Saturday! I think RPGs are made for those with the wildest of imaginations. They require a suspension of disbelief that not every gamer can muster. It's one thing for a racing game enthusiast to become lost in the joy of driving their favorite cars, or for a strategy purist to focus intensely on thinking 10 moves ahead of their opponent. For one to love RPGs, however, it takes an extraordinary willingness to be both open-minded and personally creative. Not only is the player stepping into a fictional (and, oftentimes, foreign) world, but they also have to be invested in making decisions that shape their character and gameplay experience. Though a wide array of people and personalities can be drawn to the genre, there are definitely several characteristics that they all share in common.
People come to RPGs in different ways. Some are attracted to the promise of huge open worlds to explore and multitudes of enemies to overcome. Others love the ability to customize their character and take them on a life-changing adventure. Still others are quite young when they're introduced to the genre via mainstays like the Pokemon and Final Fantasy series. This last one was definitely me; the first RPG I ever played was a Pokemon game, like many others born in the early '90s--specifically Pokemon Red. I'd played many other games by that time from a wide array of genres, but my first experience playing Pokemon changed my outlook on gaming forever. The bond I felt with the first five Pokemon I caught (plus my starter) was strong enough that I never swapped them out; I continued to catch others, but always kept my primary six. Traveling through the land, meeting new friends, and battling with my pals was incredible, especially the traveling aspect. From there I moved to something more traditional--Final Fantasy III. The first and only main series FF game I've finished, it blew my mind open to the excitement of traveling with a more traditional party and growing close to the characters over the course of the story. My love for games like Children of Mana, Tales of Symphonia, Blue Dragon and others all comes from the countless joy-filled hours I put into FFIII. The fantastical worlds and colorful characters appealed to my appetite for fantasy, and I found myself enjoying the escapism and storytelling I got from the game equally to that of Harry Potter, my favorite series of novels. There really is something about RPGs that just satisfies an innate craving in my soul for adventure and fantasy. But what about you guys? Do you feel the same way, or is it just me? Leave a comment below or hit me on Twitter @CreamBasics and let me know your experiences and thoughts with/about RPGs. Peace! |
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