Great singers voice cheapy.

If you remember Rocket Knight Adventures for the Sega Genesis, and you had the chance to play it back in the day and have fun with it's quirky, plaftorming action (which means you're not a 12 year old kid who thinks the only way to have fun with games is by giving headshots and camping on Modern Warfare 2), you should at least try out the Rocket Knight demo. I had fun with it, although I would definitely wait for it to go on sale ($10.00/800 MS points should be fine I guess).

I'm surprised at how short-sighted everyone is being about this EA situation. There are many variables that no one seems to be considering.

First off, we have no idea how this will effect multi-gamer homes. Have any of you considered that people in your own home may have to pay $10.00 to play online even if you bought the game new? If the online pass is linked to your EA account, anyone in your home other than you might have to pay to play online.

Second, how can you say EA doesn't make any money from used games? Their games are filled to the brim with in game advertising. It doesn't matter if the game was new or used, when the ad loads in, EA gets paid. Valve or Bethesda, sure, they might not make money off of used games, but EA is getting advertising revenue.

Third, I think the biggest issue is if this is for games using EA's servers exclusively. It's one thing to ask for more revenue when gamers will be using their servers. However, to charge for P2p online that uses Xbox's matchmaking servers (which we're already paying for) would be downright criminal.

Finally, I'd like to understand why video games and movies are the only industries allowed to punish the used market. Used Books, Furniture, Cars, Televisions, MP3 players, Gaming Consoles, etc. are all perfectly ok despite the original manufacturer making no money off of the sale. It's the movie and video game industries that suffer exclusively from this dastardly business practice.

We're going to have to wait and see where EA takes this, but their current direction and everyone's complacency with it doesn't offer much comfort.

Another great show. I am glad that someone finally mentioned the issue with not being able to transfer downloaded content between Wii systems. I too hope that Nintendo would figure out some kind of strategy for this.

Wombat, I will never be able to play another EA game without thinking about Tectonic Farts.

Damn you Cheapy for getting that pooping song stuck in my head.

Ship, keep up the good work.

Regarding 3D Dot Game Heroes and Wombat-

The "Install" option is the last choice on the main screen with "Continue", "New Game", etc. The load times pretty much disappear when installed.

As far as your black bar issue, I think I might know the problem. The "button guide" can be shut off in the options menu. It is the translucent black bar in the lower right corner of the screen. At least on mine this bar shuts off. However, when on it doesn't really block much of the screen and it wasn't the black obstruction that first grabbed my attention.

I could be wrong and it might have just been my experience, but I'm guessing you were already in a dungeon when you first noticed the obstructed view. If so, then it is actually the bottom wall of the room you are in and not a screen overlay. Because of the game's isometric view this wall covers almost the entire bottom row of squares in many dungeon rooms occasionally obscuring enemies or the moving spike traps. I haven't found it to be too big a deal most of the time, but I agree that it can be annoying when it does obscure an enemy. There is not much that you can do about it unless they patch the game to make this wall semi-transparent or to put a slight glow or outline around enemies and the player when you are behind something.

Again, I could be totally wrong, but I found the dungeon lower wall obstruction to be much more distracting than the small button overlay and thought it might be what you were noticing since you thought you had already turned the overlay off.

Also, I've finished the first two dungeons and so far I am loving the game except for this one tiny issue. (which isn't that big of deal.)

This EA Online Pass thing is absolutely infuriating. As it is, they expect people to spend $60 every year for what is essentially a roster update plus some minor game tweaks. There is not that much of a difference year-to-year between games yet EA doesn't see a problem charging full price for it.

I guess I see more of a problem with it when it comes to Madden because gamers don't have any other choice because of the licensing issues. It isn't the same with the NHL series because there is more than one game to choose from.

Wasn't it earlier this year that EA said they were going to start shutting down their sports servers as soon as the next year's title comes out? It would be awesome to pay for a used copy of NHL '11, spend $10 to play online, then watch the servers get turned off a few months later. How can you see nothing wrong with that?

Great show as always...

I thought we paid 50 bucks a year to play online with xbox live. Now we have to potentially pay an extra 10 bucks. Also, EA does indirectly benefit from used game sales because some people buy new EA games with the credit they get from trading in old EA games.

cheapy, i think the fact that you dont buy used games or that none of you guys on the cagcast are really big sports games guys is affecting your views on this whole online pass matter. i honestly felt the same as you do, because it doesnt really affect me too much but i read a comment on destructoid that turned me around completely. the comment was in reply to how game companies have to make up the money lost from used games somehow

"games companies don't profit from used games sales, and money has to be made somehow" Actually, it doesn't "have to be made", they simply want the extra money, and have the ability to milk it out of you. It all goes back to the fact that game companies feel entitled to a cut of secondhand sales, even though no other physical media (music, movies, books) enjoys the same luxury. Game companies are special as far as they're concerned, and since they're actually capable of crippling your experience, they have finally decided to do just that. Even though they already received money for the original purchase, and since the original owner has since sold the game, that secondhand sale will not increase the amount of strain/use of their online services; but they still somehow feel justified in holding online play hostage until you pay them again for that disc they've already sold once before, and they didn't even have to pay to get it back! This is nothing more than a money grab, disguised as cleverly as possible as something reasonable. Credit to EA for going so far to make it look acceptable, but poo on this continued drive to milk every last cent out of gamers' pockets.

what do you think?

Originally Posted by Jasonofindy Regarding 3D Dot Game Heroes and Wombat- The "Install" option is the last choice on the main screen with "Continue", "New Game", etc. The load times pretty much disappear when installed. As far as your black bar issue, I think I might know the problem. The "button guide" can be shut off in the options menu. It is the translucent black bar in the lower right corner of the screen. At least on mine this bar shuts off. However, when on it doesn't really block much of the screen and it wasn't the black obstruction that first grabbed my attention. I could be wrong and it might have just been my experience, but I'm guessing you were already in a dungeon when you first noticed the obstructed view. If so, then it is actually the bottom wall of the room you are in and not a screen overlay. Because of the game's isometric view this wall covers almost the entire bottom row of squares in many dungeon rooms occasionally obscuring enemies or the moving spike traps. I haven't found it to be too big a deal most of the time, but I agree that it can be annoying when it does obscure an enemy. There is not much that you can do about it unless they patch the game to make this wall semi-transparent or to put a slight glow or outline around enemies and the player when you are behind something. Again, I could be totally wrong, but I found the dungeon lower wall obstruction to be much more distracting than the small button overlay and thought it might be what you were noticing since you thought you had already turned the overlay off. Also, I've finished the first two dungeons and so far I am loving the game except for this one tiny issue. (which isn't that big of deal.)

Thank you, I will try all of this

My first thought when I heard about the EA plan was "Good, maybe gamestop will drop the prices of used games".

Actually, all of your analogies were terrible. I think Ship hit the nail on the head when he said "DLC could be anything". It is not one monolithic entity. Sometimes it is minor stuff added on (costumes), sometimes it is stuff that would've been included in the old days (game ending in Prince of Persia), sometimes it is completely extra gameplay (Fallout 3 expansions). I think some DLC is justified and some is not.

And Wombat, do you watch How I Met Your Mother? You are the douche that Ted was when you start lecturing on the topics for which you have some knowledge.

Originally Posted by CheapyD Meanwhile, after we finished recording, I got a PM from a CAG who just bought a new black Wii. He has over $1000 in downloads that he can't transfer over.

There is. Contact Nintendo.

Originally Posted by usickenme And Wombat, do you watch How I Met Your Mother? You are the douche that Ted was when you start lecturing on the topics for you which you have some knowledge.

you got me on that one

I wonder if EA games will cost less used, maybe 5 dollars less, so the consumer and gamestop will split the cost. This should put an end to ea games being 54.99 used the week they come out.

One thing ea didn't anticipate, is if the used game become significantly cheaper and more people buy used and don't play online. Not everyone has live, and plays online. Some people just play games with there friends, and when a game is 20 or 30 dollars less used, more people may buy it used.

Lots of good comments in here this week...thanks!

I think we all know the reason why EA and other companies play this DLC game with us...because the technology exists to do so. That's the only reason why other media formats don't do it; they can't.

The reason I am not outraged by the Online Pass is that at least I don't have to spend more than the original price of the game to gain access. I can also feel like I'm getting more value out of my day 1 purchase. It makes me crazy when I pay full price for a game only to find that the price has dropped quickly and/or their is paid DLC that really should have been there from the start.

However, the bottom line is this:

I can't recall a single piece of DLC or DLC related tech that makes me glad the system was ever implemented.

Originally Posted by Wombat you got me on that one

Oh I think we all are at times, yours is just recorded.

Wombat, you nailed it about Capcom. Also why does it seem like your so disliked? I've listened to the show longer than I've been around the site and I personally can't see it. Great show as always guys. Thanks for making my workday suck a little less.

I'll definitely be taking a break from studying and listening to this podcast. The only thing I've looked forward to all year (gaming-wise) is E3.

Great show as always, really liked hearing how Wombat was comparing DLC to ice cream and Cheapy's review of the Just Cause 2 DLC totally saved me 160 MSP, I know it's not much, but thanks! I know I would've been really pissed if I'd bought it and found out that I needed to re-buy it from the in-game merchant after every death. Also, I'm really anxious to hear about where Ship's going on his new press junket adventure.

Oh, and Cheapy, your singing voice had me amazed, seriously, record deal, get one.

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Originally Posted by CheapyD Meanwhile, after we finished recording, I got a PM from a CAG who just bought a new black Wii. He has over $1000 in downloads that he can't transfer over.

And you clearly missed the part where I said 'link it to your Club Nintendo account'. When I had my Wii repaired, I had my stuff linked to it, and that's why I was able to transfer my downloads over to it. Since he's spent over $100 on downloads, he would probably qualify for the special treatment you were discussing.

But I'll mention this again: This problem has been known about for over 2 years, and you only now discuss it?

Originally Posted by CaptainJoel Oh, and Cheapy, your singing voice had me amazed, seriously, record deal, get one.

Here is my first music video:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95414510@N00/3799903198/