CAGcast #63: A Dish Best Served Cold

CheapyD

CheapyD

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CheapyD reviews (the Japanese version of) Cooking Mama for the Wii and Wombat complains about pretty much everything. We both discuss the latest industry and game shopping news, your questions from the CAGbag, and much more!

Listen for details on new contests, sponsored by GameBrink.com and Phoenix Wright 2. To enter, simply post the name of the game you want (that was mentioned as a potential prize) as part of your post.

 Winner will be chosen at random.

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[media]http://media.libsyn.com/media/cheapyd/cagcast63.mp3[/media]


Show Linkage/Notes:

Intro music: RC Pro-Am (NES)

Contest winner: RobertEffenHorry: Wario: Master of Disguise (DS)

CAG Foreplay: New Releases (2/13/07)

Japan: Wii Outsells PS3 Four to One

Virtua Fighter Controller Probs, Game Sells Less Than DOA4
Sony’s Jack Trenton offers $1200 for PS3s!
Sony UK sales boss quits before impending PS3 launch

Achievements Reward Program
Canessa Quits XBLA for PopCap

CAG Exclusive: $5 off $30 at Play-Asia
GameStop Cracks Down on Underage Game Sales


Next-gen.biz 100 best selling games in 2006 in NA
Virgin announces 'iTunes for video games'
EA duets with SingShot
Marc Ecko Launches Game Division
CAGbag

Digg the CAGcast
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Outro: Pitfall (Atari 2600) - Did I use this one already?

CAGcast #63 Video Companion
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPKyITQbFLU[/media]​
 
Liscening to podcast now.I want some chocolates from the Japanese land and :drool:The WARRIORS for the PSP.Heard the warriors is great game.
 
I love it when you name the 'cast after old Klingon proverbs. I'll check it out after Howard.

Edit: Great show. Phoenix Wright, please!
 
Listening to it now, great stuff as always.

Please put me in for Virtua Fighter 5, I'm hoping to get a PS3 on its launch in March, so that'd be amazing.

(I'd be a monkey, Wombat)
 
This whole PS3 bounty thing reminds me of the challenge that "He whose name shalt not be spoken" issued and a similar possibility of any actual follow through.

Anyway gimme, gimme, gimme a copy of Phoenix Wright!
 
Great Show , I wasn't to impressed with last weeks show , but this was back to awesomeness ( I doubt that is a word , but whatever). I loved the long show keep it up.

I sure wouldn't mind a Psp Game I think Killzone maybe cool for psp.
 
I'm in for Phoenix Wright 2.

Otsukaresamadesu, Cheapie & Wombat. Cheapie, is your Nihongo sufficient to translate that for Wombat? That's today's Japanese test!
 
Virtua Fighter 5 FTW!

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Cheapy got a revoltech optimus prime?

I have Virtua-ly no chance at winning these cag contests

yeah it's the best I got...I'm trying to keep warm in this here snowstorm!
 
Since no one showed up for work, and I'm onto a new job on Monday, I just downloaded and will listen while I pretend to work.

Still hoping for Phoenix Wright 2....
 
RC ProAM FTW! Thanks for answering my question, though Wombat cut off my long winded explanation, lol. Great job on the pronounciation too Cheapy, maybe you can start learning Spanish next :D

Like bobthecat23 said, what about Afrika? I guess you don't get to kill people in that one though.

I'd still like PW2 since I don't have a PSP or a PS3. In honor of Afrika, I'd be a lion... carrrrne asada!

edit: actually, I'll take Wario if it's still available.
 
Wow, if Nintendo's arrogance is limited to not supplying component cables (which the PS3 also doesn't do) and providing "crappy batteries," they are doing pretty well.

I also like how actually including batteries with the remote, which they obviously didn't have to do, is considered a bad thing.

It's funny to me that people complain about "crappy" free stuff like free batteries and Wii channels. They're fucking free people!

Phoenix Wright 2 for my free game.
 
Cheapy, and Wombat as always enjoyed the show. I noticed that Cheapy dropped the F-Bomb once, making it hard for me to listen to the show at work. Nothing like the 1UP show, but I was just saying I really enjoy listening to the show at work and that makes it a little hard since I have to keep the volume way down.

Before I get into my rant here, I would like to say I am hoping to win SOCOM II Fire Team Bravo for the PSP. And I am still waiting to see a tall, bald Mii show up on my Mii Channel.

Console manufactures need to do a lot more to keep their customers coming back to them as repeat customers. While I think all three of the major players made significant improvements to address the concerns of previous versions of their consoles, there is still allot more work to be done.

First off Microsoft I think has done a great job in making PR people like Larry Hryb, Trixe, and others available to answer questions and get information out to consumers. If problems arise with the console or the LIVE service I think they have been fairly quick to act on that. One good example was extending the warranty of the 360 to one full year and giving retro refunds to customers who have already had to pay for 360 repairs that happened inside of the year time line. Another thing they are doing to keep customers is continuing to update and upgrade their online service. Adding demos, and game trailers as well chat feature in and out of games is a really good feature. The one area that they have completely dropped the ball in is backward compatibility. They told us that they were working hard and that most major titles would become backward compatible, and with the companies history of keeping programs backward compatible with previous versions of Windows I believed them. In reality they started out strong getting a number of titles backward compatible every few months, but now they have all but dropped off in that effort. This is a massive disappointment to me, and I think it really re-enforces the idea that in Peter Moore’s mind playing older XBox games is not that important since it does not make more money for his company. Overall on XBox LIVE I play with allot of people who were previous owners of the XBox 1. I think Microsoft has addressed one of the biggest complaints from their last generation console, and that is it only has shooters. I think Microsoft has really tried hard to recruit new developers and create games for all sorts of gamers.

Second off Sony, well what do I say here. With the first two consoles they had I think they really had the idea of customer services down pat. They continued to create a product that was almost completely backward compatible, and creating remarkable gaming consoles that gamers and developers loved. Now enter the PS3, and it seems that they have lost all sight of customer service. The PS1 & PS2 games run on the PS3 which is a considerable step up from Microsoft’s attempt at backwards compatibility. But this time around they did not do quite as good of a job as they did in previous consoles. Sony on the other hand is not quite as accessible to consumers and press. They really need to send a PR person around with every Sony executive, and the second they start to say something stupid, the PR person should smack the executive in the back of the head. Perfect example is the giving away $1200 for any PS3 that has been sitting on store shelves for more then five minutes, that should have resulted in a sever open handed smack to the head. I think Sony has listened to the complaints of the last generation console and improved the graphics, and shall I say started down the path to an online gaming strategy.

Finally Nintendo, who I think has done the best job to date in keeping their customers over time. The Wii is virtually completely backward compatible with the Game Cube. It is very user friendly and has really aimed itself at offering something to all levels of gamers. I think they are leading the industry in trying to retain customers by creating consoles (DS & Wii) and games that appeal to all level of gamers. Gamers who are long time gamers can have fun with the console and some of the advance titles, while new gamers can start their journey on easy to learn games like Wii Sports, Excite Truck, Wii Play and others. Even the Wiimote is new and improved, but still holds to the basic design of the NES controller which was something that most gamers from previous generations may remember and feel more comfortable with. One thing Nintendo is completely falling on their face is the online. The GameCube had nothing, verybody complained about the DS friend code system, and now they are making the same mistakes on the Wii, and releasing a console that is only fractionally functional. They should have sold the system with combination component-composite cables similar to the way the XBox 360 premium did. And having the online functionality working out of the box would have been another thing that could have vastly improved the consoles release. Nintendo addressed the major complaint of the last generation in creating a product that is not just viewed as a toy for children, but as a console for all ages. We are starting to see quite a few games that are aimed at adult audiences.

Wombat’s comparison of minors selling games that are rated mature or adult only, to minors selling alcohol is not completely correct. You can be 18 and work in a bar as wait staff or a bartender, but you can not purchase alcohol until you are 21, at least here in the USA. Sorry Wombat it seems like someone is always working you and your comments over in the forums every week, and this week we all gathered around and I drew the short straw! But I do agree with Wombat in that it is pretty hard to take advice from a 36 year old full grown man, that still has a roommate (unless he is gay, then I guess his advice is just as qualified as anyone else’s. But man honestly just say it, it is nothing to be ashamed of).

To the guy who does not like the Wii Store music I say really? It honestly reminds me of walking around in a store and that cheesy music they play in the back ground.

As to the benefits of living in Japan, all I can say is the freakin hot women! WOW, it seems like every time I am seeing video of people standing in line for games or consoles there are tons of smoking hot chicks! That has got to be a super big plus. Cheapy, do you get hit on quite a bit? I had a friend in the army stationed there who told me that most guys over six feet tall can do very well at a bar in Japan? Not that I am saying you would do anything about it, but do you get a few offers? Maybe some little hotty wants to go home with you and Mrs. Cheapy since you have this huge open shower?

As for the customer service at the post office that is amazing. I can not get my mail carrier to deliver mail to mailbox if there is more than three inches of snow on the ground that is not shoveled clear.
 
To retain videogame players you need to put out experiences that will still interest them. I would also say you need to make games they have time for too.

The only big company doing this is Nintendo. Stuff like WiiSports and WiiPlay. That's stuff that will interest the tru working man and the family man who played videogames before, but now has higher priorities.

What could do better here in North America would be if someone like EA did stuff stuff like the above, but with a NA-style to it.

I look at something like Madden and it's too much for me. I like playing a little football, but I don't need all these superstar and other timesink modes and the 30,000 options.

I just want to play a gall dam football game. Why can't I get that for $20? I would much prefer going back to the GEnesis days of Madden football except with better graphics. IN those days you didn't need to make a career out of football. You grabbed a couple buds who never really played much and you played a game of it.

Now? I would think that is much harder to do because the games are much harder to get into between the controls and the features/options.

I think that's a niche that companies have ignored. GAmes for the person who likes games, but doesn't have 100 hours to go wandering through the countryside.

There's a great interview with Will Wright and he figures most people don't play beyond the first 20% of a game on average.

Hopefully we will see this part of the market catered to this generation. We're seeing stuff on XBox Live and that Jaffe cars games on the PS3 and Nintendo has the VC and puts out alot of pick and play type games.

That's where the industry has to give more attention to if they want to retain gamers.

People in my neighborhood all have jobs and families and like to go outside once in awhile. Playing many of these games is not an option. PLus with most of the games geared towards the 15 yr old who rips the plastic off PLayboys at the 7-eleven to get a peek then no wonder older gamers 'retire' from gaming.

Movies and TVs shows attract a wide range of audiences and are far less time consuming than most of your typical $50 videogames. And that's where the videogame industry should follow.
 
Good Show, I agree with you Wombat the Video Game Industry could care less about retaing customers there to busy trying to get new ones see Nintendo. I think maybe M$ has the upper hand in this, Nintendo and Sony rely too much on brand loyalty and just expect customers to keep coming back for more. M$ however seems to be trying to not only get new consumers but retain them with things like Live that is leaps and bounds above Ps Network and Wii Codes along and IPTV, and the Video Marketplace. I know you Wombat aren’t really big on the Video Marketplace but you have to admit that it’s a feature that will keep people coming back. Of course I’m most likely way off, Oh yeah Phoenix Wright 2
 
Virtua Fighter 5 should be the greatest iteration ever. Now if only Sega would fix whatever last minute problems their joystick has.
 
Great show, keep up the work.

I'm disappointed to hear about how boring Cooking Mama for the Wii is.

Sign me up again for Killzone for the PSP.
 
before more people post it, yes I am aware of the game Afrika, but thats only one game and my point that it is an underused locale in comparison to say Mexico that has been featured in 4 games in the last year. I think would be a great location for a rainbow six or a splinter cell type game. I don't think Afrika is that kind of game so I'm sticking with my initial point.
 
[quote name='Kfoster1979'] I know you Wombat aren’t really big on the Video Marketplace but you have to admit that it’s a feature that will keep people coming back. [/QUOTE]

Not at 8+ hours per download.
 
great show as usual...I do disagree with wombats retention of customers comments. I haven't read the disney book so I can't comment much on that, but you claim that 70% of disney theme park customers are return customers. I wonder how many of those return customers are people that went as a child, and then returned as a parent. It would be the same with video games. Lets say I decided to quit gaming today at age 31, with my daughter due in 3 months. Assuming the video game market is still strong 10 years from now, I would assume my daughter may be interested in playing video games. I would probably play with her on a new generation system, and I may even pick up games for me to play later on in the evening. There actually was a cag in my auction thread that said he started playing actively with his children.

As for the time consuming aspect of it and how nintendo is doing it right with pick up and play, I disagree with that as well. (tripex1 comments) Yes some games are very complicated and some take forever to get thru, but there is no reason why a active adult couldn't put 2 or so hours in a week...yes those customers would take forever to complete the game and not buy as many as other but it is still possible to play thru the game. Nintendo is allegedly targeting the non gamer with the simplified controls and pick up and play mentality. Personally I don't want to spend $50 for a 2 hour game and the games media doesn't need to go the route of books/movies
 
Keep up the good work, guys! I'm interested in Pheonix Wright if I take the prize. I need something to play in my brand spanking new Onyx DS Lite! Look forward to the next episode. Later!
 
I love CAGCast Wednesday! Gonna stream this later today. I'd like to flop over to this week's contest to win Virtua Fighter 5.

And I disagree a little with Wombat's rant on Crackdown/linear games--sometimes I don't want or need some great backstory for a game to be fun. There was a time when you just played a game to beat the high score or some other person. Ultimately it comes down to game/level design, of course, but who cares if all doors on the buildings don't open--an open-ended game doesn't necessarily mean you should go whereever you want or do whatever you want. From a design standpoint, you do have to set some limits because you're limited by technology and budget and you don't want to get bogged down in the minutae of every little inane thing you think a player is going to want to do. I would be a logistical and programming nightmare. Even Oblivion has it's limits.

With a game like Crackdown, sometimes I just want to fuck around and blow shit up for no damn reason at all and this game will let me do that.

On the other hand, I do agree that these video game-related sites and podcasts are a dime a dozen...
 
Good show. I think the problem with Cooking Mama is that it didn't lend itself to becoming a good console game while the cheapness of the DS game along with the short simple joy you need with portables along with the touch screen most likely made it better.

As for Wombat's customer care talk, I agree to a degree when it comes to Microsoft and Sony but Nintendo is awesome with customer service. Those people know their shit and when something breaks they help you out ASAP. Just look at the wrist strap as a recent example. Fill out the form and we send the thing to you for free.

They could of just brushed it off as some stupid people getting WAY into Wii Sports but they didn't.

Phone X Right 2 please.
 
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