CAGbag: Get your questions answered on CAGcast

I've got a bit of an odd idea. How about a special segment highlighting a user's tradelist? In exchange for free advertising for the user, the CagCast can attract non-registered users to the site for the purpose of trading, and the hosts can dissect the list for the purpose of humor/comedic relief.

Also, the rant about a “common sense manager” is a classic. However, don’t think that gaming corporations are the only ones that need one. However, bureaucratic organizational structure and common sense never mix. I guess it’s growing pains of the market.. in three decades, we’ve gone from a niche field to a business of billions. What was once accomplished by five guys with long beards and computer science degrees on a budget of a few thousand is now accomplished by hundreds of people with budgets of millions.
 
They can't add a segment when they already have enough to talk about, unless they do 2 shows a week :D
 
[quote name='cyrix`']They can't add a segment when they already have enough to talk about, unless they do 2 shows a week :D[/QUOTE]

C'mon, I'd say.. knock out 2 of Cheapy's belches, and you could work it in :)

Kidding.. I think they fight sometimes to stay within the time constraint. Eventually, it may end up being 2 shows a week sometime in the future. The content and subject matter is there, and I'm sure demand is there. That's the funny attraction about the show: it keeps your attention, and doesn't feel long or drawn out. Hell, I'll put it on my Zen, leave my desk, and listen to it while I take a slam or smoke break. It's better than listen to the whiny ass coworkers gossip or argue about what they want for lunch. Think Office Space, southern style.
 
A thanksgiving question or two.

What are you most thankful for this year in you life (non game related I hope)

but also what-in the gaming realm- are you most thankful for this year?

(I posted the below query in the forums but thought it would be good in the cagbag as well)

With the launch of the Xbox LIve TV download starting tomorrow (or whatever the official title is called) will that aid in neither HD-DVD or Blue Ray from becoming industry standard? The live download isn't exactly video on demand as one, at this point, would need to plan their downloads ahead, but we know that DSL speeds increase as will Hard Drive capacit
 
Do you think Lucy should finally let Charlie Brown kick that football this year?

In the power duo of CheapyD and wombat---who is charlie brown and who is Lucy?
 
Pronounced " FAR-FA-KA-NOUT" should sound like "far fuckin' out".

Thank you for answering my question, and sorry that I referred to myself as a Sony "hater". I'm kind of in the same boat as Wombat where I love the PS2 but really don't want anything to do with the PS3. I've just been in many discussions with people over XBOX360 VS. PS3 and each argument makes me even more pissed a Sony.

So my question now is, do you think Sony and the PS3 will be able to come back from such an awful launch and earn back the respect of fans like Wombat and I, And if so how?
 
Pretend I lend you my magical powers and let you send any game system with 3 games for it to your 1991 selves. Which system and games would they be and why? Please keep in mind that you'd have to use technology from 1991 to play your games.
 
To Robocop and Wombat,

What do you have to say to potential Xbox buyers this holiday season? Should I get someone the Xbox 360 for the holidays blah blah blah as a gift?

Finally, to Wombat.
Hows the Nutrisystem diet goin?
 
Cheappy, I have a solution to your leg sleeping problem. I also had a problem with lengthy playtime sessions in the "lounge". The reason is that people tend to lean forward when playing on the throne, putting pressure on the femoral artery which causes reduced bloodflow to the legs. Taller people have a more lengthy lower leg which exacerbates this effect. The solution is to buy a riser seat that raises the overall height about 2-3 inches. This lowers the acuteness of the angle one makes when leaning and increases bloodflow to the affected area. You can usually find one at a medical supply center or orthopedic specialty outlet.

Now my question:

I heard you mention a year ago that if we see the same games with just prettier graphics for an extra $10, people might be disappointed with the next generation of games. What's your opinion a year after the 360's release? Are you satisfied with the quality and quantity of content in this next generation of games as being sufficient justification for the jump to $60? Have you found a "leap" of gameplay depth in addition to graphical output or does this new generation still leave something to be desired?
 
Cheapy,
With all the issues and debates about violence and sex in video games here in the United States I was wondering if the same issues are a concern over in Japan. Is there a ESRB equivalent there? Any special laws?
 
Hi Cheapy,

I recently read that microsoft is apparently going to start cracking down (read: screwing) gamers with xbox live accounts registered outside their own regions. With the video marketplace now available I'm sure it has to do with microsoft trying to attract other content owners to the service, but how will it affect users that have a right to have accounts out of their region?

Take for example myself, I bought my 360 when I was living in Singapore so it is (NTSC-J) but I have since moved to New York. I changed the region of my original xbox live account but it is still tied to Singapore so I couldn't access the US-specific content which lead me to create a second US account which I only use to download demos and now one movie.

What are your feelings on this and what do you think Microsoft is going to do?
 
(for you both, as you've both seem to have recently achieved some sort of place in the industry) Where should I start to get involved in videogame journalism?

CheapyD, When did you first start getting contacts? Did you contact the PR guys at Microsoft and Nintendo, or did they contact you? Please tell me your story.
 
I posted this in the general discussion thread, but I think it belongs here:

During the last show, your debate on the XBox Live movie/TV download service was pretty intense (and hilarious to boot), and although I can see both sides of the issue, I think Wombat won. One point you forgot to mention is that Microsoft also just released an HD-DVD drive for the 360. Wouldn't this kind of cannibalize on their download service, or vice versa? Is it wrong to say that digital distribution is the future while at the same time releasing an optical media drive? Seems pretty pointless to me.
 
What the fuck is going on with Cheapy sounding like he's calling from the bottom of the ocean in the past two cagcasts? Get a decent mike.

Wombat shows up Cheapy once again.
 
I'd just like to say purchasing a PS3 was necessary, and a great move, for CheapyD. He's been obviously very biased against the system, and Wombat is clearly extremely subjective in his opinions. Every single time CheapyD voiced an opinion that wasn't entirely anti-sony, Wombat charictarized CheapyD as being "defensive". Jealous much? Owning a PS3 was very necessary to keep your podcast objective. I understand Wombat is ultra-negative towards any system not released by Nintendo, but the Sony bashing in particular was close to getting out of hand.


And a question for CheapyD: I got the feeling Mrs Cheapy is biased in favor of the PS3. How does she feel about it now that you own it?
 
I got a question for both of you.

Wombat: After having your wii and wish you could have the normal controller what game series could you really see utilize the wiimote? My personal vote is for Bionic commando

CheapyD: As a fellow Robocop lover I was curious whether or not you sprung for the Criterion edition of the movie or just the regular dvd?

Keep it up

Bob O Mallone
 
With no cagcast this week, have you considered (or would you consider) placing a Cagcast notice on the front page stating that there will be no cagcast this week?
 
How about making a backup cagcast next time you guys arent having one? Perhaps a shorter one with a single topic you guys could knock out quickly?

Question: What are your thoughts on the price of downloadable shows off the 360 marketplace?

I noticed that episodes of Space Ghost C2C and Robot Chicken (which are 10ish min in length) are the same price as a full episode of Star Trek or other TV shows. Star Trek is 50 min in length btw. Spongebob is around 30 min in length. New movie rentals on there are also suer expensive. Blockbuster, which I believe is cheaper for a rental, and therefore the better deal, there are no actual movie packages, no shelfspace, and nobody to pay for checking the movie out at the store.

I think all content on the 360 is way overpriced. Not to mention takes forever to download. Perhaps Microsoft needs a subscription service or cheaper shows. I subscribe to Netflix and dont have cable tv (yes I am an anomoly, currently games eat up all my free time) but I would consider a subscription service based upon bandwidth per month.

Any thoughts on this?

I also think Itunes is expensive as well. Perhaps I wouldnt have the same issue I do now with price if Netflix weren't around.
 
dear cheapy AND wombat now thatapple might come into the gaming market do you think other companies might join on the band wagon
 
I think we can all agree the my nintendo program where you register your system and games blows since there's rarely any incentive. Now that the virtual console lets you merge that account with the my nintendo account do you think we might see some cool bonus' finally? Perhaps free VC game downloads with purchase or free points when you register your games?
 
Cheapy and Wombat-
Historicall, video game reviewers have rated games in several areas such as graphics, sound, gameplay, etc. Every time a really great game comes along, the bar gets raised in one of these areas. For instance, now that we've played Gears of War it is perfectly legitimate for future 360 games to get a slightly lower graphics score if they do not reach the bar that Gears has set.

My question is why hasn't this happened with multi-player game components of games - specifically to the matchmaking functions? Halo 2 raised the bar 2 years ago with a party system and great matchmaking functions. Skip to today, and games like Gears and RS:Vegas are getting 9 and 10 reviews even though there is no easy way to play ranked games as a team in these team based titles. I know Epic blamed MS for this, but I've read that Shadowrun is copying Halo 2 and Bungie themselves has said it can still be done if the developer puts the time and money into it. I think it's time that reviewers start knocking their game scores for multi-player titles that don't go the extra mile to give gamers a functional way to play the game. What do you think?
 
Are you guys at all concerned about the negative effect the success of the Wii can have on gaming? I understand that the Wii is big on gameplay over graphics, and that seems to be the rage right now. However, if the Wii outsells the PS3 and Xbox360, do you forsee Microsoft and Sony forgoing improved, expensive hardware in next gen systems to instead make a cheaper system for a quick profit? I worry that the Wii could actually cause a degeneration in graphics...
 
Cheapy,

Was your wife always interested in video games? If not, how did you get her into them?

I have been trying to get my wife into video games, but she says they are boring. I've tried to get her into games like kingdom hearts (shes a disney freak), and UNO on my 360 (what chick doesnt like UNO), but she says the same thing.

Any advice man?

Sunbound
 
What if anything do you two think the effects of people ripping Blue Ray discs to the PS3's drive, since its so early in the PS3 lifecycle.

Do either of you forsee Sony re-releasing an new Ps3 variant of the console to combat all the mistakes they have made rescently?
 
I'm not sure if you answered this before, but what is a typical day in Cheapy's life?

Oh, and Wombat, I know you've been having some job problems. Might I suggest enlisting in the military? The Army could use some help in Iraq and who better than you?
 
Cheapy, Have you ever played Plachinko?
Cheapy, How did your parents react when you told them that your personal income, from then on, was coming from a website about good video game deals, called CheapAssGamer?
 
Cheapy & Wombat,

I'm buying an X-Box 360 next week at Toys R' Us since they have that new promotion with the free $100 gift card. I was wondering if it was worth shelling out another $60 for a 2 year warranty. I've heard a lot about people's 360s dieing on them, and i'm worried, but i don't know if i'm $60 dollars worth of worry. I'm getting gears of war and another controller so the cost will come out to $450 after using the gift card and taxes. What do you guys think? Do 360's that have been made after 2005 have a lesser chance of breaking? I know wombat's already crapped out, please answer o please
 
I probably have the lamest question ever. But maybe not.

So what do you guys think about this Forecast channel we will be getting next week (on the 20th)? Cheapy, does the forecast channel come out in Japan on the 20th as well? Do you think that there will be games in the near future (or not so near, but def in the future) that will include the use of the Forecast channel? Games like Animal Crossing or Harvest Moon really come to mind with this.

A good thing? Completely useless thing? Can be creative with this thing? I'd personally love to hear Wombat's views on this; he usually does have all kinds of good ideas!
 
Cheapy and Wombat:

Do you think Nintendo should replace the straps for free just like what Sony and Microsoft did with their AC adapter?
 
One thing I love about the CAGcast is the exchange of witty banter. After 54 shows, you guys are beginning to sound like an old married couple, yet the debates manage to stay intelligent for the most part. So tell me, are you two actually friends in real life, or more like "acquaintances" just for the sake of the CAGcast? Do you ever talk or play on XBL regularly during the week? Cheapy, would you ever consider taking on Wombat as your evil (paid) apprentice?
 
[quote name='HuBu']Cheapy and Wombat:

Do you think Nintendo should replace the straps for free just like what Sony and Microsoft did with their AC adapter?[/quote]

or should they just give a free roll of Duct Tape?
 
Hey I was wondering what microphones you guys use, mine really sucks so I was wondering for any high quality recommendations?
 
What would you guys say to a "know your fellow CAG" segment? It would pretty much be a taped interview with a pretty well known CAG member and you guys ask questions to find out things about him/her like how they found the site, what they do for a living, etc.
 
I originally posted this in "YMIJ", but I figured I would post it here also...


Cheapy...

I was wondering if there is anything like the ESRB game ratings in Japan. Do they in any way mark the games as being for a mature audience, or as being appropriate for the entire family, or teens, etc?

If they don’t have anything like that over there, I guess they figure that the people in Japan are a bit more "capable" of separating games from reality, or just the ability of actually point the finger of blame where it really belongs. What do you think?

I, much like most of the gaming populace, believe that it’s the parents that need to police the exposure of content to children, versus it being a public ordeal... Unfortunately, I think the responsibility will eventually fall to the console manufacturers to block the contact from children as a lot of parents are obviously inept to do so. I think the simplest solution would be to have the console only allow up to teen rated games played on the console until the mature content is unlocked, informing the "unlocker" what content might be encountered in the game after it has been unlocked.

The only other thing I can think of is having the game packaging covered with a black removable cover, showing the name of the game, and what content is in the game... this way it looks like a playboy or penthouse when it comes through the mail.

Unfortunately, because many American citizens would rather bitch and point a finger at someone else, rather than learn and look at themselves, it looks like the only solution is to cripple the masses in order to appease the bull-headed and unable.

What do you think?
 
[quote name='thorbahn3']What would you guys say to a "know your fellow CAG" segment? It would pretty much be a taped interview with a pretty well known CAG member and you guys ask questions to find out things about him/her like how they found the site, what they do for a living, etc.[/quote]
not a bad sounding idea, although it might either take time away from the current CAGcast, or extend the cast longer than it already is (i'm not sure how much more wombat I can take... everytime I hear him, I picture someone that looks like Danny[SIZE=-1] DeVito and sounds like [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Andy Kindler[/SIZE][SIZE=-1] (no offense wombat))

But yeah, a fellow CAGGER segment wouldnt be a bad idea....
[/SIZE]
 
Dear CheapyD:

Do you think that Microsoft is keeping their promise on keeping the Xbox 360 family friendly? How would you rate it so far?

And keep on mooching Wombat!
 
Cheapy and Wombat,
I love the show. I recently picked up the Live Vision Camera and still wondering... why did I get this again? R6:Vegas has the facial mapping and that Totemball game, but that's it. How do you see MS and other developers using this thing in the future? One more thing... where is Zaxxon for XBLA?
 
How long do you think the "format war" will last? I mean, HD DVD is vastly superior to Blu Ray in terms of picture quality and price, and there are better movies, movies that people actually give a shit about on HD DVD. Not to mention the fact that 95% of people will not make a switch to one or the other for at least 5-7 years, and by that time, digital distribution will be in effect if not surpassing physical storage for media. Playstation 3 is turning people off to BRD because of the high price point- thats a huge barrier to entry, and 360's add-on for HD-DVD is clutter and really unnessecary unless you have to have every piece of tech right out of the gate, not to mention the fact that we the consumer are getting the burn when we buy this shit. Look at PS3, 1 month old, and already its had more updates and patches thean 360 had all through its launch period. No upscaling for movies, and its not even perfect in 1080p,so who cares about what you ahoul use?What do you think?
 
Cheapy and Wombat, it’s abundantly clear that the 360, PS3, and Wii all have distinct strengths and weaknesses. If you were to cobble the best aspects from all three consoles together into the perfect next-gen gaming machine, which components or concepts would you choose from each system and what makes these superior to those of the competition. Better yet, what would you name this Frankenstein’s monster?
 
Hey guys,

Quick question for you both. Do you think that gamers (at least, on the internet) take their games too personally? In normal circumstances I don't seem people berating someone for choosing Coke over Pepsi, or ordering the lasagna over spaghetti, but it seems like anyone who states his or her opinion on a game, system, company, whatever, gets torn to shreds. As if there were some objective rule book to liking games that if you don't abide by, you are clearly wrong.

This was brought up strongly in my mind when a few shows back someone asked something implying that Mrs. Cheapy was a Sony fanboy (fanwoman?). I almost choked on my water when I heard that. It seems as if it's gotten to the point on the internet where anyone who disagrees with you is obviously a tool of the corporation you don't support. Just curious on your thoughts.
 
Another fine podcast guys. The new audio on Cheapy's end is really improved. It makes it seem a bit more professional...and if I'm not mistaken Cheapy made it the whole episode without burping.
 
Cheapy, for the last several podcasts, you've mentioned your fondness for beer. I will admit that I pegged for a cheap beer drinker until you mentioned ordering Chimay though Kosmo and UrbanFetch. This is way off topic, but I personally prefer a nice Brooklyn Black Chcoloate Stout or Lager with my gaming (mostly the "niche" Phantasy Star Universe these days), and I was wondering what your favorite beers were, and whether the selection in Tokyo is anywhere near as good as it is here in New York City. There are several bars here in NYC that mix drinking with games (eg, Barcade in Williamsburg), is there anything similar in Japan? Also, although I am largely ignorant about wine, I would love to know Wombat's thoughts on the subject, as wine guides are largely silent on the question of which vintages pair best with Oblivion.

Great podcast by the way, I've been a listener since day one, and the CAGcast is what gets me through Wednesdays in my dull-ass corporate finance job.

Thanks,
ff

ps. I would totally buy you guys a drink if I ran into you here in the city.
 
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