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The whole problem about game pricing is that it's uniform across the board. 98% of the games always start out at $50 or higher nowadays. Does that mean those 98% of games are awesome? No.

You're seeing the same thing with XBLA, PSN and WiiWare where all games, no matter how bad they are, are the same price as the great ones (ex: N+ versus Mr. Driller Online or LostWinds versus Cocoto Fishing Master). It's pretty much the same problem on all platforms. And the lack of price drops on the downloadable front only makes it worse for the future of gaming.

I have to say that I'm quite honored to make the CheapyD Flickr album.

I love how Wombat CiFed himself a double cone.

I don't think Wombat was hard enough on Nintendo for the LucasArts / MotionPlus debacle. Even though Nintendo's occlusion of the new peripheral angered LucasArts, it hurt gamers more because it decreased the potential quality of an upcoming product-- an experience that gamers have been clamoring for ever since we heard the words "Revolution" and "motion controller".

This is not to say that Wombat's vitriol towards LucasArts isn't justified, everyone who gives two shakes about the game industry should consider only buying Force Unleashed used in reaction to LucasArts' terrible treatment of those who work for them. Then again, who hasn't seen this coming? I think LucasArts' last good game was either Tie Fighter Advanced CDROM or Grim Fandango, whichever came last. Albeit, I did enjoy Gladius. But even that game failed to escape the crappiness of LA's management, because the game was released only half finished.

Moving on, at some point, you guys mentioned wanting to "reward" the pricing of Viva Pinata 2. I wonder why we gamers don't apply the idea of "reward" to our purchasing process more often. We shouldn't just be looking for the "cheapest" game purchases, but rather looking for the ones that offer the best value and quality. Wombat and others may balk at the idea of pricing Braid at $15, but is the issue that the game is not of sufficient quality to deserve $15 or is it that you're just not used to the price? Or is it that you fear the trend of increasing prices for other, less deserving games? I thought that the recent article on Kotaku talking about how Braid has not yet hit profitability was an important read. That article was the reason I got out of my chair and queued up the demo.

The idea of rewarding quality games actually links up with the whole LucasArts ordeal. We gamers who care about good games should be putting our money where our mouths are. LucasArts stopped putting out good games because good games like Grim Fandango were big money sinks, but didn't sell. Similar stories are common throughout this industry. This is why we get dreck like those Wii shovelware / carnival games or those unworthy games that the developers of N+ called out.

I have to make one concession to the point (mostly due to KingBroly's comment) that some of these games cost too much, and that is that the Microsoft Marketplace seems to not have anyone with economics training working for them. What I see as the primary problem with the Marketplace is that it doesn't have price adjustments, that react to sales of the product. If a game underperforms in terms of sales, the price of that game should drop to a price point where they think would result in more sales. That way, a game could be sold to a much larger audience once it drops to that buyer's price expectation. That way, Wombat would be able to get Braid at that $12.50 point and the developers of Braid would get a lot more sales.

Thanks for a great show guys!

Cheapy and Wombat were pretty harsh on the progamer-in-training kid's parents. According to this article (http://www.newsobserver.com/2766/story/1155589.html), he's going to be home schooled by tutors. That definitely isn't the same thing as dropping out of school to pursue a career in competitive video gaming.

Originally Posted by Mahoney07 I don't get Wombat's reasoning of hating LucasArts. They obviously want to make fewer games in studio. Should they keep paying 100+ people $60,000+ a year when they don't need them just because that's the nice thing to do? It also wasn't random when they were fired. It was at the end of The Force Unleashed development.

I'm guessing it was that they told (and I didn't follow this at all except what I heard on CAGcast) their developers, "Yeah, we're going to keep you - Don't worry," and then let them go a short time after. That's kind of weasely.

The same could be said of people who just up and leave their jobs (not LucasArts - just in general). They're not chastised as much for it because there's a certain sense of 'the big evil corporation' amongst Americans. I don't agree with it - but it's there (anti oil companies, Walmart, Microsoft - people forget that AT&T and IBM topped that list at one time, too).

To me it's just a business. Would you buy a crappy game just to keep someone employed? I sure wouldn't. I think people get mixed up in how they view jobs. Typically speaking they look at their job as something that is owed to them instead of looking at it as them trading their skills and labor for money (they're the one's selling their services to a company and the company, in turns, puts it together and sells it as a product to others).

All that being said, I think it's just as weasely to tell people, "Your fine," and then let them go as it is to be a person on a job and say, "See ya!" I think there's a certain level of honor/integrity that people ought to bring to the table.

Originally Posted by flux=rad Cheapy and Wombat were pretty harsh on the progamer-in-training kid's parents. According to this article (http://www.newsobserver.com/2766/story/1155589.html), he's going to be home schooled by tutors. That definitely isn't the same thing as dropping out of school to pursue a career in competitive video gaming.

It's still a lousy decision by his parents. Do you know what people think of that kid's family now? Removing the kid from normal society because "he wants to" play a video game for the rest of his life. Professional Guitar Hero player? Please. Ever heard of guitars that have strings? This is an example of bad parenting that will only lead to a bad future for that kid. Deciding to drop out of school to improve his skills in a fad that's going to fade fast is not the answer to a nagging child.

It doesn't matter what Nintendo does to the "hardcore gamer". As long as there is a new Mario, Zelda, and 15 games revolving around the Mario universe, the hardcore fans will still buy the next system. They're pretty much suckers and Nintendo knows it. I am not even considering buying a Wii. I will probably just skip it all together and wait on the next system, hope it's BC, and buy the handful of Wii games that I wanted to play. It seems like with every new home system I get less and less interested in what Nintendo has to offer. Ever since the PS1/N64 days I realized Nintendo couldn't keep up with the other console. I am not a huge fan of the Nintendo franchise games. I mean they are good, but I just got sick of all of them. It seems like the home console just gets worse and worse but on the portable side it keeps getting better and better.

That kid should pick up a real guitar and start a band. He has a better chance of making money and he'll get a lot of ass on the side too.

Cheapy and Wombat, you guys are assholes. I put the podcast on pause when I was ordering McDonalds at the drive thru. After I ordered I started listing to it and pulled up to the window. I noticed that for whatever reason their window was open. I started to look around for my wallet and money in the front seat, and than I heard Viva Pinata Animal Orgy, at the same time I heard someone clearing there throat and saying, "sir its $2.88". I quickley paused the CAGcast and the McLady had a grossed out look on her face. It was quit embarrasing and to make things worse she gave me a canadian dime back for change. So while I was waiting for my McSkillet Burrito, I was pondering what to do. I put the canadian dime back inside the window while she was getting my order. She came back and seemed to be in a hurry (after all if I had to serve somebody who is into "Animal Orgies" I think I would want to get the pervert out of the way as soon as possible) and quiclky handed the bag to me and was about to shut the previouse open window. "Excuse me!!" I said. "What is it sir?" she replied in a disgruntled unwaranted voice. "Can I get picante sauce for my burrito, and you uhh...gave me Canadian currency back instead of U.S. Currency, I would like a dime please." with that said she went to get the manager to open the register. The manager came opened the register, looked at me funny and said "Sorry about that sir".
So I know the McLady heard the Animal Orgy comments and was disgusted by them by her face and service. On top of that, I also asked for U.S. currency back (even though its 10 cents, its the moral that counts) wich made me look even weirder. It was completley aukward and I was in Minnesota and being from Wisconsin I always get a bad rap from Mudd-Ducks (MN equivilant to Cheeseheads) at work. So in perspective, thank you for making me look like a complete psycho to a very old McLady at a McDonalds Drive Thru.

Cheapy, have you seen that Wii Star Wars game? It looks fun, but LucasArts is being ridiculous if they're floating the idea that MotionPlus could easily or usefully be grafted onto a 3rd person beat-em-up. The whole game is obviously built around current remote technology, and I have a hard time believing that they'd be able to add anything meaningful before launch.

Hey guys good show as always but i have to interject and let you know the uncharted trophy patch has already been out for a while.

Hey Cheapy & Wombat,
Great Show! At first I was excited about the NHL 09 announcement, but I have to side with Wombat. It's tough enough to get two guys scheduling a league, I can't imagine doing it with 12 guys---and God help us if they allow line changes, for three lines that would be 16 guys per team! My company can't staff two people on an ambulance, I can't imagine trying to reunite 32 guys for a full, or even short league. Hey, also for all of your user created content discussion, you left out the Grad-Daddy of them all----Spore! Spore looks to be amazing, there are already almost 2.8 creatures created by users online, now don't get me wrong, there's tons of "Sporn" floating around YouTube, but the majority of the stuff on EA's website looks legit and pretty awesome. Can't wait to get my copy in a couple weeks! Why don't you mention PC releases more often? I know you guys claim ignorance, but I mean just the major releases like the PC-only Gears levels including the Brumak fight, or like Spore. Just curious, keep up the good work!

sorry for the double post, edit that was 2.8 MILLION creatures created online since the launch of Spore Creature Creator not very long ago

MotionPlus? You guys seemed to be confused about the difference between announcing a product and releasing a product. The product was announced in July. It won't be released until next Spring sometime. That's ~9 months from today.

I hardly think the tech is finalized enough at this point so developers can cram it into games coming out this xmas.

And I doubt most of these developers have enough free time on their schedule to suddenly incorporate this tech into their xmas games. Many games being released in the next few months are feature complete.

If LucasArts is mad then they should just delay their game until spring and release it as a flagship MotionPlus game.

Great Show as always. But you all are complaining about not being able to trade or sale downloadable games and if they are wroth $15. I have been mainly a PC gamer from 1998 and I know the feeling. A PC game normally cost $49.99 and if I make a mistake when buying a game I can't trade it in or resale. It is also the same thing when I buy a game off Steam or Direct 2 Drive. When I see people complain about paying $15 for a downloadable game I kind of laugh a bit. Try paying $50 for a game that has a bug that doesn't even allow you to start the game(Im looking at you Frontlines: Fuel of War!!!!).

and all this time I thought people liked our show....

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=331779

Originally Posted by deadgopher Isn't Two Worlds supposed to be a long game at 20-30 hours? Does that mean it's a good game? Metacritic: Two Worlds Whereas Braid is about 4-5 hours... Metacritic: Braid Games should never be judged solely on length or price. You have to take all the components into consideration. Games are all about the experience. Short games like Braid, Heavenly Sword, etc. worth playing just as games like Final Fantasy XII, Mass Effect, and Persona 3 are worth playing. If you have fun playing the game, then who the cares how long it is?

You missed the part where it said to me. I give a as to how long it is.

Hey Wombat
I just listened to your comment about Warhawk, and I agree. But I think it's bigger than just Sony not bundling a headset. I think that the expectations and just the online gaming culture of PSN players vs XBL players are different. Many PSN players were PS2 players and historically had little need for their headsets and have been slow to use a headset with PS3. XBL's chatting has always been used for good and evil from day one. BTW Pain will be the source of my first PSN trophies, sadly.

on the gamestop contest is it ok if its a game i preorderd at the store?

Originally Posted by Wombat and all this time I thought people liked our show.... http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=331779

dont listen to those ass holes they dont know what you ment they just want page veiws

Nice show guys. It made running errands today a lot more bearable, but I have a few comments about your Wii topics:
Wombat sort of dodged the Lucasarts controversy by saying he felt no sympathy for the company based on something completely unrelated. Nintendo really screwed over their third party developers (who take a lot of crap as is) by keeping this hidden, since it almost guarantees there will be no other motion + games besides Wii Sports 2. I'm sure if this was any other company, or a group of different companies, Wombat would be much more vocal.

Furthermore, gamers will continue to buy Nintendo consoles after the Wii, since Nintendo always offers early adopters a unique experience. Nintendo 64 had Mario 64, Gamecube had Rogue Squadron at launch, and more importantly Melee and Pikmin two months later, and the Wii had Wii Sports and Zelda. Every launch has an excellent system seller, and something people have to try. I'm sure Wii2 has a unique feature and first-party game (with a few more on the way), it will sell just as many systems as it's predecessors, followed by another drought when the promises end.


Finally, I just thought I'd mention that the karaoke party went rather well, although I did get some criticisms from someone's drunk uncle over my rendition of Last Train to Clarksville (although he was giving everyone feedback).

Dang it, Wombat and all his gifts and free codes...

Is it me, or does Wombat have an air of giddiness and joy that was missing from last week's show?