Lumines Live! - Drops to 800pts This Wed. + Holiday Pack 20 Skins 400pts October 17th

uh

i bought the advance pack to play vs cpu

and i still can't

is there gonna be another pack just to play against the computer or is the pack broken?
 
[quote name='rsigley']uh

is there gonna be another pack just to play against the computer or is the pack broken?[/QUOTE]

Yes, there will be a vs CPU pack, isn't that what it says when you finish the 1 mission you get with the base pack?
 
[quote name='rsigley']oh i thought this pack i just spent 600 points on would include vs cpu in it

that sucks[/QUOTE]


Just be glad you didn't have to download the leaderboard pack, sound effects pack, and help menu pack.

Maybe I should shut up though, don't want to give anyone ideas....
 
Ok I think I'm regreting my purchase, 1200pts I don't even have a clue of what I bought. The only thing that it seems to allow me to play with out the "messsage" popping up is Challenge Mode, Time Trial, and some of those Shape Mode games. It seems to steep of a price for just those modes.

Anyway, now that I own it, how do you do Shape Mode? I can't for the life of me figure it out.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']

Anyway, now that I own it, how do you do Shape Mode? I can't for the life of me figure it out.[/QUOTE]

Do you mean puzzle mode?
I don't know, I never could finger that out on the psp version either. It made me want to to torture kittens.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']Do you mean puzzle mode?
I don't know, I never could finger that out on the psp version either. It made me want to to torture kittens.[/quote]

Ok yea, puzzle mode. It pissed the hell out of me last night. Also the achievements seem very unatainable. Totally regret spending 1200pts. If it was 600-800pts it would have been acceptable but damn! :wall:
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']Ok yea, puzzle mode. It pissed the hell out of me last night. Also the achievements seem very unatainable. Totally regret spending 1200pts. If it was 600-800pts it would have been acceptable but damn! :wall:[/QUOTE]

Welcome to the club of what everyone is thinking now. There is no possible reason on gods green earth that this 'base pack' should cost more than 800 points.

1200 points for what is obvious to everyone now that it's out, is a demo, is simple extortion.
 
In puzzle mode, you have to make the shape they give you in one color, and the pieces of the shape can't touch another of the same color, you have to use the second color as a buffer.

Sure it's crappy ASCII, but to make the puzzle shape for A - the first one is good, the second one wouldn't work because you have one extra piece touching in the bottom right.

XOXX -- XOXX
OXOX -- OXOX
OOOX -- OOOX
OXOX -- OXOO
 
[quote name='halfbent']In puzzle mode, you have to make the shape they give you in one color, and the pieces of the shape can't touch another of the same color, you have to use the second color as a buffer.

Sure it's crappy ASCII, but to make the puzzle shape for A - the first one is good, the second one wouldn't work because you have one extra piece touching in the bottom right.

XOXX -- XOXX
OXOX -- OXOX
OOOX -- OOOX
OXOX -- OXOO[/quote]

WTF! I mean, I understand what you're saying but I don't know how its going to work when the shapes are thick and they require multiple blocks, don't they clear out when they have 4 shapes in a square or more? I guess I'll keep trying and hit up Gamefaqs.com for some strategy. Thanks for clarifying.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']WTF! I mean, I understand what you're saying but I don't know how its going to work when the shapes are thick and they require multiple blocks, don't they clear out when they have 4 shapes in a square or more? I guess I'll keep trying and hit up Gamefaqs.com for some strategy. Thanks for clarifying.[/quote]

not unless they four of the same color.
 
The backlash on how Lumines is being sold on XLA is pretty bad at the moment. It's a shame because I think the fact that Lumines is a pretty excellent game is getting losts in all the controversy. I just hope that developers take note of how not to use "microtransactions" in the future. This release of Lumines has generally turned off a number of potential new fans to the series.
 
[quote name='MadFlava']The backlash on how Lumines is being sold on XLA is pretty bad at the moment. It's a shame because I think the fact that Lumines is a pretty excellent game is getting losts in all the controversy. I just hope that developers take note of how not to use "microtransactions" in the future. This release of Lumines has generally turned off a number of potential new fans to the series.[/quote]

until they play the demo and find out how addicting it truely is..
 
I agree Mad. I've never played the game before, so maybe I'm happy having base challenges, xbox live, and vs. human modes for 15.00....I'm having a blast with it. However, chances are I wont buy any additional packs.
 
[quote name='DJSteel']until they play the demo and find out how addicting it truely is..[/QUOTE]

I think people will download the demo and find it enjoyable but once they see the pricing structure to get the full game it will turn them off to buying it. It's a shame because I really want to see the lumines series do well. I also feel that people that are reading the comments on CAG and Kotaku may not even bother downloading the demo and trying Lumines out because of all the negativity on how it is being sold.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']Advance Pack now available 600pts

The first add-on pack for Lumines Live!, the Advance Challenge pack, is available It’s 50.57MB in size and you get 20 all-new skins and a new leaderboard for Advance Challenge mode for 600MP’s.

[/QUOTE]


LOL - and I thought I was making a funny about having to buy packs for leaderboards!

Man this just keeps getting funnier.
 
Hmm. At this rate of release, they'll have a dozen option packs by the end of November.

I'll wait for the XBLA Unplugged release, or the disc-version. Don't think it won't happen. Besides, if you pay for the base game and three expansion packs, you're at $37.50 already. Why not just wait for the disc version (whether it's sold by itself, or as "XBLA Unplugged"?)
 
[quote name='DJSteel']if you wait and buy a 360 game at BB next week.. you can buy 1600pt for 5 bucks...that's taking it to the man[/QUOTE]

In a way that MS won't recognize, since points are points on their end. Instead, you'd be sticking it to yourself by contibuting to the success of this business model, making other companies look into it as an established precedent in XBLA.
 
i don't regret my purchase at all. to be honest. it is pricey for an arcade game, but i love lumines. i'm going to spend countless hours on it. plus the multiplayer. I think it was worth the money especially the amount of fun im getting out of it.
 
[quote name='AshesofWake']i don't regret my purchase at all. to be honest. it is pricey for an arcade game, but i love lumines. i'm going to spend countless hours on it. plus the multiplayer. I think it was worth the money especially the amount of fun im getting out of it.[/QUOTE]

Let us know if multiplayer ever becomes playable. That might be a deal breaker for me.

Again, why don't we get dedicated servers with our gold subscription? Anyone? Anyone? Player hosted games are so last gen.
 
[quote name='mykevermin']In a way that MS won't recognize, since points are points on their end. Instead, you'd be sticking it to yourself by contibuting to the success of this business model, making other companies look into it as an established precedent in XBLA.[/quote]

if that is the case then expect this for contra:

Contra (800 pts)
Contra 30 men cheat(200 pts)
Contra Halloween costumes (150 pts)
Contra multiplayer (800 pts)
 
(puts up flame sheild and fanboy-chant earplugs)

Lumines on PSP-- launched at $40. had about 40 songs or slightly less, iirc. Included challenge mode, time attack, puzzle mode, vs cpu. People loved it and happily paid $40 for it.


Lumines Live! -- launched at 1200 points (about $14-15) -- 12 skins for Challenge mode, no Vs. Cpu, 5 puzzles, Live Vs. play, leaderboards, skin edit mode and Time Attack

Add in the Advanced pack-- 22 more skins, but still no full Vs cpu or puzzle mode. Now you've got 34 skins, almost all of Lumines PSP's challenge mode for for ~$20-22.

Puzzle and Vs. Cpu packs will most likely cost 600 points each-- putting you at $32-34 for the full game. You are out 6 skins, but you have Live play and Skin edit as well.

BUT what if you don't play puzzle and/or Vs Cpu? Well, then you have the version of Lumines that's good for you, for less cash.

More so, what if they release another 20 song pack at 600 points, well, now you've got a better version of Lumines than either the PSP or PS2 versions with 55 or so songs. More so, while the PSP or PS2 may get a 3rd version of Lumines, they can always upgrade the Live version which will make it equivalent to the 3rd version. Ideally, you would just be paying for a small upgrade to the "base" game.

It's really not the greatest travesty ever. Yes, it's new and it's scary but it's not horrible. Lumines isn't a normal Live Arcade game. It's not Dig Dug or Geometry Wars, it's a full featured, high quality puzzle game. It doesn't make sense to compare it to anything else.


LOL - and I thought I was making a funny about having to buy packs for leaderboards!

Man this just keeps getting funnier.
Click to expand...


What purpose does an Advanced Pack leaderboard serve for someone who doesn't own the Advanced pack? :wall:
 
[quote name='DJSteel']if that is the case then expect this for contra:

Contra (800 pts)
Contra 30 men cheat(200 pts)
Contra Halloween costumes (150 pts)
Contra multiplayer (800 pts)[/QUOTE]


Nah, the big complaint for Contra is gonna be "WTF this isn't the NES version!?"
 
Apossum, In a way, I do agree with you.

Obviously what is happening with Lumines is an experiment. See if people would rather buy their game in pieces that they want, instead of a $50 retail game in the store. When you look at it that way, it isn't AS bad. It's just such a radical departure from everything else on XBLA that I sort of think they should categorize it differently somehow. Maybe they need a new subcategory for retail games that get chopped up into microtransactions, then maybe people wouldn't bitch so much.

In other words - If everything you said is true, then Lumines really isn't an XBLA game. It's something new, strange, exciting, mildly scary, and confusing.... Much like a Transexual hermaphrodite in a bath house.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']I thought it WAS the NES version?[/QUOTE]


I thought it was the arcade version....if so, my bad :)
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']Apossum, In a way, I do agree with you.

Obviously what is happening with Lumines is an experiment. See if people would rather buy their game in pieces that they want, instead of a $50 retail game in the store. When you look at it that way, it isn't AS bad. It's just such a radical departure from everything else on XBLA that I sort of think they should categorize it differently somehow. Maybe they need a new subcategory for retail games that get chopped up into microtransactions, then maybe people wouldn't bitch so much.[/QUOTE]


yeah, their presentation of it was definitely not user-friendly. The descriptions suck and I'm sure we'll see plenty of posts about people who accidently bought the wrong pack.
 
[quote name='Apossum']I thought it was the arcade version....if so, my bad :)[/QUOTE]
It's the arcade version.
 
[quote name='Apossum']The descriptions suck[/QUOTE]

disco. This is an experiment, but a poorly designed one. Posts here and elsewhere point to one consistent problem: people have no fucking clue what they're getting with the base pack, or the advanced packs.

MS/Q are spinning it as "user-friendly" because it allows people to decide what elements of the game they want, which they don't, and purchase accordingly. The problem, of course, is that people are so goddamned confused because of the ambiguity of its promotion that it's uncertain what people get in any of the packs. As a result, people will buy the advanced packs, and perhaps not use the additions, because they feel they need it in order to have a (1) "complete" game, or because they think it's simple (2) "more game," so it must be good and/or necessary.

You can't pride yourself on the results of this experimental marketing when you have completely befuddled and uninformed consumers.
 
I really think the ONLY problem with it is the marketing. otherwise i'm in agreeance with this set up.

but XBL thrives on the "carnival" marketing set up...make it seem simple, make it fun (cause everyone loves games, just like they like carnivals) and keep the customers somewhat confused (by the points system, what's available), but not confused enough to not buy anything. Surprise them with little bits like "only X more points for this this and that" when they're susceptible.


i'm still waiting for Strider
Click to expand...


:drool: now that's a retro game I'd pick up immediately. love that game.
 
I think the the shock for most of us is that were paying near the price of a full retail game. The downside, is that we can't trade it in or resell it if we don't wont it anymore. Plus since there's no retail packaging, dvd and its digitally distributed, shouldn't the total game cost less? If they would have packaged up the full game and sold it @ $39.99 no one would have complained, including me.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']I think the the shock for most of us is that were paying near the price of a full retail game. The downside, is that we can't trade it in or resell it if we don't wont it anymore. Plus since there's no retail packaging, dvd and its digitally distributed, shouldn't the total game cost less? If they would have packaged up the full game and sold it @ $39.99 no one would have complained, including me.[/quote]Exactly.
 
Is it just me or does Lumines look completely out of proportion on the big screen? I'm playing in 16:9 just like the PSP and the blocks look huge in comparison to the rest of the screen. Also is seems like there is a smaller drop area but maybe I'm just not used to it. Anyway, I'm passing on the full version - the controls aren't precise enough on the 360 pad.
 
[quote name='Apossum']I really think the ONLY problem with it is the marketing. otherwise i'm in agreeance with this set up.

but XBL thrives on the "carnival" marketing set up...make it seem simple, make it fun (cause everyone loves games, just like they like carnivals) and keep the customers somewhat confused (by the points system, what's available), but not confused enough to not buy anything. Surprise them with little bits like "only X more points for this this and that" when they're susceptible.

[/QUOTE]

There's a difference between being vague and uninformative and flat out lying. The list of game types that are included in the base package is a flat out lie. There are a couple of core types, then basically demos for the other types. If they would have called them demos I would've been OK. I love the demo, but I just feel like this whole project has been designed to get as much money from me as possible regardless of how they do it. If they were to clearly outline up front what was going to be available and for how much, then we could pick and choose the parts we want.

The base and advance pack come out to about $23 and include 36 skins and not all of the full game modes. Lumines 2 is $29.99 and has over 80 skins and all the game modes. So assuming that the remaining game modes and another 50 skins are avaiable for less than 800 points, we're paying for a retail game when it's all over.

One more thought - the dev said this was comparable to buying only the songs you want from a CD on itunes. But think how you'd feel if you decided to buy the whole CD for $9.99 on itunes instead and found out it's only the first 5 songs, then the first 20 seconds of the rest - followed by a message saying "thanks for listening and watch for the rest of the songs coming soon." That's what Q? entertainment is doing.

What's sad is that if they would've said here's this entire game with all modes and 80 skins and LIVE play and it's 3000 points, I probably would've bought it. Now I'm just disgusted, and I won't be supporting this game at all.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']I think the the shock for most of us is that were paying near the price of a full retail game. The downside, is that we can't trade it in or resell it if we don't wont it anymore. Plus since there's no retail packaging, dvd and its digitally distributed, shouldn't the total game cost less? If they would have packaged up the full game and sold it @ $39.99 no one would have complained, including me. [/quote]


It's a little more drastic with this game since it's larger, but you paid about the expected retail price for Doom and the other retro games and didn't receive anything for those either. I don't see the difference. not being able to trade games in, not getting instructions/a case, paying in straight cash (more or less)-- these are all fundamental problems with Live from the CAG perspective. This game is just making it shockingly obvious.

See...I would've waited on the game at $40 (and DEFINITELY wouldn't have bought it at 3000 points...yuck.) But since I don't have to have puzzle/cpu mode, it's at a price I like immediately. More content would be nice, but 34 skins and live play will keep me busy for a while since the game has great replay value. Maybe that's all I'll need...but if they keep adding 20-packs at 600 points, I could add another 2 packs and still be under $40. These purchases would likely be months apart, so it wouldn't matter at all.

That's my main argument for the case of this system...
 
Here's an update from gamerscoreblog.com over the "modes" confusions:

The Lumines Live “base game” comes with the following:
  • Challenge Mode: Unlimited gameplay, with 12 different skins (visualization and music)
  • Puzzle Mode: Five different puzzles
  • Mission Mode: Five different missions
  • CPU Mode: “Trial Tournament” battle one opponent through one stage
  • Online Multiplayer over Xbox Live: Unlimited gameplay battling friends head-to-head
  • Xbox Live leaderboards
  • Time Attack Mode gameplay “recording,” which can be viewed by other players
Advance Pack:
  • 22 new skins for Challenge Mode
  • New leader boards for Advance Challenge mode
There will be several add-on packs for Lumines Live coming in early 2007:
  • Artist Pack featuring music video skins like the Madonna “Sorry” music video you've seen in some of our materials. The Artist Packs can be used for play under the Challenge mode.
  • Mission/Puzzle Pack featuring 50 new problems in Mission mode and 3 bonus skins, and 50 new problems in Puzzle mode with 3 bonus skins
  • VS CPU Mode Pack featuring 11 new opponents/skins
There is some confusion about the "VS CPU" mode that's included in the base game. It’s true that the base mode only includes one opponent. With the CPU VS mode, you can learn, play, and enjoy the mode as you challenge a single opponent. If you enjoy that game mode, you can purchase the add-on pack to add new CPU challengers and skins – if you don’t like it, you don’t have to buy it. The VS CPU mode is really an alternative to playing live opponents on Xbox Live. The rules of VS CPU are the same as VS mode, so to really get the competitive juices flowing just hop onto Xbox Live and play against a human.
BTW, IGN recently interviewed Q Entertainment’s Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the creator of Lumines Live, and asked him about the Xbox Live Arcade version of the game. Worth checking out to get his side of the story.
Give Lumines Live a try. Let me know what you think...
Click to expand...

http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2006/10/19/538076.aspx
 
So I've never played Lumines before, but I bought the game yesterday and I like it. Hopefully something can be done about the lag in online play.
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']There will be several add-on packs for Lumines Live coming in early 2007:[/QUOTE]

So who really believes these packs aren't done yet?

I may have been really naive, but before this game came out, I was under the impression that at least 3 of these packs would launch with it, that's part of why I'm pissed.
 
I really wanted to hate this game. But, I downloaded the demo to see what all the fuss was about.

Played the vs. CPU mode, couldn't figure out what the hell was going on. Played the puzzle and mission modes... pretty mediocre. Played the challenge mode... WOAH. After emerging from a dark room after playing this game for an hour with surround sound, I feel like I'm coming out of a different world. That's some pretty trippy shit. I loved every second of it. Damn...guess I'm buying it along with the advance pack. I'm actually glad now that they didn't just package the whole thing together and sell it for $40 so I don't have to pay for the parts I don't want.
 
hope they release another Challenge pack of original skins after the Artist pack.
 
[quote name='rabbitt']So I've never played Lumines before, but I bought the game yesterday and I like it. Hopefully something can be done about the lag in online play.[/QUOTE]


the lag totally ruins the vs. aspect of the game... I'm always missing where I want to drop or spin too many times... >_
 
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